All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

A huge Newcastle United injury lift has emerged regarding centre-forward Chris Wood…

What’s the latest?

The New Zealand international was not in the matchday squad for the 2-0 win against Arsenal on Monday night, but Eddie Howe has now hinted that he could be back at the weekend.

An own goal from Ben White and a strike from Bruno Guimaraes sealed the three points for the Magpies as Callum Wilson led the line in place of Wood on the night.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh tweeted after the game: “Javier Manquillo missed NUFC’s 2-0 victory over AFC tonight with chicken pox, while Chris Wood was absent with a hip injury which Eddie Howe “hopes isn’t too serious”. Wood has a chance of being back for Burnley, his former club, on Sunday.”

Howe will be delighted

The Toon boss will be delighted that the striker’s blow is not a serious one, as it suggests that Wood will be back for the final game of the season on Sunday.

Newcastle are two points off the top half of the table heading into their clash against Burnley, and they have a realistic chance of finishing in the top 10 if they are able to beat the Clarets – potentially consigning them to relegation from the Premier League in the process.

This means that there is still a lot riding on this game for both teams, although the Magpies have already secured their place in the top flight for another year. Therefore, it may be a tense, cagey encounter at Turf Moor as Mike Jackson’s side scrap for their lives to avoid the drop.

With this in mind, having a player with Wood’s physical prowess available will be a big boost to Howe’s team. In the Premier League this season, the striker has won a whopping 6.2 aerial battles per game, which highlights his strength in the air.

The 30-year-old will be a useful option for Howe to call upon as he can win headers to create counterattacks and alleviate pressure from the defence. Burnley may start the game quickly and attempt to load the box with crosses in what could be a must-win clash for them, and this would mean that the Newcastle defenders will need a target to hit when they clear the ball. That is what Wood can be.

Therefore, the Magpies boss will be buzzing by the prospect of having the attacker available and may utilise his strengths against the club that he left to come to St James’ Park in January.

AND in other news, Forget Guimaraes: £59k-p/w NUFC dynamo who won 100% duels was a monster on Monday…

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their pursuit of Raphinha heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that PIF are plotting a swoop for the Leeds United forward and will need to battle it out with an elite European club to land his signature.

Speaking on the Wondergoal Podcast (12:45), Romano said: “A player they (PIF) love is Raphinha from Leeds. We know that Barcelona are leading the race to sign to him, but Newcastle are exploring the possibilities for a long time.

“They know this is going to be more than complicated because Barcelona are already in advanced talks with the player’s side. It depends if Leeds will get relegated or not (as) it will be important to understand if the clause will be activated or not.”

Imagine him & Allan Saint-Maximin

PIF must work hard to win the race for Raphinha, as he would be an exciting addition to Newcastle’s squad for next season.

Premier League defenders will be trembling at the thought of playing against the Toon if Saint-Maximin and the Brazilian are both lining up on the wings for the Magpies, as they both have the technical ability to cause huge problems in the final third.

Whilst Leeds are struggling at the wrong end of the table, the 25-year-old attacker has been a shining light at Elland Road throughout the campaign.

As you can see from these statistics, via SofaScore, Raphinha – who joined the Yorkshire club for £20m – has been in electric form at the top end of the pitch, both in terms of scoring and creating goals.

He only has three assists to his name, in spite of him creating nine ‘big chances’, and his team’s failure to finish off the opportunities that he is creating could tempt him to make the switch to St James’ Park. Raphinha’s statistics prove that he is a quality player at Premier League level, and Leeds are not making the most of his creative talents.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland previously dubbed him “magic”, and the Brazil wizard’s 1.9 dribbles per game to go along with his chance creation figures would suggest that such praise is deserved.

Meanwhile, Saint-Maximin has completed a whopping 4.4 dribbles and 1.5 key passes per game in the current top-flight campaign. This shows that he has been a constant threat with the ball at his feet and that Eddie Howe would have a frightening wide duo if he can play him and Raphinha in the same team next season.

AND in other news, Howe can land the next Shearer as Newcastle “prepares” £59m bid for 68-goal “diamond”…

Everton are determined not to go down without a huge fight as they added more points to their tally this afternoon with a 2-1 victory that has put them in with a great chance of surviving relegation.

The Toffees can finally breathe a slight sigh of relief as they move out of the relegation zone into 16th in the table, thanks to both Burnley and Leeds United taking defeats this weekend and Frank Lampard will surely be delighted with the resilience of his team at the King Power Stadium today.

