All posts by z3u9t.icu

Amazingly, Leeds United’s record at this early stage in the Premier League season lines up well to their positive start out of the blocks under Marcelo Bielsa during the 2020/21 season.

Directly after sealing promotion up to the big-time, the much-loved South American would steer the Whites to an unbelievable ninth final position, having initially picked up two wins from his side’s opening five clashes in the league.

Daniel Farke already has two victories under his belt, too, with the 3-1 success away at Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out further mirroring Leeds sides of old when it came to the clinical nature of their first-half display.

Of course, there is still a long way to go, but the German will be hoping he can pull off a similarly high finish down the line.

Leeds will no doubt feel a boost knowing Ao Tanaka is also slowly but surely returning to full fitness, with the Japanese midfielder going down as an instant revelation in the Championship.

The shrewd capture of Tanaka

The Whites really did win in the summer transfer market before embarking on their promotion adventure, as the likes of Jayden Bogle and Joe Rodon joined to enhance the defence, while Manor Solomon added more quality up top on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, snapping up the services of Tanaka for just £2.9m from Fortuna Düsseldorf managed to slip under the initial radar.

However, it’s safe to say that Tanaka is now a well-known and much-loved presence at Elland Road, with the silky 27-year-old going on to collect five goals and two assists last campaign on the way to Farke and Co. returning to the Premier League.

He made such a blistering impact to proceedings that Farke would even label him as “unbelievable” for what he can offer, with those glowing words backed up by his well-rounded game when averaging both a 90% pass accuracy last season, while also getting stuck in with 4.3 duels per second-tier clash, as per Sofascore.

Further noted as being “difficult to dislodge” from the starting XI by Paul Robinson last season, it is testament to Leeds’ collective strengths so far this campaign that they haven’t been derailed by Tanaka’s injury issues.

While Tanaka has been sidelined, another astute capture achieved this summer has stood out, with the cost-effective buy perhaps going down as Leeds’ best foray in the market since the £2.9m deal to bring the number 22 to English shores.

Leeds have made their best signing since Tanaka

After all, Leeds have managed to bolster their midfield positions this summer, away from solely relying on more of Tanaka’s magic up a division.

Indeed, Anton Stach is also in the running to be considered Leeds’ smartest purchase since landing the Japan international last year, with the versatile 26-year-old costing £20m and proving to be worth all that cash alone just based on this fierce free-kick being hammered home at Molineux.

Wth an assist also next to his name, it’s clear that Leeds have struck gold already with another standout buy from the Bundesliga.

Yet, it could well be argued that Gabriel Gudmundsson is actually a better buy than Stach, despite his electric start to life in West Yorkshire, with the arrival of the Swede making the Whites feel far more assured about their problematic left-back spot.

While Leeds did recruit well when making the step-up, it was a clear body blow when Junior Firpo exited the building this summer, with the former Whites hero amassing ten assists last season from the left-back position.

This left Farke and Co. in a considerable spot of bother as Sam Byram was now the only recognised option on the left. Thankfully, Leeds would seal a deal to bring Gudmundsson for just £10m to fill the Firpo-shaped hole, with this looking to be a worthwhile bargain already.

Games played

5

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

63.2

Accurate passes*

31.6 (81%)

Ball recoveries*

3.6

Clearances*

3.8

Total duels won*

4.2

Minus his own-goal horror show away at Fulham, Gudmundsson has been a solid addition, with his calming influence on the ball different to that of a gung-ho Firpo, but more effective in the Premier League.

Moreover, with 4.2 duels won on average, he has more than helped Leeds to pick up those two invaluable victories, with three duels successfully won on the road at the Old Gold. He was arguably the club’s “best player” in that latest victory.

Heralded as a “fantastic” addition to the camp already by ex-Leeds defender Tony Dorigo, it could well be that the Malmo-born star goes on to be viewed as another Tanaka-like bargain, particularly if his efforts steer the Whites to immediate survival and, potentially, even more.

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ByCallum Kemp Sep 21, 2025

Celtic and Brendan Rodgers have now reportedly made a significant decision regarding the future of a four-time Scottish Premiership champion.

