The SPFL fixtures are out, meaning Celtic supporters can start looking forward to the new season as Brendan Rodgers’ side go about defending their crown.

The Hoops will begin their Premiership title defence at Parkhead on Sunday 3 August, before a Scottish Cup Final rematch a week later for Rodgers’ Bhoys, seeking revenge following that penalty shootout defeat at Hampden.

With an Old Firm derby at Ibrox on 31 August, as well as a season-defining Champions League play-off, their opponents in that tie will be confirmed on 4 August, there’s plenty for Celtic supporters to look forward to on the park.

Off the pitch, they’re making a splash in the transfer window.

Celtic seeking midfield reinforcements

Before pre-season begins against Glasgow neighbours Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden on Friday week, focus remains on transfers, with Rodgers looking to bolster every area of his squad.

So far, Kieran Tierney has re-joined Celtic, while Ross Doohan has arrived to be the new third-choice goalkeeper, replacing Scott Bain, with Callum Osmand and Benjamin Nygren expected to be through the door soon.

Now, according to a report by Africa Foot, Celtic are interested in signing Moussa Baradji, facing competition from Sunderland, who have been promoted back to the Premier League.

The 24-year-old defensive midfielder currently plays for Yverdon-Sport, who finished bottom of this season’s Swiss Super League, thereby relegated, hence why Baradji is expected to be on the move again this summer, just one year after arriving from Legnago Salus in Serie C.

Baradji is valued at €3m (around £2.5m), described as a versatile midfielder by Drissa Traoré of Africa Foot, who adds that Galatasaray are amongst a number of European heavyweights vying for his signature.

Now though, could he be on his way to Glasgow?

How Baradji could replicate Victor Wanyama's Celtic career

Similar to Baradji, Victor Wanyama was not a known quantity when he joined Celtic from Beerschot in 2011, costing a reported fee of £900k, having made only 54 senior appearances for De Mannekes.

Nevertheless, just two years later, he was sold to Southampton for £12.5m, a Scottish record fee at the time, having impressed during his 91 appearances in hoops, most notably starring during the famous 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League, heading home the night’s opening goal.

That night, according to Ewan Murray of the Guardian, up against Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi and others, the Kenyan was the best player on the pitch, with then-manager Neil Lennon labelling him “world class”.

After three seasons by the South Coast, Wanyama would join Tottenham, a key figure in Mauricio Pochettino’s successful Spurs side.

He was then not quite so impactful at Club de Foot Montréal, spending a large period of his four-year stay in Quebec injured or not contributing much, before returning to Scottish football in March, linking up with Lennon again at Dunfermline Athletic.

So, could Baradji be the new Wanyama? Let’s assess his statistics from this season.

Moussa Baradji’s Swiss Super League statistics

Statistics

Baradji

Swiss league rank

Appearances

27

111th

Minutes

2,104

77th

Goals

4

51st

Shots

45

29th

Fouls

41

13th

Interceptions

24

71st

Tackles

72

12th

Average SofaScore rating

7.14

37th

Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table outlines, Baradji is something of an all-rounder, as Wanyama was, ranking pretty highly when it comes to shots, fouls and tackles, made all the more impressive considering his team finished rock-bottom of the Swiss top-flight.

Wanyama was particularly strong in the tackle, notably ranking as the tenth-best midfielder in the 2014/15 Premier League season for tackles per game (2.9). Thus, there are certainly similarities here.

Patrick Juillar of Sport 365 further describes him as a “box-to-box midfielder” who has just enjoyed an “outstanding” campaign, so if Celtic can secure his services, he could offer a big return on investment.

Related Celtic have made an approach to beat Premier League club to sign £2.5m ace

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Posts ByHenry Jackson Jun 25, 2025

Following a slow start to the transfer window, in which they appeared to be doing very little, Arsenal have burst into life this week.

Mikel Arteta’s side might still be some way away from signing their marquee striker, but based on reports from the last few days, they appear incredibly close to securing the services of Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga – and the deal for Martin Zubimendi looks as assured as ever.

Interestingly, several links to the incredibly talented Eberechi Eze have also been emerging in recent days, who would be an exceptionally exciting addition to the Gunners’ squad.

Yet, if more recent stories are to be believed, Andrea Berta and Co may be looking at another English talent, someone who’d be an even better signing than the Crystal Palace star.

