All posts by n8rngtd.top

Newcastle United are on the hunt for what seems to be their primary target this summer, a new right winger.

The Magpies have a huge season ahead of them, with Champions League football returning to St James’ Park, and are looking for extra depth on the right to go along with Jacob Murphy.

After being rejected by Bryan Mbeumo, the Magpies seemingly switched their attention to Anthony Elanga.

According to David Ornstein, they placed a bid of around £45m, but that was rejected by Nottingham Forest, the Sweden international’s current club.

Whilst there is still a chance they could return with a bid for Elanga, there have been reports about their new targets out wide.

Newcastle's new right-wing targets

It is definitely a blow for the North East giants to perhaps lose out on the signing of Elanga. He was a player they have seemingly targeted for a while, having made a move for him last summer. However, they certainly have other options.

Transfer Focus

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

It seems as though Newcastle could move for a new target after they failed to sign Elanga. Keith Downie of Sky Sports reported a few days ago that they are ‘exploring’ a move for other players, including Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi.

If Eddie Howe’s side decide to try and sign the Germany international, he could cost £43m, according to SportBILD a few weeks ago.

The same report also suggests that Juventus, Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested in the winger, although it is not clear if they will challenge the Magpies in their move or Howe gets a clear run at his latest winger target.

How Adeyemi compares to Anthony Elanga

At 23 years of age, Adeyemi has already played a great deal of football at the highest level and has made a great impression. He notably impressed last season for Dortmund despite struggling with an injury, and is now playing in the Club World Cup in the United States.

In 2024/25 so far, including the ongoing competition happening Stateside, he has played 38 times, scoring an impressive 12 goals and grabbing a further nine assists. Given that he has featured for just 2,261 minutes, the equivalent of 25.1 full 90-minute games, contributing to 21 goals in that time is a great effort.

The Magpies will certainly know a bit about the damage Adeyemi can cause. Having played against him twice before in the Champions League, he grabbed an assist against them at Signal Iduna Park. Adeyemi’s quick feet and excellent long pass enabled Julian Brandt to counter-attack Newcastle, which he ended up scoring.

Sweden international Elanga had a fantastic campaign in the Premier League last season too. He played all 38 of Forest’s games, scoring six goals and grabbing 11 assists, including a sublime effort against former side Manchester United.

Those numbers are fairly similar to the ones Adeyemi put up in the Bundesliga; he contributed 13 goals and assists in the German top flight, but played just 25 games.

Described as a “counter-attacking weapon” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and as “unstoppable” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, you can certainly see how that is similar to Elanga by watching how quick he is in the above goal. Adeyemi is not exactly slow, and, as per Speeds Database, has a top speed of 36.30 km/h.

Statistically, via FBref, Adeyemi has numbers which far exceed Elanga. For example, the German international averaged 0.82 goal involvements and 0.69 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, compared to the Forest star’s 0.61 goals and assists and 0.65 goal-creating actions each game.

If this is the type of profile Newcastle want to sign this summer, and they miss out on Elanga, they might end up with the better option in Adeyemi. The Dortmund attacker is quick, dangerous in transition and able to score and assist at a consistent level, more so than Elanga.

For £43m, a fee they’re clearly willing to spend, this seems like a fantastic addition to the Magpies’ squad, and could be a better option than the Forest star.

Advanced talks: Newcastle accelerating move to sign "incredible" £30m ace

The Magpies are closing in on their man…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 25, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s frontline has impressed throughout the 2024/25 campaign, posting some impressive figures despite their lowly Premier League standing.

The Lilywhites posted a total of 64 league goals in their 38 outings – an average of 1.68 per game, with only six teams in the division scoring more throughout the same period.

Brennan Johnson finished as the club’s top scorer with 11 goals, securing an impressive turnaround after criticism from the supporters led to the Welsh international deactivating his social media accounts.

His £47.5m switch from Nottingham Forest was seen as a huge investment, but given his goal in the Europa League final, it now looks to be money well spent by the hierarchy.

They have the opportunity to land another deal of that magnitude this summer, with new boss Thomas Frank undoubtedly needing funds to transform the squad ahead of 2025/26.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Over the last couple of weeks, new attackers have been on Spurs’ radar, as the hierarchy look to further boost the options currently available in the final third.

