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Winger Manor Solomon is a player who has captured the hearts of the Leeds United fanbase, impressing during his loan stint at the club during the title-winning campaign.

The Israeli international joined the Whites on a season-long loan deal from Tottenham Hotspur, looking to get his career back on track and fire Daniel Farke’s side back to the Premier League.

It’s safe to say that the 25-year-old has done exactly that, registering 10 goals and 13 assists across all competitions, leading to calls for him to be signed on a permanent basis.

With the transfer window now open once again, the club have the opportunity to complete such a deal, but up to now, there has been no progress, with it remaining unclear whether he will return to Yorkshire.

As a result, other forwards have since emerged on their radar as the German looks to build a side capable of surviving the drop come the end of May 2026.

The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new attackers this summer

In recent days, striker Davie Selke has emerged as a potential option for Leeds this summer, with a report claiming that they’ve already held talks with his representatives over a move to Yorkshire.

The 30-year-old has been in splendid form throughout 2024/25, scoring 22 times in his 31 appearances – the most in the Bundesliga 2 and helping Hamburg secure a return to the top-flight.

However, another name has entered the mix in recent days, with Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao a summer target, that’s according to Dutch outlet FR12.

The report claims that the Whites have made an enquiry to sign the 24-year-old star, who’s registered 32 combined goals and assists across all competitions this campaign.

It also states that Marseille and Brighton and Hove Albion have made moves for the Brazilian, who could be available for a fee in the region of £34m this summer.

Why Leeds’ £34m target could be Farke’s own Sinisterra

Colombian winger Luis Sinisterra was seen as a huge addition back in the summer of 2022, joining Leeds in a £21.4m deal – looking to add key depth to their frontline.

The 25-year-old only made 19 appearances during his first season at Elland Road, but managed to find the net on five occasions, with injuries plaguing his progress after his big-money move.

After the side suffered relegation back to the Championship, he would leave to join Bournemouth on loan, before making his move permanent last summer in a £20m deal.

It was a partially successful deal, which only saw them lose £1.4m on their investment, in a move that was ultimately cut short due to the club’s slide down the football pyramid.

However, they could repeat such a deal this summer with Paixao, potentially joining Farke’s side from Dutch outfit Feyenoord – just as Sinisterra did three years ago.

When delving into the Brazilian’s underlying stats from 2024/25, he’s managed to outperform Solomon in numerous key areas, allowing the manager to forget about a dream reunion this summer.

Paixao, who’s been labelled “exquisite” by talent scout Antionio Mango, has registered more goals and assists, whilst posting a higher shot on target rate – subsequently showcasing his clinical edge in attacking areas.

How Paixao compares to Solomon in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Paixao

Solomon

Games played

34

39

Goals & assists

26

22

Shot-on-target accuracy

45%

40%

Shots on target per game

1.4

0.8

Carries into final third

2.4

2.3

Passes into final third

1.8

1.4

Aerials won

41%

0%

Stats via FBref

He’s also completed more carries into the final third and made more passes into the opposition area, having the tools to aid the likes of Piroe in being a success in England’s top flight.

The 24-year-old has also won more aerial duels, offering Farke a top-level all-round option in attacking areas – something which will be vital if they are to secure survival.

£34m may seem a huge fee for a player who’s unproven in the Premier League, but his talent is there for all to see, undoubtedly providing a better option than Solomon next season.

A move for Paixao is certainly a risk worth taking this summer, but the hierarchy will have to work quickly to avoid missing out on his signature, given the interest from elsewhere.

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Posts 2 ByKelan Sarson Jun 3, 2025

Manchester United supporters are wise enough not to get too carried away by any new signing, not least after over a decade of pain with regard to recruitment, with high-profile deals having repeatedly gone south in recent times.

That said, even after a season that saw the Red Devils finish trophyless amid their worst-ever Premier League campaign, the club’s pulling power remains, with Wolverhampton Wanderers star, Matheus Cunha on his way to Old Trafford.

Plucking a player from Molineux may not appear too much of an achievement, although this is a man who just ended the season with 15 Premier League goals, having notably courted interest from Arsenal and Nottingham Forest in January.

