Looking to continue their transfer strategy of welcoming future stars, Chelsea are now reportedly preparing an offer worth £17m to sign a young South American full-back ahead of the summer.
Chelsea aiming to spoil Liverpool's title party
Level on points with sixth-place Nottingham Forest, Chelsea are playing host to the Premier League champions at the worst possible time. The Reds will enter Stamford Bridge with the pressure eased, celebrations continuing and fresh from the first of four guard of honours. For Chelsea, meanwhile, this is simply a must-win game.
Manager Enzo Maresca is well aware of the importance of victory this Sunday too, having told reporters in his pre-match press conference: “The mood is good and I’ve said for a few weeks now that it’s a matter of how we manage emotions until the end [of the season].
“When we win games, we are happy and when we don’t win, we’re not happy. But it’ll be a race until the end and we need to manage the emotions. In this moment, the main thing is to watch ourselves and be focused on ourselves. This is the main point. For sure, there are more clubs involved [in the top-five race] but for us, it’s important to stay focused on ourselves.”
Approach made: Chelsea now ready to splash out £60m to sign "amazing" star
He almost joined Arsenal in January…
ByTom Cunningham May 3, 2025
With games against Newcastle United, Manchester United and most importantly, Nottingham Forest on the final day awaiting Chelsea, it is set to be a frantic few weeks for the Blues. Maresca has arguably been handed the toughest games of his tenure at the most crucial stage of the campaign.
On the pitch, securing Champions League football would signal quite the sigh of relief. Away from the action, meanwhile, it would allow those at Stamford Bridge to get to work in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea preparing £17m Wesley offer
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are now preparing an offer worth €20m (£17m) to sign Wesley from Flamengo, with talks over a deal set to intensify at the Club World Cup – a competition both sides will be competing in this summer.
As things stand, those negotiations will need to reach a breakthrough regarding the defender’s price-tag, given that Flamengo are reportedly holding out for €35m (£35m), rather than the £17m offer that Chelsea are seemingly preparing.
It should come as no surprise to see Chelsea interested in signing Wesley, given how often they’ve set their sights on South American talent throughout BlueCo’s ownership.
The Blues have already sealed the talented Estevao Willian and could now sign Wesley to go alongside the midfielder. Described as “pacy” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the right-back is certainly one to keep an eye on.
An “unbelievable” manager, who has won two promotions to the Premier League, is now on Leicester City’s “list” of targets to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy, according to former scout Mick Brown.
Ruud's time at Leicester coming to an end
Leicester have hardly put up a fight in their bid to avoid relegation, having collected just 18 points all season, and they have taken a significant turn for the worse since appointing Van Nistelrooy, whose record as manager is extremely poor.
The Dutchman has averaged just 0.48 points per match since taking the reins at the King Power Stadium, and it is now looking increasingly likely he will be replaced at the end of the season, with several potential replacements being identified.
Former Southampton manager Russell Martin is the Foxes’ first choice to replace Ruud, and the 39-year-old is believed to be keen on taking over, should an approach be made, while Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl is also on the shortlist.
Leicester City eye move for new 40 y/o manager who has same agent as Vardy
He’s been in the Championship before.
ByCharlie Smith Apr 9, 2025
Having led the Saints to promotion last season, Martin could be a sensible appointment for Leicester, but ex-scout Brown has now revealed a manager with two promotions to the Premier League under his belt is also on the shortlist.
Brown told Football Insider: “Ruud is going to be sacked, there’s no doubt about that.
“I wasn’t impressed by Russell Martin in the Premier League, but he was a big reason why they got promoted in the first place. That’s what Leicester are looking for – a manager to guide them back up straight away.”
“There are a few names on their list, Sean Dyche is one I’ve heard, for example. But it sounds like Martin is the leading candidate for it at the moment, based on what I hear.”
"Unbelievable" Dyche could lead Foxes to promotion
David Moyes’ success since replacing Dyche in the Everton dugout suggests the Englishman may not be the right man to lead Leicester’s long-term project, but there is every indication he could be capable of leading them to promotion next season.
The former Burnley boss took the Clarets up in 2013-14 and 2015-16, winning the title the second time around, while he has also received very high praise from former player Kieran Trippier, who lauded the 53-year-old as an “unbelievable manager”.
