Better than Madueke & Gittens: BlueCo now eyeing £100m star for Chelsea

Chelsea continue to be extremely busy in the transfer market.

Just last week, both João Pedro and Jamie Gittens arrived, with the Brazilian thrown straight in for his debut off the bench against Palmeiras in Friday night’s Club World Cup quarter-finals.

Palmeiras' Weverton reacts as Chelsea'sJoaoPedrolooks on

That 2-1 victory in Philadelphia means Enzo Maresca’s team faced Fluminense in the semi-finals, and Pedro truly delivered, scoring twice as the Blues progressed through to Sunday’s final, where Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid will await at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Meantime, back at home, Chelsea’s recruitment staff continue to be the hardest-working people in football, so could the Blues snap up yet another highly-rated young talent?

Chelsea's search for more attacking talent

With all their arrivals, The Times are reporting that Chelsea ‘need to raise’ in excess of £60m through player sales to be compliant with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations.

With that in mind, reports suggest that Arsenal are ‘advancing their pursuit’ of Noni Madueke, who they believe is valued at around £50m, noting that personal terms have already been agreed.

If that deal goes through, will they be able to use that money to sign another English talent?

Well, Simon Johnson of The Athletic notes that the Blues are ‘big admirers’ of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, adding that Chelsea’s summer transfer activity is unlikely to be finished yet.

Morgan Rogers

One sticking point is likely to be the player’s price, with talkSPORT previously quoting that the England international is valued at something in the region of £100m.

How Morgan Rogers would improve Chelsea

Should this come to fruition, he would be yet another former Manchester City academy player, or indeed coach, to end up at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca

2022-23

2024

Cole Palmer

2010-23

2023

Liam Delap

2019-20

2025

Jamie Gittens

2018-20

2025

Roméo Lavia

2020-22

2023

Tosin Adarabioyo

2003-20

2024

Rogers featured for Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League, EFL Trophy, FA Youth Cup and PL2, without ever making a senior appearance, departing for Middlesbrough before exploding on the scene at Aston Villa.

Now though, could the 22-year-old swap the West Midlands for West London?

Rogers certainly impressed at Villa this season, registering 14 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, including a Champions League hat-trick against Celtic in January.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout asserted that he enjoyed a “magnificent campaign”, while former defender Jamie Carragher noted that he was truly “unstoppable” in the Premier League.

Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers

Another former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood, also an ex-Villa boss of course, believes Rogers is worth at least £80m, underlining his exponential improvement, having joined the Villans for up to £15m just 18 months ago.

But the question remains: is Rogers a bigger talent than the recently arrived Gittens, as well as the potentially departing Madueke? Let’s find out.

Games

54

45

49

Minutes

4,496

2,625

2,803

Goals

14

11

12

Assists

15

5

5

Stats below: per-90 league & UCL only.

Shots

1.5

2.6

1.8

Shooting accuracy %

50.84%

56.14%

50.74%

Chances created

1.5

1.4

1.1

Take-on success %

50.3%

49.45%

49.53%

Touches

46

47

49

Touches in the box

4.6

8.8

6.2

As the table outlines, many of the attacking metrics included are generally comparable across all three players assessed.

Rogers scored more goals and registered significantly more assists than both Madueke and Gittens, albeit doing so in almost twice as many minutes on the pitch, albeit he also came out on top for chances created, on a per-90 basis, and take-on success percentage too.

That suggests that Rogers isn’t just a livewire in the final third but he’s also got the end product to boot.

Where he would fit in, and how much it would cost to get him out of Aston Villa, well, those would be the tough questions? Either way, coming off the back of an outstanding campaign, he would well be set to better Madueke and Gittens.

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Celtic have made an approach to beat Premier League club to sign £2.5m ace

Celtic are said to have made an approach for a £2.5m-rated midfielder, as they look to beat a Premier League club to his signature, among others.

Rodgers pushing for "statement" Celtic signing

Brendan Rodgers doesn’t appear to be messing around this summer, during a transfer window in which he knows the importance of nailing his business.

