Florian Wirtz is putting in the hard yards as he is doing extra training for Germany in a bid to kickstart his Liverpool career after a slow start to life at Anfield. Since completing a whopping £116 million ($156m) transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, Wirtz has struggled to adjust to his new surroundings and has not had a single goal involvement in the Premier League.
Wirtz putting in the hard yards
The Germany national team, including Wirtz, trained together for the first time in the October international break on Tuesday. After the training session concluded, Wirtz was seen putting in extra shifts to work on his finishing and pick up his form, according to .
RB Leipzig and Germany left-back David Raum confirmed that Wirtz worked outside the training session, as he said: "The boy is hard-working and shows energy on and off the pitch. He was once again one of the longest players on the pitch today. We believe in the boy, we're building him up here. But he knows what he's capable of."
Slow start to life in England
Wirtz hasn’t been able to replicate the scintillating form that earned him Germany’s Footballer of the Year award in 2025. In his first seven Premier League appearances, the 22-year-old has yet to score or provide an assist – a stark contrast to his 31 goal contributions (16 goals, 15 assists) for Leverkusen in the 2024-25 campaign. The midfielder was even benched in Liverpool's last Premier League clash against Chelsea, as the Reds suffered their second consecutive Premier League defeat and third in all competitions.
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Getty/GOALWirtz aiming to find form against Man Utd
Wirtz will hope to perform well for the national team in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland on October 10 and 13 and regain his long-lost form ahead of Liverpool's next Premier League fixture against fierce rivals Manchester United on October 19.
Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or triumph has attracted many deliberations, with Serge Gnabry admitting he feels “a little bit vindicated” after previously declaring the Paris Saint-Germain star was “much better” than Kylian Mbappe. The Bayern Munich winger praised Dembele’s rare two-footed ability, while also acknowledging the Real Madrid forward's world-class pedigree.
Dembele’s Ballon d’Or glory
The French international Dembele was crowned Ballon d’Or winner in Paris after a stunning season with PSG. The 28-year-old forward netted 35 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions, inspiring PSG to a historic treble that included their first-ever Champions League triumph. His achievement saw him edge out Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, underlining his rise from inconsistent talent to global superstar.
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Gnabry a 'little bit vindicated' by Ballon d'Or result
German winger Gnabry had long backed Dembele’s potential. In an Amazon documentary aired in 2021, Gnabry argued with team-mates Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich that Dembele was “much better” than compatriot Mbappe. At the time, Dembele was still at Barca, but his move to PSG and subsequent success has now added weight to Gnabry’s claim.
Asked in an interview with if he felt justified after Dembele’s award, Gnabry said: “A little bit vindicated, yes. Ousmane has incredible talent. His ability to play with both feet is something that no other player in the world has. I’m very happy for him.”
Still, the Bayern star balanced his words, stressing that Mbappe remains “a brutal weapon and one of the best players in the world over the last few years.”
Gnabry's old debate recalled
The comparison between Dembele and Mbappe has long divided opinion. Mbappe, widely regarded as one of the sport’s most consistent stars, had seemed the natural heir to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as a consistent Ballon d'Or challenger. However, he finished seventh in the voting after finishing his first season with Madrid as La Liga's top scorer. Dembele, meanwhile, battled injuries and inconsistency before his revival in Paris that saw him play an integral role in their clean sweep of trophies last term.
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Focus on keeping the momentum in new season's
While Dembele celebrated in Paris, Gnabry has been enjoying a strong start to the Bundesliga season with three goals and three assists already registered. The Bavarians, unbeaten under coach Vincent Kompany, face Werder Bremen next in the league as they look to extend their record-breaking start.
Gnabry’s form has put him on the way to a new contract at the German club despite their sporting director admitting that he was a candidate to be sold recently.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has now informed one of his players that he is free to leave, with a Saudi club recently opening talks.
Amorim addresses major issue on deadline day
It wasn’t the busiest of deadline days at Old Trafford, but Amorim did manage to address one glaring issue by bringing in a new goalkeeper, with Senne Lammens arriving in a £18m deal from Royal Antwerp.
