All posts by z3u9t.icu

Although the present isn’t quite so brilliant at Manchester United, the future certainly looks extremely bright.

The star leading the rebuild will most definitely be Kobbie Mainoo, who’s been absolutely fantastic since breaking into the first team.

The 18-year-old has now started 18 Premier League games this season after making his debut against Everton in November, and has even made his England debut.

However, there’s a young talent in the United academy who has the potential to be the best talent since Mainoo, while also potentially ending up being a successor to Rasmus Hojlund.

Rasmus Hojlund’s first campaign at United in numbers

With the pressure of a £72m price tag on his shoulders and the demand to instantly succeed, Hojlund initially struggled to adapt to the Premier League.

Fast forward to today, and the Dane has seven goals and two assists in the English top flight, but his output has dried up in recent weeks.

The 21-year-old now hasn’t scored in all of United’s last four Premier League games, but he spends most of his time on the field chasing shadows and receiving no service whatsoever.

Had there been a replacement in the squad for Hojlund, he may have been rotated, but there’s no doubt that he has the potential to lead the line for years to come, and he may have some competition via an academy player extremely soon.

Man Utd were rinsed by flop who earned more than Hojlund & Fernandes

The exceptionally gifted star drained the Red Devils and offered very little in return.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 22, 2024 Ethan Wheatley could be up next

Ethan Wheatley isn’t a name that many of the United faithful will have heard before, but the 18-year-old made his first matchday squad against Bournemouth at the weekend.

The academy star is a relentless centre forward who’s thrived in the U21s and the U19s this season, and he certainly loves to score goals.

The number 84 has played 25 games across all competitions this season, boasting a record of 11 goals and also registering four assists, which is a fantastic return.

Earlier this season, Wheatley particularly impressed against København in the UEFA Youth League when he scored and assisted in a 2-2 draw, which proves he can provide much more than just goals.

As you can see from the clip above, Wheatley is an extremely dynamic striker who’s comfortable on the half-turn while having the confidence to unleash a strike from range.

It also highlights that he’s the type of forward who can create moments of magic out of nothing, even if there’s a lack of supply, which is an aspect that even Hojlund needs to develop.

However, he also has the characteristics of a goal-poacher, using clever movement to buy himself a yard of space in the box, where he often finds the back of the net.

Overall, the “sensational” attacker, as dubbed by Statman Dave, has an extremely bright future ahead of him, and Erik ten Hag has shown how keen he is to integrate him into the first team setup.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

With each game that goes by, Erik ten Hag’s future as Manchester United manager becomes more and more uncertain.

The fact that his side blew a three-goal lead in just 20 minutes to a Championship side certainly doesn’t help his case; in fact, many believe it should be the final straw.

It’s clear that the biggest issue currently at the club is a lack of cohesion in the team and the fact that the boss has been unable to get the best out of some of his players.

However, the recently linked Thomas Tuchel could have a huge impact on the side if he were to join, particularly from the player development side of things.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three players who the German boss could transform if he were to be handed the job in the event of a Ten Hag sacking.

1 Diogo Dalot

Diogo Dalot has already undergone a huge transformation this season, thanks to Ten Hag, but the former Chelsea boss could just be the man to take him to the next level.

In recent years, Tuchel has worked with some fantastic right-backs, notably Reece James and now Joshua Kimmich, and it’s safe to say he knows how to get the best out of them, with the former picking up 14 goal contributions in the 2021/22 league campaign and the latter picking up six Bundesliga assists this season.

Whether the Bayern Munich boss would opt for a three-back or a four-back formation would remain unknown, but regardless, Dalot has the potential to thrive in both roles.

The Portuguese defender’s game against Coventry City on Sunday serves as evidence of that, as he made five interceptions, three key passes, and assisted the opener, proving that he’s a complete full-back.

2 Rasmus Hojlund

This season, Tuchel has had the pleasure of working with arguably the best centre-forward in the world, Harry Kane, from whom all young strikers like Rasmus Hojlund should take inspiration from, given the fact he's already scored 40 goals this season.

The Danish number 11 has had a relatively solid first campaign overall since being signed by Ten Hag for £72m, scoring 13 goals in all competitions, but there have been some ups and downs along the way.

