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Sunderland fans must still be living in dreamland at the moment.

Putting all of their frantic summer transfer window activity to one side, Black Cats supporters will be firmly on cloud nine regarding their beloved team being back in the Premier League after pulling off a playoff final upset to down Chris Wilder’s heavily fancied Sheffield United.

Since that memorable success at Wembley, Sunderland has been linked with some monumental names and has picked up some terrific additions.

New midfield star Habib Diarra has arrived at the Stadium of Light for a club-record £30m, and the club has also nearly completed a deal for ex-Atletico Madrid defender Reinildo to join the ranks on a free transfer. The Mackems have also agreed a £17m move to sign Noah Sadiki. Talk about making a stamp in the transfer window.

Regis Le Bris’ men won’t be stopping here, however, as a promising Premier League starlet is now tipped to make the switch to Wearside to boost Sunderland’s numbers even more.

Sunderland in race to sign Premier League starlet

As per a report by Football.London, the newly promoted side now find themselves in an intense race to snap up Chelsea youngster Ishe Samuels-Smith this summer.

It’s stated that the Stamford Bridge teenager is very highly rated by those at Enzo Maresca’s outfit, but the Blues want Samuels-Smith to gain more experience of the men’s game, away from solely playing on youth pitches in West London.

It’s clear that he is in Chelsea’s long-term plans when you further consider he penned a new contract recently stretching out until 2031. But, for now, it’s between the Black Cats, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Stoke for his coveted loan signature, with all four teams pushing to sign the youngster after holding club-to-club talks.

Sunderland’s well-known reputation for getting more out of youngsters – as seen in Jobe Bellingham now playing for German behemoth Borussia Dortmund after honing his craft on Wearside – could sway Chelsea’s decision-making here, with Samuels-Smith also potentially going down as a more exciting move to sign off on than Reinildo.

Why Samuels-Smith is a more exciting signing than Reinildo

Whilst the Mozambique international does boast 25 Champions League appearances next to his name across his esteemed career to date, Sunderland have had great success in recent years when taking punts on up-and-coming starlets to come good.

Indeed, just last season saw the Black Cats win promotion with 17-year-old Chris Rigg at the heart of the operation, with the homegrown talent now up to seven strikes in total playing in the senior side, as four of those goals came about during Le Bris and Co’s promotion heroics.

1. Sunderland

22.4

2. Sunderland

22.7

3. Stoke City

22.7

4. Sunderland

22.9

5. Sunderland

22.9

It was seen all across the Frenchman’s various lineups last season, too, as shown looking at the table above, meaning the 19-year-old could go on to be another Rigg-like diamond for the Premier League new boys.

His numbers at youth level for Chelsea seem to push him in that direction too, with the Manchester-born defender helping himself to a promising seven assists from the left-back position across his 47 career appearances for both the Blues at U21 level and also his former side in Everton.

On the other hand, the incoming African has only managed to amass two goal contributions from the left-back spot across his entire senior career.

Of course, those were picked up in some more challenging environments than just youth football, but with Samuels-Smith also showing off an adaptable side to his game in the U21 scene by being capable of playing in the centre-back areas on top of slotting in as a left winger, it does feel as if this is a pick-up more in-keeping with Sunderland long-term, over acquiring the 30-year-old free agent.

While Reinildo will likely get more first-team minutes straight off the bat, Samuels-Smith has “incredible” potential, in the words of David Unsworth, and has been lauded as “one of England’s best [defensive] prospects” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Therefore, do not rule out Sunderland working their magic on yet another teen sensation.

Biggest talent since Le Fee: Sunderland plotting to sign £21m “phenomenon”

Sunderland could soon seal a deal that’s even bigger than Enzo Le Fee’s statement addition.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 2, 2025

By their own usual standards, it’s been a very quiet transfer window at Nottingham Forest so far – albeit while having reportedly completed the £10m capture of Botafogo striker, Igor Jesus.

During their first two seasons back in the Premier League, the Garibaldi signed 24 and then 11 more senior players, before just the ten additions were made last season.

So now, with the confirmation of Jesus’ deal seemingly imminent, are they about to ramp up their transfer business even further?

