All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester United have reportedly made their move to sign Karim Benzema, who is looking to leave Al-Ittihad on a temporary basis.

Anthony Martial injury

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag have been short of goals this season, with every side in the top 14 in the Premier League scoring more than United’s tally of 24 from 21 games.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Therefore, the need for attacking reinforcements seems clear, especially with Anthony Martial struggling for game time and form, netting just once in the top flight.

The 28-year-old is out of contract at Old Trafford in the summer and it has now emerged that the forward is set to be out for 10 weeks after surgery on a groin issue, with a Man United statement reading:

“Manchester United striker Anthony Martial has completed successful surgery to address a groin complaint and will be out of action for about 10 weeks as he rehabilitates. We wish Anthony a speedy recovery and look forward to his return.”

Therefore, the need for a short-term striker solution to help Rasmus Hojlund for the second half of the season appears to be clear, and it looks as if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co are wasting no time in searching for a new marquee attacker.

Man United open Karim Benzema talks

According to reports in Spain, relayed by Sport Witness on Wednesday, the Red Devils are in talks with Benzema’s entourage over a January deal, with the Frenchman looking to leave Saudi Arabia on a temporary basis.

The ownership of Al-Ittihad have not granted the 36-year-old’s request, though, but it is added that discussions are continuing and Benzema’s entourage are talking to various clubs, including Manchester United.

Manchester United now eyeing Brighton-esque centre-back signing

But a recent Seagulls transfer has made life more difficult for the Red Devils…

ByDavid Comerford Jan 24, 2024

Benzema is thought to be on a whopping £200m per season salary in Saudi Arabia after leaving Real Madrid last season, so you can see why Al-Ittihad would want to keep hold of the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner.

Goals have continued to flow for the legendary striker in the Saudi Pro-League, contributing to 17 goals in 20 appearances for his current employers. However, the Premier League is a competition that Benzema has never played in throughout his career after long stints at Lyon and Real Madrid, so he could well be open to a short-term deal in England with United.

If that is the case, then Ten Hag could be getting the “best no.9 in the world”, as Benzema was dubbed by former manager Zinedine Zidane back in 2018.

“I know what a player Benzema is, everyone knows it. The number of goals he’s scoring is incredible. I’m made up for him. Everyone can have their opinion on who is the best No.9 in the world and for me it’s Karim. He is confident, he knows you can always improve too, which is great. It doesn’t surprise me what he’s doing.”

Aston Villa are usually fairly shrewd in the transfer market and have reportedly moved closer to potentially carrying out a cheap deal to sign an experienced player this month.

Aston Villa chase January deals…

The Villans have been a consistent force in the Premier League this campaign, and Unai Emery will be keen to ensure his side continues to progress by bringing in one or two reinforcements in January.

According to The Evening Standard, Aston Villa have emerged as a surprise suitor for Chelsea striker Armando Broja following the Blues' decision to put the Albania international on the market.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Despite being willing to listen to offers for the Cobham graduate, Mauricio Pochettino is keen to receive a fee in the region of £50 million in order to sanction his exit. Nevertheless, Aston Villa, alongside the interested trio of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and West Ham United, see his price tag as overinflated and would be more inclined to bid at the £30-40 million mark.

Kosta Nedeljkovic of Red Star Belgrade is set to become the Villans' first addition of the window and will undergo a medical examination on Friday before signing his contract and then heading back to join his current employers on loan for the rest of the campaign.

On another note, Aston Villa have now moved to the front of the queue in their hunt to sign an experienced playmaker, as per reports.

Aston Villa in pole position for Felipe Anderson…

According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, Aston Villa have 'moved to the front row' to sign Lazio midfielder Felipe Anderson amid his deal having just six months to run in the Italian capital in what would be a cheap recruit for Emery.

Five similar players to Felipe Anderson (FBRef)

Player

Club

Jack Harrison

Everton

Jordan Ayew

Crystal Palace

Alvaro Garcia

Rayo Vallecano

Aleksandr Golovin

Monaco

Alexis Saelemaekers

Bologna

It is explained that the Brazil international is also attracting interest from Juventus; however, his Premier League experience and potential availability at a bargain fee seems to appeal. One added stipulation of any transfer is that his former club, West Ham, would inherit 50% of any future sum paid for his services.

