All posts by h716a5.icu

Everton are in the market for new additions under David Moyes and are now reportedly in the mix to sign a star that would create an intriguing reception among supporters.

Everton build for the future with key contract decision confirmation

The Hill Dickinson Stadium will feel like a very different environment to Goodison Park as the Toffees transition towards the future, but club captain Seamus Coleman has signed on for another year at Everton and will lead them out at their new stadium.

Upon putting pen to paper, the Irishman stated: “I love Everton, so to continue playing for this special club means everything to me and my family. Like every one of our passionate fans, I’ve lived and breathed what has been a difficult past few years for the club and have put my heart and soul into doing all I can to help us get through it.

“Thanks to the hard work of many people, we’ve been able to get into our magnificent new stadium and pave the way for a brighter future under ambitious new owners, which I want to be part of.”

Looking to make a mark on the transfer front, Everton are confident they can land Villarreal striker Thierno Barry amid rumours they are ready to meet his £34 million release clause, though they could instead opt to do a deal in installments.

Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika could strengthen the Toffees’ midfield, albeit West Ham United are also pursuing a deal for the Nigeria international.

Bigger talent than Ndiaye: Everton enquire over signing £42m "game-changer"

Everton have made an enquiry regarding a move for a Ligue 1 sensation

1 ByRoss Kilvington Jun 28, 2025

Transfer rumours involving Everton are starting to pick up and July will be a big month for the club once the PSR deadline has passed, and they could now make a controversial move that would make headlines across England.

Everton could make surprise move for Liverpool's Harvey Elliott

According to Everton News, Everton are interested in signing Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott alongside a clutch of alternative Premier League clubs.

Shedding some light on the situation, Graeme Bailey said: “I am told nearly half of the Premier League are seriously looking at him, and Everton are one of those. Nothing is advanced, but they are keeping tabs on the situation, and why wouldn’t they? We are talking about one of England’s star players from the U21 Euros with a load of Premier League experience.”

Harvey Elliott’s peripheral role at Liverpool last campaign

Appearances

28

Goals

5

Assists

3

Due to their existence as arch-rivals, Liverpool could demand a serious fee for the £40,000 per week earner, though some may believe he is worth the gamble after his tally of five goals during England’s Under-21 European Championship triumph, where he netted in the final as the Three Lions toppled Germany.

Such form has led Elliott to be likened to Lionel Messi by Joe Cole after his brace against the Netherlands in the semi-final, albeit his opinion is likely to have been hyperbolic.

It does feel that this one has come out of the blue a little, but with Everton’s interest in Liverpool youngster Ben Doak public knowledge, there could be an opportunity for all parties to come to an agreement.

It wasn’t the most thrilling spectacle to take in for the scattered array of Chelsea supporters watching on, but the Blues did start their Club World Cup campaign with a relatively straightforward 2-0 victory over LAFC on Monday evening.

Enzo Maresca named a very strong lineup for the clash with Steve Cherundolo’s challengers, and, for the most part, it was a smooth match for the likes of Cole Palmer – who was donning the no.10 for the first time – and Moises Caicedo, among many other strong first-team personnel.

There would have been some worries in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium that the game could peter out into a dire clash with no goals scored within the first 30 minutes. Thankfully, Pedro Neto managed to raise the excitement levels when he broke the deadlock in the 34th minute.

The game was then tied up in the second half by Enzo Fernandez popping up with a goal of his own, but away from the goalscorers stealing the limelight, there were several top performers on the night, alongside others putting in slightly more subdued displays.

Chelsea's best performers vs LAFC

The most logical place to start is with Neto’s standout showing, with his blistering solo run and tricky feet resulting in the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers winger getting Chelsea’s account underway in the competition.

Away from this sublime effort beating former Spurs captain, Hugo Lloris, Neto also fired another shot off the woodwork, with his constant livewire presence clear for all to see even more when completing a hefty five successful dribbles.

Neto wasn’t the only bright spark from Chelsea’s perspective, however, with Fernandez also sticking out in the second half when winning two duels alongside his goal. Involved in that second strike was debutant Liam Delap, who scampered down the right and delivered an inch-perfect cross for the Argentine to bury.

