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If Leeds United are to collect a much-needed win on their travels next up in the Premier League away at Nottingham Forest, they will need to make sure they have packed their shooting boots.

Indeed, away from scoring three at Molineux back in September, Daniel Farke’s goal-shy Whites have regularly fired blanks on the road this season, with the 3-0 defeat handed to him last time out away at Brighton and Hove Albion only seeing the West Yorkshire outfit register a weak two shots on target.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has definitely frustrated a large volume of his new supporters, already, by regularly spurning opportunities, with five big chances missed in the Premier League this season coming courtesy of the wasteful ex-Everton marksman.

With both Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe not exactly banging the door down to take Calvert-Lewin’s starting spot off him, either, Farke could soon be tempted to throw Harry Gray into the senior mix more regularly, as the teenage sensation continues to frighten Premier League 2 defences in West Yorkshire.

Why Harry Gray should be in the first team

Despite only being 17 years of age, Gray has already received some first-team chances here and there, to begin to live up to his well-known family name, which has also seen Archie Gray go on to be a £40m sale to Tottenham Hotspur.

Leeds will hope they can hold on to the blistering number 45 for far longer than they managed with his Premier League-bound brother, though, with Gray perhaps the long-term fix to all their goalscoring woes.

From only 25 games lining up for both the U18s and U21s, Gray has a ridiculous 15 goals next to his name, leading to the England U17 international already being dubbed as “one of England’s best young prospects” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Of course, he does still have a very long way to go before he’s smashing goals home in the senior picture, with only one senior match under his belt to date.

But, do not be surprised if he’s handed more first-team chances very soon, having also recently penned a new long-term deal to stay put at his boyhood club, particularly if Calvert-Lewin continues to fluff his lines.

Amazingly, Gray isn’t the only goal machine being worked on at Thorp Arch at the moment, as another raw version of the 17-year-old is being brewed behind the scenes to excite Farke.

18-year-old Leeds star can rival Harry Gray

Leeds always seem to have a future talent ready on their conveyor belt, with the likes of Kalvin Phillips also homegrown, before he moved on to Manchester City.

The next starlet set for a big break at Elland Road could well be Lewis Pirie, with the 18-year-old situated in West Yorkshire ever since leaving former boyhood employers Aberdeen behind in 2023 for £200k, which is a wild fee to fork out for a rising star, especially one that was just 16 years of age at the time.

But, much like Gray, Pirie has been turning heads since a very tender age with his unbelievable goalscoring prowess to demand such an investment, with an insane 51 goals managed for club and country during the 2022/23 season, even seeing journalist James Marshment label the Scotsman as “one of the most in-demand young strikers around” when a move was clinched.

He has since slotted into the Leeds academy scene well, too, with his goalscoring promise for the U18s backing up his previous manager Jim Goodwin’s comments that he is a very “exciting” prospect.

Pirie’s Leeds record
Stat	Pirie
Games played	33
Goals scored	7
Assists	1
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Already, the five-time Scotland U17 international has fired home seven goals on the youth pitches in West Yorkshire, with three of those seven efforts coming during his first five breakneck outings for the U18s.

He is yet to get off the mark for the U21s, from just four appearances, but his continued rise up the ranks does bear similarities to Gray’s goal-laden ascent.

All this fresh blood excelling in attack away from the senior set-up will surely worry Calvert-Lewin when it comes to his long-term security, as the 28-year-old prays a purple patch comes his way soon, starting with a decisive strike against Forest on Saturday.

"Highly-rated" Leeds gem could now leave "on a free transfer in January"

Leeds United’s rising young goalkeeper could depart the club within the coming months.

By
James O'Reilly

Nov 5, 2025

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda could be on the move in the January transfer window after it was claimed that he is open to leaving the Scottish giants.

Journalist Graeme Bailey reported earlier this week that the Japan international is “ready to leave” the club, which comes after the Hoops blocked a potential transfer away from Parkhead in the summer.

It remains to be seen how much money the Scottish Premiership champions could rake in for him in January, but he is currently the most valuable member of the squad.

The most valuable players in the Celtic squad

Per Transfermarkt, Maeda is valued at £13m at this moment in time. That is at least £1m more than any other member of the squad, which speaks to how valuable he is to the team.

The Japanese forward scored 33 goals and provided 12 assists in 51 matches in all competitions (Transfermarkt) last term, hence why he is so highly valued and why losing him in January would be a big blow.