In fact, the Celtic manager is even thought to be personally pushing to sign Brighton striker Evan Ferguson, according to former scout Mick Brown, with the Republic of Ireland striker linked with either a loan or permanent move to Parkhead this summer.

“Celtic can offer attractive opportunities to players like Ferguson. They’re going to be playing in the Champions League and competing for trophies, which would be valuable experience for a player of his age.

“He could go to Celtic as the main man up front, away from the pressure that comes with the Premier League, and prove what he can do. I think Brendan Rodgers will be pushing to get that done, he wants to be ambitious in the market. He expects to be backed and this would be a statement of intent, even if it’s on a loan deal.”

Evan Ferguson for Ireland.

On the flip side, Celtic will be at risk of losing certain key players, with Nicolas Kuhn falling into that category and reportedly wanted by RB Leipzig, having been in their academy earlier in his career.

Celtic make approach for £2.5m midfielder

According to Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Celtic have made an approach for Yverdon Sport midfielder Moussa Baradji, in what looks to be a competitive battle for his signature.

Fiorentina, Parma, Torino, Basel and Galatasaray are all mentioned in the report, but it is Sunderland who are in transfer talks ahead of their return to the Premier League next season, looking to get ahead of others in the race. He is expected to cost £2.5m.

Brendan Rodgers

Baradji will be something of an unknown to plenty of Celtic supporters, with all due respect to him, considering he is yet to play for a team in Europe’s top five leagues.

That’s not to say that he wouldn’t be a good signing for the Hoops, however, and the level of interest in him suggests that he could be an effective addition to Rodgers’ squad, with analyst Maxime Schar calling him a player who is “at ease under pressure”.

At 24, Baradji is at a perfect age, possessing enough experience to hit the ground running immediately, but also still having a healthy chunk of his career ahead of him.

While at his best as a box-to-box midfielder, the Frenchman is also adept of playing in a deeper role, too, and even as a right winger, if needed.

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It looks as though Sunderland are pushing particularly hard to sign Baradji this summer, but Celtic can offer him Champions League football, which will hopefully prove to be a huge lure for him.

Better signing than Aarons at Ibrox: Rangers eyeing "phenomenal" £25m star

The start of Glasgow Rangers’ season is now fast approaching with the Gers’ first pre-season fixture taking place a week on Saturday, with the start of European qualifying coming up as soon as 22 July.

That’s all before the new Rangers manager, Russell Martin, will commence his Scottish Premiership campaign on Saturday 2 August.

Ahead of that busy fixture list, the Light Blues have been busy off the field overhauling their squad, so could they secure a “phenomenal” new signing in the process?

Rangers' busy transfer activity

On Wednesday, Max Aarons put pen to paper, joining Rangers on a season-long loan from Bournemouth.

He is the club’s second signing of the summer, after Lyall Cameron, but many more are forecast in the coming days and weeks.

Indeed, according to a report by EFL analysis, new manager Martin is targeting a move to bring in goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who he signed for Southampton just 12 months ago, for a reported fee of £25m.

Bailey adds that, due to the fact he is earning £120,000-per-week, the Saints are willing to sanction a loan ‘with an option to buy’ for Ramsdale this summer; Wolves and Leeds United also ‘interested’,

A fee could prove prohibitive for Rangers, given that their record-signing of the post-liquidation era is the £7.5m spent on Ryan Kent in 2019.

Most expensive SPFL signings (timeless) Rangers Celtic

Nevertheless, with Southampton looking to offload, thereby open to a loan move, could the England international end up in Glasgow?

Why Aaron Ramsdale would be a game-changing signing for Rangers

Max Aarons has arrived at Rangers to much excitement, and rightly so.

The 24-year-old did just endure a pretty miserable campaign, barely featuring for Bournemouth, thereby spending the second half of the season on loan at Valencia, albeit he then made only five appearances for los Murciélagos, totalling a miserly 208 minutes.

Nevertheless, the youngster is still a player of great potential, almost joining Tottenham for £15m as a teenager, with Tom Quartly of Breaking the Lines asserting that he offers ‘fluidity in both attacking and defensive phases’ from full-back.

