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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.

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Celtic enjoyed another successful season in 2024/25 under Brendan Rodgers, winning another Scottish Premiership title while also lifting the Scottish League Cup.

The Hoops narrowly missed out on a domestic treble, however, attention is already turning to the new campaign with additions already made in the transfer market.

Kieran Tierney’s return to Celtic Park has now been confirmed, with the left-back joining on a free transfer after his contract at the Emirates expired. Talking after re-joining Celtic, Tierney was delighted.:

The Scot will be looking to add to his tally of 11 Celtic honours over the coming years, but who else could join Tierney and Fulham youngster Callum Osmand through the Parkhead door this summer?

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Grok the AI tool on X, has predicted five more signings Celtic could make this summer, totalling more than £20m.

AI predicts 5 players Celtic will sign this summer 1 Mathias Kvistgaarden Brondby (£8m)

A new attacking addition looks set to be on the to-do list at Parkhead, with Mathias Kvistgaarden a long-term target for the Hoops.

Wanted by Celtic over the last 12 months, they have once again been linked with a move this summer. The closest Rodgers’ side have come to signing Kvistgaarden was in January after Kyogo Furuhashi left to join Rennes.

Grok have put an estimated £8m transfer fee on a deal as Celtic search for their Kyogo replacement.

2 Lennon Miller Motherwell (£5m)

Lennon Miller continues to be a man in-demand after starring at Motherwell, with Celtic among the many clubs looking to sign the talented teenage midfielder.

Recent claims have suggested that the Hoops are set to go back in for the 18-year-old after seeing a bid turned down in January, and Grok thinks a transfer could be worth £5m for the now Scotland international.

Amid reports of Sunderland looking at signing Miller for £10m, Celtic may well be delighted if they can sign him for half the price.

3 Harley Mills Peterborough United (£2m)

Despite already signing Tierney, Celtic could still yet bring another left-back to Glasgow to replace Greg Taylor.

Peterborough United’s Harley Mills may well be that man to provide competition to Tierney, with an approach made by the Hoops for the EFL ace.

Mills starred at Wembley for Peterborough against Birmingham in their Vertu Cup final victory, scoring a free-kick, and he could cost up to £2m according to Grok.

4 Nilson Angulo Anderlecht (£5m)

Celtic have been predicted to bring in a South American winger over the coming months, and Nilson Angulo, dubbed as “the next Neymar” in the media, may well be that man.

An Ecuador international, the Hoops recently expressed an interest in signing Angulo, who can play on either flank. He has already played in the Europa League for Anderlecht and is still just 21 years of age.

Grok say a ‘young, dynamic winger would fit Rodgers’ vision for Champions League impact’, and Angulo could be that man in a deal potentially worth up to £5m.

5 James Penrice Hearts (£2m)

Described by Grok as a domestic solution for defensive depth, Hearts left-back James Penrice is another who has been backed to move to Celtic Park this summer in a deal worth up to £2m.

This comes after Celtic scouted the 26-year-old, who impressed at Tynecastle in what was a struggling Hearts side.

As well as playing in his primary left-back role, Penrice can also turn out as a left midfielder or as a central midfielder, providing plenty of versatility for Rodgers.

Liverpool have now expressed their intention to trigger the release clause of a “sensational” star, with their offer set to be accepted, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

Reds stepping up summer transfer plans

With the Premier League title wrapped up, the Reds can now start to look ahead to the summer transfer window, and despite a remarkable first season in the Anfield dugout, it appears as though Arne Slot is looking to strengthen his squad in a number of areas.

Given that Andy Robertson is now 31-years-old, a long-term heir may be required at left-back, and the Premier League champions have now identified AFC Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez as their top target, with a deal set to be possible for £45m.

Talks have also been opened over a deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, with Slot looking to bolster his options in attacking midfield, while Federico Chiesa could be included as part of a swap deal for Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman.

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With Trent Alexander-Arnold deciding to join Real Madrid this summer, Slot may also have to bring in a new right-back to compete with Conor Bradley, and there has now been a new update on the pursuit of Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong.

Taking to X, Tavolieri has claimed that Liverpool are “closing” in on a “deal” for Frimpong, having now expressed their intention to trigger the defender’s release clause, which is thought to be in the region of £34m.

The offer is set to be accepted by the German club, opening the door for a move to Anfield, with personal terms not expected to be an issue. Reliable reporter David Ornstein previously revealed the right-back is keen on joining Liverpool and Tavolieri claims Frimpong will “soon” be a Red.

Versatile Frimpong could be ideal option for Slot

With Trent set to exit Anfield this summer, Bradley will be the only senior right-back on the books, and Micah Richards believes the Northern Irishman is good enough to become the new first-choice option.

However, with Slot looking to compete on all fronts next season, the manager may feel more depth is needed at right-back, and there are signs that Frimpong could be a top signing, having previously been lauded as “sensational” by members of the media.

Another perk of signing the Dutchman is the fact that he is also capable of playing further forward, predominantly featuring at right-midfield this season, which indicates he could provide cover for Mo Salah, should the Egyptian get injured or need resting.

As such, the fact that a deal is edging closer to completion is fantastic news for Liverpool, who will be pleased to have found a replacement for Trent so early, rather than the process of finding a new right-back dragging on throughout the summer.

While their Premier League ambitions have ultimately come to nothing for a third season on the bounce, Arsenal have started to look far better in recent weeks.

They dispatched Fulham at home and Ipswich Town away in the league and utterly dominated Real Madrid home and away in the Champions League, with the likes of Mikel Merino, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka stepping up in a big way.

