All posts by z3u9t.icu

Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin made a big decision that immediately left some Ibrox supporters disgruntled when he took charge.

Martin sacked as Rangers manager

The Gers could only draw 1-1 away to Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon, proving to be the final nail in the coffin for Martin, who was sacked hours later, with the club releasing a statement.

“Rangers Football Club confirms that it has parted company with Head Coach, Russell Martin. While all transition periods require some time, results have not met the club’s expectations. Assistant Head Coach, Matt Gill, and First-Team Coach, Mike Williamson, will also be departing.

“Russell and his staff have worked exceptionally hard throughout their time at the club. We thank them for their efforts and wish them well for the future. Further updates from the club will follow in due course.”

The brutal reality is that Martin endured a disastrous reign, struggling to impress in both the league and in Europe, and he called out his players early in the season, suggesting that all was not well straight away. Having clung on to his job as Rangers manager for a while, it felt like a matter of time until he was relieved of his duties.

It’s now a case of the Gers looking to nail Martin’s successor at Ibrox, with the likes of Sean Dyche and Steven Gerrard among the possible options to come in, and it is vital that the right choice is made.

Martin rarely made life easy for himself at Rangers, in terms of leaving certain players out and being stubborn with his tactics, and a new claim further highlights some of his poor decision-making.

Martin "disregarded" historic Rangers tradition

Speaking to Ibrox News, journalist Jonny McFarlane claimed that Martin’s decision not to wear a traditional suit as Rangers manager left some fans irritated – something he was warned about at the beginning.

While Martin was ultimately welcome to wear what he wants – fans are less likely to care if Rangers are winning – he didn’t do himself any favours by going against tradition. The Englishman was told about the attire that is expected of him, so to go against the grain is only risking making his job harder from the off.

He is surely going to go down as one of Rangers’ most disappointing managers in history, overseeing so many poor games and already seeing many points dropped in the league.

"Promising" £10,500-a-week Rangers player waiting for Martin to be sacked

Does he have a long-term future at Ibrox?

ByHenry Jackson Oct 5, 2025

After yet more dropped points at Falkirk, it felt impossible to see Martin turning things around and bringing success to Ibrox, so the right decision has been made.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is slowly showing supporters and the wider footballing community that he has what it takes to manage in the Premier League.

It is hard to blame anyone for having doubts over whether or not the German tactician could lead a team to safety in the top-flight, given his record in the division with Norwich City.

Matches

38

11

Wins

5

1

Draws

6

2

Losses

27

8

Points

21

5

League position

20th

20th

As you can see in the table above, Farke won six of his 49 matches in charge of the Canaries in the Premier League before he was sacked after 11 games in the 2021/22 campaign.

However, he has been backed financially in a way that he was not at Carrow Road, which has allowed the Whites to enjoy a solid start to the season.

The West Yorkshire outfit are 15th in the table with eight points in seven games after two wins, two draws, and three defeats, which is a respectable return for the newly-promoted outfit.

Farke is now hoping to emulate the success that Marcelo Bielsa had in the top-flight in the 2020/21 campaign after his side were promoted to the big time.

Ranking Marcelo Bielsa's best Leeds United teams

The Argentine head coach initially joined the club in the summer of 2018 and led the team to a third-placed finish in the Championship, but watched his team lose to Derby County in the semi-finals of the play-offs.

It was a terrific first season at Elland Road for Bielsa, even if it ended in disappointment for the club in the play-offs, but the best was yet to come for the manager.

In the 2019/20 campaign, Leeds racked up 93 points with 28 wins and nine draws in the Championship, ten more points than they managed in the previous season, to earn promotion to the Premier League and the second tier title.

It is, therefore, fair to say that Bielsa’s team in his second season was better than the one he had in his first, as they won ten more points to earn promotion.

However, that promotion-winning team was not the best side that the Argentine tactician had during his time at Elland Road, because of what was achieved in the Premier League the following season.

