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Bayern Munich took a huge step towards wrestling back the Bundesliga title from Bayer Leverkusen as they strolled to a 3-0 win over Mainz.

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Bayern stroll to easy 3-0 victoryGoals from Sane, Olise and DierMove within touching distance of Bundesliga titleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE

Bayern did not have the brightest of starts at the Allianz Arena and were given a huge let off after just five minutes when Jonathan Burkardt failed to hit the target from 10 yards out. However, it was just the wake-up call the Bavarian giants needed and Leroy Sane was at the heart of the home side’s resurgence. A shot from outside the box was saved before the winger guided a flowing passing move into the bottom left corner after 27 minutes.

On the other flank, Michael Olise continued to probe and torment the Mainz full-backs and skipped inside and fired past Robin Zentner at the near post – the hosts' advantage doubled five minutes before the break. Bayern's dominance continued after half-time and Mainz's Danny da Costa escaped a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity after an offside in the build-up. Eventually the Bayern pressure told and they got the third goal their performance deserved. Eric Dier powered home a header from an Olise corner to round off a great, albeit routine, victory for the Bavarian side.

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With today’s victory, Bayern need just two points to win the Bundesliga title. Vincent Kompany’s side would have hoped to have secured the crown this weekend but Leverkusen’s win over Augsburg has kept the champagne on ice for another week.

THE MVP

Michael Olise continues to show why Bayern were so desperate to bring him to Germany from Crystal Palace. The Frenchman was a constant threat and scored after what is becoming a trademark cut inside from the right-wing. He then provided the assist for Dier's goal with an inswinging corner.

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GettyTHE BIG LOSER

Harry Kane may not have had his worst game but, having picked up a yellow card, he will miss next weekend’s potential title clincher against RB Leipzig. The English striker committed a foul and then held onto the ball, preventing Mainz taking a quick free-kick. A foolish and silly moment of madness from Kane who will be absent from the side that could win him his first ever trophy.

Chelsea are now closing in on a £12m deal to sign a “machine” midfielder, with the move now in the final stages, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Blues keen on a midfielder

The Blues are yet to make any additions to their squad on transfer deadline day, having endured an uncharacteristically quiet January transfer window, but they are keen to bring in a new midfielder before 11pm.

One option in defensive midfield is Sporting CP’s Dario Essugo, having held talks over a move for the 19-year-old, who has spent the current campaign on loan at La Liga side Las Palmas.

Essugo is not Enzo Maresca’s only option, however, with Graeme Bailey revealing earlier today that Saint-Étienne’s Mathis Amougou is of interest, and Romano has since provided his own update on the saga.

Taking to X this afternoon, Romano said Chelsea are now “closing in” on a deal to sign Amougou for a fee of around €15m (£12m), with the final details of the move currently being sorted. Romano has since revealed the midfielder has personally given the move the green light, with the Blues now on the verge of getting the deal over the line.

Deadline day Chelsea deal "there to be done" for £70 million forward

Time is running out for Enzo Maresca to sign an attacker.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 3, 2025 Amougou showing promising signs in France

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson recently described the central midfielder as a “ball progression machine”, having emerged as a consistent first-team player for Saint-Étienne this season, despite only turning 19 earlier this month.

The maestro has made a total of 17 appearances in Ligue 1, most recently featuring for the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Auxerre. Mattinson also gave an overview of the teenager’s abilities at the end of last month, saying: “As a forward-thinking midfielder, he’s always looking to receive the ball on the half turn and glide out of pressure up the pitch.

“Amougou likes to play quick give-and-go 1-2’s to get around the press; he’s an associative player. Off the ball he’ll make 3rd man runs and carry the ball over big spaces to eat up ground.”

Chelsea’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

West Ham United (h)

February 3rd

Brighton & Hove Albion (a)

February 14th

Aston Villa (a)

February 22nd

Southampton (h)

February 25th

Leicester City (h)

March 9th

Despite his age, the Ligue 1 ace is said to be “confident” in possession of the ball, while he has also received praise for his maturity, indicating he may not be far off first-team contention at Stamford Bridge.

