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Arsenal are set to sign Brentford captain Christian Norgaard, who’s poised to become Andrea Berta’s third deal of the summer, but they could yet add another midfielder to Mikel Arteta’s ranks before deadline day.

The looming exit of veteran first-team star Thomas Partey, following botched discussions over a new contract, quickly made the signing of another defensive midfield achor vital for Arteta.

Mikel Arteta personally wants Arsenal to sign £94m forward this summer

They know the costs of what would be a marquee deal.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 25, 2025

Partey made over 50 appearances for Arsenal last term, in what was his best-ever campaign at the club, but talks over the Ghanaian’s potential extension hit a roadblock – meaning he’s now set to leave the Emirates as a free agent past June 30.

This potentially accelerated Arsenal’s move for Norgaard, with the Gunners swiftly agreeing a deal to make him their latest new addition after Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga, who also signed for the club recently.

Norgaard has been given permission to undergo his Arsenal medical, so barring any late disasters, the Denmark international will come in to replace Partey. Going by Brentford fan writer Ian Westbrook’s verdict on the 31-year-old, Arsenal have made a quality purchase.

“Norgaard has played a vital role in almost six years at the club, making nearly 200 appearances in all competitions and being named captain in the summer of 2023,” said Westbrook to the BBC.

“His importance to the side can be shown by the fact we failed to win any of the four Premier League games he missed last season, and had two victories in the seven in which he was absent during the last campaign.

“He is the glue that holds the side together in his defensive midfield role, protecting the defence, winning tackles and setting up attacks. This season he has also become a more regular goalscorer – with his six in all competitions (five in the Premier League) nearly half of his entire total of 13 for the club. We are a much weaker team without him.”

Arsenal approach Corinthians midfielder Breno BidonDespite Arsenal's agreement for Norgaard, Brazilian news outlet UOL (via Sport Witness) has reported that sporting director Andrea Berta is keen on Corinthians midfielder Breno Bidon.

The 20-year-old isn’t a traditional defensive anchor like Norgaard, and is more like captain Martin Odegaard in the sense he plays both as a CAM and in a traditional centre-midfield role, so their interest makes sense.

UOL state that Corinthians are under pressure to sell at least one player to balance their books this summer, and Bidon is the “most likely” candidate to be shipped off as Arsenal, Brighton and Wolves all make contact.

With Arsenal said to have approached Bidon over joining Arteta’s side, Corinthians are also selling the player for a fee way below his £85 million release clause – which could be as low as £13 million.

Whilst the focus has been on upgrading Ruben Amorim’s attacking options so far this summer, Manchester United have now reportedly joined the race to sign a £30m+ midfielder.

Man Utd face toughest Premier League start

After finishing 15th in a miserable campaign last time out, the last thing that Manchester United need is to be thrown into the deep end in the opening weeks of next season. Yet, with the 2025/26 Premier League fixtures released, Amorim is set to find out very quickly whether his side can finally swim or if they’ll sink once again under pressure.

After opening their campaign with the visit of Arsenal, Manchester United will then be forced to navigate a nine-game period which features games against Manchester City, Chelsea and champions Liverpool. If they were looking to ease their way into the season then, simply put, they may have to rethink their approach.

Of course, by the time that August arrives, those at Old Trafford will hope to have built a squad capable of navigating that difficult opening run. Already, INEOS have secured the arrival of Matheus Cunha and reports have claimed that they’re also confident about signing Bryan Mbeumo despite competition from Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur.

Both additions would go a long way towards transforming Manchester United’s attack, but Amorim will be well aware that his midfield also needs fixing. On that front, once again it seems as though INEOS are prepared to spend amid reports that United have joined the race to sign a want-away Serie A midfield this summer.

Man Utd battling to sign Davide Frattesi

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are now battling to sign Davide Frattesi from Inter Milan this summer. The Italian giants reportedly value their midfielder at more than €35m (£30m) in what is an affordable price tag for INEOS to match in the coming months.

