All posts by z3u9t.icu

The centre-forward position at Celtic has been a tricky one for Brendan Rodgers to deal with for a long time now, possibly stretching back to January 2024.

Adam Idah was brought in to compete with Kyogo Furuhashi in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, before they battled it out again in the 2024/25 season.

Both Idah and Kyogo left the club this year, the latter in the summer and the former in January, and Kelechi Iheanacho is currently the first-choice number nine at Parkhead.

Why Celtic may sign another striker in January

Iheanacho has scored three goals in six matches for the Hoops in all competitions since his move to the club on a free transfer from Sevilla, but two of those three goals came from the penalty spot, per Transfermarkt. One goal from open play in six matches is not an ideal return for the Nigeria international.

Celtic bid £10m to sign Kasper Dolberg from Anderlecht on deadline day, only to miss out on his signature to Ajax, which suggests that there is cash in the bank to spend on a striker when the January window rolls around.

This means that the Hoops may dip back into the market to sign a striker in the hope of bringing in a reliable goalscorer who Rodgers can trust to deliver consistent quality.

The arrival of a new centre-forward at Parkhead in January could spell the end of Johnny Kenny’s time at Celtic, as he has not kicked on in Glasgow this year.

Why Johnny Kenny is on borrowed time at Celtic

The Irish number nine returned to the club in January after a loan spell with Shamrock Rovers to play a supporting role in the second half of last season.

Kenny scored one goal in eight appearances in the Scottish Premiership as a back-up to Idah and was only handed one start by Rodgers. This did not suggest that he was likely to kick on and become a regular in the 2025/26 campaign.

English League One side Bolton Wanderers had a bid of £500k turned down by the Hoops during the summer transfer window, as they decided to keep him as part of their squad for the first half of this season.

Appearances

8

3

Starts

1

0

Unused substitute

6x

2x

Goals

1

1

Big chances missed

2

3

Big chances created

1

0

Assists

1

0

As you can see in the table above, Kenny has only made three appearances as a substitute in the Premiership so far this term, which shows that Rodgers does not trust him to play regular minutes.

At the end of last season, former Fulham and Leeds star Ross McCormack suggested that he needed to go to League One or the Championship in England.

McCormack said: “I would imagine you’re probably looking at maybe a loan down south somewhere, bottom end of League One or top end of the Championship and see how he goes.”

Bolton are currently ninth in League One in England, so not quite the bottom end of League One. They were willing to pay £500k to sign the Irishman from the Hoops in the summer, and that would have given him an opportunity to go away and play regular minutes to develop as a player.

Instead, Kenny is rarely getting on the pitch for Celtic. His development is stalling by not gaining experience in a competitive environment, which is why he should be looking to move on in the next window to take the next step in his career.

Rodgers must sell Celtic flop who's now worth even less than Adam Idah

Celtic must sell this flop whose value has dropped millions and is now worth less than Adam Idah.

ByDan Emery Oct 14, 2025

When you take that and the idea that Celtic may want to enter the market to sign another striker in January, the Irishman may be on borrowed time at Parkhead, as moving away from the club could be the best for all parties involved.

After watching on as he limped off in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat against Coventry, Birmingham City boss Chris Davies has confirmed the extent of Ethan Laird’s injury.

David admits "frustration" after Sheffield Wednesday draw

It’s not been a good week for Birmingham, who were pushed aside by Frank Lampard’s Coventry side at the weekend and then forced to rescue a point in the 99th-minute against Sheffield Wednesday last night. The Blues were expected to defeat the Owls, whose struggles away from the pitch have created an impossible scenario for the players on it, but found themselves frustrated once again.

Davies couldn’t hide his frustration in his post-match reaction, but did admit that there is some “relief” among the Birmingham squad after they salvaged a late point.

He told reporters: “We stabilised at half time and regrouped, we came out well again and on the front foot, having moments and chances. We couldn’t take them and then they go in front from a set piece, out of nothing, and a goal.

“What it leads to is a very difficult situation, at home, 2-1 down in a game that we really feel we should be winning. That’s a test of character, that’s a test of mental strength, and the players did it. It could be one of the biggest points of our season, and one of the biggest moments of our season.

