All posts by z3u9t.icu

Everton are riding a seven-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, but David Moyes will want to return to winning ways after successive draws.

At a glance, 15th-placed Everton’s trip to Molineux on Saturday evening, taking on a Wolverhampton Wanderers side sat just one place below them, could have the feel of a six-pointer with less than three months of the campaign remaining.

But the Toffees’ fine form under their new and former manager has created a comfortable ten-point buffer, unassailable save for a steep regression back toward the dismal end to Sean Dyche’s tenure.

A victory would all but cement Everton’s place in the 2025/26 Premier League roster, but Moyes will need to overcome a host of injuries. Business as usual, then.

When Everton's absentees are returning

Everton’s frontline might be depleted, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Armando Broja are progressing in their recovery – albeit not in time for the weekend – as confirmed by Moyes.

Iliman Ndiaye, however, is still stuck in the infirmary for a few more weeks at the least, while the prognosis for Dwight McNeil is all the more frustrating, both facing a fight for fitness before the end of the campaign.

Despite the paucity of attacking options, Everton have made do and seen their attacking spirit enkindled by Moyes’ arrival, but Wolves are going to bring a physical and perhaps desperate challenge that could see Jesper Lindstrom return to the bench, having struggled for success all season.

Should such a move occur, Moyes may need to think outside the box.

Why Moyes should drop Lindstrom

Dyche oversaw a 4-0 thrashing of Wolves in the corresponding fixture this season, but Everton should indeed expect a different fight against an outfit facing the peril of relegation.

Chalkboard

Vitor Pereira has essayed to shape Wolves into a creative and attractive outfit, and though they’ve caught the eye in moments, there is still concern that the drop zone lingers dangerously below.

Against Everton, Matheus Cunha begins a suspension after a fracas with Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez in the FA Cup last weekend. Wolves’ loss..​​​​.

For their part, Everton might want to unleash Charly Alcaraz and take advantage of the hosts’ setback, though with Abdoulaye Doucoure returning to action following personal leave, he may not find a place in the middle.

Doucoure’s combative physicality and box-to-box presence will be essential for this stylistic match-up, but that doesn’t mean attacking midfielder Alcaraz can’t play from the opening too.

Indeed, Everton’s January loan recruit, 22, might principally play in Doucoure’s zone, but he’s enjoyed a measure of clinical success when fielded off the right flank, with the overarching positional fluidity making a telling comment on his ability to cover out of place when necessary.

Central midfield

74

10

5

Attacking midfield

19

4

2

Right winger

14

4

2

Centre-forward

10

2

2

Defensive midfield

9

1

0

Left winger

7

1

2

Right-back

1

0

0

It’s not like Lindstrom’s untouchable: the Danish winger, also a loanee, has failed to register a single goal involvement across 27 competitive appearances for the Toffees this term, having missed six big chances in front of goal.

Alcaraz, conversely, has started life at Goodison Park on strong footing, notching a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in February – his first start – while playing from the outset in last week’s draw at Brentford, creating three key passes, completing both his dribbles and winning six duels, as per Sofascore.

Before moving to Merseyside, Alcaraz’s exploits with Flamengo further evidence his suitability on the flank. As per FBref, the Argentina talent ranked among the top 6% of midfielders in the 2024 Brasileiro Serie A for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for shot-creating actions per 90.

He’s a “special” talent – so says journalist Antonio Mango – and Everton must make this tweak. Lindstrom isn’t cutting it right now, and with Doucoure’s presence and security bolstering the attacking point of the midfield, Alcaraz could make a positive impression at Molineux.

Everton have a "monster" who could be Moyes' new Rooney & it's not Beto

Everton are resurgent under Moyes’ wing, with a new superstar on the rise.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 6, 2025

Celtic have built a strong reputation for developing and selling young talent in recent years, with the most recent example being Matt O’Riley’s move to Brighton & Hove Albion last summer.

The Hoops sold him to the Premier League side for a record fee of more than £25m, after he had been signed from MK Dons for a fee of just £1.5m at the start of 2022.

Celtic’s board may, now, be looking at the current squad and wondering who the next star to be sold for huge money will be, as there are a number of very valuable assets in Brendan Rodgers’ team.

Celtic's most valuable players

The Hoops have invested plenty of money back into their squad in recent transfer windows to ensure that they have plenty of talented players with room to improve.

