All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle United are reportedly now ‘keen’ on signing Darwin Nunez in the summer.

The Lowdown: Standout season

Nunez has had a standout season at Benfica, scoring no fewer than 34 goals and making a further four assists in just 41 games in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-6/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He was described as an ‘absolute beast‘ by Liverpool podcaster Hari Sethi after an impressive performance in the UEFA Champions League against the finalists, showing that he is more than capable of making the step up to the Premier League.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘keen’

Taking to Twitter, journalist Jacque Talbot, who regularly breaks transfer news and updates, has revealed that the St. James’ Park outfit are just one of a number of clubs in the top flight who are ‘keen’ on signing Nunez.

“Darwin Nunez will be going to the Premier League, with Eugenio Lopez as his agent, the rep who brokered the deal of Di Maria and Man United. Newcastle keen. Liverpool and Spurs among it.”

The Verdict: Get it done

If the Magpies can put the right offer on the table, then there may not come a better opportunity than to sign a player who promises to be one of the best strikers in Europe over the next few years – Jorge Jesus says he will become ‘world class’.

Indeed, Nunez is only 22 years of age, and so has the potential to reach the very top.

The Magpies looks set to face some stiff competition from teams that can offer him Champions League football, and so the Toon must act as soon as possible if they are going to get this deal done.

In other news, find out who PIF are now ‘ready’ to sign this summer here!

Liverpool have had a wonderful season so far, winning both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup via nerve-shredding penalty shootouts.

Also, they could yet snatch the Premier League title away from Manchester City this weekend. Add into that another Champions League final appearance on Saturday week and it seems that Jurgen Klopp can do no wrong.

This amazing run suggests that the squad doesn’t need improving, but the German may well want to plan for the future, and his incredible success in the transfer market over the last few seasons could well be replicated this summer.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

Among the mooted summer targets at Anfield is Ajax winger Antony, with the Dutch side reportedly demanding £50m for his services. This week, it was reported by Brazilian outlet UOL that Liverpool have made a concrete approach to the Amsterdam club for the 22-year-old.

If the Reds can get their man, who is also wanted by Manchester United, it could well be another Klopp masterclass.

Antony could be Liverpool’s Neymar

Antony could be Liverpool’s very own Neymar, with the two being markedly similar in playing style and statistics (via FBRef).

Compared to his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues this season, Antony’s figures are fantastic. The Ajax gem features in the 99th percentile for both assists (0.78) and total shots (4.08) per 90 minutes.

The winger has also shown just how much of an attacking threat he can be, with 6.59 touches in the opposition box per match, ranking him in the 92nd percentile.

Neymar ranks in the 86th percentile for assists and the 77th for shots per 90, so there is certainly a comparison there to be made with Antony, who could develop brilliantly under a manager like Klopp. Just look at the improvements already in players such as Luis Diaz, who has taken his game to new levels since making the move to Liverpool, and the 22-year-old Brazilian could well follow suit.

Dutch scout Piet de Visser labelled the winger “wonderful” when Ajax signed him a couple of years ago, and with 12 goals and ten assists this season, Antony’s maturity and output would certainly please the Anfield faithful.

Liverpool face a battle over his signature, with United also keen on Antony and his former boss Erik ten Hag now in charge of the Red Devils, so it could be a considerable task for the Merseysiders to persuade the winger to choose Anfield over Old Trafford.

AND in other news, Klopp eyeing £150m “wonderkid” who “suits Liverpool’s style”, it may be bye-bye Salah

After witnessing Simone Zaza’s infamous – and frankly spectacular – penalty miss at Euro 2016, clubs would have been forgiven for halting any interest in the striker, such was the shambolic nature of the Italian’s stuttering run-up and blazed effort in a game of such magnitude.

No strangers to making bold – and often bizarre – deals in the transfer market, though, West Ham United were unperturbed by that spot-kick horror show, eventually signing the player from Juventus on a season-long loan deal later that summer.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing in football, with GSB likely wishing they had heeded the warning signs, as the journeyman forward went on to distinctly underwhelm in a Hammers shirt.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-this-weeks-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more” title= “Read the latest West Ham news!”]

One of many notable names to have failed to make the grade for the east London outfit over the last decade or so, Zaza’s time in English football is only noteworthy for just how brief it was and how little impact he made.

Having been signed for a reported £5m loan fee by then-Irons manager Slaven Bilic, the Policoro native went on to feature just 11 times for the club in all competitions, spending a mere 571 minutes on the pitch and failing to register a single goal.

