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All is not well at Manchester United, with Saturday afternoon’s defeat at the Gtech against Brentford keeping Ruben Amorim on nine lowly Premier League wins across 33 matches in the competition.

It’s not good enough, and the ice has worn thin indeed. For INEOS to sack their prized appointment would be an ignominious thing, a real loss of face, but we are approaching the latest critical juncture, and it’s a big one.

Amorim’s candid nature and self-criticism have been both refreshing and blunt, too blunt, across the span of his tenure, but he is capable of picking apart the faults within his Red Devils project. The question is, how much longer can this continue?

Man United host high-flying Sunderland this weekend. The newly-promoted outfit simply have to be put to the sword, else Amorim will join a long list of post-Fergie managers whose tenures became untenable, and they were dismissed.

Already, rumours have cranked up, with the recently sacked West Ham United manager Graham Potter emerging as a candidate. That said, he’s not the only one on their radar.

Man Utd considering recently sacked manager

Potter lasted less than a year in the West Ham hot seat. The Londoners have been in disarray since they parted with David Moyes after the 2023/24 campaign, but there’s no denying the English tactician left plenty to be desired.

Clashes with first-team Irons, including a scepticism over captain Jarrod Bowen’s ability to lead the team, made the 50-year-old’s prospects of turning things around difficult.

Potter is, however, an experienced Premier League manager, something Amorim is not. Described as “a genius” by journalist Sam Morton, the former Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea boss is known for his intricate passing patterns and build-up play, but this didn’t materialise in the desired shape at the London Stadium.

Graham Potter in England

Club

Matches

PPM

West Ham

24 (01/25 – 09/25)

0.92

Chelsea

31 (09/22 – 04/23)

1.42

Brighton

134 (05/19 – 09/22)

1.28

Swansea

51 (07/18 – 05/19)

1.45

Data via Transfermarkt

Potter would hope, however, that an ostensibly higher level of technical skill would do the trick at Old Trafford, but there are bound to be reservations over a manager who has failed to hit the mark with each of his past two outfits in the top flight.

Spanish sources suggest INEOS and Jason Wilcox are mulling over making their move if Amorim is sacked, and while it would be a contentious appointment, there’s an even more concerning alternative who has been added to the shortlist.

Man Utd's Potter alternative could be worse than Amorim

Even the most ardent defenders of Amorim’s tactics and expertise as an elite coach would concede that it has been a tumultuous relationship.

And now, the Portuguese boss is running out of time, surely just one or perhaps two bad results away from dismissal, should form not change.

And if push comes to shove, it’s not just Potter on Man United’s radar, with talkSPORT revealing that a three-man shortlist has been compiled, and former Three Lions manager Sir Gareth Southgate is in the running.

It’s actually understood that the Premier League side have been in direct contact with the 55-year-old in recent weeks, even with the hierarchy hesitant to bite the bullet and sack Amorim.

Southgate transformed the feeling around the England Men’s team across his eight-year stint, reaching a World Cup semi-final and falling short in successive Euro finals. Across 102 matches in charge, he achieved an average of 2.08 points per game.

However, there have long been questions over Southgate’s command of the technical side of managing, with former French World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit even labelling the one-time right-back as “boring”.

Given that Man United are engulfed in Groundhog Day, walking in the same old familiar territory in the early phase of a season that saw Erik ten Hag dismissed last year (bearing an identical Premier League record after six matches), there can be no more mistakes.

At the 2024 European Championship, England showed off their mentality by reaching the final against the odds, but they flattered to deceive on the tactical front, with critics even struggling to understand what Southgate’s plan was.

This sounds an alarming echo to Amorim’s own situation at Manchester United, and given that Southgate, who parted ways with Middlesbrough in 2009, has been outside of club management for so long, there is very little to suggest that he would turn the ship around and keep it afloat against the club’s big-hitting rivals in the Premier League.

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Typically fielding a more conventional 4-3-3 formation than Amorim’s controversial set-up, Southgate would at least provide some semblance of typicality on that front, and that might do the players good. But would it be enough for it to be a successful appointment, and that after having spent £12m to relieve Amorim of his duties?

Southgate has his perks, for sure. He knows the English game like the back of his thumb, and his man-management skills and ability to cultivate a positive working environment are two facets that would potentially smooth out big wrinkles in the United fabric.

