All posts by n8rngtd.top

Irrespective of what happens in the FA Cup final on Saturday, it has been an incredibly disappointing season for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.

The Cityzens are currently scrapping it out to secure a place in the top five to land Champions League football for next season, whilst they have already missed out on the Premier League title.

They were also knocked out of the Champions League in the play-off round and lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round of the League Cup, which illustrates how disappointing this campaign has been for the club.

Despite having Erling Haaland back in the side, City’s struggles continued against already-relegated Southampton, who had 11 points heading into the game, last weekend in a 0-0 draw.

Manchester City did not create a single ‘big chance’ in the game, and one area in which they could look to improve their creativity is in the full-back positions, because Rico Lewis did not create any chances in 76 minutes on the pitch at right-back.

Why Manchester City should replace Rico Lewis

The Cityzens academy graduate is tidy and reliable in possession, having completed 91% of his attempted passes in the Premier League this season, but he does not offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch.

Guardiola cannot look to Lewis to create something out of nothing by bombing down the flank to put a great delivery in, or to come in at the back post to score a goal to change or win a game.

The 20-year-old defender has gone 28 matches without creating a ‘big chance’ in the Premier League this season, which shows that he is not a player who can make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

Lewis has also scored one goal and missed two ‘big chances’ in those 28 outings in the top-flight, which shows that he does not offer much of a goalscoring threat either.

As you can see in the table above, the England international does not excel when it comes to making things happen in the final third, as he rarely scores, creates, or dribbles from a right or left-back position for the Cityzens.

That is why Manchester City should look to replace him as a regular starter in the upcoming summer transfer window, which is what they may be doing with their reported interest in a defender from Italy.

Manchester City closing in on Serie A defender

According to reports in France, Manchester City are eyeing up a deal to sign Nicolo Savona from Italian giants Juventus ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The reporter claims that the Premier League giants have verbally agreed personal terms with the 22-year-old full-back, as they look to bolster their options at the back this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Aouna adds that contract terms have already been discussed between the club and the player, with personal terms now agreed, and that Savona is keen on a move to The Etihad.

However, the journalist does not reveal how much Juventus are set to demand for the defender, or how much City are willing to pay for him to get a deal over the line in the coming weeks or months.

He does state, though, that Flamengo defender Wesley Franca and Newcastle United full-back Tino Livramento, formerly of Chelsea, are also options to come in at right-back for City in the summer transfer window.

This suggests that Savona is just one of a number of targets and that there is no guarantee that they decide to go with him over the others, despite seemingly closing in on a deal to sign the right-back after agreeing personal terms with him.

Why Manchester City should sign Nicolo Savona

The Italian dynamo could be an excellent addition to the squad if they do decide to go ahead with a swoop for his services, though, because he could be a big upgrade on Rico Lewis.

Firstly, Savona has the technical quality and reliability with the ball at his feet to suit playing in a Guardiola team, hence why they are eyeing him up as a target. This is evidenced by his pass completion rate of 91% in the Serie A for Juventus this season.

The 22-year-old star, who can play as a centre-back in a back three or as a right-back or right wing-back in a four or three-back system, rarely gives the ball away with his passes, which is why he could suit a ball-dominant Manchester City side.

However, Savona provides more quality as an attacking threat than Lewis, who is also technically proficient and reliable with the ball, currently does at right-back for Manchester City.

As you can see in the table above, the Juventus defender has been more effective as a goalscorer, a creator, and a dribbler at league level this season, despite taking 11 fewer touches per game, in comparison to the English full-back.

These statistics suggest that Savona, dubbed an “interesting” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could improve his output even further as part of a Manchester City team that would allow him to take more touches of the ball, giving him more opportunities to move into the final third to provide quality as a scorer and a creator of goals.

Savona, who stepped into an advanced position to score against Udinese in the clip above, also provided six assists in 41 games for Juventus at U19 level and five assists in 61 matches for their Next Gen side.

