All posts by h716a5.icu

Will Celtic enjoy a strong end to yet another memorable season?

On Saturday, the Hoops fought back from a goal down to win 3-1 at Parkhead; Nicolas Kühn, Adam Idah and then Reo Hatate the scorers for Celtic.

As a result, Brendan Rodgers’ side could conclude the campaign with as many as 94 points, travelling to Pittodrie on Wednesday, before facing St Mirren on trophy presentation day, which has become a near-annual event, on Saturday.

They’ll then face Aberdeen again the following weekend at Hampden in the Scottish Cup Final, seeking to secure a sixth domestic treble in just nine seasons.

Despite their continued domination of Scottish football, Rodgers is not satisfied and always demands improvement, so could Celtic sign a highly-rated defender in a deal that would be reminiscent of Josip Juranović’s move from the not-too-distant past?

Josip Juranović's impact at Celtic

As part of the major summer rebuild when Ange Postecoglou first arrived at Celtic in the summer of 2021, 14 senior players were signed, including Juranović, joining from Legia Warszawa for a reported fee of £2.5m.

Well, despite actually only making 53 appearances in hoops, the Croatian international certainly proved to be fantastic value for money, describing his 18 months in Glasgow as “the best of his life”.

Juranović quickly established himself as a fans’ favourite, with Total Football Analysis praising his ‘versatility… aerial ability and physicality’ as well as his leadership qualities.

Thus, in January 2023, shortly after helping Croatia reach the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, Juranović joined Union Berlin for a reported £10m, representing a 400% return on investment in just a year-and-a-half.

It’s safe to say that Celtic’s recruitment when it comes to plucking hidden gems has worked well and they could repeat that trick here, luring another defender from the continent to Scottish shores.

Celtic targeting a new defender

As previously reported by Mirko Marković of Maxbet Sport earlier this month, Celtic are ‘very interested’ in signing defender Veljko Milosavljević from Serbian champions Crvena zvezda, adding that the youngster has shown great ‘potential’ this season.

Milosavljević, who is just 17-years-old, made his senior Super liga Srbije debut for Red Star Belgrade against Radnički Niš as recently as December, with the table below outlining his career statistics so far.

Appearances

17

Minutes

1,189

Starts

12

Super liga Srbije apps

13

Super liga Srbije starts

10

Despite his lack of first-team experience, Milosavljević has earned rave reviews.

Aleksandar Radonić of Serbia outlet Kurur labels him ‘one of the most talented’ youngsters to come through Red Star Belgrade’s academy in recent times, adding that the centre-back, who stands at 6 foot 3, was ‘especially impressive’ during a recent eternal derby victory over Partizan, claiming he is now valued at around €4m (£3m).

Transfer Focus

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

Meantime, scout Gianni Bellasi describes him as a “physically imposing” defender who is a “reliable presence”, while Blair Meikle of the National believes the teenager is one of the ‘hottest young prospects’ in European football right now.

So, where would he fit into Celtic’s team?

Well, for four seasons now, Cameron Carter-Vickers has been the club’s undisputed first-choice central defender, racking up 157 appearances since arriving from Tottenham, despite a few injury problems.

This season, fellow-American international Auston Trusty as well as Liam Scales have been vying to be Carter-Vickers’ partner, but that position is certainly up for grabs, and Milosavljević more than appears to have all the attributes and qualities to come in and make that position his own.

Given that, as noted by teammate Kasper Schmeichel, Carter-Vickers’ qualities lie “with the ball at his feet”, Milosavljević’s physical profile suggests he would be a dream centre-back partner.

Thus, if Celtic can secure his services for as little as £4m, that would appear to be a fantastic investment.

Perfect McCowan repeat: Celtic plotting move to sign "brilliant" SPFL star

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, Celtic are considering a move to sign a “brilliant” Scottish Premiership star on a free.

ByBen Gray May 7, 2025

There have been plenty of disappointing aspects to Arsenal’s season this year.

One of the most significant – outside the lack of trophies, of course – has been the pretty dismal form of Martin Odegaard.

This time last year, the Norwegian international was named the club’s Player of the Year for the second campaign on the bounce, and now there are genuine discussions about his place in the team.

It might sound hyperbolic, but the team’s captain and chief creator amassing a tally of six goals and 12 assists in 45 games isn’t great, especially when there are several ways Mikel Arteta and Co could replace him.

