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Going in search of their next Tom Rogic, Celtic now reportedly have concrete interest in signing an attacking addition who’s valued at just £1.5m ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

Next Rogic could be key for Rodgers

During his time at the club, Rogic more than played his part to continue Celtic’s Scottish dominance and ensure that Brendan Rodgers’ first spell ended with a place in the history books. Now, in his second stint in charge, it’s clear just how much of an impact a player in a similar mould would have on the current Celtic side.

Tom Rogic at Celtic	Stats (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances	272
Goals	46
Assists	51
Scottish Premiership titles	7
Scottish Cups	5
Scottish League Cups	5

A player who made his mark going forward in key moments, Rogic’s best work came when working under Rodgers, who was full of praise for the Australian during his time in Scotland.

The Celtic boss told reporters when Rogic returned from a spell on the sidelines in 2017: “He’s back in the squad. The magic man is back – what a player. He’s an amazing player. I think he can grow into one of the top midfield players in Europe.

“You saw him grow in the Champions League. You saw him against Manchester City and just purr at his quality. There was a big disappointment when he got injured because the week building up to it he was amazing. Top players know where there is space and he’s as good as any I’ve seen at finding space.”

Fenerbahce readying move to sign Celtic star who Rodgers called "brilliant"

The Bhoys could suffer a frustrating blow.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 28, 2025

Eight years on, Rogic is now retired and Rodgers is searching for his next arrivals at Celtic amid reports that the Bhoys have now set their sights on signing a 23-year-old star who has already been compared to the Australian.

Celtic interested in "Rogic-esque" Fallenius

According to Fotboll Direkt in Sweden, Celtic now have a concrete interest in signing Oskar Fallenius from Djurgarden this summer afetr sending scouts to watch him in aciton.

The winger reportedly cost the Swedish club just £1.5m in 2023, but that price is only likely to increase if they decide to sell their emerging star in the coming months.

Celtic’s interest should come as no shock. As detailed by Celtic Down Under’s – a Celtic fan channel in Australia – and X account UnDiluted, Fallenius is a potential “Rogic-esque” fit on the Bhoys’ radar.

The podcaster reiterated that whilst the Swede is not a like-for-like clone of Rogic, he does share some similar traits. The Australian’s greatest strengths came in his close control, powerful striking ability and creative vision. In comparison, Fallenius is similarly physical – standing at 5’11 and reportedly has a reputation for his skill and movement.

With that said and Celtic’s interest reportedly concrete, Fallenius looks set to be one to watch in the coming months.

Rangers are now eyeing a move for a “tactically astute” manager who plays “really good football” as a replacement for interim boss Barry Ferguson, according to a report.

Gers' manager search continues

Initially, there were some suggestions that Ferguson could be handed the manager’s job on a permanent basis, but it is now looking increasingly likely the new boss will be an outside here, with a number of potential options on the shortlist.

A major update has suggested that Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti could now be rising up the shortlist, with the Gers submitting an offer for the Italian, who is the son of legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Steven Gerrard also remains a contender for the job, alongside Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl, while Rafa Benitez and Marco Rose have previously been named as potential targets, so there is no shortage of options on the shortlist.

Rangers have sent scouts to watch 19 y/o attacker with tiny release clause

He could be seen as one for the future for the Gers.

ByHenry Jackson May 11, 2025

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Rangers are also eyeing a move for former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O’Neil alongside Ancelotti, with the board looking to bring in a progressive coach, capable of implementing a modern, attacking style of play.

The 49ers are looking to get a new era underway at Ibrox, which means a move for Gerrard may not be likely, although the former Liverpool man is still under consideration, alongside O’Neil, given the tactical work on show during his time with Wolves.

The 41-year-old is seen as an innovative coach, who would fit the bill for the Gers, given that he would be capable of implementing a clear style of play at Ibrox, and while he would prefer to remain in England, the opportunity to manage a big club in Europe could be tempting.

"Tactically astute" O'Neil could be solid appointment

While the Englishman was ultimately dismissed by Wolves earlier this season, there were some promising signs during his stint at Molineux, having received high praise from Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe, who described him as “tactically astute.”

