It has been the summer of red thus far and one which has seen Liverpool break the British-record transfer fee to sign Florian Wirtz. But FSG are not done there, with reports now suggesting they’ve got three more “concrete options”.
Liverpool in advanced talks to sign Marc Guehi
Having already signed a left-back in the form of Milos Kerkez and a right-back to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in Jeremie Frimpong, Liverpool now look destined to welcome a third defensive reinforcement. This time, a centre-back is on their wishlist and Marc Guehi sits at the very top of that.
The Crystal Palace star has just one year remaining on his current deal and the Reds are looking to take full advantage to land a cut-price deal in comparison to his £70m valuation just one year ago.
Whilst their interest came as a surprise initially, Jarell Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen alongside the fact that Ibrahima Konate is into the final year of his current contract makes Guehi the perfect option for Arne Slot.
In one swoop, Slot could have Guehi, Virgil van Dijk, Konate and Joe Gomez to choose from in what would represent the best depth in that role in the Premier League, perhaps even European football.
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However, even if the England international is top of Liverpool’s list of priorities, he is not the only name on their wishlist despite how much they’ve already spent. Reports are now suggesting that the Premier League champions have three more “concrete options” in mind.
Isak among "concrete options" for Liverpool
As reported by Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Alexander Isak, Victor Osimhen and Hugo Ekitike are “three concrete options” for Liverpool this summer after sporting director Richard Hughes completed checks on all of the forwards.
None of those stars will come cheap, however, which suggests that Liverpool could be ready to spend big once again. Just how much their hefty budget stretches will be the big question. Isak, for example, is reportedly unlikely to leave Newcastle United for anything less than £150m, whilst Ekitike has been priced at £85m and Osimhen at £64m, totalling the three out just shy of £300m.
If those at Anfield are able to splash out again then it is a case of simply taking their pick. Whether it’s Ekitike, Osimhen or Isak, all three would be instant upgrades on Darwin Nunez and all three would complete what is becoming a frightening squad for others to match around the Premier League.
يشهد اليوم الإثنين 8-9-2025، أجندة كروية قوية على الصعيدين الإفريقي والأوروبي، ضمن التصفيات المؤهلة لبطولة كأس العالم 2026، إضافة إلى مجموعة من اللقاءات الودية.
البداية ستكون من القارة الإفريقية، حيث يخوض منتخب تونس مواجهة صعبة خارج أرضه أمام غينيا الاستوائية، في لقاء يسعى خلاله “نسور قرطاج” لتعزيز موقعهم في صدارة المجموعة الثامنة والاقتراب أكثر من حلم المونديال.
وفي نفس التوقيت، يواجه منتخب المغرب نظيره الزامبي في لوساكا، أما المنتخب الجزائري، فسيكون على موعد مع مواجهة قوية أمام منتخب غينيا، حيث يدخل محاربو الصحراء اللقاء بهدف حسم النقاط الثلاث والاستمرار في الصدارة.
كذلك، يترقب الجمهور العربي مباراة منتخب ليبيا ضد إيسواتيني على ملعب بنغازي، وهي مواجهة لا تحتمل التفريط بعد تعثرات سابقة، في المقابل، تخوض غانا اختبارًا مثيرًا أمام مالي في قمة كروية إفريقية منتظرة مساء اليوم.
وعلى الصعيد الأوروبي، تتواصل الإثارة في التصفيات المؤهلة لكأس العالم، حيث يواجه منتخب اليونان نظيره الدنمارك، ومواجهة أخرى قوية تجمع كرواتيا والجبل الأسود، بينما يلتقي منتخب السويد مع كوسوفو في مواجهة متوازنة.
أما على صعيد المباريات الودية، فيبرز اللقاء العربي بين الكويت وسوريا ظهر اليوم، قبل أن يلتقي منتخب فلسطين مع ماليزيا ومنتخب لبنان مع إندونيسيا عصرًا.
وفي مواجهة خليجية مرتقبة، يواجه المنتخب الإماراتي نظيره البحريني في أبوظبي، بينما يلتقي المنتخب السعودي مع جمهورية التشيك في مواجهة قوية ضمن استعداداته للمنافسات القادمة.