Therefore, his form for the Old Lady at youth and senior level suggests that the potential is there for him to arrive at The Etihad as an upgrade on Rico Lewis, who has not offered enough quality on the ball in the Premier League this season.

Pep Guardiola now pushing for Man City to sign Dani Alves-esque 21 y/o

He could be an ideal replacement for a club legend.

By
Henry Jackson

May 12, 2025

It is now down to the club to strike a deal with Juventus to bring the Italian talent to England this summer, having already agreed personal terms with the exciting youngster.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now joined Borussia Dortmund in the race to sign an 18-year-old rising star who has a £10 million release clause, according to a new report.

Wolves working on multiple deals as Cunha heads for the exit door

The turnaround at Molineux since Vitor Pereira’s arrival has put smiles back on the faces of the Wolves supporters as they head into their final games of this season and then into the summer. The Midlands side look set to lose talisman Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, as the Red Devils close in on a deal, but given what Pereira has achieved this season, there is optimism that they can find players who can replace the Brazilian.

It’s been reported that Wolves are accelerating talks to sign Harvey Elliott from Liverpool, as they want to win the race to sign the young Englishman should he decide to leave Anfield. The midfielder could cost the Midlands side as much as £50 million, which will likely be covered from the sale of Cunha.

Wolves set to accelerate talks with "incredible" £50m Premier League winner

He could be on the move this summer.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 17, 2025

As well as looking to win the race to sign Elliott, Wolves are also leading the way to sign Jamie Vardy, who will become a free agent at the end of the season after deciding to leave Leicester City. Vardy’s arrival at Molineux would partially fill the void left by Cunha at a low cost.

Wolves join Dortmund in race to sign 18 y/o Montoro

It appears as though the hierarchy at Molineux are working on numerous deals at once, as according to Argentine newspaper Ole, relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves are interested in signing midfielder Alvaro Montoro from Vélez Sarsfield.

The report states that the 18-year-old is likely to leave the Argentine club this summer and make a move to Europe. It goes on to add that Montoro is in fact close to leaving, with it just about where he ends up. Vélez Sarsfield have tried to tie down the young player to a new contract, as his current deal expires in December, but they have so far been unsuccessful.

Not only did Vélez Sarsfield want to keep Montoro beyond this year, but the move to offer him a new contract was so they could increase his release clause, with his current one standing at €12 million, which is roughly £10 million.

As well as Wolves being in the race to sign the midfielder, Napoli, Dortmund and Benfica are also keeping an eye on his situation.

Montoro, who can also play as a right or left-winger, would arrive at Wolves still very early in his football development, but Wolves would hope that, with the right care and nurture, he can quickly become a member of their first team.

With an agreement for Tijjani Reijnders edging closer, another Manchester City target has now reportedly said yes to completing a move to the Etihad following talks with Pep Guardiola.

Man City pushing to sign Reijnders

Following their most difficult season yet under Guardiola, which still saw them finish as high as third to sum up just how high the Spaniard’s standards are, Manchester City are set to rebuild their midfield this summer. Already, the iconic Kevin De Bruyne has brought his incredible City career to an end, and he may not be the only one to depart in the coming months.

Jack Grealish looks likely to join the Belgian out the exit door. The England international was not included in Guardiola’s squad for the final game of the Premier League season against Fulham and the Citizens are now reportedly open to a loan exit for the midfielder. Amid interest from the likes of Everton, a departure would suit all parties.

What those exits will make room for, of course, is some much-needed fresh faces. And that looks set to include Reijnders. The AC Milan midfielder has been the subject of City’s interest in recent weeks and he has now reportedly said “yes” to completing a move to the Premier League giants.

With Rodri returning from injury this summer and Reijnders potentially arriving, Manchester City could put their midfield struggles behind them just one season after they emerged. It’s the type of ruthless operation which saw Guardiola and City become the first to win four Premier League titles in a row and the type that could see them enjoy an instant return to the top of English football.

