With The Friedkin Group looking to make some impressive statements in their first summer at the helm, Everton are reportedly ready to open talks to sign a Premier League-winning attacker.

Everton announce retained list

With the Premier League season concluded and the summer now underway, Everton have announced the list of players they remain in negotiations with in pursuit of fresh deals at the club. The Merseyside club confirmed that they are set to offer new deals to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gana Gueye, whilst negotiations are ongoing with the representatives of both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Michael Keane.

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ByAngus Sinclair Jun 9, 2025

Announcing the news in a statement on their official website, Everton said: “The club is offering new contracts to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gana Gueye, while we continue to liaise with representatives of Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the current deals of all four players expiring at the end of June.

“As previously confirmed, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Ashley Young, Joao Virginia, Asmir Begovic, Mason Holgate and Neal Maupay will leave Everton when their current contracts expire at the end of this month, with loanees Jack Harrison, Jesper Lindstrøm, Orel Mangala and Armando Broja returning to their parent clubs.”

Calvert-Lewin’s situation is particularly one to watch. Concerns over his Everton future have been rumbling on for some time now and links to the likes of Manchester United have hardly helped speculation. Now, into the final weeks of his current deal, the Toffees are still attempting to secure the forward’s future at the club.

What Calvert-Lewin’s departure would do, however, is clear room for potential arrivals. And that could yet include a Premier League winner for David Moyes this summer. In an impressive move, Friedkin have reportedly set their sights on welcoming a wantaway attacking addition who could revive his career in Merseyside.

Everton ready to open talks to sign Grealish

According to TeamTalk, Everton are now ready to open talks to sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City in a complex deal, having already identified the winger as a transfer target in recent weeks. The deal won’t come cheap, though, even if the Toffees secure the loan deal that they prefer to a permanent deal.

Grealish reportedly earns a hefty £300,000-a-week at Manchester City, which translates into £15.6m-a-year. Whether Everton are both willing to match that salary and can afford to spend such a price will be the big question this summer, especially since Grealish would instantly become their highest earner by some distance.

Jack Grealish

£300,000

Jordan Pickford

£130,000

Idrissa Gueye (*offered new deal)

£120,000

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

£100,000

James Tarkowski

£100,000

Earning over double Everton’s current highest-earner in Pickford, Grealish would simply have to rediscover his very best form to make any deal worthwhile for the Toffees next season.

At his best, the former Aston Villa man has earned some impressive praise, including from Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City boss dubbed Grealish “aggressive” following a pre-season draw with Barcelona last summer, only to limit the Englishman’s game time in the months that followed.

When Liverpool renewed Virgil van Dijk’s contract, they did more than just tie their star defender down to a new two-year deal.

Van Dijk is more than a world-class centre-back; he’s more, even, than a peerless skipper. The Netherlands icon has transcended his post as one of Liverpool’s star players, immortalising his name in Liverpool lore, right up there alongside Alan Hansen.

Yes, yes, he turns 34 next month. And, well, yes, Liverpool will need to be more careful in managing their captain’s minutes as he reaches the autumn days of his illustrious Premier League career.

But Van Dijk leads by example, and that’s on and off the field. He’s more than a defender; he’s a leader and rousing force. Tune in to Liverpool on the television, and you’ll hear the 6 foot 4 star baying at his teammates before heading out of the tunnel, switching them into gear.

Let’s enjoy him while we can, because FSG’s transfer chief, Richard Hughes, is already hard at work trying to secure a long-term heir.

Liverpool's efforts to sign the next Van Dijk

Dean Huijsen was written in the stars to succeed Van Dijk at Anfield. After a stunning breakout campaign at Bournemouth last year, the 20-year-old became one of the most sought-after young players in Europe, hailed for his incredible potential.

Van Dijk left Southampton to sign for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, and Huijsen could have followed a similar path, each proving a cut above. Moreover, Huijsen, while a Spanish international, was born and reared in Amsterdam to Dutch parents before relocating to Spain when he was five.

It felt like the perfect move for the player, moving to Liverpool, emulating one of the greatest defenders of his generation – and technically a countryman at that.

