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Eddie Howe said he doesn’t have “a rabbit I can pull out of the hat” when quizzed on Newcastle United’s early-season injury problems.

Newcastle are enduring their perennial teething problems during the first months of the campaign, but there are certainly signs of new life stretching sunward from the squad, who have been rattled and turned during the summer transfer window but are coming off the back of big performances in the Champions League and Premier League as we pause for the October international break.

Nick Woltemade, in particular, is the talk of the town after his fast start to life at number nine. Four goals from seven games and a penalty to behold during Sunday’s win over Nottingham Forest.

There’s work to be done, but the 23-year-old is showing signs of significant potential. And while Alexander Isak has left for Liverpool, this talented frontman could be a dream partner for Anthony Gordon over the coming years.

Gordon's new Isak

Gordon and Isak formed quite the partnership over the past two years at Newcastle. The England winger even described Isak as being “the best in Europe” back in January, with the striker having scored nine in seven in the Premier League.

Isak is undoubtedly an elite goalscorer, having notched 27 in all competitions last year. His pace and potency and intelligence worked wonderfully with Gordon’s own rip-roaring style, with the duo each dominating the headlines across the past two Toon terms.

For Gordon, this is a striker who might even surpass his connection with Isak – and what a duo that was. The 24-year-old even remarked after Sunday’s victory, “My style suits playing with that style of striker because I can run off them.”

Woltemade’s rise coincides with Yoane Wissa’s injury-ruined start to life on Tyneside, and now, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento face extended spells on the sidelines themselves.

There’s a blow to Newcastle’s flanks and transitional play. Still, Howe’s system has many times overcome obstacles of similar shapes and sizes, and the manager has crafted a new partnership to ease any defensive issues.

They might even be the best since Isak and Gordon were at their best.

Newcastle's new Isak & Gordon

The beauty of Howe’s Newcastle tactics is the stability of it, the way it roots players down and allows them to grow into top talents capable of challenging at the higher end of the Premier League and compete for silverware.

And that’s not restrictive to any one position or personality. Flashy forwards like Isak and Gordon can achieve big things, but so can those at the other side of the field.

Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw bear testament to that.

While the full-back injuries have pulled Dan Burn back into his wide berth, this flowering connection between two terrific centre-backs has led captain Bruno Guimaraes to hail them as “the future of this club”.

Since joining in 2022, Botman has been widely regarded as Newcastle’s most talented centre-half, but he’s been blighted by injuries.

Burn and Fabian Schar formed a strong alliance at the rear last season, but the £35m signing of Thiaw from AC Milan speaks of evolution. Hailed as a “monster in the air” by journalist Martino Puccio, the German is also confident and high-quality when on the ball, and athletic besides.

Across the past three top-flight fixtures, Botman and Thiaw have kept two clean sheets, only foiled during that exasperating defeat by Arsenal at St. James’ Park.

Indeed, Botman has now completed three successive 90s in the Premier League, a feat he achieved not once last season. As his fitness improves and his partnership with Thiaw develops, Newcastle fans truly might be in for a return to sustained iron-clad protection but with a technical flair added in.

25/26

5 (4)

340′

24/25

8 (6)

415′

23/24

17 (15)

1,378′

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36 (35)

3,129′

Journalist Mark Douglas has noted that Thiaw is “a Rolls-Royce driving one of the best defences in the Premier League.” It is understood that the summer acquisition was the culmination of two years of scouting.

Newcastle, time and time again, have their wits about them in the transfer market. They know when to pounce on an earmarked target, and Howe knows how to develop them.

Newcastle have a few fitness problems at this early-season stage. But they are adapting, and they are evolving. Woltemade is he new attacking poster boy, but in Botman and Thiaw, there is a budding partnership fit to rival Isak and Gordon as the finest Tyneside has seen in modern years.

Not Woltemade: Newcastle star is "one of the signings of the summer"

Nick Woltemade may not be Newcastle’s best signing of the summer.

ByWill Miller Oct 7, 2025

Glasgow Rangers finally got their first win of the season in the Scottish Premiership to alleviate some of the pressure on head coach Russell Martin.

The Light Blues had failed to win any of their first five matches in the division, their worst start to a league campaign in 47 years, but finally got three points on the board on Sunday.

