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Kevin Thelwell raised more than a few eyebrows when the details of the deal to bring Youssef Chermiti to Glasgow Rangers on a permanent deal from Everton emerged.

Sky Sports reported that the Portuguese striker has joined the club for an initial fee of £8m from the Premier League side, with a further £2m in possible add-ons on top of that.

This means that Chermiti is the most expensive signing the Scottish Premiership giants have made since they paid £12m to sign Tore Andre Flo from Chelsea 25 years ago.

Why Chermiti represents a big risk for Rangers

It is fair to say that Thelwell is taking a big risk by splashing such a huge sum of money on the striker for Rangers, just two years after he signed the same player for Everton for a deal worth up to £15m.

The 21-year-old centre-forward failed to deliver a single competitive goal in two seasons with the Toffees, playing 24 matches in that time, and only scored three goals in 22 games for Sporting in his home country, per Sofascore.

This means that Chermiti has only scored three goals in his senior career by the age of 21. That is not a record that suggests that Rangers are going to get heaps of goals out of him straight away, which you would hope for from the money that they have spent on him.

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?

A minimum fee of £8m is, therefore, a risky move by the club because of his unimpressive record, particularly when you consider that Nicolas Raskin is worth a similar amount.

Rangers have hit the jackpot with Nicolas Raskin

The Gers signed the Belgian central midfielder from Standard Liege for a fee of just under £1.5m at the start of 2023, and he has established himself as a star, winning the club’s Player of the Season award last season.

Raskin was left out of the squad to face Celtic on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership, but he remained at Ibrox past the summer transfer window and is expected to hold talks with Russell Martin to clear the air and reintegrate him into the squad.

There is no doubting the quality that he provides the team on the pitch after his impressive performances last season. He racked up five goals and 11 assists in all competitions, per Sofascore, on his way to winning the Player of the Season award.

His market value has soared beyond the initial fee of £8m that the club have paid for Chermiti to reflect his impressive showings in Glasgow in recent seasons.

January 2023

£1.5m move to Rangers

June 2023

£6.5m

December 2024

£6.9m

March 2024

£6.5m

May 2024

£5.6m

June 2025

£8.7m

As you can see in the table above, Raskin is currently valued at £8.7m by Transfermarkt, which is more than the fee that has been paid for the Portuguese striker and significantly more than the rough fee of £1.5m that was paid to Standard Liege for the Belgian talent.

This shows that the midfield star, who was once described as a “pitbull” by reporter Bob Faesen, has developed and progressed brilliantly since his move to Ibrox over two years ago.

Rangers have hit the jackpot with the Belgium international, who is now one of their most valued assets, and they will be hoping that he can kick on and be a key player again after his upcoming talks with Martin.

Martin cost Rangers the win by playing star who was worse than Aasgaard

Russell Martin may look back on this tactical decision with regret after his underwhelming display.

ByDan Emery Aug 31, 2025

Since taking over footballing activities at Manchester United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have made efforts to bring in young players that they believe will be able to develop into world-class talents.

In previous years, United have spent big on proven players, which, while it has its benefits, has put them far behind many of their Premier League rivals in terms of profits from player sales, which in turn has put them in a precarious position PSR-wise.

After bringing in Christopher Vivell, among other notable backroom figures, United have started scouting and bringing in promising players who had previously been relatively unknown, such as Sekou Kone, Enzo Kana-Biyik and Diego Leon.

The club is now hoping to continue this as they have identified a promising up-and-coming striker in Brazil.

United scouting Brazilian talent Mathias

Reports from Brazil, via Sports Witness, have revealed that Manchester United scouts were at Wednesday’s 1-1 draw between Fluminense and Internacional. United scout Alexandre Torres, former Fluminense defender and son of Brazil legend Carlos Alberto Torres, was seen at the game scouting the young Brazilian striker Ricardo Mathias. Mathias came on in the 53rd minute for a subdued performance where he didn’t manage many actions.

Torres was likely not the only scout there, as Mathias has been garnering attention from a number of European clubs. Sports Witness also shared that an unknown Premier League club has gone as far as submitting a letter of intent to Internacional to register their interest, with United potentially hijacking a top flight rival.

Additionally, there had been past interest from PSV as well as “two foreign investment groups in Brazil” but none of these were as advanced as the letter from the unknown Premier League club.

