All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Nuno Espirito Santo and Nottingham Forest have had a unique summer in terms of planning their transfer activity. When the window opened, they were preparing a squad capable of playing in the domestic competitions and in the Europa Conference League following qualification via their 7th-place Premier League finish.

However, since UEFA’s decision to have them swap competitions with Crystal Palace, they now have to prepare a Europa League-quality squad. As a part of this, they have agreed a deal to sign Manchester City youngster James McAtee.

The 22-year-old has previously been spoken about glowingly by manager Pep Guardiola: “Macca has this quality… He has the ability to create chances, he is there”.

City are currently looking at shrinking their squad however, with club record signing Jack Grealish being loaned out to Everton, and Forest not only see this as an opportunity to sign McAtee, but also another young City talent.

Forest bid for Lewis in double City swoop

In addition to their pursuit of McAtee, Forest have submitted a bid to Manchester City of £25.8 million for Rico Lewis. This comes from reports from France via Get French Football News.

The offer is thought to be an initial £21.5 million transfer fee, and the rest consists of performance-related add-ons. This bid has been turned down, and Lewis remains under contract with City until 2028. Guardiola has praised Lewis’s versatility, saying: “He is an exceptional player, offensively and defensively. He can play in different positions; he helps us to play.”

Based on these comments in may take a large bid to convince the treble-winning manager to part ways with Lewis.

If Forest comes back in with a bid that City find acceptable, then they will open negotiations with Lewis’s agents. Lewis is with CAA Base LTD, who Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has extensive experience with in the past, as they represent current Forest players Chris Wood and Ryan Yates, as well as the club’s former manager Steve Cooper.

Forest recruiting for the club's future

Last season in the Premier League, Forest’s average age for their starting 11 was 26.1 years old. This put them pretty much mid-table for average age out of the Premier League teams. However, this summer, there has clearly been a conscious effort to buy young.

The permanent signings they have made so far this window are Dan Ndoye (24), Igor Jesus (24) and Jair Cunha (20) – if they sign Rico Lewis (20) and James McAtee (22), the average age of their signings this summer will be 22 years old.

Additionally, the oldest two players that they have brought in this window (excluding 29-year-old goalkeeper Angus Gunn on a free) are two years younger than the squad average last season.

While Alan Hansen’s famous quote of “You’ll never win anything with kids” didn’t age well, it does still encapsulate the trepidation many fans feel about relying on young players over more experienced ones, especially when Forest will be playing in four competitions this season. But While Forest’s new recruits are young, they’re all experienced and have at least a few seasons of football under them where they have matured into professional players.

This transfer strategy of young but proven players won’t only serve Forest this season but long into the future.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta’s latest move for an attacker has been hijacked by Premier League champions Liverpool, with the Gunners now resigned to losing out in the race for his signature despite reaching an initial agreement.

Club identify replacement for £60m star who's agreed terms with Arsenal

The Gunners are working towards signing him.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 29, 2025

Over the weekend, Mikel Arteta was handed a major boost with the arrival of prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres – subsequently ending a long-winded transfer saga and Arsenal’s search for a proven goalscorer.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£208m

Gyokeres, who scored an incredible 97 goals in 102 total appearances for Sporting CP, also spearheaded their charge to a first domestic double in around 20 years last season, and Arteta will be hoping he can inspire similar trophy exploits in north London.

“We do have plans, we do have a lot of options and we are increasing the quality of the squad and the depth of the squad with all the signings that we’ve done,” said Arteta about Gyokeres’ arrival.

“We are super happy to have Viktor with us, it’s been a long journey to get him over here. He’s been incredible, he was very clear from the beginning where he wanted to play and how passionate I felt from him from day one when we first spoke. You can see the boys, you can see the environment as well, very excited with his arrival.”

The 27-year-old was unveiled before a Singapore crowd of Arsenal supporters just prior to their 3-2 friendly win over Newcastle United, and Gyokeres could make his debut against Tottenham on Thursday.

The ex-Coventry City star joins Noni Madueke as Berta’s two major attacking signings of the window, but there is a belief that Arsenal could soon open talks with Crystal Palace over a deal for Eberechi Eze after contacting the England international’s camp on a regular basis (Fabrizio Romano).

Multiple reports have already claimed Eze’s agents and Arsenal are in broad agreement over personal terms – so this could be one to watch.

