In recent days reports have emerged that clubs around Europe have already been left stunned by the swift and aggressive approach Arsenal are taking to the transfer window under Andrea Berta.

For those who support the club, this should be music to their ears. The January window was a slow and laboured affair, one that ultimately ended without a single incoming. Rewind to last summer and while faces like David Raya, Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori all arrived, a centre forward continued to elude them.

So, what does this summer have in store? Berta needs a striker. Mikel Arteta needs a striker. Arsenal need a striker. Not signing one would be disastrous.

Arsenal's striker shortlist this summer

Pick one of the top strikers in European football and it’s likely the Gunners will have been linked with them.

The dream signing, obviously, is Alexander Isak but if Newcastle secure Champions League football, the Swede feels even more untouchable than he already is.

So, alternatives will be required and in long-term target Benjamin Sesko, they may find their man. Reports from David Ornstein last week indicated that they have ‘done a lot of work’ on potentially signing the Slovenian.

But, Berta’s pick would appear to be another Swede in the form of Viktor Gyokeres, a man possessed in front of goal over the last two seasons.

Transfer Focus

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

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Reports over the last week or so have suggested that Arsenal are locked in talks to sign the forward from Portuguese outfit Sporting CP, but fresh news now indicates a deal is moving closer to completion.

One reporter in France claims that ‘Gyokeres and Arsenal have reached full agreement’ over personal terms and that the ‘Sporting striker wants to join Arsenal’ this summer.

Exciting news indeed. So, what could he offer besides goals?

How Viktor Gyokeres compares to Alexander Isak

In the words of data analyst Spencer Mossman, Gyokeres is certainly “the best finisher in the world” at the moment.

It’s hard to dispute that claim, especially considering the remarkable form the 26-year-old has been in since trading Coventry City of England’s second-tier for the Portuguese top-flight.

In that final campaign with Coventry, the hulking centre-forward found the net on 22 occasions and once departing, he has truly exploded, scoring 43 goals in 50 outings last term and registering a jaw-dropping 53 goals in 51 outings throughout 2024/25.

It is hardly a surprise to see that he is leading the race for the European Golden Boot. He’s streets ahead of Isak for goal involvements, which rather says it all.

The Toon forward has been seriously impressive in his own right but boasts a meagre haul of 27 goals in all competitions in comparison. Impressive, of course, but this is a man who may also cost in the region of £150m. In Gyokeres, Arsenal would be getting more bang for their buck, so to speak.

Arsenal need a goalscorer, however, and there is an argument to suggest that they could be getting a more complete package here.

Gyokeres vs Isak in 2024/25

Metric (per 90 mins)

Gyokeres

Isak

Shots

4.07

3.11

Passes completed

16.2

16.7

Pass success %

71%

74%

Key passes

1.96

1.39

Progressive passes

2.18

2.84

Shot-creating actions

4.90

3.07

Successful take-ons

1.92

1.42

Progressive carries

4.20

2.77

Aerial duels won

1.15

0.88

Stats via FBRef.

One thing that’s necessary to state is that Isak is playing in a better league, but even so, some of the numbers Gyokeres is registering in Iberia are simply off the charts.

While he’s scoring more than one goal per game, he’s proving to be more creative than Isak – although only just – he carries the ball more regularly and he’s more likely to win you an aerial duel. That final statistic could be key considering what Arteta has asked of the likes of Kai Havertz and Merino as his central strikers.

That said, data analyst Ben Mattinson has shared what he describes as a few “red flags”.

A heavy first touch and his inability to turn on a dime could well be turn-offs, particularly considering the explosiveness of Isak, but first and foremost, Arsenal need goals.

Gyokeres has provided that in abundance over the last few years and if his fellow Swede turns out to be off the table, he could well be Arsenal’s very own Isak anyway; a proven goalscorer set to take the Premier League by storm.

Related Arteta has struck gold on Arsenal star worth millions more than Gyokeres

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Posts 2 ByJack Salveson Holmes May 18, 2025

Plans for Tottenham Hotspur’s summer rebuild are already underway.

