Speaking during Tottenham Hotspur’s parade of the Europa League trophy, Ange Postecoglou issued another defiant call.

Earlier in the season, there was the suggestion that he always won something in his second season. Well, that box has been emphatically ticked.

Now, he’s hinted that season two is always better than season three. Steady on, Ange, your job isn’t even safe, mate.

Despite winning a first major trophy in 17 years, the craggy-faced Australian could still be given his marching orders by Daniel Levy and Co.

Considering they finished 17th on 38 points, that’s hardly a surprise.

The latest on Ange Postecoglou's future at Spurs

What a wacky old season that was. Postecoglou referenced in his final post-match press conference a week ago that it had been an “outstanding season”.

Outstandingly bizarre, certainly. That Europa League crown is there but their league form was a mess and the Spurs boss could pay the price.

That’s according to The Telegraph, who report this weekend that the former Celtic manager’s future in north London is set to be decided this week, with his position ‘under extreme risk’.

Over the last few days, Levy has not been in the UK while Postecoglou is also away on holiday. As a result, a decision regarding the Aussie’s future is still undecided.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Should they give him the boot, then Spurs seemingly have a shortlist of four candidates that includes Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, Thomas Frank and Oliver Glasner.

The report notes that Iraola is set to stay at Bournemouth while after his FA Cup success, prising Glasner away from Crystal Palace will also be difficult.

Thus, the two frontrunners for the job are Silva and Frank, with the Brentford manager specifically said to be ‘in the frame’.

How Frank could replicate Pochettino at Spurs

While Ange may have been the one to end Spurs’ trophy drought, it’s Mauricio Pochettino who is the most legendary figure in these parts of north London.

After all, it was Pochettino who engineered that remarkable run to the Champions League final, only beaten by Liverpool in Madrid.

How did that occur? Well, as far as English football is concerned, it started with Southampton for the Argentine and it went rather similarly to Frank’s experience of top-flight football.

Indeed, the Dane has become a legend himself with the Bees finishing 13th in his first Premier League season before steering them to a top-half ninth-placed finish, an unparalleled campaign for Brentford.

He did so by playing entertaining counter-attacking football, while also developing players into some of the finest in the Premier League. Take the duo of Bryan Mbeumo (20 goals) and Yoanne Wissa (19 goals) as examples.

This certainly echoes Pochettino, who after finishing 14th having taken over mid-season in 2012/13, then guided the Saints to their best-ever Premier League finish of eighth in 2013/14. Like Frank, he turned his side from relegation candidates to a top-half club.

Also like Frank, he developed young players brilliantly with the likes of Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana really becoming household names at St Mary’s. It was then under Poch that Dele Alli enjoyed the finest years of his career.

Pochettino’s most-used players @ Spurs
Player	Games	Goals
1. Christian Eriksen	255	58
2. Hugo Lloris	229	0
3. Harry Kane	242	169
4. Jan Vertonghen	212	4
5. Eric Dier	216	11
Stats via Transfermarkt.

Similarly to Frank, he also deployed a high and strong press with Southampton. In 2013/14, the Argentine’s side had the best pressing metrics in the Premier League.

Brentford are similar in that regard, with their head coach admitting when they got promoted: “We knew it was a big target for us going into the Premier League for us to defend well. I said that we try to do as much as possible to play our style in the Premier League, which is the high pressing going forward.”

Well, it’s safe to say that’s certainly worked with the west Londoners now a firmly established top-flight side.

Perhaps this could just be the appointment to get Spurs back on the right track domestically. He’s been described as “one of the best managers in the world” for a reason.

Their new Dele Alli: Spurs could sign "one of the best 10s in the world"

Spurs could sign their new Dele Alli this summer.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 27, 2025

Manchester City are headed to the Club World Cup and expect to bring in a proven Premier League operator to strengthen their ranks before the tournament commences, according to David Ornstein.

Manchester City close to landing double midfield deal

With Kevin De Bruyne moving on to a new challenge elsewhere, Manchester City have wasted no time in finding a replacement for the Belgian icon and look set to wrap up a double deal in midfield before they jet out to the United States.

Pep Guardiola is closing in on AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders and Lyon star Rayan Cherki. The latter is set to arrive for a fee of £34 million after Florian Wirtz opted to move from Bayer Leverkusen to reigning champions Liverpool.

In the case of Reijnders, the final details of a transfer worth £50 million involving the Netherlands international are being ironed out before he officially links up with his new teammates at the Etihad Stadium.

Legendary defensive midfielder Rodri is also back after injury, creating a new-look engine room to take the Premier League by storm next term as the Citizens aim to reclaim the title.

Cementing what he wants his midfield to look like after a period of instability, Guardiola is also set to offer Rodri a new Manchester City contract to stave off interest from heavyweights Real Madrid – that could be worth £300,000 per week.

