A free agent who has already proven himself in the Premier League earlier in his career could now be willing to make the move to Everton.
Garner reveals Everton's change in mentality
The Blues have won three of their opening three league games this season, with the early signs suggesting that positive times lie ahead under David Moyes.
Midfielder James Garner has impressed in the opening weeks of the campaign, scoring in the 2-0 win at home to Brighton, and he has spoken about a shift in mentality that has taken place at Everton under their manager.
“He said to us on day one that he’s not come here to take over a team that’s fighting against relegation – he said it again on day one of pre-season. He sets high standards and we know where we want to be.
“We’ve got a few more faces in over the summer and with the quality we have in the squad now, we all agree with the manager – if you want to achieve big things, then you’ve got to set your standards and your goals high. I think you can see it in us. There is a mentality shift. We’re playing with more confidence, going into games thinking how we are going to take all three points, it’s not just surviving.
“We’ve done that in these first few games. Obviously, the first game [against Leeds] felt like a blip, I don’t think we played well, but we’ve responded and now the aim is to keep building momentum. We want to keep winning and keep that winning mentality – that was the message in the changing room amongst all of us after the Wolves game.”
While Everton’s improvements this season are clear, it is also important that further quality is added to the squad, and they have now been linked with a move for a free agent.
"Brilliant" free agent could be keen on joining Everton
Speaking to Goodison News, former Toffees scout Bryan King talked up the idea of Everton signing left-back Sergio Reguilon on a free transfer, who could be “willing” to move to Merseyside.
“He’s a free transfer, so it would certainly be an option to look at. They’re a bit stretched across the whole defence at the moment, with Branthwaite’s injury concerns. I would imagine that Reguilon would be more than willing to go and join a club like Everton. It seems like Everton are moving in a forward direction, instead of being in a relegation fight.”
Reguilon could be a shrewd signing for Everton, especially with Vitalii Mykolenko picking up an injury prior to the international break, with the 28-year-old an experienced player.
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The Spaniard actually scored against the Blues for Tottenham in a 5-0 win back in 2021/22, and he has 81 Premier League appearances to his name.
Reguilon was once hailed as “brilliant” by Noel Whelan, and he could bring a good mix of defensive solidity and attacking thrust to Everton’s team, with a return to English football potentially appealing to him as he searches for a new club.
On three occasions, the third umpire ruled Capitals batters to be not out, seemingly not considering the stumps lighting up as the point at which the wicket should be considered broken
S Sudarshanan15-Feb-2025Three contentious run-out decisions occurred in the closing stages of Delhi Capitals’ (DC) last-ball win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Vadodara. In all three instances, third umpire Gayathri Venugopalan ruled not out, seemingly not considering the LED stumps lighting up as the point at which the wicket should be considered broken.Former India captain Mithali Raj, in her role as commentator, said that two of those decisions – involving Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav – should have gone in favour of MI. “Pandey was given not out while the batter had the bat on the line,” Raj said while speaking on JioHotstar after the match.”When you dive and your bat first hits the ground [inside the crease] and then it [bounces up] because you have to dive full stretch, then it is not out. [But] with Radha Yadav, we can see the blade of the bat up. It is nowhere touching any part of the ground [inside] the crease [when the LED stumps light up]. That means she is out. The bat was never in the crease. That is pretty much out.”Related
Zing-bail glitch prompts WPL rule change: Wicket broken only when bail fully dislodged
Priya Mishra sets up easy win for Giants
Shafali Verma, Niki Prasad star as DC seal last-ball thriller
Appendix D of the WPL 2025 playing conditions has this to say on what constitutes the wicket being broken when there are LED stumps in play: “Where LED wickets are used, the moment at which the wicket has been put down shall be deemed to be the first frame in which the LED lights are illuminated and subsequent frames show the bail permanently removed from the top of the stumps.”The Pandey incident happened first ball for her, in the 18th over of Capitals’ chase. After stepping across the stumps and missing a heave, she looked to steal a bye but was sent back by Niki Prasad. There was a direct-hit at the striker’s end and, after the batters stole a bye on the deflection, the run-out appeal was referred to the TV umpire. The replays showed that Pandey’s bat was on the line when the LED stumps first lit up. However, the TV umpire rolled forward and based her not-out decision on the next frame, in which the bails visibly came off the groove, by which time Pandey’s bat was inside the crease.
