Using Evangelos Marinakis’ extensive portfolio of clubs to their advantage, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly willing to meet one target’s price-tag this summer in pursuit of boosting their attacking options.

Nottingham Forest plotting statement summer

With just six games to go in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest sit third and four points clear of Manchester City in sixth, who are on course to miss out on Champions League football. And whilst there will still be some nerves around the City Ground, the fact that fifth will still be enough to secure a place among Europe’s elite should give them more than enough of a safety net.

Nuno Espirito Santo recently delivered his verdict on the positive Champions League news, albeit whilst reiterating that it will not change the approach that Nottingham Forest take.

The manager told reporters in the build-up to his side’s game against Everton: “It’s in our hands. It opens one more space so there is more contenders but for us it doesn’t change anything. Our approach will be the same. I think we have a great opportunity to achieve something great.”

Bringing European football back to the City Ground would leave Espirito Santo’s name cemented in the history books, but this season’s success may yet just be the start of a special era.

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Qualification for next season’s Champions League would mean that a place in Nottingham Forest’s squad would suddenly be among the most attractive in the Premier League and that has already seen a number of targets lined up ahead of the summer transfer window.

Names as big as Victor Osimhen have even been mentioned on Forest’s radar, whilst they could also look towards South America for incomings.

Nottingham Forest willing to meet Clayton's valuation

According to Record, as relayed by Sports Witness, Nottingham Forest are now willing to spend in the race to sign Clayton this summer. The impressive centre-forward is currently on loan from Vasco da Gama at Rio Ave – a club also owned by Marinakis – in a deal that is expected to become permanent when the summer transfer window arrives.

Of course, if that does prove to be the case then Forest’s pursuit should become far easier thanks to Marinakis. The Greek owner could use his place at both sides to help connect any potential deal this summer, which would reportedly be worth around €10m (£9m) – a price Nottingham Forest are willing to pay.

26 years old and at the peak of his powers having scored 17 goals and assisted a further two in all competitions so far this season, Clayton could quickly turn into the bargain of the summer if he carried over his form from Portugal to the Midlands.

Given that Chris Wood is now 33 years old and Taiwo Awoniyi remains unconvincing too, Nottingham Forest could make their move to sign the forward at the perfect time.

A “great” Sunderland player is believed to be wanted by rivals Newcastle United ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a worrying new update from The Athletic.

Sunderland preparing for Championship playoff drama

It has been an excellent season for the Black Cats under Regis Le Bris, with a place in the Championship playoffs now mathematically certain, which is a great achievement from this young squad.

That’s despite Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Swansea City, which has to go down as one of the more disappointing results of the campaign, considering their opponents are in 12th place with little to play for.

Sunderland sit fourth in the Championship table and 12 points ahead of Bristol City below them, as well as four points adrift of third-place Sheffield United, who have lost their last three matches.

For that reason, it doesn’t look like the Black Cats’ position will change between now and the end of the season, meaning Le Bris’ side will face a playoff semi-final against whoever ends up finishing fifth.

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A place in the Premier League next season would improve their chances of keeping hold of key men, and a big update has emerged regarding one such player.

"Great" Sunderland ace being eyed up by Newcastle

According to a report from The Athletic, Newcastle are eyeing highly-rated Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg this summer.

It is also stated that “West Ham scouts have monitored the development” of the £25m-rated teenage star, with the Magpies and Manchester United also “among his admirers”.

Seeing Rigg leave Sunderland for Newcastle doesn’t even bear thinking about for anyone of a Black Cats persuasion, given the rivalry between the two clubs.

Not only that, but the 17-year-old is also arguably the club’s most prized asset, with Jobe Bellingham waxing lyrical over him last month after he and his teammate won a Young Player of the Year award:

“Every day he trains like he wants to get better, with a great ambition and a great desire. So that’s the best thing for me really. The talent kind of comes secondary, which he definitely has, but him as a person, he’s always going to keep improving because of that hunger that he’s got, which for me is like, they’re the players you want to be playing with. So Riggy fully deserves the award, as I’ve said, and he’s just got to keep going because he’s on to big things.”

Realistically, Sunderland will be aware that they can’t keep hold of Rigg forever, with the midfielder likely to have lofty ambitions, potentially ending up at one of the biggest clubs in the country.

A switch to rivals Newcastle would be controversial, however, with Magpies supporters no doubt reminding Black Cats fans of it for many years to come, should a transfer materialise.

