There is a strong argument to be made that Gareth Bale is the best British football export of all time. The Welshman did it all at Real Madrid and he did it in style. From leaving Jordi Alba chasing shadows to score one of the most iconic El Clasico goals of all time to that overhead kick in the 2018 Champions League final, Bale is an undeniable great.
For a man who famously had Wales, golf and Real Madrid in an unexpected order or priorities towards the end of his time in Spain as things soured, Bale’s numbers during his time at the Bernabeu prove that saying may not have always been true.
Gareth Bale at Real Madrid
Record (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances
258
Goals
106
Assists
67
La Liga titles
16/17, 19/20, 21/22
Champions League titles
13/4, 15/16, 16/17, 17/18, 21,22
Forming an iconic partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to help Real Madrid become the first and only side in history to win three-straight Champions League titles, it wouldn’t have been absurd to suggest that Bale was the best player in the world at one stage.
The praise that the iconic winger received reflected the level that he was playing at. During his first year in Spain, Madrid captain Sergio Ramos told reporters: “The truth is because he did not play for a team in England that played in the Champions League – we did not know that much about him.
“We know if he the coach wanted him that strongly he must be a good player – but nobody was prepared for how special he is. It has only been a few training sessions we have seen him in – but some of what we see we can’t believe. He is so fast, so tricky, and the frightening thing is that he is not even 100 per cent game fit yet.”
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For all his iconic teammates and coaches at Real Madrid, however, Bale has not forgotten who turned him into the world-beater that graced Europe’s biggest occassions over the years.
Gareth Bale: Redknapp made me one of the world's best
Long before the world knew exactly how good Bale was, it was Harry Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur who was giving a young Welshman the opportunity to thrive in the Premier League.
It was the experienced manager who recognised Bale’s attacking talent and turned him into a winger as a result, birthing one of the best British players of all time as a result. And the former Spurs man hasn’t forgotten Redknapp’s influence.
Whether it’s Redknapp, Zinedine Zidane, Ancelotti – in that order – is a question that may never be answered, but Bale has certainly never forgotten the impact that his former Spurs manager had on his career.
Seeking instant upgrades this summer, Manchester United have now reportedly made their first contact to sign an impressive Premier League defender for Ruben Amorim.
Man Utd end Asia tour with victory
After finishing as low as 15th in the Premier League and losing in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, the last thing that the Manchester United squad needed was further humiliation. But defeat at the hands of ASEAN All-Stars and an awkward open-top bus tour through Kuala Lumpur ensured that their moments to forget only continued.
As they arrived in Hong Kong, the Red Devils would have been feeling that same concern that they’ve felt all season, especially when Juninho opened the scoring to put the hosts in front. This time, however, Amorim’s side spared their blushes and came from behind to seure a 3-1 victory, courtesy of goals from Chido Obi-Martin and Ayden Heaven.
With or without that comeback victory, the damage may have been done on Manchester United’s post-season tour, which only extended their misery.
Nonetheless, Amorim was left pleased following the Hong Kong game and singled out his young players for their efforts, telling reporters: “I really like the kids. I think Jimmy [Thwaites], in the last 15 minutes, as a midfielder, he wants to play. It doesn’t matter how many minutes. These kind of young kids are really important. They will have space in our team.
”Of course, it’s a good feeling [for Obi to score twice] but he needs to continue to train really hard because the Premier League is a different world. We have to improve as a team but I’m really pleased with the kids. Ayden proved, in every game for the first team, he is ready to be an option. Of course, he has got to improve.”
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Away from the tour, meanwhile, those at Old Trafford have also been busy working on some key upgrades, which could see Amorim handed another wing-back to slot straight into his system.
Man Utd make contact to sign Estupinan
According to Ben Jacobs, who was speaking to The United Stand, Manchester United have now made a first approach to sign Pervis Estupinan from Brighton & Hove Albion this summer. The left-back once again played an important part at The Amex, as Fabian Hurzeler’s side finished as high as eighth in the Premier League. Now, as a result, he could be on the move.
Whether the Seagulls allow their £15m left-back to leave is the big question. Hurzeler is well aware of the talent that he has at his disposal and was full of praise for Estupinan when he returned from injury in August, telling reporters: “He missed a lot of content and a lot of technical things also in the preseason. It’s important now to get from a mix between video sessions and then the pitch sessions.
