In a move that would instantly replace Mohammed Kudus, West Ham United are now reportedly in contact to sign a Premier League-winning attacker who Graham Potter wants at the London Stadium.
Potter "very pleased" to sign Diouf
It may have taken the sale of Kudus to Tottenham Hotspur for them to get going on the transfer front, but get going West Ham have. The Hammers announced the arrival of El Hadji Malick Diouf to welcome their first big signing of the summer and Potter instantly expressed his delight.
Now that they’ve got going with their spending, West Ham may not stop there. Reports are now indicating that those at the London Stadium have made their first move to sign the £300,000-a-week attacker on loan.
West Ham make contact to sign Grealish
According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, West Ham have now made their first approach to sign Jack Grealish, who has been shown the door at Manchester City this summer. Potter is reportedly a fan of the £300,000-a-week international and the Hammers could yet welcome his arrival in what would be an excellent addition.
West Ham have experienced Grealish’s quality first-hand more times than they’ll care to admit and the London Stadium even saw him find the back of the net for Man City in a frantic 2-2 in the 2021/22 campaign.
Although Grealish has struggled in the last 12 months at Manchester City, he is still very much a player capable of making all the difference when at his best.
Even as he has continued to fall down the pecking order at The Etihad, Pep Guardiola has been full of praise for the West Ham target. The Spaniard previously told reporters last season: “I’m pleased for Jack.
West Ham now battling to hijack Inter Milan move for "gifted" £22m defender
The Hammers could continue their summer spending.
ByTom Cunningham Jul 16, 2025
“Jack has the sense of the street, a player from the street. Most of the players, for our fault – the manager – are so academic. Jack is one of those players that came to fight in these stadiums when the people shout; he is a fighter.”
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is said to be livid with a change of heart from Morgan Gibbs-White, which opened up his delayed potential move to Tottenham, according to an intriguing new report.
"Unreal" player makes Tottenham or Inter transfer decision with terms agreed
Spurs and the Serie A heavyweights are both very interested.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 15, 2025
Forest have now written a letter to both Gibbs-White’s agent and Spurs, threatening legal action over what they’re convinced was an unlawful approach from the Lilywhites.
Thomas Frank was set to sign the 25-year-old late last week, with Tottenham poised to trigger his £60 million release clause. A medical was even booked last Friday at Hotspur Way, but after this unexpected twist, Gibbs-White has now been forced to wait.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Tottenham remain hopeful of signing Gibbs-White, despite Forest’s intentions not to sell (Sky Sports), and the England international has reportedly made it clear to Marinakis that he wants to join Spurs.
However, Forest appear determined to at least drag out this move for as long as possible, if they can’t stop it.
Fabrizio Romano told GiveMeSport on Monday that it is a very “tense” situation, but Spurs are confident they’ll be able to proceed soon and make Gibbs-White their fourth signing of the summer after Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus.
Nottingham Forest's MorganGibbs-Whitereacts after the match
If the potential £60 million deal goes through, it would take their summer spending to around £150 million, with chairman Daniel Levy making a serious statement of intent to back new manager Frank ahead of 2025/2026.
Forest are allegedly furious with both the confidentiality of Gibbs-White’s release clause being exposed and Tottenham’s approach to the player himself, which technically breaks Premier League rules, but it is also very commonplace in today’s football transfer market (Rob Dorsett).
Taking this into account, a report by Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey has shared more information on the saga, with Marinakis angry for another key reason.
Forest livid after Tottenham hijack part-exchange deal involving Gibbs-White
According to Veysey, Forest were in advanced talks with Man City over a part-exchange deal, which would’ve seen Gibbs-White go to the Etihad Stadium and James McAtee head to the City Ground.
Morgan Gibbs-White for England
However, Tottenham hijacked City’s move for Gibbs-White, which was close to being finalised, and the playmaker ultimately changed his mind about a move up north – choosing to join Frank’s side instead.
This “U-turn” from Gibbs-White and his camp is said to have infuriated Marinakis, and a lot of his anger stems from this.
If Forest are forced to sell the former Wolves star to Spurs, they’ll need to head back to the negotiating table with City for McAtee, and could end up paying an even higher transfer fee for the 22-year-old.
