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da doce： Leeds United might well have a reported £100m in the bank to spend on new players ahead of their Premier League voyage, but the Whites have plenty of talent already being organically grown on the youth pitches at Thorp Arch.

da fezbet： After all, even when Championship promotion was narrowly missed at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Archie Gray stood out as a homegrown gem, leading to a £30m deal with Tottenham Hotspur being agreed.

Moreover, if we move away from more recent examples with Daniel Farke at the helm, Marcelo Bielsa also had a huge part to play in Kalvin Phillips turning into an England regular, with the Leeds-born midfielder still eternally grateful to his hometown side.

Kalvin Phillips' unbelievable rise at Leeds

Nobody could have quite anticipated the unbelievable rise Phillips would enjoy at Elland Road, with the local starlet eventually leaving the comforts of West Yorkshire behind when a £45m move to Manchester City came to be.

Eight years prior to his big move to the Etihad, however, Phillips was a wide-eyed starlet attempting to cut his teeth with the Whites, with his first moment in the senior spotlight coming during the 2014/15 season under former youth coach Neil Redfearn.

The rest is now history for the 29-year-old, with those opportunities under Redfearn catapulting Phillips into a first-team regular, before Bielsa went on to refine the midfield battler’s game even more when he took over duties in the Elland Road dug-out.

By the end of his celebrated spell at Leeds, Phillips would notch up 14 goals and 13 assists from 234 total clashes, with his heroics also helping his beloved outfit gain promotion up to the Premier League under the eccentric South American.

Amazingly, there is another gem entirely of Leeds’ own making that has just tasted the glory of promotion, with the potential here for another new starlet to surpass Phillips and become an even brighter talent.

Leeds' finest young talent since Phillips

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old has experienced a lot of pain since exiting Elland Road, with only 31 first-team appearances coming his way at the Etihad to date, on top of other unmemorable loan moves just not working out, namely at West Ham and Ipswich Town.

So, who’s the next cab off the rank? Well, Harry Gray could well look up to Phillips and indeed his brother, Archie, when examining the potential for minutes at a first-team level.

Much like Redfearn before him with Phillips, Farke gifted the teenager his first ever senior clash in Leeds white at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, with his outrageous numbers in the youth set-up for some time now making this somewhat of an expected promotion.

Indeed, across just 18 appearances for both the U18s and U21s to date, the forward has bagged a deadly 11 strikes, living up to his billing as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation,” in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson.

Youngest Leeds debutants

Player

Age at debut

Total first team apps

1. Tom Elliott

16 years, 2 months, 25 days

4

2. Aaron Lennon

16 years, 4 months, 7 days

43

3. Harry Gray

16 years, 6 months, 13 days

1

4. James Milner

16 years, ten months, 6 days

54

5. Neil Aspin

16 years, ten months, 8 days

38

Sourced by Transfermarkt

It’s rather frightening how ahead Gray already looks with his development, considering it would take Phillips a number of seasons before he was fully settled into first-team life.

With the new Thorp Arch sensation, however, he looks ready to already make an impact to keep his blistering goal record at youth level up.

Nobody can accurately predict what the future holds for Gray, but if he can continue to learn and grow under the tutelage of Farke, he could one day be an even bigger sale than Phillips, and perhaps even solidify himself as more of a Premier League worthy talent than his counterpart ever managed.

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da supremo： Arsenal have reignited discussions over signing a highly-rated previous target with Andrea Berta heavily involved in the decision, according to a report this week.

Arsenal target new forwards for Mikel Arteta this summer

da doce： The Gunners are already reliably believed to be closing in on a deal for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Spain international will be Berta’s first signing of the summer.

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As Mikel Arteta prepares to welcome his compatriot to N5, Berta appears set to carry on with his task of improving Arsenal’s squad across the board.

GiveMeSport recently reported that Arsenal could spend up to £300 million on seven new signings under Berta, as the 53-year-old attempts to make a splash over his debut summer at the club.

Race for Champions League qualification with 2 games remaining

Points

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

Among the transfer chief’s top priorities is the potential acquisition of two new wingers, one for either side of Arsenal’s front three, and a goalscoring centre-forward.

