Arsenal are now seriously considering a move for a defender who has played every single minute for his club in the Premier League this season.
Gunners stepping up centre-back pursuit
Mikel Arteta has received criticism for not bringing in a new striker, which has arguably been costly in his side’s pursuit of the Premier League title, with Gary Neville recently questioning the decision prior to the 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield.
As such, it is looking increasingly likely that the Gunners will pursue a new forward this summer, with an offer for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak now in the works, but they are also keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch.
The north Londoners have stepped up their pursuit of a new centre-back in recent weeks, having now made a formal offer for AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, but the Spaniard is not the only Premier League defender on the shortlist.
According to a report from The Boot Room, Arsenal are now seriously considering a move for Brentford defender Nathan Collins, who has impressed for the Bees since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £23m deal last summer.
Brentford'sNathanCollinsapplauds
Newcastle United are also ramping up their interest in Collins, however, so there could be competition for his signature, and a move to St. James’ Park could be preferable, given that he wouldn’t have to compete for a starting spot with the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba.
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ByDominic Lund May 11, 2025 Collins among Premier League's "best" defenders
The centre-back has been indispensable for Brentford this season, playing every minute in the top flight, and he has received high praise for his performances from ESPN’s Mario Marra, who described the Irishman as “one of the best” defenders in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old’s defensive aptitude is also underlined by the fact he places highly on some key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs in the big five European leagues.
Statistic
Average per 90
Blocks
2.0 (97th percentile)
Clearances
6.08 (82nd percentile)
Aerials won
3.22 (91st percentile)
Not only that, but the Ireland captain has also proven himself to be an attacking threat, picking up two goals and five assists for Brentford in the Premier League, underlining his ability to be a difference-maker at both ends of the pitch.
That said, it is likely to be very difficult to displace Gabriel and Saliba in the starting XI at Arsenal, so it remains to be seen whether Collins is willing to leave Brentford behind and play more of a sporadic role in north London.
A number of top clubs are said to be taking “concrete steps” to complete the signing of a Manchester United attacker in the summer transfer window.
Man Utd's attack unconvincing all season
While the Red Devils can still win the Europa League this season, which would save their campaign and see them qualify for the Champions League, it has still been a bitterly disappointing past nine months or so.
United have struggled to convince all over the pitch, and in attack, far too many players have flattered to deceive, either lacking consistency or simply not offering anywhere near enough quality.
Rasmus Hojlund
Bruno Fernandes has been a star performer, in fairness, but the fact that the Portuguese is his side’s top scorer in the Premier League with just eight goals highlights the issues they have had in the final third. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have netted just four and three times in the competition this season, which is particularly poor.
For that reason, it is vital that significant attacking reinforcements arrive at Old Trafford when this season comes to an end, with additions needed both centrally and out wide. Now, an exit rumour has emerged regarding one under-fire player.
Juventus pushing to sign Hojlund from Man Utd
According to Calciomercato journalist Daniele Longo [via Sport Witness], Juventus are taking “concrete steps” to sign Manchester United striker Hojlund in a quick exit this summer. The report states that contact has already been made with the £85,000-a-week Dane over an immediate switch to the European giants, having previously reportedly had an agreement in place with Zirkzee.
Rasmus Hojlund
At just 22, Hojlund is still such a young player, so selling him now would bring with it some risk for United, but there is an increasing feeling that he isn’t at the level required, following a tough campaign. This is despite former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner lauding him as “top class” and scout Jacek Kulig calling him a “Danish beast”.
United simply must put a lot of their focus on signing an elite striker in the summer window, from Victor Osimhen to Viktor Gyokeres, and in truth, it makes sense to move on either Hojlund or Zirkzee. While the latter has hardly set the world alight this season, he has arguably offered more than the former, and the fact that the Red Devils could still receive good money for Hojlund means now could be the logical time to move him on.
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2
By
Matt Dawson
May 4, 2025
His passion and commitment cannot be called into question, and the idea of him staying this summer is far from a disaster, but there is plenty of sense in bringing an end to his time at the club.
