All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester City’s summer of spending is seemingly set to commence.

The Sky Blues were the world’s biggest spenders in January, signing Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah for a reported £180m; that’s more than the other 19 Premier League clubs spent combined.

However, this appears likely to be a mere amuse-bouche ahead of the summer rebuild, so will the Citizens snap up one of the Premier League’s best players?

Manchester City targeting a new full-back

According to a report by journalist Graeme Bailey, Manchester City are interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers full-back Rayan Aït-Nouri, having already made ‘background checks’ regarding the Molineux sensation.

As the report goes on to note, Pep Guardiola has previously suggested that they will look to sign a left-back this summer, stating “obviously, Nico’s helping us, but he’s not a left-back… we’ve found solutions”.

So, could Aït-Nouri be that solution, valued at £40m by Wolves, according to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider?

Well, the Algerian international has certainly caught the eye, with Dougie Critchley of Sky Sports noting that he has “been one of the Premier League’s best players” in recent months, while David O’Brien praises his “creative” qualities.

Transfer Focus

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

But would he be a good fit at Man City, and would his potential arrival be reminiscent of the signing of another sky blue stalwart?

Why Ait-Nouri could be the next Kyle Walker

Kyle Walker joined Manchester City from Tottenham back in 2017 for a reported £53m, a world-record fee for a defender at the time.

Fair to say, this proved to be a good investment, as the table below outlines.

Appearances

319

Starts

286

Appearances in goal

1

Minutes

25,716

Goals

6

Assists

23

Premier League titles

6

Champions Leagues

1

FA Cups

2

EFL Cups

4

Total major honours

17

When Walker departed for AC Milan in January, Ali Tweedale of Opta’s the Analyst stated that the Englishman is the Premier League’s ‘best-ever right-back’, while Michael Cox of the Athletic adds that Man City would not have enjoyed nearly as much success as they have in recent times without being ‘reliant on his recovery pace’ which, now that he’s 34, ‘has faded’.

So, could Aït-Nouri have a similar impact at the Etihad? Well, let’s assess his statistics this season to help answer that question.

Starts

34

16th

Minutes

2,865

36th

Goals

4

74th

Assists

7

18th

Pass completion %

83.9%

86th

Key passes

36

52nd

Crosses

86

40th

Shot-creating actions

78

51st

Goal-creating actions

12

28th

Progressive carries

79

41st

Attempted take-ons

116

12th

Take-on success% (min 100 attempted)

48.3%

5th

Tackles

82

13th

Tackles won

52

11th

Interceptions

24

72nd

Ball recoveries

133

48th

Touches

1944

36th

As the table outlines, Aït-Nouri is a very well-rounded full-back, ranking highly when it comes to both attacking and defensive metrics, but also dribbling, with only 11 players having attempted more take-ons, an impressively high figure for a full-back.

The Algerian is also always available, missing just one Premier League match all season, and this was due to a suspension, which would be a very useful asset, considering the defensive injury crisis Man City have endured throughout the season.

Moe Adikwu of Breaking the Lines believes Aït-Nouri possesses ‘enormous potential’, while also noting ‘there is still a lot of room for improvement’, but Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis highlights that he ‘is known for his attacking prowess’, so would therefore thrive in a team higher up the table.

It appears pretty likely that Aït-Nouri will wave goodbye to Wolves this summer, so do Man City lead the race to land his signature? If a deal is to be agreed, he could represent a left-sided version of Walker at full-back.

Major Doku upgrade: Man City eye up move for £85m "world-class superstar"

With Manchester City expected to spend big this summer, could they sign a “special” winger valued at £85m who would be a Massive Jérémy Doku upgrade?

ByBen Gray May 6, 2025

In what would be a statement move, the 49ers and Leeds United have now reportedly set their sights on signing an impressive Manchester City target in the coming months.

Leeds planning big summer

As Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City found out the hard way this season, surviving in the Premier League is tougher than ever before. To put into context just how large a gap there is to bridge for Championship sides these days, the closest clubs to the bottom three in the current campaign have been Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who need little introduction.

