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Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 season hung heavy over Anfield as the Arne Slot era looked to get up and running, and many thought the former Feyenoord coach would fall quickly by the wayside.

But Liverpool won the Premier League, and Slot is now renowned not just for his shrewd triumphs in his Dutch homeland but his success on a grander scale with Liverpool, who have fortified last year’s exploits with an utterly merciless spending spree across the summer transfer window, now the overwhelming favourites to retain their crown.

Liverpool did have to haul some surplus this summer, selling a whole host of first-team players in a major reshuffle. Up-and-coming stars such as Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah were sold despite making headway as top English talents over the past few years.

Quansah fell toward the fringes under Slot’s wing last season, and was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for £35m after being told he would continue to play a peripheral role throughout 2025/26.

Liverpool signed 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni to replace him, but Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi was the one who was viewed right up until the final moments of the transfer window as the perfect player to slot in alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool missed out on Guehi

When Guehi scored a peach against Aston Villa before the September international break, his celebration carried with it the sense that he had written an incredible, fairytale ending to his chapter at Crystal Palace.

A move to Liverpool wasn’t just on the cards, but imminent, only it fell through at the eleventh hour on deadline day after the Eagles failed to secure an adequate replacement for Oliver Glasner’s captain, who has been instrumental across 2025 for the multi-trophy-winning side.

Guehi, 25, has emerged over the past few years as one of the best defenders in the Premier League, with his combative and composed defensive style merging with a technical game that stretches beyond what is expected of a centre-half.

Indeed, he has been described as an “absolute gem” by his former coach Michael Beale, who singled out his formative years at Chelsea’s Cobham as building his technical level.

Glasner, for his part, is adamant that certain stories of his desperate – and successful – efforts to keep Guehi at the club were false.

In any case, Guehi remains a Palace player and has no intention of penning a new deal that would extend his contract beyond its expiry at the end of the season.

A move to Merseyside remains a convincing possibility, with Liverpool snapping him up for free.

In this way, Guehi could mimic another deal from the closed summer transfer window, becoming Liverpool’s version of a player who actually left Anfield for a European giant just a few months ago.

Liverpool's own version of Guehi

While the Anfield side were willing to part with such players, it was a different tale with homegrown hero Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was billed by many as Liverpool’s new version of Steven Gerrard after emerging from the academy.

But the 26-year-old instead left at the end of his contract and signed for Real Madrid.

It was a contentious decision, but one which the 26-year-old made after much consideration, leaving England and the Premier League and joining Los Blancos, Liverpool’s biggest European rivals of modern times, for a fresh challenge and a chance to take his career to the next level.

Many Reds couldn’t understand the decision, with jeers when the right-back entered the fray after confirmation of his decision was made known in May, during a draw with Arsenal, pushing the unsavoury situation toward boiling point.

Trent’s Liverpool Career
Competition	Apps	Goals (assists)
Premier League	257	18 (67)
Champions League	60	2 (13)
FA Cup	13	1 (3)
Carabao Cup	10	0 (6)
Europa League	5	0 (2)
Club World Cup	2	0 (1)
CL Qualifying	2	0 (1)
Community Shield	2	1 (0)
UEFA Super Cup	1	0 (0)
Stats via Transfermarkt

Even so, Alexander-Arnold celebrated Liverpool’s Premier League title with his peers and showed an outpouring of emotion after playing his final match in a Liverpool shirt at the end of the season. The Three Lions star was synonymous with his former outfit’s resurgence of the past decade, after all.

Hailed as a “generational” talent by content creator Asim Mahmood, Liverpool must regret losing such an incredible, irreplaceable playmaker, one of the greatest passers of the ball in English history.

There are parallels between his situation and Guehi’s at Palace, to be sure, and those similarities might become more pronounced in the coming months, when talk of a pre-contract agreement with the Eagles captain gathers steam.

Whether Liverpool win that battle remains to be seen, with sources recently suggesting Chelsea are gearing up to make a move of their own for Guehi after the new year.

But if Guehi does have his heart set on a move to Liverpool, as has been suggested, Slot might just find himself welcoming his own version of Alexander-Arnold, landing an elite player on a Bosman and one who is cherished by the fanbase of a club who cannot bear the thought of his departure.

Of course, Trent will return to his old stomping ground sooner than he might have hoped for, with Real Madrid drawn against Liverpool in the league phase of the Champions League.

Liverpool chiefs will be frustrated that they couldn’t convince the Scouser to stay put, but Slot’s side have already shown they can overcome the setback, just as there is confidence that the failed attempt to sign Guehi from Crystal Palace will not stop the club from achieving their goals.