As supporters and clubs alike wait for this situation to be resolved, Gibbs-White is back training at Wilford Lane, but Forest still face the very real prospect of losing both Anthony Elanga and their star attacking midfielder in quick succession.
Glasgow Rangers have agreed a deal to sell a prominent Ibrox player during the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer Gers update from Sky Sports.
Martin's ruthless transfer approach at Rangers
Russell Martin has taken on a huge job at Ibrox, with the Englishman tasked with not only closing the gap on Celtic, but becoming Scottish Premiership champions again.
The 39-year-old is certainly speaking well in his early weeks and months in charge at Rangers, providing a ruthless outlook when it comes to the type of players he wants to sign this summer, and outlining what will put him off bringing in some individuals.
Russell Martin watches on whilst in charge of Southampton.
“People need to be desperate to play for this club and not just be an option. When we have spoken to people and they say, ‘Well, I need to hear my options,’ we are onto the next one. People need to be desperate. Spoke to Joe [Rothwell] and there was no other choice on his mind, and he had a lot of options.
“Same with Manny [Emmanuel Fernandez], spoke to my old manager at Peterborough, Darren, and he spoke so highly of him, and he has the potential to be anything he wants to be, I really believe that. Max [Aarons], loads of options in Europe but wanted to be here. Hopefully, because of the strength of the relationship with myself and Gilly [Matt Gill], but also because he wants to come and win and be part of something.”
There are likely to be plenty of ins and outs at Rangers before the transfer window reaches its conclusion, and it looks as though one current player’s time at Ibrox is now coming to an end.
Rangers agree deal to sell £9,000-a-week defender
According to a fresh update from Sky Sports, Rangers have now “agreed a deal” to sell centre-back Robin Propper back to former club FC Twente this summer.
“Rangers have agreed a deal for defender Robin Propper to return to Dutch club FC Twente. He moved to Ibrox last summer and will now be allowed to return to the Eredivisie if he can agree personal terms. Rangers will also allow the likes of Leon King, Ben Davies, Clinton Nsiala and Jose Cifuentes to depart this summer.”
Robin Propper
This feels like the right decision by Rangers, despite Martin recently confirming the agreement in place and admitting that he has been “really impressed” with Propper since coming in as manager.
Appearances
25
Starts
21
Minutes played
1851
Clearances per game
4.0
Aerial duel wins per game
3.2
Tackles per game
1.6
Interceptions per game
0.9
Goals
2
Assists
0
The 31-year-old has struggled to wholly convince on a consistent basis since arriving from Twente in the summer of 2024, making only 21 starts in the Scottish Premiership last season.
More prolific than Vardy: Rangers could land Prso 2.0 in "exemplary" star
Russell Martin has set his sights on another proven striker to bolster his Rangers ranks
ByRoss Kilvington Jul 12, 2025
The £9,000-a-week defender also isn’t getting any younger, meaning the Rangers can cash in on him now and use the funds to look to bring in a younger centre-back option – one who could be a regular starter for Martin.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is a man on a mission this summer. While the Blues have reached the knockout stages of the Club World Cup, thoughts are still on improving the team ahead of next season.
Maresca has already signed Liam Delap and Mamadou Sarr this summer, but they won’t be the only arrivals at Stamford Bridge. That much is certain.
With the club set to compete in the Champions League for the first time since the 2022/23 season, the former Leicester manager will be aiming to have a squad strong enough to mount a potential challenge.
As such, he is keeping an eye on developments regarding a few players. Lyon youngster Malick Fofana has been earmarked as a target. As to Xavi Simons, who is ready to make the step up from RB Leipzig this summer.
Lyon's Malick Fofana
Signing some of the best young talents on the continent appears to be the philosophy that Maresca is going for, although he will need some experience mixed in along with the youngsters.
One player whom Maresca is desperate to land is Borussia Dortmund talent Jamie Gittens, having tracked him for the previous few months.
Chelsea’s interest in Jamie Gittens
Despite having a wealth of options in the final third, Maresca is looking to make some big changes this summer.
Christopher Nkunku looks destined to leave the Blues after just two seasons, while Nicolas Jackson has attracted attention from elsewhere, notably Arsenal.
