All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa have now been approached over the signing of a “dominant” defender, who they have tracked for quite some time, according to a report.

Villa keen on new defender after signing Guessand

After selling Jhon Duran in the January transfer window, Villa were a little light on options in the striker department, but Unai Emery now has both Ollie Watkins and Evann Guessand to choose from at centre-forward, with the ex-OGC Nice man arriving for £30m.

Consequently, Emery now want to turn his attentions to strengthening at the opposite end of the pitch, especially considering Pau Torres is attracting interest from elsewhere, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr recently being named as potential suitors.

It could be wise to cash-in on Torres this summer, given that the Villans are well-known to be treading a fine line when it comes to PSR, and Saudi teams are arguably more willing to pay over the odds, with Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez recently joining Al-Hilal for up to £56.6m.

Aston Villa make approach to sign £22m attacker, may submit bid within days

The Villans have now made contact over a deal for an “incredible” player.

ByDominic Lund Aug 10, 2025

Should Aston Villa sell the 28-year-old, it may be a smart move to bring in a younger centre-back, with greater re-sell value, and they have now been approached over the potential signing of Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez.

That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Villa are being kept informed about Ordonez, alongside a whole host of their Premier League rivals, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur also named as potential suitors.

Emery’s side have been in contact over the highly-rated young defender for the past 12 months, but he is now closing in on a move to Marseille, which means they will need to move swiftly to hijack a deal, and it may take a bid of around €33m (£28m).

"Dominant" Ordonez could be fantastic signing for Villa

At just 21-years-old, the Brugge centre-back is still in the infancy of his career, but football talent scout Jacek Kulig believes he could go on to achieve great things, having likened the youngster to Real Madrid star Antonio Rüdiger.

Kulig describes the Ecuadorian as a “dominant” defender, which suggests he is strong in duels, but the starlet is also forward-thinking and very comfortable in possession of the ball, which is crucial for a modern-day centre-back.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

66.15 (87th percentile)

Pass completion %

91.6% (95th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.31 (94th percentile)

Despite his age, the Ecuador international already has a plethora of experience at first-team level, making 84 appearances for Club Brugge, including 12 in the Champions League last season, which suggests he may now be ready to test himself in the Premier League.

As such, it would certainly be exciting if Aston Villa were to pursue a late move for Ordonez, but they would have to move swiftly, given that Marseille are closing in on a deal.

Ollie Watkins suffered from a rare off-day in front of goal on the opening day of the brand new Premier League season.

The usually lethal Aston Villa marksman could only muster up one meagre effort on Nick Pope’s goal, yet Unai Emery kept his faith in the ex-Brentford striker by keeping him on the pitch throughout, despite such a lifeless display.

Watkins will want to just jot this down as a rusty display as he attempts to get back up to speed with what is expected of him, having bagged 16 goals last season in the Premier League.

Evann Guessand surprisingly failed to get a run-out against the Toon, despite costing the Villans £30m this summer, with an instant upgrade on the former OGC Nice striker now perhaps in the offing.

Aston Villa holds talks to sign £60m attacker

The West Midlands giants haven’t had the most action-packed transfer window to date, away from splashing out £30m on their new number 29.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, Marco Bizot is arguably their most notable signing other than Guessand arriving through the door, with a clean sheet already picked up by the fresh Villa stopper on a memorable debut.

More concerningly, the main talk this off-season has centred on players leaving Villa Park behind.

Homegrown Villa gem Jacob Ramsey is now officially a Magpies player, having sealed a £43m move to St James’ Park right after his now former employers clashed against his new side.

Any worry in the air about this sale could soon dissipate if Villa were to add Nicolas Jackson to their attacking personnel.

Indeed, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Jackson is now on Emery’s short-list, having already held talks with the hit-and-miss Chelsea attacker previously.

While the £60m-rated forward has frustrated the Stamford Bridge masses consistently, there is certainly a player in there if Villa remain patient, especially when you consider what Emery managed to achieve with Marcus Rashford last season, as he waved goodbye to Manchester United temporarily to find his mojo again.

How Jackson is an instant upgrade on Guessand

Getting Jackson back to his confident, free-flowing best could well be a masterstroke in the long run, as Villa win themselves an immediate upgrade on Guessand, who can also keep a hot-and-cold Watkins on his toes at the peak of his powers.

This isn’t to say Guessand won’t be a hit on English shores, though.

