da betcris： Manchester United have now agreed personal terms with a 109 career-goal striker, with Jason Wilcox driving a move that could transpire in January.
Man Utd searching for striker with jury still out on Sesko
da betano casino： It was always going to take Benjamin Sesko time to adapt to the Premier League after making the move from RB Leipzig, and the Slovenian is yet to make a real impact, failing to score in his first four outings in all competitions.
However, United legend Roy Keane has defended the 22-year-old’s slow start to life at Old Trafford, saying: “When there’s a lot of speculation, some of these lads miss training over pre-season and it maybe just looks like he’s not up to speed yet, but yeah undecided yet, give the kid a chance.”
That said, having joined for the huge fee of £74m, Sesko will need to start scoring soon, especially given that Rasmus Hojlund has now joined Napoli on loan, while Joshua Zirkzee isn’t exactly primed to provide much support, scoring just three league goals in 2024-25.
According to a report from Football Transfers, Man United have already set their sights on a new striker, who could join in the January transfer window, as personal terms have been agreed with Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck.
Welbeck is open to completing what would be a remarkable return to Old Trafford at the age of 34, and he has been identified as a low-cost addition to Ruben Amorim’s frontline, with Wilcox said to be the driving force behind the deal.
The Englishman’s name was brought up when the Red Devils enquired about Brighton teammate Carlos Baleba, and he is now seemingly being considered as a serious option, with the Seagulls willing to sanction a January departure.
"Amazing" Welbeck could be Zirkzee upgrade
The signing of the Brighton striker is unlikely to get too many fans excited, and in all honesty it is the type of business United should be avoiding, given that he will be 35 by the time a move to Old Trafford is feasible.
However, the 42-time England international, who has amassed 109 career goals at club level, is vastly experienced in the Premier League, and would probably be an upgrade on Zirkzee, having scored 10 league goals last season.
Lauded as “amazing” by former Brighton boss Graham Potter, the veteran striker has also outperformed Zirkzee across a range of key attacking metrics over the course of the past year.
Average per 90
Danny Welbeck
Joshua Zirkzee
Non-penalty goals
0.31
0.20
Assists
0.13
0.10
Shots total
2.39
2.26
That said, outperforming the Dutchman isn’t exactly the hallmark of being a top striker, and United need to be thinking about the future, rather than signing a former player who is arguably in the twilight years of his career.
da fazobetai： After nearly three months of stories, rumours and moves, the transfer window is finally closed, and it’s been a good summer for Arsenal.
da dobrowin： While it could be argued that the team are still in need of a new left-winger, Andrea Berta and Co did an excellent job adding eight talented players to Mikel Arteta’s squad, including a few who have the potential to be game-changing.
However, for all the good work done by the Gunners, the talk of the window, and the biggest headline grabber over the last few weeks has been Alexander Isak.
The former Newcastle United goal machine finally got his move to Liverpool, and while it was a record-breaking one, Arsenal can be happy in the knowledge that one of their stars remains more valuable.
Isak's transfer and Arsenal's deals
While he had a reasonably slow start to life in the Premier League, Isak slowly transformed into one of the very best strikers in world football by the time Liverpool came calling for him.
Throughout his Newcastle career, the Swedish star managed to rack up a sensational tally of 62 goals and 11 assists in 109 appearances, totalling 7,977 minutes.
In other words, the 25-year-old game-changer was able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.49 games or every 109.27 minutes across a three-season spell.
With numbers like that and the fact he’s such a pleasing player to watch, it’s not hard to understand why the Reds think he’s worthy of a £125m price tag and of being the most expensive signing in the league’s history.
Yet, while his move to Anfield has made the defending champions overwhelming favourites in the minds of many fans and pundits alike, Arsenal have made several top-quality additions to Arteta’s squad as well.
Viktor Gyokeres, for example, may have struggled on Sunday, but during his time with Sporting CP, he scored 97 goals and provided 28 assists in 102 appearances.
Likewise, Martin Zubimendi hasn’t necessarily hit the ground running in red and white, but he’s been one of the most sought-after midfielders in European football over the last few years and will undoubtedly come good in time.
Finally, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera looked reasonably impressive against the Reds, and, from what we’ve seen of him for Crystal Palace over the last few years, Eberechi Eze could be the man to help unlock the Gunners’ attack.
