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The season is fast approaching, but Aston Villa are still intent on moving on a few players before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Due to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, Unai Emery was forced to sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus, while Moussa Diaby moved to the Middle East a couple of weeks ago, raising £60m in the process.

This should give the former Arsenal manager plenty of flexibility to bring in another player or two as he looks to bolster his squad.

While there have been plenty of links with regard to incomings of late, the latest update concerns someone who Emery could sell in the next few days…

Aston Villa could be close to selling first-team star

Defender Diego Carlos has reportedly held talks with Fulham over a potential move to the Premier League side this summer.

The Brazilian only joined the Midlands side two years ago but is open to leaving the club during the current transfer window.

This will see Emery dip back into the market in order to sign a new centre-back before the window slams shut. The question is, who will he pursue?

Aston Villa showing interest in Euro 2024 star

According to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato last month, Villa reportedly made contact about signing defender Jaka Bijol, who shone for both Udinese in Serie A last term before enjoying a solid Euro 2024 campaign with Slovenia.

Napoli and Lazio are also showing interest in the £17k-per-week centre-back, but Champions League football that is on offer at Villa could be the game changer regarding any prospective move.

When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues, Bijol ranked in the top 6% for aerial duels won per 90 (3.63) and in the top 3% for clearances per 90 (6.05), clearly showcasing his excellent defensive capabilities in one of the most difficult leagues on the continent.

Accurate passes per game

26.8

Clean sheets

2

Touches per game

51.5

Total duels won per game

5

Possession lost per game

6.3

Tackles per game

2.8

Clearances per game

9.5

These displays for Udinese have clearly attracted the attention of Villa and several other Italian sides and his performances for his country and Euro 2024 backed his league form up.

He started all four of Slovenia’s matches as they went out to Portugal in the last 16 on penalties. Across these games, Bijol kept two clean sheets, averaged 2.8 tackles per game, won five total duels per game while losing possession just 6.3 times each game.

Journalist Zach Lowy lauded the defender for his showing in Germany, saying Bijol had been “impeccable throughout” as Slovenia reached the knockout stages at the Euros for the first time.

He could be an ideal replacement for Carlos, who seems to be on his way out of Villa Park as Emery looks to bring down the average age of his side.

Aged just 25, it can be argued that the Slovenian defender hasn’t even hit his peak yet, meaning Villa may get the best years of his career should they secure a deal to sign him in the next few weeks.

Contact made: Aston Villa target Watkins 2.0 in £50k-p/w star

Aston Villa looking to add even more firepower upfront alongside Watkins

1 ByConnor Holden Aug 2, 2024

The winds of change have blown for Liverpool this year, with Arne Slot's budding project seemingly heading in the right direction. Pre-season results must be taken with a pinch of salt but the smoothness of the Dutchman's style's inculcation is promising to say the least.

Having defeated Arsenal 2-1 in an entertaining friendly in Philadelphia, the Reds are starting to prove their ball-playing faculty, and while fans hope to see some activity this summer in the centre of the park, signing a build-up specialist to orchestrate from the base of the midfield and offer competition to Wataru Endo, treatment is needed elsewhere.

Central defence has long been considered an area in need of revamping at Anfield, especially after Joel Matip's contract expired in June, but Jarell Quansah's emergence has eased the need for immediate investment.

The attacking flanks are similarly in need of some added firepower, especially as the lionised Mohamed Salah steps into his final year, and since sporting director Richard Hughes suggested Liverpool could see a "crescendo" in August, FSG seem set to accelerate their interest in the coming weeks.

Liverpool ready to pounce

As per Football Transfers, Liverpool are among the top Premier League clubs interested in signing Pedro Neto this summer, though Tottenham Hotspur currently have the lead in the race.

Title favourites Arsenal and Manchester City are also interested in signing the 24-year-old, who has suffered his share of injury problems in recent years but remains one of the most coveted wingers in English football.

