Having seen their rivals enjoy yet another excellent campaign whilst they struggle once more, Manchester United are now reportedly racing Liverpool sign an attacking reinforcement this summer.

Man Utd scouts impressed by Serie A star

The summer transfer window is one that Manchester United simply must get right. Those at Old Trafford can no longer afford to waste money on failed stars as INEOS continue to cut costs outside of the playing squad. With Ruben Amorim desperate for reinforcements too, Sir Jim Ratcliffe must ensure that he builds a side capable of thriving in his manager’s 3-4-2-1 system.

Amid their struggles, it’s no surprise that the transfer rumours have already been coming thick and fast at Old Trafford – particularly when it comes to attacking reinforcements. The Red Devils have been far too blunt at times this season and targets such as Jonathan David and Rayan Cherki have threatened to steal the headlines as a result.

David would certainly be an impressive coup, given the amount of interest in his signature ahead of the expiration of his current Lille contract this summer. Signing such a talented goalscorer as a free agent is undoubtedly the type of deal that Ratcliffe needs to chase.

Meanwhile, after signing Patrick Dorgu from Lecce in January, the Red Devils have seemingly returned to Serie A. According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are now battling Liverpool to sign Assane Diao from Como this summer, with scouts wowed by the 19 year-old.

Man Utd's £50k-p/w star is in danger of becoming the new Anthony Elanga

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ByRobbie Walls Apr 2, 2025

The teenage winger has been one of the players to watch since joining Cesc Fabregas’ side in January, with Como sat as high as 13th in their first Serie A campaign in 21 years. It seems as though that form has done enough to earn the attention of some top sides too, with Manchester United potentially landing a future star in the coming months.

Whether they can beat a side of Liverpool’s calibre to the teenager’s signature remains to be seen, however.

"Magnificent" Diao is a future star

At just 19 years old, all signs are pointing towards the very top for Diao who may yet stop off at Manchester United on his way. The teenager is certainly the type of player that the Red Devils should be aiming to sign too. Already, he’s showcasing an eye for goal despite lacking the same experience as some of the struggling stars in Amorim’s squad – scoring seven times in all competitions.

Earning plenty of praise during the second-half of the campaign, football talent scout Jacek Kulig had nothing but good things to say about Diao – describing his start to life in Serie A as “magnificent”.

Having recently moved from Real Betis to Como, another move at this stage may well come too soon for the young winger, but he is not a talent that United will want to miss out on.

Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace have largely been in excellent form since the start of 2025, only losing three times in their last 11 Premier League matches, keeping eight clean sheets in all competitions this calendar year and earning themselves a spot in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

The Eagles didn’t start the campaign at 100mph. After losing the likes of Michael Olise and Joachim Anderson in the summer, Palace had to reassemble their tools, find ways to recruit and replace those players and then begin to build.

After the first ten matches of the season, Palace found themselves 17th, only picking up seven points in that time.

But due to their excellent form since then, Palace now find themselves in mid-table in the Premier League, with the top seven not too far out of reach.

So why did it take a while at the start of the season, and how much did Glasner’s side miss Olise?

Michael Olise's creative burden

Olise was sold to Bayern Munich in the summer, joining the German giants for a fee of around £50m. Since joining Bayern, Olise has been in sublime form, making 43 appearances, scoring 13 goals, and providing 16 assists.

But, the Frenchman was key in his time at Palace, making 90 appearances in his three years at the club, netting 16 times, providing 25 assists and totaling 5,782 minutes played.

Having Olise on the right and Eberechi Eze on the left made it tough for teams to contain the Eagles, with the duo often combining to create chances out of nothing.

With Olise gone, more focus being solely on Eze and a right-hand side that had to be re-invented, it was always going to take some time to find the best way to replace the French wingers’ presence.

That being said, Glasner has certainly found a way to do it.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Glasner's "spectacular" duo have replaced Olise

Crystal Palace signed Ismaila Sarr from Marseille in the summer, joining for a fee of around £12.6m. The 27-year-old was the clear signing destined to take the spot of Olise on that right-hand side, but the difference in overall quality is clear, and therefore, a new dynamic on that side would be needed.

