In recent years, West Ham have been looking to increase their level of recruitment, aiming to improve their squad year upon year which has become even more possible since the big-money sale of Declan Rice.

The England midfielder was sold to Arsenal for a fee of around £105m, allowing the Hammers to invest plenty in the past two years.

In West Ham’s top ten most expensive transfers, four of the ten have been signed since Rice left the club, £123.5m being spent in the 2023/24 campaign and spending a further £123.4m in the 2024/25 season.

West Ham’s top ten most expensive transfers

Player

Fee (£)

Sebastien Haller

£42.7m

Maximilian Kilman

£40.6m

Mohammed Kudus

£36.8m

Lucas Paqueta

£36.7m

Gianluca Scamacca

£33m

Edson Alvarez

£32.5m

Felipe Anderson

£32.5m

Kurt Zouma

£29.9m

Nayef Aguerd

£29.9m

James Ward-Prowse

£29.7m

Data taken from Transfermarkt

But away from this list of their top ten most expensive transfers, the Hammers have had some bargains over the years, including one of their best-ever players who ranks 29th in the club’s most expensive transfer fees.

Dimitri Payet's incredible spell at West Ham

West Ham made the signing of Dimitri Payet from Marseille in 2015, with the Frenchman joining the Hammers for a fee of around £10m, which would turn out to be an absolute bargain.

West Ham co-chairman, David Sullivan, labeled Payet a “world-class” player who would be worth triple what they paid had he been in his “prime”. It’s easy to see why.

For the Irons, Payet made 60 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals and providing 22 assists in 4,981 minutes.

Capable of the magical and the extraordinary, his best moment was the extraordinary free-kick goal against Crystal Palace, a goal which finds itself on repeat to this day.

Unfortunately, Payet decided he wanted to return to France in 2017, heading back to Marseille for a fee of around £25m.

To this day, they arguably still lack that magic man, Jarrod Bowen aside, but they may well have the next Payet brewing at the London Stadium.

West Ham's "future icon" could be the next Payet

Bowen has been incredible since signing for West Ham from Hull, notably scoring the winner in the Conference League final, but he’s not the player in question here, it’s Mohammed Kudus.

Signed from Ajax in the 2023/24 summer transfer window, the 24-year-old forward joined for a fee of around £38m and has been a revelation since.

Indeed, Kudus has made 73 appearances for the club since arriving, scoring 17 goals and providing nine assists in his 5,718 minutes played. He may not have hit the dizzy heights of last term but he’s still a cracking player on his day.

Kudus (2023/24) vs Kudus (2024/25)

Stats (per 90 mins)

23/24

24/25

Goals

0.37

0.12

Assists

0.17

0.12

xG

0.23

0.26

xAG

0.14

0.10

Progressive Carries

3.99

3.51

Progressive Passes

2.96

2.77

Shots Total

2.52

2.54

Key Passes

1.14

1.13

Shot-Creating Actions

3.52

3.68

Successful Take-Ons

3.93

3.16

Stats taken from FBref

When comparing the underlying metrics between Kudus’s first season at the club and this season (his second season) you can see how similar the metrics are. Despite this year being much tougher for the Hammers and the Ghana international struggling for output, the underlying metrics still look very strong, ranking highly for things like successful take-ons and shot-creating actions.

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Described as a “future icon” of Ghanaian football by scout Jacek Kulig, he could also become this at West Ham, following in the steps of another magician in Payet. However, Kudus is already subject to plenty of interest from other clubs, and therefore, his decision to stay or leave could prove vital.

If Kudus decides to stay, he could go down as a legend over time, depending on the uplift of performances under Graham Potter.

However, if he does choose to leave, the fee that would be obtained would be very substantial, and it would be tough for Hammers fans to feel too aggrieved.

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Ipswich Town blissfully shrugged off the grim fact that a Premier League relegation looks a nailed-on possibility before their trip to Chelsea on Sunday.

Amazingly, the travelling Tractor Boys raced into a two-goal lead in the first half to stun the Stamford Bridge masses, but a share of the points was the final outcome for a relieved Enzo Maresca.

Kieran McKenna would have taken a lot of positives out of the entertaining 2-2 draw, knowing that some of the personnel who battled well with the Blues will be around next season when promotion is on the agenda.

What Ipswich's rebuild could look like

Away from the likes of Liam Delap and Leif Davis potentially leaving, McKenna will be hopeful that his tight-knit group stays together for the challenge of instantly returning to the Premier League.

