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Manchester City have already had a busy summer transfer window, and it has been needed.

The 2024/25 season was not at all what anyone might have expected from the Citizens; certainly Phil McNulty, BBC Sport’s chief football writer, thought they’d win the Premier League, and explained he’s “not sure this will be” the time to bet against them.

Yet, after 12 months on, we know City came third and went trophyless. It was a tough season for their biggest stars, namely Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, and the busy summer of transfers was certainly needed to help put them back on their perch.

However, Pep Guardiola’s side seem to be far from done in the transfer window, if recent reports are to be believed.

Man City's latest transfer target

Three major signings have already switched to the Etihad Stadium this summer. City signed AC Milan’s Tijani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki from Lyon and Rayan Ait-Nouri from fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Transfer Focus

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

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Now, with the window still wide open, Guardiola’s side could once again buy from within the Premier League.

According to a report from Football Insider last week, the East Mancunian side had ‘been working behind the scenes on a deal’ to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.

Personal terms are not considered a significant issue with this transfer. In fact, the England international is thought to have an agreement in place with City already. All that is missing is the agreement between the two clubs.

That said, it’s more likely that the player signs for Tottenham Hotspur instead. Subject of a fierce saga over the weekend, Spurs activated Gibbs-White’s £60m release clause last week, but Nottingham Forest are now considering legal action, suggesting that the Lilywhites actually made an illegal approach for the player.

As a result, that has put his move to north London in serious jeopardy, something that could allow City to strike.

Why Gibbs-White would be a good signing for Man City

There is no doubt that City need reinforcements this summer, and they have certainly made good strides so far with the three main incomings. However, adding Gibbs-White to that, after such an impressive campaign last term, would be another excellent addition.

In a superb season for Forest, their number 10 was a standout player. The 25-year-old played 34 Premier League games in 2024/25, contributing an impressive seven goals and ten assists as his side qualified for the Conference League.

One thing that will surely stand out to Guardiola is Gibbs-White’s ability to create and score in big games.

Last season, he bagged a goal and created one away to Manchester United, assisted a goal at home to Spurs and at home to City themselves, with a sensational long-range pass to pick out Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The addition of the Forest star could be bad news for Foden, who did struggle last season. Coming off the back of a PFA player of the year-winning campaign, the England international certainly underwhelmed.

He played 45 games across all competitions, scoring jus ten goals and registering six assists, less than what Gibbs-White managed in the Premier League alone.

In the recent Club World Cup, Foden seemed more like his old self, bagging three times and providing one goal in four games.

It is not just the goal and assist numbers that might be a concern for Foden. Both players excel in the same position, a number 10 behind the striker.

Whilst the City academy graduate played on the right a lot last term, he once said himself that “I prefer it in the middle”. His England teammate played as an attacking midfielder 32 times last season, too.

There is also not much difference between the pair’s key stats, via FBref. For example, last season the Forest number 10 averaged 5.27 progressive passes and 4.08 ball recoveries per 90 minutes. Comparatively, Foden notched up an average of 5.23 progressive passes and 3.1 ball recoveries each game.

Gibbs-White and Foden key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Gibbs-White

Foden

Goals and assists

0.48

0.46

Key passes

1.64

2.18

Progressive passes

5.27

5.23

Goal-creating actions

0.61

0.46

Take-ons completed

1.00

0.71

Ball recoveries

4.08

3.1

Stats from FBref

Signing Gibbs-White would be a fantastic addition for City. He is an excellent creative midfielder who works hard off the ball too, and is a “menace” going forward, according to football analyst Antonio Mango.

Whilst it could spell bad news for Foden, there is no doubt that the Forest star would be a strong signing and help City climb the table again this season.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Jul 8, 2025

