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It has been an interesting summer for Arsenal so far this year, to say the least.

At one point, it looked like Mikel Arteta’s side were falling behind their rivals in the transfer market, only for them to then go out and splash the cash on the likes of Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard.

Additionally, a deal to sign Viktor Gyokeres appears to be nearing its conclusion, and the promising Cristhian Mosquera underwent his medical yesterday afternoon.

However, not every deal has garnered such a positive response, and it would perhaps be an understatement to say that Noni Madueke’s imminent arrival has split the fan base.

Fortunately, if reports are to be believed, the club are already looking at another international ace, someone who would be a better signing than the Englishman.

Arsenal target who'd be better than Madueke

While some of the responses to the move to sign Madueke have been entirely over the top, it’s not hard to see why some might not be overjoyed with it.

Transfer Focus

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

The first point is that, with the final price potentially reaching up to £52m, there is some argument that the North Londoners could be overpaying for a player who didn’t exactly excel last year.

Moreover, he’s yet another player making the now all-too-familiar move from Chelsea to the Emirates, and the second player to do so this summer after Kepa Arrizabalaga.

There is every chance the dynamic winger comes good and proves everyone wrong next season, but as things stand, it’s a somewhat confusing transfer, especially as the club is now looking at someone who’d represent a far better move.

At least that is according to Wednesday’s edition of Corriere della Sera, as relayed by Sport Witness, Arsenal are one of several teams interested in Ademola Lookman.

The report has claimed that the Gunners are going to initiate talks with Atalanta soon with Andrea Berta and Co prepared to pay €50m, which is about £43m to sign him. However, the report notes that a bid is only likely to be accepted if the Italian side receives €60m – £52m.

It could be a complicated and reasonably costly transfer to get over the line, but Lookman would be worth it and represent a far better signing than Madueke.

Why Lookman would be a better signing than Madueke

It might sound simplistic, and that’s because it is, but one of the main reasons Lookman would be a far better signing than Madueke this summer is his output.

For example, in the 23/24 campaign, he scored 17 goals and provided ten assists in 45 appearances, which was an average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games.

Then, last year, he did even better, producing as many goal involvements, but in just 40 appearances, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.48 games.

In stark contrast, the Chelsea ace scored eight goals and provided four assists in 34 appearances during the 2023/24 season, and then scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 46 appearances last season.

In other words, the former PSV Eindhoven star averaged a goal involvement every 2.83 games two years ago, and one every 2.87 games last year.

Appearances

45

34

Minutes

2809′

1593′

Goals

17

8

Assists

10

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.60

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

104.03′

132.75′

Appearances

40

46

Minutes

2871′

2647′

Goals

20

11

Assists

7

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.67

0.34

Minutes per Goal Involvement

106.33

165.43′

On top of the output, the former RB Leipzig ace is also far more versatile, being comfortable playing across the frontline and even in attacking midfield, compared to the Englishman, who mainly plays off the right.

Finally, the “world-class” Nigerian international, as dubbed by journalist John Bennett, has also proven he can step up on the biggest stages, as he scored a hat-trick to win Atalanta the Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen in 2024.

Ultimately, Madueke might come good, but Lookman feels like a sure bet, and that is why Arsenal should look to sign him as well this summer.

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Paul Gascoigne is one of the geatest players in Glasgow Rangers history and undoubtedbly one of the most entertaining footballers of all time.

‘Gazza’ joined the Gers from Lazio in 1995 and won the lot in his debut campaign at Ibrox, lifting the Premiership title and the Scottish Cup while being crowned the SFWA Player of the Year and PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

Perhaps his finest moment in a Blue shirt came against Aberdeen in that 1995-96 campaign, as a hat-trick at Ibrox which included a stunning solo goal sealed the league title.

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Rangers have had plenty of legendary players turn out for them over the years.

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 29, 2024

The following year is remembered for Gascoigne’s masterclass in the Scottish League Cup final against Hearts, as he scored twice in a 4-3 victory, and Ally McCoist recalls an argument with the match-winner that day: “The half-time whistle goes and we’re up the tunnel and we’re still at it the two of us, we’re in the dressing room and we’re still at it, so Walter Smith comes in and says: ‘Right, everybody shut up and calm down’.

“But Gascoigne is still raging and I can see Walter getting angrier and angrier. I’ve known Walter long enough by this point to just keep my mouth shut, but Gascoigne keeps going.