One thing that is clear is that Ruud will need to be replaced this summer, with former winger Matt Piper recently criticising the manager, while also insinuating some changes may need to be made to the playing squad, given their lack of effort this season.
“This season they are not good enough, there is no fight, there is no determination, there is no want to wear the shirt, there is no confidence.
“Then there is a manager that goes missing in the dugout. There are major things wrong at this football club and it’s been like this for some time. It’s just not good enough.”
The summer transfer window is fast approaching, and Liverpool are set to spend big as they prepare for Arne Slot’s second, Premier League title-defending season at the helm.
Of course, the top-flight trophy isn’t yet wrapped up, but the Reds need just two wins from their remaining six fixtures to put things beyond Arsenal’s reach.
Sporting director Richard Hughes has wrapped up Mohamed Salah’s new contract; captain Virgil van Dijk’s fresh deal is soon to follow. Now, focus can be turned to the upcoming transfer window, with Liverpool expecting flurries of activity through the summer months.
While signing a centre-forward, left-back and central defender are the priorities for the Reds, Slot would be wise not to neglect his midfield.
20/04/25
King Power Stadium
Leicester City
27/04/25
Anfield
Tottenham Hotspur
04/05/25
Stamford Bridge
Chelsea
11/05/25
Anfield
Arsenal
18/05/25
AMEX Stadium
Brighton & Hove Albion
25/05/25
Anfield
Crystal Palace
Liverpool’s midfielders have been immense through the 2024/25 campaign, but they aren’t infallible. There’s been a lack of bite and physicality at times of late that suggests a new addition to the engine room could go down a treat.
Why Slot shouldn't neglect Liverpool's midfield
When Liverpool fell from grace under Jurgen Klopp in 2022/23, the German manager knew he needed to repackage his side’s long-serving midfield.
Jordan Henderson was a first-standard leader but was starting to look a weak link from a technical standpoint, while Fabinho’s legs had gone after so many years serving as a world-class anchor at the heart of one of the highest-octane squads on the globe.
Jordan Henderson and Fabinho
Their replacements, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, have been immense this season (and last) as Liverpool’s mainstays in the middle, but there’s no denying Liverpool have lacked a combative sheen and that extra bit of dynamism at times recently, namely being overrun by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Newcastle United at Wembley.
Liverpool have won more duels than their opponents in just one of their past 11 matches across all competitions, denoting fatigue and a lack of sharpness that opponents are capitalising on.
Though packing quality across more needy areas will ultimately hold sway for Liverpool, there’s no question that a high-class midfielder would elevate an already immense team.
It’s something FSG are bearing in mind.
Liverpool lining up marquee midfielder
According to Italian outlet InterLive.it, Liverpool’s interested in signing Nicolo Barella this summer is said to be ‘serious’, with Inter Milan anticipating offers for their midfield linchpin after yet another standout campaign.
Nicolo Barella for Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich.
Now, Barella, 28 years old, is contracted to the San Siro until 2029 and thus Inter are in a commanding position regarding his future and have listed him at €100m (about £87m).
Liverpool’s interest is confirmed to be serious, however, and given the Serie A leaders are keen on Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa, a deal wouldn’t be out of question.
What Nicolo Barella would bring to Liverpool
Described as “the best Serie A midfielder of the 2020s” by journalist Zach Lowy, Barella has already won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles with Inter Milan, joining from Cagliari in 2019.
Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella
Having featured 277 times for I Nerazzurri, Barella has scored 25 goals and supplied 59 assists. He’s not the most prolific of midfielders, but then that’s not really his jurisdiction.
With Simone Inzaghi’s side battling it out with Napoli for the Italian title, Barella has been the architect of his team’s challenge, averaging 1.9 key passes, 4.7 successful duels and 5.2 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore, illustrating his wide range of quality.
Of course, the Italian has also been immense in Inter’s quest for the Champions League trophy, with outlets stating that he delivered a career-defining performance at the Allianz Arena last week, taking a 2-1 lead over Bayern Munich back to the San Siro.
Talent of this level suggests that Liverpool could be getting their mitts on one of the most gifted midfielders in many years, one who could stand out above the current Anfield crop.
