Birmingham City showed this time last summer that they are content with punching above their weight when a dramatic transfer window is open.

Indeed, it was somewhat of a shock to see Chris Davies’ men win the services of Jay Stansfield, considering the Blues had just been relegated all the way down to League One. Still, at a price tag of £15m, Birmingham sent shockwaves through the third tier with this statement purchase.

Birmingham will likely try to operate in a similarly flashy fashion moving up a division, with that approach clear for all to see again as Demarai Gray is now tipped to make a dramatic return to St. Andrew’s.

Gray's potential return to Birmingham

Gray isn’t the only former Birmingham player on the club’s radar this summer with Che Adams’ name having also been thrown out as another high-profile face who could soon return to their boyhood employers as Birmingham aim to take their new league by storm.

Gray is the latest rumour in this regard, with journalist Ben Jacobs taking to social media earlier this month to confirm the Blues’ interest and even reveal an enquiry had been made.

It would take around a fee of £8m for Birmingham to win back their former homegrown product, which is a steep amount to fork out, irrespective of his previous blistering eight-goal stint in the West Midlands.

Indeed, the 28-year-old has only tallied up a meagre nine goal contributions from 50 games for current employers Al-Ettifaq.

Off the back of this, Davies and Co might set their sights elsewhere.

The "special" target who is more exciting than Gray

The concern would be that the 28-year-old flounders back on the St. Andrew’s stage and tarnishes his reputation in the process.

On the other hand, an alternate target in attack in the form of NEC Nijimegen ace Sontje Hansen would have nothing to lose on his arrival in Birmingham.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph recently revealed that the newly promoted outfit has expressed an interest in landing the entertaining Dutchman.

Much like Gray, Hansen has been under an intense spotlight most of his senior career, having initially exploded onto the scene as a promising young starlet at Eredivisie behemoth Ajax.

He would only go on to make two first-team appearances in Amsterdam, but he has more than made a name for himself at Nijimegen in the here and now, as seen in the breathtaking solo goal above and when further assessing his standout numbers in the table below.

Games played

33

32

Goals scored

6

6

Assists

4

4

Big chances missed

4

2

Big chances created

7

7

Hansen has been very consistent for his Dutch top division employers over the last two seasons, with a hefty 20 goal contributions picked up across his last two league campaigns.

To add context, despite Gray being able to boast Premier League experience with Everton, he has only been able to collect a flat seven goal contributions over the same period, even whilst plying his trade out in the weaker Saudi Pro League.

Hansen has even been branded as a “special” talent in the past by his former U17 coach in Peter van der Veen, with plenty more to come from the 23-year-old potentially if he uproots to the Blues shortly.

Whereas Gray has arguably had his moment in the sun at St. Andrew’s, with more exciting, up-and-coming stars now needing to be prioritised.

Birmingham could sign a big upgrade on Paik in "first-class" £2m sensation

Birmingham City could now win themselves a new midfield talent to upgrade on Paik Seung-Ho.

2 ByKelan Sarson Jun 6, 2025

There may still be two Premier League games left to play, but silly season is almost here, and Arsenal look set for a busy one.

Mikel Arteta’s side failed to pick up a trophy for the fifth campaign on the bounce this year, so it’s hardly been a surprise to see them linked to a host of tremendously exciting attackers over the last few weeks.

Perhaps the most exciting of the lot has been Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, who would be an incredible statement signing for new Sporting Director Andrea Berta to make in his first summer at the club.

However, the Brazilian isn’t the only game-changing attacker touted for a move to the Emirates, with recent reports now claiming that the Gunners are close to completing a deal for an international who’d be an ideal teammate for the Champions League winner.

Arsenal close in on new striker signing

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other exciting goalscorers touted for moves to N5 in recent weeks, such as Nico Williams and Leroy Sane.

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 worth around £48m in his current deal, and while it would have to be paid in full, his output of 11 goals and seven assists in 44 games this season suggests he’d be worth it.

Sane, on the other hand, would be free thanks to his current deal expiring at the end of the season, and as he’s racked up 13 goals and six assists in just 44 games this year, signing him feels like a real no-brainer.

