A big claim has emerged on Rangers and a player that they could potentially bring to Ibrox in the coming months…
What’s the talk
Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has tipped the Gers to go back in for one of their former academy starlets in the upcoming window.
He has claimed that Billy Gilmour is a player who can make a big impact at Ibrox, a few years after he left Glasgow to move down south.
O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: “He would be a massive signing for Rangers. Obviously, Gilmour came through the ranks at Rangers before being lured away to the Premier League by Chelsea as well.
“He is a really talented player. Obviously, he’s gone to Norwich this season and it’s been a bit of a mixed season for him because he’s been in and out of the team. But, I think, on his day he has proved that, for Scotland, he’s a top, top player.”
Forget Aaron Ramsey
Forget current Juventus loanee Aaron Ramsey, Gio van Bronckhorst must target a swoop for Gilmour instead to bolster his midfield options heading into next season.
The Scotland international has spent a difficult campaign on loan with Norwich in the Premier League, with the Canaries recently seeing their relegation from the English top-flight confirmed.
He has found the physicality of regular first-team football a challenge, losing more than half of his individual duels for the Yellows this term, whilst making just 0.8 interceptions and 1.8 tackles per game as a combative midfielder.
This suggests that Gilmour still has some growing to do on the physical side of his game, but he has shown great promise on the ball. He has completed 83% of his passes for Norwich and created 1.1 chances per game across 21 appearances for the club, demonstrating his ability in possession.
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane previously dubbed him “world-class”, and the 20-year-old could be that for Rangers, as he has certainly stepped up on the world stage for his country.
Across seven World Cup qualifiers for Scotland, Gilmour has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.13. He has created 1.1 chances per game and won 53% of his duels for his nation, consistently delivering quality displays in the middle of the park.
Forget about re-signing Ramsey, who has struggled badly with injuries, and instead get excited about the potential capture of Gilmour from Chelsea. This is a deal that Van Bronckhorst must pursue in the coming months, as the 20-year-old can be a superb addition to the squad at Ibrox, given his performances for Scotland and the promising signs within his Premier League outings.
AND in other news, GvB can now axe Rangers “shambles” by signing £1.8m-rated gem with “huge potential”…
Everton are reportedly closing in on the signing of highly-rated Crusaders youngster Jack Patterson, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The lowdown: An Irish connection
The Blues have developed somewhat of a penchant for signing talented Irish youngsters as Patterson prepares to follow Ballymena United goalkeeper Dylan Graham in making the switch to Goodison Park.
Having made a senior professional debut aged just 15, the now 16-year-old has made four appearances for the NIFL Premiership outfit, amassing 155 minutes in the process.
Despite his tender years, Patterson could already be preparing to make a huge transfer move…
The latest: Deal ‘expected’
As per a source for the Liverpool Echo, Everton are now ‘expected’ to sign the three-cap Northern Ireland youth international.
It’s claimed that the deal was put in place with Rafa Benitez at the helm while there was no director of football at the club.
The report states that defensive midfielder Patterson, who was described as a ‘baller’ by teammate Johnny Black, is ‘set to make the move’ to Merseyside as the Toffees ‘intensify their academy scouting efforts’ moving forwards.
The verdict: Smart business
Whilst many of the Blues faithful will be crying out for first-team reinforcements to bolster Frank Lampard’s squad, a need to sign talented youngsters with one eye on the future cannot be forgone.
Recently Everton have seen the fruits of their academy labours come to the fore as Anthony Gordon, Jarrad Branthwaite and Lewis Dobbin have all made some impact for the senior side.
If the Blues are going to compete in the upper reaches of the Premier League in years to come, developing from within will be crucial, and hopefully, Patterson is one who will be starring in Blue down the line.
In other news, find out who has now been talked about as a potential Frank Lampard replacement here!
Everton are reportedly pushing hard to complete the signing of Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sanchez, but there is more Premier League interest in him, too.
The 22-year-old is an exciting young talent who has already won an Olympic gold medal with Spain, winning a total of four caps for his country and hoping to be a part of their 2026 World Cup squad.
Juanlu emerged as a target for Wolves during the summer transfer window, with talks opening at one point and a move to Molineux potentially looking on the cards.
In the end, he rejected their advances, however, and decided to remain at Sevilla for the time being, continuing to be an influential player for the Spanish giants this season.