Rodgers linked with foreign move away from Celtic

It hasn’t been the happiest start to the season for the Hoops, following a disappointing summer, with the 0-0 draw at home to Rangers proving to be a turgid affair.

All doesn’t appear to be well regarding Rodgers, having been frustrated during the summer transfer window, and journalist Alan Nixon believes a move to a foreign club appeals to the Northern Irishman next, despite links with the Nottingham Forest job.

It remains to be seen how long Rodgers’ second stint at Celtic lasts, but it is a tumultuous period in the club’s history, summed up by the statement they released days ago, with Michael Stewart calling it a PR disaster.

“Talk about not being able to read the room. Of course, they were under pressure and felt like they had to speak but they’d have been better just being quiet than coming out with that. At no juncture in that statement did the Celtic board actually say, ‘you know what, it’s not been as good as we hoped’. That statement could’ve been one word – ‘sorry’.”

Celtic make huge decision regarding "physical beast"

According to Football Insider, Celtic and Rodgers have decided that Daizen Maeda is not for sale when the January transfer window opens, despite him pushing for an exit which was blocked by Parkhead chiefs.

It is claimed that the Hoops have “blocked his potential transfer” away from Parkhead “due to their lack of depth in forward areas” between now and the end of the season, with Maeda himself admitting he wanted out of Celtic Park over the summer.

Maeda is contracted at the club until the summer of 2027, so time is running out if they want to eventually receive a fee for him, but keeping hold of him for the time being does make sense.

Celtic cannot afford to be in a position where they don’t have enough firepower in their ranks, following such a forgettable summer of attacking signings, and the £25m-rated Japanese is a player who has been lauded as a “physical beast” by coaches and also hailed by Rodgers in the past.

“He’s been absolutely brilliant wherever he’s played, however he’s played, he’s had an amazing season. He earns every penny and we feel as a club he deserves more. He doesn’t give away much, other than saying he’s very happy.”

Maeda is still searching for his first league goal of the season after four appearances, which is unlike him, but the four-time Scottish Premiership champion is too good a player not to find some form sooner rather than later.

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It could well be the 27-year-old’s final season in a Celtic shirt, however, in order to avoid losing him on a free transfer in 2027, and Rodgers will hope he can see the best of him again before next May arrives.

It’s hard to think of many teams having a better summer than Chelsea this year.

Enzo Maresca’s side are now World Champions thanks to their incredible domination of Paris Saint-Germain and have made several sensational additions in the transfer market.

Yet, when it comes to the latter, it could be said that Liverpool are the one Premier League side who are outdoing them, as they’ve already signed Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, are about to sign Hugo Ekitiké and spent a massive £116m on Florian Wirtz.

The former Bayer Leverkusen star was one of the most sought-after players at the start of the window, and someone who could be a real game-changer for the Reds, so Chelsea fans should be delighted over reports linking them to someone who could be their own version of the German.

Chelsea's transfer window so far

Intent on building on the squad’s Conference League win last season and their Champions League qualification, Chelsea have already gone big this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

The headline signings are undoubtedly Liam Delap for £30m from Ipswich Town, £48m for Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund and £60m for Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion.

BlueCo have even made a nice profit on Noni Madueke by selling him to Arsenal for a whopping £52m.

Yet, the club aren’t done there, as it now looks like they are planning on signing a seriously exciting star who could be their own Wirtz.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Spain, which has claimed Chelsea are incredibly interested in Morgan Rogers.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Aston Villa star is the Blues’ top target, and they are working on an offer to present to the Claret and Blue, who value their star at €90m, which is approximately £78m.

It would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but Rogers has proven he’s worth fighting for, especially as he could be Chelsea’s answer to Wirtz.

Why Rogers could be Chelsea's Wirtz

It might sound bold to suggest that Rogers could be to Chelsea what so many expect the £116m Wirtz to be for Liverpool, but we have our reasons.

Firstly, the Villa ace was almost as effective as the German when it came to his output last season, and that is even more impressive when you consider that the Premier League is ranked as the toughest league in world football, while the Bundesliga comes in as only the third.

For example, the Villans’ often unstoppable “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, managed to score 14 goals and provide 15 assists in 54 appearances, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games.