Grace Scrivens half-century sets hosts up before Aussies dampen Spirit

ECB Media07-Aug-2024

Alana King picked up three crucial wickets for the Rockets•PA Images/Getty

Aussie duo Ashleigh Gardner and Alana King spun Trent Rockets to a much-needed 31-run win over London Spirit at Trent Bridge.Gardner and King combined for six wickets as a star-studded Spirit line-up never threatened to chase down 158 for 5.Young gun Grace Scrivens struck 55 from 43 balls for the hosts, although she had to walk off the field in the second innings when she was struck in the face attempting a catch.It meant Rockets ended a three-game losing streak and was made all the more impressive as Nat Sciver-Brunt, the women’s competition’s leading run-scorer, had a comparatively quiet match with 21 from 12 balls.Former England Under-19s skipper Scrivens played arguably her best innings of The Hundred sharing a 74-run opening stand with Bryony Smith that set the tone for a performance that will have caught the attention of the other teams.Scrivens hit nine boundaries and her opening stand with Smith, who crashed 34 from 22 balls, was only ended in misfortunate when Charlie Dean got a finger on the ball before it crashed into the stumps with Smith unable to recover her ground after backing up.India star Deepti Sharma claimed the big wickets of Sciver-Brunt and Gardner, but Heather Graham’s unbeaten 22 from 12 balls ensured a fast finish.Spirit’s chase was immediately undermined when Gardner removed Georgia Redmayne and Cordelia Griffith from successive balls before King had former Australia captain Meg Lanning caught by Kirstie Gordon at mid-on.Gardner trapped Dani Gibson lbw and when England and Spirit skipper Heather Knight’s sweep at King landed in the hands of Smith, after hitting 29 from 20, the game was up.Gardner and King both finished with identical figures of 3 for 23 from 20 balls as Spirit closed on 127 for 7.Meerkat match Hero, Gardner, said: “It was huge (win for us). It was probably the first game we put all three facets of the game together. The openers did a fantastic job giving us the start that they did, that was the best we’ve been with the ball and we were pretty clean in the field. It was a pretty perfect performance.”

تعرض منتخب الأرجنتين لخسارة مريرة فجر اليوم الأربعاء أمام نظيره الإكوادور بهدف مقابل لا شيء، وذلك لحساب منافسات تصفيات قارة أمريكا الجنوبية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم في كندا والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية والمكسيك.

وأجرى مدرب منتخب الأرجنيتن، ليونيل سكالوني، تعديلات على تشكيلة فريقه الأساسية، وأبرزها استبعاد الأسطورة نجم إنتر ميامي، ليونيل ميسي، للراحة.

وأعطى ميسي القميص رقم 10 في لقاء الإكوادور لنجم ريال مدريد الشاب، فرانكو ماستانتونو، حيث كان الأخير بديلًا اليوم.

طالع.. فيديو | البرازيل تسقط أمام بوليفيا بهدف في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

ودفع سكالوني دفع بتشكيل مكون من: “إيميليانو مارتينيز، جونزالو مونتييل، ليوناردو بيلاردي، نيكولاس أوتاميندي، نيكولاس تاجليافيكو، رودريجو دي بول، ليوناردو باريديس، جوليانو سيميوني، أليكسيس ماك أليستير، نيكولاس جونزاليس، لاوتارو مارتينيز”.

وفي ظل غياب ميسي ومع ضمان الأرجنتين تأهلها سلفًا إلى كأس العالم، كان لاعبو الإكوادور أكثر رغبة في تحقيق الانتصار من التانجو في لقاء اليوم.

وساعد الإكوادور كثيرًا الطرد الذي تعرض له مدافع الأرجنتين ونادي بنفيكا، نيكولاس أوتاميندي في الدقيقة 31، بعدما أعاق إينر فالنسيا، مهاجم الإكوادور على حدود منطقة الجزاء.

وأسفر الضغط الذي مارسه لاعبو الإكوادور عن هدف في الدقيقة الثالثة عشر من الوقت بدل الضائع من الشوط الأول عن طريق فالنسيا من ركلة جزاء عجز حارس الأرجنتين وأستون فيلا، إيميليانو مارتينيز عن التصدي لها.

واستمرت سلسلة البطاقات الحمراء في شوط اللقاء الثاني، حيث تعرض نجم تشيلسي والإكوادور، مويسيس كايسيدو، للطرد في الدقيقة 50، عقب احتكاك قوي بدون كرة مع جناح أتلتيكو مدريد والأرجنتين، نيكولاس جونزاليس، ليخرج لاعب برايتون السابق مباشرًة من أرض الملعب.

ولم يعق هذا الطرد الإكوادور عن تحقيق الانتصار الذي رفع رصيدهم إلى 29 نقطة في المركز الثاني، بينما تجمد رصيد الأرجنتين عند 38 نقطة في المركز الأول.

من علامة الجزاء.. فالينسيا يسجل أول الأهداف للإكوادور ⚽️🔥

الإكوادور 1 × 0 الأرجنتين #تصفيات_أمريكا_الجنوبية#الإكوادور_الأرجنتين | #SSC pic.twitter.com/Q9OXzUEnKm — SSC (@ssc_sports) September 10, 2025

Chelsea are now just two games away from being crowned champions of the world.

