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Sunderland continued their charge up the Championship table last Saturday afternoon with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers.

The hosts had to deal with the wrath of Tony Mowbray's possession-based yet purposeful attacking football and the contrast in styles showed as the Black Cats recorded 72% possession, 407 more accurate passes, 22 shots on goal and an xG of 2.78, as per Sofascore.

A relentless and domineering performance at the Kiyan Prince Foundation stadium preceded a 5-0 thrashing against one of the favourites, Southampton, so when they travel to Blackburn on Wednesday night, Sunderland will be confident of making it three consecutive victories.

The cliché of not changing a winning team is often banded, however, Mowbray will have to go against this old chestnut as midfielder Pierre Ekwah was forced off in the 14th minute after sustaining a dead leg.

How has Pierre Ekwah performed this season?

After playing a bit-part role for Sunderland last season, featuring on 14 occasions in the Championship, Ekwah has become a vital cog in Mowbray's machine this term.

One of the first names on the teammate sheet, the 21-year-old has gone on to form an indispensable partnership with fellow youngster Dan Neil at the heart of the Black Cats' midfield, speaking highly about the Frenchman's in-demand physical and technical attributes when asked about him previously.

Neil said: "Yeah brilliant. He’s dynamic, he’s really strong, he’s got a great left foot on him.

“He’s been brilliant in training the last few weeks and I said to him you are going to get your chance because he’s been brilliant in training.

“With the international boys being away, Ed playing on Tuesday and it being a quick turnaround for him, this was his chance and I think he took it. I thought he was brilliant."

Stamping his mark on proceedings superbly since being given regular opportunities to impress, Ekwah has featured in all of Sunderland's matches so far, averaging 7.3 ball recoveries per game, 1.7 tackles, recording a pass completion of 90%, via Sofascore, and even scored two well-taken goals in the victory over Southampton.

Ahead of their trip to Ewood Park, Mowbray is hopeful that he could be fit, although it seems unlikely. As such, Sunderland will desperately miss the 6 foot 2 titans presence in the engine room without having a direct replacement for his strength, power and all-action displays, leaving Mowbray with a crucial decision to make.

Who could replace Pierre Ekwah vs Blackburn?

In his pre-match interview, Mowbray confirmed that his side had been hit with a double injury blow, leaving them without two of their most influential figures, Bradley Dack and Ekwah.

While Jobe Bellingham can continue in his advanced midfield role in the absence of Dack, the task of choosing someone to play in the double pivot is much more difficult to resolve, with the likely candidate being Alex Pritchard.

The 30-year-old performed admirably after coming on and replacing Ekwah against QPR, placing 86% of his passes accurately, crossing eight times, blocking two shots and making two tackles, as per Sofascore.

Pritchard is more readily known for the creativity he brings to the party, rather than the energetic and robust performances of Ekwah, but he can still do a job of keeping it neat and tidy in that deep-lying role while letting Neil do the dirty work, that is unless Bellingham drops into the deeper role and lets the former operate more advanced.

In the Championship last season, the £7k per-week Prichard has showcased how crucial of an influence he can have in the final third, ranking in the top 20% for progressive passes, the best 16% for assists, the upmost 5% for shot-creating actions and top 5% for key passes when compared against his positional peers per 90, via FBref.

If he can bring those creative metrics to the party against Blackburn, he will be a threat on the counter-attack but without having the energy and dynamism of Ekwah, they could lose the physical battle against the likes of Lewis Travis and Adam Wharton.

Liverpool's stuttering season started to look more fruitful over recent weeks, with a recent purple patch in the Premier League clearing a route toward qualifying for top-four having previously fallen drastically from prominence.

When Jurgen Klopp's Reds unbelievably defeated arch-rivals Manchester United 7-0, it was supposed to be a watershed moment for an outfit searching for resurgence, but successive 1-0 defeats to Bournemouth and Real Madrid in the Premier League and Champions League respectively have eradicated the optimism heading into the international break.