Points

59

9th

Non-penalty xG

52.5

4th

xG

55.6

6th

Goals scored

62

6th

xGA

57.9

16th

Goals conceded

54

14th

As you can see in the table above, Leeds were fun to watch as a free-scoring newly-promoted side that fired their way to a top-half finish in the top-flight, which turned out to be Bielsa’s best achievement in his time in West Yorkshire.

He was sacked after picking up 23 points from 26 Premier League games in the 2021/22 season, which should rank as his worst team, followed by his first season, then his second one, and the ninth-placed finish in the top-flight as his best side.

The team in the graphic above was his most-used starting line-up in the 2020/21 campaign in the 4-1-4-1 formation, including stars like Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

With Farke and his team looking to emulate the success that Bielsa’s team had in their first season in the big time, would any of the club’s current stars make it into that best XI?

Chalkboard

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

As good as Luke Ayling was, and as much as he was a terrific servant for the Whites, there is a case to be made for Jayden Bogle walking into that Bielsa side in the 2020/21 campaign on current form.

Why Jayden Bogle would walk into Marcelo Bielsa's best team

There were some question marks raised over the English full-back’s ability to make the step up to the Premier League this season, because of the Sheffield United team that he was a part of in the 2023/24 season.

Bogle played 34 of his side’s 38 league matches at right-back as the Blades conceded a staggering 104 goals, per Sofascore, the most by any team in a 38-game top-flight season.

However, the 25-year-old star’s start to the current campaign suggests that he is more than capable of delivering quality performances in the Premier League, winning the club’s Player of the Month award for August.

Bogle has started all seven of the club’s matches in the Premier League this season and Leeds rank fifth in the division for xGA (7.9), per FBref, which shows that he is currently part of one of the best defensive units in the division.

Whereas, as aforementioned, Leeds were 16th in the top-flight for xGA with Ayling as their first-choice right-back in Bielsa’s best team at Elland Road.

Appearances

38

7

Assists

0

0

Tackles per game

2.9

3.0

Interceptions per game

0.9

1.6

Clearances per game

2.0

2.9

Dribbled past per game

1.0x

1.1x

Possession lost per game

18.6x

11.7x

As you can see in the table above, Bogle’s current defensive numbers topple Ayling’s in the 2020/21 campaign, which may be part of the reason why Farke’s defence is performing better than Bielsa’s did.

On top of that, Ayling did not deliver any assists in that season in the Premier League, which means that Bogle’s current lack of assists in the top-flight should not go against him in this debate.

The former Blades star, who was dubbed “sensational” and a “massive signing” by pundit Micah Richards earlier this year, also delivered more goals and assists combined (ten) last term than Ayling did in the 2019/20 promotion-winning season (eight), per Sofascore, which suggests that he has more potential to excel as an attacking force.

Therefore, there is a genuine case to be made that the 25-year-old star is good enough in the present day to walk into Bielsa’s best team in the ninth-placed Premier League finish.

The new Phillips: Leeds star has made effortless transition to PL life

This Leeds United star has made an effortless transition to the Premier League in the same way that Kalvin Phillips did.

ByDan Emery Oct 7, 2025

Hopefully, the current campaign will be a success, with a similarly impressive league finish, and fans will be talking about which players would make it into Farke’s best team in the future.

Tottenham Hotspur have added some shrewd signings to Thomas Frank’s fledgling project this summer, Mohammed Kudus adding flair to the widths and Joao Palhinha bringing some steely mettle to the engine room.

However, Heung-min Son has completed a £20m transfer to LAFC in the United States, and James Maddison has ruptured his ACL and will be sidelined for the lion’s share of the season.

Spurs have issues in midfield and attack, but Daniel Levy might be convinced to add another signing to his team’s backline, even though Cristian Romero looks set to stay amid interest from Atletico Madrid.

Spurs eyeing Serie A raid

Tottenham have had a lot of success in raiding the Italain top flight for talented up-and-comers in recent years, with the likes of Romero and Destiny Udogie springing to mind.

However, Dejan Kulusevski might be the cream of that crop, having hit his stride last season and made good on praise from football scout Jacek Kulig that he is a “world-class talent”.

Now, Tottenham are ready to repeat their trick by raiding one of the Serie A superpowers for another elite player, with sights set on AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw.

