Manchester City’s spending spree is only just getting started.

On Monday, the Sky Blues unveiled Rayan Aït-Nouri as their first summer signing, arriving for a reported £31m from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the Algerian international left-back eligible to debut in the Citizens’ Club World Cup opener against Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia next Wednesday.

Meantime, widespread reports suggest that Tijjani Reijnders will arrive from AC Milan for £46.3m, with more signings on the way too, so could a high-profile Man City stalwart be on his way out, possibly to a Premier League rival, to make way for these new recruits?

What Rayan Cherki will bring to Manchester City

David Ornstein of The Athletic reported last week that Manchester City had ‘reached an agreement’ with Olympique Lyonnais over the signing of Rayan Cherki, agreeing to pay around £34m.

Rob Dawson and Julien Laurens of ESPN claimed that Man City were hoping to finalise the deal in time for Cherki to feature during the Club World Cup group stages, with that move having now been confirmed by the club ahead of the deadline.

In terms of what City’s latest arrival will bring to the Etihad, Stuart James and Tom Williams of the Athletic believe that the 21-year-old possesses a mesmeric ‘capacity to enthral’, labelling him ‘precociously talented’ and citing former Lyon manager Fabio Grosso, who asserted that “god has given him incredible qualities”.

Those traits were notably on show during Lyon’s gripping Europa League quarter-final tie with Manchester United earlier this year, with the youngster scoring a last-gasp equaliser in the first leg, prior to also netting a stunning, driven effort from range in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford.

Described as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, the fleet-footed genius looks destined to be a star under Guardiola’s watch over the coming years.

And so, with such a high-quality midfield talent on his way to the Etihad, could a current Man City star be forced out?

The Man City star destined to depart

As noted by Mark Critchley and Ben Burrows of The Athletic, Jack Grealish has been left out of Manchester City’s squad for this summer’s Club World Cup, thereby not set to travel to the United States, suggesting he is highly likely to leave the club this summer.

Back in December, Richard Jolly of the Independent outlined how, during his four years at the club, Grealish had gone from ‘one of the most exciting attacking players in world football’ to now a player ‘who is neither exciting nor attacking’.

The table below highlights the England international’s decrease in importance.

Appearances

39

50

36

32

Starts

31

41

26

16

Matches an unused sub

11

5

12

15

Minutes

2,730

3,487

2,114

1,521

Goals

6

5

3

3

Assists

4

11

3

5

England caps

11

9

4

3

As the table notes, Grealish was an integral player for Man City during his first two seasons, but the last two he has been nothing more than a peripheral figure.

David O’Brien believes he was “exceptional” during his early years at Man City, but Alex Brotherton of BBC Sport notes that now ‘is the right time to move on’ as he seeks to save his career.

The fact he was an unused substitute in the FA Cup Final, a match they lost 1-0 to Manchester City, is widely considered to be the final nail in the coffin – as too is the arrival of another playmaker in Cherki.

For instance, Cherki racked up 32 goals and assists in all competitions in 2024/25 at Lyon, including 19 goals and assists in league action. Grealish – as noted in the table – was only able to record eight goals and assists, only two of which came in the Premier League. A move away now appears an inevitability.

Indeed, reports in Spain suggest that Newcastle United ‘have set their sights’ on signing him, looking to lodge a bid that would comprise an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy of around £67m.

Ben Jacobs of Talk Sport also claims that both Tottenham and Everton ‘hold a genuine’ interest in signing Grealish too, with Gillian Kasirye of Total Football Analysis documenting how his ‘exceptional ball-carrying ability’ would make him perfect for Spurs.

Thus, Grealish’s Man City exit is likely to be one of the stories of the summer but, regardless of where he ends up, he has surely played his last game in sky blue, with Cherki a readymade, exciting replacement.

Man City now lining up surprise move to sign £35,000-p/w Chelsea goalkeeper

Man City have set their sights on signing a goalkeeper who is way down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 9, 2025

Everton manager David Moyes faces a few challenges this summer, most notably set to lose a number of players, experienced ones at that, with Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin out of contract at the end of this month.

