All posts by z3u9t.icu

It was a rueful thing to watch Trent Alexander-Arnold opt against continuing his Liverpool journey and instead sign for Real Madrid in June, deciding against renewing his contract on Merseyside.

The 26-year-old’s image in his home city has been tainted by the decision, but the decision was his and he left Anfield as one of the most decorated and accomplished players in the club’s modern history, instrumental in the success of the Jurgen Klopp era.

There was much hope that Liverpool might have retained his services, but FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes moved swiftly to sign a shrewd replacement in Jeremie Frimpong, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5m.

The Netherlands international has an infectious personality and is one of the fastest players in the game; however, Frimpong and pre-existing talent Conor Bradley have left something to be desired this term.

Liverpool's right-back conundrum

It’s somewhat telling that Dominik Szoboszlai has played a couple of games in an unnatural right-back berth this season.

The versatile Hungarian has impressed and, in fact, been one of Liverpool’s most impressive players this season, but Frimpong and Bradley should both be gunning to nail down starting spots with consistency.

Frimpong’s early foray into the season was disrupted by an injury sustained on his Premier League debut, while Bradley has spent much of the Slot tenure battling against setbacks of his own.

Neither have covered themselves in glory so far this year. Bradley has started both of Liverpool’s past two matches in the top flight, but he was hooked at the interval against Palace after struggling when on the ball and failing with four of five attempted dribbles.

Of course, the unconvincing form of Ibrahima Konate has hardly helped matters. As with Alexander-Arnold, the Frenchman is being courted by Real Madrid as he heads toward the expiry of his contract, and he has toiled through a number of games already this year.

It all comes back to that wish that Alexander-Arnold still plied his trade with his boyhood club. But, looking a bit further back, we can see that Liverpool may regret having sold their new version of the homegrown hero.

Liverpool sold their next Trent

In July 2022, Nottingham Forest completed the £17m signing of Neco Williams from Liverpool, the Wales international leaving the Reds in search of regular first-team football.

The young full-back had featured 33 times for Liverpool’s senior set-up, claiming six assists, and had completed a half-season loan out with Fulham in the Championship before making the move, thus spending the full span of the Tricky Trees’ Premier League journey since promotion of their own.

Billed as Alexander-Arnold’s understudy at Slot’s Liverpool, Williams had spent his early days cutting his teeth at Liverpool by watching the Three Lions star’s unique ball-playing game and weaving elements into his own style of play.

Trent hailed him as “an amazing talent” with a “bright future”, and now that Williams is realising his potential at Forest and Alexander-Arnold is playing in Spain, there might be a sense of ruefulness from some within the FSG hierarchy that he wasn’t kept on the books for longer.

He’s not his predecessor in Red, let’s be clear about that. Alexander-Arnold made 354 appearances for his boyhood club and registered 92 assists across all competitions, scoring some fantastic goals besides.

Talking of his one-of-a-kind technical qualities, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher once remarked that “it’s like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back”, such is the depth of his skillset.

Williams is wholly different, but perhaps that would be a good thing in this current Slot side, with an emphasis having been placed this summer on reorienting the creative hub to the attacking midfield area.

Though there’s no question that Bradley and Frimpong are talented players with experience at the highest level, Williams’ naturally sturdy defensive style and his ability to operate across a number of positions could have been perfect for Slot, who is presently in a struggle to get a tune out of his existing options.

Middling returns from a creative standpoint hardly tell the full story as far as Williams’ progress at the City Ground is concerned. He became an invaluable player for Nuno, playing on both defensive flanks. Furthermore, Klopp once acknowledged Williams’ “incredible” attacking ability.

25/26

6

1 (0)

24/25

35

1 (3)

23/24

26

0 (1)

22/23

31

1 (0)

And his consistency within a Forest side that has shifted from relegation battlers to high-flying Europa League contenders has served as a further illustration of his quality.

