While they didn’t do an awful lot of buying last summer, Arsenal made a lot of money through sales.

Mikel Arteta and Co managed to get £30m from Crystal Palace for Eddie Nketiah, up to £25m for Aaron Ramsdale from Southampton and up to £34m for Emile Smith Rowe from Fulham.

Of those three players, it would be fair to say that the Gunners have missed Smith Rowe the most, as injuries and poor form have seen their attack seriously underwhelmed this season – as exemplified by the fact Liverpool has scored 17 more goals than them in the Premier League.

However, while Arsenal can’t just bring the Cottagers’ new star back to the Emirates this summer, recent reports have linked them with another exciting player who could become their new version next season.

Arsenal transfer news

In part, thanks to their lacklustre spending last summer and their underwhelming domestic campaign this season, Arsenal look set for a big summer of spending, and one of the names most heavily touted for a move to N5 is Viktor Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

The Sporting CP superstar is reportedly available for around £70m, and while that is nothing to sniff at, it might just prove to be a bargain for the Swedish international, as in just 48 appearances this season, he’s scored a mind-blowing 52 goals and provided 12 assists to boot.

Another incredible international player linked with the Gunners is Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

The Brazilian winger could be available for an astronomical fee of around £123m at the end of the season, and while that might be too much, there is no doubt that the 24-year-old would improve the North Londoners, as he’s racked up 23 goal involvements in 50 games this season.

However, neither of the aforementioned superstars could be deemed as the club’s new Smith Rowe, unlike Jacob Ramsey.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal are one of several teams interested in signing the Aston Villa ace this summer.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Manchester City are also keen on the 23-year-old and that there is a real chance Villa could let him leave once the window opens.

Prior stories claimed that the Claret and Blue value the talented ace at around £50m, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be available for less in the coming months.

It wouldn’t be a simple transfer to get over the line, but it’s one well worth pursuing, especially as he could be Arsenal’s new Smith Rowe.

Why Ramsey could be Arsenal's new Smith Rowe

So, before we get into some of the other reasons why Arsenal should look to sign Ramsey this summer, why could he be looked at as a ‘new’ Smith Rowe?

Well, there are a few surface-level similarities between the two, such as the fact they’re both English, around the same age, already have considerable experience playing in the Premier League, and are right-footed.

However, perhaps the most significant similarity is in their positional versatility and play style.

During his time at the Emirates, the Fulham star was often either played in the middle of the park as an attacking midfielder or out on the left, in a front three or deeper in left-midfield.

So far in his career, it’s been a similar story for the Birmingham-born ace, as he’s often played either in the middle of the park, in left-midfield, or out on the left of a front three.

It’s this ability to play the role of an attacking midfielder and a winger which makes the two Englishmen so similar, and what could see the “sensational” Villa ace, as dubbed by journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor, become such a useful player for Arteta in North London.

On top of his similarities to the Cottager ace, the 23-year-old star – who scored for Villa in a 3-1 defeat at the Emirates back in 2021 – also has some impressive underlying numbers to his name.

Successful Take-On %

60.0%

Top 1%

Pass Completion

85.4%

Top 3%

Tackles (Def 3rd)

0.77

Top 8%

Shots Blocked

0.14

Top 10%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.48

Top 13%

Blocks

1.20

Top 16%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.05

Top 18%

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-on %, the top 3% for pass completion, the top 10% for shots blocked, the top 13% for goal-creating actions from live passes and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while the fee might be a little on the high side, adding Ramsey to the squad would undoubtedly strengthen Arsenal ahead of next season, and who knows, he might just become their new Smith Rowe.

Big Odegaard upgrade: Arsenal eye up move for a "future Ballon d'Or winner"

Martin Odegaard is under fire after a poor run of form for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 30, 2025

Liverpool are expected to act fast to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold this summer and could now be closing in on a long-term successor, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Liverpool preparing for life without Trent Alexander-Arnold

Losing one of your best players is a difficult endeavour for any manager. Still, Arne Slot will retain optimism that Liverpool can cope without Trent Alexander-Arnold after his departure was announced after his 20 years at Anfield.

Conor Bradley will start against Arsenal and has been endorsed by the Dutchman as a long-term option at right-back, even if he stopped short of citing the Northern Ireland international as a like-for-like replacement.

