Just one more game until Arsenal fans can forget all about what has been a seriously disappointing season.

For the third year on the bounce, Mikel Arteta’s side look set to finish as runners-up in the Premier League, and while injuries have certainly played their part, the players just haven’t hit the level required.

For example, Gabriel Martinelli, who many hoped was just having an off year last season, has once again underwhelmed for much of the campaign, and looks a shadow of the winger who took the league by storm in 22/23.

In fact, his lacklustre showings this year might be about to cost him his place in the starting lineup, as recent reports have linked the club with a sensational winger who could be the perfect upgrade.

Arsenal's winger search

Given the lack of impact Arsenal’s left-wingers have had this season, it’s been unsurprising to see them linked with a number of top-quality left-wingers in recent weeks, like Daizen Maeda and Rodrygo.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could be available for just £25m this summer, which may well be a bargain, as in 50 appearances for Celtic this season, he has managed to score a staggering 33 goals and provide 12 assists to boot.

Rodrygo, on the other hand, could cost up to £85m, but given his vast experience with a club the size of Real Madrid and the fact he’s racked up 23 goal involvements in 50 games this season, that may well be a fee worth paying.

However, Arteta and Co might want to go out and spend a little less on a winger who has experience in a top-five league and could still be an upgrade on Martinelli, someone like Jamie Gittens.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal hold a genuine interest in Borussia Dortmund’s young star.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are racing against Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Chelsea for the Englishman’s signature, which could cost them around €55m, or £46m.

It might sound like a lot for a 20-year-old, but given Gittens ability and immense potential, this is a transfer worth pursuing, especially as he could also be a serious upgrade on Martinelli.

How Gittens compares to Martinelli

So, while Gittens can play on both wings, which is already a big bonus to signing him, he’s a natural leftwinger, and with Bukayo Saka being who he is, the left is where he would primarily play at Arsenal.

Therefore, one of his primary competitors for game time at the club would be Martinelli, but who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, from an output perspective, it’s the Dortmund ace who comes out on top, as in 50 appearances, totalling 2791 minutes, he has scored 12 goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.82 games, or every 164.17 minutes.

In contrast, the Brazilian ace has scored ten goals and provided six assists in 50 appearances, totalling 3493 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.12 games, or every 218.31 minutes.

What about when we take a look under the hood, then? At their underlying numbers?

Non-Penalty G+As

0.56

0.49

Progressive Passes

2.13

1.98

Progressive Carries

5.74

4.86

Shots

2.64

2.07

Shots on Target

1.22

0.89

Passing Accuracy

76.5%

71.2%

Key Passes

1.07

1.50

Shot-Creating Actions

3.70

2.71

Goal-Creating Actions

0.51

0.24

Tackles Won

0.96

0.61

Interceptions

0.51

0.20

Successful Take-Ons

3.91

1.30

Carries into the Final Third

2.84

1.30

Carries into the Penalty Area

3.20

2.51

Ball Recoveries

3.20

3.08

Well, it is once again a win for the 20-year-old, as in practically every relevant metric, “England’s best LW,” as Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley dubbed him, comes out on top.

Those metrics include things like non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots and shots on target, successful take-ons, shot and goal-creating actions, tackles won, interceptions, carries into the penalty area, passing accuracy and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, everything from Gittens’ raw output to his underlying numbers suggests he’s the far superior winger to Martinelli, and when you add in the fact he’s three years younger, signing him becomes a total no-brainer for Arsenal.

Arteta has struck gold on Arsenal star worth millions more than Mbeumo

Bryan Mbeumo has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 21, 2025

Leeds United are now “making regular checks” on a £16m striker, who could join instead of Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson, according to a report.

Update on Leeds' pursuit of Wilson

A visibly upset Wilson appeared to say farewell to the Newcastle crowd on Sunday afternoon, with the English striker poised to leave the Magpies upon the expiration of his contract in the summer.

The striker has played a sporadic role for Eddie Howe’s side this season, predominantly featuring as a substitute, and he could now be in line to move to a fellow Premier League side, where he wouldn’t have to compete for a starting spot with a striker of Alexander Isak’s quality.

Leeds have expressed an interest in the Englishman, as they look to bring in players with top-flight experience to avoid an instant return to the Championship, but there has now been a new update on their interest in the striker.

According to a report from Football Insider, Leeds now have doubts about signing Wilson, with transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealing that Dinamo Kyiv’s Vladyslav Vanat has been identified as a potential alternative option.

O’Rourke said: “It would be a gamble… [Vanat] has a good goalscoring record for Dinamo Kyiv in Ukraine. He does have a release clause of around £16million, so relatively cheap in today’s market as well.

“It’ll be a huge gamble, but I’m sure that Leeds’ scouts and all those other teams will have been making regular checks on him, and they’ll recommend if they think he could do it in the Premier League or not.”

