All posts by z3u9t.icu

In a major boost ahead of the summer transfer window, Everton have reportedly been given the green light by one particular midfield target to push on and complete their move.

Friedkin could hand Moyes midfield boost

Everton could be one of the sides to watch this summer. The arrival of The Friedkin Group already resulted in the loan arrival of Carlos Alcaraz in January and now they’ve seemingly set their sights on further reinforcements in the next transfer window.

Names such as Tammy Abraham and Hamza Igamane have already been mentioned and it should come as no shock to see the Toffees in pursuit of attacking reinforcements. Abraham would be a particularly interesting arrival, given his past Premier League experience at Chelsea before leaving for Italy where he has enjoyed a mixed spell.

In joining Everton, the experienced striker would be replacing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is set to become a free agent this summer when his current contract expires. If that is to be that for the academy graduate, then his Goodison Park spell may well be summarised by injuries rather than his inconsistent goalscoring record.

Meanwhile, it’s not just Abraham who could arrive. As Graeme Bailey told Everton News, Everton have now been given the green light to sign Sean Longstaff this summer with a move to Bramley-Moore Dock one that appeals to the Newcastle United midfielder.

He earns more than Ndiaye: Everton must axe Thelwell's "disaster" signing

The Everton board surely can’t wait to see the back of this miserable signing.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 12, 2025

He could come fairly cheap too. Just last summer, Newcastle set his price tag at just £12m. Now, one season later and into the final year of Longstaff’s contract, the midfielder’s valuation should – in theory – remain the same or be even more accessible.

A player with Champions League experience, David Moyes is reportedly a fan of the midfielder and could welcome him with open arms in pursuit of taking Everton back into the top half next season.

"Excellent" Longstaff could partner Gueye

Whilst a place in Eddie Howe’s midfield three ahead of Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali is far harder to come by these days, Longstaff would have an instant role to play at the heart of Moyes’ Everton side next to Idrissa Gana Gueye.

Likely taking the place of the less experienced James Garner, Longstaff could complete a solid foundation that should see the Toffees push beyond relegation scraps.

Starts

8

25

Progressive Passes

4.58

4.21

Tackles Won

1.93

2.69

Ball Recoveries

3.49

5.91

Just eight league starts sum up the struggles that Longstaff has endured at St James’ Park, with a move away no unsurprisingly on the cards. There was, of course, a stage in which the midfielder had an important role to play at his boyhood club – earning praise from Howe as a result.

The Newcastle boss told reporters in 2023 after Longstaff netted twice against Southampton in the FA Cup: “I’m so pleased that he’s got the headlines tonight. The two goals were great finishes. His all-round performances this season have been excellent. He’s getting the rewards for what I saw last year.”

As the international break slowly comes to an end, managers and supporters will be praying their players return healthy, but that may not be the case for Nottingham Forest after Chris Wood limped off the pitch in the early hours of Monday morning.

How Forest players are getting along on international duty

Given how the season has gone for the Reds so far, it is no surprise to see a lot of their key players away on international duty representing their national teams.

Nottingham Forest and Marinakis may now sign striker target for just £15m

Nuno Espirito Santo is scaling up his Nottingham Forest squad and has a cut-price deal on the agenda.

BySean Markus Clifford Mar 23, 2025

Forest captain and talisman Morgan Gibbs-White is the only player from the City Ground to be representing England during this break after he was called up to the squad as a replacement for Cole Palmer. Gibbs-White was not named in the 23-man squad for England’s game against Albania on Friday but has been recalled to the squad for their game against Latvia.

Meanwhile, defenders Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic and Ola Aina are away representing Brazil, Serbia and Nigeria respectively. Milenkovic left the Serbian media impressed after his defensive display in a 1-1 draw in Austria, which he followed up with a clean sheet in a 2-0 win in the return leg on Sunday.

“He had his moments of hesitation, especially at the start of the game in the 9th minute when he came forward and left a gap for Strahinja Pavlović, but he did his job very well until the end, showing that he is one of the best stoppers in the Premier League this season for a reason.

“He also tried his head, and it seems that he was very happy when he saw Arnautović as a new task. He successfully stopped him as well as Grilič.”

Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangare are both representing the Ivory Coast as they play their final game on Monday evening against Gambia – the defender was an unused substitute in their 1-0 win in Burundi while Sangare got some minutes off the bench.

Neco Williams, Anthony Elanga, Matz Sels, Elliot Anderson and Wood are all away representing their respective countries, and while Williams produced a fabulous display in a 3-1 Wales win over Kazakhstan, there is serious concern for Wood, who limped out of New Zealand’s 3-0 win against New Caledonia on Monday.

Darren Bazeley shares update on Chris Wood injury

New Zealand manager Darren Bazeley spoke to the press on Monday and confirmed Wood has picked up an injury but was hesitant to provide too many details. He did, however, state the issue is “not ideal”.

New Zealand became the second nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after a 3-0 win over New Caledonia, but theirs and Forest’s talisman had to be replaced 54 minutes into the game with what appeared to be a hip injury.

Apps

40

Goals

28

Assists

3

The 33-year-old, who has 18 goals to his name in the Premier League this season, bagged a hat-trick in New Zealand’s win over Fiji on Friday night, making it back-to-back hat-tricks for his country in the World Cup qualification campaign before blanking against New Caledonia.

Forest and their fans will now be sweating as they await the results of any further tests and scans before they face Brighton in the FA Cup on Saturday, with a huge Premier League game against Manchester United then looming on Tuesday.

In recent years, West Ham have been looking to increase their level of recruitment, aiming to improve their squad year upon year which has become even more possible since the big-money sale of Declan Rice.

The England midfielder was sold to Arsenal for a fee of around £105m, allowing the Hammers to invest plenty in the past two years.

In West Ham’s top ten most expensive transfers, four of the ten have been signed since Rice left the club, £123.5m being spent in the 2023/24 campaign and spending a further £123.4m in the 2024/25 season.

Sebastien Haller

£42.7m

Maximilian Kilman

£40.6m

Mohammed Kudus

£36.8m

Lucas Paqueta

£36.7m

Gianluca Scamacca

£33m

Edson Alvarez

£32.5m

Felipe Anderson

£32.5m

Kurt Zouma

£29.9m

Nayef Aguerd

£29.9m

James Ward-Prowse

£29.7m

But away from this list of their top ten most expensive transfers, the Hammers have had some bargains over the years, including one of their best-ever players who ranks 29th in the club’s most expensive transfer fees.

Dimitri Payet's incredible spell at West Ham

West Ham made the signing of Dimitri Payet from Marseille in 2015, with the Frenchman joining the Hammers for a fee of around £10m, which would turn out to be an absolute bargain.

West Ham co-chairman, David Sullivan, labeled Payet a “world-class” player who would be worth triple what they paid had he been in his “prime”. It’s easy to see why.

For the Irons, Payet made 60 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals and providing 22 assists in 4,981 minutes.

Capable of the magical and the extraordinary, his best moment was the extraordinary free-kick goal against Crystal Palace, a goal which finds itself on repeat to this day.

Unfortunately, Payet decided he wanted to return to France in 2017, heading back to Marseille for a fee of around £25m.

To this day, they arguably still lack that magic man, Jarrod Bowen aside, but they may well have the next Payet brewing at the London Stadium.

West Ham's "future icon" could be the next Payet

Bowen has been incredible since signing for West Ham from Hull, notably scoring the winner in the Conference League final, but he’s not the player in question here, it’s Mohammed Kudus.

Signed from Ajax in the 2023/24 summer transfer window, the 24-year-old forward joined for a fee of around £38m and has been a revelation since.

Indeed, Kudus has made 73 appearances for the club since arriving, scoring 17 goals and providing nine assists in his 5,718 minutes played. He may not have hit the dizzy heights of last term but he’s still a cracking player on his day.

Goals

0.37

0.12

Assists

0.17

0.12

xG

0.23

0.26

xAG

0.14

0.10

Progressive Carries

3.99

3.51

Progressive Passes

2.96

2.77

Shots Total

2.52

2.54

Key Passes

1.14

1.13

Shot-Creating Actions

3.52

3.68

Successful Take-Ons

3.93

3.16

When comparing the underlying metrics between Kudus’s first season at the club and this season (his second season) you can see how similar the metrics are. Despite this year being much tougher for the Hammers and the Ghana international struggling for output, the underlying metrics still look very strong, ranking highly for things like successful take-ons and shot-creating actions.

