Aston Villa are now willing to meet the price tag to sign an “explosive” new attacking talent this summer, according to a new report.
Several ins and outs expected at Villa with PSR deadline looming
The Villans have until the end of this month to balance their books with PSR’s hammer looming, so before any incomings can happen, there needs to be some movement in the exit department. That may not be far away now, as it appears there are already two players on their way out of Villa Park, as Emiliano Martínez and Lucas Digne look to seal permanent moves away.
Upgrade on Mings: Aston Villa could land bargain for £17m "cheat code"
Unai Emery has his sights set on bringing a Barcelona defender to the Premier League
1 ByRoss Kilvington Jun 21, 2025
Martinez has attracted strong interest from Manchester United in the last week or so, as the Argentine is said to favour a move to Old Trafford over joining FC Barcelona, who are also interested in a transfer.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Digne is in talks with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid over a move to Spain, as they look to bolster their options in that area of the team. The Frenchman is in the final 12 months of his contract at Villa, and it now seems he is free to leave the Premier League side, after being in and out of the team last season.
Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne
These potential exits could allow Villa to enter the market and bring in players who they believe can improve Unai Emery’s options. According to ex-Villa chief scout Mick Brown, Aston Villa could look to make a move for Manchester United’s Mason Mount, with Emery a fan of the midfielder.
Aston Villa willing to pay £27m+ transfer demand for Paixao
The Villans don’t just have their eyes on Mount as a new attacking option; according to Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are now keen on signing Igor Paixão from Feyenoord.
Feyenoord have already received record sales from the departures of Santiago Giménez and Mats Wieffer in recent times, but the Dutch side are now open to selling Paixao, as long as they receive a larger transfer fee. The report states that Feyenoord are looking to get more than €32 million for the winger, which is roughly £27 million.
This fee has done nothing to put Villa off, as the report adds that the Premier League side are willing to pay this transfer fee, although as things stand a transfer is still a “long way off at the moment”.
The 24-year-old, who can operate on both flanks, has emerged on Villa’s radar after scoring 16 goals in 34 Eredivisie games last season, and a further two in the Champions League.
Apps
129
Goals
39
Assists
29
Paixao, who has been dubbed “explosive” by scout Jacek Kulig, recently spoke in an interview with Globo Esporte and revealed he “dreams of playing for a big club”.
Paixao said, as quoted by Sport Witness: “Showing my football, being recognised by the big clubs, is gratifying. I dream of getting to a big team; it is the fruit of my work. If it is meant to happen, it will happen.”
Celtic appear to be closing in on an exciting addition to their attacking arsenal as they pursue a deal for FC Nordsjaelland winger Benjamin Nygren.
Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph recently claimed that the Hoops are close to agreeing a fee to sign the Sweden international from the Danish outfit.
For a fee of around £2m, the 23-year-old attacker could be a very cost-effective and shrewd signing for Brendan Rodgers ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Why £2m is a bargain fee for Benjamin Nygren
The Scottish giants appear set to land a bargain deal for the left-footed winger because his contract with Nordsjaelland is due to expire at the end of December.
This means that the Danish outfit have to cash in now, for a reduced fee, because they would otherwise risk losing him for nothing in the January transfer window at the start of next year.
It also looks to be a bargain because of the quality that he could provide at the top end of the pitch, after the flanker scored 15 goals in 30 league matches this season.
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?
The £2m fee also means that Nygren is set to be worth less than the majority of the Celtic squad, including centre-back Liam Scales, who the club have hit gold on.
Celtic have hit the jackpot on Liam Scales
The Hoops swooped to sign the Ireland international from Shamrock Rovers in the summer of 2021 for a reported fee of £500k, which has turned out to be a bargain fee for the defender.
Scales has scored six goals in 97 appearances for the Scottish giants in all competitions to date, and has been a regular starter at the back under Rodgers in the past two seasons.
Liam Scales
The left-footed titan even made the PFA Team of the Year, alongside defensive partner Cameron Carter-Vickers, at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, thanks to his impressive showings in the Scottish Premiership.
