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Liverpool meet Manchester United on Sunday afternoon. It’s a fixture typically freighted with emotion, one of the biggest and fiercest rivalries the Premier League has ever hosted.

But for the Anfield side, they know they need a big performance regardless, having fallen to three successive defeats before the October international break. These are uncharted waters for Arne Slot, both during his Liverpool tenure and previously in his Dutch homeland with Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar.

Despite slipping in the final stages of successive matches against Crystal Palace and Chelsea, Liverpool have fallen just one point behind league leaders Arsenal, and now they are back at Anfield.

The Red Devils have come away from Anfield with the spoils shared across both of the past two top-flight terms, but their own struggle for form under Ruben Amorim’s wing this season suggests that this is a fantastic chance for the defending champions to remind the Premier League what they are made of.

Who Slot should start up front vs Man Utd

Alexander Isak might have been called “the best striker in the Premier League” by pundit Jamie Carragher last season, but the debacle that was his summer transfer saga has disrupted his start to the season.

And Hugo Ekitike has only been too happy to take advantage and kickstart his own career in Liverpool. Having joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69m fee in July, the Frenchman has scored five goals and assisted one more across ten matches so far this season, starting eight of those games.

Newly blooded in Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus set-up, Ekitike boasts a rare attacking profile, deadly in the final third but also mobile and intelligent and electric on the ball.

The Frenchman’s red card for taking his shirt off in celebration, already on a yellow, having scored the winner in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton, likely knocked him down a peg in Slot’s estimation, and he only made a cameo during the defeat at Stamford Bridge, having previously been suspended for the loss at Crystal Palace.

Will Isak reprise the starting berth he held against Chelsea? It was a tough evening for the visitors, but the Sweden international showed off his quality to claim the assist for Cody Gakpo’s second-half equaliser.

With the cogs not exactly whirring across Liverpool’s frontline right now, it feels like the chance to rise in stature is there for the taking.

Indeed, Slot does have the option to go down a different track, should he choose. Without a doubt, Isak and Ekitike are Liverpool’s most talented and effective centre-forwards, but there’s another who should play a part against Chelsea and even overshadow Ekitike.

Liverpool play Man United this weekend, and this particular Redman could call upon the spirit of former star Xherdan Shaqiri at Anfield.

Liverpool's new version of Shaqiri

Whether Slot decides to deploy him from the opening whistle or as part of a second-half wave that, on the basis of evidence, may be needed, there’s no question that Federico Chiesa will be primed to play his part against Liverpool’s most notorious rivals.

The 27-year-old has been one of the sharper forwards in the Anfield squad so far this season, bouncing back from a testing maiden year in England, struck by injuries and overlooked by Slot after arriving from Juventus for a cut-price £12.5m fee.

But he’s so far been among the most clinical players at Slot’s disposal this season, bagging the winner on the opener against Bournemouth, netting again at Selhurst Park and setting up both Isak and Ekitike’s strikes during the win over Saints.

Hugo Ekitike

10

5 (1)

Mohamed Salah

10

3 (3)

Federico Chiesa

6

2 (2)

Cody Gakpo

10

2 (2)

Alexander Isak

6

1 (1)

Rio Ngumoha

5

1 (0)

Hailed as a “wizard” of a footballer by broadcaster Roger Bennett for his efforts with Juventus, Chiesa has that special ability to make things happen when his team needs him most.

And in this way, he could be the next version of Shaqiri on this important weekend. The Swiss international, now 33 years old, only played 63 matches across three campaigns for the Merseysiders, but he certainly left his mark, instrumental in beating Barcelona on that most historic of nights in the Champions League and popping up with some big moments in the Premier League too.

It was super-sub Shaqiri who came off the bench to score twice and help Liverpool along to a 3-1 win over Manchester United in December 2018, as Jurgen Klopp went neck-and-neck with Pep Guardiola at the height of his City dynasty.

Liverpool ultimately fell short that year, but triumph on the continent certainly helped cushion the blow. And anyway, Liverpool would triumph in the Premier League one year later, with Shaqiri in amongst the celebrations.

Like Shaqiri, Chiesa is an injury-prone forward, but he has immense quality and is now showing an ability to retain his quality in the English game.

Might he steal Ekitike’s thunder against the Red Devils? The Italy international will surely be hoping to grace the field after Slot kept him on the bench against Chelsea. After all, he has, on a number of occasions already this term, looked to be Liverpool’s focal threat.