According to Caught Offside, Spurs and Arsenal have joined the race for the German centre-back, with Newcastle United already displaying a vested interest this month.

Thiaw, 24, has been the subject of a new €40m (£34m) offer from Newcastle, and while negotiations are understood to be advancing quickly, the Magpies have failed to sign a litany of targets this summer, and Tottenham could be primed to complete a hijack.

Why Spurs want Malick Thiaw

Having joined Milan from Schalke three years ago, Thiaw has made 85 appearances for his Italian side, bringing a dynamic defensive skill set to the squad.

Both crisp and enterprising with his passing, Thiaw ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, and the top 14% for progressive passes played per 90, as per FBref.

He’s also been hailed as a “monster in the air” by journalist Martino Puccio, so would bring some substance to the team, ensuring some defensive solidity is found where such went lacking last year.

Given that Micky van de Ven and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate are considered two of his most comparable players, it feels like Frank could hit the jackpot with this one, emulating the deal for Kulusevski and allowing him to grow into one of the Premier League’s superstars.

Tottenham signed Kulusevski from Juventus on an initial loan in January 2022, wrapping a move up 18 months later for a shrewd £25m fee (a similar ballpark to Thiaw now).

24/25

50

10

11

23/24

39

8

3

22/23

37

2

8

21/22

19

5

8

Last season, the 25-year-old Kulusevski finally struck a balance between his output, with Ange Postecoglou shifting him into a central attacking midfield berth to an emphatic effect.

Not just a potent attacking threat, the Sweden international’s energy and tenacity fed the belief of his teammates, and he was often a shining light throughout a challenging, albeit ultimately rewarding, season.

He averaged 4.1 successful duels and 1.4 tackles per league match, as per Sofascore, and added much to the Ange system when it needed him most.

In Thiaw, Spurs could repeat the trick, signing a rising talent who has more than his position demands of him. It’s one that Tottenham need to get over the line as they head back onto the Champions League stage.

Frank's answer to Palmer: Spurs enter talks to sign "exceptional" £40m gem

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be about to make another huge move in the market to bolster Thomas Frank’s squad.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 9, 2025

Chelsea are poised to let another player depart Stamford Bridge this summer amid their mission to trim Enzo Maresca’s bloated books.

Chelsea offer Felix and Nkunku in exchange for £207k-per-week forward

The west Londoners are contemplating unofficial swap deals.

5 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 18, 2025

Financially, they’re in a strong position after winning the Club World Cup, with their tournament victory yieldin £87.5 million in prize money. This, combined with the exits of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli and Djordje Petrovic for an estimated £96 million, means Chelsea are currently in line to sail well under the PSR threshold for next year as things stand.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

However, UEFA struck an agreement with the Blues recently after their fine for breaching FFP rules – sell players to balance out the squad or face an inability to register new signings for next season’s Champions League (Kaveh Solhekol).

A host of Chelsea players could still leave the club before deadline day on September 1, with Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Christopher Nkunku, João Félix and even Nicolas Jackson all potentially up for sale by BlueCo, according to recent reports.

Another squad member who’s now far more likely than not to depart Cobham in the coming weeks is boyhood Chelsea supporter Alfie Gilchrist.

The 21-year-old spent last season on loan at Sheffield United and was a regular under ex-Blades boss Chris Wilder for a portion of the campaign, before first-team action became harder to come by, partly due to injury.

Alfie Gilchrist "set to leave Chelsea" with Saudi approach made

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Gilchrist’s exit appears to be a forgone conclusion, and he’s attracting interest from both Championship sides and clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

In truth, it is quite a disappointing end to his Chelsea career, but competition in Maresca’s squad is fierce and Gilchrist quite simply needs a new chapter to further his own career.

Chelsea legend John Terry once tipped the Englishman for “big things” after he made his senior debut for the club in 2023, later praising his ferocious work rate in an interview with The Mail.

“Literally from the first training session in which I saw him, he reminded me of myself,” Terry said.

“He was keen to learn, asking me questions about defending and constantly picking my brains over what I would do in different situations.

