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Arsenal are now determined to complete deals for two international teammates this summer, having prepared a package worth a total of £99m, according to a report.

Arsenal planning for the summer

There have been widespread calls for the Gunners to sign a striker in the summer, having decided not to bring in a new forward during the January transfer window, which may have gone some way to derailing their Premier League title bid.

As such, work has started on bringing a new striker to the Emirates Stadium, and an exciting new update has revealed the north Londoners are now leading Manchester United in the race to sign Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.

Alexander Isak is another name on Mikel Arteta’s list of targets, but a move for the Newcastle United man could prove to be very expensive, so FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa has now been identified as a potential cheaper alternative.

Arsenal told they can get "incredible" ace for £9m less than Calafiori cost

He’s a wanted man…

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By
Tom Cunningham

Mar 1, 2025

Striker is not the only position in which Arteta is keen to strengthen, however, with the manager also looking at a new winger and central midfielder, and a report from Spain has now revealed a move could be made for two international teammates.

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now preparing a €120m (£99m) package to sign Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Athletic Club’s Nico Williams, with £49.5m being allocated to each player.

However, there may have to be some departures to fund the moves, given that it could be a costly operation, with attacking duo Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli reportedly among the main candidates to leave.

Arsenal need attacking depth

In truth, it is a little strange for the report to suggest Martinelli or Trossard could depart, given that Arteta clearly needs attacking depth next season if his side are to finally go all the way and win the Premier League title.

Bukayo Saka’s absence has hit hard, with 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri being called upon to fill in for the England international, while the injuries suffered by Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have left the Gunners without a striker during a title run-in.

As such, while there are clear signs Williams could be a solid signing, having been lauded as “world-class” by journalist Zach Lowy, Arteta shouldn’t sell any of his current forwards to fund a move.

Kieran Tierney has also lauded Zubimendi as “world-class”, indicating that Arsenal are lining up moves for two top players, which will be exciting news, however signing a new striker has to be a priority.

Osimhen’s release clause dropping to £62m has presented the Gunners with an excellent opportunity to bring in an out-and-out forward without completely breaking the bank, and the Nigerian’s fantastic goal record indicates he could be the final piece of the jigsaw.

England boss Sarina Wiegman admits to being “sad and disappointed” at the news that Mary Earps has retired from international football.

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• Euros winner unavailable for selection
• Countdown on to another major tournament
• Experience and character will be missed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Euros champion and two-time FIFA Best Women’s Goalkeeper Earps has announced that she will no longer be available for selection with the Lionesses. The 32-year-old is walking away after earning 53 caps for her country.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Few saw that decision coming, despite Hannah Hampton providing fierce competition for the No.1 berth, and Wiegman concedes that she is still coming to terms with the fact that an elite performer is no longer part of her plans.

• WHAT SARINA WIEGMAN SAID

  Wiegman told reporters of Earps’ big decision: “I am really disappointed and sad that she is not part of the team because I want her in my team. That must have been a really hard decision for her and so it is for us. There have been a couple of conversations which I don't want to share here because they are between us. It's hard and it's hard for her at the same time.

  “I want her in my team. She has done such a great job for England. She has made a massive difference and we have had an incredible journey so far and I really cherish that. That is also where the disappointment comes from.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Wiegman added when asked if disappointment blends into annoyance, with a European Championship title defence fast approaching: “Of course, it's hard. But I want to keep to disappointment. It's emotional because you also have relationships and we have had such a massive journey together with lots of highs and some lows too and that's what makes it really hard. We have to move on too. We have a game tomorrow. We are going into the Euros and after that we can think about those things.”

Chelsea spent a total of around £220m in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, bringing 11 permanent new signings to the club, not including the loan signing of Jadon Sancho from Manchester United, who will become a permanent transfer next summer.

The likes of Omari Kellyman, Mike Penders, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley and Marc Guiu were signings very much for the future, whilst the likes of Pedro Neto, João Félix, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Filip Jorgensen, Renato Veiga and Tosin Adarabioyo were intended for the first-team set up.

