Leeds United looked at signing a new attacker on deadline day but missed out to a rival Premier League club.
The Whites head into the first international break of the Premier League season above the likes of Manchester City and Newcastle United in the table, however Daniel Farke still wanted more signings before Monday’s deadline.
Picking up four points from the first three games, Leeds are yet to score from open play in the Premier League, bringing in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin on free transfers.
Leeds incomings
From
Fee
Noah Okafor
AC Milan
£18m
Anton Stach
Hoffenheim
£17.4m
Jaka Bijol
Udinese
£15m
Lucas Perri
Lyon
£13.9m
Sean Longstaff
Newcastle
£12m
Gabriel Gudmundsson
Lille
£10m
James Justin
Leicester City
£10m
Sebastiaan Bornauw
Wolfsburg
£5m
Louis Enahoro-Marcus
Liverpool
Undisclosed
Lukas Nmecha
Wolfsburg
Free
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Everton
Free
Noah Okafor has been the marquee addition in the final third, but Farke urged the 49ers Enterprises to bring in more quality.
“I don’t play any games. Everyone in the club says: ‘OK, we want to try everything to give us the best possible squad’. Everyone wants to add, in the offence, some more quality players. If not, we also won’t raise the white flag and say, ‘OK, that’s it’.
“We have shown we are competitive in the first three games, but it will be difficult (thereafter). There’s also no moaning, but, until the last hour of the window, we have to try everything to bring some more quality in.”
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It remains to be seen whether or not Farke will get his wish in January, or if he’ll have to rely on Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor, Jack Harrison, Dan James, Brenden Aaronson and Wilfried Gnonto for the entire season.
Leeds were big fans of £35m Dilane Bakwa
Linked with a move to Leeds over the summer was Strasbourg winger Dilane Bakwa, and he remained on the Whites’ radar with hours remaining of the transfer window.
Leeds were thought to be in pole position to sign the attacker before the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, however, Nottingham Forest have since come in for the 23-year-old and sealed a deal late in the day.
Wingers similar to Bakwa
Club
Jarrod Bowen
West Ham
Jack Harrison
Leeds
Igor Paixao
Marseille
Dan James
Leeds
Ismaila Sarr
Crystal Palace
According to LeedsLive in their transfer deadline day blog, Bakwa had big admirers at Leeds and a £35m deal would have been a near record from what the club paid for Georginio Rutter back in 2023.
As can be seen, Bakwa has been compared to Harrison, James and even summer transfer target Igor Paixao by Football Transfers, and Leeds ultimately missed out on his services.
His colleagues recognise his greatness, and the Egyptian forward is hungry to add more depth to his Liverpool legacy this season.
How to achieve such a thing? Well, after his extraordinary 2024/25 campaign, spearheading Arne Slot’s title charge and clinching 34 goals and 23 assists across all competitions, Salah has immortalised himself as one of the Premier League’s greats, now knocking on the door of the top three in the all-time scoring charts.
Premier League – All-time Top Scorers
#
Player
Goals
1.
Alan Shearer
260
2.
Harry Kane
211
3.
Wayne Rooney
208
4.
Mohamed Salah
187
4=
Andy Cole
187
Data via Premier League
Having turned 33 in June, the forward is entering the autumn phase of his career; he’s lost a yard, and no mistake.
However, Salah’s intelligence and technical ability allow him to maintain an elite level, and he showed as such on the division’s opening night.
But, FSG might be wise to sign another forward before the closure of the market, adding an attacking partner with whom the £400k-per-week star can combine with.
Liverpool targeting another forward
Liverpool’s vested interest in Alexander Isak is no secret. To condense the sprawling, convoluted saga into something packageable: Isak wants Liverpool, Liverpool want Isak, Newcastle have doubled down on their negative response.
The Sweden striker, 25, is refusing to reintegrate into Eddie Howe’s side and feels promises have been broken, but the Magpies have failed to sign a centre-forward this summer, and so their stance is understandable, if regrettable for those of a Reds persuasion.
Liverpool have already seen an initial offer worth £110m knocked back in August, and will not advance again unless given encouragement from Tyneside.
With that in mind, sporting director Richard Hughes might want to turn to another earmarked option, lest Liverpool find themselves short over the coming year.
According to Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola, as translated by Sport Witness, Liverpool are alongside Manchester City as the frontrunners in the race for Real Madrid star Rodrygo.