Having won just one of their last nine, Spurs are languishing 16th in the Premier League, thereby on course for their lowest finish since being relegated in 1977.

However, Ange Postecoglou’s team could, of course, salvage the campaign in a big way, preparing for the Europa League Final against Manchester United later this month, with both silverware and a place in next season’s Champions League on the line.

Of course, Champions League qualification would massively help their summer transfer plans, both financially and in terms of prestige, although, regardless of the outcome in Bilbao, this squad requires serious surgery, but do Tottenham already boast a more valuable attacker than their potential new signing?

Tottenham's search for attacking reinforcements

As previously reported by Danny Rust and Dean Jones of Give Me Sport, Tottenham are ‘planning to make an offer’ to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town this summer.

Having scored 12 Premier League goals for the Tractor Boys this season, the 22-year-old is certainly a man in demand, with Wayne Veysey of Football Insider noting that Chelsea, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest are amongst his potential suitors.

This is surely partly due to the fact that, as reported by Jacob Steinberg and Nick Ames of the Guardian, Delap has a £30m release clause, following Ipswich’s relegation, which looks a major bargain for a player Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels an “absolute beast”.

Thus, Delap appears as though he would be an excellent addition for Spurs, but do they already boast a better attacker?

Tottenham's most valuable attacker

When Brennan Johnson joined Tottenham from Nottingham Forest for a reported fee of £47m in September 2023, a few eyebrows were raised, but he has certainly proved his worth, as the table below outlines.

Tottenham’s highest scorers 2024/25
Players	Goals	Assists	G + A
Brennan Johnson	17	7	24
Dominic Solanke	15	8	23
Son Heung-min	11	12	23
James Maddison	12	11	23
Dejan Kuluševski	10	11	21
Pedro Porro	4	9	13
Pape Matar Sarr	6	3	9
Richarlison	5	2	7
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table shows, no Spurs player has been directly involved in more goals than Johnson, 11 of which have come in the Premier League, also contributing four en route to Bilbao in the Europa League.

Paul Taylor of The Athletic labels Johnson “electric”, while Ali Tweedale of Opta’s the Analyst, outlines how the Wales international quickly went from Tottenham’s ‘lightning rod’ to their most important, most prolific attacker.

Meantime, Liam Tharme of The Athletic documents how ghosting in at the back post to score with a first-time finish has become Johnson’s trademark goal, making him a pivotal figure in Postecoglou’s team.

These performances mean Johnson is now Tottenham’s most valuable attacker, as the table below outlines.

Tottenham’s most valuable attackers + Liam Delap
Players	Estimated valuation
Brennan Johnson	£60m
Dominic Solanke	£44m
Son Heung-min	£26m
Mathys Tel	£48m
Richarlison	£22.5m
Wilson Odobert	£21m
Liam Delap	£31m
All valuations courtesy of FootballTransfers.com

Based on these market values, Delap’s aforementioned £30m release clause actually offers pretty fair market value, but the £47m fee paid to secure Johnson’s services was, in retrospect, actually a bargain, considering his current value of £60m.

So, while Delap may be a great signing for Spurs, whatever they’re planning for the summer, they need to ensure this gets the best out of their already excelling attacker.

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By
Emilio Galantini

May 9, 2025

Celtic will enjoy a hard-earned summer break after a long season and are already in discussions over bringing a renowned star to Parkhead on a permanent basis.

Celtic end the season with defeat in the Scottish Cup final

Years of success at Hampden led many to believe that Celtic’s Scottish Cup final clash against Aberdeen was only going to go one way, but the Dons seized their opportunity to claim glory at the national stadium under Jimmy Thelin.

Two trophies, tangible success in the Champions League and coming a whisker away from winning a domestic treble is a good season by any stretch for the Hoops. Still, Brendan Rodgers will wonder what might’ve been if his side took their chances on Saturday afternoon.

One thing is for certain, Celtic will be active on the transfer front once the window opens. The Irishman confirmed his intent to bring in fresh blood after their Scottish Cup final defeat, insisting there is plenty of work to be done over the next few months.