Many of these summer purchases have failed to stamp their mark on the team, with the likes of João Félix and Renato Veiga already leaving on loan in the January transfer window, just six months after joining in the summer.

However, there is one signing that has been something of a key figure and is really starting to prove his worth in recent weeks in the absence of Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke.

Pedro Neto's new striker role

Chelsea signed Pedro Neto from Wolves in the summer, with the Portugal international joining the Blues for a fee of around £51.4m with £2.6m in add-ons.

The 25-year-old has made 32 appearances for Enzo Maresca’s side this season, scoring five goals, providing seven assists and totalling 1,865 minutes played.

In recent weeks, however, Maresca has been forced into making some significant changes to his side with some big injuries being suffered.

That has seen Neto move into a centre-forward position. The forward has taken to this role nicely, working hard from the front, making runs into the channels and popping up with goals and assists.

Against Leicester, Neto was all action yet again, having 54 touches, making 31/36 accurate passes, registering four key passes and winning four of his ten ground duels.

The 25-year-old is now in a run of promising run of form, but could be ousted for another signing Chelsea made in 2024.

Chelsea's "future Ballon d'Or winner" could replace Neto

Another dazzling winger who signed in the summer, but will join the Blues next summer is Estevao, who joined Chelsea from Palmeiras for an initial fee of around £29m.

The Brazilian has made 12 appearances in the Campeonato Paulista in the 2024/25 season, scoring five goals and totalling 909 minutes played. It’s safe to say, at the age of just 17, he’s one of the finest young talents on the globe.

The teenager’s value has already risen since Chelsea purchased the teenage sensation, now being valued between £42m and £53m by CIES Football Observatory, meaning they have already struck gold by sealing his signature.

Estevao has already been labelled as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by Ben Mattinson, with many Chelsea fans anticipating his arrival and contribution to the first team next season.

So, how does he compare with Neto? Well, he’s streets ahead.

When comparing Estevao’s underlying numbers to Neto’s this season, you can see the Brazilian comes out on top in all the metrics analysed, providing a higher output, having a higher shot volume and having the creative tendencies to contribute via carries and passing.

Maresca’s system will perfectly suit the quality Estevao offers in wide areas, dominating his 1v1 battles against the full-back (seen by his take-on numbers) and providing the moments of quality needed to unlock opposition defensive schemes.

Next season is bound to be an interesting one with the Brazilian joining the club, who will provide competition for Madueke, Neto and even Cole Palmer in the number ten position, as Estevao has previously stated his ambitions to play as a number ten in the past.

Chelsea can replace Colwill with "elite" 19-year-old who's like David Luiz

He’s on the cusp of making his mark in Enzo Maresca’s first team at Chelsea.

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 10, 2025

Jude Bellingham insists Real Madrid are determined to win the Club World Cup and says the tournament is a "big deal".

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• Bellingham calls Club World Cup a "big deal"
• Real Madrid determined to win it
• Admits "downtime" is important

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid have won the Champions League more than any other club and are now aiming to win the world title in the first expanded tournament of its type. Questions have been asked about whether the competition should be taking place, but Bellingham intends to take it seriously.

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  WHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

  Bellingham said: "I think all our games will be brilliant. We had pre-season in the USA and every year we seem to get flooded with even more fans and it will be a beautiful thing for us. It's really exciting. By the time we go there we are there with a purpose to win. I’m sure we will try and factor in that we have had a long season and there will be time to enjoy our downtime and take in the experience of the culture. The most important thing obviously is the football and we will try and win."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bellingham heads to the Club World Cup after a disappointing week with England, where he lost his temper when a late equaliser against Senegal was ruled out by VAR. His form has not been fantastic in general, either, with just one goal in his last 13 for club and country.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM?

  Bellingham will still be key to Real Madrid's chances in the USA, beginning with their clash against Al-Hilal. They then take on Pachuca and RB Salzburg in the group stage.

