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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

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

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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Where does Man City icon Kevin De Bruyne rank?

ByCharlie Smith May 8, 2025

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.

Leeds United have registered their interest in signing a £20m+ star who has been called “the best” in his league, as per a new transfer report.

Leeds transfer targets ahead of Premier League return

The Whites ended their campaign earlier this month by winning the Championship title on the final day of the season, with Manor Solomon’s injury-time winner against Plymouth Argyle taking Leeds to 100 points.

Daniel Farke and his side don’t have to worry about the playoffs and can instead prepare for a Premier League return, with the 49ers Enterprises looking to splash the cash ahead of the 2025/26 season.

It hasn’t taken long for a number of players to be linked with moves to Elland Road, with Leeds looking to make several signings who have Premier League experience.

Leeds can now sign Rooney-like striker on loan after club's transfer talks

He’s been compared to the former Man Utd striker.

ByCharlie Smith May 15, 2025

In recent days, Leeds have reportedly been moving to sign Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters, who is out of contract with the Saints in the summer.

West Ham United right-back Vladimir Coufal is another who will be available on a free and is being eyed by the Whites, seen as competition for Jayden Bogle following his brilliant first season as a Leeds player.

Further forward, Man City’s James McAtee is wanted by Leeds, however, plenty of other Premier League sides are keen on the attacking midfielder including clubs who can offer European football.

Something the 49ers could potentially use to their advantage is links with Rangers with a takeover close to being completed at Ibrox. Nicolas Raskin, valued at more than £20m, is one player who was linked with swapping Glasgow for Yorkshire last month, and a new update has emerged.

Leeds register interest in signing Rangers star Raskin

According to reports from TEAMtalk, Leeds have seemingly made an approach by registering their interest in signing Raskin from Rangers.

It is stated ‘that a serious bid could be lodged in the coming weeks’, with Aston Villa also keen on the midfielder, however, Rangers are preparing to offer Raskin a new contract to keep him in Scotland.

Rangers Technical Director Nils Koppen recently hailed the 24-year-old, who can play as a holding or box-to-box midfielder, calling him “the best midfielder in Scotland”.

“With his big warrior’s heart, he has made himself enormously popular with our fan base. After his strong performances in the Old Firm against Celtic and in Europe against Manchester United, Tottenham and Fenerbahce, he is seen by our supporters as the best midfielder in Scotland.”

Games

94

Goals

5

Assists

13

Yellow cards

16

Minutes played

6,730

RTBF also praised the midfielder following his debut for Belgium earlier this year. “Nicolas Raskin was fantastic for his debut. If there’s one player who scored points today in the eyes of Rudi Garcia and his staff, it was him… [He] has the ability to play forward and build the game. I can’t see how Rudi Garcia could do without him in the next match.”

Should a move to Elland Road materialise, Raskin could rival Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu, star man Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev for a starting spot in the Premier League.

Leeds United have held internal talks to sign a £20m+ striker who Robbie Keane has compared to himself.

Leeds clinch Championship title thanks to late Solomon winner

The Whites won the Championship title on Saturday afternoon in dramatic fashion after a late winner from Manor Solomon gave them a 2-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle.

Wilfried Gnonto cancelled out a Sam Byram own goal which gave the hosts the lead at half time before Solomon netted in stoppage time to give Daniel Farke’s side the trophy.

Both Leeds and Burnley ended up on 100 points for the season, and talking after his late heroics, Solomon said: “I can’t put into words what I’m feeling right now. It’s a dream come true for me to score the winning goal and to take this championship.

“I think throughout this season we showed that we deserve it, we deserve this trophy, we deserve to finish in the first spot and we’re super happy. I’m so glad it happened.”

Solomon has reportedly said yes to a permanent Leeds move, and more attacking reinforcements in the Premier League appear to be on the agenda for Leeds, despite scoring 95 goals in 46 Championship games.

Leeds make advances in move to sign "top-class" 243 career-goal striker

The Whites are in the hunt for attacking reinforcements.

2 BySean Markus Clifford May 3, 2025

Now, a new target has emerged to rival Championship Golden Boot winner Joel Piroe at Elland Road next season.

Leeds chasing move to sign £20m+ Troy Parrott

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are looking at a move to sign AZ Alkmaar centre-forward Troy Parrott this summer.

The Whites have held internal talks over a potential transfer but have yet to firm up their interest with an enquiry or offer to the Dutch side.

Signed from Tottenham, Parrott has been starring for AZ, scoring 20 goals in 2024/25, and an offer of up to €25m (£21.2m) could tempt them into selling.

Patrick Bamford is expected to leave Leeds, meaning Parrott, who is 23 years of age, could come in as his replacement at Elland Road.

Games

45

Goals

20

Assists

5

Minutes played

3,411

Interestingly, former Leeds forward Keane, now manager of Ferencváros, recently praised Parrott and said they are “similar” in playing styles.

“I have a lot of time for Troy. We are very similar in terms of how we play and also our upbringing. I completely respect what he is doing. I know he had a couple of loans, some did okay, but he is playing in Europe and for a really good team.

