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Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi saw a proposed summer transfer to Liverpool fall through at the 11th hour last month. But rather than simply resurrect a deal that would see him switch to Anfield by next summer at the latest, the England international looks set to have a number of other high profile clubs to choose from – including Bayern Munich as they make their own move.

'Concrete' interest from Bayern

According to Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Bayern are already "concretely" looking at a move for Guehi. Senior sporting executive Max Eberl is described as a "big admirer" and early stage talks with the player's representatives are said to have already taken place, establishing Bayern's serious interest in taking Guehi to the Bundesliga and gauging the response from the other side of the table.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGuehi's contact situation unresolved

Although Guehi has been widely praised for how he has handled himself in recent months – as opposed to the transfer-forcing tactics employed by the likes of Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Yoane Wissa during the summer window – his days at Crystal Palace still appear numbered.

His contract is due to expire at the end of the current campaign and the Eagles have arguably lost their best chance to command anything close to a reasonable and fair transfer fee for him. Selling in January, due to his contract have just a few months left to run by that stage, is unlikely to bring big money because it makes more financial sense for suitors, unless desperate, to wait until July.

January also brings something else into play because, from New Year's Day, Guehi would be able to enter into a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club that locks in a free summer transfer. That is something that Liverpool will want to avoid, as it theoretically gives Bayern an advantage. Plettenberg also names Barcelona and Real Madrid, both in need of defensive reinforcement, as other rival suitors that stand to give Guehi a plethora of incredible options.

Familiar faces in Munich

Were Guehi to choose Bayern, it wouldn't be a complete jump into the unknown, despite leaving the home comforts of English football and the Premier League for Germany and Bundesliga.

Star winger Michael Olise was a teammate of Guehi's at Crystal Palace for three seasons, from when they both joined the Eagles in the summer of 2021, until Olise was sold to Bayern in 2024. Guehi also plays alongside chief Bayern goal-getter Harry Kane for England.

Then there is Bayern coach Vincent Kompany, a Manchester City player for the best part of a decade, before two years in charge at Burnley. Guehi will additionally have come up against both Luis Diaz, signed from Liverpool in July, and Nicolas Jackson, on loan from Chelsea. He may also have plenty of knowledge of Jamal Musiala due to shared time in Chelsea’s academy, albeit in different age groups.

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Getty Images SportHuge clubs in need of a centre-back

Plettenberg further noted that Bayern's final decision to approach Guehi will depend on the respective futures of Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae. But the Bundesliga champions aren't the only top side in need of a defensive boost.

After running out of time to sign Guehi in September, Liverpool have been left horribly exposed by the long-term injury to summer signing Giovanni Leoni. Ibrahima Konate is also nursing a problem, potentially leaving Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez the only fit centre-backs in the squad.

At Real Madrid, Dean Huijsen was recruited in June, but Los Blancos could feasibly be short once more if David Alaba is to leave. Antonio Rudiger, 33 this season, isn't getting any younger. Barcelona similarly lack quality depth behind Pau Cubarsi, with Ronald Araujo's future uncertain.

Over the years at Manchester City, a celebrated few have managed to bag a goal on their debut for the Premier League giants.

Notably, both Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland registered goals on their first appearance in City’s sky blue, with Tijjani Rejinders now a part of this exclusive club after stroking a superb effort home against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He was also directly involved in the opener when delicately laying it off to Rico Lewis to assist the aforementioned Haaland, before putting it on a plate for the deadly Nordic centre-forward himself to close the one-sided game at 4-0.

Already, it looks as if City have struck gold on a Premier League-ready star, with the hope now that another statement signing can also go through before September’s deadline to try and replicate the immediate success of this £42.5m deal.

Man City make £86m superstar their main target

City aren’t having it all their own way in the chaotic transfer window.

It seems as if they will miss out on long-term target Xavi Simons, with the in-demand RB Leipzig attacking midfielder reportedly more interested in a switch to Chelsea than moving to the Etihad.

Transfer Focus

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

That won’t knock their confidence for too long, as another statement move looks to be in the offing to further enhance City’s potent attacking personnel that tore Wolves to shreds.

Indeed, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, City hold Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo in high esteem, with Pep Guardiola and Co singling out the £86m-rated Brazilian as a main target, if Savinho does decide to leave City behind for Tottenham Hotspur.