He will certainly be calling upon goalkeeper Alex Palmer as his no.1 in the Championship, with the January signing already well accustomed to the second tier with ex-side West Bromwich Albion, on top of tallying up eight crucial saves in West London.

Moreover, faces such as defender Dara O’Shea should continue to start week in week out under McKenna, with the Irishman tallying up a whopping 11 clearances whenever Chelsea bombed forward.

But, with Delap potentially on his way out, how might the attack look?

Well, both George Hirst and Nathan Broadhead could benefit from more game-time by dropping down a division, with the lively pair in and out of the Ipswich starting lineup this season despite amassing 30 goal contributions between them when automatic promotion glory became reality.

Both players did start the contest at Chelsea and shone, but there’s one new standout talent in the Tractor Boys ranks who’s worth even more than the aforementioned duo and he caused the Blues a lot more bother on Sunday.

The "terrific" talent worth more than Hirst & Broadhead

One problem area for Ipswich next season could be down the right wing, with Omari Hutchinson another first-team figure who might fancy a Premier League stay at a different outfit rather than sticking it out at Portman Road.

With the likes of Wes Burns also injury-prone on the right flank, McKenna might well be calling upon ex-West Ham United man Ben Johnson as a first-team regular in this spot more often in the second tier, having been blown away by his quality up against Maresca’s hosts.

Johnson got up and running for Ipswich in terms of goals when powering home a header past Robert Sanchez, with the versatile 25-year-old also picking up his third assist of the Premier League season when helping Julio Enciso to fire home the opener.

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These four goal contributions have come about despite Johnson only making 12 starts for the Tractor Boys in league action, but his impactful cameos here and there have made him a definite worthwhile signing, with the Ipswich number 18 entering the building last summer on a shrewd free transfer.

Johnson’s numbers for Ipswich (24/25)

Stat

Johnson

Games played

19

Games started

12

Minutes per game

61 mins

Goals scored

1

Assists

3

Transfer value now

£6.8m

Sourced by Sofascore/ Transfermarkt

Now, off the back of his heroics in Suffolk, the 25-year-old’s transfer value – as per Transfermarkt – stands at a sturdy £7m, which is way above Hirst and Broadhead’s valuations in the process who are both worth a lesser £4m in contrast.

Heralded as “terrific” by football scout Antonio Mango when initially cutting his teeth at West Ham, Johnson could become even more important to the Ipswich cause when relegation is confirmed, with his ability to play all over the pitch a useful asset to have across a bumper 46-game campaign.

Both Hirst and Broadhead will also have key roles to play in the second tier, with the near future at Portman Road not all doom and gloom if their wounds are sutured quickly after their one-season Premier League adventure.

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Although Sheffield United now find their automatic promotion dreams in tatters, the determined Blades will still feel confident they can achieve promotion via the lottery of the Championship playoffs after Friday night’s comfortable 2-0 win over Stoke City.

This routine victory away at the Potters was their 28th of the season to date, which is the most tallied up by a side, funnily enough, even as Leeds United and Burnley showed off their superiority in the confirmed top two.

The United away masses who made the trip down to Staffordshire would have been largely delighted with what they saw from their team, with a fight and bite present in their game, alongside moments of quality to seal a confidence-boosting three points.

Top Blades performers vs Stoke

Both goals on the day would come from unlikely sources, with former Norwich City full-back Sam McCallum powering home a header deep into the first half, before second-half substitute Andre Brooks made sure of the win with a late breakaway strike.

McCallum impressed in spurts on just his eighth league start of the campaign, with the 24-year-old managing to win all of his aerial duels on the night, away from connecting valiantly to this corner delivery.

McCallum wasn’t the only stern body in Wilder’s defence, with Rob Holding – who will be wanting to impress ahead of the playoffs – also excelling as his side picked up a well-deserved clean sheet, with the ex-Arsenal man managing to win five duels of his own.

Kieffer Moore also shone up top for the Blades in what was an attritional contest, considering the Welshman won a staggering 15 duels in total, away from unfortunately squandering five shots on the Potters net.

But, not everyone adorned in the United away top would be overjoyed with their efforts at the full-time whistle, with this underperformer now at risk of being dropped for the intense playoff matches to come.