He stated: “It’s no different to any summer. I think the result today doesn’t change anything, I spoke during the week and before the game. It doesn’t change anything.

“We know we need to strengthen areas on the field and see how the summer goes. I think for us, we want to strengthen. That’s what you aim to do every summer.”

Related Celtic have been backed to make stunning move for 20 y/o "superstar"

This would be a great piece of business.

Posts ByHenry Jackson May 24, 2025

Giorgos Giakoumakis has claimed he would love a move back to Celtic, though it remains to be seen whether the Scottish Premiership champions will take the Greece international up on his enthusiastic suggestion.

Either way, movement is set to occur and discussions have taken place between the club and a star who could sign a permanent deal at Parkhead.

Celtic hold talks over permanent Jeffrey Schlupp deal

According to Sky Sports, Celtic have held discussions with Jeffrey Schlupp over a permanent move now that his loan deal is at an end at Parkhead.

The £60,000-per-week earner is set to be available on a free transfer and when his Crystal Palace contract expires, though there is yet to be any indication of whether an extended stay in Glasgow could be on the cards.

Jeffrey Schlupp at Celtic – has his loan spell been a positive one?

Appearances

18

Goals

1

Assists

1

Trophies

Scottish Premiership winner

Labelled “fantastic” by Oliver Glasner, the 32-year-old has become a useful rotation option alongside Greg Taylor at left-back, but his current wages may prove to be a stumbling block given his likely status as deputy to Kieran Tierney next term.

Reports state that if neither Schlupp nor Taylor agree to stick around, the Bhoys will venture into the market to provide further competition in that area of the field.

There is clearly a desire from Celtic to tie up the experienced campaigner on a permanent basis. However, his age would make him a stop-gap signing rather than a long-term solution at left-back.

Following Saturday’s gut-wrenching penalty shootout defeat in the Scottish Cup Final, all Celtic supporters have turned their attention to the club’s plans for the summer.

Before they are next in action, Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to have a few new signings he can showcase, with some key areas clearly to address at Parkhead.

Kieran Tierney is set to arrive at left-back, while a replacement may also be needed for the injury-stricken Jota on the flanks. Kyogo Furuhashi arguably hasn’t been properly replaced since he left in January either.

But, where does their latest target feature?

Celtic's latest transfer target

According to a report by Japanese outlet Sponichi Annex, Celtic are ‘interested’ in Djurgardens’ defender Keita Kosugi, claiming that Paris Saint-Germain have also made a move to secure his services.

The 19-year-old spent his youth career with Shonan Bellmare, before travelling to Sweden for a trial with Djurgarden in March 2024, impressing to such an extent that the Blue Stripes rewarded him with a four-year contract less than a week after his 18th birthday.

How Kosugi could be Celtic's latest Asian success story

Something of an attacking threat from left-back in a similar mould to Tierney, the defender has made 43 appearances for the Stockholm-based giants, scoring five goals.

He was notably on target against both Víkingur Reykjavík and Rapid Wien during their historic run to the Conference League semi-finals, bagging a stunning equaliser during the quarter-final comeback in Vienna.

It’s that star quality that could see him be an enormous success story in Scotland, just as his fellow countrymen have been since the Ange Postecoglou era.

Indeed, to date, eight Japanese players have made a senior appearance for Celtic, many of whom have made a massive impression.

Shunsuke Nakamura was the first, with Ryan Benson of Opta’s the Analyst noting that he is ‘one of the best free-kick takers of all-time’, and many of his compatriots have followed since.

Shunsuke Nakamura

2005-09

155

31

Kōki Mizuno

2008-10

12

1

Kyogo Furuhashi

2021-25

165

85

Yosuke Ideguchi

2022

6

Zero

Reo Hatate

2022-present

142

27

Daizen Maeda

2022-present

158

62

Yūki Kobayashi

2023

7

Zero

Tomoki Iwata

2023-24

42

1

Four of the eight Japanese players have had a huge impact at Celtic, two of whom remain key figures in Rodgers’ team right now.

