All posts by z3u9t.icu

Chelsea have seen a huge improvement defensively in recent weeks, keeping five clean sheets in their last seven games, only conceding two goals and 16 shots on target across those seven games.

However, the attacking prowess does seem to have tailed off, with the Blues only scoring nine in their last seven games, with four of those goals coming against bottom of the Premier League, Southampton.

Enzo Maresca will be keen to add some extra firepower to his forward line this summer, with a new striker high on the wish list, alongside a new winger who suits the Italian’s system.

Chelsea battling for £64m "cheat code"

The Blues have been linked with a number of forwards over recent months, from Newcastle superstar Alexander Isak to Ipswich forward Liam Delap.

However, they’re not just casting their net across the Premier League but across European football, too.

Indeed, according to reports from TBR Football, Chelsea are interested in signing AC Milan’s £150m-rated winger, Rafael Leao. The player’s camp are currently assessing the player’s options ahead of the summer.

Transfer Focus

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

That being said, the Blues could face competition from London rivals Arsenal, who are also now emerging as an option for the Portuguese winger.

Both Chelsea and Arsenal are keen to add a right-footed left-winger who offers a direct goal threat, speed in transition and creative qualities to unlock a game through their individual brilliance.

Leao has made 43 appearances for the Italian outfit this season, scoring ten goals, providing nine assists and totaling 2,997 minutes.

Chelsea are also reportedly in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens, so just how do the pair compare?

How Leao compares to Gittens this season

Dortmund’s Gittens is another target emerging for Maresca’s side and it’s easy to see why.

The 20-year-old sensation – who is seen as the future of English football – has made 42 appearances for the German outfit this season, netting 12 goals and providing four assists.

He notably shone in the Champions League, scoring against Real Madrid, and would be a superb signing. Still, he’s not quite as good as Leao.

Both players fit the bill of a Maresca winger, looking to get into plenty of 1v1 isolations with the opposition fullback, capable of going both inside and outside and having the directness to drive towards the box themselves.

One factor that could be slightly more worrying surrounding Leao compared to Gittens is work rate, with Maresca often asking his wide players to work hard defensively.

Goals

0.28

0.43

Assists

0.26

0.11

xG

0.28

0.20

xAG

0.27

0.13

Progressive Carries

4.86

5.74

Progressive Passes

3.67

2.08

Shots Total

2.30

2.59

Key Passes

2.09

1.09

Shot-Creating Actions

4.37

3.77

Successful Take-Ons

2.99

3.81

Whilst Gittens has a slightly higher shot volume, manages more progressive carries and successful take-ons, Leao offers more through creative passing, with more key passes, more shot-creating actions and higher assist numbers.

Described as one of football’s “cheat codes” by analyst Raj Chohan, Milan’s Portuguese star has blistering pace, the persistence to be direct and attack the opposition full-backs. He always forces them into uncomfortable scenarios and has the ability to create something out of nothing in a split second.

Both players would be excellent signings for Chelsea, but with the Blues already having such a young and inexperienced side, an addition like Leao could provide more of an instant boost, with a big-name signing to raise morale and ready to play a significant part in a title challenge.

West Ham United are now in pole position to sign a “phenomenal” midfielder, having moved ahead of rivals Tottenham Hotspur and a whole host of other Premier League clubs in the race for his signature, according to a report.

Hammers ramping up midfielder pursuit

As we approach the business end of the campaign, West Ham have little to play for, with Premier League safety more or less confirmed, which means they may have one eye on potential additions for the summer transfer window.

A new midfielder is of particular interest to the Hammers, who are now ramping up their pursuit of new options in the middle of the park, and they are ready to make a move for Lille’s Angel Gomes, with the Englishman set to be available on a free transfer.

Graham Potter is believed to be a big fan of the 24-year-old, but he is not the only English midfielder on the shortlist, with widespread recent reports linking the Irons with a move for Sunderland’s Chris Rigg.

Better than Ferguson: West Ham eyeing "true icon" to play alongside Bowen

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ByConnor Holden Mar 30, 2025

There has now been a promising new update on West Ham’s pursuit of Rigg, with Football Insider reporting they are now in pole position to sign the Sunderland midfielder, despite interest from rivals Tottenham.

