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Manchester United are set to axe a £65,000-a-week player this summer who Ruben Amorim called out in his first game in charge.

Man Utd and Amorim preparing for summer after another defeat

The Red Devils can still salvage their season by lifting the Europa League, however, it has been a disappointing campaign on the whole.

Last time out in the Premier League, Man Utd suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United, with Amorim critical of his side making numerous mistakes.

Man Utd making moves to sign "incredible" assist king for bargain £20m fee

The Red Devils are in pursuit of a playmaker, who is set to leave his club on the cheap this summer.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 15, 2025

“We did a lot of mistakes and they were better than us, stronger than us. Suffering the second goal in the beginning of the second half hurt us a lot and then we did mistakes during the game that helped Newcastle to win the game.

“It’s a team thing [and not about individuals]. We are doing a lot of mistakes in certain games that give confidence to the opponent, give goals, and then it’s hard to cope with everything. We had the first chance, we didn’t score, [then] they have their chance, they score. Then they took control of the game. We scored to draw but then second half, we were suffering in the second play of the game, it’s hard for our team and we did a lot of mistakes.”

One player who was dropped for the trip to St James’ Park was Andre Onana, and there have been plenty of rumours that the goalkeeper is unsettled at Old Trafford and looks set to be sold over the coming months.

There is interest from Saudi Arabia in Onana, whereas Man Utd are looking at replacements and have recently shown an interest in Anders goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

More Old Trafford exits are on the cards, though, and Fabrizio Romano has shared another Man Utd exit update.

Jonny Evans set to leave Man Utd – Fabrizio Romano

As per transfer expert Romano, Man Utd defender Jonny Evans and third-choice keeper Tom Heaton are both set to depart the club this summer when their contracts expire.

Evans, on £65,000-a-week, returned to the Red Devils in 2023 and has made 42 appearances in all competitions under Erik ten Hag and Amorim in recent years.

Now 37 years of age, the experience centre-back started Amorim’s first game as United boss against Ipswich Town back in November.

That was actually Evans’ last top flight appearance for United, with Amorim critical of the defender after the 1-1 draw.

“If you see the first half, we were a little bit afraid. The No.5 [Sam Morsy] was always alone, we have to jump on him. Hutchinson was always in the dead space, Jonny Evans should be pressing his guy, but when we don’t have the training and it’s hard to see say all the reactions to the players. We had two days, they are confused a little bit. If you stay here, you don’t run, you defend but you don’t run.”

Now, it looks as if Evans will be one of a number of Old Trafford players to depart, something that won’t come as a huge surprise due to his age and contract status.

Chelsea have now joined the race to sign a Premier League forward who has “blistering pace”, but a deal would amount to at least £43m, according to a report.

Blues attacking issues on display at Craven Cottage

Although the Blues were ultimately able to overturn a one-goal deficit to secure a 2-1 victory against Fulham on Sunday afternoon, their attacking issues were once again on display prior to the late comeback.

It was a drab affair at Craven Cottage, with Enzo Maresca’s side lacking a spark and recording an xG of just 0.90 throughout the match, while Nicolas Jackson once again failed to find the back of the net prior to being replaced by youngster Tyrique George.

George scored the equalising goal to ignite the comeback, but the overall performance suggests the west Londoners may need to bolster their attacking options this summer, and they have now joined the race to sign a Premier League winger.

Fabregas a fan: Chelsea want to sign £8m gem with "left foot made of gold"

The Blues are closely monitoring a “wonderful” midfielder ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 20, 2025

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Chelsea are now monitoring Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga, given the Sweden international’s impressive performances in the Premier League this season.

However, the Blues are not alone in their pursuit of Elanga, with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United also keeping an eye on developments ahead of the summer transfer window.

Forest have not placed the 22-year-old on the transfer list, but a bid of over €50m (£43m) would make the Tricky Trees consider a sale, although they are also weighing up the possibility of offering the former Manchester United man a new deal.

