Leeds United are now in the race to sign a “highly rated” £17 million Ligue 1 ace who’s being chased by major teams throughout Europe, according to a new report.
As pre-season preparations get underway, Daniel Farke will be very pleased with the business the club have conducted so far, but he will be wanting more arrivals between now and September, as he knows Leeds have a lot of work ahead of them if they are to remain in the Premier League.
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Three players have already arrived at Elland Road, but that could soon be about to double. According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds are closing in on the signing of Gabriel Gudmundsson from French side Lille. The Sweden international was expected to travel to England on Sunday to complete the transfer and add more options in the left-back spot for Farke.
El Hadji Malick Diouf playing for Senegal against England.
That is not the only full-back the Whites are chasing, as Leeds are also interested in signing El Hadji Malick Diouf and are in a good position to beat West Ham to his signature, as they have already seen a bid turned down.
Meanwhile, the Premier League newcomers have also held talks with goalkeeper Lucas Perri over potentially replacing Illan Meslier between the sticks at Elland Road.
Leeds in race for highly rated Neil El Aynaoui
The transfer news doesn’t stop there for the Yorkshire side, as according to Foot Mercato, Leeds are interested in signing midfielder Neil El Aynaoui from RC Lens.
Olympique de Marseille's Quentin Merlin in action with RC Lens' NeilElAynaoui
The report states that after a successful 2024/25 season on a personal level, where El Aynaoui scored eight goals in 24 Ligue 1 games, the 24 year-old midfielder is now wanted by many teams across Europe. As well as Leeds, Sunderland and Wolves showing strong interest from England, they all face competition from Juventus and AC Milan.
But it could be AS Roma who are the significant threat to the Whites, as the Italian side have already submitted a bid worth 20 million euros, which is roughly £17.2 million, and are looking to continue talks with Lens over the coming days.
El Aynaoui, who has been dubbed “highly talented” in the past, would bring versatility to Leeds’ midfield department, as he can operate defensively and offensively, as well as being comfortable playing out wide.
Apps
56
Goals
9
Assists
5
Capturing El Aynaoui would show significant intent from the 49ers, given the interest from huge clubs with multiple Champions League titles to their name, with the American group seemingly intent on putting Leeds back on their perch.
With a new goalkeeper likely to cost in excess of £10m and El Aynaoui’s price looking likely to breach the £30m mark, it may not be long before the Whites are heading towards a nine-figure spend in the summer market.
Liverpool recently completed what may end up being the biggest transfer of the summer when they confirmed the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Reds have smashed the British transfer record to sign the Germany international in a deal that is worth up to £116.5m, moving above the transfer that took Moises Caicedo from Brighton to Chelsea.
Liverpool, as shown in the graphic above, had never touched the £100m mark for a transfer fee for a player, which shows how much faith they have that Wirtz will be a hugely influential star for the club.
The attacking midfielder is the second signing to come in from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, after Jeremie Frimpong, and the first addition from the Bundesliga has had some very kind words to say about his new, yet old, teammate.
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz andJeremieFrimpongapplaud fans with teammates after the match
Liverpool’s Dutch full-back described the German star as a “very, very, very special player”, and Reds supporters should be excited by the prospect of watching him play next season.
Why Florian Wirtz is a big signing for Liverpool
The 22-year-old attacker’s form in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons suggests that he has the potential to be a difference-maker for the Premier League champions on a regular basis.
He is a number ten who has the ability to consistently deliver both goals and assists at the top end of the pitch, which means that he could be a joy to watch in the final third.
Wirtz ended the 2024/25 season with a return of 16 goals and 14 assists in 45 matches in all competitions, after a haul of 18 goals and 19 assists in 49 appearances for Leverkusen in the previous campaign.
This means that the Germany international has plundered 34 goals and 33 assists in all competitions in the past two seasons, which shows that he offers a constant threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield position.
Non-penalty goals
0.59
Top 6%
Expected Assisted Goals
0.20
Top 20%
npxG + xAG
0.60
Top 18%
Shot-creating actions
5.10
Top 11%
Progressive passes
6.28
Top 8%
Passes made
55.26
Top 6%
As you can see in the table above, Wirtz was impressive in the Champions League this season, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which shows that he can perform at the very top level.
