Real Madrid’s superiority was challenged in the early 2000s as Valencia disrupted La Liga’s natural order, and Galácticos legend Zinedine Zidane has revealed he requested the signing of an England legend to put Madrid back on their perch.

Zidane and Real’s path to the 2001/02 Champions League final was one of the great knockout runs in club football history, beating Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals and arch-rivals Barcelona in the last four, before besting an elite Bayer Leverkusen team led by Michael Ballack in the final.

The French football legend scored perhaps his most famous goal in that final, volleying home Roberto Carlos’ looped cross from the edge of the box to win the match 2-1.

However, that triumph was the start of somewhat of a trophy drought by Madrid’s own lofty standards. They won the La Liga title the following year, but did not win another top flight title until 2007 and had to wait until 2011 before their next cup win, which was the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona accompanied English and Italian sides in dominating Europe’s elite competition, as Real president Florentino Perez adopted a policy of superstar signings to regain their status as Kings of the continent.

Madrid’s Galácticos 2000-2010

Year

Fee

From

Luis Figo

2000

€60m

Barcelona

Zinedine Zidane

2001

€73.5m

Juventus

Ronaldo Nazario

2002

€45m

Inter

David Beckham

2003

€37.5m

Man Utd

Michael Owen

2004

€9m

Liverpool

Robinho

2005

€24m

Santos

Sergio Ramos

2005

€27m

Sevilla

Fabio Cannavaro

2006

€10m

Juventus

Ruud van Nistelrooy

2006

€14m

Man Utd

Kaka

2009

€67m

Milan

Karim Benzema

2009

€30m

Lyon

Cristiano Ronaldo

2009

€94m

Man Utd

Xabi Alonso

2009

€35.5m

Liverpool

Perez made a habit of luring the Premier League’s top talents to the Spanish capital, with Xabi Alonso revealing how Real tempted him: “I was really happy with the team (Liverpool) and my team-mates and felt that we could do great things.

“I was happy on that side but within a club you have to see the big picture and another season would have been too much for me. It was very difficult to take that decision (to leave) but it was probably for the best for me because if I had stayed another season it would have been uncomfortable for me.”

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However, not everyone caved to the temptation, with Zidane revealing he specifically asked Perez to sign Steven Gerrard, only for the Liverpool captain to refuse the move.

Zidane named Gerrard the 'best player in the world'

Indeed, Real Madrid tried to sign Gerrard once in 2005 and again in 2009, potentially making him one of their biggest signings of the Galácticos era, and Zidane claims it was him who pushed Perez to make the move, as he believed the Reds star was the number one player in world football.

Gerrard is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in Premier League history despite never winning a league title with Liverpool, while his best finish on the Ballon d’Or podium was third in 2005, placing behind Ronaldinho and Frank Lampard.

There’s no doubt the Liverpool superstar was let down by his teammates in the quest to add team trophies to his individual accolades, and one has to wonder how his status in the game would be viewed if he had joined Madrid at Zidane’s request.

With Habib Diarra signed and Reinildo also on his way, Sunderland are now reportedly battling against Paris Saint-Germain to secure their third arrival of the summer.

Sunderland set to sign Diarra and Reinildo

Just when Leeds United believed they were in the driving seat, Sunderland came bustling in to steal Diarra from under their noses. Outbidding the 49ers, those at the Stadium of Light are reportedly set to secure the midfielder’s signature for a club-record fee of £30m. But they are not done there – far from it, in fact.

After Diarra, the Black Cats have turned towards La Liga and Atletico Madrid to agree a deal for Reinildo Mandava. The left-back is set to become a free agent at the end of next month, allowing Sunderland to swoop in and secure his signature.

Both incoming arrivals signal Sunderland’s intent. None of the last six promoted teams have survived at the first time of asking in the Premier League, but the playoff winners are spending as though they’re in the mood to finally put an end to that trend.

Diarra particularly stands out between the two. The former Strasbourg midfielder gave English football a glimpse of his talents against the Three Lions earlier this month when he scored Sengal’s second goal in a 3-1 win. Now, 20 days on, he’s set to become a permanent feature in the Premier League.

