Aston Villa are planning talks to complete the signing of a “fantastic” player with a huge future, with Donyell Malen potentially part of the deal.
Aston Villa want Douglas Luiz reunion
The Villans continue to work hard on new signings ahead of the upcoming Premier League season, as they look to push on and get back into the Champions League.
Arguably the most intriguing current Villa-related transfer story has seen them linked with a move for former midfielder Douglas Luiz, with the Brazilian seemingly allowed to leave Juventus this summer.
Luiz was a popular figure during his first stint at Villa Park, bagging 46 goal contributions in 204 appearances from the middle of the park, and Unai Emery described him as a “very important” figure. For that reason, he could love the idea of bringing him back to the club this summer.
Elsewhere, Barcelona forward Ferran Torres has been linked with a move to Villa before next season gets started, with the Spaniard not a key man at the Camp Nou. He has Premier League experience from his time at Manchester City, and he could add much-needed firepower, potentially even replacing Ollie Watkins at the heart of Emery’s attack.
Aston Villa ready talks for "fantastic" £18m forward
According to a new report from Aksam [via Sport Witness], Aston Villa are interested in signing Besiktas star Semih Kilicsoy this summer, with talks planned over a possible move to the club. The likes of Newcastle United and Leeds United have also been mentioned as suitors for the 19-year-old recently, who could be on the move for around £18m.
It is also claimed that Malen could head in the opposite direction as part of a swap deal, with the Dutchman falling out of favour at Villa Park.
Kilicsoy is a player with a big future in the game, having already achieved plenty at the age of 19, becoming an important figure for Besiktas.
The young centre forward has 16 goals in 85 appearances at senior level for his current side – he netted an impressive 42 times in 64 outings for the Under-19s – and football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as “fantastic” in the past.
While Kilicsoy isn’t yet the finished article, given his tender years, he could be a great squad signing for Villa from the off, before maturing into more of a star figure as the years pass.
Big McGinn upgrade: Aston Villa make contact to sign £138k-p/w "engine"
Aston Villa are set to target a new midfielder this summer
ByJoe Nuttall Jul 9, 2025
If the Villans were able to sign him and a more experienced striker this summer, it will stand them in good stead moving forward, especially if Watkins moves on to pastures new.
It finally happened: After weeks of waiting, Arsenal announced their first signing of the summer transfer window.
Granted, it might not be the most exciting deal of all time, but acquiring a player of Kepa Arrizabalaga’s quality for just £5m is astute business and helps address the issue of a backup goalkeeper.
However, while the likes of Eberchi Eze and Rodrygo are also being touted for moves to the club, so too is another Chelsea player, Noni Madueke.
Noni Madueke for Chelsea
Fortunately, another Premier League winger has now been linked with Arsenal, a player who’d be a way better signing than the Blues star.
Arsenal target Madueke upgrade
It’s become something of a running joke that a transfer window is not fully complete until Arsenal sign a Chelsea player, and with Madueke now being linked with the North Londoners, there is a chance they could sign two.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to reports from as recently as yesterday, the Gunners might have already submitted an offer to the English international.
It’s not entirely clear how much he’d cost Mikel Arteta’s side, but based on stories from late last month, the fee could be around the £50m mark.
While he might be talented, it’s hard to imagine fans being particularly on board with signing another of the Blues’ seemingly unwanted attacking players, so it’s good news that they’ve now been linked with another winger target: Anthony Elanga.
At least that’s according to a recent report from TBR Football, which claims that the Gunners are one of several sides interested in the Nottingham Forest star.
Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Newcastle United are all keen on the dynamic wideman, with the Toon already making an offer.
On top of having to contend with the fierce competition, the North Londoners will also have to stump up a fee of around £60m to get their man.
It won’t be an easy transfer to get over the line, but Elanga has shown he could be a valuable addition to a team like Arsenal, and a far better signing than Madueke at that.
How Elanga compares to Madueke
So, if it comes down to signing one winger or the other, why would Arsenal be better off going for Elanga over Madueke?
Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga
Well, aside from the fact that a new left-winger feels like a more pressing need following the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri last season, the Nottingham Forest star is simply the more dangerous attacker.