Arsenal chase England stars

While there was plenty that went wrong for them this season, Arsenal’s biggest issue was their lack of cutting edge, and at times, creativity.

Transfer Focus

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

So, with that clearly in mind, the club have been linked with a host of brilliant attack minded players inrecent weeks, a number of whom also happen to be England internationals, like Anthony Gordon and Eze.

The former reportedly has a price tag of around £80m, and while he didn’t have his best campaign to date this year, he was still reasonablly effective, racking up 16 goal involvements in 42 games – including three against the Gunners.

Eze, on the other hand, has a release clause in his current deal worth around £68m, and would therefore be little easier to bring to the Emirates.

However, as talented and exciting a player the 26-year-old is, it looks like the North Londoners could now be looking at yet another Three Lions star as an alternative, if not an outright upgrade.

At least that’s according to a recent report from the Express, which claims that Arsenal are very much interested in Morgan Rogers.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that after making initial contact over a month ago, the Gunners remain in talks with the 22-year-old’s camp over a potential deal.

However, given his importance to the Claret and Blue, the report claims it will take an offer of around £70m from the North Londoners, if they want to get their man.

It would be a costly and potentially complicated transfer to get over the line then, but given Rogers’ immense ability and potential, it’s one Arsenal shoud be pursuing, especially as he’d be a serious upgrade on Eze.

How Rogers compares to Eze

So, with their price tag being nearly the same, why should Arsenal be looking to sign Rogers over Eze this summer?

Well, the first reason why relates to their output in the Premier League this season, as the Villa dynamo was able to score eight goals and provide 11 assists in 37 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.94 games.

In contrast, the former QPR gem scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 34 appearances, which comes out as a still good, but less impressive, average of 2.12 goal involvements per game.

The second reason for picking the Halesowen-born gem is that his advantage over the Palace ace extends to their underlying numbers as well.

For example, he performs significantly better in most relevant metrics, such as progressive passes and carries, as well as goal-creating actions, which helps demonstrate his creative potential, whether off the wing or in midfield.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.52

0.52

Progressive Passes

3.55

3.37

Progressive Passes Received

5.43

5.31

Progressive Carries

3.29

2.40

Passing Accuracy

73.2%

74.2%

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.62

1.35

Passes into the Final Third

2.11

1.70

Shot-Creating Actions

3.04

4.69

Goal-Creating Actions

0.46

0.35

Successful Take-Ons

1.91

2.33

Carries into the Final Third

1.97

1.67

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.95

0.76

Finally, the former Manchester City prospect is four years younger than the 26-year-old Eagles star and already has experience playing in the Champions League and fighting for places near the top of the Premier League, so the transition to title challenger should be easier for him.

Ultimately, both players would be incredible signings for Arsenal this summer, but thanks to his better output, underlying numbers, experience and the fact he’s far younger, Arsenal should be looking to sign Rogers over Eze.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 27, 2025

Birmingham City have already stunned League One with the quality of transfer they can get through the door, meaning the Championship could see the Blues go after even more exciting and bold talents.

Indeed, Chris Davies’ men sent shockwaves through the third tier when obtaining the services of Jay Stansfield for around £15m, with that high fee going on to be justified when he bagged 19 league strikes on the way to Birmingham being crowned champions.

Therefore, the ambitious Blues could now try and bring in even more dazzling faces up a division to replicate this success story, with the likes of Che Adams being linked with a stunning return to St. Andrew’s.

The last time Birmingham competed at this level culminated in them falling through the relegation trapdoor, but one deal involving ex-Manchester United ace Tahith Chong still sticks out from memory, considering his star quality was on show throughout his short-lived Blues stay.

Chong's memorable Birmingham spell

Chong would initially only join Birmingham on loan, but the ex-Manchester United academy product went on to permanently call St. Andrew’s his home after impressing in the Championship.

His output across the 2022/23 season stuck out in particular, with Chong ending his sterling individual campaign by collecting a hefty tally of four goals and five assists from 40 clashes, even as his new employers finished in a flat 17th position in the overall league standings.

Losing Chong to Luton Town that off-season would prove to be a costly sale as Birmingham finally fell to League One after years of teetering on the edge, whilst the 25-year-old began to make a name for himself in the Premier League with the Hatters.