Described as a “future icon” of Ghanaian football by scout Jacek Kulig, he could also become this at West Ham, following in the steps of another magician in Payet. However, Kudus is already subject to plenty of interest from other clubs, and therefore, his decision to stay or leave could prove vital.

If Kudus decides to stay, he could go down as a legend over time, depending on the uplift of performances under Graham Potter.

However, if he does choose to leave, the fee that would be obtained would be very substantial, and it would be tough for Hammers fans to feel too aggrieved.

Best signing since Bowen: West Ham struck gold on £90k-p/w "game-changer"

West Ham have struck gold on their “game-changer” who is easily their best signing since Bowen.

ByConnor Holden Mar 31, 2025

On Tuesday evening, the Emirates Stadium stood witness to perhaps its greatest result for a home team. Arsenal were the victors, defeating Real Madrid 3-0.

It was a remarkable display of football. The 15-time winners of Europe’s great competition, the Champions League, had been swept aside with relative ease.

Declan Rice was the hero, banging in two stupendous free-kicks to send north London into chaos.

Well, this time around, it was a rather more sedate affair. Brentford were the visitors to the Emirates and they were here to disrupt Mikel Arteta’s momentum.

The Gunners took the lead through makeshift right-back Thomas Partey, only for Yoanne Wissa to equalise. The game ended 1-1.

It marks a continuation of a poor run of form for Arsenal in the Premier League. The title race may have been done and dusted a few weeks ago but the run has still been a disappointing one, winning just two of their last seven league outings.

Still, they remain in Europe and are a game away from a semi-final spot.

Arteta will likely already know his team for the second leg in Madrid in Wednesday but did anyone stake their claim on Saturday evening?

Arsenal's best players against Brentford

This was a patched-together Arsenal side, make no mistake about it.

Despite the result, Arteta was right to rotate ahead of a trip to the Bernabeu but that did mean the likes of Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Mikel Merino dropped out.

As a result of those absentees, Leandro Trossard was handed a start as the central striker, Partey featured at right back, Kieran Tierney was on the left and Oleksandr Zinchenko came into the midfield.

Both full-backs very much caught the eye. Tierney, unfortunately, had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half but did well at the back. As for Partey, there was no denying his opening goal.

The man of the hour, Rice, broke from a Brentford corner, galloping forward like a racehorse beyond the halfway line. His pass had to be timed to perfection and indeed it was.

Partey was to his right and ran onto the ball, firing past Mark Flekken in the Bees net.

The Ghanaian enjoyed a fine evening at full-back, standing in for Timber and Ben White who picked up another injury in training. Rice was a machine in the middle again, but they weren’t the only two standouts from the draw on home soil.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Arsenal defender is now undroppable

When Gabriel hobbled from the field during Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Fulham a few weeks ago, fear spread like wildfire through the fanbase. Rightly so, too.

The Brazilian has been one of, if not the best player at the club this season. He’s been a rock at the back and a menace from set plays, proving to be an asset in both boxes. He’d barely missed a minute of football either.

Yet, here was Arsenal’s third big hamstring injury of the season, following in the footsteps of Saka and Kai Havertz. The prognosis was that the centre-back would miss the rest of the season.

In his place has stood Jakub Kiwior, the Polish defender who hasn’t exactly set the world alight when handed rare opportunities this season.

Prone to a nervy moment, the former Spezia man now well and truly deserves his flowers. Indeed, across his last 19 starts in all competitions, Arsenal have not lost a single game, winning 13 matches and drawing six.

He saved his best performance for Madrid in midweek, putting a nervy error in the first half beyond him to deal with the threat of Kylian Mbappe and Co superbly well.

Wins

13

Draws

6

Defeats

0

Goals conceded

13

Clean sheets

9

Against Brentford, despite not keeping a clean sheet, he was also in top form.

It wasn’t the most eye-catching of displays but he came through the game ably, notably winning every single one of his four contested duels and completing 94% of his passes. It was a supremely composed display, building from the back and holding onto the ball well further up the field.

To sum up that influence in possession, only two players on the pitch registered more touches of the ball; William Saliba and Jorginho.

