All posts by n8rngtd.top

It’s happened. It’s finally happened. Liverpool have agreed a deal with Bayer Leverkusen for the transfer of Florian Wirtz.

Though the saga feels to have dragged on somewhat over the past several weeks, sporting director Richard Hughes has been engineering a British-record deal, juggling other significant transfers besides.

While the minutiae still need to be sorted out, Liverpool have “verbally agreed a deal in principle”, reports transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, with a “move now imminent.”

Rumours pertaining to Luis Diaz’s summer sale are persisting, with Barcelona determined to get the deal over the line, and thus, the agreement has come at the perfect time.

However, Wirtz isn’t really a wide player, even though his dribbling skills are among the finest in the business. Indeed, if the Colombian does go, FSG may need to dip their toes right back into the transfer market.

Why Liverpool want a winger

Diaz showcased his wonderful skills on international duty for Colombia. He scored a sensational solo goal, all fleet feet and party tricks to outplay the Argentine defenders, and perhaps reminded Liverpool fans that it would take some doing to find an upgrade.

Diaz is 28 and entering the next-to-last year of his Liverpool contract. Barcelona made a recent approach and were rebuffed, but their interest remains and Liverpool, while publicly stressing their desire to keep the winger, would entertain the right offer for sure.

It’s understood the Reds would entertain offers ranging between £60m and £70m this summer. Lowballers would find themselves incurring the wrath of Liverpool’s obstinance, with FSG willing to run down the South American’s contract, making use of the prime years of his career.

However, if Liverpool do lose Diaz, they will need to find a replacement. Anthony Gordon’s name has floated about, but Slot and Richard Hughes seem to have an even better fit in mind.

Liverpool join race for star winger

As per Football Insider, Liverpool are interested in signing AC Milan’s Rafael Leao this summer; after the Serie A side’s wretched campaign, missing out on Europe, they may reluctantly sell.

With Liverpool’s scouts having kept a close eye on the 26-year-old, a deal may be forthcoming in the coming months, although a number of Premier League clubs – Arsenal have been namechecked – are also in the running. Milan would be looking to bank around £64m from the player’s sale.

Gordon has also been named as a potential option, but the Portuguese winger perhaps has a higher ceiling, and who better to help him reach it than Slot?

Why Liverpool want Rafael Leao

Ryan Gravenberch was crowned the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year for 2024/25, refashioned as he was into a deep-lying, counter-pressing number six.

Slot made his clock start ticking, a priceless success after FSG failed to convince the now Arsenal-bound Martin Zubimendi to leave his beloved mountains in the Basque Country (no bitterness at all from us Liverpool fans here).

Given the improvements Cody Gakpo underwent last term, Leao would be understood to want to leap at the chance to join Slot’s project.

Praised for his “world-class ability” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Leao has been one of Italian football’s standout players for several years, hitting 12 goals and 13 assists across all competitions last season in spite of his side’s struggles.

In Serie A alone, Sofascore record that he has averaged 1.4 dribbles and key passes per fixture, as well as 4.5 successful duels per game.

Gordon’s no stranger to a combative sequence himself, but is it fair to say that Leao boasts more completeness in his application? Writer Theo Mwangi even went as far as to dub the Iberian native a “superstar” when he’s on his A-game.

Regressing in terms of output, Gordon might not have had the best year on Tyneside, but in 2023/24, he was awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Season award after notching 28 goal contributions across all competitions.

However, football is more than just goals and assists, especially for wingers (Diaz would be among the first to attest to that), and Leao has showcased across the past year a more robust and effective underlying skill set than that of his English counterpart.

Gordon might declare himself a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, but he needs to be more active and incisive with his natural skills, for Leao has thoroughly outstripped him since the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign.

Given that Newcastle would be looking for payment in the ballpark of £80m, it’s clear that Leao would be the better pick, cheaper and perhaps more suited to Slot’s intense playing style.

Both players need to hit richer veins of consistency to step up and become part of the true elite, but Diaz has been a bona fide success on Merseyside, and he’s not exactly blessed with the potency of Mohamed Salah.

FBref’s data has even drawn AC Milan’s star up as being a statistically similar player to Liverpool’s Colombian maverick, so replacing him with Leao seems like something of a no-brainer.

