All posts by z3u9t.icu

Arsenal look set for a busy summer in the transfer market, with Mikel Arteta looking to go one better in the Premier League after three successive second-place finishes.

To do that, the Gunners may make a number of marquee additions ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with attack a key area of focus for those at the Emirates Stadium.

New sporting director Andrea Berta is tasked with bringing a star striker to north London after injuries left Arteta with a lack of final third options in 24/25.

A number of players have been linked with moves to Arsenal, which has resulted in Grok, the AI tool on X, predicting the Gunners’ summer transfer business.

Arsenal's most expensive signings of all time

The Gunners have spent generously in recent years.

ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025

It has thrown up some interesting results, with Berta potentially spending just over £250m between now and the September 1 deadline.

AI predicts 5 Arsenal summer signings 1 Martin Zubimendi Real Sociedad (£59m)

It shouldn’t come as a shock that AI have predicted Martin Zubimendi to be one of Arsenal’s first summer signings, as it has been widely reported that the Real Sociedad midfielder is set to swap Spain for England.

The Gunners have been chasing the central midfielder since the start of the year and they regard a transfer as “done and signed”.

There were rumours of Real Madrid coming in to hijack Arsenal’s move, however, it looks a matter of time before Zubimendi’s transfer is announced, with Grok citing a £59m fee.

2 Kepa Arrizabalaga Chelsea (£5m)

Set to follow Zubimendi through the Emirates door this summer is goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, so again, it isn’t a shock that he’s on AI’s Arsenal list.

Still the world’s most expensive goalkeeper after his £70m+ move to Chelsea back in 2018, Arrizabalaga has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge and spent the last two seasons out on loan with Real Madrid and Bournemouth.

Arsenal will reportedly pay just £5m to sign the ‘keeper, who will serve as back up to David Raya in north London.

3 Benjamin Sesko RB Leipzig (£70m)

A centre-forward will be at the top of the to-do list for Arsenal after deals for Zubimendi and Kepa, with both Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres mooted as targets for the Gunners.

Grok thinks Sesko will be the striker to arrive in north London following transfer talks at a total cost of £70m.

RB Leipzig

87

39

8

RB Salzburg

79

29

11

FC Liefering

44

22

6

Slovenia

41

16

6

AI state that the Slovenian’s ‘physicality, goal-scoring ability and potential to develop into a Haaland-like forward make him a strong fit for Arsenal’s need for a statement striker’.

4 Nico Williams Athletic Club (£50m)

Should Arsenal land someone like Sesko, they could then move to bolstering their options on the wing, and Nico Williams has been a player of interest to Berta and co.

The Athletic Club could be on the move in 2025 and has been linked with going Arsenal. In fact, there were claims saying the Gunners were very close to signing Williams.

Grok says Williams ‘seems more attainable’ than someone like Rodrygo and would offer ‘pace and youth’ and the Emirates, placing a £50m figure on the Spain international.

5 Marc Guehi Crystal Palace (£70m)

The final of Arsenal’s five predicted summer signings come in defence, with Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi backed to move to the Emirates.

A former Chelsea youngster, Guehi has grown into one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, and although Arsenal have William Saliba and Gabriel, the Gunners could be on the search for more.

There have been suggestions Arsenal are ready to swoop for the England international, and Grok says a deal could be worth up to £70m.

As they look to commence their summer business, Fulham have now reportedly become the latest side to enter a hectic race to sign a Premier League-winning midfielder for Marco Silva.

Fulham confirm released and retained list

With another impressive Premier League season under Silva now over, the Cottagers have already commenced planning for the next campaign – confirming the list of players that will be leaving when their contracts expire this summer. The list includes Willian, who arrived for a short period in January, and striker Carlos Vinicius, whilst the likes of Tom Cairney have been offered new deals.

Whether Cairney joins Fulham’s list of departures amid interest from Wrexham is the big question. The experienced midfielder told reporters last month: “Nothing is sorted yet. Next week is my final game for Fulham. Hopefully it’s not. In football, sometimes things go to the last minute, and hopefully it’s not my final time at Craven Cottage next weekend.”

