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Former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been reacting to the news that Celtic could be set to receive a healthy financial windfall in the near future. 

The lowdown: £40m windfall?

This comes following a report from the Daily Record confirming that the Hoops will earn upwards of £40million due to participation in next season’s UEFA Champions League group stage.

Ange Postecoglou’s side will book an automatic place in the competition with success in the Scottish Premiership after Russian teams were banned from competing in Europe due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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As things stand, the Bhoys are six points clear at the top of the Scottish top-flight and could all but wrap up the title with victory over Hearts at Parkhead.

The latest: Kenny reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny has claimed that the influx of funds could be monumental for Scottish football.

“Celtic and Rangers both need that money. We know what the financial situation is like up in Scotland. It’s the same every year.

“A guaranteed place in the group stage is massive. £40million is a crazy amount of money to either club.

“Celtic have also failed to get through the qualifying rounds in recent years and Rangers couldn’t do it this season.

“Europa League is great but the Champions League is far more lucrative. So if they get this money, and it looks like they will, that gives them such a boost.

“They can spend more and we know good Ange Postecoglou is with transfers. With Rangers’ finances, you would think they couldn’t pay the same, so I think Celtic could pull further away if they get their transfers right.”

The verdict: Spot on

Out of the elite European competition since 2017/18, Celtic have not only missed the prestige of playing amongst the upper echelons of the continent but also the money that comes with the participation.

Having already proven to be an astute operator in the transfer market, giving Postecoglou even a percentage of the mooted £40million windfall towards transfers would be a daunting prospect for the rest of the league.

Whilst the quality of the group may dictate whether or not the Hoops advance beyond the first stage, simply being back at the top table will be a huge plus for the club.

In other news… a Celtic ace has been backed to make a permanent move away from Parkhead this summer.

Leeds United youngster Crysencio Summerville will miss the rest of the season through injury, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Leeds host City

Jesse Marsch’s side picked up a hard-earned 0-0 draw away to Crystal Palace earlier in the week but their Premier League safety is still not secured.

On Saturday, Leeds host league leaders Manchester City, in what has the potential to be Marsch’s sternest test of his reign to date.

In truth, anything other than defeat will feel like a bonus, with Pep Guardiola’s side a winning machine who are closing in on another title, but the American boss will have to do it without yet another player after news emerged on Summerville.

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The Latest: Summerville out for the season

Ahead of the game, Hay took to Twitter to confirm that Summerville would not play again in 2021/22 because of an ankle injury suffered at Thorp Arch:

“Summerville picked up an ankle injury in training before Palace and is out for the season.”

This follows the training injury to Adam Forshaw which put the midfielder out until next term, while Patrick Bamford is racing against time to make it back for the final two games.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Verdict: Blow for Whites

While Summerville has only been a bit-part player so far this season, making just six league appearances, this still has to be considered a blow for Leeds.

Marsch needs as many players available as possible for these final five matches of the campaign and the youngster is someone who could have been a left-field option off the bench, making the substitutes list in six of Marsch’s seven Premier League match-day squads so far.

Admittedly, the Dutchman is still a raw and unpolished talent, but 13 goals in 28 appearances for the Whites’ Under-23s show what he can offer in the final third.

In other news, one Leeds player is reportedly very close to leaving the club. Find out who it is here.

INEOS splashed the cash in the summer transfer window to provide Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim with more quality at both ends of the pitch.

Senne Lammens was brought in from Royal Antwerp, to replace Andre Onana, and has prevented 1.51 xG across five appearances in the Premier League so far this season, per Sofascore.

£62.5m was also spent on the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Brazil international scored his first goal for the club last month in the 4-2 win against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Bryan Mbeumo has arguably been the most successful addition to the squad. Since his £71m move from Brentford, the left-footed star has scored five goals and provided one assist in 11 Premier League games for the Red Devils.

Whilst Cunha and Mbeumo both arrived from other English clubs as known quantities, the club were also willing to splash the cash on more of a gamble, with Benjamin Sesko.

The Red Devils spent £66.4m to sign the Slovenia international from RB Leipzig in the summer to replace Rasmus Hojlund, and he has had a mixed start to life at Old Trafford.