After frequently looking abroad for new additions – particularly during the Erik ten Hag tenure – it is promising that the INEOS regime are now targeting players within the top-flight, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap also under consideration.

As Ruben Amorim has hinted, however, there is certainly no blank cheque this summer, with such deals likely needing to be funded by departures. Alejandro Garnacho, according to the latest reports, looks set to be one of them, although is that the right call?

Why Man Utd must keep Alejandro Garnacho

Not for the first time in his United career, Garnacho has publicly voiced his frustration regarding his situation at the club, having memorably liked a tweet criticising Ten Hag’s handling of him in the past, before more recently hitting out at his lack of game time during the Europa League final defeat last week.

Seemingly not helped by those around him – with his brother also foolishly calling out Amorim for throwing the Argentina international “under the bus” – the 20-year-old is doing himself no favours. The manager’s decision to send him on his way this summer thus appears no surprise.

That said, there has been enough evidence to suggest that this is a player whom the former Sporting CP boss should be looking to encourage, rather than exile, with Garnacho having fought his way back after being left out of the December Manchester Derby.

A run of 18 starts in a row heading into the Bilbao showpiece illustrated that growing faith, with Garnacho arguably making a bigger impact in the final than the man who had replaced him, Mason Mount, after swiftly drawing a save from Guglielmo Vicario after entering the fray.

With his 21 goals and assists in all competitions placing him ahead of Amad Diallo in that regard, it remains a head-scratching decision to force the former Atletico Madrid ace toward the exit door, even if the need to meet PSR regulations remains.

If a suitable, eye-catching offer does arrive, perhaps United and INEOS would be correct to contemplate a sale. No player in the current squad appears to be untouchable, following such a disastrous season.

Even so, there should surely be other marketable assets to prioritise with regard to outgoings, with Rasmus Hojlund among them.

The latest on Rasmus Hojlund's future

Last week’s loss to Tottenham Hotspur saw United toil amid what was a particularly limp attacking performance, with Hojlund coming closest to getting on the scoresheet, only to see his goalbound header cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven.

The luckless striker then fired a blank against Aston Villa on the Premier League’s final day, rounding off a season that has ended with just ten goals to his name in all competitions, including just four in the top-flight.

For United’s leading number nine, such a return simply isn’t up to scratch, with reports having unsurprisingly suggested that a move to Serie A could be on the cards for the ex-Atalanta starlet.

That may be an admission of defeat for the £64m man, although interested clubs may be keen to take a chance on a player who has shown glimpses in a United shirt, not least with his five goals in last season’s Champions League group stage run.

There is a view that these past two years have merely been a bump in the road. Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed him as a “monster in the making” back in 2023, with reports in Italy outlining that Inter have made him their ‘dream’ target.

‘Big Six’ – No.9 stats in 24/25 (all comps)

Club – Player

Games

Goals

Assists

Arsenal – Gabriel Jesus

27

7

2

Chelsea – Nicolas Jackson*

34

13

5

Liverpool – Darwin Nunez

47

7

7

Manchester City – Erling Haaland

44

31

4

Manchester United – Rasmus Hojlund

52

10

4

Spurs – Richarlison

24

5

2

*there is no No.9 at Chelsea

Stats via Transfermarkt

Indeed, there is said to be ‘total agreement’ at San Siro regarding a move for the Dane, with his time at Old Trafford said to be seen as ‘just an accident along the way’ to him eventually shining. That faith has been represented in a four-year contract offer from the Champions League finalists.

While no fee has been mooted for Hojlund, whom the Serie A side could look to initially sign on loan, CIES Football Observatory deem him to potentially be worth as much as €93m (£78m) – thus placing him ahead of the £62.5m Cunha.

That may seem ludicrous considering his United woes, although it’s worth remembering that this is a player whom Paris Saint-Germain were desperate to sign in 2023, after scoring ten goals in Italy.

He hasn’t become a poor centre-forward overnight, yet he simply doesn’t appear the right fit for the Red Devils. A sale for a sizeable fee would be best for all parties this summer – particularly if it could help to keep Garnacho on board instead.