Man City now in contact for £29m DM who is Switzerland's "greatest talent"

City have stepped up their pursuit of a new midfielder, who just won a Player of the Season award.

ByDominic Lund May 28, 2025

Pressing on in their hunt for reinforcements, City are now closing in on another addition elsewhere on the pitch to equip themselves ahead of their Club World Cup endeavours.

Man City expect to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers

Taking to social media platform X, reputable journalist Ornstein has reported all parties involved – from both clubs to the player’s camp – ‘expect’ a deal to be done that would see Rayan Ait-Nouri arrive at the Etihad Stadium from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

There is still work to be done before a final agreement can be reached, but they appear to be in pole position to land their main left-back target relatively quickly.

Labelled “incredible” by Gary O’Neil, Ait-Nouri has registered five goals and seven assists in 41 appearances across all competition for Wolves this campaign.

Creating 24 chances on Premier League duty this term, the Algeria international provided a regular threat in forward areas for the Old Gold as they managed to secure their top-flight status.

Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake have both shouldered the left-back burden at Manchester City, though bringing in a natural in that position could gift Guardiola the added bonus of being able to move one of them to a central role once all paperwork is completed.

Deemed to be worth around £51 million on the market, signing Ait-Nouri appears to be a shrewd addition by the Citizens ahead of the new campaign.

Will West Bromwich Albion be promotion challengers again when the 2025/26 season gets underway in the Championship?

That’s the question likely wracking the brains of Baggies fans far and wide, with nobody quite sure how Ryan Mason will deal with the pressures of the Hawthorns hot-seat, considering experienced manager Tony Mowbray struggled back at the helm last campaign.

Mowbray, unfortunately, sank the West Brom ship instead of steadying it as a playoff spot slipped disastrously out of their grasp.

On the contrary, Mason will hope he can guide his new side to a top-six finish or even higher, with the sparkling potential addition of a seasoned Championship pro helping his chances as a rookie boss.

West Brom have former Championship star on their radar

As per a new report from TEAMTalk, West Brom have ex-Derby County star Tom Lawrence very much on their radar.

His free agent status after walking away from Rangers has alerted numerous clubs to his services, however, with both Wrexham and Coventry City named as other suitors eyeing up the 31-year-old.

The ambitious Red Dragons could well be in the driver’s seat over landing his signature, considering Lawrence does hail from Wrexham, but West Brom are said to still be keen even as Phil Parkinson’s men sniff around.

How Lawrence could be their next Wallace

If West Brom were to knock Wrexham off their pedestal and win his services, Mason could be about to land the Baggies’ next Jed Wallace, with the accomplished attacker arriving at the Hawthorns back in 2022 with plenty of EFL know-how to show off, much like Lawrence will be desperate to provide.

Wallace would also enter into his new environment all those years ago on a shrewd free transfer, with Millwall left to curse the 31-year-old running his contract down at the Den.

The Lions’ short-term agony ended up being West Brom’s gain, however, with an impressive tally of six goals and eight assists mustered up by Wallace during his debut league campaign in the West Midlands.

His output has since dwindled, with only two goal contributions coming his way across the entire course of last season, but there will be hope that Lawrence’s experience of the Championship, which is of the same stature as Wallace’s, means he can instantly hit the ground running with Albion if he signs.

After all, the free agent is only 82 appearances shy of Wallace’s hefty 346 appearances in the intimidating division, with his goal and assist numbers across those 264 clashes even closer to the esteemed Baggies’ captain’s bumper haul.

21/22

Derby County

38

11

5

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Derby County

23

3

2

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Derby County

37

10

4

18/19

Derby County

33

6

4

17/18

Derby County

39

6

8

16/17

Ipswich Town

34

9

11

15/16

Cardiff City

14

0

1

15/16

Blackburn Rovers

21

2

2

14/15

Rotherham United

6

1

1

13/14

Yeovil Town

19

2

2

Much like Wallace, who had to wait to find his groove with Millwall, Lawrence really kicked into gear as a devastating Championship-level attacker with Derby County, as seen in him amassing 59 of his overall 90 goal contributions donning Rams white.

To add context, his equally experienced counterpart boasts 14 more goal contributions in total in the second-tier, with 76 of those coming about in South East London.

Hailed as an “excellent” professional by Rangers coach David McCallum, with a promising 12 strikes next to his name at Ibrox even as he enters the twilight years of his playing days, this could be a move that reawakens a beast out of Lawrence to cause Championship defences headaches all over again.

Better signing than Moore: West Brom must land £45k p/w “monster”

West Bromwich Albion might prioritise landing this monster over snapping up Mikey Moore.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 14, 2025

Arsenal are reportedly working to recruit some high-profile targets behind-the-scenes, and a significant update has now dropped on one of them, courtesy of a Sky Sports reporter this morning.

Arsenal identify new winger and striker as priority targets

Two items at the very top of sporting director Andrea Berta’s to-do list over the coming months are signing a new winger and striker.

