We finally seem to be at the end of the summer’s biggest saga so far, with Newcastle United’s pursuit of Hugo Ekitike seemingly ended by Liverpool. It was confirmed by journalist Julien Laurens that Eddie Howe’s side are ‘out of the race’ to sign the Frenchman.

Whilst that is a blow to the Magpies, with the striker seemingly set to move to the Reds now, it does increase the chances of Alexander Isak remaining at St James’ Park this season. Fabrizio Romano reported that Newcastle ‘insist’ on the fact that their first-choice striker is not available for sale this summer.

To help supplement Isak up front, it still seems as though the North East outfit will pursue a new number nine.

Newcastle’s new striker target

Whilst their move to sign Ekitike this summer failed to materialise, it still seems apparent that the Magpies wanted to sign a centre-forward this summer. Well, if the new reports to break are true, then that is still very much the case.

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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A recent report from talkSPORT confirms the fact that Newcastle are after another number nine this summer, and claim they ‘are ready to join the race’ for Brentford forward Yoane Wissa.

Howe and the higher-ups at St James’ Park might see an opportunity to sign the DR Congo because he is ‘pushing to leave’ the Gtech Community Stadium this summer.

However, there is fierce competition for the 28-year-old. He is wanted by former manager Thomas Frank, now at Tottenham Hotspur, with Nottingham Forest also showing keen interest, and have even placed a bid of £25m. However, that fell way short of Brentford’s valuation, which is double that, at £50m.

Why Wissa would be a good signing

There are clear signs of major improvement in Wissa’s game, who continues to get better and better the more Premier League football he plays. Back in June, journalist Zach Lowy described the attacker as a “remarkable” forward.

In 137 English top-flight games for the Bees, he has amassed an impressive goal tally of 45 strikes, chipping in with 13 assists. He’s managed double-figure goal involvements in three of his four Premier League seasons, and has hit such a milestone simply for goals in the last two seasons.

The 2024/25 campaign saw Wissa explode and have the season of his career so far. In 35 Premier League games, the Brentford number 11 found the back of the net 19 times and registered five assists. It is easy to see why they want £50m for his signature this summer.

Simply from a goalscoring point of view, the Brentford attacker actually had a better campaign than Ekitike managed last season. Whilst the Frenchman, who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt, did contribute eight assists in 33 Bundesliga games, he was not as clinical as Wissa.

The 23-year-old, who was born in Reims, only bagged 15 league goals for Eintracht in the 2024/25 campaign, four fewer than the DR Congo striker managed.

On top of that, Wissa had a better goalscoring streak, bagging goals in four consecutive league games, whilst Ekitike’s best was three. There are certainly stats which back up the fact that Wissa is a more clinical striker than Ekitike.

Looking at the numbers on Squawka, he has a better conversion rate, with 27.54% compared to the Frenchman’s 17.24%, showing just how well he takes his chances, and has more non-penalty goals per game, with 0.6 as opposed to 0.5.

Wissa and Ekitike key shooting stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Wissa

Ekitike

Shot accuracy

62.32%

55.17%

Conversion rate

27.54%

17.24%

Non-penalty goals

0.6

0.5

Goals from inside the box

0.6

0.6

Winnings goals

0.2

0.1

Stats from Squawka

Although it is a shame that the Magpies have missed out on signing Ekitike, Wissa could be the perfect player to rotate with Isak.

The Swedish attacker scored 23 Premier League goals last term, so they need a clinical number nine to match his goalscoring form.

Thus, Wissa could be the dream signing for Howe’s side this season, to help take Newcastle to the next level and continue their rise up the Premier League table.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall Jul 16, 2025

It’s all happening at Arsenal at the moment.

After a traditionally slow start to the transfer window, the Gunners have really come to life in recent weeks.

In addition to welcoming Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga, the board appears to be progressing in their pursuit of Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, and perhaps most exciting of all, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede could be a transformational signing for the North Londoners, and in yet more exciting news, the club are also being linked with a Premier League star who could be his dream ten.

Arsenal target dream ten for Gyokeres

For quite some time this summer, it looked like RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko was going to be the striker Arsenal signed.

Transfer Focus

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

However, late last week, it was widely reported that the North Londoners had switched their focus to Gyokeres.

Since then, the Swede has reportedly agreed to personal terms, and the North Londoners have been in talks with Sporting CP, with reports suggesting the final fee could be around £70m.

It feels like a matter of when and not if the Gunners secure the 27-year-old’s services, and now it looks like they are looking for further reinforcements, including someone who’d likely be a dream number ten for the striker: Morgan Rogers.