Why Man Utd need to sign another centre-forward

Sesko has scored two goals in 11 appearances in the Premier League since his big-money move from Germany, and both of those goals came in his first seven outings.

The 22-year-old marksman scored his first goal for the club against Brentford in September, before netting his second goal against Sunderland in a 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

Sesko scored 13 goals in 33 matches in the Bundesliga in the 2024/25 campaign for Leipzig, per Sofascore, so it was always going to be a tough ask for the striker to hit the ground running as a goal machine in the Premier League.

The Slovenian forward, as shown in the graphic above, has missed more ‘big chances’ than he has managed goals scored, which suggests that he needs to improve his efficiency in front of goal if he wants to be the main number nine for Amorim.

Minutes

90

30

Shots

3

0

Goals

0

0

Key passes

0

0

Big chances created

0

0

Ground duels won

0/0

0/7

Aerial duels won

0/3

2/2

As you can see in the table above, Sesko struggled in his last two appearances for United before the international break, losing the majority of his physical duels without offering any significant threat in the final third.

The former Leipzig star’s mixed start to his career at Old Trafford may explain why the club are reportedly looking to add another player in his position in the winter market.

Man Utd chasing deal for another Bundesliga striker

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are one of a number of clubs chasing a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund centre-forward Serhou

Guirassy.

The report claims that he has a release clause in his contract with the German side that will allow him to be sold for a fee of roughly £44m to a ‘select group of elite clubs’ in the January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Arsenal, Manchester United, and PSG are all in the race to sign the Guinea international, but it remains unclear if any of those three teams fall into the group of clubs that can activate that release clause.

CaughtOffside reports that the Red Devils are ones to watch in the race to land the Bundesliga centre-forward because Amorim wants more experienced options in his frontline.

Sesko, 22, is still in the early stages of his development and Guirassy could be viewed as an experienced number nine who could offer a huge upgrade in the immediate term.

Why Man Utd should sign Serhou Guirassy

At the age of 29, the Dortmund centre-forward would arrive at Old Trafford as the experienced striker that Amorim wants to bolster his squad with, as he would be ready to come in and make an instant impact.

It can sometimes be the case with young players that they have the technical qualities and potential to be an incredible player in the future, but they do not have a tight grasp of the nuances that come with delivering consistently at the top level.

Guirassy, being 29 and having been around the block, has tightened up his game and is focused on output, scoring and assisting goals, which is reflected in his statistics compared to Sesko’s over the past 365 days.

His statistics when it comes to scoring goals and creating goals are far more impressive than the young Slovenian’s, which is understandable given the difference in experience between the two players.

The Dortmund striker was even described by German legend Lothar Matthaus as “one of the best strikers in Europe” back in March, which speaks to how much he has impressed in German football.

Appearances

30

33

Goals

21

13

Minutes per goal

124

185

Big chances missed

21

10

Conversion rate

23%

19%

Big chances created

7

5

Assists

2

5

As you can see in the table above, the United transfer target scored eight more goals than Sesko in the Bundesliga during the 2024/25 campaign, despite playing three fewer matches.

The experienced centre-forward has also scored seven goals in 15 appearances in all competitions during the current season, per Sofascore, whilst the Red Devils marksman has only scored twice since his move from Leipzig.

Therefore, United could immediately improve their starting line-up by bringing the Dortmund striker in to be a huge upgrade on Sesko, given that their respective performances over the past 18 months suggest that he would offer significantly more as a goalscorer.

Forget Anderson: Man Utd in talks to sign "world's most underrated footballer"

Manchester United appear to making huge moves in their pursuit for a new midfielder in January.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 20, 2025

This is why INEOS should push to beat Arsenal and PSG to the signing of the Bundesliga star to add more goals to the team for the second half of the season, whilst also providing Sesko with an experienced mentor to help him improve in the long term.

Chelsea picked up all three points in their first game after the international break. The Blues were victorious against Nottingham Forest, securing a 3-0 win over Ange Postecoglou’s side at the City Ground to pile the misery onto the Australian manager.