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has constantly been touted as a potential option for the club, with the Lilywhites in a battle with Manchester United for the Ghanaian’s signature.

However, another name has been mentioned over the last couple of days, with Brentford’s Yoane Wissa also on the club’s radar, according to The Guardian.

They report that the hierarchy have held internal talks over a move for the DR Congo international, who netted 19 league goals in 35 appearances under Frank this campaign.

It also states that they could face competition from Nottingham Forest, after Nuno Espírito Santo’s side once again entered the race after having a £22m bid rejected back in January.

Why Wissa would be a better signing than Mbeumo for Spurs

After the arrival of Frank from Brentford last week, it’s no surprise to see some of the Dane’s former players linked with a move to North London during the off-season.

Alongside Wissa, winger Bryan Mbeumo has also been mentioned as a potential target, unsurprisingly so given his 20-goal season for the Bees in 2024/25.

The Cameroonian has been one of the most dangerous attackers this season, being one of only five players in the division who have achieved such a feat.

However, Frank will face stiff competition from Manchester United for the 25-year-old’s signature this window, with the London outfit demanding a fee in the region of £70m to part ways with him this summer.

Such a fee seems a little steep, with any pending arrival taking playing time off top scorer Johnson, which could be a controversial decision given his form this campaign.

As a result, Wissa would be a better addition, with the “unbelievable” forward, as labelled by Frank, offering a central option – a position that has been a struggle since Harry Kane’s departure.

When comparing his stats to those of current talisman Dominic Solanke, he’s managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, showcasing the need to pursue a move for the Congolese star.

He’s massively outscored the club-record signing, whilst also posting a higher shot on target rate – showcasing his clinical nature when in the final third.

The Bees star has also completed more passes and made more passes into the final third, handing the likes of Johnson to improve their own tallies in 2025/26.

His all-round quality is also reflected in his aerial success rate and progressive carries per 90, able to play as a focal point or play on the shoulder of the defender if needed.

It’s unclear how much the Bees would demand for his signature this summer, but he’s proven that he’s a top-level Premier League forward who could further improve Spurs’ fortunes.

Given his impact, the hierarchy need to look past Mbeumo and focus on Wissa, with his addition handing Frank another attacking star in his quest in North London.

Better than Semenyo: Spurs open talks to sign "one of the best wingers"

Tottenham are looking to sign a new forward this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 14, 2025

This summer looks set to be a massive one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta told us as much in April, and considering his side finished a distant second place to Liverpool in the Premier League this season, it’s not hard to see why.

However, on top of bringing in some truly game-changing attackers to help push the club over the finish line at home and in the Champions League, the Gunners need to address other areas of the team.

For example, while Martin Zubimendi looks set to join, the midfield could still do with more rejuvenation, and based on recent reports, that might happen as the club circle an up-and-coming talent who could send Thomas Partey packing.

Arsenal transfer news

For some time this season, it looked as if Thomas Partey would be thanked for his service and allowed to leave at the expiration of his contract this month.

Transfer Focus

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

However, on April 23rd, The Athletic’s David Ornstein broke the news that talks had begun over a new deal that could see the former Atlético Madrid star remain in North London for two or more years.

Since then, there have been a few updates on the talks, but nothing definitive either way.

Interestingly, while talks are still going on, the club have now been linked to an exciting midfield talent who could be an ideal replacement for the 32-year-old: Lucien Agoumé.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are now very interested in the Sevilla star.

In fact, the report claims that Arteta, in particular, wants the club to sign the Frenchman, who has caught the eye of Manchester United as well.

A potential price is not mentioned in the report, but considering the £17k-per-week ace joined the Spanish side for €4m – £3.4m – last summer, there is a chance he wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Even so, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Agoumé, as he looks incredibly promising and someone who could make resigning Partey unnecessary.

How Agoumé compares to Partey

So then, if Arsenal are looking to sign Agoumé this summer and as a potential replacement for Partey, how do the pair stack up to one another?

Well, as they are both primarily defensive midfielders by trade, the best way to see what’s what is to take a look under the hood and compare their underlying numbers.

Interestingly, and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, it’s the Sevilla gem, who talent scout Jacek Kulig described as a “10 out of 10 talent” who comes out on top when we do this.

