Sunderland reportedly now risk losing Ross Stewart in the summer, as per journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The Lowdown: Play-off hero
Stewart bagged the only goal of the game as Alex Neil’s team won 1-0 in the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday at the Stadium of Light on Friday night.
The striker put in a very impressive performance, winning a joint player-high 13 of his duels and making three key passes, while he also recorded one successful dribble, clearance, interception and tackle (SofaScore).
The Latest: Rangers interest
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke has shared that Glasgow Rangers are now ‘keeping tabs’ on Stewart ahead of a potential love this summer, and it would be ‘hard’ for him to reject their advances:
“It looks like he’s obviously on their wanted list, Ross Stewart. It’s been talked about now for quite a few weeks that Rangers are keeping tabs on him.
“If Rangers do come calling, it’s going to be hard for somebody like Ross Stewart – a Scottish player – to turn down their advances.”
The Verdict: Worrying
It is certainly worrying for the Wearside club and its supporters that the Gers could come calling for Stewart.
He has been nothing short of ‘incredible‘ this season, as Black Cats legend Kevin Phillips points out, and so would be very difficult to replace.
Given the size of Rangers, and the fact that they have reached the UEFA Europa League final, with a spot in the Champions League up for grabs for the winner, it is hard to see Stewart turning them down if an offer came in, and so the board must do everything in their power to try and keep him.
In other news, find out what big dilemma SAFC now face here!
Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn has hinted that he could look to leave the Premier League giants this summer following frustration at his lack of game time.
The Lowdown: Constant setbacks
The Dutchman first joined the Lilywhites in a £27m move from PSV Eindhoven in 2020 but has suffered from multiple injuries during that time, which have kept him out on the sidelines for long spells.
Even when fully fit, he has generally been overlooked by successive managers, despite Antonio Conte seemingly holding great affection for the man he called an ‘important’ part of the squad.
This season, the 24-year-old has only started four Premier League games, and despite not being out of contract in the capital until 2025, Bergwijn has recently been linked with a move to Manchester United once Erik ten Hag takes over.
The Latest: Bergwijn hints at summer exit
In an interview with Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (via TEAMtalk), the 18-cap international said:
“A place in the starting line up? Here? I honestly don’t think so. The attack works well, but I don’t get to play much.
“It’s important to me that I’m going to get to play now.”
When asked if making a return to his homeland of Holland would be a possibility, he added:
“It certainly would be. A return to the Netherlands would certainly be an option for me. The World Cup is coming. Mr Van Gaal, the national coach, brought me into the selection last time, even though I didn’t play much.
“Then you come back to the club and you barely play. It is a shame, of course. In the summer we really have to look for a solution.”
The Verdict: More minutes needed
Bergwijn has made a total of 80 appearances since arriving in north London, scoring eight goals and providing ten assists in that time, as per Transfermarkt, but this season he has been nothing more than a part-time player.
The forward has been brought off the bench on 24 occasions across all competitions throughout this current campaign and is a great impact player, but if he wants a chance at reviving his career, then looking for a move elsewhere is probably the best option.
Once dubbed as an “excellent” player by Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold, the £16.2m-rated ace – a valuation which is plummeting all the time – no doubt still has some of his prime years ahead of him and will surely want to spend them as a feature in someone’s first-choice XI.
In other news… Tottenham look set for a huge boost in their attempts to land the signing of a new ‘aggressive’ summer target.
Unlike some of their rivals, Arsenal have not had too much trouble integrating their summer signings so far this season.
The standout addition has probably been Martin Zubimendi, but despite the criticism he received a few weeks ago, Viktor Gyokeres isn’t too far behind.
After all, before his recent injury, the Swedish international had scored six goals in 14 appearances, which makes him the club’s joint top scorer.
With that said, Arsenal still appear to be looking for someone who could one day replace him, and who better than someone compared to both Erling Haaland and Jean-Philippe Mateta?
Arsenal target Haaland & Mateta hybrid
While Gyokeres is having a decent season with Arsenal so far, he is being outscored by both Haaland and Mateta.
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, for example, has already amassed a frankly ridiculous tally of 19 goals and one assist in 15 appearances for Manchester City, while the latter has a tally of eight goals and nine assists in 19 games for Crystal Palace.