Liverpool have some thinking to do over the coming weeks. It’s worth reiterating that all this will only come into play if Diaz is sold – and if he is, there’s no better replacement out there than Leao.

He'd be better than Gyokeres: Liverpool hold talks to sign "the new Mbappe"

Liverpool are looking to sign a new striker in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 10, 2025

As Manchester United continue their search for a striker, they’ve reportedly been offered the chance to sign a Serie A forward who has admitted in the past that he supports Arsenal.

Man Utd rejected by Liam Delap

If those at Old Trafford believed that the Manchester United name could carry them through the summer transfer window without European football, then Liam Delap’s rejection has handed them a rude awakening. Although it seemed as though the Red Devils were in the driving seat in pursuit of Delap’s signature, he has since reportedly turned them down in search of playing among Europe’s elite at Chelsea.

With the Ipswich Town forward closing in on a move to Stamford Bridge, Manchester United must simply go again in pursuit of attacking additions. Already, to their credit, they’re set to welcome Matheus Cunha, but Ruben Amorim’s side needs more reinforcements going forward than just the Brazilian this summer.

To that end, fresh names have at least already emerged among the headlines. The likes of Bryan Mbeumo, for example, have recently found themselves linked to Old Trafford in what would be an excellent move for Manchester United.

The Brentford winger enjoyed a fantastic campaign under Thomas Frank – hitting the 20-goal mark in the Premier League – and would undoubtedly hand Amorim an instant upgrade on the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

He’s not the only one who’s been mentioned, however. Alongside Mbeumo, Manchester United have now reportedly been offered to chance to sign a former Chelsea forward.

Man Utd offered chance to sign Tammy Abraham

According to The Boot Room, Manchester United have now been approached by the representatives of Tammy Abraham over a move from AS Roma this summer. The England forward struggled on loan at AC Milan this season and his agent is now attempting to secure a move back to the Premier League by contacting the Red Devils.

Given his Chelsea ties and recent struggles, the forward would have pressure to win Old Trafford over as quickly as possible if he completed a summer switch. And what wouldn’t help the 27-year-old do that is his own admission a few years ago that he was an Arsenal fan growing up.

The perfect Bruno replacement: Man Utd looking at deal for £68m sensation

Manchester United are set for a huge summer, with numerous players expected to leave Old Trafford.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 29, 2025

Abraham told reporters during a loan spell at Bristol City during the early years of his career: “To be honest I was an Arsenal fan. It didn’t make any difference at Chelsea. When you’re young and you choose who to support, if it’s a family thing, it’s a family thing.”

Abraham’s childhood club won’t be something that concerns Amorim, however. Instead, the Manchester United boss may look towards Jose Mourinho’s previous praise as an indication of the forward’s talent. The self-proclaimed Special One described Abraham as “amazing” during his time in charge of Roma.

Transfer mania is now well and truly here, and it looks set to be a busy summer for Arsenal.

The window isn’t even officially open yet, and Mikel Arteta’s side are reportedly closing in on the seriously impressive signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad.

However, while the Spaniard will undoubtedly improve the squad, the area of the team most in need of reinforcing is the attack, both down the middle and off the left.

One of the names linked with the Gunners in the last few days has been Bayern Munich star Leroy Sané, who’ll be available for free, but based on recent reports, the board have now identified another international as their priority for that position, an international who’d be a far better signing.

Arsenal's winger search

While Arsenal’s right-hand side looks set for years to come thanks to Bukayo Saka and the young Ethan Nwaneri, the future of the left-hand side is much more uncertain, which has seen the club linked to several incredibly talented wingers in recent weeks and months, like Daizen Maeda and Jamie Gittens.

Transfer Focus

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

The former might not be a name on many wishlists, but at a reported £25m, he could be a steal, as in just 51 appearances this season, the Japanese international scored 33 goals and provided 12 assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.13 games.

On the other hand, Gittens, who could cost around £46m, hasn’t been quite as prolific, racking up a haul of 12 goals and five assists in 48 games, but as he’s still just 20 years old, the club would be buying him for what he could be.