Several clubs retain an interest in the 17-year-old, who is said to be destined to be a Premier League player next season, with the Black Cats likely being forced to cash-in if they fail to secure promotion from the Championship.

Everton and Manchester United are also named as potential suitors for the teenager, but the Hammers are leading the race, despite reports from elsewhere revealing Spurs have made a £38m bid.

West Ham United’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)

April 1st

AFC Bournemouth (h)

April 5th

Liverpool (a)

April 13th

Southampton (h)

April 19th

Brighton & Hove Albion (a)

April 26th

"Phenomenal" Rigg needs to take next step

It will probably be a difficult decision for the Sunderland-born midfielder to leave his hometown club, but if they remain a second tier side next season, it would probably be a wise decision to seek pastures new.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has spoken very highly of the starlet, describing him as “phenomenal”, while describing him as a “technically gifted midfielder capable of moments of brilliance”.

Earlier in the campaign, Mattinson also stated the youngster is capable of being a “game-changer”, which has been on display at times this season, with the Englishman bagging four goals in the Championship.

Rigg is showing signs he is ready to take the next step in his career by moving to the Premier League, so it is fantastic news that West Ham are well-positioned to win the race for his signature.

Setting their sights on summer reinforcements, Coventry City and Frank Lampard have now reportedly joined the race to sign a Europa League defender alongside a number of Championship rivals.

Coventry looking to win Championship transfer race

Coventry have emerged to become one of the surprise packages of the season under Lampard. When they sacked Mark Robins in favour of hiring the former Premier League midfielder who struggled in charge of Chelsea, Everton and Derby County, the decision unsurprisingly stole the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Four months into his tenure, however, Lampard has proved the doubters wrong.

A recent 2-0 defeat against Derby County may have ended an impressive run, but Coventry still have their sights set on a shock play-off place with just nine games left to play in the Championship.

Away from the action, meanwhile, those behind the seasons at the Sky Blues have reportedly turned their attention towards the transfer window. According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Coventry have now joined the race to sign Tyrese Asante from Maccabi Tel Aviv this summer following the defender’s impressive season.

Featuring in both Champions League qualification and the Europa League throughout the current campaign, it’s no surprise that Coventry have been joined by the likes of Hul City and Cardiff City in pursuit of Asante.

Of course, given their current position in the top six, Coventry’s transfer plan could yet receive a major boost if they earn a place in the play-offs and then secure shock promotion.

"Excellent" Asante could commence Coventry rise

If promotion doesn’t happen this season, then Coventry’s form ever since Lampard’s arrivals suggests that they’ll be ones to watch next season, especially if Asante arrives. A defender capable of playing European football, there’s no doubt that the 22-year-old would be an impressive coup for the Sky Blues as they potentially build towards the Premier League.

Praised for his “excellent” numbers and “strong” passing by football consultant Kai Watson in February, the Dutch defender is only just getting started at 22 years old and a move to Coventry would only accelerate his potential.

Lampard got a taste for the incomings that he could welcome at Coventry in January, signing Matt Grimes and Jamie Patterson. Now, when the summer arrives, he could receive his best addition yet in the form of a defender full of talent in Asante.

Chelsea added another two players to their growing collection of sparkling young talent when they officially confirmed the signings of Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo this week.

Both players are poised to join from Sporting at the start of the summer transfer window, although Quenda will return to the Portuguese side to spend next season on loan with his boyhood club.

Essugo, on the other hand, is reportedly viewed as a ‘ball-winner’ who can provide depth for Enzo Maresca next term, as per this report by Sky Sports News.

The Chelsea head coach has a plethora of young talent at his disposal ahead of the 2025/26 campaign and it will be interesting to see which ones will make the step up.

The Chelsea youngsters who could break through next season

Essugo is one of those players who could have an eye on making the first-team, as he has made 17 appearances in LaLiga on loan at Las Palmas in the current campaign.

Tyrique George, who has come up through the academy system, has now played 17 times for the senior side and registered four assists this season.

The 19-year-old sensation, who has one assist in five Premier League outings, may look to use his experience this term to push on and secure a regular spot in Maresca’s side next year.

Andrey Santos, who is currently on loan at Strasbourg in Ligue 1, is another player who could make a breakthrough, having averaged 4.3 tackles and interceptions per game across 24 starts this season.

