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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Having signed from Brentford for £55m on transfer deadline day, Wissa provides the Toon with the clinical goal threat withdrawn upon Isak’s sale.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.

ByWill Miller Sep 12, 2025

Leeds United have made a number of signings to improve their defensive unit ahead of their return to the Premier League against Everton next month.

The Whites have brought in Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, and Sebastiaan Bornauw for the back four, Lucas Perri between the sticks, and Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach in the defensive midfield positions.

However, it is now time for the Championship champions to focus on additions in the attacking areas of the pitch, as Lukas Nmecha, on a free transfer, has been their only forward signing so far.

It had been reported that Leeds are closing in on an agreement with Feyenoord to sign Brazilian winger Igor Paixao for an initial fee of £28m, as per journalist Sebastien Vidal.

However, Fabrizio Romano has since given Marseille the ‘Here We Go’ treatment, despite an improved bid by the Whites, which means that the English side look set to miss out on him.

This suggests that Daniel Farke and his recruitment team will have to look elsewhere to strengthen the attack, as the 25-year-old star seems destined for France now.

Why missing out on Igor Paixao is a blow for Leeds

The Brazilian star is a left winger who had the potential to be a real difference-maker for the West Yorkshire outfit at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League next season.

Paixao’s form in the Eredivisie and in the Champions League last term suggests that he had all the tools to arrive at Elland Road as an exciting piece of business.

The former Cortiba starlet racked up an eye-catching haul of 16 goals and ten assists in 34 appearances in the Dutch top-flight for Feyenoord, which shows that he can offer quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

As well as shining domestically, Paixao also produced impressive performances for his side in the Champions League across 11 appearances last term.

xG

0.97

Top 46%

Goals

2

Top 35%

Shots on target

7

Top 26%

xA

1.39

Top 24%

Chances created

20

Top 6%

Successful crosses

9

Top 6%

Assists

4

Top 4%

As you can see in the table above, the Leeds target ranked highly among his positional peers, particularly as a creator, as an offensive threat from the left wing in the competition.

Overall, the £28m-rated star appears to be a forward who could have won points for the Whites by scoring and creating decisive goals in games, although there are doubts, of course, over whether or not his form in the Netherlands will translate to other countries.

Whilst they may have to watch him shine in France, Leeds are reportedly keen on another Brazilian attacker who could be an even better signing this summer.

Leeds in the hunt to sign Brazilian midfielder

According to Fanatik, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign central midfielder Gabriel Sara from Turkish champions Galatasaray this summer.

The report claims that both the Whites and Aston Villa are in the ‘hunt’ to bring the left-footed star back to England, 12 months on from his exit from Norwich City.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds, though, that Galatasaray want to keep the 26-year-old playmaker heading into the 2025/26 campaign, which means that it will not be an easy deal for the club to do.

Fanatik does reveal, however, that the Super Lig side have set a price tag of around £30m for Sara, and that they will not entertain any offers that fall below that threshold.

It now remains to be seen whether or not Leeds, or Aston Villa for that matter, are willing to pay the £30m that it is going to take to prise him away from Istanbul.

Why Gabriel Sara would be a better signing than Igor Paixao

Sara could be a better signing for the Whites because he is more likely to hit the ground running at Elland Road than Paixao would have been, as the Feyenoord winger has never played in this country before and would have needed time to adapt to the language and the culture.

The Galatasaray star, however, spent two years at Norwich in Norfolk and speaks English fluently, which means that he is already used to the language, the culture, and the style of English football, albeit he played in the second tier.

His quality on the pitch also makes him an exciting target for the West Yorkshire outfit, as he is a creative midfield star who could create plenty of chances for the attackers at Elland Road.

Sara, who was hailed as “exceptional” and a “joy to watch” by reporter Connor Southwell, has been a consistently brilliant creator of goals for both Norwich and Galatasaray in the last two seasons, shining in English and Turkish football.

Appearances

46

30

Goals

13

2

Key passes per game

2.6

2.3

Big chances created

16

12

xA

11.93

7.62

Assists

12

8

As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian maestro has created 28 ‘big chances’ in the last two league seasons combined, which has led to him racking up 20 assists.

