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da realsbet： Manchester City are now seriously keen on signing a “world-class” Barcelona player, with a £69m offer currently being prepared, according to a report.

Man City set out to sign Walker replacement

da leao： With Kyle Walker leaving on loan to AC Milan last season, before going on to sign for AC Milan, Matheus Nunes has often been given the nod at right-back, and Pep Guardiola believes the 26-year-old has attributes that suit that position.

Guardiola said: “He can become a good right-back for the physicality. I think he’s not a player to play in the middle because he’s not clever enough, in composure. He has incredible skills and he’s learning a lot.”

However, there are doubts over whether the Portugal international can be trusted at right-back, given that it is not his natural position, and City have set out to bring in more of a like-for-like replacement for Walker.

Earlier this month, it was revealed the Blues hold an interest in Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento, but widespread recent reports suggest they are no longer set to pursue the 22-year-old, and an alternative option has now entered the frame.

Contact was made over a potential deal for Barcelona’s Jules Kounde earlier this week, and there has now been a new development on Man City’s pursuit of the defender.

According to a report from Spain, Man City are now seriously keen on signing Kounde, and such is their level of interest, they are now preparing a €80m (£69m) offer for his services.

Guardiola is determined to strengthen his backline this summer, and the Barca star has now emerged as his main target, but a deal will not be easy, given that he is locked in talks over a contract renewal to extend his stay at the Camp Nou.

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The La Liga side are reluctant to sanction the Frenchman’s departure, but if the Blues make a formal offer, it could be difficult to refuse.

"World-class" Kounde could be ideal Walker heir

After enduring a rare disappointing campaign last season, City will be looking to compete for the Premier League title once again, and the 26-year-old is exactly the calibre of player they need to bring in.

Described as “world-class” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Paris-born defender was a vital player for Barcelona last term, making 32 appearances en-route to La Liga glory, while scoring the winning goal in the Copa del Rey final.

The France international’s attacking talents were on display throughout the campaign, also netting against Real Betis after making a fantastic marauding run.

Walker was, of course, well-known for his pace and ability to make an impact on the front foot, so Kounde could be a like-for-like replacement in that regard, and it is exciting news that City are now preparing an offer.

da betano casino： Leeds United have brought in Gabriel Gudmundsson, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, and Lukas Nmecha to bolster their squad ahead of the Premier League season.

da 888casino： They have placed a clear emphasis on the defensive side of the team in the opening weeks of the summer transfer window, as three of those four players are defenders.

The Championship champions have plenty more work to do to build a squad that can avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League, though, and there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes.

David Ornstein has claimed that the Whites have agreed a fee of up to £15m with Newcastle United to snap up central midfielder Sean Longstaff this summer.

The Magpies academy graduate is now poised to become the club’s fifth signing of the summer transfer window, and will come in to bolster Daniel Farke’s options in the middle of the park.

What Sean Longstaff will bring to Leeds

It will be interesting to see the kind of role that the 27-year-old midfield maestro will play within the Leeds squad next season, and what formation the manager decides to go with.

Should Farke stick with the 4-2-3-1 that has dominated his time in England, with both Norwich and Leeds, then Longstaff will be one of the options for the double pivot in front of the back four.

On paper, Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka are the starting options for the Whites in those positions when fit and available, but a fee of £15m is a significant sum of money for a player if the Whites are not planning for him to be a starter.

What Longstaff has over both Ampadu and Tanaka is that he is a proven Premier League performer who has shown that he can produce solid performances at that level, as shown by his defensive output last term.

24/25 PL

Longstaff per 90

Percentile rank vs CMs

Tackles

3.05

Top 19%

Interceptions

0.79

Bottom 35%

Blocks

1.92

Top 8%

Clearances

0.79

Top 46%

Percentage of dribblers tackled

66.7%

Top 4%

Passes blocked

1.35

Top 11%

Errors

0.00

Top 12%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the English ace ranked well among his positional peers in the league in a host of defensive metrics for Newcastle, which shows that he could provide a solid presence in front of the back four.

However, Longstaff also scored zero goals, created zero ‘big chances’, and registered zero assists, which suggests that he is not likely to make a big impact in possession.

Therefore, the experienced midfielder could bring solid, albeit unexciting, performances to the team in midfield, and that could play an important role in the club’s attempts to avoid relegation.