Elanga making a name for himself at Forest

Like many players in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, the young forward struggled at Man United, picking up just four goals and four assists in 55 appearances for the Red Devils, but he has started to make a name for himself since moving to the City Ground.

In an impressive 2023-24 campaign with Forest, the right-winger amassed 14-goal contributions in the Premier League, notably scoring the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 victory for his side at Stamford Bridge in September 2023.

Since then, the Swede has continued to impress, with journalist Ryan Taylor left impressed by his “blistering pace” last month, which was also on display during Forest’s 1-0 victory against Man United at the start of April.

At 22, Elanga is at the right age to be a long-term success at Stamford Bridge, and his performances since signing for Forest indicate he could be well worth the fee of over £43m, which could be demanded for his services.

After more than two decades away from the Premier League, what’s another season in the Championship for Ipswich Town?

Kieran McKenna’s side haven’t been able to stave off relegation this year, but considering just how poorly their fellow promoted sides have fared, it would be fair to say that they’ve given it a real go.

Moreover, while goalscoring talisman Liam Delap is probably going to leave in the summer – for a tasty profit, hopefully – there is more than enough talent in this squad to come right back up again.

In fact, there’s even one signing made by the Northern Irishman who looks like a £43m star in the making, thanks to the comparisons he’s won this season.

The Ipswich players who could clinch promotion next year

So, before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at those in the squad who could be key to bouncing right back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, such as Leif Davis.

The former Leeds United star might not have had quite the impact in the top flight that some were hoping he’d have, but one thing is certain: he’ll thrive in the second tier.

For example, it was only last season that the Englishman racked up a simply superb tally of two goals and 21 assists in just 43 Championship appearances, which works out to a goal involvement every 1.91 games.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Likewise, while this year has been one blighted by injury, you’d be a fool to bet against Sammie Szmodics when he’s back to full fitness next year.

After all, when playing for Blackburn Rovers in the 2023/24 campaign, the Irishman was an unstoppable force of nature, racking up an outrageous tally of 33 goals and four assists in 48 appearances, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.29 games.

However, another Ipswich ace will almost certainly be playing alongside him, an ace signed by McKenna now being compared to some very valuable stars indeed.

Ipswich's £43m star in the making

While there are some other talented players at Ipswich who could help make a real difference next year, like Alex Palmer, Ben Johnson, and Conor Chaplin, the star we are talking about is none other than Omari Hutchinson.

The former Chelsea ace joined the Tractor Boys on a permanent £20m deal last summer, and while this season, like for most of his teammates, has had its ups and downs, we know he can perform in the Championship.

For example, he spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Portman Road, where he managed to rack up an impressive enough tally of 11 goals and six assists in 50 games, so with a year of Premier League football under his belt, there is every chance he does even better next season.

Moreover, while he’s not been as prolific as some would’ve hoped, his all-round performances have seen him win comparisons to some seriously talented players, such as Jacob Ramsey.

The comparison primarily stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in the Premier League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Aston Villa star is the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Blues gem.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected and actual goals plus assists, key passes, through balls, carries, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

While a comparison to a Champions League player is encouraging enough for the “fantastic” talent’s future prospects, as dubbed by McKenna, it’s also a positive indication of his future valuation.

For example, Football Transfers value the Villa ace at up to €50.3m, which converts to about £43m, and if the Tractor Boys star is so statistically similar to him, why shouldn’t his price tag eventually match as well?

Ultimately, while this season has not gone entirely to plan for Ipswich, they clearly have the talent to bounce right back up next year, and we do not doubt that Hutchinson will have an important role to play.

Worth more than Hirst & Broadhead: Ipswich have hit gold on "terrific" star

Ipswich Town have found themselves a gem with this terrific talent.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 15, 2025

Real Madrid are now eyeing a shock move for an “excellent” Arsenal star, alongside William Saliba, according to a report.

