Manchester United are planning to enter the transfer market in January, as they search for a striker and a midfielder to bolster Ruben Amorim's squad.
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United eyeing potential reinforcements
Leon Goretzka targeted in midfield
'Affordable' striker also wanted
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Per , United are drawing up plans for the January window as they prepare for the arrival of new manager Amorim. The club are interested in signing an affordable striker to help the likes of Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund, as well as a number eight in midfield.
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Plettenberg claims that Leon Goretzka is a target for United but that the 29-year-old is unlikely to leave Bayern mid-season. The Germany international has made eight appearances this season but he has yet to start under Vincent Kompany. He is still said to have little interest in making a January move, despite Bayern attempting to sell him in the summer.
DID YOU KNOW?
United could well target Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, after Amorim made it clear that the Sweden international could leave at the end of the season. Gyokeres scored a hat-trick against Manchester City on Tuesday, and the Red Devils may be looking for a stop-gap in the meantime.
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WHAT NEXT?
Amorim will move to Manchester on November 11 and his first game in charge will come against Ipswich Town on November 24. While they await his arrival, Ruud van Nistelrooy will manage the club against PAOK in the Europa League on Thursday and Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
The new season kicks off in less than a month for Celtic and they are yet to dip into the market to make their first signing of the summer transfer window.
Kilmarnock await the Bhoys at Paradise in the opening match of the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign and it remains to be seen whether or not there will be any new faces for the supporters to look forward to seeing in action.
A new number one is on the agenda for the Hoops after Joe Hart officially retired from professional football at the end of May, following three seasons in Glasgow.
Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka and Croatia star Dominik Livakovic have both been linked with transfers to Parkhead to fill the vacant position.
Along with a new first-choice shot-stopper for Brendan Rodgers, the Premiership champions could also look to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season.
Celtic were held to a 1-1 draw by lower league side Ayr in their first pre-season friendly, with their only goal coming via Kyogo Furuhashi's penalty, and they may want to improve their firepower before the window slams shut.
Celtic pursuing deal for Irish striker
According to the Daily Record, the Hoops are 'confident' of securing a deal to sign centre-forward Adam Idah on a permanent basis from Norwich City.
The report does not, however, reveal what their next step is with the Canaries or how much they are prepared to pay to land the Ireland international.
BBC Sport reported last week that the English Championship side officially rejected an offer of between £4m and £5m from the Hoops for the 6 foot 3 attacker.
The outlet added that the Yellows are not actively looking to cash in on their talented academy graduate, as Johannes Hoff Thorup – who replaced David Wagner this summer – is keen to take a look at him in pre-season.
HITC then published a claim that it could take a fee of up to £8m to sign the 23-year-old marksman from Norwich, who are said to be open to selling the attacker for the right price.
This latest report from the Daily Record states that the club are confident, though, and this suggests that they feel they can reach an agreement with the Canaries.
They may either be ready to splash out £8m to make it happen or they could reach a compromise and pay a fee between £5m and £8m to secure his services.
If the Bhoys can eventually get a deal over the line for the Irish sensation then they could repeat the masterclass they played with the signing Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain.
Celtic's Odsonne Edouard masterclass
The Hoops initially signed the French centre-forward on loan from the Ligue 1 giants for the 2017/18 campaign and he enjoyed a solid debut season at Parkhead.
Former Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard.
Edouard ended the term with a return of nine goals and three assists in 22 Premiership appearances for the Scottish giants, with three goals and one assist in three top-six split matches.
His form during that loan spell convinced the Bhoys to splash out a club-record transfer fee of £9m to sign him from PSG on a permanent deal in the summer of 2018.
Odsonne Edouard as permanent Celtic player
Premiership
Appearances
Goals
Assists
18/19
32
15
6
19/20
27
22
11
20/21
31
18
6
21/22
4
2
1
Total
94
57
24
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Edouard then went on to prove himself to be a prolific scorer for the Premiership side over the next three-and-a-bit years.