Late on Friday night, the Blues booked their place in the Club World Cup semi-finals, thanks to a 2-1 victory over Palmeiras at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Cole Palmer broke the deadlock early, only for Chelsea-bound Estêvão Willian to score a stunning equaliser, but Malo Gusto’s late cross was deflected into his own net by Agustín Giay as the Londoners prevailed in Pennsylvania.

Enzo Maresca’s team will now take on Fluminense in Tuesday’s semi-finals at MetLife Stadium, the third different Brazilian club they’ve faced this summer, firm favourites to reach the final, where either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid await.

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Posts ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

Meantime, Chelsea remain, as is their want, extremely busy in the transfer market, with João Pedro debuting off the bench on Friday, while Jamie Gittens has since arrived too, it could mean that another of their forward players is to take his leave.

The latest on Noni Madueke's Chelsea future

As reported by Sam Dean and Sam Wallace of the Telegraph, Arsenal are preparing a £50m bid for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

Meantime, David Ornstein of the Athletic notes that the England international has actually already ‘agreed personal terms’ with the Gunners, and this deal appears as though it could actually happen, with Madueke thereby becoming the tenth player to leave Chelsea for Arsenal in the modern era, six of which have done so since 2019.

Players Arsenal have signed from Chelsea (1992-present)

Players

Year

Fee

William Gallas

2006

£5m

Lassana Diarra

2007

£6m

Yossi Benayoun

2011

Loan

Petr Čech

2015

£10m

David Luiz

2019

£8m

Willian

2020

Free

Jorginho

2023

£12m

Kai Havertz

2023

£65m

Raheem Sterling

2024

Loan

Kepa Arrizabalaga

2025

£5m

Information courtesy of Premier League.com

A real mixed bag there from an Arsenal perspective, with Chelsea supporters very much viewing their North London rivals as a bit of a dumping ground, but could a highly-rated teenager be moving in the opposite direction?

Chelsea targeting Madueke upgrade

According to a report by Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are closely monitoring Ethan Nwaneri’s contractual situation at Arsenal and are ‘ready to attack the situation’.

The 18-year-old, only eligible to sign a professional contract since March, currently has just one year remaining on his deal with the Gunners, and James McNicholas of the Athletic has reported that ‘talks are at a delicate stage’, with the club desperate to tie down ‘such a valuable prospect’.

He adds that, before committing to anything, the £47m-rated youngster wants to seek assurances over his playing time, following a breakout season at Arsenal, seeing 1,378 minutes of action across all competitions, including starting 11 Premier League matches, scoring nine goals.

For context, despite his age and the fact he played 1,246 fewer minutes, he only scored two fewer goals than Madueke across all competitions, underlining the immense potential and talent that he possesses.

Indeed, Nwaneri is only the third player to score nine goals before their 18th birthday for a Premier League club, after Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, who weren’t bad, were they?

Described by Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout as a “magnificent talent”, he could well be the perfect long-term replacement for Madueke, but if it is indeed first-team opportunities that are the teenager’s priority, perhaps Chelsea are not the right club to join, considering all the wide-attacking options currently on their books.

Chelsea’s current wide attackers

Players

Age

Chelsea appearances

Cole Palmer

23

95

Noni Madueke

23

91

Pedro Neto

25

49

Christopher Nkunku

27

60

Raheem Sterling

30

81

João Félix

25

40

Jamie Gittens

20

0

Mykhailo Mudryk*

24

73

Tyrique George

19

26

Kendry Páez

18

0

Estêvão Willian

18

0

Omari Kellyman

19

0

*currently banned for doping.

All information courtesy of Transfermarkt

Fair to say, Maresca has a fair few options from which to choose out-wide, even if Mykhailo Mudryk is currently banned, while a couple of others are likely to depart, including the aforementioned Madueke and João Félix.

Nevertheless, might Nwaneri be the best of the lot?

Well, former Chelsea winger Joe Cole compared the teenager to Lionel Messi, following Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Leicester City in February, stating “you can’t mark him because he can go both ways… I don’t even want to say it, but it’s like Messi”.

Meantime, Lorihanna Balabanova of Total Football Analysis praises Nwaneri’s ‘versatility’ and phenomenal ‘potential’, adding that his ‘best attribute is his ability to find pockets and exploit spaces’.

