All posts by z3u9t.icu

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

Aston Villa kicked off their Premier League season with a draw at home against Newcastle United.

Villa looked in trouble at half-time as they hadn’t had a single shot, whereas Newcastle had eight shots that were valued at 1.1 xG.

However, the second half was a better performance, and post-match Unai Emery praised his team’s efforts: “We didn’t concede a lot in the second half and created chances, but the red card completely changed the match. We have to feel happy and proud of our work. This is the level we are playing against, which is the highest in the Premier League and Europa League. Today was a very good test, and, in the end, it was a good result.”

In the second half, although Villa had less possession, they did more with it as they registered three shots on target. Newcastle again had eight shots, but they were of significantly lower quality as they only valued 0.33 xG.

With game one down and their attention back on the transfer market, Villa have agreed to move on a player who was excluded from yesterday’s squad due to ongoing transfer negotiations.

Bailey allowed to travel for medical ahead of Aston Villa exit

Leon Bailey has been granted permission to travel to Rome for a medical ahead of his loan move to Roma. The winger was not in Villa’s match-day one squad due to the negotiations, with looking to move Bailey on all summer since “Emery has not been happy with his progress since he signed his new deal in 2024” and has wanted him gone.

Sports Witness have cited reports that Aston Villa’s Director of Football, Monchi, has now agreed a deal with Roma for Bailey to join on loan with an option to buy. There was no indication as to how much of Bailey’s £6.24 million-a-year contract will be covered by Roma.

A deal is well and truly on the cards, pending a medical, between Roma and Aston Villa, with Bailey set to travel on Monday.

Where things went wrong for Bailey at Villa

When Bailey arrived at Villa, he was seen as a player with a lot of promise as he was coming off the back of a 25-goal involvement season at Bayer Leverkusen.

Midway through his stellar 23/24 season, Bailey was awarded a new contract that kept him at Villa until 2027, with the club having the option to extend by another year. During that season Bailey registered 27 goal involvements across all competitions, which made it for most prolific season in his career.

However, his form took a sharp turn downwards in the 2024/25 season when he only managed six goal involvements in all competitions. This has led to Emery being unhappy with his progress and wanting to move him on.

While it looks like the loan will only have an option to buy, and there is always the possibility that Bailey returns to Birmingham next summer, it might be best for all involved if this move is made permanent and Bailey gets a chance to rediscover his best form in a new environment.

Leeds United are active in the market and have now held a meeting to sign a talented playmaker who they have been heavily linked with this window, per recent developments.

Daniel Farke set to make key Leeds United transfer decisions

While the window rumbles on, Daniel Farke has plenty of decisions to make at the Elland Road helm, including who to keep and who to sell from his existing squad.

Addressing the future of one star under the microscope, Farke has confirmed Jack Harrison could be a part of Leeds United’s plans this season if he is able to win back the trust of supporters after spending two years on loan at Everton.

He stated: “Jack has many Premier League appearances and we would be stupid if we didn’t want to use that. It is a bit tricky if you have a couple of years away but that was a decision before my time.

“Right now he is back with us. He is a great guy, a hard worker and very reliable. It is up to him to win the confidence and trust back.”

Nevertheless, Leeds United are expected to turn to the market for more reinforcements, and Leicester City’s James Justin could move to Elland Road as he enters the last year of his deal at the Foxes.

Terms agreed: "Dominant" £17m star says yes to signing for Leeds United

Leeds United appear to be closing in on their first signing of the summer window.

ByDan Emery Jun 15, 2025

Artem Dovbyk and Rodrigo Muniz are targets to strengthen Leeds’ forward line, albeit it remains to be seen whether Roma and Fulham, respectively, would be willing to let either leave for Yorkshire.

Focusing on the foil behind the strikeforce, Farke and the 49ers may now be closing in on a landmark deal for a statement addition, per reports.

Leeds hold meeting with camp of Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss

According to Sacha Tavolieri on X, Leeds have held a meeting with Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss’s camp, Stirr Associates, and they have indicated that they would be willing to pay the Morocco international’s £24.5 million release clause.

His agency also represent new Whites signing Sebastiaan Bornauw, which could open the door to a deal being done following their previous successful negotiations with one of their clients.