What should make any deal easier, meanwhile, is reports that Frattesi has expressed his desire to leave Inter this summer after starting just nine Serie A games last season. Whether that opens the door for the Red Devils to secure a cheaper deal is a question that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is likely to ask if Manchester United push on with their move to sign the midfielder.

Described as “brilliant” by scout Antonio Mango, Frattesi would hand Manchester United another added boost going forward. The midfielder also has a knack for scoring goals in big games, having scored the winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final and then the winner again in extra-time in the semi-final against Barcelona.

Amorim's next Amad: Wilcox considering Man Utd bid for "special" £38m star

Manchester United could be about to land a star who can emulate Amad Diallo’s success.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 18, 2025

For around £30m, Frattesi could prove to be quite the bargain for Manchester United, who would be landing an underrated midfielder with plenty of experience, including currently at the FIFA Club World Cup.

There is no shying away from the fact that the 2025/26 campaign is going to be an incredibly difficult one for Leeds United in the Premier League.

The Whites won the Championship title with a staggering 100 points, returning to the top-flight at the second time of asking, and are now preparing for a season at the top table.

Daniel Farke and the recruitment team are tasked with building a squad that can defy the odds next term, as the last six teams to be promoted to the Premier League have all been relegated at the first attempt.

The German head coach was not too keen to talk about the top-flight straight after promotion was secured back in April, but it will be on his mind now.

Leeds have already been linked with plenty of potential new signings to bolster their options across the board, and one player they have been linked with a move for is central defender Japhet Tanganga.

Why Japhet Tanganga could be a good signing for Leeds

The West Yorkshire outfit are reportedly eyeing up a move to sign the Millwall centre-back, who has a release clause in his contract that makes him available for a fee of just under £2m.

Sunderland and Burnley are also said to be interested in a deal for the former Tottenham Hotspur starlet, which means that the Whites could face plenty of competition to strike a bargain move for Tanganga.

For a fee of less than £2m, the English titan could be a good signing for Leeds because he has been an impressive performer in the Championship and has the potential to be a strong addition to the squad.

Whilst he has yet to prove himself in the Premier League, as he had to drop down to the second tier after coming through at Spurs, he has shown promise in the Championship with Millwall.

As you can see in the table above, Tanganga provided a strong presence at the back for Millwall in the 2024/25 campaign, especially, winning over 60% of his duels on the ground and in the air, whilst rarely being dribbled past.

If he can translate that kind of form over to the Premier League, then he could be a dominant force at the heart of the Leeds defence. However, the Whites could land an even better centre-back signing with a move for a Serie A defender.

Leeds in talks to sign Serie A stopper

According to Tutto Mercato Web, Leeds United are interested in a deal to sign Udinese central defender Jaka Bijol in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that contact has already been made between the two parties as the Whites attempt to push ahead with a swoop for the Slovenia international in the coming days.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that talks are set to get underway in the next few days after the initial contact was made, although it remains to be seen exactly when Leeds will make an official move for the centre-back.

Tutto Mercato Web does, however, reveal that Udinese are ready to demand a fee in the region of £17m in order to allow their star defender to move on from the Serie A club before the end of the transfer window.

Leeds could, now, snap up an even better signing than Tanganga by going through with a swoop for this Slovenian star in the weeks to come.

Why Bijol would be a better signing than Tanganga

As aforementioned, the Millwall titan is yet to prove himself on a regular basis in the Premier League, which is why he is currently playing in the Championship with the Lions.

Bijol, meanwhile, has shown himself to be a steady performer in one of Europe’s major leagues in the Serie A, and would arrive at Elland Road with top-flight pedigree.

He has been a regular starter for Udinese in each of the past three seasons in the Serie A, with 90 appearances in the division, and has proven himself to be a dependable option at centre-back.

Bijol won at least 65% of his aerial battles in all three of those terms, notably winning 76% of them in the 2023/24 campaign, which speaks to his dominant defensive work in the air at the very top level in Italy.