Wednesday’s game would not have given Torres a true taste of Mathias’ capabilities. If he also watched Internacionale on Saturday, then he would undoubtedly have left impressed with Mathias’ promise, as his two goals were instrumental in his team’s 3-1 victory over Red Bull Bragantino.

Mathias' breakout season

Mathias’ performance against Bragantino may have fully solidified his place in his team’s starting 11. Internacional are midway through their season, as the Brazilian league runs from March to December, and at the start of the campaign, Mathias was a regular feature on the bench and only sporadically seen on the pitch.

As the season has progressed, so have Mathias’ minutes, and he has now received four starts, scoring four goals across those games. From 28 games in all competitions without a start to leading the line and bagging a brace, Mathias’ development this season has undoubtedly gained him further international attention.

With United having only this week agreed a deal of up to £73.7 million for striker Benjamin Sesko, it seems unlikely that they would be willing to pay the £56 million release clause in Mathias’ contract this summer. United are still hoping to buy a midfielder this summer and potentially another goalkeeper, which further throws doubt on this deal being completed this summer at the release clause value.

At only 19 years old, Mathias could become a long-term United target that the club could sign at a later date. Alternatively, United could attempt to negotiate Internacional down from their £56 million price tag. Both options come with risks, as paying now would likely decrease the funds available for other transfers this window, and waiting could allow for the unknown Premier League club to swoop in and sign him.

Tottenham Hotspur are in for a season of change throughout 2025/26, after Thomas Frank was appointed following Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal earlier this summer.

The Aussie was brutally dismissed during the off-season after winning the Europa League, subsequently ending their 17-year drought without any form of silverware.

However, it was the club’s 17th-placed Premier League finish that saw his time in North London come to an end, with Daniel Levy wanting the club to become serial winners in the near future.

The new manager will want to put his own stamp on the first-team squad, as demonstrated by the additions of Mohammed Kudus and João Palhinha already this summer.

Despite the work already being conducted in the window, the Dane evidently wants further reinforcements to make his first year at the helm a positive one.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new signings this summer

Eberechi Eze has once again emerged on Spurs’ radar over recent days, after previously being a target before their failed move for Morgan Gibbs-White.

The Lilywhites have entered talks with the player’s representatives over a move to North London, but face competition from rivals Arsenal to complete a deal for his signature.

However, he’s not the only attacking midfielder in their sights this window, with Como star Nico Paz a player who could join the Lilywhites, according to The Athletic.

Their report claims that Frank’s side are huge admirers of the 20-year-old, who registered 14 combined goals and assists across all competitions last campaign.

It also states that Real Madrid could yet trigger a buy-back option after selling him last summer, with a £60m asking price being mooted for the Argentine’s signature.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be a better signing than Savinho

Alongside Spurs’ hunt for a new number ten, they’ve also made moves to land a new left-winger after Heung-min Son’s £20m move to join LAFC in recent weeks.

Manchester City star Savinho has been mentioned as a potential option for the Lilywhites, even entering direct talks with Pep Guardiola’s side over a deal for the Brazilian.

Whilst they’re currently holding out for £60m to part ways with the 21-year-old, it’s been reported that the player himself has already given the green light over a move to North London.

However, Frank already has numerous options at his disposal in such an area, with Richarlison, Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert all capable of filling the void left by the South Korean.

Savinho’s tally of 14 combined goals and assists last season would undoubtedly provide an added threat to the side in attacking areas, but a move for Paz would be a much better addition this summer.

James Maddison’s injury has left a huge hole in the middle of the side, but any move for the Como youngster would offer an immediate and long-term option to Frank’s first-team squad.

When comparing his stats to those of the Brazilian from the recent season, Paz managed to outperform the attacker, further showcasing why he’d be a better addition this summer.

Games played

35

29

Goals & assists

14

9

Progressive passes

5.5

3.4

Pass accuracy

81%

80%

Passes into final third

3.9

0.9

Take-on success

51%

46%

Goals per shot on target

0.2

0.1

Aerials won

57%

33%

Paz, who’s been labelled a “magician” by one analyst, posted a higher tally of goals and assists last campaign, whilst also registering a better goal per shot on target rate – offering the Lilywhites a more potent threat in front of goal.

