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Celtic are taking stock ahead of another busy transfer window and could now be set to field interest in one of their star players from the Premier League, according to a report.

Celtic set to pursue reinforcements in the wide areas

By now, everyone knows that Celtic are in the market to buy a striker this summer and several names have began to crop up on their radar to address the position, including Telstar forward Youssef El Kachati.

However, their pursuit of a winger over the coming months is arguably just as important, especially when you factor in that Jota is a long-term injury casualty at Parkhead.

The iconic Portuguese winger is set to be out for another six months, give or take, meaning there is plenty of room to secure another body or two to prop up Brendan Rodgers’ range of options.

Sarpsborg talent Sondre Orjasaeter was a Celtic target in January and there is every chance the reigning Scottish champions could return to bid for the Norwegian during the window, albeit he won’t be the only name on their shortlist.

Royal Antwerp’s Michel-Ange Balikwisha has also been mentioned in connection with a move to Glasgow and could be available due to his current employers’ wish to cut costs drastically during the summer.

Related Jeremie Frimpong repeat: Celtic eyeing move for "outstanding" £1m star

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Posts ByDan Emery Jun 2, 2025

Daizen Maeda had to feature out wide and as a centre-forward during the second half of the campaign, and it would be wise for Rodgers to provide cover for the Japanese attacker in light of his extraordinary 33-goal campaign for the Bhoys.

Nevertheless, Celtic are also aware that everyone has their price; something that could now be put to the test if recent developments are to be believed.

Brentford emerge as frontrunners to sign Nicolas Kuhn

According to TEAMtalk, Brentford are now frontrunners to sign Nicolas Kuhn from Celtic as they search for potential replacements in light of developments that could point Bryan Mbeumo in the direction of Manchester United, while he also has interest from Arsenal.

The outlet claim a bid of around £20 million could be difficult to reject for the Bhoys, who have made a habit of regularly selling players for profit down the years.

Nicolas Kuhn’s 2024/25 campaign – all competitions

Appearances

51

Goals

21

Assists

15

Mbeumo could be set for Old Trafford if the Red Devils pay in excess of £60 million, and Brentford have turned their attention to the former Germany Under-20 international alongside Brighton & Hove Albion and three other unnamed English top-flight clubs.

Fashioning 52 chances on Scottish Premiership duty, Kuhn was a thorn in the side of opposition defences and has previously been labelled “breathtaking” by Marvin Bartley due to his excellent attacking displays.

Celtic won’t want to lose one of their prize assets. However, they usually do make a signature sale at this time of year, so it is a scenario that cannot be ruled out.

After announcing the arrival of Antonio Cordero, Newcastle United have now reportedly entered talks to sign a long-term target who Eddie Howe loves in a deal worth £30m.

Newcastle announce Cordero arrival

Having spent the last two windows watching other clubs spend big and welcome key additions courtesy of their PSR concerns, Newcastle and PIF wasted no time before getting their business started this time around. Securing the addition of Cordero, the young Spanish winger will arrive at the end of his Malaga contract on July 1.

Welcoming Cordero to the club in what could be one of his final acts at the club, departing sporting director Paul Mitchell said: “Antonio is an exciting talent. We’re delighted to bring him to Newcastle United amidst interest in Spain and across Europe.He has lots of potential, and the next phase of his development will be for the club to select a loan move that will challenge him and build on his experiences.”

PIF are not done there though. In search of a winger instead of Bryan Mbeumo, who could soon be on his way to Manchester United, the Magpies have been linked with moves for the likes of Anthony Elanga as well as Brighton forward Joao Pedro.

Elanga is a name that was mentioned last summer before Newcastle were ultimately unable to make their move. One year on, however, they’ve got the necessary breathing room to spend and have reportedly already enquired about a potential deal to sign the Nottingham Forest star.

The Swede isn’t the only target that Newcastle could revisit this summer, either. Making up for last summer’s disappointment, those at St James’ Park are now “in talks” to sign a long-term target who Howe loves, according to reports.

Newcastle "in talks" to sign £30m Trafford

According to Sky Sports, Newcastle are now “in talks” to sign James Trafford from Burnley, who value their shot-stopper at just £30m this summer. The England international is a player that Howe has had ‘long-term admiration and interest in’ and wants Trafford to compete with current No.1 Nick Pope next season.

The latter has struggled on the injury front over the last 12 months and the addition of Trafford could see his place come under threat.