Saliba prepared to join Real Madrid

Trent Alexander Arnold’s recent made the big decision to leave boyhood club Liverpool to join Real Madrid, underlining the pull the European giants have in the transfer market, and it has now been revealed that Saliba would also be willing to make the move to the Spanish capital.

The La Liga side have made contact over a deal for the Frenchman, as they are eager for the 24-year-old to be the new leader of their backline, and he would be keen on a move to the Bernabeu, with Real the only club he would be willing to leave the Gunners for.

Of course, Mikel Arteta’s side are eager to keep hold of the France international, and they are looking to extend his contract beyond 2027, but the centre-back is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal.

Like a younger Isak: Arsenal already doing work to sign "electric" £70m gem

It’s clear that Arsenal need to sign a striker and, given that they’re unlikely to land Alexander Isak, have they found an electric £70m alternative?

By
Ben Gray

May 10, 2025

There will be concern that Saliba could be in line for a move to Spain, but the defender is not the only Arsenal player of interest to Real Madrid, with a report from The Sun revealing they are also eyeing a shock move for goalkeeper David Raya.

The Spanish giants are keen to bring in a long-term heir to Thibaut Courtois, and Raya has been identified as a potential target, but it could be difficult to get a deal for the Spaniard over the line, perhaps because he remains contracted until 2028.

As such, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen could be brought in instead, having also been identified as a long-term successor to Courtois.

"Excellent" Raya remains key player for Arteta

Raya eventually arrived at the Emirates Stadium for £27m in July 2024, having previously spent the 2023-24 campaign on loan in north London, at which point he was able to displace Aaron Ramsdale in the starting XI.

Since then, the 29-year-old has remained a key player for Arteta, collecting 12 clean sheets in the Premier League this season, the second-highest number in the top flight, while also ranking highly across a number of key goalkeeping metrics over the past year.

Not only that, but the Spanish shot-stopper has caught the eye of reporter Ben Jacobs at times, having been lauded as “excellent” following an impressive performance in the 2-2 draw against Manchester City earlier this season.

As such, Arsenal should not consider selling Raya under any circumstances, and it is good news that it will be difficult for Real Madrid to get a deal done, despite their interest.

The summer transfer window officially opens for business next month and full focus will now be on that for Celtic after the 2024/25 campaign came to an end on Saturday.

Brendan Rodgers will surely have been disappointed by his side’s failure to clinch the domestic treble after they lost to Aberdeen on penalties in the final of the SFA Cup.

The Scottish giants had already secured the Scottish Premiership title, for the fourth time in as many seasons, and won the League Cup by beating Rangers on penalties in the first half of the campaign.

Celtic also made it through to the play-off round of the Champions League, losing to Bayern Munich, after making it through the initial league phase.

The Hoops enjoyed a successful season, in spite of their SFA Cup final defeat to Aberdeen, and it came off the back of significant investment in the team last summer.

Celtic showed that they are willing to splash the cash to improve the side and compete in Europe by signing Augsburg central midfielder Arne Engels for a club-record fee.

Why Arne Engels has been worth the money

The Glasgow giants reportedly broke their club transfer record to sign the Belgian starlet from the Bundesliga outfit for a staggering fee of £11m.

It was a huge sum of money to play for a then-20-year-old midfield maestro, yet it has turned out to be money well spent so far because he has delivered impressive performances on the pitch for the Hoops.

Engels ended the season with a return of ten goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the middle of the park.

Celtic have dominated Scottish football, winning the last four titles and three of the last five domestic cups available to them, so any signings coming in should be with a view to improving their form in the Champions League.

As you can see in the table above, Engels helped them to do that with his displays in Europe, which led to Celtic reaching the play-off round, having been dumped out with one win in the group stage in the 2023/24 campaign.

The Belgian whiz has been worth the money for the Hoops, so far, because he has delivered quality in the Champions League, including a goal and an assist in the 5-1 win over Slovan during the league phase.

Celtic, however, could take the Belgian talent to the next level by splashing the cash once again to sign a striker to make the most of his creativity next season.

