Manchester United and INEOS are now preparing an offer worth £40 million to sign a “brilliant” defensive addition this summer, according to a recent report.

Amorim hails United display at Bournemouth ahead of massive semi-final

The Red Devils played another relatively meaningless Premier League game on Sunday afternoon, and it looked as though they were going to be on the end of another defeat. However, a 90+6 minute equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund secured a point for United against 10-man AFC Bournemouth.

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It was a game that came right before United’s very important trip to Spain on Thursday, where they will play Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-final first leg. The game against the Cherries was not important in the sense of nothing being on it for United, but Ruben Amorim felt his side deserved the point and did have chances to win the game.

“I think we deserved it. In the first half, we suffered with their high-intensity press, but we created chances. We had quite similar chances near the box with a lot of shots,” Amorim told BBC Match of the Day.

“I think we deserved at least one point if you look at the game. If you look at our last games, it is always like this – we do something to help the opponent get an advantage. Then it is really hard to score goals, but the players did really well to get at least one point.

“We have the ability to push our opponents. There are small things I think we can do better. We need to understand these moments better, but if you look at the 20 minutes [after Evanilson’s red card], we had situations to score, which is really important.”

Man Utd preparing £40m bid for Inter star Denzel Dumfries

The Red Devils winning the Europa League would not only see them play in Europe’s biggest competition, but it could help them when it comes to their transfers this summer and getting players Amorim wants. According to Inter Live, Man United are now keen on signing Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan this summer.

The report states that United are not just showing an interest but are willing to make a £40 million offer to sign Dumfries, along with a £60 million bid to sign Yann Bisseck in what would be a mega deal. It goes on to add that Giuseppe Marotta, who is chairman of Inter, is not against offers coming in for Dumfries, and he is preparing to evaluate everything. However, United are not alone in their pursuit of the defender, as Arsenal have stepped up their efforts to bring him to London.

The 29-year-old, who renewed his contract at Inter until the summer of 2028 earlier this season, has been a key player this season. Dumfries has played a total of 39 matches in all competitions, scoring eight goals and registering three assists.

The Dutch international had missed the last few weeks of football with a hamstring injury but returned to play 27 minutes against AS Roma on Sunday afternoon. United’s interest in Dumfries is particularly intriguing given he rates very similarly to Patrick Dorgu according to FBRef’s statistical profiling, perhaps making him the ideal fit on the other flank.

Dumfries

Dorgu

Apps

26

29

Starts

19

28

Goals

6

3

Assists

2

1

Progressive carries

46

93

Progressive passes

47

74

Progressive runs

159

169

Tackles (Won)

25 (18)

68 (44)

Interceptions

6

21

Blocks

25

32

Unlike Dorgu however, Dumfries is a player who has been performing at the top level for a long time now, and back in 2022 BBC pundit Micah Richards labelled the defender “brilliant” for his World Cup performance against the United States.

“Denzel Dumfries. What a player he is. I just thought his whole game was brilliant. It was his timing of his runs… He didn’t sort of mix it up too much, but when he did, it was the right moments. Down this right-hand side, he was just breathless.”

Celtic are well in the hunt for a domestic treble, but Brendan Rodgers will have big plans ahead of a summer window that could see some notable departures and reinforcements at Parkhead.

Celtic look to fight the current of recent inconsistent form

Despite the Bhoys’ lightning first half of the campaign, they find themselves on the end of rare criticism for recent performances following their 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone last weekend.

Brendan Rodgers shared his frustration at Celtic’s recent run of form, which has included two losses to Rangers, losing out at Hibernian and a draw away to Dundee in Scottish Premiership action.

However, the landscape is still bright for the reigning champions, who could be mathematically confirmed as league winners this weekend by defeating Kilmarnock followed by Aberdeen recording a triumph over Rangers come Sunday lunchtime.

Admittedly, the likes of Nicolas Kuhn and several others have fallen a little short of what is required in recent times. It feels unfair to overly critique his performances, but his goal contribution downturn since firing Celtic into a 1-0 lead over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena has caught the attention of supporters.

Nicolas Kuhn’s statistics for Celtic in 2024/25 – all competitions
Appearances	44
Goals	18
Assists	14

Without a goal in his last ten Scottish Premiership matches, the former Germany Under-20 international is on a frustrating run that has increased calls for the inclusion of other stars in his place, albeit he is likely to remain a key part of Rodgers’ plans.