With that said, there is one player, someone once compared to the former Real Madrid star, who certainly shouldn’t be looked at as his replacement and instead should be sold as soon as possible.

How Arsenal could replace Odegaard

Okay, so we don’t think the captain is in any real danger of fully losing his place in the team at the moment, but should his poor form continue into next season, it shouldn’t be off the table.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

So, aside from making an expensive signing, what could Arteta and Co do to replace him in the team?

Well, the first option, which seems to be quite popular among sections of the fanbase, is giving Ethan Nwaneri the chance to make the position his own.

Now, the Hale Ender has primarily played out on the right this season, but across his time in the academy, his most played role was that of a number ten or the most attacking midfield player.

Moreover, if this year has shown us anything, the 18-year-old phenom knows where the goal is and how to play a dangerous pass in behind.

For example, in just 1378 minutes of first-team football, he scored nine goals and provided two assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 125.27 minutes.

A longer-term option, and one that might seem a little foolhardy at the moment, could be unleashing Max Dowman there once he’s acclimated to senior football next season.

Now, it would be utterly absurd to even suggest such a thing for most players his age, but the 15-year-old is evidently not like most players, with respected talent scout Jacek Kulig even going as far as calling him “the most exciting” prospect “since Lamine Yamal.”

It’s not hard to understand why he would say such a thing either, as in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, this season, the “ridiculous player,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 19 goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an unreal average of 1.04 goal involvements every game, or one every 81.04 minutes.

So, in short, there are a couple of great in-house solutions should Odegaard not improve his form next year, but another player was once compared to the Norwegian and should be nowhere near the team next season.

The Arsenal star who must be sold

Some Arsenal players, like Jorginho and Kieran Tierney, are already confirmed to be leaving this summer, or they look like they might, like Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Someone who must join the departing players is Fabio Vieira.

The Portuguese midfielder joined the Gunners for around £34m in the summer of 2022, and while it was somewhat of a surprise signing, there was still some genuine excitement at the time, as he’d just produced 23 goal involvements in 39 games for Porto the season prior, and was even described as being similar to Odegaard by Gunners’ legend Gilberto Silva.

Unfortunately, things just did not work out for the 24-year-old, and across his two campaigns at the club, the “phenomenal” midfielder, as once dubbed by Kulig, produced just 13 goal involvements in 49 appearances.

After struggling to make any sort of impact for two seasons on the bounce, the decision was made to send him back to Porto for a season-long loan last summer, and while he’s looked better, it would be overdoing it to go any further.

Season

21/22

22/23

23/24

24/25

Appearances

39

33

16

39

Goals

7

2

1

5

Assists

16

6

3

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.24

0.25

0.25

For example, in 39 appearances, totalling 2457 minutes, he has scored five goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.9 games or every 245.7 minutes, which is significantly worse than Odegaard’s output this year.

So, if he’s doing better than he was but still isn’t at the level required to play for the club, the only logical answer is to try and sell him as soon as possible while he still has some value.

Therefore, while it might sound harsh, Vieira should never play for Arsenal again, for his own sake and the sake of the club.

Their answer to Isak: Arsenal make first contact to sign "the next Mbappe"

Arsenal may not need to enter the race for Alexander Isak.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes May 28, 2025

Chelsea are showcasing real ambition in the transfer market after qualifying for the Champions League next season, with the Blues looking back to manager Enzo Maresca after a successful debut campaign in the dugout.

Chelsea seal Liam Delap deal with more signings identified

On Wednesday, Chelsea officially announced the arrival of striker Liam Delap, who joins in a £30 million deal from Ipswich Town.

Chelsea hold new talks to sign "fantastic" £40m defender who's keen to join

The west Londoners want to get him in before the Club World Cup.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 5, 2025

Delap, who scored 12 league goals for the Tractor Boys last season, but couldn’t save them from relegation, will wear the number nine shirt and becomes eligible to take part in the Club World Cup later this month.

Ipswich Town 2-0 Chelsea

8.08

Bournemouth 1-2 Ipswich Town

8.05

Ipswich Town 2-2 Aston Villa

8.04

Ipswich Town 1-2 Southampton

7.83

Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town

7.55

via WhoScored

Chelsea can register players in time for FIFA’s competition due to a unique mini-transfer window, which is open until June 10, with Maresca having four more days to reinforce his squad ahead of the tournament.

BlueCo want one or two more new arrivals through the door before their CWC campaign kicks off, and Stamford Bridge chiefs have a number of plates spinning.