However, there is another name that has followed the North Londoners from last summer, Nico Williams.

According to a recent report from the Mail Online, Arsenal have maintained their strong interest in the Athletic Bilbao star and made him their ‘priority’ target for the left-wing position.

The story does not mention a price, but countless reports from the last few weeks and months have confirmed that the 22-year-old dynamo has a £50m release clause in his current contract.

It would be a costly transfer to get over the line, but Williams has proven that he’s one of the most exciting attackers around, and he’d be a far better addition to the team than Sane.

How Williams compares to Sane

So, while both internationals can, in fact, play on either wing, it feels improbable that either would ever displace Saka on the right, so if Arsenal were to sign just one of them to make the left their own, who should it be?

Well, if we start by looking at their raw output from the last two seasons, it’s Williams who takes a commanding lead.

For example, since the start of the 23/24 campaign, the “world-class” Spaniard, as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy, has scored 19 goals and provided 25 assists in 82 appearances, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games.

In contrast, Sane has scored 23 goals and provided 19 assists in 87 appearances, which is undoubtedly still impressive, but comes out to a worse average of a goal involvement every 2.07 games.

What about their underlying numbers from the last two seasons, then? Which winger comes out on top when we take a look under the hood?

Unfortunately for the former Manchester City star, it’s once again his younger competitor who takes the crown here, as in most relevant metrics, he comes out ahead.

These metrics include but are not limited to non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, goals per shot and shot on target, crosses into the penalty area, shot and goal-creating actions, tackles, blocks, successful take-ons, ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

Finally, on top of having the better output and underlying numbers, it’s important to remember that the Pamplona-born ace is also seven years the German’s junior, so there is every chance, and it is in fact quite likely, that he’ll only get better over the subsequent few campaigns.

In contrast, with him set to turn 30 midway through next season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bayern star start to regress in the coming years.

Ultimately, while both Williams and Sane are great players, the former is significantly better and has the potential to develop further, and therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him this summer.

£34m Arsenal flop who's like Odegaard must not play for the club again

The talented ace needs to leave Arsenal this summer.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 29, 2025

Liverpool are in the mix to complete the signing of a defensive midfielder who has been hailed as a “joy to watch” in Serie A.

Elliott linked with exit as Liverpool make contact for new midfielders

The Reds’ midfield has excelled this season, playing a big part in Arne Slot’s side winning the Premier League, with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai the go-to trio in the middle of the park.

While other positions are more in need of new signings this summer, from left-back to centre forward, a new midfielder wouldn’t go amiss, especially if Harvey Elliott departs.

Rumours have suggested that that may be the case, with the 22-year-old himself hinting at it earlier this week: “It’s been hard with how much I’ve played. I’ve tried as hard as I could and whatever happens, happens. It’s about what’s best for my career. It’s about reflecting and seeing what I can do. I’m here at the moment and I’m focusing on the final game.”

An attacking midfielder who could be about to move to Anfield is Bayer Leverksuen star Florian Wirtz, with the Reds confident of signing the German international.

According to a report last month, Liverpool also made contact with Juventus midfielder Nicolo Rovella, who is currently on loan at fellow Serie A side Lazio.

Liverpool ramping up pressure on Lazio to sign Rovella

According to Il Messaggero [via Sport Witness], Liverpool remain in the mix to sign Rovella, with Aston Villa also interested in signing the 23-year-old. Manchester City showed interest in him during the January transfer window, but it is the Reds now putting pressure on to get a deal over the line ahead of next season.

Lazio are expected to make his temporary stay into a permanent one straight away this summer, but could then sell him on for profit if they do not make the Champions League this weekend, currently sitting two points adrift with one game to play.

Rovella stands out as an exciting option for Liverpool, proving to be a strong enforcer in front of the defence for Lazio this season.

The Italian has made 30 appearances in Serie A, averaging 2.6 tackles per game, with only Alexis Mac Allister (2.7) averaging more for the Reds in the Premier League in 2024/25. Meanwhile, scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a “joy to watch”.

As mentioned, there are more pressing areas of the pitch for Liverpool to focus on in the summer transfer window, but an out-and-out defensive midfielder could still provide Slot with more balance, coming in as a younger upgrade on Wataru Endo.

