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Arsenal romped to a 7-1 first-leg win over PSV Eindhoven in the last 16 of the Champions League, virtually sealing their passage to the quarter-finals in the process.

The Gunners were 3-1 up at the break, racing into a three-goal lead thanks to Jurrien Timber’s header and strikes from Ethan Nwaneri and Mikel Merino.

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ByBen Browning Feb 14, 2025

Noa Lang’s penalty threatened to spark a PSV comeback but only briefly, as Arsenal came firing out of the blocks in the second half to put the tie well beyond their Dutch opponents.

Goals from Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard put the tie well beyond the hosts within three minutes of the restart, before Arsenal’s captain bagged a second and set up Riccardo Calafiori to slot home a seventh for Mikel Arteta’s ruthless side.

While lacking in competitiveness, it was a game full of incident, and the most contentious talking point came following Arsenal’s third goal of the night, which was subject to a lengthy VAR check.

Amid some comical PSV defending, Mikel Merino was gifted an opportunity to stretch Arsenal’s lead after the ball broke to him in the penalty area, taking it with ease.

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1 ByCharlie Smith Feb 27, 2025

But the goal was in doubt for around four minutes, as the VAR officials checked for a possible offside against the Spaniard in the build-up.

The ball was played in Merino’s direction by Jurrien Timber, but was blocked by PSV defender Ryan Flamingo before it could reach Arsenal’s makeshift striker, who was in an offside position when the ball was played.

Despite this, play continued, and it was Flamingo who gifted Merino a free shot at goal after losing his footing in the box.

But the decision to allow the goal caused some controversy, with pundits Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott disagreeing with the decision.

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg attempted to explain why the goal was given, which came through a subjective call from the VAR team.

Speaking on Amazon Prime Video’s live coverage, he said: “It’s a very subjective call. When the ball’s actually played, we all know Merino’s in an offside position. Does the defender deliberately play the ball, or does he block the ball?

“I agree with Wayne that he blocks the ball, and therefore, if he blocks the ball, it’s not in a controlled manner, and therefore, it should have been given as an offside.

“[The VAR] believes that he’s deliberately played the ball by that action of sliding to block the ball. He believes that’s a deliberate play, and therefore, that’s why they’ve given the goal, but I don’t agree with it.”

Arsenal welcome PSV to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday 12th March for the second leg, with either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid awaiting in the quarter-finals.

The Champions League holders will take a slender lead to the Metropolitano Stadium, with Brahim Diaz’s winner handing Carlo Ancelotti’s side a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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ByCharlie Smith Feb 13, 2025

They might not have won anything, but Mauricio Pochettino’s peak Tottenham Hotspur team was packed with talent.

The North Londoners were blessed with some truly sensational players from front to back during that period.

Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dele Alli were scoring for fun, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld created one of the best defensive pairings in Europe, and Hugo Lloris was, more often than not, a rock at the back.

However, perhaps the most underrated player – among non-Spurs fans – of them all from that period was the incredible Mousa Dembélé, and it looks as if Ange Postecoglou may have just uncovered his own version of the Belgian.

Mousa Dembélé's Spurs career

In the summer of 2012, after spending just over two seasons with West London side Fulham, Dembélé completed a £15m move to Spurs.

The former AZ Alkmaar star made an instant impact in North London, scoring on his debut – against Norwich City – and ending his first campaign at the club with 42 appearances across all competitions.

Already an established part of the first team, the Belgian “monster,” as dubbed by Eric Dier, took yet another step forward when Pochettino joined the club in May 2014.

Under the Argentine’s leadership, the Antwerp-born dynamo turned into one of the very best central midfielders in the Premier League, someone capable of winning the ball in his own half and carrying it all the way up the pitch for someone else to finish.

His immense abilities weren’t lost on his teammates or manager either, with Kyle Walker describing him as “the best player I’ve ever seen play football” and Pochettino claiming that he was a footballing “genius.”

In all, the 37-year-old made 249 appearances for the Lilywhites, scoring ten goals and providing ten assists, before moving to the Chinese Super League in January 2019 and retiring four years later.

Dembélé was an utterly sublime footballer, and while the club haven’t been able to replace him, Postecoglou may have just stumbled upon the club’s next version of the Belgian.

Appearances

249

Starts

181

Minutes

16115′

Goals

10

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.08

Minutes per Goal Involvement

805.75

Spurs' next Dembélé

Now, we are aware that such a label can be both a blessing and a curse for players, but we reckon Lucas Bergvall has more than enough talent to make good on it.