It is unclear whether the Frenchman will be able to come in and immediately challenge for a starting spot, given the vast array of talent available to Maresca in midfield, but he certainly appears to be an exciting signing for the future.

Having now struck an agreement to sign Amougou, Chelsea will now be fully focussed on getting their push for the Premier League top four back on track when they host West Ham United at 8pm.

Pep Guardiola is now driving a surprise Manchester City move for a “fantastic” midfielder, in light of Rodri’s ACL injury, according to a report.

City suffer Champions League defeat at the Etihad

City’s hopes of winning a second Champions League are hanging by a thread after a 3-2 defeat against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium last night, which leaves them with everything to do in the second leg at the Bernabeu.

It is yet another setback for the Sky Blues, in what has been a very disappointing season, with their form going off a cliff after Rodri suffered what is likely to be a season-ending ACL injury.

The struggles since the Spaniard was ruled out underline just how important he is to the team, and it was always going to be a difficult task to find a replacement in the January transfer window.

Man City 2-3 Real Madrid player ratings as Savio struggles, Stones stars

Jude Bellingham had his say…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 11, 2025

Guardiola has strengthened in a number of key areas this winter, with Nico Gonzalez arriving from FC Porto in an attempt to solidify the midfield, but a new report has revealed the manager is still keen on another midfielder.

According to reports from Spain, Pep has now set his sights on Real Betis midfielder Sergi Altimira, who could be brought in to replace and support Rodri in central midfield next season, with the City boss in need of an urgent solution to the lack of depth even once the Spaniard returns.

Altimira’s possession-based style of play is said to make him a good fit in a Guardiola system, while he is also lauded for his tackling ability, and there is seemingly a good chance the Sky Blues would be able to get a deal done this summer.

The report states the opportunity to play for Man City under one of the world’s best managers may be too good to turn down, and a big offer would be likely to tempt the Spanish club into sanctioning a sale.

Altimira move would make little sense

The report claims the 23-year-old is a target due to Rodri’s absence, but the 28-year-old is expected to return by the summer at the latest, so it would make little sense to bring in the Betis ace as a direct replacement.

The La Liga man has been hailed as “fantastic” by members of the Spanish media this season, so he clearly has quality, but there is little indication he would be a suitable heir to the Ballon d’Or winner, given his performances over the past year.

Statistic per 90

Rodri

Sergi Altimira

Non-penalty goals

0.16 (83rd percentile)

0

Assists

0.37 (98th percentile)

0.06 (43rd percentile)

Passes attempted

110.83 (99th percentile)

56.47 (68th percentile)

Pass-completion %

91.4% (97th percentile)

88% (77th percentile)

City’s over-reliance on Rodri has been evident ever since the maestro suffered his ACL injury, so it would make sense for Guardiola to bring in additional depth in midfield this summer, but Altimira is not currently showing signs he is at the level required.

Wrexham “need to get into the Premier League to really hit mainstream America”, but Reynolds and McElhenney have headroom

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Three successive promotions for Red DragonsOne step away from reaching the top-flightGlobal fan base and brand continues to growFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Hollywood co-owners at SToK Racecourse have cracked the United States to a degree. The ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series has opened up a window to the world. New fans have been found across the globe as a result.

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They have bought into a remarkable project that has delivered three successive promotions. Wrexham are now a Championship outfit and daring to dream of one day reaching the top-flight in England. Interest will continue to build while taking aim at that ultimate target.

WHAT A SOURCE SAID

reports that, with record-breaking revenue figures being posted in 2023-24: “It sounds like they need to get into the Premier League to really hit the mainstream in America. But even though they’re nowhere near that right now, they’re still earning a lot of money for a team at their level. You mentioned that £26.7m; 52 per cent of that sum came from abroad, most of it from North America. Which again shows the strengths of their business model.

“Even though it sounds like they’ve got a hell of a long way to go, they could keep growing that. They are on a different playing field now with the money in the Championship because you’ve got clubs who are losing £25m just to tread water and end up in the middle of the division.”

