All posts by h716a5.icu

After a very rare defeat last Sunday, can Celtic get their pursuit of yet another treble back on track?

Last time out, the Hoops were beaten by the side bottom of the Scottish Premiership for the first time in two decades, defeated 1-0 by struggling St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

This actually means Brendan Rodgers’ side have lost three of their last six Premiership fixtures, having only endured two defeats across their previous 46 league outings.

Nevertheless, this’ll merely delay the party, and a record-equalling 55th Scottish top-flight title could be secured as soon as this weekend, if Celtic are able to beat Kilmarnock in Saturday’s early kick, and then Rangers are beaten at Aberdeen 24 hours later.

Plenty of players are getting the plaudits for the Bhoys’ continued monopolisation of Scottish silverware, but one unsung hero is going under the radar, reminiscent of a fans’ favourite of yesteryear.

Aaron Mooy's Celtic career

Aaron Mooy only made 42 appearances for Celtic during one season in Glasgow, but he certainly left a lasting impression.

He arrived in July 2022, reuniting with Ange Postecoglou, who’d previously been his manager with the Socceroos, although there were question marks about this move, considering the Australian had made just 31 appearances during his two-year spell with Shanghai Port; Chinese football massively affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Eric Knott of Read Celtic described the signing as ‘underwhelming’, adding that the move ‘might not work out’, while Sean Martin of the Celtic Way did not believe the signing made sense.

On the contrary, Mooy proved to be an extremely useful addition, registering seven goals and 11 assists, that’s a goal involvement every 110 minutes on average.

Postecoglou stated there is “no doubting” Mooy’s quality but, after the manager departed for Tottenham, the midfielder announced his retirement from football, news incoming boss Rodgers said he was “disappointed” to learn, although this was “something we absolutely respect”.

So now, is a current Celtic midfielder having a similar impact, albeit a player they’ll hope to have around for longer than one season?

Celtic could now be brewing the next Mooy

After Hibernian had made four unsuccessful bids to sign him last summer, Celtic ultimately snapped up Dundee midfielder Luke McCowan on deadline day, paying £1m plus add-ons for his services.

Given that the Hoops had also just signed Arne Engles for a club-record fee, with Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Paulo Bernardo already in the squad, many questioned how much the 27-year-old would actually play.

Well, so far, this has been money well spent, with McCowan scoring six goals and accumulating seven assists in hoops, currently ranked joint-14th in this season’s Premiership for goal involvements.

His manager Rodgers labelled McCowan as “fantastic”, adding that he has been “absolutely first class”, while Michael Shearer of the Celts Are Here praised his ‘outstanding performances’.

So, let’s see how his statistics compare to Mooy’s from a couple of seasons ago.

Appearances

42

42

Minutes

1,983

1,987

Goals

9

7

Assists

13

11

Shots

49

20

Shot accuracy %

54.29%

60%

Chances created

35

36

Passing accuracy %

83.78

85.39%

Through balls

10

Zero

Duels won

81

49

Ball recoveries

103

95

Touches

1,320

1,245

In a near-identical number of minutes so far, McCowan – who writer Kai Watson lauded as “tenacious” – comes out on top when compares to Mooy for the vast majority of metrics.

The current Celtic star has registered more goals and assists this season, while also racking up higher numbers when it comes to shots and touches as well as defensive metrics such as duels won and ball recoveries.

Mooy did create one more chance and register a slightly higher passing accuracy, there’s still time for McCowan to change that of course, but all of this proves that the 27-year-old was an absolute bargain at only £1m.

Rarely-seen Celtic flop is fast becoming their new James McCarthy

The rarely-seen Celtic flop could end up becoming the new James McCarthy at Parkhead.

ByDan Emery Apr 10, 2025

When the transfer window opens for business in the summer, Arsenal fans will be screaming at Andrea Berta to sign a new striker.

The new sporting director is only just getting his feet under the table at the Emirates Stadium but the expectation is that the Gunners will spend big, regardless of how they finish their Champions League campaign.

Arsenal’s Premier League season has been a bitter disappointment and although they are a game away from a European semi-final, spending and spending right is of utmost importance.

Bringing in a shiny new centre forward must be the first priority. Alexander Isak is everybody’s dream.

The latest on Arsenal's hunt for a new striker

Last summer, Mikel Arteta wanted a striker and they set their sights on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, only for the Slovenian to sign a new contract with the Bundesliga club.

