Luka Vuškovič and Álvaro Rodríguez are already turning heads
Always go by the rule of three B's
If you want to understand how elite clubs approach squad-building and perhaps do a little transfer-market reverse engineering, simply follow the rule of the three B’s:
🧠 Just look at how Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth are recruiting.
Those clubs have already announced a few moves worth paying attention to, as they could become an important part of our upcoming FPL season.
Let’s see them:
Luka Vuškovič and Brighton going to war in the air
As a Spurs fan, I’m a bit worried.
As an FPL manager, I feel the same.
New Brighton’s centre-back could soon become a painfully obvious template DEF pick, performing strongly across all the main routes to points.
Last season, at Hamburger SV (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), he did this at just 18:
A high volume of clearances is usually the main driver behind DEFs hitting the 10 CBIT threshold.
In Vuškovič’s case, it’s not exactly rocket science why he’s getting them – a big part of his game is aerial dominance and active engagement in those duels, which feed the clearances he makes inside the box.
Dominance is the right word here, as he’s ranked in the 99th percentile for both the volume of aerial duels won and the success rate of those duels. And if you want to split them into defensive and offensive duels, it’s basically the same.
Vuškovič averaged 1.20 shots, 0.13 non-penalty xG, and 0.18 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes, which means he produced a hefty 32 attempts during the 2,400 minutes he played.
And he scored 6 goals.
Last season, Brighton had only an average success rate in defensive aerial duels, so they strengthened that area by bringing in not only Vuškovič but also Pascal Struijk and Michael Svoboda, who are pretty capable in the air.
Now, the question is how quickly Vuškovič will adjust not only to Premier League standards but also to Brighton’s demands, as he spent the last season primarily as a CCB in a back three, whereas the Seagulls play a back four. However, Brighton clearly wouldn’t splash out £46 million if they weren’t confident it would be a rather swift process. Plus, their track record in player development is generally impressive.
Speaking of DEFCON defenders, Leeds announced the signing of Tarik Muharemovič from Serie A side Sassuolo, who could very well carry on the levels set by Jaka Bijol, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk last season.
Another one to watch is Brentford’s Jannik Schuster, who is coming from Salzburg. He’s another CB with a high volume of aerial clearances – he averaged 10.50 defensive contributions per 90 even though he played for a dominant side.
❗ He’s facing stiff competition, and the qualitative jump from the Austrian Bundesliga is simply too great, so he most likely won’t slot right in, but it may come in handy to be aware he exists.
Jaidon Anthony hasn’t fully shown his potential in the Premier League yet
Coming up next, Brentford.
Looking at their closed deals so far, the best is probably yet to come.
Jannik Schuster is a long-term prospect.
Callum Wilson is there to give Igor Thiago a bit of a breather after a super-demanding season and to provide some mentorship.
Jaidon Anthony’s (26) signing should have the biggest immediate impact of the three – Brentford’s attacking options were limited to just Thiago, Dango, and Schade last season, so this is a logical step. He’s someone who could realistically get a fair share of minutes on the left wing next season, or even play a more central role behind the striker.
Scoring 8 top-flight goals for relegated Burnley is no small feat, and judging from his Championship performances, he definitely hasn’t shown his full potential yet in the Premier League.
Burnley earned promotion in the 24/25 Championship season largely thanks to a solid defence and James Trafford, but they were hardly dazzling going forward, ranking 8th in expected goals, 10th in shots, and 9th in xG per shot.
Yet Anthony shone in advanced models that evaluate all on-ball actions and the extent to which they increase a team’s chances of scoring a goal. His technical ability also translated well into the final product – 2 non-penalty shots, 0.20 non-penalty xG, and 0.25 xG assisted led to 8 goals and 8 assists.
What caught my attention was the number of cutback passes he made that season, how often he entered the box, and how many of those actions led directly to shots. He also delivered many great crosses from the wide, which is a nice blend of skills and could improve his final product, as he’ll now play for the more dominant side.
By the way, the deal was reportedly worth just £17 million.
❗ As for the FPL, his arrival complicates things. It’s wait-and-see until we’re sure who starts and what the dynamics will be.
Álvaro Rodríguez: 192 cm tall and does this?!
So, you thought Bournemouth would suddenly stop making out-of-the-box transfers?
No, of course not.
After introducing Eli Junior Kroupi, Rayan or Adrien Truffert last season, they’ve kicked off this pre-season by signing 22-year-old former Elche striker Álvaro Rodríguez for about £26 million.
On paper, the Uruguayan doesn’t seem particularly appealing or impactful, but when you dig deeper, you find he’s a unique player who will compete for a #9 role alongside Evanilson.
Despite playing for a La Liga club, which escaped relegation by just one point, Rodriguéz averaged 3 shots, 0.36 non-penalty xG and 0.15 xA per 90 minutes, which was far from random.
What stands out is not only the volume of shots and touches in the box, but also an ability to receive the ball in great positions – advanced data models absolutely love his receiving, which is a combination of physical attributes, intelligence, reading the game, and manipulating defenders with his movement.
What is truly fascinating is that, even though he’s 192 centimetres tall, he attempts about 3.50 take-ons per 90 minutes, and he can sometimes complete two or three 1-v-1s during the game, dribbling into dangerous positions to either shoot or pass.
For a player with that build, it’s unheard of. He’s also fouled a lot, which is good news for Bournemouth’s penalty taker.
As you might’ve guessed, he’s fantastic in the air. Of his 76 shots, 33 were headed attempts.
Frankly, I can’t wait to see how Rodríguez’s skills will translate to Premier League football and how quickly. Pretty nice buy, if you ask me.
The media are also reporting that the Cherries are interested in António Silva, a highly rated ball-playing Benfica centre-back. He is extremely natural with the ball at his feet and can both pass and drive it into space. Not this DEFCON nonsense. If they pull this off, I’m flying over, pitching a tent outside the training ground, and refusing to leave until they teach me the craft.
I’ll let you know in a future newsletter.
See you soon!