Data-driven platform FBref also reveal he ranks among the top 17% of full-backs across Europe over the past year for shots taken and the top 18% for carries into the penalty area per 90, with his offensive metrics sure to rise higher still now that Ange Postecoglou is in the hot seat.

Williams signed a new contract at Forest this summer, running until 2029. His ability to have made headway sustainably and across a series of years has been telling, and were he still in the Liverpool mix, it might have been a fantastic dimension for a Slot backline that perhaps needs a bit more security and balance.

Having settled into his role as an established Premier League player, averaging 6.7 successful duels and 2.3 tackles per game, creating a chance every match besides and completing 89% of his passes, Williams is the full package, and could have been a real asset at Liverpool, had he been given time to bloom.

Alas, it wasn’t to be. Liverpool have a wealth of talent at their disposal, but Alexander-Arnold is no longer part of the crew, and Slot has problems that he needs to fix.

Liverpool have a future Ballon d'Or nominee who could soon dethrone Salah

Liverpool will hope this young star can go on to become the club’s next Mohamed Salah.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 29, 2025

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has just overseen two pre-season friendlies in one day, but off the field, technical director Johan Lange is working to back his fellow Dane with more new signings.

Tottenham advancing move for £24m defender after 'emerging' as favourites

Spurs have been told what it would take to get a deal done.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2025

Spurs battled against both Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town today, with the senior squad split into multiple sides as Frank looked to hand as many minutes to his players as possible.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The Lilywhites are now set to travel to Asia for a pre-season tour of the Far East, where they face off against north London rivals Arsenal in Hong Kong before taking on Newcastle in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

Spurs have a final pre-season game against Bayern Munich in Germany before their highly-anticipated UEFA Super Cup clash against European champions PSG – a match that gifts Frank an opportunity to win silverware almost immediately after his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou.

A surprise win against the Ligue 1 heavyweights would be the perfect start to Frank’s tenure in charge, and he’d ideally have a few more summer recruits through the door before they battle Luis Enrique’s men at the Stadio Friuli.

Tottenham are still trying to sign Morgan Gibbs-White despite Nottingham Forest blocking his once-imminent move to N17 earlier this month.

Forest threatened both the north Londoners and Gibbs-White’s agent with legal action for what they deemed to be an ‘illegal approach’ for the playmaker (Sky Sports), but there remains an expectation that Frank could eventually welcome him to Hotspur Way (Fabrizio Romano).

Tottenham were set to welcome Gibbs-White and Mohammed Kudus in quick succession, with a medical scheduled over two weeks ago (BBC). However, Frank is now having to wait a lot longer for the 25-year-old’s arrival with the legalities involved.

According to reports, Spurs are targeting a new centre-back too and have shortlisted a variety of targets for the number six role, including Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha (Alasdair Gold).

This comes after they confirmed the signings of Kudus, Kota Takai, Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich earlier this window.

Mathys Tel shares conversation with Harry Kane about joining Tottenham

Speaking of Tel, the Frenchman has now lifted the lid on a conversation he had with Spurs legend Harry Kane about joining the club.

After initially backing out of a transfer to N17 in January, Tel ultimately U-turned and agreed a move to England on an initial loan deal, which included an option to buy for around £45 million.

Chairman Daniel Levy, following a mixed start for the 20-year-old, then negotiated a cut-price £30 million deal for Tel, who’s now signed for them indefinitely ahead of his first full season at the club.

Speaking to Sky Germany, as transcribed by Sport Witness, Tel says that Kane played a role in convincing him to sign for Spurs – with the club’s all-time top scorer offering a helping hand through emotional support.

“Yes, I spoke to him [Kane] beforehand,” Tel said.

“He told me, if you need anything, send me a text, give me a call. I spoke to him; he’s a top guy. (Now it’s a) new challenge, I’m ready for my team, the clubs and also the fans.”

The versatile attacker was tipped for a 40-goal season one day by ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, with supporters hoping the still-raw Tel can deliver on that glowing prediction.

Last season, little was expected of Arne Slot’s Liverpool. In the overtures to the campaign, anyway.

