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’
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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.
Liverpool have “concrete” interest in an “exceptional” England international and are planning an approach for him, according to a new transfer update.
Diaz out and Isak in at Liverpool?
The Reds haven’t had a summer this exciting in many years, with so much incoming and outgoing business happening since the end of last season. Luis Diaz’s time as a Liverpool player is now set to reach its conclusion, with the Colombian winger closing in on a move to Bayern Munich, following three-and-a-half years at Anfield.
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz
Meanwhile, the Premier League champions are continuing their pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, in what could be a remarkable signing, just weeks after Florian Wirtz joined as the most expensive addition in the history of British football.
If Liverpool were able to sign Isak on top of Hugo Ekitike, with Diaz and Darwin Nunez making way, it could prove to be outstanding business, with all due respect to the two South Americans. A new centre-back will also be needed, though, and a key update has dropped regarding their search for one.
Liverpool planning approach for "exceptional" ace
According to a new update from Football Insider, Liverpool have “concrete” interest in Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, as has seemingly been the case for some time now.
Similarly to Isak, the 24-year-old has “informed” the Eagles that he is “not planning to sign an extension” this summer, with the Reds now “expected to make a fresh approach to Palace in the coming weeks”.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehi
With Jarell Quansah leaving for Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer, Guehi stands out as the ideal choice to come in and bolster Liverpool’s defensive options. In fact, he would be an upgrade on the young Englishman.
The Palace skipper has grown so much as a player in the past year or two, standing out as arguably England’s best player at Euro 2024, with former Three Lions goalkeeper Joe Hart showering him with praise.
“Huge shoutout to Marc Guehi. I thought he was exceptional. He really stepped in and was really calm on the ball. I thought Guehi allowed John Stones to play his game. The more Marc plays, the better that [centre-back] partnership will get.”
This feels like the right time for Guehi to leave Palace and kick on at one of the biggest clubs in Europe, and while Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate will make it hard for him to be a regular starter, plenty of minutes should still come his way.
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The £50,000-a-week defender’s price tag is one drawback, especially as Liverpool have already paid huge money on signings this summer, but if FSG make the funds available, the Reds should view him as a fantastic option.
Sunderland are now reportedly part of a seven-club battle to sign a huge young talent this summer, with six other English clubs also in the mix to snap him up.
Sunderland agree move for Xhaka
The Black Cats are edging closer to their return to the Premier League, with their opening clash at home to West Ham now less than three weeks away, arriving on August 16th.
Regis Le Bris is still eyeing important summer transfer business for Sunderland, with more quality required within his squad, and Granit Xhaka is now on the verge of joining from Bayer Leverkusen, according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie. The Swiss will join on a three-year deal, arriving for an initial fee of £13m, with a total of £4.3m in add-ons for the former Arsenal midfielder.
Meanwhile, the Black Cats are also thought to be pushing to sign Galatasaray forward Nicolo Zaniolo, with the Italian earning some Premier League experience on loan at Aston Villa in the past.
New attacking signings appear to be the order of the day for Sunderland after Xhaka is signed, and now a young player with a potentially big future ahead of him has been linked with a switch to the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland make contact with England international
According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Sunderland have “enquired” about the availability of young Metz striker Idrissa Gueye, who is valued at £17m by his current club.
The Black Cats are far from the only club in the race to bring in the 18-year-old, however, with Liverpool, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Southampton and Ipswich Town all mentioned as potential suitors.
Sunderland's Stadium of Light.
Gueye is described as “one of the hottest properties in Europe” in the report, so Sunderland beating the other six clubs to his signature, among others dotted around Europe, would be a real statement of intent by the Premier League newcomers.
The Metz ace has already scored five goals in 20 appearances for the French outfit at senior level, not to mention already winning one cap for Senegal at international level at a tender age.
Gueye wouldn’t necessarily arrive at Sunderland as a more polished attacking player like Zaniolo, but he would be seen as a footballer with a high ceiling who could grow into something special over time.
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Admittedly, £17m is a lot to pay for a player who is still only 18 years of age, but if the Black Cats see him as someone who can become a superstar at the Stadium of Light eventually, he could be worth every penny.
Arsenal are poised to announce the signing of another player after Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi, who both sealed switches to north London recently after what seemed like an eternity of speculation.