Daizen Maeda picked up all of this season’s individual accolades, Celtic’s player of the year, PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year and SFWA Footballer of the Year and rightly so, considering he scored 33 goals in all competitions.

The forward arrived in 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos for just £1.5m, which has proved to be an absolute bargain, so could Kosugi represent similarly excellent value for money?

Well, Han June of Football Asian believes the left-back to be “one of Asia’s hottest young prospects”, praising his “fearless defending”.

Meanwhile, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is impressed by his ‘pace…work rate…versatility and technique’, among other attributes, labelling him ‘a modern defender’.

Minutes

987

14th

Goals

2

51st

Progressive carries

23

30th

Carries into final third

23

10th

Attempted passes

506

36th

Tackles

23

18th

% of dribblers tackled

85.7%

8th

Blocks

22

3rd

Interceptions

12

24th

Clearances

46

15th

Ball recoveries

42

40th

Touches

653

26th

As the table outlines, Kosugi is a very well-rounded player, impressing both in and out of possession, supporting Kulig’s assertion that he is an “exciting talent”.

Writer Kai Watson believes he is an “excellent prospect”, noting that Kosugi is a “promising attacking threat” as well as being “defensively… superb”, regularly “winning the ball back to drive forward”.

Thus, with Greg Taylor and Jeffrey Schlupp set to depart, even with Tierney poised to return, Kosugi has all the attributes to be Celtic’s latest Japanese sensation.

He's like Gareth Bale: Celtic eyeing "Rolls-Royce" who'd be Johnston 2.0

Celtic are eyeing a Gareth Bale-esque star who could be Alistair Johnston 2.0.

ByDan Emery May 28, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers know they will enter the 2025/26 season without the services of Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilian is set to join Manchester United in a deal worth £62.5m in the coming weeks and this will leave the Old Gold short in the attacking department.

Cunha was arguably the reason why Wolves remained in the Premier League last season. All good things must come to an end, however, and Vitor Pereira will now be looking to replace the former Atlético Madrid man when the transfer window opens.

Matheus Cunha's Wolves record

Cunha was the club’s biggest attacking threat last season. Not only did he top the scoring charts with 17 goals, while finishing second in the squad for assists with six in all competitions.

Indeed, Cunha registered the most goal involvements (21) in the squad during the Premier League, while also ranking first for big chances created (13), key passes per game (1.8) and successful dribbles per game (1.8).

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25

36

17

6

2023/24

36

14

8

2022/23

20

2

1

If it weren’t for his contributions in the final third, Wolves might have found themselves in graver danger towards the end of the season, that’s for sure.

Now the onus is on Pereira to find a suitable replacement for the Brazilian talisman. One who can hit the ground running at Molineux at the start of next season.

Could the manager target a player from a fellow Premier League club?

Wolves could land Premier League star as Cunha replacement

Last week, Birmingham World claimed that the Old Gold were considering making a move for James McAtee of Manchester City this summer.

A fee of around £25m appears to be what Pep Guardiola is set to demand for the youngster. Given that Pereira will have money to play with upon Cunha’s sale, this shouldn’t be a problem.

McAtee has already made 48 Premier League appearances throughout his embryonic career, scoring six goals and grabbing three assists.

Despite playing 27 times last term, only nine of these came in the starting XI. If McAtee wishes to fulfill his potential, moving to a club like Wolves will allow him to play every week.

Hailed as a “special player” by Guardiola, the Englishman would certainly offer something extra to the Wolves side next term.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, McAtee ranks in the top 1% for goals (0.78) and the top 6% for total shots (3.53) per 90 over the previous 365 days.

If given chances, he will certainly score plenty of goals for Wolves. Furthermore, he also created two big chances and had a goal conversion percentage of 25% in the Premier League during the 2024/25 season.

This was despite averaging just 24 minutes per game for City. He might not be at the same level as Cunha just yet, but the English talent certainly has the tools required to eventually get there one day.

Transfer Focus

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

Pereira will need to act swiftly, as there are a few other teams also seeking a move for the City starlet this summer.

