All posts by n8rngtd.top

West Bromwich Albion are now very keen on signing an “incredible” defender who has experience at the very highest level, according to a report.

Mason's arrival marks start of new era at the Hawthorns

West Brom’s 2024-25 campaign ultimately petered out, with Tony Mowbray being dismissed just three months after his arrival, having failed to build on the foundations laid by Carlos Corberan.

However, the appointment of former Tottenham Hotspur coach Ryan Mason marks the start of a new era for the Baggies, with reporter Steve Hermon claiming the board have made a “brave” decision by replacing Mowbray with a manager who has no Championship experience.

At just 33-years-old, Mason is certainly young for a manager, but the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler and Germany boss Julian Naglelsmann have proven that experience isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to being successful.

Contact made: West Brom considering move to sign "ruthless" new striker

Ryan Mason is wasting no time in looking to strengthen his new West Brom team.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 5, 2025

Despite a poor end to the 2024-25 campaign, Albion finished just four points adrift of the Championship play-off places, which suggests Mason may not need to ring the changes this summer, but he will certainly be looking to put his own stamp on the squad.

According to a report from The Athletic, West Brom are now showing strong interest in signing Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, who is attracting the attention of a number of second-tier sides after impressing on loan at Derby County.

Derby boss John Eustace has confirmed he would like to sign Phillips on a permanent basis, with the defender’s time at Anfield surely coming to an end, having not featured for the Reds in the Premier League since the 2022-23 campaign.

"Incredible" Phillips impressed Klopp during Liverpool spell

Perhaps most memorably, the Bolton-born defender featured regularly for Liverpool during the 2020-21 season, at which point Jürgen Klopp was having to deal with an injury crisis.

Ultimately, the Reds managed to seal qualification for the Champions League despite the injury issues, and Klopp was left impressed by some of the £45k-a-week centre-back’s performances, particularly catching the eye during a 2-1 win against West Ham United.

Speaking after the match, Klopp said: “He’s a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything. He’s not easy on the eye, he’s not Messi but who cares? In the air, he’s a monster! He was incredible.”

Since then, the 28-year-old has arguably gone on to find his level in the Championship, but he has continued to impress in the air, placing in the top 1% for aerials won per 90 over the past year, when compared to other defenders in similar leagues.

Phillips, who has seven Champions League appearances to his name, could be an excellent signing for West Brom this summer, and the hope will be that he is available on a permanent basis, having not been a part of Liverpool’s plans for a number of years.

When Harvey Elliott was quizzed during England U21 duty on his Liverpool future, he responded by saying he was wary of “wasting years of my career” as an understudy in Arne Slot’s system.

The young playmaker only made two starts in the Premier League last season, ands both came in May. The boyhood Red would hope to stay on with the Merseysiders, but he’s 22 now and understandably wants to be competing regularly from the opening whistle.

Maybe the signing of Florian Wirtz has had a say in the matter?

The German international rejected interest from Manchester City and Bayern Munich last month, and after several weeks of negotiations, Liverpool have finally reached a breakthrough with Bayer Leverkusen for what will be a British-record signing.

Liverpool's deal for Florian Wirtz

There were understandably a few Liverpool fans dotted about harbouring concerns that Wirtz’s expected transfer to the club would fall through.

But the Reds have sealed the deal, and Wirtz, 22, will play in Liverpool red. Sure, things turned a tad protracted, but the Anfield side have pulled off a deal for a “truly generational talent”, as he has been called by sports media professional Cristian Nyari.

It was never going to be easy, with Die Werkself obstinate in their stance, ekeing out every last copper from their Merseyside counterparts. Indeed, with all add-ons included, this could prove a €150m (£127m) transfer.

Wirtz has been one of the most sought-after players in world football, rising from strength to strength and stronger still under Xabi Alonso’s wing. He will raise Liverpool’s frontline to the next level, and indeed, could take a fellow transfer target and turn them into something special.

Liverpool have advantage in race for Premier League star

As per Sky Sports, Liverpool have joined Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who has enjoyed an excellent campaign on the south coast.