Scales’ emergence as a regular starter, and excellent performer, for the Hoops in the last two seasons has caused his market value to soar way beyond the £500k they initially paid for him, and beyond the fee they are set to pay for Nygren.
July 2021
£500k
December 2022
£600k
December 2023
£1.7m
May 2024
£2.1m
October 2024
£3m
December 2024
£3.4m
March 2025
£3m
June 2025
£3.4m
As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old defender’s value is now at a whopping £3.4m, which is significantly more than the £500k they invested in him four years ago.
It also means that Scales, who was dubbed “underrated” by Neil Lennon, is worth £1.4m more than a winger who scored 15 league goals this season, Nygren, which is still impressive in spite of the forward’s contractual situation.
His market value shows that Celtic hit the jackpot by snapping him up from Shamrock Rovers for a modest fee, as he has developed into a regular starter and a very valuable asset who could make the club a healthy profit in the future if they decide to cash in on him.
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Hopefully, Scales will continue to be a dependable figure at the back for the Scottish giants next season, which could lead to his value soaring even higher.
Looking to add to their South American contingent, Nottingham Forest have reportedly sent representatives to watch a big-money midfielder at the Club World Cup this summer.
Nottingham Forest's first 5 Premier League fixtures
Preparation for the 2025/26 Premier League season is officially underway. The fixtures have been released, the nerves are already building up and potential points calculated. For Nottingham Forest, the forthcoming campaign represents the chance for them to become an established top-half side and pick up where they left off in an excellent season last time out – starting at home against Brentford.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
16/08/2025
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
23/08/2025
Nottingham Forest vs West Ham United
30/08/2025
Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest
13/09/2025
Burnley vs Nottingham Forest
20/09/2025
As far as starts go, the Tricky Trees could have been handed far tougher. Their trip to Crystal Palace may yet have an extra bit of tension if Evangelos Marinakis is successful in his attempt to take their Europa League spot should the Eagles be kicked out of Europe this summer.
Meanwhile, Forest’s early trip to Arsenal should give Nuno Espirito Santo the chance to gauge where his side are at in the battle for European football and whether they’ll find themselves causing the same shocks as last season.
With the fixtures now in place, the task for those at the City Ground will be to build a squad ready to enjoy the best possible start. On that front, it already looks as though Botafogo trio Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha and Cuiabano will arrive in the coming weeks, whilst rumours continue to arise over a potential move for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.
Botafogo'sIgorJesuscelebrates scoring their second goal
Adding to their South American contingent seems to be the priority, however, after club chiefs were sent to watch an £85m midfielder at the Club World Cup this summer.
Nottingham Forest join Richard Rios race
According to GiveMeSport, Nottingham Forest have now joined the race to sign Richard Rios from Palmeiras this summer. The Midlands club reportedly sent representatives to watch the Colombian midfielder in action at the Club World Cup as he starred to help his side to an opening game 0-0 draw against Porto.
A deal to sign the talented South American won’t come cheap, though, amid reports that Rios has a release clause worth as much as £85m in his current contract at Palmeiras. Whether Forest are willing to or are even able to pay such a price is the big question and competition from the likes of Manchester United certainly won’t help their pursuit.
Praised for his “relentless work-rate” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Rios will be one to watch this summer at both the Club World Cup and potentially beyond if he completes a move to the Premier League.
West Bromwich Albion are now considering a move for a “ruthless” striker on a free transfer as Ryan Mason’s first summer signing, according to a recent report.
Mason can't wait to get started as Baggies boss
On Monday the Baggies confirmed the news that Ryan Mason has become their new head coach, signing a three-year contract after leaving Tottenham Hotspur. This will be the 33-year-old’s first permanent managerial role, as he took two interim spells at Spurs as manager but mainly worked as a first-team coach under Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou.
After putting pen to paper on becoming West Brom’s new head coach, Mason revealed he is “thrilled” at being given this opportunity and that it is a job he is “excited” about, as the club has a fantastic infrastructure.
Tottenham's Ryan Mason
“I’m absolutely thrilled to have been appointed Head Coach of West Bromwich Albion. This is a huge club with a fantastic infrastructure and an incredible fan base, and I am excited about what we can achieve together.
