Arsenal supporters are desperate to see new faces come through the door this summer and Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on their latest pursuit.

Arsenal look to find title-winning formula in transfer window

The Gunners have plenty to be optimistic about heading into the new season as they finally look to claim the Premier League title for the first time in over 20 years.

However, Sporting Clube de Portugal president Frederico Varandas has hit out at Arsenal and Manchester United regarding the bidding process for star striker Viktor Gyokeres, making his feelings clear on the way negotiations will be handled.

He stated: “I see the agent in the press releasing information. I want to make one thing clear: Sporting has common sense and keeps its word. Gyokeres scored 63 goals and 10 assists. Fantastic performance. Certainly one of the best players to have ever stepped onto Portuguese turf. And Sporting will not demand the clause.

“Now, blackmail and insults, Sporting will not accept. One thing is certain: Sporting will not accept 60 million plus 10. As of today, Sporting has not received any proposal for Gyokeres.”

Of course, Gyokeres isn’t the only target Mikel Arteta has identified to bring to North London; the Gunners’ pursuit of RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko is still very much on the agenda.

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The Gunners could land a long-term target…

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 16, 2025

Real Madrid star Rodrygo is also being pursued by the Gunners, albeit bringing the Brazilian to the club would be a tall order in light of the financial details needed to make that happen.

The La Liga giants have been a happy hunting ground for Arsenal in the past. Nevertheless, Arteta may need to concede defeat for another target following recent reports.

Romano: Arsenal target Brahim Diaz set to pen new Real Madrid terms

Recently, reports in Spain suggested that Arsenal were willing to offer roughly £42.6 million to sign Brahim Diaz from Real Madrid having made an approach to tempt the Morocco international to the English capital.

However, despite being seen as a cheaper alternative to Rodrygo, Romano has now confirmed that he is set to sign a new deal at the Santiago Bernabéu, quashing any rumours of a switch to North London.

Diaz has already said ‘yes’ to new terms in Madrid, and finding an agreement is set to be nothing more than a formality, which may leave one or two Gunners fans feeling frustrated.

The man himself registered six goals and seven assists in 52 appearances across all competitions last term and is now involved with Real Madrid at the Club World Cup, so it may have taken Arsenal a while to get their hands on him anyway.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin on course to depart as a free agent, Everton are now reportedly keeping a close eye on an impressive striker who Erling Haaland believes is “incredibly talented”.

Calvert-Lewin set to leave Everton

After nine years at the club, Calvert-Lewin remains on course to leave at the end of his current contract this month. Everton confirmed that they are still in talks with his representatives, but a resolution at this stage does not seem likely. The Toffees, instead, must turn their focus towards replacing their forward or perhaps even finding the perfect upgrade.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton record (via Transfermarkt)

Appearances

273

Goals

71

Assists

22

The 28-year-old’s best work undoubtedly came under Carlo Ancelotti, as is the case for most players, but he hasn’t been able to reach the same quality ever since. Without the Italian, the forward’s Everton career can be summed up by looking at a frustrating injury history which often stood in the way of a talented forward ever truly reaching his potential.

In need of a replacement, the Toffees have already been linked with moves for the likes of Hamza Igamane from Rangers and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson. The latter would be a like-for-like replacement for Calvert-Lewin given his stature and ability to use that stature to his advantage whilst possessing an impressive technical ability.

In many ways, Ferguson would be a throwback to the player that Calvert-Lewin once was – a young, tall forward full of potential. The Irishman will be desperate to head down a more successful path, however, and getting his career back on track by joining David Moyes in Merseyside may be the perfect first step.

Alternatively, Everton could also turn their attention towards a Bundesliga talent who has already earned high praise from the likes of Haaland and would replace Calvert-Lewin’s goalscoring prowess from the wing.

Everton keeping close eye on Nusa

As reported by Caught Offside, Everton are now keeping a close eye on Antonio Nusa. The RB Leipzig winger has shown glimpses of his talent since swapping Club Brugge for the German side and is now reportedly valued as high as €45m (£38m).

Whether Everton are in a position to pay that price is the big question. At 20 years old, there’s no doubt that Nusa has the potential to turn that price tag into a bargain deal in years to come.