Valued at £60m by Wolverhampton Wanderers, it's generally accepted at Molineux that the Portuguese winger will be sold this summer, and given he is highly effective across both flanks, he could be the perfect addition to a Liverpool side stepping back into the Champions League and indeed a new era.

Why Liverpool could sign Pedro Neto

Neto has been a prominent figure in the Premier League for a number of years now, having signed for Wolves from Serie A side Lazio in an £8m double swoop with Bruno Jordao back in 2019.

He was only 19. Now, a fully-fledged sensation, Neto has established himself as one of Wolves' most talented players in modern history, described as an "incredibly talented and physically very gifted player" by boss Gary O'Neil at the start of the 2023/24 season.

Injuries might have been his enemy but Neto succeeded in levelling up to an elite-level quality last term, notching three goals and 11 assists across 24 fixtures in all competitions, albeit missing two large portions with hamstring injuries.

2023/24

20

18

2

9

2022/23

18

13

0

0

2021/22

13

5

1

1

2020/21

31

30

5

6

2019/20

29

9

3

3

Slot, like Jurgen Klopp, implements an intense style of football that is birthed from high-octane training sessions, though, unlike his predecessor, the 46-year-old has an exemplary fitness record across his past two clubs: Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands.

Neto, moreover, has a lot of experience on the right flank, with his left-footed preference allowing him to drift inside and wreak havoc, evidenced by his ranking among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for assists and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

The Portugal international would be a dynamic and versatile option for a healthy attacking fold on Merseyside, and while supporters crave the signing of Anthony Gordon, this might actually be the one to go for.

How Pedro Neto compares to Anthony Gordon

Hailed as a "pace monster" by analyst Ben Mattinson, Neto would add a dimension to Slot's wide play and enhance the overall fluency of a Liverpool side that is already tantalising a successful season.

Gordon was deservedly crowned Newcastle's Player of the Year for 2023/24 after his prolific campaign, scoring 12 goals and supplying 11 assists across all competitions and being praised for taking "it up a level" by pundit Jamie Carragher.

The former Everton player has also hit a career goal contribution rate of 0.28 while on the right, as opposed to 0.40 on the left, so he wouldn't be able to sort out Liverpool's Salah conundrum with the same success as the protean-performing Neto.

Given that Liverpool already yield one of the Premier League's finest left-wingers in Luis Diaz, who has been linked with a move away this summer but seems unlikely to be going anywhere, with no contact pointed Liverpool's way.

And as a further point, while Gordon offered far greater striking output than the Old Gold phenom last season, the underlying numbers suggest that Neto could offer more to the Liverpool first team.

Matches played

20

35

Matches started

18

34

Goals

2

11

Assists

9

10

Big chances created

7

16

Pass completion

83%

82%

Shots per game

1.8

2.3

Key passes per game

1.9

1.6

Dribbles per game

1.9

1.5

Ball recoveries per game

4.0

3.6

Duels won per game

3.5

5.3

As you can see from the table above, Neto is a more creative and more progressive player than Gordon, at least, he performed as such last term. His goalscoring wasn't at the same standard but he also played in a goal-shy Wolves team, tasked as the architect of the playmaking.

And a move to Slot's Liverpool could alter that considerably, for the Anfield outfit created more big chances in the Premier League last year than any of their rivals (with 102).

Wolves, conversely, ranked 16th (with 54), making a telling comment on the importance of Neto's creative input. Newcastle, as an addendum, ranked joint-second with 97 big chances created – one can only imagine the chaos Neto would have wreaked if placed in either of the northern sides.

Liverpool must sign Neto this summer; that is by no means meant to discredit Gordon's exciting skillset, but the Portuguese, when fit and firing, is a force to be reckoned with and would make a marked improvement on the Reds.

Liverpool's 8/10 talent who sank Arsenal can make Slot forget about Gordon

There have been some promising pre-season signs over the pond from Slot’s Reds…

1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 1, 2024

Newcastle United are believed to have made contact over the signing of a new defender as an alternative to Marc Guehi, according to a new update.

