TLAnalysis

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

An era of change is underway at both Genoa and Fiorentina, who coincidentally faced off last weekend. Daniele de Rossi is the new grifone coach, while Paolo Vanoli takes over from Stefano Pioli at Fiorentina. Here I will do a relatively brief investigation into how Vanoli set Fiorentina up. I may do one for De Rossi and Genoa too, but would rather wait until he is actually on the touchline himself. We will start with the lineups

Both teams set up in a 3-5-2. 3 changes from midweek, with Comuzzo and Dzeko dropping to the bench, and De Gea coming back in. Moise Kean and Robin Gosens are the big injury losses. Niccolo Fortini has had a strong campaign individually, so starts ahead of Fabiano Parisi at LWB. Sohm starting ahead of Fagioli is also interesting to note.

[All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 @AlbicelesteTalk]

It might be over...

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

Quality player, biggest question is his role. If this is the curtain raising midfield signing United have needed, yikes. If he's a midfield handyman to add depth and some quality to a squad that will be feeling the European fatigue, good work.

Fairly certain it's the second.

[David Ornstein @David_Ornstein]

🚨 Manchester United reach agreement with Atalanta to sign Ederson. Price for 26yo midfielder €40.5m fixed + €4.5m of potential bonuses. Personal terms in place on 4+1yr deal. Must still do medical & all parties plan to complete early July @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/OgkmPEYVg7

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

Wow that progressed quickly. On paper a solid signing, but really unsure if he's the right backup to complement Trent. Will need to adapt to an entirely new role/position, in a high pressure/chaotic environment, all while in his 30s.

All I'm saying is there is a reason none of the top clubs with elite recruitment departments (Arsenal, PSG, Bayern, etc) haven't gone for him.

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

🚨💣 EXCLUSIVE: Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid, HERE WE GO! ⚪️🇳🇱

Deal in place and all agreed with Dutch right back to join Real Madrid from Inter, Spanish club will trigger €20m release clause.

Dumfries has accepted Madrid, deal closed tonight and formal steps to follow.

[Villarreal CF @VillarrealCF]

Iñigo Pérez, nuevo entrenador del Villarreal CF 🤝

El técnico navarro dirigirá al equipo amarillo durante las tres próximas temporadas

¡Bienvenido a tu nueva casa! 💛

ℹ️ https://t.co/s2ZeoE7yaP

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

Definitely see this happening now that Michel, who signed Blind at Girona, looks set to take over Ajax. Is it the smartest idea though? Seems more motivated by sentiment than reality

[Inside020 @Inside_020]

🚨 JUST IN: The homecoming of Daley Blind to Ajax is a real possibility this summer. In the last two transfer windows, he was also close to returning, but Ajax were unwilling to pay a transfer fee. This summer, he will be out of contract with Girona. #Ajax

[🎖️: @TimvanDuijn14]

[Arsenal @Arsenal]

A season to be proud of.

We pushed the boundaries over land and sea, and couldn't have done it without your support. Thank you, Gooners ❤️

[HandofArsenal @HandofArsenal]

Hand on heart, I dont feel sad at all. Im so fucking proud of this group. Won us a PL after 22 years and took us to a UCL final. Kings who will be remembered forever. 99% of Europe would want our season.

Thank you Mikel and Thank you Arsenal.

I recognise my football club again.

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

Come on boys ❤️🤍

[Arsenal @Arsenal]

🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️

Your Champions League final line-up.

COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

Summer transfer review #1-
Gleiker Mendoza --> Shakhtar Donetsk
Position: LW
Age: 24
Foot: R
Country: 🇻🇪 (7 caps)

Context
- Solid season for selling club Kryvbas, finishing 7th place. They've begun to exploit Venezuelan market, with LW Mendoza their biggest find so far
- Mendoza hit 11 goals and 8 assists, top of Ukrainian Premier League goal involvement chart
- 3M release clause fee is enough for him to head to Shakhtar.

- Shakhtar with a dominant title winning season under Arda Turan, but with less truly standout players as they've had in the past. Always looking for sell-on value.
- Their LW options are strong, but not exceptional. Room for additions. Newerton is yet to hit full stride and Eguinaldo more so a bench option.

Who is Gleiker Mendoza?
Mendoza broke through in 2023 in Venezuela, before winning the league title with Tachira in 2024. In January 2025, he was brought to Ukraine by Kryvbas. Only played 5 times in that half season, but he's exploded this season with 19 g/a, even captaining Kryvbas.

Style
Mendoza is a classic mold inside forward. His game relies on squaring up defenders, and either beating them for pace down the line or cutting inside and shooting. He's a workhorse in the press, very clever, and can also dictate play from deep. Mainly he thrives in transition, a space invader who drives Kryvbas up the field and looking to exploit holes in recovering defenses. He has a range of intricate passes in his locker, nice close control, and loves a strike from distance. He works best as the main conduit of a teams attack, which should transfer well to Shakhtar's attacking volume. Heavily right footed from what I've seen.