Related Leeds could land their own Florian Wirtz by signing "outstanding" £33m star

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Posts ByDan Emery May 25, 2025 "Powerful" Vanat would be an interesting gamble for Leeds

Given that Vanat has no experience in a major European league, having never played outside his home country of Ukraine, it would be a gamble for Leeds to pursue a move this summer, but there are some indications it could be a risk worth taking.

The Ukraine international maintained a solid goalscoring record throughout the 2024-25 campaign, playing a major role in his side securing the Ukrainian Premier League title.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Ukrainian Premier League

28

17

4

Europa League

8

1

1

Champions League qualifying

6

2

2

Ukrainian Cup

3

1

2

Football scout Ben Mattinson has also been left impressed by the 23-year-old in the past, claiming he could make an immediate impact in the Premier League.

Wilson may have proven himself in the Premier League, but the Newcastle striker is now 33-years-old and has a patchy injury record to say the least, so Vanat could be a fantastic alternative option.

The transfer window is just around the corner, and it feels set to be an era-defining one for Arsenal.

While a third second-placed finish on the bounce is far from ideal, Mikel Arteta’s side have proven without a shadow of a doubt now that they are one of the very best teams in the country, but they’ve also shown that they lack a cutting-edge up top.

Therefore, it’s hardly been surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers in recent weeks and months, with two of the most significant being Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.

However, while either would surely improve the Gunners, recent reports have linked them to someone who’d be a better signing than both.

Arsenal's Sesko & Gyokeres alternative

Before getting to the superstar in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other centre-forwards who have been touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, like Julian Alvarez and Joao Pedro.

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 been linked with the North Londoners quite heavily over the last week or so, and while it would be hard to pry him away from Atlético Madrid a year after he joined them, it would be worth trying as in just 54 games this season, he has scored 29 goals and provided seven assists.

On the other hand, Pedro could be available for close to £100m, which, for all his undeniable talent, does feel a little steep, as he’s only played 30 games this season, in which he’s scored ten goals and provided seven assists.

In other words, the Brazilian marksman doesn’t feel like he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres, unlike Alexander Isak.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Mail Online, the Newcastle United striker remains in the picture ahead of the summer.

While the report claims that a transfer feels unlikely due to his price tag now being ‘north of £100m,’ it also reveals, crucially, that the Swedish international is ‘Arteta’s preferred choice.’

It would be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but given Isak’s unreal ability, it’s one well worth going all out for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres.

Why Isak would be a better signing than Sesko & Gyokeres

So, let’s start off with the most straightforward and significant reason why Isak would be a far better signing than Sesko: his output.

For example, in just 42 appearances for the Toon this season, totalling 3324 minutes, the 25-year-old “bagsman,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 27 goals and provided six assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 100.72 minutes, which is undeniably superb.

Appearances

42

45

Minutes

3324′

3258′

Goals

27

21

Assists

6

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.78

0.6

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.72′

120.66′

In contrast, the Leipzig star has found the back of the net 21 times and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes this season, which comes out to a good but less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.

Now, that might be a little crude, but when it comes down to a striker, the most important metric is their raw output, and when it comes down to it, that’s something the former Real Sociedad star has over the Slovenian.

However, things get a little more complicated when it comes to Gyokeres because, by that same logic, his absurd haul of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances suggests he’d be the better poacher to bring to the club this summer.

Yet, that’s not the case, and the crucial reason why is that the former Coventry City gem has no experience of football in a top five league.

There is a genuine risk that the Stockholm-born star could be a repeat of Darwin Núñez, who moved to Liverpool off the back of producing 38 goal involvements in 41 games for Benfica in the 21/22 campaign and just finished this season with a haul of 14 goal involvements in 47 games.

Ultimately, if Arsenal can, they should be doing all they can to sign Isak this summer, as he’s already a far better goalscorer than Sesko and has far more experience playing and thriving in the toughest competitions than Gyokeres.

Better than Sane: Arteta makes £50m winger Arsenal's new priority signing

The international star would be a great addition to Arsenal’s squad this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 29, 2025

Glasgow Rangers went into Sunday’s clash already at Ibrox knowing that the result was more or less immaterial as their second-placed finish has already been confirmed.

Since their city rivals won the Scottish Premiership title at the end of last month, Rangers have known that they cannot finish as low as third and they cannot win the division, leaving the Light Blues stuck in second place with little to play for in the remaining games of the season.

The Light Blues should already be focused on what they need to do in the upcoming summer transfer window in order to turn the tide and compete for the title in the 2025/26 campaign.

A new first-team head coach will be a big part of their plans because Barry Ferguson is currently in interim charge until the end of the season, having come in to steady the ship after Philippe Clement was dismissed earlier this year.