Most impressively, though, the 26-year-old titan’s statistics at league level in the 2024/25 season were even more eye-catching than Tanganga’s were at a lower level.

As you can see in the table above, Bijol offered more to his team in possession when building attacks out from the back with his reliability and progression on the ball, which could help to limit any mistakes when playing out under Farke in the top-flight.

The Slovenian star, who claimed he has “no fear”, also made more tackles, interceptions, and blocks per 90, with a very similar number of clearances, which suggests that he would also offer more to Leeds as an out-and-out defender.

Crucially, these performances from Bijol were in one of the top leagues in Europe and may be more likely to translate to the Premier League than Tanganga’s Championship showings are, due to him already proving himself at the top level.

This is why the Whites could land an even better signing than the English stopper by going through with a deal to sign the Udinese central defender before the end of the summer transfer window.

Leeds now chasing double swoop to sign £8m goalkeeper and Ligue 1 standout

The Yorkshire club are wasting no time.

1

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 7, 2025

It is now down to the board, though, to reach an agreement with the Serie A side once they enter the talks that Tutto Mercato Web claims are set to take place soon.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will currently be plotting moves to bolster his squad after the summer transfer window officially opened for business on Sunday.

The Northern Irish head coach has already landed one signing in the form of Kieran Tierney, who is set to re-join the club from Arsenal after six years in England.

Greg Taylor’s contract expires this summer and Jeffrey Schlupp’s loan deal has ended, which means that the Scotland international is currently the only left-back contracted to the Hoops heading into the 2025/26 campaign.

However, whilst Rodgers must think about potential transfer targets to improve the squad, the Celtic manager also has to be ruthless when deciding who will be a part of his team next season.

How Celtic's midfield could look next season

Football FanCast recently published an article outlining what a dream starting XI could look like for the Hoops next term, and it included a midfield trio of Callum McGregor, Arne Engels, and Lennon Miller, who could be signed from Motherwell as a potential replacement for Reo Hatate if he moves on.

That would leave Paulo Bernardo, Luke McCowan, and Hyeok-kyu Kwon as the senior central midfield back-ups heading into pre-season, after McCowan and Bernardo played back-up for much of this season.

The former Dundee star and the Portuguese whiz combined for ten goals and 13 assists across all competitions, with seven goals and nine assists for McCowan and three goals and four assists for Bernardo.

This suggests that they both provide enough attacking quality to be solid rotation options behind a first-choice midfield of McGregor, Engels, and Miller, which is why Rodgers must ruthlessly axe Kwon.

Why Celtic should axe Kwon

Kwon was signed from Busan IPark in the summer of 2023 and arrived as the ‘K League Rodri’, having averaged 3.3 tackles and interceptions and 5.0 ball recoveries per game in the K League 2 during the 2023 campaign.

Squawka noted that the midfielder was ‘likened to Rodri due to his similar stature and playing style’, as another towering number six who likes to make tackles and interceptions whilst also getting on the ball to complete passes and dictate matches.

Upon signing for the club, Kwon said: “I will become the best player in Celtic and go to higher places such as the German Bundesliga or the English Premier League.”

The 24-year-old star came to Glasgow with incredibly high ambitions, as shown by these comments, and was clearly plotting to be Rodgers’ own version of Rodri, who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, as the star anchor of the midfield.

As you can see in the table above, though, Kwon has yet to play a league match for Celtic in two seasons, playing for St Mirren and Hibernian on loan.

Kwon, who was hailed as “excellent” by Saints boss Stephen Robinson, enjoyed a fairly decent start at St Mirren, starting regular matches, but his form tailed off at Hibs before his season was ended due to injury in March.

The defensive midfielder failed to start games on a consistent basis, and his defensive numbers reflect that with a decline in tackles, interceptions, and recoveries per game.