Liverpool hijack Arsenal deal for Salford City striker Will Wright

However, while it’s been an excellent window for the north Londoners, with Berta making a serious splash in his first summer at the club, they won’t be having it all their own way.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have hijacked Arsenal’s deal for Salford City striker Will Wright.

Arteta’s side verbally agreed a deal to sign the teenager a fortnight ago, but the Reds have now swooped in to beat them in the race for his signature.

Wright even completed his medical on Merseyside yesterday, with there being zero hope of Arsenal fighting their way back.

The 17-year-old is now a new Liverpool player, coming after a phenomenal pre-season at Salford – a club owned by members of Man United’s class of 92.

Wright made his senior debut for them in an FA Cup defeat to Man City last season, and made three more competitive senior appearances before sealing his move to Anfield.

According to The Mail, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Rangers also made late enquires, but the trio, like Arsenal, are set to miss out on the highly-rated young forward.

At long, long, long last, Arsenal have their striker. The Gunners have arguably needed one for the last two years, but after several months of searching, the answer has arrived.

On Saturday evening, they announced the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres who put pen to paper after signing for around £64m.

It ended a saga that became rather toxic, particularly at the Sporting end. Gyokeres reportedly told his former employers that he’d never play for the club again after a breakdown in relations.

The Swede felt that the Portuguese side had broken the agreement they had that he could be sold for a particular fee.

Anyway, the attacker has finally got away from Lisbon and will now call London his home, bringing with him an abundance of goals. He scored 54 times in 52 outings throughout 2024/25.

Had that move fallen through, then Andrea Berta did have other options.

Arsenal's striker options this summer

Before Berta decided to go all in on Gyokeres, Slovenian powerhouse Benjamin Sesko was widely thought to be Arsenal’s number one choice.

They’ve been looking at the RB Leipzig striker for the best part of 18 months but things unravelled over the summer of 2025.

Indeed, according to the Athletic, it looked for all the world as though Sesko would be their first choice this summer. In March, Jason Ayton, Edu’s interim successor, was going to head to Germany in a bid to make headway on a deal. But, towards the back end of that month, the dynamic changed after Berta’s arrival at Arsenal.

That trip to Germany was canned and Gyokeres’ name came into contention with Berta a big fan of the player. With support from the owners, the club decided to explore the conditions of both deals.

Unfortunately, Sesko’s salary expectations and associated commission meant that the cost of any deal was too high. Consequently, they focused on Gyokeres and here he is.

Via The Athletic, also considered this summer was Ollie Watkins but they had reservations over his age. Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez was also on the agenda.

Indeed, the Atletico Madrid star’s name was discussed behind the scenes before they focused their attention on Gyokeres. That was probably a smart move considering some reports valued the Argentine at around £142m this year.

Still, he’d have been a remarkable signing had the club gone in that direction instead.

How Viktor Gyokeres compares to Julian Alvarez

While the Sesko move fell apart due to finances, the Gunners will be enormously content with the deal to bring Gyokeres to the Emirates Stadium.

Lavish fees have been spent in England this summer and you only need to look at the £79m fee Liverpool have paid for a project striker in Hugo Ekitike to know what Arsenal have got a better bargain here.

The Portuguese top-flight will have its doubters but the hierarchy in north London have paid just over £60m for a player who bagged 50 plus goals last season.

Even if he scores half that number in Arsenal colours this forthcoming campaign, he will have been a good signing. After all, Mikel Arteta’s men just need goals. For the first time since the 1923/24 campaign, no player in red and white scored double figures in the league. Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz endured lengthy injury spells but it makes for grim reading nonetheless.

There are some concerns surrounding the tactical fit of Gyokeres in this Arsenal team. We’re not attempting to bash this move, he’s a great signing, but despite the Swede’s power and height – he stands at 6 foot 2 – only around 12.5% of his shots came with his head and he didn’t score a single header in the league last term.

If Gyokeres finds a way to over 20 goals next season then few will care how they come but it does explain why Arsenal were looking at other options too, notably Alvarez.

Premier League-proven, the World Cup winner has been described as a “monster” by Argentine journalist Pablo Gonzalez and remarkably as “the best forward in the world” by reporter Roy Nemer.

His stock is incredibly high and his numbers in Spain last campaign demonstrate why. While Alvarez’s goalscoring record paled in comparison to Gyokeres, he did find the net on 29 occasions and at a higher level too. He also registered eight assists in all competitions.