“Having spoken at length to the board and those at the club, I am convinced that Albion is the perfect place for me to be, and I can’t wait to get started.
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The Baggies are set to hold talks with Ryan Mason.
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“I will bring with me a huge amount of enthusiasm, dedication and ambition and look forward to a positive future together at such a fantastic club.”
West Brom considering move to sign "ruthless" ace for £0
As Mason gets his feet under the table at the Hawthorns, he is wasting no time in trying to strengthen his new team. According to The Scottish Sun, West Brom are weighing up a move to sign striker Lawrence Shankland.
Lawrence Shankland on international duty with Scotland.
The Scotland international is out of contract at the end of this month, and he is said to be weighing up his options as Hearts continue to discuss a potential new deal with the forward. That is because while Hearts struggled in the league during the 2024/25 season, the 29-year-old continued to be a threat in front of goal, netting nine times in all competitions, as well as providing 11 assists.
Hearts are hopeful they can keep hold of Shankland, but they are not the only team working on agreeing to a contract with the player. West Brom hold a real long-standing interest in the Scot, who has netted 53 goals in 138 Premiership games, and are hoping his position as a soon-to-be free agent will clear the path for a relatively straightforward deal.
Apps
32
Starts
29
Goals
8
Goals per game
0.3
Big chances missed
11
Chance conversion
9%
Assists
8
Big chances created
14
Key passes per game
1.3
Dubbed “ruthless” by Chris Sutton, West Brom have made contact with the player’s agent to gauge his interest in a move to the Hawthorns. The Baggies are not alone in their pursuit, as Southampton are also monitoring and ready to pounce.
Despite losing their last five games of the regular Championship season, Sunderland are Premier League-bound once more after Wembley produced yet more drama in a play-off final.
Tommy Watson would break Sheffield United hearts right at the death to hand his hometown club a passage up to the big time, but all these jubilant celebrations will soon be met by the crashing fear of realism as Sunderland attempt to stay afloat in such a brutal division.
Already, however, the Wearside high-flyers have been active in the transfer market to try and boost their young squad, with Enzo Le Fee about to pen a permanent Stadium of Light contract.
Away from the standout loanee joining for good, there are a whole host of other rumours involving incomings that will please fans of Regis Le Bris’ underdogs.
Sunderland's growing list of transfer targets
Amazingly, Le Fee might not be the only statement addition in the centre of the park this summer.
The rumour mill continues to churn out the wild possibility of Jordan Henderson returning to his hometown roots, whilst another flashy buy in the midfield department could soon come in the form of Manchester United winger Amad Diallo.
Yet, away from Henderson and Amad’s names being tentatively linked, Sunderland could look to improve defensively this summer by shopping in Le Bris’s native France.
As per a new report from the Daily Mirror, that has been relayed by the Sunderland Echo, the AS Monaco ace is being looked at by the Black Cats as part of an ambitious summer rebuild, meaning the old guard in the building might be moved to one side for the likes of Singo to shine.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Indeed, any move for the £20m-rated defender could prove to be an upgrade on long-serving hero, Luke O’Nien.
How Singo compares to O'Nien
O’Nien’s appearance at the final whistle at Wembley tells you all you need to know about his warrior-like character as the veteran defender celebrated with his arm in a noticeable sling.
Whilst that grit and determination might well be of value to the Black Cats in such a demanding league, the strong 30-year-old could soon take a back seat for a fresh body to arrive in the form of Singo.
After all, whilst O’Nien can play both as a right-back or as a centre-back like Singo, it’s clear from the numbers below that the 23-year-old target is more accustomed to being a Premier League-level defender for Sunderland right now, over the long-standing Wearside servant.
Games played
27
48
Goals scored
1
3
Assists
2
1
Touches*
65.9
73.5
Accurate passes*
45.1 (87%)
52.7 (87%)
Big chances created
3
1
Ball recoveries*
5.1
3.4
Clearances*
4.0
3.9
Total duels won*
4.7
3.9
Clean sheets
7
16
Indeed, Singo has already shown he can cut it with the top dogs in Ligue 1 when amassing one goal and two assists when lining up either in the heart of defence or down the right flank last season.
