All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Something has to give at West Ham United, and soon.

The Hammers have had a truly dreadful start to the campaign so far, losing four of five Premier League games and being knocked out of the League Cup by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It’s not just the fact that they’ve lost so many games, but the manner in which they’ve lost them. So far, they’ve scored just five goals and conceded 13 in the league.

So, it’s hardly a surprise to see the club linked with a host of potential replacements for Graham Potter, including one manager who’d surely have a better return to the club than Slaven Bilic.

West Ham's ongoing manager search

With just how terribly things are going at the moment, it should come as no surprise that a swathe of managers have been linked with a move to West Ham this month.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

One such manager who probably wouldn’t get the fans all that excited is Frank Lampard, as while he saved Everton from the drop a few years ago, he is currently doing an okay job with Coventry City in the Championship.

Likewise, while it would be interesting to see how Bilic would fare back at the London Stadium, the links to him are hardly inspiring.

Fortunately, the Hammers are now supposedly interested in bringing someone else back to the club, someone who’d likely do a better job than the Croatian.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Claret & Hugh, which claims Scott Parker is of interest to West Ham.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the Englishman “has been discussed” by those inside the club.

In all, while it might not be the appointment some would want, we do think the former West Ham player would have a better return to the club than Bilic would.

Why Parker would have a better return than Bilic

So when we say ‘return’, we mean simply coming back to the club, as unlike Bilic, Parker’s last involvement with West Ham was as a player, not a coach.

With that out of the way, there are a few reasons why the Englishman would have a more successful stint back at the club than the Croatian.

The first, and most important, of which is all down to their recent jobs.

In the case of the former PFA Player of the Year, he is currently in charge of Burnley and guided them to the Premier League last season.

Before that, he managed Club Brugge for a short stint, which was preceded by a year with Bournemouth, during which he got them promoted.

Burnley

07/24

N/A

Club Brugge

12/22

03/23

Bournemouth

07/21

08/22

Fulham

02/19

06/21

Finally, his first foray into management saw him spend over two years in charge of Fulham, whom he also led to promotion.

In other words, the former midfielder has extensive recent experience in English football, both in the top flight and the second tier.

On the other hand, the former Hammers’ boss has not managed a top-flight team for almost five years.

Instead, his last job saw him take charge of Saudi Pro-League side Al-Fateh from July 2023 to August 2024.

Al-Fateh

07/23

08/24

Watford

09/22

03/23

Beijing Guoan

01/21

01/22

West Brom

07/19

12/20

Al-Ittihad

10/18

02/19

Before that, he took charge of Watford for under a year before being fired, which was preceded by a year-long stint with Chinese outfit Beijing Guoan.

In fact, the last time he managed in the Premier League was back in December 2020, when West Bromwich Albion fired him.

Ultimately, while Bilic might do a good job, he hasn’t had a successful stint with a club for some time. In contrast, Parker made Burnley unplayable last season, and they are continuing to play well this year.

Therefore, it seems like the Englishman would be a far better hire for the Hammers at this point in time.

Weekly wages: West Ham United FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

The Irons’ biggest earners for the 2025/26 season…

ByCharlie Smith Sep 24, 2025

Newcastle United have made a habit of spotting Premier League talent before it reaches its full peak, and they may be about to do it again.

Two years ago, they moved decisively for a 21-year-old winger who, while already a Premier League regular, had yet to hit his top level.

His arrival was met with scepticism, but now he is one of their most valuable assets and an England international.

That player was Anthony Gordon, signed from Everton for around £45m in January 2023.

The deal was framed as an investment in a player whose best football was ahead of him.

Newcastle’s patience has been rewarded.

Gordon’s pace, directness, and work rate have been crucial in Eddie Howe’s high-tempo system, and his trajectory has vindicated the club’s willingness to back promise over proven elite output.

Fast-forward to this summer, and the club appear poised to repeat the formula.

Another move is in the works for another young, attack-minded Premier League player. One who has endured an injury-disrupted couple of years but retains a reputation as a difference-maker when fit.

Newcastle set to sign a new midfield spark

According to Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle are set to complete the signing of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, with a full agreement for around £40m close.

Transfer Focus

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

Toon reporter Craig Hope revealed on Wednesday morning that Ramsey “wants to join” and there is confidence he will be a Newcastle player “before the weekend”.

The 24-year-old, described by journalist Charles Watts as “special,” looks set to bolster a midfield currently light on numbers.

Howe admitted to the Evening Chronicle that he was concerned about the depth in midfield after Sean Longstaff’s sale to Leeds United and Joe Willock’s injury in pre-season against the K-League XI.