In the end, all that came of his Premier League stint was two yellow cards, with those bookings costing the club £2.5m apiece in relation to his loan fee.

Such was the dire nature of Zaza’s time in east London, Bilic and co eventually severed ties with the player just a matter of months into his loan spell in order to avoid having to pay an appearance-related £20m purchase option, as the striker secured a January move to La Liga side Valencia.

Upon his departure, the Italian’s father insisted that it had been a “huge mistake” to make the move to the London Stadium, with the club and their supporters seemingly thinking the same.

Since then, the 30-year-old has somewhat faded from view, eventually making his return to Italy after an 18-month stint in Spain, with the 18-cap international now plying his trade for Serie A outfit Torino.

He has scored just 20 goals in 102 games across all competitions for his current club, notably failing to find the net in ten league appearances so far this term, all of which have come as a substitute.

Such has been Zaza’s decline since his stint in the Premier League, he is now valued at just £1.8m by Transfermarkt, despite having reached a peak of £22.8m back in January 2018 after a brief purple patch at the Mestalla.

As for West Ham, the only saving grace is that they hadn’t agreed to a permanent deal in the first place, with Simone Zaza now just another name on their list of failed centre-forward additions.

In other news, West Ham eyeing swoop for “aggressive” £45m-rated warrior, just imagine him and Rice

Liverpool look set to lose defender Joe Gomez as Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard wants to boost his squad ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

That’s according to The Mirror, who have revealed that the 24-year-old is a transfer target for Villa as their Liverpudlian manager plans a major overhaul of his defence.

Villa were linked with a loan move for the England defender in the January transfer window although nothing materialised, but Gerrard is aiming to get his man in the summer.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

With Gomez’s market value currently set at £19.8m and his contract not expiring until 2024, the Midlands club might need to lash out a significant sum to sign him.

Jurgen Klopp could face Liverpool disaster over Gomez

Klopp has led Liverpool to the brink of one of the finest club seasons there has ever been, with a chance to win an unprecedented quadruple.

His excellent use of the transfer market and ability to rotate the squad effectively has worked wonders in their chase for glory.

Gomez has only made 20 appearances for the Reds in all competitions as he has slipped down to fourth choice centre back, with Joel Matip and new signing Ibrahima Konate above him in the pecking order to partner Virgil van Dijk.

The ex-Charlton man has provided adequate cover at right-back for Trent Alexander-Arnold this season, and this is where the bulk of his appearances have been made. The £85k-p/w defender is still only 24 and arguably yet to hit his peak.

Klopp is a big fan of the Englishman and has described him as a “sensational player”, while the club would need to spend big in order to replace him, so it makes sense for him to continue his development at Anfield.

Compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Gomez sits in the 99th percentile for aerial duels won (4.37 per 90 minutes) and the 94th percentile for interceptions (2.69), proving that whenever he plays, he is an important figure at the back for Liverpool.

Kopites would be livid if the 24-year-old were allowed to leave, and it may very well take a significant bid from Villa for Klopp to even consider it.

AND in other news: “I’m told” – James Pearce drops major Liverpool claim that’ll leave supporters buzzing

Dan Kilpatrick has dropped an update on the reported Tottenham Hotspur interest in Youri Tielemans.

What’s the word?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Evening Standard journalist confirmed that, following reports of Arsenal’s interest in signing the Leicester City midfielder this summer, Antonio Conte’s side are also monitoring the situation of the 25-year-old ahead of a potential swoop at the end of the current campaign.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]

After quote-tweeting Simon Collings stating Arsenal’s interest in a move for the Belgium international, Kilpatrick added: “Also being monitored by Spurs.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering how impressive Tielemans has been for Leicester following his £40m move to the King Power back in 2019, the confirmation that Fabio Paratici is plotting a move for the playmaker this summer is sure to have left the Tottenham Hotspur faithful buzzing.

Indeed, despite the Foxes’ struggles in the league this season, the £49.5m-rated talent has been one of Brendan Rodgers’ few shining lights over his 29 Premier League outings, scoring six goals, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots, making 1.2 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

The £120k-per-week midfielder has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 0.7 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 43.3 passes and winning 4.7 duels per fixture.

These returns have seen the 49-time capped international average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Leicester’s second-best performer in the English top flight.

