West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Bruce mentioned in recent weeks that he will be looking to conduct a rather significant overhaul at The Hawthorns during the upcoming summer transfer window.
Having ended the season in 10th place with 67 points on the board after winning 18, drawing 13 and losing 15 of their 46 games, it’s easy to see why it could be a busy summer for the Baggies as they aim to win promotion back to the Premier League.
One area of the squad where the Midlands club could look to strengthen is in defence.
Despite conceding just 45 goals, fewer than all but three teams in the Championship (each of whom finished in the top four), the Baggies have already been linked with one defender who could come in and make them stronger at the back.
Having been linked with a swoop for Blackburn’s Darragh Lenihan, who is out of contract in the summer, this could give Bruce the chance to create a formidable pairing at the back with the Rovers ace and current Baggies centre-half Kyle Bartley.
With two more appearances in the league this season to his name than the West Brom defender, Lenihan has also made more interceptions and tackles along the way, highlighting his talents at the back.
Furthermore, the Irishman has made considerably more crosses (54) throughout this campaign than the West Brom defender (two), showing that he can be an attacking threat as well as a tough opponent at the back.
The Blackburn tank, dubbed a “man mountain” by his manager Tony Mowbray, has also averaged 4.1 clearances per game, which is just above Bartley’s average of four per match.
Taking all this into account, having a £14k-per-week titan like Lenihan in the team next to Bartley could be exactly what Bruce and West Brom need in order to ensure they have a better chance of securing promotion next season by being harder to beat.
Additionally, with the possibility of a free transfer on the cards, this could be a great bit of business from the Midlands club from a financial point of view, and it may then allow them to spend money on strengthening other areas of the squad.
In other news: John Percy drops behind-the-scenes WBA transfer claim, supporters will be buzzing
Phil Hay has dropped a promising injury update concerning Leeds United centre-back Liam Cooper ahead of the Whites’ Premier League meeting with Chelsea on Wednesday.
What’s the latest?
In a recent post on Twitter, The Athletic journalist relayed the comments made by Jesse Marsch in his pre-match press conference, in which the 48-year-old manager suggested that, after missing both the Manchester City and Arsenal defeats with a knee injury, the 30-year-old should be available for selection at Elland Road tomorrow night.
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Regarding the current condition of the defender, Hay said: “From Marsch’s press conference – Liam Cooper had a reaction to his knee injury ahead of Arsenal. He trained yesterday and Marsch is hopeful that he’ll be available for tomorrow’s game.”
Marsch will be buzzing
With Leeds United’s campaign very much getting to a point of being now or never if they are to secure Premier League survival, the news that Cooper looks set to make a return to the starting XI against Chelsea on Wednesday is sure to have left Marsch buzzing.
Indeed, over his 18 Premier League appearances this season, the £6.3m-rated centre-back has been imperious in the heart of the Whites’ defence, helping his side keep five clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.1 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 3.4 clearances and winning 6.9 duels – at a success rate of 67% – per game.
These returns have seen the Scotland international average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Marsch’s best performing outfielder in the English top flight.
As such, it is clear for all to see that the club captain’s return to the lineup tomorrow would provide Leeds’ chances of securing a much-needed three points with a huge boost – with Cooper’s availability perhaps being the difference between the Whites playing Premier League or Championship football next season.
AND in other news: “A very good investment”: Phil Hay drops teasing Leeds transfer update, Orta must move
Rangers delayed their rivals’ title party as they held their opponents to a 1-1 draw away from home in the Premiership on Sunday.
The Gers came from behind to secure a draw to prevent the Hoops from celebrating their league triumph on derby day.
Gio van Bronckhorst’s side found themselves 1-0 down at half-time after a strike from Jota put the hosts in front and they were lucky to only be one goal behind as Celtic missed a number of chances to make it 2-0 and potentially 3-0.
They rode their luck and eventually found the equaliser through Fashion Sakala as the Zambia international brilliantly fired the ball past Joe Hart after good build-up play from Scott Wright and Ryan Kent. The striker also came close to a winner as he struck the post late on after a quick break through the middle of the pitch.
Whilst the 2021 signing scored the goal to rescue a point for the Gers, the real Old Firm hero for Rangers was central midfielder John Lundstram.
