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Club Brugge and Barcelona played out a six-goal thriller on Wednesday night as the spoils were shared in an entertaining 3-3 draw. The Belgian side responded to back-to-back Champions League defeats with a solid point. Barcelona, meanwhile, came from behind three times to secure what could prove a precious result in their bid to book their place in the last 16 of the competition.

Brugge raced into an early lead as Carlos Forbs beat the offside trap and presented Nicolo Tresoldi with an easy chance to tuck past Wojciech Szczesny. The lead, though, lasted just two minutes as Barcelona hit back with a bang through Ferran Torres, who easily beat Nordin Jackers from close range.

And Barca missed the chance to go ahead in the 10th minute as Fermin Lopez, who provided the assist for Torres, struck the outside of the left post. The hosts made the Spanish champions pay for their profligacy as they were ahead again in the 17th minute following a rapid counter. Forbs and Christos Tzolis linked up well, with the former on hand to follow up his early assist with a well-taken effort past Szczesny.

Barcelona huffed and puffed for an equaliser in the second half as Fermin forced a fine Jackers stop six minutes after the break, and their pressure finally paid off on the hour mark as Lamine Yamal slalomed his way through a sea of Brugge bodies, played a neat one-two with Fermin before finishing superbly past Jackers.

Parity, though, lasted just two minutes as Forbs again ruthlessly exploited Barcelona's high defensive line to delicately dink past Szczesny to score his second and Brugge's third.

Barcelona were again level with a little over 10 minutes to go as Yamal's cross was turned past Jackers by Tzolis as the La Liga giants looked to claim a pressure victory in Belgium. And while Barca dominated, they rode their luck late on as Szczesny came close to committing a costly error in injury time in an entertaining stalemate.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Jan Breydelstadion…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Wojciech Szczesny (4/10):

  Was left exposed by Barcelona's high defensive line for all three goals. Did deny Seys at his near post minutes after the break. Came very close to committing a costly effort in second-half injury time.

  Jules Kounde (6/10):

  Played Forbs onside for Tresoldi's opening goal. Hit the crossbar midway through the first half.

  Ronald Araujo (5/10):

  Captained Barcelona on the night but struggled to marshal the Blaugrana backline against this rapid Brugge attack.

  Eric Garcia (5/10):

  Made a vital clearance early on from a Tzolis cross. Hit the bar in the second half but looked lost at the back whenever the Belgian side pushed forward.

  Alejandro Balde (4/10):

  Really struggled against Forbs. All three Brugge goals came down his side and almost conceded a second-half penalty.

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• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Frenkie de Jong (7/10):

  Dictated the tempo in the middle of the park and linked the defence and attack well.

  Marc Casado (6/10):

  Tidy on the ball but offered little going forward. Came off after an hour.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (9/10):

  Hauled Barcelona level on the hour mark with a fine finish following neat link-up play with Fermin and forced the third with a cross from the right that was inadvertently turned past Jackers by Tzolis. Saved the Spanish side in Belgium.

  Fermin Lopez (8/10):

  Provided the assist for Ferran's equaliser and clipped the post shortly after. Forced a good Jackers save after the break and linked up well with Yamal for the winger's goal.

  Marcus Rashford (6/10):

  Had a few first half chances, the best of which forced Jackers into a low stop shortly before the beak.

  Ferran Torres (7/10):

  Bagged a rapid leveller after Barcelona had gone behind with a well-taken finish. Came close to adding a second on the stroke of half-time after rounding Jackers. Replaced after an hour.

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• AFP
  

  Subs & Manager

  Robert Lewandowski (5/10):

  Saw a low drive blocked by Ordonez with 15 minutes to play. Evidently still short of match fitness.

  Dani Olmo (6/10):

  Offered Barcelona more drive from midfield after replacing Casado on the hour mark.

  Pau Cubarsi (N/A):

  Came on for Garcia in added time.

  Gerard Martin (N/A):

  Replaced Balde for the final seconds.

  Hansi Flick (5/10):

  Got his tactics completely wrong as the Barcelona defence looked completely exposed whenever Brugge pushed forward. Yamal spared his blushes.

