Tottenham Hotspur are now willing to outbid their Premier League rivals to secure the signature of a “pure baller”, as they are determined to win the race.
Spurs looking at Eze alternatives after transfer blow
Eberechi Eze’s move to Arsenal has sparked a furious reaction among the Tottenham fanbase, with many suggesting that Daniel Levy is at fault, although Simon Jordan believes the chairman may not be to blame for the disappointing outcome.
Regardless, Spurs will now be forced to move on to alternative targets, and an offer was submitted for Como’s Nico Paz, which was knocked back, with Fabrizio Romano revealing Real Madrid stepped in to stop a deal going through.
With Spurs’ move for Paz proving unsuccessful, their list of targets has been narrowed down even further, and a report from Spain has now revealed they are determined to win the race for a different attacking midfielder…
Indeed, Tottenham are now prepared to outbid Crystal Palace in order to get a deal for Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss over the line, with the north Londoners intent on stopping the Moroccan signing for their Premier League rivals.
Leicester City's BilalElKhannouss
Spurs have ‘made it clear’ they won’t let the Eagles win the race for the attacking midfielder, who could command a fee of £32m, with Levy clearly unwilling to miss out on another key target to a fellow Premier League side.
El Khannouss would be risky signing for Spurs
The Leicester star is clearly thought of very highly by scout Ben Mattinson, who has hailed him as a “pure baller”, but Spurs are playing a risky game by going all out to win the race for the 21-year-old.
Unlike previous targets, such as Gibbs-White and Eze, the youngster is yet to prove himself at the top level, and hasn’t exactly set the world alight in terms of attacking contributions per 90 over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Goals
0.08 (5th percentile)
Assists
0.12 (23rd percentile)
Shots Total
1.24 (6th percentile)
That said, with Paz no longer an option, the number of options on Spurs’ shortlist is dwindling, and the Belgium-born midfielder could flourish in a better side, having been part of a Leicester team that were relegated without putting up much of a fight last season.
As such, while it would be a gamble for Tottenham to sign El Khannouss, there are no longer many better options available, with a deal for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers deemed unlikely.
Tottenham Hotspur are now expected to make a “first official approach” to sign a £43m “monster”, journalist Sebastien Vidal has revealed.
Spurs looking to sign new centre-back after Vuskovic decision
Luke Vuskovic has caught the eye of former Tottenham centre-back Ledley King courtesy of his performances, with the 44-year-old saying: “The little I’ve seen, I’ve been impressed but for any young players, it’s about learning as much as you can, taking on board what the coaching staff are trying to teach, learning from the players around you.”
However, it now appears as though Vuskovic may have to undergo a learning curve elsewhere, as widespread reports suggest the 18-year-old could be sent out on loan, with the likes of Bestikas and Hamburg named among the potential suitors.
Should the teenager be shipped out, there may be space in the squad to bring in one more centre-back this summer, with it recently being revealed that Thomas Frank views bringing in another experienced defender as a priority.
Tottenham Hotspur managerThomasFrankapplauds fans after the match
As such, in a recent update on X, Vidal has now revealed that Tottenham have “earmarked” Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo as a target, with the Uruguayan defender valued at £43m.
Such is their level of interest, Spurs are expected to make a “first official approach” for Araujo soon, but there could be competition for his signature, with Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea also keen.
The Lilywhites have already held talks with Barcelona over a potential deal for the centre-back, with the La Liga champions seemingly eager to get him off the books, having lowered their asking price.
"Monster" Araujo could be solid signing for Spurs
Tottenham already have some fantastic options at centre-back, namely Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, with the overwhelming majority of fans keen to retain the services of both defenders this summer.
Tottenham eye £212k-a-week PSG ace with Enrique "more than open" to deal
Spurs could battle Newcastle for his signature.
3 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 9, 2025
However, strength in depth will be needed, with Spurs set to embark on a Champions League campaign next season, and their 2024-25 campaign will serve as a reminder of the importance of having a big squad.
Indeed, the Lilywhites endured a well-documented injury crisis last term, which meant the likes of Radu Dragusin and the inexperienced Archie Gray were often given the nod at centre-back, arguably contributing to the 17th-placed finish.
As such, Araujo could be a solid addition to the squad, with the 26-year-old held in very high regard by journalist Raj Chohan.
Not only that, but the Uruguay international is vastly experienced at the top level, winning six trophies during his time with Barcelona, which could be useful for Tottenham ahead of their return to the Champions League.