Glasgow Rangers extended their winless run to six matches in all competitions after they held their Glasgow rivals to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Barry Ferguson has failed to lead the team to a win since the dramatic 4-3 victory over Dundee away from home at the end of March, and has not done his chances of landing the job on a permanent basis many favours.
The Light Blues decided to move on from Philippe Clement earlier this year and will have to source a long-term replacement for him this summer, with a familiar name leading the list of candidates.
The latest on the Rangers managerial chase
Football Insider recently reported that former Rangers head coach Steven Gerrard is the leading candidate to secure the job on a full-time basis ahead of next season.
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The outlet claimed that the English manager is the favourite for the role, ahead of Marco Rose, and that he is at the top of the club’s shortlist of options.
Nathan Patterson, Steven Gerrard
The 44-year-old boss usually deployed a 4-3-3 system during his first spell at Ibrox, which yielded an incredible, unbeaten, league title success in the 2020/21 campaign, and that could mean that the Gers need to recruit in a certain way to suit that system this summer.
It could also mean that there are some players currently in the Rangers squad who could move on from Glasgow because they do not fit what Gerrard would want in that position, and Danilo is a player who could fall into that category.
Why Danilo may not suit Gerrard
The Brazilian forward, who joined from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023, may not be ideally suited to Gerrard’s set-up because he has not shown himself to be suited to playing as a lone centre-forward.
Danilo has been used as a second-striker, or attacking midfielder, or as a centre-forward as part of a front two, either alongside Cyriel Dessers or Hamza Igamane, rather than being relied upon to play on his own.
That may be because the 5 foot 9 forward lacks the physicality to play as a sole number nine. He has lost 63% of his ground duels and 75% of his aerial battles in the Premiership so far this season, which shows that opposition defenders find it too easy to get the better of him.
The 26-year-old dud is reportedly on a wage of £26k-per-week, which is more than Mohammed Diomande (£12k-per-week), who provided the assist for Dessers on Sunday, and Nicolas Raskin (£19k-per-week), despite the duo being regular starters in midfield with 55 league starts between them this season.
Meanwhile, Danilo, who was described as being “sloppy” on the ball by pundit Steven Thompson, has started seven league matches this term and has struggled with multiple injuries during his two seasons at Ibrox so far.
Knee injury
September 2024 – November 2024
65
12
Knee injury
December 2023 – May 2024
171
32
Broken cheekbone
September 2023 – October 2023
43
9
As you can see in the table above, the former Feyenoord marksman has missed 53 games through injury for Rangers since his move to the club in 2023, which shows that he is not reliable in terms of his availability.
Therefore, Rangers should ruthlessly cash in on Danilo in the summer transfer window because he does not have the physicality to suit playing on his own up front in a Gerrard system and does not have the availability to make him a worthwhile squad member, particularly with a wage that is higher than club Player of the Year Raskin and Diomande’s.
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After taking the reins back in November, Ruben Amorim has injected the feel-good factor back into Manchester United – helping the side qualify for the Europa League final.
However, there’s only so much success the 40-year-old can achieve with the players who were at the club after he took over from former boss Erik ten Hag.
The attacking department is the area in need of desperate attention in the coming months, with the hierarchy needing to back the manager with funds if he is to improve the lack of goals currently plaguing his centre-forwards.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are the two senior options at his disposal, but the pair have only netted a combined tally of seven goals in the Premier League after costing the Red Devils upwards of £100m.
If they are to take the next step under Amorim, a new striker is a must during the upcoming window, potentially ending the spells of either of the aforementioned talents in the process.
An update on United’s pursuit of new strikers this summer
Even though the summer window is yet to be open, United have already wasted no time in targeting new talent to strengthen the current first-team squad.
Liam Delap was once seen as the Red Devils’ main target for the centre-forward role, especially considering his £30m relegation release clause – but look set to face tough competition from Nottingham Forest in the coming months.