The young midfielder was signed from Swedish outfit Djurgårdens for around £8.5m last winter but didn’t officially join the squad until last summer, and while it took him some time to get up to speed in the first team, he has recently been one of the club’s most impressive players.

Like Dembélé, the young Swede is seemingly a natural in a few positions in midfield, making 34 appearances in central midfield, 16 in attacking midfield and 13 in defensive midfield.

Moreover, while each role requires something a little different from the 19-year-old, be that a dangerous final ball from the ten position or a brilliant interception at the base of midfield, he’s shown one quality that the Belgian star was known for: ball-carrying.

According to FBref, the “generational” talent, as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, sits in the top 3% of midfielders in the Premier League this season for total carrying distance, the top 5% for successful take-ons, the top 7% for progressive carrying distance, the top 10% for carries and more, all per 90.

Finally, while the “uber-complete” teenage phenom, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, certainly has what it takes to play in the number ten position in the future, it does seem like Postecoglu and Co will be able to get more out of his incredible skillset by playing him in the middle of the park, where Dembélé used to boss games.

Ultimately, while he’s still incredibly young, and a lot could happen over the coming years, it looks like Spurs might just have their next genuinely great central midfielder in Bergvall.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 19, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks to sign a “very quick” defender in free transfer ahead of Bayern Munich.

Levy eyeing new managers and players for Tottenham ahead of summer

It could be a busy few months behind the scenes in north London for Daniel Levy and co, with manager Ange Postecoglou seemingly under big pressure.

Spurs and Postecoglou have lost 19 games in all competitions this season, with the latest defeat coming at Fulham prior to the international break.

That resulted in a number of managers being linked with replacing Postecoglou at Tottenham, including Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, Fulham manager Marco Silva and ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Talking to Sky Sports recently, the USA manager said about a return to Tottenham: “Look, when I left the club I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham and that is of course.

“I am in the USA, I am not going to no, I’m not going to talk about that, but what I said then still after six years or five years, I still feel in my heart that, yes, I would like one day to come back. We see the timing, like Daniel said.”

Spurs doing groundwork to sign "exceptional" £55m winger; he's a key target

Tottenham are looking to make a splash in the summer transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Mar 25, 2025

In the transfer market, Tottenham are also starting to make early moves ahead of the summer, with an opening bid worth £38m submitted by Spurs to sign Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg.

At the back, Tottenham have seemingly started discussions over a cheaper move to sign an international defender, amid concerns Cristian Romero is interested in a move to Real Madrid.

Tottenham make contact to sign Jonathan Tah for free

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham have been in contact over a move to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah. The Germany international is out of contract with Leverkusen at the end of the season and has decided to leave the Bundesliga champions in the summer.

Spurs ‘have already initiated contacts to learn about the terms of his potential transfer’, as have Liverpool, whereas Bayern Munich are also eyeing a move for the 29-year-old.

Tah has been with Leverkusen since 2015 and looks set to depart after 10 years. During that time, the centre-back has made close to 400 appearances, scored 16 goals and won his first two major honours with Leverkusen last season.

He’s been linked with Chelsea and West Ham in the past and was previously hailed by former Leverkusen boss Gerardo Seoane, who said: “Jonathan has a great history here. He’s an international player. He’s ambitious. He is held in high regard by his teammates. We expect him to take the next step personality-wise.

Elsewhere, former Germany manager Joachim Low praised Tah’s physicality and speed, saying: “He’s a young player with a lot of potential. He’s physically strong and very quick. Everything is possible.”

Last night was arguably Tottenham Hotspur’s biggest game of the season so far, and things did not entirely go to plan.

Ange Postecoglou’s side played host to Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, and instead of building up a lead ahead of the second leg, they played out a 1-1 draw.

Unsurprisingly, given the scoreline, it was a night of mixed performances from the hosts, with some starters putting in a real shift while others have given the manager a decision to make ahead of next week.

1

Goals

1

0.89

Expected Goals

0.36

57%

Possession

43%

2

Big Chances

1

10

Total Shots

4

1

Saves

5

9

Corners

3

8

Tackles

21

528

Passes

410

In fact, one of Ange’s own signings was particularly poor, and truth be told, they let the manager down in a game which could seriously impact his job security.

Spurs' standout performers

So, before getting to the offender in question, it’s worth going over a couple of the starters who did at least put in a real effort and arguably deserved to come away with a win, such as Micky van de Ven.