Daniel Munoz, working in tandem with Sarr on the right, has been Glasner’s key weapon to replacing Olise’s output, with both players proving to be very direct, making clever runs in behind and stretching play for their teammates. This right side has proven to be a key outlet for Palace this season.

Goals

0.17

0.29

Assists

0.14

0.11

xG

0.15

0.33

xAG

0.14

0.26

Progressive Carries

1.51

2.52

Progressive Passes

2.44

2.91

Shots Total

1.04

1.93

Key Passes

1.22

1.41

Passes into Pen Area

0.72

1.41

Shot-Creating Actions

2.29

3.85

Successful Take-Ons

0.61

0.60

When looking at the pair’s underlying metrics this season, you can see how their combined effort has helped to replace the French star, both getting forward and getting shots off, both putting balls into the box, chipping in with output and contributing in build up.

Munoz was described as “spectacular” by Jefferson Lerma and that is certainly one way to describe the pair down that right-hand side, working in tandem to attack in a direct fashion and create chances for the team.

Whilst Olise will never fully be replaceable, losing a world-class talent is always tough to replace, even more so when you are a mid-table Premier League side.

Therefore, Palace fans must be fairly happy with their right-side rebrand, with Glasner proving he can make it work.

Contact made: Crystal Palace make move to sign "Pique-esque" £5m defender

The Eagles have made an approach for a defender, who is also attracting interest from West Ham United.

ByDominic Lund Apr 10, 2025

Everton are close to the beginning of their new era at Bramley Moore Dock and could now look to beat one of Europe’s elite to the signing of a talented forward, per reports.

Everton set to kickstart an exciting summer under David Moyes

Goodison Park will play host to just three more fixtures before David Moyes begins to plan for the future on Merseyside, and there is plenty of anticipation over potential arrivals.

In an unexpected turn of events, Everton could make Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah one of their first summer signings as he nears the exit door at Anfield. Newcastle United, Brentford, Bournemouth and Borussia Dortmund are also in pursuit of the Three Lions international.

Finally, the Toffees appear to be in a position of stability on and off the pitch following years of close shaves with relegation. With their Premier League status all but guaranteed, there is every reason to look forward with optimism on the blue half of Merseyside.

Reports suggest Everton could land Evan Ferguson for £45 million from Brighton & Hove Albion, which could offer a clue regarding Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s potential replacement in attack.

Moyes also has to deal with a rising tide of expiring contracts and loan deals, so there is every reason to expect mass personnel changes during the off-season.

Everton’s state of play ahead of the summer – action set to be taken

Players out of contract this summer

8 players out of contract (most notably Calvert-Lewin and captain Seamus Coleman).

Expiring loan deals

5 players set to see loan deals expire.

PSR regulations

Everton could also have to work creatively to avoid PSR conflict, like most clubs.

Addressing squad depth

Strength in numbers will be needed to avoid another bottom-half finish.

Now, another talented forward has cropped up on the Toffees’ radar ahead of the summer transfer window, per recent developments.

Everton position themselves to sign Albert Gudmundsson

According to TEAMtalk, Everton want to sign Fiorentina loanee Albert Gudmundsson this summer should circumstances pan out in their favour.

The Serie A outfit have an option to buy the Iceland international from parent club Genoa for a £17 million fee, inclusive of add-ons. Should they pass up the opportunity, Everton may be in with a chance of landing his services at around the £20 million mark.

Related Everton battling Real Madrid to sign £15m ace who's outscored Calvert-Lewin

His versatility could be a big asset for David Moyes.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Apr 14, 2025

Inter Milan are also seriously contemplating a swoop for the 27-year-old, who has registered eight goals and two assists in 27 appearances this term, playing mostly as a second striker or winger.

Labelled a “devastating player and also an exemplary professional” by Kevin Strootman, the man in question has also shown his ingenuity, creating ten chances and completing 12 dribbles on league duty.

Competition for his signature will likely be fierce this summer. Everton will need to construct a proposal that exceeds the appeal of playing for a side that may be Serie A and Champions League holders once the window opens.

