Sunderland are believed to be looking to sign an “elite” attacking player during the summer transfer window ahead of rivals Leeds United.
Sunderland agree Alderete fee
It has been a relentless summer for the Black Cats in the market, with Regis Le Bris adding a huge amount of depth to his squad ahead of their return to the Premier League.
The latest addition for Sunderland looks likely to be Getafe defender Omar Alderete, with a £10m deal reportedly agreed to sign the 28-year-old. The Paraguayan started 34 La Liga matches last season, proving to be a key man, winning an average of three aerial duels per game.
Black Cats supporters will certainly be hoping that the club’s summer business still isn’t done there, however, with Sevilla centre-back Loic Bade also strongly linked with a move to Stadium of Light in recent days.
Now, a new name has been thrown into the mix for Sunderland, as they look to bring in additional quality at the other end of the pitch ahead of their Premier League opener at home to West Ham on Saturday.
Sunderland make contact to sign Leeds striker target
According to Il Messaggero [via Sport Witness], Sunderland have made an approach for Roma forward Artem Dovbyk ahead of fellow promoted side Leeds United.
The 28-year-old is wanted by both promoted Premier League clubs, and West Ham, with his current club demanding over £23m for his signature this summer, with the Black Cats making an enquiry.
Dovbyk is an experienced attacker who could add much-needed firepower to Sunderland’s squad, having scored 17 goals in 45 appearances for Roma, not to mention 11 in 36 caps for Ukraine.
The attacking ace is right in his peak years, so it wouldn’t be a case of the Black Cats signing a youngster who is still maturing, and journalist Zach Lowy has described him as an “elite” player.
“Victor Osimhen is going to be the most pursued center forward this summer but I don’t think Artem Dovbyk will be too far behind. He’s approaching the prime of his career as a CF and has proven to be not just a fantastic finisher, but an elite target man with link-up ability too.”
If Sunderland were able to beat Leeds and West Ham to Dovbyk’s signature, it would feel like an added bonus, especially in terms of getting the better of one of the other promoted sides from last season, as they have already done with midfielders Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki.
Sunderland are "very hot" in pursuit of "elite" £30m Europa League winner
It’s a potential big boost for Regis Le Bris.
ByHenry Jackson Aug 11, 2025
Plenty of goal threat is needed if Le Bris’ men are to stand a good chance of avoiding a return to the Championship, and Dovbyk could be a strong addition to aid that issue.
Former Birmingham City winger Jermaine Pennant has backed the Blues to make a “clever signing” after the club registered their interest in a deal earlier this month.
Chris Davies and Co have been hard at work this summer, improving the squad with fresh faces in order to mount an Ipswich-esque charge on back to back promotions.
The Blues romped to the League One title last season and have added several exciting signings to a squad already brimming with quality, with former Celtic superstar Kyogo Furuhashi the pick of the bunch while the return of Demarai Gray will get fans off their seats.
Birmingham signings: in pictures
Perhaps the one area still in need of reinforcements is the number nine department, with Tyler Roberts not an out and out striker and Kyogo more of a versatile forward who floats between roles, leaving Jay Stansfield with a lot of responsibility to stay fit and firing.
Indeed, earlier this month reports revealed the Blues are moving to rectify that situation with an approach for Leicester legend Jamie Vardy, who is a free agent after his contract with the Foxes expired earlier this summer.
Pennant backs Blues to sign Vardy
Speaking to Football FanCast on behalf of Adventure Gamers, former Birmingham winger Pennant backed a move for Vardy due to the experience and goal threat he could provide off the bench.
Vardy’s goalscoring record and longevity is indeed remarkable, racking up 244 career goals for club and country, including nine in the top flight last season despite Leicester’s perilous form.
At his peak, the 38 year-old’s tireless running in behind was bordering on unstoppable, leading Arsene Wenger to try and sign him for Arsenal after being pipped to the Premier League title by the Vardy-led Foxes.
“I offered him a lot of money at the time,” Wenger said back in 2021. “Leicester had just won the championship at the time in 2016, and they absolutely did not want to lose him and offered him a longer contract with approximately the same money if not more.
Leicester
500
200
Fleetwood
40
34
England
26
7
Halifax Town
4
3
“He is always in the game. He doesn’t look like he mentally gets out of the game and the great strikers are like that. It means he will score at some stage. Even when he misses a chance he stays in the game.”
Vardy’s record in the Championship suggests he would have no problem adapting to a new role at St Andrews either, scoring or assisting 54 times in 98 appearances in the competition.
Leeds United confirmed their latest signing of the summer transfer window on Tuesday when they welcomed 6 foot 4 defensive midfielder Anton Stach to the club.