However, another player has really started to come good in recent weeks: Gabriel Martinelli.

He was simply sublime against Fulham, scored the winning goal at the Bernabeu and then bagged his 50th for the club at Portman Road at the weekend, but even then, it might not be enough, as recent reports have linked the Gunners’ with a Ballon d’Or contender who could be a dream upgrade on the Brazilian.

Arsenal's hunt for a new winger

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other names linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Rafael Leao.

The AC Milan superstar is enjoying another brilliant campaign at the San Siro this season and has already amassed a haul of 22 goal involvements in 45 appearances, but according to reports, it would cost the Gunners around £86m.

A slightly cheaper but nonetheless exciting option is 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 Sporting CP star was on the Gunners’ radar last year, but it looks as if he really could be making his way to the Emirates this summer, and considering he’s scored 47 goals and provided 11 assists in just 46 appearances this term, he’d be more than worth the reported £60m price tag.

Another star from the continent who’d be more than worth his price is Raphinha.

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal are one of several sides who have been hinted at by intermediaries that they could sign Barcelona star Raphinha this summer.

Alongside the North Londoners, Liverpool and Chelsea have also reportedly been told they could land the Brazilian superstar this year, although to do so, they’ll have to stump up the club’s asking price of around £80m.

It could be an incredibly costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Raphinha’s ability, it’s one well worth fighting for, even if it would be bad news for Martinelli.

How Raphinha compares to Martinelli

Now, while Raphinha can play on both wings and has even played in attacking midfield at times, he’d almost certainly play off the left were he to join Arsenal for two reasons: it’s his most played position, and nobody is going to displace Bukayo Saka.

With that said, Martinelli would likely be the former Leeds United star’s most significant competition for game time in North London, so who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, when it comes to their raw output, which is what matters most for an attacker, it’s not even close, as the Barcelona ace comes out miles ahead.

For example, in 48 appearances this term, totalling 3924 minutes, he has racked up a frankly astonishing tally of 30 goals and 23 assists, which comes out to an average of 1.10 goal involvements every game or one every 74.03 minutes.

It’s the sort of output which more than justifies Thierry Henry’s shout for him to win the Ballon d’Or earlier in the season.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 11 has scored nine goals and provided six assists in 44 games, totalling 2978 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.93 games or one every 198.53 minutes, which is hardly even comparable.

Appearances

48

44

Minutes

3924′

2978′

Goals

30

9

Assists

23

6

Goal Involvements per Match

1.10

0.34

Minutes per Goal Involvement

74.03′

198.53′

Furthermore, on the international stage, the “amazing” Barcelona star, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 33 appearances for the Seleção, whereas the former Ituano gem has scored just two goals in 16 appearances.

Ultimately, while Martinelli has stepped up in recent weeks and is starting to look like the player from the 22/23 campaign, his output still pales in comparison to Raphinha’s, so if there is any chance of signing the latter, Arsenal must take it.

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Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma brought their fear factor in the chase in a proper takedown of pace as well as spin

Deivarayan Muthu09-May-20242:15

Rapid Fire Review: Head and Abhishek, or Salt and Narine?

“Oh, wow!”This was Abhishek Sharma’s reaction to his strike rate of 205.64 in IPL 2024. The rest of the world reacted similarly to the unreal demolition job led by Travis Head and Abhishek on Wednesday in Hyderabad.They chased down 166 in a mere 58 balls. It was the highest-ever ten-over score in men’s T20 cricket. Head clattered 89 not out off 30 and Abhishek 75 not out off 28. Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul did not know what hit them.Related

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Mumbai Indians knocked out after SRH demolish LSG

Travishek (Travis and Abhishek) had clattered a world-record 125 together in the powerplay in Delhi earlier this season while batting first. Perhaps, fearing that history might repeat itself in a high-stakes fixture, with the race for the playoffs heating up, Rahul opted to take first strike and challenged Sunrisers Hyderabad to chase a target, something that has bothered them this IPL.History, however, did repeat itself, with Travishek bringing their fear factor in a chase too. As for LSG, they’ve been particularly efficient at defending totals. Since their inception in 2022, they’ve batted first in 22 games, and have won 15. Their win-loss ratio of 2.5 is the best among all teams in the league. On Wednesday, though, they had no answer to SRH’s opening salvo and their defence was breached even before they could bring in their Impact Player.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”I’m lost for words,” a shell-shocked Rahul said after the match. “We watched that kind of batting on TV but this was like unreal batting…I have no words to describe how well they were hitting the ball. Everything seemed to find the middle of the bat and I guess kudos to the skill level and I’m sure all of them have worked really, really hard with their six-hitting ability and you can see that in the middle.”We always knew that we were a lot of runs short but the way they batted even if we had gotten 250, it seemed like they would get it.”LSG had entered the game with solid plans. They gave offspinner K Gowtham his first match of the season and matched him up with the left-handed pair of Head and Abhishek in the powerplay on what appeared like a sluggish surface in the first half. But SRH’s openers took the pitch out of the equation and whacked Gowtham for 29 in his first two overs.Gowtham had aimed to take the ball away from Head from around the wicket, but the batter jumped out of his crease, didn’t allow the ball to turn and launched a six into the sightscreen. Gowtham then shifted to plan B – bowl into the pitch and slide it into the body of Head – but the result was still the same, with the ball landing near the sightscreen.

A destructive opening partnership would be an understatement tonight. Had these boys batted first, they would’ve scored 300! #SRHvLSG #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/b1Q4gwmHO2

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 8, 2024