Another player who could make an impact at Stamford Bridge next season is Brazil international Estevao Willian, who can finally join the club this summer.

Chelsea have the world's second-best wonderkid on their hands

The Brazilian forward turns 18 in April and this means that he can officially make the move to England in the summer transfer window, ready to push for a place in Maresca’s team next term.

In The Pipeline

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

Estevao, who was described as a “phenomenon” by his agent Andre Cury, was recently named in GOAL’s NXGN top 50 wonderkids in football in 2025 list.

He ranked second on the list, only behind Lamine Yamal, and was above the likes of Endrick, Pau Cubarsi, and Warren Zaire-Emery, among others, which suggests that the Blues have the second-best wonderkid in the world on their hands.

GOAL.com's 10 best wonderkids in world football.

Yamal has already won the European Championship and LaLiga, whilst racking up 20 goals and 24 assists for Barcelona, before the age of 18, which illustrates what a generational talent he is.

Estevao, who was described as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has been capped four times by Brazil and produced 20 goals and ten assists in 59 matches for Palmeiras to date.

Appearances (starts)

31 (26)

xG

10.54

Goals

13

Big chances created

11

Assists

9

As you can see in the table above, the future Chelsea star produced regular quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the Brazilian top-flight in the 2024 campaign as a right-sided winger, cutting in on his left-foot.

These statistics show that the potential is there for him to arrive at Stamford Bridge in the summer as a player who can make an instant impact, despite the fact that he will have only just turned 18, because the young gem is already shining at first-team level.

Boehly must sell Chelsea's "waste of money" who earns more than Nkunku

Chelsea should ruthlessly move on from the central defender in the summer window.

3 ByDan Emery Mar 19, 2025

Chelsea must, now, ensure that they provide Estevao with the right environment to develop and thrive at Cobham, to ensure that he can fulfill his potential and be a future Ballon d’Or winner with the club.

With the dust having settled on Thursday night’s Europa League clash away at Real Sociedad, it’s hard to know what to make of Manchester United’s display, with a largely positive performance having been somewhat overshadowed by a familiar sense of Deja vu late on.

It must be said that a far more competent United side could have already had the tie wrapped up, with the Red Devils once again coming up short in the final third, prior to Joshua Zirkzee’s opener just before the hour mark.

Even that sweeping, stroked effort from the Dutchman epitomised the at times casual nature of the away side’s forward play, with Ruben Amorim’s men lacking that real ruthless cutting edge even when firmly in control, as Alejandro Garnacho notably lashed two efforts into the side netting from the angle.

Predictably in this dismal season of woe, the Old Trafford outfit were made to pay for that profligacy as Mikel Oyarzabal converted from the penalty spot to level proceedings. The hosts almost inflicted even more misery in the closing stages, only for Orri Oskarsson to inexplicably poke his attempt wide.

Thankfully, the scoreline remains level ahead of Thursday’s reverse fixture, albeit with Amorim left with key selection decisions to ponder…

Man Utd's worst performers vs Sociedad

While Bruno Fernandes can feel aggrieved to have been penalised for a somewhat harsh handball call that led to Oyarzabal’s equaliser, it must be said that the Portuguese playmaker was far from at his brilliant best on the night.

Not only did the 30-year-old fail to offer his usual attacking verve, after registering just a solitary key pass, but he was also caught out at times defensively, after being dribbled past on three occasions in the centre of the park.

Elsewhere, it also proved to be a frustrating outing for Fernandes’ compatriot, Diogo Dalot, with the 25-year-old full-back coming under fire for failing to pick out Rasmus Hojlund in the first half, a decision that even his manager described as “not the best”.

As for Hojlund himself, it was hard to doubt the Dane’s endeavour on this occasion as he tirelessly worked the channels, although the 22-year-old particularly faded from view as the game progressed, with the lack of a suitable alternative on the bench seemingly not helping matters.

Having failed to register 17-year-old, Chido Obi, for the competition, Hojlund will have to remain the go-to striker moving forward, albeit with Amorim certainly needing more from a player who hasn’t scored since mid-December, as he also lost the ball eight times from just 19 touches on the night.

In the case of the former Atalanta man, Amorim’s hands were tied in a sense due to the club’s depleted bench, yet the same cannot be said for Hojlund’s international teammate, Patrick Dorgu, with the 20-year-old perhaps fortunate not to have been withdrawn at some stage.