Before the clash, no other team in the Premier League had taken fewer points this season away from home (6), with today’s win only their second as a visiting side.

Despite only having 34% possession, fewer chances on goal and having less than half the accurate passes than Brendan Rodgers’ side this afternoon, Everton took their chances whenever they could and reaped the rewards by doing so.

Vitaliy Mykolenko picked up his first ever goal for Everton and the first strike of the game when Alex Iwobi set him up in the sixth minute before he was taken off injured in the 66th minute.

Leicester’s Patson Daka equalised just five minutes after Mykolenko’s opener, but it wasn’t enough to hold off a desperate Everton side with Mason Holgate finding the back of the net in the 30th minute.

The Toffees went on to hold the lead throughout the rest of the game and there is credit due to one particular midfielder who controlled the entire game for his team.

Since Fabian Delph has returned from injury, Everton have taken points from every single game he has played in their last five, and the one game he was benched for in the Merseyside Derby was the game they lost, a coincidence? We think not and his performance today is a glowing reflection of his impact.

The 32-year-old who was hailed a “top pro” by Richard Keys had a 95% pass accuracy, lost possession just three times out of his 50 touches of the ball, won the majority of his duels (4/6) as well as making one tackle and interception to steer Everton back into safety in the Premier League table.

There is no doubt that the Blues boss must recognise Delph’s positive impact on his team’s performances and results since he re-joined the midfield just over a month ago, keeping the former Manchester City star in the team could be the difference in Everton playing Premier League football or not next season.

AND in other news: £42.5m+ down the drain: Lampard must ruthlessly axe “desperate” £69k-p/w EFC liability

Interest in Leeds United winger Raphinha is increasing ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Sport, who claim that West Ham United have now made a second approach to Leeds concerning a deal for the 25-year-old forward, who has also been heavily linked with a summer switch to Barcelona.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more” title=”Read the latest Leeds United news and rumours!”]

The report goes on to state that David Moyes, who reportedly saw a £50m bid rejected for the Brazilain in January, is keen to bring the forward to the London Stadium ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, however, it is said that Raphinha would prefer a move to the LaLiga side – and is waiting for Barca to make a final offer to Leeds.

Supporters would be livid

While it would appear unlikely that Raphinha will end up joining West Ham ahead of Barcelona this summer, the prospect of Leeds selling one of their most prized assets to another Premier League side is certainly something that would leave the Elland Road faithful livid.

Indeed, the £40.5m-rated forward has proven to be a revelation in the Leeds attack following his £17m move to England back in October 2020, scoring 16 goals, registering 12 assists and creating 21 big chances over his 61 Premier League appearances, as well as making an average of 2.1 key passes, taking 2.4 shots and completing 2.0 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £63k-per-week Brazilian average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.05 over his two league campaigns for the Whites – playing a key role in the club securing a top-half finish last season, as well as giving Jesse Marsch’s side a chance of avoiding relegation this term.

As such, while waving goodbye to Raphinha at the end of the current campaign will certainly come as a blow to Leeds, Victor Orta simply must not sell the forward to another Premier League side, be that West Ham or anyone else, as it is abundantly clear to see just how deadly a talent the 25-year-old is in the top flight – something that could very easily come back to bite the Whites.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Leeds United injury update emerges, supporters will be worried

After the 3-0 triumph over Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, the feel-good factor is well and truly back at Nottingham Forest under the keen eye of Sean Dyche.

The hometown hero has installed a reason to be proud of the first-team squad once again after Ange Postecoglou’s failed attempts to make the Reds a force to be reckoned with.

Back-to-back victories have teed the side up perfectly for the latest Europa League clash with Malmö, which is no doubt going to be a meeting for the ages.

However, the bigger picture will certainly be coming into view over the next few weeks, with the transfer window creeping on the horizon and opening in a little over a month’s time.

Numerous players have already been touted with a winter move to the City Ground, with Evangelos Marinakis looking set to get his chequebook out once again after the summer spending spree.

Nottingham Forest’s hunt for January additions

Over the last couple of weeks, Forest have been touted with a surprise reunion with James Garner, after the midfielder spent two years on loan with the Reds in the Championship.

He’s since moved to Everton, plying his trade under Dyche, which no doubt will have pushed the rumours over a potential switch back to the East Midlands this winter.

