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West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen has been subject to serious reported interest from London rivals Tottenham, and his exit stance has now come to light.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are currently in deep, deep trouble — sitting second bottom in the Premier League table after conceding more goals than any other club in the division.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

Beyond the stats, West Ham’s disjointed and uninspiring performances this term have stretched beyond Graham Potter’s dismissal, with Nuno still searching for his first win since taking charge.

The Hammers’ 3-0 win away to Nottingham Forest, which turned out to be Nuno’s final game in charge of his former club, seems like a very distant memory.

After a lot of tinkering with his first-team in the last two matches, with Lucas Paqueta used as a false nine to combat the absence of Niclas Füllkrug, Nuno is still yet to discover the winning West Ham formula.

It doesn’t get any easier for West Ham either, with high-flying Newcastle, who’ve won five out of their last six matches in all competitions, awaiting them next at the London Stadium.

January is set to be a lifeline for West Ham, and Nuno has reportedly urged the club’s hierarchy to make three signings in the form of a new defender, midfielder and forward (GiveMeSport).

Nuno has also been told that funds will be available for West Ham to spend (Sky Sports), but a more pressing issue could be convincing their current star players to remain at Rush Green.

The Times reported this week that Paqueta is keen to leave West Ham in January.

That being said, the player himself quickly put a cryptic post on social media following the rumours, which looked like an attempt to quash this noise in its tracks.

After Paqueta, some murmurs over a potential exit for Bowen are beginning to intensify.

The Irons captain is absolutely vital to Nuno and their superstar player by some distance, and West Ham rewarded the ex-Hull City winger with a long-term deal running until 2030 over two years ago.

However, the threat of relegation is prompting reports of rival clubs looking to tempt Bowen away.

Tottenham are apparently prepared to pay £53 million for Bowen’s services, but a lot will depend on the player’s own stance on leaving a club he clearly adores.

Jarrod Bowen's stance on West Ham exit amid Tottenham interest

According to TEAMtalk and journalist Dean Jones, the 28-year-old’s feelings about a departure are pretty cut and dry.

Jones reports that while the east Londoners have zero interest in selling him, Bowen could be open to leaving West Ham if they’re relegated at the end of the season.

Losing the England international right after dropping to the Championship would be a very bitter pill to swallow for West Ham supporters, and it makes January all the more imperative.

Right now, Nuno’s side quite simply do not have the quality or depth in each position to wrangle their way out of the bottom three, with the Portuguese seemingly aiming to keep them afloat long enough to strengthen his ranks.

West Ham have looked outgunned in every department, particularly in defence, with Lille star and Brazil international Alexsandro apparently Nuno’s top centre-back target for January.

Further forward, West Ham have internally talked about signing Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos as Nuno scours for a box-to-box midfielder, while many strikers are being considered already.

West Ham hold discussions over signing two Brazil strikers with 35 goals between them this year

Leeds United have built up a six-point gap between themselves and the bottom three in the Premier League after their 2-1 win over West Ham United last week.

Three wins, two draws, and four defeats in nine matches is a respectable return for Daniel Farke’s side after their promotion from the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.

Prior to this season, the last six teams to have been promoted from the Championship had all been relegated at the first attempt, which illustrates the size of the task ahead of the Whites.

Not only did that mean that Leeds needed to recruit well, which they have with the likes of Noah Okafor and Sean Longstaff, but they also needed some of their stars from last season to make the step up.

The Whites did not recruit an entire new starting line-up and bench to bolster their squad for the Premier League, instead hoping that some of their players could bridge the gap.

One player who is still looking to convince supporters that he is good enough for the top-flight is Brenden Aaronson, who has revived his Leeds career.

How Brenden Aaronson has revived his Leeds career

In the summer of 2022, Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta swooped to sign the American attacking midfielder from RB Salzburg for a fee of £28.5m to bolster the club’s options for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

Aaronson scored one goal from 3.86 xG in 36 appearances in the division that season, earning himself the lowest Sofascore rating (6.51) in the entire division, as he made the website’s ‘Worst Team of the Season’.

The USA international opted to go out on loan to Union Berlin for the 2023/24 campaign, rather than remain at Elland Road to fight for promotion from the Championship, at which point the writing appeared to be on the wall for his career at the club.

However, Aaronson returned to the club after his loan spell and Farke revealed that he was “desperate” to help the team, and that he would need to win his place by working hard.