Newcastle’s interest in Trafford is, of course, far from new. The Tyneside club even agreed personal terms with the goalkeeper last summer before failing to negotiate a deal with Burnley.

One year on, whether that agreement remains in place or Newcastle are forced back into negotiations will be interesting to see, especially if Trafford’s stance has changed.

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Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 10, 2025

Dubbed “world-class” by Burnley boss Scott Parker, Trafford has more than earned the interest of a Champions League club and may yet arrive at Newcastle before taking Pope’s starting spot.

Ipswich Town find themselves back in the Championship next term and could now pounce for one of the EFL’s brightest stars in their hunt for promotion, according to a report.

Ipswich Town look to replace Liam Delap

There were some encouraging signs in the Tractor Boys’ Premier League showing last season. Still, ultimately, they didn’t produce enough and find themselves in the second-tier desperate for another bite of the top-flight cherry.

Liam Delap’s £30 million move from Ipswich to Chelsea has given Kieran McKenna plenty of leeway in his hunt for a new centre-forward. At the same time, he will have also been encouraged by George Hirst’s maiden goal for Scotland against Liechtenstein last week.

Atlanta striker Emmanuel Latte Lath emerged as an early contender to replace Delap at Portman Road. Despite only joining Atlanta United in January, he could now be set for a quickfire return to English football.

Addressing their striker hunt, Craig Finbow believes Ipswich could look to recruit two forwards this summer in an attempt to freshen up their frontline before the close of play.

He stated: “It could well be two strikers that they look to get in and that will be the intriguing part. What do we do, do we potentially go abroad, do we go down the lower leagues?

Ipswich Town’s forwards in 2024/25 – how did they all fare?

Liam Delap

Appearances – 40 Goals – 12

George Hirst

Appearances – 29 Goals – 5

Nathan Broadhead

Appearances – 21 Goals – 2

“We’ve done that before with varying levels of success. I’d be quite excited to go abroad and find a striker from there.”

The Tractor Boys could do with some inspiration in front of goal as they head back to familiar waters, and they are now reportedly lining up a move for a shining star who can score and create.

Ipswich Town join the race to sign Kwame Poku

According to Football League World, Ipswich are the latest club to show an interest in Peterborough United forward Kwame Poku. However, they are faced with stiff competition to try and land his services.

Birmingham City are keen admirers of the Ghana international upon their return to the second-tier, while Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers are also lurking in pursuit.

Related Ipswich hold talks to sign "fantastic" £35k-p/w maestro who McKenna loves

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Posts ByDominic Lund Jun 9, 2025

Dubbed a “huge talent” by former Colchester United boss John McGreal, Poku shone on either flank for Posh in their unsuccessful bid to win promotion, registering 12 goals and 11 assists in 31 appearances across all competitions.

With his contract at an end, the 23-year-old could walk out of the door at the Weston Homes Stadium for a sizeable compensation package due to being under the age of 24.

Poku is also said to have attracted interest from abroad, so it is fair to say Ipswich may need to work their charm on this one if they have designs on bringing the versatile attacker to Portman Road.

Group 2 of the Super Eight stage is headed for a three-way race for the semi-final spots, with two matches to go

S Rajesh22-Jun-2024

South Africa and England are both in contention for semi-final spots•ICC/Getty Images

If England and West Indies win
That will leave three teams – England, West Indies and South Africa – on four points each. West Indies’ huge win against USA means they will finish with a higher net run rate than South Africa if they beat them by any margin on Sunday night. So West Indies will qualify for sure with a win, regardless of the England-USA result.For England to go past South Africa’s NRR, the sum of margins of the two results will have to be 10 runs (assuming first-innings totals of 160). That means, if England win by 10 runs, they will go ahead on run rate even if South Africa lose in the Super Over. If the margin of result is under 10, South Africa will stay ahead and qualify with four points.If USA and South Africa win
South Africa will top the table with six points, while the other three teams will finish on two points each. If England lose in the Super Over chasing 160, West Indies will have to lose by 43 or more runs for their NRR to drop below that of England. If England lose by a bigger margin, West Indies will have more leeway, which means in such a scenario South Africa and West Indies are the likely semi-finalists.Related

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USA’s poor run rate means they’ll need two huge results to stand any chance of finishing in the top two: they will first need to beat England by at least 56 runs (assuming a total of 160) to go past them on NRR, and then hope that West Indies lose by at least 91 runs for their run rate to drop below USA’s.If USA and West Indies win
In this case, West Indies and South Africa will qualify with four points, while England and USA will finish on two.If England and South Africa win
South Africa, with six points, and England, with four, will be the semi-finalists.

