So amidst suggestions their pursuit of Bournemouth’s Josh King has come to an end, it appears Manchester United are still interested in securing the services of a striker.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein has revealed that a loan deal is still possible for the Red Devils, and that his sources have suggested former Watford man Odion Ighalo could be that man.
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The Nigerian is currently plying his trade in the Chinese Super League, and after hearing about the links to the forward, United fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.
A couple of fans revealed their disappointment at how far the club have fallen with their links to Ighalo.
Another couple of supporters insisted that there would be no point in bringing Ighalo in, with one fan in particular saying they would rather sign no-one.
As the time ticks on, things are beginning to get more and more desperate for United. The injury to Marcus Rashford has meant a new forward simply has to be on the agenda for the Red Devils, so it’s little surprise to see them explore all avenues for one.
What could’ve been… Can you name the clubs these football legends almost joined?
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A loan swoop for Ighalo would make sense certainly in the short-term, and so if they can get it over the line, then it would certainly be a shrewd piece of business to bring in a former Premier League striker.
Meanwhile, Manchester United fans discuss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s major deadline day update.
Leeds United fans on Twitter are a little bit bemused as they believe there are two glaring omissions from the latest Championship Team of the Week.
Indeed, the United fanbase believe that Kalvin Phillips and Jack Harrison should have been chosen in the XI after their performances for the Whites against Blackburn Rovers.
To be fair, even though some of these supporters may be a bit biased it’s fair to say that the United pair deserved a spot in the team.
Earlier in the week, United fans were drooling over Phillips after the incredible job he did keeping tabs on Bradley Dack, while Harrison netted his second goal in as many weeks to secure the win for the Yorkshire outfit.
Two United players were included in the team as Ben White and Patrick Bamford were selected at centre-back and up front, but the fanbase clearly think that two more of their players warranted selection.
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Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking to The Chronicle, Jonjo Shelvey has leapt to the defence of Newcastle manager Steve Bruce following a tough beginning to his time at St. James’ Park.
What did he say?
Bruce was appointed Magpies boss after cult hero Rafa Benitez departed from the club earlier in the summer. The Spaniard’s exit compounded the fans’ fury with owner Mike Ashley, and a heavy defeat to newly-promoted Norwich certainly didn’t help matters.
Former player Michael Chopra even suggested Newcastle players had no idea what their roles are, and that criticism led Shelvey to fire back.
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He said: “We had a chat in the dressing room. It was like: ‘Does anybody even know him?’ I know he played here but he didn’t score loads of goals. It’s just people being busy to get their name in the paper. It’s just embarrassing. People can talk but we need to stick together and keep it all in house.”
Shelvey added: “Steve Bruce is here now. For me he has been brilliant. The way he involves everybody is brilliant, even the lads who aren’t in the squad. He’s probably one of the best man-managers I have worked with.
“The criticism the club are getting at the start of the season is just stupidity. It is embarrassing really. But the lads answered back against a very good Tottenham team.”
Siege mentality
One of the main reasons behind Jose Mourinho’s success as a manager was his ability to create a mentality within his squad of it being ‘us against the world’. It brought everyone closer together. It helped form a sense of camaraderie and brotherhood. It ensured players were pulling in the same direction.
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Criticism from former players like Chopra may sting, but it could rather importantly help pull the squad together.
If Bruce can tap into this feeling that they need to rely on each other even more than usual, he could foster an incredibly strong spirit. Motivation can come from many different places, but Shelvey’s comments point to a particularly unique approach of getting the team to fire on all cylinders.
According to Esporte UOL, Everton are said to be in advanced negotiations along with Paris Saint-Germain for the signature of Ajax forward David Neres.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Toffees are punching well above their weight in vying with the French champions for Neres.
The Brazilian international enjoyed an eye-catching 2018/19 campaign with Ajax as they won the Eredivisie title and the Dutch Cup, whilst they were just seconds away from making the final of the Champions League.
Neres played a huge role in helping the Dutch giants achieve these feats, scoring 12 goals and recording 15 assists including Champions League knockout strikes against Real Madrid and Juventus – the latter of which was an absolute scorcher.
Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…
As a result, the 22-year-old is attracting interest from around Europe, with the Toffees and the Ligue 1 outfit reportedly leading the way for his signature.