With both looking likely to depart, Moyes will need to bring in replacements to bolster his defensive and attacking options.

Jack Grealish could reportedly head to the Toffees, although his wage demands and asking price may deter the Merseyside club.

Another player who Moyes is keen on is Villarreal star Thierno Barry, and he could strengthen Everton’s frontline.

The club are also considering a move for another forward, however, and he could be an even better signing than Barry.

Everton considering move for Barry upgrade

Much will depend on the money that Moyes has available to him this summer. With Profit and Sustainability regulations to be mindful of, the manager will have to spend wisely.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Everton are now considering making a move for Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade in a bid to bolster their attack.

The Bundesliga striker would be available for a transfer fee of £42m. Whether this is in Moyes’ budget remains to be seen.

He is exactly what the club needs, however. Everton finished the 2024/25 Premier League season with just 42 goals scored, the lowest of any team outside the relegation zone.

As such, a move for Woltemade could be vital if Moyes aims to get his team scoring more next term.

How Nick Woltemade compares to Thierno Barry

Barry scored 16 goals for Villarreal last season, having made the move from FC Basel in the summer. He is also capable of playing out on the right wing, a position which Moyes is desperate to strengthen in the summer.

While the Frenchman would be an excellent signing, pursuing Woltemade is perhaps the better idea.

In their respective domestic leagues last season, the German not only registered a better shots on target percentage (50% vs 36%) than Barry, but he also recorded more shots on target per 90 (1.28 vs 1.09) and registered way more shot-creating actions (4.38 vs 1.78) than the versatile Frenchman.

Woltemade also recorded a 25% goal conversion rate in the Bundesliga last term, whereas Barry’s was only 15% in La Liga.

Transfer Focus

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

The German also created more big chances (eight vs seven) and succeeded with more dribbles (1.1 vs 0.5) domestically.

These statistics point towards Woltemade being the most attractive signing for Moyes this summer.

Metric

Barry

Woltemade

Goals

11

12

Assists

4

2

Big chances created

7

8

Key passes per game

0.7

1.3

Shots per game

2.1

1.8

Scoring frequency (minutes)

211

136

Hailed by U23 scout Antonio Mango as “exceptional” following a stunning season for Stuttgart, Moyes would be signing a player with a bright future indeed.

Everton aren’t his only suitors, however, and this could make life difficult for the manager as he eyes up a swoop.

He could be an incredible signing and would prove that the Toffees mean business next season in the Premier League.

The next few weeks will be interesting to say the least. Watch this space, Everton fans.

Everton willing to pay large fee to sign star with over 100 PL appearances

The Toffees could turn to a familiar face…

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 13, 2025

It wouldn’t be all that controversial to claim that this season was a bit of a bust for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s men did well to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, but failing to win a domestic cup and finishing ten points off Premier League champions Liverpool was undeniably disappointing.

However, while the Gunners’ attack failed to spark this year, there were still some players who could go into the summer with their heads held high, like Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain was a force of nature in the middle of the park and was justifiably named the club’s Player of the Year for his efforts.

Fortunately, he could get even better next year, as reports have now heavily linked Arsenal to a dangerous goalscorer who’d be a dream teammate for the Englishman.

Arsenal target prolific goalscorers

As Arsenal still managed to create the best defence in the Premier League during their lacklustre campaign, it’s hardly a surprise that most of the players they have been linked with in recent weeks and months have been goalscorers.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

For example, the most significant saga for the North Londoners so far has been around Benjamin Sesko, who scored 21 goals for RB Leipzig in 45 games this year.

Then, off the left, the primary target seems to be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, who’s scored 14 goals in 52 games for the Spanish giants.

Interestingly, the Gunners were even linked with Bryan Mbeumo, who found the back of the net 20 times in 42 games for Brentford this year, at one point this summer.

Yet, another name has now firmly reentered the picture, and when it comes to scoring goals, nobody can hold a candle to him: Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Portuguese outlet Record, as relayed by Sport Witness, the Sporting CP star is now desperate to leave the club and join Arsenal this summer.

