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Since the summer of 2003, Chelsea have spent a staggering €3.86bn (£3bn) on transfers.

According to Football Transfers, this expenditure is the highest of any club across Europe. It’s no surprise, given Roman Abramovich and Todd Boehly’s penchant for splashing cash.

This money has been used to sign players who have gone on to win major trophies and become established Chelsea icons in the process.

Eden Hazard immediately springs to mind. The Belgian arrived in 2012 and helped the Blues win two Premier League titles and two Europa League crowns.

Cesc Fabregas and N’Golo Kanté are two midfielders who enjoyed plenty of success at Stamford Bridge, while defenders such as Ricardo Carvalho, Cesar Azpilicueta and Ashley Cole turned into some of their much-loved signings.

Notice, however, that there is a lack of strikers mentioned. Despite having an almost unlimited amount of cash to spend, the club have very rarely signed a centre-forward who has enjoyed much success in London.

Didier Drogba and Diego Costa are two who come to mind. But, players such as Fernando Torres, Andriy Shevchenko and Álvaro Morata struggled to win over the Stamford Bridge crowd due to their consistent finishing.

Could Liam Delap break the mould? Chelsea’s new number nine looks ready to become Enzo Maresca’s main man next season.

Why Chelsea signed Liam Delap

Following Ipswich Town’s relegation at the end of last term, a clause in Delap’s contract stated that he could move for a fee of just £30m.

“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.” Said the youngster following his move to London.

It comes after a campaign where he found the back of the net 12 times in 37 games for the Tractor Boys in the top flight.

While he has an undisputable eye for goal, the Englishman shone across other metrics in the Premier League this season.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers, Delap ranked in the top 12% for successful take-ons (1.39) per 90, along with ranking in the top 23% for fouls drawn (1.77) and in the top 14% for penalty kicks won per 90 in the top flight last season, showcasing that he’s difficult to deal with for defenders.

Is the manager looking at bringing in another talented youngster this summer, however?

Chelsea’s search for a striker

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike is a player who has been routinely linked with a move to the club over the past few weeks.

Transfer Focus

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

It is a deal that Maresca looks keen on getting over the line, but there is another striker whom the Italian might make a move for.

According to Caught Offside, the Blues are now ready to step up their interest in FC Porto forward Samu Aghehowa this summer.

The eagle-eyed Chelsea fans will remember that the club agreed a fee with Atletico Madrid last summer to sign the youngster in 2024, but the move collapsed at the last minute.

Might it be the second time lucky for the Blues this year? Porto are in no rush to sell one of their prized assets, and he has a release clause of €100m (£85m) inserted into his contract.

With Champions League football secured for next season, Maresca has money to spend in a bid to bolster his attacking options.

Signing Aghehowa this summer may break the bank, but in the long term, it would be worth it. Given his form throughout the 2024/25 campaign, the Spaniard would be an even better signing than Delap, that’s for sure.

Why Chelsea should sign Samu

In terms of debut seasons, Samu’s was incredible. Across 42 matches for the Portuguese side, the 21-year-old scored an impressive tally of 25 goals while grabbing three assists.

It may not have been enough to fire the club to a league title, but he has certainly put himself in the shop window with this current form.

The Spaniard ended up registering a goal involvement every 1.5 games for Porto last season. Compared to Delap, who recorded a contribution every 2.8 games, it is clear who is the more effective frontman.

When compared to Delap domestically, the Porto striker further establishes his dominance across several key statistics.

Not only did the Spaniard register more goals and assists (22 vs 14) than Delap last season in their respective leagues, but he also recorded more shots per 90 (1.15 vs 1.01), won a higher percentage of aerial duels (52.1% vs 42.6%) per 90 minutes and took more touches in the attacking penalty area (137 vs 92) throughout the whole of last season.

He may cost more than Delap, but given the evidence, the 21-year-old is already better than his English counterpart and could be an ideal long-term solution to this problematic area for Chelsea.

