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The transfer window slammed shut earlier this month, and with just hours to go, Wolverhampton Wanderers sold star midfielder Matheus Nunes. The Portuguese international joined Premier League champions Manchester City for a fee said to be around £53m.

Football FanCast has taken a look at the player, his transfer and what was going on at Wolves this summer.

Who is Matheus Nunes?

Matheus Nunes' age is 24, having been born on August 27th, 1998, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, his family moved to the Portuguese town of Ericeira, near Lisbon, when he was 12 years old. This is why he holds Portuguese citizenship and has represented the European country 11 times at senior level, scoring one goal.

The 6 foot tall midfielder began his career at Ericeirense in 2016 before he moved to top flight outfit Estoril in 2018. Here he would make just six league appearances before being signed by Portuguese giants Sporting CP for just €500,000.

During his time with the Leoes, Nunes would make 76 league appearances, score eight goals, provide five assists and win one league title. This excellent form would earn him a move to Wolves in the summer of 2022 for a fee reported to be £42m.

In the West Midlands, the 24-year-old's salary was around £85,000-a-week, or £4,420,000-a-year. This was the second-highest pay packet at the club, behind only Pablo Sarabia and Goncalo Guedes, who both make £90,000-a-week.

Matheus Nunes' position for Wolves varied, as he played at the heart of the midfield, in a central position, a central attacking position, on the left of midfield and the right of midfield, so his versatility was there for all to see.

What is the latest Matheus Nunes transfer news?

Transfers expert Fabrizio Romano reported late on August 23rd that treble winner Manchester City had submitted an offer to Wolves for Nunes, though to be worth around €50m (£43m) with add-ons. Romano also confirmed that the Portuguese international had "accepted City" as his new club, with personal terms having already been agreed.

However, in the hours following, it was widely reported that the Old Gold had rejected the proposal from their Premier League competitors. BBC Sport claimed that the rejected deal was worth around £47m, which would have represented a profit for the cash-strapped club.

Ultimately, City would come back in with another offer in the closing days of the window and eventually secured their man in a deal worth £53m, per Sky Sports News.

Why did Man City want Matheus Nunes?

On the surface, it might've seemed odd that the all-conquering, treble-winning, record-breaking City wanted to sign Nunes, who, for all his quality, potentially underwhelmed ever so slightly during his year at Molineux.

However, with the long-term injury to Kevin De Bruyne and a deal for Lucas Paqueta falling through, a move for the 24-year-old suddenly looked much more reasonable.

While the direct comparison to the Belgian doesn't quite work due to the pair taking up different positions on the pitch, Nunes at least adds another body to Pep Guardiola's midfield, and a quality one at that.

Journalist Alex Crook told TalkSport (via The Boot Room) that the interest in Nunes likely spells the end for Kalvin Philips, saying:

"The fact that City are looking for extra midfield cover suggests that Pep Guardiola is now coming around to the idea of letting [Kalvin] Phillips go out, maybe even on loan."

It certainly doesn't look good for the Englishman's playing time now he has another player to contend with, one the club just splashed over £50m on.

Were Liverpool interested in Matheus Nunes?

City weren't the only 'big six' club to express genuine interest in the Rio-born gem this year, as Liverpool were said to hold a genuine interest in him in January.

According to Sky Sports News, the Reds were 'monitoring' the midfielder, with their interest in him manifesting before he had even signed for Wolves.

Sky also reported that the club was likely to try and sign him in the summer; however, their valuation of £44m was considered well below the minimum asking price Wolves had of £50m for the former Sporting star.

That said, this 'interest' can't have been all that substantial, as the Liverpool Echo reported in early June that Jürgen Klopp's side had already moved on from Nunes and were instead focussing on other targets.

Did Wolves want to sell Matheus Nunes this summer?

With only one year under his belt at Molineux, it was clear that Wolves were not keen on selling Nunes for such a small profit, and so their reluctance to sell the midfielder shouldn't have come as a surprise to fans or potential suitors.

This desire to hold onto the Portuguese international meant that they swiftly rejected City's opening offer of £47m, and according to TalkSport, planned to only sell if they received an offer worth at least £60m. For City's part, journalist Mike Minay reported that, as with all of their targets, they would've walked away if they felt that Wolves' valuation exceed their own.

