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While the mood around the club is still rather jubilant following their incredible win over Real Madrid in the Champions League this time last week, one thing remains true about Arsenal: they don’t score enough goals.

To give them credit, Mikel Arteta’s side have scored more goals than most teams in the Premier League, but that’s still not enough when the club are desperate to lift the title following what now looks like it’ll be three seasons of finishing in second place.

For example, the Gunners have put the ball in the back of the net 57 times in the league this year, which is only the fourth most, behind Tottenham Hotspur with 60, Manchester City with 62 and Liverpool, who have already scored a brilliant 74 goals so far.

Now, one of the most obvious ways to address this problem in the summer is to sign a new striker to lead the line, and while that’ll likely help, it could be just as important to add more quality wingers to the squad, although whoever they sign is unlikely to be worth anywhere near as much as one of Arteta’s key men.

The wingers Arsenal could sign

So, when it comes to wide reinforcements, there is one name that has followed Arsenal from last summer’s transfer window to this one: Nico Williams.

The Spanish international winger is one of the most exciting wingers in Europe at present, and while there will undoubtedly be plenty of competition for his signature, he does seem to be gettable thanks to a £52m release clause in his current contract.

It’s certainly a lot of money to spend on a 22-year-old, but it’d be worth it, as just this season alone, the Pamplona-born “level-raiser,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored ten goals and provided seven assists in 41 appearances.

However, it’s not just youngsters that the North Londoners could sign this summer, as recent reports have also touted Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman for a £39m move to the Emirates.

Now, the Frenchman hasn’t had as good of a season this year, only racking up ten goal involvements in 35 appearances, but he would bring with him an abundance of top-level experience.

For example, since making his debut for Paris Saint Germain over a decade ago, the Paris-born winger has won two league titles in France, two in Italy with Juventus and eight in Germany with Bayern Munich, where he has also scored the winning goal in a Champions League final.

In short, both players would be good additions to Arsenal’s squad this summer, but neither one would be even nearly as much as one of the team’s star players.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Williams & Coman

While they haven’t been as productive as in seasons past, Arsenal do have a few talented wingers in their squad, such as Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, but when it comes to being a true leader within the team, only one attacker comes to mind: Bukayo Saka.

The Hale Ender is unquestionably the best player in Arteta’s squad, as not only has he worn the captain’s armband on occasion, but he’s also the most productive player in the entire team this year, with 24 goal improvements even though he missed over three months of action following hamstring surgery.

So, with all that said, it should come as no surprise that Transfermarkt currently values the 23-year-old at a whopping €150m, which is about £128m, or £76m more than Williams would cost and £89m more than Coman may cost.

That is an enormous difference in the three wingers’ valuations, but when you compare their output from this season, it’s hard to argue that it’s not fair.

For example, the Bilbao star has produced his 17 goal involvements in 41 appearances, totalling 2859 minutes, which comes out to an average of one every 2.41 games or every 168.17 minutes.

The Bayern dynamo has produced his ten goal involvements in 35 appearances, totalling 1597 minutes, which comes out to an average of one every 3.5 games or every 159.7.

Last but most certainly not least, the Gunners’ “future legend,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored his ten goals and provided his 14 assists in just 28 appearances, totalling 1998 minutes.

That means the 43-capped Englishman is averaging a goal involvement every 1.16 games or every 83.25, which simply has to be considered world-class.

Ultimately, signing Coman or Williams would help improve Arsenal’s squad, but it seems far-fetched to imagine either one ever reaching a valuation on par with Saka’s.

Huge upgrade on Merino: Berta wants Arsenal to sign £55m "goal machine"

Given that Mikel Merino is playing the makeshift centre-forward, Arsenal are in the market for a striker, so do they lead the race for a goal machine?

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By
Ben Gray

Apr 13, 2025

Omar Marmoush has been a revelation since making the move to Manchester City in the January transfer window. The Egyptian star joined for £59m at the back end of the winter window, and has been in scintillating form ever since.

In 14 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side so far, he has managed to score seven goals and register one assist. That included a fantastic hat-trick against Newcastle United, which came in the first half of a 4-1 win in the space of 15 minutes.

Perhaps, with the goals Marmoush has scored in a City shirt so far, he could be on track to be as prolific as Sergio Aguero was for the East Manchester side.