Thus, it is clear that Nwaneri is a player who is poised to be a future star, and if there’s one thing Chelsea love, it is hoovering up such young talents, so will they strike again?

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington Jul 5, 2025

Leeds United are ramping up their transfer activity as the new Premier League season edges ever closer.

Former Manchester City youth starlet Lucas Nmecha has now joined the ranks from Wolfsburg to enhance the Whites’ attacking options. It’s surely only a matter of time before Jaka Bijol is announced too, after he has allegedly undergone a medical at Elland Road.

The next logical step would be to add some reinforcements in the middle of the park, therefore, and Leeds’ wish could be granted if they were to land a former Premier League ace.

Leeds interested in deal for £25m star

Strengthening the midfield ranks is evidently a key priority for Leeds this summer with moves for the likes of Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki reportedly lined up.

Diarra seems to be a more concrete target at the moment with fresh claims suggesting that they made a bid worth £21m.

Transfer Focus

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

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Slow progress is being made on that deal, so the Whites are seeking alternatives. Well, according to a new report from Italian outlet Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, Leeds are in the picture to land former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz this summer.

The report states that Luiz will be allowed to leave Juventus this off-season after a mediocre stint in Turin, but Leeds could well be put off by the Serie A giants and their asking price, with Igor Tudor’s men having purchased the Brazilian for a bumper £42m fee.

The move could still have legs on a loan-to-buy basis, however, with the report clarifying that such a deal would only cost Daniel Farke’s men £25m down the line. That marks a sharp decrease from Luiz’s staggering £100m valuation back in 2023.

Thus, that £25m fee feels like a reasonable fee to pay for the South American, with his reputation needing to be repaired, and that could occur back in England, where he once starred for Unai Emery’s men regularly.

Why Luiz could become Leeds' new Raphinha-like star

Luiz could come in and seriously improve Farke’s midfield options, with this deal having a similar feel to when Leeds purchased another Brazilian from Europe in the form of Raphinha for a bargain £16m, with the rest now history on the end of the Barcelona superstar.

Obviously, Raphinha didn’t have the backdrop of flopping at Rennes before he relocated to West Yorkshire, but it would have been seen as a savvy deal at the time, with Leeds only having to fork out a modest fee to win the slick winger.

The 34-time Brazil international would go on to cement himself in Leeds hearts everywhere with his skilful performances throughout his short stay, leading to the now Barca number 11 collecting 17 goals and 12 assists from 67 appearances, with his efforts as the Whites’ top goalscorer during his swansong season at Elland Road helping Leeds to just about beat the drop.

Luiz might well follow in Raphinha’s footsteps and be the energetic presence Leeds need to secure their Premier League status this coming season, with the Rio De Janeiro-born midfielder a proven top-flight performer.

Farke would love to call upon Luiz as an additional central body, therefore, with the vibrant Brazilian capable of getting stuck in when needed. Like Raphinha, who’s now a firm Ballon d’Or contender, he’s got fine pedigree, notably hailed as “one of the best 6s in the Premier League” and “one of the best [midfielders] in the world” by Sky Italia.

That’s showcased perfectly by his numbers for the Villans, where he ranked within the top 7% of midfielders in the Premier League in 2023/24 for goals, demonstrating his attacking flair to go alongside his defensive qualities.

Luiz’s numbers in the PL for Villa by season

Stat (* = per game)

19/20

20/21

21/22

22/23

23/24

Games played

36

33

34

37

35

Goals scored

3

0

2

6

9

Assists

2

2

3

6

5

Touches*

46.1

55.6

56.9

60.6

70.1

Accurate passes*

27.7 (83%)

36.8 (86%)

37.1 (87%)

39.6 (86%)

50.4 (89%)

Big chances created

3

4

2

7

10

Tackles*

1.3

1.5

1.7

2.0

1.7

Clearances*

1.3

1.2

0.6

0.6

0.5

Total duels won*

4.1

4.9

4.4

4.4

4.2

Stats by Sofascore

Luiz only got better and better the more his Premier League journey at Villa Park went on, culminating in him firing home a ridiculous nine Premier League strikes during his final season in the West Midlands.

He would even be labelled as “world-class” during his celebrated stay with the Villans by teammate John McGinn, with Raphinha once also talked about in the same glowing manner in West Yorkshire when heralded as “special” by Marcelo Bielsa.