Juanlu has made 10 La Liga appearances in 2025/26 to date, assisting once in the competition, but it looks as though his long-term future may lie away from the club, with Everton seemingly in the mix to acquire his signature.
Everton applying "strong pressure" to sign Juanlu
According to Diario de Sevilla [via Sport Witness], Everton are putting “strong pressure” on to sign Juanlu from Sevilla, with Crystal Palace also in the same boat.
Sevilla’s financial issues could see them forced into selling the wide man, with as much as £17.6m possibly needed to prise him away from Spain.
Juanlu looks like such a shrewd target for Everton, with the Spain international possessing the versatility to add so much depth to David Moyes’ squad, being able to thrive on the wing and even in midfield alongside his natural right-back role.
Still only 22, his best years are ahead of him, with former manager Xavier Garcia Pimienta heaping praise on his qualities as a player in the past.
“He has played as an inside midfielder [before], we were short on space in midfield due to Saul’s [Niguez] suspension and [Albert Sambi] Lokonga’s injury. I spoke to him, I knew he could do well in that position. Juanlu has an incredible present and a better future.”
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The lure of Palace may be big, given their status as reigning FA Cup holders, but Everton are enjoying life in their sparkly new stadium, with Jack Grealish a big-name loan signing, and Juanlu will hopefully see them as the more exciting proposition.
Everton enter race to sign £88m South American "machine" with Newcastle
Tottenham Hotspur defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha scored his third goal for the club in their 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers at home on Saturday night.
The Portugal international rescued a point for his team with a cultured finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box after a lay-off from Pape Matar Sarr, and it is safe to say that he enjoyed it.
Palhinha raced away to the corner, shirt ripped off, to celebrate with the Spurs fans, although some may argue that he should have taken the ball back to the halfway line to push for a winner in the final seconds.
The Portuguese ace has been a strong addition to the squad since his loan move from Bayern Munich in the summer, averaging 4.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League, per Sofascore.
Palhinha, who has won 65% of his duels in the top-flight this season, is a defensive enforcer at the base of the midfield, but he has added goals to his game in recent weeks.
Whilst he will hope to continue his fine form and go on to be remembered as a great midfielder for the club, he will never be the silky and elegant operator that Luka Modric was in the middle of the park.
Where Luka Modric ranks among Tottenham's all-time midfielders
Tottenham have had some terrific talents in midfield throughout their history. From the likes of Paul Gascoigne and Glen Hoddle to Christian Eriksen and Moussa Dembele.
In terms of what they achieved in their careers as a whole, Modric may well have the right to be called the best central midfielder to ever play for the club, even if his best performances came after he left North London.
The main reason for that is that he is the only central midfielder in the club’s history, whilst at Spurs or not, to have won the Ballon d’Or. In 2018, the Croatia international was crowned the best player in the world, six years after switching London for Madrid.
As you can see in the post above, the midfield maestro saw off competition from Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award that year.
Modric is also the most decorated player in the history of Real Madrid, having won 28 trophies in 13 seasons before his move to AC Milan this summer.
It is not just his accomplishments for Real Madrid and Croatia that make him arguably the best midfielder in Tottenham history, though, as he also delivered 17 goals and 24 assists in 160 matches during his time in England, per Transfermarkt.
Modric was a wizard in the middle of the park for Spurs. He glided across the pitch and used his energy and quality to unpick defences and provide moments of magic for fans to enjoy.
Palhinha is not that kind of midfielder. He is more of a destroyer at the base of the midfield. However, Thomas Frank does have another star who could be the club’s next Modric in the making.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Before his exit from North London, former chairman Daniel Levy sanctioned the signing of attacking midfielder Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig for a fee of £51m. The early signs are that they may have found their next Modric.
Why Xavi Simons could be the next Luka Modric for Spurs
Unlike Palhinha, the Netherlands international is a silky and technical midfielder who is a joy to watch when he is at his best. Supporters have already had plenty of glimpses of that early on in his Spurs career, even if he has yet to score a goal.
When an attacking midfielder arrives for £51m with the reputation that Simons had, it is understandable for fans to expect goals and assists instantly. Particularly given that he produced 21 goals and 21 assists in two seasons with RB Leipzig, per Sofascore.
However, the 22-year-old star is finding his way into English football and within Thomas Frank’s system, which means that it is going to take time for him to show the very best of his ability.