He stated: “To become a very good player, you have to be available every week, and that is the first step he has to take next season. But we have confidence in Conor as a very good full-back for Liverpool.”

Undoubtedly, Liverpool will need to supplement Alexander-Arnold’s presence by finding a reliable alternative in the market, and Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento is near the top of their list following his shining displays at St James’ Park.

Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is another target for Slot, though he would occupy a central-defensive berth should a move materialise amid his £50 million release clause.

Related Fabrizio Romano reveals what he's heard about Liverpool signing De Bruyne

Could a shock move to Anfield materialise this summer?

Posts ByHenry Jackson May 9, 2025

First and foremost, celebrating a title victory that has been long-awaited on the red half of Merseyside will be the immediate priority.

However, time is of the essence, and Liverpool will need to replace Alexander-Arnold sooner rather than later, given that any new arrival in his position would need a bedding-in period to acclimatise to Slot’s high-octane style of play.

Now, Fabrizio Romano has delivered a significant update regarding who his successor could be.

Romano: Jeremie Frimpong open to Liverpool move

Taking to social media platform X, Romano confirmed that Liverpool are aware of the finer details regarding Jeremie Frimpong’s release clause at Bayer Leverkusen, and he also signified the Netherlands international is open to moving to Anfield.

The stipulation is deemed to be worth between £29.5 million and £33.8 million, and the former Celtic man remains one of the Reds’ priority targets this summer.

Labelled “magnificent” by Neil Lennon, Frimpong has registered four goals and 12 assists in 47 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen this season.

Famed for his pace from deep, the 24-year-old has created 28 chances and completed 21 successful crosses on league duty, which may go some way to replacing Alexander-Arnold’s output.

Of course, the Liverpool academy graduate is a unique case, and it may take several players to mimic his impact, but Frimpong would be a good place to start if the Reds can push a deal over the line.

Whilst Birmingham City did splash out some serious cash to land Jay Stansfield last summer, the Blues did also operate rather shrewdly before the 2024/25 campaign got underway.

The eventual League One champions didn’t go overboard when landing potent goal machine Alfie May, with the decision to fork out a respectable £775k for the 31-year-old’s services more than paying off, considering the ex-Charlton Athletic man would go on to bag 17 strikes in all competitions.

Already, Birmingham have displayed this astute approach once more by recently snapping up Phil Neumann on a free transfer, with another rumour now suggesting that Chris Davies’ men aren’t finished there with savvy purchases.

Birmingham could soon land another golden deal

Unsurprisingly, the Tom Wagner-backed Blues have also been linked with some star names ahead of Championship action returning to St Andrew’s.

Indeed, Che Adams has been heavily linked with an audacious move back to the second-tier side, alongside Kwame Poku also being tipped to swap Peterborough United for a fresh location in the league above.

But, one move that is slipping under the radar in contrast is Birmingham’s hunt for Kanya Fuijmoto, with journalist Sebastião Sousa-Pinto revealing via his social media that Davies’ men are now moving towards an advanced stage in their attempts to sign the Japanese ace on a free transfer having already submitted a bid for the player.

If they were to land the Gil Vicente midfielder for nothing, this might go down as yet another golden deal where Birmingham don’t lavishly break the bank.

Further, Fuijmoto has the potential to be as popular as Tomoki Iwata in the midfield department at St. Andrew’s, with Iwata once a rather unknown entity to Blues fans – much like his fellow Japanese counterpart – before he more than exploded into life.

How Fuijmoto could be Birmingham's Iwata 2.0

Away from sharing the same nationality, the pair also possess a similar eye for goal and carving out chances centrally.

After all, Iwata would close out his debut campaign in England with a high eight goals and two assists from 47 overall contests.

Akin to the former Celtic man, the Vicente number ten would pick up five goals and five assists himself from 31 games over the same time span, with a hope in the air that he can potentially adapt to the hustle and bustle of Championship life well by putting in similarly electric performances in attack.

He could well offer more competition to the aforementioned Stansfield in the number 10 spot just behind the main centre-forward, therefore, alongside also being capable of slotting into a more traditional central role next to his Japanese compatriot based off his numbers below.

Games played

40

30

Goals scored

6

5

Assists

1

5

Touches*

67.1

34.6

Accurate passes*

49.7 (89%)

20.3 (83%)

Big chances created

4

8

Big chances missed

1

3

As can be seen looking at the table above, both players in question stand out as classy operators on the ball.

