All posts by z3u9t.icu

After a long summer full of twists and turns, we’ve made it to deadline day, and Chelsea look set to complete some last-minute business.

The Blues have already backed Enzo Maresca and his squad in a big way this window with eye-catching additions like Joao Pedro, Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens.

Yet, with the club set to compete in the Champions League for the first time in years this season, there is a sense that the West Londoners could do with a little more quality in the side.

Fortunately, if reports are to be believed, Chelsea are eyeing a late move for an international gem who has been compared to Lamine Yamal and Bukayo Saka.

Chelsea eye late swoop for Yamal & Saka hybrid

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are still very interested in Fermin Lopez.

Transfer Focus

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

Interestingly, there are several other sides also keen on landing the Barcelona gem, but the West Londoners appear to have the most concrete interest at this point.

The report has revealed that the Catalan giants would be willing to part ways with the 22-year-old for a fee of up to €90m, which is approximately £78m.

While that is a substantial amount, it might well be worth it for a player compared to those of Yamal and Saka.

How Lopez compares to Saka & Yamal

Now, there are several surface-level similarities you can point to between Saka, Yamal, and Lopez, such as all three being young attackers who play for one of the biggest teams in their league – alongside one another in the Spaniards’ case.

However, thanks to FBref, we know that there are also some undeniable statistical similarities between them, as according to them, the Englishman has been the seventh most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Barça gem over the last 365 days, and his teammate was the fourth most similar in La Liga last season.

You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which Lopez ranked closely to the two international monsters.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.69

0.71

Non-Penalty G+As

0.79

0.78

Tackles

1.37

1.51

Successful Take-On %

45.5%

45.6%

Carries into the Final Third

1.58

1.67

Aerial Duels Won

0.65

0.52

Interestingly, when it comes to the Gunners’ mercurial number seven, the El Campillo-born dynamo ranks closely in things like expected and actual non-penalty goals, tackles, aerial duels won, carries into the final third and more, all per 90.

Yet, when it comes to his club teammate and compatriot, the “spectacular” midfielder, as dubbed by former manager Xavi, ranks similarly in metrics such as key passes, crosses, progressive passes, and other key creative statistics, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.69

0.75

Progressive Passes

5.68

5.05

Key Passes

2.09

2.02

Live Passes

44.9

47.2

Crosses

3.38

3.41

Tackles

1.37

1.32

In other words, it looks like the La Masia product could be as much of a goal threat as the North Londoners’ talisman, while being as creative and intuitive as the Catalan’s Ballon d’Or winner in waiting.

While he still has plenty of developing to do, that sounds like a pretty sensational combination, and when you factor in that he scored eight goals and provided ten assists in 46 appearances, totalling just 2,039 minutes, last season, it becomes clear why Chelsea are so keen to sign him.

Therefore, while it won’t be cheap, the Blues should do all they can to bring Lopez to Stamford Bridge before the window slams shut at 7pm this evening.

Their own Gyokeres: Chelsea make late move to sign "aggressive" £69m star

Chelsea could snap up their very own Viktor Gyokeres with this late £69m swoop.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 1, 2025

Leeds United had a problem between the posts last season. First-choice goalkeeper Illan Meslier had an inconsistent campaign, despite keeping 21 clean sheets and conceding just 27 goals in 39 Championship games. As per Sofascore, he had a save percentage of 70.1%.

However, he made constant errors throughout the season. One of those came against Sunderland, where he failed to catch a ball slowly bouncing towards him in the penalty box, allowing the ball to shoot through his hands and into the back of the net. Former Leeds player Aidy White told BBC Radio Leeds that his old club have “got to drop” the Frenchman.

So, it might not come as a surprise that Daniel Farke’s side are after a new goalkeeper this summer, with a couple of names seemingly on their shortlist.

Leeds target new goalkeeper

So, it seems the Whites are definitely in the market for a new shot stopper this summer. After some poor mistakes from Meslier last term, Farke appears to want a new number one. According to a recent report from TEAMTalk, Yahia Fofana of Ligue 1 side Angers is an option.