Guehi to Newcastle latest

The Magpies' pursuit of the 24-year-old has been one of the main transfer talking points throughout the summer transfer window, but for now, he is still a Crystal Palace player.

Guehi's performances for England at Euro 2024 were extremely impressive – he was arguably the Three Lions' best player in the tournament – and it has led to his reputation growing, perhaps playing a big role in Newcastle seeing him as such an important target.

To date, Eddie Howe's men have seen three separate bids for the English defender turned down, while a recent claim suggested that a fourth offer of £65m has been made. Palace are holding firm so far, not willing to sell their prized asset for anything less than they are demanding, so patience is required from Newcastle.

Should the Premier League giants fail to snap up Guehi once the window slam shuts at the end of this month, however, it is vital that they bring in an alternative, considering the injuries that Howe is having to deal with in defence currently.

Newcastle make contact with Guehi alternative

According to a new update from Aslinda [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have made contact with Fenerbahce over centre-back Jayden Oosterwolde completing a summer move to St James' Park, seemingly seeing him as a different option to Guehi.

While the Turkish Super Lig club would prefer to keep hold of the 23-year-old for this season – fellow defender Ferdi Kadioglu could also be moving to pastures new, so losing both would be a big blow – they could be tempted to accept an offer in the region of €25m (£21.3m).

While signing Guehi could still remain the preferable option for Newcastle this summer, considering the Premier League experience he has, Oosterwolde would represent a cheaper option – one whose price tag arguably isn't as bloated.

The Dutchman has been a key performer for Fenerbahce for some time now, making 54 appearances, and he has also played for the likes of FC Twente and Parma, showing that he has held his own in various different European leagues.

Fenerbahce

54

2

0

FC Twente

41

1

3

Parma

24

1

0

The fact that Oosterwolde can also operate at left-back would be an added bonus for Howe, who could do with competition for places in that area of the pitch, even though he already has Dan Burn and Lewis Hall to call upon there.

He lost the ball 16 times: Newcastle must bench 6/10 star after Saints

The Magpies secured three points to begin the season positively.

2 ByRoss Kilvington Aug 18, 2024

At 23, the defender is a young player, too – a year younger than Guehi, in fact – so he could be a fixture at the heart of Newcastle's defence for plenty of years to come, rather than come in as a quick fix, making this one to watch.

West Brom are believed to be closing in on the signing of an "excellent" international player, according to a fresh update from reliable journalist Lewis Cox.

West Brom transfer news

The Baggies still have time to make more signings in the summer transfer window, with some good business done to date, including the additions of Torbjorn Heggem, Gianluca Frabotta and Paddy McNair.

One player who has been linked with a summer move to West Brom is Will Keane, with the experienced 31-year-old currently plying his trade at fellow Championship side Preston North End. In fact, the Baggies have reportedly tabled an offer for his services as Carlos Corberan looks to bolster his attacking options.

Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles has also been mentioned as an option for Corberan's men between now and the end of the month as he aims to make a return to the Championship. A player-plus-cash deal including Mo Faal has been mooted.

It could be that the Hungarian still arrives at The Hawthorns this summer, further strengthening West Brom in the middle of the park, even though midfielder Uros Racic has already joined on a season-long loan.

West Brom closing in on "excellent" ace

According to Cox on X, West Brom are close to completing the signing of Barnsley ace Styles, with talks thought to be at an advanced stage:

Signing Styles feels like a no-brainer for West Brom, with the 24-year-old a highly-thought-of midfielder who already has 23 caps to his name for Hungary, more than holding his own alongside Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai.

He is surely too good to be playing League One football with Barnsley, considering he is an experienced international player and at this level. Indeed, former Barnsley boss Neill Collins has said of him in the past:

"Callum's talent is undoubted and again for me, he has been excellent in pre-season. As long as I have got players like that, I will be delighted. I hope I can just help him continue to improve and become the player he has got the potential to be. He's definitely enjoyable for everyone to watch."

Granted, Styles may have to accept that he isn't guaranteed to come in and be a starter every week for West Brom considering the options that Corberan has at his disposal, but the £5,400-a-week ace would be ideal for squad depth.