Starring alongside Fernandez was the ever-reliable Moises Caicedo.

He was also persistently involved in play when notching up 101 touches, but not every blue shirt trudged off at the end delighted with their efforts.

Chelsea's worst performers against LAFC

Romeo Lavia struggled to get going before Maresca hooked him off at the half-time interval, yet there was one underperformer throughout that will be worried for his Club World Cup starting spot now and his future as a regular starter at Stamford Bridge after offering very little in the Atlanta heat.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

It’s clear from the rampant transfer rumours coming out of West London that Chelsea are in the market for a new left winger figure, with Jamie Gittens one of the main targets being lined up to replace the recently departed Jadon Sancho.

After the 2-0 win over LAFC, it’s even more abundantly clear that the Blues need urgent reinforcements down the left flank, with Noni Madueke having a torrid time of things when chucked out to this unfamiliar position on the pitch.

A large portion of Chelsea supporters took to social media to voice their frustrations at Madueke’s dire showing, with the 23-year-old largely ineffective throughout when powering just one paltry on-target effort at Lloris’ goal.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

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ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

Moreover, Neto’s eye-catching trickery on the ball down the right just didn’t rub off on the out-of-sorts number 11 on the left, culminating in just one unmemorable successful dribble being registered.

Minutes played

64

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

43

Accurate passes

25/27 (93%)

Shots

2

Possession lost

10x

Total duels won

3/7

On top of those already grim statistics, Madueke also gave away possession ten times, alongside only winning a disappointing 42% of his duels.

Therefore, going forward, Maresca must not continue playing Madueke down the left, with a low 5/10 match rating handed to him by Football.London’s Bobby Vincent after the match adding insult to injury.

Tyrique George is the only other option the former Leicester City boss can rely upon on the left channel, with Chelsea needing to act fast now to add someone like Gittens to their squad.

If this were in a far more pressurised contest, Madueke could have ended up costing his side dear.

Upgrade on Ekitike & Delap: Chelsea enter talks to sign world class £67m CF

Chelsea are chasing the services of a striker who is an upgrade on both Liam Delap and Hugo Ekitike.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 15, 2025

With the summer transfer window well and truly back open, Aston Villa have a huge few weeks ahead.

After failing to qualify for the Champions League after defeat against Manchester United on the final day of the season, the West Midlands side find themselves in the Europa League.

That surely makes them less appealing to top players they are looking to sign, and also means they have less money, which could make it tough to turn the loan moves of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford into permanent deals. Spain international Asensio did not have a buy clause in his loan from Paris Saint-Germain, and it is unclear if he will come back.

Well, if it turns out that Asensio doesn’t re-sign for Villa, they seemingly have a replacement in mind.

Villa's potential Asensio replacement

It would certainly be a huge blow for Villa if they were to lose Asensio, who had a great impact and brought lots of technical quality in attacking areas to their squad. However, they seem to be targeting a fellow Spaniard to replace him.

According to a newspaper in Spain, via Caught Offside, Unai Emery and his side are seemingly targeting a move for Real Betis attacker Jesus Rodriguez. He reportedly has a release clause worth £30m in his current deal, but Betis are negotiating a new contract with the view of increasing the price of that release clause to around £43m.

Of course, the release clause makes this a complicated situation, and on top of that, Betis are thought to be set on keeping Rodriguez.

However, Villans’ sporting director Monchi ‘is determined to sign’ the attacker, and ‘will be leading negotiations to get the deal done’ this summer.

Why Rodríguez would be a good signing

Despite being just 19 years of age, Rodriguez had a strong second half of the campaign with Betis, after breaking into the first team under Manuel Pellegrini following a stint in the youth team until December.

The Seville-born sensation played in 32 senior games last season for the club, scoring three times and grabbing one assist. He played a lot of first-team football, too, notching up 1739 minutes, the equivalent of 19 full 90-minute games. If anything, that shows the trust Pellegrini has in him already.