However, to really get the most out of Rodrygo next season, Arteta and Co will need to ensure they have a prolific number nine leading the line, someone like Viktor Gyokeres.

Fortunately, it looks like they will do so, as according to reports via an outlet from Spain, negotiations between Arsenal and Sporting CP for the player are ‘well advanced’ at this stage.

In fact, the report goes a step further, claiming that the deal, which is worth around €71m – £60m – is all but done and that the Swedish international ‘is poised to become a new player’ for the Gunners.

It’s certainly not a cheap transfer, but given Gyokeres’ incredible ability in front of goal, it looks like it’ll be well worth it, especially as he could help get even more out of Rodrygo should the Brazilian join as well.

Why Gyokeres would be a dream for Rodrygo

Now, while there will undoubtedly be a plethora of reasons on and off the pitch as to why Gyokeres would be an ideal teammate for Rodrygo, the most important one, and the one all others will stem from, is his raw output.

For example, it doesn’t really matter how many chances the Brazilian creates from the left if the centre-forward to his right can put them away.

Fortunately, that’s not the case for the Sporting CP star, and it is, in fact, quite the opposite, as it almost feels like the Swedish international couldn’t stop scoring even if he wanted to.

For example, in 50 appearances last season, the goalscoring “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, put the ball in the back of the net 43 times and provided 15 assists for good measure, which comes out to an average of 1.16 goal involvements per game.

Somehow, the former Coventry City star has become even more effective this year, and in 50 appearances, totalling just 4038 minutes, he’s managed to score 52 goals and provide 13 assists.

Appearances

50

50

Minutes

4169′

4038′

Goals

43

52

Assists

15

13

Goal Involvements per Match

1.16

1.3

Minutes per Goal Involvement

71.87

62.12′

In other words, the 26-year-old “powerhouse,” as dubbed by Mattinson, is currently averaging 1.3 goal involvements per game, or one every 62.12 minutes, which is simply outrageous.

Now, just imagine how goof Rodrygo could be with a striker that prolific to his right. Not only would he see his goal and assist tallies explode, but he’d probably have more room to work in as opposition defenders focus their energy on stopping the Swedish goal machine from scoring.

Ultimately, it might be a costly deal to get done, but Gyokeres looks like he’ll be incredible for Arsenal next year, and if Berta and Co can sign the Real Madrid star as well, we struggle to see how anyone will be able to contain the Gunners next year.

A sensational Havertz upgrade: Arsenal join race to sign £100m PL star

The talented goalscorer would add another string to Arsenal’s bow.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 15, 2025

The summer transfer window officially opened for business on Sunday and Celtic will be looking at ways that they can improve their squad ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Brendan Rodgers may have a domestic treble in his sights after his side ended this year with two of the three trophies, winning the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup.

The Northern Irish head coach will have at least one signing in the building by the start of next month, though, as Kieran Tierney is set to arrive from Arsenal on a free transfer when his contract at The Emirates expires.

With Greg Taylor out of contract and Jeffrey Schlupp’s loan deal expiring, the Scotland international is the only left-back on the club’s books heading into next season.

As well as wanting new signing to arrive to improve the team, Rodgers will also be hoping that some of the younger players in the squad can kick on and improve.

Hyun-jun Yang has shown plenty of promise during his two years at Parkhead so far, and his progression from year one to year two suggests that a big third season could be coming.

Why Hyun-jun Yang could be a star for Celtic

The South Korean attacker joined the Scottish giants from Gangwon on a permanent deal in the summer of 2023, and did not enjoy the best first year in Glasgow.

Yang ended the 2023/24 campaign with a return of one goal and three assists in 31 appearances in all competitions for the club, which shows that the winger provided little in the way of quality at the top end of the pitch.

This term, however, the 23-year-old star produced six goals and six assists in 34 matches for the Scottish Premiership champions in all competitions, whilst playing on the right and the left flank.

These statistics show that Yang has improved during his time at Parkhead, learning with more experience in Scottish football, and that is further illustrated by the difference in his performances in the top-flight.