طالع أيضًا | دي لا فوينتي بعد السداسية ضد تركيا: لدينا لاعب عبقري.. وإصابة ويليامز مؤسفة مواعيد مباريات اليوم الإثنين 8-9-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات تصفيات إفريقيا لكأس العالم اليوم
غينيا الاستوائية ضد تونس، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC 2”.
موزمبيق ضد بوتسوانا، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC 3”.
زامبيا ضد المغرب، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “Arryadia TNT”.
مالاوي ضد ليبيريا، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC 2”.
أوغندا ضد الصومال، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC Extra 1”.
غينيا ضد الجزائر، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC 1”.
غينيا بيساو ضد جيبوتي، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.
مدغشقر ضد تشاد، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.
ليبيا ضد إسواتيني، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.
غانا ضد مالي، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC 2”. مواعيد مباريات تصفيات أوروبا لكأس العالم
كوسوفو ضد السويد، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sport 6”.
سويسرا ضد سلوفينيا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports 6”.
اليونان ضد الدنمارك، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports 4”.
بيلاروسيا ضد إسكتلندا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports 3”.
كرواتيا ضد الجبل الأسود، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports 2”.
جبل طارق ضد جزر الفارو، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports 7”.
الكيان الصهيوني ضد إيطاليا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports XTRA 3”. مواعيد المباريات الودية اليوم
الكويت ضد سوريا، الساعة 1:00 ظهرًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.
ماليزيا ضد فلسطين، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.
إندونيسيا ضد لبنان، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.
الإمارات ضد البحرين، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “Abu Dhabi Sports 1”.
جمهورية التشيك ضد السعودية، الساعة 8:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “STC”.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــا
TKR recently signed India’s Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey for this year
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2024
Jhulan Goswami and Jemimah Rodrigues will reunite at Trinbago Knight Riders in WCPL 2024•BCCI
Former India fast bowler Jhulan Goswami has joined Trinbago Knight Riders as a mentor for Women’s Caribbean Premier League 2024.”It’s an honour to join such a quality franchise,” Goswami said in a statement shared by Knight Riders. “Knight Riders have done so well in India and around the world, and to join TKR Women at the WCPL is a pleasure. Thanks to KKR management for thinking about me as a mentor and I’m really looking forward to this tournament.”Goswami retired from all forms of cricket in 2022 as India’s leading wicket-taker in women’s internationals. She is currently the bowling coach and mentor of Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League. This will be her first stint in an overseas T20 league.Related
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Jemimah Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey sign up for Women's Caribbean Premier League
TKR are led by former West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin. They recently added India’s Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey, and Australia’s Meg Lanning and Jess Jonassen – all four play for Delhi Capitals in the WPL – to their roster.”The conversation about me joining TKR started with Mr. Venky Mysore [CEO of Knight Riders group],” Goswami said. “As a management head, the way he takes care of everyone is amazing. I felt really honoured by the way both Shah Rukh Khan and Venky sir welcomed me and spoke to me when we met in Kolkata during the IPL.”Speaking about the signing, Mysore said, “Jhulan Goswami is an absolute legend of the game, and we are very happy to have her on board as the mentor of the TKR Women’s team. We strongly believe that under Jhulan’s mentorship, the team will reach greater heights. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the youngsters to pick Jhulan’s brains and learn from her experiences to become better cricketers themselves. We would like to wish her all the best, and look forward to seeing her in the TKR setup soon.”WCPL 2024 will run from August 21 to 29. The tournament comprises three teams – TKR, defending champions Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors – and seven matches, all to be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.
Slowly and then all at once would be one way to describe Arsenal’s summer thus far.
While their rivals were making signing after signing last month, Mikel Arteta’s side appeared rather sluggish, going back and forth between Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko without making much progress towards either one.
However, over the last week or so, things have begun to change, with Kepa Arizabalage through the door, Christian Norgaard’s arrival feeling like a matter of time, and an avalanche of reports linking the club to Crystal Palace superstar Eberechi Eze.
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
Furthermore, Andrea Berta and Co appear intent on bringing in more Premier League talent this month, with reports now linking the club to someone who could be a dream teammate for Eze.