“That’s why I think that he will be a great player for us again, but we shouldn’t put pressure on him because after a long injury the players need time to adapt and that will be important.”
That said, what should make any potential deal easier this summer is the fact that the Brighton star is represented by the same agent as Manchester United defender Leny Yoro – making him one to watch.
Continuing their search for a new manager, the 49ers and Rangers have now reportedly added another name to their shortlist alongside Steven Gerrard and Davide Ancelotti.
Rangers' manager shortlist shrinking
The Gers have been considering their options ever since deciding to part ways with Philippe Clement and even handed Barry Ferguson the interim role to buy themselves some time for the rest of the season. With the season now over, however, those at Ibrox have a decision to make between a number of reported candidates.
One name that can at least be ruled out is Ferguson. Although the interim boss showed some promise in European action, his Ibrox record was always unlikely to be enough for the permanent job.
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Nonetheless, he admitted the honour of taking charge if only for a short spell, saying in a recent statement: “I’ve already lived the dream as a player and as captain of Rangers, and to do so as head coach in these last three months has been an enormous honour.
“There have been some ups and downs, but I have loved this experience and given it my all throughout. The backing I have received has been phenomenal. I said, no matter how this period panned out, I would always remain a committed supporter of the club, and I look forward to remaining a Rangers ambassador. I wish whomever becomes the new manager every success in the job.”
Narrowing Rangers’ shortlist down to just a few names, the Gers must get their next decision right. According to reports, it’s Steven Gerrard who is the favourite to become the next Rangers manager and arrive for his second stint in charge.
The former Aston Villa manager recently left Saudi Arabia after a difficult spell in charge of Al Ettifaq, but could be given an instant opportunity to get back to familiarities at Ibrox. Meanwhile, Davide Ancelotti – son of Carlo Ancelotti – has also been heavily linked with what would be his first managerial job away from his father.
There’s every chance that it could be neither of those options, however, with another name now reportedly added to the shortlist.
Rangers add Gattuso to list of candidates
According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Rangers have now also identified Gennaro Gattuso as a managerial option alongside Gerrard and Ancelotti. The Italian is well known around Ibrox thanks to his spell at the club from 1997 to 1998 and could now make his return away from the pitch and in the dugout at the home of the Scottish giants.
Gennaro Gattuso during his time with Marseille.
Whilst Gattuso’s playing career was undeniably iconic – Gerrard himself admitted the Italian’s style “really angered” him in their 2005 Champions League final meeting – his managerial career hasn’t quite hit the same heights.
Often implementing a 4-2-3-1 system, the longest that the Italian has lasted at a club is two years, with spells at Napoli, Valencia and AC Milan all ending fairly unsuccessfully. Now at Hajduk Split until at least 2026, Rangers would also face the problem of getting Gattuso out of his current role.
On their list nonetheless, Gattuso could be an interesting name to watch if neither Gerrard nor Ancelotti take the Rangers job in the coming months.
It’s been a tale of two halves for Everton this season.
The mood was dour when Sean Dyche’s side dragged themselves to the Premier League campaign’s midpoint, 16th after successive losses against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, their 15-goal haul better only than Southampton, a team that have since failed to pull themselves from the pit of the division, utterly miserable throughout.
A different trajectory for David Moyes’ Everton, though. The Scottish manager replaced Dyche shortly after those aforementioned defeats and has now sealed a 13th-place finish, far more optimism, far more fluency, and a new sense of hope that simply wasn’t there during the Farhad Moshiri era.
Everton manager DavidMoyes
However, Dyche left the club in a somewhat stable fashion. No doubt, he needed to go, but defensive foundations had been laid and solidified, and one or two positive additions were welcomed last summer – namely, the £15m signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille.
Moyes will also thank his lucky stars for Jarrad Branthwaite, who has grown into his role as one of the country’s most talented defenders over the past few years.