The Red Devils are in the picture, but it’s felt that the Ghana international favours a move to a club competing in the Champions League, making Liverpool the favourites over their historic rivals, who have failed to secure any level of European competition after losing the Europa League final to Tottenham.

However, at this stage, Spurs have done the most work on the talented winger, who the Cherries would only sell for a £50m fee.

Why Liverpool want Antoine Semenyo

Mohamed Salah has Liverpool’s right flank on lock, but with Federico Chiesa prioritising a return to Italy after a difficult opening campaign in the Premier League, featuring only six times, bringing in a rising star of Semenyo’s quality could work a treat for Slot’s project.

Having joined Bournemouth from Bristol City for £10.5m in January 2023, Semenyo’s stock has risen in increments, becoming a major player in Andoni Iraola’s system.

Two-footed and ferociously explosive, the 25-year-old embodies many of the tactical virtues Slot employs, not least the fact that a hard-working attitude will get you far on the field.

His intelligence and link-up play further highlight the success that could be found in a high-flying Liverpool system with Wirtz at the centre, pulling the strings.

Not just a powerful goalscorer, Semenyo has been hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson for being a “duel monster”, so tenacious and determined to win the ball back, to drive play forward.

This level of commitment and sharpness is something that Wirtz could relish playing alongside, especially since the elite playmaker would find in Semenyo a partner whose ball-striking is a relentless thing.

Having been praised by Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp for mastering the art of the “Salah goal”, finding pockets of space in the danger area and pouncing with merciless hunger, Semenyo is the real deal, and given that Chiesa is being linked with a return to Italy, could prove the perfect player to challenge Liverpool’s Egyptian superstar for a place on the right.

Of course, Semenyo is more than just a one-position man.

Where Semenyo’s best position would be at Liverpool, should he indeed sign, remains to be seen, but the fact that he can maintain a steady rate of scoring across both wings bodes well, especially with someone like Wirtz influencing from behind.

Wirtz, who is more than happy to roam around the park himself, has actually been described as something of a “genius” on the ball by his former Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso.

Despite only featuring 197 times as a professional for Leverkusen, Wirtz has already built up quite the prolific resume, having scored 57 goals and provided 65 assists, crowned the 2023/24 Bundesliga Player of the Season after winning the league with his invincible outfit.

Further illustrating his creative flair: last season, he ranked among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for assists, and the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Semenyo likes to fire on goal, all right, and Liverpool could find themselves striking a sure-fire formula for success by combining the Bournemouth sensation with Wirtz, whose creative capacity knows no bounds.

Sealing this deal could prove the perfect way to add that bit of extra depth and dynamism to Slot’s ranks, consolidating Liverpool’s position as a superpower above all the rest.

Upgrade on Huijsen: Liverpool make approach to sign "exceptional" £43m star

Liverpool are in the market for a new centre-back this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 10, 2025

While it failed to culminate in any silverware, this season wasn’t all doom and gloom for Arsenal.

For example, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly broke into the first team, with the latter establishing himself as a regular starter and now a full-fledged England star.

Moreover, despite missing almost four months of action, Bukayo Saka once again proved he’s a world-class attacker by racking up a haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.

Yet, it’s impossible to overlook that, in the end, a lack of invention in the final third prevented the team from winning anything, so it’s a good thing that reports have now linked Arsenal to someone compared to Saka and Rodrygo.

Arsenal transfer news

With Arsenal creating just the seventh-highest expected goals figure in the Premier League this season, per FBref, it’s easy to understand why there has been such an emphasis on the club signing players capable of both scoring and creating more goals in recent weeks.

Transfer Focus

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

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has been one name linked with the club, as has Aston Villa and England star Morgan Rogers, although a player touted more heavily for a move to the Emirates than both this summer has been Rodrygo.

The Real Madrid star scored 14 goals and provided ten assists in 51 games for Los Blancos this term.

However, with a price tag of at least £84m and murmurs that he does not want to leave the Spanish capital, the North Londoners may be forced to sign another attacking talent from the Santiago Bernabéu, a talent who’s won comparisons to the Brazilian.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arteta has asked Arsenal to inquire about Brahim Diaz, who he believes could thrive at the Emirates.