But we cannot ignore the concerns over the depth of his tactical understanding, nor can Southgate’s near two-decade absence from Premier League management be overlooked.

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co do decide to part ways with Amorim in the coming weeks or months, it is imperative that they welcome the right successor to the Theatre of Dreams.

The likelihood of Southgate being the one for the job in the long run feels somewhat slim.

Related Ten Hag sold Man Utd talent for just £10m, now he's outperforming Bruno

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Posts ByEthan Lamb

Tottenham Hotspur avoided an embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat last night, subsequently claiming a 3-0 victory over League One Doncaster Rovers.

The win keeps Thomas Frank’s hopes of claiming a trophy in his first year as Lilywhites boss alive, with a trip to face current holders Newcastle United awaiting them in round four.

It may have only been against a team two divisions below them, but the Dane will have been impressed with the relentless nature of the performance, which saw the Lilywhites have 55% possession.

Such an outing gave numerous fringe players a chance to stake their claim for a regular role in the starting eleven, with the Dane having some incredible strength in depth currently at his disposal.

However, the victory also allowed one other player to finally get the opportunity he’s craved to feature in his natural position after being forced to operate in an unnatural role as of late.

Xavi Simons’ performance against Doncaster

After joining in a £52m deal from RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window, Xavi Simons became a player with huge expectations at Spurs, but he’s so far struggled to reach the levels many hoped for.

He’s mainly operated in a wide left role, but he was handed a start in a more familiar central role against Doncaster last night – taking advantage of the opportunity handed his way.

The Dutchman featured for a little over an hour, but had a huge impact on proceedings – as seen by the underlying stats that he produced in North London.

Simons created seven chances and won four fouls – with both tallies being the most of any player on the pitch – subsequently highlighting the threat he posed to Grant McCann’s side.

He also completed 97% of the passes he attempted, with four of his efforts being into the final third – allowing him to create one big chance in the process.

Whilst he was unable to register a goal or assist last night, the 22-year-old looked a constant nuisance in the number ten role, with Frank needing to stick with him in such a position.

However, one other first-team player managed to impress, now arguably being just as important as the Dutchman, given his own impressive display against Donny last night.

The Spurs star who is becoming as important as Simons

Given the sheer volume of competitions this season, Frank needs to have every Spurs player up to scratch to try and allow for success in various tournaments.

His side have already claimed wins in three separate competitions in 2025/26, with the side already impressing in the Premier League, Champions League and the Carabao Cup.

Simons has started all but one game since making his big-money move to join the Lilywhites, but the Dutchman has rapidly developed into a key player for the Dane as a result of his creativity.

However, he’s not the only summer addition who’s already impressed in North London, with Joao Palhinha immediately exceeding all expectations placed upon him after his loan move to the club.

The Portuguese international joined from Bayern Munich, but to the disappointment of many, with the 30-year-old not seen as the man to improve the first-team squad.

He’s already scored twice despite his deep-lying role, with his latest effort coming against Doncaster last night – producing an incredible acrobatic effort which opened the scoring.

Palhinha also featured out of position at centre-back, but still managed to thrive, producing numerous incredible figures that helped the Lilywhites claim a crucial victory.

The former Fulham star completed 63 passes, at a completion rate of 90%, with the former of the two stats the most of any player who featured during the contest on home soil.

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Despite his defensive role, he also managed to complete four passes into the final third, able to provide those ahead of him with the chances to impress in front of goal.

Joao Palhinha – stats against Doncaster

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

82

Passes completed

63

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles made

2

Clearances made

6

Interceptions

1

Passes into final third

4

Stats via FotMob

However, Palhinha dominated without the ball, making two tackles, six clearances and one interception – helping the Lilywhites keep their fifth clean sheet of the 2025/26 campaign.

As a result of his showing, the loanee was handed a superb 9/10 match rating by The Standard’s journalist Matt Verri, further showcasing how impressive he was during the victory.

After such a display, Frank simply can’t afford to drop the Portuguese international from his starting eleven, with the experienced talent on a phenomenal run of form in the first team of late.

Should he continue his current impressive form for the Lilywhites, there’s no reason as to why Palhinha can’t be as undroppable as Simons, with the pair able to catapult the side to new heights in the months ahead when operating together.