He averaged more than one goal every other game in the league for Celtic over just over three seasons as a permanent player, following his loan, and that attracted interest from elsewhere.
In the summer of 2021, Premier League outfit Crystal Palace swooped in to sign the French marksman in a £14m deal that could rise to a whopping £18.5m.
This shows that they pulled off a masterclass with the signing of Edouard as they made a significant profit on the £9m they spent to snap him up after his initial loan stint.
Therefore, their bold decision to smash their club-record transfer fee to ensure that they landed him on a permanent deal turned out to be a blinder.
Why Adam Idah could be Odsonne Edouard 2.0
Whilst the £8m figure touted for Idah would not break the club's transfer record, signing the Norwich ace looks set to take a huge amount of money for Celtic and they should now press ahead to sign him as the Irishman could turn out to be Edouard 2.0.
At the age of 23, they would be signing a centre-forward who has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and improve over the years to come.
This means that the £23k-per-week attacker could grow whilst working with Rodgers on the training pitch and increase his value by performing well on the pitch for Celtic.
That could then attract interest from elsewhere and land him a big-money move back down south to net the Hoops another huge payday, which was also the case with Edouard.
Idah's form for the club during his loan spell at Parkhead in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign suggests that the potential is there for him to follow in the Frenchman's footsteps to become a consistent and lethal scorer in the Premiership.
23/24 Premiership
Adam Idah
Appearances
15
Starts
5
Goals
8
Big chances missed
7
Conversion rate
27%
Minutes per goal
76
Assists
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Ireland international racked up a staggering eight goals in just five league starts for the Scottish giants.
Idah, whose ability was hailed as "incredible" by Rodgers, averaged a goal every 76 minutes – more than one every 90 minutes – and that was considerably better than Kyogo's return of one goal every 179 minutes in the division.
Imagine him & Idah: Celtic in talks to sign £4m star
The Hoops are reportedly pursuing a deal to snap up the talented midfielder.
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Dan Emery
Jul 7, 2024
Therefore, Celtic must now sign the Norwich gem on a permanent deal this summer in the hope that he can carry that form over to a full season in Scotland and push on to become Edouard 2.0 at Parkhead.
Titular do CRB e em alta no clube alagoano, o lateral-esquerdo Guilherme Romão pediu intensidade máxima do elenco na sequência da Série B do Brasileiro. Segundo ele, a equipe vai com tudo para crescer nesta temporada.
RelacionadasCorinthiansApós vitória no Dérbi, Sylvinho parabeniza Corinthians: ‘Muito gostoso ver o que vocês estão construindo como grupo’Corinthians27/09/2021FortalezaFortaleza é finalista do maior prêmio de criatividade do BrasilFortaleza27/09/2021BotafogoPresidente do Botafogo diz que ‘cinco ou seis’ reforços chegarão em 2022 e folha aumentará em R$ 3 milhõesBotafogo27/09/2021
O grupo tem trabalhado muito no dia a dia para melhorar o rendimento em campo e para crescer de produção na Série B. Nossa ideia é fazer uma grande reta final de competição, com vitórias e boas atuações – disse o lateral.
Segundo o defensor, sua fase tem sido muito especial no clube alagoano.
– Estou motivado e crescendo muito no dia a dia. Tenho me dedicado muito para evoluir. Quero terminar o ano atuando em alto nível no clube.
Manchester United staff is reportedly "perplexed" as the club is holding back 18-year-old wonderkid, James Scanlon, who is "ready to be unleashed".
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Scanlon shining brightly at the U-18 level Has 10 goals and four assists this campaignThe coaching staff wants him promoted to U-21 setupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The young midfielder has been on fire this season, racking up a hat-trick in United’s 8-0 victory over Leeds, which pushed his season tally to 10 goals and four assists as of early November. His remarkable performance against Leeds isn’t an isolated case. Earlier this season, he grabbed the spotlight with a four-goal display during a 9-0 win over Blackburn on his 18th birthday.