Yes, according to a recent report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, as relayed by Caught Offside, Arsenal are interested in the Aston Villa star.

The report does not mention the cost to the Gunners of acquiring the Englishman, but based on stories from earlier this summer, the fee required to secure his release from Villa Park could be as much as £100m.

It would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, but Rogers has more than proven his worth over the last year or so, and he’d be a dream ten for Gyokeres.

Why Gyokeres would love Rogers

While Gyokeres is an incredibly talented forward, he’s fundamentally at his best when he’s in and around the penalty area, not dropping deep to collect the ball.

We can see as much from his heatmap last season, and therefore, to get the most out of him, he needs a mobile and dangerous ten behind him.

The good news is that Rogers certainly fits that bill, and then some.

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for through balls and in the top 15% in the Champions League for successful take-ons per 90.

On top of that, his output for the Claret and Blue last season was spectacular, especially when you take into account that he is still just 22 years old.

Appearances

54

Minutes

4496′

Goals

14

Assists

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

155.03′

In 54 appearances, totalling 4496 minutes, the midfield “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, scored 14 goals and provided 15 assists.

In other words, he averaged a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or every 155.03 minutes.

So, if he was able to do that at Villa Park, just imagine what his numbers could look like playing at the Emirates behind the Sporting star, who scored 54 goals and provided 13 assists in 53 games last season.

Ultimately, Gyokeres is a lean, mean, goal-scoring machine, and he’ll likely continue to be so at Arsenal next season.

However, if Arteta wants to help ensure he’s as dangerous as possible, then he should push the club to sign Rogers as well.

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6 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 9, 2025

Katie George anchors run chase as Sparks clinch consolation victory

ECB Reporters Network06-Sep-2024

The Blaze face an anxious 24 hours to learn if their dream of landing the domestic double in women’s regional cricket remains alive after slipping to a five-wicket defeat against Central Sparks in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Chesterfield.The result leaves the Charlotte Edwards Cup holders fourth in the table with one hand on a semi-final place but just a one-point advantage over fifth-placed Sunrisers, who complete their 14-match league programme on Saturday. Sunrisers travel to Southern Vipers, who are the defending champions but have lost their last three.On a track that yielded runs only sparingly, The Blaze were restricted to 166 after being asked to bat first. Michaela Kirk top-scored with a season-best 36, backed up by Kathryn Bryce’s 33, sharing a 63-run partnership for the second wicket.Seamer Grace Potts led the Sparks’ bowling effort with a List A-best 3 for 38 with Charis Pavely, Emily Arlott and Hannah Hardwick taking two wickets each, before Katie George anchored their winning reply with an unbeaten 57 off 90 balls, with five fours.The Blaze, missing Ireland allrounder Orla Prendergast because of the white-ball series against England which also deprived the Sparks of leading wicket-taker Hannah Baker, quickly lost Sarah Bryce, caught at point in Potts’ opening over, but recovered to 68 for 1 in the 13th over.Alongside Kirk, the in-from Bryce added 63 in 11.1 overs, but a double setback saw her and new batter Marie Kelly out within the space of five balls, both bowled. Left-arm spinner Pavely, who will join England for the T20 matches against Ireland, dismissed Bryce and seamer Arlott removed Kelly without scoring. Bryce hit five boundaries, as did Kirk, but the latter was leg-before when Potts returned in the 20th over.Teresa Graves lifted Hardwick for a boundary down the ground but was bowled shortly afterwards as the 20-year-old seamer celebrated her maiden List A wicket on her second Sparks appearance, following it up immediately by bowling Lucy Higham first ball.From 103 for 6 at the halfway point, The Blaze – last year’s runners-up – struggled to find any momentum, with only two boundaries thereafter. Ella Claridge (19) and skipper Kirstie Gordon (22) painstakingly added 37 for the seventh wicket in 11 overs before offspinner Ria Fackrell turned one to bowl the former, Gordon then dragging on to Arlott.Grace Ballinger and Josie Groves eked out another 20 for the ninth wicket before Groves and Cassidy McCarthy succumbed in search of boundaries.Needing 3.34 runs per over, Sparks opener Ami Campbell blasted three boundaries in Bryce’s opening over and another two in her second but was almost immediately caught at cover when offspinner Higham took over.From 28 without loss in five overs Sparks were 43 for 3 in the 10th after left-arm seamer Ballinger bowled Davina Perrin and left-arm spinner Gordon trapped Meg Austin in front for her 18th wicket of the season.Gordon and Bryce restricted Sparks to just 14 in the next five overs but after Abbey Freeborn had chopped on to be bowled by Bryce, George and Chloe Brewer upped the tempo. The visitors were 110 for four after 25 overs, needing another 57.Brewer was leg-before to Gordon for 22 after the pair had added 55. The Blaze bowlers gave away few easy runs – Bryce ending her 10 overs with two consecutive maidens – but with only a little more than two per over needed, George and Pavely had no need to take risks and their unbroken 53-run stand finished the job with 52 balls to spare, George completing her half-century and then winning the match with back-to-back boundaries.The result meant that the Birmingham-based team marked their last appearance as Central Sparks with a win. Trent Bridge-based The Blaze will retain their current identity, but as domestic women’s cricket undergoes another overhaul next season, the Sparks will play as Warwickshire in 50-over cricket and Birmingham Bears in T20.

