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With Manchester United currently enduring what has been a rather dismal first few months of the campaign, supporters will likely already be looking ahead to the upcoming January transfer window in the hope of some fresh blood being brought in to bolster the ranks.

The Red Devils were notably particularly active during the winter window earlier this year after snapping up the likes of Marcel Sabitzer, Jack Butland and Wout Weghorst on short-term deals, albeit with the latter man, in particular, failing to fire amid a limp six-month stay at Old Trafford.

The Dutchman – who scored just twice for the club in total in 31 outings – had been brought in to plug the gap following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, with a striking addition seemingly again required this time around, as Anthony Martial has just six months left to run on his existing contract.

Player

Goals

Scott McTominay

6

Bruno Fernandes

5

Rasmus Hojlund

5

Casemiro

4

Alejandro Garnacho

3

Marcus Rashford

2

Anthony Martial

2

Stats via BBC Sport

Amid that need for a genuine rival to young Rasmus Hojlund, recent reports have indicated that Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy is of interest to United, even though the 27-year-old could well represent just another Weghorst as far as Erik ten Hag is concerned.

Man Utd transfer news – Serhou Guirassy

As reported by The Guardian's Ed Aarons last week, Ten Hag and co are believed to be interested in signing the Guinea striker and have even made contact with agents regarding a possible swoop in the New Year.

As per the piece, the former Ajax boss is chasing a suitable alternative to Hojlund with the Dane failing to score in the Premier League so far this season, while there is a potential for the club to try and 'find a buyer' for the floundering Martial.

Any deal for Guirassy is likely to be an attractive prospect due to his minimal release clause of just €17m (£15m), albeit with the Red Devils set to face competition from top-flight rivals Newcastle United, who also have the in-form marksman on their winter shortlist.

The stats to show why Man Utd shouldn't sign Serhou Guirassy

On the face of it, the 6 foot 2 brute looks like the perfect, bargain option to help ease United's attacking woes.

Available for as little as £15m, the former Stade Rennais man is among the top forwards in Europe at present with regard to his goalscoring form in 2023/24, having already netted 16 Bundesliga goals this season.

To put that into perspective, that figure is only bettered by former United target Harry Kane (18) in the German top-flight, while in the Premier League, Erling Haaland leads the way with 'just' 14 league goals.

Ruling out signing Guirassy may look rather foolish when the player is currently in such esteemed company, although as data analyst Ben Griffis has suggested, such a hot streak is a result of "xG over-performance" in front of goal.

According to Griffis, the forward's 'over-performance' is seemingly "very unsustainable", while he is also usually "wildly inconsistent" – hardly the words those at the Theatre of Dreams would like to hear.

While the one-time Lille man did net 11 goals in just 22 league games last season for Stuttgart, prior to that he had very much been a middling striker, never scoring more than ten league goals across his entire career in a single campaign.

Equally, as Ten Hag learned with Weghorst, success in the Bundesliga is not always a good judge of a player's talents, with the towering Dutchman, for instance, previously scoring 70 goals in just 144 games for Wolfsburg, prior to his woes at both United and Burnley – for whom he also scored just twice.

Having been stung by the frankly desperate signing of the current Hoffenheim man, the Red Devils must think again before repeating that mistake with regard to Guirassy, with it likely better to wait until the summer in order to land a target with a proven track record over a sustained period.

Liverpool are reportedly battling both Manchester United and Real Madrid for the signing of an exciting midfielder who has been hailed as "something special".

Why Liverpool need one more midfielder

Much was made of the manner in which Jurgen Klopp almost completely rebuilt his midfield at the end of last season, with the Reds' struggles last term making it clear that huge changes were required. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have made a huge difference, helping Liverpool top the Premier League table at the beginning of 2024.

Despite this, supporters would still like to see another No.6 come in, as although Mac Allister has adjusted well to the role and Endo has proven an astute buy, an out-and-out destroyer like Fulham's Joao Palhinha would add some serious stability. Kalvin Phillips has also been mooted as a target for the Merseysiders, as he looks to bring an end to his disappointing spell at Manchester City this month, but that deal seems unlikely.

It remains to be seen if Klopp will delve into the transfer market for another midfielder this month, but interest in one highly-rated player has emerged.

Liverpool in the mix for Federico Redondo

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are one of the clubs who are keen on signing Federico Redondo, who is currently plying his trade at Argentinos Juniors in Argentina.

"Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid are among the big clubs that are keen on snaring holding-midfield player Federico Redondo. The world’s biggest clubs are constantly seeking to find the best talent around the world. One such prodigy making headlines is Redondo, the dynamic midfielder from Argentinos Juniors."

The report also adds that "Liverpool’s interest in Redondo seems a strategic move to bolster their midfield options", with Klopp's system and style of play "demanding versatility and stamina", which is why he could be a "perfect fit".

Redondo is someone who remains completely untested in European football, but the four-time capped Argentina Under-23 international is making waves in his homeland. The son of legendary former Real Madrid ace Fernando Redondo, the 20-year-old has been talked up hugely by journalist Roy Nemer in the recent past, who said:

"If I'm Xavi and FC Barcelona, I am looking to bring in Federico Redondo. The kid is a mirror image of his father who is one of the greatest players ever in his position. With Busquets now leaving, Redondo is a great player to have for now and the future. Kid is something special."

Passing

Discipline

Aerial duels

Pace

Work rate

Inexperience

At 20, Redondo could be viewed as a long-term option for Liverpool, and with Thiago possibly leaving at the end of this season when his contract expires, he could simply come in as a younger replacement, possessing the Spaniard's ability to break the line and dictate play.

If he reaches anything close to the level of his father, the Reds would be acquiring the signature of a very special player, and he should only improve in the coming years.

Fair to say it’s been an eventful season for Tottenham Hotspur supporters, but it could have the happiest of endings.

Spurs have lost 19 Premier League matches this season to date, one more would be their most in a single campaign since 1935, thereby languishing 16th in the table.

However, on Thursday night, the Lilywhites overcame Bodø/Glimt in the Arctic Circle, so will now face Manchester United in the Europa League Final at San Mamés on 21 May.

Thus, Ange Postecoglou is potentially 90 minutes away from delivering Tottenham’s first trophy since 2008 and Champions League qualification, but Sami Mokbel of BBC Sport believes the Aussie could still be sacked, even if his team triumph in Bilbao.

So, who does Daniel Levy have in mind as a potential successor, and could his dream candidate be a José Mourinho repeat?

Tottenham's top target to replace Postecoglou

According to a report by Gianluca Di Marzio, Fulham manager Marco Silva is top of Levy’s list to become the new Spurs boss this summer, adding that the 47-year-old is ‘very popular’ amongst the Tottenham hierarchy.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

As outlined by Dave Tickner of Football 365, there are numerous other candidates in the fray for this post, including Mauricio Pochettino, Kieran McKenna and Scott Parker, as well as Andoni Iraola, who, as noted by Jack Pitt-Brooke and Jay Harris of the Athletic, was the ‘leading candidate’ to get the job.

However, George Flood of the Evening Standard believes Spurs would face a ‘tough battle’ to ‘coax’ the Spaniard away from Bournemouth, hence why Silva now appears to be the front-runner.

So, would the Portuguese be a success in North London, or would he fare similarly to his compatriot who recently occupied the Hotspur hot seat?