If both of these players depart, then the club will be keen on adding replacements to their squad.
Bolstering his wide options is another priority for Maresca, especially considering Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk is set to face a lengthy doping ban, meaning he won’t be able to play for the club.
As such, targeting a move for another winger or two is in the club’s best interests, hence the approach for Gittens.
The Blues had a bid of £42m rejected by Dortmund at the start of June for the Englishman, as they value him at around €65m (£55.5m), which Chelsea have yet to meet.
Positive talks have been held between player and club, but until that asking price is met in the coming weeks, Gittens won’t be making the move to England.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in action
Last season, he registered 17 goal involvements – 12 goals and five assists – across 42 games for the German side, despite falling out of favour slightly during the second half of the season under new coach Niko Kovač.
Indeed, the youngster doesn’t quite fit into the Croatian’s style of football, hence why it looks as though they are willing to let him leave this summer. Of course, this depends on whether Chelsea can meet the asking price.
Still aged only 20, Gittens has plenty of room to develop and challenging for trophies while competing in the Champions League next season will certainly aid him.
Should the Blues secure a deal for the player, he could work wonders alongside another potential signing…
Chelsea discussing move for Premier League forward
Delap won’t be the only forward to make the move to Chelsea this summer. Hugo Ekitiké has been one of the club’s main transfer targets to add depth to this position, while West Ham United player Mohammed Kudus has also been linked with a move.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are discussing a potential swoop for Brighton and Hove Albion star Joao Pedro.
“Let’s not forget the interest from Chelsea in Joao Pedro,” said Romano when talking on his official YouTube channel.
“He remains a player of interest, and they are having conversations because they like him and are following closely.”
Joao Pedro celebrates for Brighton & Hove Albion.
Brighton are looking for a fee of around £60m in order to sanction the sale of the Brazilian.
Gittens remains a priority, but if Maresca is able to sign both the Englishman and Pedro this summer, they could make for a fantastic duo next season.
Why Joao Pedro would be unplayable with Jamie Gittens
When he is compared to his fellow peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the previous 365 days, Gittens has shone in several metrics.
His penchant for beating his marker is evidenced by the fact that he ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90 (3.57), while the winger also ranks in the top 9% for progressive carries (5.53) and in the top 7% for carries into the penalty area (3.06).
Not only does this show he is a handful for defenders, but it allows him space to get into the best positions in the final third.
As such, he would be excellent at providing Pedro with chances aplenty in the Premier League and Champions League next term, no doubt about that.
The Brazilian netted ten goals in the top flight last term, grabbing six assists in the process.
Centre-forward
119
34
18
Left winger
40
14
0
Attacking midfield
27
11
1
Right winger
5
0
0
What was most impressive is that the 23-year-old scored once every 195 minutes for Brighton while finishing the season with a goal conversion percentage of 21%.
He only missed seven big chances, too, suggesting the Brighton star is extremely clinical in the penalty area.
Combining this with Gittens’ desire to get the ball into the box as often as possible, means the pair could shine together next season.
Once hailed as “magical” by commentator Kevin Hatchard for his ability on the ball, Pedro could be the ideal replacement for the likes of Nkunku and Joao Felix, who are both expected to leave.
His Premier League experience means the striker should be ready to slot into the starting XI without the need to settle in.
A fee of £60m sounds extravagant on the surface, but with the club needing players of Pedro’s quality for their Champions League campaign, that is the price Maresca must be willing to pay.
Brighton striker Joao Pedro
For now, the focus is on going as far as possible in the Club World Cup, especially with $125m on offer for the winner.
The Italian is still looking to bolster his team, though, and he could make a bold statement by capturing Pedro and Gittens.
Maresca is now pushing Chelsea to sign £150k-per-week World Cup winner
Arsenal are making serious moves in the summer transfer market and have already held numerous talks over targets, but Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta are now resigned to losing out on an “exciting” target with a deal agreed for him to join Man City.
Berta is already poised to seal deals for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, with Berta keen to reinforce Arsenal’s attack as well.
£67m player prioritising Arsenal move as agent holds meeting, it's not Sesko
He’s pretty keen on a move to north London.