There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and the Black Cats could yet reportedly turn back towards La Liga for yet another reinforcement.

Sunderland racing to sign Gasiorowski

Having already agreed a deal to sign Reinildo from Atletico Madrid, those in Wearside have seemingly returned to La Liga for another talent. According to reports in Spain, Sunderland are now racing PSG to sign Yarek Gasiorowski from Valencia, who are willing to let their centre-back leave below his huge €60m (£51m) release clause.

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Up against PSG and Brighton & Hove Albion, Valencia’s willingness to sell the 20-year-old for around €25m (£21m) rather than demanding his £51m release clause should hand Sunderland a major boost, but would still take their spending upwards of £50m for the summer.

A player with “immense potential” according to scout Jacek Kulig, Gasiorowski would slot straight into Sunderland’s plan to mix players who are on the rise and those who are more established – joining Reinildo and Diarra.

Whether the Black Cats can fend off interest from PSG and Brighton remains to be seen, however, in what would be another impressive signing.

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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Chelsea secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup following an extra-time victory over Benfica at the weekend.

Reece James looked like he had powered the Blues into the next round, but a penalty from Ángel Di María sent the clash into an extra 30 minutes.

The game was suspended for a couple of hours, just minutes from the final whistle, due to a storm threat, but Chelsea finally won the clash 4-1.

It may have taken 4 hours and 39 minutes, but Enzo Maresca’s side now face off against PSG for a spot in the semi-final.

Despite the focus being on the tournament and progressing as far as possible, the manager is still keen on bolstering his squad via the transfer market.

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Reports coming from the Athletic claim that the Blues have reached an agreement with Brighton and Hove Albion regarding a move for Joao Pedro.

The proposed deal looks set to be in excess of £50m and the Brazilian has agreed personal terms with the club.

With a medical booked in early for next week, it appears as though Maresca is closing in on signing another key target. Just what will Pedro offer the Blues?

Why Chelsea want to sign Joao Pedro

Maresca is looking to sell both Christopher Nkunku and João Félix this summer, with both players struggling for regular gametime last season.

Nkunku may have scored against Benfica, but with clubs such as Manchester United showing some interest in the Frenchman, it looks as though he might be sold.

Felix played just 20 times for Maresca last season, scoring seven times, but the Portuguese star spent the second half of the campaign out on loan at AC Milan.

Pedro’s arrival suggests one, or perhaps both, will soon be departing Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks.

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Expand Collapse

The Brighton star is versatile, being able to operate as a centre-forward, second striker or even out wide on the left flank.

Last term, he typically operated in an advanced role centrally, scoring ten goals for the Seagulls and registering seven assists, proving he is adept in front of goal and at creating opportunities for his teammates.

Such were his performances, the 23-year-old ranks highly among his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues.

Indeed, not only does the forward rank in the top 12% for assists (0.28) per 90, but he also ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating actions (3.33) and successful take-ons (1.34) per 90.

Furthermore, Pedro’s ability to get the ball into dangerous areas is evidenced by the fact he ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes (3.6) and in the top 3% for progressive carries (3.05) per 90, indicating that he will offer a lot of attacking qualities for the Blues next term.

It won’t be the only area of the squad that the Italian will be keen on strengthening, however, especially with the added demands of Champions League football next term.

As such, it’s certainly worth Chelsea bringing in a defender or two this summer.

Chelsea's search for a defender

Last season, the club conceded a total of 59 goals across all competitions from 57 matches, and this record will be something Maresca aims to improve next term.

Over the same period, Chelsea scored 120 goals. This suggests that bolstering the defence is surely a bigger priority than adding to the forward line, notably Joao Pedro.

It looks as though the Blues are keen on a defender who played against them just last weekend – Antonio Silva.

Journalist Simon Phillips stated via his Substack that the Blues have been impressed with the youngster, saying:

“Chelsea have tried and made approaches and checks on a number of potential new centre back names this summer so far and still have more to look at and in to. Chelsea have been scouting Antonio Silva of Benfica all season and already have him added to our transfer shortlist alongside his team mate, Tomas Araujo.