Why Marco Silva would be a good fit for Tottenham

If ever a manager has burst onto the scene, Micah Richards style, it’s Marco Silva, first coming to the attention of a Premier League-watching audience in 2017 when he was appointed Hull City manager.

At the time, the Tigers were rock-bottom of the division, having won just one of the previous 18 games and, as outlined by Aaron Barton of Opta’s the Analyst, while he failed to keep Hull up, six wins from nine home games, most-notably beating Liverpool 2-0, caught the eye of others.

So, let’s assess Silva’s managerial career so far.

Estoril Praia

2011-14

116

46.55%

Segunda Divisão title

Sporting CP

2014-15

53

60.38%

Taça de Portugal

Olympiacos

2015-16

48

79.17%

Greek Super League title

Hull City

2017

22

36.36%

Resigned

Watford

2017-18

26

30.77%

Sacked

Everton

2018-19

60

40%

Sacked

Fulham

2021-present

182

45.86%

EFL Championship title

As the table outlines, after bouncing around Hull, Watford and Everton, Silva has really found a home in West London, winning the Championship title in 2022, on course to lead Fulham to a third successive mid-table finish, currently knocking on the door of European qualification.

For his work at Craven Cottage, Dean Jones of GiveMeSport has labelled Silva a “genius”, while Mak Pakhei of Total Football Analysis praises his tactical adaptability and flexibility, which allows Fulham to compete against the Premier League’s elite, doing so ‘without heavy investment’.

Meantime, as outlined by Nick Wright of Sky Sports, Silva and the aforementioned Mourinho are ‘old friends’, with the Fulham boss thanking his compatriot for changing how Portuguese coaches are viewed abroad.

Silva has previously been dubbed the ‘new Mourinho’, but their styles are very different, with Silva’s teams more attacking, proactive and on the front-foot.

Well, of course, lest we forget, Mourinho was Spurs manager for a period of time, but supporters would hope Silva’s potential tenure would go rather better, with Jack Pitt-Brooke of the Athletic outlining how José’s ‘defensive tactics…reactive training and repeated public criticism of the players’ in the media resulted in his downfall.

Despite the lazy, nationality-driven comparisons, Silva and Mourinho are very different coaches, and the current Fulham boss appears to have all the attributes to be a success at Spurs, potentially in charge of them for a Champions League campaign come September.

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West Bromwich Albion are still in the midst of financial difficulty at the Hawthorns, though some big comments which aren't under the restriction of NDAs have emerged regarding their future as a club.

West Brom news: Sarmiento injury, John Swift comments, Plymouth Argyle fixture

Cited by Birmingham Live, West Brom boss Carlos Corberan has been talking about loanee Jeremy Sarmiento's latest injury as he looks to keep the exciting winger fit upon his return to first-team action.

Corberan stated: "When I brought him to the club I knew he was a player we needed to control what we do with him. The positive thing was he was adapting very well to the training demands, because if you don't train the player he's not ready to compete and cannot perform. If you are training a lot with the player – then he cannot compete either. So we were managing with a lot of detail every single thing with him. I knew after Millwall the risk to have what's happened right now would be there."

In a transfer report from the same outlet regarding West Brom midfielder John Swift, it has been revealed that the 28-year-old instructed his agents to block any late summer transfer window exit from the Hawthorns despite late interest from the likes of Sky Bet Championship side Coventry City.

Swift explained: "To be honest it was so late in the window, I had no idea of it and when it did come about I knew it was two days left and nothing was going to get done – and even if it did I didn't really want to leave. As soon as I found out I rung my agent and told him I didn't really want to go, I wasn't interested in leaving.

"I wanted to stay and had my head on staying whenever we finished the game against Swansea last season. That's how it is in football, some things come right at the end [of the window], but for me it was a no-brainer to stay."

Next up for the Baggies is a home test against Plymouth Argyle next Saturday in the English second tier as Corberan's men aim to move into playoff contention despite continuous problems off the field at the West Midlands-based club.

West Brom takeover news – Managing director Mark Miles

As per The Express & Star, Baggies managing director Mark Miles has issued some huge comments in regard to West Brom's proposed takeover that could provide some much-needed clarity at the Hawthorns over the future of the club. Speaking at The Albion Assembly, Miles indicated that processes concerning new partial investment from elsewhere or a 100% sale of the club to succeed Guochuan Lai are on track to be signed off on before next summer.

Miles shared an expected timeline, which unlike much of the chatter around the deal is not under an NDA: "MM (Mark Miles) confirmed there were currently NDAs in place, which limited what he could say regarding investment/sale. However, he also confirmed he is speaking to a number of parties interested in investing in the club and expects this process to have concluded no later than the end of the season."

Speaking to West Brom News, columnist Dr Dan Plumley has given his own thoughts on when the Baggies could be taken over, as he said: "We know that these things take time in terms of a takeover, it’s never quick or easy, it will be one thing agreeing on a deal, but another thing getting it over the line.

"I think there is a time-pressing need for this given the state of the club, for sure, but I think it’s unlikely given everything we’ve seen that you would get a deal over the line by the end of the year. I think you’re looking into 2024 for that one."

West Brom continue to perform admirably on the field despite uncertainty reigning elsewhere at the club and supporters will hope a resolution can be found as soon as possible.

The summer usually only means one thing in football: the transfer window. Whether your team is looking to right the wrongs of the previous campaign or hoping to enter a new era of success, all 20 Premier League clubs will be doing all they can to bolster their sides for the 2025/26 season.

For some, the transfer window came with an added distraction this year, with Chelsea lifting the Club World Cup title in the United States.

AI predicts the 2025/26 Premier League table

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1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 7, 2025

With all the teams sure to be scrambling for deals right up until September, you can keep track of everything right here.

Arsenal Total spent: £267m

Arsenal have had a big summer, with Mikel Arteta’s side hoping to end three years of finishing second by finally lifting the Premier League title. A striker was the most important area of the pitch to bolster, with the Gunners finally sealing a move for Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

Midfielder Martin Zubimendi also sealed a move from Real Sociedad, whereas Noni Madueke followed Kepa by swapping Chelsea for the Emirates. The most high-profile deal saw the Gunners swoop in and sign Eberechi Eze ahead of rivals Tottenham.

Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace

£67.5m

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting CP

£63.5m

Martin Zubimendi

Real Sociedad

£55m

Noni Madueke

Chelsea

£48m

Christian Norgaard

Brentford

£15m

Cristhian Mosquera

Valencia

£13m

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea

£5m

Piero Hincapie

Bayer Leverkusen

Loan

Kieran Tierney

Celtic

Free

Jorginho

Flamengo

Free

Nuno Tavares

Lazio

Undisclosed

Marquinhos

Cruzerio

Undisclosed

Takehiro Tomiyasu

N/A

Released

Karl Hein

Werder Bremen

Loan

Ismeal Kabia

Shrewsbury Town

Loan

Jakub Kiwior

FC Porto

Loan

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Nottingham Forest

Loan

Reiss Nelson

Brentford

Loan

Aston Villa Total spent: £39.9m

Aston Villa suffered final-day disappointment as their Champions League dream was ended by a defeat at Old Trafford amid some refereeing controversy.

Looking to put that heartbreak behind them as they prepare for the Europa League, Villa welcomed new arrivals in the form of Nice striker Evann Guessand, Turkish youngster Yasin Ozcan and teenage striker Zepiqueno Redmond from Feyenoord. They also had a busy final few days of the window with Victor Lindelof, Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott all moving to the Midlands.