Moreover, the story has revealed that the North Londoners are now willing to make an offer of €50m for the Moroccan international, about £42m, despite Xabi Alonso wanting to keep him in Spain.

It might not be a straightforward transfer to get over the line, but Diaz is undeniably talented, and as he’s already won comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo, he could be just what Arsenal need.

How Diaz compares to Saka & Rodrygo

Now, there are a number of reasons why Arsenal should be looking to sign Diaz this summer, but before getting to them, it’s important to address these comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo and where they come from, for that matter.

Well, in both cases, the comparisons stem from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Champions League this season and then created a list of the ten most comparable players for each.

In this instance, it concluded that the Brazilian international was the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Morccan star, while the Englishman came in as the seventh most similar.

The best way to see how these conclusions were reached is by looking at the underlying numbers in which the players ranked closely, which, for the case of his Real Madrid teammate, included things like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, goals per shot, passing accuracy, carries, tackles won and more, all per 90.

For the Gunners’ own number seven, the metrics that overlapped with the former Manchester City gem included things like shots on target, goal-creating actions, key passes, passes into the penalty area, non-penalty expected goals and more, also per 90.

Usually, being so statistically similar to two of the most exciting wingers in the modern game would be reason enough to sign someone, but away from these comparisons, there are other reasons the North Londoners should be looking to recruit the Málaga-born maestro this summer, such as his versatility.

For example, while the 25-year-old does tend to play out on the right at the moment, his most played position across his entire career is attacking midfield, but even then, he’s also capable of playing off the left and has spent time as a second striker and up top to boot.

Moreover, while he has mainly been kept to substitute appearances in Spain, he’s got the ability to do something seriously special, with former professional turned pundit Owen Hargreaves describing a goal he scored in the Champions League last season as “Messi-esque.”

However, Hargreaves doesn’t limit the comparison to strictly that goal, pointing out that it’s his “low centre of gravity” and “way he can dribble”, which also makes the 5 foot 7 magician similar to the Argentine legend.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to add more quality to their attacking and midfield options this summer, and while he might not be the biggest of names, Diaz is undeniably talented and could add that extra spark the team need.

Dream Gyokeres alternative: £40m striker now wants to sign for Arsenal

The free-scoring forward could be the missing piece for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 16, 2025

Arsenal have been extremely busy in the transfer market over the last week, putting the final touches on a few key deals, but more are expected to follow.

Agbonlahor slams "very odd" Arsenal transfer decision as Berta agrees deal

The Gunners are shopping “at Asda”.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 27, 2025

Mikel Arteta is facing a crucial campaign in the dugout as pressure grows on the Spaniard to clinch major silverware, with their FA Cup triumph in 2020 coming as their last major honour, if you don’t count Community Shields.

Their summer business will be absolutely vital when it comes to Arteta’s chances of bridging the gap between Arsenal and Premier League champions Liverpool next term, with Arne Slot’s side already making a serious statement this window.

The Reds have signed Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong already, spending nearly £200 million in the process, and this will worry Arsenal supporters, who are desperate to see their side win a first league title in over 20 years.

Man City have also splashed the cash in an effort to seriously rebuild their squad after a disappointing 2024/2025 campaign for them, but Arsenal have made some progress when it comes to their own recruitment plans.

Arsenal finalised a deal for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi last week after months of talks, with goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga also completing a medical in the last few days ahead of his £5 million move from Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are in ongoing talks to sign defender Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia, with Brentford captain Christian Norgaard poised to join the north Londoners before him.

Earlier this week, it was widely reported that Arsenal agreed a deal for Norgaard after accelerated talks, with Fabrizio Romano also sharing that the Denmark international will undergo a medical.

The 31-year-old is set to become their third signing of the window to replace the exit-bound Thomas Partey, and while Norgaard’s signing has been questioned by pundits like Gabriel Agbonlahor, former Chelsea and Tottenham director, Frank Arnesen, has heaped praise on the transfer.

