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As the Premier League campaign draws near, Manchester City have now reportedly been told that a half-price offer will be enough to sign a midfield target this month.

As expected, it’s been a busy summer for Manchester City on all fronts. They began with a flourish of incomings in preparation for the Club World Cup and have since taken their total to six fresh faces. Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, James Trafford, Sverre Nypan and Marcus Bettinelli have all arrived as Pep Guardiola aims to rebuild following last season’s disappointment.

After missing out on the Premier League title for the first time in four seasons last time out, however, it’s not just incomings that Man City have been working on this summer. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Yan Couto have already sealed permanent departures, whilst Jack Grealish looks likely to follow suit.

The England international was left out of Guardiola’s Club World Cup squad earlier this summer and has seemed destined for a departure ever since. There remain question marks over just where his next destination could be, though.

Whilst Everton have opened talks to sign Grealish, Tottenham Hotspur have also reportedly made contact and could certainly do with a creative spark following the news that James Maddison will miss the majority of the campaign through injury.

Man City now eyeing hijack of £35m rising star with Man Utd also set to bid

The Blues have set their sights on a Manchester United target…

1 ByDominic Lund Aug 6, 2025

Meanwhile, as one talented midfielder potentially heads for the exit door, the Citizens have reportedly been handed the chance to land a transfer target of their own at a bargain price this month.

Man City told they can sign Paqueta in half-price deal

Following the news that he’s been cleared of any spot-fixing charges, the transfer rumours regarding Lucas Paqueta’s future have once again been sparked into life. According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Man City have now been told they can sign Paqueta for £45m this summer in what is around half the £85m fee that they’ve previously been quoted by West Ham United.

In a bargain deal, those at the Etihad have quite the decision to make. Whilst the addition of Reijnders has helped solve their midfield problem, the chance to sign a long-term target at a bargain price may well be too good to turn down.

Now that he doesn’t have potential charges hanging over him too, Paqueta may finally get back to his best following a disappointing campaign last time out. And it’s at his best that the midfield star has earned impressive praise from former West Ham boss David Moyes, who described him as “incredible”.

Now, amid reports that Graham Potter has opened the door for his exit, the Brazilian could finally get the big move that he was previously denied.

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.

The start of Celtic’s competitive season is right around the corner.

A week on Sunday, the Hoops begin their Scottish Premiership title defence when they welcome St Mirren to Parkhead.

After that, they’ll travel to Pittodrie for a Scottish Cup Final rematch against Aberdeen, while there’s plenty more for supporters to get excited about throughout August, with an Old Firm derby at Ibrox and a Champions League play-off tie to come later in the month.

Thus, with the new season rapidly approaching, Brendan Rodgers is doubly eager to get his new recruits over the line.

Celtic's search for a new centre-forward

Ever since Kyōgo Furuhashi was sold to Stade Rennais for a reported fee of £10m in January, the Hoops have been in the market for a new striker.

Following last mid-week’s pre-season friendly victory over Stade Rennais, Rodgers stated that he wants “to add to our front line” having “lost a lot of goals” in recent months, given that Nicolas Kühn has also departed for Como for around £16.5m.

In terms of pure centre-forwards, Shin Yamada has arrived from Kawasaki Frontale for around £1.5m, so will challenge Adam Idah for the starting number nine spot, but Rodgers will still want more.

Mathias Kvistgaarden appeared to be their top target since January, but he has instead decided to join Norwich City from Brøndby for a reported fee of £6.9m, leaving the Scottish champions searching for an alternative.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, Rodgers does have previous when it comes to unearthing unknown strikers as Celtic manager, namely signing Moussa Dembélé nine years ago, so could he be about to do something similar?

Could Celtic sign a highly-rated young striker?

As Celtic scour far and wide for a new striker, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman claims they should go all in and sign Richard Kone from Wycombe Wanderers.

He believes, should he make the move to Glasgow, Kone “would thrive massively at that level” adding, given that Celtic “dominate games and create chances”, he would score plenty of goals.

Back in January, Luton Town had a £6m bid rejected by the Chairboys for Kone, according to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, likely to cost even more than that now.

To support this, a week ago, it was documented that Celtic have an interest in Kone, with the young marksman believed to be worth around £7m.

Speaking on CBS’ Morning Footy, Wycombe legend Adebayo Akinfenwa noted that “if Hollywood was going to have a script for a story, this would be it”, given that Kone arrived in England to represent Côte d’Ivoire at the Homeless World Cup in 2019.

He then represented Athletic Newham in the Essex Senior League, England’s ninth tier, for five years, before being scouted and signed by Wycombe in January 2024, following an extended trial.

Well, what a find this has proved to be, with the 22-year-old scoring 25 goals in 73 appearances for the Buckinghamshire-based EFL League One outfit, named both the division’s Player and Young Player of the Season, having netted 18 times in the league.