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Posts ByRobbie Walls May 28, 2025

Aston Villa could well be hitting their stride in the Premier League at the best possible time, with both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest showing recent weaknesses in their game.

Unai Emery’s men are now only outside the lucrative five Champions League spots in the division on goal difference as Enzo Maresca’s Blues nervously try to hold onto that final position, with a mightily impressive five wins from Villa’s last six Premier League games keeping their European dreams alive.

The added quality to the squad in the form of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford in January has certainly boosted their chances of clinching Champions League football again.

This summer’s transfer window will further allow the West Midlands giants opportunities to bring in even more depth, with one rumoured face on the Villa Park shopping list perhaps going down as their next Jhon Duran if he joins.

How Jhon Duran is performing in Saudi

The breathless Colombian would only go on to feature for the Villans 78 times, but he is still remembered in a fond light to this day for how impactful he could be off the bench when his team needed a moment of magic.

Indeed, before an insane £71m move to Al Nassr came to be in January, the sensational South American would fire home a sizeable 12 goals during the first part of 2024/25.

On the surface, this is already an imposing goal total worthy of praise, but staggeringly seven of those strikes would come about in Premier League action despite Duran only making four starts overall.

Since heading to the Middle East, the forward has been on fire, scoring 11 goals in 16 games for his new employers who sit third in the Saudi Pro League.

In truth, losing the young forward hasn’t hit Villa that hard, but NSWE definitely wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to win themselves a new version of the relentless 21-year-old this summer.

Aston Villa could sign their new Duran

Emery will likely be keen to utilise all of his talented squad again next campaign, particularly if Champions League football returns to Villa Park and congests the fixture list.

Therefore, adding in a new winger in Malick Fofana as a further option in attack could be an inspired pick-up, with Caught Offside recently revealing that the Premier League titans could sign the promising 20-year-old from Olympique Lyonnais for around the £42m mark.

Just taking in a few clips of Fofana’s excellence for Lyon this season displays how he’s on the same wavelength as the now departed Duran, with both attackers in question boundless in their drive and energy when galloping forward, before being equally unafraid to unleash a vicious shot at an opposition goalkeeper.

It’s resulted in Fofana – who is also on the radar of Liverpool and Arsenal – picking up a substantial 11 goals and five assists from 40 appearances down the Lyon left flank across 2024/25, despite also being resigned to a regular spot on Paulo Fonseca’s bench much like the 22-year-old striker had to put up with under Emery.

Fofana at Lyon vs Duran at Villa in 2024/25

Stat

Fofana

Duran

Games played

40

29

Games started

22

7

Minutes played

2199

1043

Goals scored

11

12

Assists

5

0

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the numbers, whilst Fofana does have the advantage of starting 15 more games this season than Duran managed at Villa, the former has still been used rather sparingly in the French top division, with the Belgian only averaging 54 minutes of action per Ligue 1 clash.

But, the “magnificent” left-footed menace – as he has been labelled by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has still left his mark on a considerable number of contests all the same, seen in that growing total of 11 goals and five assists across a wide range of contests for Lyon.

With a potential hole in the squad also needing to be filled down the left if Rashford departs, adding in Fofana does feel like a logical signing to soon make on Villa’s end, with the one-time senior Belgium international also capable of being the club’s next super sub.

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Posts 2 ByRoss Kilvington May 12, 2025

Chelsea would have been expecting a tricky contest against Arne Slot’s Liverpool, but would have remained hopeful of a positive result off the back of the Reds potentially dropping the ball after being crowned Premier League champions a week ago.

The Dutchman would make considerable alterations – seen in the likes of Jarell Quansah starting at the back ahead of Ibrahima Konate – yet the manner in which Enzo Maresca’s Blues brushed aside the Reds 3-1 was still impressive, considering that was only Liverpool’s third loss of the season to date.

Now, Chelsea are only four points off Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in second spot, away from their pursuit of a Champions League position.

To clinch a top-five place though, Maresca will know he needs Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez performing at the same unbelievable levels they managed against Liverpool for the rest of the campaign to come.