The England opener has opened up a controversial episode in his career saying it was ‘a really, really tough time’
ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2024
On his return to Test cricket, Ben Duckett has become a mainstay of England’s top order•Getty Images
Ben Duckett has lifted the lid on the incident that saw him sent home from Australia during the 2017-18 Ashes after pouring a drink over James Anderson, revealing Anderson threw a drink over him first before feeling bad and encouraging Duckett to return the favour.Duckett was part of the Lions tour at the time, desperate to add to four Test caps picked up from tours of Bangladesh and India at the end of 2016. The indiscretion ended up setting him back as he was sent home with a fine and suspension from the ECB. He eventually returned to the Lions set-up at the end of 2018.The incident took place before the third Test against Australia, at Perth’s Avenue Bar, with England 2-0 down and subject to intense scrutiny of their off-field behaviour. The venue had already gained notoriety on the tour after Jonny Bairstow “greeted” Cameron Bancroft at the bar by butting heads ahead of the series, a story that emerged with falsely malicious undertones during the culmination of England’s loss at the Gabba in the first Test.Related
Duckett 'poured drink over' Anderson
Bairstow 'headbutt' allegations 'blown out of proportion' – Strauss
Dynamic Duckett gives England a puncher's chance on turning deck
The ECB was already on high alert heading to Australia after Ben Stokes was charged with affray in September of that year, before being found not guilty in 2018. Duckett’s misdemeanour ended up being the final straw, prompting a midnight curfew instilled following the Bairstow-Bancroft episode to be made permanent, though it has been relaxed intermittently since.At the time, head coach Trevor Bayliss could not contain his anger, telling reporters: “It’s a fairly trivial incident but, in the current climate, it’s just not acceptable”. Anderson used his column in the to downplay what he regarded as “a pretty silly incident”.Both Bayliss and managing director Andrew Strauss – who had to insist England players were not “thugs” after losing the first Test in the wake of the Bairstow’s “headbutt” – put their foot down as allegations of a booze culture prevailed. England ended up succumbing to a 4-0 series defeat. By then, Duckett had already returned home as part of the collateral.Seven years on, Duckett is an established international, and with Anderson now retired – though he remains part of the Test set-up as a bowling consultant – he is comfortable clarifying that he was not the instigator on that fateful night in Perth, and that he feared his England career was over.”Jimmy actually threw a drink on me, but no one knows about that,” Duckett told podcast. “And then said, ‘oh, we’re just messing around. You can just lob one on my head. That’s fine.’ Genuinely. So then I just poured one on his head and the security guard saw me from the ECB, who looks after us, and it filtered back.”That was kind of basically the story. We carried on the rest of the night together, getting on well. That’s the story that’s got blown up. Then obviously when things start getting out in the media and everyone’s saying all this stuff, then everyone believes that like that. And as soon as a story or a headline’s out there, ‘well that’s what happened then’.”But then you can’t really come out and say what I’ve just said, because I’m a young lad trying to break into the England team. It’s one of the best ever England players, you know? And people didn’t really want to hear me.The 2017-18 Ashes tour was largely a miserable one for England•Getty Images
“It was actually a really, really tough time. People look back and it’s probably funny and stuff like that. But when you’re in Australia and you’re kind of being told you can’t go to training, you can’t play – it’s a lonely place for a 22-year-old.”And being in Australia, you’re not getting much sympathy from any anyone out there, are you? But yeah, it was one of those things where… it feels like your world’s ending. The time difference, you’re not speaking to family much. The lads around me in that group at the time were amazing.”Duckett’s subsequent emergence as an England regular across has allowed him to put a positive spin on that period of his career. Only Joe Root (2250) has more than Duckett’s 1980 runs since returning to the Test side as an opener at the end of 2022, at a strike rate of 88.55, with four centuries.The left-hander was one of just three batters to average over 50 in the recent 2-1 series defeat to Pakistan. He is also set to be a vital cog in the rejuvenation of the limited overs set-up, led by Test head coach Brendon McCullum who will assume control of England’s white-ball sides in the new year.While Duckett feared for his future after that 2017-18 winter, he believes the resolve it bred has been integral to developing as a mainstay across all three formats.”It’s not that moment that was the issue. It was, you know, for the next 12 months, it was, ‘you’re basically on hold now for a little while’. Which for a 23 [year-old]… that’s kind of a bad time to basically get told you’ve got no chance here.”It does make you grow up a little bit faster and stuff and dealing with what I had to deal with probably made me a little bit more resilient as a person and probably a bit tougher.”All these things now, in a really weird way, I wouldn’t change much of it because, where I am right now, when I play for England, it’s like I don’t want to give that shirt to anyone else.”I’ve probably not made things easy at times. I’m not a saint and an angel, and I probably was an easy target at the time. That would be the only thing I’ll say – whether it was dealt right or wrong, that’s for people to make their own mind up.”
For a club who have a reputation for moving slowly in the transfer window, the last few weeks have been quite unusual for Arsenal.