Of course, Chong will now be plying his trade in League One next season with Matt Bloomfield’s side after back-to-back relegations, but Birmingham will hope they can win an equally exciting attacker from another top-flight outfit soon by sealing this standout loan capture.

Birmingham could sign their new Chong

Whilst the Blues did fork out an excessive amount to land Stansfield, they also utilised the loan market effectively the summer before lifting the League One title, as seen in Ben Davies collecting 20 clean sheets on loan from Rangers.

Birmingham could strike gold again in this department by landing Aston Villa forward Louie Barry – as per reports by GIVEMESPORT – with the young forward, regardless of his Villa connections, chomping at the bit to succeed in the Championship if snapped up by Davies’ men after setting League One alight whilst on the books of playoff-chasing Stockport County.

Much like Chong – who must have felt restless about his lack of senior chances at Old Trafford when arriving to Birmingham – Barry would instantly show those back at Villa what he was about by ripping up the third tier for Dave Challinor’s promotion chasers this season, resulting in the 21-year-old picking up an eye-catching 15 goals from just 23 clashes.

It will all just rest on whether the “incredible” attacker, as Declan Rice once openly praised him, can take to the league above swimmingly in a Blues shirt, having failed to register a single goal or assist when leaving Stockport behind last campaign when joining Hull City temporarily.

Yet, everything just clicked into gear for the Dutch-born 25-year-old when he was pushed into the deep end in the West Midlands, even though he had only collected a weak two goals in total for former loan employers Werder Bremen and Club Brugge.

Therefore, Birmingham might well just be the ideal next environment for Barry as he attempts to advance his game, regardless of whether a cross-city switch would be controversial or not.

The only difference between Chong and Barry here will be the fact that the explosive 21-year-old will be expected to come in and help the Blues rise in the EFL, away from the former loan menace being a bright spark during some gloomy recent times for the blue half of Birmingham.

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He became just the second bowler to deliver four maidens in a T20I as New Zealand beat PNG by seven wickets

Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Jun-2024New Zealand signed off a disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a dominant win over Papua New Guinea, chasing down a paltry target of 79 with seven wickets and 46 balls to spare at the Brian Lara Stadium, in Tarouba.The scale of the mismatch was characterised by Lockie Ferguson’s figures of 3 for 0 from his four overs. The New Zealand speedster became only the second bowler to bowl four maidens in a T20I fixture after Canada captain Saad Bin Zafar achieved the feat in 2021 when he returned 2 for 0 against Panama.Related