Labelled a “sensational prospect” by Ben Mattinson, El Khannouss registered three goals and six assists in 37 appearances last campaign as Leicester suffered relegation.

Crystal Palace are also interested in his services, though Tavolieri has confirmed that Oliver Glasner would need to sell Eberechi Eze before a transfer could become viable for the South London-based outfit.

Taking note, Leeds now appear to be in the box seat to bring El Khannouss to Elland Road, providing they can navigate all moving parts of an evolving situation.

It’s only a month away now until Premier League action finally returns to the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland fans have been waiting for this moment to arrive all summer, and with the amount of whirlwind business that has taken place off the pitch this off-season, with high-profile additions galore, it must be hard for the Black Cats faithful not to feel excited at the moment, yet impatient in equal measure.

The latest jaw-dropping arrival was Simon Adingra from Brighton and Hove Albion, with the Premier League-ready attacker joining up with Regis Le Bris’ camp for £18m.

More cash will surely be splashed between now and the opening match of the campaign versus West Ham United, as Le Bris and Co. begin to hunt down some new defensive bodies to strengthen even more.

Sunderland firming up interest in £24m star

In particular, the Black Cats will be looking to add some reinforcements in the heart of defence based on recurring rumours.

Transfer Focus

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

The likes of Duje Caleta-Car, Joe Gomez, and Charlie Cresswell have all been tipped to join the Stadium of Light ranks this summer in this department, with reports even going as far as to suggest that Cresswell could be purchased for around the £18m mark.

However, there is a fresh target has now emerged in this area of the pitch in the form of Bologna titan Jhon Lucumi, with Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio suggesting that the newly promoted side is showing an interest in the imposing Colombian.

That has been followed up by a report from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, with the respected insider revealing that the Black Cats are ready to make an official bid, having been in contact over the last 24 hours or so.

With a reported release clause coming into play at around the £24m region, it will be intriguing to see what Sunderland are willing to fork out to snap up the 6-foot-2 defender shortly, with Lucumi arguably an even bigger talent than the up-and-coming Cresswell.

Why Lucumi is an even bigger talent than Cresswell

Whilst the former Leeds United man is the talk of the town at the moment after a breakout Toulouse campaign and an imperious Euros tournament, he is still a relatively inexperienced figure in the grand scheme of things.

Indeed, when adding up the 22-year-old’s career appearances to date, 39 of his 101 overall clashes have come about in the U21 ranks at Elland Road, with just one meaningful senior season under his belt in a top division in Ligue 1, which came about just last campaign.

Games played

32

31

Goals scored

0

3

Assists

1

1

Touches*

73.2

63.3

Accurate passes*

57.9 (92%)

41.2 (83%)

Ball recoveries*

5.5

3.3

Total duels won*

3.9

4.9

Clean sheets

10

9

On the flip side, the Bologna number 26 has been a mainstay in Serie A for some time now – with a high 94 Italian top-flight contests next to his name – and as can be seen glancing at the table above, his powers haven’t waned whatsoever as a dominant and assured presence in the backline of Vincenzo Italiano’s side.

If anything, he actually managed to trump Cresswell in many different areas of their respective defensive games last season, with Lucumi having been noted for his “ice-cold composure” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Indeed, he averaged more accurate passes per league clash than the Preston-born centre-back, on top of tirelessly registering more ball recoveries as an energetic body at the back.

Further hailed as being “ridiculously impressive” by Mattinson, it does feel as if Lucumi would be better placed to go in and make an impact on the Sunderland side immediately than Cresswell, considering he also excelled in the Champions League last campaign when battling against the likes of Aston Villa with 4.6 total duels won on average in Europe’s elite competition.

Cresswell will undoubtedly find himself back in the English game at some stage, having been rashly discarded by Leeds.

But, in the here and now, Sunderland should attempt to push the boat out more to land the Colombian, as more and more cash is thrown around to help boost the Black Cats’ survival chances.

Better than Diarra: Sunderland racing PL clubs to sign £9m "genius"

Sunderland are now in the race to pick up this brilliant £9m gem.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 14, 2025

Birmingham City will be looking to join an exclusive club next season in attempting to seal the dramatic feat of back-to-back promotions.