Offer made: Wolves submit bid for £42m star who "never puts a foot wrong"

The Old Gold have now made a move for a defender.

ByDominic Lund May 29, 2025

All eyes may be on tomorrow evening, amid Manchester United’s bid to book their place in the Europa League final, although in the long-term, it is the summer transfer window that could prove make or break for the Ruben Amorim regime.

The United hierarchy will need to strike a balance between handing the Portuguese the appropriate tools for his specialised 3-4-3 system, albeit while avoiding a repeat of Erik ten Hag’s tenure, in which far too many of the Dutchman’s transfer dealings were manager-led.

While the move for Noussair Mazraoui ranks among the more successful of the club’s captures in recent times, you really do have to look back to Bruno Fernandes’ arrival in 2020 to see an overwhelmingly positive deal done at Old Trafford.

As club legend Gary Neville stated late last year, the playmaker is the “only” player in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era to have lived up to expectations, with far too many high-profile moves having gone awry.

The INEOS era needs to begin to improve upon this wretched recent record, with perhaps United’s lowest ebb having come prior to the takeover, in the form of Wout Weghorst’s shock addition.

Wout Weghorst's record at Man Utd

For all the complications and controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford – not least the striker’s explosive bombshell interview with Piers Morgan – it still represented a significant, shock downgrade to have replaced the free-scoring icon with that man Weghorst.

With Ronaldo departing on acrimonious terms, ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Ten Hag and co were forced to dip into the market for a new striker in January, particularly amid Anthony Martial’s continued injury woes.

Options in the winter window were unsurprisingly limited, with the Premier League side ultimately forced to settle on plucking Weghorst from his loan spell at Besiktas, having scored just two goals the year prior for Burnley.

While the towering Netherlands international was brutally mocked as the ‘worst player’ to have played for Manchester United, in the verdict of controversial broadcaster Richard Keys, he did enjoy the odd bright moment, having notably provided the assist for Marcus Rashford’s strike in the Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle United.

Deployed in almost a number ten berth at times, the experienced marksman also came close to netting on the break in the 2-2 draw with Barcelona at Camp Nou, having at least shown signs of life despite his obvious limitations.

Those limitations, however, were exposed by his meagre return of just two goals and only three assists in 31 games in all competitions during his six-month stint in Manchester, having almost broken down in tears after clinching a long-awaited Old Trafford goal against Real Betis.

For a player of whom many expected little, Weghorst at least popped up with a few moments to cherish. The reverse looks to be true of one of those among Amorim’s current crop.

The Man Utd star in danger of looking worse than Weghorst

On the striker front, question marks continue to surround both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. That said, in the case of Hojlund, the young Dane did at least finish last season as United’s top scorer in all competitions, while Zirkzee, meanwhile, has scored seven times in an injury-curtailed debut campaign at the club.

Both men – as would be hoped considering their respective £64m and £36.5m transfer fees – have easily eclipsed the five goal involvements that Weghorst chalked up, although the same can’t be said of the man who arrived alongside Hojlund in 2023, Mason Mount.

Signed from rivals Chelsea on a £55m deal that summer, having had just a year left to run on his existing contract at Stamford Bridge, the Englishman initially looked like something of a coup, with Ten Hag having won the race for his signature ahead of both Arsenal and Liverpool.

A player who had provided a match-winning assist in the 2021 Champions League final, alongside notably reaching double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League in 2021/22, Mount arrived in Manchester with real pedigree. As Ten Hag stated at the time, he is “a quality player”.

Sadly for all concerned, the marquee move has proven a real disaster to date, with the versatile midfielder the latest to seemingly be struck down by the club’s infamous number seven curse.

Whether he has simply been weighed down by taking on such an iconic jersey at the Theatre of Dreams, things really haven’t got going for Mount thus far, with the £250k-per-week asset having been repeatedly hampered by injury over the last two seasons.

Even when he has featured, the former Derby County loanee has hardly looked like nailing down a regular role for himself, with the 3-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao showcasing a case in point.

Introduced off the bench with United hoping to see things out in comfortable fashion, Mount put in an erratic and over-eager performance in the closing stages, picking up a needless yellow card, while losing the ball on seven occasions from just 23 touches.