His lacklustre statistics and his lack of starts for Hibs do not suggest that he is likely to break into Celtic’s midfield next season, or earn a move to the Premier League or the Bundesliga, which is why Rodgers must ruthlessly axe him from the squad this summer.

Celtic could sign their new Dembele with swoop for "outstanding" £10m star

Celtic could repeat their Moussa Dembele masterclass with a swoop for this star.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 1, 2025

If an opportunity to cash in on the 24-year-old flop arises, the Hoops should move on from him, as they already have options in midfield, because his performances do not suggest that Rodgers will be getting his own version of Rodri any time soon.

Birmingham City excelled in League One when being a big fish in a small pond.

But, the Championship is full of some huge teams based off stature alone, with the likes of Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City all recently tasting the Premier League like the Blues once upon a time.

Throwing in the likes of a very ambitious Birmingham into the mix alongside Wrexham makes the division a fascinating one to predict already, with the Blues perhaps keen to add some experience to their squad this summer to handle the step-up in a similar fashion to when they relied upon the recently retired Lukas Jutkiewicz to get them out of trouble.

Jutkiewicz's legend status at St. Andrew's

The tag legend is thrown around an awful lot in the modern game, but it’s the perfect label to describe Jutkiewicz with when looking at his long spell at St Andrew’s.

After all, the much-loved Blues servant didn’t notch up a staggering 357 clashes for the West Midlands titans by chance, with 16 of those even coming about last season as he attempted to play his part in Chris Davies’ men storming to the title.

He would certainly do that when firing home two goals across those limited appearances, with these memorable efforts also bumping up his overall tally to 68.

Remarkably, 62 of those actually fell when Birmingham were regularly in the challenging Championship, meaning that know-how not being around the building anymore could hurt Davies and Co as they return to the unpredictable division.

But, they could win themselves an equally experienced head in attack very soon.

Birmingham could sign their new Jutkiewicz

The newly promoted side have already struck gold going down the seasoned route with Alfie May, considering the EFL journeyman bagged 16 league strikes on the way to the title being heroically lifted.

Therefore, they will hope this approach pays off again if they’re successful in landing new reported target Danny Ings, with the 32-year-old goal machine now searching for a new club to call his home after his West Ham United contract expired.

Wrexham and his former side Burnley, are also allegedly locked into the race to land the potent veteran, but Birmingham will aim to advance to the front of the queue to try and get the best out of an attacker who can terrorise Championship defences for fun on his day.

He hasn’t plied his trade in the EFL since the 2013/14 season, but Ings would manage to hammer home 21 strikes during the Clarets’ promotion success that campaign, before then going on to solidify himself as a composed finisher in the relentless Premier League.

Therefore, he should be able to dust himself down and offer a threatening body up top for Birmingham next season, even if recent campaigns have seen the goals dry up due to recurring injury troubles.

After all, Jutkiewicz only started three times for Birmingham in league action during their relegation season down to League One, but still managed to chip in with three goals and an assist.

The resurgent Blues won’t complain if the “phenomenal” 32-year-old – as he was lauded previously by pundit Noel Whelan – does this exact same job for them, with his extensive background in the game also potentially of benefit to Jay Stansfield.

With 240 top-flight appearances and three England caps under his belt across his varied career, this free transfer pick-up would really show Birmingham mean business entering back into the Championship as another very successful season is hopefully in the offing.

Birmingham could land a bigger talent than Adams by signing “clinical” ace

Birmingham City would really enhance their attacking options by signing this brand new star.

2

By
Kelan Sarson

May 26, 2025

Manchester United were beaten on Friday night. Again. That’s 18 Premier League defeats for the Red Devils this season, whose one chance of a reprieve lies in Bilbao, Spain, next week.

On Wednesday, Ruben Amorim’s side will have the chance to secure Champions League football next season by defeating similarly beleaguered Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.

Neither side’s domestic campaign warrants a place among Europe’s elite next year, but United have always had a knack for clawing their way toward silverware, even throughout the dreary post-Sir Alex Ferguson years, who stepped down at the end of the 2012/13 season with one more league trophy under the belt.