Manchester United spent big, around £207m to be exact, recruiting a brand-new front three this summer, so how are they getting on?

Well, Bryan Mbeumo scored against both Grimsby Town and Burnley in August, albeit his missed penalty that decided the EFL Cup tie at Blundell Park is what will live longest in the memory.

Meantime, Benjamin Šeško has scored in the last two matches, opening his account at Brentford before bagging his first at Old Trafford during Saturday’s victory over Sunderland.

Thus, Matheus Cunha is the only member of the trio yet to score this season, although the Red Devils’ next fixture, an away game against Liverpool at Anfield, would be a good time to change that fact.

Elsewhere, the phenomenon of players leaving Manchester United and thriving elsewhere is nothing new, but even a forward described as the “worst player” in the club’s entire history is outscoring the Šeško, Mbeumo and Cunha trident so far this season.

Man United alumni lighting it up elsewhere

As a society we’ve all become accustomed to the idea of players revitalising their careers by leaving Old Trafford.

Scott McTominay is the prime example of this, scoring 13 goals for Napoli last season, the key man as the Partenopei won only their fourth Scudetto, named Serie A’s player of the year.

This summer, the Scotland international has been joined by Rasmus Højlund at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona who, after only scoring four Premier League goals throughout the entirety of last season, has bagged four in just six games for Napoli, notching a Champions League brace against Sporting, before bagging the winner against Genoa last Sunday.

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.

Elsewhere, after scoring nine times during his short loan spell, Antony made his move to Real Betis permanent on deadline day, bagging his first of the season as los Verdiblancos held Nottingham Forest to a 2-2 draw at the Cartuja in the Europa League.

The Brazilian scored just 12 times in 96 appearances for the Red Devils, but has ten in 31 for Betis.

There are countless other players we could have cited for whom leaving Manchester United was the best career decision they’ve ever made, but one in particular, you may have completely forgotten about, is still scoring at a high level at the age of 33.

Manchester United's worst-ever attacker is now thriving

Let’s all enter our metaphorical DeLoreans and time travel back to November 2022.

The World Cup is about to begin in Qatar while, and this feels unthinkable now, Manchester United under Erik ten Hag were in a title race, going on to finish third that season with 75 points. For comparison, their 58 most recent Premier League matches have yielded just 68 points.

However, all was not well because, having been sidelined by Ten Hag, Cristiano Ronaldo made it clear that he felt “betrayed” and would leave the club “with immediate effect”.

Thus, in the January transfer window, the Red Devils desperately needed a new striker, but the Glazers said they simply did not have the funds available to make a permanent signing.

So, a creative solution was found, with Man United paying a reported fee of £2.6m to end Wout Weghorst’s loan move from Burnley to Beşiktaş and bring him to Old Trafford instead.

The Netherlands international had scored nine times in just 18 appearances for the İstanbul-based giants, but did not really bring that form to England, scoring only twice for United, on target against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup and Real Betis in the Europa League.

Thus, onlookers were not impressed, with Jamie Redknapp, speaking on Sky Sports, describing him as simply “not good enough”, while Richard Keys asserted that he is the ‘worst player I’ve ever seen in a [Manchester] United jersey’.

After finally leaving Burnley, Weghorst returned to the Netherlands by joining Ajax in August 2024.

He scored 11 goals during his first season in Amsterdam, while he has started the new Eredivisie season on fire, netting five times already, including a brace against Sparta Rotterdam at Het Kasteel on Saturday.

This means, to date, he has scored more goals than Mbeumo, Cunha and Šeško combined to start the new campaign.

Does this mean Manchester United should have kept hold of Weghorst?

Well, probably not no, but it is further evidence that the curse of players leaving the club and thriving elsewhere is real.

Their own Yamal: Man Utd teen is "one of the world's most exciting talents"

Manchester United have an exceptional teenager in their academy ranks.

By
Matt Dawson

Oct 7, 2025

Everton’s transfer business is starting to ramp up after a slow start to the window. Carlos Alcaraz is set to join on a permanent basis following a loan spell last season, while defender Kenny Tete is looking like the next summer arrival.

David Moyes is also looking at signing a new centre-forward or two during the window. Villarreal star Thierno Barry is a player who could be close to sealing a move to Everton in the coming weeks.

