Everton’s pre-season preparations have left plenty to be desired. Still, David Moyes proved his wherewithal upon replacing Sean Dyche last season and will remain confident that a successful season lies ahead.
Against the backdrop of the Premier League’s heavy expenditure this summer, Everton has forked out comparatively little. A new striker has been signed in Thierno Barry, while an initial £25m deal has been agreed with Chelsea for the transfer of robust midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
However, there was a blue-shaded exodus on Merseyside in June, with so many unwanted players filtering out. Two of those players were Jesper Lindstrom and Jack Harrison, whose loan deals remained temporary.
Now, a replacement is needed.
Everton submit bid for new attacking midfielder
Dewsbury-Hall, 26, will add impetus to the Everton midfield. He’s strong, cultured and confident on the ball, having starred during Leicester City’s promotion-winning campaign of 2023/24, posting 12 goals and 15 assists under Enzo Maresca’s wing that year.
His time at Stamford Bridge might not have worked out, but he stands a fantastic chance of becoming a mainstay in Moyes’ Everton system, potentially forging a neat partnership with another top target.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Everton have tabled a second bid for Southampton prospect Tyler Dibling worth £40m including add-ons.
An earlier summer offer has already been rejected, and the 19-year-old is also on Aston Villa and Newcastle United’s radar. Southampton, it is felt, want £50m for their prized playing asset.
This said, Everton will not – cannot – pay over the odds for this talented teenager, and the Friedkin Group are prepared to walk away if Saints fail to reduce their exorbitant valuation.
Why Everton should sign Tyler Dibling
Southampton suffered a wretched return to the Premier League last season, narrowly missing out on the unwanted record of bearing the division’s all-time lowest points total.
But they were relegated all the same. However, Dibling shone as a beacon of solace throughout, making good on the praise from Southampton’s academy manager, Andy Goldie, that he is a “world-class talent.”
He scored four goals and supplied three assists across the 2024/25 campaign, but, as per Sofascore, to have completed 84% of his passes and averaged 4.2 successful duels in the Premier League, in a rotten Southampton side, that’s an indicator of sky-high potential.
And he’s dynamic in a positional sense too.
Right winger
35
7
1
Attacking midfield
26
11
5
Central midfield
8
1
3
Left winger
2
–
2
He’s versatile all right. But given the lack of depth on the right flank at Everton, coupled with his blistering speed and ability to manipulate tight spaces, it’s clear that Moyes wants to field him on the wing.
Especially with the Merseysiders set to wrap up a move for Dewsbury-Hall, who is very much a central midfielder. But he’s a creative one at that, hailed by former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers in the past as being a player who “typifies everything we want to be,” bringing energy and intensity and creativity.
The Englishman ranked among the top 5% of centre-midfielders in the Conference League last term for progressive passes and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, highlighting the smooth passing game which could open up a world of opportunity for the fleet-footed Dibling as he surges forward, into the danger area.
With these kinds of signings, Everton are bound to evolve, and Moyes’ vision for the future might just begin to take shape.
As exciting as Ndiaye: Everton in the race to sign "powerful" £10m talent
Everton targets Ligue 1 starlet and close friend of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in hunt for Reinforcements
Japanese striker Shin Yamada is set to arrive in Glasgow this week, ahead of finalising a £1.2m move from Asian Champions League finalists Kawasaki Frontale.
Celticmanager BrendanRodgerscelebrates with the trophy after winning the League Cup
He becomes the club’s sixth signing of the summer so far, after Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan, Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand and Hayato Inamura; the latter has also arrived from the J League.
However, following Wednesday’s friendly victory over Sporting CP in the Algarve, while acknowledging that Yamada is on his way, Brendan Rodgers stated that he wants “to add [more] to our front line”, so could his number one target soon follow?
Celtic targeting more firepower
In that same aforementioned interview following the mid-week win at Estádio Algarve, Rodgers stated “we’ve lost a lot of goals” and he’s not wrong, as the table below outlines.
Daizen Maeda
43
Yes
Kyōgo Furuhashi
31
No
Adam Idah
29
Yes
Nicolas Kühn
24
No
Matt O’Riley
19
No
Reo Hatate
14
Yes
Callum McGregor
12
Yes
Arne Engels
10
Yes
Luis Palma
10
Yes*
*is expected to depart
As the table outlines, three of Celtic’s top five scorers from across the last two seasons combined have departed, after Nicolas Kühn was sold to Como for a reported fee of £16.4m earlier this month.
Meantime, Luis Palma, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Olympiacos, but did score ten times the year before, could be on his way to Lech Poznań, with the Ekstraklasa champions looking to take the Honduran international on loan with a £4m option to buy included, according to journalist Sebastian Staszewski.
Celtic forward Luis Palma.