Liam Delap
The 22-year-old will certainly remain on the shortlist, but potentially not at the top, with Moise Kean now the club’s main priority, according to one Spanish outlet.
The report claims that Amorim believes he is the perfect option to fit into his 3-4-2-1 system at Old Trafford, having the right profile given positioning, pace and clinical nature.
Kean, who’s netted 23 goals in all competitions this season, is said to cost a fee in the region of £42m, given the release clause in his contract at Serie A outfit Fiorentina.
Why United’s £42m target would be unplayable with Amad
Amad Diallo has been a shining light for United this campaign in what’s been a year to forget in the Premier League, often providing the goods within the final third.
The Ivorian has registered 10 goals and seven assists across all competitions, with his latest coming against Brentford after his recent three-month injury lay-off.
His underlying stats at Old Trafford have been just as impressive, with his output handing other attacking options around him the ammunition to be a success at the club.
Amad has registered 2.2 chances created per 90 this campaign, whilst also completing 2.1 dribbles – often liking to take the ball into attacking areas at any given opportunity.
Such tallies could fall perfectly into the hands of transfer target Kean, who could well turn out to be the attacking saviour the Red Devils have been crying out for over the past few months.
Fiorentina'sMoiseKean
The Italian, who’s been labelled “sensational” by content creator Elliot Hackney, has resurrected his career in the last couple of months after flat-lining following his breakthrough at Juventus.
The 25-year-old currently sits as Serie A’s second top scorer, registering 1.6 shots on target per 90 – benefiting from Amad’s service within the final third should he move to Manchester.
Games played
30
Goals & assists
20
Shots on target
1.6
Pass accuracy
72%
Successful dribbles
1.5
Fouls won
1.8
Aerials won
57%
Touches in opposition box
4.7
He’s also completed 72% of the passes he’s attempted, whilst also completing 1.5 dribbles per 90, having the tools to return the favour to the Ivorian in the final third should he need to.
Kean’s talents don’t stop there, winning 51% of the aerials he’s contested, notching 4.7 touches in the opposition box per game – handing the manager the ‘fox in the box’ style forward he’s lacked since he joined the club.
The £42m fee touted would be an excellent deal for the club, potentially getting themselves a bargain and a player who can provide the goods for the club for many years to come.
The thought of the Italian forming a partnership with Amad is certainly an exciting one, handing the club the platform to recapture their success endured in previous years.
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Manchester United booked their place in the Europa League final last night, setting up a clash with Tottenham Hotspur.
This time last year, Leeds United were full to the brim with nerves as a Championship playoff final awaited the Whites at Wembley.
Thankfully, no such heartache on the biggest stage is plaguing Daniel Farke’s men currently, with any loss to Southampton now a distant memory, considering the second-tier title was wrapped up in style this season by the West Yorkshire giants.
One downside to Leeds winning promotion could come in the form of Harry Gray’s development being hindered, with so much already anticipated of the teenager at Elland Road despite the attacker only being 16 years of age.
Gray's incredible rise at Leeds
Plenty of the hype surrounding Gray does come from his notable namesake, with his brother Archie now on the books of Tottenham Hotspur and a Europa League winner after exploding into life in the senior game with the Whites.
Farke was heavily responsible for the 19-year-old’s sudden rise in the first team, considering he gifted the versatile Spurs number 14 his first senior opportunities at Elland Road, with history now amazingly repeating itself.
Indeed, with Leeds’ promotion virtually wrapped up, the German would start to name the 16-year-old sensation amongst his substitutes, with his first official appearance for his boyhood employers coming against Stoke City last month.
With 11 goals next to his name playing for both the U18s and U21s too, this could well be the early beginnings of a future icon in West Yorkshire. After all, he has already been described as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation” by data analyst Ben Mattinson.
Gray might not be the only rising star that could soon work his way into Farke’s regular first team picture, though, with this fellow Thorp Arch product possessing the potential to be as big a talent as the much-talked-about striker if given time.
