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The summer transfer window has officially opened for business, though Wolverhampton Wanderers have already completed their first signing, welcoming 20-year-old winger Rodrigo Gomes from Braga for about £13m.

Gary O'Neil's side expect to sell Pedro Neto this summer, who is valued at £60m, and could look to spread the recouped funds across the squad to strengthen and build on last term's 14th-place Premier League finish.

Robins pundit Tom Sandy recently claimed that the Championship outfit should be looking at the ballpark of £5m, while he's out of contract next summer.

Southampton's Che Adams – who is out of contract this month – has been heavily linked with a move to Molineux but recent reports suggest that a Saudi Pro League advance could scupper Old Gold plans. Enter Conway?

Tommy Conway's style of play

Profiling the 21-year-old following his surprise inclusion in Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for the European Championship, The Scotsman has written that he possesses speed and energy 'akin to a Duracell Bunny'.

Having scored 24 goals and placed five assists over the past two campaigns, Conway has proven himself to bear the mark of a true finisher, with such skill on show when City defeated West Ham United in the FA Cup back in January.

Statman Dave hailed his "clinical" performances across two fixtures, Conway scoring in the third-round draw before repeating the trick one week later to net the winning strike in the replay.

Said to be 'the next Jamie Vardy' by former Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson, Conway's pace and deceptive power could indeed lead him to flower into Wolves' very own version of the iconic Leicester City sharpshooter.

Vardy, the spearhead of Leicester's incredible Premier League title triumph in 2015/16, has scored 190 goals and added 66 assists across 464 matches for the club, with his remarkable movement and prolific shooting skills the best marker of his elite-level talent.

Conway might have a long way to go but he could emulate the former England international in rising from the Championship to make a real impact at a middling Premier League side like Wolves, hoping that the gears will shift into place and advancements will be made toward the upper end.

He's also immensely technical and boasts some of the crispest distribution around, ranking among the top 1% of forwards across divisions similar to the Championship for pass completion, as per FBref, having been dubbed a "gifted boy" by Rotherham's Steve Evans.

With Cunha hopefully staying put and Hwang Hee-chan coming off the back of a 12-goal Premier League campaign from only 25 starting appearances, Conway could enter the fray with the security of depth – allowing O'Neil and co to forget all about their pursuit of Adams.

After settling in, there's no reason why the promising Scotland international can't forge a successful career for himself at Molineux. After all, Vardy and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins are just two demonstrations of the riches that can be found in digging into the second division.

How Wolves' starting XI could look after £83m summer spending spree

The Old Gold might not boast the deep pockets of other teams but some exciting arrivals could be welcomed this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 9, 2024

Former Chelsea defender William Gallas believes Cole Palmer could join Barcelona if the Blues do not win a trophy this season.

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• Gallas says Palmer should join Barcelona
• Palmer has contributed 11 goals in seven games
• Chelsea face Liverpool next weekend

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gallas believes that Palmer will look to leave Chelsea if the Blues do not improve under Enzo Maresca and look like they will win trophies in the near future. The former France defender added that he does not believe Palmer will be happy watching his England team-mates winning trophies if he does not – especially if he maintains his form. Gallas also thinks Barcelona would be a good fit for the midfielder.

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  WHAT GALLAS SAID

  Gallas said: "Cole Palmer might want to leave Chelsea in the future if they don’t show they can win trophies, but where would he go? Barcelona would be a great move for him, but they have great young players already like Lamine Yamal and might also be signing Nico Williams.

  "Palmer looks like he is going to have a very similar season to last year and even though he is young, it will be tough to see his friends winning trophies if he isn’t at Chelsea despite the way he is playing. I won’t be surprised if he wants to speak to Chelsea in the summer if they again fail to win a trophy. He will want to know clearly what their targets are."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There is no indication that Palmer will look to engineer a move away from Chelsea and to Barcelona, despite Gallas' suggestion. The English midfielder signed a lengthy contract when he joined the Blues and had his terms renewed this summer. With his contract running until 2033, it would take a mammoth bid for Barcelona to prise Palmer away.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PALMER?

  Palmer remains on international duty with England but will return to Chelsea this week. Palmer will be part of the Blues squad that will travel to Anfield next Sunday hoping to build on the momentum they have built up at the start of the season. Gallas may have to wait until the end of the season for his suggestion will come to light.