Celtic are closing in on a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title and are in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup, with a chance to clinch a domestic treble.

Their ongoing success on the pitch this season has not stopped the club from looking to bolster their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window, though, as they have already agreed to sign Kieran Tierney on a free transfer.

The Scotland international is returning to Parkhead for the first time since his £25m move to Arsenal in the summer of 2019, which made him the most expensive Hoops academy graduate in history.

Most expensive Celtic academy graduate sales

Celtic have produced some excellent players from their academy, as the likes of Andy Robertson, Aaron Hickey, and Ben Doak have come through the youth set-up, but they have not always extracted great value out of their young talents.

Tierney’s £25m move to Arsenal is one of only three sales in the club’s history involving an academy graduate that was worth more than £1.6m, as shown in the table below.

Celtic’s most expensive academy graduate sales
Player	Fee
Kieran Tierney	£25m reported fee
Aiden McGeady	£10.3m
Mikey Johnston	£3m
Craig Beattie	£1.6m
Stephen McManus	£1.5m
Charlie Nicholas	£1.4m
Fees via Transfermarkt & Sky Sports

The Hoops have not been able to consistently produce high-value assets that they have been able to sell for millions, which is something that they may look to improve on in the coming years.

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Celtic, actually, had an exciting young academy prospect on their hands last season in the form of Rocco Vata, before they failed to convince him to extend his contract at Parkhead, and he left to join Watford for a compensation fee of £250k.

Rocco Vata is now being compared to a £100m talent

The Ireland international scored 23 goals in 34 B team matches for the Scottish giants, but only played three minutes in the Scottish Premiership last season before his exit last summer.

Since joining Watford, Vata has scored four goals and provided three assists in 33 first-team matches for the Hornets in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, and has earned a comparison to a player who has been valued at a whopping £100m.

Oxford City scout and recruitment analyst Hayden on X compared the Irish whiz to Tyler Dibling, suggesting that he would be a suitable alternative to teams interested in the Southampton teen, and that he was “impressed” by the Watford star.

The Saints have reportedly placed a £100m price tag over Dibling’s head, despite the 19-year-old having produced two goals and zero assists in 28 Premier League games this season.

Vata, who talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed has an “exciting” future, has scored three goals, created four ‘big chances’, and delivered three assists in 29 appearances in the Championship for the Hornets, showing great promise at such a young age.

It remains to be seen whether or not Southampton will sell Dibling for £100m or how much Watford would demand for their Irish 19-year-old starlet, but he appears to be on track to be another player Celtic have lost before they could extract maximum value from them.

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The Hoops must, therefore, regret not being able to keep hold of him last summer because he is a talented young prospect who could have had an exciting future at Parkhead, given his first-team emergence in the English Championship this term and the comparison to a £100m-rated starlet.

Aston Villa have four games left to save their season. It has been a frustrating few weeks after they were knocked out of the FA Cup and the Champions League, leaving themselves without a chance to win a trophy.

The Villans, however, can still clinch a successful campaign by finishing in the top five in the Premier League to secure a place in the Champions League for the 2025/26 campaign.

Unai Emery’s side, who were narrowly beaten by PSG in the quarter-finals of the competitions this term, are looking to climb at least two places in the Premier League table to land a spot in Europe’s premier cup competition.

The Villans are currently seventh in the top-flight, three points behind Chelsea in fifth spot, and this means that there is still plenty to play for heading into the final four games of the campaign.

David Ornstein reported earlier this week that Marcus Rashford, however, is unlikely to play any part in those four matches after sustaining a hamstring injury that looks set to end his season.

One of the club’s other loan stars, Marco Asensio, could step up to be a difference-maker in the remaining games to make up for the English star’s absence.

Why Marco Asensio's Aston Villa move has been a big success

The Villans swooped to sign the Spain international from PSG in the January transfer window on loan until the end of the season, without an option to make the deal permanent.

Asensio was, essentially, brought in to provide the team with an instant boost, and that is exactly what the 29-year-old dynamo has done over the past three months or so.

The Spanish star has scored eight goals and provided one assist in all competitions for Villa to date, including two goals in one game against Club Brugge in the Champions League.

These statistics show that Asensio has succeeded in making an instant impact at Villa Park with his contributions at the top end of the pitch, which has also been the case in the Premier League specifically.