Nottingham Forest chasing defensive reinforcements

Of course, following last season’s seventh-place finish, Nottingham Forest are preparing to feature in European competition for the first time since 1995/96, dumped out by Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Cup back then.

This time, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are currently scheduled to feature in the Conference League, although they could be catapulted into the Europa League, if Crystal Palace are thrown out of the competition due to multi-club ownership rules.

Either way, they’re going to have exponentially more matches to content with, so will require a bigger squad, hence why a report by Turkish outlet Fanatik claims Forest are lining up a £13m offer for centre-back Arseniy Batagov, albeit with his club Trabzonspor holding out for closer to £17m.

The 23-year-old Ukrainian began his senior career at Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, before joining Zorya Luhansk, making 63 appearances for them and catching the eye of Trabzonspor, who signed him for around £1.5m a year ago.

Transfer Focus

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

Batagov has earned international recognition too, starting all three of Ukraine’s matches at last summer’s Olympic Games, before also doing the same at last month’s U21 Euros, captaining his country against the Netherlands in Prešov.

So now, could he be on his way to the City Ground?

How Arseniy Batahov would improve Nottingham Forest

Despite their run to the FA Cup semi-finals, Nottingham Forest played just 44 matches across all competitions last season, while there is the potential for them to play 17 in Europe alone this time round, should they get all the way to the final, so more options will be required.

Fair to say, Nuno’s starting centre-backs remained settled throughout the campaign, as the table below outlines.

Appearances

36

37

26

6

Starts

36

37

6

1

Minutes

3,330

3,188

907

150

% of total mins

93.2%

97.4%

26.5%

4.4%

Club rank for mins

3rd

2nd

14th

21st

In short, what the table emphasises is the fact that Nikola Milenković and Murillo played almost every minute of every game last season, which is understandable, given that Adrian Clarke of the Premier League argued that they were the best pairing in the division.

Morato, meantime, was primarily used alongside the aforementioned duo when Nuno switched to a back three, often in-game, while fourth-choice option Willy Boly saw 250 minutes fewer than James Ward-Prowse, despite the fact he returned to West Ham in January, underlining his lack of importance.

This time, however, Milenković and Murillo cannot start, potentially in excess of, 60 games, so a capable deputy will be required.

Well, Batahov appears to have the attributes to be that player, described as “quality” by Hayatımız Futbol, who also praise his “positioning” and “play-making ability” from the back. Like Murillo, the promising left-footer typically operates at left centre-back.

Meantime, he has also been labelled as Ukraine’s next ‘promising prodigy’, making 23 appearances for Trabzonspor this season, most notably starting May’s Türkiye Kupası Final against Galatasaray, as his side were beaten 3-0 in Gaziantep.

Batahov scored en route to the final against İskenderunspor, but his campaign was largely hampered by various injuries, although it says something about his quality that there is still Premier League interest in him.

Like Murillo, when he arrived from Corinthians for a reported £15m two summers ago after making just 27 appearances for the Brazilian side, not too much is known about Batahov.

That said, this wildcard move, in the mould of Murillo’s capture, could lead to a repeat success, as the Ukrainian certainly has the potential to improve and become a star, just as his potential future teammate has done at the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest now ready to make £21m offer for "superb" midfielder

The Tricky Trees are now prepared to make an opening bid for a midfielder, having recently made contact over a potential deal.

ByDominic Lund Jul 1, 2025

Sunderland are now close to reaching an agreement over the signing of an “absolutely sensational” player, according to a key update from journalist Loic Jego.

Perhaps the major piece of Black Cats transfer business that has emerged recently is their pursuit of OGC Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, who is considered a top summer target.

Sunderland are believed to be in talks with the 25-year-old over a move to the Stadium of Light, as Regis Le Bris strengthens his options between the sticks ahead of his side’s return to the Premier League in August.

A five-cap Poland international, Bulka has plenty of pedigree as a top-level player, and Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique is an admirer, calling him “superb” after coming up against him in Ligue 1.

Sunderland supporters will surely be keen on seeing the Pole complete a move to the club as soon as possible, and now a fresh update has emerged regarding their interest in him.

