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Glasgow Rangers supporters have been getting excited about the prospect of watching Djeidi Gassama week-in-week-out at Ibrox in the 2025/26 campaign.

The 21-year-old winger announced himself as a Gers star in the making with two goals in his first two games against Panathinaikos in the club’s Champions League qualifiers.

Gassama stepped up to the occasion in both matches to score off the bench and was rewarded with his full debut against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Unfortunately, though, the summer signing from Sheffield Wednesday was unable to make it three goals in as many games at Fir Park in the 1-1 draw.

Why Djeidi Gassama struggled against Motherwell

The 21-year-old forward thrived off the bench against Panathinaikos because the Greek side needed to get back into the match and were committing men forward, providing him with space to exploit on the left flank.

Motherwell, however, were more than willing to sit deep and soak up pressure, which meant that he did not have as much space to work with in the game.

Gassama failed to score and only created one chance in 83 minutes on the pitch, but it was not all his fault. Having right-footed Max Aarons at left-back meant that the Frenchman did not have any overlapping threat to create space for him.

Transfer Focus

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

This is why Rangers need to sign a natural left-back in order to unlock Gassama’s full potential, and Monaco full-back Kassoum Ouattara could be the ideal addition.

Why Rangers should sign Kassoum Ouattara

The Light Blues have reportedly already made contact with the Ligue 1 side to discuss a potential deal for the 20-year-old starlet, who could come in as the dream partner for Gassama down the left flank.

Having a naturally left-footed player who wants to attack down the flank would help Russell Martin’s side to break down teams sat in a low block because it would cause the opposition’s full-back to decide between going with the run on the outside or staying close to the winger.

Of course, it cannot just be any left-footed left-back, though, because they have to offer enough of a threat going forward to be considered a threat by the opposition in order to open space for Gassama.

Ouattara only played 12 times in Ligue 1 for Monaco in the 2024/25 campaign, but the French youth international showcased his creative skills in his limited minutes on the pitch.

xA

0.29

Top 5%

Chances created

1.38

Top 17%

Successful crosses

1.62

Top 7%

Cross accuracy

41.2%

Top 9%

Successful dribbles

1.15

Top 12%

Assists

0.23

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, the Rangers transfer target has the potential to be an exceptional attacking threat down the left wing with overlapping runs, as he is an efficient and effective crosser who can create high-quality chances for his teammates.

The left-back, who has been described as a “very offensive” full-back by writer Kai Watson, would be able to draw attention away from Gassama and, therefore, create more space for the winger to work with.

This could help to unlock the former Owls star’s full potential at Ibrox, as he would not be overrun by opposition defenders because of the lack of support from Aarons when teams sit in deep.

It is now down to Rangers to get a deal done for Ouattara in the coming weeks, because the talented and attack-minded full-back could be a dream addition to bomb down the left flank in support of Gassama this season.

Newcastle United must act swiftly if they are to have a squad strong enough to compete in both the Premier League and Champions League next term.

So far, only Anthony Elanga has made the move to the Magpies this summer. That was an excellent piece of business, but more is required for Eddie Howe.

There has been no shortage of links, that’s for sure, but other clubs have beaten them to the punch for players such as Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitiké and Bryan Mbeumo.

Although adding another striker or two to the squad is a priority for the manager, there are other areas which could do with strengthening.

Newcastle's search for a new midfielder

The midfield area has not been earmarked for improvement, especially not compared to the attacking and defensive departments at the club.

Transfer Focus

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

That’s not to say Howe won’t consider a move for someone who could offer the right qualities, however.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Newcastle are looking at the possibility of bringing Conor Gallagher back to the Premier League this summer.

That being said, the Toon face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, with Thomas Frank said to be an admirer.

The player’s agent has already started putting the feelers out to determine the midfielder’s options but he would ideally stay with Atletico Madrid if he had the choice.

The Atleti star could be available for around £50m, which might be tempting for Howe. The manager can call on several midfield options, but adding in Gallagher could be a wise move, particularly considering the former Chelsea man offers the same sort of qualities as Bruno Guimaraes.