Amid his excellent start to the season with his new club, football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed the striker, saying: “Samu is maintaining his fantastic form for FC Porto. 20 years of age. Pace, physicality, aerial ability, bravery, shot power… Such a complete profile for a striker of his age. A true monster in the making.”

High praise indeed for the youngster and he has a bright future ahead in the game. A move to the Blues would allow the player to continue his development while playing Champions League football.

If Maresca can move on Nicolas Jackson this summer, having options such as Delap and Aghehowa would certainly constitute an upgrade by the Italian, no doubt about that.

Much will depend on how much the club are willing to spend on another centre-forward, but as mentioned, this area hasn’t exactly been a success for the Blues over the years. Might things change this summer? Only time will tell.

Chelsea eyeing £70m Ekitike alternative who's a bigger talent than Delap

Despite having already signed Liam Delap for £30m, Chelsea are interested in another “superb” striker to bolster Enzo Maresca’s attacking options.

By
Ben Gray

Jun 8, 2025

Fabrizio Romano has shared an intriguing update on Chelsea and their transfer plans for the coming weeks, with one player very eager to make the move to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Chelsea transfer priorities with window reopening on June 16

Following the June 10 transfer deadline of the now-closed mini-window, the summer transfer market will reopen for business on June 16.

Free agent defender now "close to finalising" Chelsea move after talks

The west Londoners are pushing.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 13, 2025

Chelsea attempted to utilise the mini-window as a means to reinforce Enzo Maresca’s squad for the Club World Cup, sealing the signing of striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town in a £30 million deal and registering 19-year-old defender Mamadou Sarr, who they agreed a move from Strasbourg for £12 million in January.

While BlueCo managed to get some moves over the line, late agreements for AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan and Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens couldn’t quite get done in time – mainly due to haggling over price.

Milan wanted around £25 million for Maignan, which Chelsea refused to pay, resulting in talks ultimately collapsing for the France international.

It was a very similar tale when it came to their negotiations over a deal for Gittens, with Dortmund director Sebastien Kehl telling Tage Spiegel why Chelsea’s talks for the 20-year-old broke down.

“We spoke on the phone, in the end we did not agree, because we have different ideas about the current value of the player,” he said.

“Jamie definitely makes our team better. We are glad that he is there. We are in a good exchange and see how things are shaping in the future.

“Of course, at some point, if you take a player with it, you also have to sell. I assume that his market value will not fall. We will see to what extent we can keep it until the end of the tournament. There will be talks again.”

Chelsea could make fresh Jamie Gittens bid "in the next days"

According to Romano, writing in a column for GiveMeSport, the Englishman remains firmly in Chelsea’s transfer plans, so much so that a new offer could already arrive for Gittens “in the next days”.

The winger is hoping that’ll be the case too, as Romano states that Gittens is literally waiting for Chelsea to call him, and he’s made this known to Dortmund’s club directors as well.

Even if Dortmund are currently demanding around £55 million, according to reliable media sources, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Gittens hoist a Chelsea shirt aloft pretty soon.

However, if they manage to shake hands on a deal, it is worth noting that Gittens won’t be able to take part in the CWC, even with the unique registration period active from June 27 to July 3.

Gittens is already registered to take part in the CWC as a Dortmund player, and rules dictate that he cannot swap teams mid-tournament.

In any case, he could still be the ideal replacement for Jadon Sancho and the suspended Mykhailo Mudryk ahead of next season.

“Jamie is doing an outstanding job,” Lars Ricken, Dortmund’s chief executive for sport, told The Athletic.

“He was a standout, including in the way he helped Ramy (Bensebaini, Dortmund’s left-back) in defence. He has developed into a real difference maker with his goals and assists.”

Leeds United are heading towards the opening of the summer transfer window on Sunday, and are preparing to build a squad that can compete in the Premier League next term.

Daniel Farke’s side will be competing in the top-flight in the 2025/26 campaign after they won the Championship title with a staggering 100 points, beating Plymouth Argyle 2-1 away from home on the final day of the season to clinch the trophy.

The Whites are now tasked with preparing a group to battle against relegation from the top-flight at the first time of asking, which is going to be incredibly difficult when you consider recent history.