The ex-Wolves boss was also lauded for the style of play he implemented by former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who said: “The way he has come in and galvanised the club with Shaun Derry and everything behind the scenes, it’s been great with what they have done and they’re playing some really good football.”

The London-born manager, who prefers to utilise a 3-4-2-1 formation, led Wolves to safety in his first season in charge, while also securing survival for AFC Bournemouth in the 2022-23 Premier League campaign.

O’Neil’s experience in the English top flight could serve him well in the Rangers dugout, but he is yet to manage a top club competing in the upper echelons of the table, so there may be some reservations about his appointment.

Goals, goals and more goals. If there is one thing Arsenal have lacked this season, it’s goals.

It’s been clear for some time now that Mikel Arteta’s side lack a genuinely clinical striker to lead the line, and so the last few months have seen them linked with a whole host of exciting names.

One of the most prominent was Newcastle United’s incredible Alexander Isak, but with a price tag that could reportedly be as high as £150m, it’s a move that now seems increasingly unlikely.

However, that doesn’t mean that the North Londoners aren’t still looking to bring in a new striker, as recent reports have linked them with someone who could be the perfect alternative.

Arsenal's striker search

Before getting to the forward in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other attackers linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Daizen Maeda.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former looks like he’d cost around £70m, and while that’s still a hefty sum of money, it’s hard to argue against considering the Swede has scored 52 goals and provided 12 assists in 29 appearances for Sporting CP this year.

Maeda, on the other hand, would cost around £25m and has also enjoyed a brilliant campaign north of the border, scoring 33 goals and providing 12 assists in 48 games for Celtic.

However, the Gunners might be looking for a genuine bargain alternative to the Newcastle ace, which would explain the situation around Jonathan David.

According to a recent report from Italy, Arsenal are now one of several sides interested in signing the LOSC Lille star this summer, when his contract has expired.

Alongside the North Londoners, the report has claimed that Liverpool, Inter Milan, Juventus and a handful of other Premier League sides are also keen to land the soon-to-be free agent.

It could be a complicated deal to get over the line in light of the competition, but given David’s immense ability, it’s one well worth fighting for, especially as he’d be an incredible Isak alternative.

Why David would be a great Isak alternative

So, there is ultimately one reason, and it’s a massive one, why David would be a brilliant alternative to Isak: the finances involved.

While he would likely demand a slightly inflated wage to make up for the lack of a transfer fee, the money involved in any deal would still pale in comparison to what would be needed to sign the Newcastle star.

In turn, this would then allow the Gunners to invest heavily elsewhere in the squad, be it in another striker, a new left-winger, competition for Martin Odegaard, or even more defenders.

Moreover, just because he’d save the club an enormous sum of money does not mean he’d be a lacklustre signing.

For example, since the start of 1/22, the New York-born monster, whom journalist Tony Marinaro dubbed “one of the best strikers in the world,” has scored 96 goals and provided 25 assists in just 182 club appearances.

Appearances

48

40

47

47

Goals

19

26

26

25

Assists

0

4

9

12

Goal Involvements*

0.39

0.75

0.74

0.78

In other words, the incredible goal machine has averaged a goal involvement every 1.50 games across the last four seasons of top-flight football, which is evidence enough to suggest he’d be a good fit for the North Londoners.

Finally, it’s not just at the club level where the Canadian international has proven himself. In 61 appearances for Les Rogues, he scored 32 goals and provided 19 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal every 1.19 games.

Ultimately, with Isak almost certainly being too expensive to sign this summer, Arsenal would be wise to sign David in his place and spend the rest of their transfer budget improving the entire team.

He'd revive Odegaard: Arsenal aiming to sign "the new Mbappe" in £85m deal

Arsenal need to sign a player who could revive the fortunes of Martin Odegaard.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes May 5, 2025

Newcastle United have made an offer worth more than £50m to sign a new player this summer who has already received praise from club legend Alan Shearer.