Nevertheless, a new dawn on Merseyside may be the perfect launchpad for Moyes to make a statement in the market as the Toffees build for the future.

Glasgow Rangers held their annual player of the year award ceremony on Sunday evening. After a campaign filled with disarray at Ibrox, many would have wondered why the club bothered.

Nevertheless, several first-team players won awards on the night. John Souttar claimed the John Greig CBE Achievement Award while Hamza Igamane won the Men’s Goal of the Season award for his stunning late winner against Celtic at Parkhead in March.

Elsewhere, Cyriel Dessers won the Sam English Bowl for being the club’s top scorer this season. The most deserving award, however, went to Nicolas Raskin, who won both the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year and Men’s Player of the Year awards, with both the players and supporters recognising the Belgian’s achievements.

With the 49ers Enterprises takeover looking like it could go ahead before the start of next season, they will be keen on building as strong a squad as possible.

Financial investment would be welcome, of course, but keeping the club’s best players for a tilt at the Premiership title next term is the main aim.

Having won two awards on the weekend, Raskin is certainly one player who could attract plenty of attention this summer, no doubt about that.

Nico Raskin: Rangers most indispensable player?

Michael Beale may go down as one of the worst managers in the history of the football club, but paying a fee of just £1.5m to bring the young midfielder to Ibrox is arguably the best decision he made while in charge.

He may have struggled to assert his authority during his first few months at the club, but the persistence the former Standard Liege starlet has shown is now beginning to pay off.

After suffering an injury in pre-season last summer, it appeared as though Raskin would never fulfil his potential at Ibrox. Upon his return to the first-team picture in September, the 23-year-old has been a revelation.

Nine goal contributions have been registered across 43 appearances in all competitions, but it was his opener against Celtic in the 3-2 win last month which was the most important.

Raskin even captained the side during the festive season when James Tavernier was sidelined through injury, and he gave a dominating performance in the Old Firm clash at the turn of the year.

The midfielder has shown in the Premiership so far this term. His tenacious nature has certainly been on display, making 2.9 tackles per game and winning an impressive 6.5 total duels per match – a success rate of 57% – which has allowed the player to dominate at the heart of the pitch.

Going forward, however, Raskin has demonstrated his attacking abilities. Not only has he created six big chances for his teammates, but the Belgian also averages one key pass and 0.9 successful dribbles per match in the top flight.

This combination of attacking and defensive traits makes Raskin a prized asset at Ibrox. There will be a time when the club decides to cash in, but he could be the fulcrum of a new-look side at the start of next season.

Who shouldn’t be at the club next season? Well, it may be a bit of a surprise to some.

Rangers' most dispensable player?

While the 49ers will be keen on strengthening the squad, they must also balance the books by moving several players this summer.

It shouldn’t be a difficult decision on who to release and sell, especially with so many players underperforming throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Dessers may have won the Sam English Bowl, but in reality, the Gers must cash in on him before the start of next season.

Beale may have spent little to bring Raskin to Scotland, but the opposite is true of Dessers’ move to Glasgow. Indeed, he cost around £4.5m from Serie A side Cremonese in the summer of 2023.

Given that Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent had left for free just a month or so before, Beale had to inject some goals into his side ahead of the 2023/24 season. Dessers had netted just ten goals the season prior, hardly the prolific forward Beale required.

Goals

16

13

Assists

4

2

Big chances missed

27

20

Shots per game

2.9

2.2

Goal conversion percentage

16%

19%

A total of 22 goals and nine assists during his maiden year at the Light Blues certainly appears to be a decent tally, but diving deeper, Dessers could have scored a lot more.

In the Premiership alone, he missed a staggering 27 big chances across 35 matches, often taking three or four opportunities to find the back of the net.

This season hasn’t exactly been much of an improvement. 13 domestic goals have been scored thus far, yet he has still missed 20 big chances in the top flight. With four games to go, this figure could still rise.

Scottish analyst John Walker dubbed the centre-forward as “poor” during a pre-season friendly against Manchester United last July. He may offer plenty in terms of work rate and determination, but the Nigerian striker simply isn’t the right man to lead the club into a new era under the 49ers.