Labelled "terrific" by former teammate Robert Snodgrass, Anderson has made 28 appearances in all competitions this campaign, registering two goals and seven assists (Anderson statistics – Transfermarkt).

Quality players are arguably hard to come by stereotypically in January, which could make the 30-year-old a viable option for Aston Villa in their hunt to secure a strong league finish, making this one to keep an eye on.

Despite some initial positivity stemming from an impressive pre-season campaign and the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea fans have had to endure another miserable season of false dawns and poor performances.

The Blues are on a three-game winning streak across all competitions but find themselves tenth in the Premier League and closer to the relegation zone than top spot.

One of the most significant problems at Stamford Bridge is the side's inability to finish chances, so fans should be excited about the latest player touted for a move to west London: Napoli's Victor Osimhen.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 Chelsea transfer news – Victor Osimhen

According to reports in Italy, via Football Transfers, Chelsea have made the Nigerian superstar their number-one transfer target for 2024, and they are entirely unfazed by the new contract he signed at the end of 2023.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Blues view the €120m (£103m) release clause in Osimhen's latest contract as an invitation from the Serie A champions to launch a bid with Todd Boehly and Co readying a 'big summer assault'.

While it would be another outlandishly expensive transfer for the west Londoners, it might just be worth it to sign a goal-scoring "machine" and "Naploli's heart and soul", as dubbed by journalist Mina Rzouki.

Additionally, the prospect of seeing Osimhen and Cole Palmer in the same team should be all the convincing that Chelsea needs to once again dip into their seemingly endless piles of cash.

How Victor Osimhen and Cole Palmer could play together

In a season that has been generally quite miserable for the Chelsea faithful, there has been at least one undeniably positive development: the signing of former Manchester City youngster Palmer.

The 21-year-old has already scored eight goals and provided four assists in 12 Premier League starts, and if his teammates were more clinical, he'd have a lot more of the latter by now.

The Blues' primary striker this season has been Nicolas Jackson, and while the Senegalese international has looked good at times, and has racked up seven league goals already, he would have scored many more if his finishing was up to par.

The same problem exists with the Blues' backup striker, Armado Broja, as the Albanian has looked good at points, but hasn't delivered in front of goal, netting twice all term.

The poor finishing of the Chelsea pair is painfully apparent during games and even harder to ignore when comparing their underlying numbers to Osimhen's.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.39

0.66

0.48

Non-Penalty Goals

0.45

0.43

0.23

Shots

3.63

2.80

2.54

Goal-Creating Actions

0.45

0.37

0.23

Shot-Creating Actions

1.91

2.98

1.39

Dispossessed

1.36

2.30

1.86

Aerial Duels Won

1.91

0.93

0.47

For example, Jackson generates a higher non-penalty expected goals figure than Osimhen – almost double, in fact – and yet when it comes to the number of non-penalty goals they score per 90, the 6 foot 1 Napoli star comes out ahead.

Now imagine it was the "natural talent" of Osimhen, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, getting on the end of Palmer's crosses, and not Jackson – the former City prospect could end the season with close to 20 assists.

Ultimately, it would be a massive investment from Chelsea to sign the Nigerian forward, but the partnership he could build with Palmer is surely reason enough for them to go for it.

Last January, Chelsea broke the Premier League transfer record to sign midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a fee of around £107m (Sky Sports). Fernandez had only been playing in Europe for half a season, having just left River Plate in his homeland, but in December 2022, he'd become a world champion with Argentina.

Speaking last summer, Fernandez revealed that he'd be in touch with another member of Lionel Scaloni's squad – forward Paulo Dybala – over the possibility of joining him at Stamford Bridge. And while no move materialised last summer, with Dybala staying put at Roma instead, it looks like it could be back on the agenda in this month's transfer window.

