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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.

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.

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.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 19, 2025

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.

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.”

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

With Vitor Pereira having resoundingly guided the Old Gold away from any relegation danger, the goal for Wolverhampton Wanderers now will be that their Premier League campaign doesn’t peter out on a poor patch of form.

Wolves have now lost their last two games in the elite division, but amazingly, the West Midlands side still find themselves above both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in 14th position.

Pereira would have found the task of turning around Wolves’ fortunes a lot trickier if he didn’t have the explosiveness of Matheus Cunha at his disposal, with the Brazilian now a wanted man heading into this summer’s upcoming transfer window.

The latest on Matheus Cunha's future at Wolves

Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils are seemingly the frontrunners for Cunha’s in-demand signature at this moment in time, despite finding themselves below the Brazilian’s current employers in the league standings.

Indeed, writing for the Athletic lately, the reputable David Ornstein reported that “Man Utd will seek to get personal terms in place” having already “made an offer”.

Cunha would certainly ramp up the entertainment levels at Old Trafford if a move were reached, with the South American superstar helping himself to a sizeable haul of 17 goals and six assists across all competitions this season.

At points this campaign, it could be argued that the “sensational” forward – as he’s been labelled by Micah Richards in the past – has been a one-man machine for his side in their bid to stave off any relegation worries, meaning he could well struggle when he’s not the main focal point in a more pressurised environment.

Well, it’s safe to say that’s been no problem for a former Wolves flop…

Wolves flop is now a bigger name than Cunha

Cunha walked away from Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in 2023 having failed to set the world alight in Spain, culminating in Cunha picking up just seven goals and eight assists from 58 appearances.

Therefore, it could occur that the 25-year-old struggles if the Theatre of Dreams comes calling. But, in the curious case of Vitinha, the glitz and glamour of Paris St. Germain has ended up being a perfect location for him to thrive and grow after a forgettable loan stint at Molineux during the 2020/21 season.

Vitinha would only pick up one goal and one assist from 22 unmemorable Old Gold displays, but the silky number 17 has been strutting his stuff for some time now in the French capital to put any lingering Wolves demons to bed.

He has never looked back since hammering home this first-ever effort for PSG in 2023, with a further 17 goals and 11 assists being tallied up across his three-season stay to date, helping Luis Enrique’s giants reach a deserved Champions League final.

24/25

49

7

2

23/24

41

9

5

22/23

48

2

4

The former Porto man’s standout second season at the Parc Des Princes even saw a Ballon d’Or nomination come his way, amidst talk from his own manager in Enrique that he was an “incredible” asset to the dominant Ligue 1 force.

Whilst Cunha does find himself deep in a spectacular patch of form currently, it’s not a given that the hot-headed attacker will be a rip-roaring success story away from the confines of Molineux, considering he also only lasted around 50 games at past employers RB Leipzig, when offering up an average output of nine strikes.

Whereas, when assessing the £50m-rated Vitinha at this point in time, there could be even more to come still from the Portuguese livewire under Enrique’s wing, with a Champions League medal to follow not the wildest shout.

Their own Kante: Pereira plotting Wolves move for £17m "midfield destroyer"

Wolves are chasing their first summer signing

ByRoss Kilvington May 10, 2025

The bad news is that Arsenal’s campaign is set to end trophyless for a fifth year running; the good news is that there are only three games left until it’s over.

Mikel Arteta’s side had the chance to make it to only the second Champions League final in the club’s history on Wednesday night, but despite their fast start, they couldn’t get over the line.

Perhaps things would have been a little different if Kai Havertz had been fit and leading the line; as for all the criticism he gets, the German remains the club’s top scorer this season, even though he hasn’t played since early February.

However, even though he’s not been too bad when fit this season, he may well find his minutes reduced next year, as, based on reports, the club are looking at a striker who might just be an upgrade.

Arsenal's striker search

With the striker position being such a clear area to address, Arsenal have been linked with a plethora of incredible strikers in recent months, such as Jonathan David and Viktor Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

The former has scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 47 games this season, and best of all would be available for free, as his contract expires at the end of the campaign.

Gyokeres, on the other hand, could cost a whopping £70m, although as he’s managed to score a staggering 52 goals and provide 12 assists in 49 games for Sporting CP, that may well be a fair price.

However, if Arteta and Co want to spend more money on other positions in the team, they might opt for a cheaper but still effective striker to come in, which would explain the interest in Evann Guessand.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in signing the French forward.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that West Ham United, Aston Villa and Newcastle United have sent scouts to watch him in recent games, while other stories have also credited Manchester United with an interest in the 23-year-old.