With numbers like these, it’s easy to see why Arsenal would be interested in signing a young striker who has been compared to both international superstars.
According to a recent report from Spain, the young striker in question is Etta Eyong.
In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are more than just interested in the Levante gem, and have now decided to activate the youngster’s £40m release clause.
The story claims that, should everything go as planned, an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.
It’s a lot of money to spend on a young player, but Eyong could be the ideal heir to Gyokeres, especially as he’s won comparisons to both Haaland and Mateta.
How Eyong compares to Haaland & Mateta
The first thing to note is that, given he only turned 22 last month, Eyong is still a work in progress.
However, even in his short career, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to score, and that is just one of the qualities he shares with Haaland and Mateta.
For example, in 30 appearances for Villarreal B last season, the Cameroon international scored 19 goals and provided six assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.15 games.
Then this season, upon taking the step-up to La Liga, the exciting forward has racked up a tally of five goals and one assist in nine appearances for Levante.
Moreover, one of those goals came against Real Madrid – and he nabbed one against Arsenal in pre-season – so he cannot be accused of simply being a flat-track bully.
However, while his output is hugely encouraging, the comparisons to Haaland and Mateta primarily come from elsewhere, from FBref.
They have compared the 22-year-old to every forward across Europe’s top five leagues and have determined that the Frenchman is the most similar, and the Norwegian is the eighth.
Non-Penalty G+As
0.63
0.63
Progressive Carries
0.73
0.56
Progressive Passes Received
4.04
4.39
Shot-Creating Actions
1.74
1.50
Live Passes
12.8
12.7
You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the Cameroonian has ranked closely to the two internationals.
In the Palace star’s case, these metrics included non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shot-creating actions, live passes, and more, all per 90.
Goals per Shot
0.22
0.32
Goals per Shot on Target
0.46
0.54
Expected Assists
0.07
0.09
Shot-Creating Actions
1.74
1.72
In the case of the City monster, the underlying numbers included metrics such as shot-creating actions, expected assists, and most interestingly, goals per shot and goals per shot on target, all per 90 minutes.
These last two statistics are particularly encouraging, as they suggest that when the “incredible” Levante star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is in a dangerous situation, he is almost as clinical as the Norwegian goal machine.
Ultimately, it is still early in Eyong’s career, but as things stand, he looks to be an excellent young striker and someone who could be the perfect Gyokeres heir for Arsenal.
Major injury update now emerges on Arsenal star Gabriel before Tottenham
The centre-back suffered an injury on international duty with Brazil.
Celtic lost a huge talent in the recent summer transfer window when they decided to cash in on Nicolas Kuhn by selling him to Italian side Como for a fee of £16.5m.
The German winger has endured a difficult start to life in the Serie, failing to score or assist a goal in any of his first five matches in the division, but his time at Parkhead suggests that the best is yet to come.
Celtic signed the left-footed star from Rapid Vienna in the January transfer window at the start of 2024, and his best form for the club came after a difficult start to life in Glasgow.
How Nicolas Kuhn saved his Celtic career
The former Bayern Munich and Ajax trainee produced three goals and three assists in 18 appearances in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, including one goal and one assist in the cup, per Transfermarkt.
Kuhn needed time to adapt and adjust to the intensity of Scottish football and the pressure of playing for Celtic, though, and his best performances for the club came after that initial period of adaptation.
In his full season at Parkhead, the 25-year-old star racked up an eye-catching return of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he found his feet in Scotland to deliver consistent performances.
Kuhn is, therefore, the poster boy for why supporters and pundits alike should perhaps give some players more time to adapt to life at Celtic if they do not hit the ground running.
With this in mind, the Scottish Premiership champions may be brewing their next version of the German superstar, and it is not Sebastian Tounekti.
The Celtic player who is the next Nicolas Kuhn in the making
Unlike Kuhn, Tounekti has enjoyed a fairly strong start to his career at Parkhead and all but nailed down a place in the starting XI on the left flank, thanks to his exciting wing play after his deadline day move from Hammarby.
The Tunisia international has completed 14 dribbles in five matches in all competitions, per Sofascore, and scored against Partick Thistle in the League Cup.