The former Sheffield United man was absolutely phenomenal in the middle of the park as he bossed the majority of the game for van Bronckhorst. He was excellent on and off the ball as he put in a fine display that will have supporters excited to see him in derby action again next season.
In possession, he was a reliable outlet for the team. As per SofaScore, he completed 89% of his attempted passes and only gave possession away nine times from a whopping 74 touches of the ball. He was also successful with all eight of his long pass attempts and created one chance, as he showed his quality and range of passing with the ball at his feet.
Defensively, he was a monster for Rangers. As per SofaScore, he won 77% (7/9) of his individual duels as he dominated the opposition throughout the match. He also made four tackles, three interceptions and two clearances to continually cut out Celtic attacks in midfield to put the Gers on the front foot.
With these statistics in mind, Lundstram was the real hero for Rangers – not Sakala – as he made an impact at both ends of the pitch and was sublime.
Hopefully, he can carry his form into next Thursday’s Europa League clash with RB Leipzig in what is poised to be an electric night under the lights at Ibrox.
AND in other news, Wilson must reignite Rangers swoop for “impressive” 28 G/A flier, GvB needs him…
Everton need to make big changes at the club this summer whether they are relegated or not, and now the club are set to enter talks with Moise Kean and his representatives imminently to determine his future.
What’s the latest?
According to Italian news outlet Corriere Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Juventus and Raiola ‘are working to understand if they can find a way out of the agreement with Everton or alternatively an immediate solution on the market.’
The report further states that conversations between the powers at Goodison Park and the parties in Turin will ‘be resumed at the end of the season.’
Moshiri must axe Kean
In terms of the 22-year-old’s future at Everton, there is no doubt that there is no interest from either the player or club to reinstate his position back in Merseyside, and after a less than spectacular season at Juventus, Farhad Moshiri must do all he can to brutally axe and cut ties with the striker.
Kean is currently tied into a contract with the Merseyside club until June 2023 but with talks opening, there will be hope that the player’s future can be resolved and if the club can make some money on the player it would really benefit the club.
Everton are reportedly looking to recoup financial losses this summer, so selling the youngster on will surely be in the best interests of everyone, with Kean clear that he has no desire to return to Goodison Park.
The £49k-per-week gem who was hailed “dangerous” by Mixu Paatelainen, was underwhelming in his time at Everton scoring just four goals in 39 appearances for the club and this season has continued his mediocre output scoring just six goals in all competitions for Juventus, so with that being said his impact would not be an upgrade on what Everton already have in their squad.
Ultimately, the main focus for the club right now is to secure Premier League safety in the remaining six games of the season, and until their future is determined it will be unlikely that any transfer business is dealt with ahead of that.
AND in other news: Everton now plotting bid for £13.5m-rated “revelation”, he’s miles better than Iwobi
Newcastle United could do with an injection of positivity after the November international break, having slumped their way down to 14th place in the Premier League after 11 matches.
Gone is the easy fluency of last season, and Eddie Howe has a task on his hands to rekindle the spark at the heart of his Tyneside squad.
While the impending return of Yoane Wissa from injury will add that extra dimension in attack, Howe will be concerned that this current international pause might inflict injury on one of his players in a similar fashion to when Wissa damaged his knee back in September, before he had even kicked a ball for the Toon.
No such bad news at the moment, though watching England defeat Serbia in their penultimate World Cup qualifier has issued a sombre reminder that PIF must do all that they can to bring Elliot Anderson back to St. James’ Park. How about that for an injection of positivity?
The latest on Newcastle's interest in Elliot Anderson
Anderson, 23, left Newcastle for Nottingham Forest in 2024, arriving at the City Ground after a fee in the region of £35m had been agreed.
How PIF must regret that PSR-influenced decision, with Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel recently hailing Anderson as being “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” before his latest performance alongside Declan Rice, impressing as England claimed a professional 2-0 win.
So combative, cultured and composed in the middle of the park, the Tyneside-born talent never managed to spread his wings for his boyhood club, but he has made such impressive progress since leaving and forging his own path.
Howe, it should go without saying, would love nothing more than to bring Anderson back home, having expressed last month how the sale “didn’t sit right with me”, and intimating his desire to strike a transfer down the line.
It won’t be easy, though; far from it. Anderson’s all-encompassing qualities in the engine room have been picked up by some of the Premier League’s finest, with Arsenal and Manchester United among those looking to complete a deal for the £100m-rated midfielder.