Everything is pointing in the direction of this being a superb deal, with Luiz potentially going on to be their new Premier League saviour, just as Raphinha was once upon a time.

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Posts 1 ByDan Emery Jun 19, 2025

England opener leads charge as she admits absence from T20I squad creates unique pressure

Valkerie Baynes26-Jun-2024

Tammy Beaumont got England motoring•Getty Images

England’s nine-wicket rout in the first match of New Zealand’s visit represented exactly how the hosts want to play.Having lacked a ruthless streak for much of their victorious ODI and T20I campaigns against Pakistan earlier in the home summer, England crushed the White Ferns on Wednesday, first by bowling them out for 156 in 33.3 overs thanks largely to Charlie Dean’s 4 for 38 before reeling in the target for the loss of just one wicket with a staggering 28.4 overs to spare, via brutal half-centuries from Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier.Beaumont, unbeaten with 76 from 69 deliveries, and Bouchier, who had a breakout tour of New Zealand earlier this year and struck 67 off 50 balls, took England within 20 runs of victory with 137-run opening stand off just 106 deliveries. Combined with England’s spinners Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn – who took seven wickets between them – it was the sort of clinical all-round performance they had been seeking.Against Pakistan, England scrapped their way to victory in the first ODI before Nat Sciver-Brunt dominated the third, following a second-match wash-out. During the three T20Is, only Danni Wyatt’s quickfire 87 at Leeds stood out after Amy Jones and Dani Gibson rescued them from 11 for 4 in the series opener at Edgbaston and they managed to defend a modest total in the second match by bowling Pakistan out for just 79.It was those sorts of results, Beaumont said after beating New Zealand in Durham, that England had said they wanted to turn into much more dominant victories, especially given the mantra of “inspire and entertain” that has been underpinning their endeavours for the past two years.”We spoke a lot this morning about how we want to play our 50-over cricket, and what inspiring and entertaining is. At times that’s being ruthless and putting on a show like that,” Beaumont said. “To respond to that conversation and go out straight away and put it into action … in particular the bowling was absolutely ruthless.”That’s certainly the word we’ve started to use a bit more,” she added. “We want to enjoy our cricket, we want to show off, we want to show our skills and how much talent there is in that dressing-room, but actually we want to also win games of cricket and really dominate at the same time, and the two can definitely being mutually exclusive. So I think it was still a lot of fun today but still incredibly ruthless, and a bit of a statement for the start of a series.”It’s not necessarily the be-all and end-all. We still want to try and push the game forward and take the game to as many new heights as possible. But at the same time, when you’ve got the foot on the throat, we’re going to try and ram home that advantage.”England’s performance showed what they are capable of, given the talent at their disposal. Heather Knight was barely called upon after arriving with 20 runs still required, Sciver-Brunt and Wyatt went unused, while Alice Capsey and Sophia Dunkley were left out of the starting XI altogether, the latter having won back her place in the squad after a disappointing tour of New Zealand.Beaumont said that while Dunkley’s welcome return increased the competition for places, the same could be said for most spots in the side, as reflected by Ryana MacDonald-Gay’s call-up from an impressive domestic season as cover for injured seamer Kate Cross.Maia Bouchier got to fifty at well over a run a ball•PA Photos/Getty Images

Beaumont and Cross find themselves in a tough place, on the fringes of T20I selection with a World Cup just over three months away but important to England’s 50-over campaign in 2025 and, where applicable, the Test set-up too.And while hosting Pakistan and New Zealand hasn’t carried the same buzz as last year’s Women’s Ashes, Beaumont – England’s double-centurion in the Trent Bridge Test against Australia last June – said she was playing with more freedom now than she was back then, when England came back from a 6-0 points deficit after losing the Test and first T20I to draw by winning both the T20I and ODI series two games to one.”I found the Ashes quite difficult last year,” she said. “You have the high of scoring a double-hundred in a Test match and then literally an hour after the end of the Test, you get told you’re not around for the next 10 days – that kind of took the wind out of your sails a little bit. You then have 10 days of regional cricket and then rock up and you have to win every game of the Ashes to stay in. What the girls did in the T20s was incredible, but actually the pressure to come back in, be the opening batter, and keep that roll on and not be the one that messes it up and loses the Ashes, is pretty tough to deal with.”But unfortunately that’s the situation the likes of myself and Kate Cross are in. It feels like you’ve got to constantly make an impact to stay relevant, but that’s what you have to do. Both of us are good enough at sticking to our game and acknowledging that it’s tough, that’s how it is and it’s not going to get any easier. There’s nothing anyone can do really, unless they pick you in the T20s, but it doesn’t seem to happen. So yeah, that is what it is.”Related