Meanwhile, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who joined from Royal Antwerp in the summer, has not had as much success in winning the fanbase over since his move to the club.
After the 3-2 win over Motherwell, Brendan Rodgers explained that it has “all been a wee bit of a blur” for the Belgian forward since he moved to Parkhead, which suggests that he may be suffering from the same adaptation issues that Kuhn had at first.
Appearances
16
4
Shots per game
1.1
0.0
Goals
4
0
Key passes per game
1.6
0.5
Big chances created
7
1
Assists
3
1
Successful dribbles per game
0.4
0.0
As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha’s statistics for Royal Antwerp in the Pro League last season suggest that he has more gears to find in Glasgow, as he has struggled at the top end of the pitch for Celtic so far.
The young forward did deliver a fantastic assist for Daizen Maeda’s winner against Motherwell in the Premiership last weekend, his first goal contribution for the club, and that could be the moment that he needs to kick on and make a name for himself at Parkhead.
Balikwisha, who was described as an “exciting” player by Rodgers, has been a bit too timid in his early outings for the Hoops, as evidenced by no shots and 0.5 key passes per game across four matches.
The Belgian attacker needs to show more conviction and drive in his performances on the wing, as he did in the Pro League with his former club, and not worry about making a mistake or the crowd getting on his back.
Celtic must rue binning "magic" outcast who's now outperforming Tounekti
Brendan Rodgers must rue moving on from this Celtic star who is now outperforming Sebastian Tounekti.
ByDan Emery Oct 7, 2025
If he can step up to produce fearless performances, then his form from Belgium may translate to Scotland. He could follow in Kuhn’s footsteps by hitting his stride in front of goal after a difficult start to life in Glasgow.
Friday night’s clash in the Championship between Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion saw two early-season heavyweights in the second-tier do battle.
Indeed, heading into the match, Rob Edwards’ Boro sat pretty at the top of the division on an unbeaten streak of form. At the same time, Ryan Mason’s Baggies happily occupied a spot in the playoff positions.
Both of these statements would still ring true at the final whistle, but depending on results elsewhere on Saturday, West Brom might find themselves slipping out of that coveted top-six after succumbing to a 2-1 loss at the Riverside Stadium.
Aune Heggebo would trudge off the pitch at the end of the defeat with his head held high, at least, with his consolation effort at the death going down as his first-ever goal in England.
However, that can’t be said for all of Mason’s troops, with many others putting in underwhelming displays against the campaign’s initial pace-setters.
West Brom underperformers against Boro
Mason might well have fancied his side’s slim chances away at the league leaders heading into the tense clash, considering West Brom unsettled Wrexham on their own patch earlier on this season.
Unfortunately, a second league defeat is now next to the Baggies’ name instead of a celebratory fourth victory, with first-team regular Jayson Molumby struggling throughout.
Indeed, the usually tenacious and tough-tackling number eight could only muster up a weak two duels won from ten attempts, as per Sofascore, with his midfield teammate on the night, Ousmane Diakité, also struggling in this department, as the Malian only won two duels as well, on top of failing to register a single accurate cross or long ball.
Isaac Price also didn’t look at his best on the road at the Riverside, with the often vibrant number 21 struggling to make much of an impact down the left flank, with zero on-target efforts troubling Solomon Brynn in the home side’s net.
On the contrary, the confident home side managed to pack their shooting boots when cutting the Baggies apart with fast-paced moves, with Price not the only shoddy performer down the wings.
The West Brom star now on borrowed time
Mason has stuck by a consistent starting XI so far this season, but with two defeats now in a row, wholesale changes could be in the offing.
Jed Wallace will be worried about his starting spot moving forward, with the experienced EFL attacker only lasting 62 minutes against Edwards’ men, before being handed his marching orders by his 34-year-old manager.
Minutes played
62
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
36
On-target shots
0
Accurate passes
23/24 (96%)
Key passes
2
Accurate crosses
1/6
Successful dribbles
0
Total duels won
0/1
At first glance, Wallace’s numbers from the 2-1 defeat don’t look absolutely horrendous, with the 31-year-old winger only misplacing one of his passes all night.