Sunderland close to agreement with Bulka

Now, according to Jego on X, an agreement between Sunderland and Bulka is now “imminent”, as the Black Cats close in on a new signing.

This is fantastic news for Sunderland, who know the importance of doing significant transfer business, in order to avoid a swift return to the Championship next season.

Bulka now has made 73 appearances in Ligue 1, as well as enjoying six Europa League outings, while scout Jacek Kulig has lauded the Nice stopper as an “absolutely sensational” goalkeeper.

In Anthony Patterson, Sunderland already have one excellent option in goal, with the Englishman such an influential presence last season, starting 45 of his side’s 46 Championship matches, but there have been teams sniffing around for his signature.

Competition for places is vital in the Premier League anyway however, and Le Bris will know that he has to be ruthless in leaving good players in reserve, assuming the latter stays at the club this summer.

He'd be amazing with Bulka: Sunderland in the race to sign £7m sensation

Sunderland could really improve their defensive options by landing this star alongside Marcin Bulka.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 27, 2025

Bulka feels like a signing of intent for Sunderland, and there is still plenty of time for the Black Cats to complete further business between now and the end of the transfer window.

It’s happened. It’s finally happened. Liverpool have agreed a deal with Bayer Leverkusen for the transfer of Florian Wirtz.

Though the saga feels to have dragged on somewhat over the past several weeks, sporting director Richard Hughes has been engineering a British-record deal, juggling other significant transfers besides.

While the minutiae still need to be sorted out, Liverpool have “verbally agreed a deal in principle”, reports transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, with a “move now imminent.”

Rumours pertaining to Luis Diaz’s summer sale are persisting, with Barcelona determined to get the deal over the line, and thus, the agreement has come at the perfect time.

Attacking midfield

163

51

57

Centre-forward

11

4

4

Right winger

11

4

3

Left winger

9

2

3

Central midfield

5

0

3

However, Wirtz isn’t really a wide player, even though his dribbling skills are among the finest in the business. Indeed, if the Colombian does go, FSG may need to dip their toes right back into the transfer market.

Why Liverpool want a winger

Diaz showcased his wonderful skills on international duty for Colombia. He scored a sensational solo goal, all fleet feet and party tricks to outplay the Argentine defenders, and perhaps reminded Liverpool fans that it would take some doing to find an upgrade.

Diaz is 28 and entering the next-to-last year of his Liverpool contract. Barcelona made a recent approach and were rebuffed, but their interest remains and Liverpool, while publicly stressing their desire to keep the winger, would entertain the right offer for sure.

It’s understood the Reds would entertain offers ranging between £60m and £70m this summer. Lowballers would find themselves incurring the wrath of Liverpool’s obstinance, with FSG willing to run down the South American’s contract, making use of the prime years of his career.

However, if Liverpool do lose Diaz, they will need to find a replacement. Anthony Gordon’s name has floated about, but Slot and Richard Hughes seem to have an even better fit in mind.

Liverpool join race for star winger

As per Football Insider, Liverpool are interested in signing AC Milan’s Rafael Leao this summer; after the Serie A side’s wretched campaign, missing out on Europe, they may reluctantly sell.

With Liverpool’s scouts having kept a close eye on the 26-year-old, a deal may be forthcoming in the coming months, although a number of Premier League clubs – Arsenal have been namechecked – are also in the running. Milan would be looking to bank around £64m from the player’s sale.

Gordon has also been named as a potential option, but the Portuguese winger perhaps has a higher ceiling, and who better to help him reach it than Slot?

Why Liverpool want Rafael Leao

Ryan Gravenberch was crowned the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year for 2024/25, refashioned as he was into a deep-lying, counter-pressing number six.

Slot made his clock start ticking, a priceless success after FSG failed to convince the now Arsenal-bound Martin Zubimendi to leave his beloved mountains in the Basque Country (no bitterness at all from us Liverpool fans here).

Given the improvements Cody Gakpo underwent last term, Leao would be understood to want to leap at the chance to join Slot’s project.

Praised for his “world-class ability” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Leao has been one of Italian football’s standout players for several years, hitting 12 goals and 13 assists across all competitions last season in spite of his side’s struggles.