Last season, opportunities were few and far between for Chiesa at Liverpool. However, he has proved himself as a testament to tenacity and unwavering self-belief. Now, the Italian is a secret weapon for Slot’s side.

In the past, Shaqiri came up trumps for Klopp when facing Man United. Now, Chiesa could repeat that trick.

Better than Semenyo: Liverpool plot bid for "one of the best RWs in the world"

Liverpool need to begin plans to replace Mohamed Salah on the right wing.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 15, 2025

Regardless of what happens in the Europa League and with Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur need a massive summer in the transfer market.

From defence to attack, the North Londoners need to dramatically improve their squad to avoid having another domestic season as bad as this one next year.

Fortunately, Daniel Levy and Co seem to agree with this sentiment, as, on top of the near-constant rumours around the manager’s position, we are starting to see stories linking the club to some brilliant players.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, the Lilywhites have now set their sights on one of the most exciting strikers in the Premier League, someone who’d be an enormous upgrade on Richarlison, who looks like he could be on the way out as well.

Spurs' striker search

So, before we get to the forward in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other strikers Spurs are supposedly interested in from outside the Premier League, like Jonathan David and Tim Kleindienst.

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 set to be available for free this summer, and with a sensational tally of 25 goals and 12 assists in 47 games this season, the Canadian international would be an incredible addition to the North Londoners squad.

Kleindienst, on the other hand, could cost around £30m this summer, and while that isn’t chump change, it would still represent fair value, as the German international has scored 16 goals and provided ten assists in 32 games this year.

Yet, Levy and Co might prefer to shop closer to home and sign a more Premier League-proven marksman like Liam Delap.

Yes, according to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Spurs are one of several teams incredibly interested in the Ipswich Town goalscorer.

In fact, while the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and West Ham United are all also keen, the report has revealed that the Lilywhites are now ‘planning to make an offer’ for the Englishman, who now has a £30m release clause in his contract.

It might be a complicated transfer to get done with how many interested parties there are, but it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be an incredible Richarlison upgrade.

How Delap compares to Richarlison

So, if Spurs are able to get ahead of the chasing pack and bring Delap to N17 in the summer, it’s almost certain that, to begin with at least, he’d play second-fiddle to club-record signing Dominic Solanke.

Therefore, he’d either be in direct competition with Richarlison or be his replacement should he be moved on, so how does he stack up to the Brazilian?

Well, the most important metric for a centre-forward is their raw output; in this case, the Englishman comes out comfortably on top.

For example, despite playing for a relegated side, the 22-year-old “wrecking-ball,” as dubbed by Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones, has managed to score 12 goals and provide two assists in 37 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.64 games.

In contrast, the former Everton star has scored five goals and provided two assists in 20 appearances this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.85 games.

Appearances

37

20

Goals

12

5

Assists

2

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.37

0.35

Moreover, besides being the more dangerous forward and five years younger, the former Manchester City gem has one other massive advantage over the Nova Venécia-born ace: his fitness.

For example, across his career, the Winchester-born monster has missed just 16 games, and that was down to a single knee injury he suffered last season, which has since not resurfaced.

In stark contrast, the 48-capped Brazilian has missed a whopping 78 games for club and country across his career and suffered from 20 injuries.

Ultimately, while he’s still somewhat raw, it’s abundantly clear that Delap would be a massive upgrade on Richarlison in almost every way, so Spurs should do what they can to sign him this summer.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2025

Leeds United, likely to miss out on Jonathan Rowe amid interest from Marseille, have turned their attention towards another Championship winger who they're now reportedly in pole position to sign.

Leeds transfer news

It's no surprise that those in the Whites have been linked with attacking additions given how the summer transfer window, and more specifically the Premier League, has torn Daniel Farke's frontline apart. Of course, if Leeds fail to replace both Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter in the next 10 days, then their recent 0-0 draw against West Bromwich Albion could become an all too familiar sight.

Leeds could ruthlessly ditch Bamford in swoop for "powerful" £8.5m star

The Whites have been linked with an interest in signing the striker this month.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 19, 2024

It seems as though the 49ers are well aware of that too, with recent links to the likes of Jack Clarke and Rowe suggesting that the plan is to bolster their attacking options before the window slams shut. Reports have even claimed that Leeds submitted two unsuccessful bids to sign Rowe, with both failing to match Norwich City's £15m valuation and the winger setting his heart on a move to Marseille.