Arsenal target Premier League stars
While Arsenal are more than happy to shop abroad, the club are also no stranger to picking up players from closer to home, and so far this summer, they have been linked with several Premier League stars, like Morgan Rogers and Anthony Elanga.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former was superb for Aston Villa last season, racking up a tally of 14 goals and 15 assists in 54 games, but such a great campaign has seen his price tag soar, and reports have suggested he could cost the Gunners as much as £70m.
Likewise, Elanga once again proved his worth for Nottingham Forest in 24/25, racking up 18 goal involvements in 43 games, which in turn has seen his potential price tag reach £60m.
However, there is another, slightly cheaper, but still exciting Premier League attacker who is reportedly in the Gunners’ sights this summer: Noni Madueke.
At least that’s according to a recent report from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, which reaffirms that Arsenal are very much interested in the Chelsea star.
The report goes a step further, though, claiming that the North Londoners are now in talks with the dynamic winger, having submitted their contract offer to the player, who is valued at close to £50m, according to other reports. What makes this move doubly interesting is that the player actually spent time in the Spurs academy as a youngster.
It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Madueke’s ability and potential, it might be one worth fighting for, especially as he could be a perfect teammate for Eze.
Why Eze would love Madueke
So, it might be somewhat simplistic, but one of the reasons Eze might love to play with Madueke is down to his output, as that’s what’s going to help the Palace star’s own goal and assist numbers.
For example, despite not always being one of the first names on the teamsheet at Chelsea last season, the exciting winger was still able to amass a decent haul of 11 goals and five assists in 2589 minutes of football, spread across 44 appearances.
That means the 23-year-old averaged a goal or assist every 161.81 minutes for the Blues, which isn’t too bad at all, and substantially better than Gabriel Martinelli’s average of a goal involvement every 222.75 minutes and even better than Leandro Trossard’s average of one every 172.75 minutes.
On top of being a fairly reliable scorer and provider of goals, the “unbelievable” forward, as dubbed by former manager Mauricio Pochettino, has also got some brilliant underlying numbers to his name, including some that would be music to Eze’s ears.
For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and carries into the penalty area, the top 4% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and many more, all per 90. With those qualities in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that some within the game have said that he’s “very similar to Saka.”
Madueke’s FBref scout report
Statistics
Per 90
Percentile
Progressive Carries
6.82
Top 1%
Carries into Penalty Area
4.12
Top 1%
GCA (Defensive Action)
0.04
Top 4%
Touches (Att Pen)
8.15
Top 4%
Non-Penalty xG
0.43
Top 6%
Shots Total
3.54
Top 7%
Progressive Carrying Distance
154.28
Top 7%
Shots on Target
1.33
Top 8%
All Stats via FBref
Now, those three statistics could be particularly important for the Eagles ace, as they suggest the Chelsea man is truly elite at getting the ball into seriously dangerous areas, which in turn could result in better and more chances for his teammates.
Ultimately, from his output to what’s going on under the hood, Madueke looks like someone who could explode in the right environment, and therefore, we reckon he’d be an incredible teammate for Eze at Arsenal.
He's more exciting than Eze: Arsenal close in on signing £69m "monster"
The goalscorer would be a bigger game-changer for Arsenal than Eze.
Everton have now reportedly enquired about the availability of a Premier League star in the summer transfer window, with David Moyes an admirer of the player in question.
Everton in talks with ace and reach verbal agreement with player
The Blues appear to be pushing hard to complete some exciting summer transfer business, with the Merseysiders reportedly in talks with the agents of Fred over a move to Bramley Moore Dock.
The former Manchester United midfielder could be a shrewd and experienced addition who has proven himself in the Premier League in the past, making 139 appearances in the competition. Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho is keen on keeping hold of the Brazilian, though.
Fred in action for Fenerbache.
Meanwhile, Everton have reportedly reached a verbal agreement over the signing of Kenny Tete from Fulham, with the right-back out of contract in west London at the end of this month.
The Dutchman could come in as an upgrade on the likes of Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman, bringing a mix of defensive solidity and attacking thrust to Moyes’ team, and the fact that it would be on a free transfer is an added bonus.
Everton enquire about Premier League "fighter"
According to a new claim from Give Me Sport, Everton have enquired to Manchester City about the potential signing of Jack Grealish this summer.