But then Liverpool started playing, started to strut their stuff in a new system. Slot’s side ceded ground in just two of their opening 13 Premier League matches, creating a gulf that proved too wide for the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City to bridge.

In fairness, the overarching scepticism was understandable. Jurgen Klopp had stood down from his revered post, and historic cases of similarity in the Premier League suggested the Reds were in for a rough ride.

But FSG chose wisely when swiping Feyenoord’s shrewd head coach, who indeed won the English top flight in his maiden year and did so with relative ease.

Now, Liverpool are showing ruthless ambition in the summer transfer market as they look to consolidate their position of power over the coming years.

So many bumper deals have been pulled off already, the latest of which is set to be the £79m signing of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, but Luis Diaz’s uncertain future could see another one cross the line.

Liverpool looking to replace Luis Diaz

Liverpool have completed a plethora of exciting signings this summer, and there may well be more still to come. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid, and now Diaz could be on the move too.

The Colombian winger, 28, has just shy of two years remaining on his contract, and Liverpool have not engaged in any concrete talks to extend his stay on Merseyside.

While the outward stance has been that Diaz is not for sale, FSG may have a tacit acceptance that he could be sold, with Bayern Munich pressing ahead and trying to sign him after seeing an opening £58.5m offer knocked back earlier in July.

It goes without saying that Liverpool would need to replace such a crucial part of Slot’s set-up, and while the likes of Real Madrid’s Rodrygo have been touted, the Reds seem willing to head down a shrewder track.

Liverpool open talks for Diaz replacement

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool chiefs are holding talks with the agents of Malick Fofana, who has been linked with a move away from Lyon this summer.

Bayern are also keen on signing the Belgium international, but only if Liverpool bar Diaz’s potential departure this summer. Thus, Liverpool shouldn’t face stiff competition if the various cogs fall into place.

Transfer Focus

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

Lyon would hope to secure as much as €60m (£51m) for Fofana’s sale, but FSG would no doubt hope to sign the 20-year-old for a more modest figure.

Why Liverpool want Malick Fofana

Liverpool want Fofana because, if Diaz leaves, they will need to sign a left-sided forward. But why, specifically, has Fofana been earmarked as an option alongside a superstar such as Rodrygo, who Los Blancos have priced at £87m?

Well, Fofana would come at a cheaper price, and with Cody Gakpo already occupying Liverpool’s attacking left flank, this might be a more prudent move.

Fofana’s term-and-a-half in Ligue 1 has garnered praise. Analyst Ben Mattinson hailed his “explosive” qualities down the wing, and having now completed 62 senior appearances for Lyon after joining from Genk in Belgium, he has scored 15 goals and supplied seven assists.

Moreover, he’s positionally versatile, with this a skill which Slot would put to good use, for he did the same with Diaz last season.

Left winger

55

7

7

Right winger

9

2

1

Centre-forward

7

0

2

Attacking midfield

2

2

0

Though he’s not yet reached full bloom, Fofana has the makings of a prolific winger, and in this way, he could be the perfect partner for Ekitike, who is on the brink of completing his move to Merseyside.

As per FBref, Fofana ranked among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for non-penalty goals, the top 16% for touches in the attacking box and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90, underscoring his burgeoning potency and pace.

In order to maximise Fofana’s potential as a goalscoring winger, playing alongside a “complete forward” like Ekitike, as he has been named by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would only enhance such a quality.

Ekitike might be a striker first and foremost, but he’s also an exceptionally dynamic and intelligent player. Last season, in the German Bundesliga, he created 12 big chances and averaged 1.3 key passes and 4.2 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

Slot will expect the France talent to add goalscoring threat, but he’ll also expect him to widen the creative parameters of his frontline, utilising that off-the-ball movement and playmaking prowess to enhance Mohamed Salah’s chances, and indeed Fofana’s too.