In Serie A alone, Sofascore record that he has averaged 1.4 dribbles and key passes per fixture, as well as 4.5 successful duels per game.

Gordon’s no stranger to a combative sequence himself, but is it fair to say that Leao boasts more completeness in his application? Writer Theo Mwangi even went as far as to dub the Iberian native a “superstar” when he’s on his A-game.

Regressing in terms of output, Gordon might not have had the best year on Tyneside, but in 2023/24, he was awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Season award after notching 28 goal contributions across all competitions.

However, football is more than just goals and assists, especially for wingers (Diaz would be among the first to attest to that), and Leao has showcased across the past year a more robust and effective underlying skill set than that of his English counterpart.

Goals

0.32

0.22

Assists

0.26

0.18

Shots taken

2.37

2.11

Shot-creating actions

4.13

3.73

Touches (att pen)

6.15

4.73

Progressive passes

3.58

3.62

Progressive carries

4.74

4.47

Successful take-ons

2.83

1.41

Gordon might declare himself a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, but he needs to be more active and incisive with his natural skills, for Leao has thoroughly outstripped him since the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign.

Given that Newcastle would be looking for payment in the ballpark of £80m, it’s clear that Leao would be the better pick, cheaper and perhaps more suited to Slot’s intense playing style.

Both players need to hit richer veins of consistency to step up and become part of the true elite, but Diaz has been a bona fide success on Merseyside, and he’s not exactly blessed with the potency of Mohamed Salah.

FBref’s data has even drawn AC Milan’s star up as being a statistically similar player to Liverpool’s Colombian maverick, so replacing him with Leao seems like something of a no-brainer.

Liverpool have some thinking to do over the coming weeks. It’s worth reiterating that all this will only come into play if Diaz is sold – and if he is, there’s no better replacement out there than Leao.

He'd be better than Gyokeres: Liverpool hold talks to sign "the new Mbappe"

Liverpool are looking to sign a new striker in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 10, 2025

Leeds United have already been linked with plenty of potential signings in the summer transfer window, which opened for business last Sunday.

The Whites know that they will need to recruit well ahead of a season in the Premier League, and that has been reflected in the transfer links that have cropped up.

Tottenham Hotspur central midfielder Yves Bissouma, Hamburg centre-forward Davie Selke, and Newcastle United number nine Callum Wilson are just three names that have been reported as targets for the club in recent days.

Whether or not the Whites will be able to get any of those deals over the line remains to be seen, though, as it is all speculation at this moment in time.

One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road this summer is winger Manor Solomon, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon permanently

It was reported last month that the Israel international would be interested in speaking to the club about a permanent move to West Yorkshire after his initial loan spell, but there has not been an update on Leeds making an official approach for him since then.

It could, though, make a lot of sense for the West Yorkshire outfit to pursue a deal to bring Solomon back to the club on a permanent basis, because of how well he performed in the Championship.

The 25-year-old wizard, who is heading into the peak years of his career, joined on loan from Spurs last summer and established himself as the first-choice option on the left flank for Daniel Farke on the way to the title.

Solomon showcased an ability to provide goals and assists on a regular basis from a left wing position, albeit he is largely unproven in the Premier League, with just four goals in 24 top-flight matches in his career to date.

Appearances

39

xG

8.15

Goals

10

Big chances created

21

Key passes per game

1.7

Assists

12

Dribbles completed per game

1.8

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs winger delivered 22 goals and assists in 39 appearances, which was a very respectable return for the forward.

This is why he could be an exciting addition for Leeds ahead of the Premier League season, as he has shown that he can provide plenty of quality in the final third in a Farke system.

However, Leeds are now being linked with another left-sided attacker who could come in as an even better signing than Solomon for Farke this summer.

Brazilian forward open to Leeds United transfer

According to LeedsLive, Feyenoord attacker Igor Paixao is open to a transfer to Leeds United in the summer transfer window, if an offer comes in for him.

The report claims that the Brazilian winger would be willing to consider a move to Elland Road if the club came in with personal terms that could convince him to make the switch.

Transfer Focus

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

LeedsLive, however, adds that Leeds have yet to make contact over a deal for the Eredivisie sensation, which means that any transfer is still in the very early stages.

