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Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank identified a “superstar” as a priority target after Randal Kolo-Muani, with a late approach being made on deadline day.

Spurs tried to sign another forward after Kolo-Muani

In one of the surprise moves of deadline day, Spurs got Kolo-Muani through the door, with the Frenchman joining on a straight loan deal from Paris Saint-Germain.

Frank has since explained why he decided to bring in the PSG forward, who has predominantly featured at striker throughout his career to date, rather than signing a new winger.

The Tottenham manager said: “He’s a good age, in the prime of his career, has good qualities that will suit both us and the Premier League,”

“He gives us a different option in the final third, being able to play out wide and through the middle. Randal is a quality player who has proven himself over a number of years, playing for big teams in the Champions League and also with good experience for the France national team.”

However, while Frank was clearly delighted to get Kolo-Muani through the door, the Dane identified another forward as a priority target in the final hours of the transfer window.

That is according to a report from GiveMeSport, which states the manager was eyeing Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman as his top target, but Tottenham were ultimately unable to come to an agreement with the Italian club.

It is revealed that Spurs wanted to sign Lookman on a straight loan, rather than forking out the £43m it would’ve taken to get a deal over the line, meaning they have now missed out on his signature.

With the forward’s proposed move to Bayern Munich also falling through, he could be set to remain at Atalanta until January, at which point the Lilywhites may have the opportunity to make another approach, given that he is well-known to have fallen out with his club.

"Superstar" Lookman could've been quality signing for Spurs

Tottenham were clearly reluctant to splash the cash on deadline day, having also signed Kolo Muani on a straight loan deal, which includes no option or obligation to buy, and they may have missed out on a top player.

Sold for £6.7m: Spurs must regret selling star who's outscoring Kolo Muani

After Tottenham signed Randal Kolo Muani on deadline day for a €5m loan fee, should Spurs regret selling a striker who has outscored the Frenchman?

1 ByBen Gray Sep 2, 2025

Lauded as a “superstar” by 90min’s Sean Walsh, the 27-year-old has taken his career to new heights since arriving in the Serie A, picking up a very impressive 52 goals and 25 assists in 118 appearances for the Italian club.

As such, the Nigeria international may now be ready to test himself in the Premier League once again, despite not setting the world alight during previous stints with Fulham, Leicester City and Everton.

Lookman in England

Appearances

Goals

Everton

48

4

Fulham

35

4

Leicester City

42

8

Manchester United are already looking ahead to the January transfer window and could bid for an “incredible” talent once the market period opens.

Manchester United prepare for Premier League return as Onana departs

The international break is in full swing, and supporters of the Red Devils have been left to reflect on a mixed start to the campaign, resulting in one victory, a solitary draw, and a defeat within their first three Premier League matches.

Ruben Amorim will still be reeling from the effects of a shock EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town, albeit time moves on, and so does the narrative surrounding Manchester United.

In a surprise turn of developments, Andre Onana is set to join Trabzonspor on loan, something that Fabrizio Romano has added further context to via his platform on social media outlet X.

He stated: “André Onana agrees to join Trabzonspor, here we go! All contracts are now signed on player side, waiting on counter approval from Trabzonspor and travel next week. Deal done on loan from Manchester United as revealed on Saturday, no buy option or loan fee.”

Intriguingly, reports claim that Manchester United could join the race to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi after his failed move to Liverpool during the summer window.

Amorim does appear to be intent on strengthening his defence, but he has an alternative star in his sights that he could look to make inroads to sign once the mid-season market opens for business.

Manchester United set to submit Zeno Debast January bid

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are set to submit a January bid for Sporting Lisbon defender Zeno Debast after they’ve been spotted scouting him over the last few weeks. Arsenal are also keen on the Belgium international, though the Portuguese champions are holding out for a fee close to £69 million for his services.

Amorim can revive Mainoo by binning £150k-p/w flop in Man Utd system switch

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim can revive Kobbie Mainoo by changing his formation.

ByDan Emery Sep 7, 2025

However, Manchester United are more likely to come in with an offer around the £34.5 million mark, something that may test the waters, but won’t be enough to tempt him to England.