With a deal now on the table, all that is left for Cairney to do is put pen to paper and commit his future to the West London club once again. The midfielder was fairly clear that he wants to stay put at the club and that in itself suggests that negotiations should be routine at this stage.

Fulham now pushing hardest to sign £15m midfielder with 10 UCL appearances

The Cottagers have expressed a serious interest in an “outstanding” midfielder, with Marco Silva set to be backed this summer.

ByDominic Lund Jun 5, 2025

Whether it’s this summer or in the coming years, however, Fulham will need to find a replacement for their 34-year-old midfielder sooner or later. Replacing that experience won’t be easy, either, but those in West London may well hope that the lure of Silva’s project is far more tempting than it once was.

An established Premier League side these days, who have been threatening to creep into the European places in recent years, Fulham could even welcome a Premier League-winning midfielder this summer.

Fulham enter Kalvin Phillips race

According to Caught Offside, Fulham have now entered the race to sign Kalvin Phillips this summer. They have reportedly joined Leeds United, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town in the battle to secure the Manchester City midfielder.

It’s been a rough few years for the England international. Ever since completing what would have been a dream move to Manchester City, Phillips has struggled for game time and form. Even out on loan at both West Ham United and Ipswich, the 29-year-old has still struggled to ever truly rediscover his best form. Now, he simply has to get his next move right.

Craven Cottage may be the perfect environment for revival too. The likes of Andreas Pereira and Raul Jimenez have burst into life courtesy of Silva’s Fulham side. The same can be said for Alex Iwobi. Now, Phillips could be next in line to complete a similar transformation.

Dubbed “strong” by Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna whilst on loan last season, Phillips showed glimpses of the quality that he could yet take to West London this summer. A Premier League winner no matter the criticism he has received, the midfielder has another crucial decision to make this summer.

Burnley will be very aware that possessing a feared striker will undoubtedly help their chances of staying up in the Premier League next season.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have that at their disposal during the 2023/24 campaign, which ultimately ended in relegation, leading to the goal-shy Clarets only firing home 41 strikes from 38 contests.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world if Scott Parker was now on the hunt for a fresh striker that can cause Premier League defences all sorts of bother.

Arguably, the promoted Lancashire outfit have struggled in this department ever since Chris Wood left Turf Moor in 2022, with the New Zealand international going on to bigger and better things at the City Ground, whilst his former employers attempted to plug his notable gap.

Wood's heroics at Burnley

Now, it goes without saying that the 33-year-old is a Premier League-recognised goal machine.

But when he joined the Clarets in the summer of 2017 for a club-record fee of £15m, he had only ever briefly played in the top division, away from regularly strutting his stuff in the Championship.

Yet, after five goal-heavy seasons donning a Burnley strip, Wood had very much announced himself to the Premier League, with the 33-year-old ending his successful stay with the Clarets by bagging 53 strikes in total from 165 games.

Therefore, it was always going to be a gruelling process to replace such a significant part of many a Clarets team, with a whole host of attackers failing to replicate or live up to Wood’s potency in the seasons that followed his departure to St James’ Park.

Zian Flemming

24/25

Champ

31

14

Zeki Amdouni

23/24

PL

37

6

Rodriguez

22/23

Champ

30

10

Jay Rodriguez

21/22

PL

35

7

Whilst Zian Flemming did help himself to a sizeable 14 strikes last season on the way to promotion being sealed, the Clarets really have lacked a commanding striker presence in the top-flight ever since Wood’s exit, away from some competent performances here and there from the likes of Zeki Amdouni and Jay Rodriguez.

Parker’s men could change this ongoing narrative, however, by swooping in for this former star who has been tentatively linked with a switch back to familiar pastures.

How Burnley could land their their best ST since Wood

Alongside a deep desire to possess a goal machine in the Premier League again, the newly promoted side will also be desperate to consolidate themselves as a top-flight regular once more.

To help with that, the Clarets could look to bring back former star Danny Ings, with journalist Graeme Bailey stating that the 32-year-old dramatically returning to Turf Moor should not be ruled out amidst the veteran being looked at by Birmingham City and Wrexham.

After all, before the much-talked-about spell of Wood came to be, the “clinical” forward – as he has been previously praised by journalist Leanne Prescott – was the original poacher Burnley relied upon to get them out of sticky situations.