Leeds in talks to sign another midfielder

The Whites could, however, land an even bigger signing for their midfield than Longstaff, as they are reportedly pursuing a deal for a Bundesliga star.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, Leeds United are in talks to sign Hoffenheim central midfielder Anton Stach this summer.

The reporter claims that the two clubs are in negotiations over a possible deal for the 26-year-old giant, but there is no agreement on a transfer fee at this moment in time.

Plettenberg adds that the West Yorkshire outfit have already agreed personal terms with the German midfield star, which suggests that there will not be many hurdles to clear if they can agree a fee with the Bundesliga side.

He also reveals that Hoffenheim are looking for a fee of around £17m, with add-ons on top of that, to allow Stach to move on this summer, and it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds are willing to splash that kind of cash on him.

Why Stach would be a bigger signing than Longstaff

Stach would be a bigger and more important signing for the Whites than Longstaff for several reasons, not least because he would cost at least £2m more to bring to Elland Road.

As well as potentially costing more than the nearly-completed deal for the Newcastle star, the German giant is also five inches taller than the Englishman and would provide more of a presence in the middle of the park.

Leeds United’s CM options

Height

Possible signing Anton Stach

6 ft 4

Ilia Gruev

6 ft 1

Ethan Ampadu

6 ft

Ao Tanaka

5 ft 11

Sean Longstaff

5 ft 11

Brenden Aaronson

5 ft 10

As you can see in the table above, Stach would be the tallest central midfield option at Farke’s disposal next season, by some distance, if he joins the club.

The £17m-rated star used his physicality to his advantage in the Bundesliga last season by winning 59% of his ground duels and 57% of his aerial duels, winning 5.6 duels per game in comparison to Longstaff’s 1.7. This suggests that he could provide more strength to the team out of possession than the Magpies man.

Stach’s form in the German top-flight also suggests that he has the potential to make more of an impact at the top end of the pitch, as he scored two goals and created four ‘big chances’ for his side, showing that the midfielder can push forward to make things happen in the final third at times.

He also averaged 5.29 progressive passes per 90, compared to Longstaff’s 4.51 per 90 in the Premier League, which suggests that he may progress play more frequently for Leeds by playing through the lines and attempting risky passes.

As further illustrated by the chart above, Stach has the potential to offer more to the team in pretty much every facet of midfield play, with his qualities on and off the ball, based on their respective form in the 2024/25 campaign at league level.

This is why the Hoffenheim star would be an even bigger signing for the Whites because he would provide more quality to Farke’s side on the pitch, and increase their chances of avoiding instant relegation even more than Longstaff would.

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da blaze casino： Leeds United are increasingly interested in signing an “underrated” £17 million midfielder this summer, according to a recent report.

Leeds chasing multiple targets

da imperador bet： Premier League teams are slowly starting to return to pre-season training, and Daniel Farke will be pleased to already have Jaka Bijol, Lukas Nmecha and Sebastiaan Bornauw a part of his squad, but the German will be hoping his club can get a few more deals over the line this week as preparations for the new campaign get underway.

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Signing a new goalkeeper has become somewhat of a priority for the Yorkshire side, as Illan Meslier’s future at the club looks to be over. Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope have been identified as potential targets for the Whites, something that “excites” former number one Paul Robinson.

However, they are not the only options Leeds are considering, as according to The Guardian, Leeds have held talks to sign Lucas Perri from Olympique Lyon. The shot-stopper could be allowed to leave the French club for a cut-price deal amid their financial turmoil.

Meanwhile, Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that the Whites have contacted Torino over a potential deal for Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who could be available for just £17 million.

Stach "considering" Elland Road move as Leeds interest grows

As well as scouring the market for a new goalkeeper, the Premier League newcomers are also in the market for midfield reinforcements, and according to German outlet Kicker, Leeds have been gifted a boost in their pursuit of Anton Stach from TSG Hoffenheim.

The report states his performances for the Bundesliga side last season have caught the attention of several teams across Europe, and while Stach is not open about wanting to leave Hoffenheim, he is “considering” Elland Road.

This comes after Graeme Bailey revealed Leeds’ connections with Red Bull should give them the edge in the Premier League when it comes to signing Stach, who has been dubbed “underrated” in the past.

Bailey said: “He’s on the list, I’m told. Hoffenheim are not keen for him to go. Leeds aren’t the only ones interested, from what I’m told. A very good player, and obviously through Red Bull, Leeds are well-versed on him.