Max Aarons scored in the 94th minute to win the match for the Ibrox giants after coming off the bench to strike, scoring his first goal for the club since his loan move in the summer.

How Max Aarons won the game for Rangers

The former England U21 international popped up with a crucial goal that was desperately needed, because the Grs were staring down the face of six games without a win to start the season.

As heard in the clip above, Martin needed a goal from that corner and that is exactly what he got when Aarons evaded his marker to smash home a brilliant finish on the spin.

It was a goal that a striker would have been proud of. The way he moved to get away from his marker and then the finish to find the bottom corner was textbook centre-forward play, but it came from a right-back.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Whilst Aarons was the player who scored the winner, it may have been Nicolas Raskin who just saved Martin’s job at Ibrox with his performance against Livingston.

How Nicolas Raskin may have saved Russell Martin's job

Ironically, after being left out of the matchday squad for games against Celtic and Hearts by the manager, the Belgium international may have saved his job by heavily contributing to the 2-1 win for the Light Blues.

Martin is under a lot of pressure from some supporters, who protested against him before during the recent League Cup win over Hibernian, due to the nature of the results and performances this season.

A sixth game without a league win, after losing 1-0 to Genk on Thursday night, could have put the manager’s position into major doubt, at least from the outside looking in, which is why beating Livingston feels like a big moment for Martin.

It was a win that was largely orchestrated by the quality of Raskin in the middle of the park, because he showcased his ability in and out of possession throughout the game.

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

88%

Key passes

3

Big chances created

1

Penalties won

1

Duels won

8/14

Dribbled past

0x

As you can see in the table above, the former Standard Liege star won the majority of his defensive duels and was not dribbled past a single time, which shows that he was incredibly reliable and solid defensively.

On top of that, Raskin won the penalty that James Tavernier missed in the first half and created three chances for his teammates in total, the last of which was his excellent delivery from the corner that Aarons scored from.

The 23-year-old star, who earned an 8/10 player rating from IbroxNews, never stopped running from the first whistle to the last, closing down opposition players, making unselfish runs to stretch the game, bursting beyond his man to spark attacks.

It was a terrific performance that was full of energy, grit, determination, and quality. Things that the team’s overall performances this season have been lacking.

Not Dyche or Gerrard: Rangers should axe Martin for future "elite manager"

With Russell Martin under intense pressure as Rangers boss, the 49ers should make a future “elite manager” their top target to replace him at Ibrox.

Sep 25, 2025

If Martin keeps his job and goes on to be a success at Ibrox, he may have Raskin to thank for his match-winning performance in midfield against Livingston in this game.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now lodged an enquiry over a deal for an “unbelievable” striker, who has a price tag of £15m, according to a report.

Wolves keen to bolster attacking options

Wolves have already made major improvements to their frontline this summer, with centre-forward Jorgen Strand Larsen putting pen to paper on a permanent deal, while wingers Fer Lopez and Jhon Arias have also arrived at Molineux.

Larsen in particular could be a fantastic signing, given that the Norwegian scored 14 goals in 35 Premier League games on loan with the Old Gold last season, but it may be important to get another striker through the door, given the uncertainty surrounding Fabio Silva’s future.

As a result, Wolves have now stepped up their interest in a Championship striker, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing they have submitted an enquiry over a deal for highly-rated Millwall striker Mihailo Ivanovic.

However, Millwall are said to be confident about keeping hold of Ivanovic, and the Championship side have set an asking price of £15m, in an attempt to ward off interest from elsewherd, with a number of foreign clubs scouting the centre-forward last season.

Vitor Pereira is keen to bolster his attacking options, following Matheus Cunha’s departure to Manchester United, and the 20-year-old is very much of interest, off the back of an impressive debut campaign at The Den.

Wolves showing interest in signing "fantastic" free agent to replace Semedo

Wolves are now showing a strong interest in a new defensive target.

ByBrett Worthington Jul 28, 2025 "Unbelievable" Ivanovic could be ready for Premier League move

Despite his age, the Serbian youngster was able to make a real impact at Millwall during his first season with the Lions, scoring 12 goals in 37 Championship games, indicating that he may be ready to test himself in the Premier League.

