All posts by z3u9t.icu

There’s no hiding from the fact that Manchester United fell by the wayside last season, but Ruben Amorim is intent on bringing Old Trafford back to the fore.

The Premier League giants were grounded, finishing 15th. Having also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, Amorim knows he has his work cut out, but with Matheus Cunha signed and conversations ongoing for the transfer of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, there’s hope yet that a corner can be turned in the coming months.

However, it’s not only the frontline that needs repackaging. Indeed, the Red Devils are also hoping to make some changes in the central engine room.

The latest on Man Utd's midfield search

Manchester United need a midfielder, hopefully someone who can help to dynamise and widen the scope of Amorim’s ball-playing tactical vision.

Juventus’ Douglas Luiz has been placed on the radar, but after a disappointing season in Italy that led to only three Serie A starts, would he be the best pick?

Transfer Focus

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

Instead, United appear to be showing greater interest in Valencia star Javi Guerra, with reports from Italy claiming that the 22-year-old is actually close to joining United this summer.

A fee could be agreed for around €30m (£26m); this is an attractive figure, but it’s led to Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid also registering their interest.

United need to move quickly to get this one done.

What Javi Guerra would bring to Man Utd

While Christian Eriksen’s departure at the end of his contract takes away some experience from United’s ranks, last season’s travails have made it clear that some youthful exuberance would be a good thing for the progression of Amorim’s project.

Guerra would certainly offer that. His technical quality and trademark Spanish footballing IQ have led talent scout Jacek Kulig to liken him to Xabi Alonso, one of the finest playmakers of his generation.

More contemporarily, he’s perhaps cut from the same cloth as Martin Zubimendi, who has just signed for Arsenal in a deal worth £51m. In this way, United could land their own version of the distinguished Spain international, thus bridging the gap toward England’s leading pack.

Matches (starts)

36 (31)

36 (33)

Goals

3

2

Assists

3

1

Touches*

49.8

61.0

Pass completion

80%

84%

Big chances created

6

1

Key passes*

0.6

0.5

Dribbles*

0.8

0.5

Ball recoveries*

4.7

3.9

Tackles + interceptions*

2.0

3.2

Duels won*

3.5

4.6

Zubimendi is obviously the crisper and more refined player, with ex-Spain manager Luis de la Fuente even going as far as to name him one of the “best central midfielders in the world”.

Slightly more progressive and mobile, Guerra could add that robust number eight profile that the Red Devils so crave in the middle of the park. Guerra actually ranked among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 18% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

Hailed a “serious talent” by Statman Dave, Guerra might be young but he’s already proving himself capable against the best of them, one of only six U21 midfielders to have won over 50 tackles and take-ons each across Europe’s top five leagues last year, a list that also contains Jude Bellingham and Barcelona’s Pedri.

It’s a profile that United don’t quite have at present, especially now that Eriksen has gone. This could herald a new wave of quality through to this great football club, looking to get back on its feet after quite the rough patch.

Man Utd open talks to sign Weghorst 2.0 who was "like Cristiano Ronaldo"

Manchester United are still hunting for a new talisman for Ruben Amorim’s side this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 7, 2025

Manchester United’s hunt for new attackers has been evident throughout the summer window, with Ruben Amorim making his need for added reinforcements clear.

The 40-year-old took the reins back in November, but was unable to transform the situation within the final third at Old Trafford – with no player registering double figures in the Premier League last season.

Main striker Rasmus Hojlund only netted four league goals in 2024/25, leading to murmurs around his long-term future at the club, with Inter Milan just one of the sides interested in his signature.

His potential departure will likely raise some key funds for the manager within the transfer market, handing him the opportunity to improve the current situation at the Theatre of Dreams.

Numerous players have been touted with moves to join the Red Devils this window, with multiple deals appearing to be heading in the right direction over recent days.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Tyler Dibling has emerged as a key target over the last couple of days, with United just one side touted over a potential move after Southampton’s relegation to the Championship.

However, he would still cost a fee in the region of £55m this window, an extortionate price tag, especially considering that he only notched two combined goals and assists in the league last season.

It would be an expensive addition, but it wouldn’t be the only one, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo still a key target for Amorim this summer, according to Graeme Bailey.