Celtic paid a reported club-record fee of £11m to sign Belgium international Arne Engels from Bundesliga side Augsburg last summer, and paid £8m to bring Jota back to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

Cameron Carter-Vickers

£11.6m

Arne Engels

£10.1m

Nicolas Kuhn

£10.1m

Daizen Maeda

£9.3m

Reo Hatate

£9.2m

Alistair Johnston

£8.4m

Jota

£7.6m

Auston Trusty

£6.3m

Greg Taylor

£5.5m

Callum McGregor

£5.5m

As you can see in the table above, both of those players are among the most valuable stars in Celtic’s squad at this moment in time, with USA international Cameron Carter-Vickers currently sat as the most valuable asset at the club.

The Scottish Premiership giants did, however, once have a star on loan who has now gone on to be worth more than every player in the current squad – Tim Weah.

Tim Weah's current market value

The Hoops had the American youngster on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the second half of the 2018/19 campaign, at which point he was valued at €5m (£4.2m) by Transfermarkt.

Weah enjoyed a fairly decent spell at Parkhead, scoring four goals and providing one assist in 17 appearances in all competitions, and admitted towards the end of the season that staying at the club was a “possibility”.

In the end, though, Lille swooped to sign the winger for a reported fee of €10m (£8.4m) and he scored eight goals in 107 matches before his move to Juventus in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of €10.3m (£8.6m).

Market Movers

Since his switch to Italy, the 25-year-old star’s market value has soared. At the time of writing (14/03/2025), Transfermarkt currently values Weah at a whopping €17m (£14.3m), which is more than the likes of Jota and Engels were bought for, and more than any other player in the Celtic squad.

His value has soared by 240% from the £4.2m that he was valued at during his loan spell at Celtic, and they may regret that they did not push to land him permanently in the summer of 2019.

Weah, who has – interestingly – played as a right-back and right-winger – has scored six goals and provided five assists in 32 appearances for Juventus so far this season, which has led to his soaring value.

Not just Maeda: Celtic have hit the jackpot on star who's outscoring Kyogo

Celtic have struck gold with the star who has outscored Kyogo Furuhashi so far this season.

ByDan Emery Mar 11, 2025

The Hoops had a terrific talent on loan, who suggested that he was open to staying at Parkhead, but they failed to get a permanent deal over the line and he is now more valuable than any of the current squad. A lesson to be learned with future loanees, perhaps.

Manchester City are on course for their worst season since Pep Guardiola’s maiden campaign at the club, way back in 2016/17.

It is the end of a truly wonderful era for the club, which has seen them win six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.

Several first-team players have been way off the pace this term. Kevin De Bruyne has scored just four goals in 30 appearances for City, while Jack Grealish has also faltered in front of goal, netting only two goals all season.

It has been the form of Phil Foden which has been most disappointing, however, as the Englishman has struggled to really get going this season.

Phil Foden's poor season in numbers for Man City

A tally of ten goals and six assists across 38 games may sound like an impressive tally, but it falls short of the 40 goal contributions he recorded for City last term.

It’s safe to say that he was the best player in the country last term, but since the European Championships were he attracted mass scrutiny, it’s only gone from bad to worse for City’s academy darling.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the previous 365 days, Foden only manages to rank in the bottom 81% for successful take-ons (0.97) and in the bottom 76% for progressive carries (2.55) and assists (0.12) per 90, illuminating his lack of impact in crucial areas.

His fall from the numbers registered last term, combined with others in the City squad, is just one of the reasons they have struggled throughout 2024/25.

Guardiola even sold someone in the summer of 2023 who is now outperforming Foden this season. Perhaps Pep will regret ever letting him depart…

Man City star is outscoring Foden after leaving the Etihad

Donning Sky Blue, Riyad Mahrez was one of the most elite players in England’s top flight, notably described as “one of the best wingers in Europe” by European football expert Zach Lowy.

Having won the Premier League, the Algerian spent five productive seasons with Man City. Across 236 matches for the Etihad side, he bagged a stunning 78 goals and recorded 56 assists. This works out as a goal contribution every 1.76 games, a stunning return for someone who played mainly on the right flank.

Though, his time came to and end two years when Guardiola sold the 34-year-old for £30m, joining Al-Ahli in the Middle East.

12 goals and 14 assists followed in his first season, but the current campaign has shown Mahrez at his very best.