Newcastle celebrate Carabao Cup win as PIF plot for summer signings

The Magpies took advantage of not having a game last weekend by celebrating their Carabao Cup triumph with a trophy parade. Ant and Dec, along with Shearer, were amongst those to join fans for an open-top bus parade which produced some brilliant moments for supporters.

Talking about the scenes, Shearer said: “The players must have absolutely loved it because they got some reception. I know they absolutely deserved it but they must have loved it because to be a part of that, on the bus with the trophy and the fans what they were giving them must have been incredible for them.

“Then to get on the stage and have another 150,000 to 200,000 cheer you on, it was just a great day. The way everyone mixed and got on, the atmosphere was brilliant.”

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Away from the parade, though, Newcastle and PIF are seemingly working behind the scenes on some summer transfers for Eddie Howe’s side.

Recently, it has been claimed that Bournemouth’s Dango Ouattara is of interest and that contact has been made for the £33m+ forward. Now, it looks as if Newcastle have gone one further and made an offer for a Premier League player.

Newcastle make £50m+ offer to sign Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott

According to reports in Spain, Newcastle have made an offer to sign Harvey Elliott from Liverpool. The bid made by Newcastle is thought to be worth €60m (£50.2m), with Elliott impressing due to his ‘vision, ball-handling skills, and ability to contribute both in attack and defence’.

The report then goes on to add that the offer could be hard to refuse for Liverpool, with Elliott out of contract in 2027 as things stand.

The 21-year-old has progressed through the ranks after joining the Reds from Fulham in 2019 and has gone on to make 140 appearances for Liverpool in a variety of attacking and midfield positions.

Elliott’s appearances by position

Games

Right-winger

103

Attacking midfield

65

Central midfield

36

Left-winger

14

Centre-forward

3

Second striker

1

He’s also been hailed by Shearer, who said on Elliott: “He’s a real talent isn’t he, he’s brilliant. What I like about him now, he can play midfield also. We all knew he could play midfield but he’s not just okay because Salah’s playing on the on the right and he wants to come in on his left foot.

“He can play in a variety of different positions and every time he plays it really shows me that he’s good enough for this level now, it really does. As long as he can get some consistency, I think we’ve got another top player on our hands.”

Now, it looks as if a move to St James’ Park could be one to keep an eye on.

A number of players at the Vidarbha vs Rest of India Irani Cup will want to put up big performances keeping in mind the remainder of the first-class – and Test match – season