Patrick Dorgu's game in numbers vs Sociedad

Mixed would be the word to describe Dorgu’s start to life in Manchester.

Performance in Numbers

Subbed at half-time against Leicester City in the FA Cup, the former Lecce man then put in a lively display away at Goodison Park, with Amorim subsequently stating that the wing-back is “going to be a very good player for us now and in the future”.

Unfortunately for Dorgu, that was followed by a chaotic showing against Ipswich Town as he teed up the visitors’ opener before being dismissed just before the break, with that early red forcing him to sit out Sunday’s FA Cup tie at home to Fulham.

Having been reinstated for the trip to San Sebastian, there were signs of life from the £30m man again down the left flank as he regularly looked to get forward, albeit while having been found desperately lacking with regard to his end product.

Much like his compatriot, Hojlund, it is hard to criticise the defender’s work rate as he frequently bombed up and down the wing, although he failed to pick out a teammate with any of his three crosses, having lost the ball on 19 occasions.

That corroborates the verdict of the Daily Express’ Alex Turk, who handed the defender a 5/10 match rating, while also writing that Dorgu was ‘so often an attacking outlet for United down the left flank but wasn’t hitting the sweet spot with his crossing.’

90 minutes

52 touches

66% pass accuracy

1 key pass

0/3 crosses completed

0/1 long balls completed

0/2 successful dribbles

1 big chance created

3/8 ground duels won

1/2 aerial duels won

19x possession lost

While his tally of 52 touches was even more than influential goalscorer, Zirkzee (45), Dorgu did only record a 66% pass accuracy rate, while also struggling in a defensive sense after winning just four of his ten total duels.

There certainly remains reason to be optimistic surrounding United’s January arrival, yet perhaps Dorgu might have benefitted from being replaced when he started to tire, with teenage sensation, Harry Amass, waiting in the wings to make his ‘long overdue’ first-team debut, as per journalist George Smith.

While throwing on a 17-year-old for his first taste of senior football may have been a real gamble, it did look as if United were in need of fresher legs as Sociedad wrestled back control, having been left hanging on in the final throes of the game.

Senior options are, frankly, desperately limited at present, yet with games coming thick and fast, Amorim may need to start trusting his academy talents – like Amass – sooner rather than later.

Lost the ball 21x: Man Utd's 4/10 star showed why INEOS need to sell him

Man Utd held on for a draw away in San Sebastian on Thursday evening

ByRobbie Walls Mar 6, 2025

Celtic’s march towards yet another Scottish Premiership title at Parkhead continued this week.

On Tuesday night, the Hoops swatted aside Aberdeen 5-1 at Parkhead, with Daizen Maeda scoring both the first and the last goals of the evening, with Jota, Callum McGregor and Yang Hyun-jun on target in between.

The Celts therefore remain 13 points clear of Rangers at the top, ahead of Saturday evening’s trip to St Mirren.

Meanwhile, a former Celtic striker, who Brendan Rodgers thought so highly of, is not living up to expectations elsewhere, enjoying two goal-filled, trophy-laden years in Glasgow, but having now disappeared into the footballing wilderness.

Celtic's best modern-day strikers

Daizen Maeda’s double on Tuesday took his tally to 54 goals for Celtic, a whopping 25 of which have come this season, hence why current right-back Alistair Johnston described the Japanese forward as “one of the most in-form players in Europe”.

Meanwhile, speaking on Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social Club, former Hibs and Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart believes that Maeda has “stepped up a level” this season, becoming “top class”.

So, let’s analyse how he compares to Celtic’s other best centre-forward of the last decade or so.

Daizen Maeda

2022-present

54

188

4

Kyōgo Furuhashi

2021-25

85

126

8

Odsonne Édouard

2017-21

87

140

7

Moussa Dembélé

2016-18

51

121

7

Leigh Griffiths

2014-21

123

118

3

As the table outlines, somewhat surprisingly, Leigh Griffiths boasts the best minute-per-goal ratio of any Celtic striker over the past decade, also spending the longest period of time at the club.

One of the centre-forwards on that list, who racked up very impressive statistics during his time in Glasgow, has not quite lived up to the hype since departing for pastures new.