Celtic expected to move for new striker

According to Anthony Joseph, writing for Sky Sports, Celtic are ‘expected’ to make a new move to sign Brondby centre-forward Mathias Kvistgaarden in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The reporter claims that the Denmark youth international has been a long-term target for the Scottish giants, and they are now prepared to make yet another swoop for his services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Transfer Focus

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

Joseph adds that the closest the club have come, to date, to signing the 23-year-old star was in the recent January transfer window, after Kyogo Furuhashi left to join Rennes, but they were unable to get a deal over the line.

The journalist states that Brondby have been sticking to their valuation of at least £10m for the attacker, which is slightly less than what the Hoops paid to sign Engels last summer.

This suggests that it is a deal the Premiership champions could afford to do if they feel he is worth splashing the cash on, given that they were prepared to spend big on the Belgium international.

They should, now, sanction a £10m swoop for his services when they make their expected move for the striker because he could take Engels to the next level with his finishing ability.

Why Celtic should sign Mathias Kvistgaarden

The Hoops should splash the cash on Kvistgaarden because of his exceptional form for Brondby in the 2024/25 campaign, which suggests that he could be a lethal forward for Celtic with the creativity that Engels can provide.

In the Premiership, the Belgium international was only rewarded with six assists from the 11 ‘big chances’ that he created for his teammates throughout the season. This shows that the midfielder was let down by the quality of finishing from the club’s forward players in the top-flight.

Adam Idah was one of the wasteful attackers responsible for that. The Ireland international scored 13 goals and missed a whopping 19 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership, whilst he also underperformed his xG of 13.57.

This suggests that Celtic could take Engels to the next level as a creator by signing a striker who can more than make the most of his creativity, which is why they should swoop for Kvistgaarden.

As you can see in the table above, the Danish attacker would come in as a big upgrade on Idah because of his finishing quality, having scored five more goals from open play with a similar xG tally at league level.

Kvistgaarden, whose form was dubbed “absolutely sensational” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is a striker who has the movement and the finishing skills to take Engels’ assist tally way beyond the 13 he got this season.

The 23-year-old striker, who scored 23 goals in all competitions, could thrive on the kind of quality that Engels can provide from a central midfield position, and that could make him a star for the Hoops next term as their regular starter in the number nine position.

It is now down to the board to sanction a £10m deal for the Danish marksman, to both provide Rodgers with a clinical and effective starting centre-forward, whilst also taking Engels to the next level by finding a player who can make the most of his creativity.

Celtic could sign Idah upgrade in £40m star who's "guaranteed goals"

Celtic have been tipped to swoop for a star who would be a big upgrade on Adam Idah.

By
Dan Emery

May 25, 2025

Leeds United did manage to seal the Championship title with a bumper 100 points come the end of the 46-game marathon, but Daniel Farke’s side certainly made life a lot harder for themselves in the goalkeeper department.

Illan Meslier’s error-prone performances between the sticks nearly proved costly, resulting in the German having to bring in stand-in keeper Karl Darlow for the final few tense clashes of the second-tier campaign.

Whilst the ex-Newcastle United stopper did prove himself to be a solid performer in goal, it’s unlikely that Farke will solely rely on the Wales international to be his outright number one in such a daunting division.

Therefore, a whole host of new faces are being linked to step up and take on the first team mantle in goal, with this alternative target now being tipped to make the switch to Elland Road over the heavily fancied Caoimhin Kelleher.

Leeds' pursuit of a new keeper

Kelleher is one of the main names being touted to become Farke’s brand-new number one ahead of Premier League football returning to West Yorkshire, with the Irishman reportedly available for around the £30m mark.

He is mentioned as a possible Meslier replacement by the Daily Mail too, but the new report from the Mail does suggest that other top-flight experienced ‘keepers are on the Leeds agenda, such as ex-Arsenal man Aaron Ramsdale.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ reserve keeper Sam Johnstone is also floating about as a potential number one option, but if Leeds want to land an even more impressive buy than Kelleher, they should be going all in for Ramsdale over other figures.

