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

Jaka Bijol completes Leeds move

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leeds make formal approach to sign Natan

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

49ers readying record Leeds bid to sign "strong" top target for Farke

Leeds have not given up on signing their top striker target this summer.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 24, 2025

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

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

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

Tottenham Hotspur have commenced their official search for Ange Postecoglou’s replacement after months of speculation about the Australian’s long-term future, with Spurs announcing on Friday that they’ve parted company.

Daniel Levy slammed for sacking Ange Postecoglou

It is safe to say that chairman Daniel Levy’s controversial decision to sack Postecoglou has been met with fierce criticism.

Levy "impressed" after holding Tottenham talks with £4.5m-per-year manager

The Spurs chairman has taken a personal liking to him.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 7, 2025

According to The Telegraph, Spurs’ squad themselves are furious about the call to hand Postecoglou his P45, just over a fortnight after he helped to end the club’s 17-year wait for major silverware and qualify for the Champions League.

Son Heung-min called Postecoglou a Spurs legend and bid him farewell in an emotional goodbye message on Instagram, and he’s not the only Lilywhites star to come out in support of the former Celtic boss over these last few weeks.

“Always listen to the room. Pedro Porro said keeping Postecoglou would be good for the dressing room, while James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray all publicly backed him. It all links to that famous saying: if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” said Sky Sports journalist Sam Blitz in a critique of Postecoglou’s exit.

“Yes, Postecoglou had his faults – the league form was a shambles. But his season objectives last August would have been to get into the Champions League and win a trophy.

“He did that, albeit in a fortunate way. And he even went against his ‘Angeball’ principles to achieve it – showing he could be developing into more than the stubborn manager with one plan. In getting rid of the Australian, Levy is back to square one. And whoever he brings in faces an uphill struggle.

“If you’re Thomas Frank or Andoni Iraola, you should look at when Nuno Espírito Santo – an experienced manager who took outsiders into Europe – took the step-up to that role. He lasted 17 games.”

It is actually hard to argue with this assessment, but as Levy’s remorseless scythe swings again on the Spurs managerial merry-go-round, another tactician must now step into Postecoglou’s shoes.

Daniel Levy decides on Thomas Frank as Tottenham talks advance

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Tottenham are expected to advance in talks with Frank, who would make the serious step-up from Brentford to manage a side competing in the Champions League next season.

According to Tottenham News, Levy has now “settled” on Frank as his preferred manager to replace Postecoglou, so it appears the north Londoners are prioritising a move for him right now.

The Dane’s has led Brentford through solid campaigns on a shoe-string budget, perhaps appealing to Levy in the process, but reservations lie with his lack of top-level pedigree or trophy-winning experience.

Levy will also have to pay Brentford around £8 million to hire Frank by triggering his release clause.

Chelsea securing qualification for the Champions League next season means Enzo Maresca will be able to entice a greater calibre of players to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Of course, that hasn’t exactly been a problem over the previous year or two, but returning to Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2022/23 should give all at the club a massive boost of confidence.

The rumour mill has already begun as several players have been linked with a move to the Blues and the window isn’t even open yet.

Indeed, Marc Guehi is reportedly a player routinely linked with a move to Chelsea and this may accelerate following their fourth-place finish in the Premier League.

Maresca is also looking for another striker or two. Victor Osimhen appears to be a key target, as does Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap. The latter is available for a fee of just £30m due to his club’s relegation from the top flight.

Another player has emerged as a potential signing recently, however, as Brighton and Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro is the latest attacking player to be linked with a move to Chelsea.

Chelsea eyeing move for Joao Pedro

According to reports from Brazil last week, the Blues have made an offer worth £51m to sign the Brazilian. It appears as though the club are attempting to ‘speed up negotiations’ in a bid to have him ready for the upcoming Club World Cup which begins in June.

Pedro wasn’t involved in Brighton’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur on the last day of the Premier League season following a ‘training ground altercation’ with teammate Jan Paul van Hecke.

The Seagulls look certain to cash in on him sooner rather than later, with the Blues jumping to the front of the queue.

Since joining the club in the summer of 2023, the 23-year-old has registered 40 goal contributions in just 70 matches – 30 goals and ten assists – which represents an excellent return.