“Eventually Walter picks him up by the scruff of the neck and hangs him up on the peg where you put your coats and he says: ‘Paul, I will not tell you again to shut up!’”

He continued: “Eventually when it calmed down Gazza got up, went out of the dressing room and straight into the director’s room – in his gear by the way! – and had a whiskey.

“He threw it down his neck, came back into the dressing room, sat down, Walter did his team talk, he walked out for the second half and he scored two goals. He was unbelievable.”

McCoist and Gascoigne played with some incredible names during that era – perhaps no surprise given they won nine straight league titles – from Richard Gough to Brian Laudrup, and Gazza has revealed it was the Dane who blew teammates away in training.

Gascoigne: Laudrup was 'one of the best players in the world'

Speaking about his greatest teammates, Gascoigne named EURO 1992 winner Laudrup as a ‘match-winner’ who was ‘virtually untouchable’ both in games and on the training ground.

Laudrup won three titles in four seasons at Glasgow, while both he and his brother are widely regarded as two of Denmark’s greatest ever players.

1994/95

49

16

1995/96

40

10

1996/97

48

23

1997/98

42

7

Even in a team stacked full of big names, his elegance, quick feet and creativity stood out like a sore thumb.

Rangers are now believed to have held talks over the signing of a “fantastic” attacking player ahead of next season, in a significant new transfer update.

Rangers chasing exciting signings

Russell Martin will be looking to make a flying start to his spell in charge of the Gers, as they look to wrestle the Scottish Premiership title away from Celtic in 2025/26.

New signings are a must if that is to happen, however, and Rangers continue to be linked with some exciting additions, not least Leicester City icon Jamie Vardy.

The Englishman has played his final game for the Foxes after announcing his decision to leave at the end of last season, and he stands out as an eye-catching option for the Gers, having proven himself at the very highest level over so many years, both in the Premier League and on the international stage with England.

Elsewhere, Rangers are said to be pushing hard to complete the signing of another Leicester player, Conor Coady, while Maccabi Tel Aviv winger Weslley Patati is also seen as a target for Martin’s side.

Rangers hold talks over legendary addition

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Rangers have now “held preliminary talks” over the signing of Vardy this summer, with the Scottish giants “accelerating their pursuit” of him.

It is stated that the 38-year-old is the “subject of interest from a number of sides worldwide, including clubs in the United States”, and Martin “feels that the former England international would be a smart signing” for his new club.

At 38, Vardy’s very best days are clearly behind him, but he remains an impressive performer who still possesses plenty of pace and ruthlessness in attacking areas, being hailed as “fantastic” by Claudio Ranieri earlier this year, as well as being lauded by Gary Lineker.

The Leicester legend is one of the best strikers to have ever graced the Premier League, and his passionate style of play, not to mention his ability to wind up opposition players and supporters, could make him an instant hit at Rangers. He holds a net worth of £9m to boot, so if he moved north of the border to play it would be with the intent of winning trophies, not just a final paycheque.

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The Gers may only get a year or two out of Vardy, but if he manages to guide them back to Scottish title glory, he will have done more than enough to justify a short-term stay at Ibrox.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Sunderland are in talks with OGC Nice over a deal to sign Polish goalkeeper Marcin Bulka this summer.

The Black Cats are interested in a swoop for the former Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper to bolster Regis Le Bris’ squad, as he would come in as competition for Anthony Patterson.

If they can sign the Ligue 1 star, the Premier League side will also need to bolster the defence in front of him, but Chris Mepham is unlikely to be a part of that.

Journalist Graeme Bailey reported earlier this month that a move back to the Championship is more likely than a permanent return to the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland eyeing up new centre-back

Whilst a deal for the Bournemouth central defender seems unlikely, given Bailey’s report, the Black Cats reportedly have their eye on another centre-back option.

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 the Sunderland Echo, Sunderland are eyeing up Lyon defender Duje Caleta-Car as a potential signing to bolster their squad before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Croatia international – who is valued at £6m, according to Football Transfers, has been transfer-listed by the French club, despite starting 17 of his 19 appearances in the league this season.

It adds that Lyon have been relegated to Ligue 2 following a financial audit, which could provide Black Cats with further encouragement in their pursuit of Caleta-Car, but that they are set to appeal that decision.