The striker is a reported target again this summer but according to David Ornstein, there are two names that the recruitment team at the Emirates are more keen on; Sporting goal machine Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle’s Isak.

Transfer Focus

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

A number of the Premier League’s elite are interested in prising Isak away from the Toon, including Chelsea and Liverpool.

However, with a reported £150m asking price, a deal is likely to be incredibly difficult to complete unless the player demands an exit.

Newcastle look well set to qualify for next season’s Champions League and should they do so, getting Isak will become even harder.

So, will it by Gyokeres or Sesko instead? Time will tell.

Perhaps it could even be someone else, as Jeremie Aliadiere exclusively told Football FanCast this week.

Aliadiere is a big fan of £85m Isak alternative

FFC sat down with former Gunner Aliadiere this week to chat all things Arsenal.

The forward – who featured alongside the likes of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp at Highbury – certainly knows a thing or two about what Arsenal need in central areas, but the player-turned-pundit has recommended a potentially surprising Isak alternative they should sign.

When asked if there was one striker he could pick for the north Londoners to go out and buy, he said:

“I’m a big fan of Darwin Nunez. I really like Nunez, I’ve always been a fan of the guy. I love his work ethic, and I still think there’s a good goalscorer in him.”

Nunez signed for Liverpool in a whopping £85m deal during the Jurgen Klopp era but has been incredibly inconsistent at Anfield, something Aliadiere acknowledged:

“He hasn’t had the opportunity and the confidence of his coach and his club to play week-in, week-out for a long period of time. A goalscorer needs to play week-in, week-out to keep scoring goals. When you are in and out of the team all the time, confidence is hard to get. It’s so important – to score more goals, you need to be on the pitch.”

Indeed, the Uruguayan attacker has only scored seven times in 42 games this term, hardly form worthy of his transfer fee.

Still, Aliadiere hasn’t been deterred by a player who missed 27 big chances in the Premier League last term, the second-worst tally in the division behind Erling Haaland.

“I’m a massive fan of him, and if he became available, I’d love to see him at Arsenal. I love that type of player. Arsenal have been crying out for a player like him, who keeps making runs in behind, who can press with energy.”

Well, there’s no denying that Nunez brings chaos to whichever front line he’s a part of but whether Arteta could find a way to extract the potential the forward has remains to be seen.

He's like Saka & Yamal: Arsenal in talks to sign "world-class" £39m star

The incredible winger would bring so much experience and quality to Arsenal’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 15, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now prepared to offload a top-performing regular this summer in a bid to reshape the squad and raise funds, with his replacement already there.

Tottenham make transfer plans amid Ange Postecoglou uncertainty

Right now, it is being reported that under-fire boss Ange Postecoglou is facing the Spurs axe at the end of this Premier League campaign, which could happen regardless of whether they end up winning the Europa League.

Levy set for "big decision" as Tottenham look at hiring "master" £8m manager

Ange Postecoglou is increasingly likely to leave at the end of 24/25.

3 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 23, 2025

This news comes courtesy of reliable journalist Matt Law and other credible media sources, with a parting of the ways becoming increasingly likely after Tottenham suffered their eighteenth Premier League defeat of the season against Nottingham Forest on Easter Monday.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

While the Lilywhites have a major chance to clinch their first piece of silverware in 17 years, that still may not be enough to save Postecoglou after a dismal domestic season, but their problems lie beyond just the manager.

Tottenham’s lack of strength in depth when compared to their elite Premier League rivals was exposed time and time again this season, thanks to the plethora of injuries to key players throughout 2024/2025, so this is an issue which needs addressing in the summer.

“[The top clubs have] been doing it many years. They know exactly what they’re doing,” said winger Dejan Kuluseviski, who criticised Spurs’ transfer policy.

“They’re bringing in a lot of players that are ready to play both competitions. And they are prepared for it.

“This year we cannot say that we’re prepared for it because we had so many injuries, and we did a lot of things wrong from the beginning of the season, and we’re paying for it right now.”

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in a piece for The Boot Room, Tottenham are planning to strengthen “almost all areas” of the squad in the next transfer window, but they must first raise funds.

Tottenham "ready to sell" Pedro Porro and replace him with Djed Spence

Bailey also writes that star right-back Pedro Porro could be among the players sacrificed, with the emergence of 24-year-old Djed Spence as an impressive full-back option handing Spurs a ready-made replacement for the Spaniard.