It has been reported earlier this summer that Feyenoord are reportedly looking for a fee of £34m for the 24-year-old winger, who has also been linked with a move to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Whilst the Whites have yet to make contact with the Dutch giants over a deal for the Brazilian wing wizard, it should come as good news that the player is open to making the move to Elland Road if the option is there this summer.

With this in mind, the 49ers could forget about Solomon, despite him still being an attractive target, by bringing Paixao in as an even better signing.

Why Igor Paixao would be better than Manor Solomon

Firstly, it is worth bearing in mind that Leeds are likely to be competing at the bottom end of the table, battling against relegation, in the Premier League.

This means that what their wingers can offer defensively will also be important, as they will need to track back to help their full-back out when the team is under pressure at times.

Solomon averaged 1.1 tackles and interceptions per game in the Championship this season, whilst Paixao averaged 1.7 tackles and interceptions per match in the Eredivisie. This suggests that the Brazilian star could offer more out of possession than the Spurs loanee did, by making more defensive interventions each game.

However, there is also the in-possession element of what they can offer in the Premier League, and the £34m-rated attacker’s performances in the Eredivisie suggest that he could be an exciting addition for Leeds.

Paixao delivered 18 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for Feyenoord this term, after a return of 12 goals and three assists in the 2023/24 campaign, and was particularly impressive in the Dutch top-flight.

Appearances

34

39

xG

10.56

8.15

Goals

16

10

Big chances created

12

21

Key passes per game

2.1

1.7

Assists

10

12

As you can see in the table above, the Leeds target produced more goals and assists combined and made more key passes per game than Solomon did for the Whites in the Championship, whilst playing in a top-flight European league instead of a second tier.

Paixao, dubbed an “electric” player by one scout on X, could arrive at Elland Road to provide a greater threat in front of goal, particularly as a goalscorer, than the Israel international.

Neither of them are entirely proven in the Premier League, though, but the Feyenoord star’s output in a respected European league in the Netherlands suggests that he would be an even better signing than Solomon.

Way better than Aaronson: Leeds eyeing move for "infectious" EFL "standout"

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who would be way better than Brenden Aaronson.

ByDan Emery May 30, 2025

It is now down to Leeds to take advantage of the winger reportedly being open to a move to Elland Road to win the race for his signature before the end of the summer transfer window to bolster Farke’s squad.

There might be another 90 minutes to play, but for most Arsenal fans, the season is now done.

Instead of looking forward to what is now a pretty meaningless Premier League game on Sunday afternoon, supporters are beginning to dream about what the club might do in the summer transfer window.

After all, after last year, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta has a big job on his hands convincing them that the board are prepared to go all in to finally get the club over the line next season.

Fortunately, recent reports have now touted an international superstar for a move to the Gunners, someone who is just the sort of signing fans have been crying out for and someone who’d be a dream addition for Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal transfer news

The last few weeks have seen Arsenal linked to a plethora of incredibly talented footballers, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could end up costing the club as little as £55m if reports are to be believed, which may well be one of the deals of the summer, as in just 51 games this term, he has scored 53 goals and provided 13 assists.

Eze, on the other hand, will cost around £68m due to a release clause in his current deal, although again, thanks to his ability to play in multiple positions and the fact he’s racked up 25 goal involvements in 42 games this season, makes that fee seem more than reasonable.

However, to really help take the team to another level and across the finishing line next season, Arteta and Co may want to sign a bonafide superstar, someone like Rodrygo.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal are “now seriously considering” moving for the Real Madrid star.

The journalist has revealed that talks have already “begun behind the scenes” and that the deal is “on.”

The report does not mention a price, but according to other stories from earlier this month, the Brazilian winger could be available for around £85m.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get done, but given Rodrygo’s stature and ability, it’s one worth pushing the boat out for, especially as it would seriously help Saka as well.

Why Rodrygo would be a dream signing for Saka

So, if Arsenal are able to get the deal done and bring Rodryo to the Emirates this summer, just why would his signing be such a good thing for Saka?

Well, the first thing is that he’d finally be able to take some of the burden off his shoulders, as not only is he a natural left-winger, but he’s one who knows just where the goal is.