Appearances

24

23

Goals

1

5

Conversion rate

5%

25%

Possession lost per game

9.8x

6.8x

Assists

3

2

Pass accuracy

81%

86%

As you can see in the table above, the South Korean star delivered more quality in front of goal and was more reliable in build-up play for Celtic, by being more efficient with the ball.

Gangwon president Kim Byung-ji claimed he “could easily become a world-class player like Son Heung-min” ahead of the winger’s move to Scotland, which illustrates how highly he is rated in his home country.

Yang is not at a world-class level, yet, but he is clearly improving, and Celtic are now reportedly interested in signing a player who could help to take his game to the next level in the future.

Celtic bid to sign English star

According to Football League World, Celtic have made an approach to sign Peterborough United left-back Harley Mills in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops have tabled a bid to sign the 19-year-old defender from the English League One club, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Posh are willing to accept it.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Premier League side Fulham have also made an offer of £1m for the impressive young full-back, which shows that there is set to be plenty of competition for his signature in the coming weeks.

Football League World adds that he would only join the Cottagers as an U23 player to bolster their academy, whilst the Hoops are looking for a player to compete with Tierney.

Meanwhile, Peterborough are also looking to pin the player down to a new contract, and it could be down to the player to decide which path is best for him moving forward.

If Celtic are able to win the race for Mills, though, then they could sign a left-back who could help Yang to fulfill his potential at Parkhead in the years to come.

Why Mills could be a great signing for Yang

At the age of 19, the Peterborough United star would arrive at Parkhead as a long-term signing who could grow into being the first-choice left-back for years to come.

This means that he and Yang could form a long-term partnership down the left flank if Rodgers opts to deploy the South Korean forward on the left wing, providing him with chances to cut inside onto his stronger foot instead of being forced down the line or backwards when on the right.

Mills only emerged as a regular starter for the Posh towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign, but his performances in the EFL Trophy and League One suggest that the potential is there for him to be an excellent option for Celtic.

The teenage star’s “stunning” free-kick at Wembley helped Peterborough to win the EFL Trophy in April, whilst he also averaged 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game across six appearances in the competition.

His form in League One, albeit only across 11 matches, also suggests that he could come in to offer more to the team from a defensive perspective than Taylor, who could leave on a free transfer this summer, did.

Appearances

28

11

Tackles per game

1.3

2.2

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.0

Clearances per game

1.9

2.5

Error led to shot or goal

2

0

Ground duel success rate

58%

65%

Aerial duel success rate

43%

57%

As you can see in the table above, Mills appears to be superior to the Scottish left-back across the board as an out-and-out defender, making more tackles, interceptions, and clearances per game, whilst also being stronger in his duels without making any big errors.

This suggests that the £1m-rated star could come in and lockdown the left-back position as a brilliant defender who could stop opposition wingers from pushing Celtic back in matches.

Not only could that improve the Hoops from a defensive perspective, but it could also free up Yang to play higher up the pitch on the left wing and closer to the opposition goal.

The South Korean star, if deployed on the left, would not have to track back as much if Celtic have a much better defensive full-back behind him instead of Taylor, potentially allowing him to be closer to goal to have more opportunities to score and create in the final third.

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ByDan Emery Jun 3, 2025

This could, therefore, take his game to the next level and allow him to continue his upwards trajectory in a Hoops shirt, on his path to living up to the “world-class” claim.

Since leaving Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United side, Marcus Rashford and Antony have played important roles for high-performing sides on the European scene.

Rashford hasn’t been at his rip-roaring best with Aston Villa, but the game-changing winger has still played his part for a side that sit on the cusp of a return to the Champions League, victory at Old Trafford this afternoon standing in his way. He’s scored four goals and provided six assists from 17 games for the Villans.

At Real Betis, Antony looks not like a man reborn but a different player altogether. The right-sided forward became something of a whipping boy for his struggles at the Theatre of Dreams after joining from Ajax in an £86m deal, but has hit nine goals and five assists since moving to Spain in January.

