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Manchester United are set to appoint Ameesh Manek as their new director of football operations. Manek joins United from Brentford and his primary responsibility will be overseeing the daily operations at United's Carrington training ground. This encompasses areas such as travel, security, training facilities, staff management, and infrastructure for both the men's and women's teams.

New boss for renovated training base

The Carrington Training Centre is United's state-of-the-art training complex, in Greater Manchester. Earlier this year the club completed a significant £50 million ($67m) refurbishment of the main first-team building, led by renowned architects Foster + Partners. The upgraded facility is designed to optimise player performance, health, and wellbeing. New features include a dedicated performance area with a gym, altitude room, hydrotherapy pools, and medical suites. It also boasts a new lounge with a kitchen, a barber shop, and open-plan offices for coaching staff. The refurbishment followed criticism from players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, about the training complex's outdated facilities.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHigh-flying exec to join United ranks

Manek is a prominent football operations executive known for his successful transition from the corporate world into the high-stakes Premier League football environment and will report to sporting director Jason Wilcox. He first moved into football at Arsenal, where he was head of academy football operations from 2015 to 2018 and head of first team football operations until 2020. After that he enjoyed a productive tenure at Brentford, where he was promoted to chief operating officer in July 2024. At Brentford, Manek initially served as business operations director and his work involved overseeing daily functions of the club.

Carrington wasn’t loved by players

Former United midfielder Andreas Pereira has weighed in on the debate about Man Utd's training base facilities, which have recently undergone the £50m makeover since Pereira left. Speaking to he said: "Compared to what's out there, it's the elite of football. Few clubs have the structure Palmeiras has. I've worked for several big clubs in Europe, and I can say that Palmeiras has the best structure I've ever worked in. Better than Manchester United when I was there." 

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Getty Images SportNo change in the Old Trafford dugout

As Manek prepares to take onhis new role, another senior name at the club had his future at Old Trafford confirmed after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe revealed boss Ruben Amorim’s job is not currently under threat. Man Utd finished in a lowly 15th place last season, lost the Europa League final to Tottenham and performances this season have led many to believe the Portuguese boss would be let go. But Amorim has been given a major boost after an update from Ratcliffe.

The INEOS chief told podcast: "He has not had the best of seasons. Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That's where I would be. The press, sometimes I don't understand. They want overnight success. They think it's a light switch. You know, you flick a switch and it's all going to be roses tomorrow. You can't run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week." And asked what would happen if the Glazers told him to sack Amorim, Ratcliffe added: "It's not going to happen."

Antony has opened up about the darkest phase of his career at Manchester United, recalling how he was sidelined to train alone at Carrington and even missed his son’s first steps. Yet through it all, faith, family, and belief in destiny kept him focused, helping him rebuild and thrive again at Real Betis.

• Antony's difficult spell at Manchester United

  When Antony joined United from Ajax in August 2022 for €94m (£82m/$110.7m), expectations were sky-high. But the dream quickly soured. Over two seasons, he managed just 12 goals and five assists in 90 Premier League appearances, struggling to justify his price tag amid criticism and scrutiny. What followed was a period of complete disconnection, both professionally and personally.

  In an interview with ESPN Brazil, Antony revealed how he was ostracised from the first team before his eventual move to Real Betis. “I reported back on July 14 and trained separately for more than a month. It was very complicated. For more than 40 days we stayed in hotels. Me and my father were there, waiting. I trained at five in the afternoon while the group trained in the morning,” he said. “I felt there was a lack of respect, even a lack of education. Nobody said good morning or good afternoon. Not even that,” he added.

  That sense of isolation, he explained, tested his patience and belief. “It was a moment to test myself, to believe. I knew that something good would happen, even if doubts crossed my mind."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  The pain of missing his son's first steps

  Beyond the football pitch, Antony’s emotional struggle ran deeper. The winger opened up about the personal cost of his time in England – being away from home and missing out on key family moments. “I lost my son’s first steps because I was away. That hurt a lot,” he said, reflecting on what he calls the most painful memory of his United spell.

  His family, however, became his anchor. “They reminded me: it’s difficult now, but it was harder in the slums, when you slept on a sofa. That helped me see the good side of things,” he shared, crediting their resilience for helping him stay grounded.