He could have a big decision to make regarding his future if Lazio cannot rescue a top four finish this weekend.

Will Celtic enjoy a strong end to yet another memorable season?

On Saturday, the Hoops fought back from a goal down to win 3-1 at Parkhead; Nicolas Kühn, Adam Idah and then Reo Hatate the scorers for Celtic.

As a result, Brendan Rodgers’ side could conclude the campaign with as many as 94 points, travelling to Pittodrie on Wednesday, before facing St Mirren on trophy presentation day, which has become a near-annual event, on Saturday.

They’ll then face Aberdeen again the following weekend at Hampden in the Scottish Cup Final, seeking to secure a sixth domestic treble in just nine seasons.

Despite their continued domination of Scottish football, Rodgers is not satisfied and always demands improvement, so could Celtic sign a highly-rated defender in a deal that would be reminiscent of Josip Juranović’s move from the not-too-distant past?

Josip Juranović's impact at Celtic

As part of the major summer rebuild when Ange Postecoglou first arrived at Celtic in the summer of 2021, 14 senior players were signed, including Juranović, joining from Legia Warszawa for a reported fee of £2.5m.

Well, despite actually only making 53 appearances in hoops, the Croatian international certainly proved to be fantastic value for money, describing his 18 months in Glasgow as “the best of his life”.

Juranović quickly established himself as a fans’ favourite, with Total Football Analysis praising his ‘versatility… aerial ability and physicality’ as well as his leadership qualities.

Thus, in January 2023, shortly after helping Croatia reach the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, Juranović joined Union Berlin for a reported £10m, representing a 400% return on investment in just a year-and-a-half.

It’s safe to say that Celtic’s recruitment when it comes to plucking hidden gems has worked well and they could repeat that trick here, luring another defender from the continent to Scottish shores.

Celtic targeting a new defender

As previously reported by Mirko Marković of Maxbet Sport earlier this month, Celtic are ‘very interested’ in signing defender Veljko Milosavljević from Serbian champions Crvena zvezda, adding that the youngster has shown great ‘potential’ this season.

Milosavljević, who is just 17-years-old, made his senior Super liga Srbije debut for Red Star Belgrade against Radnički Niš as recently as December, with the table below outlining his career statistics so far.

Despite his lack of first-team experience, Milosavljević has earned rave reviews.

Aleksandar Radonić of Serbia outlet Kurur labels him ‘one of the most talented’ youngsters to come through Red Star Belgrade’s academy in recent times, adding that the centre-back, who stands at 6 foot 3, was ‘especially impressive’ during a recent eternal derby victory over Partizan, claiming he is now valued at around €4m (£3m).

Transfer Focus

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

Meantime, scout Gianni Bellasi describes him as a “physically imposing” defender who is a “reliable presence”, while Blair Meikle of the National believes the teenager is one of the ‘hottest young prospects’ in European football right now.

So, where would he fit into Celtic’s team?

Well, for four seasons now, Cameron Carter-Vickers has been the club’s undisputed first-choice central defender, racking up 157 appearances since arriving from Tottenham, despite a few injury problems.

This season, fellow-American international Auston Trusty as well as Liam Scales have been vying to be Carter-Vickers’ partner, but that position is certainly up for grabs, and Milosavljević more than appears to have all the attributes and qualities to come in and make that position his own.

Given that, as noted by teammate Kasper Schmeichel, Carter-Vickers’ qualities lie “with the ball at his feet”, Milosavljević’s physical profile suggests he would be a dream centre-back partner.

Thus, if Celtic can secure his services for as little as £4m, that would appear to be a fantastic investment.

Perfect McCowan repeat: Celtic plotting move to sign "brilliant" SPFL star

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, Celtic are considering a move to sign a “brilliant” Scottish Premiership star on a free.

By
Ben Gray

May 7, 2025

Liverpool boss Arne Slot could oversee some significant squad changes this summer and his side could now have taken a step forward in their hunt to sign a new striker, per reports.