However, he is not the only goalkeeper from the French top flight that Leeds are targeting. The same report suggests that the Yorkshire side’s number one target is Lyon’s Brazilian shot-stopper Lucas Perri. He has been described as a ‘prime target’ for the Whites.

TEAMTalk clarify that ‘contact has been made’ with the Brazilian’s camp already, having ‘caught the attention of Leeds’ recruitment team’ after impressing for Lyon. A fee of around £20m could be enough to secure his services this summer.

Why Perri would be a good signing

27-year-old Perri got a big move to Europe back in 2024, after impressing in the Brazilian top flight, most recently with Botafogo. He has since gone on to perform well in a Lyon shirt, which seems to have certainly piqued Leeds’ interest.

Last term for Les Gones, Perri, who was born in Valinhos, just outside of Sao Paulo, made 45 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25. In that time, he conceded 60 goals and kept 13 clean sheets.

Looking at Ligue 1 specifically, his numbers are impressive. He played 33 top-flight games, conceding 44 times and keeping ten clean sheets. Football analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “one of the best” in his position when he was at Botafogo, and it is not hard to see why, looking at those numbers.

Of course, Leeds have a good history when it comes to buying Brazilian talents from Ligue 1. Former winger Raphinha, who is now tearing things up in La Liga with Barcelona, is “ahead” in the race for the Ballon d’Or, according to the legendary Thierry Henry.

Leeds fans will never forget the contributions he put in at Elland Road before his move to Barca. In two seasons at the club, he scored 17 goals and grabbed 12 assists.

That included one last vital goal, a penalty away to Brentford in his final game for the club, which helped Leeds stay in the Premier League.

The Elland Road faithful would surely love to find the second coming of Raphinha in Perri. The track record of newly-promoted clubs staying in the top flight is not good recently, with all six sides going straight back down in the last two years.

However, the stats from Squawka suggest he is a goalkeeper who can help keep them in the Premier League. Perri had a 72.5% save percentage, higher than Meslier’s last season, and averaged 3.6 saves per 90 minutes in 2024/25.

Save percentage

72.5%

72.5%

Clean sheets

10

0.4

Long passes completed

122

3.7

Goals conceded

44

1.4

Saves made

116

3.6

Raphinha was the hero for Leeds at one end of the pitch during his spell at the club. If Farke’s side can secure the services of another Brazilian star from Ligue 1 in Perri, perhaps he could have the same impact as his countryman at the other end.

For just £20m, this could be a fantastic addition for Leeds. The “undervalued” talent – as described by Mattinson – would represent an upgrade on Meslier and could be a key part in their survival.

Kalvin Phillips 2.0: Leeds have held talks to sign "incredible" £17m star

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who would be their next Kalvin Phillips.

ByDan Emery Jul 14, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now plotting a move for an “elegant” player who they made a bid for during the January transfer window, according to a new report.

Wolves set sights on new defender

Rayan Ait-Nouri and Craig Dawson departing Molineux means Vitor Pereira will be tasked with bringing in new options in defence this summer, and there is a strong desire to bring in a new centre-back.

With Wolves recording the worst defensive record outside the Premier League relegation zone last season, it is no surprise that signing at least one new centre-back is on the agenda, and a number of potential targets have been identified.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Christopher Wooh

Rennes

Over £4m

Igor Julio

Brighton

Under £13m

Jhon Lucumi

Bologna

£24m

The need to sign a new defender may also be exacerbated by the fact January signing Nasser Djiga could be making a move north of the border to Rangers, as revealed by Liam Keen.

There has now been a new update on Wolves’ interest in Udinese’s Thomas Kristensen, with a report from Football Insider revealing they are plotting a move for the defender, who they made a £12m bid for in the January transfer window.