A potential price is not revealed in the report, but according to other stories from the start of the year, he could be available for around £25m, which would make this potential transfer feel like a no-brainer, especially as he could be an upgrade on Havertz.

How Guessand compares to Havertz

Now, while Guessand is more than capable of playing off the right of a front three, it seems incredibly unlikely that he would ever start there ahead of Saka.

So, were he to join Arsenal in the summer, he’d almost certainly be played down the middle, in turn putting him up against Havertz for game time, but who’s the better player?

Well, when we look at their raw output, it’s incredibly close.

For example, when looking at all competitions, the German has scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 34 games, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.7 games.

This is marginally better than the Nice ace, as his 12 goals and nine assists in 40 appearances come out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.90 games.

However, when we take a look at their league records, their bread and butter, it’s the Frenchman who comes ahead, with 11 goals and eight assists in 31 appearances to the Aachen-born star’s nine goals and three assists in 21 appearances, coming out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.63 and 1.75 league games respectively.

Interesting, and quite crucially, while there isn’t much to separate them regarding their output, things start to look a lot better for the “unpredictable” 23-year-old, as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, when we take a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.67

0.59

Progressive Passes

2.85

2.89

Progressive Carries

3.11

1.67

Goals per Shot

0.19

0.17

Goals per Shot on Target

0.44

0.43

Passing Accuracy

74.0%

78.5%

Expected Assists

0.17

0.08

Key Passes

1.11

0.78

Passes into the Final Third

1.70

1.27

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.96

0.39

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.15

0.05

Shot-Creating Actions

3.19

2.01

Goal-Creating Actions

0.56

0.15

Successful Take-Ons

1.59

0.44

Ball Recoveries

3.52

1.91

In almost every relevant metric, the Ajaccio-born poacher comes out on top, metrics including, but not limited to, non-penalty goals plus assists, expected assists, progressive carries, goals per shot and shot on target, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, key passes and more, all per 90.

So, while their output is somewhat similar at the moment, the Nice gem has far better underlying numbers, so it wouldn’t be unrealistic to expect his goal and assist tallies to dramatically improve if he was in a better team.

Ultimately, Guessand is already a great forward, and with his age and the price tag, signing him this summer feels like a no-brainer for Arsenal, even if it could be bad news for Havertz’s future game time.

Arsenal line up move for PSG star who'd be a big upgrade on Martinelli

The incredibly entertaining international is just what Arsenal need this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 8, 2025

After a disappointing season, Manchester City are preparing to spend big in the summer.

Back in January, the Sky Blues spent a reported £180m, that’s more than all other 19 Premier League clubs combined, recruiting five players, namely Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah.

However, it appears as though this certainly won’t preclude the Citizens from spending big in the summer too.

So, does Pep Guardiola have his eye on a “world class” winger who some are labelling a potential Ballon d’Or contender?

Manchester City's first-choice winger target

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City have made Barcelona winger Raphinha their ‘priority target’ this summer, with Guardiola identifying him as their ‘ideal solution’ on the left-wing, while Chelsea and Al-Hilal are also interested.

The Brazilian, who joined Barça from Leeds United for £49m in July 2022, has been absolutely on fire this season, scoring 30 goals and registering 22 assists across all competitions.

In the Champions League specifically, the 28-year-old has equalled Lionel Messi’s tournament record for most goal involvements in a single season, requiring one more against Internazionale, or perhaps in the final itself, to surpass it.

This form has not gone unnoticed, with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling Raphinha a “world-class player”, while Julia Ranney of the Athletic notes that he is amongst the ‘top contenders’ to win the Ballon d’Or, actually currently the bookies’ favourite to do so.

So, he certainly will not come cheap but, given Barça’s ongoing, well-documented financial issues, perhaps a huge offer could tempt them to cash in.

Jack Grealish's Manchester City future

Guardiola is expected to oversee a major squad overhaul this summer; Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker are already confirmed departures, but many more are expected to follow, with Jack Grealish amongst those in the shop window.

This is the England international’s fourth season in Manchester and has been his least productive, as the table below outlines.

Appearances

39

50

36

30

Minutes

2,730

3,487

2,114

1,449

Goals

6

5

3

3

Minutes per goal

455

697

705

483

Assists

4

11

3

5

Starts

31

41

26

15

% of matches unused

33%

18%

39%

41%

As the table outlines, Grealish has endured a second successive miserable season at the Etihad, a key cog in the machine during the treble-winning campaign, but very much a peripheral figure more recently.