The 27-year-old has suffered from shaky performances here and there, but he was once Mikel Arteta’s concrete first-team choice at Arsenal, where he proved himself as a top performer at an intimidating level.

Why Ramsdale would be even better than Kelleher

Of course, Kelleher has never been able to prove himself as a number-one option at Anfield, having always played in the shadows to the likes of Allisson.

But, regardless of whether he’s been given a fair crack under Arne Slot and other Reds bosses or not, if Leeds can land a far more experienced keeper at the level in Ramsdale for a slightly cheaper £25m, it feels like a pick-up they should prioritise over the promise of the 26-year-old coming good as a main starting presence.

At one point during his topsy-turvy Gunners career, Ramsdale was on cloud nine with his imperious displays in between the sticks, with this unbelievable save coming during the 2021/22 campaign that saw the ex-Sheffield United stopper collect an impressive 12 clean sheets from 34 league outings.

Heralded as “phenomenal” by ex-Arsenal legend David Seaman off the back of his glimpses of quality at the Emirates, it will just be up to Ramsdale to try and reach these lofty heights once more, donning a Leeds strip.

After all, he is well accustomed to the trials and tribulations of a relegation battle, having just accumulated a high 4.2 saves per Premier League tie for basement side Southampton.

The table above definitely reinforces how experienced Ramsdale is in the Premier League, despite only being a year older than Kelleher, with a near 200 games now played in the elite division. To add context, as a back-up face at Liverpool, his Cork-born counterpart has barely hit 30 clashes at 25 overall.

Therefore, whilst he will have an error in his back locker like Meslier, Leeds fans would surely feel more confident that the 27-year-old would come good over the gamble of Kelleher at £30m.

It will be fascinating to see who the Whites do eventually pick up in his vital position, knowing they cannot rely on Meslier if they are to beat the drop.

Gnonto 2.0: Farke continuing Leeds talks to sign £10m “physical monster”

Leeds United might secure their next Wilfried Gnonto by purchasing this £10m-rated youngster.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 30, 2025

After watching on as Liverpool seemingly jumped ahead of them in the race to sign Florian Wirtz, Bayern Munich have reportedly turned their focus towards payback in the form of recruiting one particular Anfield star this summer.

Liverpool submit first Wirtz offer

Whilst it was Manchester City and Bayern who found themselves battling for Wirtz’s signature, it has been Liverpool who have grabbed hold of the headlines. Sending shockwaves through Europe, the Reds have stolen a march on their rivals and are reportedly set to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star in what could quite easily be the deal of the summer in all regards.

Having already lifted the Premier League in their first season under Arne Slot, it’s clear that those at Anfield mean business after deciding against splashing the cash last summer.

Alongside Wirtz, rumours have also indicated that Liverpool are pushing to sign the midfielder’s Leverkusen teammate, Jeremie Frimpong, to replace the Real Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez.

Liverpool’s interest in Wirtz is a fairly open secret already and Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes had his say on the potential move earlier this week, telling reporters: “There is concrete interest from Liverpool, but there’s no more to say right now. Florian is our player.”

Ornstein: Liverpool set to make even more signings after £150m+ triple move

The Reds seem to have plenty of tricks up their sleeve…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

May 26, 2025

Meanwhile, on Bayern Munich’s end, they’ve been left with no choice but to turn their attention elsewhere. And that could yet deal the Premier League champions a frustrating blow amid rumours that the German giants have set their sights on signing an Anfield star who Slot loves.

Bayern make contact to sign Cody Gakpo

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich have now made contact to sign Cody Gakpo. Club chief Max Eberl is reportedly a fan of the Dutchman and has now added him to a list of left-wing options which already includes Rafael Leao and Brighton’s Karou Mitoma.