He also achieved a higher pass accuracy, whilst completing more passes into the final third, with such tools making him a more creative option – subsequently producing another threat with the ball at his feet in the attacking third.

Such all-round dominance over the City star is further highlighted in the take-on success and aerial ability, subsequently being the perfect all-round option in and out of possession.

Whilst £60m may be a steep fee for a young talent with one year’s experience in senior football under his belt, it could prove to be an excellent piece of business if he can build on his early success.

Whilst Savinho would also be a great addition, the hierarchy should be prioritising a move for the former Real Madrid youngster between now and the end of the summer window.

Better signing than Rodrygo: £60m star is ready to join Spurs alongside Eze

Tottenham Hotspur have received the green light over a deal to land a top-level talent this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 12, 2025

Chelsea have added another promising player to their books, continuing BlueCo’s policy of signing world football’s most exciting young talents.

Chelsea plan offer for "world-class" new target in bid to hijack AC Milan

The west Londoners are not done this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 1, 2025

Enzo Maresca already has a squad filled with youth, so much so, that there is a real case to be made for the club to prioritise more experience.

Most recently, Chelsea agreed a deal with Ajax worth over £35 million for teenage starlet Jorrel Hato, who joins Liam Delap (22), Jamie Gittens (20) and Joao Pedro (23) as their latest incomings of the window.

Despite his age, Hato already boasts over a century of senior appearances from his time at Ajax, including some noteworthy Europa League performances.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Hato underwent his medical yesterday, according to Fabrizio Romano, with Chelsea adding yet another starlet to their ranks ahead of the new season.

Todd Boehly and the board haven’t been shy when it comes to splashing the cash on these prestigious talents, having spent nearly £270 million this window alone, and Chelsea are yet to make any signings over the age of 23 in the build up to deadline day.

Chelsea also fielded the youngest ever starting eleven in Premier League history last year (OptaJoe), and amid their talks for RB Leipzig starlet Xavi Simons, not to mention an expected bid for Alejandro Garnacho, their average age isn’t likely to go up any time soon.

Chelsea confirm signing of Jesse Derry from Crystal Palace

The club are very much still prioritising players with huge sell-on value and potential, with Chelsea recently agreeing a deal for young Crystal Palace attacker Jesse Derry too.

The 18-year-old “sensation” was on the verge of a move to Germany, before Maresca’s side hijacked the transfer to keep him in London. Derry was a man in-demand, attracting interest from eight European clubs, but it was Chelsea who ultimately won the race for his signature (Fabrizio Romano).

Now, almost a week later, Chelsea have confirmed Derry’s arrival, with the Englishman putting pen to paper on a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

The teenage forward represented England at this summer’s Under-19 European championships, coming after he racked up 20 goals and five assists in just 27 outings for Palace’s Under-18s during his time at Selhurst Park.

Derry made the step up to Under-21s football at Palace last season too, but he’ll now attempt to battle his way into Maresca’s set up over the coming years.

Celtic have now submitted an opening bid for a forward who was regularly among the goals in the 2024-25 season, a report has revealed.

Hoops keen on new forward amid Maeda uncertainty

In Kyogo Furuhashi’s absence from January onwards, Daizen Maeda well and truly stepped up last season, providing 16 goals and seven assists in the Scottish Premiership, while also scoring seven goals en-route to the Scottish Cup Final.

As such, it is little wonder the Japanese forward is attracting attention from elsewhere, with Everton recently joining fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the race for his signature.

Brendan Rodgers recently dropped an update on the situation, in which he confirmed the 27-year-old has remained professional, despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.

As exciting as Balikwisha: Celtic contenders to sign "outstanding" star

Celtic are one of the contenders to secure a deal for a star who would be as exciting as Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

ByDan Emery Jul 23, 2025

After being impressed by Maeda’s performance in the 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle United, Rodgers said: “I don’t think there have been any developments on that, but he’s a professional and his focus is very much on here.

“Yeah, all the players, all the players had a real good focus, and I’ve always said there’s not a friendly game when you play for Celtic. There are always tests for you, but the players came through really, really well. Daizen, all the guys, they worked really well.”

However, with the forward’s future very much up in the air, Celtic have now set their sights on a new winger, namely Go Ahead Eagles’ Jakob Breum, with a report from The National revealing they have submitted an opening offer of £1.5m for his services.

