Aston Villa have been hit with a potential setback in their hunt for Marseille’s star midfielder, Boubacar Kamara.
What’s the word?
That is according to reports in Spain, via Birmingham Live, who claim that La Liga giants Atletico Madrid are set to “close” a deal for the 22-year-old.
Kamara is set to become a free agent in the summer, with Villa touted as one of the potential clubs vying for his signature, in what was seemed to be an open race between Gerrard’s side and Atletico Madrid.
Though, according to the report, it looks as though the France starlet has signed a pre-agreement with Simeone’s side ahead of this summer’s transfer window.
Supporters will be gutted
The saga surrounding Kamara’s future, amidst interest from Aston Villa, has seemingly circulated for months. And with Gerrard looking to strengthen in the holding midfielder position, it will come as a big blow to not only him, but the Villa faithful.
Kamara boasts some serious numbers this season, so it is not wonder as to why Villa have been chasing the signature of the 22-year-old.
In comparison to Douglas Luiz, Kamara outdoes the Brazilian in the majority of metrics. The Frenchman’s passing stats are a particular standout, with his 72.09 average passes completed per 90 at a completion rate of 79.23% massively outdoing that of Luiz’s measly total of 39.69 passes per 90, with an average of 83%.
Whilst their defensive metrics are similar, with Kamara just pipping Luiz overall, it is his ability in possession that would make him such a good asset for a Villa side who look to dominate the ball, but have struggled somewhat this season – as can be seen from their rank of 14th place in the average possession charts, with just 46.2% possession averaged across 36 games.
Kamara’s average of 89.51 touches make him a metronome in the engine room, with his 60.54 carries better than the likes of Declan Rice, who has averaged 48.61 per 90.
Villa will be gutted at what will seem like a missed opportunity for NSWE to bag a star who displays potential akin to world-class.
In other news: “His priority..” Romano drops exciting transfer claim, it’s great news for Aston Villa
Tottenham Hotspur may have been given a real boost in their quest to bring colossal Villarreal defender Pau Torres to the Premier League.
The Lowdown: Spurs in Torres chase…
The Spain international, as he’s admitted to the media, rejected the chance to join Spurs last summer – choosing to stick it under Unai Emery due to their presence in the Champions League.
However, The Daily Mail claimed earlier this week that the Lilywhites and transfer chief Fabio Paratici could come back in for the 25-year-old after being given encouragement by his change in stance.
It is now believed that Torres is ‘ready to leave’ Villarreal in a possible boost for Antonio Conte’s side.
Now, sharing another update, a Football Insider ‘source’ has lifted the lid on yet another cause for optimism over signing the central defender.
The Latest: Emery gifts discount?
According to their information, there is now growing ‘confidence’ at Hotspur Way that Villarreal will sell Torres to Spurs for a bargain price.
Spurs insiders are allegedly operating under the belief that Paratici could seal the centre-half’s signing for £10 million less than his asking price – £45 million instead of his £55 million clause specifically.
This is due to the La Liga side’s financial problems with last season’s Europa League winners apparently needing to raise cash through player sales.
The Verdict: Time to move?
Called a would-be ‘great signing’ for Spurs by journalist Pete O’Rourke, his national team partnership with Aymeric Laporte at the Euros last summer prompted ‘sensational’ praise from manager Luis Enrique.
He’s continued his good form well into 2021/2022, winning more aerial duels per 90 and playing more minutes than any of his teammates – standing out as a really pivotal player for Emery (WhoScored).
Even for £45m, Torres would arguably come as a snip for Spurs.
In other news: ‘Hope for a miracle…’ – Journalist shares what Conte has now ‘told Tottenham’, find out more here.
West Ham United manager David Moyes is personally eyeing a Premier League move for Hull City sensation Keane Lewis-Potter with a Rush Green exit now expected, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Hammers eye new forward…
The Hammers and Moyes are reportedly eager to bolster their forward options in the summer window with both an out-and-out striker and attacking midfielder on the cards.
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-newest-updates/” title=”West Ham newest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
West Ham are allegedly still interested in Man United playmaker Jesse Lingard and are keeping tabs on both Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
Lewis-Potter, who has been standing out as a really promising talent in the Championship this season, is also reportedly of interest to Moyes with a Rush Green exit now ‘expected’.