“But Chelsea are looking for an out and out centre back and attentions have again turned to the 21-year-old Portuguese international who has just two-years remaining on his contract.”

The centre-back is valued at €32m (£27m) according to Transfermarkt, but Benfica will be looking for a much higher fee than that to sanction a sale considering his release clause stands at around £87m.

Given their defensive issues last term, Silva would be a better signing than Pedro, that’s for sure.

Why Chelsea must sign Antonio Silva

The 21-year-old played over 40 times last season, including all four games at the Club World Cup for Benfica.

At the tournament, Silva averaged a 92% pass success rate, while winning a staggering 80% of his total duels contested, made 2.3 tackles per game and lost possession just 4.3 times per match in the States.

These performances have attracted plenty of attention, and there is no doubt that Silva is only going to get better and better.

Silva’s Liga Portugal statistics last season (Per 90)

Accurate passes

52.3

Tackles

1.5

Total duels won

4.5

Possession lost

7.7

Clearances

4.3

Balls recovered

4

Via Sofascore

After he burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old with a goal against Juventus in the Champions League back in 2022, Jamie Carragher claimed the defender was “going to be a superstar” and his upwards trajectory certainly suggests so.

When compared to his peers in the Champions League last season, Silva ranked in the top 1% for clearances (7.7) per 90, while also ranking in the top 16% for aerials won (2.36) and in the top 9% for touches in the defensive penalty area (12.91) per 90.

An impressive array of statistics indeed, and considering his ceiling is extraordinarily high, Maresca must make signing Silva a key priority this summer.

Pedro will certainly add plenty of dynamism to the club’s attacking department, but it is at the heart of the defence where the real improvements are required given the problems Maresca’s men suffered last term.

As such, spending whatever it takes to bring Silva from Benfica to the Premier League must be the next move BlueCo are planning.

If he lands his signature, Silva will almost certainly be a better signing than Pedro.

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It looks as though Glasgow Rangers are set to make their first sale of the 2025 summer transfer window.

Striker Cyriel Dessers has agreed terms with Greek side AEK Athens, and the Light Blues have set a £5m asking price for the player.

This would ensure that the Ibrox side secure a profit on the Nigerian international, who was signed for £4.5m two summers ago, and this would give Russell Martin some funds to bolster his team.

Dessers certainly exuded Jekyll and Hyde-like performances throughout his two seasons in Glasgow, but his professionalism and effort cannot be faulted; that’s for sure.

A return of 51 goals across 109 games is a more than respectable tally. Going forward, however, it looks as though he isn’t going to fit into Martin’s tactical system.

Cyriel Dessers Rangers statistics (2024/25)
Metric	Premiership	Europa League
Goals	18	3
Assists	2	2
Big chances missed	21	10
Shots per game	2.4	1.7
Goal conversion percentage	22%	15%
Via Sofascore

If the fee of £5m is correct, Dessers would be the first Rangers striker to be sold for this amount since a certain Nikica Jelavic departed the club in January 2012.

Then it was a transfer fee of £5.5m, but how would Martin love a striker of his calibre to be leading the line for the Light Blues next season?

Nikica Jelavic’s Rangers statistics

The summer of 2010 saw Rangers lose a few attacking players. Nacho Novo, who joined the club in 2004, moved on.

Elsewhere, Kris Boyd left the club when his contract expired, joining Middlesbrough. This meant Walter Smith had lost a pairing that had scored 72 and 129 goals respectively heading into the 2010/11 campaign.

Smith’s response? Sign Jelavic from Rapid Vienna for a fee in the region of £4m. It turned out to be money extremely well spent.

The Croatian hitman had scored 21 goals throughout the 2009/10 season, with three coming against Celtic in European competition, and he was seen as a direct replacement for Boyd.

His maiden season was like a dream. He may have only played 27 times due to injury, but the centre-forward produced when it truly mattered.