However, the bid was way below Go Ahead Eagles’ asking price of £5m, meaning it was knocked back, with club director Jan Willem van Dop saying: “There has been a bid for Jakob Breum from a foreign club,

“We are so far apart there. You have to stand your ground. He may have to realise that it could be very good to stay with us at least until the winter break, just like Oliver Edvardsen.”

Breum regularly among the goals in the Eredivisie

The 21-year-old enjoyed his best campaign to date last season, amassing a total of 17 goal contributions for Go Ahead Eagles across all competitions.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Eredivisie

26

10

5

KNVB Beker

3

1

0

UECL Qualifiers

2

0

1

As such, the versatile forward, who is capable of playing on both wings and in attacking midfield, could be an exciting signing for Celtic, although, given that the 2024-25 season was his first real eye-catching season numbers-wise, it is clear to see why they’re unwilling to pay £5m.

Consequently, it could be wise to move on to alternative targets, of which there is no shortage, with it recently being revealed the Hoops are now stepping up their pursuit of Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who has 46 goal contributions in 141 games for Royal Antwerp.

Liverpool won the Premier League last season, but Arne Slot doesn’t seem like one to rest on his laurels, and is set on making the forthcoming campaign one of an even more significant triumph.

While the Reds were incredible across the league term, they left plenty to be desired through the season’s offshoots, losing an FA Cup tie to Plymouth Argyle, who were ultimately relegated from the Championship, and falling against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final and eventual Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.

Not too shabby, all told. Premier League rivals Arsenal finished ten points behind Liverpool in second, after all. But there’s little question that Slot lacked depth, for the Dutch coach was hesitant in enforcing rotation to a fault, though this illustrates his frustrations regarding some of Anfield’s wider members of the first-team squad.

At the front of his issue was Darwin Nunez, who, as Liverpool’s star striker, only scored seven goals across all competitions, with Slot even stating he “can’t accept” the Uruguayan’s work-rate across a string of matches.

Though a move to Napoli fell through this week, FSG still expect to cash in on Nunez this summer, having already moved to sign his replacement.

Why Liverpool are signing Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool have stolen ahead of Newcastle in the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, with the French forward having submitted a transfer request to push negotiations closer toward the finish line.

Ekitike is only 23, but he’s established himself as one of Europe’s top young forwards, with journalist Graeme Bailey even coining him “the next Mbappe” for his blend of pace, physicality and potency in the final third.

However, the dynamic talent wasn’t Liverpool’s first choice. That would be Newcastle’s Alexander Isak. However, FSG’s formal efforts to prise him away from St. James’ Park proved fruitless.

It’s a shame, but Ekitike’s arrival would cushion the blow and then some, for he has the makings of a truly world-class superstar.

With suitors in the Saudi Pro League eager to snap Nunez up in the coming weeks, Ekitike’s prospective arrival will be an elating thing, having notched 40 goal involvements across a season-and-a-half with Frankfurt.

His silky, fleet-footed movements and dogged approach in the final third have led FBref to record him as one of Isak’s most comparable players, so you can certainly see the vision.

And for a cheaper sum too. Isak would have cost upwards of £120m to bring over to Merseyside, and would that truly be tenable? With a central defender still required and maybe a winger too, perhaps not.

Though Isak would have been an incredible addition, Liverpool fans have already been bestowed one earth-shattering acquisition by the ambitious owners this summer.

And Florian Wirtz might even prove the cream of a crop that, hypothetically, contained Isak in a Liverpool shirt too.

Liverpool have already struck gold on Florian Wirtz

Wirtz doesn’t need to kick a ball in a competitive setting for Liverpool fans to know that Slot has struck gold with this signing, owing to the diligence and perseverance of sporting director Richard Hughes.

Wirtz, 22, joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £100m last month. If potential add-ons are met, this fee will stretch higher still and extend to £116m, past Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo, the current record holder at £115m.

Despite his relative youth, the German midfielder has already established quite the résumé, having been awarded the Bundesliga Player of the Year for 2023/24, when Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen dethroned Bayern Munich as invincibles, previously rebounding with vigour from an ACL injury.

Last season yielded nothing on the trophy front, but Wirtz still maintained his world-class level, hailed as a “truly generational talent” by sports media professional Cristian Nyari, who believed the creative star was performing at a level higher even than Harry Kane in Germany’s top flight.