The Leeds youngster who could be as impressive as Gray
It isn’t the biggest shock in the world to see the Leeds conveyor belt continuing to churn out more and more top-drawer youngsters with the likes of Kalvin Phillips once beginning his journey with the Whites.
Sam Chambers could be the next prodigy to rise the ranks and make an impression; therefore, with the exciting 17-year-old also gaining his first meaningful senior opportunities this season when given a cameo late last year versus Plymouth Argyle in the league, alongside an FA Cup chance against Millwall in 2025.
These rare slices of senior action would follow on from Chambers thumping home this effort in pre-season action for Farke’s men, with the promising Scotman really catching the eye at a youth level for the Whites for his versatility all across the attacking positions.
Indeed, his ability to maraud down the wings or play as a number 10 has even seen his ever-improving game be compared to that of Jack Grealish and Tyler Dibling by SCOUTED editor Llew Davies, who stated that Chambers “breaks open games, beats presses, creates positive attacking situations. He’s a little bit like Grealish, Emile Smith Rowe and Dibling.”
Chambers’ G/A numbers for Leeds by position
Position played in
Games
Goals scored
Assists
AM
20
2
3
CM
5
1
0
CF
4
1
1
LM
3
0
0
RW
1
0
0
LW
1
0
0
RM
1
0
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Chambers will aim to follow in both Grealish’s and Dibling’s footsteps, therefore, as the electric duo were both raw gems themselves once upon a time at Aston Villa and Southampton before their big breaks.
If he can go on to live up to these lofty comparisons, he could even be a bigger talent than Gray, with the future looking very bright at Elland Road as Premier League football returns, alongside yet another generation of stars coming through that look extremely encouraging.
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Liverpool are making waves in the transfer window this summer and even television personality Piers Morgan has chimed in, with the well known Arsenal supporter unhappy at the news coming out of Anfield this week.
Liverpool closing in on three summer signings
Arne Slot has become a hero at Anfield following a season that has saw his side become Premier League champions, and celebrations will continue long into the next few weeks from anyone of a Liverpool persuasion.
However, there have been headline-grabbing stories elsewhere involving the Reds, not least Trent Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave his boyhood club for Real Madrid.
Liverpool'sTrentAlexander-Arnoldcelebrates after winning the Premier League
What has been more impressive in light of a significant departure is Liverpool’s quickfire response in the market. Turning heads around Europe, Bayer Leverkusen duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong appear to be on their way to Anfield.
Laying down a statement of intent, the top-flight holders have reportedly seen off competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich for the former, who clearly views the Reds as an environment where regular silverware can be won for the foreseeable future.
Milos Kerkez has agreed personal terms with the Reds, lending credence to the thought that Slot could be set to build a dynasty while in charge.
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The Reds are close to completing a deal.
3 BySean Markus Clifford May 26, 2025
Either way, this window feels like it could be a significant one for Liverpool. They have needed to wait their turn during Pep Guardiola’s four-in-a-row era, but you feel the tide may be changing between the Reds and their rivals.
Arsenal have also been firmly in that conversation, so much so that media personality Morgan has now shared his thoughts on the news coming out of Merseyside.
Piers Morgan reacts to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz bid
Taking to social media platform X, Morgan has questioned why Arsenal haven’t taken a similar course of action to Liverpool’s speedy pursuit of a key target like Wirtz. Questioning Mikel Arteta’s authority, he also praised the Reds for ‘not mucking around’ as they look to defend their title come the start of next season.
Admittedly, he does have point, but Liverpool fans will be quite happy that they are the ones leading the race for a player who has registered 16 goals and 15 assists in 46 appearances this term.
Next campaign, Arsenal are expected to be at the forefront once again in the title race. The Reds managed to finish ten points ahead of their nearest challenger, albeit their run-in results were a consequence of winning the league with games to spare.
