All posts by n8rngtd.top

More ambitious than ever before under FSG in the transfer market, Liverpool may now offer a play-plus-cash deal to sign yet another key target for Arne Slot.

Jurgen Klopp delivers "insane" Wirtz verdict

Slot has been given the keys to the kingdom so far this summer with his Premier League medal acting as his right of passage. Jeremie Frimpong became the first to arrive to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold before the Reds then took things to an entirely new level by signing Florian Wirtz. Since then, Milos Kerkez has also arrived alongside third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

It’s the type of spending spree that Jurgen Klopp only saw once during his time at Anfield when Liverpool signed Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho in the space of six months before winning both the Champions League and Premier League.

He's like Salah & Isak: Liverpool join the race to sign £43m "superstar"

Liverpool may need to enforce further change up top this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 30, 2025

The German, having seen the impact of top signings at the club in the past – albeit not without the sacrifice of Philippe Coutinho – recently had his say on Wirtz’s big-money arrival.

Klopp told reporters: “There’s no question about it, it’s an insane sum. One that a player at Liverpool is aware of if things don’t go well for two or three games.

“We all agree that we’re talking about a great player here. I know I once said that I’m out if we pay 100 million euros for a player. But the world is changing. That’s just the way the market is.

“He’s an outstanding player who can give any club something great. Whether he’ll make the reigning English champions even better remains to be seen.”

Even after spending that “insane sum”, however, those at Anfield may not be done with their spending. Reports are now suggesting that Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes could even decide to offer a swap deal to land one particular target.

Liverpool "could" offer swap deal to sign Guehi

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool “could” offer a player-plus-cash deal to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace this summer. The England international has found himself on the Reds’ radar following reports that Jarell Quansah is set to join Bayer Leverkusen and amid concerns that Ibrahima Konate could leave following the end of his current deal next summer.

With fresh talks set to take place this week, Guehi remains one to watch as Liverpool aim to solve a potential centre-back problem in bargain fashion.

With just one year remaining on his current contract, Crystal Palace are reportedly demanding just £45m to sell their star defender this summer. Liverpool, however, are still looking for that valuation to drop before making their move to sign Guehi as Edwards and Hughes continue their ruthless streak.

Described as “great” by England teammate John Stones at the Euros last summer, Guehi’s first move back to a top English club since leaving Chelsea has been a long time coming, but now he could be on his way to the home of the Premier League champions.

Manchester United are believed to have agreed personal terms with an “unplayable” player and are now willing to pay more than £60m to get a deal done.

Who could Man Utd sign this summer?

Ruben Amorim will know the importance of the Red Devils signing top-quality players this summer, following a dismal 2024/25 Premier League campaign, with exciting names continuing to be linked with moves to Old Trafford.

A new striker is a must for United, and Juventus marksman Dusan Vlahovic has been mentioned as an option before next season gets underway. In fact, they are even reportedly awaiting talks over a transfer.

Meanwhile, Emiliano Martinez continues to be seen as a target for the Red Devils this summer, as Amorim eyes up a summer switch for the Argentine. An upgrade on Andre Onana is required and the World Cup-winning 32-year-old appears to be a leading target between the sticks.

Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo is also a front-runner to join United imminently, joining Matheus Cunha in the process, and now a fresh update has emerged regarding their pursuit of him.

Man Utd agreed personal terms with "unplayable" star

Taking to X, journalist Rudy Galetti claimed that Manchester United have now agreed personal terms with Mbeumo, as a £63m move to Old Trafford edges closer:

At this point, it would be a huge surprise if Mbeumo wasn’t a United player come the beginning of next season, with the winger constantly edging closer to completing a move in recent weeks.

The Cameroonian enjoyed a fantastic 2024/25 season, scoring 20 goals in 38 Premier League appearances, and former Bees manager Thomas Frank is well aware of his ability, saying:

“Bryan Mbeumo today was unplayable. The way he holds the ball up and links play, like today to Kevin Schade [for the fourth goal] was very impressive.”

United are desperately in need of signing a wide player who can bring guaranteed end product to the team, with Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Antony all loaned out in 2024/25, and the Brentford ace could be perfect in that respect.