“And he’s 100 per cent in everything he does. Whether that’s the warm-up to get him going, he’s all-in. You don’t ever want to take that away. Even on his recovery days, he’s 100 miles per hour.

“As he gets older, he’ll understand how to manage that and how to be. But it’s a great trait to have for a young player and it can certainly set you apart.

‘If you’re at Chelsea, you’ve got great ability in the first place to be there. But it’s really important for younger players to have that mentality and Alfie had that in abundance even from an early age.”

It’s hard to imagine this summer getting any better for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s men demolished the Champions League champions in the final of the Club World Cup last week and look like they’ll be a serious threat in the Premier League next season.

Off the pitch, the West Londoners have been just as effective, securing the likes of Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, while also making a massive profit on Noni Madueke.

Moreover, they aren’t done there, as the Blues have also been linked with the brilliant Eberechi Eze this week, although if reports are to be believed, they are also looking at another international who’s even better.

Chelsea target Eze upgrade

Earlier this week, mere days after becoming world champions, Chelsea were reported as being interested in Crystal Palace’s Eze.

Transfer Focus

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

The stories claimed that alongside their London rivals Arsenal, the Blues have made the England international a key target for the rest of the summer, and that while no club-to-club contact has been made, they have spoken to his camp.

It wouldn’t be a cheap deal to get done due to the 27-year-old’s well-published £68m release clause, but it’s not hard to see why they might be keen to bring the Premier League-proven ace to Stamford Bridge.

With that said, it now appears that the West Londoners have identified another option, someone who has also proven themselves in the league and would be a better addition: Morgan Rogers.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs, the Pensioners are very much interested in signing the Aston Villa star this summer.

Unfortunately, Jacobs reveals that the Claret and Blue consider their dynamic star to be “untouchable.”

However, everyone has their price, and according to The Sun, they value him at £80m, amid their claims on Thursday that he is now the Blues’ number one target for the remainder of the window.

It’d be an extremely costly and complicated transfer to complete, but given Rogers’ immense ability and potential, it’d be one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Eze.

Why Rogers would be a better signing than Eze

While Chelsea will want Rogers for his overall play and impact on the team, they’d also want some serious output from him for his reported price tag, and that is the first advantage he has over Eze.

In 37 league appearances last season, the Villa dynamo managed to score eight goals and provide 11 assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.94 games.

In contrast, the former QPR gem scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 34 appearances, which comes out as a still good, but less impressive, average of 2.12 goal involvements per game.

Appearances

37

34

Goals

8

8

Assists

11

8

Goal Involvements per Game

0.51

0.47

Points per Game

1.70

1.50

On top of that, the Claret and Blue’s output “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, is more versatile than the former QPR gem.

For example, he has proven himself capable of delivering top performances in the ten, on both wings, and has even played up top on more than a few occasions, which would give Maresca numerous tactical options.

In contrast, the Eagles star is still versatile, but he’s only really comfortable in the ten or off the left, and even then, he spent almost all of last season in the former.

Finally, and this is an important one, the former Middlesbrough ace is five years younger.

This is important because it means he’ll align with the club’s ethos of buying younger talents, and he should develop and reach his peak alongside the likes of Cole Palmer, which, according to research carried out by The Athletic, typically occurs around 26 years old for attacking midfielders.

Ultimately, Eze is an excellent footballer who would certainly bring something to Chelsea this summer, but from their output in the league last season to their upside a few years down the line, Rogers would be the far better signing.

Bad news for Pedro & Delap: Chelsea in the race to sign "the next Mbappe"

The sensational attacker would make Chelsea far more dangerous next season.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 17, 2025

Chelsea have taken their summer spending to around £140 million, with BlueCo once again showing they’re not shy about investing to compete at the very highest level.

Enzo Maresca first welcomed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, who joined the Blues in a £30 million deal from relegated Ipswich, and he’s already scored his first goal for Chelsea at the Club World Cup.