Related Fewer touches than Kinsky: Frank must bench 5/10 Spurs star after Doncaster

Tottenham Hotspur secured their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup last night with a win over Doncaster.

Posts ByEthan Lamb

Rangers have made some high-profile signings over the years, with the likes of Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup going on to becoming Ibrox legends after heading to Glasgow.

Mikel Arteta, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Ronald de Boer were just some other big names who decided to move to Scotland, but there could have been a lot more if the Gers got their way.

Related Rangers' top 15 goalscorers of all time

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington

From Lionel Messi to Ronaldo, Rangers nearly signed some legends of the game.

10 star players Rangers almost signed 10 Lionel Messi

Shortly before Lionel Messi made his Barcelona debut, Rangers and manager at the time Alex McLeish were alerted to the Argentine talent.

McLeish’s son, Jon, found Messi on Football Manager, with the Gers trying but failing to sign him on loan back in 2003.

9 Andres Iniesta

At the same time Rangers were trying to sign Messi, they also almost brought midfield maestro Andres Iniesta to Ibrox.

The Spaniard was a teenager at the time and nearly headed to Scotland on loan for regular game time as Rangers looked for their Barry Ferguson replacement. Unfortunately, Iniesta would get his chance in the Barca first-team shortly after and wouldn’t look back.

8 Ronaldo

Brazilian striker Ronaldo is arguably the biggest what if case when it comes to near transfer misses for Rangers.

The forward was wanted by the Gers, Lazio and Inter Milan in 1997 when he was still a Barcelona player. Ronaldo even had an offer from Rangers and former owner David Murray, but headed to Inter Milan instead.

7 Alan Shearer

Before becoming a goalscoring machine for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, Alan Shearer was a Southampton player.

The Premier League’s all-time record scorer caught the eye of Rangers boss Walter Smith in the early 1990s, however, those at Ibrox couldn’t persuade Shearer to head to Scotland.

6 Dennis Bergkamp

Smith certainly had an eye for a future attacking star, as, along with Shearer, also wanted to bring Dennis Bergkamp to Rangers in the 1990s.

Bergkamp was an Inter Milan player at the time, and after Rangers failed to put a proposal together, the skilful Dutch forward signed for Arsenal in a £7.5m deal and would go on to become a Gunners legend.

Bergkamp’s Arsenal stats

Games

422

Goals

120

Assists

116

Trophies

10

5 Samuel Eto'o

After struggling to break through into Real Madrid’s first team from their academy, Samuel Eto’o found a home with Mallorca, securing a permanent move to the Spanish side in 2000.

The Cameroon striker would star for his new side and was wanted by McLeish in 2002. Rangers missed out on Eto’o, who, two years later, would sign for Barcelona, where he won three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies.

4 Jaap Stam

It wasn’t just attacking stars who nearly signed for Rangers, with central defender Jaap Stam targeted by Dick Advocaat after he took over as Ibrox manager in 1998.

Stam was a PSV Eindhoven regular under Advocaat, but he couldn’t bring the towering centre-back with him to Scotland, with Sir Alex Ferguson and Man Utd winning the race.

3 Robin van Persie

A Rangers move for Robin van Persie was extremely close in 2003, with a deal even agreed with Feyenoord for the Dutch forward to move to Ibrox for just £3m.

Van Persie was persuaded to head to Ibrox by Advocaat, however, Rangers failed to raise the funds and the striker would sign for Arsenal a year later.

2 Emmanuel Petit

Rangers found themselves in a bidding war with Arsenal for Emmanuel Petit back in 1997, and if it wasn’t for the Gunners, the French midfielder could have easily been a major signing for the Gers.

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Former owner Murray once lifted the lid on how close Rangers were to bringing Petit to Ibrox.

1 Luka Modric

Rangers could have signed Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric in the early stages of his career for just £3.5m, however, those at Ibrox didn’t have the funds.

Former Rangers assistant Ally McCoist was actually sent to watch Dinamo Zagreb right-back Vedran Corluka but was stunned at what he saw from Modric and urged the club to get a deal done.

While they’ve faced more than a few questions over the transfer policy in recent seasons, Chelsea have built a squad stacked with sensationally talented gems.

Enzo Maresca has some incredible players all throughout his squad now, but it’s still easy to point to his most important: Cole Palmer.