Frank Arnesen praises Christian Norgaard with Arsenal deal agreed

Speaking to Danish news outlet Tipsbaldet, as translated by Sport Witness, Arnesen says that Arsenal are about to sign a “fantastic” player in Norgaard – calling him the “whole package”.

“It would be fantastic for him if he could get a contract at Arsenal.

“Christian is a fantastic guy. I have nothing but good things to say about him. You meet players many times in your life, but I always hoped this one would have a fantastic career. He has got that. He has become captain of Brentford and has done incredible.

“If he can take a step up and come to Arsenal, it would be fantastic. Every dressing room would be thrilled to have him. He has the right mentality, is a team player and has the attitude.

“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.”

Harry Kane has been a player who’s been constantly on their radar over recent years and understandably so given his goalscoring ability in England.

The 31-year-old managed to score 213 goals during his spell in the Premier League, sitting second in the all-time list, with Alan Shearer the player who has scored more.

Back in the summer of 2023, the Red Devils were firmly in the race to land his signature, but he chose to join German giants Bayern Munich in an £82m transfer instead.

Despite moving to the Bundesliga, he’s still managed to haunt the club, scoring against them in the Champions League back in his first year in Munich.

However, despite missing out on his signature, Ruben Amorim could be about to land his own version of the England international, with a deal for one player in the pipeline.

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

A deal for Bryan Mbeumo appears to be edging ever closer, with journalist Graeme Bailey stating that a deal is expected to be agreed in the coming days for his signature.

He claims that a £65m deal remains on the cards this summer, after Amorim’s side previously had two offers rejected for the forward, who netted 20 league goals last campaign.

However, progress has been made on a deal to sign Juventus talisman Dušan Vlahović, with the Serbian expected to leave the club this summer, according to CaughtOffside.

Their report claims that talks have been held with the Serie A side over a deal for the 25-year-old, which could see current Red Devils outcast Jadon Sancho.

It also states that the forward has rejected approaches from the Saudi league to stay in Europe, after netting 17 goals in his 44 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25.

Why United’s latest target would be their answer to Kane

Given United’s measly tally of just 44 league goals last campaign, it’s understandable that Amorim will want to land a forward who can hand him that clinical edge within the final third.

Current strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee only managed to score seven Premier League goals, highlighting the lack of confidence in front of goal.

Undoubtedly, many supporters must wish they had landed Kane when they were originally interested, with the Englishman finding the net on 85 occasions in the last two seasons.

However, despite missing out on his signature, they could be about to land their own version of the talisman this summer, with a potential move for Juve star Vlahovic.

The Serbian has been labelled as a similar player to the former Spurs star, highlighting how much of a superb signing he could be for the Red Devils this summer.

When comparing their respective stats from the 2024/25 campaign, Vlahovic has outperformed Kane in numerous key areas, showcasing the threat he poses within the final third.

Vlahovic, who’s been labelled “world-class” by journalist Matteo Bonetti, has matched the Englishman for shots on target per 90, but won more aerials – handing Amorim the focal point he’s craved since taking the reins.

He’s also completed more progressive carries and more carries into the final third, having the ability to transition the play and carry the ball into more dangerous areas.

The 25-year-old’s dominance doesn’t end there, completing more take-ons per 90, and having the all-round tools to thrive within attacking areas at Old Trafford.

Given the need for a new striker and the availability of Vlahovic, a deal for his signature should be a no-brainer this summer, potentially reaping the rewards of any move this summer.

If he can manage to get anywhere close to the levels produced by Kane in England’s top-flight, it would be an excellent addition and one that could catapult the side to added success in the near future.

Bad news for Mainoo: Man Utd make approach for "strongest DM in the world"

Manchester United continue to pursue top-level talent ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

2

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 10, 2025

Fair to say, Everton have not made a rip-roaring start to pre-season.

So far, the Toffees have drawn 1-1 with Accrington Stanley, Beto converting a late equaliser at the Crown Ground, but David Moyes’ men were beaten 1-0 by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Next up, the Blues have travelled stateside to participate in the Premier League Summer Series, taking on Bournemouth in New Jersey on Saturday, before games against two of Moyes’ former clubs, facing West Ham in Chicago and Manchester United in Atlanta.