Set to lose out on their target, the Whites have reportedly turned their attention to another option. According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Leeds are now in pole position to sign Manuel Benson, who wants to complete a move to Elland Road this month with talks open and the idea of selling the winger on a permanent basis one that reportedly appeals to Burnley.

The 27-year-old is yet to make a Championship appearance under Scott Parker, forced to watch on as the Clarets got their campaign underway in fine fashion with nine goals in two games against Luton Town and Cardiff City.

With that said, the option that would suit all parties is a late summer exit, even if it is to promotion rivals Leeds. Desperately hoping to replace Summerville, Leeds could swoop in.

"Important" Benson can rediscover best form at Leeds

After struggling to make an impact in his debut Premier League campaign last time out, which far from helped Burnley in their failed pursuit of survival, Benson needs the chance to rediscover the form that propelled the Clarets to promotion in the first place.

At his best, the 27-year-old scored 13 goals and assisted a further five to earn the praise of former manager Vincent Kompany, who said via The Burnley Express: "There is so much more to come. I know his game and it goes in two ways, one is him getting to know the team, and two is the team getting to know him.

“There were a couple of really good balls he put in that, if you have that 100% understanding, then you have people running onto it, and that wasn’t the case yet. That increases the amount of chances you create.

“And you can see the moments where he goes inside to outside and runs to the touchline, so he is an important profile of player to have, especially if you are able to pin a team back like we were in the second half."

Earning a reported £25k-a-week, the Belgian helped fire Burnley to promotion in the 2022/23 campaign and could now get the chance to help Leeds secure the same achievement at his best.

To say Manchester United have made errors in the transfer market would be doing the whole topic a disservice.

Antony for £82m? Good grief. Harry Maguire for £80m? Wow. United have spent a shed load over the last decade or so and it’s not got them anywhere.

Erik ten Hag may have tasted FA Cup and Carabao Cup success since joining from Ajax but supporters want the Premier League, they want regular Champions League qualification.

It has been over a decade – 2011/12 – since the Red Devils last won the league. How they must crave the Halcyon days of Sir Alex Ferguson again.

He was certainly a better operator in the transfer market. No other United manager would have been able to stroll over to Arsenal and prise away Robin van Persie. It’s unlikely many other managers would have been able to secure Wayne Rooney’s signature as a teenager before turning him into an all-time great.

Perhaps he would have kept a certain Angel Gomes around too, learning from the mistake of letting a young Paul Pogba go before re-signing him.

Why Angel Gomes left Man Utd for free

The date was July 2012. Man Utd had just released Pogba after his failure to sign a new contract with the club. He went on to enjoy a fabulous time with Juventus before heading back to Old Trafford to the tune of a mega £89m transfer fee in 2016.

This time, the date is June 2020. Gomes is the midfielder in question walking away having been released by United. Now, in 2024, there are rumours they want him back, just like Pogba. It’s funny how football works, isn’t it?

So, why did the Englishman leave in the first place? Well, despite being made what was described as a ‘very good offer’ by The Athletic, talks broke down after many months due to a continued absence from the first-team picture.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer assured him that chances would be forthcoming but Gomes did not believe that and headed elsewhere. Lille came calling which is where he’s enjoying his football now.

2024 has been a breakout year for the talented ace who is now 24 years of age. He’s a true England superstar in the making.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Angel Gomes' numbers for England

Now with 123 appearances under his belt for Lille, Gomes is only going from strength to strength for Lille and it surely won’t be too long before he gets a major move.

His performances for the Three Lions certainly suggest he deserves one. Handed a first international start in the last break against Finland by Lee Carsley, Gomes started for the second time for his country against the Fins again on Sunday evening. His performance was of a first-class standard.

He linked up beautifully with Jack Grealish for England’s opener. Receiving the ball in a tight pocket of space just outside the penalty area, he delightfully turned the ball around the corner into the path of the Manchester City winger who finished with ease.

It was one of many glimpses of the 24-year-old immense talent as he went on to amass a whopping 108 touches and 97 accurate passes during his 80 minutes on the field. Only Marc Guehi completed more passes, while only Guehi and Trent Alexander-Arnold had more touches of the ball. His influence, therefore, was colossal.

