An “unbelievable” Aston Villa player has reached an agreement to join a new club at the end of the season, a new transfer update has claimed.
Aston Villa preparing for huge semi-final
Unai Emery’s side suffered a hugely disappointing 2-1 defeat at Manchester City in the Premier League on Tuesday night, with Matheus Nunes’ last-gasp winner denting their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Villa cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves, however, with a massive FA Cup semi-final clash with Crystal Palace now on the horizon this weekend. The two sides meet at Wembley on Saturday, knowing either City or Nottingham Forest will be waiting in the final.
Aston Villa manager UnaiEmery
For Villans supporters, it is arguably as important as the recent Champions League quarter-final tie with Paris Saint-Germain, considering it is nearly 60 years since the club won the FA Cup. They last took home the trophy way back in 1957, so Emery and his players will know how much winning it would mean.
Once this season is over, Villa must focus on kicking on and making important signings in the summer transfer window – City legend Kevin De Bruyne has been linked with an exciting move – but one current player looks set to bring an end to his time at the club.
Aston Villa goalkeeper set to leave in 2025
According to a new update from Sportbladet [via Sport Witness], Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen has reached an agreement with Malmo, ahead of a return to his homeland this summer. The 35-year-old Swede will join on a “longer contract” for free when this season comes to an end, with his current Villans deal expiring in June.
Robin Olsen warming up for Aston Villa.
The £50,000-a-week Olsen has been a good servant for Villa since arriving from Roma in 2022, proving to be a solid squad player who has filled in for Emiliano Martinez when needed.
The veteran stopper has made 21 appearances in total, and while that may not exactly be a huge tally, Ollie Watkins lauded his influence earlier this year.
“I think when Robin has played the majority of the time he has had to come on at half-time and has been thrown in at the deep end. That is tough. It is nice he could start a game and show what he could do from the start. He has had some unbelievable performances. He played like that away to Brighton last year. We lost the game but he was man of the match by far. He did the same today and it was massive.”
Aston Villa discussing move to sign "unbelievable" star available for free
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It makes sense for all parties for Olsen’s time at Villa to reach its conclusion, though, allowing him more regular football elsewhere and potentially giving Emery the chance to bring in a younger alternative.
Liverpool have made a shock offer for a £400k-a-week star who is now keen to play in Europe next season, according to Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
Reds' summer transfer plans taking shape
After two quiet transfer windows since replacing Jürgen Klopp in the dugout, Arne Slot will be tasked with strengthening his squad in a number of key areas this summer, and FSG are prepared to back their manager with significant financial backing.
A new striker could be required, with Darwin Nunez’s future in doubt, and the aforementioned report names Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as a potential option, alongside RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and prolific Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold recently confirming his decision to leave his boyhood club this summer, the Reds have also ramped up their pursuit of a new right-back, and David Ornstein believes Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong is keen on a move to Anfield.
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Having perhaps overrelied on Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, there have also been suggestions that Slot could look to bring in a new midfielder this summer, and there is serious interest in Stuttgart maestro Angelo Stiller.
However, a surprise move for a Premier League attacking midfielder could also be on the cards, according to Di Marzio, with the Sky Sports journalist recently stating Liverpool have now made a shock offer for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
Manchester City's KevinDeBruynereacts
De Bruyne is set to leave Man City on a free transfer this summer, with Pep Guardiola’s side taking the decision not to extend his contract, but the Belgian wants to remain in Europe, despite widespread links to the MLS.
Napoli are making a concrete attempt to sign the 33-year-old, so there could also be competition for his signature from some of Europe’s top clubs.
"World-class" De Bruyne likened to Gerrard
In truth, the Man City legend moving to Anfield doesn’t seem particularly realistic, given that he was in direct competition with the Reds for a number of years, during which time he impressed Klopp, who described the maestro as “world-class”.
Wayne Rooney has also likened the Belgium international to Steven Gerrard in the past, saying: “De Bruyne reminds me a bit of Steven Gerrard. He drifts out to that right-hand side and plays some brilliant balls whipped in, like Stevie used to. What I like most is he takes chances, he takes risks, he doesn’t go for the easy ball – he plays the hard pass.”