And with prodigious 18-year-old midfielder Stefan Bajcetic recently ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, a devastating blow to what has been a resounding breakout season, Klopp and co will be scratching heads trying to conjure up a remedy to the blow.

With securing Champions League football next year absolutely imperative to the club's stability and long-term success, 22-year-old midfielder Curtis Jones must now be unleashed with regularity, using his progressive qualities to help pump life into the fold.

Should Klopp now unleash Curtis Jones?

Make no mistake, Jones and Bajcetic boast very contrasting skill sets despite both being energetic central midfielders; where the Spaniard flourishes with his tenacity and dogged approach, Jones seeks to progress the ball, run into channels and add a creative flair.

But energy is a rare commodity on Merseyside right now, with the Liverpool midfield highlighted as one of the most concerning areas over the past months.

Jones has only started twice across all competitions this year, making 13 total appearances in what has been a blighted period on a personal level, having missed seven matches due to injury and failing to claim a place in Klopp's plans thus far.

But having scored eight goals and provided ten assists from 86 outings throughout his professional career, notably winning the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, there is every possibility that the Liverpudlian would kindle his flame to full intensity with a sustained spell in the starting line-up.

As per FBref, the £15k-per-week ace ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's 'big five' for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90, illustrating the rounded scope of his midfield arsenal.

Given the vibrant approach to his play, the "fantastic" dynamo, as lauded by club captain Jordan Henderson, might just be the optimum choice to tip the odds in Liverpool's favour, opening up a fresh avenue from the heart of the team.

And with Bajcetic now sidelined for the next few months, possibly the most important of Klopp's tenure at Anfield, Jones could finally shine with a radiance that finally reflects the natural ability brimming from Liverpool's homegrown maestro.

Aston Villa will head into the first international break of the season off the back of a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool as they failed to pick up any points in the Premier League on Sunday.

How did Aston Villa lose to Liverpool?

The hosts opened the scoring through Hungary international Dominik Szoboszlai as he was afforded too much room on the edge of the box and his left-footed strike floated into the far corner.

It did not take long for the Reds to double their lead as Darwin Nunez’s strike from around 12 yards cannoned back off the post and into the net off the unfortunate Matty Cash, who had little time to get out of the way.

Mohamed Salah then made it 3-0 in the 55th minute as he pounced at the back post from Nunez's flick-on to tap into a virtually empty net, with Villa's defenders completely switching off from the corner.

That said, the backline weren't the only members of the Villa squad to underperform, with Ollie Watkins also out of sorts.

How did Ollie Watkins perform against Liverpool?

Whilst there were a number of less-than-impressive performers for Unai Emery's side on Sunday, Watkins stood out as the true villain for the head coach with his display at the top end of the pitch.

Cash did score an own goal to help put Liverpool on their way to a comfortable win but the Poland international was not without his redeeming qualities.

The former Nottingham Forest man won four of his six ground duels and made two clearances alongside four tackles to win possession back for his team, which shows that he was – at least – strong in his physical battles.

Watkins, meanwhile, was worse than Cash as he struggled with both sides of the game, failing to offer enough in and out of possession throughout his 73 minutes on the pitch.

The England international racked up 0.20 xG during the game and the best opportunity came when Lucas Digne's cross found him in the box but he was only able to scuff his effort wide of the post instead of testing Alisson.

As per Sofascore, the £75k-per-week earner only completed seven passes out of nine attempted and no other starter for Villa – including Diego Carlos who came off injured after 19 minutes – made fewer than ten passes.

This shows that Watkins was unable to get himself into the game and was left isolated at the top end of the pitch. He did not do enough to get involved in the match, leading to his lack of effectiveness in the final third.

Whilst you could point to Liverpool's dominance, with 64% possession, as an explanation for his lack of involvement, the 27-year-old did not help himself with a lack of physicality up against Joe Gomez and Joel Matip as he lost three of his four (75%) duels and was pushed aside far too easily.