Chelsea could bid before Dybala deadline

According to Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, Chelsea are keen on signing Dybala in January (translated by Sport Witness). Mauricio Pochettino wants to strengthen his attack this month and has identified his fellow countryman as an ideal candidate.

As such, Dybala is prominent in Chelsea's thoughts and they could make their interest concrete in the coming days. Significantly, the 30-year-old's contract includes a release clause of €12m (£10.3m) for clubs outside Italy, but it's only valid until January 15th.

Aware of the deadline, Chelsea plan to "lunge" for the forward in the coming days, with an "important week" ahead. Roma, for their part, will do their best to tie him down and ward off the interest from London. In effect, former Blues boss Jose Mourinho is trying to deny his old club the player they want.

How bad is Dybala's injury record?

When assessing Dybala, the first note of caution is that his injury record is extensive. We've only just passed the halfway point of the 2023/24 season, but already he's been sidelined by three separate problems, keeping him out for a combined ten games. This, regrettably, forms part of a long-running trend – since 2015, Dybala has racked up a whopping 106 absences (Transfermarkt).

On the fip side, when he is fit, his numbers have been excellent. Dybala joined Roma on a free transfer in 2022 after seven years at Juventus, and he's been a big hit for Mourinho with 48 direct goal contributions (24 scored, 14 assisted) in his 55 appearances so far. This year, he's netted six times and set-up six more in 17 appearances, maintaining his strong output (Transfermarkt).

There's certainly no disputing his pedigree either. In addition to being a World Cup winner, Dybala has made the Serie A team of the year four times, won the competition's MVP award in 2019/20 (Football Italia) and made the Europa League team of the season in 2022/23 after firing Roma to the final (UEFA). One of his predecessors in the Italian capital, Francesco Totti, has called him a "phenomenon" (Football Italia)

Chelsea have only scored 34 goals in their first 20 Premier League matches this season, an average of 1.7 per game. That puts them on course for between 64 and 65 at the end of the season, but things could improve if they add a proven goalscorer and creator to Pochettino's frontline.

Daniel Farke will want an immediate reaction to Leeds United's recent slump against Birmingham City on Monday, starting 2024 off with a bang after two defeats on the spin to close out 2023.

Only managing one shot on target in the 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion last match, the Whites will need to step their game up against Wayne Rooney's Blues to pick up a much-needed victory back at Elland Road.

Farke freshened up his side for the game away at the Baggies and could do the exact same against Birmingham on New Year's Day, with two potential changes on the cards in this predicted XI…

1 GK – Karl Darlow

Karl Darlow will remain in-between the sticks for the game versus the Blues tomorrow, Farke having to rely on the ex-Newcastle United man in goal again with Illan Meslier still serving a suspension.

Making just one save in the West Brom loss – as per Sofascore – the Leeds number 28 will hope he can play a key role in the Whites pulling off a win against Birmingham.

2 RB – Djed Spence

Djed Spence will also be retained by his German manager for the game versus Birmingham, the former Nottingham Forest figure energetic and lively during an hour spell versus the Baggies last match.

Spence would notch up a goalline clearance in the defeat, ensuring Leeds weren't on the receiving end of a humiliating loss come full-time.

3 CB – Joe Rodon

Joe Rodon will also start versus Rooney's side, the Tottenham Hotspur loanee excelling again versus West Brom despite the final outcome.

Amassing 106 touches of the ball at the Hawthorns, Rodon's unerring calmness on the ball was also matched by an ability to roll up his sleeves and show his expertise physically when needed – winning six duels in total, the Leeds number 14 proving to be a fantastic acquisition in the summer.

4 CB – Liam Cooper

Liam Cooper came back into the Leeds side last match owing to Pascal Struijk being ruled out due to injury, the Scottish centre-back reclaiming his captain duties in the process.

The experienced figure of Cooper proved to be a worthwhile addition to the lineup, the imposing number six blocking three West Brom shots in the 1-0 defeat.

5 LB – Sam Byram

Sam Byram also returned to the lineup at the Hawthorns alongside Cooper, a forgotten figure to some at Elland Road coming back in to replace Archie Gray.