The Leipzig star stole the headlines whilst on international duty with Norway recently when he scored a sensational goal against Italy and it’s not the first time that he’s impressed for his country.

Just last year, Nusa earned impressive praise from Haaland. The Norway forward and Manchester City star told reporters: “He’s exceptional. We need to be careful not to put too much pressure on him, even though he’s incredibly talented. His continued development is what matters most.”

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The praise in Norway doesn’t get much higher than that. Simply put, Nusa is not someone that Everton should want to miss out on this summer.

The club might not have made any official announcements yet, but it feels like the transfer window is finally starting to heat up for Arsenal.

It was just last week that reports emerged about Martin Zubimendi’s medical being scheduled, and then this week, a significant number of reports claiming that the club are in concrete talks for Benjamin Sesko started coming out.

The Slovenian international might still be a little raw, but with 27 goal involvements in 45 appearances for RB Leipzig this season, it’s evident that the 22-year-old striker has an immense amount of talent and potential.

So, fans should be excited that recent reports are now linking the club to a player who’d be an ideal teammate and attacking partner for the 6 foot 5 poacher.

Arsenal in the market to sign new winger

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth having a look at some of the other stars linked with Arsenal who could be Sesko’s dream teammates, such as Morgan Rogers and Leroy Sané.

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 might cost a staggering £100m, but with 14 goals and 15 assists to his name in 54 games this season, it’s not hard to see why he’d be an ideal partner for the Leipzig star.

With his contract expiring this month, the Bayern Munich star would be a free signing, but don’t let that fool you, as his tally of 13 goals and six assists in 45 games this term shows that he’d still be a winger to pair up with the Slovenian international.

However, there is another player who’d be an even better acquisition: Nico Williams.

Yes, according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Athletic Bilbao star.

In fact, alongside London rivals Chelsea, the Italian has revealed that the Spanish international is now the club’s “dream signing.”

However, to make that dream a reality, the North Londoners will have to activate his release clause, which, according to other reports from the last few weeks, stands at about £50m.

While it wouldn’t be a cheap transfer to get done, it’s one worth pursuing for Arsenal, as Williams is both an incredible talent and someone who’d be a perfect teammate for Sesko.

Why Williams would be perfect for Sesko

There are a couple of reasons why Williams would be such an ideal signing to make alongside Sesko this summer, but the most important one is his output.

For example, in the 23/24 season, the dynamic winger scored eight goals and provided 18 assists in 37 appearances, totalling 2729 minutes.

Then, this season, he managed to score 11 goals and provide seven assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3130 minutes.

Williams’ recent form
Season	23/24	24/25
Appearances	37	45
Minutes	2729′	3130′
Goals	8	11
Asssists	18	7
Goal Involvements per Match	0.70	0.40
Minutes per Goal Involvement	104.96′	173.88′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, the Pamplona-born “level-raiser,” as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has been able to average a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or 133.15 minutes, across two campaigns.

Now, just imagine how effective the Leipzig forward could be with a winger capable of such output to his left. Not only would he receive a constant string of chances, but his own assist tally could soar with someone that effective at finishing the chances he’s shown himself capable of creating.

Moreover, as the Spaniard is such an undeniable threat, and with Bukayo Saka on the other flank, opposition defenders would have to find ways to stop all three of them, inevitably leading to more space being available for the former Salzburg gem to exploit.

Finally, signing the Bilbao gem just makes sense from a squad-building perspective, as both he and the Slovenian phenom are 22, so in theory, they’d be able to further develop and reach their full potential in tandem, meaning fans could and should expect their numbers to only improve from here on out.

Ultimately, Sesko looks like he’d be a great addition to Arsenal’s attack, but to help get even more out of him and the frontline as a whole, Arteta and Co should also be pushing to sign Williams.

Arsenal's own Wirtz: Berta now eyeing "one of the best 10s in the world"

The incredibly gifted attacking midfielder would add some much-needed dynamism to Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 4, 2025

Manchester United are closing in on their first signing of the upcoming summer transfer window, as Matheus Cunha is set to join on a permanent deal.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Brazil international is poised to arrive at Old Trafford for a fee of £62.5m to bolster Ruben Amorim’s options at the top end of the pitch.