Fernandez & Palmer's importance to Chelsea

Before exploring Fernandez’s superb day at the office further, Palmer would end up clinching the three points right at the death for Chelsea, meaning he’s now in an illustrious list of past Blues goalscorers.

It was a top-drawer showing from the former Manchester City attacker throughout, with Palmer notching up four key passes as a constantly creative menace, on top of beating Alisson from the penalty spot with an ice-cold finish.

Whilst it’s expected that Palmer will be able to bury chances considering he’s up to 15 Premier League strikes now, Fernandez’s composure was a joy to behold too during the 3-1 win, with this perfect touch and finish after just three minutes setting the tone for Chelsea to collect all three points.

Much like his electric teammate, however, the South American is a team player for the Blues cause, with four duels won, displaying the ugly side of his game, away from nearly adding to this seven assists in the league when collecting two key passes.

Both players are stalwarts under Maresca and for good reason, but there’s another standout performer who is equally as paramount to Chelsea right now, away from this spectacular duo.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Expand Collapse The Chelsea star who is as important as Fernandez & Palmer

The West Londoners really do seem to be entering their stride at the best possible time, considering the Blues have now won their last three Premier League clashes on the trot, even with Slot’s intimidating Liverpool in their way.

These victories are made to look even more impressive when you take into account Moises Caicedo – who usually lines up in the centre of the park – has had to be drafted into the right-back position as of late, but the £115m star’s versatile nature has just managed to shine through regardless.

Caicedo’s performance in numbers

Stat

Caicedo

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

53

Accurate passes

29/31 (94%)

Key passes

1

Accurate crosses

1/1

Accurate long balls

1/1

Clearances

5

Blocked shots

1

Interceptions

1

Tackles

2

Total duels won

7/10

Stats by Sofascore

The expensive 23-year-old is beginning to prove his worth as a full package, with Caicedo exiting the field of play after the 3-1 win with only two misplaced passes next to his name, leading to a 94% pass accuracy being calculated.

But, he also battled well – much like Palmer and Fernandez – when necessary, with a high seven duels won across the course of his stellar 90 minutes, away from winning the hosts that late decisive spot-kick when moved back into the midfield areas.

Handed out an 8/10 post-match rating by London Evening Standard journalist Malik Ouzia, it looks as if Maresca will continue to pick Caicedo alongside Palmer and Fernandez for the foreseeable, knowing full well this trio are ready for the potential Champions League challenge that awaits.

Before anything is set in stone, however, Chelsea will just need to keep picking up the wins, with a very tough fixture away at Newcastle United up next, one that will show off the character of Maresca’s camp.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb May 3, 2025

Manchester City reached their third FA Cup final in succession with a solid 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Wembley over the weekend.

The competition is providing plenty of solace to Pep Guardiola amid a campaign of disarray, that’s for sure.

Winning the tournament for the third time would give the Spaniard a jolt heading into the summer.

With Kevin De Bruyne departing the Etihad, plus another few first-team players likely leaving to balance the books, it will be all change in Manchester ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Losing out on a fifth successive Premier League title will have hurt everyone at the club, but with the transfer window opening in a few weeks, Guardiola has the chance to build a team that can usher in a new era starting in August.

Man City eye move for Premier League defender

The likes of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov have settled in nicely following their January moves to England and this could work well in the club’s favour heading into a busy summer, particularly because most of them are now already settled in England.

However, Pep is unlikely to settle for just those four names and could bolster his backline further when the summer window opens for business.

Indeed, according to Football Insider, City are interested in re-signing defender Pedro Porro from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, but the North Londoners will ‘strike a hard bargain’ as per the report.

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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Porro joined City back in the summer of 2019 from Girona, but he didn’t play a single first-team match for the club, eventually moving to Sporting CP.

He joined Spurs in January 2023 on loan, with the club eventually paying £39m to sign him permanently that summer.

They now value the right-back at around £50m which, as City ‘attempt’ to sign him, could prove to be a sticking point in any future negotiations.

Why Pedro Porro could be Man City's own Trent

Following Kyle Walker’s move to AC Milan, Matheus Nunes has been deputising at right-back for the club, which means they are targeting a new defender to play this role from next season onwards.