FSG have already sold Liverpool's homegrown Zubimendi for just £15m

Former Liverpool player is now starring as a deep-lying playmaker reminiscent of Zubimendi.

By
Will Miller

Sep 12, 2025

Everton have raced out of the blocks firing on all cylinders so far this season.

Sometimes, change is unwelcome, but it appears that many of the new signings that arrived through the door this summer have been worthwhile investments, with the Toffees picking up two victories from a possible three in the Premier League so far.

Jack Grealish is hogging the limelight in this regard, and rightly so, as David Moyes beams from ear to ear about the attacking talent he now has at his disposal, alongside the assist king.

Why Grealish is king of Everton's new-look attack

There’s no danger that the former Aston Villa man could be hurt on the international break, with the 29-year-old far removed from Thomas Tuchel’s England plans at this moment in time.

Never say never about him donning Three Lions white again, however, if his early, scintillating form for the Toffees is anything to go by, with a stunning four assists seeing him lead the early assist charts in the Premier League.

Such has been the Englishman’s form that he’s in line to be crowned one of the division’s best players in the league over the first three gameweeks of the campaign.

It would not be a surprise if Grealish got in on the goalscoring act with a few strikes of his own, too, with Iliman Ndiaye leading the way for Moyes and Co in terms of goals, away from the number 18’s creative prowess stealing headlines.

Following on from his heroics at Goodison Park last season – where he netted nine strikes in league action – Ndiaye has taken to Everton’s new home at the Hill Dickinson Stadium like a duck to water, having actually picked up the individual accolade of scoring the first-ever goal by a Toffees player at their fresh and modern home.

He also helped secure Everton’s second victory of the season when bagging at Molineux, with the £17m spent on the ex-Sheffield United winger’s services last year continuing to reap its rewards.

Despite that, Grealish undenidably feels like their best player at the moment, but remarkably, there is another standout figure in Moyes’ camp worth even more than both Ndiaye and the Toffees loanee, who will surely be another player the Scotsman can rely on to keep up Everton’s red-hot start.

Worth more than Grealish & Ndiaye: Everton have struck gold

There will be some worries on Moyes’ end regarding the leaky nature of his defence across these promising victories.

Indeed, two goals were shipped away at Wolves last time out in league action despite their lowly early league position, with the centre-back partnership of Michael Keane and James Tarkowski perhaps a little too weathered to ride out a full season together.

This is where Jarrad Branthwaite will come to the rescue when he’s back to full fitness, having unfortunately had to sit out the start of this season so far, owing to injury concerns.

Reports suggest he should be back by the end of September, and it will be a welcome return to the first-team fold for Moyes, with the Cumbrian titan starring last campaign under the ex-West Ham United manager’s guidance when relegation worries still loomed large on Merseyside.

Games played

30

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches*

51.9

Accurate passes*

32.7 (83%)

Ball recoveries*

3.1

Clearances*

6.3

Total duels won*

3.9

Clean sheets

8

Just two games back into Moyes’ second reign at the club, Branthwaite was heroically putting his body on the line during a 1-0 win away at Brighton and Hove Albion, winning a valiant four duels on the day, typical of his commanding duels won average for the entire campaign.

Hailed as “magnificent” by Alan Shearer when first making waves on Merseyside, it is incredible how quickly the 6-foot-5 warrior has become the first name on the teamsheet when fit, having originally only cost the Toffees a measly £1m to win from his local side Carlisle.

Now, off the back of being consistently imperious across 75 Premier League clashes and counting, his transfer worth has skyrocketed to a mighty £43m, according to Transfermarkt. Amazingly, Grealish is only worth around £24m as per the same source, while Ndiaye comes in at an even lower valuation of £19m.

While Moyes will undoubtedly be pleased with his side’s electric start, he will pray that this is a sign that they can compete near the top of the league all season long, rather than it being a flash-in-the-pan moment.

With Branthwaite back in the team shortly, more staunch defensive performances should be on display, with even more wins to then hopefully write home about.

He’s Everton’s best defender and a European charge could well be on the way once he returns.

Imagine him & Grealish: Everton may have Baines 2.0 in 19-year-old starlet

Everton’s next Leighton Baines could be a perfect partner to Jack Grealish down the left flank

ByWill Miller Sep 6, 2025

Aston Villa are fighting to secure more arrivals after a disappointing start to the campaign and have now made a proposal to sign a renowned star, according to a report.