He might even prove to be Liverpool’s best midfielder since Fabinho.
douglas-luiz-fabinho-liverpool-opinion
For the uninitiated, Fabinho was absolutely spellbinding in his role as Klopp’s number six, so cultured and commanding as he held together a hard-grafting midfield that worked around the clock to facilitate the attacking successes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Bobby Firmino.
Once hailed as “one of the best in the world” by Klopp, Fabinho truly was a core part of the most illustrious era in Liverpool’s modern history, joining from Monaco for roughly £40m in May 2018 and going on to play 219 times for the Reds before his legs finally failed him.
When in his pomp, the Brazilian was truly one of the most dominant forces out there, and now Barella could emulate him and become Liverpool’s new centrepiece, perhaps unlocking the next level in Slot’s existing options.
Tough-tackling, tenacious and iron-willed, Fabinho performed dutifully and blended his natural qualities with a sharpness of mind and quickness of reaction that differentiated him from his positional rivals.
The Italy international has the experience and the multi-skilled ability to be a real standout for Liverpool over the next several years, with his FBref data discussed above suggesting the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Pedri are among his most statistically similar players.
Such ball-playing specialists, maestros and conductors wrapped into one, would fit snugly into Slot’s system – just look at how Gravenberch has got on this term.
Italy'sMoiseKeancelebrates scoring their second goal with Italy's Nicolo Barella, Italy's Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Italy's Giacomo Raspadori
Barella, then, would fit right in. He’s a world-class player, dubbed a “genius” on the pitch by sports editor Mike Pielluci, and a trophy winner besides, and if Inter are willing to discuss deals containing the likes of Nunez and/or Chiesa, Liverpool might just sign their best midfielder since Fabinho.
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Liverpool need to make sure they keep their best players this summer.
After a dire return to Premier League action on Thursday night last week, Tottenham Hotspur fans finally had something to celebrate yesterday afternoon.
It wasn’t a vintage performance, and there was a moment when it looked like it could end in a draw, but Ange Postecoglou’s side managed to pick up three points at home against Southampton.
One of the stand-out performers for the home side was Brennan Johnson, who scored a brace and won the penalty that Mathys Tel put away in the game’s final moments.
The Welshman now has 16 goals across all competitions this season and is the club’s top goalscorer, so it’s good news that recent reports have touted a player who could be Tottenham’s next Johnson for a move to N17.
Tottenham's transfer targets
With how poorly this season has gone and the number of injuries the team have had to contend with, this summer has to be a massive one for Spurs in terms of incomings, and based on the last few weeks of rumours, it certainly seems like it will be.
For example, according to reports from late last week, the club are looking to bring in some more defensive reinforcements in the shape of Bayer Leverkusen star Piero Hincapie, who could be available for £60m and would come with title-winning experience.
On top of that, Daniel Levy and Co appear intent on adding to the attack, with the £60m Eberechi Eze back on their list of top targets.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Crystal Palace star has scored six goals and provided 11 assists so far this season and would undoubtedly improve the attacking options at Postecoglou’s disposal next year, as would the most recent star touted for a move to N17: Antoine Semenyo.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Lilywhites are incredibly keen on signing the Bournemouth star this summer.
AFC Bournemouth's AntoineSemenyolooks on
In fact, the report has revealed that Spurs ‘are in a fierce battle’ to secure the Ghanaian’s signature with Premier League rivals Manchester United.
On top of having to contend with the Red Devils, the North Londoners will also have to cough up a significant amount of money to get their man as the Cherries will only entertain selling at around €50m, which is about £43m.
It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line for Spurs, but given Semenyo’s immense ability, it is worth fighting for, especially if he can be their next Johnson.
Why Semenyo would be Johnson 2.0
So, while we are not saying they are the same player, there are some undeniable parallels between Johnson and Semenyo, especially if the latter moves to Spurs.
The first is that both would have moved to Spurs from other Premier League sides who are outside the traditional ‘big six’ but appear to be on positive trajectories, with Bournemouth looking good for a top-half finish.
The second similarity is that both players can be devastatingly effective from the wing.