After all, the Ivorian can line up as a blistering performer down either wing if needed – as much as he can line up as an out-and-out centre-forward like the Chelsea number 15 – with this quick burst of pace on the flanks even seeing him be dubbed as “electric” by U23 scout Antonio Mango.

Yet, he isn’t without his faults in front of goal, much like a heavily criticised Jackson. Guessand is definitely a work in progress, therefore, with the Villa number 29 only firing home 21 goals in total for Nice from 109 appearances.

12 of those amazingly came about just last season, with Guessand only managing to pick one paltry goal all campaign long during a forgettable 2021/22 offering for Nice.

Chelsea

81

30 + 12

Villarreal

48

13 + 6

Villarreal B

27

7 + 8

CD Mirandes

17

1 + 1

Jackson has also experienced similar barren patches of form in West London – as seen in him squandering a colossal 19 big chances in the Premier League last season – but he will feel he’s more well-equipped for the pressures of being one of Villa’s main choices up top when he’s performing to his red-hot best, over spurning chances galore.

Indeed, despite missing all those chances, the Senegalese striker trumped Guessand’s Ligue 1 output last season by firing home 13 Premier League efforts, with a further, clinical 17 efforts also next to his name for Enzo Maresca’s men.

Chelsea great John Obi Mikel has even heralded Jackson as a “monster” in front of goal when he isn’t experiencing a crisis in confidence, with a change of scenery perhaps what is needed for the 24-year-old to become a stable goalscoring presence.

After all, Villa managed to turn Watkins into a goal machine at the taxing level, with a hope now that the £60m attacker can provide the 29-year-old with some needed competition, alongside a rawer Guessand waiting in the wings.

New Rogers: Aston Villa open first talks to sign "exceptional" £30m PL star

Unai Emery could land his next Morgan Rogers by picking up this exceptional £30m star at Aston Villa.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 17, 2025

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that a number of clubs have made an approach for a “dynamite” Everton player, with The Friedkin Group making a decision over his future.

Everton set for opening game at new stadium

The Blues officially begin a new chapter in their history on Sunday afternoon, hosting Brighton in the Premier League in their first-ever competitive game at their new ground.

The Hill Dickinson Stadium is an impressive new setting for Everton’s home games, and while it was sad for them to leave Goodison Park, it was important that the club planned for the future and found a new home to help take them to new heights.

Blues manager David Moyes is certainly excited about his side beginning life in a new stadium, speaking glowingly about it earlier this month.

“It’s brilliant for the football club. For my journey as well – I’ve had lots of different twists and turns – but overall I think the football club has been so desperate for this situation to arise with the new stadium. I think it’s a wonderful stadium, it’s a step up, certainly, from Goodison and I think for Everton Football Club it’s a real positive step.”

Everton’s new venture will hopefully lead to plenty of exciting new signings, as well as persuading current players to stay put, and a new update has dropped regarding an individual in the latter category.

Everton make decision over "dynamite" ace's future

According to Romano on X, Everton have seen numerous clubs make approaches for Iliman Ndiaye, but The Friedkin Group have rejected their advances.

Losing Ndiaye would be a massive blow this early in his Everton career, so this update is an extremely positive one for Blues supporters.

The 25-year-old has so often provided the creative spark for the Blues since arriving from Marseille last summer, being described as a “dynamite” player by Jamie Redknapp and being hailed as “brilliant” by Second Tier podcast.

Ndiaye is going to be a massive player for Everton moving forward – he scored nine goals in the Premier League last season – and it would be just like him to bag the opening strike at the Blues’ new ground this weekend.

Grealish can make him world-class: Everton "in negotiations" for £40m star

Everton still need to sign several more first-teamers before the end of the transfer window.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 22, 2025

The Blues cannot afford to let him go, and with his current deal not expiring until the summer of 2029, they are in a strong bargaining position and would surely only allow him to leave for huge money.

Russell Martin has had a rocky start to life as Rangers boss, with his team drawing their first four Scottish Premiership games and being dumped out of Champions League qualification by Club Brugge.

The transfer window saw £19.5 million worth of players join the squad, including the likes of Oliver Antman, Oscar Cortes and Joe Rothwell, but the squad does not seem to be clicking yet.

The Gers did manage to become the only team to stop Celtic’s winning run in the league following Sunday’s 0-0 draw. Coming off the back of the 6-0 defeat to Brugge, Martin was happy with his team’s improved performance.