In fact, things seem to be changing daily, with the board appearing to do their best to support Mikel Arteta’s side ahead of what could be a make-or-break campaign next season.
For example, in addition to Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arizabalaga, the Gunners are set to announce the signing of Christian Norgaard and appear to be incredibly close to securing the services of the prolific Viktor Gyokeres.
However, not every potential deal has been met with universal excitement, with rumours surrounding Noni Madueke going down like a lead balloon in large sections of the fanbase.
Fortunately, Arsenal appear to be closing in on another, far more popular deal for someone who’d be a dream ten for Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal closing in on a better signing than Madueke
Reports linking Arsenal with Madueke started to pop up midway through last month, but it’s really been in the previous week or two that they’ve become impossible to ignore.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
In fact, it was earlier this week that the Chelsea ace reportedly agreed to personal terms, and then yesterday evening it was revealed that the Gunners had submitted an offer worth £50m for him.
There is no doubt that the Englishman is talented, but with the fee and the fact he’s another player from the Blues, it would be fair to say that the fans haven’t been on board, with journalist Sam Dean asking if there has ever been a response to another potential signing quite like this.
Fortunately, the club to seem to be advancing on a deal for another Premier League star, someone that will be a far more popular addition to the team: Eberechi Eze.
At least that is according to a recent report from journalist Sebastien Vidal, who has claimed that Arsenal are “stepping up their pursuit” of the Crystal Palace star.
Furthermore, he’s revealed that the Gunners have already submitted an offer worth around £45m “plus performance-related bonuses” for the England international, although it remains to be seen if the Eagles will accept it.
It’s likely to be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but Eze has proven he’d be worth it, especially as he’d be a dream ten for Saka.
Why Eze woud be Saka's dream ten
The first and most crucial reason Eze would be a dream ten for Saka at Arsenal is the simple fact that, over the last few seasons, he has developed into a lean, mean output machine.
For example, in 36 appearances across the 23/24 season, totalling 2285 minutes, he scored 11 goals and provided six assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 2.11 games, or every 134.41 minutes.
Then, last season, he did even better, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling 3,303 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal or assist every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.
Eze recent form
Season
23/24
24/25
Appearances
36
43
Minutes
2285′
3303′
Goals
11
14
Assists
6
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.47
0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement
134.41′
132.12′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In contrast, Martin Odegaard was only able to score six goals and provide 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.
Just imagine how much more effective the Gunners’ talismanic number seven could be playing alongside the Palace “superstar,” as respected analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed him.
Moreover, with the game-winning goal in the FA Cup final last season, alongside strikes in the semi-finals and quarter-finals, the 27-year-old has proven himself to be a man for the big occasion, or, as one analyst put it, “a player born for magical European nights.”
Finally, away from purely football arguments and things that are measurable, it seems like there is a genuine friendship between the two players.
In fact, some reports from earlier this summer claimed that the Hale Ender was pushing for the former QPR star to make the move to the Emirates, and while it’s hard to quantify what this connection actually means for them on a football pitch, it can only be a good thing.
Moreover, with both of them regulars in the England squad, they’d have even more time to learn each other’s game and further solidify what could be a tremendously exciting partnership.
Ultimately, Arsenal should do everything they can to sign Eze this summer, as not only would he be an excellent addition to the squad through his own ability, but he could be just the player to help Saka reach another level as well.
Their new Alexis: Arsenal reach agreement in principle to sign £69m star
Arsenal could be closing in on signing their new Alexis Sanchez.
مر نادي ليفربول لكرة القدم بموسم انتقالات صيفي رائع للغاية، حيث شهدت تلك الفترة نشاطًا ليس بالعادي من جانب بطل الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، سواء على مستوى الصفقات الجديدة أو الراحلين.
وأبرم ليفربول 9 صفقات جديدة في الميركاتو الصيفي، الذي انتهى يوم الإثنين الماضي، على رأسهم فلوريان فيرتز، هوجو إيكتيكي، جيريمي فريمبونج، ميلوس كيركيز وألكسندر إيزاك.
وذكرت شبكة “anfieldwatch” الإنجليزية أن ليفربول نجح في التعاقد مع أسرع لاعب في أوروبا، خلال نافذة الانتقالات الصيفية، لحل شيء كان يتطلع المدرب آرني سلوت إليه بقوة.
وأوضحت أن السرعة هي شيء أراد سلوت إضافته إلى ليفربول هذا الصيف، حيث كانت تمثل نقطة ضعف الفريق الموسم الماضي، وهو أمر غريب كونهم توجوا بلقب الدوري الإنجليزي في ذلك الموسم 2024/25.
