All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa’s first transfer window of the summer is now officially underway, with club president Monchi given a small chance to recruit new players from June 1 to June 10, with the window then reopening again on June 16 through to September 1.

Aston Villa transfer window challenges amid PSR concern

Villa eventually missed out on qualification for the Champions League during a tense final day battle, but Unai Emery does have Europa League football to look forward to, and there is every chance they can go on to win the competition.

Aston Villa submit bid to sign "unique" £21m defender and receive reply

The Villans have launched a move for a right-back…

ByDominic Lund May 29, 2025

As we’ve seen from Tottenham’s recent triumph against Man United in Bilbao, it would hand Villa a unique route back into the Champions League for 2026/2027, so Emery will be taking their Europa League conquest very seriously.

Rank

Team

Points

GD

Man City

71

+28

Chelsea

69

+21

Newcastle

66

+21

6

Aston Villa

66

+7

7

Nottingham Forest

65

+12

It is set to be a big summer for NSWE, as their failure to qualify for Europe’s most prestigious competition next season makes the next two transfer windows ever so slightly trickier – both financially and in terms of attracting the continent’s best players.

There is also the matter of PSR, with Villa announcing substantial losses of £85.4 million for the 2023/2024 season back in April. Reports even suggest that they may have to sell their women’s team to comply with PSR (The Times), but BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty says that any player sales conducted this summer will be carefully thought out.

“Aston Villa may have to do deals to fend off any lingering PSR concerns, but I think the club are in safe hands with the current ownership and those sales will be smart without weakening the squad,” said McNulty.

“We have even seen Morgan Rogers linked with Chelsea, but I do not see Villa entertaining that sort of deal as they want to push on from what Unai Emery has already achieved.”

Mainstay Villa keeper Emiliano Martínez is a key player who’s been repeatedly linked with the exit door recently, with Espanyol star Joan Garcia recently eyed up as a potential replacement for the Argentine.

Unai Emery rates Joan Garcia "highly" as Aston Villa face Barcelona threat

There are suggestions in Spain that Villa have already made an offer for Garcia, whose contract includes a £25 million release clause, but this is yet to gain traction among reliable media outlets closer to home.

To make matters more complicated, Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media sources also state that Barcelona are thought to be very advanced over a transfer for Garcia – so NSWE may now need to launch a hijack attempt.

Commenting on Villa’s links to the “exciting” 25-year-old, and Martinez’s potential exit, a former chief scout at Villa Park, Mick Brown, has shared what he’s heard on the matter.

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown says that Emery rates Garcia “highly” as Aston Villa plot a move for him, with Martinez looking likely to leave the club.

“Emery and Monchi still have strong connections in Spain,” said Brown.

“They’ll be speaking to them about the possibility of the deal because they’ve identified this Joan Garcia as one of their options in goal. In normal circumstances, if you’ve got a goalkeeper like Emi Martinez, you’re going to want to keep him.

“But the financial situation they’re in after missing out on the Champions League, and a bit of interference from his agent, mean they might have to sell. There’s been a lot of talk about his future at the club.

“So with that, they’ve already started looking at players who could come in and replace him.

“I don’t know much about the Spanish goalkeeper, but he’s young and Emery rates him highly, so he could well be the one they go for.”

Chelsea were one of the clubs that were reportedly interested in a deal to sign Spain international Dean Huijsen from Premier League rivals Bournemouth in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Blues have missed out on a swoop for the central defender, though, as Real Madrid have officially signed him from the Cherries for £50m, which was the value of his release clause.

Not all is lost for the Premier League giants, however, as they are reportedly eyeing up a swoop for an alternative to the soon-to-be Real Madrid star.

Chelsea eyeing deal for Dean Huijsen alternative

According to a report from Spain, Huijsen was the main target for Chelsea in the centre-back position, but they are now lining up a swoop for Lazio titan Mario Gila.