Winning the Europa League is crucial. Man United are 16th in the Premier League and need to find a route out of this mess. Especially when securing a place at the continent’s highest level next year could be the definitive factor in determining Bruno Fernandes’ future.

The latest on Bruno Fernandes' future

Fernandes, 30, has been Manchester United’s peerless leader over the past several years, the best performer of a rotten bunch but one who can hold their head high all the same, and that has attracted interest from elsewhere, as recently reported by Fabrizio Romano.

He’s clinched 19 goals and 19 assists apiece this season, with Amorim even claiming the Portugal star is the “perfect captain” for the Old Trafford side, labelling him a “legend.”

But with interest from the Saudi Pro League, it’s crucial that a positive end to the season is secured. United can’t afford to lose their playmaker, their leader, their main influencer.

INEOS are, however, gearing up to sign a successor, one who hopefully will be able to learn from the Magnifico over the next few years.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz may be out of United’s reach, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich locked in a battle for the lucrative ten, but a degree of shrewdness has been shown in United preparing to move for a much cheaper, yet just as exciting, star.

Man United enter talks for sought-after star

According to Caught Offside, Man United have been approached by Rayan Cherki’s agents as intrigue in the Lyon man ramps up ahead of the summer window.

Many clubs are interested in the artful playmaker, but it’s felt that Liverpool and United are showing the most concrete interest at this stage. as they chase a deal for the France U21 international.

Liverpool are big admirers, but their vested interest in Wirtz means United have a golden opportunity to advance discussions with Cherki’s camp and seal a deal promptly.

Reports from earlier this month have even suggested the 21-year-old could be available for a cut-price £25m fee, his Lyon contract about to enter its final year.

What Rayan Cherki would bring to Man United

Cherki has been in fine fettle this season, and no mistake. Across 43 fixtures in all competitions, the wily Frenchman has scored 12 goals and laid on 19 further assists in all competitions.

It’s worth mentioning that Wirtz might be outscoring him with 16 goals, but Cherki’s creativity is wedged at a higher level than the Die Werkself man, who has claimed 16 assists, highlighting just how talented he is.

When looking at his league metrics this year against Wirtz’s, you begin to see why United are so keen on getting a transfer wrapped up quickly.

Lyon’s star boy has created 21 big chances from just 29 Ligue 1 matches this year, also averaging three dribbles every two games. Cherki might not be quite so combative or active in the duel, but he’s hardly given a poor account of himself.

For a United side that has suffered from colourless attacking play at times this term, this could be a real treat for Amorim next year. Moreover, he’s only missed one big chance in the league, scoring eight times, which further denotes his suitability, so clinical when afforded a chance.

Former Arsenal defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles, speaking to BBC Sport, waxed lyrical about his Lyon teammate. “He is the best natural talent I’ve ever seen. An absolute master, a wizard with the ball.”

It’s the kind of flair Man United need to restore the attacking fluency that has been absent all year long. As per FBref, Cherki ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, the top 4% for passes attempted and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.

It’s an almighty demonstration of his elite-level quality, so much so that FBref’s data-driven algorithm has revealed Wirtz is one of his most statistically comparable players.

Given the financial restrictions at Old Trafford, compounding the need for signings across many positions, it’s unlikely Sir Jim Ratcliffe would green-light a deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s man, with the current transfer interest from Liverpool, City, and Bayern revealing demands of a €150m (£126m) fee.

Cherki, who may well come at over £100m cheaper than the German star, would provide the same flair and gusto. He might not be as refined or indeed potent, but Amorim could nurture him to the fore and shape him into such a player in the coming years.

The Athletic’s Alex Barker has made the bold claim that Cherki could be a “future Ballon d’Or winner,” and if he manages to steady the ship at the Theatre of Dreams, he’d have taken a strong step closer to achieving that lofty goal.

