All posts by z3u9t.icu

When Rangers appointed Russell Martin as the new head coach at Ibrox, it looked like a decent appointment on paper for the Light Blues.

However, this has been nothing short of a disaster for Rangers. Martin was in charge of the Gers for 17 short games. During that time frame, he won just five times and saw his side score 21 goals.

They shipped 24 and kept three clean sheets, one of which remarkably came against their Old Firm rivals.

The writing has been on the wall for a while and it all came tumbling down after their 1-1 draw with lowly Falkirk on Sunday afternoon.

Matches

17

Wins

5

Draws

6

Defeats

6

Goals scored

21

Goals conceded

24

Points per game

1.24

Supporters blocked the team bus from leaving and a police escort had to ensure the manager left the ground in his car safely. Truth be told, he was never going to survive that.

Lo and behold, an announcement was made on Sunday night confirming his exit from Glasgow. He will go down as one of the club’s worst-ever managers.

So, what’s next? Well, a series of candidates have reportedly already been lined up.

The candidates to replace Russell Martin as Rangers manager

With Martin gone, Kevin Thelwell and Co will need to move quickly if they want to salvage the club’s season.

According to talkSPORT, one candidate to step into the vacancy is Steven Gerrard. That link is perhaps unsurprising given the volume of links to the Liverpudlian of late but he is currently a free agent and would be a hassle-free appointment.

Another manager out of work is Sean Dyche, and as per TEAMtalk, he is now the favourite to become the new head coach at Ibrox.

They reported this weekend that Thelwell, who worked alongside Dyche at Everton, could look towards the 54-year-old to move to Glasgow.

Manager Focus

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

The pair are said to still hold a positive relationship, so much so that Dyche is allegedly ‘very open’ to being given the job at Rangers.

The report notes that he ranks ‘very highly’ on the club’s shortlist as they now go about replacing Martin in the coming days.

Why Dyche could inspire Jose Mourinho-like change

You’d be hard-pressed in the current managerial market to find a head coach capable of doing a poorer job than Martin did in Scotland.

Hardly rated too highly after overseeing one of the worst Premier League sides, Southampton, in recent memory, his stock as a manager has only fallen further.

Dyche, however, has plenty of credit in the bank having done a sterling job at keeping Burnley in England’s top-flight for a number of years on a shoestring budget.

Truth be told, the former defender has rarely operated on a huge budget and given the level of finances in the Scottish Premiership, he should be fine in that regard.

While Everton didn’t pull up too many trees under Dyche, he still did an admirable job with the resources at his disposal. Having been appointed midway through 2022/23 when the Toffees were in bother of being relegated, he successfully kept them in the league and then guided them to a 15th-place finish in 2023/24.

It’s hardly awe-inspiring but as a head coach, he’s never been the flashy one. He’s let his results do the talking. After all, he has previously been described as “one of the most underrated managers in the Premier League” by content creator HLTCO.

Perhaps the most glowing review comes courtesy of former Everton man, Michael Ball. Speaking two years ago, he drew comparisons to a certain Jose Mourinho, someone who’s previously been linked with the Gers job.

Ball commented: “I have seen a lot of debate online following Saturday’s game about the way we [Everton] set up, but for me, the most important thing is that we are getting results.”

He continued: “Football is a results-driven business and picking up points is important if we [Everton] are to avoid another relegation battle. Even someone like Jose Mourinho has his own style of play, which is to park the bus, as they say, and he deployed that at Real Madrid, but the big difference is that he had Cristiano Ronaldo up front. What I am saying is that both managers have their own beliefs about how their sides should be set up to play.”

Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski are no Ronaldo, of course they’re not, but for Dyche, the style of play does not matter, just as it doesn’t with Mourinho.

For Martin, that seemed to be all that mattered. Not once but twice not he’s stubbornly tried to imprint his style of play on a club and it’s gone horribly wrong.

When Southampton were promoted to the Premier League in 2024, he continued to play an expansive style of football and they were made to pay. At Ibrox, things didn’t go much better.

Dyche, however, is from a breed of managers who rely on solidity; they rely on organisation, they rely on a lack of chaos. All season long, Rangers fans have had to endure too much chaos. If they want a quick change of fortunes, then Dyche is surely their man.

Like Mourinho, he’ll get the job done and if that means dull football for a little while, then so be it. He’d certainly help make this Rangers squad more unified and more regimented.