“We want six – and now we are down to four,” he said.

The lack of cover has been so noticeable that Harrison Ashby, traditionally a right-back, was deployed in midfield during the Sela Cup match against Atlético Madrid.

Ramsey would offer a blend of forward thrust, ball-carrying, and defensive industry, making him a natural fit for Howe’s style.

The timing is intriguing too. Newcastle’s opening fixture of the new season is away at Villa Park, the ground where they suffered a bruising 4-1 defeat last season.

Shades of Gordon in the numbers

Injuries have undoubtedly slowed Ramsey’s progress.

He missed 36 games during the 2023/24 season through various setbacks, followed by ten more in 2024/25.

Still, when available, he has shown he can influence matches at the highest level.

His Premier League debut came as a 19-year-old in September 2020 in a 3-0 win over Fulham, and he netted his first league goal just over a year later against Arsenal.

The parallels between Gordon’s rise at Newcastle and Ramsey’s potential are clear, particularly when looking at each player’s best season at their respective clubs – Gordon’s 2023/24 at Newcastle and Ramsey’s 2022/23 at Villa.

According to FBref, Gordon leads in some attacking metrics, reflecting his role as a wide forward: he averaged 4.30 progressive carries per 90 compared to Ramsey’s 3.12, and produced 4.45 shot-creating actions per 90 to Ramsey’s 2.76.

His touches in the attacking third were also higher (22.8 per 90 to Ramsey’s 14.4), underlining his advanced positioning.

Yet Ramsey edges Gordon in other areas. He attempts slightly more progressive passes (3.35 to Gordon’s 3.15) and has a higher pass completion rate (81.9% to Gordon’s 76.1%).

His defensive contributions are also more prominent – 2.35 tackles and 1.64 blocks per 90, compared to Gordon’s 1.71 tackles and 0.84 blocks.

These figures point to a player who can both break up play and transition his team into attack efficiently.

There’s also the market reality. Gordon’s current value sits at £56m via Transfermarkt after his growth under Howe; Ramsey’s is £28m

Should Ramsey adapt quickly, Newcastle could again find themselves with a player whose price doubles within a couple of seasons.

Gordon himself has spoken recently about feeling “refreshed” and having “got [his] appetite back for football” – words that could just as easily be Ramsey’s in a year’s time if things go to plan.

Gordon thrived when placed into a high-intensity, attacking side with clear tactical demands. Ramsey could benefit from the same clarity after two injury-hit campaigns in the Midlands.

The first test of Ramsey’s potential impact could come almost immediately.

Facing his former club on the opening weekend, in front of a raucous Villa Park crowd, would be a trial by fire, but also an opportunity to show exactly why Newcastle have spent big to secure his signature.

Much like Gordon before him, Ramsey arrives with a mixture of promise and unanswered questions.

Can he stay fit? Can he adapt to a slightly different role? And can he take the leap from a talented Premier League player to one capable of shaping Newcastle’s biggest matches?

If history is any guide, Howe and Newcastle’s recruitment team will back themselves to get it right.

Shades of Ben Arfa: Newcastle to accelerate interest in £30m "genius"

As Newcastle seek to bolster their attacking options, could they sign a “genius” talent reminiscent of Geordie hero from yesteryear Hatem Ben Arfa?

ByBen Gray Aug 12, 2025

West Ham United supporters are demanding that their team be busy in this transfer window.

So far, the Irons’ biggest move in the market is selling Mohammed Kudus to bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £55m which, fair to say, has not gone down well!

The arrival of full-backs El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters have done little to quell the anger in East London, with Graham Potter in desperate need of reinforcements, but are the Hammers set to make a new signing, reminiscent of Jarrod Bowen’s arrival five years ago?

West Ham's search for a new goalkeeper

There are plenty of areas of the West Ham squad that could do with improving this summer, one of which is certainly goalkeeper, as outlined by the table below.

Minutes

2,260

18th

1,160

22nd

Saves

77

15th

50

21st

Save %

64.3%

20th

74.6%

2nd

Goals conceded per 90

1.63

6th

1.63

7th

Clean sheet %

20%

13th

15.4%

17th

Post shot xG – goals conceded

-2.6

36th

+1.6

12th

% of crosses prevented

3.8%

21st

4.5%

18th

Punches

10

17th

9

19th

High claims

15

19th

9

24th

Average SofaScore rating

6.87

34th

7.08

18th

As the table shows, neither the form of Alphonse Areola nor Łukasz Fabiański was particularly impressive last season, both ranking generally pretty lowly for the vast majority of metrics.