Most of Simons’ outings in a Spurs shirt to date have come on the left flank, but it could be in a central midfield role where Frank is able to get the best out of him.
The Dutchman keeps wanting to drift inside to take the ball in central positions so that he can drive at the defence and make things tick in midfield, but then Destiny Udogie is left as the only player holding the width on the left.
His statistics in a left wing position also suggest that he would far better in the middle of the park, as he ranks highly among his positional peers in a host of statistics that you would expect a central-based player to excel in.
xG
0.14
Top 48%
xA
0.19
Top 25%
Assists
0.51
Top 11%
Chances created
2.02
Top 7%
Accurate long passes
3.54
Top 3%
Long pass accuracy
77.8%
Top 13%
Successful dribbles
1.52
Top 30%
Successful passes
33.37
Top 20%
As you can see in the table above, Simons has impressive output as a creative player and as a passer, whilst getting into goalscoring positions and dribbling past players are not two of his standout attributes.
This suggests that playing the Dutchman in the midfield three, possibly on the left, with a natural winger on the left for him to link up with could get the best out of the summer signing.
Simons was described as “tactically flexible” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and Frank should make use of that flexibility by attempting to mould him into his own version of Modric.
The former Paris Saint-Germain starlet has the technical quality, elegance, creativity, and passing qualities to emulate the Croatian in North London, as another central midfielder who could be a joy to watch for supporters.
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He may not go on to win the Ballon d’Or, although you never know, but Simons has the potential to be a truly exciting player for Tottenham in the middle of the park, rather than out on the wing.
It was less than two years ago that Jurgen Klopp rocked Liverpool football club with the announcement that he would step down from his post at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Liverpool fans felt that the glory days would be no more, and the German’s project would taper off after several years of illustrious success.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp bows out
That, of course, wasn’t the case, with FSG appointing Arne Slot from Feyenoord and then watching as the shrewd tactician willed Klopp’s squad into a new shape, putting paid to any hopes of a Liverpool downfall, and instead guiding the Reds to the Premier League title.
So begins a new era, allowing Liverpool to sign some rather exciting superstars. Alexander Isak provided the cream on an extraordinary summer transfer window, but it’s Florian Wirtz who could become the club’s poster boy down the line.
Why Liverpool signed Wirtz
Liverpool broke the British transfer record when signing Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a £116m fee. The 22-year-old arrived having established himself as a “generational talent” in Germany, as was noted by sports media professional Cristian Nyari, and fills the creative void left when Trent Alexander-Arnold up and left for Real Madrid.
Admittedly, Wirtz’s opening few fixtures in the Premier League haven’t been the stuff of dreams, but there’s no question that his immense quality is in there, and that he will grow into a superstar under Slot’s wing.
Stats via Sofascore
After a few quiet showings, he looked flashier and smoother as Liverpool beat title rivals Arsenal before the international break and is expected to become one of the leading players in the Premier League.
Liverpool paid the big bucks to bring Wirtz over, and that’s all well and good, but the Anfield side might already have a homemade version of the playmaker in Rio Ngumoha, who has made his mark already this season.
Liverpool's future superstar
Liverpool poached Ngumoha from Chelsea’s Cobham Academy in 2024, and right from the off, it was clear that they had landed an elite talent, with John Terry even remarking that he was “gutted” the Blues had lost a prospect with a certain likeness to Eden Hazard.
He’s made exciting progress over his time on Merseyside, but Ngumoha announced himself when scoring the winner at St. James’ Park on his Premier League debut last month, marking the most extraordinary of entrances.
Electric on the ball, physical and having showcased an ability to keep his cool to convert in big moments, Ngumoha has the lot, and his precocious emergence is somewhat reminiscent of Wirtz’s at Bayer Leverkusen, with the Germany talent making his professional debut at the age of 17 in May 2020.
The rest is history, and Ngumoha has already written himself into the record books with his goal against the Magpies. Hailed as a “special” player by journalist Bence Bocsak for his efforts during pre-season, Ngumoha has since proved himself to be in a different category altogether.
1
James Vaughan
16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days
2
James Milner
16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days
3
Wayne Rooney
16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days
4
Rio Ngumoha
16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days
5
Cesc Fabregas
17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days
It was a show-stopping moment, to be sure, and Ngumoha’s potential is clearly recognised by Slot and Liverpool’s coaching staff, who opted against signing a direct replacement for Luis Diaz this summer after selling the Colombian to Bayern Munich for £65.5m.