Despite that offer being knocked back, the Old Gold are ready to rekindle their interest in Kristensen, having been long-term admirers, but there could be competition in the race for his signature, with AFC Bournemouth and Como said to be eyeing moves of their own.

"Elegant" Kristensen could be solid signing for Wolves

Scout/analyst Jacek Kulig has previously dubbed the Dane an “elegant” and “dominant” centre-back, while also praising him for his ability in aerial duels, which has regularly been on display over the past year.

Indeed, the 6 foot 6 colossus has been able to use his frame to his advantage, placing in the 90th percentile for aerials won per 90, when compared to other centre-backs in the top five leagues in Europe.

Wolves make first approach to sign £34m Club World Cup goalscorer

He’s been in excellent form at the Club World Cup.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

There are also some indications that Wolves could stand a good chance of luring the 23-year-old to Molineux, given that he expressed his desire to move to the Premier League in an interview with Zach Lowy last season.

“If you want to improve as a defender, Italy is the best place to do it. Right now, I’m here in Udine, I have a lot to improve on, and Udinese is a great place to improve…but I still have a dream of playing in England one day.”

Kristensen could now be ready to take the next step in his career, having made his mark during his second season in Italy, so it is promising news that Pereira’s side are now ready to rekindle their interest.

Russell Martin and his Glasgow Rangers players are already hard at work in pre-season as they prepare for their European qualifier later this month.

The new Gers head coach will be looking to progress through to the next round of Champions League qualifiers, and will want the best possible squad available to him at Ibrox.

Max Aarons and Lyall Cameron have already been added to the team during the summer transfer window so far, but the Light Blues will not stop there.

According to Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam, central midfielder Joe Rothwell turned down LaLiga teams to join Scottish Premiership giants on a permanent deal.

The former Bournemouth star has put pen to paper on a three-year contract at Ibrox and could make his debut against Panathinaikos later this month.

What Joe Rothwell could bring to Rangers

Rothwell will bring an experienced head in the middle of the park that Rangers do not currently have. Nicolas Raskin (24), Mohamed Diomande (23), Bailey Rice (18), and Connor Barron (22) currently make up Martin’s midfield ranks.

This means that the 30-year-old maestro, who has played 204 games in the English Championship, could be a mentor to the younger players in the squad, and give valuable advice to the likes of Barron and Rice, as he has been there and done at a good level in the game.

The midfield whiz, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Leeds United, will also offer quality in possession through his impressive passing range.

Rothwell is a metronomic midfielder who likes to constantly get on the ball to progress play for his team with progressive passes and passes into the final third, helping to create chances for his teammates.

Passes completed

63.74

Top 6%

Long passes completed

6.44

Top 2%

xA

0.22

Top 4%

Key passes

2.44

Top 1%

Progressive passes

6.64

Top 8%

Passes into the final third

7.40

Top 2%

As you can see in the table above, the experienced star provided plenty of quality on the ball in the 2024/25 Championship campaign with Leeds, who won the title to secure promotion to the Premier League.

He played in a ball-dominant title-winning side and showcased his ability to consistently progress play and create chances in the middle of the park, which suggests that he could thrive in a ball-dominant Russell Martin team chasing the Premiership title.

Whilst Rothwell, who is also capable of scoring screamers, looks set to be a terrific addition to the squad, Rangers are eyeing another midfielder who could be an even better signing.

Rangers in the race to sign former Liverpool gem

According to Liverpool-focused outlet DaveOCKOP, Rangers are one of a number of teams in the race to sign RB Salzburg central midfielder Bobby Clark in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Liverpool could be due a sell-on clause fee as a result of the English starlet moving on from the Austrian side this summer, just a year on from his Anfield exit for a fee of £10m.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Rangers, Leicester, West Brom, Sunderland, Koln, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hamburg, Birmingham, Leicester, and Southampton are all eyeing up a move for the midfield talent.

DaveOCKOP reveals that the former Newcastle United youth prospect is expected to look for a fresh opportunity to play elsewhere next season, and that there is a concrete chance that he will leave Salzburg.