However, the draw will only temporarily patch things over at the Ibrox, and the end of the transfer window saw an Italian club make a move for one of Martin’s frustrated players.

Rangers rejected late loan offer for out-of-favour Barron

Rangers rejected a late-deadline day loan inquiry for defensive midfielder Connor Barron from Bologna. Barron has struggled for minutes since Martin took over at Ibrox, and Bologna may have seen his absence from the team as a sign that the Gers would be willing to let him go for the season.

This would have been the third time that the Italian side has turned to Scotland for recruitment after previously signing Lewis Ferguson and Aaron Hickey. Barron’s first start under Martin came in Sunday’s clash with Celtic, indicating that he may yet be in the manager’s plans, and that may be why Rangers opted to keep hold of him.

After the Old Firm derby, Martin acknowledged Barron and other out-of-favour players’ frustration: “I said in the dressing-room, Dio, Tav and Connor Barron have every reason to be annoyed and disappointed with me because they’ve been out of the team. We always have honest chats about why.”

Barron's return could mark a change for Martin

Martin was clearly impressed with Barron’s performance as he praised him and the other returnees: “Today they proved how hard they’re willing to work and run – and showed why they should be in the team. That’s the best possible reaction you could ever have. I’m proud and grateful for the performances they put in.”

Barron’s reinstatement into the team may be the catalyst for Martin turning things around at Rangers. Despite only having brief cameos in the boss’ first few months in charge, Barron now seems to be in contention for a regular starting place.

He only played for just over 30 minutes against Brugge, but the Belgian side failed to score while he was on the pitch. Brugge had likely taken their foot off the gas, considering they were eight goals up, but considering how poorly the match was going, Rangers did improve when Barron came on, and he was solid once again on Sunday.

Manchester United have been known to splash the cash over the last couple of years, spending over £800m on new additions for the side since the summer of 2022.

Erik ten Hag was responsible for the vast majority of such spending, having five windows to make the additions he thought would transform the club’s fortunes.

The likes of Casemiro, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund were all brought in under the Dutchman’s guidance, with the latter two departing the Red Devils in the closing stages of the recent window.

However, current boss Ruben Amorim has also spent in the region of £200m alone this window, securing the signatures of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

Such funds are way higher than any supporter would’ve expected, but it may have been an even bigger shopping spree had they completed a deal for Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd’s hunt for Baleba this summer

In an attempt to bolster the midfield department, United targeted various options in the Premier League, with Adam Wharton just one name on their shortlist.

However, Brighton star Baleba was undoubtedly the biggest target, with Amorim’s side making an approach for the Cameroonian international’s signature ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

While at one stage the player himself seemed keen on a switch to Old Trafford, a move failed to materialise as the Seagulls were reluctant to offload the 21-year-old talent.

Fabian Hurzeler’s side stated that they wanted a fee in the region of £100m to part ways with Baleba, but such a figure was out of the Red Devils’ budget after their previous dealings in the window.

It remains unclear whether the hierarchy will return for his services in 2026, but it’s clear that the board have been targeting added reinforcements in the middle of the park.

However, despite their attempts in the market, United already have a hugely talented player in their ranks – with his recent rise now seeing his value soar over recent months.

The United talent who’s worth more than Baleba

Over the last couple of years, United have shifted their focus to recruiting younger talent to try and decrease the age of the current first-team squad.

The side for the 2025/26 Premier League campaign currently has an average age of 25.6, with the age range in the side having players placed between 17 and 39.

Casemiro is currently one of the midfield options currently at Amorim’s disposal, but the Brazilian, who is now 33, is entering the final years of his career and desperately needs to be moved on in the near future.

Youngster Kobbie Mainoo is another player who is available to Amorim in that department, but despite his success on the field in recent times, he’s fallen down the manager’s pecking order.

After his dream 2023/24 campaign, which saw an FA Cup final goal and a late strike against rivals Liverpool, many supporters would’ve expected the 20-year-old to be a first-team regular by now.

The 20-year-old, who’s been labelled “generational” by teammate Hojlund, only made 25 league appearances last season, 19 of which were from a starting role, with the likes of Casemiro often being selected ahead of the academy graduate.

His only start in 2025/26 so far came in the Carabao Cup defeat against Grimsby Town – leading to the player himself asking for a loan spell away from his boyhood side.