Why Sunderland should sign Duje Caleta-Car

The newly-promoted side should pursue a deal to sign the Croatian giant this summer because he could come in as an upgrade on Mepham, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland will need strong defenders to protect their goal, which could be guarded by Bulka, as they battle against relegation next season, and the Lyon titan’s performances in Ligue 1 suggest that he would offer more to the team than the Wales international would.

Caleta-Car, whose former boss Ralph Hasenhuttl claimed he has a “big presence” on the pitch, also caught the eye for his country recently, winning seven of his nine duels and making eight clearances combined in a 7-0 win over Gibraltar and a 5-1 win over Czechia.

Appearances

19

10

Tackle + interceptions per game

2.0

1.9

Clearances per game

5.1

2.9

Dribbled past per game

0.5x

0.5x

Blocks per game

0.2

0.0

Ground duel success rate

44%

37%

Aerial duel success rate

75%

60%

As you can see in the table above, the Croatian star’s defensive performances in Ligue 1 this season were simply better than what Mepham produced in his last season in the Premier League.

These statistics suggest that Caleta-Car would be far more dominant defensively, particularly in aerial battles, whilst also making more interventions, with tackles, interceptions, clearances, and blocks, each game to stop attackers from troubling the goal.

The Lyon defender would also arrive with Premier League experience under his belt. He started nine matches for Southampton in the 2022/23 campaign, winning 57% of his duels and making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game.

Caleta-Car – who transfer insider Dean Jones lauded for having “major quality” – was not available enough to make a telling contribution to their season, though, and they were relegated from the top-flight that term.

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BySean Markus Clifford Jun 26, 2025

However, his form for Lyon since returning to France suggests that he does have the quality to be an impressive performer in a major European league, particularly in comparison to Mepham.

Therefore, Sunderland should pursue a deal to sign the Croatia international after a move for Bulka this summer to improve their defensive options, whilst removing any need to bring Mepham back on a permanent transfer.

After spending more than ever at Anfield, FSG are reportedly looking to show the door to a number of players this summer. One Liverpool star has already rejected the chance to leave, however.

Liverpool's summer business off with a bang

When Liverpool won the Premier League in the 2019/20 campaign, they decided to settle for what they had – enduring a quiet transfer window in the summer that followed. Soon enough, Manchester City were back on their throne as a result. Five years on, however, FSG have learnt from that harsh lesson and are investing more than ever to build what could be a dominant Liverpool side.

Having already signed Jeremie Frimpong, the Reds are set to welcome his former Bayer Leverkusen teammate, Florian Wirtz, for a British record fee. Simply put, it has so far been a statement summer from Richard Hughes and Michael Edward, who are not stopping there.

Liverpool now want "complete" £51m+ defender ahead of Man Utd and Newcastle

The Reds want to win the race for his signature.

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 14, 2025

Wirtz has been one of the most talented players in his position for the last two years, recovering from an ACL injury to help Leverkusen to an invincible domestic season before performing at similar levels last season. Now, by joining up with the likes of Mohamed Salah, he could finally take his seat among the very best that European football has to offer.

Appearances

92

Goals

34

Assists

35

Although their spending will excite Liverpool fans, it is unlikely to come without sacrifice this summer. With Giorgi Mamardashvili, Wirtz and Frimpong arriving – potentially among others – the likes of Darwin Nunez and now Andy Robertson have been linked with moves away.

The Scot has most recently attracted the interest of Atletico Madrid, as per Fabrizio Romano, and talks are already reportedly underway. Of course, it’s in Madrid that Robertson could square off against Trent Alexander-Arnold in what would add an interesting narrative to a derby already so fierce.

It’s not just Robertson attracting interest, however, as FSG have now seen one big-money player reject the chance to leave this summer.

Alisson rejects Galatasaray move

Despite the fact that FSG have already welcomed his replacement for years to come in Mamardashvili, it looks as though Alisson Becker is set to stay put. According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Alisson has rejected a “concrete enquiry” from Galatasaray and will be staying put at Anfield in the coming months instead of joining the 25-time Turkish Super Lig winners.

The Reds initially agreed a deal to sign Mamardashvili last summer before loaning him back to Valencia. Now, a year on, he’s set to join up with his new teammates.

Given that Caoimhin Kelleher has already left for Brentford, there will be a place in Arne Slot’s squad for Mamardashvili, but Alisson is not budging. The £150,000-a-week goalkeeper has seemingly made the decision to keep hold of his No.1 spot even as his long-term replacement arrives.