These statistics suggest that the former Canaries Player of the Season would be an incredibly influential figure at the top end of the pitch for Leeds, as a star who has the experience and the quality to hit the ground running in England.

Sara, as shown in the clip above, also provided a goal threat during his time with Norwich. That has not translated over to Turkish football, having scored twice last term, but it does show that the potential is there for him to deliver goals as well as assists when he is at his best.

Big Harrison upgrade: Leeds have explored deal for "underrated" £26m star

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ByDan Emery Jul 25, 2025

It is his English experience, his title success at Galatasaray, and his incredible creative quality, though, that could make him an even better attacking signing than Paixao would have been, albeit in a different area of the pitch.

Glasgow Rangers navigated an error-laden first-half performance to secure a brilliant 2-0 victory over Panathinaikos in the first leg of their second round Champions League qualifier.

Jack Butland had to be called into action to make a series of fine stops to keep a clean sheet in the opening 45 minutes, before goals from Findlay Curtis and Djedi Gassama sealed the win in the second half.

Despite the nervy moments defensively that were littered throughout the 90 minutes, there were some impressive individual performances for Russell Martin’s side, as Curtis grasped his opportunity with both hands.

Findlay Curtis' performance in numbers

The academy graduate was given the nod to start on the left flank, with Gassama unfit to start and Thelo Aasgaard out injured, and stepped up to the plate with a fantastic showing.

It was an all-action and forward-thinking display from the 18-year-old starlet, who ended the game with four tackles and one interception made, which shows the hard work that he put in defensively.

As you can see in the clip above, Curtis also opened the scoring with a stunning goal, brilliantly taking the ball inside on the run before bending a shot, via a slight deflection, into the bottom corner from distance.

The teenage whiz attempted three dribbles and had two shots on goal, one of which was his goal, and this shows that he was constantly probing and looking to put the Gers on the front foot in the match, which the supporters at Ibrox were loving.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Whilst Curtis shone on one wing, Kieran Dowell started on the opposite flank and was only able to show why the Gers must replace him with a new forward before the end of the window.

Why Rangers must replace Dowell

The left-footed flop has only produced two goals and two assists in 33 appearances for Rangers as an attacking midfielder or wide player, and was sent out on loan to Birmingham City in January because of his disappointing performances.

However, Martin has seemingly seen something in him because he selected Dowell to start on the right wing against Panathinaikos, but it was not a decision that was backed up by the performance.

Minutes played

75

Shots on target

0

Big chances missed

1

Key passes

0

Big chances created

0

Duels won

5/7

As you can see in the table above, the former Norwich man, who was outshone by Curtis, did put himself about to win duels but he was ineffective at the top end of the pitch, once again in a Rangers shirt.

Dowell, who was described as “non-existent” in the first half by the Heart & Hand Podcast, does not impose himself on matches in the final third, hence his lack of goal contributions throughout his Gers career, and that was the case against Panathinaikos, notably taking fewer touches (29) than Butland (31),.

Rangers have lost Vaclav Cerny, who was on loan from Wolfsburg last season, and the 12 goals and four assists that he provided in the Scottish Premiership from a right wing position.

This means that the Light Blues need to find another right-sided attacker who can score and create goals at an impressive rate, and Dowell’s performance on Tuesday, coupled with the rest of his career at Ibrox to date, suggests that he does not fit the bill.

Their own Lennon Miller: Rangers lining up deal to sign £2.1m "controller"

Rangers are reportedly interested in signing a teenage star who could be their own version of Lennon Miller.

ByDan Emery Jul 22, 2025

Therefore, Rangers should be looking to replace the English flop with a new right winger, who can contribute in the final third on a regular basis, to start week-in-week-out for Martin this season, before the summer transfer window slams shut.

Manchester United came straight out of the gates at the start of the summer transfer window, signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers to help cushion the fall from grace in 2024/25.

Things were pretty bleak when Ruben Amorim wrapped up the opening chapter of his tenure at Old Trafford, and the road ahead remains long and ominous, but bagging Wolves’ £62.5m man at least demonstrated a willingness from INEOS to turn the page, begin anew.