Cunha is set to arrive as a proven Premier League star after his impressive performances for the Old Gold in the 2024/25 campaign, with a return of 15 goals and 13 ‘big chances’ created in the top-flight to steer them clear of relegation trouble.

The former Atletico Madrid star has shown that he can score goals at an impressive rate, whilst also creating high-quality chances for his teammates, and could hit the ground running in Manchester next term.

He also played as one of two number tens behind a central striker for Wolves, which means that he will be a perfect fit for Amorim’s attacking set-up.

United are also in the market for a new centre-forward to play ahead of Cunha, but it does not look like there is going to be a reunion between Amorim and Viktor Gyokeres.

The latest on Viktor Gyokeres to Man Utd

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, a deal for the Sweden international is ‘almost off the table’ for Manchester United in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The journalist claims that the former Coventry City star is not eyeing up a move to Old Trafford, but it is unclear if that has anything to do with the fact that the Red Devils will not be playing European football next season.

Amorim signed Gyokeres for Sporting in the summer of 2023, from the Sky Blues, and the impressive marksman scored 66 goals in 68 appearances in all competitions under the Portuguese head coach.

The news that the 26-year-old superstar is looking unlikely to return to England to sign for United this summer may come as a blow to supporters who may have been excited by the prospect.

Appearances

33

33

xG

22.71

30.95

Goals

29

39

Minutes per goal

101

72

Conversion rate

25%

29%

Big chances created

11

11

Assists

10

7

As you can see in the table above, Gyokeres has been incredibly prolific during his time in Portugal, mostly under Amorim, with 68 goals in 66 league matches for Sporting.

However, the Manchester United head coach could find his next version of the striker if the latest update on their pursuit of a Premier League forward pans out.

Man Utd expected to sign English striker

According to The Telegraph, Manchester United are ‘widely expected’ to win the race to sign Ipswich Town centre-forward Liam Delap in the summer transfer window, and he could arrive as their second signing after Cunha.

The report claims that the Red Devils are likely to sign the England U21 international from the Tractor Boys after they were relegated from the Premier League, one year on from his move to Suffolk from Manchester City.

Transfer Focus

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

It reveals that Nottingham Forest are also interested in signing the former Hull City loanee ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but it is expected that the young marksman will opt for a move to Old Trafford instead.

Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this month that the striker has a release clause in his Ipswich Town contract that will allow clubs to sign him for just £30m this summer, which could make him a bargain addition for United.

If Delap, as expected, ends up joining Manchester United before the end of the summer transfer window, Amorim could mould him into his new version of Gyokeres.

Why Liam Delap could be the next Viktor Gyokeres

The obvious goalscoring quality aside, one of the Swedish star’s best attributes is his physicality in the number nine position, with his running power and his raw strength to hold off opposition players.

Manager Slaven Bilic once hailed his physical qualities, saying: “He (Gyokeres) is a very strong striker, a player who can not only keep and hold the ball but he can hurt you. He can run into the channels and he’s strong.”

Delap, dubbed a “monster” by teammate Alex Palmer, is cut from the same cloth as Gyokeres as a physical, hard-working, centre-forward who does not give opposition defenders an easy afternoon.

Pundit Paul Robinson praised his physicality earlier this season, saying: “He (Delap) is a pest. He is a nuisance. He is always there on the shoulders of the centre-backs. He is making runs in the channels. He is always available. When it looks like he isn’t going to win the ball, he puts his body in between the player and the ball, somehow managing to win a free-kick or something for his team.”

The clip above illustrates the kind of raw power and pace Delap can provide in the number nine role for Manchester United, but the next step for him is to prove that he can score enough goals to fire a team to a title.

He has shown promise in that respect after an excellent year with the Tractor Boys, in spite of their relegation back down to the Championship.

Appearances

37

32

xG

9.34

5.24

Goals

12

4

Conversion rate

18%

13%

Big chances created

3

4

Assists

2

0

As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international would already come in as a big upgrade on Hojlund as a goalscorer at Premier League level, after an impressive haul of 12 goals in his debut season in the top-flight.

Manchester United are set to sign an incredibly gifted creative talent in Cunha, who could provide Delap with the chances he needs to improve his output from 12 to closer to the likes of Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland, if he can remain consistent as an effective finisher.