Aarons’ arrival does bring into question the future of Rangers’ two existing right-backs, namely captain and long-serving stalwart James Tavernier, as well as the promising Dujon Sterling, as this was not an area of obvious need.

The same, however, cannot be said about goalkeeper, with the potential arrival of Ramsdale addressing a pressing issue.

After arriving two years ago, for so long, Jack Butland was Rangers’ undisputed number one, starting 102 of his first 111 matches at the club, before being dropped by interim manager Barry Ferguson, following a sequence of high-profile errors, hence why deputy Liam Kelly got the nod for the Europa League quarter-final tie against Athletic Club.

Even though the Scotland international shot-stopper dramatically saved Álex Berenguer’s late penalty in the first leg at Ibrox, the table below emphasises that neither Kelly nor Butland are perhaps what Martin is looking for.

Goals against per 90

1.11

3rd

1

2nd

Save %

65.5%

17th

67.9%

11th

Clean sheet %

37.5%

5th

40%

4th

So, would Ramsdale be a major upgrade?

Well, former Arsenal goalkeeper asserted that Ramsdale’s performances for the Gunners as “phenomenal”, while manager Mikel Arteta described him as “exceptional”, following a man of the match performance during a 2-2 draw at Anfield two seasons ago.

So, let’s take a deeper look at his statistics in the Premier League.

Saves

120 (2nd)

94 (10th)

Save %

67.6% (15th)

70.6% (11th)

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

-0.08 (17th)

-0.05 (12th)

% of crosses stopped

5.5% (16th)

5.8% (16th)

Short passes attempted

1,026 (9th)

956 (8th)

The table includes last season, when Ramsdale was plying his trade for a historically terrible Southampton team, hence why only Mark Flekken made more saves than he did, as well as his final campaign as Arsenal’s number one, this 2022/23.

While the England international’s statistics don’t all leap off the page, it is clear that he is certainly a Premier League-level goalkeeper and a very good one at that, one that should not be playing for the team at the bottom of the division, that’s for sure.

His passing numbers are also impressive, which would very much fit into Martin’s style that prioritises control through possession.

Thus, if Rangers are able to lure him north of the border, this would be a massive coup, especially considering the trials and tribulations endured by Butland and Kelly last season.

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Star's agents fume over rejected Arsenal bid amid "constant contact"

Arsenal supporters are being forced to wait patiently for their first confirmed signing of the summer, despite new sporting director Andrea Berta’s well-documented transfer attempts behind-the-scenes.

The Gunners are reportedly closing in on a few key deals, namely for Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

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Arrizabalaga looks poised to complete a £5 million move to Arsenal as Mikel Arteta’s new back-up keeper and understudy to David Raya (David Ornstein), while Zubimendi is on course to seal a switch to the Premier League one year after rejecting Liverpool.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Zubimendi actually caused quite a stir with his recent comments suggesting that his future was still up in the air, but the likes of Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano have since confirmed that Arsenal are still expected to sign the 26-year-old after agreeing a deal with Sociedad.

After Zubimendi and Kepa, the north Londoners also remain in the market for a new winger and striker.

Arsenal have Real Madrid forward Rodrygo on their long list of wide options, with links still surrounding Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, so that is certainly a position to keep an eye on. However, the most noise continues to surround Berta’s attempts to bring in a centre-forward.

Groundwork has been laid on deals for both RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, according to the BBC, with Arsenal exploring the conditions of moves for both men before deciding which one to formally pursue.

Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal

While Arsenal have already held “concrete” talks over Sesko, Gyokeres remains firmly on the radar.

Portuguese newspaper Record even reported this week that Arsenal made an official £55m opening bid for Gyokeres, with journalist Graeme Bailey sharing an update on the story.

Viktor Gyokeres camp clash with Sporting over rejected Arsenal bid

Speaking to The Boot Room, Bailey reports that the offer has been rejected by Sporting, which isn’t surprising when factoring in that their president, Frederico Varandas, confirmed that an offer below £60m wouldn’t be enough.

Bailey adds that Gyokeres’ camp clashed with Sporting after they snubbed Arsenal’s offer, but Arteta’s side remain in “constant contact” over his signature alongside Man United.