Newcastle United are at a bit of a crossroads this summer. The Magpies’ latest transfer target was clear: sign a right winger.

Yet, their reported number one target, Bryan Mbeumo, rejected Eddie Howe’s side, as well as North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, in favour of a move to Manchester United, as per David Ornstein.

The North East giants were forced to move on to their next target, Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga. However, their bid for the Sweden international, worth a reported £45m according to Ornstein, was rejected by the City Ground side, although they could return with a new offer.

So, that leaves Newcastle somewhat in limbo, although they have been linked wth a few more players who could become their new right-winger.

The latest on Newcastle's pursuit for a winger

Finding a new right-sided attacker has certainly been a frustration for the Magpies. They have missed out on two primary targets and must now go back to the drawing board to figure out their next move.

Transfer Focus

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

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Well, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has recently broken the news that they are ‘exploring other options’ with regards to wide options. Two of those include PSV Eindhoven starlet Johan Bakayoko and West Ham United attacker Mohammed Kudus.

If the Magpies are to move for Bakayoko this summer, it seems like it could be a bargain move. According to reports, the Eredivisie side could accept as little as £17m for their winger this summer.

He has just one year left on his contract, and a move seems inevitable, which could give Newcastle a perfect opportunity.

How Bakayoko compares to Kudus

At just 22 years of age, Bakayoko has already made a great impression across Europe. He is clearly deemed Premier League quality by some sides, after a move to Brentford fell through a couple of years ago.

Now, two years on from that potential move, he is still making waves in the top flight of the Netherlands. Last season for PSV, the Belgium international played 47 times across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and grabbing three assists.

However, that is not Bakayoko’s best season for PV, whose academy he is a graduate of. His quality was really on show in the 2023/24 campaign. The winger featured in 33 Eredivisie games that season, and scored 12 goals, whilst grabbing nine assists.

Of course, the Magpies might pursue a move for Kudus, but there is no guarantee that they will secure the services of the Ghanaian international. He has been offered to other clubs, including Chelsea, as recently as the 6th of June, according to Sky Sports.

He certainly has a good record in the Premier League for West Ham. The 24-year-old has made 65 appearances in the English top flight, scoring 13 goals and grabbing 12 assists in that time. His best season came in 2023/24, when he contributed eight goals and nine assists.

However, he hasn’t hit the heights for the Hammers that Bakayoko did for PSV a couple of years ago. This certainly suggests that the Belgian could be an excellent alternative to Kudus if the Magpies decide to move for him instead.

The underlying stats on FBref also suggest that it is the case, too. When looking at their numbers from 2023/24, Bakayoko averaged 0.76 goals and assists and 7.11 progressive carries per 90 minutes.

In comparison, Kudus averaged 0.54 goals and assists and 4.32 progressive carries each game.

Bakayoko and Kudus key stats from 2023/24 compared

Stat (per 90)

Bakayoko

Kudus

Goals and assists

0.76

0.54

Key passes

2.45

1.08

Progressive passes

3.50

2.87

Shot-creating actions

5.20

3.75

Progressive carries

7.11

4.32

Stats from FBref

The stats are there to suggest that, if they bring Bakayoko in this summer, he would be an excellent alternative to Kudus. Not only is he a “clinical” goalscoring winger, as Antonio Mango described him, but he is a fantastic ball carrier too, as the stats show.

For just £17m, this could be one of the bargains of the summer for Newcastle. It hasn’t been an easy summer so far, with the rejections they have faced, but this could be a huge turning point and key addition.