However, it currently remains to be seen how much of the £10m that was paid for him last summer Rangers would need to pay to secure his services.

Why Rangers should sign Bobby Clark

The Scottish giants should push to win the race for the English midfielder this summer because he could be an even better signing for the club than Rothwell in the long run.

Clark is ten years younger than the signing from Bournemouth, at the age of 20, and this means that he has far more potential, both in terms of development and his viability as a long-term option for Martin in midfield.

If the Gers can land a deal for the Salzburg youngster, he could be a starting option in the middle of the park for the next decade if all goes well, whereas Rothwell is heading into the latter stages of his playing career.

Clark is not the finished article in the present, like Rothwell, though, after he only started seven of his 17 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga last season, but he did show a lot of promise in the OFB Cup, the domestic cup in Austria.

Appearances (starts)

2 (2)

Touches

217

Pass accuracy

85%

Key passes

8

Dribbles completed

12

Dribble success rate

63%

Ball recoveries

22

Duels won

30

As you can see in the table above, the English midfielder thrived as a starter in the cup across two appearances in the competition, creating eight chances and winning a staggering 30 duels.

Whilst it is an incredibly small sample size, it does show the kind of quality that he could provide if Martin is able to help him take the next step in his development after failing to earn regular starts with Salzburg.

Clark, who was hailed as “exciting” by reporter Lee Ryder, also showed a lot of promise during his time at Liverpool, with one goal and two assists in 14 first-team appearances for the Premier League giants, which earned him a £10m move to Austria.

The 20-year-old gem produced 18 goals and 11 assists in 64 games for Liverpool’s U18 and U21 sides combined, further illustrating the kind of attacking quality he can provide at his best.

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Therefore, Clark could be an even better signing than Rothwell because he could be an incredibly exciting midfield talent if Martin can unlock his immense potential as a dynamic, attack-minded, midfielder, who still has many, many, years left ahead of him to develop and improve.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be keen to use this summer as a chance to bring several high-profile players to the Midlands.

The club won’t play in the Champions League next term, but this will hopefully only be a short-term blip as far as Emery is concerned.

Players such as Jadon Sancho, Tyler Dibling, and Barcelona star Fermin Lopez have been linked with a move to Villa Park this summer.

All three would be excellent signings, but perhaps signing a centre-back should be the main priority so early in the transfer window.

Aston Villa chase move for Barcelona defender

Lopez isn’t the only Barcelona player that Emery is keen to bring to the Premier League this summer.

Indeed, defender Andreas Christensen looks like he could be set to leave the La Liga giants, and Aston Villa are one of the clubs linked with a move for the centre-back, as per The Birmingham Mail.

The Dane has a year left on his current deal, and the Catalan side could be set to accept bids of around €20m (£17m) for the player. This is certainly a far cry from his reported €500m release clause, making it a potential bargain for the Villans.

At the time of writing, Villa have just three senior centre-backs on their books. Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa are certainly at the peak of their powers, but Tyrone Mings is 32 and appears to be on the wane.

Might Christensen be an upgrade on the Englishman?

Why Aston Villa must sign Andreas Christensen

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, Mings has featured only 23 times for Villa due to injury.

There is no doubt the 32-year-old is a solid option to call upon, but might his time at the club be coming to an end?

Both Mings and Christensen have suffered their share of injury problems in recent years. To truly compare the two, you have to go back to the 2022/23 season.

Metric

Mings

Christensen

Accurate passes

46

61.1

Tackles

0.4

0.9

Total duels won

3

3

Interceptions

1.5

0.9

Clearances

4.5

2

Possession lost

8.6

4.5

Using FBref, Christensen not only registered more shots per 90 (0.51 vs 0.2) than Mings, but the Barcelona star also registered a higher pass completion percentage (94% vs 85.2%), won more tackles (15 vs seven), tackled a higher percentage of dribblers (62.5% vs 45%) and received fewer cautions (two vs seven) in their respective defensive leagues.