These players will improve the current squad, but the newest player that Moyes is showing interest in would certainly trump them all.

Everton make enquiry for Ligue 1 sensation

With Moyes eager to bolster his first-team squad ahead of Everton’s maiden season at their new stadium, a marquee arrival would signify a statement of intent.

According to TEAMtalk, Everton have now made an enquiry about Lyon starlet Malick Fofana amid Lyon’s relegation from Ligue 1.

This decision could see the French side selling off their finest talent, something the Toffees have taken into consideration. They initially wanted £42m for the winger, but this fee might be dropped due to their financial crisis.

As many as ten Premier League clubs want to sign the youngster, indicating that Moyes has plenty of competition.

By landing the Belgian starlet, Moyes could sign Everton a bigger talent than Iliman Ndiaye.

Why Everton must sign Malick Fofana

Like Fofana, Ndiaye was at a Ligue 1 club before moving to Everton last summer. During his first season in the Premier League, he scored nine times, showcasing his talents on the big stage.

When compared to his peers in the top flight, Ndiaye also ranked in the top 6% for successful take-ons (2.52) and in the top 12% for interceptions (0.74) per 90. If he can build on these statistics next term, Ndiaye will be one of the club’s finest players.

There is no doubt that Fofana could be a bigger talent, however. The 20-year-old scored 11 goals and grabbed six assists for Lyon last term, enjoying a stunning breakthrough season in France.

Hailed as a “game-changer” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Fofana was at his best in the Europa League last season.

Indeed, when he was compared to his peers in Europe’s secondary club competition, Fofana not only ranked in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (1.05) per 90, but the winger also ranked in the top 1% for both progressive carries (7.88) and for touches in the opposition penalty area (8.23) per 90 for Lyon.

These statistics prove that he is among one of the finest young wingers on the continent, hence why so many clubs are keen on signing him.

Ndiaye has shown that there is plenty of value to be had in France, impressing at the Toffees since making his switch from Ligue 1 last year.

Fofana is certainly a bigger talent than the current Everton star, especially as he has plenty of years left before he hits his peak.

He'd be unplayable with Barry: Everton register interest in £25m PL star

Everton are looking for midfield reinforcements next season

By
Joe Nuttall

Jun 26, 2025

Celtic are on track to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch this week with a deal for FC Nordsjaelland winger Benjamin Nygren moving closer.

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims that the Hoops are close to agreeing a fee with the Danish side for the Sweden international, in a move that is expected to cost around £2m.

The journalist states that there is a desire from all parties to get a deal over the line and that talks are progressing well, as Brendan Rodgers looks to add another forward to his attacking arsenal.

Nygren scored 15 goals in 30 matches in the Danish Superliga during the 2024/25 campaign, as a left-footed right winger, and could compete with Nicolas Kuhn for a place in the team next season at Parkhead.

The Swedish star may not be the only winger to arrive in Glasgow before the end of the summer transfer window, though, as they are also eyeing up a left-winger.

Celtic have interest in Norwegian forward

According to the Daily Record, Brendan Rodgers wants further attacking signings on top of the pending arrival of Nygren, with a couple of left-sided forwards on the club’s radar.

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 claims that Norway U21 international Sondre Orjasaeter is one of the wingers being eyed up by the Scottish giants, as they look to add more quality to their frontline options.

It states that the Sarpsborg star, who is valued at £7m by his club, is a long-term target for the Scottish Premiership champions, alongside Royal Antwerp’s Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

This should be good news for the Hoops faithful because Orjasaeter would be a signing that is just as exciting as Nygren if they can get a deal over the line before the end of the window.

Why Sondre Orjasaeter is as exciting as Benjamin Nygren

Nygren is an exciting addition because of his impressive goal tally of 15 goals in 30 league games, but the 23-year-old has only provided three assists in his last 50 outings in the Superliga.

Orjasaeter may not be a winger who is going to score 15 goals in a season, which is why Nygren is particularly exciting, as he has only scored six league goals since the start of the 2024 Eliteserien campaign.