Gomes also looked tidy on his previous start where his 116 passes were 34 more than the next highest player and his 130 touches were 15 more than second-best Alexander-Arnold.

England have been looking for a player in his mould for ages. They have the fancy players in Bukayo Saka, in Jude Bellingham, in Cole Palmer, but they lack the simple player, the midfielder with the ability to keep things ticking over.

Lille

123

9

19

Boavista

32

6

6

Man Utd U21

27

10

7

Man Utd U18

26

15

7

Man Utd UEFA U19

13

4

3

Manchester United

10

0

0

Total

231

44

42

They lacked that player so much that Gareth Southgate and his assistant, Steve Holland, delivered presentations to the FA detailing the type of player they wanted to see coming through.

“Someone who has those skills to receive the ball with their back to goal to start the play and keep control. We’ve seen Rodri do it for Spain and Man City. That’s one profile that we would be trying to promote within our country to try and improve,” Paul McGuinness, Gomes’ former Man Utd youth coach told Sky Sports. “We searched within the FA to try and improve that type of midfield player. That’s the type of player Angel is.”

The young Lille gem may not be of the same sort of calibre as Rodri yet but this is an individual on his way to the top. Considering how much premium midfielders get sold for in the modern market, and English ones too, he could quite comfortably be valued incredibly highly in the future.

His England colleague Declan Rice was sold for a £105m fee to Arsenal in the summer of 2023, Moises Caicedo went for £115m, Romeo Lavia headed off for £53m. Gomes is not in the same boat as Rice or Caicedo but he’s comfortably ahead in his development of Chelsea ace Lavia. Split the difference through the middle and you have what could be an £80m player in waiting. Watch this space; the former Red Devil is only going to get better.

The next Mourinho: Man Utd now chasing "Europe's most wanted" manager

Could Jose Mourinho 2.0 be on his way to Manchester United?

1 ByMatt Dawson Oct 13, 2024

Chelsea failed to secure their primary striker target, Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, after the deal went down to deadline day. Chelsea failed to agree terms in the final hours of the transfer window, ending the summer without a striker addition.

Osimhen has instead sealed a move to Galatasaray on loan, with other factors included in the deal, such as a lower release clause being inserted into his Napoli contract, and Galatasaray having no buy option.

Osimhen made 32 appearances in all competitions for Napoli last season, scoring 17 goals, providing four assists, and totalling 2,476 minutes played. As it happens, he'll now be joining a certain Hakim Ziyech in Turkey.

Ziyech's time at Chelsea

Ziyech was bought to Chelsea during Frank Lampard's reign, for a fee of £33.3m, signed during February, but joined the club in the summer of 2020.

Making 107 appearances for the club, Ziyech managed just 14 goals and 13 assists, a shadow of his Ajax form, where he delivered 49 goals and 81 assists in 165 games played.

This wasn't helped by his early injury issues in 2020 under Lampard, missing 14 matches with knee and hip injuries, at a time he was considered a starter under the English coach.

Some of the Moroccans' best performances for the Blues came in the Champions League, scoring two goals in the infamous Champions League run under both Lampard and Thomas Tuchel, where Chelsea lifted the trophy in 2021.

But things have been going downhill for Ziyech since the 2022/23 season, where he only managed 24 appearances, totalling 943 minutes for Chelsea, spelling the end of his time at Stamford Bridge, and moving to Turkey to continue his career with Galatasaray, now alongside the aforementioned Osimhen.

Ziyech's time at Galatasaray so far

In his first season for the club where he was on loan, Ziyech made 23 appearances in the 2023/24 campaign across all competitions, scoring eight goals, providing four assists, and featuring for 1,334 minutes played.

Ziyech actually finished the season in relatively good form, scoring four goals and providing one assist in the final six Süper Lig games.

Stats

Ziyech

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

34

Key Passes

1

Accurate Passes

18/20

Possession Lost

7

Ground Duels Won

1/6

Successful Dribbles

0/3

Dribbled Past

2

Since this performance, Ziyech was an unused substitute against Adana DS in the Süper Lig, as the likes of Kerem Akturkoglu, and Baris Alper Yilmaz have been preferred to the Moroccan.

