All posts by z3u9t.icu

Danny Rohl is close to being named as the new Rangers boss, and Sky Sports have shared a live update from outside Ibrox after an “11th hour and 59th minute” twist.

Rangers on brink of Rohl announcement after late breakdown in talks

“Let’s start with the huge developments in the last half hour,” said a Sky Sports presenter live on TV on Monday afternoon. “Danny Rohl looks set to be named as the new head coach at Rangers.”

The 36-year-old former Sheffield Wednesday head coach had ruled himself out of the race to become Russell Martin’s successor last week when Kevin Muscat appeared to be front runner.

However, it emerged on Sunday night that no agreement could be reached with Muscat, which threw the Ibrox club into managerial limbo ahead of the Thursday night’s Europa League clash with Brann in Norway.

Sky’s Adam Binnie has now reported live from outside Ibrox, shedding some light on just how close they were to appointing Muscat: “The club continued into advanced talks with Kevin Muscat which fell through at the 11th hour, or the 11th hour and 59th minute.

“After all that falling out, that meant that Rohl was back in contention… now he is the leading candidate and is expected to take over.”

Rohl, who Binnie confirms was third choice after Steven Gerrard and Muscat, led The Owls to a 12th-place league finish in his only full season as a manager before leaving the troubled Yorkshire club in July.

Rangers’ Under-19 boss Stevie Smith was in interim charge for the 2-2 draw with Dundee United at Ibrox on Saturday. Former Gers defender Smith took over first-team training along with B team coach Brian Gilmour, goalkeeping coach Sal Bibbo and head of performance Rhys Owen, on Martin’s departure.

The Ibrox club sit sixth in the William Hill Premiership with nine points from eight fixtures and are 13 points behind leaders Hearts.

Gers fans disgruntled by the failure of Martin, the start to the season where Rangers were also bounced out of the Champions League play-off on a 9-1 aggregate defeat by Belgian side Club Brugge, and latterly the new boss recruitment process, have turned against chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

A banner was held up at half-time during the Dundee United game which read: ‘Stewart, Thelwell pack your bags and go before we pack them for you’.

It’s not been a great start to the season for Chelsea.

In the Premier League, Enzo Maresca’s side sits in eighth place with two wins, two draws, and two losses from their opening six games.

In the Champions League, they lost to Bayern Munich before beating Benfica, and in the League Cup, they just about got over the line against League One side Lincoln City.

Unsurprisingly, plenty of the Blues’ exciting young stars, like Jamie Gittens, have struggled this year, which makes their decision to sell an upgrade on him in the summer all the more perplexing.

Gittens poor start to life at Chelsea

Chelsea opted to spend around £48m on Gittens in the summer, and while such a fee now seems a little excessive, it didn’t appear too high at the time.

After all, the 21-year-old ended last season having scored 12 goals and provided five assists from 48 games for Borussia Dortmund.

Moreover, Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley even went as far as to claim he was “England’s best left winger in 2024/25”.

Unfortunately, it would seem utterly absurd to make such a claim today, as the Reading-born ace has so far failed to live up to expectations at Chelsea.

As things stand, the dynamic winger has made six appearances for the club, of which three have been starts, and yet he has not scored or provided an assist.

However, it’s worse than that, as, on top of having no end product, the summer signing hasn’t even had moments in which he’s looked promising, let alone good.

In almost all of his appearances, he ends up going missing, and when he does have the ball at his feet, he seemingly always makes the wrong decision.

For example, he failed to have a single shot on target in 70 minutes against Lincoln and gave away the ball with every other touch in his cameo against Benfica.

The performances have been so underwhelming that one content creator has labelled him as “shockingly bad.”

Minutes

29′

Expected Assists

0.01

Shots on Target

0

Dribbles (Successful)

3 (1)

Touches

16

Lost Possession

8

Accurate Passes

3/5

Key Passes

0

Duels (Won)

8 (4)

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Gittens’ poor start to the season has left some wondering why the club sold someone who looks like a far better player, someone some have even compared to Bukayo Saka.