Liverpool are a winning machine when it matters at present and are showing no signs of slowing down, so there is every reason for the red half of Merseyside to be excited at what 2025/26 could have in store, while fans in North London must count on their club to find the right number nine to lead the line for Arteta next term.
Arsenal are ready to fork out the asking price for a star transfer target after loosely agreeing contract terms with him, according to reports, with Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta now set to put full focus into the summer window after the Gunners’ Champions League defeat.
PSG end Arsenal's Champions League dream after 2-1 victory
Luis Enrique and PSG put an end to Arsenal’s hopes of ending the season on a high and winning Europe’s most prestigious trophy.
Arsenal: Berta wants £119k-per-week PSG star after failed Atletico deal
Berta attempted to sign him for the La Liga side.
By
Emilio Galantini
May 7, 2025
Goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi gave PSG a comfortable 3-0 lead on aggregate last night, comfortably ending the semi-final tie before Arsenal star Bukayo Saka grabbed a consolation, even if the Englishman gave Arteta’s side brief hope of an unlikely comeback.
Arsenal’s final Premier League games
Date
Liverpool (away)
May 11th
Newcastle United (home)
May 18th
Southampton (away)
May 25th
The north Londoners’ dismantling of Real Madrid in the last round gave many supporters real optimism Arsenal could win their first ever Champions League title, but they are now set to end 2024/2025 trophyless after Liverpool also cruised to the Premier League title.
Some questions are even being asked of Arteta, with Arsenal boasting just one trophy since the Spaniard took charge, despite registering a net spend of around £500 million on transfers in that period.
In any case, Pep Guardiola’s former understudy has also guided them from the fringes of a top six place to genuine title contenders, and they were desperately unlucky not to win the Premier League last season after accumulating nearly 90 points.
It is now back to the drawing board for Arteta, who has a fresh weapon at his disposal in the form of new sporting director Berta, who is set to back the Arsenal boss this summer in an anticipated summer rebuild.
Arsenal are expected to finally sign a proven goalscorer when the window reopens, and they’ve been repeatedly linked with a move for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
A report from Football Transfers earlier this week claimed that Arsenal are “edging closer to finalising a deal” for Gyokeres, with both the Swede and Arteta’s side “aligned” on the contract package he would receive.
With personal terms said to be loosely agreed, the main obstacle between Arsenal and the 26-year-old’s signature is Sporting.
Arsenal "ready to pay Sporting's asking price" for Viktor Gyokeres
While further meetings and talks are required to shake hands on a club-to-club deal, Football Transfers have now shared another update on Arsenal’s ambitions for the ex-Coventry City star.
The outlet reports that Arsenal are “ready to pay Sporting’s asking price” for Gyokeres, but they don’t state exactly what the Primeira Liga side would demand.
Other media sources, like Fabrizio Romano, claim the package could be somewhere in and around £60 million, while Portuguese newspaper A Bola reports that the demand for Gyokeres’ signature may skyrocket his price to near the £85 million release clause in his contract.
While discrepancies surround the requirements to sign Gyokeres this summer, Arsenal appear very serious about striking a deal for the striker who’s scored a truly exceptional 52 goals in 49 appearances this season.
Described as a “phenomenon” by Sporting boss Rui Borges, it appears inevitable the forward will depart Portugal very soon.
Leeds United face the unenviable task of having to recruit for a season in the Premier League after they won the Championship title to earn promotion to the big time.
The last six teams that were promoted from the second tier were all relegated in their first seasons in the top-flight, which speaks to how difficult the task ahead will be for the Whites.
However, Leeds already know what it takes to achieve survival in their first season back in the Premier League, because they finished in the top-half under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2020/21 campaign.
The West Yorkshire outfit lost 4-3 to Liverpool in a thrilling match on the opening day of the term, before they went on to comfortably avoid relegation.
Exceptional recruitment work done by Victor Orta and Bielsa underpinned their success that season, as they made several key signings to bolster the squad.
Arguably, the most successful signing that the Whites made ahead of the 2020/21 campaign was the addition of Raphinha from Rennes on a permanent deal.