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Reynolds and McElhenney have smashed transfer records at Wrexham, but they still have scope to spend after taking another step up the EFL ladder. The Athletic adds: “What I will say about them going up is they’ve got a bit of headroom if they want to go for it. You mentioned that huge income level, but they still lost £2.7m last season and I’ve been told it’s going to be a similar loss this season, so we’re talking about £5.5m. That means next year, if they wanted to, they could still lose £35m and be within the Championship’s PSR rules.

“If they did go straight up again then obviously they’d have problems the following year because they couldn’t then breach it any further than that. But they’ve got some headroom to have a go, and I’m fascinated by what they do this summer because they haven’t really spent irresponsibly.”

The hosts batted out one and half days in Cox’s Bazar to keep the series level

Mohammad Isam02-Dec-2022Zakir Hasan played the most significant innings of his career as his 173 single-handedly took Bangladesh A to draw their unofficial Test against India A in Cox’s Bazar.For 10 hours split over two days, the left-handed Zakir thwarted a bowling attack that had shot out the home side for 112 on the first day of this game.And by the time he fell, there were only four overs left to bowl on the final evening and Bangladesh A’s No. 10 and 11, Rejaur Rahman Raja and Khaled Ahmed, took them through to safety.Zakir made his 173 with 16 fours and three sixes, having faced 402 balls. The bulk of these runs came during his 148-run partnership for the second wicket with Najmul Hossain Shanto who made 77. Shanto struck ten fours in his 187-ball stay.The two left-handers came together in the middle of the third day and were separated only on the fourth morning when Mukesh Kumar trapped Shanto lbw. Mominul Haque (17) and captain Mohammad Mithun (10) put up little resistance but Jaker Ali (16) stuck around for an hour and 44 minutes to give Zakir company.When Jaker fell to Sarfaraz Khan, left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar got into the act, taking the next four wickets. He removed Mosaddek Hossain and Taijul Islam for ducks, both caught behind, before clean bowling Zakir and having Nayeem Hasan lbw for five. Raja and Khaled defended the remaining 14 balls to ensure the draw.Saurabh ended with match figures of 9 for 86 as Bangladesh A came back quite well to draw the game.

Both sides are coming off four consecutive losses in the format

Osman Samiuddin25-Dec-2022Big pictureNew Zealand are ok. Yeah, they’re going through “a transition”. Yeah, they’ve got a new Test captain. Yeah, they have lost six of their nine Tests in this World Test Championship cycle. Yeah, they were the first guinea pigs in the Bazball experiment. Yeah, they haven’t played a single Test since then.But they are New Zealand. This just doesn’t sound drastic, right? It never does. They’ll plan, they’ll nurture, they’ll be efficient and optimal with their resources, play their cards right, quietly bide their time and be good again, and we’ll be like, yeah, New Zealand are ok. It’s just a matter of time.Related