Thus, new wingers have to be a priority, hence why Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports believes Celtic remain interested in signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
Speaking on Off The Underside earlier this week, he stated that the Hoops have “been monitoring [Balikwisha] for quite a while” and are currently “weighing up” whether or not to pay the £5m it would require to sign him, adding that the Belgian “would like to join Celtic”.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Suffice to say, Celtic have a long-standing interest in the Royal Antwerp winger, with Sacha Tavolieri of RMC Sport reporting as long ago as 10 June that the Hoops were “in the race” to sign him and that “discussions regarding personal terms” had already begun.
So, will the Scottish Premiership champions, finally, land their man?
How Michel-Ange Balikwisha would improve Celtic
Since joining Royal Antwerp in the summer of 2021, Balikwisha has made 141 appearances for the club, scoring 29 goals and registering 17 assists.
He was a key figure in the Antwerp side that won the Jupiler Pro League two years ago, scoring ten times that season, claiming the club’s first top-flight title since 1957.
During that same year, Balikwisha scored in the Coupe de Belgique Final victory over Mechelen and the Belgische Supercup as they defeated the same opposition a few months later, also netting the clincher in the Champions League play-off round victory over AEK Athens, before also scoring against Shakhtar Donetsk at Bosuilstadion during the group phase.
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout praises his “pace, dribbling and finishing”, describing these as his primary attributes, while analyst Ben Mattinson labels him “two-footed” and “capable of beating a defender”.
Now though, with only one year remaining on his contract, and with Antwerp having failed to qualify for European competition, they are surely looking to cash in while they still can.
The question still remains however: is he a bigger talent than Yamada? Well, let’s assess their respective career statistics to answer that question.
Jupiler Pro League
146
33
16
UEFA Champions League
5
1
0
UEFA Europa League
7
10
0
UEFA competition qualifiers
10
2
5
Belgian Cup & SuperCup
13
3
1
Total
181
38
21
J League
85
25
5
AFC Champions League
17
2
4
Emperor’s Cup
11
9
0
J League Cup & SuperCup
12
1
0
Total
121
37
9
As the table outlines, even though Yamada is a year older, Balikwisha boasts the greater high-level experience.
The Belgian has played in the Champions League, making 22 appearances in UEFA competitions for Standard Liège and current employers Antwerp all told, while scoring one more career goal in total.
Also, for comparison, according to Global Football Rankings, the Belgian top-flight is the eighth-strongest league in the world, with the J League down in 23rd, still 20 places higher than the Premiership, it must be said.
This is not to denigrate Yamada, nor suggest he won’t be a good signing, but Balikwisha, unlike the striker, has proven himself at a higher level, so would surely be worth paying the £5m fee, especially given the wide-attacker is such a position of urgent need.
Bad news for Idah: Celtic set to complete another "fantastic" signing
As Brendan Rodgers looks to add more firepower to his team, Celtic are set to sign a “natural finisher”, potentially as an Adam Idah upgrade
Manchester United finished 15th in the Premier League last season, with emphasis on the word ‘last’.
Ruben Amorim didn’t mince his words when talking about the need to turn things around and use the 2024/25, and all the baggage that came with it, as a springboard for the future, finally ending these endless years of frustration for one of the game’s biggest superpowers.
Fixing the frontline was always going to be among the chief priorities for the Old Trafford side, and INEOS started on a strong footing there, signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £62.5m fee, the Brazil forward rejecting interest from a host of Premier League suitors to join the Red Devils.
Efforts for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo are ongoing, but the pointers suggest that the right-sided forward will join up with Amorim’s squad in the coming weeks, having expressed a burning desire to make the switch.
This is all well and good, but Man United still need to sign a central striker.
Why Man Utd need a new striker
By all accounts, Amorim wanted to commence pre-season with Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho all sold. That hasn’t happened, and they have all informed the hierarchy of their wish to depart.
More concerning, perhaps, is Rasmus Hojlund’s continued presence in the Man United senior squad.
The Danish striker, 22, was well out of sorts last term, and has been heavily linked with a summer exit, Inter Milan showing the most interest in his signature.
Hojlund is clearly a talented forward, but after such an abject run across the recent campaign, it might be a good idea for him to leave, not least because Sir Jim Ratcliffe openly admitted that the young talent was inherited from the past regime, and that he would “have to sort that out”.
Well, whether Hojlund goes or not, United’s movements in the market thus far suggest that a central frontman is on the agenda.
And they’ve been locked in talks for one of the best that Europe has to offer.
Man Utd open talks for new striker
According to talkSPORT, Manchester United have made a fresh enquiry for Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Hugo Ekitike, who is one of the hottest commodities in the market this summer.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike has been coveted by a host of Premier League sides this summer, with United joined in their interest by Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
However, with the Gunners closing in on Gyokeres, Jason Wilcox might feel he has a good shot at securing the talented Frenchman’s signature.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Frankfurt value their man at €100m (£85m), a figure they are unwilling to budge on and suitors are as yet unwilling to meet.
What Hugo Ekitike would bring to Man United
Ekitike is only 22 years old, but he’s already established himself as “one of the best strikers out there”, as said by analyst Ben Mattinson.
After leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Frankfurt in January 2024, initially on loan, he’s only gone from strength to strength, scoring 22 goals and supplying 12 assists across 48 matches in all competitions last season.