Yet, when you delve deeper, it’s clear that the former Millwall man offered very little in attack – away from neatly spraying the ball about – to try and kickstart a comeback, with zero on-target efforts notched up from his hour on the Riverside turf, on top of just one accurate cross being delivered into the danger area to try and catch the table-topping hosts out.
Looking even further doesn’t get any better, either, with Wallace also failing to complete a single successful dribble when attempting to be a thorn in Boro’s side, whilst also failing to win a single duel as a passive performer on the right flank.
This has been a tale of Wallace’s middling season, for the most part, with the Baggies captain fading in and out of contests at an alarming rate, as seen in him averaging just 21.5 touches per Championship contest so far this season.
It could be time for Mason to ditch the seasoned veteran; therefore, with Mikey Johnston offering lots more from off the bench when thrown into the match in Wallace’s place, as seen in the Irishman winning two duels and completing two gung-ho dribbles to push his struggling team up the pitch.
Wallace could still be an option Mason relies on as a substitute, but based on his no-show at the Riverside, his first-team minutes might not be so plentiful in the games to come.
West Brom have struck gold on £0 signing who's more important than Price
West Bromwich Albion will know they can rely on this gem if the promotion race heats up.
Chelsea are now willing to pay nearly £87m to ensure they win the race for an “unbelievable” attacker in 2026, having identified him as a major target.
Blues willing to spend big on "unbelievable" attacker
With Cole Palmer recently spending time on the sidelines due to a groin injury, Joao Pedro has moved into a slightly deeper role, playing in-behind striker Liam Delap, but the Englishman has also now been ruled out for an extended period.
Enzo Maresca has confirmed Delap is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, saying: “Hopefully it’s not long, but this kind of case can be six, eight weeks.”
Subsequently, the Blues have now bolstered their attacking options even further by bringing in Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the season.
However, given the nature of the deal, which does not include an option or obligation to buy, Buonanotte is unlikely to be a long-term solution in attacking midfield, and the west Londoners are now prepared to spend big to win the race for a Premier League star.
That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now willing to pay almost €100m (£87m) for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, with a new approach for the attacking midfielder being planned for 2026.
Rogers was identified as a target during the summer transfer window, but they were unable to prise him away from Villa, who have set an asking price of £100m to deter potential suitors, with Tottenham Hotspur also thought to be keen.
Boehly ditched Chelsea's own Alexander Isak in "unbelievable" talent
The talented international could have an excellent season away from Chelsea.
1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 6, 2025
Several elite clubs are in the race for the 23-year-old, with the west Londoners identifying him as a major target off the back of an impressive 2024-25 campaign, but the Villans are hoping to retain their prized asset, suggesting negotiations could be tricky.
"Unbelievable" Rogers would provide Maresca with great depth
Buonanotte could be considered a strange signing, given that the 20-year-old has only joined on loan, but it may actually be a savvy move, given that there are few players in the world capable of displacing Palmer in the starting XI.
Consequently, it makes sense to have a younger back-up option, who may be more content with receiving limited game time, but that is unlikely to be the case for Rogers, who has established himself as a Premier League star at Villa.
Indeed, the attacking midfielder has received plenty of plaudits for his performances in a Villa shirt, with agent Hesham Bilal-Hafiz singling him out for particular praise.
Given that the England international is capable of playing on both wings, scoring 21 goals in 85 appearances on the left, he could also push for a starting spot out wide, meaning he would provide Maresca with great depth in attack.
Manchester United have a huge summer ahead of them to try and transform their fortunes on the pitch next season and subsequently avoid a repeat of this campaign.
The Red Devils finished in a measly 15th place in the Premier League, with Ruben Amorim unable to transform their fortunes after taking the reins in November following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal.
However, it appears as though the 40-year-old will have some serious money to spend throughout the summer in a bid to improve the current players at his disposal.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
He’s already splashed over £60m to complete the signing of Brazilian international Matheus Cunha, with a deal also heading in the right direction for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
It’s likely that the summer activity won’t end there, which could lead to various big-money additions making the switch to Old Trafford ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, under the watchful eye of sporting director, Jason Wilcox.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions
Warren Zaire-Emery is one of the latest names on their radar this window, with the Red Devils entering talks with PSG over an £85m move for the teenage midfielder.