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According to some staff members have expressed concern that Scanlon’s lack of promotion could hinder his growth, potentially impacting his chances of becoming a first-team player. The academy faces the complex challenge of distributing playtime among numerous talented players while ensuring each prospect receives the exposure and development opportunities needed to succeed at elite levels. However, many feel that Scanlon has outgrown his current setting and could benefit from more advanced competition.
DID YOU KNOW?
Adding to his accolades, Scanlon has already made his mark on the international stage as a full-fledged player for Gibraltar. Additionally, his recent recognition as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at a youth tournament in the Netherlands this season highlighted his skills and maturity on the field. His contributions in training also secured him a spot on Erik ten Hag’s pre-season squad, a move that hinted at a bright future within Manchester United’s ranks.
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The young midfielder has proven his readiness for more challenging responsibilities, and his integration into the Under-21s and subsequently into the senior team should be the next natural step. With Ruben Amorim set to take charge, his fortunes could change and receive the the platform he deserves to show his mettle.
West Bromwich Albion fans would have been shocked logging into social media last week to see Brandon Thomas-Asante was being linked up with a move up to the Premier League after the former Salford City striker experienced such an up-and-down Championship season.
Thomas-Asante would bag a respectable 11 second-tier strikes during the regular campaign, but his presence in the all-important play-off games that Carlos Corberan's men experienced after this was non-existent, managing a meagre 15 touches of the ball in the first leg before being hauled off by the unhappy Spaniard.
Therefore, if the 25-year-old centre-forward does make a move to the Saints a reality soon, West Brom will no doubt be back in the transfer market for a new attacker to lead the line, having previously been linked with this striker option.
West Brom could go back in for free agent
According to reports from the Daily Mail last week, West Brom have been keen on trying to tempt former Stoke City man Tyrese Campbell to the Hawthorns this coming season, to strengthen their lone striker spot.
They're certainly not alone in their reported advances of the now free-agent attacker, with Rangers up in Scotland named as one interested party, alongside fellow Championship sides in the form of Preston North End, Sheffield United, Queens Park Rangers and more.
Released by the Potters after his injury demons had gotten too out of control, leading to a constantly disrupted 2023/24 campaign, Campbell will hope he can bounce back from these unwanted setbacks and fire in plenty of goals again lining up for a new employer soon.
Why Campbell could finally replace Dwight Gayle
With Josh Maja and Daryl Dike also unreliable options in reserve up top, owing to their own injury issues, this could be a risky move, but one that pays off, especially if Campbell is able to replicate the heroics of Dwight Gayle in Albion colours.
Gayle would also arrive to the Hawthorns off an indifferent spell at Newcastle United himself before bursting into life in his new Championship surroundings, joining on loan for the 2018/19 season after only scoring six Premier League goals the campaign before for the Magpies.
The now 34-year-old free agent would go on to become an instant Baggies legend, netting 24 goals in total when donning his new West Brom strip, from just 41 games.
West Brom's last six league top scorers
Season
League top scorer
Goal total
23/24
Thomas-Asante
11
22/23
Dike/Thomas-Asante
7
21/22
Karlan Grant
18
20/21
Matheus Pereira
11
19/20
Charlie Austin/Hal Robson-Kanu
10
18/19
Gayle
23
Sourced by Transfermarkt
West Brom haven't had such a prolific goalscorer since their former deadly loanee left, when glancing at the table above, but the Championship outfit will hope Campbell can be that lethal finisher soon, with or without Thomas-Asante staying put.
Described as being a "handful" by former Stoke manager Michael O'Neill when on top form for the Potters, the former £12.5k-per-week man still managed to bag vital goals last season for his now ex-employers, netting a crucial strike away at Southampton towards the back-end of last campaign to keep his side afloat in the second tier.