Handed a 7/10 match rating by Football.London at full time they wrote that “there is a sense of calm that previously was not there when he first came.” That sums things up rather nicely.

Previously, supporters didn’t want to see Kiwior anywhere near the starting lineup but he has very quickly become as undroppable as the likes of Rice and Saliba.

He will never be raved about from up on high but this is an underrated squad player who’s now played exceptionally well in recent weeks. The Pole will deserve his place in the starting lineup against Madrid in a few days’ time.

Arsenal preparing mega £129m offer to seal their best signing since Rice

The game-breaking star would fire Arsenal to domestic and European glory.

7 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 10, 2025

Manchester City made a statement in the winter transfer window in a bid to strengthen their squad, bringing in the likes of Nico Gonzalez and Omar Marmoush.

In a way, it worked. While the club were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in February, they have lost only three domestic games in 2025.

The FA Cup provides the only chance of silverware, and Pep Guardiola will be hoping that winning the competition for the third time can set his side up for a new era starting this summer.

There is still plenty of work to be done this summer. Could Guardiola be targeting a player from a fellow Premier League side?

Man City eye move for Milos Kerkez

Milos Kerkez has emerged as a transfer target for City and a host of other clubs ahead of the summer window.

The left-back has made 36 appearances for Bournemouth this season, recording nine goal contributions in the process. He has even started every single one of the club’s league matches, indicating how important he is to the team.

Assists

5

Accurate passes per game

27.8

Big chances created

6

Key passes per game

0.9

Tackles per game

1.5

Total duels won per game

4.2

Kerkez ranks in the top 11% for crosses into the opposition penalty area and in the top 15% for carries into the final third when compared to peers in the top flight this term.

These statistics have seen the Cherries place a price tag of around £45m on the defender.

City could certainly afford this fee in the summer. The club have also struck gold on an academy starlet who is worth a lot more than the Hungarian full-back – Rico Lewis.

How Man City have hit gold on Rico Lewis

Despite only turning 20 last November, Lewis has already racked up 90 senior appearances under Guardiola, impressing the Spaniard on the right side of the defence.

Indeed, the manager even hailed the Englishman as “exceptional” back in 2023, and he has gone from strength to strength ever since.

One of his key strengths is his passing ability, and when compared to peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the youngster ranks in the top 1% for pass completion percentage (92.1%) and in the top 6% for progressive passes (6.01) per 90.

This shows that he doesn’t just dictate games with his range of passing, but he is able to begin attacks and set the midfielders and forwards up for success with his attack-minded abilities.

As such, his market valuation has grown year-on-year. According to Football Transfers, the defender is now valued at €62.7m (£53.5m).

This value is nearly £10m more than Kerkez at the time of writing, and it may increase even further as the years progress if he can continue to shine on the pitch.

Of course, he plays on the opposite side of the pitch compared to the Bournemouth sensation, but considering City brought him through the academy, they have struck gold on the left-back.

If and when he departs City, they will make an absolute fortune on the Englishman. That much is certain.

Man Utd now considering shock move for "exceptional" £25m Man City attacker

The Red Devils are eyeing a move for a player from one of their bitter rivals.

ByDominic Lund Apr 25, 2025

Everton are set to embark on an exciting new era at Bramley-Moore Dock and could make a bargain signing to kick off their summer business, according to a report.

Everton preparing for summer of mass changes

David Moyes has comfortably ensured top-flight survival for Everton and has managed to revive a squad that has plenty of uncertainty hanging over it heading into the summer.

With the Toffees set to say farewell to Goodison Park, key figures such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young are yet to commit to extensions, while several loanees find themselves in limbo.

Abdoulaye Doucoure has commented on his future at the club, stirring debate among supporters, stating: “There’s not been any talks so far with Everton. I think personally, I don’t wait for them to give me a contract or not, because my contract is finished. I already have some proposals on the table, to be honest, and I think in the next three weeks, I will have to take my decision — whether I stay or not.”

Clearly, Moyes has plenty of work to do in the market before his squad is in ideal shape for next season. Ipswich Town pair Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson have emerged as Everton targets, offering an inkling of the direction his recruitment strategy could take.

Burnley’s Josh Brownhill could join the Toffees on a free transfer, which would be a wise move in the face of PSR regulations, which could otherwise create problems in a moment of positivity.