Tottenham Hotspur have now submitted an opening bid of £38m for a “wonderful” player, who is also being targeted by Real Madrid, according to reports.

Tottenham keen on midfielder with Bissouma departure expected

It appears as though Yves’ Bissouma’s time in north London could be coming to an end, with Tottenham reportedly approving plans to sell the midfielder this summer, which means Ange Postecoglou may be tasked with bringing in a replacement.

Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney has been earmarked as a potential replacement for the Mali international, with the 22-year-old valued at £20m by the Championship club, which would make him an affordable option.

Hackney is not the only relatively cheap English midfielder on the shortlist, however, with Postecoglou eager to convince Lille’s Angel Gomes to make the move to N17 on a free transfer this summer, at which point his contract with the French club expires.

Tottenham now making moves to sign “magical” star with 144 career goals

Ange Postecoglou could make a statement signing in the off-season.

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By
Sean Markus Clifford

Mar 22, 2025

There are also alternative options from within the Championship, and a report from Spain has revealed Spurs have now made the first move to sign Sunderland’s Chris Rigg by submitting a €45m (£38m) offer for the midfielder.

The Lilywhites are determined to get a deal for Rigg over the line, thus submitting a bid way over his market value, and they are now leading the race, but there is set to be stiff competition for his signature, as a number of other Premier League clubs are keen along with Real Madrid, hence the interest from the Spanish press.

The Black Cats will find it difficult to turn down such a huge offer for the 17-year-old, who is one of the most sought-after players outside the top flight, but they could also wait to see if Madrid make an approach. President Florentino Perez would love to sign the teenager, having scouted the youngster on a number of occasions this season.

"Wonderful" Rigg impressing in the Championship

Despite his age, the central midfielder has already managed to establish himself as a key player for the Black Cats, who are on course to compete for promotion to the Premier League this season.

The starlet has made 34 appearances in the second tier, during which time he’s picked up four goals and one assist, and he won the Goal of the Month award for a well-taken effort against Middlesbrough back in September.

In truth, the idea that Tottenham have submitted a £38m bid should be treated with skepticism, given that previous reports have detailed that Sunderland would be willing to sanction his departure for just £25m this summer.

However, having been lauded as “wonderful” by former manager Tony Mowbray, it is clear Rigg is a very talented young player, and it would be fantastic if Tottenham were able to win the race for his signature.

It’s set to be a vitally important summer for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

After a campaign that has been defined by an incredible number of injuries and the emergence of several incredible youngsters, Daniel Levy and Co have to make some big investments in the upcoming transfer window to ensure Ange Postecoglou, or whoever is in the hot seat, can take the club forward next season.

However, while sorting out the right incomings is going to be of paramount importance, it will be just as crucial to keep a hold of the team’s best players.

Unfortunately, this could be a problem for the North Londoners, as recent reports have touted one of their stars with a move to Real Madrid, a move reminiscent of Gareth Bale’s in 2013.

Tottenham Transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Cristian Romero could be on his way to Real Madrid this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

The report has revealed that the Argentinian international has not hidden his interest in playing for the Spanish giants and that should they come in for him at the end of the season, he’d ‘be willing to take the step.’

The one piece of good news to come from the report is the claim that while Los Blancos like the player, he is only seen as one of a few options at the moment, although the fact his contract expires in two years makes a move for him more realistic than some of their other targets.

While Romero has been out of action for much of this season, his importance to Spurs cannot be underestimated, so losing him to Real would be a disaster, similar to the loss of Bale over a decade ago.

Why Romero's exit would be a Bale repeat

So, there are a couple of reasons why losing Romero this summer would be very reminiscent of Bale’s departure in 2013, with the most straightforward being that both players would have gone to Real Madrid.

The second similarity would be their respective importance to the North Londoners.

For example, in his final campaign for the Lilywhites, the Cardiff-born phenomenon was a force of nature, scoring 26 goals and providing ten assists in just 44 appearances, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.22 games.

