All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Managers being hired and fired is very much a part of life in football, and the managerial merry-go-round is in full swing during the 2025/26 season.

There have already been sackings in the Premier League and Championship, with Ange Postecoglou’s 39-day tenure in charge of Nottingham Forest arguably the main managerial story of the season.

All 20 Premier League managers' salaries (lowest to highest)

How much each Premier League gaffer earns.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 21, 2025

Here is a full list of dismissals from the Premier League and EFL.

Manager

Club left

Date

Nuno Espirito Santo

Nottingham Forest

9th September

Ruben Selles

Sheffield United

14th September

Mike Dodds

Wycombe Wanderers

18th September

Michael Flynn

Cheltenham Town

20th September

Graham Potter

West Ham

27th September

Steve Bruce

Blackpool

4th October

Matt Bloomfield

Luton Town

6th October

Paulo Pezzolano

Watford

8th October

Ange Postecoglou

Nottingham Forest

18th October

Darren Ferguson

Peterborough United

25th October

Noel Hunt

Reading

26th October

Vitor Pereira

Wolves

2nd November

Will Still

Southampton

2nd November

Liam Manning

Norwich City

8th November

Alan Sheehan

Swansea City

11th November

David Hughes

Newport County

15th November

1 Nuno Espirito Santo Nottingham Forest

Nuno Espirito Santo was the first manager sacked in the top four leagues, despite leading Nottingham Forest to Europa League football.

A breakdown in relationship with those above him at the City Ground resulted in his departure, with Nuno taking the West Ham jobs weeks later and Forest not having any luck with his replacement.

2 Ruben Selles Sheffield United

After parting ways with Chris Wilder, Sheffield United brought in Ruben Selles, believing he was the man to take the Blades back to the Premier League.

However, Selles lost all six of his games in charge and was out the door in mid September, with Wilder returning shortly after.

3 Mike Dodds Wycombe Wanderers

Former Sunderland assistant Mike Dodds was in charge of Wycombe for seven months. One win and five defeats in their opening eight League One games saw Dodds depart, with Michael Duff being named as his replacement.

4 Michael Flynn Cheltenham Town

Michael Flynn was sacked by Cheltenham Town in September after losing nine matches from 12 across all competitions.

Rock bottom of the 72 EFL sides at the time of his dismissal, Flynn was replaced by Steve Cotterill, who managed the Robins between 1997-2002.

5 Graham Potter West Ham

After taking over at West Ham at the beginning of 2025, Graham Potter couldn’t see the year out at the London Stadium after a woeful start to the 2025/26 season.

Sacked on a Saturday two days before a game, the Hammers moved quickly to appoint Nuno Espirito Santo.

6 Steve Bruce Blackpool

Steve Bruce’s return to management with Blackpool lasted 12 months, with the experienced former Premier League boss losing seven of 11 League One games in 2025/26.

The 64-year-old was replaced by Ian Evatt, who spent seven years as a player at Bloomfield Road.

7 Matt Bloomfield Luton Town

Matt Bloomfield couldn’t keep Luton Town in the Championship in the 2024/25 season, and a poor start to the League One campaign resulted in his sacking.

The Hatters moved swiftly after parting ways with Bloomfield, bringing in former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere.

8 Paulo Pezzolano Watford

It is very rare these days that Watford go through a season without making a managerial change, so Paulo Pezzolano’s departure wasn’t exactly a shock.

The Hornets, in one post on X, shared the news of Pezzolano’s exit and the return of Javi Gracia.

9 Ange Postecoglou Nottingham Forest

Ange Postecoglou’s time in charge of Nottingham Forest was short and not so sweet at all, failing to win any of his eight games.

After a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea and just 39 days in charge, Evangelos Marinakis brutally parted ways with his second manager of the season, bringing in Sean Dyche days later.

10 Darren Ferguson Peterborough United

Darren Ferguson’s fourth spell as Peterborough United manager came to an end in October after winning three of the Posh’s opening 13 games.