Ipswich Town were the last triumphant outfit to manage back-to-back promotions from League One all the way up to the promised land of the Premier League, whilst the likes of Southampton, Norwich City, Manchester City, and Watford have all also achieved the same unthinkable goal, with Birmingham wanting to add their name to this unique list shortly.

The Blues’ whirlwind summer transfer activity to date will have done them no harm in trying to pull off such an inconceivable accomplishment, with the standout capture of Kyogo Furuhashi for £10m one deal that certainly demonstrates the Blues’ hunger to try and become Premier League-bound.

Kyogo's statement arrival to St. Andrew's

It has even been reported now that the ex-Celtic attacker turned down opportunities to go to higher-up sides to hop on board the enthralling St. Andrew’s rollercoaster.

He clearly believes in the project, and he will surely want to be remembered as the goalscoring hero that managed to push the Blues up to the Premier League very soon, having already garnered a reputation for being a deadly goal machine when bagging a mammoth 85 strikes on the books of the Hoops.

The buzz surrounding this Kyogo deal is very reminiscent of Jay Stansfield’s arrival on the scene last summer for an equally hefty fee of £15m with the former Fulham man dropping all the way down to League One – even as he knew full well he was held in high regard at Craven Cottage – to then becoming the decisive star that fired home a promotion-sealing 19 strikes.

Kyogo is on the same pedestal as Stansfield, therefore, in potentially going down as a season-altering purchase, but there is another transfer target on the Blues’ radar that might be seen as an even more daring coup than the much-talked-about attacking duo if a move is pulled off shortly.

The £14m star who'd be a bigger coup than Kyogo & Stansfield

Whilst both Kyogo and Stansfield have stunned supporters across their collective careers with their ice-cold ability to finish off chances under pressure, neither has been a success story at the very pinnacle of English football, with the first of those two names never actually competing in the Premier League.

Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-chan has that on his side, fortunately, as Birmingham now attempt to land the South Korean forward for around the £14m mark, according to reports.

Before he saw his minutes at Molineux deplete under the fresh Wolves reign of Vitor Pereira, Hwang was seen as one of the more reliable attackers in the Old Gold squad, with his tally in the Premier League for the 2023/24 season coming in at a sturdy 12 goals.

Amazingly, that was the exact same amount Matheus Cunha managed that campaign in league action, before his form exploded into life even more to attract Manchester United’s interest.

RB Salzburg

126

45

29

Wolves

119

24

8

FC Liefering

31

13

8

RB Leipzig

28

3

4

Hamburg

21

2

2

Whilst Hwang might well have hoped for a similar earth-shuddering move down the line himself, it’s more a sign of Birmingham’s ambition than it is an indicator of the South Korean settling for an underwhelming switch down a division, with a further 74 goals and assists coming his way in the Austrian top-flight across his well-travelled career to date.

This blistering spell for Salzburg even saw Erling Haaland, who led the line with Hwang in the Austrian Bundesliga, label the 29-year-old as “absolutely crazy” in the way he operates as a captivating forward presence.

Unfortunately for Kyogo, he has also suffered from some barren patches of form in front of goal away from his celebrated Celtic spell, with zero strikes coming his way during a brief Rennes stint.

Moreover, Stansfield only ever tasted the luxuries of the Premier League on occasion with Fulham, with Hwang more than ready to take the Championship by storm as a coup purchase, before then potentially settling back into the challenging division with confidence if the Blues have made their top-flight dreams come true.

Birmingham and Wagner keen to sign "great" 26 y/o and soon-to-be free agent

The Blues mean business.

2 ByTom Cunningham Jul 11, 2025

Everton have enjoyed plenty of success when it comes to signing players from the EFL since 2004.

Tim Cahill was the first real star to move from the Championship to Everton that summer, before the likes of Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Dwight McNeil have followed throughout the years.

It is a place where talented players can be signed for a reduced fee, especially if a club has just suffered relegation.

The transfer window is already weeks old and only Carlos Alcaraz has signed permanently. The Toffees faithful will be hoping David Moyes can change this sooner rather than later by welcoming in another player from the EFL.

Everton eyeing Championship starlet

A move for Villarreal striker Thierno Barry looks close to being sealed and this could act as a catalyst for more incomings.

Barry looks set to cost around £34.5m, but there is no doubt that he is exactly the type of signing Everton needs.