Journalist Simon Phillips claims Chelsea held fresh talks over a deal for Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato recently, with personal terms not seen as an issue considering the defender’s desire to join Maresca’s side.

Meanwhile, links continue to surround Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike, who could be their second striker signing after Delap.

As well as in attack and defence, Chelsea haven’t given up on signing AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan, who’s about to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the San Siro.

The France international, who captained Milan last season, is valued at around £25 million by the Rossoneri, despite his contract situation. Right now, Chelsea appear unwilling to go that far, but there is a major willingness from the 29-year-old himself to make the move happen.

Mike Maignan tells AC Milan he wants to join Chelsea

According to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, backing up other reports, Maignan has informed Milan that he wants to join Chelsea.

Convincing him is no issue, with the clubs now having to find common ground when it comes to his asking price. Maresca’s side only want to pay around £10 million for the keeper as things stand (The Mail), so there are plenty of negotiations still to be had if a deal is still possible.

This comes after another report from the reliable Fabrizio Romano, who told GiveMeSport that Maresca has personally approved Maignan’s potential switch to west London.

With Chelsea’s manager and the keeper wanting this deal done, they’re simply waiting for club-to-club talks to reach a positive resolution.

Maignan, described as a “world-class” shot-stopper, has plenty of top-level experience – which is something lacking in Chelsea’s overall squad – and is widely regarded as one of Serie A’s top keepers.

If a ship’s sinking, the quality of the prow is going to do little to drive things forward, no matter how well made. For Manchester United, there is Rasmus Hojlund, who perhaps feels a little ‘hung out to dry’ after his wretched campaign as Erik ten Hag and then Ruben Amorim’s central striker.

Signed from Atalanta for a lofty £72m in 2023, the 22-year-old Hojlund was pronounced to be a “monster in the making” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, but he left plenty to be desired after his maiden term in the Premier League.

But four goals last season and routine struggles to showcase his ability have reduced Hojlund to ignominy, and rumours are mounting that he will return to Serie A this summer.

This is for the best, for Man United need to freshen up the ranks and are indeed gearing up to raid one of several clubs for their star striker.

Man Utd's striker targets

Man United have been dealt a blow in their efforts to reunite Amorim with Sporting Lisbon superstar Viktor Gyokeres because the Swedish goalscorer reportedly favours a move to Arsenal.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, but after finishing 15th in the league and losing the Europa League final, it’s understandable. Gyokeres is 27, after all.

Instead, INEOS could launch an offensive on Napoli for Victor Osimhen, with ESPN claiming United have turned their attention to the Nigerian striker and could make a formal offer in the coming days. Osimhen has a €75m (£64m) release clause and is also wanted by Al Hilal and Galatasaray.

Having scored 37 goals from 41 matches on loan with Gala last year, Osimhen would certainly prove an upgrade on Hojlund, but United actually appear ready to push down a different track.

Man Utd in contact to sign Osimhen and Gyokeres alternative

As per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Man United are now ramping up their move to sign Hugo Ekitike.

They have been in contact with the player’s entourage over the weekend, expressing ‘concrete interest’ in the Frenchman, having already been locked in talks with Eintracht Frankfurt.

While Frankfurt are holding out for €100m (£85m), the 22-year-old’s reps have informed suitors that their client may actually be available for a cheaper fee when push comes to shove.

It’s worth noting Liverpool and Chelsea remain firmly in the race, but with the Premier League champions yet to have offloaded Darwin Nunez and the Blues sounding out alternatives, Jason Wilcox and Co could use this opportunity to strike now.

What Hugo Ekitike could bring to Man Utd

Ekitike scored 22 goals and laid on 12 assists across 48 matches in his first full season for Frankfurt, leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to claim “he could definitely reach world-class striker levels.”

Technically sharp and skilful on the ball, Ekitike also ranked among the top 4% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last year for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, highlighting his pace and dribbling ability.

Because of this, it’s surely no surprise the French forward has been labelled “the next Mbappe” by journalist Graeme Bailey in the past, with the Les Bleus superstar’s matchless athleticism and energy buttressing a deadly goalscoring ability.

But in actual fact he could prove to be Man United’s new version of Anthony Martial, one who might instead be less inhibited by injuries.

After several bitter years as an outlying member of the Man United squad, the 29-year-old Martial has been rehoused in Greece with AEK Athens, where he has enjoyed a resurgent campaign, scoring nine goals and providing two assists across 23 matches.