Liverpool could now kick transfer activity into gear

Other Monday mornings pass by with little in the way of incident, but Liverpool fans will have been rocked by confirmation that Trent Alexander-Arnold will join Real Madrid on a free transfer. Fabrizio Romano has delivered the news that will undoubtedly have Reds fans talking for weeks to come, meaning Arne Slot will need to dip into the market for a replacement.

Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez could arrive at Anfield to provide competition for Andy Robertson on the left of the backline, though the other side will now likely demand more attention due to Alexander-Arnold’s bitter departure. Barcelona’s Jules Kounde is on the list to replace the Reds’ academy graduate. However, he will cost in the region of £68 million to prize away from the La Liga giants.

Arne Slot is now a Premier League winner and won’t be keen on hanging around as his side look to establish themselves as England’s dominant force over a number of years.

Statement arrivals will be needed to fend off a new challenge from the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal next term, while there may also be transfer battles between the traditional ‘Big Six’ to land talented assets.

Now, Liverpool are said to be positioning themselves for a clinical striker who is commanding the attention of several elite clubs this summer.

Liverpool embark on Benjamin Sesko scouting mission

Per TBR, Liverpool sent scouts to watch RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko in action against Bayern Munich last weekend alongside representatives from Arsenal and Chelsea. The Slovenia international’s entourage are in regular talks with the clubs mentioned and England appears to be the striker’s likeliest destination this summer.

Manchester United and Newcastle United may also be worth watching out for in the race for his signature. No final decision has been made on Sesko’s future, though his camp are comfortable with the way things are shaping up.

Labelled as someone with “incredible potential” by Jurgen Klopp, the 21-year-old scored in front of scouts before Bayern Munich were confirmed champions on Sunday due to Bayer Leverkusen dropping points. Showing his clinical nature, Sesko has directed 31 of his 67 shots in the Bundesliga on target alongside completing an impressive 38 dribbles this term.

Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota could be at risk of moving on this summer, and Sesko would definitely be an ideal alternative that could cement his place as number one striker at Anfield for years to come.

Manchester United have now identified a new top target to replace Andre Onana this summer, amid concerns over the goalkeeper’s performances this season, according to a report.

Man Utd star dropped after Lyon disaster

Onana had a point to prove heading into Man United’s Europa League clash against Lyon, having received heavy criticism from Nemanja Matic before the match, but the Cameroonian put in a very disappointing performance.

After making a major blunder, which allowed Rayan Cherki to bag a late equaliser, the goalkeeper received a 5.9 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any player on the pitch, and he was subsequently dropped for the 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.

Given that Altay Bayindir also failed to impress at St. James’ Park, Ruben Amorim has a selection dilemma heading into the second leg against Lyon on Thursday night, which is perhaps his side’s most crucial game of the season so far.

New target: Man Utd eyeing move to sign "excellent" £15m Onana replacement

The Red Devils have joined the race for a goalkeeper, amid concerns over Andre Onana’s form.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 15, 2025

However, Amorim’s lack of faith in his goalkeepers means it is now looking increasingly likely a new option will be brought in between the sticks this summer, and a new top target has now been identified.

According to a report from Spain, FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa is the leading candidate to replace Onana, with Old Trafford chiefs now ramping up their pursuit of a new goalkeeper.

Costa’s impressive performances for club and country mean he has now been pinpointed as the Red Devils’ number one choice, most notably putting in some top displays for national side Portugal at Euro 2024.

The Portugal international is protected by a €75m (£64m) release clause, and Porto are unwilling to sanction his departure for a lower fee, so United will need to spend big to get a deal over the line this summer.

"Superman" Costa could be upgrade on Onana

The Porto shot-stopper put in some top displays at Euro 2024, while he has also impressed in a Porto shirt for quite some time, having been lauded as a “superman” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig after catching the eye in the Champions League.

Perhaps crucially, the 25-year-old appears to be competent in possession of the ball, given that he ranks in the 93rd percentile for touches per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Not only that, but the Porto academy graduate is particularly adept at saving penalties, recently denying Christian Eriksen from the spot in Portugal’s UEFA Nations League clash against Denmark.

At 25-years-old, Costa may be about to enter his prime years, and his performances for both club and country indicate he could be a real upgrade on Onana, who is running out of time to save his Man United career.