The American was met with some “boos” from supporters, per reporter Graham Smyth, in pre-season, but he then went on to feature in all 46 Championship games as Leeds racked up 100 points, scoring nine goals.

This shows that he proved to Farke, with his performances in training and in matches, that he could be a reliable player for the head coach, and that has carried over to the Premier League.

Appearances

9

xG

1.62

Goals

1

Key passes

9

Big chances created

3

xA

1.27

Assists

0

Duel success rate

52%

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has not set the Premier League alight with his performances, with one goal in nine games, but he has been a solid performer and has been unfortunate not to register any assists.

Overall, it is fair to say that the 25-year-old has revived his Leeds career, after it looked all-but-finished when he joined Union Berlin on loan, thanks to his hard work and performances on the pitch.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Aaronson, though, was not the first member of the current first-team squad who revived his career after being sent out on loan by the club. Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson.

Why Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson

A year before the American was signed by the Whites, Marcelo Bielsa and Orta swooped to sign James from Manchester United for a fee of £25m to bolster the team’s options out wide.

The Wales international scored four goals and provided four assists in 34 matches in the Premier League in his first season at Elland Road, per Sofascore, but ended the campaign with a new manager in Jesse Marsch.

Despite starting three of the first five league games at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, James was then sent out on loan to Fulham in the summer of 2022, and claimed that he made the move because he “wanted to play games”.

After that move was confirmed, journalist Phil Hay almost wrote off the winger’s chances of continuing his career at Leeds in the future. He wrote: “I don’t think I see Dan James coming back, or it feels like a long shot. James is 24. He’s not especially young and Leeds have essentially said to him that they can do without him this season.”

You can see where Phil Hay was coming from. Leeds were willing to let a player they signed for £25m a year earlier join another Premier League team on loan.

However, the Whites were relegated from the Premier League that season and Fulham did not opt to sign James permanently, which led to him emerging as a star under Farke in the Championship.

The Wales international scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 40 appearances in the second tier in the 2023/24 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that his performances paid back the faith that the German head coach showed in him.

Appearances

40

36

xG

10.0

10.46

Goals

13

12

Conversion rate

16%

12%

Big chances created

13

16

Key passes per game

1.4

1.3

Assists

7

9

As you can see in the table above, James delivered consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in his two seasons in the Championship under Farke, with 25 goals and 29 ‘big chances’ created.

The winger claimed last season that he wants to be “ruthless” and has a “ruthless” mentality, which is evidenced by his impressive goal return, as he outperformed his xG in both of those seasons.

James has yet to score a goal in the Premier League so far this season, but he has started three of his six appearances and is a key member of the squad.

His revival of his Leeds career, which looked on the ropes after his move to Fulham in 2022, pathed the way for Aaronson to follow in his footsteps after being in a similar position a year after James’ remergence at Elland Road.

Longstaff 2.0: Leeds plot January move to re-sign “exquisite” £60k-p/w star

Leeds United are considering a January move for this exciting star, who could be Daniel Farke’s next Sean Longstaff.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 28, 2025

James was the original Aaronson and now both players are brilliant examples for the club to show future players that there is always a chance to revive their careers, if they are willing to put the hard yards in to be reliable on the pitch.

Liverpool’s emphatic win over Eintracht Frankfurt was a false dawn. On Saturday evening, the Reds slumped to a fourth successive Premier League defeat against Brentford.

It’s a sad thing to suggest, but it very much seems like Liverpool are struggling to do the basics. This is a side whose cool and calculated football allowed Arne Slot to romp to the league title last season. This group couldn’t be further away from that indomitable outfit.

Who does that boil down to? The manager? The upheaval? The tactical imbalances sparked by a combination of facets? It’s all so difficult to define, and Slot is the only one who can conjure up the answers to placate the masses.

However, we must start with the backline. So much isn’t right, but Liverpool’s defence is painfully poor. Despite their world-renowned reputations, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have flattered to deceive.

Liverpool's defensive struggles continue

Liverpool are in a crisis. It is a saving grace that the season is young enough for a four-game losing streak to not be detrimental, but this does not sugarcoat the severity of the Reds’ woes.

At the epicentre is the skipper Van Dijk, and Konate besides. The centre-backs lack any morsel of their typical security and confidence in the backline, between them winning 20 duels at the Gtech but still failing to keep a clean sheet or produce the kind of convincing display needed to stem the flow.