Granted, Mbeumo takes up the same right-sided role as Amad Diallo, so there is the risk that he could stunt the youngster’s progress, but the Red Devils need to be in a position where they have top-class players battling for minutes all over the pitch.

Man Utd come blistering into race to hijack Arsenal deal to sign £20m star

They could get one over on their rivals.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 22, 2025

The Bees attacker has proven himself in the Premier League, and at 25 years of age, there is still so much more to come from him, so there are few positives to the move happening this summer.

Sunderland and Regis Le Bris are thought to be plotting a move to sign a new defender who once “surprised” Jurgen Klopp, ahead of rival interest from Leeds United.

Sunderland transfer latest after Le Fee deal announced

The Black Cats are still riding the wave following their dramatic Championship playoff final victory over Sheffield United last month.

With Premier League football now on offer at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland are expected to be busy in the transfer window and have already made Enzo Le Fee’s loan move permanent. Talking after penning a four-year contract on Wearside, Le Fee shared his delight.

Alongside Le Fee, Sunderland aren’t planning to stop there, with Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie even claiming the club could break their transfer record again after Le Fee.

Dream Sunderland XI after promotion: Henderson & £40m sensation return

Sunderland’s starting XI could soon have a new look as they embark on their Premier League adventure.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 6, 2025

Le Bris and co will also be looking to get value for money in the summer market, potentially looking to take some Championship stars with them to the top flight. Now, a fresh report has stated that Burnley, Leeds and Sunderland all have their eyes on a second-tier player.

Sunderland plotting Japhet Tanganga move with release clause shared

According to GiveMeSport, Sunderland are plotting a move to sign Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga alongside the Clarets and the Whites.

It is claimed that Tanganga has a release clause in his current contract to leave for just under £2m, a figure which could represent great value for money considering the Lions have previously wanted £12m for their star centre-back.

The 26-year-old has impressed for Millwall after making his loan move permanent at The Den in 2024, and he has previous Premier League experience after coming through the Tottenham academy.

He made 27 appearances for Spurs in the top flight, with Jose Mourinho hailing Tangana for a display against Liverpool back in 2020.

“Can we say Tanganga is a new player? Can we say that? He never played a match for Tottenham in the Premier League. Today he played and today he proved that he can play for us. It’s a pity that he’s not a striker, it’s a pity that he’s not a midfield player, but he’s one more player that we have. So I think Mane and Salah, they know who Tanganga is.”

Meanwhile, Klopp was also caught off guard by Tanganga, saying: “I didn’t know about him, I was obviously surprised when he came up. He was good, impressive for sure.”

Arne Slot became the first manager in Liverpool’s history to win the Premier League in his first season at Anfield since the inception of the division in 1992.

There were concerns about what life would look like after Jurgen Klopp announced that he would be leaving the Reds at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, having been at the club for nine years.

Slot came in to replace a legend and had huge shoes to fill, arriving from Feyenoord last summer, and was not heavily backed in the summer transfer window.

Federico Chiesa was the only signing of the summer, joining on a permanent deal from Juventus, and the forward only made six appearances in the Premier League.

Slot, instead, won the division with the same players that he inherited, given Chiesa’s lack of involvement, which speaks to the quality of the recruitment work done in recent years.

You could pick so many members of the squad as examples of excellent recruitment by Liverpool, but Alexis Mac Allister stands out as a particularly impressive deal.

Why Liverpool struck gold with Alexis Mac Allister

The Reds swooped in to sign the World Cup winner from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £35m, which could rise to £55m in total, in what has turned out to be a bargain deal.

In that same summer, Chelsea spent £115m to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Arsenal splashed the cash to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United for £105m, which illustrates how expensive it can be to land top talent from other Premier League teams.

This shows how much of a bargain Liverpool got with their deal for Mac Allister because they did not have to pay over the odds for him, spending less than half as much as Chelsea and Arsenal did on their midfield signings with the initial fee of £35m.

The Reds have hit the jackpot with the Argentina international because he has proven to be well worth the money, playing 35 times out of 38 matches in the Premier League this season to help the team to the title.

As you can see in the table above, the former Brighton star delivered quality in and out of possession throughout the campaign, scoring and assisting goals whilst also being reliable defensively.