Nevertheless, the supremely talented attacker’s stock remains relatively high in the grand scheme of things, which could lead to interested suitors this summer on the market.

Should Celtic decide to cash in on Kuhn for a hefty profit from the £3m they spent on him, former Scotland international Michael Stewart has delivered a clear picture of what he reckons Rodgers will do to replenish squad depth across his front four positions.

Michael Stewart thinks Celtic will 'clearly' sign a striker and winger

Speaking on the Scottish Football Social Club, Stewart has pointed out the fact he thinks Celtic will ‘clearly’ invest any profit on Kuhn into targeting a central striker or a ‘big name’ signing, potentially out wide too.

He stated: “If you look at the front three Celtic have at the moment, obviously there’s flexibility in there. Then you’ve got Idah and Yang as backup. They are clearly going to go and recruit a big name, or main, number nine striker.

“So if you’re selling one of the wide guys you could be signing a main striker and another winger and possibly still making a profit off that if you’re to sell Nicolas Kuhn at a good price.

“Celtic have shown over the years they are not frightened to sell one of their top assets at a good price and then reinvest, perhaps not all of it, but they’ve done well at then bringing in the next guy who’s gonna make them some money.”

It goes without saying, Celtic will need a striker this summer to help share the goalscoring burden moving forward. Maeda has hit 30 goals combined in his exploits out wide and through the middle, while Idah has added another 14 despite sometimes having to be content with a role from the bench.

Either way, there is a need for the Bhoys to splash out after losing Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes in January. The Japan forward has hardly featured since moving to France, but his influence has been missed at times during the second half of the campaign.

Everton lost their second game on the bounce in the Premier League, falling short against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with a 1-0 loss. David Moyes’ side held 45% possession, creating two ‘big chances’ in the match, but only generating 0.52 xG and taking six shots in total.

Meanwhile, Chelsea held 55% possession, having more control of the game, taking 10 shots and generating 0.98 xG. Whilst it wasn’t a blockbuster game, the Blues had enough control to see the game out, making it back-to-back losses for the Toffees without scoring a goal.

Everton have only scored 34 times this season in 34 games, so we already know they aren’t the most lethal attacking team, but they have been one of the tighter defensive sides this season, conceding 41 goals and holding plenty of teams to frustrating draws, having 14 draws this season. But they were unable to keep a clean sheet today against Chelsea, despite Jordan Pickford’s best efforts.

How Pickford kept Everton in it

The Everton and England shot-stopper has already made 36 appearances this season, conceding 43 goals in all competitions and keeping 11 clean sheets in his 3,240 minutes played. The 31-year-old was unable to add to his clean sheets, despite making some big saves to keep Chelsea out.

Pickford made six saves in the game, preventing a total of 0.66 xG, with four saves coming from inside the box. The only goal of the game came from Nicolas Jackson in the 27th minute, catching Pickford off guard with a shot from a turnover, finding the bottom corner from outside the box.

If it wasn’t for Pickford, Chelsea could have had a few more, but Everton didn’t really look like scoring themselves, apart from the odd snapshot, which isn’t a new story this season for the Toffees.

Why Everton should drop Beto

Beto has made 31 appearances for Everton this campaign, netting 10 goals in all competitions, six of which came in the Premier League in his 1,583 minutes played. All six of his league goals have come under Moyes since his arrival, but he now finds himself eight league games without a goal after not scoring against Chelsea.

Minutes

64

Touches

23

Accurate Passes

4/9

Shots

1

Dribble Attempts

0/1

Ground Duels Won

2/7

Aerial Duels Won

1/3

Possession Lost

12

Error leading to goal

1

The 27-year-old only managed 23 touches in the game, fewer than Pickford, who managed more than double Beto’s touches (54). He only made four of his nine passes, having a 44% pass accuracy in the match, and lost possession 12 times.

This saw Beto given a 1/10 match rating by Football Insider, labeling his afternoon as ‘horrendous’. Whilst the target man was often feeding off scraps at Stamford Bridge, his inability to make it stick up front and get bodies around him as an outlet saw Beto hooked after 64 minutes.