Jarrad Branthwaite is Everton's biggest star
A formidable presence, Branthwaite might only be 22 years old, but he’s shaped into one of the most powerful and precise centre-backs in the Premier League.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
Described as an “absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig last season, Branthwaite has continued to prove himself Everton’s defender par excellence, more athletic and accurate than James Tarkowski and with an underrated technical side too.
Dyche and Moyes’ tactical approaches preclude fluid ball playing with the regularity that Branthwaite perhaps wants (he will be frustrated at having been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad), but interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United make a telling comment on the high regard he is held in by possession-focused outfits.
Jarrad Branthwaite in the Premier League
Stats (* per game)
23/24
24/25
Matches (starts)
35 (35)
30 (28)
Goals
3
0
Assists
0
1
Clean sheets
12
8
Touches*
52.2
51.9
Pass completion
80%
83%
Ball recoveries*
5.2
3.1
Tackles + interceptions*
3.3
2.1
Clearances*
4.5
6.3
Duels (won)*
5.3 (68%)
3.9 (63%)
Data via Sofascore
As you can see above, he’s maintained a brilliant level across the past two campaigns, and it’s no surprise he was absent through injury during the 2024/25 season’s opening, when Dyche’s Toffees were at their nadir.
But would you believe it, he hasn’t actually been Everton’s best defender this season. Moyes will thank his stars for Branthwaite and Ndiaye and so on, but Jake O’Brien may well have been the most astute signing of them all.
Why Jake O'Brien has been even better than Branthwaite
When analysing the role O’Brien has played for Everton this season, it becomes clear that he’s been an instrumental part of the club’s success in steering away from relegation danger and erecting a framework for a promising new era under the wing of The Friedkin Group.
Jake O'Brien celebrates for Everton
Everton signed the Republic of Ireland international from Lyon last summer for a £17m fee, but he failed to make more than a smattering of appearances for Dyche, playing two cameos in the Premier League before Moyes’ first match in January against Aston Villa.
Since coming off the bench at Goodison Park on that day, the 24-year-old has started 16 top-flight fixtures, principally at right-back, missing just one game due to injury.
He’s scored crucial goals in 1-1 draws against Brentford and West Ham United and has kept four clean sheets, winning 55% of his duels and averaging 4.3 clearances per game, as per Sofascore. He hasn’t made a single error.
Typically a central defender, O’Brien’s emergence on the right has been something of a masterstroke from Moyes, with Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman, who have a combined age of 75, both approaching the end of their contracts and lacking the powerful physicality and mobility of this rising star, whose defensive roots actually align with Moyes’ vision too.
Hailed “an absolute revelation” for the Merseysiders by TNT Sports commentator Adam Virgo, O’Brien has indeed proved his positional dynamism, his roundedness and his willingness to provide his services in any way Moyes sees best fit, and to a high standard at that.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 13% of Premier League full-backs this season for goals scored, the top 2% for clearances, the top 5% for aerial battles won, and the top 7% for long passes completed.
Everton's Jake O'Brien
That final metric, his ranged distribution, is an interesting one. The 6 foot 6 O’Brien might be perfunctorily categorised as a hulking defender, good in the air and solid against onrushing forwards, but lacking on the technical side.
However, this simply isn’t the case. His crisp forward passing opens up a dimension for Moyes, who is rooted in his pragmatic style but open to advanced tinkering, creating a layered style that has worked a treat for Everton as they prepare to transition to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Jake O'Brien
It’s probably fair to say that Everton would have been in a spot of bother, had Moyes failed to: a) recognise O’Brien’s potential as a moonlighter at right-back or b) find he had the Irishman in his squad to begin with.
O’Brien has been brilliant, adding a defensive dimension that has kept Coleman and Young on the back burner. With Nathan Patterson unreliable on the fitness and, consequently, form fronts, his performances have maybe even been instrumental.
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Arsenal have now received the green light to sign their “number one striker target” for a fee of just over £60m this summer, with talks now advancing, according to transfer expert Pete O’Rourke.
Gunners ramping up striker pursuit
In many ways, Mikel Merino has done an impressive job since being forced to fill in as a makeshift striker, scoring at Anfield in the recent 2-2 draw against Liverpool, while also assisting both goals in the 2-1 victory against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
However, with the Spaniard more accustomed to being a midfielder, it is looking increasingly likely the Gunners will bring in a new striker this summer, and there are signs that £75m-rated RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko could be a huge upgrade on Kai Havertz.