He's "like Berbatov": West Brom lodge bid for Josh Maja upgrade

West Bromwich Albion remain on the hunt for a new striker.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 22, 2024

Last season, the midfielder enjoyed a stint on loan at Sunderland, starting 10 league games and showing he is well-suited to the Championship and has 136 appearances to his name in the competition throughout his career. He is still a relatively young player and has further gears to find, so the Baggies could be making an impressive addition.

He could link up again with ex-teammate Devante Cole, who notched 18 times in League One for the Tykes last term.

Chelsea were busy yet again in the transfer market this summer, spending around £200m on ten new players, plus bringing Jadon Sancho in on loan on deadline day.

However, one area of focus was the striking department for the Blues this summer, something they failed to address. This leaves Chelsea with Nicolas Jackson, and new signing, 18-year-old Marc Guiu, as the only out-and-out number nines.

Jackson made 44 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea last season, scoring 17 goals, providing six assists, and totalling 3,534 minutes played.

He's full of life and full of potential, but he's no Victor Osimhen…

Osimhen's failed move to Stamford Bridge

Fabrizio Romano broke the news that Osimhen's potential move to Chelsea had collapsed on deadline day, only for the Nigerian striker to agree a loan move to Galatasaray days later.

In the process, he agreed to a deal with Napoli that saw his release clause lowered to around £63m. So, perhaps a move could be revived for the striking sensation in the future?

Osimhen made 32 appearances for Napoli in all competitions last season, scoring 17 times and supplying four assists across 2,476 minutes played.

Non-Penalty Goals

0.50

Shots Total

3.47

Assists

0.12

Shot-Creating Actions

2.52

Progressive Carries

1.53

Touches (Att Pen)

6.48

Aerials Won

1.78

The Nigerian talisman could have offered everything the Blues are looking for, with an abundance of box presence, a clinical nature in front of goal, and an outstanding aerial threat.

Perhaps an option lies in the academy?

Chelsea flop who left in 2024 is about to have his career saved by Osimhen

Osimhen’s new teammate enduring nightmare start for new club

ByConnor Holden Sep 3, 2024 Chelsea's in-house Osimhen solution

Chelsea could have a world-class striker talent in their ranks already, with scout Jacek Kulig even calling him "one of the most talented CFs of his generation". We are, of course, talking about Shumaira Mheuka.

The 16-year-old striker scored 10 goals in 17 appearances for the Chelsea U18 side last season, also providing two assists. That form has already earned Mhueka a spot in the U21 team this campaign, starting two of the three PL2 games so far, despite only being 16 years old.

Mheuka is blessed with an abundance of pace and power, just like Osimhen, which he uses extremely well when using his body to carve out shooting opportunities for himself, and getting away from opposition players.

The teenager is an incredibly instinctive finisher, who makes clever box movements to find himself pockets of space, before manipulating the ball to find half a yard and release the trigger.

Being so young, there is still plenty of time for Mheuka to develop traits, but one negative, as stated by the aforementioned Kulig, is his usage of his frame in aerial duels, to offer a significant aerial threat, something that Osimhen would give Chelsea.

The instinctive finishing of Mheuka is something Jackson is often criticised for, and would therefore offer a much-needed boost in that department. The Blues forward has performed at a -0.09 Goals- xG per 90 for the last 365 days, further proof of his wasted chances in front of goal.

As Mheuka progresses through the Chelsea academy ranks and continues to develop both his quality and physicality, he could pose a serious threat to Jackson later down the line, adding extra composure, box threat, and striking instincts.

And who knows, if he develops into a bigger frame, he could even pose the same aerial threat as an Osimhen, making even a move for him, less important.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Everton’s prospective new owners have an exciting plan for the club in 2025, and are ready to make an immediate splash in the transfer market.

Everton finally braced for takeover

After several failed attempts, it seems that Everton may finally be on the cusp of new ownership. American businessman John Textor, who co-owns Crystal Palace and also owns French side Lyon, is in talks to take charge of the Merseyside club, and has been set a deadline of November 30th to complete a deal for the Premier League outfit.