Aston Villa move on from defeat at Brentford

Truthfully, there wasn’t much to write home about from a positive perspective as the Villans slumped to a 1-0 defeat away to Brentford last weekend, which has left them with a point from their first two Premier League encounters.

Unai Emery has been frustrated in his quest to add quality reinforcements in the West Midlands this summer and made it clear that his side need to improve several aspects of their game after a hapless afternoon in West London.

He told BBC Sport: “We reacted well to going behind, we created chances but didn’t score. There are some things tactically we need to improve. In the first half and second half we had chances to score. We had corners and we had a lot of crosses. Yes, it was a clear mistake (that saw Villa go behind). We are not like we want. Today we are very disappointed with the result.”

Nevertheless, there is no time for Aston Villa to dwell and recruiting quality reinforcements will be the priority before the deadline next Monday.

Reacting with urgency, Emery has initiated contact with Chelsea over a move for Christopher Nkunku, who could potentially offer a valuable alternative through the middle to Ollie Watkins as their attacking frailties continue to show on the pitch.

He's like Duran & Benteke: Aston Villa make £65m star their top target

Aston Villa are eyeing up a new striker who is a mix of Jhon Durán and Christian Benteke.

By
Will Miller

Aug 23, 2025

Nicolas Jackson and Geny Catamo are also on Aston Villa’s radar in the final stages of the market, though it may well be midfield where NSWE look to add a statement reinforcement ahead of the deadline.

Aston Villa make proposal for Marseille midfielder Adrien Rabiot

According to L’Equipe, Aston Villa have made an approach for Marseille midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who may be on the market after one campaign at the Stade Velodrome due to a well-publicised bust-up with teammate Jonathan Rowe.

Galatasaray, West Ham United, Inter Milan and other clubs from Italy are keen on the World Cup finalist. However, their sporting director Medhi Benatia has no more relations with Rabiot and his mother amid recent events under Roberto De Zerbi’s watch.

Previously impressing at the Ligue 1 giants, the 30-year-old has registered ten goals and six assists in 32 appearances across all competitions, though it remains to be seen whether he will be available at a suitable price.

With the end of the window in sight, Aston Villa are targeting a statement finish and Rabiot would certainly fit the bill as someone who could move the needle in the West Midlands.

Glasgow Rangers head into the first international break of the season after drawing all four of their first four matches in the Scottish Premiership.

It has not been an ideal start for the Ibrox giants or Russell Martin, who will have to wait until the middle of September, at least, before grabbing his first win in charge of the club.

There were some positives for the Gers in their 0-0 draw with Celtic, including the debut of Bojan Miovski as discussed in the clip above and a clean sheet, but there were also some worrying performances.

Thelo Aasgaard was selected to play in the number ten role for the Gers behind the Macedonia international, and failed to impress in an attacking sense.

Thelo Aasgaard's performance in numbers

The Norway international, who signed from Luton Town on a permanent deal this summer, was unable to offer a threat at the top end of the pitch, as he ended the game with zero shots on target and zero key passes, per Sofascore.

Aasgaard was also unreliable in possession, completing just 57% of his attempted passes, and Martin may not have been happy with how sloppy he was on the ball.

The former Wigan Athletic star was, however, a physical outlet for Rangers. He won nine duels, including eight of his 12 on the ground, and won two tackles without being dribbled past a single time.

Performance in Numbers

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

Aasgaard put himself about and was up for the scrap defensively, which helped Rangers to avoid losing too many 50/50s, and was far from the worst performer for the Gers.

Martin's possible tactical mistake for Rangers against Celtic

One player who was even worse than Aasgaard against Celtic was left-sided attacker Mikey Moore, who was unable to cause Anthony Ralston many problems.

Ahead of the match, Ralston appeared to be the weak link in the Hoops defence due to the injury to first-choice Alistair Johnston. Despite that, Martin opted to move Djeidi Gassama over to the right flank to accommodate Moore on the left.

Gassama has scored four goals and provided one assist in nine appearances as a left winger for Rangers this season, which is why it seemed like he would be the most obvious option to take the game to Ralston and expose him on that side.

Minutes

72

Pass accuracy

44%

Shots on target

0

Key passes

0

Dribbles completed

1/3

Crosses completed

0/1

Duels won

4/9

As you can see in the table above, Moore did not take the game to the Scotland international and put in a disappointing all-round performance on the left flank, failing with 66.6% of his dribbles and completing just 44% of his passes.

That tactical decision also put Gassama out on the right, on his right foot, and meant that he struggled to take Kieran Tierney on down the outside in tight spaces, leaving Rangers too one-dimensional going forward.