Premier League club close to finalising deal for "world-class" Chelsea player

There’s been a key update out of Stamford Bridge.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 3, 2025

Delap bagged a strike against ES Tunis and set up Enzo Fernández for Chelsea’s second of the game in a 2-0 win against Los Angeles FC, with Delap making a fine start to his Stamford Bridge career as he chases a potential spot in Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup squad.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens has also signed for Chelsea after the west Londoners finally agreed a £55 million deal, coming after they saw as many as three bids rejected for the Englishman before the start of this year’s CWC.

As well as the aforementioned homegrown duo, Chelsea confirmed the arrival of striker Joao Pedro from Brighton in a reported £55 million transfer, which could rise to £60 million with add-ons.

The Brazil international joins Maresca’s side after scoring 30 goals in 70 total appearances for Brighton, with Pedro also fresh off the back of his best Premier League season at the Amex.

Despite his young age, the 23-year-old has been playing top-level English football since 2019/2020, having also enjoyed a productive spell at Watford before his switch to the south coast.

Fabian Hürzeler praises "excellent" Joao Pedro move to Chelsea

Speaking to Brighton’s official website, Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler has piled praise on the transfer – calling it an “excellent deal” for them and an “exciting” move for the South American.

“This is a good move for all parties. It’s an excellent deal for the club, and a good return on a significant investment in an area of the pitch where we have a lot of competition and are already well served in terms of our attacking talent,” said Hurzeler.

“It’s also an exciting move for Joao: it gives him the opportunity to play Champions League football this coming season, and he will of course be keen to cement his position in the Brazil team ahead of the World Cup next summer.

“Joao has given us some wonderful moments – during my time and before I came to the club – so on behalf of everyone I would like to thank him for his service over the past two seasons and wish him the best for the future.”

With Delap and Pedro now arriving, it could spell the end for striker Nicolas Jackson.

Chelsea are reportedly open to selling Jackson, amid interest from the Premier League, Napoli and Juventus (Gianluca Di Marzio), while the likes of Noni Madueke and Chrstopher Nkunku are also being linked with moves away.

Are Aston Villa now able to spend freely?

On Monday, completely coincidentally on the final day of their accounting year, the Villans sold their women’s team to themselves, thereby avoiding breaching the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules.

So now, having avoided a potential points deduction, Unai Emery will be looking to bolster his squad, so could Villa land a new striker?

Aston Villa targeting attacking reinforcements

Jhon Durán has to go down as one of the best pieces of business in modern Premier League history, joining Aston Villa from Chicago Fire in January 2023 for a reported fee of around £13m, having made just 27 appearances for the Men in Red in Major League Soccer, scoring eight goals.

Well, two years later, following his scoring spree at the start of last season, Durán was sold to Al-Nassr for £71m last January, representing a near 600% return on investment, easing the Villans’ PSR concerns.

Well, the Colombian is back in the news again because, after a miserly 18 appearances in Saudi Arabia, scoring 12 goals, he is reportedly set to join José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe, continuing one of the more unique and bizarre career arcs.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, speaking of İstanbul-based giants, a report by TurkishFootball.com claims that Villa are in talks with Beşiktaş over the possibility of signing striker Semih Kılıçsoy, adding that he is valued at €15m (£13m).

Well, the Black Eagles themselves, who are managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjær these days, have just signed Tammy Abraham from AC Milan for the exact same amount, with the England international having been handed Kılıçsoy’s number nine shirt.

In response to this, journalist Fırat Günayer stated that he would be “surprised” if Kılıçsoy was still with Beşiktaş by the end of the transfer window, adding “there are a few offers… on the table”.

So, could the 19-year-old be set to swap the Bosphorus for Birmingham?

Why Semih Kılıçsoy could replicate Jhon Durán's success at Aston Villa

After joining Beşiktaş as an 11-year-old, Kılıçsoy made his Süper Lig debut against Antalyaspor in February 2023, before scoring his first goal for the Black Eagles during a Conference League qualifying victory over KF Tirana five months later.

In total, he has netted 16 times in 85 appearances for the Turkish giants, winning the Türkiye Kupası in 2024, his most notable goal coming against Malmö in the Europa League last November, this coming in a 2-1 victory at Tüpraş Stadyumu.