Himanshu Agrawal30-Sep-2025Akash Deep’s comebackAkash Deep, the right-arm quick, was last in action in the Oval Test against England, which finished in early August. After that, he was advised rest to recover from an injury and missed the season-opening Duleep Trophy.He is one of four quicks in RoI’s squad for the Irani Cup and is the most experienced of the lot. He had a good tour of England, where he picked up 13 wickets in three Tests, including a match-winning ten-wicket haul in the Edgbaston Test. The half-century from No. 4 in the final Test in England, which India also won, proved some ability with the bat as well.Akash Deep wasn’t picked in India’s squad for the two Tests against West Indies starting on October 2, where the focus is expected to be on spin. However, India are scheduled to play a total of four home Tests this season, and they will be watchful of Jasprit Bumrah’s workload during this time.A noteworthy performance for RoI could put Akash Deep back in the Test XI sooner rather than later. The key, one assumes, is his fitness.Ishan Kishan hasn’t played a Test match since July 2023•Getty ImagesAnother red-ball chance for Ishan KishanIshan Kishan was omitted from the BCCI’s list of centrally contracted players last year, but was included this year. This suggests he’s still in the team management’s plan, even though he last played a Test – his second – in July 2023. In June, Kishan played two County Championship matches for Nottinghamshire and scored 77 and 87 in his two innings. Like Akash Deep, Kishan was also selected in the East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy, but missed out owing to a minor injury he suffered during his county stint.Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan has leapfrogged Kishan in the wicketkeeper-batter’s race for the national side – Jagadeesan was named as the back-up to Dhruv Jurel for the Tests against West Indies – so the Irani Cup provides Kishan with a chance to remind the national selectors of his potential in the longest format.At 30, Abhimanyu Easwaran’s international career might remain a non-starter•Hindustan Times via Getty ImagesCan Abhimanyu Easwaran stay in the race?The opening batter was part of India’s Test squad in England but, like in the past, a debut eluded Abhimanyu Easwaran. Just before India announced their squad to face West Indies, former India quick Varun Aaron, while speaking to ESPNcricinfo, had said, “India have to give Abhimanyu a chance at some stage”. But Abhimanyu was dropped instead, and finds himself one level below again.And there might not be much space for him to squeeze in anyway for the foreseeable future, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul locked in at the top and B Sai Sudharsan at one drop.Abhimanyu got two half-centuries in four innings for India A against England Lions in May-June, and scored 44 against Australia A in the first unofficial Test earlier this month. For someone still looking to make the step up, those aren’t fantastic numbers, so the Irani Cup is a massive tournament for Abhimanyu who, at 30, might be running out of time.Ruturaj Gaikwad returned to competitive cricket with a bang at the Duleep Trophy•PTI Ruturaj Gaikwad’s return after injuryAn elbow injury cut Ruturaj Gaikwad’s IPL 2025 short and a “personal issue at home” forced him to pull out of a County deal with Yorkshire. Gaikwad returned to action only earlier this month – and with a bang. Playing for West Zone against Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final, Gaikwad slammed 184 at a strike rate of 89 after going out to bat at 10 for 2.Gaikwad had a relatively quiet domestic first-class season in 2024-25, averaging 36.93 in 16 innings across the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, Ranji Trophy and India A’s tour of Australia. That included six single-digit scores, three of which came against Australia A. Gaikwad’s dominant knock to kickstart this domestic season not only confirms that he’s in good touch, but will also help him gain confidence for the rest of the season.Yash Rathod and Danish Malewar played their part in Central Zone’s Duleep Trophy win•PTI Can Yash Rathod keep the good work going?Yash Rathod, the 25-year-old Vidarbha batter, has continued his rise through the ranks in domestic cricket. Nineteen of his 21 first-class matches have come since the 2023-24 season, a time during which he has cemented his place in Vidarbha’s middle order. Rathod averages 58.83 in this period, and enters the Irani Cup on the back of 374 runs in five innings at 124.67 in the Duleep Trophy. He passed fifty three times in those five innings, and hit a career-best 194 against South Zone in the final.Rathod said “it was quite disappointing” to miss out on a double hundred, but has his eyes firmly set on what’s coming: “I also obviously want to play IPL, but my immediate goal is to prepare myself for Irani Trophy as that is also a big stage. If I perform there, I will get closer to my India A dream. Yes, I want to play for India, but to reach there, India A is my first step.”This domestic season, Rathod will have to take on extra responsibility after Karun Nair switched back to Karnataka. But given his last two seasons, he will back himself to pull it off, as will Vidarbha.Watch out for Danish MalewarAnother of Vidarbha’s young batters in good form, Danish Malewar started the season on a high by smashing his maiden first-class double-century against North East Zone in the quarter-final of the Duleep Trophy. He has clocked 1135 runs in 12 matches in first-class cricket, averaging 56.75. Malewar has passed fifty 11 times in 20 innings, which is a sign of his consistency.Malewar looks up to his senior team-mate Rathod – he believes they have “a similar batting style” – and with 352, even got nearly as many runs as Rathod in the Duleep Trophy. Malewar will turn 22 next week, and given his bright start, looks like a long-term bet for Vidarbha.How will the game play out?The VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur, has traditionally had a slow and low surface. Last domestic season, it hosted three first-class games, two of which were drawn. Not even three innings could be completed in either of those two matches, as the pitch seemed to have little help for bowlers.Vidarbha have packed their 16-member squad for Irani Cup with four spin-bowling options, both frontline and all-round, so expect a spin-friendly pitch from the hosts, who last won the Irani Cup in 2018-19. In the end, though, it could come down to the first-innings lead, so expect both teams to bat long and bat deep.