Whether Newcastle manage to bring him back is anyone’s guess, but they must not let the same thing happen again, especially when there’s a new Geordie talent looking to break into the first team.
The Newcastle talent who could be bigger than Anderson
Newcastle will look for ways to bring Anderson back to St. James’ Park, but sadly there is no certainty that they will win the race for his signature.
That’s why they must prove they have learned from their blunder and ensure Sean Neave has a clear pathway from the academy to the first team.
The 18-year-old has been prolific right from the get-go this season, and his mature, confident displays are beginning to see a level of noise rise around him, with Howe sure to be considering handing him a professional breakthrough before long, should the right opportunity arrive.
While Neave hasn’t featured for the senior side yet, he was involved in Newcastle’s pre-season preparations this summer and is clearly viewed as having the potential to wedge his way into the fray.
Moreover, he was this week awarded an award during the annual Sport Newcastle ceremony for ’embodying the Newcastle spirit’, with Dan Burn taking the cake for the men’s team.
Though it’s a big leap from the world of development football to the major stage, Neave is nothing if not clinical, with an ease and accuracy in the final third that should lend itself to success in the Premier League for the seniors, albeit with physicality and maturity further elements that must be woven into the youngster’s game.
But given that he’s only just entered adulthood, there is every reason for United fans to get excited by this one. Magpie Media have already described him as “the best Geordie striker prospect in a long, long time”, after all.
If Neave reaches even the rim of what his potential suggests is possible, there’s every chance that Newcastle could have an even bigger talent than Anderson on their hands, and one who must not be allowed to leave for new pastures before being handed a shot at the big time.
Newcastle have already paid for that mistake, and they may pay more still if they succeed in re-signing Anderson. That would be a rousing transfer for the club, but one which would come at what could have been an avoidable financial cost.
Lighting surely won’t strike twice. Neave’s goalscoring efforts for the development teams underscore his quality and the importance of easing him into the first-team action under Howe’s wing.
Newcastle U18
37
21 (7)
Newcastle U21
21
9 (4)
Newcastle YL
9
2 (1)
Newcastle
–
–
With a brace netted against Burnley last week, Neave is finding his feet for the U21s, and it’s surely only a matter of time until he is unleashed in the Premier League, just searching for that extra steel in his physicality to prove he’s every bit as talented as Anderson, maybe even more so.
One of "Newcastle's best signings" under Howe is now on borrowed time
Newcastle’s need for change has gone beyond making tactical tweaks.
Mikel Arteta has already lost Kai Havertz, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, Ben White, Piero Hincapie and others to injury since the start of the campaign.
The latest name on that list now is Noni Madueke, who looks set to miss up to eight weeks of action due to a knee injury.
So, with a League Cup clash against Port Vale tonight, the manager needs to decide who’s going to replace him, and we don’t think it should be Saka.
Arsenal's recent League Cup form
It would be fair to say that, since taking over at Arsenal, Arteta has not had a great time in the League Cup.
Chalkboard
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In his first stab at the competition, the side fell to a humbling 4-1 home defeat at the hands of eventual winner Manchester City.
Things actually improved the following season, as the club advanced to the semi-finals.
However, a nil-nil draw away to Liverpool in the first leg, followed by a 2-0 defeat in the home leg, saw the Gunners dumped out of the competition.
Even though the club mounted their first title challenge the following season, they did terribly in the cup, losing 3-1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
It was another disappointing effort in the 23/24 campaign as the North Londoners lost a Fourth Round tie against West Ham United by the same scoreline.
Interestingly, even though Arteta’s side made it to the semi-finals last season, the terrible manner in which Newcastle United knocked them out almost made it the worst exit of the lot.
In all, Arsenal have massively underperformed in the League Cup for a long time and need to win it this year.
With that said, Arteta should be bold when replacing Madueke in the lineup tonight.
The Arsenal star Arteta should start over Saka
Firstly, it is clear that Saka is the best player at Arsenal and should therefore play as many games as possible.
However, therein lies one of the primary reasons he shouldn’t start tonight: he already plays too many games.
Moreover, he only just returned from his second hamstring injury in as many seasons on Sunday, and therefore cannot be risked ahead of another hugely important game against Newcastle at the weekend.
Finally, even with Madueke out injured, Arteta has another option he can pick instead of the talismanic winger: Max Dowman.