Goals

7

Assists

2

xG

6.7

Shots per game

1.3

Touches per game

24.5

Passes per game

10.8

Key passes per game

1

But, as you can see by the statistics, he hasn’t exactly been helped by his teammates, with a lack of service and support limiting his overall involvement and goal-scoring chances.

Under the 50-year-old boss, the game should revolve around Hojlund, like it does Kane, ensuring that service is provided from all over the field, with a focus on delivery from wide.

With the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Bruno Fernandes in the side, Hojlund should be getting more opportunities than he is, which would be the first priority of change by the German.

Indeed, he could finally develop into the "monster" that some, including Ruben Selles, his assistant coach at FC Copenhagen – think he is.

3 Mason Mount

If Tuchel did become the manager of the Red Devils, then he would reunite with former Chelsea player Mason Mount, who certainly needs a revival.

The England international joined Man United in the summer for £55m, but almost all of his campaign has been disrupted by injuries, meaning that he’s only played 12 Premier League games.

Mount’s best football of his career was played under the former Paris Saint-Germain boss, and he would relish the chance of being coached by him once again.

During Tuchel’s last full season at Stamford Bridge, Mount scored an impressive 11 goals and registered ten assists from midfield, which is the sort of form he needs to return to.

If anyone can get the best out of United’s number 7, then it would certainly be Tuchel.

8/10 Man Utd star may have just saved Erik ten Hag from getting sacked

The Man United star was just as important as Bruno Fernandes.

ByTom Lever Apr 22, 2024

Aston Villa have surpassed expectations this year in the Premier League, and even looked like title challengers at one point.

Unai Emery's side currently sit in the lofty heights of fourth, though in order for a Champions League place to be secured, they'll need to avoid injuries to key men and continue to maintain the gap between them and Spurs.

With that in mind, Football FanCast is here to keep you updated with the latest injury and suspension news ahead of Saturday's evening clash with Chelsea.

Latest Aston Villa injury news

Unai Emery has six squad members unavailable ahead of Chelsea's visit to Villa Park this weekend. The player to return to the squad will be Douglas Luiz, who has served his yellow-card suspension. Otherwise, the clash against the Blues comes too soon for Nicolo Zaniolo and Alex Moreno, who both have minor problems and could return next week.

Long-term absentees Jacob Ramsey, Tyrone Mings, Emiliano Buendia and Boubacar Kamara are all out until the start of next season at the earliest.

Nicolo Zaniolo

Unknown

April

Unknown

Alex Moreno

Calf injury

April

May

Jacob Ramsey

Foot injury

2nd March

Next season

Tyrone Mings

Knee Injury

12th August

Next season

Emi Buendia

Knee Injury

9th August

Next season

Boubacar Kamara

ACL rupture

11th February

September-October

Nicolo Zaniolo – unknown

Nicolo Zaniolo missed the midweek win over Bournemouth through injury, and while Emery was hopeful that the Italian wouldn't be on the treatment table for long, he will not be fit enough to take part this weekend.

Whether he is fit for next week's Europa Conference League semi-final first leg against Olympiacos remains to be seen, but he appears to be the Villa player closest to a first-team return.

Alex Moreno – calf

Alex Moreno has been out recently with a calf issue, with Unai Emery previously claiming that it would see him out for around 2-3 weeks. This weekend's game against Chelsea was unlikely to mark his comeback, but he could return in time for next week's clash away at Brighton, with the Europa Conference League semi-finals also coming up.

Jacob Ramsey – foot

Jacob Ramsey is set to be out for the remainder of the season after suffering a foot injury, with Emery confirming he will play no further part in the campaign earlier this month.

Tyrone Mings – knee

Tyrone Mings suffered a significant knee injury on the opening day of the season against Newcastle United, and Villa quickly confirmed that he would require surgery to resolve the issue.

The defender is making progress in his recovery, with a comment coming out of Aston Villa:

"When they are injured for a long time, it's the worst in football. It's more difficult for the player, as a person, when they are injured. We've had two injuries for a long time, for all the season, with Buendia and Mings."

He still hasn't made an Aston Villa squad, but he can't be far away now.

Emi Buendia – knee

Aston Villa confirmed that Argentine midfielder Emi Buendia had suffered a 'significant knee ligament injury' in training a day before the season started.