Tottenham Hotspur could soon find themselves on the hunt for a new head coach, with chairman Daniel Levy set to communicate his all-important managerial decision to Ange Postecoglou “this week”.

Ange Postecoglou set to learn Tottenham fate imminently

Reliable club insider Paul O’Keefe has claimed that Levy has already decided whether he’s going to stick or twist with Postecoglou after a very mixed campaign, and the Australian is apparently set to learn his fate imminently.

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1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 4, 2025

Sky Sports report that Postecoglou’s future will be resolved “this week”, with critics and supporters alike set to find out the result of what must have been a very tough call behind the scenes at Hotspur Way.

The former Celtic boss made history by guiding Spurs to their first European trophy since 1984 and first piece of silverware generally since 2008 by beating Man United 1-0 in the Europa League final, which also gifted the club a spot in next season’s Champions League draw.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

However, Tottenham’s domestic form across 2024/2025 was quite simply unacceptable, with Postecoglou’s side breaking the record for most league defeats recorded by Spurs in a single Premier League season (22).

If they hadn’t secured a narrow victory against Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils in Bilbao, there would be no debate about sacking the tactician, but the raw emotion that comes with ending Tottenham’s trophy-winning hoodoo has given Levy plenty to ponder.

Players have also spoken out in support of Postecoglou – including the likes of Pedro Porro, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray – making the decision even harder.

If Levy does opt to hand the 59-year-old his P45, £4.5 million-per-year Brentford boss Thomas Frank is tipped as a prime contender for the job.

Tottenham are said to have held “multiple meetings” with Frank over the role, with journalist Pete O’Rourke now claiming that the Dane has entered pole position to succeed Postecoglou.

Thomas Frank "emerging" as top Tottenham target to replace Postecoglou

Writing for Football Insider, the reporter states Frank is “emerging” as Tottenham’s “number one” managerial target to replace Postecoglou.

The Lilywhites are apparently “increasingly convinced” of the 51-year-old’s credentials to do a job at Spurs and lead them into the Champions League next term, following his excellent job at Brentford on a shoe-string budget compared to more elite Premier League sides.

Frank has just guided the Bees to a solid mid-table finish, despite losing star striker Ivan Toney to Al-Ahli last summer, with the Dane also steering his injury-ravaged Brentford squad clear of relegation in 2023/2024.

Brentford have also registered a net-spend of just £96 million over the last five years, with Frank’s side holding their own in Europe’s most competitive division without having to splash that much on recruitment.

This will undoubtedly be attractive to Levy, and Man City boss Pep Guardiola is on record stating that Frank is “one of the best” managers around.

His appeal is clear, but it is still just a hypothesis as we await the result of Levy’s crunch Postecoglou call.

Looking to rebuild Pep Guardiola’s midfield, Manchester City are now reportedly preparing to step up their deal to sign a £50m star who they want sealed and delivered by June 1.

Man City set for midfield rebuild

With Kevin De Bruyne’s departure confirmed and stars such as Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva arguably past the peak of their powers, the focus for Manchester City this summer will be on their midfield.

Just how they replace three club legends in one summer is the big question. Already, both Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz have been heavily linked with moves to The Etihad, but it seems as though the latter is destined to choose Bayern Munich rather than Guardiola’s side. And whilst news has been more positive in the case of Gibbs-White, City will need more than one reinforcement in the middle of the park.

Replacing De Bruyne will be particularly difficult and the extent of the task at hand won’t be lost on Guardiola, who told reporters after the midfielder announced that he would be leaving the club: “Kevin is not a vocal leader. He is a leader in that every day for nine years, except the last year and a half, being there helping the team.

“And his talent is unique, everyone knows it – he has the vision and the pass. When players are up front and Kevin has the ball, and he feels like this, they know they can run because the ball can be delivered.”

Whilst there will be plenty of emotions on show as Manchester City exit an era full of success, this season’s struggles have highlighted that now is the perfect time for fresh faces.

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1 ByBrett Worthington May 21, 2025

The Citizens, without Rodri, have been uncharacteristically poor in midfield, and the arrival of one particular player would likely help to put them back on track at the heart of Guardiola’s side.

Man City set to step up Reijnders move

Although reports seemed to go quiet following a flurry of news revealing their interest, those at The Etihad are still reportedly interested in one Serie A star. According to TuttoMercatoWeb, as relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester City are now set to step up their move to sign Tijjani Reijnders, which they want done when the window opens next Sunday, June 1, so they can take the midfielder to the Club World Cup.