Anton Stach’s TSG Hoffenheim stats

Apps

71

Goals

4

Assists

6

“They’re ahead of many other Premier League teams when it comes to German-based talent. So, it’s not a surprise, you know; it’s not going to be a huge surprise. If there’s a good one, Leeds know all about it.”

Even though Bailey has stated that Hoffenheim are not actively looking to sell Stach this summer, it’s been reported that he could be available for £17 million.

His potential arrival at Elland Road could see him fight Ilia Gruev for a place, who was very important for Farke last season. Competition in the middle of the park is never a bad thing in a long and gruelling season.

da wazamba： Chelsea are the champions of the world. Before the final against Paris Saint-Germain, rivals all across England and beyond laughed at the thought of Enzo Maresca beating this unbeatable super-team.

da dobrowin： But beat them Chelsea did, in fact dismantling the Parisians 3-0 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. PSG, having won the Champions League, Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France, were firm favourites, but they were brushed aside by an incisive and energetic Blues side.

Not a bad maiden campaign, all told, for Maresca, whose side will now rest ahead of a new term which promises so much.

Who was it, then, who inspired the Londoners to victory? Who else?

Cole Palmer, once again on the biggest stage, stood up when his team needed a talisman.

Cole Palmer's show-stopping performance vs PSG

Crowned the Player of the Tournament after notching three goals and two assists across six matches – all of which came in the knockout stage – Palmer has proved that class is permanent with some stunning showings.

His first-half brace against Luis Enrique’s side was dispatched in typically cool fashion, with all that was could running through the Three Lions superstar.

Palmer, 23, is unquestionably Chelsea’s main man, also assisting Chelsea’s conclusive strike.

We’ve seen many times Palmer’s ability to channel some level of performance possible only through the boots of a select few geniuses across the globe, but there’s another who has the potential to become something special for the Stamford Bridge side, and he showed as much against PSG.

In fact, he’s demonstrating the properties which suggest he could be Maresca’s own version of one Didier Drogba.

Maresca has found Chelsea's new Drogba

Chelsea signed a certain Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion in a £60m deal a few weeks ago, and it’s been quite the whirlwind start to this new chapter of his career.

Aged 23, Pedro is one of the most talented developing forwards in Europe, and Chelsea must feel they have hit the jackpot already, with his confident efforts in the United States certainly emitting a Drogba-esque sense.

He collected and converted Palmer’s pass with a deft dink to put the scoreline beyond PSG’s reach, a goal that Drogba in his pomp would have been proud of. It was audacious, just as the Ivorian was throughout much of his time in west London.

As a result of his efforts in the final, The London Standard awarded him with an 8/10 match rating, praising his tenacity and intelligent running to outfox the opposing backline.

Joao Pedro’s Club World Cup Campaign

Match Stats

Palmeiras

Fluminense

PSG

Minutes played

36′

60′

67′

Goals

0

2

1

Assists

0

0

0

Touches

23

25

35

Shots (on target)

2 (1)

3 (2)

1 (1)

Accurate passes

11/13 (85%)

7/12 (58%)

12/18 (67%)

Key passes

2

0

1

Dribbles

2/2

0/1

1/5

Tackles + interceptions

0

1

2

Duels won

3/6

3/9

3/12

Data via Sofascore

Clinical, energetic and willing to get stuck in, Pedro has already showcased his blend of artful quality, his sharp technicality, and indeed a focus on the defensive side of the game that is reminiscent of Drogba in his Chelsea prime.

Luiz Felipe Scolari once called the Ivorian striker “one of the best in the world” during his time at Chelsea, owing to his big-game ability, work rate and robust passing game.

Pedro’s got a long way to go before he establishes a reputation of similar proportions as a Blue, but he’s off to a flyer, embodying many of those aforementioned virtues across the past week or so.

Chelsea have earned themselves a well-deserved rest ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. Maresca, indeed, has bagged two pieces of silverware and a spot in next year’s Champions League proper.

We’ve had a taste of Pedro’s quality in the final third, and though big-money strikers haven’t always made it work in Blue, this combative and complete Brazilian might just prove to be a reincarnation of Drogba.

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da realsbet： Tottenham Hotspur have now submitted an enquiry over a deal for an “explosive” star, who is expected to cost in excess of £40m this summer, according to a report.

Tottenham eye new midfielder amid doubts over Bentancur's future

da stake casino： While Tottenham secured Champions League qualification via their Europa League triumph, their Premier League performances in the 2024-25 campaign left a lot to be desired, and new manager Thomas Frank will be hoping to oversee a major turnaround.