The 19-year-old attacker performed well in the UEFA Conference League last season, too. Although Betis lost in the final to Chelsea, he had an important role in their quest to the final, playing eight games and scoring against Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok.

There is no doubt about it, Rodriguez stepping into Asensio’s shoes at Villa Park would be no mean feat. Not only is he ten years younger and therefore far less experienced, but the impact he had at Villa would be tough to recreate.

Even Asensio himself struggled to continue the form he showcased during the early part of his career in the West Midlands. He scored eight times and grabbed one assist in 21 games, but after a rapid start, couldn’t keep up his hot run of form past the start of April.

When looking at the underlying stats on FBref last season for both Rodriguez, a Spain U21 international, and Asensio, there are some numbers that stack up well against each other. One of those is goal-creating actions, in which the Betis man averaged 0.41 per game compared to the Villa loanee’s 0.66, showing they are both involved in their team’s goals regularly.

Described as an “explosive” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Rodriguez will certainly bring dynamic ball-carrying to Villa Park, more so than Asensio of the stats are anything to go by. The 19-year-old averaged 4.31 progressive carries each game last season, compared to Asensio’s 2.72 per 90 minutes.

Goal-creating actions

0.41

0.66

Progressive carries

4.31

2.72

Carries into penalty area

3.17

0.93

Take-ons completed

2.44

1.06

Ball recoveries

4.72

3.05

It is not hard to see why Rodriguez will be Emery’s new Asensio. Not only are they both Spanish attackers who can play across the frontline, but he has the technical quality of the former Real Madrid star, combined with the habit of being involved in goals, even if that is not directly.

This seems like a deal Monchi wants to get over the line, and for £30m, the value of his current release clause, it could be an excellent piece of business for the Villans.

He's scored at Villa Park: Aston Villa racing to sign "fantastic" £42m star

Only Jacob Murphy, Mohamed Salah and Anthony Elanga assisted more goals than him last season…

1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 12, 2025

Russell Martin is the man charged with bringing the glory days back to Glasgow Rangers. He was announced as the club’s 20th permanent manager in midweek, and thoughts now turn to the transfer window.

The 49ers will likely give the new manager some funds to strengthen his squad, especially given how important next season is for the Ibrox side.

The dream XI Martin could build at Rangers: Vardy and £15m duo all sign

Now that Rangers have officially appointed Russell Martin as their new manager, we assess the dream lineup the new boss could build at Ibrox.

1 ByBen Gray Jun 5, 2025

Reclaiming the Premiership title will be his priority. To build a squad capable of challenging Celtic, he might need to cash in on a prized asset or two.

Why Rangers could sell Mohamed Diomande

Both Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande have been linked with moves away from Glasgow this summer.

The latter has been subject to interest from Everton recently, although Martin may well reject an offer should it arrive for the Ivorian.

However, should the Toffees make a bid too good to turn down, Martin simply must cash in.

Metric

Premiership

Europa League

Goals

4

1

Assists

7

2

Key passes per game

1.2

0.9

Total duels won per game

4.3

5.3

Tackles per game

1.2

1.9

Far too often in the past have the club rejected bids, only to see star players walk away for a pittance. Or even worse, for free, in the case of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, for instance.

Diomande recorded 15 goal contributions last season – six goals and nine assists – while showcasing his versatility across numerous positions.

Given that the club may have to rely on Europa League football next season, selling players when the iron is hot might be the best way to bolster the finances.

If so, Martin may look to seal a deal to bring in an ideal replacement for Diomande this summer…

Rangers could land the perfect Diomande replacement

Last month, the Light Blues were linked with a move to sign Brazilian starlet Metinho from Ligue 1 side Troyes.

The Daily Record has since claimed earlier this week that it will take an offer of around £5m to secure his signature this summer. It remains to be seen how much Martin will have to spend, but selling a player for a high fee could help his cause.

He will be out of contract next summer, hence Troyes’ decision to move him on this summer if the fee is right. Martin could be signing an ideal replacement for Diomande should he land the player, that’s for sure.