A return of 20 goals was excellent given the circumstances, and some were sublime efforts.

Take his overhead kick against Aberdeen at the tail end of the season, for example. With the Gers drawing 0-0, Jelavic’s stunning acrobatic effort sealed all three points.

Just weeks before, the striker had scored the winner against Celtic in the League Cup final, sealing the first trophy of the season for the club.

And who can forget the scenes at Rugby Park on the final day of the campaign? With Rangers needing a win to secure a third league title in a row, Jelavic scored once and grabbed an assist in a 5-1 victory.

Due to financial issues at the club, he was sold after just 18 months in Glasgow. His tally of 36 goals across 55 games works out as a goal every 1.5 matches for the Gers.

With Dado Prso before him and Antonio Colak a decade later, the Light Blues have enjoyed the services of excellent Croatian frontmen.

Could Martin be closing in on a move for another one?

Rangers search for a striker

With Dessers leaving, the attacking department is one that Martin will be keen on improving as the window progresses.

Israeli striker Dor Turgeman is a player who the club have shown plenty of interest in recently, and he could cost around £4m should the Gers make their move.

With firepower needed, the new manager could be set to make a bid for Croatian striker Matija Frigan in the coming days.

Indeed, according to reports coming out of Croatia (as relayed by the Scottish Sun), Martin is readying a £6m bid for the player in order to fend off interest from elsewhere.

Hamburg and Hull City are also looking to lure the player away from Belgian side Westerlo during the transfer window. The allure of playing in Europe and challenging for trophies makes Rangers favourites, as they are leading the race to land his signature.

He would be the fourth Croatian striker to play for the Ibrox side since 2004, and Martin may well unearth Jelavic 2.0.

Why Rangers must sign Matija Frigan

While he had his flaws, Rangers will be losing plenty of goals next season when Dessers departs.

Last season, Frigan scored 14 goals across 41 games, chipping in with four assists in the process.

In the Belgian Pro League, the 22-year-old recorded 2.2 shots per game, while also creating six big chances and finishing the season with a goal conversion percentage of 14% for Westerlo.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed him as a “complete forward” back in 2023 when the youngster was just making his mark, and he has gone from strength to strength ever since.

One issue Rangers have had to endure in recent seasons is a poor injury record. While Dessers may have been available almost every game, Danilo and Hamza Igamane missed their fair share of matches.

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Since the beginning of the 2023/24 season, Frigan has featured 69 times for the Belgian side, missing only six games through injury. This would be a big bonus for Martin, who could rely on the Croatian centre-forward without worrying about missing big matches.

Aged just 22, Frigan still has plenty of development to do, and what better place to grow than at Rangers? Igamane has shown that the club could be used as a stepping stone should a player deliver impressive performances.

£6m may sound like a lot on the surface, but to truly bolster the squad, Martin will need to spend big. Frigan could become another Jelavic-like player for the club. A striker who has an eye for goal, but who is also able to contribute in other areas.

A front two of Turgeman and Frigan could be a frightening prospect ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Early business will be crucial for Martin, and if he wraps a deal for the Westerlo centre-forward, it will give the supporters a boost heading into the Champions League qualifiers.

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Renuka Singh and Radha Yadav derailed Bangladesh’s innings, before India’s in-form openers finished the small chase themselves

Shashank Kishore26-Jul-2024

Renuka Singh struck three times inside the powerplay to dent Bangladesh•Getty Images

As far as wins go, it couldn’t have got more dominant than this. Bangladesh’s attempt to inflict scoreboard pressure fell flat, with Renuka Singh and Radha Yadav picking up six wickets between them to ensure India had a small target to chase. Their in-form openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma then got the job done themselves, with nine overs to spare. On Sunday, India will have a chance to clinch an incredible eighth Women’s Asia Cup crown (across white-ball formats), when they meet the winner of Sri Lanka vs Pakistan which will be played at the same venue later today.Related