Therefore, Moyes should drop the Portuguese centre-forward from the starting line-up for the next match, because he has not done enough to keep his shirt.

Everton are being heavily linked with strikers for this summer, with both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Armando Broja not expected to be at the club next season. This could see Beto fighting it out next season for a starting spot, with far more competition in his position than there currently is.

It feels like the walls are starting to close in on Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Australian might be two favourable games away from a Europa League Final, but there can be no denying that domestically, at least, this season has been nothing short of a horror show.

In the Premier League, for example, his side have lost 18 games, which may have been relegation form in seasons past.

Spurs form in 24/25

Competitoin

Games

Wins

Draws

Losses

Premier League

33

11

4

18

Europa League

12

7

3

2

FA Cup

2

1

0

1

League Cup

5

4

0

1

Total

52

23

7

22

All Stats via Transfermarkt

So it’s not been surprising to see reports linking the club to potential replacements again in recent weeks, including one candidate who could be something of a Mauricio Pochettino repeat.

Tottenham's manager search

Before getting to the man in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other names that have recently been touted for moves to N17, such as former player Scott Parker.

The former midfielder has just led Burnley to a record-breaking promotion to the Premier League, his third overall, but it would be fair to say that this feels like an appointment that would upset more fans than it would please, considering how he’s got on in, the top-flight previously.

However, a name that might inspire more hope in the Lilywhites faithful is Marco Silva.

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The Portuguese manager has been in the Fulham hot seat since July 2021 and, to his credit, has done a marvellous job, turning what has been a yo-yo club in the past into a comfortable mid-table side.

Yet, when it comes to managers overachieving with their club this season, it’s impossible to overlook Andoni Iraola, and it seems like Spurs aren’t.

According to a recent report from the Mail Online, there is a feeling at the club that Postecoglou will be axed regardless of what happens in Europe and that the Spaniard would be among the leading candidates to replace him when a decision is made.

It would be a bold, exciting, and potentially risky appointment, but the club should follow through with it, especially as it would feel similar to Pochettino’s hiring.

Why Iraola could be Poch 2.0

So, while it might sound like a reach, there are some clear reasons why hiring Iraola could be something of a Pochettino repeat.

For example, like the Argentine with Southampton, he would be moving from a club he’s transformed from relegation fodder into a genuine top-half contender in Bournemouth.

Moreover, unlike Parker, for example, the Spaniard, who analyst Ben Mattinson claims is “one of the best in the league,” has an evident dedication to playing entertaining, exciting football – his side has scored just nine goals fewer than second-place Arsenal – like Poch, but not to the point of self-sabotage, as Postecoglou has been prone to in the past.

On top of that, he’d be coming in to help build something in North London with a squad that has some more senior stars in it but plenty of young and tremendously exciting prospects as well, like Mikey Moore, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray.

Last but not least, before the current USMNT boss was handed the reins in N17, he led former side Espanyol to two surprising mid-table finishes in La Liga, which saw him get the job on the south coast.

Likewise, before making his way to Dorset, the Cherries boss built quite a reputation for himself in Spain, helping guide perennial underdogs Rayo Vallecano to an unexpected promotion in 2021.

Ultimately, Iraola has the CV, the playing style and the potential to be a sensational appointment for Spurs, and the fact that his hiring could so closely mirror Pochettino’s is just the icing on top.

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Celtic found themselves on the receiving end of a loss in the Scottish Premiership for the second time in their last three matches on Sunday afternoon.

The Hoops were beaten 1-0 by bottom-of-the-league St. Johnstone in a shock result at McDiarmid Park, as they conceded to Daniels Balodis after just four minutes.

It was an incredibly frustrating afternoon for Brendan Rodgers and his side because they had 26 efforts on goal and created two ‘big chances’, but failed to find the back of the net a single time.

The Premiership leaders did not convert the quality opportunities that they fashioned throughout the match, as their star attackers did not step up to showcase the best of their abilities.

Daizen Maeda, who has scored 30 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions so far this season, only had 19 touches of the ball and two of Celtic’s 26 shots, whilst he did not create a single chance for his teammates during his time on the pitch.

Rodgers has some difficult decisions to make ahead of the clash with Kilmarnock at Parkhead next weekend, and one star who must be ruthlessly ditched from the team is winger Nicolas Kuhn.