Now, while the Gunners’ star does better in some areas, such as passing accuracy, passes into the penalty area and goal-creating actions per 90, he is a distant second in practically every other relevant statistic.

For example, the former Inter Milan gem comes out on top in things such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, tackles, blocks, interceptions, clearances, key passes, ball recoveries and many, many more, all per 90.

On top of all of that, the Yaoundé-born star also has a far better injury record, having missed just 16 games for club and country across his entire career.

In stark contrast, the Odumase Krobo-born titan has missed 81 games for club and country since the start of the 20/21 campaign.

Ultimately, Partey has been a great player for Arsenal and could well contribute for another year or two, but if there is an opportunity to sign Agoumé, the club have to take it, as he looks like the perfect midfielder to come in and replace the 32-year-old.

He's just like Saka: £68m winger is Tognozzi's dream target for Arsenal

The exciting wonderkid would be a superb addition to the Arsenal squad.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 13, 2025

Yet again in his glorious Manchester City reign, Pep Guardiola is overseeing a rebuild. Following a largely underwhelming 2024/25 campaign, it is a case of out with the old and in with the new.

Indeed, having previously phased out the likes of Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Aguero in the past, the Catalan coach is now repeating the process in relation to his treble-winning side of 2023.

The great Kevin De Bruyne is on his way to Napoli by all accounts, while Kyle Walker – fresh from his own sojourn to Serie A – is expected to seal a permanent exit this summer, after eight years at the Etihad.

With doubts also emerging over the futures of Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish, among others, there could well be a fresh feel to the Citizens next season, having already begun the overhaul with four new additions in January.

That quartet appear to be just the start of things, if recent reports are anything to go by, with the Premier League giants seemingly closing in on a first move of the window, amid the imminent arrival of Tijjani Reijnders.

Latest on Man City's transfer search

While the search to replace that man De Bruyne has dominated talk in recent weeks – amid interest in the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and the Liverpool-bound, Florian Wirtz – a further priority also lies in finding a suitable partner for Rodri in that number eight berth.

Transfer Focus

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

The Manchester outfit did only recently fork out £50m for the signing of Nico Gonzalez from Porto, albeit with the Spaniard seemingly deemed as a replacement rather than a partner for his compatriot, having been dubbed a “mini-Rodri” by Guardiola.

With that in mind, sporting director Hugo Viana has turned his attention elsewhere in the bid to bolster those midfield ranks even further, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealing that City have a “verbal agreement in place” for AC Milan star, Reijnders.

The signing of the 26-year-old – for what is expected to be a package of around €70m (£59m) – could well be followed by the capture of Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, with Romano also outlining that personal terms have been agreed with the playmaker.

The suggestion is that City will lodge a bid “in the next hours” amid their desire to get the deal done, amid rival interest from Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, with prior reports indicating that Cherki could be available for as little as £25m.

Why Cherki would be a good signing

It may go against the Guardiola grain to be signing a “maverick” talent like the Lyon starlet, as hailed by pundit Rio Ferdinand, although the Citizens are in need of a fresh creative source, in the wake of De Bruyne’s imminent exit.

With the aforementioned Grealish – and England teammate, Phil Foden – providing just 11 goals and assists between them in the Premier League last season, the onus is on finding a suitable supplier for main man, Erling Haaland.

In many ways, Guardiola’s side are still seeking to find a suitable successor to Riyad Mahrez in the forward line, with one-time Leicester City hero having racked up 78 goals and 59 assists in 236 games prior to his 2023 exit, a return that included 28 goal involvements in all competitions during his final season.

Described as a player who can “change the game” by his manager, the now 34-year-old was simply a genius during his time in English football, possessing a wand of a left foot and an ability to create something out of nothing down that right flank.

Those are traits which the veteran no doubt shares with young Cherki, with the France U21 international – who qualifies to play for Algeria, like Mahrez – also a creative weapon. Equally, like Mahrez too, the left-footer is comfortable operating down the right flank or in a number ten berth.

Hailed as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, Cherki is fresh off the back of a campaign that ended with a remarkable haul of 32 goals and assists from just 44 games, including 19 goals and assists in Ligue 1.