Lammens’ arrival follows a very shaky start to the season for Altay Bayindir, with Roy Keane tearing into the Turk for the mistake which gifted Arsenal the winning goal on the opening day of the Premier League season.
Keane said: “Be aggressive. I’ve said it many times for a goalkeeper – come with violence. Take control of it. Far too easy. It’s like schoolboy stuff. Man United – weak and soft.”
That said, Amorim has been stuck between a rock and a hard place, given that Andre Onana has also failed to impress, with the Cameroonian making an error leading to a goal in the EFL Cup exit at the hands of Grimsby Town.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, the Grimsby defeat may have been the final straw for Onana, with it being revealed Amorim has directly informed the goalkeeper he is free to leave, giving the 29-year-old the green light to explore a move elsewhere.
Perhaps surprisingly, the £120k-a-week goalkeeper is attracting interest, with unnamed clubs from the Saudi Pro League opening talks over a potential deal, given that their transfer window does not close until September 23rd.
That said, United are also open to offers from clubs in other leagues, with Amorim more than willing to sanction a departure.
Man Utd need to get Onana off the books
The former Inter Milan shot-stopper arrived at Old Trafford with a fantastic pedigree, off the back of reaching the 2022-23 Champions League final, but the move simply hasn’t worked out, with the goalkeeper still receiving widespread criticism.
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As such, it is a boost that United were able to get Lammens through the door on deadline day, and there are signs the Belgian could be an upgrade on the 48-time Cameroon international, having outperformed him on several key metrics over the past year.
Average per 90
Andre Onana
Senne Lammens
Goals against
1.30
1.11
Save %
70.2%
79.9%
Save % (penalties)
14.3%
80%
Crosses stopped %
5.4%
13.3%
The 23-year-old also won Royal Antwerp’s 2024-25 Player of the Season award, off the back of making some very impressive saves throughout the campaign.
Of course, it is a risk to have signed Lammens, who is unproven in a major league, but he could evidently be an upgrade on Onana, who should without doubt be sold to the Saudi Pro League.
It’s been a summer of much change at Sheffield United.
Firstly, Chris Wilder was axed from his job post at Bramall Lane after failing to clinch promotion to the Premier League, as former Hull City boss Ruben Selles was then unveiled as his surprise successor.
There has also been plenty of change with the on-the-pitch personnel, with Rhian Brewster recently walking away from South Yorkshire for a new challenge at Derby County, on top of Kieffer Moore being tipped to link up with Championship newcomers Wrexham.
Moore’s move to the Blades just didn’t work out for the most part in the end, as the experienced EFL marksman never quite got up to speed with what was expected of him in United red and white.
Kieffer Moore's failed move to United
Wilder would have purchased Moore hoping he could be a key part of the Bramall Lane jigsaw as promotion was triumphantly achieved.
After all, when the imposing 6-foot-5 menace has been at the top of his game, he’s proven himself to be a nuisance in the EFL’s elite division, having bagged a total of 59 strikes in the Championship across his playing days to date.
Games played
30
Goals scored
6
Assists
0
Games missed through injury
17
Unfortunately, Moore’s wretched luck with injuries would derail his short-term stay in South Yorkshire, with only six goals mustered up by the Welshman when he was free of those recurring issues.
Wrexham will be hoping he isn’t a permanent fixture of the Racehorse Ground treatment room this coming season, considering they’ve reportedly forked out £2m for his services, as a deal edges ever closer to being confirmed.
United will just be looking to put the failure of the move quickly behind them, with this free agent now standing out as an ideal replacement for the unlucky 32-year-old.
United could land "unbelievable" Moore replacement
Currently, Selles does have Tom Cannon and Tyrese Campbell still at his disposal in the forward areas, with the pair boasting an impressive 61 goals between them in the second tier.
However, the ex-Tigers manager’s options in attack would really be boosted by the standout return of Oli McBurnie to Bramall Lane, with recent reports by the Sheffield Star indicating that an official offer had been lodged by the Blades to bring the free agent forward back to familiar surroundings.