Why Nicolas Kuhn should be dropped

The German forward was withdrawn from the action as part of a double substitution at half-time after a frustrating first half of action on the right wing.

Kuhn has left himself in a position where supporters and the management team expect big things from him because of his form earlier in the campaign, having racked up 18 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.

He established himself as a star performer for the Scottish giants and that is why it is so noticeable when he is not at his best, because the team suffers as a result of his lack of impact.

Goals + assists

0

0.67

Shots

2

1.8

Shots on target

0

0.8

Key passes

1

1.7

Big chances created

0

0.4

Pass success rate

72%

76%

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn has averaged a goal or an assist more often than not, and a shot on target more often than not, in the Premiership this season, but he managed neither against St. Johnstone.

Put simply, more is expected of the former Rapid Vienna star than he showed in the 1-0 defeat on Sunday, which is why it was a disappointing display and why the manager must, now, drop him for the clash with Kilmarnock.

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Rodgers does have plenty of options at his disposal to make alterations to the starting line-up, and one possible replacement for Kuhn would be Hyun-jun Yang.

Hyun-jun Yang's improvement at Celtic

The South Korean whiz joined on a permanent deal from Gangwon in the summer of 2023 and endured a difficult first season with the Scottish giants.

Yang ended the 2023/24 campaign with a tally of just one goal and three assists in 31 appearances in all competitions, as he failed to offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch.

Given that paltry return in front of goal, it would not have been a surprise to have seen the forward moved on from Parkhead in the summer transfer window last year. Instead of leaving, though, the 22-year-old ace stayed to fight for a place in the squad, and has earned one.

Appearances

24

20

Starts

10

8

Goals

1

4

Conversion rate

5%

27%

Pass accuracy

81%

86%

Assists

3

3

As you can see in the table above, Yang has been as creative as he was in the Premiership last season, but has offered far more of a threat as a goalscorer for the Hoops.

The South Korea international has racked up five goals and six assists in 30 matches in all competitions, which means that the winger has provided five more goals and three more assists than he did last term.

Despite that obvious improvement from Yang in the final third, it is Adam Idah who should be brought in to replace Kuhn in the starting line-up next weekend.

Why Adam Idah must be unleashed

The Ireland international should come in to start ahead of the German winger, with Maeda moving out wide on the left and Jota moving over to the right, to play as the number nine.

Idah’s pace and power was on full display in the defeat to St. Johnstone after he came off the bench to throw his hat in the ring to start next time out with a strong showing.

The Irish marksman should have had an assist for an equalising goal when he brilliantly burst down the right channel and produced an inch-perfect cross for James Forrest, who fired his shot down the middle of the goal to be blocked by the goalkeeper.

Idah, who won five of his six duels, ended his 29 minutes on the pitch with one dribble completed, two chances created, one ‘big chance’ created, five shots, and one shot on target.

These statistics show that the former Norwich City centre-forward, whose talent was once dubbed “incredible” by Rodgers, made an impact off the bench on Sunday, which is why he should now be brought in to show what he can do from the start against Kilmarnock.

The 24-year-old attacker, who has scored 14 goals in all competitions, has scored eight goals and created six ‘big chances’ in 15 starts in the Premiership so far this term.

Idah’s finishing has not always been good enough, with 13 ‘big chances’ missed, but he causes opposition defenders problems with his pace and power, as he did off the bench against St. Johnstone, which is why Rodgers must bring him into the XI next weekend.

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It is now down to the former Liverpool and Leicester boss to ruthlessly ditch Kuhn from the team to unleash Idah, whilst moving Maeda back out to the wing.

Bruno Fernandes is the obvious recent example of a Manchester United signing who hit the ground running at Old Trafford, although just over a decade ago, it was Robin van Persie who proved an instant hit under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Having been stung on the final day of the 2011/12 campaign, Fergie – who was entering what would prove to be his final season in charge of United – was hellbent on wrestling back the title, thus identifying the Dutchman as the potential difference-maker in the race for Premier League glory.

A £24m fee was agreed to controversially pluck the experienced striker – then 29 – from rivals Arsenal, with the player himself memorably stating at the time that the boy inside of him was “screaming for United”.

