Neymar has taken a clear swipe at France Football while raging over Raphinha's final Ballon d'Or position. The Brazil and Barcelona winger finished fifth in the final vote, while Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele scooped the main prize ahead of second placed Lamine Yamal. Raphinha played a key role for Barca alongside Yamal as they won three domestic titles last season.
Raphinha was among frontrunners to win Ballon d'Or
Raphinha was among the favourites to win the Ballon d'Or this year, but when the results finally came out, the former Leeds United attacker finished fifth in the list. Dembele bagged the Golden Ball for the first time in his career ahead of Yamal, with Vitinha and Mohamed Salah completing the top five.
AdvertisementAFPNeymar takes swipe at France Football
As per , Raphinha's finish outside the top three enraged his Brazil national team colleague Neymar, who, in reply to an Instagram post, wrote: "Raphinha in 5th is too much of a joke."
Raphinha beat Messi's Champions League record
During the 2024-25 Champions League campaign, Raphinha registered 12 goals and eight assists as he surpassed Lionel Messi's club record goal contributions tally of 19, which the Barca legend achieved in the 2011-12 season. The Brazilian also scored 18 league goals as the Catalan side won the La Liga title.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GettyBarcelona vs PSG looming large on horizon
Barcelona will close out the month with La Liga games against Real Oviedo and Real Sociedad before their attention turns back to the Champions League. Raphinha will come up against Dembele when Barca host reigning European champions PSG in a blockbuster clash on October 1.
Manchester United's players are reportedly 'losing confidence' in Ruben Amorim's tactical setup after their drubbing at the hands of Manchester City. This comes after the Red Devils head coach said he would rather be sacked than change his philosophy.
Amorim not changing his philosophy
United were well beaten in a 3-0 loss to their bitter rivals at the Etihad on Sunday. The Portuguese is adamant that his 3-4-2-1 system is here to stay and that if they want a new strategy, a different person needs to coach the first team. Now, The Daily Mail claims Amorim is in danger of losing a section of the dressing room over his refusal to compromise.
Advertisement
Getty Images Sport
Man Utd woes continue under Amorim
The report adds that some United players have never been comfortable with Amorim's system and even one of his chief allies, captain Bruno Fernandes, is 'unhappy' operating in a deeper midfield role. This comes at a time when United have made their worst start to a season in 33 years after taking just four points in four Premier League games.
Ratcliffe backs Amorim
The Mail adds that it would be wrong to say Amorim has lost the support of United's players, and he is also still being backed by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the club's hierarchy. That may change, though, as after a pre-season and 11 months in charge, Amorim isn't making much headway at Old Trafford.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
AFP
What's next for Amorim and Man Utd?
Amorim's United are back in Premier League action on Saturday evening when they host Chelsea in a battle between 14th and fifth in the division. The Red Devils round off the month away to Brentford on September 27.
Birmingham City will be looking to join an exclusive club next season in attempting to seal the dramatic feat of back-to-back promotions.
Ipswich Town were the last triumphant outfit to manage back-to-back promotions from League One all the way up to the promised land of the Premier League, whilst the likes of Southampton, Norwich City, Manchester City, and Watford have all also achieved the same unthinkable goal, with Birmingham wanting to add their name to this unique list shortly.
The Blues’ whirlwind summer transfer activity to date will have done them no harm in trying to pull off such an inconceivable accomplishment, with the standout capture of Kyogo Furuhashi for £10m one deal that certainly demonstrates the Blues’ hunger to try and become Premier League-bound.
Kyogo's statement arrival to St. Andrew's
It has even been reported now that the ex-Celtic attacker turned down opportunities to go to higher-up sides to hop on board the enthralling St. Andrew’s rollercoaster.
He clearly believes in the project, and he will surely want to be remembered as the goalscoring hero that managed to push the Blues up to the Premier League very soon, having already garnered a reputation for being a deadly goal machine when bagging a mammoth 85 strikes on the books of the Hoops.
The buzz surrounding this Kyogo deal is very reminiscent of Jay Stansfield’s arrival on the scene last summer for an equally hefty fee of £15m with the former Fulham man dropping all the way down to League One – even as he knew full well he was held in high regard at Craven Cottage – to then becoming the decisive star that fired home a promotion-sealing 19 strikes.