The 30-year-old has two years left on his current contract at Rangers, which means this summer represents the perfect chance to try and make back some of the £4.5m that was spent on him two years ago.

Not only that, but he is also one of the highest earners at the Light Blues. Taking home a wage of £27k-per-week, Dessers ranks second behind only Tavernier in terms of earnings.

There is no doubt that freeing up this money in the summer and redirecting it back into bringing one or two younger talents would be the best thing to do.

The club face one of the most important transfer windows in recent memory this summer. Get things right and Celtic could be set for a serious title challenge next season.

On the flip side, however, if the same mistakes are made, Rangers will continue to be left in the wake of their rivals as they motor to a fifth consecutive title.

Rangers must axe £3m flop who has missed more games than Lawrence

Kevin Thelwell has a big job on his hands at Rangers

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 27, 2025

There are only four games left of the Premier League season for Arsenal, and while the team and fans will be focusing on the Champions League, the club will be preparing for the summer.

In fact, it was only this month that Mikel Arteta told the media that the upcoming transfer window is set to be seismic, which is undoubtedly needed considering how poorly things have gone on the domestic front.

For example, on top of silly suspensions and some truly unlucky injuries, too many players have underwhelmed this season, such as Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian might have stepped it up a bit in recent weeks, but it could be too little too late, as recent reports have linked the club to a superstar who could be the perfect upgrade.

Arsenal transfer news

With it looking set to be a mega summer for Arsenal, it’s worth going over some of the other stars who have been touted for moves to the club in recent weeks, such as Rafael Leao.

The AC Milan monster will supposedly be available for around £86m, which is probably a fair enough fee, as in 46 games this season, he’s scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists.

Another target who’d cost at least as much is Desire Doue.

Transfer Focus

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

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The Paris Saint-Germain gem has been linked with several Premier League sides, including the Gunners, and it’s not hard to see why, as at just 19 years old, he has produced 25 goal involvements in 46 games this year.

However, in this instance, the player in question is someone the Gunners have already faced off against this season: Rodrygo.

According to reports from Spain, Arsenal ‘have set their sights’ on a few Real Madrid stars, including the Brazilian international.

Now, the report does say it would be a difficult deal to get done, but not impossible, although per reports from late last year, Los Blancos might demand up to £123m for their star.

It would be an incredibly costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given his incredible ability, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he could be a dream Martinelli upgrade.

How Rodrygo compares to Martinelli

So, the first thing to say is that while Rodrygo has made more appearances off the right in his career, he’s no stranger to playing off the left, and with Bukayo Saka in the squad, he’d almost certainly be tasked with playing there.

Therefore, his biggest competitor for game time would be Martinelli, but how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, in terms of raw output, it’s a comfortable win for the Real star, who Carlo Ancelotti described as one of “the best players in the world” just last year.

For example, he’s racked up 13 goals and ten assists in 49 appearances, totalling 3245 minutes this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.13 games, or every 141.08 minutes.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 11 has scored nine goals and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3068 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every three games or every 204.53 minutes.

Rodrygo vs Martinelli

Statistics per 90

Rodrygo

Martinelli

Non-Penalty G+As

0.61

0.41

Progressive Passes

4.68

1.94

Progressive Carries

5.06

4.77

Shots

2.67

2.03

Shots on Target

1.03

0.88

Passing Accuracy

85.7%

71.5%

Key Passes

2.08

1.64

Shot-Creating Actions

4.56

2.87

Goal-Creating Actions

0.42

0.26

Tackles Won

0.84

0.56

Successful Take-Ons

2.15

1.51

All Stats via FBref for 24/25

Then, when we take a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers, it’s another comfortable victory for the Los Blancos star.

For example, he comes out ahead in most relevant metrics, including but not limited to non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, passing accuracy and key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, shots and shots on target, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he would cost Arsenal a fortune, it’s clear that Rodrygo would be a massive upgrade on Martinelli, and therefore they should go all out to sign him.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 25, 2025

Gary O’Neil’s reign as Wolverhampton Wanderers manager must feel like a distant nightmare to the Molineux masses as Vitor Pereira’s stint in charge continues to go swimmingly well.

