Somewhere in Germany, in a Red Bull Group office complex, Jurgen Klopp perhaps unleashed a few fist bumps when Liverpool thrashed Tottenham Hotspur to seal the Premier League trophy.

Klopp’s self-defined “heavy metal football” left with him at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, replaced by something smoother and cooler in the form of Arne Slot.

Both approaches have borne dividends for Liverpool, Klopp creating a dynasty before his successor took the reins and won the Premier League in his first year in the dugout.

Slot has dealt with adversity this term and emerged on top, but now must contend with the loss of Liverpool’s focal creative source, Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Why losing Alexander-Arnold is such a big blow

Alexander-Arnold has been at Liverpool for two decades, moving up and up through the youth floors before knocking on Klopp’s door in the early years of his tenure.

He’s now one of the driving forces behind a sustained period of success at Anfield. Liverpool are a team of many parts, but Trent has been one of the most important cogs in the system, with his peerless passing and eagle-eyed vision making so many opponents pay over the years.

Having won the full gamut, the 26-year-old will depart a fundamental part in putting the Reds back on their perch. He’s played 352 matches for Liverpool, scoring 23 goals and laying on 92 assists.

Real Madrid are the expected destination, and Liverpool now need to find a way to replace their chief playmaker’s output. As per FBref, the Three Lions star ranks among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes and the top 5% for shot-creating actions per 90.

1

Trent Alexander-Arnold

64

2

Andy Robertson

59

3

Leighton Baines

53

4

Graeme Le Saux

44

5

Kieran Trippier

38

Alexander-Arnold’s one-of-a-kind talent is not something that Liverpool can replicate at right-back. Bradley is an exciting player, but he’s not Trent.

However, Liverpool aren’t against sourcing a new means of elite creativity, having found an interesting solution in another area of the pitch.

Liverpool make proposal for Premier League legend

As per Italian reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, Liverpool have made a surprise contractual offer for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, whose deal at the Etihad expires at the end of the season.

While Napoli are also pushing, Liverpool have a financial advantage over the Serie A’s first-placed side and could blow them out of the water, should they continue to insist upon a pre-contract arrangement.

De Bruyne, a boyhood Liverpool fan, turned 33 this year and has been frustrated by injuries in recent seasons, but still retains an artistry to his creative approach, which is among the finest Europe has seen.

Why Liverpool should sign Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne may not know where he’s going to end up but he has made it clear that he’s still got mileage in the engine and isn’t against winding up at another Premier League club.

It’s been quite the career in English football for the Belgian, who fell by the wayside as a Chelsea prospect before finding a new home in Belgium and then finding his feet and then some at Manchester City, joining from Wolfsburg in a £55m deal in 2015.

He’s one of the most accomplished and decorated Premier League players of his generation, even described as “one of the greatest midfielders ever” by his manager Pep Guardiola.

De Bruyne might be approaching the twilight years of his career, but he’s certainly still got it. FBref have recorded that he ranks among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues and the top 3% for passes attempted, progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90.

Now, why would Liverpool want to pursue an ageing attacking midfielder such as De Bruyne? After all, Slot already wields the energy of Dominik Szoboszlai, Harvey Elliott’s natural spark.

Well, the answer is obvious. Liverpool need signings, and they need quite a few. Left-back, centre-back. Ryan Gravenberch could do with some competition at number six, and Darwin Nunez certainly needs replacing at the front of the ship.

Sporting director Richard Hughes has got some juggling to do, all right, and bringing De Bruyne over to Liverpool could be a fantastic, stop-gap sort of way to plug a hole and retain the giddy support levels that Alexander-Arnold will be taking with him over to the Santiago Bernabeu.

De Bruyne still has the requisite quality in his locker. As per Sofascore, he’s created 14 big chances in the league this year, despite starting only 17 times. Moreover, he’s averaging over two key passes per game.