Man Utd's "outrageously good" flop has been better than McTominay in 24/25

INEOS must terribly regret letting this player leave Old Trafford.

ByAngus Sinclair May 25, 2025

That could, then, complete his transformation into becoming an elite Premier League centre-forward and Amorim’s next Gyokeres, as a clinical and physical centre-forward with plenty of time ahead of him to develop even further.

Everton have room for manoeuvre in the transfer market and could use their newfound stability to their advantage in pursuit of a Premier League star who has had a glittering career, according to a report.

Everton set to freshen up in attacking areas

With Beto emerging as the main force behind Everton’s climb up the table under David Moyes, there is plenty of work to be done in the window as the Toffees go about restructuring across their front four positions.

Jack Harrison and Armando Broja were among several loanees to depart following the conclusion of their loan spells. Meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin appears destined to follow by leaving the club once his contract expires.

After missing out on Liam Delap to Chelsea, plenty of other contenders to add another option through the middle have begun to crop up amid Everton’s move to the newly-named Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Villarreal star Thierno Barry is on Moyes’ radar this summer and has a release clause of £34 million inserted into his current agreement at the La Liga outfit.

In addition, Fenerbache forward Oguz Adyin is being tracked by Everton and is capable of playing on either flank or through the middle, indicating that finding versatility may be the order of the day for the Friedkin Group.

Everton enter race to sign England full-back who can play on both flanks

He could be a brilliant addition for David Moyes.

By
Henry Jackson

Jun 7, 2025

Sourcing a reliable stream of goals is one thing, though many would argue that despite the Toffees being an extremely tough nut to crack, a lack of creativity was their undoing last term.

Seeking to negate a common theme of recent years, Everton have now received encouragement in pursuit of a solution to that problem.

Everton could sign Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City

According to Graeme Bailey in conversation with Everton News, Everton could have a plausible chance of signing Jack Grealish from Manchester City on a loan basis with an option to buy as long as they can find a way to foot part of his £300,000 per week wages.

He explained: “Grealish is the highest paid English player in the Premier League – over £300,000-a-week – what would and could Everton afford, maybe half at best – but who covers the rest.

Has Jack Grealish been a success at Manchester City?
Appearances	157
Goals	17
Assists	23
Transfer fee upon arrival	£100 million
Trophies won	3x Premier League, 1x FA Cup, 1x UEFA Champions League, 1x UEFA Super Cup 1x FIFA Club World Cup

“City know they will need to cover some wages, so it is not impossible – indeed, a loan with an option makes things plausible and the chance to stay in the North West, I wouldn’t rule Everton out. They are still in the market for a Richarlison, so imagine him and Grealish heading into the new stadium – would raise a few eyebrows for sure.”

Everton aren’t the only club circling to sign the Three Lions international, who has previously been labelled “excellent” by Paul Dickov.

Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa all keen on Grealish if the price is right, indicating that he still has more to give at the elite level.

Even in a disappointing campaign from a personal standpoint, the 29-year-old created 24 chances on Premier League duty as the Citizens claimed a place in next season’s Champions League.

Needing more minutes to stake a claim for England’s 2026 World Cup squad, Everton could be the ideal destination due to their dearth of options out wide.

Surrey loanee the spark with the ball as Gloucestershire ship 13 wickets in the day

ECB Reporters Network25-Jun-2024

On-loan Conor McKerr took five wickets in the day as Yorkshire wrapped up a first win of 2024•Getty Images for Surrey CCC