Tottenham are apparently “ready to sell” Porro and bolster their transfer kitty, but will demand north of £50 million for the ex-Man City and Sporting Lisbon defender as Levy eyes a small profit on the £40 million they paid for him.

While Porro has impressed, Spurs’ need to reinforce multiple areas of the squad is taking centre stage, and Spence has showcased that he’s more than capable of being entrusted with a regular starting spot on either flank.

The 25-year-old has been called “sensational” for some of his performances since joining Tottenham from Sporting when Antonio Conte was in charge, and he was a target for Real Madrid before Los Blancos eventually turned full attention to Trent Alexander-Arnold.

With Matheus Cunha possibly heading for the exit door this summer, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly set their sights on signing an Atletico Madrid star who’s actually been compared to Nelson Semedo.

Cunha could leave Wolves with Premier League giants keen

By signing a new contract and staying put in January, some may have believed that Cunha had put any talk of an exit to bed once and for all. However, it quickly emerged that his new deal included a release clause worth around £63m which is reportedly likely to be triggered this summer.

The Brazilian is certainly not short on suitors, either, with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur both in the race for his signature. Alas, as things stand, it seems as though it’s Manchester United who are leading the race to secure his signature having reportedly already agreed personal terms with the Wolves star.

He'd make Larsen unplayable: Wolves targeting move for "sensational" PL ace

Wolves could make a move for a Premier League midfielder this summer

ByRoss Kilvington May 2, 2025

Before the arrival of Vitor Pereira, the thought of Cunha’s exit would have sent most Wolves fans into overdrive. However, even in the absence of their star man thanks to suspension a few weeks ago, the Midlands club began to put together a vital winning run and dominantly ended their relegation fears. It was then Cunha’s return to the side which helped stretch that run to six games before Manchester City stopped it there on Friday.

Speaking with great pride about his side’s run even after it came to an end against Man City, Pereira said: “Yes, but in the end, this is football. I am still proud of my team.

“I told them that we can lose a game, but we cannot lose our identity, our courage, our ambition, our commitment, our team spirit. Today, I saw everything in my team, everything except the result. “

Wolves eye move for Atletico Madrid's Samuel Lino

Still needing to replace Cunha despite recent results, those in the Midlands have reportedly set their sights on a new target. According to South American journalist Juan Arrien, relayed by Give Me Sport, Wolves are now eyeing a move to sign Samuel Lino from Atletico Madrid in an attempt to replace Cunha this summer.

A player who has been compared to Nelson Semedo by Football Transfers, Lino mainly operates as a left-winger but can also feature on the opposite flank to offer Pereira key versatility. Having scored four goals and created a further six in all competitions this season, the Brazilian’s output has far from matched Cunha’s, but a move to the Premier League could be exactly what he needs.

Of course, it wasn’t so long ago that Cunha was struggling at Atletico Madrid before starring at Wolves. Once dubbed “incredible” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Lino can now follow that same path by swapping Madrid for Molineux in the coming months.

With Leeds United looking to shift their focus away from title celebrations and towards the summer transfer window, the 49ers are now reportedly in active talks to sign an attacking target.

All eyes on the Premier League for Leeds

There will no doubt still be those partying in Yorkshire after Leeds sealed the Championship title ahead of Burnley on goal difference, having both hit the 100-point mark. The open-top bus parade was certainly a spectacle, as the city poured into the streets to make up for lost time in their 2019/20 promotion during the pandemic and the players enjoyed the release that they were desperate for all season.

Daniel Farke spoke of his pride after earning title glory alongside promotion to the Premier League, telling reporters: “I’m happy we won and are allowed to label ourselves as champions and to be the best team through the whole season.

“A proud day, an emotionally moving day because we have invested so much and wanted to crown ourselves with some silverware. For many of my lads it was the first time they’d won any title, I’m very happy for them, my staff, our supporters. It’s a pretty proud day.”

Farke's next Pukki: Leeds looking to sign "powerful" £17m striker

Daniel Farke will hope this new potential signing can become his next Teemu Pukki at Leeds United.

ByKelan Sarson May 9, 2025

The celebrations can’t go on forever though, and with their return to the Premier League on the horizon, Leeds are beginning to turn their focus back towards what is a crucial summer transfer window. As the 49ers desperately look to get things right, several names have already threatened to steal the headlines.