In the end, the poor decisions in the wide areas heavily contributed to the team’s failure to create a single ‘big chance’ in the game, which left Miovski starved of service.

This is why Martin’s call to put Moore, who had an underwhelming afternoon, in on the left ahead of the usually electric Gassama was one that cost Rangers the win, as they were unable to take advantage of Johnston’s injury at right-back.

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2 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 30, 2025

Whilst it is not a guarantee that Gassama would have won the game for Rangers, his statistics as a left-winger suggest that there was a good chance that he would have made a big impact and could have sealed all three points with a moment of magic.

Will Graham Potter secure any more new signings before the start of West Ham United’s Premier League campaign?

So far this summer, the cash-strapped Hammers have brought in both Callum Wilson and Kyle Walker-Peters on free transfers, while El Hadji Malick Diouf has arrived from Slavia Prague for a reported fee of £19m.

However, given that Mohammed Kudus has been sold to Tottenham for around £55m, the Irons are still in the market for midfield reinforcements, so have they pinpointed their prime target?

West Ham's search for a new midfielder

Earlier this week, it was reported that West Ham had identified Jacob Ramsey as their ‘top target’, willing to spend around £30m to secure the signature of the midfielder.

However, it was claimed that Aston Villa value the 24-year-old at close to £43m, with Nottingham Forest and Tottenham also purportedly interested, meaning this certainly will not be an easy deal to finalise.

Thus, potentially in need of an alternative, Football Insider reports that the Hammers are ‘plotting a late-window move’ for Mateus Fernandes of Southampton, adding that the Saints are ‘reluctant’ to sell, but the Portuguese under-21 international is ‘keen’ to return to the Premier League, following his side’s relegation.

It’ll therefore be interesting to see if he is involved in their EFL Championship opener against Wrexham at St Mary’s on Saturday.

Transfer Focus

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

Fernandes joined Southampton from Sporting CP for £15m as recently as last August, but there claims he could fetch as much as £50m, which would make him West Ham’s record signing, surpassing the record of £45m held by Sébastien Haller.

Of course, the later into the window we get, if Fernandes pushes for a move, potentially the stronger West Ham’s negotiating position gets, so could the 21 year old soon swap the South Coast for the East End of London?

What Mateus Fernandes would bring to West Ham

Fernandes joined Sporting Clube de Portugal at the age of 12, and is the latest product of their academy forecast to go to the top.

He actually made just ten appearances for Sporting, his only goal in green and white hoops coming against Farense​​​​​​​ in the Taça da Liga group stages, spending the 2023/24 season on loan at fellow-Primeira Liga outfit Estoril Praia, before Southampton were convinced to sign him.

Analyst Ben Mattinson is certainly a fan, labelling him a “massive talent’, outlining that “passing​​​​​​​” and “vision” are his key attributes, adding that he is a “solid ball-winner” and a “press-resistant midfielder”.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout agrees, asserting that he is a “big talent” who is definitely capable of remaining at Premier League level, while Kevin Araújo Fernandes of Breaking the Lines adds that he is ‘capable of covering ground with real intensity’, making him an ‘extremely talented’ all-round midfielder.

Ahead of Southampton’s visit to Old Trafford in January, Rúben Amorim, who was his manager at Sporting, described Fernandes as a “really good player​​​​​​​” who is able to “overload the midfield” from wide areas, a skillset that should translate well to Potter’s West Ham team.

Nevertheless, the question remains: how does Fernandes compare to the Hammers’ other top midfield target Ramsey? Let’s find out.

Appearances

42

45

Minutes

3,365

2,074

Goals

3

4

Assists

6

7

All statistics below are on a per-90 basis:

Shots

0.7

0.7

Shots on target %

63.64%

33.33%

Chances created

1.1

1.1

Big chances created

0.18

0.28

Passes attempted

38.2

31.5

Duels contested

12

9

Tackles

2.8

1.7

Clearances

1

0.5

Interceptions

0.9

0.5

Ball recoveries

5.6

4.6

Touches

59

46

Average SofaScore rating

6.95

6.87

Caveats required for both: Ramsey’s minutes were limited last season due to injury and lack of selection, while Fernandes was playing for one of the worst teams in Premier League history, with Southampton collecting an ignominious 12 points.

With that out the way, the Portuguese midfielder’s underlying statistics are almost universally more impressive across the board, ranging from passing and touches, to out-of-possession metrics, namely duels, tackles, ball recoveries and interceptions.

The fact Southampton struggled so much may directly correlate as to why Fernandes’ defensive metrics were so high but, with many forecasting a tough campaign for West Ham too, this could certainly be useful.