Aguero’s Man City career

“We cannot replace him” were Guardiola’s words when Aguero departed the Etihad Stadium at the end of the 2020/21 campaign. Well, that didn’t turn out to be entirely true, with Erling Haaland and, more recently, Marmoush, providing the goals that the legendary striker brought.

In his prime, few were better than Aguero. He scored an extraordinary 260 goals for City in 390 games, notching up 64 assists in that time, too. Only four players in Premier League history scored more goals than the former Argentina international, who bagged 184 Premier League goals.

At one stage, Aguero was described as “the best striker in the Premier League” by a man who knows what that means, Alan Shearer. There were six seasons in which he scored 20 or more goals in one top-flight campaign, including his first, in 20211/12.

However, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and Aguero’s final season for City showed just how much he struggled. He only managed six goals in all competitions in 2020/21 and became more of a squad player under Guardiola.

A decline of a club legend like that is always sad to see, and unfortunately, City fans could be seeing a similar thing with another player currently at the club.

Man City’s new Aguero

Perhaps a bigger legend than Aguero in City colours is Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian legend recently announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season, and has been linked with a move to MLS side Chicago Fire on a free transfer.

His time at City has been nothing short of extraordinary. De Bruyne has been the spearhead of all the success the club has experienced under Guardiola, with the icing on the cake, of course, the iconic treble in the 2022/23 campaign.

His current record in that famous Blue shirt is phenomenal. The City number 17 has played 415 games for the club, scoring 107 goals and registering 177 assists. It is no surprise that football statistician Statman Dave once described him as a “genius”.

The 33-year-old enjoyed his best individual Premier League season in 2019/20. That year, he managed an outrageous 13 goals and 20 assists in 35 games, scooping up the player of the season award for his incredible campaign.

However, his decline this season has been steep. The Belgian has struggled with injuries this term, and, like Aguero, has become more of a squad player. He has only played 33 times in all competitions, with five goals and eight assists to his name.

We have still seen quality from De Bruyne in his final season as a City player, despite his decline. That included a fantastic free kick against Crystal Palace in their most recent Premier League outing.

With that being said, it is a shame to see such a legend of the game in the final throes of his Premier League career. He has given so much to the game and has been sensational in a City shirt for years.

Their fans will no doubt want to see him end on a high in the final weeks of his time at the club.

He's like David Silva: Man City in talks for £100m De Bruyne replacement

Man City have held talks to sign one of the best players in Germany…

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By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 14, 2025

Ange Postecoglou has the opportunity to save his role as Tottenham Hotspur manager in the next few weeks if he can secure a triumph in the Europa League.

His side face Bodo Glimt in the semi-finals over the next fortnight, with the winners of the clash facing either Athletic Club or Manchester United in the final at the end of May.

Winning such a competition could see the board decide to stick with the 59-year-old despite the dismal form the Lilywhites have endured in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

With just a handful of games remaining, the club sit in a measly 16th place and a staggering 21 points off a place in the division’s top four – but they could still claim Champions League qualification if they win the Europa League.

However, after the lows endured throughout the current season, it would be a surprise to no one if Postecoglou lost his job, with numerous managers already touted with taking the post incase he is handed his marching orders.

Spurs’ hunt for a new manager if Ange gets sacked

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iralola is a name that has constantly been linked with the Spurs job over the last few months, with the Spaniard appearing as one of the key targets for the role.

Their admiration is understandable given the work he’s done with the Cherries to date, leading them to within touching distance of a place in Europe for next season.

However, the Lilywhites were dealt a blow in recent days, after it emerged that he was in talks with the hierarchy at the Vitality over extending his deal and continuing his project rather than moving to North London.

As a result, other names such as Thomas Frank, Scott Parker and Kieran McKenna have all been thrown into the mix over a potential switch to join the club should Ange leave.

One of the aforementioned trio would certainly be a phenomenal appointment, undoubtedly offering the club an upgrade on the current boss – especially if their respective figures from 2024/25 are anything to go by.

The PL boss who would be a huge upgrade on Postecoglou

Given the club’s lowly league standing, it’s miraculous that Ange still remains in the role, with his tactics evidently not getting the best out of the current crop of players in North London.

The Aussie looked to be the perfect appointment in the summer of 2023, leading the side to the top of the league table after his first ten league outings – but it’s safe to say it’s all been downhill since.