Sesko is believed to be one of the north Londoners’ top targets, alongside Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, with sporting director Andrea Berta understood to be a huge fan of the Swede, who recently led his side to Liga Portugal title glory.
There has since been a new update on Arsenal and Berta’s pursuit of Gyokeres, with O’Rourke telling Football Insider: “For Gyokeres, talks are advancing between Arsenal and his representatives,“
“[Gyokeres] is emerging as the number one choice for Arsenal, and it seems there’s a willingness from all parties to get the deal done.
“The player is happy to come and Sporting CP are happy to sell for just over £60million.”
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In the same report, it is revealed that Mikel Arteta isn’t totally sold on the idea of signing the 26-year-old, which indicates that Berta is driving the move.
Despite the manager’s concerns, however, it appears as though the deal is edging closer to completion, having received the green light from Sporting.
"Sensational" Gyokeres could be final piece of the jigsaw
Arsenal’s reluctance to sign a new striker in recent transfer windows has been much-maligned, with the decision arguably costing Arteta’s side in their Premier League title pursuit this season, considering they have had to make do without an out-and-out striker since February.
Havertz being ruled out for the rest of the season was a major blow for the Gunners, particularly considering he is not the only player to spend a long period of time on the sidelines, with Bukayo Saka also missing large parts of the season.
Player
PL matches missed
Kai Havertz
13
Bukayo Saka
13
Gabriel
9
Gabriel Jesus
17
As such, Arsenal should undoubtedly be looking to bring in a new striker this summer, and it is exciting news that a deal for Gyokeres, who was once lauded as “sensational”, is now edging closer to completion.
The Sporting star has been simply incredible in front of goal this season, netting 39 goals in 33 Liga Portugal games, while also scoring six times in the Champions League, indicating that he could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Arteta.
Celtic are already building towards next season and could see plenty of movement in both directions once the summer window comes around at Parkhead.
Celtic begin to make inroads in the transfer market
While Brendan Rodgers has enjoyed another remarkably successful season at Parkhead, the Irishman still has the small factor of focusing on winning a domestic treble before fully looking ahead to 2025/26.
After claiming the Scottish Premiership title, Premier Sports Cup and putting on a brave showing in the Champions League, he will hope his side have demonstrated more than enough appeal to prospective summer recruits.
Brendan Rodgers
Recently, Celtic have been linked with a move for Heart of Midlothian forward James Wilson. The Scotland international has enjoyed a breakout campaign at Tynecastle, though it remains to be seen whether he would be given first-team guarantees in Glasgow.
Sarpsborg star Sondre Ørjasæter has been on the Hoops’ radar since January, suggesting that bolstering the ranks from middle to front could be a key priority for Rodgers. Nevertheless, there will also be a number of departures to clear the decks for fresh blood to enter the fold, even if Celtic are likely to fight hard to hold on to key stars.
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Daizen Maeda is attracting reported interest from Liverpool and Arsenal, signifying that high-profile sides may be casting an eye over a number of Hoops men ahead of next season. Now, further information has emerged regarding who could become Celtic’s early casualties and four players are now set to head through the exit door once their contracts expire.
Celtic set to part ways with four starlets this summer
According to The Daily Record, Celtic are set to part ways with Daniel Cummings, Joe Morrison, Alasdair Davidson and Lewis Dobbie, with the latter three not being retained by the Scottish champions.
Notably, Cummings has previously been offered a new contract by the Bhoys, but the Scotland Under-21 international has been frequently linked with a move to West Ham United after the Hammers saw a £500,000 bid turned down for the striker in January.
Celtic’s four departing youngsters in 2024/25
Daniel Cummings
Appearances: 37
Goals: 29
Assists: 0
Lewis Dobbie
Appearances: 26
Goals: 13
Assists: 0
Alasdair Davidson
Appearances: 10
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Joe Morrison
Appearances: 12
Clean sheets: 6
Goals conceded: 10
Seemingly, any efforts from Celtic to try and retain the prolific forward have fallen on deaf ears, and it remains to be seen whether a move to the London Stadium becomes a likely prospect in the summer months.