Let’s assess his statistics from League One last year to underline why he scooped up both accolades.

Goals

18

3rd

Shots

100

5th

Shots on target

40

5th

Shots per 90

3.28

3rd

Successful dribbles

44

16th

Big chances missed

16

6th

As the table notes, only two players, Charlie Kelman and Jay Stansfield, both of whom were playing for clubs who got promoted, scored more goals than Kone, while he ranked highly for every attacking metric included.

His performances certainly impressed writer Kai Watson, who labelled him a “mentality monster”, adding that “aggression, positioning and work rate” are amongst his strengths.

So why could he be a repeat of Dembélé’s arrival from 2016?

Well, before joining Celtic, the Frenchman had made just 64 senior appearances for Fulham, the vast majority of which had come at Championship level, so few could’ve forecast that he burst onto the scene as he did, scoring 32 goals during his first season at Celtic, five of which came in the Champions League.

Thus, there is certainly precedent for a young, inexperienced striker joining Celtic from the EFL and exploding into a top-class centre-forward.

If you’re not yet convinced by the déjà vu, listen to this; Kone’s non-league Athletic Newham are based on Atlético Madrid, they wear the same kit and their badge is nigh on identical, and with whom did Dembélé win La Liga? You guessed it!

Celtic now submit £1.5m bid to sign 17 G/A forward, they've had a response

The Hoops have made a formal approach for an attacker, who was regularly among the goals in the 2024-25 campaign.

ByDominic Lund Jul 23, 2025

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?

Even better than Ekitike: Liverpool open dialogue to sign £85m striker

Liverpool are hoping to sign a new striker ahead of Arne Slot’s second season in charge.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 30, 2025

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.

Saka will love him: £68m "superstar" is now "desperate" to sign for Arsenal

Arsenal could sign Bukayo Saka’s dream teammate this summer.

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’.

Concern as Rangers now at risk of losing £20m Ibrox star star on the cheap

This would be a real setback for the Gers.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 24, 2025

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.

Frank's new Wissa: Spurs make approach for "one of the most prolific" CFs

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to make a move for a star who could complete their potent attack.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 18, 2025

Amid Matheus Cunha’s departure from Wolverhampton Wanderers, it seems as though another high-profile star will leave Molineux this summer. Manchester City are thought to be making a move for Algerian left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, in a bid to boost their defensive quality this summer after a tough campaign.

Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that the defender “has already said yes” to the move to East Manchester, and negotiations for the transfer will “advance” in the coming days.

He will be a big loss for the Old Gold. Last term, Ait-Nouri played 37 Premier League games, scoring four times and registering seven assists.

However, if they are to lose the 23-year-old this summer, then there could already be a replacement lined up at Molinuex.

Wolves’ search for a full-back

There is no doubt that losing Ait-Nouri, a talisman of this Wolves team and a key man under Vitor Pereira, would be a big loss for the West Midlands side. If they do lose him, Wolves could turn to a newly-promoted outfit instead.

Transfer Focus

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

A report from Sky Sports on Monday night suggested that the Old Gold are ‘interested’ in signing Trai Hume from Sunderland. However, they will face competition from fellow Premier League side Everton, as well as unnamed sides in La Liga.

A price for the defender has not been made clear this summer. Hume has two years left on his current contract at the Stadium of Light, plus they can extend his deal for a further year.

Last summer, they reportedly wanted £10m, but a year later, perhaps that fee will have risen.

Why Hume would be a good signing

Hume was a key part of Sunderland’s success in the 2024/25 campaign. The Black Cats returned to the Premier League almost a decade away from the top flight, with Hume playing a big role in their return.

In all competitions, Hume featured in 48 games, scoring three goals and chipping in with six assists. He was an integral part of Regis Le Bris’ side, shown in the fact that he played 4230 minutes.

Hume only missed two matches in the Championship last term. One of those came in the disastrous run of five losses in a row to end the season, the 1-0 defeat to Blackburn. He grabbed all nine goal involvements in the second tier, with his most recent this superb cross for Jobe Bellingham against West Brom.

If Wolves were to sign Hume to replace Ait-Nouri next summer, he would add versatility to the club. Not only can the Northern Ireland international play at left-back, but he is a right-back by trade, and has played there more often than not for the Black Cats.

This certainly adds an interesting dynamic to the Old Gold squad. Pereira has the option to play Hume as a touchline-hugging left wing-back, just as Ait-Nouri did, or he can play him as an inverted wing-back, looking to overload the midfield.

Either way, the Sunderland number 32 has the quality to perform well in the Premier League. In fact, he was once described as “one of the best” full-backs in the Championship by former Sunderland interim manager Mike Dodds:

The stats from last season certainly show why Dodds once said that. Compared to other full-backs in the second tier, Hume’s numbers on FBref are exemplary. For example, he averaged 3.87 tackles and interceptions and 1.39 key passes per game, ranking him in the top 13% and top 9% of full-backs, respectively.