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

25

Pass accuracy

87%

Tackles won

1.6

Interceptions made

1.1

Blocks made

0.9

Take-on success

46%

Carries into 18-yard box

0.6

Recoveries made

4.8

Tackle success rate

60%

However, such a request was immediately dismissed, resulting in the player needing to fight for a place within the first-team squad – until January at the earliest.

Despite his recent lack of action, Mainoo has seen a swift upturn in his market value, with FootballTransfers now valuing the Englishman at a staggering £57.8m.

Such a figure is now higher than the value of Baleba, who’s now valued at just £49.1m by the same site despite his recent valuation by the club in the summer window.

Given the aforementioned price tags, it’s clear that Mainoo is still a young talent with huge potential, with Amorim desperately needing to hand him consistent minutes in the months ahead.

He’s already showcased he’s capable of thriving at Old Trafford, but he needs the manager’s backing to do so, which could potentially put a permanent end to their hunt for Baleba.

Man Utd may regret selling £73m CF who's scoring more than Sesko & Mbeumo

Manchester United may have made a mistake in offloading one top-level talisman.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 9, 2025

It feels like it’s a bit late to say the wheels have come off for West Ham United.

The Hammers were knocked out of the League Cup in the second round and have lost four of their five Premier League games, by a combined score of 5-13.

It felt like it was more a matter of when, rather than if, Graham Potter was replaced in the London Stadium dugout.

Lo and behold, despite being put in front of the press on Friday afternoon ahead of their clash with Everton on Monday, he was given the boot on Saturday morning.

Nuno Santo was quickly announced as his replacement but with only a couple of days of training before the clash with the Toffees, it will be interesting to see if the Portuguese makes many widespread changes.

James Ward-Prowse could be one player who drops out as Nuno chases a debut win.

Why Ward-Prowse has to be dropped

West Ham spent around £30m to bring Ward-Prowse to the London Stadium in the summer of 2023, and considering he was sent on an unsuccessful short-term loan to Nottingham Forest last year, it’s been a failure of a move.

However, while the fans were desperate for Potter to drop the former Southampton star from the lineup, he continued to persist with the Englishman, something that arguably played a hand in his sacking.

The 11-capped Englishman has had a brilliant career in the top-flight, and there was a point at which his deadball abilities made him a genuine threat for the Saints, but those days are long gone.

Instead, the 30-year-old is now more of a hindrance in the middle of the park than anything else, unable to offer much in attack and not being anywhere near mobile enough to help out in defence.

We saw this duel problem on full display against Crystal Palace, as even though he took 61 touches and completed 41 passes, he amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.25.

Minutes

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

61

Accurate Passes

41/48 (85%)

Crosses (Accurate)

5 (1)

Shots on Target

0

Ground Duels (Won)

6 (1)

Aerial Duels (Won)

3 (0)

Lost Possession

14

Fouls

3

Dribbled Past

2

On top of that, he lost five out of six ground duels, all three aerial duels, was dribbled past twice, lost possession 14 times and gave away three fouls.

It was a horror show, and one that should see him nowhere near the starting lineup for quite some time, especially as West Ham have a new midfielder who could come in and surely do a better job.

West Ham's ideal Ward-Prowse replacement

While there are a few options Nuno could go with on Monday evening, he has to start Soungoutou Magassa in place of Ward-Prowse.

Chalkboard

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

The former AS Monaco ace is certainly still young and somewhat inexperienced compared to the Englishman, but he deserves a chance to show the fans what he can do tonight.

More importantly, though, he offers something the former Saints star no longer can: dynamism and quality.

According to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, the 21-year-old is blessed with a combination of “pure athleticism” and an ability to “spray passes wide out to the wings” because his “passing range is top.”

Moreover, Mattinson has claimed that “defensively there’s a high potential” in the youngster, which is borne out in his underlying numbers.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 1% of midfielders in Ligue 1 last season for dribblers tackled, tackles plus interceptions, and ball recoveries, as well as the top 5% for tackles won and more, all per 90 minutes.

He also put up some promising attacking numbers as well, ranking in the top 9% for successful take-on percentage and the top 17% for passes into the final third, also per 90.