ByEmilio Galantini Jun 13, 2025
Arsenal have all the details of Zubimendi’s signing agreed, according to both David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano, with AS also reporting this week that the delay in his arrival is a result of Sociedad wanting to finalise his exit as part of the next financial year, which commences in July.
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
Kepa, meanwhile, is currently attempting to complete a £5 million move from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates Stadium, with the Spaniard looking set to come in as David Raya’s new understudy following Neto’s return to Bournemouth.
Following Zubimendi and Kepa, they are believed to be in the market for a new winger as well, with Real Madrid star Rodrygo standing out as a “dream” target for Arsenal, even if it is unlikely to materialise as things stand (Fabrizio Romano).
Obviously, Arsenal’s pursuit of a striker has dominated headlines over the last few weeks, and two names in Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko have stood out in particular.
Arsenal have held concrete talks over a deal for Sesko in recent weeks, with some reports in Portugal now claiming that an opening offer for Gyokeres has landed from north London as well (Record).
As per the BBC recently, Arsenal groundwork has been laid over moves for both Sesko and Gyokeres, so Berta could be testing the waters for either man right now ahead of deciding which one to fully prioritise.
Unfortunately for the club’s new transfer chief, he doesn’t have that same luxury when it comes to attacking midfield target Sverre Nypan, who’s now set to join City.
Arsenal in disbelief after missing out on Sverre Nypan deal
The Norwegian wonderkid has now sealed a switch to Eastlands, and will join City in a near-£13 million move from Rosenborg despite Arsenal’s serious interest.
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to The Boot Room, Arsenal chiefs are in disbelief they’ve missed out on signing Nypan, and were convinced they’d land him before news emerged of the 18-year-old’s pending switch to Manchester.
“It’s weird. Arsenal thought they got him,” said Bailey.
“It was actually Aston Villa who came on (strongest). Arsenal are a little bit shocked that City have ended up getting him. They (Arsenal) thought City were out of it and felt they had beaten him to him.”
Nypan has drawn comparisons to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard whilst being hailed as an “extremely exciting” talent by Norwegian media.
The teenager bagged eight goals and 10 assists in all competitions during the 2024 season, piqueing interest from Arsenal, but the Rosenborg sensation has elected to link up with Pep Guardiola instead.
Thomas Frank is poised to become the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur, and he’s thought to have his eyes on some transfer targets already.
Tottenham closing in on Thomas Frank appointment after talks
Respected journalist Fabrizio Romano says Frank to Tottenham is already a done deal, with the Lilywhites set to trigger his £10 million release clause and secure Ange Postecoglou’s replacement in quick fashion.
Tottenham now offered £42m star who Mourinho held talks to sign for Spurs
The former Spurs boss FaceTimed him constantly.
2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 11, 2025
Following chairman Daniel Levy’s tough decision to axe a manager who ended the club’s 17-year wait for a major trophy, whilst securing qualification for next season’s Champions League, Spurs have wasted no time in getting his successor through the door.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Postecoglou was a popular figurehead among the squad, with James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Pedro Porro all speaking publicly in defence of the Australian before his dismissal, so Frank has big shoes to fill.
The Dane’s experience of overperforming on a very limited transfer budget, not to mention his work under a data-driven recruitment model similar to Tottenham’s, makes him a solid candidate to replace Postecoglou.
The downsides of this prospective appointment lie with Frank’s inexperience managing an elite-level side or competing in the Champions League, and the 51-year-old has no major honours to boast of heading into the biggest job of his career.
Frank will need plenty of backing this summer from Levy and technical director Johan Lange, who he already knows very well from their time together working in Denmark, and they’ve been familiar with one another for many years.
Tottenham are set for a significant financial boost due to their confirmed place in the Champions League next season, and they’ll no longer have to adopt a sell-to-buy policy this summer as a result (Michael Bridge).
Reports suggest Frank has already identified transfer targets ahead of his arrival at Spurs, with Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze firmly in his thinking (GiveMeSport).
Tottenham consider "bold" move for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
As per TEAMtalk, Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite is another player admired by Frank.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
The 22-year-old has been a star mainstay of the Toffees backline since returning to Merseyside from a successful loan spell at PSV Eindhoven during the 2022/2023 season, and England fans were left shocked when Gareth Southgate omitted Branthwaite from his Three Lions squad for Euro 2024.