Leeds hit the jackpot with Raphinha
Leeds swooped to sign the Brazilian attacker from the French side in a deal that was reported to be worth £17m plus add-ons, and it turned out to be a huge bargain.
Coming up from the Championship, Bielsa’s side needed an injection of quality to bolster their efforts to stay in the Premier League, and that is exactly what Raphinha provided with his quality at the top end of the pitch from a right wing position.
Appearances
30
Goals
6
Big chances created
12
Key passes per game
2.1
Assists
9
Dribbles completed per game
1.9
As you can see in the table above, the Brazil international made an instant impact in the top-flight with a return of 18 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 30 appearances.
Raphinha was not done there, though, as the left-footed magician scored 11 goals and created ten ‘big chances’ in 35 appearances in the Premier League in the 2021/22 campaign to steer Jesse Marsch’s team clear of relegation.
Raphinha’s incredible form for Leeds in the Premier League in his two seasons at Elland Road, unfortunately, attracted interest from elsewhere, and he signed for Barcelona in a deal worth a reported £55m in the summer of 2022.
In the present day, the former Whites star has scored 34 goals and provided 25 assists in 56 matches for the Spanish giants this season, in what has been a phenomenal campaign for him on an individual level.
Whilst Raphinha has kicked on to become a superstar in European football with Barcelona, Leeds are still looking for their next winger to shine on the Premier League stage.
Leeds United's wingers since Raphinha left
Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League in the season after the Brazilian sensation moved on from Elland Road, which points to how important he was to the side.
Raphinha-Leeds-Stats
The Whites ended that term without any of their wingers scoring more than five goals or assisting more than seven goals in the top-flight, which shows that they failed to adequately replace Raphinha’s impact at the top end of the pitch.
24/25 (Championship)
Dan James (12)
Manor Solomon (13)
23/24 (Championship)
Crysencio Summerville (21)
Crysencio Summerville (10)
22/23 (Premier League)
Luis Sinisterra (7)
Jack Harrison (10)
As you can see in the table above, Dan James hit double figures for goals and Manor Solomon hit double figures for assists, but it remains to be seen how that translates to the top division, after Crysencio Summerville’s struggles this term.
The Dutch forward, who left Leeds to sign for West Ham last summer, only scored one goal and provided one assist in 19 Premier League games for the Hammers this season, which suggests that he has failed to make the step up to the top tier as of yet.
Leeds, therefore, have not had a winger who has had the quality to make a consistent impact at the top level since Raphinha left, but they could change that by signing reported transfer target Dazien Maeda, who is reportedly valued at £25m.
Why Leeds should sign Daizen Maeda
The Whites should swoop to sign the Celtic superstar in the upcoming summer transfer window because he could be their best winger signing since they brought Raphinha in from Rennes in the summer of 2020.
Daizen Maeda
Maeda, dubbed an “amazing role model” by Brendan Rodgers, just ended his 2024/25 campaign with the Scottish giants and enjoyed an unbelievable year on a personal level.
The 27-year-old sensation scored a staggering 33 goals and provided 12 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, which means that Raphinha only outscored him by one goal for Barcelona, and he has scored at least 12 more goals than any other Leeds winger has in one season in the last three years.
These statistics show that the Celtic star has the potential to be an exceptional addition to the Leeds squad as a winger, who typically plays on the left flank, with the quality to score and create goals at an incredible rate.
Some supporters may question the quality of Scottish football and how it translates to the Premier League, as is the case with the Championship, but Maeda also showcased his quality on the biggest stage of all in the Champions League.
Appearances
9
xG
2.80
Goals
4
Conversion rate
27%
Big chances created
1
Assists
0
As you can see in the table above, the Hoops star outperformed his xG to score an impressive four goals in nine Champions League games, which included goals against German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
This shows that the Japanese ace, who has been described as a “machine” by coaches, has the quality to make a big impact in the final third against some of the biggest teams in Europe, which suggests that he could adapt to the level of the Premier League.