The Gittens upgrade sold by Chelsea

The nature of Chelsea’s transfer strategy means that they are going to sell some young talents too soon, or without securing adequate backup.

Chalkboard

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

That seems to be the case with Noni Madueke, as even though he had his own problems at Chelsea, it’s hard not to look at him as a clear upgrade on Gittens at the moment.

Now, there will be plenty of you happily pointing out that, like the former Dortmund star, the new Arsenal is yet to score a goal or provide an assist for his new club.

However, ask a fan of the Gunners, or a pundit for that matter, and they’ll happily explain that while the lack of end product isn’t ideal, it doesn’t take away from the fact that, before his injury, the Englishman was a breath of fresh air.

The “mentality monster,” as dubbed by former personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, has brought a level of directness that has been missing from the North Londoners for some time, and was so good in the game against Nottingham Forest that he got a standing ovation.

In fact, he’s been so exciting to watch that some have even suggested he could truly rival Saka for a place in the starting lineup, with former Chelsea and England defender Paul Parker saying: “With the way he plays, I actually think he’s better than Bukayo Saka.”

While that is almost certainly overdoing it, comparing Madueke and Gitten’s underlying numbers from this season makes it clear that the former Blues star is doing far more for his new side than his younger compatriot.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.13

0.28

Progressive Passes

0.53

2.50

Progressive Carries

4.21

5.91

Shots on Target

0.37

0.92

Key Passes

1.58

1.82

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.53

1.82

Shot-Creating Actions

3.09

3.20

Goal-Creating Actions

0.00

0.46

Successful Take-Ons

1.58

1.82

For example, even with the easier game against Lincoln, the former PSV Eindhoven star performs far better in key metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, passes into the penalty area, successful take-ons, and more, all per 90 minutes.

In other words, despite playing tougher opposition, the West Londoners’ former winger is putting up far better numbers than their new one this season.

Ultimately, things may well work out for Gittens, but as things stand, it looks like Chelsea made a mistake signing him and selling Madueke.

"We will be ready" – Pedro Neto reveals Chelsea "resilience" and sends Liverpool warning

The Portugal international has become a mainstay under Maresca.

ByBen Goodwin Oct 1, 2025

Brendan Rodgers has not tried to keep his desire for the Celtic board to bring in more attackers before the end of the summer transfer window a secret.

The Northern Irish head coach has lost Portuguese winger Jota to a long-term ACL injury, and may not have him back until the start of next year, whilst Nicolas Kuhn has been sold to Italian side Como.

Speaking earlier this month, Rodgers said: “I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”

This shows that the Hoops head coach wants to add more attacking players in before September’s deadline, and the wide areas seem an obvious area for improvement.

At this moment in time, James Forrest, Hyun-jun Yang, and Daizen Maeda are the only senior and natural wingers in the squad for what could be a 50-60-game season.

The Scottish Premiership champions need to strengthen their options on the flanks, both because of their lack of depth and their lack of real quality.

Why Celtic need to sign a James Forrest upgrade

Forrest was called upon as a starter in the second game of the league season against Aberdeen after Rodgers was left unconvinced by Yang’s display against St Mirren on the opening day.

The 34-year-old winger is a steady performer for Celtic and will rarely let the team down with abysmal displays, but he is not a game-changer who will consistently make an impact in the final third, and nor should anyone expect him to be at this stage in his career.

Since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, Forrest has only scored one goal and provided seven assists in 36 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt.

The former Scotland international’s performances in the first two matches of the Premiership outline the kind of role he should have, and the level of output that he can offer at this point in his career.

Minutes

32

78

Key passes

0

2

Big chances created

0

0

Shots on target

0

0

Dribbles completed

0/0

3/5

Possession lost

11x

9x

As you can see in the table above, Forrest did not produce a single shot on target or create any ‘big chances’ for his teammates in either match, but did complete three dribbles and rarely lost possession of the ball.