Arsenal confirm "very popular" 22-year-old has now joined another club

He’s officially left north London.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 11, 2025

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus during the second half of 2024/2025 left Mikel Arteta desperately short of options up front, whilst adding further weight to the opinions of many critics that the addition of a prolific centre-forward is long overdue.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Mikel Merino did pretty well to cover the aforementioned duo as an emergency striker, but Berta and the recruitment team are eager to ensure that Arteta won’t be left in a similarly precarious position next season, when they’ll be looking to mount a far more successful Premier League title challenge.

Arsenal’s need for more goals is evident by their numbers from last term, with Arteta’s side scoring just 69 in total across their top flight campaign, a far cry beneath the 91 and 88 they’d managed in the two seasons prior.

Berta has laid the groundwork over deals for both Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, according to the BBC and reporter Sami Mokbel, but it appears the latter centre-forward is taking priority right now.

Arsenal are believed to be advancing in talks for Sesko, with Leipzig demanding around £70 million for their star striker as the Gunners look to find middle ground in negotiations.

Arteta and co also want to add further quality out-wide.

Leandro Trossard is about to enter the final year of his contract, while Bukayo Saka’s three-month injury lay-off midway through last season highlighted the need for Berta to bring in an alternative to the England international.

Leroy Sane pulls U-turn over joining Arsenal after Galatasaray agreement

One of their widely reported top targets is out-of-contract Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane.

Man City once valued the 70-cap Germany international at around £137 million during his time at Eastlands, but he’s now set to leave Bavaria for zero transfer cost.

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal held talks with Sane as far back as April, and more recent reports from this week, via CaughtOffside, claim that the 29-year-old has spoken to Arteta about a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Sane apparently had an offer to join Arsenal on the table, and was thought to be very keen to work with Arteta again and join the Gunners (CaughtOffside).

A contract extension at Bayern was still on the cards as well, until very recently, with the ex-Premier League star informing Vincent Kompany’s side that he won’t be signing a new deal after all.

Now set to leave on a free, while Sane was believed to favour a move to Arsenal, he’s now apparently pulled a U-turn.

Instead, Turkish Süper Lig champions Galatasaray are closing in on a deal for Sane, according to Sky Germany’s Plettenberg in a “breaking” update this morning.

Sane’s top-level experience and proven record of goals and assists from the last few seasons arguably make him one of the bargains of the summer, but he’s still very pricey in terms of salary.

Reports suggest that the former Schalke sensation is demanding a big “mega-money” contract, with Galatasaray seemingly set to pay him big-money.

Sane is close to the twilight phase of his career at nearly 30, and they have other high-profile wide targets to turn to as alternatives – ones which could prove better value for salary in the long run.

Celtic could potentially look to seal a stunning reunion with a former player this summer, according to a new update from journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Celtic could seal surprise signing of defender

The Hoops have been linked with plenty of potential new signings of late, but one surprise target has emerged in Albirex Niigata defender Hayato Inamura.

The 23-year-old is a left-sided centre-back who could add balance and depth to Brendan Rodgers’ squad, adding to the list of Japanese signings that Celtic have made in recent years.

Related Celtic preparing to back Rodgers even more as new Celtic target emerges

Celtic are reportedly interested in completing the signing of a new centre-back.

Posts 1 ByHenry Jackson Jun 16, 2025

Inamura is far from the only possible fresh face arriving at Parkhead in the summer transfer window, however, with Royal Antwerp star Michel-Ange Balikwisha also mentioned as a target.

The 24-year-old has 29 goals and 17 assists for his current club, as well as being capped for Belgium in five different age groups, and he could add real quality to Celtic’s attack. Now, a shock move regarding the Hoops has been mooted.

Journalist makes claim on Kyogo sealing Celtic return

Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke talked up the idea of Celtic re-signing Kyogo Furuhashi this summer, even though the Japanese only departed for Rennes back in January, saying it would be a “popular signing amongst the club’s fans”.

“It would definitely be a popular signing amongst the club’s fans. It hasn’t really worked out for him, that move to Rennes. He was brought in by Jorge Sampaoli and he then left the club and Kyogo found himself cut out. That’s fuelled speculation that he could be moving on. Celtic never really replaced Kyogo when they let him go in January, they decided not to bring in another striker.

“So what better man to replace Kyogo than Kyogo himself in that respect? It’ll depend on what the player wants to do, if he would be interested in a move back to Celtic then potentially something could happen. I don’t think Celtic will be willing to pay anywhere near the £10million they received from Rennes to sell Kyogo in January, it will have to be on much reduced terms. If there’s a willingness from Rennes to sell him and the player to return, a move could happen. Celtic have a long list of target they’ve looked at as replacements for Kyogo. So let’s wait and see.”

While Celtic fans were clearly disappointed in Kyogo that he wanted to leave the club, many would still love the idea of seeing him back at Parkhead.