With the quality of player available at the 59-year-old’s disposal, questions need to be asked about his ability to extract the best out of the current crop of players – potentially leading to his dismissal.

If he were to leave his post during the off-season, the hierarchy desperately needs to pursue a move for Brentford boss Frank, with the Dane offering a huge upgrade on the Aussie at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Bees boss, who’s been labelled “sensational” by one analyst, has picked up more Premier League wins than Ange this season, subsequently achieving a higher points per game average.

He’s also led the side to a higher league standing, doing so whilst having nearly a £100m lower net spend throughout the 2024/25 season – potentially able to conduct a phenomenal job at Spurs with additional funding.

From the stats mentioned, it’s evident that Frank would be a huge upgrade on Postecoglou, potentially being the man to catapult the side back towards the top half of the table in 2025/26.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether the club will sack Postecoglou, Brentford boss Frank should undoubtedly be the number one target to take the reins – having the experience in the Premier League and knowing what it takes to be a success in such a division.

Best talent since Kane: Spurs teen is one of England's future "superstars"

The incredible talent will be sensational for Spurs in the future.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 26, 2025

Arsenal may not have won the Premier League this season, but Mikel Arteta’s squad still have it all to play for in the Champions League.

Though Paris Saint-Germain left the Emirates Stadium with a slender one-goal advantage in midweek, the Gunners have the quality and confidence to create something special at the Parc des Princes.

Some questionable officiating aside, Arsenal know the crux of their issues this season lies with the failure to provide Arteta with an elite-level striker.

Injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz in the new year sapped the Londoners’ strength at number nine, calling for an unconventional but curiously effective stopgap in Mikel Merino.

However, Arsenal need a permanent solution, one which could ease the talismanic burden Bukayo Saka wears around his neck.

Bukayo Saka's season in numbers

To be fair, Saka wears the weight of responsibility rather well, having maintained a confident stream of goals and assists through the campaign while producing influential and energetic performances.

But this only draws to attention the yawning hole at number nine, with a prolific centre-forward certain to take the England international’s game to the next level.

Saka, 23, has scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists for Arsenal this season. The three-month hamstring injury picked up in December has proved the biggest blow to his side’s campaign; Saka’s back now, but he’s still not at his sharpest.

Nonetheless, the winger’s return has restored a deeper degree of balance and fluency that must be allowed to bloom into something truly world-class next season, and a more clinical attacking partner than one of Havertz or Jesus will ensure that happens.

As per FBref, Arsenal’s starboy ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 1% for goal-creating actions and the top 5% for crosses made per 90.

This man is a striker’s dream, and new sporting director Andrea Berta is ready to reward him with one of the finest centre-forwards out there.

Arsenal in talks to sign top striker

We all know Alexander Isak’s the dream. But Isak is going to cost more than £150m to convince Newcastle United to sell, and this would likely prove beyond any interested party’s means.

Instead, Berta is pushing to seal the signing of Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres. According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, several talks have already taken place, with the Liga Portugal champions looking for no more than €70m (about £60m) to get a deal done.

Arsenal are confident they can get a deal done, but with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United also keen, they will need to act swiftly.

What Viktor Gyokeres would bring to Arsenal

Isak has been described as “the best striker in the Premier League” this season by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, but he’s not the only deadly goalscorer on the market.

In fact, Gyokeres has the complete take on the centre-forward role and could make it his own at the front of Arteta’s system.

The 6 foot two star’s technical quality, physicality and hunger for success have been hallmarks of his journey in Portugal, scoring 95 goals from 98 matches and winning last season’s Liga Portugal title before being crowned the division’s Player of the Year.

This level of surety in the final third is something that Arsenal have lacked across the campaign, and by instating Gyokeres in the focal role, Saka would finally have the reliable outlet from which he could direct his peerless playmaking ability.

Talk about year-on-year growth. Gyokeres, 26, has yet to make his mark in one of Europe’s recognised top-five leagues but his numbers leave little to the imagination in the best way, especially since he’s only missed 43 big chances across his past three league terms, as per Sofascore, scoring 88 times.

Havertz has his strengths, but he’s not clinical. In the Premier League this season, the German has missed 15 big chances, converting nine strikes. The 28-year-old Jesus, meanwhile, has not been available often enough to warrant Arteta’s trust as his first-choice option.