While concerns surround Gyokeres’ ability to translate his form in Portugal to the Premier League, there will have no such doubts about Alvarez. He’s already dazzled for Manchester City at this level.

Goals

0.49

1.07

Assists

0.21

0.27

Shots

2.90

3.72

Pass success %

78%

72%

Key passes

1.88

1.81

Passes into penalty area

3.38

0.79

Progressive passes

3.40

1.87

Shot-creating actions

3.94

4.50

Progressive carries

2.50

3.89

In 2023/24, his final campaign under Pep Guardiola, the 25-year-old netted 19 goals and assisted 14, demonstrating that he is the complete package.

He’s also been there and done it all despite his age. He’s won the English top-flight on two occasions, he’s won the FA Cup, he’s won the Champions League, he’s won Copa America twice and of course, he’s got his hands on the World Cup trophy.

Despite being 25, Alvarez has quite the CV and there is no doubt that he’d have really taken Arsenal to the next level under Arteta’s wing.

Still, with Gyokeres, a 50-goal striker arriving through the door, few can complain when the club’s main problem last term was scoring goals.

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Arsenal are ready to complete their summer transfer window with a big-money signing.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 25, 2025

Setting their sights on their seventh arrival of the summer, Rangers have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a talented young winger for Russell Martin.

Rangers open pre-season with Club Brugge draw

It’s been all change at Ibrox so far this summer. New owners have arrived in the form of the 49ers and a new manager soon followed in the form of Martin. Since then, to no surprise, several much-needed fresh faces have also made their way to Glasgow as the Gers look to turn things around after last season’s failure.

First through the door were Oscar Cortes, who completed a permanent move following his loan spell, and young Scottish talent Lyall Cameron. But those two were just the start for Rangers. Since then, they’ve welcomed four others, with Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Max Aarons and Thelo Aasgaard all putting pen to paper on Ibrox deals.

The likes of Aarons and Fernandez featured as Rangers opened their pre-season with a 2-2 draw against Belgian side Club Brugge and there are still some debuts to come in the next few weeks.

Following his first game in charge, Martin told reporters: “It was very good opposition. It will really help prepare us to get better and we will learn a lot from today.

“It was nice to walk out at Ibrox with the team. I got a great reception which I’m incredibly grateful for when I walked out for the warm-up. The first half, we started okay then conceded a goal.

“What was interesting, and we’ll learn a lot, is that the habits we’re trying to instill changed a little bit and the team didn’t quite look how we wanted it to, and they managed to gain a bit of momentum again.”

As pre-season continues and fresh faces enter the Ibrox turf, however, Rangers reportedly still have unfinished business in the transfer window and may yet welcome another attacking reinforcement.

Rangers make first approach to sign Ballo

As reported by Florian Plettenberg, Rangers have now made their first approach to sign Thierno Ballo from Austrian side Wolfsberger AC this summer. The impressive 23-year-old has also attracted interest from Ajax and Mainz 05 to form a busy race to secure his signature as he looks to move on ahead of next season.

The Chelsea academy graduate left the Blues in 2022 for Wolfsberger AC on a free transfer. He was praised for his “great” form for both club and country by scout Jacek Kulig back in March, and he could now bring that form to the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers line up bid for 26 y/o Vardy alternative and Celtic transfer target

He has scored four times against the Gers in the past.

1 ByHenry Jackson Jul 9, 2025

After scoring 13 goals in all competitions last season too, there’s every chance that the Austrian would be capable of replacing Hamza Igamane if the Rangers star did complete a departure this summer.

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.

Arsenal are attempting to sign another player with Brentford’s Christian Norgaard and Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, with the Gunners reliably reported to be closing in on deals for the latter two.

Agbonlahor slams "very odd" Arsenal transfer decision as Berta agrees deal

The Gunners are shopping “at Asda”.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 27, 2025

Earlier this week, following quick-fire talks with Brentford, Arsenal agreed a fee of around £10 million, plus an additional £5 million in add-ons, to sign the Denmark international as a replacement for Thomas Partey.

Norgaard has also been allowed to undergo a medical at Arsenal before signing his contract as the north Londoners’ third signing of the summer, following the reliably reported arrivals of Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Straight after sealing a move for the 31-year-old, sporting director Andrea Berta immediately began work on Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera too. Arsenal opened talks with the La Liga side over a deal for Mosquera on Thursday, and he could cost under £17 million given the player is entering the final 12 months of his contract.