A “silky” midfielder – as he’s been previously lauded by analyst Ben Mattinson – he is more of an attack-oriented body that will push forward, compared with Iwata who will likely sit back and then burst into attack when necessary.

This could well be an intriguing partnership to watch next season as they work out each other’s varied games, with the extra addition of Fujimoto perhaps boosting Davies’ men even more in the forward areas as they embark on an initially challenging Championship step-up.

Whatever does happen, at least Birmingham aren’t dropping lots of money on the 25-year-old’s services.

But, as was shown with Iwata – who entered for around the £800k range – sometimes these are the deals that end up being the standout swoops.

60 EFL goals: Birmingham could sign their answer to Vardy this summer

Birmingham City could be about to land their own version of Jamie Vardy with this statement purchase.

ByKelan Sarson May 15, 2025

Amid a sea of red celebration at Anfield on Sunday, the cameras panned for a moment on Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes, locked in conversation.

Have the conversations relating to improvements already begun? What, indeed, do these discussions pertain to? Are Liverpool now focusing on the additions which will surely rain down on this incredible Reds squad, which has been so dominant in the Premier League yet clearly needs reinforcing across a range of positions?

With Darwin Nunez expected to leave at the end of the season, much has been made of Liverpool’s conundrum at number nine. Alexander Isak would be a golden ticket toward the next level in Slot’s project, but Newcastle United will demand north of £150m for their talisman. It might not happen, sadly.

A robust midfield could do with another part, and Andy Robertson’s waning influence and athleticism has seen Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez placed at the top of the shopping list, report The Times.

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have renewed their contracts but Hughes will no doubt be thinking about signing understudies who could bloom into superstars down the line.

Then there’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose resolution to a protracted saga feels right around the corner.

The latest on Alexander-Arnold's future

No one can dispute Alexander-Arnold’s passion as he capered around after Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, sealing the Premier League title for the second time in his career.

However, it’s also becoming increasingly difficult to argue that the 26-year-old will be playing his football in a Liverpool shirt next season, now on the eve of free agency.

Salah and Van Dijk have committed the final few years of their primes to Anfield, but Alexander-Arnold has stayed radio silent with Real Madrid working tooth and nail to bring him to La Liga.

Reds supporters have attempted to theorise scenarios in which Trent is staying, flashes of hopeless hope, however, with those such as Fabrizio Romano revealing that a deal is all but done, it seems this is one pill that the club will have to swallow during an momentous achievement.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool Career by Competition
Competition	Apps	Goals	Assists
Premier League	255	18	66
Champions League	60	2	13
FA Cup	13	1	3
Carabao Cup	10	0	6
Europa League	5	0	2
Club World Cup	2	0	1
CL Qualifying	2	0	1
Community Shield	2	1	0
UEFA Super Cup	1	0	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

However, it’s frankly unlikely that Romano is simply acting as a mouthpiece for Los Blancos. The esteemed transfer journalist has repeatedly stressed that the England international’s Bosman move is in the final stages, with all parties confident that a deal will be struck.

Moreover, the word on the street is that Liverpool are scouring the market for a successor; Conor Bradley is an exciting talent but he missed out with injury once again on Sunday and cannot, surely, be Slot’s only real option next term.

With that in mind, Liverpool appear to be aiming for the stars.

Liverpool chasing exciting Trent replacement

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are among clubs interested in signing Jules Kounde and are being kept informed on his situation at Barcelona, though Chelsea appear to have the lead at this stage.

The Frenchman, who scored the winning goal in Saturday’s hotly-contested Clasico Copa del Rey final, is about to enter the penultimate year of his contract at Camp Nou, and his future is up in the air.

With Liverpool potentially in need of a high-class right-back, this could be a dream deal for Slot’s side, though Kounde wouldn’t come cheap, with Chelsea reportedly willing to offer €80m (£68m).

What Jules Kounde would add to Slot's squad

Barcelona signed Kounde from Sevilla for a reported £42m fee in 2022, beating Chelsea to the France international’s signature.

He’s since amassed 140 appearances for La Blaugrana, scoring seven goals and providing 18 assists for his teammates. A regular dynamo, Kounde is versatile, balanced and robust in his performances, having actually been described as “one of the best defenders in the world” by his former boss Xavi.