They came to Cape Town under fire and responded to it brilliantly

Sidharth Monga04-Jan-20242:27

Rohit, Kohli and a transition phase for India’s batting

The echoing cackle of your fielders in an empty or silenced stadium because you have all but ended the home team’s hope on a final morning of a Test has to be one of the sweetest sounds in sport. The difficulty, and thus the satisfaction, of winning an away Test match cannot be overstated.It is a sound India became accustomed to creating from 2018 to 2021, but have been yearning for it since the last tour of South Africa when they couldn’t defend decent totals two times in a row. Then they lost the series lead – earned the previous year – in England when they went to complete the Covid-19-affected series. They lost the World Test Championship final to Australia in England. Then the Centurion Test. By an innings and change.India is a team in transition but it was inexcusable for the bowlers to concede 145 and 136 in two of three consecutive sessions. People were beginning to worry about the bad-old days of the waning dominance at home and struggles away. It would have been disturbing to think the golden age in India’s Test cricket might be winding up with only two series wins in Australia to show to those who want nothing short of series wins in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia.Coming to Cape Town, India needed the bowlers to respond to that threat. To give them confidence and reassurance that they are still good enough to be competing when they go to these countries. The chance of winning the series might have gone, but there was still a Test to be won and hopes to be raised for their next two away tours, to Australia and England.Related

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The leadership didn’t take a backward step. In fact they did away with a bowler who was playing more for his batting ability than his striking ability. They replaced him with a specialist seamer. It takes trust in your side to do so immediately after a 131 all out.They didn’t know it when the Test started but the pitch was going to do them a favour. It wasn’t going to test the depth of the attack as strongly as Centurion did. There was to be both lateral and vertical movement, not to mention so much pace that it gave batters less time to adjust.Most five-plus wicket hauls for India in Tests outside Asia•ESPNcricinfo LtdSometimes when a team’s back-up bowlers are not having a great Test and you have to come back for spell after spell, your eyes can kind of deceive you. Is Jasprit Bumrah the same bowler after injury? Were we too quick to put Mohammed Siraj in the same category as Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma?In their hearts the bowlers might know not much has changed, but they needed to back it up after a demoralising result. Even these kinds of pitches bring their own challenges. The action becomes crunched. There is no time for niceties. The batters want to do unto you before you do unto them. They are ready to pounce on every error. Every run is precious. It is an intensity of a different kind.5:28

Rohit’s special praise for Jaiswal and Bumrah

Bumrah and Siraj carried forward the hostility and accuracy of their first spells in Centurion to Cape Town. Of course they were getting wickets and wouldn’t have refused a longer spell, but Siraj maintained that intensity across a nine-over spell in the first innings. After 23 Tests, Siraj now averages 28.25, behind only by a point on the going average in those Tests, 27.24. The man can handle himself.Barely three hours later, these bowlers were once again asked to go back and arrest the slide of having lost six wickets for zero runs. Bumrah might not have got the wickets in the first innings, he might have bowled three indifferent overs to start the second innings, but pretty soon he was back to bowling bullets into the misbehaving good length area.One moment, we were doubting him; next moment, he was ending the series with an average of 12.91 and 12 wickets in two Tests. Just a reminder: he averages 21.21 while the overall average in Tests he has played is 26.2. From the time we have started semi-doubting him, Bumrah has averaged 17.7 in seven Tests where the overall average has been 26.19.That Bumrah spell on the second morning was another timely reminder of his quality as South Africa looked for quick runs. He bowled full only when he got to Keshhav Maharaj, and got him out immediately. The best Bumrah is the one who is not searching. Just kept bowling the hard lengths and cashed in his money in the bank accumulated from the last few innings.We don’t yet know who India’s coach or captain will be after the end of the T20 World Cup in June, but we know that whoever leads the team to Australia and England will need Bumrah, Siraj and Shami fit and bowling at or close to their best for these series. Possibly one last time on a big away tour as India’s next away tour will be at the end of 2026 to New Zealand.