This further backs up the idea that he should be used sparingly as a back-up option for Rodgers, as was his role in the 2024/25 campaign, rather than being a frontline option because of a lack of signings made in the transfer window.

That is why Celtic need to sign a new winger to be an upgrade on Forrest as a starter, and the club have reportedly identified a top target for that position.

Celtic pursuing deal for Danish star

According to Football Insider, Rodgers is ‘desperate’ to sign a new winger for Celtic and the Hoops have identified Jakbo Breum as their top target to bolster their options out wide.

Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke said: “Celtic are pursuing a deal for Jakob Breum from Go Ahead Eagles. He has been the top target for them this summer and they’ve had several bids turned down for him.

Transfer Focus

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

“So if they can’t agree a deal for him, they could return for Balikwisha. Brendan Rodgers wants to bring in a winger, it’s been a key position for him this summer, so he’ll be hopeful they can get a deal over the line.”

Go Ahead Eagles reportedly want a fee of £5m for the Denmark U21 international, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to pay that asking price for him.

Breum is the top target, though, per O’Rourke, and they should push the boat out to pay what is needed to sign him if they feel that he would be the best fit for the squad.

Why Breum would be an upgrade on Forrest

The Danish star is a versatile attacker who can play as a number ten or on either flank, and the Hoops could utilise his talent out on the right wing as an upgrade on Forrest.

Breum would come in and offer more quality at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals in comparison to the veteran Scotsman, if he can adapt to football in Scotland and translate his performances from the Netherlands over to Glasgow.

The 21-year-old wizard, who was described as an “exciting” talent by Sport Republic video scout RDF Tactics, caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Eredivisie for Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign.

Breum showcased his ability to make an impact as both a scorer and a creator of goals by delivering five assists and scoring ten goals in 26 league appearances for the club, significantly outperforming his xG of 6.27.

Appearances

26

23

Goals

10

1

Big chances missed

4

4

Key passes per game

1.7

1.1

Big chances created

6

5

Assists

5

5

Dribble success rate

47%

38%

As you can see in the table above, the Danish talent outperformed Forrest with his output at the top end of the pitch, despite playing for a Go Ahead Eagles side that finished seventh in the division.

In a dominant Celtic team that consistently wins, as evidenced by their achievement of winning the last four Premiership titles, Breum could have even more opportunities to show off his quality in front of goal as both a finisher and a creative passer.

This means that the £5m-rated star could provide even more goals and assists than he did in the Eredivisie with Go Ahead Eagles, which is why he could be a big upgrade on Forrest, who he already delivered more goal contributions than at league level last term.

At the age of 21, Breum would also arrive at Parkhead as a young player who still has time left ahead of him. This means that Rodgers could work with him on the training pitch to develop and hone his skills to make him a star for the Hoops moving forward.

Celtic could avenge Kvistgaarden miss with swoop for "flamboyant" £7m star

Celtic could avenge their Mathias Kvistgaarden blunder with a swoop to sign this star.

ByDan Emery Aug 16, 2025

Glasgow Rangers are leading the race to sign a young talent who has even been compared to Brazil superstar Neymar, with the player thought to have chosen a move to Ibrox despite a long list of suitors.

Martin expects more departures as Rangers ramp up business

Robin Propper’s time as a Gers player has reached its conclusion, with the centre-back returning to former club FC Twente after struggling to consistently impress at Ibrox.

Speaking over the weekend, manager Russell Martin admitted that there is interest in various other Rangers players, too, with plenty of outgoing business expected this summer.

While much focus is on the players who could leave Rangers in the coming weeks, new signings are also essential, and it looks as though the Scottish Premiership giants are in pole position to snap up a high level youngster.

Rangers set to win race for Mikey Moore

According to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge, the Gers have won the race to sign Tottenham sensation Mikey Moore on loan despite competition from the English Championship.

Moore is such a gifted player with a big future in the game, so the idea of him spending the 2025/26 season at Rangers is a mouthwatering prospect.