Whether AC Milan will make negotiations that easy remains to be seen, however. No matter when a deal potentially takes place, Reijnders is unlikely to come cheap amid a reported €60m (£50m) price tag.

Minutes

3,038

2,580

Goals

10

4

Progressive Carries

110

99

Ball Recoveries

115

102

The player who Reijnders could replace in Man City’s midfield is Silva. The Portugal international has fallen away from his usual intensity this season and has been outperformed by the AC Milan star who could yet be on his way to Manchester.

A player who analyst Ben Mattinson previously praised for the “insane” level that he was performing at, Reijnders may soon complete his move in time to make his Man City debut at the Club World Cup.

The window might not be officially open yet, but silly season is already in full swing, and it looks set to be a busy one for Arsenal.

The Gunners didn’t make sufficient additions to the first team last year, and it came back to bite them in a big way, with injuries and a lack of cutting-edge subjecting them to a fifth trophyless season and yet another second-place finish in the Premier League.

One of the few positives to come from the campaign was Bukayo Saka’s continually impressive development, as even though he missed almost four months of action, the Englishman managed to rack up a brilliant haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances.

So, fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club to another Premier League-proven winger who has not only won comparisons to the Hale Ender but also has something distinctly Thierry Henry-esque in his game.

Arsenal's winger search

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other wingers who have been touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Bryan Mbeumo and Jamie Gittens.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could be available for up to £51m in the coming weeks, and, in all honesty, that’s probably a more than fair price, as in just 42 appearances for Brentford this season, the Cameroonian dynamo scored 20 goals and provided nine assists.

On the other hand, Gittens looks likely to cost somewhere in the region of £46m this summer, which, again, doesn’t seem unreasonable for a 20-year-old talent who scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 48 games this season.

However, neither of these players have been compared to both Saka and Henry, unlike Kaoru Mitoma.

Yes, according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal are now interested in the Brighton & Hove Albion star.

Plettenberg revealed that the club have added the Japanese international, who is also of interest to Bayern Munich, “to their list for the summer.”

However, the most significant obstacle to this transfer could be the price, with reports from last month claiming that the Seagulls want up to £80m for their star winger.

It looks like this will be a costly and complicated transfer to get done this summer, but given Mitoma’s ability and the comparisons to Saka, it might be one worth fighting for.

How Mitoma compares to Saka

So, before we get to some of the other reasons why Arsenal might want to sign Mitoma this summer, it’s worth examining this comparison to Saka and where it comes from.

In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Premier League this season and concluded that the Arsenal star ranked at the very top.

The best way to understand how this conclusion was reached is by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, such as non-penalty expected goals, progressive carries, passing accuracy, live passes, tackles and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.32

0.31

Progressive Carries

5.05

5.00

Passing Accuracy

75.8%

75.5%

Live Passes

33.4

33.5

Tackles

1.56

1.51

Ball Recoveries

3.43

3.65

On top of his similarities to the Gunners’ mercurial number seven, there are some other reasons why Arteta and Co should be signing the Seagulls’ incredibly entertaining left-winger, like his output.

For example, in the Premier League alone, the “insane” talent, as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, managed to score ten goals and provided four assists in 36 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.57 games.

Moreover, while the Kawasaki-born maestro has proven himself able to produce a number of finishes, perhaps his most effective sees him peeling off from the left and placing the ball in the far corner, leading to former teammate Christian Burgess claiming he “finishes like Thierry Henry.”

Ultimately, while it would require a substantial financial effort, Mitoma could be just what Arsenal need next season, and therefore, the club should do what they can to sign him this summer.

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Tottenham Hotspur could be on the verge of losing a “world-class” player this summer, with the man in question said to have verbally agreed personal terms on a move elsewhere as he green-lights a north London exit.

Tottenham face Bodo/Glimt in season-defining Europa League semi-final

On Thursday, Ange Postecoglou faces the most important match of his Lilywhites career to date.

Tottenham: £4m-per-year manager who Levy wants is tempted to replace Ange

He’s now open to joining Spurs.

ByEmilio Galantini May 6, 2025

Spurs take on Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt on enemy turf for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, with 90 minutes separating Tottenham from a first European final since their Champions League defeat to Liverpool in 2019.