But, away from solely offering Sunderland a new expansive option out from the back, he also possesses that same hunger and drive to battle like O’Nien, with the “monster” Ivorian – as he’s been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – actually bettering his ex-Wycombe Wanderers counterpart in terms of clearances, ball recoveries and duels won throughout last season, even when plying his trade in a top league.
Also capable of pulling off an audacious flick like this one, everything is pointing in the direction that landing the “freak athlete” – as he’s been further noted by Mattinson – would be a worthwhile addition for Le Bris’ men ahead of Premier League action finally returning, with a sprinkle here and there of quality giving the Black Cats a hopeful fighting chance at survival.
Sunderland could soon sign their next Amad in "unplayable" EFL star
Sunderland could finally win their next Amad Diallo with this tricky attacker.
With rumours continuing to arrive around Bruno Fernandes’ future, INEOS are now reportedly readying a big-money move to sign a £67m star who could eventually succeed their captain at Manchester United this summer.
Bruno Fernandes concern still lurking
Where Manchester United would be without Fernandes is a scary thought, given that with their captain they’ve fallen as low as 16th in the Premier League. But it’s a reality that they may be forced to live out this summer amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
In a squad full of struggling players, it is Fernandes who has been at the centre of anything good during Ruben Amorim’s six-month stint. Even as those around him have struggled, the Portugal international has managed a stunning 19 goals and 19 assists in all competitions. Take those 38 goal involvements away and the worst-case scenario would become all too realistic for the Red Devils.
With that said, Amorim has made his stance as clear as anything when it comes to Fernandes’ potential departure, recently telling reporters: “Our idea didn’t change. We want to keep the best players – and Bruno is clearly one of the top players in the world. We want Bruno here.
Amorim now personally driving Man Utd move to sign £80m+ Carrick-esque star
Amorim is reportedly a huge fan.
ByTom Cunningham May 15, 2025
“It is easy to understand [his importance] – not just because of the numbers but the way he plays and the importance he has during his five years here. It’s normal a lot of clubs want a player like Bruno. He is a leader and he’s the captain, so he’s really important. He is a top player, we need top players.”
Man Utd readying Sancet move
Amorim’s stance has not stopped those at Old Trafford from preparing for the worst, however. According to reports in Spain, INEOS are now readying a big-money move to sign Oihan Sancet, who has a release clause worth as much as €80m (£67m) at Athletic Bilbao. The deal, therefore, certainly wouldn’t come cheap, but Sancet’s talent is undeniable nonetheless.
Starts
18
33
Goals
15
8
Assists
1
9
Key Passes
19
88
With 15 goals to his name in just 18 La Liga starts this season, Sancet is one of few box-crashing midfielders who could replace Fernandes’ goalscoring touch at Old Trafford, albeit whilst lacking the same creative output.
Oihan Sancet celebrates for Athletic Bilbao.
Amorim’s system could be a perfect fit for the Bilbao star too, with his 3-4-2-1 system operating with two No.10 roles. Sancet would, of course, seamlessly slot into one of those roles, but it’s hard not to imagine the partnership that Manchester United could form if they sign the Spaniard and keep hold of Fernandes this summer.
Dubbed “underrated” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Sancet could finally find his place in the spotlight by completing a move to Old Trafford in the coming months.
With Fabio Paratici set to return to the club, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly in constant contact with an impressive defender who’s also found himself on the radar of Real Madrid.
Fabio Paratici set for Tottenham return
Having left the North London club in 2023 following a two-and-a-half-year ban by FIFA which he is still serving, Paratici has reportedly agreed to return to Tottenham. The Lilywhites have plenty of work to do this summer and the return of an experienced sporting director may well go a long way towards things finally changing for the better under Ange Postecoglou.
How much room Spurs have to manoeuvre in the transfer window is the big question. Should they miss out on winning the Europa League and, subsequently, a place in next season’s Champions League, those in North London are unlikely to have a large budget to spend. After taking one leg in the final with a 3-1 first leg victory over Bodo/Glimt, however, Europa League victory is still very much a possibility.