Said to be among the “best players in the world” by Carlo Ancelotti, in 52 appearances last season, he scored 18 goals and provided nine assists in 52 games, which worked out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.92 games.

Then this season, even though Los Blancos have struggled more, he’s still managed to put up impressive numbers of 13 goals and 10 assists in 50 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.17 games.

For context, Gabriel Martinelli has scored ten goals and provided six assists in as many games, and Leandro Trossard has scored ten goals and provided nine assists in 55 games.

Appearances

50

50

55

Minutes

3290′

3493′

3428′

Goals

13

10

10

Assists

10

6

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.32

0.34

Minutes per Goal Involvement

143.04′

218.31′

180.42′

So, with someone as effective as the Brazilian off the left, the Gunners mercurial number seven wouldn’t have to do quite as much himself, which could help him perform better.

The next significant benefit to signing the Real ace is that he’s more than comfortable playing off the right as well, so Arteta could more easily rest the Hale End superstar and help prevent him from suffering any more serious injuries.

Finally, during his time in Madrid, the Osasco-born dynamo has won everything there is to win in the club game, from league titles to the Champions League, so his know-how in those tense must-win games could finally help the North Londoners get over the line next season, and in turn, help Saka achieve his dreams of leading the team to glory.

Ultimately, while he’ll cost them a pretty penny, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Rodrygo this summer, as not only would he help elevate the whole team, but he could also be the perfect teammate for Saka.

Arteta has struck gold on Arsenal star worth millions more than Mbeumo

Bryan Mbeumo has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 21, 2025

Manchester City are yet to solve one of the most difficult issues that will present itself to a Premier League side this summer: how do they replace Kevin De Bruyne? The Belgian legend will depart the Etihad Stadium at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, after years of success.

He has played 419 times for the Citizens, scoring 108 goals and providing an extraordinary 177 assists. Of course, the real highlight for De Bruyne in that famous Sky Blue shirt was the treble success of 2022/23, which included the club’s first Champions League title.

Pep Guardiola’s side appear to be lining up potential replacements, ahead of the summer window, with a handful of names already being thrown into the mix.

Man City's search to replace De Bruyne

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported on Tuesday evening that Guardiola’s side ‘have contacted AC Milan to express interest’ in Dutchman Tijjani Reijnders.

Ornstein outlined that no formal offer has yet been made, although early talks are underway for the playmaker – with that news coming amid prior links to both Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz.

Transfer Focus

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

One Premier League star who could also be in demand this summer, meanwhile, is Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze. The England international has had yet another impressive campaign for the Eagles, and could be in line to depart the club this summer.

According to a recent report from Football Insider, City are the side who are perhaps best placed to sign Eze. If the London-born star performs well against City in this weekend’s FA Cup final, the club could ‘launch an approach to sign the midfielder as soon as possible’.

However, Eze, who has a £60m release clause in his contract, will also be a target for other English top-flight clubs. Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa could all make a move for the England international this summer.

Why Eze would be a good signing

It has been yet another standout season in South London for 26-year-old Eze, who has been a key man under Oliver Glasner. The attacking midfielder has helped his side to an FA Cup final this weekend against City, where they can qualify for Europe with a win.

Eze has made 40 appearances across all competitions this term and has chipped in with an impressive 12 goals and 11 assists. In four FA Cup appearances, he has managed to find the back of the net three times and has provided one goal for his teammates.

The recent form from the Palace number 10 is perhaps exactly why City want to bring him to East Manchester this summer. In the last seven Premier League games, he has managed seven goal involvements, with five of those goals, including two against Spurs last weekend.

Whilst Eze has shown excellent form of late and could be subject to a bid from City soon, he is evidently not the only target they have to replace De Bruyne, amid those reports surrounding Reijnders.

Just as Eze has been important for Palace this season, so too has Reijnders in that famous Black and Red shirt of the Rossoneri.

He has 15 goals and five assists in 51 games, which is fewer goal contributions than the Eagles star has in more games.

Reijnders was once described as “one of the best ball-carrying midfielders on the planet” by Statman Dave. When looking at the stats on FBref for both the Dutchman and Eze, it is perhaps clear what City are looking for.