24/25 Premier League

Marco Asensio

Appearances (starts)

9 (5)

xG

4.18

Goals

3

Key passes per game

1.3

Assists

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the PSG loanee has been directly involved in four goals in five starts in the top-flight, despite missing two penalties in one match against Southampton earlier this month.

The loan move has, therefore, been a big success so far because he has made the desired impact in the final third since joining on a temporary basis from the French giants.

It was reported by TEAMtalk in March that Villa have opened talks over a possible deal to sign the winger on a permanent basis for a fee of £18m in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Instead of splashing £18m on the 29-year-old attacker, however, Emery could find a perfect replacement for Asensio by bringing Emiliano Buendia back into the first-team fold, after his loan at Bayer Leverkusen expires.

The former Norwich City winger could return to take the Spanish gem’s place in the squad next season, saving the club £18m in the process.

Why Emi Buendia could be Marco Asensio's replacement

It is fair to say that Buendia has not lived up to the hype that came alongside his, at the time, club-record £33m move from the Canaries in the summer of 2021.

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The Argentina international produced nine goals and nine assists in 78 appearances in all competitions in his first two seasons at Villa Park, which is a decent, but unspectacular, return, for an attacking midfielder.

The diminutive talent arrived at the club off the back of a haul of 15 goals and 16 assists in the Championship for Norwich in the 2020/21 campaign, but failed to immediately translate that kind of form over to the top-flight with Villa.

Unfortunately, Buendia then suffered an ACL injury ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and missed a whopping 56 competitive matches, and 328 days of action, before his return in the summer of 2024.

This disrupted his development at Villa and caused him to fall down the pecking order by the time he returned to the team at the start of this season.

Buendia played just 124 minutes of football across 12 substitute appearances in the Premier League during the first half of the current campaign, along with one goal – against Wycombe Wanderers – in two starts in the League Cup.

His lack of minutes on the pitch during the first half of the season led to him being sent out on loan to Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen until the end of the campaign.

The 28-year-old star, who was once described as a “little warrior” by Steven Gerrard, has scored two goals and created two ‘big chances’ in nine appearances and two starts in the Bundesliga to date, most recently impressing against Augsburg last weekend.

Vs Augsburg (H)

Emi Buendia

Minutes

64

xG

0.09

Goals

1

Key passes

1

Dribbles completed

1/1

Ground duels won

4/6

Aerial duels won

2/2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Buendia put in a fantastic all-round display for Leverkusen on the wing, winning his duels, creating a chance, and scoring a goal from a low xG chance.

It further illustrates how good the Argentine star, who once provided an unbelievable assist for Norwich in the clip above, can be on his day at the top level.

Buendia is yet to justify his £33m price tag at Aston Villa but his form since joining Leverkusen and his incredible performances for the Canaries in the past suggest that is worth giving him one more chance to impress in pre-season to save his Villa career.

The right-footed wizard has the potential to come back as the perfect replacement for Asensio as an attacking midfielder who can provide goals and assists, if he can finally hit his stride in the Midlands, and that means that he could save the club £18m by preventing them from needing to sign the Spaniard permanently.

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It is now down to Emery to provide the former Norwich maestro with a chance, in pre-season, to show that his loan spell with Leverkusen has helped him to rediscover his best form.

Arsenal are “ready to pay” the price needed to sign a Premier League star who manager Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta both want at the Emirates, according to reliable journalist David Ornstein.

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With no games to worry about this weekend, Arsenal are currently anticipating their most important game of the season so far – a blockbuster Champions League semi-final first leg clash against Ligue 1 champions PSG.

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Arsenal blew away Real Madrid in the last round, knocking Carlo Ancelotti’s 15-time European champions out in the quarter-finals via a 5-1 aggregate scoreline, and they’ll take plenty of encouragement from what was a truly dominant display over two legs against one of the continent’s most feared sides.

Luis Enrique’s side pose an equally tough test, if not more so, having enjoyed an excellent Champions League campaign to date whilst remaining unbeaten in Ligue 1.

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

PSG are the media’s favourites to win this year’s Champions League, but you can never discount an Arsenal side absolutely brimming with quality.

Arsenal's transfer plans for this summer

Away from the pitch, Berta and co are already planning for next season by identifying the club’s preferred summer signings. According to some reports, Arsenal want to reinforce the goalkeeping department, full-back area and in midfield, whilst also potentially signing a new left-winger, right-winger and striker (GiveMeSport).