Indeed, it's clear to see that Watkins produced a disappointing display with his contributions on and off the ball. He did not offer the strength to hold the ball up to be an out ball to relieve pressure for his side and wasted the one presentable chance that did fall his way to get the team back into the match.

Liverpool's interest in Brazilian midfielder Andre Trindade is "clearly a negotiating tactic" to help their position in any future negotiations with Southampton for their exciting midfielder Romeo Lavia, claims journalist Alex Crook.

Are Liverpool signing Romeo Lavia this summer?

It's been a real summer of change for the red half of Merseyside so far this year. Club captain Jordan Henderson left the side for the riches of the Saudi Pro League alongside Champions League-winning Fabinho and Roberto Firmino.

It's not just departures changing the face of the team, though, as Jurgen Klopp has already welcomed two new starting midfielders to Anfield.

The first to make his way to the northwest was Brighton & Hove Albion's World Cup-winning star, Alexis Mac Allister, who signed for the club in a deal worth an initial £35m.

Read the latest Livepool transfer news HERE…

Shortly after the Argentinian arrived, Hungarian superstar, Dominik Szoboszlai made the journey from RB Leipzig to Liverpool in a deal worth a reported £60m.

While these two players represent excellent business, Fabinho's exit has necessitated the signing of a new number six to complete Klopp's midfield overhaul, and it looks like Liverpool have identified 19-year-old Lavia as that new number six.

According to Sky Sports, the Reds have now had two offers for the youngster rejected by the Saints, with neither one reaching even £40m, considerably short of the £50m valuation they have of their star.

Whilst the six-time European champions retain their interest in the Brussels-born gem, they have also turned their attention to Fluminense prospect Andre, with the Daily Mail reporting that they have already made an offer for an estimated £21m.

However, with the genuine interest the Reds have shown in Lavia thus far, this attempt to sign the 22-year-old Brazilian could be a tactic intended to cause the Saints to lower their price somewhat, according to journalist Alex Crook.

He explained the situation live on TalkSport, with the clip being posted to their YouTube channel:

"I don't know if they will walk away. It always makes me suspicious, and I've been doing this job long enough that when a new name suddenly emerges as it did yesterday [Tuesday] with a Brazilian player, Andre, I think his name was. That's clearly a negotiating tactic from Liverpool, 'let's get this name out there; let's make it clear to Southampton it's not Romeo Lavia or nobody'.

"But they bid up to £40m, Southampton want £50m. Again, for a club of Liverpool's stature, that doesn't seem a massive gap, and I think this lad is going to be a really talented Premier League player, Romeo Lavia, I think £50m is a fair price."

How good was Romeo Lavia last season?

Even though he is only 19 years old, Southampton's midfield prodigy is relatively experienced for a player his age, especially after starting 26 Premier League games last season.

In those games for the Saints, he scored one goal, maintained a passing accuracy of 86.4% – the best of a player with at least 90 minutes under their belt in the entire squad – and averaged a match rating of 6.56, which is made more impressive when the team he was playing in is taken into account, per WhoScored.

He can also put in the defensive work when needed with Fbref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, placing the 5 foot 11 "monster" in the top 4% of midfielders for blocks per 90.

He has evidently made an impact on his teammates on the south coast, with Theo Walcott telling TalkSport in January:

"He's young, he's 18/19 when he's off the field, but when he's on the field, it's mad. It's like he's played over 200 games in the Premier League, that's how much I rate him. It's very interesting to see, watching him from the stands, obviously it looks so easy from the stands, it always does.

"You probably know that watching us, 'he should make that run or make that pass', it's not as straightforward as that but when I watch him, I'm like 'you look way above your age right now'."

It'll be interesting to see whether or not the links to Andre will affect Southampton's stance towards a deal with Liverpool, but the Reds would be wise to do all they can to sign Lavia before someone beats them to it.