The Englishman has only been at the club for two seasons, but has already amassed an unreal haul of 43 goals and 29 assists in 98 games.

When fit, the former Manchester City gem is the first name on the teamsheet, and so fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea with someone who could be their new Palmer.

Chelsea chase their new Palmer

In a shock to nobody, Chelsea have had another busy summer when it comes to transfers this year.

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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On top of selling a host of players for a tidy profit, the Blues have made a number of exciting additions to Maresca’s Conference League-winning side.

The likes of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap should make the frontline far more potent, while Jorrel Hato looks like he could be one of the club’s star defenders in a few years.

Yet, with the window still open until Monday night, the West Londoners appear intent on adding more quality to the squad, and could be in with a chance of landing someone who may well be their new Palmer.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s interest in Kobbie Mainoo.

More than that, though, the report has revealed that the Manchester United gem is now open to the idea of leaving Old Trafford after being left on the bench against Arsenal and Fulham.

While a price has not been mentioned in the report, other updates from this week revealed that the Red Devils could allow the Englishman to leave for just £45m.

It remains to be seen if Chelsea will be able to work out a deal for Mainoo in time, but if they do, they could be getting themselves their new Palmer.

Why Mainoo could be Chelsea's new Palmer

Now, while Palmer and Mainoo tend to play in different positions on the pitch, there are several other reasons why the latter could be seen as Chelsea’s new version of the former.

The first is the simple fact that, like the former City prospect, this potential transfer would see the United gem move from Manchester to West London after being deemed not good enough to play regular first-team football by his current manager.

Moreover, it would be another example of the Blues signing an academy graduate from one of the Manchester sides, and one that is widely considered to be tremendously exciting, even if Ruben Amorim does not seem to rate him.

On top of that, both midfielders are English, although instead of signing someone who was thriving in the youth setup, the Blues would be getting their hands on someone who has shone in the senior side this time.

However, perhaps the most important way in which Maresca could be getting his hands on another Palmer is that Mainoo could well develop into a world-beater at Stamford Bridge.

After all, even though he is still young and has been out of the Red Devils’ side since Amorin took over, the 20-year-old has already shown us that he could be something really quite special.

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For example, FBref rank him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions stemming from his take-ons, the top 2% for tackles in the attacking third, the top 4% for carries into the penalty area, the top 5% for take-ons attempted, and more, all per 90.

Mainoo’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

SCA (Take-On)

0.38

Top 1%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.71

Top 2%

Carries into Penalty Area

0.65

Top 4%

Take-Ons Attempted

2.77

Top 5%

% of Dribblers Tackled

63.9%

Top 6%

Touches (Att Pen)

2.88

Top 8%

Successful Take-Ons

1.19

Top 10%

Progressive Passes Rec

3.42

Top 16%

Passes Completed (Short)

24.88

Top 19%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.27

Top 19%

All Stats via FBref

What these numbers show is that, even though he’s still young and not getting the game time his talent warrants, he’s a sublime ball-carrier and someone who can help break up attacking high up the pitch.

In other words, he has the tools to be an elite all-action midfielder, and as teammate Rasmus Hojlund described him, looks to be a “generational talent.”

Ultimately, while it might be difficult, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign Mainoo before the window shuts next week, as they could just land themselves another Palmer-esque gem.

Related Better deal than Lopez: Ornstein expects £50m "diamond" will join Chelsea

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Posts ByBen Gray

Positivity, excitement and optimism. Those are just three of the words associated with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal reign.

However, arguably for the first time since this project really started to motor, a sense of negativity has crept in.

Arteta’s side have enjoyed an interesting summer. The likes of Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres are standout purchases but something is missing, notably on the left.

With Manchester City and Liverpool strengthening again, spending mega bucks, it really does feel as though the title is far away again.

Still, Arsenal did go to Old Trafford on the Premier League’s opening weekend and win 1-0. It’s not always been a happy hunting ground so Arteta’s men will take the three points and swiftly move on.

Arsenal were resilient and staunch in their efforts to claim the victory but it certainly wasn’t all plain sailing, not least for debutant Gyokeres.

What went wrong for Gyokeres on Arsenal debut

After scoring his first goal for the club in their 3-0 pre-season win over Bilbao a week ago, there were high hopes for Gyokeres.