The Latest: Moyes looks at Lewis-Potter…
As per The Guardian, West Ham’s boss has ‘looked at’ signing the 21-year-old as he eyes a move to the top tier.
This comes as winger Andriy Yarmolenko is ‘expected to leave’ upon the expiry of his contract this summer, even despite the Ukraine international’s recent heroics against Sevilla and Aston Villa.
The Verdict: Get it done…
Reports suggest Hull could demand around £20 million, but taking into account his form and real potential, Lewis-Potter could be worth the investment.
The Englishman has also been attracting interest from north London rivals Spurs having racked up 12 goals and four assists over a staggering 46 second tier appearances.
Still very young, Lewis-Potter is a mainstay at the MKM Stadium with former boss Grant McCann calling him a ‘special’ player.
Having become such an important player for Hull at just 21, the sky appears to be the limit, and £20m could look like chump change in a few seasons time.
In other news: ‘Evolving situation’ – Journalist says West Ham are now eyeing a ‘massive signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.
Wolverhampton Wanderers could be without their Portuguese winger Daniel Podence for their trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
What’s the latest?
That is according to a recent report from Nathan Judah, who claimed via Twitter: “Podence is a bit of a grey area, has an injury and potentially could play through injections, but he’s unwilling at the moment because he might aggravate that problem.”
Lage will be worried
The latest news comes as a big worry for Lage and Wolves, who have registered their worst run of the season over the last three games. Their three-match losing streak has seen them leak five goals with no reply.
Coincidentally or otherwise, Podence has been absent for all three of those games in which Wolves have failed to score, evidence of his creative importance for the Old Gold.
Despite struggling to boost his end product for what is now a second consecutive season, the 26-year-old is the most creative outlet in Lage’s side, having registered seven big chances out of Wolves’ entire tally of 35 as a team this season.
His defensive acumen in the side is also overlooked all too often, with Podence topping the charts out of the Wolves squad for possession won in the final third with an average of 1.3 per game. This metric places him as high as joint-sixth for the entire Premier League, tied with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
His average of 2.1 successful dribbles per 90 could have presented an opportunity for Lage’s side to attack in a more direct manner against what will likely be a close-knit Chelsea backline, so the news of his continued absence comes as a big blow for Wolves and Podence, who may not feature again this season.
However, if he wants to hit the ground running next season, his decision to not play through injections and instead let his injury heal over the summer could most certainly turn out to be the best move for everyone involved.
In other news: – Forget Semedo: Wolves can unearth new Doherty in rarely-seen 18-year-old who’s a “top player”
Newcastle United have a tough run of fixtures to contend with for the rest of November, before the bumper Christmas schedule weighs heavily on the calendar.
Indeed, the up-and-down Magpies have a tricky home clash with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City up next, as Eddie Howe no doubt worries already as to how his porous defence will deal with a free-flowing Erling Haaland.
Then, it’s back-to-back away fixtures at Marseille and Everton in the Champions League and Premier League, with Howe, presumably, under even more intense pressure if he fails to pick up a win or two across this stretch of contests.
Far too many players Howe has relied on over the years have failed to deliver the goods across recent matches, with many of those underperformers also falling into the high earners bracket at St James’ Park.
Assessing Newcastle's current wage bill
Newcastle’s highest earner currently continues to lead by example for the most part in club captain Bruno Guimaraes.
Understandably, during losses on the road against West Ham United and Brentford, the Brazilian wasn’t at his liveliest.
But, the £160k-per-week “talisman” – as he has been recently labelled by Michael Carrick – does still have three goals next to his name this season, when bailing his topsy-turvy side out of some sticky situations, which included this wonderfully taken strike breaking the deadlock against Nottingham Forest last month in a much-needed 2-0 win.
The same adoration isn’t being extended to Joelinton and Anthony Gordon – who both take home a hefty £150k-per-week pay packet – with the pair notably struggling in league action this season. Neither player has scored a single goal or registered an assist from a combined 16 Premier League outings.
Thankfully, Nick Woltemade has lived up to his club-record £69m price tag, and his high £132.5k-per-week wage, on the contrary, with four league goals already next to his name.
There will be some grumbles about Anthony Elanga’s £55m fee and £100k-per-week wage, though, with the ex-Manchester United attacker dubbed a “massive overpay” by analyst Raj Chohan, with the Swede yet to show off his exhilarating best on the wings. He remains goalless so far on Tyneside.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The likes of Elanga and Gordon are not the only players being hounded.