However, these aren’t the only former Red Devils, those having toiled in existing memory at Old Trafford, who have been remade elsewhere, with Scott McTominay forging an incredible campaign for himself over in Italy.

Scott McTominay's Serie A season

Less than a year after leaving Man United and joining Napoli in a £25m deal, McTominay has won the Scudetto and been crowned the Serie A MVP.

It’s been quite the year for the Scotland international, who has long played the bit part at Old Trafford but has been reborn as a bona fide superstar in Naples, the architect of their second league title in three years.

24/25 – Napoli

34 (33)

12

6

23/24 – Man Utd

32 (18)

7

1

22/23 – Man Utd

24 (10)

1

0

21/22 – Man Utd

30 (28)

1

1

20/21 – Man Utd

32 (24)

4

1

19/20 – Man Utd

27 (20)

4

1

The 28-year-old never quite brought it all together in the Premier League, but he’s channelled his innate goalscoring ability and reinforced his underlying metrics, averaging 6.1 successful duels and 4.2 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.

It’s exactly the type of midfield robustness that has been lacking for the Red Devils this term, and McTominay’s success will not have been lost on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

However, he’s not the only former Manchester United star performing under Antonio Conte’s wing right now, and you could stake an argument for Romelu Lukaku having been even better than his Scottish teammate.

Romelu Lukaku has been outrageously good

Lukaku first moved to Italian football in August 2019, signing for Inter Milan in a deal worth £74m, leaving Man United.

He didn’t have a terrible spell at Old Trafford by any stretch, but the 32-year-old, then 25, failed to capture the magic of his time with Everton, who the Glazers paid an initial £75m (rising to £90m), two years earlier.

Scoring 42 goals and adding 15 more assists across 96 matches, Lukaku made inroads in his first year but struggled across the 2018/19 season, only bagging 15 goals from 45 fixtures in all competitions.

He’s been something of a nomad across his storied career, but who can say Lukaku hasn’t left an indelible mark on so many of his clubs?

Now, Napoli have been added to that list, with the number nine’s return of 14 goals and ten assists across the league campaign proving instrumental in the title-winning success. This means that he produced more goals and more assists than the Scottish midfielder, which is why he was even more influential and even better for the Italian outfit.

Football writer Muhammad Butt even took the time to draw praise to Lukaku amid the effusions directed McTominay’s way, hailing the “outrageously good” Belgian for his talismanic role across the campaign, bagging his second Serie A title after winning the 2020/21 edition with Inter Milan.

His goal against Cagliari on Friday night, following McTominay’s acrobatic opener, was certainly ‘outrageous’, and a reminder that he’s not just a poacher.

Here is one of the finest centre-forwards of his generation, and he underscored his legacy with a stunning season under Conte’s wing, a manager who has fallen in love with the nine and sought to make use of his talents across a number of different environments.

McTominay might have won the MVP, but Lukaku will no doubt feel that his prolific season may have warranted the vote angling his way. Ah well, the title will soften that so-called blow.

Not just Garnacho: Amorim must sell Man Utd dud who's a "serious problem"

Manchester United are in need of a serious overhaul this summer, with numerous players needing to be sold.

1 ByEthan Lamb May 24, 2025

Birmingham City’s move for a “technical” player is now as much as “95%” complete, according to a positive update from journalist Sebastiao Sousa-Pinto.

Who do Birmingham want to sign?

The Blues know the importance of building on their League One title win and cementing their place in the Championship next season, with new signings required to take Chris Davies’ side to the next level, perhaps following Ipswich’s lead after their back to back promotions.

The financial influence of Tom Wagner and Tom Brady has aided Birmingham greatly in recent years, and supporters are understandably excited to see what the next step will be at the club this summer.

Luton Town centre-back Teden Mengi has been linked with a move to St Andrews in recent days, following a solid 2024/25 season from the former Manchester United player that saw him average 3.9 clearances per game across 20 Championship appearances.

Meanwhile, NEC winger Sontje Hansen has also been mentioned as an exciting target for Birmingham in the summer window, with the 23-year-old representing the Netherlands across five different youth age groups, winning a combined tally of 46 caps. Now, it looks like one player is very close to securing a move to the Midlands.