“You learn a lot more about yourself [at a European club]. When I went to Italy at 19, 20 years of age, even in that short space of time I learned a lot in terms of how to play.

“Look at Troy now, he is still young, still learning his trade. As a young player you have to go on these journeys. Take a few loans. Take a few hits and then go to a club where you feel valued and are the main guy.”

Now, a move back to the Premier League with Leeds could be one to keep an eye on for Parrott.

Manchester United are now determined to sign an “incredible” Barcelona star, having identified him as a top target for the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Man Utd in need of summer rebuild

Harry Maguire’s late winner to send Man Utd through to the Europa League semi-final was undoubtedly the best moment since Ruben Amorim’s arrival, but the high was short-lived, with a 1-0 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers following at the weekend.

With United just two points clear of 17th place, it is clear a rebuild will be needed this summer, and with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to deliver in front of goal, a new striker is of particular interest.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha, Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko are among the potential targets, but striker is not the only position in which Amorim is looking to strengthen this summer.

New Cantona & Berbatov: Man Utd on the verge of signing £90k-p/w "maverick"

Man Utd appear to be closing in on what could prove to be a real marquee move

ByRobbie Walls Apr 22, 2025

Signing a new central midfielder is also on the agenda, and there have even been suggestions they could make a move for Scott McTominay, who has been thriving since moving to Napoli last summer.

According to a report from Spain, however, Man United’s top target for the summer transfer window is Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong, and they are determined to get a deal done, which means they are willing to make a huge offer for his services.

De Jong has been identified as the ideal option to upgrade United’s midfield, and there are plans to force Barca to the negotiating table with a tempting offer, despite the La Liga club’s insistence that he is not for sale.

The Red Devils are set to step up their pursuit in the coming weeks, but for a deal to transpire, the Dutchman’s entourage would have to change their stance, with the move not currently of interest.

"Incredible" De Jong impressing at Barcelona

It is no surprise to see the 27-year-old being linked with a move to Man Utd once again, given that he has been a long-term target, and he has continued to impress for Barcelona in La Liga this season.

After overcoming an ankle injury early in the season, the Netherlands international has received regular game time for the title-chasers, picking up two goals and two assists in La Liga, while he also ranks highly on some other key metrics for midfielders over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Pass completion %

93.7% (99th percentile)

Progressive passes

7.19 (90th percentile)

Progressive carries

2.05 (85th percentile)

Former United boss Erik ten Hag is also a huge admirer of his compatriot, saying: “Frenkie is an incredible player and for every club in the whole world he will strengthen the squad because he has a unique quality.”

That said, a move does not seem likely this summer, given that Barcelona are unwilling to part ways with their £313k-per-week midfielder, so Amorim may be forced to move on to alternative targets.

One Queens Park Rangers player has received an offer from a big club to leave Loftus Road this summer.

Queens Park Rangers on course to stay up

The Hoops, under Marti Cifuentes, look set to remain a Championship club for the 2025/26 season. Sitting five points clear of safety after the weekend’s fixtures, QPR are looking towards the end of the season after going seven games without a win.

There are just six games remaining with Cifuentes preparing to take his side to fellow relegation contenders Oxford United on Wednesday evening.

Oxford United vs QPR

April 9

QPR vs Bristol City

April 12

Preston vs QPR

April 18

QPR vs Swansea

April 21

QPR vs Burnley

April 26

Sunderland vs QPR

May 3

Talking after the 0-0 draw with Cardiff City last time out, Cifuentes said: “I think in the first half we were perhaps slightly better than Cardiff. The feeling at half-time was that we needed – especially in a game like this with two teams not in the best moment of the season – to score the first goal of the game, but to not lose the game.

“In the second half Cardiff got a bit more energy off the bench… in the end it is a fair result. We are struggling with the options that we have in attacking positions, we need to give credit, because we have an honest group of players trying to do their best.”

In regards to struggling in an attacking sense, QPR have used Rayan Kolli on 15 occasions in the Championship this season, with the youngster scoring four goals.

However, he hasn’t been available in the last nine games due to a hamstring injury, and by the looks of things, Kolli could be on the way out this summer.

Big club make bid to sign Queens Park Rangers ace Rayan Kolli

According to reports in France, QPR forward Kolli is attracting serious interest from two Ligue 1 clubs in AS Monaco and Lille.

In fact, Lille, who made the last 16 of the Champions League this season, have submitted a contract offer to the Algeria U20 international.

Kolli is a product of the QPR academy and he has made 27 senior appearances for the R’s. He came in for praise from Cifuentes back in January following his winner against Plymouth Argyle.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

“What a week for him. It’s important he keeps humble and keeps working, but it’s definitely well deserved. He had an amazing impact on the game and that’s a luxury problem for me to have – to be able to pick from Rayan, Michi [Frey] and Alfie [Lloyd].

“These are problems that you want to have. The important thing is that everyone is contributing.”

Now, after receiving an offer from Lille, Kolli’s QPR future will be one to keep an eye on heading into the summer.