Appearances
35
41
Goals
9
16
Assists
6
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.42
0.48
For example, while he hasn’t got as many goal involvements as the Welshman, the “sensational” Ghanaian, as dubbed by journalist Thierry Nyann, has still managed to rack up nine goals and six assists in 35 appearances, totalling 3003 minutes.
That means the 25-year-old is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.33 games, or every 200.2 minutes.
Finally, while the former Nottingham Forest star has settled into a right-wing role, both players are positionally versatile and have shown an ability to play all over the pitch in the past.
Ultimately, while it could be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Semenyo has more than proven himself in the Premier League this season.
Antoine Semenyo scores for Bournemouth
Therefore, Spurs should do all they can to sign him in the summer.
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Everton are nine games unbeaten in the Premier League. Nine. David Moyes lost his opener against Aston Villa after replacing the beleaguered Sean Dyche, but the progress has been otherwise breathtaking.
This Toffees team is a far cry from the previous version, refashioned only a few months ago with just Charly Alcaraz welcomed from the transfer gates in January.
If the 15th-placed club are to compete at a higher level over the coming years, it’s important that the market is well utilised. What Everton need is a superstar signing, comparatively speaking.
Well, The Friedkin Group certainly have a shock move lined up. You need only look over to Anfield Road to find this player’s signature.
Everton lining up move for Liverpool star
According to recent reports, via The Mirror, Everton are weighing up a move for Liverpool talent Ben Doak in what would be a shocking transfer. Doak has excelled on loan at Middlesbrough this season and Moyes is thoroughly impressed.
The Toffees are preparing to test the waters with a £25m offer, which falls into a similar ballpark as bids from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace back in January, both rebuffed by the Reds.
Dealings between the Merseyside rivals have been sparse in modern times. In fact, Abel Xavier is the last player to transfer directly between the two teams, joining Liverpool from Everton in 2002.
Everton could land their next Wayne Rooney
Let’s be honest, this would be as difficult a deal to orchestrate as any. However, saying that, Liverpool have been open to selling Doak in recent months and their ostensible interest in Jarrad Branthwaite suggests negotiations could be somewhat amenable.
Ben Doak in action for Middlesbrough
And Doak would be worth the effort. Only 19, the Scotland winger has dazzled through the maiden years of his career, so brisk and powerful and purposeful down the right flank.
On that note, with Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom’s loans at Goodison Park wrapping up this summer, the urgency for a fresh right flanker is doubly important.
Across 24 Championship appearances this term (21 starts), he’s scored three goals and assisted seven more, leading former Scotland manager Craig Levein to say: “This kid could be a world-class player.”
Few teenagers carry themselves with such swagger and potency, but Doak’s certainly one of them. Moyes knows a thing or two about developing exciting prospects – he handed Wayne Rooney his professional debut, after all.
Rooney: scorer of great goals, leader of men. He’s one of the greatest footballers to do it in the Premier League, behind only Alan Shearer and Harry Kane in the division’s all-time scoring charts (with 208 goals).
Any youngster compared to the retired Three Lions captain is worth their salt, and Doak has indeed been claimed to have a stylistic semblance to Rooney, with his agent, Jackie McNamara, actually labelling him “a Scottish Wayne Rooney.”
His electric pace, his strong-limbed bursts into the danger area, do carry a hint of the former Premier League star, with Doak’s metrics from the 2024/25 campaign highlighting his barrelling style.
Goals scored
0.15
Top 69%
Assists
0.35
Top 9%
Shot-creating actions
4.15
Top 30%
Pass completion
79.1%
Top 21%
Progressive passes
2.83
Top 65%
Progressive carries
6.78
Top 1%
Successful take-ons
1.77
Top 24%
Everton need such a player, and Moyes has shown in the past that he has the tactical nous to bring the best out of such a youngster’s talent.
Now, it boils down to Liverpool and Everton’s ability to negotiate. It won’t be easy, but this could be quite the deal if pulled off.
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Everton are planning to strengthen in the transfer market this summer.
A number of Sheffield Wednesday’s takeover candidates are now reportedly considering a fresh move to get the sale of the club over the line.
Sheffield Wednesday dealt fresh point deduction
Despite the fact that Dejphon Chansiri is no longer at the club and Sheffield Wednesday are in administration, they’re still facing the consequences for the actions of their former owner. The EFL confirmed earlier this week that the Owls have been dealt a further six-point deduction on top of the initial 12 points that they had deducted.