Kyogo is on the same pedestal as Stansfield, therefore, in potentially going down as a season-altering purchase, but there is another transfer target on the Blues’ radar that might be seen as an even more daring coup than the much-talked-about attacking duo if a move is pulled off shortly.
The £14m star who'd be a bigger coup than Kyogo & Stansfield
Whilst both Kyogo and Stansfield have stunned supporters across their collective careers with their ice-cold ability to finish off chances under pressure, neither has been a success story at the very pinnacle of English football, with the first of those two names never actually competing in the Premier League.
Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-chan has that on his side, fortunately, as Birmingham now attempt to land the South Korean forward for around the £14m mark, according to reports.
Before he saw his minutes at Molineux deplete under the fresh Wolves reign of Vitor Pereira, Hwang was seen as one of the more reliable attackers in the Old Gold squad, with his tally in the Premier League for the 2023/24 season coming in at a sturdy 12 goals.
Amazingly, that was the exact same amount Matheus Cunha managed that campaign in league action, before his form exploded into life even more to attract Manchester United’s interest.
Hwang’s G/A record by club
Club played for
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
RB Salzburg
126
45
29
Wolves
119
24
8
FC Liefering
31
13
8
RB Leipzig
28
3
4
Hamburg
21
2
2
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Whilst Hwang might well have hoped for a similar earth-shuddering move down the line himself, it’s more a sign of Birmingham’s ambition than it is an indicator of the South Korean settling for an underwhelming switch down a division, with a further 74 goals and assists coming his way in the Austrian top-flight across his well-travelled career to date.
This blistering spell for Salzburg even saw Erling Haaland, who led the line with Hwang in the Austrian Bundesliga, label the 29-year-old as “absolutely crazy” in the way he operates as a captivating forward presence.
Unfortunately for Kyogo, he has also suffered from some barren patches of form in front of goal away from his celebrated Celtic spell, with zero strikes coming his way during a brief Rennes stint.
Moreover, Stansfield only ever tasted the luxuries of the Premier League on occasion with Fulham, with Hwang more than ready to take the Championship by storm as a coup purchase, before then potentially settling back into the challenging division with confidence if the Blues have made their top-flight dreams come true.
Birmingham and Wagner keen to sign "great" 26 y/o and soon-to-be free agent
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.
Brighton & Hove Albion manager FabianHurzelerlooks on
“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.
Tom Alsop and John Simpson fight with 60s but Sussex facing second defeat of season
ECB Reporters Network24-Aug-2024
Ben Coad roars in celebration•Getty Images
Yorkshire are closing in on victory over Division Two leaders Sussex at Hove following Ben Coad’s new-ball five-for at Scarborough, setting up a victory target of 103 late on day three.Sussex started the day on 26 without loss in their second innings, 111 runs behind the league’s third-placed side, and were bowled out for 239 as seamer Coad returned five for 69. His wickets came with the first and second new balls.Half-centuries for Tom Alsop and captain John Simpson, who top-scored with 67, meant the visitors were not over-run. But they realistically needed more to defy a Yorkshire attack who kept on coming at them.The hosts then closed the day on 28 for 2 from 10 overs and require 75 more to seal a third win in as many four-day games. Sussex were teetering at lunch against their third-placed rivals, 66 for three in their second innings and still 71 runs in arrears. Only their second defeat of 2024 looked like it might come quickly.However, Alsop with 61 – his second fifty of the match – and Simpson held things up with a fifth-wicket partnership of 85, compiled through the majority of the afternoon.A 45-minute rain delay from 11.10am cut 10 overs from the day’s allocation of 103. Yorkshire still had enough time before lunch to prise out three Sussex wickets.George Hill claimed two of them with his seam after Fin Bean had helped Coad strike with a stunning one-handed leaping catch above his head at third slip to remove the Australian opener Daniel Hughes. That wicket had come in the opening stages of the day, before the rain.Afterwards, Hill had Tom Haines caught by Bean at first slip and Tom Clark caught behind by Jonny Bairstow – his first catch of the match. Both