That’s not forgetting the fact he scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last term either.

Yet, in Manchester on Sunday, Gyokeres cut a frustrated figure, someone who struggled to get into the game and was let down by his teammates.

The Swede regularly burst into the channels and on a frequent basis wasn’t played the ball.

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Those beside him, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, only produced two key passes as the club’s big summer signing was starved of any service.

So, after failing to have a single shot on goal within an hour of his debut, he was withdrawn from the action to loud jeers from the home crowd, with Kai Havertz brought on in his place.

As Football.London’s Tom Canton noted, the centre forward ‘struggled to get into the game in the first half and was limited in terms of service and touches.’

So room for improvement, but he wasn’t the worst player on the away side.

The Arsenal player who was worse than Gyokeres

Speaking of the forward line, it was a poor day at the office for Arsenal’s wingers.

This is significant because it’s an area of the squad that Andrea Berta and Co have been trying to improve this summer.

Noni Madueke has joined from Chelsea but there’s a cry from supporters to sign someone of the quality of Eberechi Eze or Rodrygo.

Well, those cries will only have grown louder after Martinelli’s ineffective showing on Sunday afternoon.

The Brazilian was handed a 4/10 rating by the Standard, who wrote that there was a ‘familiar issue – no conviction in the final third.’

Last season, that was also very much the case for Martinelli and there has no improvement over pre-season and into the full season.

This is a big worry, particularly if Berta doesn’t sign another winger between now and the deadline.

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The numbers paint a grim picture of just how poor the 24-year-old was. He managed just one shot – a tame effort right at the goalkeeper.

Furthermore, he only attempted one dribble that ended up being unsuccessful, had one key pass, didn’t make a cross and only completed three passes before he was hooked on the hour.

To make matters worse, Martinelli had just 14 touches, 33 fewer than David Raya. He also won just 50% of his duels.

Martinelli vs Man Utd

Minutes played

60

Touches

14

Accurate passes

3/5 (60%)

Shots

1

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0/1

Crosses

0

Possession lost

7x

Times fouled

1

Stats via Sofascore.

In all honesty, there wasn’t much that the wide player got right, with one moment summing up his last few years.

As Arsenal aimed to break through the centre of the pitch, the Brazil international looked to swing a ball out to the left-hand side of the field but dinked it right out of play.

If that’s a sign of things to come, then Arsenal need to sign a replacement instantly. Irrespective of their activity in the window, either Leandro Trossard or Madueke must replace him for the game with Leeds United next weekend.

Related Arteta has two players to blame for Gyokeres' nightmare Arsenal debut

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Posts 1 ByMatt Dawson

Glasgow Rangers are still looking for their first win of the Scottish Premiership season after they were held to a 1-1 draw by St Mirren away from Ibrox on Sunday.

The Light Blues needed academy graduate Findlay Curtis to come off the bench to score an excellent goal to rescue a point for the side late in the second half.

Russell Martin’s team looked bereft of quality at the top end of the pitch until Curtis and James Tavernier, who supplied the corner that led to the goal, came on as substitutes.

If the head coach wants to bring the captain back into the starting XI, in the Champions League or against Celtic next weekend, Max Aarons may need to drop out.

Why Max Aarons should be dropped

The Bournemouth loanee is not a horrendous player and he did not put in a terrible performance against St Mirren on Sunday, but he does not offer the same level of attacking threat that Tavernier does.

Aarons has only created one chance in three starts in the Premiership for Rangers, per Sofascore, and did not create any chances in 69 minutes on the pitch in this match.

The English full-back has not offered enough going forward, whilst Tavernier has only started one of the three games and created three chances for the team, per Sofascore.

Chalkboard

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

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This is why Aarons should be dropped from the XI to add more creativity to the side, but the defender is not the only player who should be ruthlessly dropped, as Lyall Cameron’s position should also be under threat.

Why Lyall Cameron should be dropped

Martin must ruthlessly ditch the Scottish central midfielder alongside Aarons after the former Dundee man put in a disappointing display against St Mirren.

The manager knows that he will get a hard-working, tireless, performance from Cameron, who runs his socks off, but the quality in and out of possession was not there for him on Sunday.

He missed a very presentable opportunity to open the scoring when Jayden Meghoma whipped a brilliant ball into the box, although it was maybe at a bit of an awkward height.