Yorkshire 456 (Bean 164, Lyth 129, Singh Dale 3-70) beat Gloucestershire 197 (Revis 3-30, Thompson 3-37) and 237 (Akhter 70, Hill 3-43, McKerr 3-48) by an innings and 22 runsYorkshire claimed 13 wickets in the day to wrap up a three-day innings-and-22-run victory over Gloucestershire at Scarborough – their first of this season’s Vitality County Championship.At the eighth attempt, Yorkshire recorded a 22-point haul to breathe life into a promotion push which has struggled to get out of the blocks since being labelled as Division Two title favourites before a ball was bowled in April.This performance, with bat and ball, was one which indicated such a pedigree.Gloucestershire, replying to a first-innings 456, started day three on 168 for 7 in their first innings and were made to follow-on 259 runs in arrears having been bowled out for 197. Seam bowling allrounders Jordan Thompson and Matthew Revis finished with three wickets apiece.The visitors, who suffered their second defeat in eight, started their second innings at midday and were bowled out for 237 after tea. Seamer Zaman Akhter hit a consolatory career best 70.On-loan Surrey fast bowler Conor McKerr, making his Championship debut for Yorkshire, impressed by taking five wickets in the day – two at the end of the first innings and three more in the second. He was on a hat-trick twice and claimed the winning wicket.Despite losing Ben Charlesworth, bowled by Vishwa Fernando in the second over, Gloucestershire made an encouraging start to their second innings.They reached 55 for 1 thanks to Cameron Bancroft and Ollie Price, who were in determined mood. But, just as they did on day two in striking five times late in the day, Yorkshire remained patient and took their chance when it arrived.Price, Bancroft and James Bracey all fell in the space of five afternoon overs, leaving the score at 73 for 4 in the 28th over.Price edged Revis to fourth slip to fall for 27 before Bancroft, on 26, was trapped lbw by a big in-swinger from George Hill. And then came a catch which will be a strong contender for the best of the summer anywhere on the county circuit as Adam Lyth helped Sri Lankan overseas Fernando oust Bracey.Gloucestershire’s wicketkeeper-batter aimed a pull at the left-arm quick but could only cue-end it to Lyth’s left at second slip. Diving full-length to his left, Lyth held a one-handed stunner to continue a memorable game for the veteran on his home ground having scored 129 in the first innings amidst an opening partnership of 307 with Fin Bean, who made 164.When captain Graeme van Buuren edged a drive behind at Thompson – 82 for 5 in the 33rd over – the writing was on the wall for Gloucestershire.So it proved. McKerr struck twice in two balls late in the afternoon to get Miles Hammond caught at leg-slip off a gloved pull and Ed Middleton caught at second slip.Earlier in the day, Surrey’s McKerr helped polish off Gloucestershire’s tail in the first innings, finishing with figures of 2 for 28 from 17.3 overs. In the second innings, he returned 3 for 48 from 11.4 overs.Hill claimed the seventh wicket of the afternoon in its closing stages, Beau Webster caught behind for 30 to leave Gloucestershire 158 for 8.Akhter gave the visitors some cheer with three sixes off Dom Bess’s offspin. One, reverse-swept over cover, was fabulous and he reached his fifty off 54 balls in the early evening. He shared 58 for the ninth wicket with Dom Goodman to hold things up before being bowled by Hill.McKerr then had Ajeet Singh Dale caught behind down leg to seal victory. Goodman finished with a career best unbeaten 38.Yorkshire wrapped up Gloucestershire’s first innings, which resumed on 168 for 7, inside the opening 50 minutes of the play. Thompson added his third wicket of the innings – Akhter caught at first slip – before McKerr wrapped things up.McKerr has been with the county for the last few weeks, playing four times in the Vitality Blast. A peripheral figure at the Kia Oval, he trapped Goodman lbw and had Singh Dale caught at mid-on next ball.

Quick bowler wants role in World Cup but says control and variety will be key to success

Andrew Miller29-Jun-2024Lauren Filer insists that England will not be getting ahead of themselves in their ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, despite a comprehensive nine-wicket victory in the series opener in Durham. Nevertheless, she admits that the T20 World Cup in October, and her potential role on those slower wickets in Bangladesh, will be a factor in her preparations for the rest of the summer.Filer, England’s fastest bowler, made her second ODI appearance of the summer on Wednesday, opening alongside Lauren Bell for the first time, with Kate Cross missing the series with an abdominal strain. She made a strong impact, bowling five powerplay overs for 18 and claiming the key early wicket of Suzie Bates, before passing the baton to England’s formidable trio of spinners, who claimed seven wickets between them in bowling New Zealand out for 156.England’s openers, Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier, then picked off the bulk of those runs in a 137-run stand spanning 17.2 overs, to extend the team’s recent dominance over New Zealand, whom they beat in six matches out of eight across white-ball formats on their tour of the country in March and April.Related