Now a permanent figure at the Turkish club, signing in a paltry £2.5m deal this summer, the 2024/25 campaign has seen a torrid start with the 31-year-old making four appearances and providing no goal involvements in his 237 minutes. He has also now been an unused sub in two Süper Lig games, out of a possible three.

Coming towards the back end of his career, Ziyech faces the challenge of getting back into the Galatasaray starting XI, and the signing of Osimhen could actually be his route back in.

Widely known for his passing ability, the Moroccan could provide the creation needed in order for Osimhen to thrive in the box, receiving crosses from all angles, box entry passes, and shot-creating actions.

Osimhen could just be the saviour for Ziyech at Galatasaray, and a way back into the starting XI based on the attributes he can offer the team, especially in a duo with their new talisman.

Chelsea struck gold on £0 signing who's now worth 4x more than Sancho

He’s already proving to be a key figure under Enzo Maresca…

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 3, 2024

West Bromwich Albion supporters would have been worrying going into this new Championship season that there wasn’t enough firepower in the striker positions at the club, with Brandon Thomas-Asante jumping ship to Coventry City weakening the Baggies up top.

Now, however, those concerns have very much dissipated with the emergence of Josh Maja as the main leading man in attack for Carlos Corberan’s table toppers, after he managed to bounce back from an injury-ravaged first campaign at the Hawthorns.

Corberan will just hope those injury demons don’t come back to haunt the former Sunderland man moving forward, who was on the scoresheet yet again for the West Midlands side last weekend versus Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle.

Maja's start to the season

Amazingly, the goal-shy 25-year-old who only picked up one Championship goal from 12 games last campaign now has six to his name this season from as many league clashes, as second-tier defences begin to be scared stiff by the clinical nature of the Baggies number nine.

He only needed 26 touches of the ball against the visitors from Devon to tap home the winner, after new summer recruit Uros Racic put it on a plate for the 5 foot 11 forward to win the tight clash deep into the second 45 minutes.

West Brom will just be delighted that their patient approach with Maja’s injury issues has now paid off, with the promotion hopefuls needing to exercise a similar calmness with striker Daryl Dike soon, who is now back training himself after a long time out in the Hawthorns treatment room.

Whilst Corberan’s men have undoubtedly won with Maja in the here and now, there’s a botched deal from four years ago that will still bother those at the Baggies, with the striker in question – that was once very much on West Brom’s radar – now worth an unbelievable £40m.

When West Brom missed out on Ivan Toney

In conversation on talkSPORT earlier this year, Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Luke Dowling revealed how West Brom turned down the chance to sign then EFL sharp shooter Ivan Toney in 2020 for just £10m, with Brighton and Hove Albion and Celtic also interested at the time.

Dowling said: “We did have a conversation with them about the great Ivan Toney which in hindsight you look back. You’d look back now and say you’d pay it all day long [£10m fee].

“What we thought at the time, we’d just got promoted to the Premier League and we weren’t brave enough to take a player from League One. Is he going to score us the goals to keep us in the league? It wasn’t the right time.”

He more than showed that he could handle the pressures of the top-flight when moving onto Brentford though, after a goal laden few campaigns in Cambridgeshire, with a mightily impressive 72 strikes notched up in total for the Bees across 141 games.

Whilst Toney managed to improve more and more under Thomas Frank’s guidance – with the Brentford manager even labelling the senior England international as “remarkable” last year when discussing his rise with the club – West Brom struggled in the Premier League to be a threat in attack after missing out on the deadly finisher and were relegated straight back to the second tier at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

1. Matheus Pereira

10

2. Callum Robinson

5

3. Kyle Bartley

3

4. Mbaye Diange

3

5. Semi Ajayi

2

West Brom would only manage to have one player on their roster hit double digits during that term in the form of Baggies favourite Matheus Pereira, as Toney fired home a ridiculous 33 goals in the division below to further add insult to injury.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

The former Peterborough man would then go on to be a wanted figure by the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea among other Premier League suitors, with his predicted price tag once coming in at an eye-watering £70m according to reports.

He would leave eventually depart West London for a lesser £40m, as Saudi Arabia came calling in the form of Al-Ahli this summer, where Toney continues to show off his clinical prowess in-front of goal with a brace on his debut in the Middle East.

West Brom would have loved to have been one club Toney played for on the way to his path to stardom, but they just weren’t prepared to gamble.