The £400k-a-week star is evidently in the twilight years of his career, given City’s willingness to sanction a departure, but he has still impressed in the Premier League at times this season, while also catching the eye in the FA Cup.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Premier League
25
4
7
FA Cup
3
2
1
As such, De Bruyne could still be a difference-maker for a top club, but a move to Anfield would be extremely controversial.
Arsenal’s summer spending spree is seemingly set to commence.
On Saturday morning, Fabrizio Romano reported that Martín Zubimendi “has now verbally agreed” to join Arsenal, claiming that the Gunners intend to trigger his release clause, which stands at €60m (£51m).
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior in action with Real Sociedad's MartinZubimendi
This deal has been in the pipeline for a while, with David Ornstein of The Athletic reporting back in January that they were “pursuing a deal” to sign the Spanish international, describing him as a “long-term target”.
Nevertheless, this is set to be just the start of Mikel Arteta’s mass summer squad rebuild, so are the Gunners also close to signing another La Liga star, who’d be the club’s best value-for-money signing since Jurriën Timber?
Latest on Arsenal's transfer search
According to a report by Miguel Delaney of the Independent, Arsenal are ‘close to signing’ Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García.
As noted by James McNicholas and David Ornstein of The Athletic, Arsenal spent all of last summer pursuing the 24-year-old, having “identified” the Spaniard as the perfect player to provide competition for his compatriot David Raya, but Espanyol were unwilling to negotiate any lower than his €30m (£25m) release clause.
The bad news for Arsenal is that the Blanquiazules are on course to avoid relegation, García’s release clause would reportedly have dropped to just £12.6m had the Catalan club finished in the bottom three, but Tom Allnutt of the Times still believes the Gunners plan to finalise this deal.
RCDEspanyol'sJoanGarciain action with FC Barcelona's Hector Fort
So, how will García improve Arteta’s squad, and will he be their latest bargain signing?
Arsenal's best value-for-money signings
Analyst Ben Mattinson labels García an “exciting goalkeeper”, praising his “cross claiming” and “composure on the ball”.
Meantime, Sive Vishwa of Breaking the Lines describes him as “dependable and aggressive”, forecasting that he will become “one of the best goalkeepers” of his generation.
Thus, at just £25m, García looks set to prove an absolute bargain, but who are some of Arsenal’s best value-for-money signings of the Arteta-era?
Selected Arsenal signings ≥£35m under Arteta
Players
Year signed
Fee
Arsenal appearances
David Raya
2023
£27m
93
Jurriën Timber
2023
£34m
51
Leandro Trossard
2023
£27m
121
Jorginho
2023
£12m
78
Martin Ødegaard
2021
£30m
195
Gabriel Magalhães
2020
£27m
210
All information courtesy of Transfermarkt
Timber in particular stands out as an excellent value-for-money signing, arriving from Ajax for just £34m two summers ago.
As outlined by Alex Howell of BBC Sport, the Dutchman is in the running to be named Arsenal’s player of the season, a remarkable achievement considering he played just 147 minutes during his first campaign in North London, suffering an ACL rupture on the opening day of the season against Nottingham Forest.
So, will García prove to be the Gunners’ latest bargain?
Well, for him to become that, he’ll need to play matches, and this won’t be easy considering current number one Raya has been “really impressive” according to Arteta, so let’s compare the two Spanish shot-stoppers.
Joan García vs David Raya 2024/25 comparison
Statistics
García
Raya
Appearances
34
52
Minutes
3,060
4,710
Cleans sheets
7
18
Goals conceded
44
47
Shots on target faced
176
170
Saves
135
119
Save %
77.3%
74.1%
Post-shot xG – goals conceded
+9.3
+4.1
Crosses stopped %
9.6%
12.1%
Penalties faced
6
12
Penalties saved
2
2
Pass completion %
70.9%
73.9%
Long passes attempted
515
723
% of accurate long passes
39.6%
36.7%
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com and Squawka
As the table outlines, García’s statistics this season do compare favourably to Raya, made all the more impressive by the fact he is playing for an Espanyol side battling to avoid relegation from La Liga, having been promoted via the Segunda División play-offs last June.
Raya’s statistics are superior when it comes to high claims and passes completed, but García’s post-shot expected goals – goals allowed figure of +9.3, meaning he’s prevented over nine more goals than expected, is certainly eye-catching.