Such form in France’s top-flight saw the 21-year-old notably create 22 big chances and average 2.5 key passes per game, during his 30 league outings, as per Sofascore, having also averaged 1.6 successful dribbles as a sign of his breathtaking ability to beat his man.

When comparing his recent heroics with Mahrez’s final Premier League campaign, it is easy to see their statistical and stylistic likeness too, with the pair both ranking highly for assists and shot-creating actions per 90, indicating their unique ability to generate opportunities in the final third.

That desire to make things happen is also evident with regard to the ‘passes attempted’ metric, with that knack for conjuring a moment of magic seemingly needed to help replace the likes of the “predictable” Grealish, as described by Gary Neville.

With Mahrez having repeatedly delivered the goods for City in previous years, Guardiola could now find his heir apparent by plucking Cherki from Lyon.

"World-class" star now pushing to join Man City quickly; £59m+ offer needed

There has been a development in Man City’s pursuit of a key target…

By
Dominic Lund

Jun 3, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur saved their season when they defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League, ending 17 years of searching for silverware.

Despite all the misery, the luckless injury bother and the Premier League disaster, finishing 17th, Ange Postecoglou made good on his word and bagged himself a trophy at the end of his second season in the Spurs dugout, thus paving a road into next year’s Champions League.

It’s been a long time coming, but Tottenham must now ensure they build on their success and sustain a position at the forefront of English football.

Arrivals are expected, but outgoings are also a must if chairman Daniel Levy to to enact real change. Richarlison, despite his part in winning European gold, surely needs to leave in the coming months.

The latest on Richarlison's Spurs exit

Everton have been credited by Sky Sports News with an interest in Richarlison, and it’s felt Tottenham would be willing to consider offers in the region of £30m.

There’s clearly a talented player in there, with the Brazil forward’s rich purple patch in the Premier League last season evidence behind Tottenham’s big payment to bring him over from Merseyside.

But with interest in the 28-year-old’s services mounting, it might be foolish not to take the money and turn it toward a new player.

Richarlison, then, can bow out as a winner, having played an important part in ending Spurs’ trophy hoodoo. However, this feels like the right time for him to move on, for his career down N17 has been marred by persistent injuries and struggles for form.

He’s not the only wide forward who needs to move on, though, with Mathys Tel struggling to showcase his burgeoning qualities under Postecoglou’s wing.

Why Spurs must get rid of Mathys Tel

Tottenham welcomed Bayern Munich’s Tel to the fold in February, bagging the France U21 forward on loan until the end of the season.

Sadly, it’s been something of a turbulent ride for the 20-year-old, who was criticised by The Athletic’s Jay Harris for his “underwhelming” start to life in London, finishing the campaign with just three goals and an assist from 20 appearances, albeit a Europa League medal too.

Crystal Palace’s FA Cup hero Eberechi Eze has been linked by TEAMtalk with a cross-London switch; Tottenham are even believed to be prepared to meet his £68m release clause.

You’d think such a move could spell the end for one of Richarlison or Tel, and that another left-leaning forward would allow Levy and co to part with both.

Tel’s six-month loan spell has the option inserted to become permanent at the end of the season, for a fee in the ballpark of £46m.

He’s a wonderful talent, for sure, but the question must be raised as to whether this would be a prudent use of resources when the need for instant change is so great.

Tottenham are hoping to bring the Frenchman’s price down to £30m, but if they are unable to do so, plans must be focused on using the Richarlison money and the funds clearly available for such an outlay on Tel to sign another top target, such as Palace’s Eze.

Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane, who is out of contract this summer, is also being chased by the Lilywhites, and it’s clear such players would make a big difference to a youthful squad in need of a blend of experience to finally hit a consistent vein of form and wipe the slate clean.

With that in mind, it could be that Tel’s final outing for Spurs has already come and gone, with the club needing to oversee a swift exit for the £80k-per-week starlet.

Left for £0: Spurs' "waste of money" is now outscoring Delap & Nkunku

One former Tottenham Hotspur player has taken his career to new heights after leaving the club.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 31, 2025

Celtic are preparing for an exciting summer under Brendan Rodgers, though they may now be resigned to losing one of their most talented young prospects.

Celtic look forward to chance to complete domestic treble

Domestic trebles have become a speciality for the Hoops over recent years, and they will have a chance to complete another clean sweep against Aberdeen this weekend in the Scottish Cup final.