A "legendary" star must be ditched by Newcastle
Elanga will also surely have the benefit of patience on his side, with the 23-year-old only 17 games down for his new employers. In time, the hope will be that the expensive £55m purchase does come good.
Whereas, in the case of Joe Willock, the peak of his Newcastle career looks to be very firmly behind him now, with his drop-off in form on Tyneside a very concerning tale.
Towards the start of his Newcastle playing days, Willock perform the role of a bright spark in front of goal from the midfield ranks expertly, much like Guimaraes now provides Howe and Co.
Staggeringly, he scored in seven straight Premier League matches during his initial loan spell from Arsenal during the 2020/21 season, as Willock lived up to Mikel Arteta’s words of being a “special” talent.
Ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell even went as far as to state that Willock had achieved “legendary stats” at St James’ Park with this unbelievable goalscoring run, further hailing the number 28 as “god-like” to the Tyneside masses.
Games played
133
Goals scored
10
Assists
9
Transfer fee
£25m
Wage per week
£80k-per-week
Willock has, arguably, become a victim of his own successes at Newcastle, with the former Arsenal midfielder only managing to cough up two more goals across 133 games, away from exploding onto the scene with a breakneck eight goals during his first 14 outings.
The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has simply labelled the 26-year-old as a major “disappointment” over the past couple of seasons, with only 100 minutes of Premier League action handed his way this campaign, really bringing into view his lavish £80k-per-week wage.
Wildly, that means summer arrival Malick Thiaw earns less than Willock, despite being an ever-present part of Howe’s defensive unit in the Premier League so far this season, with the German only banking a £70k-per-week salary.
It’s far from the most uplifting story seeing the decline of Willock in real time, but if Howe is to turn around his side’s fortunes right now, he will have to consider shelving the EFL Cup-winning midfielder for good very soon, alongside other previous regulars who have now fallen off the horse.
Everton enter race to sign £88m South American "machine" with Newcastle
After a slow start out of the blocks this season, everything seemed to click into place for Leeds United away at Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out in the Premier League.
Obviously, the 3-1 win will have to be taken with a slight pinch of salt – considering Vitor Pereira’s Old Gold have now lost all five of their opening league clashes – but it was still a breakneck performance from Daniel Farke’s men, especially in that blistering first 45 minutes.
Staggeringly, before their trip to the West Midlands, Farke and Co. had only fired home one goal in league action all season. Those same nerves weren’t present at all at Molineux, however, as three strikes were put away by the visitors in quick succession.
Even more pleasing for Farke would be the nature of those goalscorers, with all three heroes on the day being brand-new recruits who can now kick on even more in West Yorkshire.
Leeds' standout new recruits
While there were grumbles among the Elland Road contingent when activity was sparse on transfer deadline day, there does need to be some recognition that Leeds have made a couple of standout purchases here and there.
Farke will be desperately hoping that Dominic Calvert-Lewin now finds himself deep in a purple patch of goalscoring form after heading home the equaliser at Molineux, with the ex-Everton marksman going down as an astute purchase if so on a free transfer.
Calvert-Lewin might well have steered Leeds back onto the initial road to recovery, but it was the combined efforts of both Anton Stach and Noah Okafor that would stylishly secure the three points.
Indeed, Stach would show no hesitation on the big stage when hammering home a sublime free-kick for 2-1, with the £20m purchase looking a Premier League-calibre talent already.
Okafor also justified his high £18m price-tag with the game-clinching strike on the stroke of half-time, with both the Swiss international and his German teammate hopeful they can continue putting in top-quality displays together to ensure survival is clinched.
The new midfield pairing also boasts hefty salaries – with the duo earning £72.5k-per-week and £45k-per-week respectively – but there is one high earner who rakes in even more who will now be worried about his long-term security in the first-team.
The Leeds star who earns more than Okafor & Stach
It isn’t the most shocking development that both Okafor and Stach can perform at the highest level of English football; however, considering both players in question have shone in the Bundesliga, the Serie A, and the Austrian Bundesliga previously, to name but a few of their past European destinations.
In stark contrast, Daniel James has never quite looked at ease in the Premier League, and with injury difficulties already getting the better of him so far this season, the 27-year-old could soon find it hard to nail down a first-team spot.