Hugo Viana makes £40m+ Man City offer to sign Brazilian ahead of Man Utd

The Citizens are looking to steal a march on their rivals…

By
Sean Markus Clifford

May 30, 2025

They’re seemingly not done after Reijnders, either. After missing out on Florian Wirtz, Manchester City have reportedly turned their attention towards an impressive alternative.

Cherki also "yes" to Man City move

According to Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato, Rayan Cherki has now said “yes” to Manchester City after holding talks with Guardiola. The talented Frenchman, with personal terms not a problem, looks increasingly likely to be on his way to the Premier League in a deal that could be worth €40m (£34m) this summer.

As Wirtz alternatives go, and bargain ones at that, Cherki is certainly an impressive option too.

Whilst there has always been a concern about Cherki’s ability out of possession, his influence on the ball cannot be denied and Manchester City could be the perfect side for him as a result.

The Citizens are in possession more than most in the Premier League and that control would allow Cherki to flourish going forward. With Reijnders reportedly standing alongside Rodri behind the Frenchman too, City should not become as exposed in transition as they were this season which could prove to make all the difference.

The wheels came off West Bromwich Albion’s 2024/25 campaign alarmingly quickly.

It all started when Carlos Corberan left the building at the end of December, leaving the Baggies with the extremely tough task of replacing the Spaniard mid-way through what they hoped would be a promotion-winning season in the Championship.

Unfortunately, Tony Mowbray came in and depressingly faltered instead, with the 61-year-old subsequently relieved of his duties as his side fell out of the playoff picture.

It can’t all be blamed on the seasoned EFL manager, however.

The likes of Adam Armstrong also struggled in a league he usually shines in, as seen in the Southampton loanee only firing home a limp three strikes from 16 games after a late January swoop.

Therefore, this might make the Baggies think twice about going after Armstrong permanently now his loan deal has expired, with these three strikers perhaps on the West Brom shopping list instead to try and bolster their firepower.

1

Marc Guiu

West Brom could boldly go down the route of exploring the loan market once more with Chelsea hotshot Marc Guiu, irrespective of Armstrong’s poor stint at the Hawthorns.

After all, the Baggies have succeeded in the past when gifting an up-and-coming starlet chances away from Stamford Bridge, with Romelu Lukaku once just a wide-eyed attacker like Guiu before exploding into life in the West Midlands.

Guiu would hope to follow in the deadly Belgian’s footsteps if he is picked up by the promotion-aspiring Baggies this summer, having previously reportedly been on their radar around the time of Armstrong’s move.

The promising 19-year-old managed to bag six goals for Enzo Maresca’s men last season despite limited first-team action, meaning more game-time to come down a division could get even more out of the raw Spaniard.

2

Willem Geubbels

West Brom could be up against it in attempting to land the services of St. Gallen star Willem Geubbels, considering he is being linked with a £4.6m move to Premier League-bound Leeds United.

But, never say never over the Swiss attacker wanting more game-time by relocating to the Hawthorns instead, having been a long-term target on the Baggies’ agenda.

His goalscoring expertise in the Swiss Super League has even resulted in football talent scout Jacek Kulig heralding Geubbels as an “absolute top talent” and for many a valid reason too, considering the 23-year-old has hammered home an impressive 17 strikes this season from 41 overall clashes.

Therefore, the in-demand Frenchman could push a returning Josh Maja for a starting spot next campaign if he were to move to England, away from also allowing West Brom to immediately forget about Armstrong’s frustrating spell.

3

Ali Al-Hamadi

Lastly, away from thinking outside the box by shopping in Europe or snapping up a rising top-flight star, West Brom could go after a centre-forward talent full to the brim with EFL experience in Ali Al-Hamadi.

The Iraq international didn’t set the world alight out on loan with Stoke City this season just gone when registering only two weak goals from 15 games, but he has proven in the past for parent side Ipswich Town in the Championship that he’s a reliable option to call upon when the deadlock needs to be broken.

Staggeringly, despite only starting one league game for Kieran McKenna’s men during their promotion-winning campaign, the former AFC Wimbledon man would still fire home a blistering four strikes, leaving him with a devastatingly effective scoring frequency of every 72 minutes.