This season, for example, he ranks among the top 11% of full-backs in La Liga for pass completion, the top 3% for passes attempted and the top 7% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Such metrics highlight, clearly, the ball-playing ability that Slot would make fantastic use of. He differs from Alexander-Arnold, but you can see that his passing game would still add a dimension to and enrich Liverpool’s defence.

Though the 26-year-old has only supplied three assists across 29 league fixtures under Hansi Flick this term, it’s clear this is a more stylistic choice, indeed completing 89% of his passes, as per Sofascore, working tirelessly toward promoting build-up play, funnelling the ball into the danger areas, where the likes of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha can wreak havoc.

That’s not to say he’s averse to his playmaking duties, of course. See below.

They can be a tad frustrating at times, but you can’t deny FSG know their stuff. Replacing Klopp was an impossible task, and so they opted not to.

Slot is cut from a different cloth. His tactical expertise aligns in some lanes with the German’s, but he’s a different character, cooler, more businesslike. Fist pumps after exhilarating victories, there are not.

In the same way, Liverpool simply won’t succeed in replacing a one-of-a-kind star such as Alexander-Arnold. Kounde is different, but bears some similarities.

Kounde’s “enormous potential” was sounded out by talent scout Jacek Kulig before he got his big Barcelona move, and the defender has proved ever since that he has the capacity for greatness.

It’s exactly what Liverpool need at right-back, and if the finances are there, he should be signed this summer.

Liverpool's incredible title winner is now as undroppable as Mac Allister

Liverpool’s stars shined as they thrashed Spurs to seal the Premier League title at Anfield.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 27, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are first in line for a highly-rated player this summer, thanks to a special agreement struck by chairman Daniel Levy, with the man in question set for the final say on a move to north London.

Tottenham break record for most Premier League losses in a season

On Sunday, a brace from Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze doomed Spurs to a 2-0 defeat at home and subsequently handed Ange Postecoglou an unwanted record.

Manager "would accept" £190k-per-week contract to join Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou’s future remains up in the air.

ByEmilio Galantini May 11, 2025

Following the loss to Oliver Glasner’s side, Tottenham have now broken their all-time record for most defeats in a single Premier League campaign, with the Lilywhites chalking up a miserable 20 top-flight losses on Postecoglou’s watch.

Son Heung-min

7.05

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.88

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“Yeah, look, I get it and people are banging the drum about this record with defeats, but if people don’t see there is a correlation between the two, I am not going to sit here and…it’s not exactly Pythagoras’ theorem,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s unwanted record of defeats and their looming European final.

“It’s quite simple to understand we would have had much better results if we didn’t have to navigate this. So, either you understand or you don’t and beat us over the head, I get it.

“I am not happy with the way we performed today, so that’s what I look at.”

While Spurs find themselves in the Europa League final, and could well save their tepid season with a first piece of major silverware in 17 years, not to mention qualification for the Champions League next season, 20 defeats in the league is simply inexcusable for a big six side.

Tottenham’s manager was forced to deal with a historically bad injury crisis midway through the campaign, which undoubtedly crippled his chances of success, but some reports suggest Postecoglou is set to leave Spurs at the end of the season – regardless of their success in the Europa League.

Whoever Levy lands on to succeed the Australian, it is crystal clear that the north Londoners are in dire need of strength in depth, even if the club face a challenging transfer window where they could be forced to adopt a sell-to-buy policy (The Telegraph).

Competition is set to be rife for the continent’s most in-demand targets, with Tottenham among the contenders to sign Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, who is attracting serious interest from all of their elite Premier League rivals and Europe’s top sides.

Johnny Cardoso set for decision over joining Tottenham after £21m agreement

However, one player who Spurs have the upper hand for, over any other side, is Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso.

Last summer, as part of the deal which saw Giovani Lo Celso join Betis, Levy struck a first-option agreement to sign Cardoso this summer for around £21 million – which they can choose to activate or not.

However, while this puts Postecoglou’s side in pole position above their competitors, his potential transfer to N17 isn’t as cut and dry as the clause.

As per El Desmarque, while this first option becomes valid next month, Cardoso is set for the “last word” over joining Tottenham, so he’s set for a crunch decision as the 23-year-old remains uncertain over his future.

Man United and Atlético Madrid could also come in with offers of their own, while Cardoso’s entourage apparently state he’s very happy in his current surroundings.