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New Zealand have plenty of reflection and improvement ahead if they are to bounce back, having lost their home T20 and ODI series against England in March and April.Had 20-year-old opener Georgia Plimmer not been run out for 29 pressing on for a single after deflecting Melie Kerr’s shot off her boot straight to midwicket, New Zealand may have been able to forge a much-needed partnership. As it stood, only Brooke Halliday’s half-century stood out, and she was the sole White Ferns bowler to take a wicket after playing as a specialist batter during England’s tour of New Zealand while making her way back from a foot injury.”I was a little bit confused because I was just putting my kit on, but yeah, maybe one day when Georgia gets a little bit older, she’ll be able to say ‘no’ to Melie,” Halliday said. “We talked about recently trying to be in the crease a little bit tighter to the stumps to try and help get the single down at mid-on, so that came back to bite her a little bit there… it’s just unfortunate the way she got out, but good signs.”Individually everyone will probably reflect on batting, bowling and fielding and then we’ll come together as a group and see what we want to work on and how we’re going to approach the next game. We’re not going to dwell too much on it, I’m sure, but you’ve always got to reflect and take what you can out of a game like this.”

Chelsea are reportedly on the verge of signing a free agent for manager Enzo Maresca, with the player leaving his club this summer and now readily available for hire.

Chelsea continue transfer plans after Club World Cup deadline

The Blues couldn’t get some high-profile deals signed and sealed in time before the pre-Club World Cup deadline, which passed on Tuesday at 7pm, but they could still add new players to the tournament’s squad thanks to a unique registration window open from June 27 to July 3.

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This does exclude winger Jamie Gittens, though, due to the fact he’ll be registered as a Borussia Dortmund player for the Club World Cup.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

However, regardless of not being able to participate for Chelsea at the tournament in any aspect, if they do eventually strike a deal, club director Sebastien Kehl confirmed in an interview this week that Chelsea will hold transfer talks for the 20-year-old again.

“We spoke on the phone, in the end we did not agree, because we have different ideas about the current value of the player,” he said to Tage Spiegel.

“Jamie definitely makes our team better. We are glad that he is there. We are in a good exchange and see how things are shaping in the future.

“Of course, at some point, if you take a player with it, you also have to sell. I assume that his market value will not fall. We will see to what extent we can keep it until the end of the tournament. There will be talks again.”

Alongside Gittens, Chelsea are believed to be prioritising new attacking additions right now, which includes a new winger, versatile attacking midfielder and another new striker after Liam Delap (Simon Phillips).

They could also add to their large crop of promising youngsters, following deals for Geovany Quenda, Dario Essugo and 19-year-old defender Mamadou Sarr from sister club Strasbourg in the last six months.

Chelsea close to finalising deal for ex-PNE defender Kian Best

According to a report from EFL Analysis, Chelsea want to sign former Preston North End left-back Kian Best on a free transfer.

The teenage defender was a “shock” departure from Deepdale this summer and is free to talk to clubs, which has piqued interest from Stamford Bridge officials who are now looking to bring Best to Cobham.

It is believed Chelsea are “close to finalising” a deal for Best after opening talks, with Maresca’s side pushing to make it happen. The England Under-19 international could then go out on loan to sister club Strasbourg to further his development.

Despite interest from Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United, Best is on the verge of a move to Chelsea instead, and he’s been called “different class” by the manager who gave him his senior debut in 2023.

“His intelligence, passing range and quality on the ball is different class,” said former PNE boss Ryan Lowe.

“I think you only have to look at my record, I won’t hesitate to put them in regardless of how old they are. He’s definitely deserved a place in the team so far.”

Throughout the years, countless players have rejoined Celtic for a second spell after departing.

Fraser Forster returned in 2019, following in the footsteps of Willie Fernie, Bertie Auld, Frank McAvennie, Andy Walker, Charlie Mulgrew, Charlie Nicholas​​​​​​​, Emilio Izaguirre and countless others who have done so before him at Parkhead.

Kieran Tierney will soon be added to this list, his return from Arsenal all but officially confirmed, after Jota re-signed in January, so could another fans’ favourite be doing the same this summer?