Ngumoha will feature prominently throughout the campaign, and given that he has only just turned 17, he certainly carries the same prodigious weight as Wirtz when the German started to make a name for himself in Germany.
It would be foolish for the Reds to heap too much weight onto this youngster’s back as he cuts his teeth at the senior level, but there’s no question that he has what it takes to emulate Wirtz and one day stand alongside him as a generational talent in Slot’s Liverpool.
Higher ceiling than Isak: Liverpool make £100m superstar their No. 1 target
Liverpool are already planning for the future after their incredible spending spree this summer.
The summer transfer window officially slammed shut for another year on Monday night, without Celtic adding any number nines to their first-team squad.
Adam Idah was allowed to complete a £6m transfer to EFL Championship side Swansea City on deadline day, but that exit was not followed up by a replacement.
This means that Celtic have sold Kyogo Furuhashi, who scored 85 goals in 165 games for the club, and Idah, who scored 29 goals in 76 matches for the club, in 2025.
Meanwhile, Shin Yamada, who has scored four goals in his last 39 matches in all competitions, is the only first-team striker who has been signed by Celtic this year, in January or the summer.
However, Celtic do still have a chance to bolster their squad because they can dip into the free agent market to find a striker to lead the line for them this season, after they failed to sign one before the end of the window.
Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reports that the club will hold talks with former Manchester City star Kelechi Iheanacho after his contract at Sevilla was ripped up on Monday night, before the deadline.
Why Kelechi Iheanacho could be a good signing
Signing a free agent does not always have to be a bad thing, because plenty of players end up in unfortunate situations and may not have been able to show the best of themselves, leading to them being available at this time of the year.
Kelechi only played 11 matches in all competitions during his time with Sevilla in Spain, scoring three goals, which shows that he did not get too many opportunities to showcase his quality in front of goal.
Kelechi Iheanacho warming up for Leicester City.
He is a player Brendan Rodgers already knows incredibly well from their time together at Leicester City in England, which means that the Hoops boss knows that the striker has the quality to make an impact in front of goal at Parkhead.
Kelechi scored 43 goals in 143 matches with the Northern Irish boss as his manager at the King Power, per Transfermarkt, and has a lot of experience in the Premier League with Leicester and Manchester City.
22/23 (28)
5
5
21/22 (26)
4
5
20/21 (25)
12
2
19/20 (20)
5
5
18/19 (30)
1
3
17/18 (21)
3
3
16/17 (20)
4
3
15/16 (26)
8
1
As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old striker has a decent history of goals and assists in the English top-flight, including a 12-goal haul with Rodgers as his manager in the 2020/21 campaign.
These statistics and his relationship with the Celtic boss suggest that signing him could be a worthwhile gamble to bolster their options up front before they have a chance to reassess the situation in the January window.
Even if Kelechi comes through the door in the coming days on a free transfer, though, it does not mean that the Scottish Premiership champions have achieved what they set out to do.
Sky Sports reported that the Hoops wanted to sign two new strikers on deadline day, as Idah left to join Swansea, which means that they may have to make two free agent signings if they still want another number nine in the building.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
A quick look at the free agent market will tell you that there is another centre-forward available who will be well known to Rodgers, even if he has not managed him before.
Patrick Bamford was released by Leeds United last month after they were promoted to the Premier League, as they went with Joel Piroe, Lukas Nmecha, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin as their frontline forward, and he could be an even better signing than Kelechi.
Why Celtic should sign Patrick Bamford
Rodgers will have managed against Bamford in the Premier League and will know what he is about, which could make him another sensible short-term addition on a free transfer to ensure that the club get two strikers in the building before the clash with Kilmarnock.
Like Kelechi, the 31-year-old marksman has excelled in the English top-flight in the past. In the 2020/21 campaign, when Kelechi scored 12 goals, the former Leeds man plundered an eye-catching haul of 17 goals and was hailed as “exceptional” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp for his performances that term.
This shows that the former England international’s peak may be higher than the Nigeria international’s, because he scored five more goals at Premier League level that season than Kelechi did in any season in his career.
In recent history, both players failed to showcase their qualities with limited game time in the 2024/25 campaign, but they both featured for their sides in the 2023/24 Championship season, for Leeds and Leicester respectively, and Bamford came out on top.