He would undoubtedly bolster Tottenham’s midfield given his impressive La Liga performances, but they’re dependent on Cardoso’s last say if a move is to materialise.

Arsenal’s season of disappointments has finally come to an end.

While it would be fair to say that they probably exceeded expectations in the Champions League, Mikel Arteta’s side certainly underdelivered in the Premier League.

Now, injuries and suspensions certainly played their part in this, but many of the Gunners’ first-team stars have been seriously underwhelming, including the reigning Player of the Year, Martin Odegaard.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, the Norwegian’s lacklustre form could cost him his place in the team next season, as one of the league’s most exciting midfielders has now been touted for a move to the Emirates.

Arsenal transfer news

With yet another trophyless season under their belt, it seems as if Arsenal are determined to make significant additions to the team this summer, as the last few weeks have seen them linked to a number of seriously talented players, such as Eberechi Eze and Kaoru Mitoma.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

The former has a release clause worth around £68m in his current contract, and while that is a lot of money, he’s certainly worth it, as on top of playing a key role in Crystal Palace’s FA Cup triumph, the Englishman has scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 games this season.

Mitoma could end up costing the Gunners around £80m and has amassed a reasonable enough tally of ten goals and four assists in 36 games.

However, another name has now entered the picture, someone who could end up being the perfect upgrade on Odegaard: Morgan Gibbs-White.

Yes, according to a recent report from former scout Mick Brown via Football Insider, Arsenal are now interested in signing the Nottingham Forest star this summer.

The report claims that Arteta views the Englishman as the ‘perfect option’ to add some added drive and tenacity to the Gunners’ midfield next season, although he could be an expensive addition, with prior stories claiming he could cost around £100m.

It would likely be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gibbs-White’s immense ability, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be the perfect upgrade on Odegaard.

How Gibbs-White compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to say is that even though Gibbs-White is talented and capable enough of playing in several different positions, from right-wing to central midfield, his best and most played position is undoubtedly attacking midfield.

Moreover, the ten position is where he has truly excelled and reached another level for Forest this season, so were he to move to Arsenal in the summer, it seems like a sure bet that he would come in to play as the most attacking player in the midfield.

Therefore, his most significant competition for game time at the Emirates would be Odegaard, so how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes down to their pure output from this season, which is ultimately what matters most and what the Gunners need to focus on, it’s the Tricky Trees star who comes out on top.

For example, in 38 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3142 minutes, the “exceptional” 25-year-old, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, scored seven goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 184.82 minutes.

Gibbs-White vs Odegaard 24/25

Player

Gibbs-White

Odegaard

Appearances

38

45

Minutes

3142

3447′

Goals

7

6

Assists

10

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.4

Minutes per Goal Involvement

184.82

191.5′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the North Londoners’ captain scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 45 games, totalling 3447 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Norwegian star, the difference is even more stark when we just look at their Premier League record, as his tally of 11 goal involvements in 30 games comes out to an average of one every 2.72 games.

In contrast, the Forest ace’s haul of 17 in 34 appearances comes out to one every other game.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to add more goals and assists to their midfield next season, and while Odegaard may well get back to his best, Gibbs-White has shown that he can do just that.

Therefore, even though it’ll cost a king’s ransom, the North Londoners should do what they can to bring him in.

Related £45m star who's shades of Patrick Vieira must never play for Arsenal again

The international ace has served Arsenal well, but it’s time to go.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 27, 2025

Heading into their away tie with Newcastle United on Sunday, Chelsea were deep in some pretty impressive form in the Premier League.

The Blues were five league games unbeaten heading into his one – which included a stunning 3-1 victory being picked up against Arne Slot’s title-winning Liverpool – but all that positive energy came crashing down at St James’ Park as Eddie Howe’s Magpies ran out comfortable 2-0 victors.

Chelsea’s task on the day was made a lot harder by a clueless first-half red card, but there would have still been a lot to moan about from Enzo Maresca’s perspective at the full-time whistle, irrespective of his side having to play all of the second 45 minutes a man light.

Chelsea's biggest underperformers at St James' Park

Before touching on the rash red card, the likes of Noni Madueke struggled to ever get going in attack for the visitors.

Whilst Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak busted a gut for the Toon cause up top, Madueke was timid and limp in approach, seen in the 23-year-old failing to a register a single effort on Nick Pope’s goal during his forgettable 45-minute stint, as well as losing all four of his contested duels.