Thus, if the Hammers are able to secure the highly-rated Portuguese youngster for a reasonable fee, he would surely prove to be a shrewd addition.

Kudus replacement: Bellingham-esque £40m star is now West Ham's top target

West Ham need attacking difference makers, having sold Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham, hence why they’re chasing a £40m star “similar” to Bellingham.

ByBen Gray Aug 8, 2025

Everton are in new hands under the Friedkin Group and have made contact over a potential new arrival that could pitch up at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, according to reports.

Everton circling for more new signings

Thierno Barry, Carlos Alcaraz and Mark Travers have kicked off what is expected to be a summer of change at Everton. However, David Moyes still has plenty of work to do before his side are capable of pushing on in the Premier League.

Over the weekend, a surprise defeat to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park wasn’t a satisfactory outcome for anyone concerned with the club, but pre-season is nothing more than laying the groundwork to make sure fitness is up to scratch once the competitive campaign kicks off in earnest.

Reports suggest Manchester City duo Jack Grealish and James McAtee are on Everton’s shortlist to beef up their creative options centrally and out wide, even if both players will attract a plethora of interest this summer from several different clubs.

Delivering his slant on their need for inventiveness, Paul Robinson believes the Toffees could win the race to sign Tom Fellows from West Bromwich Albion despite Leeds United’s admiration due to the fact Moyes was keen to bring him to Merseyside in January.

He stated: “Leeds have bolstered their defence, so I’m hoping they’re building from the floor upwards. Tom Fellows would fit that bill, he’d be a great signing, but Everton are ahead because of where they were in January with him.

Everton’s first five fixtures of the Premier League season

Leeds United (A)

Elland Road

Brighton & Hove Albion (H)

Hill Dickinson Stadium

Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)

Molineux

Aston Villa (H)

Hill Dickinson Stadium

Liverpool (A)

Anfield

“I do think he’ll go in this window because of the length of his contract. This is where West Brom are going to get a big fee for him.”

However, Moyes will also be keen to strengthen his defensive line, and he may be making progress towards achieving that feat if reports are to be believed.

Everton make contact for Atletico Mineiro defender Lyanco

According to Globo, Everton have made contact over Atletico Mineiro defender Lyanco to ask for information about his situation at the Brazilian giants.

His current employers have set up a meeting with his camp to discuss his current predicament, and the outlet claim Olympiacos and Al Duhail are also monitoring the state of play with keen interest.

Lyanco vs Everton in 2023 – how did he get on against Dominic Calvert-Lewin?

Everton 1-2 Southampton – Saturday 14th January, 2023

Accurate passes

31/39

Ground duels won

4/9

Aerial duels won

4/4

Tackles won

100% success rate

All statistics courtesy of Fotmob

Most remember Lyanco for his time at Southampton, and he previously shone against Everton in a 2-1 win for the Saints at Goodison Park, where Dominic Calvert-Lewin failed to score or provide an assist.

Labelled a “fantastic character” by Ralph Hasenhuttl, he would arrive with the carrot of Premier League experience and is coming off the back of a positive Club World Cup, which is said to have alerted suitors.

Lyanco has scored four times in 27 appearances this season, but it remains to be seen whether he would be an ideal fit for an Everton squad in need of upgrades on existing personnel.

Even before the summer transfer window opened, Manchester United entered the off-season with one clear goal: improve the forward line ahead of 2025/26.

Such a task needed to be undertaken after the Red Devils only managed to score 44 times in their 38 Premier League outings during the most recent campaign.

Ruben Amorim has showcased his desire to improve the current situation, making multiple moves to land Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha from Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively.

Whilst the pair notched 35 combined goals in the Premier League last season, other additions are still being pursued within the final third before the end of the summer window.

Given the climate of the current window, a new talisman would likely cost a pretty penny, but that hasn’t stopped the hierarchy from targeting numerous players over recent days.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions

Moise Kean has been a player firmly on United’s radar throughout the current window, even making contact with Fiorentina over a deal to land the Italian striker.

However, if they are to land a deal for the 25-year-old during the current window, they will have to pay over the odds, after his £44m release clause expired on the 15th of July.

He’s not the only player who’s currently in their sights at present, with Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins once again a player they’re interested in, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The journalist claimed that the Red Devils have held talks over a move for the 29-year-old star, after he scored 16 league goals last campaign.

He also claims that Unai Emery’s side see the England international as not for sale during the ongoing transfer window, potentially making any deal for his signature somewhat harder.