Anderlecht retain a 15% sell-on clause for Debast, and there may be room for negotiation on that front for the 21-year-old, who is primarily a central defender and has made five appearances this season.

Labelled “incredible” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Halle-born man would be another worthwhile long-term investment in Manchester United’s backline, though it remains to be seen if they can meet Sporting’s demands.

A “talented” England international is now interested in completing a move to Aston Villa, should the Villans like the idea of bringing him in.

McGinn happy after "important" Aston Villa win

Unai Emery’s side got back to winning ways on Thursday evening, winning 1-0 at home to Bologna in the Europa League, courtesy of John McGinn’s strike.

Speaking after the game, the Scot was in positive spirits, as Villa look to build on the victory heading into Sunday’s Premier League clash with Fulham at Villa Park.

“It was important. We got a bit nervy towards the end. They play mental football, man-to-man, and it reminds me of (Marcelo) Bielsa when he was at Leeds. It’s tough and you need to be concentrating because they leave a few players up. You need to be clean going forward with the ball and I don’t think we were.

“I thought we were a little bit rusty going forward, but we created chances and we could have won by more. I thought we played better in the first half than the second, but the important thing was to get the win with a very important clean sheet with a good save from Marco at the end.”

New signings could be needed in January, or at least next summer, in order for Villa to keep improving, and they have now been linked with a move for a 10-cap England international.

England international "open" to Aston Villa move

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown claimed that Ruben Loftus-Cheek is “open” to joining Aston Villa from AC Milan, although no approach has been made for him.

“He’s always showed a lot of promise and at his best he can be excellent, but for me he’s never quite hit the levels people expected of him, even though he’s clearly got a lot of talent. Since his move to AC Milan, he’s done well, and Tuchel obviously sees something in him.

“The qualities he’s got could be an asset to a lot of sides, there’s no doubting that, it’s just about whether he’s going to perform consistently enough. There’s been some talk of a move to Aston Villa, but I’m not sure he’s the player they need right now, he might be better off somewhere else.

“I think it’s something he’s open to, he wants to come back to the Premier League, to compete and potentially put himself in the [England] manager’s thinking. I’m sure if Aston Villa came calling, it’s a move he’d like to make, but I am doubtful about whether they’d push for that one at the moment.”

Loftus-Cheek, thoguht to be valued at £17m, could be a shrewd signing by Villa, having been hailed as a “talented” player by Owen Hargreaves in the past, especially if he has the hunger to win his place back in the England squad before next summer’s World Cup.

Journalist reveals how Monchi leaving will impact Emery's Aston Villa future

A journalist has explained how the recent off-field issues at Villa could affect Unai Emery.

ByDominic Lund Sep 25, 2025

At 29, he is still young enough to enjoy three or four good years at Villa Park, and his pace and power in midfield areas could be a weapon for Emery, also adding depth in the middle of the park.

Thomas Tuchel insists there is no problem with Jude Bellingham but warned nobody is guaranteed a place in the England squad after taking the eye-catching decision to omit the Real Madrid star.

England squad announced for Wales and Latvia matches

The back-to-back Euros runners-up face Wales in a Wembley friendly next Thursday before continuing World Cup qualification away to Latvia on Tuesday.

Bellingham missed September’s camp after undergoing shoulder surgery and has since played four matches for Real Madrid, yet there was no place in Tuchel’s 24-man squad for October’s doubleheader.

Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were others overlooked for a call-up, but the 22-year-old was the headline omission two days on from being crowned 2024-25 England men’s senior player of the year.

“I understand your focus on Jude of course,” Tuchel said of a player he would later say is one of the world’s best midfielders and makes his side stronger.

“First of all, he is a very special player and for special players there can always be special rules. I get this.

“But for this camp we decided that we stick with our straightforward decision to invite the same team. That applies also then for Jude. He deserves always to be in camp.

“I think there is an extra layer on top of it, the situation that he has not gathered full rhythm yet at Real Madrid.

“He is back in the team. He hasn’t finished one full match until now. He has only started one match, so he is at the moment in the period where he gets his rhythm, where he gets back to full strength.

“There is this extra layer into the decision, but the decision stayed for this camp.”

Asked if Bellingham was fit enough to be called up, Tuchel said: “Yes, and he wanted to be called up. We had a phone call. There was no issue from that side, he just lacks rhythm.