Indeed, the 26 goal contributions he has recorded this term outstrip Foden by ten, proving there is life in the old dog still.

His former teammate at Leicester City, Kasper Schmeichel, hailed the African gem as “incredible” last year and he has outperformed Foden across a range of performance metrics this season.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2022/23

47

15

13

2021/22

47

24

9

2020/21

48

14

9

2019/20

50

13

13

2018/19

44

12

12

Via Transfermarkt

Domestically, the former City gem has created more big chances (14 vs 7) than Foden, while also averaging more key passes (3 vs 1.7), successful dribbles (1 vs 0.5) and total duels won (3.3 vs 2.5) per game in their respective leagues this season.

While securing £30m for a player who was nearing the end of his career was simply too good to turn down, might Guardiola have acted rather hastily?

Unless Foden rediscovers his touch next term, might he have already peaked as a footballer? Especially considering his impact at the club since he made his debut aged just 17 in 2017.

Mahrez is enjoying life in Asia, that’s for sure.

Man City and Pep now ready to sell £25m star with Atletico Madrid in talks

Pep Guardiola has previously called him “important.”

1 ByBarney Lane Mar 17, 2025

Arsenal legend Ian Wright says that a “quality” player who the club let go really should be in Mikel Arteta’s first team right now, with the pundit “surprised” by just how well he’s doing away from the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal short of forwards after key injuries

A story of Arsenal’s season has been their shortage of key forwards, after serious, long-term injuries to the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.

"Now" – BBC journalist shares Bukayo Saka return twist out of Arsenal

The England star has been out since before Christmas.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 28, 2025

Jesus could even be out of action until 2026, after the Brazilian ruptured his ACL against Man United in the FA Cup, while Havertz’s hamstring injury has ruled him out for the rest of this season.

Some good news for Arteta is that Saka has returned to training and could even feature against Fulham next week, subject to an evaluation by medics, but their shortage of attacking players has even forced midfielder Mikel Merino into an emergency forward role.

Fulham (home)

April 1st

Everton (away)

April 5th

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 26th

While rumours are surrounding the club’s pursuit of a new striker this summer, there are those who wonder whether they should’ve sold young centre-forward Mika Biereth.

The 22-year-old, who Arsenal let go for just £4 million, is enjoying the season of his life. Biereth is currently one of the most prolific strikers in Europe, boasting an excellent 25 goals from 37 appearances across spells at both Sturm Graz and Monaco.

Monaco signed Biereth from Sturm Graz in a £12.5 million deal midway through the campaign, with the Denmark international bagging three separate hat-tricks for them already.

Ian Wright says Mika Biereth should be a first teamer for Arsenal right now

Now, commenting on the “quality” in-form young striker, Wright has suggested that Arsenal made a mistake letting Biereth leave.

“His obsession with scoring goals. He doesn’t care how they go in, he just wants to score. That will always drive and motivate him,” said Wright, in an interview with Get French Football News.

“I have been surprised. Not that I doubt his ability, but normally you give players time to adapt to different structures and new opposition. He has that bit of surprise though, opposition won’t be too familiar with him either. The big test is if he can keep it up once the league is familiar with his game. I’m incredibly proud of him, it’s an amazing record so far and long may it continue. He’s also contributing to the team as a whole. He keeps friends from every club he plays for. That’s the type of character he is.

“If I’m honest it must’ve been something with the plans Arsenal had. Mika should’ve been in and around it at the moment. One of our chats early on was about him showing himself in the preseason for Arsenal and giving it his best go. But he had the bravery to go to Scotland, then Austria and now France and that is what shows he wants to be the best! He has to be playing to prove that. His record speaks for itself. It’s disappointing for Arsenal but on a human level, I’m delighted for him.”

If Biereth continues to build upon his electric form, Monaco will be able to demand far more than the £4 million authorised by Arsenal to let him leave. His value appears set to skyrocket, and given the plethora of shortages in attack, Arteta could really use a player of his ilk right now.

The brutal reality of the latter stages of the Champions League hit Aston Villa like a brick when they travelled to Paris to take on PSG on Wednesday night.

Villa, who did take the lead through Morgan Rogers, were beaten 3-1 by a dominant Paris Saint-Germain side, managed by Luis Enrique, who had some terrific individuals on display at the top end of the pitch.

The effervescent Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue, and Ousmane Dembele put on a masterclass in front of their home supporters, with all three of them involved in at least one of the three goals.