Byram should be retained for the game versus Birmingham after a satisfactory outing at West Brom, making five clearances in total filling in at left-back.

6 CM – Ethan Ampadu

Ethan Ampadu's spot in the starting eleven shouldn't be under any threat for the game tomorrow against Birmingham, the ex-Chelsea man solid in the away game at West Brom if a little unspectacular.

He wasn't quite at his no-nonsense best – only winning one duel in the game – but Farke is unlikely to drop the holding midfielder who has started every single Championship game this season for the promotion-chasing Whites.

7 CM – Ilia Gruev

Ampadu's midfield partner in Ilia Gruev will hope he can become a reliable first-teamer under Farke in the weeks to come, Gruev starting ahead of Glen Kamara away at West Brom and stepping up to the mark.

The summer signing from Werder Bremen wasn't shy or passive starting just his second game of the campaign, winning all but one of his duels in the narrow loss.

Moreover, the Bulgarian defensive midfielder was useful in helping his team play out from the back – accurate with three of his four long balls at the Hawthorns.

8 RM – Daniel James

The first potential change for the game against the Blues could see Daniel James return to the first team fold ahead of Wilfried Gnonto, the Italian forward blowing hot and cold in the West Midlands.

The diminutive right winger couldn't muster up a single shot on target versus Carlos Corberan's hosts, equally as stunted venturing forward with just one successful dribble managed across a second-rate hour on the Hawthorns turf.

James, in contrast, was lively when introduced into the game for a 30-minute run-out – the £50k per week winger registering three successful crosses despite only being on the pitch briefly.

Farke will want his speedster to be hard to contain against Birmingham to help his team pull off a win, drifting into pockets of space to be a thorn in the Blues side.

Once referred to as "electric" by ex-Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen after a dazzling display in the Championship for Swansea City, James will want to continue his impressive individual campaign against Birmingham if selected.

9 CAM – Georginio Rutter

Farke could well opt to play Rutter in an attacking midfield spot against a susceptible Birmingham side, allowing Rutter's creativity to come to the forefront – instead of his weak goalscoring ability – by supplying the other forward players with chances to hit the back of the net.

The former Hoffenheim man has nine assists next to his name already this season, meaning he should be perfectly suited to this more creative role in the side over a lacklustre Joel Piroe.

Piroe has been out-of-sorts in the last two away games for Leeds, Farke potentially giving his Dutch attacker a breather for the game on Monday.

10 LM – Crysencio Summerville

There's no chance that Farke will axe Crysencio Summerville however, Leeds' showboating winger is crucial to how the Whites operate going forward.

Even on a collective off-day as seen in the narrow Baggies defeat, Summerville was still lively and alert in attempting to make things happen – creating once big chance at the Hawthorns, alongside successfully completing four dribble attempts up against the sternest defence in the division.

Interest in Tottenham Hotspur left-back Sergio Reguilon is increasing ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), who claim that Barcelona are targeting the signing of a new left-sided defender at the end of the current campaign, and that the 25-year-old Spurs full-back is one of the players on Xavi’s list of potential targets.

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The report goes on to state that, while the Catalan side are looking for a relatively cheap option in the position, they could look to include a player of their own in an approach to Spurs for the Spain international, while it is also suggested that Reguilon’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, has a good relationship with the LaLiga side – something that could help to facilitate a switch.

Paratici must axe Reguilon

Following his £32m move to Tottenham back in September of 2020, the argument that Reguilon has not lived up to this rather hefty price tag is a relatively easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 27 Premier League appearances during his debut campaign in north London, the £25.2m-rated left-back offered very little going forwards, scoring no goals, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of just 0.6 key passes, taking 0.7 shots and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 25-year-old average a disappointing SofaScore match rating of a mere 6.74, ranking him as Spurs’ tenth-worst performer in the English top flight.

It has been a similar case over the Spaniard’s 25 league fixtures this season, with the £68k-per-week full-back scoring two goals, registering three assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.2 key passes, 0.8 shots and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the player who Gary Neville claimed is “nowhere near good enough” for Antonio Conte’s system average a SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as Tottenham’s 12th-worst player in the Premier League in the current campaign.