The report has revealed that the striker has expressed his desire to the Lisbon side’s president and informed them that he would not be returning to the club this summer in an attempt to force their hand into accepting offers totalling €70m, which comes to £60m, and stands at around €5m – £4m – less than the unofficial offer the Gunners made prior, per the report.

It might be an expensive transfer for Arsenal to get over the line, but given Gyokeres’ unreal ability in front of goal, it’s one they should pursue, especially as he could be a superb teammate for Rice.

Why Gyokeres would be a dream teammate for Rice

It will come as no surprise that the number one reason Gyokeres would be a dream teammate for Rice is his utterly absurd output, but there are two reasons for this, and the first is that he’d surely help the midfielder improve his own output.

For example, in just 52 appearances for Sporting this season, totalling 4248 minutes, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, was able to score 54 goals and provide 13 assists, which comes out to an out of this world average of 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes.

Just imagine a striker as devastatingly effective as the Swedish international playing ahead of the Englishman, who has himself become more of an attacking threat since becoming the team’s left-eight; he’d certainly rack up more assists than the ten he managed this year and probably even a few more goals than the nine he scored to boot.

Gyokeres’ 24/25

Appearances

52

Minutes

4248′

Goals

54

Assists

13

Goal Involvements per Match

1.28

Minutes per Goal Involvement

63.40′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

On top of helping his own tally, though, it would also be a serious signal of intent to bring in someone so prolific and hopefully be the difference in getting the team over the line next year, in turn putting any potential doubt that the 25-year-old could start to have to rest.

Finally, on top of the mountain of goals the former Coventry City star might bring to the Emirates, he could also allow the Englishman the space to further develop his skills as a proper out-and-out left-eight.

We say this as the Sporting star’s heatmap from this season shows that he doesn’t drop into midfield very much at all, instead preferring to spend time in and around the penalty area, which in turn should give the former Irons star space to operate in without worrying about where his striker is.

Ultimately, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Gyokeres this summer, as not only could he fire the team to glory, but he could also help Rice reach another level entirely.

Related Arteta's own Mbeumo: Arsenal hold talks to sign £85m "generational talent"

The sensational attacker would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

The new feature will kick in for the 16th and 17th overs of the innings, during which only four fielders will be allowed outside the ring

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2024Matches at LPL 2024 will feature two additional powerplay overs at the death. The two “power-blast overs”, which will be the 16th and 17th overs of each completed innings, will have a maximum of four fielders outside the 30-yard circle. This is in addition to the usual powerplay in the first six, where only two fielders are allowed outside the circle.The new feature is designed to create “a more aggressive and thrilling phase of the game”, according to a LPL statement. “We decided to bring this innovation in order to create further excitement for the league, which is growing year by year,” Samantha Dodanwela, the LPL’s tournament director, said in the statement. “This new introduction is sure to generate a lot of excitement among the fans, and the teams will need to strategise effectively to make the most of this period.”Outside of the two sets of power overs, a maximum of five fielders, as per normal, can be in the outfield.LPL 2024 will run from July 1 to 21, clashing in large part with the USA’s Major League Cricket. The latter will feature more high-profile overseas names; the LPL has traditionally struggled to attract foreign talent, given the money on offer, but enjoys some popularity among local fans.The 2024 season, the fifth edition of the tournament, will comprise 20 league matches between five franchises, followed by three playoffs and the final. Each team will play each other twice in the league stage, before four of the five teams make the playoffs.Among the teams is Dambulla’s new franchise, Dambulla Sixers. The Dambulla team’s change in ownership was announced earlier this month, after Sri Lanka Cricket was forced to terminate the previous franchise because one of the co-owners – Tamim Rahman – was arrested by Sri Lanka police under the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act.