However, the Norwegian starlet offers creativity as well as a goal threat from the left flank, and is two years younger than the Swedish forward at the age of 21.

Orjasaeter has created seven ‘big chances’ and delivered two assists in seven Eliteserien outings in the 2025 campaign to date, after he caught the eye in last year’s season.

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old starlet ranked very highly in the Norwegian top-flight as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side, and was let down by wasteful finishing from his teammates.

Orjasaeter, who was dubbed a “highly valued player” by Sarpsborg sporting director Hampus Andersson, is a winger who provides a decent goal threat, but also brings the ability to consistently unlock opposition defences with his creativity.

This is why he is as exciting as Nygren, despite the disparity between their respective goal outputs, because they could both offer a lot of quality at the top end of the pitch for the Hoops, albeit in different ways.

Celtic can land bigger signing than Schlupp in move for "incredible" star

Celtic have progressed in their attempts to sign a left-back who would be even better than Jeffrey Schlupp.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 14, 2025

It is now down to the club to ensure that they get transfers over the line for both of these wingers in the coming days and weeks, to give Rodgers plenty to work with next season.

Liverpool celebrated on Sunday, finally lifting their 20th top-flight title after winning the Premier League five weeks ago, thrashing Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

Though Arne Slot’s side have understandably taken their foot off the gas since sealing the deal, claiming just two points from a possible 12, sporting director Richard Hughes has been working overtime, driving any number of transfer deals toward completion before the window has even opened, before the 2024/25 campaign has even wrapped up.

With Andy Robertson on the decline and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the move, Liverpool have moved quickly to advance deals for Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who could dominate the wide flanks on Merseyside for years to come.

Florian Wirtz is surely the pick of the bunch, though, with Bayer Leverkusen confirmed to have received Liverpool’s first official proposal on Monday morning, worth in excess of €100m (£85m).

Barring something dramatic and unanticipated, FSG will get this one done. Let’s have a look at how he might fit in.

How Florian Wirtz will fit in at Liverpool

Wirtz is only 22, but he’s already forged quite the career for himself in his German homeland, posting 57 goals and 65 assists across just 197 senior appearances with the Werkself.

Last year, he won the Bundesliga with Leverkusen, invincible and indomitable, claiming the division’s Player of the Season award for his troubles.

Rarely does a player elicit such a captivating response from fans while maintaining an energetic and industrious approach to his craft, so intelligent and aware of his surroundings, both friendly and hostile.

As per FBref, Wirtz ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for goal contributions, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90. As a result, he could fit into a whole manner of different positions down at Anfield.

Moreover, his productivity has been dished out with the consistency of a world-class player, the 2022/23 season standing as a lonely outlier due to his ACL injury, and injury he has bounced back from miraculously.

Of course, every great playmaker needs a focal point from which they can direct their creativity, and Wirtz is no different. Darwin Nunez is “planning to leave” Liverpool this summer, as per Fabrizio Romano, and FSG have already identified their dream replacement.

Liverpool make the new Mbappe their top target

Newcastle United sealed a place in next year’s Champions League after finishing fifth in the league on the final day. That means Alexander Isak’s going nowhere, so says esteemed reporter David Ornstein.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, Liverpool appear to have found the perfect alternative in Hugo Ekitike, with with reports confirming confirming FSG have turned their full attention to the Eintracht Frankfurt forward, who is now their top target.

Anfield sporting director Richard Hughes is going to need to roll his sleeves up to get this one over the line.

Why Slot wants Hugo Ekitike

Ekitike isn’t just on Liverpool’s radar; The Independent believe Chelsea are ready to make the focal frontman their top target of the summer transfer window.

It’s understandable. Described as the “next Mbappe” by journalist Graeme Bailey, Ekitike is an extraordinary profile, physical and rangy and with a killer’s instinct, but also gifted and stylish, creative in his approach and clever in his movements.

The one-time Paris Saint-Germain prospect has already demonstrated a head for thought-out career moves, jumping to the Bundesliga and flourishing. Still only 22, he’s excelled through his first full season with Frankfurt, scoring 22 goals and laying on 12 assists across 48 matches in all competitions.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has mused that he can “definitely reach world-class striker levels,” and it’s an exciting thing to think about for those of a Liverpool persuasion. It might even be a signing on the level of Wirtz, providing Liverpool with a first-rate number nine for many years to come.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has even declared Ekitike to be “one of the best strikers out there” right now, and that he’s “ready to explode” when given the chance to perform for a high-level Premier League club.