Defensively, the Reds are a mess. But the problems run far deeper. Van Dijk lacks his typical grace and brilliance; Konate has been below par all year.

The plain truth is the excuses are running out, and while he’s among the most talented footballers in the world, Florian Wirtz continues to be a disappointment in a Liverpool shirt, and he must be dropped from the line-up once again.

Slot must drop Florian Wirtz

When Florian Wirtz joined Liverpool this summer in a record-breaking £116m deal, most anticipated the Reds would add one of the most devastating playmakers in the world to their ranks.

And they did, but Liverpool are a team in disrepair right now, and Wirtz has failed to acclimatise to life in Slot’s squad. And against Andrews’ Bees, the fleet-footed star’s struggles continued.

He racked up two assists against Frankfurt in midweek, but the 22-year-old flattered to deceive against Brentford, with the Liverpool Echo even seeing it fit to brand him with a 4/10 match rating after an inconsequential display in red.

Perhaps most concerning is the fact that the German faded without having taken his foot off the pedal from a work-rate standpoint. To put that another way, the quality on the evening simply wasn’t there.

Minutes played

83′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

54

Shots (on target)

1 (0)

Accurate passes

33/43 (77%)

Chances created

1

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

4

Tackles

1/1

Duels won

2/5

While the fact remains that he is among the most talented players in the Premier League, there is a bluntness about his output in Slot’s Liverpool side. The solution comes down to Slot, and Slot does not have the answer. For now, Liverpool and Wirtz’s wait for success rages on.

Indeed, Wirtz is one of the best footballers in the world, but he’s not performing, and Liverpool have got to reach beyond the box and search for left-field solutions to their current problems.

Because Slot’s solutions are falling short, so frustratingly short.

Where now? Liverpool host Aston Villa next week in the Premier League, and then they travel to Manchester City. There is much to ponder, and on the basis of the evidence, it’s unlikely that keeping an under-performing player like Wirtz in the line-up would prove the solution.

Sure, he’s got a show-stopping ability, but this hasn’t been channelled. All told, Liverpool need to make some big changes, perhaps even reverting to type. If that is the case, Wirtz does not feature in Slot’s best 11.

Liverpool have signed a Salah-type player who's got the "pace of Torres"

Liverpool are watching before their eyes the birth of a superstar.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 24, 2025

Elland Road has been home to many Leeds United greats over the years.

Even when the Whites weren’t competing in the Premier League, there were a handful of top stars always entertaining the West Yorkshire masses, with names such as Luciano Becchio and Pablo Hernandez sticking out, among many others.

Of course, the current crop is beloved in their own right, having just lifted the Championship title on a mammoth points haul of 100 points.

But, they have some catching up to do in the daunting environment of the Premier League to be seen in the same glowing light as some past top-flight icons at Leeds, with Lucas Radebe still viewed as an all-time hero, twenty years on from his final outing for the club.

Radebe's heroics at Leeds

Costing just £250k to obtain in 1994 from South African side Kaizer Chiefs, not many would have anticipated that many years down the line, Radebe would end up being Leeds’ formidable captain in the Champions League against the likes of AC Milan.

Still, despite a slow beginning to life at Elland Road, which saw him make just 12 appearances for the club during his debut season, the no-nonsense number 5 would eventually leave a lasting mark on the Leeds faithful, with Radebe going on to be affectionately known as “The Chief” for his warrior-like showings.

Starting his really early playing days as a goalkeeper, Radebe would ultimately find his calling in England as a tough and bruising centre-back figure, with ex-Leeds teammate Nigel Martyn referring to him as a “fierce competitor” when glowingly recalling his career in 2021.

Further lauded as an “absolute legend” by Martyn, the 70-time South Africa international’s vital importance to the Leeds cause is clear to see when looking back on his long-standing stay at the club, with 260 appearances picked up by Radebe across ten seasons, even seeing the Whites get near to Champions League glory at the turn of the millennium.

Unfortunately, persistent knee problems would see his minutes deplete by the close of those ten long campaigns, but with Radebe recently being unveiled as a new club ambassador, it’s clear he’s still held in high regard to this very day.

Amazingly, Daniel Farke could well have a Radebe-type player on his hands right now.

Farke's own Radebe-type star

Since Radebe hung up his boots, there haven’t been an overflowing amount of standout number fives who have pulled on that famous number, with Ben White one notable name, among transfer misfires such as Robin Koch and Giuseppe Bellusci.