Of course, not every punt does pay off like this, as Corberan’s side now just focus on winning promotion back to the Premier League, to then perhaps be more risky in the transfer market.

West Brom could axe star who earns more than Maja & Johnston combined

Carlos Corberan could look to move on this forgotten West Bromwich Albion man soon.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 23, 2024

After the previous campaign saw them rely heavily upon the goals of Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United appear eager to bolster their attacking firepower with a new forward player.

West Ham target new attacking stars

Aside from the aforementioned Bowen's sixteen league goals last season, no West Ham player managed to find the back of the net on more than eight occasions last term.

West Ham targeting £21m titan who's an Aguerd & Kilman hybrid

West Ham looking to make another defensive reinforcement

1 ByConnor Holden Jul 28, 2024

Jarrod Bowen

34

16

6

Mohammed Kudus

33

8

6

James Ward-Prowse

37

7

7

Tomas Soucek

37

7

2

Michail Antonio

26

6

2

Lucas Paqueta

31

4

6

In regard to fresh faces in attack, the Hammers have already got one player through the door in the form of Luis Guilherme. The Brazilian winger arrives in East London in a £25.5million move from Palmeiras. Penning a five-year deal at the London Stadium, the 18-year-old could play a big part in Julen Lopetegui's side next season.

Not content with just the one new arrival, West Ham have also been linked with a number of different players who can bolster their attack. According to a report last week, the Hammers are one of the main sides showing interest in Vitoria Guimaraes winger Jota Silva.

Joining Silva on the Hammers' list of targets is Aston Villa's Jhon Duran. West Ham have already had one offer rejected for the Colombian with the player himself now pushing for the deal to get done. With Villa willing to part ways with the striker for £40 million, it appears that the club are now weighing up whether to match this valuation.

Hammers return for Brazilian attacker

As first reported by Sport Witness, the Brazilian press are claiming that West Ham are back in the mix to sign Corinthians’ Yuri Alberto. The outlet states that Lopetegui has made contact with the club, likely to find out about the player's situation ahead of the Hammers making their first "official offer" for the player.

Alberto may be a familiar name to some among the Hammers' faithful with the club previously attempting to bring the Brazilian to East London back in August 2023. The 23-year-old came as close as agreeing personal terms with the Hammers, however a failure to agree upon a price with Corinthians saw the Premier League outfit walk away from negotiations.

The Hammers may have better luck in agreeing a deal this summer with Corinthians reportedly resigned to the fact that Alberto will be departing the club during the window. It is claimed that Everton have taken a look at the striker whilst an unnamed Saudi Arabian club have offered around £17 million for Alberto.

Alberto's popularity this summer is to be expected with the striker finding the back of the net on seventeen occasions this season. With multiple clubs eyeing up a deal for the 23-year-old, it may be in the Hammers' best interest to use their previous negotiations to get the deal done quickly this summer.

Arsenal are plotting a move for one £20 million player wanted by Barcelona, and he interestingly used to play with star midfielder Martin Odegaard at a former club.

The four key signings which Arsenal want to make this summer

This year's summer transfer window is set to close in around six weeks on August 30, with sporting director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta reportedly looking to bolster Arsenal's squad in four key areas.

£52 million forward could be offered to Arsenal as agents hold talks

He’s reached out for talks with the Gunners.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 13, 2024

Indeed, it is believed Arsenal are looking at signing a new goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward in these coming weeks, but they need to get moving if that is their ultimate goal.

So far, the Gunners have only confirmed the signing of David Raya in a £27 million permanent deal from Brentford, which was seen as a formality. It isn't for lack of trying from Arsenal's perspective, as they remain in talks to sign Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna to shore up their backline.

The negotiations for Italy's Euro 2024 star man have been ongoing for nearly two weeks, with Fabrizio Romano sharing the news Arsenal have opened discussions with Bologna over Calafiori around 12 days ago.

Calafiori is keen on a move to Arsenal after agreeing personal terms on a five-year contract, and it is believed that remains the case as Edu's recruitment team attempt to strike an understanding with Bologna on the fee and payment structure.

If things go to plan, the 22-year-old will be Arsenal's defensive signing of the summer window, but the chase to bring in a new midfielder is ongoing as well. Thomas Partey is out of contract in 11 months and played just 14 Premier League games last season, resulting in the Ghanaian being heavily linked with a move away.