That is to say, Guardiola seems like he would like to add more ball-carrying prowess to his side. As the stats show, Eze averages 2.29 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, compared to Reijnders’ 1.1 successful take-ons each game.

Key passes

1.96

1.34

Goal-creating actions

4.68

3.27

Take-ons completed

2.29

1.1

Progressive carries

2.39

3.32

Ball recoveries

4.89

3.35

Described as a “magic” player by football analyst Antonio Mango, Eze could be an excellent alternative to Reijnders for City this summer. He fits the ball-carrying profile Guardiola seems to want, whilst also bringing goals and assists.

For a fee of £60m, this seems like it could be an excellent deal for City, and could really increase the quality they have in attacking areas.

Big Rico Lewis upgrade: Man City agree personal terms with young target

Manchester City are closing in on a star who could be a big upgrade on Rico Lewis.

ByDan Emery May 12, 2025

Liverpool are looking for reinforcements to strengthen their argument to continue winning silverware and they are now looking to fend off stiff competition for one of South America’s most talented youngsters.

Liverpool kickstart their summer transfer business

The Premier League trophy will arrive at Anfield in a matter of weeks and there is little to be despondent about among the Reds’ support, who have taken to Arne Slot after the Dutchman’s magnificent debut season in charge.

Internally, Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have signed extensions to continue their association with Liverpool. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future remains unsolved amid heavy links claiming the Three Lions international could join Real Madrid.

While the wait goes on regarding his long-term plans, Liverpool are eyeing a move for Celtic forward Daizen Maeda to strengthen their forward line following an excellent season for the Japan international north of the border.

Reds scouts have also ran the rule over Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers and it is anticipated that they could make a move to bring the former Manchester City man to Anfield.

Rayan Ait-Nouri is on the radar to provide competition for Andy Robertson after another solid campaign for the Wolverhampton Wanderers man, even if he would cost around £51 million to lure from the West Midlands.

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Liverpool are set for a shopping spree this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 1, 2025

Several other names will continue to do the rounds and plenty of transfer scenarios are set to be thrown around in connection with Liverpool, given their status as reigning champions under Slot. Tapping into that theme, the Reds have now made an approach to sign one of South America’s brightest talents once the window opens.

Liverpool make transfer approach for Flamengo's Wesley

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool have made ‘informal approaches’ to Flamengo over Wesley as they look to land the Brazilian star following over a year of scouting the full-back. Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona are also in contention to sign the 21-year-old, who the Reds see as an ideal successor to Alexander-Arnold should he depart this summer.

Wesley in 2025 – Serie A

Tackles won

9

Successful crosses

8

Completed dribbles

8

Recoveries

28

Goals

0

Assists

1

Chelsea are preparing an opening offer of around £17 million for his signature. However, Flamengo are looking to recoup a fee nearer the £29.7 million mark. Negotiations are expected to pick up pace during the Club World Cup.

Labelled “exceptional” by Felipe Luis, the Brazil international has made 125 appearances for Flamengo in total, registering three goals and five assists. His agent has travelled to England previously to hold talks with Manchester City and Liverpool surrounding a potential transfer, suggesting that there could be legs to this story from more than one angle.

Conceivably, the Reds stand a good chance of landing Wesley due to their position as Premier League title holders. Nevertheless, it will be up to the player himself to determine his next career step.

Everton’s winless run against Manchester City continues as Pep Guardiola’s side scored twice in the final ten minutes to secure victory.

Not since a 4-0 victory during the 2016/17 season have the Toffees tasted success against the Etihad side, although they did come close to sealing a draw at Goodison this afternoon.

David Moyes’ men held out resolutely throughout the match, but in the end, City’s quality shone through as goals from Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic stole the three points.

With Premier League survival sealed, Moyes can now experiment over the final few matches of the campaign.

Against City, several players starred, whereas others struggled to make much of an impact.

Everton’s best and worst players against Man City

Before coming off with an injury, James Tarkowski enjoyed a solid display. He won 100% of his total duels contested, along with losing possession just four times. Would Everton have lost if he had still been on the pitch? Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Elsewhere, Abdoulaye Doucoure looked solid after netting a late winner last week. He succeeded with all four of his dribble attempts while winning 50% of his total duels during the game.