“Top class” star is absolutely finished at Leeds if the 49ers sign Wilson
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Therefore, Leeds could sign their best winger since Raphinha by splashing £25m on Maeda in the upcoming summer transfer window, because he has the statistics and the performances at the top level to suggest that he would be a high-quality addition to Daniel Farke’s squad.
Aston Villa must win their remaining two Premier League matches if they are to secure qualification for the Champions League next term.
Depending on other results, it might still not be enough. But if Unai Emery is to continue signing world-class players, playing in the competition is imperative.
It will be a busy summer for the club in the transfer market, with plenty of ins and outs looking likely.
With Ollie Watkins’ future unclear, Villa will be in the hunt for a new striker.
Aston Villa’s chase for a new striker
Watkins has played second fiddle to Marcus Rashford since he arrived on loan in the winter window.
The striker claimed he was “fuming” after playing just 20 minutes against PSG I each of the quarter-final ties. Could this see him leave in the summer? Especially with Arsenal interested.
Ollie Watkins celebrates with Morgan Rogers for Aston Villa.
According to Caught Offside, Villa are showing strong interest in Atlético Madrid centre-forward Alexander Sorloth this summer, as they push to land the former Crystal Palace attacker.
Newcastle United also have the striker in their sights, and surely only a club that will be playing Champions League football next season stands a chance of signing him.
No transfer fee has been mentioned as of yet, as it appears Sorloth isn’t seeking a move away from Spain.
Should Villa submit a bid too good to ignore, however, things could change quickly indeed.
Alexander Sorloth could replace Ollie Watkins
“Ollie Watkins is very fantastic.” Said Emery after Watkins became the club’s highest ever Premier League goalscorer after netting against Bournemouth.
Not something he would say if Watkins was planning on being sold, but if a big offer arrives when the window opens, Emery might just strike when the iron is hot, especially with them needing to make a big sale.
A total of 87 goals across 221 games for the club will be difficult to replace, but in Sorloth, Villa had the ideal man to take over the mantle.
He has been in stunning form for Atlético this season. In 33 La Liga games, the Norwegian has netted 17 goals, with 21 his overall tally this term.
He was dubbed “legendary” after scoring the earliest hat-trick in La Liga history during a recent victory over Real Sociedad, netting three times in the first 11 minutes. Indeed, he finished the game with four goals.
When compared with his positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues, Sorloth ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (0.96) and in the top 3% for total shots (4.24) per 90 over the previous 365 days.
This suggests he would make for a dream replacement for Watkins should the Englishman be keen on moving away from the Midlands this summer, which is further evidenced by his strong form in LaLiga this term.
Alexander Sorloth’s stats this season
Metric
La Liga
Appearances
33
xG
13.91
Goals
17
Shots per game
2.1
Goal conversion percentage
25%
Goal frequency (minutes)
87
Assists
2
Via Sofascore
Facing profit and sustainability (PSR) issues this summer, if they don’t make a big sale, Emery might be forced to cash in on one of his prized assets.
Given his age, Watkins might be the chosen candidate. If so, a move for Sorloth must be given the go-ahead because he has showcased his finishing quality and ability to find the back of the net consistently in one of Europe’s major leagues.
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It is the dawn of a new era for Glasgow Rangers after Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises officially completed a takeover of the club last week.
They have immediately invested £20m into the club and will now oversee the search for the team’s next head coach, after Barry Ferguson stepped away at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
The former Scotland international was appointed as the interim boss after Philippe Clement was dismissed in February, and he only won six of his 15 matches in all competitions in the dugout at Ibrox.
Ferguson, whose team was held to a 2-2 draw by Hibernian on the final day of the Scottish Premiership campaign, failed to do enough to convince the board that he was the man for the job moving forward.
The 49ers and new sporting director Kevin Thelwell are now tasked with finding a manager who can bring glory back to Ibrox, after four seasons without a Premiership title.