In all, the North Londoners have spent around £255m on signings this summer, and while they’ve not brought in anyone as valuable as Isak, Arteta already has a player worth millions more than him in the squad.
The Arsenal star who is worth millions more than Isak
While the club haven’t won anything with this current squad, Arsenal are blessed with an abundance of talent.
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The likes of William Saliba, Declan Rice and David Raya, for example, would get into most teams around the world and have valuations to match their level of talent.
Yet, when we are talking about the most valuable player in the Gunners’ squad, the player who is worth millions more than Isak, there is one name that stands out above all others.
We are, of course, talking about the face of the club, the talisman on and off the pitch, Bukayo Saka.
The Ealing-born game-changer has transformed from promising academy product to world-class superstar in front of the adoring Emirates over the last five years or so, and his price tag more than reflects his status in the game.
According to Transfermarkt, the Gunners’ “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is worth a staggering €150m, which is about £130.1m, or £5.1m more than Liverpool just paid for their new striker.
Now, there is no denying that it is an extraordinary amount of money for a still relatively young player to be worth, but based on his performances over the last few years and his importance to the North Londoners, it’s hard to argue that it’s undeserved.
Saka’s Arsenal Career
Appearances
265
Starts
231
Minutes
20163′
Goals
71
Assists
72
Goal Involvements per Match
0.53
Minutes per Goal Involvement
141′
Points per Game
1.93
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, despite still being just 23 years old, and therefore three years away from his expected peak, according to research from The Athletic, the dynamic winger has made 265 appearances for Arsenal, in which he has scored 71 goals and provided 72 assists.
Moreover, despite missing almost four months with a hamstring injury and having to work his way back up to full match fitness, his numbers from last season aren’t too far off Isak’s.
In his 37 appearances for the Gunners, totalling 2619 minutes, the Englishman scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists.
That comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.42 games, or every 100.73 minutes.
Saka vs Isak in 24/25
Players
Saka
Isak
Appearances
37
42
Starts
30
41
Minutes
2619′
3324′
Goals
12
27
Assists
14
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.70
0.78
Minutes per Goal Involvement
100.73′
100.72′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In contrast, the former Toon star scored 27 goals and provided six assists in 42 appearances, totalling 3324 minutes.
That comes out to a marginally better average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 100.72 minutes.
Moreover, when you take into account that the Swede was playing down the middle and expected to be his side’s primary goal threat, it’s even more impressive that, in an injury-riddled campaign, the Hale End icon put up comparable numbers.
Ultimately, Isak is an extraordinary player and looks set to make Arsenal’s hunt for a Premier League title far tougher this season.
However, in Saka, they have someone more valuable, and so long as he gets fit and remains so, someone who could be the difference come May.
da betsul： Crystal Palace will no doubt be eager to put this hectic summer transfer window behind them.
da imperador bet： Unfortunately, not even sealing a double whammy of successes in the FA Cup and Community Shield would be able to keep Eberechi Eze fixed at Selhurst Park, with the former Eagles attacking midfielder poached by fellow Premier League side Arsenal late on.
However, Palace could make the window look a tad more rosy very soon, with a verbal agreement now reportedly in place for Oliver Glasner’s men to sign this £17m attacker.
Palace verbally agree deal for £17m star
The Eagles might well still wave goodbye to Marc Guehi before the 7pm deadline, but there will be rays of positivity all the same regarding one incoming.
As has been reported by Fabrizio Romano, via X, Getafe ace Christantus Uche is now in London to seal a late switch to Palace, with a deal between the La Liga outfit and Glasner and Co. verbally agreed.
Uche has been subject to widespread interest from the Premier League this summer, with Wolverhampton Wanderers even close at one point to bringing in the £17m star.
But, it looks as if the Eagles will be the winners for his coveted signature after all, as Uche now dreams of forming a terrifying duo up top with Palace man of the moment Jean-Philippe Mateta.
How Uche and Mateta could link up
Mateta would get the ball rolling for his beloved side against Aston Villa last time out, as this calmly tucked away penalty then opened the floodgates to hand the visitors a comfortable 3-0 victory.
That bumps up the clinical Frenchman’s early-season total to three goals from six clashes, and with Uche soon to be by his side by all accounts, his overall tally of 49 strikes for the Eagles will surely just rise and rise.