The 24-year-old has played every minute in England’s top-flight to date, with the Toffees unlikely to sanction his departure away from Merseyside this window.

However, he’s not the only Englishman in the hierarchy’s sights at present, with Brighton star Jack Hinshelwood another player being targeted by Dyche and Co.

According to the Daily Mail, Forest have made the 20-year-old their top target for January, after only featuring in four Premier League games for the Seagulls in 2025/26.

The report also states that the youngster, who’s an England U21 international, is happy at the AMEX at present, whilst also failing to mention the rumoured fee it would take to prise him away from Fabian Hurzeler’s squad, although Transfermarkt value him at around £21m.

Why Hinshelwood would be perfect alongside Anderson

Back in the summer of 2024, many Forest fans would have been unaware of the talent of Elliot Anderson, but it’s safe to say his success is recognised more than just at the City Ground in the present day.

The 23-year-old arrived in a PSR deal from Newcastle United, which saw goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos moving in the opposite direction – with the Reds paying a net £15m for his signature.

18 months on, such a deal could be one of the best in the club’s history, with the midfielder now a full England international and currently being valued at the £100m mark.

He’s featured in every minute of the Premier League campaign to date, subsequently ranking at the top of countless stats compared to other midfielders in the division.

Anderson has been partnered by various players at the heart of the side, but he may have the perfect partner should the hierarchy complete a deal for Hinshelwood in the coming months.

The 20-year-old’s stats from the ongoing campaign highlight the talent he possesses, with such a deal potentially being yet another excellent piece of business.

Hinshelwood, who’s been dubbed a “superstar” by content creator Ryan Adsett, has made 2.8 tackles per 90 and won 64% of the duels he’s entered – arguably being an excellent ball-winning option.

Games played

4

Goals & assists

1

Pass accuracy

84%

Tackles made

2.8

Duels won

64%

Recoveries made

5.6

Aerials won

1.7

Chances created

1.1

Such numbers would be perfect for Anderson, which could allow him to be freed up and continue his vein of completing the most passes into the final third per 90 of any player in the Premier League this season.

As for the Seagulls star, he’s also made a staggering 5.6 recoveries per 90 along with 1.7 aerial duels won – further showcasing his incredible ability without the ball.

However, the 20-year-old has also showcased his ability to pop up with a goal at key moments, with the youngster finding the winner in the clash against Brentford last weekend.

As previously mentioned, it’s unclear whether a deal for the Englishman could be agreed, but it would be a move that would add serious defensive quality to the current midfield.

The prospect of Hinshelwood starring alongside Anderson is certainly one for the fans to get excited about, which could see the club be the home to two of the country’s brightest talents.

Nottingham Forest can sign Wood 2.0 in "one of the best STs in Europe"

Sean Dyche could unearth his next Chris Wood in a Nottingham Forest swoop for this impressive marksman.

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

Leeds United have made a strong start to the Premier League and have almost matched Southampton’s points tally from last season despite having only played five games.

They are currently on track for a 53-point finish, which would almost certainly see them in the Premier League next season.

Daniel Farke’s success so far this season has been in part due to the summer recruitment. Premier League proven stars like Sean Longstaff and Dominic Calvert-Lewin joined from Newcastle United and Everton, respectively.

While these signings didn’t hit the ground running, with both of them missing in the League Cup penalty shootout that saw them get dumped out of the competition by Sheffield Wednesday. However, since then, they have both turned their performances around with Calvert-Lewin bagging his first goal in the 3-1 victory over Wolves.

While these stars have impressed, it was another one of Saturday’s goalscorers that the club are particularly happy with.

Leeds already happy with Okafor deal

Wolves were on the receiving end of another debut goal when Noah Okafor scored Leeds’ third goal. The Swiss forward joined from AC Milan in the summer after spending the back half of the season on loan at Serie A title winners Napoli.

Okafor joined as the second most expensive signing of the summer, behind Anton Stach, and the tenth most expensive signing in the club’s history at £18 million.

Leeds also went all out on his wages and made him the club’s fifth-highest-paid player on £72,500 a week. All of the players who are being paid more than him had come to Leeds from Premier League clubs.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Leeds, the 49ers Enterprises and Farke are already “very happy” with Okafor and the player himself is loving the Whites manager.

While having only played for 162 minutes in the lead, Okafor has shown his promise not only with his first goal against Wolves but with his overall effort levels.