It’s frustrating news for Wednesday, who were already destined for League One. Administrators will now be hoping to hand supporters some better news regarding the club’s takeover process.
So far, bids have arrived and been rejected from the likes of Mike Ashley, who is looking to get back into English football for the first time since leaving Newcastle United.
Administrators initially set a soft deadline of December 5, but it remains to be seen whether they can actually stick to that on Thursday. Instead, the Owls’ pain may be prolonged as candidates prepare to take a new approach to takeover attempts.
As reported by City AM, a number of candidates are considering a joint bid to buy Sheffield Wednesday to get the takeover across the line. The Championship club reportedly have six bidders on the table, but could see some of those opt to join forces to match their £30m valuation.
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He could buy his local club.
ByTom Cunningham Nov 26, 2025
As things stand, there is no clear favourite to buy the club and Begbies Traynor’s initial deadline is likely to be pushed back until at least next week.
In the meantime, the Owls could continue looking at the free agent market. Although they are yet to welcome new owners, those at Hillsborough have already signed both Nathan Redmond and former Leeds United man Liam Cooper.
Whether it’s joint-bidders or just the one candidate in the coming weeks, Sheffield Wednesday’s new owners will instantly have their eye on success in League One next season following the club’s inevitable relegation.
Earning instant promotion back to the Championship whilst finally adding financial stability to the club should be top of the wishlist of the new owners.
Simon Jordan reveals Sheffield Wednesday "consortium" as next takeover step shared
Liverpool have now reportedly set their sights on hiring a Premier League manager, who Pep Guardiola called “incredible”, in a fresh concern for Arne Slot.
Carragher delivers "honest" Liverpool verdict after PSV defeat
Before the international break, Liverpool could at least fall back on the excuse that much of their bad form came on the road. Anfield, for the most part, remained a fortress. Just weeks later, however, and that fortress has been set ablaze by humiliating defeats at the hands of Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.
Not everyone is ready to call time on Slot’s time at the club, however, and Anfield legend Jamie Carragher sent a timely reminder on punditry duty that Liverpool aren’t a sacking club, historically speaking.
He said: “Liverpool is not a sacking club, Liverpool, I think, are different from almost every club in European football where the manager is the king, you know, the managers get time.
“Liverpool have never sacked a manager who’s won the league, never in the history. They’ve all, you know, after a few years they’ve gone, they’ve resigned.
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Arne Slot must now axe this Liverpool flop after he put in an extremely poor display at Anfield against PSV Eindhoven.
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“I couldn’t believe over the weekend that people were talking about the manager’s job when I spoke to Liverpool supporters after losing at home to Nottingham Forest.
“It’s only going to amplify now and I’ve always been in the camp of you stick with the manager because I’m angry with the players if I’m being totally honest, I’m really angry with the players but it does get to a stage with any manager at any club where I always use this word untenable, where it almost feels like it can’t go on any longer.”
Whether Liverpool chiefs share that view is the big question. Recent reports linking them to the likes of Andoni Iraola certainly suggests that they’re at least preparing for life without Slot.
Liverpool eyeing Andoni Iraola move
According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now eyeing a move to hire Iraola from Bournemouth if they decide to sack Slot. The Cherries boss is someone that Richard Hughes knows well, given that the sporting director hired the Spaniard during his time on the South Coast, and could now turn to him for a second time.
Iraola is one of the most well-respected managers in the Premier League these days. He’s taken Bournemouth to new heights and transformed the likes of Antoine Semenyo, who’s attracting interest from Liverpool ahead of the January transfer window.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been one of the many figures around English football to hand the Bournemouth boss praise, telling reporters earlier this season: “Andoni is an incredible, well-respected manager in Spain and did an incredible job in Rayo Vallecano.”
It doesn’t get much better than praise from the Man City boss, and Iraola could yet get the chance to become one of his biggest rivals if Liverpool make their move.
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Unlike some of their Premier League rivals, Arsenal’s summer signings are looking better with every passing gameweek.
For example, he might’ve started slowly, but Viktor Gyokeres already has six goals to his name this season, and Noni Madueke was just starting to pick up steam before his injury.