West Ham could step up their interest in a new midfielder following the latest news surrounding Edson Alvarez, it has been revealed.

Alvarez suffers Mexico blow

After a strong debut season in the Premier League, Edson Alvarez's Copa America dreams went up in smoke over the weekend. The Mexico skipper was forced off the pitch in tears after half an hour of their clash with Jamaica, which his side went on to win 1-0.

He appeared to have suffered a serious hamstring injury and his tournament is most likely over. He may have already done enough to earn a summer move away from Julen Lopetegui's side though, with Manchester United reportedly keen on adding him to their ranks in a move that would see him reunite with former boss Erik ten Hag, who coached him at Ajax.

West Ham now make contact to sign "huge player" alongside Max Kilman

He outscored Michail Antonio last season…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 23, 2024

Quizzed on the links, Alvarez did little to play them down: “I can only tell you that I’m focused on what I have to do. I know that the Copa America is a very important tournament where the eyes of the world are basically there. Later, there will be time to see what there is or what there isn’t."

Were he to leave, he would leave a hole in the West Ham engine room, but it appears that they have already identified his replacement in that case.

West Ham eye Alvarez alternative

That comes with West Ham named as one of the sides chasing Watford midfielder Ismael Kone, who is set to star at Copa America with Canada.

Kone made 42 appearances for the Hornets last season, grabbing four goals and three assists, and a strong tournament with Canada could put him firmly in the shop window despite still having three years left to run on his £15,000 a week deal at Vicarage Road. He drew strong praise from former Watford boss Slaven Bilic back in 2023 after an impressive debut.

"He’s young and has a lot of potential. Today he showed me that he can also make an impact on the quality of our game straight away", Bilic explained.

“He looks an athlete and he’s good on the ball. Out of possession there are some positioning things we’ll help him learn. When he’s challenging a player he is aggressive and has strength. He was very, very good, in both phases of the game.”

Now, he could be on the move with the reliable ExWHUemployee explaining that West Ham were one of several suitors chasing the 22-year-old, and that the chase could speed up if Alvarez cannot play through injury or transfer away.

“I can confirm that West Ham do have an interest in Watford player Ismael Kone,” Ex said over the weekend “The injury to Edson Alvarez could encourage West Ham to speed up their interest in the player and make a move sooner than planned."

Presumably, the same can be said were Alvarez to depart the club on a permanent basis this summer amid ongoing speculation, with Kone seen as the natural replacement for the Mexican midfielder.

While West Ham fans will be hoping that he stays at the London Stadium this summer, hearing that the club have a succession plan in mind is a welcome change to some of the more recent scattergun transfer policies in east London.

Kylian Mbappe matched an unwanted La Liga record in Real Madrid's humbling at the hands of Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday.

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• Real Madrid lose 4-0 to Barcelona
• Mbappe matches unwanted record
• Frenchman struggled in the defeat

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  During Madrid's 4-0 hammering by their greatest rivals at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, the 25-year-old was caught offside on eight occasions – a career-high for the former Paris Saint-Germain star. According to that matched the highest total for any player in a La Liga game since 2009, tying the unwanted record held by Elche's Jonathas against Athletic Bilbao in May 2015.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The result meant Barcelona went six points clear at the top of La Liga and ended Madrid's 42-game unbeaten run in the Spanish top-flight. The Blaugrana have laid down an emphatic marker and they won't be easy to stop in their bid to regain the league title.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mbappe had two goals ruled out for offside in the Barcelona defeat. The 2018 World Cup winner with France has scored eight goals and bagged two assists in 14 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos this season.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Mbappe's Madrid, who sit second in La Liga, will hope to return to winning ways next Saturday away to bottom of the table Valencia. A home clash with AC Milan then awaits in the Champions League on November 5.

GOAL looks at how Americans are doing in top Euro competitions, arguably the most indicative tests of where players stand

Europe's top competitions are rolling and, once again, there's a large contingent of USMNT stars playing their part. More Americans than ever, in fact. On Tuesday, nine USMNT stars played in the Champions League, the most ever in a single day. Just four years ago, that record was set at five and, looking ahead, there could be more to come.