Despite actually seeing fewer minutes, the Polish international’s numbers were more impressive, but the 40-year-old has been released this summer, leaving the French World Cup winner as the current number one. He started Saturday’s Premier League Summer Series clash with Manchester United, but the Irons are seemingly targeting an upgrade.

That’s because, as noted by Will Unwin of the Guardian, the Hammers are targeting a move to sign Sheffield United goalkeeper Michael Cooper.

West Ham had previously been ‘interested’ in signing Mads Hermansen from Leicester City, but have now turned their attention to Cooper, who Alan Nixon and Henry Tomlinson of the Sun claim is valued at around £15m by the Blades.

Transfer Focus

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

So, could he soon swap South Yorkshire for East London?

How Michael Cooper would improve West Ham

After beginning his senior career at Plymouth Argyle, making 161 appearances for the Pilgrims, Cooper joined Sheffield United for a reported fee of £4m just last summer and certainly impressed at Bramall Lane.

After his debut, Cooper featured in 46 of Sheffield United’s 47 EFL Championship fixtures, including the gut-wrenching play-off final defeat to Sunderland at Wembley, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout heralding his “incredible” form in the past.

Meantime, Nancy Frostick of the Athletic labels him a ‘strong all-rounder’ who is ‘capable of game-changing saves’ as well as boasting ‘effective distribution’, forecasting that he is ‘destined for great things’.

His statistics in the Championship certainly support these assertions.

Saves

109

8th

Save %

79.6%

2nd

Clean sheets

21

2nd

Clean sheet %

48.8%

3rd

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

+6.5

5th

% of crosses prevented

9.6%

1st

High claims

54

1st

Average SofaScore rating

7.19

4th

As the table outlines, Cooper ranks highly for all goalkeeping metrics included, most notably shot-stopping and high claims, statistics that weren’t particularly impressive when it came to West Ham’s current goalkeeper Areola.

He would not be the first player West Ham have signed from the EFL in recent times, as documented below.

Crysencio Summerville

2024

£25m

22

James Ward-Prowse

2023

£30m

67

Maxwel Cornet

2022

£17.5m

37

Saïd Benrahma

2020

£26m

155

Jarrod Bowen

2020

£22m

238

Jordan Hugill

2018

£10m

3

Marko Arnautović

2017

£20m

65

Robert Snodgrass

2017

£10m

86

Fair to say, West Ham have spent plenty of money signing EFL stars in recent years, a few of which have been massive flops; looking at you, Maxwel Cornet and Jordan Hugill!

Unquestionably, however, the best signing of them all is the £22m spent to bring in Jarrod Bowen from Hull City in January 2020.

Now the club captain, Bowen has scored 74 goals in 238 appearances for the Irons, most memorably bagging the winner in the Europa Conference League Final against Fiorentina in Prague, securing the club’s first major silverware since winning the FA Cup in 1980.

Speaking to Goal, Michail Antonio jokingly stated that Bowen “needs to leave”, given that he is just 12 goals behind Antonio’s all-time Premier League goals record for the club of 68, a record he’s expecting will be broken this season.

So, while Cooper will have to go a long way to have the impact in East London that Bowen has had, the goalkeeper certainly has the potential to be another transformational signing, especially when considering the Hammers’ ongoing issues in that position.

Better move than Wilson: West Ham open first talks to sign "exciting" CF

West Ham are looking to sign a striker or two this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 28, 2025

Liverpool won the Premier League last season, finishing ten points ahead of second-place Arsenal. Few gave Arne Slot a chance to establish himself as a title-race outlier, but he took the division by storm.

And he’s been rewarded in the summer transfer market, with FSG green-lighting ambitious moves for Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, with the latter signing from Bayer Leverkusen for a British-record £116m.

Navigating the transfer market has become a far more delicate matter for Liverpool after the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.

But Liverpool’s forward interest dates back to the start of 2025, with Darwin Nunez transfer-listed while the Reds pursued the Premier League title.

Nunez is still set to leave Liverpool, with the Saudi Pro League’s Al-Hilal among the frontrunners, and FSG have worked to sign a replacement.

While nothing’s set in stone, it looks like that replacement is going to be Hugo Ekitike.

The latest on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool

Liverpool appear to have won the race for Ekitike, with the 23-year-old submitting a transfer request as he looks to inch a move to Merseyside closer.

Newcastle United were also in the mix, but have dropped out following the Reds’ concrete advancements.