Any move is contingent on selling his stake in Crystal Palace, though Textor revealed that he has had two “good bids” for his stake in the Eagles, suggesting that it won’t be too difficult to give up his part of the south London outfit.

Everton could replace Coleman by unleashing star in totally different role

Sean Dyche has some issues to contend with…

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 14, 2024

Speaking to the BBC, Textor explained: “If you decide football is what you want in your life, and then somebody comes along and asks you if you want to become the owner of Everton, it’s like someone asking you if you want to be President of the United States. Of course you do. Right now, this seems to be our opportunity and we hope to close.”

His suggestion it was close was refuted by Everton: “The club is aware of the comments made by John Textor in relation to a potential purchase of the club.

“While positive conversations and progress continues to be made with Mr Textor to formalise any deal with him, there remains some work to be done to complete the transaction.”

However, a takeover does appear to be heading in the right direction, and now one report has detailed exactly what Textor intends to do if and when he takes charge.

January spending planned at Everton

Now, Football Insider report that, should the takeover be successful, the new owners at Everton will be keen to spend heavily in January.

Everton’s summer additions

Player

Fee

Iliman Ndiaye

€18m

Jake O’Brien

€19.5m

Tim Iroegbunam

€10.7m

Orel Mangala

Loan

Jesper Lindstrom

Loan

Armando Broja

Loan

Asmir Begovic

Free

The club ended the summer transfer window with a positive net spend, having taken £28m more than they shelled out largely thanks to the £50m sale of Amadou Onana to Aston Villa, while they kept hold of fellow high-value asset Jarrad Branthwaite.

As a result of that plus the newfound investment, it is reported that the “expectation is that Textor will provide funds for Sean Dyche to invest in his squad”, while reporter Pete O’Rourke adds that there is optimism that Textor will “put his hand in his pocket”.

Whether or not financial fair play will allow them to is another matter, with the club still under scrutiny after two points deductions last season for failing to comply with the Premier League’s rules and regulations around spending. However, having made money over the summer, the purse strings could well be loosened under the new owners, should they arrive.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke endured a difficult summer that was full of speculation over his best players before the transfer window slammed shut.

The German head coach had to deal with the rumours and then had to contend with some of his key stars moving on from Elland Road, as Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter, and Glen Kamara were all sold.

All four of those players started at least 36 Championship matches for the club during the 2023/24 campaign, which speaks to their importance to the side last term.

The former Norwich City boss was, however, allowed to dip into the market to bolster his squad with new recruits, and brought in the likes of Joe Rodon, Isaac Schmidt, Largie Ramazani, Alex Cairns, Jayden Bogle, and Manor Solomon, among others.

Farke seemingly identified the central midfield area as one that needed to be strengthened, as the club brought in Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell in that position, after Kamara was sold to Rennes.

The Leeds boss now has a plethora of midfield options to choose from each week and has strong competition for places in that area of the pitch.

Leeds United's current midfield options

Captain Ethan Ampadu and Bulgaria international Ilia Gruev were selected to play in the middle of the park in the 1-0 defeat to Burnley last time out.

Meanwhile, summer signings Tanaka and Rothwell were forced to wait on the bench before coming on during the second half in an attempt to change the game.

Ampadu has started all 54 of the Championship games, including the play-offs, of Farke’s reign so far, which suggests that his place in the starting XI is not in danger any time soon, and it could be between Gruev, Tanaka, and Rothwell to play alongside the Wales international.

Ethan Ampadu

£13.5m

Ilia Gruev

£4.2m

Ao Tanaka

£3.4m

Joe Rothwell

£2.1m

As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea man is the most valuable central midfielder in the squad, by some distance, and Rothwell, who is on loan from Bournemouth, is the least valuable.

Leeds sold Kamara to Rennes for a reported fee of £8.4m in the summer, which would make him the second most valuable in that group, and the Whites will be hoping that they do not live to regret that sale.