For example, in 43 appearances for the Tricky Trees last season, the Hyllie-born phenom racked up a tally of six goals and 12 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal or assist every 2.38 games.
In contrast, despite playing for a team that finished higher up the Premier League table, the Barnet-born wideman has scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 44 appearances, three of which have come at the Club World Cup, which works out to an average of a goal or assist every 2.58 games.
Moreover, the one-sided nature of the comparison only extends when we take a look under the hood, at their respective underlying numbers from last season.
Non-Penalty G+As
0.61
0.44
Progressive Passes
2.27
3.05
Progressive Carries
3.67
6.81
Key Passes
1.80
1.42
Passes into the Final Third
1.15
0.71
Shot-Creating Actions
3.67
3.50
Goal-Creating Actions
0.65
0.35
For example, the former Manchester United gem comes out on top in most relevant metrics, including some truly key ones, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, key passes and shot and goal-creating actions per 90.
Finally, on top of having the output and statistics fall in his favour, the Swedish international has one more advantage over the Chelsea ace: his blistering pace.
Now, the Englishman is no slouch, but the Forest star is unusually quick, so much so that he dubbed himself “one of the fastest players in the league.”
That might sound a little arrogant, but it’s true, as his speed of 36.91km/h against Tottenham Hotspur in April 2024 was the fourth-fastest sprint in Premier League history.
Ultimately, Elanga is clearly the superior player to Madueke, and if Arsenal are going to be signing a new winger from the Premier League, they’d be far better off going for him over the Blues ace.
A better signing than Sesko: Arsenal exploring move to sign £70m "machine"
Arsenal are looking to strengthen their attack this summer and could spend more than £70m on doing so.
Everton fans still have around two months to wait until they’re able to watch their beloved Toffees play at the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium in the Premier League.
Brighton and Hove Albion will be the first tricky visitors standing in the way of David Moyes and Co. on that memorable afternoon, with August also seeing the Merseyside outfit travel to Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in search of some early-season results.
Everton manager DavidMoyesreacts
Moyes will hope he’s backed in the transfer window ahead of his side moving into their new home for good, with one transfer target now on the agenda that could boost the Scotsman’s numbers in the midfield department.
Everton in contact to sign £13m star
The Toffees are yet to bring in any new faces this summer but with the window now in full swing, TFG must press on and strengthen ahead of their first game at their new home.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, as per a report by Turkish outlet Sabah, Everton has now initiated contact with ex-Manchester United midfielder Fred’s agent over a potential summer deal.
The report does state that the Brazilian is well-liked by his current Fenerbahce boss in Jose Mourinho, but Everton remain keen.
Fred in action for Fenerbache.
However, the high reported price tag of £13m might well put off TFG, with the Turkish giants actually purchasing Fred for a far more modest £7.7m after his bumpy Old Trafford stay had finished.
How Fred can be Everton's next Doucoure
Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the South American when situated in the red half of Manchester, but if Everton were successful in their advances, they could be about to win an ideal replacement for Abdoulaye Doucoure, with the long-standing Toffees servant no longer on the books of Moyes’ men after his contract expired.
It was a sad severing of the ties when Doucoure was officially announced to be departing Merseyside, considering the Malian had scored many a vital strike from the midfield areas across his 166 games, with that goal against Bournemouth definitely the most important one of his 21-goal collection in pushing Everton away from the perilous drop.
But, with his wage coming in at a hefty £130k-per-week as per Capology, it might well have been deemed a necessary alteration to make, with slightly cheaper alternatives on the table in Fred, who earns a lesser £113k-per-week pay packet himself.
Moreover, whilst Doucoure had enamoured Everton fans with his entertaining displays from the center of the park, Fred can offer that same goalscoring ability in abundance, with 14 goals and 19 assists collected for the Red Devils, away from his promising output of five goals and six assists in 2024/25 for Mourinho’s titans.
Erik ten Hag would even go out of his way to label the 32-time Brazil international as “magnificent” when the pair were together at the Theatre of Dreams, with Fred no doubt also hungry to return to the English game to prove a point, having become a scapegoat during tough recent times at United.