He previously won four promotions with the club but had the club bottom of League One at the time of his departure.

iShowSpeed was seen leading the celebrations after Al-Nassr’s recent 5-1 win over Al-Fateh, with the streamer’s favourite player, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the second goal in the routine victory.

iShowSpeed in attendance as Al-Nassr demolish Al-Fateh

Al-Nassr continued their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season on Saturday evening, winning their fifth game on the spin, which leaves them four points clear of nearest rivals Al-Hilal at the top of the table.

iShowSpeed was in attendance, with the American well-known to be a super-fan of Ronaldo, and the forward, who is still regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, rewarded the 20-year-old, scoring Al-Nassr’s second goal of the game on the hour mark.

Gary Lineker named and ranked the greatest players of all time – no Cristiano Ronaldo

Lineker has named his footballing Mount Rushmore.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 2, 2025

After the game, the Twitch streamer was directed to lead the celebrations by the 40-year-old, who instructed him how to play the drum, with the clip subsequently going viral.

It is not the first interaction iShowSpeed has had with his idol, with a video of the two meeting a little over two years ago racking up over 25 million views.

Speed’s love of the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend stems from a £1.79 donation to his stream over three years ago, which has been credited as a life-changing moment for the Cincinnati-born streamer.

With the Al-Nassr star clearly thankful for the support, he has now followed iShowSpeed on Instagram and even posted him on his story to his 666 million followers.

Fans of the duo will be hoping the gesture could lead to a collaboration of sorts in the future, although the streamer, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr, has made it clear he doesn’t want to meet his idol on stream.

Ronaldo at the top of his game ahead of 2026 World Cup

There was an expectation that the 2022 World Cup may be the Portugal star’s last, but he is showing no signs of slowing down, having scored six goals for Al-Nassr already this season, taking his tally to 99 in 112 appearances.

The legendary forward has also continued to impress at international level, most recently bagging a brace in a 2-2 draw at home against Hungary, although his side were denied early qualification as a result of Dominik Szoboszlai’s late equaliser.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s longevity can only be commended, but given that he is now 40-years-old, the 2026 World Cup will surely be the former Real Madrid man’s last opportunity to get his hands on one of the only trophies that has eluded him…

In an instant blow for new manager Vitor Matos, “top clubs” are now reportedly making moves in an attempt to sign Swansea City’s Harlan Perry, who has been the academy’s Player of the Year for four consecutive seasons.

It’s the last thing that Matos needs, with the pressure on to arrive and turn things around in Wales. As things stand, the Jacks sit 20th and only four points above the Championship’s dropzone with the manager’s debut against Derby County up next.

Upon arriving, the former Liverpool coach shared how optimistic he is that Swansea can turn their season around – telling the club’s website: “Swansea, for me, have always had a style. Something that distinguished the club from all the others.

“Somehow we have got a bit far away from what is the DNA of the club. So it will take steps, it will take a bit of time, but I really believe we can take steps in the right direction.

“For that, we will need everyone, the whole club, all the fans and us all to have the same vision. That’s what I want. I see the fans are still behind and pushing the team, we will need them and I see players who want to change the momentum and we need to find the right idea and the right vision to do it.

“That’s the most important thing. It is clear we need to win games and points, but we need to focus on the process and I really believe if we can play to our best then the more chances we will have to win. That’s the direction we need to have.”

It’s a DNA built from the first-team to the academy, but one that Swansea’s best young player may yet miss as contract concerns continue to emerge.

"Top clubs" now moving to sign Harlan Perry

As reported by Rudy Galetti, “top clubs” are now moving to sign Perry from Swansea in what would be a free deal. The 17-year-old has been the academy’s Player of the Year in the last four seasons, but is yet to sign a professional contract – opening the door for a potential exit.

Vitor Matos decides to take Swansea City job as release clause cost revealed

A major boost for the Swans.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 20, 2025

The midfielder turns 18 this week – it’s then that clubs will be able to offer him a long-term contract to deal those in Wales a major blow.