Ekitike’s is an unrefined skill set, but with a few tweaks here and there, he could prove a stunning signing for Slot’s cause. After all, talent scout Jacek Kulig remarked that he “could definitely reach world-class striker levels”.

With 22 goals and 12 assists to his name across the 2024/25 campaign, such a claim certainly seems to have some substance.

On Friday morning, Sport BILD reported that Ekitike had linked back up with Frankfurt for training and, as things stand, is slated to join his teammates on their pre-season tour in the United States.

The Reds are closing in on their quarry, but they have another target in their sights, too. You might even say he’s an upgrade on the French forward.

Liverpool lining up another striker

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are still pushing to land Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, in spite of their push for Ekitike’s signature and indeed the rebuffed formal approach for the Sweden striker earlier in the week.

Liverpool were willing to put a £120m offer on the table, but the focus shift to Ekitike in recent days speaks of a roadblock between Anfield and St. James’ Park.

Elsewhere, Foot Mercato have revealed that Isak and Newcastle have given Al-Hilal the initial green light to commence discussions over a deal that would send shockwaves through the footballing world.

While this is peculiar news, it perhaps suggests that the Isak saga is not quite finished for Liverpool this summer.

Why Liverpool should sign Alexander Isak

Time was when Liverpool’s owners were widely regarded as being frugal, if effective with their resources. But who can call FSG misers now? Having forked out a shedload on new signings this summer, there’s still more yet to come.

BBC reporter Sami Mokbel believes that Liverpool’s interest in Isak will remain intact regardless of the outcome of the Ekitike saga. One of the French talent’s underlying qualities to have piqued Slot’s interest is his versatility, with a sharp tactical mind and a nimble athleticism making him, as Kulig alluded to, world-class material.

But Isak’s already there, with pundit Alan Shearer hailing his “world-class” level. Indeed, there’s a case that the Swedish gem’s the finest number nine in the game right now, having scored 27 goals and supplied six assists across all competitions for the Magpies in 2024/25. Certainly, he’s the most complete, with pundit Ally McCoist saying: “In terms of his all-round game, he’s unstoppable.”

Without a doubt, Isak would pack a heavier punch than Ekitike, definitely across the next campaign or two. Sure, the Frankfurt man has the potential to become one of the best, but his Swedish counterpart is already there.

Newcastle signed him from Real Sociedad for what still stands as a club-record £63m deal, and injuries have been his only foible.

Instrumental in securing United as a top-end competitor, scoring as they beat Liverpool at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup and end a 70-year trophy drought, he would revolutionise a Liverpool frontline already packed with high-level quality.

1.

Erling Haaland

97

85 (0.88)

2.

Mohamed Salah

108

66 (0.61)

3.

Alexander Isak

86

54 (0.63)

4.

Ollie Watkins

112

50 (0.45)

5.

Bryan Mbeumo

101

38 (0.38)

And not just a goalscorer, Isak’s completeness can be observed through his FBref data. The stats-led site reveals the 25-year-old ranked among the top 16% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries, and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.

The thing is, Liverpool cannot afford to be so reliant on Mohamed Salah for goals, especially now that the right winger has turned 33. In Isak, Slot would sign a striker with a far superior ball-striking ability than Ekitike; certainly, the Swede is more efficient and economical in his efforts, with a conversion rate to be feared and an impressive rate of creativity besides.

The £120k-per-week forward is just one year away from his penultimate year on Tyneside. Then the alarm bells will be screeching down the St. James’ Park hallways. Perhaps Newcastle will want to cash in for a pretty penny while they still can.

Newcastle, for sure, know that Liverpool are willing to break the British transfer record (again) before summer’s out. And from a Reds perspective, sporting director Richard Hughes will be doing all he can to achieve this, for Isak is the cream of the crop and would certainly arrive as a more accomplished and complete player than Ekitike.

Better than Isak & Ekitike: Liverpool make £142m "monster" a dream target

Liverpool have two primary candidates to bolster their forward line; Alexander Isak & Hugo Ekitike.

1 ByMatt Dawson Jul 17, 2025

During the off-season, weekends don’t tend to generate much excitement for football fans. It’s time to enjoy the summer weather and disassociate ourselves from the stresses of supporting a team. However, for Arsenal fans on Sunday, there was certainly something to get the blood pumping.

It’s been two years now, two long years that the Gunners have needed a new striker and they finally look set to bring one to the Emirates Stadium.

For much of the transfer window so far, the question has been, will Mikel Arteta sign Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres?