• Lessons learned and a renewed mindset

  While Antony’s Old Trafford chapter ended in disappointment, he insists it shaped him for the better. “Maybe if I had exploded right away, I might have lost myself later. It was necessary to go through that process. Today I feel like a better man, a better father,” he reflected.

  He even revealed a lesser-known detail – that before joining the Red Devils, he was close to signing for Liverpool. “Before closing with United, I was very close to Liverpool. But the path was meant to be what it was,” he said.

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  Antony's revival at Real Betis

  Antony’s revival story began in Spain. His loan spell at Real Betis during the first half of 2025 reignited the spark that once made him one of Europe’s most exciting young wingers. He scored nine goals and registered five assists in 26 appearances, helping Betis reach the Conference League final.

  Impressed by his form, Betis made the move permanent this summer, signing him for around €25m (£21m/$29m) on a deal until 2030, with United retaining a sell-on clause. This season, Antony has already played five matches across competitions.

Chelsea’s transfer activity for 2025 is over with the passing of the UK’s deadline day, at least in terms of incomings, but it’s an entirely different story when it comes to potential exits.

The transfer windows in Saudi Arabia and Turkey are still open for business, meaning certain players could still leave Stamford Bridge over the coming week.

Joao Pedro

Noni Madueke

Jamie Gittens

João Félix

Jorrel Hato

Djordje Petrovic

Liam Delap

Lesley Ugochukwu

Dario Essugo

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Mamadou Sarr

Renato Veiga

Estevao

Armando Broja

Kendry Paez

Carney Chukwuemeka

Alejandro Garnacho

Mathis Amougou

Basir Humphreys

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Marcus Bettinelli

Christopher Nkunku

Nicolas Jackson (obligation to buy in 2026)

Alfie Gilchrist

Lucas Bergstrom

Ben Chilwell

Chelsea have already raised £288 million in outgoings, allowing them to make a small £3 million profit despite spending £285 million on new signings this summer (BBC) – and their profits could yet increase as the futures of certain ‘bomb squad’ members remain up in the air.

Raheem Sterling is chief among Enzo Maresca’s unwanted men who failed to secure a move away before the September 1 cut-off, and BlueCo will be desperate to rid themselves of his £325,000-per-week wages at the nearest opportunity.

Despite some reports of Sterling being in advanced talks to leave Chelsea at stages during the summer, a move away for the 30-year-old never materialised, and time is running out for the forward to leave so he can attempt to stake a claim in Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup squad.

Like Chilwell, who was on around £200,000-per-week and deemed surplus by Maresca, you can’t help but wonder if Chelsea will make the decision to cut their losses and terminate Sterling’s deal so he can leave as a free agent.

Another player who’s firmly out of Maresca’s plans and saw a transfer away fail pre-September is defender Axel Disasi.

The Frenchman enjoyed a solid loan spell at Aston Villa during the second half of 2024/2025, attracting summer interest from the likes of Villa, Wolves, Sunderland, Newcastle and Juventus, but none of the sides stepped up their interest.

According to the BBC, Disasi rejected moves to Bournemouth and West Ham too, but with options in Europe now growing thin, a move to Saudi could be his best bet.

Neom SC make bid for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi

According to a report by Chelsea News, SPL side Neom SC are pushing to sign Disasi and have made a cheeky £17 million offer for the 27-year-old.

While Disasi would prefer to remain on the continent, his choices are to potentially accept Neom’s advances or spend another four months sitting on the side at Cobham.

Chelsea apparently want closer to £25 million if they’re to green-light a sale, and Disasi’s hesitation over a switch to the Middle East means this transfer still has some way to go.

Turkey is also still an option for the ex-Monaco man, but as things stand, there has been no suggestion of interest from that part of Europe.