The 21-year-old can play both as a right-back and centre-back, with Mosquera said to have already agreed personal terms over a switch to the Emirates Stadium. Amidst all of these negotiations, though, Berta is still trying to bring in a new striker for Mikel Arteta.

The Italian has been simultaneously laying groundwork on moves for both Sporting CP’s iktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, before deciding which transfer is most feasible for Arsenal to pull off (BBC).

News surrounding the centre-forwards has been more scarce than usual this week, thanks to Arsenal’s many other transfer deals, but an update has now come to light on their chances of signing Sesko.

Arsenal in ongoing talks for Benjamin Sesko who wants to join

As per Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, the Slovenia international wants to join Arteta’s side, and he’s posing absolutely no issues when it comes to agreeing personal terms, contrary to some reports that he wants high wages.

Arsenal remain in ongoing talks over a deal for Sesko, and negotiations are ongoing with both the player’s representatives and Leipzig themselves. O’Rourke’s sources insist that this potential move isn’t being held up by the 22-year-old’s demands, so the indication is it must be a club-to-club issue.

It’s an increasingly confusing situation, as while reports suggest Sesko has a release clause near £70 million, others state that Leipzig could still demand as much as £85 million to let their star striker leave.

He bagged 21 goals in all competitions last season, his best return to date since moving to Germany, and Sesko has been praised for his physicality in particular.

“Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Everton have had a busy 2025 summer transfer window so far. David Moyes’ side are looking to build on the momentum they garnered at the back end of last season, with the dawn of a new era upon the club. They are, of course, set to move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium next season.

One of the players they are pursuing, and seem close to signing, is Fulham right-back Kenny Tete. BBC Sport report that the Toffees are ‘close to securing a deal’ to sign the Dutchman on a free transfer from the Cottagers, with his contract set to expire this summer.

Another player they are after is French striker Thierno Barry, with talks intensifying this week. The Toffees are also linked with a midfielder who could perfectly complement the centre-forward.

Everton's next target after Barry

It is looking like a deal to sign Tete is on track to be completed before long, and one that would see them sign Barry might not be too far behind. They are reportedly in talks for the Villarreal star, who has a £40m release clause.

That’s according to a recent report from The i Paper. Barry is not the only young talent the newspaper has linked the Toffees with. They have reportedly ‘registered an interest’ in signing Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee.

It seems like the talented young number 10 will be made available for sale this summer, and Everton could pounce as a result. The Manchester Evening News confirmed at the end of May that he is ‘set to leave’ the Etihad Stadium, and will be available for a fee of around £25m.

Everton's new look attack with Barry and McAtee

After a couple of successful seasons on loan at Sheffield United, McAtee was given a deserved chance in the City first team last season, but struggled for any real game time. However, when he did get the opportunity, he certainly left an impression, particularly on Pep Guardiola, who described him as a “special” talent.

The 22-year-old, who came through City’s esteemed academy, scored seven goals in his 27 appearances last season. However, he played just 936 minutes in all competitions, leaving him with just 10.4 full 90-minute games on average.

For the Blades during his two loan spells in 2022/23 and 2023/24, McAtee was a standout player. He played 75 games for the club, scoring 14 times and grabbing eight assists. Six of those goal involvements came in the Premier League, including a sublime strike against Brentford.

McAtee has been a creative force throughout his career, both in youth and professional football. Once described as being “simply too good” by scout Jacek Kulig, he could well be playing as a number 10 behind Barry at the Hill Dickinson Stadium if both deals get over the line, where Everton fans could see that creativity shine.

The Villarreal number 15, who is an international for France at U21 level, certainly impressed in the 2024/25 campaign for the Yellow Submarine. He scored 19 goals and grabbed four assists in 41 games.

Barry knows exactly where the back of the net is, and with McAtee’s ability to fashion chances, they could form a dangerous combination. Indeed, the stats from the Man City star’s three seasons at professional level show just how exciting he can be as an attacking midfielder.

According to Sofascore, the 22-year-old, who was born in Salford, averaged 1.8 key passes for the Blades in his first campaign. He maintained a similar level when they got promoted, playing 1.4 key passes in 2023/24, and chalking up 0.8 for City last term, without much involvement.