It is still early days yet, but Porro does have plenty of Premier League experience and has featured in the Champions League.

Particularly striking is that he plays similarly to Liverpool’s outgoing defender Trent Alexander-Arnold. Indeed, according to FBref, Alexander-Arnold is the most comparable player to Porro in Europe’s top five leagues.

The Englishman has registered 113 goal contributions across 351 games for his boyhood side. He loves to get forward as often as possible, often neglecting his defensive responsibilities.

Porro offers the same sort of qualities going forward, no doubt about that. Depending on the system Guardiola plays, he won’t be fazed by his right-back pushing into the final third on a regular basis, especially if someone is there to cover.

The pair have registered similar statistics over a range of metrics in domestic competitions this season, including goals and assists (eight vs nine), shots per 90 (1.35 vs 1.69), crosses (191 vs 142) and carries into the final third (40 vs 35), proving that the duo offer a major attacking threat in the opposition half.

Comparing Alexander-Arnold and Porro in the PL this season

Metric

Trent

Porro

Accurate passes per 90

39.3

33.9

Big chances created

14

8

Goals

3

2

Assists

6

6

Key passes per 90

1.8

1.7

Total duels won per 90

3.1

3.8

Will £50m be a price that Guardiola is willing to pay for another right-back this summer? Or will he be keen to spend this sort of money on improving another area of his squad?

Well, Porro may have endured an underwhelming season for Spurs, but the case could be made for basically everyone in their squad.

Ange Postecoglou has led Spurs to one of their worst seasons in recent memory, but this shouldn’t deter City from signing Porro.

The defender has played 81 times in the top flight for the club, scoring eight goals and grabbing 17 assists in the process. This works out as a goal contribution every 3.2 matches, which isn’t bad for a defender.

This season in the Premier League, the 25-year-old has even created eight big chances for his teammates, averaging 1.7 key passes and even registering 1.2 shots per game for the North London side.

Despite Spurs being poor defensively – conceding 56 league goals this term – Porro has managed to win 50% of his total duels per game while also making two tackles and recovering 4.8 balls per game.

Described as a “titanic” star by The Athletic’s former Spurs correspondent Charlie Eccleshare, Porro also shines when compared to his peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

The Spaniard ranks in the top 5% for total shots (1.49) and passes attempted (69.3) per 90, while also ranking in the top 7% for progressive passes (5.85) and in the top 2% for blocks (1.86) per 90 over the previous 365 days.

The narrative surrounding Porro as simply an attack-minded defender is wrong. Of course, he is much better going forward than simply defending, but as evidenced, he does have a few solid defensive traits.

Walker is expected to return to the Etihad this summer once his temporary move to Milan comes to an end, but if Guardiola wishes to win another Champions League crown with City, an improvement at right-back is needed.

Should he make a few statement signings in the summer, City could enter the 2025/26 season as arguably the favourites to claim back the league title.

Will Porro be in the starting XI? Only time will tell.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Apr 27, 2025

Chelsea are not short of attacking options in their current squad.

Enzo Maresca has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal in the forward areas, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson all key players at Stamford Bridge.

There is also a chance Jadon Sancho joins the club permanently this summer, with his buy clause activating over the weekend. He has made a real impression over the past few weeks, as has Tyrique George, who has broken into the first team from the academy, notably scoring his first top-flight goal last weekend at Craven Cottage.

Yet, the Blues want more in forward areas. It seems like they will look to sign a new winger in the 2025 summer window, and have been linked with someone who could further elevate their attacking options.

Chelsea's attacking shortlist this summer

With Jackson now on a run of 13 games without a goal it will come as no surprise that Chelsea are hoping to add a striker to their ranks this summer.

One name that stands out is Newcastle’s Alexander Isak while a cheaper alternative could be Ipswich Town striker, Liam Delap, according to reports.

Well, not just content with bolstering their central areas, they could also sign a winger from Barcelona.

Transfer Focus

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One of the most exciting teams to watch this season has been Hansi Flick’s Barca side. Their front three has been dominant, with Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal two key players, alongside Raphinha.