Appearances
33
23
xG
9.52
6.30
Goals
8
5
Shots on target per game
0.7
0.5
Assists
1
1
Ground duel success rate
40%
38%
Aerial duel success rate
39%
17%
As you can see in the table above, Bamford scored more goals, offering a greater threat in front of goal, and was more impressive in his physical duels, particularly in the air.
These statistics suggest that Celtic may not get much in the way of hold-up or physical play from Kelechi, given his horrendous aerial duel success rate, and that could cause problems in European matches when the Hoops need their number nine to relieve pressure in big matches.
This means that Bamford, who won two Championship titles during his time at Elland Road, could be more effective as an outlet for Celtic in big games, domestically and in Europe, whilst also having the potential to offer a greater goal threat.
Therefore, bringing the English striker in as well as Kelechi could make a lot of sense for the Scottish giants, as it would give Rodgers the two number nine signings he wanted and offer the team different options in the centre-forward position.
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Bamford’s statistics also suggest that he would simply be a better signing striker for the team than Kelechi as the main man up front, which is another reason why the club should swoop for him.
Arsenal are reportedly working to recruit some high-profile targets behind-the-scenes, and a significant update has now dropped on one of them, courtesy of a Sky Sports reporter this morning.
Arsenal identify new winger and striker as priority targets
Two items at the very top of sporting director Andrea Berta’s to-do list over the coming months are signing a new winger and striker.
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Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus during the second half of 2024/2025 left Mikel Arteta desperately short of options up front, whilst adding further weight to the opinions of many critics that the addition of a prolific centre-forward is long overdue.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
Mikel Merino did pretty well to cover the aforementioned duo as an emergency striker, but Berta and the recruitment team are eager to ensure that Arteta won’t be left in a similarly precarious position next season, when they’ll be looking to mount a far more successful Premier League title challenge.
Arsenal’s need for more goals is evident by their numbers from last term, with Arteta’s side scoring just 69 in total across their top flight campaign, a far cry beneath the 91 and 88 they’d managed in the two seasons prior.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetain the stands before the match
Berta has laid the groundwork over deals for both Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, according to the BBC and reporter Sami Mokbel, but it appears the latter centre-forward is taking priority right now.
Arsenal are believed to be advancing in talks for Sesko, with Leipzig demanding around £70 million for their star striker as the Gunners look to find middle ground in negotiations.
Arteta and co also want to add further quality out-wide.
Leandro Trossard is about to enter the final year of his contract, while Bukayo Saka’s three-month injury lay-off midway through last season highlighted the need for Berta to bring in an alternative to the England international.
Leroy Sane pulls U-turn over joining Arsenal after Galatasaray agreement
One of their widely reported top targets is out-of-contract Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane.
Man City once valued the 70-cap Germany international at around £137 million during his time at Eastlands, but he’s now set to leave Bavaria for zero transfer cost.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal held talks with Sane as far back as April, and more recent reports from this week, via CaughtOffside, claim that the 29-year-old has spoken to Arteta about a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Sane apparently had an offer to join Arsenal on the table, and was thought to be very keen to work with Arteta again and join the Gunners (CaughtOffside).
A contract extension at Bayern was still on the cards as well, until very recently, with the ex-Premier League star informing Vincent Kompany’s side that he won’t be signing a new deal after all.
Now set to leave on a free, while Sane was believed to favour a move to Arsenal, he’s now apparently pulled a U-turn.
Instead, Turkish Süper Lig champions Galatasaray are closing in on a deal for Sane, according to Sky Germany’s Plettenberg in a “breaking” update this morning.
Sane’s top-level experience and proven record of goals and assists from the last few seasons arguably make him one of the bargains of the summer, but he’s still very pricey in terms of salary.
Reports suggest that the former Schalke sensation is demanding a big “mega-money” contract, with Galatasaray seemingly set to pay him big-money.
Sane is close to the twilight phase of his career at nearly 30, and they have other high-profile wide targets to turn to as alternatives – ones which could prove better value for salary in the long run.
Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea have held talks with a former Man City ace in what is seen as a “big opportunity” for Enzo Maresca this summer, and the west Londoners hold a “concrete” interest in signing the player.
Chelsea summer transfer plans hinder on Champions League finish
As reliably reported, Chelsea’s potential finish in the top five will play a key role when it comes to BlueCo’s summer recruitment drive.