The Dutch defender was immense at the back, making his trademark lung-busting runs on more than one occasion to completely snuff out counter-attacks.

Had it not been for the former Wolfsburg gem, there is a very real chance that Frankfurt could’ve got one or two more goals, and so he’s more than deserving of the 8/10 match rating he got from the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

James Maddison was another of Ange’s signings who put in a decent performance last night.

Now, he did lose the ball that led to the visitors’ opener, but after the first 15 minutes or so, he really found his feet and looked a genuine threat for much of the game.

The former Leicester City star got the assist for Pedro Porro’s goal and could have had one of his own in the second half, which, again, justifies the 7/10 match rating he got from Kilpatrick.

Unfortunately, one of Postecoglou’s other signings was far less influential last night, and as such, they let the fans and manager down.

The Spurs star who let Ange down

While the likes of Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-min were underwhelming last night, Brennan Johnson was arguably the worst Spurs player on the pitch.

It was only on Sunday that the Welsh international scored a brace against Southampton, so it made sense for Postecoglou to start him, but unlike then, the former Nottingham Forest star was utterly anonymous against Frankfurt.

In fact, it felt like whenever the “frustrating” wide man, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Jamie O’Hara, did have the ball, he either lost it or played it safe, and then when he had a golden opportunity towards the end, he fired the ball well over the crossbar.

It might sound harsh, but Kilpatrick shares our opinion, awarding the winger a paltry 4/10 match rating at full-time and writing that aside from his big miss, he ‘was otherwise quiet.’

Unsurprisingly, his statistics only further back up this narrative, as in 95 minutes of action, the 23-year-old ace amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of 0.15 and failed to have a single shot on target.

To make matters worse, the Welshman only had 32 touches, completed just 13 passes – three fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario – and failed with 100% of his crosses during a really wasteful evening.

Minutes

95′

Expected Goals

0.14

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.01

Assists

0

Shots on Target

0

Touches

32

Passing Accuracy

13/18 (72%)

Key Passes

0

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Long Balls (Accurate)

2 (1)

Lost Possession

11

Fouls

2

Ultimately, it was a middling night for Tottenham overall but a particularly bad one for Johnson, and if Postecoglou wants to see a better performance from his side in the second leg, he’d be better off dropping the Welshman.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 10, 2025

With the Premier League still yet to be decided, Liverpool still need to win four games to claim the title after only a second league defeat against Fulham yesterday.

Arne Slot’s men simply weren’t at the races, unable to produce the performance that they have done so many times over the last couple of months, which has led them to the summit of the division.

The Reds will be hoping to make amends against West Ham United next week, aiming to close in on a first league title since Jürgen Klopp’s triumph back in 2019/20.

Despite the heights achieved during the Dutchman’s first year at the helm, the showing against the Cottagers was one of the worst of the campaign with countless players way off the pace.

As a result, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see various players dropped from the starting eleven, with changes needed to prevent such a defeat from occurring in the near future.

Liverpool’s poor performers against Fulham

Curtis Jones has been forced to operate at right-back in recent weeks after the injuries suffered by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Bradley – doing an admirable job against local rivals Everton.

However, the same can’t be said for his showing in the capital yesterday, contributing to an error that led to a goal, whilst also failing to win any of the two tackles he entered.

He wasn’t alone in failing to deliver, with Dominik Szoboszlai producing one of his worst displays in recent memories, uncharacteristically so given his rise under Slot.

The Hungarian failed to create a single chance for any of his teammates, whilst also losing 100% of the ground duels he contested, ultimately being a passenger during the loss.

Despite the showings from the aforementioned players, one other star failed to deliver, with the manager needing to offload him when the summer transfer window opens.

The Liverpool player who’s become the new Fabinho

Brazilian midfielder Fabinho was a fan-favourite during his time at Anfield, starring in the heart of the side and making over 200 appearances during his five years as a Red.

However, his last season on Merseyside was one to forget, falling way below the expectations he’d set for himself given the heights he achieved after helping Klopp’s side win the league title.

He would leave in a £40m deal to join Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023, with one player potentially suffering the same fate in the form of left-back Andy Robertson.

The Scottish international will go down as one of the biggest bargains in the club’s history, making over 300 appearances and notching 66 assists after joining for just £8m back in 2017.

Whilst he’s achieved some impressive performances over the years, he’s rapidly declined in recent months, with the club targeting Milos Kerkez as a replacement this summer.