Several Americans are thriving on the big stage. The world has taken notice of Christian Pulisic's surge, with the USMNT and AC Milan star's latest victim being none other than Real Madrid. The USMNT contingent at PSV, led by Malik Tillman, is pushing too, while Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie remain key contributors at Juventus.

It's not all great, though. The margins are fine at the highest levels, as several Americans have learned already in these competitions. Whether it's the Champions League, Europa League or Europa Conference League, these games are difficult and they remain arguably the most indicative test of where players stand. Some have shined, others have faltered but, either way, it's been a wild start to European competition for USMNT stars abroad.

GOAL looks at the performance of the Americans this season in Europe's most challenging competitions.

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  Leading the way

  + There's an obvious one here: Christian Pulisic. He put in another standout performance against Real Madrid Tuesday, assisting the opener while setting up another in a 3-1 win. That comes after goals against Liverpool and Club Brugge. Much like he is in just every way imaginable, Pulisic is leading the charge for the USMNT on the biggest stage in Europe, helping Milan beat Madrid to set up a smooth ride towards the knockouts.

  + Malik Tillman has been absolutely electric this season. His recent one-goal, two-assist performance in the win over Girona was his best effort yet as he continues to take massive strides for PSV. Cruising in the league, PSV also have a chance to push for a knockout spot and, if they're to get it, Tillman will almost certainly have played a huge part.

  + It's worth pointing out that this is all relative, which is why Cole Campbell is here. Just 18 years old, Campbell made his Champions League debut against Sturm Graz, continuing his rise at Dortmund. We all know how well Dortmund typically handles the development of young players, so the club showing this much faith in him by playing him in the Champions League is a huge step in the right direction.

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  Doing well

  + Weston McKennie has been a regular starter for Juventus throughout the Champions League run, one that has admittedly faltered a bit after a recent loss to Stuttgart and draw with Lille. He's started three of those matches, coming off the bench in the recent draw, proving, once again, that he's a player Juventus can rely on even after the club tried to kick him out.

  + Prior to the win over Real Madrid, Yunus Musah had just one brief cameo for Milan in the Champions League. His performance against last season's winners was fantastic, though. Musah stared down Vinicius Junior and helped shut him down, putting in one of his best shifts in a Milan shirt. It will help his case massively as he looks to play more in the second half of the group stage.

  + Richy Ledezma received a tough welcome to the Champions League in PSV's 3-1 loss to Juventus, but just reaching this level is an impressive leap for the American. Once a midfielder, now a temporary right-back, Ledezma has filled a hole for PSV this season, earning three Champions League appearances in the process. It's interesting to see how he'll fit in as the season continues on, but, at least at the start, Ledezma's rise has been an unexpected surprise.

  + He missed the first two games of the competition due to injury, but you can already see the difference Cameron Carter-Vickers makes at Celtic. Two starts, two wins featuring the American defender, who has stepped up in big wins over RB Leipzig and Slovan Bratislava. Thanks to those wins, Celtic are in the race, which bodes well now that the centerback is back to his best for the home stretch.

  + Johnny Cardoso has started all four of Real Betis' Europa Conference League matches so far, helping the club to two wins, a draw and a loss. The American is virtually irreplaceable in the Betis midfield, which is why many think he won't be playing at the Conference League level for long.

  + Heidenheim's improbable run to the Europa Conference League is one heck of a story, one with American Lennard Maloney in the center. He's featured in all four of the German side's matches, helping the club get past Hacken in the two-legged playoff before featuring in wins over Olimpija and Pafos to open the competition.

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  Could be better

  + Injuries slowed Tim Weah down to start the season, limiting him to just three Champions League appearances off the bench so far. He's clearly still an important piece for Juve, whether as a starter or off the bench, so there isn't much reason to worry as he works his way back to 100 percent.

  + Ricardo Pepi still isn't starting for PSV, which is unfortunate because, when he does, he tends to score. He has five goals in just 349 minutes in the Eredivisie but has played just 18 total minutes in the Champions League. This is after he scored twice in 179 minutes last season, providing further evidence that shows he tends to score when he does see the field. Hopefully, PSV can find a way to use him more going forward than they are right now.