Now, according to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, a move for Ipswich Town starlet Omari Hutchinson could be next.

The journalist stated the player would love the chance to return to the Premier League, with the publication specifically name-checking the Toffees as one possible destination.

The Englishman has a release clause in his contract worth £35m and this is surely an enticing proposition for Moyes.

Considering the club’s success at poaching talented players from the Championship in recent years, this is a move the Toffees should be all over in the coming weeks.

With Iliman Ndiaye on one wing and Hutchinson in the middle, Everton could provide Barry with plenty of opportunities next term.

Why Omari Hutchinson could be Ndiaye 2.0 at Everton

Ndiaye was particularly impressive for the Toffees last term. Following his summer arrival from Marseille, the Senegal international scored 11 goals, including nine in the Premier League.

These efforts played a huge part in the club preserving their top-flight status, and he will be key for Moyes next season.

Hutchinson, who was hailed as “dazzling” by Statman Dave in 2024, is cut from a similar cloth and despite not being able to get on the ball as much during Ipswich dismal Premier League campaign, he did shine for England at the U21 European Championships this summer.

Goals

1

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.8

Big chances created

3

Successful dribbles per game

2

Shots per game

1.5

He scored in the final against Germany, which saw his country defend their title, and a move back to the Premier League now seems inevitable.

Interestingly enough, Hutchinson could perhaps become Ndiaye 2.0, as the Senegal star is his fourth-most comparable player according to FBref.

Last season, the pair registered similar statistics across a range of metrics, including shots (1.57 vs 1.3), shot-creating actions (2.82 vs 2.41) per 90 minutes, successful take-ons (51 vs 68), touches in the attacking penalty area (92 vs 83) and carries into the penalty area (37 vs 32), suggesting the pair offer plenty in the final third.

Ndiaye settled in nicely at the club last term, eventually ending it as their top scorer across all competitions.

Should Hutchinson swap East Anglia for Merseyside, there is every chance he could sparkle under the tutelage of Moyes next term.

It could turn into an excellent signing. That much is certain.

Everton now ready to pay £5m+ to sign new star with same agent as McNeil

The Toffees are ready to take advantage…

1 BySean Markus Clifford Jul 7, 2025

We are only in June, but Chelsea are wasting no time at all when it comes to the transfer window.

For example, even though the likes of Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo are already through the doors at Stamford Bridge, the Conference League Champions are still looking to make more significant additions.

That said, with the Champions League and more expectations in the Premier League to come next season, it’s not hard to understand why the West Londoners want to make sure Enzo Maresca has everything he needs.

One of the names most heavily touted for a move to Chelsea is Jamie Gittens, but interestingly, another international has now been linked with the club, someone who’d arguably be an even better signing.

Chelsea target Premier League star

Since wrapping up their prior transfer dealings, the most significant saga Chelsea have been in has been about Gittens.

Transfer Focus

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

Interestingly, the club were first linked with him back in October and then again during the winter window, but it would be fair to say that the links have seriously heated up in the last few weeks.

In fact, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed yesterday afternoon that the deal was close to being completed, while stories from late last week claimed that a fee of around £55m would be enough for Borussia Dortmund to sell.

However, while the young Englishman is undoubtedly very talented and will be an incredibly exciting addition to the squad, it now looks like the club are moving after someone from the Premier League who’d be an even better signing.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which has revealed that Chelsea are very interested in Nottingham Forest’s Murillo.

The report goes a step further, revealing that the Blues have already made contact with the Tricky Trees to find out more information about the player.

Unfortunately, one potential sticking point for a deal for the Brazilian is that Forest reportedly value him at more than €80m, which comes out to around £68m.

While that is an enormous amount of money, this might be a deal worth fighting for as Murillo has proven himself in the Premier League and could end up being a better signing than Gittens for Chelsea.

Why Murillo would be a better signing than Gittens for Chelsea

Now, the first thing to say is that both players would be good additions to Chelsea’s squad.

After all, it’s never a bad thing to sign an exciting and dynamic young winger, who’d not only scored at the Bernabeu but also managed to rack up a tally of 17 goal involvements in 49 games for a top European side at just 20 years old.