Therefore, the £116.5m-rated star could be a big signing as an attacking star who has proven himself in Germany, and they could be about to repeat that move already.
Liverpool eyeing Bundesliga striker
According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are interested in a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Hugo Ekitike in the summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that the Premier League champions are ‘seriously’ eyeing up a move for the France U21 international, as they look at possible replacements for Darwin Nunez.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Plettenberg reports that Napoli are in talks with Liverpool over a deal to sign the Uruguay international, and that the Reds would not stand in his way if he wants to move to the Serie A champions this summer.
The journalist adds that the Reds believe that they have a “good chance” to sign Ekitike as a possible replacement for Nunez, despite facing competition from both Chelsea and Manchester United in the race for his services.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Eintracht Frankfurt reportedly value the young number nine at a whopping £85m, as they look to keep hold of their star man, and it remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool are willing to go that high for him.
Why Liverpool should sign Hugo Ekitike
The Premier League giants should swoop to sign the French striker from the German club before the end of the window, particularly if Nunez moves on from Anfield, because he could be a Wirtz repeat.
Bayer Leverkusen's FlorianWirtz
As aforementioned, Liverpool have landed a Bundesliga star who could be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis by signing the Germany international.
Ekitike would arrive on Merseyside as a very similar signing, as a Bundesliga striker who has the potential to make a big impact in the final third next season.
The former Paris Saint-Germain talent ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances in all competitions for Frankfurt, which meant that he registered four more goal contributions than Wirtz did for Leverkusen.
Ekitike’s performances in the Bundesliga, specifically, suggest that he has the quality to come through the door as a significant upgrade on Nunez, should he complete a transfer to Napoli in the coming weeks.
Appearances
33
30
Goals
15
5
Minutes per goal
172
227
Big chances created
12
3
Key passes per game
1.3
0.5
Assists
8
2
As you can see in the table above, the French talent could offer a bigger threat in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator for Liverpool, based off their respective form in the 2024/25 season.
The Frankfurt star, who was once described as the “next Mbappe” by journalist Graeme Bailey, also still has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and improve even further, at the age of 23.
Like Wirtz, the young forward could be a staple of Arne Slot’s attack for many years to come. They are both forwards who have proven that they can deliver quality in the here and now, whilst they also both have the potential to get even better in the future.
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It is now down to the club to agree a deal with Frankfurt to bring the promising young centre-forward to Anfield to combine with Wirtz in the final third next season.
The transfer news is starting to heat-up at Rangers.
Following Russell Martin’s appointment, and with the start of Champions League qualifying little over five weeks away, Rangers need to act quickly in the transfer market, seeking to rebuild their squad at Ibrox.
Southampton manager Russell Martin.
So, with one centre-back seemingly on his way out of Ibrox, could the Gers’ land a vastly experienced defender?
Rangers' search for a new centre-back
Defence is clearly an area the Gers are looking to improve this summer with links to English centre-back Harry Darling emerging on a regular basis.
That being said, Darling isn’t the only defender on the club’s radar heading into the forthcoming weeks.
According to a report by the Leicester Mercury, Rangers have initiated talks to sign Conor Coady from Leicester City this summer, having lodged an enquiry in a bid to understand what it might take to sign the former England international.
Football Insider revealed on Sunday that, with the Foxes needing to offload players following their relegation to the EFL Championship, Coady could be one name on the chopping block, handing Martin and Co encouragement in their attempts to sign the defender.
The 32-year-old is vastly experienced, having made almost 200 Premier League appearances to date, joining Leicester from Wolverhampton Wanderers two years ago for a reported fee of around £7.5m.
Analyst John Walker labels Coady “highly intelligent”, praising his in-possession play, so could Martin convince him to move to Glasgow?
How Conor Coady could finally replace Goldson at Rangers
Back in the summer of 2018, following Steven Gerrard’s arrival in Govan, Rangers signed Connor Goldson from Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported fee of £3m, and what a bargain this would prove to be.