Rangers: "Fearless" gem wants to move to Ibrox with Gers in negotiations

The Gers have been handed a major boost.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 28, 2025

The 17-year-old winger has an incredible 32 goal contributions (19 goals and 13 assists) in just 24 appearances for Spurs’ under-18 side, also netting once for the senior side to date and being lauded as similar to Neymar by teammate James Maddison.

“From minute 45 to 65 I thought we had Neymar on the left wing. He was brilliant. Just demanding the ball and fearless. [He has] that young, fearless mentality and you never want to take that away from him. He’s a young kid, a brilliant lad, a lovely boy. He takes in information, and he’s got bags of ability, so I’ll be there as an older player, hopefully with some wise words to help along the way.”

Martin knows that extra firepower is needed if his Rangers side are to have a chance of winning the Scottish Premiership title next season, and in Moore they would be signing an extremely talented youngster with the potential to excel on loan, no doubt wanting to prove his worth to Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White this summer has already been one of the sagas of the window, with the Nottingham Forest star at the heart of the controversy.

Nearly two weeks ago now, the Lilywhites triggered the 25-year-old’s release clause within his contract, but that’s where the issue over the currently lies.

His clause was seen as a secret within his contract, leading to Nuno Espírito Santo’s side claiming Thomas Frank’s men made an illegal approach for the midfielder’s signature.

It now appears as though Forest have ceased all negotiations with Spurs, putting the deal in potential doubt, with the player himself expected to join the Reds squad on their pre-season tour.

As a result, other summer targets are now being considered by the hierarchy, as they look to back Frank in his quest for success during his first year at the helm.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Over the last couple of days, Atlético Madrid star Conor Gallagher has been touted as a potential option for Spurs in the midfield department during the current window.

It remains unclear how much a deal for the former Chelsea star would cost this summer, but the hierarchy have wasted no time in pursuing a move after making contact with the LaLiga side over a potential deal.

However, he’s not the only player currently on their radar this window, with Brentford star Yoane Wissa a player firmly in their sights, according to Ben Jacobs.

The journalist claims that the Lilywhites have been in talks with the Bees over a move for the 28-year-old, who registered 19 league goals during the 2024/25 season.

He also states that Newcastle United and Forest are in the race for his signature, but any deal could be an expensive one given his current £50m price tag.

Why Spurs’ £50m target would be a better signing than Gibbs-White

There’s no denying that, given his tally of 15 combined goals and assists in the Premier League last season, that Gibbs-White would be a tremendous addition for Spurs.

However, the current scenario could have repercussions such as a hefty fine or even a transfer embargo should the club be found guilty of their actions.

It’s also unclear what role he would play within Frank’s side, especially considering James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have mainly operated in such a role in recent times.

A deep-lying option is more of a priority within the midfield department this summer, with a new talisman also needed to provide competition to Dominic Solanke.

The aforementioned scenarios would make Wissa an ideal option for Frank’s side this summer, not to mention he enjoyed his best-ever campaign under his guidance last time around.

When comparing his stats to those of current number nine Solanke, he’s managed to outperform him in key areas, showcasing why he’d be an excellent addition for the Lilywhites.

Wissa, who’s been labelled “remarkable” by journalist Zach Lowy, massively outscored the Englishman, whilst posting a better goal per shot on target rate – showcasing his clinical edge in front of goal.

Games played

35

27

Goals & assists

23

12

Shot on target accuracy

46%

40%

Goals per shot on target

0.6

0.3

Pass accuracy

77%

70%

Key passes made

0.9

0.5

Carries into 18-yard box

1.1

0.5

Aerial success rate

46%

43%

He also managed to complete more of the passes he attempted, whilst also notching more key passes per 90, having the creative ability to allow players around him to thrive in North London.

The DR Congo star’s dominance is further reflected in his aerial success rate, winning more duels and subsequently offering Frank’s side a needed focal point.

£50m may appear to be a hefty fee for the 28-year-old, but given his recent withdrawal from Brentford’s pre-season tour, he could well be available for a cheaper fee.

