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Leeds United are thought to be “well-placed” to complete the signing of a £6.8m-rated midfielder this summer, as the Whites eye key reinforcements to stay in the top flight.

Leeds eyeing Premier League-ready signings

Daniel Farke’s men are basking in the glory of sealing promotion from the Championship back to the Premier League, following two seasons in England’s second tier. It appears to be harder than ever for promoted teams to avoid the drop at the first attempt, highlighting the importance of Leeds and 49ers Enterprises nailing their summer transfer business, bringing in players who are ready to hit the ground running.

With the error-prone Illan Meslier no longer feeling like the Whites’ long-term solution between the sticks, a top-quality goalkeeper will be required this summer, and Wolves stopper Sam Johnstone is reportedly keen on moving to Elland Road. Meanwhile, FC Augsburg ‘keeper Finn Dahmen has also been mentioned as an alternative option to the Englishman.

In terms of possible outfield additions, Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has been linked with a switch to Leeds, which would be an eye-catching piece of business. Granted, the Dane has struggled at Old Trafford this season, but he still has 25 goals in 90 appearances for the Red Devils overall, and seven in 22 caps for Denmark.

Leeds "well-placed" to sign Hidemasa Morita

According to Record [via Sport Witness], Leeds are “well-placed” to sign Sporting CP ace Hidemasa Morita at the end of the season, potentially snapping him up for just £6.8m.

The 29-year-old has to decide if he wants to sign a new Sporting deal this summer, with his current contract there expiring in the summer of 2026, leaving the Portuguese giants running out of time to cash in. He is believed to be tempted by a move to the Premier League.

Morita could be such a strong signing for Leeds ahead of their return to the top flight, having now racked up 112 appearances for Sporting, winning the Primeira Liga title last season. He is also a 40-cap Japan international.

At 29, he could add great experience and competition for places at the base of the Whites’ midfield, making them as hard to play through as possible, as they prepare to face some of the best teams in Europe in 2025/26.

Playing time has been more limited for Morita this term, with only 11 starts coming his way in the league, so he may feel that now is the right time for a new challenge, testing himself in the Premier League.

A sensational Meslier upgrade: PL player wants to join Leeds this summer

Leeds United could be about to land a star who can allow Daniel Farke to forget about Illan Meslier.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 1, 2025

Morita is statistically a similar player to Kalvin Phillips and Ao Tanaka, according to Football Transfers, which could excite Leeds fans, given the latter’s popularity at Elland Road and Phillips’ incredible time in Yorkshire.

Well, it all comes down to this for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side take on Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League final tonight in the knowledge that winning by a two-goal margin will send them to the club’s first final in the competition in 19 years – their second overall.

However, for them to get those two goals, or even to win by one and get through to penalties, the North Londoners are going to have to be at their very best from the first minute to the last, and that means making some personnel changes from the team that lost against Bournemouth.

In particular, there’s one player who has to be ruthlessly dropped by Arteta, a player who struggled just as much as the out-of-form Martin Odegaard did.

Arsenal's poor performers

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over some of the other starters who underwhelmed on Saturday afternoon, such as Leandro Trossard.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Belgian wasn’t terrible on the day, but as can sometimes happen when he starts up top, the natural winger offered little to nothing in attack, earning himself a 6/10 from the Standard’s Simon Collings.

Likewise, it was another worrying showing from David Raya, who once again looked shakey in possession and almost gifted the visitors a goal out of nothing with a poor pass out from the back.

Finally, while he did manage to pick up an assist for Declan Rice’s great goal, it was yet another poor game for Odegaard, as his lacklustre marking of Evanilson in the closing stages saw the Cherries knick all three points and more than justified the 6/10 match rating he received from Collings.

However, while the Norwegian will almost certainly keep his place in the team for tonight’s game thanks to the armband and a lack of other genuine options, there was another starter who simply has to be dropped by Arteta ahead of tonight.