وأشارت إلى أنه في نهاية المطاف، في دوري أبطال أوروبا خلال مباراة باريس سان جيرمان تحديدًا، كانت سرعة الفريق الفرنسي المتمثلة في عثمان ديمبلي، نونو مينديز وأشرف حكيمي هي التي فاجأت ليفربول.
اقرأ أيضًا.. محمد صلاح يحرج أسطورة ليفربول بعد تصرفه في مباراة مصر وإثيوبيا
وتتزايد أهمية السرعة مع أفضل الفرق الأوروبية، ويمكن النظر إلى مدى السرعة التي كان يتمتع بها فريق ليفربول تحت قيادة يورجن كلوب، مع تواجد ساديو ماني ومحمد صلاح، في الجناح.
كما كان آندي روبرتسون في قمة ذروته، في حين عوض محمد صلاح نقص سرعته بمهارات فنية أعلى، وتحول من هداف بحت إلى صانع ألعاب، ولكن في النهاية كان ليفربول في حاجة إلى إضافة المزيد من السرعة في الفريق ذلك الصيف، وهو ما فعله ريتشارد هيوز المدير الرياضي للنادي.
وأوضحت أن ريتشارد هيوز تعاقد مع جيريمي فريمبونج، أسرع لاعب، ليس فقط في الدوري الإنجليزي من حيث السرعة القصوى المسجلة حتى الآن، ولكن كذلك في أوروبا، فيما يخص أعلى سرعة كل 90 دقيقة.
يأتي ذلك حسب بيانات من CIES وSkills Corner اللذين قاما بتحليل اللاعبين الذين لديهم أعلى معدل سرعة في الدوريات الثمانية الكبرى في أوروبا الموسم الماضي.
وكانت النتيجة أن فريمبونج يتصدر القارة في معدل السرعة العالية لكل 90 دقيقة، حيث سجل متوسط بلغ 15.68 لكل 90 دقيقة في مباريات الدوريات المحلية في أكبر ثماني بطولات أوروبية.
هذا الأمر يضعه متقدمًا بفارق ضئيل على أنتوني جوردون لاعب نيوكاسل (15.60) وزيان فليمنج لاعب بيرنلي (14.54)، وهو رقم مذهل يؤكد سرعة فريمبونج الفائقة على الجهة اليمنى.
ويُعد هذا مقياس مهم، مع العلم أن أسرع اللاعبين في الملعب ليسوا فقط من يسجلون أعلى معدل سرعة قصوى، بل أيضًا من يسجلون سرعات عالية باستمرار.
كما أن الأمر لا يقتصر بالنسبة لـ فريمبونج على سرعته في المسافات الطويلة، بل إنه مميز فيما يخص قدرته على تجاوز معظم خصومه بشكل سريع، سواء في الهجوم أو الدفاع، ويمنح سلوت السرعة المباشرة والقدرة على التنبؤ التي كان يفتقر إليها.
وترى الشبكة أن تعاقد ليفربول مع أسرع لاعب في أوروبا سيكون بمثابة سلاح ضخم، النوع الذي يحتاجه سلوت في فريقه، وأظهر فريمبونج تلك الخطورة في لمحاته التي قدمها مع الفريق حتى الآن، وسيظهر ذلك مجددًا بمجرد تعافيه من إصابة أوتار الركبة.
Leeds United have been given a sobering reminder of the step up in quality from the Championship to the Premier League by watching some recent transfer sagas unfold.
Liverpool officially confirmed the permanent signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee that could rise to a British-record £116m on Friday.
Florian Wirtz
Whereas, the Whites have never spent more than £35.5m to sign a player. Their current record stands at the £35.5m they paid to sign Georginio Rutter from Hoffenheim at the start of 2023.
Rutter scored eight goals and provided 18 assists in 66 matches for the West Yorkshire outfit before he completed a move to Brighton & Hove Albion last summer.
Leeds are in the market to sign a central midfielder to bolster their squad this summer, amid interest in Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra and Club Brugge’s Raphael Onyedika.
They have been shown how much the top midfielders in the Premier League go for, though, as Arsenal are set to sign Martin Zubimendi from Spanish side Real Sociedad for a reported fee of £56m.
Leeds United's current midfield options
At this moment in time, Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, and Ao Tanaka are Daniel Farke’s only senior central midfield options ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, after Joe Rothwell returned to Bournemouth and Josuha Guilavogui was released at the end of his contract.
Ampadu has often been utilised as a centre-back option by the German head coach, which could leave Gruev and Tanaka as the two midfielders in his 4-2-3-1 system if the Wales international slots into the back four.
There are question marks over whether those two midfielders have the physicality to compete week-in-week-out in a relegation scrap in the Premier League, however, due to their form in the past.