Why United’s latest target would be a better signing than Sesko

Alongside a deal for Watkins, the United hierarchy have been targeting a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in an attempt to complete their hunt for a new centre-forward.

The Slovenian has been a key target for numerous sides this summer, but the Red Devils could be about to have a free run at his services after Arsenal and Liverpool opted for other targets.

He could prove to be a viable option for Amorim’s men, after he bagged 21 goals across all competitions for the Bundesliga outfit throughout 2024/25.

At just 22, he has bags of time to develop into an elite-level talisman, but any move could prove to be a huge risk given his current £67m asking price.

As a result, it would make Watkins a cheaper option for the hierarchy, whilst also providing a more experienced Premier League option in the club’s hunt to return to their former glory.

The Englishman did register more league goals last time around, subsequently offering a bigger goal threat, with his underlying stats also just as impressive.

Watkins, who’s been labelled “one of the best strikers in Europe” by boss Emery, also posted a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, subsequently taking advantage of more chances that fall his way in front of goal.

Games played

38

33

Goals scored

16

13

Shot on target accuracy

44%

43%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Pass accuracy

72%

67%

Key passes made

0.8

0.7

Carries into opposition box

1.3

0.5

Progressive carries

1.9

1.7

He also completed more of the passes he attempted, whilst posting a higher key passes per 90 tally, able to provide fellow new additions Cunha and Mbeumo with chances in the final third.

The Englishman’s talents are further reflected in his tally of carries into the final third per 90, able to create his own chances rather than being reliant upon others around him.

Given the difference in the stats and price tag, Watkins would evidently be the better addition for United during the current transfer window, subsequently bolstering their chances of success next season.

If he can replicate the levels he’s produced at Villa Park, it would be a phenomenal addition and one that would inject the added dimension Amorim is hunting for in his forward line.

Mbeumo 2.0: Man Utd make direct phone call to sign "sensational" £22m star

Manchester United appear to be making a move for a star just like Bryan Mbeumo.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 24, 2025

Leeds United officially completed their third signing of the summer transfer window on Tuesday when they unveiled Sebastiaan Bornauw as their new centre-back.

The Belgian giant has joined on a four-year contract on a permanent deal from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, following the arrivals of Jaka Bijol and Lukas Nmecha.

Bornauw played 15 times for Wolfsburg in the German top-flight last season and will provide competition to the likes of Bijol, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, and Pascal Struijk in the centre-back positions.

This means that Leeds have now brought in two new central defenders and one centre-forward, in Nmecha, but they are yet to add to Daniel Farke’s options in the middle of the park.

One central midfielder who will not be signing for the Championship champions, though, is Senegal international Habib Diarra, who has signed for Premier League rivals Sunderland.

Leeds reportedly made a bid of around £22m to sign the star from Strasbourg last month, but the Black Cats have now snapped him up for a club-record fee of £30m.

What Habib Diarra could have brought to Leeds

The 21-year-old midfielder could have been an interesting signing for the Whites as a young midfield talent who has shown promise in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg.

Diarra could have provided a decent threat at the top end of the pitch from a central midfield position after a return of four goals and five assists in 30 appearances in the French top-flight last season.

However, he is far from the finished article at the age of 21 and still has a lot to learn, as his defensive work in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg left quite a bit to be desired.

Whilst his contributions at the top end of the pitch were notable for such a young player in a major European league, Diarra’s all-round play in midfield was not at a particularly high level.

24/25 Ligue 1

Habib Diarra per 90

Percentile rank vs midfielders

Progressive passes

4.44

Bottom 41%

Progressive carries

2.33

Top 27%

Successful take-ons

0.50

Bottom 29%

Tackles made

0.84

Bottom 4%

Interceptions

0.50

Bottom 15%

Blocks

0.84

Bottom 21%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the Senegal international ranked within the bottom half of midfielders in Ligue 1 in a host of defensive metrics, as well as in-possession attributes.

So, whilst he may be a promising young player with the potential to improve, Diarra may not have been an instant star for Leeds in the Premier League because of his lack of defensive nous and physicality in the middle of the park.

Because of this, it may be a good thing that the Whites missed out on a deal for the £30m-rated midfielder, amid reported interest from the club in another midfield target who would be a better signing.

Leeds eyeing Championship midfielder

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a swoop to sign Southampton central midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.

The report claims that the Saints, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, are preparing to lose several key first-team stars in the coming weeks, and the Portuguese ace is one of them.

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It states that former Sporting prospect is expected to be snapped up by another club before the end of the summer transfer window at the start of September, and that Leeds and Crystal Palace are both lining up moves to sign him.