Elsewhere, backup goalkeeper Robin Olsen joined Malmo, with Marco Bizot since arriving as his replacement.

Evann Guessand

Nice

£30m

Yasin Ozcan

Kasimpasa

£5.9m

Zepiqueno Redmond

Feyenoord

Free

Marco Bizot

Brest

Undisclosed

Modou Keba Cisse

LASK

£4m

Victor Lindelof

N/A

Free

Jadon Sancho

Manchester United

Loan

Harvey Elliott

Liverpool

Loan

Jacob Ramsey

Newcastle

£40m

Kaine Kesler-Hayden

Coventry City

£3.5m

Robin Olsen

Malmo

Free

Enzo Barrenechea

Benfica

Loan

Josh Feeney

Huddersfield Town

Loan

Rico Richards

Port Vale

Undisclosed

Philippe Coutinho

Vasco da Gama

Undisclosed

Kortney Hause

N/A

Released

Kyrie Pierre

Brentford

Free

Louie Barry

Sheffield United

Loan

Filip Marschall

Stevenage

Undisclosed

Yasin Ozcan

Anderlecht

Loan

Joe Gauci

Port Vale

Loan

Leander Dendoncker

Real Oviedo

Undisclosed

Leon Bailey

AS Roma

Loan

Lewis Dobbin

Preston

Loan

Alex Moreno

Girona

Undisclosed

Samuel Iling Jr

West Brom

Loan

Zepiqueno Redmond

Huddersfield Town

Loan

Tristan Rowe

Annecy

Loan

Bournemouth Total spent: £129.7m

Bournemouth were arguably been involved in two of the deals of the summer, with centre-backs Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi moving for big money to join Real Madrid and PSG, whereas left-back Milos Kerkez headed to Liverpool.

Andoni Iraola had cash to play with as he looks to take his side into Europe after an impressive campaign last time out, and he has that on full-back Adrien Tuffert from Rennes, goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic from Chelsea, centre-back Bafode Diakite from Lille, winger Ben Gannon Doak from Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen’s Amine Adli.

Bafode Diakite

Lille

£30.3m

Ben Gannon Doak

Liverpool

£25m

Amine Adli

Bayer Leverkusen

£25m

Djordje Petrovic

Chelsea

£25m

Veljko Milosavljevic

Red Star Belgrade

£13m

Adrien Tuffert

Rennes

£11.4m

Illia Zabarnyi

PSG

£54.5m

Dean Huijsen

Real Madrid

£50m

Dango Ouattara

Brentford

£42.5m

Milos Kerkez

Liverpool

£40m

Jaidon Anthony

Burnley

£8m

Philip Billing

Midtjylland

£5m

Mark Travers

Everton

£4m

Daniel Jebbison

Preston

Loan

Max Aarons

Rangers

Loan

Joe Rothwell

Rangers

Undisclosed

Neto

Botafogo

Free

Luis Sinisterra

Cruzerio

Loan

Philip Billing

Midtjylland

£5m

Brentford Total spent: £91.2m

Brentford missed out on a European place last season, but the Bees continue to impress in the top flight – and are now under a new manager in Keith Andrews. They have even broken their transfer record on Dango Ouattara from Bournemouth, who has cost more than £40m.

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was one of the early deals of the summer, joining for £18m, whereas Jordan Henderson is arguably the most high profile name through the door. Brentford also made Michael Kayode’s loan deal from Fiorentina permanent, and midfielder Antoni Milambo cost an initial £16m from Feyenoord.

Dango Ouattara

Bournemouth

£42.5m

Caoimhin Kelleher

Liverpool

£18m

Antoni Milambo

Feyenoord

£16m

Michael Kayode

Fiorentina

£14.7m

Romelle Donovan

Birmingham

Undisclosed

Jordan Henderson

Ajax

Free

Kyrie Pierre

Aston Villa

Free

Reiss Nelson

Arsenal

Loan

Mark Flekken

Bayer Leverkusen

£8m

Ethan Brierley

Exeter City

Loan

Ben Mee

N/A

Released

Christian Norgaard

Arsenal

£15m

Bryan Mbeumo

Man Utd

£71m

Jayden Meghoma

Rangers

Loan

Mads Roerslev

Southampton

Undisclosed

Yoane Wissa

Newcastle

£55m

Brighton & Hove Albion Total spent: £70.8m

Brighton were busy adding to their squad as they seek an improvement on last season’s eighth-place finish, with Charalompos Kostulas their most expensive signing.

Sunderland’s play-off hero, Tom Watson, has joined in a £10m switch, while a deal has also been announced for Hellas Verona defender Diego Coppola. The Seagulls cashed in on Joao Pedro, selling him to Chelsea, whereas Valentin Barco has left on a permanent basis as well.

Charalampos Kostoulas

Olympiacos

£31.7m

Maxim De Cuyper

Club Brugge

£17.3m

Tom Watson

Sunderland

£10m

Diego Coppola

Hellas Verona

£9.4m

Yoon Do-young

Daejeon Hana Citizen

£1.7m

Nils Ramming

Eintracht Frankfurt

£730,000

Olivier Boscagli

PSV Eindhoven

Free

Sean Keogh

Dundalk

Undisclosed

Kofi Shaw

Bristol Rovers

Undisclosed

Joao Pedro

Chelsea

£60m

Simon Adingra

Sunderland

£21m

Pervis Estupinan

AC Milan

£17m

Valentin Barco

Strasbourg

£8.5m

Kjell Scherpen

Union Saint-Gilloise

Undisclosed

Abdallah Sima

Lens

Undisclosed

Tariq Lamptey

Fiorentina

Undisclosed

Julio Enciso

Strasbourg

Undisclosed

Mark O’Mahony

Reading

Loan

Amario Cozier-Duberry

Bolton

Loan

Yoon Doyoung

Rotterdam

Loan

Evan Ferguson

Roma

Loan

Carl Rushworth

Coventry City

Loan

Eiran Cashin

Birmingham City

Loan

Andrew Moran

LAFC

Loan

Facundo Buonanotte

Chelsea

Loan

Jeremy Sarmiento

Cremonese

Loan

Igor Julio

West Ham

Loan

Matt O’Riley

Marseille

Loan

Burnley Total spent: £107.45m

Burnley kick-started their summer business with the permanent signings of four loanees, including Sporting CP’s Marcus Edwards and Chelsea’s Bashir Humphreys. Jaidon Anthony and Zian Flemming also joined, as have Axel Tuanzebe, Kyle Walker and Quilindschy Hartman as Scott Parker aims to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

The Clarets’ most expensive addition of the window this summer are Lesley Ugochukwu and Armando Broja from Chelsea. Heading in the other direction are Nathan Redmond and Jonjo Shelvey, who have both been released, whereas star centre-back CJ Egan-Riley snubbed a new deal at Turf Moor to join Marseille, and James Trafford re-joined Man City.