Three second-half goals from Enzo Maresca’s side were enough to earn the win. The West Londoners opened the scoring through Josh Acheampong, who bagged his first goal in professional football. It was a well-directed header from the centre-back.

He was teed up by Pedro Neto, with the Portugal international getting on the scoresheet himself moments later. That goal came from a well-hit free kick from outside the penalty box, doubling the scoreline. Reece James added a third late on for Chelsea to cap off a wonderful showing.

It was complete dominance from Maresca’s side. They certainly tested Mats Selz in the Forest goal, and had 17 shots, finding the target six times. The visitors also slightly dominated possession, with 51%, and created four big chances.

There were certainly some standout players for the Blues, who picked up their second Premier League win in as many games.

Chelsea’s best players vs. Forest

TNT Sports awarded Chelsea captain James player of the match after a stellar performance against Forest. It was the Cobham graduate’s 200th game for his boyhood club, which he celebrated with a goal and assist.

Whilst the assist for Neto’s strike was a simple roll of the ball, a matter of yards, his strike was excellent.

The England international pounced on a misdirected punch from Mats Selz, which rifled into the back of the net to add a third for Chelsea.

It was arguably not the best goal of the match, though, with Neto’s low free kick a real standout. The Portugal international bent his effort into the back of the net with his left foot, managing to get his strike through a mass of Forest defenders to put Chelsea two goals up.

His cross for Acheampong was a well-paced delivery, too.

One person who was particularly impressed by the performances of both James and Neto was Matthew Judge, a journalist for Goal. He gave the Blues skipper an 8/10 and their number seven a 9/10 for their scintillating performances.

The Chelsea duo were two of their standout players at the City Ground, although one of their half-time substitutes also performed well.

Chelsea's new Werner

After a rather underwhelming first half, Chelsea manager Maresca shuffled the pack and made three half-time substitutes. Jamie Gittens replaced Alejandro Garnacho out wide, and Moises Caicedo came on in midfield for Romeo Lavia.

The other change the Blues made proved to be a smart move. Andrey Santos was replaced by Marc Guiu, with the Spanish striker impressing during his 45-minute cameo. It was a hard-working display from the former Barcelona star.

He “completely changed the game” in the second half, according to football podcaster Terry Flewers. He praised Guiu for the fact that he was a “real presence up top.”

Certainly, the 19-year-old stretched the play and made Forest’s defenders work hard to cope with his runs in behind.

It was a showing that certainly left a good impression on Judge. The journalist said Guiu was constantly ‘working tirelessly up top’ for his side, and praised him for winning the foul, which led to Neto’s free kick.

The stats from the game show how tirelessly the former Sunderland loanee worked.

He only had 13 touches, completed 100% of his passes and had three shots. He had a good impact in a short amount of time.

Pass accuracy

100%

Touches

13

Shots

3

Fouls won

1

Duels won

2

It wouldn’t be outlandish to compare Guiu’s performance to one Chelsea fans may have seen from Timo Werner.

Like the German striker used to do for the Blues, he ran relentlessly and was constantly making runs in behind to stretch Forest’s defence.

Yet, he did miss a couple of chances, rounding the goalkeeper but missing the target, and squandering a one-vs-one opportunity.

Of course, Werner – who notably missed 18 ‘big chances’ in the Premier League in 2020/21, as per Fotmob – was synonymous with wasting those golden chances, just as Guiu did at the City Ground, with little end product to match his impressive work ethic.

However, it is important to bear in mind he is just 19 years of age. There is still plenty of time for Guiu to hone the clinical side of his game, as he looks to nail down a regular spot under Maresca.

Certainly, his outing at Forest will have done him no harm.

Forget Gittens & George: Cobham teen is the "future of Chelsea & England"

Chelsea may have found the latest superstar to emerge from Cobham academy.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 17, 2025

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is weighing in on the club’s January recruitment plans after a solid start to life at N17.

Tottenham put international break curse behind them after Leeds win

Before their latest victory at Leeds United, thanks largely to a Man of the Match display from in-form summer signing Mohammed Kudus, Spurs had suffered defeat in seven of their last seven matches prior to an international break.