Daizen Maeda

£13m

Cameron Carter-Vickers

£12m

Reo Hatate

£11m

Arne Engels

£8.5m

Alistair Johnston

£8m

As you can see in the table above, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels, and Alistair Johnston make up the rest of the top five most valuable players at the club.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Celtic’s top goalscorer in all competitions, Benjamin Nygren, does not feature within the top five most valuable players, but he could break into that list if he keeps up his current form, as the Hoops already appear to have hit the jackpot with him.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Benjamin Nygren

The Scottish giants signed the central midfielder from Nordsjaelland for a reported fee of £1.3m in the summer transfer window to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ options out wide and in midfield.

Celtic were able to agree a cut-price deal for the Sweden international because his contract with the Danish club was due to expire at the end of 2025, which means that they were able to take advantage of the situation to land a bargain.

The left-footed star, who was described as “fearless” by international teammate Alexander Isak, has produced quality performances on the pitch in the Premiership that prove that the Hoops hit the jackpot with this signing.

xG

2.82

Top 1%

xG on target

4.37

Top 1%

Goals

4

Top 1%

Shots on target

9

Top 1%

xA

2.36

Top 4%

Chances created

18

Top 1%

Assists

1

Top 33%

As you can see in the table above, Nygren has been one of the best midfielders in the division, if not the best, at scoring and creating goals this season.

The 24-year-old star, who is the club’s top scorer in all competitions with four goals (Transfermarkt), has scored four goals and created 2.6 chances per game across seven outings in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

Whilst these statistics show that Celtic have hit the jackpot on Nygren because of his outstanding performances on the pitch, the club have also struck gold with his market valuation.

Transfermarkt currently values the Sweden international at £5.2m. This is 300% more than the £1.3m fee that the Hoops reportedly paid for him in the summer, which suggests that they could make a significant profit on him if they decided to cash in.

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ByDan Emery Oct 7, 2025

Therefore, Celtic have hit the jackpot with this signing because it has already worked out on the pitch, and the finances behind it make it all the more impressive.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em resultado surpreendente, o Brasil empatou em 1 a 1 com a Venezuela, jogando em Cuiabá-MT, pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2026. Apesar de ser um placar incomum, ele não é o único da Seleção atuando em casa neste século. Além do famoso 7 a 1, no Mineirão, em 2014, a Canarinho decepcionou contra seleções inferiores da América do Sul nesses últimos 22 anos.

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Contra os próprios venezuelanos, por exemplo, não foi a primeira que isso aconteceu nos últimos tempos. Em 2019, na Fonte Nova, pela Copa América, o Brasil não saiu do 0 a 0 sob o comando do técnico Tite.

Dez anos antes, em 2009, pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2010, a Seleção recebeu a Venezuela em Campo Grande-MS e também não tirou 0 a 0 do placar. Naquela época, a direção técnica era do tetracampeão Dunga, mas já estava com a vaga para o Mundial da África do Sul garantida – a partida foi na última rodada.

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Cerca de um ano antes desse empate diante dos venezuelanos, foi a vez de o Brasil de Dunga decepcionar contra da Bolívia, pelas mesmas Eliminatórias: 0 a 0 no Nilton Santos, com direito a muita vaia do torcedor e pedidos pela demissão do treinador.

Já pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2002, quando a Seleção oscilou demais, o empate em casa vexaminoso foi diante do Peru, no Morumbi, sob o comando de Emerson Leão. Depois de sair na frente com Romário, a igualdade veio com Pajuelo: 1 a 1.

+ Com golaço de bicicleta, Brasil leva empate no fim diante da Venezuela nas Eliminatórias

Por fim, não podemos deixar de citar o maior vexame da Seleção em todos os tempos, que foi o 7 a 1 para a Alemanha na semifinal da Copa do Mundo de 2014, no Mineirão. A equipe do técnico Felipão foi atropelada pelos alemães, ficou fora da final e ainda foi amassada por 3 a 0 pela Holanda na disputa do terceiro lugar.

The trophies haven’t always followed, but West Ham United have had some truly sensational players represent them over the years.

You’ve got the historical greats, like Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, and Geoff Hurst, as well as some more modern ones.

Declan Rice, for example, or Dimitri Payet before him, and going back a little further, the livewire that was Paolo Di Canio.

All three made an enormous impact on the club during their time in East London, and Nuno Espírito Santo has someone in his squad today who should be spoken about in the same way.