“From our point of view there’s very mixed feelings in the dressing room. There’s a sense of relief, or happiness that we got the goal, but there’s an underlying frustration because we know that we let that game turn into a game that was possibly going to get away from us.”

The manager also had more bad news to share regarding the extent of Laird’s injury, who has added to the Blues’ woes.

Birmingham games that Ethan Laird will now miss

Revealing the extent of Laird’s injury, Davies said: “Ethan is unfortunately an injury that will take him some time, a few months, which is a real blow. A real blow to him and us. He’s had it assessed and looked at, and unfortunately it was as bad as we feared it would be. We won’t see him for a few months.”

Based on the manager’s verdict, Laird is likely to miss at least three months of action and will be absent for a number of games as a result. The right-back had featured in all seven of his side’s Championship games prior to his injury – starting four times – but could now be forced to sit out for the next 16 in a monumental blow.

Rooney's "dreadful" Birmingham loan flop is now playing like a £65m star

This Birmingham City loan flop has kicked on since exiting St. Andrew’s.

1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 23, 2025

That run could include games against the likes of Southampton, Sheffield United and will most certainly include Wrexham this weekend. Sat one point adrift of the playoff places, it’s an injury blow that Birmingham could do without.

Chelsea are prepared to make another move for a “fantastic” BlueCo target after already seeing an offer rejected, according to a new report.

Chelsea enjoy big spending summer but still lack in key areas

Last summer, Enzo Maresca’s side marked themselves out as the Premier League’s second-biggest spenders behind champions Liverpool — splashing north of £280 million on new recruits.

Chelsea balanced out this major squad investment by agreeing a plethora of player sales over the course of the window, so much so that they actually a registered a negative net spend and made a small profit.

Liverpool

£415,000,000

£187,000,000

£228,000,000

Chelsea

£285,000,000

£288,000,000

-£3,000,000

Arsenal

£255,000,000

£9,000,000

£246,000,000

Newcastle

£250,000,000

£152,000,000

£98,000,000

Man Utd

£216,000,000

£68,000,000

£148,000,000

Nottm Forest

£205,000,000

£107,000,000

£98,000,000

Tottenham

£181,000,000

£36,000,000

£145,000,000

Sunderland

£162,000,000

£44,000,000

£118,000,000

Man City

£152,000,000

£53,000,000

£99,000,000

West Ham

£124,000,000

£55,000,000

£69,000,000

via BBC

From a purely business perspective, the summer was an undoubted success, and Maresca watched the likes of teenage sensation Estevao – who just scored a winner against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge – Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho all come in to bolster his attacking options.

However, bar the signing of young defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax, Chelsea finished the window short of new options for their backline.

After Levi Colwill’s ACL injury, which is expected to keep him out for most of 2025/2026, Maresca was clear that he wanted another centre-back and publicly urged the club to sign one before deadline day on September 1.

This wasn’t to be, leaving the west Londoners pretty short of quality in a key area, while Chelsea’s attempts to sign another goalkeeper also faltered.

Maresca is believed to be unhappy with his current Chelsea squad (Simon Phillips), but reports suggest that they’re set to try and back the Italian with a proven defender in January (Pete O’Rourke).

Meanwhile, given Delap will take a while to get back up to speed once he returns from injury, Chelsea are also looking at new striker options for the winter market — who’d come in for a cheap fee, on loan or are possibly already owned by BlueCo (Simon Phillips).

Chelsea could even choose to bring in another winger, specifically Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

Chelsea to make second Kenan Yildz approach after rejected £61m offer

Fabrizio Romano has already confirmed that Chelsea are “very interested” in Yildiz, and now a report from Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport has shed more light on the situation.

According to their information, Chelsea had a £61m million bid rejected for the Turkey international rejected last summer, but Maresca’s side aren’t resigned to giving up on his signing just yet.

It is believed that Chelsea will make a second approach for Yildiz, with the Old Lady running into some delay regarding his new contract and the Stamford Bridge side sensing an opportunity to take him from Turin.

The 20-year-old was Juve’s star forward last season, racking up 12 goals and nine assists in all competitions, totalling 21 contributions, and he averaged the highest Serie A match rating out of all of his teammates with more than 15 starts (WhoScored).

