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Manchester United are reportedly looking to pip Tottenham to a move for Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries.

The Lowdown: Spurs contact

Dumfries, labelled as a ‘difference maker’ by Eurosport journalist Siavoush Fallahi, only made the move to Inter last summer. Since then, the 26-year-old has made 41 appearances for the Serie A giants, contributing to 12 goals.

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The Netherlands international is under contract until 2025, however, he is already a wanted man ahead of the summer, with Spurs making contact to discuss a deal.

It now looks as if Manchester United have joined the race, with a busy summer expected at Old Trafford.

The Latest: United links

Sports Witness relayed an update from Tuttosport on Wednesday regarding Dumfries and United.

They claimed that the full-back is high on Erik ten Hag’s wishlist, with a €35m figure (£29.5m) mooted ahead of a potential swoop.

The Verdict: Wan-Bissaka replacement?

Aaron Wan-Bissaka hasn’t been a regular since the turn of the year, with Paul Scholes labelling him as ‘useless on the ball’ back in November.

The 24-year-old will be entering the final two years of his Old Trafford deal this summer and has been linked with a return to Crystal Palace.

Therefore, Dumfries could prove to be the Englishman’s replacement under Ten Hag, providing United can pip Tottenham to a deal. It could be a move to keep a close eye on, but it won’t be the only transfer to watch closely ahead of Ten Hag’s first season in charge.

In other news: ‘In the coming weeks’ – Fabrizio Romano drops Man Utd transfer news as Ten Hag gets his way. 

Liverpool have reportedly made contact with Braga’s Portuguese centre-back David Carmo.

What’s the word?

That’s according to O Jogo, via Sports Witness, who claim that Liverpool are once against showing interest, with the 22-year-old expected to leave the Liga Portugal outfit this summer.

The latest report states that Braga are “very likely” to sell and that the left-footed centre-back “has already been sounded out by several Premier League clubs, including Liverpool.”

The Anfield side are said to be “following closely” as a result of Jurgen Klopp’s “recommendation.”

Braga’s chief Antonio Salvador is reportedly not interested in a sale and has stated that the clubs who are interested in acquiring Carmo’s services will need to activate his €40 million (£33.7m) release clause.

The next Van Dijk?

Klopp tried to sign  Carmo throughout last year’s January transfer window, in a deal that would have seen the Braga starlet join the Reds on loan, with a €20 million (£16.8m) option to buy.

Braga rejected their offer and about a month later Carmo suffered a nasty injury.

Carmo has started just 29% of Braga’s games this season, thanks to the ankle injury that sat him on the sidelines for 351 days.

Since his return, he has played 3-1 Europa League loss against Rangers, in which Carmo scored his side’s only goal.

In comparison to Van Dijk, Carmo has notched up some defensive numbers that, whilst similar to Van Dijk’s, just give him the edge over the Netherlands international. Carmo’s 0.7 tackles per game out do Van Dijk’s o.4 tackles per game, though both share the same clearances per game metric with an average of three.

In possession, it is an entirely different story, with Van Dijk’s 70 passes per game placing him in the elite 95th percentile, according to FBref. Carmo’s average of 34 passes per game are not so impressive, considering his position – however, both metrics can be affected by the way the team plays, with Liverpool’s possession metrics much stronger than Braga’s.

Being left-footed, Carmo would offer Klopp a slightly different option in defence. Though, if his move to Liverpool comes to fruition, he will be looking to nab Van Dijk’s spot – which will be a tough ask for the 22-year-old.

In other news: Liverpool can unearth their new Gerrard by plotting bid for “outrageous” £50m gem…

There has now been a major injury update on West Ham United star Crysencio Summerville ahead of the Premier League fixture against Liverpool this Sunday.

West Ham had to make do without the winger for the trip to AFC Bournemouth at the weekend, with Nuno’s side taking a point at the Vitality Stadium, although they will be frustrated they were unable to take more from the game.