Sri Lanka have given their women’s T20I side a youthful overhaul ahead of the three-match series against West Indies, making six changes to the side that competed in last month’s T20 World Cup qualifiers. Among them are the under-25 trio of Imesha Dulani, Sachini Nisansala and Kaushini Nuthyangana – they have eight T20Is between them – and the uncapped 17 year-old Rashmika Sewwandi. There are also recalls for the veteran pair of Oshadi Ranasinghe and Ama Kanchana, who last turned out for a T20I in September and February 2023 respectively.Making way are Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera, Hansima Karunaratne, Anushka Sanjeewani and Achini Kulasuriya. Of these, the omissions of Sanjeewani and Kulasuriya are likely to raise eyebrows after both had made their mark in the recently concluded ODI series against the West Indies.Kulasuriya had taken three wickets across the first and second ODIs before being rotated out in the third. Her economical spells had also played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s unbeaten run in the qualifiers. Sanjeewani meanwhile had seemingly smashed her way out of a lean patch with a match-defining 46-ball 55 two days ago.On the whole, the exclusions and their replacements have seen the average age of the squad drop from 29.4 to 26.25. Sewwandi, a batting allrounder, joins 15 year-old Shashini Gimhani – who made her debut in the qualifiers – in the 16-member squad, while there are now just six players above the age of 30.Despite these changes though, the batting unit remains as solid as ever, led by Chamari Athapaththu. Vishmi Gunaratne, still just 18, has already nailed down a spot at the top of the order, while the likes of Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Nilakshi de Silva and Kavisha Dilhari were all in the runs during the West Indies ODIs. There could also be game time for Dulani and allrounder Sewwandi, along with Nuthyangana, who is the only recognised wicketkeeper in the squad.The spin department as ever is stacked, and will be headed by the experienced trio of Ranasinghe, Inoshi Fernando and Sugandika Kumari. They will be supplemented by wristspinner Gimhani and left-arm spinner Nisansala – fresh off a five-wicket haul in her last ODI – while also being able to call on the services of Dilhari and Athapaththu. Meanwhile Kanchana, Kawya Kavindi and Sewwandi are the seam bowling options.The first T20I will take place in Hambantota on June 24 followed by the second and third matches on June 26 and 28.

Sri Lanka women’s T20I squad

Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Nilakshi De Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Inoshi Fernando, Sugandika Kumari, Ama Kanchana, Rashmika Sewwandi, Imesha Dulani, Shashini Gimhani, Kawya Kavindi, Sachini Nisansala, Kaushini Nuthyangana

Leeds United have had some brilliant academy products down the years, but one youngster they’ve had on their books has not reached his potential after being likened to Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney at youth level.

Leeds’ best ever academy products

The Whites have been responsible for producing a number of well-known Premier League players over the last 30 years from their famous academy. Some, as a result of the club’s well-documented financial problems in the early 2000’s, made their name known at first team level elsewhere.

Leeds United's most expensive sales of all time

A look at the record departures from Elland Road.

By
Charlie Smith

Oct 3, 2025

Meanwhile, others have impressed at Elland Road before being snapped up in the transfer market, the latest being Archie Gray, who joined Tottenham in 2024 in a deal thought to be worth £40m.

Leeds’ best academy products in pictures

Right now, Leeds have Archie’s younger brother, Harry Gray, coming through the ranks, and he actually made his first-team debut at the age of 16 years, 6 months, and 13 days.

	Leeds United’s youngest ever players	Age at debut
1	Peter Lorimer	15 years, 9 months and 19 days
2	Tom Elliott	16 years, 2 months and 25 days
3	Aaron Lennon	16 years, 4 months and 7 days
4	Harry Gray	16 years, 6 months, and 13 days
5	James Milner	16 years, 10 months and 6 days
6	Neil Aspin	16 years, 10 months and 8 days
7	Aidy White	16 years, 10 months and 16 days
8	Simon Walton	16 years, 10 months and 25 days
9	Jimmy Greenhoff	16 years, 10 months and 26 days
10	Ryan Edmondson	16 years, 11 months and 16 days

Those in Yorkshire will be hoping they can keep hold of the forward, who is already being likened to Michael Owen and Harry Kane, but one attacker who hasn’t lived up to the hype has been Joe Gelhardt.

Leeds talent set to be sold after Gerrard and Rooney comparisons

Many expected big things when Leeds swooped to sign Gelhardt from Wigan Athletic in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa following the club’s promotion to the Premier League. A deal for the exciting teenager cost the Whites just £1m, and he would progress into the first team, making his top flight debut in 2021.