He’s started this campaign in equally imperious fashion, averaging more shots and key passes per 90 than any other Juve player in the top flight (WhoScored), but Romano says that the Premier League isn’t that tempting for him right now amid renewal talks.

Derby County are in a race with fellow Championship side Wrexham to sign an experienced international defender, according to a reliable reporter.

Derby complete the signing of striker Patrick Agyemang

On Tuesday, the Rams announced they had completed the transfer of striker Patrick Agyemang, who joins the club from MLS side Charlotte FC. According to the BBC, Agyemang has cost Derby £5.8 million, which could rise to £7.3 million with add-ons, as the 24-year-old has signed a four-year contract at Pride Park.

Derby County now keen to sign £30k-a-week star who has won 3 league titles

The Rams are eyeing experience as they prepare for another season in the Championship.

1 BySean Markus Clifford Jul 13, 2025

The forward has just finished playing in the Gold Cup with the USA, where they were beaten in the final by Mexico, and unfortunately for Derby supporters, they may have to wait a bit before they can see their new signing in action, as the club confirmed in their statement that Agyemang has to undergo routine surgery to address a long-standing hernia problem, meaning he could miss the opening matches of the season.

The American is “excited” to join the Rams and was interested in the move to the Championship side as soon as he heard of their interest: “It’s exciting. I have been hearing good things about the club and the fans as well. I always wanted to be a part of something special. To finally be here, it’s amazing.

“I’ve heard about [the move] once I was getting into the national team for the Gold Cup. In the moment, you’re like: “That’s something I’m interested in!” However, you want to focus on what you’re doing.

“As it starts to progress, you start to look more into it. I knew this was a project I’d love to be a part of. I just hoped for it to get across the line. Happily, it did.”

Derby in race with Wrexham for Egan signing

Agyemang becomes the Rams’ fifth signing of the summer, but he could soon be joined by number six, as according to Pete O’Rourke, Derby are interested in signing defender John Egan from Hull City.

The 32-year-old, who has been capped 36 times by the Republic of Ireland, joined the Tigers in February of this year after six months at Burnley, who he joined on a free transfer after leaving Sheffield United. Egan is still under contract with Hull until 2026 but could be on the move this summer, as Wrexham and Stoke City are also keen on him, as well as the Rams.

Apps

18

Started

9

Clean sheets

1

Interceptions per game

0.2

Tackles per game

0.1

Dribbled past per game

0.1

Clearances per game

3.9

Don Goodman has backed Egan to be a great signing for any of his suitors, saying he was “one of the best central defenders in the Championship for Sheffield United”, albeit urging caution due to the injuries which have limited him to just “24 games over the past three years”.

Keeping Alexander Isak around right up until the early September deadline will have the same buzz as a brand new signing for those at Newcastle United.

It will be a tough few weeks ahead for the Toon as they try and keep a firm grip on their star-man in attack, with Isak potentially having his head turned by a mega-money £200m move to Al-Hilal, away from earlier interest in his coveted services from fellow Premier League outfit Liverpool.

To make matters worse, this chaotic transfer window has also been bumpy – away from Isak eyeing up a move away – when it comes to the amount of failed pursuits the Magpies have had to stomach, with Joao Pedro favouring Chelsea over a St James’ Park switch, on top of any movement for Hugo Ekitike also falling flat.

Still, not all hope is lost that a bold new striker will arrive through the door shortly, as Newcastle prepare to spend big to bolster up top.

Newcastle ready £86m bid for former Premier League striker

After all, Howe and Co. have already flexed their muscles in the hectic transfer market by securing the services of Anthony Elanga for an excessive £55m.

The lavish spending in attack won’t stop there if new reports are anything to go by, with £78m having to be forked out on Newcastle’s end if they want to land RB Leipzig goal machine Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian marksman did chip in with 13 Bundesliga strikes last season, meaning he might be a worthwhile investment, but the Toon might well be better off going after ex-Manchester City ace Julian Alvarez instead.