Good relationships with agents are helping Everton punch above their weight
Normally, it shouldn’t be possible that a club like Everton can compete in the market against a club who spent a combined £366m on Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappe alone.
The Qatar-funded French top-flight holders are up to their eyeballs in cash, whereas the Toffees aren’t even in Europe next season.
However, the story from UOL reveals that the Merseysiders are ‘advanced in negotiations’ due to the fact they’re easy to negotiate with after completing the signings of Bernard and Richarlison in the past – both players share the same representatives as Neres.
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Furthermore, it is said to be Neres’ wish to play in England, so the Toffees are even more well placed to land his signature this summer.
There is no way that Everton can match the finances of PSG, but in building up good relationships with representatives in previous deals, it appears that they can viably punch above their weight when needed to.
Loads of Leeds fans have been reacting to Saturday’s incredible action, as late comebacks in both theirs and Sheffield United’s game put them back into second place.
Leeds made things difficult for themselves against Millwall on Saturday afternoon, going behind twice to goals from Ben Thompson and Ben Marshall either side of a Pablo Hernandez strike.
The Whites didn’t give up though, and Luke Ayling equalised from close range before Hernandez fired in his second of the match with just ten minutes to spare.
And while Marcelo Bielsa’s side were pulling off a dramatic comeback, Chris Widler’s side were doing the opposite, blowing a lead at home to Bristol City.
The Blades went in front twice either side of Andreas Weimann’s first half strike, and the ex-Derby County ace completed his hat trick with goals in the 77th and 83rd minute, goals that effectively put Leeds back into the top two.
Meanwhile in the Premier League, Huddersfield’s loss at Crystal Palace saw them relegated, and Whites fans are in absolute heaven as Saturday’s stunning turn of events heaped misery on their Yorkshire rivals.
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You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, after Phil Hay of The Yorkshire Evening Post shared the news from Bramall Lane…
Steven Gerrard has taken a cheeky dig at two former Rangers players after clinching the signings of Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis on loan.
The former Liverpool captain has made a major statement by acquiring two experienced campaigners, and believes they will have a far greater impact at Ibrox than Umar Sadiq and Ovie Ejaria, who have both seen their loans cut short.
What’s the word?
Striker Sadiq’s spell at Rangers was defined by a dive for which he was booked in a Betfred Cup semi-final defeat to Aberdeen, with Gerrard failing to give him a single Scottish top-flight start.
Gerrard promptly axed Sadiq in the January transfer window, while midfielder Ejaria also failed to make the grade.
Ejaria joined the club on loan from Liverpool, but he only scored twice in 28 appearances, and has since joined Reading.
And Gerrard has now waxed lyrical about his side’s January dealings, with Defoe and Davis poised to enhance Rangers’ chances of beating Celtic to the SPFL title.
What did Gerrard say?
He told reporters: “Rangers sells itself but I tried to say to Jermain about where I was at that stage of my own playing career.
“For me it was about enjoyment. I asked Jermain if a relegation battle was right for him at this stage of his career.
“Was him not being guaranteed games right for him at this stage too? He is well aware of the size of the club, he knows everything about Rangers.
“I showed him how we’re trying to play, how we’re trying to evolve and he was super excited by that. The chance to win some medals, that’s what came out of his mouth.”
Gerrard added: “When you think we’ve replaced Umar Sadiq and Ovie Ejaria with these two, I’m very pleased with the business we’ve done.”
Shrewd business in SPFL charge
Davis, of course, has history with Rangers, with his latest loan deal his third spell at the club.
After initially joining the club on loan from Fulham in 2008, he spent four years there until 2012, leaving for Southampton.
And Defoe has proven at the highest level that he has the required ability to hit the back of the net on a consistent basis.
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The former England international scored 163 goals in the Premier League across 496 appearances, and also enjoyed a prolific spell with Toronto FC.
Rangers’ title hopes have no doubt been boosted by this double signing, and it would take a quite astonishing effort from both of them to fail to top the exploits of Sadiq and Ejaria.
Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…
Celtic are currently back in training and preparing to return to action in the Scottish Premiership with a trip to face Dundee away from home on Sunday.
The Hoops beat Motherwell 3-2 at Parkhead before the international break, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Daizen Maeda, and will be hoping to follow that up with another victory.