Rodgers was able to soak up the acclaim of supporters after witnessing his side lift the Scottish Premiership trophy last weekend. However, the Irishman knows there is still work to do before the champagne can really start to flow at Parkhead.

Speaking ahead of the clash, he said: “We’ve had some great performances and results against Aberdeen, but finals are finals.

“I enjoy the occasion, I enjoy the pressures of finals, but we can only really enjoy it if we go in with the right mentality, the right preparation and then we can see where it takes us.”

Coming to the end of a long season, Rodgers will already have one eye on the transfer market as Celtic prepare to strengthen on all fronts to put up another fight for silverware and European progression next term.

Rodgers has struck gold with Celtic star who's worth more than Kvistgaarden

Celtic have hit the jackpot with this star who is worth more than reported target Mathias Kvistgaarden.

1

By
Dan Emery

May 20, 2025

Blackburn Rovers star Tyrhys Dolan is a target for the Bhoys on a free transfer and could join Kieran Tierney in walking through the Parkhead entrance once the window opens.

Nevertheless, departures will also be expected to make room for new arrivals to settle into life in Glasgow, and one of the Hoops’ most prodigious stars could now be on his way out of the club, per recent developments.

Celtic gem Cummings spotted at West Ham's London Stadium

With his contract set to expire at Parkhead, Celtic striker Daniel Cummings was spotted at West Ham United’s London Stadium on Sunday, a stadium which is bigger than Parkhead, taking in their 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest. It has been claimed that a move to the Irons looks imminent for the forward.

The Scotland Under-19 international has been in brilliant form for the Hoops’ B Team this campaign, registering 29 goals in 37 appearances, combining his first-team outings and exploits further down the ladder.

Commended for his “spectacular” finishing by The Young Team, he now appears poised to leave his boyhood club after months of no progress over a contract extension.

West Ham previously tried to sign Cummings on deadline day earlier this year, though they now look to have prevailed in their attempts to bring the clinical poacher to East London.

From a Celtic standpoint, losing another young talent is a sign of the limited pathway to the first team for homegrown stars, but most will acknowledge that this has been coming for a long time.

Liverpool will be under no illusions that retaining their newly won Premier League trophy will be a steep hill to climb next season, especially now that Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he will leave when his contract expires in the summer.

However, Arne Slot and his squad will also be determined to break ahead of Manchester United as the most successful outfit in the history of England’s top division.

For sure, the Merseysiders are absorbing a blow in Alexander-Arnold’s departure, with his destination set to be Real Madrid, but Liverpool have overcome adversity countless times before and are gearing up for an exciting summer of spending.

Full-backs and central defenders are both needed at Anfield, but there’s no question that Slot needs a high-level centre-forward to take his project to the next level.

Darwin Nunez, sadly, isn’t cutting the mustard, paling in comparison to predecessors such as Luis Suarez and Bobby Firmino.

Darwin Nunez and the ones before

Nunez’s total transfer fee when leaving Benfica for Liverpool comes to a club-record £85m figure. This is more than Suarez (a £23m addition from Ajax), Firmino (who cost £21m in 2015) and Mohamed Salah (who joined from Roma for £34m) combined.

Sure: inflation, clauses, ifs and buts. The plain truth is that Nunez alighted on Merseyside to much fanfare and has failed to respond to the tactical demands of not one but two coaches, both illustrious Premier League champions.

After the towering achievements of central forwards such as Suarez and Firmino, Nunez always had big shoes to fill, but it’s probably fair to say he’s fallen miserably by the wayside in his efforts to succeed as Liverpool’s focal frontman.

Chance after chance after chance; miss, miss, miss. The Uruguay international has only scored 25 times in the Premier League across 92 appearances, across three years. As per Sofascore, he’s missed 53 big chances.

Erling Haaland, who arrived in England in the same transfer window as Nunez, has scored 84 goals across 94 Premier League games, missing 82 big chances.

At his best, Nunez is as tenacious as a bloodhound. His unpredictability beguiles the Liverpool supporters, strikes fear into the veins of rival fans. If he doesn’t know what’s coming next, how can his opponents?