City will hope that the entertaining South American attacker can be an instant hit in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, much like Reijnders displayed at Molineux, with the pair holding many similarities, away from just potentially lining up alongside each other in England.

How Rodrygo can be Reijnders 2.0

Before embarking on this new adventure in Manchester with Guardiola’s men, Reijnders had managed to establish himself as an easy-on-the-eye midfield figure in some tough European terrains.

Across 232 appearances for both AZ Alkmaar and AC Milan, the much-talked-about Dutchman would tally up a mightily impressive 56 goals and assists, leading to him then picking up a goal and assist on a magical debut in the Premier League, with football pundit Chris Powell naming him as City’s “star-man” post-match.

Rodrygo has similarly lit up the pitches of La Liga with dynamic displays from the midfield ranks, as seen in his bumper 68 goals and 51 assists across 270 clashes in Madrid, with the Brazilian also capable of playing as a centre-forward, away from being a comfortable performer down either wing.

Reijnders has also shown off a similar adaptability across his playing days to date, with a standout five-goal contributions coming his way from only 16 career appearances on the left flank.

Away from just this similarity, the numbers below again show correlations between the two players and their constant desire to make openings and goals happen.

Total shots

2.54

21.5

Shot-creating actions

4.56

3.13

Attempted passes

50.35

44.37

Pass completion %

85.7%

88.2%

Progressive passes

4.69

6.35

Progressive carries

5.07

3.02

Successful take-ons

2.15

1.02

Touches in the attacking penalty area

5.84

2.33

Progressive passes received

11.33

3.53

Rodrygo’s arrival on the scene could see the goals rain even heavier at the Etihad, with the Brazilian attacker far less focused on the build-up play – compared with the brand new City number 4 – and more focused on driving forward with purpose, as seen in him averaging more shots and shot-creating actions over the last year per 90 minutes than the 23-time Netherlands international.

The two new signings together in Guardiola’s XI could push City to stay at the summit, with Rodrygo’s blistering exploits at the Santiago Bernabeu even seeing him be dubbed “world-class’ by Madrid teammate Luka Modric, on top of being labelled as a “jewel” by one analyst.

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ByTom Cunningham Aug 17, 2025

The rain lashed down in almost biblical fashion at Blundell Park on Wednesday evening, yet there was to be no messiah for Manchester United, as League Two minnows Grimsby Town deservedly edged into the Carabao Cup Third Round.

Ruben Amorim – looking less and less like the Red Devils’ saviour – could hardly watch as his expensively assembled side crashed out on penalties, having only briefly spared their blushes with a late fightback in normal time.

£74m signing Benjamin Sesko had even come agonisingly close to snatching a winner at the death, although that scenario would have been deeply unfair on a home side who outfought and outmanoeuvred their opponents throughout the 90-minute affair.

Four times the ball was in Andre Onana’s net – the last of those ruled out in somewhat contentious circumstances – with that fact alone emphasising just what a bruising night it was for the men in red.

Yes, there have been flashes of positivity in recent weeks, but Wednesday’s result may well have extinguished all that. A new nadir in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era has been reached.

Just where do the Old Trafford side go from here?

Andre Onana takes the blame again

The best place to start, in the post-mortem that is to follow, would be the signing of a new starting goalkeeper. Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens appears to be the INEOS pick, although at just 22, the young stopper appears yet another gamble for the United hierarchy.

Chalkboard

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Whatever the Belgian’s credentials, however, he could arguably do little worse than United’s current crop, with the aforementioned Onana failing miserably to take his chance following his return to the starting lineup.

Altay Bayindir – the man at fault for Arsenal’s strike on the opening weekend – has been shaky enough in recent weeks, although Onana’s performance takes the biscuit, with the Cameroonian arguably to blame for both of Grimsby’s goals on the night.

Having failed to keep out Charles Vernam’s early effort at the near post, the 29-year-old then compounded that error by needlessly racing out of his goal just eight minutes later, allowing Tyrell Warren to prod home into the empty net.

Even in the ensuing shootout, the former Inter Milan man – who had looked nervy from the off after flapping at an early inswinging corner – could only produce a solitary, albeit impressive spot-kick save, despite repeatedly getting his hand to the ball.