The United flop who could now be dropped

It was certainly a full-blooded affair between Mark Robins’ hosts and Wilder’s visitors, with five yellow cards being handed out across the duration of the feisty 90 minutes.

Whilst that suited the likes of Moore with his towering 6 foot 5 frame, ex-Stoke City man Tyrese Campbell would flounder on the contrary, with the bruising nature of the contest proving to be too much for the 25-year-old up against his former employers.

Campbell’s performance in numbers

Stat

Campbell

Minutes played

65

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

23

Accurate passes

10/14 (71%)

Shots

3

Total duels won

3/9

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above – away from losing out on six duels across the 2-0 win – Campbell would regularly find himself out of the contest in an attacking capacity, leading to the United number 23 amassing just 23 touches of the ball.

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Even Michael Cooper, in-between the sticks for the away side, would accumulate more touches with 43, culminating in Wilder bringing off the out-of-sorts attacker for Tom Cannon to get a cameo at the end.

After all, Cannon has recently broke his goalscoring duck for the promotion hopefuls against Burnley, meaning he could be in line for more first-team chances soon, having shown a glimpse of the quality that he can provide.

Campbell does boast ten league goals for the season, but with no strikes now from his last six Championship outings, a fresh body up top might well start against Blackburn Rovers on the final day, before the nerve-wracking playoffs kick off.

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Right throughout Todd Boehly’s reign as owner, Chelsea have not held back on signing elite young talents.

It has been a clear transfer strategy at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues looking to bring players to the club regarded as some of the hottest prospects in world football.

Perhaps the best example of this is Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian, who will join Chelsea for £29m this summer. He was described as a “wonderkid” showing all the “signs of a top player” by football scout Antonio Mango. He is just one of the young talents the Blues have signed under Boehly’s ownership.

This summer, Chelsea could add Ajax defender Jorrel Hato to that list, if recent reports are to be believed.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Hato

It would be an excellent signing if Chelsea can bring Hato to Stamford Bridge this summer. According to a recent report from Sky Sports, the Blues are ‘seriously considering making a move’ for the Dutchman this summer, and have ‘longstanding’ interest in signing him.

However, they will face competition from two Premier League giants, with Sky Sports also suggesting that newly-crowned champions Liverpool, and Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal are also interested.

In reality, it is not hard to see why the West Londoners are so keen to bring Hato to the club. At just 19 years of age, he is a full international with the Netherlands and has played 108 times for Ajax already.

Described as a “magnificent talent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Hato has played 28 times in the Eredivisie this season, scoring twice and grabbing six assists. He has also captained the club three times, a superb achievement at 19.

Chelsea do not have a clear path to signing Hato, and will face stiff competition from Liverpool and Arsenal if they are to do a deal.

However, if they are not able to sign the Dutchman, then an alternative may be hiding in plain sight in the academy.

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Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Expand Collapse Chelsea's in-house Hato alternative

If the Blues can’t sign Hato himself, then why not promote their very own “Hato alternative” from the academy? At least, that is what football analyst Ben Mattinson has coined Chelsea’s young defender Ishe Samuels-Smith.

The West Londoners poached Samuels-Smith from Premier League rivals Everton, for a reported £4m two seasons ago. The highly-rated youngster has recently renewed his deal at Stamford Bridge until 2031.

At just 18 years of age, Samuels-Smith is yet to have any kind of first-team involvement on the pitch. Yet, he has featured on the bench three times this term under Enzo Maresca, which included two games in the Premier League back in February.

For the U21s, the youngster has had a key role to play. Skippering the side on five different occasions, Samuels-Smith has featured 23 times this term, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists from full back.

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In fact, that is one of the standout features of his game. Just like Hato, the Manchester-born defender can play anywhere across the back line, even slotting in a right-back this term despite being left-footed. He has also played further forward as a wing-back.

The 18-year-old has impressed in the EFL Trophy this season for the Blues, as the stats on Sofascore reflect. In three games in the competition, he put in 3.7 tackles, made two interceptions and won two aerial duels per game.

Samuels-Smith stats in EFL Trophy 2025

Stat

Per 90

Total

Passes completed

46

138

Long balls completed

2.7

8

Key passes

1.3

4

Tackles

3.7

11

Interceptions

2

6

Aerial duels won

2

6

Stats from Sofascore

It surely does not seem like a first-team debut for Samuels-Smith can be too far away. The Blues academy skipper is clearly a talented player, putting in some excellent performances this term and showing great versatility.