Head coach says outdoors lifestyle down under is key factor in producing natural athletes

Andrew Miller24-Jan-2025Jon Lewis, England Women’s head coach, has issued a robust defence of his team’s fitness levels, after they slumped to their fifth consecutive defeat of a troubled Ashes tour, but believes that cultural issues may be at the heart of Australia’s perceived edge in athleticism.Despite their best performance of the tour, England’s rain-affected loss in a closely fought second T20I in Canberra continued Australia’s dominance of a series in which they have now claimed the Ashes for a sixth consecutive series dating back to 2015. And with just two matches to come, including the one-off Test at the MCG next week, the prospect of a whitewash is looming large over the squad.The tour has also been overshadowed by an off-field row involving Alex Hartley, the BBC commentator, who claimed she had been refused a TV interview with Sophie Ecclestone after the first T20I, ostensibly due to her suggestion, in the wake of their T20 World Cup exit in October, that certain individuals were “letting the team down when it comes to fitness”.Though Lewis said he disapproved of Ecclestone’s reasons for turning the interview down, and that he would have encouraged her to do it had he known about the incident at the time, he was adamant that the squad could not realistically be expected to work harder on their fitness levels than they already do.”You guys need to come watch them. I promise you. I cannot defend them more around how hard they work on their physicality,” he said. “They are incredibly dedicated to what they do. I’ve never seen a cricket team work like this cricket team, and I’ve worked in professional cricket for 31 years.”Instead, he suggested the outdoors lifestyle in Australia was more conducive to producing natural athletes, and cited a recent trip to Bondi Beach in Sydney as an example.”On Sunday morning, pretty much every Australian in the eastern suburbs was in the water,” he said. “There’s about a million kids down there, and they were doing Surf Lifesaving, or playing touch rugby.”For me, that’s a cultural difference. I definitely think Australia have an advantage in terms of athleticism, and also our talent pool at the moment is small, so it’s important for us to grow the game.”However, Lewis also insisted that the gulf between the two teams was not as wide as the current 10-0 scoreline suggested, and that Australia’s seizure of key moments in each of the five matches to date had been the difference between the teams.Related

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“The space on the tour we didn’t get right was around the first two games,” he said. “Australia are a really strong team, obviously on their own patch. We knew that when we got on the plane. But in every game, there’s been moments where we feel that we’ve been in the game and had a good opportunity to try and push home a strong advantage. And we haven’t quite got those moments in the game right, and the opposition have.”Whilst it is 10-0, and whilst the margins of victory in the game have been at times large, I think the difference is isn’t as big as the margin suggests in terms of results, in terms of the performance.”The ECB are due to conduct a full review of the series at its conclusion, in which the roles of both Lewis and captain Heather Knight are sure to come under scrutiny. Despite a fighting innings of 43 not out from 19 balls in Canberra, Knight has now overseen five failed Ashes captains since taking over as captain in 2016, and at the age of 34, Lewis was unable to give her his unequivocal backing.”Like any selection, we make those decisions after the tour,” he said. “We will spend some time reflecting and make some rational decisions, and think about what the right thing is for the team further down the road. I don’t think now is the right time to consider that, to be honest,”We’ve got a game to play tomorrow, Heather’s in charge, and we’ve got Test match next week, which we need to get our heads round. And then after the tour, we’ll sit down, we’ll think about what the what the right thing is for team, and how we know we move forward, like we would do with every other selection.”On his own future, Lewis – who has been in the position since 2022 – was more forthright. “I’m really comfortable with the job that I’m doing,” he said. “I’ll continue to work to develop this cricket team as best as I can until someone tells me that it’s not the right time for you to do this anymore. I’m really excited about what the future holds for this team, and I feel like I’m the right person to coach it.”In the meantime, England have pride to salvage across their final two fixtures, starting with the third T20I in Adelaide on Saturday. Australia’s Grace Harris has already declared that her side will be gunning for a 16-0 points whitewash, adding that the aim was to “embarrass” their opponents. Lewis, however, argued that she had delivered his motivational speech for him.”I think Grace probably did my job for me,” Lewis said. “I’ll give her a pat on the back when I see her. The players are really aware that they need to win some cricket matches. They’re working incredibly hard to do that.”

Tottenham Hotspur may have fallen to a defeat in the UEFA Super Cup final against PSG last night, but it still highlights the superb work done during the off-season.

The outing was Thomas Frank’s first competitive game in charge of the Lilywhites, handing him the perfect opportunity to analyse the players currently at his disposal for the season ahead.

As a result, he will likely already have a good idea who he will want to start when he leads his side into the Premier League, with their opener against Burnley just two days away.