The Arsenal star who has to be dropped

So, while Trossard is likely one of the starters who will be taken out of the lineup for tonight’s game, Ben White should be another.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion star came back into the starting XI on the back of news that Jurrien Timber had picked up a minor knock.

While £50m defender wasn’t terrible on the day, he didn’t convince anyone that he should keep his place now that the Dutchman’s seemingly back in full training.

For example, while the Englishman offered something on the overlap and should eventually get back up to speed, he really struggled with the defensive side of the game and was ‘troubled by Dango Ouattara’s pace,’ per Collings.

Unfortunately, on top of looking shaky and failing the eye test, the Gunners’ “warrior,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also had some pretty terrible statistics from the game.

For example, while he did well to make six clearances, he was dribbled past three times, lost four of five ground duels, lost the ball eight times, failed his one and only attempted dribble and amassed a dire expected assists figure of 0.01.

Ultimately, if he couldn’t live with Ouattara on the weekend, then there is no way the manager should be looking to start him against potentially Khvicha Kvaratskhelia tonight.

That is especially true now that Timber seems to be fit and back in contention, who respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described as an “elite 1v1 defender” following his monstrous display away to Real Madrid.

Same agent as Saka: Arsenal lead race to sign £51m upgrade on Nico Williams

The sensational youngster could flourish at Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 6, 2025

Since the turn of the century, Chelsea rank first across Europe for transfer expenditure, spending a rather grotesque figure of €3.86bn (£3.2bn).

Having sold players to recoup around €1.96bn (£1.65bn) during the same period, the Blues have a total net spend of €-1,899.67m since 2000.

While the club may have won two Champions League titles and five Premier League crowns during that period, plus winning a plethora of other domestic and European trophies, spending has gone to a new level since Todd Boehly took control.

The Stamford Bridge side did make plenty of exciting signings during the first 12 years of the century. Players such as Didier Drogba, Claude Makelele and Ricardo Carvalho all played key roles under José Mourinho as the Blues emerged as a major force.

Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois and Oscar saw Chelsea enjoy a successful second act between 2012 and 2017, winning another two Premier League titles and a Europa League crown.

One signing was perhaps lauded more than the rest, especially given how much potential he had upon moving to Stamford Bridge.

Juan Mata looked ready to explode into life in the Premier League upon moving to England. Unfortunately, his time in London was short-lived, but his cult status hasn’t left him.

Juan Mata’s Chelsea statistics

Mata had enjoyed an excellent start to his career. After making his debut for Valencia, the Spaniard accrued over 150 competitive appearances for the La Liga side, scoring 46 goals and grabbing 52 assists in just four seasons.

This form saw him secure a place in the 2010 World Cup squad. He may have only played 20 minutes for Spain during the tournament, but he got his hands on the trophy.

Chelsea made their move a year later, signing the playmaker for a fee in the region of £23.5m, which was certainly a bargain.

During his first season with the club, he played 54 games and registered 32 goal contributions, helping the Blues win the FA Cup and Champions League.

Remarkably, 60 goal involvements were recorded in the season after as Mata emerged as a key attacking threat for the London side. They didn’t win anything, but with Mourinho announced as the new manager in the summer of 2013, hopes were high of further glory.

It was clear he wasn’t going to fit into his tactical system, resulting in Mata making just 11 Premier League starts for the Blues during the first half of the season.

In January, Manchester United paid £37.1m to bring him to the North East, but he left Chelsea as a cult icon for his impressive displays.

With the transfer window set to open in just a few weeks, could Chelsea be about to raid Valencia once again for a talented young player with the world at his feet?

Indeed, a move for Cristhian Mosquera this summer could see him become Mata 2.0.

Chelsea make their move for La Liga sensation

While the club are in urgent need of a new striker or two heading into the transfer market, Enzo Maresca is also on the lookout for a new defender.

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are keen to step up their interest in Mosquera, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season for the Spanish side.

As per the report, the Blues could be set to initiate talks with the centre-back soon in a bid to secure his signature. Due to the fact that his contract expires next summer, Valencia are only demanding a fee of around €25m (£21m), which is certainly feasible for Maresca.