The 30-year-old produced so much quality in the final third during his four-year stint at the Scottish Premiership giants, scoring 85 goals in just 185 appearances, as well as receiving plenty of adoration from Rodgers.

“His finish was sublime. He is clever, he’s very cute in the game. He’s an elite player in terms of his movement and his runs. And he played the offside really well.”

Kyogo managed only one start for Rennes in Ligue 1 last season, in what has been a frustrating period for him, so a return to Celtic could be perfect for all parties.

Another defeat would put Afghanistan on brink of elimination, while victory for Australia would set them up beautifully for a semi-final spot

Deivarayan Muthu22-Jun-20241:09

Maxwell: Hopefully a few mental scars from the double century

Match detailsAfghanistan vs Australia
Kingstown, 8.30pm local time
Big Picture: All eyes on Glenn MaxwellThe last time Australia faced Afghanistan, history was made. A cramping Glenn Maxwell was writhing in pain – he could barely walk, let alone run – but pulled off a miracle in Mumbai. They were struggling at 91 for 7 in pursuit of 293, but Maxwell’s epic double-hundred put Australia back on track for another world title and left Afghanistan on the brink of elimination.Maxwell then endured a difficult IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he even took a break. He started the T20 World Cup with a duck against Oman and then laboured to 28 off 25 balls against England. He was bowled cheaply by a ripper from Mark Watt in the chase against Scotland, but in the chase against Bangladesh, he showed signs of his best, though he faced only six balls in a rain-hit fixture. He swatted legspinner Rishad Hossain over long-on and crunched Mustafizur Rahman through the covers. Maxwell finished with 14 off six balls at a strike rate of 233.33. Australia will hope that Maxwell, the spin-hitter, can produce an even bigger impact against Rashid Khan and co. on a Kingstown pitch that has been conducive to spin.Related

Human rights question hangs over success story of Afghanistan's men

Australia's World Cup mojo on full display in bid for triple crown

ESPNcricinfo Awards 2023 Men's ODI batting winner: Glenn Maxwell vs the world

Though Maxwell is yet to hit full tilt, Australia’s middle order (between Nos. 4-7) has struck at 168.09, the best among all 20 teams in this T20 World Cup. In contrast, Afghanistan’s middle order has struck at less than 100 – the lowest among all Full-Member teams in this tournament. Adam Zampa and potentially Ashton Agar could make life even more difficult for the Afghanistan middle-order batters in Kingstown.This game will be played in the backdrop of some tension between the two boards. Cricket Australia has refused to play Afghanistan in bilateral series in the recent past because of political reasons. Australia’s decision to pull out of multiple bilateral series against Afghanistan has met fierce condemnation, including a threat from Rashid Khan to pull out of the BBL. Afghanistan’s players will be out to prove a point about their standing in the global game when they take Australia on in a third World Cup game in three years.Form guideAfghanistan LLWWW
Australia WWWWW1:44

Rashid Khan: Middle-order batting needs to improve

In the spotlight: Naveen-ul-Haq and Tim DavidNaveen-ul-Haq has taken some pasting in the Caribbean leg of the T20 World Cup, but he is Afghanistan’s best bet to counter Australia’s power-packed line-up at the death. He can bowl yorkers from a slingy action and has several slower variations, including the knuckle ball, tailor-made for the low bounce in St Vincent. Naveen has a chance to add to those variations by working with Dwayne Bravo at Afghanistan and Texas Super Kings in the upcoming MLC.Naveen, though, will have to be wary of Tim David, who has taken him for 50 off 38 balls in T20 cricket being dismissed. David also has a good head-to-head record against Rashid – 62 off 45 balls with just two dismissals – and has been working on his own spin bowling though Australia haven’t needed his secondary skill in the T20 World Cup proper. If David doesn’t get you, Marcus Stoinis will. If Stoinis doesn’t get you, Maxwell will.Team news: Will Australia bring back Agar?Hazratullah Zazai fell cheaply against India, but Afghanistan will likely give him another go.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Hazratullah Zazai, 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Gulbadin Naib, 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Naveen-ul-Haq, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiConsidering the slow, turning tracks in Kingstown and Afghanistan’s right-hand heavy line-up, Australia might bring back left-arm fingerspinner Agar, instead of one of the three frontline quicks, and pair him up with Zampa and Maxwell.Australia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Tim David, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Josh Hazlewood/Ashton Agar, 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditions: Spin to winSpinners have thrived in Kingstown, picking up 22 wickets at an economy rate of 5.64 in six innings this tournament. Expect more of the same when two of the world’s best T20 wristspinners Rashid and Zampa will be in action on Saturday night. Chances of rain are low on Saturday evening.Stats and trivia: Farooqi dominates powerplay Agar has dismissed Nabi twice in ten balls while conceding just four runs in T20 cricket. He is one wicket away from becoming the second Australia spinner, after Zampa, to 50 T20I wickets. Farooqi has bagged 15 wickets in this T20 World Cup at an economy rate of 5.45. Eight of those 15 wickets have come in the powerplay, the most by a bowler during this phase in the tournament. Travis Head, David and Stoinis have hit 129 sixes among them in T20 cricket this year.Quotes”I think there are a few players who are very early in their international careers and they will learn from it. And World Cup is always the biggest stage when you’re playing against the biggest team as well.”