In the end, City's final offer of £53m was deemed good enough by the club – a decision likely influenced by their economic difficulties and concerns about financial regulations from the Premier League.

What did Matheus Nunes' goals stats look like at Wolves?

For all the attention he was courting from the country's biggest clubs, you'd be forgiven for thinking Nunes must've scored plenty of goals for the Old Gold last season; well, unfortunately, that is just not the case.

In his 37 Premier League appearances for Wolves, Nunes scored just one goal and registered one assist. However, he was playing more as a central midfielder than an attacking one, which does help to explain his poor output somewhat.

That said, the one goal he scored against Chelsea was an absolute screamer.

Just take a look at the highlight below:

Did Matheus Nunes want to leave Wolves?

While it was evidently clear that Wolves did not want to sell their prized asset last month, especially so close to the end of the window, the player himself was much more positive about the move.

According to ESPN, the Portuguese midfielder was 'keen' on a move to Manchester, and with Guardiola at the helm who can blame him?

What is the latest Wolves transfer news?

It was a summer of sales for the club that had spent over £100m on signings this time last year. In all, ten players left the side permanently this summer, with several first-team players among them.

Ruben Neves was at least able to fetch the club £47m, while Nathan Collins brought in another £23m. However, former stars like Adama Traore and Joao Moutinho left for nothing.

Another name that looked like it would be added to the list of departures is that of Nelson Semedo. According to Football Insider, the full-back had attracted interest from Manchester United, with the Red Devils enquiring about his availability. Luckily for the club he's still there.

The main reason the club have had to sell so many players and so dramatically reduce their spending is the fear that they would break the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules if they repeated last summer's spending.

The regulations stipulate that no club in the league can register losses of more than £105m over a three-year period, and according to The Athletic, the club were very much at risk of doing precisely this were they not to sanction a raft of sales this summer.

Ultimately, this concern over the club's financial well-being and the generally more than fair offer from City meant that the club felt they had to sanction the sale. Hopefully, for the fans, the sales this summer mean the club can start adding players to the squad again next summer.

Manchester United needed a win, just to settle proceedings somewhat.

This was a campaign that was meant to see a resurgent United side take on the rest of the Premier League. Erik ten Hag had worked wonders last term, particularly to secure Champions League football, but this term has been a disaster.

Off-field controversies and incidences have led to a fractured squad, playing staff and boardroom but for once, the football was the talking point on Saturday evening.

United far from romped to victory over Burnley, with the Red Devils prevailing 1-0 against Vincent Kompany's men.

A Bruno Fernandes goal was enough to separate the two teams come full time. It was a much-needed three points and indeed a much-required clean sheet. This was a team to have conceded ten goals in their last three games in all competitions so a shutout on this occasion was a huge positive.

That said, it was a game that certainly didn't shy away from negatives. One of those continues to be the form of Marcus Rashford.

How many goals has Rashford scored this season?

Last term was a remarkable one for the forward who took English football by storm. The academy graduate scored a whopping 30 goals and registered 11 assists in all competitions.

However, during 2023/24, the 25-year-old has found life rather more difficult in this sluggish United side.

Just one goal has fallen the way of Rashford, who found the net in the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal prior to the international break.

It has been quite some drop off for the England star, who must find his form if United are to rise from their current slump. Sadly, he could not do so against the Clarets this weekend.

How did Rashford play against Burnley?

The answer is poorly. Sadly, the attacker has lost his mojo and that was certainly evident at Turf Moor, even if they did come away from the game with all three points.

MEN's Samuel Luckhurst perhaps put it best in his post-match player ratings, writing: "Erratic again and his decision-making was seldom sound. Switched to the right early in the second half but had little joy."

The England international is usually famed for his ability to take on defenders one-on-one and he tried his utmost to make things happen down the left channel.

However, more often than not, he'd pick the ball up and instead of finding a teammate, run down a blind alley and straight into the Burnley defence.

This happened three or four times down the wide areas, when perhaps he could have found a teammate instead.

Such greed in possession ultimately saw him lose possession of the ball 12 times at Turf Moor, once every four touches.