FBref record Ekitike ranks among the top 9% of forwards for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90, illustrating his elite capacity.

Indeed, this dynamic repertoire has led the data-driven site to list Isak as one of his most statistically similar stars. If this young Frenchman can be willed into the robust completeness of the Magpies’ main man, there’s no telling how devastating Slot’s team could become.

To be sure, Wirtz is an audacious capture for the Reds this summer, but Ekitike has the potential to reach the pinnacle of the game, and he’s every bit as exciting.

Ekitike isn’t there yet, but he has the trappings of a world-class centre-forward, now needs to take the right step toward reaching superstardom.

Where could this be? Chelsea could do with a striker, sure, but Liverpool have proven themselves the cream of the crop under Slot’s wing, with rising stars like Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo evidence that the French attacker could skyrocket to the top if joining the fold.

Given the level he’s already at, and indeed the troubles that have beset Liverpool at number nine in recent years, this could be a move as exciting as any at Anfield this summer – and that includes Wirtz.

Liverpool ready to launch £58m bid to sign a "magical" Nunez upgrade

Premier League champions Liverpool are looking to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 26, 2025

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.

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.

By
Ben Gray

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.

Heading into Sunday’s clash at St James’ Park, both Chelsea and Newcastle United found themselves locked on 63 points in the Premier League.

But, come the full-time whistle, the gulf in class between the two Champions League chasing outfits was obvious, with both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes sharing out the goal-load to hand Eddie Howe’s Toon a richly deserved 2-0 win.

Of course, the Magpies’ quest for a golden three points was undoubtedly helped by Nicolas Jackson receiving a red card deep into the first half, with the ex-Villarreal striker enduring yet another torrid afternoon leading the line for Enzo Maresca’s men.

Jackson's horror show on the road

The 23-year-old does have somewhat of a healthy goal return next to his name this season at 12 strikes overall, but all the main talking points from the clash on Tyneside would centre on his dismissal, away from his hot-and-cold ability to find the net.

Indeed, after planting an elbow into the face of Newcastle defender Sven Botman, the inconsistent Blues attacker would be sent off, meaning he is now suspended until the end of the Premier League season.

There was still 65 minutes of the match left after Jackson’s moment of madness, but the damage had already been done on Chelsea’s end, meaning Newcastle eventually strolled to a 2-0 victory to gain an upper hand to finish inside the coveted top five.

Jackson didn’t even test Nick Pope with a single effort on goal before clashing with the Magpies centre-back, with Maresca now tasked with deciding who to start up top now in the remaining top-flight contests to come ahead of the suspended striker.

Other Chelsea first-teamers could also feel the wrath of the manager’s team selection moving forward, with this fellow underperformer in attack only lasting ten more minutes than Jackson before being hooked.

Chelsea's other big underperformer

Nobody wearing Chelsea blue would come away from the 2-0 defeat with much praise, with Romeo Lavia another who looked out-of-sorts in the midfield department, especially when his casual nature on the ball centrally led to Tonali’s speedy opener.

But, Lavia would at least see out 75 minutes on the St James’ turf, with Noni Madueke half a tactical substitution due to Chelsea being reduced to ten men, and half an alteration made purely out of his ineffectiveness in attack when he lasted just 45 minutes.

At times, Madueke was merely a spectator to the constant waves of Newcastle attacks, with the 23-year-old dribbled past more times than he could conjure up successful dribbles himself.

Moreover, the ex-PSV Eindhoven winger could trudge off the pitch at the half-time interval and not return off the back of failing to register a single effort on the home side’s goal, alongside failing to win a single duel from four attempts. In stark contrast, even as Newcastle bossed proceedings, Jacob Murphy would win four duels as a committed warrior for Howe’s hosts.

It could well be time for Maresca to experiment with something fresh down the left channel, therefore, with 19-year-old sensation Tyrique George capable of playing down that flank, alongside an equally hit-and-miss Jadon Sancho.