If they miss out on signing Hato, then there might not be a better alternative to the Dutchman than their talented academy star.

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Glasgow Rangers should be in the market to find a manager who can bring success and trophies back to Ibrox ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The board decided to part ways with Philippe Clement earlier this year, and they brought in Barry Ferguson to Rangers as the interim head coach until the end of the season.

Whilst the former Scotland international has not completely disgraced himself in the job, the Ibrox outfit’s form since Ferguson took the reins does not suggest that he is a serious contender for the full-time gig.

Rangers have won four, drawn four, and lost four of his 12 matches in charge, and are currently on a run of six matches without a win after their 1-1 draw with Celtic.

This does not suggest that Ferguson is the man to turn Rangers into a winning machine that can wrestle back the Scottish Premiership title from Celtic next season.

Another manager who is not likely to be in the dugout at Ibrox next season is former Gers title-winner Steven Gerrard, as he has been ruled out in a new report.

The latest on Steven Gerrard to Rangers

According to TEAMtalk, the Liverpool legend will not be the next Rangers manager to come in and take over from Ferguson at the end of this season.

The report claims that the 49ers, who are set to make their first appointment once a takeover is finalised, want a new head coach who has no prior connections to Ibrox.

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It states that the prospective owners want to gradually build a winning team in Glasgow and they want to start by appointing a fresh face, with no pre-existing relationships at Rangers, who has a philosophy and a style of play that can be built around for years to come.

Gerrard, of course, does not fit what they want because he has already managed the Light Blues successfully in his first spell at Ibrox before his move to Aston Villa in 2021.

Steven Gerrard (Premiership)

20/21

21/22

Matches

38

12

Wins

32

8

Draws

6

3

Defeats

0

1

Points

102

27

Points per game

2.68

2.25

League position

1st

1st

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the English boss only lost one of his last 50 league matches in charge of the club, going unbeaten in the 2020/21 campaign.

The 49ers, however, have decided that they do not want to retread that path, which means that Gerrard will not be returning to Scottish football this summer, at least not with Rangers.

It is now down to the club to find an alternative manager who can be as successful as the English tactician was during his time at Ibrox, and they could do that by hiring Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen.

TEAMtalk’s report adds that the Gers have been linked with the Norwegian boss in the past and that he should be the kind of manager that they target this summer.

The outlet also reveals that this year could be the year that Knutsen finally moves on from Bodo/Glimt, having been linked with other clubs for several years, going back as far as 2021 when he was linked to Premier League side Norwich City.

Rangers must, now, tempt the 56-year-old head coach to come to Ibrox ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, because he could be a dream alternative to Gerrard for the 49ers.

Why Knutsen is a dream alternative to Gerrard for Rangers

The former Liverpool midfielder and Rangers manager was an appealing option to the Light Blues because he has been there and done it; he has won the Premiership.

Knutsen, however, is a head coach who knows how to win league titles, having won even more than Gerrard, and has had success in Europe for Bodo/Glimt, as shown by the impressive fact below.

The Norwegian boss’ side are currently 3-1 down on aggregate against Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals of the Europa League, and still have a chance to make the final in their second leg clash on Thursday night.

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This suggests that he has the tactical nous and playing style to be effective in Europe, whilst also having already proven his ability to set up a team to win league titles consistently.

Knutsen’s title dominance in Norway

Eliteserien season

Points per game

Position

2025

2.50

1st

2024

2.07

1st (champions)

2023

2.33

1st (champions)

2022

2.00

2nd

2021

2.10

1st (champions)

2020

2.70

1st (champions)

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Bodo/Glimt have won the Eliteserien in four of the last five seasons, and are currently top of the table after four matches in the 2025 campaign, averaging at least two points per match in all of those years.

This shows that Knutsen can build a team that can consistently challenge for titles and dominate a league, which is the ambition that Rangers should have, after watching their rivals lift the Premiership title in each of the last four seasons.

As well as being a great candidate because of his team’s trophies and progression in Europe, he could also be a great alternative to Gerrard because of his style of play. Bodo/Glimt captain Ulrik Saltnes described Knutsen’s playing style as “kamikaze” and Transfermarkt notes that he plays an attacking 4-3-3 formation.

Bodo/Glimt scored 71 goals and 78 goals in 30 league matches in the 2024 and 2023 campaigns, which shows how exciting that ‘kamikaze’ style can be as his team can score plenty of goals on their way to winning trophies.