Jota's incredible Celtic return

Back in the summer of 2023, after two successful seasons at Celtic, Jota was sold to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for a record-equalling fee of £25m.

Well, after a miserable stint in the Middle East, following by an equally unspectacular six months in France with Stade Rennais where he scored just once in ten games, Jota returned to Glasgow for £8m in January, a mere 18 months after leaving.

The Portuguese winger marked his return with a goal at Fir Park on his second debut, also on target during Premiership victories over Dundee United, Aberdeen and Heart of Midlothian, as well as the Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Johnstone on Easter Sunday.

However, after making just 16 appearances in Hoops, Jota ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament at Tannadie in April, on the day Celtic clinched the title, with Brendan Rodgers later confirming that he would be sidelined for “between six and nine months”.

A heartbreaking blow for a 26-year-old, who was just happy to feel at home again, but could he be re-united with another fans’ favourite, with Celtic returning to Roazhon Park for their shopping?

Celtic could seal stunning Jota repeat

Jota’s return to Glasgow was incredibly unexpected but it no doubt raised the excitement levels among the green and white side of the city. So, surely they couldn’t do it again?

Well, think again. Indeed According to a report by French outlet Foot 7 Sur, Kyōgo Furuhashi will leave Stade Rennais this summer, just six months after arriving in Brittany, claiming that the Japanese forward ‘could return’ to Celtic.

Like Jota in the six months before him, Kyōgo has failed to make any sort of impact at les Rouge et Noirs following his January move, playing just six times, of which only one was a start.

He has also failed to find the net and featured as an unused substitute on six occasions. Dismal reading, indeed.

Kyōgo Furuhashi’s Stade Rennais career

Statistics

Kyōgo

Appearances

6

Starts

1

Minutes

120

Goals

0

Assists

0

Matches an unused sub

6

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

Despite his complete lack of success in France, not featuring in any of Rennes’ last five fixtures of the Ligue 1 season, Kyōgo will always be a modern icon at Celtic, as Jota is.

The first Japanese import of the Ange Postecoglou era, Kyōgo scored 85 goals in 170 appearances for the Hoops, leaving him amongst the club’s highest-scorers of modern times.

Celtic players to score 75+ goals (1997-present)

Players

Tenure

Games

Goals

Henrik Larsson

1997-04

292

2204

Leigh Griffiths

2014-21

262

123

James Forrest

2009-present

528

110

John Hartson

2001-06

198

106

Kris Commons

2011-17

227

89

Odsonne Édouard

2017-21

179

87

Kyōgo Furuhashi

2021-25

170

85

Chris Sutton

2000-06

197

84

Gary Hooper

2010-13

138

82

Anthony Stokes

2010-16

192

76

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

Yatao of the Celtic star describes Kyōgo’s performances for the club as “world-class”, while Graeme Macpherson of the Scotsman asserts that he is Celtic’s best striker since Henrik Larsson.

Thus, all Celtic supporters would be excited about the possibility of him returning this summer, and reports suggest this hope is not as fanciful as it may first appear.

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Manchester United are now circling to sign an “incredible” attacker, in what would be a hugely controversial deal, according to a report.

Red Devils moving swiftly in the transfer market

Matheus Cunha became Man United’s first signing of the summer last week, with Ruben Amorim getting his summer rebuild underway early doors, and the manager has no plans to stop there, as another forward could be on their way to Old Trafford soon.

There are conflicting reports about who United’s priority target is at centre-forward, but recruitment chiefs certainly have a number of potential options in mind, with it being revealed they are now set to make a move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Crystal Palace

£29m

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

£84m

Bryan Mbeumo

Brentford

£60m

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting CP

£67m

Any top striker is only as good as the service he receives, however, and with widespread reports linking captain Bruno Fernandes with a move to Saudi Arabia, Amorim may also be tasked with bringing in another attacking midfielder this summer.

According to a report from The Mirror, the Red Devils have a hugely controversial target in mind, as they are now circling to sign Manchester City maestro James McAtee, who could now be edging closer towards an Etihad Stadium exit.

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McAtee has been left out of Man City’s squad for the upcoming Club World Cup, which could spell the end of his time on the blue side of Manchester, with United believed to be keen on a surprise deal to bring the midfielder to Old Trafford.