Prior to their respective moves to Elland Road, both Gruev and Tanaka played in Germany, in the Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga, and showed signs that they may not be able to handle the step up in physicality to the Premier League.
Appearances
31
30
Pass accuracy
87%
89%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.1
2.0
Ground duel success rate
53%
49%
Aerial duel success rate
43%
49%
As you can see in the table above, they both left a bit to be desired physically in the top two divisions in Germany, particularly when it came to competing in aerial battles.
This may be why the Whites are keen to add more physicality to their midfield by bringing in a new option in that area of the park, and they are now reportedly interested in a new target in that position.
Leeds eyeing deal for Ligue 1 enforcer
According to GIVEMESPORT, Leeds United are lining up a deal to sign Stade de Reims defensive midfielder Valentin Atangana during the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Whites have set their sights on the talented 19-year-old enforcer, whose team were relegated to the second division in France this season.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
GIVEMESPORT adds that the Championship champions are keen to do their business as early as possible, and that the French starlet has emerged as one of the options on their radar in their pursuit of a new central midfielder.
The outlet states that the Whites are keen to win the race to secure his services this summer after they were made aware that he is set to be available in the market because of Reims’ relegation to Ligue 2.
It also forwards a suggestion that the player could be available for a bargain price of around £9m, as Reims look to rake in money after dropping out of Ligue 1.
The report also claims that Leeds are now weighing up whether or not to enter negotiations over a deal to bring the teenage talent to West Yorkshire before the end of the window.
Why Leeds should sign Valentin Atangana
The Whites should approach Reims to do a deal for the 19-year-old star because he could arrive as Farke’s own version of Zubimendi, who is set to join Arsenal for £56m, to bolster the physicality in his midfield.
As per FBref, the Spain international is one of the most similar players to Atangana based on their respective statistics in Ligue 1 and LaLiga over the past 365 days.
As you can see in the chart above, they both excel in fairly similar areas of the game, particularly defensively, with a similar success rate in tackles and aerial battles.
Zubimendi ended the LaLiga season with a ground duel success rate of 56% and an aerial battle success rate of 62%, whilst Atangana won 53% of his ground duels and 58% of his aerial battles in Ligue 1 for Reims.
The France U19 international, who was hailed as “exceptional” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, caught the eye in the French top-flight from a defensive perspective, despite his team being relegated.
He was playing in a poor team, hence their relegation, but still showcased his physicality and quality. A great example is his performance against PSG in the Coupe de France final, as he won seven of his nine duels and completed all three of his dribbles against the likes of Joao Neves and Vitinha, but his side lost 3-0.
Clearances
2.02
Top 19%
Aerial duels won
1.48
Top 8%
Percentage of dribblers tackled
73.7%
Top 2%
Challenges lost
0.32
Top 2%
Shots blocked
0.47
Top 14%
Interceptions
1.17
Top 33%
Dispossessed
0.73
Top 23%
As you can see in the table above, Atangana ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of key defensive metrics in Ligue 1, particularly when it came to winning aerial duels and holding off opposition players.
He rarely allowed dribblers to get past him, as shown by his success rate in tackles and how few challenges he lost, and was rarely dispossessed by opposition midfielders, which speaks to his strength in possession.
The teenage talent could, therefore, be Farke’s own version of Zubimendi as a defensive midfielder who has shown that he can be reliable in physical contests and secure in possession under pressure in one of Europe’s top leagues.
To sign a 19-year-old talent who has already proven his quality in the French top-flight, and is comparable to £56m-rated Zubimendi, for just £9m could be a shrewd move by Leeds, and one they must pursue in the coming weeks.
He's better than Diarra: Leeds now looking at deal to sign £26m "threat"
Leeds United are eyeing up a midfield star who could be even better than Habib Diarra.
Liverpool opted against significant first-team investment after Jurgen Klopp packed his bags and put an end to his Anfield dynasty last summer.
One of the esteemed coach’s final acts, in typically larger-than-life fashion, was to bellow his successor’s name into a mic, Liverpool having finished the 2023/24 Premier League season in third place, and as Carabao Cup champions.
“Arne Slot,” the manager roared, and Liverpool’s fans echoed his rallying cry. It was the end of an era, an illustrious period of sustained success that saw the Reds win the whole gamut after several interminable seasons of disappointment, languishing below their rightful place among the big boys.
Klopp’s decision has been vindicated. Slot has won the Premier League in his first term at the helm, so dominant, taking the team left to him and shaping it into something greater.
Now, though, it is time for first-team investment. The pieces are being moved well ahead of the summer transfer window, and though fans anticipate a raft of exciting arrivals, some departures are needed too.
Darwin Nunez chief among them.
Why Liverpool must sell Darwin Nunez
While the thought of Florian Wirtz driving a Nunez resurgence is tantalising, it’s probably not going to happen.