Right from the off, the club’s new number 20 looked set to be the man to lead the Red Devils to a 20th league title, scoring the first of his 26 top-flight goals that season on his home debut against Swansea City.

While the following two years may have been a disappointment on an individual and collective basis, in the wake of Ferguson’s retirement, Van Persie still managed to depart in 2015 with a healthy record of 58 goals in just 105 games in all competitions.

Season

Player

Goals

2024/25*

Bruno Fernandes

8

2023/24

Bruno Fernandes & Rasmus Hojlund

10

2022/23

Marcus Rashford

17

2021/22

Cristiano Ronaldo

18

2020/21

Bruno Fernandes

18

2019/20

Marcus Rashford & Anthony Martial

17

2018/19

Paul Pogba

13

2017/18

Romelu Lukaku

16

2016/17

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

17

2015/16

Anthony Martial

11

2014/15

Wayne Rooney

12

2013/14

Wayne Rooney

17

2012/13

Robin van Persie

26

How Ruben Amorim could do with a player of that clinical ilk now…

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It remains to be seen just which marquee centre-forward will be brought in to Old Trafford this summer, with a cut-price move for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen having been touted, while there were also claims that an agreement was close for Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Asked about his former talisman ahead of Thursday’s meeting with Athletic Bilbao, Amorim claimed that he had not spoken to the prolific Swede, while also outlining that any player who was merely chasing Champions League football would not end up at United.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, talk is rife over a move for Ipswich Town’s £30m-rated marksman, Liam Delap, albeit with GIVEMESPORT outlining that the Manchester side are considering alternatives to the 22-year-old, should a move for the Englishman prove too difficult.

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Indeed, the report suggests that Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick has emerged as something of a wildcard option in reserve, with United said to be considering engaging in talks with the Bundesliga side, if they do decide to turn their attention away from Delap.

In the case of Schick, the Czech striker is viewed as an ‘attainable alternative’ for Amorim and co, not least considering that he could have a price tag of ‘just’ £34m this summer.

With a healthy goal return to his name too this season, a left-field move for the 29-year-old may certainly have its merits.

Why Man Utd could be targeting the next Van Persie

Figures such as Gyokeres and Osimhen may be the names on everyone’s lips heading into yet another pivotal window for the Red Devils, although it would be foolish to overlook the impact that Schick can make.

Described as “a proven goalscorer” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley – who also tipped him to be an “[Alexander] Isak replacement” for Newcastle United – the 6 foot 3 ace has scored 25 goals in all competitions this term, including a standout total of 19 Bundesliga goals thus far.

That follows on from the Prague native’s vital role in Leverkusen’s unbeaten domestic season under Xabi Alonso in 2023/24, in which the towering striker scored 13 times despite only starting 18 games, amid early struggles due to injury.

A player who now boasts 79 goals in 165 games for the German outfit, Schick has three games remaining to break the 20-goal barrier in the league. As alluded to in the prior table, now player has scored 20 top-flight goals in a season for United since Van Persie.

Not only are both men prolific finishers in front of goal, but they are also stylistically similar as left-footers, with Schick mirroring the former Netherlands star with his quality on the volley, as indicated with his stunner for Leverkusen back in 2020.

Van Persie famously sealed the title for Ferguson and co with that volley from range against Aston Villa in April 2013, having latched onto Wayne Rooney’s lofted pass before rifling home in expert fashion.

Like mentioned with his 2020 strike for his club, Schick is also no stranger to the spectacular, having also memorably scored from just inside the opposition half for his country against Scotland at Euro 2020.

In a similar mould to Van Persie too, the former Roma man is simply an out-and-out poacher and an ‘old fashioned number nine’ – as remarked by pundit Chris Sutton – with 17 of his 19 league goals coming inside the penalty area in 2024/25.

A player who also ranks in the top 1% of strikers in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, Schick may represent the ruthless finisher that Amorim desperately needs in order to replace the struggling Rasmus Hojlund.

Yes, he may represent something of a short-term fix due to his age, much like Van Persie, although if the £34m man can spearhead United to a dramatic improvement next term, then such a decision could prove a masterstroke.

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Graham Potter will be looking forward to the 2025/26 season, where he will be able to put his own spin on this West Ham United squad. However, Julen Lopetegui took charge in the summer, having his say on quite a big spend ahead of the current Premier League season.