Well, it looks like the answer has arrived emphatically; Gyokeres.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein broke the news over the weekend that the reds were set to sign the Swede from Sporting, finally agreeing a fee with the Portuguese club that will see him move for a guaranteed fee of £55m plus an extra £8.6m in add-ons.

Arsenal, however, are not done there.

What's next for Arsenal after Gyokeres

This has been a particularly busy fortnight for Andrea Berta with Arsenal having confirmed the arrivals of three players: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard.

It’s now widely expected that Noni Madueke will complete his move to the red side of London this week with Fabrizio Romano reporting on Monday that he will sign a contract until 2030 after undergoing the final part of his medical.

Transfer Focus

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

After that, Arsenal look set to bolster their defence with the addition of a young defender plying their trade in LaLiga.

That’s according to a number of sources, including the aforementioned Ornstein who claimed at the start of this week that Arsenal “are working to complete” a move for Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera. Personal terms have reportedly already been agreed.

An update was also provided by sources in Spain, via Sport Witness. They report that the player was left out of training on Monday and is now already flying to England to undergo a medical and officially put pen to paper on his contract.

Previous reports have suggested it could take a bid of £17m to lure him away from Spain.

What Mosquera could bring to Mikel Arteta's Arsenal team

The arrivals of Zubimendi and Gyokeres will undoubtedly cause much fanfare this summer but should Berta and Co get a deal over the line for Mosquera, it must also be celebrated.

After all, the 21-year-old has showcased himself to be one of the best young defenders in Spain over recent years.

On the face of it, you may not think Arsenal need to sign another centre-half. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are immovable objects at the heart of Arteta’s defence and have steered the Gunners to the best defensive record in the Premier League over the last two seasons.

Yet, it could be argued that they’ve struggled to find adequate backup. Italy international Riccardo Calafiori, who is a centre-back by trade, has played more as a left-back since arriving in the English capital and Jakub Kiwior’s future remains up in the air.

To his credit, Kiwior did stand out while Gabriel nursed a hamstring injury and actually looked like the more composed out of him and Saliba when Arsenal travelled to the Bernabeu. It was Saliba’s mistake that led to Vini Jr’s goal in the second half.

The Frenchman and Gabriel will resume their partnership in 2025/26 but Mosquera, a front-footed modern defender, will fit like a glove into this Arsenal team.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has described Mosquera as “one of the best backline aggressors of his age” while noting that the youngster will be the “aggressor and leader that Gabriel is but from right centre-back”.

What that means is that the Valencia star could be the perfect profile to help transitions into midfield, thus helping the likes of Zubimendi and Declan Rice get on the ball more.

Anytime Arteta’s side find possession in the hands of those two this season, something is bound to happen. European football expert, Sid Lowe, has noted that the Spaniard “is just about as good a deep-lying midfielder there is in Europe, apart from maybe Rodri,” while we all know the power and carrying ability that Rice has from deep.

To rubberstamp why Mosquera would be so beneficial to the build-up and midfield transition, we’ve highlighted the following numbers via FBRef.

Progressive carries

0.95

Top 18%

Progressive passes

3.34

Top 37%

Pass completion

90.5%

Top 16%

Long pass completion

68.1%

Top 16%

% of dribblers tackled

77.5%

Top 16%

Ball recoveries

5.15

Top 4%

What the metrics above suggest is that Mosquera is very much ball-dominant. He loves to carry the ball forward and he marries that attribute with the composure to play out from the back.

For context, his pass completion rate of 90.5% was greater than Gabriel’s 90.2% in the Premier League last season.

He’s not just front-footed, but he’s an aggressive defender too, something Mattinson outlined. Only 16% of centre-backs in LaLiga tackled a higher percentage of dribblers. Only 4% of positionally similar players made more ball recoveries.

This is an elite defender in the making and his ability to make an impact higher up the pitch and carry the ball into midfield will only be beneficial, particularly for someone like Rice.

The club’s record signing loves to drop into the hole and then burst forward. He does that regularly with Gabriel and Saliba behind him but should one of them be unavailable, Mosquera will ensure Rice and Zubimendi can play in the same way.

Way better than Madueke: £50m PL star wants to join Arsenal alongside Eze

Arsenal could sign another Premier League star beyond just Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 11, 2025

Everton are reportedly looking to seal the ambitious summer signing of a player who has even been compared to Lionel Messi.

Moyes expecting late Everton signings this summer

The Blues still have well over a month to seal some important summer transfer business, as they look to push on in the Premier League next season, becoming an established mid-table team looking upwards at Europe again, rather than over their shoulders at the relegation zone.