After making five errors in all competitions last term, as per Sofascore, the reported West Ham United target has picked up where he left off, with it perhaps easy to see why Amorim has been hesitant to reinstate him on the Premier League front thus far.

An exit for the £47.2m man now appears an inevitability, be it this week, or in 2026, with teammate Manuel Ugarte perhaps among those who should well join him in the departure lounge.

Manuel Ugarte's dismal display vs Grimsby

On a night that began with the talk centred around the future of a certain Kobbie Mainoo, it was telling that the United boss opted to replace Ugarte instead at the break, with the Uruguayan yet again failing to convince.

While passes went astray, there was purpose and poise to Mainoo’s game, with the academy starlet notably picking out Bryan Mbeumo to kickstart the comeback. His penalty was also dispatched with aplomb.

The same cannot be said for Ugarte, however, with the ex-Paris Saint-Germain man again looking uneasy in the centre of the park, having lost the ball on five occasions from his 44-touch cameo, while also failing to provide a single key pass.

Manuel Ugarte vs Grimsby

Stat

Record

Minutes played

45

Touches

44

Pass accuracy

88%

Key passes

0

Successful dribbles

1/2

Ground duels

2/4

Aerial duels

2/3

Possession lost

5x

Fouls

1

Stats via Sofascore

An unused substitute in the Bilbao showpiece back in May, the 24-year-old’s stock already looked to have plummeted heading into the summer, with Wednesday’s outing providing a further reminder of his deficiencies.

Despite only arriving under the INEOS regime last summer, it looks as if the former Sporting CP midfielder – who worked under Amorim in Lisbon – is now on borrowed time, with MEN journalist Samuel Luckhurst claiming that ‘people at the club are giving up on him’.

Hooked at the break following what Luckhurst noted to be just a 2/10 worthy performance, Ugarte appears to have a mountain to climb to revive his United fortunes, with both he and Onana having been “absolutely useless” against the Mariners, as per writer Muhammad Butt.

While there is little doubting his physical capacity, having ranked in the top 6% of Premier League midfielders in 2024/25 for tackles won, as per FBref, his woes on the ball are plain to see, not least when considering he ranked in just the bottom 18% for progressive passes and the bottom 23% for progressive carries per 90.

Having already been acquired at the expense of one academy hero in Scott McTominay, the £50m man must surely not be prioritised over another homegrown talent such as Mainoo.

If there was to be any shining light from an evening that put the grim in Grimsby, then it should hopefully be the realisation for Amorim and his staff regarding which United midfielder actually needs to make way before the deadline…

Related Bigger blow than Mainoo: £50m Man Utd ace in "very advanced" talks to leave

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Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Aug 27, 2025

اختتم فريق نادي بيراميدز تدريباته في مدينة كيجالي العاصمة الرواندية، قبل مواجهة فريق الجيش الرواندي في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ويبدأ بيراميدز رحلة الحفاظ على لقب دوري أبطال إفريقيا، عندما يحل ضيفا على بطل رواندا في لقاء سيقام في الثالثة عصر الأربعاء على ملعب كيجالي بيلي ستاديوم في العاصمة الرواندية.

وأقيم المران على ملعب المباراة واستمر لقرابة ساعة ونصف وشهد حضورا مكثفا من وسائل الإعلام الرواندية من أجل متابعة التدريب الأخير والمؤتمر الصحفي للنادي بطل القارة السمراء.

طالع | يورتشيتش يُهاجم الجيش الرواندي قبل صدام دوري أبطال إفريقيا

وشهد المران مشاركة جميع اللاعبين في المران وسط حماس كبير من جميع العناصر للمشاركة في المباراة الهامة، حيث اشتمل المران على وحدات بدنية خفيفة وتقسيمة بجانب تدريبات على العرضيات وبعض الجمل لتنفيذها خلال اللقاء.

While the jury might still be out for some when it comes to the competition itself, there is no doubt that Chelsea were worthy winners of the Club World Cup.

Enzo Maresca’s men impressed in almost every game they played, and saved their best performance for the final, in which they made Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain look totally out of their depth.

Aside from the out-of-this-world Cole Palmer, one of the Blues’ best players in the last few games was Joao Pedro, who scored three goals in three games.

So, fans should be delighted by the news that the club are looking to sign another international who could help the Brazilian reach another level entirely.