However, the Scottish giants will also know that they will have some difficulties on their hands when it comes to dealing with interest in their stars from elsewhere.

For example, Premier League sides Aston Villa and Leeds United are reportedly lining up moves for Nicolas Raskin, who is valued at £20m by the Gers, ahead of the summer window.

Why losing Nicolas Raskin would be a big blow for Rangers

If Leeds or Villa are able to complete a deal for the former Standard Liege star, losing the Belgium international would be a big blow for Rangers and the next manager to walk through the doors at Ibrox.

Raskin recently won the Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year at the club’s awards night, which speaks to how highly the supporters and his own teammates value his performances this season.

The central midfielder has combined impressive play on the ball, scoring two goals and providing nine assists, with dominant defensive work out of possession, making 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 58% of his duels, across 31 appearances in the Premiership.

Raskin also caught the eye with his fantastic performances for the Light Blues in the Europa League before the club were knocked out by Athletic Club in the quarter-finals.

Appearances

12

Tackles per game

3.7

Interceptions per game

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

7.4

Ground duel success rate

50%

Aerial duel success rate

55%

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old dynamo excelled at winning the ball back for his side, with a whopping five tackles and interceptions per game on average, and more than held his own in physical battles.

These statistics reinforce how much of a blow it would be to lose the midfielder to Villa or Leeds this summer because of how impactful he can be in both the Premiership and the Europa League.

However, a fresh report has emerged on the club’s interest in a new central midfielder who could come in as a dream replacement for Raskin.

Rangers lining up move for £4m star

According to The Scottish Sun, the 49ers have Basel loanee Metinho at the top of their list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window, once their takeover is finalised.

The report claims that the Light Blues are lining up a move for the central midfielder ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and that he is valued at £4m at this moment in time.

Metinho is currently on loan at Basel from Troyes, having spent the first half of the year at Sparta Rotterdam, and the Gers are hoping to reach an agreement with the French side in the coming weeks.

Transfer Focus

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

The Scottish Sun adds that there is also interest from several teams in the English Championship and that the 49ers want to fast-track a deal for the young star, which could mean that they bring him in before they even appoint a new manager.

Why Rangers should sign Metinho

Rangers must push to sign Metinho ahead of those teams in England because he could come in as the dream replacement for Raskin in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Signing the 22-year-old star from Troyes could soften the blow of losing the Belgium international, should he move on from Ibrox in the coming months.

The Brazilian midfielder struggled for game time with Sparta Rotterdam in the first half of the season, starting two of his 12 appearances in the Eredivisie, before a loan move to Basel sparked his campaign into life.

Since joining the Swiss giants, the £4m-rated star has been a key figure in the middle of the park, starting eight of his ten appearances in the Super League, and has caught the eye with his defensive work.

Appearances

10

Pass accuracy

86%

Tackles per game

3.1

Interceptions per game

1.1

Ball recoveries per game

4.7

Ground duel success rate

69%

Aerial duel success rate

45%

As you can see in the table above, Metinho has averaged 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game, which is more than the 3.6 that Raskin has averaged in the Premiership for Rangers this term, and won an eye-catching 69% of his ground duels.

Clearly, the Troyes starlet still has areas for improvement, including his success in aerial contests in the middle of the park, but he appears to have the raw defensive materials to be an excellent signing for the Scottish giants.

Metinho could be the dream replacement for Raskin by arriving at Ibrox to provide a similar level of defensive quality in midfield by breaking up attacks with tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries at a similar rate.

In possession, the Brazilian star also ranks within the top 2% of midfielders in the Men’s Next 14 competitions over the last 365 days for progressive carries (3.49) and successful take-ons (1.83) per 90, which shows that he can provide quality as a progressive midfield player as well as being an excellent defender.

He'd be Gerrard 2.0: 49ers could hire "special" manager for Rangers

The 49ers could find their own Steven Gerrard for Rangers by hiring “pretty special” manager.

ByDan Emery May 9, 2025

At the age of 22, he is also two years younger than the Belgian star and still has time left on his side to develop and improve further, which is another reason why the youngster could be a fantastic signing for the 49ers to make, irrespective of who the next manager is going to be.

Though Liverpool have exceeded expectations by winning the Premier League in Arne Slot’s first season, FSG chiefs will know that football is a fickle game, and pre-season projections will now rank Liverpool among the favourites for the 2025/26 term.

Well, sporting director Richard Hughes certainly isn’t resting on his laurels, having acted promptly to close on full-backs Jeremie Frimpong, whose transfer has been sealed, and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, the reps of whom are engaged in advancing talks with the Anfield side.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is officially a Real Madrid player, leaving his boyhood club to join Jude Bellingham as a key part of Xabi Alonso’s Los Blancos revolution.