Nonetheless, Leeds will enter England’s top flight hoping to avoid the same mistakes that led to instant relegation for Leicester, Southampton and Ipswich. That is, of course, easier said than done, but club chairman Paraag Marathe has already reiterated that he knows the extent of the challenge ahead, whilst also publicly backing Daniel Farke.

49ers now ready to launch new bid to sign 16-goal French forward for Leeds

He’s enjoyed an excellent season.

ByTom Cunningham May 15, 2025

He told reporters amid Leeds’ recent title celebrations: “I’m very excited to run it back with Daniel and collaborate with him. I’m under no illusions that it is going to be easy. The past two seasons the three promoted teams came straight back down but we have something they don’t have, we have Daniel Farke first of all.I have ended the speculation. He is my man.”

As clear as day in his stance, Marathe and the rest of those behind the scenes at Elland Road must now focus on potential incomings, with several targets already threatening to steal the headlines.

Among those already mentioned includes the likes of Jamie Vardy and Beto, as the 49ers seemingly set their focus on attacking additions in the coming months. In a long summer ahead, reports have even suggested that one particular star is back on their radar ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Leeds eyeing "fantastic" Gabriel Sara

According to transfer reporters Graeme Bailey, the 49ers now have Gabriel Sara “on their radar” with Leeds plotting a summer move to sign the reported Manchester City target this summer.

Bailey told Leeds United News: “He’s [Sara] on the radar. Leeds have looked at him. You know, they knew all about him at Norwich, etc. He was fantastic. He’s not going to be cheap. We know that. But he’s an option out there.”

Whilst a move to Leeds would see Sara make his first foray into the Premier League, it wouldn’t be his first time in English football after he initially earned Galatasaray’s interest throughout an impressive spell at Norwich City.

Praised for his “creative left foot” at the time by analyst Ben Mattinson, Sara has since kicked on in Turkey and is on course to end the current campaign with two goals and as many as nine assists to his name.

As Rangers look to commence their summer business, the 49ers are now reportedly chasing a deal to sign an international defender for a bargain price in the coming months.

Rangers could rehire Steven Gerrard

Top of the 49ers’ list of priorities at Ibrox will undoubtedly be finding the next Rangers manager. With the Scottish Premiership season now over, the Gers will be desperate to put an end to any speculation and appoint what they hope to be a long-term appointment. A number of names on that front have already been mentioned too, but it’s Davide Ancelotti and Steven Gerrard who are seemingly the leading candidates.

What is quite the indication that Ancelotti is among the candidates is the fact that he hasn’t joined his father, Carlo Ancelotti, at the Brazil national team as he looks to get his own managerial career underway.

Meanwhile, Gerrard needs no introduction. The Liverpool legend ended Rangers’ long wait for another league title in 2021, but then jumped ship to join Premier League side Aston Villa. Since then, however, things have only gone downhill. Sacked by Villa, who have gone on to become a side battling for European football, Gerrard then joined Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq only to face the same fate that he suffered in the Midlands.

A free agent once more, Gerrard could now have the opportunity to head back to Ibrox and make up for leaving four years ago. Whether the Scottish giants are in the mood to offer a shot at redemption is the big question, however.

It’s an appointment that Rangers cannot get wrong after Philippe Clement, but one that they must conclude sooner rather than later. What the appointment of Gerrard would at least do is hand the Gers a potential advantage in the race to sign one of their summer targets.

Rangers chasing £1m George Bello deal

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Rangers are now chasing a deal to sign George Bello from Austrian club LASK this summer. The USA international is reportedly valued at just £1m and represents the type of deal that the Gers could afford in the coming months.

What’s more, Bello is represented by the same agency as Gerrard, John Souttar and Danilo, which could hand the 49ers an unexpected opportunity to simplify any potential contract negotiations this summer.

The left-back would certainly be an interesting addition. Having initially come through the Atlanta academy, Bello decided to join Arminia Bielefeld in 2022 before struggling to adapt in Germany. But he didn’t give up his stint in Europe from there, opting to join LASK in 2023 and getting back to his best level ever since.

A new left-back would be no bad thing for Rangers, either, with Neraysho Kasanwirjo set to return to parent club Feyenoord this summer and Jefte in need of competition down that side.