Di Canio, Payet and Rice's West Ham careers

Starting in chronological order then, Di Canio joined West Ham in January 1999, and while there were some questions over the move for his rash behaviour, and the fact he had just been banned for 11 games for pushing a referee, Harry Redknaap justified the move by simply stating that the Italian could “do things with the ball that people can only dream of.”

Over the next four and a half years, the Roma-born icon would rack up an impressive tally of 50 goals and 19 assists in 139 games for the club, with his strike against Wimbledon in March 2000 later being named the league’s goal of the decade.

While he left to join Charlton Athletic following the Irons’ relegation in 2003, Di Canio made a lasting impression in East London and continues to call the fan base his second family.

Another maverick star who the East End fell head over heels for during his time in the capital was Payet.

The French magician joined the club from Marseille in the summer of 2015, and it didn’t take long for him to announce himself, providing the assist for Cheikhou Kouyaté from a well-taken free kick on his debut against Arsenal.

He ended that season with an outrageous tally of 12 goals and 15 assists in 38 games, which was enough for him to be named the Premier League Player of the Year at the 2016 London Football Awards, shortlisted for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and named West Ham United Player of the Year.

However, things would sour the following season, when, in the new year, he refused to play after making it clear that he wanted to return to Marseille, which he eventually did for around £25m.

Finally, the only academy product of the three, Rice was well and truly one of West Ham’s own.

He made his senior debut for the club in a Premier League game against Burnley in the 16/17 season, and over the next six years would go on to amass 244 more for the club, as well as becoming the captain in the summer of 2022.

His crowning achievement in claret and blue came the following summer, when he led the club to their first European title, beating Fiorentina in the Conference League final.

Unfortunately, he then left to join Arsenal a couple of months later, but he did at least bring in around £105m in the process.

In all, it’s impossible to deny that Di Canio, Payet and Rice are three of the very best players to have represented West Ham in the modern era, although another name might have to be added to that list.

The West Ham star emulating Di Canio, Payet and Rice

Now, while neither the results nor performances have been all that great this season, West Ham still have several incredibly talented players in their squad.

Chalkboard

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

However, when it comes down to someone who could emulate and be looked at in the same way as the three icons mentioned above, only one player comes to mind: Jarrod Bowen.

The 28-year-old joined the Hammers from Hull City in January 2020, and while there was some excitement around his transfer, it didn’t feel like it would be such a seismic one at the time.

After all, while his first six months at the club certainly weren’t bad, they also weren’t anything special, as in 13 appearances, he scored a single goal and provided four assists.

Things improved slightly the following year, as he recorded 14 goal involvements in 40 appearances, but it was the season after that, the 2021/22 campaign, when it became clear just how special a player he is.

Appearances

245

Starts

220

Minutes

19521′

Goals

77

Assists

52

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

151.32′

Points per Game

1.46

For example, in 51 appearances, the “unplayable” winger, as dubbed by Thomas Frank, scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, which was also enough to see him earn his first senior England cap.

However, it was the year after that in which his defining moment as a West Ham player came, as in the 90th minute of the Conference League final, he made a perfectly timed run, and under all the pressure in the world, scored the winning goal to send East London into delirium.

Since then, the firm fan favourite has continued to improve, and since being given the captain’s armband last year, it’s hard to think og what else he needs to do to cement himself as a West Ham legend.

Ultimately, while he might not get the same recognition outside the fan base, it would be fair to say that Bowen is well on his way to becoming one of the Hammers’ greatest ever – if he isn’t there already.

West Ham are brewing homegrown Diouf in exciting 18-year-old at Rush Green

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 7, 2025

Olivier Giroud has revealed his plans to emulate iconic striker Cristiano Ronaldo. Giroud returned to France over the summer following a year in America with MLS side LAFC. The experienced striker has made a solid start to life back in his homeland with Lille having scored two goals in his opening six Ligue 1 appearances and has no plans to stop playing anytime soon.

• AFP
  

  Giroud's flying start to Lille

  Giroud joined Lille on a one-year deal as a replacement for Jonathan David, who left the club on a free over the summer for Serie A powerhouse Juventus. And the experienced striker made an immediate impact for as he scored on his second Ligue 1 debut in a 3-3 draw at Brest in August.

  The former Arsenal and Chelsea man followed that up with the decisive strike in Lille's 1-0 home win over Monaco, while he came off the bench to net a late winner against Brann in the Europa League last month.

  And the former France forward has revealed he has no plans to call time on his career anytime soon and wants to emulate Ronaldo by playing until he turns 40.