Thus, reinforcing the wide flanks was necessary, but Alexander-Arnold takes more than just positional value with him to sunny Spain. Indeed, the Three Lions superstar is one of the most creative players of his generation, with Jamie Carragher once remarking, “It’s like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back.”

Most Assists in Premier League History (defenders)

Rank

Player

Apps

Assists

1)

Trent Alexander-Arnold

259

64

2)

Andy Robertson

308

60

3)

Leighton Baines

420

53

4)

Graeme Le Saux

327

44

5)

Kieran Trippier

204

38

Stats via Premier League

Liverpool need a new leading playmaker, and boy, have they picked out a good one.

Why Liverpool are signing Florian Wirtz

Simply: Wirtz is one of the best attacking midfielders in the world, posting 122 goal contributions across 197 senior Leverkusen appearances.

His labours in his homeland have even seen him awarded back-to-back Bundesliga Player of the Year awards, having helped his team toward an invincible title triumph in 2023/24.

Having beaten off Bayern Munich and Manchester City in the race to secure the 22-year-old’s services, reputable sources such as Fabrizio Romano have confirmed completion is on the horizon.

Make no mistake, this is a significant coup for the Anfield side, even though Wirtz is expected to cost around £110m, all told. He will dynamise and revolutionise Liverpool’s attack, reorienting the creative hub to a more conventional berth besides.

Below are a series of ways in which Slot could field Liverpool’s frontline next season, with Wirtz in the mix. However, uncertainty reigns over Luis Diaz’s future, with Saudi side Al Nassr making the Colombian a top target ahead of the summer transfer window. Barcelona also have a long-standing interest.

Where Wirtz could feature for Liverpool

If the 28-year-old Diaz does leave, Liverpool would want to consider bringing in a replacement, with one rumoured target potentially even superseding Wirtz as FSG’s most exciting signing.

Liverpool could sign a bigger talent than Wirtz

Liverpool’s Premier League success has been an incredible thing, but it doesn’t mean Slot has led a flawless team to the title this term. Indeed, the Reds have been frustrated by forwards Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, both of whom are expendable.

Earlier this month, GIVEMESPORT revealed that Real Madrid’s Rodrygo could be within FSG’s reach amid the Brazilian’s consternation from being overshadowed by teammates like Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Bellingham.

Real Madrid would rather not part with their dynamic forward, of course, and have set a lofty £84m asking price which FSG will likely need to whittle down, should they lodge an official proposal.

Though Rodrygo isn’t an out-and-out striker, he is a “world-class finisher,” as per reporter Kyle Bonn, with an elite winning mentality forged in the Santiago Bernabeu furnaces.

At face value, it looks like the 24-year-old has endured something of a difficult season for Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid. Indeed, the Brazil star scored just 13 times across 50 matches in all competitions, assisting ten goals too.

However, as you will see below, he’s proven invariably effective when unleashed from his favoured left flank, maximising his goalscoring quality.

Rodrygo – Real Madrid Stats by Position (24/25)

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Right winger

29

7

4

Left winger

12

6

6

Centre-forward

8

–

–

Stats via Transfermarkt

Though Wirtz tends to drift over to the left side, he’s more of a ten, placed behind the central striker to promote creativity. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 5% of positional peers in the Bundesliga this season for progressive passes and the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Rodrygo, fleet-footed and ferocious, would blast up and down the flanks, hopefully utilised from the left to enrich his goalscoring qualities.

His limited action this term, starting only 22 times in La Liga, as per Sofascore, hasn’t withdrawn from Rodrygo a sense of place among the modern greats, having missed only one big chance in Spain’s top flight, scoring six goals.

Furthermore, he averaged 1.6 dribbles per game and won 56% of his ground duels, speaking of a combativeness that could see him dovetail right into the Premier League, known for its rigorous nature, steely members.

Wirtz is a marquee signing for Liverpool, and that’s a fact, but there’s a case to be made that in Rodrygo, Slot would find an even brighter star. Not to the descredit of the German’s giddy talent, but the South American is something special, all right.

His versatility, deadly goalscoring ability and immense physicality all combine to suggest this is a player worth throwing the kitchen sink at. If Diaz goes, it could become a tangible prospect, and just imagine the chaos Wirtz and Rodrygo could inflict side by side.

There would be a certain degree of poetic justice to Liverpool bringing Rodrygo into their fold this summer, especially if Slot allowed him to play off the left flank, something he has yearned for but to little avail in the Spanish capital.

It would require the sale of Diaz, sure, but Liverpool could strike gold with this one, bagging an even bigger talent than Wirtz to aid their quest for unprecedented levels of sustained glory in Slot’s still-building project.

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Preparing to spend big once again this summer, INEOS are now preparing to offer £13m-a-year in contract negotiations with one of their summer targets in the hope of luring him to Manchester United.