Despite requiring heart surgery during his time with the Seagulls, the Englishman would go on to make 309 appearances for the Light Blues, winning all three domestic trophies, a near ever-present fixture of the Gerrard-era, as well as being a key figure in the side that reached the Europa League Final in Seville three years ago.
Graham Falk of the Scotsman labels him a ‘stalwart’ of Rangers’ recent success, and many would argue that the club have not replaced him since he was allowed to leave for Aris Limassol last summer.
The need to replace him has only been made greater by news surrounding Robin Pröpper, who could be poised to depart Rangers this summer.
Indeed, reports suggest that FC Twente are ‘desperate’ to re-sign the centre-back for £1.5m, just a year after the Eredivisie outfit sold him to the Gers for around double that fee.
Robin Propper
They go on to say that Pröpper ‘will hold talks’ with new manager Martin before making a concrete decision over his future, but few supporters would mourn his exit, given that Ewan Paton of the Rangers Review asserts that Scottish football is ‘too quick and physical for his capabilities’.
So let’s assess if Coady would be an upgrade.
Appearances
26
43
Minutes
2,002
3,210
Tackles
0.6
1.2
Interceptions
0.7
1.2
Clearances
3.8
4.9
Blocked shots
1.3
0.7
Ball recoveries
3.3
4.4
Aerial duel success %
37.14%
54.04%
Ground duel success %
53.33%
53.26%
Passing accuracy %
91.47%
85.81%
Touches
64.6
75.5
Average Sofascore Rating
6.60
6.69
The table suggests that Pröpper was more impressive than Coady this season, with the Dutchman boasting better statistics for most metrics included, but some context is required.
Rangers finished second in the Premiership while Leicester were relegated from the Premier League, thereby skewing the data, while it is worth considering that England’s top flight is, according to Global Football Rankings, the strongest division in the world, with Scotland’s first division ranked all the way down in 43rd place.
The most interesting statistic from the table above, however, is Coady’s excellent pass completion percentage – better than Propper – which would fit into Martin’s style of play perfectly.
Meanwhile, as outlined by Tim Spiers of the Athletic, the Englishman is known for his outstanding leadership qualities, describing him as an ‘intelligent ball-playing centre-back’.
Thus, still only 32 years old, Coady still has plenty to offer and, if Rangers are able to snap him up on the cheap, he would be an excellent addition, reminiscent of Goldson’s move to Glasgow all those years ago.
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Russell Martin will be aiming to bolster his squad in the coming weeks.
Arsenal are expected to be among the busiest Premier League sides this summer, as they look to match English champions Liverpool and end Mikel Arteta’s long wait for another piece of major silverware.
Arsenal hold talks with "big" summer window looming
The north Londoners have a few key items on their transfer agenda over the coming months.
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Arsenal are already set to end their search for a new back-up goalkeeper early doors, with Chelsea shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga agreeing to join them. If all goes to plan, he will come in to replace Neto as an understudy to David Raya, and Kepa is apparently set to fight for his place as the Gunners’ number one.
For just £5 million, Arsenal are on the verge of securing an experienced and adept alternative to Raya, but they also have many other plates spinning behind-the-scenes.
Arsenal remain in ongoing talks for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, with no agreement yet found on price despite the Slovenia international reportedly shaking hands on personal terms (CaughtOffside).
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskocelebrates their second goal scored by Lukas Klostermann
If they cannot strike a deal for the 22-year-old, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres remains on Arsenal’s radar as an alternative to Sesko.
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
Arsenal are also reliably reported to be targeting a new winger, so Arteta’s prediction of a “big” summer window appears to be very much coming true.
“It’s going to be a big one [summer] and we are very excited about it,” said Arteta back in April.
“When you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad and the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step. Every summer is big because it is an opportunity – and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now, that is necessary.”
As well as the aforementioned targets, Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi is closing in on a move to the Emirates.
Arsenal have agreed to pay £60 million for Martin Zubimendi
Despite Zubimendi appearing to pour cold water over reports that he’s set for a medical, and some rumoured late threat from Real Madrid, both The Athletic’s David Ornstein and trusted transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano have claimed in the last few days that the Spain international’s move to Arsenal is still very much on track.