The attacker has gone on to score just three goals for the Whites, one of which being a stoppage-time winner against Norwich City, while he also produced a piece of brilliant skill which helped keep Leeds in the Premier League in 2022.

However, Gelhardt has struggled for consistency and has been sent out on loan to Sunderland and Hull City, and now looks set to be sold on a permanent basis in 2025 if a club comes in with an offer in the region of £3m-£4m.

Long-time Merseyside Boys’ manager Tim Wyatt even said that Gelhardt caught the eye just as much as Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney did when they were all 14 years of age.

Wigan’s former head of academy and now sporting director Gregor Rioch was also full of praise for Gelhardt while he was at the Latics, saying he “had the X-factor”.

It’s a case of what could have been for Gelhardt at Elland Road, and still just 23 years of age, he’ll be looking to get his career back on track elsewhere.

Filer, Wellington, Knight star for Storm but skipper prevails for hosts

ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2024

Georgia Adams was in the runs and wickets•Getty Images

Southern Vipers 137 for 9 (Adams 55, Knott 37, Filer 3-8, Wellington 3-17) beat Western Storm 119 (Knight 69, Adams 3-23, Dean 3-24) by 19 runsGeorgia Adams produced a superb all-round performance with bat and ball to guide Southern Vipers to a 19-run victory over Western Storm in an enthralling Charlotte Edwards Cup contest at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium.Heather Knight had scored 69 from 56 balls and was threatening to win the game for Storm when Adams struck a crucial blow by claiming her wicket in the penultimate over. The Vipers captain finished with figures of 2 for 23, while fellow spinner Charlie Dean took 3 for 24 as the home side were bowled out for 119 in 20 overs.Adams had earlier top-scored with a 40-ball 55, mustered six fours and a six and helped stage a progressive stand of 55 in 6.1 overs with Charli Knott as the visitors posted 137-9 after losing the toss.Lauren Filer produced her best performance of the season, taking 3 for 8 in four overs, while overseas leg spinner Amanda Jade Wellington returned figures of 3 for 17 and Sophia Smale claimed 2 for 28 to keep Storm in with a chance at the halfway stage.But Vipers held their nerve in a close finish, spinners Adams, Dean, Knott and Linsey Smith making the difference to keep the defending champions on course for a place in the knockout stages.Vipers posted 41 in the powerplay for the loss of Maia Bouchier and Georgia Elwiss. Restored to Storm’s attack, pace spearhead Filer made an immediate impact, having England team-mate Bouchier held at mid-on without scoring, while Elwiss succumbed to Smale’s slow left arm, chipping to short extra and departing for nine.Fortunately for the visitors, Knott and Adams were able to harvest sufficient boundaries from the other bowlers to remain in credit, the former carving Ellie Anderson over cover point and then straight-hitting her for an imposing six on a ground where she made a magnificent hundred in a 50-over contest only last month.Storm deployed spin at both ends in a bid to stem the flow, only for Adams and Knott to each plunder a six at the expense of Chloe Skelton as the eighth over yielded 20 runs. The 50 partnership occupied just 32 balls and the home side no doubt breathed a collective sigh of relief when Knott, having raised 37 from 29 balls with four fours and two sixes, advanced down the pitch to fellow Australian Wellington and was comprehensively stumped in the tenth with the score on 78.That quickly became 81 for 4 in the next over when Freya Kemp, playing back to a fullish delivery from Filer, dislodged a bale and was given out. Wellington then had Charlie Dean caught at the wicket in the act of cutting, at which point Vipers were 84 for 5, having lost three wickets in the space of 12 balls. Well and truly back in the game, Storm piled on more pressure, Filer clean bowling Nancy Harman to further reduce Vipers to 96 for 6 in the fifteenth.Alice Monaghan holed out to long-on off the bowling of Wellington for 11, but the redoubtable Adams remained at large, pulling Smale to move to a 37-ball 50 via her fifth four. By the time she departed in the penultimate over, caught on the long-on boundary off Smale, Vipers were assured a competitive total.Storm made a shaky start to their chase, Nat Wraith and Fran Wilson falling to successive deliveries from slow left armer Smith in the third over, but Knight remained unfazed as she plundered six boundaries in a powerplay that yielded a healthy return of 43 runs.Cast in a supporting role in a third-wicket stand of 54, Sophie Luff was pinned lbw by Dean with the the score on 54 in the ninth, but Knight continued to trade ostensibly in boundaries as Storm reached the halfway point on 71-3, requiring a further 68 from 60 deliveries.Knight went to 50 from 43 balls, but Knott had compatriot Wellington caught at short fine leg and Dean bowled Niamh Holland and Issy Wong with successive deliveries to reduce Storm to 93 for 6 in the fifteenth as Vipers deployed spin to build pressure during the middle overs.Requiring 45 off the last five overs, Storm were now almost totally dependent upon experienced campaigner Knight. But the England captain was rapidly running out of partners, Smale holing out to long on off the bowling of Adams, who then put down a tough return catch to afford Knight a life on 62.Storm still needed 24 off two overs when Knight attempted to straight-drive Adams for six and was brilliantly held by Monaghan on the boundary. Adams then removed Filer with the next delivery to put the outcome beyond doubt.