This season has been particularly productive, netting ten goals in 27 league games, and these helped the Seasiders to an eighth-place finish in the top flight.

It would be a smart signing by Maresca to bring the former Watford man back to London. He knows the Premier League and, as evidenced over the previous two seasons, knows where the back of the net is.

Money will be available for the manager, that’s for sure. But should a chunk be spent on Pedro? Or is there another option out there which might be a better long-term signing?

Chelsea have held talks over Pedro alternative

Maresca is in the market for a new centre-forward this summer and the one player he appears to be most serious about is Benjamin Sesko.

The youngster has been a target for quite some time, but now Arsenal have joined the list of potential suitors.

Sesko has a reported release clause worth £67m, and they will have to act swiftly amid reports that Arsenal are now in talks about securing a move for the RB Leipzig striker.

Journalist Simon Phillips claims that the Blues are also working hard behind the scenes to secure a move for the Slovenian international.

“The new info I have is that Arsenal are now really pushing for Benjamin Sesko as well as Chelsea,” said Phillips.

“Both clubs have held talks and laid down some groundwork to sign him. Arsenal also really like Viktor Gyokeres, but there’s a split internally there as to which striker they want to push for.”

Pedro may have 89 Premier League appearances under his belt, but the sheer raw talent of Sesko means he could be the better signing of the two.

Why Chelsea must sign Benjamin Sesko this summer

The 21-year-old made his mark at Austrian side RB Salzburg, enjoying a breakthrough season in 2022/23, scoring 18 goals in 41 appearances for the club.

This secured him a move to the German Bundesliga with Leipzig, and he hasn’t looked back since. Across 87 games for the club, he has scored 39 goals and grabbed eight assists, working out as a goal every 2.2 matches.

Following a late-season goal splurge during his debut season in Germany, U23 scout Antonio Mango hailed the striker as a “monster” for his performances in front of goal.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig even hailed Sesko as “the new Erling Haaland” back in May 2021, and while he might not be at that level just yet, his trajectory has been trending upwards ever since.

Still only 21, Sesko has plenty of time to reach the level of Haaland, that’s for sure. Judging by the statistics, he could certainly turn out to be a better signing for Chelsea than Pedro this summer.

Indeed, according to FBref, Sesko has registered more goals and assists (18 vs 16) than the Brazilian across their respective domestic leagues.

Furthermore, he has also registered more shots per 90 (2.5 vs 1.94), boasts a higher successful take-on percentage (52% vs 33.7%) and wins a higher percentage of aerial duels (58.8% vs 48.8%) per 90 this season.

Transfer Focus

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

In the Bundesliga, Sesko averaged a goal every 185 minutes for Leipzig during 2024/25, while registering 0.9 shots on target per game.

In comparison, Pedro averaged a goal every 195 minutes for the Seagulls, while averaging 0.7 shots on target in the Premier League during the same time period.

Not much to choose between, but on paper, Sesko would be the perfect long-term option for Chelsea and Maresca given his high ceiling for development.

That’s not to say Pedro wouldn’t be a good signing, but if the Blues are going to be spending northwards of £50m on a striker, bringing in one who has better potential makes perfect sense.

The Blues face competition from Arsenal, but this might not pose much of a problem for Maresa, who will be keen to entice the Slovenian to Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks.

Fewer touches than Sanchez: Chelsea dud must never play for the club again

Chelsea secured Champions League football after a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 25, 2025

Chelsea can officially start to make moves during the summer transfer window after it opened for business on Sunday, and that includes exits as well as incomings.

Towards the end of last month, the Daily Mail reported that Crystal Palace could make a move to bring Trevoh Chalobah back to Selhurst Park, after they qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Blues would be willing to part ways with the academy graduate, whom they recalled in January, but they were willing to send him out on loan to Palace last summer.

Chalobah started the Conference League final against Real Betis, but was also an unused substitute in the last two Premier League games as Chelsea chased a top-five finish.

Chelsea eyeing deal for new centre-back

The 25-year-old defender, whose sale would represent pure profit for the Blues as a homegrown player, could find himself on his way out of Stamford Bridge amid talk that the club are interested in bringing another centre-back to the club.