While David Moyes will no doubt be keen to see some early business completed at Everton, he has spoken honestly about the situation, admitting late-summer signings are arguably more likely: “We’d like to get business done. I don’t think we’re a country who likes to get their business done early. If you can get business done early, it’s good, but in the same breath, quite often, a lot of the stuff doesn’t happen until later on.”

That’s not to say that top-quality players aren’t being linked with moves to the Blues, though, with Manchester City youngster James McAtee one rumoured target. Everton are said to have made contact with the Premier League giants, with the 22-year-old valued at £25m.

Meanwhile, the Merseysiders have reportedly held talks with Douglas Luiz over a move to the club this summer, with the Brazilian looking likely to leave Juventus. Now, another signing of intent has been mentioned as a potential option for Everton ahead of next season.

Everton offered chance to sign Takefusa Kubo

Accordingn to The i Paper, Everton are interested in signing Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, with the Japanese starlet “offered around Premier League clubs this summer by intermediaries”.

The 24-year-old is valued at £30m, should the Blues want to make a move for him, but while he “would represent an ambitious upgrade” for them, the report adds that “there is an acknowledgement that they could face competition from clubs who can offer European football”.

Kubo would be such an exciting signing for Everton, and while their chances of snapping him up may not be great, it is encouraging to see the club targeting such a talented footballer.

The Sociedad star has even been dubbed the ‘Japanese Messi’ in the past, which is about as big a comparison as any player can ask for, while Zinedine Zidane spoke positively about him during his time at Real Madrid.

“I think he’s having a good season. He’s playing a lot and that’s what we all wanted. He is a very interesting player, for the present and the future. I’m happy he’s doing well. Of course, if he were to stay at home tomorrow then that’d be better. But, I wish him the best and urge him to continue like this. His future, though, we won’t decide until the summer. That’s something for later.”

Doucoure upgrade: Everton hold talks to sign 'one of the world's best CMs'

Everton are looking to sign a former Premier League midfielder

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 7, 2025

A right-sided winger by trade, Kubo could provide quality and end product on the opposite flank to Iliman Ndiaye – he has 41 goal contributions in 137 appearances for Sociedad – giving Everton two hugely gifted wide options.

It is set to be a busy summer at Aston Villa.

According to widespread reports, the Villans could be forced to sell a key player before 30 June, which is only ten days away now, to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

This issue was only exacerbated by the fact Unai Emery’s team missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day, forced to settle for a significantly less lucrative spot in the Europa League.

So, with a claret and blue stalwart or two potentially on their way out of Villa Park, has Emery already identified a dream replacement?

Aston Villa targeting a new striker

With Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio heading back to their parent clubs at the end of their loan spells in the Midlands, Villa clearly need to strengthen their forward line.

Well, according to a report by GIVEMESPORT, Aston Villa are ‘eyeing’ a move to sign £32m Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, should the Senegalese international become available this summer.

It’s revealed that Villa ‘are ready to enter discussions’ over what it would take to tempt the forward away from Stamford Bridge if they decide to transfer-list him.

The Blues have already signed Liam Delap for £30m earlier this summer, also purportedly interested in many other centre-forwards, including, most-notably, Hugo Ekitike, suggesting Jackson could get squeezed out.

Manager Enzo Maresca has always been full of praise for his striker, labelling him “fantastic” and “very important”, but the sheer churn at Chelsea in recent years means no one’s future at Stamford Bridge is ever certain.

So, could he soon be swapping West London for the West Midlands?

How Nicolas Jackson would improve Aston Villa

Aston Villa sold Jhon Durán to Al-Nassr for a reported fee of £71m in January, with Rashford and Asensio ostensibly coming in as the Colombian’s replacements, albeit both only on loan, and it remains to be seen if either will return to Villa Park.

Durán arrived from Chicago Fire for around £16m in January 2023, and was absolutely on fire during the first half of this season, scoring 12 goals in 29 appearances, thereby averaging a goal every 87 minutes, before being flipped for a massive profit, a business model Villa would surely like to replicate going forward.

Neither Rashford nor Asensio favour playing as a central striker, leaving Ollie Watkins as the only player for that position at the club right now, and even he is itching for a move away this summer, according to Football Insider.

Reports suggest Arsenal are still very much interested in Watkins and Villa could be looking to cash in on the 29-year-old to help comply with PSR.

So, would Jackson be a shrewd replacement? Well, let’s assess how the duo compared this season.