Moreover, with Gabriel Magalhães’ recent injury, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie are looking like incredible buys.
With all that said, an argument could be made that Martin Zubimendi has been Arsenal’s best signing of all, so fans should be excited about reports linking the club to someone who could be an heir to the Spaniard and has been compared to Rodri.
Arsenal target their next Martin Zubimendi
With reports coming out about Zubimendi’s move to Arsenal as early as January, the excitement for the move wasn’t quite as intense as it perhaps should’ve been when it finally came to pass in the summer.
However, since then, the Spaniard has more than proven himself to be one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
Whether it’s putting in a perfectly timed tackle to shield the back four, or driving with the ball and delivering a pinpoint accurate pass to a forward, the former Real Sociedad star really does it all.
Therefore, it makes sense that the club would already be looking for a younger gem who, over the next five to six years, can be moulded into his long-term heir.
According to a recent report from Spain, one of the young prospects that could sign for this purpose is Chema Andrés.
The story has revealed that, alongside Manchester City, Arsenal are already making moves to sign the VfB Stuttgart gem, who has had an excellent start to the season.
However, a potential roadblock for Andrea Berta and Co is that he’s a former Real Madrid prospect, and the Spanish giants have a buy-back clause worth around €13.5m for 2026, which is approximately £12m.
If Arsenal want to sign the young Spaniard, they’ll almost certainly have to pay significantly more than that, but even so, Andrés would be worth it as a future Zubimendi heir.
Why Chema Andrés could be Arsenal's future Zubimendi
So what is it that makes Zubimendi such an incredible footballer and has seen him so quickly become essential to Arsenal’s midfield?
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, to put it simply, it’s his impressive combination of defensive nous and sensational ability on the ball, which has seen him already amass a tally of three goal involvements in 11 league games from the six position.
The good news is that, while it’s still very early on in his career, Chema Andrés appears to share this ability to heavily influence play in both halves.
For example, just last month, respected u23 scout Antonio Mango described his defensive abilities as “Rodri-like,” noting that he “simplifies the game and makes the basics look effortless.”
Then, when it comes to going the other way, Mango has praised him for his “expansive passing range”, and fellow talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed him an “orchestrator” thanks to his incredible “vision” and “football IQ.”
Unsurprisingly, the 20-year-old “supernova” of a talent, as dubbed by one analyst, also has some incredible underlying numbers to more than justify the hype.
Interceptions
2.11
Top 1%
Clearances
3.65
Top 1%
Dispossessed
0.14
Top 1%
Aerials Won
3.93
Top 1%
Tkl+Int
4.49
Top 4%
Ball Recoveries
6.74
Top 4%
Shots on Target
0.70
Top 5%
SCA (Shot)
0.28
Top 6%
Successful Take-On %
66.7%
Top 6%
Blocks
1.83
Top 7%
Average Shot Distance
14.40
Top 8%
Shots Blocked
0.56
Top 9%
% of Dribblers Tackled
63.6%
Top 10%
npxG: Non-Penalty xG
0.15
Top 11%
Progressive Passes
7.16
Top 11%
Passes Blocked
1.26
Top 11%
% of Aerials Won
62.2%
Top 11%
SCA (Live-ball Pass)
2.53
Top 14%
xG: Expected Goals
0.15
Top 15%
According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for interceptions, clearances, aerials won, the top 4% for tackles plus interceptions and ball recoveries, the top 5% for shots on target, the top 11% for progressive passes and more, all per 90.
Finally, on top of doing business at the club level, the youngster is also making waves on the international scene.
After making ten appearances for Spain’s u19s, he skipped the u20s altogether and has now made four appearances for the u21s, with the last coming on Tuesday night.
Ultimately, Zubimendi should be Arsenal’s starting six for quite some time, but if they can, they should do what they can to sign Andrés, as at just 20 years old, he could be the long-term heir.
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Long gone are the days when Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah would tear the Premier League to shreds at Liverpool.
Staggeringly, from 197 games together at Anfield, the long-feared trio would combine for a devastating 338 goals, with Virgil Van Dijk once describing them together in action as a “scary” prospect to defend against.