Related Dream Pedro alternative: Newcastle advancing move for £40m "goal machine"

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 25, 2025

The season will start with three Tests against England which had been confirmed earlier in the year

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2024

New Zealand’s men will play white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan next season•AFP/Getty Images

Tours by Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia have been confirmed for New Zealand’s 2024-25 home season alongside the previously announced three-Test series against England with the latter stages of the men’s schedule featuring Pakistan likely to overlap with the IPL.In total, the men’s side will play six ODIs and eight T20Is during the season while the women will feature in six ODIs and six T20Is. The Tests against England are the only ones in New Zealand’s summer and will bring to an end a run of nine between September and December with away fixtures against Afghanistan (one), Sri Lanka (two) and India (three). In the 2025-26 season New Zealand are only scheduled to play two home Tests against West Indies.Following the England series, New Zealand’s men will face Sri Lanka in T20Is and ODIs from late December to mid-January before heading to Pakistan for an ODI tri-series that acts as a warm-up to the Champions Trophy which is slated to begin on February 19.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

After that tournament they will host Pakistan for five T20Is and three ODIs during the latter stages of the season in late March and early April, matches which will likely overlap with the IPL.New Zealand’s women will host Australia for three ODIs, all to be played at the Basin Reserve, shortly before Christmas with their Trans-Tasman neighbours returning for three T20Is in late March. Sri Lanka’s women will follow the men in visiting for a six-match tour during March.Five of the women’s T20Is (the last two against Sri Lanka and the three against Australia) will be played as double-headers with the men’s T20I series against Pakistan.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

New Zealand’s 2024-25 home season fixturesEngland MenNovember 28-December 2: 1st Test, Christchurch
December 6-December 10: 2nd Test, Wellington
December 14-December 18: 3rd Test, HamiltonAustralia WomenDecember 19: 1st ODI, Wellington (Basin Reserve)
December 21: 2nd ODI, Wellington (Basin Reserve)
December 23: 3rd ODI, Wellington (Basin Reserve)
March 21: 1st T20I, Auckland
March 23: 2nd T20I, Tauranga
March 26: 3rd T20I, Wellington (Sky Stadium)Sri Lanka MenDecember 28: 1st T20I, Tauranga
December 30: 2nd T20I, Tauranga
January 2: 3rd T20I, Nelson
January 5: 1st ODI, Wellington (Basin Reserve)
January 8: 2nd ODI, Hamilton
January 11: 3rd ODI, AucklandSri Lanka WomenMarch 4: 1st ODI, Napier
March 7: 2nd ODI, Nelson
March 9: 3rd ODI, Nelson
March 14: 1st T20I, Christchurch
March 16: 2nd T20I, Christchurch
March 18: 3rd T20I, DunedinPakistan MenMarch 16: 1st T20I, Christchurch
March 18: 2nd T20I, Dunedin
March 21: 3rd T20I, Auckland
March 23: 4th T20I, Tauranga
March 26: 5th T20I, Wellington (Sky Stadium)
March 29: 1st ODI, Napier
April 2: 2nd ODI, Hamilton
April 5: 3rd ODI, Tauranga

Everton came on leaps and bounds under David Moyes’ wing in 2024/25, but there’s no doubt they petered out toward the end of the campaign, illustrating the need for summer reinforcements.

After a slow start that has been defined by outings, things are starting to move at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Indeed, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s departure at the end of his contract is poignant, the Toffees are close to signing 22-year-old striker Thierno Barry, who has a £34.5m release clause with Villarreal and scored 19 goals across 41 matches last term.

Further additions are expected. Everton might have parted ways with a whole host of first-team stars, but they have also succeeded in tying down an irreplaceable member of the squad to a new deal.

He plays in defence.

The latest on Everton's backline

Despite plenty of speculation, Everton have extended Jarrad Branthwaite’s contract, and the centre-back is now contracted to the Merseyside club until 2030.

While Michael Keane has extended his contract on Merseyside, he is fixed in a back-up role, and landing Branthwaite for more years to come provides an incredible lift, especially as Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been sniffing around.

With James Tarkowski, 32, currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Jake O’Brien playing so well at right-back, it might be an idea to bring in another centre-half.

Well, according to Italian publication La Repubblica – via Sport Witness – Everton have entered the race for Inter Milan’s Yann Bisseck, who could leave San Siro this summer as a by-product of an acrimonious and wide fallout at the club.

Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have also been named as suitors, with the German expected to command a £34m transfer fee.

Why Everton want to sign Yann Bisseck

Everton would sign their most modern-tailored central defender yet in Bisseck, who has developed steely defensive skills and an ever-improving ball-playing talent.

That and a shrewd eye for goal. As per FBref, the 23-year-old ranked among the top 3% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues last season for goal involvements, the top 19% for pass completion, the top 6% for progressive carries per 90 and the top 3% for aerial duel success rate.

What does that tell us? Well, it certainly underscores Bisseck’s roundedness, progressive in his play while utilising his tall frame to defend from aerial attacks.