Earlier this season, Grealish went 392 days without a club goal in any competition, ending this barren streak by converting a spot-kick during an 8-0 demolition of Salford, an unused substitute for Manchester City’s last two Premier League matches, as well as nine of the last 15 fixtures he has been available for.

Richard Jolly of the Independent believes Grealish has gone from being ‘one of the most exciting attacking players in world football’ to now a player ‘who is neither exciting nor attacking’, hence why he is widely expected to be moved on this summer.

So, it probably goes without saying that Raphinha would be a major upgrade on the left wing, but let’s lay out the numbers to emphasise this assertion.

Appearances

30

49

Minutes

1,449

3,952

Goals

3

30

Assists

5

23

Goals – xG

+0.1

+5.2

Shots

31

161

Shots on target %

32.3%

39.1%

Take-on success %

37.8%

48.1%

Progressive carries

92

125

Shot-creating actions

65

212

Goals-creating actions

3

32

Touches per 90

38

51

Unsurprisingly, Raphinha – who Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley described as “Europe’s best player in 2024/25” – comes out on top for every single metric we could find when compared to Grealish this season.

Thus, if the Sky Blues were able to lure the Brazilian back to England, it would be a major coup, and could be the statement signing they require to reinstate themselves as title favourites again.

Imagine him & Doku: Man City chasing one of the world's "most talented LBs"

Manchester City are seeking to sign “one of the most talented left-backs in world football”, who could form a brilliant partnership with Jérémy Doku.

ByBen Gray Apr 24, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are now considering the possibility of poaching a star from Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca now prepared to let him go.

Ange Postecoglou faces crucial Europa League quarter-final

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is currently preparing for his most important match since taking over as manager.

Collymore urges title-winning manager not to join Tottenham after Levy talks

The pundit thinks he’d be making a big mistake.

5 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 5, 2025

The Lilywhites take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, and many see the tie as pivotal in determining Postecoglou’s long-term future at N17.

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

It is truly Europa League or bust for the Australian, who is relying on a good run in Europe to have anything to shout about from this campaign. Sitting 14th in the table after 16 defeats in the league alone, Postecoglou is statistically on course to become Spurs’ worst ever Premier League manager.

He’ll be desperate to make history in the Europa and restore some of his reputation, amid protests surrounding the club’s unpopular ownership by supporters. Large sections of the Spurs fanbase rallied against Daniel Levy and ENIC again on Sunday, so there is continuous pressure on the board to start delivering on-field success.

They warmed up for their clash with Frankfurt in solid fashion, relegating bottom side Southampton, with goals from Brennan Johnson (2) and a late Mathys Tel penalty handing Spurs all three points.

As Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is repeatedly linked with becoming the new Tottenham manager to replace Postecoglou, major uncertainty surrounds the 59-year-old’s future, but the Spurs recruitment team are also planning for new players ahead of next term.

Tottenham planning "surprise" move for Chelsea star Noni Madueke

According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Chelsea winger and England international Noni Madueke is on their radar.

Tottenham are planning a “surprise” move for Madueke this summer, while it is also believed that Maresca will sanction his exit, which would free up a move for the north Londoners to strike a deal for PSV Eindhoven’s ex-starlet.

At his best, Madueke has really shone as part of Chelsea’s front three this term, especially during the first half of 2024/2025, but Maresca apparently has doubts whether the 23-year-old can fit into his system long-term.

As a result, Tottenham could look to re-sign Madueke seven years after he departed their youth set-up for PSV.

“He is top,” said personal technical coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst to Sky Sports.

“For me, he is one of the best young forward players in Europe, easily. A lot of focus has been on Cody Gakpo at PSV, because of the World Cup, but Noni is up there.

“He is one of the best, if not the best, because he is so dynamic, so strong in one-v-ones, so technically gifted, so athletic.”

According to GiveMeSport, Chelsea would sell for a “marginal profit” on the £29 million they paid to initially sign Madueke, so Levy wouldn’t have to break the bank. However, they also report that Aston Villa and Newcastle are in the race.

It is fair to say that the season has not gone to plan for Glasgow Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, after their latest defeat to Hibernian last weekend.

The Gers are 13 points adrift of their city rivals at the top of the table, with just six matches left to play, and are set to miss out on the title for the fourth year running.

Barry Ferguson was brought in to replace Philippe Clement on an interim basis until the end of the season and has already lost two of his five Premiership matches in charge of the club to date.

The campaign is not completely over for the Light Blues, though, as they remain a contender in the Europa League, with a clash with Athletic Bilbao at Ibrox coming up on Thursday.