Newcastle United and Napoli are also believed to be in the mix to sign the 29-year-old, who is expected to leave the Etihad after four years there, joining for £100m from Aston Villa back in 2021. However, the Toffees may find a transfer hard to complete as Grealish is looking to play in the Champions League next season.
Grealish’s stock has fallen over the past year or two, with a lack of end product under Pep Guardiola, but it could simply be that he needs a new challenge and regular game time.
Guardiola has described the Englishman as a “fighter”, often being relentlessly kicked and fouled during games, while Moyes heaped huge praise on him back in 2021, saying:
“He is a really good player and probably the best player in the Premier League at this time. He has done such a big job at that club (Villa) and is probably the best player in the league right now.”
There are definite risks in Everton signing Grealish, not least because he turns 30 this year and would demand big wages, but he possesses the swagger and unpredictable style to be a hit among Blues supporters.
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David Moyes could win Everton’s new Abdoulaye Doucoure by securing this star’s services.
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He may love the idea of being given more freedom to express himself in the final third, compared to Guardiola’s precise tactics, so it is a signing that could be worth the gamble, although it may be tricky to seal.
Also says he is not a fan of pre-seeding teams, which could potentially now force three table-toppers in one Super Eight group
Matt Roller16-Jun-20243:00
Starc on Hazlewood’s comment: ‘A throwaway line blown out of proportion’
Mitchell Starc accused the media of blowing “a throwaway line” from Josh Hazlewood “right out of proportion” after Australia’s win over Scotland ensured rivals England progress to the Super Eight of the T20 World Cup 2024.Hazlewood suggested earlier this week that it would be in Australia’s “best interests” to eliminate England at the group stage, speculating about a scenario where they could “drag out” their game against Scotland. The Australian camp has since played the comments down, insisting Hazlewood joking comment was taken out of context.Related
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Stoinis breaks Scotland hearts, England through to Super Eight
With their Super Eight seeding predetermined and no points carried forward, Australia had nothing to play for in St Lucia except gaining playing time. But England hammered Oman on Thursday to overtake Scotland’s net run rate and then beat Namibia convincingly in a rain-shortened game on Saturday afternoon, which meant that Scotland needed to win to qualify.Australia rested Pat Cummins and Hazlewood and were a long way short of their best in the field, dropping six catches as Scotland set them a target of 181. They started slowly in the chase, showing limited intent, and at one stage needed 87 off 39 balls with England watching on nervously from Antigua.But Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis and Tim David took them home with two balls to spare and put to bed any questions about their approach to bed. Mitchell Marsh, their captain, laughed at the post-match presentation when he was asked how much England’s fate had been discussed: “I think more externally than internally, but we won today and that’s all that matters.”Starc ‘not a fan’ of pre-seedingThe situation exposed the shortcoming of the tournament’s structure, with teams’ Super Eight opponents predetermined by seedings rather than their first-round finishing positions. Australia will progress as ‘B2’ despite winning all four group games.Depending on the result of Afghanistan’s game against West Indies on Monday night, three group winners could be drawn in the same Super Eight pool as a result.There is also information asymmetry in every group, with some teams advantaged by playing last and therefore knowing exactly what they need to qualify. “I think there’s a question to be asked about pre-seeding. I’m not sure I’m a fan of that.” Starc said, when asked if the ICC should schedule the final round of games within each group simultaneously to avoid potential integrity issues.But he also insisted that the comments Hazlewood made, directly responding to questions about possible scenarios, had nothing to them. “I think a throwaway line has been blown right out of proportion by you lot,” he said, referring to the media attending his post-match press conference.”You don’t stuff around with mother cricket and trying to worry about other results. We’re here to win games. It’s international cricket. England now are on the other side of the draw, so it really doesn’t make that much difference for the next three games. So yeah, I think that was blown right out of proportion by you guys.”Brandon McMullen, who top-scored for Scotland with 60 off 34 balls, said they had never questioned Australia’s intentions. “They’re always going to put up a good fight,” he said. “They’re never just going to roll over and let you win. I’m glad that it was a close game today. We showed that we can compete at this high level against the best players in the world.”Ashton Agar celebrates dismissing Michael Jones•AFP/Getty Images
Starc described Australia’s catching as “terrible” but played down the fact they had nothing riding on the result. “[It was about] trying different options for us, but still trying to be very competitive with ball and with bat,” he said. “We certainly dropped the mark in the field… It didn’t feel different. It’s still a World Cup game, you’re still playing for Australia and you still try to take wickets and win games.”Australia expect spin to play a major role in the latter stages of this tournament and bowled 12 overs of spin in total, including four from Ashton Agar in his first appearance of the World Cup. “We were in a position where we had plenty of options on the table,” Starc said. “We had a chance to rest the two big boys [Hazlewood and Pat Cummins] and get some gametime into Ash.”We have another game here [against India] in the Super Eight, so [it was about] getting accustomed to or having a look at conditions here as well… having some batting time into our middle order and some of our spinners obviously getting some time in different situations in the bowling innings, it was a good hit out. That was all we wanted and then we push onto the Super Eights.”Starc also played down concerns about his calf, having been rested for Australia’s win over Oman. “I had a scan, it was all clear, and I had the extra few days with the Namibia game and [came] back in today. It was all good to go. It was better off doing it in the first half of the tournament than when it gets busy in the second half.”