If he can replicate his form across the capital with the Lilywhites, it would be a phenomenal pickup, landing a player who would certainly have more of an impact than Gibbs-White.

Bigger star than Vuskovic: Spurs make club-record bid for "phenomenal" ace

Tottenham Hotspur’s heavy spending this summer has shown no signs of slowing down in recent days.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 23, 2025

Tottenham could bare witness to the departures of some high-profile names this summer, and not everyone will be along for the ride of Thomas Frank’s first full campaign in charge of the Lilywhites.

£50m striker now "pushing" to leave his club, he wants to join Tottenham

Spurs are targeting him despite their marquee double deal for Mohammed Kudus and Morgan Gibbs-White.

3 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 12, 2025

After the signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, which was confirmed earlier this week, Spurs now have around 24 non-locally trained men in their squad, which means they may be forced to sell at least one overseas player to comply with UEFA’s 25-man Champions League squad rules (The Telegraph).

The north Londoners have a host of options to choose from in their bid to balance the books, including the likes of Son Heung-min, Bryan Gil, Manor Solomon, Richarlison, Cristian Romero and Yves Bisssouma – who’ve all been linked with exits this summer.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Gil and Solomon are surely nailed on to leave Tottenham after spending 2024/2025 on loan at Girona and Leeds United respectively, and the latter’s sale would also count as pure profit in the eyes of PSR given the Israeli signed as a free agent in 2023.

Richarlison is also said to be attracting serious interest from Vasco de Gama after an injury-ridden season, with their president, Pedrinho, alleged to have personally phoned the Brazilian to gauge his current situation (Leonardo Lacerda).

The most unfortunate potential departures by a country mile would be those of Son and Romero.

Daniel Levy may be forced into the tough business decision of selling Son, amid interest from Saudi Arabia, the MLS and Turkey, given he’s now entered the final 12 months of his contract.

Meanwhile, Romero is rumoured to be keen on a move to Atlético Madrid, who equally want the Argentine themselves, so Tottenham could have to entertain a suitable bid from the La Liga side, if one indeed arrives.

As well as the aforementioned trio of senior first-teamers, another facing an uncertain future comes in the form of £100,000-per-week midfielder Yves Bissouma.

Fenerbahce chief travels to London for talks with Yves Bissouma

Bissouma is rumoured to be a realistic high-profile departure, with The Telegraph reporting that he’s “expected” to leave N17 this summer.

José Mourinho has also earmarked the Mali international as a top target for Fenerbahçe, according to Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu, who’s now shared another update on the Süper Lig side’s serious interest.

Sabuncuoğlu, taking to X, now states that a Fenerbahçe representative has travelled to London for talks with Bissouma, so this transfer is now starting to gain traction.

The 28-year-old, like Son, has just one year left on his contract at Spurs, so now absolutely could be the time to sell him.

Bissouma put in some impressive performances during Tottenham’s run to the Europa League final last season, and displayed real flashes of brilliance overall since his £25 million move from Brighton in 2022. However, there have always been concerns surrounding his consistency, even if he has a reputation for being an “underrated” ball carrier.

“Yves is a guy I appreciate a lot,” said teammate Pape Sarr to The Telegraph last year.

“We’ve both come over from Africa, and he gives me lots of advice. He behaves a lot like my big brother. He has such an important role within the team and the club. I always listen to what he’s got to say.”

Joao Pedro was the perfect fit for Newcastle United, the ideal profile to nestle into the front ranks and challenge Alexander Isak for the spot at number nine.

The Brazil forward’s range of properties even suggested he could be ferried out wide, matching the fluid positional values Eddie Howe seeks from his players.

However, the Toon could only watch as Pedro opted to become the latest to walk the well-trodden path from Brighton to Chelsea, joining Enzo Maresca’s side for £60m.

Newcastle have since agreed a £52m deal with Nottingham Forest for Anthony Elanga, but a frontman is still needed.