Uche’s La Liga numbers for Getafe (24/25)
Stat – per 90 mins*
Uche
Games played
33
Goals scored
4
Assists
6
Touches*
34.4
Accurate passes*
11.6 (67%)
Big chances created
7
Total duels won*
6.8
Stats by Sofascore
The £17m Nigerian already has a goal and assist next to his name this season from just three La Liga encounters, but it’s his consistent excellence last season in the testing Spanish top-flight that will be music to the ears of Palace – and Mateta in particular – with Uche picking up six assists, despite only averaging a low 11.6 accurate passes per clash.
Mateta often only needs a split second to wreak havoc himself, with a mere 22.6 touches averaged per league game across his standout 2024/25 offering for Palace in the Premier League, but a lethal 14 strikes would still arrive at his door, nonetheless.
Moreover, the one-time Wolves target often uses his strength to fire away goals, as seen in his high 6.8 duels won on average during his breakout campaign in Spain, with four strikes also coming his way to be branded a “defender’s nightmare” by scout Antonio Mango.
Of course, Mateta – coming in at a lofty 6-foot-4 frame – has also often used his brute power as an advantage, with Arsenal great Thierry Henry even going as far as to herald the Selhurst Park fan favourite as an “old-fashioned striker” for his physical approach.
Crystal Palace's Jean-PhilippeMatetacelebrates after the match
With Eze heartbreakingly gone, adding in Uche could get the Palace fanbase back on side, particularly if he goes on to get even more out of an already red-hot Mateta.
da mrbet： The signing of Xavi Simons marks nearly a month-long pursuit for Tottenham Hotspur to find their James Maddison replacement.
da winzada777： In a World Cup year, this was set to be an important campaign for the Englishman, who was notably excluded from England’s squad at the European Championships.
More heartbreak has befallen Maddison, set to miss most of the 2025/26 campaign with an ACL injury.
Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White were the main targets but the former joined Arsenal instead and the latter was handed a shiny new contract by Mr Marinakis at Nottingham Forest.
So, Simons ended up being the man, penning terms after Spurs agreed to pay RB Leipzig £51m to attain his signature.
Yet, the Lilywhites may not be done there.
Spurs could conclude one last deal
If Spurs are to conclude any last-minute deals then it’s likely to be in attack. Dominic Solanke has picked up another injury problem while Richarlison has had his own setbacks throughout his time in the capital.
As such, going into the campaign without another forward player signed could be a recipe for disaster as far as Thomas Frank and Co are concerned.
Tottenham Hotspur managerThomasFrankcelebrates after the match
A number of players have been linked in recent days, notably Lucas Paqueta and Ademola Lookman, but the more likely name to join is Manchester City winger, Savinho.
A number of weeks ago reports emerged that stated Spurs were in talks to sign the Brazilian winger and indeed, the Lilywhites are still trying to conclude a deal worth around £69m.
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City are reluctant to sell but the 21-year-old is trying to force through a move in the remaining hours of the transfer window, having been left frustrated by his club’s stance.
Now, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, both player and club are trying to make a deal happen.
Bailey states that Spurs “love” Savinho, suggesting that a deal “is not dead in the water yet”. That’s presumably due to the player’s stance.
Indeed, the report further notes that the Brazilian is ‘keen to make the switch’, with his desire to leave a factor that could ‘yet make the deal possible’.
Why Xavi Simons would love playing alongside Savinho
The addition of Simons in the last few days is undoubtedly a landmark addition for the Lilywhites.
He will bring goals, having scored 11 times last season, and he will bring assists, registering eight in all competitions throughout 2024/25.
Simons – Bundesliga (2024/25)
Stats (per 90)
Tally
Games
25
Goals & assists
17
Pass accuracy
83%
Chances created
2.2
Successful dribbles
1.4
Tackles won
75%
Duels won
5.7
Stats via FotMob
The Dutchman is certainly one of the best playmakers in European football and at the age of just 22, he’s only going to get better.
Combine his playmaking ability with the creativity of Savinho and you have a duel threat that could transform the fortunes of Frank’s attack.
While Spurs didn’t struggle to fashion chances against Burnley and Manchester City, scoring five goals, they really did against Bournemouth on Saturday. Spurs managed just five total shots to Andoni Iraola’s side’s 20, and they failed to carve out a single big chance.