He is already behind Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, and Wesley Fofana, when available, which suggests that the addition of another player in that position could send him too far down the pecking order.

Transfer Focus

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

With a move for Liam Delap all but sewn up, now according to The Guardian, Chelsea are ‘considering’ a swoop to sign England international Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Blues are eyeing up a deal for the English centre-back, who is ‘widely expected’ to move on from Selhurst Park ahead of next season.

The Guardian recently reported that Palace value Guehi at a fee of around £65m, although it remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea would be willing to pay that much for their former defender.

Why Chelsea should sign Marc Guehi

The Conference League champions should swoop to sign the £65m-rated England international this summer because he would arrive as a big upgrade on Trevoh Chalobah, due to the defensive qualities that the former Cobham star can bring to the side.

Guehi, who has previously been hailed as “unbelievable” by podcast host Aaron Moniz, is a proven Premier League performer who has been there and done it and could hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge.

As a former academy graduate, he would also not need much time to adapt to life at Cobham and with some of the players with whom he would already be familiar, like the captain Reece James, which could work in his favour.

As you can see in the table above, Guehi’s performances in the Premier League this season also suggest that he would be a big upgrade on Chalobah as an out-and-out defender.

Whilst the individual statistics may not show a big difference, with only 0.4 more clearances per game or 0.2 more tackles and interceptions per game, it is the fact that he is ahead of the Chelsea defender in every category that stands out.

This means that Guehi could come in and offer more to Enzo Maresca’s side as a centre-back in every aspect of defending, from winning duels, to making blocks, to being in the right place at the right time to make vital clearances.

He is also less prone to making mistakes. Chalobah made two errors that led to goals in the Premier League, whilst Guehi did not make a single error that led directly to a goal, which suggests that the Palace star would be more reliable at the heart of the defence.

Big Sancho upgrade: Chelsea step up move for 'one of the world's best'

Chelsea could be ready to land an upgrade on Jadon Sancho this summer

1

By
Robbie Walls

Jun 1, 2025

Therefore, Chelsea should press ahead with a deal to sign the £65m-rated English star this summer because he could come in as a big upgrade on Chalobah to improve Maresca’s defence next season.

An “excellent” Newcastle United player is thought to be a priority target for one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs this summer.

Newcastle players who could leave this summer

While the Magpies are expecting a busy summer transfer window in terms of new signings, especially if Champions League football is secured this weekend, there are plenty of current star names being linked with exits before next season gets underway.

Alexander Isak is the player that Newcastle will be most desperate to retain, but the Swede is believed to be the subject of interest from some huge clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal.

Meanwhile, the Reds could reportedly be back in for Anthony Gordon this summer, having shown a willingness to snap him up last year. They see him as a potential replacement for Luis Diaz, although signing Florian Wirtz would surely put paid to their interest in the Magpies ace.

There are others who Newcastle want to ensure are still at the club in 2025/26, like Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali. However, another exit claim regarding another individual has emerged.

"Excellent" Newcastle player wanted by Man City

According to Fabrizio Romano on X, Manchester City are targeting a move for Newcastle defender Tino Livramento as their primary right-back target, with the 22-year-old potentially becoming the first player to leave St James’ Park this summer despite the rumours elsewhere:

Losing Livramento would be a setback for the Magpies, considering he has proven to be the natural heir to Kieran Trippier in his position, and still has his best years ahead of him.

The £50,000-a-week Englishman has enjoyed an impressive season for Newcastle, starting 31 of his side’s 37 Premier League matches and being lauded by Eddie Howe:

“Athletically, Tino’s excellent and we know that, and we’ve seen that since he’s come to the football club, but to have that responsibility of playing left-back on the opposite side to his natural foot and play the way he has and also build the relationship with Harvey [Barnes] that he has done.”

If Livramento ultimately decides that he would rather join City than stay at Newcastle, Paul Mitchell must do all he can to ensure that the club receives huge money for him in order to sign a top-quality replacement.

The 22-year-old isn’t out of contract at St James’ until the summer of 2028, putting the Magpies in a strong bargaining position, but hopefully, he will feel that his future belongs with his current team, seeing plenty more success coming their way.