The injury-prone 24-year-old would only need 15 touches on the South Coast to fire in the winner against Russell Martin's eventually promoted Saints, which would prove to be one of his last goal contributions for Stoke, taking his goal total to 36 from 164 games.
He could well become even more of a goal threat in his new location, surrounded by the likes of Jed Wallace and Grady Diangana teeing up chances for him, as West Brom eye another promotion charge.
West Brom could sign a "great finisher" who would shine next to Fellows
West Bromwich Albion are eyeing up a swoop for this free agent attacker.
A relaxed mindset, and the help of senior pros Rohit, Pujara and Ashwin, were keys to India’s come-from-behind victory
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2021Ajinkya Rahane has credited the collective leadership that he shared with vice-captain Rohit Sharma and senior players Cheteshwar Pujara and R Ashwin for India being able to come back from behind in the absence of regular captain Virat Kohli and take the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-1 series win in Australia. All four players, Rahane says, took greater responsibility upon themselves to instill belief and confidence in an inexperienced India team.Rahane took over the captaincy when Kohli went home on paternity leave following India’s defeat in the first Test in Adelaide, where they were bowled out for 36 in the second innings. Rahane’s first message to the dressing room was clear: the Adelaide defeat was a closed chapter.”I told them that topic should not be discussed at all,” Rahane told , a leading Marathi daily. “The fact that we got all out for 36 is not any mistake. We should just accept it and move on. No point going in depth and thinking about it because the [next Test] match was immediately starting in three days. My only message was: it happened in one hour. They [Australia] played good cricket. Such things happen once in a century. The faster we accept this happened and move on, that is good for us.”Related
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Why this Australia series made India likeable
Rahane also told his players that it made no difference to him if people outside were writing India off, and that it shouldn’t bother the other players either, going into the second Test in Melbourne. “It is a good opportunity for us to stay and play as one. Whatever the result, especially after the Melbourne Test or at the end of the Test series, does not matter. Outcome is the last thing. What I wanted was we should come together and play as one, that was my priority.”Sharma, who played the last two Tests, Pujara and Ashwin were Rahane’s three key sounding boards. All four players are close friends on and off the field having begun their international careers at roughly the same time. Their closeness allowed them to talk openly and help each other.Success with the ball helped R Ashwin gain confidence with the bat as well•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesHow Rahane gave confidence to Ashwin and PujaraWhile Kohli brings the team together with his intensity and energy, Rahane prefers doing it with a quiet word shared with his team-mates. In the Indians’ first warm-up match against Australia A, Ashwin made 8 and 5. According to Rahane, the bowling allrounder was worried about his batting – he had come into the tour with just two 30-plus scores in his last 19 Test innings.”Our discussion started from the [first] practice match itself,” Rahane said. “Ashwin got out early and was sitting alone. I told Ashwin, please do not take tension about your batting. There are times when you think too much about your batting. His record as a batsman is pretty good. When things are not going well, obviously you start brooding about your batting not going well. I told him, you just focus on your bowling.”With your bowling you can win us matches. He bowled well and I feel that reflected in his batting [later in the series]. My responsibility was to get his focus on his bowling. He bowled well and that confidence showed in his batting.”Rahane said he explained to Ashwin that the more “desperate” he was to do well with the bat, the more disappointed he would get if he failed. “Desperation does not work. I told him to play 40-50 balls while batting without thinking about it. And that is what happened. I did not say much to him. All credit should go to Ashwin. I told him, too: your bowling is going so good and consequently, mentally, you are very relaxed and that is why you are batting well [now]. And where we wanted him, he did perform [with the bat] in Sydney.”Batting with a bad back, Ashwin helped India save the Sydney Test with an unbeaten 39 off 128 balls.Pujara was another key match-winner who received a quiet word of support from Rahane when voices in the media including former players and captains were questioning his scoring rate. Pujara faced 928 balls across the series, wearing Australia’s bowlers down cumulatively, and his final-day half-centuries proved crucial to India saving the Sydney Test and winning in Brisbane.”I told Pujara, you play your game,” Rahane said. “You don’t change your game (at all). Others will play around you.”Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara were two of Ajinkya Rahane’s key sounding boards•AFP via Getty Images’Take responsibility but enjoy it without pressure’As a captain Rahane is yet to lose a Test match. He is a calm character at most times, and during the Australia series he made sure to remind himself to continue enjoying the game when he took over the captaincy, and not let himself get bogged down by the pressure of the responsibility. “I told them we are two or three seniors in the team. That does not mean we have to take the pressure. Let’s enjoy our cricket, enjoy our batting. And then we will take the others along with us. Many times what happens is when you say there is responsibility then you put pressure on yourself. In my mind I knew we had to take the responsibility: but enjoy it while you take it, not with pressure.”That joy and freedom is what Rahane said enabled him to bat himself into a “zone” during his 112 in India’s first innings in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, which allowed the visitors to take vital lead and eventually win the Test. “That innings in Melbourne I was enjoying as a batsman. I was enjoying the pressure situation. I have walked in to bat many times in the past when India were 20 for 3 or 40 for 3, but the situation in Melbourne was totally different. I told myself while batting: ” (go on), you enjoy every ball. Enjoy each situation. Enjoy every run. What has to happen will happen.” Because of that I went into the zone while batting.”According to Rahane, by the time India entered 2021 with the series level, he felt more confident also because he found support from his deputy, Sharma, who had missed the first two Tests while completing rehab on a hamstring injury picked up during the IPL. Having been team-mates since the age-group days in Mumbai cricket, Rahane and Sharma had complete trust in each other. Rahane admitted that Sharma played a big hand in sharing leadership duties. “The big advantage is Rohit’s experience. My job became easier, since if I could not pay attention to every player, I would ask Rohit to deal with that.”Having played together so much cricket, if we felt any of the players in the Indian dressing room was down, we thought how we could make that person stand up and perform. Hence we could easily discuss such things.”‘We talk about cricketing gods – it is there somewhere’Over the course of the series, India lost a number of key players to injury. By the time India landed in Brisbane, their options had dwindled to nearly zero, and they eventually picked a five-man bowling attack whose most experienced member was playing his third Test match. After the series victory, Ravi Shastri, India’s had coach, had praised Rahane for remaining calm while handling such an inexperienced line-up. How did he do it?”I felt that there is an opportunity somewhere in all this,” Rahane said. “As a player we always aspire to play for the country. So I told them that you cannot get any bigger opportunity than this. If we do good here as a team, what will happen in the future we cannot even imagine. All those who got the opportunity, all of them did well. And, importantly, they did well because there was no pressure on them. They could play freely.”As a captain I was feeling bad that some players had missed out [due to injury], but I also thought whoever comes in, it was a big opportunity for them. Whatever the resources were available, how we could give them confidence and make them help the team do well was my main aim. Again, the result was not the motive: win or loss was not in my mind. The only thing in my mind was play good cricket and give them [Australia] a fight on the ground. Because of that only the result has come. There is some supreme power somewhere. We gave respect to cricket. We talk about cricketing gods – it is there somewhere. It was surreal and a fairytale ending.”
Alongside Fulham, Liverpool are the only Premier League side not to have made a senior signing this summer, understandably stoking the fanbase's ire after falling short in the title race last season and losing quarter-final ties in the FA Cup and Europa League both.
While supporters grumble, Anfield bosses are likely at ease, for they are not reclining in plump executive chairs, twiddling thumbs and kicking up feet. Arne Slot has replaced the legendary Jurgen Klopp in the dugout and is currently hard at work on the training pitch, kicking his first team into gear.
To say 'first team' is probably inapt anyway. Liverpool chiefs stress that signings will be made, but not just yet. Slot is drawing conclusions on Liverpol's extensive squad – and that includes academy members hoping to impress.