His performances have earned international recognition too, debuting for Türkiye against Italy at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara last June, subsequently included in Vincenzo Montella’s Euros squad.

Given his performances, analyst Ben Mattinson has dubbed him a “very powerful” forward, while Luis Kircher of Total Football Analysis believes that he is known for his ‘lethal finishing capabilities’ and ‘versatility’, forecasting that he will become a ‘prolific’ goalscorer at the elite level in the coming years.

So, let’s see how Kılıçsoy compares to Durán, prior to his move to Villa from Illinois.

Appearances

85

75

Minutes

4,227

4,182

Goals

16

17

Assists

9

10

Senior international caps

4

3

As the table outlines, Durán, prior to joining Aston Villa, and Kılıçsoy right now boast similar levels of experience, with the Turkish striker actually having accumulated more senior appearances and minutes, scoring just one fewer goal. He also boasts that necessary “selfish” streak that the Colombian possesses, as Mattinson noted.

Also, Durán had played in Colombia’s Categoría Primera A and MLS which, according to Global Football Rankings, are the 32nd and ninth-strongest leagues in the world, with the Turkish Süper Lig somewhere in the middle at 18th.

Thus, it is clear that Kılıçsoy is a high-quality, high-potential player, one that is seemingly on the way out of Beşiktaş, suggesting he is available and more than talented enough to be a star at Villa Park.

Potentially arriving as a relative unknown teenager, in a similar vein to Duran, the promising marksman could be Emery’s next Villa success story.

The next Tielemans: Aston Villa submit bid to sign "incredible" £34m star

Aston Villa fans would love to welcome in this new signing who could be Unai Emery’s next Youri Tielemans.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jul 1, 2025

Arsenal have many different transfer plates spinning behind-the-scenes right now, according to reports, with sporting director Andrea Berta attempting to make progress on key summer deals.

Arsenal poised to sign Kepa and Zubimendi amid new striker talks

While there were some concerns that Real Madrid would hijack Arsenal’s move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, The Athletic’s David Ornstein moved to reassure supporters this week that the Spain international is firmly on track to join Mikel Arteta’s side.

£67m player prioritising Arsenal move as agent holds meeting, it's not Sesko

He’s pretty keen on a move to north London.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 13, 2025

The delay in announcing Zubimendi’s capture is apparently down to financial reasons, with Sociedad keen to register the 26-year-old’s sale as part of the next financial year, which commences in July (AS).

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

Arsenal are poised to sign Zubimendi after months of talks, and barring a late unmitigated disaster, Gunners chiefs consider the deal for him as “done” (David Ornstein).

Berta is also closing in on the signing of Chelsea outcast Kepa Arrizabalaga as their second-choice keeper after missing out on widely reported top target Joan Garcia to Barcelona.

The Spaniard, who was deemed surplus to requirements by Enzo Maresca, is set to finalise a £5 million move from Stamford Bridge, following a productive loan spell at Bournemouth last season.

Kepa’s imminent arrival has been praised by critics too, who call him an “absolute steal”.

“Arsenal have acted really quickly after it became clear that Joan Garcia would not be arriving from Espanyol this summer and have all but wrapped up a really smart piece of business,” said journalist Charles Watts to CaughtOffside.

“Landing a keeper like Kepa for just £5 million is an absolute steal. I’m honestly baffled at how there seems to be some who are questioning it.

“You are talking about a keeper approaching his best years who has plenty of experience and is a senior international. He had a very good season on loan at Bournemouth last season and the season before he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League while he was there.”

Amid these two moves, Arsenal continue working on signing a new striker.

Two names have dominated the headlines – RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

Arsenal have been in negotiations with Leipzig over Sesko, but are yet to find an agreement on price, which has perhaps led them to try their hand at an offer for Gyokeres instead.

Arsenal submit "concrete offer" for Viktor Gyokeres

According to Portuguese newspaper Record, Sporting and the Sweden international have received Berta’s opening bid.

The Italian held a summit with Sporting’s general director of football, Bernardo Palmeiro, in Spain earlier this week. During these talks, Arsenal submitted their “first concrete offer” for Gyokeres, which came in at around £55 million including add-ons.