Sarah Tsukigawa, the former New Zealand allrounder, has been appointed their new national selector for women’s cricket. She played 42 ODIs and 19 T20Is over a five-year international career which began in 2006 and ended in 2011.Tsukigawa will be working with the New Zealand’s head coach Ben Sawyer. Her role will include selecting players not only for the national team but also to those just below that level in the women’s cricket pathway. New Zealand are preparing to host Australia in two weeks and then head over to the UAE for the Women’s T20 World Cup. The squads for both those assignments will be announced on September 10 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.”I’ve always wanted to get back involved in women’s cricket and give back to the game that has given me so much,” Tsukigawa, who was captain, and later assistant coach and selector, at Otago, said. She held the latter two positions while continuing her career as a teacher in Dunedin.Related

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Tsukigawa was part of the New Zealand team that played the 2009 T20 World Cup final. She also represented them in the ODI World Cup that same year. “Clear communication is an important part of selection and I feel I can bring that, along with my experience as a player,” she said in an NZC release. “I’ve got a lot of belief in this current group of White Ferns and the pathway that is being developed to produce future White Ferns.”NZC Head of Women’s High Performance, Liz Green, explained the women’s national selector would be responsible for the identification of talent across the women’s pathway and succession planning – which could come into play immediately with Sophie Devine’s decision to step down as T20I captain following the upcoming World Cup. Devine, however, wishes to keep the leadership role in ODIs.”Sarah has a clear passion for talent identification and development,” Green said. “She has a unique skillset with her experience both as a player and a selector, so she brings an understanding of the selection process from both points of view.

With Liverpool approaching their return to competitive action under unprecedented circumstances, Arne Slot will take pride in what his side has managed to do in the transfer window up until this point.

Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, among others, will add considerable strength on top of a squad that managed to claim Premier League glory in his debut campaign.

Nevertheless, there is more to come at Anfield, and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is the dream target for Liverpool, even if they are more likely to turn their attention towards Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike due to financial demands relating to the former.

Speaking of Ekitike, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the France Under-21 international wants to come to England in light of interest from the Reds, albeit there are also clubs around Europe and in Saudi Arabia circling.

He stated: “There is movement on Hugo Ekitike, with interest from Saudi, but the priority of the player remains England. And with Newcastle interested in Hugo Ekitike, there is still interest also from more clubs. Because clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea have been calling for the player for weeks, since June, for example, being informed on the situation of Hugo Ekitike.”

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Moving away from the search for attacking prowess, Liverpool could also move for Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, solidifying the thought that they could look to strengthen the engine room.

Recent developments could point them in that direction, but not in the way supporters would expect, given previous events this window.

Liverpool could be offered Arda Guler in exchange for Alexis Mac Allister

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool could be offered Real Madrid star Arda Guler as the La Liga giants look to sign Alexis Mac Allister, and it is claimed the Argentina international may be tempted by the prospect of working with former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso.

However, the 26-year-old hasn’t shown any major signs of wanting to change clubs and is said to be ‘happy’ in England, though Los Blancos may throw Turkish sensation Guler into the mix to try and bring down the cost of any potential deal with the Reds valuing their star at £86m.

Alexis Mac Allister in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

49

Goals

7

Assists

6

Arda Guler in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

49

Goals

6

Assists

11

Intriguingly, Guler, who has previously been labelled “tremendous” by Carlo Ancelotti, has outperformed £150,000 per week earner Mac Allister in the field of goal contributions, certifying that he would be able to replicate his creative influence at Anfield.