But he was once a phenomenon, arriving in the Premier League a sharp and fast forward whose pace and power saw him thrive out on the wing or in a more central striking berth.

The same is true for Ekitike, though he is clearly favoured as an out-and-out striker. Given that Martial fell largely because of persistent injury bother, he might prove to go one step further than the former Red Devils star and become a major player for many years, sustaining a high level of performance.

In the modern market, United will have to pay a premium for such a player as Ekitike, but they did the same with another French forward way back when, and in the earlier stages of his career in England, it looked like the Glazers had, for once, received bang for their buck.

Looking at Martial’s 2019/20 Premier League campaign, when he scored 17 times across 34 appearances, also assisting seven goals, he was at the peak of his powers, and you can see how he matches up against Ekitike over the past year for Frankfurt.

Could it be that the current hotshot has the superior skillset? That he could use his athletic and technical qualities to outstrip even the finest version of Martial?

Goals scored

0.53

0.58

Assists

0.28

0.21

Shots taken

4.00

2.71

Shot-creating actions

3.55

3.43

Touches (att pen)

6.88

5.38

Progressive passes

1.86

2.81

Progressive carries

3.27

2.61

Successful take-ons

1.83

1.71

Ball recoveries

3.06

1.51

Tackles + interceptions

0.81

0.69

As you can see, both players across the respective seasons produced sustained performances to write home about, but Ekitike’s movement, energy and tenacity can be observed through his recoveries, his command of the box and his multi-facetedness.

No amount of revisionism will strip away the memory of Martial in his pomp, bursting onto the scene as one of the most prodigious talents about, hailed as a “Ferrari” who looked “like a £100m player” by pundit Owen Hargreaves back in 2020.

Clearly, then, he was once in the same sphere as Ekitike, probably even above his compatriot.

Emerging from Monaco’s talent factory a few years before Mbappe, it’s easy to see why Martial was held in such high regard, with his early years depicting a player capable of conquering the world.

Ekitike was reared in a different part of France, but he’s got the dynamic qualities to emulate his countryman and become a superstar at Old Trafford, one who could lead the much-needed revival.

After Cunha: Man Utd join race for "red-hot" £47m Bryan Mbeumo clone

Man United need new forwards to improve Ruben Amorim’s team.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 14, 2025

Leeds United are now considering a fresh transfer bid to sign their top forward target, according to a new report.

Leeds chasing multiple transfer targets

The Whites confirmed their second signing of the summer transfer window on Monday, as Jaka Bijol has now signed a five-year deal to keep him at the club until 2030. But the Championship title winners are not wasting any time in identifying their next moves.

As exciting as Buendia: Leeds expected to make move for £18m EFL star

There is a belief that Leeds will make a move for a star who would be as exciting as Emi Buendia.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 23, 2025

According to a recent report from Give Me Sport, Leeds are preparing a bid to sign Valentin Atangana from Reims. The 19-year-old is said to be available for an affordable price given the French side were relegated last season, but the Whites are not alone in their pursuit, as many other Premier League teams are also chasing his signature.

Meanwhile, Leeds have also received a boost in their pursuit of a new goalkeeper, as Southampton owner Dragan Solak has revealed that Aaron Ramsdale could leave the Saints this summer.

“We unfortunately are not sure that Ramsdale is going to stay, even though he loves the club. He’s a great young man; everybody loves him, but he wants to get his place in the national team, and it’s not easy to get there in the Championship.”

Leeds readying fresh Muniz bid

Strengthening up front is a major priority for Daniel Farke, and according to Football Insider, Leeds are now preparing to make a new offer to sign Rodrigo Muniz from Fulham.

Leeds are desperate to add Muniz to their squad and have already seen a bid of £26 million plus £6 million in add-ons, which totals £32 million rejected in this transfer window.

Muniz is considered a top striker target for the Whites, but despite his contract ending in 2026, Fulham do have an option to extend that by 12 months, meaning they hold all the cards at the moment. It doesn’t state how much Leeds are willing to bid in their next offer, but Fulham are said to be confident of pricing them out, so it would almost certainly have to surpass their current record signing of £35.5m on Georginio Rutter.

Apps

57

Goals

17

Assists

2

Muniz, who has been described as “strong” by Alan Shearer, joined Fulham in 2021 but has had to remain very patient for a chance at Craven Cottage. After spending time on loan at Middlesbrough in the 2022/23 season, he has become a regular under Marco Silva.