Tackles (Mid 3rd)

2.37

Top 1%

Dribblers Tackled

2.20

Top 1%

Dribbles Challenged

4.04

Top 1%

Tkl+Int

5.97

Top 1%

Ball Recoveries

7.90

Top 1%

Tackles

4.13

Top 2%

Interceptions

1.84

Top 4%

Tackles Won

2.20

Top 5%

Successful Take-On %

65.2%

Top 9%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

45.57

Top 12%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.53

Top 16%

Passes into Final Third

5.88

Top 17%

Switches

0.61

Top 17%

Aerials Won

1.14

Top 12%

In short, while he is nowhere near the finished product, the “elegant” Frenchman, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, already appears to be a better player than Ward-Prowse.

Therefore, for Nuno to elevate the chances of claiming all three points, he should drop the 30-year-old and start Magassa.

This season feels like it’s do-or-die for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.

The North Londoners have been a real force in the Premier League over the last few seasons, but after three second-placed finishes in a row, they need to get over the line.

Unfortunately, that is a lot easier said than done, as while Manchester City are no longer as much of a threat, Liverpool look incredible, and with Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak, arguably have the two best attackers in the league.

However, it is not all doom and gloom, because as long as he stays fit, Arsenal have a player in their ranks who could get to the level of those two.

Salah & Isak's 24/25

Unfortunately for Arteta and Co, the Egyptian superstar had what most would consider to be the greatest campaign of his career in 24/25.

For example, in 52 appearances, totalling 4501 minutes, the Red game-changing superstar amassed an out-of-this-world tally of 34 goals and 23 assists.

In other words, the 33-year-old winger was able to maintain an average of 1.09 goal involvements every game, or one every 78.96 minutes, which was a massive reason the Merseysiders won the league.

Another way to look at it is that, should the former AS Roma ace have another year like it this season, the Gunners may as well give up now.

While it sounds absurd to say, Isak’s campaign, while spectacular, wasn’t quite on the same level.

For example, before he burned his bridges with the Newcastle United supporters, the Swedish international managed to score 27 goals and provide six assists in 42 appearances, totalling 3324 minutes.

That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 100.72 minutes.

In short, Liverpool have two world-class attackers in Isak and Salah, but Arsenal have a star of their own who could emulate their importance this season.

The Arsenal star who could emulate Salah & Isak

The good news for Arteta is that he already has a number of players who could be described as some of the best in the world, such as William Saliba, Declan Rice, and Gabriel Magalhães.

Chalkboard

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

However, when it comes to the attack, it could be said that there is just one player from his squad who currently falls into that category: Bukayo Saka.

Yes, the player in question is none other than the Hale End superstar, and while he hasn’t quite hit the levels of a Salah yet, he’s getting closer and closer, and there is an argument that he is on Isak’s level already.

For example, in the 23/24 season, the Englishman managed to rack up a brilliant haul of 20 goals and 17 assists, in 47 appearances, totalling 3865 minutes.

That comes out to an unreal average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 104.45 minutes.

Then, despite missing almost four months of action last season and struggling to regain full fitness towards the end, he still scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists in 37 appearances, totalling 2,619 minutes.

In other words, the Gunners’ “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, averaged a goal involvement every 1.42 games, or every 100.73 minutes.

Appearances

267

Minutes

20271′

Goals

71

Assists

72

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvements

141.75′

To do that in a normal season would be incredible, but to manage those numbers in a campaign in which you’re injured for large parts and are without a striker in others is undoubtedly world-class.

Finally, while he is no longer ‘young’ in a footballing sense, he is still two years out from when we’d expect him to hit his peak, per research from The Athletic.

Therefore, as long as he can remain fit, we see no reason why he cannot once again surpass Isak from an output perspective and match Salah in terms of overall impact.

Ultimately, Saka isn’t the finished article just yet, but it feels like a matter of when, not if, he leads Arsenal to glory.

Agents tell Arsenal they can sign £36m France star who loves Saliba like a "brother"

He’s very close to the Gunners’ star centre-back who’s set to sign a new deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 26, 2025

It is fair to say that the end of the summer transfer window did not go exactly to plan for Celtic in their attempts to bolster the attacking options in the squad.

Brendan Rodgers wanted to add more firepower to his frontline by bringing in a new number nine, whilst he also allowed Adam Idah to leave to sign for Swansea.

The Ireland international scored 20 goals in all competitions for the Hoops last season, per Transfermarkt, and his exit left Johnny Kenny and Shin Yamada as the only natural strikers at the club.

Unfortunately, Celtic were unable to bring a new centre-forward to Parkhead on deadline day. Instead, they signed Kelechi Iheanacho on a free transfer the day after deadline day, and he has scored three goals for the club to date.