Indeed, the popular Old Gold boss has more than breathed life into the West Midlands outfit since his arrival, with the once relegation-threatened team now a staggering 20 points clear of the drop zone after a sixth Premier League victory in a row versus Leicester City.

Of course, there is Matheus Cunha’s situation to still sort out, with the Brazilian superstar perhaps heading for the exit door soon, but the sensational Wolves attacker managed to play a starring role in the 3-0 win despite speculation.

Matheus Cunha's performance in numbers

The Manchester United-linked forward let his football do the talking at Molineux, with Cunha involved in every single goal that hit the back of Mads Hermansen’s constantly bombarded net.

The explosive number ten would open the scoring for Pereira’s in-form hosts on the 33rd minute mark, with one of Rayan Ait-Nouri’s trademark bursts forward confidently finished off by the clinical South American.

He would then turn to being a provider after bagging his 15th Premier League goal of the campaign, with a defence-splitting pass early into the second half allowing Jorgen Strand Larsen to fire home, before then playing Rodrigo Gomes into space to kill the game off after Jamie Vardy cruelly missed from the penalty spot.

Whilst Cunha rightly lapped up most of the praise at the full-time whistle, there were other standout performers on the day that have gone about their business in an understated manner all season long, including one formidable defender.

The Wolves star who is now as undroppable as Cunha

Wolves have really shored up at the back since Pereira’s inspired appointment, with April to date seeing the stern Old Gold only ship three goals in league action.

The more defensively sound performances seem to coincide with Emmanuel Agbadou’s emergence onto the scene, with the Ivorian colossus joining for £16.6m back in January proving to be another golden pick-up, like the Portuguese boss.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

103

Accurate passes

82/92 (89%)

Key passes

2

Clearances

5

Blocked shots

1

Interceptions

3

Total duels won

4/5

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Agbadou put in another well-drilled display defensively, with the 6 foot 4 centre-back managing to come away from the 3-0 victory with an 80% duel win rate intact.

Moreover, he also managed to complete all his defensive dirty work successfully with five clearances registered, alongside three interceptions.

Yet, the imposing number 12 would also show off his composure on the ball during the routine win, with Agbadou ending the match with an impressive 89% pass accuracy next to his name from 92 total passes.

At this point in time, Agbadou’s starting spot under Pereira is now as concrete as Cunha’s, with the 27-year-old titan only tasting defeat once since coming into the Old Gold first team fold after his move from Reims.

Both the impressive defender and the spellbinding attacker will hope their continued excellent performances see more wins be tallied up as the season begins to near to its May conclusion, with a top-half finish in the Premier League now in their sights, away from looking nervously down at the relegation spaces once upon a time.

Exciting Cunha replacement: Wolves want to sign £45m star on loan

Wolves could lose Matheus Cunha in the summer transfer window.

ByConnor Holden Apr 24, 2025

Everton are believed to have made contact with a “very dangerous” player’s representatives, as they eye a move for him in the summer transfer window.

Everton contact defender and eye further signings

The Blues know the importance of a big summer, as they prepare for life in their new stadium and hopefully an exciting second spell under David Moyes.

Everton have reportedly already made contact with Feyenoord centre-back David Hancko over a switch to the club at the end of the season, amid doubts over Jarrad Branthwaite’s long-term future. The 27-year-old has averaged 3.3 clearances per game for the Dutch side this season, also completing 90.4% of his passes, outlining his all-round quality.

Hancko isn’t the only central defender being looked at by the Blues, however, with Burnley key man Maxime Esteve also seen as an option. He has played a huge role in the Clarets remarkably only conceding 12 goals in the Championship this season, and at 22, he is still early in his career.

Elsewhere, Everton have been backed to sign Liverpool winger Ben Doak this summer, which would cause plenty of controversy. The 19-year-old has been out on loan at Middlesbrough in 2024/25 and there is no guarantee that he has a long-term future at Anfield.