The Uruguay international, 25, has just completed his third campaign in a Liverpool shirt, and it was probably his least productive yet.
Liverpool'sDarwinNunezreacts
When Nunez arrived in July 2022 for a fee rising to a club-record £85m, he arrived to much fanfare. Here was a robust, athletic and deadly forward who scored 34 goals from 41 matches in his final season for the Portuguese giants.
But he’s failed to make it work in the Premier League. Here’s a statistic: Nunez has only scored 25 goals in the English top flight, featuring 95 times and avoiding any serious stretch in the infirmary.
24/25
47
7
7
23/24
54
18
15
22/23
42
15
4
Klopp’s tactics are perhaps characterised by their chaos. Nunez, then, embodies some of the German’s core principles, but Slot’s businesslike approach has led to a regression, with the boss even stating in February that he “can’t accept” Nunez’s work-rate.
While the £140k-per-week talent’s time on Merseyside has been defined by wastefulness, this hasn’t really been the case this term. Instead, he’s been reduced to a small part in the grand play, scoring only seven goals across all competitions and starting but once in the Premier League since Boxing Day.
Darwin Nunez warming up for Liverpool
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Liverpool’s plan is to part ways with the record man, and all parties welcome the prospect. With Saudi suitors interested, Liverpool might just find they can sign a suitable replacement to add to the exciting rebuild Richard Hughes is currently fronting.
Liverpool want to sign a new striker
As per Spanish reports, Liverpool are ready to challenge Newcastle United for Brighton & Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro, who is ready to leave the south coast club this summer.
The clubs in question are ready to meet Brighton’s €70m (£58m) demands, both eager to take the lead in the race.
Despite earlier reports to the contrary, transfer insider Ben Jacobs claims Chelsea are not actively pursuing a move, only enhancing Liverpool’s chances of getting a deal done.
What Joao Pedro would bring to Liverpool
Newcastle’s success in qualifying for the Champions League after Aston Villa were controversially beaten at Old Trafford surely ends Anfield’s hopes of signing Alexander Isak this summer, with PIF set to demand north of £150m for his sale.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
Joao Pedro, conversely, is expected to leave the AMEX, and for a far smaller figure at that. The Brazil forward has been a success since joining Brighton from Championship side Watford in 2023, a deal that narrowly missed the £30m mark.
Across 70 appearances for the Seagulls, the 23-year-old has scored 30 goals and supplied ten assists. However, he’s not defined by his goal metrics, promising though they may be, with Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard hailing his “really magical” quality on the ball.
Beaten by Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch to the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season award, he’s got the physicality and technical ability to become a star under Slot’s wing, smoothly replacing Nunez at number nine.
As per Sofascore, Joao Pedro has only missed 16 big chances across his two top-flight campaigns at Brighton, scoring 19 goals and supplying nine assists. He’s only started 42 matches during this period.
The foundations have been laid, and now Slot can welcome this rising star into his brood and take him to the next level, providing the title winners with a new focal frontman who can provide a richer goal threat while maintaining a dynamic, multi-faceted approach to benefit the likes of Wirtz and Mohamed Salah, among others.
Nunez’s day is done, but in his place, Liverpool can sign a striker capable of proving an upgrade while echoing some of the South American’s finer qualities.
But there’s no denying that Joao Pedro is a sharper and more complete version, as the table below highlights.
Goals
0.40
0.46
Assists
0.16
0.28
Shots taken
2.70
1.94
Shot-creating actions
2.46
3.33
Touches
29.07
43.43
Touches (att pen)
5.88
5.64
Progressive passes
2.14
3.60
Progressive carries
1.83
3.05
Successful take-ons
0.64
1.34
Tkl + Int
1.99
1.16
As you can see, Nunez pales in comparison to the Brighton man, who has yet to reach his potential and already has showcased high-level qualities in the Premier League.
It’s time for change. Nunez will leave Liverpool with the goodwill of the fanbase, but he must indeed depart – especially if a deal for a player like Joao Pedro is in the pipeline.
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Manchester City captain Kevin De Bruyne will leave the club this summer after 11 glory-laden years at the Etihad.
The Belgian has made over 400 appearances for the club, but his contract won’t be extended into the 2025/26 season.
Kevin De Bruyne
This means Pep Guardiola will be on the lookout for a potential replacement for the 33-year-old when the summer transfer window opens in a few weeks.
There have been a few names linked, and one is starring in the Premier League already; Morgan Gibbs-White.
Manchester City make Morgan Gibbs-White a key target
According to the Daily Mail, City are now considered the frontrunners to sign the Englishman in a mega summer deal.
Any potential move will cost the club significantly, however, as Nottingham Forest value the midfielder at around the £100m mark.