The Hammers spent €144.40m (£123.7m) in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, bringing eight new players to the club on a permanent basis, whilst also making two loan signings. This comes after significant spending in the 2023/24 season too, with an outlay of €144.56m (£124m).

Maximilian Kilman

£40.7m

Crysencio Summerville

£25.1m

Niclas Füllkrug

£23.1m

Luis Guilherme

£19.7m

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

£15m

Guido Rodriguez

£0

Wes Foderingham

£0

Mohamadou Kante

?

The reason West Ham were able to spend important funds for two years straight was much down to their record sale, Declan Rice, joining Arsenal in the 2023/24 summer window for a fee of around £105m.

Declan Rice going from strength to strength

Rice made his breakthrough at West Ham, signing his first senior contract with the club in 2015, receiving his first senior call-up in 2017 and making his Premier League debut from the bench in the 2016/17 season against Burnley during a 2-1 win.

The England international made 245 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 15 goals, providing 13 assists and totalling 20,580 minutes played. Rice went on to become the club captain, leading his side to UEFA Conference League glory in the 2022/23 season, securing his legend status at the club.

But the 26-year-old has taken it to another level in recent weeks, being awarded back-to-back man of the match awards against Real Madrid in the Champions League, scoring two unbelievable free-kicks and helping Arsenal to secure their spot in the semi-final of the competition.

West Ham fans will be dreaming of the next wonderkid to come through at the club, having seen the success that Rice enjoyed with them. Whilst he isn’t through their own academy, they could well have their next wonderkid already on the books.

West Ham's next wonderkid

West Ham made a significant investment during the 2024/25 summer window, spending £25.5m on a 18-year-old Brazilian from Palmeiras, with Luis Guilherme becoming Lopetegui’s first signing at the club.

However, the youngster has struggled for involvement in England this year, being given minimal chances to prove himself.

Goals + Assists

0.00

0.44

0.00

xG

0.11

0.20

0.07

xAG

0.19

0.50

0.07

Progressive Carries

5.47

6.00

2.14

Progressive Passes

4.53

4.00

2.14

Shots Total

2.11

2.22

1.43

Key Passes

1.88

5.00

2.14

Passes into Pen Area

2.34

2.00

2.14

Successful Take-Ons

3.44

3.50

2.86

When comparing Guilherme’s underlying metrics from his breakthrough season at Palmeiras, just 16-years-old, with his second season in Brazil and his first season at West Ham so far, you can see his numbers have slightly regressed, which could be attributed to fewer minutes and a tougher league.

Marcos Watts from Transfermarkt stated Guilherme would become a “top player” if he continued to develop along the same path. Whilst this seems to have stunted slightly at West Ham this season, only managing 118 minutes in his 11 appearances so far, the talent is still clearly there.

West Ham have some extremely talented wide players and attacking midfielders currently ahead of the “electric” Brazilian – as described by analyst Ben Mattinson – in the pecking order, but if he continues to work hard, there is no reason Guilherme can’t break through and start earning his minutes, going on to reach his true potential at the club.

It may not be long before he proves himself to be the Hammers’ next young sensation after Rice.

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Crystal Palace face a tough assignment next up in the Premier League, as they travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal.

Oliver Glasner’s side have a big week ahead, with the FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

Before that, their full focus must be on their trip to North London, where they have struggled in the Premier League, to say the least.

In 15 top-flight games away to the Gunners since 1992/93, they have won just two, with one of those a 2-1 win back in 1994/95, and the other a 3-2 victory in 2018/19. Arsenal have won nine of those 15, whilst four have ended as a draw.

Here is a look at Palace’s team news ahead of their London derby on Wednesday night.

Crystal Palace's team news pre Arsenal

It is a week for Palace that Glasner described as their “Champions League week” in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon. Luckily, ahead of the clash against Arsenal and then their trip to Wembley to face the Villans, there is an almost entirely clean bill of health at Selhurst Park.

The Palace boss explained in his press conference that there is only one player who will be unavailable for the trip to the Emirates Stadium, namely Ben Chilwell. The England international is unavailable, although the reason is “not injury, but sickness”, as Glasner put it.

It was confirmed by the 50-year-old that he was in line to start, but he has not trained due to illness. Of course, Chris Richards will be unavailable after he was sent off in the Eagles’ 0-0 draw with Bournemouth last weekend. He will be back for the FA Cup clash next weekend.