Speaking of touches, he embarrassingly had fewer (46) than goalkeeper Andre Onana (48), while the man between the sticks also made more passes (25 vs 24). There might not be that much in the statistics, but it speaks volumes to the lack of impact Rashford had on proceedings.

During the clash, the £300k-per-week star also failed to register a single shot on target during what was a toothless display from a player usually so clinical and troublesome in the final third.

With the likes of Jadon Sancho and Antony unavailable for selection at the moment, Rashford really needs to step up as the senior player. Rasmus Hojlund's arrival means he is now unlikely to play through the middle which means he will have both Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri breathing down his neck for a start.

Last term the wide star was very much undroppable. However, this season, he is no longer immune to such treatment.

Rashford will surely come good at some point, but the longer his lack of form persists, a change will surely have to be considered.

It was a day to forget for the England trio as the Cityzens crashed out of their second cup competition in the space of four days

Manchester City crashed out of the FA Cup quarter-finals on penalties on Sunday, defeated by a Tottenham team that were down and out until a mix-up between Khiara Keating and Laia Aleixandri gifted them a 96th-minute equaliser. Keating did her best to atone for the error in the shootout, but one save wasn't enough as England stars Alex Greenwood and Chloe Kelly were both denied by Spurs' own penalty hero, Becky Spencer.

There were just six minutes on the clock when Mary Fowler broke the deadlock for City, her shot finding the back of the net with the aid of a deflection after a lovely flick from Bunny Shaw. However, that didn't open the floodgates for the Cityzens, with Shaw herself guilty of a couple of missed chances before she was subbed off due to an injury concern with around 20 minutes left to play.

It looked like her team had done enough without her to reach the semi-finals, but Spurs were piling the pressure on and it was Beth England who prolonged this encounter. Not long after she had blazed a golden chance over the bar from just a few yards out, the forward found herself in the right place at the right time to benefit from miscommunication between Keating and Aleixandri, able to tap into an empty net deep into stoppage-time.

City boss Gareth Taylor introduced Kelly ahead of extra-time and she came closest to stopping the tie from going to penalties, forcing a good save out of Spencer and even hitting the bar with a free-kick, but the Lionesses winger faltered with her spot-kick, as did Greenwood, with Spurs scoring three out of four before centre-back Amy James-Turner stepped up to beat Keating with an effort that sent City crashing out of a second cup competition in just four days.

GOAL rates Man City's players from Brisbane Road…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Khiara Keating (3/10):

  Needless error gifted Spurs the goal that took the game to extra-time. Saved a spot-kick in the shootout but unfortunately it wasn't enough.

  Kerstin Casparij (6/10):

  Got up and down the pitch really well to be an asset in both halves.

  Laia Aleixandri (4/10):

  Comical mix-up with Keating led to Spurs' equaliser, though she seemed to have it covered until her goalkeeper intervened.

  Alex Greenwood (6/10):

  Superb on the ball in the first half, one defence-splitting pass to Hemp in particular really catching the eye, but her influence waned as City struggled. Took a poor penalty.

  Leila Ouahabi (5/10):

  Struggled when pressed. Offered a good crossing option in the final third, but didn't showcase that enough.

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• Midfield

  Yui Hasegawa (7/10):

  Offered great support whenever her team attacked, constantly on the move to get involved. Took a great penalty.

  Filippa Angeldahl (5/10):

  Lacked end product and good decision-making. Ran her socks off, though, and scored her spot-kick.

  Jess Park (6/10):

  Her first-half performance oozed confidence, with her always wanting to be on the ball and make things happen. Faded out of the game as City struggled, though.

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  Attack

  Mary Fowler (7/10):

  Might have had some fortune with the deflection but linked up well with Shaw for her goal and was generally City's liveliest player. Great penalty.

  Khadija Shaw (6/10):

  Lovely flick to tee up Fowler to break the deadlock. Had chances to add a goal to that assist but couldn't convert before being subbed off with an injury.

  Lauren Hemp (7/10):

  Provided her team with a constant outlet down the left and created some good chances. Held the ball up well when moved centrally after Shaw's withdrawal.

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  Subs & Manager

  Laura Coombs (5/10):

  Came on at a time when Spurs took over so struggled to make an impact in the 90 minutes.