Tall seamer catches the eye with wickets of Hayley Matthews and Sarah Taylor

Matt Roller27-Jul-2021The Katherine Brunt-Anya Shrubsole axis has led England’s pace attack for more than a decade but succession planning is now underway. Several seamers have pitched their respective cases of late without nailing down a first-team place in either the ODI or T20I set-ups, and the introduction of 41 domestic contracts last year means that the talent pool is now broader than ever.With new-ball opportunities generally limited by the presence of senior bowlers in the side, one of the keys for any young seamers breaking through is an ability to take wickets in the middle of an innings. As a result, Lauren Bell’s performances in Southern Brave’s first two games of the Hundred will be keenly noted.Bell, a 20-year-old seamer who has been a part of England academy sides and was involved in the bubbles at Derby last summer, has all the attributes of a future international player. “Tall, lanky, high point of release: she has everything going for her as a fast bowler,” Dinesh Karthik said on Sky Sports during her first spell in the comfortable win against Welsh Fire in Cardiff, “and a perfect seam position, too.”And while Bell’s height is yet to translate into genuine pace – her speeds in the Hundred so far have generally been in the 65-68mph (105-110kph) region – her ability to find hooping inswing even when the ball is slightly older is particularly promising. “I think my action allows me to,” she explained afterwards. “I don’t hold the ball any differently, I just have a natural action that helps me swing it in. 100 balls is a short period of time, so most of the time it will continue to swing throughout.”Bell conceded eight runs from her first ten balls, all within a subdued Powerplay, but by the time she returned for her third set of five, Hayley Matthews had injected some life into the innings, hitting up and over extra cover off both the front and back foot on her way to 32 off 18 balls. Bell struck with the third ball of her comeback spell, pitching an inswinger up to entice Matthews into a booming drive which she outside-edged to short third.That brought in Sarah Taylor, England’s second-highest T20I run-scorer, but Bell was unfazed. “I was just thinking ‘bowl your best ball’,” she said, “and I had real clarity from my captain.” Taylor was drawn forward again, shaping to work into the leg side but beaten on the inside edge by the swing. She reviewed the on-field lbw decision, but it was upheld via the DRS.The hat-trick ball was a wide down the leg side, looking to repeat the trick, but two middle-phase wickets had pegged the Fire back significantly. All told, she finished with 2 for 19 from her 20 balls, with half of them dots, conceding a solitary boundary when Katie George stroked her through the covers in her final set at the death.Related

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“She’s a quality bowler and a real weapon for us, not just with the new ball, but as she showed coming back, getting that wicket of Hayley was huge and then Sarah Taylor first ball was a real turning point for us,” Shrubsole said.”She’s obviously got great attributes. She’s tall, she wants to bowl quick, and has that inswing which is lethal at times. We saw when she came back that it still swung. She’s got a lot going for her.”Bell has displayed a happy knack of picking up big wickets in this competition. At Trent Bridge on Saturday she had Sammy-Jo Johnson, the Australian opener, caught at midwicket, before returning to dismiss Nat Sciver – set on 44 and going through the gears – with a back-of-the-hand slower ball which skidded into her leg stump.I first watched Bell bowl live two years ago, for Southern Vipers on Kia Super League Finals Day, when she removed Loughborough Lightning’s openers Amy Jones and Chamari Athapaththu in a probing new-ball spell. She struggled for rhythm and control as the day went on and was taken down by Heather Knight in the final, but it was the semi-final burst that stuck in the mind.Two years on, she has clearly benefited from the regional contract she was awarded at the end of last year and the time she has spent around senior players, both in the England bubble and in the early phases of the Hundred. “The bubble was really good, a great chance to work with and learn from some of the best players and coaches in England,” she said. “We’re settling into the tournament: I just listen to what I’m told and what the captain says.”There are various other young fast bowlers ahead of her in the pecking order at England level, not least the Central Sparks and Birmingham Phoenix pair Emily Arlott and Issy Wong, while Freya Davies and Tash Farrant have been given recent opportunities in the T20I side. But if Bell can continue her wicket-taking form in a successful Brave side, her time may come sooner than she expects.

Aston Villa are now exploring a move for an “extraordinary” goalkeeper as a replacement for Emiliano Martinez, with Unai Emery considered an admirer.