One expensive sale of a central midfielder that Leeds will certainly not regret is Ronaldo Vieira, whose value has plummeted since he moved on from Elland Road in 2018.

How much Leeds sold Ronaldo Vieira for

In the summer of 2018, former sporting director Victor Orta opted to cash in on the young ace for a reported fee of £7m ahead of Marcelo Bielsa’s first season with the club.

He came up through the youth ranks with the Whites, after joining from the i2i Football Academy in 2015, and emerged as a regular first-team operator in the 2016/17 campaign.

Vieira showed plenty of promise in that breakthrough season in the Championship, as he showcased his ability on the ball and his combative nature in the middle of the park.

The teenage starlet, who was dubbed “bombastic” by ex-coach Simon Collins, completed 81% of his attempted passes and made an eye-catching 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game across 34 appearances and 24 starts in the division.

His combative qualities in midfield were on show again in the 2017/18 campaign, with 3.5 tackles and interceptions per match in 28 outings in the Championship.

Appearances

28

Assists

2

Pass accuracy

79%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.5

Ground duel success rate

47%

Aerial duel success rate

40%

As you can see in the table above, Vieira did not provide much in the way of quality as a creator of goals and his pass completion rate went down in comparison to his first full season in the league.

His duel success rates also show that opposition players found it too easy to get the better of him at times, as he lost the majority of his battles.

Orta then opted to cash in on the 20-year-old England U21 international at the end of that season, after Sampdoria came to the table with an offer of £7m.

Orta struck gold for Leeds

The Leeds sporting director struck gold for the club with that deal because Vieira has struggled since moving to Italy and away from Elland Road.

At the time of writing (18/09/2024), Transfermarkt places his current market value at a staggeringly low €1m (£843k), which is considerably

lower than any of the aforementioned Leeds midfielders.

It is also a stunning fall from the £7m that Sampdoria paid to secure his services back in 2018, when the central midfielder was 20 and seemingly on the rise.

Now 26, Vieira’s career has not gone to plan, as shown by his plummeting market value, and Leeds will look back on the £7m they gained from his sale as a blinder of a deal for them.

The English midfielder has only played 94 matches for Sampdoria in all competitions since his move in 2018, with loan spells at Torino and Hellas Verona in the 2022/23 and 2020/21 campaigns respectively.

He racked up 77 appearances in the Serie A for those three clubs combined and is currently playing in the Serie B for Sampdoria, where he featured in 13 league matches last term.

Appearances

3

Starts

1

Sofascore rating

5.73

Pass accuracy

69%

Duel success rate

33%

Error led to goal

1

As you can see in the table above, Vieira has played in three of the club’s second division games in the current season and has struggled badly.

The 26-year-old dud has been sloppy in possession, with a pass accuracy of 69%, and has been dominated in physical duels, whilst also making one error that directly led to a goal.

Overall, his time at Sampdoria has been disappointing as his value has plummeted and he has failed to nail down a regular place in the side, which is why Leeds struck gold by selling him for £7m.

Farke could ease James injury blow by unleashing amazing Leeds academy star

The Whites will be without the Wales international for the next few weeks.

ByDan Emery Sep 17, 2024

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta personally wants his side to bring in a prolific goalscorer after not signing one in the summer window, and it is believed that the Gunners are planning to move for one name in particular next year.

The strikers linked with 2025 moves to Arsenal

Sporting director Edu Gaspar did opt to bring in a new forward option before summer deadline day – winger Raheem Sterling on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea – but the transfer chief and his recruitment team ended the window with no deal for an out-and-out striker.

Why Arsenal are now open to selling "world-class" player as soon as January

Edu and Arteta could decide to offload.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 24, 2024

That wasn’t for lack of trying, as Arsenal were involved in a public race to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, but the Slovenia hitman rejected all moves elsewhere in favour of a contract extension at his current club.

Sesko has a “gentleman’s agreement” with Leipzig that he will be allowed to leave in 2025 or 2026, according to Fabrizio Romano, and some reports have claimed that Edu is already planning a 2025 swoop for Sesko with contact already made.