Yes, it would be an incredibly bold move from the manager, but given the need to keep Saka fit, the level of opposition and the teenager’s incredible talent, it’s one he should make.
After all, this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill academy player we are talking about here; this is someone that respected talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed is the “most exciting prospect” he has seen “since Lamine Yamal.”
Appearances
23
Minutes
1945′
Goals
19
Assists
5
Goal Involvements per Match
1.04
Minutes per Goal Involvement
81.04′
Moreover, in just 23 appearances across several youth teams last season, totalling 1945 minutes, he scored 19 goals and provided five assists, averaging 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.
Finally, we’ve already seen what he’s capable of against Premier League teams.
For example, in pre-season, he looked incredible against Newcastle, and then in the league proper, on debut, he earned a penalty against Leeds United.
As respected analyst Ben Mattinson puts it, the 15-year-old is an “insane” talent, and even if Madueke were fit, there would be a genuine argument for starting him tonight.
Ultimately, some may say it’s too early, but Dowman looks like a future superstar and deserves to start against Port Vale.
Weekly wages: Arsenal FC 2025/26 highest-paid players
The international break has been and gone (until next month), and Newcastle United are primed to get their season up and running after an opening stretch that was disruptive to put it mildly.
Alexander Isak’s new life at Liverpool has begun, but Eddie Howe and co managed to pull through and equip their Magpies with firepower enough to challenge at the upper rung of the Premier League and in the Champions League too.
Two points and two goals from three top-flight fixtures to start the season underscore Howe’s task, and he will need to win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon without the suspended Anthony Gordon.
Joelinton is understood to have recovered from a fitness issue, but new recruits Jacob Ramsey and Yoane Wissa are sidelined for the foreseeable, the latter of which presents something of a conundrum after being welcomed as Isak’s direct replacement.
Wissa and Nick Woltemade, who joined from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee, are sure to contest for a place at number nine across the campaign, each meting out their differing skills on opponents throughout, and though Wissa would surely have started against Wolves, his injury means Woltemade is slung into the deep-end from the outset.
Why Howe must start Woltemade
Woltemade’s ceiling is high, but he has untapped potential, and Howe would likely want to ease him through the rigmarole of Premier League integration.
Wissa, on the other hand, scored 19 times for Brentford in the English top flight last season, leading Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam to hail his “absolutely sensational” finishing. However, the forward’s recent injury will propel Woltemade into the spotlight.
Having signed from Brentford for £55m on transfer deadline day, Wissa provides the Toon with the clinical goal threat withdrawn upon Isak’s sale. However, supporters will have to wait for a taste of his sharp attacking skills.
Given that Newcastle have blanked twice already this term and simply have to beat Wolves at St. James’ Park, Woltemade will need to be at the races as he leads a squad lacking both Wissa and Gordon’s qualities.
Now, the job involves finding the right conditions for Woltemade to succeed at number nine, and Howe might want to unleash right winger Jacob Murphy to achieve this, with the veteran’s wide spread of talents perfect for a striker such as him.
How Jacob Murphy could get Woltemade firing
Murphy would admit that for the lion’s share of his Premier League career he has been something of a journeyman, competent and industrious but rarely standing out.
However, he has become a star under Howe’s tutelage, hailed by correspondent Scott Wilson as being an “unsung hero”, having featured 139 times for the Englishman, the fourth-highest of any player across his reign on Tyneside.
And last season, Murphy came alive off the right flank, combining deliciously with Isak to form an unlikely and deadly partnership, bagging nine goals and assisting 14 more. Ten times did the duo directly come together to breach opposition defences.
Alexander Isak
27 (6)
33
Jacob Murphy
9 (14)
23
Anthony Gordon
9 (7)
16
Harvey Barnes
9 (5)
14
Bruno Guimaraes
5 (8)
13
Bringing this back to Woltemade, Isak might wear Red now, but Newcastle’s new attacking recruit could form a neat connection of his own with the experienced English winger, not just a talented goalscorer but also ranking among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for successful take-ons, the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 18% for ball recoveries per 90.
The 23-year-old scored 12 times in the Bundesliga last season, starting only 17 matches, and that budding clinical edge could be served well by a partner in Murphy, who could also feed into the German’s dynamic range of underlying qualities.