Whilst appointing a new manager – be it Gerrard, Ancelotti or another name – will be Rangers’ priority in the coming weeks, players like Bello will be ones to keep an eye on this summer.

Norwich City have now joined Birmingham City in the race to sign a “fantastic” Championship defender on a free transfer, according to a recent report.

Liam Manning delighted to start new era at Norwich

The Canaries have finally found a replacement for Johannes Hoff Thorup, who was sacked back in April. After assessing their options, the club announced on Monday that Liam Manning would be leaving Bristol City and taking over at Carrow Road.

Manning had been in charge of the Robins since November 2023, taking charge of 82 matches, 28 of which he won, and his final act was leading them to the Championship play-offs last season, although they were hammered by Sheffield United 6-0 on aggregate.

Manning has now put that behind him, as he reveals it is a “privilege and honour” to have the opportunity to work at Norwich.

“I’m privileged and honoured to have the opportunity to work for this fantastic football club. It’s a wonderful club with a big history and tradition.

Games

222

Won

97

Drawn

49

Lost

76

Points per game

1.53

“It’s clear, there has already been a lot of valuable groundwork laid in recent seasons – it’s now important we build further on that and move the club forward.”

Norwich join Birmingham in race to sign Harry Darling

The Canaries are not wasting any time when it comes to helping Manning strengthen his new side, as according to The Pink Un, Norwich are now the latest team to show interest in signing defender Harry Darling.

The 25-year-old is coming to the end of his contract at Swansea City, and while the Welsh side have offered him new terms, he remains undecided about his future. The likes of Bristol City and Sheffield United are keeping an eye on his situation, while Birmingham City have been linked with a move for Darling since April.

These three teams have now been joined by the Canaries, as Manning eyes defensive reinforcements. Darling is not the only defender on Norwich’s radar, but given he will cost nothing in terms of a transfer fee, a quick deal would allow them to plan the rest of their summer spend knowing they have an experienced new addition in the bank.

Apps

112

Goals

12

Assists

6

At this stage nothing is advanced, but Manning working with Darling during their time at MK Dons may hand Norwich an advantage in a busy race for his signature.

The 24/25 season was another impressive campaign for Darling, as he scored five goals in 39 Championship games, while his defensive work was up to scratch too, as Swansea boss Luke Williams labelled him “fantastic” for his performance against West Brom as they claimed a hard-fought point.

“He is fantastic at defending the goal, competing for everything with the opposition. But he also had plenty of brilliant actions in helping us to build up to try and score. He was brilliant; he’s an excellent player.”

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.

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

The Tractor Boys are in discussions to sign a midfielder.

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.

The coming season feels like the start of a new era for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners finally ended their trophy drought under Ange Postecoglou this year, and now, with Thomas Frank at the helm, they can carry on building a team for the future.

However, to ensure the Danish coach succeeds in North London, Daniel Levy and Co must get the summer transfer window right.

That means that, on top of keeping their best players, the North Londoners need to sign those who can help them improve their Premier League form next season, and it looks like they’ve identified someone who could do just that, someone who’s been compared to Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.

Tottenham transfer news

Given Spurs’ frankly terrible performances in the league and FA Cup this season, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the team linked with a host of potentially game-changing players in recent weeks.

Transfer Focus

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

One of the names who seem to be mentioned alongside the North Londoners is Eberechi Eze, while the Brentford duo of Yoanne Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo are also unsurprising targets, given their form and connection to Frank.

However, with how sought-after those three appear to be this summer and the price of buying from the Premier League, the Lilywhites appear to be looking further afield, in the Bundesliga, for possible signings.

According to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, Tottenham are indeed interested in RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons.

Jacobs claims that the club “like the player” and that a possible move to the Premier League is “one to watch” this summer.

While a potential transfer fee is not mentioned, it has been fairly widely reported earlier this month that should the Dutchman move this summer, then he’ll likely cost around £67m.

It would be a costly and likely complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Simons’ immense ability and the fact he’s won comparisons to Maddison and Kulusevski, it’s one worth fighting for.