The latest on Newcastle's search for a striker

It’s a marker of PIF’s ambition that they have expressed an interest in signing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike.

However, the Frenchman, 23, is valued at €100m (£85m), and this is too expensive, with Ekitike’s many suitors all presently hesitant to advance their curiosity.

While Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a free agent after leaving Everton last month, would be a far less costly option, he’s perhaps not quite good enough for Howe’s vision.

Especially when considering Brentford’s Yoane Wissa is an option. As per Caught Offside, the 28-year-old is attracting interest from all the far-flung corners of the Premier League, with the Magpies joined by Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in their interest.

Spurs appear to be leading the pack, having already begun talks ahead of a potential move, although both Newcastle and the Red Devils are set to offer ‘competition’, with the pair said to be ‘both exploring the market’ for a new centre-forward.

He’s been priced at £50m, and that’s no small sum. However, Wissa is a proven goalscorer in England’s top flight and is dynamic enough to play that Pedro-esque role, knocking on Isak’s door or indeed complementing him.

What Yoane Wissa would bring to Newcastle

Wissa has been an important player for Brentford over the past four years, helping Frank to secure a comfortable place in the Premier League after joining from French club Lorient for £8.5m in 2021.

With an interesting blend of pace and power, Wissa is the real deal, stepping up and then some for the Bees over the past year, with Ivan Toney having moved to the Saudi Pro League.

As Brentford’s focal striker last season, he scored 19 goals and provided five assists across 35 Premier League matches, with Frank describing his iconic partnership with Bryan Mbeumo as “unplayable” (after their 4-1 win over the Toon in December 2024).

Wissa’s distinctive style of play has even seen Newcastle’s Isak drawn as one of his most comparable players. FBref’s data pointed toward a likeness, with Wissa ranked among the top 15% of strikers across Europe last year for goals scored, the top 14% for pass completion and the top 18% for progressive carries per 90.

Isak scored 27 goals across all competitions in 2024/25, but he offers so much more than a mere goal threat, with intelligent off-the-ball movement and menacing motions in the final third apt to wrongfoot many an unfortunate defender.

Wissa isn’t Isak, but he does have a wide-ranging skill set of his own that offers shades of the 25-year-old’s game. This is why United wanted Pedro. They missed out, but could sign just as interesting a profile here.

Centre-forward

86

34

8

Left winger

28

6

4

Right winger

7

4

0

Attacking midfield

3

1

0

As you can see, his versatile nature expands his potential in a prospective attacking position at Newcastle. He’s been hailed for his “unbelievable” quality by former Brentford boss Thomas Frank.

In this way, Wissa’s similarity with Isak is further underscored, for the Sweden international, while typically fixed at number nine, has been called “the complete striker” by pundit Alan Shearer, who even went on to liken him to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

As Howe leads his troops back onto Europe’s elite stage, he’ll need strength in depth to compete and to flourish.

In Wissa, he might just find the perfect man for the job.

Better than Elanga: Newcastle ready to accelerate move for £40m "menace"

Newcastle are looking to add further depth out wide

6 ByJoe Nuttall Jul 10, 2025

Arsenal have plenty of time on their hands to bring in stars to strengthen their bid for the Premier League title, but may now face a battle to retain one of their key men, according to a report.

Arsenal closing in on Martin Zubimendi deal

In what appears to have become a long-running saga, Arsenal are close to signing Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi after the Spain international was in London over the weekend to try and iron out the finer details of his move.

With Thomas Partey set to leave the Gunners on a free transfer amid interest from Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, there is definite scope for Mikel Arteta to reshape his engine room ahead of another campaign where his side are expected to lead the fight on all fronts.

Nevertheless, there is still no clear direction on whether Arsenal will sign Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres to lead the line as the financials involved between the club and either RB Leipzig or Sporting remain to be determined.

Of course, the Gunners have plenty of capital to play with in North London, but they need to factor in the best possible way to use it without being short-changed in their hunt for reinforcements.