One of the first items on the agenda for any incoming Rangers head coach should be convincing Nicolas Raskin to remain with the Gers beyond the summer.
Why Nicolas Raskin could leave Rangers
The Belgium international could move on from Ibrox in the summer transfer window, as Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Leeds United are both reportedly interested in the central midfielder.
Raskin has attracted interest from elsewhere due to his impressive performances for the Gers during the 2024/25 campaign, which led to him winning the club’s Men’s Player of the Year and the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year awards.
The 24-year-old star was deemed to be the best player at Ibrox this season and there are now teams who want to test how he would adapt to Premier League football next term.
Rangers, however, should be doing everything in their power to keep hold of the Belgian talent during the summer transfer window, because they will need as much quality as possible to finally beat Celtic to the Premiership title.
The former Standard Liege star is tenacious out of possession, as he averaged 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game and won 57% of his duels in the league this term, but the Light Blues star also provides plenty of quality on the ball.
24/25 Premiership
Nicolas Raskin
Appearances
33
Touches per game
68.4
Goals
4
Big chances created
9
Assists
10
Pass accuracy
87%
Dribbles completed per game
1.0
Dribble success rate
68%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Raskin is a player who thrives on the ball with his ability to both score and create goals from a central midfield position, whilst being efficient as a passer and a dribbler.
This suggests that the Belgian star would, therefore, love a manager who is committed to a ball-dominant style of play, which is why he should be pleased with the latest update on the Rangers manager search.
The latest on Russell Martin to Rangers
According to the Daily Mail, former Southampton head coach Russell Martin is one of the ‘main contenders’ to land the vacant managerial position at Ibrox.
The report claims that the former Scotland international, who had a loan spell with Rangers during his playing career, and Davide Ancelotti are the two main contenders for the role.
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It adds that Francesco Farioli, who recently left Ajax, and Brian Priske, most recently of Feyenoord, are also still in the running, but they are not as high up the list as Martin and Ancelotti.
The Daily Mail claims that the ex-Saints head coach was set to fall out of the race for the Rangers job when he was being lined up for the Leicester City position, but they have yet to sack Ruud Van Nistelrooy, so he remains in contention to replace Ferguson at Ibrox.
Appointing Martin as the first head coach of the 49ers era could be good news for supporters who want to see Raskin remain at the club, as the central midfielder could be a perfect fit for the Scottish tactician.
Why Nicolas Raskin would love Russell Martin
Analyst John Walker hailed Martin’s style as “exciting” and “total football”, due to the ball-dominant nature of how he wants his teams to play, and that could suit the Belgium international perfectly.
As aforementioned, Raskin is a technically brilliant footballer who constantly looks to make things happen from a central midfield position, with passes, dribbles, goals, and assists, and he could have plenty of chances to influence games in this manager’s system.
The clip above, from his time at MK Dons, is a flavour of the way Martin’s teams play, with plenty of short passes under pressure and movement off the ball to provide players with multiple passing options at all times.
Raskin would be a perfect fit for the way the ex-Norwich City and Rangers centre-back likes to coach his sides, because of his dynamism off the ball and his quality in possession.
Russell Martin’s attacking style of play
23/24 Championship
Southampton
League rank
Pass accuracy
87.7%
1st
Passes into the penalty area
594
1st
Progressive passes
2556
1st
Shot-creating actions
1255
1st
xG
79.8
2nd
Points per game
1.89
4th
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Martin successfully deployed a possession-based system to get Southampton promoted out of the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, building a team that was incredibly dominant when it came to passing forward and creating high-quality chances.
These statistics suggest that Raskin, who created nine ‘big chances’ in the Premiership, would thrive in his system as a midfielder who would constantly have chances to dictate play and create even more opportunities for his teammates with the dominance that the style of play creates.
Therefore, the Belgian midfielder could be more inclined to stay at Rangers for another year because of the prospect of thriving in a side coached by Martin, as it could help him to take his game to the next level ahead of a bigger move next year.
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