They face stiff competition from Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig. While Atletico Madrid are also keen. Three of these clubs will take part in the Champions League next term, meaning Chelsea must secure their place in the competition to stand a chance of landing the youngster.

Transfer Focus

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

Although Maresca has plenty of centre-backs at his disposal, Mosquera could soon become a first-choice option for the Italian.

Why Chelsea must sign Cristhian Mosquera

The 20-year-old has started all but one of Valencia’s league matches this season, although the club have underperformed as a whole, looking like they might finish in the bottom half of the table.

Throughout the campaign, the Spaniard exuded the qualities of someone ten years older. Indeed, he has won an impressive 69% of his total ground duels per game in the top flight, along with making 3.4 clearances, 1.4 tackles and losing possession only 0.3 times per match.

These solid displays at the heart of Valencia’s backline have bolstered his reputation, being praised heavily in the process.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that Mosquera is a “magnificent CB in the making” earlier this year. He also stated that the youngster was “one of the most talented U-21 CBs in Europe” following an excellent performance against Real Madrid in April.

When compared to his positional peers in La Liga this season, Mosquera currently ranks in the top 4% for ball recoveries (5.16) per 90, along with ranking in the top 14% for pass completion percentage (90.8%) and in the top 18% for percentage of dribbles tackled (76.3%) for Valencia.

He is certainly still raw and has plenty of development to do over the next few years, but these statistics prove he can mix it with the very best in Spain, no doubt about that.

For a fee of just £21m, Maresca won’t find better value out there all summer. Mosquera has proven throughout the 2024/25 campaign that he is a reliable centre-back,k and his signing fits into the club’s policy of bringing younger talent to London.

Mata enjoyed a wonderful two-and-a-half-year spell with Chelsea after sealing a move from Valencia. Given his growing reputation and talent, Mosquera could certainly go on to enjoy a similar sort of impact at Stamford Bridge should he make the move this summer.

Maresca must act swiftly to secure his signature, especially with plenty of other suitors swirling around the player.

Chelsea really looking at signing £25m "new name" who agreed to join Arsenal

He’s shook hands on personal terms with the Gunners last year.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 23, 2025

Manchester United supporters are wise enough not to get too carried away by any new signing, not least after over a decade of pain with regard to recruitment, with high-profile deals having repeatedly gone south in recent times.

That said, even after a season that saw the Red Devils finish trophyless amid their worst-ever Premier League campaign, the club’s pulling power remains, with Wolverhampton Wanderers star, Matheus Cunha on his way to Old Trafford.

Plucking a player from Molineux may not appear too much of an achievement, although this is a man who just ended the season with 15 Premier League goals, having notably courted interest from Arsenal and Nottingham Forest in January.

After frequently looking abroad for new additions – particularly during the Erik ten Hag tenure – it is promising that the INEOS regime are now targeting players within the top-flight, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap also under consideration.

As Ruben Amorim has hinted, however, there is certainly no blank cheque this summer, with such deals likely needing to be funded by departures. Alejandro Garnacho, according to the latest reports, looks set to be one of them, although is that the right call?

Why Man Utd must keep Alejandro Garnacho

Not for the first time in his United career, Garnacho has publicly voiced his frustration regarding his situation at the club, having memorably liked a tweet criticising Ten Hag’s handling of him in the past, before more recently hitting out at his lack of game time during the Europa League final defeat last week.

Seemingly not helped by those around him – with his brother also foolishly calling out Amorim for throwing the Argentina international “under the bus” – the 20-year-old is doing himself no favours. The manager’s decision to send him on his way this summer thus appears no surprise.

That said, there has been enough evidence to suggest that this is a player whom the former Sporting CP boss should be looking to encourage, rather than exile, with Garnacho having fought his way back after being left out of the December Manchester Derby.

A run of 18 starts in a row heading into the Bilbao showpiece illustrated that growing faith, with Garnacho arguably making a bigger impact in the final than the man who had replaced him, Mason Mount, after swiftly drawing a save from Guglielmo Vicario after entering the fray.