Ekitike’s natural finishing ability is neat and all, but his high-speed movements and all-round presence in the final third have led journalist Graeme Bailey to dub him “the next Mbappe”, with such a skill set surely perfect for the frontline Amorim is trying to build, namely with Mbeumo circling in on the Theatre of Dreams.
Runners – and confident ones at that – were in short supply at Old Trafford last season. Adding Mbeumo and Ekitike would do wonders, building back up a will to win and work which would pour over to the rest of the squad.
He’s certainly performing at a superior level to Hojlund, and could in that sense prove the perfect centre-forward for Mbeumo to combine with and rekindle the United attack.
Goals scored
0.53
0.18
Assists
0.28
0.00
Shots taken
4.00
1.44
Shot-creating actions
3.55
1.53
Touches (att pen)
6.88
3.32
Progressive passes
1.86
0.82
Progressive carries
3.27
1.26
Successful take-ons
1.83
0.40
Ball recoveries
3.06
1.57
Tackles + interceptions
0.81
0.22
Quite comprehensively, Hojlund was outstripped by his French counterpart, like bark from a sun-weathered tree.
Ekitike’s dynamic movements and innate creative flair suggest he could be perfect for a pair of goal-focused wide forwards such as Cunha and Mbeumo.
Of course, Mbeumo isn’t only about goalscoring. The Cameroonian racked up seven assists in the Premier League last season, creating 17 big chances across the campaign and averaging 1.8 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.
He also finished the campaign ranked among the top 9% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for crosses completed per 90 (FBref), so he would be well equipped to turn provider for the rangy striker when required.
Bryan Mbeumo celebrates for Brentford
The fact that the Red Devils have tweaked their strategy and appear to be intent on signing Prem-proven quality alongside the rising phenoms from overseas like Ekitike bespeaks the new era, incipient but inspired by the struggles of recent years, of ensuring that a corner will be turned.
United were at their nadir last season, and no mistake. However, Amorim is a tactician worth his salt, and he might just piece together a squad capable of competing at the top once more, with the likes of Mbeumo playing with the perfect frontman in Ekitike.
Let’s see how this one pans out over the coming weeks.
Cunha 2.0 for Amorim: Man Utd in talks to sign "unstoppable" £35m star
Manchester United are still planning to make some attacking signings this summer.
Sunderland had been outside of the Premier League for some time, but the Black Cats are now back and ready to leave their mark on one of world football’s most entertaining and exciting divisions.
Indeed, before achieving promotion in stunning fashion against Sheffield United at Wembley back in late May, Sunderland had been missing from the top-flight picture for a mammoth eight campaigns, with a miserable four-season stay in League One even coming their way, which further hammered home how the mighty had fallen.
Now, Wearside is back on the footballing map courtesy of Regis Le Bris being the heroic manager to finally break their promotion hoodoo, with plenty of near-misses over the last few years piling on the pain, before the sweet ecstasy of promotion could be fully lapped up.
However, the task at the Frenchman’s door now – alongside the other powers that be at the Stadium of Light – is to build a squad of players that’s worthy of staying put in the Premier League, to make all that hard graft worthwhile.
Already, the big bucks are being splashed to try and gift the Black Cats the best fighting chance at survival and beyond, with a lavish £50m forked out to snap up both Enzo Le Fee permanently, on top of Habib Diarra further bulking up the midfield spots for a club-record £30m.
Noah Sadiki has also cost Le Bris and Co. a sizeable £17.75m, while confirmation for the signing of Club Brugge’s Chemsedine Talbi also appears to be imminent, after a £20m agreement was struck.
More signings will be clearly required, and with that in mind, here is what Sunderland’s dream squad could look like if everything goes smoothly the rest of the summer.
The goalkeepers Brand new number one at the Stadium of Light
Kicking off Sunderland’s dream squad is the goalkeeper position, and there could well be a new number one on Wearside this coming season.
Whilst Anthony Patterson was able to tally up 14 clean sheets in league action on the way to the Black Cats triumphantly reaching the big time, he could soon be demoted to a number two spot in the side, particularly if Sunderland do end up signing Djorde Petrovic.
It’s been widely reported that the Black Cats might be able to win the reserve Chelsea ‘keeper for around the £21.5m mark this summer, with that perhaps signifying a steal down the line, considering the agile Serbian is just fresh off a ten-clean-sheet season in between the sticks for Strasbourg.
Patterson would no doubt offer a safe pair of gloves as backup, but with Petrovic also flexing 31 games in the Premier League in the past – with seven clean sheets heading his way at Stamford Bridge – he might well be what Le Bris now desires as a first-team option.
Alongside the Englishman and the £21.5m buy, Le Bris would also have Simon Moore as an emergency option, with the 35-year-old keeping three clean sheets across his minimal Sunderland game-time to date.