Chelsea's transfer business so far

On top of blowing away the competition on the pitch this summer, Chelsea have been just as impressive off it, in the transfer market.

Transfer Focus

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

They’ve managed to ship off the likes of Noni Madueke to Arsenal for £52m and Đorđe Petrović to Bournemouth for £25m, while spending £60m on Pedro, £30m on Liam Delap and £48m on Jamie Gittens.

However, the Conference League champions aren’t done there, not even close, as they now appear keen on landing an international superstar who could help the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace get even better.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Spain, which claims that Chelsea are now interested in Rodrygo.

In fact, the report goes a step further than that, revealing that the Blues have already made an offer for the Brazilian – a straight swap for Nicolas Jackson.

The proposal has yet to be shot down, but the report states that Real would rather receive a fee for the player they value at €100m, which is approximately £86m.

Even if Chelsea have to splash the cash to get their man this summer, they should, as Rodrygo’s a proven winner and someone who could help Pedro get even better.

Why Rodrygo would make Pedro better

Now, there are quite a few reasons why Rodrygo could help Pedro reach another level at Chelsea next season, and one of the most significant is his output.

Since the start of the 23/24 season, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

That means the former Santos gem has been averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes across the last two years, which is undoubtedly impressive.

Rodrygo’s recent record
Season	23/24	24/25
Appearances	51	54
Minutes	3707′	3452′
Goals	17	14
Assists	9	11
Goal Involvements per Match	0.50	0.46
Minutes per Goal Involvement	142.57′	138.08′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

What makes those numbers even more impressive is that he has rarely played in his favoured position off the left across the last two seasons, so just imagine how much more effective he could be regularly starting there.

This regular supply of goals and chances to his left would undoubtedly see the former Brighton star’s own goal and assist tally soar next season, especially as he proved himself to be particularly clinical last year, scoring ten league goals from an expected goals figure of just 8.86.

Furthermore, the former Santos gem has also won all there is to win in the club game, securing two La Liga and two Champions League titles in the Spanish capital.

In other words, he has what it takes to win and should hopefully impart the right mindset to those around him, like his compatriot, and help them win major silverware at some point in the coming years.

Finally, the fact that they’re both Brazilian is also a significant bonus, as establishing a place for himself in the national team will give Pedro and the Real star even more opportunities to develop a deep understanding of one another’s game.

Ultimately, it might cost them a substantial sum of money, but Chelsea should do everything possible to sign Rodrygo this summer.

Bad news for Pedro & Delap: Chelsea in the race to sign "the next Mbappe"

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2

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 17, 2025

Leeds United have seemingly made it a priority to improve their defensive options in the first phase of the summer transfer window ahead of their return to the Premier League.

The Championship champions only conceded 30 goals in their 46 matches in the second tier last season, but that has not stopped them from wanting to improve their backline.

Daniel Farke has swooped to bring in Jaka Bijol from Udinese and Sebastiaan Bornauw from Wolfsburg to add to his centre-back options, with Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, and Ethan Ampadu already in the building.

The German head coach has also moved quickly to replace Junior Firpo, who officially left the club at the start of this month, by signing Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille.

Leeds have reportedly paid a fee of £10m to sign the Sweden international from the Ligue 1 outfit, and he is now in place well ahead of the season opener against Everton at Elland Road.

What Gabriel Gudmundsson could bring to Leeds

One of the main reasons why this appears to be such a sensible signing for Leeds is Gudmundsson’s readiness to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

At the age of 26, the Swedish star is in the prime years of his career and is not a young player with a lot to learn, or a veteran who is past his best and struggling physically.

He also has 103 appearances in Ligue 1 for Lille and 15 caps for Sweden, which means that he is experienced at the top level and knows what it takes to play in a major European league, and for his country against the best of the best.

This suggests that Gudmundsson has the experience and quality to slot straight into the team as Firpo’s replacement for the Premier League season.

However, despite scoring two goals in Ligue 1 last term, the £10m-rated full-back may not offer much to the team as a creative threat down the left flank for Farke.