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Therefore, Knutsen could be the dream alternative to Gerrard for the 49ers because he has the style of play, the trophies, and the European success to suggest that he could be an excellent appointment. It is now down to the club to convince the Bodo/Glimt boss that a move to Rangers is the best next step in his coaching career.

The Aston Villa hierarchy have now identified a “world-class” £40 million shot-stopper to replace Emi Martinez in goal this summer, according to a recent report.

Emi Martinez looks set to leave Aston Villa

The Villans gave their chances of playing Champions League football next season a real boost over the weekend, as they beat Tottenham Hotspur while Newcastle faltered at Arsenal.

They head into the final game of the season knowing they need maximum points to stand a chance of a top five finish. Securing Champions League football will help the Midlands side when it comes to the summer transfer window, as not only will more funds become available, but they will also be able to attract top level stars.

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However, it appears as though it doesn’t matter where Villa finishes this season; goalkeeper Emi Martinez will be leaving the club this summer. It was reported at the beginning of this month that Unai Emery is ready to sell Martinez, as the player is ready to leave the Premier League. The report went on to add that teams from the Saudi Pro League are ready to make the Argentina goalkeeper a huge offer to leave Villa Park.

Over the last 72 hours, Martinez’s departure from Villa has intensified, as he appeared to wave to the Aston Villa fans during their lap of honour following their final game at Villa Park this season. It has since been reported that both Manchester United and Barcelona are looking to sign the 32-year-old this summer.

Aston Villa chiefs identify £40m Liverpool star to replace Martinez

So as Martinez’s future at Villa Park is up in the air, Villa are scouring the market for potential replacements, and according to a report from Spain, Aston Villa are interested in signing Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool.

The report states that Villa are already looking at a future without Martinez in their goal, as they waste no time in trying to find a potential replacement. It is claimed that Kelleher has emerged as a target for Villa because of his impressive performances for Liverpool when given an opportunity, and despite him being second choice at Anfield, Villa see Kelleher as someone with potential and character.

However, they are not alone in showing interest in the Republic of Ireland international, as Premier League teams such as AFC Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Newcastle United are also interested.

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The report does go on to add that Villa are also interested in signing Joan Garcia from La Liga side Espanyol, and he would be considered a cheaper option, as Liverpool have set a price tag of £40 million on Kelleher heading into this summer.

Caoimhin Kelleher’s Liverpool stats

Apps

67

Goals conceded

79

Clean sheets

24

The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed “world-class” by teammate Andy Robertson, has been at Liverpool since 2015 but has only played 25 times in the Premier League, as he’s struggled to get ahead of Alisson and become the club’s number one. Kelleher is under contract until 2026, so Liverpool may be tempted to sell this summer before he leaves for nothing in 12 months.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and the Lilywhites board have held fresh talks about Ange Postecoglou’s future after their glorious night in the Europa League on Wednesday, with their current stance on keeping or sacking the tactician emerging.

Ange Postecoglou's plea to Spurs board during victory parade

The 59-year-old became a Lilywhites hero overnight, guiding the club to their first piece of major silverware in 17 years and only European trophy since 1984.

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Postecoglou came under fire for a bold statement earlier in the campaign, namely that he ‘always’ wins trophies during his second season in charge, but that message will now go down as one of the most memorable quotes in recent football history after Tottenham’s Europa League triumph.

Tottenham v Man Utd – best performers on the night

Player

Rating

Guglielmo Vicario

7.7

Yves Bissouma

7.6

Cristian Romero

7.4

Bruno Fernandes

7.4

Destiny Udogie

7.2

via WhoScored

Brennan Johnson also etched himself into Spurs folklore with his scrappy winner minutes before half-time, with the defensive heroics of Micky van de Ven – who made a match-saving clearance off the line – and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario’s vital saves proving decisive on an unforgettable night for the club.

Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro’s robust defensive displays also helped to shut out a lacklustre Man United side who simply couldn’t find any joy at all in the final third, despite their dominnace in possession.

While Postecoglou’s future at Spurs remains uncertain (David Ornstein), despite their celebrations, it is pretty clear that the manager wishes to continue his mission.

The north Londoners endured a lacklustre domestic campaign, breaking their all-time record for most Premier League defeats in a single season, but Postecoglou sent a subtle message to the board during their victory parade in London on Friday.