It would all just depend on whether the Tractor Boys would want to keep the dangerous 23-year-old around now they’ve slumped back down to the EFL, but if he is available again, West Brom could seriously boost their promotion efforts by landing their failed January target.

West Brom could finally replace Palmer in swoop for "exceptional" EFL star

West Brom could finally replace Alex Palmer by swooping for this free agent EFL star.

By
Dan Emery

May 23, 2025

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be in the market to bolster his forward options during the summer transfer window after the club opted not to replace Kyogo Furuhashi in January.

The Scottish giants decided to allow the Japan international to sign for French side Rennes on a permanent deal, before the deadline passed without any replacement through the door.

Kyogo scored ten goals in 22 matches in the Scottish Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign before he moved to Ligue 1, which shows that the Hoops did lose a big goal threat.

Rodgers went with Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda as his two main options in the number nine position for the second half of the season, but the club are now reportedly closing in on a new striker signing.

Celtic set to sign Premier League youngster

The Scottish giants have opted to bring another first-team centre-forward into the building this summer to compete with Idah and Maeda for a spot in the team.

Transfer Focus

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

According to journalist Mark Hendry, Celtic are set to sign Fulham striker Callum Osmand to add to his number nine ranks in the summer transfer window.

The accompanying report from Celts Are Here explains that a medical has already been scheduled for the 19-year-old marksman, who is available for a compensation fee because of his expiring contract at Craven Cottage, as they close in on a deal for him.

It adds that Rodgers views him as a first-team addition to the squad, despite the fact that he is currently an U21 player for Fulham, and the Celtic boss could unearth his next Moussa Dembele with Osmand.

Why Callum Osmand could be the next Moussa Dembele

Back in the summer of 2016, Rodgers arrived at Parkhead and made Dembele his very first signing as the club’s manager from Premier League side Fulham to bolster his number nine options.

The French striker arrived for a compensation fee after his contract at Craven Cottage expired, which is the same path that Osmand looks set to follow this summer if this latest report proves to be accurate.

Dembele, after joining from Fulham, went on to score a staggering 51 goals in 94 games for Celtic before being sold to Lyon in the summer of 2018 for a record fee of £19.7m for a striker in the club’s history, as shown in the table below.

Whilst there is a long way to go before thinking about the kind of fee that Celtic could sell him for, Osmand’s form for the Cottagers at youth level suggests that the potential is there for him to follow even further in Dembele’s footsteps.

The Wales youth international scored 14 goals in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, including 11 goals in 18 Premier League 2 games for the U21 side, but did not make his first-team debut for Fulham, as they have Raul Jimenez and Rodrigo Muniz as their frontline options.

Osmand has scored 23 goals in 38 games for Fulham’s U18s and 20 goals in 35 matches for the U21s, which takes him to 43 goals in 73 games overall. That is a return of a goal every 1.70 games on average, compared to Dembele’s 1.84 games per goal during his Celtic career.

Of course, there is no guarantee that he will translate those numbers over to first-team football in Scotland, but there was no guarantee when Rodgers gambled on signing Dembele from Fulham either.

The report from Mark Hendry states that the Celtic boss is a fan of the players and believes that he can make an immediate impact in the first-team, which suggests that he has the same sort of confidence that he had in the Frenchman back in 2016.

Celtic can unearth Jota replacement in "phenomenal" star who's like Foden

Celtic could unearth a surprise replacement for Jota by bringing this star back to Parkhead.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 8, 2025

Therefore, the Hoops manager could unearth his next version of Dembele with this transfer, because of his potential as a goalscorer, as well as the practically identical path to Parkhead.

We might say it most years, but this time, it feels particularly true: this summer is going to be a massive one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side found themselves finishing runners-up in the Premier League for the third time on the bounce this season and ended a fifth campaign running without a major trophy.

So, while keeping their star players fit and on the pitch is going to be key to finally getting over the line next season, it’s just as crucial that Andrea Berta and Co help the manager by bringing in some brilliant talents in the coming weeks and months.