Well, according to TBR Football, it is the Brazilian who Chelsea are interested in signing over the summer. They have reportedly been told there is a chance to sign him this summer, and are thought to be ‘huge admirers’ of the winger.

However, there will be competition for his signature if there is a chance the Blues can sign Raphinha. Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool are also ‘being kept informed about his situation’. It is reported that intermediaries have told the three English clubs that an £80m offer could be enough.

Why Raphinha would be a good signing

It has been a sensational season for Raphinha in 2024/25. He has been the spearhead of a Barca attack that has dominated Europe. They had amassed 100 goals in just 32 games by February, and have now far exceeded that number.

As for the former Leeds star, he has an extraordinary 30 goals and 23 assists in 48 appearances so far this season. In La Liga, he’s notched up an impressive tally of 26 goal involvements in 30 appearances.

However, it is the Champions League where he has really thrived. The “unplayable” star, as Statman Dave called him, has 19 goals and assists this term, more than any other player, including a hat-trick against Flick’s former side, Bayern Munich.

Raphinha’s performances this season have been so good that Owen Hargreaves, former Manchester United midfielder, thinks he is a “revelation”. Hargreaves also said on TNT Sport that he thinks the Brazilian is “in the lead for the Ballon d’Or” at the end of the year.

The underlying stats via FBref from Raphinha’s incredible campaign show just how well he has played. For example, the former Leeds United star averages 1.11 goals and assists and 0.84 goal-creating actions per game. They rank him in the top 2% and 4% of attackers in Europe’s top five leagues, respectively.

Raphinha key stats 2024/25 season

Stat (per 90)

Number

Percentile

Goals and assists

1.11

98th

Goals per shot on target

0.45

88th

Key passes

2.98

96th

Shot-creating actions

5.36

91st

Goal-creating actions

0.84

96th

Stats from FBref

Thus, should the Blues bring Raphinha to the club, there is every chance he could end up becoming their best attacker since Eden Hazard.

Has there ever been a better forward in Chelsea history than Hazard? Well, that comes down to personal preference, but former Blues player turned pundit Pat Nevin called him a “world-class” operator back in 2019. Since his exit, no wide player at Stamford Bridge has scored more than his 16-goal Premier League haul from 2018/19 and Raphinha is streets ahead of that already in Catalonia.

Hazard was certainly unbelievable in that famous Blue shirt, scoring 110 goals and assisting a further 85 in 310 appearances for the club.

A sensational dribbler, he could often be seen running rings around opposition defenders before bearing down on goal or finding a teammate, as the video shows.

If Raphinha could replicate what Hazard did at Stamford Bridge, he’d be an instant success. The quality is there, of that there is no doubt, and his pure goals and assist numbers are sensational this season.

It would be some coup for Chelsea, and if they could bring the Brazil international back to the Premier League, it would be a real statement signing ahead of 2025/26.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall Apr 16, 2025

Since taking the job as Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has made his fair share of dire signings.

The likes of Pablo Mari, Willian, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira are some examples of players who either failed to live up to expectations or were just poor when they played.

However, for all the bad, Arteta has also overseen plenty of sensational signings, with Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and David Raya and perhaps the best of the lot, Declan Rice, joining the club under his stewardship.

The former West Ham United captain has been sensational for the Gunners since his club-record move in the summer of 2023, and now it would probably be fair to say one of the manager’s signings from last summer has proven to be his best since the Englishman.

How Arsenal's summer signings are getting on

So, it would be fair to say that overall, the campaign has been a mixed one for the signings made last summer, so before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over how the others have fared, starting with the worst of the lot: Raheem Sterling.

The Kingston-born star joined the club on a season-long loan deal on transfer deadline day, and while he told the fans they would “see the best” of him, the complete opposite has been true so far.

For example, in 24 appearances, the former Manchester City monster has scored just a single goal, which came against League One Bolton Wanderers, and provided five assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every four games.