The journalist claims that a deal is edging closer to being agreed, after the Red Devils had two offers rejected for the 25-year-old, with the latest totalling £62.5m including add-ons.

He also states that Mbeumo only wants a move to Old Trafford, with a £65m fee expected to be agreed between the two parties as personal terms are not expected to be an issue.

Why United’s latest target could be Amorim’s next Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres is a striker who’s arguably been one of the most in-demand talents this summer, unsurprisingly so given his phenomenal goalscoring record in recent seasons.

The Swedish international has registered a staggering 97 goals in his 102 appearances for Sporting CP after joining the Portuguese side back in 2023 from Coventry City.

Part of his incredible record in the final third came under Amorim, which has since led to huge rumours linking the 27-year-old with a switch to Old Trafford.

However, the Red Devils’ lack of European football appears to be a huge hindrance in their pursuit of his signature, with the Swede now fully focused on a move to join Arsenal instead this summer.

The United boss shouldn’t worry, with Mbeumo able to be his next version of the talisman, with the Cameroonian possessing a clinical nature as seen by his tally of 20 league goals in 2024/25.

When comparing his underlying stats to those of the Sporting star from last season, he massively outperformed Gyokeres in numerous key areas, handing Amorim the key talisman he’s lacked during his time in England to date.

Mbeumo, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, may have been outscored, but he has posted a higher goal per shot on target rate – demonstrating the clinical edge he possesses in front of goal.

Games played

38

33

Goals & assists

27

46

Goals per shot on target

0.44

0.41

Progressive passes

3.7

2.1

Passes into final third

1.7

0.5

Take-on success

47%

45%

Carries into final third

1.8

1.3

He’s also completed more progressive passes and more passes into the final third per 90, having the tools to provide other attackers with the chances to thrive within the final third at Old Trafford.

The Cameroonian’s all-round talent has been showcased in his ability to complete a higher success rate of take-ons, whilst also registering more carries into the final third – with Mbeumo being able to carve out an opportunity out of nothing.

The saga of his proposed transfer this summer has been one that has dragged on for way too long, with a conclusion desperately needed in the coming days.

If he can replicate his levels from last season at United, it would be a phenomenal signing, handing Amorim the talisman he needs to replicate the level produced by Gyokeres in recent years.

He's a bigger talent than Mbeumo: Man Utd make contact to sign £55m star

Manchester United could forget about Bryan Mbeumo after the hierarchy made another move for an attacking star.

8 ByEthan Lamb Jul 10, 2025

It’s set to be a busy summer transfer window at Newcastle United.

Ahead of the Toon Army’s Champions League return, Eddie Howe will want to bolster his squad, to avoid the mass injury crisis he endured during the Magpies’ last continental campaign two seasons ago.

James Trafford is poised to arrive from Burnley for £40m, thereby seemingly taking over from Nick Pope as the number one goalkeeper, but could Newcastle be about to make some attacking additions too?

Newcastle targeting a new right-winger

As reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Newcastle have had a £45m bid rejected by Nottingham Forest for winger Anthony Elanga.

Meantime, speaking on the Totally Football Show, Daniel Storey outlines how Newcastle actually bid £5m more for the Swedish international last summer, who has since enjoyed a “really good season”, and that owner Evangelos Marinakis “will have absolutely none of that”, believing that the “proven, young” winger is worth closer to £60m.

So, with this deal seemingly unlikely to come to fruition, Steve Kay of Football Transfers claims that the Magpies are ready to submit a bid worth £50m to West Ham for winger Mohammed Kudus.

They add that Howe has identified the Ghanaian as a ‘key target’ amidst his ‘uncertain future’ in East London.

Meantime, Jacob Steinberg and Will Unwin of the Guardian note that Kudus’ contract contains an £85m release clause, although he could be available for closer to £60m, given the Hammers’ ongoing concerns surrounding Profitability & Sustainability rules, with Tottenham also looking to do a deal with their fierce rivals.

Transfer Focus

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

So, could Kudus swap the East End for the North East?

Why Mohammed Kudus would be a success at Newcastle

Since joining West Ham from Ajax for a reported fee of £37m two summers ago, Kudus has scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists in 80 appearances for the Irons.

His performances have come in for widespread praise, with host Dan Woffenden labelling him “electric”, while Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines describes him as an “explosive, skilful player”, adding that he possesses a “great burst of acceleration”, while his direct dribbling means he has the potential to become a “world-class winger”.