Further evidence of Fofana’s clinical potential can be found in his conversion rate. Sofascore also record that the young winger has only missed six big chances since arriving in France for the first time in January 2024, and given that he’s scored eight goals, he’s got that natural-born coolness in the final third to make things happen.

Moreover, his efforts in the Europa League last year had something interesting to say about his potential. Fofana scored six goals across Lyon’s continental campaign without missing a single big chance.

There’s so much to like, and given the richness of Liverpool’s squad, which will be richer still once Ekitike’s deal has been wrapped up, Fofana would make a wise decision in entrusting Slot with his development over the next few years.

Their own Zubimendi: Liverpool favourites to sign "generational" £100m CM

Liverpool are reportedly favourites to sign one of the Premier League’s best young midfielders.

1 ByMatt Dawson Jul 21, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now identified an “unstoppable” Premier League player as their top target for the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Forest causing a stir in the transfer market

This summer certainly hasn’t been a boring one for the Tricky Trees, controversially replacing Crystal Palace in the Europa League, given the Eagles’ issues surrounding multi-club ownership, before going on to make headlines as a result of their behaviour in the transfer market.

Sky Sports News have now revealed that Forest have written to both Tottenham Hotspur and Morgan Gibbs-White’s agents threatening legal action, as they believe an illegal approach was made for one of their key players.

However, with Gibbs-White reportedly informing owner Evangelos Marinakis that he wants to join Tottenham this summer, it remains to be seen whether he ultimately ends up making the move to north London regardless.

Nottingham Forest have a battle on their hands trying to keep hold of the attacking midfielder, but they also have their own transfer business to worry about, and a report from The Telegraph has revealed they have now identified a new top target.

The player in question is Aston Villa attacker Jacob Ramsey, who is capable of playing at both left-wing and in attacking midfield, indicating that he could potentially be brought in as a replacement for Gibbs-White.

Given his versatility, there is a feeling Ramsey could also be capable of playing across Nuno’s forward line, with the manager looking to bring in players capable of helping his side push for another high finish in the Premier League.

However, there could be competition for the 24-year-old’s signature, with Everton and West Ham United retaining an active interest.

"Unstoppable" Ramsey could be coup for Forest

A deal for the Villa star may be on the expensive side, with Forest’s Premier League rivals set to hold out for at least £30m, but there are plenty of signs that he could be worth shelling out for.

Jamie Carragher has been left very impressed by the Englishman in the past, with the Sky Sports pundit saying: “He is a machine this fella. You see him open up his legs and run. He almost looks unstoppable.”

Aston Villa now set to make move for £17m ace, keen to finalise deal quickly

The Villans are “ready” to finalise a move for a defender…

ByDominic Lund Jul 15, 2025

The 2022-23 campaign was arguably the Birmingham-born attacker’s best, picking up 13 goal contributions in the Premier League, although he remained a key player for Unai Emery last term, featuring regularly in the Champions League.

With Forest set to embark on a European adventure of their own next season, they could do with bringing in players who have top-level experience, meaning Ramsey could be a solid addition to Nuno’s squad.

Aston Villa’s 2024/25 season ended in disappointment. Unai Emery’s side failed to qualify for the Champions League after a final-day defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. It certainly seems like that, and another summer of PSR struggles has really affected their transfer plans for the next few months.

Indeed, they will seemingly not be signing the likes of Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, or Axel Disasi, who were on loan at Villa Park last term. The trio have now returned to their parent clubs and seem unlikely to sign for Villa on a permanent deal.

The transfer goings-on in the West Midlands might frustrate Villa supporters. Despite a couple of early deals, a dip into the loan market could be back on the cards.

Villa’s new loan target

Emery’s side have already made two new additions this summer. One of those is Yasin Ozcan, a 19-year-old Turkish defender who joins the club after signing a pre-contract over the winter. Young Dutch striker Zepiqueno Redmond also signed for the club for free after his contract expired at Feyenoord.