Branthwaite is attracting interest from across the Premier League, and Tottenham are certainly in the mix for his services, despite Everton slapping a £70 million price tag on his head.
That is according to TT, who also claim that Frank sees Branthwaite as the ideal Spurs signing to prepare for Champions League football, with Tottenham considering a “bold” move to bring him down south.
A move to N17 is also described as “appealing” to Branthwaite, considering their state-of-the-art set-up and place in Europe’s most prestigious competition, but remaining at Everton is also tempting for him given their new stadium and promise shown under David Moyes.
The Toffees will apparently fight tooth and nail to keep hold of him for next season, so a lot will hinder on how high Tottenham are ready to bid.
Manchester United booked their place in the Europa League final last night, after a 4-1 win at Old Trafford against Athletic Club, building on their triumph from the first leg.
Goals from Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro secured the win for Ruben Amorim’s side, setting up a tie with fellow Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur.
The 7-1 aggregate victory demonstrated the clinical nature posed by the Red Devils, something which they will need to replicate if they are to claim the title at the end of the month.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
Should they manage to once again win in Bilbao, it would secure Champions League football for the club, putting a superb end to what’s been a terrible season on the pitch.
Despite the convincing victory, numerous players failed to deliver at the Theatre of Dreams, potentially putting their places in the side at huge risk.
United’s poor performers against Athletic Club
After Diogo Dalot’s injury, Noussair Mazraoui was forced to operate in an unnatural right wing-back role, largely featuring as part of the back three since Amorim’s arrival.
The Moroccan failed to win any of the tackles he entered, whilst losing 100% of the ground duels he contested – with last night’s showing one to forget for the former Bayern Munich star.
He wasn’t alone in failing to impress, with forward Alejandro Garnacho once again falling way below the high levels of performance he’s set for himself at United.
The youngster only managed to complete one of his three attempted dribbles and only registered one effort on goal as he failed to add to his tally in Europe this campaign.
However, despite the showings from the aforementioned duo, one other Red Devils star failed to deliver, potentially becoming a new version of one other former failure at Old Trafford.
The United player who’s becoming the new Amrabat
Midfielder Sofyan Amrabat arrived at United with high hopes of being a success last season, but ultimately failed to deliver during his temporary spell at the club.
The Moroccan, who joined on loan from Fiorentina, featured for a total of 30 times across all competitions, often being utilised as a bench player and brought on late in matches.
However, despite his poor displays, he was useful in terms of seeing out games, managing to regain possession and winning 60% of the tackles he entered at Old Trafford.
Fast forward to the present day, Amorim has found his own version of the 28-year-old in Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte, who failed to impress once again last night.
The former PSG ace has been impressive during his early days at the club, managing to follow in Amrabat’s footsteps of impressing in regaining the ball for the Red Devils.
Last night was no different, winning two tackles and seven duels, managing to break up the play in the heart of the side – undoubtedly contributing to the victory.
However, with the ball at his feet, he struggled to make a huge impact, losing possession 15 times and managing to complete just 67% of the passes he attempted.
Minutes played
62
Touches
48
Passes completed
22/33 (67%)
Possession lost
15x
Tackles won
2
Duels won
7
Dribbles completed
1/2 (50%)
Ugarte also only competed 50% of the dribbles he attempted and was unable to make a single key pass, having little to no impact on the club’s goalscoring antics.
As a result, the midfielder was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – further highlighting how poor he was throughout the triumph.
After such a showing, it’s safe to say the Uruguayan could be on borrowed time within the starting eleven, with other options needing to be considered ahead of the final.
With nothing left to play for in the league, Amorim can use the matches as an opportunity to trial other players in such a role to bolster their ambitions of claiming the trophy in the coming weeks.
Not just Mount: Man Utd's undroppable 8/10 ace now "has to start the final"
Man Utd’s late show helped to rubberstamp their place in the Europa League final
Already planning ahead for life without loanee Marcus Rashford, Monchi is now battling to sign an alternative option for Aston Villa in a deal that could be worth just £35m this summer.