The German star has put pen to paper on a four-year contract to join Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Sean Longstaff, and Lukas Nmecha in arriving at Elland Road this summer.
Whilst there is, clearly, plenty of work going on behind the scenes to bolster the club with new signings, there is also the possibility that Leeds could move on from some players.
It was recently reported that Spanish sides Real Betis and Celta Vigo are both interested in signing Mateo Joseph, who has asked to move on from Elland Road this summer.
The Whites are said to value the Spain U21 international, who came through the academy set-up at Thorp Arch, at a fee of around £10m, and it remains to be seen if either team are willing to pay that price for him.
Why Leeds may sell Mateo Joseph
On the face of it, selling a 21-year-old, academy graduate, Spanish youth international who has shown promise as a striker may not seem to be an attractive prospect for Leeds.
However, selling Joseph for £10m, should a team meet that valuation, would strengthen the club’s situation with PSR and potentially allow them to reinvest more money into their starting XI for the upcoming Premier League season.
Whilst the Spanish striker is an exciting prospect, it is fair to say that he is not expected to be a regular starter for the Whites in the top-flight, after the forward scored three goals in 39 appearances, including 11 starts, in the Championship last season.
Appearances
39
Starts
11
xG
5.10
Goals
3
Big chances missed
6
Big chances created
4
xA
1.47
Assists
3
Joseph failed to establish himself as a regular starter in the second tier, as Joel Piroe took the number nine mantle, and there is little to suggest that he is suddenly going to emerge as a Premier League-grade centre-forward in the next few months.
This is why it may make sense for Leeds to decide to cash in on him now to improve their team in the short-term as they look to avoid an instant relegation from the top-flight.
Whilst some may read that and think that the Whites would be ruining their long-term prospects, given Joseph’s age, in pursuit of a short-term objective, that may not be the case.
That is because the Premier League newboys are reportedly interested in a deal to sign another centre-forward who is even younger than Joseph, but could provide more quality on the pitch in the short term.
49ers in talks to seal new Leeds signing
According to Turkish-Football, the 49ers are interested in a deal to sign 19-year-old Besiktas centre-forward Semih Kilicsoy to bolster Daniel Farke’s squad.
The report claims that they have identified the Turkey international as a ‘prime target’, as they look to add to their attacking options ahead of the Premier League campaign.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds that the Whites are impressed by the teenage forward’s potential and that they believe that he could be an excellent long-term signing for the club this summer.
The outlet states that the Turkish giants would be willing to part ways with the young attacker for a fee of up to £18m, because they recently signed Tammy Abraham to lead the line for the team next season.
Leeds could take advantage of that situation by offering Kilicsoy a chance to come to Elland Road to play regular football in the Premier League, and he could play alongside another exciting new addition.
The Whites are reportedly chasing a deal to sign £30m-rated Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao, who would love to play alongside the Turkish forward because of his potential as a finisher.
Why Leeds should sign Semih Kilicsoy
The 49ers could seriously bolster Farke’s options at the top end of the pitch by securing deals for both Paixao and Kilicsoy, who could form an exciting partnership in the final third.
In the 2024/25 campaign, the Feyenoord attacker created 12 ‘big chances’ and registered ten assists in the Eredivisie from the left flank, whilst he also assisted four goals in 11 games in the Champions League for the Dutch side, to go along with his 16 goals in the division.
Igor Paixao for Feyenoord.
This shows that the Brazilian star is a fantastic creative threat down the left wing, having assisted 15 goals in those two competitions last season, which is why he would love Kilicsoy, who could be an upgrade on Joseph in front of goal.
As aforementioned, the £10m-rated Leeds striker underperformed his xG by scoring three goals from 5.10 xG. Meanwhile, the Besiktas forward has shown promise as a finisher over the last two seasons in the Super Lig.
Appearances
55
Starts
31
xG
9.90
Goals
14
Big chances created
11
Assists
6
As you can see in the table above, Kilicsoy has overperformed his xG by roughly four goals in the last two seasons, whilst he has also created 11 ‘big chances’ in 31 starts.
The Turkish star, who was described as a “powerful” forward by analyst Ben Mattinson, has showcased his ability to ruthlessly finish the high-quality chances that are created for him, which is why Paixao could love him as a winger who has the quality to consistently create those kinds of openings.
Besiktas forward Semih Kilicsoy.
This means that Kilicsoy could come in as an upgrade on Joseph, due to his goal return and his overperformance as a finisher, whilst also being a dream partner for Paixao.
However, it is now down to the 49ers to ensure that they win the races for both of these players so that Farke has them as options to pick from when he comes to selecting his team in the Premier League next season.