With his 21 goals and assists in all competitions placing him ahead of Amad Diallo in that regard, it remains a head-scratching decision to force the former Atletico Madrid ace toward the exit door, even if the need to meet PSR regulations remains.

If a suitable, eye-catching offer does arrive, perhaps United and INEOS would be correct to contemplate a sale. No player in the current squad appears to be untouchable, following such a disastrous season.

Even so, there should surely be other marketable assets to prioritise with regard to outgoings, with Rasmus Hojlund among them.

The latest on Rasmus Hojlund's future

Last week’s loss to Tottenham Hotspur saw United toil amid what was a particularly limp attacking performance, with Hojlund coming closest to getting on the scoresheet, only to see his goalbound header cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven.

The luckless striker then fired a blank against Aston Villa on the Premier League’s final day, rounding off a season that has ended with just ten goals to his name in all competitions, including just four in the top-flight.

For United’s leading number nine, such a return simply isn’t up to scratch, with reports having unsurprisingly suggested that a move to Serie A could be on the cards for the ex-Atalanta starlet.

That may be an admission of defeat for the £64m man, although interested clubs may be keen to take a chance on a player who has shown glimpses in a United shirt, not least with his five goals in last season’s Champions League group stage run.

There is a view that these past two years have merely been a bump in the road. Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed him as a “monster in the making” back in 2023, with reports in Italy outlining that Inter have made him their ‘dream’ target.

Indeed, there is said to be ‘total agreement’ at San Siro regarding a move for the Dane, with his time at Old Trafford said to be seen as ‘just an accident along the way’ to him eventually shining. That faith has been represented in a four-year contract offer from the Champions League finalists.

While no fee has been mooted for Hojlund, whom the Serie A side could look to initially sign on loan, CIES Football Observatory deem him to potentially be worth as much as €93m (£78m) – thus placing him ahead of the £62.5m Cunha.

That may seem ludicrous considering his United woes, although it’s worth remembering that this is a player whom Paris Saint-Germain were desperate to sign in 2023, after scoring ten goals in Italy.

He hasn’t become a poor centre-forward overnight, yet he simply doesn’t appear the right fit for the Red Devils. A sale for a sizeable fee would be best for all parties this summer – particularly if it could help to keep Garnacho on board instead.

Not Bruno: Man Utd selling £70m ace would be their biggest error in 17 years

Man Utd could be set for their biggest transfer mistake since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson…

By
Robbie Walls

May 28, 2025

If there is one thing Arsenal need to add to their team this summer, it’s goals.

Mikel Arteta’s side finished as runners-up in the Premier League this year for the third time in as many campaigns, and while they produced the best defence in the competition, they scored 17 goals fewer than first-placed Liverpool.

So, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the Gunners so heavily linked with Viktor Gyokeres again recently, as the Swedish international managed to score 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting CP this season.

The former Coventry City star would be an incredible addition to Arsenal’s squad, and the good news is that, based on recent reports, they could be about to sign a wide attacker who’d be a dream teammate for him.

Arsenal's winger search

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other talented wingers who have been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks and months, such as Kenan Yıldız and Rafael Leao.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could cost around £68m and would certainly be an investment for the future, as while the 20-year-old enjoyed a good season with Juventus this year, he wasn’t exactly unplayable, racking up nine goals and seven assists in 48 games for the Old Lady.

Leao was a fair bit more effective than the youngster, scoring 12 goals and providing 13 assists in 50 appearances for AC Milan, but with a price tag of at least £84m, he might just be out of reach.

Fortunately, another exciting international has been heavily linked with the club, someone who’d cost a lot less than the Portuguese ace and could form a brilliant partnership with Gyokeres: Nico Williams.

Yes, according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are still incredibly interested in the Athletic Bilbao star.

In fact, Romano claims that the Spaniard is now at the “top” of the Gunners’ list of targets, although he has also revealed that German giants Bayern Munich are just as interested.