The “fantastic” 26-year-old midfielder would be a world-class replacement for Jorginho, so much so, that Arsenal are actually agreeing to pay more than they need to for his signature.
That is according to journalist Aritz Gabilondo, who detailed in an article for Spanish news outlet AS this week that Arsenal will fork out around £60 million to sign Zubimendi from Sociedad, despite his release clause being £50 million.
This is apparently a gesture of good faith to Sociedad, and the fee will be paid in three installments. If Real or any other side had any hope of hijacking the deal, which Gabilondo describes as “complete and signed”, then they would’ve had to match or better the £60 million offer.
Arsenal expect Zubimendi in time for pre-season, so the Gunners remain utterly convinced that they’ve secured his signature, despite some recent noise to the contrary.
Echoing other sources, AS write that the delay in his announcement as an Arsenal player revolves around Sociedad wanting to register his sale as part of the next financial year, which begins on July 1.
Celtic ended their season on Saturday and the attention will now turn to the summer transfer window and what they need to improve the squad to go again next term.
The Hoops already know that they might have to bolster their options out wide after Portuguese winger Jota suffered an injury that is set to keep him out for a large chunk of the 2025/26 campaign.
He was forced off with a knee injury during the first half of the 5-0 win over Dundee United and is now set for between six and nine months on the sidelines with a cruciate ligament injury.
This means that the attacker, who rejoined the Hoops from Rennes on a permanent deal in January, could miss most or all of the first half of next season.
Jota had produced four goals and two assists in seven starts in the Scottish Premiership prior to his injury blow, which illustrates the kind of quality that Brendan Rodgers has lost because of this news.
Celtic may, therefore, be in the market for a new winger in the summer transfer window, which officially opens for business next month, and one forward who is of interest to the club is Sondre Orjasaeter.
Why Sondre Orjasaeter could be a good signing for Celtic
Writing for Sky Sports on Saturday, journalist Anthony Joseph claimed that the club could go back in with a move for the Sarpsborg star this summer.
The reporter added that the Premiership champions had multiple bids turned down for the Norway youth international, before they eventually signed Jota from Rennes.
67HailHail reported during that window that the Hoops had an offer of £4.4m turned down for the 21-year-old starlet because the Norwegian side were holding out for a fee of £7m.
£7m is a significant amount of cash to splash on a young talent who has not proven himself outside of his own country, but his form for Sarpsborg does suggest that the potential is there for him to be an exciting signing for Celtic.
Appearances
28
7
Goals
5
1
Big chances missed
5
2
Big chances created
12
7
Key passes per game
1.9
2.0
Assists
5
2
Dribbles completed per game
2.4
2.7
As you can see in the table above, Orjasaeter has provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals, mainly the latter, in the Eliteserien since the start of last year, which is why he could be an excellent signing to fill the void left by Jota’s injury.
However, the £7m price tag could be a sticking point, particularly with Jota due to return at some point next season, and that is why they could look to an alternative option to forget about Orjasaeter.
Celtic could return for Belgian star
In the aforementioned article for Sky Sports, Anthony Joseph also reported that Royal Antwerp attacker Michel-Ange Balikwisha has been a long-term transfer target for Celtic.
The journalist added that the 24-year-old wizard has been highly recommended to the club by their scouts, who have been impressed by his performances in Belgium.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Joseph claimed that the Scottish giants could go in with a swoop for the Pro League star in the upcoming summer transfer window, and he could come cheaper than Orjasaeter would.
The Scottish Sun reported in April that the impressive winger is currently valued at £5m by Royal Antwerp, which means that he could be £2m cheaper than the Norwegian whizkid.
With this in mind, Rodgers could forget all about Orjasaeter and save the club £2m in transfer fees by pushing for the board to sign Balikwisha as an emergency replacement for Jota this summer.
Why Celtic should sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha
As per UEFA, Belgium is currently ranked the eighth best European league based on the coefficient rankings, three places above Norway in 11th. This suggests that the standard in Belgium, at least among the top clubs, is better than the standard in Norway.