The Hammers raced into a 2-0 lead against the Cherries, courtesy of a Callum Wilson brace before half-time, but Bournemouth fought back to earn a point, with Marcus Tavernier and Enes Unal getting on the scoresheet.

With Leeds United falling to a 2-1 defeat at home against Aston Villa, the Irons remain outside the relegation zone on goal difference, but they will need all the help they can get in the coming weeks, as there are some tricky fixtures on the horizon.

West Ham United’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Liverpool (h)

November 30th

Manchester United (a)

December 4th

Brighton & Hove Albion (a)

December 7th

Aston Villa (h)

December 14th

Manchester City (a)

December 20th

Injury update on West Ham's Crysencio Summerville ahead of Liverpool

As reported by The Standard, Nuno has now been handed a boost heading into this weekend’s fixture against Liverpool, with Summerville expected to return to training this week, having seemingly made strides towards recovering from a calf strain.

The 24-year-old is set to be in contention for the game against Arne Slot’s side, which will be welcome news for West Ham, given that Niclas Fullkrug is out due to a thigh issue, and they are keen not to overuse Wilson, despite the striker bagging a brace last time out.

Former Leeds United U23 manager Andrew Taylor has waxed lyrical about the Dutchman in the past, saying: “Everything going forward he’s fantastic at, but he doesn’t just stop there, he does the defensive work as well, he works really hard.”

Since moving to the London Stadium, however, the Rotterdam-born winger’s progress has been hampered by a number of injuries, having spent large parts of the 2024-25 campaign on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue.

That said, the former Leeds man has exhibited some promising signs this season, having already registered two assists in the Premier League, albeit both came in the 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest at the end of August.

Summerville still retains the backing of Nuno, however, who said last month: “I think he can be really important. Against Brentford, he started really well and, in terms of distance, in terms of work rate, it was a good 90 minutes for him.

“So we expect, as time goes by, to elevate his fitness, because to produce all of the actions he has to be on his top level.

The West Ham boss will be hoping for a similar performance this weekend, with his side taking on Liverpool at a good time, given that they have lost six of their last seven Premier League games.

West Ham could bring in academy star if Crysencio Summerville isn't fit in time for Liverpool Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

Nuno might already have the perfect solution to West Ham’s Summerville problem.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

Chelsea transfer chiefs are believed to be making some recruitment plans ahead of 2026, amid reports that Enzo Maresca personally wants to strengthen certain weak areas of his squad.

Chelsea's transfer plans for January amid Enzo Maresca "tension"

Reports in the build up to their dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool last weekend claimed that Maresca is unhappy with his current options at Chelsea, and there’s been some tension between the Italian and Chelsea’s hierarchy.

This has apparently been made worse by Chelsea’s summer window, despite finishing the transfer market as the Premier League’s second-biggest spenders behind English champions Liverpool.

Liverpool

£415,000,000

£187,000,000

£228,000,000

Chelsea

£285,000,000

£288,000,000

-£3,000,000

Arsenal

£255,000,000

£9,000,000

£246,000,000

Newcastle

£250,000,000

£152,000,000

£98,000,000

Man Utd

£216,000,000

£68,000,000

£148,000,000

Nottm Forest

£205,000,000

£107,000,000

£98,000,000

Tottenham

£181,000,000

£36,000,000

£145,000,000

Sunderland

£162,000,000

£44,000,000

£118,000,000

Man City

£152,000,000

£53,000,000

£99,000,000

West Ham

£124,000,000

£55,000,000

£69,000,000

via BBC

Maresca’s alleged discontent could stem from Chelsea’s lack of centre-back signings, which they’ve definitely paid for so far this season, with Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill all forced to miss Liverpool through injury or suspension.

Maresca publicly suggested that he wanted another centre-back at Chelsea before deadline day on September 1, but despite internal talks after Colwill’s ACL problem, and trying for Dean Huijsen in May, they couldn’t get one over the line.