Celtic are on the march to another potential domestic clean sweep, but could now face a battle on their hands to retain a talented young star, per reports.

Celtic take one step closer to a domestic treble

Hampden was literally a sea of green last weekend as Celtic fans packed out the national stadium on Sunday to witness their side batter St Johnstone 5-0 to reach the Scottish Cup final.

Brendan Rodgers now stands effectively one game off becoming the first ever Hoops manager to win three trebles in charge at Parkhead. They only need one point this weekend away to Dundee United to seal a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title.

In essence, Celtic have one match left this campaign that carries direct jeopardy. However, the thought of post-split clashes such as their trip to Tannadice followed by a meeting with Rangers the week after leave enough motivation for the champions to retain a healthy fire in their belly.

Come the summer, Rodgers’ priority will centre around securing Champions League-calibre additions to bolster his side ahead of the final qualifying round.

Crystal Palace youngster Jesse Derry is a target for Celtic following his refusal to sign a new contract at Selhurst Park. On the same token, Stoke City winger Million Manhoef is on the Bhoys’ radar, though may cost £10 million to bring to Glasgow’s east end.

Celtic fumbled the next Dembele when "generational" star left on the cheap

Celtic fumbled another Karamoko Dembele when they lost Ben Doak on the cheap.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 22, 2025

While incomings are always on the agenda, it would be negligent to rule out the fact that several departures could occur at Parkhead this summer to make room for fresh blood.

Further down the food chain, Celtic could now be set to lose a talented young star in a scenario that fans have seen unfold all too often in recent years.

Celtic could lose Dara Jikiemi to Nottingam Forest

According to Football Insider, Celtic could lose young defender Dara Jikiemi to Nottingham Forest after the Premier League outfit set their sights on bringing the 15-year-old to the City Ground.

Following some excellent performances at club level that led him to captaining Scotland’s Under-15 side earlier this year, he could become the latest in a long line of youngsters who have departed Lennoxtown to move on before making a sustained first-team breakthrough.

Ben Doak, Rocco Vata, Daniel Kelly, Liam Morrison and Cameron Harper are just a handful of prodigious stars who have left the Scottish champions in recent years while at a young age, enjoying a mixed degree of success south of the border and further afield.

Brexit has made Scottish soil a hotbed for scouts from English clubs due to tightened rules over signing EU-based players while they are under the age of 18. Celtic aren’t immune to this and will routinely face challenges in keeping hold of young talent for years to come.

Aston Villa face a transfer fight with Manchester United to sign an “incredible” £67m star this summer, according to a new report.

Aston Villa chase new defender as Rogers gains admirers

The Villans strengthened their bid to finish in the top four over the weekend as they beat Nottingham Forest 2-1. Unai Emery will be keen to secure another season of Champions League football, as it will help their finances when it comes to the summer, and perhaps more importantly help them keep players such as Morgan Rogers.

NSWE prepared to spend: Aston Villa plot move for "aggressive" £50m star

He’s a wanted man.

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 7, 2025

The midfielder has been one of Villa’s best players this season, and that has earned him the reward of an international stage. It may also not be a surprise to see Rogers’ performances have “attracted admirers”, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. No specific teams are mentioned, but it is clear that huge clubs have taken notice of the Villa midfielder.

On the incomings front, Villa are looking to make an offer to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP. Emery is keen on signing a new defender this summer, and Diomande has emerged on their radar, as Sporting are willing to sell as long as they receive a £50 million fee.

Aston Villa looking to beat Man Utd to Maignan deal

As well as looking to sign a new defender, Emery is also planning on strengthening his goalkeeper department, as according to journalist Niccolò Ceccarini, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are interested in signing AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, gathering information on the player and the chances of a deal.

The report states that Villa have taken an interest in Maignan and could now make a concrete approach to sign the France international this summer, as he will enter the final 12 months of his contract at San Siro. Maignan has agreed a new contract with Milan in principle but has yet to sign the deal, so he could be moved on by the Italian team this summer, but would still cost around £67 million.

Villa, who already have Emi Martinez between the sticks, are not the only team from the Premier League to take a close look at the shot-stopper, as Chelsea are also interested, despite having several goalkeepers on their books.