In total, the 5-foot-10 menace would tally up a hefty 43 goals for the Clarets across 130 games, bolstering his 72-goal record in the top division subsequently.

Therefore, whilst he is more known now for injury issue after injury issue at West Ham United, Burnley could be prepared to take a punt on their former striker coming good again in their pursuit to win a Premier League-proven star.

After all, Ings did manage to collect a healthy eight goals from 15 top-flight starts during the 2022/23 season for the Hammers and Villa, before his injury problems settled in.

He would also cost nothing to bring in, amid his expiring Hammers contract, meaning Parker and Co. might well look very smug down the line if he proves to be a hit once more in becoming their most prolific attacker since Wood’s dominance.

Parker has struck gold on Burnley star who's worth more than Brownhill

Burnley will hope this star can settle into Premier League life well after an impressive debut season at Turf Moor.

ByKelan Sarson May 23, 2025

Leeds United have registered their interest in signing a £20m+ star who has been called “the best” in his league, as per a new transfer report.

Leeds transfer targets ahead of Premier League return

The Whites ended their campaign earlier this month by winning the Championship title on the final day of the season, with Manor Solomon’s injury-time winner against Plymouth Argyle taking Leeds to 100 points.

Daniel Farke and his side don’t have to worry about the playoffs and can instead prepare for a Premier League return, with the 49ers Enterprises looking to splash the cash ahead of the 2025/26 season.

It hasn’t taken long for a number of players to be linked with moves to Elland Road, with Leeds looking to make several signings who have Premier League experience.

Leeds can now sign Rooney-like striker on loan after club's transfer talks

He’s been compared to the former Man Utd striker.

ByCharlie Smith May 15, 2025

In recent days, Leeds have reportedly been moving to sign Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters, who is out of contract with the Saints in the summer.

West Ham United right-back Vladimir Coufal is another who will be available on a free and is being eyed by the Whites, seen as competition for Jayden Bogle following his brilliant first season as a Leeds player.

Further forward, Man City’s James McAtee is wanted by Leeds, however, plenty of other Premier League sides are keen on the attacking midfielder including clubs who can offer European football.

Something the 49ers could potentially use to their advantage is links with Rangers with a takeover close to being completed at Ibrox. Nicolas Raskin, valued at more than £20m, is one player who was linked with swapping Glasgow for Yorkshire last month, and a new update has emerged.

Leeds register interest in signing Rangers star Raskin

According to reports from TEAMtalk, Leeds have seemingly made an approach by registering their interest in signing Raskin from Rangers.

It is stated ‘that a serious bid could be lodged in the coming weeks’, with Aston Villa also keen on the midfielder, however, Rangers are preparing to offer Raskin a new contract to keep him in Scotland.

Rangers Technical Director Nils Koppen recently hailed the 24-year-old, who can play as a holding or box-to-box midfielder, calling him “the best midfielder in Scotland”.

“With his big warrior’s heart, he has made himself enormously popular with our fan base. After his strong performances in the Old Firm against Celtic and in Europe against Manchester United, Tottenham and Fenerbahce, he is seen by our supporters as the best midfielder in Scotland.”

Games

94

Goals

5

Assists

13

Yellow cards

16

Minutes played

6,730

RTBF also praised the midfielder following his debut for Belgium earlier this year. “Nicolas Raskin was fantastic for his debut. If there’s one player who scored points today in the eyes of Rudi Garcia and his staff, it was him… [He] has the ability to play forward and build the game. I can’t see how Rudi Garcia could do without him in the next match.”

Should a move to Elland Road materialise, Raskin could rival Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu, star man Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev for a starting spot in the Premier League.

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and BlueCo are expected to sell their “best player” of 2025, in what would be quite a surprising move given his form.

Chelsea players who could leave Stamford Bridge this summer

A host of stars are widely tipped to leave the club this summer, so there is plenty of work to do in that regard, as many don’t appear to have a long-term future under Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea "ready to negotiate" re-signing £238k-a-week "leader", contact made

The west Londoners are exploring a “shock” move.