24/25 Ligue 1	Gabriel Gudmundsson
Appearances	30
Starts	20
xG	0.73
Goals	2
Big chances created	1
xA	1.97
Key passes per game	0.5
Assists	0
Dribble success rate	44%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Gudmundsson did not offer a big threat at the top end of the pitch from a left-back position for Lille in the French top-flight, with one chance created every other game on average and zero assists in 30 games.

The solid full-back, who won 54% of his duels in the division, is not a Firpo like-for-like who is going to replicate the four goals and ten assists that the former Barcelona man delivered in the Championship last season.

That may be why Leeds are also reportedly interested in another left-sided option who could be a dream for Gudmundsson in the team next term.

Leeds in the race for versatile left-footed star

According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs in the race to sign Slavia Prague left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf this summer.

The reporter claims that Serie A side Atalanta are weighing up a move for the Senegal international, who would take up the last non-EU slot that they have available in their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

Longari adds that Premier League teams West Ham United and Leeds are also in the race, as they have been keeping tabs on the left-footed star for some time.

It has previously been reported that Slavia Prague are looking for a final fee that is close to £22m (£21.6m) in order to allow the 20-year-old talent to move away from Czechia before the summer transfer window slams shut.

However, it now remains to be seen whether Atalanta, West Ham, or Leeds are prepared to spend that kind of money to snap him up in the coming weeks.

Why Diouf would be a dream for Gudmundsson at Leeds

If the Championship champions are able to win the race for Diouf’s signature this summer, the 20-year-old talent would be a dream signing for Gudmundsson at Elland Road.

The Senegal international has played as a left-back, a left wing-back, and as a left winger in his short career to date, which shows that he can operate in pretty much any role down the left flank.

This suggests that Farke could deploy him ahead of Gudmundsson as a winger, in order to provide the attacking quality that the Swedish ace lacks, but without weakening the defensive structure of the team.

Diouf could operate as a back-up left-back to the Sweden international as well, given that it is his natural position for his national team, but his attacking output for Slavia Prague last season suggests that he could have a lot to offer in front of the former Lille man.

The £22m-rated star, as shown in the post above, ranked highly among his positional peers outside the seven major leagues in a host of key attacking metrics.

Malick Diouf (24/25)	Chance Liga	Europa League
Appearances	27	8
Goals	7	0
Big chances missed	3	1
Big chances created	10	3
Key passes per game	1.3	1.6
Assists	2	1
Completed dribbles per game	0.9	1.3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Diouf provided outstanding quality at the top end of the pitch, largely from a wing-back role, with seven goals and 13 ‘big chances’ created in 35 appearances in the Chance Liga and the Europa League combined.

The Senegalese star, who analyst Rohit Kumaran hailed as “physically dominant”, is a forward-thinking full-back who wants to get into the final third to score goals and create chances for his team, as shown by his impressive statistics in those departments.

That is why Diouf could come in as the perfect foil for Gudmundsson on the left flank for the Whites, because Farke would then have a solid and experienced defensive left-back and an attack-minded, yet defensively and physically capable, left midfielder in his starting XI.

Their respective qualities could complement each other well and help Leeds in their bid to avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League next term.

Even better than Solomon: Leeds submit bid to sign £13m star

Leeds United have reportedly submitted a bid to sign a star who is even better than Manor Solomon.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 9, 2025

أعرب محمود صابر، لاعب خط وسط منتخب مصر، عن سعادته بتحقيق الفوز على إثيوبيا في التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم.

وقال محمود صابر في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “وفقنا اليوم، ونتمنى الوصول إلى كأس العالم، وهذه خطوة مهمة لما هو مقبل”.

وواصل: “أشكر الكابتن حسام حسن على ثقته بي وحديثه الإيجابي معي في التدريبات، يقول لي دائمًا إذا استمريت على هذا المستوى ستشارك، خطوة بعد خطوة سيكون لي مكان كبير في المنتخب”.

طالع.. هاني أبو ريدة: مصر وضعت قدمًا في كأس العالم.. وطلب هام للجماهير

وأكمل: “أهدرنا العديد من الفرص، وكلاعب كرة أشعر أن التوفيق لم يكن معنا،  تراجعنا بعض الشيء وشعرنا بالقلق، إلى جانب أن الطقس لم يكن مناسبًا بسبب الرطوبة”.