Now, it’s probably fair to say that the former Atalanta star does not have quite the same impact on the team as the Welsh icon did, but that doesn’t mean he’s not incredibly important, and if Lionel Messi thinks he’s “the best defender in the world,” he’s got to be up there with some of the best in the league.

For example, he’s one of the club’s co-vice captains, and across his 115 appearances for the team, he’s scored seven goals, provided one assist and averaged 1.69 points per game, which is an average significantly reduced by the limited appearances he’s made across this dismal campaign.

In fact, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the team have struggled so dramatically in defence during the season he and Micky van de Ven have been out of action for significant amounts of time.

Finally, while Levy and Co would likely receive a sizable fee for the World Cup-winning “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, it seems unlikely that they’d be able to sign a defender as good as him and could end up wasting the money on several players as they did in 2013.

Ultimately, Romero is obviously not on the same level as Bale, but were he to leave Spurs for Real Madrid this summer, his move would certainly mirror the Welshman’s.

Ange has found a "generational" talent at Spurs who's the new Mousa Dembele

Spurs may well have found their new Mousa Dembele this season.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 19, 2025

Tottenham are being urged to snap up Morten Hjulmand, now that Thomas Frank is in charge, despite the Danish star boasting an Arsenal tattoo.

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• Spurs have drafted in new head coach
• Being linked with Danish recruits
• Sporting midfielder on transfer radar

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Spurs are preparing to usher in a new era after parting company with Ange Postecoglou. He was relieved of his duties in north London despite overseeing a Europa League triumph in 2024-25 and bringing Tottenham’s 17-year wait for trophy glory to a close.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Managerial reins have been passed to Frank, with a sizeable compensation package helping to lure him away from Premier League rivals Brentford. Unsurprisingly, Spurs are now being linked with a number of their new coach’s fellow Danes.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  One of those is holding midfielder Hjulmand, who has been starring in Portugal for Sporting. He is under contract in Lisbon until 2028, with that deal including a release clause that has been set at €80 million (£68m/$92m).

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  WHAT GRAVESEN SAID

  Ex-Denmark international Thomas Gravesen, who spent time in England with Everton during his playing days, has said of Hjulmand heading to London: "He is a captain of calibre. Frank was with Norgaard for several years, and Hjulmand is an improved version and is even younger. That is why I think Frank’s first big purchase for Tottenham should be Hjulmand."

Whilst it still looks far-fetched, Ipswich Town did manage to breathe life back into their faint Premier League survival hopes with a mightily impressive 2-1 win on their travels to AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

The away masses making the long trip to the South Coast for the mid-week clash would have been anticipating a defeat, considering the home side harbours aspirations of Europe far away from relegation trouble, but Kieran McKenna’s men would flip the script to secure their first league victory of 2025.

The game-clinching man of the hour would unsurprisingly be Liam Delap, with the ex-Manchester City striker’s price tag only increasing more and more if he can put in further displays like this before the campaign is out.

Delap's performance in numbers vs Bournemouth

Being looked at intensely by most of the Premier League’s elite sides – with Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal sniffing around just to name a few – Ipswich face a losing battle attempting to keep their 22-year-old hotshot around, particularly if an expected relegation is served up.

Still, before any major money move is signed off on, Ipswich supporters will want to bask in the goalscoring prowess of their clinical number 19 whilst they still can, with his well-worked goal against Andoni Iraola’s Cherries taking his top-flight tally to a sturdy 11.

Combining well with left-back talent Conor Townsend before slotting an effort home, it was a much-improved showing from Ipswich in the attacking areas when contrasted with their recent 1-0 loss away at Crystal Palace, with Nathan Broadhead also getting in on the act in the first half.

Whilst Broadhead and Delap managed to shine bright throughout, there were some notable underperformers on the end of the Suffolk side, including one of their attacking teammates who could now face the axe.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Ipswich's worst performer against Bournemouth

Despite the Tractor Boys being obviously jubliant at the end with their efforts, not everyone came away from the contest having put in a sterling individual offering.