However, Brendan Rodgers may have some injury issues to contend with ahead of selecting his starting line-up to chase the three points against Dundee.
The latest Celtic team news before Dundee
Starting with the positive news, Alistair Johnston has returned to first-team training this week for the first time since he suffered a hamstring injury in August.
He was initially ruled out until November, per the Daily Record, but the Canada international is now in line for an early return against Dundee on Sunday.
There was more positive news out of the camp earlier this week when Sebastian Tounekti played for Tunisia against Namibia, having missed his country’s first match through injury.
Whilst the Tunisian whiz, who scored his first goal for the club against Partick Thistle, may be available for selection, Celtic’s right-sided winger may not be.
Daizen Maeda had to withdraw from international duty with Japan due to a foot issue, not playing a single minute in either match, and his injury has left Rodgers concerned, per Football Insider, ahead of Sunday.
How Celtic could replace Daizen Maeda
Football FanCast recently suggested that unleashing 18-year-old winger Rhys Dargie could be one way for the Hoops to replace Maeda if he is unavailable for selection against Dundee, because the output from the manager’s other options has left a lot to be desired.
Output from Celtic RWs
25/26 season (all competitions)
Appearances
Goals + assists
Daizen Maeda (first-team)
13
3 + 2
Michel-Ange Balikwisha (first-team)
6
0 + 2
Hyun-jun Yang (first-team)
8
1 + 0
James Forrest (first-team)
12
0 + 0
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Hyun-jun Yang, and James Forrest have struggled to deliver consistent quality in the final third.
If Rodgers does not want to bring in Dargie, as he has not featured in a matchday squad for the first team, he could solve his Maeda problem by unleashing Callum Osmand for the first time.
The summer signing from Fulham has made the bench for the senior side on two occasions, both against Kairat in the Champions League, which shows that he is in the manager’s thoughts.
Osmand is a centre-forward by trade, but he has played on the right wing before, per Transfermarkt, scoring two goals in one game. He was also hailed as “lightning quick” by Fulham expert Jack Kelly, which suggests that he has the mobility and speed to play out wide.
Callum Osmand’s U18 & U21 form for Fulham
Season
Appearances
Goals
Assists
24/25
22
11
4
23/24
29
21
6
22/23
21
11
2
21/22
1
0
0
Total
73
43
12
Stats via Transfermarkt
The 19-year-old attacker’s form for Fulham at youth level, as shown in the table above, shows that he has the potential to deliver quality in the final third, particularly as a goalscorer, which is what the Hoops are lacking.
Maeda is Celtic’s top scoring winger, with three goals, which is why it would be a blow to lose him for any number of games through injury, but Osmand is a young talent who could ease that blow.
The Wales U17 international has scored two goals in three Challenge Cup games for Celtic, per Transfermarkt, which also shows that he has carried his goalscoring form over to Scotland.
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This Sunday could be the perfect opportunity to provide him with a chance to impress on the right wing, even if it is not his preferred position, with a first-team debut for the Hoops, if Maeda is unavailable.
Rodgers must sell Celtic flop who's now worth even less than Adam Idah
Celtic must sell this flop whose value has dropped millions and is now worth less than Adam Idah.
ByDan Emery
Osmand may be a more viable short-term option for Rodgers than Dargie, who does look like an exciting prospect, because of his first-team involvement earlier this season.
Whether it is Dargie or Osmand, who could both be intriguing options to call upon on the right wing, Celtic may have to do something different on the right flank if Maeda is out, due to how underwhelming their senior alternatives have been.
Arsenal’s summer striker search is set to be one of the major topics for discussion in N5, with two big-names in Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko rumoured to be Andrea Berta’s top two targets.
Arsenal hold talks over signing Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko
Reports from reliable media sources indicate that this centre-forward duo feature the highest on Berta’s striker target list.
Arsenal U-turn over signing "powerful" player who "was on the verge" of joining
They’ve now pulled out of the deal.
ByEmilio Galantini
Sesko is fresh off the back of a career-best Bundesliga campaign with Leipzig – bettering his 2023/2024 tally with 21 goals in all competitions – while Gyokeres has quite simply been unstoppable with 54 goals in total across 24/25.
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)
Money on new signings
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
Berta has held extensive talks over a move for Gyokeres (Florian Plettenberg), but Arsenal have also since begun concrete negotiations for Sesko as well – leading to some confusion over who the club’s main target actually is.