There’s no doubt Saka is among the finest players in world football, but his game is being impeded by the absence of a partner like Gyokeres. With 20 big chances created in the Premier League this season, only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has more – and having played plenty more minutes at that.

Injury pulled from Saka the chance to immortalise his name in the Premier League’s playmaking record books, but the Three Lions sensation’s electric start to the 2024/25 season remains a welcome reminder of the level of player Arsenal have on their hands.

Moreover, it’s an arresting lever Arteta wields in convincing a player of Gyokeres’ ilk that the Emirates project is the best place for him to go from strength to strength and hit the next level in his incredible journey.

Of course, any natural goalscorer would find their game enhanced alongside Arsenal’s main man, but the Sweden star is “the hottest striker in Europe,” according to ESPN’s Mark Ogden, and the partnership might just be something that fixes the issues that have plagued the north London side’s season.

Having come agonisingly close in recent years, this would be a signing to complete the craft and finally establish Arsenal as the continent’s team to beat.

It’s not over yet; Arsenal may yet find themselves fighting for the Champions League trophy after turning it around against PSG, but in any case, Gyokeres would turn a great team into an unstoppable force.

Their own Bruno Fernandes: Arsenal holding talks over "exciting" £66.5m ace

The creative maverick could be Arsenal’s missing piece.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 2, 2025

There is no getting away from it: this season has been one big disappointment after another for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side crashed out of both domestic cups, couldn’t get past Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, and are so far behind Liverpool in the Premier League that it would be hard to say they were even in a title race.

However, while this has not been a campaign to remember for the North Londoners, there have at least been a few positives, such as the form of Declan Rice.

The Englishman has been one of the team’s best players and currently has a tally of 18 goal involvements in 50 games, so fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club to someone who could be their next Rice.

Arsenal's hunt for a new midfielder

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth reviewing some of the other midfielders linked with a move to Arsenal in recent weeks, like Martin Zubimendi and Hugo Larsson.

Transfer Focus

The former’s proposed £51m move to the Emirates actually got the ‘here we go’ treatment from Fabrizio Romano on Saturday morning, and with Spain manager Luis de la Fuente previously describing him as one of the “best central midfielders in the world,” fans should be excited.

Interestingly, Larsson would also reportedly cost just as much this summer, but as he’s still just 20 years old, his move would likely be one for the future, and if Arteta and Co want to sign an up-and-coming central midfielder, they’d be better served acting on their supposed interest in Adam Wharton.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides keen on the Crystal Palace star.

Alongside the Gunners, the report revealed that Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle United are interested in the young Englishman.

A potential price tag is not mentioned in the story, but another report from earlier this month claimed that it would take a massive fee of around £80m to get the midfielder out of Selhurst Park this summer.

It would be an incredibly complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Wharton’s ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be their next Rice.

Why Wharton could be Arsenal's new Rice

The first thing to say is that we aren’t claiming Wharton is on the same level as Rice at the moment, but there are enough similarities to suggest he could develop into someone just as brilliant.

One of the key similarities is their position and style of play, as, just like the Arsenal star, the young Palace ace started his career and primarily still plays in defensive midfield but is now incredibly influencing things at the sharp end of the pitch while maintaining his defensive output.

For example, FBref has placed him in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for ball recoveries, the top 7% for progressive passes, shot-creating actions and dribblers challenged, the top 10% for crosses into the penalty area, the top 11% for expected assisted goals, the top 12% for goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

On top of that, just like the former West Ham United captain, the young “generational talent,” as dubbed by members of the media, would be moving to the club from a fellow London-based Premier League side in Palace.

Finally, just like the Gunners’ number 41, the up-and-coming Eagles star earned his first England cap at 20 years old and under the management of Gareth Southgate.

Ultimately, while Wharton still has a lot of developing to do, he already looks like a special player, and if Arsenal have a chance to sign him, they should take it, as they may just be getting another Rice in the making.

Their answer to Salah: Arsenal make offer for £63m CF who's outscoring Isak

The dazzling striker could be the one to lead Arsenal to glory next year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 14, 2025

Ahead of Vitor Pereira’s first summer in charge, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly moving to seal their move to sign a South American talent at their manager’s request.

Pereira already requesting Wolves incomings

With Matheus Cunha reportedly on his way to Manchester United this summer, it should come as no surprise that Pereira has requested attacking reinforcements in the coming months. Recent rumours have indicated that the Portuguese manager is a particular fan of Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto and has now asked Wolves to make a reunion happen between himself and his former star.