Before then, will Evertonians everywhere have a new signing to get excited about?

Everton's search for a new signing

So far this summer, Everton stalwarts Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucouré have both been released, meaning reinforcements will be needed.

Well, to replace Calvert-Lewin, Thierno Barry has arrived from Villarreal for a reported fee of £27.6m, with Cerys Jones and Steve Madeley of the Athletic outlining how, at 6ft 5in (195cms), he is your archetypal, classic target man centre-forward, adding that he does his best work inside the penalty area.

To add to this, according to reports in Spain, Everton are ready to make a move to sign Atlético Madrid left-back Samu Lino, with the Toffees said to be ‘willing to sign’ the defender.

They add that Atleti are listening to offers for him, with the Premier League his most-likely destination, while reports elsewhere in Spain claim that he is valued at around £20m.

Transfer Focus

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

Los Colchoneros, for their part, have already bought a replacement, namely Matteo Ruggeri for around €20m, also bringing in Álex Baena (€50m), Johnny Cardoso (€30m), Thiago Almada (€27m) and Marc Pubill (€15m), which all suggests they’d be open to a sale.

So, could Lino soon swap the Metropolitano for Hill Dickinson Stadium?

How Samu Lino would improve Everton

Vitaliy Mykolenko started 35 of Everton’s 38 Premier League matches at left-back last season, so Lino is coming in to usurp him in the pecking order.

So, let’s assess how the duo compare.

As the table outlines, Lino comes out on top for the vast majority of statistics included.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes the 25-year-old has a “very interesting profile”, while Sive Vishwa of Breaking the Lines describes him as ‘athletic and strong’, adding that ‘he is a very attacking player’ often ‘overlapping’ to support attacks.

In 93 appearances for Atleti, Lino has accumulated 12 goals and 16 assists, underlining his attacking threat, while he also ranks in the top 1% of his peers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries per 90, as well as in the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

While that ball-carrying quality is exciting, the point about getting forward to put crosses in and create chances is particularly key, given the profile of Everton’s new striker Barry.

The towering Frenchman scored 11 times in La Liga, three of which were headers, from an average distance of 12 yards out from goal, underlining that he does all of his best inside the box. Indeed, he also ranks in the top 14% of strikers in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won, once again highlighting that aerial prowess.

So, with Lino – who was described as “incredible” by scout Antonio Mango during his time on loan at Valencia – bombing forward and putting in crosses, he and Barry could form a lethal combination.

Everton could hijack move to sign hulking £42m striker who'd be Lukaku 2.0

Everton will be keen on signing another striker this summer

By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 22, 2025

He might have just the one FA Cup to his name, but Mikel Arteta has got a lot right since taking the reins at Arsenal.

He has helped to transform the club from one that looked destined for decline into one genuinely competing for Premier League and Champions League titles.

While his tactics and overall approach to management have played a significant role in this dramatic turnaround, so have the signings made under his leadership, such as Martin Odegaard, David Raya, Gabriel Magalhães, and Declan Rice.

The latter has arguably been the most seismic during Arteta’s tenure, and now it looks like the club could be set to repeat the move with another international star.

Arsenal target their new Rice

While there is still over a month to go, and therefore plenty of time for things to change, this transfer window is shaping up to be one of Arsenal’s most exciting in some time.

Transfer Focus

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

The North Londoners have already announced the signings of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Additionally, Cristhian Mosquera could be announced at any moment, and talks over add-ons in the deal for Viktor Gyokeres appear to be entering their final stages.

Yet, even still, Andrea Berta and Co look to be on the hunt for more game-changing additions to the team, including one player who could be another Rice-esque signing.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Arsenal insider Hand of Arsenal, who has confirmed that Arsenal are still interested in Eberechi Eze.

In fact, they go a step further, confirming that talks have been held with the player and that his preference would be to join the Gunners, and most crucially, that Arteta is “obsessed” with him.

The insider continued: “My understanding is personal terms have never been an issue. One source said, he would sign a 5 year deal tomorrow.”