During his first interview as Spurs boss, Frank singled out James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dominic Solanke as three players he is excited to work with, indicating the Dane is happy with the attacking midfield options at his disposal.

However, should Bentancur refuse to sign a new contract, the Uruguayan could be moved on this summer, with a move to Atletico Madrid deemed a possibility, meaning Frank may be tasked with bringing in a replacement.

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As such, according to a report from The Boot Room, Daniel Levy and Co could look to raid one of their Premier League rivals, having now submitted an enquiry over a deal for Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, who is expected to cost in excess of £40m this summer.

Elliott is ready to leave the Reds, given a lack of game time last season, and first-team opportunities are likely to be even more limited in the upcoming campaign, considering Florian Wirtz’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen.

There is widespread interest in the 22-year-old, however, which could pose a problem for Spurs, with nearly half the Premier League submitting enquiries of their own, while Jurgen Klopp is also looking to take his former player to RB Leipzig.

"Explosive" Elliott leads England U21s to glory in Slovakia

England U21s secured a second consecutive European Championships title with a 3-2 victory over Germany on Saturday, and manager Lee Carsley has the Liverpool midfielder to thank, given that he played a major role in the triumph.

The 22-year-old picked up the Player of the Tournament award, courtesy of scoring five goals en-route to glory in Slovakia, while he has also impressed Arne Slot in the past, with the Dutchman saying: “He’s so explosive with the way that he moves and with his end product. We are very lucky to have him.”

Not only that, but the former Fulham man places ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals per 90 by players in his position over the past year, and the 86th percentile for assists, showcasing the attacking threat he poses.

Elliott is now at an age where he needs to be playing regular football, and his exploits for England U21s indicate he could flourish at Tottenham, so a fee of around £40m seems very reasonable.

da blaze casino： Arsenal have just as many outgoings to sort out as new signings potentially coming through the door, with Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta revamping almost the entire squad ahead of a crucial 2025/2026 campaign.

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da pinnacle： The biggest name who appears poised to leave N5 very soon is star midfielder Thomas Partey.

The Ghanaian re-established himself as a firm favourite under Arteta last season, putting his previous injury woes behind him and making over 50 appearances in all competitions.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Partey starred in both midfield and as an emergency right-back, which proved pivotal for the Gunners as they reached the Champions League semi-finals, despite coping with the various absences of key players due to fitness issues.

His renewed form even prompted the club to open talks over an extension for the £200,000-per-week star, but according to recent reports, negotiations have hit a standstill, and it is growing increasingly likely that Partey could leave when his contract expires at the end of this month (The Athletic).

While Arsenal assess alternatives to Partey, with Sevilla’s midfield sensation Lucien Agoume repeatedly linked in the last week, the 32-year-old isn’t Arteta’s only potential next departure – following the confirmed exits of Kieran Tierney, Jorginho, Raheem Sterling and Neto.

Left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko has seemingly been deemed surplus to requirements by Arsenal’s manager after his limited appearances last season, and AC Milan are showing a very keen interest in the Ukraine international.

Oleksandr Zinchenko keen on joining AC Milan after talks

Zinchenko has reportedly held “positive” talks over a move to Atletico Madrid, but Milan are also believed to be firm contenders for the £150,000-per-week ace.

As per Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, Milan’s sporting director, Igli Tare, recently held talks with Zinchenko’s representatives, and the 28-year-old is becoming increasingly open to a San Siro move.

This comes as Milan look to sign an heir for Theo Hernandez, who could soon be joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, with Zinchenko seen as an immediate potential replacement for the Frenchman.

His high wages are the main obstacle standing between Zinchenko and a potential move to Milan, but Arsenal are apparently ready to sell the player for around £17 million, which is feasible for the Rossoneri.

Despite falling down Arteta’s pecking order in the last 12 months, Zinchenko has been a wonderful servant to Arsenal overall, and the ex-Man City defender could still have plenty to offer abroad.

“He moves out of his position and gets into little pockets to try and make things happen and this is quite incredible. You can tell that he’s played under Pep Guardiola because he plays in a similar way,” said former Arsenal defender Armand Traore to talkSPORT in 2023.

“For Arsenal, he’s been great. The second choice left-back is Kieran Tierney [and] he’s a great left-back, but at the moment he can’t get much of a game because of how great Zinchenko has been.