Ferguson has a chance to etch his name in Rangers history, as a manager rather than a player this time, by delivering success on the European stage, and he could look to draw inspiration from Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s run to the final in 2022.

The Dutchman led Rangers to the final, only to lose to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties, and one of the key stars in that campaign was winger Ryan Kent.

Why Ryan Kent was a key player for Rangers

The English forward, who currently plays for Seattle Sounders in the MLS, was a pivotal player for van Bronckhorst and Rangers over the years, particularly in that Europa League run.

In the 2021/22 campaign, Kent started 12 of his 13 appearances in Europe and contributed with one goal, five ‘big chances’ created, and three assists from a left wing position.

This shows that the former Liverpool winger provided an excellent creative threat for Rangers in the Europa League, which is what he did throughout his Gers career in all competitions.

Kent typically played down the left wing and had the ability to either go down the outside on his weaker left foot or to chop inside to make things happen on his strong foot, causing constant problems for opposition full-backs.

22/23

44

3

10

21/22

46

3

19

20/21

52

13

14

19/20

33

8

4

18/19

43

6

9

As you can see in the table above, Kent was an incredibly creative player in his final three seasons at Ibrox, whilst his goalscoring output decreased, with 43 assists in those three campaigns combined.

This shows that Rangers could rely upon the English attacker to create openings for his teammates on a consistent basis at the top end of the pitch, which played a key role in their run to the Europa League final run under van Bronckhorst.

The Light Blues lost 2-0 to Hibernian last time out and creating chances from the attacking midfield positions was an issue for Ferguson’s side.

Why Rangers need to change their starting line-up

Vaclav Cerny, Mohamed Diomande, and Hamza Igamane lined up in the three attacking midfield roles behind Cyriel Dessers in the loss to Hibs, with Cerny on the right, Diomande in the middle, and Igamane on the left.

Unfortunately, though, they only created three chances and one ‘big chance’ between them, along with zero shots on target, and that is why Ferguson must consider making changes to his XI ahead of the clash with Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.

Igamane started on the left but the change that the manager should make is to move him centrally and to drop Cyriel Dessers from the team, opening up that position on the flank.

Appearances (starts)

10 (7)

8 (4)

xG

5.41

1.16

Goals

3

4

Big chances missed

9

0

Conversion rate

17%

31%

Assists

2

1

As you can see in the table above, the Morocco international has significantly outperformed the Nigerian forward in the Europa League this season and appears to be the best option to start in the centre-forward role, due to his clinical finishing ability.

Dropping Dessers to play Igamane through the middle would then provide Ferguson with the chance to unearth his own version of Ryan Kent by playing Nedim Bajrami on the left flank against Athletic Bilbao.

Why Nedim Bajrami could be the new Ryan Kent

The Albania international, who made the move to Ibrox on a permanent deal from Sassuolo last summer, has only played 31 minutes across the last two Premiership matches, but he has the potential to be Kent 2.0 if given an opportunity to start.

Chalkboard

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

Bajrami has played 33 times for Rangers in the Europa League and the Premiership combined for the Light Blues this term and has only racked up three goals and one assist in that time.

You would not immediately compare him to Kent based on those statistics, as he has only delivered one assist in 33 games, but his underlying statistics suggest that he has been incredibly unfortunate this season.

The 26-year-old playmaker has created ten ‘big chances’ in those matches and has only been rewarded with one assist, which shows that his teammates have let him down with their wasteful finishing rather than it being a case of him lacking creativity in his play.

Bajrami, whose footwork was described as “magnificent” by Willie Miller, was compared to Kent by Kris Boyd earlier this season, as the ex-Gers forward wrote that they offer similar qualities on the left flank, creating space for others by cutting in from the left flank.

Appearances (starts)

9 (8)

Goals

1

Key passes

14

Big chances created

6

Pass accuracy

82%

Dribbles completed per game

1.9

Dribble success rate

65%

As you can see in the table above, the Albanian whiz has been incredibly creative in the Europa League, but has not been rewarded with assists because of poor quality finishing from others.

In fact, Bajrami has created more ‘big chances’ for the team than Kent did in four more appearances during van Bronckhorst’s Europa League run, which illustrates how impressive his creativity has been.

20 goals in 55 games: Rangers have already sold incredible Dessers upgrade

The Rangers star sold by Steven Gerrard would now be an upgrade on Cyriel Dessers.

ByDan Emery Apr 8, 2025

Therefore, Ferguson can find his own version of the English forward by unleashing the ex-Serie A playmaker on the left flank, whilst moving Igamane into the middle, because of his creative quality, cutting in on his right foot from the left.