Similarly to Mings, he can't be too far away now, though there's been no timeline given by Emery, with him clearly not wanting to rush the midfielder back to action.

Boubacar Kamara – ACL

Boubacar Kamara last featured for Villa in their defeat to Manchester United, with it later confirmed that he had suffered an ACL rupture.

Emery has insisted that a likely return date won't be until September or October at the earliest.

Aston Villa latest suspensions

There are no suspensions for Aston Villa this weekend. Douglas Luiz missed the clashes against Arsenal and Bournemouth after picking up his 10th yellow card of the season. Luckily, it seems like Villa did not miss him after winning both matches, and they will have him available for selection against Chelsea this weekend.

Having all but secured another season in the Premier League even in the face of point deductions, Everton have turned their attention towards the summer transfer window, where they could finally end their attacking problems.

Everton transfer news

Those at Goodison Park will hope to see their push for safety followed up by some positive news regarding 777 Partners' prospective takeover, which has been awaiting Premier League approval for the majority of the campaign. Then, the Toffees could begin to think about further positives in the summer transfer window.

Dyche must sell Everton's forgotten flop who earns 2x more than McNeil

He’s only managed to find the net on one occasion for the Toffees.

ByEthan Lamb May 1, 2024

For now, the headlines are still being owned by the potential departures of Amadou Onana and Jarrad Branthwaite in two big-money moves to ease Everton's financial concerns ever so slightly. The latter has enjoyed a particularly impressive campaign, attracting the interest of Tottenham Hotspur and even European giants Real Madrid as a result, though it remains to be seen if he decides to depart Everton this summer.

Those sales would at least hand Sean Dyche a summer budget of his own to spend in an attempt to solve a number of problems in his current squad, including finding a reliable goalscorer.

With that said, according to Football Transfers, Everton are eyeing a move to sign Sammie Szmodics, who has enjoyed an excellent campaign with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship and is on course to win the Golden Boot. Scoring 25 Championship goals, Szmodics has even outscored Erling Haaland in league action, albeit in a division below, with the Manchester City star netting 21 goals so far this season.

After such an impressive year, it remains to be seen just how much Blackburn will demand for their forward, in what could quickly turn into a blow for the Toffees. Once again, 777's takeover could be crucial in pursuit of such a deal.

"Incredible" Szmodics can end Calvert-Lewin frustration

Whilst injuries haven't helped, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has quickly become a point of weakness for Everton, who have been left relying on a forward struggling to find the back of the net on a consistent basis. Szmodics, however, has been handing Blackburn the exact opposite, even as they fight for Championship survival.

Goals

25

6

Assists

4

1

Expected Goals

20.9

11.3

Key Passes

48

17

What's most concerning about these numbers is Calvert-Lewin's expected goals against the number of goals that he's actually managed so far this season. The numbers indicate that the Everton forward is underperforming significantly, whereas Szmodics is overperforming. And that's the difference in quality that the Blackburn star can provide.

Former Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson knew all about that quality, previously praising Szmodics, saying (via Limerick Live): "After Christmas last season, I think he’s been really good for Rovers and after the summer holiday, he’s been extremely good. He’s also added those goals.

"We always know he can score goals but he’s not used to playing a lot of games at this level first of all, he played with Peterborough but not a lot. The way he’s scoring goals, the confidence he’s playing with and the role he takes as one of the senior players is quite incredible."

Following a difficult season during the 2023/24 campaign, Manchester United are set for yet another rebuild this summer under the new INEOS regime. That could well start from the manager, with talk of Erik ten Hag leaving the club still floating around. However, there is set to be a big shake-up of the squad.

As per Mark Ogden of ESPN, the Red Devils’ budget this summer will be a “net spend of £100 million”. With that in mind, United’s transfer business must be sensible in order to not overspend as they have been guilty of doing in the past.

Raphael Varane has already announced he will leave the club at the end of the season, with the likes of Anthony Martial, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro all potential outgoings from the Premier League side once the transfer window opens in a month.

In terms of incomings, Michael Olise has been named as one of the Red Devil’s biggest targets this summer. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Crystal Palace winger has a release clause worth around £60m, which United could well activate.

Due to injury issues for both Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw this season, left-back could also be a priority position in which United look to buy players. With several potential targets being named, there is one man who could be a front-runner to move to Old Trafford in the summer.