Not sure why the umpire tonight has decided that the zinger bails are not applicable? Once bails lights up connection is lost therefore wicket is broken! That is in the playing conditions! Have seen more confusion in last 10 mins than ever before #WPL2025 #MIvDC #wpl #runout
— Mike Hesson (@CoachHesson) February 15, 2025
MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur was seemingly not pleased with the decision and had a chat with the on-field umpires N Janani and Anish Sahasrabudhe. The bye brought DC’s equation down to 24 off 14 balls, and Pandey was run-out mid-way through the 19th.Two balls after that, another mix-up meant Radha was diving to make her crease at the striker’s end even while Prasad was also mid-pitch. The throw went to the striker’s end – had it gone to the non-striker’s end, Prasad would likely have been well short. Wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia broke the stumps even as Radha dived with the face of the bat up, with no part of the bat seemingly touching the ground beyond the crease line when the LED stumps lit up. Again, the umpire seemed to disregard this and base her decision on when the bails visibly lifted off their grove, by which time Radha was safe. She was given not out and she hit a six next ball, bringing the equation down to 10 off 6.
Have misunderstood the rules? Were those 2 run outs…out? #WPL
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) February 15, 2025
With two needed off the last two balls, Prasad holed out to deep midwicket, bringing Arundhati Reddy in to face the final ball. She chipped it over cover, where it just evaded Harmanpreet running backwards. With the batters going back for the second – the winning run – Harmanpreet fired a flat throw to Bhatia, who broke the wicket as Reddy dived full-stretch. Once again the frame when the LED stumps lit up for the first time showed Reddy’s bat on the line, but the third umpire looked at later frames and concluded “the batter has made her ground before the wicket is completely dislodged”. The DC players celebrated, and the MI players didn’t seem to protest.
Newcastle United have done some major business this summer, and their first Premier League game of the season allowed them to see their new winger, Anthony Elanga, in black and white, but they have to wait a little longer to see some of the other signings in action.
Monday’s clash with Liverpool could allow fans the opportunity to see their new defender, Malick Thiaw, and their new midfielder, Jacob Ramsey. It’s unlikely that their loanee goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, will displace Nick Pope in any of the major Premier League fixtures, but fans could see him in action once Newcastle enter the domestic cups and the Champions League.
Ahead of the clash, Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, spoke of the attacking threat that Newcastle poses, even without Isak, and provided an injury update that will give the Magpies a confidence boost as he revealed that Jeremie Frimpong will be unavailable for the fixture.
Behind the scenes, the board are continuing to work on improving the attack that already causes concern for the Premier League-winning manager by approaching one of last season’s Champions League finalists about one of their up-and-coming talents.
Newcastle approach Inter over promising young striker
Inter Milan fans at the San Siro.
Newcastle United have “come forward” to Inter Milan to sign striker Francesco Pio Esposito. The 20-year-old has spent the last two seasons on loan at Spezia and is yet to make his Inter debut. Atalanta are also said to have approached Inter about signing Pio Esposito, while Napoli have submitted a bid worth around £38.9 million.
These reports come from Italy, via Sports Witness, and with Napoli’s bid rejected, Howe’s side are reportedly reluctant to pursue the transfer further unless Inter change their stance. The Italians are looking to move players on in the last few weeks of the window, but they would prefer to keep Pio Esposito, seeing him as a player for the future. They are more inclined to sell Mehdi Taremi, with Fulham reportedly interested in the Iranian striker.
Why Newcastle are considering a move for "terrorising" Pio Esposito
Newcastle look to be pushing to sign Brentford’s Yoanne Wissa as a replacement for Isak, but Pio Esposito would further add to their attacking depth.
The Italy under-20s star could also serve as a replacement for Callum Wilson, who left Tyneside for West Ham when his contract expired. The 33-year-old only scored once in 22 appearances for Newcastle last season, so Pio Esposito would likely be an immediate upgrade. Last season at Spezia, the youngster scored 19 Serie B goals, making him the league’s second-highest goalscorer. He was also the only teenager in the league’s top 125 goalscorers.