Having worked with the Brazilian before, Pereira will already know all about Alberto’s potential. At 24 years old, he has shown consistent promise at Corinthians over the years and only added to his goal tally this season – scoring 13 in 34 games.

The Portuguese manager also knows just how important it is to get recruitment right at Wolves in the coming months, having told reporters when asked about the summer transfer window back in April: “I expect to go with Wolves to the next level, the next step. This is what I’m thinking about.

“We don’t need a lot of money, we just need to make the right decisions and have a plan. My focus is on this team and trying to get the best results possible until the end of the season.

“Keeping almost all of the players (is important) because we have a very good group. I want to work for another level, I want to take the next step with this club.”

Signing South American talents seems to be the manager’s chosen route towards that next step, too, with another promising talent now reportedly on Wolves’ radar ahead of the summer window.

Wolves moving to seal Araujo deal

According to reports in Brazil, as relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves are now moving to seal their deal to sign Evertton Araujo, who has a release clause worth as much as €40m (£34m) at Flamengo. Whilst such a price may seem steep, reports suggest that Pereira has requested the arrival of the midfielder and the Midlands club have already made contact over a potential deal.

Pereira’s request should come as no shock and Wolves, themselves, are no strangers when it comes to signing Brazilian talents after welcoming Andre last summer.

Wolves now eyeing £14m Argentinian prodigy who's already met with Arsenal

He’s a wanted man.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 22, 2025

Described as “strong” and “composed” as well as “aggressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Araujo could go on and make the same impact as Andre if he followed him to the Midlands in the coming months. Wolves’ transfer strategy has seemingly taken them towards Brazil once again and that should be seen as no bad thing.

Glasgow Rangers are still in the process of finding a new head coach to lead them into the next era at Ibrox under the new ownership that is set to come in.

Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell are tasked with finding a permanent replacement for Philippe Clement, who was relieved of his duties in February, after Barry Ferguson’s interim stint came to an end.

The former Scotland international only won five of his 16 matches in charge of the Gers during his time in the dugout, and it was then confirmed that he would not be offered the job on a full-time basis.

Then, rather bizarrely, the Daily Record reported that Ferguson was planning to get rid of Nils Koppen, the technical director, if he had been given the job, despite the Belgian chief being in a position above his.

The focus is now on finding an external candidate who can come in to bring success back to Ibrox after a season without any major trophies.

One coach who has been linked with a move to Ibrox this summer is former Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti, who has been working with his father Carlo Ancelotti.

Why Rangers should avoid Davide Ancelotti

It is first worth acknowledging that there are reasons why the Gers are right to have taken an interest in the Italian coach, because he is vastly experienced at the top level of European football.

As you can see in the graphic above, his father has won the Champions League five times and lifted a league title in all five of the major European leagues.

Davide has not worked with Carlo for all of those achievements, of course, but he has been either a fitness coach or an assistant manager to the legendary manager in his last six jobs.

As you can see in the table above, the Rangers target has plenty of experience coaching at the top level under his father, at massive clubs like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

However, Davide Ancelotti has not managed a single game as a first-team head coach or manager in his own right, which means that he would also arrive at Ibrox as an incredibly inexperienced boss in that respect.

This means that appointing him would be a huge gamble for Rangers because he is yet to prove that he can successfully coach a winning team on his own, which is why it may come as good news that there is a fresh report detailing the club’s plans to speak with another candidate.

Rangers set for talks with Davide Ancelotti alternative

According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are set to hold talks with former Scotland international Russell Martin over a deal to be the next head coach at Ibrox.

The report claims that the ex-Southampton manager will meet with Gers chiefs at some point this week to discuss a potential move to Glasgow ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

It states that Ancelotti, Steven Gerrard, and Brian Priske are also in the running, as Stewart and Thelwell have a shortlist of candidates that they are working through to find the new Rangers head coach.

The Scottish Sun claims that there have already been initial talks held with Martin, but they are set for further discussions when they will allow him to outline how he would bring success back to Ibrox as a coach.

However, the outlet adds that he is also a strong contender for the Leicester City job in the English Championship, which could mean that the Light Blues need to move quickly if they want him as their next boss.

Martin should, with this in mind, be a strong candidate for the role because he could be an even better option than Ancelotti and Priske this summer.