Arteta is also known to value versatility in his players, leaving little surprise that Arsenal are rumoured fans of Wolves star Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilian has featured in practically every attacking role under Vitor Pereira this term, scoring a career-best 17 goals and bagging a further six assists in the top flight, and his £62.5 million release clause arguably makes him one of the snips of 2025.

However, it is widely believed that Man United are clear frontrunners to sign Cunha, and are working hard on a deal for the ex-Atletico Madrid star as they attempt to beat off competition.

News of the 25-year-old’s future has gone fairly quiet lately, though, which has led to speculation that Arsenal could hijack United’s move for Cunha.

Arsenal reignite Matheus Cunha discussions with Andrea Berta involved

According to journalist Dean Jones, writing for GiveMeSport, Arsenal have indeed “reignited” interest in Cunha.

Berta is said to be heavily involved in this call, prompting Arsenal “conversations” to “reopen” over signing Cunha, even if there are still some reservations in some sectors of the Emirates Stadium hierarchy.

Lauded for his “sensational” footballing IQ, it is clear to see why Berta remains keen on a swoop for the South American, but GMS also report that United can still be seen as pole position suitors, as Cunha is believed to be very keen on a move to Old Trafford.

The unpredictable nature of transfers these days means you cannot completely rule Arsenal out until the ink is dry on Cunha’s contract with United, so this story could be one to keep tabs on as we fast approach the first window’s opening on June 1.

da winzada777： While this season has been an incredibly tiresome one for the Tottenham Hotspur faithful, there’s a real chance it could now end in glory.

da bwin： Thursday night saw Ange Postecoglou’s side beat Norwegian champions FK Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in the first leg of their Europa League semi-finals.

The scoring was opened by Brennan Johnson, who is now far and away the club’s top goalscorer, yet it would be fair to say he can be a player who splits opinion among fans and pundits alike.

That might explain recent reports that have linked the club with another free-scoring forward who could be even better than the Welshman.

Spurs' transfer targets

It’s no secret that Tottenham need to add more quality to the squad this summer, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other stars they’ve been linked to, like Jonathan David and Rayan Cherki.

Thanks to his contract running out at the end of the season, the former wouldn’t cost the club a penny in transfer fees, which could be simply sensational business, as in 46 appearances this year, he’s scored 25 goals and provided 11 assists.

Cherki, on the other hand, could cost up to £30m, but even that would be practically a bargain, as in 41 appearances, totalling 2894 minutes, the mercurial Frenchman has scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists for Lyon.

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However, another name has now been thrown into the mix, one that should be familiar to Postecoglou: Daizen Maeda.

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Spurs are one of several teams interested in the Celtic star.

Moreover, alongside the Lilywithes, the report has revealed that Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool have all sent scouts to watch the dangerous forward this year.

The good news is that even though so many teams are interested in the Japanese international, he could be available for as little as £25m this summer.

It might not be a name that Spurs fans were thinking of before, but if Spurs can sign Maeda, they should; as if his record is anything to go off, he could be better than Johnson.

How Maeda compares to Johnson

So, the first thing to say is that while Maeda tends to play down the middle or off the left, he has got experience of playing on the right of a front three before, so it wouldn’t be a massive surprise to see him play there for Spurs.

In turn, this would put him directly up against Johnson for game time, so who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, when it comes to the most important metric of all for an attacking winger, their output, it’s the Celtic monster who comes out streaks ahead.

For example, in just 47 first-team appearances, totalling 3711 minutes, the Hoops’ prolific ace has racked up an unreal tally of 33 goals and 11 assists.

In other words, the Osaka-born “physical beast,” as dubbed by none other than Postecoglou, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.06 games, or every 84.34 minutes.

Maeda vs Johnson

Player

Maeda

Johnson

Appearances

47

46

Minutes

3711′

3077′

Goals

33

17

Assists

11

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.93

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

84.34′

128.20′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the Lilywhites flying Welshman has scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in 46 appearances, totalling 3077 minutes.