  Esme Morgan (5/10):

  Came on a few minutes after Coombs to try and help City see the game out but had some shaky moments.

  Chloe Kelly (6/10):

  Brought on for extra-time and was the best player in that 30 minutes, forcing a good save out of Spencer and hitting the bar. Took a surprisingly poor penalty, however.

  Gareth Taylor (4/10):

  Decision to start Fowler paid dividends but his subs could've come earlier and there should've been more of them when Spurs put the pressure on, too, to disrupt an opponent growing in confidence that would eventually equalise and win the tie.

Arsenal will roar back into Champions League action tonight, as they travel to RC Lens to face their first away clash since their return to the competition.

However, Mikel Arteta will face a quick turnaround from Saturday's emphatic victory over AFC Bournemouth and must contend with an injury list constantly fluctuating from day to day.

Who will be fit for Arsenal's game against RC Lens?

Having brushed aside PSV Eindhoven 4-0 in their European curtain-raiser, the Spaniard will hope to emulate that performance in France, although has seen a small upturn in ailments since the Dutch outfit came to north London.

A battling clash with rivals Tottenham Hotspur saw numerous casualties, with William Saliba, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka adding to the huge absences that Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard had already left.

However, the former trio all managed to return in time for that trip to the Vitality Stadium, but could be rested to prepare for the all-important clash with Manchester City on the weekend.

Another positive from that match was to see their tricky Belgian make the bench, although he was not risked as they cruised past the Cherries. Perhaps, given how exceptional he was in their last Champions League match, tonight could mark the perfect time for a recall.

How good is Leandro Trossard?

After all, it was fair to say that the former Brighton and Hove Albion man rose to the challenge in that aforementioned opener against the Red and Whites, earning an 8.0 rating buoyed by his goal and assist.

A consistent creative threat down that left flank, he deputised well in the absence of Martinelli, recording three key passes and driving home a fine second for the hosts, before being subbed off after just 58 minutes, via Sofascore.

Whilst such a display understandably drew praise, it is one which has become far more commonplace nowadays, with the £90k-per-week wizard having very nearly spearheaded their title push to the very end last season.

With four goal contributions in just five games across all competitions already this campaign, the 28-year-old seems poised to enjoy yet another outstanding year, having scored eight and assisted 13 in the Premier League alone last term.

After all, as recently as March saw writer Hayley McGoldrick rush to shower the Belgian international with adulation, branding him a "magician".

Although his fitness still remains up in the air, given he was fit enough for the bench on Saturday is a huge statement that Tuesday night could be his comeback.

After all, Arteta has been vocal about Trossard's instant importance to the Gunners since his £27m move last January:

"No, seriously, we knew about his quality and what he could bring to the team. We are really pleased with him, he can play on the right, he can play on the left, he can play as an attacking midfielder, as a nine, a false nine. He’s really contributing to the team and he really takes a lot of responsibility in games to make things happen and we love that."

Given how he rose to the Champions League challenge just last month, there is every chance that should he return to the starting side, he could replicate that form again.

Blink 182 frontman Mark Hoppus took a dig at Kylian Mbappe and France for World Cup final defeat while playing a concert in Argentina.

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• France were beaten by Lionel Messi & Co in the 2022 World Cup
• Hoppus trolled France calling them second
• The audience responded with a loud cheer

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Albiceleste captured their third global crown in Qatar after beating France 4-2 in penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw in extra time. The World Cup final defeat has once again come back to haunt Les Bleus as the American rock band mocked them for their loss while playing a gig in the South American nation.

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• THE GOSSIP

  After Travis Barker started with a flourish on his drum set, lead vocalist, Hoppus said: "First of all, thank you. Second, Francia (France) Not first, second Francia. This is for you."

  Hoppus' dig was greeted with a loud cheer from the audience as his sarcastic jibe clearly resonated with the Argentine masses.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The two teams will soon be in action as France will host Germany on March 23, whereas, Argentina will face El Salvador a day earlier in their respective friendlies.

Joining the race to welcome a new target, Everton are now reportedly battling to sign an attacking star who recently stole the show against European giants Bayern Munich.

Everton transfer news

The Friedkin era is well and truly underway. David Moyes is back and setting his focus on moving Everton beyond battles to survive and back towards the Premier League’s top half, whilst their new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium is on the horizon and has already hosted a test match against Wigan Athletic’s academy side.