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• '40 is a number that I am aware of'

  Giroud, who turned 39 last month, has admitted he is open to the possibility of extending his career beyond the end of the current season and continuing once he turns 40. Ronaldo, who celebrated his 40th birthday in February, signed a two-year contract with Al-Nassr earlier this year.

  "It could be one year plus another, but it could just be one, too," Giroud said. "You can’t have regrets. You have to live in the moment and be ready to stop it all at some point. But 40 is a number that I am aware of.

  "But it will be a group decision, with my wife and my family. It is about being reasonable. If I think that I can bring something and if the club are also satisfied with me, we will sit around a table and we’ll see."

  Giroud also felt a move to Lille was 'perfect', adding: "Lille, for me who is very close to London and I want to live there after my career, it was perfect."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'My best goals aren’t too bad'

  Giroud also revealed the best goal he has ever scored. The Frenchman has scored a number of memorable goals across spans in France, England, Italy and America, but believes his strike against Crystal Palace in 2017 is the one that sticks out.

  "My best goals aren’t too bad,” he told L’Equipe via the Mirror. "The best, that’s still the scorpion kick with Arsenal. With all modesty, we’ll never see that move again.

  "A showman? Not like the geniuses, the magicians, the dribblers like Neymar, the guys who get the crowd on their feet with their moves, but in another way, yes, I am."

  Giroud is currently France's record scorer with 57 goals to his name, but is backing captain Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 53 times for , to smash that record, and believes  the Real Madrid hitman will hit closer to 100.

  "He will be 27 (in December) so he still has five to six years, 10-12 matches a season, he can get to not far off 100, and I hope he does," Giroud added.

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• Giroud opens door to spectacular France return

  Giroud has also opened the door over a potential return to the France national team. The Lille forward retired from international football after Euro 2024 but would be open to an emergency recall if required.

  "You can never say never. If there is a need, and if I am competitive and available, I will be there," he added.

  "But it is really very unlikely. You have to be serious."

  The French frontman also reserved praise for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who recently scored on his full France debut against Iceland, stating: "It’s great for Jean-Philippe Mateta that he’s been called up. It’s also a great example that he can taste all that at 28. And he seems to me to be a great person."

Glasgow Rangers have struggled to score goals in the Scottish Premiership under Russell Martin so far this season, with three goals scored in five matches.

Only Aberdeen, who have failed to score any goals in their four outings in the division, have scored fewer goals than the Light Blues, which speaks to how impotent they have been in the final third in the opening weeks of the campaign.

It is not good enough, hence why the Gers have not picked up a single win yet, and Martin must find a way to get his strikers firing in front of goal if he wants to turn his fortunes around at Ibrox.

How the strikers have performed for Rangers this season

None of the club’s centre-forward options have got off the mark in the Premiership so far this season for the Light Blues, which is a cause for concern.

Bojan Miovski

0.55

0

Danilo

0.5

0

Cyriel Dessers

0.0

0

Youssef Chermiti

0.0

0

As you can see in the table above, only Bojan Miovski and Danilo have accrued any xG, as Dessers did not before his exit, and Chermiti has only had a cameo against Hearts so far.

This suggests that Rangers need to create more for their strikers, or that the strikers need to start making better runs, because they do not have a reliable goalscorer at the moment.

Given their lack of potency up front, Rangers may still regret the fact that Michael Beale and the club allowed Alfredo Morelos to move on from Ibrox on a free transfer.

Rangers fumbled their own Harry Kane

Back in 2019, former Light Blues striker Jermaine Defoe compared the Colombia international to his former teammate Harry Kane, who went on to become Tottenham Hotspur and England’s all-time top scorer, with 280 goals for Spurs and 74 for England, per Transfermarkt.

Defoe told the Daily Record: “I remember at Tottenham, when we had Harry Kane as a youngster, he went out on loan to different clubs. I remember saying to one of the players that I believed he should play more and that, at some point, he would go on to score a lot of goals for this football club.

“What he has done is unbelievable and Alfredo’s got that. He’s a goalscorer. When you’re a goalscorer, you score goals at any level in any league.”

Morelos certainly was a goalscorer. The prolific forward scored 30 goals in 48 matches in the 2018/19 campaign, per Transfermarkt, which led to that comparison to Kane from Defoe, and rightly so after that incredible return.

He went on to score 124 goals and provide 67 assists in 269 appearances in all competitions for Rangers, per Transfermarkt. This shows that he was consistently reliable in front of goal for the Scottish giants.