That means he’s currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.95 games, or every 128.20 minutes, and while that is undoubtedly impressive, it pales in comparison to the Japanese dynamo.

Ultimately, while it would be absurd to expect his output to completely carry over to a tougher league, Maeda has been so effective this season that he’d certainly be worth signing for Spurs, and there is every chance he’s better than Johnson.

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da pinnacle： Liverpool have won back the Premier League from Manchester City, five years after they last stoop atop the mountainous English pyramid.

da stake casino： Pep Guardiola’s side have broken records to win four in a row since Jurgen Klopp put Liverpool back on their perch, but City have fallen by the wayside this season and Arsenal have never managed to build the requisite consistency to end their recent runner-up reputation.

But consistency has been Arne Slot’s middle name this year, his first since replacing Klopp in the Anfield dugout and putting the Reds back in the ascendency.

It bears testament to FSG’s business model that already sporting director Richard Hughes is liaising with Michel Edwards ahead of the summer transfer window, with signings needed in defence and attack to protect this exciting new position at the summit.

Ryan Gravenberch, a revelation

Gravenberch is a Premier League-winning midfielder. The Dutchman has started every single match as Liverpool have capered toward the title, deeply set in the midfield soil, no way of being uprooted.

Who saw it coming? Many of a Liverpool persuasion will no doubt admit they had reservations after a stop-start 2023/24 campaign, his first in England after Klopp completed his midfield rebuild by signing the Bayern Munich prospect for a £34m fee at the end of the 2023 summer transfer window.

The Netherlands international, 22, has recently spoken of the adversity he has had to overcome after playing so infrequently last year, and while he’s looked a little sapped at times recently, Gravenberch has been “first-class all season” in the eyes of pundit Peter Crouch.

Ryan Gravenberch in the Premier League

Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

26 (12)

34 (34)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

4

Touches*

28.8

67.3

Pass completion

83%

89%

Key passes*

0.6

0.7

Dribbles*

0.9

1.0

Ball recoveries*

2.8

5.3

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.6

Duels (won)*

2.8 (47%)

5.0 (58%)

Stats via Sofascore

He’s effectively improved across every metric, turning from a meandering midfield prospect into a deep-lying general of surpassing quality.

However, Gravenberch has indeed alluded to the fact that he’s been overworked, and it’s something Slot and Hughes have considered, for Liverpool seem to be getting ready to sign a midfield rival this summer.

Liverpool ready to sign Premier League midfielder

According to reports, via Caught Offside, Liverpool are interested in signing FA Cup hero Adam Wharton this summer and are preparing to lodge a £50m offer in the coming months.

Wharton, 21, has been a revelation at Crystal Palace and is not going to be short of suitors, with Arsenal and Manchester United also reported to be keen on doing a deal.

Though Liverpool’s title-winning midfield is probably the area of the pitch least in need of external assistance, Wharton might prove to complete the puzzle and maybe even leave Gravenberch sweating over the security of his starting berth.

Why Adam Wharton would be perfect for Liverpool

Crystal Palace produced a consummate performance against Aston Villa last weekend to set their place in next month’s FA Cup final. Wharton was among the standouts, with BBC pundit Shay Given even likening him to a rather well-respected midfielder of old.

Centre-midfielder Wharton left Blackburn Rovers in the Championship to sign for the Eagles for an initial £18m fee, leaving the club that had reared him.

He’s not going to have looked back, striking from the get-go a reputation for his slick passing and composed stride in the centre of the park.

His renown has burgeoned over the past 15 months, reaching its apotheosis (so far) after dismantling a Villa side at Wembley to move within touching distance of a first major trophy in Palace’s long history.

As per FBref, Wharton ranks among the top 5% of Premier League midfielders this season for progressive passes, the top 9% for ball recoveries and the top 15% for shot-creating actions made per 90, perfectly illustrating his elite passing game, crisp as you like while being creative too. He’s also a thoroughbred athlete, covering so much ground.