The report states that a sale of someone like Leandro Trossard may create room for the club to sign the Crystal Palace star, who has a widely reported £68m release clause in his current contract.

It would be a lot of money to spend on one player, but Eze has proven he’d be more than worth it over the last few years, and his move could be a Rice repeat of sorts.

Why Eze could be a Rice repeat

While they both primarily play in midfield, it’s essential to note that they’re very different players and play in distinctly different ways; however, that’s not the primary basis of this comparison.

Instead, one of the main reasons it would be a move reminiscent of the one for the 26-year-old, aside from the similar age, is that it would be another example of the Gunners signing one of the best players from a fellow Premier League side, and a London-based one at that.

For example, his 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 games last season made him Palace’s most productive player, and it wasn’t even a close run thing, with the next best player being Jean-Philippe Mateta, who produced 21 goal involvements in 46 games.

Moreover, this level of output for a mid-table side suggests that, much like the former Hammers star did when he joined the club in 2023, the Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, could have a transformational impact on the North Londoners’ midfield, but just in an attacking sense.

Furthermore, this transfer would be another case of the Premier League runners-up adding yet another full England international to their squad, as while the former QPR star isn’t quite as established in the Three Lions setup as Rice was when he joined, he’s still a regular feature in the squad and has now won 12 senior caps.

Finally, like the former Irons star did in the Conference League in his last season with the East Londoners, the £100k-per-week star gem played a key role in the Eagles finally winning a major trophy last season, scoring in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of the FA Cup.

In other words, the incredible international has more than proven he has what it takes to deliver in the big games.

Ultimately, Arsenal should be doing everything they can to sign Eze this summer, as not only is he an extraordinarily talented player in his own right, but he could also have as significant an impact as Rice.

Their new Auba: Arsenal start talks to sign "world-class" £43m goalscorer

The prolific forward could be just what Arsenal are missing as they hunt down their next Aubameyang.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 22, 2025

Arne Slot has hinted at the timetable Liverpool have lined up for Alexander Isak, with the most expensive player in British football seeing his Reds debut delayed. The decision was taken not to include the Swedish striker in plans for a trip to Burnley, with the £125 million ($169m) frontman being eased into long-term plans by the reigning Premier League champions.

• Getty
  

  Isak training with Liverpool

  Isak, who finds himself at Anfield after successfully forcing his way through the exits at Newcastle, has been training with his new employers. No risks were taken on his fitness at Turf Moor, as a late Mohamed Salah penalty earned Liverpool a fourth dramatic win of the 2025-26 campaign.  

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• Why Isak was left out at Burnley

  Having spent much of the summer on strike at St James’ Park, Isak is lacking match fitness and sharpness. With that in mind, Slot will not be rushing Liverpool’s record signing into his starting XI.  

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Slot reveals plan for Isak's integration

  Slot said of Isak after lacking an attacking spark for much of a 1-0 victory over battling Burnley: “You make a choice for a good reason, for a good argument. That choice was because he missed out for four months on team training. He's in his second or third week of pre-season. We have given him a proper week and then we think maybe he will get more than 10 or 15 minutes in our Wednesday game and that's the way to build him up. He needs proper playing time but also build him up so he has a good base.”  

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• Debut date: When Isak could make Liverpool bow

  Isak appears to have been lined up for a Liverpool bow off the bench in a Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. That contest will introduce him to the Anfield faithful before a derby date with Merseyside neighbours Everton on September 20.  

Arsenal are swiftly moving on to their next targets after striking a long-awaited deal for Viktor Gyokeres, who officially joined the Gunners from Sporting CP on Saturday in a deal worth up to £64 million.

Saka will love him: Arsenal reach agreement in principle to sign £68m star

Arsenal are ready to supply Viktor Gyokeres with an exciting new wideman.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 29, 2025

Gyokeres’ arrival comes as a major boost for Mikel Arteta as he seeks to end the club’s two-decade-long wait for a Premier League title.

