Koni De Winter is heading for his fifth start in the last six games, and although there were concerns initially, the former Genoa man has grown into his role. Ahead of the January window, more specifically after the games against Sassuolo and Napoli (Supercoppa), there was a lot of discussion about the centre-back position at Milan. De Winter, who arrived for around €20m in the summer, hadn't exactly impressed at that point.
Luka Vuskovic started out at Hajduk Split in Croatia, debuting at 15 years of age and became the club's youngest-ever goalscorer in a league match five days after his 16th birthday. It was a sign of things to come. The 6ft 4in central defender, who is currently on Tottenham's books, hails from a family of footballers which includes grandfather Mario, father Danijel and brother, also Mario.
Arsenal youngster Marli Salmon was named on the bench for the first time in the Premier League in Saturday's game against Aston Villa. Salmon, 16, is one of a crop of exciting youngsters coming through the Arsenal academy and is in the same age group as Max Dowman, who has already made his first-team debut. He was one of two 15-year-olds on the Arsenal pre-season tour of Asia and featured against AC Milan and Newcastle United in Singapore.
I spoke to Tomas Tuchel over the summer to find out about my chances of returning to the national team, and he told me, 'You're almost there, keep going.' If I'm not mistaken, he came to watch a derby, the one we drew. 'I know they follow us. Ruben was recently called up. It's obvious that the games in England are followed much more, because it's also easier for them to attend. But no, I don't think I won't be called up just because I'm in Italy, I just have to keep going.'
Now, let's talk central defenders. Those likely to dominate transfer talk heading in 2026 are the big three potential Bosman free transfers in the shape of Marc Guehi, Ibrahima Konate, and Dayot Upamecano. But there are others we need to look at including Edmond Tapsoba , who was so close to joining Tottenham Hotspur when they were chasing him and Micky van de Ven, but they opted for the Dutchman.
Malick Thiaw is gradually establishing himself as a key player in Eddie Howe's Newcastle United side, and his purchase is being praised. Less than two months after arriving in the Premier League, Calciomercato.com recall that Thiaw is the first choice alongside Sven Botman to lead a defence where a much more experienced player in Fabian Schar has now become a reserve option. This is shown by the consistency of performances the former Milan player is producing week after week, further bolstered by his excellent display in the Champions League against Benfica.
The 23-year-old central defender has done quite well for the French outfit, and he was a key player for them last season. It will be interesting to see if Liverpool decides to make a move for him in the future. According to Fichajes, the defender is a key player for PSG, and they do not want to lose him. He has a market value of 65 million, and it will be interesting to see if Liverpool decide to come forward with an attractive proposal.
Man United could use Affengruber Manchester United could certainly use more quality and depth in the defensive unit, and the 24-year-old would be a useful acquisition. According to Fichajes, Elche have now set their asking price for the defender. They will demand 25 million for him. It is a reasonable price to pay for a player of his quality, and it will be interesting to see if Manchester United are ready to pay up.