Why Russell Martin would be a good appointment for Rangers

On paper, Priske looks to be an excellent option for the job because he has won two titles with Sparta Prague and one title with Midtjylland in Denmark, which shows that he can coach a winning team.

However, the Danish tactician has typically favoured a 3-4-3 shape throughout his career, which worked in Czechia and Denmark to win titles, but he had to adapt at Feyenoord and switched between 4-4-2, 4-3-3, and 4-2-3-1 formations, with little success, before being sacked shortly after losing 6-1 to Lille in the Champions League.

With Rangers typically playing against teams sitting in a low block, a 3-4-3 formation that is more suited to transitional games and playing on the counter with wing-backs bombing on may not suit a tilt at the Scottish Premiership title, and his Feyenoord performance suggests that he is not successful at coaching four at the back formations.

This is one key reason why Martin could be better than him for this job, because he plays an attacking 4-3-3 formation that is well-suited to dominating and breaking down low blocks, as evidenced by his side’s performance in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign when they won the play-offs to earn promotion to the Premier League.

As you can see in the table above, the former Rangers loanee successfully deployed a team that dominated the ball whilst creating high-quality chances at an exceptional rate.

Analyst John Walker described Martin’s style as “exciting” and “total football” and those statistics back that up, as the manager has proven that he can coach a team to be incredibly dominant and creative when he has the players to do so.

Of course, he was sacked by Southampton earlier this season after a dismal run of 13 losses in 16 Premier League games, but the Saints went on to lose 30 times in 38 matches, suggesting that Martin was not the only problem there.

The Scottish tactician also showcased his coaching ability in the lower leagues in England with MK Dons, helping to coach this incredible goal below.

Martin could bring an enjoyable and successful style of play to Rangers that could help them compete for trophies again, and could be a better option than Priske, due to his stylistic issues, and Ancelotti, who is an unknown quantity.

Offers on the table: Rangers must now cash in on "anonymous" flop & Dessers

Rangers will be hoping to sell a 2024 summer signing in the next transfer window.

By
Ross Kilvington

May 24, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s pull in the transfer market, not to mention the finances available for crucial signings, have undoubtedly been boosted by their spot in the Champions League for next season, with chairman Daniel Levy and the Lilywhites recruitment team set for a very intriguing summer window.

Ange Postecoglou vows better Premier League finish for Spurs

Spurs confirmed their place in Europe’s most prestigious competition by reigning triumphant in the Europa League final last week, an historic night for both the club and under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham hold negotiations over signing 6 foot 5 defender in last few days

The Europa League champions are making their first moves of the transfer window.

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By
Emilio Galantini

May 26, 2025

Domestically, Spurs finished one place outside the relegation zone in 17th, breaking their all-time record for most Premier League defeats in a single campaign, and this has resulted in a major dilemma for Levy when it comes to deciding Postecoglou’s long-term future.

Their Europa League triumph represents a significant milestone for the north Londoners, who ended their 17-year wait for silverware and secured their first European trophy since 1984, with Postecoglou highly suggesting that he wants to stay at Tottenham during their trophy parade last week.

The final call on that won’t rest with the Australian, though, who also vowed to put Spurs in a much stronger position domestically if he’s given the chance next term.

“From my perspective, I made decisions that I felt were giving us the best chance of achieving the goal we needed to achieve this year and that has affected our league form,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s 4-1 loss to Brighton on the final day.

“If people don’t want to take that into account, then there is nothing I can say to explain it any better than that.

“I came to the club and we had finished eighth. I didn’t take over a club that had finished second. They had no European football to speak of. Lost the one player who probably guarantees you European football. That was my starting point. At the end of two years, I’ve got the club a trophy it has been crying out for, Champions League football, we finished fifth last year. Either people are saying ‘last year it was a huge anomaly for us to finish fifth or this is what we deliver right.’

“I have got no doubt next year we will be in a much stronger position, challenging for the top places.”

If Postecoglou does stay for 2025/2026, there is little denying he needs to be backed in the transfer market with Tottenham’s newly-found Champions League riches this summer.

Pundit convinced Angel Gomes wants to join Tottenham

Injuries left Postecoglou hamstrung at various points over the course of 24/25, emphasising the need for Spurs to strengthen across the board.