Why Newcastle must sign Conor Gallagher

Guimaraes is the fulcrum behind this Newcastle side that not only won the League Cup last term, but also secured a Champions League place for the second time in three seasons.

He scored five goals and grabbed eight assists throughout 2024/25, and Howe will be looking for him to continue this fine form into next season.

Gallagher may have played 50 times for Atletico, but only 27 of those came from the starting XI. He has qualities similar to Guimaraes, however, especially when comparing their stats from the 2023/24 Premier League season.

That term, Guimaraes was the most comparable player, via FBRef, to Gallagher, and they both performed well.

Metric

Guimaraes

Gallagher

Goals

7

5

Assists

8

7

Big chances created

12

11

Tackles per game

2.4

2.3

Total duels won per game

7.7

5.7

Key passes per game

1.7

1.4

The pair also registered similar statistics with regard to goals and assists (12 vs 15), shots per 90 (1.38 vs 1.32), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.14 vs 3.94), tackles won (52 vs 53), successful take-on percentage (58.5% vs 54.5%) and touches in the attacking penalty area (79 vs 75) domestically that season.

On this evidence, Gallagher would be an excellent signing, offering Howe the all-round package in the middle of the park that Guimaraes also provides.

Not only can he contribute in the final third, but the Englishman is more than able to chip in defensively and help his team off the ball.

He was even hailed as a “machine” by former Chelsea teammate Moises Caicedo, signifying how important he was to their style of play.

Will Howe be willing to shell out £50m for a midfielder when he is in urgent need of a striker and defender this summer? Only time will tell, but Gallagher would certainly be worth the money.

Newcastle send scouts to watch "electric" star who'd be their very own Gakpo

He has impressed with his end product of late.

ByHenry Jackson Jul 21, 2025

Fair to say, this transfer window has not exactly gone to plan for Newcastle United.

Anthony Elanga has arrived from Nottingham Forest for a reported fee of £55m, which is certainly an exciting addition.

However, now that James Trafford is poised to re-join Manchester City, the Magpies have now missed out on seven key targets, with Hugo Ekitiké, Liam Delap, João Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Dean Huijsen all choosing to go elsewhere.

There’s also the small matter of their best player, seemingly, going on strike to force through a move, more on that in just a second, hence why Eddie Howe is in the market searching for a striker.

Newcastle's search for a new striker

As you may have pieced together by now, according to a report by Chris Waugh of the Athletic, Alexander Isak has not travelled with the rest of the squad to Asia for pre-season friendlies in Singapore and Korea Republic.

The club statement claims he is nursing a groin injury, but George Caulkin of the Athletic outlines the Sweden international’s desire to leave and join an ‘elite team’, with a move to Liverpool his preference.

Thus, as they commence their striker search, Craig Hope of the Daily Mail reports that Newcastle have added Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson to their list of targets.

The Blues have already signed both Liam Delap and João Pedro for £30m and £55m respectively this summer, so Matt Law of the Telegraph claims Jackson is available for sale, with Chris Burns of Football.London adding that the Senegalese international is valued at around £80m.

So, could Jackson soon swap West London for the North East?

How Nicolas Jackson would improve Newcastle

Despite often being much maligned, Jackson’s scoring record since joining Chelsea two summers ago is pretty impressive, bagging 30 goals in 81 appearances for the club, including netting both times Newcastle have visited Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch praised his “unbelievable” performances, while Liam Twomey and Mark Carey of the Athletic document his ‘excellent’ pressing, making him ‘a big part’ of how the team play.

Similarly, Ed Dove of ESPN outlines how the Blues’ form waned while Jackson was injured, praising the striker’s ‘broader contribution… without the ball’ as well as his ‘self-sacrifice and relentless running’, becoming the first Chelsea player to reach double figures for Premier League goals in successive seasons since Didier Drogba.

Should he move to Newcastle, Jackson would be following in the footsteps of a pair of fellow Senegalese strikers who are certainly remembered fondly on Tyneside.