Aside from that miss, though, the 22-year-old central midfielder’s all-round performance was not good enough to justify him keeping his place in the team against Celtic next weekend, looking beyond the second leg against Club Brugge.

Vs St Mirren

Lyall Cameron

Minutes

90

Shots on target

0

Dribbles completed

0/1

Big chances created

0

Ground duels won

0/6

Aerial duels won

0/1

Tackles + interceptions

0

Dribbled past

2x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Cameron failed to deal with the intensity and the physicality of the clash with St Mirren, as he lost 100% of his duels.

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The opposition found it far too easy to get the better of him in one-on-one situations, and he did not make up for his lack of physicality with quality or creativity on the ball in the final third.

Mohamed Diomande won more duels (one) and made more tackles and interceptions (two) in just 26 minutes off the bench for the Light Blues, which suggests that he may have more to offer to the team out of possession as a physical presence.

Rangers may need physicality to deal with Celtic next weekend at Ibrox, as they look to close the already-growing gap to their rivals, which is why Cameron should be ruthlessly ditched from the XI alongside Aarons.

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Posts ByBen Gray

Manchester United have submitted an opening offer for a “spectacular” midfielder, which is now being considered by his current club, according to a report.

Man Utd keen on new midfielder with Baleba the main target

INEOS and Man United are looking to sign a new central midfielder before the transfer deadline, and Carlos Baleba has emerged as one of their main targets, with it recently being revealed they could be set to make a bid for the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder this week.

However, given that a deal for Baleba could amount to over £100m, the Red Devils may have to make some sales to raise funds, and Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Alejandro Garnacho is edging closer to a move to Stamford Bridge.

Romano said: “Chelsea and Man Utd are now in active talks to reach an agreement for Alejandro Garnacho. The contract for the player is done 100% already. Chelsea will accelerate now. Garnacho will become a Chelsea player in the summer transfer window. We’re entering the final stages. Garnacho, Chelsea player, very soon.”

While Ruben Amorim’s side are clearly looking to reinvest the potential £50m made from the sale of Garnacho on Baleba, the Brighton star is not the only target, and an offer has been submitted for a different central midfielder…

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Man United have now tabled an offer of close to €80m (£69m) for Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez, which the La Liga club are currently considering.

Hansi Flick has been unable to guarantee Lopez a key role in his side, which could open the door for the midfielder to depart, and the Red Devils believe he would be the perfect addition to the squad.

Related Man Utd now make official approach to sign £40m PL star alongside Baleba

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Posts ByDominic Lund

There is also a feeling the Barcelona ace could be enticed by a move to Old Trafford, given the prospect of playing a leading role, and he is now considering whether to embark on a new challenge in the Premier League.

"Spectacular" Lopez could kick on at Old Trafford

The 22-year-old has predominantly featured in an attacking midfield role over the past year, and he has certainly caught the eye with his performances, performing very well across some key metrics, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.37 (79th percentile)

Assists

0.42 (95th percentile)

Pass completion %

82.2% (88th percentile)

However, the Spaniard is also a versatile player, as displayed by the fact he has most often played in central midfield throughout his career to date, and Xavi once praised his former midfielder for his attitude, stating he has a “spectacular mentality.”

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Lopez is a different type of player to Baleba, given that the 21-year-old is well-known to have more of a defensive mindset, so it would be fantastic if Man United were able to bring in both midfielders, although it is unclear whether their budget would allow that.

That is due to the fact Gianluigi Donarumma has also emerged as a target, with Amorim’s side making an approach for the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, who now looks set to leave.

Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign a free agent striker who has held talks with Manchester United, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa chasing first-team arrivals

It’s been a very low-key transfer window for the Villans so far, but with the Premier League season set to get underway in less than three weeks, the Midlands side are now stepping up their plans as they look to improve on last season’s standings.

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According to The Athletic’s David Orstein, Villa have now placed a bid to sign Jaydee Canvot from Toulouse. The bid from the Premier League side has been rejected, but the Villans are continuing their pursuit of the centre-back, who is viewed as a top prospect. It is believed that Toulouse values Canvot in the region of £17 million, and they will be hoping the next offer is closer to that value.

Meanwhile, it was reported last week that Villa are in a race with Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign striker Mika Biereth. The AS Monaco forward, who is highly rated by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, scored 13 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games in the second half of last season, and that form has now put him on the radar of clubs around Europe.