Transfer Focus

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

The outlet claims that the former Real Madrid academy graduate is emerging as the priority target for the Blues after they missed out on the Bournemouth star to the Spanish giants.

It reveals that Lazio are set to demand a fee of £25m for the 24-year-old central defender, which is said to not be an issue for Chelsea from a financial perspective.

With all of this in mind, the club must now act on their ‘priority’ target by swooping to sign the Spaniard from the Serie A outfit for a fee of £25m, because he could come in as a big upgrade on Tosin Adarabioyo this summer.

Why Chelsea should sign Mario Gila

Signed from Fulham on a free transfer last summer, the English defender has started 14 of his 21 appearances in the Premier League, but Chelsea could sign an even better centre-back by landing Gila.

The Lazio star has averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions and 4.9 duels won per game in the Serie A this season, whilst Tosin has only averaged 1.3 tackles and interceptions and 3.2 duels won per match in the Premier League this term.

These statistics suggest that Gila could come in as a defensive upgrade on the current Chelsea centre-back due to his ability to win more tackles, interceptions, and duels per game to cut out opposition attacks.

The Blues, however, are a ball-dominant team that also need centre-backs who are good enough on the ball to build attacks for Enzo Maresca, which the Lazio colossus certainly is.

Pass accuracy

91%

91%

Progressive passes

2.66

4.70

Progressive carries

0.34

1.46

Successful take-ons

0.27

0.20

Shot-creating actions

0.96

1.16

As you can see in the table above, Gila is more progressive, as a passer and a carrier, from a central defensive position than Tosin is, with far more progressive passes and carries per 90 over the last 365 days.

Therefore, the £25m-rated defender could come in as a big upgrade on the former Fulham man because he could offer more to the team as an out-and-out defender and as a progressive option in possession.

Chelsea can bin Nkunku by signing "fantastic" £100m Premier League striker

With Christopher Nkunku set to leave Chelsea this summer, they should target a “fantastic” Premier League striker to replace the wantaway Frenchman.

May 18, 2025

This is why the Blues should swoop to sign him as an alternative to Huijsen, as the 24-year-old star could improve Maresca’s side with his qualities on and off the ball.

It’s the biggest day of Tottenham Hotspur’s season. Ange Postecoglou’s side are well-placed to make it to the Europa League final thanks to the two-goal advantage they’ll be taking into the second-leg of their semi-final clash with Bodo/Glimt.

Yet, as important as the game is, the North Londoners are set to be without club captain Son Heung-min, who hasn’t even travelled to Norway due to a foot injury that has kept him out of the team for a few weeks now.

The unfortunate thing is that while the South Korean is still more than capable of popping up with a goal or assists here and there, his ability to impact games has dramatically decreased, which is to be expected for a winger set to turn 33 in a couple of months.

For example, he’s only scored two goals in his last 15 league appearances, and according to FBref, he is in the bottom half of wingers and attacking midfielders in the competition for successful take-ons, which helps explain recent links to someone who could be the ideal long-term heir to the iconic Lilywhites star.

Tottenham transfer news

Before getting to the winger in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other exciting players touted for moves to N17 in recent weeks, such as Rayan Cherki and Jonathan David.

Transfer Focus

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

The latter is reportedly set to be available for around £30m, which could prove to be an incredible bargain, as the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, has already scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists in just 42 appearances.

Likewise, David would represent a sensational deal, as his contract is running out in the summer, and so far this year, he’s already scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 47 games for LOSC Lille.

However, to replace Son next year, the North Londoners are going to need a natural left-winger, which is where Jamie Gittens comes in.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs are one of several sides keen to sign the Borussia Dortmund star.

The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have maintained their interest in the Englishman since last summer, but to finally get their man, they’ll have to contend with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and possibly Liverpool.

Moreover, while Dortmund initially held out for a fee in the region of €100m, which is about £85m, they’ll now be willing to listen to offers of around €70m, which is about £59m.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gittens’ immense ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be an ideal Son heir.