If they get the job done and ease past Bodo/Glimt, taking full advantage of their 3-1 lead from the first leg, then Tottenham have a major chance to make history, and Postecoglou has a chance to fulfill his pledge of always winning silverware during his second season in charge.

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Tottenham have endured a tepid Premier League campaign, tasting a dismal 19 top flight defeats across 24/25, but Europe gives them a golden opportunity to take something memorable away from what has been a very disappointing season.

The north Londoners will need every key man to stand up and be counted, even against a side which boasts far less in terms of quality on paper.

Postecoglou completely rotated the back four in their last game against West Ham, perhaps to give star defenders like Cristian Romero a rest ahead of their crunch encounter on Thursday.

According to recent reports, these next few games could even be the Argentine’s last in a Spurs jersey, with Atletico Madrid expressing a serious interest in signing Romero this summer.

The World Cup-winning defender, like much of the squad, was unavailable for large portions of the campaign through injury, and therefore unable to replicate the kind of heroics which saw him form a stellar partnership with Micky van de Ven last season.

Romero has since come back into the fold with van de Ven after working his way back to full fitness, but it is believed by some that the former Atalanta star is keen to embark on a new chapter next season.

Cristian Romero agrees personal terms with Atlético Madrid

Now, as per journalist Ruben Aria on his Twitch channel, a seismic development has come to light on the £165,000-per-week defender and his potential switch to Atletico.

According to Aria, Romero has verbally agreed personal terms with Atletico on a five-year contract, with the option of a sixth. As the centre-back gives his green-light, Spurs and Atletico are still yet to come to a club-to-club agreement, so there remains plenty of work to do.

However, this step comes as a “significant” bit of progress in regard to Romero and his potential La Liga switch, but there is a major gap in valuation between Tottenham and Diego Simeone’s side.

Indeed, it is believed Spurs want around £50 million to sell, while Atletico are only willing to offer around £34 million. While there have been no formal talks between both sides, that is expected to change “in the coming days”, with Postecoglou or any new manager facing the looming threat of losing a truly excellent defender on his day.

“For me Romero is world class,” said van de Ven about Romero.

“He’s a leader, he always gives 100%, on the ball and off the ball he’s a top class player and I can promise you this guy is not scared of anyone.”

Leeds United have been given a boost in their efforts to sign Manor Solomon on a permanent transfer this summer.

Leeds on course for Premier League return after crucial Championship weekend

The Whites and Daniel Farke enjoyed a brilliant afternoon in the Championship on Saturday, winning 2-1 against Preston North End at Elland Road thanks to goals from Solomon and Jayden Bogle.

Promotion rivals Sheffield United also threw away a victory at bottom placed Plymouth Argyle, conceding twice late on at Home Park to lose 2-1.

As a result, Leeds now sit top of the table and are five points clear of the Blades in third, while also having better goal difference with four games to go.

Sheffield United also have to go to second place Burnley, meaning Leeds need a maximum of seven points from their remaining four games to all but guarantee promotion on goal difference, providing the Blades win all four of their remaining fixtures.

Leeds (88 pts)

Sheffield United (83 pts)

Burnley (88 pts)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

If Leeds go up, 49ers Enterprises may quickly look to seal a number of new signings while also expanding Elland Road, and one target is loanee Solomon.

Leeds given boost in permanent Solomon deal

There have been claims that the winger, on loan from Tottenham, is wanted by Leeds on a full-time basis, should promotion be achieved.

Now, according to reliable reporter Alasdair Gold for football.london, ‘Solomon would certainly consider a move to Leeds if they got promoted after enjoying his time at the West Yorkshire club’.

The Isreal international is expected to have more interest from Premier League clubs and from teams abroad, but it seems as if the 25-year-old is open to moving to Yorkshire on a permanent basis.

Back in January, Solomon said on Leeds: “I love it here. I love the fans. I love the club. I love the players, the manager. Especially now, I’m really enjoying it and I love living here. Of course, it’s different to London, less things to do and we have less friends here. All the Israelis, they live in London, but we found our place here.”

Farke was also quick to hail Solomon on the weekend after he scored his eighth goal of the campaign and registered his 10th assist.

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“Always a joy to work with. A top character. Yes can be tricky, he’s emotional! Especially when he doesn’t finish a game. But top.”

It has been rumoured that Solomon could cost up to £20m this summer amid interest from Everton, so it is a boost for Leeds knowing that the attacker will consider a permanent transfer to Yorkshire.