ByEmilio Galantini May 8, 2025

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alfie Gilchrist, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, João Félix, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi are all contenders to leave Chelsea, with the loanees seemingly out of Maresca’s plans.

Chelsea will need to find another new home for each of the aforementioned players this summer, with AC Milan already deciding they won’t pursue a permanent deal for Felix, while Arsenal are also set to allow Sterling to return to west London.

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

Chelsea will be very keen to find buyers as soon as possible, as they seek to gauge control of their wage bill and stay in line with Financial Fair Play/PSR.

Another key decision awaiting BlueCo is the future of defender Trevoh Chalobah, who has seriously impressed since returning from a loan spell at Crystal Palace.

The Cobham academy graduate was frozen out of Maresca’s pre-season tour and allowed to make a temporary move to Selhurst Park, only for Chelsea to activate a re-call clause in the deal and bring him back amid their centre-back shortage.

Since then, Chalobah has enjoyed a fantastic run in the first-team, starting each of their last six Premier League games. Chelsea have won four out of their last six, drawing the other two, and they’ve conceded just five goals in that time.

It is no coincidence that this run of form has coincided with the 25-year-old’s presence in Maresca’s backline, but it is believed by some that Chalobah could be used in potential Chelsea swap deals for other centre-backs.

Chelsea expected to sell Trevoh Chalobah despite stellar form

Now, The Telegraph’s Matt Law has provided an update on his future, and it appears the Englishman could still part company despite his excellent form.

Speaking on the London is Blue podcast, relayed by The Chelsea Chronicle, Law stated that Chelsea are expected to sell Chalobah this summer, and it is a case of Groundhog Day for Maresca’s “best player” of 2025.

“I suspect that they will try and sell him because I think that’s what the whole bringing him back was about,” said Law.

“I know that they are obviously interested in bringing in one defender. I don’t think it will be two defenders, so I think it will be one defender rather than two unless there are a lot more sales than planned, but I do fear that Trev will be on the up for sale list again. No one can be surprised because it’s the same thing that happens every year.

“I mean, it’s literally, it’s like Groundhog Day with Trev. He becomes the best player of the second half of the season, then they try and sell him.”

There may well be two Premier League games left to play, but that hasn’t stopped what’s now a pretty consistent stream of transfer rumours regarding Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side are set to end the campaign trophyless for the fifth year running, so it’s no surprise that the board are already seemingly hard at work looking for the player who can get them over the line next season.

The first player set to come through the door once the window opens next month looks set to be Martin Zubimendi, with transfers expert Fabrizio Romano giving the move the ‘here we go treatment’ late last week.

Adding the Spanish international will undoubtedly improve the North Londoner, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club are now targeting another international who’d be an even more exciting signing.

Arsenal looking to sign exciting winger

The last few weeks have seen Arsenal linked with several incredibly talented internationals, such as Ollie Watkins and Antoine Semenyo.

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 was a surprise target for the club in January, and while they failed with a £50m offer then, they are still fans of him ahead of the summer, and as he’s racked up a haul of 30 goal involvements in 52 games this season, it’s not hard to see why.

Likewise, with 11 goals and seven assists to his name in 40 games for Bournemouth this season, it’s not hard to understand why Arteta and Co might be keen to add Semenyo to the squad, who could be available for around £42m.

However, for a player to be an even more exciting addition to the team than Zubimendi, they’ve got to be one of the most sought-after in their position, such as Nico Williams.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Athletic Bilbao monster going into the summer.

In fact, the report has revealed that Andrea Berta has made the Spaniard a ‘top priority’ and that with him believing it’s a time for a change of scenery, the Gunners are in a ‘fierce battle’ with Chelsea for his signature.

The report does not mention a transfer fee, but stories from earlier this week have reiterated claims that the 22-year-old has a release clause in his current deal worth around £48m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Williams’ immense ability, it’s one Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he’d be an even more exciting acquisition than Zubimendi.

Why Williams would be such an exciting signing

Now, as we’ve already said, signing Zubimendi is undeniably exciting, as not only is he one of the most important players for a club the size of Real Sociedad, but he’s also a Spanish international and was reportedly on the radar of Real Madrid.

However, there are several reasons why Williams would be even more exciting, such as his attacking output.