Lesley Ugochukwu

Chelsea

£20m

Armando Broja

Chelsea

£20m

Loum Tchaouna

Lazio

£13m

Bashir Humphreys

Chelsea

£11.75m

Quilindschy Hartman

Feyenoord

£10m

Marcus Edwards

Sporting CP

£8.4m

Jaidon Anthony

Bournemouth

£8m

Zian Flemming

Millwall

£7m

Kyle Walker

Man City

£5m

Max Weiss

Karlsruher SC

£4.3m

Axel Tuanzebe

Ipswich

Free

Jacob Bruun Larsen

Stuttgart

Undisclosed

Martin Dubravka

Newcastle

Undisclosed

Florentino Luis

Benfica

Loan

CJ Egan-Riley

Marseille

Free

Nathan Redmond

N/A

Released

Jonjo Shelvey

N/A

Released

James Trafford

Man City

£27m

Han-Noah Massengo

Augsburg

£2.6m

Oluwaseun Adewumi

Cercle Brugge

Loan

Shurandy Sambo

Sparta Rotterdam

Loan

Luca Koleosho

Espanyol

Loan

Michael Obafemi

VfL Bochum

Loan

Aaron Ramsey

Leicester City

Loan

Manuel Benson

Swansea City

Loan

Chelsea Total spent: £292.2m

As can be expected these days, Chelsea splashed the cash in the summer transfer window, with their marquee additions being Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Jorrel Hato and Liam Delap.

Palmeiras winger Estevao Willian is the latest South American talent to head to west London, while Ecuadorian Kendry Paez will also join the Club World Cup winners now that he has turned 18.

Joao Pedro

Brighton

£60m

Jamie Gittens

Borussia Dortmund

£48.5m

Alejandro Garnacho

Manchester United

£40m

Jorrel Hato

Ajax

£37m

Liam Delap

Ipswich

£30m

Estevao Willian

Palmeiras

£29m

Dario Essugo

Sporting CP

£18.4m

Kendry Paez

Independiente

£17.3m

Mamadou Sarr

Strasbourg

£12m

Jesse Derry

Crystal Palace

Undisclosed

Facundo Buonanotte

Brighton

Loan

Noni Madueke

Arsenal

£48m

Joao Felix

Chelsea

£26.2m

Renato Veiga

Villarreal

£26m

Djordje Petrovic

Bournemouth

£25m

Carney Chukwuemeka

Borussia Dortmund

£24m

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Everton

£24m

Lesley Ugochukwu

Burnley

£20m

Armando Broja

Burnley

£20m

Bashir Humphreys

Burnley

£11.75m

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Arsenal

£5m

Marcus Bettinelli

Man City

Undisclosed

Mathis Amougou

Strasbourg

Undisclosed

Ben Chilwell

Strasbourg

Undisclosed

Mike Penders

Strasbourg

Loan

Aaron Anselmino

Borussia Dortmund

Loan

Nicolas Jackson

Bayern Munich

Loan

Ishe Samuels-Smith

Swansea City

Loan

Crystal Palace Total spent: £45.6m

FA Cup winners Crystal Palace made Walter Benitez their first signing of the summer, joining on a free transfer from PSV Eindhoven and also spent £3m on defender Borna Sosa from Ajax.

After losing Eberechi Eze to Arsena, the Eagles then spent some of that money on Yeremy Pino from Villarreal, with Jaydee Canvot and Christantus Uche the deadline day additions.

Yeremy Pino

Villarreal

£21.6m

Jaydee Canvot

Toulouse

£21m

Walter Benitez

PSV Eindhoven

Free

Borna Sosa

Ajax

£3m

Christantus Uche

Getafe

Loan

Eberechi Eze

Arsenal

£67.5m

Joel Ward

N/A

Released

Jeffrey Schlupp

Norwich

Free

Owen Goodman

Huddersfield

Loan

David Ozoh

Derby

Loan

Hindolo Mustapha

Nurnberg

Loan

Jesse Derry

Chelsea

Undisclosed

Malcolm Ebiowei

Blackpool

Undisclosed

Odsonne Edouard

RC Lens

Undisclosed

Everton Total spent: £117.6m

It will be a season of immense change on the blue half of Merseyside – and not just on the personnel side of things.

Of course, 2025/26 marks Everton’s first at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium, and with plenty of players already heading out the exit door, we can perhaps expect plenty of new faces for David Moyes’ side, with the most high-profile arrival being Jack Grealish.

The Toffees welcomed back Carlos Alcaraz by turning his loan move from Flamengo permanent. Elsewhere, Thierno Barry has cost £27m and looks set to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin in attack. Mark Travers arrives to provide competition to Jordan Pickford and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has cost £24m from Chelsea, with Tyler Dibling the most expensive signing at more than £40m.

Tyler Dibling

Southampton

£42m

Thierno Barry

Villarreal

£27m

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Chelsea

£24m

Carlos Alcaraz

Flamengo

£12.6m

Adam Aznou

Bayern Munich

£8m

Mark Travers

Bournemouth

£4m

Jack Grealish

Man City

Loan

Merlin Rohl

Freiburg

Loan

Tom King

Wolves

Undisclosed

Neal Maupay

Marseille

£3.4m

Youssef Chermiti

Rangers

Undisclosed

Asmir Begovic

N/A

Released

Abdoulaye Doucoure

N/A

Released

Joao Virginia

N/A

Released

Ashley Young

N/A

Released

Mason Holgate

N/A

Released

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Leeds

Free

Harrison Armstrong

Preston

Loan

Fulham Total spent: £35m

There wasn’t a great deal happening at Fulham until deadline day, with the arrival of experienced goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomt the only incoming before then.

Marco Silva’s side then broke their transfer record by signing Kevin from Shakhtar Donetsk, with another attacker in Samuel Chukwueze also joining on loan.

Kevin

Shakhtar Donetsk

£34.6m

Benjamin Lecomt

Montpellier

£430,000

Samuel Chukwueze

AC Milan

Loan

Carlos Vinicius

N/A

Released

Willian

N/A

Released

Callum Osmand

Celtic

Undisclosed

Martial Godo

Strasbourg

£7m

Leeds United Total spent: £101.3m

Leeds United’s first Premier League campaign for two years will see Daniel Farke looking to break his personal hoodoo of going straight back down after promotion.

The first official arrival at Elland Road this summer was Lukas Nmecha, with the forward returning to England on a free transfer from Wolfsburg. He has since been joined by centre-backs Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw and full-back Gabriel Gudmundsson, who cost the Whites a combined £30m.

Meanwhile, Sean Longstaff swapped St James’ Park and Newcastle for Elland Road and fellow midfielder Anton Stach has cost Leeds over £17m, with goalkeeper Lucas Perri arriving from Lyon. One of the most high-profile additions has been forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer, and he was quickly joined by Leeds’ most expensive signing of the window in Noah Okafor.

Noah Okafor

AC Milan

£18m

Anton Stach

Hoffenheim

£17.4m

Jaka Bijol

Udinese

£15m

Lucas Perri

Lyon

£13.9m

Sean Longstaff

Newcastle

£12m

Gabriel Gudmundsson

Lille

£10m

James Justin

Leicester City

£10m

Sebastiaan Bornauw

Wolfsburg

£5m

Louis Enahoro-Marcus

Liverpool

Undisclosed

Lukas Nmecha

Wolfsburg

Free

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton

Free

Rasmus Kristensen

Frankfurt

£5m

Sam Greenwood

Pogon Szczecin

£3.4m

Max Wober

Werder Bremen

Loan

Mateo Joseph

Mallorca

Loan

Joe Gelhardt

Hull City

Loan

Joe Snowdon

Swindon

Free

Josuha Guilavogui

N/A

Released

Junior Firpo

Real Betis

Free

Isaac Schmidt

Werder Bremen

Loan

Largie Ramazani

Valencia

Loan

Patrick Bamford

N/A

Released

Darko Gyabi

Hull City

Undisclosed

Liverpool Total spent: £407.2m

With a quiet summer last time around before becoming Premier League champions, it was a chaotic window for Arne Slot and Liverpool this time around, with Alexander Isak’s British record £125m transfer going through on deadline day.