INEOS spending big despite financial cuts

Across the last 12 months, a lot has been made about Manchester United’s financial situation. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reiterated that any job cuts or attempt to lower the Red Devils’ budget off the pitch have been necessary for the club to maintain itself. And after Manchester United missed out on Champions League qualification by losing against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, more staff were informed about their redundancy.

Man Utd want Premier League target man to play up front with Mbeumo and Cunha

The Red Devils have already signed Cunha and submitted a bid for Mbeumo.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 6, 2025

It was always difficult to guess just how Manchester United would spend this summer. The redundancies and lack of Champions League football, or European football at all for that matter, suggested that they would need to sell big before they even consider spending.

Yet, in one of the earliest deals of the window, INEOS have already spent big to trigger Matheus Cunha’s £63m release clause and reports have since arrived which give a glimpse as to how the Manchester club have already spent such an impressive fee.

As The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell revealed, Manchester United’s revenue is up and their wage bill is down from what it was, with Ratcliffe’s ruthless redundancies contributing to that.

It means that, even after Cunha, those at Old Trafford still have room to spend and have already set their sights on their next target to do exactly that in the coming weeks.

INEOS preparing stunning £13m-a-year Mbeumo offer

According to The Mirror, INEOS are now preparing to offer Bryan Mbeumo a contract worth £13m-a-year to join Manchester United this summer in what would be five times more than the £50,000-a-week he currently earns at Brentford.

What’s more, Ratcliffe and co. are also reportedly preparing to table a £60m offer to convince Brentford to sell their star man this summer – taking their spend to £123m in the space of just a few weeks.

Mbeumo only wants Manchester United, who are set to offer him a staggering £250,000-a-week to complete a summer switch. Whether the forward is worth such a price is the big question and one that many will disagree on.

Casemiro

£350,000

Bruno Fernandes

£300,000

Mason Mount

£250,000

Bryan Mbeumo

£250,000

Matthijs de Ligt

£195,000

Whilst some may disagree with Manchester United’s reported decision, the stats don’t lie. The Brentford forward hit the 20-goal mark last season and that alone should be enough to put him amongst the Red Devils’ highest earners.

Dubbed “incredible” by Brentford boss Thomas Frank last season, Mbeumo looks destined to become Manchester United’s second big-money signing of the summer.

Cursory comments regarding Newcastle United’s wealth must be frustrating for the Toon faithful, and indeed the powers that be at St. James’ Park.

While several divisional rivals have struggled to direct their hosepipe stream of transfer funds over the past several years, Newcastle have been diligent and calculated under the wing of Eddie Howe.

However, last summer’s window left plenty to be desired. In that regard, it’s all the more remarkable that Howe led his Magpies to glory in the Carabao Cup and sealed a place in next season’s Champions League proper after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

With talisman Alexander Isak expected to stay put now that Newcastle have registered themselves for a return to Europe’s elite stage, focus has turned to a right-sided forward.

However, Newcastle have already hit a bump in the road on that front.

Newcastle's search for a right winger

The overload of reports on the matter has made it clear for a while that Newcastle have held a vested interest in Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, one of the Premier League’s standout stars last season.

1.

Mohamed Salah

38

29

2.

Alexander Isak

34

23

3.

Erling Haaland

31

22

4.

Chris Wood

36

20

5.

Bryan Mbeumo

38

20

Mbeumo finished fourth in the goalscoring charts, no doubt contented with his placement given the calibre of those ahead of him, and he would have added quite the dimension to Howe’s brood, had he not rejected interest from Newcastle and a host of further suitors.

The reason? Mbeumo has chosen Manchester United as his desired new stomping ground, in spite of the Red Devils finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, another interested party.

Newcastle have missed out on Mbeumo, but they could yet secure a fantastic new winger. They might even have the perfect fit, having profiled him one year ago.

Newcastle strengthen interest in winger

According to The Northern Echo, Nottingham Forest are on alert as Newcastle gear up to reinforce their interest in Anthony Elanga, who was the subject of a rejected £50m bid on transfer deadline day in August 2024.

The Tricky Trees would expect negotiations to start in a similar ballpark, though in truth, United would perhaps need to pay north of that figure, having held initial discussions this year to discuss the possibility of a deal.

While fellow Premier League forwards Joao Pedro and Antoine Semenyo are on PIF’s radar, the 23-year-old Elanga is felt to be Howe’s leading target.

What Anthony Elanga would bring to Newcastle

Nottingham Forest signed Elanga from Manchester United for a fee of £15m in July 2023, with the young forward earning scant opportunities at Old Trafford.

Two years on, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone willing to testify that the star’s decision was a bad one, instrumental in the club’s rise into European competition last year and in staving off relegation during 2023/24.