Adam Scully of Total Football Analysis agrees, asserting that Kudus’ primary attribute is ‘undoubtedly his dribbling ability’, impressed by his ‘sumptuous talents and low centre of gravity’.

Well, statistics from the Premier League since the Ghanaian’s arrival certainly back up these observations.

1st

Mohammed Kudus

221

Mohammed Kudus

208

2nd

Jérémy Doku

169

Jérémy Doku

201

3rd

Matheus Cunha

140

Morgan Rogers

160

4th

Luis Díaz

140

Iliman Ndiaye

143

5th

Eberechi Eze

140

Eberechi Eze

138

6th

Anthony Gordon

133

Rayan Aït-Nouri

137

7th

Bruno Guimarães

132

Matheus Cunha

137

8th

Raheem Sterling

132

Mohamed Salah

137

9th

Alejandro Garnacho

131

Omari Hutchinson

137

10th

Jordan Ayew

130

Antoine Semenyo

135

As the table outlines, since arriving in the Premier League, Kudus has topped the charts for attempted take-ons both seasons, while only Jérémy Doku, Eberechi Eze and Matheus Cunha have also featured in the top ten both times.

This goal against Freiburg in the Europa League is rather reminiscent of former Newcastle United hero Hatem Ben Arfa.

During his time on Tyneside, the Frenchman scored 14 goals in 86 appearances, but his occasional flashes of brilliance made him, as noted by Louise Taylor of the Guardian, ‘the sort of footballer fans adore’, praising his ‘exquisite touch… superior vision, perfect balance and elusive movement’.

Meantime, Jean-Baptiste Caillet of Opta’s the Analyst asserted that he was ‘France’s best dribbler since Zinédine Zidane’, while Peter McVitie of Goal will always remember his ‘dazzling firepower’ and ‘awesome displays of skill’.

All of Ben Arfa’s talent was never made more abundantly clear than during this goal against Bolton Wanderers in April 2012.

Fair to say, Kudus and Ben Arfa – both left-footers who can operately centrally or on the flanks – share similar characteristics. Both could be described as precocious talents, who are occasionally unstoppable but often lack consistency.

Thus, if Elanga proves unattainable, Newcastle should do all they can to snap up Kudus, given that the Ghanaian would get Geordie supporters off their seats, if nothing else!

He'll take Isak to new levels: Newcastle set to launch bid for £60m star

Newcastle are hoping to make an attacking signing after missing out on Joao Pedro.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 1, 2025

It’s all going on at Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The North Londoners moved quickly to fire Ange Postecoglou earlier this month and then, in a relatively quick fashion, appointed Thomas Frank to lead the club into the next season.

However, that’s only the start of the business the North Londoners will be doing this season, as recent weeks have seen them linked to a plethora of talented players, from Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo to RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons.

Yet, perhaps the most interesting and exciting link has been to Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, even though his valuation is currently lower than that of a current Spurs star.

Why Spurs want Mbeumo

As things stand, it would appear as if Spurs and Manchester United are the two teams most interested in signing Mbeumo this summer, and while the fee required to do so is still in the air, Football Transfers has valued the Cameroon international at around €58m, which comes out to £49m.

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?

Now, that is still a lot of money, but it would be hard to make a genuine argument against him being worth that and more.

For example, in 42 appearances for the Bees this season, totalling 3577 minutes, the former Troyes gem scored 20 goals and provided nine assists.

That means the 25-year-old phenomenon managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 123.34 minutes, which is undeniably sensational and the sort of output that would seriously help the North Londoners next year.

Furthermore, the Avallon-born monster is reasonably versatile, as while his primary and best position is off the right, he has spent a not-insignificant period playing up top and as a second striker during his time in the capital.

Finally, while there might be cheaper and more exciting options elsewhere in Europe, the 22-capped international is Premier League-proven and, therefore, should easily slot into the Tottenham squad next season.

However, he will have to hit the ground running to see his valuation surpass one of his potential new teammates.

The Spurs star worth more than Mbeumo

So, even though Spurs endured a diabolically poor domestic campaign this season, the club is still blessed with an abundance of talented players, like James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Micky Van de Ven.