Sky Germany’s Plettenberg reported last week that their focus is on both men, but either deal would prove to be “extremely expensive”, prompting Berta to consider the two options very carefully.
Either way, another reliable journalist in David Ornstein fully expects one of Gyokeres or Sesko to seal a switch to Arsenal last summer.
“They’ve got a decision to make between Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon, both fantastic options and talents,” said Ornstein to NBC Sports.
“I do expect one of them to come into the Emirates Stadium this summer.”
BBC journalist shares update on Arsenal signing Sesko or Gyokeres
Responding to this burning question in a Q&A, about whether Arsenal are going to sign Sesko or Gyokeres, the BBC’s Sami Mokbel has shared “information” on Arsenal’s talks for the pair.
He says that Arsenal are attempting to confirm the “frameworks” when it comes to deals for Sesko or Gyokeres, before they make a final decision on who to go for.
“In terms of Gyokeres or Sesko – my information is that the club are working towards confirming the frameworks of both deals before making a final decision on which to proceed with,” said Mokbel.
“Sesko has near-universal backing at the Emirates but, crucially, will be the more expensive deal. Gyokeres’ chances of moving to Arsenal have increased since Andrea Berta’s appointment as sporting director. Price is key here. Sesko ticks many boxes in terms of profile, he is younger than Gyokeres and plays in a stronger league (the Bundesliga) according to recruitment data. But some of the reported figures indicate he could cost £93million.
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“Gyokeres is more economical, but would see the club divert from their longer-term strategy given Sesko has always been a target.”
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskocelebrates
Sesko already rejected a move to Arsenal last summer, so he’s been a long-term target for Arteta, pre-dating Berta’s arrival as sporting director.
Given just how highly the Spaniard must rate him, splashing in around £93m for the 22-year-old would be a real show of backing to their manager by the Arsenal board.
Aston Villa are gearing themselves up for a tough second half of the campaign, challenging not only in the Premier League but also the Champions League, looking to give a good account of themselves in the European competition, whilst also aiming to qualify again through their league position.
Unai Emery’s side are the closest to neutral for goal difference in the division, scoring 34 goals, and conceding 35 goals, leaving them with a -1 goal difference. In terms of their goal-scoring numbers, Villa are tenth. They are only averaging 12.6 shots per game which is the seventh fewest in the division.
This suggests Emery’s side are struggling at the top end of the pitch this season in comparison to last campaign, averaging 13.6 shots per game and scoring 76 goals (sixth most).
This has already sparked investment in the forward department, bringing Donyell Malen to the club, but Villa could add yet another player to the mix, who could be even better than Malen for them.
Aston Villa in the race to sign another forward
With reports of Arsenal wanting striker Ollie Watkins before the deadline slams shut next Monday and Jhon Duran facing interest from Saudi Arabia, it could well be that Monchi is in need of bringing a new forward to the club in the coming days.
Well, according to reports from Haber Sarikirmizi (relayed by SportsWitness), Aston Villa are now in the race to sign Galatasaray winger, Baris Alper Yilmaz. The reports suggest that the aforementioned Monchi ‘wants him very much.’
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Turkish attacker has also been linked with West Ham and Nottingham Forest in this window. West Ham reportedly had a £25m offer on the table, which was rejected by Galatasaray, telling them to return in the summer instead, which suggests it would take a larger fee to convince them to part ways in January.
Galatasaray'sBarisAlperYilmazand Ismail Jakobs celebrate after Victor Osimhen scores their third goal
Yilmaz has made 30 appearances so far this season, scoring 11 goals, providing two assists and totalling 2,394 minutes played. The 24-year-old has played in a variety of positions too, playing as a left-winger, right-winger, centre-forward and even a right back and left back.
How Yilmaz compares to new Aston Villa signing Malen
Malen made his first Aston Villa appearance against West Ham from the bench, having made 21 appearances for Dortmund prior, scoring five goals and providing one assist in 957 minutes played.
How well he does only time will tell, but could the Villa recruitment team land a quick-fire upgrade on the Dutchman? Quite possibly.