Something of a career nomad already, the 24-year-old has played 67 matches for Inter Milan, posting five goals and five assists apiece. Used across different competitions, he was a regular feature during Simeone Inzaghi’s Champions League run last term, starting seven of the matches.

And he was hardly a passenger. Throughout Inter’s continental campaign, Bisseck won 66% of his duels, as per Sofascore, and completed 87% of his passes, emphasising the technical virtues Moyes demands from his defenders.

But the expansive nature of his brand is what could see him step above even a player of Branthwaite’s ability.

League Comparison 24/25 – Branthwaite vs Bisseck

Stats (per 90)

Branthwaite

Bisseck

Goal involvements

0.04

0.20

Touches

54.48

75.63

Passes attempted

42.94

64.92

Pass completion

82.1%

90.6%

Progressive passes

2.37

4.39

Progressive carries

0.36

1.64

Ball recoveries

3.33

3.19

Tackles + interceptions

2.26

2.12

Clearances

6.85

4.19

Blocks

1.11

1.48

Stats via FBref

As you can see, Bisseck’s passing and ball-carrying game is far above that of Branthwaite, having spent more time on the ball over the past year and retained it with greater regularity too.

While the more expansive part of Branthwaite’s game has been hemmed back by tactical duties, Bisseck still far outstrips his positional peer as far as the technical side of the game is concerned.

Given that Inter’s man, who played such an important part in reaching the Champions League final last year, has been hailed as a “diamond” of a defender by journalist Antonio Mango, he might just emerge as Moyes’ star man in the rearguard, should Everton prevail in their bid.

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Posts ByBen Gray Jul 3, 2025

تحدث أردا جولر، نجم نادي ريال مدريد، عن المقارنات التي عقدت بينه وبين جناح نادي برشلونة، لامين يامال خلال الفترة الأخيرة.

جولر برزت موهبته وبشدة مع نادي فناربخشة، مما دفع نادي ريال مدريد للتعاقد معه قبل عامين من الآن مقابل حوالي 30 مليون يورو وبعقد طويل الأمد.

وعلى الرغم من معاناة جولر في أول موسمين له مع ريال مدريد، إلا أن الوضع قد اختلف تمامًا لابن الـ20 عامًا هذا الموسم، إذ أصبح الدولي التركي لاعبًا أساسيًا ولا غنى عنه في الفريق الملكي تحت قيادة المدير الفني تشابي ألونسو.

وفي الناحية الأخرى يعتبر يامال أهم لاعب في تشكيلة برشلونة، ومن بين أبرز المرشحين للفوز بالكرة الذهبية هذا العام.

أقرأ أيضًا .. لاعب برشلونة يغيب عن أولى مباريات فريقه في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وقال جولر عن يامال في مؤتمر صحفي نقله موقع ”Barca universal” :”أنا ويامال لا نلعب في نفس المركز، لذا، ليس من الصواب مقارنتنا، لكنني أتفهم ذلك، هو في برشلونة وأنا في ريال مدريد وأتمنى له كل التوفيق غدًا”.

ويستضيف المنتخب التركي نظيره الإسباني مساء يوم غدًا الأحد، وذلك لحساب منافسات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات، ضمن التصفيات المؤهلة لبطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل، والتي سوف تقام في كندا والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية والمكسيك.

ينتظر متابعو كرة القدم الأوروبية لقاء مثير في نهائي مبكر لدوري أبطال أوروبا هذا الموسم بمواجهة تجمع بين برشلونة وباريس سان جيرمان في الأول من أكتوبر المقبل.

وفي وقت سابق، انتقد هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم بسبب المشاكل البدنية التي يعاني منها لاعبه لامين يامال والتي ستمنعه من المشاركة ضد فالنسيا غداً في الدوري الإسباني.

ولا يعد هانز فليك هو المدرب الوحيد الذي أعرب عن قلقه بشأن الإصابات خلال فترة التوقف الدولي، حيث تحدث لويس إنريكي مدرب باريس سان جيرمان قبل مباراة لانس عن الجدل الدائر بين الاتحاد الفرنسي وباريس سان جيرمان بشأن إصابة عثمان ديمبلي وديزري دوي مع منتخب فرنسا.

وقال لويس إنريكي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “لا شئ أقوله سواء كان إيجابياً أو سلبياً، سيحسن صحة اللاعبين المصابين”.