While there is an appetite from supporters to witness their academy system produce more talent for the first-team, it appears that none of the quartet mentioned will be household names at Parkhead.
Instead, they will focus on finding a steady path to senior involvement elsewhere, leaving Lennoxtown bosses to work with their existing pool of options.
Wednesday evening is a huge night for Liverpool football club, with the side having the opportunity to claim the Premier League title without even kicking a single ball.
Arne Slot will claim the trophy if second-placed Arsenal fall to a defeat against Crystal Palace at the Emirates, subsequently securing the Reds’ second league triumph in five years.
It would be a superb achievement for the Dutchman after taking the reins from Jürgen Klopp in the summer, producing a seamless transition which has played a huge role in their success.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
However, when the title is in the bag, attention will certainly turn towards the summer, with additions and departures needed if the side are to sustain the success they’ve endured in recent months.
One area of the pitch in particular has been subject to huge attention, with key signings needed in such a department to take Slot’s side to the next level in 2025/26.
The latest on Liverpool’s pursuit of new attackers this summer
Over the last couple of days, news emerged that Liverpool are set to sell striker Darwin Núñez this summer, just a couple of years after his big-money move to Anfield.
Any funds generated will likely hand the club a decent chunk to splash on a new talisman, with Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitiké just one name touted with a move to Merseyside.
Hugo Ekitike for Frankfurt.
However, despite their interest, the Bundesliga side undoubtedly don’t want to lose their star man, subsequently hiking his price tag to a staggering €100m (£85m).
Such a decision could see the hierarchy return to the drawing board and go back in for fellow target Alexander Isak after previously registering interest in his services.
According to Ben Jacobs via GIVEMESPORT, the Reds are set to make a bid for the Swede this window, but won’t be stumping up the Magpies’ £150m asking price.
Why Liverpool’s top target would be a huge upgrade on Diogo Jota
Striker Diogo Jota cost the club a fee in the region of £45m back in the summer of 2020, looking to inject added quality within the final third under former boss Klopp.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota
The Portuguese international has been a phenomenal addition, registering 65 goals in his 178 appearances for the Reds on Merseyside – but has endured a decline in recent months.
The 28-year-old has only scored six league goals in 2024/25, starting just 13 matches, with injuries starting to hamper his progress and restricting him from playing a key role.
Such a record could see the hierarchy cash in on his services along with Nunez, further handing Slot with the added cash to make key additions in the final third.
As a result, the club could fork out a huge sum for Isak, with the current Newcastle star undoubtedly offering the Reds a huge upgrade on Jota ahead of 2025/26.
When comparing their respective figures from the Premier League this time around, it’s evident how much of a phenomenal addition he would be, adding a different dimension to the club’s star-studded attack.
Isak, who Anthony Gordon admitted is the “best striker in Europe”, has massively outscored Jota, whilst also posting a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – highlighting his clinical nature within the final third.
How Isak compares Jota in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Isak
Jota
Games played
30
22
Goals scored
21
6
Shot-on-target accuracy
41%
30%
Shots on target per 90
1.5
1.1
Pass accuracy
75%
70%
Successful dribbles
1.6
0.9
Dribble success
50%
38%
Stats via FotMob
He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst achieving a higher dribble success rate, offering Slot a more all-round presence at the top end of the pitch.
Given his form on Tyneside this campaign, it’s likely that competition will be fierce for his signature, but it’s crucial that the board back the manager to help him land one of their key targets.
Whilst a deal would likely cost upwards of £100m, it certainly would be money well spent, with the Swedish international arguably the final piece of the attacking puzzle after Mohamed Salah’s contract extension in recent weeks.
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Liverpool inched closer to securing their second-ever Premier League title with a dramatic 2-1 win over West Ham United at Anfield on Sunday.
The Reds took the lead through Luis Diaz in the first half and appeared to be on for a comfortable win, before an own goal from Andy Robertson made it 1-1 in the second half.
Just minutes after that equaliser, though, Virgil van Dijk stepped up with a perfect header to win the match for Arne Slot’s side in the 89th minute.
Why Virgil van Dijk's performance was not perfect
It was not a perfect display by the Netherlands international by any means, despite scoring the winning goal, as his defensive work – unusually – left a bit to be desired.