Birmingham's move for midfielder "95%" done

Speaking on his YouTube channel [via Sport Witness], Sousa-Pinto claimed that midfielder Kanya Fujimoto’s move to Birmingham from Gil Vicente is nearly complete, with the Japanese set to join on a free transfer.

“I’m talking about Kanya Fujimoto, the midfielder whose contract with Gil Vicente ended and who is now a free agent and, as far as I can tell, 90%, 95%, has been agreed with Birmingham City. The clock is still ticking to seal the deal. We’ll have to keep waiting, but the feeling has been very positive for a few weeks now.

“The feeling is still very positive for the transfer to be completed, but we’re still taking it one step at a time until we can close this deal, and Kanya Fujimoto can then join the Championship team as a free agent, once again after his contract with Gil Vicente ended.”

This is great news for anyone of a Birmingham persuasion, with Fujimoto a player who has now proven himself at a high level, making 156 appearances in the Primeira Liga.

The 25-year-old has scored 12 goals and registered 20 assists in Portugal’s top league, while analyst Ben Mattinson has hailed his “technical” quality.

Fujimoto has represented Japan in six age groups, further highlighting his pedigree, and he is a player who could be an instant hit for Birmingham, adding so much quality in midfield areas.

Japan Under-20s

5

0

Japan Under-19s

3

0

Japan Under-18s

6

0

Japan Under-17s

9

0

Japan Under-16s

10

0

Japan Under-15s

1

0

Even though he missed almost four months of action, it would be fair to say that Bukayo Saka was one of Arsenal’s best players this season.

It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise, though, as the Hale End superstar has been getting better seemingly year after year for some time now.

However, even so, his tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances this year was nothing short of remarkable, and had he been fit for more of it, the Gunners might have run Liverpool a lot closer in the Premier League.

So, fans should be incredibly excited about recent reports linking Arsenal with a young wonderkid who’s been compared to the talismanic number seven.

Arsenal transfer news

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at a couple of the other brilliant players linked with Arsenal in recent weeks and months, like Ademola Lookman and Karou Mitoma.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

The former could be available for around £55m this summer and would be a great addition to the Gunners’ squad, as in 40 appearances for Atalanta this season, he has scored 20 goals and provided seven assists.

Mitoma, on the other hand, could end up costing as much as £80m, and with a tally of 11 goals and four assists in 41 games, he might be less appealing of a target, even though he’s tried and tested in the Premier League.

However, neither of these wingers can be classed as a young up-and-coming wonderkid like Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now interested in the tremendously exciting Juventus gem.

Interestingly, the report reveals that much of this interest stems from the soon-to-be-hired Matteo Tognozzi, who was a scout at the Old Lady and was the man who discovered the talented Turkish ace.

However, if the Gunners are to get their man, they’ll likely have to match the Italian giant’s asking price of up to €80m, which converts to about £68m.

It would be a lot to spend on someone so young, but given Yıldız’s immense ability and potential, this is a transfer worth fighting for, especially as he’s been compared to Saka before.

How Yıldız compares to Saka

So, before we get into some of the other reasons Arsenal should be signing Yıldız this summer, it’s important to examine this comparison to Saka and where it has come from.

Well, in this instance, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in last summer’s European Championships, before creating a list of the ten most comparable players.

By doing this, it concluded that the Englishman was the third most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Turkish wonderkid in the entire competition.

Yıldız & Saka

Statistics per 90

Yıldız

Saka

Expected Assists

0.11

0.11

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.20

0.20

Passing Accuracy

83.65%

83.8%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.65

3.30

Goal-Creating actions

0.26

0.47

Tackles Won

0.53

0.57

Blocks

1.05

1.00

All Stats via FBref for EURO 2024

The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, expected assists, tackles won, blocks, passing accuracy and more, all per 90.

However, while a comparison to someone as brilliantly talented as the Englishman is certainly encouraging, it’s not the only reason the Gunners should be looking to sign the young Juve ace.