The good news is that, based on recent reports, that seems to be happening, as the Gunners have now been linked with a midfield destroyer who’s won comparisons to the legendary Patrick Vieira.

Arsenal's midfield mix-up

While fans and pundits alike are calling for Arsenal to go out and sign a new number nine and at least one winger – understandably so – it’s arguably just as important that the club bring in some midfield reinforcements.

Transfer Focus

After all, Jorginho left to join Flamengo and, based on recent reports from Fabrizio Romano, the talks over a new contract for Thomas Partey are not advancing, and the possibility of him leaving is now “concrete.”

Fortunately, the Romano has also reaffirmed that the deal to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad is set to proceed, with the club offering around £51m set to be paid in installments.

Yet, that still means the Premier League runners-up will be short a midfielder unless they move ahead to sign Lucien Agoumé.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are interested in the Sevilla star.

The report claims that the Gunners see the young Frenchman as a potential replacement for Partey, although to get him through the doors, the Spanish side will need to buy out the remaining 40% of his rights from Inter Milan.

It’s unclear how much he would cost Arsenal, but as the £17k-per-week gem joined the Andalusian side for €4m – £3.4m – last summer, he might not cost too much.

Moreover, with comparisons to Vieira and the possibility of seeing him play with Zubimendi, this is a deal worth pursuing.

Why Agoume would be a great signing

So, before looking at how he could complement and learn from Zubimendi, it’s worth looking into this comparison to Vieira and where it comes from, as the former Invincible is undoubtedly one of Arsenal’s greatest players ever.

Well, in this instance, it stems from the respected talent scout Jacek Kulig, who completed a profile on the youngster all the way back in 2019, when he concluded that the star most similar to his style of play was the Gunners’ former captain.

He came to this conclusion by pointing out the mirrored strengths in his game, such as his ability to control the midfield through a combination of pinpoint accurate passes and immense physical and mental strength.

These attributes haven’t left him in the years since that initial report either, with data analyst Ben Mattinson waxing lyrical about him in the winter, describing him as someone who is “composed at dictating the tempo,” a “good dueller” on the ground and in the air, and just as importantly, is a primarily defensive midfielder who’s “very progressive.”

We can see a lot of this in his outstanding underlying numbers, with FBref placing him in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for percentage of successful take-ons, the top 4% for tackles plus interceptions, the top 5% for just interceptions, the top 9% for average shot distance, the top 12% for goals per shot on target and more, all per 90.

So, if Partey is going to be leaving and Zubimendi is going to come in as the starting six, that could create the perfect environment for the Sevilla ace to come in as an understudy to the Spaniard, learn the role without much pressure and eventually – perhaps sooner than some would expect – begin to provide some real competition.

Moreover, given his similarities to Vieira in his tenacity and silky passing range, there is no reason he couldn’t start in a double pivot with the Sociedad star in certain games or come off the bench to form one when the team need to hold on to a lead.

Ultimately, the “extraordinary” ace, as dubbed by former Sevilla manager Enrique Sanchez Flores, might not be a household name just yet, but Agoumé looks like he’s on track to becoming one, and therefore, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign him now, before his price tag skyrockets this season.

He'd make Saka more unplayable: Arsenal open talks to sign £90m "machine"

Arsenal could make Saka even more unplayable by signing a £90m star.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 19, 2025

Rangers are starting to make some serious moves in the transfer market.

On Wednesday, in a double-deal day, the Light Blues unveiled both Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez as their latest new recruits.

They follow Max Aarons and Lyall Cameron through the door at Ibrox already this summer, but Russell Martin’s squad rebuild is far from finished yet.

Rangers targeting midfield reinforcements

Martin will take charge of Rangers for the very first time this weekend, with Club Brugge the opponents for a pre-season friendly at Ibrox on Sunday.

Meantime, it’s now less than three weeks until the serious business begins, with Panathinaikos visiting Govan for the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round tie on 22 July.