Whilst Matos’ first priority should of course be turning results around, he must also ensure that Swansea keep hold of players with impressive potential like Perry, even if it means selling for a larger profit at a later date.

Instant blow for Matos as "one of Swansea's key players" could now leave

A Manchester United player who Erik ten Hag has called "brilliant" is close to sealing a move away from Old Trafford this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd transfer news

While the Red Devils are yet to complete a summer signing to date, it does look as though Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Dan Ashworth and Ten Hag are working hard on completing some significant business. Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee looks the most likely next addition for United, with a move for the Dutchman seemingly edging closer all the time, but other players have been also been linked in recent days.

Alongside Zirkzee, Crystal Palace and England midfielder Eberechi Eze has been named as a reported target for United, following an impressive season for the Eagles that saw him stand out as one of their key men. There is plenty of interest in the 26-year-old from other top Premier League clubs, though.

The Red Devils are also rumoured to have turned their attention to Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, although whether the club feel the need to bring in both the Englishman and Zirkzee remains to be seen.

With Luke Shaw and injury-prone figure who isn't getting any younger, another left-back needs to be looked at this summer, and Chelsea ace Ben Chilwell has been linked with a switch to United. His stock has arguably fallen of late, having failed to make England's Euro 2024 squad, but he may feel that a move to Old Trafford could give him a new lease of life.

"Brilliant" Man Utd player close to exit

Taking to X, Romano said the Manchester United defender Willy Kambwala is now close to joining Villarreal on a permanent deal, bringing an end to his time at Old Trafford: "Villarreal are closing in on deal to sign Willy Kambwala from Manchester United! Understand it will be a permanent transfer for fee around €10m for 2004 born CB."

Romano then provided more details on Saturday morning: "€10m package, add-on included. Contract until June 2029. Medical tomorrow (Sunday). Man United have buy back clause and sell-on clause. Here we go, confirmed."

It is a shame to see Kambwala leave, but assuming his exit is confirmed soon, he should be remembered for some passionate and effective performances last season, filling in amid a host of injury problems at centre-back.

Ten Hag is clearly an admirer of the £7,500-a-week-earning 19-year-old, too, saying: "[Kambwala] has been training a while with us and progressing well. The next generation need to step in and he is doing brilliant. The challenge for him is doing it consistently."

The fact that United are seemingly happy to let Kambwala leave does suggest that new signings are coming in at the back, with Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Jarrad Branthwaite looking like the standout options currently. Signing two of the three could be perfect, however, considering Lisandro Martinez feels like the only genuinely excellent option there currently. Man Utd moving to sign £60m "superstar" who'd make Zirkzee unplayable

INEOS are cooking up a storm at the Theatre of Dreams this summer…

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 13, 2024

After a topsy-turvy Premier League campaign that saw them ultimately qualify for the Europa League, Tottenham Hotspur must get their recruitment right this summer to help Ange Postecoglou realise his ambitions in North London.

The Australian had the Lilywhites playing some scintillating football at points last year.

Still, a cavalcade of injuries and loss of form towards the end turned what could have been a frankly unbelievable season into a promising one.

Fortunately, reports suggest Daniel Levy and Co have been hard at work in recent weeks looking for the right players to come in and help the club take the next step, and the latest name touted for a move to N17 could do precisely that – oh, and he'd been compared to Bukayo Saka.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from SportMediaset via Calcio Napoli 24, Tottenham target Federico Chiesa will join the club this summer.

The report has claimed that while there was plenty of interest in the talented winger in his homeland this summer, he has opted to move to England and is now "close to Tottenham for 30-35 million euros."

This fee converts to between £25m and £29m, which seems like value for money for a player of Chiesa's quality.

Moreover, while the Spurs' faithful might not be his biggest fans for rivalry reasons, the fact that he has been compared to Saka in the past is certainly not a bad thing.

Why Chiesa would be a great signing and his comparison to Saka

So, before we look at the main reasons why Chiesa would be an excellent signing for Spurs, let's look at his comparison to the talisman of their North London rivals, Saka.