Glasgow Rangers will have new owners and a new manager at Ibrox by the time pre-season comes along.

The deal for the 49ers Enterprises appears to be close to completion and this could give the Gers a massive boost ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Appointing a new manager is first up on the priority list for the 49ers and this decision could be the most important one Rangers make in their recent history.

Get it right and the Ibrox side could challenge Celtic for all three domestic trophies next season, reasserting their dominance of Scottish football.

Bring in the wrong man, however, and the same vicious cycle that has plagued the club since Gerrard left in 2021 will be repeated.

Whoever arrives in Glasgow as the new manager will have plenty of work to do. The first-team squad needs to be stripped of the deadwood, which will allow the manager to raise funds and clear the wage bill.

The likes of Ben Davies, Kieran Dowell, Rabbi Matondo and Tom Lawrence should all be moved on when the window opens.

On the other hand, several players have massive futures, notably Nico Raskin, Hamza Igamane and Mohamed Diomande.

The former two are attracting interest due to their performances of late, but Diomande also has an extraordinarily high ceiling in the game.

Why Diomande has such a high ceiling

While Raskin and Igamane have been generating plenty of interest of late, Diomande has gone about his business in a quieter manner.

That isn’t to say he isn’t as important, as the midfielder can operate in a few roles within the midfield area.

The 23-year-old has spent time as a number ten on occasions this term, contributing five goal involvements. While he has also played a number of games in a more deep-lying role for the Gers, he has still chipped in with seven goal involvements.

Crucially, the Ivorian starlet helped lead the Light Blues into the quarter-finals of the Europa League this season, and when compared to his peers in the competition, Diomande ranks in the top 6% for passes into the final third (4.11), the top 10% for interceptions (1.26) and in the top 20% for take-ons attempted (2.51) per 90.

These statistics prove that the midfielder can mix it with the best in Europe’s sister competition regarding those performance metrics.

He was even better in the Scottish top flight. Going forwards, Diomande has created 11 big chances, averages 1.2 key passes, and succeeds with 64% of his dribble attempts.

Defensively, the midfielder wins 55% of his total duels contested, along with making 1.2 tackles, recovering 4.3 balls and making 0.6 interceptions per game for the Gers.

This combination of defensive solidity and attacking dynamism has seen the player shine at Ibrox throughout the current season. There is no doubt that he can continue to get better and better.

With a deal that runs to 2028, Diomande should be at Ibrox for the long haul. He currently earns just £12k-per-week which places him among the lower-earning players at the club.

There are several at the club who are taking more home than the African star, despite failing to impress.

Dowell and Matondo are notable examples, but it is Jose Cifuentes, someone who makes more than Diomande, who should be given the boot.

Why Rangers signed Jose Cifuentes

Michael Beale was in the market for a new midfielder ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and earmarked Cifuentes as someone who could offer plenty to the club’s cause.

His performances for LAFC during his time in America were certainly impressive. Across 121 games, he registered 35 goal contributions – 15 goals and 20 assists – while even helping the club win the MLS Cup during the 2021/22 campaign.

He even played twice at the 2022 World Cup for Ecuador, and it surely wasn’t going to be long before he sealed a move away from North America.

Enter Rangers. Given his contract was due to expire in December 2023, Beale spent only £1.2m to secure his services a few weeks before the transfer window closed.

On the surface, the “dynamic” midfielder – as dubbed by LAFC assistant manager Marc Dos Santos – appeared to be an excellent signing, especially judging by the fee. The reality, however, was rather different.

What went wrong for Jose Cifuentes at Rangers

Despite the hype surrounding his arrival at the club, the Ecuadorian would only go on to play 20 times for Rangers, scoring just one goal.

Chalkboard

He failed to have an influence on the pitch, and it was evident that Philippe Clement didn’t have him in any future plans.

The midfielder was thus sent out on loan to Brazilian side Cruzeiro, but this spell was cut short after six months, before he was shipped out to Aris Thessalonki last summer on another temporary deal.

In Greece, Cifuentes’s performances slowly improved and, at the time of writing, he has registered four goal contributions – one goal and three assists – while helping his club to fifth in the top flight.