However, that fast start has slowed to a snail’s pace, with very little else having happened on the transfer front for the desperate Red Devils, who after finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur are in desperate need of an overhaul.

The battle to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo rages on. Viktor Gyokeres will join Arsenal, but United are still set on signing a centre-forward to improve upon the unconvincing Rasmus Hojlund.

However, Amorim also wants to strengthen Man United’s midfield.

Man Utd's search for a midfielder

Man United boss Amorim is looking to rebuild his squad across a number of areas as he prepares to challenge for silverware and a route back into European competition over the next year.

The fact that improvements are needed across so many areas of the field underscores the severity of the situation at the Theatre of Dreams, but while things haven’t moved as quickly as fans would have liked, there is hope that speed will increase over the coming weeks as pre-season starts to swing.

Christian Eriksen’s departure as a free agent at the end of June highlights the need for a central midfielder, though the centre of the park is hardly threadbare.

Amorim wants a midfielder, and perhaps he’ll harbour quiet grievances over his outfit’s decision to part with Scott McTominay one year ago, the Scotland star since becoming the Serie A MVP with Napoli, whom he led toward the Scudetto.

Alas, McTominay plies his trade elsewhere. However, Man United could learn from their mistakes and sign a player of similar proportions – one who is competing over in Italy right now.

INEOS begin talks for Serie A midfielder

As per TBR Football, Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz is keen to return to the Premier League just one year after leaving Aston Villa in a deal worth £42m.

Manchester United are joined by Tottenham in their interest.

Transfer Focus

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

In fact, United have held conversations with the Brazil international’s representatives about a summer move, with Juventus having green-lit his prospective departure.

Further suitors both in England and overseas are expected to make their move at some stage, so INEOS will want to get this one over the line pronto.

What Douglas Luiz would bring to Man Utd

Luiz’s frustrating season with Juventus has left him eager to pursue a path back toward the Premier League, his favourite stomping ground, and Man United appear more than happy to oblige.

Once a career hatchling at Manchester City, the Villans signed Luiz for a £15m fee, and he went on to make 204 appearances, posting 22 goals and 24 assists.

He was a fantastic Premier League player, the subject of long-standing efforts from Arsenal to bring him over, before the Gunners eventually conceded defeat and signed Declan Rice instead.

But in spite of his abundant talent, the South American has endured a tough time in Italy, only playing a fringe role for Juventus.

Matches (starts)

35 (35)

19 (3)

Goals

9

0

Assists

5

0

Touches*

70.1

27.3

Pass completion

89%

90%

Big chances created

10

3

Key passes*

1.5

0.8

Dribbles*

0.7

0.6

Ball recoveries*

5.5

1.6

Tackles*

1.7

0.9

Duels (won)*

4.2 (51%)

1.9 (55%)

Were you unacquainted with Luiz as a Premier League player, you would be forgiven for lambasting Man United for their interest in a player who endured such peripheral, uninspiring performances across his campaign in Turin.

But at Aston Villa, he was an absolute “warrior” of a midfielder, as praised by journalist Jack Grimse. Luiz’s sale was forced as a by-product of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules, and Unai Emery was not happy with the outcome, even though it was a necessity.

It’s funny: sometimes a player enters new territory and reaches levels previously unknown to them. Sometimes, an exciting transfer doesn’t go to plan.

The two ends of the spectrum here can be applied respectively to Luiz and McTominay, but given that both are robust and athletic number eights with keen eyes for goal when thriving in their environment, perhaps United could restore the presence of their former Scot by signing Luiz.

McTominay, 28, scored 12 goals and supplied six assists across 34 Serie A matches for Napoli, also averaging 6.1 successful duels and 4.3 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.

You can see the energy and completeness, and how his style literally exuded itself upon Antonio Conte’s side, lifting them higher, dynamising them.

Luiz was hailed as “one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell before his move and “one of the best [midfielders] in the world” in the words of Sky Italia, winning Aston Villa’s Player of the Season for the 2022/23 season, thus illustrating that his high-level ability is a sustainable thing, not just a flash-in-the-pan.

His remarkably complete level was something that McTominay has emulated in Italy. Now, the inverse could be true of the Brazilian, who could return to the Premier League and pick up where he left off, playing a talismanic part in guiding Man United back into the big time.