Morelos, whose physicality was hailed by former boss Steven Gerrard, recorded 12 goals and seven assists in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign, which turned out to be his final season at the club.

The Colombian number nine’s contract at Ibrox expired in the summer 2023 and Beale, who was the manager at the time, did not offer him a new contract at the club.

Beale decided to go in a different direction with the striker department at the club, signing Sam Lammers, Danilo, and Dessers after releasing Morelos, who was the club’s own version of Kane.

Two years on, Lammers and Dessers have been sold by Rangers and Danilo currently finds himself behind Miovski and Chermiti in the pecking order to be the first-choice number nine at Ibrox.

This suggests that Beale had a howler by deciding not to attempt to convince Morelos to stay at Ibrox because he was a proven goalscorer who had shown that he could score goals at an impressive rate for the Gers in Scotland.

Instead, the manager released a pure goalscorer, who was like Kane, and went with a clutch of strikers who failed to bring success, with no league titles won, back to Ibrox in the last two years.

Once worth £30m, Rangers flop now looks like he's worth less than Tavernier

This Glasgow Rangers flop who was once valued at £30m now looks worth even less than James Tavernier.

ByDan Emery Sep 17, 2025

In spite of all the drama that has plagued Newcastle United throughout the summer transfer window, there’s a sense that Eddie Howe will be rather pleased with the lion’s share of his club’s business.

Newcastle rebounded from a frustrating start to the 2024/25 campaign and qualified for the Champions League, finishing fifth in the Premier League, having also defeated Liverpool at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup.

But the feel-good factor faded out after the curtains draped on a successful season, with a slew of failed bids for top targets dampening the mood and then some.

This has been a transfer window of attrition, but one that Newcastle have weathered and now appears to be emerging from victoriously, having strengthened across the park.

And while the pursuit of a new striker has been an interminable and fruitless thing up until this stage, Newcastle have finally made headway, welcoming Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart for a club-record fee.

Why Newcastle signed Woltemade

While this remains conjecture at this stage, all the pointers suggest that Woltemade has been welcomed to Newcastle as Alexander Isak’s replacement.

Newcastle’s free-scoring talisman has made a menace of himself on Tyneside for three years now, but has essayed to secure a move to Premier League champions Liverpool for over a month, and appears set to get his wish.

A blow, no doubt about it. To Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, Isak was “the best striker in the Premier League” last season, after all. He scored 27 goals across all competitions, and replacing him was understandably viewed as a steep task.

But Woltemade, 23, has all the tools to thrive as the Sweden star’s successor. Across all competitions last year, the 6 foot 6 centre-forward scored 17 goals and supplied three assists, with talent scout Jacek Kulig hailing his “unstoppable” form in front of goal.

A fantastic signing, of course, but there’s little evidence at this stage that Woltemade will hit the ground running, especially since Newcastle plan to further bolster their frontline with the signing of a Prem-proven number nine, Brentford’s Yoane Wissa at the top of the list.

Landing the German was fine business, but Newcastle aren’t done there. Indeed, Howe and United’s transfer officials have their sights set on a centre-midfielder to complete the set.

Newcastle in last-gasp race for midfielder

As per Caught Offside, Newcastle have joined a late transfer tussle for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who is anticipated to be on the move ahead of Monday’s deadline.

Valued at £45m by the Spanish giants, Gallagher only swapped the Premier League for La Liga one year ago, and though he showed plenty of promise under Diego Simeone’s wing last year, he is open to making a dramatic return to his homeland.

Tottenham Hotspur are understood to be leading the race at this stage, but Newcastle are ready to pounce if the chance presents itself, with Crystal Palace and Manchester United also interested.

Transfer Focus

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

What Gallagher will bring to Newcastle

Now that Woltemade has arrived, Newcastle are in a far better position to tackle the campaign ahead. However, his signing comes with the caveat that Isak will leave, and however you brush it up, that is a big blow.

But Gallagher would only reinforce a deep and dynamic midfield cohort, and having been described as being “like a machine” in midfield by former Chelsea teammate Moises Caicedo, it’s clear he has the backing of those billed as superstars in the Premier League.

And, moreover, he has a tried-and-tested method of success in England’s top flight, having showcased technical skill, intensity and energy throughout his years at Stamford Bridge and his loan spells with West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace, routinely covering the most distance in a match while at Selhurst Park.