“Speaking to sources, Gyokeres is convinced that he is moving this summer, and he believes he will be in England – not that he has ruled out other countries, it is just where he believes he will be playing,” said the reporter.

“He did make it clear from the start that a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Pro League was not a consideration despite them making an approach this month.

“Arsenal and Man United are in constant contact, the lines of communication with those two clubs has been ongoing for months.

“The player’s representatives are working hard on his future, but there is no deadline here – it could be this month, but likely July, I am told, before something is agreed, but there is no panic. They are calm.”

Varandas’ preferred price tag could be around £68 million, but there are the strikers wages to consider, with Gyokeres reportedly demanding as much as £250,000-per-week.

West Ham: Irons leading race to sign £120,000-a-week "phenomenon" for £25m

West Ham United are reportedly leading the race to sign a “phenomenon” for Graham Potter in a £25m transfer, according to one journalist.

West Ham transfer rumours after big 2024/25 spending spree

It is fair to say that the Hammers didn’t live up to expectations in the 2024/25 Premier League season, finishing 14th with 43 points from 38 games.

That came after a big spending spree in the summer under the guidance of ex-technical director Tim Steiden and former boss Julen Lopetegui. They also brought in Evan Ferguson on loan from Brighton in the January transfer window after parting ways with Lopetegui and bringing in Potter.

Max Kilman

Wolves

€47.5m

Crysencio Summerville

Leeds United

€29.3m

Niclas Fullkrug

Borussia Dortmund

€27m

Luis Guilherme

Palmeiras

€23m

Mohamadou Kante

Paris FC

Undisclosed

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Man Utd

€18m

Wes Foderingham

Sheffield United

Free transfer

Guido Rodriguez

Real Betis

Free transfer

Jean-Clair Todibo

Nice

Loan transfer

Carlos Soler

PSG

Loan transfer

Evan Ferguson

Brighton

Loan transfer

This summer, the Irons may have to look at sales alongside signings, with teenage striker Daniel Cummings already agreeing to join the club from Celtic on July 1.

Mohammed Kudus is the West Ham star who is being linked with a move away from the London Stadium, being offered to Chelsea, according to Sky Sports.

In discussions between the Hammers and their London rivals, West Ham asked about the availability of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, a player Potter knows well from his time at Brighton.

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A new shot-stopper to replace the departing Lukasz Fabianski and rival Alphonse Areola is therefore on the to-do list, and an update has emerged on West Ham’s pursuit of Aaron Ramsdale.

West Ham “favourites to sign” £25m Ramsdale

Talking to TBR Football, journalist Graeme Bailey provided an update on Ramsdale’s future with a move expected following Southampton’s relegation.

As well as stating the goalkeeper’s £25m release clause, Bailey said that West Ham like the keeper “a lot” and named the Irons as “favourites to sign” Ramsdale ahead of Leeds United and Newcastle United.

On £120,000-a-week at St Mary’s, Ramsdale, called a “phenomenon” by Ian Wright during his time at Arsenal, would bring plenty of top-flight experience to the London Stadium.

However, the Englishman has been relegated from the Premier League on three separate occasions. In 2020, Ramsdale went down with Bournemouth and a year later, suffered the same fate with Sheffield United.

Should West Ham secure his services, they’ll be hoping it’s not four relegations come the summer of 2026.

"Decisive" Man Utd ace now demanding agent to secure shock Real Madrid move

In what would be one of the most surprising moves of the summer transfer window, one Manchester United player is now reportedly demanding his agent to seek out a transfer to Real Madrid.

Garnacho hits out at Amorim's decision

Ever since the arrival of Ruben Amorim, Alejandro Garnacho has often found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. As soon as Amorim arrived, the Argentine found himself dropped for the Manchester derby alongside Marcus Rashford and although he didn’t face the same exit fate as the latter, he has struggled to impress his new manager.

It seemed over recent months that the young winger had worked his way into Amorim’s plans only to be snubbed for a starting place in the Europa League final for Mason Mount. It was a final that Manchester United went on to lose, of course, leaving Garnacho in a righteous mood.