Manchester United are also keen on Maignan and are said to be preparing an offer to bring the Frenchman to Old Trafford as a replacement for Andre Onana. Maignan, who has been hailed “incredible” by former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny, was asked about his future on Saturday after Milan’s 2-2 draw with Fiorentina.

The Frenchman was unwilling to talk about his contract situation at AC Milan: “As I said, I feel good at Milan; I give everything for the shirt every time I put it on, every day. At this moment, I tell the truth; I don’t want to talk about the contract; I want to talk about football.

“Milan deserves more; we want more. My personal case is not the most important thing at this moment.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was thrown into a difficult situation when he decided to take on the job as Russell Martin’s replacement at Ibrox.

The former Gers boss only won five of 17 matches in charge of the club, whilst the summer transfer window was navigated by Kevin Thelwell, who has since been relieved of his duties.

Now that Thelwell has departed, Rohl will have a chance to lead the charge to recruit his own players in the upcoming January transfer window, and a new winger has to be on the agenda.

Ranking Rohl's winger options for Rangers

Rohl has plenty of options who can play on the left or the right flank, but very few of them have shown that they have the quality to be reliable options in the present day.

Oliver Antman and Nedim Bajrami are both currently out through injury, which means that they are not current options for the manager, whilst Kieran Dowell has only just returned from injury and has yet to be given a chance to shine.

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked Mikey Moore as the best current option on the wing for Rangers, because he has scored two goals in his last two Scottish Premiership games.

No other natural Gers winger, with Danilo a striker by trade, has scored more than one league goal for the Gers this season, with Djeidi Gassama on one goal and one assist.

Gassama has been particularly disappointing of late, with one goal and no assists in his last 11 matches, and Rangers could finally replace him as a starter by signing Yelimay Semey left winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek in January.

Why Rangers should sign Galymzhan Kenzhebek

The 22-year-old forward has been the subject of a bid from Rangers ahead of the January transfer window opening for business, and they should push to get a deal done for him because he could be an upgrade on Gassama.

Rangers should bolster their options in the wide areas in the winter market because we have ranked the Frenchman as their second-best wide option, despite the fact that he has only scored one league goal for the club.

A return of one goal and one assist in 15 Premiership matches for the Gers, per Sofascore, is not a good enough return for a team that should be competing to win the title, which is why Kenzhebek should be considered as a possible replacement for the starting XI.

Transfer Focus

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

The young winger currently plays in Kazakhstan, which makes it hard to predict how he will adapt to the Premiership, but it is worth remembering that Hearts, who top the league, signed Alexandros Kyziridis from Slovakia and Claudio Braga from the second division in Norway.

There are hidden gems to be found in more obscure leagues, as evidenced by those two signings, who have combined for 15 goals and nine assists for Hearts, per Transfermarkt, this season.

As you can see in the table above, Kenzhebek’s form for his current club is far more impressive than anything Gassama has produced at the top end of the pitch for the Light Blues in the Premiership.

Whilst there is no guarantee that he can translate that form over to Scottish football, there is also no guarantee that signings from the Championship or other top leagues in Europe can adapt to the league or Ibrox.

It is also worth taking into account that Kenzhebek, who was hailed as a “very pacy” player by Rangers Journal creator Kai Watson, has also shown promise at international level.

The Rangers target has scored two goals and provided one assist in six World Cup qualifiers for Kazakhstan, per Sofascore, which shows that he can compete on the international stage, as well as impress for his club domestically.

On top of being an attractive target on paper because of his statistics, Kenzhebek’s contract with his club is due to expire at the end of this month, per Transfermarkt, which means that the Gers can pick him up on a free transfer.

Therefore, Rangers must push to get a deal done for the talented youngster because he could be a hidden gem, away from the usual markets that the club shop in, who could come in and take Gassama’s place in the side.

Rangers dud was as "rotten" as Miovski, now he's Rohl's most improved player

This Glasgow Rangers flop who looked as bad as Bojan Miovski is now Danny Rohl’s most improved performer.

By
Dan Emery

5 days ago

If he can then translate his current form over to Ibrox, Rohl would finally have a consistent winger who can provide goals and assists on a regular basis.