Real Madrid'sRodrygoarrives at the stadium before the match
Man City are trying to sell Savinho to Tottenham Hotspur, and that would open the door to Rodrygo’s arrival at the Etihad Stadium. But Liverpool have a long-standing interest of their own, and they need depth up top after selling Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.
The 24-year-old is expendable, but Los Blancos won’t let him go on the cheap, valuing their player at €90m (about £76m).
Why Rodrygo would benefit Mo Salah
Rodrygo sat on the bench as Real Madrid slenderly defeated Mallorca in their La Liga opener on Tuesday evening. He was unused as the Xabi Alonso era got up and running on Spanish soil.
The 2024/25 campaign was one of toil and frustration for the Brazilian forward, who blanked across his final 17 league matches and, in fact, scored just the six goals in La Liga all year.
Data via Sofascore reveals he missed only one big chance though, and when considering he scarcely played out on his favoured left flank, it’s clear that Rodrygo could prove a jackpot signing at Liverpool, combining with Salah on the wings and teeing up Hugo Ekitike in the centre.
Hailed as “the jewel in the crown” at Real Madrid by one analyst, Rodrygo is a dynamic and gifted player. To wit, he’s a deadly finisher on his day, but also a crisp passer with an underlying creativity that has proved effective across a range of attacking positions. His quality lends itself to multi-positionality.
But Salah isn’t going anywhere, not yet, and so Rodrygo would hope to play with regularity on the left, having scored six goals and supplied six assists from only 12 games in the role last year.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo
That potent output (from Rodrygo) would only advance in a wide partnership with a player like Salah, who created more big chances (27) than any other player in the Premier League last season.
Renowned as one of the deadliest finishers of his generation, Salah has long borne an all-encompassing skill set, but Father Time has hit his pace and athleticism, and he has now heaped even more of an emphasis on his playmaking.
How often have we seen Salah take a deft touch, cut back, gear up, whip in a fierce delivery? Now that Trent Alexander-Arnold plies his trade for Real Madrid, that task will be heightened, especially with a striker of real quality added to the fold in Ekitike.
Rodrygo’s pace and off-the-ball movement would see him thrive alongside Salah in such a situation.
As per FBref, the versatile forward ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe for pass completion, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 20% foer shot-creating actions per 90, and that’s while playing the lion’s share of his football on the right, his unfavoured yet prinicipal area of attack.
Salah’s wish for a second Premier League title came true last season. He made it so. Now, it wouldn’t be unfair to posit that another Champions League title would be the jewel in his crown in 2026.
With Rodrygo, a master on Europe’s elite stage, alongside him, that vision might just be realised.
Whether Liverpool manage to pull this one off remains to be seen – Isak is surely still the top priority for the Anfield side – but if that door is slammed shut and locked in the coming days, don’t be surprised if Liverpool raise their intrigue in Rodrygo, giving Salah a new dance partner for his final few shows in a Red shirt.
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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca isn’t entirely satisfied with his squad just yet, despite having sealed deals for Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro for around £140 million already, with the tactician looking to strengthen one key area.
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UEFA are watching the west Londoners like a hawk right now, amid an agreement that Chelsea need to sell players and end the summer window with a positive balance sheet (Kaveh Solhekol).
The governing body fined Chelsea nearly £27 million last week for breaching FFP rules, and this could rise to north of £50 million if they fail to comply again over the next four years (BBC).
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
BlueCo will therefore need to be very careful when it comes to green-lighting more signings before deadline day on September 1, but they have made some headway with regard to player sales.
Chelsea sold Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys and Marcus Bettinelli for a total fee of around £19 million, with Noni Madueke also about to join Arsenal in a £50 million deal and Djordje Petrovic on his way to Bournemouth for £25 million (Fabrizio Romano).
These departures, all in all, will accumulate £94 million, including their already-confirmed sales – and that’s not even counting Mathis Amougou’s permanent switch to Strasbourg.
Chelsea are also in the Club World Cup final, which has banked them £80 million worth of prize money.
It seems that Chelsea are actually doing a solid job when it comes to balancing their books, so we cannot rule out the possibility of further incomings just yet, and there are a host of other players who seem likely to be sold in the coming weeks – including Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka.
Chelsea not out of Mike Maignan race with AC Milan star keen to join
If Chelsea can make room on their balance sheet, it is believed that AC Milan number one Mike Maignan is still firmly on their radar, coming after negotiations over a move for the Frenchman broke down earlier in the window.