What about across Europe’s top five leagues? Well, as per FBref, Wirtz ranked among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers last season for goal involvements, the top 2% for passes attempted, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

He’s a rather efficient playmaker, and with Liverpool having parted with Trent Alexander-Arnold, now Real Madrid property, it’s vital that Slot and co maintain the squad’s peerless creative levels. Wirtz has been picked as the man for that task, it appears.

24/25

Liverpool

112

23/24

Liverpool

102

22/23

Liverpool & Man City

103

21/22

Liverpool

97

20/21

Liverpool

82

You get the picture; Liverpool have signed a sensation. This marquee man’s ability is better defined, perhaps, through the lens of CIES Football Observatory’s player-valuing system.

Indeed, according to the renowned research site, Liverpool’s record signing is actually worth £150m, a stratospheric figure. Pundit Paul Robinson felt previously that this was an accurate figure when considering the player’s worth.

Isak, however, comes in at a ‘lowly’ £95m.

Of course, that is not a fair reflection of Isak’s value in the modern market, but it does serve to illustrate exactly how incredible a signing Liverpool have pulled off by signing Wirtz without breaking the British transfer record (yet).

Already, Liverpool fans have been gifted a glimpse into the playmaker’s winger footwork, seemingly fitting right in as pre-season preparations get underway.

Slot’s side is replete with high-level quality, and though Isak would have been a wonderful addition this summer, those of a Reds persuasion can take more than a measure of solace in having sealed a signing already, which may break the English transfer record.

In any case, given that Wirtz is considered to be the more valuable player, have Liverpool not hit the jackpot?

New Van Dijk: "Unreal" talent hands in transfer request to join Liverpool

Liverpool are making things happen in the summer transfer market.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 18, 2025

With Habib Diarra and Reinildo already on their way, Sunderland have now reportedly stepped up their pursuit of an 11-goal striker by submitting an opening offer.

Who Sunderland could sign after Diarra and Reinildo

Both Diarra and Reinildo stand out as impressive signings for a promoted side and the former should particularly make his mark in Wearside next season. But the Black Cats still have work to do. Keeping hold of their Premier League place will be an incredibly tough task – just ask the last six sides that attempted to do so – and further investment will be key.

Even after splashing out a club-record fee for Diarra, the Black Cats have reportedly set their sights on signing the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure, although that would be at a bargain price thanks to his current status as a free agent.

The Frenchman left Everton at the end of last season and could now get the chance to stay put in the Premier League courtesy of Sunderland. It’s a deal that would work for both parties too. Doucoure’s experience would be invaluable next to younger talents like Diarra and the player, himself, is still more than good enough for England’s top-flight.

He’s not the only name on Sunderland’s wishlist, though. Those at the Stadium of Light have also reportedly set their sights on Bournemouth’s Hamed Traore. Like Diarra, the attacker set Ligue 1 alight last season and could now earn a permanent move away from the Cherries, be it thanks to Sunderland or another club this summer.

Ligue 1 seems to be where it’s at for Regis Le Bris’ side too, amid further reports that they’ve now submitted an opening offer to sign an impressive striker from France’s top tier.

Sunderland submit opening offer to sign Abline

As reported by Foot Mercato, Sunderland have now submitted an opening offer worth €20m (£17m) to sign Matthis Abline from FC Nantes this summer. The Black Cats already made contact with the French side about the forward earlier this summer and have now made their first move in pursuit of his signature.

Better signing than Diarra: Sunderland now targeting "fantastic" £18m star

Sunderland’s rapid summer business is showing no signs of slowing down as a new target now appears on their shopping list.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 1, 2025

Whether their £17m offer is enough to complete is a question that Sunderland may have an answer to soon enough. Nantes have already told Marseille that they’ll only sell their star striker for €50m (£43m) in the coming months, but whether clubs outside of France will have to pay such a premium fee remains to be seen.

Described as an “instinctive finisher” who’s “quick” and “direct” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Abline scored 11 goals in all competitions at Nantes last season and could now have the chance to repeat that record in the Premier League when August arrives.

Slowly and then all at once would be one way to describe Arsenal’s summer thus far.