Well, Real Madrid clearly turned a blind eye to such a poetic story, for they brushed Premier League competition aside to activate the prodigy’s £50m release clause and bring him home.

Arne Slot still needs a new central defender, and while Huijsen is a one-of-a-kind talent, there might just be an alternative option waiting across the continent, having been of a vested interest to Liverpool in the past.

Liverpool enter race for new centre-back

Huijsen’s off the cards, yada yada, but he’s not the only talented centre-back looking to take the next step in his career.

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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According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Liverpool are interested in Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio, 23, once again, having been routinely linked with the dynamic defender across the past couple of years.

The left-footed defender has a €60m (£50m) release clause in his contract, but suitors are optimistic that they can engineer a more agreeable figure.

However, with Manchester United and Newcastle United thought to be interested too, FSG will need to up the ante if they wish to find a fitting long-term Van Dijk heir.

What Goncalo Inacio would bring to Liverpool

Inacio has yet to compete away from his Portuguese homeland, but he hasn’t exactly done that badly in Portugal, appearing 213 times for Sporting after graduating from their academy.

Journalist Antonio Mango has drawn attention to Inacio’s “insane” range of passing, and that’s corroborated by the data, for Inacio has completed an average of 89% of his passes across his senior career, as recorded by WhoScored.

Moreover, Inacio’s aerial ability suggests he could offer a similar level of ability in that regard as Huijsen, whose rangy frame and composure, leading to expert timing, is something that would have seen him exceed expectations when stepping into Van Dijk’s boots at Liverpool.

His modern-tailored style is exactly what Liverpool are looking for, and he’s a left-sided centre-back besides. To add further substance to the argument, this is a player who has been tracked by Liverpool for a number of years, and he’s only got better and better.

Having been an influential member of a two-time Liga Portugal-winning backline in recent years, Inacio has fostered the perfect mentality for a place in Liverpool’s first team, and he’s also blessed with a technical level that most other central defenders across Europe can only dream of.

Most, but not all. Huijsen can certainly throw down with the Portuguese ace on that front, and when racking up the respective players’ skills against each other, you can see that both offer similar qualities.

Goncalo Inacio vs Dean Huijsen (24/25)

Stats (per 90)

Inacio

Huijsen

Goals + assists

0.20

0.19

Touches

91.48

74.94

Pass completion

89.7%

83.4%

Passes attempted

83.61

60.26

Progressive passes

7.34

4.89

Progressive carries

1.28

1.52

Shot-creating actions

1.72

1.59

Ball recoveries

4.67

3.89

Tackles + interceptions

2.75

3.23

Clearances

2.91

7.34

Blocks

1.08

1.48

Aeriel duels won

2.04

2.52

All data via FBref

Huijsen is a strong defender, but his range of passing and creativity, his ability to play through the lines, are the facets which define him as a future superstar.

Inacio perhaps outperforms him in that regard, and if placed in Slot’s high-flying Liverpool system, you can only imagine the progress he could make, following the likes of Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch in making remarkable progress under the Dutchman’s wing.

Further to the point, Inacio made only one defensive error across his 28 top-flight appearances last term, whereas Huijsen made four playing for Bournemouth in the Premier League, albeit playing at what is considered a higher level, in more intense and rigorous conditions.

He’s not perfect, but the Portugal international has the making of an elite-level defender, and he could prove the dream Huijsen alternative if signed this summer, learning from Van Dijk over the next couple of years before breaking away from the Reds legend’s shadow and becoming a sensation in his own right down the line.

Related The dream XI Liverpool could build: Wirtz signs & "the next Mbappe" arrives

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Posts 3 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 3, 2025

2025 has been the year of the returning hero at Celtic Park so far.

Kieran Tierney has returned to Celtic, six years after departing, following in the footsteps of Jota, who re-joined the Hoops during the January transfer window.

So now, could Brendan Rodgers, who is no stranger to a Glasgow return himself, be re-united with a star he once labelled one of Europe’s best young players?

The reaction to Kieran Tierney's Celtic return

After completing his return to his boyhood club last week, Tierney said it “feels amazing” to be back, adding “my ambition is just for Celtic to be as successful as possible”.