Toms were out playing loosely.By now, Sussex were faced with a pitch showing significant signs of invariable bounce. Clark, for example, faced balls which rapped him on the gloves from Jordan Thompson and shot past his ankle from Hill en route to 17. Thompson himself struck in the early stages of the afternoon when he uprooted James Coles’ leg stump.But that paved the way for the Sussex fightback, with Alsop and Simpson – their two most prolific batters this season – wiping out the remaining 53-run deficit and claiming a lead. Largely, they advanced with caution, though Alsop, who drove nicely, did reverse sweep one of his boundaries off Dan Moriarty’s left-arm spin.By the time tea arrived, Sussex were 164 for 4, 27 ahead and Alsop had reached a 125-ball fifty. Their partnership was closing in on three figures when Alsop was caught behind at the second attempt by Bairstow on the cut.And when Fynn Hudson-Prentice was run out at the striker’s end having been sent back by Simpson, with Jonny Tattersall from backward point and Bairstow combining, Sussex were 179 for six in the 78th over, leading by 42 and with the new ball on the horizon.That new ball worked immediately for Yorkshire, with Coad getting Jack Carson caught behind. At 188 for 7, the earlier good work of Alsop and Simpson was threatening to be undermined. So it proved.As Simpson reached his fifty off 129 balls, Ollie Robinson clubbed a quick 28, only for him to be caught behind off Coad. Bairstow’s fourth catch of the day left Sussex 226 for eight, leading by 89.Coad had Jaydev Unadkat caught at mid-on shortly afterwards before bowling Simpson, who tried to ramp a second six as he was shorn of partners, to wrap things up with his 35th wicket of the campaign. No bowler has taken more in Division Two this season.Unadkat and Robinson then had Bean and Thompson caught in the slips – 18 for 2 – to at least give Sussex a glimmer of hope that they can achieve what would be a remarkable turnaround.
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.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts withJamesMcAtee
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.
Villarreal's Thierno Barry
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.
Manchester City'sJamesMcAteecelebrates after the match
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
Celtic centre-forward Adam Idah added another goal to his tally for the season in the 1-1 draw with the club’s city rivals away from home in the Scottish Premiership last time out.
The Ireland international has now scored 18 goals in all competitions for the Hoops in his first full season at the club, following his permanent move from Norwich City last summer.
Idah may, however, hope to earn more minutes in the Premiership under Brendan Rodgers next term, because he has only started 17 of his 32 appearances in the division so far this year.
He has found himself behind Daizen Maeda in the pecking order at times, whilst he was often behind Kyogo Furuhashi in the first half of the 2024/25 campaign.
That was before the Japan international left to sign for Rennes in the January transfer window for a reported fee of £10m, leaving Maeda and Idah to battle it out for a starting spot.
Celtic will be hoping that Idah becomes a success and fulfills his potential at Parkhead as they look for their best centre-forward signing since Odsonne Edouard.
Celtic's top scorers since Odsonne Edouard left
The Scottish giants smashed their transfer record to sign the French centre-forward from Paris Saint-Germain for a reported fee of £9m in the summer of 2018, after an initial loan spell at Parkhead.
Edouard went on to score at least 22 goals in each of his three full seasons as a permanent Celtic star, which shows that he provided a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.
After those three seasons, the 23-year-old was snapped up by Premier League side Crystal Palace in a reported deal that could rise to £18.5m, which meant that the Bhoys more than doubled their money on the striker, and it is a transfer that ranks as the fifth-highest sale in the club’s history, as per Transfermarkt.
Since Edouard moved down south in the summer of 2021, Kyogo, Idah, and Maeda have all had turns at being the main man at the top end of the pitch for goals.
24/25
Daizen Maeda
33
23/24
Kyogo Furuhashi
19
22/23
Kyogo Furuhashi
34
21/22
Kyogo Furuhashi
20
20/21
Odsonne Edouard
22
19/20
Odsonne Edouard
29
18/19
Odsonne Edouard
22
As you can see in the table above, Kyogo only scored more than 20 goals in one of his three full seasons at Parkhead before his £10m move to Rennes, which shows that he was not as consistent as Edouard, and he was sold for £8.5m less.