He’s not the only name mentioned in recent days, as West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus has been of interest after an enquiry was made for the 24-year-old’s signature.
West Ham's Mohammed Kudus
However, another new name has entered the mix over the last few hours, with Newcastle United talisman Alexander Isak appearing on their radar, according to Italian outlet Tutto Juve.
They claim that United have been closely monitoring the Swedish international, potentially plotting a move after he scored 23 times in his 34 league appearances this campaign.
It also states that Chelsea and Arsenal are in the race to land the 25-year-old, but the Magpies are preparing a new contract for the forward, who’s currently valued at around £150m.
Why United’s £150m target would be a better signing than Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres has been a player in their sights over recent seasons, but their interest has skyrocketed after Amorim’s arrival – understandably so given his time with the striker at Sporting CP.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick
The Swede has registered a staggering 54 goals in his 52 outings in 2024/25, leading to a whole host of English sides being linked with a move for his signature.
Arsenal appeared to be leading the race this window, but it appears as though the Gunners have moved on to different targets, subsequently bringing Amorim’s side back into the picture.
His rumoured £68m fee would undoubtedly tempt the hierarchy given his staggering goalscoring record, but they should look past a move for Gyokeres and put their attention on a deal for Isak.
Whilst the Sporting talisman has registered more goals this season, the Newcastle star has consistently thrived in England’s top flight – having the skillset that would make him an immediate success at Old Trafford.
When comparing their underlying stats from the current season, Isak has dominated, further showcasing why he would be the better option ahead of 2025/26.
The Magpies attacker, who’s been labelled “world-class” by journalist Thomas Hammond, may have been outscored, but has posted a higher goal per shot on target rate – showcasing his clinical edge in front of goal.
Games played
34
33
Goals scored
23
39
Goals per shot on target
0.5
0.4
Pass accuracy
75%
71%
Progressive passes
2.9
2.1
Passes into final third
1.2
0.5
Take-on success
46%
45%
Carries into final third
1.4
1.3
He’s also completed more passes and more passes into the final third, having the tools to provide the players around him at Old Trafford with the opportunities to thrive.
Isak has also completed more take-ons and made a higher tally of carries into the final third per 90, having the skillset to create his own opportunities rather than be dependent on other options around him.
The £150m price tag would be a club and English record, but the deal could prove to be worth every penny, especially if he can carry his form from St James’ with him to Old Trafford.
Gyokeres may still be some supporters’ first choice this window, but it’s evident that Isak would be the better option for the Red Devils and Wilcox in their pursuit of rising up the table in 2025/26.
Bellingham 2.0: Man Utd open talks for "one of the best CMs in the world"
Manchester United appear to be laying the foundations over a move for a sensational young talent.
Fresh off the back of what Erling Haaland described as a “boring” season, Manchester City are looking to bring back the excitement amid what has been a hectic start to the transfer window at the Etihad.
With the intriguing Club World Cup on the horizon, Pep Guardiola’s side have acted swiftly in order to bolster their ranks for the competition, with a deal having been agreed for AC Milan sensation, Tijjani Reijnders.
The capture of the Netherlands international – who had joined the Serie A side from AZ Alkmaar back in 2023 – is expected to cost an initial fee of around €55m (£46m), thus providing Guardiola with further depth in the midfield department.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, the Citizens are “advancing” their pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers star, Rayan Ait-Nouri, with his namesake – Rayan Cherki – also agreeing personal terms.
A bid is expected to be lodged for a player who could cost just £25m to prise from Lyon, having registered 32 goals and assists in all competitions for the Ligue 1 side at the age of just 21.
The suggestion is that the Frenchman could well be a “future Ballon d’Or winner”, according to The Athletic’s Alex Barker. Perhaps the same is true of a potentially even more exciting summer target…
Man City make move for Premier League sensation
Hoovering up Britain’s best young talent has been a common theme of the City recruitment drive in recent years, with notable arrivals including the West Ham United pairing of Divin Mubama and Divine Mukasa – the latter of whom registered 42 goals and assists in just 41 games at youth level in 2024/25.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That youth-centric transfer approach only looks set to continue, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano having revealed that the Manchester side have agreed a deal for Sheffield Wednesday striker Caelan Cadamarteri.