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While Ferguson was sharp and accurate, the moisture in the pitch and what remained in the air from the morning showers that delayed the toss by an hour made it a tough ask for PNG’s batters. The weather was a primary reason Kane Williamson inserted the opposition upon winning the toss, who in turn were 16 for 2 after the powerplay.Charles Amini’s 17, the highest score of the innings, came in the most productive stand – 27 for the third wicket with Sese Bau – before he was pinned lbw for Ferguson’s second of the innings.Trent Boult, playing in his last T20 World Cup match, went on to pocket two wickets when he returned to bowl his final two overs at the death. Ish Sodhi, replacing Jimmy Neesham in the XI for his first match of the competition, also picked up a brace, taking the final PNG wickets in the 20th over as they were bowled out with two balls left in their innings.But PNG were not about to bow out without a fight. Kabua Morea, returning to the XI after playing the opener against West Indies, removed Finn Allen, caught behind, off the second delivery of New Zealand’s innings. He then pocketed Rachin Ravindra when the left-hander tried and failed to lift beyond deep midwicket at the start of the fifth over.Further excitement on the field came when Semo Kamea trapped Devon Conway on the crease. His 35 – which included two fours and three sixes – had, however, taken the sting out of the chase. Conway and Williamson added 34 runs for the third wicket – New Zealand’s highest partnership of the tournament.Williamson and Daryl Mitchell then completed the formalities, scoring the remaining 25 runs from 18 balls to earn New Zealand their second win, consigning PNG to a fourth defeat.Player of the Match Lockie Ferguson had a record outing•ICC/Getty ImagesFerguson in the record booksIt began with a wicket: extra pace across Assad Vala that enticed a drive. There was even a bit of extra bounce which only served to make Mitchell’s catch at a wide first slip that little bit tougher. From that point on, Ferguson was locked in.Did he know a place in the record books was in the offing? Probably not. But the movement through the air and off the deck, not to mention the high pace that was always going to ask unanswerable questions to a limited PNG batting line-up, meant Ferguson was likely to emerge with extraordinary figures.The 33-year-old was primarily over the wicket to the left-handed Bau, who entered the fray upon Vala’s dismissal. Having switched to over the wicket midway through his second over (the seventh), Ferguson returned for the 12th from that angle and was immediately rewarded with a delivery into Amini’s pads that skidded on with the angle so sharply it was initially given not out on the field.DRS corrected that error before Ferguson took matters into his own hands by hitting Chad Soper’s stumps for his third. Then came two leg byes down to deep third – which did not count against the bowler – and the final three deliveries, which were counted down by those in the commentary box, now fully invested in witnessing history. Kiplin Doriga’s mistimed pull almost broke the streak – though it also could have resulted in a catch at mid-off – before the right-hander charged Ferguson’s final delivery to no avail.Ferguson looked a little sheepish as his team-mates filed over to congratulate him. Nevertheless, a forgettable T20 World Cup now has a memorable sidenote.Chad Soper walks back after being cleaned up•Getty ImagesPNG batters leave unfulfilledAs valiant as PNG’s displays have been at their second T20 World Cup, there is good reason to look at their batting and wonder what might have been. Particularly when Allen and Ravindra were snared early.Signing off with a score of 78, following totals of 95 against Afghanistan and 77 versus Uganda, highlights the limitations of their batters. Even the 136 for 8 against West Indies looked light at the halfway stage, having faced 55 dot balls when setting that evening in Guyana.Even discounting the 23 scoreless deliveries off Ferguson, they failed to find a run from the 58 balls delivered by the rest of the New Zealand attack. Conditions were not kind to batters throughout, particularly those taking guard against the new ball duo of Boult and Tim Southee on a new track with variable bounce, but more intent could have been shown.Particularly against Mitchell Santner. The left-arm spinner floated plenty up but conceded just one boundary. Perhaps spooked by Bau lifting Santner into the hands of long on, it took until Santner’s final delivery for someone to land one on him, as Doriga smeared a sweep shot to midwicket for four.Of course, this match does not really qualify as a missed opportunity given New Zealand’s undoubted superiority. But it did serve as a reminder of the shortcomings that cost them victory against Uganda and allowed West Indies off the hook.Kabua Morea struck twice in his first three overs•Getty ImagesKabua Morea’s redemptionIt was 15 days between appearances at this T20 World Cup for Morea. The left-arm seamer started against West Indies, arriving into the match with the expectation he would be a crutch for the attack over the coming fortnight. He ended up with figures of 0 for 30 from three overs, the last of which went for 13 as Roston Chase profited off a couple of full tosses to take the hosts over the line with an over to spare.Morea spent the next two matches on the sidelines as PNG opted for a more spin-heavy attack. Conditions dictated as much, but Morea would have every reason to consider himself an unfortunate casualty of this shift having been the side’s leading wicket-taker at the 2021 edition.But here in Tarouba, he seized the opportunity to leave the World Cup on something of a high, returning home with figures of 2 for 4 from 2.2 overs. Allen’s hot-headed hack gave him a wicket with the second ball. And having tied Ravindra down for the rest of that first over, the Kiwi No.3 greeted his reintroduction for the fifth over with a desperate charge and swipe that nestled into the hands of Kamea in the deep.It was at this point that the rain made a return. New Zealand were 20 for 2, level with the five-over par score, which they passed when Williamson punched a single off his first ball. It was the only run off the over, with Morea boasting figures of 2 for 2 from his first two overs. As it turned out the rain did not stop play, either. While not as headline-grabbing as Ferguson’s exploits, Morea’s 11 dots against an engaging and far more equipped New Zealand batting line-up were equally impressive.