Celtic are back in European action again this evening as they prepare to take on Red Star Belgrade away from Parkhead in the Europa League.

The Hoops are not in the European competition that they were aiming to compete in because they were beaten by Kairat on penalties to knock them out of the Champions League.

The drop down to the Europa League does, though, provide the Scottish Premiership champions with a greater chance of progressing to the latter stages and, potentially, winning the entire thing.

Rangers, of course, reached the final of the competition and only lost on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, which shows that it is possible for a Scottish team to make it that far.

The Hoops come into this match off the back of a dominant and convincing 4-0 win over Championship side Partick Thistle in the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Sunday.

Red Star Belgrade are likely to provide a much greater test for the Scottish giants this evening, though, as they have some danger men at the top end of the pitch.

The Red Star Belgrade player that Celtic need to stop

The Serbian outfit have a player who will be familiar to anyone who has followed European or English football over the last decade, Marko Arnautovic.

Red Star Belgrade’s versatile attacker turned 36 earlier this year, but he is still a force to be reckoned with, particularly for Celtic ahead of this evening’s clash.

The Austrian star joined the club on a free transfer from Inter in the summer transfer window. That came after the striker scored 14 goals in 65 matches for the Italian giants, per Transfermarkt.

The goal from Arnautovic for Inter in the clip above from earlier this year shows that the Austria international still has the quality to produce big moments in matches, despite his age.

He has delivered one goal and three assists in three league games for Red Star Belgrade this season, per Transfermarkt, which also shows that the attacker has hit the ground running with his new club.

Premier League

184

43 + 33

Serie A

102

33 + 7

Bundesliga

72

14 + 11

Eredivisie

44

12 + 9

As you can see in the table above, Arnautovic has provided plenty of goals and assists throughout his career in several major leagues across Europe: in England, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The former Stoke City and West Ham star has also scored 41 goals and grabbed 30 assists in 127 caps for Austria to date, showing that he can thrive on the international stage as well as at club level.

All of these statistics suggest that the 36-year-old centre-forward is the big danger man for Red Star Belgrade. He is the player that the Hoops need to silence if they want to come away with any points from their Europa League clash this evening.

With this in mind, Brendan Rodgers must ensure that he picks a team that can handle the Austrian striker and silence him throughout the match tonight.

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The Northern Irish head coach must, now, be incredibly bold and ruthlessly ditch Liam Scales from the starting line-up to bring 22-year-old centre-back Dane Murray into the side to silence Red Star Belgrade’s key player.

Why Dane Murray could silence Marko Arnautovic

Firstly, dropping Scales from the team would be a big decision for the manager because the Ireland international has started all five matches in the Scottish Premiership and started both of the Champions League qualifying games.

However, despite scoring, the left-footed central defender looked shaky defensively against Championship side Patrick Thistle on Sunday, as former Hoops man Tony Watt got the drop on him several times.

Some of his performances in the Champions League last season also left a bit to be desired. He lost three of his four ground duels in a 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund and lost one of his three ground duels in a 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa, per Sofascore.

As you can see in the highlights above, Scales was caught out by the quick feet of Morgan Rogers for the second goal and was out of position and left Auston Trusty with two players to mark for the third goal.

Therefore, there may be a concern that Arnautovic’s quality and experience could cause problems for the Irish defender, who seems to struggle against top-quality opponents who shift the ball quickly and have clever movement.

This is why Dane Murray may be better equipped to silence the Austria international, because he has the physicality and pace to deal with tricky centre-forwards.

Speaking about the 22-year-old star earlier this year, Rodgers said: “A really talented young player, [he] had a challenging time with injury. He’s 6 foot 4, good pace, and can play.”

Minutes

90

45

Goals conceded

0

0

Clearances

7

2

Interceptions

1

0

Tackles

3

1

Dribbled past

0x

0x

Duels won

8/13

2/2

Pass accuracy

89%

98%

As you can see in the table above, Murray impressed in his last two appearances for the first-team in August, dominating opposition forwards in physical duels and helping the Hoops to two clean sheets in the process.

He has the physicality to dominate opposition players in duels and the pace to prevent forwards from dribbling past him, which makes the Scottish ace a difficult centre-back for strikers to play against.

Murray, of course, also scored a goal in the cup win over Falkirk earlier this season. This shows that he can also offer a threat at the other end of the pitch from set-pieces.

Overall, the Scottish defender’s physicality in duels and mobility to prevent players from getting the better of him with their speed could make him the ideal man to step in and silence Arnautovic ahead of Scales, who struggled against the better forwards in Europe last season.