Man Utd looking to sign Premier League defender

The man whom United are reportedly targeting at left-back this summer is Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella. The Red Devils have had previous interest in the former Brighton and Hove Albion man, which they have reignited this summer.

According to TEAMtalk, United are looking into the constraints of a deal for the Spaniard and while 'there are no active talks ongoing at the moment', his situation is 'one to keep an eye on in the coming months'.

Ten Hag’s side are not thought to be the only Premier League club interested in signing Cucurella. The report explains there are 'multiple clubs including Aston Villa' who are thought to be interested in securing the 25-year-old’s signature.

Whilst there is yet to be a quoted price for Cucurella this summer, a good way to see what he could cost is using the valuation tool from CIES Football Observatory. According to that source, the Spaniard is valued at £25.8m, which is more than both Shaw and Malacia, who are worth £12.9m and £8.6m respectively.

How Cucurella fits in at Man Utd

Cucurella’s time at Stamford Bridge has been a mixed bag so far. He joined for a fee of around £60m from Brighton in 2022 but has been in and out of the team under four different managers, never really locking down a starting spot. He is also Chelsea's seventh-highest earner according to Caplogy, earning £175k-per-week.

The 25-year-old has made 58 appearances for the Blues so far but has only managed four assists, as well as a single goal which came in the FA Cup against Leicester City this season, a campaign where he has made 25 appearances under Mauricio Pochettino.

One of Cucurella’s toughest games in a Chelsea shirt so far came against Manchester United this season at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard came directly up against Antony, who completed six out of the seven dribbles he attempted that day, as per Statman Dave. As the football statistician explained, Antony “had Cucurella on toast” that evening.

With that being said, Cucurella’s numbers are not too dissimilar to Diogo Dalot’s stats, as per FBref's similar players model, whom many might consider United’s player of the season – dubbed the club's "most consistent player" by Patrice Evra.

According to FBref, per 90 minutes Cucurella averages 1.86 tackles won compared to Dalot’s 1.43 tackles won, and 1.12 interceptions compared to Dalot’s 1.05.

However, on the ball, Dalot’s stats do stack up slightly better compared to the Spaniard’s numbers. Per 90 minutes, the Portugal international averages 1.22 final third carries and 3.06 final third passes, compared to Cucurella’s 0.80 final third carries and 2.55 final third passes.

Stat (per 90)

Cucurella

Dalot

Tackles won

1.86

1.43

Interceptions

1.12

1.05

Final third carries

0.80

1.22

Final third passes

2.55

3.06

Another selling point of Cucurella is the fact that he has not solely played at left-back. Under Pochettino this season, he has played both left-back and right-back, although he has also slotted in a left centre-back in a back three during his time at Chelsea.

For the right price, this could certainly be a smart deal for United to complete. However, if Chelsea want to recoup much of the £60m fee that they spent on Cucurella, perhaps the Red Devils are better looking elsewhere, given the minimal amount of money they have to spend this summer.

Ratcliffe plotting £52m Man Utd swoop for "young Saliba" to replace Varane

The Man United target has been described as a “young Saliba”.

ByTom Lever May 17, 2024

Finishing eighth in the table for a club like Manchester United is a disgrace, but arguably the worst statistic to come out of this season is their goal difference of -1.

The defence has been highlighted as a big issue, but the attack has also been uninspiring, and despite the performances of Amad Diallo in recent weeks – who scored against Newcastle – the right-wing role has been a problem position this season.

With Antony netting just one Premier League goal all campaign, Alejandro Garnacho has filled the void, but he’s better suited to a spot on the left.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise to see that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is keen to sign a new right-sided winger this summer, with one player potentially holding the keys to unlocking Rasmus Hojlund’s true potential.

Man United want to sign a new right-winger

According to a report from Fabrizio Romano who was speaking to GiveMeSport, Man United “would like to sign” Michael Olise this summer.

Regardless of whether United are able to sign the attacker, it’s predicated that he will be moving on from Crystal Palace this summer after an impressive season.

Newcastle United and Arsenal are said to be the competition, while Chelsea could return after failing to sign him last year.