Names such as Beto and Archie Brown have both been mentioned in the last week or so and there’s no doubt that both could make an impact. Before either of those two potentially arrive, however, the 49ers have reportedly set their sights on a familiar face.

Leeds in active talks to sign Solomon

According to The Boot Room, the 49ers are in active talks to sign Manor Solomon on a permanent basis from Tottenham Hotspur this summer as they aim to make him their first signing of the summer.

Spurs are reportedly demanding as much as £20m for their winger, amid interest elsewhere from Everton and Marseille, with Leeds willing to offer around £15m. Given that the player reportedly wants to complete a return to Elland Road, it remains to be seen just how much of a problem that difference in valuation proves to be.

The old saying says that you should not fall in love with a loan player, but Solomon did almost everything to win the hearts of Leeds fans following a tough start to life in Yorkshire. Ending the campaign with 10 goals – including the one to win the title late on against Plymouth Argyle – signing Solomon should be top of the 49ers’ wishlist.

A player that Kevin de Bruyne described as “excellent” back in September, a swift reunion between Leeds and Solomon is one that makes sense for all parties this summer.

Rangers have reportedly sent scouts to watch a young striker in action, with the player in question having a release clause of just £42,000.

Rangers eyeing signings amid manager search

The Gers’ search for their next permanent manager continues, with Barry Ferguson expected to move on from his interim role at the end of the season. Russell Martin has been mentioned as an option in recent days, with the Englishman a talented young coach, despite being sacked by Southampton earlier in the season.

Current Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has also emerged as a contender to come in as Rangers’ next manager, with the German looking increasingly likely to depart Hillsborough when the current campaign reaches its conclusion. Southampton are also reportedly keen on him, though.

England legends Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have both been mentioned, too, with the latter impressively guiding Coventry City into the Championship playoffs this season.

In terms of possible new signings, Kevin Boma has been backed to join Rangers this summer, as they look to boost their defensive options. The Estoril centre-back has enjoyed a good season, averaging 2.9 aerial duel wins per game across 27 Primeira Liga appearances.

Rangers send scouts to watch young attacker

According to 24Sports [via Ibrox News], Rangers have watched Anorthosis striker Evagoras Charalampous in his last three appearances, with scouts sent to monitor him. The 19-year-old has a release clause of just £42,000 and the Gers are now weighing up the idea of triggering it this summer and bringing him to Ibrox.

Charalampous isn’t exactly a world-renowned name who Rangers supporters will know a huge amount about, but the young Cypriot has already scored five goals in 16 appearances for Anorthosis, making the jump up to senior level impressively, and he is a three-cap Cyprus Under-21 international, netting once in that time.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg has said that Charalampous is “regarded as one of the top striker talents in Cyprus”, further highlighting why Rangers like the look of him.

Additional firepower is something the Gers need to focus on in the summer transfer window, giving their new manager more options in the final third and hopefully allowing them to narrow the gap on Celtic that has been so evident in the Scottish Premiership throughout this season.

Their own Postecoglou: Rangers shortlist "exciting" 4-3-3 manager

Rangers have drawn up a shortlist of new potential managers

ByRoss Kilvington May 11, 2025

Cyriel Dessers is Rangers’ top goalscorer in the league with 15 strikes this season, which shows there has been no prolific attacker for them, and they could see Charalampous as a future star.

This summer feels like Tottenham Hotspur’s most important for a very long time.

While the club endured a torrid Premier League campaign, Ange Postecoglou’s side did the unthinkable on the continent and won the Europa League.

With Champions League football now secured, Daniel Levy and Co have the chance to genuinely back the manager by bringing in a number of top-quality players in the coming months.

However, on top of getting their incomings right, the North Londoners need to nail their outgoings, which means moving on a fan favourite before the end of his time at the club goes down a similar path as Mousa Dembélé’s did.

Dembélé's Spurs career

In the summer of 2012, Spurs decided to spend around £15m on a midfielder from Fulham by the name of Dembélé, and over the next six and a half years, he’d go on to become one of the very best players in the Premier League.

The Belgian was renowned for his silky technique and utterly ridiculous ability to never lose the ball, regardless of the opposition or the pressure he was facing.