Metinho spent the second half of last season out on loan at FC Basel, helping them win the Swiss league title in the process.

Although not as effective in the final third as Diomande, Metinho shone defensively, averaging 2.6 tackles, one interception and recovered 4.4 balls per game for the club.

Having started his career at Fluminense, Metinho was hailed as one of “Brazil’s best” by SelecaoTalk in 2021.

Transfer Focus

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

While his career might not have lived up to this lofty praise as yet, there are still signs as to why he could be an “excellent” signing for Rangers – as noted by writer Kai Watson.

Still only 22, Metinho has plenty of time on his side to fulfil his potential. If he does this at Rangers, there is no doubt the midfielder could land the club a solid profit in a few years.

Rangers can sign best striker since Morelos in move for "world-class" star

Now that Russell Martin has officially been appointed the new Rangers manager, could they sign a “world-class” striker on a free transfer?

ByBen Gray Jun 6, 2025

There is no getting away from the fact that this season has been a mostly disappointing one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side might have made it to the club’s first Champions League semi-final since the 08/09 season, but they were out of the Premier League title race months ago and crashed out of the FA Cup in the Third Round.

However, all of that can be forgotten for the next few months, as with the summer transfer window about to open, the North Londoners have the chance to seriously improve the squad with some international superstars.

Yet, it’s not all about incomings, and there are a number of first-teamers who should be sold or let go as well, including one who’s previously been compared to Patrick Vieira.

The Arsenal stars who should go

So, while the likes of Kieran Tierney and Jorginho are already confirmed to be leaving the club, with the former going to Celtic and the latter Flamengo, there are a few others in the squad who should probably be moved on, like Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Alongside Gabriel Jesus, the Ukranian international’s arrival from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 represented the start of the Gunners’ recent resurgence, and for most of the 22/23 campaign, he was superb.

However, as his defensive fragilities became more apparent, he began to lose his place in the team and went from playing 2411 minutes in his first campaign to 2082 last year and then just 789 minutes this season.

Another signing from the same summer who should probably be moved on is Fabio Vieira.

The Portuguese midfielder joined the club from Porto for around £34m, but after two seasons, in which he scored just three goals and provided ten assists in 49 games, he was sent back to the Portuguese giants on a season-long loan.

While it’s been a reasonably successful spell back at his old club this year, ten goal involvements in 39 games is hardly prolific, so instead of giving him yet another chance in North London, Andrea Berta and Co should be ruthless and try and get back as much money as they can for him this summer.

That same ruthlessness should see them let another player leave, a player who’s been compared to the Gunners’ far more successful Vieira.

Arsenal's Vieira 2.0 must not play for the club again

So, given the situation of the squad at the moment, it’ll probably come as no surprise that the player we are talking about is Thomas Partey.

Now, the first thing to say is that this is no slight on the midfielder’s ability, as for much of his Arsenal career, he has been brilliant, so much so that back in 2020 after signing for £45m, Roy Keane, of all people, described him as “outstanding” and even compared him to one of the Gunners’ all-time great midfielders in Vieira.

Moreover, for much of this season, he was an important part of Arteta’s starting midfield, but even so, there are several reasons why he should be allowed to leave this summer and not offered a new deal, as reports suggest he will be.

The first is that at 31 and with his horrendous injury record, which has seen him miss 81 games for club and country since he moved to N5, and while he stayed remarkably fit this season, history tells us he cannot be relied upon to remain so.

This links to the next point: the finances.

2020/21

3

81

21

2021/22

3

152

19

2022/23

2

29

6

2023/24

2

143

34

2024/25

1

6

1

Total

11

436

81

If Berta and Co do end up offering the former Atlético Madrid star a deal similar to the one he is on now, then that is around £200k-per-week tied up for at least a couple more years in someone who may end up missing huge chunks of the campaign.

Finally, following Fabrizio Romano’s update that Martin Zubimendi’s transfer to the club is practically complete, it once again feels like a waste of resources to be handing out big contracts to a player who could end up just being a squad player.