Everton make contact with versatile ace's agents

According to a fresh update from Kicker [via Sport Witness], Everton have contacted Merlin Rohl’s representatives over a move to Merseyside, as they look to get a summer deal over the line.

The SC Freiburg star has been linked with a move to the Blues in the past and Moyes knows him well, having come up against him four times during his spell in charge of West Ham. The 22-year-old only signed a new deal last year, but his current club are aware of the interest in him.

Rohl is a young player with plenty of long-term potential, with Christian Streich calling him a “difference-maker” and Antonio Di Salo saying of him: “He fought his way into [Freiburg’s] team. That’s not easy. He focused on defensive work and also came into his own offensively. He’s very quick and determined. He’s very dangerous.”

In truth, Rohl’s 2024/25 season hasn’t been his most productive, with only 11 starts coming his way in the Bundesliga due to injury problems, and no goals and one assist recorded.

That doesn’t change the fact that he could be a real asset for Everton, however, not least because of the versatility that he possesses in his game. The German is predominantly a central midfielder, but he can also thrive in more of an attacking midfield role, on the right wing and even as a second striker. This would immediately give Moyes more options.

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Everton made a good investment with the signing

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 7, 2025

The fact that the Blues manager has seen him up close as many as four times also means he knows his qualities as a footballer well, so the positives easily outweigh the negatives when it comes to Everton signing him.

Tottenham Hotspur were made to settle for a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in their Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening.

It was a game in which the Lilywhites had chances to secure the victory but could not find a winning goal that would have given them a crucial advantage in Frankfurt next week.

It was the visitors who took an early lead, just six minutes into the clash. The goalscorer was one of Europe’s most wanted centre-forwards, Hugo Ekitike.

He showed exactly why the biggest clubs want to sign him, cutting inside on his left foot and letting fly a shot from range that nestled into the bottom corner with pinpoint accuracy.

However, it was not long for Lilywhites fans to wait before their side clawed a goal back. The equaliser came from right-back Pedro Porro, who met a brilliant cross from James Maddison with a tidy, flicked finish into the back of the net.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Mickey van de Ven almost had a winner for Spurs. However, his header was superbly tipped over the crossbar by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos to keep the score on level terms.

It was certainly a disappointing night for the Lilywhites, who could have easily run out winners. There were some poor performances from some of those in a Spurs shirt.

Spurs' worst performers vs. Frankfurt

One of the Spurs players who struggled against the German side was winger Brennan Johnson. He found it difficult to make a real impact on the game at all, barely getting into the game out on the right flank.

In fact, Goal journalist Sean Walsh noticed that the Welshman struggled to stamp his authority on the game, handing Johnson a 4/10 rating for his performance, suggesting that he spent “far too much time hidden behind defenders”.

Another player in Postecoglou’s attacking trio who had a tough night at the office was striker Dominic Solanke. The England international showed glimpses of his best, and although he has been on a lean run of goalscoring form, he did link play up well at times.

However, his stats from the game, courtesy of Sofascore, show just how little he got into the game at times. For example, Solanke managed just 22 touches, completing seven of ten passes and winning three of five aerial duels.

As tough of a night it was for Johnson and Solanke, they were perhaps not Spurs’ worst attackers against Frankfurt.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Spurs' worst player against Frankfurt

It has not been an easy season for Spurs captain Heung-min Son, and Thursday’s clash with Frankfurt summed that up in many ways.

The South Korean international lacked a real potency in his attacking play and did not pose too much of a threat to their opponents’ defence.

In fact, his stats really reflect Son’s struggles against the German outfit on Thursday. He had 61 touches in total, completing 38 of 44 attempted passes. However, the Spurs legend failed to compete either of his two attempted dribbles, and he lost the ball 12 times, once every five touches.

Son’s stats vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
Stat	Number
Touches	61
Passes completed	38/44
Number of times ball lost	12
Ground duels won	1/4
Dribbles completed	0/2
Crosses completed	1/3
Key passes	2
Stats from Sofascore

Son’s struggles against Frankfurt was a sentiment that the aforementioned Walsh seemed to agree with. He was critical of the Spurs captain, giving him a 4/10 for his performance, explaining that the winger was “seldom a threat in crucial areas” going forward.