Romeo Lavia would last far longer on the St James’ turf, but he wouldn’t be deserving of any praise himself come full-time either, with his lackadaisical approach early on gifting the ball to Newcastle to take the lead via Sandro Tonali.

Moreover, the usually electric Cole Palmer once again failed to spark into life with possession squandered a hefty 14 times, but the elephant in the room that remains is Nicolas Jackson’s hot-headed dismissal.

Jackson would brainlessly connect with Newcastle defender Sven Botman using his elbow, meaning the ex-Villarreal centre-forward will now be suspended for the rest of the season.

This could be the last time Chelsea fans see the 23-year-old lead the line for the Blues in the Premier League, therefore, with the pantomime villain very much turning into Stamford Bridge’s next Kai Havertz.

Chelsea's next Havertz

Much like Jackson now, Chelsea fans would regularly lament the amount of missed chances Havertz would spurn for their team when he was still on the books of the West London outfit.

That is the case despite the German popping up with 32 strikes overall – which included the now Arsenal man scoring a winner in a Champions League final.

Despite that, he would still infuriate the Stamford Bridge masses with his consistent wastefulness, seen in him missing a colossal 14 big chances in Premier League action during his final Blues season.

Jackson’s Premier League numbers by season for Chelsea
Stat	Jackson (24/25)	Jackson (23/24)
Games played	30	35
Goals scored	10	14
Assists	5	5
Big chances missed	19	24
Goal conversion %	13%	18%
Big chances created	6	8
Stats by Sofascore

Jackson has actually bagged a promising 29 strikes in total for Maresca’s men over two seasons, yet – much like Havertz – he gets regularly under the skin of the restless Chelsea fanbase with his off performances, seen in him missing a mammoth 19 big chances during the 2024/25 campaign.

Therefore, his hot-headedness away at Newcastle could be the final straw that sees Jackson – the club’s new Havertz-like scapegoat – moved on.

London Evening Standard journalist Dom Smith suggested that the £32m signing ‘ruined’ his side’s chances of a big win, handing him a dismal 2/10 post-match rating.

But, it shouldn’t be completely ruled out that the 23-year-old goes on to be a success elsewhere, with Havertz showing in flashes for Arsenal – as per his 29-goal haul from 85 appearances for Mikel Arteta’s men – that a damaging experience for the Blues isn’t the be-all-and-end-all.

As bad as Jackson: Maresca must axe Chelsea dud who lost 100% duels

Chelsea lost 2-0 away at Newcastle United to hand the Toon an advantage in the ongoing Champions League race.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 11, 2025

It’s set to be a very busy summer at Rangers. With 49ers Enterprises, spearheaded by Paraag Marathe, close to finalising their 51% takeover of the Ibrox side, they’ve got plenty of work to do before Champions League qualifying commences early on 22/23 July.

Rangers need a new manager and, after a trophyless campaign, the squad requires major surgery too, but could they land a “very talented” midfielder, who would suit the style of play of one of the front-runners to become the new boss?

The latest on Davide Ancelotti to Rangers

As reported by Spanish outlet AS, Carlo Ancelotti’s son, Davide Ancelotti, is one of the front-runners to become the new Rangers manager, claiming that the 35-year-old is excited by the ‘project’.

Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman notes that Ancelotti previously worked with Rangers’ new sporting director Kevin Thelwell at Everton, while Guillem Balague and Chris McLaughlin of BBC Sport are reporting that an official approach has now been made.

Ancelotti has been his father assistant at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton and Real Madrid, but has never been a head coach in his own right, so it is difficult to forecast what a Davide team looks like, but one can only assume it would be similar to a Carlo side.

With that in mind, perhaps their latest transfer target might be perfect.

The first signing of the Ancelotti era?

According to a report by TEAMtalk earlier this week, Rangers are ‘plotting’ a move to sign midfielder Metinho, who they claim is valued at £4m.

Transfer Focus

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

Born in DR Congo, Abemly Meto Silu and his father Abel fled when he was just one-year-old, moving to Rio de Janeiro, earning the nickname Metinho during his time in Fluminense’s academy.

After turning pro, he was picked up by the City Football Group, officially attached to Troyes, although he’s never made a senior appearance for the Ligue 2 side, loaned out to Lommel in Belgium, another CFG-owned club, as well as Sparta Rotterdam and then, most-recently FC Basel.