Now, when the summer arrives, it’s up to the new owners to match the ambition of a new stadium and that of Moyes by welcoming some key reinforcements at the beginning of a new era.

Of course, the Toffees have already welcomed one reinforcement under Friedkin on that front in the form of Carlos Alcaraz, who has got off to the perfect start in an Everton shirt. Opening his account with the winning goal against Crystal Palace last time out, the Flamengo loanee is doing everything right to turn his move permanent.

He’s not the only talented attacker who could feature in Moyes’ frontline next season, however. According to The Boot Room, Everton are now battling to sign Nicolas Kuhn from Celtic alongside Leeds United and Crystal Palace this summer.

The Celtic star has enjoyed an excellent season and stole the show against Bayern Munich, scoring to put his side back on level terms on aggregate only for Alphonso Davies to break their hearts in the dying embers and seal victory for the German giants.

2400% price rise: Everton must regret selling flop who’s "one of the best"

He’d be one of the best players in David Moyes’ current Everton side.

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Angus Sinclair

Feb 21, 2025

Alas, the result shouldn’t take away from the winger’s impressive performance, which should have only increased the interest of Premier League clubs such as Everton ahead of the summer transfer window.

"Quick" Kuhn would be an instant upgrade

Whilst there’s no doubt that Moyes has got Everton finally firing on all cylinders going forward following a fairly blunt spell under Sean Dyche, he could still do with the star power that Kuhn would provide. On the biggest stage, the winger silenced Bayern Munich with Celtic’s equaliser in midweek in a moment that he could replicate in Merseyside next season.

Earning the praise of Brendan Rodgers in what has been a superb season, the Celtic boss told reporters when asked about his 18-goal winger earlier in the campaign: “I just think it’s time, isn’t it? I think we all expect people to adapt straight away, you’d love them to, whether they’re managers, coaches, or supporters.

“You want them to be ready immediately, but he came into the club during a challenging period in January. He had issues around his fitness and health, and everything else.

“He just landed in the middle of that difficult time, and it took him a little while. But he’s had a really good pre-season. He’s always been quick, one of the quickest players you’ll see, but I think now there’s more variety in his game, coming inside and out.”

A host of Chelsea stars, past and present, are set to feature in the Soccer Aid charity match taking place at Stamford Bridge in June.

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• Soccer Aid to take place at Stamford Bridge
• Hazard to play under Pochettino in World XI
• Lampard to manage England alongside Redknapp

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Soccer Aid for UNICEF is set to take place at the home of the Blues on Sunday, June 6, just five days before the start of Euro 2024. As usual, England will take on a selected World XI to raise money for charity, as they seek to better the £14.6 million ($18.6m) raised at Old Trafford a year ago. Alongside many of the usual faces there will be several new names taking part, including two Chelsea legends.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Former Chelsea midfielder and two-time former Blues boss Frank Lampard will manage England alongside his uncle and legendary manager Harry Redknapp and Soccer Aid co-founder Robbie Williams. However, perhaps more importantly to the Stamford Bridge faithful, will be the homecoming of recently retired Chelsea great Eden Hazard, who returns to west London for the first time in five years. He features in a World XI team managed by current Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino and his assistant Jesus Perez.

• TEAMS IN FULL

  England: Frank Lampard (Co-Manager), Harry Redknapp (Co-Manager), Robbie Williams (Co-Manager), Jill Scott (Captain), Paddy McGuinness (Celebrity Goalkeeper), David James (Professional Goalkeeper), David Seaman (Goalkeeping Coach), Jermain Defoe, Jack Wilshere, Karen Carney, Gary Cahill, Tom Grennan, Steven Bartlett, Erin Doherty, Sir Mo Farah, Alex Brooker, Stuart Broad, Bobby Brazier and Sam Thompson.

  Soccer Aid World XI FC: Mauricio Pochettino (Manager), Jesus Perez (Coach), Usain Bolt (Captain), Eden Hazard, Roberto Carlos, Martin Compston, Maisie Adam, Roman Kemp, Lee Mack, Tommy Fury and Diamond, alongside many more to be announced in due course.