Ultimately, Partey remains a talented footballer and someone who has been a real asset to Arsenal, but as the club look to make the next step this summer, it makes sense to say thanks and let him leave, not hand him another expensive deal.

Regardless of how Tottenham Hotspur fare in the Europa League Final later this month, this summer has to be one of significant change at the club.

To ensure next season isn’t as much of a disaster as this one has been, Daniel Levy and Co need to dig deep and bring in some genuine quality to improve the first team.

However, signing a load of talented players won’t be enough on its own.

On top of adding to the first team and squad, the North Londoners need to get rid of several players, including one who is being eyed up by one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

The players Spurs should sell

Unfortunately, due to the nature of their campaign this season, there are several players Spurs should probably be looking to move on in the summer, such as Richarlison and Yves Bissouma.

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 has never got even close to justifying the £60m fee he cost the club in 2022, and while there have been the odd moments he’s looked good this year, a return of five goals and two assists just isn’t good enough.

Likewise, Bissouma might occasionally put in a performance that reminds fans why the club signed him in the first place.

Still, there have been far too many games this season in which he’s looked entirely out of his depth, like away to Fulham, when he was hooked at half-time and given a 3/10 match rating by Alasdair Gold.

However, there is another player, one who is actually incredibly talented, who is being eyed by a major European force that the North Londoners should cash in on: Cristian Romero.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Sun, Real Madrid are now sniffing around the World Cup winner once again.

The report has revealed that incoming manager Xabi Alonso is a big fan of the Argentine, and with their defence considered to be their weakest area, the Spanish giants could make a move to sign the former Juventus ace.

The report does not mention a potential price, but according to stories from earlier this month, Spurs value their defender at £60m, a fee think they should accept for him.

Why Spurs should sell Romero

Okay, so the first thing to say is that we do not think Romero is a bad defender, far from it.

However, there are a few genuine reasons as to why it might be smart for Spurs to sell the World Cup winner this summer, with chief among them being his desire.

While there can be no doubt about his intense need to win when it comes to the big games – just look at his performance against Bodo/Glimt – there have been questions over his commitment to the club for some time now.

For example, only last week, a new report from GIVEMESPORT revealed that he is planning to push for a move to La Liga this summer regardless of what happens in the Europa League, and then last month, other reports claimed he had already held discussions with Diego Simeone over a potential move to Atlético Madrid.

Combine this desire to leave with the fact he’s got just two years left on his £165k-per-week deal, and it seems like cashing in on him now before he can drive the price down further seems smart.

Appearances

123

Goals

7

Assists

3

Yellow Cards

33

Second Yellows

3

Red Cards

1

Points per Game

1.68

Moreover, due to injury, the 27-year-old “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, hasn’t featured that much this season anyway, making just 25 appearances across all competitions and averaging just 1.56 points per game when he has played.

Finally, it looks as if the club would be able to replace him anyway, as they could either go back in for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi or even hand a considerable amount of game time to the incredibly exciting Luka Vušković, who respected analyst Ben Mattinson described as a “crazy” talent and a “monster of a CB.”

Ultimately, it’s not an ideal situation – far from it – but to make sure they aren’t left burned next year and to give themselves ample time to replace him, Spurs should look to sell Romero this summer.

Spurs can axe Solanke by signing £25m star who's only 4 goals behind Kane

Spurs could sign a striker who’s nearly on par with Harry Kane this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 12, 2025

In what would be a statement move in his first few months in the job, Arsenal’s new sporting director Andrea Berta has now reportedly made an approach to sign a top Manchester United target.

All eyes on PSG for Arsenal

With the Premier League title race over and Liverpool confirmed as champions, Arsenal have all of their focus on the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday. Heading to France with a 1-0 deficit to overturn courtesy of Ousmane Dembele’s early strike last time out, the Gunners have it all to do.

Bournemouth’s trip to The Emirates this weekend should simply be seen as the chance for Mikel Arteta to rest key men. In a season full of injuries, the Spaniard must take control of the narrative and avoid what would be the most frustrating absences heading into Wednesday.