Indeed, wild reports emerging from Spain seem to indicate that Howe’s side are preparing a move for Alvarez if Isak deserts Tyneside this summer, with a fee around the £86m mark potentially enough to win the Atletico Madrid striker, which would send out shockwaves subsequently.

There is also, of course, the long-term target of Yoane Wissa on Newcastle’s radar, but even with the DR Congo international’s goalscoring prowess in the Premier League making him a catch at £50m, Alvarez does seem to represent a more eye-catching signing, especially as the Toon attempt to wrestle back some authority in the unpredictable market.

Why Alvarez is a more exciting signing than Wissa

Picking up the Argentina international could see lightning strike twice on the end of the Magpies, with Newcastle’s last striker addition from La Liga being Isak. Now, the rest is history, as the Swede has a bumper 54 Premier League strikes next to his name.

Alvarez finds himself stuck on 20 strikes in the top-flight after waving goodbye to the Etihad last year, with Wissa having a slight upper-hand here with a heftier 45 efforts in the taxing division, but it’s his exploits away from just the English game that will have caught Newcastle’s eye even more.

In all competitions last season, the skilful £86m “monster” – as he was once labelled by Argentine journalist Pablo Gonzalez – would end up wiping the floor with Wissa, as seen in his spectacular haul of 29 strikes and seven assists leading the line for Diego Simeone’s Rojiblancos.

Amazingly, that’s two more goals than Isak managed across the entirety of last season, as he now ponders a move to the Middle East, whilst also being a whopping 12 goal contributions better off than Wissa’s own tally back at Brentford.

CF

167

86

31

RW

49

12

8

SS

29

11

8

AM

20

8

7

LW

6

2

4

LM

1

0

0

The ball also remains firmly in the South American’s court as a more exciting proposition than Wissa with the ex-River Plate wonderkid turned Madrid royalty an even more adaptable presence than his Congolese counterpart, with the £86m forward more than comfortable to play as an out-and-out striker, as much as he can also slot in as a number ten, or as a winger on either flank with ease.

On the contrary, Wissa has only ever played eight career clashes down the right-hand side or as a number ten, with Alvarez’s weighty price tag now making more sense in terms of what he can offer Howe and Co. away from just being a potent striker option.

With 15 Champions League goals under his belt too, on top of two Premier League title successes in his back pocket for City, landing the “best forward in the world” – as he was branded by reporter Roy Nemer – would be some coup, with Wissa forgotten about in a flash if a statement move was sealed.

Better signing than Trafford: Newcastle line up swoop for £78m "monster"

Newcastle United could be about to win a better signing than James Trafford by landing this £78m monster.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 20, 2025

Chelsea need to balance the books with player sales, in light of their estimated £140 million summer transfer expenditure so far, not to mention pressure from UEFA with regard to FFP.

The Blues are set to receive a bucket-load of prize money from reaching the final of the Club World Cup, having earned a reported £80 million in total from their six games at the tournament so far, but the sheer amount of deadwood on Enzo Maresca’s books needs trimming.

"World-class" player reaches gentleman's agreement to leave Chelsea

He can depart for an obtainable fee.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2025

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys and Marcus Bettinelli all departed Stamford Bridge recently and brought in around £19 million, but there are a host of other players in line to depart the west London club.

Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku and Djordje Petrovic could all reportedly leave Chelsea too, but BlueCo face an almighty task to find all the aforementioned men new homes before deadline day on September 1.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Madueke, and ESPN report that they could agree a £43 million deal with Chelsea by the end of this week, so as things stand, it appears that transfer could be closest to completion.

Petrovic is also attracting a lot of interest after reaching a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ that he can leave Chelsea for £25 million.

The writing has been on the wall for a lot of the previously named Chelsea men for quite some time, but striker Nicolas Jackson could now join them out the door, especially after the arrivals of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

Jackson is “no longer” unsellable, according to multiple reports, and it shows just how quickly things can change in football. The Senegal international was branded one of Maresca’s “most important” players by pundit Joe Cole in May, but Jackson now finds himself in an increasingly precarious situation.

Nicolas Jackson could leave Chelsea in Barcelona loan deal

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona could offer the African a new temporary landing spot.