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“We will definitely not underestimate New Zealand as a team,” Filer said on the eve of the second ODI in Worcester. “We know that they can hit a big ball and take wickets as well, so we’ve got to be careful. We don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves and throw everything at it, without actually thinking about it, but we’re just all up for our performance, and taking the momentum from the last game into the next one.”Filer herself took particular pride in her economy-rate (3.60) in the Durham fixture. Despite having been told by Jon Lewis, England’s head coach, that wickets were the key thing that she could offer, and that going for a few extra runs did not matter in the grander scheme of things, she conceded just two boundaries and one wide in her pacy new-ball burst, and admitted that it gave her a lift to perform her primary role with gusto without maintaining an extra level of control.”Lewy’s always told me that runs don’t matter as much,” Filer said. “But in Durham it was lovely to have that control. To only go at three and a half, it was really nice to see that on the scoreboard when when I turned around, because I wouldn’t have necessarily had that control this time last year.”It is evidence, Filer feels, of a greater understanding of her own game, and one that augurs well for a potential tweaking of her role at the World Cup, where there may be a greater need to mix up her lengths and paces to mitigate for the slower conditions.”On the pitch we played on in Durham – and most of the pitches in England – the top of stumps is the best option,” she said. “With the slower pitches, I’ll be using that quicker ball, but then it’ll be about having slower balls or yorkers, and anything that grips into the pitch, and using them wisely. I didn’t feel like I needed to do that in the last game, but moving forward, I might be able to show what I could do.”Lauren Filer celebrates the wicket of Suzie Bates in the first ODI•Getty ImagesFiler’s raw pace, allied to her growing range of variations, means she could yet be deployed at the World Cup in a similar role to that which Jofra Archer performs for the men – with an impact at the top and tail of the innings, plus an ability to return in the middle of an innings if a breakthrough is required.”I’d love to do what Jofra does,” she said. “Obviously he has a great amount of control and his slower balls take a lot of wickets. But I’m trying not to look too far ahead. I wouldn’t say I’ve had a specific role given to me yet, but we’ll see where we’re at closer to the time.”I feel like I’ve worked quite hard on my accuracy, especially since my debut,” she added. “I think I’m in a good place with that. It’s about trying to move away from my stock ball and show my variations, and actually use them as a threat. When you come up against the best players, you’re not able to bowl the same ball all the time. So I’ll keep working on them until the World Cup.”Filer admits there’s no guarantees of a central role at the World Cup, especially given the ubiquity of England’s spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn. “It’s so hard as a seamer, you really want to play but you can’t push any of them out of the team,” she said. “They’re just absolutely world-class. Even if one of them doesn’t have the best day, the other two will come flying in with three or four wickets.But whatever happens, Filer knows she’ll have the support of a dressing-room which she describes as “the best environment I’ve ever been in”.”It’s just somewhere that you can be yourself,” she said. “As a team, we trust each other to do the things we do well, and that’s really important. Even on a day when it doesn’t go well, knowing that you’ve got the support of your team-mates when you come off the field, and a shoulder to cry on, that’s something really special, and something hopefully we can carry on throughout the years.”

Manchester United are in the market for talent with the hunger to improve their squad and could look to an England Under-21 international amid his reported affordability this summer.

Manchester United hard at work on summer signings

With Matheus Cunha already through the door at Old Trafford, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo could be next on the list for the Red Devils as Ruben Amorim looks to sharpen his blunt attack ahead of the new campaign.

However, there could also be movement down the other end of the pitch, with former scout Mick Brown hinting that Manchester United will step up their transfer pursuit of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez on the assumption that they are able to sell Andre Onana.

He stated: “Man United have made it clear they would like to sign Martinez. They’ll take whatever they can get for Onana, and then they’ll make contact with Aston Villa and see if they can get a deal over the line.

“He’s seen as a huge upgrade on Onana so they’re prepared to take a hit to get things moving. If Man United could swap Onana for Martinez tomorrow, they’d jump at it. Martinez is in his 30s now, but he’s a very capable goalkeeper and they’re not concerned about that.“

Atalanta’s Marco Carnasecchi is also in the frame to replace Onana, with the Red Devils prepared to submit a £43 million bid to land the Italy Under-21 international.