Celtic struck gold selling "world-class" striker

Shortly before his 20th birthday, Moussa Dembélé joined Celtic on a free transfer from Fulham, becoming Rodgers’ first signing for the club back in 2016.

Well, the Frenchman would make quite the impression, straight away scoring crucial goals during Champions League qualifiers against Astana and Hapoel Be’er Sheva, before netting a perfect hat-trick during his Old Firm debut, a thumping 5-1 victory, becoming the first Celtic player to score a Glasgow derby hat-trick since Stevie Chalmers in 1966.

Dembélé then starred in the Champions League group phase too, bagging a brace on matchday two against Manchester City, before also netting away at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

This makes him one of only nine Celtic players to have scored three or more goals in a single European Cup campaign since 1978, as outlined below.

Maeda

4

2024/25

Idah

3

2024/25

Kühn

3

2024/25

Dembélé

3

2016/17

Samaras

3

2012/13

Miller

3

2006/07

Sutton

3

2003/04

Larsson

3

2001/02

Mo Johnston

3

1986/87

His manager Rodgers described the striker as an “outstanding young talent”, before also adding he has the potential to be “world-class”.

In total, Dembélé scored 32 goals during his first season at Celtic and then 16 times the following campaign, winning back-to-back trebles, before he was sold to Olympique Lyonnais for £20m, at the time a Scottish transfer record fee.

He scored a respectable 70 goals in 172 appearances for Lyon, spending a brief period on loan at Atlético Madrid, only featuring seven times for los Colchoneros, not starting a single match, but earning a La Liga winners’ medal.

Following the expiration of his Lyon contract in 2023, Dembélé joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

There, up until his sacking in January, his manager was former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, also playing alongside current Scotland international Jack Hendry as well as ex-Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

Dembélé did score 12 Saudi Pro League goals last season, only 12 players managed more, netting 21 times overall, but won’t be adding to this tally any time soon, undergoing surgery on a ruptured achilles tendon suffered against Al-Okhdood earlier this month.

At 28-years-old, the Frenchman should be in his prime, but is now set to be sidelined for around nine months, hence why his Transfermarkt value has plummeted to around £7m, at his peak he was worth around six times that, proving that Celtic were right to cash in when they did.

Sold for £2.5m, now worth 300% more: Celtic may rue selling Engels upgrade

There are many former Celtic players thriving in the Premier League right now, but one in particular has become the division’s “best ball-winner”.

1 Feb 24, 2025

Manchester United are already thinking about sacking Ruben Amorim, and a “genius” manager who’s won 11 trophies may be on the list of candidates to replace him, according to a report.

Tottenham defeat adds to Amorim's troubles

It has been far from an ideal first three months at Old Trafford for Amorim, with his side now languishing in 15th place in the Premier League.

A 1-0 defeat away at fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday has piled even more pressure on the Portuguese coach, who has since expressed just how difficult he has found his time in charge of United, saying: “I have a lot of problems. My job is so hard but I’m here to continue my job to the next week with my beliefs. I will try to do it, I will try to win again,”

Of course, the Red Devils were hardly flying under Erik ten Hag prior to Amorim’s arrival, but it would be fair to say there have been no real signs of improvement, leading to questions about the 40-year-old’s future at Old Trafford.

Man Utd progressing in talks to sign £33m ace who wants Old Trafford move

The summer transfer window is still a few months away from opening but United are looking to wrap up a deal fairly quickly.

1 ByBrett Worthington Feb 17, 2025

According to a report from Spain, INEOS are already thinking about sacking the former Sporting CP boss, with doubts about his long-term project now starting to emerge.

The United ownership are likely to give their current manager until the end of the season, barring anything drastic happening, but they are now starting to evaluate potential alternatives for the summer.

Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is named as someone who could be on the list of candidates, with INEOS keen on bringing in a manager capable of returning Man United to Europe’s top table.

Zidane has a track record of success

Although United have managed to compete for honours since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, winning the Europa League under Jose Mourinho and the two domestic cups with Ten Hag, replacing their legendary manager has proven to be extremely difficult.

Reports suggest some players are already starting to lose patience with Amorim’s methods, in light of the poor results, so it is no wonder INEOS are starting to assess replacements for the summer.