USA had several things going against them.The conditions: Before today, they’d never played at Nassau County Stadium; this was India’s fourth game at the venue.Personnel: Monank Patel, the designated captain, was out injured.The toss: Rohit Sharma called correctly and asked USA to bat in seaming conditions.Experience: A motley crew with day jobs against cricketing royalty.It had all the makings of a one-sided fare. Except, it was anything but.At one stage, with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both dismissed by Saurabh Netravalkar, and India 15 for 2 in chase of 111, USA dared to dream.When Rishabh Pant was castled by Ali Khan, thirty-thousand screaming fans, many of them Indian-Americans, gave more wings to those dreams.This was now USA’s game to lose.But in Suryakumar Yadav, India had a crisis man who bailed them out of choppy waters. He was helped along by Shivam Dube during the course of a half-century stand that proved to be a game-changer.India are now through to the Super Eights, but USA are still very much masters of their own fate; a win over Ireland, even a washout, will see them through, ahead of Pakistan whom they famously beat in a Super Over thriller last week.On a day when he did most things right, Saurabh Netravalkar shelled a chance to hand Suryakumar Yadav a vital life•ICC/Getty Images

Netravalkar’s Gibbs moment?

Fifty-three needed off 45.USA were bowling cutters into the pitch. Suryakumar was struggling to hit the ball off the square, and was trying to manufacture strokes. Most times, it comes off. Here, it wasn’t.An over after nearly getting bowled trying to sweep Corey Anderson off his length, he tried to open the bat face to play his trademark loft, only to slice the ball high. Saurabh Netravalkar circled under it after doing exceedingly well to get to the ball running back from short third, but couldn’t hold on to the chance.The superhero who could not put a foot wrong until then was human, after all.

Netravalkar’s dream beginning

Virat Kohli first. Rohit Sharma next.The ball that felled Kohli in the first over was a dream delivery. The batter nicking off with a perfect away-going delivery that had him jabbing. It was only Kohli’s second golden duck in T20Is.The ball that got Rohit was somewhat similar. Except it was a lot closer to the stumps and had Rohit turning the face of the bat to take the leading edge. At mid-off, Harmeet Singh, Rohit’s school junior by a few years, ran back and held on.India were shell-shocked at 15 for 2, which soon became 44 for 3 when Rishabh Pant was out to one that skidded low and through his defence.Rohit Sharma walks back after becoming Saurabh Netravalkar’s second victim•Getty Images

Suryakumar, Dube dig in to allay nerves

It was almost as if the reprieve of Suryakumar deflated USA.Suddenly, Aaron Jones was switching fields every ball, running up to have a chat between deliveries, all of it playing into the hands of the batters. Twice, USA were warned about delaying the game by not beginning their next over within their 60-second allowance. When they erred for a third time, the umpires awarded five penalty runs to India.From 35 off 30, India now needed a run-a-ball 30. It didn’t matter then that Dube had at one point been struggling on 5 off 14, or that Suryakumar was far from his 360-degree mode.In the 17th over, India truly broke the stranglehold when Suryakumar picked Shadley van Schalkwyk’s medium pace for a lofted six over extra cover and a trademark flick over his shoulder for four off back-to-back deliveries.

Off the first ball of the 19th, he got to a 49-ball half-century. The winning runs were hit one legitimate delivery later when Dube dug out a yorker-length delivery to long-off. It could have so easily been another knock that had Dube’s self-doubts spiralling, but that he dug in to remain unbeaten on 31 in what was a hard scrap should give him lot of confidence.

Arshdeep’s career-best has USA hobbling

The day began with a two-wicket opening over in which Arshdeep Singh swung the ball back in. Shayan Jahangir, replacing Monank Patel, was out lbw, and Andries Gous picked out mid-off attempting to pull a skiddy short ball.It wasn’t until Nitish Kumar and Corey Anderson added 25 off 18 heading into the final overs that USA had some injection of momentum that gave them a chance of getting towards 120.However, overs 16-18 scuppered those plans. Hardik bowled a wicket-maiden in the 17th, dismissing Anderson for his second wicket, and Arshdeep had Harmeet Singh – who had top-edged Bumrah for a six to get off the mark – caught behind.USA ended up with 110, which they’d look back at and wonder what could’ve been had they only got 10 more.

Will Chelsea make any more signings before the Club World Cup transfer window closes on 10 June?

On Wednesday, the Blues unveiled Liam Delap, who has arrived from Ipswich Town, after Chelsea activated his £30m release clause.

Now, the West London side have until Tuesday to make any more new signings if they’re to feature at the newly revamped Club World Cup, with the Blues’ tournament opener against Los Angeles FC taking place in Atlanta on Monday 16 June.

So, by the time that fixture comes around at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, could the Chelsea supporters in attendance have another big-money signing to admire?