Manager Alex Neil has also been impressed by what he’s seen from the starlet, saying: “Any 20-year-old that leads the line in the Championship and can get nearly [10 goals], and he’ll get double figures before the end of the season.

“If you do that, that’s an unbelievable season and it won’t be surprising me if people start talking about him. I’ve already seen something the other day talking about the top 10 young talents in Europe – he’s one of them.”

It would be a gamble to shell out £15m on Ivanovic, given that he is yet to prove himself over a sustained period of time in the Championship, but he is clearly a very talented youngster, and Pereira could certainly do with bringing in another striker if Silva departs.

It would be fair to say that Manchester United’s lacklustre summer took a turn for the worse on Tuesday afternoon.

While the Old Trafford faithful have been crying out for the club to go out and sign some players, fierce rivals Liverpool have been doing precisely that, and now it looks like they are on the hunt for Alexander Isak.

In fact, according to some reporters, they are now preparing a £130m offer for the Newcastle United star, despite already spending around £116m on Florian Wirtz earlier in the window.

However, there might still be some good news for United fans, as reports suggest they are looking to bring in someone who could be their answer to the Swede before next week.

Manchester United's underwhelming summer

While it certainly doesn’t feel like it at the moment, the summer transfer window actually started in a rather positive fashion for United.

Transfer Focus

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

After recovering from their Europa League final defeat, the club went out and activated Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause.

With the Brazilian being Premier League-proven and amassing an impressive haul of 23 goal involvements in 36 games last season, it is undoubtedly a great signing; however, the problem is that the club haven’t made another since.

Fortunately, that might be about to change. At least that is according to a recent report from the Manchester Evening News, which has revealed that United are closing in on Bryan Mbeumo.

In fact, in some much-needed good news, the report claims that the Red Devils are working hard to bring the Brentford man in before they begin their pre-season next week.

The club have already seen two offers rejected, with the latest being around £60m, but according to stories from earlier this week, they’ll need to pay £65m to get this deal over the line.

It’s certainly a lot of money to spend on one player, but given Mbeumo’s ability, it would be worth it, and it could be United’s own Isak-type addition.

Why Mbeumo could be United's Isak

Now, the first thing we’ll say is that, no, we don’t think Mbeumo is as good a player as Isak, but that doesn’t take away from the fact he’s still brilliant, and that isn’t really what we’re trying to say either.

Instead, we’re arguing that the Cameroonian international could have the same sort of impact on United in an attacking sense that the Newcastle ace could have for Liverpool.

That might sound absurd to some, but it’s really not, especially considering the difference a seriously dangerous Premier League goalscorer could have on this Red Devils side is far greater due to their current position, and the Brentford man is most certainly a dangerous goalscorer.

For example, in 38 league appearances last season, totalling 3417 minutes, the Bees’ “mini-Salah,” as dubbed by pundit Jason Cundy, scored 20 goals and provided eight assists.

That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.35 games, or one every 122.03 minutes.

That would have made him comfortably the top scorer and most productive player in Ruben Amorim’s squad last season, ahead of Bruno Fernandes with eight goals and 11 assists in 36 games.

More impressively, however, it wasn’t too far off Isak’s tally.

Appearances

38

34

Minutes

3417′

2774′

Goals

20

23

Assists

8

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.73

0.85

Minutes per Goal Involvement

122.03′

95.65′

In a far better team, the Swedish striker scored 23 goals and provided six assists in 34 league appearances, totalling 2774 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.17 games, or every 95.65 minutes.

Finally, with the “phenomenal” Bees gem, as dubbed by one analyst, being able to play off the right or up top, he’d have even more opportunities to influence proceedings at the Theatre of Dreams next season.

Ultimately, Mbeumo is not as good a player as Isak, and nobody would suggest otherwise, but he is still an incredible attacker, and there is every chance that he could be as game-changing for United as the Swede might be for Liverpool.

Amorim's own Pogba: Man Utd leading race to sign "sensational" £42m star

Manchester United could be about to make a move to land a key target in their plans for the 2025/26 campaign.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 16, 2025

Chelsea are believed to be closing in on an agreement for their fourth exit of the summer, with BlueCo attempting to trim the club’s bloated books.