Southampton, Ipswich, and Leicester were all relegated from the Premier League this season, after Sheffield United, Burnley, and Luton all went down the season before, all six of whom had just been promoted from the Championship.

This illustrates the size of the task at hand for Farke and his players heading into the upcoming campaign, which is why this summer transfer window is particularly important.

Leeds needs to ensure that they have a team that is good enough to compete week-in-week-out in the top-flight, and that is why Brenden Aaronson’s future in the starting XI should be in doubt.

Why Brenden Aaronson must be replaced

The USA international started 43 of his 46 appearances in the Championship as a regular starter under Farke in the number ten position, but he has not done enough to suggest that the step up to the Premier League will suit him.

Aaronson ended the season with a return of nine goals and two assists in those 46 outings in the second tier, which was a decent, but unspectacular, haul for the attacking midfielder.

His finishing left a lot to be desired throughout the season for Leeds, with nine goals from 11.43 xG, and this does not suggest that he is ruthless enough in front of goal to be an effective operator at the top end of the pitch in the top-flight.

Aaronson, of course, played for the Whites in their last season in the Premier League, under Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce, and his lack of quality was on full display that year.

As you can see in the table above, the American flop was incredibly wasteful in front of goal, underperforming his xG by almost three goals, and was a liability out of possession, as opposition defenders dominated him in duels.

With this in mind, the former RB Salzburg star should not be guaranteed to keep his place as a starter when the Premier League season gets underway next season.

Instead, Leeds should attempt to replace him during the upcoming summer transfer window, which appears to be what they are aiming for with their latest target.

Leeds eyeing move for Championship star

According to Leeds United News, reporter Graeme Bailey claims that Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Jack Rudoni from Coventry City this summer.

The report claims that the Whites are keen on doing a deal for the English attacking midfielder in the coming weeks, as they eye up a move for the Championship sensation.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that the second tier champions are yet to make an enquiry about his availability, though, which suggests that any transfer is in the very early stages at this point.

Meanwhile, EFL Analysis claims that Sheffield United, Leicester City, and Southampton are also lining up moves for the Sky Blues attacking midfielder this summer, providing competition for his signature.

Leeds, though, could have an advantage over those three clubs because of their promotion to the Premier League, and they should use that to snap him up ahead of next season.

Why Leeds should sign Jack Rudoni

The Whites should swoop to sign Rudoni from the Championship side this summer because he could be way better than Aaronson for Farke in the top-flight.

Whilst the left-footed star is unproven in the Premier League, having yet to play there in his career, his performances in the Championship during the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he has more to offer to the team than the American lightweight does.

The former Huddersfield Town star, who was dubbed a “standout” by pundit Lee Hendrie, joined Coventry in the summer of 2024 and hit the ground running as an instant star for the club this term.

Rudoni only delivered five goals and three assists in 35 appearances for the Terriers in the 2023/24 Championship campaign, but the move to the Sky Blues helped to get the best out of him.

As you can see in the table above, the Coventry star delivered 21 goals and assists in 43 appearances for Frank Lampard’s side, ten more than Aaronson managed in three more appearances.

They scored the same number of goals, nine, but the EFL star managed that tally with an xG of just 7.49, which shows that he was far more efficient with the chances that came his way.

Rudoni, whose personality was described as “infectious” by Lampard, also created seven more ‘big chances’ and produced ten more assists, speaking to the kind of creative quality that he could provide Farke’s team with in the Premier League.

These statistics suggest that the Coventry magician could be way better than Aaronson for Leeds by coming in to deliver more quality as a finisher and a creator in an attacking midfield position.

This could give him a greater chance of being a success in the top-flight in comparison to the USA international, as he appears more likely to make an impact in the final third.

Orta wanted him: Leeds eyeing move for "very prolific" Piroe upgrade

Leeds United are eyeing a Joel Piroe upgrade who was previously wanted by Victor Orta.

1

By
Dan Emery

May 29, 2025

It is now down to the club to win the race for his services in a battle with the likes of Southampton, Sheffield United, and Leicester this summer.