The 31-year-old is attracting interest from the Middle East and Turkey, as Saudi Pro League sides consider an attempt to sign Partey with a lucrative contract offer. It is also claimed that Partey is ready for a fresh challenge away from Arsenal himself, so Arteta will need a replacement if he does leave.

Appearances

115

Goals

5

Assists

4

Bookings

24

Red cards

1

Minutes played

7,794

Many interesting midfielders have been linked, but a name who has repeatedly been mentioned is Spain star Mikel Merino. The former Newcastle United midfielder was a hero for Spain on their route to Euro 2024 glory, scoring the winner against hosts Germany in their quarter-final tie, and he could be available for a good price this summer.

Arsenal plotting move for Mikel Merino after £20 million claim

The Telegraph and reliable journalist Sam Dean now back Arsenal's interest in the 28-year-old, with reports in Spain claiming he'll cost around £20 million given the player's contract expires next year.

Dean writes that Arsenal are plotting a move to sign Merino, but could face competition from the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. The Spaniard is actually a former teammate of Odegaard's as well, with the pair playing together at Sociedad in the 2019/2020 season when he was on loan from Real Madrid.

Merino made 45 appearances in all competitions for Sociedad last season, scoring eight goals and assisting five others, so £20m seems like a price worth considering on the surface.

Celtic’s faultless start to the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign continued on Saturday with a comfortable 2-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead.

The Hoops have now won all five of their matches in the division, without conceding a single goal, after goals from new signings Arne Engels and Luke McCowan.

Despite the win, there were some underwhelming performers on the pitch for the Scottish giants and one of them was centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi, who endured a difficult afternoon – losing 100% of his duels and leaving the pitch with no meaningful contributions.

FFC have urged Brendan Rodgers to finally ditch the Japan international from the starting XI and that would present Adam Idah with a chance to prove his worth.

Celtic splashed out a fee of £8.5m, which could rise to £9.5m with add-ons, to sign the Ireland international from Norwich City on a permanent deal, after his loan spell last term.

The Bhoys will be hoping that it turns out to be a profitable investment on the 23-year-old striker, as they have not always had the best of luck when spending big on new centre-forwards.

One number nine the club had a howler with initially was Patryk Klimala, who struggled at Parkhead before the club later hit the jackpot with him.

How much Celitc paid for Patryk Klimala

Back in January 2020, Celtic reportedly agreed a fee of around £3.5m to sign the 21-year-old marksman from Polish outfit Jagiellonia Białystok.

It was claimed at the time that Neil Lennon had identified the forward as a top target during the January transfer window, and that the Hoops had beaten Danish giants Copenhagen to his signature.

They activated a €4m release clause in his contract with the Polish side, which allowed them to secure his services for £3.5m, as Lennon viewed him as a strike partner for Odsonne Edouard.

He had come up through the youth ranks with Jagiellonia Białystok, where he scored a stunning 17 goals in nine U19 matches, before emerging as a first-team option.

Klimala scored 11 goals in 50 senior outings for the club, including seven goals in 17 league games during the first half of the 2019/20 campaign, and this shows that Celtic were buying him for his potential.

The 21-year-old striker did not arrive at Parkhead with a proven track record of scoring goals and that made the £3.5m spent on him a significant gamble by the Scottish giants.

Unfortunately, it was not a gamble that paid off for Celitc on the pitch as the Polish marksman went on to struggle throughout his time on the field for the Hoops.

Patryk Klimala's Celtic career

The young striker only made four appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys during the second half of the 2019/20 campaign, and failed to find the back of the net.

After his return of seven goals and three assists in 17 Extraklasa matches during the first half of the season, the forward did not record a single goal or assist in his two outings in the Scottish Premiership.

Klimala was then offered more opportunities to showcase his qualities in Glasgow during his first full season at the club, in the 2020/21 campaign.

The Poland U21 international played 24 matches in all competitions for the Hoops but only contributed with three and zero assists for the Bhoys.

Appearances

17

Goals

3

Big chances missed

5

Assists

0

Big chances created

0

As you can see in the table above, Klimala struggled at the top end of the pitch in the Premiership, with five ‘big chances’ missed and zero assists to go along with his three goals in 17 games.

The centre-forward only completed 68% of his attempted passes, completing 2.5 per game on average, as he struggled to handle the step up in quality in Scotland.