However, in this context, the player in question is fellow right-winger Brennan Johnson, who, according to Football Transfers, is currently worth €66.5m, which converts to about £57m, or £8m more than Mbeumo’s valuation.

Now, that might sound like a lot to some of you, but the Welshman actually enjoyed a pretty impressive season with the North Londoners this year.

For example, he ended the campaign as the club’s top scorer, with 18 goals and seven assists in 51 appearances, totalling 3316 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.04 games, or every 132.64 minutes, which isn’t much worse than the Brentford star.

Moreover, he scored arguably the most important Tottenham goal in a generation in the Europa League Final last month.

On top of that, he stacks up reasonably well against the Cameroonian superstar when we take a look at their underlying numbers from this season.

For example, the 25-year-old comes out ahead in some metrics, such as progressive passes and carries, shots on target and shot and goal-creating actions per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.51

0.42

Non-Penalty G+As

0.61

0.58

Progressive Passes

2.69

3.72

Progressive Carries

2.21

3.43

Shots

2.13

2.08

Goals per Shot

0.23

0.18

Shots on Target

0.84

0.94

Goals per Shot on Target

0.58

0.41

Passing Accuracy

69.2%

66.1%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.72

3.80

Goal-Creating Actions

0.27

0.53

Tackles

1.42

1.29

Tackles Won

0.90

0.85

Blocks

0.97

0.69

However, the “frightening” former Nottingham Forest gem, as dubbed by content creator HLTCO, comes out ahead in just as many other areas, including expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots, goals per shot and shot on target, tackles and tackles won, blocks and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Mbeumo might be the more exciting player at the moment, but Johnson fully deserves the valuation he has, and should the North Londoners get their hands on the Brentford star, there could be a fierce battle for that right-wing position next season.

He's like Isak: Spurs make contact to sign £47m Premier League "monster"

The reliable goalscorer would make Spurs far more dangerous.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 20, 2025

Manchester United have spent big on strikers over the years, as the club looks to bolster their ranks and consolidate their place as England’s most successful club.

However, their investment over recent seasons has massively hindered their progress in the Premier League, leading to their bottom-half finish in 2024/25.

Rasmus Hojlund has been the Red Devils’ main talisman since Ruben Amorim’s appointment, but he’s massively struggled to provide the goods – netting just four league goals throughout this season.

As a result, he’s been touted with a move to join Inter Milan this summer, less than two years after his £72m switch from Atalanta, ultimately failing to live up to expectations as seen by his measly goal tally.

With the summer window reopening later this week, it presents the manager with the perfect opportunity to strengthen his squad and help them mount a charge up the table next campaign.

United’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Given the lack of goals scored by Hojlund throughout 2024/25, it’s no surprise to see the hierarchy targeting added reinforcements in the final third this summer.

The likes of Benjamin Sesko, Gonçalo Ramos and Liam Delap have all been linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer, but no deals have been completed – with the latter rejecting Amorim’s side in favour of a move to Chelsea.

However, progress has been made on a deal to sign Viktor Gyokeres this summer, with United taking a huge step towards winning the race for his signature this summer, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that Jason Wilcox and Co are preparing an offer for the Swedish international, after Arsenal entered the race for the 27-year-old, who’s scored 54 times this season.

It also states that the Portuguese outfit are demanding a fee in the region of €80m (£67m) to part ways with their star man, but doesn’t say how much they’re set to offer for his services.

Why Gyokeres could be United’s answer to Haaland

Erling Haaland is a talisman who has taken the Premier League by storm in recent seasons, helping rivals Manchester City claim the treble back in the 2022/23 season.

The Norwegian forward has just completed his third year in the North West, scoring a total of 85 goals in his 97 league appearances – finishing as the Golden Boot winner in two of the last three campaigns.

Such form in England has made him one of, if not, the most deadly attacking options in Europe, with every side wishing they could rely upon a finisher as lethal as the 24-year-old.

However, the situation could’ve been completely different, with the Red Devils hierarchy rejecting an opportunity to sign the star during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure at the helm.

Gyokeres’ goalscoring record has undoubtedly caught the eye, but his underlying stats are just as impressive, outperforming Haaland in numerous key areas – becoming United’s own version of the Norwegian should he move to Old Trafford.