Appearances

54

45

Goals

14

16

Assists

15

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

0.68

In contrast, the former Bayer Leverkusen star scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 45 appearances, which comes out to a slightly better average of a goal involvement every 1.45 games.

On top of the similarities in their output, both players are still just 22 years old, and would be playing for two of the ‘big six’ sides, and possibly even leading their respective sides into a title race next season.

Finally, while both players can play in other positions, especially the former Middlesbrough gem, they are at their best and most dangerous when playing in the middle of the park.

Ultimately, it may well cost an arm and a leg, but Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign Rogers this summer, as he’d be an incredible addition to their team, and maybe even their answer to Wirtz.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 18, 2025

Birmingham City are not slowing down in the summer transfer window in their attempt to bolster their squad ahead of a return to the Championship next season.

The Blues recently confirmed the signings of James Beadle, Tommy Doyle, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Demarai Gray to improve their options across the pitch.

They are not done there, though, as L’Equipe recently reported that Rennes striker Kyogo Furuhashi is closing in on a move to Birmingham for a fee that could rise as high as £10m, which is how much the French side paid to sign him in January from Celtic.

Kyogo, who failed to score in six matches for Rennes, is not the only player who is reportedly on the verge of making the move to St. Andrew’s to join Chris Davies’ squad.

Birmingham City set to complete double deal

A fresh claim from GIVEMESPORT backs up L’Equipe’s news that the Japanese striker is closing in on a transfer to the Championship side this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

The report adds, though, that the League One champions are also set to sign attacking midfielder Kanya Fujimoto on a free transfer, following his exit from Gil Vicente.

GIVEMESPORT claims that both Kyogo and Fujimoto are ‘expected’ to join the club before the end of the weekend, as the Blues close in on a big double deal.

The outlet reveals that Birmingham kept tabs on the former Gil Vicente star throughout the 2024/25 campaign, and they are now making their move for him.

Why Fujimoto is even more exciting than Kyogo for Birmingham

Despite Kyogo being set to sign for £10m and Fujimoto due to arrive on a free transfer, the latter looks to be the most exciting signing out of the two players.

Birmingham are signing Kyogo off the back of a very difficult season for him. As aforementioned, the striker did not score in six league games for Rennes before being immediately sold six months after joining.

The 30-year-old forward also only scored ten goals from 14.14 xG in a dominant Celtic team in the Premiership during the first half of the season, which shows that he significantly underperformed in front of goal.

This shows that Birmingham are spending a huge fee on a player who is declining and heading into the latter stages of his career, which is a big risk because there is a chance that his form does not improve.

xG

4.00

Top 4%

Goals

5

Top 3%

Shots on target

13

Top 5%

xA

2.77

Top 14%

Assists

5

Top 3%

Chances created

35

Top 8%

Successful dribbles

19

Top 16%

Whereas, as you can see in the table above, Fujimoto is arriving at the club off the back of a very impressive season with Gil Vicente in the Portuguese top-flight.

At the age of 26, he is coming into the prime years of his career and appears to be at the top of his game, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals in Portugal.

Fujimoto was once described as a “silky dribbler who’s dangerous in the pockets behind the striker” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and his statistics back that up, as he ranked highly as a dribbler to go along with his goal contributions.

The Japanese ace is a midfielder who can score and assist goals efficiently, outperforming his xG, and has the performances to suggest that he can hit the ground running at St. Andrew’s.

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2 ByBrett Worthington Jul 2, 2025

This is why he is an even more exciting signing for Birmingham than Kyogo, who is coming off the back of a poor year in France and in Scotland, and is not in the prime of his career anymore.

Having partied hard in Dubai and Ibiza, Liverpool lifted the Premier League aloft and then went on to make a huge statement in the transfer market, the biggest one that’s ever been seen in English top-flight history.

The Reds have landed full-backs, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, from Bayer Leverkusen and Bournemouth respectively, but Florian Wirtz’s arrival was a great deal more exciting than both.

Richard Hughes and Co were able to broker a £116m deal with Leverkusen, thus making him the most expensive player in English football.

No pressure then, Florian. To be fair, if there is any pressure, it’s likely he’ll thrive.