While their rivals were making signing after signing last month, Mikel Arteta’s side appeared rather sluggish, going back and forth between Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko without making much progress towards either one.

However, over the last week or so, things have begun to change, with Kepa Arizabalage through the door, Christian Norgaard’s arrival feeling like a matter of time, and an avalanche of reports linking the club to Crystal Palace superstar Eberechi Eze.

Furthermore, Andrea Berta and Co appear intent on bringing in more Premier League talent this month, with reports now linking the club to someone who could be a dream teammate for Eze.

Arsenal target Premier League stars

While Arsenal are more than happy to shop abroad, the club are also no stranger to picking up players from closer to home, and so far this summer, they have been linked with several Premier League stars, like Morgan Rogers and Anthony Elanga.

Transfer Focus

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

The former was superb for Aston Villa last season, racking up a tally of 14 goals and 15 assists in 54 games, but such a great campaign has seen his price tag soar, and reports have suggested he could cost the Gunners as much as £70m.

Likewise, Elanga once again proved his worth for Nottingham Forest in 24/25, racking up 18 goal involvements in 43 games, which in turn has seen his potential price tag reach £60m.

However, there is another, slightly cheaper, but still exciting Premier League attacker who is reportedly in the Gunners’ sights this summer: Noni Madueke.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, which reaffirms that Arsenal are very much interested in the Chelsea star.

The report goes a step further, though, claiming that the North Londoners are now in talks with the dynamic winger, having submitted their contract offer to the player, who is valued at close to £50m, according to other reports. What makes this move doubly interesting is that the player actually spent time in the Spurs academy as a youngster.

It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Madueke’s ability and potential, it might be one worth fighting for, especially as he could be a perfect teammate for Eze.

Why Eze would love Madueke

So, it might be somewhat simplistic, but one of the reasons Eze might love to play with Madueke is down to his output, as that’s what’s going to help the Palace star’s own goal and assist numbers.

For example, despite not always being one of the first names on the teamsheet at Chelsea last season, the exciting winger was still able to amass a decent haul of 11 goals and five assists in 2589 minutes of football, spread across 44 appearances.

That means the 23-year-old averaged a goal or assist every 161.81 minutes for the Blues, which isn’t too bad at all, and substantially better than Gabriel Martinelli’s average of a goal involvement every 222.75 minutes and even better than Leandro Trossard’s average of one every 172.75 minutes.

On top of being a fairly reliable scorer and provider of goals, the “unbelievable” forward, as dubbed by former manager Mauricio Pochettino, has also got some brilliant underlying numbers to his name, including some that would be music to Eze’s ears.

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and carries into the penalty area, the top 4% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and many more, all per 90. With those qualities in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that some within the game have said that he’s “very similar to Saka.”

Progressive Carries

6.82

Top 1%

Carries into Penalty Area

4.12

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.04

Top 4%

Touches (Att Pen)

8.15

Top 4%

Non-Penalty xG

0.43

Top 6%

Shots Total

3.54

Top 7%

Progressive Carrying Distance

154.28

Top 7%

Shots on Target

1.33

Top 8%

Now, those three statistics could be particularly important for the Eagles ace, as they suggest the Chelsea man is truly elite at getting the ball into seriously dangerous areas, which in turn could result in better and more chances for his teammates.

Ultimately, from his output to what’s going on under the hood, Madueke looks like someone who could explode in the right environment, and therefore, we reckon he’d be an incredible teammate for Eze at Arsenal.

He's more exciting than Eze: Arsenal close in on signing £69m "monster"

The goalscorer would be a bigger game-changer for Arsenal than Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 2, 2025

Despite finishing as low as 15th in the Premier League last season and missing out on every European competition, Manchester United’s exciting summer transfer window could be set to continue amid reports that one target has made a shock U-turn.

Mbeumo set to undergo Man Utd medical

After submitting an offer in excess of £60m, Manchester United have taken a vital step closer to signing Mbeumo, who is now reportedly scheduled to undergo a medical at the club as early as next week. The Brentford forward, like Cunha, is a transformative signing for Ruben Amorim’s frontline which was often found wanting last season.

Ahead of the biggest move of his career yet, Mbeumo has already received the backing of Manchester United legend Gary Neville, who spoke about the impact that both he and Cunha could make at Old Trafford.