Maeda, meanwhile, scored just 14 goals in his first two Premiership seasons at the club before the current campaign, so he is yet to prove that his current goalscoring exploits are more than a flash in the pan.
Therefore, Celtic have not made a better striker signing than Edouard since the Frenchman’s departure, both for footballing and financial reasons, but they do have the chance to rectify that in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Celtic's told how much to pay for striker target
According to reports in Denmark, via GlasgowWorld, Brondby are set to demand a record fee of £11.4m to allow Mathias Kvistgaarden to move on in the summer.
That would also make the centre-forward a club-record signing for the Hoops, as well as a club-record sale for Brondby, after they broke their record with an £11m move for Arne Engels from Augsburg last year.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Football Insider reported earlier this year that the Hoops are planning to make a move for the Danish centre-forward in the summer transfer window in an attempt to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
The outlet added that the 23-year-old marksman is a long-term target for the Scottish giants, and that they are eyeing him up ahead of next season.
Celtic manager BrendanRodgersbefore the match
With this in mind, Celtic could land their best centre-forward signing since Edouard by pushing ahead with a deal for the young Brondby sensation in the coming months.
Why Kvistgaarden could be Celtic's best centre-forward signing since Edouard
Firstly, Kvistgaarden would come in as a young player with the potential to improve and grow in value throughout his time at Parkhead, which means that they could make a significant profit on him in the future.
Whereas Kyogo left to sign for Rennes at the age of 30 in January, which may have been why his transfer fee was £10m, rather than being closer to Edouard’s £18.5m move to Palace.
This means that Kvistgaarden would have more potential to be sold on for big money in the future than Kyogo ever had, simply because he is seven years younger than the Japanese ace.
The £11.4m-rated star, who was hailed as “absolutely sensational” by U23 scout Antonio Mango earlier this term, also has the goalscoring pedigree to potentially offer more than the Japan international did in the final third.
Appearances
35
Shots on target
40
Goals
22
Big chances missed
15
Key passes
20
Big chances created
4
Assists
5
As you can see in the table above, Kvistgaarden has scored 22 goals in all competitions for Brondby this term, which is more than Kyogo managed in two of his three full seasons in Glasgow.
This suggests that the potential is there for the Danish star to offer even more than the Rennes striker did during his time at Parkhead, if he can carry that form over to Scottish football and deliver consistently in the final third.
Former Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard
Kvistgaarden, who scored 31 goals and provided 11 assists in 45 matches for Brondby at U19 level, has shown that he can be lethal in front of goal on a regular basis, particularly at league level with 16 goals in 23 Superliga starts.
The Celtic transfer target could, therefore, be the club’s best centre-forward signing since Edouard because he has the age profile, the potential, and the goalscoring pedigree to be even better for the Hoops than Kyogo as a goalscorer and as a future asset.
Celtic could sign their next McGregor in shock move for £14m Scotland star
Celtic have been tipped as a possible option for this £13.6m-rated star in the future.
ByDan Emery May 8, 2025
It is now down to Celtic’s board to back Rodgers in the transfer market by splashing the cash to sign a high-quality striker in a club-record swoop for Kvistgaarden in the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster their options in the final third.
A forward who was once valued at nine figures has held talks over a summer move to Chelsea, with Enzo Maresca’s side rumoured to be laying groundwork over transfers ahead of the first window on June 1.
Chelsea target quick transfer deals before Club World Cup
The Blues will be taking part in this year’s edition of the Club World Cup, and it has been reported that Chelsea could stand to receive a hefty financial windfall if they perform well in the competition.
Fabrizio Romano: Chelsea now want to sign £50m star "by the end of May"
The reliable journalist says BlueCo want a deal done as soon as possible.
ByEmilio Galantini May 10, 2025
BlueCo are therefore taking the CWC seriously, and they’ll have a limited window to do business and officially sign players before the tournament kicks off. From June 1 to June 10, Chelsea will be able to acquire squad upgrades ahead of the CWC, before the window then reopens from June 16 to September 1.