As such, with it being reported that a new central midfielder is one of Conte’s priorities in the summer transfer window, when taking into account Tielemans’ proven Premier League ability coupled with his extremely reasonable £25m asking price, Paratici simply must make a move to beat Arsenal to the signing of the Belgian sensation ahead of Spurs’ 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Spurs deal setback as early Arsenal team news emerges, Conte will be fuming

A West Ham United ‘source’ has now shared some major Declan Rice transfer news out of Rush Green in the last 48 hours, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Rice future up in the air?

The England international’s future has been subject to increased speculation in recent weeks since big name journalist Fabrizio Romano shared news of a rejected third contract offer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-newest-updates/” title=”West Ham newest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Rice is apparently open to leaving West Ham this summer, as per some claims, while others believe that the 23-year-old will commit his future for next season at least.

Claret & Hugh say that the Three Lions star will only consider his future from next summer, and as per The Daily Mail, an Irons source has now backed the insider’s information.

The Latest: Daily Mail source shares major update…

Sharing news in the last 48 hours, a West Ham ‘source’ has now told the British newspaper that GSB and co are confident Rice will be with them for the 2022/2023 campaign.

It’s added that he could even stay ‘beyond that’ as the club aim to make him their highest-paid player.

The source explained: “I believe he is staying for at least a year and maybe beyond that. He has been nothing short of decent to the club and the fans.

“There is still a new contract to be negotiated and he will become the highest paid West Ham player.

“The club are comfortable with the way things are proceeding and Declan’s respectful way he is going about things.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Moyes…

This news from a well-placed insider courtesy of The Mail comes as a major boost for manager David Moyes.

Rice’s stock continues to rise, and while it is debatable he could one day depart the London Stadium, Moyes and West Ham will be aiming to keep hold of their star man for as long as possible.

The east Londoners possess an option to extend his deal by a further year in any case but the midfielder’s respect and gratitude for the club is evident by this update.

Indeed, it looks unlikely he will actively force a Premier League move away as things stand.

In other news: GSB set to back Moyes with £21m West Ham bid to sign colossal player, find out more here.

It’s one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle United, who were defeated on the road in the Champions League against Marseille, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the double.

Eddie Howe’s side responded with vim and vigour after the international break to beat Manchester City at St. James’ Park, but this served as a sobering reminder that there is much work to be done away from Tyneside, with the Toon having won only one game away from home all season.

Harvey Barnes’ fine form continued as he swept home from close range only minutes into the affair, but United failed to channel their counter-attacking approach and were ultimately overwhelmed by the French hosts.

It was a frustrating performance, epitomised by the woes of Nick Pope between the sticks.

Why Howe must consider dropping Nick Pope

Pope joined Newcastle from Burnley for about £10m in 2022, and he has since. This season, he has started all 12 of the Magpies’ Premier League fixtures, though he has failed to keep a clean sheet across five successive matches.

There have been tenuous calls to drop the 33-year-old all year, but these are rising in volume and intensity, and the veteran’s mistake in France will only fan those flames, with United losing clarity and conviction in their performance after the gaffe.

Given that Aaron Ramsdale is patiently waiting in the wings, having been signed on loan this summer, there’s justification for dropping Pope going forward, it may be that Howe needs to drop his mainstay between the sticks and start to rewire his defence, as has already started through the likes of Malick Thiaw and full-backs Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento.

Newcastle still have three wins from five in the Champions League this season, and may yet find the form to seal a place in the automatically-qualifying top eight.

But Howe does need to continue to chop and change, and Pope isn’t the only one whose starting berth is at risk.

Newcastle star is now relegated to the bench

At the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Anthony Gordon was awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year. But last year was a testing one for the England international, in contrast with United’s resurgence, and he has fallen further into the mire since the summer.

Against Marseille, Gordon’s woes continued as he proved utterly ineffectual in a makeshift centre-forward role.

Writer Firdie Idris remarked that the decision to field Gordon, a pacy left winger, as a central striker “never works”, and his display against Marseille only corroborated that claim.

In his central berth, Gordon only created one chance and hit the target with only one shot. He didn’t even attempt a dribble and won only one of five duels, as per Sofascore. He also completed just 14 passes as an isolated figure in Howe’s offensive line.

Penning their post-match thoughts, The Shields Gazette could only hand the Three Lions star a 4/10 match rating, criticising him for being on the back foot throughout the contest.