While talks between the Catalans and Maresca’s side are yet to take place, Barca have apparently “set their sights” on signing Jackson from Chelsea, amid a belief that the 24-year-old would fit perfectly into Hansi Flick’s system.

Chelsea are also said to be open to letting Jackson depart for the Camp Nou on an initial loan deal, on the condition he’s guaranteed game time, so Barca’s hierarchy are closely monitoring the ex-Villarreal gem ahead of a potential swoop.

If Barca do entertain the possibility of signing him permanently in future, perhaps at the end of his loan if he does well enough, then Fabrizio Romano reports that Chelsea have placed a £52 million price tag on his head – so Barca know exactly what it will take.

Manchester United have already completed one of the signings of the summer transfer window to date, with Matheus Cunha joining in a £62.5m deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Brazilian was a man in extreme demand, beating the likes of Nottingham Forest and Arsenal to his signature despite the lack of European football next campaign.

He will certainly hand boss Ruben Amorim a new dimension within the final third, subsequently being able to operate in either a centre-forward role or as a number 10.

Cunha thrived at Molineux this season, scoring 15 goals and registering six assists, a tally that would’ve seen him end the year with the most Premier League contributions in the Red Devils squad.

However, despite the big-money addition, more activity is expected in the coming months, with countless top-level talents still on the hierarchy’s radar.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Victor Osimhen has been a player who has been firmly on United’s radar over the last couple of windows, with this summer no different, but a deal appears unlikely this window given his hefty wage demands.

Christopher Nkunku is another player who has been of keen interest over the last few weeks, as the Red Devils have made contact with his representatives over a move to Old Trafford.

However, another name has emerged as a key target, with Sporting CP talisman Viktor Gyokeres once again being mentioned with a switch, according to The Mirror.

They claim Amorim’s side are in pole position to land the Swede, after a change of heart which has seen him be open to a move after previously turning down the Red Devils’ interest.

The report also states that he’s desperate for a move after scoring 54 goals in just 52 outings this campaign, leading to a £68m price tag being mooted for his signature.

Why Gyokeres would be a bigger talent than Mbeumo & Cunha for United

As previously mentioned, Cunha has become United’s first big-money addition of the window, but Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo appears to be the next to join the club after the progress made this week.

The Red Devils submitted a bid in the region of £60m for the 25-year-old forward, with the two sides appearing to be edging closer to agreeing on a fee.

A deal should be a formality when the fee is agreed, with the Cameroonian already agreeing personal terms over a £250k-per-week deal at the Theatre of Dreams.

Such a deal would be another excellent one for the club, adding another 20 league goals to Cunha’s tally of 15, with the pair only scoring nine fewer than the whole side managed throughout 2024/25.

However, a deal for Gyokeres would see Amorim’s side land an even bigger talent, considering the Swede’s sensational goal return in the top-flight of Portuguese football.

He’s outscored the pair alone, whilst also massively outperforming the aforementioned duo when delving into his underlying stats from the recent campaign.

Gyokeres, who’s been labelled a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has achieved a better shot-on-target accuracy rate, demonstrating the clinical nature he possesses.

Games played

33

38

33

Goals scored

39

20

15

Shot on target accuracy

52%

43%

40%

Progressive carries

4.3

3.4

3.8

Key passes

2

1.8

1.9

Take-on success

48%

46%

44%

Carries into opposition box

3.1

1.9

2.8

Aerials won

51%

31%

31%

He’s also registered more progressive carries and more carries into the opposition box, showcasing the threat he carries when having the ball at his feet.

The Swede has further demonstrated his impressive all-round ability, completing more key passes per 90, and having the tools to provide others with opportunities in the final third.

It would be another huge addition from the hierarchy this summer, but it shows they mean business in taking the club back to their former glory in the near future.

The prospect of Cunha, Mbeumo and Gyokeres linking up together is one the fanbase should be extremely excited by, handing Amorim the added attacking threat he’s craved since taking the reins.

He's better than Gyokeres: Wilcox plots Man Utd move for £150m talisman

Manchester United have joined a long list of suitors in the race to sign a new striker.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 27, 2025

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca wasn’t hanging about when he acted swiftly to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town in a deal worth £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.”

