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Arsenal have been handed a Noni Madueke injury blow as Mikel Arteta receives some news about the in-form summer signing.

Noni Madueke subbed off half-time with injury in Man City draw

The England winger’s electric start to life in north London has attracted due praise, with Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera arguably standing out as Andrea Berta’s finest purchases thus far.

Arteta has started Madueke in five out of Arsenal’s first six games in all competitions so far, and the England international has repaid that faith by terrorising full-backs with his trickery, burst of pace and initiative in the final third.

Just months ago, Gunners supporters were protesting the ex-Chelsea star’s arrival with a petition and ‘#NoToMadueke’ movement on social media platform X, but fast-forward to now, and those same fans are now very worried about a potential long-term injury for him.

Madueke has also shined for the Three Lions under Thomas Tuchel on international duty, and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville is among the critics to admit they’ve been left surprised by the 23-year-old’s excellent performances in an Arsenal shirt.

In place of the previously injured Bukayo Saka, Madueke dazzled on the right-wing, but Arteta now faces the prospect of being without him.

The former PSV Eindhoven forward was forced off at half-time in Arsenal’s dramatic 1-1 draw with Man City on Sunday, and there are some fears that Madueke may have suffered an ACL injury.

If that were the case, he’d face months on the sidelines, but luckily for Arteta, it appears his problem isn’t as serious as that.

That being said, he’s still set for a lengthy spell out.

Arsenal dealt Noni Madueke blow as David Ornstein shares news

The reliable David Ornstein reports that Madueke avoided an ACL tear, but will be unavailable for around two months with a knee injury, putting his return date during the November international break, meaning he could play against Tottenham on November 23.

While he is yet to get off the mark in terms of goals or assists, Madueke has been without question one of Arteta’s best players of the campaign so far, so this is undoubtedly a blow for Arsenal.

Noni Madueke form at Arsenal prompts Chelsea regret

The winger was Arsenal’s most threatening player in their 1-0 loss to Liverpool prior to the last international break, before he put in a Man of the Match display against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates, whilst also impressing in the first hour of their 5-0 win over Leeds United.

Arsenal’s new £150,000-per-week star is looking like the player who expensive flop Nicolas Pepe was supposed to be, except Madueke didn’t cost a seismic £72 million to bring in.

There are some suggestions that high-ranking Chelsea chiefs held reservations over selling Madueke to Arsenal, and so far, he’s shown exactly why.

Premier League title winner Danny Simpson has, during an exclusive interview with GOAL, explained why he will be avoiding a boxing match with ex-Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney. Simpson has stepped into the ring, while Rooney is a big fight fan, but no clash will be organised there due to close friends occupying very different weight classes.

Rooney back on punditry duty after coaching flops

Simpson formed part of United’s academy ranks when Rooney made his way to Old Trafford in 2004 as the most expensive teenager in world football at the time. Simpson made his competitive debut for United in 2007, with Rooney well on course to becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer by that point.

Rooney ended his United career with 253 goals and moved into management once he hung up his boots. Coaching endeavours have not played out as planned, with testing spells being taken in at Derby County, D.C. United, Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle. The former England captain is now back on punditry duty.

AdvertisementGettySimpson explains why he will avoid Rooney fight

While stepping away from competitive sport, Rooney has hinted in the past that he would welcome the opportunity to lace up a pair of gloves. Simpson has already trodden that path, having faced YouTuber Danny Aarons in an exhibition bout that ended in a split decision draw.

Quizzed by GOAL on whether he would like to face off against Rooney, Simpson – speaking in association with – said: “Not Wazza, no! He’s a little bit bigger than me! He’s definitely a different weight and he’d have me out of there in one round! I’d give it a go in sparring. I’d spar with him, but I don’t think I’d put myself on the main stage with him. He is strong and I have seen him box a little bit. I’d definitely stay away from his weight class.”

Hearn & KSI react to Rooney's boxing wish

Simpson, who claimed the Premier League crown with Leicester in 2026, had previously told iFL TV in September 2024: “I’m seeing him next Saturday because we’ve got a charity game at Old Trafford against Celtic. Listen, I’d have a go with Wazza. He’s a boxer, I know he is. He’s been around it, everyone’s got to back themselves, so why not?”

While Simpson has changed his tune, Rooney has explored potential routes into the ring. Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn told the Peter Crouch Podcast: “Rooney can fight, I’ve spoken to Wayne. When Wayne has a drink, he’ll message me and he’ll start going, ‘I’ll fight him and I’ll fight him,’ and I get excited. Sometimes I get a message from Wayne saying, ‘Make me vs so and so, make that fight.’ I’ll look at it in the morning and go, ‘This is massive’. So I’ll message him back, ‘Few glasses of red or [are you serious?]’. Then he won’t reply and I’ll go, ‘Damn.’ But Wayne can fight.”

A spot on one of the cards for Misfits Boxing has also been discussed, with KSI saying of those proposals: “I think he's probably going to have to lose a bit of weight before he gets into the ring. But if he's actually serious about wanting to fight, then Misfits have their arms wide open.”

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Getty/GOALKenny offer & documentary series: Next up for Rooney

Ex-Sheffield United and QPR goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has offered to provide opposition for Rooney after facing questions from the United great about his role in Manchester City’s dramatic Premier League title win in 2012 – with it Kenny that conceded Sergio Aguero’s iconic stoppage-time winner. He has told Boxing Social: “He keeps hammering me about that Aguero goal, so I think me and him need to sort it out in the ring. 13 years on, he’s still saying I let the goals in! It might have looked like I let them in but I didn’t!”

No imminent return to management appears to be on the cards for Rooney. Simpson has suggested that a role should be found for a club legend back at Old Trafford – in a coaching capacity – while the United icon is also preparing to star in a fly-on-the-wall documentary series from Disney+ alongside wife Coleen and their four sons.

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.

Man City now targeting "fantastic" Chelsea gem who Maresca wants to keep

The Citizens could deal their rivals a blow.

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

Manchester United look set to offload another star as Kobbie Mainoo exit rumours pick up pace.

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.

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"

The sensational attacker would make Chelsea far more dangerous next season.

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.

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.

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.