Left for £237k: Celtic were brewing their own Tounekti in "exciting" star

Celtic were brewing their own Sebastian Tounekti before he left for a tiny fee.

ByDan Emery Sep 22, 2025

It is now down to Rodgers to be bold and unleash the rarely-seen central defender alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers for this match this evening.

Manor Solomon was an integral part of Leeds United’s unbelievable promotion heroics last season in the Championship.

By the close of the season, the tricky 26-year-old winger would be held in very high esteem by Whites supporters everywhere, with a blistering ten goals and 12 assists tallied up by the number 14 across 39 league games helping to clinch the title for Daniel Farke’s champions.

Unfortunately, Solomon is yet to return to Elland Road after the loan move expired, as the promotion hero attempts to settle back into Premier League life at Tottenham Hotspur under new boss Thomas Frank.

That isn’t to say Leeds haven’t tried to land an explosive winger in the same vein as the skilful Spurs attacker, as another target down the flanks now appears on Farke’s shopping list this summer.

Leeds keeping tabs on £4m star

There are still a couple of weeks before the transfer window slams shut, meaning not all hope will be completely extinguished just yet regarding Solomon triumphantly moving back to West Yorkshire for good.

However, a summer move for Igor Paixao is certainly dead in the water, as the former Feyenoord man opted to join Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille right at the start of the month, despite Leeds’ insistent advances.

The Brazilian would have cost the Whites a significant £30m to land, with a far cheaper target now reportedly in their sights to boost their options on the left wing.

As per Italian outlet Tutto Mercato Web, Farke and Co. are keeping tabs on Fiorentina attacker Riccardo Sottil as an alternative name to add strength down the left channel, but will face competition from Italian outfits Torino and Sassuolo for his signature.

Only valued at around the £4m mark, according to Football Transfers, this could well be a golden, cost-effective move to make on Leeds’ end, especially if Farke can rework his Solomon magic on Sottil.

Why Sottil can become Farke's next Solomon

After all, the reserve Spurs attacker was in dire need of his spirits being lifted when he arrived in West Yorkshire last summer.

Solomon was just fresh off a campaign that was derailed by serious injury, but the former Fulham forward had shown off enough flashes of quality at Spurs – with two assists from six clashes in North London – to be considered a worthwhile risk to go after.

Leeds will deem a move for the £4m-rated Italian to also be a gamble worth exploring, even as he potentially enters into the English game off a similarly disruptive loan stint at AC Milan, which saw Sottil offer up zero goals or assists from eight appearances at the San Siro.

Still, the Turin-born attacker has shown off his class before for Fiorentina, which is what Leeds will be hanging onto, knowing that Solomon came good under Farke’s tutelage down Sottil’s exact same left flank.

24/25

25

5

4

23/24

35

5

5

22/23

26

1

2

21/22

29

4

2

19/20

23

0

1

Sottil’s electric start to the 2024/25 season is what must have caught the Rossoneri’s eye, as the 26-year-old powered home five goals and four assists from just 25 appearances in Florence. In total, away from that standout campaign, Sottil also stands on a hefty 15 goals and 15 assists playing for his boyhood club.

If the former 12-time Italy U21 international can just brush his bruising experience in Milan to one side, he could be transformed into Leeds’ second coming of Solomon, with Sottil also a capable performer down the right channel, on top of further bolstering Farke’s depleted number ten ranks if needed.

It will just require some patience at Elland Road as Sottil gets up to speed with what is expected of him.

But, that patience could be justly rewarded by the Fiorentina number seven playing an eventual important role in Leeds beating the drop, having been dubbed a future talent with “room to grow” by ex-Serie A great Zlatan Ibrahimovic last season.

Leeds can seal stunning Solomon repeat by signing £30m Premier League star

Leeds United could look to replicate the success of their Manor Solomon deal by signing this attacking star.

1 ByKelan Sarson May 6, 2025

Sunderland are building an impressive summer transfer portfolio and could now be about to accelerate their pursuit of an England international, according to reports.

Sunderland complete Simon Adingra capture

The Black Cats have made some intriguing signings under Regis Le Bris and appear primed to continue their hot streak in the market after wrapping up a five-year deal for Simon Adingra.