However, in the context of what the Blues actually need this summer, there are two significant reasons why Murillo would be a better signing than Gittens, the first of which relates to the club’s abundance of wingers in the squad.

As things stand, Maresca will be able to choose from ten players who are capable of playing on the wing next season – not including Mykhaylo Mudryk – so signing the Dortmund star will make it 11, which for any team is unnecessary.

That also leads us to the second reason: due to the number of attacking options at the Bridge, the Forest ace is likely to have a greater impact if he were to join.

After all, only one centre-back made 40 appearances across all competitions this season, Levi Colwill, while Tosin Adarabioyo made 38.

Moreover, when we compare the relevant underlying metrics between the former Fulham ace and the Tricky Trees star, like tackles, block interceptions and more, it becomes obvious that the “monstrous” Brazilian, as dubbed by journalist Ryan Taylor, would be a noticeable upgrade.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.07

0.07

Progressive Passes

3.25

2.68

Progressive Carries

0.62

0.32

Passing Accuracy

78.5%

91.1%

Key Passes

0.37

0.06

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.37

0.06

Shot-Creating Actions

1.24

0.96

Tackles

1.50

1.08

Blocks

1.95

0.57

Interceptions

1.02

0.70

Clearances

7.03

5.10

Ball Recoveries

4.01

2.61

Ultimately, Chelsea would be smart to sign both Gittens and Murillo this summer, but when it comes to who will likely have more of an impact next year and, therefore, be the better signing, we’d have to lean heavily towards the latter.

Chelsea ready to offer £80k-p/w ace in exchange for "amazing" 17 G/A star

The Blues could have a transfer trick up their sleeve.

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 24, 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.

Still reeling from their failure to qualify for the Champions League, Aston Villa have instantly set their sights on summer upgrades which could reportedly include a defender who has won it all in English football.

Aston Villa may still face PSR consequences

It’s fair to say that Aston Villa went all in on Champions League qualification, knowing that failure would have its consequences – that failure simply couldn’t be an option. So, the reaction when Manchester United sealed a shock victory on the final day after Morgan Rogers’ goal had controversially been disallowed was always going to be strong.

Villa slammed the decision, which they feel cost them their Champions League place, citing that a more experienced referee should have been in charge of such an important game, rather than 35-year-old Thomas Bramall.

Whether the blame truly lies with Bramall or Villa, themselves, for missing out on a place in the top five is not the question those in the Midlands should be answering, however. Instead, they should turn their focus towards how they’re going to navigate their way past increasing profit and sustainability concerns.

Already, the likes of Emiliano Martinez have been linked with moves away from Villa Park in a shock exit which is becoming more and more of a possibility. The Argentine is undoubtedly one of Unai Emery’s key men, but could be shown the door as they look to balance their books this summer.

Perhaps in a defiant attempt to welcome upgrades even in the face of PSR concerns, Aston Villa could still welcome fresh faces in the coming months. The likes of Lucas Chevalier is one name on their reported shortlist to replace Martinez, whilst those in the Midlands have also seemingly set their sights on signing a Premier League champion at a bargain price this summer.

Aston Villa informed about Joe Gomez deal

According to Empire of The Kop, Aston Villa have now been informed about Joe Gomez’s situation at Liverpool and are one of eight Premier League clubs currently keeping an eye on the defender who will be allowed to leave Anfield this summer.

The veteran centre-back, who can also play as a left and right-back, will reportedly cost any potential suitor just €30m (£25m) in the coming months in what is a bargain deal for such an experienced player. After becoming a two-time Premier League winner in recent months too, Gomez himself is reportedly open to an Anfield exit in pursuit of a starting place elsewhere.

He's Grealish 2.0: Aston Villa keen on £55m star who has the "X Factor"

Aston Villa are looking to upgrade their attacking options this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 3, 2025

Whilst the 28-year-old has endured his fair share of injury problems, there’s a reason why he’s Liverpool’s longest-serving first-team player and Arne Slot recognised his quality earlier in the season, telling reporters: “Joe is patient in a good way, he always makes sure he is ready whenever the club or his teammates need him, and that is special when it comes to his mentality because not many players can do this for so many years that he has done this.”

If Aston Villa want to get back into the Champions League next season, then to say they could do a lot worse than signing a defender who’s won the competition would be a major understatement.