Previous reports have claimed that the Championship side are looking for a fee of around £30m for the midfield star, but it remains to be seen if that has changed.

It is now down to Leeds to fight hard to win the race with Palace for his signature in the coming weeks, to ensure that they do not lose out to another Premier League rival like they did with Diarra.

Why Leeds should sign Mateus Fernandes

The Whites should be pushing to sign Fernandes from Southampton because he would arrive at Elland Road as an even better signing than Diarra would have been.

At the age of 20, the Portuguese talent is even younger than the Senegalese ace and, therefore, has a similar potential to grow and develop over the years to come, which would make him an ideal long-term signing.

However, Fernandes has the quality to make an even bigger impact than Diarra in the short-term, based on his performances for the Saints last season.

Despite Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League, the 20-year-old starlet caught the eye with some impressive displays in the middle of the park, scoring two goals and providing four assists.

The £30m-rated star, who also scored against Cardiff in the League Cup, offered more to his team than just goal contributions, though, as he is an all-action and dynamic midfielder.

24/25 season

Fernandes (Premier League)

Diarra (Ligue 1)

Appearances

36

30

Goals

2

4

Assists

4

5

Successful dribbles per game

1.4

0.4

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.3

1.1

Blocks per game

0.6

0.2

Ground duel success rate

53%

49%

Aerial duel success rate

63%

43%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Southampton ace has far more to his game than Diarra does as a central midfield option, due to his defensive and offensive qualities.

Fernandes, who was once hailed for his “exceptional” passing quality by analyst Ben Mattinson, may not have produced as many goals and assists as the former Strasbourg star, but he offered significantly more to his team defensively.

As aforementioned, Diarra may have been a liability defensively for Leeds due to his lack of physicality in Ligue 1, but that would not be the case for the Saints midfielder, who has been there and done it in the Premier League.

Fernandes has shown that he can handle the physicality of English football, to be a standout in a poor Southampton team, and that means that the Leeds target could hit the ground running at Elland Road if they sign him, which may not have been the case for Diarra due to his lack of experience in England.

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Therefore, Leeds should swoop to sign the relegated midfielder after missing out on Diarra because he has the qualities, potential, and experience to be an even better signing than the club-record Sunderland ace.

Brendan Rodgers has had to oversee a lot of change on the left side of his Celtic squad, at left-back in particular, during the summer transfer window so far.

The Hoops have already added one new left-back to the team in the form of Kieran Tierney, who has returned to Parkhead on a free transfer from Premier League giants Arsenal, six years on from his initial move to the Gunners from Glasgow.

Tierney, who won five Scottish Premiership titles during his first spell at the club after coming through the academy, will be aiming to nail down a position as the first-choice left-back at Celtic once again.

The Scotland international looks set to replace compatriot Greg Taylor, who is leaving the Scottish giants this summer upon the expiry of his contract.

Fabrizio Romano, as shown in the post above, recently confirmed that the full-back has agreed a deal to sign for Greek side PAOK ahead of next season.

Another left-back who has moved on from Parkhead this summer is Jeffrey Schlupp, who spent the second half of the season on loan from Crystal Palace, and the club must now avoid a permanent deal for him.

Why Celtic should not sign Jeffrey Schlupp

The Eagles confirmed at the end of May that the left-back would not be getting a new contract at Selhurst Park, which means that he will be available on a free transfer.

Schlupp made 14 appearances, starting eight of those games, in the Premiership and the Champions League for the Hoops, and his best performance for the club came in the second leg of their Champions League play-off clash with Bayern Munich.

Vs Bayern (A)

Jeffrey Schlupp

Minutes

90

Clearances

9

Blocks

1

Interceptions

5

Tackles

6

Dribbled past

1x

Ground duels won

7/8

Aerial duels won

1/2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Palace loanee was incredibly dominant defensively up against the mercurial Michael Olise on the right wing for Bayern, winning the majority of his duels and making 11 tackles and interceptions, whilst being dribbled past just once.

Despite that impressive showing from the Ghana international, Celtic also have to plan for the future and signing a 32-year-old, who turns 33 in December, on a permanent multi-year contract may not be the best move that they can make this summer.

Therefore, supporters should be happy to read that the Hoops are reportedly closing in on the signing of an alternative target who could be an even better signing than Schlupp.

Celtic schedule medical to complete new signing

According to Sponichi, Celtic are closing in on a deal to sign Albirex Niigata defender Hayato Inamura to bolster their options at the back ahead of next season.