Rodgers too exclaimed that he’s “delighted” to add a “talented and high-quality” player to his squad, while Tierney is unquestionably a fans’ favourite in Glasgow’s East End, having come through the academy to make 170 appearances for the club during his first spell, winning 11 major trophies.

So, while there is major excitement about seeing the left-back bedecked in green and white hoops once again, could an even bigger talent also be back later this summer?

Celtic's search for a new striker

Tierney’s return to Parkhead this summer has been met with glee, but when has a left-back ever been more exciting than a new striker? Arguably never.

The Scot has the potential to come back and be a roaring success down the left channels, carving out goalscoring opportunities at will for teammates, but who will be on the end of his teasing balls into the box? Well, another Celtic return could be on the cards and it’s more eye-catching than Tierney.

Indeed, as noted by Ryan McDonald of the Daily Record, Celtic could re-sign striker Odsonne Édouard this summer, with ex-Celtic midfielder Scott Allan believing the club shouldn’t think twice if they are able to add a “fantastic player” to their ranks.

The striker initially arrived at Parkhead on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, scoring on his debut against Hamilton Academical at New Douglas Park, before his move was made permanent the following summer, costing a then-club-record £9m.

In total, Édouard scored 87 goals in 179 appearances for the Celts, numbers that are comparable with the club’s other great centre-forwards of modern times.

Kyōgo

165

85

126

Giakoumakis

57

26

97

Édouard

179

87

140

Dembélé

94

51

120

Griffiths

262

123

118

Hooper

138

82

136

The numbers above rubberstamp why he was more exciting than Tierney in green and white, with only Leigh Griffiths having scored more goals for Celtic since Henrik Larsson’s departure in 2004, with the Scotland international doing so in 83 more appearances.

Édouard ultimately departed for Crystal Palace in August 2021, costing around £18.5m, scoring 21 times for the Eagles, including bagging a memorable double on his debut against Tottenham, but his career has gone off the rails in the last year or so.

Not in Oliver Glasner’s pre-season plans, the Frenchman joined Leicester City on a season-long loan last summer, but this has to go down as one of the most disastrous loan spells of all time, now valued at just £7m by Transfermarkt.

Appearances

6

Minutes

113

Starts

1

Matches an unused sub

3

Matched not in the squad

31

Total matches

40

Édouard was completely frozen out by both Steve Cooper and Ruud van Nistelrooy at Leicester, most recently a substitute on Boxing Day, his last appearance coming on 10 November, while his one and only start for the club came in the Carabao Cup at Walsall in September.

Odsonne-Edouard

As outlined by John Percy of the Telegraph, having featured for both Palace and Leicester in 2024/25, FIFA regulations stipulate that he was unable to represent a third club in the same season.

Thus, Édouard remained stranded in the proverbial wilderness from January onwards, despite the fact the Foxes broke all sorts of records when it came to not scoring, most notably losing eight successive Premier League home games to nil, an unprecedentedly miserable run.

Nevertheless, still 27 years old, the striker certainly still has plenty to offer.

When Édouard signed permanently for Celtic in the first place, Rodgers labelled him one of European football’s “elite young talents”. While he may not still be too young, he still has elite potential, particularly if it took him to Scotland again.

Still searching for a Kyōgo Furuhashi replacement, if the Frenchman becomes available at a cut-price, this would surely be a no-brainer.

More exciting than Tierney: Celtic expected to complete "no-brainer" deal

Celtic are expected to seal the signing of a star who would be more exciting than Kieran Tierney.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 14, 2025

It’s been another quiet week at Ibrox for Rangers, although is that about to change?

So far, the most noteworthy Rangers event of the past few days was Cyriel Dessers’ goal for Nigeria, on target on Wednesday in a friendly tournament against West African rivals Ghana.

Elsewhere, on Tuesday, Rangers confirmed they will face Club Brugge and Middlesbrough in pre-season friendlies at Ibrox in July but, for now at least, there’s still no news as to who will be in charge for those games, or indeed, more importantly, the start of Champions League qualification either.