Okafor's a team player with the ability to become even better

With one goal under his belt, more look likely to come soon, with Okafor being in the top 30% of players for xG per 90 minutes of play. While he is in the bottom half of attackers for shots on target, he is getting himself into dangerous positions, which will see him scoring more goals now that he’s starting to find his feet at Elland Road.

Okafor has also played a significant role in some of Leeds’ other goals as he has found great success dribbling past players and getting the ball up the pitch. He is currently the top forward in the league for successful dribbles per 90 and is in the top 25% of players for touches in the opposition box, showing that when he does dribble, he gets the ball into dangerous areas.

However, what has been even more impressive about Okafor in the opening games has been his pressing and defensive output. The 25-year-old has completed every tackle that he has attempted and is one of the most valuable players in the league for defending counterattacks, being in the top 5% of players for ball recoveries.

Although it may seem early for Leeds to seem satisfied with the deal, Okafor has already started yielding results, and the underlying metrics behind his performances indicate that he is only going to do better and be a valuable asset to the team.

Glasgow Rangers have had an issue in both of the full-back positions in the first month or so of the season in all competitions under Russell Martin.

Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz both left the club on permanent deals and Jayden Meghoma arrived on loan from Brentford, which means that the only natural left-back in the squad is a young and inexperienced loanee.

On the other side of the pitch, Max Aarons joined on loan from Bournemouth to compete with James Tavernier for a starting berth at right-back, but has failed to impress.

Why Max Aarons has been underwhelming for Rangers

The former England U21 international started the season as a first-choice full-back, at left-back and then at right-back, but found himself as an unused substitute in the 0-0 draw with Celtic last weekend.

Aarons was left on the bench after he was sent off against Club Brugge in the opening minutes of the 6-0 loss to the Belgian side for hauling down his former teammate Christos Tzolis.

In the three Scottish Premiership matches that the defender did start, the loanee failed to create a single ‘big chance’ for his team, and his lack of height and physicality was on display as he failed to win a single aerial duel, per Sofascore.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Whilst Aarons has been underwhelming and may find himself on the bench behind Tavernier for the time being, Rangers may look back and wonder what could have been with Nathan Patterson.

Nathan Patterson's current market value

In January 2022, Ross Wilson and Giovanni van Bronckhorst sanctioned the sale of the Scotland international to Everton for an initial fee of £11m.

That seemed like a great deal at the time, given that he was behind Tavernier in the pecking order, but they may look back on that decision as a howler when they consider how the situation has evolved in that position since then.

Patterson, whose deliveries into the box were hailed as “top class” by Steven Gerrard, is currently worth £13m, per Transfermarkt, and that is £8m more than Aarons’ market value of £5m.

Billy Gilmour

£17m

Nathan Patterson

£13m

Greg Taylor

£5m

Lewis Morgan

£3m

Ryan Hardie

£1.5m

As you can see in the table above, Billy Gilmour is the only former Rangers academy talent who is currently worth more than the Scottish right-back, whose value has risen by £2m since his move to Everton.

The 23-year-old defender has played 59 times for the Toffees, including 49 times in the Premier League, per Transfermarkt, and been capped 23 times by Scotland at senior level.

No permanent player within the Rangers squad is worth more than Patterson, per Transfermarkt, and this suggests that he could be the most valuable player at the club if they had not sold him back in 2022.

The Scottish right-back could have continued his development at Ibrox under Tavernier’s guidance before eventually taking his place as the first-choice right-back, which is something Aarons is already struggling to do.

Left for £0: Rangers lost a Rothwell upgrade who was "like Souness"

Glasgow Rangers once had a star who was compared to Graeme Souness, then he left for nothing.

ByDan Emery Sep 3, 2025

Instead, Van Bronckhorst and Wilson cashed in on him and now the Light Blues are in a position where they have an underwhelming Aarons, on current evidence, competing for a starting berth in that role, instead of an incredibly gifted academy graduate who has now proven himself in the Premier League.

It’s the start of a new era for Rangers.

On Thursday, Russell Martin was unveiled as the Ibrox club’s 20th permanent manager, appointed 102 days after Philippe Clement was sacked in February.

At his introductory press conference, Martin vowed to “prove people wrong”, acknowledging he is under pressure to deliver a winning team instantaneously, so could the signing of a “world-class” new centre-forward aid Rangers’ cause?

Rangers looking to bolster their attacking option

As previously reported by Tom Victor of the Daily Mirror, Rangers are hoping to sign Jamie Vardy on a free transfer this summer, claiming that the England international is ‘weighing up’ an offer from the Glasgow giants.