Sky Sports reporter says 49ers want to sign £20m+ Everton star for Leeds

Leeds have added a new attacker to their transfer shortlist heading into the summer.

ByBrett Worthington May 8, 2025

Tapping into that theme, another star from the EFL Championship may also arrive this summer without the Toffees having to spend a penny in transfer fees.

Everton want to land Leeds United full-back Junior Firpo

According to Everton News, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, Junior Firpo could make a surprise move to Everton this summer on a free transfer once his contract expires at Leeds United.

While Spain is thought to be his preference, Everton appear to be at the front of the queue if the defender opts to remain in England.

Labelled “immense” by Conor McGilligan, the Dominican Republic international has registered four goals and 10 assists this campaign, playing a major role in the Whites’ promotion back to the top flight.

Ricardo Chavez Soto

Monterrey

Ryan Hollingshead

Los Angeles FC

Jesus Gallardo

Toluca

Anton Gaaei

Ajax

Juan Sanabria

Atletico San Luis

Earning £60,000 per week at Elland Road, it is said that Firpo also has admirers from Spain, where he came through the ranks at Real Betis before joining Barcelona back in 2019.

Previously, the Santo Domingo-born defender struggled with life in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa, but he has been a key attacking force down the left flank this term and appears primed for another tilt at the top flight.

Now, Everton’s task is to put forward a convincing argument that they are a better proposition than Leeds in the long run. Given their newfound stability, they stand a good chance of winning the race for his signature.

Chelsea returned to fourth in the Premier League for the time being, after beating Southampton 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, with goals coming from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella.

They also kept their first clean sheet in the Premier League since December 22nd, when they drew 0-0 with Everton at Goodison Park. The Blues have conceded 36 goals in 27 games so far this season.

Despite only facing seven shots against the Saints, they did create two “big chances” with their two shots on target, generating 0.72 xG and forcing Chelsea’s new shot-stopper into action.

Chelsea's rising star

Filip Jorgensen was signed in the summer by Chelsea, joining from Villarreal for a fee of around £20.7m.

First Impressions

Since arriving, the 22-year-old has been the number two keeper, making 17 appearances so far for the Blues, most of which have come in cup competitions, conceding 18 goals in total and keeping six clean sheets.

However, in recent weeks, thanks to the poor form of Robert Sanchez, Jorgensen has been made Chelsea number one according to Enzo Maresca, which has seen him start the previous four Premier League fixtures against West Ham, Brighton, Aston Villa and Southampton.

Whilst Jorgensen did make a big mistake of his own against Villa, he has clearly done enough to earn the trust of Maresca for the time being, both on the ball and making important saves, which will allow the Italian to fully axe one of their worst performers this campaign.

Chelsea can now finally sell £60k-p/w flop

Since Sanchez joined Chelsea back in 2023 for a fee of around £25m, the 27-year-old has made 43 appearances for the Blues, conceding 59 goals in total and only keeping nine clean sheets, totalling 3,864 minutes played.

When the £60k-per-week flop was first signed, sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart were “excited” by his arrival:

That said, things haven’t turned out quite as planned….

Stats (per 90 mins)

Sanchez

Jorgensen

Goals Against

1.38

1.07

Shots on Target Against

4.58

4.40

Saves

3.20

3.33

Save %

74.8%

77.3%

Clean Sheets

0.18

0.33

Passes Attempted

40.8

31.5

Pass Completion %

73.3%

83.6%

Crosses Stopped

1.38

0.33

When comparing both Sanchez and Jorgensen’s underlying numbers so far this season, the 22-year-old shot-stopper comes out on top, making more saves despite having fewer shots taken against him, conceding fewer goals and even having a higher pass completion.

Having the ability to play short-circuit passes around the back to attract the opposition press is very important to Maresca’s system, and the fact Jorgensen is doing it without making the same mistakes as Sanchez – or at least to a much lesser degree – is another positive sign for the Blues.

With Jorgensen now Chelsea’s number one, it is in his hands to make that position his own, keeping Sanchez out of the fray and finally allowing Maresca to settle on one goalkeeper, with Sanchez’s future potentially now lying elsewhere.

With the former Brighton man having made five errors leading to a goal in the Premier League in 2024/25 alone, Winstanley and Co’s initial excitement has undoubtedly disappeared.