Italian football expert Siavoush Fallahi had previously shared on X his thoughts about the Italian youngster.
He continued: “Strong, big guy, who’ll strike if the ball falls to him. Terrorising for defenders because they’ll keep him quiet for all game but then he’ll turn up and score, useful for the team, I love that randomness of crosses into the box randomly ending at his feet. Stuff happens around him”.
If Newcastle can change Inter’s mind on selling Pio Esposito, then they will have a very talented player on their hands. Potentially, they could approach Inter to loan Pio Esposito, so the Italian side doesn’t lose him permanently, and Newcastle have a temporary replacement for Wilson.
Manchester City lost one of their key players over the summer. Kevin De Bruyne departed the club after a decade, leaving as one of the all-time great players, not only in City’s history, but in the entirety of the Premier League, given his record and the fact that he is a six-time champion.
He featured 422 times for the Citizens in total, scoring 108 goals and assisting a remarkable 117 times. His loss is certainly going to impact City, as the Belgian legend embarks on a new adventure for Scudetto winners Napoli, under Antonio Conte.
With De Bruyne gone, City will need to replace him well to ensure they maximise the likes of Erling Haaland. In recent days, a shock link has emerged for Pep Guardiola’s side.
City’s latest transfer targets
It will be fascinating to see just how much money City spend before the end of the 2025 summer transfer window. Reports in recent days suggest they are plotting an ambitious £85m move for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Brazilian might not be the only marquee player through the door at the Etihad Stadium before the window slams shut. According to talkSPORT, they are ‘contemplating a stunning hijack’ for Chelsea’s deal to sign RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons.
The Dutchman has been a long-term target for the West Londoners this summer and has agreed personal terms, but City could ‘come in and try to complete a deal themselves’, with no fee yet agreed.
RB Leipzig'sXaviSimonsreacts after the match
Leipzig are looking for £60m, and with Chelsea around £10m, it could give City a chance to hijack the move.
Why Simons would be a good signing
There is no doubt that Simons is a hugely exciting talent. The Leipzig attacker, who can play right across the frontline, has shone in the last couple of years for the German side, and was once described as a “sensation” by football scout Antonio Mango.
Last season, the youngster, who is still just 22 years of age, played 33 times for Leipzig, scoring 11 times and assisting a further eight goals. He struggled with an ankle injury and missed a large portion of the season between October and December.
Some of his stats from the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign are impressive and show his ability to create chances in the final third. For example, the former Barcelona academy star averaged 5.86 progressive passes and 2.13 key passes each game, placing him in the top 5% and 15% respectively.
Simons key stats from 24/25 Bundesliga
Stat (per 90)
Number
Percentile
Goals and assists
0.67
84th
Progressive passes
5.86
95th
Key passes
2.13
85th
Carries into final third
2.97
97th
Ball recoveries
5.36
9th
Stats from FBref
It is that kind of creativity that will serve Haaland well. The Norwegian striker has been a revelation for City and has a sensational record for the club. In 146 games, he’s found the back of the net 124 times, chipping in with 21 assists.
Yet, taking a player with the quality of De Bruyne out of the City team would surely impact Haaland if they don’t replace him well. The pair combined for 25 goals, and Haaland has never linked up with a player more times in his career, as per Transfermarkt.
It is certainly a big job for Simons if he were to step into De Bruyne’s shoes this season. Just looking at the numbers he managed to put up with Haaland shows just how dominant the pair were together.
Yet, the Dutchman, who was born in Amsterdam, has put up some fantastic numbers over the past couple of seasons and is a consistent chase creator, as the above number showed. It is easy to imagine Haaland getting on the end of passes such as this one to new Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko.
Of course, £60m is a huge investment for City to make, given they have bought a lot of players already this summer. Yet, they need a quality De Bruyne replacement, and Simons has the ability to become that player.
Xavi Simons celebrates
Haaland would love a new De Bruyne this season, and perhaps City have found their answer in the talented young Dutchman.