وأتم: “نفكر في المباراة المقبلة، وكنا نرغب في الحفاظ على النتيجة رغم الإرهاق وظروف السفر، تفكيرنا واحد، وهو إسعاد الشعب المصري بالكامل”.

وحقق منتخب مصر، الفوز على إثيوبيا بهدفين نظيفين، في الجولة السابعة من التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

A “spectacular” player has now “said yes” to a move to Brighton & Hove Albion, with an approach set to be made in the next few days, according to reporter Santi Aouna.

Brighton could still play in Europe amid Crystal Palace issues

There are doubts over whether Crystal Palace will be allowed to play in the Europa League next season, amid issues surrounding multi-club ownership, and bitter rivals Brighton could be the beneficiaries.

Indeed, courtesy of their eighth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, the Seagulls could replace Palace in the competition, should they be removed by UEFA, although football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes the Eagles have a 95% chance of taking part.

As such, the chances of Fabian Hurzeler’s side embarking on a European adventure are slim, but the manager is clearly keen to inject some quality into his squad this summer regardless, having now made inroads towards signing a new midfielder.

Related Every completed Premier League deal in the 2025/26 summer transfer window

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Posts 1 ByStephan Georgiou Jul 17, 2025

That is according to an update from Foot Mercato’s Aouna on X, who has revealed that Marseille midfielder Azzedine Ounahi has “already said yes” to a move to the American Express Stadium this summer, with a verbal agreement in place on a four-year deal.

Having spoken directly to the Brighton board, Ounahi was convinced by the project on offer, and the Seagulls are set to approach Marseille in the coming days, in order to strike a deal.

It is unclear what sort of fee the French side would be looking to receive for the midfielder, but they signed the former Angers man for a fee of €8m (£7m) back in January 2023, which could be a good reference point.

"Spectacular" Ounahi could get career back on track at Brighton

The Moroccan may have been expected to kick on after the 2022 World Cup, having played a key role in his side becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-final stage, impressing Luis Enrique with some of his performances.

The Paris Saint-Germain manager described the maestro as “spectacular” after the round of 16, and he has since gone on to catch the eye on loan at Greek side Panathinaikos, performing extremely well across some key statistics for midfielders over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Assists

0.16 (87th percentile)

Successful take-ons

2.27 (99th percentile)

Progressive carries

3.09 (99th percentile)

Progressive passes

8.77 (97th percentile)

Of course, performing well in Greece does not necessarily mean the Morocco international will be a sure-fire success in the Premier League, but he is certainly exhibiting promising signs, and he could get his career back on track at the American Express Stadium.

Having displayed a keen eye for picking up assists, while also being lauded for his “defensive reliability” by scout Jacek Kulig in the past, Ounahi is clearly a well-rounded midfielder, and it is promising news that he has now agreed terms on a move to Brighton.

Arsenal transfer chief Andrea Berta has now contacted another club’s director over signing an alternative to Sporting CP superstar Viktor Gyokeres, with “concrete talks” also ongoing for his signature.

Arsenal reported to be in advanced talks for Viktor Gyokeres

Over the last fortnight, a plethora of reports in the Portuguese media, and some closer to home, indicated that the Gunners were seriously advancing when it comes to Gyokeres’ signature.

Arsenal seal first summer sale as "high level" player completes European move

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ByEmilio Galantini May 23, 2025

Portuguese newspaper O Jogo boldly claimed in its Monday headline that Gyokeres is “on his way to Arsenal”, even reporting that a £59 million fee was agreed, while fellow outlet A Bola reported news of a £135,000-per-week salary offer from Mikel Arteta’s side.

Boavista 0-5 Sporting CP

10.0

Sporting CP 5-1 Estrela de Amadora

10.0

Sporting CP 3-1 Moreirense

9.91

Sporting CP 3-0 AVS Futebol SAD

9.68

Nacional 1-6 Sporting CP

9.52

CaughtOffside shared similar information, namely that Arsenal had entered advanced talks to sign Gyokeres, but claimed the overall package on offer for the 26-year-old was actually closer to £10 million per year.

These differentiating claims all have one thing in common, which is that the ex-Coventry City star, who’s scored an incredible 53 goals in all competitions this season, appears to be on the verge of a north London move.

Berta is also said to be a major admirer of Gyokeres and has been pushing hard to secure the Scandinavian’s signature ahead of other interested clubs, according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.