Appearances

42

Goals

18

Assists

2

Minutes per goal

115

Minutes played

2,057

The 21-year-old is just one of a few centre-forwards linked with moves to the Emirates next year, though. Indeed, there are rumours that Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram is a target for Arteta heading into 2025, while Aston Villa star Jhon Duran is being considered by Arsenal as an option.

Meanwhile, the most ambitious move of them all would be a mid-season bid for Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres. The former Coventry City ace has been in absolutely scintillating form since joining the Portuguese heavyweights last summer – scoring 54 goals and racking up 18 assists in 58 total appearances – and is rivalling Man City’s Erling Haaland in terms of proficiency.

Gyokeres is said to be on Arsenal’s agenda heading into January, but Sporting are set to demand the entirety of his £84 million release clause.

“A €100 million clause (£84m) and whether it can be met depends on the player’s current situation, age, and whether there is more than one club in the running,” said Sporting president Frederico Varandas in an interview with Record (via The Metro).

“I’ve seen inferior players being transferred for over €100m, great players for under €100m. Sporting is happy to have Viktor, and he is happy here. During the transfer market, there wasn’t a day without news saying that Viktor was leaving.

“The transfer market closed and these questions continue. But hey, we live with it and that’s how it will be.”

The Sweden international will be a marquee purchase, and a potentially difficult deal. However, a more astute alternative has emerged in the form of a familiar face to Arsenal supporters – Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović.

Arsenal planning 2025 move for Dusan Vlahovic

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal are planning a 2025 move for Vlahovic because Arteta is personally targeting a prolific goalscorer for his Premier League title-chasing squad.

Vlahovic was a target for Arsenal in 2022, before he joined Juventus in a deal worth £67 million, and he’s slowly started to justify that price tag. The 24-year-old scored just 10 league goals in his first full season with the Old Lady, but finished last campaign with 18 goals and three assists in all competitions.

The Serbian’s deal expires in 2026, and talks over a new deal have apparently stalled – gifting Arsenal an opportunity to strike a cut-price move next summer. Some media sources believe that Juve have set an asking price of £52 million for Vlahovic, but this could well drop if a new contract can’t be agreed.

He’d be a slight gamble considering his lack of Premier League experience and how he took a while to settle at Juve, but pundit Micah Richards has previously hailed the striker’s “lightning” speed.

“I have watched him a couple of times now,” Richards told BBC Radio Five Live in 2021 (via The Independent). “He is lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need.”

As Paul Mitchell seeks redemption for his and Newcastle United’s summer failure, the Magpies are reportedly set to battle former sporting director Dan Ashworth in the race to sign a recent hat-trick hero.

Newcastle transfer news

Those at St James’ Park must get things right on the transfer front following such frustration over their relatively quiet summer transfer window, which featured their very open pursuit of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, which ultimately ended in failure. Now looking to put things right, the transfer rumours have already picked up, as business continues as usual for Eddie Howe’s side on the pitch.

As 2025 approaches, the likes of Jonathan David and Maghnes Akliouche have already been linked with a switch to St James’ Park, as Newcastle look to hand Howe’s side an added attacking boost.

David would, of course, be a particular coup, having risen to become a star striker in France for Lille. Now, with his contract coming to an end next summer, the Magpies could land a bargain deal. Attacking reinforcements seems to be the way forward too, with another name recently linked.

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Mitchell means business…

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According to Bild via Fussball Transfers, Mitchell is now battling Ashworth to sign Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund, who have set the forward’s price-tag at a hefty €50m (£42m) ahead of 2025. Adeyemi has also reportedly been heavily scouted by Liverpool, who have seemingly joined a hectic race for the signature of the £80k-a-week forward off the back of his recent hat-trick against Celtic in the Champions League.

Of course, if Mitchell is to make up for the summer, then one way to go about it would certainly be getting one over on the man he replaced to sign a young, in-form forward for Newcastle. With such high interest, however, the Magpies will have to act swiftly if they are to land the Dortmund star’s signature.