How Simons compares to Kulu & Maddison

With Kulusevski racking up a haul of 21 goal involvements in 50 games and Maddison amassing a tally of 23 in 45, it wouldn’t be too dramatic to claim that the pair have been some of Spurs’ better players this season.

Therefore, it’s undeniably impressive and encouraging that Simons has been compared to both of them, although with that said, where have said comparisons come from?

Well, they both stem from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, before making a list of the ten most comparable for each, and according to this list, the Englishman has been the second most similar midfielder to the Leipzig star across the last 365 days, while the Swede comes in as the seventh most similar.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.48

0.50

Shots on Target

0.96

0.85

Passing Accuracy

78.6%

81.3%

Expected Assists

0.25

0.29

Key Passes

2.13

2.04

Shot-Creating Actions

4.52

4.73

Now, the best way to understand how these conclusions were reached is by looking at some of the underlying numbers in which the players rank closely, and in the case of the former Leicester City star, that includes things like non-penalty expected goals plus assist, passing accuracy, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

In the case of the Stockholm-born maestro, similar metrics include progressive passes received, goals per shot on target, goal-creating actions, interceptions, tackles won and more, also all per 90.

Progressive Passes Received

7.74

7.92

Goals per Shot on Target

0.43

0.41

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.17

0.23

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.34

Tackles Won

0.88

0.87

Interceptions

0.50

0.49

However, there are, unsurprisingly, other reasons why Spurs should be looking to sign the former Paris Saint-Germain gem this summer, such as his raw output.

For example, even though he was limited to just 33 appearances, totalling 2763 minutes this season, the 22-year-old, who one analyst proclaimed “one of the best 10s in the world”, was able to score 11 goals and provide eight assists.

That means the Amsterdam-born dynamo was able to average a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 145.42 this season, and that is the sort of productivity that could get the Lilywhites moving up the table next year.

Ultimately, while he won’t be cheap, Spurs should do what they can to sign Simons, as he’d instantly add more dynamism to the first team, and given his age, he could remain a leading figure for the next decade or so.

A better signing than Mbeumo: Spurs enter talks to sign "unbelievable" CF

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to make a move to land an attacker who could star in North London.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 16, 2025

He also confirmed his participation in the SA20 in January, though his “absolute priority” is still playing for New Zealand

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-2024Kane Williamson has confirmed that the SA20 will be his destination in January, after he declined a New Zealand central contract for the 2024-25 season, but added it was no indication that his international career was nearing an end.Williamson stressed that it was NZC’s rules around player availability to be eligible for a contract – they have to play Super Smash if not on international duty – that led him to make the decision, and that he remains committed to New Zealand outside of heading to South Africa.It could be that the only international cricket he misses is three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka, although reported there was some doubt over his participation in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in September. Williamson will play the WTC series against Sri Lanka and India away, the three-match home series against England, and then make an ODI trip to Pakistan ahead of the Champions Trophy in February.Related