Graeme Souness, who regularly appears on talkSPORT, has some very kind words to say about one exciting Tottenham Hotspur player as he draws a comparison with Jude Bellingham.

Latest Tottenham news

Ange Postecoglou's tenure at Spurs has started near-perfectly, with the north Londoners tasting victory in three of their opening four league matches.

Impressive wins over Man United, Bournemouth and Burnley have showcased Tottenham's new attacking flair under Postecoglou; so far proving his supposedly risky appointment to be right one so far.

The Australian is slowly becoming a cult hero at N17 and certain Spurs players, like Dejan Kulusevski, admit they've been left "surprised" by just how good he's been.

"I've been a little surprised but he’s really good," said Kulusevski to the club's official website.

"We had a very tough time at the end of last season but he has come in with really positive energy and it has gone very quickly.

"We are a young team and everyone wants to play this way… It's clear that all of us players have done our best to listen as much as possible."

Scoring 11 goals over their first four matches, the same number as last season's treble-winners Man City, Spurs currently sit second and head into their Saturday clash against Sheffield United in good stead.

Who is Tottenham's best player?

There are cases to be made for quite a few of Postecoglou's squad in terms of their most in-form stars, including the likes of Son Heung-min, Cristian Romero, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma.

However, after signing from Leicester City in the summer transfer window, midfield star James Maddison has become quite the pivotal figure for Tottenham.

Scoring two goals and assisting two others in his first four league matches, the England international has dazzled as part of Postecoglou's new-look and exciting Spurs midfield.

Souness, speaking to Channel 4 ahead of England's 3-1 win over Scotland at Hampden in mid-week, even drew comparisons with £113 million Real Madrid superstar Bellingham.

The former Sky pundit even claimed he could be "far better" than Bellingham in terms of shooting and creating chances.

“I am an enormous fan of James Maddison," said Souness (via TBR)

"I think there is room for Maddison and Bellingham in this midfield.

“If you look at Maddison’s numbers, his stats of scoring goals and creating chances, and you compare them to Bellingham. He shoots Bellingham off the park. He is far better than Bellingham in creating chances and scoring goals.

“He is choosing Bellingham because he plays for Real Madrid. I think there is room for two of them – if he (Bellingham) is going to play off Harry Kane, then I don’t think he is as good as Maddison at that.”

How good is James Maddison?

Registering a brilliant 19 goal contributions (10 goals, nine assists) in the league alone over 2022/2023, Maddison starred as Leicester City's star player last term.

If he can replicate those numbers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which he is doing thus far, then supporters can expect a very exciting 23/24 campaign.

The former Norwich City star is exactly what Spurs have been crying out for in a creative central midfield presence.

Arsenal are set to make their long-awaited return to Champions League football on Wednesday, bringing up huge questions about who Mikel Arteta might choose to start in this all-important fixture…

Who could start for Arsenal in the Champions League?

Having suffered a stuttering start to their Premier League campaign, despite remaining unbeaten with four victories from their opening five games, the weekend's win over Everton ended a torrid run of form at Goodison Park as the Gunners overcame huge obstacles to surpass their stubborn hosts.

However, the clash was largely marred by Gabriel Martinelli's 24th-minute injury, who pulled up with a hamstring qualm just after seeing his neat finish chalked off for a marginal offside. Arteta would claim: "He felt something in his hamstring and we need to do some further tests to assess if there is any big damage or not but he will be out for tomorrow’s game, that’s for sure."

Such a huge blow throws that left-wing spot completely up for grabs, with a number of stars likely set to have their eye on earning a start in this massive clash.

Emile Smith Rowe will be one vying for the place, whilst there is every chance that Gabriel Jesus could be pushed out wide to allow Eddie Nketiah to retain his striker spot.