The table below illustrates his globe-trotting career so far.

Fluminense

Campeonato Carioca

1

Troyes B

Championnat National 3

8

Lommel

Challenger Pro League

27

Sparta Rotterdam

Eredivisie

41

Jong Sparta Rotterdam

Tweede Divisie

1

FC Basel

Swiss Super League

11

Since leaving Brazil, he has played in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, so could Scotland be next on this list?

This weekend Basel were crowned Swiss champions for the first time since 2017 and, while Metinho has only made 11 appearances for the RotBlau, he’s quickly established himself as a key figure, dubbed ‘the Brazilian Paul Pogba’ due to their stylistic similarities.

So, where would the 22-year-old fit in at Ibrox, and could he be the perfect first signing for an Ancelotti-led Rangers side?

Where Metinho would fit in at Rangers

Samuel Bannister of Team Talk notes that Metinho is ‘known for his versatility and composure’, adding that ‘he stands out for his ability at taking on opponents… but he’s also good at stopping opponents getting past him’.

​​​​​Meanwhile, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout describes the 22-year-old as “very talented”, while adding in a separate player profile that the Brazilian is a ‘defensive midfielder…. best suited’ to playing at the base of a 4-3-3.

So, could this make him the perfect signing for Rangers’ player of the season Nicolas Raskin who, as noted by Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, has been ‘one of few silver linings’ in an otherwise miserable campaign for the Gers?

Scott Bradley of Breaking the Lines believes the now Belgian international ‘has the potential to be something special’, with Brandon Liss of Total Football Analysis describing him as a ‘deep-lying playmaker’ who likes to ‘spray passes​​​​​​​’ and ‘roam vertically from touchline to touchline’, suggesting Metinho’s tactical discipline could certainly help to get the best out of him.

Thus, Raskin and Metinho’s skill sets appear to perfectly complement one another, and one can totally envisage the duo operating in a Real Madrid-esque 4-3-3, should Ancelotti arrive at Ibrox.

Of course, neither are quite as good as Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde or Luka Modrić, which is a pretty high bar in fairness, but, as a pair, they could form the building blocks as Rangers look to rebuild a competitive team.

Perhaps in this situation, Raskin would act as the Modric-like midfielder while Mettinho would be more of a Tchouameni, sitting deeper and protecting the defence while the Belgian goes about creating play.

As referenced earlier, with Metinho valued at just £4m, this is exactly the sort of high-potential, low-cost transfer Rangers need to be targeting and need to get right, if they’re going to be able to compete with Celtic at the top of the table.

He's the next Gerrard: Rangers close in on "big name" appointment at Ibrox

Rangers could go left field with their new manager

ByRoss Kilvington May 13, 2025

Burnley will be playing Premier League football once again next season after they finished second in the Championship to secure promotion back to the big time.

The Clarets finished on a staggering 100 points in the second tier, somehow only finishing second to Leeds United, and are now preparing to build a squad that can avoid an instant relegation from the top-flight.

Scott Parker will need to make some big and tough decisions on players who will leave Turf Moore, and ones who will come in, and one star whose future is uncertain at the moment is Ashley Barnes.

Why Ashley Barnes could be released this summer

The veteran striker signed for the club from Norwich City in the January transfer window and put pen to paper on a deal until the end of the season, which means that his current contract is due to expire at the end of next month.

Speaking ahead of the final game of the season, Parker was asked if a decision had been made on the striker: “Not at the moment, no.

Transfer Focus

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

“We’ve not really discussed in great detail next year or certainly how it would look in terms of players’ contracts. We’ve got one game left and that’s been the main focus.

“But Ashley Barnes has been incredible since he’s come in and there’s an opportunity for him at the weekend as well, depending on the decision I make.”

In the weeks since those comments, there has still not been any official confirmation of his release or a new contract, but his limited impact on the pitch could mean that they look elsewhere ahead of a Premier League season.

Barnes ended the campaign with one goal in 21 appearances, including two starts, in the Championship, and the Clarets have been linked with a striker who could be the next version of the veteran forward, George Hirst.

Why George Hirst could be the next Ashley Barnes

Burnley and Leeds are both reportedly interested in signing the Ipswich Town centre-forward after their relegation from the Premier League has already been confirmed, and he could be Barnes 2.0

Barnes joined the Clarets from Brighton at the age of 25, having come up through the lower leagues in League One and the Championship, and went on to score 42 goals in 200 Premier League games for the club.