100% duels won: 9/10 Chelsea ace is rapidly becoming more vital than Palmer

Chelsea ended their dismal recent run with a 4-0 win over Southampton last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb Feb 26, 2025

One player has already admitted that he’s decided the best thing for him is to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer, and it is now also believed that he could be subject to a marquee offer from the Saudi Pro League.

Daniel Levy set for Tottenham fire sale in 'sell to buy' summer

Chairman Daniel Levy and the club’s recruitment team, which is expected to include the returning Fabio Paratici once his ban from footballing activity concludes, are set for an array of key transfer decisions.

£19m "wizard" privately tempted by Tottenham move after "fresh" discussions

The Lilywhites have made contact.

ByEmilio Galantini May 16, 2025

As per a recent report from The Telegraph, Tottenham are likely set for a ‘sell to buy’ window, so players are expected to head out of the N17 exit door before Levy, Paratici and Johan Lange can ger to work on reinforcing the squad.

Son Heung-min

7.00

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.85

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Richarlison is attracting serious interest from Everton, and Spurs are considering a sale of the Brazilian after his injury-ridden 2024/2025 campaign (Jorge Nicola) – three years after he made the move to north London from Goodison Park for around £60 million.

Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid are continuing to express their desire to sign star defender Cristian Romero, who is believed to equally fancy a switch to La Liga as he looks to embark on a fresh challenge.

There is also the matter of current loanees who Ange Postecoglou deemed surplus to requirements, with Manor Solomon enjoying a productive loan spell at Leeds United and Bryan Gil impressing on another temporary stint back home in Spain.

The latter has already confirmed his intention to leave the club this summer, stating in a recent interview with Estadio Deportivo:

“That’s something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Spurs] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham.

“They bet on me when I was young, and they’ve treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I’ll focus on giving my best as always. I’m calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional. Without playing, I’ve always trained well, I’ve done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We’ll see where we are next year.”

Bryan Gil set for "dizzying" Saudi offer to leave Tottenham

According to Spanish news outlet La Razon, the 24-year-old won’t exactly be short of offers if he does manage to seal an exit.

It is even believed that Saudi sides could make Gil a “dizzying” salary offer to leave Tottenham, with the Pro League intent on adding to their already-impressive collection of European stars as they continue their mission to build a star-studded, competitive division.

It could be an excellent option for the Spaniard who hasn’t quite ever managed to adapt to the physicality of English football, but if a move to Saudi doesn’t work out, Villarreal and teams in the MLS are also displaying an interest in Gil.

Paratici signed Gil from Sevilla in 2021 after instigating a part-exchange deal involving Erik Lamela, but his signing hasn’t worked out as many hoped at the time.

There might be another 90 minutes to play, but for most Arsenal fans, the season is now done.

Instead of looking forward to what is now a pretty meaningless Premier League game on Sunday afternoon, supporters are beginning to dream about what the club might do in the summer transfer window.

After all, after last year, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta has a big job on his hands convincing them that the board are prepared to go all in to finally get the club over the line next season.

Fortunately, recent reports have now touted an international superstar for a move to the Gunners, someone who is just the sort of signing fans have been crying out for and someone who’d be a dream addition for Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal transfer news

The last few weeks have seen Arsenal linked to a plethora of incredibly talented footballers, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze.

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 could end up costing the club as little as £55m if reports are to be believed, which may well be one of the deals of the summer, as in just 51 games this term, he has scored 53 goals and provided 13 assists.

Eze, on the other hand, will cost around £68m due to a release clause in his current deal, although again, thanks to his ability to play in multiple positions and the fact he’s racked up 25 goal involvements in 42 games this season, makes that fee seem more than reasonable.

However, to really help take the team to another level and across the finishing line next season, Arteta and Co may want to sign a bonafide superstar, someone like Rodrygo.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal are “now seriously considering” moving for the Real Madrid star.

The journalist has revealed that talks have already “begun behind the scenes” and that the deal is “on.”

The report does not mention a price, but according to other stories from earlier this month, the Brazilian winger could be available for around £85m.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get done, but given Rodrygo’s stature and ability, it’s one worth pushing the boat out for, especially as it would seriously help Saka as well.