However, the far more viable option would be to employ their match-winner from that aforementioned match, where Leandro Trossard made himself the star as he came off the bench to finish off a fine team move.

How good is Leandro Trossard?

When the Belgian was chosen to replace Martinelli after his injury, it immediately showcased where he stood in the pecking order. So, to see him score the winner, that place was arguably solidified.

From a short corner, which the north London outfit had been trying all game on Merseyside, a few intricate passes forged the 28-year-old an inch of space, where he struck a stunning left-footed effort in off the far post.

Such a moment of magic should come as no surprise to anyone though, as despite not quite lacking the dynamism and speed of the man he replaced, he remains the "magician" that writer Hayley McGoldrick branded him.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion wizard would prove that throughout last term too, as he shared his outstanding talents across two Premier League clubs without slowing down.

Moving in January, he would score eight and assist a further 13 in the league alone, with his instant impact at the Emirates nearly upholding their title charge that would ultimately fall short.

The £90k-per-week ace was further showcased as a true talent with his underlying figures, as he recorded a further 1.3 key passes and 1.5 shots per game, via Sofascore.

Given they are likely to come up against another team looking to frustrate them again tonight, such technical prowess could actually prove more impactful than Martinelli might have done.

After all, when compared to other wingers across Europe, the 28-cap creator ranks in the top 1% for assists per 90.

Trossard has more than enough quality to unlock most defences, having come up at key moments already with big goals. The hope will be that he can score arguably the biggest of his career to earn Arsenal an emphatic win on their triumphant Champions League return.

Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for a "superb" young player in the January transfer window, potentially seeing him as a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah.

Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future

Salah's future has been a major talking point of late, with the 31-year-old the subject of a huge £150m bid from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad last summer. The Reds rejected their advances, ensuring their star player stayed put for another season, but their interest is almost certain to return later this year, and there is another unnamed Middle East club in contact for Salah now too.

Liverpool will no doubt be braced for offers for the Egyptian superstar, who continues to stand out as comfortably his side's most relentless attacking player, and he will have to make a big decision over his future at the end of the season. His contract is up at Anfield next year, so he will either have to sign an extension in 2024, or find a new challenge.

The better outcome is to see Salah remain on Merseyside, considering he is still one of the best players in world football, but if he does move on, it is essential that the Reds bring in a spectacular replacement during the summer transfer window.

Liverpool eyeing Johan Bakayoko

According to Caught Offside, PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko is seen as a target for Liverpool, with a move even potentially happening this month, due to Salah's involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations.

"Sources with a close understanding of the situation inside Anfield have informed CaughtOffside that Liverpool have as many as six main names on their list of targets for defence, midfield, and attack, with the latter being something they could be tempted to look at closely this January due to the absence of Mohamed Salah, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt."

Bakayoko looks like a player of immense potential, being hailed as a "superb" footballer by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and enjoying a wonderful season for PSV to date, chipping in with 11 goal contributions (three goals and eight assists) in 16 Eredivisie appearances.

Appearances

16

Starts

14

Goals

3

Assists

8

Dribbles per game

3.3

Key passes per game

2.7

Still only 20 years of age, Bakayoko has Salah's ability to cut inside onto his left foot from a right-sided attacking role, and he is already producing such impressive levels of end product, despite his tender years. While the Belgian likely wouldn't be able to come straight in and hit the heights of the Liverpool legend from the off, he could be an eye-catching long-term addition at Anfield, with his potential clearly through the roof.

Bakayoko could even be a great signing even if Salah stays this summer, arriving as a squad player, before eventually usurping the Egypt legend when he does finally drift past his peak.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond brought Brendan Rodgers back to Celtic for a second spell at Parkhead this summer and has backed the manager in the summer transfer window.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

Norwegian central midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and Melbourne City attacker Marco Tilio came in as the Northern Irish tactician's first two signings.

Since then, South Korean duo Hyun-jun Yang and Hyeok-kyu Kwon and Polish central defender Maik Nawrocki have also come through the door on permanent deals.