It looks as though he could be set to depart Rangers this summer after admitting he wishes to turn his loan move into a permanent one when the campaign comes to an end.

The Light Blues have slapped a £2.2m price tag on his head, a fee which Aris will be looking to bring down should any potential move go through.

The Ecuadorian is currently earning £16k-per-week which is slightly more than what Diomande is taking home.

Hopefully, the new manager will be able to move Cifuentes this summer. Not only will it bring in a couple of million to spend on future transfers, but it will also help free up some of the wage budget.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite meant to be at Ibrox for the former LAFC star, despite a solid reputation upon arriving in Scotland.

Making a profit on him would be an excellent piece of business by the club, that’s for sure.

Their new Morelos: Rangers eyeing "top striker" who'd cost just £8,000

Rangers have their eyes on a talented young striker

By
Ross Kilvington

May 12, 2025

Manchester United have a make-or-break summer under boss Ruben Amorim, needing to make the overhaul he desires to get the best out of his first-team squad.

The 40-year-old took the reins back in November from Erik ten Hag after he was sacked, looking to lead the side back up to the top of the Premier League table.

However, with just a handful of games to go, the Red Devils sit in the bottom half of the table, closer to the relegation zone than a place within the European spots.

They could still secure a place in the Champions League next season should they win the Europa League, potentially having a final against fellow English side Tottenham Hotspur.

Regardless of whether they are in Europe again next season, Amorim will want new signings to improve their league standing and push for a top-four spot in 2025/26.

An update on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Given the cost-cutting operation currently in place at United, it remains to be seen how much funds the manager will have at his disposal to make the signings he desires.

Whilst Matheus Cunha will remain the club’s number one option, Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres has once again emerged on their shortlist ahead of the summer.

The Swede has once again been subject to interest from the Red Devils, with talks already being held over a possible switch to see him reunite with his former boss.

However, further progress has already been made elsewhere in an attempt to secure the signature of Real Madrid’s star forward Rodrygo, with reports in Spain putting United firmly in the race for his services.

They’ve reported that the Red Devils have already submitted a €80m (£68m) offer for his services, but it remains to be seen whether the LaLiga giants will accept such a bid.

It also states that the Brazilian wants to stay in Madrid but could be tempted by a move to the Premier League, needing to make a decision whether or not he’s keen on the transfer.

Why United’s £68m target would be perfect with Bruno

Bruno Fernandes has been United’s shining light in attacking areas over the last few months, playing a pivotal role in their success in the Europa League – as seen on Thursday night.

The 30-year-old registered two goals in the win over Athletic Club in the first leg, handing them an advantage over the return leg at Old Trafford next week.

His subsequent double has taken him to a staggering 19 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, by far and away the highest of any player within the first-team squad.

However, such a tally could be bolstered even further next year should the club conduct a deal for Rodrygo, with the Brazilian having all the tools to thrive alongside Fernandes at Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old has registered 14 goals and nine assists for the LaLiga giants, a figure that would certainly see United increase their output within the final third.

He’s also managed to complete 2.3 successful dribbles per 90, along with 2.3 chances created – potentially partnering the Portuguese international behind the strikers and providing endless opportunities.

Rodrygo, who’s been labelled “one of the best” by current boss Carlo Ancelotti, has also starred without the ball, winning 67% of the tackles he’s entered alongside 5.3 duels won per 90 – fitting perfectly into Amorim’s hard-working and relentless system.

Should the club pull off such a signing over the summer transfer window, it would be an excellent piece of business that would add needed quality to the forward line.

£68m may seem like another hefty fee forked out by the hierarchy, but given his age and his form, he’s only going to develop further, potentially being the Red Devils’ leading talisman for many years to come and leading them back to Premier League success.

Amorim must offload 5/10 Man Utd dud who’s becoming the new Van de Beek

Manchester United took a huge step towards the Europa League final last night with a 3-0 win over Athletic Club.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 2, 2025

The next few weeks are vital for Enzo Maresca’s future as Chelsea manager, with the Blues having two huge chances for glory currently on their plate before the end of 2024/25.

They face a huge battle for a place in the top five of the Premier League, subsequently securing them Champions League football, whilst also having the chance to win the Europa Conference League.