Murphy’s intelligence underpins his style of play, and he will have no qualms about maintaining a provider approach to best serve Newcastle’s new centre-forward, whose clinical shooting and crispness on the ball last season led FBref to draw Isak as one of his most comparable players.
Less mobile than the 25-year-old, Woltemade is still one of the most technically proficient young strikers in the business, and he has a knack for the kind of smooth link-up play that will enhance Howe’s interchanging attacking system.
Moreover, he actually had a higher conversion rate than Wissa last season and was more accurate with his overall shot-taking, and this all comes together to present an “absolutely ridiculous” skill set, as has been noted by journalist Zach Lowy.
What Woltemade needs, now that he is expected to be hauled onto the centre stage immediately, is a reliable dance partner to guide him through the nerve-wracking opening moments. Wolves’ resilient and well-drilled defensive shape will seek to restrict the towering talisman, but Howe’s is a well-oiled team too, and Murphy knows the ropes better than most.
Murphy’s starting berth would come at the expense of either that of Anthony Elanga or Harvey Barnes, but both are compelling options from the bench, and this merely speaks at the strength in depth at Newcastle, even with Isak gone and Gordon and Wissa unavailable.
Wolves have suffered a pretty dour start to the season themselves and will be desperate to strike a blow on Tyneside, but Newcastle have an underlying current of coherence and quality that shoots from left to right in Howe’s system, and the scratchy noises from a turbulent summer transfer window have now abated, and Newcastle are ready, and Woltemade is ready, and Murphy will help him score.
Newcastle brewing Isak-level star in 18-year-old who's "similar to Mbappe"
Eddie Howe could develop Newcastle’s next Alexander Isak at St James’ Park.
There is no shying away from the fact that the 2025/26 campaign is going to be an incredibly difficult one for Leeds United in the Premier League.
The Whites won the Championship title with a staggering 100 points, returning to the top-flight at the second time of asking, and are now preparing for a season at the top table.
Daniel Farke and the recruitment team are tasked with building a squad that can defy the odds next term, as the last six teams to be promoted to the Premier League have all been relegated at the first attempt.
The German head coach was not too keen to talk about the top-flight straight after promotion was secured back in April, but it will be on his mind now.
Leeds have already been linked with plenty of potential new signings to bolster their options across the board, and one player they have been linked with a move for is central defender Japhet Tanganga.
Why Japhet Tanganga could be a good signing for Leeds
The West Yorkshire outfit are reportedly eyeing up a move to sign the Millwall centre-back, who has a release clause in his contract that makes him available for a fee of just under £2m.
Sunderland and Burnley are also said to be interested in a deal for the former Tottenham Hotspur starlet, which means that the Whites could face plenty of competition to strike a bargain move for Tanganga.
Portsmouth's Colby Bishop in action with Millwall'sJaphetTanganga
For a fee of less than £2m, the English titan could be a good signing for Leeds because he has been an impressive performer in the Championship and has the potential to be a strong addition to the squad.
Whilst he has yet to prove himself in the Premier League, as he had to drop down to the second tier after coming through at Spurs, he has shown promise in the Championship with Millwall.
Appearances
18
40
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
2.3
Clearances per game
3.3
5.4
Ground duel success rate
53%
61%
Aerial duel success rate
55%
63%
Dribbled past per game
0.2
0.3x
Clean sheets
5
14
As you can see in the table above, Tanganga provided a strong presence at the back for Millwall in the 2024/25 campaign, especially, winning over 60% of his duels on the ground and in the air, whilst rarely being dribbled past.
Millwall's JaphetTangangain action with Portsmouth's Thomas Waddingham
If he can translate that kind of form over to the Premier League, then he could be a dominant force at the heart of the Leeds defence. However, the Whites could land an even better centre-back signing with a move for a Serie A defender.
Leeds in talks to sign Serie A stopper
According to Tutto Mercato Web, Leeds United are interested in a deal to sign Udinese central defender Jaka Bijol in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that contact has already been made between the two parties as the Whites attempt to push ahead with a swoop for the Slovenia international in the coming days.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states that talks are set to get underway in the next few days after the initial contact was made, although it remains to be seen exactly when Leeds will make an official move for the centre-back.
Tutto Mercato Web does, however, reveal that Udinese are ready to demand a fee in the region of £17m in order to allow their star defender to move on from the Serie A club before the end of the transfer window.
Leeds could, now, snap up an even better signing than Tanganga by going through with a swoop for this Slovenian star in the weeks to come.