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Kepa was Andrea Berta’s first official arrival, joining in a £5 million move from Chelsea, and Arsenal swiftly followed that up by confirming Zubimendi’s £60 million transfer from Real Sociedad following months of talks.
“We are so happy to bring Martin to Arsenal and have a lot of pride in finalising this transfer,” said Berta in an official club statement.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
25/26 – summer
£65m
“Martin was a key target for us and we all know that he is a perfect fit for our squad with the high quality he has. We welcome Martin and his family to the club. We look forward to him settling in with his teammates and are very excited to see him playing in an Arsenal shirt.”
Now, attention is turning to who could follow the Spanish international duo, and Berta has many plates spinning right now.
Arsenal are believed to be closing in on a deal for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, and if completed, the 27-year-old’s arrival would signal the long-awaited end of Berta’s search for a prolific number nine.
Elsewhere, Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, and are believed to be chasing Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze in an entirely separate deal (ESPN).
Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera also remains in talks over an Arsenal move, with the Spaniard likely to come in as a like-for-like replacement for Takehiro Tomiyasu, who was released late last week.
However, before any of the aforementioned deals come to a conclusion, Mikel Arteta’s side are set to announce the arrival of midfielder Christian Norgaard from Brentford.
Arsenal complete Christian Norgaard signing with medical "done"
That is according to reliable journalist David Ornstein, who now reports that Norgaard has completed his medical at Arsenal and the club will make it official at some point this week.
The 31-year-old brings a wealth of Premier League experience and top-level know-how to Arteta’s squad, which could be crucial to the dressing room as Arsenal seek to end their two-decade-long-plus wait for a league title.
Former Tottenham director, Frank Arnesen, certainly thinks they’ve done great business here.
“Every dressing room would be thrilled to have him. He has the right mentality, is a team player and has the attitude,” said Arnsen to Tipsbladet.
“Mikel Arteta was fantastic as a player, I think, and as a coach he has done absolutely superbly, both as an assistant at Manchester City and afterwards at Arsenal with the way he plays football.
“He doesn’t just take a player in without knowing exactly what he’s going to use him for. Maybe he won’t play 50 games, you don’t know, maybe it’ll only be 30, but it’s about the whole package. He gets the whole package with Christian.”
Liverpool are set to be in the market to add a new central defender to their squad after adding Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, and Milos Kerkez to the group.
Wirtz and Frimpong have already been confirmed as new signings, both joining from Bayer Leverkusen, whilst Kerkez is reportedly on the verge of a move to Anfield.
Florian Wirtz
The Premier League champions will then need to find another centre-back to compete for a place in the team, because Jarell Quansah is set to move on from Merseyside.
Fabrizio Romano has reported that Bayer Leverkusen have agreed a deal worth an initial £30m to sign the England U21 international from the Reds this summer.
Quansah was the third centre-back for Arne Slot during the 2024/25 campaign, behind Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, which means that the club will need to find another player to fill that slot.
Liverpool have already missed out on one centre-back they were reportedly interested in, though, as Real Madrid snapped up Dean Huijsen earlier this summer.
Why missing out on Dean Huijsen was a blow for Liverpool
It was reported in May that Liverpool were preparing to make a bid to sign the Spain international from Bournemouth, but Real Madrid swooped in to sign him for a reported fee of £50m.
AFC Bournemouth's DeanHuijsen
Missing out on a deal for the 20-year-old defender was a blow for the Reds because he is a proven Premier League performer who could have hit the ground running at Anfield, having already showcased his quality in the division for the Cherries.
Huijsen started 26 of his 32 appearances for Bournemouth in the top-flight during the 2024/25 campaign, and his performances were impressive enough to earn a £50m transfer to the Bernabeu.
Progressive passes
4.89
Top 15%
Progressive carries
1.52
Top 9%
Interceptions
1.89
Top 4%
Blocks
1.48
Top 31%
Clearances
7.34
Top 4%
Aerial duels won
2.52
Top 23%
As you can see in the table above, the Spanish titan combined progressive play in possession with solid defensive work, as shown by how highly he ranked against his positional peers.
This further emphasises how much of a blow it was to miss out on the young centre-back, as he could have been a standout performer for Liverpool if he could carry that form over to Anfield.
Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen.