Enzo Maresca’s side have already waved goodbye to Kepa Arrizabalaga, who signed for Arsenal in an official £5 million deal earlier this week, with the 30-year-old joining defender Basir Humphreys and fellow keeper Marcus Bettinelli out of the Stamford Bridge door.

Chelsea ready to sell £80m duo after agreeing Pedro and Gittens deals

Enzo Maresca’s side need to balance the books.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 2, 2025

Humphreys sealed a £12 million permanent move to Burnley in May after spending the 2024/2025 campaign on loan at Turf Moor, helping Scott Parker’s side achieve promotion back to the Premier League, while Bettinelli replaced Scott Carson at Man City.

These departures have yielded around £19 million in total transfer fees, but given the club have spent around £140 million already this summer, they’ll need to orchestrate more exits in an effort to stay in line with PSR and UEFA’s FFP regulations.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Liam Delap’s £30 million switch from relegated Ipswich, Joao Pedro’s now-confirmed £55 million move from Brighton and Gittens’ pending £55 million arrival from Borussia Dortmund could yet be followed by more incomings, so player sales will become an absolute necessity before deadline day on September 1.

Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja and Axel Disasi are all on the chopping block this summer, according to The Athletic, while Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke are also linked with high-profile exits lately.

Arsenal are seriously looking at Madueke as a back-up option/competition for star winger Bukayo Saka, and given the plethora of transfers conducted between both sides over the last few years, there is every possibility the England international could be next out of the door.

“Noni Madueke is one of the players Arsenal are looking at,” said David Ornstein to The Athletic.

“Arsenal have long been searching for back-up/competition for Saka. They first looked at Mbeumo, that didn’t work out, so they had to look at alternatives — Madueke is among them.

“A lot appeals to Arsenal about that profile because he can play on the other side too, he’ll be known to many of the Arsenal players, he’s London based and Chelsea are always open to conversations about trading.”

Chelsea close to finalising Djordje Petrovic transfer to Sunderland

Chelsea could also trim their backlog of shot-stoppers down even more, with both Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic up for sale (Simon Phillips).

The latter played a key role on loan at sister club Strasbourg last season, and Petrovic has received plenty of interest this summer. Many suitors have reportedly phoned his representatives to gauge the possibility of a transfer (Simon Phillips), which is no surprise considering his “world-class” talent, as described by Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior.

Now, as per Sky Sports Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri on X, it appears one of them are now closing in on a deal for the Serbia international.

Indeed, it is believed Sunderland are now close to finalising Petrovic’s signing from Chelsea, which could be for around £22 million if all goes to plan.

If done, this is a very solid move for the 25-year-old, as he’ll likely accumulate far more game time between the sticks for Regis Le Bris’ men, and could have the opportunity to play a vital role in helping Sunderland maintain their newly-found top-flight status.

Slowly and then all at once would be one way to describe Arsenal’s summer thus far.

While their rivals were making signing after signing last month, Mikel Arteta’s side appeared rather sluggish, going back and forth between Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko without making much progress towards either one.

However, over the last week or so, things have begun to change, with Kepa Arizabalage through the door, Christian Norgaard’s arrival feeling like a matter of time, and an avalanche of reports linking the club to Crystal Palace superstar Eberechi Eze.

Furthermore, Andrea Berta and Co appear intent on bringing in more Premier League talent this month, with reports now linking the club to someone who could be a dream teammate for Eze.

Arsenal target Premier League stars

While Arsenal are more than happy to shop abroad, the club are also no stranger to picking up players from closer to home, and so far this summer, they have been linked with several Premier League stars, like Morgan Rogers and Anthony Elanga.

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 was superb for Aston Villa last season, racking up a tally of 14 goals and 15 assists in 54 games, but such a great campaign has seen his price tag soar, and reports have suggested he could cost the Gunners as much as £70m.

Likewise, Elanga once again proved his worth for Nottingham Forest in 24/25, racking up 18 goal involvements in 43 games, which in turn has seen his potential price tag reach £60m.

However, there is another, slightly cheaper, but still exciting Premier League attacker who is reportedly in the Gunners’ sights this summer: Noni Madueke.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, which reaffirms that Arsenal are very much interested in the Chelsea star.