Villa looking to sign Martinez replacement

Martinez is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in the world, winning the Yashin Trophy in 2023 and 2024, so it is no surprise that Emery has chosen to reintroduce the 33-year-old to the starting XI, despite him pushing for a move to Manchester United during the summer.

The Argentinian was keen to complete a move to Old Trafford on deadline day, but Man United ultimately ended up signing Senne Lammens, who kept a clean sheet on his debut against Sunderland.

However, having pushed for a move in the summer, the controversial goalkeeper’s future remains in doubt, with it recently being revealed that he has lost faith in Emery, amid the slow start to the season.

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have now set their sights on a new goalkeeper, with Martinez’s future in doubt, having identified Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin as a target, and there are signs that a deal could be possible.

Lunin has made it clear he wants to leave the La Liga side, having been left frustrated with his role as a back-up to Thibaut Courtois, given that, at 26-years-old, he needs to be playing regular first-team football.

It is suggested that Madrid could hold out for around €30m (£26m) for the Ukrainian, making him a relatively affordable option for Villa, with it previously being revealed that Emery is personally keen on signing him.

"Extraordinary" Lunin could be fantastic Martinez replacement

Although the Madrid shot-stopper has fallen behind Courtois in the pecking order, he has previously proven himself at the highest level, making 12 Champions League appearances, including eight en-route to the Spanish side’s 2023-24 triumph.

Aston Villa set to make January approach for £52m Champions League "monster"

Villa are expected to make a move for a “freak athlete”.

By
Dominic Lund

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Courtesy of his performances that season, the former Zorya Luhansk man also received very high praise from CBS Sports’ Nico Cantor.

Whenever called upon over the past year, the Ukraine international has been solid, recording a clean sheet percentage of 42.9%, which places him in the 97th percentile, when compared to other goalkeepers.

Given his age, however, Lunin needs to be a first-choice goalkeeper, so a move to Villa Park would make perfect sense, and Aston Villa should no doubt make an approach if Martinez makes it clear he still wants to leave.

Wolves are now expressing an interest in signing a Man City player, with one of their squad members potentially set to leave in January.

Wolves nailed on for relegation barring Rob Edwards miracle

The Old Gold face the most perilous situation in the Premier League, rooted firmly to the bottom of the table with just two points from 14 games.

Wolves appear destined for Championship football unless Rob Edwards can orchestrate an almighty turnaround during the second half of the campaign.

Edwards arrived from Middlesbrough in mid-November, leaving a promotion-chasing outfit second in the Championship to tackle one of football’s most daunting rescue missions.

Wolves still remain winless, sitting 12 points adrift of safety – a margin that already carries significant historical weight.

No team has ever survived relegation after collecting merely two points from their opening 14 games, and at their current rate, they would finish the season with just seven points — threatening to eclipse Derby County’s infamous 11-point record from the 2007-08 campaign.

Lowest points totals in Premier League history
Huddersfield Town (18/19)	16
Sheffield United (23/24)	16
Sunderland (05/06)	15
Southampton (24/25)	12
Derby County	11

The appointment of Edwards represents a desperate gamble by chairman Jeff Shi, who acknowledged the club needs a complete philosophical refresh.

Edwards’ deep connections to Molineux — having made over 100 appearances as a player before serving in various coaching capacities — offer hope that he understands the DNA required to navigate this crisis.

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The Old Gold are looking to bring in a centre-forward this winter, in order to bolster their survival hopes.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 27, 2025

However, his task is monumental. Vitor Pereira managed just a 36.8 per cent win rate before his sacking in early November, inheriting a squad stripped of its best talent through successive transfer windows.

The pattern has become devastatingly familiar.

After selling Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes in 2023, then Pedro Neto and Max Kilman in 2024, Wolves lost Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri last summer without securing adequate replacements.

Cunha’s departure to Man United for £62.5 million removed their most reliable goalscorer, 17 goals in all competitions last season, while Ait-Nouri joined Manchester City for £31 million.

The club’s attacking output has obviously collapsed as a result, with just seven goals scored so far — the division’s worst record and only team failing to reach double figures.

However, according to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, Shi and Fosun do have a succession plan for goalkeeper Jose Sa.