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  WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Lampard is relishing his return to SW6, as he said in a statement: "Playing in front of a sold-out crowd at Stamford Bridge is special – for any player, on any occasion. I’m excited to be doing that again – this time with Soccer Aid for UNICEF. Managing the Soccer Aid England team with Harry will be a proud moment and great fun – but the main focus is rightly on the millions of pounds we can all raise together. So, please buy your tickets for Sunday 9th June and lend us your support”.

  Hazard echoed those thoughts as he sent a message to the Chelsea fans: "My Chelsea family – I am coming home on Sunday 9th June! I can’t wait to see you all again. Playing at Stamford Bridge was always amazing. We won so many trophies together there. Some of the very best memories I have in football – seven brilliant years. I miss them. As I enter a new chapter, we can write new history with Soccer Aid for UNICEF. Together, we can and will raise millions of pounds for children across the world. So, buy your tickets and let’s have a great day together in June”.

  Pochettino, who manages the World XI for the second year running, added: "Soccer Aid for UNICEF is a huge event – and one I am delighted to be part of again. The 2023 match was a great experience to be a part of and that is why I was more than happy to accept a return this year, particularly as it will be at Stamford Bridge and with Frank Lampard, a Chelsea legend, in the opposing dugout for England. We raised so much money last year, and I hope we can do the same this time, so please get involved and buy your tickets. A sold-out Stamford Bridge generates an incredible atmosphere and we want the players who are part of Soccer Aid 2024 to enjoy that same feeling when they step out on to the pitch on Sunday 9th June.”

West Ham's history in the transfer window is rather chequered, unearthing some gems, but failing dramatically in equal measure. It could be argued that the latter has been more prevalent across the past decade with their exertions across Europe unleashing more funds to spend.

For all of their overspending and inaccurate judgement when it comes to signing talent, as demonstrated with the arrivals of Sebastien Haller and Gianluca Scamacca previously, their transfer business this summer was surprisingly impressive.

Acquisitions like James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez were astute and have more than eased the blow of losing Declan Rice, while beating several clubs to the signature of Mohammed Kudus shows that the Hammers mean business in their aspirations for European football.

With that trio demonstrating an exceedingly bright future for West Ham, it hasn't been the only occasion that the club have hit the jackpot in the recruitment department.

In the summer of 2015, Slaven Bilic worked his magic by prizing Dimitri Payet away from Marseille for £10.7m and the Frenchman would go on to become a club icon.

How many appearances did Payet make for West Ham?

When Payet arrived at West Ham, he oozed class, quality and the ability to produce the spectacular as some of the greatest ever Premier League goals were conjured up from his wand of a right foot.

While Hammers supporters are excited by what they're seeing in the present day as Jarrod Bowen, Kudus and Ward-Prowse are leading their charge towards Europe, they will find it difficult to eclipse the number of outrageous moments that Payet came up with in claret and blue.

Lauded as being “one of the most important players in Europe” at the time by French footballing legend Zinedine Zidane, that level of praise from someone of Zidane's ilk shows how highly regarded he was in the world of football during this purple patch.

Making just 60 appearances for the club, Payet elevated himself into the realm of world-class as he chalked up 23 goals and 15 assists for the Irons, and left supporters awestruck with what they were watching, especially in the 2015/16 season.

With 21 goal contributions in 30 Premier League matches, those insane numbers saw him cap a tremendous campaign off by scooping the PFA Player of the Year award.

Although the Frenchman endured a fast fall from grace and left the club on a sour note in 2017, Payet's otherworldly technique, impeccable vision and outrageous ability from set pieces will always be fondly remembered in east London.

The maverick's legacy has remained untouched since departing the club, but when the Hammers broke their transfer record to sign Felipe Anderson in 2018, many, including talkSPORT reporter Joe Coleman, thought the Brazilian could be their second coming of Payet.

How did Felipe Anderson perform at West Ham?

After shelling out a staggering £36m for Felipe Anderson, Manuel Pellegrini thought he had found a player who possessed the same attacking instincts as Payet with the potential to become a star.

Cutting in from the left flank with his searing pace and precise dribbling, supporters assumed they had a "terrific talent" on their hands – words echoed by teammate at the time, Robert Snodgrass – but ones that didn't carry much substance.