Indeed, while these returns are far from disastrous for a typical full-back, with Conte deploying a system that utilises wing-backs, much more is expected going forwards from the players who operate in these positions – something that the Italian has reportedly stated as one of the main arguments for Tottenham moving Reguilon on this summer.

As such, considering all of the above, it would indeed appear a very wise move for Fabio Paratici to cash in on the defender while the interest is there, as it would very much seem as if Reguilon and Conte are far from a match made in heaven.

AND in other news: Alasdair Gold relays exciting Spurs update that supporters will love

Sunderland journalist James Copley has now revealed some big news ahead of their League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers next week.

The Lowdown: One game away

After knocking out Sheffield Wednesday over two legs in the play-off semi-final, Alex Neil knows that his team are only one game away from Championship football.

Beating Wycombe will be an uphill battle though, as they knocked out third-placed MK Dons, and of course were promoted themselves a couple of years ago, with much of the squad who know what it takes still in tact.

The Latest: VAR considered

Taking to Twitter, Copley of The Sunderland Echo has revealed that goal-line technology will be used at Wembley Stadium for the clash, and VAR is ‘under consideration’:

“Goal-line tech to be used during Sunderland-Wycombe at Wembley. Understand no decision on VAR yet but it is under consideration.”

A final decision on the use of VAR is set to be made later this week.

The Verdict: Use it

Yes, VAR has not been used for the entirety of the League One season, but this is too huge an occasion to sacrifice accuracy for consistency – there is no reason not to make use of it.

It has been suggested that the clubs competing in the Championship play-offs would welcome the use of VAR, and so this should trickle down to both League One and League Two.

Nonetheless, the technology is simply there to help the referees get the right decisions, and with so much at stake, they should be given every tool possible to do so.

In other news, find out which Black Cats loanee is now set for a new deal here!

Aston Villa just missed out on a Champions League spot at the final hurdle last season in the Premier League.

In the end, goal difference would be the sickener that separated Newcastle United and Villa in the fifth and sixth spots in the tough division, as Unai Emery and Co. prepare for Europa League football now, instead of sitting around Europe’s more exclusive table.

Emery will hope he can guide his team back into those elusive top five positions this forthcoming campaign, with plenty of new signings presumably needed to make this dream a reality.

Aston Villa contacted over deal for new attacker

First and foremost, however, Villa will be praying a number of their first-team superstars remain in the West Midlands past this summer’s hectic transfer window.

Already, the Villans have managed to tie down Boubacar Kamara to a fresh deal, but it remains to be seen whether Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers will stay put right up to September’s early deadline.

RB Leipzig goal machine Lois Openda looks to already be on the Premier League side’s radar in case Watkins does depart, alongside another prolific attacker reportedly catching Emery and Co’s eye as they look to add in more reinforcements up top.

Indeed, an exclusive report by journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that Villa have been contacted over striking up a deal for Fulham marksman Rodrigo Muniz, as he weighs up his potential options amid ongoing Cottagers contract talks.

Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have also had intermediaries at their door from Muniz, with Leeds United also named in the past as an onlooker keen on snapping up the Brazilian, who already has 17 Premier League goals next to his name at Craven Cottage.

Villa will hope they can get even more out of Muniz if he decides to relocate to Villa Park shortly, hopeful that he could become their next Jhon Duran in the process, having had to wave goodbye to the Colombian rather prematurely.

Why Muniz can become Villa's next Duran

Villa would have been silly to turn down Al-Nassr’s advances last summer, however, as the Saudi Pro League outfit coughed up a whopping £65m for the South American’s services.

That is quite the steep price to pay for an attacker that had only managed to register 16 strikes in the West Midlands from 78 games, but Duran’s unique ability to come off the substitute bench at a moment’s notice and cause havoc, with his teammate in Rogers even describing him as a “handful”, meant Al-Nassr had to cough up some significant bucks to land their desired target.