The report goes a step further, though, claiming that the North Londoners are now in talks with the dynamic winger, having submitted their contract offer to the player, who is valued at close to £50m, according to other reports. What makes this move doubly interesting is that the player actually spent time in the Spurs academy as a youngster.

It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Madueke’s ability and potential, it might be one worth fighting for, especially as he could be a perfect teammate for Eze.

Why Eze would love Madueke

So, it might be somewhat simplistic, but one of the reasons Eze might love to play with Madueke is down to his output, as that’s what’s going to help the Palace star’s own goal and assist numbers.

For example, despite not always being one of the first names on the teamsheet at Chelsea last season, the exciting winger was still able to amass a decent haul of 11 goals and five assists in 2589 minutes of football, spread across 44 appearances.

That means the 23-year-old averaged a goal or assist every 161.81 minutes for the Blues, which isn’t too bad at all, and substantially better than Gabriel Martinelli’s average of a goal involvement every 222.75 minutes and even better than Leandro Trossard’s average of one every 172.75 minutes.

On top of being a fairly reliable scorer and provider of goals, the “unbelievable” forward, as dubbed by former manager Mauricio Pochettino, has also got some brilliant underlying numbers to his name, including some that would be music to Eze’s ears.

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and carries into the penalty area, the top 4% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and many more, all per 90. With those qualities in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that some within the game have said that he’s “very similar to Saka.”

Progressive Carries

6.82

Top 1%

Carries into Penalty Area

4.12

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.04

Top 4%

Touches (Att Pen)

8.15

Top 4%

Non-Penalty xG

0.43

Top 6%

Shots Total

3.54

Top 7%

Progressive Carrying Distance

154.28

Top 7%

Shots on Target

1.33

Top 8%

Now, those three statistics could be particularly important for the Eagles ace, as they suggest the Chelsea man is truly elite at getting the ball into seriously dangerous areas, which in turn could result in better and more chances for his teammates.

Ultimately, from his output to what’s going on under the hood, Madueke looks like someone who could explode in the right environment, and therefore, we reckon he’d be an incredible teammate for Eze at Arsenal.

He's more exciting than Eze: Arsenal close in on signing £69m "monster"

The goalscorer would be a bigger game-changer for Arsenal than Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 2, 2025

The Premier League fixtures were announced this week and Liverpool will kick start their reign as champions by welcoming Bournemouth on Friday August 15, but who will make their starting XI?

The Reds face the Cherries, a trip to Newcastle and a home clash with Arsenal in their first few fixtures, and have already been very busy in the transfer market in preparation for the new season.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez are expected to follow Jeremie Frimpong through the Anfield door, so Arne Slot’s side could have a totally new look to it come August, as the club’s leadership opt to attack from a position of strength this summer.

But with plenty of new faces and the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and possibly Andy Robertson departing, what will the manager’s first team of the season look like? We’ve asked Grok, the AI tool on X, to find out, as it set the Reds up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

AI predicts Liverpool's starting XI vs Bournemouth Defence: Alisson, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez

There are few surprises in the prediction for Liverpool’s defensive set-up, with all signs pointing towards Kerkez being the next new face through the door.

An international teammate of Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarian star’s father all but confirmed the move this week, and Bournemouth have already signed his replacement in the shape of Adrien Truffert.

On the other side, Konate is flanked by Frimpong, who’s incredible goal threat from a wide position should go some way to filling the void left by Alexander-Arnold – the flying Dutchman registered five goals and five assists in 33 Bundesliga games last season.

Defensive midfield: Gravenberch, Mac Allister

Again we see the beauty of building off the back of a stunning title-winning season, as there is plenty of consistency through the spine of Liverpool’s predicted set-up.

Ryan Gravenberch was crowned the top flight’s young player of the season last term, starting 37 of his side’s 38 league matches, and will look to continue his development alongside World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister.

Attacking midfield: Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo

If fans were worried about the creativity lost by their vice-captain’s departure, then the arrival of Wirtz to slot in alongside Salah should ease those concerns. The Germany international and the Egyptian King were the only two players across Europe’s big five leagues to score ten or more goals and assist ten or more goals across the last two seasons.

Goals

29

10

Assists

18

12

Shot-creating actions

169

148

Successful take-ons

58

82

Crosses

79

101

On the left the nod goes to Gakpo, perhaps lending credence to the idea that Luis Diaz will depart the club amid links to Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League.