It might sound like hyperbole, but you don’t have to take our word for it, as his former teammates couldn’t praise him enough, with Kyle Walker describing him as “the best player I’ve ever seen play football” and Eric Dier claiming “he’s a monster and he’s got ballerina feet at the same time.”

In all, the midfield “genius,” as former boss Mauricio Pochettino labelled him, made 249 appearances for the club, in which he scored ten goals and provided ten assists, but in his later seasons in North London, he began to be plagued by injury, with reports even claiming he admitted that the physical demands of the league were becoming too dear.

For example, even though he only spent half of the 18/19 campaign at the club before moving to the Chinese Super League, the Antwerpen-born star missed a staggering 22 games through injury, and the season before that, it was nine.

Appearances

249

Starts

181

Minutes

16115′

Goals

10

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.08

Minutes per Goal Involvement

805.75

In short, there is a strong argument that Dembélé should have left Tottenham in the summer of 2018, as his final six months at the club didn’t do his status as a great any good, and the same argument could be made for someone in the current squad.

The Spurs star who should leave this summer

So, while there are a number of players who should probably be sold or moved on this summer, the one we are talking about might have a genuine shout for being one of the most popular players in the club’s modern history: Son Heung-min.

Chalkboard

Now, before the pitchforks come out, we are not trying to disparage the South Korean superstar, as, without a shadow of a doubt, he’s now secured himself the status of a club legend, if not a legend of the Premier League in general.

Moreover, he’s the first club captain to lift a major honour for the Lilywhites in 17 years and the first to lead the club to a European title in two generations.

Yet, that, in part, is why he should leave the club this summer, as he’d be departing on the highest of highs and having achieved something genuinely remarkable.

Furthermore, while he’s not been terrible this year, there is no denying the fact that he simply isn’t as devastatingly effective as he once was.

Now, that’s not his fault, as, based on research by The Athletic, wide players hit their peak at 26 years old and see a steep decline in their ability to beat defenders at 30 years old.

In other words, with the “incredible” international, as dubbed by Postecoglou, set to turn 33 in a couple of months, he’s just a victim of time.

We can also see this decline in the data, as, according to FBref, he was in the top 25% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for successful take-ons in the 19/20 season but has dropped into the bottom 42% this season.

Moreover, like Dembélé before him, injuries seem to be more of a problem, as across the last three seasons, he has missed 34 games, whereas across the three seasons before that, he missed just 14 games.

Ultimately, Son is an icon for Spurs and the Premier League as a whole, but to ensure he doesn’t leave the club on a downer, he should move on this summer, basking in the glory of European success.

Their new Dele Alli: Spurs could sign "one of the best 10s in the world"

Spurs could sign their new Dele Alli this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 27, 2025

It’s already been a successful season for Chelsea, but they’re far from done just yet.

Enzo Maresca guided his team to fourth place in the Premier League table, the Blues’ best finish for three seasons, thereby securing a return to the Champions League.

Then, last Wednesday, Chelsea picked up silverware too, fighting back from a goal down to defeat Real Betis 4-1 in the Conference League Final; Enzo Fernández, Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho and Moisés Caicedo all on target during a 25 minute second half spree in Wrocław.

Nevertheless, the Blues’ campaign is far from over, set to take on Los Angeles FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in their Club World Cup opener on 16 June, before then facing Flamengo and Espérance Sportive de Tunis in Philadelphia.

Ahead of that fixture in Atalanta in just under a fortnight, will Chelsea supporters have a new forward to get excited about?

Chelsea looking to bolster their forward line

The Blues have already been active in the summer window, notably reportedly wrapping up a deal to bring Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap to Stamford Bridge.

So, what’s the next order of business? Well, it could be another Englishman.

Indeed, according to a report by Mike McGrath and Sam Dean of the Telegraph, Chelsea ‘are in talks’ to sign Jamie Gittens for £50m, adding that they are hopeful of getting the deal done before the Club World Cup deadline of 10th June.

Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian notes that the Blues view it as a ‘priority’ to sign a ‘right-footed winger capable of playing on the left flank’, having previously assessed Nico Williams and Alejandro Garnacho, but Gittens is now their number one target.

Born in Reading, the 20-year-old winger actually spent time in Chelsea’s academy, also representing his hometown club and Manchester City at youth level, before moving to Germany in 2020.

Now though, could he be returning home in time to represent the Blues stateside at the revamped Club World Cup?