Chelsea now want to sign a new defender as a priority for the January window instead, and some media sources report they could even bring in another striker despite completing deals for Liam Delap and Joao Pedro in the summer.

The latter is viewed more as a 10 than a number nine, while Delap is out injured and will take some time to get back up to speed once he returns from a hamstring problem — which has prompted Chelsea to consider another centre-forward (Simon Phillips).

Any new striker would likely be a cheap option, brought in on loan or a player who’s already owned by BlueCo (Simon Phillips), and you can make a case that Juventus star Dušan Vlahović could fall into the ‘bargain’ category.

Chelsea offered Dušan Vlahović as talks held with representatives

The Serbia international is out of contract at the end of this season, meaning Juve could be tempted into selling him for a cheap fee in January as opposed to losing Vlahovic for nothing next summer.

Vlahovic, who’s bagged four goals in eight appearances so far this season, is already planning for life after Turin, with his representatives speaking to a host of sides ahead of his looming exit.

That is according to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, who report that Chelsea have been offered Vlahovic as the Blues hold talks with his camp.

The 25-year-old, called a “real superstar” by members of the media during his Fiorentina days, earns a whopping £370,000-per-week at Juve, and any Chelsea terms near that amount would shatter their wage structure.

Unless Vlahovic takes a dramatic pay cut, Saudi looks like the best bet for him. That being said, Stamford Bridge could be an excellent move for Vlahovic’s career prospects.

His ability to score with both feet and dominate aerial duels would seriously complement Chelsea, offering a reliable focal point for Maresca’s attack. Additionally, Vlahovic’s top European experience shows he can handle pressure and deliver in big moments, having scored 11 goals across his Europa League and Champions League cameos since 2021/2022.

At Chelsea, he’d have the platform and service to flourish even more — feeding off Maresca’s plethora of creative wingers and midfielders to potentially devastating effect.

Leeds United are set to be without winger Dan James for their clash with Tottenham Hotspur in the last Premier League match before the international break on Saturday.

The Wales international has suffered an ankle injury and is now set to be out of action for “weeks”, per reporter Graham Smyth, which is a blow for Daniel Farke.

James has yet to deliver a goal or an assist in the Premier League in four appearances so far this season, but he was a key player for the Whites in the Championship.

The 27-year-old speedster ended the 2024/25 campaign with an eye-catching return of 12 goals and nine assists in 36 appearances in the second tier, as Leeds racked up 100 points to win the title, per Sofascore.

His absence in the coming weeks means that Farke will need to find solutions in the right-wing position to make sure that Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have enough support at the top end of the pitch.

Brenden Aaronson has shown some promising signs this season as a right winger, but it is now time for the USA international to step up and prove his worth.

Why Brenden Aaronson needs to step up for Leeds

The American attacking midfielder has started the club’s last three matches in the Premier League on the right flank, and is yet to deliver a goal or an assist in the division this season.

Aaronson’s lack of quality in the final third is a cause for concern for the West Yorkshire outfit, because it was a big problem for him and Leeds in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

The Whites were relegated from the division that season after Jesse Marsch brought the American in from RB Salzburg, and his struggles in front of goal played a role in that failure.

xG

3.87

Top 37%

Goals

1

Bottom 21%

Assists

3

Top 36%

Dribble success rate

41.5%

Bottom 23%

Duel success rate

39.8%

Bottom 33%

Aerial duel success rate

17%

Bottom 12%

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson underperformed in front of goal as a finisher, scoring between two and three fewer than expected, whilst he was also a liability out of possession.

The 24-year-old lightweight, who has lost 67% of his aerial duels this season (Sofascore), needs to show that he can be relied upon physically and technically, because his Premier League career to date has been underwhelming.

Aaronson, who failed to provide a single goal contribution against the top six in the Championship last season, has created three ‘big chances’ in the top-flight this term, but he needs to add a greater goal threat and more reliability physically to his game.