Aston Villa keep pressure on Champions League places
With just three Premier League games remaining, Aston Villa ensured that they kept hold of a glimmer of hope in the race to secure Champions League qualification by defeating Fulham 1-0. Coming courtesy of Youri Tielemans’ header, those in the Midlands have kept the pressure on Chelsea and Nottingham Forest as they desperately await a crucial slip.
Manager Unai Emery had his say on what was a narrow but all-important victory at Villa Park, telling reporters: “Today we wanted to be closer to qualifying for European football so it is fantastic. If we had not won, forget it (Champions League) completely.
“The best gift we can achieve is the Champions League and we are not the favourites to get it, but we will fight for it. We must now focus on Bournemouth next weekend which is so, so difficult. Villa Park is very important and we feel so strong here. The supporters are fantastic and we can feel that it is our fortress.”
Aston Villa now prioritising move to sign "fantastic" Real Madrid player
The Villans could make their move…
ByTom Cunningham May 3, 2025
There remains plenty of questions to be answered away from the action as well as on the pitch in the Midlands and one of those centres around Rashford. Following an impressive loan spell at the club, Aston Villa could look to land the winger’s signature on a permanent basis. It remains to be seen whether Rashford feels the same way about Villa Park, however, leaving the club to find an alternative option.
Monchi battling to sign Hutchinson for Aston Villa
According to Caught Offside, Monchi and Aston Villa have now joined the battle to sign Omari Hutchinson from Ipswich Town this summer in a move that would see Villa welcome their Rashford alternative. The deal could yet be a routine one to seal too, given that the winger reportedly has a release clause of just £35m after Ipswich suffered Premier League relegation.
In a difficult campaign, the 21-year-old has only been able to show glimpses of his quality – scoring three goals and creating another two – but will be desperate to stay put in the top flight.
Ipswich Town'sOmariHutchinsonreacts
Despite a disappointing output, Hutchinson still found himself at the centre of praise from manager Kieran McKenna, who told reporters earlier this season: “I think its enjoyable seeing a hungry, talented, young player getting to grips with the league and trying to make his impact – discovering the things that are different, the things that are an increasing challenge for him. And also finding the things that work for him and where he can have his impact.”
A player who Aston Villa’s recruitment team ‘rate Hutchinson highly and consider him a smart investment for the future’, so he could be one to watch if the Villans fail to sign Rashford this summer.
Sheffield United’s automatic promotion dream is now over with Burnley and Leeds United confirmed as Premier League-bound on a disappointing Easter Monday for the Blades.
Earlier in the day, before United’s pivotal showdown with the Clarets, Leeds resoundingly thumped Stoke City 6-0 in the Championship, with Daniel Farke and Co then needing Chris Wilder’s men to slip up and lose to seal a return to the top-flight.
Their wish would come true to the dismay of the away side at Turf Moor, with their pain only intensified when you consider the hosts also clinched a dramatic passage back up to the top-flight when beating the visitors 2-1.
Anel Ahmedhodzic suffered from a rare off-day in Lancashire, with his clumsiness right before the half-time whistle gifting Josh Brownhill the decisive spot-kick that sent the Clarets up a league.
Ahmedhodzic's off-day at Turf Moor
Ultimately, United’s dismal run of four losses from their last five Championship outings has cost them the glory of automatic promotion, but the Bosnian brute certainly didn’t help matters when putting in a rare bad performance.
The number 15 was definitely fired up for the crunch contest, but it resulted in his overall game looking rash and hot-headed rather than focused, culminating in him clattering into Hannibal Mejbri to gift the home side a golden penalty.
Brownhill would calmly tuck away the opportunity to juxtapose Ahmedhodzic’s reckless approach, with the out-of-sorts 26-year-old going on to commit four fouls in total, on top of uncharacteristically winning just 33% of his duels.
Wilder will need his usually reliable colossus to be more switched on ahead of some huge playoff clashes to come, but whilst Ahmedhodzic did cost his team dear, there was one underperformer for the Blades who was just as bad as the defender in offering very little throughout.
The Blades dud who was just as bad as Ahmedhodzic
It was always going to be a tough ask for the Blades to get the better of a dogged Burnley side, considering the stern hosts have only shipped 15 strikes all season long.