Instead, it could well be Leeds’ current number 6 that embodies Radebe most closely in Joe Rodon, with the Welshman very much a full-blooded presence for Farke and Co, in the same vein as the South African before him.

He has even used his aerial expertise this season to power home a header versus AFC Bournemouth at the end of September, with the Swansea-born “warrior” – as he has been labelled by his manager – only one goal shy of Radebe’s goal count.

But, it’s his overall numbers in a defensive sense that put him even more on the same pedestal as the feared former number 5, with Rodon routinely putting his body on the line and coming up clutch in crunch moments to ensure his side isn’t breached at will.

Games played

43

46

7

Goals scored

0

1

1

Assists

0

0

0

Touches*

83.7

92.2

61.3

Accurate passes*

66.0 (91%)

75.1 (92%)

43.7 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

4.2

4.0

2.3

Clearances*

4.5

5.0

6.6

Total duels won*

4.7

4.3

5.1

Clean sheets

17

25

2

Rodon has undoubtedly become as crucial for Farke as Radebe was for the litany of managers he worked alongside at Elland Road, with the 27-year-old collecting a mightily impressive 44 clean sheets across three seasons of league action.

Yet, he hasn’t always had it his own way at Leeds, with the disappointment of promotion falling through at the close of the 2023/24 season meaning he could have walked away from West Yorkshire for good, having only been at the club on loan.

He opted to join permanently for £10m instead and in the words of journalist Isaac Johnson, he has since gone on to be in the debate as Farke’s “most important player.”

It will now be up to the resilient defender to steer his side to immediate Premier League safety, with the potential very much there for him to be known as a top-flight great, much like Radebe is forever immortalised as.

Leeds have signed "explosive" ace who looks like a new Raphinha-type player

Leeds fans might finally get their dream Raphinha replacement

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 12, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are still planning to sign a new number 10 for Thomas Frank before the transfer deadline on September 1, and they’re now turning to alternatives after missing out on a deal for Morgan Gibbs-White.

£166k-a-week star's U-turn over joining Tottenham revealed as deal agreed

Details have emerged about a change of heart.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 1, 2025

Spurs put the finishing touches on a loan-to-buy deal for Joao Palhinha this week, ending their pursuit of a tenacious holding midfielder, but chairman Daniel Levy and the recruitment team have a few other key areas to reinforce.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Sky Sports report that a new left-back is on the agenda, and their eagerness to sign a playmaker hasn’t waned despite the truly bizarre saga surrounding Gibbs-White.

Frank was set to welcome the England international in a £60 million move, with the Lilywhites scheduling a medical to take place on July 11. Gibbs-White was about to join Mohammed Kudus in a statement £115 million double-deal, sending a clear message to the warning to the rest of the Premier League that Spurs mean business.

However, this dream was quashed by controversial Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who put a grinding halt to the transfer.

Marinakis’ threat of legal action against Spurs for an alleged ‘illegal approach’ prompted the move to stall for weeks, before Forest made the surprise announcement that Gibbs-White had committed his future to the City Ground.

The 25-year-old put pen to paper on a brand-new £150,000-per-week contract, becoming the highest-paid player in their history and ending Tottenham’s hopes of signing him, for this summer at least.

“As long as I’m in charge of all of these actions, approaches should take place, I repeat, in an appropriate manner,” said Marinakis, in a scathing dig at Spurs after the new contract was confirmed.

“I would never let anyone from any other team get a player from us or make something we don’t agree with. And especially, as I said, with some guys that they belong to our family.

“Therefore, with Morgan, it didn’t take long to come to an agreement. It was a very short conversation, full of passion and love for the club.”

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Tottenham are working on alternatives to Gibbs-White, with Spanish news outlet Estadio Deportivo now claiming they are real admirers of Stuttgart star Enzo Millot.

Tottenham prepared to hijack Atlético Madrid deal for Enzo Millot

According to Estadio and journalist Pablo Casas, Spurs have “entered the bidding” and are “very serious” about competing for Millot’s signature.

Atlético Madrid have been in talks for the 23-year-old, and Diego Simeone’s side could sign him in a matter of “hours” if they just trigger his £17 million release clause and agree personal terms.

However, the delay in negotiations has alerted Frank’s side, and Tottenham are now apparently prepared to hijack Atletico’s talks for Millot.

Stuttgart, for their part, are surprised by Atlético’s slowness in moving the deal forward, but Simeone’s loss could be Frank’s gain as the north Londoners pose a real threat.