You could, therefore, put more weight behind Balikwisha’s performances in the Pro League than Orjasaeter’s in the Eliteserien when judging how effective they could be at making an impact at Celtic, particularly in the Champions League, next season.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha for Royal Antwerp.
Whilst the Norwegian starlet has caught the eye with six goals and seven assists in his last 35 Eliteserien games for Sarpsborg, the Belgian ace has delivered similar levels of quality whilst playing in a more challenging league.
One scout, Emir, on X, described the £5m-rated star as a winger who “wins games on his own” and a “no-brainer” signing for top teams because he is ready to take the step to the next level.
Balikwisha’s performances in the Pro League suggest that he is a player who can be a difference-maker in the final third to win matches for his side, with goals and assists.
Starts
27
11
xG
6.46
2.26
Goals
7
4
Big chances created
6
7
Key passes per game
1.5
1.6
Assists
5
3
As you can see in the table above, the Belgian gem has produced 11 goals and ‘big chances’ created in 11 starts in the Pro League this season since returning from injury, which speaks to the kind of quality he can provide at the top end of the pitch.
Balikwisha, who is a right-footed left-winger, has also outperformed his xG in each of the last two seasons in the Belgian top-flight, which shows that he can be an effective and efficient finisher in front of goal.
The Celtic target also produced one goal and one assist in two Champions League qualifiers to help his side qualify for the group stage in the 2023/24 campaign, before scoring one goal in five matches in the group stage.
This shows that, unlike Orjasaeter, he also has experience on the top stage of European football, which could be useful ahead of Celtic’s qualifiers for the competition later this year.
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Therefore, Rodgers must urge Celtic to forget about Orjasaeter by signing Balikwisha, who could provide more quality and experience whilst costing £2m less this summer.
After confirming the arrival of Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool have now reportedly joined the race to sign a La Liga defender who incoming goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili knows well.
Liverpool confirm Frimpong deal
On the same day that Trent Alexander-Arnold completed his move to Real Madrid a month earlier, with the Spaniards paying €10m (£8m) to do so, Liverpool officially welcomed his replacement in the form of Frimpong. The Dutchman has officially completed his summer switch to Anfield, arriving from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported €35m (£30m) fee.
After completing his move, Frimpong told Liverpool’s media channels: “I think this is the best stadium I played in when I was with Leverkusen: the atmosphere, the fans, the team as well. The whole package is great.
“I don’t need to say too much about the quality [of Liverpool]. They won the league. For me, playing against Liverpool when I was in Leverkusen, really difficult. Really, really difficult. How can I say it? Obviously Leverkusen were still good but you can see that Liverpool is next level.”
“You always want to play for the top teams as a footballer, as a kid. Of course, when I was younger and Liverpool first came, that was a no-brainer as well, but due to transportation and all these sorts of things, I had to go a different way. And look at me now. So, it has worked really well.”
Alexander-Arnold is not an easy name to replace at Anfield, but Frimpong is more than familiar with playing at an elite level, having been part of Leverkusen’s invincible team under Xabi Alonso in the 2023/24 campaign.
Florian Wirtz celebrates with Jeremie Frimpong
In a busy summer for Liverpool, the Dutchman could just be the first of several arrives, which looks likely to include former Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz and perhaps even a La Liga defender.
Liverpool join race for Valencia defender Mosquera
According to Caught Offside, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia, who value their impressive centre-back at just €30m (£25m) this summer. The Reds aren’t alone in their quest to sign the 20-year-old, with RB Leipzig currently in pole position, but they could yet one advantage if they push on with their move.
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Incoming goalkeeper Mamardashvili already knows Mosquera well during their time together in Valencia’s backline and could yet help to convince his former teammate to join him at Anfield this summer. Given how he has impressed in Spain, meanwhile, Anfield chiefs should certainly step up their chase to sign the defender.
Dubbed “one of the most talented U-21” defenders in Europe by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Mosquera looks like a player destined for the top, whether that comes courtesy of Liverpool or another club.