The Arsenal boss rallied his troops after their disappointing 1-0 defeat against PSG on Tuesday, telling reporters: “It’s half-time. I said exactly the same message after we beat Real Madrid 3-0 [in the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates]. Go to Paris, win the game, and we are through.

“That’s what we have to do. We saw two teams that are very aggressive, intense, not a lot of margins. Their keeper made two saves that normally are goals and those are the margins you have in these games.”

Mega Kiwior upgrade: Arsenal initiate talks for "superb" £34m monster

The experienced international could be just what Arsenal need.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 2, 2025

After frustration in the title race, Arsenal will be desperate to avoid even more heartbreak on the European stage. There’s no doubt that winning the Champions League would have a major impact on Arteta’s project on and off the pitch too, especially when chasing summer transfer targets.

Berta makes Arsenal approach to sign Trincao

Instantly ruffling a few feathers, Berta has reportedly set his sights on a top Manchester United target. According to Record in Portugal, Berta has now made an approach to sign Francisco Trincao from Sporting CP this summer and has already had scouts in place to take note of his impressive campaign.

The winger, who is represented by the same agency as United stars Manuel Ugarte and Leny Yoro, has been reborn in Portugal following a failed spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Now, four years on from leaving the Premier League and failing to make his loan move permanent, Trincao could be back with a vengeance courtesy of Arsenal.

By signing the winger, Arsenal would also solve a major problem of theirs by welcoming an added creative spark and someone who would provide instant backup for Bukayo Saka.

Starts

31

17

Goals

8

6

Assists

14

10

Key Passes per 90

2.42

3.02

Described as “terrific” by U23 scout Antonio Mango in 2022, Trinaco has only reached new levels ever since and his eye for an assist is particularly impressive. As Martin Odegaard’s numbers continue to fall too, it’s the type of passing ability that Arteta arguably needs at his disposal more than ever at Arsenal.

Liverpool have yet to officially lift the 2024/25 Premier League trophy but already sporting director Richard Hughes is looking at ways to improve Arne Slot’s side.

There’s no question that the Merseysiders have put on a season-long clinic, deserving, runaway winners. However, it’s also true that the likes of Arsenal and dethroned Manchester City will be frustrated with their respective top-flight campaigns and will be determined to come back stronger next year.

However, FSG and Anfield’s senior figures will be sure to take comfort in the manner of their triumph: winning the Premier League after bringing only Federico Chiesa into the first team – and he’s yet to even start a league fixture.

The mastery behind Slot’s genius has been in his soft and significant tactical tweaks to Jurgen Klopp’s system, also shaping existing squad players into superstars.

Ryan Gravenberch is the standout star, going from drifting prospect to the “exceptional” midfield player for the Reds, so says The Athletic’s James Pearce, but he’s not the only one.

Cody Gakpo has also been a revelation in his own right.

Cody Gakpo's season in numbers

Gakpo’s goal against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, expertly taken to make it 3-1 and put Liverpool within an inch of sealing the title, was his 17th of the season.

What’s telling is that that goal saw him beat last year’s 16-goal haul, and in over 600 fewer minutes at that.

Klopp utilised Gakpo’s dynamic talents in his own way, throwing him around the park like an erratic darts player across a board. This may well have proved fundamental development for the Netherlands international, but there’s no question he’s gone up a gear in a more structured role for his new coach on the attacking left flank.

Pundits Joe Cole and Peter Crouch agreed earlier in the term that the 25-year-old has “gone up a level,” and it’s exciting to think that Gakpo can ascend higher still.

Gakpo’s success this season owes largely to Slot’s tactical acumen, but there’s more still to come. The likes of Gakpo and Luis Diaz are bound to find more stable results with a high-class goalscorer in the centre.

However, Liverpool could also find another way to elevate Gakpo’s game even further, preparing to bid for one of the most talented young playmakers in the business.

Slot driving exciting Liverpool deal

As per Football Insider, Liverpool are interested in signing RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons this summer, with the Dutch playmaker emerging as one of FSG’s top targets.