Mohammed Kudus

8.4

Mathys Tel

7.8

Noah Okafor

7.0

Sean Longstaff

7.0

Jayden Bogle

6.8

via WhoScored

A run of two consecutive Premier League draws in the build up to Leeds, not to mention a disappointing share of the spoils away to Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League, perhaps told a sign that Frank’s side could’ve been on to extend that bizarre record.

However, a gritty, resilient display on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Yorkshire saw Frank’s side come away with all three points, despite Leeds battling to the very bitter end and ferociously knocking on Spurs’ door.

Tottenham not only put that international break voodoo behind them, but they also became the first side to beat Leeds at Elland Road for over a year in the league.

It took a couple of crucial saves from Guglielmo Vicario to thwart Leeds’ attempts to get on the scoresheet for a second time, and Frank can also give a special nod to Mathys Tel, who opened the scoring after being given the starting nod ahead of Richarlison.

Dominic Solanke’s niggling ankle problem, which required minor surgery, means that Richarlison has started up top in almost every game for Spurs so far, but there are doubts that the hot and cold Brazil international can be relied upon.

Spurs are hopeful Solanke could return just after the October international break, but fitness issues have been a real issue for the Englishman since his move from Bournemouth last year.

As such, the Lilywhites are being linked with a new striker, and it is believed that former Brentford star Ivan Toney is on their radar.

Frank worked with Toney during his peak years at the Gtech Community Stadium, with the 29-year-old bagging 20 Premier League goals in the 2022/2023 season.

Since moving to Al-Ahli in 2024, Toney has scored for fun, racking up 30 strikes in 44 appearances over his debut campaign and eight goals from 10 run outs already this season.

Thomas Frank contacts Ivan Toney over joining Tottenham in January

According to a report from Indy News, Spurs could now offer the £426,000-per-week talisman a chance to make a return to his homeland.

Indeed, it is believed that Frank has personally contacted Toney over joining Tottenham on loan in January, with Chelsea named as another suitor as both sides ponder bringing in a new centre-forward mid-season.

It is unclear whether Al-Ahli would sanction a temporary move away for the number nine who’s been their arguable star player since joining, but Frank has previously lavished praise on Toney as a “remarkable” striker, so it is clear why he’d be keen to reunite with him in North London.

Everton decided to go all-out in the summer transfer window to back David Moyes with a host of new recruits to bolster the squad for the Premier League season.

Jack Grealish arrived on loan from Manchester City, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was signed from Chelsea, and Thierno Barry was snapped up from Villarreal.

The most expensive addition of the summer transfer window, though, was the £35m rising to £40m move to bring 19-year-old right winger Tyler Dibling in from Southampton.

Why Everton have paid £35m to sign Tyler Dibling

Everton did not splash that level of money on the teenage star because he was the finished article and ready to hit the ground running at the Hill Dickinson, though, because he still has a lot to prove.

Dibling produced two goals and zero assists in 33 appearances in the Premier League for the Saints in the 2024/25 campaign, along with two goals in two outings in the FA Cup, per Sofascore.

This shows that the young winger is in the very early stages of his development as a first-team player, which is why patience is needed with the forward, who started in the 2-0 defeat to Wolves on Tuesday night.

At the age of 19, Dibling has racked up 34 appearances in the Premier League and been capped three times by England at U21 level, which shows that he is a promising young talent, as he has emerged as an option at the top level at a very young age.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Everton invested their money well with Dibling, the Toffees will regret releasing a star who would have been a homegrown version of the English forward, Mohamed-Ali Cho.

Why Everton should regret releasing Mohamed-Ali Cho

The Toffees signed the young attacker from Paris Saint-Germain in 2015 and he spent more than four years at Goodison Park before being released in 2020.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Everton had talks with the teenager over an extended deal with the club, but the two parties were unable to reach an agreement and he was allowed to leave for nothing to sign for Angers, partly due to the perceived lack of a pathway through to the first-team.

The club should, now, regret not doing more to convince Cho that there was a chance for him to progress into the senior side, because he has developed into a top talent in Europe.

After four goals in 55 matches for Angers, Real Sociedad snapped him up in 2022. Cho scored two goals in 40 matches for the Spanish side before his move to Nice in 2023, per Transfermarkt.