While there are obviously some positional similarities between the two internationals, this comparison stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions at Euro 2024, created a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and concluded that the Englishman was the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Italian at the tournament.

This was not based on the eye test but more so on how closely the pair ranked for several underlying numbers, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, live passes, completed long passes, touches and touches in the attacking third, and ball recoveries, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.15

0.12

Progressive Carries

4.83

4.43

Live Passes

34.5

36.0

Completed Long Passes

1.72

1.43

Touches

47.6

47.6

Touches in the Attacking Third

26.9

25.1

Ball Recoveries

3.10

3.14

However, this comparison to the England international isn't the only impressive thing about the "unstoppable" wideman, as dubbed by Giorgio Chiellini.

For example, in just 37 appearances last season, the 26-year-old dynamo scored ten goals and provided three assists, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games and would've made him the fourth most productive Spurs player last season.

Ultimately, for the money being reported, this deal for Chiesa seems like a total no-brainer for Levy and Co, and the comparisons to the Arsenal ace reaffirm that fact.

Spurs hit gold on "masterclass signing" who's worth way more than Eze

The Lilywhites already have a left-sided player worth a king’s ransom.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 25, 2024

Next season will be incredibly important for Tottenham Hotspur, as with a year under his belt and a squad he's now familiar with, the pressure will be on Ange Postecoglou to lead the club back into the Champions League.

However, the ease of the Australian's task will be greatly impacted by Daniel Levy and Co's actions in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, as with the right players, the North Londoners could find themselves flying up the Premier League table.

The good news is that the last few days have indicated that the club are intent on upgrading the squad, with Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke set to join.

The Englishman's clinical finishing will bring a cutting edge to Postecoglou's exciting style, and he could have an equally exciting player supplying the 26-year-old with chances, as reports have linked the club with a serious talent from north of the border who could be set to rival James Maddison for role of Chief creator.

Tottenham's pursuit of Solanke

After a relatively quiet summer of transfer activity, bar the signings of Archie Gray and Yang Min-Hyeok, Spurs have burst into life over the last few days to secure the services of Solanke.

The Athletic's David Ornstein confirmed early this morning that the Cherries have agreed to sell the Englishman to the Lilywhites for a "club-record fee," which Fabrizio Romano confirmed this afternoon to be £65m plus add-ons.

It's certainly a lot of money, but considering he scored 21 goals and provided four assists in 42 appearances last season, it could prove to be value for money in the long run, especially if he can finish off the chances that come from Spurs' dynamic style of play under Postecoglou.

However, who exactly is going to provide him with the chances is an interesting question though, as Maddison didn't have a particularly good second half of last season and, according to reports from this week, the club have been offered the chance to sign a midfielder who enjoyed an exceptional 23/24, Matt O'Riley.

How O'Riley compares to Maddison

According to a recent update from Paul O'Keefe, Tottenham have been offered the chance to sign Celtic star O'Riley this summer, who is valued at around £25m.

Unfortunately, O'Keefe doesn't think that the North Londoners are that interested at this point in time, but let's compare the Dane to Maddison to see why they should be.

So the main thing to look at is their output, as it's their ability to create chances for the likes of Solanke and their ability to finish the chances given to them that matters most, and in this metric, it's a big win for the Celtic man.

For example, in 49 appearances for the Hoops last season, the "phenomenal" midfielder, as manager Brendan Rodgers dubbed him, scored 19 goals and, most importantly, provided 18 assists. This means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.32 games, which is seriously impressive regardless of the league.

In contrast, the former Leicester City ace scored four goals and provided nine assists in 30 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.30 games. However, the more concerning part about the Englishman's haul is that in his final 17 league matches, he produced just five goal involvements.

Appearances

49

30

Goals

19

4

Assists

18

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.75

0.43

A drop-off in form like this wouldn't be an issue for Solanke next season if Postecoglou could rely on O'Riley to pick up some of the creative slack and provide the talented striker with plenty of opportunities to do what he does best: score. In fact, a midfield with both of them could be the perfect way to overwhelm weaker sides who deploy a stubborn low block.