AC Milan's MikeMaignanreacts
That is according to journalist Graeme Bailey, who told TBR Football that Chelsea could still sign Maignan this summer, and the 29-year-old remains keen on a switch to Stamford Bridge with Maresca wanting a new number one.
“Max Allegri has talked about Mike Maignan staying on as captain, but that has little impact on the situation as he’s yet to sign a new contract yet, meaning he has one year left on his current deal. Chelsea are keeping close tabs on the Maignan situation,” said Bailey.
“We understand that he would like to go to Chelsea. Robert Sanchez was told earlier in the summer that he can go and they offered him to West Ham as part of the Mohammed Kudus deal.
“Enzo Maresca has made it very clear that he wants a new number one. He doesn’t like any of the current options. So yeah, we haven’t heard the end of Mike Maignan to Chelsea this summer, that’s for sure.”
Maignan has been described an “elite” goalkeeper, and it’s hard to argue with that verdict. If Chelsea wish to become genuine title contenders, they need a reliable ever-present between the sticks, and Maignan could be that man.
Given his contractual situation, Milan also won’t be able to demand too high a fee for his services – giving Chelsea a golden opportunity to add both pedigree and experience to Maresca’s backline.
Over the last couple of days, Tottenham Hotspur have been splashing the cash in the transfer market in an attempt to build on their recent Europa League success.
Mohammed Kudus joined the club in a £55m deal from West Ham United earlier this week, looking to provide new boss Thomas Frank with the tools for success in his maiden year at the helm.
It’s likely that investment has been provided and injected into the Lilywhites, with more additions expected before the end of the current transfer window.
Numerous areas of the pitch have been subject to interest, including the midfield department, which could also see numerous players depart North London during the off-season.
Any funds that are generated could be massive in their hunt for new additions, potentially handing Frank the best chance of success in his maiden year at the club.
The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new signings this window
Morgan Gibbs-White has been the main target as of late, with a deal looking likely to be completed at one point after triggering the £60m release clause in his deal at Nottingham Forest.
However, his move to join the Lilywhites has stalled after the Reds threatened legal action against the side after allegedly making an illegal approach for his services this summer.
Nottingham Forest's MorganGibbs-Whitecelebrates
It remains to be seen if a deal can still be completed, but moves have been made elsewhere, including a deal to land Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, according to GIVEMESPORT.
They claim that Frank’s side have made an approach for the Portuguese international’s signature, after the holding midfielder only made six league starts last campaign.
It also states that he could well be allowed to depart the Bundesliga side this window, as they look to cash in on his services after paying £47.4m for his signature from Fulham last summer.
Why Spurs’ latest target would be more important than Gibbs-White
The situation around a move for Gibbs-White during this window is one that could drag on over a period of time, especially given Forest’s threat of taking legal action.
Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White
It’s evident that the Reds have made a huge mistake with his release clause, potentially making such a scene around his departure given the lowly figure he’s available for.
The 25-year-old played a huge role in their ability to reach Europe for the first time in three decades, registering seven goals and eight assists under former Spurs boss Nuno Espírito Santo.
However, given how quickly the move progressed before the Forest hierarchy stepped in, it’s likely the player himself wants to complete a move to play Champions League football for the Lilywhites.
There’s no denying that he would be a sensational addition, but given James Maddison already operates in such a role, along with the need for a deep-lying option, it could make Palhinha a more attractive proposition.
Bayern Munich's JoaoPalhinhalooks dejected as he walks off after receiving a red card
The 30-year-old, who’s been labelled “world-class” by compatriot Ivan Cavaleiro, averaged 1.7 tackles per 90 in the Bundesliga last campaign, winning 70% of the tackles he entered – showcasing his ability to regain possession.
His talents have also been reflected in his tally of 7.1 duels won per 90, 2.7 of which have been aerially, demonstrating the commanding presence he possesses – able to operate as a real ball-winner at the heart of Frank’s side.
Games played
17
Minutes played
667
Pass accuracy
93%
Progressive passes
4.7
Tackles won
1.7
Tackle success
70%
Duels won
7.1
However, he’d also completed 93% of the passes he attempted, making 4.7 progressive passes per 90, having the talent in possession to provide the players in front of him with the tools for success.
It remains to be seen if the player himself would be keen on a move to North London, but it’s evident that the hierarchy are targeting the top-level talent needed for future success.
The need for a ball-winning option in the Spurs side is vital this summer, with a deal for Palhinha arguably a more important one for the club than Gibbs-White during the current window.