Shahid Afridi named interim chief selector of Pakistan men's team

Ramiz Raja removed as PCB chairman

On the other hand, Pakistan have gone old-school meltdown and some of us are shouting, It’s About Damn Time. There they were until last week, floating along on a little fluffy cloud of bland, but at least in control of it. Ramiz Raja was in charge, Babar Azam was in charge, the PCB’s social media, where everything – even a historic 3-0 whitewash – was always so positive and upbeat, was in charge.Five days later Shahid Afridi is the chief selector. SHAHID AFRIDI IS THE CHIEF SELECTOR! That’s never not going to take getting used to. A coup’s been staged against Ramiz, and the new guys – who are really the old guys – cut some cake as the first order of business. Babar’s team-mates suddenly are having to tweet their support to him. Nobody’s doing the same for Saqlain Mushtaq, so he is going to go soon. The chief selector is already gone. People are talking about Mohammad Rizwan’s place in the Test side.The fast-bowling cupboard is Shaheen Shah Afridi. That’s it. The domestic system is about to be completely ripped apart. Again. Also, Shahid Afridi is the chief selector and he’s saying straight-laced things like: “We had a good discussion on the squad and agreed we needed to strengthen our bowling department to give ourselves the best chance of taking 20 wickets in a match.”What all of it means for the immediate future of the two Tests these two now play, your guess is as good as anyone’s. Pakistan are hurting, heaving with change. New Zealand are being New Zealand and for added inscrutability haven’t played a Test in yonks. Both are coming off four consecutive losses. At a pinch, let’s say it shouldn’t be boring.Form guidePakistan LLLLW (last five Tests, most recent first)
New Zealand LLLLWIn the spotlightMohammad Rizwan is not having a great year. Suddenly, one of the first names on Pakistan’s team sheet is no longer necessarily that, not with a new selection committee in place. His T20I partnership with Babar has come under increasing scrutiny. In Tests, there are calls for the return of Sarfaraz Ahmed to replace him. It’s a little unfair. His glovework may be a little theatrical, but he’s still safer than any of his modern predecessors. He is averaging 30 this year with bat, which isn’t great but isn’t diabolical either. It’s not a string of low scores either, but a series of unconverted starts. Safe to say though that he – and Pakistan’s batting – could really do with him converting one of them.In Asia, Tim Southee has picked up 48 wickets at an average of 25.47•AFP/Getty ImagesSuddenly, everyone’s a fast-bowling captain. This summer in England Tim Southee looked cooked, though, in hindsight, that was probably more England’s batting than his bowling. Now, six months later he is New Zealand’s new Test captain, ready to bowl in a continent where he has an exemplary record. Only last year he was putting on a masterclass in Kanpur but this time, he’ll be without his long-time partner-in-swing, Trent Boult. How he goes with ball in hand, and command on the field, will determine how this series goes for the tourists.Team newsPakistan had a squad. Then the PCB was overhauled. And three new players were added to the party. Now, as far as Babar is concerned, “We will have a discussion with the selectors; then we will decide the final XI”.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Shan Masood, 4 Babar Azam (capt), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), 7 Agha Salman, 8 Sajid Khan, 9 Abrar Ahmed, 10 Mir Hamza, 11 Naseem ShahNew Zealand are likely to bolster their spin attack with Ajaz Patel coming in. Trent Boult, of course, is not available.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Devon Conway, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 Tom Blundell (wk), 8 Michael Bracewell, 9 Tim Southee (capt), 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Ajaz PatelPitch and conditionsThe Karachi pitch for the recent Test against England was slow and low, but not necessarily uneven in contest for it. It’s most likely, given the swift turnaround time, to behave similarly. But who knows, with a new administration in town, it may liven up a little. Babar expects it to “change each day, day by day things get different”.Stats and trivia Pakistan used to love playing New Zealand but since 2011 have only won 3 of their 12 Tests against them and lost seven. 60.40 > 54.77: Babar’s average against Kane Williamson’s since October 2019 (just before Babar’s breakthrough Test series against Australia). A little more surprisingly, he has played ten Tests more than his counterpart in the same period. 71.22 – Daryl Mitchell’s average this year is the third-highest of any batter with at least five Tests.Quotes”Yes, we could not play the last series the way we wanted to, because we committed mistakes. Now we need to overcome that and try to play good cricket.”

Celtic supporters have been treated to a great number of high-class centre-forwards at Parkhead over the years.

Right now, Daizen Maeda is the top-scorer in the squad, taking his tally to 52 goals for the club, coming in just 145 appearances, during Saturday’s surprise defeat at Easter Road against Hibernian.

Meanwhile, one of the Hoops’ best strikers of recent decades now, at the age of 34-years-old, finds himself in the footballing wilderness despite some comparisons to the great Henrik Larsson.

Henrik Larsson's Celtic legacy

According to a supporters’ vote conducted in 2002, Larsson is Celtic’s best-ever foreign player, and the numbers underline why.

The Swede scored a remarkable 224 goals in 292 games for the club between 1997 and 2004, winning four league titles, four domestic cups and reaching the UEFA Cup final of 2003.