Cursory comments regarding Newcastle United’s wealth must be frustrating for the Toon faithful, and indeed the powers that be at St. James’ Park.
While several divisional rivals have struggled to direct their hosepipe stream of transfer funds over the past several years, Newcastle have been diligent and calculated under the wing of Eddie Howe.
However, last summer’s window left plenty to be desired. In that regard, it’s all the more remarkable that Howe led his Magpies to glory in the Carabao Cup and sealed a place in next season’s Champions League proper after finishing fifth in the Premier League.
With talisman Alexander Isak expected to stay put now that Newcastle have registered themselves for a return to Europe’s elite stage, focus has turned to a right-sided forward.
However, Newcastle have already hit a bump in the road on that front.
Newcastle's search for a right winger
The overload of reports on the matter has made it clear for a while that Newcastle have held a vested interest in Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, one of the Premier League’s standout stars last season.
Premier League 24/25 – Top Goalscorers
Rank
Player
Apps
Goals
1.
Mohamed Salah
38
29
2.
Alexander Isak
34
23
3.
Erling Haaland
31
22
4.
Chris Wood
36
20
5.
Bryan Mbeumo
38
20
Data via Premier League
Mbeumo finished fourth in the goalscoring charts, no doubt contented with his placement given the calibre of those ahead of him, and he would have added quite the dimension to Howe’s brood, had he not rejected interest from Newcastle and a host of further suitors.
The reason? Mbeumo has chosen Manchester United as his desired new stomping ground, in spite of the Red Devils finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, another interested party.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
Newcastle have missed out on Mbeumo, but they could yet secure a fantastic new winger. They might even have the perfect fit, having profiled him one year ago.
Newcastle strengthen interest in winger
According to The Northern Echo, Nottingham Forest are on alert as Newcastle gear up to reinforce their interest in Anthony Elanga, who was the subject of a rejected £50m bid on transfer deadline day in August 2024.
Anthony Elanga.
The Tricky Trees would expect negotiations to start in a similar ballpark, though in truth, United would perhaps need to pay north of that figure, having held initial discussions this year to discuss the possibility of a deal.
While fellow Premier League forwards Joao Pedro and Antoine Semenyo are on PIF’s radar, the 23-year-old Elanga is felt to be Howe’s leading target.
What Anthony Elanga would bring to Newcastle
Nottingham Forest signed Elanga from Manchester United for a fee of £15m in July 2023, with the young forward earning scant opportunities at Old Trafford.
Two years on, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone willing to testify that the star’s decision was a bad one, instrumental in the club’s rise into European competition last year and in staving off relegation during 2023/24.
Anthony Elanga’s Premier League Career
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
24/25 – Forest
38
6
11
23/24 – Forest
36
5
9
22/23 – Man Utd
16
0
1
21/22 – Man Utd
21
2
2
20/21 – Man Utd
2
1
0
Data via Transfermarkt
Still only 23, remember, the Sweden international could become a bona fide star in the years to come, with a transfer to Howe’s Newcastle sure to spark an acceleration of development.