Why Bijol would be a better signing than Tanganga
As aforementioned, the Millwall titan is yet to prove himself on a regular basis in the Premier League, which is why he is currently playing in the Championship with the Lions.
Bijol, meanwhile, has shown himself to be a steady performer in one of Europe’s major leagues in the Serie A, and would arrive at Elland Road with top-flight pedigree.
He has been a regular starter for Udinese in each of the past three seasons in the Serie A, with 90 appearances in the division, and has proven himself to be a dependable option at centre-back.
Bijol won at least 65% of his aerial battles in all three of those terms, notably winning 76% of them in the 2023/24 campaign, which speaks to his dominant defensive work in the air at the very top level in Italy.
Most impressively, though, the 26-year-old titan’s statistics at league level in the 2024/25 season were even more eye-catching than Tanganga’s were at a lower level.
Pass accuracy
84%
77%
Progressive passes
2.98
2.10
Tackles + interceptions
2.46
2.33
Blocks
1.15
0.99
Clearances
5.53
5.57
Aerial duels won
3.31
3.07
As you can see in the table above, Bijol offered more to his team in possession when building attacks out from the back with his reliability and progression on the ball, which could help to limit any mistakes when playing out under Farke in the top-flight.
The Slovenian star, who claimed he has “no fear”, also made more tackles, interceptions, and blocks per 90, with a very similar number of clearances, which suggests that he would also offer more to Leeds as an out-and-out defender.
Millwall'sJaphetTangangain action with Portsmouth's Isaac Hayden
Crucially, these performances from Bijol were in one of the top leagues in Europe and may be more likely to translate to the Premier League than Tanganga’s Championship showings are, due to him already proving himself at the top level.
This is why the Whites could land an even better signing than the English stopper by going through with a deal to sign the Udinese central defender before the end of the summer transfer window.
Leeds now chasing double swoop to sign £8m goalkeeper and Ligue 1 standout
The Yorkshire club are wasting no time.
1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 7, 2025
It is now down to the board, though, to reach an agreement with the Serie A side once they enter the talks that Tutto Mercato Web claims are set to take place soon.
It was unquestionably a successful season for Celtic, even if one that ultimately ended in disappointment.
On Saturday, the Hoops were beaten on penalties by Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final, with both captain Callum McGregor and then Alistair Johnston seeing their attempts from 12 yards saved by Dons keeper Dimitar Mitov in the shootout.
This is Brendan Rodgers’ first-ever defeat at Hampden and the first time the Celts’ have lost a cup final since being beaten by Kilmarnock in the League Cup Final of 2012, winning all 15 subsequently, prior to the weekend of course.
Nevertheless, the Bhoys claimed a fourth consecutive Premiership title, captured the League Cup and reached the Champions League knockout phase, so there is still plenty for supporters to be positive about.
Now, can they secure the services of a highly-rated young winger?
Celtic chasing a new wide-forward
As reported by Ola Gustavsson of Fotboll Direkt, a Swedish-based outlet, Celtic are ‘interested’ in signing Oskar Fallenius, while fierce rivals Rangers are also noted as having scouted the 23-year-old.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Fallenius’ senior breakthrough came at Brommapojkarna, earning him a move to Brøndby, but he made little impact at the Danish Superligaen giants, scoring just two goals in 13 appearances, an unused substitute on 22 occasions, also hampered by a ligament injury.
This saw him return to his native Sweden, joining Djurgårdens for just two million kronor, around £155k, for whom he has certainly impressed, with Freddie Arnesson of TuttoSvenskan labelling his performances “incredible”, helping the club reach the Conference League semi-finals.
Oskar Fallenius for Djurgarden.
So, could he be on the move again, this time to Glasgow’s East End?
How Oskar Fallenius compares to Jota
Celtic are certainly in the market for multiple new forwards this summer, following Jota’s anterior cruciate ligament rupture suffered against Dundee United at Tannadice in April, with Rodgers confirming he will be sidelined for “six to nine months”.
With Kyōgo Furuhashi having been sold to Stade Rennais in January, and Luis Palma expected to depart permanently this summer, the Hoops are a bit short of attacking options.
Right now, Daizen Maeda, Adam Idah, Nicolas Kühn, Yang Hyun-jun and youngster Johnny Kenny are their only players vying for the front three positions.