Newcastle lost Sandro Tonali and Joelinton to injury after Monday night’s agonising defeat against Liverpool, and Gallagher’s presence would have gone a long way toward injecting that extra bit of quality and drive against the Reds, who withered and were pressed against the ropes on

Gallagher in the PL
Stats (* per game)	22/23	23/24
Matches (starts)	35 (18)	37 (37)
Goals	3	5
Assists	1	7
Pass completion	85%	92%
Big chances created	5	11
Key passes*	0.6	1.4
Dribbles*	0.7 (50%)	1.0 (68%)
Ball recoveries*	5.1	6.3
Tackles*	1.3	2.3
Duels (won)*	3.5 (45%)	5.7 (50%)
Stats via Sofascore

Across the past year at Atletico, Gallagher has played an important role, featuring 52 times and contributing to ten goal contributions. His prowess translated to life in Spain, and his ability to operate across a range of midfield roles in England speaks for itself.

Woltemade, for all his promise and potential, scored 12 times in the Bundesliga last season, and that doesn’t issue a fail-safe promise of prolificacy in the Premier League, considered by many to be the toughest division across the continent.

But how can Gallagher’s skill on English soil be contested? He has performed with aplomb for three different clubs, all of differing levels, and demonstrated his range while doing so.

There’s no doubt that Woltemade will alight on Tyneside with a weight of expectation, and that he has big boots to step into, but Gallagher would merely add to a midfield circle that already operates so fluidly and aggressively, and his skill set suggests he would dovetail right in.

And with someone like Wissa, who scored 19 times in the Premier League last season, there’s actually every chance that Woltemade could spend the campaign jockeying for a place at the front of the ship and taking a seat on the bench for a multitude of matches.

This shouldn’t be a negative thing for the Toon, however; even with the potential sale of Isak, Newcastle have recruited shrewdly, and have a wealth of options ready to raise Howe’s system up another gear.

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By
Will Miller

Aug 30, 2025

Chelsea have made a transfer breakthrough after agreeing a deal to sign a new “diamond” attacking player for manager Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea hijacked by Tottenham for Xavi Simons

It has been a busy transfer window for the Blues so far in regards to both incomings and outgoings, with BlueCo currently spending more than £250m.

Joao Pedro

Brighton

£60m

Jamie Gittens

Borussia Dortmund

£48.5m

Jorrel Hato

Ajax

£37m

Liam Delap

Ipswich

£30m

Estevao Willian

Palmeiras

£29m

Dario Essugo

Sporting CP

£18.4m

Kendry Paez

Independiente

£17.3m

Mamadou Sarr

Strasbourg

£12m

Jesse Derry

Crystal Palace

Undisclosed

That figure could increase even further as well, with those at Stamford Bridge looking to make more attacking additions before Monday’s transfer deadline.

One player who won’t be making the move to Chelsea, though, is Xavi Simons. It looked as if the Netherlands international was on course to sign for Maresca’s side for large parts of the summer, however, rivals Tottenham have come in and secured the attacker’s services from RB Leipzig.

Spurs are paying more than £50m to sign Simons from under the noses of Chelsea and has been given a five-year deal contract in north London.

However, despite missing out on Simons, the Blues have had more luck when it comes to another long-term attacking target.

Chelsea agree £40m Garnacho deal with Man Utd

That’s because Chelsea have agreed a fee with Manchester United for the signing of Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho.

Chelsea will pay a £40million fixed fee for the 21-year-old, as per the PA news agency, with United retaining a 10 per cent sell-on fee clause. The deal represents Man Utd’s fourth-largest sale after the transfers of Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku and Angel Di Maria, and is the largest fee received for a graduate from the Red Devils’ academy.

The Blues initially offered a fee of £25million for a player who has scored 26 goals in 144 games for United, two of which actually came at Stamford Bridge in 2024. Garnacho will follow Marcus Rashford out of the Red Devils door to become the second member of United’s so-called ‘bomb squad’ of unwanted players to secure a move away from Old Trafford.

Chelsea have already signed Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian in a revamp of their attack this summer, and Garnacho is likely to compete with Gittens on the left wing.

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The deal for Garnacho, called a “diamond” by Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout, comes as Christopher Nkunku closes in on a move from Chelsea to AC Milan in a deal understood to be worth around £36million.

Tottenham Hotspur may have endured a successful start to life under Thomas Frank in the Premier League, winning his first game against Burnley last weekend.

However, the start in North London hasn’t all been plain sailing, with the Lilywhites’ activity in the transfer market falling way below the expectations of the fanbase.