Sadly, his methods have produced infrequent results on Merseyside, and it’s a shame to say that Slot’s smoothed-out system has actually pushed Nunez back a few steps, whereas so many others have struck a chord with the Dutchman and reached new levels.

Is it any surprise he’s expected to be among the first out of the door this summer, as per Fabrizio Romano? In fact, sporting director Richard Hughes is already preparing a bid for a new phenom at number nine.

Liverpool preparing bid for new striker

Well, according to Caught Offside, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has been identified as the man for the job. Though Arsenal are said to be ‘particularly keen’ on the Slovenia international, Liverpool are warming to the idea of signing Sesko as an alternative to Isak.

While Leipzig are holding out for more, suitors have made it clear that they are willing to pay €70m (about £60m) for the 21-year-old but no more.

In fact, the report claims that the suitors, also made up of Chelsea and Manchester United, are actually preparing bids as you read these words.

Why Benjamin Sesko would be perfect for Liverpool

Nunez hasn’t grown into the complete and devastating striker Jurgen Klopp thought he saw in Benfica’s raw, thrash-metal prospect. He certainly hasn’t reached the levels of his countryman, Suarez.

No one expected the 25-year-old to hit such staggering levels, but Slot is searching for a centre-forward who can provide some of the same gusto and guile in the final third, with Suarez one of the trickiest and most dynamic forwards in the business.

Given that Firmino was never really Liverpool’s principal goalscorer and instead a sort of connective conduit who elevated Salah and Sadio Mane, only scoring 111 goals across 362 fixtures (0.31 per game), Sesko could become Liverpool’s most prolific central goalscorer since Suarez, should he make the move to Merseyside this summer.

The Slovenia international is still so young but already boasts an impressive track record in Germany, scoring 39 goals and supplying eight assists for Leipzig across 85 matches, winning this year’s DFL-Supercup.

He’s powerful, pacy and ever-improving, ranking among the top 12% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, while exceeding his xG (expected goals) haul by 0.14 goals per game.

This basically means he is driving into the danger area with consistency and making excellent use of the opportunities that fall into his path.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has also commented on the rising star’s “ridiculous” ball-striking power, so deadly when accurately channelled.

On top of all this, Sesko has scored 16 times in the Bundesliga this season while only missing 14 big chances. Detractors will point out the several chances that have gone begging this term, but the proof is in the pudding here, and he’s not yet even half-baked.

Suarez is one of the deadliest marksmen of his generation, hailed by Steven Gerrard as “the best I’ve played with.”

Transfer Focus

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

Sesko would need to shift quite the haul to reach the same lofty standard, but he’s definitely got the potential to become something special, outstripping Nunez and maybe even rivalling Suarez down the line too.

He'd be amazing with Sesko: Liverpool preparing bid for £51m "superstar"

Liverpool are hoping to make signings across a range of positions this summer.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

May 6, 2025

Manchester City have the opportunity to reach a third successive FA Cup final when they take on Nottingham Forest this afternoon at Wembley.

Pep Guardiola has won this competition twice, but will still be stinging from the defeat to Manchester United in the 2024 final.

Forest defeated City in the Premier League last month, but the Spaniard may have learned from this loss, and his side could reach another final.

They warmed up for the clash with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, but a few players weren’t quite at their best. İlkay Gündoğan was one, and he could return to the bench this afternoon.

Why Man City must drop İlkay Gündoğan

Guardiola operated with a 4-1-4-1 system against Villa, and Gundogan was one of the four midfielders tasked with providing opportunities for Kevin De Bruyne.

Despite playing for the full 90 minutes, the midfielder failed to register a single shot on goal, while he failed with his only dribble attempt.

Gundogan also lost possession seven times against the Midlands side and won just one of his three aerial duels.

For the semi-final clash against Forest, Guardiola must revert to a 4-2-3-1. Mateo Kovacic will reprise his role at the heart of the midfield, but for this game, winter signing Nico Gonzalez must be brought into the starting XI.

Why Nico Gonzalez must start for Man City

Gonzalez may have cost the club around £50m back in January, but he is already looking like a potential long-term heir to Rodri.

The midfielder has already featured 12 times for City in all competitions, even scoring against Real Madrid in the Champions League, although it wasn’t enough to see his club make it to the next round.