It remains to be seen if the Italian will be in charge next season should he fail to achieve both of their goals, undoubtedly falling well below the expectations set upon his appointment.

Regardless of what Maresca is able to accomplish between now and the end of May, more signings are expected this summer, to help the side edge one step closer to battling for a title.

The hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements, with one player already in the frame over a potential summer move to Stamford Bridge.

The latest on Chelsea’s hunt to land Dean Huijsen

Over the last couple of days, Chelsea have made huge progress in their pursuit of landing Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, but still face serious competition from elsewhere.

Real Madrid and fellow Premier League sides Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United have all been credited with interest in the 19-year-old who has a £50m release clause in his contract.

However, one report has claimed that the Blues have held multiple rounds of talks with the defender’s representatives over a potential deal to move to West London.

It remains to whether Huijsen would want a move to Maresca’s side, but the signs are all positive – especially considering his team are still open to negotiations with the club’s hierarchy.

Despite the interest in the Spaniard’s signature, the club already have their own superb talent who’s valued more than Huijsen – highlighting the excellent work the club have done in previous years.

The Chelsea star who’s worth even more than Huijsen

Chelsea have done tremendous work in the transfer market over recent years, getting themselves some bargains even though they’ve spent over £1.2b since 2022.

Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have both cemented their places in the first-team, starring frequently this season, with the latter undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the division – as seen by his Team of the Year nomination.

However, despite the success with the additions, they’ve also managed to develop countless homegrown talents, numerous of which have played a key role in Maresca’s side.

Levi Colwill is just one of those academy players to make the step-up into the professional ranks, missing just three league games in 2024/25 – showcasing his importance to the side.

The 22-year-old has been the most consistent figure at the heart of the backline, going from strength to strength with increased minutes in West London.

When delving into his stats from the current season, it’s evident how impressive he’s been, more than deserving of his place in the England setup over the last couple of months.

Colwill, who’s been labelled “superb” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has managed a 90% pass accuracy in the Premier League, whilst also managing to win 2.6 aerial battles per 90 – having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

As a result of his performances to date, his market value has soared, now valued at £47m by Transfermarkt – a figure higher than that of Huijsen, who’s only valued at £36m.

Given his rise, the club should put more resources into developing young talent, reaping the rewards in the long-term, just as they have done with the 22-year-old.

However, that being said, a partnership of Colwill and Huijsen at the heart of the defence could set them up for future success down the line, given the pair’s tender ages.

Time's up: Maresca must axe 3/10 Chelsea dud who was even worse than Palmer

Chelsea’s 3/10 dud looks out of time after worse performance than Palmer

By
Connor Holden

Apr 18, 2025

Chelsea are set to have a busy summer on the pitch, even with the Premier League season almost at its conclusion.

Indeed, they are taking part in the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in the United States of America, with the first game on the 16th of June against Mexican side Club Leon.

Thus, they might be looking to make some early transfers. The 2025 summer window opens for ten days at the start of June, to allow teams competing in the Club World Cup the chance to strengthen their squad beforehand.

It might well be in the Blues’ interest to sign someone in that short window, and they have actually been linked with one attacker who could even move at the start of June.

Chelsea looking to sign a new striker

It may not seem surprising that Chelsea want a new striker this summer, given they are the sixth biggest underachiever for expected goals in the Premier League, as per Understat.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, the man who could help solve those issues is Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy.

According to recent reports from Spain this week, Chelsea are one of the sides who ‘have already initiated’ a move for Guirassy this summer. There is thought to be a ‘real possibility of leaving Germany’ for the striker in the coming months.

However, the West Londoners are surely going to face stern competition for Gurassy’s signature. Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus are also interested in signing the striker, who has a £60m release clause in his contract, should anyone want to bring him in.

Why Guirassy would be a good signing

It has been an incredible season for Guirassy in 2024/25, who has excelled leaps and bounds in a Dortmund side that has struggled overall. He has 29 goals and five assists in 41 games played so far this term.

There is certainly a case to be made that the striker has done his best work in the Champions League. He’s scored an incredible 13 goals in 14 games, notching up four assists alongside those strikes.