This all adds substance to the argument for his arrival. De Bruyne has scored six goals and provided eight assists in all competitions this season, with ten of those 14 contributions coming since the start of the calendar year.

Alexander-Arnold might be leaving, but Liverpool will endure. With surgery required across a range of areas for the Reds, this would be the perfect way to add some new creativity, some Alexander-Arnold levels of creativity to Slot’s team and help him relocate Liverpool’s playmaking hub to a more conventional area in the middle of the park.

For Anfield simply won’t succeed in finding another player like Trent on the right side of the backline.

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ByEthan Lamb May 8, 2025

In what would be one of the most impressive moves of the summer transfer window, Arsenal have now reportedly held internal discussions about signing a modern-day Premier League legend.

Arsenal must go again for Premier League title

After suffering more heartbreak in pursuit of the Premier League title, this time courtesy of Liverpool, Arsenal have been left to go again next season. More so than in the two prior campaigns, this season’s defeat may well frustrate Mikel Arteta and those in North London the most.

Manchester City found themselves in injury crisis as fallen champions, Liverpool entered a new era under Arne Slot and Chelsea were restarting once again under a new manager in Enzo Maresca. If it was to be Arsenal’s year then many believed it would be the current campaign, before they themselves suffered injury issues and frustrating form.

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Arteta spoke about his disappointment after Liverpool confirmed their status as Premier League champions, telling reporters: “Yes, [it hurts] big time. I understand that it’s a team who have been more consistent, they’ve had the ingredients to win it and it’s been painful.

“I want to congratulate Liverpool and what they’ve done, the manner they’ve done it and how consistent they’ve been, and I think they fully deserved to win it.”

There is still time for the Gunners to flip the script on their season, however, with a vital clash against Paris Saint-Germain next week handing them the chance to turn their 1-0 aggregate defeat around and step into the Champions League final.

European glory would undeniably end any heartache over the Premier League title and instantly create history in what is currently on course to become another season of what might have been.

Meanwhile, looking ahead to the next campaign off the pitch, new sporting director Andrea Berta is reportedly looking to make one of the biggest statements of the summer.

Arsenal discuss shock De Bruyne move

According to The Boot Room, Arsenal have now held internal discussions about signing Kevin de Bruyne upon the expiry of his Manchester City contract this summer. The Belgian reportedly wants to remain in Europe in what has shocked the Citizens, who may well find themselves squaring off against one of their best-ever players having thought he would jet off to Saudi Arabia or the USA.

Whilst MLS side San Diego are still chasing the Belgian’s signature, his desire to stay put at the top level could certainly open the door for those at The Emirates. Arteta is also already more than familiar with De Bruyne’s capabilities, having worked with him during his time as Pep Guardiola’s assistant.

An undeniable Premier League legend, the £400,000-a-week star has earned praise which reflects that in recent weeks. Among those with positives to say, Guardiola told reporters: “You always have to be careful, have respect for the players who play main roles, and incredible players that play for the last, I don’t know, 20, 30 years in this club.

“But come on, there’s no doubt he’s one of the greatest, for sure. Because of his consistency – except the last year, year and a half, that he had injury problems – in important games and not important games, and every three days being there.”

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

Blues attacking issues on display at Craven Cottage

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

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

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

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Dominic Lund

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

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

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

Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures	Date
Everton (h)	April 26th
Djurgarden (a)	May 1st
Liverpool (h)	May 4th
Djurgarden (h)	May 8th
Newcastle United (a)	May 11th

Elanga making a name for himself at Forest

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

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

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

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

Nottingham Forest are still in the hunt for a European place and look to be showing the same ambition in the transfer market as they circle for a talented defender, according to a report.

Nottingham Forest hopeful of statement summer window

Form has dipped at the City Ground over the last few weeks, and some supporters could be forgiven for getting a little twitchy over the Tricky Trees’ chances of Champions League qualification.