Looking to take full advantage of a recent training ground bust up, Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to sign a talented Premier League forward this summer.

Ratcliffe readying more sackings after UEL defeat

As Manchester United continue to fail on the pitch, it’s those away from the action who are set to suffer yet again. Having already stolen previous headlines for his money-saving attempts, which have often come under severe criticism, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly set to sack more staff following Manchester United’s Europa League final defeat.

To say that INEOS and Ratcliffe, in particular, are not popular around Old Trafford would be an understatement. The Telegraph’s James Ducker also revealed that when both Ratcliffe and Avram Glazer appeared on the screen at the Europa League final, staff members booed as they watched on from a screening back in Manchester.

On the pitch, the Red Devils are struggling more than ever before. But off the pitch, things could only get worse after they missed out on Champions League football and the money that would have come with that.

INEOS positioning deal for 17-goal star who's considering joining Man Utd

He’s be an instant upgrade.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 24, 2025

What makes matters worse is how desperately Manchester United need to spend this summer. After reportedly sacking 200 staff members, whatever Ratcliffe spends on the squad this summer will be seen as controversial as he prioritises his highest earners rather than those keeping the club ticking by out of the spotlight.

Among the priorities is set to be an attacking addition. Reports have already suggested that Rasmus Hojlund’s time at the club could be coming to an end following a frustrating two-year spell, and in his place could yet be a Premier League rival.

Man Utd join Joao Pedro race

According to Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett, Manchester United have now joined the race to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion, who are set to demand over £50m to sell the Brazilian this summer. Racing alongside Chelsea and Liverpool for his signature, those at Old Trafford will be hoping that Pedro buys into Ruben Amorim’s project rather than see a broken Man United side.

What should make any deal easier is the fact that Pedro has recently found himself dropped by Fabian Hurzeler following a reported training ground bust-up with defender Jean Paul van Hecke.

The forward will reportedly remain dropped for Brighton’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday, with Hurzeler telling reporters in his pre-match press conference: “With Joao, we had a small issue in training, a type which isn’t uncommon from time to time at all football clubs. We dealt with it internally and the matter is closed.”

Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne has been linked with a move to Liverpool and now journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a new update regarding the situation.

De Bruyne to become Liverpool's next Milner move?

Reds supporters are expecting this to be one of the busiest summer transfer windows in years at Anfield, following a fairly lengthy spell of quiet periods in the market.

Arne Slot is set to significantly add to his squad, with some current players moving on, and a shock move for De Bruyne has been mentioned, as Liverpool look to defend their Premier League title in 2025/26.

It has been claimed that the Reds have made an offer for the world-renowned Belgian, who has confirmed that he will leave City at the end of the season, having won six league titles at the Etihad.

Liverpool of course benefitted from a similar situation back in 2015, when James Milner was deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad only to go on to win several major honours at Anfield.

Napoli are also interested in signing De Bruyne ahead of next season, with a move to the MLS also far from out of the question, but the idea of him in a Liverpool shirt could be a mouthwatering prospect for some supporters, especially as he grew up supporting the Reds.

Romano drops De Bruyne to Liverpool update

According to Romano on X on Thursday, claims of negotiations already happening are wide of the mark and Liverpool “are not in talks” to complete the signing of De Bruyne. TalkSPORT‘s Alex Crook has echoed that opinion on social media, saying: “Would be an interesting story but told De Bruyne to LFC is not on the agenda.”

In truth, Liverpool signing De Bruyne would be a big surprise, mainly because he is now in the autumn of his career and not quite the force he used to be.

The Belgium international is now 33 years of age and has lost some of his pace and all-round influence, while injuries have crept into his game more, limiting him to only 17 starts in the Premier League this season.

For that reason, it would make little sense in Liverpool bringing him in on huge wages, especially considering Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have only recently penned new deals.

It would be against the Reds’ general approach with transfers during the Jurgen Klopp and Slot era, with Thiago standing out as arguably the only ageing player who has come in as a key man. Instead, they prefer to sign individuals in their early to mid 20s, developing them into world-class footballers over time.