Mac Allister ended the season with a squad-leading 2.7 tackles per game in the Premier League, which proves how effective he was at winning the ball back to regain possession for his side, whilst cutting out opposition attacks.

Liverpool could, now, repeat their Mac Allister masterclass, as they are reportedly interested in another bargain deal from a Premier League rival.

Liverpool eyeing move for Brighton star

According to a report in Spain, Liverpool are one of a number of clubs that are eyeing up a potential swoop for Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh in the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business on Sunday.

The report claims that the Premier League champions have set their sights on a deal for the Gambia international, but they are facing competition from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for the attacker.

Transfer Focus

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

It reveals that all three clubs are monitoring the 20-year-old forward, previously of Newcastle United, as a possible signing ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The outlet adds that the left-footed dynamo, who typically plays on the right flank, is valued at around £35m by Brighton, which is the same fee that Liverpool paid them for Mac Allister.

With this in mind, Minteh could arrive at Anfield this summer to bolster Slot’s squad in a deal that could be very similar to the one that brought the Argentine star to Merseyside.

Why Yankuba Minteh could be Alexis Mac Allister 2.0

Of course, the two players play in different positions, one in midfield and one on the wing, but there are also a lot of similarities in the sense that they would both have been signed from Brighton and both signed for a bargain £35m fee.

As aforementioned, it can be incredibly expensive to shop in the Premier League market because teams do not want to strengthen their rivals, which is why a £35m fee for Minteh could be a big bargain for Liverpool if they were able to get a deal over the line in the coming months.

At the age of 20, though, he may not be a signing to instantly become a starter like Mac Allister was, and the youngster could be more of a signing with the long term in mind, whilst also being able to make an impact immediately as a squad option.

That being said, Minteh has delivered some exciting performances, including the one against Chelsea in the clip above, in the Premier League this season, and shown signs of being a top player at that level.

The left-footed star, who was described as “extremely dangerous” by Pierre van Hooijdonk, only started 20 of his 32 appearances in the division, but delivered quality in those outings.

As you can see in the table above, he outperformed his xG by almost two goals and was let down by wasteful finishing from his teammates as a creator, as they failed to make the most of the ‘big chances’ that he created for them.

Now, imagine Minteh in a dominant and free-scoring Liverpool team that would be able to make the most of his creativity, whilst also creating more opportunities for him to show off his finishing skills. That could increase his output of goals and assists and lead to him becoming a very valuable member of the squad.

He's like Wirtz: Liverpool can axe Diaz by signing 'England's best winger'

Liverpool face the summer sale of one of their most important players.

2

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 1, 2025

The 20-year-old could, in theory, take his game to the next level with such a move, which is why this could be a brilliant signing for the Reds and be a repeat of the Mac Allister deal due to the finances involved.

There have been two significant problems for Arsenal this season, which have resulted in yet another trophyless campaign.

The first is their numerous and significant injuries, and the second is their lack of cutting-edge up top, which said injuries have exacerbated.

For example, as things stand, the North Londoners have scored 17 goals fewer than Liverpool in the Premier League despite being just one place behind them in the table.

So, with such a clear deficit between them and their title rival, it’s hardly been surprising to see a host of talented attackers linked with the Gunners in recent weeks, such as Bryan Mbeumo, although even with his lofty price tag, one of Arsenal’s own stars is worth millions more.

Why Arsenal want sign Mbeumo

So, according to reports from earlier this week, Arsenal are keen on signing Mbeumo during the summer, but what is it about him that has caught the North Londoners’ eye

Well, the main thing is that even though he’s not the biggest name around and plays for a team who were in the Championship just a few seasons ago, the Cameroon international is a lean, mean goalscoring machine.

For example, in just 41 appearances, totalling 3487 minutes this season, the “unplayable” attacker, as dubbed by Brentford boss Thomas Frank, has scored 19 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or every 124.53 minutes.

Moreover, on top of his prolific nature in front of goal, the former Troyes star can play in a number of different positions, from right-wing to centre-forward to second striker, and he’s even made a few appearances off the left.

In all, Mbeumo would bring a mountain of goals with him to the Emirates and help bulk out Arteta’s attacking options, making his supposed £60m price tag seem relatively reasonable.

