All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Bromwich Albion have already displayed an outside-the-box approach with their transfer activity this summer.

Whilst Nathaniel Phillips is a well-known name to most Championship fans, Aune Heggebo is definitely more of an unknown entity to the average supporter. Yet, West Brom have gambled on the former Brann goal machine to come good on English shores, having spent £4.7m on the Nordic striker.

It remains to be seen whether Heggebo will go on to be a rip-roaring success in England, but his blistering goal record in his native Norway is definitely encouraging to look at.

Why Heggebo could be a success at West Brom

After all, Erling Haaland infamously hails from the same nation, with the lofty attacker now one of the most feared strikers in world football after beginning his career in Scandinavia.

Of course, nobody will be anticipating Heggebo to storm into his new environment and be as instantly clinical as the Manchester City powerhouse, but the signs are there that he could be a lethal finisher at the Hawthorns if he can manage to navigate the step-up well.

In total, for Brann, the £4.7m forward would power home a potent 51 goals from 146 games, with the Eliteserien outfit no doubt putting up a valiant fight to try and keep their star asset around for longer.

Unfortunately, whilst £4.7m is a steep amount to splash in go, West Brom’s lavish spending has been overshadowed somewhat by near neighbours Birmingham City routinely flexing their muscles.

Across the Midlands, the £10m forked out on ex-Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi around the same time has certainly sent a message to the division’s best clubs.

However, the Baggies could shoot back into the limelight if they manage to get another left-field piece of business over the line, with a new target perhaps going down as Ryan Mason’s very own Kyogo if all clicks into place.

West Brom's answer to Kyogo

Before being renowned as a venomous goal threat with 85 strikes next to his name at Celtic, Kyogo would have been viewed as a bold pick-up by the Hoops, considering the Japanese gem had only ever played in the comforts of the J League, before Glasgow came calling.

West Brom might well look to tap into the Asian markets themselves with their next summer buy, with reports from earlier in the month suggesting that the Championship side had bid £1.1m for Jeonbuk Hyundai attacker Jeon Jin-Woo.

Games played

163

182

Goals scored

32

66

Assists

20

36

Jin-Woo might well follow in Kyogo’s footsteps in establishing himself as a menace up top when making the same daunting geographical leap, having amassed an electric 52 goal contributions plying his trade in Korea for both Jeonbuk and ex-employers Suwon Bluewings.

The brand-new Birmingham buy was able to devastatingly reach double Jin-Woo’s goal tally when starring for the likes of Vissel Kobe, but the two-time South Korea international will surely feel less nervous about taking that next step to the Baggies, knowing others have moved to the United Kingdom and thrived in some challenging environments.

To help the 25-year-old even more, Mason will also have Heggebo available for selection in attack, who will be equally eager to hit the ground running in his fresh location.

It does remain up in the air how well West Brom will do next season, with Mason also being a rookie manager away from their daring summer business, but Jin-Woo could become a firm fan’s favourite at the Hawthorns if he manages to excel in the English game to the same lofty heights Kyogo managed in Scotland.

Dream Johnston upgrade: West Brom submit surprise offer for £1.1m star

West Bromwich Albion could think outside of the box when pursuing a Mikey Johnston upgrade.

2 ByKelan Sarson Jul 16, 2025

Chelsea continue to be extremely busy in the transfer market.

Just last week, both João Pedro and Jamie Gittens arrived, with the Brazilian thrown straight in for his debut off the bench against Palmeiras in Friday night’s Club World Cup quarter-finals.

That 2-1 victory in Philadelphia means Enzo Maresca’s team faced Fluminense in the semi-finals, and Pedro truly delivered, scoring twice as the Blues progressed through to Sunday’s final, where Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid will await at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Meantime, back at home, Chelsea’s recruitment staff continue to be the hardest-working people in football, so could the Blues snap up yet another highly-rated young talent?

Chelsea's search for more attacking talent

With all their arrivals, The Times are reporting that Chelsea ‘need to raise’ in excess of £60m through player sales to be compliant with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations.