A new centre-back to rotate with Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba isn’t out of the question either, with Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen reliably believed to be a top target for the Gunners.

Arsenal have held talks with Huijsen’s representatives ahead of the summer window, according to multiple media sources, after his excellent debut season in the Premier League where he’s seriously impressed under Andoni Iraola.

The 20-year-old, who actually scored against north London rivals Tottenham earlier this season, will be allowed to leave for £50 million – the value of his release clause.

Arsenal "ready to pay" release clause for Dean Huijsen

Now, as per Ornstein in a Q&A for The Athletic, Arsenal are “ready to pay” Huijsen’s release clause after negotiating with his camp recently. It is also believed that Arteta and Berta are both huge fans of the ex-Serie A centre-back, but they still face stiff competition from rivals.

“It is strong and they remain in contention,” said Ornstein on Arsenal’s interest in Huijsen.

“They are among the clubs (with Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham) who have met his representatives, with Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta keen to sign the Spain international. Whether or not Arsenal win the race is unclear because it’s still open and I’m not aware of a front-runner between them, Chelsea and Liverpool to date. Real Madrid has always carried huge appeal to Huijsen, we hear, but so far they haven’t moved on this situation, and I’m sure he is philosophical about that. Previously, I think Kiwior exiting Arsenal was highly possible… that might be less certain following his recent rise to prominence.

“Either way, Huijsen would play a lot of football at Arsenal, and they can now show him many examples of how, under Arteta, players have developed extremely well and become top-level talents. Now, this doesn’t mean he will opt for them; there are pros and cons to each of the suitors, all of whom are ready to pay the release clause. Huijsen and Bournemouth want it sorted sooner rather than later. Let’s see what he decides.”

The Spain international was handed his first senior caps in a very competitive national team as well this season, highlighting just how well he’s performed, and Huijsen now looks set to be one of this summer’s most in-demand defenders.

Glasgow Rangers may end the season without any silverware, but with the 49ers Enterprises reportedly having ‘productive conversations’ with the Ibrox side, next season could be a different story.

A deal is expected to be completed ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and it will see Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers gain 51 percent of the shares at the club. This could suggest a boost to the finances, allowing the new manager flexibility in the transfer market.

Building a side that can challenge Celtic domestically is a must for the US-led consortium, especially having not won a Premiership title since 2021.

That, plus continued improvement in Europe, will go a long way to pleasing the Ibrox faithful.

The summer transfer window doesn’t open for another few weeks, but it looks as though the club are trying to get some deals completed as early as possible.

Having already raided Dundee to sign talented midfielder Lyall Cameron on a pre-contract agreement, it looks like the Light Blues are set to lure another youngster from the Dens Park outfit…

Rangers eye move for Premiership starlet

According to Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie, the club are showing interest in bringing Josh Mulligan to the club from Dundee this summer, which could make him the first signing of the 49ers era after the takeover is complete.

Taking to X, he said: “Rangers are interested in Dundee’s Josh Mulligan. 22-yo is out of contract at Dens this summer and on the club’s radar.

“Capable of playing at full-back or in midfield. Mulligan’s viewed as a player with strong physical attributes and potential.”

These types of low-risk, potentially profitable, signings are exactly the sort of deals the club should be doing. Mulligan won’t cost a penny, but if he performs in Glasgow, there is no doubt he could go on to brighter things in the next couple of years.

The 49ers are certainly looking to get things in motion, and this move could work well for all parties involved.

Although typically used on the right side of the midfield for Dundee this season, a move to Rangers could see the Scot drop deeper into a right-back role.

If so, this may allow the Gers to move James Tavernier on after ten seasons with the club, especially as this summer represents the final chance for them to properly cash in on the Englishman.

James Tavernier’s future is uncertain at Rangers

The defender has certainly enjoyed a productive spell in Scotland when it comes to attacking statistics.

Across 508 appearances at the time of writing, Tavernier has scored 130 goals while recording 141 assists in that time. These are truly incredible numbers from a right-back; there is no doubt about that.

He has bailed the club out on so many occasions over the years during tricky spells in matches. Perhaps his most telling contribution was during the knockout stages of the 2021/22 Europa League campaign.

Having scored no goals during the group stage, Tavernier netted three goals against Borussia Dortmund, twice against Braga and even netted in the semi-final against RB Leipzig to help steer the Light Blues to their first European final in 14 years.