However, Nuno Espirito Santo has remained stoic in the face of Premier League rivals’ momentum, and there is still belief that a special ending could be in store for the Nottingham Forest faithful.

Regardless of how the rest of the campaign goes, there is optimism that an exciting summer window could be on the cards to help bridge the gap further after a valiant effort this term.

Showing their ambition, Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap is on Forest’s radar amid his £30 million relegation release clause, which has also attracted the eyes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

James McAtee could join his former Manchester City teammate after enduring a frustrating campaign at the Etihad Stadium that has resulted in limited minutes for the England Under-21 international.

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While the market is becoming increasingly globalised, proven Premier League operators appear to be the type of profile Nottingham Forest want to attract to enrich their playing squad.

There is also the carrot of arrivals from their own division potentially being homegrown, which is a vital component when it comes to meeting UEFA registration rules.

With that in mind, Nottingham Forest have now spotted another opportunity to try to land a Premier League star who could be on the move this summer.

Nottingham Forest closely pursuing Liverpool's Jarell Quansah

According to TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest are now closely pursuing Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah, who is also on the radar of Newcastle United this summer.

The Reds are said to value the England international at £29.7 million and could look to cash in on his services should they add another body to their rearguard during the off-season.

Pass accuracy

91.9%

Tackles won

8

Duels won

19

Aerial duels won

6

Recoveries

16

Interceptions

6

Labelled “absolutely brilliant” by journalist David Lynch, Quansah has made 24 appearances across all competitions this season, becoming a reliable contributor on Liverpool’s journey to claiming the Premier League title.

Nevertheless, he hasn’t been in the limelight as much as he would’ve hoped, which has left the door ajar for a potential exit to put himself in with a chance of regular minutes in 2025/26.

The 2026 World Cup isn’t too far in the distance, potentially amplifying urgency from his own perspective to make sure he is noticed by Thomas Tuchel in the lead-up to the finals.

Nottingham Forest are in a brilliant position to offer him that pathway. Now, it is about whether they can fend off competition from elsewhere for his signature.

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

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

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

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

The Ipswich players who could clinch promotion next year

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ipswich's £43m star in the making

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

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

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

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

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

Hutchinson & Ramsey
Statistics per 90	Hutchinson	Ramsey
Non-Penalty Expected G+As	0.19	0.21
Non-Penalty G+As	0.20	0.24
Goals per Shot	0.08	0.06
Key Passes	0.93	1.09
Through Balls	0.16	0.18
Shot-Creating Actions	2.59	2.97
Carries	26.1	28.2
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

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

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

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

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

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Arsenal will surely sign a new striker for big money this summer, but the question remains, who will it be?

The Gunners have scored just 64 goals in the Premier League this season, down from 91 last year and 88 the season before that, which is a major factor why they will conclude the campaign trophyless.

So, given that they’re unlikely to be unable to land Mikel Arteta’s dream target, are they about to snap-up an “electric” alternative?

Arsenal's search for a new striker

According to a report by Miguel Delaney of the Independent, Arsenal have ‘laid the groundwork’ as they continue to pursue RB Leipzig attacker Benjamin Šeško.

The Gunners attempted to sign the Slovenian international early last summer before the European Championships, but the 21-year-old decided to sign a new contract with Leipzig instead of moving to North London.

Now though, Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Deutschland claims that Šeško has a release clause worth €80m (around £68m), adding that a move ‘is also possible without triggering the clause’.

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Philipp Hinze, also of Sky Sports Deutschland, reports that Leipzig ‘don’t want to let’ him go but, with die Roten Bullen on course to miss out on Champions League qualification, all the indications are that Šeško will be on the move this summer, so could it be to Arsenal?

Why Benjamin Šeško would be a good signing for Arsenal

Of course, Šeško is not Arteta’s dream striker signing, that is Alexander Isak, with Sami Mokbel of BBC Sport outlining how he is top of the manager’s wishlist, while acknowledging that this move is very unlikely to happen, with Phil McNulty of BBC Sport adding that he cannot see Newcastle selling their ‘best player’ to a direct Premier League rival.