The Italian will just pray that any changes he does makes to his XI pays off, with the Blues now slipping down the league, whilst Newcastle bask in the glory of third position.

Whenever Chelsea seem to be settling into their groove, another bump seemingly appears in the road, with just two Premier League games now left for the Blues to make any European dreams come true.

The next Cole Palmer: Chelsea in contact to sign "generational" £60m talent

Chelsea are looking to make the new Cole Palmer their first summer signing

By
Ross Kilvington

May 10, 2025

Manchester United and INEOS are now preparing an offer worth £40 million to sign a “brilliant” defensive addition this summer, according to a recent report.

Amorim hails United display at Bournemouth ahead of massive semi-final

The Red Devils played another relatively meaningless Premier League game on Sunday afternoon, and it looked as though they were going to be on the end of another defeat. However, a 90+6 minute equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund secured a point for United against 10-man AFC Bournemouth.

Amorim must surely drop 4/10 Man Utd dud who lost the ball every 4 touches

Manchester United managed to salvage a point away at AFC Bournemouth courtesy of Rasmus Hojlund.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 27, 2025

It was a game that came right before United’s very important trip to Spain on Thursday, where they will play Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-final first leg. The game against the Cherries was not important in the sense of nothing being on it for United, but Ruben Amorim felt his side deserved the point and did have chances to win the game.

“I think we deserved it. In the first half, we suffered with their high-intensity press, but we created chances. We had quite similar chances near the box with a lot of shots,” Amorim told BBC Match of the Day.

“I think we deserved at least one point if you look at the game. If you look at our last games, it is always like this – we do something to help the opponent get an advantage. Then it is really hard to score goals, but the players did really well to get at least one point.

“We have the ability to push our opponents. There are small things I think we can do better. We need to understand these moments better, but if you look at the 20 minutes [after Evanilson’s red card], we had situations to score, which is really important.”

Man Utd preparing £40m bid for Inter star Denzel Dumfries

The Red Devils winning the Europa League would not only see them play in Europe’s biggest competition, but it could help them when it comes to their transfers this summer and getting players Amorim wants. According to Inter Live, Man United are now keen on signing Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan this summer.

The report states that United are not just showing an interest but are willing to make a £40 million offer to sign Dumfries, along with a £60 million bid to sign Yann Bisseck in what would be a mega deal. It goes on to add that Giuseppe Marotta, who is chairman of Inter, is not against offers coming in for Dumfries, and he is preparing to evaluate everything. However, United are not alone in their pursuit of the defender, as Arsenal have stepped up their efforts to bring him to London.

The 29-year-old, who renewed his contract at Inter until the summer of 2028 earlier this season, has been a key player this season. Dumfries has played a total of 39 matches in all competitions, scoring eight goals and registering three assists.

The Dutch international had missed the last few weeks of football with a hamstring injury but returned to play 27 minutes against AS Roma on Sunday afternoon. United’s interest in Dumfries is particularly intriguing given he rates very similarly to Patrick Dorgu according to FBRef’s statistical profiling, perhaps making him the ideal fit on the other flank.

Unlike Dorgu however, Dumfries is a player who has been performing at the top level for a long time now, and back in 2022 BBC pundit Micah Richards labelled the defender “brilliant” for his World Cup performance against the United States.

“Denzel Dumfries. What a player he is. I just thought his whole game was brilliant. It was his timing of his runs… He didn’t sort of mix it up too much, but when he did, it was the right moments. Down this right-hand side, he was just breathless.”

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be on the verge of appointing a 52-year-old, following some private talks with chairman Daniel Levy in early April.

Tottenham set for summer overhaul after disappointing campaign

Spurs have recorded a dismal 19 Premier League defeats under Ange Postecoglou this season, a record which could end up costing the Australian his job.

£195k-per-week Chelsea player holds talks over joining Tottenham via agents

His team are trying to find a new club.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 30, 2025

Over the course of a campaign hampered by injuries and poor form, matters are made worse by reports that Levy and co are likely to employ a ‘sell to buy’ policy when the transfer window reopens this summer (The Telegraph).