Many will be quick to assume that a place in Bilbao is now firmly in Spurs’ grasp and Postecoglou reiterated that a repeat of his side’s performance on Thursday night next week will see them advance.
He told reporters: “Obviously they scored the goal late, which doesn’t reflect our dominance in the game, but if we repeat that performance next week it’ll be enough for us to get through.
Tottenham may sign £300k-p/w Premier League star if they win Europa League
A lot is on the line.
ByEmilio Galantini May 1, 2025
“Yeah, I think it puts us in a good position. I thought the players were outstanding today, I thought our performance was everything it needed to be, really well organised and disciplined defensively and really calm going forward and created good opportunities for ourselves.”
Europa League victory would no doubt help to turn the narrative of their season on its head, perhaps saving Postecoglou’s job in the process and even luring top transfer targets to the club.
Tottenham in constant contact with Jonathan Tah
According to The Boot Room, Tottenham are in constant contact with Jonathan Tah over a summer switch following the expiry of his current Bayer Leverkusen deal at the end of the season. The Lilywhites are far from alone, however, with Manchester United and now even Real Madrid also looking to convince the defender into a move.
As Paratici plots his first transfer back, those in North London could end the summer having landed a true bargain. The Leverkusen defender played a pivotal part in last season’s invincible domestic double and has impressed once again throughout the current campaign.
A player who’s earned plenty of praise over the years, former Germany boss Joachim Low told reporters after handing Tah his international debut at the beginning of his career: “He’s a young player with a lot of potential. He’s physically strong and very quick. Everything is possible.”
All eyes may be on tomorrow evening, amid Manchester United’s bid to book their place in the Europa League final, although in the long-term, it is the summer transfer window that could prove make or break for the Ruben Amorim regime.
The United hierarchy will need to strike a balance between handing the Portuguese the appropriate tools for his specialised 3-4-3 system, albeit while avoiding a repeat of Erik ten Hag’s tenure, in which far too many of the Dutchman’s transfer dealings were manager-led.
Erik ten Hag
While the move for Noussair Mazraoui ranks among the more successful of the club’s captures in recent times, you really do have to look back to Bruno Fernandes’ arrival in 2020 to see an overwhelmingly positive deal done at Old Trafford.
As club legend Gary Neville stated late last year, the playmaker is the “only” player in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era to have lived up to expectations, with far too many high-profile moves having gone awry.
The INEOS era needs to begin to improve upon this wretched recent record, with perhaps United’s lowest ebb having come prior to the takeover, in the form of Wout Weghorst’s shock addition.
Wout Weghorst's record at Man Utd
For all the complications and controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford – not least the striker’s explosive bombshell interview with Piers Morgan – it still represented a significant, shock downgrade to have replaced the free-scoring icon with that man Weghorst.
Wout Weghorst
With Ronaldo departing on acrimonious terms, ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Ten Hag and co were forced to dip into the market for a new striker in January, particularly amid Anthony Martial’s continued injury woes.
Options in the winter window were unsurprisingly limited, with the Premier League side ultimately forced to settle on plucking Weghorst from his loan spell at Besiktas, having scored just two goals the year prior for Burnley.
While the towering Netherlands international was brutally mocked as the ‘worst player’ to have played for Manchester United, in the verdict of controversial broadcaster Richard Keys, he did enjoy the odd bright moment, having notably provided the assist for Marcus Rashford’s strike in the Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle United.
Deployed in almost a number ten berth at times, the experienced marksman also came close to netting on the break in the 2-2 draw with Barcelona at Camp Nou, having at least shown signs of life despite his obvious limitations.
Those limitations, however, were exposed by his meagre return of just two goals and only three assists in 31 games in all competitions during his six-month stint in Manchester, having almost broken down in tears after clinching a long-awaited Old Trafford goal against Real Betis.
For a player of whom many expected little, Weghorst at least popped up with a few moments to cherish. The reverse looks to be true of one of those among Amorim’s current crop.
The Man Utd star in danger of looking worse than Weghorst
On the striker front, question marks continue to surround both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. That said, in the case of Hojlund, the young Dane did at least finish last season as United’s top scorer in all competitions, while Zirkzee, meanwhile, has scored seven times in an injury-curtailed debut campaign at the club.