Therefore, Simons and Savinho could work in tandem to boost the forward line. After all, they are two of the most creative players in Europe.
Last season, while the Brazilian struggled in front of goal with just three strikes, he was particularly creative.
A “superstar in the making”, in the words of Paul Merson, the 21-year-old contributed with 13 assists in all competitions. As such, he ranked among the top 13% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues for assists per 90 minutes.
He also sits inside the best 3% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons, rubberstamping his credentials as one of the most exciting wide players on the continent.
Those numbers draw similarities to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Florian Wirtz, with FBref declaring the two Premier League stars as some of the most similar players in Europe to Savinho.
That creative and progressive nature would make him a phenomenal player for Simons, a player who possesses very similar traits.
Indeed, over the last year, the former Leipzig man ranks among the best 13% of players in his position for progressive passes. With Savinho, a willing runner, and Simons, a willing creator, this feels like a match made in heaven for Spurs.
What this would open up are multiple areas of attack. Simons would have the remarkable pace of Brennan Johnson to feed and then he’d also have the more skilful nature of Kudus and Savinho to tee up.
It really does feel like Frank would be covering all bases behind the main centre forward if this occurred.
da casino： Manchester City are now set to “present an offer” for a £43m star who Pep Guardiola called “sensational”, journalist Orazio Accomando has revealed.
Man City looking to offload more players before deadline
da esoccer bet： Guardiola has previously made it abundantly clear he doesn’t want to work with an oversized squad next season, with the Man City boss saying: “I said to the club I don’t want that. I don’t want to leave five or six players in the tribune. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.”
As such, despite recently offloading Jack Grealish, City may look to get some more players off the books before the transfer deadline, and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Galatasaray are pursuing Ederson.
It remains to be seen whether City opt to cash-in on the Brazilian this summer, with reports from elsewhere revealing they have little interest in sanctioning a departure, but if they do, they may need to bring in a replacement.
That is due to the fact that new arrival James Trafford has limited experience in the Premier League, making just 28 appearances in the competition, and the Blues could now make a move for a goalkeeper who has proven himself at the top level.
That is according to an update from Accomando on X, who states that Man City are now set to “present an offer” for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the next few days, as they continue to work on offloading Ederson.
Gianluigi Donnarumma at Club World Cup final.
Donnarumma is also a major target for Manchester United, and PSG are now willing to sanction a departure, having made it clear that Lucas Chevalier is their new number one, with the French club looking to receive £43m.
Pep's an admirer of "sensational" Donnarumma
Guardiola is a long-term admirer of the Italian goalkeeper, having once lauded him as “sensational” after impressing against City in the Champions League, and he continued to catch the eye in last season’s competition.
Indeed, the Italy captain played a major role in his side reaching the Champions League final, with journalist Carlo Garganese singling the 26-year-old out for praise after impressing in the semi-final against Arsenal.
That said, there are doubts over whether Donnarumma would be a good fit in a Guardiola system, given that he isn’t the best with his feet, averaging 29.95 touches per 90 over the past year, compared to Ederson’s 60.34, so it may be worth persisting with the Brazilian.
da esport bet： Leeds United have now made an approach over a deal for a “special” striker, according to a reporter.
Leeds keen on new striker despite signing Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha
da pinup bet： Leeds appear to be very well-stocked in the centre-forward department, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin arriving alongside Lukas Nmecha to complement Joel Piroe.
It was Nmecha who was the match-winner in the Whites’ opening Premier League game against Everton, with the former Wolfsburg man converting a penalty a matter of minutes after being brought on as a substitute.
Calvert-Lewin also seems like a decent capture, given that the 11-time England international was available on a free transfer, and the 28-year-old is vastly experienced at Premier League level, although Daniel Farke has admitted it was a gamble.
Farke said: “Let’s be open about it. It’s always a bit risky to sign players who’ve had difficult years with a few injuries. There are always question marks and doubts. But the second part of the truth is that if he had his prime season last season he wouldn’t be on the market for us.”
Perhaps given the former Everton man’s patchy injury record, the Whites remain interested in signing another striker before the September 1st transfer deadline, and they have now stepped up their pursuit of a Bundesliga star.