It is worth noting that the clause increases as we get closer to the start of the Bundesliga campaign, so it is in both Spurs and Atlético’s best interest to strike a quick deal, and Stuttgart don’t intend to accept any offer below.

The Frenchman bagged 12 goals and eight assists in all competitions last season, and could be an option absolutely worth considering.

Arsenal’s busy summer transfer activity continues.

So far, the Gunners have made three signings, with Kepa Arrizabalaga arriving to be the new back-up goalkeeper, while two midfielders have also joined, namely Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad and Christian Nørgaard from Brentford.

Meantime, as has been widely reported, Noni Madueke is poised to arrive from Chelsea for £52m, while they continue to pursue Viktor Gyökeres and Eberechi Eze.

On top of all that, could Mikel Arteta now set his sights on a highly-rated youngster?

Arsenal chasing another Spanish midfielder

With Mikel Merino and now Zubimendi in the squad, Arsenal are continuing their tradition of Spanish midfielders, as the table below documents.

Martín Zubimendi

Real Sociedad

2025-present

Zero

Mikel Merino

Real Sociedad

2024-present

44

Dani Ceballos

Real Madrid

2019-21

77

Santi Cazorla

Málaga

2012-16

180

Mikel Arteta

Everton

2011-16

150

Cesc Fàbregas

Barcelona

2003-11

303

With apologies to Denis Suárez and Fran Mérida, who didn’t make the cut, there are some very popular players on that list, and Dani Ceballos as well, including the current manager of course, so could Arteta be aiming to add another Spaniard to his ranks?

Well, according to Caught Offside, both Arsenal and Chelsea have made contact with Barcelona about the possibility of signing Marc Casadó, having lodged an enquiry amid that interest.

They add that Casadó has a €100m release clause, that’s around £86m, and that Barça’s ‘preference is to keep the player’, although they are open to selling for the right price – said to be around €50m (£43m).

Transfer Focus

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

Other reports in Spain state that Arteta believes he fits into his style of play perfectly, so could the 21-year-old soon swap Catalonia for North London?

How Marc Casadó would improve Arsenal

A graduate of la Masia, Casadó made his senior Barcelona debut during a Champions League dead-rubber against Viktoria Plzeň in November 2022, making 41 senior appearances for the Catalan giants, 36 of which came last season, very much his breakout campaign.

Despite not being one of the first names on the team sheet, Casadó impressed, with arguably Barça’s best-ever defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets commenting that the potential heir to his throne was playing at a “spectacular level”.

So, let’s assess his statistics at Barcelona last season.

Appearances

36

16th

Starts

29

10th

Minutes

2,447

11th

Completed passes

1,682

7th

Progressive passes

154

8th

Passes into the final third

182

6th

Shot-creating actions

64

9th

Tackles

77

2nd

Interceptions

25

8th

Touches

2,122

8th

Ball recoveries

120

8th

Average SofaScore rating

7.03

10th

As the table reaffirms, Casadó was a key figure for Barcelona as they won the domestic treble this season, ranking especially highly when it comes to tackles, but also completed passes and passes into the final third, underlining that he is an all-rounder.

To add to this, Domagoj Kostanjšak of Total Football Analysis praised his ‘crisp close control and great decision-making in possession’, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout highlights ‘control and work rate’ as his primary attributes.

Thus, it is clear that Casadó is a high-quality talent that would certainly improve Arsenal’s squad.

Based on their transfer activity, a clear midfield hierarchy has been established, with Zubimendi as the starter and Nørgaard his deputy.

As outlined by Phil Costa of Arseblog news, Arsenal know what they’re getting from Nørgaard, who is going to add ‘experience, leadership and know-how​​​​​​​’ while being an excellent ‘ball-winning midfielder’ who will cover a lot of ground.

Where does that leave Casadó then? Well, the midfield maestro could represent an instant upgrade on the ex-Bees skipper, with the table below emphasising the stylistic difference between the pair.

Passes attempted

75.5

44.4

Passing accuracy %

89.89%

82.71%

Duels contested

9.7

9.4

Ground duel success %

58.45%

52.61%

Aerial duel success %

28.12%

61.9%

Tackles

2.5

2.6

Interceptions

1.3

1.6

Ball recoveries

5.1

6.2

Touches

88.8

60

As the table outlines, while Nørgaard’s out-of-possession statistics are impressive, Casadó’s are pretty comparable across the board, aerial duels aside, while the Spaniard’s passing numbers are exponentially more impressive.