Ben Johnson fits into that unwanted category, with the ex-West Ham United man noticeably wasteful on the ball with possession squandered a sizeable 21 times across a torrid 89 minutes against the Cherries.

Indeed, the table above makes for some pretty uninviting reading, with the versatile number 18 only managing to amass ten accurate passes from his 46 touches of the ball, alongside only one accurate cross being registered down his right flank.

Moreover, Johnson – who often lines up as a defender down the right – could only win three duels all night, with a miscued clearance late on also allowing Evanilson the chance to fire home Bournemouth’s only goal.

With no Omari Hutchinson available for selection, McKenna was is in a slight pickle about who he picked on the right wing, but based off this showing on the South Coast, he would be better off not persisting with Johnson as his chosen man here.

Instead, there are other faces such as Jaden Philogene-Bidace who could work better in this role moving forward, with the former Hammers figure a body McKenna can rely on as a utility presence if needed.

As is often the case in the beautiful game, it’s the hope that inevitably kills you, but wins such as these on road will give Ipswich some drive that survival against all the odds can still be achieved, even as the season quickly ticks away to its end point.

He cost just £1.5m: Ipswich already have their perfect Delap replacement

Ipswich Town might not need to splash the cash if Liam Delap departs.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 1, 2025

Former England star Paul Gascoigne says new Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel looked 'like a nervous wreck' after defeat to Senegal last time out.

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• England failed to impress last time out
• Gascoigne not impressed with Tuchel so far
• Worried about atmosphere in dressing room

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tuchel has been in the spotlight after overseeing an underwhelming 1-0 win over Andorra and a 3-1 defeat to Senegal last time out. The Three Lions remain top of their group in World Cup qualifying, but recent results suggest a big improvement will be needed if Tuchel's side are to make an impact at next summer's tournament.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gascoigne, who helped England reach the World Cup semi-finals in 1990, says it's not been a great start to life as England boss for Tuchel. The former Tottenham star has also questioned what the atmosphere in the dressing room is like under Tuchel, who is the first German and only the third foreign head coach to lead the Three Lions.

• WHAT GASCOIGNE SAID

  Gascoigne, speaking exclusively to GOAL on behalf of Esports Insider, said: "It's not a very good start and if I was him, I'd be panicking. It must be awkward. I mean, fortunately for me, I had two great English managers in Terry Venables and Bobby Robson. But to be a German manager, I wonder what the atmosphere is like in the dressing room? It can’t be that good. I saw the manager’s interview after the last game and he looked like a nervous wreck."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND

  Tuchel will hope to see improvements from his team when they return to action in September. England continue their World Cup qualifying campaign with games against Andorra and Serbia.

Marseille owner Frank McCourt says he wants to keep English forward Mason Greenwood at the club and try to challenge Paris Saint-Germain next year.

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• Marseille want to keep Greenwood
• Finished second behind PSG in Ligue 1
• Have already signed Angel Gomes

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rumours have swirled over Greenwood's future, though the 23-year-old himself made clear his desire to stay at the Stade Velodrome back in May. He scored 22 goals in his first season in southern France and has four years remaining on his contract after signing from Manchester United in 2024.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Marseille finished second behind PSG in Ligue 1 and secured a return to the Champions League. They will need to strengthen their squad and owner McCourt says the club plan to keep key squad members like Greenwood as well as Adrien Rabiot, Leonardo Balerdi and Amine Gouiri despite interest from elsewhere.

• WHAT MARSEILLE'S PRESIDENT SAID

  McCourt said to : "It's my wish [to keep them]. Now, I'm neither the sporting director nor the president. My goal is to put Pablo [Longoria], Medhi [Benatia] and their teams in the best conditions to make the best decisions in the short, medium and long term. Regarding the players mentioned, our goal is to keep them and build the team around them."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  There were reports of a squad rift after a poor end to the season saw Marseille fall way behind PSG in the Ligue 1 title race, but McCourt believes some small tweaks here and there can get them closer to the recent treble winners.

  He added: "Of course. If we put the right reforms in place, it will help us, and other clubs, to be more competitive."