Yilmaz vs Malen in 2024/25
Stats (per 90 mins)
Yilmaz
Malen
Goals
0.43
0.38
Assists
0.04
0.23
xG
0.32
0.47
xAG
0.32
0.11
Progressive Carries
5.26
2.99
Progressive Passes
2.81
2.06
Shots Total
2.96
2.82
Key Passes
1.93
0.41
Shot-Creating Actions
5.26
1.96
Successful Take-Ons
1.58
1.44
Stats taken from FBref
When comparing Yilmaz to Malen, both would be most likely to get their minutes from the right wing, but they are both versatile enough to fill in for others across the front line. With Duran looking more and more likely to be sold this month, Malen could deputise as a centre-forward when Watkins isn’t available, should he not move to the Emirates Stadium.
Both players are direct, looking to impact the game with a high volume of actions (creating shots and taking shots) and looking to provide output.
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One area Yilmaz does prove to be ahead of Malen is in progressive metrics, dropping deeper to help facilitate in build-up with his progressive passing and carrying quality.
Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen celebrates
The sale of Duran could allow Aston Villa to fund a move for Yilmaz, bringing two versatile forwards to the club who can give Emery different options in attack, whilst continuing to start Watkins as the main striker, ensuring everyone is happy with their share of minutes.
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Diogo Jota hasn’t enjoyed a fantastic start to this new Premier League season, with only one goal and one assist coming his way from Liverpool’s opening four league fixtures.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers forward would also frustrate those with a Reds persuasion in the Champions League recently, as the misfiring Portuguese attacker could only muster 23 touches of the ball against AC Milan, with his teammates all thankfully singing off the same hymn sheet otherwise in an exciting 3-1 away win.
Diogo Jota warming up for Liverpool
The goal-shy nature of Jota’s early season performances means even one notable former Reds dud is currently outperforming him, despite the one-time Liverpool flop really struggling during his brief stint at Anfield to find the back of the net.
Diogo Jota vs AC Milan.
Iago Aspas' transfer to Liverpool
Iago Aspas would link up with the Liverpool ranks back in 2013 with a reputation for being a potent goal machine in his native Spain, netting 12 Celta Vigo goals from 34 La Liga appearances during his swansong season for his boyhood employers, to then make the gigantic leap to England.
That jump would prove to be too much for Aspas to take, with the attacker known to Liverpool fans now as a wasteful finisher from his brief but troubled time at the club, as opposed to the deadly and instinctive striker they thought they had obtained for a low £7.6m fee.
Aspas would see his Reds spell pass him by, with only one goal and one assist registered from 15 appearances before he was shipped out to Sevilla on loan, and then found his way back to Celta in 2015.
Much like other major transfer blunders in the striker department at the time, which included Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert failing to ever settle wearing Liverpool red, Aspas just couldn’t handle the immense pressure on his shoulders of playing for the Premier League giants, but has since consolidated his status as a top striker in more comfortable surroundings in Spain having left for £5m.
Aspas' numbers back in Spain
Amazingly, Aspas is in an exclusive club with Lionel Messi with the former Liverpool dud very much now a Celta icon.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
From 499 games to date for the La Liga outfit, Aspas has 207 goals and 81 assists next to his name, with his output during the infancy of this season to date bettering that of Jota’s back at Anfield.
Aspas vs Jota (24/25)
Stat
Aspas
Jota
Games played
6
4
Goals scored
3
1
Assists
2
1
Shots per game
2.0
2.8
Scoring frequency
156 mins
287 mins
Stats by Sofascore
The 37-year-old isn’t showing any visible cobwebs for Celta this season so far, with five goal contributions registered from six games only one off matching Luis Diaz’s goals and assists tally for Arne Slot’s men too, whilst beating Jota’s amount by three.
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That’s the case despite the veteran centre-forward attempting fewer shots per game compared to his Portuguese counterpart this campaign, as Jota continues to be wasteful for the Reds, and Aspas continues to be a difference maker so late into his playing days for his side.
Liverpool would love to turn back the clock and see if things could have turned out differently if the then nervous attacker was given more time to acclimatise, with his stint at the club only lasting a breakneck 15 games.
But, it could well just be that Aspas is a natural fit at Celta over playing in the hustle and bustle of England, as the 37-year-old strives to keep up his electric La Liga form, whilst Jota looks to spark into life over the games to come.
Liverpool star looked "like Coutinho" when he joined, then Slot sold him