CM
296
29
34
DM
99
5
13
AM
31
4
4
RM
22
4
5
LM
4
1
2
LB
1
0
0
To sum up his woes in Manchester, journalist John Deehan labelled Fred as a “headless chicken” , but his career and time in Turkey paint an opposing picture – especially as Everton hunt down a capable Doucoure replacement.
Indeed, the former Toffees midfielder would line up all over the midfield department during his lengthy Everton journey, whether that be as a number ten, as a traditional central face, or as a defensive anchor, with Fred able to offer that in spades too to ease Moyes’ worries about his midfield depth in the wake of the ex-Watford battler’s exit.
Fred
With 83 appearances and counting in both the Europa League and the Champions League, Fred’s arrival on the scene might also help Everton push up the league standings in their fresh, state-of-the-art stadium, away from any future relegation scraps.
It would be a risk, considering the Brazilian had a reputation at the Red Devils for fading in and out of contests. But, as an option to bolster after Doucoure’s departure, it could well prove to be an inspired signing.
He's Ndiaye 2.0: Everton enter race to sign "wonderful" star
Everton have yet to make a signing this summer to bolster their squad.
Responding to the abject failure of Tony Mowbray returning to the West Bromwich Albion hot-seat, the Championship outfit has gone down the more modern, if untested route of appointing Ryan Mason.
Of course, the Baggies have excelled in the past when going after a manager once regarded as a second-in-command figure, with Carlos Corberan a background figure at Leeds United himself before succeeding at the Hawthorns, much like the 33-year-old was at Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham's Ryan Mason
Mason will hope no high-profile exits are signed off on during the early stages of his tenure, with Mowbray having to deal with the major exit of Alex Palmer at the start of his choppy second stint.
Ultimately, the loss of Palmer – among other factors – contributed to West Brom’s promotion campaign being derailed.
Palmer's demoralising sale
The Kidderminster-born goalkeeper would have to be patient waiting it out for senior chances, but when he became the Baggies’ main number one under Corberan, the 28-year-old never looked back.
The 2023/24 season would see Palmer start every single league clash under the Spaniard’s wing, resulting in the gloveman collecting a mightily impressive 18 clean sheets along the way, whilst also only leaking 48 strikes in total.
West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
He entered the following campaign overflowing with confidence, therefore, with Palmer only shipping 27 league goals across 30 second-tier matches before Ipswich Town came calling.
Unfortunately, instead of sticking with their dependable stopper, West Brom would cash in, as Palmer left his boyhood club behind mid-season for £2m.
Games played
16
Wins
5
Draws
4
Losses
6
Goals conceded
20
Clean sheets
3
Whilst the 28-year-old attempted to fit in at his new Suffolk location, the wheels came off West Brom’s promotion mission drastically, with only three clean sheets coming the Baggies’ way after Palmer’s departure, alongside only five league wins being tallied up.
West Brom cannot deal with another demoralising exit of this fashion if they want to mount a serious promotion charge under Mason.
But, they could be heading to another Palmer situation.
West Brom must not sell "outstanding" star
Murmurs have died down regarding Tom Fellows leaving the Baggies this summer, which will be music to the ears of West Brom fans and Mason alike, considering he notched up 14 assists in league action last season.
Yet, the summer will still bring about a lot of anxiety regarding the situation of Isaac Price, with a new report from SportsBoom speculating that the recent January buy could already be heading for the exit door as a Jobe Bellingham-depleted Sunderland circle for his services.
Price had hardly any time to show off his excellence for West Brom last season – especially as he joined Mowbray’s camp amid the Baggies’ promotion hopes falling off a cliff – but he has shown this off-season what he’s all about when curling home efforts like the one above on the international stage for Northern Ireland.
Off the back of his continued brilliance for his country, scout Jacek Kulig has labelled Price as “fantastic”, with Mason perhaps the manager to get even more out of the promising 21-year-old, having worked closely with Spurs’ rising stars when located in North London.
There is still plenty to come from Price at the Hawthorns, with the former Everton youth product at least managing to get off the mark with a single goal and assist from 15 league appearances last season, even as his new employers regularly slipped up.
Therefore, instead of selling him to the likes of Burnley or Sunderland before he reaches his full potential, the Baggies must keep a firm grip on their “outstanding” youngster, as his ex-Toffees teammate Asmir Begovic once labelled him.