Striker: Alexander Isak

With Darwin Nunez expected to leave Merseyside this summer and join a club in Serie A, there is plenty of speculation about who takes the number nine role under Slot, and Grok predicts it will be Newcastle superstar Alexander Isak.

The 25 year-old is thought to hold a price tag of £150m with his current employers, which would smash the top flight record and Liverpool’s own top signing, which will soon be Wirtz at £116m.

Could anyone stop Liverpool’s newfound domestic dominance if they added Isak to their already illustrious attacking options?

Nottingham Forest now want to sign a “great” £8.5 million ace as a possible replacement for Anthony Elanga, according to a new report.

Newcastle still chasing Elanga 12 months on

During the 2024/25 season, Forest had many players step up and perform at a very high level on a consistent basis, with one of those players doing just that being Elanga. The Sweden international bagged five goals and registered nine assists in 36 Premier League games in his debut campaign with the club, but he found a new level last season, scoring six goals to go with 11 assists.

He was a big contributor to Forest reaching the Europa Conference League, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed, as teams from around the Premier League begin to circle – it was revealed last week that Newcastle United had made contact with the Reds over a possible deal for Elanga.

The Magpies were interested in a deal last summer, and now Eddie Howe has returned in the hope of getting his man this time around. Howe is said to be a big admirer of the winger and has made him his number one target this summer.

Approach made: Nottingham Forest now submit bid to sign Mozambique captain

Nottingham Forest are looking to beat Premier League rivals in race to sign defender on free transfer.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 12, 2025

However, they are not alone in their pursuit, as Arsenal have now joined the race to sign Elanga. Journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed the Gunners are one of several sides interested in the Forest attacker ahead of the transfer window reopening next week.

The report adds that teams such as Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Aston Villa have all been watching the Swedish international ‘closely’. Forest are determined to keep hold of Elanga, but have reportedly placed a £60 million price tag on his head.

Forest want to sign £8.5m Moro as possible Elanga replacement

The mounting interest in Elanga will have the board worried, and according to Spanish outlets, relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are interested in signing winger Raúl Moro from Real Valladolid.

The Spanish side suffered relegation from La Liga last season, but despite his team’s struggles, Moro had a breakout season, netting four times in 33 La Liga games. The report states his ‘impeccable’ form hasn’t gone unnoticed, as Forest as well as AFC Bournemouth keep a close eye on his situation.

The report states that no offers have arrived for the 22-year-old as of yet, and despite Valladolid suffering relegation, they have placed a €10 million asking price on the winger, which is roughly £8.5 million.

Apps

33

Starts

26

Goals

4

Shots per game

1.4

Assists

5

Touches

34.7

Big chances created

8

Key passes

1.3

Succ dribbles

1.7 (45%)

Ground duels won

2.9 (48%)

This isn’t the first time Moro, who has been dubbed “great” by scout Jacek Kulig, has been linked with a move to England. Back in December it was revealed that both Liverpool and Manchester City were interested in signing the former Spain under-21 international, but it remains unclear if they are both keeping an eye on his situation.

With a new era on its way at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, The Friedkin Group and Everton are reportedly looking to sign fresh stars to match their new ground, which could yet see a £50m+ winger arrive.

Everton eyeing attacking reinforcements

It’s not the first time that the Toffees have been linked with attacking additions so far this summer and their plan of attack is clear. Looking to make a statement ahead of their first full season at the helm, Friedkin’s priority, based on recent rumours, is to add much-needed star power to David Moyes’ frontline.

That plan should come as no surprise, either. Whilst Everton improved their attacking numbers last season, they still lacked a consistent threat within their frontline even after Beto’s form picked up under Moyes. And with Dominic Calvert-Lewin still on course to leave the club as a free agent this summer, the Merseyside club must invest up front.

2024/25

42

2023/24

40

2022/23

34

The main factor behind their struggle is clear for all to see. Last season, although improved, was still not a campaign full of goals to savour and only the bottom three managed to score less than Everton.

That stat, alone, may have been enough to send Everton marching towards the transfer market with rumours coming thick and fast as to who could arrive this summer.