Perfect with Kudus & Gibbs-White: Spurs to make bid for "complete" talent
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Sheffield United are now on the verge of signing an “electric” £3.5 million attacker who Ruben Selles already knows well.
Like every other team up and down the country, the Blades are currently in the midst of their pre-season preparations as the return of domestic action gets closer and closer. United got another pre-season game under their belt on Tuesday night, as they faced non-league side York City and won 6-2.
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However, the Blades were without a few key players for the fixture, with midfielder Tom Davies one noticeable absentee. Selles has revealed that Davies has picked up a groin injury during their time in Girona, and he could now miss the start of the Championship season.
“With Tom Davies, it is a little bit different. He got an injury in Girona, and so we expect him to be out for some weeks. He will be back in approximately a month.
“He’s unlucky. The way we do things and the way we try to perform demand a lot from the players. And with Tom, the most important thing is that he recovers well, and when he comes back, he stays healthy for the rest of the season.”
Sydie Peck was another United player that missed out on Tuesday night, but Selles has revealed that Peck’s injury isn’t as serious: “Sydie picked up a late injury, so he has not been able to start pre-season with us.He has been training, but it was more about building him up, and hopefully, he will be involved in the next game.”
Sheffield United now close to signing Louie Barry on loan
As the Blades continue their pre-season preparations, they are now closing in on their third signing of the summer. According to Sky Sports, Louie Barry is now expected to join Sheffield United on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.
The report states that both clubs have agreed the deal, while Barry has also agreed to the switch, and he is now expected to join up with the Blades next week. This comes after Hull City agreed a deal worth £3.5 million with Villa to sign Barry, only for the deal to then fall through as the Tigers were hit with a three-transfer-window embargo.
This transfer will see Barry link up with Selles once again, as the pair worked together in the second half of last season, as Barry joined the Tigers after a successful first half of the campaign on loan at Stockport County.
Divisions
Apps
Goals
Assists
Championship
4
0
0
League One
47
16
6
League Two
53
17
6
Barry, who has been dubbed “electric” by reporter Sam Byrne, struggled to make an impact at Hull as he picked up a serious injury. But during his time at Stockport, the versatile forward scored 25 goals in 46 games across two separate loan spells, and Selles will be hoping he can get that productivity out of the youngster at Bramall Lane.
Newcastle United are reportedly “very interested” in completing the signing of a defender who has been described as “priceless” at his current club.
Newcastle eyeing new wingers and centre-backs this summer
The Magpies enjoyed such a memorable season last time around, not only because of their famous EFL Cup success, but also due to getting back into the Champions League.
That should allow them to target top-quality players, and they have reportedly sent scouts to watch Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn in action, seeing him as a potential alternative to Nottingham Forest wide man Anthony Elanga.
Anthony Gordon struggled to set the world alight last season, leading to potential doubts over his long-term future at St James’ Park, and Lyon star Malick Fofana has also been mentioned as a possible replacement for him.
The 20-year-old Belgian has a big future in the game and could be an electric addition on the left flank.
A new centre-back is also a must, in order to add fresh legs to an ageing area of the pitch, and while Marc Guehi has continued to be linked with Newcastle, Sporting CP ace Ousmane Diomande is arguably more likely at this point, with Liverpool seemingly closing in on Guehi.
Newcastle "very interested" in Italy defender
According to Italian media [via NUFC Blog], Newcastle are “very interested” in signing Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini, adding that the “next few days” are key, with his current club not wanting to lose him and rival interest emerging from Antonio Conte’s Napoli.
Scalvini has been linked with Newcastle in the past, being seen as a strong option to come in after Sven Botman suffered an ACL injury, at which point he was valued at around £43m. The transfer failed to come to fruition, but he remains a great option for the Magpies, considering he could come in as both a key player from the off, and someone who could be a mainstay of the defence for many years to come.
Scalvini has already notched up 107 appearances for Atalanta – highly impressive, given his age – also being described as “priceless” by data analyst Sanjay and racking up eight caps for Italy
It is clearly going to be difficult for Newcastle to get their man, however, with Atalanta seeing him as an invaluable player who can continue to develop as the years pass, even though he is fresh off the back of ACL damage of his own.
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But given his potential, though, the Magpies should do all they can to try and change the Serie A side’s thinking, acquiring the services of an excellent young player in the process.