Ultimately, it might not be a transfer we see happen, but based on his form for Celtic last season, £25m seems like a reasonable gamble for a player who could bring so much creativity to the midfield and get even more out of Solanke next season.

Best CF since Kane: Spurs close in on signing "predatory" goal machine

The impressive goalscorer would be a game-changer for the Lilywhites.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 8, 2024

Glasgow Rangers have just over a week left to complete their remaining business before the summer transfer window officially slams shut next Friday.

The Light Blues have added Jefte, Hamza Igamane, Connor Barron, Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, Vaclav Cerny, Robin Propper, Clinton Nsiala, and Liam Kelly to their squad so far.

There could be further additions to come before the deadline passes, though, after the Gers failed to qualify for the Champions League and failed to win on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season.

It appears as though Philippe Clement's side still needs more quality to come into the group and they are now reportedly eyeing up a new winger to bring it.

Rangers eyeing swoop for Serie A whiz

According to a reporter in Italy, the Scottish giants have enquired about a deal to sign Fiorentina winger Josip Brekalo before the end of the window.

The journalist claims that the Light Blues have 'asked' for information about the Croatia international, as they look to bolster their options out wide.

Rangers are seemingly eyeing a swoop for the 26-year-old star and this latest update reveals that the player could move on from Fiorentina in the coming days, which suggests that they have a chance to secure his services.

The £34k-per-week wizard has the potential to be an excellent partner for current Gers striker Cyriel Dessers in the final third this season if they can get a deal over the line this month.

Why Brekalo would be a dream for Dessers

The Croatian ace spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Hajduk Split in his home country and caught the eye with his impressive attacking displays.

After a return of one goal and zero assists in 11 outings in the Serie A in the first half of the season, Brekalo registered a sensational eight assists in 12 HNL starts for Hajduk Split.

The Fiorentina loanee, who was once hailed for his "lovely" technique by journalist Josh Bunting, completed 1.9 dribbles and made 2.6 key passes per game in the HNL, to go along with two goals.

James Tavernier

3.0

Borna Barisic

1.7

Todd Cantwell

1.7

Ridvan Yilmaz

1.5

John Lundstram

1.5

As you can see in the table above, no Rangers midfielder managed more than Todd Cantwell's 1.7 key passes per game in the Scottish Premiership last term, and three of those players – Cantwell, Borna Barisic, and John Lundstram – are not currently in the first-team squad.

This suggests that Brekalo could come in and be a huge creative presence for the Gers if he can translate his form in the HNL over to the Premiership.

Dessers, therefore, would love the winger as his statistics suggest that the Croatian wizard would create chances for the striker on a regular basis.

The Nigerian marksman scored 16 goals in the Premiership last season and has started the current campaign with three goals in five appearances in all competitions.

Rangers could forget about Hagi in swoop for "terrific" £3k-p/w gem

The Light Blues are in a difficult position with the Romania international this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 20, 2024

Brekalo arriving at Ibrox (Hampden for now) would provide the centre-forward with another source of creativity to derive goals from in the coming months, which is why they could be an exciting pairing for the Light Blues.

West Ham United chiefs have opened discussions with a striker’s agent, amid news that he could leave for millions less than his release clause.

West Ham already planning for life without Evan Ferguson

The Hammers backed new manager Graham Potter by signing Brighton striker Evan Ferguson on a six-month loan deal in the January transfer window, but it is reported that they’re already planning for life without the Irishman.

Graham Potter dealt Evan Ferguson blow as West Ham explore £25m replacement

An update has surfaced on the Irishman.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 19, 2025

A permanent deal for Ferguson is unlikely to materialise at West Ham, with this campaign looking like his sole Premier League season in Claret and Blue as co-chair David Sullivan begins identifying replacements for 2025/2026.

Arsenal (away)

February 22nd

Leicester City (home)

February 27th

Newcastle United (home)

March 10th

Everton (away)

March 15th

Wolves (away)

April 1st

West Ham have earmarked Man United striker Rasmus Hojlund as a potential arrival for next term, according to TEAMtalk, while other media sources have reported that AC Milan loanee Tammy Abraham is on Potter’s radar as well.