Like the Burnley icon, Hirst has worked his way up the EFL. He played in League One for Portsmouth and Ipswich and the Championship with Blackburn Rovers and the Tractor Boys, before his first taste of regular top-flight football at the age of 25/26 this season.

Appearances

25

23

Minutes per game

24

35

Goals

3

1

Assists

1

0

Ground duel success rate

33%

34%

Aerial duel success rate

59%

44%

As you can see in the table above, Hirst’s form for Ipswich this season in the Premier League has been more impressive than Barnes’ last outing in the top-flight with the Clarets in the 2021/22 campaign.

These statistics also show that the striker, who was described as “unique” by Kieran McKenna, has the physical attributes to be a Barnes-esque figure for Burnley, particularly with his strength in the air to win flick ons and compete with opposition defenders.

Parker has struck gold on Burnley star who's worth more than Brownhill

Burnley will hope this star can settle into Premier League life well after an impressive debut season at Turf Moor.

ByKelan Sarson May 23, 2025

Hirst, who has scored three goals from 2.13 xG, has the potential to combine physical and technical attributes to be an effective centre-forward at Premier League level if he can kick on with regular minutes, as he only averaged 24 minutes a game behind Liam Delap.

That is why Parker could unearth Burnley’s next Ashley Barnes by signing the experienced striker, who has done the hard work in the lower leagues and could now be given a chance to really show his quality at the top level.

Iconic Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger once tried to sign a Chelsea star when the player was at Manchester City and even called him “one of the best players of his generation”.

Arsene Wenger’s best signings as Arsenal manager

Wenger transformed the Gunners after arriving at Highbury in 1996, guiding the club to a historic ‘Invincible’ season and taking them to the Emirates Stadium before eventually leaving Arsenal following 22 years in charge.

Champions League football was consistently on the table in north London following regular top four Premier League finishes, which allowed Wenger to sign some exciting players during his tenure, utilising the European market.

Arsene Wenger’s top Arsenal signings in pictures

Talking to Sir Mo Farah about his best piece of transfer business in north London, Wenger named midfield captain Patrick Vieira as one of his greatest signings.

“It depends. If you look at it financially you could say many, many, many. Maybe the credibility I got first was for the first player I brought in which was Patrick Vieira.

“People questioned ‘why do they employ Wenger?’ and after of course we have the following with Petit, Henry, Overmars. [Dennis] Bergkamp was already there, Anelka. You have so many players, you have Kolo [Toure], Lauren. But I think just the first players you bring in you are always judged on.

“After we have so many players. People never speak about Van Persie or Fabregas who were exceptional players. Van Persie scored 96 [league] goals for Arsenal, not far from Ian Wright. Of course Thierry is 175, I think.”

However, the Frenchman has been known to name numerous legends of the game who he tried to sign while at Arsenal, so many so that you can make a world-class XI of near transfer misses.

Player

From

GK: Gianluigi Buffon

Parma

RWB: Federico Valverde

Penarol

CB: Gerard Pique

Barcelona

CB: Vincent Kompany

Anderlecht

CB: Raphael Varane

Lens

LWB: Gareth Bale

Southampton

CM: Yaya Toure

Beveren

CM: Paul Pogba

Man Utd

FW: Lionel Messi

Barcelona

FW: Luis Suarez

Liverpool

FW: Cristiano Ronaldo

Sporting CP

Arsene Wenger tried to sign Chelsea star Jadon Sancho from Man City

In 2019, Wenger also admitted that he tried to sign Jadon Sancho for Arsenal while the winger was at Manchester City as a teenager.

As we know, Sancho would return to England by signing for Manchester United in a £73m transfer from Borussia Dortmund, and he has since gone on to swap Old Trafford for Stamford Bridge.

Talking about the England international when he was on the books in Germany with Dortmund, Wenger said he tried to tempt Sancho with a move to London.

Sancho’s Transfermarkt valuation was at a career-high €130m in 2020 at the age of 19, but after failing to catch the eye on a regular basis back in the Premier League, that has fallen considerably.

The Englishman still has plenty of time to get his career back on track, and who knows, in the future, Sancho could end up moving across London to Arsenal, following in the footsteps of Willian, David Luiz, Petr Cech and Raheem Sterling.