During the 2011/12 season, spearheaded by Papiss Cissé and Demba Ba, the Magpies finished fifth under Alan Pardew, just two years after being promoted from the Championship, and both strikers were on fire.

Alexander Isak

2024/25

23

Alexander Isak

2023/24

21

Callum Wilson

2022/23

18

Loïc Rémy

2013/14

14

Demba Ba

2012/13

13

Demba Ba

2011/12

16

Papiss Cissé

2011/12

13

Alan Shearer

2003/04

22

Alan Shearer

2002/03

17

Alan Shearer

2001/02

23

Alan Shearer

1999/00

23

Alan Shearer

1998/99

14

Alan Shearer

1996/97

25

Les Ferdinand

1996/97

16

As the table outlines, 2011/12 remains the only season in which two Newcastle players have scored 13 or more Premier League goals since the heady days of 1996/97, a year the Magpies finished second.

Demba Ba, the more prolific of the duo, was ultimately sold to Chelsea for £7.5m in January 2013, so could Jackson become the reverse Ba?

Well, let’s compare the pair to find out.

Games

54

33

65

Minutes

4,399

1,533

5,050

Goals

29

7

24

Mins per goal

152

219

210

Assists

6

1

10

As the table outlines, Ba at Newcastle was marginally more prolific than Jackson has been during his time at Chelsea, scoring five more goals in around 600 fewer minutes, albeit the latter has registered more assists; the former certainly did not continue this scoring spree at Stamford Bridge all those years ago!

Nevertheless, in contrast, Jackson, at 24 years old, would surely be primed to have make immediate impact should he arrive at Newcastle, just as Ba did, hence why he should be amongst their top targets, if Isak does indeed get his wish and depart.

More prolific than Sesko: Newcastle targeting move for £87m "monster"

Newcastle are looking to bring in another striker or two this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 27, 2025

Tottenham are an extremely attractive potential destination after their Europa League triumph last season, with the prospect of Champions League football and helping to usher in Thomas Frank’s new era proving a real temptation.

Boost for Tottenham: Spurs hopeful £60m star who Frank loves will sign

There has been a positive update in Spurs’ pursuit of an “exceptional” player…

ByDominic Lund Jul 14, 2025

Frank and Spurs are already 10 days into pre-season training, as they prepare for their first friendly matches of the summer against Reading this Saturday and Luton Town a week later.

The Lilywhites then travel to Hong Kong and South Korea for their Asia pre-season tour, where they’ll be taking on north London rivals Arsenal in their first-ever derby match outside the UK on July 31, before facing off against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Bayern Munich will come as their last warm-up game of the summer before the competitive action starts, with Spurs braced for a blockbuster UEFA Super Cup clash against fellow European champions PSG midway through August.

Whilst manager Frank assesses his new team on the pitch, chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange are set to remain at work on restructuring the squad ahead of what will be a crucial Premier League season.

Tottenham have already backed Frank with the signing of Mathys Tel on a £30 million permanent deal from Bayern Munich, a £5 million move for Japanese sensation Kota Takai and the signing of star winger Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United.

After Kudus, Spurs were also set to sign Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, who was meant to have a medical last Friday, but the potential £60 million transfer is now being held up.

Forest are taking legal action against Frank’s side over what they perceive to be an illegal approach for the 25-year-old, which has seriously delayed his move down south, even though there remains an expectation that Gibbs-White will eventually seal his move to Spurs.

Those within Forest reportedly believe that they’ll be forced to green-light the Englishman’s transfer to Tottenham (Alasdair Gold), but for now, Spurs supporters are having to wait for further confirmation of their stunning £115 million Kudus and Gibbs-White double-deal.

Morgan Gibbs-White "clear" he wants to join Tottenham

Gibbs-White was a key attacking star at the City Ground last term, playing a major role in their qualification for Europe with seven goals and 10 assists in the Premier League alone, but he’s extremely keen to start a new chapter with Spurs.

As per TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, Gibbs-White has informed Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis of his firm desire to join Tottenham – making his stance “clear” behind-the-scenes amid this delay.

The former Wolves star, who Forest signed for around £43m in 2022, was forced to return to training on Monday morning as he waits for his London move to go through.