“Yeah, it was nice to get out there and hit a couple, but I’ve said it pretty consistently. I felt pretty good throughout the whole tournament.”

The Hill Dickinson Stadium will begin life in the Premier League by playing host to Brighton & Hove Albion, one week after Everton’s season opener away to newly-promoted Leeds United.

David Moyes deserves all the plaudits for his remarkable work on Merseyside this year, replacing Sean Dyche in January and taking a weary 16th-place outfit, one point above the drop zone, up and up towards 13th, some 23 points above relegated Leicester City.

The shift has been profound, but now Moyes must sustain and indeed advance his progress in a new setting, retaining the magic and feeling that Goodison Park and its crowd instilled through to the pitch.

So much uncertainty. More than a measure of anxiety. However, tenfold that amount in regard to the excitement of a new age. Of course, Everton need signings to make it happen, with a striker right at the top of the wish list.

Everton chasing new striker

As per Spanish outlet AS, Everton are interested in striking a deal for Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto, although it must be said that Atletico Madrid are also in the race and have actually established contacts with the Brasileiro Serie A side.

Thankfully, Alberto isn’t the La Liga side’s priority, and if the Toffees put in the groundwork over the coming weeks, they might find themselves stealing ahead.

Valued at €20m (about £17m), Everton are joined by Roma – also owned by the Friedkin Group – in their bid for the Brazilian, as they line up a swoop for the striker.

What Yuri Alberto would bring to Everton

Described as “clinical” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the club could strike gold by winning the race to sign Alberto, who at 24 is finally ready to settle on the European stage and improve a Toffees team looking to progress toward the upper echelon of Premier League football.

Everton like a Brazilian forward, having reaped the rewards of signing Richarlison from Watford way back when, but they have probably missed the 28-year-old’s fiery personality and dynamism after selling him to Tottenham Hotspur for £60m in 2022.

As per FBref, Alberto ranks among the top 10% of forwards during this year’s Serie A season for goals scored per 90, as well as pass completion and aerial duel success rate. His roundedness and dominance as a focal point suggest he could be the man Everton are looking for to front their project.

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13

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2024

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31

7

2023

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15

9

2022

44

18

6

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55

19

4

Alberto knows his way around a finish, make no mistake. The mobile and determined striker would add a bit of flair to Moyes’ side, raising the threat levels in front of goal, moreover.

There’s no doubt that he’d prove an upgrade on the Dominic Calvert-Lewin we’ve come to know over the past couple of years, but maybe he could be the manager’s own version of Richarlison too.

Though Iliman Ndiaye has restored the thrill factor for the Blues, Richarlison’s tenacity and hunger gave Everton something special and distinctive across four consistent seasons, wrapping up his time at the club with 53 goals and 15 assists across 152 appearances.

Once tipped by Carlo Ancelotti to become “one of the top strikers in Europe”, Richarlison’s time at Tottenham has left plenty to be desired.

Still, his Brazilian tenacity has remained a core part of his skill set, and now Alberto could emulate that quality under Moyes’ wing, having been described by talent scout Jacek Kulig to be a “complete forward” with a “powerful, athletic” build.

Richarlison, physically imposing, good with his head and endowed with a natural prolificness, might have been linked with a return to Merseyside in recent months, but Everton have entered a new chapter and would instead be better off pursuing a fresh and younger face.

Still, Alberto can become the club’s next version of their South American maverick.

Their best attacker since Lukaku: Everton lead race for £50m star on loan

Everton are in the market for another maverick attacker

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 18, 2025

Many thought Liverpool would fall by the wayside when Jurgen Klopp left at the end of the 2023/24 season, but this football club has an uncanny ability to remain with its head above the water.

Indeed, Arne Slot defied expectation when arriving and leading the Reds straight to the Premier League title, and has now been rewarded by FSG, who are spending freely in the transfer market.

Although Florian Wirtz will add a fresh and world-class dimension to Slot’s squad, there’s still the sense that more quality and prolificness could be added.

Mohamed Salah

52

34

23

Luis Diaz

50

17

8

Cody Gakpo

49

18

7

Diogo Jota

37

9

4

Darwin Nunez

47

7

7

Federico Chiesa

14

2

2

Although with Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong signed to bolster the wide defensive positions, the intensity toward securing new stars is set to simmer down.

But Liverpool remain very much primed to pounce if the right opportunity emerges.

Liverpool's wider transfer plans

Sporting director Richard Hughes cut a contentious figure after his first summer transfer window at Liverpool, having only added Federico Chiesa to the newly arrived Slot’s squad.