Slot has struck gold on Liverpool star worth far more than Kerkez & Huijsen

Liverpool’s title-winning defence is set to undergo a transformation this summer.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

May 8, 2025

If De Bruyne did suddenly make a shock switch to Anfield, it would at least be entertaining to see him producing sprinklings of magic at Anfield, but it would be wiser to focus on signing a younger attacking midfielder instead, such as Morgan Rogers or Xavi Simons.

Make no mistake about it, this has been an utterly dreadful campaign for Manchester United.

Whether it was Erik ten Hag in the formative months of the season or Ruben Amorim in the latter stages of the term, no one has been able to get a tune out of this downtrodden Premier League giant.

After suffering a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford on Sunday afternoon, it reduced the Red Devils to their 16th league defeat of 2024/25. That’s the first time that’s happened since 1989/90, before the Premier League even existed.

In truth, United were not expected to win this one. Their focus is well and truly on their Europa League semi-final next Thursday, and as a result, Amorim rang the changes.

There was a first start for 17-year-old striker Chido Obi, while 20-year-old Tyler Fredricson started at centre-back and 18-year-old Harry Amass was given a run out at left-wing back.

On that evidence, the defeat was not a shock. Still, it did little to help an already dispondent fanbase.

Where it went wrong for Man United at Brentford

While teenager Chido Obi struggled in attack, notably having just 18 touches of the ball, it was not an awful day for United in attack.

Mason Mount – who had not found the net in 400 days – opened the scoring, darting into the penalty area and finishing off a close-range opportunity.

Alejandro Garnacho and Amad also scored late on to save United’s blushes somewhat, but those two goals were too little too late. Still, it showed that there is promise for the future at Old Trafford.

It was at the back where United met their downfall. The tone was set when Brentford found their equaliser on 27 minutes. Amass was absolutely bullied by Michael Kayode who beat the youngster to the ball inside the area and then it cannoned off Luke Shaw for an own goal.

The second goal was equally as comical. Matthijs de Ligt went down injured and United switched off, which allowed Mikkel Damsgaard to find Kevin Schade who didn’t have to do much at the back stick.

For Schade’s second and the hosts’ third, there was very little resistance at the back post either where Fredricson left the Bees forward open at the and he was left with a simple finish.

It was then made all the worse when United failed to apply their offside trap correctly. The ball was slid in between the back line on the edge of the box and then Kayode laid it on a plate for Yoanne Wissa to score, completely unmarked again.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Clearly, very little in the United backline helped but it was Shaw who was notably bad.

Luke Shaw's performance in numbers

At the peak of his game, Shaw proved himself to be one of the best left-backs not just in the Premier League, but also in Europe.

That was certainly the case at Euro 2020 where as you should all remember, he scored in the final against Italy for England.

Well, since then, it’s been a sad and agonising tale of woe for the left-sided defender who has struggled to stay fit, most notably in the last few seasons.

While Shaw managed over 30 league appearances in 2022/23, he was only seen on 12 occasions in the top-flight last season and only five times in 2024/25 to date.

In truth, this should be his last start in United’s famous colours; he was not good enough.

The own goal was bad enough but he had already nearly turned one into his own net in the first three minutes of the game. In the words of Manchester Evening News reporter, Samuel Luckhurst, he simply “wasn’t at it” having also been given the captain’s armband.

Well, it wasn’t a captain’s performance, let’s put it that way. The left-back was handed a 2/10 match rating by the Express and was consequently was hauled off after just 45 minutes.

One can excuse a lack of match fitness and you may well blame that for Shaw’s display in London this weekend, but he’s really not shown very much in his limited outings this season.

During his 45 minutes on the field, he only completed 79% of his passes and won just one of his three duels. Unsurprisingly, his 30 touches were also fewer than goalkeeper Altay Bayindir’s total of 57 touches.

We are so used to seeing Shaw as a flying wing-back and perhaps he should have started there on this occasion given Amass’ own struggles. Yet, this was evidence that he now completely lacks confidence, perhaps not just in his fitness but in his own abilities.