The former Southampton colossus lost 100% (2/2) of his ground duels and made an error that directly led to a shot for the Hammers, in what was a shaky performance at times.
Robertson also appeared to point the finger at him for the Scottish defender’s own goal in the second half, as van Dijk came across and completely missed his attempted intervention – getting in the full-back’s way and inadvertently contributing to the own goal.
Because of these issues with his display, there were some stars who performed even better than the captain – including central midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.
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Alexis Mac Allister is as undroppable as Mo Salah
The Argentina international was better than van Dijk and just proved that he is as undroppable as Mo Salah, who broke the record for combined goals and assists in a single 38-game Premier League season with his assist for Diaz.
Liverpool’s wing wizard is, of course, undroppable when fit and available because of the quality that he can provide in the final third, as evidenced by that record.
Mac Allister, who earned a player rating of 8/10 from the Liverpool Echo, is just as undroppable because of the quality that he brings to the Liverpool midfield in and out of possession on a consistent basis.
Vs West Ham
Alexis Mac Allister
Minutes
90
Key passes
2
Assists
1
Shots on target
2
Dribbles completed
1/1
Ground duels won
6/10
Tackles + interceptions
4
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old talent was solid out of possession, winning 60% of his ground duels, and broke up attacks with four tackles and interceptions combined.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion star also offered a threat at the top end of the pitch with two key passes and an assist for van Dijk’s winner with an excellent delivery from a corner, to go along with two shots on target.
Mac Allister combines hard work and tenacity out of possession with composure and class on the ball to make him the perfect box-to-box midfield player for Liverpool and Slot, which is why he is as important to the team as Salah in many ways because he can impact games at both ends of the field.
He was even better than van Dijk against West Ham, because he did not make any big errors as the centre-back did, and should remain a regular starter in the final matches of the Premier League campaign.
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While the mood around Arsenal’s domestic campaign has turned from disappointment to apathy, it shouldn’t be forgotten just how stop-start this season has been for the North Londoners.
For example, on top of losing their captain for a couple of months and their only two centre-forwards, the Gunners had to make do without their best player for almost four months.
Expecting Mikel Arteta’s squad to be at their best without Bukayo Saka would be like asking Liverpool to be at their best without Mohammed Salah or Manchester City to do the same without Erling Haaland.
In fact, it wouldn’t be hyperbole to place the Englishman among the very best wingers in the world now, so fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club with another international wideman who’s won comparisons not just with Saka but also fellow wonderkid Lamine Yamal.
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Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other star wingers linked with a move to Arsenal this summer, such as Nico Williams.
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The Spaniard’s representatives have supposedly already held talks with Andrea Berta and, with a release clause worth around £52m, this feels like a move that could happen, and as he’s amassed an impressive tally of 17 goal involvements in 41 games this term, perhaps one that should.
An even more expensive winger touted for a move to the Emirates earlier this month was Rafael Leo, who looks like he may finally leave AC Milan at the end of the season.
AC Milan's RafaelLeao
However, while the Portuguese superstar has racked up a brilliant tally of 22 goal involvements in 44 games this season, he could cost up to £86m, which might make a move for him prohibitively expensive, which may not be the case for Kingsley Coman.
Yes, according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal have maintained their interest in the French winger.
Plettenberg has revealed that the Gunners are “in ongoing communication” with the player’s management and that it now looks all but certain that he’ll be leaving Bayern Munich in the summer.
However, Saudi Arabia “is a very appealing option” for the former Paris Saint Germain ace, and according to reports from last week, he could cost up to £39m, which may be seen as a steep amount considering his game time this season.
Bayern Munich's KingsleyComancelebrates
With that said, Coman is an undeniably talented player and one who has won comparisons to both Saka and Yamal, so should this transfer happen, he’d undoubtedly improve the quality of Arsenal’s squad.
How Coman compares to Saka & Yamal
So, before getting into some of the other benefits of signing Coman this summer, it’s worth first examining these comparisons to Saka and Yamal and where they come from.
Well, in this instance, they stem from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the seventh most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Frenchman and the Spaniard is the ninth.