The 20-year-old didn’t keep quiet about his frustrations over his manager’s decisions, however. Instead, he told reporters: “Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know. The final will influence [my decision], but the whole season, the situation of the club. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens afterwards.”

In a battle of words, Amorim issued a response to Garnacho’s frustrations, saying: “How many times have we had this conversation, and it was the opposite? Some players come in, like Mason Mount, against Bilbao and changed the game.

“So now it is easy to say. Who missed the big opportunity in the first half against Bilbao? Yeah [Garnacho]. Of course, now it is easy for us to talk about a lot of views.”

Whether that is the straw that breaks the camel’s back for the winger’s Manchester United career remains to be seen, with a meeting now reportedly scheduled with INEOS.

Garnacho now demanding Real Madrid move

Despite struggling to break into Amorim’s strongest Manchester United side, the 20-year-old has set his ambitions high. According to reports in Spain, Garnacho is now demanding that his agent secures him a move to Real Madrid this summer. Whilst an exit does seem likely at this stage, a move to the Bernabeu is as ambitious as it gets for the winger, who may not get his wish.

That said, to his credit, Garnacho was showing plenty of signs that he’s destined for the very top when playing under Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman – perhaps unlike Amorim, based on the mounting evidence – was also a big fan of the Argentine and shared high praise for him.

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Speaking to reporters when asked about Garnacho, Ten Hag said: “You have seen in the start of the season, we played him, then his contribution was not good enough.

“But he had also then some good actions. You see always that he always is attracting the game even when he is not playing that well. And he has to learn, ‘when I do my job in defending, I will always have my moment.’ And he will always be decisive, because he has great qualities.”

Uh oh: UCL club could now lodge serious bid for £19k-a-week Rangers star

Rangers may have to brace for the departure of one of their key players, as two clubs could soon table serious bids for his services, according to a report.

Summer of change on the horizon at Ibrox

It is set to be a summer of major change at Ibrox, with the 49ers on course to complete their takeover of the Scottish club, and the prospective new owners are also tasked with installing a new manager to replace interim boss Barry Ferguson.

Not only that, but with the Gers currently 17 points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership table, there are clear signs the new manager will need to make major changes to his squad in the summer window, and potential targets have already been identified.

The 49ers are plotting the statement signing of a new midfielder, with Troyes’ Metinho in their sights, amid concerns over the future of Nicolas Raskin, who the Light Blues are determined to keep hold of despite growing interest in his signature.

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There has now been a new update on Raskin’s Rangers future, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing they have been rocked by major interest in the midfielder, having attracted the attention of soon-to-be Premier League side Leeds United.

Aston Villa, who made it to the Champions League quarter-finals this season, have also registered their interest in the Gers star, and there is now a feeling that a serious bid could be made for his services over the next few weeks.

Nico Raskin

The Belgian’s current £19k-a-week contract is set to run until 2027, and the Ibrox outfit are now ready to offer him a new deal, in an attempt to ward off the interest from elsewhere, and to make sure his market value is protected.

Rangers must keep hold of "phenomenal" Raskin

Having barely managed to even compete in the Scottish Premiership title race this season, the Gers may be looking to re-shape their squad this summer, but the Belgian maestro is undoubtedly one of the players they should be looking to keep hold of.

Scottish football analyst John Walker has been particularly impressed by the 24-yerar-old’s performances, having lauded him as “phenomenal” earlier in the campaign, while also claiming the central midfielder improved the entire team after returning from injury.

The Liege-born maestro has four goals and ten assists to his name in all competitions this season, most notably scoring in his side’s 3-2 victory against bitter rivals Celtic back in March.

That said, while Rangers should be looking to tie Raskin down to a new deal, he may be unwilling to commit to fresh terms, which means it could make sense to cash-in at the end of the campaign, as they should be able to command a good fee for his services this summer.

Sky Sports: Nottingham Forest keen on signing "special" £25m Man City ace

Nottingham Forest are now eyeing a move to sign a “special” Manchester City player this summer, according to Sky Sports.

Forest's summer transfer plans underway

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side got back to winning ways in the Premier League on Monday against Tottenham Hotspur, and the hope will be that they can now keep that run going until the end of the season, where it will give them a great chance of securing Champions League football for next season.