That is according to Florian Plettenberg, who has now taken to X to reveal that Leeds have recently submitted an enquiry over a deal for VfB Stuttgart striker Ermedin Demirovic, who is attracting widespread interest.
Nottingham Forest have also made an approach for Demirovic, alongside a number of other Premier League clubs, and the striker “remains a player to watch until deadline day.”
However, it could be difficult to get a deal over the line, with the Sky Sports reporter stating Stuttgart are eager to keep hold of the 27-year-old, who is “only willing to consider top offers.”
"Special" Demirovic could take Leeds' attack to next level
A deal for the Bosnia international could be on the expensive side, with Stuttgart thought to be holding out for £35m, but that could be a price worth paying, considering he has the ability to take Leeds’ attack to the next level.
VfB Stuttgart's Jeff Chabot, VfB Stuttgart's ErmedinDemirovicand VfB Stuttgart's Pascal Stenzel celebrate after winning the DFB Cup Final
Lauded as “special” by Stuttgart director Fabian Wohlgemuth, the Hamburg-born striker chipped in with 23 goal contributions for Stuttgart across all competitions last season, helping his side secure a shock DFB-Pokal triumph.
Not only that, but the Stuttgart star has retained a fantastic goal record in the Bundesliga across the past two campaigns.
Season
Goals
Assists
2023-24
15
10
2024-24
15
2
As such, if Leeds can afford to stump up the £35m asking price, they should undoubtedly go all out for Demirovic, as the striker could be a real difference-maker in their battle to avoid relegation.
da poker： Newcastle United are set to miss out on another transfer target as Benjamin Sesko looks bound for Manchester United. Both Premier League sides had submitted bids to RB Leipzig, but it now looks apparent that the Slovenia international’s desired destination is Manchester.
da winzada777： This is the latest in a number of failed transfer sagas for the Magpies after numerous other players opted for moves to other clubs, with Sesko reportedly agreeing personal terms at Old Trafford as the Red Devils close in on a deal.
The biggest positive for Eddie Howe’s side this window has been the arrival of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest. The Swedish winger arrived in July, and since then, it’s been clear that Howe wants more attackers to join him.
As well as Ekitike, Liverpool have also attempted to bring Newcastle’s own Alexander Isak to Merseyside after offering a figure just shy of £120 million. While Newcastle rebuffed the first bid, the potential for Isak to agitate for a move has only made their need to sign a striker stronger.
Newcastle United enter talks for Chelsea star
Despite their disappointments in the transfer market so far this summer, Newcastle have added a new target to their striker shortlist with Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. Journalist Ben Jacobs has reported that Jackson was featured on their striking shortlist alongside Sesko, and that the interest has progressed to the point where the two clubs have entered “club-to-club talks”.
Jackson has played against Newcastle five times, making them his joint-highest faced opposition. During those five appearances, fans have witnessed the good and the bad that Jackson can bring to the club, as he has scored against the Magpies twice but also received a straight red card towards the end of last season.
In the same post, Jacobs mentioned that Brentford’s Yoane Wissa is still a target and that the player is actively pushing to get the deal done.
Jackson may be the easier of the two deals to complete however, as Chelsea have a number of forward players at the club and view the Senegalese striker as surplus to requirements, whereas Brentford have been stripped of a number of their management team and star players this summer, so they may be more reluctant to let another player go.
Jackson is within Newcastle's budget
Since it looks likely that their bid for Sesko will be unsuccessful, it is reasonable to assume that the £70 million plus add-ons they were willing to spend is now available for other transfers.
Strikers Newcastle have missed out on
New Club
Liam Delap
Chelsea
Hugo Ekitike
Liverpool
Joao Pedro
Chelsea
Bryan Mbeumo
Man Utd
Benjamin Sesko*
Man Utd*
In July, Sky Sports reported that Chelsea wanted between £80 – £100 million for Jackson following Ekitike’s move to Liverpool and a belief from the Chelsea board that Jackson was the better player and thus should command a higher fee. That price tag appears to have dropped significantly, with the i stating that Chelsea’s new evaluation of Jackson is around £65 million.
Even if the Sesko bid was all that was left of their budget, which is very unlikely considering the low number of incoming players that Newcastle have currently signed this summer, they would be able to match Chelsea’s newest evaluation for Jackson.
da pinnacle： Fair to say, this season has not gone quite to plan for Glasgow Rangers and in particular, new Gers boss Russell Martin.
da 888： Last time out, Rangers played out statistically the most boring Glasgow derby of all time, the two fierce rivals accumulating a combined xG of just 0.31 at Ibrox.