Joining for a fee of £21 million plus add-ons, the Ivorian stated after his official announcement: “It’s a pleasure to be here, and I cannot wait to get started. The club and the project are really exciting. I spoke with everyone and their interest in me made the decision easy – I wanted to be part of Sunderland’s future. Playing in the Premier League has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so to continue doing that is incredible.”

With Habib Diarra, Reinildo, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi and Enzo Le Fee also in the building, Sunderland briefly turned their attention towards Marseille midfielder Valentine Rongier but have decided against an £8.6 million move.

Sassuolo star Armand Lauriente is also on the Black Cats’ radar, signalling that Le Bris is keen to strengthen the flanks as his side aim to consolidate themselves in the Premier League.

Stepping up from Serie B to the top-flight in England would be a major adjustment, but there is no doubt that the Wearside giants will need to be creative in their bid to sustain themselves in the world’s most competitive league.

Mepham upgrade: Sunderland plotting deal for "incredible" £18m star

Sunderland are reportedly interested in signing a star who would be a big upgrade on Chris Mepham.

ByDan Emery Jul 12, 2025

Taking advantage of their recent promotion, Sunderland could now raid a familiar foe of recent years for one of their prize assets, per recent developments.

Sunderland preparing Aaron Ramsdale bid

According to TBR, Sunderland are preparing a bid to sign Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and have made contact with the representatives of the England international.

The former Arsenal man is understood to be open to a move to the North East, and he would see the opportunity to remain in the Premier League with Le Bris’ men as an ideal opportunity to strengthen his bid to make England’s World Cup squad next summer.

Aaron Ramsdale’s Premier League season in 2024/25 – should Sunderland bring him in? (FBRef)

Save percentage rate

67.6%

Shots faced

188

Appearances

30

Goals conceded

66

Clean sheets

3

Labelled “exceptional” by Mikel Arteta, Ramsdale would cost in the region of £25 million to bring to the Stadium of Light and has been earmarked as a potential successor to Anthony Patterson.

Sunderland’s opening offer is set to be close to Southampton’s asking price, which is, incidentally, the same fee as he was brought to the South Coast for from Arsenal, hence they would break even on the 27-year-old.

Now, it remains to be seen if Le Bris can force a deal over the line to bring another recognisable face with considerable pedigree to the North East.

Everton have made contact with another Premier League club over the signing of a £25m-rated youngster, according to a new transfer update.

Everton targeting attacking reinforcements

A new era is on the horizon for the Blues, with life at their new Bramley Moore Dock stadium beginning next month, hopefully heralding the beginning of a more positive period in the club’s great history.

New signings are vital if David Moyes’ Everton side are to kick on in 2025/26, however, and plenty of players are being linked with moves, including Ipswich Town winger Omari Hutchinson. It is claimed that he would love the chance to remain in the Premier League, following his relegation to the Championship back in May.

The Blues are also believed to have held talks with Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz over a summer switch to Merseyside, which could be a fantastic piece of business. The Brazilian was a huge hit at Aston Villa, so Moyes doesn’t have to worry about him adjusting to the pace and power of the Premier League.

It is clear that extra attacking quality is needed at Everton, especially following the departure of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and now a hugely talented young player has been revealed as a target.

Everton make contact for McAtee signing

According to a new report from The i Paper, there “has been dialogue” between Everton and Manchester City over a summer move for James McAtee.

The Englishman is valued at £25m and Moyes is said to be a “big admirer”, with the attacking midfielder fresh off the back of European Championship glory with England’s Under-21s.

This feels like it could be a perfect move for everyone concerned, allowing McAtee to be a regular starter away from City, and getting him off their wage bill in the process.

The 22-year-old is too talented to be warming the substitutes’ bench most weeks, and he showed his quality at the aforementioned recent Euros, scoring once and helping Lee Carsley’s side go all the way in the tournament.

Meanwhile, former Sheffeld United striker Carl Asaba has even compared him to Arsenal star Martin Odegaard, saying: “He’s a bonus player in that he plays midfield and you have an extra number in there but then he can just attack. He’s like Odegaard. You play him in midfield so he’s defending for you, he’s another body for them to try and navigate away from but he likes the ball 30 yards out because he can go past you like you’re not there.”

There are few negatives to Everton signing McAtee, with his price tag far from extortionate, and the fact that Moyes rates him highly can also only be a good thing.

Ndiaye 2.0 for Moyes: £35m star 'would love' to sign for Everton

David Moyes is looking to sign another attacking player this summer at Everton.

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 8, 2025

The City youngster would add much-needed guile in the No.10 role, scoring and creating at will, and he could grow into an elite footballer as the years pass.