He'll send Harrison packing: Leeds chase deal to sign "explosive" £30m star
Leeds United remain interested in a deal to sign a star who could send Jack Harrison packing this summer.
Tottenham could be poised to implement a host of intriguing changes throughout Thomas Frank’s squad this summer, and not just in terms of incoming new players.
Tottenham open talks with Premier League club to sign £30m star with Kudus
The Ghanaian isn’t Spurs’ only target.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2025
Frank is set to welcome West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus to Hotspur Way after Spurs and the east Londoners shook hands on a £55 million deal earlier this week, with the 24-year-old coming in as their first major signing of the window.
They’re also set to sign Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White for around £60 million, who’s poised for a medical today following quick-fire talks, with Daniel Levy making serious statements in a show of backing to his new manager.
However, while these signings are undoubtedly a huge boost for Frank, it is worth noting that the arrivals of Kudus and Gibbs-White means that Spurs will “almost certainly” have to sell at least one player (The Telegraph).
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
This is due to their current abundance of non-locally trained players, which will go up to 24 after Kudus comes in. As things stand, this will force Tottenham to tackle their Champions League campaign with a reduced squad list, as UEFA requires at least eight players of a 25-man Champions League squad be ‘locally trained’.
If Spurs or any other club fail to meet this requirement, the maximum number of ‘A-list’ players will be reduced to compensate for it.
With the Lilywhites now forced into the position of potentially needing to sell squad members after Kudus’ signing, even if Gibbs-White falls into the ‘locally trained’ category after coming through Wolves’ academy, it remains to be seen what impact this UEFA headache will have.
In terms of the best candidates for Daniel Levy to consider shipping out the Spurs exit door, there are a few.
They’ve already agreed to loan Alejo Veliz to former club Rosario Central, confirming the transfer earlier this week, but there are a few who could join the Argentine.
Frank won’t want to lose Cristian Romero to Atlético Madrid, but the La Liga side are still attempting to sign him (AS), while there is a belief that Tottenham are much more open to selling Richarlison after an injury-blighted 2024/2025.
Son Heung-min has also entered the final 12 months of his contract, and Levy could be tempted to make money back off the South Korean’s sale, rather than lose him for free next year, amid interest from Saudi Arabia and Los Angeles FC.
Yves Bissouma wants to leave Tottenham and join Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahçe
According to Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu, Levy could have another sale opportunity in the form of Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma.
The Mali international, like Son, has entered the final 12 months of his contract, and the north Londoners are prepared to take a small loss on the initial £25 million they paid to sign him from Brighton in 2022.
Sabuncuoğlu states, via news aggregator Fener Ajans on X, that Levy will let Bissouma leave for £20 million this summer, and Fenerbache are seriously interested in the 28-year-old. The reporter also claims Jose Mourinho has identified Bissouma as his top midfield target for the Süper Lig giants, and he wants to join the former Tottenham boss in Turkey.
The £100,000-per-week ace was exceptional for Ange Postecoglou during the 59-year-old’s debut season in the dugout, and has displayed flashes of brilliance since, with James Maddison calling his teammate a “ridiculous player” at times.
However, the trouble with Bissouma has been surrounding his consistency, and now could potentially be the time to cash in.
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.
Leeds United’s summer transfer business is now in full swing.
Lukas Nmecha is their first official surprise capture, with the news coming out of the blue that the former Manchester City striker will link up with Daniel Farke’s men after his Wolfsburg contract expired.
The newly promoted Whites don’t look to be content with just Nmecha joining the building to improve their attacking potency, however, with Leeds chasing down the services of Fulham forward Rodrigo Muniz as well.
Leeds enter advanced talks for £29m striker
It remains to be seen whether the club’s pursuit of Muniz goes on to be a success story – considering Fulham have already turned down a whopping £32m approach.
However, Leeds are now reportedly setting their sights elsewhere in attempting to further bolster their centre-forward options.
As per a new report from Sky Italia – which has been relayed by Sport Witness – Leeds have now submitted a significant bid in the £29m range for the services of US Lecce star Nikola Krstovic.
The report states that Krstovic may need some convincing to relocate to England, with the Serie A hotshot perhaps waiting it out, instead of jumping at the Whites’ advances, for a move to come his way up the Italian top division.
Montenegro international Nikola Krstovic.
At this stage, however, no Serie A outfit has expressed an interest in the Montenegro international, with Leeds perhaps in the driver’s seat now over a deal if their bid is to be believed.
How Krstovic compares to Nmecha & Muniz
Amazingly, despite just landing Nmecha, Leeds could win an instant upgrade on the German by the 25-year-old’s arrival through the door.