Olise has a clause in his contract that would enable a buyout, but it reportedly stands at £70m as per Football Insider, which obviously doesn’t make him a cheap option.

Why Olise could turn Hojlund into a monster

Despite receiving plenty of criticism throughout the campaign, Hojlund should be relatively pleased with his first season as a United player.

The 21-year-old striker has gone through spells of drought over the last year, but he’s still racked up an impressive 16 goals across all competitions, including ten in the Premier League and five in the Champions League.

What makes this output so remarkable is the lack of support and service he’s received all season, boasting an xG of just 7.64 in the league.

A player who could certainly boost the number of opportunities that the Dane receives is Olise, who’s proven to be one of the best players in the Premier League this season.

Goals

0.71 (Top 3%)

0.07 (Bottom 95%)

Assists

0.42 (Top 4%)

0.07 (Bottom 84%)

Key passes

2.54 (Top 8%)

1.50 (Bottom 53%)

Successful dribbles

2.82 (Top 9%)

1.77 (Top 32%)

Shot-creating actions

5.79 (Top 5%)

3.74 (Top 48%)

Crosses

6.85 (Top 2%)

1.09 (Bottom 85%)

As you can see from the table above, Olise completely wipes the floor with Antony in every single metric, but he does that to most Premier League wingers given his percentile.

Despite most of his season being disrupted by a hamstring injury, the French attacker has been absolutely unstoppable, scoring ten goals and providing six assists in just 14 Premier League starts.

What makes the 22-year-old so deadly is that he’s an incredibly unpredictable player who can serve as both a creative outlet and a goal scorer simultaneously.

Olise is a complete player who boats insane technical ability via his passing and direct dribbling, with his trademark move being a cut inside onto his deadly left foot, as witnessed by United recently when he netted twice.

This level of chance creation would have a tremendous impact on Hojlund’s performance, particularly because he ranks in the top 2% for crosses, which, considering the Dane's physicality, he thrives on.

Furthermore, the former Reading player can thrive in any game state, whether that be on the counterattack or against a low block, which would make him a perfect fit for the team, even if Erik ten Hag is no longer at the club next season.

Overall, Man United must sign Olise this summer. He could become the face of the rebuild, and he could just become United’s own version of Phil Foden, given that he’s classed as a similar player to Olise by FBref.

Man Utd struck gold on exceptional star who's now worth more than Olise

The incredible talent could have an incredibly bright career ahead of him.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 9, 2024

A homegrown £198,000-per-week player could now be tempted to make a move back to Arsenal this summer, and it is believed the Gunners are equally interested in this potential move.

Edu and Arteta target four key Arsenal signings this summer

The consensus at Arsenal this summer is that they will be in the market for a new goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward at least (Simon Collings), as manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar plot ways to evolve the squad further.

£100,000-per-week Arsenal ace set to quit as Premier League side open talks

An official offer is being prepared.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 6, 2024

Defensively, a new full-back who'd come in as a natural alternative to the likes of Ben White, Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu is possible. Arsenal are thought to have a real interest in Fenerbahce star Ferdi Kadioglu for the role, but they're also plotting potential moves for centre-backs.

Edu is believed to have his eyes on Crystal Palace stalwart Marc Guehi, who may well depart Selhurst Park this summer amid the growing clamor for his signature. In midfield, Arsenal could need a replacement for Thomas Partey, with the Ghanaian expected to leave after a season of very limited opportunities (Fabrizio Romano).

Going forward, Arsenal are almost certain to sign a prolific new striker, despite the fine form of Kai Havertz in a makeshift number 10 role, as has been widely reported for quite some time now.

Bukayo Saka

20

Leandro Trossard

17

Kai Havertz

14

Martin Odegaard

11

Gabriel Jesus

8

Arteta will also need a new goalkeeping stand-in to replace Aaron Ramsdale, so there is quite a bit to do at the Emirates this summer. The England international appears set to leave in the next few months, as reported by reliable journalists like Charles Watts, coming after the former Bournemouth shot-stopper lost his place to David Raya last term.

"It’s a matter of when Ramsdale leaves, not if," said Watts recently.

“The key thing for Arsenal is getting value for money. I saw an initial fee of £15 million mentioned in reports last week and that is quite frankly ridiculous. Arsenal signed Ramsdale for nearly £30m two years ago and he has developed into a far better keeper since then.