His blistering speed and powerful athleticism even suggest Elanga could bloom into Howe’s new version of Allan Saint-Maximin, though perhaps one who offers a tad more by the way of clinical output.
As per FBref, Elanga ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for goal-creating actions and the top 3% for crosses per 90.
He didn’t rank that highly across ball-carrying metrics, but do not let this fool you: Elanga is one of the most electric wingers in England, simply reduced in his intensity due to Nuno Espirito’s pragmatic tactics (often hemmed in, Forest ranked 18th for possession with a 42% average).
He’s got that “X-factor pace”, all right, as was agreed by Sky Sports pundits Andy Reid and Jamie Redknapp. And in that regard, Newcastle could unearth their new version of Saint-Maximin, one who could offer more of a clinical threat than the fleet-footed Frenchman.
Saint-Maximin’s qualities have earned him cult status on Tyneside, with reporter Pete O’Rourke also noting his own “X-Factor” quality, having been hailed as a real “box of tricks” due to his frightening speed and dribbling prowess.
While his £23m transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli back in 2023 was bittersweet, Howe clearly knew what he was doing, however, with the winger posting 13 goals and 21 assists across 124 matches at Newcastle, a contribution rate of only 0.28.
Elanga, conversely, has been far more prolific in Nottingham, heaving an almost identical haul of 11 goals and 21 assists for the City Ground side, but doing so across just 82 fixtures in all competitions, a rate of 0.39.
Though Elanga wouldn’t bring the innate goalscoring quality of Mbeumo to the Newcastle fold, he could definitely make a big difference, promoting creativity and taking his athletic qualities into a more fitting park, with Howe’s expansive system allowing him to roam and find the likes of Isak in the middle.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Of course, given that he only missed six big chances in the Premier League last term, converting six more, as per Sofascore, there’s every reason Howe could fashion this talented up-and-comer into a rip-roaring sensation, one bursting with completeness and layers befitting of a place in one of the most exciting projects on the continent.
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After defeating Real Madrid in the Champions League last week, it’s safe to say Arsenal have demonstrated they are capable of battling with Europe’s elite.
Mikel Arteta has transformed the side after taking the reins in December 2020, overseeing a transition that has taken them back to Premier League title challengers in recent seasons.
However, the Spaniard is yet to complete the job of winning the title, desperately needing to push for such an achievement in 2025/26 to cement his legacy at the Emirates.
If the 43-year-old is to go one better and end their two-decade wait for a title triumph, he will need the hierarchy to support him in the transfer market to allow him to have the best chance of success.
With the summer rapidly approaching, rumours have already been swirling over potential targets, with most of the links being in the same area of the pitch.
An update on Arsenal’s pursuit of new forwards
Over the last couple of days, Arsenal have received a huge boost in their pursuit of landing a new striker, with an update provided on the future of Sporting CP talisman Viktor Gyokeres.
New sporting director Andrea Berta has wasted no time in making the Swede his number one target after previously holding talks with his representatives over a move to North London.
However, the latest update has confirmed that he’s not interested in a move to fellow English side Chelsea, potentially putting the Gunners in pole position for his signature in the coming months.
He’s not the only attacker touted with a move, with the likes of Kingsley Coman and Nico Williams also hugely admired ahead of the summer window.
According to one Spanish outlet, the Gunners are already in advanced talks to land the Athletic Club star and are more than willing to trigger his £50m release clause in the coming months.
Why the £50m star could be Arteta’s very own Vini Jr
Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has been one of Europe’s most deadly forwards in recent years, notching a tally of 45 goals across his last two seasons under Carlo Ancelotti.
Many thought he would win the Ballon d’Or for 2024, but was pipped to the post by Manchester City’s Rodri, with his standing in such an award highlighting how threatening he has been in Madrid.
However, in the recent Champions League clashes with the LaLiga giants, Arsenal managed to silence the Brazilian for large spells, only managing to get on the scoresheet after a mistake within the backline.
There’s no denying he is a hugely talented player, with Arteta able to land his version of the superstar this summer should they complete a deal for Williams.