That was, to his credit, followed up by a goal against Brentford to open the scoring at the weekend, although even that strike cannot mask his grim overall return, having now scored just twice and contributed only one assist in 41 games to date – two fewer goals and assists than Weghorst, albeit having played nine more games.

Premier League

27

2

0

EFL Cup

2

0

1

FA Cup

2

0

0

Europa League

7

0

0

Champions League

2

0

0

Community Shield

1

0

0

Total

41

2

0

While it may seem harsh to compare Mount to Weghorst, considering the latter’s status as a striker, the former has largely operated as a number ten in the Amorim regime, albeit with little success. As previously mentioned, Weghorst also operated in that role under Ten Hag.

Considering the sizeable nature of Mount’s price tag too – the tenth highest in United’s history, as per Transfermarkt – it is difficult to view his capture as anything but a flop, with time running out to make his mark before the season is at an end.

Amorim, it would seem, still has ample faith in a player he described as a “proper footballer”, although with the likes of Matheus Cunha looking set to arrive this summer – amid reports that Mount could himself be on his way – the competition in the side is only set to increase.

Hopefully, for both his and United’s sake, the Cobham academy graduate can play a vital role in clinching Europa League glory…

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Manchester United suffered their 16th league defeat of the season, losing 4-3 to Brentford.

2 ByMatt Dawson May 4, 2025

Potentially in a position to spend again at long last this summer, Newcastle United have now reportedly joined the race to sign a £51m striker who’s already received high praise from Alan Shearer.

Newcastle preparing for crucial Arsenal clash

There were stages in the first half of the season in which it seemed like Newcastle could miss out on Champions League football, as though their transfer failure was going to catch up to them. Now, however, with the Carabao Cup under their belt, the Magpies could finish as high as second in the Premier League. In fact, if they beat Arsenal this weekend, then Eddie Howe’s side will go above the Gunners and into the top two.

Newcastle battle Arsenal to sign star for less than £50m after scouts sent

What a signing he could be for the Magpies.

By
Henry Jackson

May 17, 2025

Howe is well aware of the importance of his side’s trip to The Emirates this Sunday, too, as they look to take a major step towards Champions League qualification. He told reporters in his pre-match press conference: “It’s not done yet. The picture can change game to game and I think we’ve got to be really focused on our next game and trying to win it.

“We have been, our preparation has been good and the focus is there from the players. Nothing is achieved until it’s achieved. We have to be single minded in that and not get distracted.”

Premier League’s UCL race	Points	Games Played
Liverpool (C)	83	36
Arsenal	68	36
Newcastle United	66	36
Chelsea	66	37
Aston Villa	66	37
Manchester City	65	36
Nottingham Forest	62	36

Those at St James’ Park need no reminder about the impact that Champions League football could have on their summer transfer window, either. A place among Europe’s elite could help convince Alexander Isak to stay put amid interest from the likes of Arsenal, whilst also helping to attract key upgrades for Howe in the coming months.

Newcastle join race to sign "superb" Pedro

The Magpies could even attract a Premier League rival with Champions League football to offer. According to Caught Offside, Newcastle have now joined the race to sign Joao Pedro, who Brighton & Hove Albion have valued at a hefty €60m (£51m) amid interest from Tyneside as well as Liverpool, Aston Villa and others.

Whilst a deal to sign the forward won’t come cheap, Pedro would provide Newcastle with an instant fail-safe in the event that Isak departs. The Brazilian, who has scored 10 goals and set up another six this season, has the potential and quality to replace the Swede in the long-term. What’s more, he’s also already got a fan in the form of Newcastle legend Shearer.

The iconic goalscorer sung Pedro’s praises on Match of the Day after he scored in Brighton’s 2-1 victory over Bournemouth in November, saying: “He was superb today and they just edged it in those forward positions. They are really strong with him, Rutter, Mitoma and Welbeck. Their understanding and they linked really well today in Rutter and Joao Pedro.”