However, the latter is someone who Arne Slot believes holds a unique standing in the football world, so it is hard to envisage the Dutchman entertaining any notion of a sale under any circumstances.

A “superb” Celtic player is now in talks over a move away during the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph.

The Hoops continue to push hard for new signings this summer, with Aston Villa youngster Louie Barry seen as an option to come in and bolster Brendan Rodgers’ squad.

The 22-year-old excelled on loan at Championship side Hull City last season, scoring 15 goals in just 22 starts in the league, and could be sold in a hurry as Villa look to beat the PSR deadline in England.

Girona striker Bojan Miovski has also been mentioned as an option for Celtic ahead of next season, with the 26-year-old proving himself at Aberdeen in the past, scoring an impressive 44 goals in 98 appearances for the club, and 30 in 68 Scottish Premiership matches.

Yverdon Sport midfielder Moussa Baradji is another name in the mix, being tipped to potentially have as big an impact as Victor Wanyama did during his time at Parkhead.

"Superb" Celtic player in talks over exit

According to Joseph on X, Celtic bosses are “in talks” with Braga over a deal for centre-back Gustaf Lagerbielke, with Championship clubs also said to be “interested” in him.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano reports that Braga have “sent” a bid of £1.7m the Hoops’ way, with the defender “keen” on the move. If he did leave for that amount, Celtc would make a £1.3m loss, having signed him for £3m.

This does arguably feel like the right time for Lagerbielke’s Parkhead career to come to an end, even though Rodgers did hail him back in 2023 after a rare goal, praising his “superb” mentality.

“It was a great moment for him because he hasn’t been involved in squads, other guys have been in front of him. But his attitude in training in the main has been superb and he has always been ready. The irony of him being sent off and then getting the goal was great, a really nice moment for him.”

Last season, Lagebielke was loaned out to Dutch side FC Twente, with Celtic finding it hard to justify a place for him in the squad, and it doesn’t look as though the 25-year-old’s situation is going to change next term.

The Sweden international is at a point in his career where he needs to be featuring regularly at a permanent club, rather than warming the substitutes’ bench or being loaned out.

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He still has three years remaining on his current Celtic deal, so there is no reason why the Scottish champions can’t still receive a decent fee for him – more than £1.7m would be preferable – and he would surely jump at the opportunity to enjoy a fresh challenge.

A “brilliant” Rangers player has been linked with a move away from Ibrox this summer, and the Scottish Premiership giants could even lose him on the cheap.

Rangers exit rumours ahead of Champions League qualifier

The Russell Martin era is now officially underway at Ibrox, with the Englishman’s first task as Gers boss being a Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos at the end of July.

While the new Rangers boss will no doubt be eyeing some new signings who can suit his style of play, some current players could move on this summer, including Gers star Cyriel Dessers.

A report on Sunday even claimed that the 30-year-old attacker could seal a move to Greek side AEK Athens in the space of 48 hours, so he may depart Ibrox imminently, following two years at the club.

Meanwhile, it looks as though Rangers centre-back Robin Propper could also be on his way out of the club, with talks planned with Martin about his future after a disappointing stint. Captain James Tavernier’s legendary spell with the Gers could also reach its conclusion, so it may be all change, and now another exit claim has emerged regarding a different player.

£20m Rangers star wanted by two clubs

According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are now “at risk” of losing Hamza Igamane this summer, amid interest from Ligue 1 side Marseille and Serie A outfit Lazio. In fact, it says that Marseille have now made a new approach to sign the forward over the coming months, which has “rocked” Rangers.

Worryingly, it is claimed that while the Gers have “set a £20m asking price” for the services of the 22-year-old, “this figure could potentially be negotiated”, suggesting that he may depart on the cheap.

Igamane enjoyed such an impressive first season in a Rangers shirt in 2024/25, scoring 15 goals in the Scottish Premiership and Europa League combined, so to lose him so soon would be an undoubted setback for Martin.

The Moroccan has had so many good moments, but a lethal late strike away to bitter rivals Celtic late in the campaign, securing a 3-2 win in the process, endeared him to Gers supporters even more than before.

Meanwhile, pundit Derek Ferguson was full of praise for the impact he made, saying: “Igamane is a real breath of fresh air, the young man. The manager said he was trying to get him up to speed, but in the last few games he has been nothing short of brilliant. He is off the cuff and he had three or four nutmegs this afternoon – and took his goal brilliantly. I don’t know if you remember Ted McMinn, but Igamane’s got that unpredictability.”