Vardy has spent the last 13 seasons with Leicester City, with whom he won the Premier League, the FA Cup and a Community Shield, scoring exactly 200 goals in 500 appearances for the Foxes, very aesthetically pleasing round numbers.

Now a free agent, countless clubs, including Sheffield Wednesday, Como, Wrexham and New York Red Bulls have all been touted as potential suitors, but could Martin convince his compatriot to make the move north of the border?

Should he do, it could be a Morelos-like move for Rangers.

How Vardy could replicate Morelos at Rangers

During six seasons at Rangers, Alfredo Morelos scored 124 goals in light blue, with the Colombian, almost unquestionably, the club’s best striker since suffering liquidation in 2012.

Of these goals, 29 came in UEFA competition, meaning Morelos is Rangers’ all-time record scorer in Europe, smashing the record previously held by Ally McCoist, one that had stood since 1997.

But is Morelos really Rangers’ best centre-forward of the modern era? Let’s find out.

Igamane

2024-present

46

16

166

Dessers

2023-preesent

109

51

134

Danilo

2023-present

48

12

165

Morelos

2017-23

269

124

152

Roofe

2020-24

102

38

127

Čolak

2022-23

39

18

123

Sakala

2021-23

92

24

199

Defoe

2018-22

74

32

100

As the table outlines, no Rangers striker in the post-promotion era has come anywhere close to the 124 goals Morelos managed, even if Jermain Defoe, Kemar Roofe, Antonio Čolak and current forward Cyriel Dessers do actually boast better minutes per goal ratios, helped by their smaller sample sizes.

So, could Vardy be the club’s best centre-forward since el Buffalo? Well, let’s assess his statistics this season to answer that question.

Goals

9

26th

Expected goals

11.2

14th

Shots

56

40th

Shots on target

23

33rd

Shots on target %

41.1%

48th

As the table shows, Vardy’s Premier League statistics this season do not immediately leap off the page, but it is worth considering that he was playing in a generally hopeless Leicester side, who won just six matches all season and were relegated.

Thus, the fact that Vardy still ranked 14th for expected goals and only 25 players managed to score more goals than him is impressive.

Writer Henry Winter believes Vardy is still a “world-class finisher”, while Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who knows a thing or two about scoring goals, believes “he is still producing”, describing his captain as a “leader”.

Also worth noting that, the previous campaign in the EFL Championship, Vardy netted 20 times across all competitions.

This underlines the fact he would be able to produce for Rangers given that, according to Global Football Rankings, England’s second-tier is the 11th strongest league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership is ranked at 43rd.

Thus, if the Gers can convince Vardy to move to Ibrox, possibly using the allure of potential Champions League football, he would surely be an excellent addition.

After all, this is a goal machine we’re talking about here, someone who bagged 145 Premier League goals.

As bad as selling Raskin: Six English clubs want to sign Rangers star

Rangers selling this star would be as bad as cashing in on Nicolas Raskin this summer.

ByDan Emery Jun 3, 2025

The transfer window is just around the corner, and it feels set to be an era-defining one for Arsenal.

While a third second-placed finish on the bounce is far from ideal, Mikel Arteta’s side have proven without a shadow of a doubt now that they are one of the very best teams in the country, but they’ve also shown that they lack a cutting-edge up top.

Therefore, it’s hardly been surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers in recent weeks and months, with two of the most significant being Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.

However, while either would surely improve the Gunners, recent reports have linked them to someone who’d be a better signing than both.

Arsenal's Sesko & Gyokeres alternative

Before getting to the superstar in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other centre-forwards who have been touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, like Julian Alvarez and Joao Pedro.

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 has been linked with the North Londoners quite heavily over the last week or so, and while it would be hard to pry him away from Atlético Madrid a year after he joined them, it would be worth trying as in just 54 games this season, he has scored 29 goals and provided seven assists.

On the other hand, Pedro could be available for close to £100m, which, for all his undeniable talent, does feel a little steep, as he’s only played 30 games this season, in which he’s scored ten goals and provided seven assists.

In other words, the Brazilian marksman doesn’t feel like he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres, unlike Alexander Isak.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Mail Online, the Newcastle United striker remains in the picture ahead of the summer.

While the report claims that a transfer feels unlikely due to his price tag now being ‘north of £100m,’ it also reveals, crucially, that the Swedish international is ‘Arteta’s preferred choice.’