It might be a worry for Spurs fans that their number seven’s career is petering out. While it’s certainly a different story, there is reason to suggest he’s winding down in a similar way to another modern-day club icon, Dele Alli.

The former Lilywhites midfielder was, at his peak, “the best” youngster in the world, according to Mauricio Pochettino.

However, Alli’s Spurs career tailed off when he began to have dips in form, and perhaps the same can be said for Son this season. It has certainly not been the easiest campaign for the attacker, who like Dele, has gone from an elite talent to someone struggling to make a real impact at Spurs in pretty swift time.

He has just 11 goals and 12 assists in 43 games, with seven goals and ten assists in the Premier League. Compare that to the 17 goals and ten assists in 35 games he managed last term, and there is certainly a Dele-esque decline in numbers.

It is a shame to see such a legendary Premier League player struggle to find his best form this term. No doubt, Lilywhites fans hope he can get back to the top of his game in what is a huge few weeks for the club.

He's a lot like Dele Alli: Spurs want to sign £20m "freak of nature"

The incredible youngster would be a hit at Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 10, 2025

Rangers supporters simply cannot wait for this season to end.

On Sunday, the Light Blues held their fierce rivals to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox, taking the lead through Cyriel Dessers on the cusp of half time, but ultimately thankful for an excellent save by Liam Kelly right at the death to preserve the point.

Nevertheless, it matters little considering the champions had rubber-stamped the title a week earlier, the gap between Glasgow’s giants remains 17 points, with Barry Ferguson’s side now without a win in four Premiership games.

The Light Blues are guaranteed to finish second, thereby entering next season’s Champions League in the second qualifying round, the first leg of which takes place on 22/23 July, with Brann, Austria Wien or familiar foes Servette currently forecast to be their possible opponents.

So, with a tight turnaround between this season ending and next season commencing, the new 49ers ownership are under pressure to appoint a new manager and fast, but are they close to doing just that?

The latest on Steven Gerrard's Rangers return

According to widespread reports, including from Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Steven Gerrard is currently ‘the leading candidate’ to be re-hired as Rangers’ new manager.

Harri Burton of Football Insider has previously reported that Gerrard has impressed Paraag Marathe, who is spearheading 49ers Enterprises’ 51% takeover of Rangers, making him the obvious choice to be Ferguson’s successor.

The 44-year-old Englishman was previously in charge of Rangers for 192 matches between July 2018 and November 2021, before departing for Aston Villa, most-notably leading the club to a Premiership title, the club’s only top-division triumph since 2011.

So, while Ferguson will remain in charge for the final three matches of this season, against Aberdeen, Dundee United and then Hibs, all the current indications are that Gerrard will be returning to the Ibrox dugout in time for July’s Champions League tie.

The Liverpool legend will no doubt be looking to repeat the success he enjoyed during his prior stint at the helm…

Steven Gerrard's key men at Rangers

During Gerrard’s first Rangers tenure, few players were as important to him as Ryan Kent, with the table below outlining this point.

Connor Goldson

182

17

James Tavernier

168

42

Alfredo Morelos

158

83

Allan McGregor

156

Zero

Scott Arfield

153

29

Ryan Kent

138

28

Steven Davis

127

4

Borna Barišić

124

7

Glen Kamara

122

5

Joe Aribo

113

20

Ryan Jack

110

11

As the table outlines, only five players made more appearances under Gerrard than Kent, while only James Tavernier and Alfredo Morelos contributed more than his 60 goal-involvements.

Kent initially arrived on loan from Liverpool, before being signed permanently for a reported fee of £7.5m, the highest fee Rangers have paid in the modern era, only eclipsed by the £12m splashed to bring in Tore André Flo from Chelsea in 1997.

Fast-forward to the present day, is a current Rangers star on a similar trajectory?

Rangers' best attacker could be the new Ryan Kent

As noted by Alan Galindo of the Daily Record, it’s pretty difficult to dispute the fact that Václav Černý has been Rangers’ best attacker this season.