With James out for weeks with an ankle injury, the USMNT star may get a few more opportunities to prove his worth from the start in the Premier League.

Chalkboard

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

Whilst Aaronson is looking to change his reputation at Elland Road, there is another player in the squad who is on the opposite path and is in danger of becoming the next version of the American.

Ao Tanaka was a certified star for Leeds in the Championship last season as part of Farke’s dominant possession-based side that stormed the league. The step up to the Premier League, however, has come as a bit of a culture shock to the central midfielder.

Why Ao Tanaka might become the new Brenden Aaronson

The Japan international won the Players’ Player of the Year award for Leeds in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows what his teammates thought of his exceptional performances in the second tier.

Tanaka, who was described as a “tiger” by Farke, won 55% of his duels across 43 appearances in the Championship. He was dominant in his physical battles, per Sofascore, whilst also providing quality at the top end of the pitch.

The 27-year-old midfield maestro scored five goals and provided two assists in the division for the Whites, to go along with his tigerish play out of possession.

However, the step up in physicality in the top-flight has left Tanaka struggling to break his way back into the team ahead of Sean Longstaff, Ethan Ampadu, and Anton Stach.

Journalist Graham Smyth recently raised concerns over the midfielder, saying: “My concern with Tanaka was physicality in the Premier League. He got run over a few times towards the end of the last season. I worried a little bit, against the most elite athletes in the Premier League.”

The central midfielder has played four times in the Premier League so far this season, per Sofascore, and he has struggled to deal with the ‘most elite athletes’ that he is now up against in the top-flight.

Tackles

1

Bottom 5%

Duels won

3

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

16.7%

Bottom 3%

Ball recoveries

8

Bottom 28%

Dribbled past

6x

Bottom 5%

Fouls committed

2

Bottom 25%

As you can see in the table above, Tanaka ranks incredibly poorly among his positional peers in a host of defensive and physical metrics, which illustrates how difficult the adaptation to the league has been for him, winning just 17% of his duels.

Per Sofascore, the midfield star has not won a single aerial duel in 169 minutes of action in the Premier League, whilst he has also lost 80% of his duels on the ground in that time.

Tanaka lost four of his five duels in a ten-minute cameo against Bournemouth on Saturday, per Sofascore, which led Smyth to express his concerns over the midfielder’s struggles with the physicality of the Premier League.

Of course, he has only played four matches in the division, and there is still plenty of time left for him to adapt to the physical nature of the league, but his performances so far have been concerning.

Bigger bargain than Longstaff: Leeds star is now "one of the best in the PL"

This Leeds United signing was an even bigger bargain than Sean Longstaff.

ByDan Emery Sep 30, 2025

Therefore, Tanaka is in danger of becoming the next Aaronson at Elland Road, as the American lightweight has struggled with the physicality of the division throughout his career in West Yorkshire.

One of the biggest talking points around Leeds United at the moment is their struggles at the top end of the pitch in the 2025/26 Premier League season so far.

Four games into the new campaign, Daniel Farke’s side have failed to score a single goal from open play in the top-flight after they won the Championship title with 95 goals scored last term.

Lukas Nmecha’s penalty against Everton at Elland Road on the opening day of the season is the only goal scored by the Whites in the league so far.

The West Yorkshire outfit failed to find the back of the net in losses to Arsenal and Fulham and in their draw with Newcastle United, which is a cause for concern even at this early stage.

xG

3.8

15th

Goals scored per game

0.3

19th

Open play goals per game

0.0

Joint-20th

Shots on target per game

2.0

20th

Big chances created

5

17th

Touches in the opposition’s box

74

17th

As you can see in the table above, Leeds have been one of the worst teams in the division in the final third across the first four matches of the campaign.

This woeful start to the Premier League season in front of goal has led some to question the decision to send Largie Ramazani out on loan to Valencia.