With speed very much of the essence in the transfer market, a report by Joshua Barrie of the Rangers Review claims that the club are in ‘advanced talks’ with Luton Town as they aim to sign midfielder Thelo Aasgaard, adding that Rangers are ‘confident’ that a deal will be finalised in the coming days.

Meantime, the Daily Mail believe the Norwegian international will cost more than £3m, with the Hatters looking to cash in and cut costs, following back-to-back relegations which leaves them in EFL League One.

Born on Merseyside, Aasgaard was in Liverpool’s academy, but made his senior breakthrough at Wigan Athletic, accumulating 163 appearances for the Latics, scoring 30 goals.

He only signed for Luton as recently as January, starting all 17 of their EFL Championship fixtures following his arrival, scoring against both Cardiff City and Bristol City.

These performances earned him senior international recognition for the first time too, handed his debut by Norway manager Ståle Solbakken against Moldova in a World Cup qualifier in March, marking the occasion by scoring the third goal of a 5-0 victory in Chișinău.

Now, Aasgaard appears set to take his game to the next level again by moving to Glasgow.

Why Thelo Aasgaard could thrive with Joe Rothwell

The aforementioned Rothwell had arrived at Rangers from Bournemouth to much excitement, with writer Kai Watson labelling him an ‘excellent passer’, adding he is exactly what Rangers need, hence why he believes he will prove to be ‘a very smart signing’.

The 30-year-old has plenty of EFL experience, spending last season on loan at Leeds United, winning the Championship title, having previously represented Blackpool, Barnsley, Oxford United, Blackburn Rovers and Southampton, also appearing 31 times in the Premier League for Bournemouth.

Nevertheless, seven years his junior, Aasgarrd could prove to be the bigger of the two talents.

Shaun Maloney, who was his manager at Wigan, described the Norwegian as a “machine” physically, adding that he is “really intelligent… and a leader on the pitch”, also labelling him “incredibly talented”.

So, let’s assess how Rangers’ two new midfielders compared last season.

The table makes for interesting reading, because it actually suggests that these two could form a good midfield partnership.

Rothwell is much more of a tempo-setting, controlling in-possession player, underlined by the fact he attempted significantly more passes per 90, as well as creating more chances and registering more touches of the ball.

Meantime, Aasgaard is an all-action midfielder, hence why he comes out on top for defensive metrics, namely duels, tackles and clearances, but is also a goal threat, scoring more goals and registering almost five times as many shots per 90.

Thus, at 23 years old, Aasgaard still has plenty of time to develop and get even better, so could prove to be a bargain signing for Rangers and a dream partner for Rothwell.

Rangers "hopeful" of signing £75k-p/w international alongside Rothwell

The Gers are looking to secure another signing once they complete a deal for Joe Rothwell.

By
Brett Worthington

Jul 2, 2025

Manchester City have been making waves so far during the summer transfer window as Pep Guardiola attempts to win back the Premier League title.

Indeed, no fewer than four players have moved to City, and there is scope for plenty more in the coming weeks.

Kyle Walker has left, as has Kevin De Bruyne, with Guardiola streamlining his squad.

With the Englishman departing, City have targeted a swoop for a Serie A player who could add something extra to the right side of their defence.

Man City ready to close in on Serie A star

Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki have all arrived at the Etihad ahead of the 2025/26 season. Despite City exiting the Club World Cup earlier than anticipated, the three players could be vital for the club next season.

Now, according to reports in Spain, City could be set to close in on a deal to sign Inter Milan star Denzel Dumfries, with the Etihad side ready to accelerate their move for the rampaging talent.

He has a release clause worth £21.5m, as per the report, but this expires on July 15 and it looks as though Guardiola is keen to activate it before the deadline.

The right side of the defence is a position which needs to be strengthened massively and Dumfries could be an excellent signing.

He could turn out to be Guardiola’s very own Bryan Mbeumo, who has been heavily linked with a move to rivals Manchester United this summer.

Why Manchester City must sign Denzel Dumfries

United’s attack could look very different should they secure a deal for Mbeumo in the coming weeks.