(GK) – Vítězslav Jaroš
(GK) – Harvey Davies
(RB) – Conor Bradley
(RB) – Luca Stephenson
(CB) – Sepp van den Berg
(CB) – Amara Nallo
(CB) – Jarell Quansah
(CB) – Nat Phillips
(LB) – Kostas Tsimikas
(LB) – Luke Chambers
(DM) – Curtis Jones
(DM) – Wataru Endo
(CM) – Harvey Elliott
(CM) – Stefan Bajcetic
(CM) – Dominik Szoboszlai
(CM) – Tyler Morton
(RW) – Ben Doak
(AM) – James McConnell
(LW) – Mohamed Salah
(CF) – Kaide Gordon
(CF) – Fabio Carvalho
(CF) – Lewis Koumas
A significant portion of the mainstays have yet to even make their introductions following international commitments, so it's understandable that circumspect is the watchword of the window.
Liverpool want new defender
As per a recent report from Caught Offside, Goncalo Inacio is on Liverpool's summer shortlist as FSG weigh up signing a centre-back this summer.
Captain Virgil van Dijk, 33, is entering the final year of his contract, and while he is joined by Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah, the former is prone to inconsistency while 22-year-old Quansah was playing in League One little over a year ago.
Competition for the Sporting CP titan is expected to be fierce this summer, not least because the Portuguese Primeira Liga champions are believed to have slashed their asking price to £38m – some £13m below his €60m (£51m) release clause.
What Goncalo Inacio would bring to Liverpool
One of the most attractive factors regarding an Inacio transfer to Liverpool comes from the fact that he has been scouted extensively. The Reds had a vested interest in the Portugal international one year ago but he opted to pen a new deal with Sporting and continue his development in his homeland.
Liverpool transfer target Goncalo Inacio
This proved to be an auspicious move indeed. Ruben Amorim led Sporting to the top-flight title last term – the club's second in four years – sending the Benfica/Porto monopoly into a spin.
Inacio was one of the centrepieces of the success.
As per FBref, he ranked among the top 15% of centre-backs in the Primeira Liga last season for pass completion, the top 1% for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 18% for successful take-ons per 90.
Clearly, he's one of the most interesting up-and-coming defenders around, with his technical acumen and natural-born passing ability making an exciting comment of his suitability in Slot's pass-heavy, control-heavier system.
Moreover, he's left-footed, marking him as Van Dijk's perfect long-term successor. He is wholly different in regards to his approach but undoubtedly boasts the kind of talent needed to thrive in the Premier League.
Minutes played
90'
Touches
130
Accurate passes
108/115 (94%)
Long balls
2/3
Dribble attempts
3/3
Tackles
2
Clearances
3
Interceptions
1
Ground duels won
5/8
Aerial duels won
4/4
His performance against Georgia at Euro 2024 illustrated that he can perform on the biggest stage, away from Portugal, and if the reports that he's available for a cut-price fee are accurate, he simply has to be signed this summer.
He might even offer the style of play to take Liverpool sensations like Alexis Mac Allister to the next level.
Why he would make Mac Allister unplayable
Mac Allister was brilliant last season, alternating between a deep-lying and freer-roaming midfield deployment and altogether starring as Klopp's outfit chased down honours.
Alexis Mac Allister vs Aston Villa
He bagged the Carabao Cup in his first year in Liverpool but cut a forlorn figure along with his peers as the Reds fell short in their quest for the biggest prizes, though it was little fault of his own.
As Mac Allister and Wataru Endo's partnership bloomed in the middle of the park, he was able to showcase the full scope of his dynamic skillset, with pundit Joe Cole hailing him as a "superstar" who "can play anywhere".
Tenacious, tough-tackling and wonderfully technical, the Argentina international might find himself operating in a deep-lying role with more regularity than he might desire, should Liverpool refrain from paying the big bucks on a shiny new specialist No. 6. Inacio would be crucial in ensuring his success in that regard.