“He hasn’t finished one complete match, like I said, and on top of it we stayed with our decision to go with the same squad.”

Tuchel has not worked with Bellingham since the England boss apologised for saying in a June interview that his mother finds some of the midfielder’s on-field antics “repulsive”.

The German coach also stressed how good the mood was in the September meet-up, leading the manager to say that “one has nothing to do with the other”.

No problem between me and Bellingham, says Tuchel

Put to Tuchel that some people would think is there a problem between him Bellingham, he said: “No.

“There is also no problem between me and Phil Foden, there is no problem between me and Jack Grealish. Very special players. Phil is back to influencing games, deciding games for Manchester City. Jack is very close to being the best version of himself – a very special player, a very special character.

“There is no problem at all and there is no personal problem in the nomination.”

Bukayo Saka is the only fresh face in October’s squad, replacing injured Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke. Tino Livramento also drops out with a knee injury of his own.

Tuchel insists players have the chance to get back in the squad and acknowledges there are “players out who deserve to be with us”.

He added: “100 per cent there are no guarantees. If we say the competition is on, then the competition is on.

“We cannot say that like for 80 per cent of the squad the competition is on but for 20 per cent it is not on. It’s on. The competition is on. The team did very, very well and deserve to be in camp again.”

Manchester United have now joined the race for a “sensational” Champions League midfielder, with manager Ruben Amorim personally an admirer.

Man Utd eyeing new midfielder amid Mainoo issues

After scoring in the shock 2-1 FA Cup final victory over Manchester City in 2024, few would’ve predicted Kobbie Mainoo’s Man United career would pan out the way it has, with the midfielder falling down the pecking order considerably.

Former striker Teddy Sheringham has made it clear he doesn’t believe Amorim is a fan of the youngster, saying: “He’s [Mainoo] obviously not Amorim’s type of player. He’s very casual on the ball, but obviously plays the game in his own way. I’m not saying that in a derogatory manner; I’m saying that he has a certain style that Amorim obviously doesn’t appreciate.

The 20-year-old has featured for just 113 minutes in the Premier League this season, and it has now been suggested he could be the next player to leave United and go on to flourish elsewhere.

With Mainoo’s future up in the air, the Red Devils are now looking to sign a new young English midfielder, according to a report from BILD (via Sports View), which names Borussia Dortmund’s Jobe Bellingham as a target.

Amorim is said to be a fan of Bellingham’s robustness and physicality, with Man United now plotting a move for the former Sunderland man, who is a few months younger than Mainoo. There is set to be competition for his signature, with Crystal Palace also named as potential suitors.

The 20-year-old only arrived at Dortmund in the summer, joining in a package widely reported to be worth £31m, but his start to life in Germany has been far from ideal, with his dad causing controversy after entering the dressing room after a draw against St. Pauli in August.

"Sensational" Bellingham would be risky signing for Amorim

Given that Jude Bellingham has already established himself as one of the world’s best midfielders at just 22, the Dortmund youngster is likely to be feeling the pressure, although it is important to remember he is still just 20-years-old.

Fabrizio Romano shares what he's heard from Man Utd on £190k-p/w star's Old Trafford future

The Red Devils hold him in high regard and he would be a big loss…

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 13, 2025

Much like his brother, the starlet has been impressing at senior level since a very young age, with journalist Josh Bunting hailing him for a top display for Sunderland just over two years ago.

That said, Bellingham would be a risky signing for Man United, given that he is yet to establish himself at the top level, making two Champions League appearances, and it may be a better idea to bring in a midfielder who has more experience.

Newcastle United have been dealt their perennial early-season injury issues, but there’s little question that Eddie Howe’s side are in a good position to meet their targets this year; perhaps they will even exceed them.

The backline has stood strong and firm for most of Howe’s tenure, but he has reinforced the St. James’ Park defences this summer and appears to have added layers to the existing fold too. Nick Pope has five clean sheets from seven Premier League matches, and as the goalkeeper ranks joint-fifth for saves made (19), all can be observed to be pulling their weight.