Tottenham Hotspur assistant coachRyanMasonduring training
Further lauded as “smooth” when gliding forward by Mowbray, patience must be exercised on the end of West Brom with their rising star, especially now that a youth-oriented boss such as Mason is in charge.
If he comes good, he could well be a key player if promotion is to be clinched.
Wallace 2.0: West Brom want to sign free agent with 50 Championship goals
West Bromwich Albion could soon snap up their next Jed Wallace by landing this experienced Championship performer.
Derby County are preparing for another tilt at life in the second-tier following their miraculous escape from relegation under John Eustace and could now make a bold statement on the market, according to a report.
Derby look to avoid repeat scenario of close shave with relegation
Avoiding the drop is never an easy feat to achieve when the chips are down. Still, John Eustace will rightfully be heralded as a miracle worker at Pride Park following his side’s turnaround.
Speaking to Football League World, pundit Don Goodman believes Derby can avoid being drawn into a relegation battle next term now that the foundations are in place to help the Rams thrive.
Derby County manager JohnEustace
He explained: “I look at the 14 games John Eustace took charge of at the end of last season – six wins and three draws, and that’s despite losing the first three games he took charge of.
“If he accrued that points total over the course of last season that would be 69 points, which would’ve actually been enough for a play-off spot for Derby, remarkably.
“He’s outstanding at organising teams and making them hard to play against and hard to beat, so those are ingredients that will see Derby County not be in a relegation battle.”
Derby County make out-of-window move for "athletic" player in free transfer
John Eustace could be set to link up with a former player at Pride Park.
BySean Markus Clifford Mar 7, 2025
Inevitably, Derby will need to pull up some trees on the market to put themselves in a position of relative comfort.
Defensive duo Danny Batth and Dion Sanderson have been linked with moves to Pride Park, but there will be more in the pipeline as Eustace exhausts all avenues to put his mission into place.
Now, the Rams could turn to his former club in an attempt to pull of a statement deal that would definitely enhance their survival prospects, per recent developments.
Derby plotting move for Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis
According to EFL Analysis, Derby are in the mix to sign Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis and Eustace is said to be a big fan of his exploits after working with the 27-year-old at Ewood Park.
Predominantly a defensive midfielder, reports claim it would cost £2 million to prize him away from Lancashire. Meanwhile, Wrexham are also keen to lure him to North Wales.
Lewis Travis in all competitions – 2024/25
Appearances
39
Goals
2
Assists
1
Labelled “fantastic” by David Lowe, Travis is out of contract next summer which may increase pressure on Blackburn to sell their captain this window before his value begins to dwindle on the market.
Intriguingly, he has previously spoken out about his ‘close’ relationship with Eustace, something that may be used as an emotional string to pull on in the event of any negotiations.
Nevertheless, Derby aren’t messing about in their bid to add quality reinforcements and there is no doubt their engine room would drastically improve were Travis to land at Pride Park this summer.
Football is built on gossamer-fine margins, and Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe will know that his side came within a whisker of failing to restore their place in the Champions League.
The Toon might have lost to Everton at St. James’ Park on the final day of the Premier League season, but Aston Villa also lost at Old Trafford, thus securing Newcastle’s place among Europe’s elite once again, having also won the Carabao Cup in March.
United won’t be losing Alexander Isak to a rival this summer, but with Callum Wilson at the end of his contract, a new striker is among the biggest priorities for the Tynesiders.
Newcastle leading race for new striker
Howe reportedly wanted his striker addition to be Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, but he’s now set to join Chelsea for £30m.
However, PIF have found an alternative, and have even established the lead in the race.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
As per Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, Fiorentina’s Moise Kean may be on the move this summer, and Newcastle are said to be ‘very interested’ in signing him.
Fiorentina'sMoiseKeancelebrates after the match
Kean, 25, has also been the subject of enquiries from Serie A champions Napoli, who are deliberating over whether to meet his €52m (about £44m) release clause, which will be active across the first two weeks of July.
Why Newcastle want Moise Kean
Kean flopped like a fish when last trying his skills on Premier League soil, only scoring twice across 32 games for Everton in England’s top flight.