That said, the players have to take a huge share of the responsibility, given that they have been poor in the Premier League for quite some time now, with the FA Cup triumph last season arguably papering over the cracks of a eighth-place finish.

Zidane has a proven history of success at a top club, winning 11 trophies during his time with Real Madrid, while he has also been dubbed a “tactical genius” by Steve McManaman.

However, the truth is this Man United squad needs a major overhaul if they are going to return to being the dominant force they once were, regardless of which manager is in the dugout.

Arsenal still remain in contention for the Premier League title this season, despite trailing runaway leaders Liverpool by six points, having played a game more.

The Gunners are also through to the last 16 of the Champions League, and if Mikel Arteta can get his side to embark on a solid run of form over the next few weeks, they could still have a chance of winning a major trophy.

Whatever happens between now and the end of the campaign, one thing remains abundantly clear: Arteta must have a clearout of his first-team squad this summer.

Several players are out of contract, while there have been numerous first-team stars who have failed to perform throughout 2024/25, which could indicate plenty of transfer activity during the summer transfer window.

Arsenal players out of contract in summer 2025

How many will stay on beyond this summer?

ByHenry Jackson Jan 15, 2025

We have taken a look at those players Arteta could decide to sell this summer to freshen up his squad. From a £25m signing to someone who scored 17 goals last term, this list features a couple of surprises indeed.

1 Gabriel Jesus

When Gabriel Jesus moved from Manchester City to Arsenal in the summer of 2022 for a fee of £45m, it was seen as an important move, adding quality to Arteta’s attacking department.

Despite scoring 11 goals during his maiden season, he suffered a serious injury at the 2022 World Cup, which kept him out for several months. Last term, the Brazilian managed just eight goals and notched seven efforts throughout 2024/25.

Of course, missing 35 games with injury hasn’t helped. Jesus’ cruciate ligament tear means he won’t be back in action until next season.

If he can get himself fit before then, it might be in the club’s best interests to put the forward up for sale.

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ByRoss Kilvington Jan 17, 2025 2 Jorginho

Jorginho’s contract expires in a couple of months, and it remains to be seen whether Arteta will offer him an extension.

The midfielder arrived in north London two years ago, giving Arteta some strength in depth, but so far this term, the 33-year-old has started just 12 matches in all competitions for the Gunners.

Earning £110k per week, releasing him this summer could allow Arteta to free up a major chunk of the wage budget which could go towards signing an upgrade.

It would be a big call given his experience and his status as a dependable member of the squad, but the Spaniard may have to be brutal as he searches for that elusive league-winning formula.

6 players Arsenal should sign this summer

Can Arsenal finally find the striker to fire them to a Premier League title?

ByBarney Lane Feb 6, 2025 3 Jakub Kiwior

Jakub Kiwior looked like a wonderful bargain at £20m, especially given how much potential the Polish defender possessed.

Since joining the club, he has made 54 appearances in two years, but hasn’t quite lived up to his promising talent. In the Premier League this season, the 24-year-old has won just 43% of his ground duels, while keeping one clean sheet across his eight domestic games.

If the right offer was on the table this summer, Arteta could well cash in on the centre-back.

4 Thomas Partey

Like Jorginho, Thomas Partey’s contract also expires in a few months, meaning he could leave Arsenal for nothing in the summer.

The Ghanaian joined the Gunners in 2020, costing the club £45m, and it appeared to be a solid signing by Arteta, who was looking to get his side challenging for the Premier League title.

The 31-year-old made 115 appearances across his first four seasons in north London, but he turns 32 in June, which suggests Arteta might be happy for him to walk away, aiming to bring in a younger replacement for the midfielder.

Considering he earns £200k per week, ranking him as the fifth-highest earner at Arsenal, it certainly isn’t a bad shout.

5 Kieran Tierney

Kieran Tierney moved from Celtic to Arsenal in a deal worth £25m in the summer of 2019, and the Gunners looked like the perfect move for the left-back.

Injury issues have hampered his spell in the Premier League, but the Scot has still made over 100 appearances for the club. The last couple of years have been tough, especially with Tierney falling out of favour under Arteta.

He joined Real Sociedad on loan last season before returning to England, but has played just five times for the Gunners throughout 2024/25.

His contract expires this summer, and it certainly appears as though he won’t be an Arsenal player once the 2025/26 campaign begins.