Games played

78

97

Games started

16

47

Minutes played

2981

4078

Goals scored

20

26

Assists

1

3

Amazingly, despite only amassing 16 starts in England, Duran would still tally up a lethal 20 goals for his side, with Muniz showing a similar cutting edge in front of goal last season for Marco Silva’s men.

The ex-Flamengo striker only started eight Premier League contests in total, yet still managed to show off a similar potency that became an effective weapon for the Cottagers to latch onto, with a whirlwind eight strikes registered.

The in-demand number nine could well become even more of a threat if he is given the reins to become Villa’s leading man very shortly, having also been hailed as “one of the best strikers in the Premier League” on his day by Craven Cottage teammate Willian.

Even if Watkins were to stay, this feels like a deal that would be worth signing off on, especially if Muniz is also content with the idea of being a scorching hot option off the bench in the West Midlands.

His potential role as the new Duran is also enhanced by the fact that the pair produced a statistically similar performance during the 2023/24 Premier League season, as per FBref.

With Rogers also potentially by his side, the “strong” centre-forward – as he’s been labelled by Premier League icon Alan Shearer – should be able to reach even loftier heights, with Villa fans keen to cheer on another goalscoring hero if a deal is secured.

Emery's own Isak: Aston Villa make contact to sign "terrifying" £51m star

Unai Emery might land his very own Alexander Isak if Aston Villa successfully pick up this potent striker.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jul 31, 2025

Aston Villa sent scouts to watch a 19-year-old midfielder in action last week, according to a recent report. The Villans’ poor run of form continued over the weekend, as they were beaten 3-0 by Chelsea, making it eight games in all competitions without a win. Three defeats in their last four Premier League games have seen Unai Emery’s side fall down the table, and given their expectations, it could mean they are in for a busy January.

Unai Emery may use relationship to sign £25m midfielder for Aston Villa

Emery could have a vital advantage…

ByTom Cunningham Dec 2, 2024 Aston Villa transfer news

Emery will be keen to stop this poor run of form as soon as possible, but with the January transfer window on the horizon, he will have his eye on one or two additions to freshen up his team. One player Villa may now be interested in signing is Milos Kerkez from AFC Bournemouth.

The left-back has been an impressive performer for the Cherries and could now be open to a move away from the club, as they value the defender at £40 million. Kerkez is not short of interest, as Manchester United, Liverpool, and Villa are all interested in securing his services. As well as looking at Kerkez, Villa have also made an enquiry over the signing of Malik Tillman from PSV Eindhoven.

The USA international has made a fantastic start to this season, and already there have been several enquiries made over a possible winter transfer. The transfer news doesn’t stop there for Villa, as club scouts have been in place to watch a young midfielder in the last week.

Villa scouts watch 19 y/o being tracked by nearly 30 clubs

According to journalist Alan Nixon, relayed by Inside Futbol, Aston Villa sent scouts to watch Reims midfielder Valentin Atangana in action. The 19-year-old has been at Reims for his entire career, playing for their under-17s, under-19s and B team before moving into the first team in July 2023.

Atangana played 15 times for the French side last season in Ligue 1, following seven appearances in the league during the 2022/23 campaign. Despite the midfielder not scoring for Reims or registering an assist, he has been catching the eye of teams across Europe with his performances.

The report states that Villa had scouts in place last week to watch Atangana, but they were not the only English club tracking the young player, as Tottenham, Brentford, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United also had scouts in attendance at the game.

Apps

13

Minutes per game

85

Shots per game

0.8

Touches

48.8

Key passes per game

0.4

Accurate passes per game

31.9 (90%)

Interceptions per game

1.2

Tackles per game

1.9

They were joined by Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund, who also had representatives present, as no fewer than 26 teams have been tracking the teenager.

Atangana is under contract at the French side until 2027, meaning as 2025 closes in, some of these teams could look to test Reims’ resolve. Signing Atangana would add another midfielder option to Emery’s team, and his youthful, energetic style could be ideal for the Premier League side as they try to get back on top.