Well, 95 days on from Philippe Clement’s sacking, could the 49ers finally be about to land their new manager?

Rangers ramping up managerial hunt

A whole host of names have been linked with a move to the Ibrox dugout in recent months, with fierce speculation suggesting Steven Gerrard could be on his way back to Scotland after a failed stint in Saudi Arabia.

Also of interest to the Rangers hierarchy are the likes of Russell Martin and Brian Priske. Yet, there’s another name who looks like he may be edging closer to filling the vacancy.

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According to a report by Guillem Balague for BBC Sport, the Rangers hierarchy have ‘held fresh talks’ with Davide Ancelotti this week, adding that ‘further discussions’ are scheduled to take place ‘over the next few days’.

Davide has been a long-time assistant to his father Carlo, working at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton and Real Madrid.

This month, Carlo left los Blancos by mutual consent to become the new Brazil manager and, at his unveiling, he confirmed “Davide is currently in negotiations with a European team… if he goes to a club, I wish him the best, and if not, he can come back to us.”

Now, it appears increasingly likely that Ancelotti will become the new Rangers head coach, with former Rangers manager Mark Warburton saying that, should he take the job, it would be a “huge step up”, going from being an assistant to occupying the “number one role”.

Well, speaking to STV, Guillem Balague believes Davide to be one of the “most sought-after assistants” in world football, firmly believing he will be a success at Ibrox, so would his arrival be great news for a certain Rangers stalwart?

Why Ancelotti can reignite Tavernier's Rangers career

When James Tavernier joined Rangers from Wigan Athletic for a reported £200k in 2015, the Light Blues were still an SPFL Championship club.

Fair to say, a lot has changed in the subsequent decades, and this has proved to be, inarguably, one of the bargains of the century.

To date, Tavernier has made 513 appearances for the club, only ten men have accumulated more in a Rangers jersey, as the table below outlines.

Rangers players with the most appearances
Players	Career	Appearances
John Greig	1961-78	755
Sandy Jardine	1964-82	674
Ally McCoist	1983-98	581
Sandy Archibald	1917-34	580
David Meiklejohn	1919-36	563
Dougie Gray	1925-46	555
Derek Johnstone	1970-86	546
Davie Cooper	1977-89	540
Peter McCloy	1970-85	535
Ian McColl	1945-60	526
James Tavernier	2015-present	513
All information courtesy of Fitba Stats

Tavernier captained Rangers to the Premiership title in 2020/21, subsequently lifting the League Cup and Scottish Cup too, as well as being the talismanic figure en route to the Europa League Final three seasons ago, scoring seven times during the knockout phase.

However, he has come in for some criticism this season, with Nick McPheat of BBC Sport questioning if he is ‘no longer first choice’, while interim manager Barry Ferguson trialled him as both a centre-back, as part of a back three, as well as at wing-back.

Nevertheless, if Davide’s playing style is at all akin to that of his father, a fluid approach that encourages maximum creativity, this appointment could reinvigorate Tavernier.

Right-back Dani Carvajal was such a prominent attacking figure for Real Madrid, so let’s asses how he compares to Tavernier, with the caveat that the Spanish international has not featured since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Villarreal in early-October.

James Tavernier vs Dani Carvajal
Statistics	Tavernier	Carvajal
2024/25 season
Goals	5	1
Assists	13	1
Big chances created	20	0
2023/24 season
Goals	24	6
Assists	12	5
Big chances created	19	4
2022/23 season
Goals	18	0
Assists	10	5
Big chances created	14	4
2021/22 season
Goals	18	1
Assists	17	4
Big chances created	18	7
Stats courtesy of Transfermarkt and Sofascore

As the table outlines, Tavernier’s attacking output has been absolutely off the scale, notably registering 52 assists since the 2021/22 campaign. Taking you back to that point about an Ancelotti side favouring creativity and you can begin to see why he could take quite a liking to the Gers captain.

While Carvajal’s’s numbers are not quite so astronomical, Tobi Peter of Breaking the Lines documents that his ‘attacking contributions are crucial’ for Real Madrid.