Goals

0.4

0.2

0.7

Assists

1.8

1.4

0.8

Big chances created

0.3

0.2

0.2

Dribbles completed

1.9

1.8

0.7

Tackles and interceptions

1.8

2

1.3

Expected goal involvements

N/A

0.24

0.38

Therefore, McAtee could make Barry completely unplayable if the pair are to unite on the Blue half of Merseyside next season. The Frenchman is clinical in front of goal, and with the creativity of the Man City youngster behind him, he could hit whole new heights.

The 22-year-old has not had much of an opportunity for City, but has shown exactly how good he can be when the chance to play has arisen. With regular football and a clinical striker ahead of him at Everton, he could excel at the Toffees.

Huge upgrade on Beto: Everton in talks to sign "elite" big-money striker

Everton will be looking for improved output in front of goal next season

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 25, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have commenced their fifth new managerial era since 2019 with the appointment of Thomas Frank, and he could be about to wave goodbye to one player already.

Tottenham now in talks to sign "extraordinary" teen star likened to Messi

Spurs are keen on a bargain deal.

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 17, 2025

On Sunday morning, Spurs confirmed that Mathys Tel wouldn’t be going anywhere, announcing a permanent deal for the Frenchman who joins them indefinitely for a reported fee of around £30 million.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl stated in an interview with Abendzeitung München last week that talks were ongoing with Spurs over Tel’s future, and those negotiations reached a swift resolution over the weekend as Frank secures his first ever Tottenham signing.

While Tel is set to be a Spurs player for the foreseeable, the same cannot be said for star defender Cristian Romero, who’s a top target for Diego Simeone and Atlético Madrid this summer.

Romero has reportedly informed chairman Daniel Levy that he’d like to leave the club before September 1 (Marca), regardless of their place in the Champions League next season, and Son Heung-min could even draw the curtain on his 10-year-long stay in N17 amid interest from Saudi Arabia.

Alejo Veliz spotted at Rosario Central amid talks to leave Tottenham

According to Argentine news outlet Via Pais, young striker Alejo Veliz is yet another player who could soon leave Tottenham.

His former club, Rosario Central, recently had a loan bid rejected by the Lilywhites, but talks remain ongoing over his potential departure. Frank’s side are clear – they want to sell the 21-year-old permanently and won’t accept a temporary deal.

Interestingly, Veliz has been pictured at Rosario’s training ground in the last few days, with the club’s official account sharing images of the forward’s reunion on X.

His presence there is apparently due to an emotional connection with his former side, but it is surely no coincidence that Rosario are currently trying to negotiate Veliz’s return.

The towering forward, standing at 6 foot 2, caught Tottenham’s attention with his impressive performances in Argentina’s Primera Division. He then joined Spurs on a six-year contract in August 2023 for a fee believed to be around £13 million, but Veliz has found an opportunity to fully break into the first team.

A succession of loan spells at Sevilla and Espanyol followed, but the Argentine managed just one La Liga goal over both spells combined.

The end appears to be nigh for Veliz and his time in north London, despite some bold predictions from Spanish football experts when Spurs first signed him.

“He has a certain something that means that occasionally he’ll try things, and you’re like ‘no’, I think he could be a 16 or 17-goal [striker] this season,” said Graham Hunter to Premier Sports TV.

“Which is a big ask, I know I might be wrong, but what I see in him are the special elements about judgement, about movement, about being able to hold players off.

“Raw, raw as a farm boy – partially because he is a country boy, but they have an exciting footballer.”

Wrexham fans must have become used to their side languishing in the National League and being known as sleeping giants, with the Red Dragons stuck inside non-league’s top division for a mammoth 15 seasons, before a dramatic turnaround in fortunes came about during the 2022/23 campaign.

Now, Phil Parkinson’s team will be embarking on an unbelievable Championship adventure this coming season, with Wrexham just fresh off the wild feat of three promotions in a row to demand a seat at the esteemed second-tier table.

The ultra ambitious Welsh outfit will head into the Championship full of confidence, and rightly so, with this sky-high optimism only raised more by the potential arrival of a new striker who could go down as Wrexham’s next Paul Mullin.

Mullin has been there from the very start of the crazy journey up the leagues, with his growing collection of goals making him a firm fan favourite at the Racehorse Ground.

Mullin's remarkable journey at Wrexham

The 30-year-old joined the Wrexham ranks right as the club was about to be catapulted into stardom, with every season – bar his debut campaign – ending in the sweet glory of promotion.