The Lilywhites could see the likes of Richarlison, Cristian Romero and even Pedro Porro depart before 2025/2026, according to some reports, while Spurs attempt to garner enough funds to reinforce their squad across the board.

Tottenham want a new centre-back and are targeting Dean Huijsen, while it is believed Postecoglou’s side are eager to acquire a central midfield player too, leading to their interest in Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson (GiveMeSport).

Spurs are also boldly eyeing a move for West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen, which may seem far out of the club’s reach.

All of these ambitious plans will require an astute operator when it comes to behind-scenes transfer dealings, and ex-managing director Fabio Paratici will soon be available for hire again.

The Italian resigned from his post in 2023, after being slapped with a worldwide ban by FIFA, but that is due to expire on June 30th.

According to reports from his homeland, back in late March, Paratici held talks with Levy over re-joining Tottenham, and it was claimed at the time that they were ready to make him a rich offer.

Fabio Paratici "will sign with Tottenham"

After his failed switch to AC Milan, Italian media sources started reporting yet again in the last few days that Paratici’s return to Spurs is possible, with newspaper Corriere della Sera now sharing a pretty significant update of their own.

It is now believed that Paratici “will sign for Tottenham” once again, and he is likely to return to the same role he once took before the 52-year-old was forced out.

His return has been tipped for some time, with pundit John Wenham anticipating it after he was spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for their clash against Eintracht Frankfurt.

“If Postecoglou is sacked, I’m not sure who will come in until the end of the season,” Wenham said to Tottenham News.

“We will have to wait and see. However, we saw that Paratici was at the stadium again on Thursday, sitting with the club legends. Therefore, it looks like he is coming back, and perhaps he is already lining up a new manager to replace Postecoglou.”

If confirmed, his hire would be seen as a major boost by some, considering the plaudits he received and how Paratici grew in popularity during his time at N17.

Everton and their hierarchy are now pushing to complete the signing of a £12 million attacker who has told his entourage to get the deal done, according to a recent report.

Everton chasing multiple signings to kick off summer business

The Toffees are one of several sides in the Premier League who have nothing to play for in the remaining games of the season, but will want to carry plenty of momentum into the new campaign. Club chiefs at Goodison Park however appear to be turning their attention towards the summer and the business they would like to conclude.

Moyes' biggest star since Rooney: Everton leading race to sign £38m star

Everton appear to be making moves to land a talented youngster ahead of this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 24, 2025

Strengthening the options in defence seems to be a high priority for David Moyes, as they have already been linked with a shock move for Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah, who has now been backed to make the move to Everton by former scout Bryan King. The Toffees are also interested in signing David Hancko from Feyenoord, but it is not a cheap deal, as the Dutch side want to get around £34 million for his services.

It’s also been stated that Moyes is keen to strengthen his forward line, as goals have been somewhat of a problem, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin could leave for nothing come the end of the season. Brighton’s Evan Ferguson has been identified as their top target for a new centre-forward, as his future with the Seagulls is very much up in the air.

Everton are pushing to sign £12m winger Moses Simon

As well as looking at Ferguson, the Toffees are also looking at other attacking additions, and according to Africa Foot, relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have identified Moses Simon as a transfer target heading into the summer.

The report states that the Toffees are pushing to complete a deal for Simon after sending scouts to watch him live in action in Ligue 1 in the last few weeks. The Nantes winger is said to have left them impressed, and now the Premier League side are working on a deal, with Simon telling his agent to do whatever needs to be done to complete a move to Everton in the summer transfer window.

Interestingly, his agency CAA Base also represent one of Everton’s coaching staff, Dan Micciche, who is the Toffees’ Player Development Lead.

The French club do not want to sell Simon, despite his contract ending at the end of next season. However, their stance on selling the 29-year-old will change if they receive a bid worth €15 million, which is roughly £12.8 million. The Toffees meanwhile believe they could take advantage of Simon’s contract and bring him to England for less than the price Nantes want.

The Nigeria international has scored seven goals and recorded nine assists in 28 Ligue 1 games this season, which is his best return in his career. Everton may need to strengthen in the wide areas this summer, as there is uncertainty over the future of Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom, who are both on loan until the end of the campaign.