This means, for the first time since 1983, the Light Blues have failed to win any of their opening four fixtures in a Premiership campaign, having previously played out 1-1 draws with Motherwell, Dundee and then St Mirren.
Scoring goals has certainly proved to be one of the many key issues Martin has faced as Rangers boss, with a lot of attacking talent departing Govan this summer, but could one of his summer signings ultimately solve this issue and turn out to be the new Václav Černý?
Václav Černý's importance at Rangers
Last season, across 58 matches in all competitions, Rangers scored a total of 115 goals.
Well, their top three scorers, namely Cyriel Dessers, Cerny and Hamza Igamane, contributed 63 of these goals (55%), but the trio have all departed during the summer.
Dessers was sold to Panathinaikos for £3.5m on deadline day, Igamane joined Lille for around £10.4m a few days earlier, while Černý did not return, following the expiration of his loan from Wolfsburg.
Instead, the Czechia international joined Beşiktaş for around £6m, but, considering the İstanbul-based giants failed to qualify for the league phase of any European competition, while Rangers are back in the Europa League, supporters may feel aggrieved that he isn’t heading back to Ibrox.
The table below underlines Černý’s importance last season.
Černý Rangers 2024/25 stats
Statistics
Černý
Rangers rank
Goals
18
2nd
Assists
6
4th
UEL goals
6
1st
Shots
136
1st
Big chances created
9
4th
Shot-creating actions
42
1st
Goal-creating actions
5
2nd
Progressive carries
40
1st
Key passes
14
2nd
Average SofaScore rating
7.40
2nd
Stats via FBref & Sofascore
As the table documents, Černý was a pivotal figure at Rangers last season, his six goals in the Europa League particularly noteworthy.
Vaclav Cerny
The 27-year-old took his tally to eight international goals on Friday night, bagging the second as Czechia beat Montenegro 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Podgorica, but could Rangers have unearthed a winger with even greater potential?
Rangers' Václav Černý upgrade
In a season that has so far produced very little for Rangers fans to cheer, the form of Djeidi Gassama has certainly been something to get excited about.
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The 22-year-old arrived in Glasgow for a reported fee of £2.2m, joining from crisis club Sheffield Wednesday, who are being completely run into the ground by wantaway owner Dejphon Chansiri, thereby sanctioning a fire sale of all the Owls’ assets.
Thus, it appears as though Rangers have taken advantage of the disastrous situation at Hillsborough and snapped up a bargain.
When he first arrived, manager Martin labelled Gassama “exciting”, adding that he will get fans “on the edge of their seats”, asserting that “he is on an upward trajectory… we look forward to seeing him in action.”
Well, the 21-year-old certainly made a good first impression, scoring four times during the early rounds of Champions League qualifying.
He spectacularly netted on his debut against Panathinaikos, also on target during the return leg in Athens eight nights later, before bagging a brace when Viktoria Plzeň was vanquished 3-0 at Ibrox in the third qualifying round.
As already outlined, what made Černý’s contribution so outstanding was his end product in European competition, something Gassama has already shown signs of being able to replicate.
In the Europa League league phase, the Gers will face: Genk (H), Sturm Graz (A), Brann (A), Roma (H), Braga (H), Ferencváros (A), Ludogorets Razgrad (H) and then Porto (A) on the final matchday.
Even when considering Rangers’ horrendous start to the season, there are certainly some winnable fixtures in that bunch so, if they’re to match last season’s run to the quarter-finals, or even better it, Gassama will be key to the Light Blues’ hopes.
da betway： Setting their sights on a fifth arrival this summer, Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly made an approach to sign an experienced player for Thomas Frank.
Latest on Tottenham incomings
da betsson： In Spurs’ ideal world, they would have Morgan Gibbs-White at their disposal right now, but Nottingham Forest and Evangelos Marinakis quickly proved to be as stubborn as ever even after the Lilywhites triggered the midfielder’s £60m release clause.
Good news quickly turned into legal news for those in North London when Forest decided to threaten a legal complaint over Spurs’ move.