Although these stats may be from a couple of seasons ago, it proves that when both are fit and healthy, it is Christensen who is the better player.

REUTERS/David Klein

Lauded as a “cheat code” by journalist Domagoj Kostanjsak in 2023, the former Chelsea man racked up a total of 93 Premier League appearances during his spell at Stamford Bridge.

Given the fact that he is also three years younger than Mings, bringing Christensen to Villa Park, especially for a fee below £20m, could be an impressive piece of business for Emery.

His qualities would allow Emery to sign a competent defender who knows the top flight inside out. Therefore, it must be a deal he is looking to complete sooner rather than later.

Amazing Watkins replacement: Aston Villa ready move for "special" £32m CF

It’s set to be a busy summer transfer window at Aston Villa, so could Unai Emery be reunited with a “fantastic” PL star as Ollie Watkins’ replacement?

1 Jun 20, 2025

Sunderland have now “done work” to hijack Leeds United’s move for a “brilliant” midfielder, transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey has revealed.

Black Cats vying to sign midfielder after Bellingham departure

After sealing a move to Borussia Dortmund, Jobe Bellingham has now penned a heart-felt goodbye to the supporters, saying: “Your support, on so many occasions, has completely blown me away, especially in the times of adversity, which we pulled through together.”

Regis Le Bris is now left with the difficult task of finding a replacement for the 19-year-old, who provided four goals and three assists for the Black Cats in a season that will forever be remembered, having achieved promotion back to the Premier League.

Having been promoted alongside Leeds United, Le Bris is likely to be shopping in the same talent pool as the Yorkshire side this summer, with both clubs now battling it out to sign West Ham United’s Vladimir Coufal on a free transfer.

Not only that, but the Black Cats have now started to take steps towards hijacking Leeds’ move for a midfielder, namely Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra, with some reports suggesting Daniel Farke’s side have already submitted a £22m bid for his services.

In an interview with The Boot Room, Bailey denies the reports of an offer being made, but confirms that Sunderland have now joined the race for Diarra’s signature, saying: “Leeds are looking at him. They like him and have enquired and held talks with his camp – however, we can confirm no bid yet.

“He had a very good season and a number of Premier League clubs have looked at him. Sunderland, Fulham, Bournemouth – all have done work on him… they are all clearly watching him (vs England) too!”

"Brilliant" Diarra starred in Senegal's triumph over England

The recent international break was far from ideal for Thomas Tuchel, stumbling to a 1-0 victory over Andorra before losing 3-1 against Senegal at the City Ground, where the Strasbourg midfielder put in a quality performance to help his side secure the win.

The 21-year-old scored the second goal in his side’s surprise victory, while also displaying his ability in possession of the ball by maintaining a 88% pass-success rate throughout the match, with Senegal going on to become the first-ever African nation to defeat England.

Football scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Senegal international for his passing ability in the past, amongst other things.

As such, it is exciting news that Sunderland are now “doing work” on a deal for Diarra, and having sold Bellingham for £32m, they should have ample funds to secure his signature.

Celtic missed out on the domestic treble earlier this month when they were beaten by Aberdeen on penalties in the final of the SFA Cup at Hampden Park.

The Hoops had already won the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup, but they were unable to claim the third trophy in the collection against the Dons.

Brendan Rodgers may want to go all the way next season, after failing to win the treble in both of his first two years back at the club, and could do that by improving his squad in the summer transfer window.

With that in mind, here is the dream starting line-up that Rodgers could build to attack the 2025/26 campaign head-on when they return to action later this year…

1 Kasper Schmeichel

Starting off between the sticks, Kasper Schmeichel should still be the number one for Celtic next season, at least to begin with, after an impressive debut campaign, despite his own goal in the SFA Cup final.

The former Leicester City stopper racked up an impressive 24 clean sheets in 49 appearances after joining from Anderlecht on a free transfer last year.