وأضاف: “بالنسبة لي كمدرب ولجهازي الفني والمديرين الرياضيين، أهم شئ هو صحة اللاعبين نحن نركز على ذلك”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فليك يحسم موقف لامين يامال من المشاركة أمام فالنسيا ويوجه رسالة خفية لـ دي لا فوينتي

وواصل إنريكي الذي سيفتقد لخدمات دوي وديمبلي في المباريات القادمة وقبل لقاء برشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا: “أشعر بالقلق على كل لاعب يصاب، في كل لحظة من الموسم”.

وختم: “هذا أمر طبيعي في كرة القدم، نركز على صحة اللاعبين وتحسينها وهذا هو أهم شئ للنادي، نركز دائماً على أهم شئ وأكرره هو صحة اللاعبين، ليس لدي ما أضيفه”.

وسئل إنريكي عن عودته بعد خضوعه لجراحة في عظمة الترقوة بسبب سقوطه في حادث دراجة: “تدربت كالمعتاد طوال الأسبوع ونعم غداً سأكون مستعداً لمباراة لانس، حادثتي لن تغير شيئاً، أنا مستعد وأستطيع فعل أي شئ، أواصل العمل كالمعتاد ولدي قيد جسدي واحد فقط، أحاول التفكير في الجوانب الإيجابية التي تتسبب فيها هذه الحوادث وأرى ذلك الآن وأشعر بالراحة”.

Things have really kicked into gear for Arsenal over the last couple of weeks.

After watching their rivals bring in star player after star player, the Gunners have finally bolstered Mike Arteta’s squad with the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard.

Moreover, the Premier League runners-up appear incredibly close to securing the services of goalscoring extraordinaire Viktor Gyokeres.

Andrea Berta and Co aren’t done there either, as reports are now linking the club to a midfield machine who’d be incredible at the Emirates, even if his arrival could be bad news for Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal target midfield maestro

The main thing Arsenal need to add to the team this summer is attacking flair, goals and dynamism, so it’s hardly been a surprise that some of the most exciting links in recent weeks have been to players who possess all of those traits, such as Morgan Rogers.

Transfer Focus

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

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The Aston Villa star could be available for around £70m this window, and while that is undoubtedly a lot of money, it’s easy to see why teams, such as the North Londoners, might be willing to pay it.

After all, the 22-year-old was able to amass an imposing tally of 29 goal involvements in 54 appearances.

However, with that being his first full season in the Premier League, there are still a few questions over how he might fare in the long run, questions which are not present for another of the Gunners’ targets: Eberechi Eze.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal remain intensely interested in signing the Crystal Palace star.

Moreover, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are now closing in on an agreement to sign the Englishman, which would see them pay an initial £45m of his £67.5m release clause, with the rest coming in playing-related add-ons.

In all, it looks like it could be a fantastic deal for Arsenal and Arteta, but one that might spell trouble for Odegaard.

Why Eze could be bad news for Odegaard

The first reason Eze could be bad news for Odegaard next season is a simple one, but arguably the most important: his output.

In his 43 appearances for Palace last season, totalling 3303 minutes, the 27-year-old “duel monster,” as dubbed by reporter Simon Collings, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists, and did so almost exclusively from attacking midfield.

This means the former QPR gem was able to average a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes for a team that, at their best, is a mid-table side.

Eze vs Odegaard

Players

Eze

Odegaard

Appearances

43

45

Minutes

3303′

3447′

Goals

14

6

Assists

11

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.40

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

191.5

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the Gunners’ captain was only able to score six goals and provide 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes.

In other words, the Norwegian international averaged a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes, in a team that finished second and made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

However, it goes deeper than the statistics, as one of the most concerning elements to the former Real Madrid gem’s campaign last season was how he disappeared in some of the biggest games.

For example, The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claimed he put in a “completely anonymous display in the second half” of the game away to Paris Saint-Germain, while content creator Connor Humm argued that he may as well have “sat in the stands he was that non-existent” in the first leg.

In stark contrast, the Greenwich-born monster scored in the quarter-final and semi-final of the FA Cup, before scoring the only goal in the final, and leading his side to historic glory.

Ultimately, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Eze this summer, as he’d undoubtedly bring goals and excitement to the team, even if that’s at the expense of Odegaard.

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Posts 6 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 9, 2025