For example, in just 37 appearances last season, the Pamplona-born “level-raiser,” as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, scored eight goals and provided 18 assists.

Appearances

37

44

Minutes

2729′

3050′

Goals

8

11

Asssists

18

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

0.40

Minutes per Goal Involvement

104.96′

169.44′

Then, so far this year, he’s scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 44 appearances, coming out to an average of 1.42 and 2.44 goal involvements per game, respectively.

Moreover, he’s also an incredibly dynamic player to watch, with FBref placing him in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, for successful take-ons per 90.

Finally, not only has he won nine more caps for the senior Spanish side, but he also scored the opening goal in the final of the European Championships last summer, showing that the big occasions do not bother him.

Ultimately, Zubimendi will be an excellent signing for Arsenal, but there is no doubt that Williams would be even more exciting.

He's a dream for Saka: Arsenal doing lots of work to sign £67m "monster"

The sensational striker would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 13, 2025

Manchester City are racing a number of other Premier League sides for an “insane” midfielder, whose club are now demanding €60m (£51m) for his services, according to a report.

City set sights on new midfielders

Pep Guardiola is expected to continue the rebuild of his squad this summer, given their drop-off in the Premier League, although they still have a good chance to make a success of the campaign by winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League.

One area in which Guardiola is keen to strengthen is midfield, with Kevin De Bruyne set to leave at the end of the season, and the Blues are preparing to make a super offer for River Plate attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono.

There may also be a desire to overhaul the central midfield options, given that Ilkay Gundogan is in the twilight years of his career at 34, while Mateo Kovacic is set to turn 31 in just a few days’ time.

Development: Man City now close in on move to sign "world-class" £54m star

The Blues have received a boost in their pursuit of a defender, who they are expected to make a move for this summer.

ByDominic Lund Apr 29, 2025

Galatasaray’s Gabriel Sara has recently emerged as a surprise target, with the Blues making contact over a deal for the Brazilian, and they also have their eye on a Bundesliga star.

That is according to a report from Germany (via Sport Witness), which states Man City are now racing a number of their Premier League rivals for Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson.

A deal for Larsson will be on the relatively expensive side, however, with the report stating that Frankfurt are set to hold out for a fee of €60m (£51m) for his services.

Frankfurt are keen to keep hold of the Swedish maestro, but it may be difficult to turn down a big offer from one of the Premier League’s top clubs, with Arsenal and Liverpool also in the race for his signature.

"Insane" Larsson compared to Gundogan

Football scout Ben Mattinson has compared the 20-year-old to Gundogan, claiming he is “similar” to the German midfielder due to his ability to make late runs into the box and score goals.

Scoring goals is clearly the Sweden international’s forte, given that he ranks in the 90th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, but there are signs that he is a well-rounded midfielder.

Mattinson claims the youngster has “insane running power & stamina”, while also singling him out for praise due to his ability to win back possession.

With Gundogan now in the latter stages of his career, Guardiola may be keen on bringing in a like-for-like replacement, and there are plenty of signs that Larsson could be exactly that.

West Ham United need a big summer window to rectify the misgivings of the 2024/25 campaign. It has been a tough season for the Hammers, who are likely safe from relegation but sit in 17th in the Premier League, 15 points clear of Ipswich Town.

However, the Tractor Boys host Graham Potter’s side on the final day of the season, so a huge swing of momentum in the final throes of the campaign could add more significance to the game for the East Londoners.

Potter will need to be backed this summer, to shape the squad his way and improve the Hammers fortunes in 2024/25. Already, they have been linked with someone who could add quality to their side.

West Ham want to sign Chelsea outcast

The Hammers have made some big signings over the past couple of transfer windows, chiefly spending a lot on the likes of Max Kilman and Mohammed Kudus.

However, with the threat that Kudus heads to Chelsea, as per reports, they could actually look at bringing in someone from Stamford Bridge as a replacement.

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 a report from TBR Football, the Hammers are ‘interested in a deal’ to bring Joao Felix to the club next summer, after Chelsea ‘made it clear to the Portugal international that he is not of the club’s long-term plans’ beyond this season.