Those were the words Delap said upon arriving at Stamford Bridge, and he will have plenty of chances to lift titles next term.

The Blues are back among Europe’s elite and this could give Delap a perfect chance to continue his development.

The 22-year-old is a rising star, no doubt about that. Will Maresca be keen on signing even more young starlets throughout the duration to complement Delap?

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ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025 Chelsea enter race to sign English sensation

Indeed, Brazilian talent Estevao is set to link up with the Blues this summer. As too is Sporting CP talent Dario Essugo.

It appears as though Maresca is keen on bringing the average age of the squad down, and it might go even lower should he succeed in signing the latest player to be linked with a move.

According to Caught Offside, the Blues have now entered the race to sign Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling but face competition from a wealth of sides, namely Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United.

The €60m (£51m) asking price may deter Maresca, especially considering how much the club have spent already this window.

Still only a teenager, Dibling has an extraordinarily high ceiling and may even be a bigger talent than Delap.

Why Chelsea must sign Tyler Dibling

Delap scored 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich last season in what was his maiden season in the top flight.

Considering the club was relegated, scoring only 36 goals all season, that’s not a bad tally. Such was Delap’s impact, his goal involvement accounted for 39% of the club’s total throughout the season.

Goals

2

Assists

0

Big chances created

3

Key passes per game

0.6

Successful dribbles per game

1.4

Shots per game

0.8

A move to Stamford Bridge will give him the chance in the Champions League, but a move for Dibling could see Chelsea sign an even bigger talent.

While Delap struggled to earn game time at City in his teenage years, Dibling is already a bona fide star despite his young age. He made his debut for the Saints aged just 17 in August 2023, having returned to the Saints after a brief spell with Chelsea U18s.

His breakthrough came last term. The teenager made 38 appearances in all competitions for the south coast side, scoring four goals and grabbing three assists.

Given how poor the club were in the top flight, Dibling was arguably the brightest spark, but it is unlikely he will want to play Championship football.

Hailed as a “special talent” by journalist Josh Bunting, Dibling put himself in the shop window with his displays last season.

Despite his tender years, the youngster is currently ranked in the top 19% when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons (2.16) per 90 over the previous 365 days, rubberstamping his exceptional potential.

Given the talent among those divisions, this stat proves that Dibling loves getting the better of his opposite man.

The question is, will Maresca take a gamble on him this summer? If so, then a bigger talent than Delap is set to be unleashed.

A better move than Ekitike: BlueCo submit bid to sign £50m star for Chelsea

Chelsea have submitted a bid to sign a Serie A talent.

2 ByRoss Kilvington Jun 16, 2025

Rangers are believed to be interested in completing the signing of a “very interesting” attacking player in the summer transfer window.

Martin desperate to keep key players

Russell Martin is looking to nail his summer transfer business at Ibrox, having been confirmed as the Gers’ new manager last week, following a lengthy search for the right choice.

The Englishman will no doubt be eyeing new signings, but for now, he is equally focused on retaining the services of key current players.

“We have to try and keep our best players. I think we’re all really aligned with that. So unless things come in that really help the club to build and move forward, I don’t think it’s a necessity to do that [sell] at all. That’s my understanding of it. And we’ve all been really clear on it. So we’ll just have to wait and see. But I’m looking forward to working with those guys. There are a few positions where we’ll need to strengthen fairly quickly and fairly early on.”

In terms of players who have been mentioned as potential signings, Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes could be Martin’s first addition as Rangers manager, having worked with him at St Mary’s already, but it appears first up on the agenda is a new number nine.

Rangers want to sign "very interesting" attacker

According to a new report from 24 Sata, Rangers are interested in signing Westerlo forward Matija Frigan this summer, as Martin looks to bolster his attacking options. The 22-year-old is seen as an exciting option for the Scottish Premiership giants, with his performances for his current club being noticed on the “big stage” by clubs around Europe.

Frigan could be a great young signing for Rangers, having been described as a “very interesting” attacking player by scout Jacek Kulig in the past.

The Croatian has outlined his goalscoring prowess throughout his career, not least when he netted 15 times in just 32 appearances for HNK Rijeka, and he has made a total of 25 appearances across various youth levels for his country.