Both men – as would be hoped considering their respective £64m and £36.5m transfer fees – have easily eclipsed the five goal involvements that Weghorst chalked up, although the same can’t be said of the man who arrived alongside Hojlund in 2023, Mason Mount.
Signed from rivals Chelsea on a £55m deal that summer, having had just a year left to run on his existing contract at Stamford Bridge, the Englishman initially looked like something of a coup, with Ten Hag having won the race for his signature ahead of both Arsenal and Liverpool.
A player who had provided a match-winning assist in the 2021 Champions League final, alongside notably reaching double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League in 2021/22, Mount arrived in Manchester with real pedigree. As Ten Hag stated at the time, he is “a quality player”.
Sadly for all concerned, the marquee move has proven a real disaster to date, with the versatile midfielder the latest to seemingly be struck down by the club’s infamous number seven curse.
Whether he has simply been weighed down by taking on such an iconic jersey at the Theatre of Dreams, things really haven’t got going for Mount thus far, with the £250k-per-week asset having been repeatedly hampered by injury over the last two seasons.
Even when he has featured, the former Derby County loanee has hardly looked like nailing down a regular role for himself, with the 3-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao showcasing a case in point.
Introduced off the bench with United hoping to see things out in comfortable fashion, Mount put in an erratic and over-eager performance in the closing stages, picking up a needless yellow card, while losing the ball on seven occasions from just 23 touches.
That was, to his credit, followed up by a goal against Brentford to open the scoring at the weekend, although even that strike cannot mask his grim overall return, having now scored just twice and contributed only one assist in 41 games to date – two fewer goals and assists than Weghorst, albeit having played nine more games.
Premier League
27
2
0
EFL Cup
2
0
1
FA Cup
2
0
0
Europa League
7
0
0
Champions League
2
0
0
Community Shield
1
0
0
Total
41
2
0
While it may seem harsh to compare Mount to Weghorst, considering the latter’s status as a striker, the former has largely operated as a number ten in the Amorim regime, albeit with little success. As previously mentioned, Weghorst also operated in that role under Ten Hag.
Considering the sizeable nature of Mount’s price tag too – the tenth highest in United’s history, as per Transfermarkt – it is difficult to view his capture as anything but a flop, with time running out to make his mark before the season is at an end.
Amorim, it would seem, still has ample faith in a player he described as a “proper footballer”, although with the likes of Matheus Cunha looking set to arrive this summer – amid reports that Mount could himself be on his way – the competition in the side is only set to increase.
Hopefully, for both his and United’s sake, the Cobham academy graduate can play a vital role in clinching Europa League glory…
Worse than Bayindir: 2/10 flop must now never start for Man Utd again
Manchester United suffered their 16th league defeat of the season, losing 4-3 to Brentford.
Sheffield United’s place in the Championship Play-Offs was confirmed on Easter Monday after their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor.
The Blades and Sunderland are the two teams confirmed to be in the four-team post-season tournament to compete for a place in the Premier League next season.
Chris Wilder’s side have lost four of their last five matches and have to find a way to rediscover their form ahead of the play-offs, to avoid their season ending in complete disappointment, which could include putting faith in Tom Cannon.
Why Sheffield United should keep starting Tom Cannon
The Ireland international, who joined from Leicester City in the January transfer window, scored his first goal for the club with a thumping finish in the 2-1 defeat to Burnley.
It was his first goal in 13 matches for the club in the Championship, after a return of nine goals during the first half of the campaign on loan at Stoke, and is hopefully a sign of things to come.
Cannon, who scored four goals in one game earlier this season, has scored 20 goals in 68 matches at Championship level, and should be given the nod over Tyrese Campbell.
The English striker has scored ten goals in 32 league games this term, but is currently on a run of zero goals and zero assists in his last five outings, whilst Cannon has hit form with a goal against Burnley.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Instead of unleashing Campbell in an attempt to turn the form around to win the Play-Offs, Wilder should bring Jesurun Rak-Sakyi off the bench to be a difference-maker.