For the third summer in succession, Scottish champions Celtic have witnessed one of their star attractions fly the nest, with Nicolas Kuhn joining Jota and Matt O’Riley in seeking out pastures new.

Signed for just £3m from Rapid Vienna back in January 2024, the German winger has since been sold on for a healthy profit, with ambitious Serie A side Como forking out an initial fee of around £16.5m for his signature.

On the face of it, losing a player who scored 21 times last season in all competitions is a real blow for Brendan Rodgers, albeit with it fair to say that the 25-year-old blew hot and cold during his 18-month stint in Glasgow.

Indeed, the mercurial left-footer scored just three goals during the tail-end of 2023/24, having also only scored seven times across all competitions in 2025. Sandwiched in between that, of course, was his 14 goals at the start of 2024/25.

On that evidence, Kuhn is not exactly irreplaceable, albeit while remaining a key figure that Rodgers needs to replace. Thankfully, it looks like work is being done on that front.

Latest on Celtic's search for a winger

With Kuhn and Luis Palma out the door – and with the returning Jota sidelined with injury – the signing of a new recruit on the flanks is imperative. As it is, the wait goes on to see if Royal Antwerp star Michel Ange Balikwisha will be the man to fill the void, having repeatedly been linked with a move to Parkhead.

Previously also a target in January, the Belgian forward is the name on everyone’s lips right now, with his agent Jibril Rekkab outlining to the Daily Record that his client would be interested in joining the Premiership side, albeit with talks yet to take place:

“Michel-Ange is not closed to the idea of joining Celtic, but the club would still have to come forward. No discussions are underway.”

Transfer Focus

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

Elsewhere, meanwhile, parallel moves appear to be being made, with The Herald reporting that Celtic have seen a £1.5m bid rejected for Go Ahead Eagles winger, Jakob Breum, already this summer.

As per the report, that bid for the Danish talent fell below the Dutch outfit’s £5m valuation, with club director Jan Willem van Dop stating that such offers had been “so far apart” from their price tag.

If a compromise could be met later down the line, it’s fair to say that the 21-year-old would be a more than worthy alternative to Balikwisha.

How Breum compares to Balikwisha

Described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as “an underrated creative winger” who has “such an interesting future ahead”, Breum has captured the interest of those at Celtic Park amid his sparkling displays in the Netherlands of late.

Comfortable operating in a number ten berth or on either flank, the young Dane enjoyed a particularly fruitful 2024/25 campaign, having scored 11 times and registered six assists in just 31 games in all competitions.

That return – which takes his total tally for the club to 14 goals and ten assists in 68 games – included a haul of ten goals and five assists from just 26 outings in the Eredivisie, the top-flight of Dutch football.

For context, that league is deemed to be the 12th best in the world, according to Global Football Rankings, with the Premiership only ranking in a lowly 43rd on that list. Making the leap to Scotland should not be too much of an issue it would be seem.

Balikwisha, meanwhile, has been operating in the eighth-best league – the Belgian Pro League – although his recent injury woes might be of concern, having scored just four times and registered only three assists in 18 games last time out.

Games (starts)

33 (27)

26 (23)

Goals

7

10

Goal frequency

362min

206min

Big chances missed

6

4

Assists

5

5

Big chances created

6

6

Key passes*

1.5

1.7

Successful dribbles*

0.7

0.9

Tackles & interceptions*

3.1

1.1

Balls recovered*

3.9

4.5

The year prior, the 24-year-old still only registered seven goals and six assists in the league, with the table above outlining that it is Breum who comes out on top across a string of attacking metrics.

Indeed, the younger man averaged more key passes and successful dribbles per game, outlining his creative attacking threat, while also enjoying the superior record with regard to balls recovered per game, showcasing his ability to press from the front.

At just 21 too, Breum might well be the more exciting long-term option, with Balikwisha’s return of 29 goals and 17 assists in 141 games for Antwerp not exactly the most eye-catching total.

The question now remains which of the two – if either – will end up in Glasgow, and whether or not they can actually fill Kuhn’s shoes on the flanks…

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