So, that certainly leaves Glasner with decisions to make regarding his team selection, given he has almost the entire squad to pick from.

In a busy period for the club, he might well decide to rotate things in the midfield to keep things fresh, with one man who has a good record against Arsenal, potentially in line to start.

How Crystal Palace can rest Wharton

Palace are not short of options in the centre of midfield, with Will Hughes and Adam Wharton two of their most important players. However, the games are coming thick and fast, with Saturday’s semi-final fifth game in two weeks.

That might mean rotation is on the cards for Glasner, and Wharton is one man who could drop out of the starting lineup in order to keep him ready for the weekend. His importance cannot be understated, with the manager calling him an “extraordinary football player” last year.

Luckily for the Eagles, they have Daichi Kamada waiting in the wings to step into Wharton’s shoes. He has played 36 games in his debut Premier League season, featuring right across the midfield, chipping in with two goals and three assists.

Kamada, described as a “quality” player by Palace fan and football content creator Ollie Thomas, will certainly maintain the levels of the midfield.

When comparing his 2024/25 Premier League stats to Wharton, courtesy of Squawka, he wins more ground duels on average, with 4.5 compared to 4.2, and plays just two fewer passes, with 33.5 to Wharton’s 35.5.

Kamada and Wharton key stats compared
Stat (per 90)	Kamada	Wharton
Open play passes completed	33.5	35.5
Chances created	1.3	1.8
Take-on success rate	36.36%	20%
Ground duels won	4.5	4.2
Tackles made	3	2.5
Stats from Squawka

As it happens, the midfielder already has previous success against Arsenal, too.

Back in the 2019/20 Europa League group stages, he scored twice at the Emirates Stadium for Eintracht Frankfurt in a 2-1 win, displaying excellent close control for his first goal and long-range precision for both.

Kamada has shown flashes of brilliance this season. Whilst he has struggled to lock down a spot in the starting lineup, with 1701 minutes played in total, the equivalent of 18 full 90-minute games, his quality has been showcased.

With the history he has away against the Gunners, the technical ability he possesses and the fact he is a goal threat, Kamada could have a huge impact as Palace look to build momentum before their FA Cup semi-final next week.

Forget Wharton & Kamada: Glasner must unleash incredible Crystal Palace ace

Glasner may have to make tough decision, dropping Wharton for this “incredible” ace

By
Connor Holden

Oct 7, 2024

Everton will play at Goodison Park for the final time next week, hosting relegated Southampton in the penultimate game of the season.

When summer comes along, David Moyes will be deep in preparations for the upcoming campaign, which will see Everton step into Bramley Moore and push for a place higher up the Premier League table. This will be the fourth successive campaign that the Toffees will finish in the bottom half, and the fifth in six terms.

Moyes is a shrewd and critical manager and he won’t shy away from making sweeping changes this summer. One of which may be allowing Dominic Calvert-Lewin to leave at the end of his contract.

Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin must leave Everton

Calvert-Lewin has been playing his football on Merseyside for nearly nine years, joining Everton from Sheffield United for a £1.5m fee in 2016.

At his best, the England international is a powerful and purposeful forward, adept in the air and a real focal point for his teammates to target.

However, injuries have become commonplace in Calvert-Lewin’s career over the past several years, and given his profligacy when available this season, it seems risky to renew his deal.

Especially given Beto has outperformed him since Moyes’ winter appointment.

Matches (starts)

23 (19)

27 (12)

Goals

3

7

Assists

1

0

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.8)

1.5 (0.7)

Big chances missed

13

9

Pass completion

64%

57%

Key passes*

0.3

0.3

Dribbles*

0.4

0.6

Duels won*

5.5

4.7

Beto’s recent form, which includes six goals from 11 Premier League starts, could see him start the new campaign as Moyes’ number one at number nine.

However, the £100k-per-week Calvert-Lewin must go, for the Merseysiders have a rising star who could take his place.

Everton must unleash their new Lukaku

Everton need a striker for the ages, one in a similar vein to Romelu Lukaku, who scored 87 goals and provided 27 assists across 166 appearances before signing for Manchester United in a deal initially worth £75m.