The approval of Shearer certainly goes a long way in Newcastle, but whether it’s enough for PIF to make their move for Pedro remains to be seen this summer.

Chelsea are set for a hectic next few days, as they attempt to take advantage of this unique registration period and sign new players before the June 10 deadline.

Chelsea attempting winger signing before Club World Cup

Despite reported talks for targets in other positions, there is a belief among some reliable media sources that Chelsea hold a serious desire to upgrade their wide options after completing a deal for Liam Delap.

£80m forward clear he wants to join Chelsea with "positive talks" held

Enzo Maresca’s side are very active in the market right now.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 6, 2025

Chelsea haven’t given up on signing AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan, who’s told the Rossoneri he wants a move to Stamford Bridge, but plans to bring in a winger have also been accelerated after the departure of Jadon Sancho.

Sancho returns to Man United after Chelsea failed to agree personal terms with the £300,000-per-week forward, and they will now pay a £5 million penalty fee to Ruben Amorim’s side after opting out of the obligation to buy in his contract.

This leaves Maresca a wide-man short, and Myhkailo Mudryk also remains ineligible due to his on-field ban for failing a drugs test.

“Chelsea’s next priority after Liam Delap is a right-footed left winger,” said reliable journalist Ben Jacobs on X this week.

“Alejandro Garnacho, Nico Williams and Jamie Gittens are three names under consideration. The desire to add another winger is more with Mykhailo Mudryk’s absence in mind. Process likely to take time regardless of the outcome.

“Another forward is also possible as Christopher Nkunku is expected to leave. This could be another number nine, despite faith in Nicolas Jackson. Or it could be a versatile attacking midfielder. Chelsea will be opportunistic should Morgen Rogers become available, but Aston Villa have no intention to sell even with a tight PSR position.”

Movement has occurred behind-the-scenes in Chelsea’s pursuit of some targets, mainly Williams and Gittens.

Chelsea have informed Williams’ agents that they’re prepared to pay his £50 million release clause, and have been pushing for Gittens as an alternative to the Spain winger recently (Simon Phillips).

Chelsea propose swap deal in discussions for Mohammed Kudus

According to reports from the last 24 hours, Maresca’s side do have another option – West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus.

The Ghanaian’s contract includes an £85 million release clause, which becomes active in July, but the Hammers are open to entertaining other offers.

That is according to The Mirror and journalist Ryan Taylor, who report that Chelsea have held talks with West Ham over Kudus. The Blues are said to have proposed a “multi-player-package deal” during these discussions, meaning they’re prepared to use more than one squad member as makeweights to bring the African’s price down.

However, West Ham are not interested in a transfer of this nature, meaning Chelsea may have to go back in with another proposal if they’re to strike a deal for the 24-year-old.

Kudus is widely expected to leave the London Stadium, two years after Chelsea tried to sign him from Ajax in 2023, and despite a mixed 2024/2025, the former Eredivisie starlet has still impressed in flashes during his time at Rush Green.

“He’s a top, top talent and I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet,” said teammate Aaron Cresswell.

“I won’t go near him in training because I know if I’m going to try to knock him off the ball. I had better make sure he’s not looking and doesn’t see me coming. You just can’t get near him. He’s so strong, so quick, so sharp.”

Liverpool have already made a series of intelligent moves this window, and Arne Slot is now looking to see off some of his closest competitors for the Premier League title to strengthen his engine room, per a report.

Liverpool close in on Florian Wirtz deal

Following Jeremie Frimpong’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, the Reds have returned to the Bundesliga outfit in an attempt to seal a deal for one of Germany’s most talented assets.

Despite the assumption that Florian Wirtz is close to having his feet under the table at Anfield, Liverpool have made an improved £113 million move for the playmaker as they look to match Erik ten Hag’s £126 million valuation of the Pulheim-born man.

His opener during Germany’s Nations League semi-final defeat to Portugal wasn’t enough to see off Cristiano Ronaldo and Co, but his impressive display will have pleased plenty of supporters ahead of his seemingly inevitable move to Anfield.