With the 22-year-old’s contract set to expire in 2026, City may view this summer as their final opportunity to cash-in on the Englishman, and reports from elsewhere have detailed they could look to hold out for a fee in the region of £25m.

"Incredible" McAtee needs fresh start

Man City have already made the mistake of letting some exciting academy graduates leave in the past, most notably Cole Palmer, who has gone on to excel at Chelsea, and there are signs McAtee could be capable of following a similar path.

Lauded as “incredible” by former teammate Oli McBurnie, the Salford-born midfielder impressed when given the opportunity during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring seven goals in 27 outings, but unfortunately his game time was far too limited.

Not only is the City ace an attacking threat, but he is also clearly a well-rounded player, given that he has impressed on some key defensive metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

1.96 (89th percentile)

Blocks

1.96 (99th percentile)

Should McAtee be willing to cross the Manchester divide, there are signs he would be able to kick on at Old Trafford, but it could prove to be a difficult deal to get over the line, given the rivalry between the two clubs.

Today is the day for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou and his team can make their fans forget about their diabolically poor domestic season by continuing their impressive European run and winning the Europa League Final.

However, with Manchester United having a stellar track record on the continent this season as well, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll get their hand on the trophy come full-time.

To give his team a better chance of coming away victorious, Postecoglou will have to make a number of changes to the starting lineup that lost away to Aston Villa on Friday night, like dropping Mikey Moore.

Why Moore should be dropped

The first thing to say is that while we think Moore should be taken out of the team, that doesn’t mean we don’t think he’ll have a large part to play for the club in the coming seasons.

After all, his youth record of 21 goals and 15 assists in 34 appearances across the various levels is nothing short of spectacular, and according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, he’s a “future superstar” in the making.

However, he is still just 17 years old, and while he has looked reasonably impressive for the senior team here and there, he’s not had a significant enough impact – three goal involvements in 21 games – to warrant a start in the club’s biggest game since the Champions League Final.

Moore’s game vs Villa

Minutes

87′

Expected Goals

0.00

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.00

Assists

0

Accurate passes

7/9 (78%)

Key passes

0

Crosses (accurate)

1 (0)

Shots on target

0

Ground duels (won)

9 (4)

Possession lost

7

Dribbled past

2

Dribble attempts (successful)

3 (0)

All Stats via Sofascore

Moreover, his inexperience showed somewhat at Villa Park, as he struggled to assert himself on the game and eventually came off the pitch in the 87th minute, having made just seven passes and failing in 100% of his dribbles.

Moreover, with Brennan Johnson still the team’s top scorer in all competitions this term, with 17 in 49 games, it should go without saying that he should be starting on the right ahead of everyone else.

The other Spurs star who should be dropped

Given the underwhelming nature of the game, there are a few other players you could bring up who should probably be taken out of the team for the final, like Archie Gray, Kevin Danso, Ben Davies and more.

Yet, in this instance, we are talking about another starter in the attack: Mathys Tel.

The young Frenchman might well be one of the more exciting players in the Lilywhites’ squad, with some at the club reportedly labelling him a “generational talent” before he arrived in February, but against the Villans, he didn’t do enough to convince us he should keep his place in the team for tonight’s monumental clash.

Tel’s game vs Villa

Minutes

96′

Expected Goals

0.00

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.15

Assists

0

Accurate passes

12/14 (86%)

Key passes

1

Crosses (accurate)

1 (0)

Shots on target

0

Big chances created

1

Dribble attempts (successful)

5 (1)

Duels (won)

14 (4)

Possession lost

11

Fouls

4

All Stats via Sofascore

For example, despite leading the line for 96 minutes, he failed to take a single shot on target, registered just 0.15 expected assists, failed in 80% of his attempted dribbles, completed only 12 passes, failed in 100% of his crosses, missed one big chance, lost ten of 14 duels, lost the ball 11 times and committed four fouls.

Add to that the fact that he’s scored just three goals and provided one assist in 19 appearances for the club this season, and it’s almost impossible to make a convincing argument about why he should lead the line against the Red Devils.

Moreover, Dominic Solanke, the man who should come in to replace him, has been far more effective in front of goal this season, scoring 15 goals and providing eight assists in 43 appearances.

Ultimately, Tel could still be a useful asset for Spurs in tonight’s final, but to get the most out of him, Postecoglou would be better off starting him on the bench and then bringing him on later into the match as things get stretched so that he can exploit the opening spaces with his pace.

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