Already, names such as Jack Grealish have already threatened to steal the headlines in what would certainly be a statement move by Friedkin. The Premier League-winner is on his way out of Manchester City, having been left out of their Club World Cup squad, and Everton could take full advantage.

He’s not the only name on their radar, however. Reports are also indicating that those in Merseyside have also set their sights on the “king of Lisbon”.

Everton battling to sign Geny Catamo

If not Grealish, then Friedkin could spend big on a talented alternative. According to Caught Offside, Everton are now battling to sign Geny Catamo from Sporting Club this summer. They are reportedly joined by Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Aston Villa and others in a hectic race to welcome the 24-year-old in the coming months, but the deal won’t come cheap.

Everton fighting Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland for free agent signing

The Toffees are lining up a bargain transfer…

1 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 11, 2025

As reported, Catamo has a release clause worth as much as €60m (£51m) in Portugal and Sporting Club look likely to demand that in full if they are to sell their winger this summer. Of course, that verdict should not come as a surprise, given that the Everton target was dubbed the “King of Lisbon” by scout Jacek Kulig after he scored the winning goal against Benfica last year.

Whether Friedkin and Everton deem Catamo a player who is worth over £50m will be the big question in their pursuit. The winger himself, meanwhile, could yet decide to rescind his crown in Portugal this summer amid several interested parties.

Chelsea can officially start to make moves during the summer transfer window after it opened for business on Sunday, and that includes exits as well as incomings.

Towards the end of last month, the Daily Mail reported that Crystal Palace could make a move to bring Trevoh Chalobah back to Selhurst Park, after they qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Blues would be willing to part ways with the academy graduate, whom they recalled in January, but they were willing to send him out on loan to Palace last summer.

Chalobah started the Conference League final against Real Betis, but was also an unused substitute in the last two Premier League games as Chelsea chased a top-five finish.

Chelsea eyeing deal for new centre-back

The 25-year-old defender, whose sale would represent pure profit for the Blues as a homegrown player, could find himself on his way out of Stamford Bridge amid talk that the club are interested in bringing another centre-back to the club.

He is already behind Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, and Wesley Fofana, when available, which suggests that the addition of another player in that position could send him too far down the pecking order.

Transfer Focus

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With a move for Liam Delap all but sewn up, now according to The Guardian, Chelsea are ‘considering’ a swoop to sign England international Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Blues are eyeing up a deal for the English centre-back, who is ‘widely expected’ to move on from Selhurst Park ahead of next season.

The Guardian recently reported that Palace value Guehi at a fee of around £65m, although it remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea would be willing to pay that much for their former defender.

Why Chelsea should sign Marc Guehi

The Conference League champions should swoop to sign the £65m-rated England international this summer because he would arrive as a big upgrade on Trevoh Chalobah, due to the defensive qualities that the former Cobham star can bring to the side.

Guehi, who has previously been hailed as “unbelievable” by podcast host Aaron Moniz, is a proven Premier League performer who has been there and done it and could hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge.

As a former academy graduate, he would also not need much time to adapt to life at Cobham and with some of the players with whom he would already be familiar, like the captain Reece James, which could work in his favour.

Appearances

34

25

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

2.4

Clearances per game

4.6

4.2

Blocks per game

0.2

0.1

Duels won per game

4.9

4.2

Duel success rate

59%

59%

As you can see in the table above, Guehi’s performances in the Premier League this season also suggest that he would be a big upgrade on Chalobah as an out-and-out defender.

Whilst the individual statistics may not show a big difference, with only 0.4 more clearances per game or 0.2 more tackles and interceptions per game, it is the fact that he is ahead of the Chelsea defender in every category that stands out.

This means that Guehi could come in and offer more to Enzo Maresca’s side as a centre-back in every aspect of defending, from winning duels, to making blocks, to being in the right place at the right time to make vital clearances.

He is also less prone to making mistakes. Chalobah made two errors that led to goals in the Premier League, whilst Guehi did not make a single error that led directly to a goal, which suggests that the Palace star would be more reliable at the heart of the defence.

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1 ByRobbie Walls Jun 1, 2025

Therefore, Chelsea should press ahead with a deal to sign the £65m-rated English star this summer because he could come in as a big upgrade on Chalobah to improve Maresca’s defence next season.