McBurnie is very much built in the same mould as the towering Moore, with the Scotsman coming in at a lofty 6-foot-2 frame, with a potent edge in front of goal also very much present in his game, especially when plying his trade in the Championship.
The 29-year-old even gave a glowing account of himself last season in La Liga with Las Palmas when registering a reasonable three goals and six assists – which is a heftier tally overall that Moore’s own haul last season in England – with a hunger surely within McBurnie to return to Bramall Lane and be a success again, having already been part of one magical promotion journey in South Yorkshire.
Sheffield United
66
13
4
Swansea City
42
22
4
Barnsley
17
9
0
In total, McBurnie has helped himself to a lethal 44 strikes in the demanding division previously, with his work ethic for Swansea even being heralded as “incredible” by his then-Swans boss Graham Potter.
That amount overall means he is only 14 strikes off matching Moore’s bumper Championship total, with a desire surely on McBurnie’s end to try and eclipse the Welshman’s output if he returns to the Steel City shortly.
The one-time £20m signing will likely be welcomed back with open arms, and if he can get back to his ‘”unbelievable” best – as he was once dubbed by former Blades teammate John Egan – another promotion might be on the cards under Selles.
After a tough preseason campaign, Everton are continuing to strengthen their squad in a bid to make the first campaign at the Hill Dickinson Stadium a memorable one. The Toffees have already brought in several new faces, including a new striker to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Thierno Barry from Villarreal.
More recently, David Moyes has added Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to his squad. The Toffees have snapped up the Englishman on a £29m deal, albeit with that including £4m in add-ons.
Moyes’ side will seemingly add another midfielder, with the club working behind the scenes to add depth in the middle of the park.
Everton’s next midfield target
Dewsbury-Hall is not the only Premier League star that the Toffees are targeting. David Ornstein recently reported that they have opened discussions with Manchester City over a season-long loan move for Jack Grealish, with the Englishman looking set for an exit from the Etihad this summer after missing out on their recent Club World Cup exploits.
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Elsewhere, meanwhile, the Merseysiders are still focusing on other targets at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
According to a recent report from Spanish newspaper El Mira, Everton are close to signing UD Almeria midfielder Dion Lopy. The Premier League side have readied a bid for the player and are willing to fork out around €25m (£22m).
UD Almeria's Dion Lopy in action against Jude Bellingham.
That figure is said to be an ‘irresistible amount’ for the Spanish side, with the report outlining ‘barring a drastic turn of events’, Lopy will ‘soon pack his bags’ in order to seal a move to Merseyside.
Why Lopy would be a good signing
At just 23 years of age, Lopy is already a full senior international, which is a testament to the quality he possesses. Described as one of many “exciting” Senegalese talents by analyst Ben Mattinson, Lopy has already garnered a strong reputation.
After breaking through the academy at French side Stades Reims, Lopy made 62 appearances for the club, grabbing two assists from midfield. From there, he made the move to Spain, joining Almeria, where he has become a key player.
Last term for the club in La Liga 2, the 23-year-old played 36 times, chipping in with one goal and three assists. He tended to operate from the base of midfield, although did push further forward at times, too.
Moyes would surely love for the potential new Everton midfield to become the second coming of Idrissa Gueye. The Toffees star, who is an international teammate of Lopy’s, was a key player last term in the final season at Goodison Park.
He helped keep his side in the Premier League and achieve a comfortable mid-table finish.
He played 37 times in the top flight last season, missing just one game against Leicester City at the start of the campaign.
Like Lopy did for Almeria, Gueye sat at the base of the midfield and showed just how good a ball-winner he is. His 133 tackles were the most in the top flight.
If Lopy can replicate what Gueye has done for the Merseysiders in midfield, then he would surely be a successful signing. When looking at the numbers via Sofascore, there is certainly reason to believe he can become as good of a ball winner in the Premier League as his Senegal teammate.