The Swede, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, may have outscored Haaland, but he’s also registered a higher shot-on-target rate – demonstrating his accuracy within attacking areas.

He’s also managed to complete more of the take-ons that he’s attempted, whilst registering more carries into the final third, having the ability to create changes for himself rather than relying on his teammates.

Games played

33

31

Goals & assists

46

25

Shot on target accuracy

53%

52%

Shots on target per 90

2.2

1.8

Take-on success

46%

38%

Carries into final third

1.3

0.4

Aerials won

54%

53%

Gyokeres’ dominance doesn’t end there, winning more of the aerials he’s entered, subsequently handing Amorim the focal point he’s lacked since taking the reins back in November.

Whilst £67m may seem like a hefty fee for a player who’s never played in the Premier League before, it’s a risk worth taking given his recent goalscoring exploits.

Should he get close to the levels produced by the City star over recent years, it would be one hell of an addition, proving to be a bargain despite the huge fee they would have to fork out for his signature.

Amorim's own Carrick: Wilcox preparing Man Utd move for £20m "monster"

Manchester United appear to be making a move for a player who could emulate Michael Carrick’s achievements.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 11, 2025

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is set to be backed over what is expected to be another eventful summer transfer window at Stamford Bridge, especially after their now-confirmed qualification for the Champions League next season.

Chelsea handed summer transfer boost with Champions League spot confirmed

While Maresca refused to get drawn into any questions about the summer window in his post-match press conference, there is little denying that Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday has seriously boosted the club’s recruitment strategy.

Talks held: Chelsea now "really pushing" to sign £67m striker before Arsenal get to him

The Blues are giving Mikel Arteta serious competition.

ByEmilio Galantini May 26, 2025

Chelsea’s finish in the Premier League top five, courtesy of a second-half strike from Cobham academy graduate Levi Colwill against Forest, means BlueCo have been handed a significant potential windfall of around £64 million.

Rank

Team

Points

GD

3

Man City

71

+28

4

Chelsea

69

+21

5

Newcastle

66

+21

6

Aston Villa

66

+7

7

Nottingham Forest

65

+12

The Blues should earn around £48 million just from finishing fourth in the table, while Chelsea are also guaranteed £15.7 million from qualifying for the Champions League, even if Maresca’s side lose every game and go out in the league phase (Sky Sports).

Alongside the financial boost, Chelsea will also have far more player-pull in the market, given they’ll be competing in Europe’s most prestigious competition next term.

In an x-rated celebratory statement, following their Sunday heroics, Maresca sent a message to his critics after Chelsea’s place.

“I didn’t have any doubt about the players. The doubt was from outside. All the ones that have the answers or the ones that have the truth, they were saying that we are too young, we are not good enough, they were waiting for Aston Villa to drop points for us to achieve the Champions League,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s finish to the season.

“They were saying that we were not able to win on this pitch because we are too young, because we are not experienced. Unfortunately for them, they have all been wrong. All the ones that have the truth and have the answer to everything. So in English, how you say? F off to all of them, because the players deserve that. The effort they have been doing is fantastic.”

Chelsea could now sign two strikers with Liam Delap set for imminent decision

According to journalist Simon Phillips, their Champions League status now means that Chelsea could sign not one, but two, strikers this summer.

One of their key targets, Ipswich Town star Liam Delap, is set to decide on his next destination “this week”, and Chelsea are firmly in contention for the Englishman after holding talks with his camp (Fabrizio Romano).

However, Maresca’s side are keen on bringing in one of their two potential new centre-forwards before the Club World Cup, so given Delap’s desire to play at the Under-21 Euros with England, this could pose a slight issue.

In terms of other high-profile number nines who could join alongside Delap, it has been reported in the last two days that Chelsea are now “really pushing” for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko.

What could have been a bleak summer transfer window now looks like it could be an incredible one for Tottenham Hotspur.

Thanks to their heroic efforts in the Europa League final last week, Ange Postecoglou’s side have a Champions League campaign to look forward to next season.

Moreover, competing at the top table of European football should allow them to attract more exciting players to bolster the squad.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, the club are already eyeing up a forward who’s an ideal upgrade on Mathys Tel or replacement, should the Frenchman not be signed on a permanent deal this summer.