However, it will also showcase the areas he will want to improve, with the Dane likely to be disappointed with his side’s collapse during the closing stages of the contest.

It was so nearly a night to remember for Spurs in Italy, but it proved a step too far – with the Parisians’ quality ultimately shining through in key moments.

How things played out in Spurs’ Super Cup final defeat

Spurs looked almost certain to claim victory over the Ligue 1 at one stage, after getting themselves into a two-goal lead just three minutes into the second half.

A tap-in from centre-back Micky Van de Ven and a back-post header from newly appointed captain Cristian Romero put the Lilywhites just 40 minutes away from a well-deserved triumph.

However, nightmares from the previous managerial tenure once again reared their head, after the side somehow managed to throw away their excellent early work against the Champions League winners.

Kang-in Lee and Gonçalo Ramos both scored in the final ten minutes to send the game to penalties, with goalscorer Van de Ven and substitute Mathys Tel both missing their spot kicks.

Nuno Mendes scored the decisive spot-kick, helping the French outfit to in yet another piece of silverware during the tenure of manager Luis Enrique.

However, despite the late collapse, Frank will certainly still have reasons to be positive, potentially allowing the club to forget about one of their transfer targets.

The player who could allow Frank to forget about Gibbs-White

Morgan Gibbs-White is a player who was firmly on Spurs’ radar earlier this summer, even agreeing a deal to land the £60m star from Nottingham Forest.

However, a deal fell through after the Englishman signed a new deal at the City Ground, subsequently putting a dent on the Lilywhites’ transfer dealings this window.

He could’ve made his competitive debut for the side last night had he made his move, but the hierarchy have been tasked with the job of landing alternative targets before the transfer deadline.

Such a task may prove to be difficult for the club, but they may not need to worry, especially after the performance of Mohammed Kudus during last night’s defeat.

The Ghanaian made his first competitive start for Frank’s side, making an immediate impact after his £55m switch from London rivals West Ham United earlier this summer.

He featured for 79 minutes before being controversially replaced by Tel, who ended up missing the decisive spot kick during the eventual shootout.

However, despite his withdrawal, he managed to create three chances for his teammates, completing 83% of the passes he attempted during his spell on the field.

Mohammed Kudus’ stats for Spurs against PSG

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Minutes played

79

Touches

35

Chances created

3

Passes completed

83%

Crosses completed

100%

Dribble success rate

67%

Fouls won

2

Stats via FotMob

He also provided a constant threat within the final third, completing 100% of his crosses and achieving a 67% dribble success rate – arguably being the most threatening option in the final third.

As a result of his performance, he was handed a 7/10 match rating by Football London journalist Matt Verri, with Bobby Manzi labelling him as “terrific”.

His £55m transfer fee already now looks to be a bargain, having the tools to thrive in the Premier League under Frank’s guidance in the coming months.

Should he continue on his current trajectory, he could allow the manager and the fanbase to forget about missing out on Gibbs-White ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

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In what would be their signing of the summer so far, Everton have reportedly launched an opening offer to welcome a midfield star ahead of Premier League rivals.

Latest on Everton's potential incomings

After already signing Thierno Barry and Mark Travers whilst also welcoming Carlos Alcaraz on a permanent deal following a successful loan spell, Everton have now reportedly turned towards fresh targets. The Friedkin Group, clearly out to make a statement in their first summer at the helm, have also reportedly set their sights on the likes of Samuel Lino from Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey.

Ramsey would particularly be one to watch if he arrived at The Hill Dickinson Stadium ahead of next season, but it remains to be seen whether Everton can win the race for his signature. Despite his clear talent, the midfielder is likely to be an affordable option amid Aston Villa’s PSR problems – allowing the Toffees to come swooping in.

Minutes

1,623

1,594

Goals

1

0

Key Passes

21

13

Ball Recoveries

83

73

Going forward, Ramsey would be a particular upgrade on James Garner in the middle of David Moyes’ side. At just 24 years old too, the Aston Villa man is about to enter his prime years, making now the best time to move in for his signature.

That said, it’s not just Ramsey that the Toffees have set their sights on. Midfield seems to be the area of focus currently and names such as Tomas Soucek has also been mentioned as a result.