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Man City are still not done in the summer transfer window
Queensland and Tasmania share the points after only 16 overs were possible due to rain and bad light, with Renshaw posting 51 off 36
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2024Matt Renshaw’s first half-century of a new summer was the only shining light on an otherwise gloomy day in Melbourne as Queensland and Tasmania shared the One-Day Cup points on offer after rain and bad light meant only 16 overs were possible.Renshaw made 51 off 36 balls with four fours and three sixes as Queensland posted 128 for 5 from the only play possible on a day where rain delayed the start by four-and-a-half hours and bad light ended it early.Persistent rain fell at the Junction Oval on Wednesday ensuring no play was possible until 2.30pm. The rain meant the match was shortened to a 20-over affair, albeit with 50-over powerplay rules in place. Tasmania unsurprisingly sent Queensland in having been skittled by Victoria on the same surface two days earlier.They made early breakthroughs with Gabe Bell removing Ben McDermott while Beau Webster picked up Max Bryant. Renshaw and new Queensland recruit Lachlan Hearne then shared a 79-run stand in just 8.4 overs. They struck seven fours and four sixes between them before Webster broke the stand.Matt Kuhnemann got his first wicket for his new state against his old side, bowling former team-mate Jack Wildermuth for 8. Hearne holed out to deep midwicket off Bell in the 15th over before the umpires checked the light after 16 overs and called a halt to proceedings. Play never resumed and the points were shared.Queensland will remain in Melbourne and face Victoria on Friday with Australia Test opener Usman Khawaja set to play after missing the clash with Tasmania.
It’s safe to say the summer window started slowly for Arsenal, but over the last few days, things have roared into life for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta may not have his elusive centre forward quite yet – Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres will have to wait – but Andrea Berta has been busy nonetheless.
The club’s new sporting director has already wrapped up three deals – pending confirmation – that will see backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga arrive in a £5m move from Chelsea, Martin Zubimendi sign for over £50m from Real Sociedad and Brentford captain, Christian Norgaard, join.
Still, there could be a fourth deal wrapped up very shortly, with talks reportedly underway to sign 20-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia.
As we said, Berta has been a busy beaver but he’s not done yet.
Arsenal in talks to sign Premier League star
Arteta has enjoyed shopping for proven Premier League talent since becoming Arsenal manager.
Some of his most successful deals have seen the Spaniard prise away stars of the English top-flight, most notably Declan Rice.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Rice could have fallen flat under the weight of his £105m price tag but the midfielder has made that price look like a bargain, specifically after those two free-kicks against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
David Raya – the division’s Golden Glove winner – was also picked up from Brentford, while Leandro Trossard, Arsenal’s second top scorer in 2023/24 with 17 strikes, came in from Brighton.
Arsenal's DavidRaya
That’s not forgetting Gabriel Jesus too. While the Brazilian has fallen by the wayside in the last two seasons, primarily due to injury, the forward was electric in the opening months of his Gunners career.
Signed from Manchester City, the club’s number 9 bagged five goals in his first eight league matches.
Now, in the summer of 2025, Arsenal are turning their attention to the Premier League again with Eberechi Eze in their crosshairs.
Crystal Palace's EberechiEzecelebrates with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
That’s according to the Sun, who reported this week that Berta has already held talks with one of the representatives of Eze.
It’s alleged that the north Londoners are set to go head to head with fierce rivals, Spurs, in order to get a deal across the line.
The Crystal Palace star has a £68m release clause in his contract, which according to a different source, can be paid in three instalments of £20m, plus £8m in add-ons.
That same source reports that Arsenal have actually already agreed personal terms with Eze and his camp.
Why Eze could be Arsenal's new Saka
Bukayo Saka has been the poster boy for the Arteta project at the Emirates Stadium, and in the words of journalist Charles Watts, he is already the “best right winger in the world.”
Despite missing a large part of last season with a hamstring problem, Saka still finished the campaign on 12 goals and 15 assists, topping the tree at the club for that second metric.
Blessed with magical flair, creativity and the ability to produce something out of nothing, Eze is cut from a very similar cloth, not least because he also came through the Hale End academy.