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Chelsea are looking to sign a centre-back, winger and striker as their main priorities, but depending on Champions League qualification and player sales, they could also go for a left-back, second centre-back, versatile attacking player and goalkeeper (Simon Phillips).
3. Man City
68
1
4. Newcastle
66
1
5. Chelsea
66
1
6. Aston Villa
66
1
7. Nottingham Forest
65
1
A place in Europe’s most prestigious competition will also have a far greater pull in the market when it comes to attracting their most desired targets, so their looming final Premier League clash of the season against Nottingham Forest is quite simply imperative.
A win at the City Ground would guarantee Chelsea a place in the Champions League draw next campaign, but anything less than that could spell disaster for both Maresca and Chelsea’s summer plans.
Chelsea manager EnzoMarescalooks on before the match
Given their participation in the Club World Cup next month, Chelsea reportedly want to take full advantage of the mini-transfer window, which opens from June 1 to June 10.
Therefore, it is little surprise we’re hearing rumours of talks being opened with top targets, and one of them is Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap.
The Englishman has scored 12 league goals for an otherwise dismal Ipswich Town side who will be playing in the Championship next season, with Delap standing out as a shining light for Kieran McKenna.
His contract also includes a £30 million release clause after Ipswich’s relegation, and previous reports suggest Chelsea have met with Delap’s representatives for talks this month, as they plan a formal move for the ex-City striker.
Fabrizio Romano shares what he's heard about Liam Delap to Chelsea
Speaking to CaughtOffside, the ever-reliable Romano has echoed these claims, stating that Chelsea and Delap have indeed held talks.
However, Man United have done the same thing, with both sides sensing a “big opportunity” to prise the 22-year-old away from Portman Road at a very astute price.
“A big opportunity on the market for a young striker like him,” said Romano.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapreacts
“There is genuine interest from two very important clubs, Chelsea and Manchester United. Both clubs have several targets on their shortlist. Not only them, but for sure, the interest is concrete, the interest is genuine.
“Delap spoke to Chelsea, Delap spoke to Man United, now it is time for him to explore all the options possible.”
The homegrown centre-forward, barring his impressive goal record and performances in a team lacking overall quality, has been revered by his teammates this season.
“He’s phenomenal,” said Ipswich midfielder Jens Cajuste. “He’s a beast, totally and for a young player like him, it is very hard to say what he can be. I don’t think there’s a limit, really. It’s all upto him really, how far he wants to go, but he definitely has all the qualities.”
This season has felt like one long nightmare for Tottenham Hotspur.
On top of losing a staggering 20 games in the Premier League, Ange Postecoglou will now be without James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski for the club’s Europa League final next week.
Moreover, on top of losing player after player through injury during the campaign this year, they now look like they’re going to lose one of their most important in the transfer window: Cristian Romero.
However, it is not all doom and gloom, as recent reports have linked them with a Premier League star who could be the ideal replacement.
Tottenham transfer news
Unfortunately, in the last few months, a number of reports have emerged touting Romero for a move to La Liga this summer, with Atlético Madrid being his supposed destination last month.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It was even said that the Argentine defender had personally spoken to Diego Simeone about the purported move.
However, in the last few days, the World Cup winner’s supposed destination has changed to Real Madrid, with reports claiming that Xabi Alonso is a big fan of the player, who could be sold for around £60m.
TottenhamHotspur's CristianRomeroreacts
While this situation is far from ideal, the good news is that the North Londoners have been linked with someone who could be an ideal replacement: Marc Guéhi.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Spurs have maintained their strong interest in the full England international following their failed £70m bid for him in early February.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Newcastle United are keen to sign the Crystal Palace star, who could be available for a pretty reasonable fee of around €55m, which is about £46m.
It might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Guéhi’s ability and the potential departure of Romero, Spurs should do all they can to get it done.
Why Guéhi would be a great replacemnet
So, if Spurs cannot keep hold of Romero this summer and are forced to shop for a replacement, why would Guéhi be such a great option?
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehireacts after the match
Well, first of all, not only is he vastly experienced for someone who is still just 24 years old, but he’s also thoroughly Premier League-proven at this point and someone clearly quite sought-after.