Such is football. Mac Allister's tactical pliability is simply an illustration of his multi-skilled talent. Indeed, he ranked among the top 14% of midfielders in the Premier League last season for passes attempted, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 18% for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for tackles and the top 3% for clearances per 90. Quite the complete player, ay.
Alexis Mac Allister for Liverpool
And signed for a bargain £35m from Brighton & Hove Albion to spearhead Liverpool's engine room rebuild, he's proved to be a bona fide success on Merseyside.
By placing a progressive, ball-playing defender in Inacio behind him, Mac Allister might just find himself rising to a new level altogether under Slot's management.
Imagine him & Trent: Liverpool in talks to seal 'historic' £55m transfer
This would be a terrific signing for Arne Slot’s side.
Manchester United are believed to be pushing hard to complete the signing of a "really quick" gem this summer, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Man Utd transfer news
The current transfer window threatens to be one of the most productive at Old Trafford in years, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to have a big impact as co-owner. It could be a summer of many ins and outs at the club, with Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro already joining, coming in as exciting young prospects.
One player who has been linked with a move away from United before the 2024/25 season gets underway is Mason Mount, who struggled to impress in his first season at the club. It remains to be seen what the decision will be with him, but there is no doubt that more is needed from the 25-year-old.
Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount
An upgrade on the frustrating Antony could be required out on the right wing this summer, and Paris Saint-Germain attacker Xavi Simons has emerged as a rumoured target for the Red Devils. He may be looking to leave the Ligue 1 giants and showcased his talents at Euro 2024 with the Netherlands, scoring once and registering three assists at the tournament.
Meanwhile, young Arsenal attacker Chido Obi Martin has been linked with sealing a switch to United, with the 16-year-old a prodigiously young footballer like Yoro. Analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a "monster on the pitch", and he could have a massive future in the game.
Man Utd pushing to sign "really quick" player
According to Romano on X, Manchester United are "pushing" to sign highly-rated Arsenal teenager Obi Martin as soon as possible, as they aim to get a deal over the line with a decision from the Arsenal gem "imminent".
Snapping up Chido could be such a significant coup by United, not necessarily in terms of being an immediate key figure, but because of the incredible footballer he could mature into over time.
At just 16, the Dane is already making waves at Arsenal, with his towering frame allowing him to physically bully similar-aged players, with Ian Wright saying he "looks really quick", and coach Jesper Mikkelsen saying of him:
"Right now he is really dominant because of his physique, but I don't think that is the only reason. His greatest characteristic and challenge is that he really wants to score goals."
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He’s endured a spell to forget at Old Trafford.
ByTom Cunningham Jul 20, 2024
Snatching a major talent away from a huge Premier League rival could make it an even greater signing for United, with Arsenal no doubt wanting to keep hold of him, so snapping him up would feel like a real statement of intent.
A key update has emerged regarding the future of Sunderland hero Jobe Bellingham, with his long-term path looking decided already.
Bellingham's Sunderland future
The 18-year-old may be living in the shadow of his brother Jude Bellingham currently, considering he has moved to Real Madrid and become one of the leading players in world football, but the Black Cats ace is a top-quality young player in his own right.
Despite his tender years, Bellingham is already such a key figure at the Stadium of Light, with a tally of seven goals coming his way in the Championship last season, as well as an average of 1.3 tackles per game. That outlines what an all-round midfield presence he is, albeit in a more attack-minded role, and Sunderland will want to keep hold of him for as long as possible.
Jobe Bellingham for Sunderland.
It is only natural that plenty of interest has emerged in the teenager of late, however, with a number of Premier League clubs keen on snapping him up, including Tottenham. His long-term potential is there for all to see, and even the most optimistic of Black Cats supporters will know that he won't be at the club forever.
As things stand, though, Bellingham hasn't gone anywhere, and now a significant update has dropped when it comes to how the Englishman sees his own situation.