Such news also comes amid reports which suggest that City are hoping to raid Arsenal for the signing of teenage sensation, Max Dowman, with Football Transfers noting that the 2023 treble winners, as well as Barcelona, have ‘expressed interest’ in the Hale End star.
Max Dowman
As per the report, both clubs are believed to have made ‘initial approaches’ to ‘signal their interest’ in the England youth international, albeit with the Gunners determined to keep hold of their 15-year-old prodigy.
The suggestion is that City would look to offer a similar pathway to that of Phil Foden, who was carefully nurtured and developed before cementing a first-team role for himself, with Barca said to be at a disadvantage as Dowman would not be able to join until he turns 18.
Any potential excitement over signing a player who doesn’t turn 16 until December may appear premature, although all the signs point to the teenager being a genuine star of the future.
Why Man City should sign Dowman
As noted by Football Transfers, Arsenal are desperate to avoid letting their homegrown diamond depart, and why wouldn’t they be? This is a player who, despite his youth, is already earning rave reviews from across the game.
Already part of first-team training in north London – amid the confirmation that he will join the pre-season tour this summer – Dowman has been given the backing of senior teammate Declan Rice, who described him as the “best 15-year-old in the country”.
Such words have been echoed by Arsenal insider, Will Balsam, who has claimed that the in-demand playmaker is the “biggest talent in England”. Talent scout Jacek Kulig, meanwhile, has hailed Dowman as the “most exciting prospect” he has seen “since Yamine Lamal”.
Rayan Cherki
It is those words which showcase just why the rising star is earning admiring glances from some of Europe’s elite clubs, while equally, it also illustrates why he could prove to be an even more exciting capture than the mercurial Cherki.
Indeed, it does appear that a first senior appearance is a matter of when and not if for the Emirates ace, not least having already registered 30 goals and assists in just 25 U18 appearances for the club, as per Transfermarkt.
Nicholas Oyekunle – Southampton
23
27
4
Luca Williams-Barnett – Spurs
20
19
9
Reigan Heskey – Man City
19
18
7
Dan Casey – Arsenal
21
18
1
Divine Mukaka – Man City
20
16
15
Marcus Neill – Sunderland
22
16
6
Victor Musa – Man Utd
19
16
3
Max Dowman – Arsenal
15
15
5
Matty Warhurst – Man City
21
15
2
Charles Ebuka Agbawodikeizu
14
15
0
Comfortable on the right flank or in a central role – much like Cherki – Dowman is a simply joyous talent to witness, possessing a wand of a left foot and a dazzling ability to breeze past defenders.
That was evident during the club’s FA Youth Cup run, as he put in a statement display in the semi-final clash with Manchester United, despite ending up on the losing side, having notably won and converted a penalty for the Gunners following a surging solo run from deep.
Described as a ‘superstar in the making’ by the Standard’s Simon Collings following that 3-2 loss, Dowman appears destined to follow in the footsteps of Bukayo Saka and Myles Lewis-Skelly under Mikel Arteta – provided Guardiola and co don’t make their move, of course.
While landing a talent like Cherki is nothing to be sniffed at, being able to secure arguably the ‘biggest talent in England’ from one of your Premier League rivals would certainly take the biscuit.
After Reijnders: Man City to submit bid for Mahrez 2.0 "in the next hours"
Man City’s squad overhaul looks set to continue this summer, amid Tijjani Reijnders’ expected arrival.
With the summer transfer window fast approaching, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly made contact with a £20m target who used to play for Paris Saint-Germain.
AS Roma eye Espirito Santo move
After a season full of success, Nottingham Forest could be set to become the victims of that success when the summer transfer window arrives. The Midlands club, as is often the case when clubs enjoy an unexpected rise, have already seen the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White linked with moves away and could yet lose manager Nuno Espirito Santo on top.
With reports suggesting that Italian outfit AS Roma are interested in Nuno, the Nottingham Forest boss could leave the City Ground and cause a major shock this summer. It’s a departure that Evangelos Marinakis should hope to avoid at all costs above any potential star players.
Since the boss’ arrival, Forest have simply been a side transformed from a side battling relegation into a side who will be disappointed that Champions League qualification is out of their hands.