Talk about a baptism of fire for new Arsenal Sporting Director, Andrea Berta.

Edu Gaspar is no longer in charge of the Gunners’ recruitment and Berta has been dealt a tough hand, needing to sign Mikel Arteta his elusive striker.

No pressure then, Andrea, we only need you to find a player capable of winning the Premier League and Champions League.

Last term was a golden opportunity for the Londoners to end their 20-year wait for a league title, but a succession of injuries and inconsistent performances saw Liverpool romp to the crown, ultimately winning the division by ten points.

It was a rough old year for Arsenal but let’s forget about that for now. The 2025/26 campaign is already around the corner, although Arteta’s side face a tough start against Manchester United.

So, the need for a striker has only been heightened. Can Berta get one across the line? Here’s what Arsenal’s dream summer could look like if everything goes according to plan.

The new arrivals £100m winger & new striker sign

Arsenal haven’t quite been as gung-ho as their rivals Liverpool and Manchester City so far this summer but they have all but confirmed three new arrivals already.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to arrive from Chelsea in a £5m deal, replacing Neto as the club’s second-string goalkeeper. They have also agreed a move to bring in Brentford captain Christian Norgaard as Berta goes about improving the midfield ranks.

Speaking of midfielders, the most exciting addition of the summer so far is Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, set to join in a move worth just over £50m.

But, what does the rest of the window hold? Well, Arsenal fans are certainly dreaming of the attacking ranks being bolstered.

Let’s start with the striker, shall we? Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres are the two centre-forwards in the club’s crosshairs but who arrives very much remains up in the air.

Gyokeres is a devastating attacker, someone who’s coming off the back of a campaign in which he found the net on 54 occasions in 52 outings. He is the ready-made option, someone who could fire the Gunners to the title.

Yet, it might well be that Arsenal prefer the project striker, someone in the mould of Sesko who appears to have all the raw attributes to become a genuinely elite player.

Transfer Focus

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

Described as “the new Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Slovenian is tall, powerful, quick and has an immense shot on him. That being said, he did only score 21 goals in 2024/25, some way behind Gyokeres.

Still, he’s got incredible potential and if reports are to be believed, personal terms have already been agreed between player and club. Arsenal need a striker and Sesko could be their man.

Elsewhere, a winger appears to be on the agenda for Arteta and Co. Positive talks have reportedly been held to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid but it remains a difficult deal to do.

If the Gunners had it their way, then Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon would be a dream alternative. Arsenal are interested but with an alleged £100m asking price, this is an incredibly unlikely deal.

That said, he’s Premier League proven and in the process of amassing 44 goal contributions in the last two seasons, he is one of the most dangerous wingers in English football.

Games

48

42

Mins played

3,869

2,946

Goals

12

9

Assists

16

7

Arsenal need another winger; they need competition for Martinelli, and in Gordon, they’d seal a remarkable coup.

The outgoings Bye-bye Trossard

If the club are going to fund two big additions to the forward line then they will need to sell smartly.

Jorginho has already departed on a free transfer, although Norgaard and Zubimendi look to be the replacements there.

But, who could fetch some cash? Well, Oleksandr Zinchenko is one of the names on the chopping block. Linked with Borussia Dortmund last January, he’s caught the attention of the German club again this summer, while AC Milan are also looking at him.

Having played just 522 minutes in the league last season, he’s certainly expendable and must finally be given the boot this summer.

Another departure could be Leandro Trossard. The Belgian appeared in more games (56) than any other Arsenal player in 2024/25, proving his dependability as far as availability is concerned.

However, he had a disappointing campaign on the whole, scoring just ten goals in those outings. At the age of 30, he’s beginning to get on and has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia this year.

Getting a decent transfer fee for the winger could be decisive in Arsenal’s efforts to spend big on new forward players.

The contract renewals Saliba pens new terms

The biggest news as far as renewals are concerned this summer is that Brazilian colossus Gabriel has penned new terms at the Emirates Stadium.

But, who could join him? Well, the news that Myles Lewis-Skelly has signed extended terms has certainly gone down well, with reports suggesting that he’s now one of the highest-paid teenagers in world football.

Four players – Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli – see their deals expire in 2027 and while that feels like a long time away, they could depart for a cut-price fee or run their deals down if Arsenal aren’t careful.

We’re not suggesting Saka could leave on a free for one minute but it’s vital that Berta gets extensions sorted for him, Saliba and Martinelli, in particular.