The 31-year-old once again failed to impress against Fulham, also making an error leading to a goal before being replaced with just eight minutes remaining.

He also failed to complete any of his attempted crosses, coming out on top in just 50% of his tackles and being dribbled past once in the process.

Minutes played

82

Touches

59

Crosses completed

0/2

Tackles won

1/2

Possession lost

10x

Dribbled past

1x

Errors leading to goals

1

Robertson also lost possession 10 times during the defeat and was unable to produce the goods as he did during his early days as a player on Merseyside.

As a result of his showing, he was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by The Express’ Jack McEachen, with fellow journalist Lewis Steele labelling his showing as “awful”.

Given his age, it’s likely that he’s going to continue declining over the next couple of years, with Slot needing to offload him this summer to allow for fresh blood in the backline.

He’s been an incredible servant to the club, helping them win countless major honours, but ultimately his showing against the Cottagers was further evidence that he’s unable to cut it at the top level.

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ByAngus Sinclair Apr 4, 2025

The ice beneath Ange Postecoglou has become even thinner, if that were even possible. Indeed, the end is surely nigh as far as his term at Tottenham Hotspur is concerned.

As Spurs lost 4-2 to Wolves on Sunday afternoon, it came as little surprise, truth be told. The errors that dominated the game were of little shock either.

Postecoglou has engineered some brilliant football since arriving at Spurs but the error-stricken performances from his players have been all too frequent now.

The Europa League may well still provide solace for the Aussie and his bunch of players but not even that feels like it will save him from the sack.

Indeed, the display at Wolves just about summed up their season.

An error-riddled display from Spurs (again)

Spurs can score goals; we know that under Ange. They did find the net twice on Sunday, netting through loanee Mathys Tel and substitute Richarlison. However, it was too little too late. The damage had already been done.

It all started early on when Rayan Ait-Nouri’s volley found the net. Guglielmo Vicaro’s punch from a Wolves free-kick didn’t go very far and as a result, was powered home by the left-back.

Vicario had a total nightmare between the sticks for Spurs, notably handed a 2/10 player rating by Football.London’s Alasdair Gold at full-time.

That wasn’t the goalkeeper’s only error. He nearly cost the visitors again just moments later. His pass out from the back didn’t find a teammate and Jorgen Stand Larsen somehow missed from a matter of yards out.

A comedy of errors continued later in the half when Vicario parried the ball into Djed Spence who bundled in an own goal.

The stopper wasn’t the only Spurs player at fault, far from it. Cristian Romero was caught in possession for the third goal, which allowed Ait-Nouri to tee up Stand Larsen. This time he did not miss.

Lucas Bergvall, usually so crisp and composed in possession, was then at fault for the fourth. Caught on the ball by Matheus Cunha, the Brazilian stole it away from him before racing away from Ben Davies and Romero to find the net.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

Despite all of that, there were more underperformers in the Spurs camp.

Spurs have found their new Tanguy Ndombele

In July 2019, Spurs smashed their transfer record to bring £63m man Tanguy Ndombele to the club.

It was a landmark transfer and one that Daniel Levy hoped would take Spurs to new heights. While the Frenchman had his moments, he unfortunately flopped big time in the capital, leaving in June 2024 when his contract was cancelled. It was a huge waste of investment.

2019/20

29

2

4

2020/21

46

6

4

2021/22

16

2

1

So, what went wrong? Well, speaking to the Athletic, one training ground source encapsulated it perfectly, stating: “Tanguy is the maverick of the team, he can do stuff that nobody else can do. Incredibly talented, incredible ability, just sometimes you just want to be like, ‘Tanguy you’re so good, just do the basics’.”

Perhaps guilty of doing too much, or in fact, being a little lazy, it was unsurprising that it never worked out for him at Spurs.

Now, in a slightly different sense, Postecoglou may have found the new version of Ndombele in Yves Bissouma. We’ll tell you why.

Writing at full-time, the aforementioned Gold handed the Malian midfielder a dismal 4/10 rating, suggesting that ‘sometimes he looks good on the ball, sometimes looks like it’s alien to him.’

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That could easily sum up Ndombele too. So gifted on the ball, there were moments when it looked as though he didn’t know how to kick a ball.

Bissouma didn’t arrive for quite as much as the Frenchman but he did move from Brighton with considerable hype attached to his name, joining in a £35m move.

Sadly, despite a few flashy moments, like Ndombele, it hasn’t quite happened for another big-money midfielder at Tottenham Hotspur.