U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that the forward has an “unbelievably high ceiling”, and his form in the 2024/25 campaign suggests that he may have an even higher ceiling than Dibling.

Appearances

27

33

xG

3.94

2.56

Shots on target per game

0.6

0.3

Goals

3

2

Big chances created

9

3

xA

3.48

1.46

Assists

4

0

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old star outperformed the £35m man at league level last season, with 12 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined.

A 19-year-old Cho had also outperformed current age Dibling, with five goals in Europe’s major leagues, compared to the two that the Englishman has managed so far.

Like Dibling, the France U21 international is also a left-footed right winger, cutting inside from the right flank to cause havoc in the final third, which means that they are similar players from a tactical perspective.

Cho, therefore, could have been a homegrown, and potentially better, version of Dibling if Everton had managed to keep him in 2020, instead of releasing him to join Angers.

Worse than Dibling: "Sloppy" Everton flop showed why he should never start

This Everton flop who was even worse than Tyler Dibling just showed why he should never start again.

ByDan Emery Sep 24, 2025

This means that the Toffees could have saved themselves £35m to £40m on the former Southampton man, as they would already have had an exciting young talent on the right wing to call upon.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is leading the charge to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s ranks this summer, with the Gunners determined to end their two-decade-long-plus wait for a Premier League title.

Arsenal have "submitted an offer" to sign "strong" £30m Premier League star

The north Londoners are opening talks.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 2, 2025

Berta officially unveiled his first signing as Edu Gaspar’s replacement earlier this week.

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

Kepa Arrizabalaga is a now-confirmed Arsenal player after completing his medical at the club last week (Sky Sports), and the 30-year-old David Raya back-up joins from Chelsea for just £5 million.

“We are really happy to have Kepa joining us,” said Arteta about Kepa’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium.

“He is a player we know, having come up against him many times in recent seasons. He brings a wealth of experience, which his teammates will benefit from, and he has a real hunger to win.

“Kepa works hard and will elevate our levels. I know he will fit in perfectly, already knowing some of his teammates, and we are really excited about his future with us.”

Arsenal are likely to announce Martin Zubimendi’s signing at some point this week too, with Brentford captain Christian Norgaard also expected to undergo his medical in the next few days (The Athletic).

Arsenal also want to sign a new attacking-midfielder/winger, amid talks for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, but supporters are especially keen to see Berta end the club’s long wait for a prolific star striker.

While there have been tentative links to the likes of Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, two big names stand out as Arsenal’s top centre-forward targets – RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Sesko, fresh off the back of his best Bundesliga campaign to date, was a top target for Arsenal last summer and in January (Ben Jacobs), with Berta holding talks over the £94,000-per-week Slovenia international again this summer.

Gyokeres, meanwhile, is at the centre of a public fallout with Sporting and president Frederico Varandas, and the 27-year-old is believed to be very keen on a move to Arsenal, whilst being worried that his price tag could jeopardise a move (Record).

Sesko and Gyokeres eyeing Arsenal moves as Berta leads talks

As per GiveMeSport and reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Arsenal’s intentions are clear when it comes to a deal for either man.

Berta has “advanced talks” for Sesko and Gyokeres, as widely reported elsewhere too, and Jacobs says that they would both welcome a move to north London. However, the key for a deal to be done is, of course, down to their final price tags.

Arsenal’s aim is to sign Sesko or Gyokeres for around £60 million, but personal terms shouldn’t be a problem for either really, especially considering the latter is only on around £40,000-per-week in Portugal right now.

Given the likes of Man United are also hunting for a top striker, amid links to Gyokeres in particular, Arsenal cannot afford to dilly-dally for too long here.

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is now in the final month of his contract, although it remains to be seen whether he will stay with the club.

The striker has been with the Toffees since 2016, and if his near-ten-year association with the club was to end this summer, David Moyes will have big shoes to fill.

By all accounts, he endured a difficult 2024/25 campaign and, judging by that form, he might not be too much of a miss.

Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin must leave Everton

The centre-forward reportedly has other Premier League clubs showing interest in him, Newcastle among them.