The Nigeria international has scored one goal from open play, along with two penalties, and missed four ‘big chances’ in six appearances so far, per Sofascore.

Celtic did make a signing on deadline day, though, as they brought Sebastian Tounekti in from Hammarby for a fee of around £5m, and he has hit the ground running in Glasgow.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Sebastian Tounekti

Typically, crowds love to watch exciting wingers who take their man on and make things happen with the ball at their feet, because it creates excitement and gets fans off their seats.

Tounekti is that sort of winger. The Tunisia international could be described as fearless in the way that he is willing to try and try and try again to dribble past opposition defenders.

He completed five of his eight attempted dribbles and created four chances for his teammates against Kilmarnock, per Sofascore, on his debut for the club in the Scottish Premiership last month.

The 23-year-old star, who scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup against Partick Thistle, has completed 14 dribbles in five appearances for the club in the Premiership and the Europa League to date.

He has been an electric figure on the left flank for the Scottish giants with his ability to whiz past opposition full-backs with ease to get into promising positions in the final third.

Sebastian Tounekti

5

14

James Forrest

9

11

Benjamin Nygren

9

7

Daizen Maeda

9

5

Colby Donovan

4

4

As you can see in the table above, Tounekti has the most completed dribbles of any player in the Celtic squad, despite playing four fewer matches than the three players who are closest to his tally.

One thing that you may notice about that table is that summer signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who is a winger, does not make it into the top five at the club for completed dribbles.

That is because he has not completed a single dribble in five appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been a bit too timid with the ball at his feet so far for the Bhoys.

Whilst that suggests that he is unlikely to follow in Tounekti’s footsteps as an exciting and dynamic wing wizard, Rodgers does have another Celtic player who can get supporters off their feet with exciting wing play.

Chalkboard

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

Jota suffered an ACL injury in May against Dundee United that ruled him out of action for up to nine months, which means that the Hoops may not have him back until the second half of this season.

Once the former Rennes and Al Ittihad star does return to the field at Parkhead to play for Rodgers, though, the manager could have another Tounekti at his disposal.

Why Jota is the original Tounekti

The Portuguese starlet signed for, left, and rejoined Celtic before Tounekti arrived in Glasgow on deadline day at the start of September, but is currently on the sidelines because of his injury.

Jota produced 25 goals and 23 assists in the Premiership and European competitions across his two seasons at the club under Ange Postecoglou’s management, which attracted interest from Al Ittihad.

The electric forward joined the Saudi Pro League side for a fee of £25m in a move that was a blow for the Scottish giants, because he was their most exciting attacking outlet.

1

Jota – 1.7

Jota – 1.5

2

Tom Rogic – 1.6

Alexandro Bernabei – 1.5

3

Mikey Johnston – 1.3

Anthony Ralston – 1.0

4

Anthony Ralston – 0.9

Reo Hatate – 0.8

5

James Forrest – 0.9

Greg Taylor – 0.8

As you can see in the table above, Jota was the most prolific dribbler in the squad in both of his first two seasons at Parkhead with Postecoglou in the dugout, which shows that he was the original Tounekti.

Of course, the Portugal international returned to Celtic in the January transfer window this year, joining from Rennes, and he hit the ground running at the start of his second spell in Glasgow.

The 26-year-old star scored four goals and provided two assists in 11 Premiership appearances in the second half of last season, whilst completing 1.6 dribbles per 90, per Sofascore.

Jota, who pundit Michael Stewart described as a “game-changer” who “raises the bar”, gets fans off their seats in anticipation because he takes defenders on and makes things happen in the final third.

Along with his dribbling skills, the Portuguese talent also has the output, with his return of goals and assists, to give supporters the belief that he will score or create a goal when he gets the ball in dangerous positions.

Not Bonnar: Celtic's "dangerous" 18-year-old star could replace McGregor

Celtic may have their next Callum McGregor in the making in their academy system.

ByDan Emery Oct 9, 2025

Therefore, Rodgers will be patiently waiting for Jota to be available for selection once again, because the manager will then have two electric and exciting wingers to select on the flank in Tounekti and the former Benfica star.

A Manchester United star who Ruben Amorim called “top” is now close to sealing a January exit, with talks advancing.

Amorim looking to reshuffle squad in January

After a shaky start to the campaign, Amorim has managed to buy himself some more time courtesy of a recent uptick in results, with Man United winning four out of their last six matches in the Premier League.