This isn’t to say that James hasn’t produced some moments of unbelievable magic at Leeds, with this spectacular effort last season seeing the Whites collect a promotion-boosting 3-1 victory.
But, it’s very clear when looking at the table below, that the hit-and-miss Welshman is a far more of an electric attacking threat in the EFL than he is when making the daunting step up to the Premier League.
Games played
110
109
Goals scored
12
29
Assists
13
25
In the EFL’s elite league to date, James has managed to collect a weighty 54 goal contributions from 109 overall clashes, with the spotlight often beamed down on him as Leeds’ main man down the right channel.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been as devastating in the Premier League as a full-throttle option, with just nine of his 25 goal contributions in the unforgiving division coming in West Yorkshire.
His regular hiccups in the top-flight even saw TalkSPORT’s outspoken Simon Jordan label him as a “fundamental disappointment” in 2022, with those words still ringing true when you consider the one-time Manchester United attacker has also collected zero goals or assists this season when fit.
When further realising James also pockets a steep £75k-per-week pay packet, which is more than both Okafor and Stach earn, it’s clear that Leeds are handing out an unnecessarily excessive salary.
With his current contract in play until 2029, it’s unlikely that Farke will part ways with James anytime soon.
But, with Okafor proving that the new guard at the German’s disposal are instantly Premier League ready, don’t expect the Welshman to instantly jump back into his first-team plans.
49ers buzzing: Leeds "very happy" with £72,500-a-week star who loves Farke
Manchester United have the long term in their sights under Ruben Amorim, though they could now face a decision on whether to sell one of their prize assets to Real Madrid.
Man Utd look for gradual progression under Ruben Amorim
The Premier League campaign has ignited quiet optimism at Old Trafford over the direction Amorim’s young squad may be headed. However, there is still plenty of work to do before debates can take place over quantified success.
Taking difficult decisions to improve his pool of talent, Andre Onana’s departure to join Trabzonspor on loan has impressed supporters as the Red Devils streamline their squad appropriately for years to come.
Onana stated upon his arrival: “I am very happy. I can say that I am very happy. I am starting a new project, a new adventure for me, I am very happy to be here. This is a feeling that makes me so happy. I’ve never felt so much love from people around me.”
Feeling love in a new environment is important, something reflected in Rasmus Hojlund scoring his first goal for Napoli over the weekend, but Amorim has shown courage to discard big-money signings in pursuit of an improved product on the field.
In statistics recorded before Manchester United’s tussle with Manchester City, the Red Devils had taken the most shots and also faced the second-fewest efforts in the Premier League across their last ten top-flight matches, illustrating that slow change is taking place.
CSKA Moscow midfielder Kirill Glebov has his heart set on moving to Old Trafford, showing a buy-in from young players desperate to join Amorim’s project, albeit not everyone is feeling the same way amid recent developments.
Kobbie Mainoo wants to leave Man Utd for Real Madrid
According to reports in Spain, Kobbie Mainoo is pressuring Manchester United to sell him to Real Madrid and views a move to the Santiago Bernabeu as a dream destination in January.
This term, the England international has fallen out of favour under Amorim and hasn’t been a regular starter, though any transfer could depend on Los Blancos running into injury trouble or selling Dani Ceballos. Mainoo still wants out of Old Trafford and ‘his inner circle is working on finding a club that can guarantee him minutes’
Man Utd ahead of Real Madrid to sign star demanding huge £14m+ a year wages
He could be about to make one of the most talked-about moves of next year’s summer window.
BySean Markus Clifford Sep 13, 2025
INEOS may now be left with a decision to make on Mainoo’s future, which is complicated further by the fact he has two years left on his contract at Old Trafford.
Amorim stated earlier this week that the Carrington graduate needs to improve in the engine room to fulfil his potential fully: “I believe in him a lot. He is a top player. But some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already done [a complete player]. I think he can do so much better.
“For some guys (talent) is enough, but for him it is not. Maybe it’s not fair, but I think I’m helping Kobbie, and that’s it.”
After Mainoo asked to leave Manchester United on loan before the window closed, it appears there may still be work to do at Old Trafford to convince him to stick around amid interest from Champions League giants.
When it comes to great Tottenham Hotspur players of the last 15 years or so, you have plenty to choose from.
The likes of Harry Kane, Mousa Dembélé, Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen might not have won anything at the club, but they more than made their mark on English football and the Premier League for the North Londoners.