Yet, while he’d likely be a hit in North London, the Brentford star would have to hit the ground running and then some to see his valuation get anywhere near one of his potential teammates.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Mbeumo

The good news for Arsenal is that while they haven’t all performed at their best this season, they do have a few very talented attackers in the squad, such as Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz.

However, when it comes to someone who is worth considerably more than Mbeumo, only one player stands out: Bukayo Saka.

Yes, according to Transfermarkt, the young Englishman is worth up to an astounding €150m, which is about £126m, or a whopping £66m more than the Brentford ace is likely to cost the club.

Now, while that might sound like an absurd valuation, it’s probably a fair one, as, despite still being just 23 years old and missing over three months of the season, the Hale End superstar has still been the Gunners’ most productive player this season.

For example, in just 36 appearances, totalling 2592 minutes, the “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.38 games, or every 99.69 minutes.

Moreover, according to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions from shots and goal-creating actions, the top 2% for expected assists, the top 5% for goals plus assists and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Mbeumo would be a brilliant signing, it feels unlikely that he’d ever be as valuable as Saka, as the talismanic winger is already performing at a world-class level and has many more years to get even better.

Gyokeres alternative: Arsenal working to sign "monster" £60m Havertz upgrade

The Premier League star would be unreal for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 20, 2025

Burnley will be very aware that possessing a feared striker will undoubtedly help their chances of staying up in the Premier League next season.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have that at their disposal during the 2023/24 campaign, which ultimately ended in relegation, leading to the goal-shy Clarets only firing home 41 strikes from 38 contests.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world if Scott Parker was now on the hunt for a fresh striker that can cause Premier League defences all sorts of bother.

Arguably, the promoted Lancashire outfit have struggled in this department ever since Chris Wood left Turf Moor in 2022, with the New Zealand international going on to bigger and better things at the City Ground, whilst his former employers attempted to plug his notable gap.

Wood's heroics at Burnley

Now, it goes without saying that the 33-year-old is a Premier League-recognised goal machine.

But when he joined the Clarets in the summer of 2017 for a club-record fee of £15m, he had only ever briefly played in the top division, away from regularly strutting his stuff in the Championship.

Yet, after five goal-heavy seasons donning a Burnley strip, Wood had very much announced himself to the Premier League, with the 33-year-old ending his successful stay with the Clarets by bagging 53 strikes in total from 165 games.

Therefore, it was always going to be a gruelling process to replace such a significant part of many a Clarets team, with a whole host of attackers failing to replicate or live up to Wood’s potency in the seasons that followed his departure to St James’ Park.

Whilst Zian Flemming did help himself to a sizeable 14 strikes last season on the way to promotion being sealed, the Clarets really have lacked a commanding striker presence in the top-flight ever since Wood’s exit, away from some competent performances here and there from the likes of Zeki Amdouni and Jay Rodriguez.

Parker’s men could change this ongoing narrative, however, by swooping in for this former star who has been tentatively linked with a switch back to familiar pastures.

How Burnley could land their their best ST since Wood

Alongside a deep desire to possess a goal machine in the Premier League again, the newly promoted side will also be desperate to consolidate themselves as a top-flight regular once more.

To help with that, the Clarets could look to bring back former star Danny Ings, with journalist Graeme Bailey stating that the 32-year-old dramatically returning to Turf Moor should not be ruled out amidst the veteran being looked at by Birmingham City and Wrexham.

After all, before the much-talked-about spell of Wood came to be, the “clinical” forward – as he has been previously praised by journalist Leanne Prescott – was the original poacher Burnley relied upon to get them out of sticky situations.

In total, the 5-foot-10 menace would tally up a hefty 43 goals for the Clarets across 130 games, bolstering his 72-goal record in the top division subsequently.

Therefore, whilst he is more known now for injury issue after injury issue at West Ham United, Burnley could be prepared to take a punt on their former striker coming good again in their pursuit to win a Premier League-proven star.

After all, Ings did manage to collect a healthy eight goals from 15 top-flight starts during the 2022/23 season for the Hammers and Villa, before his injury problems settled in.