Saliba has attracted the interest of Real Madrid and we all know what happens when they come calling. Trent Alexander-Arnold, we’re looking at you.

So, getting the French defender tied down could be one of the biggest pieces of business Arsenal do all summer. They simply cannot afford to let him leave.

Tying that in with the arrival of a new winger and a striker would ensure the Gunners end the transfer window with an almighty bang. Wouldn’t that be a bit special, eh?

Better than Williams: Arsenal open talks to sign ex-Spurs player for £50m

The dynamic winger could provide Arsenal with another avenue of attack next season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak enjoyed a wonderful season for the club last year.

The Swede not only scored 27 goals across 42 appearances in all competitions, but he also helped the Magpies end their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy in the process.

Isak opened the scoring in the League Cup final against Liverpool, immortalising himself among the Toon support.

If Eddie Howe wishes to keep his star man in this sort of form, bringing in a quality winger or two this summer will help massively.

Just who have the Magpies got on their wishlist?

Newcastle could see bid for Premier League starlet accepted

Newcastle have been linked with Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish and even Rodrygo from Real Madrid during the first couple of weeks in June.

All three would be statement signings by Howe, no doubt about that, but is there a more attractive option out there?

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, according to Football Insider, the Magpies now know exactly how much it is going to cost to sign Nottingham Forest wideman Anthony Elanga.

The report states that the club had an offer of £35m rejected last summer, but if Howe comes back in with a £15m increase, this £50m bid would likely be accepted by Forest.

Why Anthony Elanga could make Isak even better

Elanga has shone for the club since making the move from Manchester United two years ago and this form has caught the attention of Howe.

If he does make the move north, Isak will be licking his lips.

Last season, wingers Anthony Gordon, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes registered seven, five and 14 assists respectively across all competitions.

Elanga recorded 12 assists in all competitions last term, with 11 coming in the Premier League alone, more than Gordon and Barnes.

Metric

Elanga

Gordon

Barnes

Murphy

Goals

6

6

9

8

Assists

11

5

4

12

Big chances created

9

6

8

12

Key passes per game

1.3

1.5

0.8

1.2

Successful dribbles per game

0.7

1.1

0.7

1

The Swedish starlet also created nine big chances in the top flight while also making 1.3 key passes and succeeding with 0.7 dribbles per game. These numbers indicate that he could be the dream winger for Isak, providing him with plenty of chances next term.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the Premier League, Elanga ranks in the top 6% for assists (0.4) per 90.

The winger even ranks in the top 2% for shots on target (54.5%) per 90 and in the top 3% for crosses (6.66) per 90, which places him among the best in the division for these metrics. How exactly does he do that?

Well, it certainly helps that he was one of the fastest players in the entire division throughout 2024/25.

The fastest & slowest players in the Premier League (2024/25)

On that evidence, it is no wonder that Statman Dave hailed him as “dangerous” during his first few months as a Forest player, and he has gone from strength to strength ever since.

Linking up with his compatriot at Newcastle ahead of next season could see Howe field a front three of Elanga, Isak and Gordon.

This should be enough to strike fear into most sides in the top flight and, indeed, in the Champions League.

Will the manager shell out £50m for the 23-year-old this summer? Only time will tell.

Dream Mbeumo alternative: Newcastle keen to sign "unplayable" £55m winger

With Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on his way to Manchester United, have Newcastle identified a dream alternative described as “amazing”, worth £55m?

Jun 15, 2025

The season ended less than a month ago, and so much has already changed at Tottenham Hotspur.

In the space of a week, Ange Postecoglou, who led the club to their first trophy in almost two decades this season, was fired, and his replacement all but announced.

The man to come in and try to improve the Lilywhites’ Premier League form looks set to be Brentford’s Thomas Frank.

However, to ensure the Danish coach can do that, Daniel Levy and Co have to execute this summer perfectly, which means bringing in the right players and selling those who need to be sold, such as Son Heung-min and another big name.

Why Son should be sold

There is no doubt that in the pantheon of great and iconic Tottenham Hotspur players, Son is right near the very top, as not only has he spent a decade at the club, but he was the captain for their Europa League triumph last week.

Chalkboard

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

However, that is one of the reasons he should be moved on this summer, as if he were to go now, he’d be leaving on an incredible high and as an unquestionable legend of the club, but were he to remain for another year, there is every chance his declining ability would see him eventually leave on something of a sour note next year.