One star from that era who was arguably one of the best players in the country at his peak was Dele Alli.
The Englishman was a tour de force at points, racking up 35 goal involvements in the 16/17 season, so fans should be excited about reports linking the team to a player who was compared to Dele in the past.
Tottenham transfer news
Before we get to the player in question, it is worth looking at some of the other talented stars linked with a move to Spurs in recent weeks and months, like Leroy Sané and Angel Gomes.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
With his contract ending this month, the former would be a shrewd free signing, as in just 2376 minutes across 45 games this season, the Bayern Munich ace has scored 13 goals and provided six assists.
Interestingly, Gomes would also be a free addition to the North Londoners squad, and based on reports from earlier this week, they’ve already submitted a proposal to the Englishman, who has made four senior appearances for the Three Lions and 134 for LOSC Lille.
However, neither of these players have been compared to Dele in the past, unlike Jack Grealish.
Yes, according to a recent report from Football Transfers, Spurs are now interested in the Manchester City star.
The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have begun talks with the Englishman’s representatives as they ‘explore the possibility’ of bringing him to North London this summer.
The good news is that the report claims the player is, in fact, open to the idea of moving to N17 now that the club will be in the Champions League next year, but the bad news is that City would want an offer of up to £43m to let him go.
Manchester City's JackGrealishduring the warm up before the match
It would be a somewhat costly transfer to get done, but Grealish could be the sort of maverick player Ange Postecoglou needs in his attack next season, and the fact he was compared to Dele in the past is a great bonus.
Why Spurs might want Grealish
So, before we get to some of the other reasons why Spurs might want to sign Grealish this summer, let’s examine these comparisons to Dele, with the first coming from Lee Hendrie all the way back in 2018.
At the time, the young talent was just making a name for himself at Aston Villa, and Hendrie was seriously impressed with his ability to get “past players with ease” and was full of praise for “creative” abilities, which he claimed were similar to “the Dele Alli’s of the world.”
Just a couple of years later, Dean Smith was making the comparison between the Englishmen, claiming that the then-Villa gem shared the same goalscoring “star quality” that the former MK Dons gem had in the early years of his Tottenham career.
Aside from what players and pundits have said, both players have represented the Three Lions at major tournaments, and both, at one point in their careers, had that ability to make something happen out of absolutely nothing.
In fact, it’s the chance to resurrect this skill in the “unbelievable” City star, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, that is surely driving the Lilywhites’ interest in him.
Even though he played a bit-part role in the Cityzens’ campaign this season, he was still able to amass a decent tally of three goals and five assists in 1521 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 190.12 minutes, and his underlying numbers are even better.
For example, FBref places the 29-year-old in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, pass completion, shot-creating actions from live passes, progressive and total carrying distance, carries into the penalty area, the top 2% for goal-creating actions from defensive actions, fouls drawn, the top 8% for key passes and more.
Progressive Carries
7.71
Top 1%
Pass Completion
87.7%
Top 1%
SCA (Live-ball Passes)
4.69
Top 1%
Total Carrying Distance
335.61
Top 1%
Progressive Carrying Distance
200.53
Top 1%
Carries into the Penalty Area
4.61
Top 1%
GCA (Defensive Action)
0.08
Top 2%
Fouls Drawn
3.10
Top 2%
Passes Completed
44.33
Top 6%
Carries
43.91
Top 6%
Key Passes
2.60
Top 8%
Shot-Creating Actions
5.45
Top 8%
Shots Blocked
0.17
Top 9%
In short, while the Champions League winner’s raw output hasn’t been great for several years, his incredible underlying numbers indicate that he could flourish in the right system, which could be Postecoglou’s.
Ultimately, it would be something of a gamble, but in Grealish, Spurs could have themselves a genuine maverick who can make something out of nothing – akin to Dele in his prime.
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Instead of finally getting over the line in the Premier League, they were out of the title race months ago, and in the domestic cups, they were even worse.
Granted, the North Londoners have had to deal with a mountain of injuries, but even then, when fit, most of the attackers in the squad have been subpar at best.
Perhaps the worst of the lot, and one of the worst signings made in the team’s recent history, was Raheem Sterling, and if recent reports are to be believed, the board has been in contact with a player who could prove to be just as disastrous a signing this summer.