Thus, fair to say, Rodgers will want more firepower than that at his disposal, especially with a crucial Champions League play-off to come towards the end of August.
Since returning to the club in January, prior to his injury, Jota had been in decent goalscoring form.
He was on target off the bench a mere 25 minutes into his second debut against Motherwell at Fir Park, bagging five goals and two assists in just 16 appearances overall.
So, how does he compare to his potential replacement Fallenius?
Appearances
16
13
Minutes
783
789
Goals
5
1
Assists
2
3
Big chances missed
1
2
Big chances created
3
0
Shots on target
9
8
Shooting accuracy %
64%
62%
Passing Accuracy %
82%
75%
Take-on Success %
35.71%
36.36%
Touches per 90
62
41
Average Sofascore rating
7.17
6.92
As the table outlines, in a near identical number of minutes, Jota and Fallenius’ statistics are broadly similar.
The Portuguese winger has the edge when it comes to goals, as well as shooting and passing accuracy and touches per 90, but the young Swede registered one more assist and a marginally higher take-on success percentage.
Oskar Fallenius celebrates for Djurgarden.
Djurgårdens manager Jani Honkavaara believes Fallenius possess ‘the X-factor’, with Marcus Christenson of the Guardian labelling him one of the Blue Stripes’ key attacking players.
Thus, the 23-year-old is clearly a forward with lots of potential, making him an excellent low-cost option for Celtic this summer.
Better than Kvistgaarden: Celtic could sign 23-goal "sensation"
Celtic could find a better striker than Mathias Kvistgaarden by signing this star.
Arsenal have made a £10 million-per-year contract offer to a Real Madrid and Barcelona transfer target, according to reports, with sporting director Andrea Berta attempting to beat the Spanish heavyweights to his signature.
Arsenal focus on summer transfers after sealing Champions League spot
Mikel Arteta guided his side to a 1-0 win over Newcastle United in their final home game of the season last weekend, with Declan Rice scoring the match-winning goal and sealing Arsenal’s place in the Champions League draw next term.
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With Arsenal’s season effectively over in terms of something to play for, attention is swiftly turning to the summer transfer window, and how Berta will reinforce Arteta’s squad ahead of next campaign.
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
This follows a promising statement from Arteta in the aftermath of Berta’s official arrival in late March, with Arsenal’s manager promising a “big” first summer window under the Italian’s leadership.
“It’s going to be a big summer for everybody,” said Arteta after Arsenal’s win over Newcastle.
“I think it’s time to reflect, reset, and set again the standards even higher, see how we can improve, be very critical with each of us and the things that we can do better, and how we can help this football club to go to another level.
“What I can promise is that I will do my very best [to win a trophy] and I will give my life, and get every drop of everybody here to squeeze it and get the best out of them.”
One of the items on Berta’s transfer to-do list is the signing of a proven goalscoring striker who can guarantee a degree of potency in the final third, with Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres at the centre of links to a north London move.
Sporting Club's Viktor Gyokeres.
The Swede has bagged 53 goals across 51 appearances in all competitions this term, leaving little wonder that Man United are also very keen on Gyokeres as well.
However, reports in Portugal have been making serious claims that Arsenal are the side who are advancing in serious pursuit of the 26-year-old.
Arsenal make Viktor Gyokeres a £10m-per-year offer to join Mikel Arteta
Newspaper O Jogo reported earlier this week that Arsenal have already agreed a £59 million fee with Sporting over signing Gyokeres, following rumours last week from A Bola that Arteta’s side have also offered him a contract.
A Bola stated at the time that Arsenal’s offer to Gyokeres was one worth around £135,000-per-week, but this is now being disputed by CaughtOffside.
The latter news outlet claims Arsenal have actually presented a contract offer to Gyokeres worth up to £10 million-per-year, which comes in at around £192,000-per-week, and seems more fitting for a striker who’s been scoring for fun these past two seasons.
As such, Arsenal are said to be leading the race, but that isn’t to say it is a done deal. CaughtOffside also share information that Gyokeres is being targeted by Real Madrid and Barcelona, not to mention a host of other top sides, so Arteta and Berta do face stiff competition to get him over the line.
Goalkeeper David Raya is already a fan of the centre-forward, having called him a “top player” earlier this season, and many believe he could be the answer to Arsenal’s lack of ruthlessness in the final third.