Because of the quality of the PSG attackers, several Aston Villa players endured a rough evening in France. One of those was Axel Disasi, after he was brought on at half-time.

Axel Disasi's awful performance against PSG

The versatile defender, who is a centre-back by trade, came on to replace Matty Cash at the break at right-back and was almost immediately sent to the shops for PSG’s second goal in the 49th minute.

Kvaratskhelia, who is a test for any full-back, showed unbelievable footwork to jink past the Frenchman before blasting a finish into the top corner of Emi Martinez’s near post.

In his 45 minutes on the pitch, Disasi managed two tackles, one interception, one block, and one key pass, whilst he also won half (2/4) of his ground duels, in what was a solid display outside of being brilliantly beaten by the Georgian magician.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

The 27-year-old defender, who is on loan from Chelsea, was far from the worst player on the pitch for Unai Emery, though…

Aston Villa's worst player against PSG

While Disasi struggled, it was Matty Cash who was even worse than him in the first half.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Poland international was actually selected ahead of the Chelsea loanee to start at right-back against Kvaratskhelia and had to be withdrawn from the action at half-time after a dismal opening 45 minutes in Paris.

GOAL awarded him a player rating of just 4/10 and wrote that he was a ‘red card waiting to happen’, after his early yellow card for a foul on the former Napoli forward.

The English-born defender must be brutally binned from the starting XI by Emery after his poor showing in the opening 45 minutes, as Disasi outperformed him off the bench – despite his part in the second PSG goal.

Minutes

45

45

Pass accuracy

50%

69%

Key passes

0

1

Tackles + interceptions

3

3

Duels won

3/8

2/5

Possession lost

9x

5x

Fouls committed

4

0

As you can see in the table above, the 4/10 full-back was incredibly wasteful with the ball at his feet and offered nothing at the top end of the pitch, whilst Disasi – at least – created one chance for the team in the second half.

As mentioned by GOAL, Cash was also walking a disciplinary tightrope with four fouls committed and a yellow card to his name in the first 45 minutes, as he was forced to foul Kvaratskhelia, who got the better of him, on several occasions.

With their respective performances in mind, Emery must drop the former Nottingham Forest star from the starting line-up to bring Disasi in at right-back from the start next time out.

Emery's own Saliba: Aston Villa will have bid accepted for £50m "monster"

Aston Villa could soon welcome in their very own William Saliba in this defensive monster.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 8, 2025

Arsenal are now in talks to seal an early summer deal for a “sensational” striker, who has now emerged as their top target, according to a report.

Gunners' striker pursuit heating up

These are exciting times for the Gunners, who are daring to dream after defeating Real Madrid over two legs to reach the Champions League semi-final, but there is a feeling a top striker could be the final piece of the jigsaw in their Premier League title pursuit next season.

As such, the north Londoners are now ramping up their pursuit of a new forward, and talks have now been held over a deal for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, with sporting director Andre Berta trying to convince the Slovenian to move to the Emirates Stadium.

However, given that a deal for Sesko could amount to £58m, there may be a temptation to look at a cheaper alternative, and talks have also been held over Lille striker Jonathan David, who is set to be available on a free transfer this summer.

Kiwior upgrade: Arsenal want to sign "the most in-demand CB in the world"

The tremendously exciting prospect could be incredible for Arsenal.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 21, 2025

Mikel Arteta’s side have expressed clear interest in Sesko and David, but a different striker is now their first choice option for the summer transfer window.

According to a report from Football Insider, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres is now Arsenal’s top target, and they have opened talks to sign the Sweden international in an early summer deal.

Berta is known to be an admirer of Gyokeres, and the sporting director is driving the pursuit, with negotiations ongoing to try and convince him about the move to north London, while the Gunners are also attempting to put a package together.

The Sporting CP star becoming the north Londoners’ top target is the latest ‘twist’ in their pursuit of a new striker, with bringing in an elite forward deemed to be a priority heading into the summer window.

"Sensational" Gyokeres is a goal machine

Despite having an £86m release clause, Fabrizio Romano has revealed the Swedish striker will cost up to £60m this summer, which seems a reasonable fee, given just how impressive his goal and assist record has been this season.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Liga Portugal

29

34

7

Champions League

8

6

0

Taca de Portugal

5

3

2

Allianz Cup

3

4

0

Supertaca

1

0

2

The 26-year-old was lauded as “sensational” by Richard Keys earlier in the campaign, and his performances in Portugal indicate that he is now ready to make the step-up to a top club.