Giorgi Mamardashvili’s arrival as a challenger to Allison was confirmed last year, whereas Trent Alexander-Arnold left early to join Real Madrid at the Club World Cup for a €10m (£8.4m) fee.

Florian Wirtz initially became Liverpool’s all-time record signing for £116m before Isak’s arrival, whereas Jeremie Frimpong replaced Alexander-Arnold and Milos Kerkez arrived at left-back. Having already tied Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk to longer deals, the Reds have also splashed the cash on a new striker in Hugo Ekitike, spending more than £250m.

Alexander Isak

Newcastle United

£125m

Florian Wirtz

Bayer Leverkusen

£116m

Hugo Ekitike

Frankfurt

£69m

Milos Kerkez

Bournemouth

£40m

Jeremie Frimpong

Bayer Leverkusen

£29.5m

Giovanni Leoni

Parma

£26m

Armin Pecsi

Puskas Akademia

£1.5m

Freddie Woodman

Preston North End

Free

Will Wright

Salford City

£200k

Luis Diaz

Bayern Munich

£65.5m

Darwin Nunez

Al-Hilal

£46.2m

Jarell Quansah

Bayer Leverkusen

£35m

Ben Gannon Doak

Bournemouth

£25m

Caoimhin Kelleher

Brentford

£18m

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Real Madrid

£8.4m

Nathaniel Phillips

West Brom

£3m

Louis Enahoro-Marcus

Leeds

Undisclosed

Owen Beck

Derby County

Loan

Lewis Koumas

Birmingham City

Loan

Harvey Elliott

Aston Villa

Loan

Kostas Tsimikas

Roma

Loan

Manchester City Total spent: £182m

Despite having spent heavily in January to ensure they made the Champions League, Manchester City splashed the cash in the summer on the likes of Rayan Ait Nouri and Rayan Cherki, with Tijjani Reijnders their most expensive addition from AC Milan.

City also brought back James Trafford from Burnley before signing another goalkeeper in Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG on deadline day.

Tijjani Reijnders

AC Milan

£46.5m

Rayan Ait Nouri

Wolves

£36m

Rayan Cherki

Lyon

£34m

James Trafford

Burnley

£27m

Gianluigi Donnarumma

PSG

£26m

Sverre Nypan

Rosenborg

£12.5m

Marcus Bettinelli

Chelsea

Undisclosed

James McAtee

Nottingham Forest

£30m

Yan Couto

Borussia Dortmund

£21m

Ederson

Fenerbache

£12m

Maximo Perrone

Como

£11.3m

Kayky

Bahia

£9m

Kyle Walker

Burnley

£5m

Jacob Wright

Norwich City

£2.3m

Kevin De Bruyne

Napoli

Free

Scott Carson

N/A

Released

Divin Mubama

Stoke City

Loan

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey

Celtic

Loan

Vitor Reis

Girona

Loan

Jack Grealish

Everton

Loan

Sverre Nypan

Middlesbrough

Loan

Claudio Echeverri

Bayer Leverkusen

Loan

Manuel Akanji

Inter Milan

Loan

Ilkay Gundogan

Galatasaray

Free

Manchester United Total spent: £225.3m

After a dismal 2024/25, Ruben Amorim and Manchester United have plenty of wrongs to right over the coming months and beyond.

Part of their mammoth task to return United to the upper regions of the Premier League is clearing out the deadwood, but there were also some major additions.

Matheus Cunha’s big-money switch from Wolves, Bryan Mbeumo’s £71m arrival from Brentford and £66.4m striker Benjamin Sesko will hand United a new look to their attack for 2025/26, whereas another new goalkeeper has arrived in Senne Lammens.

Bryan Mbeumo

Brentford

£71m

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

£66.4m

Matheus Cunha

Wolves

£62.5m

Senne Lammens

Royal Antwerp

£18.2m

Diego Leon

Cerro Porteno

£7m

Alejandro Garnacho

Chelsea

£40m

Antony

Real Betis

£21.7m

Christian Eriksen

N/A

Released

Jonny Evans

N/A

Released

Victor Lindelof

N/A

Released

Marcus Rashford

Barcelona

Loan

Toby Collyer

West Brom

Loan

Rasmus Hojlund

Napoli

Loan

Jadon Sancho

Aston Villa

Loan

Harry Amass

Sheffield Wednesday

Loan

Newcastle United Total spent: £249m

Newcastle United’s return to the Champions League hasn’t resulted in a straightforward transfer window, although the Magpies have broken their transfer record on German attacker Nick Woltemade. The Magpies finally sold Alexander Isak to Liverpool on deadline day, with Yoane Wissa coming the other way from Brentford.

Other new players are Anthony Elanga’s arrival from Nottingham Forest, Jacob Ramsey’s £40m transfer from Aston Villa and Malick Thiaw’s £30m signing from AC Milan. The Magpies also won the race to sign teenage winger Antonio Cordero from Malaga and brought in Aaron Ramsdale on loan.

Nick Woltemade

Stuttgart

£69m

Anthony Elanga

Nottingham Forest

£55m

Yoane Wissa

Brentford

£55m

Jacob Ramsey

Aston Villa

£40m

Malick Thiaw

AC Milan

£30m

Aaron Ramsdale

Southampton

Loan

Antonio Cordero

Malaga

Free

Park Seung-soo

Suwon Bluewings

Undisclosed

Alexander Isak

Liverpool

£125m

Lloyd Kelly

Juventus

£14.5m

Sean Longstaff

Leeds

£12m

Martin Dubravka

Burnley

Undisclosed

Garang Kuol

Sparta Prague

Undisclosed

Matt Targett

Middlesbrough

Loan

Jamal Lewis

N/A

Released

Isaac Hayden

N/A

Released

Nottingham Forest Total spent: £192.7m

While Nottingham Forest have been used to spending in previous windows, they may not be used to a window like this with European football on the horizon.

Deals for Botafogo duo Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha were sealed early, whereas winger Dan Ndoye cost £34m. After their Europa League place was confirmed ahead of Crystal Palace, Forest have since splashed the cash on England U21 stars James McAtee and Omari Hutchinson, with Dilane Bakwa also costing big money on deadline day from Strasbourg.