With that in mind, reports suggest that Arsenal are ‘advancing their pursuit’ of Noni Madueke, who they believe is valued at around £50m, noting that personal terms have already been agreed.

If that deal goes through, will they be able to use that money to sign another English talent?

Well, Simon Johnson of The Athletic notes that the Blues are ‘big admirers’ of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, adding that Chelsea’s summer transfer activity is unlikely to be finished yet.

One sticking point is likely to be the player’s price, with talkSPORT previously quoting that the England international is valued at something in the region of £100m.

How Morgan Rogers would improve Chelsea

Should this come to fruition, he would be yet another former Manchester City academy player, or indeed coach, to end up at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca

2022-23

2024

Cole Palmer

2010-23

2023

Liam Delap

2019-20

2025

Jamie Gittens

2018-20

2025

Roméo Lavia

2020-22

2023

Tosin Adarabioyo

2003-20

2024

Rogers featured for Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League, EFL Trophy, FA Youth Cup and PL2, without ever making a senior appearance, departing for Middlesbrough before exploding on the scene at Aston Villa.

Now though, could the 22-year-old swap the West Midlands for West London?

Rogers certainly impressed at Villa this season, registering 14 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, including a Champions League hat-trick against Celtic in January.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout asserted that he enjoyed a “magnificent campaign”, while former defender Jamie Carragher noted that he was truly “unstoppable” in the Premier League.

Another former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood, also an ex-Villa boss of course, believes Rogers is worth at least £80m, underlining his exponential improvement, having joined the Villans for up to £15m just 18 months ago.

But the question remains: is Rogers a bigger talent than the recently arrived Gittens, as well as the potentially departing Madueke? Let’s find out.

Games

54

45

49

Minutes

4,496

2,625

2,803

Goals

14

11

12

Assists

15

5

5

Stats below: per-90 league & UCL only.

Shots

1.5

2.6

1.8

Shooting accuracy %

50.84%

56.14%

50.74%

Chances created

1.5

1.4

1.1

Take-on success %

50.3%

49.45%

49.53%

Touches

46

47

49

Touches in the box

4.6

8.8

6.2

As the table outlines, many of the attacking metrics included are generally comparable across all three players assessed.

Rogers scored more goals and registered significantly more assists than both Madueke and Gittens, albeit doing so in almost twice as many minutes on the pitch, albeit he also came out on top for chances created, on a per-90 basis, and take-on success percentage too.

That suggests that Rogers isn’t just a livewire in the final third but he’s also got the end product to boot.

Where he would fit in, and how much it would cost to get him out of Aston Villa, well, those would be the tough questions? Either way, coming off the back of an outstanding campaign, he would well be set to better Madueke and Gittens.

A better move than Nwaneri: Chelsea looking to land their own Rice for £51m

Chelsea are in the market for another defender or two this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 7, 2025

It’s now less than three weeks until Aston Villa’s pre-season schedule begins.

The Claret and Blue Army will take on neighbours Walsall at the Bescot on Wednesday 16 July, before heading to Germany where they’ll face Hansa Rostock at Ostseestadion.

Unai Emery’s team will then head stateside for a three-game series, facing Eintracht Frankfurt in Louisville and then a pair of MLS outfits, namely St. Louis City and Nashville, before returning to the Midlands for a meeting with Roma.

Before any of that, will President of Football Operations, Monchi, land any new signings?

Aston Villa targeting new attackers

As outlined by Jacob Tanswell and Gregg Evans of the Athletic, Aston Villa are in serious danger of breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules​​​​​​​, having recorded losses of £195m over the last two seasons.

Transfer Focus

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

This predicament forced them to sell, namely losing Jhon Durán back in January when Saudi came calling.

Al-Nassr paid a reported fee of £71m over the winter, with Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford arriving to replace him, albeit it’s unclear if either will be returning, following the expiration of their loans.

With Rashford certainly the less likely of the two to be back in claret and blue, John Townley of Birmingham Live is reporting that the Villans are targeting a move to sign Jesús Rodríguez.