Transfer Focus

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

Now, the Villans could turn their attention to a former player, Douglas Luiz. According to a report from Sportmediaset via Tuttomercato, the Midlands side are ‘interested’ in bringing the Brazilian back to his former club from Juventus.

However, it could be a tricky deal to negotiate. Luiz, who has only been a Juve player for just over a year, is only wanted on loan by his former club, with Villa having made contact as they ‘proposed’ a potential temporary switch.

However, that is ‘a solution that does not satisfy the economic needs’ of the Old Lady, with it yet to be seen whether a compromise can be met.

Why Luiz would be a good signing

It has not really been the season Luiz may have hoped for in Turin. He did not really play the weight of games he may have expected, and it was a turbulent year for Juve as a side, with Thiago Motta losing his job halfway through the campaign.

In total, Luiz played just 27 times in the centre of the park for the Italian giants. That includes one game in the Club World Cup. Frustratingly, the Brazil international managed just 877 minutes, the equivalent of 9.7 full 90-minute games.

Yet, Villa fans will know the sort of quality that the Rio de Janeiro-born midfielder will bring to the club. He played 204 times in that famous Claret and Blue shirt, scoring 22 goals and grabbing 24 assists. It is moments of quality like this impressive trivela assist for Ollie Watkins in his final season at the club that he could bring back to the midfield.

That interest comes amid question marks over what the future holds for Villa midfielder John McGinn. Their captain has reportedly been of interest to Everton of late, as per BBC Sport, although Emery ‘is in no mood to part’ ways with McGinn this summer.

He was a crucial part of the Villans’ midfield last season, playing 49 games in all competitions, scoring and assisting ten goals in that time. That included a thunderbolt of a strike against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League at Villa Park.

Yet, whilst the Scotland international is capable of those major moments, and is a hard-working member of the Villa midfield, signing Luiz, an “engine” in midfield according to Statman Dave, could certainly be seen as an upgrade.

The stats on FBref from each player’s most recent season for Villa suggest that Luiz is a better option in midfield. For example, in 2023/24, he averaged 5.05 progressive passes and 5.53 ball recoveries per 90 minutes compared to 4.17 progressive passes and 4.05 ball recoveries each game for McGinn.

He also represents a greater goal threat and creative outlet than his former teammate, as his goals and assists average can attest to.

Goals and assists

0.42

0.2

Progressive passes

5.05

4.17

Key passes

1.59

1.26

Tackles and interceptions

2.43

1.9

Ball recoveries

5.53

4.05

Progressive carries

1.8

1.3

Luiz, who is on £138k-per-week at Juve, according to reports, is a superb all-round midfielder. In many ways, he is better than McGinn, and, as the stats show, would be a huge upgrade on the Villans’ captain.

Bringing him back to Villa Park for the 2025/26 season would be a bold move by Emery’s side, but there is no doubt about the quality he will bring to the centre of the park.

Emery's new Watkins: Aston Villa exploring move for "golden" £13m starlet

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is eyeing a move for a player he was keen on last summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 5, 2025

Bryan Mbeumo has been Manchester United’s number one target in the transfer window over the last couple of weeks, as Ruben Amorim wants to improve his frontline at Old Trafford.

Matheus Cunha has already completed a £62.5m move this window, but it’s evident that the hierarchy are willing to back the 40-year-old in his quest for success.

The Red Devils have so far had two offers rejected for the Brentford star, with their latest offer totalling £62.5m including add-ons – but it’s still not enough to secure his signature.

Whilst he wants to move to the Theatre of Dreams during the off-season, his current employers have placed a £70m price tag on his shoulders, which could delay such a move.

Given his tally of 20 goals in the Premier League this season, it would be a superb addition, but that doesn’t mean other deals could be just as impressive this summer.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

All areas of the pitch have been subject to investment in recent days, with the Borussia Dortmund star Felix Nmecha a player who looks set to be approached this window.

Atalanta star Ederson is another player who’s firmly been on their radar over recent seasons, but a deal has seemed to become unlikely given the difference in valuations.