Across Europe’s top-five leagues, of all 204 goalkeepers who have featured this season, García ranks sixth for this metric, behind only Yehvann Diouf (Reims), Yahia Fofana (Angers), Vanja Milinković-Savić (Torino), Đorđe Petrović (Strasbourg) and Donovan Léon (Auxerre), with Raya down at 131st, according to FBref.com.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
So, García will arrive in North London confident he can usurp his fellow Spaniard in the pecking order, suggesting he could prove to be fantastic value for money.
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In a move that would see them get one over on Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United are now reportedly plotting a last-ditch hijack to sign an England international this summer.
Full focus on Bilbao for Man Utd
Although there are still three Premier League games left to play, they are likely to be seen as opportunities to rest key players at Manchester United. The Red Devils’ domestic campaign has long been over and they could yet finish as low as 17th to increase their embarrassment to beyond simple failure. But, in quite the twist, they could still qualify for the Champions League.
Mason Mount
After smashing Athletic Bilbao 7-1 on aggregate, Manchester United will square off against fellow strugglers Tottenham in a game between two sides desperate to change the narrative of their seasons.
Like those at Old Trafford, there’s still every chance that Spurs finish as low as 17th in the Premier League. But, just like United, they could do the unthinkable by securing Champions League football through the Europa League.
Given just how much both sides have struggled this season, that qualification wouldn’t be without its controversy and many have already had their say, including Arsene Wenger.
The legendary ex-Arsenal manager recently told reporters: “No – they should qualify automatically for the Europa League again but not necessarily for the Champions League.
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“Especially when you’re in the Premier League where already five teams qualify. I think it’s something [for Uefa] to think about and to review. On the other hand, people will tell you that to keep the Europa League focused, interesting and motivated you need to give them that prize (of qualifying for the Champions League).”
However, if Manchester United end their season lifting the Europa League, the words of Wenger will simply become an afterthought, and their summer transfer window could suddenly come to life.
Man Utd plotting late Angel Gomes move
According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are now plotting a last-ditch hijack to sign Angel Gomes ahead of Tottenham this summer. Squaring off both on and off the pitch, the two Premier League sides are chasing the England international as his LOSC Lille contract comes to an end and he becomes a free agent at the end of June.
Whilst it is reportedly Spurs who lead the race, Manchester United should hold the advantage that Gomes came through their academy not so long ago. Having left as an attacking midfielder in 2020, the 24-year-old has since reinvented himself as a No.6 in France and could now make quite the return to Old Trafford this summer.
Dubbed “always impressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Gomes looks set to have quite the decision to make between his boyhood club that let him go and a Premier League rival this summer.
Chelsea look certain to enjoy a busy summer transfer window, especially if Enzo Maresca can guide them to the Champions League next season.
While the squad is filled with quality in several areas, a lack of depth, plus a shortage of a truly world-class centre-forward has impacted the Blues at times this term.
The Stamford Bridge side have scored 63 times in the Premier League this term, a tally bettered by the likes of Brentford (ninth) and equalled by Tottenham Hotspur (17th) throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
Chelsea manager EnzoMarescacelebrates after the match
As such, adding goals to his side will be Maresca’s main priority once the summer transfer window opens in just a couple of weeks.
Chelsea have been linked with their fair share of targets, no doubt about that, but how much will the manager be willing to spend to bolster his first-team squad?
Chelsea’s search for a new striker
One name that is on the list is Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap. Following his club’s relegation from the top flight back into the Championship, his release clause drops down to £30m, which makes him an attractive prospect.
Newcastle United and Manchester United are also keen, but is the talented Englishman a player who could spearhead a potential title challenge? That much remains to be seen.
Another target, and one with a higher ceiling than Delap, is Benjamin Sesko. Chelsea have been routinely linked with a move for the RB Leipzig frontman following his exploits on the continent.
Sesko
Elsewhere, Victor Osimhen remains a target, although he could be an expensive signing should he make the move to London in the summer.
Finally, Alexander Isak is a player who has also been mentioned with regard to a move to the capital. The Newcastle striker is arguably one of the finest players in the top flight, and signing him would signal a major statement of intent.
Isak is approaching the peak years of his career. But if the Blues wish to sign a striker who is just like the Swede, but a few years younger, then they could turn to the Bundesliga.