Meantime, speaking on the Arsecast Extra, James McNicholas adds that it is going to be near-impossible for Arsenal to sign the Swede if Newcastle qualify for the Champions League, which they’re very much on course to achieve, thereby meaning they’ll surely have to look elsewhere.

So, should Šeško be the next name on the list?

Well, analyst Ben Mattinson labels the Slovenian “electric”, praising his “two-footed ball-striking” ability, while Lee Scott of Total Football Analysis notes that he ‘possesses the ability to score a wide variety of goals’, which is certainly a useful skill to have, one that many members of Arsenal’s forward line do not.

Meantime, Luis Kircher of Total Football Analysis describes Šeško as an ‘exceptional talent’, while Alex Barker​​​​​​​ of Breaking the Lines believes the ‘hot prospect’ is destined for the top, sighting Matthias Jaissle, his former manager at RB Salzburg, who labelled him “a dream of a player”.

A 6 foot 4 monster of a centre-forward, much like Isak, the Leipzig man is very much a young version of his Newcastle counterpart. So let’s assess how the duo compare this season.

Benjamin Šeško vs Alexander Isak 2024/25 comparison

Statistics

Šeško

Isak

Appearances

43

40

Minutes

3,186

3,144

Goals

21

27

Assists

6

6

Goals – xG

+2.8

+2.2

Shots

121

129

Shots on target %

47.9%

43.4%

Shot-creating actions

56

89

Goals-creating actions

9

14

Big chances missed

18

20

Touches in opposition area per 90

4

7

Touches per 90

26

25

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com, SofaScore and Squawka

As the table outlines, in a near-identical number of minutes this season, Šeško and Isak’s statistics are often very similar, but with a few key differences.

Šeško boasts a slightly better goals – xG figure, while a higher percentage of his shots find the target, missing two-fewer Opta-defined big chances.

Meantime, Isak comes out on top when it comes to goals, shot-creating actions and pure total shots, while the Swede takes a higher proportion of his touches inside the opposition’s penalty area.

Nevertheless, if Isak is the unascertainable dream target, Šeško’s statistics suggest he would be a more than adequate, youthful alternative, firing Arsenal to the big trophies that they so desperately crave.

​​​​​​​

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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.

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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.

Liverpool have been rocked by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave Anfield on a free transfer this summer and join Real Madrid, perhaps the club’s biggest rival overseas since Jurgen Klopp first arrived.

Los Blancos bested Jurgen Klopp in two Champions League finals, after all. But players are wired differently to fans; they don’t have the same sense of allegiance.

And that’s not to Trent’s discredit. Few fans could truly berate any player their decision to try something new, should they only conduct themselves in the right manner.

At the end of the day, Alexander-Arnold is one of the game’s very most gifted, and he’s Liverpool’s homegrown hero besides. The local lad, the scouser in the team. The 26-year-old is swapping red for white this summer, having, frankly, swerved fans and chatter throughout the campaign. The boos chorused around Anfield, and maybe he needed to hear them.

Ultimately, there’s little that needs to be said on that front. Trent will leave and Liverpool must get on with it. Arne Slot is, by his own admission, “disappointed”, but the Dutch coach has already proven himself capable of overcoming adversity.

The Premier League title is Liverpool’s once more, and plans are already being drawn to replace Alexander-Arnold and go again next season. Jeremie Frimpong appears to be the man for the job.

Liverpool advancing talks for Frimpong

Change is afoot at Bayer Leverkusen. It’s been a disappointing season for Die Werkself, in a way, for they have failed to build on last season’s incredible title triumphs by adding more silverware to the cabinet.

Xabi Alonso will now replace Carlo Ancelotti in the Real Madrid dugout, and Frimpong, 24, is set to try his hand at something new too. The right-sider has been electric and effective on the wing at Leverkusen in recent years, instrumental in winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles last season, and undefeated at that.