Sterling’s Arsenal record

Competition

EPL

UCL

FA Cup

EFL Cup

Appearances

13

6

1

4

Minutes

352′

297′

80′

270′

Goals

0

0

0

1

Assists

2

2

0

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.15

0.33

0.00

0.50

Minutes per Goal Involvement

176′

148.5′

N/A

135′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

It’s been a more positive year for fellow summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, who joined the club from Bologna for around £42m, as when he’s played, he’s looked good and has an impressive tally – for a defender – of three goals and two assists in 26 appearances so far.

However, there has been one significant problem, which is his fitness.

So far, the Roma-born international has missed a whopping 24 games for club and country thanks to three knee injuries, one muscle injury and one calf injury, allowing Myles Lewis-Skelly to come in and make the left-back position his own.

Aside from David Raya, who initially joined the club on loan in 2023, and Neto, who barely played, there was one more senior signing made in the summer, a signing that might be Arteta’s best since Rice.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse Arsenal's best signing since Rice

So, with all the other signings from last summer covered above, it should be no surprise that Mikel Merino is the addition in question.

The Spanish international joined Arsenal for around £31.6m in late August after what felt like a particularly protracted transfer saga, but things did not start out well.

In cosmically poor luck, the European champion fractured his shoulder in his first training session with the club and remained out of action until the Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain on the first of October.

Unfortunately, his luck didn’t improve much over the coming months as he struggled to assert himself in the team and, as a result, found himself constantly in and out of the starting lineup, which understandably made it hard for him to establish any sort of rhythm or consistency.

However, things took a turn for the unexpected in February, as injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus left the Gunners without a recognized number nine, so after a rather paltry first 70 minutes of goalless action away to Leicester City, the Spaniard was thrown on to lead the line.

Somehow, even though he had admitted to never playing there before, the former Real Sociedad ace looked right at home, scoring a brilliant header and then slotting home another to secure the North Londoners all three points.

Since then, the 28-year-old “mentality monster,” as dubbed by podcaster Matt Kendala, has scored another four goals to add to his two assists, and following his exceptional strike against Real Madrid, it’s hard to imagine that the club are still officially without a fit centre-forward in the team.

The Pamplona-born game-changer has been hearing his song sung by the fans more and more in recent weeks, and if he keeps on producing in the way he is, Kendala’s claim that he’s “approaching cult status” will undoubtedly be proven correct.

Ultimately, while he’s not on the same level as the Englishman, it would be hard to deny that, thanks to his performances of late, Merino is unquestionably Arteta’s best signing since Rice in 2023.

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One Rangers star could well be axed by prospective new owners 49ers Enterprises after internal Ibrox talks, according to a fresh update.

49ers preparing for summer after agreeing Rangers deal in principle

The 49ers agreed a deal in principle to take over in Glasgow earlier this year and are hoping to have completed all the relative paperwork by the summer. One of their first tasks looks set to be to find a new permanent manager, with Barry Ferguson currently doing a solid but unspectacular job in temporary charge.

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Whoever gets the job on a full-time basis could be backed by the 49ers in the transfer market, with claims Rangers could spend up to £25m this summer under the new owners.

One of the 49ers’ first signings could be to make Vaclav Cerny’s Rangers loan move from VfL Wolfsburg permanent. Asked if he wants to stay in Scotland with Rangers, Cerny said: “I definitely do. But there are so many aspects that I can’t control. All I can do is be the best I can and keep up my form and numbers.”

However, there could also be a plethora of departures, with midfielder Jose Cifuentes, currently on loan at Greek side Aris Thessaloniki, looking certain to be sold. Now, there has been a fresh update on the future of club captain James Tavernier.

James Tavernier could leave Rangers after internal talks

According to TEAMtalk, the 49ers could axe Tavernier from Rangers in one of their first major decisions in control at Ibrox. A ‘huge rebuild’ is on the cards in Glasgow, and internal discussions are underway over rebuilding the Rangers squad.

Tavernier, thought to be on £30,000-a-week and under contract until 2026, could be sold by the Gers and he is being eyed up by clubs in Italy and the United States.

The 33-year-old has been a regular under Ferguson, who kept the full-back as Rangers captain after taking over from Philippe Clement.