Anderson thrilled supporters with his excellent approach play, namely his ability to slalom past defenders and impress with his explosive ball carrying, but the most important part of any player's game – an end product – was severely lacking.

The Brazilian chalked up 12 goals and 13 assists in 73 appearances and while they are by all means decent returns, more was expected from a player who arrived as a record signing and was supposed to be capable of producing quality in the final third.

After all, the fleet-footed winger was deemed as one of Europe's rising stars upon joining and did showcase his composure and incisiveness in his final season at Lazio with eight goals and nine assists, while dazzling with his agile, deft movements and ingenuity in possession.

Anderson was unable to carry his natural ability across to English football, crumbling under the weight of expectation, and although he showed glimpses of that quality in his maiden year, he quickly fell by the wayside.

Departing the club to return to Lazio in 2021, Anderson closed the curtain on what turned out to be an underwhelming spell at the Hammers.

West Ham United had an interesting summer transfer window, with the alarm bells initially ringing over the fact that Declan Rice had departed. The arrival of players like James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez silenced that alarm, and the Hammers have since got off to an impressive start in the Premier League this season to make the academy graduate's exit a forgotten woe.

David Moyes will be well-aware of the need to avoid any further damaging exits, though, making the January transfer window a particularly interesting one. Reports suggest that West Ham do have a plan if one star leaves the club in the winter window, however, with a potential return for a summer target that they missed out on.

West Ham transfer news: Zouma and Maguire

The latest West Ham transfer news, as per 90min, has seen Kurt Zouma linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in January, which would leave the Hammers without one of their most important defenders. The Frenchman has started every Premier League game so far this season, and has taken the captain's armband following Rice's exit.

Moyes is undoubtedly a fan of his captain, previously praising the defender, telling Football London: "We are trying to challenge the top teams because I want to be right there at the top and those players can show they are good enough to play for the international teams. Kurt has played really really well for us. He’s been a colossus in the games he has played so his form will not go unnoticed."

If the former Chelsea man does depart, the latest Harry Maguire transfer news has indicated that West Ham could return for the out-of-favour Manchester United centre-back.

According to 90min, those at the London Stadium are still interested in the England international, despite a move in the summer collapsing after a £30m deal was agreed. West Ham know all about the defender's quality, too, given Maguire's record against West Ham, which has seen him end the day on the winning side eight times throughout his career.

The London club, of course, reinforced their defensive options in the summer window with the arrival of Konstantinos Mavropanos, but the exit of Zouma would leave them back to square one, and in need of yet another arrival within Moyes' defensive line. When the January transfer window does arrive, the Hammers will certainly be an interesting club to watch, especially if they suffer yet another high-profile exit.

How has Harry Maguire performed this season?

Despite remaining out-of-favour, injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have seen Maguire thrown back into the Manchester United side at times this season. And he has, much to his credit, impressed at times, recently earning the praise of England teammate Marc Guehi, who told BBC Radio 5Live, via The York Press: “He is a top professional, a great guy to have around the camp, one of the leaders.

“I think people forget things very quickly, but he was Manchester United captain, someone who has played for England at many, many top competitions and has helped the team and the nation to get where they are today. So, let’s not forget what he has done in a hurry because he is definitely a top player and an even better person for sure.”

The 31-year-old has many critics, but he remains his country's most reliable centre-back and the manager needs to play to his strengths

England’s 1-0 defeat by Brazil was a big dose of reality in the face of the nation’s pre-Euro 2024 optimism, a reminder that the Three Lions are not quite the world-beating machine they resembled in their qualifying campaign.

The good news was that this was an England team deprived of two of its best attackers and they will be a far better side ahead of the tournament once Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka have recovered from their respective injuries.

The bad news was that England’s defence was brutally exposed by Brazil, whose lightning-quick forwards offered a roadmap of how best to get at Gareth Southgate’s side. And unlike with their attack, the problem is unlikely to be fixed by other players returning to full fitness.

This was a game when Harry Maguire’s England mask slipped and he looked like the vulnerable, shaky defender that Manchester United came so close to cutting ties with last summer. Maguire looked uncomfortable for most of the game and was taken off midway through the second half.