Arsenal drew more games than any other side in the top 10 last season, and their struggle for goals was a key reason for this. Arteta’s side managed just 69 in the league by the end of 2024/2025, paling in comparison to their tallies of 88 and 91 in the previous two seasons.

A prolific frontman of Gyokeres’ ilk will certainly help Arteta’s side return to their clinical best, and Arsenal’s manager is thrilled to welcome a centre-forward who’s just bagged 54 goals in all competitions.

“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyökeres to the club. The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves,” said Arteta in an official statement.

“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels. He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.

“We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal.”

After Gyokeres, it is reliably reported that sporting director Andrea Berta is turning his attention towards Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze.

The England international is at the centre of Arsenal’s rumoured interest in signing a new creative number 10, and he reportedly has a £60 million release clause in his contract that could rise to £68m through bonuses (Sky Sports).

Crystal Palace identify Eberechi Eze replacement as Arsenal advance

According to multiple recent reports, there are suggestions that Eze has loosely agreed personal terms with Arsenal already, with Sports Zone even claiming that the 27-year-old has reached a “full agreement” over a proposed contract at the Emirates.

A north London switch for the player appears to be gaining serious traction, and according to Sky Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, Palace are moving to try and sign a replacement – providing a further indication that Arsenal could be closing in on Eze shortly.

Tavolieri, via X, claims Palace have identified Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss as a potential heir to Eze, but face competition from RB Leipzig.

Eze was released by Arsenal as a teenage academy prospect, but it appears the playmaker who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season could be facing his final summer at Selhurst Park.

Arsenal are beginning to turn a Liverpool target’s head as we enter the final few weeks of this summer transfer window, with Mikel Arteta’s side making an approach for the player amid their long-winded pursuit of Eberechi Eze.

Arsenal can hand Arteta his own Isak-level signing in £100m Eze alternative

The incredible international could be a real game-changer for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 6, 2025

Sporting director Andrea Berta has already made quite the impression in his first summer operating as Edu’s replacement, spending north of £200 million on the signings of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and star striker Viktor Gyokeres.

The Gunners are seemingly determined to end the club’s two-decade-long wait for another Premier League title, and despite their need to offload surplus squad members right now, Arsenal could still sign Eze before the window closes.

They view the England international as a more potent playmaker in terms of goals, and who could complement club captain Martin Odegaard in a central role (Sky Sports).

Eze is Arsenal’s top target from now until the transfer deadline on September 1, and they’re expected to make a formal bid for the Palace star after holding extensive talks with his representatives.

The 27-year-old has also spoken directly to both Arteta and Berta about joining Arsenal, according to Ben Jacobs for talkSPORT, with some initial talks taking place with Palace as the north Londoners aim to get his signing done for around £55 million.

However, Eze may not be there only signing in the next few weeks, with Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet believed to be a target as well.

The promising Ligue 1 sensation only signed a new deal until 2029 in May, but some reports suggest Jacquet is increasingly tempted by the prospect of a move to Arsenal, with Fabrizio Romano also reporting that an approach has been made.

Jeremy Jacquet debating future with camp as Arsenal and Liverpool eye moves

According to journalist Graeme Bailey for TBR Football, Jacquet is holding talks with representatives over his future amid this contact from Arsenal, while it is also believed that Premier League champions Liverpool have registered an interest.

While Rennes insist that he’s not for sale, the 20-year-old is still speaking to his camp about what could be next for him, so Jacquet’s head may be turning amid this attention from England.

There is a feeling among the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool that he could still be attainable despite Rennes’ stance, with the idea of a ‘buy-to-loan’ type move, similar to how Arteta’s side got William Saliba from Saint-Etienne, not ruled out.

Even in that scenario, Rennes would keep Jacquet in France for at least another season, but Arteta would have to wait before fully integrating him into the squad.

His price tag is rumoured to be around £25 million, which could be a savvy investment for the future considering his already-glowing reputation across the channel.

Jacquet has been dubbed the “technical leader of his generation” by his former development coach at Rennes, Pierre-Emmanuel Bordeau, and football writer Phil Costa believes he’s “one of the best defensive prospects in France” in a similar mould to Ben White.