He adds that the Real Betis winger is ‘attracting widespread interest from across Europe’, namely from RB Leipzig, Como and others.

Nevertheless, Villa are purportedly ‘confident’ of convincing Rodríguez that linking up with Emery ‘would best support his development’, with a report by Spanish outlet Marca stating that 19 year old has a €35m (around £30m) release clause.

Why Jesús Rodríguez is a bigger talent than Marcus Rashford

As alluded to earlier, it seems very unlikely that Rashford will be returning to Villa next season, despite a generally successful loan spell, in which he scored four goals and registered six assists in 17 appearances across all competitions.

Manchester United’s reported £40m price tag is seemingly putting off all potential suitors, hence why Jamie Jackson of the Guardian is reporting that Barcelona would be interested in taking Rashford on loan, but cannot sanction a permanent deal.

Thus, the Villans have seemingly turned their attention to Rodríguez, so let’s compare the duo.

Appearances

32

17

Minutes

1,739

940

Goals

3

4

Assists

2

6

Shots

1.6

1.6

Chances Created

0.6

1.7

Take-ons completed

3.1

1.7

Take-on success %

47%

34%

Touches

53

47.5

Touches in the box

6.4

5.6

As the table outlines, while Rashford’s raw data, goals and assists are better, Rodríguez’s underlying numbers are more impressive, while the pair are stylistically very different.

Rashford is about end-product, while the Spanish teenager is much more of a dribbler, as underlined by his higher take-on statistics, as well as the fact he registered more touches, both in the opposition’s penalty area and in general.

John Menzies of Football España documents how the 19-year-old enjoyed a ‘breakout season​​​​​​​’ at Betis, making his senior debut against Gévora in the Copa del Rey as recently as last Halloween.

By the end of the campaign, he had established himself as a key figure in Manuel Pellegrini’s team, starting 15 La Liga matches from 1 December onwards, as well as four matches during the Conference League knockout stages, on target during the quarter-final victory over Jagiellonia Białystok, en route to the final in Wrocław.

This summer, Rodríguez has been away at the U21 European Championships, starting and netting against Italy in Trnava, before Santi Denia’s side were dumped out by England in the quarter-finals last weekend.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him an “explosive winger”, asserting that his best attributes are his “acceleration, dribbling and work rate”.

Meantime, Luke Petty of Breaking the Lines believes the teenager is ‘already an outstanding asset’ thanks to his high-quality dribbling and ‘exceptional athleticism’, which allows him to cover ground easily, leaving him in the 99th percentile when it comes to regaining the ball via pressing, according to Statsbomb.

Thus, it is clear that Rodríguez is a highly talented youngster, perhaps even more so than Rashford, meaning he would be an excellent addition for cash-strapped Villa.

​​​​​​​

Rashford upgrade: Monchi looking to sign £68m "superstar" for Aston Villa

With Marcus Rashford seemingly unlikely to be returning to Aston Villa next season, has Unai Emery identified a “phenomenal” star as an alternative?

Jun 26, 2025

Leeds United are close to securing their first signing of the 2025 summer transfer window. The Whites are now back in the Premier League following promotion success in the 2024/25 campaign, and are now seemingly ready to splash the cash in order to survive, something that has been a struggle in recent seasons for newly-promoted sides.

Highly reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano gave his famous “here we go” tagline to Leeds’ move for Jaka Bijol.

The Slovenian centre-back will join the club for £18.7m from Italian side Udinese, as their first major signing of the summer.

Daniel Farke’s side are now lining up their next signing, who could prove to be an even better addition than their new centre-back.

Leeds' next signing after Bijol

It is certainly an early statement of intent from the Yorkshire side. Bijol is an “immense” player according to Sky Sports’ Dougiue Critchely, so for Leeds to have all but confirmed his move to Elland Road is a strong start to the window.

Transfer Focus

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

Things could be about to get even better for the 2024/25 Championship winners. TEAMtalk are now reporting that Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz is a target, with Leeds ‘ready to make a fresh push’ for the 24-year-old Brazilian.