Wirtz has been the poster boy for Bayer for a number of years now and has already cemented himself as one of the finest 10s in the game, scoring 16 goals and registering 15 assists in 45 matches last season.

Now, however, an even bigger deal could be sorted before the transfer window shuts in a few months.

Liverpool looking to spend big again in July

If you thought June was a big month for the Reds then perhaps July could be even bigger.

It’s likely FSG will commence the new month by announcing the arrival of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

Last week, it was revealed that Liverpool were closing in on an agreement on personal terms with the centre-back and this weekend, reports have suggested that talks are set to take place with Palace in a bid to conclude a move.

Transfer Focus

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

That being said, he’s not the only Premier League star who could walk through the doors of Anfield in a few weeks.

It’s an incredibly unlikely one but the rumour mill continues to link Newcastle forward Alexander Isak with a move to Merseyside.

Reports over recent weeks suggest that the Swede is Liverpool’s dream target for the rest of the window and understandably so. Yet, with an alleged asking price topping £200m, it will be nigh on impossible to get him out of St James’ Park this summer.

Well, this weekend, the Chronicle have reported the latest on the saga. They note that ‘reporters who cover the club [Liverpool] have been told not to dismiss a July bid for Isak.’

Sadly for the Reds, there are several obstacles at play here, not least the striker’s asking price but the fact that he remains contracted until 2028.

Eddie Howe has held talks behind the scenes with Isak about his future and the Toon appear to be confident of keeping him in the north east.

Why Isak is even more exciting than Wirtz

It wasn’t long ago that former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes explained that the “absolutely exceptional” Wirtz is “probably the best midfielder in the world.”

It’s hard to dispute that statement given his numbers last season, but Liverpool are in dire need of a new centre-forward and Isak ticks every single box imaginable.

A “world-class assassin” in the words of Newcastle legend, Alan Shearer, the Swede has proven himself to be what some believe, including analyst Raj Chohan, “the best striker in the world”.

While fellow Swede Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in 52 matches last season, was Europe’s top marksman, he did so in an inferior league to the Premier League.

Whether the Sporting powerhouse comes to England and scores a similar amount next season remains to be seen, but Isak is proven over here already and could well be Liverpool’s ticket not just to top-flight dominance but Champions League dominance.

While Mo Salah ran rampant across the continent last season, scoring 34 and assisting 23 in all competitions, if there is any weakness to pluck from this Reds side it was that they perhaps lacked another reliable goalscorer.

Wingers by trade, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz did score 18 and 17 goals but as far as out-and-out centre-forwards are concerned, Diogo Jota only scored nine and Darwin Nunez ended the campaign with seven.

1. Mo Salah

52

34

2. Cody Gakpo

49

18

3. Luis Diaz

50

17

4. Diogo Jota

37

9

5. Dominik Szoboszlai

49

8

6. Darwin Nunez

47

7

7. Alexis Mac Allister

49

7

Jota is notably injury-prone and Nunez looks as though he’s on his way to Napoli, so, after the arrivals of Wirtz and Co, adding a striker to their ranks is paramount.

Unlike Wirtz, Isak has proven he can do it in the Premier League before and is already well poised to take over the mantle from Salah as Liverpool’s leading man in attack.

Last season, he bagged 27 times in 42 outings, adding to the 25 in 40 he netted the campaign prior. He’s a menace, a captivating talent who quite possibly has Ballon d’Or level potential running through him.

Wirtz was no doubt a big statement but Isak, wanted by Europe’s elite, would be an even bigger one. He’s the most exciting forward around and Liverpool could soar to new heights with him at Arne Slot’s disposal.

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ByAngus Sinclair Jun 27, 2025

As rumours continue to rumble on over Chelsea’s chase to sign Hugo Ekitike, the Blues have reportedly opened talks to sign a fresh alternative option this summer.

Chelsea face competition for Hugo Ekitike

Ekitike is certainly a man in demand this summer. According to reports, Chelsea are joined in the race for the Frenchman’s signature by both Liverpool and Manchester United in a deal which could yet cost as much as £84m. As ever, the Blues will be keen to make a statement against their Premier League opposition, but Liverpool’s fresh ruthless streak in the market could yet prove to be a problem on that front.