So, with the incoming Ancelotti likely to want his full-back to operate high and wide, this could be exactly the appointment 33-year-old Tavernier needs to reinvigorate his career in Govan.

Same agent as Gerrard: Rangers want cheap deal to sign £1m int'l defender

He could arrive with the potential new manager.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 28, 2025

A huge few weeks are ahead for Rangers.

After the Gers endured a miserable campaign last time round, new manager Russell Martin has a lot of work to do if he is going to dethrone Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

Martin’s first competitive game in charge is little over four weeks away, welcoming Panathinaikos to Ibrox in the Champions League second qualifying round, while the Light Blues will commence their Premiership campaign against Motherwell at Fir Park on 2 August.

Before then, the club are expected to make countless new signings, so are they about to bolster their back-line?

Rangers targeting a new centre-back

According to a report by Hrvoje Tironi in Croatian outlet 24 Sata, Rangers are ‘seriously interested’ in signing Osijek defender Luka Jelenić, facing competition from Portuguese outfit Vitória de Guimarães.

They add that Jelenić only joined Osijek from Varaždin for €800,000 (around £685k) a year ago, but the ‘reliable centre-back’ is likely to be sold for ‘serious money’, following many ‘quality’ performances, despite the fact his team finished down in seventh in last year’s Prva HNL.

Rangers require central defensive reinforcements, especially after it was confirmed on Friday that Leon Balogun had left the club on a free agent for Aris Limassol, where he could partner a familiar face, namely Connor Goldson, in Cyprus next season.

So, could Jelenić prove to be a shrewd addition?

How Jelenić would improve Rangers

As was widely reported, Rangers were strongly interested in signing Harry Darling on a free transfer this summer, given that the Englishman had worked with Martin at both MK Dons and Swansea, but he opted to join Norwich City and Liam Manning instead in the Championship,

This has seemingly seen them step-up their interest in Jelenić, thereby returning to a familiar source of talent, after they failed to convince the now-Canaries star to move to Ibrox.

Back in July 2018, Steven Gerrard’s side dumped NK Osijek out of Europa League qualifying, with Alfredo Morelos the only scorer at Stadion Gradski Vrt, before a 1-1 draw in Glasgow a week later saw them progress.

Gerrard was so impressed with the White and Blues that he swiftly signed two of their players.

The less said about Eros Grezda the better, but the reported £2.2m paid to secure the signature of Borna Barišić proved to be an absolute bargain, considering he would go onto make 236 appearances in a light blue jersey, winning all three domestic trophies, as well as being a key figure in the side that reached the Europa League Final of 2022.

So, could Jelenić have a similar impact?

Well, let’s assess his statistics from this season’s Prva HNL.

Minutes

2,532

32nd

Interceptions

50

1st

Tackles

58

12th

Clearances

144

7th

Passing accuracy %

86.74%

9th

Passes completed

1,204

10th

As the table outlines, despite somewhat limited minutes, Jelenić ranked highly for every defensive metric, as well as passing accuracy too, underlining that he is a well-rounded defender, who is particularly great at reading the game to make interceptions.

For comparison, Darling ranked 233rd in the EFL Championship for tackles (31) and 130th for interceptions (25), while registering a passing accuracy of 87.8%, only marginally higher than Jelenić’s figure, which suggests that the Croatian star could offer considerably more to the team from a defensive perspective.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him a “crazy talent”, while writer Kai Watson outlines how, at 6 ft 2 in tall, Jelenić is physically imposing and boasts ‘strong’ defensive abilities, while also being good in possession.

Meanwhile, Juan Carlos Molero highlights how he is ‘tough to beat’ in defensive duels, and rarely puts a foot wrong.

So, while top target Darling, who has gone elsewhere, is more of a known quantity, Jelenić is certainly a young defender on the up with enormous potential, so it would be an excellent piece of business if Rangers are able to add him to their squad.

He'd be better than Darling: Rangers open talks to sign "immaculate" star

Having missed out on signing Harry Darling, Rangers have made an approach to land a new defender.

ByBen Gray Jun 19, 2025

There have been a lot of players who have tormented Arsenal over the years, from Roberto Firmino to Jamie Vardy and Mohamed Salah.