This season has looked like a step too far, however. The 33-year-old has managed just five goals and 12 assists across 48 matches, a far cry from his 36 goal contributions last term.

He even missed a penalty against Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup that would have sent the tie to extra time. With one year left on his contract, perhaps now is the time to bid farewell while trying to secure a transfer fee for the player.

In Mulligan, Rangers have a young, vibrant replacement who has the potential to improve as time goes on.

Why Rangers want to sign Josh Mulligan

As mentioned, Mulligan has played the majority of this season out wide on the right side of the midfield. Occasionally, he has been tasked with slotting into the middle of the park, but it is clear he is best on the flank.

Five assists in 36 matches for a struggling Dundee side isn’t too bad and is an improvement on the two he registered during the 2023/24 season for the club.

2024/25 (so far)

36

0

5

2023/24

23

1

0

2022/23

42

2

5

2021/22

37

6

2

Scottish analyst Kai Watson has kept tabs on the Scot and praised him on X amid the reported interest from Rangers, saying: “Been a fan of Josh Mulligan for a while now and think signing him on a free would be smart business for Rangers.

“An aggressive, high energy wingback/CM that’s consistently improving technically and in the final third.

“Future Scotland international for me.”

His Premiership stats are certainly encouraging. In 29 matches for Dundee this season, Mulligan has created eight big chances, averaging one key pass per game while also succeeding with one dribble per match.

These are decent attacking statistics from someone playing in a team that currently stands 11th in the domestic table, just five points ahead of the bottom side.

His defensive statistics are also fairly impressive, as Mulligan wins five total duels per game, along with making 1.8 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, and recovering 4.6 balls per match in the top flight.

Mulligan also has plenty of pedigree at international level, making a total of 14 appearances for the Scotland U21 side since making his debut in June 2022.

A move to Rangers would certainly help bolster his ambitions for a senior cap in the coming months, that’s for certain. He has the talent, now he needs to make the move to a bigger side to finally showcase it at a higher level.

Will this signing signal the end for Tavernier at Rangers in the summer? Or will he hang around for one more season before departing on a free transfer in the summer of 2026?

Only time will tell, but one thing looks certain: the 49ers won’t be playing the sentiment card when it comes to improving the squad ahead of one of the most important seasons in the club’s recent history.

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Will Celtic be crowned champions of Scotland again as soon as this weekend?

Following their 5-1 demolition of Kilmarnock, the Hoops are 15 points clear of fierce rivals Rangers with only five matches to go, and boasting a goal difference that is just the 42 superior.

So, even a draw against Dundee United on Saturday will secure a 13th Scottish Premiership title in just 14 seasons, rubber-stamping the title at Tannadice, just as they did in 2008 under Gordon Strachan as well as three years ago when Ange Postecoglou was in charge.

So now, as attention turns towards the summer plans, with a crucial Champions League play-off in August looming large, could Celtic save themselves a few quid in the transfer market by giving a young star, impressing out on loan, an opportunity?

Celtic's interest in Million Manhoef

As previously reported this month, Celtic are ‘eyeing’ a move for Stoke City winger Million Manhoef.

The 23-year-old Dutch U21 international joined the Potters from Vitesse Arnhem in January 2024 for a reported fee of £3m, scoring 11 goals and registering five assists in 51 appearances for the EFL Championship club to date.

His performances have earned rave reviews, including from Dean Jones, who told Give Me Sport that Manhoef is “the sort of player that will get fans off their seats”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled him both “quality and versatile”.

As a result, journalist Graeme Bailey believes Manhoef is valued at £10m by Stoke, which would make him one of Celtic’s most-expensive signings of all-time, so could the Scottish champions save their money by reintegrating a youngster currently impressing out on loan on the other side of the world?

Celtic's forgotten sensation out on loan

Back in June 2023, Celtic signed a 21-year-old by the name of Marco Tilio from Melbourne City for a reported fee of £1.5m.

This was, at the time, a record outgoing transfer fee for an A-League player, with Beth Limb of Total Football Analysis believing Celtic had secured a great deal for such a talented player.

Well, so far, this has not transpired, with Tilio making just two appearances in hoops to date, making his debut during a one-minute cameo against Motherwell in November 2023, before seeing 27 minutes off the bench against Hibernian 11 days later.