Strengths
✅Confident 1st time finisher
✅ Manages speed and momentum when dribbling
✅ Lovely corner delivers, both whipped and floated to back post
✅ Intense pressing in final 1/3
✅ Unselfish
✅ Shooting from distance
✅ Has perfected the skin defender, cut to byline, cutback sequence
✅ Able to play along last line or deep

Weaknesses
❌ Too predictable- you can always see the cut inside coming
❌ Could use more technical nuance/guile in shooting and overall technique
❌ Physical attributes not exceptional enough to counter technical limitations
❌ Struggles to consistently get real power behind shots

At Shakhtar
I can see Mendoza fitting in pretty well at Shakhtar. I'm guessing he'll start with 50/50 minutes with Newerton, but with Newerton being younger he might get the nod more often. The biggest change will be going from a transitional, direct team to a possession heavy, more intricate Shakhtar team. In some ways, Mendoza could struggle. His play in transition is his biggest strength, and some of his technical limitations could be revealed in this new setup. That said, I've seen enough of him dropping deep to link play and create at Kryvbas that I'm confident he could fit well with different responsibilities. Shakhtar's greater attacking volume should suit him well, as it will allow more to come through him even if there is less individual responsibility on his shoulders. He has the creativity to break down compact blocks, and the drive (physical and mental) to make shit happen when some of the more technical Shakhtar kids can't find success.

Verdict- B
Relatively small financial expenditure = low risk/high reward for the Champions. Will be some tactical changes but he should be able to handle them well enough. That said, his technical and physical ceilings are pretty low. Can't see him ever becoming a crazy big sale, but he's quality at what he does, so his floor his pretty darn high. And to put his 19 goal involvement into context; Mudryk's best was also 19, Kevin's best was 14, Willian's was 15, Douglas Costa 18. Ukraine is a hard league to put up crazy numbers, so credit to him. Essentially...
Limited ceiling but high floor. He should look good at Shakhtar, if not lighting the world alight. Excited to see how he does

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

@Sarms07 @dybalexa Gattuso basically confirmed

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

@ConceptScouting Love me some Kevin Pedro, super versatile and rounded. Definitely curious where Stassin / Zuriko go, feel both need to be platformed within specific environments to thrive. Can't get their decisions wrong this summer.

[Billy Carpenter @billycarpy]

@OnePunchNun My strategy is mostly around nerd-bashing. You find the little nerds and then you bash them

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

What a travesty. Italiano was right there. Where does he go now? Maybe Milan if they’re smart, but I doubt it. Maybe a break until sacking season in the winter

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

🚨 BREAKING: Massimiliano Allegri as new Napoli head coach, here we go! 🔵💣

Former AC Milan manager accepts all the conditions offered by Napoli and he will sign in shortly.

Deal done. 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

[Adam Summerton @adamsummerton]

Honestly don’t know what Italiano needs to do to get a top job - he’s a great fit for Napoli and so deserving of the opportunity

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

Like I said I don't blame English football for the economic failings of other leagues, and I'm plenty frustrated with those other leagues, especially with Serie A and La Liga owners/financial packages. I suppose my point was more throwing a question out there about rectifying the financial disparity between England and other leagues on the European level. It may be the fault of those other leagues, but for sporting integrity, I think it's a gap we must acknowledge and hope to lessen. You made your point well though, I think my appreciation for Rayo as a club clouded my judgment in terms to appreciating what Palace/West Ham, etc have been through. Regardless, I just want other leagues to catch up financially and keep afloat. If it was rich French teams dominating every competition we'd be wishing there was a way to lessen the influence of cash. I guess it's a world I need to accept where money has a direct causal relationship with sporting success. Appreciate the lengthy response, this app has turned into people just shouting and trolling instead of actually talking 🤝

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

Not suggesting UEFA should limit England's European berths or anything, and huge congrats to Crystal Palace/Aston Villa...

But it feels like there is an irreparable disparity in the Europa/Conference league. Of the 5 Conference leagues, 3 have been won by English clubs, and comfortably so. England have also won back to back Europa leagues. From merit, it's well deserved- but there's more to the picture.

Feels like for the next decade we'll see English clubs cruising in Europe, as the financials of clubs like Brighton and Bournemouth begin to trump those of even Juve, Milan, etc- let alone clubs like Rayo Vallecano. Of course you can't blame England for the economic struggles of Italian/Spanish football, but it just feels wrong to have any one country dominating so heavily.

Partly I say this because I like Freiburg and Rayo Vallecano a lot as clubs, but it still feels like something is too uneven about this situation. Maybe I'm off base, what do people think? And again, huge congrats to Villa and Palace, you can see how much this means to them and that is incredibly special.

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

I know the point you're making, but watch the post match scenes of the Conference League today. Rayo are one of the most passionately supported clubs in Europe. They represent a downtrodden neighborhood and community with pride. Freiburg too. Their fans were applauding their players with tears in their eyes. Of course losing is always a part of football, but English fans 'being better' or more committed isn't an argument here.

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

@AbsoluteMxssi Rashford isn't good enough and his salary demands actually even out the financials

[TLAnalysis @TLAnalysis]

@HCfootball01 Heard he was very close to a Saudi move, not sure if that's progressed behind the scenes or not. Proper player though ya