Why Gittens would be the perfect Son heir

So, the first thing to say is that Spurs should not expect Gittens to come in and immediately replicate the sort of performances that Son put in at his peak – he’s only 20, after all – but even then, he’ll be able to contribute in a big way.

For example, despite his age, the Reading-born dynamo, who Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley boldly proclaimed “England’s best LW in 24/25,” has managed to score 12 goals and provide five assists in 46 appearances, totalling 2783 minutes.

That means the tremendously exciting attacker is already averaging a goal involvement every 2.70 games, or every 163.70 minutes, which is undeniably impressive.

Appearances

46

Starts

34

Minutes

2738′

Goals

12

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvement

163.70′

On top of that, he is clearly not a player scared of the biggest stages, as he found the back of the net away to Real Madrid earlier this season.

Now, the reason his age is important in all of this is that, according to research carried out by The Athletic, wide players do not hit their peak until the age of 26, so if the Dortmund ace is already this good now, just think how unplayable he could be in five or six years’ time.

Finally, on top of his output, the former City prospect has some brilliant underlying numbers to his name.

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 2% for take-ons attempted, the top 7% for carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Son is only going to become more and more of a peripheral figure at the club next season, so Spurs need to find his heir, and from output to potential, Gittens ticks every box.

Alongside Odobert: Ange must axe "future £100m" star from the Spurs lineup

It’s time for tough decisions ahead of Spurs’ biggest game of the season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 8, 2025

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.

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

1 ByRobbie Walls May 9, 2025

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.

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.

ByDan Emery Apr 16, 2025

Looking at the promotion-chasing Leeds United side at the moment, it could be argued that the defensive unit will prove vital if the club are to return to the Premier League.

Of course, the only goalscorer during the Whites’ recent 1-0 triumph over Middlesbrough was 56-time Wales international Daniel James, yet the imperious centre-back duo on the night, consisting of both Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu, helped to keep the 22nd clean sheet of the season.

Whilst Daniel Farke will be glad a shut-out and a victory was secured at the Riverside Stadium courtesy of those named, he will be worried about the injury status of Pascal Struijk all the same, with the Leeds captain out again with another serious knock.

Struijk's importance at Leeds

After all, the 25-year-old centre-back just seems to be cursed with constant setbacks in this department.

Last season, Struijk was only fit enough for 25 clashes in all competitions owing to a recurring groin concern, with a new development now revealing that the reliable number five could miss the rest of this season with a potential foot fracture.

This would be a demoralising blow for Farke and Co, considering Struijk has popped up with five crucial goals this campaign from 35 Championship contests, including bagging a double against Sunderland in February to clinch a late win.

Moreover, the injury-prone defender has been dogged at the back away from these goalscoring heroics by collecting a hefty 14 clean sheets.

Whilst Ampadu is a sterling option in the short-term, Leeds aren’t exactly blessed with numbers in the centre-back spots with Struijk sidelined, making the decision to let this rising defensive star leave last summer for just £4m look more bemusing by the minute.

Leeds may have sold a £50m star in the making

Looking more long-term too, there had been rumours in the not-so-distant past that Struijk could leave Elland Road behind, with Serie A side Torino keen admirers.

Therefore, having more bodies at the back in the here and now would be extremely handy in preparing for this possible outcome, with Charlie Cresswell an ideal face to have around to shore up the promotion candidates even more defensively.

The former Whites number five would never quite make the grade at a senior level for his boyhood employers, despite having an “excellent” loan spell at fellow second tier side Millwall during the 2022/23 campaign – as it was labelled by Lions boss at the time Gary Rowell – which bumped up his experience of the testing division.

Much like his 6 foot 3 counterpart, Cresswell showed on loan at the Den that he had an eye for goal with five strikes tallied up from 30 appearances, meaning he could have been the perfect long-term successor to Struijk.