Across his eight Premier League matches for the club, the 23-year-old has averaged a 93% pass success rate, along with making 1.9 tackles, two clearances, and recovering 3.9 balls per game in the top flight.

Furthermore, the Spaniard wins 1.9 aerial duels per game – a success rate of 59% – while averaging 81.9 touches each match for City. These statistics show just how dependable he is at the heart of the pitch, because he rarely gives the ball away and is strong in his physical duels.

He was praised by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in July 2024, who said: “Nico González – 4 goals in FC Porto’s four friendly games this preseason. Simply superb in the second half of the 23/24. Technique, football IQ, and pure elegance.”

The move to Manchester hasn’t fazed him, and he now looks like an excellent signing. Settling in throughout the second half of the 2024/25 season appears to be a smart move by Guardiola, as Gonzalez will hit the ground running in August.

Moving back to a 4-2-3-1 system for the FA Cup semi-final could go a long way to seeing City reach yet another final. With Gonzalez and Kovacic at the base of the midfield, the attacking quartet will be given free rein to cause plenty of destruction.

Man City have struck gold on "exceptional" gem worth more than Kerkez

City have hit the jackpot on a current academy graduate who is starring under Guardiola.

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 26, 2025

All eyes might be on next week’s Champions League semi-final for the fans, but behind the scenes, Arsenal are preparing for a massive summer transfer window.

The Gunners are set to finish with fewer points in the Premier League than their previous campaign under Mikel Arteta for the first time, and as they’ve scored 12 goals fewer than Liverpool, it’s clear they need attacking reinforcements.

One of the standout players most heavily touted for a move to the Emirates in recent months has been Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, who would be available for around £50m thanks to the release clause in his current deal.

However, while the Spaniard is a supremely exciting winger, recent reports have now linked the club with another sensational wideman, someone having a way better season than the Basque star.

Arsenal looking to sign one of the best players in Europe

As we get closer and closer to the opening of the summer transfer window, the links to incredible stars have been steadily increasing, so before looking at the potential Williams upgrade, it’s worth going over some of the other names touted for a move to N5, such as Rafael Leao.

Transfer Focus

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

According to reports from earlier this month, the Portuguese international could be available for around £86m this summer, and while that’s a lot of money, it could prove to be a fee worth paying, as in just 46 appearances for AC Milan this term, he’s scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists.

However, a far cheaper option would be Kingsley Coman, who has been touted for a £39m move to the North Londoners.

The Bayern Munich star, who scored the winning goal in the 2020 UCL Final, has somewhat fallen out of favour in Bavaria this year but has still managed to rack up a haul of seven goals and four assists in 1666 minutes of action.

With that said, perhaps the most exciting winger linked with Arsenal at the moment, and the one who would be a better signing than Williams, is Raphinha.

According to a recent report from Spain, the Gunners are one of several sides interested in the Brazilian game-changer, including Liverpool, Chelsea and teams from the Saudi Pro League.

However, the key information is that, per the story, Barcelona have not ruled out selling the former Leeds United star, and that should an offer of around €100m – £86m – be made, they’d be willing to cash in.

It would be an incredibly costly and potentially complicated transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Raphinha’s immense ability, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Williams.

How Raphinha compares to Williams

So, with the fees being reported, it seems likely that Arsenal would sign Raphinha or Williams and not both, so how do they compare?

Well, when it comes down to the most important metric for an attacking player, their raw output, it’s the Barcelona star who comes out way ahead.

For example, in 49 appearances this season, totalling 3952 minutes, the “amazing” Porto Alegre-born star, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has racked up an outrageous tally of 30 goals and 23 assists. He is truly living up to his billing as “the best player in the world” this season, as hailed by Statman Dave.

That means he is currently averaging 1.08 goal involvements a game or one every 74.56 minutes, which is a simply world-class rate of return and makes Thierry Henry’s tip for him to win the Ballon d’Or earlier this year look like a shrewd one.

In contrast, the Pamplona-born dynamo has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists for the Basque side in 43 appearances, totalling 2971 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.38 games, or every 165.05 minutes.

Now, it should be said that, in and of itself, that is an excellent rate of return for a winger, but it’s simply incomparable to the Brazilian’s mind-blowing efforts this year.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to sign an attacker who can propel them forward this summer, and while he won’t be cheap, that attacker is Raphinha, not Willimas.