However, when it comes to the striker who has scored more goals against the North Londoners in the Premier League than anyone else, it’ll come as no surprise to most that it is Harry Kane.

The former Tottenham Hotspur star scored 14 goals against the club in 17 appearances before moving to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, and then added another in the Champions League quarter-finals last season.

So, the Gunners faithful should be excited about reports linking them to a free-scoring striker who’s won comparisons to the England captain.

Arsenal's striker search

With Arsenal’s need for a striker this summer practically undeniable, the last few weeks have seen the club linked with a host of talented options, from Benjamin Sesko to Evann Guessand.

The club are reportedly in talks for the former at the moment, who could cost around £67m, which might just prove to be a bargain price, as in 45 appearances for RB Leipzig this season, the 22-year-old dynamo was able to score 21 goals and provide six assists.

Coming in with a cheaper price tag that is said to be around the £25m mark, Guessand would be the more economical option, and with a tally of 13 goals and ten assists in 42 games, it would be a tempting one at that.

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Yet, there is now another forward whose price fits nicely between both and has been compared to Kane: Nick Woltemade.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several teams incredibly interested in the VfB Stuttgart poacher.

In fact, the report reveals that the Gunners, as well as Liverpool, have made contact with the German outfit over their star striker, who could be available for around €50m, which comes out to about £42m.

He might not be a known quantity to fans in England, but given Woltemade’s ability and potential, this is a deal worth pursuing – with the comparison to Kane a nice bonus.

How Woltemade compares to Kane

Now, there are several reasons why Arsenal might want to go out and sign Woltemade this summer, but before getting to them, it’s worth examining this comparison to Kane and where it originated from.

In this case, it stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in the Bundesliga this season and came to the conclusion that the Englishman was the second most similar forward to the German.

The best way to understand how this conclusion was reached is by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, live passes, expected assists, passes into the penalty area, tackles won and more, all per 90.

Woltemade & Kane
Statistic per 90	Woltemade	Kane
Non-Penalty Expected G+As	0.70	0.70
Goals per Shot	0.22	0.16
Expected Assists	0.19	0.21
Live Passes	26.5	23.4
Passes into the Penalty Area	1.28	1.36
Tackles Won	0.39	0.42
Successful Take-On %	43.7%	43.4%
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Bundesliga Season

However, while the comparison to England’s captain and one of the best strikers in the game is certainly encouraging, it’s not the only reason the Gunners should be looking to sign the Stuttgart star.

For example, despite playing for a midtable side, the “exceptional” marksman, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, was able to rack up an impressive haul of 17 goals and three assists in 33 appearances, totalling 2039 minutes.

That means the 23-year-old goalscorer maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.65 games this year, or every 101.95 minutes, which is undeniably impressive.

On top of that, the Bremen-born star comes in at a massive 6 foot 6 but remains agile and quick on his feet, so not only could he interchange with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard at the Emirates, but he’d add even more height and physicality into the Gunners’ squad.

Ultimately, Woltemade has been incredible this season, and his goalscoring abilities combined with his physical characteristics make him someone Arsenal should not miss out on – the comparison to Kane is just another reason they should be going all out to sign him.

A Rodrygo clone: Arsenal could hijack Chelsea move for "England's best LW"

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 5, 2025

Sunderland are already finding their glorious promotion up to the Premier League to be a double-edged sword.

Indeed, the dust hadn’t even settled on the Black Cats’ Championship playoff final success before goalscoring hero Tommy Watson was heading down to the south coast to Brighton and Hove Albion, with Jobe Bellingham now the next expected departee.

The 19-year-old could now follow in his esteemed brother’s footsteps by joining German giants Borussia Dortmund, with the teenage sensation’s last ever match for the club now bittersweet, having just experienced the unbelievable high of promotion glory at Wembley.

The latest on Bellingham's future

This is one glaring negative attached to promotion – the fear that your best players will be snatched away from you after so much success.

Bellingham is reportedly on the cusp of calling Dortmund his new home for a bumper £32.8m fee, meaning he will go down as Sunderland’s heftiest ever sale when the move is officially completed.