Bellingham set to stay at Sunderland
According to a fresh claim from Il Messaggero [via Sport Witness], Bellingham's carefully planned career path is "blocking" a move to Lazio, even though the Serie A side are still interested in signing him this summer.
Instead, the 18-year-old wants to spend one more year with the Black Cats, prior to sealing a move to the Premier League (assuming they are not promoted), with the next step in his plan to play in the English top flight, rather than a move abroad like his brother.
Bellingham is frighteningly mature for his age, not only in terms of his performances for Sunderland on the pitch, but also the manner in which he is clearly looking at his future, making sure he makes the right career decisions. Black Cats fans will be understandably desperate to have another year of the teenager in their squad, especially as he could go up another gear, before accepting that they will likely lose him to a bigger club in 2025 if they do not go up.
It remains to be seen what level Bellingham can reach, in terms of emulating his sibling and becoming a genuine superstar for club and country, but him being at Sunderland will only enhance their hopes of mounting a promotion bid in the Championship next season, as Regis Le Bris looks to be an immediate hit as manager.
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At this point, it would be a surprise if Bellingham moved abroad this summer, and it could now be a case of the Black Cats enjoying every minute before he eventually departs for a new challenge, unless Le Bris' side gain promotion, in which case he could even stay on.
A "big talent" is now keen to join Arsenal as the Gunners open talks to sign him, with Fabrizio Romano claiming an offer has also been made.
Edu wants to sign young, energetic players for Arsenal
As revealed by sporting director Edu earlier this year, a key transfer policy for the club this window is signing young, hungry and passionate players for manager Mikel Arteta.
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The Spaniard has his eyes on a third-successive Premier League title challenge, and came very close to winning it last campaign as Arsenal pushed Man City all the way to the final day.
Despite accumulating 89 points and scoring 90-plus goals, it was Pep Guardiola's side who ultimately reigned victorious and clinched their fourth-consecutive domestic crown – becoming the first English team in history to do so.
Player
Goals
Bukayo Saka
20
Leandro Trossard
17
Kai Havertz
14
Martin Odegaard
11
Gabriel Jesus
8
BBC Sport
Guardiola has set a very high standard for teams competing at the top end of the table, but it is a level which Arteta and co are determined to match as they seek to upgrade the Arsenal squad over these coming weeks.
Arsenal have been in talks to sign Bologna starlet Riccardo Calafiori to bolster their defence, and Edu has been widely tipped to bring in a new forward as well as a new midfielder.
The 22-year-old Calafiori fits into Edu's mould of an energetic prospective new addition with many years ahead of him, as the Brazilian made an admission on Arsenal's transfer plans in February.
"I understand what the fans are asking for but we already have our targets,” Edu said on TNT Sports.
“We have planned a lot ahead and I will be worried if we don’t score a lot of goals and if we’re not creating chances, which is the opposite because we create a lot and score a lot of goals. The plan is to try to get better every year and I think we are in a good moment. Let's see if we can keep improving.
“Many times in certain conversations to recruit the players you don't see the character of the player or the character of the player does not fit well with what we are trying to do and then you have to move on and try to find what we’re really looking for.
“If you see all the signings we’ve made since we started together, everyone is almost the same, young, energetic and passionate, and good talents with big, beautiful futures ahead of them.”
Another player who fits the bill in this respect is highly-rated Ajax sensation Tommy Setford, with the England Under-20 international now attracting serious interest from the Emirates.
Setford keen to join Arsenal after talks opened and bid submitted
Romano, taking to X, has shared an update on the "big talent" and his future in Amsterdam as the goalkeeper's contract expires next year.
He says Arsenal have submitted a bid and opened talks to sign Setford, who himself is keen to make the move to London Colney.
The 18-year-old has been a regular in the Ajax academy but is yet to make an appearance, though scouts clearly see enough potential to warrant a formal move.