The table below underlines this assertion, with the loan star having been simply “devastating” at times, as per analyst John Walker.

Cyriel Dessers

25

7

32

Václav Černý

17

7

24

Hamza Igamane

15

3

18

James Tavernier

5

12

17

Mohamed Diomandé

6

9

15

Ianis Hagi

4

7

11

Nicolas Raskin

3

8

11

Danilo

6

4

10

Tom Lawrence

6

2

8

Nedim Bajrami

5

4

9

Only Dessers has been directly involved in more Rangers goals this season than the Czechia international, while Černý was the club’s top scorer in the Europa League with six, a tally only bettered by Bruno Fernandes, Kasper Høgh and Ayoub El Kaab across the entire tournament.

Back in October, then-manager Philippe Clement described the Czech winger as “important for the club”, adding “I want to see more and more” from him.

As a result, Černý’s performances should offer some optimism for the Rangers support ahead of next season, the problem being the fact that he is only on loan.

Well, Mark Walker of the National has previously reported that Wolfsburg would be willing to sell Černý for £6.75m, which would be a huge outlay, similar to that paid to tie down Kent permanently six years ago.

Well, based on Černý’s output this season, Rangers should absolutely pay the money to sign him and, should they do so, as stated by Amy Canavan of BBC Sport, this would be quite the statement of intent by the new owners.

With Gerrard back at the helm also, the Englishman could find a new Kent-like attacking weapon to wield.

Rangers must ruthlessly axe "sloppy" Ibrox flop who wouldn't suit Gerrard

Rangers must cash in on the dud who earns more than Mohammed Diomande if they appoint Steven Gerrard.

ByDan Emery May 5, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has given the green-light for his side to pursue a creative attacking player, with sporting director Andrea Berta apparently lining up an offer in response.

Mikel Arteta makes Arsenal summer transfer admission

Arteta has already admitted that the Gunners are set for a “big” summer transfer window, following the arrival of Berta as Edu Gaspar’s replacement.

Arsenal "closer to finalising" deal for £85m star with contract semi-agreed

The Gunners have made significant progress ahead of this summer.

2 ByEmilio Galantini May 7, 2025

The Spaniard also revealed his excitement over what could be in store for Arsenal when the window reopens, with some reports claiming the north Londoners could spend as much as £300 million on seven major signings (GiveMeSport).

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

“It’s going to be a big one (summer) and we are very excited about it,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s 2025 summer transfer plans.

“When you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad and the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step.

“Every summer is big because it is an opportunity and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now that is necessary. But it’s a big summer for many things, because first of all, we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then obviously how can we improve and evolve the team.”

Additions are expected in the final third particularly, with Berta looking to end Arsenal’s long wait for a prolific striker to lead Arteta’s forward line.

Arsenal are already making “significant” progress on a move for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, according to some reports, while it is also believed that Berta is targeting new wide players.

Mikel Arteta green-lights Arsenal move for Bilal El Khannouss

Now, as per GiveMeSport, Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss has found his way on to their radar as well.

The Moroccan has been a bright spark in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the relegated Foxes, and high-ranking Emirates Stadium officials have recommended him to Arteta.

According to GMS, the manager agrees with their verdict, with Arteta giving his approval for Arsenal to move for El Khannouss. As a result, the club are now lining up a potential £22 million bid for the African.

Interestingly, El Khannouss scored a match-winning goal against Tottenham earlier this season, and he’s been called a “magician” for his exploits at the King Power Stadium.

The 20-year-old has bagged a total of three goals and six assists in all competitions this season, playing both out wide and as an attacking midfielder. Since joining Leicester from KRC Genk last summer, he’s taken to English football quickly despite his young age, and has even earned plaudits from Pep Guardiola.

“He (Guardiola) said he was impressed by my play today,” said El Khannouss after a loss to Man City earlier this season.

“I am not. I know myself and this is the player I can be. I have to show that every week now. After a few games now, I am adapted. People can see now who I am. I will continue to work on this and build.”