Everton leading race to sign "interesting" Atletico star who's now free to leave

He’s on the move this summer.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 17, 2025

Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that Everton are set to submit an imminent £12m bid to sign the West Ham United star and hand Moyes a reunion with the midfielder.

The same, meanwhile, can be said about another transfer target, with Everton now reportedly launching their opening offer for his signature.

Everton launch first Douglas Luiz offer

According to TeamTalk, Everton have launched an opening offer to sign Douglas Luiz from Juventus in a loan-to-buy deal. The Brazilian is reportedly open to a return to the Premier League just one year on from his decision to swap Aston Villa for Turin. And as Juventus look to show him the door, it’s the Toffees who are primed to take full advantage.

The midfielder would be an impressive coup, given his Premier League experience and reports that former club Aston Villa are interested in a swift reunion this summer.

Juventus are reportedly hoping for a package worth €35m (£30m) for Luiz this summer, but it remains to be seen whether Everton’s opening offer has reached that price.

Even after struggling in Serie A though, there’s no doubt that the Brazilian would be worth splashing out on. Aston Villa sporting director, Monchi, has been one of many to share praise for Luiz in recent years – telling reporters last season: “He’s playing less than we all expected, but we’re talking about a strong player.”

يستعد فريق بيراميدز لمواجهة منافسه أوكلاند سيتي النيوزيلندي، في مباراة ستقام بين الفريقين، في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال.

بيراميدز يشارك في بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال، بعد تتويجه ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا في الموسم الماضي 2024-2025.

وتوج فريق بيراميدز ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا للمرة الأولى في تاريخه، بعد تحقيقه الفوز على صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي.

طالع| يورتشيتش: طموح بيراميدز بلا حدود في كأس إنتركونتيننتال.. وأرفض التقليل من أوكلاند

بينما يشارك فريق أوكلاند سيتي بعد تتويجه ببطولة دوري أبطال أوقيانوسيا، ليتواجد للمرة الثانية على التوالي في إنتركونتيننتال، بعد العام الماضي، عندما خرج أمام العين الإماراتي.

ويدير المباراة طاقم تحكيم بقيادة الحكم الأردني أدهم مخادمة، ويعاونه الثنائي محمد الكلاف المساعد الأول، وأحمد الرالي الحكم المساعد الثاني من الأردن أيضًا، بينما الحكم الرابع الإماراتي عادل النقبي.

وعلى تقنية الفيديو الطاقم الإماراتي، محمد عبيد خادم، ويعاونه مواطنه عيسى خليفة، ويراقب أداء الحكام القطري جاسم الهليل.

وفي حالة فوز نادي بيراميدز على أوكلاند وتأهله إلى دور ربع النهائي من بطولة إنتركونتيننتال، سيواجه فريق الأهلي السعودي في جدة، يوم 23 سبتمبر. موعد مباراة بيراميدز وأوكلاند سيتي اليوم في بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال

تقام مباراة بيراميدز مع أوكلاند سيتي، في التاسعة مساء اليوم الأحد 14 سبتمبر، على استاد الدفاع الجوي، في الدور الأول من البطولة. القناة الناقلة لمباراة بيراميدز وأوكلاند سيتي اليوم في بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال

تنقل مباراة بيراميدز وأوكلاند سيتي في بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال على منصة “شاهد”.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا

Manchester United have a reported interest in Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, who worked with Ruben Amorim in Portugal, but they look unlikely to win the race for his signature.

A recent report claimed that the Sweden international has decided that he would rather sign for the club’s Premier League rivals Arsenal instead of making a move to Old Trafford to reunite with his former boss.

The former Coventry star, who scored a staggering 52 goals in all competitions for Sporting in the 2024/25 season, is available for a fee of just over £61m, but it is the Gunners who seem to be in pole position to bring him over to England.

His incredible goal return in Portugal suggests that this news is a blow for Amorim and for Manchester United. However, the club are reportedly eyeing up a star who could be the manager’s next version of Gyokeres.

Man Utd battling to sign Spanish striker

The Premier League giants appear to be in the process of identifying alternative options in the number nine position, as the Swedish star looks to be headed elsewhere.