6 Takehiro Tomiyasu

Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has been with the Gunners since the summer of 2021, costing £19.8m.

The 26-year-old made 84 appearances during his first three years. Not a regular starter, the former Bologna defender would fill in whenever necessary and was often a reliable performer under Arteta.

A knee injury has restricted him to a solitary appearance for the Gunners this term, and this could well be his final campaign in north London, mainly down to his lack of reliability on the fitness front.

7 Leandro Trossard

Leandro Trossard made the move from Brighton & Hove Albion to north London in January 2023, as Arteta looked for something extra in the final third.

The £27m fee may have been a tad excessive, but during his first few months at the club, the Belgian registered 11 goal contributions, before going on to score 17 goals last season, with 23 to his name in total.

However, in 34 matches this term, the 30-year-old has managed just five goals. There is no doubting he is effective, but will Arteta be looking to sign an upgrade on the former Brighton star?

If so, Trossard could well be on his way out of the Emirates once the season finishes.

8 Oleksandr Zinchenko

Oleksandr Zincehnko was the other arrival from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, linking up with his old teammate Jesus, and the pair looked like they could spearhead a potential title challenge.

The Ukrainian has made only 13 appearances during the current campaign under Arteta, and it looks increasingly likely that he will depart the club sooner rather than later.

Indeed, the left-back looked like departing the club during the January transfer window, with Borussia Dortmund showing plenty of interest in the former City star.

He is still at the Emirates for now, but with the manager potentially looking to overhaul his squad, there is every chance that the 28-year-old will be among those on the chopping block.

8 reasons Arsenal can still win the Premier League title

Liverpool may be racing ahead, but there is still cause for optimism in north London.

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 23, 2025

Rangers are expected to be extremely busy during this summer’s transfer market.

New Ibrox manager Russell Martin has a big job on his hands, needing to rebuild an underperforming and, in parts, dysfunctional Rangers squad, so plenty of ins and outs are forecast.

On Wednesday, the Gers will learn the identity of their first opponents of the Martin era, preparing to for their Champions League second qualifying round, coming up as soon as 22/23 July.

Before then, could the Gers secure the services of a “magnificent” new goalkeeper?

Rangers' goalkeeping dilemma

After joining the club two years ago, Jack Butland was Rangers’ undisputed number one, starting 102 of his first 111 matches at the club, described by then-manager Philippe Clement as a “top goalkeeper”, even touted with a potential England recall.

However, Butland made a string of high-profile errors throughout the season, most notably at Old Trafford against Manchester United in January, indicating that the Gers can no longer rely on their shot-stopper.

Thus, following the appointment of Barry Ferguson as interim manager, Butland was eventually dropped, with Liam Kelly given the nod for the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, memorably saving Álex Berenguer’s penalty during the first leg goalless draw at Ibrox.

Nevertheless, the table below underlines that perhaps neither are equipped to be Rangers’ first choice going forward.

Goals against per 90

1.11

3rd

1

2nd

Save %

65.5%

17th

67.9%

11th

Clean sheet %

35.7%

5th

40%

4th

Butland and Kelly’s respective lowly save percentages in the Scottish Premiership this season are the most alarming statistics included in the table above, underlining that Martin should be in the market for a new goalkeeper, so could they land a statement new number one?

Rangers targeting a new goalkeeper

As previously reported by Sports Boom earlier this month, Rangers ‘have entered the race’ to sign Aaron Ramsdale this summer, with Martin hoping to be reunited with the goalkeeper he managed at Southampton just last season.

Ramsdale joined the Saints from Arsenal last summer, having fallen below David Raya in Mikel Arteta’s pecking order, for a reported fee of £25m, but is likely to be on the move again, after Southampton’s catastrophic relegation back to the EFL Championship.

A report in the Times claims that West Ham are targeting a move for Ramsdale this summer, valued at around £20m by the Saints, although his £100,000-per-week salary could see him only move on loan, which is where Rangers could enter the conversation.

So, would Ramsdale be a significant upgrade on Butland? Let’s find out.