The start of this season felt unusually tough for Arsenal, with visits to Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City all within the first month and a half.

Unfortunately, next year looks set to be just as tough, with an opening game away to Manchester United quickly followed by games against Liverpool and City.

So, the best way for Andrea Berta and Co to help Mikel Arteta and his side prepare for a gruelling introduction to the 25/26 Premier League season is by signing some seriously talented players who’ll elevate the squad.

Fortunately, recent reports have linked the Gunners to an incredibly exciting left-winger who’d do just that, although it would be bad news for Gabriel Martinelli.

Arsenal's winger search

While most fans have been crying out for Arsenal to sign a striker for a couple of windows now, it’s arguably just as important that they add at least one more wide player to the squad this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

It appears that that’s an opinion shared by the club, as in recent weeks and months, countless reports have linked them to incredible talents like Nico Williams and Bradley Barcola.

However, with the former now looking like he’s on his way to Barcelona and the latter now a target for German behemoths Bayern Munich, the North Londoners might need to look elsewhere, which could explain the links to Kenan Yıldız.

According to reports from JuveFC, Arsenal are now interested in Juventus’ young dynamo.

The report claims that the Gunners and London rivals Chelsea have ‘re-engaged in discussions’ to assess the possibility of signing the talented winger this summer.

Interestingly, the report claims that as the Old Lady do not want to sell the Turkish talent, they have placed a price tag of €100m – £85m – on his head, and yet it also states that offers in the region of €70m – £60m – might be considered.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, it’s one Arsenal should pursue, especially as he’d be an upgrade on Martinelli.

How Yıldız compares to Martinelli

Now, one of Yıldız’s biggest strengths is that he can play in several positions, be that in midfield, up top, second striker and off the right, but his natural and most played position is left-wing, which is where he’d sure play at Arsenal.

Therefore, his primary competitor for game time in North London would be Martinelli, so how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes to pure output, it is the Juventus star who comes out on top, as in 49 appearances, totalling 3332 minutes, the “magnificent” gem, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored ten goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 2.88 games, or every 196 minutes.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 11 scored ten goals and provided six assists in 51 appearances, totalling 3564 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.18 games, or every 222.75 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Brazilian international, the comparison only becomes more one-sided when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.43

0.38

Progressive Passes

4.33

1.87

Progressive Carries

4.24

4.69

Shots

2.41

2.12

Shots on Target

0.75

0.94

Passing Accuracy

79.7%

71.4%

Key Passes

1.81

1.56

Passes into the Final Third

2.55

0.47

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.72

1.40

Live Passes

38.4

25.4

Shot-Creating Actions

4.33

2.90

Goal-Creating Actions

0.36

0.25

Tackles

1.99

0.92

Blocks

0.98

0.73

Interceptions

0.38

0.16

Clearances

0.45

0.70

Successful Take-Ons

2.40

1.48

Ball Recoveries

4.87

3.10

For example, while he does better in a couple of metrics like shots on target and progressive carries, the young Turkish star does far better in almost every other relevant statistic, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, shot and goal-creating actions, shots, passing accuracy, key passes, tackles and many, many more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Martinelli could remain an incredibly useful squad player next season, it’s clear that Yıldız is the far superior winger in practically every metric and four years his junior, so Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign him this summer.