By April of that season, Celtic decided to part ways with the striker and, surprisingly, they were able to recoup all of the money they paid for him.

MLS side New York Red Bulls swooped in to sign the young attacker for a reported fee of $4.8m (£3.5m), per Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, and the Hoops hit the jackpot with that sale, based on his decline since then.

Where Patryk Klimala is now

At the time of writing (16/09/2024), Klimala is on loan at Sydney FC in Australia, having joined them earlier this month, after being allowed to leave on a temporary basis by Slask Wroclaw.

Transfermarkt currently has his market value at a staggeringly low €600k (£500k), which is a significant drop-off from the £3.5m Celtic sold him for, at the age of 26.

The Polish striker enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular, time in the Big Apple after his move from Glasgow, with a return of 14 goals and 11 assists in 63 matches in all competitions.

He then spent a year with Hapoel Beer Sheva, from January 2023 to January 2024, and only managed four goals in 23 appearances for the club before being allowed to join Slask Wroclaw on a free transfer at the start of this year.

Appearances

11

Starts

5

Goals

0

Big chances missed

4

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, Klimala endured a frustrating time in the Polish top-flight for Wroclaw during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, with zero goals and four ‘big chances’ missed in 11 matches.

The 26-year-old former Celtic flop was then dropped down to the second team for the start of this season and scored four goals in four games in the fourth tier before being sent out on loan to Australia.

Overall, this shows that the Hoops hit the jackpot when they sold their big flop for a fee of £3.5m as his career has gone downhill since moving on from Glasgow, as shown by his faltering form and his plummeting market value.

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Klimala should be in the prime years of his career, at 26, but is, instead, struggling and moving from club-to-club to find his form, which shows that Celtic struck gold by raking in £3.5m for him.

After an excellent summer transfer window, Aston Villa could end with the ultimate bang following their first approach to sign a Champions League winner for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans instantly put their Champions League status to good use this summer, signing the likes of Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen among several others to ease blows caused by the departures of Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby.

So far, Aston Villa have picked up where they left off last time out too, with a late win over West Ham United getting them going before an unfortunate defeat up against Arsenal despite a solid display full of guilt-edged chances.

That said, with a matter of days left until the transfer window slams shut, those in the Midlands could yet round off a summer to remember amid links to the likes of Raheem Sterling and another Premier League star.

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Sterling would instantly replace Diaby and add crucial Champions League experience to Emery's side, but it remains to be seen whether they'll make their move for the Chelsea outcast. Instead, they've reportedly turned their attention to another top six player.

According to Rudy Galetti for TeamTalk, Aston Villa have approached Liverpool for the first time over signing Joe Gomez before Friday's deadline. The defender was reportedly left out of the Reds' squad to face Ipswich Town on the opening day amid his search for a move away for more game time.

Back in Arne Slot's squad for their 2-0 victory over Brentford, however, that search may have already reached a conclusion for now. Of course, anything could still change in the final days of the window, and Gomez is someone who would thrive at Villa Park, but the current signs are pointing towards an Anfield stay for the 2019 Champions League winner.

Gomez may well be one to keep an eye on beyond this summer though, especially if links with a move to Aston Villa persist.

"Superb" Gomez would thrive under Emery

Gomez has simply become the victim of incredible quality within Liverpool's backline, with Virgil van Dijk forming quite the partnership with Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah emerging to set course for Anfield stardom. Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson remain pivotal to the way the Reds play, even under Slot, to leave Gomez watching on from the sidelines.

Seemingly ready to become the main man elsewhere, Villa would be an excellent next step for the England international. Now in the Champions League, the Villans need all the depth that they can get from a player of Gomez's versatility.

Whilst battling for a place ahead of Ezri Konsa or Pau Torres at centre-back, Gomez could offer the same challenge to Matty Cash at right-back and even to Maatsen and Lucas Digne at left-back. Simply put, the 27-year-old would be well worth his reported £85,000-a-week salary as a Champions League winner who can play anywhere in a back three, four or five.

The versatile defender has plenty of experience to his name and has been earning significant praise for a number of years, including from former England boss Gareth Southgate, who said via The Independent at the start of his Three Lions career: "I think his decision-making was outstanding. We know his athleticism is a real asset but to see his calmness in the face of such high-quality movement, dealing with through passes he had to read… superb."