Aged 21, Simons is one of the most exciting young talents in the world and would cost the Anfield side £60m, should they wish to advance their interest into something more solid. Manchester United are also sniffing around.

However, with Slot personally driving the deal for yet another Dutchman to join Gakpo, Gravenberch and co, it’s one to keep an eye on for sure.

Imagine Gakpo & Xavi Simons

Should Trent Alexander-Arnold leave Liverpool as expected when his contract expires this summer, Liverpool will lose one of their primary (if not the primary) creative sources.

Simons could prove to be the new playmaking hub, reorienting Liverpool’s creativity from the right channel and into the centre. Given that Simons has already forged something of a “symbiotic partnership” with his international peer, in the mind of journalist Bence Bocsak, it might prove to bear dividends.

The duo played together during their time at PSV Eindhoven, during the 2022/23 season, before Gakpo earned himself a £35m transfer to Anfield after his performances for his nation at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Ranking among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers cross Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 20% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for ball recoveries made per 90, as per FBref, Simons could certainly add some panache from the middle, bearing the athletic energy to cover for Dominik Szoboszlai too.

Looking at his statistics in the Bundesliga this season, you get a closer look at why Simons is such hot property, prolific, creative and combative in a way which would work a treat in Slot’s squad.

Matches (starts)

21 (21)

Goals

9

Assists

5

Pass completion

84%

Big chances created

10

Key passes*

2.2

Dribbles*

1.3

Ball recoveries*

5.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

Duels won*

4.4

While Liverpool will need to sign a striker to complete the set, a player such as Simons would go a long way toward cementing a peerless level of attacking fluency at Liverpool, connecting the dots together and allowing Gakpo to continue his rise as one of the Premier League’s finest wingers.

Gakpo already ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe for non-penalty goals scored (0.52) per 90, also ranking outside the top 20% for shots taken, which effectively means he’s making the most out of the chances that fall his way.

With a playmaker like Simons, who has been dubbed a “game-changer” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, one he has already formed a prosperous on-field relationship with, taking a seat as the central creative force in Slot’s Liverpool project, there’s no telling how high Gakpo could reach.

Or Simons, for that matter. Having made his name known over the past several years, it’s easy to forget that the diminutive Dutch player is still so young. Given the direction Liverpool are going and the success Slot has already had with elevating his countrymen to new levels, this could be one to keep an eye on as the market looms large.

Worth as much as Huijsen: Liverpool struck gold on "special" £4m signing

Liverpool could sell this young star for a significant profit this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 30, 2025

Sunderland and Regis Le Bris have received not one but two significant injury boosts ahead of their Championship play-off campaign, according to a recent report.

Sunderland’s patchy form continues ahead of play-offs

The Black Cats have long been cemented as a team in this season’s Championship play-offs after falling short of competing for an automatic spot but having a big enough cushion to the teams below them.

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That has meant Sunderland haven’t really had much to play for in recent games, as they continue to have a nine-point lead over fifth-place Bristol City. The fact they haven’t had much to play for is shown in the results, as Sunderland have won two of their last seven Championship games. They suffered two defeats over the weekend, with their latest being a 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers, and while Le Bris was unhappy with the result, he was pleased with his side’s performance.

“The energy was largely positive, the way we played. Disappointing result, positive performance.

“The opponent had a specific plan; only two shots and one goal. They were efficient, and it wasn’t the case for us. It is now a question of mindset, energy, ambition and desire.”

Sunderland: Le Bris handed double injury boost ahead of play-offs

Le Bris has made several changes to his team in recent weeks to keep everyone fresh, and now with only two games remaining before the play-off campaign gets underway, the Sunderland boss has revealed an injury boost. Relayed by The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson, Le Bris has now revealed that he expects Dennis Cirkin and Dan Ballard to return in time for the play-offs.

Cirkin has not played for the Black Cats since being substituted in the 3-0 defeat to Coventry City in the middle of March, meaning he has missed the last six league games. There was a possibility the full-back was going to be on the bench for the game against Rovers, but Le Bris decided not to risk him, with him now set to return to training this week and possibly be involved against Oxford United at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Ballard has been out with a hamstring injury since the end of February and while he isn’t expected to be involved against Oxford, he is making good progress on his return and could be involved against QPR on the final day of the season.