Not just Hojlund: Man Utd must axe one of Ten Hag's best signings in Bilbao

Manchester United fell to yet another defeat last night, losing 1-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 17, 2025

Birmingham City will only be looking up after a triumphant promotion out of League One, knowing that the club is in a far better place than it was when relegation was confirmed at the close of the 2023/24 season.

Indeed, Blues chairman Tom Wagner has managed to regalvanise proceedings away from previous toxic owners by giving the West Midlands giants plenty of cash to spend.

This cash was spent wisely rather than erratically, with Jay Stansfield an instant fan favourite in St. Andrew’s quarters for his 19-goal heroics in the third tier.

Birmingham won’t suddenly start spending frugally now they’re back in the EFL’s top division, however, with plenty of targets already on their mind that could possibly break the bank.

Birmingham pushing to sign EFL star

Much like fellow promoted side Wrexham, the Blues will be eager to flex their muscles again in the transfer market.

Indeed, Chris Davies’ ambitious side are already being linked with a surprise swoop for former star Che Adams, alongside further showing an interest in AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers who has an impressive 76 Championship appearances next to his name.

But, away from signing some distinguished second tier performers, the newly promoted outfit could also shop back in League One for some top gems, with Birmingham reportedly “pushing hard” again for Peterborough United superstar Kwame Poku according to Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett.

Reports in the past have even suggested that Davies and Co have offered a bumper £30k-per-week deal to the Ghanaian, with Birmingham also having to cough up a sum of money for the explosive 23-year-old owing to a compensatory fee, regardless of his current Posh deal nearing to its expiry date.

Clinching a deal for Poku could see the determined Blues win themselves an ideal partner for the potential incoming of Adams, with the pair ready to take the second tier by storm based off their blistering recent form.

Transfer Focus

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

How Poku could shine alongside Adams

Davies could do with more exciting talents down the right flank at St. Andrew’s with ex-Rangers man Scott Wright his only recognised option here at the moment.

This is where Poku would come to the rescue, with the former Colchester United forward picking up 19 of his bumper 23 goal contributions playing down this channel with swagger for Darren Ferguson’s underachievers.

It was only a matter of time before the standout Posh number 11 was poached by a bigger fish, considering he has managed to end the season with this sizeable contribution of 23-goal involvements despite being absent for 23 clashes due to injury.

Also capable of playing just behind the lone striker in Davies’ preferred 4-2-3-1 set-up, the “unplayable” attacker – as he’s been previously lauded by his manager – could be about to give £15m man Stansfield a run for his money too, on top of also offering up chances galore for Adams if he decides to leave Torino behind for familiar pastures back in England.

Looking at the table above, the experienced EFL striker and Poku could be about to form a match made in heaven, with both players content with minimal touches of the ball before unleashing havoc. Indeed, Adams has only needed 24 touches on average this season per Serie A clash, yet he still finds himself on a reasonable nine strikes.

With Poku also boasting eight assists despite only averaging a meagre 20.3 accurate passes himself, the duo might end up striking fear into Championship defences out of the blue, which would more than help their new side acclimatise to the tougher division subsequently.

Birmingham could even be eyeing up the prospect of back-to-back promotions if everything goes swimmingly, with the likes of Poku and Adams joining showing they mean business.

Birmingham could sign Stansfield upgrade who's scored 49 Championship goals

Birmingham City could be about to pick up a better attacking talent than Jay Stansfield with this statement buy.

3

By
Kelan Sarson

May 6, 2025

Manchester City want to sign an “exciting” £34 million winger ahead of fierce rivals Manchester United, according to a new report.

Man City chasing De Bruyne replacement

Kevin De Bruyne has just a few Premier League games and an FA Cup final to play for the Blues before his time at the Etihad comes to an end. The Belgian has been a stellar performer for Man City and Pep Guardiola, and therefore, it will be very hard for them to find a player who can replicate the things De Bruyne has done.