The Belgian’s power and confidence were at their highest peak during his time at Goodison Park, all concentrated into something pointed.

Youssef Chermiti could be the perfect heir. The Portuguese youth international is very much in the maiden stage of his career, and while he hasn’t made the mark on Merseyside that he would have hoped for, there’s plenty of time for that to change.

Described as a “superb prospect” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Chermiti has the power and pace to put the fitness troubles of recent years behind him and start showcasing the talent that is clearly within his grasp.

Everton did pay £15m to take him from Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, after all. Framed at 6 foot 4, Chermiti has had to bide his time this season but he’s starting to win Moyes over, it seems, having featured four times off the bench since March.

The 20-year-old’s strength and athleticism even suggest that he could be Everton’s next version of Lukaku, with some remarking that there is an element of an “early Lukaku” to him after returning from injury with far more bulk and brawn about him.

Though all 24 of Chermiti’s senior appearances for Everton have returned little in the way of substance, he’s yet to score or assist, there’s no question he’s making the physical improvements that could marry into his technical game and shape him into Everton’s next Lukaku.

With Calvert-Lewin heading out the door, this could be a shrewd way for Everton to keep things ticking at the striking position, especially if Beto’s form continues into the new campaign.

He's perfect for Delap: Everton open talks to sign "unbelievable" star

Everton have wasted no time in moving for summer targets, already putting in the work to land one star.

1 ByEthan Lamb May 8, 2025

Sheffield United head into this afternoon’s clash with Blackburn Rovers at Bramall Lane knowing that the result of the match is largely irrelevant to them.

The Blades have already finished in third place in the Championship and will head into the play-offs with the aim of gaining promotion back to the Premier League.

Irrespective of whether or not Chris Wilder and his men achieve that goal, Sheffield United are likely to be in the market to bolster their squad in the summer transfer window, and that could be bad news for club captain Jack Robinson.

Why Sheffield United need to upgrade on Jack Robinson

The long-serving defender, who has been at the club since his move from Nottingham Forest in 2020, has been a regular starter in the Championship this term.

Robinson has started 31 of his 34 appearances in the division, but has had some struggles of late. The 31-year-old dud lost three of his four ground duels and five of his eight aerial battles in the disappointing 2-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle.

Wilder dropped him for the following game against Cardiff and it led to a 2-0 win over the Bluebirds, before he came back into the team for a 2-1 defeat to Burnley.

This suggests that Robinson, who has given away two penalties and made one error that directly led to a goal this season, is a player whom the club could improve upon in the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

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It was recently reported that Sheffield United are one of the teams, alongside Middlesbrough and Norwich City, interested in a deal to sign Oxford United centre-back Ciaron Brown, who could come in as an upgrade on Robinson.

Why Ciaron Brown would be an upgrade on Jack Robinson

Wilder could finally move on from the English defender as a regular starter and ditch him from the side by swooping to sign the Oxford United star this summer.

Firstly, Brown could provide more of a goal threat from the centre-back position. The left-footed defender has scored four goals and provided three assists in 41 matches in the league this season, compared to Robinson’s zero goals and zero assists in 34 games.

The Oxford United colossus, who former manager Gary Holt claimed has “real hunger”, could also be more reliable in his defensive work, as he has not made a single error that has led to a shot, goal, or penalty for the opposition this season.

24/25 Championship

Ciaron Brown

Jack Robinson

Appearances

41

34

Goals

4

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

1.8

Clearances per game

6.3

4.8

Ground duel success rate

66%

72%

Aerial duel success rate

67%

61%

Error led to shot, goal, or penalty

0

3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Brown has the beating of Robinson in several key defensive statistics, whilst also providing a greater goal threat from set plays, which suggests that he could prevent Michael Cooper from being worked as much by making vital clearances, tackles, and interceptions.

He is also four years younger than the Sheffield United man and could, therefore, be a longer-term option for Wilder in the left-sided centre-back role.

Related He pocketed Brereton Diaz: Sheffield United racing to sign "fantastic" star

The Blades know all about his quality.

Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham May 1, 2025

This is why the Blades must pursue a deal for the Oxford United brute in the summer transfer window because they could improve their play at both ends of the pitch by ditching Robinson to bring Brown into their starting XI next term, whether that is as a Premier League or a Championship club.