Wolves express James Trafford interest with Jose Sa set to leave

Indeed, it is believed that Wolves have expressed interest in signing Man City’s James Trafford on loan in January as Edwards searches for solutions.

The 23-year-old England youth international finds himself behind Gianluigi Donnarumma in Pep Guardiola’s pecking order after the Italian’s summer arrival, which is bad timing ahead of the World Cup next year.

After starting the campaign as City’s number one following Ederson’s departure to Fenerbahçe, Trafford has managed just three appearances since August and is eager to continue his development elsewhere.

Wolves face mounting concerns between the posts, with current number one Sam Johnstone enduring a difficult spell.

His error against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday proved costly, failing to connect properly with Omari Hutchinson’s cross and allowing the winning goal.

Meanwhile, second-choice Sa is ‘potentially set to leave’ next month, with West Ham monitoring the Portuguese ahead of a potential winter swoop.

Trafford enjoyed an outstanding 2024-25 Championship campaign with Burnley before returning to City, keeping 29 clean sheets in 45 appearances with an impressive 84.6 per cent save percentage.

His promotion-winning pedigree under Scott Parker could prove invaluable as Edwards desperately seeks reinforcements capable of mounting an unlikely survival bid during the second half of the season.

However, they’ll have to contend with competition for Trafford’s services, with Tottenham also believed to be exploring a move for the ‘top talent’.

Chelsea have now reportedly joined Arsenal in the race to sign a rising Ligue 1 talent, who’s been billed as the second coming of William Saliba.

Maresca: Chelsea must "switch off" before Arsenal clash

Chelsea couldn’t have asked for a better warm-up before their crucial clash against Arsenal this weekend. The Blues brushed Barcelona aside as Estevao Willian stole the show in front of Lamine Yamal. Two of the world’s best teenagers commenced battle at Stamford Bridge and it was the Brazilian who came out on top.

Now, Enzo Maresca’s side have the small matter of playing host to the Premier League leaders. Victory would see Chelsea move to within three points of Arsenal and lay down a marker in the title race. Defeat, meanwhile, would leave them nine points adrift of their London rivals.

Maresca will be well aware of the importance of Sunday’s game, but has told his players to “switch off” in the build-up – telling reporters: “I’ve told the players, next 48 hours, completely switch off,” he said. “Have a rest. Recover the energy.

“Because next Sunday we have Arsenal. My message after the game was just: recover the energy. That, in this moment, is the most important thing.

“Then, on Friday, we start to think about Arsenal. We need to keep the momentum because it’s very nice — and it’s much easier to recover energy when you win games.”

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It’s also worth noting that it’s not just on the pitch that Chelsea and Arsenal are set to do battle. In the transfer market, the two clubs are also reportedly set to go head-to-head to welcome a defensive reinforcement.

Recent reports have claimed that the Blues have now joined the race to sign Stade Rennais defender Jeremy Jacquet in an attempt to deal Arsenal a frustrating blow.

Chelsea join race to sign Jeremy Jacquet

As reported by Caught Offside, Chelsea have joined the race to sign Jacquet alongside Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and RB Leipzig.

The 20-year-old defender will reportedly be available for as little as €30m (£27m) in 2026, handing those at Stamford Bridge a crucial opportunity to reinforce their backline at a bargain price.

Dubbed the next Saliba by The Standard when Arsenal’s interest emerged in August, Jacquet’s rise has been coming for a few years. His old development coach at Rennes, Pierre-Emmanuel Bordeau, even went as far to describe the defender as the “technical leader of his generation”.

Minutes

1,170

814

Progressive Passes

3

4.44

Tackles Won

0.92

0.56

Ball Recoveries

4.46

3.89

It’s easy to see why comparisons have been made with Saliba. Statistically speaking, Jacquet has even outperformed the Arsenal star out of possession so far this season, whilst also impressing on the ball.

It would be quite the move from Chelsea if they didn’t just land the next Saliba, but a player capable of exceeding Mikel Arteta’s top defender in years to come. Amid so much competition for Jacquet’s signature, though, the Blues will have to act quick.

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