24/25 – Forest

38

6

11

23/24 – Forest

36

5

9

22/23 – Man Utd

16

0

1

21/22 – Man Utd

21

2

2

20/21 – Man Utd

2

1

0

Still only 23, remember, the Sweden international could become a bona fide star in the years to come, with a transfer to Howe’s Newcastle sure to spark an acceleration of development.

His blistering speed and powerful athleticism even suggest Elanga could bloom into Howe’s new version of Allan Saint-Maximin, though perhaps one who offers a tad more by the way of clinical output.

As per FBref, Elanga ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for goal-creating actions and the top 3% for crosses per 90.

He didn’t rank that highly across ball-carrying metrics, but do not let this fool you: Elanga is one of the most electric wingers in England, simply reduced in his intensity due to Nuno Espirito’s pragmatic tactics (often hemmed in, Forest ranked 18th for possession with a 42% average).

He’s got that “X-factor pace”, all right, as was agreed by Sky Sports pundits Andy Reid and Jamie Redknapp. And in that regard, Newcastle could unearth their new version of Saint-Maximin, one who could offer more of a clinical threat than the fleet-footed Frenchman.

Saint-Maximin’s qualities have earned him cult status on Tyneside, with reporter Pete O’Rourke also noting his own “X-Factor” quality, having been hailed as a real “box of tricks” due to his frightening speed and dribbling prowess.

While his £23m transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli back in 2023 was bittersweet, Howe clearly knew what he was doing, however, with the winger posting 13 goals and 21 assists across 124 matches at Newcastle, a contribution rate of only 0.28.

Elanga, conversely, has been far more prolific in Nottingham, heaving an almost identical haul of 11 goals and 21 assists for the City Ground side, but doing so across just 82 fixtures in all competitions, a rate of 0.39.

Though Elanga wouldn’t bring the innate goalscoring quality of Mbeumo to the Newcastle fold, he could definitely make a big difference, promoting creativity and taking his athletic qualities into a more fitting park, with Howe’s expansive system allowing him to roam and find the likes of Isak in the middle.

Transfer Focus

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

Of course, given that he only missed six big chances in the Premier League last term, converting six more, as per Sofascore, there’s every reason Howe could fashion this talented up-and-comer into a rip-roaring sensation, one bursting with completeness and layers befitting of a place in one of the most exciting projects on the continent.

Big Wilson upgrade: Newcastle hold talks for £50m "proper quality" ST

Newcastle need to complement Alexander Isak with some fresh firepower next season.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 7, 2025

Celtic ended the 2024/25 campaign without a domestic treble to show for their efforts after they were beaten on penalties by Aberdeen in the final of the SFA Cup on Saturday.

The Hoops had taken the lead through an own goal by Alfie Dorrington, only for Kasper Schmeichel to inadvertently parry the ball back into his own net in the second half.

Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston then stepped up and missed in the penalty shootout, whilst the Dons produced an outstanding set of spot-kicks that gave Schmeichel little chance of redeeming himself.

It was a disappointing afternoon for the Hoops, who would have secured the treble if they had held on at 1-0, but it was still a successful season for Brendan Rodgers and his men.

Celtic won the Scottish Premiership title for the fourth time in as many years and beat Rangers on penalties to win the League Cup in the first half of the campaign.

One player who may have been left particularly disappointed by his afternoon was centre-forward Adam Idah, who failed to justify the manager’s faith in him as a starter.

Why Adam Idah should not be a starter for Celtic

The Hoops reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £9.5m, with an initial fee of £8.5m, to sign the Ireland international from Norwich City last summer, after he had spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Parkhead.

His last game on loan at the club came in the SFA Cup final against Rangers at Hampden Park, and the attacker came off the bench to net the winner in the last minute.

He was the super sub for the Scottish giants that day and his telling contribution to that trophy may have influenced the club’s decision to splash a significant transfer fee on the Norwich loanee.

However, Idah has failed to kick on as an effective starter for the Hoops in the 2024/25 campaign, as he still seems best suited to coming off the bench to make an impact late on.

Adam Idah: The super sub
Premiership	Starts	Off the bench
Appearances	19	16
Minutes	1,352	357
Goals	6	7
Minutes per goal	225	51
Assists	0	1
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the 6 foot 3 marksman ended the Premiership campaign with six goals and zero assists in 19 starts, which is a fairly dismal return for a £9.5m-rated centre-forward.

Of course, Saturday’s defeat to Aberdeen was another game in which Idah started and failed to score, as he was withdrawn from the action without a goal or an assist before extra time.

The statistics paint a clear picture: Idah is best-suited to playing a role off the bench as a super sub against tired defences after replacing a starting centre-forward.

That is why Celtic should be in the market to sign an upgrade on the Irishman to start on a regular basis, and they could find that upgrade by swooping for one of their January target Evan Ferguson.