Football pundit Micah Richards believes a Leeds United target who the 49ers have made an approach for will “light it up” should he leave Man City this summer, according to a new report.
James McAtee’s Man City career could be coming to an end amid Leeds links
James McAtee has been at the Etihad for his entire football career, but he has yet to nail down a regular starting spot. The 22-year-old has played just 34 times for City in total, 15 of which have come this season in the Premier League.
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McAtee’s most successful time in recent seasons came on loan at Sheffield United, where he was a regular starter and thrived in the second tier.
After his latest spell with the Blades, City decided to keep hold of McAtee, but it is a move that has seen his career stall, as he’s struggled to win over Pep Guardiola, and it’s now been reported that he is ready to leave the Etihad.
The attacking midfielder is out of contract in 2026, and given his situation at the Etihad, Premier League-bound Leeds United have made an enquiry over the possibility of securing a transfer for McAtee this summer.
Premier League apps (starts)
15 (3)
FA Cup apps (starts)
4 (3)
Champions League apps (starts)
5 (0)
Carabao Cup apps (starts)
2 (2)
The Whites are not the only team chasing McAtee, as Nottingham Forest are also keen on landing the England under-21 international. It could be a costly deal for the Yorkshire side, as City are said to value the midfielder at around £35 million.
Micah Richards: McAtee will "light it up" should he leave Man City
The latest development in McAtee’s situation at Man City saw the midfielder left out of their FA Cup final squad on Saturday, and according to pundit Micah Richards, McAtee would “light it up” should he leave the Blues.
Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer believes McAtee needs to leave City if he wants to play regularly. Speaking on the latest episode of ‘The Rest Is Football’, via Leeds Live: “He [McAtee] is not getting in their team. He’s another one that is going to have to leave.”
Richards went on to agree with Shearer’s comments and added that “he’s got something special” and will “light it up” in a new team.
McAtee has played 48 times in the Premier League, scoring six goals in the process, and if Leeds do sign him, they will hope his experience of the division, even though it is limited, will help them next season, and he can be a creative force in their forward line.
It was another semi-final defeat on Wednesday night for Arsenal and, as a result, another season that’ll end trophyless.
It was always going to be a tough challenge for Mikel Arteta’s side to overturn their first-leg defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain, but to lose 2-1 on the night just makes it all the more painful.
Moreover, while the visitors started the first half pretty well, they soon faded, and while they played with some real heart, a number of players just didn’t perform well enough.
One of those was Thomas Partey, who picked up a 3/10 match rating from Alex Turk of the Express, and while there was talk of a contract renewal, there have also been links to a certain international who could join this summer and send him packing.
Arsenal transfer news
Before getting to the player in question, it is worth taking a look at some of the other midfield stars Arsenal have been linked with in recent weeks, like Hugo Larsson and Eduardo Camavinga.
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 still only 20 years old but has already become an established starter at Eintracht Frankfurt and could reportedly cost up to £51m, while the latter was sent off against the Gunners in the first leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final with the club, but with a release clause of £1bn, who knows how much he’d cost.
Fortunately, another international midfielder heavily linked with the North Londoners has a far more reasonable release clause and could be the ideal Partey replacement: Martin Zubimendi.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are still incredibly keen on signing the Real Sociedad star this summer, with Arteta making him a ‘top reinforcement priority.’
While interest from Real is far from ideal, reports from elsewhere claiming the Spaniard has a release clause worth £51m could and should make signing him far more straightforward for the North Londoners.
It might still be a lot of money, but Zubimendi has proven his ability over several years now, and as he could be the perfect Partey replacement, Arsenal should do all they can to bring him to N5.
How Zubimendi compares to Partey
So then, if Arsenal are able to sign Zubimendi this summer, there is no doubt he’d come in and play the position Partey has this season, but how does he stack up to the veteran?
Is he good enough to send him packing in the summer without a new contract?
Well, given their position on the pitch and what their primary roles are, their raw output is not all that important.
Instead, the best way to better understand how they truly stack up against one another is to look under the hood at their relevant underlying numbers.