Last season, the 23-year-old made 78 tackles and 46 interceptions for Almeria in the league, averaging a combined 3.6 per 90 minutes. Compare that to Gueye’s stats, courtesy of Sofascore, and they stack up well, with the Everton number 27 making 133 tackles and 48 interceptions, a combined average of 5.3 each game.
Lopy and Gueye key stats compared
Stat (per 90)
Lopy
Gueye
Tackles
2.3
3.9
Interceptions
1.3
1.4
Aerial duels won
1.5
0.7
Key passes
0.8
0.6
Accurate long balls
3.8
2.3
Dribbles completed
0.4
0.5
Stats from Sofascore
Of course, Lopy still has some way to go before he matches, or nears, Gueye’s numbers from last season. However, he has all the tools to suggest he can replicate his impact in midfield and be the second coming of his compatriot.
Stade De Reims midfielder Dion Lopy.
After the deals for Dewsbury-Hall and Grealish are completed, signing Lopy could be Moyes’ next big focus to strengthen in the middle of the park, and buy a long-term replacement for Gueye.
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Everton’s summer rebuild is gathering pace. The £27.6m signing of Thierno Barry from Villarreal has handed David Moyes a towering centre-forward to lead the line, one capable of dominating defences with his aerial prowess, strength, and movement.
But with both Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom returning to their parent clubs, Everton’s attack is short of width and creativity.
Moyes now needs a player who can stretch defences, beat his man, and crucially, supply the service Barry will thrive on.
Everton open talks to sign Harrison and Lindstrom replacement
That search has led them to one of La Liga’s standout performers, whose skillset may be the perfect match for their new No. 9.
According to reports, Everton have already made first contact.
Transfer Focus
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Via TEAMtalk, Everton have started talks with Real Sociedad over a potential deal for 24-year-old Japanese international Takefusa Kubo.
The former Real Madrid prospect is open to a new challenge, and the Premier League is believed to be a major draw.
Kubo is currently under contract at Sociedad until June 2029, with a release clause reportedly around £50m.
Takefusa Kubo for Real Sociedad.
Everton are not the only side interested. Clubs from the Bundesliga and La Liga are also monitoring the situation, but the Toffees are hopeful that the promise of regular minutes and a key role under Moyes could help sway the player.
Kubo joined Sociedad permanently in 2022 and wasted no time making an impression. In his first full season, he was named the club’s Player of the Season, showcasing his ability to both score and create from wide areas.
Zinedine Zidane, who played a role in his development at Real Madrid, once called him “a very interesting player for the present and the future.”
zinedine-zidane-manager-tottenham-hotspur
Meanwhile, former Mallorca CEO Maheta Molango, reflecting on Kubo’s two loan spells at the club, praised his character and focus:
“I was very impressed by Kubo when I met him. He’s super humble, super down to earth. His talent is obvious, but the reason why he will one day be a football superstar is his head. He sees things that other people don’t see, the ability to see a pass and pick a long ball. His intelligence is outstanding.”
Why Kubo could be Barry’s perfect supply line
Kubo’s profile fits exactly what Everton lack. A right-footed winger who prefers starting from the right, he thrives in one-on-one situations, cutting inside to create chances or drive at goal.
He combines dribbling flair with precision delivery, making him a natural partner for a striker like Barry.
In 2024/25, Kubo played 36 games, scoring five goals and assisting several more.
According to FBref, he completed 75 take-ons, created 45 chances, produced 14 shots on target, and made 129 touches in the opposition box.
His crossing numbers are particularly impressive, averaging 3.32 per 90, ranking him in the 86th percentile among wingers in Europe’s top leagues.
For Barry, who stands at 6 foot 5 and thrives on service, those numbers are gold.
Last season, the French forward scored 11 goals from an expected goals (xG) tally of 11.7 and added four assists.
The same data reveals that he ranks among the top percentiles for runs in behind and crosses received and won nearly two-thirds of his aerial duels in the penalty area.
everton-james-tarkowski-premier-league
Barry’s combination of size, mobility, and sharp movement inside the box is exactly the kind of profile that can elevate a creator like Kubo. And in turn, Kubo’s ability to beat his marker and pick a final ball could help Barry explode in the Premier League.