The Dane will be a solid and reliable option but, if Arsenal want to add potential and in-possession quality to their ranks, an ambitious move for Casadó could be on the cards.

Odegaard 2.0: Arsenal in pole position for £87m "superstar" after Madueke

The incredible internatinal could be a game-changer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 11, 2025

Arne Slot gave himself to the cause of putting Liverpool back on their perch after being anointed as Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Anfield, and he has succeeded.

Many doubted him, but Slot proved that very little is known before that opening whistle sings on matchday one, and Liverpool indeed maintained remarkable consistency across the campaign to clinch the Premier League title, their second in its modern format, and their record-equalling 20th overall.

1.

Man United

20

1=

Liverpool

20

3.

Arsenal

13

4.

Man City

10

5.

Everton

9

Who’s ready to go again? Slot, certainly, will feel confident that he can follow last term’s success with an even richer adventure in 2025/26, Liverpool stocking up as they are with high-level players, nice and early, ready for pre-season.

Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have secured the defensive flanks, and a central defender may yet arrive through the Anfield gates.

But who could deny that Florian Wirtz is the cream of this thrilling transfer window?

Why Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz

When Liverpool lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, they didn’t just swallow the bitter pill of one of their own up and leaving on a free, but one of their leading architects, instrumental through the illustrious sweep of the Jurgen Klopp era.

Alexander-Arnold, now, somehow, a divisive figure on Merseyside, faded into the background until we meet again, has taken with him some pretty peerless playmaking qualities. Pretty peerless, but for a select few creatives who stand at the top of a vast pyramid.

Enter Wirtz. Praised as a “genius” by Xabi Alonso, once his but now Trent’s mentor, the 22-year-old signed for Liverpool in a deal worth £116m last month and will be expected to take the Premier League by storm.

Across 197 senior appearances with Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz scored 57 goals and supplied 65 assists, bringing an artistic flair that will enrich his teammates. Vision, passing, dribbling, he’s got the lot.

It’s clear why Liverpool signed him, and it will now be exciting to see him build a rapport with Slot’s existing squad.

And indeed the forwards who may yet sign for the Premier League champions this summer.

Liverpool targeting more forwards

Most would point toward the central striker’s position as being Liverpool’s priority area (and they’d be right, especially if Darwin Nunez is sold to Napoli as expected).

However, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo have both been linked with moves away, and Federico Chiesa is also expected to leave after a disappointing year.

That’s why transfer insider Matt Thielen believes the Merseysiders could move for West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus this summer, with the Reds informed by the winger’s agent that his client has signalled his intention to join Liverpool, now willing to accept a reduced salary to join Slot’s squad this summer.

And that’s despite interest from Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. Kudus is expected to leave the Hammers this summer, and despite his struggles across 2024/25, there are no shortage of suitors.

This follows earlier claims that the Reds had lodged an official enquiry for the Ghanaian star, who has an £85m release clause in his contract but is expected to be available for a more affordable fee.

Why Liverpool should consider Mohammed Kudus

Kudus has endured something of a Jekyll and Hyde Premier League career so far, rip-roaring and rampant under David Moyes’ wing but decidedly out of sorts last season, albeit along with the rest of the West Ham team.

His end product certainly leaves something to be desired, having only posted 19 goals and 13 assists across 80 matches for the Irons. However, Kudus’ athleticism and energy would be a dream for any maestro, and especially so in Wirtz’s case.

Indeed, Wirtz’s ‘genius’ on the ball, his ability to place surgical passes through the lines, practically seems like a purpose-built quality for Kudus to latch onto.

The intensity of his dribbling stretches beyond what, say, Diaz brings to the table. Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku was the only man to exceed his dribble count in the Premier League last season, and he ranked among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90 (3.20), as per FBref.

And moreover, the 24-year-old’s versatility could see Slot utilise his powers from a range of areas, curving in from the left or pulling defenders away down the right.

Right winger

53

21

10

Centre-forward

52

16

3

Attacking midfield

49

11

6

Central midfield

46

11

3

Left winger

21

6

3

Described as a “generational talent” by journalist Gary Al-Smith, Kudus has immense potential that perhaps hasn’t been realised yet.

Look at Ryan Gravenberch, look at Gakpo. These are rising talents who have hit new levels under Slot’s wing at Liverpool, and who is to say that the United winger won’t undergo the same exciting transformation?