It’s not the South Korean superstar’s fault he’s become less effective in recent years, but just an unfortunate reality of getting older, a reality supported by research carried out by The Athletic showing that wide attackers peak at 26 and see their ability to take defenders on nosedive at 30 and beyond.

Appearances

36

46

Goals

17

11

Assists

10

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.75

0.5

We can also see this in his numbers, with the Chuncheon-born ace racking up 27 goal involvements in 36 appearances last year but just 23 in 46 games this year.

Moreover, per FBref, the 32-year-old sat in the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers for successful take-ons per 90 in the 18/19 Premier League season, but then this season, he was in the bottom 42% for the same metric.

Now, the good news is that the North Londoners can probably still get some good money for the Bayer Leverkusen star, as according to French outlet Foot Mercato, he has been approached by Saudi Pro-league side Al-Hilal, and as we’ve seen in the past few years, they can pay an awful lot for ageing stars.

In all, Son is now a bonafide legend at Spurs, but this summer feels like the right time for him to go so he can leave on a high, and the club can cash in, which is the same for another star.

The Spurs star who should be sold

While there are a few players who should be sold this summer because they simply aren’t good enough, like Yves Bissouma, we are talking about one of the co-vice captains, Cristian Romero.

Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, we are not for one second saying the Argentine isn’t good enough to play for Spurs under Frank.

However, there are a few reasons why the North Londoners should probably be looking to cash in on him, with the first being the interest.

There has always been the odd link here and there for the World Cup winner, but it has to be said that in the last few months, said links have increased in volume and believability.

For example, Real Madrid were reportedly keen on the former Juventus ace in early April, but since then, there has been a near-constant stream of reports touting him for a move to their city rivals, Atlético Madrid.

Worse still, the Córdoba-born “monster,” dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, has reportedly already spoken to his compatriot Diego Simeone and now wants to move to the Spanish capital, which is a want likely strengthened by the sacking of Postecoglou.

The second reason is intertwined with the first and concerns the money involved in a potential move.

If the club can get upwards of £60m for the wantaway defender, as it looks like they want, then that cash can go towards new players that actually want to play for the team and that Frank personally wants in his squad.

Finally, the the £165,000-per-week defender cannot be relied upon to remain fit anymore, as he missed a whopping 27 games for club and country this season, so even if he stays this summer, he could well end up missing half of the 25/26 campaign.

Ultimately, Romero is a brilliant footballer and was important in the Europa League this year, but with him increasingly looking like he wants to leave, combined with his fitness problems, it would make sense for Spurs to cash in now and hand Franks the funds to sign his own players.

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Leeds United are preparing for life back in the Premier League and are looking to make a mark in the transfer window.

Chairman Paraag Marathe said at the end of the Championship title-winning season that the Whites will spend as much as they are allowed to bolster Daniel Farke’s squad.

As to be expected for a newly promoted side, there have already been a plethora of players linked with moves to Elland Road, with Leeds looking at additions all over the pitch to give them the best possible chance of survival.

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But who do AI think Leeds will sign ahead of the 2025/26 season? Grok, the AI tool on X, gave us five players it thinks will be brought to Yorkshire by the 49ers Enterprises.

AI predicts 5 players Leeds will sign this summer 5 Nick Pope Newcastle (£30m)

Starting in goal, Leeds have been on the search for a new goalkeeper to replace Illan Meslier after he was dropped by Farke for the Championship run-in.

Meslier may well exit Elland Road if a suitable offer arrives, leaving Karl Darlow and Alex Cairns as back up options to a new first choice keeper. AI thinks the new number one will be Nick Pope, with the Newcastle United ace potentially leaving St James’ Park this summer.

The Magpies have been heavily linked with James Trafford of Burnley, and with Leeds keen to sign Pope, AI feels a transfer could be on the cards for up to £30m.

4 Nico Elvedi Borussia Monchengladbach (£20m)

A centre-back who was being linked with a move to Leeds before they won promotion was Borussia Monchengladbach’s Nico Elvedi.

A Switzerland international, Elvedi has now been with the Bundesliga side for 10 years and worked with Farke during his brief stint as Monchengladbach boss.

Games

34

Goals

3

Yellow cards

2

Minutes played

3,007

A central defender to rival Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, AI states that a deal for Elvedi could be worth £20m.

3 Christantus Uche Getafe (£15m)

Versatile attacking midfielder Christantus Uche has been catching the eye in La Liga with Getafe and is the next arrival AI think Leeds will make this summer.