Now, it’s very much a work in progress in attack for Arne Slot’s men, with both Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz remaining goalless in Premier League action since joining.
On top of that, fellow summer recruit Hugo Ekitike has largely blown hot and cold on Merseyside, with no league strikes next to his name from his last five clashes.
Last summer also saw a lot of change in attack in outgoings, with the wasteful Darwin Nunez finally put out of his Anfield misery. But, away from the heavily scapegoated South American, the Reds also waved goodbye to loyal servant Luis Diaz, who is now excelling at Bayern Munich, to Liverpool’s ongoing distaste.
Diaz's electric form at Bayern
Next to the memorable frustrations regularly served up by Nunez, Diaz’s starring role at Liverpool when he was still there could be viewed as slipping under the radar, somewhat.
Yet, Diaz was still labelled as a “very special” talent at Anfield by Jurgen Klopp for good reason, with the one-time Premier League title winner collecting a standout 41 goals and 23 assists from 148 appearances at Anfield.
Before he was moved on to the Bundesliga, he also chipped in with his most fruitful top-flight season in England, tallying up 13 goals.
That same clinical edge has clearly followed him to Bavaria, with Diaz already up to a bumper 11 goals and five assists in his new shade of red from just 17 clashes.
Worryingly, Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitike only have 11 goal contributions between them back in England, with the Colombian winger proving to be a stroke of genius signing for Vincent Kompany’s men at the £65.5m range.
To add insult to injury, all three of those Liverpool underperformers mentioned cost far more to obtain, with the 28-year-old already being hailed as a star who “delivers week in, week out” by his new manager.
Thankfully, Slot and Co could be brewing a homegrown iteration of their former attacker.
Liverpool's homegrown Luis Diaz
One of Diaz’s strong points when still situated at Anfield was his ability to line up all along the forward positions, with the malleable Colombian managing to bag eight strikes from 16 appearances as an out-and-out centre-forward, away from regularly completing his duties as a left winger.
The Reds have plenty of exciting young stars in their academy right now, chiefly fellow winger Rio Ngumoha but he’s not the focus this time around.
Liverpool star Rio Ngumoha
Indeed, another teenager by the name of Keyrol Figueroa is now beginning to make a strong impression on the youth staff.
Like Diaz, he has interchanged between wing and striker duties for Liverpool U21s this season effortlessly, with his “instinctive” nature in front of goal – as it was described by Liverpool academy reporter Lewis Bower – also seeing him score goals and pick up assists aplenty.
CF
20
8 + 3
RW
6
3 + 2
LW
2
1 + 0
RM
1
0
While he has predominantly found most of his joy on youth pitches comes from leading the line, with a clinical eight goals powered home from 20 games in that role, Figueroa has also not looked out of place whatsoever on either flank, much like Diaz in his Anfield prime. To put those numbers into perspective, it’s more goals than Ngumoha has bagged at the same level, having beaten the goalkeeper on just two occasions in nine U21 fixtures.
He will also want to give a disappointing Isak a run for his money down the line, with a deadly hat-trick bagged against Everton U21s last month no doubt making him an even more popular figure in youth circles in the red half of Merseyside, away from being an adaptable figure.
It would be wild to throw Figueroa into the first team imminently, considering he is just 19 years of age and is only used to the comforts of youth football.
But, if he continues as he is now, it will surely only be a matter of time before he is unleashed, having also been described as a “ruthless” finisher of chances by his U21 boss in Rob Page.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp also hailed Diaz as having a similarly impressive “eye for goal” during his Liverpool playing days, as Slot and Co now hope Figueroa can be as lively in the first team picture as the Colombian down the line.
New Trent: Liverpool star is "one of the most underrated players in England"
Slot could find a shrewd solution to Liverpool’s problems in this talent.
Newcastle United need to improve if they want to match the heights of the 2024/25 campaign. If they want to surpass those heights and continue this period of sustained growth in Eddie Howe’s system.
Struggling in the Premier League but making headway in the Champions League and the Carabao Cup, the Magpies must find that all-important stream of balance. The forwards are not in sync right now, and the finely-wrought passing patterns lack the smoothness when everything’s clicking.