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Playing in that competition could see Forest’s summer transfer plans significantly change, as the money they will get from entering it could be used to bring new players to the club. Signing a new striker seems to be a high priority for the Reds this summer, as they have been heavily reliant on Chris Wood for much of this campaign.

Brentford's BryanMbeumocelebrates scoring their first goal

Forest have been linked with a move for Wolves’ Matheus Cunha in recent weeks and months, but it looks as though Manchester United are set to win that race. Meaning Forest now have to turn to alternative targets and strikers such as Anis Hadj Moussa from Feyenoord and Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton have been mentioned and added to their shortlist. But they may all be backup options, as it’s been claimed that the Reds are eyeing a move to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford as an alternative to Cunha, who will likely cost £50 million.

Nottingham Forest keen on signing £25m James McAtee

As well as looking for a new number nine, the Reds are also in the market to strengthen their midfield options. According to Sky Sports, Nottingham Forest are interested in signing James McAtee from Manchester City.

Sky Sports state that McAtee is of interest to the Reds, irrelevant of what happens to Antony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odi, who have both been linked with a move away from the City Ground. It goes on to state that it isn’t clear if City would be looking to sell McAtee this summer, despite the fact that he is out of contract in 2026.

Forest are not alone in showing interest in McAtee, as it’s been reported that Man United are also keeping an eye on the Englishman, and they could make a shock move to sign a player from their bitter rivals.

Apps

32

Goals

7

Assists

0

The 22-year-old, who has been dubbed “special” by Man City boss Pep Guardiola, has played 25 times for the Blues this season but has struggled to nail down a regular starting spot. He has started just eight games overall, two of which have come in the league.

Despite the lack of regular minutes, it’s been reported earlier this year that if McAtee were to leave the Etihad Stadium, City would want to receive around £25 million for his services. Forest may see McAtee as a player who can help take some of the burden off midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who has been so important this season and will be once again, especially if they secure Champions League football.

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

If you had told Arsenal fans that Jakub Kiwior would start in a 3-0 home win and 2-1 away win against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals earlier this season, they would likely have laughed in your face.

It’s not that the Polish international is a bad player; he has stepped up at points in the past, but it would be fair to say that for much of this season, he’s been something of an afterthought and has struggled in the few appearances he’s made, like away to Fulham.

Yet, since Gabriel Magalhães’ injury, the former Spezia star has seriously stepped up, and perhaps the biggest compliment is that he’s made the Brazilian’s absence something of an afterthought.

However, there is no room for sentimentality in football, and if recent reports are to be believed, Mikel Arteta and Co have identified a defender they want to sign in the summer, a defender who would be an upgrade on Kiwior.

Arsenal's transfer targets

Now, as they once again missed out on the title this season, Arsenal are obviously looking to strengthen all over the pitch, and one of the names most heavily linked with the club in recent weeks has been Benjamin Sesko.

Transfer Focus

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

The Slovenian striker, who’s still just 21, has enjoyed another stellar campaign with RB Leipzig this year, racking up 20 goals and six assists in just 41 appearances, making his supposed £58m release clause look fairly reasonable.

Another 20-year-old touted for a move to the Emirates this summer is Lyon’s incredible Rayan Cherki.

Rayan Cherki

The Frenchman could be available for just £25m, which sounds like a total bargain considering he’s racked up a staggering haul of 12 goals and 18 assists in just 40 games this season and has been tipped as a “future Ballon d’Or winner,” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker.

However, neither of these exciting attackers will replace Kiwior, which is where Dean Huijsen comes in.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal have maintained their strong interest in the Bournemouth star and insist he is someone they want to sign.

The report does not mention a potential price, but stories from earlier this month reiterated the claim that the Spaniard has a £50m release clause in his current deal.

AFC Bournemouth's DeanHuijsenduring the warm up before the match

It might not be an easy deal to get over the line, but given Huijsen’s immense ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, even if it could be bad news for Kiwior.