This will, of course, be a major knock to Regis Le Bris and Co. ahead of their daunting top-flight adventure getting underway, with Bellingham’s seven goals and assists combined last season standing him in good stead to take to the Premier League confidently.

Instead, the Bundesliga will soon see what the much-talked-about Black Cats’ number seven is all about.

But, Sunderland can instantly address these gaping wounds by landing this ideal Bellingham replacement, with the star in question already well accustomed to the testing environment of the Premier League.

Sunderland's "outstanding" Bellingham replacement

Le Bris will need figures dotted all around his starting XI that know the difficult division to try and give his team a fighting chance at survival.

Tommy Doyle certainly ticks that box, considering he has amassed 51 top-flight appearances across his playing days to date, with the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder now reportedly attracting the attention of the Stadium of Light side as per a report from TEAMTalk earlier this month.

But, away from boasting plenty of experience for a 23-year-old, Doyle can also pick out a fine strike – much like Bellingham – from the midfield areas, with his senior career so far seeing him collect eight goals for Wolves, Sheffield United and Cardiff City, on top of reaching double digits with 11 assists.

The “outstanding” midfielder – as he’s been labelled previously by former youth coach Mark Kennedy – will hope the goals and assists keep flowing if he relocates to Wearside soon, with Doyle’s overall numbers last time out in the Championship with the Blades further backing up his status as an ideal replacement for the Dortmund-bound ace.

Games played

33

40

Goals scored

3

4

Assists

4

3

Touches*

43.3

56.0

Accurate passes*

24.5 (78%)

34.0 (86%)

Key passes*

1.1

1.2

Big chances created

6

4

He might well have fallen down the pecking order under Vitor Pereira at Molineux in recent times – as seen in his three minimal starts last season in the league – but his wealth of top-flight experience will still be a major plus, away from his standout loan stint at Bramall Lane reinforcing his similarities to Bellingham, as seen when glancing at the table above.

There will be a lot of pressure on Doyle’s shoulders to succeed, but the 23-year-old has managed to forge a memorable career for himself at the top for some time now, with that hopefully continuing at the Stadium of Light.

Doyle’s addition could become key to Le Bris’ men keeping their heads above water, with Sunderland likely to be submerged in a relegation battle all season long, whilst Bellingham plies his trade at the luxurious summit of the Bundesliga.

Enzo Le Fee repeat: Sunderland considering deal for "outstanding" star

Sunderland are eyeing up a move for a star who would be an Enzo Le Fee repeat.

ByDan Emery Jun 7, 2025

The left-handed middle-order batter represented UAE in 38 ODIs and 47 T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2024UAE batter Muhammad Usman has announced his retirement from international cricket. The Lahore-born middle-order batter represented UAE in 85 international games – 38 ODIs and 47 T20Is – across six years.Usman made his T20I debut in February 2016 against Netherlands followed by his ODI debut against Scotland a few months later. Overall, he scored 1008 runs at 31.50 in 38 ODIs including one century and four half-centuries while in 47 T20Is he finished with 891 runs, with three fifties. He was also part of the Asia Cup squad in 2016 where he top scored for UAE with 176 runs in seven games.Usman was born in Lahore and played five first-class and 58 List-A matches. His 1517 List-A runs came at an average of 34.47 and included nine fifties and a century. He last played an ODI and T20I in February 2022 against Oman and Nepal respectively.The 38-year-old expressed his gratitude and hoped to continue being part of cricket post-retirement.”It has been an incredible journey with the UAE cricket team and the cricket board,” Usman was quoted via a press release. “I would like to thank everyone who played a role in my journey including my team-mates, coaches and other support staff. I feel blessed and proud that I got the opportunity of representing UAE for 85 international matches.”I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life as I want to remain associated with the sport. I want to wish the UAE team and the players the very best in what is a very exciting time for the game in the country.”

Manchester United are thought to be close to signing a second major transfer target of the summer after Matheus Cunha.

Man Utd targeting more attacking signings after Cunha

The Red Devils and INEOS made an early start on their summer transfer business by securing the services of Matheus Cunha.