However, this will not be an easy deal to do, with the report describing it as ‘difficult’.

The two clubs are some way apart in their valuation of the striker at this stage. Whilst the West Londoners want upwards of £50m, Leeds are hoping to do a deal around the £35m mark. Thus, ‘there remains lots of talking to be done’ in order for this transfer to progress.

Why Muniz would be a good signing

Bringing Muniz to Elland Road could be a huge addition for the Whites this summer. Crucially, he is a Premier League-proven player, with a track record of scoring goals in the English top flight during his two seasons at Craven Cottage.

Last term, the former Flamengo player found the back of the net on eight occasions in 31 appearances, grabbing an assist along the way, too.

He played just 950 minutes, the equivalent of ten full 90-minute games, meaning he was not far off a goal per game on average.

There is no doubt that Bijol is an excellent addition for the Whites. Pundits like Critchley rate him highly, and he helped keep eight clean sheets in 34 games last season for Udinese, captaining them at times, too.

He will certainly help to strengthen at the back at Elland Road, and will add some more leadership to Farke’s squad. That will be invaluable going into what will be a tough campaign in 2025/26, avoiding relegation.

However, perhaps there is a strong case to be made that Muniz will be an even better signing for Leeds, and for one reason. He is a proven Premier League goalscorer, having notched up nine in 2023/24 and, of course, eight last term.

In the last two seasons, all six newly-promoted sides have been relegated, and Leeds have a chance to buck that trend. Well, an experienced top-flight striker will count for lots. They will surely need his goals.

Of those six relegated sides, he was outscored by two Luton Town players in 2023/24, namely Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo, who scored 11 and 10, respectively. Last season, Liam Delap, now a Chelsea player, scored 12 goals, and the evergreen Jamie Vardy outscored him by one.

That said, Muniz was not always a regular starter and did actually score considerably more goals per 90 minutes which bodes well should he become Farke’s number one choice.

Liam Delap

Ipswich

12

0.42

Carlton Morris

Luton

11

0.35

Rodrigo Muniz (2023/24)

Fulham

9

0.51

Jamie Vardy

Leicester

9

0.29

Rodrigo Muniz (2024/25)

Fulham

8

0.75

Jacob Bruun Larsen

Burnley

6

0.33

Brereton Diaz/McBurnie

Sheffield United

6

0.25 & 0.42

Paul Onuachu

Southampton

4

0.34

Generally speaking, you need a top striker to regularly score goals and help keep you in the Premier League. Well, Muniz could be the guy for Leeds.

Not only did he score eight times in ten full 90-minute games last term, but his non-penalty expected goals of 0.75 per game as per FBref, was among the best 5% in the top flight.

He has the potential to explode if given a run of games by Farke. He could become a “revelation” in a Leeds shirt, a word football talent scout Jacek Kulig once used to describe him. £50m is a big investment, but it could be worth it if Leeds stay in the top flight.

A Chris Wood repeat: Euro club in talks to sign "dynamite" £13m Leeds star

This Leeds United attacker is in talks to move on from Elland Road this summer.

ByDan Emery Jun 16, 2025

Viktor Gyokeres has been the name on the lips of Manchester United supporters over recent months, with the Sporting CP striker widely linked with a move to Old Trafford.

Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim previously worked with the forward during his time in Portugal, with such a scenario likely to have fuelled the rumours over a potential switch.

Talks have previously been held between the 27-year-old’s representatives and the United hierarchy, but no deal has yet to progress, with Arsenal also in the race for his signature.

Such a move is likely to create excitement within the fanbase, given his record of 54 goals scored in just 52 games across all competitions throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

However, with negotiations seemingly not heading any closer to completion, other targets will likely be considered ahead of next season, with numerous names emerging over recent weeks.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer

United’s need for a new striker has become evident over the course of this season, with Amorim’s side only finding the net on 44 occasions in the league – an average of 1.15 goals per game.