Nevertheless, he is far from the only player on the radar in Merseyside. Talks have been held between Liverpool and Real Madrid star Rodrygo amid speculation about the Brazil international leaving the Santiago Bernabeu, which may be a sign of things to come.

Financial expect Kieran Maguire has indicated the Reds have plenty of capital available to invest in targets after taking a minimalist approach to last season’s transfer window.

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He explained: “I think for Liverpool it’s not a case of how much they’ve got to spend because they can spend as much as they want. If they spent £250m, that would not be a problem.”

In light of this, Liverpool have now identified another candidate to strengthen their thriving squad, though they may need to fend off stiff competition.

Liverpool in three-way battle to sign Morgan Gibbs-White

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are battling Chelsea and Manchester City to sign Morgan Gibbs-White following his excellent campaign at Nottingham Forest.

Valued at around the £70 million mark, the Three Lions international is considered by Slot as a valuable option to bolster his engine room. However, the outlet also notes that he is seen as an alternative should their pursuit of Wirtz hit a snag.

Five similar players to Morgan Gibbs-White (FBRef)

Mattia Zaccagni

Lazio

Lee Jae-sung

Mainz 05

Adrien Rabiot

Marseille

Kamory Doumbia

Brest

Tete Morente

Lecce

Praised for having ‘so much talent’ by Nuno, he has certainly lived up to that billing this season, notching seven goals and ten assists in 38 appearances across all competitions for Nottingham Forest.

Gibbs-White also created 51 chances on Premier League duty and became central to their eventual Europa Conference League qualification at the City Ground.

Liverpool are already well-stocked in midfield, but you can never have too many technicians capable of producing match-winning moments when in the hunt to bring regular silverware to your chosen club.

Everton are interested in signing another Liverpool player alongside Ben Doak in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Doak heads list of Everton winger targets

The Blues are reportedly interested in making a shock move for Reds winger Doak before next season gets underway, in a transfer that would cause plenty of controversy.

An update from Sky Sports suggested that Everton are one of the clubs who are interested in acquiring the services of the 19-year-old this summer, with the Scot seen as an attacking player with a big future in the game, spending the 2024/25 season on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough.

Liverpool have a big decision to make with Doak, with the young Scotland international someone who could potentially be an eventual successor to Mohamed Salah on the right wing, but also not quite mature enough to fully make the grade at Anfield just yet.

From an Everton perspective, the idea of the teenager heading to Bramley Moore Dock is certainly exciting, not only because they would be signing a great young talent, but also due to them snapping up a player from their nearest and biggest rivals. Now, another Reds player is also reportedly wanted by the Blues.

Everton keeping tabs on Gomez's situation

According to a new claim from Empire of the Kop, Everton are “keeping close tabs” on Liverpool defender Joe Gomez, as they eye a summer move for him alongside Doak. The Blues are one of eight Premier League teams who are believed to be in the mix to snap him up, including Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Leeds United.

The £85,000-a-week Gomez could be a really shrewd addition by Everton in the summer, although as is the case with Doak, it remains to be seen if Liverpool will be hesitant to sell to them.

The 28-year-old is now the Reds’ longest-serving current player, winning two Premier League titles and always proving to be an excellent squad player, with Jurgen Klopp a huge admirer.

“He is a lifesaver, to be honest, that he was here, that he could play. People forget how important Joey was in the best years we had. I don’t know how many games he played in the year when we became champions and how many games he played when we won the Champions League – a lot and rightly so because he’s a top-class player.”

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Gomez may like the idea of being a regular for Everton, having had to accept being behind Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate in the centre-back pecking order, and he also wouldn’t have to up sticks and move away.

Joe Gomez’s trophy wins at Liverpool

Season

Premier League

2024/25

Premier League

2019/20

Champions League

2018/19

FA Cup

2021/22

EFL Cup

2023/24

EFL Cup

2021/22

Club World Cup

2019/20

UEFA Super Cup

2019/20

Community Shield

2022/23

That said, the England international may not want to risk tarnishing his Liverpool legacy by making a controversial switch, so a move elsewhere, or staying put at Anfield, feels more likely.