Cirkin

Ballard

Apps

34

19

Starts

29

12

Goals

3

2

Passes attempted

1321

733

Passes completed

1017

643

Progressive carries

71

8

Progressive runs

123

4

Progressive passes

121

50

Tackles (Won)

85 (46)

10 (6)

Blocks

41

9

Interceptions

43

9

Clearances

101

76

“We will probably have Dennis next week, and then we should have Ballard after the Oxford game. Hopefully, he will be available for the last game (against QPR),” Le Bris told The Northern Echo.

This summer is crucial for Ruben Amorim in his quest to return Manchester United to glory, with the upcoming window handing him his first opportunity to overhaul the squad.

The 40-year-old took the reins from Erik ten Hag back in November, but the January transfer window was no way near long enough to make the wholesale changes needed.

The showing against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday night is evidence that he has an excellent spine of the side to build on, but is still in desperate need of investment to catapult the Red Devils up the Premier League table.

It remains to be seen how much money Amorim will have at his disposal given Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting operation, but it’s pivotal that the manager is given the funds to make his mark.

With the window just a couple of months away, rumours have already started circling, with numerous players already on the club’s radar ahead of 2025/26.

The latest on Man Utd’s hunt for a new striker

Over the last couple of days, it has emerged that United have made Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap their number one target to become their new talisman at Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed a superb first season in England’s top flight, finding the net 12 times in his 31 appearances for the relegation-threatened outfit.

However, should the Tractor Boys drop back into the Championship come the end of the season, the forward could be available for just £30m – putting Amorim and the hierarchy on red alert.

Despite the interest in Delap, the likes of Matheus Cunha and Viktor Gyokeres continue to be touted with a move to the North West, also joined by Victor Osimhen if one report is to be believed.

According to Turkish journalist Ali Naci Kucuk, the Red Devils have already made an offer to the Nigerian’s representatives of around €20m a season (£660k-per-week) to prise him away from Napoli.

Why United’s latest transfer target would be an upgrade on Hojlund

Danish forward Rasmus Hojlund arrived with huge expectations at United after the hierarchy forked out £72m for his services back in the summer of 2023.

However, his time at the club has been nothing but successful, only scoring 24 times in his 87 appearances to date, with only eight of his efforts coming in 2024/25.

He’s often shared the centre-forward role with Joshua Zirkzee this campaign, failing to nail down the starting position constantly – understandably so given his run of 21 games without a goal earlier in the season.

Such a lack of form has led to the recent rumours over a new forward arriving this summer, with Osimhen the latest player to be thrown into the mix ahead of the opening of the window.

The Nigerian, who’s currently spending the season on loan at Galatasaray, looks almost certain to leave his parent side, Napoli, in the coming months, with United desperately needing to pounce and complete a deal for his services.

When comparing his figures with Hojlund from 2024/25, the 26-year-old has massively outperformed the current Red Devils talent, with his signing taking the attacking department to the next over.

Osimhen, who’s been labelled “sensational” by commentator Matteo Bonetti, has hugely outscored the Dane, whilst also notching a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – demonstrating the clinical edge he possesses in attacking areas.

Games played

33

44

Goals scored

29

8

Shot-on-target accuracy

56%

55%

Shots on target per 90

3.4

1.5

Shot-creating actions

3.8

2.8

Take-on success

60%

16%

Aerials won

4.2

1.3

Aerial success rate

64%

39%

He’s also managed to complete more of his attempted take-ons, whilst also winning more of the aerial battles he’s entered – offering the all-round presence the club have desperately craved.

Whilst the touted weekly wage offered for Osimhen’s services may seem ludicrous, his stats prove that he’s way above the levels of the options currently at Amorim’s disposal.

If the former Sporting CP boss is to mastermind a revival over the summer, he needs to attract elite-level talents to transform the side, with the Nigerian certainly needing to be at the top of his shortlist.

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