Taking a measured approach to signings makes a degree of sense, though there is always a sense of impatience among supporters desperate to see new arrivals.

Arsenal ready move to sign £40m+ Chelsea star with Maresca open to offers

The Gunners are reportedly ready to launch a surprising move.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 23, 2025

Jorrel Hato is another long-term Arsenal target. Still, there may need to be one or two departures to bankroll their summer spending spree.

Looking ahead to potential events that could occur, the Gunners now have a major decision on their hands involving one of their most important contributors.

Arsenal could face battle to retain Gabriel Martinelli

According to TBR, Arsenal could struggle to retain Gabriel Martinelli after Bayern Munich made contact over a potential move for the Brazil international.

Lodging an enquiry, the Bundesliga champions have tempted the 24-year-old to think about his future, and he is said to be ‘exploring his options’ and hasn’t made a conclusive decision over whether to stay in North London or otherwise.

Gabriel Martinelli’s Premier League campaign in numbers – 2024/25 (Fotmob)

Chances created

40

Successful dribbles

33

Shots

55

Shots on target

25

Successful crosses

22

Labelled “brilliant” by teammate Gabriel Jesus, Saudi Pro League clubs have also expressed an interest in his services, though it feels unlikely that he would opt to leave Europe’s top-five leagues during a relatively early stage in his career.

Enjoying a productive time of things last term, £180,000 per week earner Martinelli registered ten goals and six assists in 51 appearances across all competitions and wouldn’t be easy to replace at the Emirates Stadium.

Intriguingly, Arsenal have looked at Chelsea’s Noni Madueke after missing out on Nico Williams to Barcelona, so there is a possibility that wingers will form a key part of their transfer strategy regardless of the outcome elsewhere.

Celtic enjoyed another successful season in 2024/25 under Brendan Rodgers, winning another Scottish Premiership title while also lifting the Scottish League Cup.

The Hoops narrowly missed out on a domestic treble, however, attention is already turning to the new campaign with additions already made in the transfer market.

Kieran Tierney’s return to Celtic Park has now been confirmed, with the left-back joining on a free transfer after his contract at the Emirates expired. Talking after re-joining Celtic, Tierney was delighted.:

The Scot will be looking to add to his tally of 11 Celtic honours over the coming years, but who else could join Tierney and Fulham youngster Callum Osmand through the Parkhead door this summer?

Celtic's most expensive sales of all time

Celtic have let some of their finest talents move for big money in the past.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 3, 2025

Grok the AI tool on X, has predicted five more signings Celtic could make this summer, totalling more than £20m.

AI predicts 5 players Celtic will sign this summer 1 Mathias Kvistgaarden Brondby (£8m)

A new attacking addition looks set to be on the to-do list at Parkhead, with Mathias Kvistgaarden a long-term target for the Hoops.

Wanted by Celtic over the last 12 months, they have once again been linked with a move this summer. The closest Rodgers’ side have come to signing Kvistgaarden was in January after Kyogo Furuhashi left to join Rennes.

Grok have put an estimated £8m transfer fee on a deal as Celtic search for their Kyogo replacement.

2 Lennon Miller Motherwell (£5m)

Lennon Miller continues to be a man in-demand after starring at Motherwell, with Celtic among the many clubs looking to sign the talented teenage midfielder.

Recent claims have suggested that the Hoops are set to go back in for the 18-year-old after seeing a bid turned down in January, and Grok thinks a transfer could be worth £5m for the now Scotland international.

Amid reports of Sunderland looking at signing Miller for £10m, Celtic may well be delighted if they can sign him for half the price.

3 Harley Mills Peterborough United (£2m)

Despite already signing Tierney, Celtic could still yet bring another left-back to Glasgow to replace Greg Taylor.

Peterborough United’s Harley Mills may well be that man to provide competition to Tierney, with an approach made by the Hoops for the EFL ace.

Mills starred at Wembley for Peterborough against Birmingham in their Vertu Cup final victory, scoring a free-kick, and he could cost up to £2m according to Grok.