Graham Ruthven, speaking on the Soccer 101 Podcast, described Larsson as ‘legitimately one of the best strikers in the world’, adding that a player of such talent ‘would never’ stay in Scotland for as long as he did these days, believing him to be the best player Scottish football has seen in the post-SPL era; 1998 to present day.

Given his legacy, any Celtic centre-forward who hits a bit of form is handed the “best striker since Larsson” tag, so let’s assess the club’s top-scoring centre-forward of the post-Larsson era.

2014-22

262

123

51

118

2017-21

179

87

38

140

2021-25

165

85

19

126

2010-13

138

82

30

136

2010-16

192

76

62

172

2007-10

121

59

18

159

2022-present

145

52

25

194

2016-18

94

51

18

121

His strike in Leith over the weekend took Maeda one clear of Moussa Dembélé in this ranking, still 33 goals shy of his compatriot Kyōgo, while the player with both the most goals and best minutes-per-goal ratio post-Larsson can currently be found in the footballing wilderness.

Former Celtic striker now in Australian lower leagues

As the table above outlines, Leigh Griffiths is Celtic’s highest-scorer since Larsson, netting 123 times for the club between 2014 and 2022, and his time in Glasgow was eventful, to say the least.

The striker joined the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported £1m in January 2014, scoring seven goals in just 13 Premiership appearances during his first half-season at Parkhead.

He was described by former Scotland striker Billy Dodds as a “natural finisher”, but while the goals flowed, controversies were almost as frequent.

Griffiths was charged by UEFA for ‘provoking spectators’ during a Champions League qualifying victory over Linfield in Belfast, tying a scarf to the goal post. He was also fined by the SFA for racist chanting in an Edinburgh pub, before being disciplined internally by Celtic for breaching Covid-19 lockdown rules, to name but a few.

Despite all of this, he won over the entire nation by scoring two, near-identical free-kicks for Scotland against the ‘auld enemy’ England at Hampden in June 2017.

Nevertheless, following Ange Postecoglou’s appointment as Celtic manager in the summer of 2022, Griffiths’ contract expired but, after a very brief spell at Falkirk, he has found a home down under.

Now 34-years-old, the striker plays for Mandurah City, based in Western Australia, who ply their trade in the Football West State League Division 1, part of the third tier.

Goal-scoring statistics are difficult to find, believe us when we say we tried, but we do know Griffiths is now a player-coach at the Dolphins, so it’s good to see such a talented player has found a home and is enjoying his career.

Sold for £2.5m, now worth 300% more: Celtic may rue selling Engels upgrade

There are many former Celtic players thriving in the Premier League right now, but one in particular has become the division’s “best ball-winner”.

1 ByBen Gray Feb 24, 2025

Serie A is close to staging a landmark league match in Australia, with either Inter or AC Milan reportedly heading to Perth.

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Serie A match could be staged outside Italy for first timeUEFA approval remains a key hurdleOptus Stadium hosted Milan vs Roma in May 2024Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Serie A is planning to host their first-ever league match abroad, with Perth's Optus Stadium in contention to stage the historic game. Inter and AC Milan's home, San Siro, will host the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony on February 6, meaning the stadium would be unavailable for either Italian side between the dates of January 10 and February 8. That, it's being reported, opens a window of opportunity to look to play a fixture on foreign soil.

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According to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera (via Calcio Mercato), chief executive Luigi de Siervo received an offer to play a competitive league game in Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reports that the offer is from Western Australia's tourism body, and a deal is nearly finalised. The Optus Stadium previously hosted a post-season friendly match between Roma and AC Milan, with over 56,000 fans in attendance. The SMH also confirmed that the successful turnout has strengthened Perth's case to host a competitive Serie A fixture over cities like Sydney and Melbourne.

WHAT SERIE A SAID

Serie A's marketing chief, Michele Ciccarese, has hinted that they aim to stage a regular-season match internationally, saying: “There are barriers, but we must find a respectful way to engage our global fans.” UEFA is yet to approve the Perth proposal, which remains a major obstacle.

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WHAT NEXT?