Such a record is unacceptable, subsequently leading to links with the likes of Gyokeres and, in the last 24 hours, Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who is also on the radar of Liverpool and Chelsea.

However, it appears that Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta has once again appeared as an option, according to Football Insider’s latest update.

It’s been claimed that the Red Devils have been in talks with Oliver Glasner’s side over a move for the Frenchman, who managed to find the back of the net on 17 occasions across all competitions.

The report also states that the hierarchy have been keeping a close eye on the 27-year-old’s progress at Selhurst Park, with a £40m price tag previously being mooted.

Why United’s £40m target would be better than Cunha

Over the last couple of days, United confirmed the signing of Brazilian international Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, forking out a fee in the region of £62.5m for his services.

The 26-year-old has made a huge impact in the Premier League in recent times, managing to register 15 goals and six assists in his 33 appearances in 2024/25 – undoubtedly the shining light of the West Midlands outfit.

Such a tally will massively bolster the options at Amorim’s disposal next season, hopefully looking to catapult the club back to the fringes of the Champions League places.

However, it remains unclear if he will feature as a striker or in one of the number 10 positions, opening the door to another attacking addition like Mateta or Gyokeres.

If the Frenchman is to move to the club this summer, it’s imperative that the manager drops the Brazilian into a deeper role and utilises Mateta at the top end of the pitch.

When comparing their respective figures, the current target has dominated the new United signing in the final third – showcasing why he’s better suited to the centre-forward position.

Mateta, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one analyst, may have registered fewer goals, but has a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – demonstrating his clinical edge in front of goal.

Games played

37

33

Goals scored

14

15

Shot-on-target accuracy

43%

40%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Take-on success

45%

44%

Aerials won

2.2

0.4

Aerial success rate

37%

31%

He’s also managed to complete more of the take-ons he’s attempted, having the ability to beat the opposition with the ball at his feet before firing at goal, something which he’s done countless times this season.

The Palace star has also been dominant in the air, winning over four times more aerials per 90, whilst also posting a higher success rate in such a department – handing the side the focal point they’ve craved.

Such a fee appears to be somewhat of a bargain, with his experience in the Premier League key to the club’s ambitions of returning to their former glory in the coming months.

The prospect of the striker starring alongside Cunha at Old Trafford is one for the fanbase to get excited about, with the pair able to work together to overturn what’s been a dismal period for the Red Devils.

Van Persie 2.0: Man Utd set to be offered "incredible" Gyokeres alternative

Manchester United could be about to make a move for a player who could follow in Robin van Persie’s footsteps.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 12, 2025

Birmingham City are now set to sign a “fantastic” £5,000-a-week Premier League player on loan, according to a new report.

Birmingham stepping up transfer plans in preparation for Championship season

As expected, the Blues walked the League One season with relative comfort and are now heading back to the Championship, where they will be hoping to continue their fine form and be a side competing in the top half of the table at the bare minimum.

To do just that, Chris Davies will want to improve areas of his team, and already the club have confirmed three arrivals in the shape of Phil Neumann, who was announced in January, and the permanent captures of loan stars Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Alfons Sampsted.

Birmingham could sign big £12m Anderson upgrade who's "incredible"

Birmingham could land an upgrade on Keshi Anderson by signing this attacker.

ByDan Emery Jun 4, 2025

It’s also been reported by Give Me Sport that Birmingham have submitted a contract offer to sign Kwame Poku on a free transfer from Peterborough United. Poku is wanted by several teams, and the Blues have made their intentions clear over a possible deal and hope it is enough to convince him to move to St Andrews.

As well as looking at Poku to improve their attacking options, the Blues are also interested in reuniting with Che Adams this summer. Birmingham are looking to tempt Adams into leaving Torino and moving back to England, where he has had some memorable moments during his career.

But the most surprising transfer story to come out of Birmingham is the fact that Tom Wagner and the Blues have held internal talks over signing Louie Barry from rivals Aston Villa. Barry may be allowed to leave the Villans on loan once again this summer, and Birmingham could be a surprise destination after seeing what he did during his time at Stockport County.