He has been withdrawn at half-time on three occasions in the Premier League this term and was perhaps fortunate not to have the same fate on Sunday, instead dragged off after just 55 minutes.

Bissouma set the tone early on, booked inside the opening eight minutes of the game. From that moment onwards, he failed to offer Postecoglou’s side the protection they needed against a rampant Wolves.

Minutes played

55

Touches

49

Accurate passes

38/40 (95%)

Key passes

0

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

0

Crosses

0

Duels won

4/8

Possession lost

4x

Fouls

2

Tackles

3

Dribbles past

1

He did complete 95% of his passes but only won 50% of his duels, failed to complete a key pass and gave away two fouls.

It was another average display from a man who looks like he should be sold in the summer. Spurs have plenty of exciting young players coming through in a similar area of the pitch, chiefly Bergvall and Archie Gray. They should be prioritising their minutes instead.

For the new Ndombele, his time at Spurs should surely be up in a few months time.

Spurs already have their very own Huijsen in monster 18-year-old defender

The incredibly exciting youngster will be a star for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 11, 2025

Aston Villa have had some disappointing moments in recent weeks after being dumped out of the semi-finals of the FA Cup by Crystal Palace and the quarter-finals of the Champions League by PSG.

The Villans will not win any silverware this season, after failing to progress further in those competitions, but they still have a chance to end the campaign on a high note.

Unai Emery’s side are currently seventh in the Premier League table, three points behind Chelsea in fifth place, and have a chance to qualify for the Champions League for the second year running.

The Villans conceded a stoppage-time goal to lose to Manchester City last time out in the top-flight, which put a dent in their hopes of finishing in the top five, but there are still four matches left to play and plenty of points to battle it out for.

If Villa can qualify for the Champions League again, NSWE could show ambition, as they did with the signings of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford, to significantly bolster Emery’s squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.

In fact, the owners are reportedly ready to put their backing behind a deal to bring in a superstar who could be their next Jack Grealish.

Why Jack Grealish was so important for Aston Villa

The England international came up through the ranks in the Midlands before emerging as a first-team sensation at Championship and Premier League level.

Grealish produced six goals and eight assists in the 2018/19 Championship season, leading his team to promotion via the play-offs, before being an incredibly important part of their top-flight team in the following two campaigns.

Goal

8

1st

6

4th

Pass accuracy

85%

1st

83%

5th

Assists

6

1st

10

1st

Key passes *

2.5

1st

3.1

1st

Dribbles completed *

2.0

1st

2.5

1st

As you can see in the table above, the midfield wizard was crucial to Dean Smith’s side because of his ability to score and create goals at an impressive rate, which made him a hugely influential figure at the top end of the pitch.

Grealish, as evidenced by the statistics from those two seasons, was the creative hub of the team. Everything flowed through him, and the midfielder provided consistent creativity to provide his teammates with opportunities in front of goal.

The academy graduate was the biggest creative threat in the squad for Villa at the time, and NSWE could provide Emery with his own star creator by signing De Bruyne on a free transfer in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The latest on Aston Villa's interest in Kevin De Bruyne

According to Football Insider, NSWE are prepared to back an Aston Villa swoop to sign Manchester City attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne this summer.

The Belgium international has confirmed that he will leave the Cityzens at the end of this season, when his contract expires at The Etihad, and this means that there is an opportunity to sign a Premier League icon on a free transfer.

Transfer Focus

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Football Insider reports that the Villans are ambitious and that Emery has identified the Manchester City hero as a target for his side ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with the owners seemingly now ready to sanction an attempt to sign him.

The outlet reveals that teams in the MLS and the Saudi Pro League are lining up lucrative offers to tempt De Bruyne to move on from England, which means that it could be a difficult deal for Villa to pull off amid significant competition from overseas.

Whilst it remains to be seen how likely a move to Villa Park is for the Manchester City superstar, NSWE could land Emery his own version of Grealish by winning the race for his signature this summer.

Why Kevin De Bruyne could be Jack Grealish 2.0

If the Villans can pull off this ambitious move for the Belgian sensation then he could come in to be the main creative outlet in the current Villa team in the 2025/26 campaign.

Despite turning 34 in June, De Bruyne still has the quality to make a significant impact at the top end of the pitch, and could hit the ground running at Villa Park next season.

The 33-year-old veteran has created a whopping 14 ‘big chances’ in 24 appearances in the Premier League so far this season, and only Youri Tielemans (16) has created more within the Villa squad – having started all 34 league matches to date.