For a shrewd €35m (£30m) outlay, owing to his release clause, it’s a move which makes a whole lot of sense, especially since Conor Bradley is being backed to continue his efforts as a first-team regular.

Liverpool’s move for Frimpong won’t break the bank but will bolster the backline with an exciting part. Let’s not forget, Liverpool are looking to make a fair few moves this summer.

Liverpool chasing new playmaking star

Frimpong is an exciting player, but he’s not got the same aura as his teammate, Florian Wirtz. There’s been plenty of noise recently relating to the German’s future, with Bayern Munich firmly ahead in the race to secure his signature.

However, a spanner may yet be thrown in the works. As per Kölner Stadt Anzeiger – via correspondent DaveOCKOP – Liverpool have opened talks with Wirtz’s representatives ahead of the summer window, who are feeling rather frustrated by erroneous reports that Bayern are on the brink of striking a deal.

Manchester City, who expect to part with Kevin De Bruyne, have also made contact. This could be the dream signing for the Reds, for sure, but the competition is thick and Wirtz would likely cost something in the ballpark of €150m (£126m).

Why Florian Wirtz would be the dream signing

Liverpool need to invest while they are on top, ensuring Slot is rewarded for his sensational Premier League triumph. Wirtz, who can play across the frontline, is only 22 but already stands proud as one of the finest attacking midfielders in Europe, described as “one of the world’s biggest talents” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Attacking midfield

169

48

57

Left winger

21

4

5

Right winger

17

8

5

Centre-forward

15

7

7

Central midfield

5

0

3

The data speaks for itself. Wirtz has already clinched 123 goal involvements across only 196 senior appearances with Leverkusen.

He’s one of the finest out there, and that’s why Liverpool must throw the kitchen sink at sealing a deal. Alexander-Arnold has been Liverpool’s creative lifeblood over the past eight years, but this German maestro could relocalise Slot’s playmaking hub.

As per FBref, Wirtz ranks among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goal contributions, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for passes attempted, the top 6% for progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

This level of ball-playing expertise is something that Liverpool could really do with placing into their ranks with Alexander-Arnold leaving. Frimpong will add a dimension, but he’s not an outright playmaker by any stretch.

Sofascore further the argument, revealing that the Germany international has created 17 big chances across 30 Bundesliga matches this term, averaging nearly two key passes every fixture.

Moreover, the Dutch defender will be expected to jockey with Bradley for a starting spot, whereas few would argue Wirtz would be anything other than a superstar in Slot’s Liverpool.

Kulig has also declared Wirtz a “little genius” after his extraordinary efforts in recent years, overcoming an ACL injury to retain his immense athleticism and hard-edged attacking approach.

This season alone, he’s plundered 16 goals and 15 assists from 44 outings in all competitions for Leverkusen. After picking up the Bundesliga’s Player of the Year award as an invincible champion in 2023/24, he’s certainly proved himself.

Make no mistake, Frimpong would be an excellent signing for Liverpool, but this deal would surely take the cake. In fact, it might prove to be the finest bit of business FSG have completed over the past decade, and they’ve hit the jackpot more than a few times.

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Spurs are serious about him as a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou.

5 ByEmilio Galantini May 16, 2025

Both sides have endured torrid Premier League campaigns, which fell miles below expectations, but the Europa League represents a chance to quite literally rescue Spurs’ season from the depths of mediocrity.

Son Heung-min

7.05

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.88

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Postecoglou’s squad has been hit with wave after wave of injuries to key players, especially midway through 2024/2025, and this cannot be discounted, amid reports that the Australian is likely facing his final few games in charge.

As Tottenham prepare for their most important match of the season by some distance against United, the club’s recruitment team are already working on reinforcing the squad for next season, regardless of who is in the dugout by that time.