Despite being under contract until 2030, Monaco are said to be opening to letting Biereth leave, but only if they receive a fee of around £40 million

Aston Villa join Calvert-Lewin race

According to The Sun, Aston Villa have now asked about Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s demands, as Unai Emery looks to bolster his attacking options.

Calvert-Lewin left Everton at the end of last season after nine years at Goodison Park, and while he continues to search for a new team, he has already spoken to interested parties. AC Milan and Newcastle United are two teams who are interested in signing the striker, but it is Manchester United who have held talks with Calvert-Lewin to gather information on his demands.

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It’s been reported that the Englishman is looking to earn £100,000 a week at his new club, and while it is unclear if this would fit into Villa’s plans, they do need to bolster the attacking ranks after allowing Marcus Rashford to leave the club following his loan spell.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s Premier League record

Apps

239

Goals

57

Assists

18

Calvert-Lewin is a player Villa are very familiar with, as the 28-year-old, who has been labelled a “top striker” by Jürgen Klopp in the past, has played against Villa 10 times in all competitions, during which he has scored twice at Villa Park, one coming last season in the Premier League and one in the EFL Cup during the 2023/24 campaign.

Liverpool are moving like the champions that they are in the summer transfer market, with Arne Slot’s side welcoming a wealth of talented players to the team.

Slot has been rewarded for his magnificent maiden campaign, all right, with Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong and Giorgi Mamardashvili joining a title-winning side hungry for even more success.

And there’s more still to come. Liverpool’s careful planning across the past few years has allowed them to move into his powerful position.

With Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez both slated for Anfield exits, a few more offensive additions might lie around the corner.

Liverpool's next transfer plans

Should Diaz and Nunez indeed be sold, Liverpool have a variety of options that they might exercise to achieve the next phase of Slot’s sweeping plan.

Ekitike has linked up with the Redmen on their pre-season tour in Asia, but he is a dynamic forward who could play out on the left, should another centre-forward be coveted.

Out-and-out wingers such as Anthony Gordon and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo have also been heavily linked in recent weeks.

But if Liverpool instead choose to sign a new number nine, it’s Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak who has emerged as the leading contender, with Spanish sources claiming that the 25-year-old is right at the top of the club’s summer shortlist.

Given that Fabrizio Romano has since revealed the Sweden international “wants” to sign for the Merseysiders, there’s little question that things are going to start to accelerate – with a move to Anfield said to be his “priority”.

The Magpies, it should be said, will not roll over and allow their talisman to waltz away from St. James’ Park without a fight. Indeed, they would be seeking a British record £130m payment.

What Alexander Isak would bring to Liverpool

Ekitike is a talented and versatile forward, but he’s undoubtedly a work in progress. In Isak, Liverpool would sign themselves a number nine right at the top of his game and with a wealth of Premier League experience.

His clinical shooting his a thing to behold.

The 25-year-old joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad for a club-record £63m fee in 2022 and he has since forged quite the career for himself in England, the frontman of a fast-rising outfit, qualifying for the Champions League in two of his three terms and beating Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup in March.

Having shaken off the injury issues that plagued him across his debut campaign, the £120k-per-week Isak is “the best striker in the world” to some, with analyst Raj Chohan saying exactly that toward the end of the 2024/25 campaign, with the forward having scored 27 goals and supplied six assists across all competitions.

Alexander Isak’s Newcastle Record

Statistics

#

Games

109

Goals

62

Goal rate

0.57

Assists

11

Assist rate

0.10

G/A rate

0.67

Data via Transfermarkt

The circumstances around the Liverpool bid for this wonderful Premier League player offer certain similarities to when Jurgen Klopp oversaw the £75m acquisition of Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, the Dutchman becoming the subject of a world-record fee for a defender at the time.

Isak’s £130m price tag would also make him a record-breaking player, should he leave Newcastle this summer, which illustrates the depths of Liverpool’s desire, for they are willing to spend significant fees when the player is considered to be talented enough.

They got it right the first time. Could they strike again? Van Dijk, now Liverpool’s title-winning captain, has completed 319 fixtures for the Reds, notching 28 goals and 13 assists, winning the full gamut of silverware and cementing himself as one of the greatest players of his generation.