Chelsea eyeing move for Bundesliga striker
It appears as though Maresca will stop at nothing in order to bring in someone who has a track record for scoring goals.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to French news outlet RMC Sport, it is claimed that several clubs have made contact with Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike with regard to a potential move.
Chelsea are certainly in the hunt, although they face some stiff competition from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of the transfer window.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Due to his strong performances that have led Frankfurt to third place in the Bundesliga, thus securing Champions League qualification, Ekitike is now valued at €100m (£85m), which represents a massive change of fortunes from just 18 months ago.
Back then, he was struggling to make inroads at PSG. Now he is one of the most desirable forwards in Europe.
He has proven his worth in a top-five league. Would a move to Chelsea help him continue his development?
Why Chelsea must sign Hugo Ekitike this summer
Nicolas Jackson has endured a campaign to forget, scoring just 12 goals all season. Marc Guiu is the only other senior centre-forward in the first-team squad and while he netted six goals and showed a lot of promise prior to injury, he isn’t at the level to lead the club’s attack consistently.
Making a move for Ekitike, therefore, is of the utmost importance to Maresca over the next few weeks, that’s for sure.
Analyst Ben Mattinson delivered some high praise on the Frenchman in March this year, saying: “A move in the summer seems inevitable and rightly so, Ekitiké is one of the best strikers out there ready to explode.”
You might say he has already exploded. Throughout the 2024/25 season, Ekitike has scored 22 goals and registered 12 assists in all competitions for Frankfurt.
He ranked sixth in the top flight for goals and assists (23) for the club, while also ranking third for shots per game (3.5) and fifth for big chances missed (16). This last stat is something that will get better with age, as his abilities in the penalty area should improve over the coming years.
Given how well he has performed in the Bundesliga, especially compared to players such as Harry Kane, Ekitike is finally looking like he will fulfil his potential.
The sky is certainly the limit. If he made the move to London, Ekitike could become Maresca’s own version of Isak, especially considering the pair of strikers share similar sorts of qualities.
Why Ekitike could be a younger version of Alexander Isak
According to WhoScored, both Isak and Ekitike like to dribble, while they can count key passes and dribbling as their main strengths. As per FBref, the Newcastle centre-forward is the fifth-most comparable player to the French sensation, across Europe’s top five leagues.
The pair have also registered similar statistics across a range of attacking metrics domestically this season, including goals and assists (23 vs 29), shots on target per 90 (1.55 vs 1.32), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.55 vs 3.07), touches in the opposition penalty area (196 vs 186) and successful take-ons (52 vs 42) for their respective teams.
Comparing Isak and Ekitike domestically this season
Metric
Isak
Ekitike
Goals
23
15
Assists
6
8
Shots per game
2.9
3.5
Big chances missed
18
16
Goal conversion percentage
24%
13%
Key passes per game
1.6
1.3
Stats via Sofascore
It is evident that the two are extremely similar not only in their playing style but also in their attacking output in 2024/25.
Like Isak, the Frankfurt striker has an insatiable eye for scoring at every possible opportunity. That’s not to say he is selfish, however, as the youngster can also create opportunities for his teammates with ease, evidenced by his 12 assists across the whole season.
Hugo Ekitike for Frankfurt.
He might cost the club around £85m, but as someone who has the potential to get better and better as time goes on, it may turn out to be a wise investment.
Of course, securing a place in the Champions League is imperative. If so, one of the continent’s most in-demand strikers could be on their way to London.
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Tottenham Hotspur saved their season when they defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League, ending 17 years of searching for silverware.
Despite all the misery, the luckless injury bother and the Premier League disaster, finishing 17th, Ange Postecoglou made good on his word and bagged himself a trophy at the end of his second season in the Spurs dugout, thus paving a road into next year’s Champions League.
It’s been a long time coming, but Tottenham must now ensure they build on their success and sustain a position at the forefront of English football.
Arrivals are expected, but outgoings are also a must if chairman Daniel Levy to to enact real change. Richarlison, despite his part in winning European gold, surely needs to leave in the coming months.
The latest on Richarlison's Spurs exit
Everton have been credited by Sky Sports News with an interest in Richarlison, and it’s felt Tottenham would be willing to consider offers in the region of £30m.
There’s clearly a talented player in there, with the Brazil forward’s rich purple patch in the Premier League last season evidence behind Tottenham’s big payment to bring him over from Merseyside.