Unfortunately, this is very unlikely to be anywhere near enough, as Sporting president Frederico Varandas confirmed to the media this week that the 27-year-old star striker would not be leaving for nearly £60m.

Gyokeres’ situation in the Primeira Liga is becoming very toxic, with the player uploading a cryptic Instagram post after Varandas’ comments that he would not be blackmailed into selling him.

In his post, Gyokeres addressed the “false” talk regarding his future, potentially aimed at Varandas’ statements to the media.

Having scored 54 goals in all competitions last term, guiding Sporting to their first domestic double in decades, the centre-forward’s future has now turned into a soap opera, and Arsenal could look to take full advantage.

If the north Londoners do make progress in negotiation, it is believed by some media sources that Gyokeres is demanding around £250,000-per-week to join any suitor (The Mirror).

Aston Villa excruciatingly missed out on a Champions League spot on the final day of the Premier League season as a controversial 2-0 away loss at Manchester United went completely against them.

Unai Emery’s men won’t have dwelled on this disappointment for too long, however, with the grandeur of Europe’s elite competition actually congesting their fixture list across a busy 2024/25, leaving them potentially a little empty in energy to push into those top five positions.

It could also be a summer of much change at Villa Park with Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia set to leave the West Midlands giants, alongside a whole host of exciting additions potentially entering the building.

Whenever it comes to new faces joining the Villans’ ranks, the Premier League high-flyers will surely always be on the lookout for their next Jack Grealish, with a reunion deal also not completely off the table.

Grealish's current situation at Manchester City

It’s been bubbling away in the background for some time now, but the former homegrown Villa talent could now finally exit the Citizens this summer, having been left out of Pep Guardiola’s camp for the upcoming Club World Cup.

Unfortunately for Grealish, his time at City has now been reduced to a sorry state of affairs, with the former £100m buy only starting seven top-flight games last season.

It’s a far cry away from the days where Grealish would terrorise many a Premier League defence donning Villa claret and blue – as seen in his 32 goals and 43 assists from 213 Villa contests – with the ultimate confidence boost needed for the 29-year-old to salvage his fading career potentially an emotional return to home soil.

However, Emery and Co. could instead go after this alternative target away from sentimentally snapping up Grealish, with this fresh target displaying shades of Grealish’s game all across his own bumpy career path.

The "special" Aston Villa target who has shades of Grealish

After all, Villa Park will be seen as a worthwhile next destination for this low-on-confidence winger, considering Marcus Rashford managed to collect a promising four goals and six assists this season just gone for Villa on loan, after the start of his messy Manchester United divorce came to the surface.

Jadon Sancho is also deep in his own exit route out of the Red Devils, with a report from TEAMTalk earlier this week speculating that United are desperately trying to offload their expensive flop, which has led to Villa taking an interest in the out-of-sorts attacker as a potential Rashford replacement.

There is some method to Villa’s madness here with Sancho displaying flashes of his “special” quality – as he was lauded by Enzo Maresca during his brief Stamford Bridge stay – at Chelsea, as seen in his promising tally of five goals and ten assists in West London.

With 12 strikes also next to his name during his cursed United stint, it’s not completely ludicrous to suggest that Emery can work his magic on another Red Devils outcast here.

His swagger down the left and ability to twist and turn defenders for fun at his peak, not far off Grealish’s own exuberant game, when confidence is also coursing through his veins.

Indeed, that similarity in possession is seen in the fact that Grealish ranks in the top 1% among his European peers for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, while Sancho is not too far behind, amid his ranking in the top 13%.

LW

Sancho

61

7

11

RW

Sancho

19

4

0

CF

Sancho

2

1

0

AM

Sancho

1

0

0

LM

Sancho

1

0

0

LW

Grealish

121

24

23

AM

Grealish

26

1

4

LM

Grealish

11

2

2

CM

Grealish

8

0

2

CF

Grealish

3

0

0

RW

Grealish

2

0

0

SS

Grealish

1

0

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

It’s even clearer from the table above where both Sancho’s and Grealish’s strengths lie, with Emery potentially getting the best out of the ex-Borussia Dortmund man to come by playing him down his preferred left flank, away from shoehorning him in elsewhere. With a transfer value of £31m, according to Football Transfers, a move could be a no-brainer.