Why Rodrygo would be a dream signing for Saka

So, if Arsenal are able to get the deal done and bring Rodryo to the Emirates this summer, just why would his signing be such a good thing for Saka?

Well, the first thing is that he’d finally be able to take some of the burden off his shoulders, as not only is he a natural left-winger, but he’s one who knows just where the goal is.

Said to be among the “best players in the world” by Carlo Ancelotti, in 52 appearances last season, he scored 18 goals and provided nine assists in 52 games, which worked out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.92 games.

Then this season, even though Los Blancos have struggled more, he’s still managed to put up impressive numbers of 13 goals and 10 assists in 50 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.17 games.

For context, Gabriel Martinelli has scored ten goals and provided six assists in as many games, and Leandro Trossard has scored ten goals and provided nine assists in 55 games.

Appearances

50

50

55

Minutes

3290′

3493′

3428′

Goals

13

10

10

Assists

10

6

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.32

0.34

Minutes per Goal Involvement

143.04′

218.31′

180.42′

So, with someone as effective as the Brazilian off the left, the Gunners mercurial number seven wouldn’t have to do quite as much himself, which could help him perform better.

The next significant benefit to signing the Real ace is that he’s more than comfortable playing off the right as well, so Arteta could more easily rest the Hale End superstar and help prevent him from suffering any more serious injuries.

Finally, during his time in Madrid, the Osasco-born dynamo has won everything there is to win in the club game, from league titles to the Champions League, so his know-how in those tense must-win games could finally help the North Londoners get over the line next season, and in turn, help Saka achieve his dreams of leading the team to glory.

Ultimately, while he’ll cost them a pretty penny, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Rodrygo this summer, as not only would he help elevate the whole team, but he could also be the perfect teammate for Saka.

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Seeking instant upgrades this summer, Manchester United have now reportedly made their first contact to sign an impressive Premier League defender for Ruben Amorim.

Man Utd end Asia tour with victory

After finishing as low as 15th in the Premier League and losing in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, the last thing that the Manchester United squad needed was further humiliation. But defeat at the hands of ASEAN All-Stars and an awkward open-top bus tour through Kuala Lumpur ensured that their moments to forget only continued.

As they arrived in Hong Kong, the Red Devils would have been feeling that same concern that they’ve felt all season, especially when Juninho opened the scoring to put the hosts in front. This time, however, Amorim’s side spared their blushes and came from behind to seure a 3-1 victory, courtesy of goals from Chido Obi-Martin and Ayden Heaven.

With or without that comeback victory, the damage may have been done on Manchester United’s post-season tour, which only extended their misery.

Nonetheless, Amorim was left pleased following the Hong Kong game and singled out his young players for their efforts, telling reporters: “I really like the kids. I think Jimmy [Thwaites], in the last 15 minutes, as a midfielder, he wants to play. It doesn’t matter how many minutes. These kind of young kids are really important. They will have space in our team.

”Of course, it’s a good feeling [for Obi to score twice] but he needs to continue to train really hard because the Premier League is a different world. We have to improve as a team but I’m really pleased with the kids. Ayden proved, in every game for the first team, he is ready to be an option. Of course, he has got to improve.”

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Away from the tour, meanwhile, those at Old Trafford have also been busy working on some key upgrades, which could see Amorim handed another wing-back to slot straight into his system.

Man Utd make contact to sign Estupinan

According to Ben Jacobs, who was speaking to The United Stand, Manchester United have now made a first approach to sign Pervis Estupinan from Brighton & Hove Albion this summer. The left-back once again played an important part at The Amex, as Fabian Hurzeler’s side finished as high as eighth in the Premier League. Now, as a result, he could be on the move.

Whether the Seagulls allow their £15m left-back to leave is the big question. Hurzeler is well aware of the talent that he has at his disposal and was full of praise for Estupinan when he returned from injury in August, telling reporters: “He missed a lot of content and a lot of technical things also in the preseason. It’s important now to get from a mix between video sessions and then the pitch sessions.

“That’s why I think that he will be a great player for us again, but we shouldn’t put pressure on him because after a long injury the players need time to adapt and that will be important.”

That said, what should make any potential deal easier this summer is the fact that the Brighton star is represented by the same agent as Manchester United defender Leny Yoro – making him one to watch.