Daniel Levy has shown glimpses of splashing the cash this summer, already spending £85m on the signatures of Mohammed Kudus and Mathys Tel from West Ham United and Bayern Munich, respectively.

The pair should’ve been joined by Morgan Gibbs-White, but the owner failed to complete a deal for his signature after triggering the £60m release clause in his contract at Nottingham Forest.

He’s not the only player who should be plying his trade in Frank’s side, with questions certainly starting to be asked about the owner, given the recent antics in the market.

Spurs’ failed pursuit to land Eze this summer

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze has been a huge target for Spurs over the last couple of months, with constant talks being held between the two sides over a £60m transfer.

After missing out on Gibbs-White’s signature, the 27-year-old became their main target for the role, leading to advanced talks taking place, even reaching an agreement with the player himself.

However, the deal has since fallen apart, with North London rivals Arsenal taking advantage of the Lilywhites’ failure to complete the deal despite constant deliberation in recent weeks.

It was reported last night that Mikel Arteta’s side had hijacked the move, swooping in at the 11th hour, subsequently agreeing a deal with Oliver Glasner’s men and with the attacking midfielder.

Eze now looks set to join the Gunners, inflicting yet more pain on the Spurs fanbase, with other targets desperately needing to be identified before the September 1st deadline.

Spurs’ hunt for an Eze alternative this summer

As a result of missing out on Eze, other targets may be revisited, including Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss, with the Moroccan set to depart the Foxes this window.

However, like the England international, they could also be set to miss out on his signature, after Palace submitted an offer to land the 21-year-old as a replacement for the outgoing talent.

Despite the interest in the youngster, he’s not the only player currently in their sights, with West Ham star Lucas Paqueta the latest player the club are considering, according to CaughtOffside’s latest report.

The report claims that the Lilywhites are closely monitoring a deal for the Brazilian international, potentially seeing the 27-year-old as the perfect alternative to Eze.

It also states that the Hammers have slashed his current asking price by 50%, now only demanding £40m for his signature despite wanting £80m to offload him 12 months ago.

Why Spurs’ £40m target would be the perfect Eze alternative

Missing out on Eze will certainly be a huge disappointment for the fanbase, with anger undoubtedly going to be directed to the hierarchy – especially if they don’t land an alternative before the window slams shut.

The situation has undoubtedly been made worse by James Maddison’s ACL injury, leaving Frank with no recognised attacking midfielder currently within his Spurs first-team squad.

Pape Sarr was forced to operate in such a role against Scott Parker’s men last weekend, highlighting the need for investment from the board as soon as possible.

However, given the lack of time in the current window, they will have to act quickly to avoid embarrassment and further backlash from the supporters.

Paqueta could certainly provide just that with a potential move to North London, offering a bargain solution given the Hammers’ current £40m asking price.

When comparing his stats to those of Eze from the 2024/25 campaign, the Brazilian has managed to outperform the Englishman in numerous key areas – arguably being a better addition for Frank’s side.

Paqueta, who’s been described as “one of the best 10s in the world” by one data analyst, has certainly showcased that when compared with Eze. Indeed, for starters, he posted a better goal per shot on target rate, subsequently handing Frank a more clinical option when in front of goal.

Games played

33

34

Goals & assists

4

16

Goals per shot on target

0.7

0.2

Pass accuracy

77%

74%

Passes into final third

5.1

1.7

Passes into the opposition box

1.7

1.3

Take-on success

49%

48%

Aerials won

46%

15%

Fouls won

2.4

1.7

However, he was just impressive in setting up his teammates, often the main creator in the West Ham side, as seen by his tally of passes into the final third and opposition box.

The 27-year-old achieved 5.1 passes into the final third, a tally three times higher than that of Eze, with more of his efforts going into the 18-yard box, handing the Lilywhites the needed threat they’ve craved in the number ten position.

Paqueta’s dominance in possession is also highlighted in his higher tally of take-ons completed, leading to him winning more fouls – highlighting that he’s a tougher player to dispossess.

£40m for a player of the Brazilian’s quality is a deal Levy and Co simply can’t look past, potentially landing themselves a bargain given the reported £60m deal for Eze.

If he moved across the capital to join Frank’s side, they would be landing a talent who has the potential to nail down the number ten position, helping the side in their quest for further success in the near future.

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Manchester United’s devoted fanbase anticipates further arrivals this summer after Matheus Cunha joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £62.5m deal over a month ago.

Such anticipation is wearing thin, though, with it also being over a month since Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo intimated his desire to join Ruben Amorim’s squad this summer. Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, demonstrating strong interest, were rejected in favour of Old Trafford.