Man Utd open talks to sign Weghorst 2.0 who was "like Cristiano Ronaldo"

Manchester United are still hunting for a new talisman for Ruben Amorim’s side this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 7, 2025

Burnley have now reached an agreement over the signing of a “talented” player, according to a hugely promising update from Sky Sports.

Burnley busy early in summer window

The Clarets continue to pursue potential new signings ahead of their return to the Premier League in August, as Scott Parker looks to give his side the best chance of avoiding a speedy relegation back into the Championship.

Loum Tchaouna has been a leading target over the past week or so, with Burnley reportedly close to sealing a move for the young Lazio forward ahead of next season, having already added permanent deals for Marcus Edwards, Zian Flemming and Jaidon Anthony to their attacking ranks.

France Under-21 international Tchaouna would be considered an exciting long-term addition for Parker, having already made 37 appearances for Lazio at senior level.

France Under-21s

5

1

France Under-20s

12

4

France Under-19s

17

7

France Under-17s

5

3

France Under-16s

9

2

Meanwhile, in defence, Bashir Humphreys has already signed permanently and Karlsruher SC goalkeeper Max Weiss is among the players to have also been linked with joining Burnley this summer, as well as Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez.

Burnley reach full agreement to sign Weiss

According to an update from the Sky journalist Florian Plettenberg on X, Weiss’ move to Burnley is now considered a “done deal” after an agreement was reached over a move to Turf Moor, with a medical up next on Monday.

Weiss will be an exciting signing for Burnley, with the German a talented young ‘keeper who has the ability to be a mainstay between the sticks for the Clarets for many years, as Plettenberg alludes to.

At just 21, he has already played 42 times for Karlsruher, keeping 12 clean sheets, and he has been capped for Germany across three different youth age groups, winning a total of six caps.

With huge doubts lingering over the future of James Trafford at Burnley – Newcastle United have continually been strongly linked with signing him – a top-quality ‘keeper needs to arrive this summer.

While the more cautious option could be to bring in an experienced head who has played in the Premier League before, it is refreshing to see the Clarets once again taking a punt on youth again, backing Weiss to be able to do the job.

Burnley now "one step away" from signing "amazing" £12m forward for Parker

The update has been provided by a reliable journalist.

1 ByHenry Jackson Jun 17, 2025

That’s not to say that an older alternative couldn’t come in as well, should Parker feel the need, but the Karlsruher ace needs to be trusted to come straight in and be an important part of Burnley’s plans, helping play a key role in them remaining in the top flight beyond 2025/26.

Crystal Palace are now in talks over signing a 32-year-old international on a free transfer, according to a recent report.

Crystal Palace stepping up transfer plans

The Eagles have been waiting for clarification on their participation in the Europa League for next season, and with reports now emerging that they could be allowed in the competition, the club are likely to go ahead with their transfer business.

"I've been told" – Crystal Palace could receive "reliable" Newcastle player in Guehi swap

The Eagles could get a player in return.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 11, 2025

It’s already been reported in the early parts of this transfer window that Palace have made an approach to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting. The Portuguese side want £40 million for his services, and his arrival could be seen as a replacement for Marc Guehi, who is continuing to be linked with a move to Newcastle United.

In fact, Andrew Musgrove has now revealed that Palace could be open to the idea of letting Guehi leave as long as they get Matt Target in a swap deal. That is because Ben Chillwell has returned to Chelsea, and the Eagles want another option behind Tyrick Mitchell, with some cash coming their way as well.

They are not the only defenders the club are looking at, as it’s also been reported by The Sun that Oliver Glasner is pushing the South Londoners to sign Strahinja Pavlovic from AC Milan. Glasner is a big fan, and while Milan value the Serbian at £40 million, Palace may look to start the bidding at around the £25 million mark.

Crystal Palace now in talks to sign goalkeeper Walter Benitez

It appears that Glasner wants to strengthen the spine of his team, as according to reporter Uriel Lugt, relayed by Ben Jacobs, Crystal Palace are also in talks to sign goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

The 32-year-old has been at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven since July 2022, but he is now coming to the end of his contract this month, and the Eagles are looking to swoop in and sign him on a free.