Why Jamie Gittens could be Chelsea's next Cole Palmer

Since making his Borussia Dortmund debut against Wolfsburg in April 2022, Gittens has accumulated 106 appearances for die Schwarzgelben, scoring 17 goals and registering 14 assists, thereby earning rave reviews.

Alex Barker of the Athletic describes him as “absolutely rapid” and an “excellent” dribbler, while Saul Morris of Football Talent Scout believes his ‘potential is extremely high’, labelling him England’s ‘next diamond’.

Meantime, Alexandra Hunt of Total Football Analysis praised his ‘impressive performances’ for an inconsistent Dortmund team, while Lebohang Mwamuka from Breaking the Lines asserts that Gittens’ ‘future is very bright’, highlighting how his ‘impressive ball-striking’ ability as well as the fact he is a ‘high-volume dribbler’ regularly leaves ‘defenders flummoxed’.

Chelsea, of course, do already boast plenty of wide-attacking options, namely Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho.

Although, the latter’s future at Stamford Bridge is currently in doubt, with Greg Barringer-Grimes of BBC Sport reporting that the Blues are considering paying a £5m penalty fee to not sign Sancho, rather than making his loan from Manchester United permanent for £25m.

Nevertheless, should Gittens arrive, fans would hope that he will have a similar impact to that of Cole Palmer.

Before we even look at their influence on play in the final third, similarities begin to emerge. Not only are they two of the most exciting young English talents in the game but Gittens, like Palmer, also spent time in the Manchester City academy.

So, let’s compare the duo to assess if that is feasible.

Appearances

46

48

Minutes

3,691

2,791

Goals

15

12

Assists

12

5

Big chances missed

19

4

Big chances created

33

9

Goals – xG

-3.5

+6.7

Shot on target %

36.2%

40.3%

Attempted take-ons

124

232

Take-on success %

44.4%

44.8%

Shot-creating actions

218

104

Pass completion %

78%

77.3%

Touches per 90

50

41

As the table highlights, while Palmer’s raw statistics are more impressive, namely goals, assists, big chances created and shot-creating actions, the numbers do still reflect favourably on Gittens.

Gittens’ goal – xG is vastly superior to that of Palmer, while the Dortmund youngster ranks exceedingly highly when it comes to take-ons.

In fact, across Europe’s top five leagues, Gittens ranked seventh for attempted take-ons (171) this season, while the highest-placed Chelsea player via this metric is Palmer, ranked 49th with 113 take-ons, all according to FBref.com.

Thus, it is clear that Gittens is a high-quality, even higher potential player, and his outstanding dribbling ability would add something to Chelsea’s forward line, suggesting he could have a similar impact on arrival to that of Palmer.

A Hazard repeat: Chelsea in talks to sign £84m "monster" after Delap

Chelsea are in talks to sign an £84m-rated attacker who could be an Eden Hazard repeat.

ByDan Emery Jun 1, 2025

Despite Leeds United having enjoyed a superb 2024/25 campaign in the Championship, this summer is a vital one for their future, desperately needing to get their business spot on.

Promotion to the Premier League brings in huge money for the football club, but there is a huge gap between the two divisions, with additions needed to bridge the gap this window.

Daniel Farke will need signings in key areas of the pitch to allow him to have the best possible chance of securing survival from the Premier League for the first time in his career.

The German has attempted to achieve such a feat with Norwich City in the past, but has so far been unable to do so, with this season crucial for his tenure at Elland Road.

With the new season already less than two months away, work has already begun behind the scenes in Yorkshire to help the manager in his quest throughout 2025/26.

The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new additions this summer

Over recent days, a new striker has been on the agenda for Farke, as he looks to add another dimension to his already potent attack, which helped claim promotion to the Premier League.

The likes of Jamie Vardy, Rodrigo Muniz and Callum Wilson have all been touted with a switch to Elland Road, but no deals have yet been completed this summer.

However, a new name has entered the mix in recent days, with Wolves striker Fabio Silva the latest player on their shortlist, according to ABC Sevilla via Birmingham World.

It’s reported that the Whites have entered talks with fellow Premier League outfit Wolves over a deal for the 22-year-old talisman, who only has one year left on his contract.

His current situation at Molineux remains unclear, but he’s demonstrated his quality over recent times, scoring 10 times in LaLiga this season whilst spending the year on loan at Las Palmas.