He'd make Saka more unplayable: Arsenal open talks to sign £90m "machine"

Arsenal could make Saka even more unplayable by signing a £90m star.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 19, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and his recruitment team are attempting to navigate a competitive summer transfer market, with a few key items on the agenda for new manager Thomas Frank ahead of a vital 2025/2026 campaign.

Their qualification for next season’s Champions League comes as an almighty boost for the Lilywhites when it comes to bringing in fresh squad upgrades.

Tottenham eyeing experienced £9m club captain after public exit admission

Daniel Levy has been made aware of a potential bargain.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 20, 2025

Spurs are set for a significant financial windfall after booking their place in Europe’s most prestigious competition, and they’ve already put some of it to good use by sealing a cut-price £30 million permanent deal for Mathys Tel.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Tel won’t be their only forward signing either, with Tottenham on the lookout for fresh wingers who could replace current club captain Son Heung-min, who may well have already played his last competitive game for them.

“Son could very well have played his last game for Tottenham, and well, if it was the Europa League final, it would be fitting,” said journalist Graeme Bailey to TBR Football recently.

“I am told he still believes he is more than capable of recapturing his best form – but Spurs are ready to make moves this summer and Son leaving could materialise.”

West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus, Man City star Jack Grealish, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, Southampton’s Tyler Dibling and Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked with moves to north London in the past week, as Levy and technical director Johan Lange assess which deal is best suited to the club.

One area of the squad you’d think would be far down their priority list, in terms of strengthening, is at full-back.

Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Ben Davies and Archie Gray – who can play right-back – are all available for Frank to utilise on the flanks, but Spurs are aware of their need for more locally trained players.to comply with Champions League squad rules.

They currently have just one club-trained player in goalkeeper Brandon Austin when they need to register four players who suit that criteria, otherwise their 25-man Champions League squad is in danger of becoming a 22-man one (Alasdair Gold).

Tottenham could make "clever" signing in former defender Kyle Walker-Peters

Bearing this in mind, Levy and co are contemplating a “clever” move to re-sign former defender and soon-to-be free agent, Kyle Walker-Peters, to fill one of the club-trained player spots.

The Englishman would count as a club-trained player as he came through the Hotspur Way academy, and according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold, Walker-Peters himself is pretty keen on a move back to Tottenham.

“The one I do believe they have considered for this summer is Kyle Walker-Peters,” he said on the Gold and Guest talk Tottenham podcast.

“He’s had a terrific career, over 200 appearances for Southampton, a Premier League regular for a lot of that. I think he has a couple of England caps as well.

“On one side, the full-back spots are pretty busy right now, there are a lot of full-backs there, but as the window goes on, if he’s not been snapped up yet, I can see it as a clever solution, he’s club-trained, he can play on both sides, and from my understanding I think he would love to come back to Spurs as well, they’re his boyhood club.”

The 28-year-old would be an experienced option at zero cost with his deal expiring in just nine days, but it would surely require one of the other full-backs to head out on loan or depart the club permanently.

With Spence able to play at left-back when required, perhaps the best solution would be to part company with Davies for a small fee. The Welshman has proved a reliable squad member and faithful servant over the course of his long stay at Tottenham, but with the 96-cap international’s contract expiring next summer, it could be a smart business decision.

Liverpool fell by the wayside under Arne Slot’s wing last season, the Dutch tactician getting the sack as the Anfield side failed to qualify for the Champions League and went without silverware.

That paragraph is completely, painfully incorrect, but it perhaps conveys the result that rivals had hoped for and expected after Jurgen Klopp packed his bags and left Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 term.

Liverpool might have lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, but things are going well indeed, with the Reds revelling in the glory of winning the Premier League and now making staggering moves in the transfer market.

FSG are planning for extensive changes this summer, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is sure to be the cream of the crop, currently in the process of signing for the Merseysiders.