The report claims that the left-footed star’s last match for his club was the 4-0 defeat to Machida on Sunday, as he played 90 minutes as a centre-back in the loss.

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It adds that the two clubs have already reached an agreement in principle over a transfer for the 23-year-old talent, and that a move will officially go through in the coming week.

Sponichi reveals that the Japanese defender will travel to Scotland at the start of the coming week to undergo a medical with the Hoops before putting pen to paper on a permanent switch to Glasgow.

This means that Celtic are set to sign the versatile Niigata ace in the coming days, with a medical scheduled and a fee agreed, and he could come in as an even better signing than Schlupp.

Why Inamura will be a better signing than Schlupp for Celtic

As aforementioned, the former Palace loanee turns 33 later this year and would only come in as a stop-gap signing to provide cover in the short term, which is also what he did during his loan spell.

Schlupp would not be a signing with a view to the future because, at his age, he is unlikely to develop much further, if at all, and does not have the potential to grow into being the first-choice after Tierney’s second spell comes to an end.

Inamura, however, is nine years younger than the Ghana international and, therefore, has far more time on his hands to develop and improve as a player during his time in Glasgow.

He is five years younger than Tierney and could, therefore, eventually be his successor if he kicks on and improves at Celtic, whilst initially coming in as a back-up option.

Inamura is usually deployed as a centre-back by Niigata, but Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph noted that he can also play as a left-back. His statistics in the J1 League this season also suggest that he would be well-suited to playing that role for the Hoops.

2025 J1 League

Hayato Inamura

Percentile rank vs CBs

Assists

0.07

Top 8%

Pass accuracy

87%

Top 29%

Accurate long passes

5.75

Top 5%

Long pass accuracy

47%

Top 19%

Chances created

0.42

Top 18%

Cross accuracy

50%

Top 15%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the soon-to-be Celtic signing ranks incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of possession-based metrics, which speaks to his ability on the ball.

His ability to successfully complete crosses at an impressive rate and to consistently create chances for his teammates from a centre-back position suggests that he could be well-suited to playing as a left-back for the Hoops, which would allow him to showcase his in-possession qualities.

Inamura, who analyst Rio Nakagawara claimed has “fantastic ball progression” as a passer and carrier, appears to have the technical qualities to thrive in Glasgow.

His positional flexibility also makes him an attractive target, as he can play at centre-back or left-back, and that is another reason why he would be an even better signing than Schlupp, who was not a central defensive option for Rodgers.

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Overall, signing Inamura seems to make more sense for the Premiership champions because of his age profile, his positional flexibility, and his quality on the ball.

Leeds United are now willing to trigger the £21m release clause in the contract of a “spectacular” midfielder, according to a report.

Leeds looking to sign midfielder amid £120m cash injection

The 49ers are showing they mean business as Leeds prepare for their return to the Premier League, having injected £120m into the club, with former Everton CEO Keith Wyness revealing the Championship title winners are willing to splash the cash.

Wyness said: “I think a chunk of it will be going towards transfer business. I think that £100million mark is a minimum spend now, and they’ve got to spend it wisely.

“This cash injection will pay for some new players to give the fans hope.”

One position in which the Whites are particularly keen on strengthening is central midfield, with Kalvin Phillips being linked with a return to Elland Road, while they are also “one to watch” in the race for Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma.

Moves for Bissouma or Phillips could make sense, having proven themselves in the Premier League, but there have now been suggestions that Daniel Farke’s side may also take a risk on a La Liga midfielder.

According to a report from Super Deporte (via Leeds United News), Leeds are now willing to activate the £21m release clause in Uche’s Getafe contract, with the midfielder catching the eye of some bigger clubs courtesy of his performances in Spain.

Brighton & Hove Albion are also in the race for the Nigerian, with the Seagulls also showing a desire to trigger the release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, so there may be stiff competition for his signature.

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The 22-year-old emerged as a key player for Getafe in the 2024-25 La Liga season, making 33 appearances, during which time he has displayed his versatility by featuring in a range of positions, including striker, although the maestro most commonly plays in a midfield role.

It is clear to see why the Nigeria international has been given the nod further forward, having picked up four goals and six assists in La Liga during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring with an impressive effort from outside the box back in August.

However, the “spectacular” Getafe gem, as lauded by manager Jose Bordalas, is also strong at winning back possession, ranking in the 95th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, and the 89th percentile for interceptions, when compared to his positional peers.

Uche’s versatility could make him a very useful option for Farke next season, and £21m feels like a fair fee, given his recent exploits in La Liga, but Brighton’s interest could pose a problem, considering they are a more established Premier League side.