The Arsenal youth system is highly regarded and we’ve seen, particularly in the last five to six years, a whole wealth of talent come through the ranks.
From Saka to Emile Smith Rowe and Ethan Nwaneri to Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arteta certainly has a lot to thank the academy for.
Eze was also part of that same system once upon a time but was released in 2011 when he was just 13 years of age.
After that setback, the Palace superstar headed to Fulham, Reading, Millwall and then QPR, where he finally found a home for himself. His rise since then has been meteoric. He’s now one of the most exciting players in the Premier League, and he’s a full England international too.
That wouldn’t have been possible without an incredible mentality, one that saw him overcome the adversity of being canned by Arsenal at such a young age.
Speaking in an interview back in 2020, Eze commented on the situation, revealing that it left him highly emotional.
In a further interview, the 26-year-old revealed how his mindset helped him to get over the whole ordeal.
“My dream was to play for them [Arsenal] so hearing them say no at 13 was tough and I remember training after I got released and I couldn’t focus. I was crying but I think that helped me so much in the other rejections because if I can get through Arsenal releasing me I can get through any other club releasing me. My mindset was if it was not going to be Arsenal I have to find somewhere else.”
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
Having got over that, Eze has taken the long way around to get to where he is now. It may have been a less glamorous route than Saka’s path to stardom but they certainly share the same mental fortitude and, vitally, similar attributes.
Far too often Arsenal’s talismanic number 7 has been left with everything to do in the final third. Players around him don’t chip in as regularly but in Eze, someone capable of rivalling Martin Odegaard, he’d find his match.
According FBref’s similar players tool, Saka is adjudged to be one of the most like-minded players in the Premier League to Saka, alongside the likes of Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers.
Eze might not have the left foot that Arsenal’s number 7 has but his positional versatility could be key. He primarily features through the middle as more of a no.10, however, he can also shine on the left-hand side.
Saka hasn’t played much behind the striker in his career, but like Eze, he loves to find space in central pockets as he attempts to dance his way through the defence.
So, what does the data say?
Eze vs Saka: 2024/25 Premier League
Stat (per 90 mins)
Eze
Saka
Goals
0.28
0.31
Assists
0.28
0.52
Shots
3.47
3.44
Expected goals (xG)
0.36
0.35
Key passes
2.01
3.02
Progressive passes
3.37
3.65
Successful take-ons
2.33
2.14
Carries
29.2
32.7
Progressive carries
2.40
5.00
Carries into final 3rd
1.67
1.67
Stats via FBref.
Well, Saka is certainly the more progressive and more aggressive when it comes to carries and overall assists, but let us remember that Palace are hardly a team that has the ball regularly enough for Eze to create at a similar rate as his international colleague.
Last season, Oliver Glasner’s men sat 17th in the league for average possession, enjoying just 42.4% of the ball. In contrast, Arsenal sat third with 57.1% of possession.
On that evidence, Saka is always going to produce higher numbers in the final third but the fact the two England stars are as close as they are for metrics like successful take-ons, key passes and progressive passes suggests that Eze’s numbers could soar to new heights at a team like Arsenal, a ball dominant side.
The Eagles star may not play in the same position as Saka but he could just be the right-footed version.
£68m is a lot to pay when you also need to get a striker over the line this summer but given it could be paid in instalments, this really does feel like a no-brainer for the Gunners.
He’s like Saka, he’s Premier League proven, and he’s always dreamt of playing for the club. What’s not to like?
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The dynamic winger could provide Arsenal with another avenue of attack next season.