It would be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but given Isak’s unreal ability, it’s one well worth going all out for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres.

Why Isak would be a better signing than Sesko & Gyokeres

So, let’s start off with the most straightforward and significant reason why Isak would be a far better signing than Sesko: his output.

For example, in just 42 appearances for the Toon this season, totalling 3324 minutes, the 25-year-old “bagsman,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 27 goals and provided six assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 100.72 minutes, which is undeniably superb.

Appearances

42

45

Minutes

3324′

3258′

Goals

27

21

Assists

6

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.78

0.6

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.72′

120.66′

In contrast, the Leipzig star has found the back of the net 21 times and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes this season, which comes out to a good but less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.

Now, that might be a little crude, but when it comes down to a striker, the most important metric is their raw output, and when it comes down to it, that’s something the former Real Sociedad star has over the Slovenian.

However, things get a little more complicated when it comes to Gyokeres because, by that same logic, his absurd haul of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances suggests he’d be the better poacher to bring to the club this summer.

Yet, that’s not the case, and the crucial reason why is that the former Coventry City gem has no experience of football in a top five league.

There is a genuine risk that the Stockholm-born star could be a repeat of Darwin Núñez, who moved to Liverpool off the back of producing 38 goal involvements in 41 games for Benfica in the 21/22 campaign and just finished this season with a haul of 14 goal involvements in 47 games.

Ultimately, if Arsenal can, they should be doing all they can to sign Isak this summer, as he’s already a far better goalscorer than Sesko and has far more experience playing and thriving in the toughest competitions than Gyokeres.

Better than Sane: Arteta makes £50m winger Arsenal's new priority signing

The international star would be a great addition to Arsenal’s squad this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 29, 2025

Manchester City are set to be in the market to bolster their squad when the summer transfer window officially opens for business in the coming months.

The Cityzens dropped points once again in the Premier League as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Southampton, who had 11 points in the top-flight heading into the game.

Pep Guardiola’s side have already missed out on the Premier League title, though, and that may be why the club are eager to bring in fresh recruits, with a fresh report detailing their interest in a Serie A star.

Manchester City make Serie A star a serious target

According to The Telegraph, Manchester City are interested in a deal to sign Tijjani Reijnders from Italian giants Milan in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claims that the Cityzens have made the Netherlands international a ‘serious’ target to come in and bolster their options in the middle of the park, as they aim to revitalise the squad.

It also reveals that Milan would want a club-record fee for the central midfielder, which means that it will be in excess of the £57m they once raked in from Real Madrid for Brazilian icon Kaka.

Manchester City should, now, splash the cash to sign the Dutch talent because he could come in as a big upgrade on Ilkay Gundogan in the middle of the park.

Why Reijnders would be a better option than Gundogan

Guardiola swooped to bring the German midfielder back to The Etihad, after a one-year stint at Barcelona, last summer, and it has been a difficult season for the veteran, who has failed to live up to the standards he set in his first spell at the club.

Gundogan had hit double figures for goals in each of his last three seasons at City, combining for 38 goals, but has only produced two goals and five assists in 47 matches in all competitions upon his return.

Reijnders, meanwhile, has racked up 15 goals in 51 matches for Milan in all competitions this season, including three goals in ten outings in the Champions League.

He has provided a regular goal threat from the middle of the park for the Serie A giants, whilst Gundogan is heading into the final two matches of the league campaign without a goal to his name in the Premier League.

Appearances

35

31

xG

6.42

2.74

Goals

10

0

Big chances missed

3

6

Big chances created

7

3

Assists

4

5

As you can see in the table above, Reijnder has scored ten more goals, despite missing half as many ‘big chances’, and has created more ‘big chances’ for his teammates in midfield.

These statistics suggest that the 26-year-old star, whose performances were described as “insane” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has the attacking quality to be miles better than Gundogan for City by offering a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

The Milan star has also won 63% of his ground duels, compared to Gundogan’s 48%, and could also offer more to the Cityzens out of possession as a strong midfield presence by winning a higher percentage of his battles with opposition midfielders to regain or retain the ball.

It is now down to City to strike a deal with the Italian team because Reijnders appears to have the quality to be miles better than the German midfielder for Guardiola next season and beyond.

Instant Marmoush upgrade: Man City targeting "world class" £85m star

Man City will be aiming to strengthen this summer

ByRoss Kilvington May 10, 2025