De Bruyne, whose creative brain was described as “ridiculous” by Thierry Henry, has racked up 177 assists in 417 appearances for the Cityzens in all competitions in his career to date, the bulk of which have come in the Premier League.

The Villa target has consistently proven his ability to unlock top-flight defences with exceptional through balls, passes, and crosses to set up his teammates for ‘big chances’.

24/25

16

14

7

23/24

15

21

10

22/23

28

31

16

21/22

25

16

8

20/21

23

19

12

19/20

32

33

20

18/19

11

11

2

17/18

36

19

16

16/17

33

24

18

15/16

22

8

9

As you can see in the table above, De Bruyne has showcased remarkable consistency as a creator in the Premier League in his ten seasons at Manchester City, creating at least 11 ‘big chances’ in nine of those campaigns.

These statistics illustrate the kind of quality that NSWE would be bringing to Villa Park if they can get a deal over the line for the soon-to-be free agent in the summer, as he could come in as the main creative outlet in the middle of the park for Emery’s side.

Aston Villa ready to pay £21m release clause to sign Man Utd 'keeper target

Aston Villa are looking to act quick and beat Manchester United to a signing this summer.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 28, 2025

This means that De Bruyne could come in as Jack Grealish 2.0 for the Villans, as another mercurial talent with the ability to be a one-man show at times, creating chances at will to break teams down and contribute to big wins for the team.

Make no mistake about it, this has been an utterly dreadful campaign for Manchester United.

Whether it was Erik ten Hag in the formative months of the season or Ruben Amorim in the latter stages of the term, no one has been able to get a tune out of this downtrodden Premier League giant.

After suffering a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford on Sunday afternoon, it reduced the Red Devils to their 16th league defeat of 2024/25. That’s the first time that’s happened since 1989/90, before the Premier League even existed.

In truth, United were not expected to win this one. Their focus is well and truly on their Europa League semi-final next Thursday, and as a result, Amorim rang the changes.

There was a first start for 17-year-old striker Chido Obi, while 20-year-old Tyler Fredricson started at centre-back and 18-year-old Harry Amass was given a run out at left-wing back.

On that evidence, the defeat was not a shock. Still, it did little to help an already dispondent fanbase.

Where it went wrong for Man United at Brentford

While teenager Chido Obi struggled in attack, notably having just 18 touches of the ball, it was not an awful day for United in attack.

Mason Mount – who had not found the net in 400 days – opened the scoring, darting into the penalty area and finishing off a close-range opportunity.

Alejandro Garnacho and Amad also scored late on to save United’s blushes somewhat, but those two goals were too little too late. Still, it showed that there is promise for the future at Old Trafford.

It was at the back where United met their downfall. The tone was set when Brentford found their equaliser on 27 minutes. Amass was absolutely bullied by Michael Kayode who beat the youngster to the ball inside the area and then it cannoned off Luke Shaw for an own goal.

The second goal was equally as comical. Matthijs de Ligt went down injured and United switched off, which allowed Mikkel Damsgaard to find Kevin Schade who didn’t have to do much at the back stick.

For Schade’s second and the hosts’ third, there was very little resistance at the back post either where Fredricson left the Bees forward open at the and he was left with a simple finish.

It was then made all the worse when United failed to apply their offside trap correctly. The ball was slid in between the back line on the edge of the box and then Kayode laid it on a plate for Yoanne Wissa to score, completely unmarked again.

Chalkboard

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

Clearly, very little in the United backline helped but it was Shaw who was notably bad.

Luke Shaw's performance in numbers

At the peak of his game, Shaw proved himself to be one of the best left-backs not just in the Premier League, but also in Europe.

That was certainly the case at Euro 2020 where as you should all remember, he scored in the final against Italy for England.

Well, since then, it’s been a sad and agonising tale of woe for the left-sided defender who has struggled to stay fit, most notably in the last few seasons.

While Shaw managed over 30 league appearances in 2022/23, he was only seen on 12 occasions in the top-flight last season and only five times in 2024/25 to date.

In truth, this should be his last start in United’s famous colours; he was not good enough.

Minutes played

45

Touches

30

Accurate passes

19/24 (79%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Successful dribbles

0

Clearances

2

Tackles

1

Interceptions

0

Duels won

1/3

The own goal was bad enough but he had already nearly turned one into his own net in the first three minutes of the game. In the words of Manchester Evening News reporter, Samuel Luckhurst, he simply “wasn’t at it” having also been given the captain’s armband.