Matches (starts)

7 (7)

5 (5)

Goals

0

4

Assists

0

1

Touches*

35.4

39.2

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.7)

2.2 (1.0)

Accurate passes*

14.7 (80%)

16.4 (77%)

Chances created*

1.0

0.4

Dribbles*

1.4

1.4

Ball recoveries*

2.6

3.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

1.4

Duels (won)*

4.7 (49%)

4.0 (41%)

Truthfully, Gordon has been out of sorts all season. Prolific on the continent, he has yet to kindle any semblance of good form on the domestic front, and this was not a display to imbue within him a kind of confidence that will be needed ahead of Premier League clashes against Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.

Given that Gordon is one of Newcastle’s most profitable players, there’s reasoning behind the call to cash in down the line. Certainly, given the need for further investment over the coming transfer windows, it’s something PIF might consider as Barnes continues to go from strength to strength.

In any case, Gordon needs to raise his level. He is one of the outfit’s most talented players and is horribly underperforming. Like Pope, Howe would be wise to drop him for the forthcoming fixtures and rekindle his will to win.

PIF can fund Anderson move by selling Newcastle star who's a "nightmare"

Newcastle are proving themselves to be a team in transition this season.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2025

Newcastle United’s 2025/26 season has been one of promise blended with frustration.

While their defensive record remains one of the best in the Premier League – six clean sheets already this season – their attacking consistency has faltered.

The Magpies have looked strong at St. James’ Park but sluggish on the road, struggling at times to turn control into goals.

Eddie Howe’s side sit comfortably in mid-table, though many supporters expected more after last year’s Champions League qualification.

Their issues have been familiar ones – injuries to key full-backs Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, which forced Howe to shuffle his backline.

Fortunately, Malick Thiaw’s calm presence alongside Sven Botman has provided stability, while Dan Burn has once again filled in wherever required.

Despite these disruptions, Newcastle remain difficult to beat. They boast the second-lowest expected goals conceded (4.9) in the league, a testament to their structure and discipline.

Yet, as they seek greater attacking fluidity, attention inevitably turns to one man who has been the face of their attacking revival under Howe.

Anthony Gordon's form in numbers

Anthony Gordon has become the symbol of Newcastle’s evolution under Howe – an embodiment of energy, aggression, and belief.

Having joined from Everton in a deal worth £45m, he has since justified every penny, developing into one of the Premier League’s most direct and productive wide forwards.

Last season, Gordon contributed 11 goals and nine assists in all competitions, earning a call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s most recent England squad.

His end product, once questioned, has improved dramatically thanks to Howe’s coaching.

He ranks among the top 10% of Premier League wingers for successful take-ons (2.47 per 90) and progressive carries (5.91 per 90), while averaging 2.2 key passes per game.

Matches Played

34

Goals

6

Assists

5

Progressive Carries

121

Progressive Passes

98

But Gordon’s greatest asset lies in his mentality.

He presses relentlessly, tracks back, and plays with the intensity Newcastle fans demand.

In recent fixtures, his combination play with Nick Woltemade has been central to Newcastle’s attacking threat, often driving transitions from deep and providing the spark when games look flat.

Howe has nurtured Gordon into a well-rounded, two-way player capable of influencing big games.

However, while the 24-year-old’s rise has rightly drawn attention, there’s another name inside the club quietly making waves – and he could be an even greater attacking weapon in years to come.

Newcastle have the next breakout star in waiting

In the shadows of Gordon’s rise, Seung-soo Park has been steadily earning admiration from Newcastle’s coaching staff.

The 18-year-old South Korean winger, who arrived from Ulsan Hyundai for a modest fee, has been said by Asian football expert John Duerden to be “similar to Mbappé” for his acceleration, close control, and composure in one-on-one situations.

Park’s development path mirrors Howe’s philosophy of patient integration.

Having initially trained with the U21s, he’s now a regular in Premier League 2, also impressing in the UEFA Youth League.

His off-ball intelligence – particularly his timing when attacking space behind full-backs – has caught the eye of the first-team analysts.

At just 18, Park’s statistical profile is already elite for his age group.

Last season, he averaged 4.8 successful dribbles per 90, ranked in the 92nd percentile for progressive carries, and completed 83% of his passes in the final third, as per Sofascore, a rare combination of flair and precision.

His ability to maintain tempo while carrying the ball resembles the traits that made Mbappé stand out as a teenager at Monaco – explosiveness matched with control.

Howe’s staff view him as more than just a development project.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

With Newcastle competing on multiple fronts, Park could soon see first-team action, particularly with the ongoing injury crisis.