If those at Stamford Bridge do suffer a rare defeat in the transfer window then they must still turn towards alternative attacking options. Nicolas Jackson’s red card against Flamengo as his side lost 3-1 at the Club World Cup once again highlighted why Chelsea could do with an upgraded and more reliable option to lead their frontline.

Disappointed by the forward’s second red card of the season, manager Enzo Maresca told reporters: “It happened against Newcastle and today. I am not 100% sure it’s a red card compared to the Newcastle one. It’s a little bit of a bad moment for Nico. The red card has nothing to do with Nico’s future… Nico knows in both games it was not good for the team.”

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There could be more bad news for Jackson following his red card if recent rumours are anything to go by, too. With the race to sign Ekitike hanging in the balance, Chelsea have reportedly turned their attention towards another option.

Chelsea open talks to sign Kolo Muani

According to L’Equipe, as relayed by Get French Football News, Chelsea have now opened talks to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain this summer. The Frenchman is currently still on loan at Juventus courtesy of their participation in the Club World Cup, but will have a decision to make regarding his future sooner or later.

It’s then that Chelsea could push on and welcome a player who may replace Jackson. It would certainly be a deserved move for Kolo Muani too. The forward struggled at PSG, but has finally rediscovered his most clinical form whilst on loan in Italy.

Minutes

1,518

2,220

Goals

10

10

Assists

2

5

Expected Goals

9.4

12.3

Having previously been described as “complete” by France teammate Kylian Mbappe, Kolo Muani has finally returned to his clinical best at Juventus. Whilst Jackson has underperformed in expected goals, the Chelsea target has matched his 10-goal tally in around 700 less minutes with an XG of just 9.4.

Still just 26 years old, Kolo Muani would be an ideal alternative to Ekitike for Chelsea this summer.

Arsenal are in the market for a new attacker this summer, and sporting director Andrea Berta has been handed a boost in regard to one target who appears to have his eyes firmly on a move to N5.

Arsenal maintaining Benjamin Sesko talks

The Gunners have been seriously pursuing RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko for the last fortnight.

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Talks have been held with the Bundesliga side over a move for their talismanic forward, who scored 21 goals in all competitions last season, with Arsenal and Leipzig reportedly negotiating to find middle ground on the fee.

While reliable reports suggest that Saudi sides are now expressing a keen interest in Sesko to rival Arsenal, the player’s priority is to remain in Europe, and it is believed by some media sources that the 22-year-old has already agreed personal terms (CaughtOffside).

There appears to be cautious optimism that a move can eventually be struck for the Slovenia international, but in case a deal falls through, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres remains on their shortlist (Fabrizio Romano).

The Swede is fresh off an excellent campaign, where he bagged 54 goals in all competitions, helping Sporting to their first domestic double in 20 years.

Gyokeres’ ruthless finishing has attracted interest from across the continent, with Man United also rumoured to be contending for his services. However, he definitely won’t be leaving for £59 million, as Sporting president Frederico Varandas confirmed to the media this week.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.

“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”

Viktor Gyokeres prioritising move to Arsenal with meeting held

While a lot of negotiation still needs to be done over a potential fee, if Arsenal decide to go there in the event they cannot agree a Sesko deal, they can be encouraged by the 27-year-old’s stance on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

According to CNN journalist Nuno Farinha, speaking on CNN Portugal, Gyokeres’ agent held a meeting with Arsenal chiefs on Wednesday to lay groundwork over a potential transfer.

Farinha also says that Arsenal has always been Gyokeres’ preferred landing spot, with the ex-Coventry City star seemingly prioritising a move to north London over Man United.

While a lot of debate is surrounding Gyokeres’ price tag, especially after Varandas’ comments, Portuguese newspaper Record recently stated that Sporting have been demanding around £67 million.

“His overall game is good. He is big and strong, he can play on the ball and his finishing is ridiculously good,” said pundit John Wenham to Tottenham News.

“That would be an exciting signing.”