But he’s since proven his meticulous, calculated nature, having dotted all the i’s and crossed the t’s ahead of the window and since pounced on top targets, reeling them in.

Any further activity will depend on outgoings, reports The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe. This makes sense, for the Reds have forked out more than £200m already this summer.

Darwin Nunez’s expected transfer to Serie A champions Napoli should see a new number nine acquired, while rumours of a new winger hinge on Luis Diaz’s future, with Barcelona and Saudi Arabian suitors interested.

He’s not Sadio Mane, but the Colombian has been immense in a Liverpool shirt, posting 41 goals and 23 assists across 141 appearances in total.

Transfer Focus

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

Liverpool line up new winger

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are interested in signing Belgian winger Malick Fofana and have been boosted in their bid now that Lyon have been relegated from Ligue 1.

However, Newcastle United have also been named as suitors, and have actually established contacts with the 20-year-old’s entourage.

Earlier this year, the player’s former representatives told Africa Foot that playing in the Premier League, namely at Liverpool, would be his “dream”, and it’s something that Hughes and Co can now bring to fruition.

Chelsea are also keen, though appear to be prioritising a deal for Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens.

This could leave Liverpool with a free shot to sign one of Europe’s most exciting prospects, who is valued at £43m, with Lyon’s fate also suggesting his price tag could be whittled down.

Why Liverpool should sign Fofana

Hailed for his “electric” skills by content creator Dev Bajwa, Fofana is bound to move clubs this summer, but where to remains to be seen.

He’s young and raw, but he’s also naturally “explosive”, as has been said by analyst Ben Mattinson, with his sharp bursts of pace something that could pay dividends for Slot’s Liverpool team, especially when the time comes to replace Diaz.

Fofana is Belgian but he is of Guinean descent, and for this reason he has expressed Mane (and Mohamed Salah) as being one of his footballing idols. For this reason, the left winger could prove to be Slot’s own version of Mane, whose career on Merseyside served to guide Anfield back to the forefront of domestic and continental football.

Part of Klopp’s iconic front three at Liverpool, Mane won the whole gamut after signing from Southampton for £34m in 2016, with the German manager declaring him a “world-class” forward and an absolute “machine”, his work rate and tenacity leaving an indelible mark on the game.

Fofana hasn’t reached that point in his career yet, but has the potential to do exactly that, already performing with a hunger for goal and fleet-footed style that is somewhat reminiscent of the Senegalese star.

As per FBref, Fofana ranked among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last year for non-penalty goals scored and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90, emphasising that very point.

So then, you can see how Mane has inspired Fofana’s early-career development, especially as elements of his defensive work rate can be found in the one-cap Belgium international’s skill set too, for he averaged 1.1 tackles + interceptions in Ligue 1 last year, as per Sofascore, also finishing the term having won 54% of his ground battles.

Slot is not Klopp, but then Fofana is not Mane either, and the Dutch tactician could fashion his own version of the former Liverpool superstar, who certainly has stylistic similarities to the Al Nassr forward, now 33.

Even if Liverpool don’t part ways with Diaz, 28, this summer, it might be worth snapping Fofana up as Lyon plummet into the second tier of French football. After all, there are no guarantees that a new out-and-out frontman will be signed, and Diaz operated so admirably in a false nine role across the 2024/25 campaign.

Given that the Colombian could potentially reprise said role, it might be worth adding some competition for Cody Gakpo to jockey with on the left flank.

In any case, given the player’s desire to move to Merseyside and indeed his Mane-esque qualities rising to the fore, it would be a smart move indeed to ward away Premier League competition and snap him up quickly.

He'd be Wirtz 2.0: Liverpool stand a "chance" of signing the "next Mbappe"

Liverpool believe they have a good chance to sign a star who would be a Florian Wirtz repeat.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 26, 2025

Liverpool’s pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz appears to be entering the endgame phase as they look to wrap up a deal for the Germany international.

Arne Slot is attempting to bolster his squad, having already signed Jeremie Frimpong in the summer transfer window, and the midfield creator is next up on his wishlist.

According to BILD journalist Christian Falk, an offer of £110m from Liverpool for the German wizard has already been rejected by Leverkusen, as they want up to £118m for his services.

The reporter claims that the Bundesliga outfit are expecting the Premier League champions to come back with a final offer for Wirtz, and that both sides are expected to agree on a fee of £118m.

This deal for Wirtz looks set to smash the club’s record transfer fee, set at £85m when they signed Darwin Nunez from Benfica in the summer of 2022, but is he worth the money?

Why Florian Wirtz is worth the money for Liverpool

The 22-year-old starlet is worth the gamble, even at a whopping £118m, because the star could be a transformational signing for the Reds, even after they won the Premier League in the 2024/25 campaign, due to the impact he could make at the top end of the pitch.