Why Leeds should have kept Largie Ramazani this season

Farke decided to send the Belgian forward out on loan for the 2025/26 campaign instead of keeping him around to compete for a position out wide in his 4-3-3 system.

The German head coach now has Noah Okafor, Brenden Aaronson, Jack Harrison, Wilfried Gnonto, and Dan James at his disposal to play on the left and right flanks.

That is despite concerns over some of them not being up to the task of playing in the Premier League. Per Sofascore, James provided one assist in 24 games and Aaronson managed three in 36 outings in the 2022/23 top-flight campaign, whilst Harrison did not register an assist in 34 league games for Everton last season.

Okafor, meanwhile, is playing in England for the first time after he failed to register a single assist in 15 outings in the Serie A during the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

Ramazani has already set up one goal in two games for Valencia in LaLiga, one of Europe’s best leagues, whilst Leeds are still waiting for one of their attackers to record an assist in the Premier League.

Non-penalty xG

0.54

Top 2%

Shots on target

1,84

Top 2%

Goals

0.69

Top 2%

Assists

0.23

Top 20%

Chances created

1.50

Top 32%

Dribbles completed

2.07

Top 15%

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian attacker made the most of his limited minutes in the Championship last season, averaging 0.92 goals and assists per 90.

Ramazani scored six goals and provided two assists in the league, despite only starting seven games, per Sofascore, and it feels like Leeds are currently lacking the attacking spark that he can provide in the final third.

The winger is not the only player shining in a major European league whom the Whites made a mistake with, though, as the club had an even bigger howler by selling an Italian star.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Leeds had goalkeeper Elia Caprile on their books until Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta decided to sell him to Bari for £1.4m in 2022. That has turned out to be a fairly significant misstep by the club.

Why Leeds made a mistake with Elia Caprile

What the Italian shot-stopper has gone on to achieve in his career in the last three years, since leaving the Whites for £1.4m, shows that the club made a mistake by cashing in on him when they did.

After one season in the Serie B with Bari, Italian giants Napoli swooped to sign him in the summer of 2023 and loaned him out to Empoli for the 2023/24 campaign.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig called Caprile a “superstar” during his time with Bari, as he kept 15 clean sheets. His impressive form carried over to the Serie A, as the shot-stopper saved 75% of the shots on his goal and prevented 0.96 xG across 23 top-flight outings for Empoli.

The 24-year-old star prevented 3.33 xG and saved 70% of the shots on his goal in 22 Serie A games for Napoli and Cagliari combined in the 2024/25 season, which led to him sealing a permanent move to Cagliari in the summer transfer window this year.

Caprile, who is valued at £7.8m by Transfermarkt, has proven himself to be a reliable shot-stopper in the Serie A for several reasons. He has also outperformed new Leeds signing Lucas Perri in the current campaign.

Appearances

3

3

Sofascore rating

7.23

6.07

Saves per game

3.7

1.0

Save success rate

85%

38%

Goals prevented

+0.66

-1.99

Error led to shot/goal

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the former Italy U21 international has been far better as a shot-stopper for Cagliari in the Serie A than the Brazilian has been for the Whites in the Premier League.

Leeds reportedly paid £15.6m to sign Perri from Lyon in the summer, which was a significant investment by the club, but it looks like the player they once let go for £1.4m would be an even better option for them at this moment in time.

Therefore, the Whites had a howler when they allowed Caprile to move on from Elland Road because they let him leave before giving him an opportunity to show his class on the pitch for the club.

That is why the decision to sell him was an even worse decision than the one to loan Ramazani out this summer, because they made a definitive call on the goalkeeper, whilst the Belgian winger is only out on loan and could return in January or next summer.

It's not Darlow: Leeds star is in danger of becoming their new Meslier

This Leeds United star is in danger of becoming the next Illan Meslier at Elland Road.