Nottingham Forest's MorganGibbs-Whitereacts after the match
According to reports, Gibbs-White still wants to complete a move to Spurs this summer, but it remains to be seen whether the Lilywhites do return with a second attempt to sway an already-disgruntled Nottingham Forest.
The same can be said for Yoane Wissa. As things stand, all signs point towards Newcastle being in pole position to sign the forward despite Spurs’ interest.
Given the Magpies’ recent habit of missing out on top targets, though, the door may still be left ajar for Frank to reunite with the impressive Brentford striker.
Frank has, of course, already welcomed both Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus and Kota Takai this summer.
Asked about Kudus’ arrival in particular, who comes as their main blockbuster signing of the window so far, the Spurs boss told reporters: “I think it’s a great signing from the club. It’s top work from Daniel Levy getting a very good player early in pre-season so we can start working with him.”
Related Tottenham expected to make "official move" for "standout" £35m defender
Spurs are targeting a new centre-back.
2
It’s the type of “top work” that Frank will now be hoping to see more of from Levy this summer, which could see Spurs land a top-level midfielder.
Tottenham make Joao Palhinha approach
According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have indeed made an approach to sign Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, backing up similar previous reports. However, they have so far only worked on personal terms rather than submitting a proposal to the Bundesliga champions themselves.
Dubbed a “leader” by Fulham boss Marco Silva the last time that he starred in the Premier League, Palhinha could now be on his way back to English football just one year after leaving Craven Cottage.
Whilst things haven’t exactly gone to plan for the Portugal international in Germany, he remains a player with plenty of know-how and one who could rediscover his best form under Frank at Spurs.
That said, it remains to be seen whether Spurs are able to match Palhinha’s staggering £9m-a-year salary at Bayern or whether he is forced to take a pay-cut to secure a summer switch.
da betsson： Manchester United are now ready to make a shock move for a “world-class” World Cup winner, having held discussions over a deal at the weekend, according to a report.
Strachan believes Man Utd must replace Onana
da casino： Former Celtic boss Gordan Strachan has suggested Ruben Amorim needs to replace Andre Onana this summer, given that the goalkeeper doesn’t have the necessary qualities to succeed at Old Trafford.
Strachan said: “When I’ve been successful anywhere, I’ve had goalkeepers with personality and presence. Will it be a physical presence, a personality presence that is always needed in the team,”
“I don’t think Andre Onana got either of them. I don’t think he’s got a physical presence and I don’t think he’s got this personality presence. He looks like he’s constantly at war with himself worrying about making a mistake and that he might have to go somewhere else to get that confidence back.
Amorim appears to be in agreement with the 68-year-old, given that a number of goalkeepers have been identified as potential replacements for Onana already this summer.
Linked GK
Current club
League clean sheets in 24/25
Senne Lammens
Royal Antwerp
10
Diogo Costa
FC Porto
16
Lucas Chevalier
Lille
11
Emiliano Martinez
Aston Villa
9
There has now been a new update on Man United’s pursuit of Emiliano Martinez, with a report from The Daily Mail revealing they are now ready to launch a “shock” move for the Aston Villa goalkeeper, having held talks over a deal at the weekend.
The possibility of signing the 32-year-old on loan has been discussed, but Villa are unlikely to agree to a deal of that nature, given that they would stand to gain nothing by allowing him to join United on a temporary basis.
As such, a permanent departure could be more likely, but the Red Devils may need to shell out around £40m to get a deal done, and it is unclear whether they would be willing or able to pay a fee in that ballpark for the 2022 World Cup hero.
"World-class" Martinez could be instant upgrade on Onana
The likes of Lammens and Costa are yet to prove themselves in a major European league, meaning it could be a risky to take a punt on either goalkeeper as a replacement for Onana, while the Villa shot-stopper has already proven himself at the highest level.
Gary Neville has lauded the Villa star as “world-class”, which is underlined by the fact he has won the Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper award two times in the last three years, having made some very important saves during that time.
Unai Emery also praised the Argentina international for a different penalty save against Fulham last season, saying: “Emiliano Martinez is the best goalkeeper in the world. Before the penalty, I was sat down on the bench dreaming he would save it… and he did.”
United need a dependable option between the sticks if they are to reestablish themselves at the top level, and it is difficult to find a better goalkeeper than Martinez.