There could be more signings on the way for the Hoops before the window slams shut at the start of next month as they were recently touted with an interest in Manchester City midfielder Tommy Doyle.

However, they are said to be facing competition from a number of clubs in England; including Wolves, Southampton, and Sheffield United.

How good is Tommy Doyle?

The 21-year-old maestro is an exciting young gem who has the potential to be a throwback to one of the stars from Rodgers' first stint at Parkhead – Tom Rogic.

Doyle spent last season on loan at Sheffield United and caught the eye with his impressive performances in central midfield as he racked up four goals alongside seven assists in 38 appearances in all competitions.

The England U21 international played 33 Championship matches for the Blades as they won promotion up to the Premier League and the Hoops could now bank on that experience helping him to take his game to the next level this time around.

Prior to loan spells with Cardiff City and Hamburg before his year at Bramall Lane, Doyle was an outstanding performer for Manchester City's U21 side with nine goals and 15 assists across 50 outings.

This suggests that the talented number eight has the quality to provide goals and assists from a midfield position, which is something that Rogic excelled at under Rodgers.

The Australian magician, who played in the middle of the park, produced 24 goals and 20 assists in 105 competitive games for the ex-Liverpool boss during their time together at Celtic between 2016 and 2019.

This means that the mercurial technician averaged a direct goal contribution once every 2.39 matches, which shows that he was able to make an impact at the top end of the pitch on a semi-regular basis to supplement the attacking work done by the wingers and forwards.

Doyle could fulfil a similar role if he is able to translate his form from youth level over to senior football. He averaged a goal involvement every 2.09 outings for City's U21 team and showed signs of getting near that with one every 3.45 clashes for Sheffield United last term.

The 5 foot 8 talent, who has been described as "exceptional" and a "playmaker" by scout Jacek Kulig, managed four goals and ten assists in 18 Premier League 2 appearances for City during the 2020/21 campaign.

Matt O'Riley (12) was the only current Hoops player who managed more than eight Scottish Premiership assists last term, which suggests that Doyle has the potential to be one of the club's outstanding creators if he can have a breakthrough year in Scotland.

Therefore, the Citizens prospect could be Rogic 2.0 for Rodgers as a central midfielder who could provide goals and assists to influence games in the final third.

Leeds United need to get bodies through the door quickly if they are to get their league campaign back on track, with one touted addition certain to have a monumental impact…

Who are Leeds United signing?

With Ethan Ampadu comfortably their star addition for the window thus far, his impact has been stellar despite only making three Championship appearances.

With experience and quality that belies his youth, there is a fine foundation for a stunning engine room to be forged should Daniel Farke recruit intelligently to rebuild his shattered squad.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Reeling from the permanent exits of Rodrigo and Tyler Adams, alongside no less than six loan departures, the need for additions is huge.

Therefore, reports linking them with a swoop for Jonjo Shelvey should not be turned away, as he would bring an immense level of talent and many appearances at a level way above the Whites’ current one.

Despite having only joined Nottingham Forest in January, already it seems like the 31-year-old is ready to move on from his £75k-per-week deal and pursue regular first-team football elsewhere.

How good is Jonjo Shelvey?

Having starred for prestigious clubs such as Liverpool and Newcastle United, making 202 appearances in total for the latter as he went down and earned promotion back to the top flight, to add Leeds to this list would not look out of place.

Historic in size and stature, the west Yorkshire outfit have endured a troubled past two decades, the bulk of which they were absent from the Premier League.

Farke will not only be desperate to ensure they can earn an instant return, but also build a solid foundation for consistent and longstanding success that helps cement their status alongside the elite of English football.

Therefore, pairing the ageing but experienced maestro in question with Ampadu could mark a dream combination, placing two tough-tackling and tireless midfielders at the heart of the German’s all-action system.