He would also cost nothing to bring in, amid his expiring Hammers contract, meaning Parker and Co. might well look very smug down the line if he proves to be a hit once more in becoming their most prolific attacker since Wood’s dominance.

Parker has struck gold on Burnley star who's worth more than Brownhill

Burnley will hope this star can settle into Premier League life well after an impressive debut season at Turf Moor.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 23, 2025

Chelsea reached the final of the Conference League courtesy of a 5-1 aggregate victory over Swedish side Djurgarden in midweek.

Ending the season with a trophy could be a catalyst for the Blues to improve even further in 2025/26.

Enzo Maresca will be determined to succeed, but even more importantly, is the fact that he has blooded several youngsters into the team, notably Tyrique George.

With the summer transfer window opening in a few weeks, might the Italian be aiming to sign another talented forward?

Chelsea plot move for Borussia Dortmund starlet

According to reports, the Blues have earmarked Dortmund starlet Jamie Bynoe-Gittens as a player under serious consideration this summer.

The Stamford Bridge side are currently in contact with the Englishman regarding a potential deal and if they secure Champions League qualification, it could help their cause massively.

Previously valued at €100m (£85m), Gittens’ asking price has now dropped to ‘just’ €50m (£42m) as he doesn’t fit the system of Niko Kovač, which could open the door for Chelsea to make their move.

If they did bring the youngster to London, they would be signing one of the most talented wingers in Germany.

Transfer Focus

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

He is certainly a bigger talent than George. That’s for sure.

Why Chelsea must sign Jamie Gittens

Since making his senior debut for the Blues earlier this season, the 19-year-old has now racked up 23 appearances in all competitions.

Not one to be fazed by performing at the highest level, the teenager has scored twice and chipped in with five assists, helping the club reach yet another European final.

He will only continue to get better, especially if Maresca keeps utilising him in this Chelsea squad. Signing Gittens, however, would perhaps take the club to the next level.

Making his debut for Dortmund all the way back during the 2021/22 season, Gittens has made over 100 appearances for the club. A total of 31 goal contributions have been recorded in this time as he has emerged as a player to watch out for in the coming years.

Hailed as a “wonderkid” by Statman Dave in November 2023, Gittens has the talent to follow in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham, who both made huge moves abroad after shining in Germany.

Despite his tender years, he is already playing like an experienced winger. Indeed, when compared to positional peers, Gittens currently ranks in the top 8% for progressive carries (5.55) and in the top 1% for successful take-ons (3.62) per 90 over the previous 365 days.

This ability to advance the ball into dangerous areas while being able to beat his marker could give Maresca something extra in the final third next season.

George’s emergence from academy starlet to first-team regular shows that the club aren’t going to be totally reliant on the transfer market.

But when a talent like Gittens is available, it would be foolish not to try and sign him. Especially for a fee of £42m.

Eden Hazard 2.0: Chelsea make contact to sign £64m "difference-maker"

Chelsea have reportedly made contact over a deal to sign a star who could be Eden Hazard 2.0.

By
Dan Emery

May 10, 2025

On the search for their Kevin de Bruyne replacement, Manchester City are now reportedly set to “advance” their move to sign a talented midfielder who should have no issues over personal terms.

Man City pushing for top finish to the season

In a season that once looked on course to end without Champions League qualification, Manchester City could yet end the current campaign as high as second. Even though their crown has been snatched from them for the first time in four seasons by a dominant Liverpool side, the Citizens – in the context of their struggles – could have plenty to celebrate.

Without Rodri for the majority of the campaign, without a recognised back four at various stages and with an ageing midfield to fall back on, Pep Guardiola has dragged his side into a seven-game unbeaten run to move within touching distance of Champions League qualification. Also in the FA Cup final, a second-place finish with a trophy to celebrate would represent a fairly routine campaign on paper compared to how chaotic things have truly been at times.

Guardiola took time to particularly heap praise on De Bruyne after his goal ensured that City took their unbeaten run to seven games against Wolves, telling reporters: “His contribution is massive. There are players like Sergio [Aguero], like him, like Vinnie [Kompany] in the heart of the people.

“It’s not just titles and numbers, it’s affection and love and passion. All of us have been one decade here, helping us to win absolutely everything and still he’s here.”