He won 6.4 duels and averaged 4.3 ball recoveries per game in the Premier League last year, as per Sofascore, also completing 90% of his passes.

This is a player with staggering potential and a robust physicality to suggest he has what it takes to play an important role at Liverpool.

Given that he’d be playing alongside a one-of-a-kind sensation in Wirtz and Liverpool could snap him up for a cut-price fee, what’s not to like?

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This summer could, and should, be a seismic one for Arsenal.

Andrea Berta and Co have already added some impressive depth to the side in Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga – not to mention the incoming Martin Zubimendi – but the area of the team that desperately needs reinforcements is the attack.

Moreover, while a new striker is a necessity, it’s just as essential that Mikel Arteta is handed one, or maybe even two, new wingers as well.

Fortunately, the club seem to be on the same wavelength, as recent reports have linked them to a player who has been compared to Bukayo Saka on more than a few occasions.

Arsenal's winger search

Given Arsenal’s comparative lack of cutting-edge wide options, it’s not been a massive surprise to see them linked with several exciting options in recent weeks, such as Antonio Nusa 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 is reportedly available for close to £38m this summer and amassed a tally of 13 goal involvements in 40 games last season.

Elanga, on the other hand, could cost as much as £60m, but was that bit more effective for Nottingham Forest last season, scoring six goals and providing 12 assists in 43 games.

However, while there is clear upside in both of these wide talents, neither one has been or could really be compared to Saka, which isn’t the case for Noni Madueke.

Yes, according to David Ornstein, Arsenal are in fact very interested in the Chelsea winger.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Athletic podcast, the respected journalist revealed that the Gunners like the Englishman and are “working” on a deal, which, according to other reports, could cost around £50m.

It might not be the transfer some Arsenal fans would be hoping for, but Madueke has the ability and potential to be something special in North London, and the fact he’s been compared to Saka can only be a good thing.

How Madueke compares to Saka

Now, it should be noted that there are numerous surface-level comparisons that can be made between Saka and Madueke.

These include the fact that they’re both full England internationals, they both play for a ‘big six’ side in London, they’re primarily right-sided wingers, and they both came out of the academy of a North London team.

However, the comparisons do go deeper than that.

In fact, respected analyst EBL was bold enough to argue for the Chelsea ace’s similarity to the Gunners’ star as far back as March 2023, claiming that, he is indeed “very similar to Saka”.

They pointed out that, like the Hale Ender, the former PSV Eindhoven star is particularly adept at lulling an opposition defender into a “false sense of security” by first slowing down with the ball at his feet and then shifiting “the ball to either side” and making the most of his impressive “ball-striking.”

However, that’s not his only avenue for beating opposing defenders, as EBL also highlights his “explosive shift”, which is just a way of describing how he gets around players with a burst of energy when dribbling.

Interestingly, we can see how similar this is to Saka in the numbers, as, according to FBref, the North Londoners’ talisman completed 1.99 successful take-ons per 90 when playing in Europe’s top five leagues or the Champions League, which is the exact same number as the Blues star.

1

Savio

2

Salah

3

Diaz

4

Son

5

Madueke

However, that is not all, as when we look at just the Premier League last season, FBref ranks the “incredible” talent, as dubbed by content creator Matisse Armani, as the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Ealing-born superstar.

Ultimately, while Madueke hasn’t quite reached the levels of Saka, there are some undeniable stylistic and statistical similarities between the pair.

Therefore, if a deal can be struck at a reasonable price, then Arsenal should go ahead and bring the exciting winger to the Emirates this summer.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 3, 2025

Glasgow Rangers and new Ibrox owners 49ers Enterprises have reached an agreement to sell a Gers player without the approval of new manager Russell Martin.

Aarons completes Ibrox medical and set to join Rangers

The Gers have already made midfielder Lyall Cameron the first official signing of the summer at Ibrox, however, the 49ers and Martin are after more before the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos and their Scottish Premiership opener at Motherwell.

Motherwell vs Rangers

August 2

Rangers vs Dundee

August 9

St Mirren vs Rangers

August 23

Rangers vs Celtic

August 31

Rangers vs Hearts

September 13

Martin admitted he is “excited” at the players Rangers are targeting and is hoping for a “few” to arrive over the coming weeks.

One of those looks set to be Max Aarons, with the right-back on course to arrive on a straight loan deal from Bournemouth. The defender has even been pictured at Ibrox and has already completed a medical.