While there may be some concerns that Gyokeres is yet to prove himself in a major league, his Champions League exploits this season suggest he could be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, and potentially the missing piece of the jigsaw in their title bid.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are on a four-match winning run in the Premier League, and they will hope to continue this when they face Manchester United this afternoon.

The Old Gold defeated the Old Trafford side 2-0 at the end of December to maintain their perfect start under Vitor Pereira, and hopes will be high that they can complete the double over the Red Devils.

Man United were taken to extra time by Lyon in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday evening and there will be a few tired legs among the squad.

This could give Wolves the advantage, while Pereira may make a few changes of his own ahead of the clash.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde played against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, but it remains to be seen whether he will return to the starting XI after suffering a minor injury.

Why Pereira must axe Bellegarde for Man Utd trip

Bellegarde played 42 minutes last week against Spurs before being subbed off due to injury.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

While on the field, the attacking midfielder completed just six passes, failed with his only dribble attempt, lost possession six times and was dribbled past once.

He has been a solid signing for the Old Gold, that much is certain. Given the nature of the game, however, plus the fact that Matheus Cunha is ready to make his first start following his four-match suspension, it makes sense to bring the Brazilian back into the starting XI.

This would see Bellegarde drop to the bench. That is if he is fit enough to make the matchday squad in the first place.

How Pereira can replace Bellegarde vs Man Utd

Cunha has a decent record against Man United since joining Wolves, scoring once and grabbing two assists across four games.

His goal came in the famous 2-0 win last December, and it proved that Cunha was capable of scoring in the biggest games.

Metric

2023/24

2024/25

Goals

12

14

Assists

7

4

Key passes per game

0.9

1.7

Big chances created

7

12

Successful dribbles per game

2

1.9

The £90k-per-week forward has been in sublime form for Wolves this season. A total of 16 goals and four assists have been registered by the former Atletico Madrid star, and he has arguably single-handedly kept the club floating above the relegation zone.

When compared to his positional peers in the top flight, Cunha ranks in the top 3% for non-penalty goals (0.58) per 90, while also ranking in the top 17% for successful take-ons (2.16) per 90 for the Old Gold this term.

Hailed as “unbelievable” by current teammate Mario Lemina earlier this season, Cunha might well be heading into his final few weeks as a Wolves player.

Cunha has sparked plenty of controversy in recent weeks, notably when hitting out at Wolves’ fans on social media who have criticised his attitude and commitment to the club.

Should a big offer arrive in the summer, it is likely he will be sold, giving Pereira plenty of cash to spend. The club might not have a player of his quality for quite some time, and he could shine against the Red Devils this afternoon.

Pereira's "sensational" Wolves star is now slowly becoming the new O’Hara

Wolves “sensational” star in danger of becoming new Jamie O’Hara

ByConnor Holden Apr 18, 2025

Fulham have now held talks over signing a “phenomenal” midfielder who has scored three Champions League goals this season, according to a report.

Cottagers' summer transfer plans taking shape

With a top-half Premier League finish looking increasingly likely, Marco Silva is likely to be very happy with the strides his side have taken this season, but the manager will still have aspirations of kicking on and competing for a spot in Europe next season.

Nottingham Forest’s performance this season indicates the Cottagers could be capable of pushing for Europe, should they recruit well in the summer transfer window, and Silva is now keen on strengthening his squad in a number of areas.

The west Londoners are well-positioned to sign former player Joao Palhinha to strengthen in central midfield, while contact has been made over a deal for versatile Juventus defender Nicolo Savona.

Fulham star's agent meets with rival club who desperately want new forward

He could be about to cross the divide.

ByBarney Lane Apr 21, 2025

Silva’s side have also emerged as potential suitors for Werder Bremen full-back Felix Agu, with the need to sign a new left-back exacerbated by the fact that Antonee Robinson could be in line to exit Craven Cottage at the end of the season.

That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states that Liverpool are in negotiations to sign Robinson, and Fulham have spoken about signing Harvey Elliott during talks, with the Englishman looking increasingly likely to leave this summer.

Elliott wants to go to the next World Cup with England, but he needs regular game time to compete for a place in the squad, which means a return to Craven Cottage could now be on the cards.