Full list of goalkeepers: Djorde Petrovic, Anthony Patterson, Simon Moore
The defenders Four new signings join Petrovic
Petrovic is unlikely to be the only first-team altering addition to Sunderland’s defence, as four more potential new signings join this bumper Black Cats squad.
However, irrespective of all this activity, Trai Hume should remain out in front as Sunderland’s main right-back – even as the challenge of the Premier League has the potential to eat players whole – with the Northern Irishman a blistering performer for Le Bris’ men last season when notching up nine goal contributions.
Daniel Ballard should also fancy his chances at being a starter in the heart of defence just based on this last-gasp header alone, but he did also win an imperious 4.6 duels on average per second-tier clash last season when fit.
This is where it gets interesting as Charlie Cresswell and Deja Caleta-Car are added into the mix in the centre-back areas to challenge both the aforementioned Ballard and Luke O’Nien.
Cresswell would cost around the £18m ballpark to obtain, which doesn’t feel like too steep of amount to splash on a top-flight-distinguished defender, considering the England U21 international is just fresh off collecting nine clean sheets in Ligue 1 action for Toulouse.
Alongside the ex-Leeds United centre-back, his £8.5m-rated Croatian counterpart would also provide some more tough competition to the likes of O’Nien – who isn’t getting any younger at 30 years of age – having shown off his top division qualities too with Lyon when averaging a 91% pass accuracy per league game last season.
Sunderland's Dennis Cirkin in action against Leeds United's Daniel James.
The left-back spot should also be claimed by Black Cats regular Dennis Cirkin, who is the full package with 11 clean sheets and five goal contributions tallied up last campaign, but he would be pushed by two fresh faces in the form of Reinildo and Ishe Samuels-Smith.
Reinildo has 25 Champions League games under his belt and would be arriving on a free transfer, whilst Samuels-Smith would be joining on loan from Chelsea as a diamond tipped for big things, and he will be eager to kick on at a club renowned for polishing young gems.
Full list of right backs: Trai Hume, Timothee Pembele, Niall Huggins
Full list of centre backs: Daniel Ballard, Charlie Cresswell, Luke O’Nien, Duje Caleta-Car
Full list of left backs: Dennis Cirkin, Reinildo, Ishe Samuels-Smith
The midfielders £43m star breaks Diarra's record fee
All the glitz and glamour of Sunderland’s busy window so far has centred on the midfield department, but Dan Neil will still fancy his chances at a concrete first-team spot in the Premier League.
After all, the homegrown Black Cats midfielder will be working his socks off if any basement battle arrives on Wearside, knowing how passionate the Stadium of Light masses can be, with two goals and three assists also under his belt on the way to promotion being sealed.
He will be joined potentially by a midfielder that cost even more than Diarra’s whopping £30m, with it being speculated that ex-Arsenal warrior Matteo Guendouzi could soon join the ranks for a colossal £43m to beef up the Black Cats centrally.
Guendouzi was an ever-present member of Lazio’s midfield last season, and for good reason, with one goal and three assists coming his way in the demanding Serie A. Whilst his price tag does seem steep, he also has 57 Premier League games already on his side with the Gunners.
Joining him in the middle of the park is Habib Diarra, who will be keen to be another gem unearthed from Ligue 1 by Le Bris, after creating a hefty nine big chances in the French top-flight across his 24/25 season, on top of his standout output of four goals and five assists.
He is likely to take up a central spot alongside either Neil or the expensive Guendouzi, whilst Noah Sadiki will offer up his services to Sunderland as a versatile figure – away from solely being a midfield spark – having even lined up as a full-back on occasion last campaign for Union Saint-Gillois.
Full list of midfielders: Dan Neil, Matteo Guendouzi, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki
The forwards
“Living legend” adds competition for Wilson Isidor
Last, but by no means least, we have arrived at the integral forward positions in Sunderland’s dream squad, with the Black Cats wanting to expose plenty of porous Premier League defences on the way to clinching survival.
Patrick Roberts might not be a spring chicken anymore on Wearside, but he has the ability on his day to cause defences distress, with a glowing collection of nine goals and 18 assists across his 145-game back catalogue.
Eliezer Mayenda’s flexible presence in Le Bris’ camp could be put to good use here in offering the Black Cats another body down their right flank, with five of his Sunderland career appearances coming here.
That said, the Frenchman will likely find himself behind 20-year-old Talbi, with the young winger registering 12 goals and assists last season for Brugge.
In the number ten spot, Chris Rigg’s moment to shine in the Premier League is finally here. Crazily, despite being only 18 years of age, Rigg is a household fixture of Sunderland’s starting lineups, with seven strikes next to his name from 72 clashes and counting. Adil Aouchiche could offer competition here, but this feels like Rigg’s position to master now.
As for the left flank, Sunderland already look extremely strong, with both Enzo Le Fee and Romaine Mundle at Le Bris’ disposal.
Le Fee delivered the goods last season when it mattered with two assists registered in the crunch playoff semi-final contests, whilst ex-Tottenham Hotspur sensation Mundle showed real glimpses of quality in the second tier, too, even as injuries took their toll, as seen in him collecting five goals from just 25 league outings.