What’s more, given that they’re set to welcome Wirtz this summer, Liverpool and FSG are open to selling Gakpo if the right offer arrives. Whether Slot would approve such an exit is the big question. Gakpo has been a man transformed under his countryman, scoring 18 goals in all competitions and claiming a spot in Liverpool’s front three as a result.

Slot hasn’t hesitated to praise the former PSV man, either. He told reporters when asked about his winger earlier in the season: “In the second half of last season Cody scored a lot of goals so he’s been a good player for Liverpool for a long time now. He continues doing that and that’s a good thing. For me, he is a regular starter.”

Also dubbed “excellent” by former Liverpool and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole back in October, Gakpo is not someone that Liverpool should be keen to lose in the coming months.

It would be fair to say that this season was something of a disappointment for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side ended up ten points off Liverpool in the Premier League, failed to make a dent in the FA Cup, and, with better finishing, could have realistically been in a Champions League final.

However, while it’s easy to focus on the negative, there have been at least a few positives, such as the development and performances of Jurrien Timber, who seriously stepped up in the absence of Ben White.

The Dutchman is now unquestionably one of the manager’s best signings, and based on reports, it looks like he could soon have himself another younger version of the international.

Arsenal transfer news

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other young talents Arsenal have been linked with in recent weeks, such as Adam Wharton and Konstantinos Karetsas.

Transfer Focus

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

The former is reportedly available for close to £80m this summer, and while that is a lot of money to spend on someone who is just 21 years old, he’s more than proven his ability at Crystal Palace and played a key role in their FA Cup triumph this year.

Karetsas, on the other hand, is a little harder to justify at a whopping £38m, as while he’s seriously impressed in Belgium this season, he is still just 17 years old, and that sort of money would probably be better off being spent on someone who could play for the team next year.

With that said, while these two youngsters are incredibly talented, neither one can be described as anything like Timber, unlike Jorrel Hato.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several teams incredibly interested in the Ajax star.

The report has revealed that Arsenal, alongside the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle United, have already made contact to find out more information about a possible transfer.

However, on top of having to contend with some serious competition, Andrea Berta and Co would have to stump a fee of up to €50m to get their man, which is about £42m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but it is one Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he’d be the club’s next Timber.

Why Hato would be Arsenal's next timber

Now, it might sound like a bold claim to suggest that a teenager from outside the top five leagues could develop into a full-back who was impeccable against Real Madrid home and away in the Champions League.

Yet, that is exactly what we are suggesting, and there are a number of reasons why.

Firstly, the Eridivise might not be one of the best leagues in Europe, but it’s only just outside the top five, sitting in sixth place, and crucially, Timber made his way to North London from the Netherlands.

In fact, not only did the Gunners’ ace join Arteta’s title challengers from the same country, but he did so from Ajax, which is where Hato is currently plying his trade.

Furthermore, the pair are both Dutch and on top of coming up through the Ajax academy, they also share the ability to play in more than one position, depending on what the manager wants and needs.

For example, we all know that Timber is at his best at right-back, but he’s already played at centre-back and left-back since moving to England, just as the in-demand youngster has primarily played at left-back in his career but is more than comfortable at centre-back as well.

Finally, it’s not just us who see the parallels, as respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described the 19-year-old gem as “Timber 2.0.”

Ultimately, he might not be cheap, but Hato looks destined to be a monster of a defender, and for that reason, Arsenal should do what they can to bring him to the club, as he could be their new Timber.

Arsenal targeting £80m "nightmare" who'd be more exciting than Zubimendi

Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Martin Zubimendi.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 10, 2025

Rangers are expected to be extremely busy during this summer’s transfer market.

New Ibrox manager Russell Martin has a big job on his hands, needing to rebuild an underperforming and, in parts, dysfunctional Rangers squad, so plenty of ins and outs are forecast.

On Wednesday, the Gers will learn the identity of their first opponents of the Martin era, preparing to for their Champions League second qualifying round, coming up as soon as 22/23 July.

Before then, could the Gers secure the services of a “magnificent” new goalkeeper?