There may be competition for the 22-year-old’s signature, however, with Nottingham Forest, Brentford, Newcastle United and West Ham United also registering their interest.

"Phenomenal" Elliott impressing in Champions League

There have been suggestions that Liverpool have set a price tag of £50m for the midfielder, with the fee likely to be inflated by his impressive performances in the Champions League this season, picking up three goals in five matches.

The former Fulham man also bagged a remarkable goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup to seal the Reds’ place in the fourth round.

Having also been lauded as “phenomenal” by journalist David Lynch, there is every indication the Liverpool ace is capable of achieving his goal of going to the 2026 World Cup, but he will need to receive consistent game time to stand a chance of doing so.

That has not been the case at Liverpool, with Elliott making just 14 Premier League appearances this season and often featuring as a substitute, so he may need to move on for the good of his career this summer, and a move back to high-flying Fulham could be an attractive proposition.

It’s interesting that Trent Alexander-Arnold, one of the best players in the world, should be leaving Liverpool this summer and yet the other defensive flank feels the main priority for FSG and Arne Slot.

You can assess this situation through different modes of analysis: it could be argued that Conor Bradley is an exciting talent and has the potential to step right into his teammate’s boots, with Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez marking enough depth for the upcoming campaign.

But then you could also peer down from the vantage of Andy Robertson being past his best, with Kostas Tsimikas not at the desired level either, thus heightening the need for a left-back this season given the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City are only going to improve over the off-season months.

Robertson, 31, is entering the final year of his contract but wants to stay put. He’s been a loyal and influential servant over the years; alongside Trent, the Scot is one of the most creative defenders in Premier League history.

1

Trent Alexander-Arnold

64

2

Andy Robertson

59

3

Leighton Baines

53

4

Graeme Le Saux

44

5

Kieran Trippier

38

The problem is, though, that Robertson has failed to register a single goal contribution in the top flight this term, and with Trent on the way out, that needs replacing.

Liverpool desperate for new left-back

Conor Bradley is by no means the finished article but he’s a talented young player with a goal and ten assists across 54 senior showings for the Reds. Not bad.

However, Robertson’s attacking impact is waning, and sporting director Richard Hughes has lined up Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez as the dream target, though FSG will no doubt be reluctant to meet the Cherries’ hefty £45m price tag.

The air around Kerkez’s situation is charged with the sense that he wants Liverpool. The Hungarian, teammate and good friend of Dominik Szoboszlai, has even been reported to have confided in his inner circle that he wants to move to Anfield.

However, £45m is a steep sum. The 21-year-old is technically in his breakout campaign in England and, with Manchester City and Real Madrid also keen on a deal.

Liverpool would be foolish not to earmark alternatives, with one fallback maybe even proving the better signing for Slot’s squad.

Liverpool identify Kerkez alternative

According to a recent exclusive from talkSPORT, Liverpool are interested in signing Antonee Robinson as an alternative to Kerkez this summer, with the Fulham star enjoying a fantastic season.

With Liverpool likely to splash the cash, left-back is bound to be an area Slot wants reinforcing, and Robinson could be the perfect man to rival Robertson.

It was revealed two months ago that FSG had already started plans for a £30m swoop; it’s unlikely Fulham will seal a route into European competition over the next few weeks, so the 28-year-old would jump at the chance to move to Merseyside.

Why Antonee Robinson would be perfect for Liverpool

Robinson actually played his football in Liverpool before, once of an Everton persuasion, starring for the academy but never tasting the senior stage as he was sold to Wigan Athletic after a promising loan spell.

Now, he’s a fully-fledged top-flight superstar with Fulham, 134 appearances deep into his career at England’s highest station.

With lightning pace and a roundedness that offers shades of Robertson back in his pomp, Robinson has played 34 league matches this season, wearing the skipper’s armband on 18 occasions.

Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley is even convinced that Robinson is “one of the best left-backs in the world,” making the bold claim earlier in the 2024/25 campaign.

It’s a bold take, but it’s not brazen. Indeed, the USMNT international’s performances this year and last have underscored his quality and the capacity to play for a team challenging at the apex of European competition.

If it’s creativity that Slot wants from left-back, he need look no further than this robust talent, who has racked up ten assists across 34 Premier League matches this year.

As per FBref, this places him among the top 3% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists per 90, also among the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 7% for tackles + interceptions per 90 too.