Key passes

1.39

91st

Progressive passes

5.13

93rd

Tackles and interceptions

3.87

87th

Ball recoveries

4.09

55th

Aerial duels won

2.27

77th

Although not an out-and-out left-back by trade, Hume could be a superb replacement for Ait-Nouri. There is no denying how much of a loss he would be to the Old Gold, but Hume has the attributes and tactical flexibility to be a dream successor.

They will face a battle to sign him this summer, but if Wolves do win the race for the 23-year-old’s signature, he could be an excellent addition to Pereira’s squad.

After Cunha: Pereira must now sell Wolves flop who earns more than Semedo

Wolves could be losing some big-name stars this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 1, 2025

On Tuesday evening, the Emirates Stadium stood witness to perhaps its greatest result for a home team. Arsenal were the victors, defeating Real Madrid 3-0.

It was a remarkable display of football. The 15-time winners of Europe’s great competition, the Champions League, had been swept aside with relative ease.

Declan Rice was the hero, banging in two stupendous free-kicks to send north London into chaos.

Well, this time around, it was a rather more sedate affair. Brentford were the visitors to the Emirates and they were here to disrupt Mikel Arteta’s momentum.

The Gunners took the lead through makeshift right-back Thomas Partey, only for Yoanne Wissa to equalise. The game ended 1-1.

It marks a continuation of a poor run of form for Arsenal in the Premier League. The title race may have been done and dusted a few weeks ago but the run has still been a disappointing one, winning just two of their last seven league outings.

Still, they remain in Europe and are a game away from a semi-final spot.

Arteta will likely already know his team for the second leg in Madrid in Wednesday but did anyone stake their claim on Saturday evening?

Arsenal's best players against Brentford

This was a patched-together Arsenal side, make no mistake about it.

Despite the result, Arteta was right to rotate ahead of a trip to the Bernabeu but that did mean the likes of Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Mikel Merino dropped out.

As a result of those absentees, Leandro Trossard was handed a start as the central striker, Partey featured at right back, Kieran Tierney was on the left and Oleksandr Zinchenko came into the midfield.

Both full-backs very much caught the eye. Tierney, unfortunately, had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half but did well at the back. As for Partey, there was no denying his opening goal.

The man of the hour, Rice, broke from a Brentford corner, galloping forward like a racehorse beyond the halfway line. His pass had to be timed to perfection and indeed it was.

Partey was to his right and ran onto the ball, firing past Mark Flekken in the Bees net.

The Ghanaian enjoyed a fine evening at full-back, standing in for Timber and Ben White who picked up another injury in training. Rice was a machine in the middle again, but they weren’t the only two standouts from the draw on home soil.

Performance in Numbers

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Arsenal defender is now undroppable

When Gabriel hobbled from the field during Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Fulham a few weeks ago, fear spread like wildfire through the fanbase. Rightly so, too.

The Brazilian has been one of, if not the best player at the club this season. He’s been a rock at the back and a menace from set plays, proving to be an asset in both boxes. He’d barely missed a minute of football either.

Yet, here was Arsenal’s third big hamstring injury of the season, following in the footsteps of Saka and Kai Havertz. The prognosis was that the centre-back would miss the rest of the season.

In his place has stood Jakub Kiwior, the Polish defender who hasn’t exactly set the world alight when handed rare opportunities this season.

Prone to a nervy moment, the former Spezia man now well and truly deserves his flowers. Indeed, across his last 19 starts in all competitions, Arsenal have not lost a single game, winning 13 matches and drawing six.

He saved his best performance for Madrid in midweek, putting a nervy error in the first half beyond him to deal with the threat of Kylian Mbappe and Co superbly well.

Wins

13

Draws

6

Defeats

0

Goals conceded

13

Clean sheets

9

Against Brentford, despite not keeping a clean sheet, he was also in top form.

It wasn’t the most eye-catching of displays but he came through the game ably, notably winning every single one of his four contested duels and completing 94% of his passes. It was a supremely composed display, building from the back and holding onto the ball well further up the field.

To sum up that influence in possession, only two players on the pitch registered more touches of the ball; William Saliba and Jorginho.

Handed a 7/10 match rating by Football.London at full time they wrote that “there is a sense of calm that previously was not there when he first came.” That sums things up rather nicely.

Previously, supporters didn’t want to see Kiwior anywhere near the starting lineup but he has very quickly become as undroppable as the likes of Rice and Saliba.

He will never be raved about from up on high but this is an underrated squad player who’s now played exceptionally well in recent weeks. The Pole will deserve his place in the starting lineup against Madrid in a few days’ time.

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