Much like Howe did with Lewis Miley last season, the manager has a track record of rewarding academy excellence.

If Park continues his current form, it’s only a matter of time before he steps onto the Premier League stage.

His versatility, able to operate on either flank or even as a second striker, gives Howe tactical flexibility – something Newcastle have missed at times this season.

While Gordon remains the headline act in Newcastle’s attack, Park may yet become the more complete forward.

He combines Gordon’s intensity with an even sharper technical ceiling, blending raw pace, control, and end product that hints at world-class potential.

For a club intent on competing with England’s elite, Howe’s faith in youth could once again be the defining factor of their project.

Newcastle's "world-class" star is becoming another Woltemade-type figure

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle are ready to challenge the biggest hitters across the continent this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 16, 2025

Liverpool have lost three games in a row. It’s a marker of how high Anfield has risen over the past decades that this has been met with hysteria across England and dejection across the red halves of Merseyside streets.

By one point Liverpool trail Premier League pace-setters Arsenal, who have already been defeated by Arne Slot’s side this term. Liverpool have broken records with their spending across the summer transfer window, and they won the top-flight title at a canter last year.

But we can’t ignore the tactical imbalances and issues in bedding new players in. Teething problems have lingered far longer than anyone would have anticipated.

Many games have been entertaining, but Liverpool have lost the control and confidence they oozed throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Will Slot rekindle that flame? So many late goals across the past two months, flying both directions, is evidence that improvements are needed.

Defensively and in midfield, Slot’s side have left plenty to be desired. But they are also being let down up top, with the 33-year-old Mohamed Salah’s struggles telling of the need for a new right-sided forward.

Why Liverpool need to sign a Salah heir

Salah has entered his ninth campaign as a Liverpool player, but he has been part of the problem engulfing Slot’s side so far, scoring three goals and supplying three assists across all competitions but drifting through games and lacking even a small measure of his trademark vim and vigour.

Salah has seldom gone through dry spells in front of goal in the Premier League, but his last-minute penalty at Burnley is his only strike since the opening day win over Bournemouth.

Still, he’s one of the greatest forwards in the competition’s history, and the veteran will retain full confidence in his ability to return to form. He practically led Liverpool to the title last year, after all.

Alan Shearer

441

260

Harry Kane

320

213

Wayne Rooney

491

208

Mohamed Salah

308

188

Andy Cole

414

187

It’s painful to consider, but there is also the possibility that Liverpool have extended Salah’s contract by two years so that they can receive a payment from suitors in 2026. There’s a sizeable chance Saudi Arabian outfits will return for the Egyptian King at the end of the season, tempting him with a glinting late-career pay packet.

Should Salah leave, Liverpool will need a high-level replacement, and the English giants appear to have focused their sights on Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.

Well, if Spanish sources are correct, Liverpool have been informed by Bayern Munich that a bid worth €150m (£131m) could be enough to sign the 23-year-old next year. The Anfield side would rather pay closer to €100m (£86m) for Olise’s signature.

Olise was widely regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League when at Selhurst Park, and he has only improved since moving to the Bundesliga.

Though Bayern are looking to bank a pretty penny for the France international’s sale, FSG and Reds sporting director Richard Hughes has shown they are willing to break the bank for the right signing.

What Michael Olise would bring to Liverpool

Olise, crucially, is a proven Premier League star. He left Crystal Palace and signed for Bayern Munich during the summer of 2024 for about £50m, and that looks a real coup for the German giants.

Pundit Micah Richard remarked while Olise was an Eagle that he “is going to be a superstar”. Richards was right. Awe and adoration in south London has been transported and developed over in Germany, with Olise having hit 54 goal involvements from 65 matches with Die Roten, including five goals and six assists from just ten fixtures in 2025/26.

He doesn’t boast the same devastating goalscoring ability as Salah, but Liverpool’s summer investments in Isak and Hugo Ekitike tell of a goalscoring shift back to the centre. In other words, this is the perfect profile to replace the ageing winger at Liverpool, whose underlying metrics are not at the same level as Olise.

Goals scored

0.65

0.39

Assists

0.43

0.50

Shots taken

2.98

3.47

Shot-creating actions

3.85

6.56

Touches (att pen)

8.43

6.32

Pass completion (%)

70.2

80.7

Progressive passes

3.80

7.50

Progressive carries

4.00

5.02

Successful take-ons

1.15

2.48

Ball recoveries

3.00

3.81

Salah has not been at the races this season, but scaling it back across 12 months, the depth of Olise’s top form in Germany is emphasised.