The Spaniard has been labelled as a similar player to Vini Jr by FBref based upon their respective figures from 2024/25, showcasing how impressive the transfer target has been.
When delving into the stats, the 22-year-old has managed to match or better the Madrid star in numerous key areas, with any move undoubtedly improving the forward line in North London.
Williams, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by Eduardo Hagn, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has notched a higher shot-on target accuracy rate – highlighting his clinical nature in the final third.
How Williams compares to Vini Jr in LaLiga (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Williams
Vini Jr
Games played
27
25
Goals & assists
10
16
Shot-on-target accuracy
37%
30%
Shot-creating actions
5.2
5.2
Tackles won
0.8
0.2
Take-ons attempted
8.2
7.5
Aerials won
40%
12%
Stats via FBref
He’s also managed to win more of the aerial duels he’s entered, whilst also attempting more take-ons per 90, offering Arteta a real all-round threat within the final third should he join the club.
If the Gunners are to finally end their drought without a league title, it’s pivotal that the hierarchy back the manager with the right additions to help him in his quest.
The Athletic Club star ticks all the boxes with his pace, constant attacking threat, and his end product, with the £50m fee touted a potential bargain should he get anywhere near the levels produced by Vini Jr in recent years.
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Manchester City have moved three points closer to Champions League qualification.
On Saturday afternoon, late goals from youngster Nico O’Reilly and then substitute Mateo Kovačić saw the Sky Blues snatch a 2-0 victory over Everton, as they visited Goodison Park for the 100th and final time.
This maintains the Citizens’ place in the Champions League positions, above Nottingham Forest, with a key clash against in-form Aston Villa to come on Tuesday.
Despite the victory, two Man City stalwarts did not impress, suggesting they could both be victims of the impending summer rebuild.
Kevin De Bruyne's final matches for Manchester City
Last week, Kevin De Bruyne confirmed that he will be leaving Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of this season, having made over 400 appearances for the club, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League, amongst many other honours.
In his first appearance since this announcement, Jamie Jackson of the Guardian reported that everyone inside the Etihad got the opportunity to ‘revel in the sublime talent’ that De Bruyne is, with the Belgian putting in a talisman performance as his team fought back from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace 5-2 a week ago.
However, this Saturday, the 33-year-old did not impress quite as much, with Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News reporting that the Belgian ‘got worse as the game went on’ having failed ‘to make the decisive breakthrough’ before being replaced by Manuel Akanji with two minutes remaining.
De Bruyne
However, De Bruyne may not be the only Man City veteran heading for the exit door come the summer, with another multi-Premier League champion in his thirties suggesting he is also not the player he once was.
After De Bruyne: Man City's next star on his way out
In that previously sighted Simon Bajkowski player rating piece for the MEN, he described Bernardo Silva’s 5/10 display at Goodison as ‘too slow’, adding that he ‘couldn’t make anything happen’.
The Portuguese midfielder’s statistics don’t make for good reading either.
Bernardo Silva vs Everton in numbers
Statistics
Silva
Match rank
Minutes played
90
=1st
Touches
67
7th
Passing accuracy
89%
12th
Shots
Zero
=10th
Dribbles attempted
1
=10th
% of ground duels won
20%
23rd
Possession lost
9
=11th
All statistics courtesy of SofaScore
As the table outlines, Silva did not impress against Everton, losing possession nine times as well as four of his five ground duels, mustering no shots and attempting just a solitary dribble, which isn’t what Pep Guardiola would want from his winger.
Bernardo
This though, is not a one-off, given that Silva’s powers have certainly started to wane this season, scoring just three goals and registering only four assists across all competitions, having accumulated 11 of both last time round, a big drop-off.
Zak Garner-Purkis of Forbes believes that the 30-year-old ‘has been one of the main malfunctioning components’ as Manchester City have fallen below their own lofty expectations this season, also stating that his ‘aging legs’ have been a key factor behind the team’s ‘sudden decline’.
Meantime, James Holland of TEAMtalk claims that Silva will depart Man City this summer, with Barcelona ‘eyeing’ a move for his services.
Thus, with Manchester City set for a summer rebuild, Kyle Walker and De Bruyne are already on the way out, and Silva could be poised to follow them out the exit door.
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