Omari Hutchinson

Ipswich Town

£37.5m

Dilane Bakwa

Strasbourg

£35m

Dan Ndoye

Bologna

£34m

James McAtee

Manchester City

£30m

Arnaud Kalimuendo

Rennes

£25m

Nicolo Savona

Juventus

£11.2m

Igor Jesus

Botafogo

£10m

Jair Cunha

Botafogo

£10m

Angus Gunn

Norwich City

Free

Douglas Luiz

Juventus

Loan

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Arsenal

Loan

Cuiabano

Botafogo

Undisclosed

Matthew Orr

Linfield

Undisclosed

Anthony Elanga

Newcastle

£55m

Andrew Omobamidele

Strasbourg

£6.8m

Harry Toffolo

N/A

Released

Jack Perkins

Northampton

Undisclosed

Tyler Bindon

Sheffield United

Loan

Ramon Sosa

Palmeiras

£10m

Lewis O’Brien

Wrexham

Undisclosed

Matt Turner

Lyon

£7m

Dale Taylor

Blackpool

Undisclosed

Marko Stamenic

Swansea City

Undisclosed

Carlos Miguel

Palmeiras

£4.6m

Sunderland Total spent: £168.7m

Following Sunderland’s incredible comeback victory in the Championship play-off final, the Black Cats were extrenely busy in the market, spending just under £170m.

Promotion saw Enzo Le Fee’s loan move become permanent, however, Jobe Bellingham was sold to Borussia Dortmund, following in the footsteps of his older brother, with Habib Diarra becoming his replacement in a club record deal.

Habib Diarra

Strasbourg

£30.5m

Simon Adingra

Brighton

£21m

Enzo Le Fee

Roma

£19.4m

Brian Brobbey

Ajax

£17.3m

Noah Sadiki

Union Saint-Gilloise

£15m

Granit Xhaka

Bayer Leverkusen

£13m

Nordi Mukiele

PSG

£12m

Omar Alderete

Getafe

£10m

Reinildo Mandava

Atletico Madrid

Free

Chemsdine Talbi

Club Brugge

£18m

Robin Roefs

NEC Nijmegen

£9m

Bertrand Traore

Ajax

£2.5m

Arthur Masuaku

N/A

Free

Jobe Bellingham

Borussia Dortmund

£32m

Tom Watson

Brighton

£10m

Adil Aouchiche

Aberdeen

Loan

Nazariy Rusyn

Arka

Loan

Pierre Ekwah

Saint Etienne

Undisclosed

Tottenham Hotspur Total spent: £169.8m

Fresh from securing Europa League glory, Tottenham Hotspur are heading from a season finishing fourth-bottom in the Premier League to the Champions League.

They have some prior business adding to this summer’s outlays, with Kevin Danso’s switch from Lens becoming permanent, while youngster Luka Vuskovic will join from Hajduk Split following a deal agreed in September 2023.

New manager Thomas Frank has also signed Mathys Tel on a permanent basis from Bayern Munich and Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, whereas Joao Palhinha joined on loan from the Bundesliga champions. After missing out on Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, Spurs then hijacked Chelsea’s move for Xavi Simons and signed Randal Kolo Muani on loan from PSG.

The most high-profile exit was Heung-min Son’s departure to MLS side LAFC for £20m.

Mohammed Kudus

West Ham

£55m

Xavi Simons

RB Leipzig

£51.8m

Mathys Tel

Bayern Munich

£30m

Kevin Danso

Lens

£21m

Luka Vuskovic

Hajduk Split

£12m

Kota Taka

Kawasaki Frontale

£5m

Joao Palhinha

Bayern Munich

Loan

Randal Kolo Muani

PSG

Loan

Heung-min Son

LAFC

£20m

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Marseille

£17m

Bryan Gi

Girona

£8.6m

Alejo Veliz

Rosario Central

Loan

Fraser Forster

N/A

Released

Sergio Reguilon

N/A

Released

Alfie Whiteman

N/A

Released

Alfie Dorrington

Aberdeen

Loan

Ashley Phillips

Stoke City

Loan

Mikey Moore

Rangers

Loan

Will Lankshear

Oxford United

Loan

Jamie Donley

Stoke City

Loan

Alfie Devine

Preston

Loan

Yang Min-Hyeok

Portsmouth

Loan

Manor Solomon

Villarreal

Loan

West Ham United Total spent: £134m

After an underwhelming season that failed to match the excitement of last summer’s transfer dealings, results will matter far more to the West Ham United faithful than whatever ensues over the next couple of months.

Graham Potter has some work to do to inspire his team to improve after Julen Lopetegui’s project fell flat, and the Hammers’ obligation to buy Jean-Clair Todibo has become active for £36m. When it comes to fresh faces, left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf has arrived from Slavia Prague, Mads Hermansen from Leicester City and Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson join after leaving Southampton and Newcastle.

Late in the summer, the Hammers have also spent big on midfielders Mateus Fernandes from Southampton and Soungoutou Magassa from AS Moncao.

Mateus Fernandes

Southampton

£42m

Jean-Clair Todibo

Nice

£36m

Mads Hermansen

Leicester

£20m

El Hadji Malick Diouf

Slavia Prague

£19m

Soungoutou Magassa

AS Monaco

£17m

Daniel Cummings

Celtic

£250,000

Kyle Walker-Peters

Southampton

Free

Callum Wilson

Newcastle

Free

Igor Julio

Brighton

Loan

Mohammed Kudus

Tottenham

£55m

Nayef Aguerd

Marseille

£20m

Emerson Palmieri

Marseille

Undisclosed

Aaron Cresswell

Stoke City

Free

Vladimir Coufal

N/A

Released

Lukasz Fabianski

N/A

Released

Danny Ings

N/A

Released

Kurt Zouma

N/A

Released

Michail Antonio

N/A

Released

Luizao

N/A

Released

Edson Alvarez

Fenerbahce

Loan

Gideon Kodua

Luton

Loan

Maxwel Cornet

Genoa

Loan

Wolverhampton Wanderers Total spent: £101.4m

Vitor Pereira’s superb job of keeping Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League will surely give supporters hope that the upcoming season will be free of relegation fears.

However, they’ll have to do without Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait Nouri, who joined Manchester United and Manchester City respectively, although they brought in attacker Fer Lopez from Celta Vigo, while Jorgen Strand Larsen’s loan move from the La Liga club also became permanent.

Tolu Arokodare

Genk

£24m

Jorgen Strand Larsen

Celta Vigo

£23m

Fer Lopez

Celta Vigo

£19m

Jhon Arias

Fluminense

£15m

Jackson Tchatchoua

Hellas Verona

£10.4m

David Moller Wolfe

AZ Alkmaar

£10m

Ladislav Krejci

Girona

Loan

Matheus Cunha

Man Utd

£62.5m

Rayan Ait Nouri

Man City

£36m

Fabio Silva

Borussia Dortmund

Undisclosed

Goncalo Guedes

Real Sociedad

£3.5m

Pablo Sarabia

Al-Arabi

Released

Craig Dawson

N/A

Released

Nelson Semedo

N/A

Released

Tommy Doyle

Birmingham City

Loan

Chiquinho

Alverca

Undisclosed

Nasser Djiga

Rangers

Loan

Nigel Lonwijk

Luton Town

Loan

Boubacar Traore

Metz

Loan

Tom King

Everton

Undisclosed

Pedro Lima

FC Porto

Loan

Aston Villa will be looking to pile on the Manchester City misery when the two sides face off in the Premier League this coming weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s men are going through an unusual crisis at this moment in time, with eight defeats picked up from their last 11 outings in all competitions, as Unai Emery’s men now wait eagerly to try to add insult to injury by inflicting another loss onto the reigning top-flight champions just before Christmas.

Emery will likely stick with Jhon Duran as the lone striker for this big clash at Villa Park, safe in the knowledge that the potent Colombian could cause the leaky Man City defence all sorts of bother.