Moreover, if the Cottagers aren’t willing to budge on Muniz, Krstovic might be deemed as a dream alternative to the pricey Brazilian, with the Lecce number 9 a constant source of entertainment in Serie A last season.
Between them last campaign in league action, Nmecha and Muniz powered home a combined 11 goals, with the in-demand Fulham man doing a lot of the heavy lifting with a hefty eight coming from him alone.
Krstovic would manage that amount just on his own when leading the line for Lecce in Serie A, whilst also managing to find himself on the scoresheet in Coppa Italia action for his relegation-threatened outfit.
Games played
37
19
31
Goals scored
11
3
8
Assists
5
0
1
Shots*
3.7
1.1
1.3
Shots on target*
1.1
0.5
0.6
Big chances missed
9
5
5
Big chances created
5
0
1
Total duels won*
4.9
2.1
3.7
Of course, the Lecce attacker did start a lot more games for his Italian employers last season in the league, but when it comes to looking at all their respective statistics side-by-side, only one individual looks ready to lead the line for Leeds week in week out, and that’s Krstovic.
The 25-year-old immediately sticks out with more goals and assists next to his name, but when you delve even deeper, he also shines brighter when winning more duels on average and also creating more big chances as a valued teammate.
Nikola Krstovic
Additionally, the Serie A gem wouldn’t feel too fazed by the prospect of being a marksman that Leeds have to rely on to push to safety, with a remarkable 11 of Lecce’s 27 overall league strikes last season – as the Italian minnows just finished above the relegation zone in 17th – coming courtesy of the dangerous Montenegrin.
For £3m cheaper than Muniz, it’s a no-brainer to go after this striker target instead of chasing after the expensive Fulham man, with Krstovic even previously being hailed as possessing a “hunger for goals” by one of his former bosses in Roberto D’Aversa.
Firpo replacement: Leeds now keen to sign UCL star who's "likely to leave"
Junior Firpo is set to leave the club at the end of the month.
It is non-negotiable that Tottenham Hotspur need to recruit new signings this summer ahead of Thomas Frank’s first full campaign in charge, with the Dane looking to build on Ange Postecoglou’s historic Europa League triumph.
Frank holds Tottenham talks over signing £300k-p/w ace who's open to joining
The Spurs boss has been discussing him with Lilywhites hierarchy.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025
Spurs’ memorable night in Bilbao at the end of last month ended their 17-year-long wait for a piece of major silverware whilst simultaneously gifting them a spot in next season’s Champions League draw.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Their place in Europe’s most prestigious competition has been described as “huge” in terms of their recruitment plans, and it means that chairman Daniel Levy no longer has to adopt a ‘sell to buy’ policy (Sky Sports).
The Lilywhites have already put their European financial windfall to good use, striking a permanent deal for Mathys Tel last weekend for a cut-price £30 million fee, and he’s unlikely to be their last winger signing.
Tottenham have apparently approached West Ham over signing Mohammed Kudus, who they’re prepared to pay £50 million for, whilst the likes of Man City star Jack Grealish, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, Southampton’s Tyler Dibling and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked this week.
Grealish’s £300,000-per-week wages are a stumbling block in potential Spurs talks for the England international, while West Ham are thought to want around £65 million for Kudus as well.
Even the teenage Dibling could cost as much as £51 million to prise away from St. Mary’s, so quality wingers with Premier League experience are likely to come at a premium.
The need for another wide player is exacerbated by reports that Son could leave Tottenham this summer, and Mbeumo in particular is believed to be a “priority” target for Frank.
Tottenham have "firm offer on the table" for Bryan Mbeumo
That is according to inews, who also report that Mbeumo has a “firm offer on the table” to join Spurs before deadline day on September 1.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after the match
While Man United remain in pole position to sign the Cameroonian as things stand, the Red Devils still need to “significantly” increase their opening bid of £55 million, which has been called nowhere near Brentford’s valuation of their top scorer last season.
inews echo a recent report by Fabrizio Romano that Spurs made Mbeumo’s signing a priority as soon as Frank came through the door, and the 25-year-old is still tempted by the prospect of a reunion with his former manager amid United’s pursuit.
Mbeumo’s 20-goal haul in all competitions last term makes him a very attractive potential signing for Levy, especially considering Son’s links with a move to Saudi Arabia, but other reports claim the Bees value their star man at around £70 million.
“The big praise goes to Bryan,” said Frank during their time together at the Gtech Community Stadium, via The Athletic.
“He has grown more and more to be a key player for us. He works so hard, he’s a fantastic pressing player and can score goals and get assists, but maybe lacked enough goals. He works very hard on his finishing.”
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.”
Newcastle United manager EddieHowebefore the match
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