The Italian journalist reaffirms that the dynamic winger has a release clause in his current deal worth €58m, which comes out to around £49m, and that his salary demands could be a sticking point.

It looks like this could be a complicated and rather costly transfer to get over the line, but given Williams’ immense ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be unreal with Gyokeres.

Why Williams would be incredible for Gyokeres

Now, while there are likely many reasons why Williams could be an incredible teammate for Gyokeres, two take precedence, and the first is his output.

Since the start of the 23/24 season, the “electric” Spaniard, as dubbed by Statman Dave, has scored 19 goals and provided 25 assists in 82 appearances, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games.

So, just imagine how devastatingly effective someone who’s racked up 97 goals and 28 assists in 102 games across the last two seasons might be with the Bilbao dynamo to his left and then Bukayo Saka to his right.

Not only would he have chance after chance created for him, but he’d also likely see his own assist tally increase.

The second reason why the Pamplona-born star will be so useful for the former Coventry poacher is that he’s incredibly direct and effective at taking on his opposite number.

For example, FBref places him in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe for successful take-ons and the top 7% for progressive carries per 90, which in turn will force defenders to focus more on him, leaving space for the North Londoners’ other attackers to exploit.

Ultimately, Williams is an undeniably talented and dynamic winger who will be an exceptional teammate for Gyokeres, thanks to his output and ability to terrify defenders.

Therefore, even if his salary demands are high and the competition is fierce, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him this summer.

Arsenal submit "concrete offer" to sign star who wants over £250k-per-week

The Gunners have lodged their opening bid.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 13, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are set to tackle the summer transfer market following the confirmed arrival of Thomas Frank as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement in the dugout.

Tottenham announce as Thomas Frank as their new manager

Spurs were repeatedly linked with Frank after chairman Daniel Levy made the tough decision to sack Postecoglou, with the Australian helping to end their 17-year wait for a major trophy but also guiding them to 22 Premier League defeats last season.

Tottenham may be offered "quick" £26m defender in Radu Dragusin swap deal

Spurs apparently agreed a deal for him in January.

2

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 13, 2025

On Thursday evening, Frank was officially unveiled as the Lilywhites’ fifth manager since 2019, after Spurs triggered his £10 million release clause and reached an agreement on his backroom staff.

“Thomas has extensive experience in English football having joined Brentford in 2016 – since becoming one of the longest-serving current managers in the Premier League,” a club statement said.

“During his time at Brentford he transformed the Club, moving them up from the Championship to an established Premier League side, consistently and significantly outperforming expectations for an extended period of time.

“In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game. He has a proven track record in player and squad development, and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead.”

On paper, Frank is arguably a perfect for the north Londoners, having worked wonders with limited resources at Brentford whilst also operating under a data-driven recruitment model.

However, the Dane also has zero experience managing a team of this magnitude, nor does he boast any silverware or Champions League know-how, yet he is the man who is about to lead Tottenham into Europe’s most prestigious competition next term.

If Frank is to become a success at Spurs, Levy will need to back him in the transfer market, and this summer is set to be another crucial one.

Frank’s side are reportedly trying to hijack Man United’s move for Bryan Mbeumo, but that is not all.

The 51-year-old has already recommended Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze to Tottenham, according to GiveMeSport, and it is now reported that he’s also a fan of Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White.

Thomas Frank "pushing" Tottenham to move for Morgan Gibbs-White

That is according to journalist Sebastien Vidal, who claims that Frank is “pushing” for Tottenham to sign Gibbs-White in a “statement” move.

The England international, despite this report that a £51 million deal is possible, is likely to cost far more. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have him under contract for another two years, with other reports claiming Forest could demand as much as £100 million for him this summer.

Gibbs-White was a superstar player for Forest during their unlikely push for Champions League football last season, bagging seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions, so Spurs will have to seriously dig deep into their pockets to get them talking.

Already impressed by his performance at the Club World Cup, Ruben Amorim could now reportedly urge INEOS to sign a midfield star for Manchester United who has a release clause worth a hefty £85m.