Instead, he has been loaned back to Melbourne City, for whom he’s now made 102 appearances, really starting to rediscover his best form this season after a long spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury.

So far this year, the Australian international has scored four A-League goals, actually making him the Sky Blues’ joint-top scorer, with this season-by-season breakdown outlining his career so far.

2024/25

14

1,002

4

3

2023/24

7

287

1

Zero

2022/23

29

2,092

10

6

2021/22

32

2,016

8

8

2020/21

22

1,139

2

5

2019/20

5

31

1

1

As the table shows, Tilio has started to somewhat show the form that convinced Celtic to sign him in the first place.

He was a “prolific goalscorer” during his first spell at Melbourne City, as per one source, form he has begun to rediscover, with Liam Bryce of the Herald believing that he certainly has the talent to ‘flourish’ in Glasgow, while Emma Kemp of the Guardian outlines that Tilio is always capable of producing a ‘moment of magic’.

So, given Tilio’s undeniable talent, he should certainly be given an opportunity at Celtic, suggesting they don’t need to go into the market and spend big on a new winger.

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Mikel Arteta has the opportunity to create history as Arsenal manager in the coming months, potentially being the first boss to ever win the club a European trophy.

After beating defending champions Real Madrid in the last round, the Gunners must have huge confidence to go all the way and engrave themselves in history forever.

Regardless of their success on the European stage, the Spaniard has been unable to take the side all the way to Premier League glory in 2024/25 – looking likely to finish second for a third consecutive year.

If they are to finally go one better and claim a first league triumph in over two decades, more signings are needed to provide increased squad depth – with this summer pivotal in Arteta’s tenure at the Emirates.

With just a couple of weeks until the window opens, the hierarchy have wasted no time in identifying potential targets who could add to the project currently being built in North London.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new players this summer

Despite having the best defensive record in England’s top flight this season, Arsenal have already targeted reinforcements in the backline ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Nottingham Forest star Murillo has once again emerged on their radar, after the Gunners were previously interested in landing the Brazilian back in the January window.

However, they aren’t alone in their pursuit of the 22-year-old, with Liverpool also hunting for the signature of the youngster, who could cost around £70m in the summer.

Another defensive target has emerged in the form of Valencia’s 20-year-old star Yarek Gasiorowski, who could be seen as a cheaper alternative to Forest gem Murillo in the coming months.

According to FootballTransfers, the Gunners have already entered talks with the LaLiga outfit over a potential deal to land the youngster ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The 20-year-old gem who could become Arsenal’s next Saliba

French international William Saliba has cemented himself as a regular starter at the heart of the Arsenal backline over recent years, playing a pivotal role in their various successes under Arteta.

He originally joined in a £27m deal from Ligue 1 side Saint Étienne back in the summer of 2019, before multiple loan spells at Nice and Marseille which catapulted him into the first-team picture ahead of 2022/23.

The 24-year-old has since gone from strength to strength in North London, notching 129 appearances across all competitions, 46 of which have come in the current season.

However, six years on from his original agreement to join the Gunners, Arteta could look to replicate such a deal with Gasiorowski – with the Spaniard joining from a side in a top five league whilst potentially going out on loan before making a mark in North London.

Should he join, it remains to be seen whether he would be an immediate option for Arteta, but he has managed to produce various impressive figures throughout 2024/25 despite his tender age.

The “dominant” centre-back, as labelled by analyst Ben Mattinson, has averaged more progressive carries than Saliba in their respective divisions this year – highlighting his ability on the ball.

How Gasiorowski compares to Saliba in 2024/25 so far
Statistics (per 90)	Gasiorowski	Saliba
Games played	14	32
Goals & assists	0	2
Progressive carries	0.9	0.5
Tackles won	1.5	1.1
Blocks made	1.6	0.7
Interceptions made	2.4	0.7
Aerials won	67%	62%
Stats via FBref

He’s also won more tackles per 90, whilst also winning more aerial battles – offering yet another star defensive talent for Arteta should the hierarchy look to complete a deal for his services. With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that talent scout Jacek Kulig once suggested he’s “one of the most talented CBs in Europe.”

It’s unclear how much a deal for Gasiorowski would set the board back this window, but given the stats he’s produced to date, it’s certainly a deal worth exploring.

He has bags of time to develop further, possibly turning into a bigger talent than Saliba, especially if his numbers at such a tender age are anything to go by.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 25, 2025

Leicester City are preparing for life back in the Championship and could now land a bargain signing as they begin to build for next season and beyond, according to a report.