Along the way, the prolific striker has bagged a jaw-dropping 105 strikes from 165 overall clashes, with the Liverpool-born centre-forward a definite member of the Red Dragons’ hall of fame.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an inevitable end, with Mullin’s waning output of just three league strikes last season meaning he could be moved on very shortly.

Wigan Athletic are allegedly interested in his services, but this potential dent to Wrexham’s squad would be immediately fixed by a brand-new goalscoring menace joining the club, someone who has displayed a similar deadliness in front of goal to Mullin during the high points of his up-and-down career.

Wrexham's "clinical" new Mullin

The much-loved 30-year-old might well be a potent hero in the lower reaches of the EFL, but it would be a tall order to expect him to light up the Championship, considering he has never plied his trade here across his extensive playing days.

On the contrary, Danny Ings has shone at the difficult level in the past, with Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph now boldly revealing that the newly promoted side are in talks with the 32-year-old over a statement deal taking place.

Before going on to be known as a Premier League-calibre striker for the likes of Southampton and West Ham United, Ings would get his first big break in the Championship with Burnley by scoring 27 of his 43 Clarets goals in the unpredictable division.

The well-travelled veteran would surely welcome a return to the level, therefore, to recapture his groove in front of goal, with the hope that he can go on to be as deadly as Mullin in his fresh location, even so deep into his career.

Burnley

130

43

14

Southampton

100

46

10

West Ham

69

5

5

Aston Villa

52

14

8

AFC Bournemouth

30

8

3

Liverpool

25

4

1

Overall number

406

120

41

After all, the table above shows off Ings’ “clinical” nature – as he was once labelled glowingly by Liverpool writer Leanne Prescott – across the myriad of clubs he has lined up for, with his weaker return of five strikes for West Ham mainly impacted by his recurring injury issues when on the books of Graham Potter’s men.

Ings going down as a success in Wales will all depend on whether the injury-prone forward can shake free of these constant trips to the treatment room.

If he can, he could become that same talismanic figure for Parkinson’s men that Mullin once was, with Wrexham already daring to dream about a Premier League stay one day.

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The Welsh club are preparing for life in the Championship.

ByTom Cunningham May 28, 2025

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has now personally spoken to a £145m star about a summer move to the Emirates Stadium, according to a report.

Gunners eyeing new winger amid Martinelli criticism

There have recently been suggestions that Gabriel Martinelli may not be at the level required to take the Gunners to the next level, with journalist Kyle Bonn implying that Mikel Arteta should look to bring in a new winger in the summer transfer window.

Those thoughts may also be echoed by club legend Thierry Henry, with the Frenchman suggesting the winger still has plenty of areas in which he needs to improve after the 2-0 victory against Manchester United earlier this season.

As we approach the summer transfer window, the north Londoners have been stepping up their pursuit of a new winger, with the likes of Nico Williams and Rodrygo believed to be of interest, while they have now made contact over a deal for a different forward.

Indeed, according to a report from Foot Mercato, Arsenal have now shortlisted AC Milan’s Rafael Leao as a summer target, with Berta speaking to the Portugal international on the phone around ten days ago.

The Gunners hold a real interest in Leao, who is considering an exit this summer after a mixed campaign at the San Siro, but he is not their priority target, and they are yet to make a final decision about whether to make a move.

£359k-per-week striker would join Arsenal "immediately", Berta wants him

He’s apparently very keen.

ByEmilio Galantini May 24, 2025 "Incredible" Leao could be expensive signing for Arsenal

According to reports from Italy, Milan could hold out for as much as £145m for the Portuguese winger, so a deal is likely to be on the expensive side, but there are clear signs he could be an upgrade on Martinelli.

The 25-year-old has averaged more non-penalty goals, assists and successful take-ons than the Arsenal winger over the past year, during which time he has also been lauded as “incredible” by CBS’ Matteo Bonetti.

Statistic

Gabriel Martinelli

Rafael Leao

Non-penalty goals

0.29

0.34

Assists

0.14

0.26

Successful take-ons

1.48

2.84

While Milan have underperformed throughout the 2024-25 campaign, currently sitting in seventh place, the Almada-born winger has remained consistent in front of goal, picking up 12 goals and 13 assists in all competitions.

As such, should Arsenal decide to bring in a new winger this summer, Leao should be right near the top of the list of targets, but signing a new centre-forward is arguably more important, with Arteta being left very short on options at striker throughout the campaign.