Chelsea looking to sign Sancho replacement

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Chelsea will not sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United permanently, choosing to, as outlined by Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport, pay a £5m penalty fee, rather than exercising a £25m obligation to buy.

Sancho scored just five goals in 42 appearances for the Blues this season, most memorably bagging a stunning curler against Real Betis in the recent Conference League Final in Wrocław.

The England international took to Instagram to thank his Chelsea “teammates, staff and the fans”, going to say that he was “grateful for the experience” so, while his own personal future is now uncertain, the Blues are searching for an upgrade.

Well, according to a report by Kaveh Solhekol for Sky Sports, Chelsea have been ‘offered the chance to sign’ Mohammed Kudus, who they claim has an £85m release clause in his contract at West Ham United.

It’s reported that Chelsea have not said ‘no’ and are weighing up whether to add him to their list of options this summer. A further report from BBC Sport notes that discussions between the Hammers and Chelsea have already taken place.

The winger currently has an £85m release clause for Premier League clubs and a £120m exit clause for Saudi clubs which could complicate matters.

Transfer Focus

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

The Ghanaian arrived in East London from Ajax for £38m two summers ago, making 80 appearances for the Hammers to date, scoring 19 goals and registering 13 assists.

So, with the Blues on the lookout for a winger, could a move across the capital be on the cards for Kudus?

Why Mohammed Kudus is a Jadon Sancho upgrade

Kudus’ performances at West Ham have earnt widespread praise, with teammate Aaron Cresswell labeling him a “top talent”, adding that he’s “so strong, so quick and so sharp”, while George Addo Jr of BBC Sport is in awe of his “magic feet”.

Meantime, Patrick Boyland of the Athletic outlines how Kudus is ‘versatile’, capable of playing on either flank or centrally, describing him as a ‘prolific and effective dribbler’.

Adam Scully of Total Football Analysis agrees with this, stating that, ‘undoubtedly’, the Ghanaian’s best attribute is his ‘excellent’ dribbling ability, while Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines believes he has ‘world-class potential’.

On that evidence, he’d certainly be a great replacement for Sancho, another versatile forward player. The following statistics certainly support these assertions too.

Attempted take-ons

208

1st

Successful take-ons

92

2nd

Given how dismal West Ham were throughout this season, winning just 11 matches and finishing 15th, it is certainly very impressive that Kudus managed to attempt the most take-ons, second only to Jérémy Doku for successful take-ons too.

Nevertheless, the question still remains: would he be an upgrade on Sancho?

Statistics

Kudus

Sancho

Appearances

32

31

Minutes

2,603

1,765

Goals

5

3

Assists

3

5

Note: All statistics below are on a per-90 basis.

Shots

2.61

1.22

Shot-creating actions

3.72

3.57

Attempted take-ons

7.22

4.95

Successful take-ons

3.19

2.30

Progressive carries

3.40

5.20

Touches

52.2

53.7

As the table outlines, Kudus’ statistics are broadly more impressive than those of Sancho, despite the fact the Ghanian endured an underwhelming season in a very uninspiring West Ham side.

While not quite on the same level for progressive carries, more of his take-ons are actually successful and he’s a constant threat, taking more shots.

As already established, Kudus is a top-class dribbler, so now he just needs the output in front of goal to match, and a move to a better team could be exactly what he needs to take his game to the next level.

Chelsea push to sign second ex-Man City gem after Delap amid £20m discount

The Blues could add to their ex-City contingent again.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 5, 2025

Birmingham City are now believed to be interested in completing the signing of a “fantastic” £8m midfielder in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer update.

Davies discusses Birmingham's summer business

The Blues are back in the Championship after a stunning season in League One in which they cruised to the league title ahead of Wrexham, and it will be fascinating to see how they fare.

It’s now a case of Birmingham nailing their summer transfer business, with manager Chris Davies admitting last month that certain players could move on, and new faces may come in.

“To be honest, I’ve found it hard to look into next season whilst this season is still going on. I haven’t had time to sit down and say, ‘Right, who’s staying and who’s going?’ Now it’s all wrapped up and we’ve got seven weeks to pre-season, ‘Ok, what do we need?’ We’ve got the core of a really strong team there but we do need to add, of course we do. The details of that are still to be decided.”