But with interest in the 28-year-old’s services mounting, it might be foolish not to take the money and turn it toward a new player.
Richarlison, then, can bow out as a winner, having played an important part in ending Spurs’ trophy hoodoo. However, this feels like the right time for him to move on, for his career down N17 has been marred by persistent injuries and struggles for form.
He’s not the only wide forward who needs to move on, though, with Mathys Tel struggling to showcase his burgeoning qualities under Postecoglou’s wing.
Why Spurs must get rid of Mathys Tel
Tottenham welcomed Bayern Munich’s Tel to the fold in February, bagging the France U21 forward on loan until the end of the season.
Sadly, it’s been something of a turbulent ride for the 20-year-old, who was criticised by The Athletic’s Jay Harris for his “underwhelming” start to life in London, finishing the campaign with just three goals and an assist from 20 appearances, albeit a Europa League medal too.
Crystal Palace’s FA Cup hero Eberechi Eze has been linked by TEAMtalk with a cross-London switch; Tottenham are even believed to be prepared to meet his £68m release clause.
You’d think such a move could spell the end for one of Richarlison or Tel, and that another left-leaning forward would allow Levy and co to part with both.
Tel’s six-month loan spell has the option inserted to become permanent at the end of the season, for a fee in the ballpark of £46m.
He’s a wonderful talent, for sure, but the question must be raised as to whether this would be a prudent use of resources when the need for instant change is so great.
Tottenham are hoping to bring the Frenchman’s price down to £30m, but if they are unable to do so, plans must be focused on using the Richarlison money and the funds clearly available for such an outlay on Tel to sign another top target, such as Palace’s Eze.
Premier League 24/25 – Youngest Average Age of Starting XIs
#
Club
Final standing
Average age
16)
Southampton
29th
25.2
17)
Bournemouth
9th
24.9
18)
Tottenham
17th
24.7
19)
Brighton
8th
24.3
20)
Chelsea
4th
23.6
Stats via Transfermarkt
Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane, who is out of contract this summer, is also being chased by the Lilywhites, and it’s clear such players would make a big difference to a youthful squad in need of a blend of experience to finally hit a consistent vein of form and wipe the slate clean.
With that in mind, it could be that Tel’s final outing for Spurs has already come and gone, with the club needing to oversee a swift exit for the £80k-per-week starlet.
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One former Tottenham Hotspur player has taken his career to new heights after leaving the club.
Responding to the abject failure of Tony Mowbray returning to the West Bromwich Albion hot-seat, the Championship outfit has gone down the more modern, if untested route of appointing Ryan Mason.
Of course, the Baggies have excelled in the past when going after a manager once regarded as a second-in-command figure, with Carlos Corberan a background figure at Leeds United himself before succeeding at the Hawthorns, much like the 33-year-old was at Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham's Ryan Mason
Mason will hope no high-profile exits are signed off on during the early stages of his tenure, with Mowbray having to deal with the major exit of Alex Palmer at the start of his choppy second stint.
Ultimately, the loss of Palmer – among other factors – contributed to West Brom’s promotion campaign being derailed.
Palmer's demoralising sale
The Kidderminster-born goalkeeper would have to be patient waiting it out for senior chances, but when he became the Baggies’ main number one under Corberan, the 28-year-old never looked back.
The 2023/24 season would see Palmer start every single league clash under the Spaniard’s wing, resulting in the gloveman collecting a mightily impressive 18 clean sheets along the way, whilst also only leaking 48 strikes in total.
West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
He entered the following campaign overflowing with confidence, therefore, with Palmer only shipping 27 league goals across 30 second-tier matches before Ipswich Town came calling.
Unfortunately, instead of sticking with their dependable stopper, West Brom would cash in, as Palmer left his boyhood club behind mid-season for £2m.
West Brom’s record after Palmer’s exit (24/25)
Stat
Palmer
Games played
16
Wins
5
Draws
4
Losses
6
Goals conceded
20
Clean sheets
3
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Whilst the 28-year-old attempted to fit in at his new Suffolk location, the wheels came off West Brom’s promotion mission drastically, with only three clean sheets coming the Baggies’ way after Palmer’s departure, alongside only five league wins being tallied up.
West Brom cannot deal with another demoralising exit of this fashion if they want to mount a serious promotion charge under Mason.