Across all competitions, Liverpool’s star forward scored 34 goals and assisted 23 more, after all.

Olise hasn’t cracked the same clinical heights, but he is “one of the best talents in the world”, in the eyes of Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who helped take the ace’s game to the next level.

With Salah having completed only 13% of his dribbles in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore, averaging a measly 0.9 successful ground duels per match too, there’s been little to write home about, and Slot’s hesitance to deploy Federico Chiesa or Jeremie Frimpong on the right during Liverpool’s big matches makes a telling comment on his thoughts about a big-money signing in the shape of Olise.

Might it be that Liverpool part with their club legend at the end of the season? The news that Hughes is already sounding out a move for an elite talent such as Olise highlights the desire to sign such a player.

And given that he knows the Premier League well, with 36 direct contributions in the competition, the young and ever-improving Olise may well be the perfect addition to ease the fateful day when Salah hangs up his Liverpool boots.

Klopp sold Liverpool star for £9.5m, now he's outperforming Salah & Wirtz

Liverpool must rue selling a star who is outplaying Florian Wirtz and playing like Mo Salah.

ByDan Emery Oct 6, 2025

Rangers finally have new owners, with the 49ers Enterprises completing a takeover, and the search for a new Ibrox manager is also finalised, with Russell Martin landing the permanent job.

Now, attention can turn to the transfer window, with the 49ers and Martin looking to bolster their squad ahead of the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership campaign.

The Gers have lifted just one league title win in 12 years, something Martin will be aiming to change, and to do so, may need to be active in the window.

A deal to sign Lyall Cameron from Dundee was agreed earlier in the year, but who else could join the midfielder in Glasgow?

The dream XI Martin could build at Rangers: Vardy and £15m duo all sign

Now that Rangers have officially appointed Russell Martin as their new manager, we assess the dream lineup the new boss could build at Ibrox.

1 Jun 5, 2025

Well, Grok, the AI tool on X, has predicted four more signings Rangers could make this summer ahead of Martin’s first season at Ibrox.

AI predicts 4 players Rangers will sign this summer 1 Almamy Toure Free agent

Starting off with a cut-price transfer for a versatile defender, Rangers have been linked with a move to sign Almamy Toure when he leaves FC Kaiserslautern this summer.

A Mali international who is primarily a centre-back, Toure could replace Leon Balogun who is leaving Ibrox when his deal runs out and a transfer was thought to be advancing last month.

Toure, who actually played for Eintracht Frankfurt against Rangers in the 2022 Europa League final, can also provide cover at right-back and Grok say that his ‘experience in European leagues aligns with Rangers’ need for reliable depth’.

2 Jamie Vardy Free agent

Another free transfer Rangers have been backed to make by Grok is Jamie Vardy. The experienced forward announced he will leave Leicester City towards the end of the Premier League season and the Scottish giants have been linked with a move.

Leicester City

200

Fleetwood Town

34

Halifax Town

3

England

7

The English striker picked up a whopping £140,000-a-week at the King Power Stadium, but Rangers have been weighing up making an offer for the 38-year-old. However, Grok also adds his ‘age and wage demands could be a hurdle’.

3 Joe Aribo Southampton

A player who both Rangers fans and Martin knows well is Joe Aribo, with Grok feeling the new Gers boss may look to reunite with a former player at Ibrox.

Sold to the Saints for an initial £6m, Grok say Aribo ‘could return for a second stint, bringing versatility and familiarity.’

Since moving to the south coast in 2022, the Nigeria international has gone on to make more than 100 appearances for Southampton but is set to be out of contract in 2026. And, with the Saints suffering relegation, a move back to Rangers may appeal to the versatile central midfielder.

4 Yusuf Kabadayi FC Augsburg

Finally, Rangers have been predicted to sign Yusuf Kabadayi, a player they were in for in 2024. There were claims the Gers were in pole position to sign the 21-year-old forward 12 months ago, however, he ended up moving to FC Augsburg instead.

Kabadayi would make just five Bundesliga appearances in 24/25 due to a serious knee injury, and as he’s under contract until 2028, a move does feel unlikely.

However, Grok say that Kabadayi’s ‘youth and potential fit Martin’s preference for dynamic, developing players’, although it could be putting two and two together from last year’s transfer rumour mill.