Well, it wasn’t a captain’s performance, let’s put it that way. The left-back was handed a 2/10 match rating by the Express and was consequently was hauled off after just 45 minutes.

One can excuse a lack of match fitness and you may well blame that for Shaw’s display in London this weekend, but he’s really not shown very much in his limited outings this season.

During his 45 minutes on the field, he only completed 79% of his passes and won just one of his three duels. Unsurprisingly, his 30 touches were also fewer than goalkeeper Altay Bayindir’s total of 57 touches.

We are so used to seeing Shaw as a flying wing-back and perhaps he should have started there on this occasion given Amass’ own struggles. Yet, this was evidence that he now completely lacks confidence, perhaps not just in his fitness but in his own abilities.

The 29-year-old left the action having been dominated by the Brentford attack. Their clever play and trickery on the edge of the box were simply too much for him to handle.

Don’t be surprised if this is one of, if not the last time, we see him start a game for the club.

Perfect for Cunha: Man Utd in advanced talks to sign "world-class" talent

Manchester United have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements, with a deal edging closer for one star.

ByEthan Lamb May 2, 2025

There may well be two Premier League games left to play, but that hasn’t stopped what’s now a pretty consistent stream of transfer rumours regarding Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side are set to end the campaign trophyless for the fifth year running, so it’s no surprise that the board are already seemingly hard at work looking for the player who can get them over the line next season.

The first player set to come through the door once the window opens next month looks set to be Martin Zubimendi, with transfers expert Fabrizio Romano giving the move the ‘here we go treatment’ late last week.

Adding the Spanish international will undoubtedly improve the North Londoner, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club are now targeting another international who’d be an even more exciting signing.

Arsenal looking to sign exciting winger

The last few weeks have seen Arsenal linked with several incredibly talented internationals, such as Ollie Watkins and Antoine Semenyo.

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 was a surprise target for the club in January, and while they failed with a £50m offer then, they are still fans of him ahead of the summer, and as he’s racked up a haul of 30 goal involvements in 52 games this season, it’s not hard to see why.

Likewise, with 11 goals and seven assists to his name in 40 games for Bournemouth this season, it’s not hard to understand why Arteta and Co might be keen to add Semenyo to the squad, who could be available for around £42m.

However, for a player to be an even more exciting addition to the team than Zubimendi, they’ve got to be one of the most sought-after in their position, such as Nico Williams.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Athletic Bilbao monster going into the summer.

In fact, the report has revealed that Andrea Berta has made the Spaniard a ‘top priority’ and that with him believing it’s a time for a change of scenery, the Gunners are in a ‘fierce battle’ with Chelsea for his signature.

The report does not mention a transfer fee, but stories from earlier this week have reiterated claims that the 22-year-old has a release clause in his current deal worth around £48m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Williams’ immense ability, it’s one Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he’d be an even more exciting acquisition than Zubimendi.

Why Williams would be such an exciting signing

Now, as we’ve already said, signing Zubimendi is undeniably exciting, as not only is he one of the most important players for a club the size of Real Sociedad, but he’s also a Spanish international and was reportedly on the radar of Real Madrid.

However, there are several reasons why Williams would be even more exciting, such as his attacking output.

For example, in just 37 appearances last season, the Pamplona-born “level-raiser,” as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, scored eight goals and provided 18 assists.

Appearances

37

44

Minutes

2729′

3050′

Goals

8

11

Asssists

18

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

0.40

Minutes per Goal Involvement

104.96′

169.44′

Then, so far this year, he’s scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 44 appearances, coming out to an average of 1.42 and 2.44 goal involvements per game, respectively.

Moreover, he’s also an incredibly dynamic player to watch, with FBref placing him in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, for successful take-ons per 90.

Finally, not only has he won nine more caps for the senior Spanish side, but he also scored the opening goal in the final of the European Championships last summer, showing that the big occasions do not bother him.

Ultimately, Zubimendi will be an excellent signing for Arsenal, but there is no doubt that Williams would be even more exciting.

He's a dream for Saka: Arsenal doing lots of work to sign £67m "monster"

The sensational striker would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 13, 2025

The Champions League is the pinnacle of club football, with some of the best players of all time starring in the competition, previously known as the European Cup. But who is the top goalscorer of all time in the famous club competition?

Football FanCast has listed the top 20 Champions League scorers, with a detailed look at the top 11.