Duran's continued Villa heroics

After all, the Villa hotshot has started his side’s last two Premier League clashes after only being utilised as an impact man off the substitutes bench prior.

He has justified those starts, with two goals picked up from his last two top-flight contests, which included this consolation header finding the back of the net last time out in a slender 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

As is stated above, that took Duran’s goal total for the season all the way up to 11, as Ollie Watkins begins to worry his once concrete first team spot is no longer so solid with the clinical 21-year-old around.

Amazingly, despite the ex-Chicago Fire striker’s value increasing all the way up to £33m off the back of these heroics – as per Transfermarkt – one former Villa man’s value stands higher than that right now, despite failing to settle in his fresh environment.

The former Aston Villa man now worth more than Duran

The player in question here is Douglas Luiz, who sealed a move away from the Villans this summer when Serie A giants Juventus forked out in the region of £42m to land his services.

Arsenal were also known admirers at one point looking at the Brazilian, but Thiago Motta’s men would be the side to cough up that sizeable fee in the end, after he had become a reliable mainstay at Villa.

He would instantly fit in at Villa Park after a spell in Spain with Girona, with three goals and three assists picked up as a daring midfield option during his debut season on English shores.

The 18-time senior Brazil international would only get better from this point on, with a further 19 goals and 17 assists accumulated across his lengthy 204 game stay in the West Midlands, as Emery even singled out the star as being “amazing” last year when rumours begin to circulate he could leave Villa behind.

Yet, despite the Spaniard waxing lyrical, Emery would have to deal with the heartbreak of losing his midfield ace when Juventus eventually came calling.

Now, with hindsight a very fine thing, Luiz should have stayed put at a club that clearly adored him, as he’s found his transition to playing in Turn extremely choppy.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Luiz

Games played

8

Games started

2

Minutes averaged*

37 mins

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Big chances missed

1

Big chances created

2

Ball recoveries*

1.8

Total duels won*

2.6

Stats by Sofascore

Only starting two games for Juventus in league action so far, it’s clear from the table above the high standards Luiz was playing to at Villa have now escaped him, with injuries also troubling him in Italy to date.

Villa are the clear winners here overall, having banked that £42m wisely, with the likes of Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana all also shining in central midfield in their former star-man’s absence.

Reuters/Daniele Mascolo

The South American’s value still stands high above even Duran at the £37m mark, so not all hope will be lost that he can return to his tenacious best soon for Juventus, but he certainly would have envisaged the start of his career at the Old Lady to have gone smoother.

Aston Villa want to sign Duran replacement who's a "monster in the making"

Aston Villa would need a new striker if Duran leaves

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 18, 2024

Everton have spent a lot of money on strikers in recent years and prospective new owners The Friedkin Group could be about to do the same.

Portuguese forward Beto, whom the Toffees paid Udinese nearly £26 million for in the summer of 2023, has scored just six goals in 46 games since his arrival from Italy. Moise Kean, who arrived at Goodison Park from Juventus for a fee of £25 million from Juventus, managed just four goals in 39 games before being sold back to the Old Lady. The less said about Cenk Tosun, the better.

Only the transfers of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison have been what you would call successes. However, one is perpetually injured and has arguably lost his golden touch, while the other is now plying his trade with a Premier League rival.

Having only scored 10 Premier League goals this term, the need for Everton to find a prolific goalscorer is now bigger than ever. Don’t, and Sean Dyche’s side could very well find themselves in the Championship next season.

Brobbey wanted at Everton

According to a report from Spain, the man the Friedkin Group are eyeing up is Ajax’s Brian Brobbey. The Dutchman was Ajax’s outstanding player last term, scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists in all competitions, but he’s failed to replicate that form this season.

Brobbey has failed to score in 10 Eredivisie games this year, while he’s netted just two in seven games across Ajax’s other competitions.

Brian Brobbey Career Stats

Club

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

Ajax

2020/21

19

6

2

RB Leipzig

2021/22

14

0

3

Ajax (loan)

2021/22

13

7

1

Ajax

2022/23

44

14

4

Ajax

2023/24

43

22

12

Ajax

2024/24

17

2

5

His poor form, however, hasn’t worried the Toffees and their owners The Friedkin Group, who, according to Spanish reports, are willing to pay in excess of £40 million to bring Brobbey to Goodison Park.

The Spanish publication claim that Everton have faith that Brobbey, 22, could rediscover his best form on Merseyside and see the young striker as a long-term bet who could go on to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s top forwards.

Brobbey names dream transfer destinations

While Everton may want Brobbey, Goodison Park is not where he may envisage himself playing next. In an interview with HELDEN Magazine in the summer, the Netherlands international was asked where he dreams about playing next should he one day leave Ajax again.

He replied, per Goal: “Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, those are nice clubs. But, if I stay at Ajax, that is certainly not a punishment.”

Prior to that interview, Brobbey revealed to De Telegraaf that he had almost joined United in 2022. “Erik ten Hag called me and said that at United, my agent would get millions of euros and I could earn a multiple of my Ajax salary,” Brobbey, who at the time was still an RB Leipzig player, said, relayed by Football 365. “But our decision was clear: we wanted to go [back] to Ajax.”

Ten Hag handed Brobbey his Ajax debut in October 2020. Brobbey added: “Manchester United wanted to have me, but I insisted on returning to Ajax. To make that possible, my agent Jose Fortes Rodriguez even waived a hefty percentage of the sell-on clause.”

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement faces arguably the most important month in his role at Ibrox, as the Gers face seven fixtures which could make or break their season.

Five of them come in the Premiership, while the Light Blues take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League before facing Celtic in the League Cup final just three days later.

If the Belgian can somehow win both of these fixtures, it should give the Ibrox side a major boost heading into the January transfer window and the second half of the season.

Several of his summer signings are finally starting to shine for Rangers, notably Vaclav Cerny, who has scored eight goals and grabbed five assists since arriving in the summer on a season-long loan deal.

In terms of value for money, the signing of Connor Barron could well be one of Clement’s finest since he took over the club in October 2023.

The midfielder didn’t cost a single penny. There is no doubt that his performances will grab the attention of others over the next couple of years.

Connor Barron’s season in numbers

Before he even moved to Rangers, Barron was earmarked as a perfect replacement for the departing Ryan Jack, who was certain to move on when his contract expired at the end of the last season.

There was reported interest from down south, but Clement won the race to sign the starlet ahead of the new season, and it looked like a smart piece of business for many reasons. He cost nothing, had experience in the Premiership and, most crucially, his nationality would help the club with regard to European squad quotas.

The signing, then, certainly fit the bill perfectly. He has demonstrated exactly why so many clubs were after him during the summer, settling in with ease at Ibrox.

Barron has featured in every single match for the club this season, starting 21 of the 23 games, establishing himself as the first-choice midfielder in Clement’s system.

Domestically, he has been impressive in dictating play and circulating the ball. Indeed, Barron averages 67.8 touches per game, while averaging a pass success rate of 90% each match, showcasing his qualities on the ball.

Defensively, he has won 3.6 total duels, averages 2.2 tackles, recovers 4.2 balls and loses possession just eight times per game in the top flight.

In the Europa League, some of these statistics are even better. Across five continental games, Barron has won 4.8 total duels, averages 3.4 tackles and recovers five balls per match, indicating that he can adjust seamlessly to both domestic and European football.