These two were the standouts, but a few of the starting XI struggled to contribute much. Jack Harrison delivered yet another poor performance on the right wing. He failed to deliver a single accurate cross from five attempts, lost possession 13 times and made just one key pass.

Accurate passes

Ruben Dias (97)

Key passes

İlkay Gündoğan and Omar Marmoush (2)

Tackles

James Garner (6)

Ground duels won

James Garner (7)

Successful dribble attempts

Omar Marmoush (5)

Armando Broja was by far the worst performer in an Everton shirt at Goodison today, however, that’s for sure.

Why Armando Broja must be axed by David Moyes

The on-loan striker had made just nine Premier League appearances prior to the City clash as he has been hampered by injury issues.

Indeed, he was making only his third start for the Toffees at Goodison today, but he failed to offer much threat in the final third.

Throughout his 63 minutes on the pitch, Broja completed just four passes while taking 22 touches, 30 fewer than Jordan Pickford in goal. The Albanian even failed to register a single shot at goal while winning just a single ground duel and losing the ball 14 times.

Moyes must axe the striker, as he offers no major threat when chosen to start as a centre-forward.

Journalist Chris Beesley of the Liverpool Echo gave the striker a match rating of 5/10, stating that he ‘worked hard to try and make an impression but needed to be stronger as little stuck before he was hooked again’, yet this simply wasn’t good enough for Moyes.

His loan deal expires at the end of the current season, and given his current form, he will return to Chelsea ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Chalkboard

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Beto replaced him during the City clash, and going forward, he should be the one to start games under Moyes. That’s a certainty.

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Moyes wants both in the door.

2 BySean Markus Clifford Apr 18, 2025

An “unbelievable” Everton player has provided a significant update on his future at the club, saying he is open to signing a contract extension.

Another impressive Everton result under Moyes

The Blues picked up one of their best results since David Moyes returned as manager, winning 1-0 away to third-place Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Abdoulaye Doucoure scored the only goal of the game in the dying seconds, netting a 94th-minute winner amid scenes of joy among the travelling Everton supporters.

Moyes continues to do a superb job in his second stint in charge at Goodison Park, steering his team comfortably away from the relegation zone, and he will now be eyeing the right summer signings to come in and take the Blues up a further level next season.

Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin is one player who has been linked with a move to Everton recently, following an impressive season that has seen him score three goals and register two assists in the Championship. Feyenoord centre-back David Hancko is another rumoured target for the Merseysiders, as they eye potential replacements for Jarrad Branthwaite, should he depart this summer.

Everton hero drops big update on his future

Speaking on Match of the Day on Saturday night [via Goodison News], Doucoure claimed that he would “love” to stay at Everton beyond this season, saying he is open to signing a new deal:

“I can’t talk too much about that but obviously you know it may be my last few months here at the moment. Everything is quiet from the club side. Obviously I love the club, I always said. Let’s see what happens in the next couple of weeks.”

When further pressed about signing a new deal with the Blues, he added: “Why not? To be honest I love this club. I always said I wanted to stay. Obviously my contract is running out but I love the club.”

The £130,000-a-week Doucoure is a vital player for Everton, as highlighted by his winner at the City Ground on Saturday, so the majority of supporters would surely love to see him stay on.

The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of this season, and while he isn’t getting any younger, a new deal makes complete sense, given his continued influence.

Doucoure has been such an asset for Everton so long, not least after he scored the goal that kept them in the Premier League against Bournemouth in 2022/23, leading to Jamie Carragher to heap praise on him:

“Unbelievable goal. He’s had a huge influence on the team since he’s come back into the team under Sean Dyche. You think of how many special goals Everton have scored to get them big points, we’ve seen another one today that’s got Everton three points.”

Moyes must instantly drop Everton star who lost the ball every 2 touches

Everton sealed a late victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

1 ByRoss Kilvington Apr 13, 2025

Doucoure has made it clear that he is keen to stay on at Everton, so it’s now a case of The Friedkin Group giving him what he wants, within reason.