Man City set to fend off Liverpool hijack and win race for £73k-a-week star

They have been working on a deal since January.

By
Henry Jackson

May 3, 2025

Replacing the Belgian at the end of his current contract will likely prove to be a near-impossible task for all involved at The Etihad, but that hasn’t stopped the Citizens from lining up one particular option.

Man City set to "advance" move for £100m Gibbs-White

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are now set to advance in their deal to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest this summer, who have reportedly placed a staggering £100m price-tag on their midfielder.

In what could be one of the biggest deals of the summer, personal terms between Gibbs-White and City are not expected to be a problem with the Manchester club now tasked with negotiating with those at the City Ground in the coming months.

A central part of Forest’s recent rise, which is likely to end in some form of European football, Gibbs-White has earned plenty of praise from manager Nuno Espirito Santo during his time in charge.

The Forest boss told reporters last season: “Morgan is a very special player for us. Very important, talented, the work rate on the pitch, but to allow Morgan to have these moments a lot of things happen behind, hard work by the boys and this is very important.”

All roads lead to Bilbao in the Europa League, with Manchester United still left with a glimmer of hope regarding the chance to end this wretched campaign on a real high.

For a third successive campaign, the Red Devils could round off the season with a notable piece of silverware. Even in the most desperate of times, this team can still pull a rabbit out of the hat.

European glory and the ensuing Champions League qualification would certainly be something to cherish, although it should not mask the task ahead for new boss Ruben Amorim, with the Portuguese coach still yet to truly revive this sinking ship.

Currently residing in 14th in the Premier League, the Old Trafford side have now scored just once across their last four top-flight outings – a fact that has only heightened the need to bolster the forward line this summer.

With the likes of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Antony all looking set to depart permanently this summer following their respective loan moves, the hope will be that funds will be available to revive this limp attacking unit.

According to recent reports, it already looks as if INEOS have settled on their first leading target, ahead of strengthening for next season.

Latest Man Utd transfer news

With few distractions, outside of Europa League action, the remainder of the campaign should well be used to get ahead on the transfer front. No longer should United be left scrambling around in August or on deadline day.

Transfer Focus

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

Thankfully, the new INEOS regime appear to be keen to avoid that latter scenario, with reports already rife that the Red Devils are progressing with regard to the potential signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has outlined that United are in pole position for the Brazilian’s signature, with The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell since adding that positive talks have been held regarding the 25-year-old’s personal terms.

That comes amid claims from the Daily Mail’s Simon Jones that suggested Amorim and co are even ‘inching closer to an agreement’ for the former Atletico Madrid man, albeit with United still needing to activate his £62.5m release clause.

Jones went on to add that INEOS are keen to get terms agreed by next month, to ensure that ‘they still have headroom under Profit and Sustainability Rules’, with it likely to be the case that the club will need to sell to buy if notable deals are to be made this summer.

Having seemingly fended off competition from the likes of Newcastle United, it looks as if United are closing in on the signing of such a leading Premier League talent…

Why Man Utd could be set to sign the next Cantona & Berbatov

It has been a common theme in the Premier League era – particularly during Sir Alex Ferguson’s glory days – for United to try and raid the rest of the division for the best attacking talents, be it Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha, Robin van Persie, Dimitar Berbatov and, of course, Eric Cantona.

There are certainly shades of the latter two with regard to Cunha, with the £90k-per-week star something of a “maverick” and a “flawed genius”, in the words of journalist Nathan Juddah, albeit while combining that with his status as a “match-winner” and a “superstar”.

Those are no doubt traits shared by the great Cantona, in particular, with the iconic Frenchman a truly enigmatic and talismanic figure for United, following his arrival from rivals Leeds United on a £1.2m deal in November 1992.

The driving force of United’s domestic dominance in the early 90s, ‘King Eric’ went on to claim four league titles during his stint in Manchester, while racking up 82 goals in 182 games for the club in total.

With his collar up and chest out, the beloved forward strutted his stuff around the Old Trafford turf, combining moments of magic on the pitch, with his at-times colourful actions off it. Who can forget that Kung-Fu kick at Selhurst Park.