Huge lead with two days remaining, as Derbyshire face prospect of saving innings defeat
ECB Reporters Network01-Jul-2024
James Wharton made a career-best 188 for Yorkshire•Getty Images
James Wharton and Jonny Tattersall shared a record-breaking stand before rain frustrated Yorkshire on the second day of the Vitality County Championship match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.The pair shared a partnership of 241, Yorkshire’s highest for the sixth wicket against Derbyshire, as the visitors moved to 416 for 6 when play was abandoned shortly before 4.30pmWharton faced 241 balls for his career-best 188 which contained 23 fours and six sixes with Tattersall 93 not out off 151 balls to give Yorkshire a lead of 340.Yorkshire had been unrelenting with the ball on day one and there was no respite for Derbyshire as Wharton and Tattersall batted through a rain-shortened first session.With Derbyshire bowling spin from both ends to improve their over-rate, they did much as they pleased to eclipse a record which had stood for more than a hundred years.Wharton twice dispatched the leg spin of Mitch Wagstaff for six and after surviving a difficult chance to deep cover on 147, he reached 150 off 180 balls, 104 of them coming in boundaries.Tattersall’s contribution was not as eye-catching but was just as valuable in putting Yorkshire into a near impregnable position and the pair eased past the county’s previous highest sixth wicket stand against Derbyshire of 178 set by Emmott Robinson and Cecil Burton in 1921.Derbyshire eventually claimed a second new ball after 89 overs and after Wharton drove Daryn Dupavillon through the covers to bring up the 400, rain brought another prosperous session for the visitors to a close.When play resumed after lunch, Dupavillon finally broke through by having Wharton caught at second slip for the 12th highest individual score against Derbyshire in Yorkshire’s history.He departed to a standing ovation and warm congratulations from the Derbyshire fielders who recognised how well he had played in far from straight-forward conditions.Jordan Thompson announced his intentions by hitting two fours before more rain stopped play with Tattersall seven short of a century.and that proved to be the final action on a day when only 35.1 overs were bowled.
It must be said: Liverpool are perhaps enjoying a better summer transfer window than they ever did under Jurgen Klopp.
FSG’s incisiveness gives us all the material we need to surmise their Anfield ambitions over the coming years. Though afflicted by the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who left for Real Madrid on a free transfer, Jeremie Frimpong has joined from Bayer Leverkusen in a £29.5m deal to jockey with Conor Bradley for the right-back berth.
And with Milos Kerkez on the cusp of replacing Andy Robertson, 31, who is being targeted by Atletico Madrid as he enters the last year of his contract, Arne Slot’s new-look defensive flanks could be solidified for many exciting years to come.
The Premier League champions should also see Florian Wirtz follow Frimpong from Leverkusen to sign for the Reds in what could rise to a British-record £116m fee (£100m will be paid upfront and a further £16m is possible through add-ons).
The elite playmaker allegedly rejected interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester City to join Liverpool, with his medical set for this week.
Florian Wirtz
Liverpool have turned a corner, all right, now acting like the behemoth they are. However, such signings are fantastic, but Liverpool’s priority perhaps remains at number nine, with a new centre-forward needed to ease Mohamed Salah’s talismanic burden.
Why Liverpool need a new striker
Three years ago (almost to the day), Liverpool signed Darwin Nunez from Benfica in an initial £64m deal. It could have reached a club-record £85m fee, but that never happened, largely because of the Uruguayan’s stop-start performances.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
Now, he’s going to be sold, with suitors in the Saudi Pro League and mounting interest in Serie A, Napoli and AC Milan both keen on completing a deal.
He needs to go, and Salah needs help. The Egyptian has just turned 33 and the balance of output must be spread across Slot’s frontline next year, lest he be overwhelmed by responsibility once again.
Looking at the forwards’ respective hauls across the 2024/25 season, it’s interesting that Nunez and Diogo Jota, the two recognised central strikers, languished near the bottom, better only than the rarely-played Federico Chiesa.
Mohamed Salah
38 (38)
29
18
Luis Diaz
36 (28)
13
7
Cody Gakpo
35 (23)
10
5
Diogo Jota
26 (14)
6
4
Darwin Nunez
30 (8)
5
3
Federico Chiesa
6 (1)
0
0
The expectation is that Nunez will be sold, but he will be sold as a Premier League champion, having also registered four goal involvements en route to lifting the Carabao Cup in 2023/24 too.
Salah needs a new dance partner, and there so happens to be one on FSG’s radar.
Liverpool remain in race for new striker
As per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool remain in the race for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike alongside Chelsea, though Manchester United are ramping up their efforts for the striker, with club-to-club talks having begun last week.
This shows that Liverpool will need to accelerate their own interest, but likely, they will struggle to do so until Nunez has been offloaded. Crucially, this will need to happen soon, although Plettenberg’s earlier report on the matter claims the French forward is aware of Anfield’s plan.