Major Doku upgrade: Man City eye up move for £85m "world-class superstar"

With Manchester City expected to spend big this summer, could they sign a “special” winger valued at £85m who would be a Massive Jérémy Doku upgrade?

By
Ben Gray

May 6, 2025

According to a recent report, Man City have submitted a £55 million bid to sign James Maddison from Tottenham Hotspur. Guardiola is a big fan of the Englishman, as his creative ability and style of play make him the perfect player to potentially replace De Bruyne. However, it is unknown if that offer is enough to convince Spurs to sell Maddison, but Tottenham missing out on European football could persuade them into a deal.

As well as looking at Maddison, Man City are also interested in signing Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are planning to advance on a deal for Gibbs-White, with personal terms not set to be an issue. However, Forest have placed a £100 million price tag on the English star, and City will have to negotiate with Forest chiefs to find an agreement.

Man City want to sign £34m Trincao ahead of Man Utd

As well as looking for a new number 10, Guardiola also wants to add to his wide options, and according to Caught Offside, Man City are keen on signing Francisco Trincao from Sporting Lisbon, as incoming sporting director Hugo Viana is a big fan of his.

The report states that Trincao has become one of the most sought-after players in European football, as Premier League teams such as City, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Newcastle United are all keeping a close eye on the winger. However, they all face competition from Europe, as Barcelona and Juventus are also tracking Trincao heading into the summer.

It goes on to state that City’s pursuit of Trincao has come from Viana, who is set to join the Blues as their new sporting director from Sporting CP. Viana is a long-term admirer of the winger, and he is believed to be behind this potential transfer that could end up costing €40 million, which is roughly £34 million.

Man Utd and Ruben Amorim are also eyeing Trincao, given he worked with the player in Portugal. But City may hope they have another advantage in this race, as Trincao, who has been dubbed “exciting” by former Wolves technical director Scott Sellars in the past, has the same agent as current Blues defender Ruben Dias.

When it comes to legendary players, Arsenal aren’t short of names.

Now, most fans will understandably go back to the era of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pirès. After all, they were the stars of the Gunners’ iconic Invincibles.

However, if you were to go back just a little further, you’d end up talking about one of the most beloved players to ever pull on the famous red and white shirt: Ian Wright.

The sensational striker became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer when he netted his 179th goal in September 1997.

While it was a record later broken by Henry, it cemented the Englishman’s legacy, and if recent reports are to be believed, Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta may soon sign someone who could be Arsenal’s new Wright.

Arsenal transfer news

So, before we get to the striker who could be the club’s new Wright, it’s worth looking at some of the other centre-forwards they are reportedly looking at, such as Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian has been on the Gunners’ radar since last summer, but could finally be available for around £58m this year, which might sound like a lot, but as he’s amassed 26 goal involvements in 41 games this season and is still just 21, it could be a fee that looks like a steal a few years from now.

However, it also appears as if the Gunners are after someone even more prolific than the RB Leipzig star, as they continue to be linked with the £60m Sporting CP monster, Viktor Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

The Swedish international has been in utterly sublime form this season and has racked up an absurd tally of 47 goals and 11 assists in 46 appearances, although aside from his eye for goal, there isn’t much he shares with Wright, which isn’t the case for Ollie Watkins.

Yes, according to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal have maintained their interest in the Aston Villa star ahead of the summer window.

In fact, the report has revealed that new Sporting Director Berta pushed for the club to chase the Englishman in January, and he is again the leading force for his inclusion on their shortlist now, as he wants an ‘oven-ready’ striker to join the team.

It’s not entirely clear how much the former Exeter City gem would cost, as the Villans demanded £60m in the winter window but may well ask for less in the summer; either way, his goal record speaks for itself and Arsenal should do what they can to bring him in, especially as he could be their new Wright.

How Watkins compares to Wright

So, some of you out there may be scratching your head trying to work out why Watkins could be Arsenal’s new Wright, but rest assured, should this transfer happen, then there would be some unmistakable similarities between the two strikers.