When doing this, it’s evident that while the former Atlético Madrid star does have the advantage in some areas, the bread and butter of a number six, the defensive work, is done far better by the San Sebastian-born star.
Progressive Carries
1.14
1.14
Progressive Passes
5.92
6.09
Passing Accuracy
83.2%
87.3%
Completed Long Passes
3.55
3.02
Blocked Shots
0.54
0.25
Blocked Passes
0.77
0.64
Interceptions
1.20
1.14
Clearances
2.47
1.64
Errors Leading to a Shot
0.10
0.14
Fouls
1.40
1.43
Ball Recoveries
4.38
4.38
Aerial Duels Won
1.67
0.93
Aerial Duel Win %
61.7%
54.2%
For example, the “world-class” defensive midfielder, as dubbed by former teammate Kieran Tierney, comes out on top in essential metrics like blocked shots and passes, interceptions, aerial duels won, clearances made, and he even makes fewer mistakes that lead to a shot, all per 90.
On top of this statistical advantage, the “elite” international, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, is also five and a half years the Ghanaian’s junior and has a far healthier injury record.
For example, across his entire career, the Basque star has missed just ten games for club and country, whereas the Gunners’ number five has missed a staggering 88, so no matter how available he’s been this year, you can never truly rely on him in the long run.
Ultimately, from his defensive output to his availability and age, it’s clear that Zubimendi would be the perfect player to come in and replace Partey this summer, in turn making a new contract for the 31-year-old redundant.
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With Rangers’ season now, to all intents and purposes, completely over, attention has started to turn towards the summer.
On Thursday night, the Gers crashed out of the Europa League at the quarter-final stage, beaten 2-0 by Athletic Club Bilbao at San Mamés.
This confirmed that the Light Blues will end the season trophyless, not involved in this weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-finals, having been historically dumped out by Queen’s Park earlier in the competition.
Meantime, in the Scottish Premiership, the Gers are 15 points adrift of runaway leaders Celtic with 15 points to play for, and a goal difference that is 42 inferior; they’re not going to catch their rivals even if, rather jokingly, Kris Boyd said “the title race is still on”.
So now, it’s pretty much full focus on next summer; the squad needs a major overhaul and a new manager is required too, all of which, ideally, must be sorted out quickly, considering Rangers’ season will start early with a Champions League second qualifying round tie on 22/23 July.
This summer’s rebuild would certainly be easier had the Gers been able to hold onto their “big prospect” being compared to the SPFL’s best player.
Daizen Maeda's impact at Celtic
Given Daizen Maeda’s form for Celtic this season, the Japanese forward is an absolute shoo-in to win the PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year as well as the SFWA Footballer of the Year awards, to add to the Premiership golden boot he’s on course to collect too.
Maeda was on target during last weekend’s thumping of Kilmarnock, taking his tally to 31 for the season, four of which came in the Champions League.
He is therefore seeking to become only the third Celtic player this century to score 40 times in a single campaign, after Henrik Larsson in 2003/04 and Leigh Griffiths 12 years later, with six, or possibly seven, matches remaining in which to achieve this.
To date, Maeda has netted five times against Rangers, one of which came during December’s League Cup Final, before also converting the winning penalty as the Hoops hoisted aloft the trophy at Hampden.
Meantime, there is an ex-Rangers attacker being compared to Maeda, one that the Gers will surely rue letting go.
The ex-Rangers star impressing in the Champions League
Abdallah Sima only spent one season on loan at Rangers from Brighton & Hove Albion, namely the most recent campaign, but, during his 40 appearances for the Light Blues, he certainly impressed, with the table below outlining why.
Appearances
40
Minutes
2,662
Goals
16
Assists
2
Minutes per goal
166
Winning goals
5
Chances created
26
Shot accuracy
54.47%
The Senegalese international was Rangers’ third-highest scorer last season, behind only James Tavernier and Cyriel Dessers, but they were unable to keep hold of him.
Instead, Brighton decided to loan the 23-year-old out to Stade Brestois, for whom he’s scored 11 times in 35 appearances, particularly impressing during les Pirates’ debut Champions League campaign, on target against Sturm Graz before also scoring a brace against RB Salzburg.