But, regardless of this standout spell in the English capital, the Preston-born titan would never make it at Elland Road, unfortunately, with only 14 senior chances handed to him before a bold £4m move to French outfit Toulouse came to fruition.

This left-field switch to Ligue 1 has worked in Cresswell’s favour, however, when glancing at his impressive FBref numbers below, with direct comparisons to be made between the 22-year-old’s improving game in France and Dean Huijsen’s current breakout season at AFC Bournemouth – the Cherries star noted among the most similar defenders to the Preston native across Europe’s top five leagues.

Attempted passes

54.58

59.81

85.57

Pass completion %

82.5%

84.1%

90.1%

Progressive passes

2.40

4.49

6.15

Progressive carries

0.34

1.45

1.18

Shot-creating actions

0.88

1.64

1.34

Tackles

1.39

1.54

1.05

Interceptions

1.01

2.10

0.89

Blocks

1.64

1.50

0.80

Clearances

6.76

6.78

4.49

Aerials won

3.57

2.71

3.60

Looking at the table above, Cresswell – who was dubbed “amazing” by Jesse Marsch in the past – isn’t a million miles off matching the £50m-rated Huijsen in various aspects of his defensive game, on top of also managing to better Strujjk in some defensive basics.

Therefore, if Leeds had just exercised more patience and didn’t offload the 22-year-old for £4m, they would already have a ready-made Struijk replacement to further boost their depth ahead of the edgy promotion run-in.

Meslier included: Leeds must axe £150k-p/w quartet if they go up

Daniel Farke will tempted by a slight clear-out at Leeds United if Premier League football returns to Elland Road.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 8, 2025

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.

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.

As Nottingham Forest go in pursuit of confirming their Champions League qualification, they’ll have to do so without Chris Wood and now one other key man following Nuno Espirito Santo’s latest injury update.

When Chris Wood will return from injury

After returning from international duty with New Zealand carrying a hip injury, Wood was forced to miss Forest’s victory against Manchester United and could yet be forced to sit out of his side’s trip to Midlands rivals Aston Villa this weekend.

Nottingham Forest racing to sign £25m+ Brazilian forward instead of Cunha

The Tricky Trees are in the race for a different Brazilian attacker…

ByDominic Lund Apr 3, 2025

Sat as many as six points clear of fifth place Manchester City, those at the City Ground have enough breathing room to ease their star striker back into Espirito Santo’s side, but will be well aware of the quality that they’ll lack without his goalscoring exploits.

The Forest boss decided to remain coy over whether we can expect Wood’s return to come as soon as this weekend against Villa, telling reporters in his pre-match press conference: “We are assessing. It is going to be day by day. Hopefully tomorrow better and he continues to improve.”

Mohamed Salah

27

Erling Haaland

21

Alexander Isak

20

Chris Wood

18

Bryan Mbuemo

16

In midweek, it was Anthony Elanga who stepped up to score in place of Wood as he ran the length of the pitch before firing home in emphatic fashion against former club Manchester United.

Against a more formidable Aston Villa side, however, replacing the forward’s quality is likely to prove to be a far tougher task and whether Taiwo Awoniyi can rediscover his best form at the perfect time remains to be seen.

The same can be said for whether Nuno decides to risk Wood, especially following the news that he’ll also be without another key man for this weekend and beyond.

Ola Aina in fitness race to play another game for Forest

Joining Wood on the sidelines, Nottingham Forest are now set to be without Ola Aina against Aston Villa this weekend and potentially the rest of the season. The right-back suffered a calf injury against Manchester United last time out, which has since required a scan to potentially rule him out of the business end of the campaign.

Despite concerns that he could miss the rest of the season, Nuno decided to remain positive over Aina’s calf injury – telling reporters: “He has had the scan and he is going to be out for a while. It is a calf problem. He is not going to be available. It is a big blow. We will miss his quality, his talent and the routines we already have with his teammates. We are going to miss him.