However, he was young and Everton were turbulent. The Italy international re-joined Juventus from Goodison Park in a deal worth £25m (the same ballpark Everton initially paid). Now he is regarded as “the king of kings” for La Viola by those like reporter Mina Rzouki.
His rise has truly been something to behold, and if Kean can translate his sustained form over to Newcastle, he could become a force to be reckoned with, one who could even apply pressure on Isak.
24/25 – Fiorentina
32
19
3
23/24 – Juventus
19
–
–
22/23 – Juventus
28
6
–
21/22 – Juventus
32
5
3
20/21 – PSG
26
13
–
20/21 – Everton
1
–
–
His stratospheric leap into rich form since moving to Florence has been a remarkable thing to witness, scoring 19 league goals last term, but it’s not Kean’s only weapon. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 12% of Serie A forwards this year for successful take-ons per 90.
There’s a power and purpose to his football that echoes Delap’s qualities, the English striker captivating so many suitors this season with his strength and confidence, hailed by Alan Shearer for being a “nuisance to play against.”
Kean, meanwhile, has been praised for his “scary” physical presence by reporter Carlo Garganese.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapreacts
Newcastle must push hard to get this one done; across all competitions this season, Kean has posted 25 goals, even outscoring supposedly Manchester United-bound Bryan Mbeumo, who has indeed opted to sign for the Red Devils, rejecting Newcastle and more in the process.
Brentford’s Mbeumo, while not a striker, has been one of English football’s finest goalscorers this year, bagging 20 goals from 42 matches.
It’s clear: Newcastle must secure Kean’s signature. After all, they are already in the lead and were willing to spend on Delap. Here is the perfect alternative.
Move over Delap: Newcastle teen is one of the "best prospects in the world"
Newcastle may find a new teenage superstar burst onto the scene next season.
Celtic have brought the curtain down on another successful campaign at Parkhead and could now be set to let go of one of their long-serving stars, per a report.
Change could be in the wind for Celtic this summer
Brendan Rodgers will feel disappointed that his side weren’t able to see a domestic treble over the line, but a double and tangible progress in the Champions League isn’t to be sniffed at in the grand scheme of things.
Nevertheless, the end to a long campaign has come at a good time for Celtic, who are already beginning to make decisions on the personnel that will prop up their talented squad next term.
Brendan Rodgers
Greg Taylor is now out of contract and may depart following an excellent six years of service, while talks are ongoing to resolve Jeffrey Schlupp’s future at Parkhead as his loan spell draws to a close.
Given his parent club Crystal Palace are currently paying him £60,000 per week, it remains to be seen if a deal will be thrashed out to take the Ghana international to Glasgow on a permanent basis.
Looking ahead, Rodgers has urged Celtic to use their Scottish Cup final defeat to Aberdeen as fuel for next season: “Looking at the bigger picture, we won the league title, won the League Cup, sadly we just couldn’t go that next step. It’s been a really good season for us. This will hurt. That’s your motivation, that drives you going into next season.”
Celtic could sign Idah upgrade in £40m star who's "guaranteed goals"
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ByDan Emery May 25, 2025
Supporters will hope that extends to their transfer business, and they are already beginning to make tough decisions if recent reports are anything to go by.
Scott Bain set to leave Celtic on free transfer
According to The Herald, Scott Bain is set to be allowed to leave Celtic on a free transfer despite having a year left to run on his contract at Parkhead.
The 33-year-old will now seek first-team football elsewhere after becoming a distant back-up option to Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo between the sticks.
Scott Bain’s trophy-laden career at Celtic
Appearances
78
Clean sheets
40
Trophies won
7x Scottish Premiership, 5x Scottish Cup, 4x Scottish League Cup
Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan is out of contract and is set to replace Bain at Celtic, which will help their homegrown quota in line with UEFA squad registration rules due to being a club-trained player.
Cutting his deal short may be an abrupt end to former Dundee star Bain’s time in Glasgow, but he has enjoyed some memorable success and filled in admirably when called upon by Neil Lennon, Ange Postecoglou and current boss Rodgers.