How Huijsen compares to Kiwior

If Arsenal were to get their man in the summer and bring Huijsen to the Emirates, it seems unlikely that he’d break up the partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel – at least for a while – so his biggest competition for a place in the squad would likely be Kiwior.

Arsenal's JakubKiwiorand Declan Rice celebrate after the match

So, with that said, how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, while it’s certainly less important for a centre-back, it’s the Bournemouth ace who just about comes out ahead when it comes to their respective output, producing three goal involvements in 31 games at an average of one every 10.33 games.

In contrast, the former Spezia ace has provided two assists in 23 games, coming out to an average of one every 11.5 games.

Unfortunately for the Polish international, he also comes out on the losing side when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

In fact, in practically every relevant metric for a modern centre-back, Huijsen comes out on top.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.08

0.16

Progressive Passes

2.93

4.69

Progressive Carries

0.29

1.54

Passing Accuracy

90.7%

84.0%

Key Passes

0.29

0.61

Passes into the Final 1/3

3.64

6.05

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.14

0.31

Shot-Creating Actions

0.57

1.67

Goal-Creating Actions

0.00

0.13

Tackles Won

0.67

0.90

Blocks

0.64

1.45

Interceptions

0.62

1.90

Clearances

3.21

7.19

Ball Recoveries

2.14

3.99

Aerial Duels Won

1.14

2.68

Assessing the data, it really is no surprise that data analyst Ben Mattinson called him “the most in-demand centre-back in the world” with the Cherries defender notably a clear upgrade in key metrics such as progressive passes, ball recoveries, key passes and aerial duels won per 90 minutes,

Ultimately, Kiwior has done an exemplary job in recent weeks, but there is no way around it: Huijsen is a far better player and prospect. Therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to sign the Spaniard this summer.

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Liverpool to begin negotiations to bring "brilliant" £38m+ star to Anfield

Liverpool are closing in on the Premier League title and could try to maximise their appeal by tempting a World Cup winner to make a move to Anfield, per reports.

Liverpool's summer plans once title is sealed

While Liverpool haven’t mathematically become champions yet, their status is all but guaranteed following Arsenal’s dropped points away to Everton on Saturday afternoon.

Undoubtedly, Arne Slot will have one eye on the quick turnaround set to occur in the summer, with addressing the contract situations of Trent Alexander Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk set to be an immediate priority.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot

Nevertheless, maximising squad depth across key areas is also a remit the Dutchman will seek to fulfil. According to reports, Liverpool have Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez in their sights as a positional competitor for Andy Robertson.

Further up, the Reds are also looking to add Xavi Simons to a midfield filled with pedigree. Although the Netherlands international won’t come cheap at between £58 million to £62 million, Slot will hope to call on the lure of the ex-PSG man becoming a key part of his mission to build a dynasty at Anfield.

Potentially making way, Darwin Nunez is a £50 million target for Nottingham Forest after failing to set the heather alight through the middle. Saudi Pro League clubs are also keen on the Uruguay international, who may be an ideal sacrifice to help Liverpool comply with PSR regulations.

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Bolstering the ranks with proven additions appears to the Slot’s modus operandi this summer, and he has now set his sights on a World Cup winner who could help to bring an added dimension across the front four.

Liverpool set to begin negotiations for Kingsley Coman

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool are set to begin negotiations to sign Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, who is expected to cost a maximum of €45m (£38.2m) this summer.

Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are also in the mix to sign the France international. However, the Gunners are believed to be his heaviest suitor alongside the Reds.

Appearances

22

Goals

4

Assists

4

Successful dribbles

35

Successful crosses

8

Chances created

30

Liverpool and Arsenal are set to open talks with his entourage over a potential deal. Coman reportedly wants a two-year deal with an option to extend by a further 12 months.

Both clubs are also set to submit an opening bid at around £29.7m, though it is unclear if that will be enough to land his services at this point in time.

Labelled “brilliant” by Julian Nagelsmann, Coman has registered six goals and four assists in 34 appearances across all competitions, and it isn’t difficult to see why his big-game experience would appeal to some of the Premier League elite.

Now, it remains to be seen who will win the race for his signature as the transfer rumour mill begins to descend into overdrive at Anfield.

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