Spurs transfer news

The last few weeks have seen Spurs linked with a multitude of brilliant attacking players, such as Jamie Gittens and Daizen Maeda.

Transfer Focus

The former is supposedly available for around £59m and has enjoyed a relatively successful season with Borussia Dortmund this year, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists in 48 games.

Maeda has been even more effective north of the border, scoring 33 goals and providing 12 assists in 51 games for Celtic, and could be available for just £25m.

However, it looks like Daniel Levy and Co could be shopping closer to home for a new attacker this summer.

According to a recent report from Spain, Spurs are now incredibly interested in Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku.

The report claims that the Frenchman’s departure from Stamford Bridge is ‘virtually assured’ and that the North Londoners are now prepared to negotiate a loan deal with an option to buy at €45m, which is just £38m.

It might not be the most popular transfer right away, but Nkunku was a force of nature at RB Leipzig, and if he were able to recreate some of that form in N17, he could be a perfect upgrade or replacement for Tel depending on where his future lies.

How Nkunku compares to Tel

So, the first thing to say is that, like Tel, the Chelsea ace is someone who can and often does play all across the frontline, so should Levy and Co not sign the Bayern loanee on a permanent deal this summer, he could come in to fulfil the same role, or compete with him if he does join.

With that said, which attacker comes out on top when we compare their output from this season?

Well, this is an area in which the former RB Leipzig star comes out miles ahead, as in 42 appearances, totalling 2039 minutes, he has scored 14 goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.21 games, or every 107.31 minutes.

In contrast, the Sarcelles-born Lilywhites ace has scored just three goals and provided two assists in 34 appearances, totalling 1714 minutes, across both his teams this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 6.8 games, or every 342.8 minutes.

What about their underlying numbers, then? Who comes out looking better when we take a look under the hood?

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.66

0.44

Non-Penalty G+As

0.69

0.21

Progressive Passes

3.18

2.52

Progressive Carries

1.97

2.76

Shots

2.53

2.57

Shots on Target

1.33

0.84

Passing Accuracy

88.6%

75.5%

Key Passes

1.27

1.17

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.21

1.41

Passes into the Final Third

2.49

1.17

Shot-Creating Actions

3.24

2.33

Goal-Creating Actions

0.58

0.25

Unfortunately for Postecoglou’s January addition, it’s the Blues’ “unstoppable” dynamo, as dubbed by European football expert Zach Lowy, who once again emerges victorious.

For example, he comes out on top in the majority of relevant metrics, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, shots on target, shot and goal-creating actions, passes into the final third, key passes and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Tel is still a talented footballer, but Nkunku has the better raw output and underlying numbers while being just as versatile, so should Levy and Co regardless of whether they decide to activate the option in the 20-year-old’s loan deal; they should also be looking to bring the Chelsea ace to N17.

Only 2 passes made: Levy must ensure Spurs dud never wears the shirt again

Europa League winners Tottenham were trounced by Brighton to finish their Premier League campaign.

ByAngus Sinclair May 26, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur now hold a strong advantage over their Premier League rivals in the race for a £68m “superstar”, according to a report.

Spurs set out transfer plans despite managerial uncertainty

There have been widespread suggestions that Ange Postecoglou is set to leave regardless of the outcome in the Europa League final against Manchester United this week, with a European triumph unable to paper over the fact Tottenham are 17th in the Premier League.

Having famously stated he always wins a trophy in his second season, Ange will have a shot at European glory in Bilbao on Wednesday night, but the Australian could be replaced in the summer, with several potential options now on the shortlist.

Departing Ajax manager Francesco Farioli is now a top target for Daniel Levy, despite the Italian’s side losing the Eredivisie title in dramatic fashion, with PSV Eindhoven overturning a nine-point gap to clinch their 26th championship.

Fulham manager Marco Silva also remains an option, with the Cottagers’ 3-2 victory against Brentford on Sunday afternoon moving them up to 10th in the table, 16 points clear of Postecoglou’s side.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Ange’s future, Tottenham are still making plans for the summer transfer window, and there has now been an update on their pursuit of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze in a report from The Sun.

Tottenham and Levy now looking at signing PSG defender compared to Huijsen

Spurs have spotted a bargain on the market…

BySean Markus Clifford May 18, 2025

The report states that Spurs have expressed an interest in Eze, alongside Premier League rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, with the Englishman determined to play in the Champions League, which could play a big part in his decision-making.