Arsenal could sign Premier League winger
Before we get to the worrying links in question, it is worth looking at some of the more exciting transfer rumours for players like Benjamin Sesko and Rayan Cherki.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former enjoyed another fine season with RB Leipzig this year, racking up a tally of 21 goals and six assists in 45 games, and could be available for just £75m.
On the other hand, the Lyon star could be available for even less at £30m and has enjoyed an even better campaign with the French giants, racking up a sensational haul of 12 goals and 20 assists in 44 games.
Olympique Lyonnais' RayanCherkiapplauds fans
However, while both of these players would undoubtedly add something positive to the Gunners squad, we aren’t sure we can say the same about Alejandro Garnacho.
Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal have been in contact with the player’s representatives.
Now, even though it has been widely reported that the Argentine winger has been told to find himself a new club this summer, Manchester United still want a sizable fee for the winger, a fee of around £51m per Bailey.
While Garnacho is a talented young footballer, we can’t see him as a good fit for Arsenal in any way whatsoever, and with the money required to bring him to North London, this could be another Sterling-esque disaster.
Why Garnacho could be another Sterling for Arsenal
Even if we were to completely disregard the transfer fee required to sign Garnacho this summer – we shouldn’t – there would still be a plethora of reasons why bringing him to the club would be a bad idea.
Alejandro Garnacho
Despite being labelled as a “superstar,” by football creator Liam Canning, much like Sterling this season, he’d almost certainly struggle to make an impact and establish himself in the starting lineup.
For example, while his tally of 11 goals and ten assists certainly looks good at a glance, things become a lot less impressive when we dive into those numbers.
Of those 21 goal involvements, only eight came in the league, while six came in the League Cup and another five in the Europa League, and worse yet, his only goal against a fellow ‘big six’ side was against Manchester City in the Community Shield.
On top of his underwhelming output, the last week or so has shown that, at his worst, the supposedly “special talent”, as dubbed by football statistician Statman Dave, can be a serious problem in the dressing room.
Premier League
36
6
2
0.22
Europa League
15
1
4
0.33
FA Cup
3
0
1
0.33
League Cup
3
3
3
2.00
Community Shield
1
1
0
1.00
Following the Red Devils defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League Final, the 20-year-old doubled down on his brother’s comments about him not starting.
If there is one thing we know about Arteta, it’s that he does not like troublemakers.
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho
Finally, the Madrid-born ace also has some worrying underlying numbers, with FBref placing him in the bottom 21% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for expected assists, the bottom 12% for goals per shot and the bottom 8% for goals per shot on target, all per 90.
Ultimately, Garnacho may well develop into a brilliant winger, but as things stand, his attitude, output and the money required to make it happen all point towards this being a terrible idea and a transfer that could end up being even more disastrous than Sterling’s last summer.
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Martin Odegaard would be a fan of this £75m transfer for Arsenal.
The Champions League is the biggest competition in club football. It is a chance for the world’s best to prove their calibre against the finest leagues and teams in Europe for the ultimate prize of ‘Old Big Ears’ come May or June every year.
As is the case with any competition, it is a marathon rather than a sprint, and Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for most Champions League goals, with 141 in 183 appearances.
However, the way a club starts can often foretell their chances of glory at the end. This came to pass in the first season of the brand new league phase in 2024/25, with three of the top four clubs reaching the semi-finals.
With this in mind, Football FanCast takes a look at the top 12 goalscorers in the Champions League group stage/league phase.
Stats correct as of 14th May 2025.
Rank
Player
Goals
Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo
Robert Lewandowski
Karim Benzema
Raul
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Thierry Henry
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Mohamed Salah
Antoine Griezmann
Alessandro Del Piero
Erling Haaland
12 Erling Haaland 33 goals
The newest entrant to this list has wasted little time making a name for himself, with Erling Haaland racing into the record books thanks to his incredible knack for goals.
His first Champions League strikes came for RB Salzburg in the 2019/20 season, scoring a hat-trick on his group stage debut against Genk, before scoring five more in the four matches that followed.
Continuing his hot streak for Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City – with whom he won the competition in 2023 – Haaland has already become one of the competition’s best strikers, yet he’s barely 25. If there’s one challenger to the top scorers, it’s him.
11 Alessandro Del Piero 33 goals
Known as one of the great one-club legends, Alessandro Del Piero is another whose talent perhaps deserved more than the sole winners’ medal he earned in 1996. He always favoured loyalty over glory with Juventus, but his 33 goals in the group stages of the Champions League prove his devotion was bettered by his goal-getting instinct.