2 Alistair Johnston

At right-back, Celtic should be aiming to keep hold of Alistair Johnston amid reported interest from English sides Ipswich Town and Fulham this summer, after he scored four goals and provided ten assists in the Premiership this season.

3 Cameron Carter-Vickers

At the heart of the defence, Cameron Carter-Vickers should be a mainstay in the team again next season, after he was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year yet again. The colossal central defender has the right-sided centre-back position locked down, and it should stay that way.

4 Liam Scales

The left-sided centre-back position is up for debate, unlike the right side, with Auston Trusty, Maik Nawrocki, and Liam Scales all in contention to play that role.

Scales, however, ended the season as the first-choice for Rodgers, despite Trusty and Nawrocki being fit and available, which suggests that he will head into pre-season as the obvious partner to Carter-Vickers.

5 Kieran Tierney

Left-back is another position that should be fairly obvious. Kieran Tierney is joining on a free transfer from Arsenal and should be the go-to option in that area of the park when fit and available.

The Scotland international produced 37 assists in 170 matches for Celtic during his first spell at the club, which suggests that he could provide a huge creative outlet down the left flank for the Scottish giants next season.

It remains to be seen whether or not Greg Taylor, who is out of contract this summer, will be at Parkhead next term, so Tierney is currently the only senior left-back who is guaranteed to be in the squad.

6 Callum McGregor

At the base of the midfield three, captain Callum McGregor is another obvious pick for Rodgers. The skipper started 34 of his 35 appearances in the Premiership this season, which does not suggest that he is close to being on his way out of the XI.

7 Arne Engels

Celtic broke the bank to sign Arne Engels from Augsburg last summer in a club-record £11m move, and he repaid them with a return of ten goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances for the club in his debut season.

8 Lennon Miller

Another new addition to the squad, alongside Tierney, could be Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller, who could arrive to complete the midfield trio with McGregor and Engels.

Serie A side Udinese have been linked with a summer move for Reo Hatate, and Celtic could sign the Scottish starlet, who is a reported transfer target, to replace the Japanese ace.

Appearances

37

32

Goals

10

2

Big chances created

14

12

Key passes per game

1.2

1.6

Assists

2

8

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.1

3.1

Ball recoveries per game

3.2

6.3

Duel success rate

44%

53%

As you can see in the table above, Miller would be an exciting replacement for Hatate because he offers a similar threat as a creator whilst being better out of possession, albeit he does not provide as much of a goalscoring presence.

At 18, the Scotland U21 international is also nine years younger than the Celtic star and could be the long-term option for Rodgers in that position, which is why it could make sense to cash in on the Japanese star to sign the Motherwell maestro.

9 Nicolas Kuhn

Nicolas Kuhn ended the 2024/25 campaign with an eye-catching haul of 21 goals and 15 assists in all competitions from a right wing position for the Hoops.

The left-footed star provided a constant threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants, which is why he should remain the starting option on that flank.

10 Mathias Kvistgaarden

The third signing that could be added to this dream starting XI, alongside Tierney and Miller, is Brondby centre-forward Mathias Kvistgaarden.

Celtic are reportedly weighing up a club-record swoop for the Danish marksman, who is valued at in excess of £12m, and it could be a fantastic piece of business for the club to upgrade on Adam Idah.

Appearances

29

35

FotMob rating

7.29

6.86

xG

13.99

13.57

Goals

17

13

Chances created

19

19

Assists

5

0

As you can see in the table above, their respective performances at league level this season suggest that Kvistgaarden would offer far more than the Irishman as a superior finisher.

Therefore, Celtic should attempt to conclude a deal for the 23-year-old centre-forward, dubbed “sensational” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, in the weeks to come as he could add an even greater goal threat to Rodgers’ side than Idah currently does.

The domestic season may have only ended a couple of days ago, but there’s no rest for the wicked, and the powers that be at Arsenal will already be hard at work ahead of the summer transfer window.