Rangers' goalkeeping dilemma

After joining the club two years ago, Jack Butland was Rangers’ undisputed number one, starting 102 of his first 111 matches at the club, described by then-manager Philippe Clement as a “top goalkeeper”, even touted with a potential England recall.

However, Butland made a string of high-profile errors throughout the season, most notably at Old Trafford against Manchester United in January, indicating that the Gers can no longer rely on their shot-stopper.

Thus, following the appointment of Barry Ferguson as interim manager, Butland was eventually dropped, with Liam Kelly given the nod for the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, memorably saving Álex Berenguer’s penalty during the first leg goalless draw at Ibrox.

Nevertheless, the table below underlines that perhaps neither are equipped to be Rangers’ first choice going forward.

Butland and Kelly’s respective lowly save percentages in the Scottish Premiership this season are the most alarming statistics included in the table above, underlining that Martin should be in the market for a new goalkeeper, so could they land a statement new number one?

Rangers targeting a new goalkeeper

As previously reported by Sports Boom earlier this month, Rangers ‘have entered the race’ to sign Aaron Ramsdale this summer, with Martin hoping to be reunited with the goalkeeper he managed at Southampton just last season.

Ramsdale joined the Saints from Arsenal last summer, having fallen below David Raya in Mikel Arteta’s pecking order, for a reported fee of £25m, but is likely to be on the move again, after Southampton’s catastrophic relegation back to the EFL Championship.

A report in the Times claims that West Ham are targeting a move for Ramsdale this summer, valued at around £20m by the Saints, although his £100,000-per-week salary could see him only move on loan, which is where Rangers could enter the conversation.

So, would Ramsdale be a significant upgrade on Butland? Let’s find out.

Worth noting that Ramsdale’s statistics are particularly impressive considering he was playing for a historically terrible Southampton side, hence why only Mark Flekken made more saves in this season’s Premier League than he did.

Importantly, his save % is better and he also stops a higher % of crosses, showing he’s more confident in the air.

Journalist Charles Watts labelled Ramsdale’s performances for Arsenal as “magnificent”, with Arteta describing him as “exceptional”, following a man of the match performance at Anfield two seasons ago, words that simply highlight his pedigree.

Thus, it is clear that the England international would be a massive coup for Rangers, if they can bring this deal to life.

£6m star returns to Ibrox: AI predicts who Rangers will sign this summer

It could be a busy few months for the 49ers.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 14, 2025

It’s safe to say the summer window started slowly for Arsenal, but over the last few days, things have roared into life for the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta may not have his elusive centre forward quite yet – Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres will have to wait – but Andrea Berta has been busy nonetheless.

The club’s new sporting director has already wrapped up three deals – pending confirmation – that will see backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga arrive in a £5m move from Chelsea, Martin Zubimendi sign for over £50m from Real Sociedad and Brentford captain, Christian Norgaard, join.

Still, there could be a fourth deal wrapped up very shortly, with talks reportedly underway to sign 20-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia.

As we said, Berta has been a busy beaver but he’s not done yet.

Arsenal in talks to sign Premier League star

Arteta has enjoyed shopping for proven Premier League talent since becoming Arsenal manager.

Some of his most successful deals have seen the Spaniard prise away stars of the English top-flight, most notably Declan Rice.

Transfer Focus

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

Rice could have fallen flat under the weight of his £105m price tag but the midfielder has made that price look like a bargain, specifically after those two free-kicks against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

David Raya – the division’s Golden Glove winner – was also picked up from Brentford, while Leandro Trossard, Arsenal’s second top scorer in 2023/24 with 17 strikes, came in from Brighton.

That’s not forgetting Gabriel Jesus too. While the Brazilian has fallen by the wayside in the last two seasons, primarily due to injury, the forward was electric in the opening months of his Gunners career.

Signed from Manchester City, the club’s number 9 bagged five goals in his first eight league matches.

Now, in the summer of 2025, Arsenal are turning their attention to the Premier League again with Eberechi Eze in their crosshairs.