The 29-year-old left the action having been dominated by the Brentford attack. Their clever play and trickery on the edge of the box were simply too much for him to handle.

Don’t be surprised if this is one of, if not the last time, we see him start a game for the club.

Perfect for Cunha: Man Utd in advanced talks to sign "world-class" talent

Manchester United have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements, with a deal edging closer for one star.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 2, 2025

Leeds United are already preparing for life back in the top-flight and are said to be making inroads in their pursuit of a prolific striker, according to reports.

Leeds ready to take on the Premier League after dramatic title win

Despite some nervy moments along the way, Leeds are once again a Premier League club from next season and optimism is high in Yorkshire over how they may fare against the elite, especially after their last-gasp win to seal the title at Plymouth on Saturday.

Undoubtedly, savvy additions will need to be made to ensure the Whites don’t end up in a relegation scrap, but the size of the club coupled with a talented existing core could be the ideal recipe for success at Elland Road.

Stepping up their ambition, Leeds are interested in a move for Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison. However, Everton,Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fluminense, Al Hilal and Al Shabab are also interested in the Brazil international.

Adhering to PSR regulations will become part and parcel of most clubs’ summer thinking, which may mean Leeds need to prioritise which positions are in urgent need of surgery.

On that front, Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen could replace Illan Meslier between the sticks, while Wolverhampton Wanderers stopper Sam Johnstone may also add some Premier League experience if he were to join the ranks.

Farke is brewing a Piroe upgrade in Leeds teen with "masses of potential"

Leeds United could have a top star for the future in this highly rated youngster.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 27, 2025

Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons to be excited as the Whites have another crack at the big time, even if the gap between Premier League and the rest of the football ladder is growing exponentially. Despite this, Leeds have now put themselves in contention to sign one of England’s leading marksmen in years gone by, per recent developments.

Leeds United make advances to sign Jamie Vardy

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are pursuing a deal for Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy, who is set to become a free agent once his contract at the King Power Stadium expires.

Known as one of the Premier League’s greatest modern-day heroes, the 38-year-old has scored 243 career goals for club and country and still believes he has something to offer in the top-flight, proving that with another strike against Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

The outlet state that Vardy’s potential destination is ‘more advanced than people may think’ and that Leeds are in the market for several options to strengthen their forward line. Burnley are also in pursuit of the former Three Lions international. Patrick Bamford could make way regardless in the coming window after emerging as a target for Wrexham.

Labelled “top-class” by Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former Halifax man has still shown signs that he is a potent force in the Premier League, registering 24 shots on target this term.

Longevity probably isn’t what you’re going to get from Vardy at this stage, though his vast experience and know-how in front of goal makes him a compelling option for Farke as the Whites aim to build the foundations for a solid season.

Liverpool may well be preparing for life without Trent Alexander-Arnold. Though nothing’s set in stone, the saga carries the bitter undertow of resignation that Anfield’s vice-captain is off to Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old has formed one prong of a three-pointed contractual problem that threatened the stability and success of Arne Slot’s maiden campaign, after he took over from Jurgen Klopp last summer.

But Virgil van Dijk, the skipper, and Mohamed Salah, the talisman, have both extended their deals on Merseyside, devoting the remainder of their prime years to Slot’s cause.

Alexander-Arnold, 26, still has his best years ahead of him, and there’s no question it will sting if the Liverpool-born talent, ‘the Scouser in our team’, leaves for nothing and joins his boyhood club’s continental nemesis.

Away from the emotional side of things, Trent’s a rather good playmaker. Pundit Jamie Carragher remarked last season that “it’s like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back.”

Trent’s inventiveness is so unique, he’s Liverpool’s chief creative source. Should he leave, Liverpool will need more from the middle of the park. But, is Dominik Szoboszlai up to the task?

Dominik Szoboszlai's output

Szoboszlai is Liverpool’s recognised attacking midfielder, signed as part of Klopp’s midfield rebuild in 2023, joining from RB Leipzig for a £60m figure.