Tom Cannon did manage to break his goalscoring duck at Turf Moor to raise a smile, but it was the efforts of Ben Brereton Diaz down the right wing that would have worried away spectators, irrespective of the ex-Leicester City man managing to salvage some personal pride.
Minutes played
60
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
16
Shots on target
0
Accurate passes
5/9 (56%)
Total duels won
0/4
The numbers from the table above do make for some dire reading, with the Chilean only managing a meagre 15 touches of the ball from his forgettable 60-minute stint.
On top of that, Brereton Diaz also failed to register a single on-target effort at James Trafford’s formidable goal, alongside only managing to muster up a weak five passes of the ball that found their intended target.
Whilst Ahmedhodzic was notably poor, he did manage to at least win three of his duels during the contest, with Brereton Diaz then unsurprisingly hooked off by Wilder for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to gain a run-out.
After all, Rak-Sakyi had at least bagged in United’s last away contest before this miserable outing to Lancashire, with his late efforts at Turf Moor seeing him conjure up one successful dribble among other promising moments.
If the Blades are to bounce back from this agonising promotion near-miss, Wilder could now have to axe Brereton Diaz from his forthcoming lineups, knowing full well that lethal displays are needed in the lottery of the playoffs.
Sheffield United sold a star for £2m, now he's way better than Cannon
The former Sheffield United striker is now way better than Tom Cannon.
Liverpool are believed to be “ready to knock on the door” to sign an impressive midfielder in the summer transfer window, a new report has claimed.
Liverpool need signings despite imminent title win
With Virgil van Dijk still not signing a new Reds deal yet, it is only natural that potential replacements are being looked at, with Barcelona star Ronald Araujo emerging as a reported target.
Liverpool are set to hold talks with the 26-year-old over a summer move to Anfield, with Barca’s financial issues meaning they could possibly be forced into selling one of their most talented players, who has struggled to kick on his career due to injuries.
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo
Meanwhile, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise attacker Mohamed Amoura has also been linked with a summer move to the Reds, as they look to strengthen Arne Slot’s options in the final third. He has scored 10 goals and registered eight assists in the Bundesliga this season, enjoying a fruitful spell out on loan at Wolfsburg.
Trent Alexander-Arnold feels likely to move to Real Madrid currently, so a successor for Liverpool’s vice-captain needs to be found, and Freiburg ace Kiliann Sildillia has been mentioned as an option to come in. At 22, he would be considered a long-term addition to battle with Conor Bradley for playing time.
Liverpool keen on signing "versatile" £50m+ ace
Now, according to Tutto Atalanta [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are “ready to knock on the door” and push to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson this summer. Offers for the Brazilian are expected to be around £50.7m.
They are far from the only big club showing an interest in the 25-year-old, however, with Manchester United, Juventus and Atletico Madrid all thought to be in the picture.
Ederson has arguably been one of Europe’s leading defensive midfielders in recent years, playing a key role in Atalanta winning the Europa League last season.
He has continued in a similar vein in 2024/25, averaging 1.5 tackles and 1.3 aerial duel wins per game in Serie A, as well as scoring three goals. South American football expert Tim Vickery has also spoken of his appreciation for him.
“24-years-old, strong, well-built central midfielder. Strong on the ball, versatile, box-to-box. Strong personality as well. The first time I remember him was his professional debut really. He was thrown in the deep end in a big team called Cruzeiro, who were really on the slide. They were relegated in dreadful form and even in this bad context, he stood out, so a lot of virtues.”
Appearances
29
Starts
26
Minutes played
2326
Goals
3
Assists
1
Tackles per game
1.5
Aerial duel wins per game
1.3
Pass completion rate
1.0
While Liverpool’s midfield feels well-stocked, there is still an argument to say that a player of Ederson’s ilk would add even more balance, with Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister not necessarily possessing natural defensive traits.
Liverpool set to hold intense transfer talks to sign £40m+ Barcelona star
Liverpool are in the market for statement reinforcements this summer.
BySean Markus Clifford Apr 4, 2025
The Atalanta ace could add more protection in front of the defence, but he is more than just a midfield shield, having lots of quality and an ability to chip in with goals.