“I told them, and they laughed,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s open-top bus celebrations.

“I told them and they didn’t believe. And here we are. I’ll leave you with this: all the best television series, season three is better than season two.”

Postecoglou’s hint suggests the ex-Celtic boss has every intention to build upon their European success, but it remains to be seen whether Levy is on the same page.

Tottenham stance on sacking Postecoglou after fresh boardroom talks

In the wake of their triumph in Bilbao, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football Insider that high-ranking Tottenham chiefs are discussing what to do next in the managerial dugout.

According to the reporter, Levy and the Spurs board held fresh talks regarding Postecoglou after their Europa League final win, with O’Rourke sharing what their current stance is about potentially sacking him.

It is believed that, following their midweek celebrations, the club are now ’50/50′ when it comes to sticking or twisting with Postecoglou – indicating that they now have much more to think about in what has suddenly become a major conundrum.

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While reports in the build-up to their clash with United indicated that Postecoglou could be sacked regardless of their Europa triumph, and that apparently remains the case, the emotion of such a momentous occasion makes this call far easier said than done in practice.

In terms of possible replacements, there are no shortage of options that have been linked in a long Tottenham managerial target list which includes the likes of Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford), Scott Parker (Burnley), Jürgen Klopp (Head of Global, Red Bull), Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund), Edin Terzić (free agent), Xavi (free agent) and Francesco Farioli (free agent).

AC Milan have reportedly entered talks with Liverpool over the loan signing of a “world-class” attacking player in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool rebuff Barcelona approach for Luis Diaz

It has been a busy period for Luis Diaz off the field since the season ended, with doubts persisting over his future at Anfield amid a fresh approach from Barcelona – the Colombian reportedly dreams of playing for the Catalans despite his affinity for the Reds.

The La Liga giants have been rebuffed in their efforts, however, with Liverpool holding firm and saying he isn’t for sale, even though they aren’t planning on handing him a contract extension.

Diaz himself hasn’t exactly poured cold water on a possible Reds exit this summer, though, discussing his future during international duty with Colombia.

“I’m very happy at Liverpool, I’ve always said so. They’ve welcomed me very well from day one. We’re currently in contact with Liverpool because we’re talking to clubs, and that’s normal given the transfer market that’s opening. We’re trying to work out what’s best for us. I’m just waiting to see what happens. If Liverpool gives us a good renewal or I still have the [two] years left with them, I’ll be happy and content there.”

Now, a new exit rumour regarding another Liverpool attacker has emerged, ahead of a summer of change in that area of the pitch.

AC Milan in talks over signing Liverpool forward

According to journalist Orazio Accomando [via Sport Witness], AC Milan are in talks with Liverpool over signing Federico Chiesa on loan this summer.

The 27-year-old is believed to be “open” to the idea of returning to his homeland, but on the flip side, the Reds don’t like the thought of him leaving on a temporary basis, potentially wanting to seal a permanent exit instead.

Chiesa has been disappointing for Liverpool since making a surprise move from Juventus last summer, with injuries not helping him in his efforts to impress Arne Slot.

Just one start came the £150,000-a-week winger’s way in the Premier League in the whole of 2024/25, and a total of only 104 minutes, so there is some sense in allowing him to move on.

That said, keeping hold of Chiesa would still be no bad thing, with the Italian a positive character in the dressing room who has so much ability, with Alessandro Pierini once heaping praise on him during Euro 2020.

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“He’s world-class. He has all the ability and desire of a great player. If he improves then he’ll be even better than his father [Enrico]. I have loads of respect for Enrico and all he has done to help Federico come on as a player until now.”

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If the right permanent offer arrives for Chiesa, Liverpool may accept it, but a loan move doesn’t feel like the right choice, so they should retain him for one year if the desired interest doesn’t come.

In what would be a frustrating start to his tenure, the 49ers are reportedly ready to take the decision out of Russell Martin’s hands and sell one of his best Rangers stars for a £19m profit.

49ers looking to commence Rangers business

The 49ers have wasted no time before getting things up and running in Scotland. The American owners have already solved Rangers’ managerial problem by hiring former Southampton boss Martin and the transfer rumours have been coming thick and fast ever since. Reports are even now suggesting that the Gers are closing in on signing Josh Mulligan from Dundee to officially get their business underway.

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Martin could suffer a frustrating blow.