These qualities suggest that the Scot could be a key figure for the first team over the next few years, which, in turn, will see his market value rise.

Clement will be hoping to make more signings like Barron, players who can settle in quickly and likely raise several million for the Gers when they leave.

Could the Belgian be targeting a repeat of his Barron masterclass?

Rangers could raid Aberdeen again

With the January transfer window opening in just a few weeks, it means the manager will be able to talk to players who are out of contract next summer.

This could see the club perhaps secure a few pre-contract agreements, and journalist Scott McDermott believes the Light Blues should raid the Dons once again next year.

“On January 1, he ought to be speaking to Aberdeen left-back Jack MacKenzie and getting him tied up on a pre-contract deal. Koppen wants Rangers to have more of a Scottish core.

“In years gone by it was common practice for them to suck up the best talent from other top-flight clubs – the likes of Nacho Novo, Kris Boyd, Ryan Jack and others. Abandoning that policy in recent years is another reason why they find themselves currently miles behind Celtic.

“Signing MacKenzie should be a no-brainer. The full-back is available on a free and highly unlikely to sign a new deal at Pittodrie.”

Transfer Focus

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

Like Barron, he would add some real quality into the team without costing anything, plus giving Clement another Scot in the squad, which is beneficial for Europe.

Just how good has MacKenzie been for the Dons this season, however? And is he worth targeting?

Jack MacKenzie’s stats for Aberdeen this season

The left-back has played in all but one of Aberdeen’s fixtures this term, scoring once and registering four assists in the process.

His performances even secured the player a call-up to the Scotland squad for the Nations League games against Croatia and Portugal in October, although he didn’t make it off the bench.

Despite scoring at Ibrox before in a 3-1 win in 2023, MacKenzie doesn’t actually offer too much of an attacking threat. He has created zero big chances and averages just 0.8 key passes per game, but his defensive skills are what could entice Clement to make a move.

Indeed, he has won 4.8 total duels per game while averaging two tackles and recovering 3.8 balls per match in the top flight.

This defensive ability has allowed him to become a key member of the Aberdeen side under Jimmy Thelin, especially as the club currently sits above Rangers in the league table.

Clement does have Ridvan Yilmaz and Jefte as options on the left side of his defence. Jefte will get better and better, but Yilmaz has suffered plenty of injuries during his time at the club. Could this see the manager move him on in January?

Adding another young Scot with a ridiculously high ceiling to his squad could be another transfer masterclass from Clement, allowing him to replicate the deal that saw Barron move to Glasgow.

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Leeds United could be without a "fantastic" star for this evening’s Championship clash with Sunderland, according to Phil Hay.

Leeds’ remaining Championship fixtures

Remarkably, despite sitting on 86 points after 41 games, the Whites sit outside the automatic promotion places with five Championship games remaining.

Daniel Farke’s side have been in incredible form during 2024, losing the first of their 15 second-tier games during the calendar year on Saturday away to Coventry City.

Leeds United 3-0 Birmingham City

1st January

Cardiff City 0-3 Leeds United

13th January

Leeds United 2-1 Preston North End

21st January

Leeds United 1-0 Norwich City

24th January

Bristol City 0-1 Leeds United

2nd February

Leeds United 3-0 Rotherham United

10th February

Swansea City 0-4 Leeds United

13th February

Plymouth Argyle 0-2 Leeds United

17th February

Leeds United 3-1 Leicester City

23rd February

Huddersfield Town 1-1 Leeds United

2nd March

Leeds United 1-0 Stoke City

5th March

Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Leeds United

8th March

Leeds United 2-0 Millwall

17th March

Watford 2-2 Leeds United

29th March

Leeds United 3-1 Hull City

1st April

Coventry City 2-1 Leeds United

6th April

However, they still need Leicester City or Ipswich Town to slip up between now and May 4th, whereas Leeds may have to be almost perfect to earn an automatic return to the Premier League.

The run-in begins tonight with a meeting with Sunderland at Elland Road before another home game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

After that, Leeds travel to Middlesbrough on Monday 22nd April, with their penultimate fixture away to Queens Park Rangers on Friday 26th April. The final game of the season sees Leeds host Southampton on Saturday May 4th.

Leeds team news vs Sunderland

Leeds received a welcome injury boost on the weekend against Coventry with the return of Ilia Gruev, Connor Roberts and Wilfried Gnonto to the matchday squad.

However, for tonight’s game with Sunderland, regular Ethan Ampadu, who has captained the Whites for the majority of 2024, is a “major doubt” due to illness.

This will come as a big concern for Leeds, with Ampadu yet to miss a minute of Championship action this season, starring in both midfield and in defence.

The summer signing has struck up a brilliant relationship with fellow Wales international Joe Rodon at centre-back since the injury to Pascal Struijk, so being without Ampadu would be a big blow.

Ampadu has also come in for praise from Farke during his first season in Yorkshire, with the Leeds boss saying earlier in the campaign:

“Overall a fantastic season, we are more than happy how he has developed also since we signed him.

“You couldn’t predict that it would work that smoothly and on this level when we signed him because he had also a few tough, tough years. But he’s doing exceptionally well.”

Manchester United reportedly want to sell Casemiro this summer and replace him with an “excellent” midfielder whom Bruno Fernandes admires greatly.

Man Utd manager & transfer news

The Red Devils could have one of their busiest summer transfer windows in recent memory ahead of them, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to make his mark, hopefully bringing in Dan Ashworth as sporting director at the same time.

There is also no guarantee that Erik ten Hag will be in charge once next season gets underway, following a poor campaign that could even see United miss out on European football entirely. A heavy defeat in the FA Cup final against Manchester City next weekend could potentially mean curtains for the Dutchman, although that remains to be seen.

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Thomas Tuchel has been linked with replacing him in recent times, with the German confirming that he will be leaving Bayern Munich, but it appears as though Ratcliffe is still mulling over his decision.

In terms of new signings, RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko continues to be linked with a summer move to Old Trafford, with his agent reportedly at United's stadium recently. Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva is also seen as a target, but Liverpool are hovering ominously and looking to hijack the move.

Michael Olise is being backed to become a Red Devils player in the summer window, too, following another impressive season for Crystal Palace – one that included him scoring twice in the recent 4-0 win at home to Ten Hag's men.

Man Utd want "excellent" Casemiro replacement

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United want to sign Benfica ace Joao Neves this summer, as they look to offload Casemiro at the same time.

The report says that Casemiro will likely "land in Saudi Arabia with his price set at around €30m", but the Red Devils are "waiting for a concrete offer before bidding him farewell". Meanwhile, Neves "has now become a priority", along with Olise, for that matter.

This is exactly the kind of business that United should be looking to do ahead of next season – replacing an ageing player who is past his best with a young star who has an enormous amount of potential.

At just 19 years of age, Neves has already become a key man for Benfica, making 33 appearances for them in the Primeira Liga this season, of which 27 have been starts. He has racked up an 89.9% pass completion rate in that time, as well as averaging two tackles per game.

Fernandes is someone who values his compatriot greatly as a player, with United's captain saying of him: "He is an excellent player and an excellent kid. He will have a bright future wherever he goes."

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Neves could be the fulcrum of the Red Devils' midfield for many years alongside Kobbie Mainoo, with so much more to come from him. He has the ability to develop into a truly top-class player, so the idea of him in a United shirt is mouthwatering.