Evan Ferguson tipped for Celtic move

The Hoops were linked with an interest in the Brighton & Hove Albion forward in January, but missed out on a deal as he landed at West Ham United on loan.

Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman recently suggested that the Ireland international should, now, consider dropping down to the Premiership to play for Celtic after failing to play regular minutes with the Hammers.

Transfer Focus

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

CeltsAreHere quoted him as saying: “I thought in January, and this is no disrespect to the Scottish Premiership, that Evan Ferguson should aim higher. But given what’s happened, a move to Celtic wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.

“If he goes to Celtic, he would be guaranteed goals, which would only boost his confidence and help bring out the player that we saw break through at Brighton. Evan Ferguson just needs to play football. If a move to Celtic means he can do that, then I understand why he would do it.”

Rodgers should take Goodman’s advice and reignite his interest in signing the Premier League attacker in the upcoming summer transfer window, as he could come in to be the starting centre-forward next season.

Why Celtic should sign Evan Ferguson

The Scottish giants should swoop for the Brighton youngster because he is a talented young striker with the potential to be an upgrade on Idah for the club heading into the 2025/26 campaign.

Ferguson, who was described as “phenomenal” by teammate James Milner, has endured a difficult year, with just three Premier League starts for Brighton and West Ham combined, after missing pre-season last summer due to injury.

Prior to this difficult season, though, the 20-year-old attacker had shown plenty of promise at Premier League level with Brighton in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns.

The Irish number nine scored 12 goals in the top-flight in those two years combined, which shows that the potential is there for him to be an effective goalscorer at the top level.

Evan Ferguson’s Premier League career
Season	xG	Goals	Differential
22/23	5.67	6	+0.33
23/24	3.97	6	+2.03
24/25	1.36	1	-0.36
Total	10.29	13	+1.89
Stats via UnderStat

As you can see in the table above, Ferguson – who is valued at £40m by Football Transfers – outperformed his xG in both of those seasons, illustrating how clinical he can be at his best, before his struggles this term.

Whereas, Idah scored one goal from 2.76 xG across 29 appearances in the Premier League during his time with Norwich, which shows that he did not provide as much quality in front of goal as his international teammate did for Brighton.

Whilst Ferguson is coming off the back of a poor season, due to a lack of game time and injury problems last summer, it is clear to see that he has the potential to be a huge signing for Celtic, hence why Goodman claimed he would be “guaranteed goals” in Scotland.

The 20-year-old starlet has shown that he can punish Premier League defences efficiently, with his xG-to-goal ratio, which is why he could be a big upgrade on Idah, who ended the Premiership season with 13 goals from 14.77 xG.

Worse than Schmeichel: Celtic's 5/10 forward cost Rodgers the treble

This Celtic forward was even worse than Kasper Schmeichel and ultimately cost the team the treble.

3

By
Dan Emery

May 25, 2025

This is why Celtic should pursue a deal to bring Ferguson to the club when the summer transfer window opens for business, if he is an attainable target from Brighton, to improve their options in the final third.

The defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night highlights the need for a serious overhaul at Manchester United this summer.

Ruben Amorim’s side were unable to get the better of their Premier League opponents, topping off what has been a dismal campaign on and off the pitch for the Red Devils.

The manager has attempted to make the best out of the players currently on the books at Old Trafford, but he’s so far been unable to do so in his seven-month spell at the helm.

In the aftermath of the loss, the 40-year-old stated that he would leave if the board didn’t think he was the right man for the job, but they have since backed the former Sporting CP boss to turn things around.

However, the real backing will come within the transfer market, allowing him to make the necessary changes he requires to catapult the side back to their former glory.

The latest on Alejandro Garnacho's future

Attacker Alejandro Garnacho has previously been linked with a move away from United in recent months, with Chelsea and Napoli registering interest in his services back in January.

However, the Argentine could well leave the Red Devils this window, after being benched for the Europa League final and venting his frustrations in an interview after the game.

It’s been reported by ESPN that the player and his representatives are frustrated after the loss in Bilbao, with the 20-year-old now seeing his future away from the Theatre of Dreams.

The report also claims that he already has proposals to leave the club during the off-season, but doesn’t mention how much the hierarchy would demand for his signature.

However, despite the situation surrounding Garnacho, one other player needs to be sold this summer after his dismal run within the ranks since Amorim’s arrival.

The United player who needs to be sold alongside Garnacho

United’s lowly league standing in 2024/25 is nothing short of unacceptable, especially considering the previous success endured over the last few decades.

The club have gone from fighting for Premier League titles to now sitting in 16th position and out of all forms of European football in 2025/26 – something which could impact their finances.