Games played
52
47
Goals scored
13
17
Assists
2
9
Big chances missed (in the league)
20
11
Big chances created (in the league)
9
9
Sunderland’s firepower will be enhanced for sure in the striker slot, however, with Lyon star Georges Mikautadze now reportedly on their ever-growing summer shopping list. Valued at £21m, he could bring the Black Cats’ spending to almost £112m on these seven additional signings, even without factoring in the confirmed deals for Diarra and Sadiki, alongside Talbi’s impending arrival.
It’s clear to see why he’s the desired centre-forward target when assessing his far heftier goal tally across the 24/25 campaign when weighed up next to 13-goal hero Wilson Isidor, and with football talent scout Jacek Kulig even going as far as to label him a “living legend”, he could be a real fan’s favourite at the Stadium of Light to come.
Full list of left-wingers: Enzo Le Fee, Romaine Mundle
Full list of right-wingers: Chemsedine Talbi, Patrick Roberts, Eliezer Mayenda
Full list of number tens: Chris Rigg, Adil Aouchiche
Full list of strikers: Wilson Isidor, Georges Mikautadze
Shades of Cresswell: Sunderland now in advanced talks to sign £4m star
Sunderland will be looking to the future if they successfully snap up this £4m gem.
Leeds United now know what their opening set of fixtures in the Premier League look like, with August appearing to be a tough starting month for the already nervous Whites.
Indeed, top-flight stalwarts Everton, Arsenal, and Newcastle United all come in quick succession for Daniel Farke’s men to get the new season underway, with Leeds fans just praying an early result can be picked up to ease the expected anxiety around Elland Road.
Of course, there is still some time to go before Leeds’ Premier League adventure kicks off, with the off-season handing the newly promoted team plenty of opportunities to snap up some top-flight-ready talents.
Leeds in talks to sign £17m star
Jaka Bijol and Lukas Nmecha – who both played in the Serie A and the Bundesliga last season – have already entered the building but there is plenty more on the way for Leeds.
Indeed, the West Yorkshire titans could be about to secure an even better signing than their new 6-foot-3 Slovenian, with a Premier League-proven battler now on their shopping list.
According to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness, Leeds are in talks regarding the signature of Brighton and Hove Albion centre-back Igor Julio.
The report states that significant funds have come Leeds’ way after the glory of promotion, with the Whites desiring a player of Igor’s characteristics to try and consolidate as a Premier League-capable outfit.
Valued at around the £17m mark according to Transfermarkt, it will be intriguing to see who comes out on top in the race to land the Seagulls’ number three, with the report revealing that Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers are other keen parties from England.
Leeds will hope they can put their newfound millions to good use by landing the Brazilian, with Igor already having an upper hand over his potential new teammate in Bijol in being instantly ready for the challenge ahead of the English top-flight.
Why Igor would be an even better signing than Bijol
Of course, plenty will be expected of Bijol on his arrival in England, but it will take him time to get up to speed with his daunting new environment.
On the contrary, the imposing South American already has two top-flight campaigns under his belt on the South Coast, with the 27-year-old consistently sticking out as a reliable member of the Seagulls camp when thrown into action.
Games played
24
13
Goals
0
0
Assists
0
0
Touches*
70.4
63.9
Accurate passes*
55.3 (94%)
50.8 (93%)
Ball recoveries*
4.4
3.2
Total duels won*
3.0
1.8
When glancing at the table above, it’s clear that the Brazilian shines with the ball planted at his feet, with a stunning 94% pass accuracy averaged during his debut Premier League campaign for Brighton.
This unerring ability to pick out a pass under pressure will stand him in good stead to shine under Farke’s wing, therefore, with Leeds defensive mainstay Joe Rodon successfully completing 92% of his passes last season.
This is where Bijol falls flat in comparison, with the Slovenian only average an 84% pass accuracy across the same time span.
On top of that, Igor has even more top-flight experience on his side when weighed up next to the ex-Udinese man, notably when on the books of Fiorentina.
104 Serie A appearances came his way when plying his trade in Florence. To add context, Bijol falls short of that amount by 14 games.
Of course, Bijol will have a key role to play next season as Leeds adjust to their new level.
But, having also recently been lauded as an “animal” by ex-Seagulls coach Inigo Calderon, picking up Igor could be just what Leeds crave in winning a battler ready to roll his sleeves up for the cause, with the 27-year-old well aware of what it takes to be a success in such a gruelling division.
Big Piroe upgrade: Leeds in the race to sign "deceptively quick" £21m star
Leeds United are reportedly in the race to sign a striker who could be an upgrade on Joel Piroe.
Mikel Arteta’s squad at Arsenal is shaping up to look rather different ahead of their opening Premier League game of 2025/2026 against Man United.
Arsenal plan £51m Chelsea hijack as key target now eyes Barcelona move
Andrea Berta has shifted focus.
ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025
The Gunners have been repeatedly linked with a new defender, winger and striker in the last week, but sporting director Andrea Berta will also be working to offload some players in a bid to fund their recruitment drive and trim the wage bill.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
Marquinhos, Kieran Tierney, Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand and Jorginho have officially left the club already, with the latter terminating his contract early so he can play for new side Flamengo at the Club World Cup.
Meanwhile, reports are beginning to suggest that Arsenal have hit a stumbling block in negotiations over a new contract for Thomas Partey (CaughtOffside), so the Ghanaian could end up following the aforementioned names out of the club’s exit door if a resolution cannot be found.
Berta also has some key decisions to make on the futures of Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
The former impressed alongside William Saliba while Gabriel was out injured last season, and plays a crucial role for Poland at international level, which has attracted keen interest from Serie A heavyweights AC Milan (La Gazzetta dello Sport).
Kiwior simply has to decide whether he wants to continue playing second fiddle behind Arteta’s preferred centre-back pairing, but the writing appears to be on the wall for Zinchenko.
The Ukraine international scarcely featured last season, making just 15 Premier League appearances, mostly off the bench, and he’s widely expected to have already played his last game in an Arsenal shirt.
Oleksandr Zinchenko holds "positive" talks to join Atlético Madrid
An emissary from Milan reportedly held talks with Arsenal over Zinchenko last week (La Gazzetta), but they’re not the only elite contenders for his signature.
According to CaughtOffside, the 28-year-old wants to leave, and Zinchenko has held “positive” talks with Atletico Madrid over an Arsenal exit. The north Londoners are prepared to green-light his exit for just £13 million, and there is a sense that Diego Simeone’s side could move forward in quick fashion to hold negotiations with Arsenal – even if they have other left-backs like Liverpool’s Andy Robertson on their agenda.
Atlético have Zinchenko, Robertson, Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell and Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne on an extensive target list as Simeone looks to reinforce the left-back area, but if the La Liga side end up moving on from Arsenal’s surplus defender, Milan are still in contention for him.
Berta will be keen to make some money back off the £30 million fee splashed on Zinchenko’s signing in 2022, but more importantly, this interest gives Arsenal a chance to trim his £150,000-per-week wages off their already-large wage bill.
Russell Martin is the man charged with bringing the glory days back to Glasgow Rangers. He was announced as the club’s 20th permanent manager in midweek, and thoughts now turn to the transfer window.
The 49ers will likely give the new manager some funds to strengthen his squad, especially given how important next season is for the Ibrox side.
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Reclaiming the Premiership title will be his priority. To build a squad capable of challenging Celtic, he might need to cash in on a prized asset or two.
Why Rangers could sell Mohamed Diomande
Both Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande have been linked with moves away from Glasgow this summer.
The latter has been subject to interest from Everton recently, although Martin may well reject an offer should it arrive for the Ivorian.
However, should the Toffees make a bid too good to turn down, Martin simply must cash in.
Metric
Premiership
Europa League
Goals
4
1
Assists
7
2
Key passes per game
1.2
0.9
Total duels won per game
4.3
5.3
Tackles per game
1.2
1.9
Far too often in the past have the club rejected bids, only to see star players walk away for a pittance. Or even worse, for free, in the case of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, for instance.
Diomande recorded 15 goal contributions last season – six goals and nine assists – while showcasing his versatility across numerous positions.
Mohamed Diomande
Given that the club may have to rely on Europa League football next season, selling players when the iron is hot might be the best way to bolster the finances.
If so, Martin may look to seal a deal to bring in an ideal replacement for Diomande this summer…
Rangers could land the perfect Diomande replacement
Last month, the Light Blues were linked with a move to sign Brazilian starlet Metinho from Ligue 1 side Troyes.
The Daily Record has since claimed earlier this week that it will take an offer of around £5m to secure his signature this summer. It remains to be seen how much Martin will have to spend, but selling a player for a high fee could help his cause.
He will be out of contract next summer, hence Troyes’ decision to move him on this summer if the fee is right. Martin could be signing an ideal replacement for Diomande should he land the player, that’s for sure.
Metinho spent the second half of last season out on loan at FC Basel, helping them win the Swiss league title in the process.
Although not as effective in the final third as Diomande, Metinho shone defensively, averaging 2.6 tackles, one interception and recovered 4.4 balls per game for the club.
Having started his career at Fluminense, Metinho was hailed as one of “Brazil’s best” by SelecaoTalk in 2021.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
While his career might not have lived up to this lofty praise as yet, there are still signs as to why he could be an “excellent” signing for Rangers – as noted by writer Kai Watson.
Still only 22, Metinho has plenty of time on his side to fulfil his potential. If he does this at Rangers, there is no doubt the midfielder could land the club a solid profit in a few years.
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Fabrizio Romano has shared an intriguing update on Arsenal and their transfer plans for the summer window, with one target set to speak to his agents about the possibility of a move to the Emirates Stadium this week.
Mikel Arteta set for talks with Arsenal co-chairman over striker plans
The Times and journalist Gary Jacob shared some very interesting news regarding Mikel Arteta and Gunners co-chair Josh Kroenke.