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He wants to leave.

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Despite their poor Premier League position last term, Manchester United have certain pulling power that is hard to ignore for prospective recruits, as witnessed with the likes of Cunha and potentially, Mbeumo.

Now, Amorim will hope to put that to good use amid recent reports associating the Red Devils with a move for a talented English midfielder.

Manchester United discover Hayden Hackney price-tag

According to EFL Analysis, in a conversation with journalist Graeme Bailey, Manchester United have watched Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney Hackney alongside almost every other club in the English top-flight due to his standout displays at the Riverside Stadium.

Providing further insight, Bailey has claimed that the England Under-21 international could be available for as little as £20 million this summer, though there is potential for £25 million being needed before the prospect of a switch could be seriously considered.

“Hayden Hackney obviously does have a lot of interest from some teams in Europe and in England there are a host of clubs who have watched him; there isn’t a single Premier League club who hasn’t watched Hackney,” said Bailey.

“He’s doing well and Middlesbrough will have a price on him. If someone comes in with £20-25m it’ll be very hard for Middlesbrough to turn that down. It’s pure profit. There is an awful lot of interest in him. Obviously he is at the U21 Euros with England now and doing well there. Do I expect Hackney to still be at Boro come September? I’d be surprised at this point if he was still there.

“So yes, I do expect Hackney will go. The likes of Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, Man United, and West Ham have watched him.”

Hayden Hackney’s key statistics in 2024/25 – EFL Championship (Fotmob)

Chances created

66

Successful dribbles

39

Touches in opposition penalty area

73

Tackles won

56

Recoveries

281

Hackney – called “exciting” and “one of the finest midfielders outside the Premier League” by pundit Carlton Palmer – registered five goals and three assists in 44 appearances across all competitions last campaign, though was powerless to stop Middlesbrough being unable to make the playoff berths.

Nevertheless, his displays haven’t gone unnoticed, and Manchester United may feel they can bring some youthful exuberance to an ageing engine room should they secure his signature.

Fending off competition from other clubs is always a tough task. However, Amorim’s men have proven they can do that already in the window, so it wouldn’t be a major shock if they were to repeat the trick with Hackney.

Birmingham City is no longer a sleeping giant aiming to take a lower league by storm.

Now, the Blues are back in the ultra-competitive Championship, desperate to prove that they belong at the level, with an ambition in their veins to push on even more after lifting the League One title with ease.

Mega-rich Birmingham chairman Tom Wagner has even been hyping up the prospect of Chris Davies’ men being back in the Premier League by 2026 coming around, meaning the Blues will have to instantly take the EFL’s elite league by storm on their reentry.

It will be intriguing to see if all this pressure on Birmingham’s back hurts their progress, but the step up a league will also be an opportunity for the likes of Paik Seung-Ho to show they can strut their stuff in a more difficult environment, away from breaking the bank to fund their top-flight dreams.

Paik's performances in League One

Whilst Davies and Co. did bring in some proven EFL faces such as Alfie May and Jay Stansfield last summer, the Blues had sanctioned some left-field moves before their relegation took place, particularly when Paik arrived at St. Andrew’s from South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in January of 2024.

Thankfully for Birmingham, it didn’t take long for Paik to get up to speed with his new surroundings, with the midfield maestro even netting a solitary goal in the Championship before they fell to the third tier.

The energetic 28-year-old ended up being a key part of the Birmingham side down a division too, with the Blues number 13 collecting another strike in league action as his confident team were resoundingly crowned champions, on top of also registering three assists.

Yet, now as they venture back up to the Championship, the ambitious Blues could soon land an upgrade on the stylish South Korean by signing this former Manchester United youth product.

Birmingham's search for a midfielder

Birmingham have had lots of success in the past when purchasing former Red Devils prodigies, with the likes of Tahith Chong and Jesse Lingard shining at St. Andrew’s briefly, before spreading their wings elsewhere.

Indeed, Chong registered 13 goals and assists in 61 games for the Midlands side, with Lingard previously racking up nine goal involvements in just 13 outings on loan at the club.

Charlie Savage’s name could soon be thrown into this mix, with a previous report from Football Insider revealing that Birmingham are prepared to battle it out for the £2m-rated star’s services, amidst interest also coming from Wrexham, Blackburn Rovers, and Portsmouth.