In the competition’s history, Del Piero is the highest-scoring Italian, with nine goals in the knockouts bringing his total to 42 on the continental stage.
10 Antoine Griezmann 34 goals
Antoine Griezmann may not have got his hands on the Champions League trophy, but his exploits for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have ensured his place in the competition’s history.
The Frenchman came closest to the trophy in 2016, when his Atletico side were beaten on penalties by city rivals Real. Griezmann missed a penalty in normal time before Los Rojiblancos found an equaliser, though he made up for it somewhat by scoring in the shootout.
With a further nine goals outside of the group stage, he remains one of the best goalscorers that the Champions League has eluded in the modern era.
9 Mohamed Salah 35 goals
Mo Salah was pivotal to Liverpool’s sixth European triumph when his early penalty against Tottenham set Jurgen Klopp’s men on the way to victory in 2019.
On top of this, he has become the club’s top goalscorer in Europe, while across all UEFA club competitions, he holds the record for most goals scored for an English club, previously set by Thierry Henry in 2006.
In the Champions League, Salah has edged ahead of the likes of Sergio Aguero in the group stage, with his contributions for Basel, Roma and Liverpool making him a legend of the competition.
8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic 38 goals
Europe’s finest journeyman, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is known on and off the pitch for his confidence and distinctive maverick personality.
In front of goal, he was a monster, and from 38 group stage goals for seven different clubs, there weren’t too many that weren’t absolutely 10/10 spectacular.
Whether it be with his head, left foot, right foot, or through a volley, rocket, or a swerving, curling strike, Zlatan could score any type of goal from any angle or range.
7 Thierry Henry 38 goals
Also on 38 goals, Thierry Henry had a long and successful time playing in the Champions League.
Before Kylian Mbappe tore up the record books, the Arsenal Invincible was the youngest Frenchman to reach the 40-goal mark, while he remains the competition’s all-time second-highest goalscorer from France with half a century – second only to the marvellous Karim Benzema.
Henry crowned his fruit-bearing European adventure in 2009 when he lifted the trophy with Barcelona after brushing Manchester United aside in the final.
6 Ruud van Nistelrooy 50 goals
Former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy.
50 goals in the Champions League group stage is quite the jump from 38, especially since there were only six such games each year. But perhaps even more surprising is the fact that Ruud van Nistelrooy is the only Dutchman to make the top 12.
Despite the Oranje boasting a successful bloodline of special footballers, it is the striking endeavours of the Eindhoven product turned Man United and Real Madrid superstar that stand at the very top.
The Ruud Devil, however, is another who never lifted the famous trophy. But in 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2004/05, he finished as the competition’s top goalscorer.
Remarkably, he only ever scored six goals in the knockouts, but everything adds up to an impressive overall tally of 60 Champions League goals.
5 Raúl González 53 goals
Raúl is the highest-ranking Spanish player to feature and is one of his nation’s most decorated footballers.
Raúl became the first player to score 50 Champions League goals when he scored in a 2-1 group stage win over Olympiacos in September 2005 and was also the first to make 100 appearances in the competition. He was also the first player to score in two Champions League finals since the competition’s rebrand, notching in the finals of 2000 and 2002.
It is no surprise, then, to learn that the Spaniard is the fifth-highest goalscorer in the competition’s history, while he is joint-fifth in terms of winning the famous trophy thanks to three triumphs with Real Madrid – the benchmark football club on the continent.
4 Karim Benzema 56 goals
Somewhat overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, in his own right, is one of the greatest out-and-out strikers of all time.
He is France’s top goalscorer in European competition with 90 goals in 140 games, and he is the first in this ranking to have won both the Champions League (five times!) and the Ballon d’Or (2022).
3 Robert Lewandowski 71 goals
Robert Lewandowski’s entire career has been enmeshed in near-misses when it comes to silverware. He should have won the Ballon d’Or in 2020, robbed by a pandemic. Yet, his record proves he’s one of the greatest number 9s ever.
Nowadays, he aims for more glory with Barcelona, even in his mid-thirties. The Poland international will hope to add to his tally group stage goals in 2025/26.
Across all stages of the Champions League, Lewandowski has 105 goals – third in the overall ranking once more.