Marinakis is said to be “furious” over how Tottenham knew about Gibbs-White’s release clause, which is why Forest are complaining, but given it exists, there is little they can do to stop the player’s exit.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are confident they’ll get Gibbs-White done and dusted soon, but it is a “tense” ongoing situation.

One of the biggest priorities for Arsenal this summer is to sign a new centre forward with Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko both touted.

Yet, the Gunners must also bolster their options out wide where Bukayo Saka could do with added assistance on the right wing. Upgrades on Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, the scorers of ten goals apiece last term, could also be upgraded.

Andrea Berta has reportedly been looking at whole host of options with Premier League trio Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers all reportedly on their radar.

However, reports over the last 48 hours have suggested that Noni Madueke is now a very realistic option for Arsenal in the transfer window.

How Arsenal could strengthen out wide

The ever-reliable David Ornstein revealed to his followers on Saturday afternoon that Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Madueke.

Club-to-club talks are yet to take place but the Gunners have clearly not done a lot of work on the player side.

Chelsea are now expecting a bid from the Gunners in the forthcoming days, according to Sky Sports.

Capable of playing on the right or the left, the England international would add solid cover along the Arsenal attack, but truth be told, they can surely do better than this.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, one option is Real Madrid’s Rodrygo. They have flirted with making a move for the Brazilian for most of the window and according to prior reports, positive talks have been held regarding a move.

Reports from Spain a few days ago suggested that Arsenal were prepared to put a whopping £78m on the table to prise the winger away from the Spanish capital and it’s now been revealed that he actually fancies a move.

According to Gunners insider, Hand of Arsenal, intermediaries working with clubs in Saudi Arabia have been told that “in no uncertain terms that Rodrygo’s preference is to move to the Premier League.”

The report goes on to reveal that Arsenal is the Brazil star’s “absolute priority” if a deal can be struck with Madrid.

How Rodrygo compares to Noni Madueke

There are understandable concerns from Arsenal supporters that Madueke would be another dud Chelsea player they’ve signed.

However, he does have immense talent. The winger scored a Premier League hat-trick in 2024/25 and despite the wealth of riches available to Enzo Maresca in attack, the England international still started 27 games in the top-flight.

Yet, he’s not Rodrygo, is he? The Brazil “superstar”, as he’s been dubbed by former teammate Luka Modric, has a history of scoring plenty of goals in Spain and the best campaign of his career came back in 2022/23, when he found the net on 19 occasions.

He may have only scored six times in LaLiga throughout the last campaign but he found the net 14 times across all competitions. He also supplied 11 assists to rubberstamp his threat as a creator too.

Madueke, on the other hand, only scored 11 goals in all competitions and registered just five assists. Already, we can see that Rodrygo produces better output. But, where else does the 24-year-old Madrista thrive?

Goals per game

0.24

0.25

Assists per game

0.11

0.20

Shots *

3.54

2.52

Key passes *

1.42

2.29

Progressive passes *

3.05

5.05

Shot-creating actions *

3.50

4.95

Successful take-ons *

1.99

2.29

Progressive carries

6.81

5.28

Carries

28.4

41.5

Touches

43.4

62.6

Well, in 80% of the metrics analysed, it’s the Madrid sensation who comes out on top. Not only does he produce more goals and assists per game, but he’s just overall a much greater threat in the final third of the pitch.

Madueke does trump him for progressive carries, but that aside, there are some big wins for Arsenal’s £78m target, perhaps most notably in a creative sense, where he registered more progressive passes, shot-creating actions and key passes.

Yes, Arsenal had problems scoring goals last term but with Saka out injured, they also lacked a bit of creativity. After all, no one in the Premier League came close to matching his level of output in that regard.

Saka produced the highest number of expected assists per 90 minutes last term (0.52) in the entire division, more than even Mo Salah, who produced 0.48.

So, with Rodrygo looking a lot more like the complete package when compared to Madueke, he must be Arsenal’s biggest priority once they’ve got a striker over the line.