But, they could be heading to another Palmer situation.
West Brom must not sell "outstanding" star
Murmurs have died down regarding Tom Fellows leaving the Baggies this summer, which will be music to the ears of West Brom fans and Mason alike, considering he notched up 14 assists in league action last season.
Yet, the summer will still bring about a lot of anxiety regarding the situation of Isaac Price, with a new report from SportsBoom speculating that the recent January buy could already be heading for the exit door as a Jobe Bellingham-depleted Sunderland circle for his services.
Price had hardly any time to show off his excellence for West Brom last season – especially as he joined Mowbray’s camp amid the Baggies’ promotion hopes falling off a cliff – but he has shown this off-season what he’s all about when curling home efforts like the one above on the international stage for Northern Ireland.
Off the back of his continued brilliance for his country, scout Jacek Kulig has labelled Price as “fantastic”, with Mason perhaps the manager to get even more out of the promising 21-year-old, having worked closely with Spurs’ rising stars when located in North London.
There is still plenty to come from Price at the Hawthorns, with the former Everton youth product at least managing to get off the mark with a single goal and assist from 15 league appearances last season, even as his new employers regularly slipped up.
Therefore, instead of selling him to the likes of Burnley or Sunderland before he reaches his full potential, the Baggies must keep a firm grip on their “outstanding” youngster, as his ex-Toffees teammate Asmir Begovic once labelled him.
Tottenham Hotspur assistant coachRyanMasonduring training
Further lauded as “smooth” when gliding forward by Mowbray, patience must be exercised on the end of West Brom with their rising star, especially now that a youth-oriented boss such as Mason is in charge.
If he comes good, he could well be a key player if promotion is to be clinched.
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Tottenham Hotspur could undergo a serious squad revamp ahead of Thomas Frank’s first full campaign in charge of the Lilywhites, with a few intriguing names facing uncertain futures in north London.
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Their most high-profile departure of the summer window could well be club legend Son Heung-min, who’s about to enter the final 12 months of his contract, and he was initially set to leave on a free this year, before chairman Daniel Levy triggered the season-long extension clause in his contract.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Son is attracting serious interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, and credible news outlets like The Telegraph suggest there is every likelihood that the season just gone may have been the South Korean’s last at Spurs.
Asian media sources claim Levy will demand around £50 million for the 32-year-old, as Tottenham’s chief looks to make as much money back off his sale as possible, but he may not be the only star player to depart before the beginning of 2025/2026.
Defender Cristian Romero, who played a key role for Spurs in their Europa League campaign, winning the tournament’s Player of the Season award, is a wanted man in Madrid.
Atlético boss Diego Simeone recently confirmed his interest in signing Romero, and if the La Liga side make a significant-enough offer, Spurs may well be forced to consider it given the Argentine has just two years left on his contract.
The likes of Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil appear nailed on to leave at this point, given both men spent 2024/2025 on loan elsewhere, and the former’s sale would count as pure profit in the eyes of PSR due to the fact he signed as a free agent.
Another player who joined Spurs two years ago, but hasn’t quite found a route into the first-team, is 21-year-old striker Alejo Veliz.
Tottenham in talks to sell Alejo Veliz after bid made
The Argentine has spent the last one and a half seasons on loan spells at Sevilla and Espanyol, but he hasn’t exactly set the world alight in that time – scoring just one La Liga goal.
For Tottenham, Veliz has made just eight Premier League appearances, scoring once in a 4-2 defeat against Brighton in 2023, and Levy could well decide to cut his losses.
Alejo Veliz.
According to South American news outlet Ole, via Sport Witness, Racing de Alma have made a bid to sign Veliz from Tottenham, reporting on Thursday night that it came in the last few hours.
Frank’s side are clear; they’ll only consider a permanent deal, not a loan, and Racing are attempting to oblige. They also want a significant sell-on clause inserted into the deal, with Racing currently “in full negotiations” to find an agreement, though there is no mention of whether their opening bid will be accepted.
Racing have apparently offered around £3.6 million for the forward, who’s been called a “phenomenon” by 1978 Argentine World Cup winner Daniel Bertoni, so Levy may have to take a loss on the £12 million they paid to sign Veliz from Rosario Central.