The forward played 26 games in the Premier League during the 2023/24 season, during which he scored nine goals, and he then bettered that with 31 Premier League games last season, scoring eight goals in the process. Muniz has that proven Premier League experience that Leeds and Farke are looking for; it just remains a question of how much Leeds are willing to spend to get their man.

Hosts finish eight-down after taking on stiff run-chase through Labuschagne 64

ECB Reporters Network26-Jun-2024Northamptonshire came close to pulling off a remarkable comeback win over Glamorgan in the Vitality County Championship match against Glamorgan thanks to a career best 168 from Lewis McManus and wickets for Alex Russell and Liam Patterson-White.Northamptonshire declared on 472 for eight to leave Glamorgan a target of 262 in 39 overs. The home side made a good go of chasing down the stiff target with Marnus Labuschagne scoring his second fifty of the match but late wickets left Northamptonshire a chance of pulling off victory.Having been 211 runs behind on first innings, Northamptonshire had nine catchers around the bat in the closing overs as they pushed for the win.Glamorgan finished on 207 for eight with Northamptonshire two wickets short of victory.Northamptonshire resumed their second innings just 25 runs in front of Glamorgan but their biggest partnership of the match extended that lead significantly. Luke Procter and McManus shared a stand of 161 that lasted past lunch on the last day. As with the third day there seemed to be little threat from the quicker bowlers but Glamorgan were hampered in their pursuit for wickets by the absence of James Harris who was off the field with a quad injury.In the absence of Harris, Labuschagne came on to bowl seam and he generated some decent pace, albeit without managing a breakthrough. He also sent down a few overs of leg spin once the shine was off the new ball.The first wicket of the day came in the second session when Timm van der Gugten trapped Procter for 98, the second Northamptonshire batter to get out in the nineties in this innings after Ricardo Vasconcelos fell for 99 late on day three.Lewis McManus had past his hundred from 150 balls just before the fall of Procter’s wicket and he looked to be more attacking once he had reached his milestone, scoring at better than a run a ball as he looked to set a target for Glamorgan to chase.McManus passed 150 for the first time in first class cricket and took four consecutive sixes off Crane in the last over before Northamptonshire declared to leave Glamorgan needing to score at seven an over to win.Glamorgan were 30 for one at the tea break and after the interval they made a real push to keep the required rate under control, but that desire for quick runs brought about the demise of Billy Root when Labuschagne called him through for a very sharp single and both batters ended up at the same end.Carlson and Labuschagne kept up the intensity in their stand of 62 from 57 balls. Carlson was bowled by Alex Russell when he attempted a big shot to the shorter boundary on the Grandstand side of the ground.Labuschagne looked very keen to secure a win in his last home game in the Championship this season but he chipped a catch to point off the bowling of Liam Patterson-White for 64.Chris Cooke continued to attack but he fell for 27 looking to hit Russell over long off. Mason Crane was dismissed for a duck and Harry Podmore was bowled for 1 as Northamptonshire continued the late push to complete the comeback but Timm van der Gugten saw out the last over to secure the draw.

Arsenal’s transfer business so far hasn’t won universal approval from every critic, with talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor now slamming a “very odd” decision by new sporting director Andrea Berta, manager Mikel Arteta and the Gunners’ recruitment team.

It’s been a fairly productive first month of the window for Arsenal.

Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal seal "next signing" with underrated star set to join

The Gunners are poised to complete another deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 26, 2025

Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi recently finalised his long-awaited move to the Emirates Stadium, flying to London last week as he put the finishing touches on his £56 million move to the Premier League.

After Zubimendi, Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga swiftly followed his Spanish compatriot, with the Stamford Bridge outcast set to join Arteta’s side in a £5 million move.

Most recently, though, Arsenal agreed a deal to sign Brentford captain Christian Norgaard as a direct replacement for veteran midfielder Thomas Partey – who’s set to leave N5 after his contract expires on June 30.

The 31-year-old has been a vital cog in Brentford’s system for years, and his proven Premier League experience is a major attraction which perhaps gave Norgaard the edge over fellow reported targets like Sevilla’s Lucien Agoume, who was also reportedly considered by the club.

Arsenal are set to sign Norgaard after swiftly reaching an agreement with Brentford, as reported by multiple reliable news outlets, but this call has now been questioned by Agbonlahor.