Appearances

44

32

Clean sheets

14

4

Goals conceded

51

68

Saves

84

120

Save %

65.3%

66.8%

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

-0.4

-2.5

% of crosses stopped

4.2

5.5

Accurate passes

600

646

Average Sofascore rating

6.98

7.13

Worth noting that Ramsdale’s statistics are particularly impressive considering he was playing for a historically terrible Southampton side, hence why only Mark Flekken made more saves in this season’s Premier League than he did.

Importantly, his save % is better and he also stops a higher % of crosses, showing he’s more confident in the air.

Journalist Charles Watts labelled Ramsdale’s performances for Arsenal as “magnificent”, with Arteta describing him as “exceptional”, following a man of the match performance at Anfield two seasons ago, words that simply highlight his pedigree.

Thus, it is clear that the England international would be a massive coup for Rangers, if they can bring this deal to life.

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It could be a busy few months for the 49ers.

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There is never a moment to catch your breath with Chelsea.

One second, the Blues are lifting the Conference League trophy, and the next, they’re making it to the next round of the Club World Cup.

It’s not just on the pitch where the West Londoners seem to work at breakneck speed either, as it’s been a busy summer of transfer business so far, with the likes of Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr already through the door, and links to Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho refusing to go away.

Fortunately, there are other reports suggesting the club are preparing an offer for someone who’d be a far better signing than the Argentine.

Chelsea moving to sign Garnacho upgrade

The first murmurings of a potential transfer to Chelsea for Garnacho appeared just ahead of the winter transfer window this season, but as we know today, those links never amounted to much more than rumour.

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Things are a little different this summer, though, as with it now known that the young winger has been told to leave United, the links to Chelsea in recent days feel like they carry a little more weight, especially as some have claimed that contact has been made.

However, it would be fair to say that this is not a move that many supporters want to see happen.

So, fans should be particularly excited about the intensifying links to a far better alternative: Jamie Gittens.

Yes, according to a recent report from talkSPORT, Chelsea have maintained their intense interest in the Borussia Dortmund star this summer, despite seeing a number of offers for him already rejected.

In further good news, the story claims that the West Londoners are in advanced talks and are now preparing a third bid for the player worth around £45m and hope it will be enough to convince the German side to sell.

It’s a lot of money to spend on a youngster, but Gittens looks like he could be something special, and he’d undoubtedly be a better signing than Garnacho.

Why Gittens would be a far better signing than Garnacho

There are a few key reasons why Gittens would be a far better signing for Chelsea to make than Garnacho this summer, and the first stems from their respective output this season.

Appearances

49

58

Minutes

2803′

3568′

Goals

12

11

Assists

5

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.34

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvements

164.88

169.90′

For his efforts, the United ace was able to score 11 goals and provide ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3568, which comes out to a reasonable enough average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or every 169.90 minutes.

However, the Dortmund star has a better minutes-to-goal involvement ratio of 164.88, as in his 49 games for the German giants this year, totalling 2803 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided five assists.

The second reason for signing the Englishman over the Madrid-born star is the fact that his slight advantage regarding their respective output becomes far more significant when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

While the eight-capped Argentine does do better in a few areas, like progressive passes and carries, he is massively outperformed by the former Manchester City prospect in so many other, arguably more important metrics.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.56

0.33

Progressive Passes

2.13

2.22

Shots

2.58

3.61

Goals per Shot

0.16

0.06

Shots on Target

1.06

1.22

Goals Per Shot on Target

0.39

0.16

Expected Assists

0.20

0.12

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.20

1.05

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.27

0.17

Shot-Creating Actions

3.57

3.63

Goal-Creating Actions

0.45

0.37

Tackles

1.44

1.05

Tackles Won

0.79

0.65

Blocks

0.89

0.77

Interceptions

0.48

0.45

Clearances

0.38

0.37

Successful Take-Ons

3.57

1.31

Carries into the Final Third

2.96

2.93

Carries into the Penalty Area

3.06

3.04

For example, not only does the Reading-born gem score more goals from his shots, but he also creates more opportunities by completing more passes and crosses into the penalty area or being the far more accomplished dribbler.

Moreover, he is an incredibly hard worker, as evidenced by the fact he makes more tackles, blocks, interceptions and clearances than his potential competitor per 90.

Ultimately, while Garnacho is a talented player, he’s simply not as good as Gittens, with the latter outperforming him when it comes to raw output and everything that goes on under the hood as well, which is why Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign the Dortmund star this summer.

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