Man Utd discover brutal first 5 Premier League games

As the transfer window rumbles on, the big talking point this week has come away from potential incomings and to next season’s Premier League fixtures. Officially announced Wednesday morning, Manchester United have now discovered their fate alongside the rest of their rivals and, for the Red Devils, that fate may well be a start full of frustration.

On paper, Amorim’s side have the toughest Premier League start, but that could quickly turn into a positive if they manage to navigate what would be an excellent start.

The pressure will certainly be on Amorim to finally get the best out of his side too. INEOS have already backed him by signing Matheus Cunha and it looks as though they’re likely to do the same by signing Bryan Mbuemo. But even then, the incomings may be far from over.

The likes of Hugo Ekitike have also found themselves in the headlines as of late. The Eintracht Frankfurt striker has been linked with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United already this summer and he could yet have a crucial decision to make.

Amorim's own Haaland: Wilcox in talks to sign "world-class" CF for Man Utd

Manchester United appear to be making moves towards a new centre-forward this summer.

2

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 17, 2025

Whilst Frankfurt value the Frenchman at around €100m (£85m), recent reports have claimed that United are open to finding a way past this price tag by offering Joshua Zirkzee or Rasmus Hojlund in a player-plus-cash swap deal.

Landing Ekitike for a cheaper transfer fee could then open the door for another fresh face and this time a midfielder who is already impressing on the big stage this summer.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 13, 2025

Amorim could urge Man Utd to sign Richard Rios

According to GiveMeSport, Amorim could now urge Manchester United chiefs to sign Richard Rios this summer after being left impressed by his Club World Cup form. The Red Devils have already sent scouts to watch the Palmeiras midfielder and are continuing to track his progress ahead of a potential move in the coming months.

The deal, like Ekitike, Cunha and Mbeumo, won’t come cheap, however, amid reports that Rios has a release clause worth as much as £85m in his current Palmeiras deal.

A player who analyst Ben Mattinson described as a “ball-carrying machine” in 2023, Rios has only improved ever since and is now ready for the European move that Manchester United could offer him this summer.

With Nicolas Kuhn already on his way to Como, Celtic are reportedly set to announce the departure of another player in a double departure for Brendan Rodgers.

Como reach agreement to sign Kuhn

After less than two years at the club, Kuhn is reportedly set to swap Celtic for the chance to play for Cesc Fabregas’ rising Como side in Serie A. The Bhoys will receive around £16.5m for the winger’s signature, making an instant profit of £13.5m from their initial deal, but now face the hefty task of finding a replacement for their star man.

Kuhn’s departure should fund some hefty incomings of their own, but replacing him will be an incredibly tough task. Just last season, the German enjoyed his best campaign yet with as many as 21 goals to his name in all competitions to go alongside his 15 assists. Just how Celtic replace 36 goal involvements is the big question.

It’s the type of problem they faced last summer when tasked with replacing Matt O’Riley and that’s when Kuhn stepped up. This time around, however, the Bhoys may need to turn towards the transfer market to solve their problems.

The next Engels: Celtic plot record-breaking move for "complete midfielder"

As Brendan Rodgers seeks to bolster his midfield options, the Hoops have reportedly entered the race to sign another Arne Engels for Celtic.

By
Ben Gray

Jul 4, 2025

On that front, Rodgers has already welcomed the talented Benjamin Nygren as well as the likes of Kieran Tierney, who has returned from Arsenal, Ross Doohan and Callum Osmand.

Incomings should take centre stage in the coming weeks, but another exit looks set to be on the cards before Celtic get the chance to welcome further fresh faces of their own.

Hannover 96 set to sign Nawrocki

As reported by Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Hannover 96 have reached an agreement to sign Maik Nawrocki in a loan deal with an option to buy from Celtic. Reportedly a “done deal”, the Bhoys are set to announce the defender’s departure.

Whilst Nawrocki has often struggled for game time in Scotland in the last two years, that hasn’t stopped Rodgers from handing his centre-back some words of encouragement.