However, with Alexander Isak sold to Liverpool for a record-breaking fee, the Magpies entered the campaign freighted with fresh worries about the quality in attack. Yoane Wissa still hasn’t made his debut for the club as he recovers from a knee injury, and that has been fuel for the fire.

But the intensity of the blaze has been allayed through the fast start to life in England of Nick Woltemade.

Newcastle's big-money buy

If Newcastle are fools for spending the big bucks on Woltemade in August, what does that make those who opted against landing such a unique and dangerous centre-forward?

Seven games in, the former Stuttgart man has notched four goals in black and white, and he’s earning the respect and focus of more than just Tyneside’s devoted fans.

Different to Isak, Woltemade still boasts far more than a sharp shot, and his early foray into the English game has told of an exciting future for both player and club, the potential to join Isak and maybe even the legendary Alan Shearer in the highest regard of those strikers who were not one cut but several above the rest.

Four goals in seven hardly make a young and aspiring forward the next Shearer, but already the 23-year-old has proved himself a reliable goalscorer in the Premier League, with the sharpness of mind to rival Isak for the crown as Newcastle’s best modern nine.

However, Shearer’s role and reputation in Newcastle surpassed the success he had as a goalscorer. A true talismanic force, he led the club for many years and understood inherently what it means to be a Geordie.

And Newcastle may have their next version. No, it’s not boyhood fan Dan Burn (although he is of course a legend in his own right).

No, the man in question here arrived from overseas, but he’s an adopted son of this city and one of the key pillars of the Howe era.

Howe's own version of Shearer

It all started with Howe. And then Howe got to work during the January 2022 transfer window and signed a wealth of talented players to climb away from relegation danger and up and up the Premier League ladder.

And among the first through the door was Bruno Guimaraes, who joined from Lyon for a £41m fee toward the end of the window. He was 24 at the time, and it was considered a coup.

Into his fifth campaign on Tyneside, the Brazil international has been both a leader and a marvel in the middle of the park, with his combative defending and fierce pressing and elegant passing leading all the big clubs to come sniffing. He has remained loyal.

But the £100m prices that have been mooted here and there underline his skill and the belief from elsewhere that Newcastle have a truly special player in their mix.

Hailed as a “machine” of a midfielder by blogger Thomas Hammond, the 27-year-old has maintained impressive fitness levels and has been deployed more often than any other Newcastle player across Howe’s tenure.

Fabian Schar

5

163

Bruno Guimaraes

5

160

Dan Burn

5

158

Jacob Murphy

5

144

Joelinton

5

138

He’d bleed for the badge, and has been rewarded for his tenacity and commitment with two Champions League campaigns in three terms, winning the Carabao Cup last year besides.

The £160k-per-week talent is unquestionably one of the best in the business, and he is also the captain of the United fold, with Howe speaking in the past of his awe for Newcastle’s “difference-maker”.

Had he never arrived, Newcastle might never have hit the heights reached over the past few years. Perhaps the drive and verve they played with for much of 2024/25 would never have led them to triumph in the Carabao Cup.

But even in defeat, Guimaraes speaks with a passion that cannot be forged, cannot be imitated. The loss to Liverpool in August would be a case in point, having taken a subtle dig at Isak as he held his head high even after Rio Ngumoha sank hearts across St. James’ Park with a cruel last-minute winner.

There stood a leader, a talisman Shearer was proud of watching. Isak might have had the 55-year-old’s respect for his ability to find the back of the net, but Guimaraes is by far a better embodiment of what it takes to wear the Newcastle badge.

Shearer is the all-time record scorer in the Premier League with 260 goals. Even for a phenomenon like Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (who has 94 goals), that will take some beating.

The retired striker said he lived out his “dream” at Newcastle, even though Manchester United came calling when he was at Blackburn Rovers, even though he unlaced his boots and hung them up without any silverware to display across ten campaigns on Tyneside.

Guimaraes bears a trophy in his own cabinet, but he too has had offers from more established superpowers, and he remains when some of his high-level teammates have ventured off for greener pastures.

He wears the armband, and he deserves it. Guimaraes is the leader of this remarkable Howe project, and he is closer to Shearer than Isak ever was.

PIF have overpaid for "mega-money" Newcastle signing & it's not Woltemade

One of Newcastle’s key signings over the summer may well have an “inflated valuation” & it’s not Nick Woltemade.