Levy and technical director Johan Lange are rumoured to be targeting a new attacker or two in particular, with Tottenham intending to keep Mathys Tel beyond his loan from Bayern Munich alongside bringing in other names.

Spurs will reportedly need to err on the side of caution when it comes to expenditure, though, with reports claiming they may even need to adopt a sell to buy policy.

Luckily for Levy, a quality, in-form attacker, who looks set to be available for a very doable price, comes in the form of Lyon sensation Rayan Cherki.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed the campaign of his life with 12 goals and 19 assists. Interested clubs are able to sign Cherki for just £19 million as well, due to a bargain release clause in his contract.

Le Parisien reported earlier this week that Tottenham have made contact over signing Cherki, with GiveMeSport now following up that report with his stance on a switch to the Premier League.

Rayan Cherki tempted by Tottenham after "fresh" discussions

As per GMS, Spurs have held “fresh” discussions over signing Cherki, with the outlet backing up previous claims of an approach.

However, they add that the Frenchman has privately refused to rule out joining Tottenham behind-closed-doors, even if English champions Liverpool are his personal preference as things stand.

Despite Arne Slot’s side being his ideal destination, Spurs are touted as prime contenders for Cherki and north London is seen as a very credible destination for the player, so this could be one to watch.

The attacking midfielder is gaining a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting final third prodigies, and his very astute price tag makes this potential move all the more enticing from Levy’s perspective.

“He is the best natural talent I’ve ever seen,” said ex-Arsenal defender and Lyon teammate, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, to BBC Sport.

“An absolute master, a wizard with the ball.”

After missing out on the treble following defeat against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final, Celtic have reportedly made their first move to sign a 17-year-old wonderkid this summer.

Rodgers reacts to Aberdeen defeat

Taking charge of his 11th final in his career, Brendan Rodgers would have been hoping to see his side secure a domestic treble against Aberdeen to end their season. Their opponents had other ideas, however, and went onto hand the Celtic boss his first defeat in a final at his 11th attempt and caused a major upset.

It’s a human side of the Bhoys that the Scottish Premiership rarely saw throughout the season, but Aberdeen proved that it does exist. With that side of their game exposed too, Celtic will be desperate to double down on their dominance by retaining their crown once again next season.

Rodgers had his say on his side’s Scottish Cup final defeat, telling reporters: “This is a team that’s given me so much with their honesty and quality of their football. There’s been so many times when I’d sat in here and it’s been different. I’ve had 11 finals up here and down in England and this is my first loss.

“You have to accept that. It’s part of sport and part of football. And as long as you can look at it and reflect honestly then we can say we weren’t good enough in our quality. We’ve got no one else to blame.

“Domestically, we set out to win the league, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup and we were one game from doing that. But this shows you how challenging and how hard it is.”

Away from the pitch, meanwhile, the Scottish champions have already shifted their focus towards the summer transfer window and signing a 17-year-old wonderkid for Rodgers.

Celtic make first offer in Milosavljevic race

According to Meridian Sport in Serbia, as relayed by The Daily Record, Celtic submitted their first offer to sign Veljko Milosavljevic and have since had that offer knocked back by Red Star, who are demanding as much as €10m (£8.4m) to sell their wonderkid this summer.

The 17-year-old defender is quite rightly their prized asset and if the Bhoys want to secure his signature, it looks as though they’ll have to pay a hefty fee.

Still a teenager, Milosavljevic is already making his mark on senior football. For Red Star this season, he has started eight games in the Super Liga Srbije, whilst also making the bench for his side’s Champions League games against PSV Eindhoven and BSC Young Boys.

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Whilst he wouldn’t necessarily be granted the same opportunities from the off at Celtic, he could eventually grow into a key part of Rodgers’ side. As impressive as the teenager has been, it’s a positive that his best work is still a long way away.

Signing such impressive young players represents how Celtic could maintain their Scottish dominance and more this summer, starting with Red Star wonderkid Milosavljevic in the forthcoming transfer window.