The Celtic boss told reporters when asked about Nawrocki and Auston Trusty after his side thrashed Aberdeen 5-1 back in May: “It was awkward for Auston in the first half, because he was blinded a wee bit with the sun on that side. But I thought those two were strong. Defended well, goalkeeper was assured, two full-backs, excellent. It was very pleasing.”

A player who never showed his true potential at Celtic Park, Nawrocki now has the chance to take the 2. Bundesliga by storm.

Enzo Maresca is wasting no time in building a Chelsea squad which he hopes will progress in both the Premier League and Champions League next season.

The first port of call is to go all the way in the Club World Cup. Not only would it see Maresca claim his second piece of silverware with the Blues, but it would also net them around $125m in prize money.

Considering they have spent £60m on Joao Pedro, £51.5m on Jamie Gittens and £30m on Liam Delap since the start of June, this would be a nice bonus.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 13, 2025

Just two more wins would seal the title, and it could provide a nice momentum booster heading into 2025/26 for the Blues.

Several players have impressed thus far. Delap has scored once and grabbed an assist, while Pedro Neto has also been a big hit.

The Portuguese winger has scored three goals stateside, along with averaging 2.5 key passes and creating two big chances throughout the competition.

As ever, Cole Palmer has been excellent for the Blues at the Club World Cup and Maresca will be keen on building his squad around the former Manchester City starlet, no doubt about that.

Why Cole Palmer is so important to Chelsea

The £40m that Chelsea spent to lure Palmer to London in 2023 is turning into a bigger bargain every week.

At the time of writing, he is currently valued at £103m via Transfermarkt and there is no doubt that this valuation will continue to rise as long as he is performing well.

His debut campaign at Stamford Bridge saw the youngster register 40 goal contributions – 25 goals and 15 assists – and he continued this rich vein of form under Maresca last season.

While he may have scored fewer goals (15) and recorded fewer assists (12), Palmer was still crucial to the Blues as they sealed a Champions League spot and won the Conference League.

Aside from his goal involvements last term, the Englishman created a staggering 24 big chances in the Premier League. Furthermore, he averaged 2.4 key passes and succeeded with 53% of his dribble attempts.

Furthermore, when compared to his peers in the top flight, Palmer ranked in the top 9% for progressive passes (6.04), in the top 4% for shot-creating actions (5.7) and in the top 8% for through balls (0.62) per 90.

This suggests he offers far more than simply a goalscoring threat in the final third. At the Club World Cup, the 23-year-old is showing plenty of promise ahead of his third season with the club.

As such, Palmer ranks first in the Chelsea squad for shots per game (4) at the tournament, while also ranking third for big chances created (2), second for key passes (1.8) and third for successful dribbles per game (2.3).

If he maintains this sort of form over the next two matches, the Blues have a great chance of securing the trophy.

Maresca would love to sign another Palmer-like player for the Blues, so could he perhaps raid another Premier League side for one of their most talented youngsters?

Chelsea eyeing yet more transfers

While the Blues are keen to bolster their first-team squad with yet more additions, it is clear that moving several players on will be required too.

Nicolas Jackson has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer. As to have Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix.

This will free up the wage bill significantly, allowing others to make moves to the club. Noni Madueke is another who appears close to departing the Blues.

A formal offer is reportedly being lined up by Arsenal for the winger, and if conditions are met, Maresca will let the player leave.

There could be more to the potential deal, however, as Gunners insider, Hand of Arsenal, claims that the Blues wish to sign one of their youngsters.

Taking to social media they revealed that during talks for Madueke, Chelsea ‘floated the idea of involving wonderkid Max Dowman’ in the deal.

Transfer Focus

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

Sadly for Maresca and Co, this was rather unsurprisingly rejected as Arsenal view him as their “crown jewel.”

Although the initial proposal might have been rejected straight away, might Maresca make another cheeky approach? If so, it could be another Palmer situation.

Why Chelsea want to sign Max Dowman

Dowman is only 15 years old, but he has already racked up 14 appearances for England at U17 level, scoring four goals in the process.