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It is understandable why Igamane’s head may be turned by Marseille or Lazio, seeing as they are big clubs in their own right, but the hope is that Martin can persuade him to stay at Rangers, talking up the club’s future under him and promising to make him a massive part of his plans.

Peter Handscomb and Ajinkya Rahane’s latest partnership defies strong Hampshire attack

ECB Reporters Network16-Aug-2024Holders Leicestershire Foxes advanced one step closer to retaining their Metro Bank One-Day Cup crown, defeating Hampshire by three wickets with just one ball to spare in the quarter-final at Grace Road in a thrilling repeat of last year’s final. They now face a trip to Taunton to play Somerset in the semi-finals on Sunday.Hampshire skipper Nick Gubbins made a superb 136, backed up by Liam Dawson’s 50 with 18-year-old Dominic Kelly hitting 39 from just 20 balls to post 290 for 8 from 50 overs after Tom Scriven (3 for 61) and Chris Wright (2 for 49) had led the Leicestershire bowlers in keeping the total below 300 on an excellent batting wicket.In reply, Leicestershire’s star duo of Australian Peter Handscomb (74) and India’s Ajinkya Rahane (70) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 128 – their third 100-plus partnership of the competition.Once those two were both back in the pavilion, Hampshire, for whom John Turner took 4 for 44, would have fancied themselves to avenge their defeat in last season’s Trent Bridge finale – yet though they fought until the end, the task proved just beyond them after seventh-wicket pair Liam Trevaskis (60 off 55 balls) and Ben Cox (45 off 50), had added 94 in 82 balls with Trevaskis hitting two sixes and four fours.Leicestershire had chosen to bowl first against a Hampshire side who pipped Derbyshire to third place in Group A on net run-rate. With Ian Holland not permitted to face his parent club, it was Scriven who made the first breakthrough in the 12th over as Fletcha Middleton was pinned in front as he swung across the line.Gubbins dominated a 50-run second-wicket stand that ended when Tom Prest was caught at midwicket off left-arm spinner Trevaskis. Louis Kimber’s offspin then bowled Ben Brown middle stump.A seventh four took Gubbins to 53 from 64 balls, and at 144 for three from 30 after Dawson had slog-swept Trevaskis for the day’s first six, Hampshire threatened to post in excess of 300. Gubbins moved to his first century of this season’s competition from 120 balls, including 11 fours.An aggressive Dawson hammered Scriven for his second maximum, but just as Gubbins began to follow suit with pulls for six off Trevaskis and Wright, the latter changed the picture somewhat with two wickets in three balls, bowling Gubbins off an inside edge and uprooting new batter Toby Albert’s middle stump.Nick Gubbins runs one away fine•Getty ImagesDawson, having just completed a run-a-ball fifty, chipped a full toss back into the hands of bowler Walker, three wickets having gone for 18 runs in 23 balls.Kelly’s four fours and two sixes in 19 balls restored some momentum before he mistimed the next as Scriven claimed his third wicket with the help of Trevaskis at mid-off in the final over, having also had Felix Organ caught at short third.Leicestershire’s chances of chasing down 291 to keep their title defence suffered some early damage as Turner – back from his Hundred stint with Trent Rockets – had surprise opener Roman Walker and Lewis Hill caught behind, bowling Sol Budinger in between to leave the Foxes 30 for 3.Yet for the next 19 overs, Rahane and Handscomb exploited perfect batting conditions, Rahane as elegant as he was effective, Handscomb destructively efficient.Hampshire seemingly had no answer to the quality and experience seemingly swinging the match in Leicestershire’s favour but that changed as Handscomb, having hit eight fours and two sixes, paid the price for his first mistake as Kelly steadied himself under a miscued pull coming out of the sun and gave the returning Turner a fourth wicket.When Brad Wheal followed up by bowling Kimber, Leicestershire were 167 for 5, needing a further 124 that suddenly seemed a much taller order, even with Rahane still there, which was not for much longer as the Indian’s timing let him down and he picked out Albert at deep square to give Wheal his second wicket.At 188 for 6, the Foxes’ defence was in serious jeopardy, with 101 still needed, yet although Cox had an escape on 31 when he was dropped on the midwicket boundary – denying Turner a fifth wicket – he and the bold Trevaskis kept their nerve to leave the target just nine runs away from 12 balls when Cox was out, Fletcha Middleton atoning for his earlier error.Kelly had the responsibility for bowling the last over, with five still needed, the youngster not helping himself with a no-ball for overstepping, yet it still went to the penultimate ball before Scriven hit the winning run.