  + Auston Trusty's first real taste of the Champions League was a 7-1 humbling at the hands of Borussia Dortmund, but he's settled in nicely. After keeping a clean sheet against Atalanta, Trusty started alongside Carter-Vickers in the win over RB Leipzig, further cementing himself as a starter for Celtic. It's the bounce-back he needed as Trusty and Celtic put that Dortmund game behind them.

  + Still building himself up at new club Lyon, Tanner Tessmann has gotten two appearances in the Europa League. Previously at Venezia, this is Tessmann's first European campaign, and it's begun with a substitute appearance against Olympiakos and a start against Besiktas.

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  Reason for concern

  + Gio Reyna has obviously had a nightmare start to the season, and that carries over into the Champions League. Due to injuries, Reyna has played just nine minutes this season, none of which have come in the Champions League. Because of that, it's still TBD how he'll fit in when he is healthy enough to play.

  + Sergino Dest still isn't back from his ACL injury, but when he does return, what kind of player will he be? Where will he fit in at PSV? The club clearly has plans for him but, before we see them, Dest needs to get healthy.

  + Another player battling injuries but, even before the injuries, Folarin Balogun wasn't lighting it up for Monaco. He came off the bench twice for Monaco before his injury, playing 21 minutes in a loss to Barcelona and 44 in a draw with Dinamo Zagreb. Balogun hasn't gotten it going at Monaco but the hope will be that he does once he's back fit.

  + Timmy Chandler has been out of the USMNT picture for some time, but he is still in the squad at Eintracht Frankfurt. He hasn't played much, though, failing to appear in the Europa League while remaining on the bench for three matches.

Aston Villa fans will still be drunk off the success story of last season in the Premier League for their team, giddy already at the prospect of Champions League football coming to Villa Park next campaign.

Unai Emery's men will want to excel playing amongst Europe's elite though, with transfers in through the door already purchased with a view to add even more strength to an already talented squad, as ex-Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen now enters the building.

Yet, their stature going up as of late wasn't enough for Douglas Luiz to stay put, with his move to Juventus now officially confirmed.

As a result, a new central midfielder is very much on the Villa agenda, with this former Celtic Vigo man reportedly on Emery's shopping list.

Villa eyeing up Saudi star as Luiz's replacement

Al Ahli midfielder Gabri Veiga is being touted for a move back to Europe this summer, having only joined his current Saudi Arabian employers last year in a surprising bumper deal.

This new development, as per reports coming out of Spain, has piqued the interest of Aston Villa – who are said to be strong admirers – West Ham United, and Juventus, but with the Italian giants now successful in their pursuit of Luiz, it remains to be seen whether the Serie A club are still keen on Veiga going forward.

Formerly on the books at Celta Vigo where he left a lasting impression, so much so that the 22-year-old was once on the radar of Manchester City and Liverpool whilst shining in his native Spain, Villa could now be the next onward destination for the Al Ahli man.

There is a gaping hole in the Villa line-up that Veiga could fulfill, having proven himself to be a goalscoring hero from the centre of the park across his varied career, much like Luiz had been for the West Midlands club before leaving for Turin.

What Veiga could offer Villa

From just 20 games playing in the Middle East to date, the attack-minded 5 foot 10 maestro has four goals and four assists next to his name, but has proven himself as a competent performer in a more traditional central midfield role when previously plying his trade for Celta Vigo.

That will make for encouraging reading from a Villa perspective, who will also utilise Veiga in an attacking midfield role if purchased to give competition to the likes of Jacob Ramsey, or even as a starter here too if Ramsey also heads for the exit door.

Yet, they will really want the 22-year-old to plug the gap left behind by Luiz's exit in a more pressing fashion, with his time in La Liga proving he can do a job away from just being an attacking outlet.

Veiga's eight goals from central midfield whilst playing in Spain again shows off his attacking strengths, which isn't far off the Brazilian's output of nine goals from this season just gone, with the current Al Ahli man even described as being "excellent" when on top form in La Liga by Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, who was once linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

But, his final full season with Celta Vigo saw him win 3.9 duels on average per game, as a midfield talent who can disrupt play as much as one who can score and create.