Although there is widespread interest in the 26-year-old, the Lilywhites are believed to hold a strong advantage over their rivals, but a deal is unlikely to be cheap, given that there is a £68m release clause in his contract.

"Superstar" Eze writes his name into Palace folklore

It has been the year of the underdog in England’s domestic cup competitions, with Newcastle United ending their 70-year drought and lifting the FA Cup, while Crystal Palace’s FA Cup triumph over Manchester City secured their first-ever trophy.

Eze played a crucial role in the Eagles’ shock victory, scoring the only goal of the game in the first half, which will no doubt only increase the interest in his services this summer, while it could also tempt the Englishman to remain at Selhurst Park a little longer.

Palace secured qualification for the Europa League with their FA Cup triumph, which means a move to Spurs may only be an attractive proposition if Ange’s side are triumphant against Man United and seal a return to the Champions League next season.

Having been lauded as a “superstar” by football scout Ben Mattinson, Eze could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham this summer, but their ability to compete for his services is likely to hinge upon Europa League success.

Will Celtic enjoy a strong end to yet another memorable season?

On Saturday, the Hoops fought back from a goal down to win 3-1 at Parkhead; Nicolas Kühn, Adam Idah and then Reo Hatate the scorers for Celtic.

As a result, Brendan Rodgers’ side could conclude the campaign with as many as 94 points, travelling to Pittodrie on Wednesday, before facing St Mirren on trophy presentation day, which has become a near-annual event, on Saturday.

They’ll then face Aberdeen again the following weekend at Hampden in the Scottish Cup Final, seeking to secure a sixth domestic treble in just nine seasons.

Despite their continued domination of Scottish football, Rodgers is not satisfied and always demands improvement, so could Celtic sign a highly-rated defender in a deal that would be reminiscent of Josip Juranović’s move from the not-too-distant past?

Josip Juranović's impact at Celtic

As part of the major summer rebuild when Ange Postecoglou first arrived at Celtic in the summer of 2021, 14 senior players were signed, including Juranović, joining from Legia Warszawa for a reported fee of £2.5m.

Well, despite actually only making 53 appearances in hoops, the Croatian international certainly proved to be fantastic value for money, describing his 18 months in Glasgow as “the best of his life”.

Juranović quickly established himself as a fans’ favourite, with Total Football Analysis praising his ‘versatility… aerial ability and physicality’ as well as his leadership qualities.

Thus, in January 2023, shortly after helping Croatia reach the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, Juranović joined Union Berlin for a reported £10m, representing a 400% return on investment in just a year-and-a-half.

It’s safe to say that Celtic’s recruitment when it comes to plucking hidden gems has worked well and they could repeat that trick here, luring another defender from the continent to Scottish shores.

Celtic targeting a new defender

As previously reported by Mirko Marković of Maxbet Sport earlier this month, Celtic are ‘very interested’ in signing defender Veljko Milosavljević from Serbian champions Crvena zvezda, adding that the youngster has shown great ‘potential’ this season.

Milosavljević, who is just 17-years-old, made his senior Super liga Srbije debut for Red Star Belgrade against Radnički Niš as recently as December, with the table below outlining his career statistics so far.

Appearances

17

Minutes

1,189

Starts

12

Super liga Srbije apps

13

Super liga Srbije starts

10

Despite his lack of first-team experience, Milosavljević has earned rave reviews.

Aleksandar Radonić of Serbia outlet Kurur labels him ‘one of the most talented’ youngsters to come through Red Star Belgrade’s academy in recent times, adding that the centre-back, who stands at 6 foot 3, was ‘especially impressive’ during a recent eternal derby victory over Partizan, claiming he is now valued at around €4m (£3m).

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Meantime, scout Gianni Bellasi describes him as a “physically imposing” defender who is a “reliable presence”, while Blair Meikle of the National believes the teenager is one of the ‘hottest young prospects’ in European football right now.

So, where would he fit into Celtic’s team?

Well, for four seasons now, Cameron Carter-Vickers has been the club’s undisputed first-choice central defender, racking up 157 appearances since arriving from Tottenham, despite a few injury problems.