ذكرت مصادر إعلامية خلال الساعات الماضية، أن نادي مانشستر سيتي قد حاول التعاقد مع لاعب يوفنتوس السابق، خلال سوق الانتقالات الصيفية الأخير بالفعل.

مانشستر سيتي قام بميركاتو صيفي جيد نوعًا ما، ودعم صفوفه بشكل صحيح بالتعاقد مع العديد من اللاعبين، وعلى رأسهم تيجاني ريندرز، إلى جانب ريان شرقي.

لكن من بين أبرز المراكز التي كان يبحث مانشستر سيتي عن تدعيمها هو جلب ظهير أيمن، في ظل رحيل كايل والكر إلى بيرنلي وعدم ثبات مستوى ريكو لويس.

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وأشار وكيل أعمال نيكولو سافونا، لاعب يوفنتوس السابق والمنتقل حديثًا إلى نوتينجهام فورست، إلى أن نادي مانشستر سيتي قد حاول ضم الظهير الشاب خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الأخير.

سافونا غادر صفوف يوفنتوس خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الأخير، وذلك من أجل التوقيع مع نوتينجهام فورست بعقد إعارة لمدة عام مع وجود أحقية الشراء النهائي.

وقال وكيل أعمال سافونا، ميشيل بوجليسي في تصريحات إلى “توتو يوفي”: “استفسر مانشستر سيتي عن التعاقد مع سافونا، وكان هناك بعض التواصل، وأكدوا تقديرهم الكبير له، ثم لا أعرف ما إذا كانت الصفقة ممكنة أم لا”.

The Manchester United fanbase will be hoping for a major transformation next season, with the levels produced by the first team in 2024/25 nothing short of disastrous.

Ruben Amorim’s side ended the campaign in 15th place in the Premier League, whilst also losing the Europa League final to fellow English strugglers Tottenham Hotspur.

The manager was only somewhat responsible for the embarrassing period on the pitch, largely having to work with the players who were already at Old Trafford before his appointment.

However, the current transfer window has allowed him to change the Red Devils’ fortunes, with Matheus Cunha already joining in a £62.5m deal earlier this summer.

Various other additions are expected to hand the manager the best possible chance of being a success in the role, with the additions he makes crucial to his tenure at the club.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Ollie Watkins is a striker who has constantly been on United’s radar over the last couple of days, with the hierarchy exploring a deal to land the England international this window.

Any deal for the 29-year-old appears to be an expensive one, as Unai Emery’s side are currently demanding a fee in the region of £60m to part ways with their leading talisman.

As a result, the Red Devils have seemingly moved on to other targets in recent days, resulting in Napoli star Victor Osimhen reemerging on their shortlist, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim in their report that the Nigerian forward has expressed his desire to move to Old Trafford this summer, with a Premier League move the dream for the 26-year-old this summer.

It also states that Amorim’s side are leading the race for the talisman this window, but any deal could cost them £64m after he scored 37 times on loan at Galatasaray last campaign.

Why United’s £64m target could be Amorim’s next Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres doesn’t need any introduction with the vast majority of people knowing the goalscoring prowess he possesses based on his figures this season.

The Swedish international started the 2024/25 campaign under the guidance of now United boss Amorim, scoring a staggering 54 times in his 52 outings across all competitions.

After the 40-year-old accepted the manager’s job at Old Trafford, many links have emerged between the striker and the Red Devils, but no deal has come to fruition.

He looks set to leave the Portuguese outfit this window, but is in favour of a move to Arsenal, after he stated his desire to move to the Emirates rather than the Theatre of Dreams.

However, whilst it may be a disappointment to miss out on a clinical goalscorer like Gyokeres, the supporters shouldn’t worry, with Osimhen having all the tools to replicate his success.

When comparing their respective stats from the recent campaign, the Nigerian has dominated in numerous key areas, highlighting why he’d be the better option for the Red Devils.

The Napoli forward, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, has posted a higher shot on target rate this season, showcasing his excellent talents in the final third.

He’s also won more of the aerial battles he’s entered, along with a higher success rate for take-ons, offering a more all-round option within the final third than the Swede.

The price tag between the pair is expected to be very similar this summer, but as seen by the difference in stats, Osimhen would certainly be the man to choose in the current window.

He’s also managed to demonstrate his talents in Europe’s top five leagues, having the experience and quality to help fire the side back up the table next time around.

If a deal for the Nigerian does get completed this summer, it would be one of the signings of the window, handing Amorim that elite-level talisman he’s desperately been hunting for as of late.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 4, 2025