Gabriel Agbonlahor slams "very odd" Christian Norgaard deal

Speaking to talkSPORT, the pundit called their deal for Norgaard a “very odd” one, going on to claim Arsenal are shopping at “Asda” while rivals Man City and Liverpool shoot a bit more upmarket.

“He’s an OK player. I get it for value, he’s a decent player, but you’re losing Thomas Partey,” said the ex-Aston Villa striker.

“It just seems a bit odd. Arsenal haven’t been able to agree a contract with Partey, that’s what’s happening, so say it’s over money. You’re paying £9milion for Norgaard – just give it to Partey as the difference in wages he’s asking for.

“Why not just give it to him? You know what he can do. It’s very odd. Arsenal don’t seem to be shopping in the top shops like Manchester City and Liverpool. They’re shopping at Waitrose, Arsenal are at Asda.

“I get it, Jorginho’s gone, and you need cover, but I’m sure Arsenal fans are looking at Liverpool spending £116m on Florian Wirtz and the money Man City are spending and thinking, ‘Come on, we don’t mind Norgaard coming in, but we need a top striker’.”

The actual fee for Norgaard could reach up to £15 million if performance-related odd-ons are achieved, so this transfer could turn out to be even more expensive from Arsenal’s point of view.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to envisage the Dane playing week-in, week-out given Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice’s presence in midfield. Norgaard could still work wonders as a utility player in Arteta’s squad, and may have been an even deeper issue regarding the club’s failed new contract talks with Partey.

Tottenham Hotspur salvaged their 2024/25 campaign when a goal from Brennan Johnson was enough to secure the Europa League against Manchester United.

Ange Postecoglou ended the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy by winning that game, securing Champions League football in the process, and was subsequently relieved of his duties.

Daniel Levy has, since, replaced the Australian head coach with former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who will now be looking to kick the team on to win even more silverware in the years to come.

The Danish manager could look to the transfer market to bolster his squad, although deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have already been agreed and will be made official at the start of July.

Spurs bringing in new recruits to improve the team could help them to kick on in the Premier League, after finishing closer to relegation than the top four, but it could also mean that some members of the current squad could have to make way.

One player whose future remains up in the air is Dejan Kulusevski, who is a reported target for Italian giants AC Milan and Napoli in the summer transfer window.

Why Spurs should cash in on Dejan Kulusevski

The 25-year-old star joined the club on loan from Juventus at the start of 2022 before eventually signing on a permanent deal, and has been a solid performer over the years for Spurs.

To date, Kulusevski has racked up 25 goals and 30 assists in 146 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham, which is a very respectable return and shows that he can provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

However, the Sweden international is one of the top earners in the squad and has not delivered enough consistent quality in the final third to justify that.

Heung-min Son

£190k

Cristian Romero

£170k

James Maddison

£165k

Dejan Kulusevski

£110k

Dominic Solanke

£90k

Richarlison

£90k

Pedro Porro

£85k

Radu Dragusin

£85k

Ben Davies

£80k

Rodrigo Bentancur

£75k

As you can see in the table above, Kulusevski is one of only four players in the squad who earn more than £90k-per-week, on a weekly wage of £110k, which suggests that he should someone the team can rely on week-in-week-out.

The left-footed forward, though, has never produced more than eight goals or eight assists in a single Premier League season for Tottenham, failing to hit double digits in either type of goal contribution.

Therefore, Spurs should look to cash in on this reported interest from Napoli and Milan in order to make room for a new attacker to come in this summer, with a view to them delivering more quality, through goals and assists, in the Premier League next season.

In fact, Tottenham are already reportedly eyeing up a Bundesliga star who could come through the door as an upgrade on Kulusevski in the coming months.

Spurs eyeing deal for Bundesliga star

According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham Hotspur have identified RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Xavi Simons as one of a number of targets in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Netherlands international, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, is on the club’s radar as they consider their options in the number ten role.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Tottenham are also among a number of teams keeping tabs on Harvey Elliott’s situation at Liverpool, and are interested in Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.

Simons represents a slightly more left-field option, as he is unproven in the Premier League, and the Dutch playmaker is said to be open to a move to the English top-flight this summer.

Leipzig failed to qualify for any European competition ahead of the 2025/26 campaign and are reportedly looking for a fee in the region of £60m to part ways with the 22-year-old talent.

Why Spurs should sign Xavi Simons

Described by one data analyst as “one of the best 10s in the world”, the Lilywhites should press ahead with a deal to sign the young attacking midfielder because he is a player who has the potential to deliver goals and assists more frequently than Kulusevski has for Spurs to date.