The dream squad Arsenal could build: £235m stars & "the new Haaland" sign

Here’s what the Arsenal squad could look like at the end of the summer.

ByMatt Dawson Jul 6, 2025

It’s now less than three weeks until Aston Villa’s pre-season schedule begins.

The Claret and Blue Army will take on neighbours Walsall at the Bescot on Wednesday 16 July, before heading to Germany where they’ll face Hansa Rostock at Ostseestadion.

Unai Emery’s team will then head stateside for a three-game series, facing Eintracht Frankfurt in Louisville and then a pair of MLS outfits, namely St. Louis City and Nashville, before returning to the Midlands for a meeting with Roma.

Before any of that, will President of Football Operations, Monchi, land any new signings?

Aston Villa targeting new attackers

As outlined by Jacob Tanswell and Gregg Evans of the Athletic, Aston Villa are in serious danger of breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules​​​​​​​, having recorded losses of £195m over the last two seasons.

Transfer Focus

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

This predicament forced them to sell, namely losing Jhon Durán back in January when Saudi came calling.

Al-Nassr paid a reported fee of £71m over the winter, with Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford arriving to replace him, albeit it’s unclear if either will be returning, following the expiration of their loans.

With Rashford certainly the less likely of the two to be back in claret and blue, John Townley of Birmingham Live is reporting that the Villans are targeting a move to sign Jesús Rodríguez.

He adds that the Real Betis winger is ‘attracting widespread interest from across Europe’, namely from RB Leipzig, Como and others.

Nevertheless, Villa are purportedly ‘confident’ of convincing Rodríguez that linking up with Emery ‘would best support his development’, with a report by Spanish outlet Marca stating that 19 year old has a €35m (around £30m) release clause.

Why Jesús Rodríguez is a bigger talent than Marcus Rashford

As alluded to earlier, it seems very unlikely that Rashford will be returning to Villa next season, despite a generally successful loan spell, in which he scored four goals and registered six assists in 17 appearances across all competitions.

Manchester United’s reported £40m price tag is seemingly putting off all potential suitors, hence why Jamie Jackson of the Guardian is reporting that Barcelona would be interested in taking Rashford on loan, but cannot sanction a permanent deal.

Thus, the Villans have seemingly turned their attention to Rodríguez, so let’s compare the duo.

Appearances

32

17

Minutes

1,739

940

Goals

3

4

Assists

2

6

Shots

1.6

1.6

Chances Created

0.6

1.7

Take-ons completed

3.1

1.7

Take-on success %

47%

34%

Touches

53

47.5

Touches in the box

6.4

5.6

As the table outlines, while Rashford’s raw data, goals and assists are better, Rodríguez’s underlying numbers are more impressive, while the pair are stylistically very different.

Rashford is about end-product, while the Spanish teenager is much more of a dribbler, as underlined by his higher take-on statistics, as well as the fact he registered more touches, both in the opposition’s penalty area and in general.

John Menzies of Football España documents how the 19-year-old enjoyed a ‘breakout season​​​​​​​’ at Betis, making his senior debut against Gévora in the Copa del Rey as recently as last Halloween.

By the end of the campaign, he had established himself as a key figure in Manuel Pellegrini’s team, starting 15 La Liga matches from 1 December onwards, as well as four matches during the Conference League knockout stages, on target during the quarter-final victory over Jagiellonia Białystok, en route to the final in Wrocław.

This summer, Rodríguez has been away at the U21 European Championships, starting and netting against Italy in Trnava, before Santi Denia’s side were dumped out by England in the quarter-finals last weekend.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him an “explosive winger”, asserting that his best attributes are his “acceleration, dribbling and work rate”.

Meantime, Luke Petty of Breaking the Lines believes the teenager is ‘already an outstanding asset’ thanks to his high-quality dribbling and ‘exceptional athleticism’, which allows him to cover ground easily, leaving him in the 99th percentile when it comes to regaining the ball via pressing, according to Statsbomb.

Thus, it is clear that Rodríguez is a highly talented youngster, perhaps even more so than Rashford, meaning he would be an excellent addition for cash-strapped Villa.