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 9, 2025

Leeds United will be aiming to stay put in the Premier League past the end of the 2025/26 season, but that will be easier said than done.

The last time the Whites managed to stay up at the first time of asking after triumphantly securing promotion to the top-flight was when the revered Marcelo Bielsa still occupied the Elland Road dug-out, with an unbelievable seventh place position somehow pulled off come the close of the memorable 2020/21 campaign.

Ever since that major high point, though, Leeds have struggled when keeping their heads above water in the elite division, having fallen back down to the Championship with a whimper in 2023.

Daniel Farke is the boss who will be aiming to rewrite the depressing script in West Yorkshire, however, with it not being all doom and gloom since the Argentine’s sombre exit, either, as several exciting stars have called Leeds home since his sacking in early 2022.

Some of Leeds' best signings since Bielsa left

Even with Championship football regularly being on the menu after the enigmatic South American’s departure, Leeds have been blessed with possessing some exceptional talents.

Georginio Rutter has to go down as one of Leeds’ best bits of business in terms of the entertainment he offered in the rebuild after Bielsa, with the £35.5m purchase from Hoffenheim tallying up a ridiculous eight goals and 18 assists for the Whites, leading to Paul Merson even comparing him to Arsenal great Dennis Bergkamp for his audacious footwork.

Amazingly, too, Wilfried Gnonto never crossed paths with Bielsa at Elland Road, with the Italian attacker a real force to be reckoned with when unleashed, as seen in him firing home 22 goals to date for the Whites.

Moving away from the attack, Ethan Ampadu has also become a mainstay in the middle of the park since joining for £7m from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, as Leeds also finally stormed back up to the Premier League.

There’s even a compelling enough argument already to suggest that Sean Longstaff joining for £12m this summer just gone is one of the best bits of business since Bielsa left the building, with five big chances created by the ex-Newcastle United man helping Leeds push up to 15th in the early league standings.

Yet, despite the Newcastle-born ace experiencing such a promising start to life in West Yorkshire, he arguably lags just behind this Farke stalwart still in this argument, who is continuing to shine very bright as one of the first names on the German’s teamsheet.

Leeds' best signing since Bielsa left

There’s no guarantee that Longstaff will be able to keep up these excellent early levels at Leeds across a full Premier League season, having been regularly injury-prone at St James’ Park.

Farke won’t have any lingering concerns about Joe Rodon pulling up with an injury anytime soon, however, with the commanding Welshman now starting a staggering 94 consecutive games for Leeds as he remains one of the vital parts of his manager’s jigsaw, even as new signings aplenty – such as Longstaff – joined this off-season.

Games played

9

Goals scored

2

Assists

0

Touches*

67.2

Accurate passes*

49.2 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

2.8

Clearances*

6.4

Total duels won*

5.2

Clean sheets

2

Having also collected a mammoth 48 clean sheets across his first century of appearances for Leeds, Rodon has only cemented himself as a key Whites first-teamer during the infancy of this new season.

The Swansea-born warrior has even chipped in with two goals so far this campaign to ensure the top-flight newcomers already have three league wins under their belt, the latest of which steered his side to a valuable win over struggling West Ham United.

Yet, it’s his unwavering determination for Leeds that stretches all the way back to the 2023/24 campaign, which means he is surely their best signing since Bielsa sadly left Elland Road behind, with the £10m spent on his permanent services at the close of that promotion near-miss season continuing to look like a bargain amount.

He will only be seen in an even more glowing light if his imposing displays result in Leeds beating the drop, with Farke’s “unbelievable” assessment of the 28-year-old after his debut two years ago still ringing true today.

Farke has found a new Dallas-type player in “unbelievable” Leeds star

Daniel Farke has now stumbled upon Leeds United’s next Stuart Dallas-type figure in this unbelievable star.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

Never a dull moment at Celtic, is there? Earlier this week, Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation and within hours, Martin O’Neill was back at a club where he enjoyed so much success.

“I’m only here for a few weeks”, he reiterated time and time again. We’ll have to see whether that’s the case.

An Old Firm on Sunday could change the mood but the Irishman’s second spell at Parkhead has already started triumphantly.