Last season was a major struggle for the Englishman. Across 26 league matches last term, Calvert-Lewin scored just three goals and grabbed two assists.

He finished the season with an 8% goal conversion rate, while missing 16 big chances, averaging just 0.8 shots on target per game and creating one big chance.

In this form, moving on his massive £120k-per-week wages would surely give Moyes plenty of room for manoeuvre in the transfer window.

2024/25

26

3

2

2023/24

38

8

3

2022/23

18

2

1

2021/22

18

5

2

2020/21

39

21

3

2019/20

41

15

1

2018/19

38

8

3

2017/18

44

8

5

2016/17

11

1

0

If so, the Scot would be looking to bring in a striker or two to replace the 27-year-old ahead of next season.

It appears as though the Merseyside outfit have enquired about the availability of a player who has attracted plenty of attention…

Everton looking at Calvert-Lewin replacements

Recent reports have suggested that Everton are looking at Villarreal striker Thierno Barry with an approach having been made to sign him last week. If a deal cannot be done there, who’s the alternative?

Transfer Focus

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

Well, according to the Mirror, Everton have made an enquiry regarding striker Adama Bojang, although West Ham United and Brentford are also keen on the youngster.

The Gambia starlet played for Swiss side Grasshoppers on loan last term and could be available for as little as £11m this summer.

Given his potential and room for development, this could be a shrewd move by Moyes, no doubt about that. But, might Bojang emerge as an ideal replacement for Calvert-Lewin?

The 21-year-old certainly impressed for Grasshoppers last term. Across 26 league games, he found the back of the net on six occasions, while registering two assists in the process.

Like Calvert-Lewin, he was hardly prolific, but a young fresh face could be precisely the direction Moyes needs to head in. After all, he’s already been hailed as the “Gambian hurricane” and also lauded as an “insane talent” by U23 scout Antonio Mango. So, Adama’s future looks incredibly bright.

He scored once every 212 minutes in the Swiss Super League last term, while finishing the season with a 15% goal conversion percentage, far better than Calvert-Lewin’s.

The striker also created five big chances for his teammates, missed just eight big chances and succeeded with 0.5 dribbles per game.

Raw, certainly, but it is evident that he has the tools required to make an impact in a big five European league.

£11m is a drop in the ocean for a club the size of Everton, and by signing Bojang, they will be getting a player who could see their value increase in a short space of time.

He might take a while to adjust to life in the Premier League, but as seen by his statistics last term, he performed better than Calvert-Lewin across several metrics. It is surely a no-brainer for Moyes.

Everton now eyeing £38m ace who Haaland thinks is "incredibly talented"

He’s impressed the Man City star.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 14, 2025

Leeds United have now joined the race to sign a “spectacular” goalkeeper, having missed out on Caoimhin Kelleher, according to a report.

Leeds looking to sign new GK amid Meslier concerns

Some of Meslier’s performances in the 2024-25 campaign were cause for major concern, with the Frenchman making a number of key errors, which could’ve been costly in Leeds’ push for promotion, although they were ultimately able to get over the line.

Perhaps most memorably, the 25-year-old made a huge blunder to gift Sunderland a late equaliser at the Stadium of Light back in October, while there were also suggestions his time at Elland Road could be over after being dropped for Karl Darlow in April.

Daniel Farke ultimately opted to give Darlow the nod in goal for the remainder of the campaign, highlighting a lack of trust in Meslier, and with the Whites going on to achieve promotion, they have set out to sign a long-term replacement between the sticks.

A report from Leeds United News has revealed that a new target has entered the frame, namely Santos goalkeeper Brazao, with Farke’s side now making efforts to try and sign the Brazilian shot-stopper.

The 24-year-old only returned to his home country in 2024, leaving Inter Milan, but he could now be set for a return to Europe, although Leeds are not the only English club in the race for his signature.

Indeed, Chelsea have also set their sights on the goalkeeper, with the Blues expected to make a formal offer for his services in the near future, which could pose a problem for the Championship winners.

Leeds now "one to watch" in race for "outstanding" £25m Premier League ace

The Whites are in the running for a midfielder, who has a plethora of Premier League experience.

ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025 "Spectacular" Brazao could be Meslier upgrade

Once lauded as “spectacular” by former coach Carlos Amadeu, the Santos shot-stopper has put in some impressive performances since returning to his home country, keeping 21 clean sheets in 57 matches.

Not only that, but there are signs the former Inter Milan man could be an upgrade on Meslier, having maintained a better save percentage per 90 than the former Lorient man over the past year.

At the start of April, it was revealed the Leeds goalkeeper had single-handedly cost his side 10 points, which could’ve been extremely damaging in their quest for promotion, and he simply cannot be trusted in the Premier League.

Farke’s side may have gotten away with slipping up in the Championship, but with the Whites looking to avoid relegation next season, every single point will be valuable.

As such, Brazao could be an upgrade on Meslier, having impressed for Santos in recent times, but there may be some concerns over the fact he is unproven in a major European league, and Leeds will undoubtedly be disappointed to have missed out on Brentford-bound Kelleher.

What was set to go down as Tottenham Hotspur’s worst season in a generation just a few days ago will now go down in history for all the right reasons.

Ange Postecoglou’s side might still have seriously underperformed in the Premier League, but nobody is going to remember that following their Europa League heroics on Wednesday night.

The North Londoners might not have been at their free-flowing best against Manchester United, but they were stubborn, hard to break down and came out with a European title as the reward.

Two of the best players on the night were Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, and yet, Spurs might already have found themselves an even bigger talent.

Van de Ven & Romero's heroric showing

One can only wonder how Spurs’ season would have turned out had Van de Ven and Romero been fit for more of it, as against the Red Devils, they were both sensational.

The former didn’t even have to rely on his breakneck speed too much, as he was consistently in the right place at the right time, so much so that he was able to clear Rasmus Hojlund’s header off the line midway through the second half.

Likewise, Romero was a rock at the back, making ten clearances, blocking one shot and making another tackle for good measure.

Moreover, while he committed one foul and found himself winding up Harry Maguire at almost every opportunity, the usually hot-headed World Cup winner kept himself on the referee’s right side and fully deserved his Man of the Match award.

It’s almost impossible to overstate just how important both defenders are to Postecoglou’s system, as when he does instruct his team to play a high line, it’s the Flying Dutchman’s rapid pace that ensures they aren’t caught on the counter too easily.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

Moreover, as the team isn’t regarded as being particularly tough, it helps to have the former Juventus ace in the backline, instructing his teammates and giving 100% in every challenge.

Yet, as utterly brilliant as both Romero and Van de Ven are, it looks like Spurs might have already found another young defender who could be an even bigger talent than both.

Spurs' incredibly exciting talent

It would be fair to say that, for everything that has gone wrong this season, Spurs have a number of really exciting youngsters in their ranks, like Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Mikey Moore.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

There will likely be another name added to that list for next season: Luka Vušković.

The Croatian teenager was signed by the Lilywhites back in September 2013 but has spent the last year and a half on loan with Radomiak for the latter half of the 23/24 season and then Belgian outfit KVC Westerloo for this season.

Described as a “freak talent” with a “scary ceiling” by respected data analyst Ben Mattinson, the 18-year-old has been nothing short of spectacular in Belgium this year.

It might sound hyperbolic, but it’s really not, as in just 35 appearances, the “monster of a CB,” as dubbed by Mattinson, has managed to score seven goals and provide three assists, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.5 games.

Appearances

35

Clean Sheets

5

Goals

7

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.28

On top of being a huge attacking threat, the 6 foot 5 titan is no slouch when it comes to the defensive side of the game either.

According to FOTmob, he sits in the top 7.7% of centre-backs in the league for aerial duels won and blocks, the top 8.8% for ball recoveries, and the top 23.1% for overall duels won – which is undeniably outstanding for someone so young.

Ultimately, while it’s still incredibly early in his career, Vušković looks destined to reach the top of the game, and based on his already rapid development, he looks like a bigger talent than Van de Ven and Romero.

Spurs star just showed why he will leave with a bigger legacy than Bale

The Spurs icon is now a legend.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 22, 2025