It’s a similar profile to that of Gravenberch. Although the argument that he’s performing such metrics to a lesser standard is there. It’s recorded that the Dutchman ranks among the top 31% of said midfielders for progressive passes, but also among the bottom 36% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Given that both players operate in positionally similar zones, it’s easy to ascertain that Wharton is the better man in distribution. Moreover, he doesn’t shirk from his defensive duties either, winning 1.8 tackles per Premier League game this season, as per Sofascore.

There’s nothing to say that these two players couldn’t work in conjunction within Slot’s Liverpool set-up, but there’s little question that Gravenberch lacks the natural-born seamlessness in possession. Not to say it’s a tactical deficiency of his, but rather, a glowing endorsement of Wharton’s talent.

The fact is, Gravenberch has lulled, and while he has areas that eclipse that of Palace’s man, the semblance between the two, which still manages to contrast and show off distinctive qualities, suggests that Liverpool would hit the jackpot in forging ahead with a deal for Selhurst Park’s midfield star.

Slot’s finely-wrought system hasn’t seen too much tinkering this term, but Wharton would be able to ply his work effectively at number six, fitting in for Gravenberch and given the opportunity to make the role his own.

He’s demonstrated his capacity on the big occasion, with esteemed journalist Henry Winter describing Wharton as a “passing machine” and the “best player on the pitch” during the FA Cup semi-final.

You could even make the strong claim that the one-cap England international has the superior ball-playing game to Gravenberch and may well be a more fitting number six in Slot’s flowing system.

In any case, having both in the mix would hardly be a bad thing; indeed, this is exactly the type of move that Liverpool need to make so as to consolidate their position at the top of the Premier League.

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da apostebet： Arsenal hold a serious belief that they’ve now signed a “world-class” player for Mikel Arteta ahead of next season, and they’re behaving like it is a done deal behind-the-scenes.

Arsenal's main transfer plans for this summer

da wazamba： Buoyed by the arrival of new sporting director Andrea Berta, Arteta has already admitted that Arsenal are set for a “big” summer transfer window after the Italian’s appointment.

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A host of incomings across multiple areas of the squad are anticipated ahead of what is expected to be a busy debut window for Berta, with GiveMeSport recently reporting that £300 million could be spent on seven major signings.

As per GMS, Arsenal are believed to be prioritising a new second-choice goalkeeper to replace Neto, a full-back, new midfielder, left-winger, right-winger and striker. Kieran Tierney is off to Celtic, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is expected to be sold after falling down Arteta’s pecking order.

Arsenal’s final Premier League games

Date

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

While Thomas Partey is in talks to extend his Arsenal contract, Jorginho remains likely to depart when his contract expires, meaning the addition of a centre-midfielder is still pretty imperative before 2025/2026.

Meanwhile, Leandro Trossard’s long-term future is uncertain, as his contract expires in 2026, with Arsenal arguably in need of another winger who can provide Arteta with a quality alternative to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz’s long-term injuries have also emphasised the need for Arsenal to finally sign a prolific striker, so there is plenty to do for Berta. Indeed, Arteta confirmed last week that he wants Arsenal to bring more strength and depth into the squad, sending a subtle message to his director.

“Squad quality and availability. Without those two, we cannot compete in four competitions,” said Arteta on his Arsenal transfer wish.

“At this level, especially in this country, it’s impossible. The higher the quality, the higher the availability, the more chances, probability you have. After you have to do it. But the probability goes high.”

Arsenal "internally" behaving like Martin Zubimendi deal is "done"

One top target for Arsenal, as per multiple reports, is Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

They’ve been in negotiations over the Spain international’s acquisition for quite some time, with The Mail first reporting advanced pre-summer talks in January. Since then, the consensus has been that Arsenal are confident they can sign Zubimendi before June, while Marca journalist Juan Castro reported this week that an agreement appears to be struck already.

Now, the reliable David Ornstein has somewhat backed up Castro’s claim, stating that Arsenal are “internally” behaving like Zubimendi is a “done deal”.

This interesting update from a very credible source should fill supporters with confidence, as the feeling within N5 appears to be that it is inevitable the 26-year-old will finally make his long-awaited move to England, just a year after he publicly rejected Liverpool’s advances.