However, for all his physicality and intensity, the Hungary captain is not quite ravenous enough for goals and assists, with just 25 goal involvements notched across 89 matches for the Reds.

Looking at Szoboszlai’s two Premier League campaigns in red, it’s clear that he’s not producing the potent numbers that his lofty price tag demands. Indeed, with Alexander-Arnold expected to move to Spain, taking his creative flair with him, the attacking midfielder will surely need to up his game.

Though irrefutably, Szoboszlai has made gains this term, it’s still not enough to suggest he can fuel Liverpool’s offensive play.

Of course, Slot may not want to take such a risk ahead of a Premier League title defence, with plans being drawn out for a new addition who might even prove an upgrade on Szoboszlai.

FSG eyeing marquee Liverpool signing

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool are chasing a deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, who is one of the most valuable players in the world and is being chased by some of Europe’s most prestigious outfits.

Transfer Focus

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

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are thought to be leading the race at this early stage, but the Premier League’s finest are gearing up for summer bids, with Liverpool now joining Arsenal and Manchester City in pursuit of the German.

Leverkusen won’t let him go on the cheap; however, demands have already been made public that he will cost suitors around €130m (equating to £111m).

This is an extraordinary amount of money, but remember, two years ago Liverpool attempted to hijack Chelsea’s bid for Moises Caicedo, offering Brighton & Hove Albion a £111m figure, which was accepted.

Why Liverpool should sign Florian Wirtz

It looks like Bayer Leverkusen are going to go trophyless this season, having defied all expectations to win an invincible domestic double under Xabi Alonso’s wing last year, toppling over a decade of Bayern Munich dominance in the Bundesliga.

Wirtz, who is still only 21, scored 18 goals and supplied 20 assists across all competitions, instrumental throughout a campaign that will live long in the record books as one of the continent’s greatest.

Looking at his metrics compared to Szoboszlai’s in the Premier League (refer to the table above), Wirtz has created 16 big chances in the Bundesliga this season, scoring nine goals and providing ten assists across 27 matches. He’s also more combative, more active, averaging 5.4 duels and 2.7 dribbles per game.

This emphasises his desire to get stuck in, for one, and progress the ball into the danger area. Crucially, he puts paid to his opponents when presented with promising chances.

How he dances across the pitch, skipping with an almost mechanical gait that highlights his technical skill. It’s his economy of movement, though, that differentiates him from positional rivals, tigerish in his ability to pounce and make things happen, not wasting so much as a muscular twitch.

Wirtz actually ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goal involvements, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, illustrating a potency that Szoboszlai simply doesn’t boast.

Simplifying that clutter of data: he’s rather good at football, which is probably all you need to know.

Should it come as any surprise that former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes has described him as “the best midfielder in the world,” such is his level at this early career stage?

This would be quite the ambitious lunge, but a signing which could consolidate Liverpool’s position as one of Europe’s meanest outfits for many years to come.

With Trent set to leave for Real Madrid, Wirtz’s elite-level playmaking is exactly what is needed for Slot to reshape the creative flow of this exciting Liverpool team.

Szoboszlai’s great, but he hasn’t proved that he can step up to the plate in that regard.

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With promotion and League One title glory well within their grasp, Birmingham City have now reportedly turned their focus towards securing a bargain deal to sign a defensive addition this summer.

Birmingham strolling towards promotion

With games in hand on second place Wrexham, Birmingham sit clear at the top of League One and look unlikely to ease their hold on the top of the tree anytime soon. With just a handful of games left to play, the Blues are also on course to secure early promotion above third place Wycombe and could even seal their Championship spot as early as April 18 when they square off against the struggling Crawley Town.

Left delighted with his side’s most recent victory against Barnsley, watching on as they soared to a 6-2 win, manager Chris Davies told reporters: “It was a big three points. To score six goals at home and win 6-2 is a wonderful day for us.

“I thought were good throughout, we had to be patient when they went down to ten men but to score six in front of the home fans is brilliant. Against ten men, it’s a mental game. You can think it’s going to be easy, but it doesn’t work like that.