However, he hasn’t played a single minute since a 3-2 victory over St Mirren at the tail end of last campaign, so it makes sense for the former Scotland international to try his luck as a number one elsewhere.
Rangers have held talks with a “great” manager about taking the job this summer, according to a new update from Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph.
Rangers manager latest
A host of names have been thrown into the hat to become the Gers’ next boss, with the club confirming in a statement that Barry Ferguson won’t continue in interim charge beyond this season:
“EVERYONE at Rangers Football Club would like to pass on their heartfelt thanks to Barry Ferguson and his staff, with yesterday’s game at Hibernian being their final match in charge. Club legend Ferguson answered the call in the club’s hour of need back in February and has overseen several memorable moments during his time in charge, not least progression to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League and a terrific victory at Parkhead.”
Rangers interim managerBarryFergusonbefore the match
Former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli has been mentioned as a potential target for Rangers this summer, although his side did capitulate in the Eredivisie title race, allowing a nine-point lead to slip away late in the campaign.
Steven Gerrard and David Ancelotti have been the front-runners to come in at Ibrox, however, with the former enjoying a successful Scottish Premiership-winning stint there in the past, and the latter possibly looking to get into management after being assistant to his father, Carlo Ancelotti, at both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Rangers hold talks with Gerrard over job
According to the latest from Joseph on X, Rangers have held talks with Gerrard over the job, also speaking to fellow target Ancelotti:
“Rangers have spoken to various candidates, including Steven Gerrard and Davide Ancelotti as they look to finalise a shortlist ahead of appointing a new manager.”
Steven Gerrard
Meanwhile, The Daily Mail have recently added that Gerrard is once again the preferred top option ahead of Ancelotti, with the 49ers wanting ‘the new manager to have frontline managerial experience’.
Rangers fans may ultimately be split over who they would rather come in out of Gerrard and Ancelotti, with the Liverpool legend arguably a safer pair of hands who has more experience in management.
The 44-year-old may feel that he has unfinished business at the club, having left to take charge of Aston Villa, and ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson has talked up the idea of him returning, saying:
“They always say never go back, don’t they? And with Steven, think the legacy that he left, I think he did a great job there, I really do. I think there would be an opportunity there for him to go back, it would be a brilliant hire and the fans would love it, but I think it would be a very different Rangers to the one he took over.”
On the flip side, Ancelotti would arguably represent the more intriguing option, given the success he has achieved as an assistant manager.
Rangers can forget Gerrard by hiring "unique" manager who's shades of GVB
Rangers are still searching for a new manager
ByRoss Kilvington May 20, 2025
At this point, it would be a surprise if it wasn’t one of the two, and if it does prove to be the attacking 4-3-3-playing Gerrard who comes in, the hope is that he has improved further from his spells at Villa and Al-Ettifaq and is ready to close the gap on Celtic.
Consistency is key. No doubt, maintaining a decent baseline across the campaign is something that Arne Slot will have demanded of his Liverpool side at the start of the season, but the squad have surpassed expectations.
Despite only adding Federico Chiesa to the squad last summer and opting against investment in January, the Reds won the Premier League after beating Tottenham Hotspur two weeks ago.
Federico Chiesa in action for Liverpool
Levelling with Manchester United, given that it was Anfield’s 20th top-flight title, has been the icing on the cake.
Focus has now been turned toward making improvements this summer. With Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to sign for Real Madrid and left-back in need of attention, sporting director Richard Hughes has certainly got his work cut out.
However, his most important job is surely sourcing a replacement for Darwin Nunez.
Why Darwin Nunez needs to go
Nunez has been given ample opportunity to prove himself on Merseyside, but sadly, he’s now completed three seasons as a Liverpool player and each term has been a disappointment.
Darwin Nunez for Liverpool
Liverpool’s club-record signing at £85m, the 25-year-old has scored 40 goals across 146 outings for the club, providing 26 assists for his teammates.
However, he’s regressed since Jurgen Klopp left at the end of last season, with his chequered exploits under the German’s wing now something more colourless, at odds with Slot’s meticulous, cool-headed system.
At the end of the day, he’s failed to score in 38 of his 44 matches across all competitions this season, which is terrible for a high-cost striker tasked with providing goals for a team competing at the very height of European football.