Serie A will now await UEFA's green light before announcing the fixture as being official. If approved, the match will take place in early 2026 during San Siro’s Winter Olympics closure. Moreover, the league will push for a similar breakthrough in the USA by 2026, with a league game in the States having already been widely mooted.

Federico Chiesa is likely to leave Liverpool less than a year after joining, and Napoli could reportedly offer him an Anfield exit this summer.

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Chiesa likely to leave Liverpool this summerNapoli said to be interested in the wingerGli Azzurri also showing interest in De BruyneFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Chiesa had a very hectic last summer at Juventus after he was informed by new boss Thiago Motta that he was not in the Bianconeri's plans for the future. After a number of clubs showed interest in the Euro 2020 star, Liverpool managed to strike a cut-price deal for the Italian international for a reported fee of £11 million ($14.4m).

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However, Chiesa's stay at Liverpool has not proven very fruitful as the Italian's early-season injury struggles left him out of the team dynamics before his lack of form limited his number of minutes with the Reds. The 27-year-old has now been linked with a potential exit from the Merseyside club.

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As per Gazzetta dello Sport's Carlo Laudisa, Napoli are now considering making a move for Chiesa as their new superstar signing, as they look to build up the squad that has been fighting for the Serie A title against Inter Milan this season. Gli Azzurri have been interested in signing Manchester City legend Kevin de Bruyne, and Chiesa remains open as their second option for the summer.

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WHAT NEXT FOR CHIESA?

Regardless of whether or not Napoli actually make their move for Chiesa, it is almost certain that Liverpool will sell the Italian attacker this summer in a move that would be benefical for both parties.

With the summer transfer window approaching, Aston Villa have now reportedly been contacted with the chance to sign a European star who’s considering a move to the Premier League.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans already proved their transfer prowess in the January window when they welcomed both Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on loan from Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, respectively. But they’re seemingly not done there.

When the summer arrives, those in the Midlands could yet to splash the cash gained from Jhon Duran’s hefty sale to Al-Nassr, which has already seen the transfer rumours commence.

Aston Villa hold concrete interest in "world-class" £50m Duran replacement

The Villans have set their sights on a top striker to replace Jhon Duran this summer.

1 ByDominic Lund Mar 2, 2025

Already, names such as Samu Aghehowa are threatening to steal the headlines. The Porto star has reportedly caught the attention of Aston Villa, who could land the perfect replacement for Duran by welcoming the impressive striker.

Meanwhile, the Villans have also been linked with summer moves for the likes of Joel Ordonez, who could yet become their Tyrone Mings successor by arriving from Club Brugge this summer. Following the Villa defender’s recent injury struggles, signing a potential replacement wouldn’t exactly be a bad idea.

Even there, however, the Midlands club may not be done. According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Aston Villa have now been offered the chance to sign Ademola Lookman from Atalanta this summer alongside rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

The former Everton winger is reportedly considering a return to the Premier League this summer following a public fall-out with manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who slammed Lookman’s penalty attempt in his side’s Champions League exit at the hands of Club Brugge.

The winger then swiftly responded to the criticism, detailing his disappointment over the comments made by his manager, and whilst Gasperini has since cleared things up, it seems as though Lookman is heading for the exit door with Atalanta wanting more than £50m for the forward.

"Super" Lookman can earn Premier League redemption

Of course, the Premier League will know all about Lookman’s penalties and Fulham fans, in particular, thanks to his infamous failed panenka attempt against West Ham United a few years ago. But what some Premier League fans may not have been aware of back then is the player that the winger would become.

A Ballon d’Or nominee last season after he helped Atalanta to a Europa League final before scoring a stunning hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen to secure the silverware, Lookman has only flourished more and more ever since.

Now, Premier League redemption could await courtesy of Aston Villa, who’d be getting an instant upgrade on Leon Bailey.

Starts

19

13

Goals

12

1

Assists

5

2

Key Passes

43

16

Dubbed “super” by Gasperini in the middle of his recent apology for his penalty statement, Lookman once again looks like a player destined for great things in English football or elsewhere.