For example, the “special talent,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, can play almost anywhere in attack, from both wings to attacking midfield and even up top.

Moreover, despite being 19 for most of this season, the Regensburg-born prospect scored seven goals and provided five assists in 35 appearances, which comes out to a pretty decent average of a goal involvement every 2.91 games for someone so young.

Ultimately, while it would be a lot of money, Yıldız looks like he could be one of football’s next great stars, and for that reason, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him – the comparison to Saka is a nice bonus.

Related A hybrid between Gabriel & Saliba: Arsenal join the race to sign £68m star

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 12, 2025

Whoever takes over at Glasgow Rangers as the new permanent manager has a massive job to do.

A summer rebuild is required, which means plenty of ins and outs when the transfer window opens next month.

Ianis Hagi, Leon Balogun and Tom Lawrence all departed Ibrox following the expiration of their contracts, freeing up some of the wage bill.

The Light Blues will also need to sell a few players in order to raise some funds. Could Nedim Bajrami be the first to go?

Latest on Nedim Bajrami's future

According to reports in Albania (as per the Glasgow Times), the midfielder has two options on the table about a summer exit away from Rangers.

A club in Serie A is keen on securing his services, while another is from the Bundesliga. The report goes on to say that it is likely Bajrami will depart the club when the summer transfer window opens.

Having paid £3.4m for him just last summer, the board will be keen on recouping the majority of this fee back, especially as he has three years still left on his contract.

A return of nine goal contributions – five goals and four assists – across 44 matches simply wasn’t good enough, and he often went large spells without producing anything meaningful in the final third.

Whoever arrives as the new manager will see Bajrami as an asset who can afford to be sold to fund future signings.

Ben Davies is another player who must be moved on, especially after enjoying a successful season on loan with Birmingham City.

Why Rangers must sell Ben Davies this summer

Davies spent the entire 2024/25 season on loan at Birmingham and was a key component of the side that secured promotion back to the Championship.

He played 44 times for the club, helping them keep 20 clean sheets in League 1, while also winning an impressive 70% of his total duels and making 6.2 clearances per game.

Ben Davies’ League One stats for Birmingham (per 90)
Accurate passes	67.9
Tackles	1.1
Clearances	6.2
Interceptions	0.5
Total duels won	6.3
Possession lost	9.7
Via Sofascore

Due to these performances, head coach Chris Davies dubbed the centre-back as “exceptional” and it appears as though they are seeking a permanent transfer for the player.

Back at Ibrox, however, it’s fair to say that he didn’t quite live up to the £4m price tag following his arrival. That much is certain.

When compared to his peers in the 2022/23 Champions League, Davies ranked in the bottom 92% for pass completion percentage (79.6%) and in the bottom 80% for tackles (1.04) per 90.

The following season, he lost possession 12.1 times per game in the Premiership, regularly being outmuscled by opposition strikers. It was clear that the Englishman wasn’t going to be a long-term option at the back for the Light Blues.

Starring out on loan has surely put the £27k-per-week defender in the shop window this summer. Now, all that Rangers need is a club to come in and make a decent offer.

One thing is for certain, especially amid the news that the 49ers Enterprises have completed their takeover of the club. Ben Davies should never play for the Gers again.

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95 days after Philippe Clement’s sacked as Rangers manager, they could finally be closing in on a successor, one who could be a dream for Tavernier.

By
Ben Gray

May 29, 2025

Unfortunately for Chelsea, they missed the boat on signing Jamie Gittens before the Club World Cup. The mini transfer window, which took place before the new look competition begins late this week, shut last Tuesday. The West Londoners only brought in Liam Delap and Mamadou Sarr in that initial window.

Gittens was a huge target for the Blues, with Enzo Maresca’s side set to ‘insist again’ according to Fabrizio Romano, who explains ‘the player wants the move’ at some stage this summer. The two parties have already agreed on personal terms ahead of the proposed move.

That deal will not be the only one Chelsea are working on whilst the Club World Cup goes on. There are other targets the club are trying to sign.