In terms of potential new signings, former Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has been linked with a move to St Andrew’s this summer, with the Japanese now plying his trade at Ligue 1 side Rennes. Now, a new update has emerged regarding another possible addition for Birmingham.

Birmingham want to sign "fantastic" £8m midfielder

According to a new update from journalist Alan Nixon on Patreon, Birmingham are in the mix to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien this summer.

He is also wanted by Southampton, following their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship, in what is expected to be an auction for his signature.

O’Brien, who cost the Reds £8m in 2022, could be a really astute signing for Birmingham this summer, considering he has proven his quality in the Championship in his career, making 162 appearances in the competition, as well as playing 13 times in the Premier League.

An all-action midfielder who could add real quality for Davies in the middle of the park, he once scored at St Andrew’s in a 2-0 win during his Huddersfield Town days, as well as being lauded by former teammate Jonathan Hogg.

“His attitude is fantastic and his work ethic. Everything about him; he’s a top kid with a bright future ahead of him. We know he is going to play in the Premier League. Whether it is with Huddersfield Town or not, he will get there. His attitude will drive him there.”

Still only 26, O’Brien is at the perfect age to come in and have an immediate impact for Birmingham, and the idea of a move away from Forest could appeal to him, rather than warming the substitutes’ bench most weeks at the City Ground.

Sky Sports: Birmingham in contact to sign 156 career-goal star this summer

The Blues could bring in a prolific goalscorer.

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 20, 2025

Davies will know the importance of signing players who have shown in the past that they can excel in the Championship and the Englishman certainly ticks that box emphatically.

With Jaka Bijol officially signed and delivered, Leeds United have now reportedly turned their focus towards a second defensive addition in the form of a £38m La Liga ace.

Jaka Bijol completes Leeds move

It took some time but Bijol is finally a Leeds player. The defender has arrived from Udinese for a reported £15m and becomes the Whites’ second signing of the summer after Lukas Nmecha.

After putting pen to paper to make his move official, Bijol told Leeds’ official media channels: “This is a big day for me, for my family and I’m happy to be here. Maybe the biggest one of my career so far, but I’m ready for it.

“I work for it and that’s why I’m here, because it’s a big challenge for everyone. It’s a big challenge for me, for the club, and we’re getting ready for it together. I think the club and myself are ready for the Premier League.

“I can promise that I will give everything, that I will give everything in every training as well to be ready for the first game of the season and then just go from there.”

Bijol may be the second arrival of Leeds’ summer but he looks unlikely to be the last. The 49ers look set to back the Yorkshire club as they prepare for their return to the Premier League, with names such as Oscar Gloukh now threatening the steal the headlines. The talented attacker would instantly be one to watch in England’s top flight, there’s no doubting that.

The Red Bull Salzburg man isn’t the only one on Leeds’ radar, however. Reports are now even suggesting that they’ve turned their attention towards another defensive addition after already welcoming a central defender in the form of Bijol.

Leeds make formal approach to sign Natan

According to Estadio Deportivo, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds have now made a formal approach to sign Natan de Souza from Real Betis. The central defender has just made his loan move permanent in Spain but could already be on the move again amid interest from those at Elland Road and Lazio.

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Reports have claimed that Betis have already rejected a proposal worth as much as €27m (£23m) from an unnamed club to sell their defender and instead value Natan at a hefty €45m (£38m) this summer. Whether Leeds are willing to reach that figure will be the big question as their pursuit continues.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Natan

Bijol

Minutes

2,175

2,963

Progressive Passes

52

98

Tackles Won

24

25

Ball Recoveries

75

101

Keeping up with Bijol in a number of areas, albeit whilst failing to outperform the new Leeds star, Natan could yet form an impressive partnership with the former Udinese man at Elland Road.

The 24-year-old won’t come cheap but if Leeds are to stay afloat at the first time of asking back in the Premier League then the 49ers must be prepared to spend big.

Chelsea’s recruitment drive has been pretty exciting over the last week, with numerous talks ongoing behind-the-scenes after they sealed a deal for Liam Delap.

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Delap officially signed a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge earlier this week and will don the number nine shirt, with the Blues deciding to pay his £30 million release clause.

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The now-former Ipswich Town star is eligible to take part in Chelsea’s Club World Cup campaign, giving Enzo Maresca a classic out-and-out number nine to work with ahead of the potentially lucrative tournament, which could yield £97 million in prize money.