Called a “world-class” player by Tierney, during their time together at Sociedad, Zubimendi has been likened to Balon d’Or winner Rodri and played a key role for Spain in their Euro 2024 final triumph against England.

The La Liga mainstay is indispensable for his boyhood club, but it appears he’ll soon be waving goodbye if all goes to plan.

da apostaganha： With relegation back down to the Championship a growing certainty, Ipswich Town now reportedly face the prospect of losing both Liam Delap and one other attacking star this summer.

Liam Delap clause emerges

da dobrowin： The Tractor Boys may sit 18th and as many as 12 points adrift of safety, but that should not stand in the way of praise for Delap. The former Manchester City man has been excellent, and with or without Kieran McKenna’s side, should keep hold of his place in the Premier League.

His form certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed either, with a plethora of clubs already chasing his signature amid a reported relegation clause worth just £30m this summer.

With both Chelsea and Manchester United keen on his signature, Delap looks destined to have a decision to make when the summer arrives. Ipswich, meanwhile, are likely to watch on as the player they signed for a reported £20m walks out the door for just £30m.

McKenna, as many are, is well aware of the talent that he has on his hands and attempted to instil belief that Delap could yet stay at Portman Road recently, telling reporters: “It’s not something that’s been discussed loads internally at because everyone’s focus, honestly, has been on Bournemouth, on Wolves, now on Chelsea. But if you ask me, is that a possibility?

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“I think it’s certainly a possibility. Liam’s a young striker. He’s developing really, really well at the football club. He’s happy and he’s improving every week and we’re enjoying working with him.

“I’m sure there’s lots of different possibilities. But Liam’s an Ipswich player. He enjoys being an Ipswich player and that’s where his full focus is.”

Meanwhile, although the focus has been on Delap in recent weeks, reports are now indicating that another attacking star could yet be heading for a summer departure.

PSV eyeing Jack Clarke move

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, PSV are now eyeing a move to sign Jack Clarke from Ipswich this summer in a deal that would see the winger potentially leave alongside Delap.

A Champions League club, the former Sunderland man would be completing quite the move by going from likely Premier League relegation to the Eredivisie and one of Europe’s elite.

Like Delap, Clarke only arrived at Portman Road last summer – and for a hefty fee, at that. The Tractor Boys reportedly secured his signature for as much as £15m, but have since watched on as he’s struggled to make his mark in England’s top flight. Now, they will be desperate to at least recoup what they paid if PSV come swooping in.

Dubbed “talented” by McKenna earlier this season, Clarke could yet realise his potential away from English football and away from Ipswich this summer.

da bet7： Arsenal have held talks to sign a once-marquee forward “in recent days”, and he was likely impressed by Mikel Arteta’s side last night as they hammered Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Arsenal beat Real Madrid 3-0 in hugely important Champions League win

da bet sport： Arsenal wowed on-lookers with a stunning victory over the European champions on Tuesday evening, courtesy of two sublime free-kicks from club-record signing Declan Rice and a brilliant Mikel Merino finish.

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Eduardo Camavinga was also sent off in the dying minutes of the game and the France international is set to miss their return leg in Spain as a result, compounding Real’s misery in what was a real night to forget for the La Liga heavyweights.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

It was a statement performance by the Gunners, who put Real to the sword and placed one foot in the Champions League semi-final draw, but history shows they cannot take the second leg at the Bernabeu lightly, as Carlo Ancelotti’s men have sparked unlikely comebacks in previous seasons.

“I’m very proud, we had a very complete and big performance collectively, and you need that in the organisation and what we had to do to dominate the game and to create Madrid problems,” said Arteta after Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Real.

“This night is about all two factors, one is the atmosphere that we created 15 minutes before kick-off is something I haven’t seen before, so playing with that energy, with that commitment, with your crowd makes a huge difference. And then magic moments, individual moments that decide all matches and the first two goals of Declan sums up the night.”

Following last night’s display, Arsenal’s odds of winning the tournament have increased dramatically, and supporters will be hopeful they can put Real to bed and go on to make history by winning their first-ever Champions League title.