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Sruthi Ravindranath27-Jun-2024
Laura Wolvaardt points out that batting in red-ball cricket is a whole different ball game•Getty Images
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt says playing Tests is a “challenge” given her team does not get to play domestic red-ball cricket. They should be given the chance to play more multi-day games or “just leave” the format alone, she said, given how tough it is to adapt to.”It’s obviously a challenge for most of us having any sort of preparation in the format,” Wolvaardt said on the eve of South Africa’s Test against India in Chennai. “Just coming straight into an international multi-day game is difficult. For example, balls that I’ve been cover-driving my whole life, I now need to leave, which is difficult for me because it just happens on instinct and I have to fight the way that I’ve been batting for my entire career.”I think either we need to play a lot more Test cricket and incorporate it into our domestic practice and training, or we must just leave it because playing one in three years is very hard to adapt to. But I’m on the side to have more of it.”Related
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Wolvaardt hopes conversations are happening within the Cricket South Africa board to get women to play more red-ball cricket. South Africa women currently play the CSA Women’s Provincial 50-over tournament and T20s as part of their domestic season.”I haven’t been part of any such conversations, but I’m hoping that it is a conversation higher up,” she said. “If we want to give ourselves the best chance to win these games internationally, we have to do some sort of preparation at a domestic level. Just coming straight into an international Test match is tough with no red-ball experience in the squad.”South Africa will be playing three Tests this year; they have three in a year after a long time – they last did so in 1972. They played a Test in February in Australia, after a gap of nearly two years, now they have India, and they will be playing a multi-format series against England at home that includes a one-off Test in Bloemfontein in December. That will also be their first Test at home since 2002 when they played India in Paarl.”I think getting opportunity to play more Test cricket is awesome and something that a lot of our girls are really looking forward to is playing more Tests. Obviously having three scheduled in a calendar year is pretty cool and something that I’ve wanted to see for a long time. I personally really enjoy the format and would love to see more of it. I think this Test will be a huge challenge for us. And hopefully we’re able to adapt to the conditions.”Wolvaardt also acknowledged the challenge of batting on a spin-friendly Chepauk pitch, conditions South Africa are not too familiar with.”Batting-wise it is going to be a big challenge for our group,” she said. “I think obviously it’s very different to conditions that we’ve been used to and exposed to at home, but thankfully we do have a few talented spinners within our squad as well. I think players like Nonkululeko Mlaba would sort of be licking her lips. Hopefully they’re able to put on a good show and be consistent and tight with their areas.”
Having already signed Fer Lopez, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly set their sights on welcoming a defensive reinforcement who current star Yerson Mosquera knows well.
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After losing both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri in the early days of the window, Wolves were always likely to spend in the weeks that followed, and they did just that. Signing the young winger from Celta Vigo for around £19m, Lopez will arrive hoping to make an instant impact in the Midlands.
The 21-year-old is well aware of the opportunity that lies ahead too, telling Wolves’ official website after putting pen to paper: “It’s an amazing opportunity for my career to play in the Premier League, and I’m very happy.
“Vitor told me he thought I was a good fit in the squad and when it’s a club like this, you have little to think about. The team did very good when Vitor came and I think he is top, so I’m very excited to be with him.
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“Jorgen told me that to play in the Premier League and with a team like Wolves, it’s amazing, and that the fans were incredible. He told me that I should come, and that with the gaffer and all the teammates, the style of play was going to be very good. We’re going to play good football, attractive football, and I think I can fit in there.”
After Lopez, however, Wolves still have money to spend and it seems as though their focus has turned towards strengthening their backline with the addition of an in-demand defender who Mosquera knows well.
Wolves join Lucumi race
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Wolves have now joined the race to sign Jhon Lucumi from Bologna this summer as the defender’s £24m release clause approaches its July 10 expiry date.
Jhon Lucumi tackles Lionel Messi.
Joined by Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford, Wolves will have quite the battle on their hands if they decide to turn their interest into a formal offer for Vitor Pereira. Lucumi is a player who’d be worth the chaos, though. Mosquera’s Colombian teammate has enjoyed an impressive couple of years in Italy and has earned plenty of praise along the way.
Praised for his “excellent ball-security” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Wolves should do everything to land what would be a bargain deal for Lucumi this summer. The Midlands club have just over two weeks to sign the Bologna defender before his £24m release clause expires and the Italian club likely increase their asking price.