Kane Williamson opts out of New Zealand central contract for 2024-25

Williamson coy on T20I future after New Zealand's World Cup exit

Stats – Ferguson the silver lining in World Cup of lows for New Zealand

“There’s a number of great competitions on during that time, but SA20 looks really exciting,” Williamson told reporters on his return to New Zealand after the T20 World Cup. “Unfortunately, it meant turning down a central contract, however my priority still is, absolutely, playing for New Zealand. Think I miss maybe a handful of games over a three-week period.”It’s simply the contract, the rules that currently exist meant I wasn’t able to have one but in terms of playing for New Zealand I’m not missing almost any cricket really, so that was important to me.”In terms of how far Williamson’s international career extends, the reported that he and NZC CEO Scott Weenink had discussed the 2028 T20 World Cup to be staged in New Zealand and Australia when he would be 38. Publicly, Williamson remained coy although acknowledged major events and series – such as the Test series in Australia in 2026-27 – remained on his radar.”I want to play as long as I can,” he said. “I’ve really, really enjoyed my time captaining and it’s been a privilege and an honour to do that for a number of years. I’m excited with what’s next for the team in terms of the leadership as well and looking forward to being part of that.”In terms of a timeframe, it’s difficult to say. Want to keep being fit, doing as well as I can, keep trying to improve. That [2028] is a number of years away and it’s a year at a time. All major events and key series are things that whet the appetite and are an exciting prospect. They are down the line. Managing my time as well as I can after doing it for so many years is important and I know New Zealand Cricket are really supportive of that.”Williamson added that he was keen to continue international cricket across three formats, although his T20 spot may come under scrutiny as the team rebuilds from their group stage exit in West Indies.”Naturally after major events there are always different decisions that are made and you are always looking to bring different players through, but being part of this team is so dear to me and I want to remain in that community as long as I can, and as long as I’m offering value,” he said.Meanwhile, Weenink said that the casual playing arrangement afforded to Williamson would only be offered to a handful of senior players, citing Trent Boult, who opted out of a central contract in 2022, and Tim Southee as others who had earned that option. However, Test captain Southee is expected to be on the next contract list.”Those guys have certainly earned the right to be treated in a certain way, in that we want to try and prolong their careers,” Weenink told the . “If we had a hard and fast rule around certain players like Kane Williamson, we would lose him to playing for New Zealand earlier than we would need to.”That casual contract is not going to be offered to everyone and going off contract is pretty risky. There’s a lot of advantages to being on a New Zealand central contract and we will be prioritising the players who are centrally contracted.”

Having lay dormant over the last year or so, Liverpool’s recruitment team have sprung into life this summer, enjoying a simply remarkable start to the window to only bolster Arne Slot’s already imperious outfit.

In deals akin to a Football Manager save, the Anfield side have moved swiftly and efficiently to strengthen their hand, having already confirmed marquee deals for Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez – alongside the goalkeeping duo of Armin Pesci and Freddie Woodman.

That has all come before the start of July, with the Premier League champions impressively improving, rather than weakening, their ranks, even amid Trent Alexander-Arnold’s eventual departure.

And there could be more to come yet. Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, now with just 12 months remaining on his contract at Selhurst Park, remains a top target for the Reds. A replacement for the seemingly departing Darwin Nunez will also need to be found.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, doubts over the future of Luis Diaz could spark the need for a new option on the flanks, with work already being done on that front…

Latest on Liverpool's search for a winger

Had things worked out differently, the Merseysiders may well have signed off on a particularly statement deal a year ago, with a move for Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon – which would have seen Joe Gomez head in the opposite direction – failing to come to fruition.

Despite subsequently adding Federico Chiesa to the fold instead, the desire for a new winger has certainly not abated, with recent reports suggesting that Liverpool could be among a raft of clubs in the mix for Lyon starlet, Malick Fofana.

Transfer Focus

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

According to TEAMtalk, while it is Everton who appear to hold the strongest interest in the 20-year-old, Liverpool – alongside the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea – have also made an enquiry too, ahead of a potential swoop.

The race for the Belgian’s signature is said to be ‘open’, with top-flight clubs lining up to pounce on Lyon’s current woes, following their recent relegation from Ligue 1.

That dramatic drop into France’s second tier has left suitors hoping that they can secure Fofana’s signature for below the previous €50m (£42m) asking price, ensuring a potential bargain could be up for grabs.

Why Liverpool should pounce for Malick Fofana

For all the wisdom of looking within the Premier League for a ready-made figure like Kerkez, there is a real intrigue over plucking an exciting young talent from abroad, with the Reds already raiding the Bundesliga for one of their brightest stars, in the form of Wirtz.

Still just 22, the £116m man has arrived in English football off the back of a stunning stint at Bayer Leverkusen, having registered 122 goals and assists in just 197 games for the German side. In the words of The Athletic’s Bundesliga correspondent, Seb Stafford-Bloor, the playmaker is “already one of the best footballers [he’s] ever seen live”.

What also stands out regarding the rising star is his innate versatility, having showcased his ability to feature off either flank, as a number ten, or even as a false nine for both club and country to date.

That flexibility is seemingly shared by the “explosive” Fofana – as hailed by data analyst Ben Mattinson – with the former Gent ace having also operated on the left or right wing in his senior career thus far, as well as a centre-forward or attacking midfielder.