An impressive run in Europe would also do wonders to attract key summer transfer targets, with new sporting director Andrea Berta already working on potential Arsenal signings for next season.

Arsenal hold "fresh" Leroy Sane talks "in recent days"

As things stand, the north Londoners still have a chance of signing former Man City forward and Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane on a Bosman deal.

The Germany international, who once commanded a £137 million price tag when he was at Eastlands, could leave for nothing if his contract is allowed to expire on June 30th, but Bayern remain at work to tie him down.

That is according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who also says Arsenal have held “fresh talks” with Sane “in recent days”.

The 29-year-old has 11 goals and five assists to his name in all competitions this season, adding to his overall total of 59 strikes and 54 assists since joining the Bavarians, and he’s a proven big-game player.

There is little denying Sane would be an excellent alternative to Bukayo Saka on the right-hand side, but much will hinder on Bayern’s attempts to wrap up a new deal.

da aviator aposta： Manchester United have reportedly submitted an offer to Barcelona for one of their remarkable defenders, according to a new transfer update.

Man Utd looking to save season in Europa League as Ratcliffe eyes signings

da blaze casino： The Red Devils are on course to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League, with Ruben Amorim’s side losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest last time out.

Also unable to defend their FA Cup crown, United’s only chance of silverware is in the Europa League, where they will take on Lyon in the quarter-finals over the next two weeks.

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Should they defeat the Ligue 1 side, Man Utd will then take on Rangers on Athletic Club in the semi-finals, and if they make it to Bilbao, Tottenham Frankfurt, Bodo/Glimt or Lazio would await.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS look set to shake things up at Old Trafford over the summer, with at least 10 Man Utd players on more than £1.8m a week on course to be moved on over the coming months.

That will allow room for new signings, and by the looks of things, attack is an area where Amorim wants to improve.

Man Utd’s next 5 fixtures

Date

Man Utd vs Man City

April 6

Lyon vs Man Utd

April 10

Newcastle vs Man Utd

April 13

Man Utd vs Lyon

April 17

Man Utd vs Wolves

April 20

The club have been linked with numerous players ahead of the 2025.26 season, with contact made for Lyon attacker Rayan Cherki. Hugo Ekitike and Lorenzo Lucca have been identified as striker targets, and now, a new defender is of interest to the Red Devils.

Man Utd make £40m+ offer to sign Barcelona star Balde

According to a report from Spain, Man Utd have made an offer of €50m (£41.7m) to sign Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde.

The report says that Balde’s progress under Hansi Flick has been ‘remarkable’, and that has caught the eye of the Red Devils, who only recently signed Patrick Dorgu from Lecce.

Man Utd’s bid hasn’t been enough to tempt Barcelona, who have already rejected the proposal presented by INEOS and have made Balde not for sale.

The 21-year-old, who has the same agency as Leny Yoro, is a product of Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy and has been a regular this season under Flick.

Balde was also previously hailed by former boss Xavi Hernandez, who was amazed by the full-back when he was a teenager.

“I have seen that they did a lot of individual marking and Balde can generate superiorities inside and out. It never ceases to amaze me that an 18-year-old boy is at this level. He has a lot of confidence and personality, he has a great physical condition and he’s going to give us a lot.”

It’ll be interesting to see where United turn to now in regards to looking at new full-backs to rival Diogo Dalot and Dorgu, as it seems a move for Balde is off the cards.

da jogodeouro： Celtic found themselves on the receiving end of a loss in the Scottish Premiership for the second time in their last three matches on Sunday afternoon.

da supremo： The Hoops were beaten 1-0 by bottom-of-the-league St. Johnstone in a shock result at McDiarmid Park, as they conceded to Daniels Balodis after just four minutes.

It was an incredibly frustrating afternoon for Brendan Rodgers and his side because they had 26 efforts on goal and created two ‘big chances’, but failed to find the back of the net a single time.

The Premiership leaders did not convert the quality opportunities that they fashioned throughout the match, as their star attackers did not step up to showcase the best of their abilities.