He told Sky Sports: “[Man United] need players who are going to come in and hit the ground running. United has become a very difficult place for new signings to operate in the last ten years.

“Cunha and Mbeumo have obviously got Premier League experience. They’ve got plenty of games under their belt. [English football] is not new to them and actually they are the right type.

INEOS exploring blockbuster £85m deal to sign Mbappe-level star for Man Utd

He’d be a bigger signing than Mbeumo.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

“When I watch Manchester United wide players, they have to be able to get from box-to-box quickly. They have to be able to run, to travel with and without the ball. Mbeumo and, to be fair Cunha, can do that.”

Whilst the new attacking duo is no doubt impressive, INEOS may not be done there with incomings amid reports that one of their top targets has made a shock transfer U-turn.

Gyokeres now wants Man Utd move instead of Arsenal

In what could prove to be an almighty mistake, Arsenal’s increasing interest for Benjamin Sesko has re-opened the door for INEOS to make their best move yet at Old Trafford.

The Gunners have been chasing both strikers for weeks, laying groundwork and weighing their options, but according to The Mirror, INEOS and Manchester United are in contact to sign Viktor Gyokeres and the Swede now believes that a move to the Red Devils is his best option this summer.

The Swede’s departure from Sporting has become somewhat inevitable after his public spat with the Portuguese club and United should take full advantage of the forward’s desire to reunite with former boss Amorim.

The disagreement came to the fore when Sporting president Frederico Varandas accused Gyokeres’ agent of falsely claiming that there had been a gentleman’s agreement to sell the star striker for around £59m this summer. Instead, the Portuguese club have reportedly priced the Swede at as much as £86m – a price that his camp believe is too high to ensure a move in the coming months.

In today’s market though, Sporting may argue that a player who scored 54 goals in 52 games last season is worth every penny of that £86m fee. Whether Manchester United share that sentiment and sign a player who Sporting boss Rui Borges dubbed “phenomenal” remains to be seen, however.

Celtic are chipping away in their mission to land new signings and could turn their attention to the Premier League in their bid to strengthen the ranks.

Celtic close in on several summer deals

Kieran Tierney has already returned to Parkhead after leaving Arsenal on a free transfer, signalling the first domino of Celtic’s window falling ahead of what is expected to be a busy period for Brendan Rodgers.

Swiftly moving on to new targets, the Bhoys are working on a deal to sign Albirex Niigita defender Hayato Inamura in what would be a return to the Asian market after success stories such as Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, and Kyogo Furuhashi.

Nordsjaelland winger Benjamin Nygren is expected to sign for Celtic as the club close in on a £2 million capture for the Swedish international, albeit he isn’t expected to be the sole answer in the forward areas.

Despite rumours linking Daizen Maeda with a move away from Glasgow’s east end, the Japan international appears to have put any notion of an exit to bed after his exceptional 33-goal campaign last term.

He stated: “I really enjoyed playing in the Champions League this season because there were so many games and it gave us a lot of different challenges.

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“I think the new format has been great and I am excited to try it again this upcoming season. It helped me improve.”

Looking to build on another excellent campaign, Rodgers could now move to strengthen his midfield with a familiar face who shot to prominence in the Premier League last season, per recent developments.

Celtic set to step up move for Andy Irving

According to Football Insider, Celtic are set to step up their efforts to land West Ham United midfielder Andy Irving following his maiden cap for Scotland against Liechtenstein.

After keeping tabs on his situation, the former Hearts man is said to be open to a move to Glasgow and will be allowed to leave the London Stadium amid his bit-part role under Graham Potter.

Andy Irving’s Premier League statistics in 2024/25 (Fotmob)

Pass accuracy

90%

Long ball accuracy

87.5%

Duels won

10

Recoveries

10

Cross accuracy

50%

Labelled someone with “great passing ability” by Robbie Neilson, Irving made 11 appearances across all competitions for the Hammers last season, though could now be on the move despite his capacity to operate in a deeper-lying role or as a number eight.

Celtic have long been on the lookout for a competitor for Callum McGregor, and the West Ham man could also help to satisfy homegrown quota legislation if they end up in the Champions League or Europa League league phase.

While it remains to be seen how much he would cost, landing a Scotland international on a relatively cheap deal would be smart business as the Bhoys look to continue their domestic dominance.