They have paid this fee before, signing Jack Grealish in the summer of 2021, but will they look to splash out again? Especially given their spending spree in January.
Gibbs-White has been impressive this term. Across 31 matches, he has scored five goals and grabbed nine assists, helping Forest into the Champions League places in the table.
Do City have to spend this sort of money to find a De Bruyne replacement ahead of next season? Or do they have one lurking in the academy, waiting to be unleashed in 2025/26?
How City can forget De Bruyne and Gibbs-White
Guardiola has been brewing several young talents over the last couple of seasons. The likes of Phil Foden and Rico Lewis have made great strides under the Spaniard while Nico O’Reilly is now forging a real career for himself at the Eithad.
Manchester City's NicoO'Reillycelebrates after the match
Yet, he’s not the only youngster looking to make a positive impression heading in the 2025/26 campaign.
Indeed, Divine Mukasa could well be the next one to make the step up and showcase his prodigious talents for the club.
U18 Premier League
20
16
15
Premier League 2
2
0
0
UEFA Youth League
8
0
3
EFL Trophy
2
0
1
FA Youth Cup
5
1
6
The 17-year-old has been in simply sublime form this term, scoring 17 times while also registering 25 assists across just 37 matches for the U18s and U21s this term, highlighting how effective he has been in the final third.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Academy scout Antonio Mango has hailed Mukasa as a “game changer” amid his wonderful contributions this season, and it looks like the time has arrived for Guardiola to unleash him at senior level.
He has even gained caps at U18 level for England, making his debut against Portugal in September last year and going on to play a further four times for his country at the time of writing.
A natural attacking midfielder, there is no doubt Mukasa could be City’s very own Gibbs-White should he make the grade at senior level. He has a keen eye for goal, but also loves creating plenty of chances for others in the final third.
If Guardiola wants to save the club around £100m, promoting the 17-year-old and giving him a few minutes here and there could be the best policy ahead of next term.
After a few years, the supporters might even forget about the exploits of De Bruyne with Mukasa himself having compared himself to the Belgian.
It’s safe to say this kid is the real deal. That much is certain.
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A turning point, or another false dawn at Liverpool?
The relief was palpable when Cody Gakpo swept home at the London Stadium on Sunday, confirming in the late stages Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over West Ham United, arresting a landslide in form that had seen nine defeats dished out across 12 matches in all competitions.
Arne Slot is still a man under pressure, and no mistake. But it’s important to remember the Dutchman has FSG’s backing at this stage. That could change, however, if the Reds sink back into negative habits over the coming weeks, and that win over the Hammers stands as a lonely winter outlier.
The latest on Arne Slot's future at Liverpool
Slot definitely has credit in the bank after his incredible Premier League triumph last season, taking Jurgen Klopp’s squad and fashioning them into champions once again.
However, the owners’ leniency will only stretch so far, and forthcoming Premier League fixtures against Sunderland (H) and Leeds United (A) feel significant. Liverpool won at West Ham, but they must prove that they have stopped the rot.
And if this doesn’t prove the case, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been earmarked as the perfect successor.
As per Spanish reports, the 43-year-old Spaniard is very much on FSG’s radar, and, moreover, he would consider an approach from the English champions.
Rayo Vallecano coachAndoniIraola
Bournemouth would require compensation for Iraola’s departure, but if push does come to shove, he might be the perfect option for Richard Hughes, formerly sporting director at the Vitality Stadium, to lure to Anfield.
Why Liverpool are considering Andoni Iraola
Iraola’s Bournemouth system is built on high-energy, aggressive principles. These are key tenets of his philosophy.
This bespeaks his players’ elite physicality, and that is a product of his schooling.
This young manager is the real deal, and if Liverpool were to complete his signing, they would land themselves the next version of Mikel Arteta, who is working wonders with Arsenal in north London.
Praised as “the best coach in the Premier League” by journalist James Horncastle, Iraola might not have the same calibre of players as teams like Arsenal and Liverpool, but he’s whipped his Cherries into shape, alright, creating a front-footed and aggressive outfit that rival the Gunners for actions in the offensive third.
Man City
9095
2463
Liverpool
9001
2410
Arsenal
8384
2348
Bournemouth
7977
2191
Nott’m Forest
7927
2127
Indeed, Iraola may hail from the same Basque region as Arteta, but there is also a likeness in regard to the managers’ respective tactical visions and the way they tackle obstacles in the Premier League.
There’s also Iraola’s ability to craft a special, close-knit feeling at his club, something Arteta has masterfully achieved at the Emirates, so miserable were Arsenal at the end of Unai Emery’s tenure.
Liverpool are already known admirers of Bournemouth talisman Antoine Semenyo, and Milos Kerkez was purchased from the south coast side this summer.