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Renuka stings Bangladesh in powerplayRenuka’s form had been on a decline leading into the Women’s Asia Cup. She was left out for two of the three T20Is against South Africa after an unremarkable 4-0-42-0 in her only outing in that series. Her early reputation as a powerplay swing queen was seemingly fading, especially on flat decks.With young Arundhati Reddy challenging for her spot – it’s likely India will most often accommodate only one other seamer alongside Pooja Vastrakar in their first XI – Renuka needed a big tournament here. On Friday, she delivered. Renuka’s powerplay salvo left Bangladesh with no answers, her three wickets in three overs upsetting Bangladesh’s plans of going on an all-out attack.Dilara Akter muscled Renuka for a six off the third ball, but holed out to deep square off the fourth. Ishma Tanjim bailed out of a slog to get a leading edge to Tanuja Kanwar at short third, and Murshida Khatun mistimed a heave to midwicket two balls after being reprieved by Deepti Sharma at slip.Bangladesh had been reduced to 21 for 3 inside five overs.Nigar resists, Radha thrivesFrom overs six to nine, Bangladesh managed a solitary boundary, hit by Nigar Sultana, and played out 19 dots. They were looking for the release they simply didn’t get because India’s bowlers kept coming at them.Introduced in the 10th over, Radha struck off her very first delivery when Rumana Ahmed, Bangladesh’s second-most experienced batter, was put out of her misery when she played all around a straight ball to be bowled.Rumana Ahmed was castled by Radha Yadav for 1 off 11•Getty ImagesStill, Bangladesh tried to keep attacking. Rabeya Khan’s attempt to flat-bat Pooja Vastrakar led to a miscue that was brilliantly taken by Shafali Verma at mid-on in the 11th over.This forced Nigar to shelve any plans of a counter-attack, the focus quickly shifting to survival mode against the supremely-skilled trio of Deepti, Tanuja Kanwar and Radha Yadav – each very different from the other. Deepti kept them quiet with flight, Kanwar got the ball to drift and turn, while Radha troubled them with deliveries that didn’t turn.It was only in the 14th over, when Nigar was joined by Shorna Akter that they managed some kind of a move on – overs 17 to 19 brought 27. Then Radha produced a double-wicket maiden in the 20th, in which she had Nigar and Nahida Akter to finish with 3 for 14.The Mandhana-Shafali partyIndia could’ve experimented if they liked. They could’ve seen what Uma Chetry, who replaced D Hemalatha at No. 3, brings to the table. They could’ve given Deepti some batting time. Or maybe even a hit-out to Jemimah Rodrigues. But they stuck to their tried, tested and in-form opening combination, who promptly delivered the knockout blow on Bangladesh.Mandhana challenged herself to take fielders on and cleared them at will, Shafali swept seamer Marufa Akter off her lengths in front of square, and the boundaries flowed. Mandhana treated the small crowd to her trademark drives, while Shafali shovelled and flat-batted the bowlers.Bangladesh missed two chances on the field. First a run out in the fifth when Mandhana was ambling down, with Nahida firing a wayward throw with no one backing up at the bowler’s end. In the ninth, Nahida grassed a sitter at long-off to reprieve Shafali. And between those two, there was also a Mandhana reprieve off a no-ball.Mandhana continued on her joyride, hitting three back-to-back fours to get to a half-century and also seal a victory that was never in doubt from as early as the powerplay in Bangladesh’s innings.

Birmingham City are not slowing down in the summer transfer window in their attempt to bolster their squad ahead of a return to the Championship next season.

The Blues recently confirmed the signings of James Beadle, Tommy Doyle, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Demarai Gray to improve their options across the pitch.

They are not done there, though, as L’Equipe recently reported that Rennes striker Kyogo Furuhashi is closing in on a move to Birmingham for a fee that could rise as high as £10m, which is how much the French side paid to sign him in January from Celtic.

Kyogo, who failed to score in six matches for Rennes, is not the only player who is reportedly on the verge of making the move to St. Andrew’s to join Chris Davies’ squad.

Birmingham City set to complete double deal

A fresh claim from GIVEMESPORT backs up L’Equipe’s news that the Japanese striker is closing in on a transfer to the Championship side this summer.