The win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday evening was hardly one to remember, but St. James’ Park responded after the haggard defeat at the London Stadium against West Ham United last weekend.
Sandro Tonali was as brilliant as ever, claiming his latest Man of the Match award, but there were a few unsung heroes who came up trumps and reminded Howe of his squad depth.
Newcastle's unsung heroes vs Bilbao
Dan Burn opened the scoring in the Champions League with a stunning header. Perhaps it’s inaccurate to label the 32-year-old Geordie an ‘unsung hero’, but he’s certainly surpassed expectations since joining from Brighton for £12m in 2022, right at the start of Howe’s reign.
Lewis Hall is back following a long injury, and his ball-playing expertise will open new dimensions. However, Burn is one of the staples of this successful chapter in the club’s history, and he reminded Tyneside that he still has a part to play.
In the middle, Joelinton put in a commanding and powerful performance. The Brazilian has struggled at times this term, but he still offers a unique skill in the engine room, linking up well with Nick Woltemade up top alongside his goal after the break.
Further up the field, Harvey Barnes earned praise for a lively performance on the right. Naturally left-sided, the clinical forward showed the second string to his bow by showing off his fleet feet and crisp crossing to find the unmarked Joelinton, who scored.
But perhaps the most underrated winner on the evening was a man who staked his claim once again, having reportedly come close to leaving Newcastle this summer.
Newcastle 'standout' was set to be sold by PIF
Tino Livramento has missed Newcastle’s past eight matches across all competitions with a knee injury, and while he’s closing on a return, Kieran Trippier will feel that his efforts in recent weeks have demonstrated there is mileage still in the tank.
The 35-year-old was excellent against Athletic Bilbao, strong in his defensive duties while maintaining that ever-impressive creative flair when whipping into the area from deep and finding the head of Big Dan Burn, whose header was akin to an angled missile.
Handing the veteran an 8/10 match rating for his performance, Chronicle Live acknowledged the delivery to get Newcastle up and running, though also paid homage to his leadership and defending.
Minutes played
90′
Assists
1
Touches
73
Accurate passes
35/52 (67%)
Chances created
1
Crosses completed
2/4
Possession lost
20x
Dribbles
0/1
Recoveries
7
Tackles
3/4
Clearances
3
Duels won
5/9
We must draw attention to Bilbao’s somewhat laboured performance. Trippier will find a sterner test against Brentford at the Gtech on Sunday afternoon, and Trippier will need to draw upon every ounce of his athleticism in this later stage of his career.
But it’s curious to note that he’s still got it, standing firm at right-back while pinging balls forward and altogether enhancing Howe’s transitional tactical outlook. He is, after all, one of the finest defensive playmakers of his generation.
In fact, Trippier’s haul of 38 assists across 212 appearances in the English top flight marks him as the fourth-highest out-and-out defender for that metric in the division’s history.
Pinched from Atletico Madrid at the start of Howe’s Newcastle tenure, Trippier established himself as “the best right back in Europe”, according to Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley earlier in his Tyneside career, and he’s still got a part to play.
PIF must be thankful that they didn’t follow through with plans to part ways this summer.
25/26
8
0 (0)
24/25
25
0 (3)
23/24
28
1 (10)
22/23
38
1 (7)
21/22
6
2 (0)
Indeed, the £120k-per-week full-back has entered the final year of his Toon contract, but he may have parted with Howe’s side a year ago, having agreed personal terms with Turkish Super Lig outfit Eyupspor before a U-turn was pulled.
The former England international’s hefty salary and diminished role over the second half of his spell at Newcastle had made such a scenario seem far from improbable, though he and the club ultimately convened and thought that it was worth letting him see out the duration of his contract.
As Livramento eases himself back into the way of things over the next couple of months, Trippier will continue to earn starting roles across the various competitions in front of the club.
Newcastle's Kieran Trippier
Once, Trippier was in with a shout as Newcastle’s most important player. It was not that long ago that industry figures believed he was the finest right-back on the continent.
That might not be the case any longer, but the experienced ace remains an important part of Howe’s plans, with journalist Charlie Bennett even singling him out as one of the “standouts” during the midweek win in the Champions League.
Howe must boldly drop Newcastle star who has now moved clear of Isak
Newcastle fought their way to a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League.