Moyes’ system traditionally relies on wide players who work hard defensively but also deliver early, accurate service. Kubo ticks those boxes but adds a level of technical quality that Everton have lacked on the flanks.
With Calvert-Lewin gone, Barry now leads the line. And if Everton can land Kubo, they may have finally found the perfect partner to supply him, creating a dangerous duo built on power, and cutting edge in the final third.
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Everton will be keen on signing another striker this summer
Shakib Al Hasan could be in line to play one County Championship game next month with Surrey working on a deal to bring him in, before he leaves for Bangladesh’s tour of India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reportedly issued him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the match, set to be played from September 9, against Somerset in Taunton. Surrey will be without all of their England players as that round coincides with the end of the ongoing Sri Lanka Test series and the start of the Australia white-ball series.From London, Shakib will fly to Chennai where Bangladesh play their first Test against India from September 19. Bangladesh are set to play two Tests and three T20Is against India, before their home series against South Africa in October. Shakib is currently playing in the Test series in Pakistan.A former member of parliament in Bangladesh’s previous government, Shakib is among 147 people against whom charges have been filed in connection with an alleged murder during the protests in Bangladesh in early August. At that time, Shakib was out of the country, playing in the Global T20 Canada.Related
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The BCB had said that Shakib can continue playing for Bangladesh since the investigation is in its nascent stages. “It’s an FIR (first information report), there are a lot of legal procedures left to prove someone guilty following the filing of FIR,” new BCB chief Faruque Ahmed told the Dhaka-based the on Tuesday. “At this moment there is no bar on Shakib to continue playing. We have responded to the legal notice served to us and we have said the same thing (no bar on Shakib playing in the UK) there too.”ESPNcricinfo has learned the ECB has the right to withhold Shakib’s registration to play in their domestic system even if he is granted a UK visa.Bangladesh’s Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs adviser, Asif Nazrul, said on Wednesday it was unlikely for Shakib to be arrested.”This is a matter for the police administration,” Nazrul told reporters in Dhaka. “We have tried to say as much as we can. Filing a case does not mean an arrest. I believe our Ministry of Home Affairs will take steps to ensure that no one becomes overly enthusiastic about making an arrest. I hope Shakib will not be arrested. As far as I know, our police force has been given certain instructions.”Bangladesh posted a historic win against Pakistan in the first Test in Rawalpindi, with Shakib taking three important wickets on the fifth day. He is also part of the second Test, whose first day, on Friday, was washed out due to rain.
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”.
Real Betis'JesusRodriguezcelebrates scoring their second goal
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?
It might’ve only opened a few days ago, but the transfer window is already in full swing, and Arsenal need to get a move on.
After three years of coming close but failing each time, Mikel Arteta’s side need to ensure they finally get over the line in the Premier League next season, although to do that, the board need to provide them with some game-changing additions, or they’ll be left behind by their rivals.
For example, Manchester City have signed Tijjani Reijnders, Chelsea are close to signing Liam Delap, and perhaps most worrying of all, Liverpool look dead set on securing the sensationally gifted Florian Wirtz as soon as possible.
Yet, there might not be a need for fans to worry too much, as reports are now linking Arsenal to another tremendously exciting talent who could be their own answer to the Bayer Leverkusen gem.
Arsenal's transfer news
Before getting to the star in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other potentially game-changing players Arsenal have been linked to and could still sign in recent weeks, like Eberechi Eze and Rafael Leao.
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 has a release clause in his current deal, reportedly worth around £68m, which would be a fee more than worth paying, as in just 43 appearances for Crystal Palace this season, the FA Cup winner scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists.
Likewise, Leao enjoyed a stellar campaign of his own, scoring 12 goals and providing 13 assists in 50 appearances, although with a release clause reportedly worth a staggering £145m, he might just be out of reach this summer.