Cunha, meanwhile, mirrors that knack for going from the sublime to the ridiculous, with 2024/25 alone seeing him memorably score directly from a corner against Amorim’s side on Boxing Day, albeit while since receiving two separate suspensions for off-the-ball altercations.

Like Cantona, the one-time RB Leipzig man can be hot-headed, but more importantly, however, he appears to relish his talismanic status at Molineux, having now scored 14 league goals this season, after netting 12 times in 2023/24.

Capable of operating as a centre-forward or off the front – again, like Cantona – the ‘maverick’ Brazil international has that ability to switch it on in an instant, as he actually tops the division for most time spent walking on the pitch, excluding goalkeepers.

That at-times ‘lazy’ quality is something that was shared by the aforementioned Berbatov, albeit with the Bulgarian – who signed from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2008 – subsequently outlining the benefits of that approach:

The silky striker memorably claimed the top-flight Golden Boot as United romped to the title in the 2010/11 campaign, having also possessed that Cantona-esque knack for the spectacular, be it his touchline trickery against West Ham United, or his overhead-kick as part of a treble against Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Cunha – who scored from range out of nothing at Anfield back in March – can also conjure up a magic moment in an instant, with the Red Devils needing that ‘maverick’ talent to revive this lifeless frontline.

Like Cantona and Berbatov before him, the 25-year-old certainly isn’t perfect, but he is a showman. It doesn’t appear that the United jersey would weigh too heavy on him…

Romano: What we know so far about Man Utd's £62.5m talks for Matheus Cunha

This would be some coup.

By
Barney Lane

Apr 22, 2025

This summer looks set to be a massive one for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has even admitted as much.

The Spaniard’s side might still be able to do something truly remarkable in the Champions League, but with Liverpool now 11 points ahead in the Premier League, any chance of domestic glory looks all but gone.

It’s been a bruising campaign for the Gunners in that regard, as endless injuries and underwhelming form have seen them miss out on the chance to take advantage of Manchester City’s incredible collapse.

Fortunately, it appears as if the North Londoners are determined not to let the same thing happen next year by going big in the summer transfer market, and while Nico Williams has long been linked with the club, recent reports have now touted an even better player for a move to the Emirates.

Arsenal transfer news

Even before Arteta commented on the magnitude of the summer ahead, it looked almost certain that Arsenal would be in the market for a new centre-forward, as recent weeks have seen two names constantly linked with the club: Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.

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The former will supposedly be available for around the £58m mark and has amassed a tally of 55 goal involvements in 44 games for Sporting CP this season, while the latter could cost up to £67m and has amassed a haul of 25 goal involvements in 39 games for RB Leipzig.

However, it looks like the club don’t just want a new centre-forward, as alongside Williams, there has been another superstar winger recently touted for a move to N5: Rafael Leão.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are keen on signing AC Milan’s Portuguese game-changer.

The report has revealed that the Gunners have made the dynamic attacker one of their top priorities for the upcoming window as they seek a ‘star signing’.

However, Milan are understandably reluctant to let their star man leave easily, so the North Londoners would have to pay his mammoth release clause, which reportedly exceeds €100m, or £86m.

It would be an incredibly costly and potentially complicated transfer, but given Leão’s ability, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Williams.

How Leão compares to Williams

So, if Arsenal can only sign one left-winger this summer, how does Leão stack up against Williams?

Well, when it comes down to their pure output, the Portuguese superstar comes out on top.

For example, in 43 appearances this season, totalling 2997 minutes, the “unstoppable” Milan star, as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy, has scored ten goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.26 games, or every 157.73 minutes.

In contrast, the Athletic Bilbao dynamo has scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 39 appearances, totalling 2752 minutes.

That means the Spaniard is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.43 games, or every 172 minutes, which isn’t bad but doesn’t stack up to the competition.

Moreover, when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers, it’s another win for the Almada-born monster.

For example, he comes out ahead in practically every relevant metric, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive and key passes, crosses and passes into the penalty area, goal-creating actions, shots and shots on target, passes into the final third and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, signing either Leão or Williams would make Arsenal a far more dangerous proposition next season, but if they have to pick one, Arteta and Co should sign the Milan star, as he’s simply the better player.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 10, 2025