Arsenal are now ready to make an opening offer for a “fantastic” striker who’s “always a threat”, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

Gunners' search for a striker continues

It appears as though Mikel Arteta may finally be about to bite the bullet and bring in a new striker this summer, with the Gunners being credited with an interest in several different forwards from across Europe, including Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, however, has made the bold claim that any new striker will eventually end up being dropped for Kai Havertz, given how important the German is to Arteta’s style of play.

That prediction follows on from Carragher’s comments back in March, when he suggested that a lack of creativity was the real issue for the north Londoners last season, rather than not having a top striker at their disposal: “The problem they have is not a finishing problem. It’s a creation problem.

“They don’t create enough chances. That’s the biggest problem that they’ve got right now.”

Regardless, Arsenal appear to be continuing their pursuit of a new centre-forward, and Nixon has now revealed they are ready to offer Blackburn Rovers more than £1m for 17-year-old Igor Tyjon.

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The Gunners are now prepared to make an opening bid for Tyjon, who is a highly-rated young striker, although he only featured twice for Blackburn in the Championship last season, indicating that he could be some way off Premier League level.

"Fantastic" Tyjon could be a future star

While he is yet to make an impact at first-team level for Blackburn, the teenager has received high praise in the past, with former manager John Eustace saying: “Igor has been a standout young player since I have been at the football club. He had a fantastic pre-season. He’s just played for England in the week. I was delighted to give him his debut today. He has worked, very, very hard.”

“He’s a 16-year-old boy and we have to remember that. He is certainly one for the future.”

Blackburn U21s boss Mike Sheron has also been left impressed by the starlet, adding: “I love his bravery and his positivity. We asked him to play off the left tonight and he’ll receive the ball in any situation.

“He’ll turn, he’ll try to go forward, he’s positive, he looks after it, he’s always reliable in possession and he’s always a threat.”

As such, Tyjon could be a shrewd signing for Arsenal this summer, and he may one day be capable of leading the line, but their primary goal this summer should be to bring in a proven top-level striker, in order to compete for the Premier League title next season.

There has been a lot to be negative about for Arsenal fans this season.

From their never-ending slew of injuries to bizarre suspensions and the fact that they once again failed to win a trophy.

However, while we certainly wouldn’t disagree that this year has been a disappointment for Mikel Arteta’s side, there have also been a few genuine positives.

For example, a number of players have stepped up throughout the year and improved their standing in the team, including one who’s looked at entirely differently by the fans but shouldn’t be at the club at the start of next season.

The Arsenal stars who stepped up

So, before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over a few of the other stars who did themselves proud in an otherwise underwhelming season, such as Bukayo Saka.

Yes, the Hale Ender was out of action for just over three months with a hamstring injury, but when he was on the pitch, he’s only further proven to people that he is well and truly world-class.

For example, in 37 appearances, totalling 2619 minutes, the 23-year-old scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out to an unreal average of a goal involvement every 1.42 games or every 100.73 minutes.

Appearances

37

Minutes

2619

Goals

12

Assists

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73′

The Englishman also stepped up against Real Madrid, just like another of the team’s leaders from this season, Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain started the season somewhat slowly, but after Christmas, he looked back to his very best, and if he wasn’t breaking up opposition attacks in the middle of the park, he was starting them himself.

Moreover, the fact that he scored not one but two utterly superb free-kicks against Real in the Champions League cannot be overlooked – not that it is, mind.

Someone who doesn’t receive quite as much attention but should is Jurrien Timber, who, off the back of his ACL injury in the 23/24 season, managed to cover for the injured Ben White brilliantly this season, making 48 appearances across all competitions, 42 of which were starts.

Interestingly, the former Ajax star wasn’t the only defender to seriously improve his standing in the team this season.

The Arsenal star who should never play for the team again

So, it’s probably not too difficult to work out that the defender we are talking about is, of course, Jakub Kiwior.

The Polish international, who joined the club for £20m in January 2023, played something of a bit part for most of the campaign, right up until Gabriel Magalhaes saw his campaign end with a hamstring injury against Fulham on April 1st.

Following on from that game, the former Spezia star started every Premier League and Champions League game, including both legs against Real, in which, aside from a small mistake in the first leg, he was near enough perfect.