Where the Belgian is also akin to Wirtz is in their dribbling prowess, with the Lyon man ranking in the top 2% of his peers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, while his German counterpart ranks in the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

Jamie Gittens – Borussia Dortmund

8

4

12

Kenan Yildiz – Juventus

7

5

12

Eliesse Ben Seghir – Monaco

6

3

9

Malick Fofana – Lyon

5

4

9

Antonio Nusa – RB Leipzig

3

4

7

Jean-Matteo Bahoya – Frankfurt

2

3

5

Jesus Rodriguez – Real Betis

2

1

3

Mamadou Diakhon – Stade Reims

2

1

3

Yan Diomande – Leganes

2

1

3

Bazoumana Toure – Hoffenheim

0

3

3

Of course, the latter man is the superior talent – as his record of 22 goals and assists in the league showcased last term – but Fofana has also dazzled when given the chance, providing five goals and four assists in Ligue 1 in 2024/25, despite starting just 16 games.

That solid return has ensured that Fofana ranks in the top 10% of his European colleagues for non-penalty goals, at an average of 0.47 per 90, with that actually placing him ahead of Wirtz, who averaged 0.38 for that same metric.

Much like the ex-Leverkusen man ranked among the brightest stars in the Bundesliga, Fofana is a diamond in his own right in Ligue 1, having even been noted as being ‘Eden Hazard-like’ due to his ability to weave his way past defenders.

And so, having already forked out for one exceptionally exciting talent in the form of Wirtz, Liverpool and Slot could now raid another of Europe’s top five leagues in similar circumstances.

Worth more than Guehi & Kerkez: Slot has hit gold on Liverpool "superstar"

Liverpool have already hit the jackpot on this shrewd Jurgen Klopp signing.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 28, 2025

Justin Broad and Saif Zaib share six wickets as Worcestershire fall well short in steep chase

ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2024Allrounder Justin Broad claimed two wickets in an over as Northamptonshire’s seamers ran through Worcestershire’s top order to set up a comprehensive 130-run victory in this Metro Bank One-Day Cup clash at Wantage Road, the hosts’ first win in this year’s tournament.Chasing 296 to win, Group A leaders Worcestershire slumped to 34 for 5, Broad finishing with three wickets and Jack White also bagging two wickets for 26 in a miserly, unbroken 10-over spell.Tom Taylor threatened a repeat performance of the List A century he scored against Worcestershire on this ground last summer as he smashed 57 off 49 balls (nine fours, two sixes) against his former Steelbacks team-mates. But his departure ended Worcestershire’s hopes, with Saif Zaib taking three wickets for 44, including two in one over as the visitors were bowled out with 11 overs to spare. Skipper Jake Libby finished unbeaten on 50, his third half-century in four innings in this year’s competition.Earlier Prithvi Shaw continued his love affair with the One-Day Cup, hitting a swashbuckling 72 off just 59 balls (10 fours, one six) his third consecutive half-century.George Bartlett (60) and Ricardo Vasconcelos (68) then shared a partnership of 107 in just over 21 overs which took Northamptonshire to 215 for 1 in the 40th over. But after such a positive start, both batters fell in the space of seven deliveries and the hosts would have been disappointed at not setting a steeper target. Fateh Singh meanwhile claimed career best List A figures of 3for 51.Shaw had got Northamptonshire off to a flier, taking leg-side boundaries off the first two balls of the match from Taylor. Strong on the drive and on the pull, he also hit Taylor over long-on for six and clubbed Hishaam Khan down the ground for four.Ethan Brookes put the brakes on Northamptonshire’s progress in a five-over spell which conceded just 14 runs, Vasconcelos in particular finding it hard to put him away.It was Khan though, who claimed the prize wicket of Shaw when the Indian international was caught behind attempting to hook. It was a first List A wicket for Khan, a graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy.Bartlett soon found his fluency, driving Singh through cover and bringing up Northamptonshire’s 150 in the 27th over. He found runs all round the wicket, sweeping Tom Hinley fine for four and cutting Singh square for another boundary.Vasconcelos had managed just 33 off 66 balls but the drinks break sparked a change in his approach. He signalled renewed intent by immediately sweeping Singh for consecutive boundaries and brought up his 50 soon afterwards. Bartlett reached his half-century too with Northamptonshire in a strong position to attack the final 10.However, with Brookes building pressure in his second spell, Bartlett looked to manufacture a shot against Singh and was caught at backward point. Next over Libby turned to his own part-time offbreaks, accounting for Vasconcelos first ball, the batter playing on as he attempted to cut.Zaib tried to regain the momentum, scooping Brookes for four and swatting Singh over mid-on, but Northamptonshire lost three quick wickets after passing 250. First Singh bowled James Sales and had Zaib caught at point before Lewis McManus holed out at deep midwicket off Taylor. Gus Miller though finished the innings with a late blitz, pummelling Taylor down the ground for six.When Worcestershire batted, Ed Pollock swung White’s second delivery over deep midwicket for six before he was dropped at wide mid-on. White struck next ball though, dangerman Gareth Roderick caught low down at first slip by Shaw.Pollock was unable to capitalise on his early reprieve when he heaved at a White delivery which kept slightly low and was bowled. The visitors lost a third wicket in the ninth over when Rob Jones steered Ben Sanderson to Vasconcelos at short leg. Things went from bad to worse as Worcestershire were left reeling at 34 for 5 when Broad struck twice in four balls, nipping one back to trap Brookes lbw before Rehaan Edavalath was caught at first slip by Shaw.Libby hit a rare loose ball from White for four to take Worcestershire past 50 in the 18th over as Taylor put his foot down and a brief fightback began.Taylor opened his account with a handsome cover drive off Broad before smashing the all-rounder down the pitch for six and an even bigger maximum over deep midwicket off Miller, bringing up his 50 off 38 balls. He fell soon after the drinks break though, lbw to Zaib to leave the Rapids on 112 for 6.Singh swept Zaib for six and hit him straight for another maximum before he top edged to short fine leg off Freddie Heldreich. A double wicket from Zaib then accounted for Khan, who inside-edged onto his stumps, and Hinley who was caught in the deep. Finally Harry Darley was caught behind to give Broad his third wicket.