No central or attacking midfielder for Liverpool managed more than Dominik Szoboszlai’s return of six goals and six assists in the top-flight for Slot’s side, which shows that none of the manager’s options in that area of the park were particularly prolific or creative.

Wirtz, however, is a number ten who can consistently provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals, as evidenced by his performances for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga over the past two seasons, in particular.

During the 2024/25 campaign, the right-footed dynamo racked up 16 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for the German outfit, including six goals in nine matches in the Champions League.

Florian Wirtz (Bundesliga)	23/24	24/25
Appearances	32	31
xG	9.00	9.40
Goals	11	10
Big chances created	12	17
xA	9.75	9.44
Assists	11	12
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Wirtz has hit double figures for both goals and assists in each of the past two Bundesliga campaigns, which shows that he can provide a consistent threat in the final third from an attacking midfield position.

Whether the 22-year-old superstar can translate that kind of form over to the Premier League still remains up for debate, of course, but he has done it on the big stage for Germany as well.

The international star scored four goals and provided three assists in seven matches for his country on their way to the semi-finals of the Nations League, which is further proof that he would be worth the money for the champions.

Liverpool, alongside a deal for Wirtz, could unearth England’s answer to the German star by signing one of their reported targets, Morgan Gibbs-White.

Liverpool's interest in Morgan Gibbs-White

It was recently reported by a Spanish outlet that Liverpool are one of a number of teams eyeing up a possible move for the Nottingham Forest playmaker in the summer transfer window.

The outlet claimed that Chelsea and Manchester City are also in the running to sign the England international from the Tricky Trees, who qualified for the UEFA Conference League for next season.

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It also revealed that Nottingham Forest would be willing to negotiate with those three clubs for a fee in the region of £70m, which means that he would be significantly cheaper than Wirtz as a number ten option.

The report, however, did not mention any incoming bids or imminent talks planned with the Premier League side for the Reds, so Gibbs-White may not be a priority target for the champions at this moment in time.

Irrespective of whether or not Liverpool finalise a move for Wirtz from Leverkusen, the Nottingham Forest star would be an excellent signing for the club as England’s own version of the Bundesliga star.

Why Gibbs-White could be England's own Wirtz

England fans watched on, likely in boredom, as their team struggled to break down Andorra and came away with a drab 1-0 win, thanks to Harry Kane’s 50th-minute strike from close range.

Despite the fairly dismal attacking showing from the Three Lions, Gibbs-White was brought on with just one minute left to play and did not have a chance to make an impact.

Moving to Anfield and playing in Europe, in the Champions League, would put the former Wolves starlet in the spotlight at the very top of the domestic game and make it incredibly difficult for Thomas Tuchel to ignore him.

A transfer to Liverpool could also help to take Gibbs-White’s output to the next level as part of a team that creates more chances and has more of the ball than Nottingham Forest.

In the 2024/25 season, Liverpool created 82.2 xG to Forest’s 45.5 xG and averaged 57.7% possession to Nuno Santos’ side’s 41.2%, as per FBref, which means that the English star would be part of a far more dominant and attacking outfit if he made the move to Anfield.

24/25 Premier League	Morgan Gibbs-White
Appearances	34
xG	6.34
Goals	7
Big chances created	10
Key passes per game	1.5
Assists	8
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old playmaker still managed to produce 15 goals and assists combined in the division, despite his team’s lack of dominance and creativity on the whole.

Gibbs-White, once dubbed “exceptional” by Pep Guardiola, scored more goals and provided more assists than any of Liverpool’s central midfielders. Now imagine how many goal contributions he could rack up as part of Slot’s dominant side…

The Forest star has not had the chance to showcase his talent in a team as great as Leverkusen’s or Liverpool’s, like Wirtz, and could explode in the final third if given that opportunity, based on his outstanding output in Forest’s team.

Therefore, the Reds could unearth England’s answer to Wirtz and give themselves two versions of the German star by signing the Tricky Trees talent before the end of the summer transfer window to provide him with a chance to flourish in a dominant side.

Move over Wirtz: Liverpool can sign Salah's next Firmino in £84m "magician"

Mohamed Salah is going to have some exciting new attacking talent alongside him next season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 8, 2025