Even capable of playing in a defensive midfield spot if needed to, with Luiz switching between central midfield and defensive midfield duties at Villa Park, this could be a worthwhile purchase to make this summer, to soften the blow of the popular South American finally departing.

Aston Villa have hit gold on free signing who's worth more than Maatsen

He’s attracting interest from elsewhere.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 30, 2024

Erling Haaland is on the verge of agreeing a new Manchester City deal which will reportedly make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League.

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• Haaland close to signing new Man City deal
• One aspect of new deal needs to be agreed
• Will become league's highest-paid player

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per , City have almost convinced their goal machine Haaland to sign a new contract as the club are all set to make him the richest player in the Premier League. City are said to be offering a staggering £500,000 per week to the Norwegian striker which is significantly higher than the current highest-paid player in the league and Haaland's team-mate Kevin De Bruyne's reported £400,000 per week wages.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A set of City officials recently met Haaland's family and his Brazilian agent Rafaela Pimenta and held positive talks over the new deal, which if signed, will tie down the player until the end of the 2028-29 season. The striker now has two and a half years left on his existing contract, which he signed in 2022 when he joined from Borussia Dortmund.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  report also adds that there is still one aspect of the terms of the new deal that is delaying the player's signature on the dotted lines. The 24-year-old has a £150 million ($189m) release clause in his existing contract, which the club want to exclude from the new deal, but the player's representatives want it to remain. However, there could be a compromise in the negotiations where both parties agreed to increase the value to £200m ($253m).

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ERLING HAALAND?

  Haaland will be back in action for Pep Guardiola's side on Saturday as the reigning champions look to end their four-game losing streak in their upcoming Premier League fixture against Tottenham.

Chelsea are planning a seven-year contract offer to sign a "quality" forward, who could even end up replacing high-earner Raheem Sterling this summer.

Sterling linked with Chelsea exit after falling out of favour

The 29-year-old racked up 10 goals and a further eight assists across 43 appearances in all competitions last season, but his overall form under Mauricio Pochettino was questioned on more than one occasion.

Chelsea have 5 days to sign "incredible" forward for £25m

The Blues could snap up a cheap deal.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 10, 2024

Sterling was a mainstay in Pochettino's starting elevens last season, until the Argentine decided to drop him towards the end of 2023/2024, with the ex-Liverpool winger ultimately relegated to the bench by Chelsea's former head coach.

The £325,000-per-week ace managed just three starts out of his last 11 league appearances for Chelsea, and it is unclear whether new manager Enzo Maresca will look at Sterling with more favour despite working together at Man City.

Previous reports have claimed that Chelsea were considering the use of Sterling in a player-plus-cash bid to sign Michael Olise, who ended up rejecting Stamford Bridge in favour of a move to Bayern Munich.

Sterling himself has reportedly conceded he may have to leave Chelsea, even if he doesn't wish to, in order to regain his lost England place. The winger missed out on a spot in Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2024 this summer, with the likes of Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon preferred by the Three Lions boss.

Sterling hasn't actually been selected for a single England squad since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, so it appears he has some work to do to fight his way back into contention over the coming years, if he indeed can.

Perhaps a move away and fresh start could provide Sterling with more game time and the opportunity to prove his worth elsewhere, and if the forward does end up parting company two years after his transfer from Man City, Chelsea have their eyes on a replacement.

Chelsea planning to offer Karim Adeyemi seven-year contract

Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi has been heavily linked in the last week, with CaughtOffside sharing an update.

According to their information, Chelsea are planning to offer Adeyemi a seven-year deal to join them, and he could replace Sterling who is attracting interest from the Middle East.

The 22-year-old, who bagged seven goal contributions in all competitions for Dortmund last season, has previously given Chelsea nightmares in Europe. Adeyemi scored the winner against them for Dortmund in a 2023 Champions League tie first leg, with former BVB boss Edin Terzic lavishing praise on the German.

"This is the quality of Karim," said Terzic.

"It was a corner kick and we defended it quite well. It was a dangerous situation but then when you see his acceleration, and this is something we showed him at half-time as well. And this is what he did. His first touch was there to accelerate the game.

"If you are quick like this then it is going to be very tough for every defence to defend against him. It was a great goal and it was very important as it was the winning goal. I hope that he can continue to perform like this.”