It won’t be long before he makes the step-up to the age group above him, such is his superb potential and talent.

Last season saw Dowman give the supporters a glimpse into the future, showing exactly what he is capable of.

Across 23 matches for the U18 and youth teams, Dowman registered Palmer levels of goalscoring and creativity, not only scoring 19 goals, but he also chipped in with five assists. That is a simply excellent return for someone who can’t even legally drive for another 18 months.

While playing for England U17s against the Czech Republic at the Euro U17 tournament recently, he scored and recorded an assist, leading to heavy praise from Arsenal academy expert Will Balsam, who said that “Dowman was unstoppable.”

The praise for this young jewel doesn’t stop there. Teammate Declan Rice has described him as the “best 15-year-old in the country” while the aforementioned Balsam has claimed that the in-demand playmaker is the “biggest talent in England”.

While Arsenal won’t be looking to let Dowman go by any stretch of the imagination, the fact that the Blues want to include him as part of the deal shows how talented he is.

One for the future perhaps, but if things don’t go to plan at the Gunners, Maresca will have one eye on nabbing his next version of Palmer.

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By
Ben Gray

Jul 7, 2025

Glasgow Rangers navigated an error-laden first-half performance to secure a brilliant 2-0 victory over Panathinaikos in the first leg of their second round Champions League qualifier.

Jack Butland had to be called into action to make a series of fine stops to keep a clean sheet in the opening 45 minutes, before goals from Findlay Curtis and Djedi Gassama sealed the win in the second half.

Despite the nervy moments defensively that were littered throughout the 90 minutes, there were some impressive individual performances for Russell Martin’s side, as Curtis grasped his opportunity with both hands.

Findlay Curtis' performance in numbers

The academy graduate was given the nod to start on the left flank, with Gassama unfit to start and Thelo Aasgaard out injured, and stepped up to the plate with a fantastic showing.

It was an all-action and forward-thinking display from the 18-year-old starlet, who ended the game with four tackles and one interception made, which shows the hard work that he put in defensively.

As you can see in the clip above, Curtis also opened the scoring with a stunning goal, brilliantly taking the ball inside on the run before bending a shot, via a slight deflection, into the bottom corner from distance.

The teenage whiz attempted three dribbles and had two shots on goal, one of which was his goal, and this shows that he was constantly probing and looking to put the Gers on the front foot in the match, which the supporters at Ibrox were loving.

Performance in Numbers

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Whilst Curtis shone on one wing, Kieran Dowell started on the opposite flank and was only able to show why the Gers must replace him with a new forward before the end of the window.

Why Rangers must replace Dowell

The left-footed flop has only produced two goals and two assists in 33 appearances for Rangers as an attacking midfielder or wide player, and was sent out on loan to Birmingham City in January because of his disappointing performances.

However, Martin has seemingly seen something in him because he selected Dowell to start on the right wing against Panathinaikos, but it was not a decision that was backed up by the performance.

As you can see in the table above, the former Norwich man, who was outshone by Curtis, did put himself about to win duels but he was ineffective at the top end of the pitch, once again in a Rangers shirt.

Dowell, who was described as “non-existent” in the first half by the Heart & Hand Podcast, does not impose himself on matches in the final third, hence his lack of goal contributions throughout his Gers career, and that was the case against Panathinaikos, notably taking fewer touches (29) than Butland (31),.

Rangers have lost Vaclav Cerny, who was on loan from Wolfsburg last season, and the 12 goals and four assists that he provided in the Scottish Premiership from a right wing position.

This means that the Light Blues need to find another right-sided attacker who can score and create goals at an impressive rate, and Dowell’s performance on Tuesday, coupled with the rest of his career at Ibrox to date, suggests that he does not fit the bill.

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By
Dan Emery

Jul 22, 2025

Therefore, Rangers should be looking to replace the English flop with a new right winger, who can contribute in the final third on a regular basis, to start week-in-week-out for Martin this season, before the summer transfer window slams shut.