Benitez has been a regular in the PSV side since joining the club and, in the last two seasons, has been a key performer in the club winning the Eredivisie, the Dutch Cup and the Dutch Super Cup. In the 2024/25 season, Benitez, who has been capped by Argentina, kept nine clean sheets in 34 league games.

Apps

134

Goals conceded

152

Clean sheets

43

His potential arrival at Selhurst Park would see him go up against Dean Henderson for the number one spot. That is because Matt Turner’s loan spell at Palace has now come to an end after playing just four games for the club, which all came in the cup competitions.

Despite being older, Benitez may be seen as an upgrade to Turner, as his experience and track record of winning and playing in Europe is something that Glasner will want to have more of in his squad as they look ahead to the 2025/26 season.

Fabrizio Romano has shared an intriguing Tottenham transfer update, which adds further weight to recent claims that new manager Thomas Frank is set to have a real influence on the club’s summer recruitment drive.

Tottenham to pay asking price for Brazil international after Barcelona call

They’re “best placed” to do a deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 19, 2025

Spurs officially appointed the Dane this time last week, putting an end to the search for Ange Postecoglou’s replacement in swift fashion, and reports suggest that Frank is already making his transfer wishes clear to chairman Daniel Levy.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

In a recent interview with the club’s media channels, Levy explained what made Frank the standout candidate, and they’ve already backed him with the permanent signing of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich for around £30 million.

“Whenever you have a new coach it’s always a fresh start. You always have different ideas. But we want to build on the success of winning a trophy last season,” said Levy.

“One of the things that stood out to me with Thomas is that he’s clearly highly intelligent. Great communicator. Super human being. Plus all the other technical aspects that are obviously important.”

The now-former Brentford boss has also broken his silence about becoming Tottenham’s fifth new manager since 2019, expressing his serious excitement to get started with a “massive” club.

“It’s a good squad. It’s an exciting, massive club with massive potential. So, it’s just super, super exciting,” said Frank in his first interview as Spurs head coach.

“I had very good conversations and meetings with [Daniel Levy, Vinai Venkatesham, and Johan Lange] where we discussed everything in depth – details about the club structure, processes – and of course I came with my views on things, how I saw it, my ideas, and the way I want to do things and how I try to build a team and a club.

“There’ll be ups and downs – right now, it’s a fairytale. Everyone’s happy, the sun is shining, it’s fantastic.”

One thing Frank didn’t speak about in his sit-down was the club’s pursuit of his ex-star at Brentford – winger Bryan Mbeumo.

Fabrizio Romano shares Bryan Mbeumo to Tottenham update

Spurs opened initial talks over signing Mbeumo recently (Sky Sports), but face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Man United, who are thought to be in pole position as things stand due to the Cameroonian’s desire to join Ruben Amorim.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano has now revealed that Tottenham began internal talks over a deal for Mbeumo right after Frank signed his contract to become their new manager.

“For sure, there is appreciation from Thomas Frank,” said Romano.

“And so it’s quite obvious to discuss a target like Mbeumo for Tottenham, because he’s one of the names they discussed internally as soon as he [Frank] signed his contract as new Tottenham manager.”

However, the respected journalist reiterates that United are indeed the frontrunners after already reaching an agreement with Mbeumo.

“We know with these clubs like Brentford, Brighton is always difficult to negotiate for their top players, so it’s not easy to reach an agreement, but United are on that,” he continued.

“They are talking to the club, always in contact with player agents, and with an agreement with Bryan Mbeumo, because the player wants to go to United. And so at the moment, United remain frontrunners on this story. Let’s see if they can be able to reach an agreement on the fee with Brentford.”

The Bees’ asking price is rumoured to be around £60 million, and if Amorim’s side don’t fancy stumping up the cash, it appears a reunion with Frank at Spurs could be a sound alternative for the “unbelievable” African.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

1 ByDan Emery May 29, 2025

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.

Mikel Arteta "loves" £161k-per-week Barcelona star and wants him at Arsenal

The 43-year-old is a huge fan.

ByEmilio Galantini May 21, 2025

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.

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.