Arsenal are reportedly working to recruit some high-profile targets behind-the-scenes, and a significant update has now dropped on one of them, courtesy of a Sky Sports reporter this morning.
Arsenal identify new winger and striker as priority targets
Two items at the very top of sporting director Andrea Berta’s to-do list over the coming months are signing a new winger and striker.
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Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus during the second half of 2024/2025 left Mikel Arteta desperately short of options up front, whilst adding further weight to the opinions of many critics that the addition of a prolific centre-forward is long overdue.
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)
Money on new signings
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
Mikel Merino did pretty well to cover the aforementioned duo as an emergency striker, but Berta and the recruitment team are eager to ensure that Arteta won’t be left in a similarly precarious position next season, when they’ll be looking to mount a far more successful Premier League title challenge.
Arsenal’s need for more goals is evident by their numbers from last term, with Arteta’s side scoring just 69 in total across their top flight campaign, a far cry beneath the 91 and 88 they’d managed in the two seasons prior.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetain the stands before the match
Berta has laid the groundwork over deals for both Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, according to the BBC and reporter Sami Mokbel, but it appears the latter centre-forward is taking priority right now.
Arsenal are believed to be advancing in talks for Sesko, with Leipzig demanding around £70 million for their star striker as the Gunners look to find middle ground in negotiations.
Arteta and co also want to add further quality out-wide.
Leandro Trossard is about to enter the final year of his contract, while Bukayo Saka’s three-month injury lay-off midway through last season highlighted the need for Berta to bring in an alternative to the England international.
Leroy Sane pulls U-turn over joining Arsenal after Galatasaray agreement
One of their widely reported top targets is out-of-contract Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane.
Man City once valued the 70-cap Germany international at around £137 million during his time at Eastlands, but he’s now set to leave Bavaria for zero transfer cost.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal held talks with Sane as far back as April, and more recent reports from this week, via CaughtOffside, claim that the 29-year-old has spoken to Arteta about a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Sane apparently had an offer to join Arsenal on the table, and was thought to be very keen to work with Arteta again and join the Gunners (CaughtOffside).
A contract extension at Bayern was still on the cards as well, until very recently, with the ex-Premier League star informing Vincent Kompany’s side that he won’t be signing a new deal after all.
Now set to leave on a free, while Sane was believed to favour a move to Arsenal, he’s now apparently pulled a U-turn.
Instead, Turkish Süper Lig champions Galatasaray are closing in on a deal for Sane, according to Sky Germany’s Plettenberg in a “breaking” update this morning.
Sane’s top-level experience and proven record of goals and assists from the last few seasons arguably make him one of the bargains of the summer, but he’s still very pricey in terms of salary.
Reports suggest that the former Schalke sensation is demanding a big “mega-money” contract, with Galatasaray seemingly set to pay him big-money.
Sane is close to the twilight phase of his career at nearly 30, and they have other high-profile wide targets to turn to as alternatives – ones which could prove better value for salary in the long run.
Even though this season has been a painfully disappointing one for Arsenal, there have been at least a few positives to come from it.
One of them has been the continued development of Declan Rice, who now looks entirely at home in his left-eight role and is arguably one of the club’s most important players.
For example, even though the team have not been as free-flowing as they were last year, the Englishman has still been able to rack up a seriously impressive haul of eight goals and ten assists in 50 games, was immense in both legs against Real Madrid and has a genuine shout for being the best signing of the Mikel Arteta era.
However, if recent reports are to be believed, he may soon have some more competition for that title, as the club could soon, at the very least, make their best signing since the former West Ham United captain.
Arsenal transfer news
In the last few weeks, Arsenal have been linked to several top-quality players who could become their best signings since Rice, such as Rafael Leao and Benjamin Sesko.
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 is reportedly available for around £85m, which would instantly make him one of the Gunners’ most expensive acquisitions ever, but as he’s racked up 12 goals and 13 assists in 48 games this season, he’d likely be worth it.
On the other hand, Sesko would cost a little less, at around £67m, but again, that’s more than a fair price tag, as in just 44 games for RB Leipzig, he’s scored 21 goals and provided six assists.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskocelebrates
Yet, to really have a chance of being the club’s best signing since Rice, the prospective player needs to be truly remarkable, game-breaking even, which is where Viktor Gyokeres comes in.
According to a recent report from respected journalist David Ornstein, Arsenal have maintained their strong interest in the Sporting CP star.
Ornstein further explains that the Swedish international is someone that new Sporting Director Andrea Berta “really likes,” but that the club may need to speed up their pursuit of him in light of interest from other teams like Manchester United.