​​​​​​​

Rashford upgrade: Monchi looking to sign £68m "superstar" for Aston Villa

With Marcus Rashford seemingly unlikely to be returning to Aston Villa next season, has Unai Emery identified a “phenomenal” star as an alternative?

ByBen Gray Jun 26, 2025

Club World Cup hopefuls Benfica are set to raid Wolverhampton Wanderers should they be knocked out of the competition earlier than expected, according to a recent report.

2025 Club World Cup gets underway

The FIFA Club World Cup has been given a makeover this year, with 32 teams now qualifying for a competition that will take place every four years, just like the World Cup. Teams such as Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Manchester City have qualified from Europe, with many other teams from across the globe also participating in the USA.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

The competition got underway this weekend as Inter Miami and Al Ahly played out a goalless draw. Since then, Bayern Munich have thrashed Auckland City 10-0 and Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain have beaten Atlético Madrid 4-0.

Representing England in this competition are Chelsea and Man City, who previously won this competition back in 2023. Chelsea get their tournament underway on Monday as they face Los Angeles Football Club, while City have to wait until Wednesday when they play against Wydad Casablanca.

Benfica eyeing Pereira if booted from Club World Cup

Benfica are participating in the competition and are preparing for their opening match against Boca Juniors on Monday. Ahead of that game, The Sun reports that should Benfica flop in the Club World Cup, they will make a move for Wolves’ Vitor Pereira.

Bruno Lage is currently the manager of the Portuguese side, someone Wolves know well, given his time at Molineux. The 49-year-old is under growing pressure following last season’s performances, and should they be knocked out early, club president Rui Costa is ready to move for Pereira.

This news comes at a time when Wolves have already seen big-name players such as Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri leave to join Manchester United and Manchester City, and now their manager could be on the way out.

Games

22

Won

10

Drawn

3

Lost

9

Points

33

Points per game

1.50

Pereira arrived at Molineux in December 2024, taking charge of 25 matches, and in that time oversaw an excellent turnaround which saw Wolves go from destined for relegation to a comfortable finish at the end of the season.

The Portuguese has won 10 of his 22 Premier League matches in charge, which led to pundit and former Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer heaping huge praise on Pereira, stating what he has done has been “incredible”.

“He really has done an incredible job, the whole atmosphere on the pitch and off the pitch.

“He’s given everyone belief and confidence, made them more solid at the back. All over the park, they’re better, so he’s done a great job.”

Molineux chiefs are reportedly scrambling to tie the manager down and ward off any interest from Benfica, but fans may have a new team to root for in the revised Club World Cup given the impact it could have in the West Midlands.

Everton have been strongly linked with a move for Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker, but another Premier League player is also seen as an option.

Everton make contact over Walker signing

The Blues are looking to seal the high-profile signing of Walker this summer, with the 35-year-old allowed to leave City after a legendary stint there that has seen him win six Premier League titles.

Walker may not be the player of old, but that’s not to say that he doesn’t still have plenty to offer, and Everton would see him as an upgrade on the departing Ashley Young, as well as a player with a winning mentality and a huge amount of experience at the top level.

The fact that David Moyes has reportedly approved the transfer can only be a good thing, too, with the manager needing to have a big say in any transfer business that happens at the club this summer.

For now, it looks as though Walker may complete a move to Everton, even though there is also interest from other clubs, but different targets also need to be looked at in case the move doesn’t happen. Now, a new name has now been thrown into the hat as a potential addition for the Merseysiders.

Everton eyeing "underappreciated" Walker alternative

According to The Guardian‘s Jamie Jackson and Will Unwin, Everton are also interested in signing Fulham right-back Kenny Tete, should they decide not to strike a deal with Walker.

The 29-year-old will be a free agent at the end of this month, with his deal at Craven Cottage expiring, and he is mentioned as an option for the Blues, as are West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal and Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters.

Tete, a 14-cap Netherlands international, may not be as renowned or as explosive a player as Walker, but he is six years younger and could be an astute signing by Everton, having been lauded by pundit Robbie Mustoe for his “unsung” style of play.