ByDan Emery Sep 16, 2025

Leeds could have had a goalkeeper who has the quality to deliver outstanding performances at the top level between the sticks without having to splash £15.6m on a new shot-stopper if they had kept Caprile, which could have freed up funds for more quality in the attacking areas.

Manchester United find themselves needing to work within certain financial parameters, which may lead them to bring in a well-known free agent if reports are to be believed.

Diego Leon becomes latest star to join Man Utd

Matheus Cunha became Manchester United’s first arrival of the window after moving to Old Trafford from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and another South American talent has now joined him in the form of Paraguay Under-20 international Diego Leon.

Coming in from Cerro Porteno, the left-back stated upon his arrival: “First of all, I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to defend such a great badge as Manchester United. I promise to give my best every day, in training, on the pitch, and off it. Thank you to the club for the trust and to my family for always being by my side.

“I hope to bring a lot of joy to all the Manchester United fans and everyone who supports me on this journey. One more goal achieved. From Paraguay to the world. Let’s go, Red Devils!”

Bryan Mbeumo is at the top of Manchester United’s wishlist, and there is still hope the Red Devils could finalise a deal to sign the Cameroon international by Monday after weeks of both parties trying to find an agreement.

Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz could be brought in at Old Trafford to strengthen Ruben Amorim’s engine room, with Jadon Sancho heading in the opposite direction after his spell at Chelsea.

INEOS make £320m: AI predicts players Manchester United will sell this summer

It could be a busy summer ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge.

1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 21, 2025

Missing out on Champions League qualification has left Manchester United needing to juggle their finances to conduct business this summer without falling foul of the authorities, leading them to enter the race for an unattached England international.

Man Utd in contact to sign free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin

According to The Sun, Manchester United want to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and they have made contact with the former Everton striker to ascertain whether he would be interested in a ‘shock’ move to Old Trafford.

The England international earned £100,000 per week at the Toffees and would likely command a hefty pay packet. However, the Red Devils are willing to put forward a ‘lucrative’ deal including appearance-based bonuses to land his services, with Amorim personally keen on the striker.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s record at Everton

Appearances

273

Goals

71

Assists

22

Labelled “dangerous” by Ian Wright, the 28-year-old is seen as a reliable third or fourth striking choice at Manchester United. He would also carry the carrot of homegrown status for registration purposes.

Nevertheless, Calvert-Lewin has suffered numerous injury problems over the last few years and managed only 26 appearances last term, scoring three times.

On his day, the former Sheffield United man is an effective focal point and a tough competitor for defenders, though it is fair to say his recent statistics don’t point to him being a prolific option should he make the move to Old Trafford.

Newcastle United are active in the hunt for reinforcements and internal discussions are ongoing at St James’ Park over a potential move for an exciting attacker, according to a report.

Newcastle United discover opening Premier League fixtures

The Premier League fixture schedule has landed ahead of the new campaign, and it is fair to say Magpies fans will be salivating over the prospect of their side being back in competitive action.

Facing Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Liverpool within their first few matches won’t be easy, but there will be plenty of confidence within the camp that a strong platform can be built ahead of another enthralling season.

With a trip to Villa Park first up, intrigue will start to grow over potential activity in the North East over the next couple of months. Simon Jordan believes Newcastle’s position of relative strength should be more of a talking point as they gear up to go to battle in the top-flight.

He stated: “I think the answer to the question is where is there not an intriguing story? Look around the league. Look at all the teams that are in there. Look at Newcastle.

“Newcastle are now in the Champions League. They have got the spending restrictions probably back into play now and they can go again hard.”

Joao Pedro has emerged as a key target for Newcastle in their mission to juggle domestic football and Champions League participation, with talks open over a move for the Brazil international.

Roma’s Evan Ndicka could join Howe’s revolution, but it appears that extending their pool of depth across the front four position has become the main priority for the Geordies if recent reports are anything to go by.