Simons could come in as a big upgrade on the Swedish forward in the attacking midfield and wide areas, if he can translate his form for Leipzig in the Bundesliga over to the Premier League in North London.

The Dutch starlet, who was once described as a “pocket rocket” by analyst Raj Chohan, has hit double figures for goals in each of the last three seasons for Leipzig and PSV combined, and racked up double figures for assists in two of the last three seasons.

Simons produced ten goals and 13 assists in all competitions in the 2023/24 campaign, creating 14 ‘big chances’ and averaging 2.5 key passes per game in the Bundesliga, which speaks to the kind of quality he can provide in front of goal on a regular basis.

Appearances

25

32

xG

5.11

4.23

Goals

10

7

Big chances created

12

9

Key passes per game

2.0

2.1

xA

5.98

3.94

Assists

7

4

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman’s form in the 2024/25 Bundesliga season also suggests that he has more to offer to Tottenham than Kulusevski moving forward, with more xA, more assists, more ‘big chances’ created, and more goals, despite playing seven fewer matches.

The Leipzig star is also on a reported wage of roughly £98k-per-week, per Capology, which suggests that he could arrive on similar wages to the Sweden international, unless he demands a significant pay hike to make the move.

If Spurs can bring Simons to the club on a similar wage to Kulusevski, the Dutch star’s performances for Leipzig in recent seasons suggest that he would arrive as a big upgrade on what Frank currently has to work with.

The 22-year-old maestro has the potential to provide more goals and more assists as an attacking midfielder, as a player who can finish his chances with more efficiency, whilst also creating more high-quality opportunities for his teammates.

Frank's next Mbeumo: Spurs discussing move to sign "world-class" £70m star

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move for a star who could star under Thomas Frank.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 29, 2025

Therefore, Spurs should sign the £60m-rated star to bolster Frank’s squad before the summer transfer window slams shut, to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.

The pair smashed LPL records and Galle Marvels in front of a full house at Khettarama

Andrew Fidel Fernando21-Jul-2024Rilee Rossouw bludgeoned 106 off 53 balls, Kusal Mendis crashed 72 off 40 of his own, and together sent Jaffna Kings soaring to a target of 185, inside 16 overs. It was a record-breaking chase on at least two fronts. Their unbroken stand of 185 (Pathum Nissanka had been out first ball), was the highest for any wicket, across all LPL seasons. Kings’ chase was the highest in any LPL tournament.And their victory means that a Jaffna franchise has won four out of the five LPL tournaments staged, having only missed out in 2023.Rossouw and Mendis’ sublime hitting will rightly be admired as perhaps the greatest partnership this tournament has produced, given it came in a final in front of a full house at Khettarama. But Jaffna had dominated another key passage of the game. Through excellent bowling from Jason Behrendorff, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Fabian Allen, they had had Galle Marvels by the collar at 23 for 3 after seven overs.They recovered through an outstanding innings by Bhanuka Rajapaksa, but clearly their 184 for 6 was not sufficient to deny Mendis and Rossouw in such form.Rossouw’s monster hittingLate in the chase, it felt like there were no ball Galle Marvels could produce that Rossouw could not thump into or over the boundary. But he was also the first batter to shake Kings into motion. He hit the first boundaries, one of them intentional, in the second over. But then really got into his work in the fourth, pummeling Isuru Udana over deep extra cover, then crashing him over deep midwicket.But it was in the middle overs, against spin, that he really hit his stride. He bashed Prabath Jayasuriya for a six and two fours in the seventh over and bullied Theekshana over long-on boundary to get to his fifty off 29 balls.Later he’d go back to smashing Udana, and then later reaped three fours and a six off Janith Liyanage’s seam bowling, which put him five runs short of a second century in this year’s tournament. By this stage, Kings were so utterly ascendant (they needed 21 off 42 balls, with nine wickets left), the only question was whether Mendis would run down the target before Rossouw had the chance to get to triple figures.But Rossouw got there with ease, rocked his bazooka celebration, and also hit the winning run and raised his bat towards the dugout.Earlier, while fielding, Rossouw had been involved with an aggressive altercation with umpire Kumar Dharmasena over an overthrow. Clearly he came to this game pumped up.Mendis shines againMendis had cracked 105 not out off 54 balls in the semi-final, and was very quickly in wonderful touch again in this game, racing to 32 off 13 balls inside the powerplay. Nineteen of those runs came against the offspin of Sahan Arachchige, in the last over of the powerplay.But as Rossouw exploded, Mendis thrived too, finding boundaries square of the wicket while Rossouw slammed most of his in the arc between deep cover and dep midwicket. Between these two batters, there was no relent for Marvels. Mendis was dropped on 67 in the 14th over, but by this stage Jaffna’s victory was almost certain.Bhanuka Rajapaksa hit a boundary-laden 82 off 34 balls for Galle Marvels•SLCRajapaksa’s spectacular showRossouw and Mendis put him in the shade, but that Marvels set a target that seemed daunting was down to Rajapaksa, who showcased both his touch and power in his 82 off 34. Through the course of that innings he played some delightful late cuts, fine glances, and flicks off his toes, but also pinged balls down the ground, over midwicket, and over cover. He’d had some support from Tim Seifert, who hit 47 off 37 balls, and was part of a 62-run stand with Rajapaksa.But even Seifert had only raised his scoring thanks to crashing three leg-side sixes and a four off four consecutive V Viyaskanth balls. Many of the other Marvels batters struggled to find their timing on this pitch.Kings bowlers tie up the top orderTeams have generally done well in the back end of the innings this season thanks to the power blast (two late overs in which only four boundary riders are allowed). But Kings had dominated the early overs, and this too was a key portion of the game. Behrendorff was the top performer here finding swing and conceding only five runs from his three powerplay overs, while removing both the Marvels openers.But the spinners were also good. Allen bowled two overs for 10 runs, and de Silva conceded six in the opening over. They largely bowled slow on a pitch that had some turn in it.