New Sporting Director Andrea Berta will be keen to prove his worth as soon as possible by making the right additions to get the club over the line in the Premier League and maybe even the Champions League next year.

However, the Italian will need to get his skates on, as the last few weeks have seen Liverpool making significant moves in the market, with the seemingly imminent signing of Florian Wirtz being the most impressive signal of intent.

Fortunately, if reports are to be believed, the Gunners are now looking at another high-profile international who could be their answer to the German star.

Arsenal looking at former Premier League forward

With this summer feeling like the most important since Arteta’s appointment in 2019, there have unsurprisingly been a slew of incredible players linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Nico Williams and Jamie Gittens.

Transfer Focus

The former has been a target for the Gunners for over a year now and has a release clause worth around £50m in his current contract, which may well prove to be value for money, as in 45 games for Athletic Bilbao this season, he has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists.

Likewise, Gittens has enjoyed a pretty impressive season with Borussia Dortmund this year, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists in 48 games and could be available for about £46m.

However, for a player to be Arteta and Co’s answer to Wirtz, they’ve got to be seriously special and capable of changing games for the team, someone like Julian Alvarez.

According to a recent report from Spanish outlet Marca, Arsenal are among a number of clubs keen on the Atlético Madrid star.

In fact, while the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona are credited with an interest in the Argentine, the report makes it clear that the Gunners are currently leading the pack and are ‘are now the strongest bidder for his services.’

While no price is mentioned in the report, he reportedly has a £126m release clause, but this might prove a tad steep.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Alvarez’s immense ability, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he could be Arsenal’s answer to Wirtz.

Alvarez could be Arsenal's answer to Wirtz

The first thing to clear up is that, yes, both players primarily play in different positions, with Alvarez generally starting up top and Wirtz in midfield, but both players have proven themselves to be quite versatile.

The former Manchester City star has played off the right and left, as a second striker and even in midfield a number of times in his career.

Likewise, the soon-to-be Liverpool star has made appearances as a second striker, striker and winger before.

On top of this, even though the Atleti star is more of a goalscorer than the German, he has also proven himself to be a creative outlet.

For example, according to FBref, the 25-year-old, who has “the ability to change games out of nowhere,” per analyst Ben Mattinson, sits in the top 2% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions from live passes, the top 5% for passes completed, the top 6% for passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Appearances

54

Minutes

3705′

Goals

29

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

Minutes per Goal Involvement

102.91′

Finally, and this is perhaps the most crucial similarity of them all, the Calchín-born superstar has proven he is capable of becoming a team’s most important and talismanic attacker.

In his first season with Atleti, with the pressure of a big price tag hanging over him, the “world-class” forward, as dubbed by City content creator It’s LB, has scored 29 goals and provided seven assists in 54 games, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games.

Ultimately, if Liverpool are going to sign Wirtz this summer, Arsenal need to make their own statement addition to their attack, and Alvarez looks to be the perfect candidate.

He's a lot like Isak: Arsenal make contact to sign £42m Havertz upgrade

The incredible goalscorer would be great for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 27, 2025

Arsenal and sporting director Andrea Berta have been alerted to the price tag of a “gifted” attacker, and it has dropped by nearly half compared to last year, as the Gunners are presented with a £63 million discount.

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Before their final game of the Premier League season, Mikel Arteta was asked about the club’s summer recruitment drive, which is now set to take centre-stage after a very disappointing campaign.

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The Gunners end 2024/2025 with no silverware, despite being tipped to win this year’s Premier League title and mount serious challenges across other competitions as well.

Since Arteta’s appointment, there hasn’t exactly been a lack of investment in the squad, and some critics are beginning to wonder whether he is really the right man to end Arsenal’s two-decade-long-plus wait for a domestic league crown.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

However, 24/25 hasn’t been without major obstacles for Arteta either, with the 43-year-old lacking major firepower upfront for the majority of this term. Injuries to Kai Havertz – who has since returned to action – and Gabriel Jesus meant that Arsenal had been forced to deploy Mikel Merino as an emergency striker for months.

Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were also unavailable for extended periods at points during the campaign as well, proving very unfortunate, and it highlights the need for Arsenal to reinforce their squad with further attacking quality.

Speaking in his pre-Southampton press conference, Arteta expressed his desire for Berta to bring in more “firepower” this summer, all while sharing his high expectations for the ex-Atletico Madrid chief, who officially joined in late March.

“I think he’s going to be a big contributor with his experience, and the fact that he’s already won in very difficult contexts and the way he’s built teams, he is exceptional,” said Arteta about Berta.

“I think we have to share that responsibility and Andrea is going to be a key part to driving the plans and the ideas we have and try to execute them, and we are here to support him.”

Andrea Berta handed £63m Rodrygo discoCunt after Arsenal open talks

A key target who has emerged this week comes in the form of versatile Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who England star Jude Bellingham thinks is “underrated” and the “most gifted” player in their squad.

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg stated earlier this week that Arsenal have opened talks over signing Rodrygo, and the Brazilian has shot to the “very top” of Berta’s transfer wishlist for the wide area.

Reports last year claimed Real president Florentino Perez was demanding around £130 million to sell the 24-year-old to Man City, but according to journalist Anton Meana, this price has dropped by nearly half.

Meana, speaking on Cadena SER show El Larguero this week, shared news that Real’s asking price for Rodrygo is now £67 million – meaning Arsenal can sign the South American star for £63 million less than previously believed.

£67m for a player of Rodrygo’s quality seems extremely tempting, and this potential deal has been made all the more doable by this latest financial update on an increasingly developing story.

Arsenal are set for a significant call over potentially selling a “difference-maker” this summer, amid a serious issue which could determine his long-term future at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta makes PSG vow after Arsenal loss to Bournemouth

The Gunners have a season-defining Champions League semi-final second leg tie against PSG on Wednesday – a match that will truly shape the course of their 2024/2025 campaign and determine the success of Arsenal’s year.

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Mikel Arteta’s side trail 1-0 on aggregate, courtesy of Ousmane Dembélé’s early winner at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, and they go into a testing clash at the Parc des Princes off the back of a shock defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

However, Arteta has vowed to use the frustration and upset from that loss to Andoni Iraola’s side as fuel to overcome PSG in the French capital.

“We certainly wanted to create a really good vibe, a positive result would really help us to build what we wanted towards Wednesday,” Arteta said in a post-match press conference.

“What we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy. So, make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final.”

One player who has been unable to contribute recently is 2024 summer signing and Italy international Riccardo Calafiori.

The £42 million arrival has spent the last month out with a knee injury, and despite some excellent performances, injury absences have been the story of his first season.

Arsenal set for "big decision" over selling Riccardo Calafiori

Calafiori has been called a “difference-maker” for Arteta when fit and available, but reports from Italy are now claiming that Arsenal are prepared to sell the defender this summer as a result of his fitness issues.

Speaking to Football Insider, former chief Man United scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the beautiful game, says that Arsenal have a “big decision” to make over letting Calafiori return to Serie A.

“It’s a decision Arsenal and Arteta have got to make,” he told Football Insider.

“They will know the extent of his injury issues and whether it’s going to keep cropping up. Then, they’ll weigh that up against what they know he can do when he’s fit and they’ll decide whether it’s worth keeping him on.

“There is interest in a move back to Italy and AC Milan have been mentioned as one of those teams. If Arsenal can make back the money they spent on him last year, they might think it’s the best thing to do given how many games he’s missed.

“His injuries are a major concern because if he can only play in 15-20 games a season, he’s not going to be somebody they want to keep on the books. But at the same time, there are a few players who look like they’ll leave Arsenal this year.

“They can’t let too many of them go because their depth is already an issue. So it’s a big decision for them to make and one they’ll sit down and discuss soon.”