O’Neil jumping up and celebrating a goal at Paradise in 2025? Who’d have thought it? Not us, that’s for sure.

That said, even if he does enjoy an unbeaten second spell in Scotland, it’s unlikely he’ll be here for very long.

The latest on Celtic’s managerial hunt

Two primary names have been in the conversation to become the new Celtic manager; Ange Postecoglou and Kieran McKenna.

Sadly for the Hoops, they’ve been met with two roadblocks. Reports indicate that McKenna is keen to stay with Ipswich Town for the time being, while Postecoglou is keen to continue to test himself in the Premier League.

Ange enjoyed a great deal of success the last time he was in Glasgow and even if he did win the Europa League with Spurs, his time south of the border has been unconvincing.

Games

113

Wins

83

Draws

12

Defeats

18

Points per game

2.31

Goals

284

Goals conceded

108

Trophies won

5

Sacked by Tottenham Hotspur after finishing just outside the relegation places, he then endured a sticky winless period at Nottingham Forest that saw him given the boot after a matter of weeks in the hot seat.

Ange’s stock, therefore, has arguably never been lower.

So, who do Dermot Desmond and Co turn to next? Reports indicate it could be a manager in Belgium.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

According to Voetbal Nieuws, via Sport Witness, Celtic have made initial contact in a bid to hire Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen.

Hayen has emerged on the Bhoys’ radar in the last few days but now it’s thought talks have taken place, with Celtic set to offer what is described as a ‘huge’ salary to tempt him away from Brugge.

That said, it’s noted that a hefty compensation fee will be required in order to bring him to Scotland.

Hayen is rated highly and drew 1-1 with Celtic in last season’s Champions League.

What makes Hayen such a good manager

Celtic fans may dream of a Postecoglou return or for McKenna to come to Paradise, but in Hayen then would find an extraordinarily good young manager.

Aged 45, the coach is still very much in the infancy of his career but he’s begun turning heads in Brugge after an interesting rise up the ladder.

After being relegated with Waasland-Beveren in 2020/21, it was with Welsh part-timers Haverfordwest County where the Belgian rediscovered his mojo.

How that move came about was strange. He wasn’t just the manager but he was also the technical director.

While their marriage lasted less than a year, he left quite a mark on the Welsh side, largely due to his footballing philosophy.

In Wales’ top-flight, not many favoured an attractive and passing style of football in such a physical league but Hayen certainly made it work.

Before Brugge faced Manchester City last term, Haverfordwest’s owner, Rob Edwards, noted: “We just went into games expecting to win. We felt we were going to win every game, despite the position we were in. We broke our [records for] biggest away win and biggest home win in the same week. We became a really ruthless team that tried to play football in a different way to what the league is used to, playing out from the back, possession-based. Cymru Premier League is a very direct, physical league.”

Now at Brugge, he ironically replaced Ronny Delia in the hot seat and very quickly led the capital club to the Belgian top-flight title. Unlike Ange, whose struggles in England are well documented, Hayen is currently at the top of his game; his stock has never been higher. Postecoglou, on the other hand, well his reputation is on the floor.

In Hayen, Desmond would be hiring a forward-thinking manager, one who employs attacking and attractive football, someone who would suit Celtic’s principles. It may sound like Postecoglou but the 45-year-old has recent form on his side; Brugge sit second in the Belgian top-flight.

One analyst on social media has already described him as “tactically unbeatable” and a “man made for the elite level of football”.

His results don’t lie either. Last season, Club Brugge defeated Aston Villa and Sporting CP in the league phase of the Champions League. They drew with Juventus and then beat fellow Italian side, Atalanta, over two legs in the play-offs to reach the last 16 where they eventually came unstuck against Villa.

While Desmond’s initial ambitions will be built on winning the title, improving in Europe certainly wouldn’t go amiss. Hayen looks like he could improve Celtic in a whole host of areas.

Ahead of Rob Edwards’ arrival, The Athletic’s David Ornstein has already shared one problem that the new Wolverhampton Wanderers boss will face in the January transfer window.

It has been a disastrous start for those in the Midlands, who recently sacked manager Vitor Pereira after less than a year in charge. Since returning to the Premier League in 2018, their top-flight status hasn’t looked as at risk as it is now. They currently sit eight points adrift of safety after 11 games and remain the only side in the league yet to pick up a win.