“I just love the way they defend as well. Kenny Tete I think is often another one who is underappreciated. He doesn’t half do a good job, he’s a good defender, steady on the ball, I think he’s a fan favourite and he was missed last year, I think it was last year that he was out for a while. I just made a quick note about him, he was one of those unsung guys at a club that is really important to the way they defend.”

Appearances

22

15

Starts

21

9

Minutes played

1779

967

Clearances per game

2.8

0.7

Tackles per game

2.5

1.1

Interceptions per game

1.5

0.2

Aerial duel wins per game

1.2

0.6

Goals

0

0

Assists

2

0

Tete has always been a steady performer for Fulham, averaging 2.8 clearances and 2.5 tackles per game in the Premier League last season, and he could be a solid addition for Everton.

Better than Thierno Barry: Everton considering bid for lethal £42m striker

Everton are looking to sign a striker or two this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 17, 2025

Celtic have already completed their first signing of the summer transfer window, which opened for business on Sunday, by agreeing to bring Kieran Tierney back to Parkhead.

The Scotland international will officially return to the club at the end of this month, upon the expiry of his contract at Arsenal, to be Brendan Rodgers’ left-back for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

Tierney, as you can see in the graphic above, won five Scottish Premiership titles during his first stint in Paradise after coming up through the academy system, before being sold to Arsenal for £25m in the summer of 2019.

Six years later and the Scottish full-back is returning to the club on a free transfer to bolster the Northern Irish head coach’s options at the back next term.

Tierney is not the only former Celtic full-back sold for big money who is on the move this summer, though, as Jeremie Frimpong has signed for Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £29.5m.

How Celtic hit the jackpot with Jeremie Frimpong

The Hoops hit the jackpot with the full-back when they snapped him up from Premier League giants Manchester City for a very modest fee of £300k in the summer of 2019, a few months after Rodgers left to join Leicester City.

Celtic were willing to take a gamble on a player who had not played a minute of senior football up to that point, as he had been playing

U23 and U18 football for City.

Because of his lack of senior experience, there was no way for the club to know how he would adapt to playing regular first-team football in Scotland, which is why it was a risk to bring him in as a right-back option.

However, he hit the ground running for the Hoops, winning the domestic treble in the 2019/20 campaign, with a fantastic debut season as a senior player.

Frimpong stayed at Celtic for another six months, playing 22 times in the 2020/21 Premiership season, before signing for Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £11.5m at the start of 2021.

This shows that the club hit the jackpot with the defender because they were willing to take a gamble on an inexperienced young full-back from England for a modest fee, and went on to make a huge profit on the defender.

Frimpong then went on to provide 30 goals and 44 assists in 194 appearances for Leverkusen in all competitions before his big-money move to Liverpool this summer.

The Scottish giants are now reportedly eyeing up a move for the full-back who could follow in the Netherlands international’s footsteps at Parkhead.

Celtic eyeing move for English full-back

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign left-back Harley Mills from English League One side Peterborough United in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Posh are currently mulling over an approach from Premier League side Fulham, who have offered £1m for the teenage defender, which shows that there is competition for his signature.

Transfer Focus

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It states that Celtic have joined the race for the League One full-back because Rodgers wants to bring in competition in the left-back position for Tierney, who is poised to return to Parkhead on a free transfer from Arsenal at the end of the month.

Greg Taylor is out of contract and currently due to move on from the Scottish giants this summer, whilst Jeffrey Schlupp’s loan deal has expired, which has left Tierney as the only left-back contracted to the Hoops heading into next season.

Mills has been identified as a player who could come in to provide back-up in that position initially, as a replacement for Taylor, and he could now come through the door this summer as Frimpong 2.0 if Rodgers signs him.

Why Celtic should sign Harley Mills

Firstly, it is worth reinforcing that the 19-year-old talent would only be a second-choice at left-back in the 2025/26 campaign to start with, because Tierney will be the go-to option given what he achieved in his first spell at Parkhead.