"Amazing" Adeyemi is a man in form

If there’s anyone who’s stolen the headlines as of late, then it is Adeyemi. The 22-year-old is finally beginning to run the show within Dortmund’s frontline under new boss Nuri Sahin, with five goals and five assists in just eight games highlighting the German’s electric start to the campaign. Praised for an “amazing” last month by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig, Adeyemi has finally found his form.

If Newcastle can now win the race to sign the left-winger, who can play all across the frontline, in 2025 then they may just be able to form one of the most exciting partnerships between Alexander Isak and Adeyemi.

The Swede has struggled for form at the start of the campaign, but the speed and direct nature of Adeyemi’s play would certainly reignite his clinical best at St James’ Park.

Arsenal have enjoyed many highs as a football club, from the Premier League invincible season back in 2003/04 to their record 14 FA Cup triumphs.

However, in recent years, the club have been starved of any tangible success despite the excellent progression conducted by current boss Mikel Arteta since his appointment back in December 2019.

The Spaniard inherited a struggling squad, who were falling further and further away from the top four, but in recent years he’s steered the ship towards a first title in over two decades.

Impressive recruitment, a plethora of academy stars and continued dedication from Arteta have seen a huge turnaround, with the Gunners narrowly missing out on the title two seasons in a row.

Their incomings have been impeccable with all of the new additions contributing to the recent progression, but the outgoings have also allowed for increased funds to sign some of the current first-team stars.

How Arsenal’s record departures have faired since leaving

Folarin Balogun is just another player in a long line who came through the club’s Hale End academy with high expectations of being a key first-team member.

However, after just ten first-team appearances for the Gunners, he departed the Emirates in a £35m deal to join French side AS Monaco – an excellent price tag given his lack of impact in North London.

He’s since scored 11 times in 40 games for Monaco, proving to be a solid goalscoring option, but the club undoubtedly made the right call in parting ways with the American as the figure was simply too good to turn down.

Alex Iwobi is yet another great example of the phenomenal business conducted by the club in recent years, selling him to Everton for £28m back in 2019.

Whilst he made considerably more appearances than Balogun for the Gunners, his transfer still reflected good business, with the funds generated allowing the club to progress under Arteta.

He’s still a consistent Premier League performer, featuring over 180 times for the Toffees and current club Fulham, but given his potential at Arsenal, he’s certainly no way near the levels many expected.

As well as the aforementioned duo, the club also made the right call in allowing another young star to leave North London – with his price tag to this day the highest they’ve received for a player.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

How Arsenal’s record departure has faired after leaving

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived at Arsenal as a baby-faced 17-year-old back in 2011 for a reported £12m from Southampton.

During his six-year spell in North London, the “incredible” midfielder, as he was dubbed by Jürgen Klopp, captured the hearts of the supporters, featuring 198 times for the Gunners, producing some memorable displays along the way.

He scored the winning goal in the 2015 Community Shield, whilst also starring as a youngster in the Champions League against Bayern Munich – with his versatility allowing him to feature in various different roles.

However, the club sold him to Liverpool for £35m during the summer of 2017, a record sale for the Gunners, and the right decision given his torrid luck with injuries over the last few years.

The 31-year-old has suffered various serious knee issues, ruling him out for large chunks of his career, which has restricted him from reaching his full potential.

Seven years on from his departure from the Emirates, Oxlade-Chamberlain is now only valued at £2.5m as per Transfermarkt – a real signal of his rapid decline since his move away from North London.

2017/18

ACL

316

58

2018/19

Hamstring

34

8

2018/19

Knock

5

1

2019/20

Concussion

4

1

2019/20

Ankle

12

3

2020/21

Knee

113

20

2022/23

Hamstring

93

14

Total:

7 injuries

577

105

It’s a shame to see such a promising career fail to reach the heights it once promised, with injuries massively halting the midfielder’s development.

On the other hand, whilst it may have been an unpopular departure, it was the right call, with the club cashing in on the former England international whilst his stock was at its highest.

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