“I don’t feel the need to change that [captaincy]. He [Tavernier] came in last night, and we had a really good chat. I’ve looked him in the eyes, he’s ready to give 100%”, said Ferguson on the right-back.

James Tavernier’s Rangers stats

Games

505

Goals

130

Assists

141

Minutes played

44,596

Trophies

5

Ferguson went on to praise Tavernier again as he approached 500 appearances for Rangers. “We’ve had a few good chats and he’s an important player for me. He deserves a lot of credit for 500 games. It’s part of playing at Rangers. When you suffer defeats or don’t play well, it’s generally the captain who gets it in the neck.

“He’s big enough to handle those situations. I’ve been through it as well, and it’s not nice at times, but I’m afraid that’s the nature of the beast.”

However, by the looks of things, Tavernier’s days at Rangers could be numbered after 10 years in Scotland, making this one to keep an eye on.

تحدث حمد المقبالي حارس مرمى منتخب الإمارات، عن التعادل مع منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العرب 2025 اليوم السبت.

وتعادل منتخب مصر مع نظيره الإمارات بهدف لكل فريق في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.  وقال المقبالي، عبر قناة “بي إن سبورت”: “اليوم لم يحالفنا الحظ، سعينا وسجلنا، لكن الكرة لم تنصفنا اليوم، ونقطة أفضل من لا شيء”.

طالع | شيكابالا: أنتظر تكرار سيناريو الأرجنتين مع منتخب مصر في كأس العرب وتابع: “نقطة أمام المنتخب المصري الكبير والقوي جدًا والشرس في الملعب، وسنركز في مواجهة منتخب الكويت ونحصد بطاقة التأهل، وستكون مباراة نهائية”.

وسيلعب منتخب الإمارات في الجولة المقبلة أمام الكويت، فيما يلتقي منتخب مصر أمام الأردن.

Newcastle United are now reportedly eyeing a January move to sign Davide Frattesi from Inter Milan, as the midfielder continues to struggle for a starting place at the San Siro.

The Magpies were interested in the midfielder in the summer and could now return for a missed target in the theme of their January transfer window. Alongside Frattesi, Newcastle have also been linked with James Trafford, who has been forced to play backup to Gianluigi Donnarumma after both joined Manchester City in the summer.

The England international could do nothing but watch as the Citizens came away 2-1 losers at St James’ Park, courtesy of an impressive brace from Harvey Barnes.

Speaking to reporters at full-time, Eddie Howe was full of praise for his side – saying: “I’m well aware of my record against Manchester City, that is something I take no pride in, really. Trying to figure out a way to beat them is very, very difficult.

“Even today’s game, it was so tight. The margins in Premier League games against them are so fine, but we came out on the right side today.

“I thought it was a great performance from the players, full of energy, heart and bravery. I’m delighted with how we played. The mindset was key and the attitude. The energy was back that was missing against Brentford and West Ham. Our running ability and power was there.”

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The Newcastle boss will be desperate for his side to kick on domestically now, before potentially welcoming further additions in the January transfer window.

The Magpies were boosted on the PSR front by the sale of Alexander Isak in the summer and could yet use that to pick up where they left off at the end of the summer window.

Newcastle now eyeing Davide Frattesi

As reported by Tuttomercatoweb and relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now eyeing a move to sign Frattesi in January. Those at St James’ Park were denied the opportunity to sign the midfielder by Inter Milan in the summer, but he’s started just once in Serie A ever since.

Now, the door seems to be open for the Magpies to make their move and add further depth to their midfield. What should also make any deal easier is the fact that Frattesi is represented by the same agency as Newcastle star Sandro Tonali.

Frattesi’s current struggles at Inter come as quite the surprise, given that former Italy boss Luciano Spalletti told reporters last year: “With the intensity and quality he has, he can really get at opposition defensive lines.

“He has the sense of curiosity to go out and attack. But he also has to do better to more technically clean with the ball at his feet. If he keeps working hard he can get even better.”

It now looks as though that improvement will have to take place elsewhere and potentially in the Premier League. After missing out in the summer, Newcastle have an ideal opportunity to make up for lost time.

Newcastle have already signed their answer to Haaland and he's not even a CF