This means that there will not be a lot of pressure on Mills to perform straight away, as was the case when Frimpong arrived from Manchester City’s academy, and that is backed up by a potential fee of £1m, which is not a mind-blowing amount of money to spend on a squad option.

He would, therefore, be given time to adapt and adjust to senior football in Scotland, as the young left-back does not have a wealth of experience as a first-team player under his belt.

Mills, who was hailed as “outstanding” by youth coach Jamal Campbell-Ryce, has played 20 times for Peterborough, including 12 appearances in League One, but did catch the eye at Wembley in the final of the EFL Trophy.

The English star scored a phenomenal free-kick in a 2-0 win over Birmingham City for his side, and that capped off what was an excellent campaign for the Posh academy graduate in that competition.

Appearances

6

Sofascore rating

7.25

Goals

2

Key passes per game

1.2

Big chances created

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.2

Duel success rate

67%

As you can see in the table above, Mills showcased his quality in and out of possession across six appearances in the EFL Trophy, winning the majority of his duels with opposition attackers whilst also scoring two goals and creating one ‘big chance’ for his teammates.

He only started eight games in League One, averaging 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 62% of his duels, but his form in that cup competition shows the kind of potential he has as a left-back.

Mills has shown potential as a strong defender, who can win his duels at an efficient rate, and as an attacking force with his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals, which suggests that he is worth gambling on for a fee of £1m.

Like Frimpong, he could be a low-risk full-back signing from English football who could go on to be worth millions more in the future if things go well for him in Glasgow.

Celtic could sign their new Dembele with swoop for "outstanding" £10m star

Celtic could repeat their Moussa Dembele masterclass with a swoop for this star.

ByDan Emery Jun 1, 2025

The 2001 FA Cup final was one of the main reasons Michael Owen won the Ballon d’Or, but one Arsenal player was so good in that game he left Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard stunned.

Liverpool beat Arsenal 2-1 in 2001 FA Cup final

Liverpool won an iconic treble in the 2000-01 season, as they were crowned League Cup champions, won the UEFA Cup (renamed UEFA Europa League) and overcame Arsenal in the FA Cup at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

The victory over the Gunners is mainly remembered for the performance of Owen, who was crowned the best player in the world later that year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Appearances

55

Goals

31

Assists

8

Trophies

FA Cup, UEFA Cup, League Cup

The Gunners largely dominated the match however, mainly thanks to their midfield of Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira, Gilles Grimandi and Freddie Ljungberg. Ljungberg eventually broke the deadlock about 20 minutes from full time, and the legendary Thierry Henry even missed a chance to make it 2-0 shortly after, which he would soon come to regret.

With less than ten minutes to go, Owen pounced on a poor clearance to equalise. Five minutes later the comeback was complete, as the striker raced past Tony Adams and Lee Dixon before firing a brilliant finish beyond David Seaman.

Owen was unsurprisingly named Man of the Match, but Jamie Carragher has since revealed that such was Arsenal’s dominance, the performance of Vieira left a young Gerrard shocked, so much so he still talked about it for years afterwards.

Vieira was "as good as anything we have seen"

Speaking in 2014, Carragher namede Vieira in his XI of best foreign players in Premier League history, and revealed the Liverpool squad were stunned by how good he was at the Millennium Stadium.

Vieira made 405 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 32 goals and winning seven major trophies, including three Premier League titles.

Gerrard later confirmed his admiration for Gunners legend, saying ahead of their meeting as the managers of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace respectively: “He’s a man I have a lot of admiration and respect for, first and foremost as a player.

Patrick Vieira in pictures

“I had many battles against Patrick, some highs, some lows. He was certainly a player you could really go and compete against. You could kick him, fight him, compete against him and he’d shake your hand after the game.

“He was a top, top footballer and one of the toughest battles I ever faced in terms of being a player, and I expect the same to be the case from the side. I know he’s a winner.”

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And the Liverpool star obviously learned a thing or two from their encounter in the final, as he actually boasts a positive head to head record in matches against Vieira, winning seven, drawing three and losing five.

There is no doubt that the pair were the heartbeat of their clubs and two of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history.