Arsenal are ready to splash the cash in a serious show of ambition this summer, with Mikel Arteta and co desperate to end the club’s long wait for a Premier League title, which has spanned over 20 years.

Arsenal convinced they can seal "huge signing" after "showdown talks"

The Gunners are growing in optimism.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 5, 2025

Sporting director Andrea Berta has already sealed deals for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, with the latter two unofficial but confirmed by multiple reliable media sources.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£5m

Arsenal will pay around £56 million for Zubimendi, with all documents regarding the Spaniard’s transfer signed and finalised, while Norgaard has apparently undergone the first part of his medical in N5.

Berta has shown a tendency to spin many plates at once when it comes to transfer targets, with Arsenal also believed to be after two new wide players. Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and Chelsea forward Noni Madueke have all been linked this week, but signing a right and left-winger could depend on whether Berta sells one of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli.

In any case, Arsenal have been working on deals for Eze and another star for the left-hand side (Fabrizio Romano), all while actively seeking their desired new striker – which could be one of Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Arsenal are advancing talks for Sesko and Gyokeres, before deciding which one would best suit the club’s needs both in a financial sense and on the field.

However, one player who’s likelier to arrive before any of the aforementioned attackers is Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera.

Arsenal enter "decisive" phase of talks for Cristhian Mosquera

As per CaughtOffside, Arsenal have entered their “decisive” phase of talks for Mosquera, who’s already agreed personal terms over a move to the Emirates.

The versatile centre-back could come as a like-for-like replacement for Takehiro Tomiyasu, who mutually shook hands on a contract termination this week following his Arsenal injury hell.

Arteta’s side have seen a £12 million offer rejected for Mosquera, but are planning to go back in with a new bid which could be as high as £26 million, including bonuses and add-ons.

The Spaniard is said to be very keen on joining Arsenal and even snubbed a new contract proposal from Valencia, with Berta said to be edging closer to a full agreement.

The move could be sealed pretty soon, and barring any unexpected twists, Mosquera appears poised to become Arsenal’s fourth signing of the window.

Footall Talent Scout Jacek Kulig describes him as an “elite” young player, with Mosquera playing more minutes than any other player under 21 in Europe’s top five leagues last season.