Transfer Focus

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

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are one of a number of teams eyeing up a move to sign FC Porto’s Spanish striker Samu Aghehowa in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Chelsea are all also keen on doing a deal for the former Atletico Madrid centre-forward in the coming weeks.

It states that the Portuguese giants are looking for a fee of up to £63m for the 21-year-old marksman, with United and their Premier League rivals now set to battle it out for his signature.

Whilst they appear to be on the back foot with Gyokeres, the Red Devils should push to win this race to unearth Amorim’s next version of the Sporting superstar.

Why Samu could be Gyokeres 2.0 for Amorim

The Porto marksman is similar to the Swedish ace from a physical perspective, as he stands at 6 foot 4 and has the physicality to occupy and cause problems for defenders.

In fact, talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “monster” in the making due to his physicality and speed, which suggests that the forward could offer similar attributes to Gyokeres.

The Spain international’s performances in the Portuguese top-flight also suggest that he has the potential to be a prolific striker for United, albeit not as prolific as Gyokeres could be in the short-term.

Starts

23

31

xG

14.07

30.95

Goals

19

39

xG differential

+4.93

+8.05

Minutes per goal

119

72

Conversion rate

23%

28%

As you can see in the table above, Samu enjoyed a brilliant season with Porto, scoring 19 goals in 23 starts and outperforming his xG, yet still ended with 20 fewer goals than the Sporting number nine.

It is worth remembering, though, that the Spanish marksman is six years younger than Gyokeres and has plenty of time left ahead of him to hone his skills and improve his output as a scorer.

Samu, dubbed “outstanding” by journalist Josh Bunting, did also score six goals in nine matches in the Europa League, which shows that he can perform on the European stage.

Whilst he may not be the final, polished, product in comparison to the seasoned Gyokeres, the Porto star appears to have the physical and finishing attributes to develop into Amorim’s next version of the Swedish marksman, which is why he could be a shrewd signing for the club.

Twist: "Extraordinary" £60m+ star now plans to snub Man Utd to join Arsenal

The Gunners have received a boost in their pursuit of a forward, who Andrea Berta has already held talks to sign.

1 ByDominic Lund Jun 8, 2025

It was a case of the same old for Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead against the visiting Bournemouth but ended up coming away empty-handed in a match that perfectly summed up their domestic campaign.

Moreover, while he provided an assist for Declan Rice, it was another uninspiring performance from club captain Martin Odegaard, who picked up a 5/10 match rating from GOAL’s Stephen Darwin and made a mess of marking Evanilson for the winning goal.

The Norwegian’s poor form is now a serious concern, but in positive news, the club might have found a solution in a player who could get the best back out of him, a player compared to Kylian Mbappé.

Arsenal's transfer news

While the transfer target in question is someone who could get the best back out of Odegaard in the coming seasons, the club have also been credited with interest in some players who could be seen as out-and-out replacements for the midfielder, like Florian Wirtz and Rayan Cherki.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could reportedly be available for around £111m this summer, and while that is an outrageous sum of money, it might not be entirely unreasonable, as at just 22 years old, he has scored 16 goals and provided 13 assists in 43 games for Bayer Leverkusen this term.

Cherki, on the other hand, could cost far less at just £30m, and that does seem like a bargain considering the fact he’s already scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists in 42 games for Lyon so far this season.

However, if the Gunners want to get the best back out of their captain, they’d be better off acting on their interest in Eintrach Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitiké.

According to a recent report from journalist Christian Falk, as relayed by Caught Offside, Arsenal want the French forward this summer.

However, Liverpool are also said to want the free-scoring forward, and worse yet, the German side want around €100m for their star striker, which is about £85m.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given his immense ability, he is one worth fighting for, especially as he’d get the best back out of Odegaard, and he’s been compared to Mbappé.

Why Ekitiké could revive Odegaard

So, before we get into the reasons why Ekitiké could revive Odegaard, it’s worth examining this comparison to Mbappé and where it comes from.

It stems from journalist Graeme Bailey, who three years ago reported that there were some in France who thought that the young forward was set to become “the new Mbappé.”

Now, it’s fair to say he hasn’t quite hit the incredible heights of the Real Madrid man, but it’s not hard to see why people would make the comparison, as the Frankfurt gem is a young, exciting and pretty free-scoring forward who, according to The Athletic’s Alex Barker, likes to “drop into wider areas” and “can create a chance for someone from absolutely nothing.”