Signing a new centre-forward permanently is an absolute must for West Ham this summer, considering Niclas Füllkrug has proved unreliable when it comes to injuries, with Michail Antonio also sidelined after his horrific car crash.

Danny Ings is also out of contract this summer, meaning Potter is in serious danger of being left very short for his full debut campaign in the dugout.

A potential target who West Ham fans will be very familiar with is Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto. The Brazilian has been repeatedly linked with a move to east London in the past, and Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves even confirmed that he rejected an offer from West Ham last year in a sit-down interview with UOL.

However, members of the South American press have since reported that Alberto will be allowed to leave Corinthians in July.

West Ham contract Yuri Alberto's camp amid potential £62 million discount

According to Calciomercato, the Hammers are still very much interested in him, alongside Inter Milan, Atalanta, Bologna, Bournemouth, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Betis, Porto and Wolves.

There is a growing clamour for the 23-year-old’s services, with West Ham approaching Alberto’s agent recently over a potential summer transfer.

It is stated that Corinthians could sell their star striker for an initial £21 million, which is a £62 million mark down from the player’s £83 million release clause. That being said, Corinthians chiefs are hoping that an auction can be sparked for his signature, as 50 per cent of his transfer fee is due to Zenit St. Petersburg.

Alberto’s record suggests why so many clubs are keen on him, with the one-cap Brazil international scoring 31 goals in 57 outings across 2024.

“A striker who, even with a lot of criticism, played very well, was Yuri Alberto,” said Brazil legend Ronaldo.

“He grew at the time that Corinthians needed it most and helped the team with many goals, being one of the team’s top scorers in competitions.”

Disaster struck for Manchester United last weekend, when, in their 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace, Lisandro Martinez went down with an injury. A player who has been so crucial to Ruben Amorim in the last few weeks in particular, United fans waited with bated breath to find out the injury he picked up.

It was not good news, with the Argentine centre-back out for an unspecified amount of time with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. That leaves the Red Devils with an issue, given how thin their squad is in the first place.

Amorim will now need to find a new left centre-back for his side, and while the likes of Luke Shaw and Matthijs de Ligt are options, the United boss could turn to new signing Ayden Heaven.

Why Heaven could replace Martinez

Arsenal academy graduate Heaven was a late January addition for United. They signed him from the Gunners at the back end of the window and paid an undisclosed fee, with his old deal at the Emirates Stadium set to expire at the end of the season.

It is fair to say that the youngster is incredibly inexperienced at first-team level. He made just one appearance for the North Londoners, which was a 10-minute cameo in the Carabao Cup against Preston North End earlier in the season. However, he has been on the bench at times, too.

If there is one thing Martinez brings to the United side, it is quality on the ball. Well, that is certainly something United’s new number 26 could add to their squad. Football analyst Ben Mattinson praised Heaven for his “build-up excellence”, and perhaps he could somewhat fill the void of Martinez.

Even though there is a lot of pressure to perform for United, Heaven might well have to be relied on this season to help cover for Martinez and fix United’s issues in the build-up. He could have a big role until the end of the season.

However, he is not the only former Arsenal academy star who might be important in the United first-team this term.

The youngster who could help United

Of course, the young player in question here is Chido Obi-Martin. Just as Heaven did in January, the young Danish forward swapped the red side of North London for the Red side of Manchester, making the move to United in the summer on a free transfer.

He joined United with a simply outstanding reputation. Obi-Martin went viral in 2023/24 for scoring seven goals in a game for Arsenal under-18s. He had a record of 32 goals in 18 under-18 Premier League appearances.

He has certainly carried that form into his United career so far. He has played eight games for the Red Devils under-18s side so far, and already has nine goals. That included a hattrick against Nottingham Forest in a 6-0 win. As football statistician Statman Dave said, he could become “something special” for United.