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As Russell Martin starts his overhaul of Rangers’ squad, could he sign a “class” midfielder in a deal reminiscent of John Lundstram’s move to Ibrox?

Jun 8, 2025

At 22, Frigan’s best years are still likely to be ahead of him, too, so Rangers would be acquiring the services of a player who could be a star at Ibrox for a long time to come.

Croatia Under-21s

15

2

Croatia Under-19s

8

4

Croatia Under-18s

2

3

His tally of 13 goals for Westerlo in the Jupiler Pro League in 2024/25 was superior to any Rangers player in the Scottish Premiership, further suggesting he could be an upgrade on the current options.

Next season will be huge for Arne Slot during his reign at Liverpool, looking to build on the success he endured after taking over from Jürgen Klopp last summer.

Very few people would’ve predicted that the Reds would win the Premier League title at the first attempt, especially after only signing one player in the form of Federico Chiesa.

However, with Jeremie Frimpong already arriving at Anfield and a whole host of other European stars linked with a switch to Merseyside, the 2025/26 season will bring new pressure on the manager.

The club will have gone from the hunters to the hunted, and with huge funds being splashed, it will place added pressure on the side to perform in their attempts to claim back-to-back title glory.

After the arrival of the Dutchman, Slot has continued to pursue players to help improve his first-team squad, with numerous names constantly linked with a summer switch to the Reds.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new additions

Over the last couple of days, players in a whole host of positions have been linked with a move to join Liverpool, further showcasing Slot’s ambitions for his second year at the helm.

The likes of Marc Guehi, Victor Osimhen and Rayan Cherki have all been touted with a move to Anfield, but as of yet, there appears to be little to no movement on any of those deals.

However, the same can’t be said in a deal for midfielder Xavi Simons, with the Reds keen on a move for the RB Leipzig star, according to TEAMtalk’s latest report.

Their update claims that the Reds have noted the 22-year-old as a viable option ahead of the summer window, following his impressive year in the Bundesliga, which saw him register 10 goals and seven assists.

It also states that Slot is a huge admirer of his compatriot, but they will have to pay a fee in the region of £65m to prise him away from the German outfit during the off-season.

Why Liverpool’s £65m target is the dream Wirtz alternative

It’s been no secret that attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz has been a key target for Liverpool over the last couple of weeks, even placing a £110m bid for the Bayer Leverkusen star.

Whilst such an offer was rejected for the 22-year-old, the Reds are set to return to negotiations with the Bundesliga outfit, willing to pay up to £130m – a fee that would break the English record set by Moises Caicedo back in 2023.

It would be a huge statement from the hierarchy that the club are serious about cementing their place at the top of the table next season after the recent title triumph.

However, given the fact that negotiations have slowed down over recent days, it leaves the door open to a potential move elsewhere for other players also on their radar.

Simons could be the perfect alternative, costing half of the fee that Leverkusen are demanding for Wirtz, whilst also offering a better option in numerous areas.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from this season, the Dutchman has outperformed him in multiple departments, demonstrating why he is “one of the best 10s in the world”, in the words of one analyst on social media

Simons, who’s also been labelled “exceptional” by Bayern’s sporting director Christoph Freund, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists this season, but has registered a higher goal per shot on target rate – having a more clinical edge than the German.

Games played

25

31

Goals & assists

17

22

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.2

Pass accuracy

79%

78%

Key passes completed

2.2

2.1

Carries into final third

3

2.7

Aerials won

42%

20%

Fouls won

2.4

1.4

He’s also completed more key passes and carries into the final third per 90, having the creative side to his game that could allow other players around him to thrive to Anfield.

The Dutch star has also won more aerials and won more fouls per 90, offering a constant threat to the opposition backline, handing Slot an impressive option within attacking areas.

There’s no denying that Wirtz is the main option in such a department, but a deal for Simons could prove to be a better signing, costing half the fee but providing just as, if not more, of an impressive option.

Should a deal fall through for the Leverkusen star, the Leipzig youngsters should be the club’s main priority, needing to act quickly to avoid him being snapped up by a divisional rival.

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ByEthan Lamb Jun 4, 2025