The only positive from his point of view was that his replacement, Lewis Dunk, was even more of a liability and ended up making the mistake from which Endrick scored the only goal. Dunk’s disastrous intervention only served to underline an uncomfortable truth: for all his faults, Maguire remains England’s top choice at centre-back and Southgate has little choice but to make it work.

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  Mugged by Raphinha

  Dunk took most of the negative headlines for his fatal giveaway, but it could easily have been Maguire who was being harpooned afterwards. Late in the first half, the defender raced on to a loose ball after a header from Ben Chilwell and did the hard part in beating Raphinha to it.

  But rather than clear it or move it forward, Maguire took the baffling decision to dribble backwards and was predictably mugged by the winger. Fortunately for Maguire, Raphinha fired wide.

  It was not his first hairy moment. That had come in the 11th minute when England were caught on the counter-attack after Chilwell had lost the ball. Bruno Guimaraes launched the ball forward to Vinicius Jr, and although Maguire had time to adjust his positioning, he never stood a chance against the Real Madrid forward, who had also out-sprinted Kyle Walker.

  Vinicius’s finish lacked power and Walker was able to clear it before it crossed the line, offering more relief to Maguire. The United centre-back was not a total disaster and, as ever, was useful in the opposing area, heading just over the bar from a set-piece. And he was not the worst culprit in an England defence that gave away seven big chances, as defined by , more than in any other match under Southgate.

  Chilwell was wasteful in possession and a liability in defence, a huge downgrade on the injured Luke Shaw, while Walker, captain for the night in the absence of Kane, was shown up by Vinicius and had to come off injured shortly after racing back to clear the shot away.

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  Still top choice

  Walker will miss the match with Belgium after returning to his club, just like Maguire. But neither player has much to worry about as their deputies do not look like usurping them in the team any time soon.

  Maguire has the experience of three major tournaments under his belt, all of which he and England performed pretty well in. He also has a strong understanding with John Stones, who has partnered him at each major tournament.

  His England CV means he is still ahead of Jarrad Branthwaite, who is set to make his international debut against Belgium, as well as Dunk, who may not even make it to the Euros after his troublesome cameo.

  Marc Guehi might have given him a run for his money, but the Crystal Palace defender has not played any football since the start of February and will not return until late April after undergoing knee surgery.

  AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori was a potential threat to Maguire, but he was dropped from this round of fixtures, having only recently recovered from a hamstring injury that had put him out of action for two months.

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  Fighting for his place

  Maguire, of course, has more than two months to improve his own game and get back on track after his own series of injury setbacks. He has staged his own comeback at United, going from being on the transfer list and even having a £30 million ($35m) fee from West Ham accepted, to unseating Raphael Varane as Erik ten Hag’s first-choice defender while Lisandro Martinez was out.

  Maguire was the Premier League’s Player of the Month for November, but he sustained a groin injury against Bayern Munich in December, sidelining him for more than six weeks. And just as he was getting back into the rhythm of games, he picked up an unspecified injury which knocked him out of action for another three weeks, only returning as a substitute against Liverpool.

  The Brazil game was his first start for a month and he had to face the blisteringly quick triumvirate of Rodrygo, Raphinha and Vinicius. Perhaps it is unsurprising that he did struggle.

  Maguire is one of the most comfortable defenders in the Premier League when the game is in front of him and his team are in control, be it in possession or out of it. But when order is replaced by chaos and he has to defend wave after wave of transition, repeatedly placed on the backfoot, he is vulnerable.

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  Southgate always an ally

  Southgate has always fiercely defended Maguire in the face of criticism, and after the friendly with Scotland in September, the manager described his treatment as “something beyond anything I've ever seen”. During his worst periods with United, Maguire took solace from his time away with England.

  But there is a risk of him becoming a scapegoat at international level too if England do not have a successful European Championship. Given the talent and experience in the squad, and the fact they have been handed a relatively straightforward group containing Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia, England should be aiming for the semi-finals at the very least.

  If they win Group C and overcome their last-16 tie, they are likely to meet either Spain or Italy in the quarter-finals. France or Germany would then be most likely to await them in the semis. That could take Maguire on a collision course to meet Kylian Mbappe in Dortmund, a match-up few would expect him to win.