Whether the Redmen manage to string together a run of consistency under Slot’s wing remains to be seen. Fans will reserve judgement until the win over West Ham is followed by a series of wins that propel the Merseysiders back into something resembling the ascendancy.
But Iraola could be the perfect fallback, if things don’t improve. He is young and hungry, and the tactical similarities with his Basque peer Arteta suggest he could be the long-term solution at Liverpool, a club looking to cement their position at the very top.
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Minus Zian Flemming’s late penalty for Burnley at St James’ Park, Newcastle United’s 2-1 win over the relegation-threatened Clarets on Saturday was rather straightforward.
Scott Parker’s men never gave in, but after Anthony Gordon stroked home his fourth penalty of the season, there was a sense of inevitability that the Magpies were going to secure a sixth Premier League victory of the campaign, especially as the away side had to play all of the second half with just ten men.
It was far from vintage, but Newcastle will be pleased that they now enter into the upcoming Tyne-Wear Derby with a confidence-boosting win under their belt.
Then, it’s a tough encounter with Chelsea in league action, before more and more clashes come their way across the bumper Christmas period.
Before you know it, Eddie Howe’s men will be concerning themselves with matters in the January transfer window, as plenty of new signings are tipped to move to Tyneside.
Newcastle's transfer latest
Away from any new arrivals, though, Yoane Wissa lining up for Howe and Co against Burnley would have felt like a fresh signing in itself, as the injury-plagued striker finally pulled on Toon black and white, after exiting Brentford in the summer.
Still, even with Wissa’s return, Newcastle have been credited as being interested in the services of Bees goal machine Igor Thiago, as Keith Andrews fears another Magpies swoop could be forthcoming.
Of course, there is also constant talk bubbling away that Elliot Anderson might well seal a Tyneside return from Nottingham Forest.
Yet, with a ludicrous £100m price tag above the England international’s head, Newcastle might well be better placed to seek out cheaper alternatives, as Hungarian sensation Alex Tóth is allegedly catching the Premier League side’s eye.
Already garnering a lot of hype in his native country for Robbie Keane’s Ferencváros TC, Football Insider has now revealed that a £13m bid could be accepted down the line for the 20-year-old’s services, with Newcastle and Bundesliga clubs eyeing up the emerging talent.
Newcastle could be tempted to land such a promising midfield gem if he is available at such a cut-price fee, with the lingering disappointment of letting Anderson go prematurely, softened somewhat by the Budapest-born star’s arrival.
How Toth could be Anderson 2.0
Newcastle must still have restless nights about the decision to sell Anderson to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2024, after the homegrown Toon prodigy had made 55 promising appearances in the first team ranks.
He was only just getting started at St James’ Park, though, with hindsight on side, as the 23-year-old is now a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up, and for good reason.
He’s made a mind-blowing 8.4 ball recoveries per game this season in Premier League action, and won 7.8 duels per match, gifting him the label of being an “elite” performer at the very top by analyst and social media personality Statman Dave.
Likewise, journalist Bence Bocsak has tipped the Ferencváros number 64 to go to “the top” too, with a new Anderson-style project potentially on Newcastle’s hands if they land Tóth this January.
Tóth’s league numbers
Stat (* = per 90 mins)
24/25
25/26
Games played
17
12
Goals scored
2
1
Assists
7
1
Touches*
65.9
54.5
Accurate passes*
37.6 (84%)
32.8 (87%)
Big chances created
8
4
Ball recoveries*
4.2
2.0
Total duels won*
4.8
4.0
Stats by Sofascore
Winning four duels per fixture his season in Fizz Liga action, Tóth isn’t a million miles off the high-octane approach Anderson is known for. He even regularly lines up for Hungary, alongside Liverpool faces Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai, off the back of these well-drilled showings, with three ground duels successfully won against the Republic of Ireland, just last month.
But, as per analyst page Football Wonderkids, it’s also his well-rounded ability to chip in with goals and assists and tidily play the ball about the pitch that makes him a “special talent” worthy of a Premier League switch, with a standout 11 goal contributions tallied up across his last two league seasons. Like Anderson, therefore, he’s got a goal involvement from the middle of the park in him too.
This has further led to the aforementioned Bocsak hailing the £13m asset as a “modern day midfielder” who is capable of everything, much like Anderson, who has three goals and seven assists for the Tricky Trees in total, yet is also known as a “warrior” for his defensive grit by Como scout Ben Mattinson.
Of course, if Tóth were to make the move to England, he wouldn’t become an Anderson-like talent overnight in his new, intimidating surroundings.
But, for just £13m, it’s surely worth the gamble that he could morph into Newcastle’s second coming of their departed midfielder in time.
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