A potential price tag is not mentioned in the report, but stories from earlier this week revealed that the Gunners have already submitted an offer in the region of £63m, which could be seen as too low for a player with a £85m release clause.
Sporting Club's Francisco Trinaco and Viktor Gyokeres.
It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but with how well he’s played over the last couple of years, one more than worth fighting for.
Why Gyokeres would be Arsenal's best signing since Rice
There are likely a number of reasons why Gyokeres could end up being Arsenal’s best signing since Rice, from the boost he’d provide the team to how the commercial revenue of signing a sought-after-striker at the peak of his powers.
However, every positive about signing the Swedish international stems from one thing: his output.
Yes, it might be rather simplistic, but ultimately, what the Gunners need more than anything else this summer is someone who can put the ball in the back of the net on a consistent basis, and if the last two seasons are anything to go by, that’s something the Sporting star can do with his eyes closed.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokeres
For example, in 50 appearances last season, the 26-year-old “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored a staggering 43 goals and provided 15 assists, which came out to an average of 1.16 goal involvements every game.
Then, instead of plateauing, he’s got even better this season and currently has a tally of 52 goals and 13 assists in 50 appearances, which comes out to a frankly absurd average of 1.3 goal involvements per game. It’s safe to say he’s a true “monster” in the worlds of journalist Alex Turk
Appearances
50
50
Minutes
4169′
4038′
Goals
43
52
Assists
15
13
Goal Involvements per Match
1.16
1.3
Minutes per Goal Involvement
71.87
62.12;
Finally, on top of doing the business at club level, the Stockholm goal machine has also been a tour de force for the national side, racking up a haul of 15 goals and six assists in just 26 appearances, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.23 games.
Ultimately, to become Arsenal’s best signing since Rice, a player has to come in and utterly transform the side while pushing them closer to glory, and if Gyokeres can replicate even 50% of his Sporting output in North London, then he’ll do just that.
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With the summer transfer window approaching, Crystal Palace are now reportedly looking to shock a mega rich club in the race to sign one particular attacking talent for Oliver Glanser should he stay put.
Crystal Palace face Oliver Glasner concern
In his first full season in charge at Selhurst Park, it’s fair to say that Glasner’s impressive spell at Crystal Palace has not gone unnoticed. The Austrian is reportedly among the names on RB Leipzig’s radar as they look to welcome their replacement for the sacked Marco Rose. Having previously managed in Germany, there will be plenty of concern surrounding Glasner’s future in South London.
The Eagles have already suffered one major departure away from the pitch in the form of Dougie Freedman and the last thing that Steve Parish needs is to be left replacing both his sporting director and manager.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time that Europe’s top clubs came swooping in for Palace’s top talents. Just last summer, the headlines surrounded Michael Olise, who eventually swapped Selhurst Park for Bayern Munich.
Now, on top of Glasner, Eberechi Eze has also been linked with a summer exit amid links to the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Given that Palace sit above both those sides in the Premier League this season, losing Eze to either would represent the most frustrating blow for Crystal Palace.
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
Potentially preparing for the worst, however, Palace have reportedly turned their attention towards a move to sign one particular Bundesliga talent ahead of Newcastle United.
Crystal Palace battling to sign "complete" Merlin Rohl
According to Bild in Germany, Crystal Palace are now shock contenders to sign Merlin Rohl from SC Freiburg this summer in a deal that will cost a reported €25m (£21m). With Liverpool and Newcastle also interested, there’s no doubt that the Eagles would be landing an impressive coup by signing the attacking midfielder in the coming months.
What would be most impressive if Rohl joined Palace over Newcastle specifically is how the finances of both clubs compare. These days, thanks to PIF, those at St James’ Park represent one of the richest clubs in world football and could put that billionaire status to good use this summer having managed their PSR issues over the last year. Meanwhile, Palace are often forced to sell before they can buy.
SC Freiburg'sMerlinRohlin action
Just where Rohl’s next destination is remains to be seen, but his arrival would certainly ease any potential Eze exit blow for Crystal Palace this summer. The 22-year-old has earned plenty of praise during his Bundesliga rise over the years, including from former Ingolstadt coach Tomas Oral, who said: “Merlin’s the complete midfielder. He can do it defensively and offensively.”
With the Premier League calling, Palace will be desperate for Rohl to make his choice and join up with Glasner’s side this summer.