“He’s still young, he’s homegrown, an established England international and has a long-term contract. Yes, interested clubs will know that Arsenal’s stance in any negotiations will be weakened somewhat given he is now clearly behind David Raya in the pecking order, but that shouldn’t mean the club should basically give him away."

If or when Ramsdale departs, Arsenal will not only require a new back-up keeper, but also one who could fill their homegrown quota like the 25-year-old.

Arsenal could re-sign Wojciech Szczesny who'd be tempted

Juventus keeper Wojciech Szczesny could be a very interesting candidate, and it is believed that Arsenal are keen on the possibility of a reunion.

Szczesny is thought to be tempted by a move back to England as Arsenal target him, according to HITC, with the £198,000-per-week ace likely to be granted an exit from Turin given their domino of keepers.

The Pole actually does count as a homegrown player, so Arteta could fully replace Ramsdale with a move for the former Gunner.

Manchester United remain in managerial limbo with Erik ten Hag, but may be edging closer to a decision on that front ahead of the summer transfer window.

FA Cup win for Ten Hag gives Ratcliffe a headache

A 2-1 win over Manchester City at Wembley appears to have bought Ten Hag some time. Reports ahead of the showpiece claimed that the club were ready to sack the Dutchman in the wake of the game, but a surprise win has seemingly forced the hierarchy to reconsider since, and Ten Hag has remained in charge of the club.

Man Utd struck gold on free signing who's now worth more than Fernandes

The Man Utd star has now become well and truly irreplaceable.

ByTom Lever Jun 5, 2024

It is still as yet unclear whether this was a permanent stay, or simply a stay of execution for the former Ajax boss following an awful Premier League season which saw them finish eighth, but Ten Hag was keen to stress that perhaps the Red Devils need him as much as the other way round.

"The team is progressing, and we are winning trophies. Two trophies in two years is not bad. Three finals is not bad, but we have to keep going. I'm not satisfied with it", he explained after the game.

Ten Hag's Man Utd record

Games

114

Wins

68

Points per game

1.92

Win %

59.6%

Goal difference

51

Trophies

2

"We have to do better and if they don't want me anymore, then I'll go anywhere else to win trophies because that is what I have done my whole career."

His words may well have resonated with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, if the latest report is anything to go by.

The latest from Old Trafford

Now, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the situation remains "quite open", with Manchester United still eyeing up alternative managers as they try to plot a course this summer, but as yet, not having decided to sack Ten Hag.

The Red Devils were thought to be among the clubs keen on Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, but he has since signed a new contract at Portman Road to keep him at the East Anglian outfit this summer.

Beyond him, United have also been linked with moves for Roberto de Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino, as well as England boss Gareth Southgate, though no progress has been made on deals for any of them.

As per Romano, though, talks continue behind the scenes, with the transfer guru explaining to GiveMeSport in the last 24 hours:

“The internal review is still ongoing, so Erik ten Hag is waiting for Manchester United to communicate their decision. Let's see as also in the last three to four days, I'm hearing that Manchester United had new conversations with some agents and representatives of other managers."

“So the situation remains quite open. I think they are assessing all the potential options in order to decide whether it's better to continue with Ten Hag or go for another manager.”

Hardly a show of faith in Ten Hag, the current situation appears to be one of hedging their bets, with United keen to court another manager but not lose their current boss in case they fail to lure another name into the Old Trafford hot seat this summer. However, with the summer transfer window opening soon, more clarity may be forthcoming on the situation in the days to come.

Chelsea are looking to strike an Enzo Fernandez-like agreement, following a breakthrough in transfer talks for a player targeted by Bayern Munich.

Chelsea in early negotiations as busy summer window kicks off

Reliable transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano has tipped Enzo Maresca's side to have a busy summer window, and that prediction has certainly come to fruition thus far.

£113 million star now convinced Boehly could end up signing him for Chelsea

He looks likely to be on the move this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 14, 2024

Indeed, they kickstarted the window before it had even opened with the signing of Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham, and Chelsea have been in constant talks with Aston Villa over a deal for young striker Jhon Duran.

“I think Chelsea are in active talks for Jhon Duran, and he has become a front-runner, which is no real surprise, because they nearly did a deal in January, and then Duran got injured," said journalist Ben Jacobs this week, backing multiple other reports.