However, moves have also been made elsewhere, with PSG midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery subject to an enquiry, according to TEAMtalk’s update from earlier this week.

The report claimed that United have made their interest clear in the 19-year-old star, who’s already racked up 125 career appearances despite his tender age.

It also stated that it’s unlikely the French side are set to budge on their current asking price of £85m, in a deal that would be one of the Red Devils’ most expensive in their history.

Why United’s £85m target would be their next Pogba

Paul Pogba still holds United’s club record for the highest fee paid for a player, costing £89m from Juventus back in the summer of 2016, in what was then also an English record.

The Frenchman made over 200 appearances during his second spell at Old Trafford, returning to the club after originally leaving to join the Old Lady on a free transfer.

The midfielder caught the eye in his box-to-box role for the Red Devils, often producing a moment of magic with the ball at his feet, helping the club win the Europa League back in 2016/17.

He would leave on a free transfer once again in the summer of 2022, rejoining Juve before being hit with a doping ban, which has seen him banned for the last 18 months of his career.

However, United could be about to land their next version of the Frenchman this summer, with a move for Zaire-Emery, matching his compatriot in potentially joining in a big-money deal.

He’s previously been compared to Pogba by former Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger, with the supporters needing to get excited by his potential move to Old Trafford this summer.

His underlying stats from the 2024/25 campaign showcase the talent he possesses, having bags of time to emulate Pogba’s success given his tender age of just 19.

Zaire-Emery, who’s been labelled as “one of the best midfielders in the world” by agent Jorge Mendes, has completed 93% of the passes he’s attempted, registering 5.4 passes into the final third per 90 – having the tools to provide chances to those ahead of him.

Games played

29

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

93%

Passes into final third

5.4

% of tackles won

51%

Interceptions made

1.1

Take-ons completed

54%

Recoveries made

5.9

His talents on the ball are further reflected in his take-on success, completing 54% of his efforts, demonstrating skills way beyond his teenage years, something which is a rarity in the modern game.

He’s also been just as impressive without the ball, winning 51% of his tackles and making 1.1 interceptions per 90, handing Amorim the perfect box-to-box option, just as Pogba was a couple of years ago.

Whilst £85m may be a mammoth fee for such a young talent, he’s already showcased that he’s capable of performing at the highest level – but it’s a scary prospect that he’s going to only develop further.

If he can replicate the levels produced by his compatriot at the Theatre of Dreams, it would be a stellar signing and one that would prove to be a better signing than Mbeumo, given the levels he’s achieved and the heights he could reach in the years to come.

He'd be perfect for Mbeumo: Man Utd prepare bid for "exceptional" £28m ace

Manchester United appear to be making serious moves in the transfer market.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 28, 2025

The 2025/26 season that’s soon on the horizon for Newcastle United looks to be another exciting one.

Eddie Howe’s Toon will find themselves back amongst Europe’s elite in the Champions League, with the hope they can compete for more silverware too after breaking their trophy hoodoo last season when lifting the EFL Cup at Liverpool’s expense.

To boost their chances of a similarly successful 25/26, therefore, Howe will know he needs to be backed in the chaotic transfer market, with this attacking star one potential addition that would surely enliven the St James’ masses ahead of the action kicking off.

Newcastle remain interested in move for Premier League winger

The Toon have been lining up a number of attackers this summer with talks reportedly due to take place to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton.

Another target is Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford, who after an impressive loan spell at Aston Villa, is now set to leave Old Trafford behind permanently.

However, to put that move to one side, as per a report from TEAMTalk, Newcastle remain interested in adding Nottingham Forest ace Anthony Elanga to their camp this summer, with a shock swap deal even potentially on the cards.

Indeed, the report elaborates that with the Magpies ‘stepping up their interest’ in the winger, they could be set to offer Harvey Barnes to Forest to smooth over proceedings.

Barnes’ inclusion in the deal would bring down the £50m valuation of the ex-Manchester United forward’s price tag.