Mohamed Salah
49
33
23
Cody Gakpo
46
17
6
Luis Diaz
47
16
8
Diogo Jota
35
9
4
Darwin Nunez
44
7
7
Federico Chiesa
13
2
2
It’s hardly surprising that Liverpool want a new centre-forward to ease Mohamed Salah’s goalscoring load. Fabrizio Romano has actually said that the plan is for the Uruguayan to be offloaded.
Of course, Liverpool will need to bring in an able replacement.
Liverpool lining up new striker
While Alexander Isak is the dream, Newcastle are confident they will be playing Champions League football next year, thus meaning their £150m valuation will stand strong against the waves of suitors. Liverpool would be forgiven for ceding defeat in that one, along with the rest.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, according to Spanish reports, the champions have turned their attention to Julian Alvarez, with FSG hatching a plan to sign Atletico Madrid’s star forward this summer.
While Alvarez only joined the La Liga side from Manchester City for an £81m fee last year, Liverpool view the Argentine as the perfect profile to front Slot’s system and are lining up a move.
The report concludes by suggesting that the Reds have ‘not officially ruled out a move yet’ for the striker.
It goes without saying that facilitating a deal will be no easy task, although Atletico’s interest in Nunez could see Hughes and co play an interesting bargaining chip to sweeten a prospective deal for both parties.
Why Julian Alvarez is perfect for Slot
Off the bat, Alvarez would be a good signing for Liverpool given his experience in English football, accomplished as one of Pep Guardiola’s trophy-winning stars at Manchester City.
The 25-year-old has hit 55 goal contributions across 103 appearances for City, notably winning the treble in 2022/23. However, he’s gone up a gear since moving to Spain.
Indeed, Alvarez has scored 27 goals and added five more assists across 51 fixtures in his debut season for Atletico Madrid, with his exploits leading journalist Roy Nemer to pronounce him “the best centre-forward in the world” for the 2024/25 season.
That praise alone differentiates him far enough from Nunez’s toils to suggest that Liverpool would be wise to make their move, but there’s more to it than that.
His ever-improving prolific sense is great, but FSG’s technicians tend to look beneath the surface when profiling a potential target, and the dynamic attacker ticks a lot of boxes.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90.
He’s good with his feet, both in collecting and calmly distributing the ball in tight spaces or indeed navigating away from danger in such enclosed areas, nimbly darting past opponents before finding room to strike on goal.
Nunez does bear a likeness to the Atletico man; electric-paced and multi-faceted, it’s clear to see why Klopp thought he saw something special when plucking a young Nunez from his clinical career at Benfica, but his temperament and decision-making have ultimately let him down.
Liverpool'sDarwinNunezreacts
Conversely, Alvarez is always attentive to the situation he is in, making the right decisions and putting the right weight on his passes, hitting the ball sweetly when shooting himself. One Real Madrid reporter even conceded recently that the £116k-per-week talent is “such an intelligent football player.”
Nunez’s poor finishing and questionable decision in the build-up have ultimately alienated him from a position of pedigree in Slot’s squad. Since Boxing Day, the international has only started once in the Premier League, which makes a pretty damning indictment on how he is viewed by his head coach.
Darwin Nunez in action for Liverpool
He will depart with Anfield’s gratitude and appreciation following the part he has played in recent years, stabilising the ship after an initial team-wide slump, winning the Carabao Cup last year and indeed contributing toward sealing the Premier League title this year.
But Slot is not prepared to watch his flourishing project stagnate, and will happily enforce Nunez’s sale if it means a player of Alvarez’s ilk could be brought in.
It might make all the difference.
Slot's new Trent: Liverpool make bid for "one of the greatest CMs ever"
Liverpool are going to be busy shoppers in the transfer market this summer.
Liverpool have perhaps rested on their laurels in recent transfer windows, with Federico Chiesa the only first-team signing made since Jurgen Klopp completed a much-needed midfield rebuild with the signing of Ryan Gravenberch in August 2023.
That’s going to change this summer. Arne Slot has surpassed expectations and then some in guiding Liverpool toward the Premier League.