This season, fellow-American international Auston Trusty as well as Liam Scales have been vying to be Carter-Vickers’ partner, but that position is certainly up for grabs, and Milosavljević more than appears to have all the attributes and qualities to come in and make that position his own.

Given that, as noted by teammate Kasper Schmeichel, Carter-Vickers’ qualities lie “with the ball at his feet”, Milosavljević’s physical profile suggests he would be a dream centre-back partner.

Thus, if Celtic can secure his services for as little as £4m, that would appear to be a fantastic investment.

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While Barry Ferguson remains in charge of Rangers for now, he’s highly unlikely to keep the job beyond the summer.

Last time out, the Gers were dumped out of the Europa League, battling to a goalless draw with Athletic Club Bilbao at Ibrox, before being beaten 2-0 at San Mamés last Thursday.

So, to conclude the campaign, the Light Blues have very little to play for, but have all five post-split Premiership fixtures to fulfill, starting with Saturday’s trip to St Mirren, all but mathematically guaranteed to finish second, 15 points adrift champions-elect Celtic and 13 points clear of Hibs.

Thus, attention has already started to turn towards plans for the summer, so could “one of the best managers” in football history be occupying the Ibrox dugout by the time their season commences with a Champions League qualifier in late-July?

The latest on Rangers' 49ers takeover

As reported by Sahil Jaidka of Sky Sports News on Wednesday, Rangers have confirmed they are in “productive conversations” with an American-based consortium who are planning to take over the club, thereby “injecting additional capital”.

Back in March, Lawrie Anne Brown and Sahil Jaidka also reported that Paraag Marathe, who is president of the investment arm of 49ers Enterprises, is the person spearheading this takeover, ‘aiming to acquire’ 51% of the shares at a minimum.

Ewan Paton of the National notes that, after posting losses of £17.2m last year, an unsustainably high figure, investment is badly needed.

Meantime, Michael Grant of The Times believes that the fact Kevin Thelwell has recently been appointed as head of football operations, arriving from Everton, suggests the 49ers have already started making behind-the-scenes decisions.

Speaking on the Scottish Football Show, Rangers supporter Findlay Marks expects the new owners will want to make a ‘statement appointment’ when it comes to the manager, so are they going to go after one of the most successful managers of all-time?

Rangers' first choice managerial target

According to a report from TEAMTalk late last week, José Mourinho is amongst the front-runners to become the new Rangers manager, with the piece claiming he ‘would be interested’ in taking over.

Well, last month, ahead of Fenerbahçe’s Europa League tie at Ibrox, Mourinho more than intimated that he’d be open to managing one of Glasgow’s big two in the future, adding the Premiership “is a league of passion. Passion in football is everything”.

His current club Fenerbahçe were dumped out of the Europa League by Rangers on penalties, and are staring down the barrel of a trophyless season, ousted in the Türkiye Kupası quarter-finals while currently second in the Süper Lig, five points adrift of Galatasaray with only six games remaining.

The Yellow Canaries appointed Mourinho in a desperate attempt to win their first title since 2014, but appear set to fall just short once again, having been runners-up six times in the last decade.

Nevertheless, fair to say, the 62-year-old has a pretty impressive CV, as the table below outlines.

Benfica

11

54.55%

Zero

União de Leiria

23

52.17%

Zero

Porto

127

71.65%

6

Chelsea

185

67.03%

6

Internazionale

108

62.04%

5

Real Madrid

178

71.91%

3

Chelsea

136

58.82%

2

Manchester United

144

58.33%

3

Tottenham Hotspur

86

51.16%

Zero

Roma

138

49.28%

1

Fenerbahçe

50

62%

Zero

The trophies speak for themselves: two Champions Leagues, league titles in four different countries and, after getting his hands on the Conference League in charge of Roma, he got a tattoo to commemorate the fact he’d won all three major UEFA competitions.

While he was at Tottenham, Son Heung-min described him as “one of the best managers in the world”, while Oisín Doherty of Breaking the Lines believes he was the ‘most dominant manager in world football’ for over a decade.

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Of course, as outlined by Barney Ronay of the Guardian, some of Mourinho’s tactics are outdated, meaning he is past his best, but he would certainly represent a major coup for Rangers and would be box office for all of us who love Scottish football.

​​​​​​​

He would represent the perfect upgrade on Ferguson, no doubt about that.

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