Nottingham Forest now ready to take formal steps to sign "elegant" £51m ace
He could replace Gibbs-White.
ByTom Cunningham May 21, 2025
The Portuguese manager may just be getting started, too. With Europa League football, at the very least, now confirmed for next season, Forest should be in their strongest position for quite some time to welcome some of Europe’s impressive talents.
It goes without saying that adding depth in preparation for European football will be crucial to any success next season, and the rumours have already been coming thick and fast over just who could complete a move to the City Ground to add exactly that to Nuno’s squad.
Nottingham Forest make contact with Bulka
According to Polish outlet Meczyki, Nottingham Forest have now made contact with Marcin Bulka over a summer move to the City Ground, with Marinakis now eyeing a £20m move to sign the shot-stopper.
Fresh from a solid campaign in Ligue 1 for OGC Nice, Bulka has earned the interest of Forest and may well find himself on his way back towards Europe’s elite for the first time since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2022.
Starts
34
37
Clean Sheets
8
13
Saves per 90
4.74
4.41
Save Percentage
75.8%
74.2%
When compared to Forest No.1 Sels, who has enjoyed an excellent season in his own right, Bulka’s numbers certainly make for interesting reading. The Nice shot-stopper has just about outperformed Sels for save percentage as well as saves per 90, albeit whilst keeping fewer clean sheets.
If Forest are to strengthen, then they could do far worse than welcoming the former PSG man this summer. With plenty of football to share around next season too, having two options so similar in quality would be no bad thing.
With Forest reportedly in contact with his representatives, Bulka could certainly be one to watch in the coming months.
Chelsea lost 2-0 to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park in the Premier League on Sunday, but they could still have a successful end to the 2024/25 campaign.
The Blues are fifth in the league, on course to qualify for the Champions League, and are in the final of the Conference League after their semi-final success over Djurgarden.
Enzo Maresca and the board, however, already have one eye on the upcoming summer transfer window, as the club have reportedly held talks to sign a LaLiga star.
Chelsea at the front of the queue to sign LaLiga star
According to The Boot Room, Chelsea are one of the teams eyeing up a deal to sign Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, and they have already held talks with his representatives over a move to Stamford Bridge.
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The report claims that the Blues have had meetings with the player’s camp to convince him to make the move to England, but he is unwilling to make a final decision until the end of the season.
It also reveals that Arsenal and Chelsea are the two teams at the ‘front of the queue’ to land the Spain international, who is also of interest to Newcastle United, Manchester City, and Liverpool.
Possessing a reported release clause of £48m, it’s not a move that would totally break the bank, which is certainly good news.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal
If Williams does decide to move on from Athletic Club this summer, Maresca’s side appear to be well-positioned to swoop in, which should come as great news for Cole Palmer.
Why Nico Williams would be amazing with Cole Palmer
The Chelsea superstar would surely love it if the club signed the Spanish winger because they could be amazing together at the top end of the pitch next season and beyond.
Palmer, as evidenced by the 38 ‘big chances’ he has created in the Premier League since the start of last season, is an attacking midfielder who is constantly looking for a defence-splitting pass to create chances for his teammates.
Williams is a winger who has shown that he can finish chances effectively in LaLiga and in the Europa League this term, which suggests that he could make the most of the high-quality opportunities that the England international consistently creates.
Starts
21
12
xG
3.84
2.85
Goals
5
5
Big chances missed
2
2
Assists
5
2
As you can see in the table above, the Spanish sensation has outperformed his xG in both competitions, whilst only missing four ‘big chances’ in 33 matches.
These statistics suggest that he has the finishing quality to find the back of the net on a consistent basis if provided with the constant stream of ‘big chances’ that Palmer has proven he can create at Premier League level.
Williams, who was dubbed a “relentless” dribbler by analyst Ben Mattinson, would also come in as another young talent with room to improve at the age of 22, which means that the Spaniard and Palmer, 23, could be an exciting pairing for Chelsea for many, many, more year to come.
It is now down to the Blues to win the race for his signature in the summer transfer window because his electric pace and lethal finishing could make him an amazing partner for their creative maestro in the Premier League next season.
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