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According to their information, amid a plethora of reports linking them with a striker, Arteta and Kroenke are set for internal talks over signing a prolific centre-forward in the next few days, with Arsenal looking to solve their goalscoring problem.
Arsenal surrendered the Premier League title to Liverpool, finishing 10 points behind Arne Slot’s side, with the north Londoners failing to reach their previous heights in terms of ruthlessness in the final third.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
Arteta’s men drew more games than any other side in the top ten over 24/25, scoring just 69 league goals in total, which is far fewer than the 91 and 88 they managed over the previous two seasons.
There has never been a more clear indication that Arsenal are in dire need of a striker, and Arteta publicly suggested that they have every intention of solving that issue among other concerns in the squad.
“Believe me, we are on it,” said Arteta about Arsenal potentially making a signing up front.
Arsenal manager MikelArteta
“We will try to squeeze and think and turn every stone that we possibly can, to make this club even more successful. But I think what these boys have done, the team has done, regarding everything that has happened, I repeat myself, I think they deserve a lot of credit.”
The result of these sit-down talks with Kroenke could have a profound effect on their chances of mounting a better Premier League title challenge next season, amid serious links to Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
Viktor Gyokeres set to speak with agents about possible Arsenal move
The Swede ended 24/25 with 54 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, potentially signing-off on his Sporting career with a strike in the Portuguese Cup final against Benfica on Sunday.
Gyokeres is a top striker target for Arsenal, alongside RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, but it remains to be seen which marksman ends up at N5.
The 26-year-old has plenty of options, including Arteta’s side, with Romano sharing an update to GiveMeSport on Gyokeres’ plans after what was potentially his last game for Sporting.
Romano reports that Gyokeres is set to speak with his agents “in the next days” and assess all new destinations, including a possible move to Arsenal, and the ex-Coventry City star will make a decision on his next club “soon”.
Gyokeres’ rumoured price tag comes in at around £63 million, which could be seen as a bargain considering his exceptional goalscoring record, and it is peculiar that he hasn’t managed to seal a big-money move until this summer.
It adds further weight to some belief that Gyokeres is “massively underrated” in terms of strikers, and while you can make a case for a lack of quality in the Primeira Liga, the forward’s haul is hugely impressive no matter what division you’re playing in.
Arsenal have now joined the race for a “dangerous” £35m Premier League forward, who could go on to “reach Sadio Mane’s level”, according to a report.
Gunners set sights on new winger
There have been calls for the Gunners to sign a new winger this summer, amid concerns over some of Gabriel Martinelli’s performances in the 2024-25 campaign, with former defender Nigel Winterburn suggesting a replacement may be necessary,
Winterburn said: “That performance against Liverpool was better, but his form has been a bit erratic this season. He definitely needs to get back to the consistent levels of performance that we’ve seen in the past that we know he can produce.
“However, it wouldn’t surprise me, if I’m honest, if Arsenal brought someone in on that left-hand side to be a challenge and eventually replace Martinelli next season.”
Arsenal's GabrielMartinellireacts
Since then, Mikel Arteta’s side have identified a number of wingers as potential summer targets, including Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz, who is now believed to be a prime target, and Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane.
However, with Tottenham Hotspur considered the favourites to secure Sane’s signature, Arsenal could move on to alternative options, and a report from Spain has now revealed they have joined the race for Brighton & Hove Albion star Yankuba Minteh.
Minteh is attracting widespread interest ahead of the summer transfer window, with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United also closely monitoring his progress, and he could be allowed to leave Brighton for a fee of around £35m.
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None of the aforementioned clubs have submitted a formal offer as things stand, but the Seagulls could find it difficult to retain the forward’s services if they receive a significant bid, and there is certainly no shortage of interest.
"Dangerous" Minteh "can reach Sadio Mane's level"
Prior to the 20-year-old’s move to Brighton last summer, a Serbian football scout suggested the youngster “can reach Sadio Mane’s level”, which is high acclaim, given how important the Senegalese winger was to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side for several years.
Since then, the Gambian has gone on to establish himself as a key player for Fabian Hurzeler’s side, picking up six goals and four assists in 32 Premier League matches during his debut campaign in England.
Former Feyenoord striker Pierre van Hooijdonk has also lauded the young forward as “extremely dangerous”, which is underlined by his performance on some key attacking metrics over the past year, while some of his defensive showings indicate that he is a well-rounded player.
Statistic
Average per 90
Successful take-ons
2.25 (85th percentile)
Touches (Att pen)
7.15 (93rd percentile)
Tackles
2.35 (96th percentile)
Clearances
1.52 (97th percentile)
Minteh is yet to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s top wingers, but he is certainly exhibiting very promising signs at Brighton, and at £35m, he could be a savvy signing for Arsenal this summer.
Glasgow Rangers’ 2024/25 season is finally over. Truth be told, it was over once the Ibrox side were knocked out of the Europa League in April.