Leicester City begin to build for life after relegation

Relegation is hardly a death sentence, but this season is something Foxes supporters will be keen to forget about as they return to England’s second-tier under Ruud van Nistelrooy or indeed a new boss. The former Netherlands international is under scrutiny at the King Power Stadium and may be at risk of the axe despite securing a rare Premier League victory over Southampton last weekend.

With Leicester’s managerial position potentially up for grabs, Bristol City boss Liam Manning could replace Van Nistelrooy in the dugout after leading the Robins to the Championship playoffs this campaign.

Russell Martin and Danny Rohl are other reported Foxes candidates, which could cause a temporary hold-up when it comes to transfer dealings as their hierarchy decide whether to stick or twist. Earning promotion at the first attempt is never easy. Still, the theory of clubs in receipt of parachute payments standing a better chance has proven to be true over recent years.

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If anything, there is still encouragement for Leicester in the face of some dark recent times. Jamie Vardy’s departure signals the end of an era, but a new one can begin provided the club make some savvy additions in the next few months.

Pre-season will breed optimism that they can return to the top-flight, and supporters could now have another reason to be excited following recent developments.

Leicester City ready to strike for Manchester United's Jack Kingdon

According to EFL Analysis, Leicester are one of four clubs circling for Manchester United youngster Jack Kingdon, who is set to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer once his contract expires at the end of the month.

The former Scotland Under-19 international is also on the radar of Wrexham, Millwall and Derby County following an impressive spell on loan at Rochdale.

Jack Kingdon’s combined statistics in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

25

Goals

0

Assists

1

Only Southampton have conceded more goals than the Foxes in the Premier League this season, which may have prompted Van Nistelrooy and company to seek reinforcements to counter inevitable outgoings this summer. Realistically, Kingdon is unlikely to be a first-team starter straight away at 19 years of age, though his availability on a free transfer and potential to develop could be worth taking a chance on.

Lausanne Sport tried to sign the central defender in January and have been mooted as another potential destination amid Manchester United’s decision not to offer the Bolton-born man fresh terms.

Kingdon is likely to have the pick of several exciting destinations this summer, and Leicester will hope to convince the prodigious talent that there is a place for him to learn and develop at the King Power.

A “world-class” striker is now a contender to lead the line for Liverpool next season, with Arne Slot set to be handed a war chest in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Nunez's Anfield future in doubt

During the January transfer window, Darwin Nunez was heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, but with FSG unwilling to potentially weaken the Premier League title push by sanctioning a departure, the Uruguayan ultimately ended up remaining at Anfield.

Now, however, the Reds have changed their stance, with Slot’s side willing to cash-in on Nunez in the summer, at which point they are expecting a big approach from a club in the Saudi Pro League, potentially recouping the £62.5m initial fee they shelled out.

As such, Slot is looking increasingly likely to be tasked with bringing in a replacement for the striker this summer, and a new report has suggested the manager is set to be given a transfer war chest in the summer window.

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FSG are willing to back their manager by splashing the cash on new additions, and according to a report from TalkSPORT, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is a contender to lead the line for Liverpool next season.

Mohamed Salah has carried much of the goalscoring burden this season, with not enough contributions coming from elsewhere, which means the Reds are set to rival the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United for a striker this summer by handing the manager a war chest.

With Nunez potentially in line for an exit, the need to bring in a striker could be exacerbated, and Osimhen is one of the candidates on the shortlist, but the Nigerian is not the only option, with Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko also of interest.

"World-class" Osimhen would be huge upgrade on Nunez

The Uruguay international has scored some important goals this season, most notably bagging a late brace to secure a 2-0 win at Brentford in January, but performances of that quality have been few and far between, and an upgrade is needed this summer.

There are plenty of indications that the Galatasaray loanee could fit the bill, given that he has maintained a fantastic record in front of goal in all competitions this season.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Turkish Super Lig

27

24

5

Europa League

7

6

2

Turkish Cup

3

3

1

Not only has the 26-year-old impressed on loan in Turkey, but he also caught the eye during his time with Napoli, receiving high praise from Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti.

Previous reports have suggested that Osimhen could be available for £62m, which appears to be a fair fee, given his stellar record in front of goal in both Turkey and Italy, and a move to Anfield should be an attractive proposition after this season’s title triumph.