“To get a sucker punch after we score, with a long throw, that frustration can build so it was really important for me at half-time that I calmed the players down and made them see the game quite clearly and what we needed to do, the positions we needed to get into and how to attack them relentlessly. If we did that, we would score the goals to win the match and we did.”

That victory only strengthened their stride towards promotion and securing an early place should only benefit Birmingham as they go in pursuit of one particular summer bargain.

Birmingham plotting bargain Harry Darling deal

According ton Wales Online, Birmingham are now plotting a move to sign Harry Darling on a free deal once his current contract comes to an end at Swansea City this summer. The defender does reportedly have an offer on the table from the Championship side but is yet to put pen to paper on an extension – opening the door for his exit in the coming months.

That said, the Blues aren’t the only side reportedly interested, with Premier League hopefuls Sheffield United also linked to the Swansea contract rebel as the summer transfer window approaches.

The interest in the 25-year-old centre-back should come as no surprise either. Former Swansea manager Luke Williams is just one of few to praise Darling in recent months, telling reporters following a hard-fought draw against West Bromwich Albion in January: “Harry was outstanding, and it is impossible to question his commitment to the football club because that an heroic performance from him.

“He is fantastic at defending the goal, competing for everything with the opposition. But he also had plenty of brilliant actions in helping us to build-up to try and score. He was brilliant, he’s an excellent player.”

Arsenal have wasted no time in drawing up plans for the summer transfer window, looking to finally end their two-decade wait for a Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta has done a superb job of transforming the squad during his near five-year spell in charge, but more work needs to be done to take them to the summit of the division.

Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as a huge target for the upcoming window, with new sporting director Andrea Berta making an immediate impact in pursuing a move for his signature.

Given his goalscoring record, which has seen him score 86 times in his 93 outings in the last two seasons, it’s understandable that the Gunners are pursuing a striker to bolster their forward line.

Should he move to North London in the summer, he could be joined by another player who’s been a constant target, with a new update emerging on his potential move to the club.

Arsenal make contact to land £51m talent

According to Sun Sport, Arsenal’s director Berta has already been in contact with the representatives of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi ahead of a summer move to the Emirates.

It was reported in January that a deal was on the verge of being agreed for this upcoming window, but no news has emerged since – with this the latest update on any transfer.

The Spanish international has made 29 LaLiga appearances this campaign, featuring in all but one of their league outings, showcasing his importance and quality.

The report claims that the hierarchy are still “working hard” on a deal to land the 26-year-old this summer, with the £51m release clause not thought to be an issue.

Any move for Zubimendi could provide added quality to the middle of Arteta’s side, allowing one player to return to his former best after his recent slump in form.

Why Zubimendi could decide Odegaard at Arsenal

Midfielder Martin Odegaard has been a player so often tasked with providing the goods for Arsenal in attacking areas but ultimately has struggled to deliver in recent months.

The Norwegian had a long injury layoff with an ankle issue but hasn’t been the same player since his return – leading to huge amounts of criticism in the process.

He’s also featured in more of a deeper role, taking away his best qualities with his intricate passing able to create chances for attackers within the final third.

Zubimendi, who’s a defensive midfielder, could be able to sit in front of the backline should he move in the coming months, freeing up Odegaard to go and create carnage further up the field.

The Spaniard, who’s been labelled “superb” by the Spanish Football Podcast, has excelled out of possession, having the quality to be the ball-winning talent the side have been crying out for.

He’s won 1.3 tackles per 90 to date, along with 5.4 duels won – coming out on top of the latter on 60% of the occasions he’s entered a battle with an opposition player.

However, he’s also got the passing ability to aid Odegaard in higher areas, registering an 85% pass completion rate, along with a 70% dribble success rate.

Whilst the club would have to fork out a pretty penny to secure his signature this summer, it’s evident that Zubimendi would be a player who could certainly increase the club’s title credentials.

As for Odegaard, he’s been an influential player in various title battles, with Arteta needing him to return to top form if they are to go one better next season – with the Sociedad star having a huge say in his fortunes if a deal is completed.

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By
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