Chelsea’s defensive transfer target

Such is the way of modern football, it is a busy period for Chelsea. Just weeks on from their UEFA Conference League success, they will look to win the Club World Cup and also make signings to strengthen their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

One of those players they are trying to bring in is Jorrel Hato. Romano explained over on YouTube, via GiveMeSport, that Chelsea ‘remain interested’ in signing the Dutchman. They have seemingly had contact with Ajax over a potential deal.

However, they are not the only London-based Premier League side who have made contact. North Londoners Arsenal have been ‘calling to be informed’ about Hato’s situation.

Whichever club it is who wins the race will have to spend a reported £43m on the defender, according to Caught Offside.

Why Hato would be a good signing

Should the Blues bring Hato to Stamford Bridge over the summer, he would be joining the club with a high reputation. Described as a “special talent” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, he is a hugely exciting young player.

A versatile defender, the 19-year-old can play as a centre-back, but did primarily feature as a left-back last season for Ajax. He played 50 games across all competitions, showing attacking nous by grabbing six assists and scoring three times along the way.

In a separate post over on X, Mattinson described Hato, who was born in Rotterdam, as an “exceptional athlete”. That is something that certainly stands out when watching him play, as the video below shows. He is incredibly physical, which has helped him at such an early stage of his career, often allowing him to get the better of attackers.

His numbers going forward are impressive, too. Not only did he register six assists last season, but some of the underlying stats on FBref show just how good he can be in advanced areas.

He is certainly progressive, averaging 3.89 passes into the final third per game, which places him in the top 21% of full-backs from the Eredivisie.

Passes completed

54.11

94th

Pass competition rate

89.4%

99th

Assists

0.21

94th

Passes into final third

3.89

79th

Progressive passes

4.17

64th

Well, perhaps Chelsea fans can get excited about a partnership forming with Hato and Gittens. The Dortmund winger, who is going to the Club World Cup with the Bundesliga side, made some major contributions for his side last term.

In 48 appearances for the German side last season, Gittens managed 12 goals and five assists, featuring as a left-winger in 37 of those games.

One of those goals was a strike away to Real Madrid, in which he became ‘the youngest English player to score’ against Los Blancos, as per TNT Sport.

Just imagine the progression in the final third of Hato combined with the goal threat of Gittens; it could be a match made in heaven for Chelsea. The pair could make each other unplayable, and combine to form a deadly partnership.

On top of his attacking construction, the Blues would be signing a superb young defender. Just as Mattinson pointed out, he is athletic and physical enough to cope with the demands of the Premier League.

For £43m, this could be a bargain for the team on the Blue side of West London. Chelsea would be adding a dynamic young defender who offers lots going forward, and can build an unstoppable partnership with Gittens on that left-hand side.

Better than Garnacho: Chelsea targeting "electric" £49m Gittens alternative

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Arsenal have emerged as the dream destination for one player this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, with sporting director Andrea Berta continuing to carry out his extensive transfer window shopping ahead of 2025/2026.

£70m star wants to join Arsenal after Norgaard and Mosquera, talks ongoing

The north Londoners mean business this summer.

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Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga are both poised to be announced as new Arsenal players shortly.

Kepa completed his Arsenal medical in the last few days as he closes in on a £5 million switch from Stamford Bridge (Sky Sports), while Zubimendi touched down in London last week to finalise his near-£56 million transfer to the Premier League.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

The Spaniards will be joined by Brentford captain Christian Norgaard, too, with Arsenal widely reported to have agreed a £15 million deal for the Denmark international, including add-ons.

The 31-year-old has been permitted to travel for his Arsenal medical (Fabrizio Romano), and ex-Tottenham director Frank Arnesen says Mikel Arteta may have just snapped up a bargain.

“If he can take a step up and come to Arsenal, it would be fantastic. Every dressing room would be thrilled to have him. He has the right mentality, is a team player and has the attitude,” said Arnsen to Tipsbladet earlier this week.

“Mikel Arteta was fantastic as a player, I think, and as a coach he has done absolutely superbly, both as an assistant at Manchester City and afterwards at Arsenal with the way he plays football.