Daizen Maeda, who has scored 30 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions so far this season, only had 19 touches of the ball and two of Celtic’s 26 shots, whilst he did not create a single chance for his teammates during his time on the pitch.

Rodgers has some difficult decisions to make ahead of the clash with Kilmarnock at Parkhead next weekend, and one star who must be ruthlessly ditched from the team is winger Nicolas Kuhn.

Why Nicolas Kuhn should be dropped

The German forward was withdrawn from the action as part of a double substitution at half-time after a frustrating first half of action on the right wing.

Kuhn has left himself in a position where supporters and the management team expect big things from him because of his form earlier in the campaign, having racked up 18 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.

He established himself as a star performer for the Scottish giants and that is why it is so noticeable when he is not at his best, because the team suffers as a result of his lack of impact.

Nicolas Kuhn

Vs St Johnstone

24/25 Premiership (per game)

Goals + assists

0

0.67

Shots

2

1.8

Shots on target

0

0.8

Key passes

1

1.7

Big chances created

0

0.4

Pass success rate

72%

76%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn has averaged a goal or an assist more often than not, and a shot on target more often than not, in the Premiership this season, but he managed neither against St. Johnstone.

Put simply, more is expected of the former Rapid Vienna star than he showed in the 1-0 defeat on Sunday, which is why it was a disappointing display and why the manager must, now, drop him for the clash with Kilmarnock.

Chalkboard

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

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Rodgers does have plenty of options at his disposal to make alterations to the starting line-up, and one possible replacement for Kuhn would be Hyun-jun Yang.

Hyun-jun Yang's improvement at Celtic

The South Korean whiz joined on a permanent deal from Gangwon in the summer of 2023 and endured a difficult first season with the Scottish giants.

Yang ended the 2023/24 campaign with a tally of just one goal and three assists in 31 appearances in all competitions, as he failed to offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch.

Given that paltry return in front of goal, it would not have been a surprise to have seen the forward moved on from Parkhead in the summer transfer window last year. Instead of leaving, though, the 22-year-old ace stayed to fight for a place in the squad, and has earned one.

Hyun-jun Yang (Premiership)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

24

20

Starts

10

8

Goals

1

4

Conversion rate

5%

27%

Pass accuracy

81%

86%

Assists

3

3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Yang has been as creative as he was in the Premiership last season, but has offered far more of a threat as a goalscorer for the Hoops.

The South Korea international has racked up five goals and six assists in 30 matches in all competitions, which means that the winger has provided five more goals and three more assists than he did last term.

Despite that obvious improvement from Yang in the final third, it is Adam Idah who should be brought in to replace Kuhn in the starting line-up next weekend.

Why Adam Idah must be unleashed

The Ireland international should come in to start ahead of the German winger, with Maeda moving out wide on the left and Jota moving over to the right, to play as the number nine.

Idah’s pace and power was on full display in the defeat to St. Johnstone after he came off the bench to throw his hat in the ring to start next time out with a strong showing.

The Irish marksman should have had an assist for an equalising goal when he brilliantly burst down the right channel and produced an inch-perfect cross for James Forrest, who fired his shot down the middle of the goal to be blocked by the goalkeeper.

Idah, who won five of his six duels, ended his 29 minutes on the pitch with one dribble completed, two chances created, one ‘big chance’ created, five shots, and one shot on target.

These statistics show that the former Norwich City centre-forward, whose talent was once dubbed “incredible” by Rodgers, made an impact off the bench on Sunday, which is why he should now be brought in to show what he can do from the start against Kilmarnock.

The 24-year-old attacker, who has scored 14 goals in all competitions, has scored eight goals and created six ‘big chances’ in 15 starts in the Premiership so far this term.

Idah’s finishing has not always been good enough, with 13 ‘big chances’ missed, but he causes opposition defenders problems with his pace and power, as he did off the bench against St. Johnstone, which is why Rodgers must bring him into the XI next weekend.

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It is now down to the former Liverpool and Leicester boss to ruthlessly ditch Kuhn from the team to unleash Idah, whilst moving Maeda back out to the wing.

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.