Off the right flank last season, he registered 28 goal contributions in the Premier League – 20 goals and eight assists – proving he would be an excellent signing for Ruben Amorim.

Dumfries could turn out to be Guardiola’s own version of the Brentford forward. Despite not playing in quite such an advanced position, the Dutchman did record similar statistics to Mbeumo throughout last season, with FBref noting the pair to be similar players among wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.

Indeed, according to FBref, the pair performed similarly when it came to shots per 90 (1.74 vs 2.08), shot-creating actions (2.53 vs 3.8) and goal-creating actions (0.18 vs 0.53) in their respective domestic leagues.

Both players are superb at bursting forward down the right flank in order to either get a shot away or to create chances in the final third, with Dumfries notably registering 17 goals and assists in all competitions last term as an advanced wing-back.

Journalist Alan Rzepa described Dumfries as a “monster” all the way back in 2021, but fast-forward four years, nothing has changed.

In Serie A last term, he scored seven goals and grabbed two assists. Given that City’s full-backs scored just eight goals between them all season, adding someone like Dumfries would be an excellent move.

For a fee of £21.5m, Guardiola could well be signing his very own Mbeumo-esque figure on the cheap. Someone capable of shining in the Premier League with his attacking talents on the right flank.

If it all works out, Dumfries might just quietly be the signing of the summer for City.

Romano: "Agreement sealed" as Man City win race and sign 18 y/o ex-PSG gem

The paperwork has now been “signed” over a move to the Etihad.

By
Henry Jackson

Jul 11, 2025

Arsenal are reportedly garnering serious belief that they could seal a major deal pretty soon, with Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta continuing their business behind-the-scenes ahead of a pivotal Premier League campaign.

Arsenal trying to convince £55m ace to join, Arteta is speaking to him

The Gunners boss is getting involved.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 4, 2025

The north Londoners missed out on the title to Liverpool by some distance last season, which was partly down to injuries to key attacking players, but their lack of cutting edge in the final third was also a key factor.

Arsenal netted just 69 Premier League goals, a far cry from the 91 and 88 they’d scored in the previous two campaigns, with Berta and co working to bolster their attacking options as a result.

The Gunners appear to be targeting two wingers (Fabrizio Romano), with Arsenal holding talks over a deal for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who could arrive in a separate deal to the likes of Chelsea winger Noni Madueke or Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.

Madueke is being considered by Arsenal and Rodrygo is believed to be a “dream” target for Arteta (Ben Jacobs), but supporters are especially keen for the club to end their drawn-out search for a prolific number nine.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres have both been repeatedly linked with moves to Arsenal in that regard, with an update now coming to light on the latter.

Arsenal growing in confidence they'll sign Viktor Gyokeres

The 27-year-old is reported by some to have already agreed a five-year contract at Arsenal (Sacha Tavolieri), as discussions remain ongoing with Sporting to compromise on a fee.

Now, as per journalist Pete O’Rourke, Arsenal are growing in belief they’ll sign Gyokeres, and he’s currently the striker in pole position to join Arteta’s side before deadline day.

“My understanding is that his representatives were in Portugal for showdown talks with Sporting Lisbon to try and thrash this deal out,” he told Football Insider.

“There is a growing optimism from his side and from Arsenal that they can get it over the line. The Sweden international has been one of Arsenal’s top targets this summer.

“Gyokeres is the clear favourite now to make that move to the Emirates Stadium. There’s been a bit of an ongoing row between Gyokeres and Sporing in recent weeks.

“It’s been claimed he could go on strike because he feels they’ve gone back on a gentleman’s agreement to let him leave for below his release clause. No deal is done until it’s done, but there is a growing optimism Arsenal are finally going to get Gyokeres as their new number nine next season.

“It’s just a matter of trying to thrash out a fee with Sporting. It would be a huge signing for Arsenal because that’s an area that has been lacking under Arteta.”