A leader and far more than just a tough-tackling defender (although that is one of the staples of the 33-year-old’s skill set), Van Dijk warranted such a payment because he is so much more than his position defines him as.

Isak is the same. As per FBref, the centre-forward ranked among the top 16% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last year for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.

He would be tasked with scoring the goals for Liverpool, but Isak would also be expected to perform as an all-encompassing talisman. His talent demands it.

Of course, Isak and Van Dijk are not positionally similar, but they are two of the most talented players in their respective positions, having cut their teeth and developed their skills elsewhere in the English top flight before making the leap to Merseyside.

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Moreover, neither would be the youngest on the block when first arriving at Anfield, for Van Dijk was 26 years old when he made the move and Isak is, of course, 25 years old.

In a way though, this bespeaks their maturity and completeness, arriving at the club with ready-made skills at the highest level, eager to lead the team through a period of sustained success.

Described as a “special football player” by pundit Daniel Sturridge, Isak has the chance to emulate Van Dijk in making the move to Liverpool for a record fee after making his name elsewhere.

Newcastle’s remarkable rise differs to that of Southampton, but the similarities are there.

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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If Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes do manage to pull this incredible feat off, it might just prove to be every bit as transformative as that time when Klopp rewrote the script with the capture of Van Dijk.

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Liverpool are still ready to be active in the summer transfer market.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair

Chelsea have the chance to seal their second trophy under Enzo Maresca when they face PSG in the Club World Cup final.

It will be a tough task, as the French side are arguably the best side on the planet, evidenced by their 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

Enzo Fernandez will be crucial as the Argentine will be tasked with trying to keep possession for the Blues, while also aiming to stop PSG from mounting attack after attack in the final third.

That being said, despite Maresca signing plenty of attacking players this summer, might the former Benfica starlet be growing worried amid the club’s latest transfer link?

Chelsea enquire over Barcelona midfielder

The list of attacking players linked with the Blues is lengthy, but Maresca now looks like he could be set to add a midfielder or two to his squad.

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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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According to Caught Offside, Chelsea, along with Arsenal, have enquired about the availability of Barcelona star Marc Casado this summer.

The Catalan giants are demanding €50m (£43m) should any club wish to make an official bid for the Spaniard.

He does have a release clause worth €100m (£86m), but due to their financial situation, Barcelona may be forced to accept a lower offer. If Maresca does sign the player, it could be bad news for Fernandez.

Why Chelsea must sign Marc Casado

Last season in the Premier League, Fernandez played alongside Moises Caicedo in the heart of the Chelsea midfield.

He registered 13 goal contributions in the top flight, while also creating 13 big chances and averaging 2.3 key passes per game for the Blues. The Argentine may be a more effective player going forward, but defensively, Casado has the upper hand.

Indeed, last season, the Barcelona starlet tackled a higher percentage of dribblers (48.8% vs 36.9%) per 90, along with committing fewer fouls (26 vs 52) and making more interceptions (22 vs 13) in their respective domestic leagues.

Marc Casado’s La Liga statistics last season for Barcelona

Accurate passes per game

53

Goals

1

Assists

3

Total duels won per game

4

Big chances created

3

Tackles per game

1.9

Via Sofascore

Furthermore, Casado also won more total duels per game (53% vs 47%) and lost possession fewer times per game (7.7 vs 12.8) than the current Blues midfielder.

With the club signing a plethora of attacking players this summer, shoring up the midfield now appears to be Maresca’s priority.

A move for Casado could have Fernandez fearing for his place in the starting XI next season, that’s for sure, with Caicedo seemingly a shoo-in to start, having been described by Maresca as “one of the best, if not the best, defensive midfielder in the world”.

Following Spain’s victory over Switzerland last November, Casado was showered with praise by teammate Bryan Zaragoza, who said: “He’s an animal. I don’t even know what to say about how he played. He’s barbaric.”

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This sort of player is exactly the type of midfielder that Maresca would love to have available to him.

Aged just 21, Casado is only going to get better with age, especially by playing in the Premier League and Champions League for the Blues.

If the Stamford Bridge side can secure his signature for a decent fee, it might turn out to be one of their best signings of the summer, with Casado representing a perfect partner to Caicedo in the centre of the park.

For Fernandez, however, it could well be bad news in the long run.

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