Elanga could also be tempted to make the switch with the allure of Champions League football presumably a pull, with Howe also desperate to land the Sweden international as he hunts down pacey, new options to enhance his attacking personnel.

Why Elanga would be a better buy than Rashford

Snapping up the services of Elanga would surely mean the Magpies wouldn’t have to go back in for another of their attacking targets like Rashford, considering the 23-year-old is now surely viewed as an upgrade on his former Red Devils teammate after his blistering couple of campaigns at the City Ground, compared to Rashford’s up-and-down time of things.

After all, if it’s pace Howe wants in abundance, he will strike gold by picking up Elanga, with this unbelievable breakaway goal last season seeing him leave many a United shirt in the dust, before punishing his former employers even more with a clinical finish.

For good measure, he was one of the quickest players in the top flight of English football last season too.

The fastest & slowest players in the Premier League (2024/25)

Off the back of such counter-attacking magic, Elanga would rightfully describe himself as “one of the fastest players in the PL”, with the standout Swede thankfully backing up these rampaging forays more often than not with a meaningful strike or an assist.

Games played

38

25

Goals scored

6

6

Assists

11

3

Big chances missed

6

5

Big chances created

9

8

Whilst Rashford did shine away from Old Trafford last season on the temporary books of Villa, it’s also clear from the numbers that Elanga would be the better pick-up, with the 5-foot-10 winger far less jaded by the top-flight than the United outcast, registering a far greater goal contribution number of 17 last season, next to Rashford’s lesser nine.

On top of that, Elanga also has the added boost of 14 more goals and assists donning Forest red from the season before, as Rashford’s spell at the Swede’s former employers began to fall apart.

Moreover, unlike Rashford who is predominantly an out-and-out left winger, the Forest speedster would be able to offer Howe an option down either flank if needed, with the £50m-rated target up to 63 career games now as a right winger, on top of also tallying up 55 down the left.

Further lauded as “special” by Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo, this could well be the platform the winger desires now to strut his stuff in the Champions League and beyond.

Dream Gordon replacement: Newcastle now eyeing "unplayable" English star

Newcastle may need to replace their most profitable winger this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 20, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have commenced their official search for Ange Postecoglou’s replacement after months of speculation about the Australian’s long-term future, with Spurs announcing on Friday that they’ve parted company.

Daniel Levy slammed for sacking Ange Postecoglou

It is safe to say that chairman Daniel Levy’s controversial decision to sack Postecoglou has been met with fierce criticism.

Levy "impressed" after holding Tottenham talks with £4.5m-per-year manager

The Spurs chairman has taken a personal liking to him.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 7, 2025

According to The Telegraph, Spurs’ squad themselves are furious about the call to hand Postecoglou his P45, just over a fortnight after he helped to end the club’s 17-year wait for major silverware and qualify for the Champions League.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Son Heung-min called Postecoglou a Spurs legend and bid him farewell in an emotional goodbye message on Instagram, and he’s not the only Lilywhites star to come out in support of the former Celtic boss over these last few weeks.

“Always listen to the room. Pedro Porro said keeping Postecoglou would be good for the dressing room, while James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray all publicly backed him. It all links to that famous saying: if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” said Sky Sports journalist Sam Blitz in a critique of Postecoglou’s exit.

“Yes, Postecoglou had his faults – the league form was a shambles. But his season objectives last August would have been to get into the Champions League and win a trophy.

“He did that, albeit in a fortunate way. And he even went against his ‘Angeball’ principles to achieve it – showing he could be developing into more than the stubborn manager with one plan. In getting rid of the Australian, Levy is back to square one. And whoever he brings in faces an uphill struggle.

“If you’re Thomas Frank or Andoni Iraola, you should look at when Nuno Espírito Santo – an experienced manager who took outsiders into Europe – took the step-up to that role. He lasted 17 games.”

It is actually hard to argue with this assessment, but as Levy’s remorseless scythe swings again on the Spurs managerial merry-go-round, another tactician must now step into Postecoglou’s shoes.