The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the trio rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals, shots on target, goals per shot on target, tackles won, expected assists and more, all per 90.
Coman & Saka & Yamal
Statistics per 90
Coman
Saka
Yamal
Non-Penalty Expected Goals
0.32
0.29
0.29
Shots on Target
1.29
1.19
1.16
Goals per Shot on Target
0.27
0.28
0.20
Expected Assists
0.34
0.39
0.34
Tackles Won
0.85
0.86
0.89
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season
Moreover, like the two Barcelona and Arsenal stars, the Bayern ace also broke onto the scene when incredibly young, making his competitive debut for Paris Saint-Germain at just 16 years old before winning titles in Italy with Juventus and Germany with FC Hollywood.
It’s this experience, which is almost an expectation, to win which could be incredibly beneficial to have in Arteta’s squad from next season, as for all the talent currently there, none are proven winners in the same way as the “world-class” Frenchman, as dubbed by former manager Julian Nagelsmann, is.
Ultimately, while he might not be a guaranteed starter like Saka is, Coman would undoubtedly bring an immense level of experience and quality to Arsenal’s squad were he to join this summer, and therefore, he’s someone Arteta and Co should be looking to bring in.
Arsenal very keen on signing £39m striker who could be better than Osimhen
The Gunners could now be willing to submit a big offer for a “fantastic” forward.
Arsenal are set to open talks over the signing of an “underrated” player, following a decision made by new sporting director Andrea Berta just days into the job.
Andrea Berta making Arsenal transfer recommendations
The 53-year-old was officially confirmed as Arsenal’s head transfer chief last weekend, replacing Edu, who departed the club in November after many successful years working with Mikel Arteta.
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While Edu’s exit was seen as an almighty blow for the Gunners, Arteta has expressed his excitement over the Brazilian’s heir, whilst claiming Arsenal are set for a “big” first summer transfer window under his leadership.
Berta was responsible for an array of impressive Atlético Madrid deals over his impressive 12-year stint at the Wanda Metropolitano, including moves for Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente, Diego Costa, Yannick Carrasco, Luis Suarez, Jan Oblak and eventual Balon d’Or winner Rodri – who all went on to be major successes with the La Liga side.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Everton (away)
April 5th
Brentford (home)
April 12th
Ipswich Town (away)
April 20th
Crystal Palace (home)
TBD
Bournemouth (home)
May 3rd
Both the Italian and Arsenal will be hoping he can replicate similarly heroic business in north London, and according to various reports, he’s already well underway in terms of getting work done.
Berta has held talks with the representatives of Nico Williams, according to reliable reports in France and England this week, with the winger seemingly one of Arsenal’s top targets heading into the summer window.
All eyes will be on whether Arteta’s side can finally sign a prolific striker this summer as well, and it is believed Sporting CP sensation Viktor Gyokeres is a leading candidate to reinforce that area of the pitch.
The Sweden international has enjoyed a phenomenal return of 42 goals from 42 appearances in all competitions this season, following up his equally impressive 2023/2024 campaign with yet another prolific year in the Primeira Liga.
His displays are turning heads at the Emirates Stadium, as reported by the credible David Ornstein, with Portuguese media sources also claiming that Gyokeres wants to join Arsenal over Man United, despite Ruben Amorim’s presence at Old Trafford.
Arsenal set for Viktor Gyokeres talks after Andrea Berta decision
Now, GiveMeSport have provided another update on the situation. Berta apparently identified the 26-year-old as a key target just days after his appointment was made official, and Arsenal are set to open talks over a deal for Gyokeres as a result.
Sweden's Viktor Gyokeres in action with Slovakia'sDavidHanckoand Milan Skriniar Jakob Akersten Brode
Considering the ex-Coventry City star’s incredible goalscoring record, it is perhaps surprising that he hasn’t yet sealed a big move to the Premier League. Called one of Europe’s most “underrated” strikers, it would be very surprising if Gyokeres remains at Sporting for another campaign at this point.
Berta has apparently put the forward on his personal list of choices to bolster Arteta’s striker options, and while Gyokeres’ deal includes an £84 million release, there is a consensus that he could be allowed to leave for less, with the BBC reporting his actual transfer fee could be around £62-70m.