Birmingham now set to sign Beadle on loan from Brighton

While the Blues line up several attacking targets, they are also looking at ways of improving their spine, and according to TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, Birmingham are closing in on the signing of James Beadle from Brighton.

Beadle, who has been with the Seagulls since January 2022, has spent the last few seasons on loan at various clubs throughout the EFL. The 20-year-old has spent the last 18 months at Sheffield Wednesday, where he’s played a key role in a damaged club remaining in the Championship.

During his time with the Owls, Beadle, who earns £5,000 a week at Brighton, really impressed manager Danny Rohl, who labelled the goalkeeper “fantastic”.

Appearances

57

Goals conceded

83

Clean sheets

17

Given Brighton are agreeing to loan Beadle to Birmingham in search of development, it is expected that the Englishman will be the Blues’ number one next season in the Championship.

This season has been a long one for Arsenal fans.

Instead of finally getting over the line in the Premier League, they were out of the title race months ago, and in the domestic cups, they were even worse.

Granted, the North Londoners have had to deal with a mountain of injuries, but even then, when fit, most of the attackers in the squad have been subpar at best.

Perhaps the worst of the lot, and one of the worst signings made in the team’s recent history, was Raheem Sterling, and if recent reports are to be believed, the board has been in contact with a player who could prove to be just as disastrous a signing this summer.

Arsenal could sign Premier League winger

Before we get to the worrying links in question, it is worth looking at some of the more exciting transfer rumours for players like Benjamin Sesko and Rayan Cherki.

Transfer Focus

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

The former enjoyed another fine season with RB Leipzig this year, racking up a tally of 21 goals and six assists in 45 games, and could be available for just £75m.

On the other hand, the Lyon star could be available for even less at £30m and has enjoyed an even better campaign with the French giants, racking up a sensational haul of 12 goals and 20 assists in 44 games.

However, while both of these players would undoubtedly add something positive to the Gunners squad, we aren’t sure we can say the same about Alejandro Garnacho.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal have been in contact with the player’s representatives.

Now, even though it has been widely reported that the Argentine winger has been told to find himself a new club this summer, Manchester United still want a sizable fee for the winger, a fee of around £51m per Bailey.

While Garnacho is a talented young footballer, we can’t see him as a good fit for Arsenal in any way whatsoever, and with the money required to bring him to North London, this could be another Sterling-esque disaster.

Why Garnacho could be another Sterling for Arsenal

Even if we were to completely disregard the transfer fee required to sign Garnacho this summer – we shouldn’t – there would still be a plethora of reasons why bringing him to the club would be a bad idea.

Despite being labelled as a “superstar,” by football creator Liam Canning, much like Sterling this season, he’d almost certainly struggle to make an impact and establish himself in the starting lineup.

For example, while his tally of 11 goals and ten assists certainly looks good at a glance, things become a lot less impressive when we dive into those numbers.

Of those 21 goal involvements, only eight came in the league, while six came in the League Cup and another five in the Europa League, and worse yet, his only goal against a fellow ‘big six’ side was against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

On top of his underwhelming output, the last week or so has shown that, at his worst, the supposedly “special talent”, as dubbed by football statistician Statman Dave, can be a serious problem in the dressing room.

Premier League

36

6

2

0.22

Europa League

15

1

4

0.33

FA Cup

3

0

1

0.33

League Cup

3

3

3

2.00

Community Shield

1

1

0

1.00

Following the Red Devils defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League Final, the 20-year-old doubled down on his brother’s comments about him not starting.

If there is one thing we know about Arteta, it’s that he does not like troublemakers.

Finally, the Madrid-born ace also has some worrying underlying numbers, with FBref placing him in the bottom 21% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for expected assists, the bottom 12% for goals per shot and the bottom 8% for goals per shot on target, all per 90.

Ultimately, Garnacho may well develop into a brilliant winger, but as things stand, his attitude, output and the money required to make it happen all point towards this being a terrible idea and a transfer that could end up being even more disastrous than Sterling’s last summer.