Given his lack of playtime over the last year, it is Shelvey’s 2021/22 season that is the most relevant for analysis given he featured 24 times as the Magpies turned a relegation-threatened term on its head.

His 6.93 average rating was admirable and was underpinned by his three goal contributions, 81% pass accuracy, and 1.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

However, at his peak, the maestro was a combative and cultured ace who could score and create. During the 2019/20 season, his 7.14 average rating fed into his eight goal contributions, via Sofascore.

Former teammate Isaac Hayden even went as far as to brand him a “Rolls-Royce of a player”, with his conduct and personality emphasised by his “classy” departure from Tyneside, as journalist Dominic Scurr outlined.

Should he recapture that kind of goalscoring form, which Ampadu’s presence would facilitate, then he could actually be the shock signing that spurs them towards promotion.

Especially given how the 22-year-old has taken to life at Elland Road, maintaining an 87% pass accuracy alongside 1.3 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He is incredibly solid yet economical with possession, and he could help bring back the firepower that once made Shelvey so great.

Tottenham Hotspur continue to search for their Harry Kane successor, but it is a process that was always bound to prove difficult given the talent they have lost…

Who could replace Harry Kane at Tottenham?

Numerous names have been touted with regard to that vacancy, as Ange Postecoglou likely wants to replace that goalscoring quality with similar proficiency.

However, he of all people will know just how impossible a task that is.

Instead, perhaps the Australian could look to mould his next star, investing his time and effort in youth just as he will have to be equally patient whilst integrating his system.

Whilst Dusan Vlahovic might mark the outstanding option given his pedigree for someone so young, as someone who the Lilywhites have been interested in this summer, perhaps they could divert their attention towards a shock move for Folarin Balogun.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Given a report emerged earlier in the week linking them with a swoop for their north London rivals' young star, with his £50m price tag far more attainable than what was touted for the Juventus marksman, with regard to quality, ceiling and price tag, there are arguments to be made for the USA international.

How good is Folarin Balogun?

Although far more accomplished at the top level, their respective most recent seasons could suggest that the tide might be turning in the favour of Arsenal's 22-year-old finisher.

After all, he did enjoy an outstanding loan spell in France, scoring 21 times in Ligue 1 and assisting a further three. H

is manager Will Still sought to emphasise the immediate impact of the youngster, noting: "He is a super complete striker, he is able to play with his back to goal, in depth. It is technically very clean. He scores, he is decisive."

Meanwhile, during this red-hot term that made many stand up and take note, the Serbia international was actually enduring an uncharacteristically profligate year for the Turin outfit.

Just ten league goals marked a massive downgrade from his 24 strikes the year prior, however, he does not boast nearly enough technical prowess with regard to link-up play and passing accuracy that could lend Balogun the upper hand.

Alongside his clinical finishing, the former England U21 international did also average one key pass per game to outline this creativity that he could add, where Vlahovic has little.

His 72% pass accuracy from last season suggests that he would fail to make it stick should they mix it up and go long, despite his 6 foot 3 frame.

Postecoglou has been vocal in the way he wants to set his side up, with an emphasis on pressing from the front and a relentless work ethic up top.

Following his appointment he noted: "It's all encompassing. Our defensive work starts at the front and making sure that our front three, whoever they may be, are our first line of defence. The players have bought into it.

"It's very easy, especially for an attacking player, to have the incentive of working hard in order to score goals, but to give them the incentive that if they work hard defensively it will also bring you goals has been a big challenge but the players have bought into it."

Again, this is something which Balogun excels in, with former teammate Shkodran Mustafi even suggesting how tireless he remains in his pursuit of his targets: "He’s a very strong and intelligent player. He’s a good striker and he’s hungry."

Whilst Vlahovic is far more experienced, with five years of top-flight senior football under his belt, Balogun's promise, heavily reduced price tag and ability in possession actually marks him as an upgrade on the former Fiorentina star.