“He’s also great for the mentality of the whole squad because he’s won titles. I think he’s come in and been absolutely fantastic. I’m really impressed with him. He’s almost like the cherry on top [of the cake].”

da bet7k： Whilst England are lucky to have the likes of Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Phil Foden to choose from at the heart of their midfield these days, it wasn’t so long ago that Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes were all available in the engine room.

da cassino online： The current generation is special, but England’s last ‘golden generation’ still arguably had the most talent at their disposal in pursuit of a first honour since the 1966 World Cup.

It wasn’t just in midfield that the Three Lions were spoilt for talent. It’s a squad which also featured Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. And the list could go on.

Many have had their say as to why England were dumped out of the 2002 World Cup and then on penalties against Portugal at Euro 2004, including Lampard. The former England and Chelsea midfielder told reporters: “I think at times, we [the Golden Generation] were too rigid. I talk from my own personal experience of playing at World Cups against teams that were not at our level.

“I’m not talking about France and Italy, more teams like Ecuador, who were keeping the ball in midfield because they were outnumbering us in the centre of the park. The things that maybe me and Stevie [Steven Gerrard] were used to doing where we had numbers, now we are just trying to cover space and you get a bit mentally done with it in the game wondering why this is happening.”

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Outnumbered or not, there’s no denying the quality that England particularly had in the middle of the park. But finding the right balance between Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes often proved to be The Three Lions’ biggest problem, and that sparked a midfield debate which has rumbled on for decades since.

Rooney named Gerrard as his greatest ever England teammate

Having played with all three at international level and Scholes with Manchester United too, Rooney should be an expert in the age-old England midfield debate, and he delivered his official verdict to The Overlap in 2024.

Whilst praising all three, Rooney went on to reiterate that Scholes could not achieve what Gerrard did in a Liverpool side which often struggled to compete with the very top honours: “All were world-class players. Stevie could come to Manchester United and be a top player and do what Scholes could do. But I don’t think Scholes could do what Stevie did at Liverpool.”

Premier League

Gerrard

Lampard

Scholes

Appearances

504

611

499

Goals

121

177

107

Assists

97

116

61

League titles

0

3

11

The numbers certainly don’t help to end the debate after Rooney’s verdict, but what they do highlight is England’s clear failure with all three at their disposal in a golden generation.

da pixbet： Rangers are believed to be interested in completing the signing of a “very interesting” attacking player in the summer transfer window.

Martin desperate to keep key players

da betsson： Russell Martin is looking to nail his summer transfer business at Ibrox, having been confirmed as the Gers’ new manager last week, following a lengthy search for the right choice.

The Englishman will no doubt be eyeing new signings, but for now, he is equally focused on retaining the services of key current players.

“We have to try and keep our best players. I think we’re all really aligned with that. So unless things come in that really help the club to build and move forward, I don’t think it’s a necessity to do that [sell] at all. That’s my understanding of it. And we’ve all been really clear on it. So we’ll just have to wait and see. But I’m looking forward to working with those guys. There are a few positions where we’ll need to strengthen fairly quickly and fairly early on.”

In terms of players who have been mentioned as potential signings, Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes could be Martin’s first addition as Rangers manager, having worked with him at St Mary’s already, but it appears first up on the agenda is a new number nine.

Rangers want to sign "very interesting" attacker

According to a new report from 24 Sata, Rangers are interested in signing Westerlo forward Matija Frigan this summer, as Martin looks to bolster his attacking options. The 22-year-old is seen as an exciting option for the Scottish Premiership giants, with his performances for his current club being noticed on the “big stage” by clubs around Europe.

Frigan could be a great young signing for Rangers, having been described as a “very interesting” attacking player by scout Jacek Kulig in the past.

The Croatian has outlined his goalscoring prowess throughout his career, not least when he netted 15 times in just 32 appearances for HNK Rijeka, and he has made a total of 25 appearances across various youth levels for his country.

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At 22, Frigan’s best years are still likely to be ahead of him, too, so Rangers would be acquiring the services of a player who could be a star at Ibrox for a long time to come.

Matija Frigan’s international stats

Caps

Goals

Croatia Under-21s

15

2

Croatia Under-19s

8

4

Croatia Under-18s

2

3

His tally of 13 goals for Westerlo in the Jupiler Pro League in 2024/25 was superior to any Rangers player in the Scottish Premiership, further suggesting he could be an upgrade on the current options.