“He doesn’t just take a player in without knowing exactly what he’s going to use him for. Maybe he won’t play 50 games, you don’t know, maybe it’ll only be 30, but it’s about the whole package. He gets the whole package with Christian.”

Berta has wasted no time in moving on to Arsenal’s next target after Norgaard, either.

The Gunners have opened talks with Valencia over signing versatile young defender Cristhian Mosquera, and there is real optimism that they’ll reach an agreement for their fourth signing of the summer, even if their opening bid of £16 million was rejected (The Guardian).

Cristhian Mosquera wants "perfect" move to Arsenal

While there’s still some way to go in club-to-club talks, Berta will not run into any trouble on the player’s side.

As per Romano, speaking on the ‘Here We Go’ YouTube channel, Mosquera thinks Arsenal are the “perfect” move for him, and the 21-year-old wants to challenge Arteta’s preferred centre-back pairing.

“My understanding is that the player wants to go to Arsenal. He sees Arsenal as the perfect opportunity for his career,” said Romano.

“Of course, you have to compete with Gabriel, with William Saliba, but what I’m hearing is that Mosquera is not scared. Obviously, he knows that these two defenders are probably the best in the world, but he wants to be there. He knows that Arsenal will have many games; with Mikel Arteta, young players develop very well. So Mosquera said yes to Arsenal.”

Able to play at both right-back and centre-back, the “magnificent” Mosquera could plug multiple gaps for Arteta, but his arrival surely spells the end of Jakub Kiwior – who’s been tipped to leave if they do sign the Spain Under-21 international.

Trent Boult, who was part of defending champions MI Emirates last season, has not been retained

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-2024Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, David Warner and Mohammad Amir are among the 69 players retained by their respective ILT20 franchises ahead of the third season.Captain Pooran, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, Kieron Pollard and Fazalhaq Farooqi are also among defending champions MI Emirates’ retainees. Trent Boult, who was part of Emirates last season, has not been retained. Captain Narine and Russell are among the 11 players retained by Abu Dhabi Knight Riders along with the likes of David Willey, Charith Asalanka and USA’s Ali Khan and Andries Gous.Apart from Amir, the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, Alex Hales and Azam Khan have also been retained by Desert Vipers. The notable absentees from the retention list are fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Matheesha Pathirana, and Colin Munro, who captained the Vipers last season.Captain Warner aside, Dubai Capitals have retained big names such as Rovman Powell, Sam Billings and Jake Fraser-McGurk. England’s Joe Root and Mark Wood, who were part of the squad last year, have been left out. Shimron Hetmyer headlines Gulf Giants’ retention list, along with captain James Vince. USA’s Saurabh Netravalkar and Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rehman haven’t made the list. The likes of Kusal Mendis, captain Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Johnson Charles are among the eight players retained by Sharjah Warriors.Each franchise has also retained two UAE players each, and there was no limit on retention of international players. Teams can now sign new players in the ongoing player acquisition window which will stay open till 15 September. The franchises will also need to complete their quota of four UAE signings after the completion of the ILT20 development tournament which will be held in October.The third season of the ILT20 is scheduled to be played in 2025 from January 11 to February 9 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.ILT20 retention listAbu Dhabi Knight Riders: Aditya Shetty, Ali Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Andries Gous, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Joe Clarke, Laurie Evans, Micheal Pepper and Sunil Narine.Desert Vipers: Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Luke Wood, Micheal Jones, Mohammad Amir, Nathan Sowter, Sherfane Rutherford, Tanish Suri and Wanindu Hasaranga.Dubai Capitals: Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Haider Ali, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza, Zahir Khan, Jake Fraser McGurk and Oliver Stone.Gulf Giants: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Jordan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gerhard Erasmus, Jamie Overton, James Vince, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Mohammad Zohaib Zubair, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson and Shimron Hetmyer.MI Emirates: Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Nosthush Kenjige, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil.Sharjah Warriors: Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Muhamad Jawadullah, Kusal Mendis, Luke Wells, Peter Hatzoglou and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.