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The report adds, though, that the League One champions are also set to sign attacking midfielder Kanya Fujimoto on a free transfer, following his exit from Gil Vicente.

GIVEMESPORT claims that both Kyogo and Fujimoto are ‘expected’ to join the club before the end of the weekend, as the Blues close in on a big double deal.

The outlet reveals that Birmingham kept tabs on the former Gil Vicente star throughout the 2024/25 campaign, and they are now making their move for him.

Why Fujimoto is even more exciting than Kyogo for Birmingham

Despite Kyogo being set to sign for £10m and Fujimoto due to arrive on a free transfer, the latter looks to be the most exciting signing out of the two players.

Birmingham are signing Kyogo off the back of a very difficult season for him. As aforementioned, the striker did not score in six league games for Rennes before being immediately sold six months after joining.

The 30-year-old forward also only scored ten goals from 14.14 xG in a dominant Celtic team in the Premiership during the first half of the season, which shows that he significantly underperformed in front of goal.

This shows that Birmingham are spending a huge fee on a player who is declining and heading into the latter stages of his career, which is a big risk because there is a chance that his form does not improve.

xG

4.00

Top 4%

Goals

5

Top 3%

Shots on target

13

Top 5%

xA

2.77

Top 14%

Assists

5

Top 3%

Chances created

35

Top 8%

Successful dribbles

19

Top 16%

Whereas, as you can see in the table above, Fujimoto is arriving at the club off the back of a very impressive season with Gil Vicente in the Portuguese top-flight.

At the age of 26, he is coming into the prime years of his career and appears to be at the top of his game, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals in Portugal.

Fujimoto was once described as a “silky dribbler who’s dangerous in the pockets behind the striker” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and his statistics back that up, as he ranked highly as a dribbler to go along with his goal contributions.

The Japanese ace is a midfielder who can score and assist goals efficiently, outperforming his xG, and has the performances to suggest that he can hit the ground running at St. Andrew’s.

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This is why he is an even more exciting signing for Birmingham than Kyogo, who is coming off the back of a poor year in France and in Scotland, and is not in the prime of his career anymore.

Tottenham Hotspur had a tough 2024/25 campaign that ultimately led to Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal from his manager’s post. However, the Australian left a hero, ending many interminable years of searching for silverware.

It was a contentious call, but in Thomas Frank, Tottenham have a successor in the dugout who could instil the stability and slickness needed to return to prominence in the Premier League and build from the foundations laid by Ange.

With Frank now settled into his post, fans are itching for signings ahead of a much-anticipated return to the Champions League.

The latest on Spurs' search for signings

Though the Danish tactician fancied a reunion with his Brentford talisman Bryan Mbeumo, the right-sided forward has intimated his desire to join Manchester United.

And now that Antoine Semenyo has extended his contract with Bournemouth, that one’s seemingly off the cards. Both wingers had been of a vested interest to Spurs, but these turns of events may yet lead Frank and co to the pick of the bunch.

Indeed, according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, that man could be West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus, who has been the centre of a failed £55m bid from the Lilywhites this week.

Kudus has an £85m release clause but the Irons are willing to do business for a more modest sum – though this is still expected to come in around £10m higher than the fee Spurs offered.

What Mohammed Kudus would bring to Spurs

West Ham signed Kudus from Ajax in August 2023 for a £38m figure. While true prolificness has eluded him on English shores – notching 32 goal contributions from 80 games in all competitions – there’s so much to like about this powerful winger, who moves up the pitch like the deuce.

Kudus wasn’t at his best last season, and no mistake. However, looking at how he compares against Mbeumo’s recent season during his opening year in England, 2023/24, emphasises the quality of player Tottenham would be adding to their fold.

Sure, the Ghanaian could do more from a prolific standpoint, but was Mbeumo a refined goalscorer and creator when he first played for Frank at Brentford? Could the shrewd coach not bring such qualities to the fore here for Kudus?