Appearances

35

54

Minutes

2,501

3,578

Goals

13

17

Goals per 90

0.49

0.44

Assists

6

14

Shots on target %

47.5%

42.6%

Shot-creating actions per 90

2.75

2.19

Goal-creating actions per 90

0.41

0.44

Big chances missed

22

31

Touches per 90

28

22

Average Sofascore rating

7.07

6.88

As the table shows, Watkins and Jackson’s statistics were broadly very similar throughout last season, with the Chelsea striker scoring just four fewer goals in around 1,000 fewer minutes, largely due to the fact he spent around two months on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury between February and April.

The Senegalese star though, did come out on top when it comes to goals-per-90, as well as a higher shots on target percentage and shot-creating actions-per-90, while registering more touches-per-90 and squandering fewer Opta-defined big chances.

Moe Adikwu of Breaking the Lines believes that Jackson has become a ‘proper centre-forward’ at Chelsea, adding that he ‘offers a lot more than his goals’, praising his work-rate, link-up play and ability to hold up the ball while journalist Rahman Osman has praised his “special” ability.

Thus, given that Watkins is 29 and Jackson is 23, if Villa could secure a big fee for the former and then snap up the latter, that would surely be shrewd business for a club operating under tight financial constraints.

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Chelsea chiefs are carrying on with their ambitious transfer plans off-the-field, amid their Club World Cup campaign, with Enzo Maresca’s side now holding conversations over signing a marquee sensation who’s starring at the tournament right now.

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The Blues opened their account with a solid 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday night, with Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández grabbing one goal in either half to set up what will be an interesting next clash against Flamengo on Friday.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Liam Delap also made his debut for Chelsea and notched his first assist for the club just minutes after coming off Maresca’s bench, setting up Fernandez with an excellent cross from the right-hand side for the Argentine to tap home from close range.

When it comes to how invested supporters are in the Club World Cup, that is highly debatable to say the least, considering Chelsea beat LAFC in front of a largely barren crowd in Georgia.

However, Stamford Bridge chiefs are believed to be taking the tournament very seriously indeed, with £97 million worth of prize money on offer to the victors. This hefty financial windfall would seriously boost Chelsea when it comes to avoiding the dreaded swinging axe of PSR regulations, and could allow them to invest in their summer recruitment drive with even more gusto.

Chelsea are reportedly prioritising a new winger for Maresca right now (The Guardian), with Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens at the very top of their wishlist after they saw three bids rejected before the CWC transfer deadline.

The Englishman isn’t their only wide target, though, with Man United’s Alejandro Garnacho still on Chelsea’s radar as well.

Chelsea hold discussions with Juventus over signing Kenan Yildiz

According to website Juve FC, Serie A starlet Kenan Yildiz is another transfer possibility for Maresca’s side, following his excellent 2024/2025 campaign.

The Turkey international finished 2024/2025 as Juventus’ best-performer by average match rating in the Italian top flight (WhoScored), racking up a total of 10 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances across all competitions so far.

Yildiz is continuing his fine year in the CWC. He got on the Old Lady’s scoresheet and put in an impressive display as Juventus rounded off a routine 5-0 victory over Al Ain in their first group game, with the 20-year-old’s fine displays attracting attention from west London.

Chelsea are now said to have opened “discussions” with Juve over Yildiz, who value the Turk at around £86 million.

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While offers below this benchmark would be considered, Igor Tudor’s side are giving no consideration to selling as things stand, and there’s no indication that the player would push for this move either, despite contact being made with his close circle.

Juve are also planning to agree an extension with Yildiz that could tie him down in Turin until 2031, so Chelsea could have their work cut out for them here.

With their summer business officially underway courtesy of Antonio Cordero, Newcastle United and Eddie Howe are now reportedly ready to make their first approach to sign a big-money Premier League winner.

Newcastle confirm Antonio Cordero arrival

Starting as they mean to go on, Newcastle confirmed Cordero’s arrival from Malaga last week. The young Spaniard is set to officially arrive on 1 July when his current contract expires and he becomes free to complete his move to Tyneside.

After putting pen to paper, the young winger told the club website: “It’s truly an honour to be here, truly a pleasure. I am a person who likes to aspire high. Why not come to one of the best places in the world to do it. It’s a big step, and that’s one of the reasons I’m here. I’m happy to do it and have a great desire to get going already.”

Meanwhile, in what is likely to be one of his final acts as sporting director, Paul Mitchell welcomed Cordero to the club, saying: “Antonio is an exciting talent. We’re delighted to bring him to Newcastle United amidst interest in Spain and across Europe. He has lots of potential, and the next phase of his development will be for the club to select a loan move that will challenge him and build on his experiences.”