For example, across his career to date, the “exceptional” centre-back, as dubbed by The Athletic’s Stuart James, has made 132 top-flight appearances, 52 in the Championship, 15 in the FA Cup and a handful more in several other competitions.
Appearances
154
59
2
Goals
8
0
0
Assists
4
0
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.07
0.00
0.00
On top of that, the 6 foot “tank,” as dubbed by former England U21 teammate Joe Bursik, is now a full member of the national team, making 23 appearances since his debut in March 2022, and most crucially, was an ever-present in the country’s backline when they made it all the way to the final of the European Championships last year.
Furthermore, while the Lilywhites’ Argentine warrior has missed a staggering 75 games for club and country across his career, the former Chelsea prospect has missed just 16, and you know what they say: availability is the best ability.
Finally, if that’s still not enough to convince you, then perhaps his rather impressive underlying numbers will.
According to FBref, the Palace ace sits in the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for through ball, the top 4% for passes blocked, the top 5% for goal-creating actions through a defensive action, the top 9% for goals plus assists, key passes and shot-creating actions, the top 11% for expected assists and more, all per 90.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehiin action
Ultimately, replacing a player as talented Romero is always going to be difficult, but Guéhi looks like he could get pretty close, and therefore, Spurs must do what they can to sign him this summer.
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The gifted ace could provide some more attacking spark to Spurs.
This summer is a huge window for Manchester United if they are to overturn their lack of success in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, currently sitting in 14th position.
However, despite their lowly league standing, the Red Devils could find themselves in the Champions League next season should they manage to win the Europa League in the coming weeks.
If they are to compete at the top level, all areas of the pitch are in need of investment to inject the needed quality and depth to take the side back to their former glory.
Undoubtedly, sales are needed to provide Ruben Amorim with the funds he requires to make the necessary changes to his squad to try and push them back towards the summit of England’s top-flight.
With the summer window rapidly approaching, work is already being done behind the scenes as Amorim prepares for an overhaul of the Red Devils side this summer.
The latest on United’s pursuit of new attackers
Over the last few weeks, countless attackers have been linked with a move to United, including Liam Delap, who was seen as the club’s number one option for the centre-forward role.
However, no deal appears to have progressed despite his £30m relegation release clause, with the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle United entering the race for his signature in recent weeks.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapreacts
It appears that the Red Devils have switched their attentions to other targets in the form of Viktor Gyokeres, that’s if the recent reports from Spain are to be believed.
It’s been reported that United have stepped up their attempts to land the Sporting CP striker, advancing talks and making contact with the player’s representatives ahead of the summer.
It also states that they are considering making a lucrative offer to the player and club to hand Amorim a reunion with the player who thrived under his guidance in Portugal.
Why United’s target would be perfect with Cunha
Matheus Cunha is another player who has emerged on United’s shortlist over the last couple of weeks, with the Brazilian potentially becoming their first signing this summer.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' MatheusCunhareacts
Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Red Devils have already been in talks with Wolves over a deal for his signature, whilst also willing to trigger his £62.5m release clause.
The 25-year-old himself is open to a switch to Old Trafford, regardless of whether or not the side secure a place in the Champions League next season.
Cunha would be signed to operate in the number ten role behind the striker in Amorim’s side, handing strikers endless chances – based upon his figures of 2.1 chances created and 2.2 dribbles completed.
Such tallies would fall perfectly into the hands of Gyokeres, who could certainly end United’s pursuit of a new talisman, taking the side to the next level as a result.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick
The Swede, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one Portuguese analyst, has registered 52 goals in 48 appearances in 2024/25, potentially forming a deadly partnership with Cunha in forward areas.
He’s also managed to register 2.6 shots on target per 90 and complete 49% of the dribbles he’s attempted in the Liga Portugal – offering a constant threat to all opposition backlines.
Games played
30
Goals scored
38
Pass accuracy
75%
Shots on target
2.6
Dribbles completed
49%
Aerials won
55%
Touches in the opposition box
10.7
Gyokeres has also impressed as a focal point, winning 55% of the aerial duels he’s entered, allowing the likes of Cunha to link up and play off him, bolstering his own goalscoring tallies as a result.
Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the Sporting talisman would set the hierarchy back in the coming months, it’s evident that he would massively bolster the attacking department.
The prospect of the pair linking up together at Old Trafford is certainly an exciting one for the supporters, with their talents hopefully pushing the club in the right direction ahead of 2025/26.
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