It’s these traits that make the comparison seem more reasonable, and then when you add them to his raw output, it’s not hard to see why he could help the Gunners captain get back to his best.

For example, this season alone has seen the 22-year-old monster score 22 goals and provide 11 assists in just 46 appearances, totalling 3466 minutes of action.

Appearances

46

Minutes

3466′

Goals

22

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.71

Minutes per Goal Involvement

105.03′

In other words, the sensational striker is averaging a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 105.03 minutes.

With a forward that prolific and creative starting ahead of him, the former Real Madrid wonderkid would undoubtedly see his goal and assist tallies soar.

Moreover, with the Reims-born star liking to drop back and drift out wide, opposition defenders would have to spend more time trying to cover him off and mark him in games, thus allowing the Drammen-born maestro more space to create.

Ultimately, while he wouldn’t be cheap, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Ekitiké this summer, as not only would he make the team more dangerous, but he could also help get Odegaard back to his imperious best.

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Enzo Maresca’s Blues started the season in red-hot form, dispatching teams and finding themselves second in the Premier League just before Christmas.

However, since then, Chelsea have struggled, dropping points to bottom-half sides and now finding themselves sixth and on the fringes of Champions League qualification.

Cole Palmer has struggled for form in recent months, playing in the middle of the park behind the striker, often dropping deep to receive the ball and aid Chelsea’s progression through the lines.

Whilst his goal-scoring numbers have dropped off, his creativity remains effective, having the joint highest xA (expected assists) in the Premier League this season with 7.9 xA.

With six games to go, it remains in the balance whether the Blues can obtain a precious top five spot, securing Champions League football for next season, in their ability to do so may well impact their ability to sign players this upcoming summer.

Chelsea favourites to sign Bundesliga sensation

According to reports from CaughtOffside, Chelsea are now leading the race and are favourites to sign Borussia Dortmund superstar, Jamie Gittens this summer.

Other Premier League clubs such as Liverpool have shown interest and scouted the 20-year-old winger, but it looks like the Blues may be ahead in the race.

With Jadon Sancho’s future currently in question, the Blues could opt to send the winger back to Manchester United, freeing up funds to acquire Gittens – who has been touted at around £85m – from Dortmund and reinvent the left side of their attacking unit.

Gittens has made 44 appearances for the German outfit this campaign, netting 12 goals, providing five assists and totalling 2,648 minutes played. The English winger came through Manchester City’s academy, much like another one of Chelsea’s superstars.

Gittens vs Palmer comparison

Palmer was, of course, signed from Manchester City back in 2023, joining the Blues for a fee of around £40m plus £2.5m in add-ons. That signing has proven to be well worth the investment made, with the 22-year-old already making 82 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 39 goals and providing 24 assists in 6,575 minutes played.

Goals

0.41

0.41

Assists

0.10

0.24

xG

0.19

0.54

xAG

0.13

0.31

Progressive Carries

5.58

3.25

Progressive Passes

2.07

6.24

Shots Total

2.56

3.65

Goals/Shot

0.16

0.09

Key Passes

1.09

2.54

Shot-Creating Actions

3.66

5.93

Successful Take-Ons

3.73

1.46

Carries into Pen Area

3.08

1.15

When comparing the underlying metrics of both young England stars, you can see how each of their games differ. Gittens clearly excels at carrying, looking to be direct with the ball at his feet, beating players 1v1 and attacking the box. Meanwhile, Palmer looks to express himself through creative passing, creating for himself and others, whilst also not being afraid to pull the trigger.

The 20-year-old has already been described as the “next English diamond” by Saul Morris, via Football Talent Scout, back in 2023. Since then, we have seen Gittens go on to produce some excellent form with Borussia Dortmund, thus earning him recognition from clubs back in England.

If Gittens does join Chelsea, the ex-Manchester City academy duo could be a lethal combination in attack, with Palmer dropping deep and finding those incisive passes in behind opposition defences, allowing Gittens to attack the box and get those shots off.

All the signs then point to this exciting deal proving to be the Blues’ best since snapping up Palmer in 2023.

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