However, that isn’t to say Berta doesn’t have a Plan B or alternative targets, amid some reports that Arteta actually prefers RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko over Gyokeres as a potential arrival.

Journalist Simon Phillips wrote last week via his Substack that Arteta still wants Sesko at Arsenal, one year after their offer to the Slovenian was publicly rejected in favour of a contract extension at Leipzig (Fabrizio Romano).

Now, according to a fresh update from Sky’s Plettenberg, it appears Berta is attempting to grant Arteta his wish, despite their recent talks over Gyokeres.

Arsenal "in concrete talks" to sign RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko

Taking to X, the reporter claimed on Friday that Arsenal are “in concrete talks” to sign Sesko from Leipzig, and Berta has contacted their director, Marcel Schafer, for negotiations over the Bundesliga striker, who’s scored 21 goals in all competitions.

Sesko’s £67 million release clause could prove tempting for Berta and Arteta, considering he’s improved on his goal tally from last season and boasts certain physical traits which could help him become a success in the Premier League.

One of them, as per former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell, is Sesko’s revered speed.

“Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said Vivell.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who, despite his 1.95m (6’4″), is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Arsenal’s search for a new number nine appears to have taken a fresh turn, but they could do far worse than Sesko, who’s one of Germany’s most lethal marksmen.

A £45,000-a-week star has said yes to signing for Leeds United following promotion to the Premier League, according to a transfer update.

Leeds looking to lift Championship title at Plymouth

It has been a memorable season for the Whites, with Daniel Farke’s side setting numerous club records and achieving their goal of winning promotion to the Premier League.

Leeds can still get to 100 points and lift the Championship title with a win at Plymouth Argyle on the last day of the season, something which Farke wants to do.

“The main job is done, we are promoted to the PL. We had a fantastic final home game. The connection between the club and the supporters. Icing on the cake is silverware for the bus tour. It’s pretty useful as you can drink something out of [silverware]. Both teams would deserve to win the league.”

Top 1% for clean sheets: Leeds now keen on "1-on-1 king" to replace Meslier

The Whites are looking to bring in a new goalkeeper in the summer, given how error-prone Illan Meslier has been this season.

ByDominic Lund May 1, 2025

Attention after the last game of the season at Home Park will then be on the summer transfer window. Decisions will have to be made on the likes of Junior Firpo, Sam Byram and Josuha Guilavogui, all of whom are out of contract in the summer.

Meanwhile, calls will also be required on loanees Manor Solomon, Joe Rothwell. When asked if decisions were already made on those players, Farke said: “No not yet. Until everything is settled and done, we won’t speak about individuals about the future. It will happen pretty fast, right now we have clarity. But no rush because we have the whole of May and June to speak but we will do things relatively quick.

“Middle of next week we will make some decisions then we will speak to agents and move forward. We’ve had a few meeting already [re strategic planning]. Many structural and personal changes in the past. It’s important we sit down together and have clarity over budget.

“Scouts and data analysts doing a very good job. Right now we will prepare for next season with Robbie and Alex – they are in different roles now and we have to make sure the processes are right. A bit more time needed to discuss these processes. Next week we will need a few meetings. I’m optimistic.”

Now, there has been another transfer update on Solomon signing for Leeds on a permanent basis from Tottenham.

Leeds confident of signing Solomon who says yes to Elland Road move

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are open to selling Solomon this summer, and the player himself has said yes to signing for Leeds.

A permanent transfer ‘is expected to go through in the coming weeks’, with the 49ers Enterprises confident of a transfer and the winger and his fiancé, Dana Voshina, very happy in Leeds.

The 25-year-old, on £45,000-a-week, has been a standout performer for Leeds in the pressure moments of the season, as can be seen from his form during the run-in.

Leeds United 4-0 Bristol City

8.75/10

Leeds United 6-0 Stoke City

8.84/10

Oxford United 0-1 Leeds United

7.45/10

Leeds United 2-1 Preston North End

8.67/10

Middlesbrough 0-1 Leeds United

7.3/10

Nine goals and 12 assists in 38 Championship games from the left hand side has been Solomon’s contribution, striking up a brilliant relationship with Firpo. Now, it looks as if the Israel international, once dubbed a “pocket rocket”, could be here to stay.