Sunderland (a)

u18 PL

3-4

27

0

Nottingham Forest (h)

u18 PL

6-0

45

3

Leeds (a)

u18 PL

0-8

29

0

Everton (h)

u18 PL

3-0

71

1

Stoke (a)

u18 PL

0-3

76

1

Man City (h)

u18 PL

0-4

90

0

Coventry (h)

FA Youth Cup

5-0

72

2

Preston (h)

FA Youth Cup

5-2

90

2

United’s strikers have struggled in front of goal this season. Joshua Zirkzee, who offers lots aside from his goals, has found the back of the net three times in the Premier League. Rasmus Hojlund has only managed two this season in the top flight.

This certainly could open the door for Ob-Martin, who has been in imperious goalscoring form for the academy this season. He has a natural killer instinct and is a powerful ball striker, which could translate well over to first-team football.

Giving the 17-year-old a chance in the first team could be a risk for Amorim, but his form at youth level suggests that it could be a worthwhile gamble, and that is why the manager should unleash him alongside Heaven.

Arsenal have wasted no time in drawing up plans for the summer transfer window, looking to finally end their two-decade wait for a Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta has done a superb job of transforming the squad during his near five-year spell in charge, but more work needs to be done to take them to the summit of the division.

Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as a huge target for the upcoming window, with new sporting director Andrea Berta making an immediate impact in pursuing a move for his signature.

Given his goalscoring record, which has seen him score 86 times in his 93 outings in the last two seasons, it’s understandable that the Gunners are pursuing a striker to bolster their forward line.

Should he move to North London in the summer, he could be joined by another player who’s been a constant target, with a new update emerging on his potential move to the club.

Arsenal make contact to land £51m talent

According to Sun Sport, Arsenal’s director Berta has already been in contact with the representatives of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi ahead of a summer move to the Emirates.

It was reported in January that a deal was on the verge of being agreed for this upcoming window, but no news has emerged since – with this the latest update on any transfer.

The Spanish international has made 29 LaLiga appearances this campaign, featuring in all but one of their league outings, showcasing his importance and quality.

The report claims that the hierarchy are still “working hard” on a deal to land the 26-year-old this summer, with the £51m release clause not thought to be an issue.

Any move for Zubimendi could provide added quality to the middle of Arteta’s side, allowing one player to return to his former best after his recent slump in form.

Why Zubimendi could decide Odegaard at Arsenal

Midfielder Martin Odegaard has been a player so often tasked with providing the goods for Arsenal in attacking areas but ultimately has struggled to deliver in recent months.

The Norwegian had a long injury layoff with an ankle issue but hasn’t been the same player since his return – leading to huge amounts of criticism in the process.

He’s also featured in more of a deeper role, taking away his best qualities with his intricate passing able to create chances for attackers within the final third.

Zubimendi, who’s a defensive midfielder, could be able to sit in front of the backline should he move in the coming months, freeing up Odegaard to go and create carnage further up the field.

The Spaniard, who’s been labelled “superb” by the Spanish Football Podcast, has excelled out of possession, having the quality to be the ball-winning talent the side have been crying out for.

He’s won 1.3 tackles per 90 to date, along with 5.4 duels won – coming out on top of the latter on 60% of the occasions he’s entered a battle with an opposition player.

Games played

29

Goals & assists

3

Pass accuracy

85%

Tackles won

1.3

Duels won

5.4

Duel success rate

60%

Dribbles completed

70%

However, he’s also got the passing ability to aid Odegaard in higher areas, registering an 85% pass completion rate, along with a 70% dribble success rate.

Whilst the club would have to fork out a pretty penny to secure his signature this summer, it’s evident that Zubimendi would be a player who could certainly increase the club’s title credentials.

As for Odegaard, he’s been an influential player in various title battles, with Arteta needing him to return to top form if they are to go one better next season – with the Sociedad star having a huge say in his fortunes if a deal is completed.

Better than Trossard: Arsenal ace who won 14 duels is hitting "cult status"

He’s been one of the bright sparks at the Emirates in recent weeks.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 6, 2025