Those at Old Trafford triggered the Brazilian’s £62.5m release clause to sign him from Wolves, and after signing for Man Utd, Cunha said:

Cunha may well be used by Ruben Amorim in one of two attacking number 10 positions behind a striker in a 3-4-2-1 system, so more firepower in the final third is on the agenda at Old Trafford.

Related Amorim's own Haaland: Wilcox in talks to sign "world-class" CF for Man Utd

Manchester United appear to be making moves towards a new centre-forward this summer.

Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Jun 17, 2025

On the search for a centre-forward, Man Utd have been linked with Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Meanwhile, another versatile attacker that has been wanted for weeks is Brentford star Bryan Mbuemo. Despite interest from Spurs and new manager Thomas Frank, Man Utd are the ones who have had a verbal agreement in place to sign the Cameroon international.

Indeed, INEOS have been preparing a huge salary offer worth £13m per season to lure the forward to Manchester, a wage that works out at £250,000-a-week. Now, a new development has emerged, and one that will be music to the ears of many Man Utd supporters.

Man Utd now “very close” to signing Mbuemo after talks intensify

According to reports from Spain, Man Utd are now “very close” to signing Mbuemo from Brentford.

It is claimed that ‘contacts with the player’s entourage and with Brentford itself have intensified from Manchester’ and that ‘negotiations, which have been ongoing for weeks, have progressed significantly’.

Amorim has also given the green light to a deal, but no fee is mentioned in the new update. As many will know, Man Utd had an initial offer rejected for Mbuemo worth up to £55m as the Bees value their star at more than £60m.

Premier League 24/25

Mbeumo

Cunha

Games

38

33

Goals

20

15

Assists

8

6

Presumably, a deal, should it go through, will be around that figure, and it looks like a transfer is on course to be completed imminently following this latest update.

Amid rumours that they’ve already had to reject a bid worth £45m to sell Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly opened talks to sign a possible replacement.

Nottingham Forest reject Newcastle's Elanga bid

After securing a shock place in the Europa Conference League in an excellent season last time out, Nottingham Forest are in no position to sell key players. But that hasn’t stopped certain clubs from testing the waters. Among them, Newcastle United reportedly formalised their interest in Elanga with an offer worth £45m earlier this week, only to see that bid rejected by those at the City Ground.

There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and Forest will be well aware that Newcastle could yet come calling a second time.

If that does happen, then preparing for Elanga’s exit in a worst-case scenario would not be a bad idea for all involved at the City Ground. Already, on that front, Forest have attempted and failed to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus and have also been linked with versatile AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.

Whether either of those options possess the quality to replace Elanga is the big question. One man who is unlikely to face problems in that regard is Igor Jesus. The Botafogo forward is reportedly on his way to the Midlands alongside teammate Jair Cunha following their Club World Cup campaign.

The former has already stolen plenty of headlines with his winning goal against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and is seemingly about to take the Premier League by storm.

Nottingham Forest open talks to sign "elite" new star after Weah rejection

They’ve instantly turned towards another option.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

Jesus and Cuiabano may not be the only Club World Cup stars to arrive, either, amid reports that Forest have opened talks to sign another attacking target.

Nottingham Forest open talks to sign Pepe

According to ESPN Brazil, Nottingham Forest have now opened talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto, who are demanding over €15m (£12m) to sell their 28-year-old winger this summer.

An experienced winger who scored at the Club World Cup for Porto in a 4-4 draw against Al-Ahly this summer, Pepe would offer Forest instant depth and may even be asked to replace Elanga if the Swede joins Newcastle.

Minutes

1,991

2,501

Goals

3

6

Assists

2

11

Key Passes

31

50

The pressure would instantly be on Pepe if he did step in for Elanga and although his experience could prove to be invaluable, questions will be asked about his ability to match the 22-year-old’s output.

As a versatile backup who can play all across the frontline, however, the Porto man represents an ideal choice as Forest step into European football. At just over £12m too, it’s not a deal that Evangelos Marinakis will need to splash out on for Nuno Espirito Santo in the coming months.