Odegaard will love him: Berta in talks to sign £75m "monster" for Arsenal

Martin Odegaard would be a fan of this £75m transfer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 26, 2025

Aston Villa are increasingly confident of signing a young midfielder with a huge future, according to an update from journalist Jacob Tanswell.

Aston Villa eyeing new signings amid Champions League battle

Unai Emery’s side picked up a priceless three points on Saturday evening in the Premier League, winning 1-0 away to Bournemouth to aid their hopes of securing Champions League football next season.

That would allow Villa to attract further top-level players to the club, so the importance of their final two league games of the season cannot be downplayed.

One individual who has been linked with a summer move to Villa Park is Lyon winger Malick Fofana, who is a young player with a huge amount of long-term potential. The 20-year-old has scored six goals in the Europa League this season, despite only making five starts in the competition.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos has also been mentioned as a target for Villa, with the Portuguese not finding it easy to force his way into the Champions League finalists’ starting lineup in recent months. Just 12 starts have come his way in Ligue 1 in 2024/25, so he may like the idea of a fresh challenge.

Aston Villa confident of signing 18 y/o Nypan

Now, according to The Athletic‘s Tanswell, there is a “confidence” at Aston Villa that they will secure the signing of Sverre Nypan this summer. The 18-year-old midfielder is a huge prospect who is currently plying his trade at Rosenborg, with the Villans sending scouts to watch him in action on several occasions. Not only that, but “presentations have been shown to him and the family, outlining plans to integrate him into Emery’s setup”.

While Villa will of course hope to use elite European competition to lure in big names, NSWE are still planning for the long haul. Despite still only being 18 years of age, Nypan has already made 67 appearances for Rosenborg, chipping in with 14 goals and 11 assists in that time. He has been capped by Norway across six different age groups, winning a combined tally of 37 caps for his country, as well as being lauded as a player with a “huge future” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig.

The teenager could arrive as a squad player to begin with, or potentially even be loaned out elsewhere to aid his development, before hopefully maturing into a superstar at Villa Park over time.

Norway Under-21s

5

0

Norway Under-19s

5

1

Norway Under-18s

3

0

Norway Under-17s

5

0

Norway Under-16s

12

1

Norway Under-15s

7

2

Nypan is already showing so much promise and Villa snapping him up could end up being a major coup over time, and the fact that they are confident of striking a deal can only bode well.

A young striker likened to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is in line to leave his club, with Tottenham Hotspur ready to pay “big money” for his services, according to a new report this week.

Ange Postecoglou praises Spurs players after Europa League triumph

Spurs were forced to showcase heroic defending on their best night of the season so far, beating Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 in Germany on Thursday night to seal their place in the Europa League semi-finals.

Tottenham: Lange personally holds talks over signing £50m player for Spurs

The technical director has a plan.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 17, 2025

Dominic Solanke’s penalty, courtesy of James Maddison heroically putting his body on the line to win it, was enough to keep Ange Postecoglou’s hopes of winning silverware during his second season in charge well and truly alive.

Nottingham Forest (home)

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Liverpool (away)

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West Ham (away)

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Crystal Palace (home)

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Aston Villa (away)

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Spurs face Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt in the next round, and are expected to dispatch this year’s unlikely semi-final opponents, but anything is possible in tournament football and Postecoglou will be keen to ensure they’re not underestimated.

“We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. We’re in the semi-final and will play a difficult opponent in the semi, but it’s not about my belief in the team,” said the Lilywhites boss in a post-match press conference.

“What’s more important is the belief the team has had because after a season like ours, it would be very easy for the players and staff, they could have left me in a pretty vulnerable place in terms of them splintering, but I’ve never felt that (even) with all the noise around our season.

“They’ve been so united in believing in what we’re trying to achieve here and that is what gave me heart all along that if we got our own slice of luck in terms of getting some players back that I really believed this team could achieve.