To put it simply, Robinson’s completeness is something which would elevate an already high-flying Slot squad. There’s a purpose to his movements that allows him to run the lanes of duty, make a positive impact when both fixed to the backline and unleashed, allowed to roam forward and influence.

Peering at Robinson’s metrics this year against Kerkez’s, you begin to see why it might be worth picking the more experienced head.

Matches (starts)

34 (33)

35 (35)

Goals

0

2

Assists

10

5

Touches*

74

59.2

Pass completion

81%

80%

Key passes*

1.3

1.0

Dribbles*

1.0

0.6

Ball recoveries*

4.4

4.0

Tackles + interceptions*

4.3

2.6

Clearances*

3.4

2.7

Duels (won)*

5.5 (55%)

4.0 (53%)

Kerkez holds the advantage of youth, but he’s not performing at the Cottage star’s level just yet. Robinson’s aggressive and front-footed defending even led Mohamed Salah to tell him he was “the best player on the pitch” in a Premier League clash several years ago.

This is quite the praise: say one thing for Salah, he knows how to score and create goals, thus with an intrinsic understanding of when he’s pitted against a defender of real quality.

So then, with Robinson outperforming Kerkez across almost every metric this season, signing him for the Anfield cause feels like something of a no-brainer.

Bournemouth’s rising talent might be younger, but Robinson’s got plenty of gas left in the tank after completing just his fourth campaign in the top flight. Cheaper too, he’s the one to go for.

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ByAngus Sinclair May 5, 2025

Sporting CP star and top Arsenal transfer target, Viktor Gyokeres, has made an intriguing admission to teammates, amid reports that the clubs are advancing in talks over his move to north London.

Portuguese media claim Arsenal have agreed fee to sign Viktor Gyokeres

Over the last seven days, reports in the Portuguese media have boldly claimed that Arsenal are making serious progress in their bid to tempt the 26-year-old back to England.

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Following his quite ridiculous haul of 53 goals across 51 appearances in all competitions this season, Gyokeres has emerged as a prime striker target for Arsenal, with sporting director Andrea Berta said to be personally pushing for him.

“Andrea Berta is pushing to sign Viktor Gyökeres for Arsenal,” said Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg a fortnight ago.

Sporting CP

101

96

28

Coventry City

116

43

17

Brommapojkarna

67

25

9

FC St. Pauli

28

7

4

Swansea City

12

1

0

Brighton

8

1

1

via Transfermarkt

“Several talks have already taken place. Alexander Isak remains high on the Gunners’ list, as previously revealed — but he’s very expensive. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid are all in the race. No commitments yet. Everything is still open. Bayern are currently out — too expensive. As exclusively revealed in October, Gyökeres can leave Sporting this summer for €60–70 million, due to a verbal agreement between the player and the club.”

Since then, the likes of newspaper O Jogo, sharing information in the last few days, have reported that Gyokeres is “on his way to Arsenal”, with the Gunners and Sporting shaking hands on a £59 million fee.

Last week, fellow Portuguese source A Bola made claims of an Arsenal offer to Gyokeres over personal terms worth £135,000-per-week as well, though reports closer to home have since stated that Berta is actually prepared to hand out a £10 million-per-year salary package (CaughtOffside).

£59 million would be considered one of the bargains of the summer for one of Europe’s most lethal goalscorers in his prime, so it will be intriguing to see if this does in fact come to fruition.

Viktor Gyokeres makes admission amid Arsenal agreement claims

However, according to Sporting midfielder and teammate Pedro Goncalves, the Swede is remaining coy over his future.

Confirming what the striker has told him, Goncalves states that Gyokeres said he’s ‘not a fortune-teller’ when asked if he could stay at Sporting – appearing to commit his future.

“I asked [Gyokeres], and we all asked him. He says he’s not a fortune-teller,” said Goncalves.

“We still have the Portuguese Cup against Benfica to play. I have a very good relationship with him, but I don’t talk about it with him. What I know is because of Fabrizio Romano… I’m sticking with him. I don’t know if he’s going to leave.

“I feel like he’s evolved a lot since he arrived. There are training sessions where it seems like he’s holding back.”

The Scandinavian superstar is making waves abroad, and it appears inevitable that he’s set to leave Sporting. The only question is, who can win the race for him?

Judging by recent reports, Arsenal appear to be firmly in pole position as things stand.