AC Milan's RafaelLeao
However, there is another, arguably even more exciting, name now linked with the North Londoners: Xavi Simons.
According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are one of several teams keen on the RB Leipzig star this summer.
The report has revealed that, alongside the Gunners, rivals including Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all interested in signing the Flying Dutchman, who is valued at about £65m by the German outfit.
It would be a costly and somewhat complicated transfer to get over the line, but given his ability and potential, one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he could be their answer to Wirtz.
Why Simons would be Arsenal's answer to Wirtz
So, there are actually several ways in which Simons could be looked at as Arsenal’s own Wirtz – should this transfer happen – and the first is that he’s already won comparisons to the Leverkusen star.
For example, FBref compared players in similar positions in the Bundesliga this season and came to the conclusion that the German was the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Dutchman.
The best way to understand how this conclusion was reached is by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, passing accuracy, passes into the penalty area, tackles and more, all per 90.
Simons & Wirtz
Statistic per 90
Simons
Wirtz
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.48
0.50
Non-Penalty Goals
0.21
0.23
Passing Accuracy
78.6%
78.3%
Key Passes
2.13
2.18
Passes into the Penalty Area
2.51
2.49
Tackles
1.17
1.23
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Bundesliga Season
On top of their undeniable statistical similarities, the pair would also seriously improve the attacking output of the teams they may be set to join.
For example, in the league alone this season, the Liverpool target racked up a brilliant haul of ten goals and 13 assists in 31 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.34 games.
It’s safe to say the former PSV star has really showcased why he’s “one of the best 10s in the world” in the words of one analyst on social media, scoring ten goals and providing seven assists in 25 league appearances, which comes out to a still sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.47 games.
Finally, both stars would be moving from the Bundesliga to the Premier League at 22 years old to inject more creativity and cutting edge into two title rivals for next year.
Ultimately, while he might not be as exciting a name, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Simons this summer, as he could very much be their answer to Wirtz.
The dream XI Arsenal could build: £85m star & the "new Haaland" both sign
After another disappointing season, Arsenal have a big summer of transfers ahead of them.
In what would be a statement of intent, Newcastle United have now reportedly made contact to sign a teenage sensation ahead of interest from European giants Real Madrid this summer.
Newcastle could deal Real Madrid another blow
As the summer transfer window approaches, the Magpies have already reportedly commenced their spending by securing the arrival of Antonio Cordero from Malaga. The young winger reportedly had interest from both Real Madrid and Barcelona, but has chosen Newcastle ahead of the Spanish giants.
Cordero may just be the start for those at St James’ Park this summer too, with Eddie Howe potentially backed in the transfer market for the first time in over a year as Newcastle break free from their PSR constraints.
With that in mind, the rumours have already been coming thick and fast surrounding just who could arrive in the coming months. The most prominent targets have so far arguably been both Liam Delap and Jonathan David, whilst names such as James McAtee have begun to steal headlines as of late.
All three of those names would undoubtedly add something to Howe’s side, but whether that results in a trio of arrivals for the Magpies remains to be seen. Of course, something which would change the landscape of Newcastle’s summer is if Alexander Isak decided to depart for a club-record fee.
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Instantly, PIF’s spending power would become clear in the face of Isak’s departure. Ultimately, however, it’s a situation that all involved at the club would rather avoid before setting their sights on targets of their own.
Newcastle make contact to sign Kofane
According to reports relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle have now made contact to sign Christian Kofane from Albacete this summer and are looking to beat Real Madrid to a second La Liga 2 striker in a matter of months. It’s not just the Magpies and Madrid who have registered their interest though, with ‘half of Europe’ reportedly plotting to sign the 18-year-old sensation.
That interest should come as no surprise, either. Like Cordero, Kofane has thrived in Spain’s second division – scoring six goals and creating one other in 15 La Liga 2 appearances so far this season.
With a reported release clause worth just €5m (£4m) too, Newcastle could land a bargain deal for a young player on the rise and one that RD Scouting described as a player with an “interesting” profile.