He is currently contracted to Chelsea, and on loan at Italian giants AC Milan, but the Blues seemingly have not been impressed by his displays in Italy.

Unsurprisingly, the East Londoners will not be the only side considering a move for the £45m playmaker. Fellow Premier League strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers are also interested, with both clubs plotting a move. Both teams are thought to be ‘willing to consider loan moves’ for the Portugal star next season.

Why Felix would be a good signing

It has not been an easy season for Felix in the 2024/25 campaign, since his summer move back to Chelsea from Atletico Madrid. He struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge and departed on loan to Milan in January.

Overall this season, he has played 34 times for both Chelsea and Milan, scoring eight goals and grabbing three assists. However, just one of those goals has come in a top-flight, for Chelsea against Wolves in their 6-2 win on the opening day of the season.

Yet, despite the tough campaign so far, Felix’s stocks have previously been incredibly high. As a youngster for Benfica, he managed 20 goals and 11 assists in 43 games, and for Atleti, he had over 50 goal contributions.

Benfica

43

20

11

Atleti

131

34

18

Chelsea

40

11

2

Barcelona

44

10

6

Milan

14

1

1

One thing he would bring to the London Stadium is experience. Despite being just 25 years of age, and having not been in the best form, he has played for some of Europe’s biggest clubs. He was also on loan at Barcelona last season, and managed ten goals and six assists in 44 games.

Should Felix make the move to the London Stadium over the summer, Hammers fans would surely hope he can replicate the impact of another magical playmaker, Dimitri Payet. Jamie Carragher once described him as “sensational” and said it was a “joy to watch” him play. How right he was.

The Frenchman was exceptional for the Hammers, despite his short time at the club. In just 60 appearances, he scored 15 goals and grabbed 22 assists, leaving him with an impressive goal involvement ratio of 0.61.

He was a wizard with the ball at his feet, running rings around opponents with ease, week in, week out. Just look at this goal against Middlesbrough, a prime example of how dangerous Payet can be with the ball at his feet.

Although Felix has struggled for form, he possesses the same ability to create something out of nothing. The flair is there for the 25-year-old, too, with talent scout Jacek Kulig once describing him as a “nightmare for defenders”.

It would be a statement signing from West Ham, with the impact Felix could have if he finds his best form astronomical.

Biggest wonderkid since Rice: West Ham struck gold on "electric" starlet

West Ham have struck gold on their biggest wonderkid since Declan Rice with this “top player”

ByConnor Holden Apr 17, 2025

Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold looks almost certain to depart Liverpool this summer, with his contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

The 26-year-old has largely been touted with a free transfer to join Real Madrid, with numerous publications already claiming that a deal is complete for him to join the LaLiga giants.

Such news has angered supporters, with his potential move leaving Arne Slot’s side shortchanged and unable to receive a fee for a talent who’s been a leading player in their success.

He’s made over 300 appearances for his boyhood side, playing a vital role in various levels of success, claiming one Premier League title, with another set to follow in the coming weeks.

The defender isn’t the only player to depart Anfield on a free in recent years, albeit in different circumstances to another player who captured the hearts of the fanbase during his spell on Merseyside.

Daniel Sturridge’s time as a player at Liverpool

Striker Daniel Sturridge formed a deadly partnership with Luis Suárez during his stint at Liverpool, with the pair firing the Reds to title contention under Brendan Rodgers over a decade ago.

The Englishman scored 67 times in his 160 appearances during his six-and-a-half years on Merseyside, producing countless moments of magic including his effort against former side Chelsea.

However, despite his goalscoring exploits, he was unable to prove his talent on a regular basis, with injuries massively plaguing his time and subsequently spending long periods on the sidelines.

During his stint on Merseyside, the now-retired striker suffered 15 separate injuries, missing a total of 121 matches – missing an average of 18.5 matches per season he was on the club’s books.

Such a record left the hierarchy with no choice but to offload him in the summer of 2019, but six years on, Slot has found a new version of the Englishman, desperately needing to offload him to avoid losing another talent for nothing.

Why Slot needs to sell Liverpool’s new Sturridge this summer

Despite Slot’s impressive first season in England, which has seen him take the top-flight by storm, he may have a job on his hands to sustain such a success next season.

Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah could all depart the club on a free transfer this summer, giving the Dutchman a huge task in replacing the trio given their importance to the side.

However, he may want to offload numerous other first-team members this summer, including Diogo Jota, who’s fallen well beyond the high standards he set for himself during his early days on Merseyside.

The Portuguese international joined the Reds in a £45m deal from Wolves in the summer of 2020, notching 34 goals during his first two years after his big-money transfer.

However, he’s struggled to achieve such levels in 2024/25, scoring just nine times across all competitions, with injuries starting to prevent his progress at Anfield.

2020/21

Knee

85

19

2020/21

Foot

12

4

2021/22

Ankle

15

4

2022/23

Hamstring

32

5

2022/23

Calf

117

24

2023/24

Calf

29

8

2023/24

Knee

52

13

2023/24

Hip

23

4

2024/25

Hamstring

54

14

2024/25

Fatigue

17

4

Total:

10

436

99

Jota has only been able to start 12 league outings so far during Slot’s reign, leading to reports that the club were willing to cash in on him this summer to fund a move for a new talisman.

The 28-year-old has two years left on his contract, but with the former Atlético Madrid ace now entering the latter stages of his professional career, the upcoming window could present the last opportunity to recoup the majority of the fee paid for his signature.

Given his injury issues and lack of form when fit, Slot must look to offload him this window, joining Trent in not featuring in his plans as he looks to continue his impressive start as the club’s manager next season.

It may seem a brutal call, but the football industry is an unforgiving one, with decisions needing to be made for the better of the club, subsequently leading to fresh blood arriving to fill the void.

The next Michael Owen: Liverpool plot move for "phenomenal" £40m striker

Liverpool could be about to land a new version of Michael Owen this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 9, 2025

Aston Villa have expressed their interest in signing an African attacker who prefers an assist to scoring a goal.

Rashford and Asensio starring for Aston Villa as NSWE eye permanent moves

Into the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain and pushing for another top-four finish in the Premier League, it has been a positive start to 2025 for Unai Emery’s side.

The Spaniard was backed by NSWE in January with loan deals for Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio from Manchester United and PSG respectively. Both have starred in recent weeks for Villa, and there have already been claims that Villa are plotting a permanent move for Asensio that could be worth £25m.

With Rashford, it is believed that Villa are best placed to sign the forward on a full-time basis. Those in the Midlands have a £40m option to buy, and ex-scout Mick Brown thinks Villa are in pole position to sign Rashford.

“Marcus going out on loan has been a win-win. There was no way his situation at Man United was going to improve, so from that point of view he’s gone away and improved his position. There’s never been any doubt about Marcus’ talent, and now he’s found a platform to display that.

“Aston Villa have gained from it because they were brave enough to take him on loan. Now, I think they’ll be in the best position to keep him on a permanent deal even though there’s going to be interest from elsewhere.”

Games

11

Goals

3

Assists

4

Games

10

Goals

8

Assists

1

Ahead of the summer, NSWE and Villa have been identifying new targets, and they may have found a star in the making who is catching the eye across Europe.

Aston Villa make approach for 18 y/o attacker Rodolfo Aloko

According to reports from Spain, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are one of the clubs circling to sign Rodolfo Aloko, who is currently plying his trade in Croatia with NK Kustosija.

The 18-year-old is primarily an attacking midfielder but has been described as a very fast and powerful striker who is difficult to stop when at full speed.

Villa have seemingly made an approach by expressing their interest in Aloko, however, they are not alone, with RB Salzburg and PSV Eindhoven doing the same. Sevilla have also scouted Aloko in action for Benin and are thought to be ahead in the race, with the attacker in and out of Kustosija’s first team and reserves.

Monchi sends scouts as Aston Villa race to sign "special" Galatasaray star

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 2, 2025

It is added that Aloko actually enjoys assisting more than scoring goals and that Kustosija will want a ‘decent fee’ to part ways with their talented African over the coming months.

By the looks of things, a move to Villa for Aloko could be one to keep an eye on, where he may join the likes of Rory Wilson in the club’s academy looking to eventually progress into the first team.