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For the 13th time in the Premier League this season, Manchester United played out a full 90-minute match without getting on the scoresheet, having slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday afternoon.

Pablo Sarabia’s 77th-minute free-kick was a rare moment of quality in a largely lifeless affair at Old Trafford, albeit with the hosts likely to feel they should have walked away with all three points.

Indeed, Rasmus Hojlund notably came agonisingly close to getting on the end of Alejandro Garnacho’s driven cross, while both Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount also produced wayward attempts after being expertly picked out by the Argentine winger.

Even an inch-perfect, outside of the boot cross from Christian Eriksen could not be capitalised on by Mount, with the £55m Englishman still having scored just once since his arrival back in the summer of 2023.

Hojlund too has netted only three league goals in 2024/25 to date, a grim return for any leading number nine, with Ruben Amorim likely to be tearing his hair out at his side’s frustrating profligacy.

Having gone from seeing Viktor Gyokeres dazzle under his watch, the Portuguese coach is now in desperate need of a new attacking figurehead.

Latest on Man Utd's search for a forward

All of the talk at present is centred around United’s apparent progressing interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, with it looking likely that the club will trigger the Brazilian’s £62.5m release clause, amid positive talks over his potential contract in Manchester.

The 14-goal marksman may not be the only Premier League talent to arrive at the Theatre of Dreams this summer, however, with the Daily Mail’s Simon Jones – who outlined that an agreement regarding Cunha is inching closer – also naming a raft of high-profile stars who are under consideration.

Indeed, according to Jones, among those to have made the INEOS shortlist is Bournemouth man, Antoine Semenyo, with the Red Devils already said to have held talks over signing the Ghanaian forward.

Transfer Focus

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

This follows prior reports which outlined that United are actually frontrunners in the race for the 25-year-old’s signature, albeit with it yet to be seen if Amorim and co will be willing or able to match the Cherries’ £70m price tag.

A versatile asset who can operate on the flanks or in a central role, Semenyo could represent the perfect addition to bolster Amorim’s forward line, with the potential their for the 40-year-old to morph him into his new Gyokeres-esque talisman.

Why Man Utd could be targeting Amorim's new Gyokeres

As outlined by journalist Mark Ogden, it has been a remarkable rise for the Sporting CP sensation in recent times, having gone from being sold for just £1m by then-Brighton and Hove Albion director, Dan Ashworth, back in 2021, to now standing aloft as the “hottest striker in Europe”.

Indeed, the 6 foot 2 Swede failed to actually make a league appearance for the Seagulls, while enduring a handful of less than spectacular loan spells away from the Amex – having notably scored just five goals in 2020/21 for the likes of Swansea City and Coventry City.

That steady rise only truly ignited following Gyokeres’ permanent switch to Coventry at the end of that campaign, as he went on to score 38 times in the Championship over the next two seasons.

Since moving to Lisbon on a £17m deal in 2023, the 26-year-old has soared even higher, bagging 90 goals in just 96 games – 66 of which came in just 68 outings under Amorim’s watch.

That journey from EFL struggler to elite-level monster is one which Semenyo certainly knows well, with the London-born ace having started out on the books at Bristol City, while also taking on loan moves at the likes of Bath City, Newport County and Sunderland.

The 6 foot 1 star memorably failed to score during that limp stint at the Stadium of Light, while actually only scoring 21 times in 121 games back at Ashton Gate – albeit while plundering a further 21 assists.

Like Gyokeres, however, it has taken the step up from the second tier for Semenyo to truly flourish, having now scored 16 Premier League goals since the start of 2023/24, while contributing a further eight assists.

Like Gyokeres too, what also stands out regarding the in-demand talent is just what a powerful presence he is in the final third, having been hailed as “almost unplayable” at times by journalist Ed Aarons.

Interestingly too, the pair were deemed to be similar players among their peers during the 2022/23 season in the Championship, as per FBref, with Semenyo having largely been operating in a central role at the time.

That likeness bodes well for the impact that the two-footed Ghana star can make under Amorim, with the £70m man representing the type of ready-made Premier League talent who can breathe new life into United’s misfiring attacking unit.

After years of scouring the Eredivisie, in particular, for new signings, now could well be the time to look a little closer to home…

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