It is perhaps not too difficult to pinpoint the best performance from the Guinean striker in Europe’s premier club competition. He scored a hat-trick in the quarter-final against Barcelona, which proved to be in vain as his side got eliminated 5-3 on aggregate. However, it was still an mightily strong performance to grab a 3-1 home win on the night.

Perhaps Guirassy could provide the goals that Nicolas Jackson has struggled to score at times in 2024/25. The Chelsea striker is talented but perhaps a little inconsistent, with nine goals and five assists in 29 games in all competitions.

When comparing the goal-to-game ratio of Jackson and Guirassy, there is a clear difference. The Dortmund number nine is currently scoring 0.7 goals per game this term, whereas Chelsea’s main man up front averages just 0.3, a stark contrast.

Indeed, one thing the “unstoppable” Dortmund star, as scout Antonio Mango once described him, has on his side is experience.

At 29 years of age, the Dortmund sensation has plenty more years in professional football than the Chelsea number 15, who is just 23 years of age. With that being said, there is still a difference in how clinical they are in front of goal.

Interestingly, a statistical comparison via FBref can be drawn between Guirassy and former Blues striker Kai Havertz, now an Arsenal player.

He scored 32 goals for the club over three years, including a winner in the Champions League final in 2021.

As for the numerical comparison between the two, there are several areas where the pair are similar. For example, Guirassy averages 0.50 goals per shot on target compared to Havertz’s 0.43 goals per shot on target each game and they link up play in a similarly strong way, with only 0.10 difference in the number of key passes they supply per 90 minutes.

It is hard to see a reason why Gurassy wouldn’t succeed at Stamford Bridge. The Dortmund star is deadly in front of goal, as the numbers show, and in that sense would be an upgrade on Jackson.

Chelsea fans will surely hope he can replicate what Havertz did in that famous Blue shirt. They probably wouldn’t say no to a Champions League final winner, a competition in which he has serious pedigree already.

Chelsea preparing £43m offer for "surprising" new striker target

The west Londoners have another name on their agenda.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 23, 2025

With the season gradually coming to a close and Rangers’ managerial decision therefore approaching, Ibrox legend Ally McCoist has had his say on one candidate who he believes would make every game a “fight”.

Rangers' search for a permanent boss continues

This time last season it looked as though Philippe Clement had all the tools to become a successful manager at Rangers. He had pushed Celtic all the way without taking charge of a full campaign so, naturally, similar progress was expected at the start of his first full season in the Ibrox dugout. Fast-forward almost a year, however, and the Belgian is out of a job and Rangers have been out of the Scottish Premiership title race for some time.

Since appointing interim boss Barry Ferguson too, things haven’t got much better for the Scottish giants, who lost three consecutive top flight games at Ibrox before holding on for a draw against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League.

Whether they advance past the La Liga side in the second leg or not though, Rangers look unlikely to hand Ferguson the job on a permanent basis.

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Having battled to a goalless draw at Ibrox, Rangers manager Barry Ferguson must axe his “frustrating” star at San Mamés in next Thursday’s second leg.

By
Ben Gray

Apr 11, 2025

Instead, names such as Rafa Benitez and even Jose Mourinho have been mentioned as potential candidates in recent months. The latter, in particular, would certainly provide plenty of box office moments, but it remains to be seen whether the Gers can lure the so-called Special One away from Fenerbahce.

Away from two experienced candidates, meanwhile, Ally McCoist believes that one “interesting” manager who has not received many mentions would get Rangers fighting again.

McCoist: Sean Dyche would make Rangers "fight"

In an exclusive chat with Football FanCast, Rangers legend McCoist had his say on the Gers’ manager race, speaking highly of Sean Dyche in particular.

Out of a job since being shown the door at Everton in January, Dyche could certainly do with another opportunity to step into the dugout and one that is away from the troubles that the Toffees often had during his reign.

The Rangers job would undoubtedly be the biggest job of his career so far too, having previously taken charge of sides who were expected to scrap away in the bottom half of the Premier League.

Whilst Dyche’s Everton spell has mixed reviews, Rangers should look towards his time at Burnley, in which he took the Clarets into the Europa League on a minimal budget, as an example of what he is truly capable of.