Why Leeds’ latest target could be their own Sesko

Beto is another striker who’s been hugely linked with a summer move to join Leeds, with the Everton talisman yet to reach his full potential at his current side, Everton.

The 27-year-old joined the Toffees in a £30m deal back in the summer of 2023, but has been unable to take the starting role on a consistent basis, often having to settle for time on the bench.

He’s managed to score eight times in the Premier League this season, subsequently being outscored by fellow target Silva, with the Whites needing to shift their focus to the Portuguese star.

The 22-year-old has been ranked as a similar player to RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko by FBref, with the Slovenian international linked with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United this summer.

He’s also valued at around £60m this summer, highlighting the impressive nature of Silva’s play if he’s been compared to such an impressive big-money talent.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from the 2024/25 campaign, Silva has managed to match or better Sesko in various key areas, highlighting how much of a crucial addition he would be to Farke’s side.

Silva, who’s been labelled “generational” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have scored fewer goals, but has achieved a better goal per shot on target rate – highlighting the clinical threat he poses in front of goal.

Games played

24

33

Goals scored

10

13

Shot on target accuracy

44%

43%

Goal per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Shot-creating actions

2.1

1.9

Carries into opposition box

1.1

0.5

Aerials won

2.7

2.6

Passes into opposition box

0.7

0.3

The Wolves loanee has also registered more shot-creating actions and won more aerial battles, offering Farke’s side an all-round option within attacking areas.

His dominance doesn’t stop there, completing more passes and carries into the opposition box, handing other players around him the opportunity to impress in Yorkshire.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the Portuguese sensation would set the club back this summer, his talents are there for all to see – potentially being a bargain if he can reach Sesko’s levels.

Given the fact he’s outscored Beto, the hierarchy must look to prioritise a move for the Wolves star, with the youngster having the opportunity to improve further given his tender age.

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Celtic have already brought in one left-back as Greg Taylor edges closer to the exit door and could be set to recruit another if recent reports are to be believed.

Celtic star Greg Taylor set to leave after Kieran Tierney arrival

Making a start to the window that has created plenty of headlines, Celtic announced Kieran Tierney’s arrival on a free transfer from Arsenal after finding an agreement to bring the Scotland international home in January.

In light of this, long-serving defender Greg Taylor appears to be on the move to PAOK on a two-year deal with the option of a further 12 months. Should he depart under freedom of contract, that will leave the Bhoys in need of another left-back this summer.

The question then becomes, who could become a realistic competitor to Tierney? According to reports, Sassuolo star Josh Doig is being tracked by Celtic and may be on the move back to Scotland after starting his career at Hibernian.

There is also the prospect of a youth player such as Matthew Anderson or Mitchel Frame coming in to fill the void. If that scenario arises, B team manager Stephen McManus believes there is no better role model than Kieran Tierney at Parkhead for young stars to look up to.

He explained: “Kieran’s coming back at the age that he’s at, his full career’s ahead of him. For the national team, for us as a club, it’s tremendous.

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“It’s given everybody a real boost and for the younger lads it’s another role model that we’ve got to look up to.”

Supporters are eagerly anticipating movement on incomings and there could now be potential for Celtic to land a Scottish Premiership star if reports are to be believed.

Celtic in James Penrice scouting mission

According to The Daily Record, Celtic have ran scouting checks on Heart of Midlothian left-back James Penrice and could look to strike on the market for the former Partick Thistle man in their hunt for a competitor to lock horns with Tierney.

Although their watchful eye isn’t to be mistaken for something more, it does show that Rodgers and company are doing their due diligence on potential targets to strengthen their backline.

James Penrice in Scottish Premiership action – 2024/25 (FBRef)

Chances created

56

Successful crosses

69

Successful dribbles

21

Tackles won

48

Recoveries

116

Labelled “outstanding” by Neil Critchley, Penrice registered two goals and seven assists in 40 appearances across all competitions last term as Hearts narrowly missed out on a top-six finish.

Nevertheless, with Derek McInnes now at the helm, it remains to be seen whether the ex-Kilmarnock boss would be willing to part ways with one of his prize assets.

Hearts and Celtic don’t share a great deal of rapport on and off the pitch, so it would likely take a significant fee to tempt the Jambos into letting Penrice leave Tynecastle for a divisional rival.