Gyokeres bagged an incredible 54 goals in all competitions for Sporting last season, guiding Rui Borges’ men to a first domestic double in two decades, and his ruthlessness in front of goal is exactly what Arsenal were crying out for in 2024/2025.

However, the price will be a major sticking point, and it is believed Arsenal want to sign Gyokeres for around £60 million – a figure reportedly below the Swede’s current valuation of £69 million.

It’s a big season for West Ham United ahead, as they attempt to bounce back from a disappointing 14th-place finish last time out in the Premier League.

Before last campaign’s drop-off, the Hammers had managed to secure a satisfactory ninth spot under David Moyes, with a Europa League journey that ended at the quarter-final stages also impressing the London Stadium faithful.

Now, it’s up to Graham Potter to turn around his side’s unconvincing form, with the free transfer pick-up of Kyle Walker-Peters already catching the eye as he goes about improving his team all across the pitch.

Of course, away from chasing after new defenders, a fresh attacker to replace the void left behind by Mohammed Kudus is also a must to try and soften the £55m playmaker’s exit.

West Ham make contact over £30m deal

Replacing Kudus will be easier said than done, however, with the now Tottenham Hotspur attacker picking up a blistering 25 goal contributions in East London overall.

Yet, the Hammers will have targets in mind who they believe can come in and make Kudus’ departure an instant thing of the past, with James McAtee one exciting face they potentially have in mind to rebuild, as the Telegraph reports that the Manchester City reserve forward is available for around the £35m region.

Moving away from just McAtee, though, and West Ham could opt to go down a more unconventional route when seeking out immediate replacements.

Journalist Alan Nixon has revealed – via his Patreon – that contact has been initiated between Georgiy Sudakov at Shakhtar Donetsk and Potter’s men over a deal taking place.

Nixon states that West Ham view the Ukrainian attacking midfielder as a viable body that can come in and fill the gaping hole left behind by Kudus’ departure, with Sudakov costing just a little less than McAtee at the £30m mark.

The sale of the 24-year-old to North London would allow for this bumper deal to go ahead, as the 22-year-old Donetsk gem attempts to take the English game by storm on his arrival, much like Kudus managed when leaving Ajax behind in 2023.

How Sudakov can be Kudus 2.0

Kudus’ entry into the Premier League two years ago was met with some intrigue, with the two-time Eredivisie winner rising the ranks at the Netherlands giants to become a well-known explosive asset in attack, after joining from Danish side FC Nordsjælland.

In total, the 5-foot-9 menace would fire home 27 strikes across 87 Ajax outings, with his career tally bumped by another 20 goals when strutting his stuff in style wearing West Ham claret and blue.

Kudus would have to exercise patience waiting for his moment to shine in the English game – having been touted for a move to top-flight behemoth Manchester United before sealing a move to the Irons – with Sudakov wanting to now take this opportunity with both hands himself if a switch was sealed, having showed off his class for Donetsk over many a season now.

Indeed, Sudakov’s sublime solo strike in the Champions League versus Young Boys, which can be seen above, was just one of 15 strikes the 22-year-old managed to register for Arda Turan’s men last season, meaning he might well be ready to embark on that monumental leap to the Premier League now.

After all – much like Kudus must have felt when he was still situated at Ajax – Sudakov will be desperate for a fresh and daunting challenge, having now potentially hit his ceiling in his native Ukraine after slowly but surely improving year after year at the Premier Liga outfit to be where he is today.

Capable of also slotting in down the wing if needed, like his Ghananian counterpart, this might well be a golden signing West Ham boast about down the line, with the potential for the “intelligent” midfielder – as he’s been hailed by football analyst Ben Mattinson – to also be transformed into a £55m superstar at the London Stadium.

For West Ham’s sake, however, let’s hope Sudakov feels content enough to stick it out with Potter and Co. for the long term, even if he does explode into life, over being seen as a one-time top performer who defected over to enemy lines.

West Ham now battling Sunderland to sign "aggressive" Bundesliga winner

The Hammers have had a first-hand look at his quality.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 19, 2025