Turning things around from here will be far from easy, but it’s Rob Edwards who looks set to be handed that very task. The Middlesbrough boss wasn’t in the dugout for Boro’s victory over Birmingham City on Saturday and the club confirmed that he’s set to join Wolves, much to their reluctance.

The Championship side said in a statement: “Middlesbrough Football Club have, subject to the completion of an agreement with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, given head coach Rob Edwards permission to speak to Wolves.

“We initially rejected an approach from Wolves on the basis that Rob signed a three-year contract with MFC less than six months ago. Following discussions with Rob we were disappointed to learn that he wanted to speak with Wolves regarding their head coach vacancy. We have now agreed terms with Wolves, subject to completion of the relevant paperwork.”

Gary O'Neil favourite is on borrowed time at Wolves after Edwards arrival

Rob Edwards could look to immediately ditch this Wolverhampton Wanderers flop when he enters the Molineux dug-out.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 9, 2025

Edwards now also has the chance for some Premier League redemption, having been relegated with Luton Town the last time that he was in England’s top tier. Guiding Wolves to safety from this point would more than put those demons to bed.

With a new manager on the way, Wolves should be ones to watch in the January transfer window, but the reality is that they’re already facing one frustrating problem.

Ornstein reveals first transfer problem for Edwards at Wolves

Speaking on NBC Sports ahead of the manager’s arrival, Ornstein revealed that Edwards may only be able to sign homegrown players at Wolves in the January transfer window.

It’s a move that will immediately limit the new manager, but one that – according to Ornstein – will be made to prepare Wolves for any potential Championship campaign next season.

Just who arrives as a result is the big question. Edwards could yet return to Middlesbrough in an attempt to lure some of his former stars to the Premier League, but whether they’d join a side who look destined for relegation remains to be seen.

Every Premier League and EFL manager sacked in the 2025/26 season

Chelsea have now submitted an opening bid for Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, amid a new update on his future at the La Liga club.

The Blues already have a plethora of attacking options, having invested heavily during the summer transfer window, with Jamie Gittens grabbing his first Premier League assist of the season in the 2-0 victory against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

Gittens set up fellow winger Pedro Neto with a perfectly weighted ball from the left, before Enzo Fernandez sealed all three points with just minutes left to play, moving the Blues up to second in the Premier League in the process.

After the disappointing 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at the end of October, Enzo Maresca’s side look like they are starting to click, and there may be an outside chance they could even compete for the title, although BlueCo may need to strengthen the squad in January to make that dream a reality.

Chelsea submit opening offer for Nico Williams

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea have now submitted an opening offer of €70m (£62m) for Athletic Club star Williams, and they are willing to triple the winger’s salary in order to tempt him into a January move to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have been working on a deal for weeks, and they are now confident they will be able to get it over the line soon, with the 23-year-old being identified as a key target, although there is set to be competition for his signature.

Tottenham Hotspur have now matched the west Londoners’ offer for the Spain international, with it being revealed his future at Athletic Club is ‘more open than ever’, amid interest from two of the Premier League’s top sides.

There are question marks over whether the Athletic Club star would be a necessary signing, given that Maresca already has a wide array of attacking options, as Chelsea have been obsessed with signing young forwards with high potential.

However, the Pamplona-born forward has certainly impressed in both Spain and Europe over the past three seasons, indicating he could be capable of displacing Gittens in the starting XI at left-wing.

Nico Williams’ performance by season

Appearances (all comps)

Goal contributions

2023-24

37

26

2024-25

45

18

2025-26

10

4

The Spaniard was also one of the stars of Euro 2024, scoring two goals and picking up one assist as his side went on to defeat England 2-1 in the final, while Statman Dave was left particularly impressed by his performance against Georgia in the round of 16.

As such, Williams, who is regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, could be a solid signing for Chelsea, as they look to mount an outside push for the Premier League title.

Chelsea plotting fresh talks to sign another winger alongside Williams Chelsea plot fresh talks with forward after failed £62m bid and 'very exciting proposal'

He’d be a stellar addition to Enzo Maresca’s side.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 20, 2025