A player who's been called "one of the best" in his league now thinks Arsenal are the best possible move for him this summer, and he believes that their style of play suits him perfectly.

Arsenal seal signing of Riccardo Calafiori for Arteta

The Gunners, after weeks of negotiations, have at long last sealed the signing of defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.

£24 million forward targeted by Ten Hag now set for talks to join Arsenal

His agent will sit down with Gunners officials.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 23, 2024

Fabrizio Romano shared news that Arsenal agreed a £34 million deal with Bologna to sign Calafiori, which includes an additional £4 million in add-ons and a sell-on clause.

The Serie A side have also been in discussions with FC Basel over the payment terms of the Swiss side's own 50 per cent sell-on for Calafiori, but it now appears the 22-year-old is set to join Mikel Arteta.

This has plunged Jakub Kiwior's future into doubt, as Calafiori will come in and essentially take his slot in the first team. Like Kiwior, the Italy international defender can play at both centre-back and left-back, with sporting director Edu Gaspar securing a very highly-rated upgrade.

Calafiori, who helped Bologna qualify for the Champions League last season, also stood out as one of Italy's best players at Euro 2024 and was a sore miss through suspension when the Azzurri crashed out to Switzerland in the Last 16.

With the central defensive ace secured, attention now turns to how Edu and the recruitment team can back Arteta further, ahead of a potential third-successive Premier League title race with Man City.

Arsenal are in the market for a new central midfielder as one key aim before deadline day on August 30, with Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino attracting their attention following his own exceptional Euro 2024 campaign.

The 28-year-old, who is now in the final year of his contract at Sociedad, has been widely tipped to leave the La Liga side and could be available for a cut-price fee of around £25 million.

Mikel Merino wants to join Arsenal as perfect destination

Spanish news outlet Noticias De Gipuzkoa have an update on their pursuit of the former Newcastle star, and it is an interesting one.

They write that Merino thinks Arsenal suit him perfectly and wants to join, coming after Arteta expressly requested his signing at London Colney. The Spaniard considers Arsenal his best possible landing spot, despite interest from Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and rivals Chelsea.

As a result of this, Arteta's side are described as the "best-placed" team in the race to sign Merino. The midfielder has starred for Sociedad over a few years now since departing Newcastle, making 45 appearances last term and bagging eight goals with a further five assists in all competitions.

Recruitment and performance analyst Marcus Bring has even called Merino "one of the best" players in La Liga previously, making this one to watch.

Harry Kane has been reportedly "scoffed" at by Premier League clubs for his calls for a winter break in the English top flight.

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• No winter break for players in the PL
• Bundesliga will pause from Dec 23 to Jan 10
• Kane wants the PL to emulate Bundesliga

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane, currently in his second season at Bayern Munich, has called for the Premier League to reinstate its winter break, which has been removed from the calendar. In contrast, the Bundesliga will see a pause in action from December 23 to January 10, which the striker believes is critical for players' physical and mental well-being.

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  WHAT KANE SAID

  “It would be great for them [the Premier League] to have the winter break,” Kane said. “We had it for about two years in the Prem, and I think it went down really well with the players.

  “There’s been a lot of talk about the schedules — and they are difficult — and in my first real experience of a longer winter break, last year, I felt it really helped me recover in a really tough period.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite Kane’s strong case for reinstating the winter break, Premier League representatives reportedly dismissed his comments as contradictory. According to the , some club officials highlighted that Kane had previously criticized players for withdrawing from England duties but now spoke of the benefits of his own extended break in Germany. They also noted that Bundesliga clubs face fewer league matches due to the lesser number of teams in the competition and have less hectic schedules, making it easier to accommodate a winter break.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  Kane’s plea reignites broader discussions about player welfare, the demands of English football, and the need for systemic adjustments to manage player workloads. While his Bundesliga experience showcases the potential benefits of a winter break, the Premier League’s clubs and stakeholders remain divided on how to balance tradition, revenue, and player well-being.

  Nonetheless, Kane has been in sensational form, netting 17 goals in 16 appearances across all competitions this season for Bayern. He will be back in action to face Augsburg in the Bundesliga this weekend, aiming to continue his prolific scoring streak.