Their greater pull could also help them to land Europe’s most coveted free agents, like England international midfielder Angel Gomes, who is set to leave Lille when his contract expires on June 30.

Tottenham have been tipped as one of the favourites to sign Gomes on a free this summer, with pundit John Wenham telling Tottenham News that he’s convinced the 24-year-old would jump at the chance to join Postecoglou’s side.

“Tottenham are going to be playing in the Champions League next season,” Wenham said.

“Therefore, when it comes to the pecking order of options Gomes has, I’m sure that Tottenham would be near the top of the list if they were to make an offer.

“I’m sure Gomes wants to come to Tottenham and live in London and play Champions League football with the current Europa League holders. As a result, I’m sure a decision will be made on that soon.”

The former Man United gem has impressed in Ligue 1 since his switch there in 2020, so much so that he was awarded his first call-ups to the Three Lions squad late last year.

He could be an astute option to reinforce Tottenham’s midfield, which was left desperately short at points last season and crippled their chances of success.

There wasn’t a whole lot to celebrate for Arsenal fans this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side once again failed to get over the line in the Premier League, and while they progressed further in the Champions League, there was still a feeling at full-time in Paris that they could have reached the final.

With that said, there have been some bright spots, notably the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri, who managed to rack up 11 goal involvements in 37 games, and Bukayo Saka, who produced 26 in 37 appearances despite missing almost four months of action through injury.

So, fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club to a Premier League star who’s been compared to both aces.

Arsenal transfer news

In the last few weeks, Arsenal have been linked with several talented players from the Premier League, like Morgan Rogers and Adam Wharton.

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 cost as much as £100m, but has shown an incredible level of attacking quality this season, racking up a tally of 29 goal involvements in 54 games for Aston Villa.

The latter has a reported price tag of at least £80m, and has shown himself to be a quality young midfielder capable of breaking up play and dictating it.

However, as talented as these two are, it would be hard to describe either of them as similar to Saka and Nwaneri, unlike Mohammed Kudus.

Yes, according to a recent report from BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel, Arsenal are one of several teams interested in the West Ham United star.

The report claims that the Gunners, Chelsea, and several other teams from the continent have all made contact about the versatile forward.

However, on top of having to deal with significant competition, the North Londoners might also have to pay an enormous fee to get their man, as his current deal includes a release clause worth an astounding £120m.

It would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Kudus’ ability, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he’s already been compared to two of the club’s most exciting attackers.

How Kudus compares to Saka and Nwaneri

So, before getting into some of the other reasons Arsenal may want to sign Kudus this summer, it’s important to examine these comparisons to Saka and Nwaneri and where they come from.

Both cases stem from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the Premier League and then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each.

In this instance, it was concluded that the teenager was the most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Ghanaian over the last 365 days, while the Gunners’ talismanic number seven was the third most similar midfielder.

The best way to understand how these conclusions were reached is by looking at the underlying numbers in which the players rank closely, which, in the case of the North Londoners’ most recent wonderkid, include metrics like expected assisted goals, shots, crosses into the penalty area, passes into the final third and many, many more, all per 90.

For the Gunners’ mercurial number seven, the metrics in which he’s incredibly similar to the Hammers star include things like tackles won, interceptions, goals per shot and shot on target, non-penalty expected goals and successful take-on percentage per 90, suggesting he could be just as dangerous in the right setup.

However, while comparisons to some of the most talented players in Arteta’s squad should already be reason enough to chase the “generational talent,” as dubbed by journalist Gary Al-Smith, there are still others.

For example, while his haul of nine-goal involvements in 35 games this season isn’t much to get too excited about, he showed himself capable of hitting much higher heights last season when he produced 28 goal involvements in 48 appearances.

Finally, according to Sofascore, he completed the second most successful dribbles per game in the Premier League this season, which is just the kind of dynamic direct threat the Gunners could do with – not to mention that he can play all across the frontline.

Ultimately, Kudus would be an excellent signing, and if Arsenal can negotiate a price below that of his release clause, they should absolutely pay it.

Arsenal very close to signing £50m star who's a Saka & Rodrygo hybrid

The uber-talented international could be just the winger Arsenal need.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 6, 2025

Arsenal love signing a defender. Even this summer, with the Gunners’ need for more quality and depth in attack abundantly clear, it’s not stopped them from looking at more defensive options.

Dean Huijsen was regularly linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium after a fabulous debut campaign at Bournemouth, one that even saw him score against Mikel Arteta’s side.