“That is what keeps driving me. It isn’t so much my belief in them, it’s their belief in what we’re doing and both players and staff have been outstanding. I am the front man for it but they take responsibility for it as well and all my decisions and everything I do, but not at any stage have I felt they lost any belief in me or what we’re doing.”

Postecoglou’s future is on the line, and his position will very much play a role in Tottenham’s transfer plans for the summer.

Tottenham ready to pay "big money" for Gambian sensation Gibril Sima

As per Football Insider, the club are making some plans regardless, with Gambian sensation Gibril Sima now on Tottenham’s radar. The teenager is making a name for himself in Africa, drawing comparisons with Henry, and Spurs are willing to pay “big money” for Sima ahead of other European suitors.

That is according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, sharing news for Football Insider that Postecoglou’s side are very keen on the centre-forward, alongside Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan.

His club, Dutch Lions, are resigned to losing Sima amid this interest as well, so it appears he is well and truly in line for a move abroad.

Tottenham Hotspur are in the race to sign a marquee Premier League player who is in talks with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain – and it would be a record-breaking transfer for the Lilywhites.

Tottenham announce "major coup" in ex-Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham

On Friday, Spurs confirmed the appointment of former Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham, who recently departed their London rivals after 14 impressive years.

Tottenham: £4.5m-per-year manager stalls new contract as Spurs make contact

There’s been a development in Spurs’ search for an Ange Postecoglou replacement.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 10, 2025

Venkatesham, who took up a variety of roles at the Emirates over his stay, most recently as Arsenal’s CEO from 2020 to 2024, joins Spurs in what has been described as a “dramatic boadroom shake-up” (Ross Lydal).

Wolves (away)

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Nottingham Forest (home)

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Liverpool (away)

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West Ham (away)

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Crystal Palace (home)

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It also raises questions about chairman Daniel Levy and how his influence at the club will be affected moving forward, while the 44-year-old’s arrival also apparently spells bad news for Chief Football Officer Scott Munn (Dave Hytner).

Munn was placed in charge of all footballing departments, including the club’s transfer strategy, where he’s worked in tandem with technical director Johan Lange on Spurs’ recruitment drive, even if he’s maintained a less public profile.

Venkatesham’s hire will likely have a knock-on effect on Tottenham’s transfer dealings, if his new role does indeed spell a worry for Munn, so it will be intriguing to see how the British-Indian’s spell plays out, as he is set to “take responsibility for all operational matters on and off the field” (The Guardian).

“I’m excited to be joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer,” said Venkatesham in an official statement.

“After taking some time to recharge and evaluate my options, I believe this is an exceptional opportunity to work with Daniel, the Board and all the staff, to take the Club forward.”

He could soon have a major say in Spurs’ appointment of a new manager, as current head coach Ange Postecoglou reportedly faces the potential Tottenham sack after a disappointing campaign, while it is also believed that the north Londoners are in the market for a new forward.

Tottenham have reached out to the representatives of Ipswich striker Liam Delap recently, while West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus is now also on their radar.

Tottenham join race to sign West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus

According to Africafoot this week, Spurs are one of the clubs named as having an interest in Kudus and therefore one of his options this summer. It also states that PSG have now opened talks with the Ghanaian’s entourage, which could be a blow to the Lilywhites’ pursuit.

As well as the French champions, Spurs face stiff competition from Saudi side Al-Nassr, who’ve already made a marquee £87 million bid for the winger, which is above West Ham’s £74 million asking price.

While Tottenham have joined the race to sign Kudus, alongside league rivals Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea, it would appear they’re now very much up against it following PSG’s reported approach.

The 24-year-old has also suffered a drop in form this season compared to last, netting just three goals and registering two assists in 25 league starts this season, so it is perhaps Levy and co start looking elsewhere for a more obtainable wide option.

Elsewhere, it is reported that man could be Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

Tottenham are said to be considering a “surprise” move for Madueke, and Enzo Maresca is prepared to green-light his exit this summer, so the former Spurs academy ace could be a better alternative with a reported asking price of £30 million-plus.