The Reds could, however, land an even bigger talent than Huijsen as they are now eyeing up a very talented teenage central defender as a potential signing.
Liverpool eyeing up Ajax star
According to the Athletic, the Premier League champions are mainly interested in a deal to sign Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi to replace Quansah before the end of the summer transfer window.
However, the report claims that the Reds will only press ahead with a move for the England international if the Eagles, who won the FA Cup this season, quote a reasonable asking price for him.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Athletic, therefore, adds that Liverpool are looking at alternative options to Guehi, and Ajax central defender Jorrel Hato has emerged as a target for the club.
It was previously reported by FootballTransfers that Ajax value the centre-back at a fee of around £43m, and that fellow Premier League side Arsenal are also keen on the Dutchman.
Slot should, now, push for Liverpool to secure a deal to sign Hato this summer because he is an even bigger centre-back talent than both Guehi and Huijsen.
Why Hato is a bigger talent than Guehi and Huijsen
The 19-year-old star’s progress with Ajax at an incredibly young age suggests that he has huge potential and could go on to be a top centre-back in the future.
Hato, despite not turning 20 until March 2026, has played a staggering 111 first-team matches for the Dutch giants. Huijsen, for reference, has only played 53 career games at the age of 20, whilst Guehi had played just 26 matches by the age of 19, and 71 games by the age of 20.
This suggests that the Dutch starlet is a bigger talent at his age than Huijsen and Guehi were, because he played more than twice as many games as the Spaniard and over four times as many matches as the Englishman at the same age.
Hato has also captained Ajax several times, at the ages of just 17 and 18, which suggests that he can bring leadership qualities at a very young age, just as Guehi, who is Palace’s captain, can.
Appearances
31
34
Goals
2
3
Assists
6
2
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
2.6
Dribbled past per game
0.3x
0.5x
Ground duel success rate
51%
63%
Aerial duel success rate
55%
54%
As you can see in the table above, the 19-year-old starlet also matched up well against Guehi at league level this season, despite being five years younger than the Eagles star, as he won a higher percentage of his ground duels and was dribbled past less frequently.
Hato, who was hailed as “immense” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also provides positional flexibility, as he has played 70 games or more as both a centre-back and a left-back.
Whereas Guehi has never played more than two matches away from a centre-back role, and Huijsen has never played any other position other than centre-back in his career.
This means that the Ajax titan would offer far more versatility to Slot, due to his ability to play at left-back, as well as the defensive and leadership qualities that he can offer.
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Overall, Liverpool could land an even bigger talent than Guehi and Huijsen because of what Hato has already achieved in his career at such a young age, and the quality that he can provide in the here and now.
Arsenal are searching for a number nine this summer and have identified a new target who may strengthen their forward line for a cheaper fee, according to a report.
The latest on Arsenal's search for a striker
Undoubtedly, the Gunners’ search for a striker has become something of a saga in the last few weeks, and it doesn’t look like there will be an end in sight anytime soon despite Mikel Arteta’s advances.
Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as Arsenal’s most talked-about summer pursuit. However, Sporting won’t let the Sweden international leave on the cheap, which has compelled the Londoners to assess potential alternatives such as Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
Of course, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has also been courted by Arsenal over the duration, and Ben Jacobs has confirmed that they are still in the picture to land the Bundesliga sensation.
“They have discussed whether or not there is flexibility beneath the variable release clause, set at the moment around €80 million. That’s why that one’s taking time, because Arsenal want to do Sesko for €70 million, or within that ballpark.”
Saudi Arabian clubs are also believed to be at the table, creating another layer to what is turning out to be a complicated search for a goalscorer in light of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus being stricken by injury last term.
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The Premier League title is on the line and Arsenal need to make sure they get this one right if they are to unseat Liverpool at the summit, so it is only natural that time is being taken to assess all contributing factors.
However, they could now opt to move in a completely different direction from the names mentioned if reports elsewhere are to carry weight.
Arsenal set to court Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic
According to Tutto Juve, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has become a concrete option for Arsenal due to their ongoing frustration in the pursuit of Gyokeres.
Should their chase of the former Coventry City man fall by the wayside, the Serbia international may enter their thoughts more prominently due to the Old Lady’s willingness to listen to offers, providing they recoup a satisfactory outlay for the Serie A marksman.