Following an impressive start to the summer, it seems as though the Magpies are only just getting started. Recent reports have indicated that they’ve already made an enquiry to sign Nottingham Forest star Anthony Elanga and Brighton’s Joao Pedro as they look to make up for missing out on Bryan Mbeumo.

Attacking reinforcements seem to be top of their wishlist too, with Howe now reportedly ready to make his first approach to sign a Premier League winner this summer.

Howe and Newcastle ready to make Grealish approach

According to The Sun, Howe is now ready to personally make an approach to sign Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City as he looks to help the England international revive his career courtesy of Newcastle.

The midfielder was dropped by Pep Guardiola on the final day of the season and reports have since revealed that he could miss out on a place in Manchester City’s Club World Cup squad as the exit door swings open.

The next move is key for Grealish with the World Cup coming up next summer and Thomas Tuchel recently making it clear that he needs to be back playing every week if he is to work his way back into the England squad.

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The Three Lions boss told reporters: “He is never shy of pressure. It’s the opposite. He grows in big matches but he’s a player who needs minutes and minutes and minutes and simply does not get them for a very long time. That’s basically everything. Nothing has changed.”

With that said, if any side can offer the former Aston Villa star that and cover his hefty £16m-a-year salary, it may well be Newcastle this summer.

Ange Postecoglou enjoyed the most glorious vindication as he lifted the Europa League after leading his Tottenham Hotspur side to victory against Manchester United, making good on a promise that was scoffed at by detractors when made.

However, there’s no detracting from the fact that Spurs have flattered to deceive this season, 17th in the Premier League with one match left to play, having been battered by injuries and consequent struggles for any measure of fluency.

Things need to change next season, and Daniel Levy will certainly be wrestling over the manager’s seat, with Postecoglou’s future uncertain in spite of his success in ending the club’s interminable trophy drought.

However, by doing so, the Aussie tactician has salvaged something special from this difficult year, placing Tottenham in next year’s Champions League group stage. By doing so, it’s opened the door for exciting signings to strengthen the squad.

Spurs favourites to seal statement signing

As per Spanish sources, Tottenham are the favourites to sign RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons this summer after unlocking the door to Europe’s elite stage.

Leipzig failed to qualify for Europe this term and have thus informed Simons he will be allowed to leave, though they will demand €80m (£68m) for his release.

Liverpool had been in the running for the Dutchman but have moved to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz instead, with the German side looking for a €150m (£126m) payment. However, the Lilywhites will feel that they can secure a signing every bit as impactful and for almost half the cost.

Why Spurs must sign Xavi Simons

Described as a “superstar” in the making by analyst Ben Mattinson, Simons left Paris Saint-Germain to make his name at Leipzig back in the summer of 2023, playing the coming campaign as a loanee before signing permanently in a €50m (£42m) deal.

Alternating between central attacking midfield and wider berths, he’s been an invariably prolific presence, posting 44 goal contributions from 76 matches in all competitions.

Described as a “game-changer” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Simons has the potency to make a stunning impression in Postecoglou’s Spurs squad, but he also has the strength and solidity to thrive in the wider lens of English football.

When looking at how he compares with Liverpool’s soon-to-be-signed superstar in the Bundesliga this year, you begin to see that Tottenham could bag themselves a winner here.

Matches (starts)

25 (25)

31 (25)

Goals

10

10

Assists

7

12

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.9)

2.3 (1.3)

Touches*

68.0

73.4

Pass completion

83%

82%

Big chances created

12

17

Key passes

2.0

1.8

Dribbles*

1.3

2.6

Ball recoveries*

5.1

3.6

Tackles + interceptions*

1.6

1.3

Duels won*

5.4

5.2

Honestly, there’s a case to be made that Simons has enjoyed the better Bundesliga campaign, marginally outperforming last year’s Player of the Season across many of the underlying metrics and proving he has what it takes to thrive in the Premier League, confident in the duel and precise with his passing.

This robust Netherlands star is exactly what Tottenham need, and though at £68m he’d prove their record signing, it would be money well spent for a team now with a unique opportunity to put the year’s issues in the past and turn toward a sustained period of success.

It would make quite the statement, retorting to Liverpool’s capture with their own version, one who could go punch-for-punch with the German in the Premier League.

Without question, Wirtz is one of the most exciting midfielders of his generation. Former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes has even said he’s “probably the best midfielder in the world.” However, his loyalties obviously lie with the Werkself.

If anything, Simons’ metrics simply highlight the calibre of player Postecoglou would be bringing into his ranks, ready to steer this Tottenham team toward an illustrious new era.

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