The United boss has settled on Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes as his preferred options in the middle of the park, and the midfield duo certainly played their part in the recent 2-1 victory against Liverpool at Anfield.

Casemiro made three tackles to keep the Reds at bay, the joint-second highest number of any player, while Fernandes was a constant threat, hitting the woodwork and assisting Harry Maguire’s late winner.

However, there have been suggestions that Amorim is less convinced by his back-up options in midfield, with Teddy Sheringham claiming the 40-year-old isn’t a fan of Kobbie Mainoo: “He has a certain style that Amorim obviously doesn’t appreciate.

“He obviously wants more from Mainoo; it’s up to him to try and change his game a little bit to fit in with what Amorim wants.”

According to a report from Spain, Mainoo is now very close to sealing a January exit from Old Trafford, with talks over a move to Napoli recently advancing, amid very limited game time so far this season.

The 20-year-old is determined to make it to the 2026 World Cup, which means he needs to be receiving regular minutes, and Napoli are now in the strongest position to get a deal done, with the youngster potentially in line to follow Scott McTominay to Italy.

The report doesn’t make it clear what sort of fee the Red Devils could receive for their academy graduate, but a £70m asking price has been touted in the past.

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ByEthan Lamb Oct 21, 2025 Mainoo needs regular first-team football

It would be completely understandable if the youngster were to push for a move this January, given that he is at serious risk of not going to the World Cup, having not played for England since a 2-0 victory over Ireland over one year ago.

Amorim has previously made it clear he is a fan of the central midfielder, describing him as a “top player”, but the United boss clearly isn’t totally convinced, with the 10-time England international still yet to make a Premier League start this season.

Given that Amorim has staved off the pressure with two wins on the bounce, Mainoo may not be reintroduced into the starting XI anytime soon, but it would be a real shame to see the 2024 FA Cup final star leave, with the display against Manchester City proving he has the talent to succeed at Old Trafford.

Sunderland are sitting inside the Champions League slots and could now be set to put forward a record bid for a European star that would represent a major shift in mentality at the Stadium of Light.

Regis Le Bris has continued to thrive in the North East after leading the Black Cats to the Premier League last season, and his side emerged with major credit over the weekend after securing a last-gasp 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal.

Despite the visitors defence being near-impenetrable in the top-flight before kick-off, Sunderland managed to carve their way through Mikel Arteta’s backline on several occasions.

More importantly, the Black Cats withstood immense pressure from the Gunners, throwing bodies on the line to secure a valuable point that keeps them on course for an excellent campaign as a newly-promoted outfit.

Dan Ballard played a significant role in helping Sunderland claim the result. However, the Northern Ireland international has stressed that his teammates have a long way to go before achieving their initial target of retaining their place in the division.

He told Match of the Day: “It’s a good morale boost to show we can go against a really top team – probably one of the best in Europe at the minute – and delighted with that. But it is just one point and we’ve got a lot of work to do to achieve our goal of staying up this year.”

Of course, Ballard’s comments are fairly routine for a side who are exceeding expectations. Still, Sunderland have definitely shown a healthy sense of ambition this term, and appear on course to achieve an excellent points total if they can maintain their current form.

With that in mind, they could now be set to target a record signing who would change the landscape of what could be to come at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland could submit record offer for Fermin Lopez

According to reports in Spain, Sunderland could be set to submit an offer of over £70 million to sign Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, contingent on whether they secure a dream Champions League slot this season.

Given their financial structure allows Le Bris to compete with elite sides across the continent, there is now internal debate at the Catalan giants over whether to accept a money-spinning sum for one of their rising stars, who would instantly be Sunderland’s most expensive signing ever.

Five similar players to Fermin Lopez (FBRef)

Leroy Sane

Galatasaray

Serge Gnabry

Bayern Munich

Christian Pulisic

AC Milan

Luis Diaz

Bayern Munich

Dani Olmo

Barcelona

Labelled “sensational” by Hansi Flick, the attacking midfielder has already notched six goals and four assists in 11 matches this season, and he is also capable of playing on the left flank or in central midfield.

Sunderland have bid for the new Chemsdine Talbi

Talks are at an initial stage and Barcelona are yet to give a definitive signal whether they are going to let him depart, though it is clear that Sunderland have given them something to think about ,and a high-profile transfer saga could be set to follow.