For Barry Ferguson, his interim spell at Rangers may have produced a few moments of magic, but he said his goodbyes following the 2-2 draw against Hibs at the weekend.
Now, the 49ers will be looking to bring in a new permanent manager ahead of pre-season. If they get the decision right, the Gers could challenge Celtic for domestic success next season.
Yet another wrong managerial appointment, however, and the club may have to get accustomed to finishing second in the Premiership.
Rangers interim managerBarryFergusonbefore the match
One thing the Light Blues haven’t done well over the years is selling their prized assets when the iron is hot.
This has seen plenty of big-name players leave the club for nothing, or for pennies, since Steven Gerrard departed in November 2021.
Rangers' financial mistakes in the transfer market
Giovanni van Bronckhorst may have sold Nathan Patterson, Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey for big fees all within six months of each other but sadly, they have been rareities.
Indeed, these are the only significant sales the Ibrox side have made since returning to the top flight in 2016. Compare this to Celtic’s record in the market, and it is night and day.
Player
Year released
Borna Barisic
2024
Ryan Jack
2024
John Lundstram
2024
Kemar Roofe
2024
Jon McLaughlin
2024
Alfredo Morelos
2023
Ryan Kent
2023
Scott Arfield
2023
Alan McGregor
2023
Filip Helander
2023
Andy Firth
2022
Jack Simpson
2022
Leon Balogun
2022
Jake Hastie
2022
Via Transfermarkt
Two of the club’s biggest commodities – Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos – were somehow allowed to run down their contracts towards the end of the 2022/23 season.
At the time, Morelos was valued at €6m (£5m) and Kent €9m (£7.5m), meaning that if Rangers wished to cash in, they would have got a decent figure for either player.
This proved to be a costly financial decision. As did buying players such as Sam Lammers for £3m and Danilo for a reported fee of £6m. At the time of writing, the duo have only managed to score 14 goals between them.
Alfredo Morelos
Hopefully, new ownership means better decisions will be made in the transfer market. With new signings, money should be invested in younger talents who have the potential to generate massive profits in the next few years.
Regarding outgoings, players should be sold when they are at the peak of their powers, thus funding the arrival of more talent, meaning the cycle can continue.
While supporters don’t want to see the club’s best players leave Ibrox, sometimes it is necessary for further improvement.
With this in mind, the new manager could do worse than aim to receive a massive fee for striker Hamza Igamane, especially as he has caught the eye of clubs down south.
The latest on Hamza Igamane's Rangers future
The Moroccan centre-forward was certainly an unknown quantity when he arrived in Glasgow last summer.
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Nearly a year later, he has proved many people wrong, finishing the season with a tally of 16 goals and three assists. The youngster even gained his first senior cap for Morocco in the process.
The Europa League proved to be a happy hunting ground for the attacker, scoring four goas and grabbing an assist across ten games in the competition.
His effort against Tottenham Hotspur looked like it was enough for the Gers to seal all three points, but his performance did generate interest from the Premier League.
Indeed, it was reported after the game that Everton had sent scouts to monitor him against Spurs and were suitably impressed with his display.
Recently, French side Strasbourg have been linked with a move for the striker ahead of the summer transfer window.
Hamza Igamane
If Rangers do decide to sell, they must aim to get as big a fee as possible. Igamane won’t be the only player attracting attention in the summer, as Nicolas Raskin will be in high demand when the window opens.
Why it's the right time to sell Raskin
The Belgian midfielder returned from an injury that derailed his opening weeks of the campaign to emerge as one of the club’s best players.
Raskin was superb throughout the league campaign, managing to create nine big chances for his teammates, while averaging 1.3 key passes and succeeding with 68% of his dribbles per game.
Defensively, the midfielder was imperious, winning 6.6 total duels per game – a success rate of 66% – while also making 2.8 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and recovering 5.6 balls per match.
Operating from the heart of the midfield, Raskin’s abilities at both ends of the pitch have been on display for the Gers and this has attracted plenty of attention in securing his services this summer.
At the start of May, both Aston Villa and Leeds United were reportedly showing plenty of interest in bringing the former Standard Liege midfielder south of the border.
Not looking to repeat previous mistakes in the transfer market, the Light Blues have reportedly valued Raskin at around £20m, meaning they could generate a big profit on their initial £1.2m investment. If a club comes in with an offer of this magnitude, or perhaps even higher, then they must be ready to cash in.
Of course, he could get better, but right now, the iron is hot, and this money could be used to reinvest in the playing squad.
Raskin began to shine during Ferguson’s interim spell between February and the end of the season, leading journalist Scott Bradley to heap praise on the Belgian who said that Raskin “has been a different animal since Barry Ferguson has come in.”
A has a big future indeed, especially considering Premier League sides are keeping a close watch on him ahead of the transfer window opening.
Rangers simply have to sell players when they are just at the peak of their talents. It might not always be possible, but letting quality players run down their contracts isn’t going to work from now on.
Igamane and Raskin are two prized jewels in this current Rangers squad. If the new manager is able to get £40m or more both, it would certainly be considered excellent business.
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