“Some players take more time, others less. We will assess him. He will definitely be out for Villa and for Everton he will be a doubt. Beyond that we will assess him. I am positive that we will see him again (before the end of the season).”

Of course, the Nigerian should be desperate to return given that his current £40k-a-week contract is set to expire this summer. Should he fail to recover in time to feature again this season, victory over Manchester United will have been Aina’s final Nottingham Forest game as things stand.

Arne Slot eased the pressure when he led his Liverpool side to victory over West Ham United at the weekend, but in a matter of days, the Reds will have hosted Sunderland and travelled to Elland Road to face Leeds United, and that will make a more accurate barometer of this squad’s level.

The pressure has cranked up in recent weeks, and who of a red persuasion could contest the scrutiny? The Premier League champions had lost nine of 12 matches in all competitions before arresting the slump, and after the November international break, Anfield has been left reeling after successive drubbings dished out by Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.

It’s clear that Liverpool have lost their way, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get back on track. A summer of record-breaking spending has packaged the Reds team with so much quality, but it’s true that Liverpool are an imbalanced outfit.

Sporting director Richard Hughes may need to dig back into the transfer market, which will be upon us in less than a month.

Liverpool's January transfer plans

It’s incredible that after spending more than £400m this summer, Liverpool still need to address a number of areas across Slot’s squad. Namely, Liverpool need a centre-back, and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has emerged as a leading contender to strengthen the frontline this January.

But with Marc Guehi out of contract at the end of the season and Manchester City also holding talks for Semenyo’s services, FSG may be tempted to look elsewhere.

And according to Caught Offside, Juventus’ rising star Kenan Yildiz has been shortlisted as a Semenyo alternative, having enjoyed a rip-roaring start to the campaign in Italy.

The 20-year-old certainly wouldn’t come cheap. Viewed as one of Serie A’s brightest young stars, Juventus do not want to sell the attacking midfielder, but a concerted approach from FSG could help shift some weight.

With Chelsea also interested, the Old Lady are looking to bank a €100m cheque (translating to £88m) for their prized player.

Why Liverpool want Kenan Yildiz

Yildiz might be young, but he is “already one of the best left wingers in the world”, according to one Serie A scout, and has a far higher ceiling than the 25-year-old Semenyo besides.

Semenyo is the talk of the town in the Premier League, but he’s gone five matches without a goal involvement after such a prolific start to the campaign.

Yildiz, by contrast, is spreading out his output, notching both strikes in Juve’s recent 2-1 league win over Cagliari.

He is a ferocious runner and he is sharp with his playmaking. As per data-driven site FBref, Yildiz ranks among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.

In this he has what it takes to match Semenyo’s athleticism and dynamism. In this he can become one of the Premier League’s finest.

Moreover, Yildiz has only missed one big chance in the Italian top flight, scoring four times.

Matches (starts)

12 (11)

12 (12)

Goals

4

6

Assists

3

3

Touches*

52.4

49.6

Shots (on target)*

2.4 (1.1)

2.2 (1.2)

Accurate passes*

27.1 (85%)

19.9 (77%)

Chances created*

2.3

1.3

Dribbles*

1.5

1.8

Recoveries*

3.7

5.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.9

1.8

Duels won*

4.2

6.3

From a statistical standpoint, Semenyo has probably enjoyed the better season so far, but data only tells so much of a story in football, and Yildiz is clearly making startling progress at such a young age, close now to establishing himself as one of the best in the business.

He is “100% a superstar”, in the eyes of analyst Ben Mattinson, so dynamic and electric down the left flank. His duelling success doesn’t yet match Semenyo, who is one of the Premier League’s most combative wide forwards, and in just a few years, he could be far outstripping the Ghana international.

Whether Liverpool opt to fork out close to £100m for an up-and-coming talent remains to be seen, but Yildiz has already proven that he belongs on the world stage.

Semenyo would be a terrific signing, but the Turkish winger has that special something that suggests he could become one of the very best in the business.

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