With Aarons set to sign, it could be a case of one defender in and one out at Ibrox going off a recent update.

Rangers reach agreement to sell Gers defender Robin Propper

According to reports relayed by Sport Witness, Rangers have reached an agreement in principle to sell Robin Propper for €1.5m (£1.27m) to FC Twente.

A deal is yet to be complete, though, ‘due to the recent changes within the technical staff of Rangers’, meaning Martin has yet to give the green light to an exit.

The report adds that ‘a meeting between Propper and the new head coach is planned soon and will be decisive for the further course of the transfer’.

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FC Twente’s manager, Joseph Oosting, has publicly spoken out over a transfer for Propper, saying “I have been in contact with him via the app. We would like to have Robin. Will he come? That is the question.”

Oosting added to another Dutch outlet: “We have been in contact, I hope he returns. No point of discussion. I assume that it will work out. But in football you can never be sure of such things.”

Should a £1.27m deal go through, Rangers will be making a slight loss after spending £1.5m on Propper just 12 months ago.

Heung-min Son will go down as a modern-day legend at Tottenham Hotspur, spending the last decade at the club and producing countless moments of magic.

The 32-year-old has registered over 450 appearances for the Lilywhites, reaching double figures in all but one of the ten seasons he’s spent in North London.

However, despite signing a new deal at the club a couple of months ago, he could be set to leave during the off-season, with numerous Saudi Arabian sides circling for his signature this window.

It’s been reported that Thomas Frank isn’t going to force him out the door, but would allow him to leave should he wish to – with multiple sides in the Middle East willing to pay £34m for his services.

It would be a shame to see a fan favourite depart, but he’s ultimately a shadow of his former self, opening the door to potential reinforcements arriving before the end of the summer.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for a new winger this summer

Antoine Semenyo is a player who has firmly been on their radar over the last few months, with the Bournemouth star impressing massively in the Premier League throughout the 2024/25 season.

The Ghanaian international registered 13 goals and six assists across all competitions, with the Cherries open to selling the attacker if they receive an acceptable offer for the 25-year-old.

However, he’s not the only Premier League winger on their radar this summer, with West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus emerging as a key option, according to The Guardian.

The report claims that Spurs are preparing a £50m bid for the 24-year-old attacker, who currently has an £85m release clause with his contract at the London Stadium.

It also states that the offer is seen as a low ball, but one that could unsettle the forward, who’s registered 19 goals for the Hammers after joining them from Ajax back in the summer of 2023.

Why Kudus would be as an exciting addition as Mbeumo this summer

Since Frank’s appointment, Spurs have appeared to step up their interest in Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, potentially securing a reunion between him and his former boss.

The Cameroonian international has enjoyed his best-ever top-flight campaign in 2024/25, registering 20 goals for the Bees, which has seen his stock rise as a result.

His current employers are demanding a fee in the region of £70m to part ways with him this summer, a fee that may be slightly out of the Lilywhites’ budget this window.

He’s also expressed his desire to move to Manchester United during the off-season, which has resulted in Frank’s men cooling their interest and targeting other options.

One of which appears to be Kudus, with the Hammers star a more than capable alternative, with the youngster impressing during his short spell in England’s top flight.

He’s proven that he’s capable of filling the void should Son depart in the near future, whilst his potential addition could see the club forget about a deal for Mbeumo.

The 24-year-old, who’s been labelled “generational” by journalist Gary Al-Smith, has registered more shots and a higher goal per shot on target rate, demonstrating his quality within attacking areas.

Games played

32

38

30

Goals & assists

8

27

16

Shots taken

2.6

2.1

2.3

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.4

0.2

Pass accuracy

84%

66%

78%

Passes into final third

1.8

1.6

1.7

Take-ons completed

3.2

1.3

1.2

Take-on success

48%

46%

34%

Kudus has also completed more passes and registered a higher tally of passes into the final third per 90, handing other players in and around the attacking areas to improve their own tallies.

His dominance is further reflected in his take-ons and higher success rate, always liking to drive the ball into forward areas, which hands Frank another superb option at his disposal.

If he is to move across London this summer, it would be a sensational signing and one that would help the club in their attempts to rise up the Premier League table.

Whilst Mbeumo may remain their main target, they should look past a move for the Bees star and prioritise a move for Kudus, with the Ghanian offering a replacement for Son should he leave this summer.

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