Why Jesurun Rak-Sakyi should start for Sheffield United
The Crystal Palace loanee came off the bench in the defeat to Burnley and should, now, be brought into the starting line-up to replace Ben Brereton Diaz.
Sheffield United will need to be ruthless and effective at the top end of the pitch in their Play-Off outings if they want to earn promotion to the Premier League, which is why Rak-Sayki should be given the nod.
The 22-year-old star, once dubbed “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, could come in to provide more quality than Brereton Diaz in the final third, based on their form in the division this term.
Starts
22
13
xG
6.07
4.07
Goals
7
4
Key passes
31
14
xA
3.49
1.13
Assists
2
3
Dribbles completed per game
1.4
0.3
As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi has been more effective as a finisher and racked up more than three times as much xA, despite only starting nine more games.
Brereton Diaz, who completed 56% of his passes and lost 100% of his duels against Burnley, does not carry as much of a threat from a wide position, which is why he should be dropped from the side in favour of the English winger.
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This former Sheffield United star is now worth even more than Gustavo Hamer.
ByDan Emery Apr 18, 2025
This change could, then, improve Sheffield United’s chances of winning the Play-Offs in the post-season, because they would have a more effective forward on the pitch by swapping Brereton Diaz for Rak-Sakyi.
Chelsea’s striking woes continued when they were held to a 2-2 draw against 18th-placed Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Sunday.
Nicolas Jackson has gone 11 matches in all competitions without scoring a goal for the Blues, whilst Christopher Nkunku has scored one goal in his last 13 games in all competitions.
Chelsea'sNicolasJacksonreacts after sustaining an injury
Enzo Maresca does not have a lethal, powerful, centre-forward like Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who has scored 21 goals in the top-flight this season.
Chelsea are, however, reportedly interested in signing a striker who could come in as their answer to the Norwegian marksman ahead of next season.
Chelsea eyeing Serie A marksman
According to CaughtOffside, the London giants are one of several Premier League clubs eyeing up a deal to sign Juventus number nine Dusan Vlahovic.
Juventus' DusanVlahovicduring the warm up
The report claims that Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Arsenal are also keen on the Serbian forward, and it reveals that the English teams keen on him could bid on his services at a fee of £39m.
This suggests that Chelsea could bid £39m in an attempt to sign Vlahovic from Juventus, who CaughtOffside claims are open to moving on from the striker this summer ahead of his contract expiring next year.
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It is now down to the club to agree a deal with the Old Lady to bring the left-footed marksman to Stamford Bridge, to give Maresca the chance to develop his own version of Haaland.
Why Dusan Vlahovic could be Chelsea's Erling Haalnd
Like the Man City star, Vlahovic is a bit of a throwback striker in style in the sense that he provides a physical presence, standing at 6 foot 3, at the top end of the pitch, combining power and pace with technical quality.
Just under three years ago, Serbian FA president Nenad Bjekovic claimed “Vlahovic is better and more complete than Haaland”, and added: “The Norwegian has devastating power, but Dusan is not inferior: there is also very little difference in their height.”
The 25-year-old star has not been at his best this season, with nine goals from 12.03 xG in the Serie A, but Chelsea could look at that as an opportunity to get a bargain on the forward.
Vlahovic has produced better performances in previous seasons, including his haul of 24 goals from 18.23 xG for Fiorentina and Juventus combined in the 2021/22 campaign, and the Blues could look to get him back to that level.
Appearances
27
33
25
xG
9.73
16.67
12.03
Goals
10
16
9
Minutes per goal
194
145
190
Big chances created
4
3
3
Assists
2
4
4
As you can see in the table above, the Serbian has had better campaigns in front of goal between that prolific 24-goal year and his current struggles.
Vlahovic, who was once described as “incredibly prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig, has also scored four goals from 3.20 xG in six outings in the Champions League this term, which shows that he can also step up on the European stage.
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It would be a gamble for Chelsea to take, given his finishing struggles in the Serie A this season, but it is one that could pay off as he has the potential to be Maresca’s own version of Haaland, as a physically impressive and prolific striker, if he can recapture his form from previous campaigns.