However, Liverpool need new forwards too. Wirtz is technically an attacker, but he’s more of a playmaker, a string puller.

Liverpool looking for new forwards

With Luis Diaz potentially leaving Liverpool this summer, courted by Barcelona and Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, Reds sporting director Richard Hughes may want to turn toward a new wideman.

And if recent reports are to be believed, Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon is one of Liverpool’s top targets to replace their Colombian talent.

Gordon, however, has struggled to recapture his form from 2023/24, and given the Magpies want £80m for his sale, Liverpool might be better off focusing their time and resources elsewhere.

Though the England international’s dynamism and ability to shift across the frontline is something which echoes Diaz, who has played a false nine role at times in Slot’s set-up, there might be another option on the market who can play that Bobby Firmino-esque role.

Though Wirtz would be the obvious pick for such a position, he might actually be placed on the wing during his Liverpool career, for his ball-carrying skills are “out of this world”, according to one data analyst.

Real Madrid star Rodrygo faces an uncertain future at the Santiago Bernabeu, and while Arsenal are interested in striking a deal for the Brazilian, Liverpool have also been credited with an interest last month, holding discussions to ascertain the feasibility of launching an official bid.

But given Los Blancos would be hoping to bank around €100m (£84m) for the 24-year-old’s sale, FSG would need to be certain he’s the man for the job.

Luckily, Rodrygo ticks all the boxes, and could be the perfect fit.

Why Liverpool should sign Rodrygo

Real Madrid signed Rodrygo from Brasileiro Serie A giants Santos in a deal worth €45m (£39m) back in 2019, when the talented young forward turned 18.

He’s been immense in white, praised as a “world-class superstar” by former teammate Luka Modric. Rodrygo perhaps doesn’t get the acclaim teammates like Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham reap, but then he’s often placed on the right flank, which he doesn’t enjoy.

That’s because it inhibits the right-footer’s goalscoring, and given that Mohamed Salah has extended his Liverpool contract by two years, the Brazil star shouldn’t have that problem, instead allowed to play on the left or in the false nine role that Diaz has performed across the past year.

Right winger

145

34

30

Centre-forward

82

22

8

Left winger

78

23

16

Attacking midfield

4

–

1

It’s not as if he hasn’t played in the centre before, and with such dynamic technical qualities, Rodrygo could become Salah’s new Firmino, ranking as he does among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, as per FBref.

Regarded as a “magician” by Statman Dave, the £202k-per-week talent has a similar silkiness to his compatriot, who in his Liverpool pomp was one of the most elegant and influential forwards in the business.

Excitingly, Rodrygo is also a superior finisher to Firmino, evidenced by his missing just one big chance in La Liga this season, converting six big chances, as per Sofascore.

Moreover, he’s one of the definitive big-game players of his generation, as evidenced by his immense record in the Champions League knockout rounds.

As Liverpool look to clinch number seven in the coming years, Rodrygo’s profile would be doubly important. You’d have to say, his record and indeed future potential suggest Liverpool would be better off moving for him than pushing ahead with a move for Newcastle’s Gordon.

With Salah likely entering the penultimate year of his legendary Liverpool career, finding the right formula to win the Champions League is going to be crucial for the Egyptian, who would certainly relish the opportunity to play alongside a seasoned continental star like Rodrygo.

And further to the point, Rodrygo’s finishing could find the perfect battery power in Salah, who stormed his way toward the Premier League Playmaker award this season, scoring 34 goals from 52 matches in all competitions but also laying on 23 assists.

Two years ago, Salah declared his departing Brazilian peer would be remembered as one of “the best players to ever play for Liverpool”, and now he could find a new incarnation of Bobby Dazzler in Rodrygo.

Only a few months ago, in March, Jude Bellingham claimed Rodrygo is “the most gifted player in the squad.”

It’s clear that Rodrygo isn’t drawing the praise he perhaps deserves, and if Liverpool were to make their move, he could become a bona fide superstar in the Premier League, acting as the connective force in the frontline to elevate Salah and combine with Wirtz.

Rodrygo, for sure, could emulate his iconic countryman Firmino and become a staple of the incipient era at Anfield.

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