2. Arsenal
68
3. Newcastle United
66
4. Man City
65
5. Chelsea
63
6. Aston Villa
63
7. Nottingham Forest
62
Reports suggest the west Londoners are fully intent on completing deals in that period, with Fabrizio Romano recently stating that Chelsea want to seal a move for Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen “by the end of May”.
Chelsea are involved in an airtight battle to finish in the top five and confirm their spot in the Champions League draw for next season, and the result of this race will have a knock-on effect when it comes to their transfer plans, as confirmed by Maresca.
However, in the meantime, Chelsea remain busy with their recruitment plans as they also aim to bring in new forwards. The Stamford Bridge hierarchy wish to acquire both a new winger and a striker for Maresca, as per journalist Simon Phillips and other reliable sources, and they’re now being linked with soon-to-be out-of-contract Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane.
Leroy Sane holds talks over joining Chelsea on free deal
The £244,000-per-week Germany international was closing in on a new deal in Bavaria, but he recently changed representatives, employing super-agent Pini Zahavi.
While Sane remains open to extending his contract, Zahavi has submitted a counter-offer to their initially agreed extension – with his camp now demanding a £10m-per-year salary plus £2.5m in add-ons tied to appearances (Florian Plettenberg).
Bayern are intent on standing firm and have no intention of improving their original proposal, though, leaving the door open for Sane to potentially leave the Allianz Arena despite his excellent form over the second half of 2024/2025.
Sane is thought to be keen on a move to Chelsea as an alternative to remaining at Bayern, with journalist Graeme Bailey sharing another update to The Boot Room.
Bailey reports that Sane’s representatives have held talks over a move to Chelsea, even if he would prefer to stay at Bayern, with his contract ticking down towards expiry on June 30.
Every day that passes and no new deal is agreed, Sane’s return to the Premier League grows more likely, as the player and Vincent Kompany’s side find themselves in a stalemate.
Signing the experienced high-level forward for nothing would be a coup, especially considering he was once valued at £137 million during his time at Man City.
Tottenham Hotspur are serious contenders to sign an “unbelievable” Premier League forward this summer, and his club are now willing to listen to offers, according to a report.
Spurs looking to strengthen in attack
Tottenham’s Premier League campaign has been nothing short of a disaster, but bizarrely, they still stand a good chance of making this season one to remember, given that Ange Postecoglou’s side are a two-legged tie with Bodo/Glimt away from the Europa League final.
That said, the underperformance in the Premier League suggests new additions will be needed this summer, and Spurs are particularly keen on strengthening in attacking areas, with AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo among the targets.
The Lilywhites are plotting a move for Semenyo to bolster their wide options, while the same report reveals they are also in the race for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in recent days.
Tottenham hold internal talks over hiring ex-Liverpool manager worth £39m
It would be quite the move.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 26, 2025
Semenyo and Cunha have shone in the Premier League this season, but Tottenham are also interested in signing a player who hasn’t been at his best, with a report from Caught Offside revealing they are now serious contenders to sign Manchester City’s Jack Grealish.
Man City are now willing to cash-in on Grealish this summer, and they will entertain offers of £38m – £43m, meaning they are set to make a huge £50m+ loss on the £100m they paid to sign him from Aston Villa in 2021.
Villa are among the rival suitors for their former player, while Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United are also named as potential suitors, so there is no shortage of interest from within the Premier League.
"Unbelievable" Grealish needs fresh start
The Englishman has enjoyed a great deal of success during his time at the Etihad Stadium, and he played a major role in City’s treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, picking up five goals and seven assists in the Premier League.
Perhaps most crucially, the former Villa man scored at the Emirates Stadium to help give his side a major advantage over Arsenal in the title race.
However, it would probably be a wise decision for the 29-year-old to move on this summer, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably, often being limited to appearances as a substitute.
The winger is clearly a talented player, having previously been lauded as “unbelievable” by members of the media, and his ability is underlined by the fact he ranks highly across some key attacking metrics over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Progressive carries
7.55 (99th percentile)
Shot-creating actions
5.35 (90th percentile)
Progressive passes
5.90 (87th percentile)
At 29-years-old, Grealish needs to receive regular minutes on the pitch, so it would make sense to move on this summer, and a move to Tottenham would likely be of interest, should they manage to win the Europa League.