The Whites have their eye on the Nigeria international, who can play in a mixture of midfield and attacking roles. AI say that ‘versatility and potential fit Farke’s preference for players who buy into the club’s project, likely costing £10-15m.’

2 Igor Paixao Feyenoord (£25m)

A new winger is also on the cards for Leeds ahead of the 25/26 season, as it remains to be seen whether or not Manor Solomon will return to Yorkshire from Tottenham following a successful loan spell.

Igor Paixao of Feyenoord, a right-footed winger who plays on the left, has also been mooted as a target for the Whites after scoring 18 goals and registering 19 assists in 24/25. Despite reports suggesting a €40m (£34m) asking price, AI thinks a deal may only cost £25m.

1 Davie Selke Hamburg (Free)

Finally, a new striker to rival Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford is wanted by Leeds, and a host of names have been linked, including some that won’t command a transfer fee.

Davie Selke fits the bill of being mentioned as a target, and he’s set to be available on a free transfer with his Hamburg contract set to expire. The 30-year-old scored 22 goals in 31 appearances last season and stands at 6ft 4.

AI say his ‘physicality and goal-scoring record in the 2. Bundesliga make him a cost-effective option’, with Leeds recently making contact to sign Selke.

What once looked like it could be quite a miserable summer for Tottenham Hotspur is now one full of exciting transfer-related possibilities.

Being one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, the Lilywhites will always be able to attract top talent.

Still, following their Europa League triumph, they now have the added lure of Champions League football and the money that goes with it.

This already seems to be helping their case as well, as, based on recent reports, the North Londoners might soon have a player who’s won comparisons to Bukayo Saka.

Tottenham winger search

Before we get to the star in question, it’s worth looking over some of the other talented wingers linked with Spurs in recent weeks and months, such as Eberechi Eze and Rayan Cherki.

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The former has spent plenty of time in the middle of the park this season but is more than capable of playing out wide, and with 25 goal involvements in 43 games this term, he’d be more than worth his £68m release clause.

Likewise, at a reported £19m, Cherki would be a steal, as in just 44 appearances for Lyon this season, he has scored 12 goals and provided 20 assists.

However, the North Londoners might be able to get an even better deal in the coming weeks.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol and Michael Bridge, Spurs have been offered the chance to sign Bayern Munich star Leroy Sané.

The report has revealed that in light of the club’s place in next season’s UCL, they have become a far more attractive destination for the German international, who’ll be available for free in a month’s time.

It might not be the most exciting transfer possible, but Sané is a proven winger at the highest level and has even won comparisons to a player who’s terrorised Tottenham in recent years: Saka.

How Sané compares to Saka

So before getting to some of the other reasons why Spurs should be looking to bring Sané in on a free this summer, it’s important to address this comparison to Saka and where it comes from.

In this case, it comes from FBref, which compared players in similar positions at last summer’s European Championships and concluded that the Arsenal star was the third most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Bayern ace in the entire competition.

It’s much easier to see how this conclusion was reached by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which they rank closely, including but not limited to expected assists, progressive passes, passing accuracy, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Expected Assists

0.09

0.11

Progressive Passes

3.04

3.57

Passing Accuracy

83.8%

83.8%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.03

3.30

Goal-Creating Actions

0.43

0.47

Successful Take-Ons

2.17

2.00

Moreover, aside from the significant statistical overlap between the two, they are also both mainly left-footed right-wingers who have benefited tremendously from the coaching of Mikel Arteta at different points in their careers.

With that said, why else should the North Londoners go out of their way to bring the former Manchester City star to the club this summer?

Well, firstly, even as his minutes have been somewhat reduced at Bayern this season, the “world-class” winger, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has remained a genuine attacking threat, living up to Pep Guardiola’s billing that he is one of “the best in the world playing out wide.”

For example, in 45 appearances, totalling just 2377 minutes, the 29-year-old dynamo has scored 13 goals and provided six assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.36 games, or more crucially, every 125.10 minutes.

Finally, the Essen-born monster is a natural winner; he lifted two Premier Leagues, two League Cups and one FA Cup at the Eithad, and then in Bavaria, he has won four Bundesliga, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

Ultimately, even if he was going to cost a modest fee, signing Sané would be the smart move to make this summer, so the fact he’s free makes bringing him to Tottenham a no-brainer – especially as he could be the club’s own Saka.

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