Liverpool managerArneSlotbefore the match
Sure, sure, the Reds haven’t won it yet, but they need just one point from five matches to seal the highest place on the podium. It would take the most remarkable of slip-ups to fall now.
The fact that Slot has engineered the triumph without putting his own stamp on the Anfield side bears testament to his elite-level tactical quality. To be sure, title rivals have faltered this year, but Liverpool have still been brilliant in their consistency, their balance.
Now, it’s time to add some quality, and with Darwin Nunez set to leave, a new striker is needed. Alexander Isak is the dream.
Why Liverpool want Alexander Isak
Short answer? Isak is absolutely brilliant, one of the most dangerous attacking players in the world.
Analysis of the longer form identifies a wealth of varied properties that make the Sweden international a matchless number nine across Europe right now.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak
Erling Haaland has goalscoring inevitability, Kylian Mbappe the pace and movement, Harry Kane the leadership and passing game, but there’s a case to be made that the Magpies talisman offers the most dynamic and balanced approach of the lot, when considering every facet of the centre-forward game.
As per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 7% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 15% for assists, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.
Isak’s completeness sets him apart from other strikers, those performing at the top of their game, but his deadly goalscoring ability is, of course, the essence of why FSG would love nothing more than to add him to Slot’s squad.
With 25 goals and six assists across 38 matches in all competitions this season, Isak is clearly one of the best. Liverpool would only improve with the rangy forward in their mix.
Whether Newcastle stay firm on their £150m (or even higher) valuation will determine whether FSG green-light a summer move. But his output bespeaks his quality. Few players are capable of matching such a haul.
Mohamed Salah would be one who surpasses Isak’s numbers, but there’s an ageing former Redman who’s also treading above Isak’s numerical level.
Who that is may come as a surprise.
The former Liverpool star outperforming Isak
He might be getting on a bit, but Xherdan Shaqiri still has that special something that makes him such a menace in and around the final third.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.
The 33-year-old hasn’t been on Liverpool’s books for a minute, leaving to sign for French Ligue 1 outfit Lyon in a £9.5m deal back in 2021, having fallen down Klopp’s pecking order due to the quality of Liverpool’s other forwards and Shaqiri’s unfortunate injury struggles.
Diminutive in stature, Shaqiri was small but mighty in Liverpool colours, and though he’s since hopped over the pond and played with Chicago Fire in the MLS, he’s returned to Europe, signed for Basel, back on Swiss territory.
20/21
22 (7)
1
4
19/20
11 (2)
1
0
18/19
30 (15)
6
5
That first season on Merseyside bred the richest success for Shaqiri on an individual level, instrumental in winning the Champions League as he placed two assists during that match against Barcelona.
He’s proven himself among his generation’s most technically gifted playmakers, now targeting a storybook ending as he drives Basel toward the Swiss top-flight title.
He’s thriving. Shaqiri – who Klopp dubbed a “very special player” – has scored 16 goals and supplied 18 further assists for Bebbi this season, having only featured in 32 matches across all competitions.
This high-stretching haul of 34 goal involvements is above even that of Isak, who is, of course, playing at a higher level. Still, it highlights Shaqiri’s quality, having won the Champions League with Bayern Munich before Liverpool, becoming a talisman at Stoke City, thrived with Inter Milan, earned praise for his overhead-kick-scoring Reds debut by Klopp.
He boasts the kind of profile that could be perfect for Isak, should the latter man make the move and join Slot’s project this summer. As per Sofascore, Shaqiri has only missed two big chances in the league this year, scoring 14 times. He’s also created a whopping 24 big chances, averaging 3.5 key passes per game.
You could argue that Dominik Szoboszlai could take a leaf from his book, for the Hungarian midfielder needs to up his game in front of goal to truly maximise his talent, especially when a positional peer such as Shaqiri is capable of matching Isak’s attacking numbers.
Former Liverpool winger Xherdan Shaqiri.
Though Shaqiri’s best days are behind him, it’s heartwarming to see him enjoying such prolific success back in his homeland as he approaches the twilight of an illustrious career.
The very fact that he’s outperforming Isak, who has been described as “the best striker in the Premier League” this season by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, issues a nice reminder that he’s one of the most underrated stars of Liverpool’s journey over the past decade.
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