Jofra Archer had tears in his eyes as he surveyed the scene at Kensington Oval, about to represent England but, for the first time, in his motherland. When his name was announced at the start of the second over, his first in the match against Scotland, the cheering could hardly have been louder or warmer than if he had been wearing maroon.The loudest applause came from a large group of children in yellow uniforms, students of Archer’s , Christ Church Foundation. They had been given the day off lessons, along with students from Chris Jordan’s former school, to join friends and family and fans alike in welcoming the not-so-old boys home.”Yeah, it was a little bit emotional,” Archer said, speaking at Windward Cricket Club, just a stone’s throw from his Barbados home. “I had a little bit of water in my eye, a bit of a cry but I was just settling.”The prime minister invited us up to the box when [the match] got cancelled, but she said she pretty much cancelled school, and CJ’s old school, so the kids could come and watch us. It was really, really emotional. As I said earlier, I had a little bit of water in my eye and it wasn’t the rain. It was really, really nice. I saw a clip of one of the reporters as well – she went to primary school with me – and she was going around to people in the ground, by the statue, and that was touching. I felt really supported. I felt unbelievable.”Archer had avoided talking to the media ahead the game, preferring to concentrate on getting his return to Barbados under his belt.”Once you get the first ball out of the way, any nerves are gone,” he said. “You tend to forget everything else and just focus. I feel that’s the best way. There’s so much surrounding the cricket before you bowl a ball. So much goes into playing a game.”Certainly, a lot has gone into getting Archer ready for this tournament, so great is his value to the England side. Since he flew home from last year’s IPL and underwent surgery on his right elbow, his return has been carefully managed with England’s T20 World Cup defence in mind, the caution sharpened by his history of back and elbow injuries.Jofra Archer in action during the Scotland match•Getty Images

“It was just a little bit of luck because, you know, if we’d gone a little bit… it could have gone wrong,” he said. “Maybe I could peak too early and could have missed this. Or I didn’t get up to speed fast enough and I miss it again. So I just feel very lucky that everything had checked along with this block. Hopefully I can peak for all of it.”Archer raised eyebrows during England’s tour of the Caribbean last year when he was spotted playing a local league match for his old school during the Barbados leg of the series, apparently without the knowledge of the ECB. However, he said he had been careful to monitor his own levels to ensure a gradual return to action.”I’ve been playing cricket since November. I’ve been fit since November,” he said. “I’ve just been trying not to do too much or too little. Just trying to be okay for this period, for this summer. Just really glad that everything seems to be going all right. Not just this tour but to finish the summer and continue playing a part. Obviously it’s been a while. I don’t know how much rehab I have in me.”He signed a two-year contract with the ECB in October – he was offered three years but turned it down – and was anxious to return to the fold and repay the faith shown by England Men’s Managing Director, Rob Key.”I found it a little bit worrying, not really frustrating, because I was able to spend most of my rehab here,” he said. “I only live 150 metres from this ground right now, so being able to do your rehab, just get away from the noise back in the UK, was really good. I made a joke with Keysy as well earlier. I said ‘I’m really glad I’m back playing because I reckon I would have lost my contract in October’. And he laughed and said, ‘no you’re all right’.”Sometimes you feel like a burden not playing, and sometimes I’ve seen a few comments as well, people saying he’s on the longest paid holiday I’ve ever seen. You try to not let it get to you, but you can ignore 100 of them but sometimes that 101 is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I’ve changed a lot of my social media stuff just so you don’t see a lot, but there’s a little that always filters through. But you’ve just got to keep going.”Jofra Archer speaks to the media ahead of England’s match with Australia•Getty Images

In March, Archer played his first competitive cricket since his elbow injury in Barbados. He felt he was fully fit from the first of five club matches. But it wasn’t until he bowled against Pakistan at the Oval in the fifth T20I that he knew his body was up to the rigours of international cricket.”It’s alright to train and it’s alright to play in games here, but to get that last 10% intensity and [feel] actually, the body is okay. You know when you are able to step it up and the body takes it, then that’s really, really refreshing.”Archer will not play Test cricket this summer. But his (hopefully) eventual return to Test cricket is being managed just as carefully as his rehab leading up to this tournament.”I’ve got a PDF file of every single game I’m supposed to play in from now till next summer anyway,” he said. “Yeah, they’ve really planned out almost everything. Probably the only thing they haven’t planned out is the showers I take. It’s been really, really good. Even when I wasn’t playing, they made me feel really involved as well. They sent me targets that I’d keep trying to tick off and it’s really nice that they’re actually falling into place, honestly.”Related

• The wait is Over: Six balls and a lifetime later, Jofra Archer returns with a bang

• Jonny Bairstow plays down Ashes flashpoint as England and Australia clash again

• England face Australia in the battle of champions

• Jofra Archer blindsides ECB with surprise return for Barbados school team

• Jofra Archer: 'I don't know if I've got another stop-start year in me'

England have one more match at Kensington Oval before moving to Antigua for the rest of their group matches, the highly anticipated clash with Australia that, after the washout against Scotland, may be crucial to their T20 World Cup hopes. The majority of fans will again be cheering, not just for England, but for one of their own. But there are a few extra guests Archer would like to sneak into Kensington Oval; his beloved dogs. Whether he can get them past security is another matter.”I can definitely try. I can put one of those service jackets on him and probably get caned, something like that.”The animal lover has added a couple of parrots to his menagerie, named Jessie and James. Not after the American outlaw, but for two characters in the Pokemon video game. They play for Team Rocket.England would dearly love to see Archer fire a few rockets of his own when they face Australia on Saturday.