Newcastle discuss West Ham United man Mohammed Kudus

According to The Athletic, Newcastle have internally discussed a move for West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus amid uncertainty over his future at the London Stadium.

Previously, reports came to light detailing that Magpies owners PIF feel they can afford a swoop for Kudus as a cheaper alternative to Brentford star Bryan Mbuemo.

He'll make Isak better: Newcastle set to hold talks over signing £60m star

Newcastle are finally starting to slam down the pedal in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 17, 2025

The Ghana international has a release clause of around £75 million. However, it is widely acknowledged that he won’t move for as high a fee, and Newcastle appear to have taken encouragement due to the fact his name has been mentioned in the corridors of power.

Labelled “brilliant” by Graham Potter, Kudus registered five goals and four assists last campaign in 35 appearances across all competitions, which isn’t bad going given the Hammers endured a disappointing season.

Making his presence known in attack, the 24-year-old created 31 chances in the Premier League and fits the bill as a versatile attack-minded addition for Howe due to his ability to function on either flank or through the middle.

Newcastle’s targets are beginning to evolve this window and Kudus is now near the front of their mind amid his potential availability.

Despite concerns that they may lose their Europa League spot, Crystal Palace are pushing ahead with their transfer business and have now reportedly joined the race to sign a £150,000-a-week midfielder.

Latest on Crystal Palace's Europa League status

Crystal Palace not only sealed history by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final, they also sealed their place in next season’s Europa League. Or so they thought. The Eagles could yet have their bubble burst by UEFA, whose rules state that owners cannot have multiple clubs in the same competition.

John Textor is the majority owner of Lyon, who qualified for the Europa League in France, and the solution to the matter is a complicated one. The South London club are also unable to drop into the Europa Conference League after David Blitzer, who owns a stake in both Palace and Danish side Brondby, saw the latter qualify for UEFA’s third competition.

UEFA has reportedly rejected Crystal Palace’s offer to place Textor and Blitzer’s shares into a blind trust – following the route that Manchester City and Manchester United took to avoid the same situation – after those at Selhurst Park missed the deadline to register the trust.

Whether a solution comes to the fore remains to be seen. Chairman Steve Parish and Textor reportedly held a meeting with UEFA on Tuesday in an attempt to reach a resolution but, as things stand, Crystal Palace’s European place is at serious risk.

Crystal Palace hold strong interest in £30m defender also wanted by Bayern

The Eagles have now identified a defensive “phenomenon” as a priority target.

ByDominic Lund Jun 5, 2025

The part that UEFA’s verdict could play both on and off the pitch for Palace is undoubtedly important. Without their Europa League place, the Eagles will undoubtedly struggle to welcome the same calibre of stars and may even lose some of Oliver Glasner’s key men. Whilst the situation rumbles on, however, so is their transfer business.

Crystal Palace battling to sign Kalvin Phillips

According to Caught Offside, Crystal Palace are now battling to sign Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City this summer. The midfielder is once again on the move – this time potentially permanently – and could finally revive his career following mixed fortunes on loan at West Ham United and Ipswich Town.

Selhurst Park could make perfect sense too. Rumours have been coming thick and fast regarding Adam Wharton’s Crystal Palace future and they’re only likely to intensify if the Eagles lose their Europa League place. The South London club must, therefore, prepare for the worst and that’s where Phillips could prove to be a top candidate to arrive, especially since he reportedly wants to leave The Etihad this summer.

An experienced midfielder who even has two Premier League medals to his name, the main stumbling block for Phillips this summer could be his reported £150,000-a-week salary. What may make those negotiations easier, however, is the fact that Phillips is represented by the same agency as Palace shot-stopper Dean Henderson.

Going into the final day, it is very much all to play for if you’re an Aston Villa supporter.

Last Friday night, the Villans beat Tottenham 2-0 at Villa Park, thanks to second-half goals from Ezri Konsa and then Boubacar Kamara.