The left-hand opener scored 24 hundreds across 269 international appearances for India

Shashank Kishore24-Aug-20241:37

Dhawan’s top 10

Shikhar Dhawan has announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket through a social media post on Saturday morning. Dhawan’s last competitive game was in April, leading Punjab Kings in IPL 2024. He retires with 24 hundreds (17 in ODIs and seven in Tests) across 269 international matches.”It’s important to turn the page to move forward in life and that’s why I am announcing my retirement from international and domestic cricket,” Dhawan said in a video message. “I am leaving with peace in my heart that I played for so long for India. I tell myself not to feel sad that you will not play for India anymore, but to feel happy that you played for your country.”Dhawan, who made his India debut in 2010, retires as one of only eight ODI batters with over 5000 runs at a 40-plus average and a 90-plus strike rate (Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are the other Indians in the list). In all, he scored 6793 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. His last ODI was against Bangladesh in Chattogram in December 2022.Related

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In 34 Tests, he scored 2315 runs at an average of 40.61, and in 68 T20Is, 1759 at a strike rate of 126.36.Dhawan’s ODI numbers towered over his records in the other two formats, even though it was in Tests when he first burst onto the scene with an 85-ball hundred against Australia in Mohali in 2013, the fastest by a debutant. He went on to make 187 in a match-winning effort.Dhawan’s career hit the high notes in 2013. That year, he made 1162 runs in 26 ODIs at an average of 50.52 and a strike rate of 97.89. The icing on the cake was his chart-topping 363 runs in five innings, including two centuries, in India’s title-winning run at the Champions Trophy, which was his first ODI series after five forgettable outings across 2010 and 2011.That tournament was the start of a glorious opening partnership with Rohit. In terms of run aggregates, the pair is the fourth-best among ODI openers, and their 18 century stands at the top are second only to Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly’s 21.ESPNcricinfo LtdDhawan’s glorious run extended well past the Champions Trophy 2013 as he established himself as a key member of the ODI team over the next few years. He was the highest scorer for India in each of the next few ODI tournaments: Asia Cup 2014, World Cup 2015, Champions Trophy 2017 and Asia Cup 2018.In 2019, Dhawan’s ODI career hit the first major hurdle after he was out with a thumb injury midway through the World Cup in England, soon after scoring a century against Australia at The Oval. Dhawan’s contributions were rewarded with short captaincy stints during the last leg of his international career when he led India’s second-string sides in the absence of regulars.Dhawan represented Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings in the IPL, where he is the second-highest run-getter behind Kohli. His 6769 runs came across 222 matches at a strike rate of 127.14.In domestic cricket, Dhawan’s early years coincided with the Ranji Trophy success for Delhi; he was part of the title-winning team in 2007-08 when Delhi beat Uttar Pradesh at the Wankhede. He was also the top run-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup in 2004.