Daniel Levy decides on Thomas Frank as Tottenham talks advance

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Tottenham are expected to advance in talks with Frank, who would make the serious step-up from Brentford to manage a side competing in the Champions League next season.

According to Tottenham News, Levy has now “settled” on Frank as his preferred manager to replace Postecoglou, so it appears the north Londoners are prioritising a move for him right now.

The Dane’s has led Brentford through solid campaigns on a shoe-string budget, perhaps appealing to Levy in the process, but reservations lie with his lack of top-level pedigree or trophy-winning experience.

Levy will also have to pay Brentford around £8 million to hire Frank by triggering his release clause.

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

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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.

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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.

With Ipswich Town suffering relegation back down to the Championship, there must be a fear in the air that they could suffer the same fate as Luton Town.

Like the Hatters, the Tractor Boys sealed an unexpected place in the top-flight but since then, Luton have found themselves on the end of back-to-back relegations.

Of course, Kieran McKenna will look to the examples of both Burnley and Leeds United instead as clubs who have been able to lick their wounds quickly after sinking back down to the EFL, but it’s not set in stone that the Tractor Boys will rise back up to the Premier League in a flash.

Any effort made towards achieving instant promotion will be made a lot harder by Liam Delap’s impending exit from Portman Road, with the young Englishman now closing in on a move to Chelsea.

Latest update on Delap's Ipswich future

If it wasn’t for Delap leading the line, Ipswich’s 2024/25 campaign would have been a lot more grim towards the foot of the top-flight table.

Indeed, a large 12 of the Tractor Boys’ overall 33 league strikes came courtesy of the ex-Manchester City man’s magic firepower in front of goal, but not even Delap’s best efforts have been able to keep his lowly side from succumbing to the drop.

But, off the back of being such a livewire in an otherwise despondent group, Delap attracted interest from a plethora of top-flight sides including Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle United and, of course, the Blues.

The Daily Mail revealed earlier this week that he had held talks with four potential sides over leaving Suffolk behind, with his low £30m release clause tickling the fancy of many a Premier League outfit.

As it is, Enzo Maresca’s side have emerged victorious from that hotly-contested battle, with Fabrizio Romano outlining that the striker is set to undergo a medical on Monday, ahead of moving to Stamford Bridge.

Whilst losing Delap would be devastating, not every departure this summer needs to be equally as soul-destroying.

The Ipswich star who must now be axed

McKenna will believe that he can steer Ipswich straight back up to the big time, having already achieved two memorable promotions from the Portman Road dug-out.

But, he could well have to be cut-throat in who he allows to leave the building if he wants instant success, with long-standing Ipswich servant Sam Morsy one face he might have to contemplate letting leave.

After all, whilst the Egyptian veteran did captain both of those promotion-winning sides, he showed worrying signs of rust when thrown into the side last season.

It resulted in Morsy only picking up a weak one goal and one assist from 31 starts, which is way off his three goals and six assists tally during the 2023/24 campaign.

Additionally, despite falling down the pecking order in Suffolk somewhat, Morsy still pockets a higher wage per week than Tractor Boys stalwart Leif Davis, with the left-back also eyeing up a major move away from Ipswich now, with Nottingham Forest rumoured to be keen.

George Hirst

£27.5k-per-week

26

3

1

Jack Clarke

£25k-per-week

32

0

4

Jaden Philogene

£25k-per-week

21

2

0

Liam Delap

£20k-per-week

37

12

2

Leif Davis

£25k-per-week

33

1

2

Amazingly, Morsy’s £30k-per-week salary means he earns more than all of the Ipswich first team figures above, with the Tractor Boys number five even raking in £10k-per-week more than 12-goal hero Delap.

McKenna might well want to keep Morsy around for one final season before his Ipswich contract runs down, knowing full well that he knows what it takes to play his part in a successful EFL campaign.

But, before he declines even more, it could well be the most appropriate course of action to move on Morsy now.

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