All information correct as of 14th May 2025.

Rank

Player

Goals

Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Robert Lewandowski

Karim Benzema

Raul

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Andriy Shevchenko

Thomas Muller

Kylian Mbappe

Mohamed Salah

Thierry Henry

Filippo Inzaghi

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Alfredo Di Stefano

Erling Haaland

Eusebio

Sergio Aguero

Didier Drogba

Neymar

Alessandro Del Piero

Antoine Griezmann

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Here is a detailed look at the top 11 Champions League goalscorers:

11 Thierry Henry 51 goals

Arsenal icon Thierry Henry got his first taste of Champions League football with AS Monaco, helping the French side to the semi-finals in 1997/98.

The Frenchman would go on to turn out for Juventus and then Arsenal, where he suffered heartbreak in the 2006 final against Barcelona. However, Henry would finally get his hands on the trophy after joining Barcelona, defeating Manchester United in the 2009 final.

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ByMark Marston May 15, 2025 10 Mohamed Salah 51 goals

Mohamed Salah has been at the top of his game for a while now, so reaching a half-century of Champions League is a more-than-deserving accolade for a player of his stature.

The majority of his CL strikes have come for Liverpool, with whom he won the Champions League in 2019, thanks in part to the Egyptian scoring early in the final against Tottenham Hotspur, as well at numerous stages along the way.

9 Kylian Mbappe 55 goals

Kylian Mbappe has been around for ages, and yet he is barely into his mid-twenties. Therefore, it is no surprise that the Frenchman has already racked over 50 Champions League goals – overtaking the likes of compatriot Thierry Henry in the process.

Now at Real Madrid, we can maybe expect the goals to continue to flow for the striker, and with more group stage games these days, there’s every chance he’ll reach triple figures before too long.

8 Thomas Muller 57 goals

Thomas Muller has been a fantastic servant for Bayern Munich over the years, notching 57 goals for the Bavarians at the highest level of European competition.

The German made his Champions League debut back in 2009 and won the competition on two occasions, in 2013 and 2020.

Only Robert Lewandowski has more goals (69) in a Bayern shirt than Muller, putting him in some healthy company.

7 Andriy Shevchenko 59 goals

Best known for his time with Dynamo Kyiv and Milan, Andriy Shevchenko netted 59 times in the Champions League, including a famous hat-trick at the Nou Camp against Barcelona for Kyiv.

Shevchenko, who also turned out for Chelsea, won the tournament with Milan in 2003. The Ukrainian retired in 2012 and went on to manage his country between 2016 and 2021.

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ByFreddie Taylor Sep 25, 2023 6 Ruud van Nistelrooy 60 goals

Powerful Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy turned out for two of Europe’s biggest clubs in Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Upon retiring in 2012, Van Nistelrooy scored 60 goals in the competition and was the top scorer in three separate editions of the tournament, though he never managed to win the Champions League.

5 Raul 71 goals

Real Madrid icon Raul held the record as the all-time top scorer in the Champions League for a number of years and averaged a goal every other game in his 142 appearances in Europe.

The Spaniard lifted the trophy on three occasions with Madrid and became the manager of Real Madrid’s B side in 2019, so he could potentially be a future first-team boss at the Bernabeu.

4 Karim Benzema 90 goals

Another Real Madrid legend who scored plenty of Champions League goals at the Bernabeu is Karim Benzema, who also netted a number of his 90 goals in Europe for Lyon.

Now playing in Saudi Arabia, Benzema netted in a record 18 consecutive Champions League seasons, winning the tournament five times, as well as the top scorer award in 2021/22.

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1 ByBarney Lane Oct 23, 2024 3 Robert Lewandowski 105 goals

Polish striker Robert Lewandowski became the third player to reach 100 Champions League goals during his time at Barcelona, with the ton secured in their league phase win over Stade Brest in November 2024, 13 years after his CL debut.

Previously of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, Lewandowski is Bayern’s top scorer in European football, scoring 15 times in 2019/20, when he lifted his only Champions League trophy.

2 Lionel Messi 129 goals

Barcelona legend Lionel Messi comes in as runner-up on the list, with 120 of his 129 Champions League goals coming for the Catalan giants.

Messi scored against 40 different teams in the competition, which is a record, but it was against Arsenal that he was most prolific, netting nine times against the Gunners.

The Argentine has also represented Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, winning the tournament with Barcelona on three separate occasions, the last coming in 2015.