Both players find themselves at a crossroads in their careers, with Grealish a certainty to leave the Etihad, alongside Sancho at Old Trafford – the latter could well thank Villa Park down the line for mending his broken career.

He's Grealish 2.0: Aston Villa keen on £55m star who has the "X Factor"

Aston Villa are looking to upgrade their attacking options this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 3, 2025

Over the past couple of seasons, Chelsea have signed several players who played for Manchester City’s academy. Cole Palmer was the first, and they have also brought in the likes of Tosin, Jadon Sancho on loan and Liam Delap will be the next addition who fits the trend.

Well, in the last few days, Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers, who also came through City’s academy, has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. Indeed, reports suggest the Blues are ‘prepared to bid for him’ this summer.

However, it is by no means a guarantee that they will sign him. If Rogers is off the table, then Chelsea seem to be lining up the dream alternative.

Chelsea's dream Rogers alternative

Whether or not it was planned, the Blues have certainly signed a number of players from City’s academy but if a move for Rogers doesn’t materialise, they could turn to a player from Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy, instead.

Transfer Focus

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

According to a report from TEAMtalk, the West Londoners ‘are seriously considering an approach’ for Xavi Simons, RB Leipzig’s talented, versatile attacker. They are thought to be ‘primed to launch a formal approach’ for the Dutchman after contact with his representatives.

However, they will face tough competition from sides in the Premier League. Two of those hail from London, with rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur interested.

The other is newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool. Chelsea, or indeed any of the other interested sides, will have to pay upwards of £67m, as per another report from TEAMtalk back in March.

Why Simons is the dream Rogers alternative for Chelsea

Despite being just 22 years of age, Simons has been a key player once again for German outfit Leipzig. The versatile forward, who was born in Amsterdam, overcame injury issues to put in some excellent performances in the 2024/25 campaign, showcasing why he is “one of the best 10s in the world” in the words of one analyst on social media.

His numbers speak for themselves. In 33 appearances across all competitions last season, he managed 11 goals and eight assists. When you break that down further and look at his numbers in the Bundesliga, they read ten goals and seven assists, in just 25 games.

Simons’ goal and assist per game tally last term in the German top flight was impressive. In total, he averaged 0.67 goal involvements per game, showing excellent consistency throughout the campaign.

Interestingly, that is a better goals and assist ratio per game than Rogers. Last term for Villa, the England international played 37 games in the Premier League, scoring and assisting 19 times. That left him with a tally of 0.52 goals and assists per game, some way under Simons’ tally.

It is perhaps worth mentioning that the Englishman played over 20 more games than Simons last term.

He was also successful in the Champions League, a competition where the Dutchman struggled. Rogers contributed to seven goals, including a hat-trick against Celtic in the group stage.

One thing that is quite similar between the two players is their versatility. In the 2024/25 campaign, Simons played as both a number 10 and a left-winger, with Rogers slotting in the same roles, as well as playing as a right-winger and a number nine.

Interestingly, there is evidence to suggest that Simons would be a perfect alternative to Rogers when looking at the FBref underlying stats. For example, the Leipzig star averages more key passes per 90 minutes, with 2.13 to Rogers’ 1.47.

Goals and assists

0.67

0.52

Key passes

2.13

1.47

Progressive passes

5.86

3.55

Shot-creating actions

4.52

3.04

Progressive carries

3.56

3.29

There is no doubt that SImons is a “magic” player, something Statman Dave once said about him. He would add a goal threat and creativity to this Chelsea attack, whilst being able to play in numerous different positions.

At just 22 years of age, he will surely only get better and grow into the project at Stamford Bridge. If Rogers is unattainable this summer, then surely Simons is the perfect alternative.

Better than Gittens & Sancho: Chelsea targeting "electric" £49m star

Chelsea are looking for a new winger this summer, amid Jadon Sancho’s expected exit

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 4, 2025