Yet, he ended up heading back to his native country where the Spanish centre-back signed for Real Madrid in time for the Club World Cup.

Also on their radar is Ajax’s young superstar defender, Jorrel Hato.

Why Arsenal want to sign Jorrel Hato

Last summer, there was interest from Arsenal in signing the Dutch starlet from Ajax, but he ultimately stayed put in Amsterdam.

The Gunners turned their attention to another hybrid defender instead, signing Italian star Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.

Well, a year on, the interest remains in the 19-year-old sensation. That’s according to Fabrizio Romano who reported last week that Arsenal have been in contact with the Dutch side about potentially signing him.

So, why do they want him? Well, in the words of scout Jacek Kulig, Hato is “one of the most talented centre-backs of his generation in Europe”, rubberstamping the teenager’s simply frightening potential.

Despite being a centre-back by trade, it was actually at left-back where the youngster thrived for Ajax in 2024/25, playing 46 games in that role.

From that position, he put in some seriously impressive performances. Indeed, compared to full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues and the continent’s premier competitions, he ranks among the best 9% of players for pass accuracy per 90 minutes, the top 14% for aerial duels won and the best 14% for interceptions.

As data analyst Ben Mattinson also outlined, he’s a bit of a “Jurrien Timber 2.0”. That’s not just because he can play competently in the middle and on the sides, but he’s also incredibly hard to beat.

Timber was very rarely beaten by a defender in 2024/25, only losing 0.34 challenges per 90 minutes, enough to rank him among the best 5% of full-backs in the Premier League. Hato is even better in this regard, ranking in the finest 1% of players in the top five leagues for his metric, losing just 0.10 challenges per 90.

So, he’s really one of the best in his position, even before he’s reached his 20th birthday. There wouldn’t be many better Huijsen alternatives out there, that’s for sure.

But, what would his arrival mean for those already at the club?

What Hato's arrival would mean for Arsenal

Well, it’s safe to say that Arsenal don’t have a bottomless pit of money this summer and if they are going to spend big, it surely has to be on strengthening the forward ranks.

Transfer Focus

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

Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres continue to be linked with a move to bolster the striking ranks at Arteta’s disposal. Thus, how can they free up room for Hato, both in terms of game time and financially?

Well, with Kieran Tierney already out the exit door, heading for Celtic, there’s one less competitor for a place at left-back. Myles Lewis-Skelly could also be moved into midfield, his more natural position.

But, as far as sales go, we’re looking at Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Kiwior looked certain to leave a few months ago but after Gabriel’s hamstring injury, the Pole came in and deputised to an exceptional level.

He notably kept a clean sheet in the win over Real Madrid at the Emirates and looked the more assured of the two between him and William Saliba at the Bernabeu, where it was the Frenchman’s error that led to a Madrid consolation goal. He even scored in the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

So, with Kiwior now more likely to stay, it will surely be Zinchenko to depart. According to new reports, he could now be ‘closing in’ on an exit.

Back in January, the £30m signing from Manchester City attracted the interest of Borussia Dortmund but a move ultimately didn’t happen.

Six months down the line and a deal could finally materialise with Dortmund once again monitoring the situation, according to Caught Offside. The same report notes that Zinchenko has a fellow suitor in the form of AC Milan who view him as a possible reinforcement.

Arsenal would now be happy to sell the Ukrainian, but only if they receive a fee in the region of £10m-£15m.

A departure this summer would be unsurprising, particularly given his waning minutes over the season that’s just concluded.

Indeed, the 28-year-old has gone from one of the first names on the teamsheet back in his debut year in London to someone who can barely get a game.

He revolutionised the style Arteta’s side played with, inverting from his left-back position but the manager has now found fresher blood capable of doing that, chiefly Lewis-Skelly.

Zinchenko only played 23 games in all competitions in 2024/25 and only started five league games all season long. It’s safe to say it wasn’t the finest year of his career, even if he did score a Champions League goal against PSV Eindhoven.

So, if the former City title-winner does move on, not only will it free up funds for more transfer business but it would also free up a space in the squad for Hato to fill.

For Andrea Berta, this is surely a no-brainer if the stars align.

He's a dream for Rice: Arsenal are about to submit bid for £84m "magician"

The outrageously talented international would be game-changing for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 12, 2025