4 Nilson Angulo Anderlecht (£5m)

Celtic have been predicted to bring in a South American winger over the coming months, and Nilson Angulo, dubbed as “the next Neymar” in the media, may well be that man.

An Ecuador international, the Hoops recently expressed an interest in signing Angulo, who can play on either flank. He has already played in the Europa League for Anderlecht and is still just 21 years of age.

Grok say a ‘young, dynamic winger would fit Rodgers’ vision for Champions League impact’, and Angulo could be that man in a deal potentially worth up to £5m.

5 James Penrice Hearts (£2m)

Described by Grok as a domestic solution for defensive depth, Hearts left-back James Penrice is another who has been backed to move to Celtic Park this summer in a deal worth up to £2m.

This comes after Celtic scouted the 26-year-old, who impressed at Tynecastle in what was a struggling Hearts side.

As well as playing in his primary left-back role, Penrice can also turn out as a left midfielder or as a central midfielder, providing plenty of versatility for Rodgers.

If you were to ask Arsenal fans what they need this summer, we’d hazard a guess that the majority would be crying out for a new striker and winger this summer.

However, while those fans certainly aren’t wrong, it does now look like the Gunners will need to further bolster their midfield as well.

We say this as Jorginho has already joined Flamengo, and contract talks with Thomas Partey are reportedly not advancing, so even though Martin Zubimendi’s transfer is all but wrapped up, the North Londoners should probably be looking to sign another central midfielder.

Fortunately, recent reports suggest that is going to happen, with Arsenal now linked to an exciting star compared to Chelsea’s incredible Moises Caicedo.

Arsenal looking to sign new midfielder

While the news concerning Partey’s negotiations is relatively recent, Arsenal have been linked with plenty of midfield options over the last few weeks and months, such as Andrey Santos and Adam Wharton.

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However, with the former now integrated into the Chelsea set-up and looking likely to make his competitive debut for the team at the Club World Cup, and the latter valued at up to £80m, neither feel like realistic targets.

Moreover, neither youngster has really been compared to the brilliant Caicedo, unlike Lucien Agoume.

Yes, according to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal are incredibly interested in the dynamic Sevilla star.

The story has revealed that the Gunners have already been in contact and held talks with the player’s representatives over the prospect of a transfer this summer.

Reportedly, the 22-year-old would be open to joining the club and can see a future for himself at the Emirates, and it might not cost the Gunners much at all, with other reports from Spain claiming he could be available for just £17m.

It might not be the most exciting of transfers, but Agoume looks set to be a star, and given the fact he’s already been compared to Caicedo, he’s a player Arsenal should be looking to bring in.

How Agoume compares to Caicedo

There are a plethora of reasons why Arsenal should be looking to sign Agoume this summer, but before we get to them, it’s crucial to examine this comparison to Caicedo and where it comes from.

Well, in this instance it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, before creating a list of the then most comparable players for each one.

In this case, it was concluded that the Chelsea star has been the second most similar midfielder to the Sevilla star across the last 35 days.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.14

0.10

Progressive Passes

5.74

5.78

Progressive Carries

1.23

1.16

Shots on Target

0.09

0.08

Expected Assists

0.07

0.08

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.81

0.91

Shot-Creating Actions

2.55

2.63

Goal-Creating Actions

0.21

0.24

Tackles

2.98

3.06

Blocks

1.28

1.32

The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, expected assists, tackles, blocks, progressive carries and passes, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

And then, on top of being statistically similar to one of the leading midfielders in the Premier League, the “10 out of 10 talent,” as he was dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also reasonably versatile.

So, while he does tend to thrive as a six, thanks to him being such a “good dueller,” per analyst Ben Mattinson, he could start in a more central role, and he’s even played in more offensive areas, which is where he can really leverage his impressive passing range.

Ultimately, while he’d likely be a backup option for at least a season or two, Agoume’s talent is undeniable, and therefore, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign him this summer before someone else gets there first.

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