Right winger

53

21

10

Centre-forward

52

16

3

Attacking midfield

49

11

6

Central midfield

46

11

3

Left winger

21

6

3

His positional dynamism is an incredibly attractive feature of the typical forward’s skill set, though in truth he would be signed for his ability to barrel down the right wing, with such physical attributes even leading journalist Gary Al-Smith to describe him as a “generational talent”.

This is underscored by his 90% pass success rate in the Premier League last season, having also averaged 2.9 dribbles and 6.4 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

Mbeumo might have scored 20 goals across 38 Premier League appearances last year, but he also averaged 1.4 dribbles and 4.7 successful duels per match. This is impressive, but not as noteworthy as West Ham’s star.

Tottenham could hit the jackpot signing Kudus, who is already clear as an immensely talented Premier League star but has the materials to become something even greater under Frank’s leadership.

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Viv Richards and Carl Hooper have strongly hit back at former West Indies team-mate Brian Lara for “gross misrepresentations” in his book – . In a joint statement released on Sunday, both former West Indies captains have rejected Lara’s “claim” that Richards made Hooper “cry once a week”, describing it as “categorically false”, and asked the latter to “issue a sincere apology for the harm caused.””Sir Vivian Richards and Mr. Carl Hooper are deeply disheartened by the gross misrepresentations made about them in Mr. Brian Lara’s recently released book,” the duo said in a statement put out by Hooper. “The allegations presented not only distort the reality of their relationship but also impugn their characters in an unjust and harmful manner.”In the book, an extract of which was run recently on ESPNcricinfo, Lara wrote that Richards’ words in the dressing room could “intimidate” players, though he made clear he always had West Indies’ betterment always at heart. “Viv used to make me cry every three weeks, but he would make Carl cry once a week. Viv’s tone of voice is intimidating and if you’re not strong enough, you can take that personally and be affected by it. Me, I was never really affected by it. In a way I welcomed it, because I was so much under his arm that I knew abuse was coming and I was a strong personality. Carl? I know for a fact that Carl shied away from Viv Richards.”Related

• 'Viv used to make me cry every three weeks and Carl Hooper cry once a week'

But Hooper said Richards never caused him any “distress” and always had his back. “The claim that Sir Vivian was aggressive towards Mr. Hooper and made him cry once a week is categorically false. Such descriptions paint Sir Vivian as a perpetrator of emotional abuse — an assertion that is not only baseless but also deeply hurtful to both parties.”Sir Vivian, as Mr. Hooper’s first captain, has never caused emotional distress to Mr. Hooper. On the contrary, he has always acted as an encouraging mentor and provided unwavering support. Their nearly 40-year relationship has been founded on mutual respect and camaraderie. The misrepresentation of their interactions in Mr. Lara’s book is a grave disservice to the truth and has caused undue distress to both parties and their families.”Richards and Hooper have pulled up Lara for “attempting to profit from such deceit”, something they find “inconceivable” considering his stature in global cricket. “We demand that Mr. Lara immediately issues a public retraction of these false claims and offer a sincere apology for the harm caused. It is crucial for the integrity of public discourse and their personal and professional lives that the truth is set right.”Lara and Richards only appeared in one international match together for West Indies, an ODI at Lord’s on the 1991 tour of England, batting together briefly in a 20-run partnership – Lara laments not getting more time in the middle with him in the book, writing that it was “every young man’s dream is to be waiting in the middle, watching The Greatest walk through the gate and onto the field where I’m standing.”Lara played much more with Hooper, both leading him as captain and playing under his captaincy. Lara’s first international match in 1990, an ODI in Karachi, was in a side that included Hooper and Lara also played in what was Hooper’s last international game, against Kenya at the 2003 World Cup. In the book, Lara is fulsome in his praise of Hooper, calling him one of finest talents to have come out of the Caribbean.”Man, what a player. The ease in which he batted brought out a kind of awe in us, and in all of us, even the senior players. You felt that when Carl went out to bat, they enjoyed it – Haynes, Richards, Greenidge, all these guys would stop what they were doing just to watch him.”

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?

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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.