That’s according to the Sun, who reported this week that Berta has already held talks with one of the representatives of Eze.

It’s alleged that the north Londoners are set to go head to head with fierce rivals, Spurs, in order to get a deal across the line.

The Crystal Palace star has a £68m release clause in his contract, which according to a different source, can be paid in three instalments of £20m, plus £8m in add-ons.

That same source reports that Arsenal have actually already agreed personal terms with Eze and his camp.

Why Eze could be Arsenal's new Saka

Bukayo Saka has been the poster boy for the Arteta project at the Emirates Stadium, and in the words of journalist Charles Watts, he is already the “best right winger in the world.”

Despite missing a large part of last season with a hamstring problem, Saka still finished the campaign on 12 goals and 15 assists, topping the tree at the club for that second metric.

Blessed with magical flair, creativity and the ability to produce something out of nothing, Eze is cut from a very similar cloth, not least because he also came through the Hale End academy.

The Arsenal youth system is highly regarded and we’ve seen, particularly in the last five to six years, a whole wealth of talent come through the ranks.

From Saka to Emile Smith Rowe and Ethan Nwaneri to Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arteta certainly has a lot to thank the academy for.

Eze was also part of that same system once upon a time but was released in 2011 when he was just 13 years of age.

After that setback, the Palace superstar headed to Fulham, Reading, Millwall and then QPR, where he finally found a home for himself. His rise since then has been meteoric. He’s now one of the most exciting players in the Premier League, and he’s a full England international too.

That wouldn’t have been possible without an incredible mentality, one that saw him overcome the adversity of being canned by Arsenal at such a young age.

Speaking in an interview back in 2020, Eze commented on the situation, revealing that it left him highly emotional.

In a further interview, the 26-year-old revealed how his mindset helped him to get over the whole ordeal.

“My dream was to play for them [Arsenal] so hearing them say no at 13 was tough and I remember training after I got released and I couldn’t focus. I was crying but I think that helped me so much in the other rejections because if I can get through Arsenal releasing me I can get through any other club releasing me. My mindset was if it was not going to be Arsenal I have to find somewhere else.”

Having got over that, Eze has taken the long way around to get to where he is now. It may have been a less glamorous route than Saka’s path to stardom but they certainly share the same mental fortitude and, vitally, similar attributes.

Far too often Arsenal’s talismanic number 7 has been left with everything to do in the final third. Players around him don’t chip in as regularly but in Eze, someone capable of rivalling Martin Odegaard, he’d find his match.

According FBref’s similar players tool, Saka is adjudged to be one of the most like-minded players in the Premier League to Saka, alongside the likes of Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers.

Eze might not have the left foot that Arsenal’s number 7 has but his positional versatility could be key. He primarily features through the middle as more of a no.10, however, he can also shine on the left-hand side.

Saka hasn’t played much behind the striker in his career, but like Eze, he loves to find space in central pockets as he attempts to dance his way through the defence.

So, what does the data say?

Well, Saka is certainly the more progressive and more aggressive when it comes to carries and overall assists, but let us remember that Palace are hardly a team that has the ball regularly enough for Eze to create at a similar rate as his international colleague.

Last season, Oliver Glasner’s men sat 17th in the league for average possession, enjoying just 42.4% of the ball. In contrast, Arsenal sat third with 57.1% of possession.

On that evidence, Saka is always going to produce higher numbers in the final third but the fact the two England stars are as close as they are for metrics like successful take-ons, key passes and progressive passes suggests that Eze’s numbers could soar to new heights at a team like Arsenal, a ball dominant side.

The Eagles star may not play in the same position as Saka but he could just be the right-footed version.

£68m is a lot to pay when you also need to get a striker over the line this summer but given it could be paid in instalments, this really does feel like a no-brainer for the Gunners.

He’s like Saka, he’s Premier League proven, and he’s always dreamt of playing for the club. What’s not to like?

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 24, 2025