It was a totally unexpected run of genuinely impressive form from the 25-year-old, who only in December was branded as “shocking,” as having “no outstanding physical qualities”, and simply not “good enough” by Arsenal podcaster Phil Costa.

So, you may be asking yourself, why are we saying the “exceptional” international, as dubbed by Arteta, should never play for the club again?

Well, simply put, now is the best time to sell him and earn a tidy profit, with reports from last week claiming that he now has a price tag of £60m on his head, which works out to a 200% increase on the fee paid by the Gunners.

Moreover, it would also be in his own best interest, as when Gabriel is back, his game time will dramatically decrease and then decrease some more if Riccardo Calafiori can sort out his fitness over the summer.

Ultimately, Arsenal should say their thanks to Kiwior and move him on this summer, while his valuation is justifiably high as it is.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 29, 2025

Regardless of what happens at Wembley this coming Saturday, Sheffield United will know it will be a busy and hectic summer ahead in South Yorkshire.

If promotion out of the Championship is won, Chris Wilder will need to add in some exceptional new bodies to give his team a fighting chance at securing survival, whilst sticking it out in the second tier will also bring about its own set of difficulties in terms of players such as Gustavo Hamer potentially wanting to move on.

Jack Robinson is looking likely to be a casualty whether promotion is won or not, considering the former Liverpool centre-back is yet to pen a new deal at Bramall Lane, alongside some restless natives finding lots of faults in his performances this season.

Therefore, one top priority this summer will be to bring in a fresh, imposing presence to line up in the heart of defence, with these three potential signings perhaps names on Wilder’s shopping lists, irrespective of whether they’re soaring up to the Premier League or stuck inside the EFL.

1 Harry Souttar

Harry Souttar could well return to United during the busy window, having been on the books of the Blades for 22 memorable games this season before his injury troubles took over.

When he was fit, the 26-year-old battled away valiantly for the cause, with Souttar averaging a high five duels won across his 21 Championship contests, on top of picking up 13 clean sheets.

It would be a major risk to go back in for the injury-ravaged defender – considering he is still sidelined with his torn achilles tendon – but there is definitely unfinished business between Souttar and Wilder’s men and he could be just what is needed when back to full fitness if Robinson does exit.

2 Harry Darling

Swansea City star Harry Darling is the talk of the town in the Championship at the moment with the Welshman looking likely to move on from his current home shortly.

Whoever does pick up the 25-year-old will win his services for free too, which has already piqued the interest of teams such as Birmingham City, but United have been admirers from afar for some time and he could be a sterling option to have around the building if Robinson does depart.

Games played

39

34

Goals scored

5

0

Assists

3

0

Touches*

74.5

68.6

Accurate passes*

53.9 (88%)

45.6 (86%)

Ball recoveries*

3.9

3.4

Clearances*

5.0

4.8

Total duels won*

4.9

5.4

Clean sheets

12

12

Looking at the table above, whilst Robinson does better Darling in terms of duels being won this season, the wantaway Swans defender appears to be more Premier League ready in most departments next to his experienced counterpart.

Indeed, the “heroic” star – as he was previously lauded by ex-boss Luke Williams – managed to chip in with five goals and three assists as a lively body at the back even as his current employers finished in 11th position, whilst also bettering the 31-year-old with more ball recoveries and clearances averaged.

Therefore, he might well be ready for a move to Wilder’s men, considering he’s proven himself as a top performer at EFL level with the potential to go on to become a Premier League-capable talent.

3 Jimmy Dunne

Similarly, adding in Queens Park Rangers’ powerhouse Jimmy Dunne to their defensive options would gift United another stylish body, away from the imposing figures of Robinson and Anel Ahmedhodzic.

The Blades were reportedly keen on Dunne’s services in January, and much like Swansea’s mid-table predicament, a move to United would presumably be appealing for the Irishman away from sticking it out with the lower Hoops.

With Dunne also capable of producing a moment of magic like this, he could be just the daring new option that makes Robinson’s first-team spot insecure.

Winning a mammoth 8.4 duels on average this season just gone too, the 27-year-old can further apply himself well as a gritty presence, meaning he could go on to form an intimidating defensive duo with the aforementioned Ahmedhodzic.

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ByKelan Sarson May 15, 2025