However, with Frankfurt obstinately holding onto their €100m (£85m) valuation, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool or indeed anyone will pay up, with Chelsea already sounding out alternatives.
This is followed by transfer insider Graeme Bailey’s claim that the Merseyside outfit can be considered frontrunners after holding talks, and that the player’s entourage have informed interested parties that he might actually be available for a cheaper figure than Frankfurt want.
Why Liverpool should sign Ekitike
Ekitike is only 22, but he’s already proved himself capable of approaching world-class level, with analyst Ben Mattinson even declaring him as “one of the best strikers out there” in March.
This has been ratified by the data: not only did Ekitike finish the campaign with 22 goals and 12 assists across all competitions, but he also wrapped it up ranked among the top 4% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last year for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive carries and successful take-ons, and the top 19% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.
He’s come a long way already, only scoring four times and making 33 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain before being loaned out and then sold, having signed the Reims prospect for €35m (£30m) in July 2022.
Perhaps the Eagles want too much, but that’s up to sporting director Richard Hughes to engineer a more agreeable package for one of the most talented frontmen out there.
His elegance and underlying data suggest he could not only help Salah maintain his high level of performance but also become Slot’s very own version of the Premier League all-timer.
In 2017, when Liverpool purchased Salah from Roma in a deal worth £34m, few expected him to become a superstar under Jurgen Klopp, having previously failed to make it work with Chelsea, scoring twice over 19 games before being offloaded to Italy.
Now, he’s a legend, having scored 245 goals and provided 113 assists across 401 trophy-filled fixtures as a Liverpool sensation.
Salah is chiefly a deadly marksman, but he’s also something of an underrated playmaker. Of course, all know of his impressive creativity, but perhaps not so much his highest-station calibre in that regard, among conversations with some all-timers in the ball-playing department.
But it’s not just the way these two will play together (although that’s a tantalising thought), but indeed Ekitike could prove to be Liverpool’s next version of the Egyptian King, albeit in a different attacking position.
As we have discussed, Ekitike is enjoying new prolific heights but this stands atop the wide foundations of an expansive skill set, with all the facets no doubt gleaned by Liverpool’s renowned data-driven team.
The same was true for Salah, who enjoyed his time in Italy, earning praise for his goalscoring, but was far more even in that earlier iteration.
Matches (starts)
34 (32)
31 (29)
Goals
14
15
Assists
6
11
Shots (on target)*
2.1 (0.9)
2.6 (1.1)
Big chances missed
8
16
Pass completion
83%
80%
Big chances created
8
13
Key passes*
1.9
2.4
Dribbles*
1.6
1.2
Tackles + interceptions*
1.0
1.2
Duels won*
3.7
3.1
As you can see, he was consistent in his playmaking, dribbling and crispness in retaining possession, also chipping in with a lively amount of defensive work, also winning a fair amount of duels on a game-by-game basis.
And you could even draw upon the right winger’s 16 big chances missed on that final campaign in Rome, scoring 15 times. Ekitike actually mirrored that in the German top division last season, 15 goals, 16 big chances squandered.
Hugo Ekitike for Frankfurt.
His constant drive forward, electric and connective with those around him, project the style of a complete forward, something Liverpool typically like at number nine and, of course, a style which Salah has used to wreak havoc on the Premier League for so many years.
Liverpool saw something that others didn’t and welcomed Salah as he was getting going. Now they are basking in the glory of it, have been for many years.
By following this well-beaten internal path, they might just hit the jackpot once again, landing an “incredible” new attacking asset, as Ekitike has been called by teammate Rasmus Kristensen.
Salah’s is a story of merciless predation on hapless Premier League and European defences. His greatness is carved into the division and Liverpool’s most fundamental history; have a conversation about the best of the best, and he shall be named.
Ekitike’s got a long way to go, but he too has weathered the storm of a tough start to life at one of the continent’s superpowers, and having taken a so-called step down to find his feet, is now ready to move to the Premier League and become one of the best of the best.
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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?
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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.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskobefore taking a penalty
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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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.
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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.
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