Five similar players to Dusan Vlahovic (FBRef)
Ermedin Demirovic
Stuttgart
Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa
Artem Dovbyk
Roma
Patrick Cutrone
Como
Valentin Castellanos
Lazio
Labelled “lightning” and “ridiculous” by former teammate Micah Richards, Vlahovic registered 15 goals and five assists in 41 appearances across all competitions last term as Juventus scraped into the Champions League on the final day of the campaign.
Now on Club World Cup duty, the ex-Fiorentina man has only one year left on his contract in Turin and it remains to be seen whether he would fancy the prospect of a move to England, but his contract situation would make him a cheaper option than the likes of Gyokeres.
Juventus' DusanVlahovicduring the warm up
Although he isn’t the first name on Arsenal’s list, Vlahovic’s name could be one to watch out for in the Gunners’ search for a high-profile striker to lead the line in 2025/26.
Manchester United’s summer could be defining for Ruben Amorim in his tenure at Old Trafford, needing a huge summer to transform his fortunes at the club.
The 40-year-old has already wasted very little time in the transfer market, completing a £62.5m deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Matheus Cunha.
After scoring 15 Premier League goals this campaign, the Brazilian will likely improve the options currently at the club, helping the manager in his quest to take them back to their former glory.
Wolverhampton Wanderers'MatheusCunha
However, he will likely need to be joined in the attacking third by numerous other additions, with Jason Wilcox attempting to work his magic during the off-season.
Various other players have been mentioned with a potential switch to Old Trafford ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with the Red Devils in desperate need of an overhaul.
The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers
Given United’s measly tally of 44 league goals this season, it’s clear that additions are needed in such a department to transform the situation currently unfolding at the Theatre of Dreams.
Players such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Dušan Vlahović and Jean-Philippe Mateta have all been mentioned as targets this window, but no deals have yet been agreed for any of the aforementioned stars.
Juventus' DusanVlahovicduring the warm up
However, another player has entered the mix over the last couple of days, in the form of Bryan Mbeumo, with the Brentford forward edging closest to a move, according to German journalist Christopher Michel.
He claims that the Red Devils are becoming “optimistic of finalising” a deal for the 25-year-old for the start of their pre-season ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
It’s also reported that Thomas Frank is trying to hijack a deal for the £70m star, looking to take the Cameroonian with him to North London after being appointed Tottenham Hotspur manager.
Why United’s £70m target could be incredible alongside Ekitike
United’s hunt for new additions has seen no sign of slowing down in recent days, with Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké firmly in their sights, according to Sky Germany.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
They claim that the Red Devils have made contact with the Bundesliga side over a move for the 22-year-old star, who’s registered 22 goals across all competitions in 2024/25.
It’s also reported that the French international has a €100m (£84m) release clause in his deal, but they face a battle with other Premier League sides, with Arsenal and Chelsea also in the race for his signature.
It remains to be seen if the club would be able to fork out such a fee for the Frankfurt talisman, especially after completing a deal for Cunha and edging closer to a move to land Mbeumo.
However, it’s a move they should pursue, with the Bees attacker having all the tools to form a deadly combination with Ekitike within the final third at Old Trafford.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
The Cameroonian, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by one analyst, may have scored 20 league goals this season, but he’s also demonstrated his creative nature throughout the 2024/25 season.
He’s registered 3.7 progressive passes and 1.9 key passes per 90, having the skillset to provide Ekitike with the ammunition needed to succeed in front of goal should he move to Manchester.
Games played
38
Goals & assists
27
Progressive passes
3.7
Progressive carries
3.4
Key passes made
1.9
Passes into opposition box
1.6
Crosses completed
5.3
Take-on success
48%
Mbeumo has also registered 1.6 passes into the opposition box per 90, whilst completing 5.3 crosses per 90, with his ability to cause carnage certainly aiding other attackers at Old Trafford.
£70m may appear to be another massive investment from the hierarchy, given the early business conducted this summer, but it’s one that would add a different dimension to Amorim’s attack.
The prospect of the Bees’ star partnering the French star alongside Cunha in the final third is certainly an exciting one, with the trio single-handedly hoping to push the club back up the table next campaign.
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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.
Odegaard will love him: Berta in talks to sign £75m "monster" for Arsenal
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.