Much like Paik, Savage is fresh off a standout season in League One, albeit in a Reading side with many off-field struggles that nearly derailed matters on the pitch.

When looking at the table below, too, it could be argued that the Royals’ number eight is even an upgrade on his South Korean counterpart, with Savage tallying up more goals and assists last season for Noel Hunt’s men when weighed up next to Paik’s lesser output.

Games played

45

41

Goals scored

5

1

Assists

9

3

Touches*

47.8

66.2

Accurate passes*

27.0 (80%)

45.2 (88%)

Key passes*

1.3

1.0

Big chances created

5

8

Big chances missed

3

3

Ball recoveries*

3.7

4.0

Total duels won*

2.3

4.4

Amazingly, despite averaging fewer touches per match last season in League One, Savage would better Paik’s goal-and-assist tally by a whopping ten, with the 22-year-old’s effectiveness in forward areas perhaps a useful weapon for the Blues to call upon as they strive to ruffle feathers back in the Championship.

He does fall flat when weighing up their respective ball recovery and duels won numbers, but that’s where Tomoki Iwata could come to the rescue in any potential duo, with Iwata just about trumping Paik with 4.5 ball recoveries averaged per third-tier clash.

Hailed as “first class” by former Wales manager Rob Page when first thrown into the Red Dragons senior side, Savage should, in theory, be able to immediately slot into Davies’ team and take to the pressures of the Championship well, resulting in Paik having to make do with a spot in the background.

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Chelsea transfer chiefs are in the market for new attackers whilst Enzo Maresca’s men tackle their Club World Cup campaign, with the Blues looking to provide their manager with extra firepower ahead of a crucial second season for him.

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Maresca won his first piece of silverware by smashing Real Betis 4-1 in the Conference League final, and before that, he guided Chelsea to a top five Premier League finish which gifted them a spot in next season’s Champions League draw.

The Italian’s first season in the Chelsea dugout was an undoubted success, and he could still add to their celebrations with a potential Club World Cup triumph in America.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Winning the CWC could bring a seismic financial windfall of nearly £100 million to Cobham’s coffers, so despite the tournament’s controversy, it is little surprise that sides taking part are serious about performing well.

A portion of their final earnings from the CWC could be put towards Chelsea’s recruitment drive, and it is widely believed that they’re prioritising the signing of a new winger in particular.

Chelsea are back in talks to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Jamie Gittens as their top target for this position, despite having as many as three bids rejected for the Englishman before the pre-CWC transfer deadline (Florian Plettenberg).

As negotiations re-open for the Englishman, there are suggestions that Chelsea could even bring in two wingers this summer, especially if they end up selling Noni Madueke, which is seen as a real possibility (Simon Phillips).

Jadon Sancho’s return to Man United and news of Mykhailo Mudryk’s potential four-year ban for allegedly violating anti-doping rules has exacerbated Maresca’s need for a new forward, while Chelsea also remain on the hunt for a second striker after Liam Delap.

Chelsea hold talks over Brighton star Joao Pedro

One man who’s on Chelsea radar, and can play out wide, in attacking midfield or up front, comes in the form of Brighton star Joao Pedro.

The Brazil international bagged 10 goals and seven assists for Fabian Hurzeler’s side across all competitions last term, prompting rumoured interest from Chelsea and Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

According to Standard Sport, Chelsea have held talks over Pedro, and those conversations are continuing behind-the-scenes as BlueCo look to reinforce Maresca’s squad with further attacking additions.

This follows a report from talkSPORT that Newcastle are fearful of a Chelsea move for the 23-year-old, with there being concerns inside St. James’ Park that they could hijack their deal.

The sticking point will likely be Pedro’s £70 million valuation, but according to ex-Premier League chief scout Mick Brown recently, the player has spoken to friends about potentially joining Chelsea this summer, so there could be a willingness on the player’s side.

“I hear he’s spoken to people around him about a move, and he would be interested in Chelsea,” Brown told Football Insider.

“He wants to make a step up from Brighton as they’re going to miss out on European football again. It’s just a case of whether they decide he’s the right man for the job.”