This means, having won eight of their last nine Premier League games, Unai Emery’s team sit sixth, outside the coveted Champions League spots by virtue of goal difference.

Nevertheless, they could still gatecrash the top five with victory over Manchester United on Sunday, if just one of Chelsea fail to win at Nottingham Forest, Newcastle fail to beat Everton or Manchester City lose at Fulham comes to pass simultaneously.

Those bedecked in claret and blue heading to Old Trafford on Sunday will need their transistor radios at the ready, but could this turn out to be a final Villa appearance for one of the club’s most beloved figures?

The latest on Emi Martínez's Villa future

According to widespread reports, including from Mick Brown of Football Insider, goalkeeper Emi Martínez is expected to leave Aston Villa this summer.

Speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Dan Bardell says “it looks like he’s going to go”, which he believes will be a “huge loss”, describing the Argentine World Cup winner as “irreplaceable”, while acknowledging that Villa have to sell a key player before 30 June to comply with Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

Numerous clubs are interested in his services.

Jacob Tanswell and Gregg Evans of the Athletic note Saudi Pro League ‘interest’, reports in Argentina note that Manchester United have ‘made an offer’, while Eduardo Burgos Rodríguez of AS claims that Atlético Madrid have begun ‘informal inquiries’.

Since arriving from Arsenal for £20m in 2020, Martínez has made 211 appearances for the Claret and Blue Army, becoming an undisputed fans’ favourite, also picking up back-to-back Yashin Trophies at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, being named the best goalkeeper in the world.

However, with the 32-year-old seemingly set to depart, could Villa actually recruit an upgrade?

Aston Villa's target to replace Martínez

According to a report by Birmingham Live, Aston Villa are ‘interested’ in signing Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García.

James McNicholas and David Ornstein of The Athletic document that Arsenal are also in the running to sign the 24-year-old Spaniard, who has a €25m (around £21m) release clause.

According to a report in Spain, this will plummet down to just £12.6m, if Blanquiazules are relegated on the final day of the La Liga season come Saturday evening.

How García could actually improve Aston Villa

Given this interest, could García actually be an upgrade on Martínez? Well, let’s assess the numbers to find out.

Appearances

52

37

Minutes

4,590

3,330

Clean sheets

15

7

Goals conceded

61

51

Saves

146

136

Save %

71.6%

75%

Penalty saved %

33.3%

33.3%

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

+4

+7.1

Opposition crosses faced

605

655

% of crosses stopped

11.2%

9.3%

Pass completion %

79.3%

71.5%

Errors leading to an opposition shot

8

4

Average Sofascore Rating

7.25

7.37

As the table outlines, Martínez and García’s statistics are broadly very similar this season, which is certainly impressive from the Spaniard’s point-of-view, considering his team are hovering just above the La Liga relegation zone.

García’s save percentage is impressive, but the statistic that stands out the most is his post-shot xG – goals allowed figure of +7.1, which means he ranks tenth across all of Europe’s top five leagues, or fourth if you remove Ligue 1 from the equation, behind only Nikola Vasilj (St. Pauli), Mile Svilar (Roma) and Finn Dahmen (Augsburg).

For context, Martínez is down in 104th when it comes to the same metric.

Analyst Ben Mattinson labels García “one of the highest potential goalkeepers in the world right now”, elsewhere praising his “cross claiming” and “composure on the ball”, assertions that are supported by the data.

Meantime, Sive Vishwa of Breaking the Lines backs him to become ‘one of the best goalkeepers’ of his generation, while Fintan O’Reilly of Total Football Analysis believes García has been the ‘all-round best performing young goalkeeper’ across Europe this season.

So, as much as Villa supporters adore Martínez, if they’re able to replace him with a highly-rated shot-stopper, who is six years his junior, for a bargain fee, from a business point of view, this does make sense doesn’t it?

Aston Villa in pole position after talks to sign "powerful" 18 y/o sensation

He’s a rising star.

ByTom Cunningham May 22, 2025