The first is that, like the former professional, who joined the North Londoners from Crystal Palace in 1991, the Torquay-born monster would be moving to N5 from a fellow Premier League side in Villa, already having amassed plenty of experience in English football, which cannot be said of the club’s other targets.

On top of that, he’d be securing his move to the team at the older age – for a footballer – of 29, which is both unusual and similar to the former Gunners star, who turned 28 just two months after moving to Highbury.

Finally, on top of both having played for England and putting in their best performances when playing on the shoulder, the “world-class” Villa ace, as dubbed by journalist Jack Grimse, has proven that he has what it takes to score bags and bags of goals.

For example, since joining the Claret and Blue in 2020, he’s amassed a brilliant haul of 86 goals and 41 assists in 217 appearances, totalling 17259 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.7 games, or every 135.89 minutes. On that evidence, it’s hardly a surprise to see him described as “one of the best centre-forwards in Europe” by Arsenal podcaster Rohan Jivan.

Ultimately, while it might cost the club a pretty penny, and he may be on the older side of players normally targeted by Arteta and Co, Watkins has proven he can perform at the highest level consistently, so Arsenal should do all they can to sign him this summer, especially as he could become their new Wright.

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Leeds United have received approaches from a number of clubs to sell a player who Daniel Farke called “outstanding” last month.

Players who could leave Leeds if they win promotion

The Whites are in a strong position to get the job done and win promotion from the Championship to the Premier League over the coming weeks.

Farke’s side are five points clear of third-place Sheffield United heading into the Easter weekend, knowing a maximum of seven points from their next three games will get the job done.

Should Leeds go up, a number of players from the current squad could be on the way out of the Eland Road door. Goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who has recently been dropped for Karl Darlow, may well be one to exit.

Meanwhile, Leeds are also unsure of Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford’s ability to make the step-up to the top flight, with the former failing to score in his last eight and Bamford’s injury history in recent years telling.

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Left-back Junior Firpo is also out of contract at the end of the season, as is fellow full-back Sam Byram. Now, another player has been linked with a move away from Yorkshire, however, he is looking to remain at Leeds.

Leeds receive approaches to sell £15k-a-week star Ilia Gruev

According to a report from TEAMtalk, a number of clubs have approached Leeds over a move to sign Ilia Gruev this summer.

The 24-year-old is being eyed up by several sides, however, it is added that the midfielder is happy at Elland Road and is looking to stay, should the Whites win promotion.

The report says that ‘Gruev is very comfortable at Leeds and believes in the project they have embarked upon’ and ‘wants to prove himself’ in the Premier League.

Currently on £15,000-a-week in Yorkshire, the Bulgaria international has missed parts of the season with a serious knee injury but has regularly been trusted by Farke, especially in away games. Farke actually hailed Gruev just last month, calling him “outstanding” for most of 2024 until his injury.

“Ilia Gruev, since he came into our line up more or less in January ’24 I would say, probably until his big injury, he was our most consistent player. He was outstanding for us, defensive-wise offensive- wise, controlled our game.

“Then he sacrificed his body. I think it was away at Norwich. Got a tackle against him. He was out for everyone said more than four months. He worked so hard and his socks off in his rehab more or less three and a half months in order to come back as quick as possible.

“Everyone was moaning when he was out about our away form, we don’t win away games anymore. Ilia Gruev, after being out for three and a half months, we brought him back, Burnley, away, clean sheet. Watford away, clean sheet, win, Coventry away, clean sheet, win.

“Yes, right now, after all his rhythm is a bit away after he was out, after he was back, after being out for three and a half months, he had one or two poorer performances in the starting lineup away at Sheffield and against Sunderland, but we still managed to win both games when he was in the starting line up and everyone is like complaining a little bit about him.”

Gruev’s future could be one to keep an eye on over the coming months, especially with Leeds being linked with a move for Borussia Monchengladbach’s Julian Weigl in recent days.