Whilst new signings are undoubtedly needed to improve the current situation, it could depend on departures from the current squad, with Garnacho one who looks set to be sacrificed.

However, he could be joined out of the door by striker Rasmus Hojlund, with the Danish international clearly not at the level required for future success.

The 22-year-old was bought for £72m in the summer of 2023, with huge things expected, but he’s simply failed to deliver – notching just 10 goals in his 51 appearances this season.

He’s been unable to extract his best performances, even going 21 games without a goal at one stage, leading to one content creator labelling him as a “serious problem”.

Despite his disappointing showings, he was handed a start in the Europa League final on Wednesday night, but once again showcased the need for a new talisman during the summer.

Hojlund only registered a tally of 15 touches during his 71-minute display, unable to provide the focal point or threat that was required to claim European glory.

It’s no secret that Amorim has had to stick with the former Atalanta star during the early months of his tenure, certainly wanting to recruit his own players during the upcoming window.

Games played

31

Goals scored

4

Shots taken

1.4

Successful passes per 90

11.2

Dribble success

30%

Times dispossessed

1.6

Aerials won

23%

Whilst the hierarchy would likely lose a huge chunk of their investment, it’s vital that he’s offloading in the coming months, along with Garnacho, to hand the manager the funds he needs for change.

It’s a shame that the move has been unsuccessful, with the board needing to remember such a signing in the near future as they attempt to land the clinical goalscorer they crave.

He'd send Hojlund packing: Man Utd in talks for dream Gyokeres alternative

Manchester United are making moves to land a new striker who’d end Rasmus Hojlund’s time at Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb May 23, 2025

The transfer window is just around the corner, and it feels set to be an era-defining one for Arsenal.

While a third second-placed finish on the bounce is far from ideal, Mikel Arteta’s side have proven without a shadow of a doubt now that they are one of the very best teams in the country, but they’ve also shown that they lack a cutting-edge up top.

Therefore, it’s hardly been surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers in recent weeks and months, with two of the most significant being Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.

However, while either would surely improve the Gunners, recent reports have linked them to someone who’d be a better signing than both.

Arsenal's Sesko & Gyokeres alternative

Before getting to the superstar in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other centre-forwards who have been touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, like Julian Alvarez and Joao Pedro.

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 been linked with the North Londoners quite heavily over the last week or so, and while it would be hard to pry him away from Atlético Madrid a year after he joined them, it would be worth trying as in just 54 games this season, he has scored 29 goals and provided seven assists.

On the other hand, Pedro could be available for close to £100m, which, for all his undeniable talent, does feel a little steep, as he’s only played 30 games this season, in which he’s scored ten goals and provided seven assists.

In other words, the Brazilian marksman doesn’t feel like he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres, unlike Alexander Isak.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Mail Online, the Newcastle United striker remains in the picture ahead of the summer.

While the report claims that a transfer feels unlikely due to his price tag now being ‘north of £100m,’ it also reveals, crucially, that the Swedish international is ‘Arteta’s preferred choice.’

It would be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but given Isak’s unreal ability, it’s one well worth going all out for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres.

Why Isak would be a better signing than Sesko & Gyokeres

So, let’s start off with the most straightforward and significant reason why Isak would be a far better signing than Sesko: his output.

For example, in just 42 appearances for the Toon this season, totalling 3324 minutes, the 25-year-old “bagsman,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 27 goals and provided six assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 100.72 minutes, which is undeniably superb.

Isak vs Sesko
Player	Isak	Sesko
Appearances	42	45
Minutes	3324′	3258′
Goals	27	21
Assists	6	6
Goal Involvements per Match	0.78	0.6
Minutes per Goal Involvement	100.72′	120.66′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the Leipzig star has found the back of the net 21 times and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes this season, which comes out to a good but less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.

Now, that might be a little crude, but when it comes down to a striker, the most important metric is their raw output, and when it comes down to it, that’s something the former Real Sociedad star has over the Slovenian.

However, things get a little more complicated when it comes to Gyokeres because, by that same logic, his absurd haul of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances suggests he’d be the better poacher to bring to the club this summer.

Yet, that’s not the case, and the crucial reason why is that the former Coventry City gem has no experience of football in a top five league.

There is a genuine risk that the Stockholm-born star could be a repeat of Darwin Núñez, who moved to Liverpool off the back of producing 38 goal involvements in 41 games for Benfica in the 21/22 campaign and just finished this season with a haul of 14 goal involvements in 47 games.

Ultimately, if Arsenal can, they should be doing all they can to sign Isak this summer, as he’s already a far better goalscorer than Sesko and has far more experience playing and thriving in the toughest competitions than Gyokeres.

Better than Sane: Arteta makes £50m winger Arsenal's new priority signing

The international star would be a great addition to Arsenal’s squad this summer.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 29, 2025