BlueCo are by no means slowing down in the market after the confirmed arrival of Delap, with Chelsea at work to strengthen numerous other areas of Maresca’s squad before the mini-window shuts on June 10.

Chelsea are still reportedly pushing to sign Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, as his price tag apparently drops to around £30 million, and they’ve been in discussions with AC Milan about a deal for French international goalkeeper AC Milan.

However, despite Chelsea holding talks over Maignan, as first revealed by Fabrizio Romano, there remains a considerable gap in valuation between the clubs.

With Chelsea also reportedly in negotiations over signing Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato in their pursuit of a new centre-back, not to mention a move for Eintracht Frankfurt sensation Hugo Ekitike, it is clear that Maresca’s side are pulling no punches as they attempt to reinforce the squad.

There’s actually been an interesting update on the latter, who appears likely to leave Eintracht after just one full season in the Bundesliga.

Hugo Ekitike clear he wants to join Chelsea with "positive talks" held

According to a report by journalist Simon Phillips, via his Substack, Ekitike has communicated his desire to join Chelsea behind-the-scenes – following the 6 foot 3 striker’s excellent campaign of 22 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

However, the move remains complicated, with price proving to be a major sticking point.

“More positive talks yesterday and this one has been progressing. However, as with Maignan, Chelsea are not paying their asking price. Games are being played here too,” said Phillips.

“The player wants the move and has communicated that. Frankfurt know they are selling him, so Chelsea once again are taking the tough stance here and know they are in a strong position.

“Chelsea have mooted players to Frankfurt as a make-weight on the deal, and they are interested. I don’t know which players, but it is rumoured to be a couple from Strasbourg, so it would have to be unofficial favour for a favour ‘swap’ deals here.

“I see this one dragging on a bit to be honest because the gap in valuation is too big. But as I said, there has been positive progress on this over the last week. By the way, there is no way Chelsea should be paying £80m for Ekitike so I back this stance here, I just don’t back it for Maignan.”

Celtic have plenty of money in the coffers and could be set to make even more financial capital amid interest in one of their fringe men from a European outfit, according to a report.

Celtic set their stall out ahead of the new season

With Brendan Rodgers now privy to the working order of his side’s Scottish Premiership fixtures this campaign, the Irishman can get to work on laying the groundwork for another successful year at Parkhead.

Kieran Tierney has already signed on the dotted line at Parkhead. Meanwhile, Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand and Hayato Inamura appear primed to join Celtic amid significant progress being made on their respective situations.

Speaking ahead of the new season, Rodgers has made it clear that the Hoops will look to set their own benchmarks rather than looking across the city despite Rangers’ recent appointment of Russell Martin.

He stated: “We create our own benchmark and our own levels, and we’ve been doing that consistently now. But there’s no doubt competition makes you better in whatever sport it is, or whatever pursuit of anything that you’re trying to achieve.

“If you have competition that really narrows in the focus, we always have to keep an eye on our rivals in terms of what they do and players that they might bring in, and systems they play and tactics they use, and managers.”

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Without blowing his own trumpet, the former Liverpool boss is aware that Celtic hold the monopoly in terms of recent success, in part down to the club’s financial prowess.

Now, they could be set to offload a fringe star that would add another little boost to the coffers if interest in his services is to advance.

Austria Vienna interested in landing Kwon Hyeok-kyu

According to journalist Mark Hendry on his Substack, Austria Vienna could offer Kwon Hyeok-Kyu a permanent escape route from Celtic after a loan spell at Hibernian that saw the South Korean midfielder make 22 appearances across all competitions.

The Austrian Bundesliga outfit were keen on bringing the Busan-born man to the continent at the beginning of the season, but had already reached their limit of six foreign loan players and were unable to strike a deal.

Kwon’s time in Scottish football – loan spells at St Mirren and Hibernian

Appearances

31

Goals

0

Assists

0

Previously spending time out at St Mirren, where he was labelled “dominant” by Stephen Robinson, Kwon has never made a senior appearance for Celtic after his £1 million move to the club in 2023 from Busan IPark.

Admittedly, he has suffered from the deep level of competition in the Bhoys’ engine room, though there is a feeling among many that he never really got started in Glasgow’s east end.

Having the chance to start afresh may be the best course of action for all parties, and Celtic could bring in a small windfall if he were to be sold permanently.