But that one’s still dragging on, albeit with progress expected in the coming days. Of equal concern, though, is the fact that a group of players, omitted from Amorim’s training sessions, all remain on the books, having yet to find new clubs; these are: Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia.

After such an abject 2024/25 campaign, the Premier League giants are looking to return to the fore, but in order to achieve this, they will need to make several more impactful moves to ensure last year’s 15th-place finish fades away.

Man United's transfer plans

While the club’s outgoings indeed form a significant part of Amorim’s summer business, technical director Jason Wilcox will need to add some depth and, more importantly, quality to the ranks.

Bruno Fernandes’ decision to reject the riches of the Saudi Pro League in favour of continuing his talismanic journey at the Theatre of Dreams is such a galvanising factor going forward, but he needs a striker to channel his creativity and more mettle beside him.

With Viktor Gyokeres on the cusp of signing for Arsenal, Amorim will need to look elsewhere if he wants a number nine to replace Rasmus Hojlund.

Well, according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is one to keep an eye on there, with recent contacts having been established.

Central midfield has also been a point of concern for INEOS, especially now that Christian Eriksen has departed at the end of his contract.

Names such as Wilfred Ndidi and Juventus’ Douglas Luiz have been bandied about, but there’s another who might be the perfect man to join the likes of Fernandes in the centre and complete United’s engine room.

Man Utd open talks for new midfielder

As per Caught Offside, Man United have been locked in talks with Bayern Munich for the potential transfer of their tough-tackling midfielder Joao Palhinha, who only joined from Fulham in a £42m deal one year ago.

The Portugal international, 30, is no longer in Vincent Kompany’s plans, so United might be able to secure this former Premier League star for a cut-price fee, with a €35m (£30m) figure touted.

Having made initial enquiries earlier in the summer Jason Wilcox and Co have maintained communications with the Bundesliga champions and are well placed to beat off competition from Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham and West Ham United.

Why Man Utd want Joao Palhinha

Palhinha is a seasoned midfielder with 68 Premier League appearances to his name. Many players have more, of course, but the former Fulham star was hailed as a “defensive monster” by data analyst Marcus Bring for his efforts while at Craven Cottage.

His tenacious approach is exactly what United need to complete their midfield, especially with Casemiro, 33, edging closer to the twilight years of his career.

And given that Palhinha has proven himself in England’s top flight before, he could be the right signing to bring in, so Fernandes can continue to thrive in the centre of the park, having dropped deeper than before at times last season.

That wasn’t to the skipper’s detriment: he scored eight goals and supplied seven assists across 20 outings when in a deeper-lying capacity last term, and with a range of attacking additions anticipated, this could become the new norm for the 30-year-old.

Manuel Ugarte is a part of Amorim’s squad, but his up-and-down maiden year in England calls for competition to ease his burden. Palhinha can perform this role, instilling the controlled combativeness to free up Bruno’s creative flair.

And it’s not like the United superstar wouldn’t return the favour, for he has made quite the name for himself in England for the completeness of his performances, having averaged 2.3 tackles and 4.8 successful duels per top-flight match last term, as per Sofascore.

However, imagine the added emphasis that could be placed on the true core of his skill set, his playmaking, if a reliable six in Palhinha was placed next to him, utterly relentless in winning the ball back, as we saw across his two Premier League campaigns.

Premier League 23/24 – Most Tackles
#	Player	Club	Tackles
1.	Joao Palhinha	Fulham	152
2.	Joao Gomes	Wolves	128
3.	Vinicius Souza	Sheffield Utd	125
4.	Emerson Palmieri	West Ham	106
5.	Tyrick Mitchell	Crystal Palace	105
Data via FBref

Palhinha’s 148 tackles across the 2022/23 also saw him take the top spot with that one, and there’s truly a sense that United would hit the jackpot by bringing him back to English football.

His big-money move to Bayern hasn’t gone to plan, only starting six Bundesliga fixtures over the past year, but an unfortunate muscular tear sustained in November disrupted his fluency, playing into the struggles.

Ultimately, Palhinha would be a credit to Amorim’s system, bringing a new kind of energy to the middle of the park while instilling a sense of experience alongside his compatriot Fernandes.

Whether Man United manage to win the race remains to be seen, but Palhinha would be open to the move and Bayern are looking to sell. When the protracted pursuit of Mbeumo is wrapped up, perhaps we’ll see this one swiftly enter the closing stages.

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