Abdallah Sima
Podcast host Dan Woffenden labels him a “big prospect”, with David Hutt of Breaking the Lines impressed by Sima’s ‘speed, strength, positional awareness [and] link-up play’, adding he possesses all the attributes of a ‘modern-day striker’.
Meantime, Andy Naylor and Mark Carey of the Athletic outline Sima’s ‘meteoric rise’, given that he was playing for Silon Táborsko in the Czech lower leagues as recently as 2020, now one of European football’s hottest properties, according to Nick Ames of the Guardian.
His current Transfermarkt valuation has skyrocketed to a career high of €10m (£9m) this season, which would make him the most valuable member of the current Rangers squad.
So, let’s assess how his Champions League statistics compare to those of Maeda.
Goals
3
35th
4
22nd
Goals per 90
0.53
28th
0.47
34th
Goals – xG
+0.5
126th
+1
54th
Shots
16
68th
15
83rd
Shots on target %
25%
241st
46.7%
76th
Shots per 90
2.83
42nd
1.78
119th
Goals per shot
0.19
72nd
0.27
29th
Shot-creating actions
12
266th
15
216th
Shot-creating action per 90
2.13
225th
1.78
264th
Progressive carries
113
458th
163
342nd
Touches in opp pen area
27
89th
29
78th
As the table outlines, looking at statistics from this season’s Champions League, Sima and Maeda are stylistically very similar – as has been noted by FBref – particularly when it comes to their numbers for shots, shot-creating actions and touches in the opposition penalty area.
Rangers loanee Abdallah Sima.
What is certain is that this flailing Rangers side would certainly be stronger with Sima in it, and he has ultimately proved to be a major loss this season.
Chelsea are reportedly preparing a bid to sign a new striker target who’s been “surprising” on-lookers with his form this year, as manager Enzo Maresca and Stamford Bridge chiefs begin to make transfer plans for the summer.
Chelsea's rumoured striker targets for the summer window
Nicolas Jackson is still yet to score a single Premier League goal this calendar year, while Christopher Nkunku was left out of the matchday squad entirely for Chelsea’s last game against Fulham.
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Maresca’s shortage of prolific strikers has forced the Italian to get creative in recent weeks, with Pedro Neto even being utilised as a centre-forward in that time. Chelsea’s boss will be very eager to fix this hole in the squad ahead of his second full campaign in charge, and it is believed the west Londoners are eyeing a few top striker targets for next season.
Everton (home)
April 26th
Liverpool (home)
May 4th
Newcastle (away)
May 11th
Man United (home)
May 16th
Nottingham Forest (away)
May 25th
According to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea have the likes of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké and long-term target Victor Osimhen on their radar.
Sesko is a “very serious” potential signing for Chelsea, following another excellent campaign with Leipzig in the Bundesliga, while Delap is likely to be up for grabs this summer after Ipswich’s relegation to the Championship.
Sesko
The latter’s contract has a £30 million release clause tied with Ipswich’s relegation, so Delap could be a very astute option after his impressive season in an otherwise struggling team at Portman Road.
However, other elite clubs who are on the look-out for number nines will be fully aware of the 22-year-old’s exit clause too, and Sesko’s, which is rumoured to currently stand at around £62 million.
With Arsenal, Man United and Tottenham also in the market for proven forwards, according to reports, the competition will be fierce, so Chelsea may also have to think outside the box when it comes to solving their striker woes.
Chelsea preparing £43m bid for Como star Assane Diao
According to reports out of Spain, it is now claimed that Chelsea are targeting Como’s new striker, Assane Diao.
Assane Diao for Como.
The Senegal international only just signed for Cesc Fabregas’ side in January, and has enjoyed a rip-roaring first few months of his Serie A career with eight goals from his last 15 top flight matches.
There is now a belief that Chelsea are preparing a £43m summer bid for Diao after being impressed by his excellent form at Como, with the 19-year-old “surprising” critics after a prolific start.
Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Diao, so he’s clearly turning heads in the Premier League, with journalist Antonio Mango also calling the teenage talent “ridiculous” within his first few weeks as a Como player.