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New Dundee manager Steven Pressley has only added fuel to the fire amid that recent rumour, telling reporters that keeping Mulligan will be “easier said than done” this summer. He said when asked about keeping his young star: “I would love to, but it’s easier said than done.

“We’d love to keep certain personnel. There’s a number of players that I think are pivotal to move this club in the right direction and we’ll be working tirelessly to do so.”

Mulligan isn’t the only name on Rangers’ reported radar, however. Recent reports have also linked both Conor Coady and Flynn Downes with a move to Ibrox. The latter worked with Martin at Swansea City and then Southampton in the Premier League last season and may well reunite with his manager for a third time this summer.

The 49ers’ ambition should come as little shock after chairman Paraag Marathe told Rangers’ website after officially arriving: “We are excited to join Andrew and our other consortium of investors in a new era for this iconic club and we are determined to build something that supporters can be proud of for years to come.”

Building a side capable of bridging the gap on Celtic in the Scottish Premiership may not come without sacrifice, though, and the new owners are already reportedly ready to sell one key man.

49ers ready accept £20m deal for Nicolas Raskin

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, the 49ers are ready to sell Nicolas Raskin for £20m this summer, making £19m profit in the process. The Belgium midfielder is attracting plenty of interest and, as per O’Rourke, Porto, Fiorentina and Marseille are preparing to test the waters in pursuit of his signature.

Whilst Martin is keen to keep hold of his best players, he is also reportedly well aware that the 49ers could take such decisions out of his hands this summer in frustrating fashion.

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Losing a player of Raskin’s calibre certainly wouldn’t be an ideal start to the manager’s reign, but it could be a sacrifice that he has to live with when considering the long-term boost that it could provide.

Dubbed “utterly sensational” by analyst John Walker, replacing Raskin will be no easy task for Rangers if they decide to go in pursuit of major profit this summer.

An English manager has never won the Premier League. In fact, the only Brits to get their hands on the illustrious trophy have been Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Kenny Dalglish. But that’s not to say England hasn’t been blessed with some of the most talented and charismatic coaches football has ever seen.

The fact that English football proudly created managers like Alf Ramsey, Bob Paisley and Brian Clough only for their successors at the top level to later create such a dismal Premier League record makes it all the more bizarre.

In the Premier League era, Sir Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan particularly stand out, but the truth is that England’s best products came before the top flight received a new lick of paint.

Before Robson and Keegan, the likes of Ramsey and Paisley etched their legacies into English football history. Paisley’s name still echoes around Anfield as one of the most successful managers in their incredible history, whilst Ramsey remains the last manager to win silverware with England – winning the 1966 World Cup.

Best English Managers

Clubs managed

Bob Paisley

Liverpool

Sir Alf Ramsey

Ipswich, England, Birmingham

Sir Bobby Robson

Fulham, Ipswich, England, PSV, Sporting, Porto,

Barcelona, Newcastle

Kevin Keegan

Newcastle, Fulham, England, Man City, Newcastle

Roy Hodgson

Inter, Blackburn, Udinese, Finland, Fulham,

Liverpool, West Brom, England, Crystal Palace, Watford

Out of all those names, from Paisley to Hodgson, one manager who doesn’t get enough credit at times is Keegan. But the iconic David Ginola wasted no time before giving his former boss his flowers.

Ginola: Keegan made Newcastle feel "invincible"

The man who took Newcastle United closest to the Premier League title, Keegan is unfortunate to be known for his famous “I would love it if we beat them” rant, but the story behind that infamous interview is even more dramatic.

Labelled “The Entertainers”, Keegan’s Newcastle side finished second and third in their first seasons back in the top flight before going toe-to-toe with Ferguson’s Manchester United side.

Ginola and Les Ferdinand were among those to arrive in a £16m spending spree, and the Magpies soon found themselves 10 points clear at Christmas.

By the time that March arrived and United came to town to secure victory, however, Newcastle’s lead had been cut to just four points following the beginning of a collapse. Stan Collymore then famously closed in at Anfield a month later to hand Keegan another defeat.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington

It was then Ferguson’s suggestion that Nottingham Forest could hand Newcastle preferential treatment due to their meeting for Stuart Pearson’s testimonial which sparked Keegan’s infamous rant. In the end though, as much as he wished it to happen, Newcastle could not find a way to beat United to the title in the 1995/96 campaign.