Aston Villa 3-3 Liverpool

8.36

Aston Villa 3-1 Crystal Palace

7.48

Aston Villa 4-0 Everton

7.38

Man City 4-1 Aston Villa

6.90

Aston Villa 3-2 Burnley

6.80

"And, at that point, Duran was liking Chelsea posts, and that's a clear indication that the player would like the move. But it's not just the player that would like the move. Unai Emery doesn't see Duran as part of his plans, which is another crucial part of the jigsaw, and Chelsea will look to capitalise on that in, at the time of talking, ongoing talks to try and get a lower price.”

As well as Duran, Chelsea have been in contact with Crystal Palace over Michael Olise, and it is rumoured that players like Noni Madueke could be offered as makeweights in a potential deal for the 22-year-old.

The west Londoners are believed to be closing in on a move for Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian as well, which is a deal Chelsea think will be concluded in a matter of days, according to Romano.

Stamford Bridge chiefs appear hard at work, and now a crucial update has come to light over their move for Olise, who is also wanted by Bayern and Newcastle United.

Chelsea look to strike Enzo Fernandez-like deal for Olise

TEAMtalk says Olise has agreed to join Chelsea by striking terms, and they've made a "breakthrough" in talks in the last 48 hours.

Now, Chelsea chiefs are looking to strike a Fernandez-like deal for Olise, by forking out his £60 million release clause through structured payments. It would be similar to how they arranged to pay Fernandez's £107 million clause which they negotiated with Benfica, as suggested by TT.

It's added that Chelsea insiders see Olise as a "gamechanging" target, and one who would suit Maresca's system perfectly.

After spending the early passages of the off-season fighting to keep Kieran McKenna at the club, Ipswich Town can now look towards the transfer window as they enter advanced talks for a new signing.

Tractor Boys prepare for life in the Premier League

The latest rumours out of Portman Road have seen Ipswich linked with a move for a number of new defensive players. Hull City's Jacob Greaves is one name linked with a move to the Tractor Boys with the centre-back seemingly destined to be playing Premier League football next season.

Ipswich could smash transfer record to sign star who's perfect for McKenna

Ipswich Town could show they mean business moving up to the Premier League with this record purchase.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 25, 2024

Joining Greaves on McKenna's wishlist is fellow centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers. The current Celtic man has attracted interest from fellow topflight sides West Ham United and Fulham meaning that Ipswich may have a fight on their hands in order to land the USA international.

With a defender clearly high on the Tractor Boys' list of priorities, the club have now entered the final stages of negotiations to get a proven Premier League defender without needing to spend a penny on transfer fees.

Ipswich enter advanced talks for English free agent

As reported on Sky Sports, Ipswich have entered advanced talks with the representatives of free agent Ben Johnson. The 24-year-old was most recently on the books at West Ham, however the defender rejected multiple contract offers from the Hammers in the search for more regular game time.

Currently commanding a weekly wage of £20,000, this would be the only fee that the Tractor Boys would have to fork out in order to get their man.

Johnson rose through the youth ranks with West Ham before going on to make 109 senior appearances with the East London outfit. The right-back picked up the Hammers' Young Player of the Season award back in 2022 and was also part of the squad that won the UEFA Conference League in 2023.

Whilst making just 14 appearances in the Premier League last season, Johnson was still able to show that he was more than capable of performing at the highest level. The fullback shone as a progressive force ranking highly for successful take-ons and progressive carries.

Shots total

0.99

80th percentile

Successful take-ons

1.82

98th percentile

Progressive carries

2.81

82nd percentile

Progressive passes received

5.46

84th percentile

Despite struggling for consistent minutes at the London Stadium, Johnson has long been regarded as a quality asset to his side. Speaking when Johnson filled the void for an injured Vladimír Coufal back in October 2021 then-boss David Moyes waxed lyrical about the defender, telling the press:

“I actually thought young Ben Johnson, when you think that we’ve been with a couple of the right-backs recently, I think Ben Johnson has had three games this week, and I thought he was fabulous.”

With the Tractor Boys preparing for life in the Premier League, McKenna's men could do a lot worse than a player with proven top flight quality and plenty of room to improve.