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Where would Arsenal be without Declan Rice? During the 2024/25 campaign, if it was ever possible, he made his £105m price tag look like a bargain.

Send West Ham another £100m, the Emirates faithful cried. Quite. Rice put in some extraordinary performances throughout the back end of the campaign.

Who can forget those free-kicks against Real Madrid? The Gunners will be keen to erase their semi-final exit at the hands of PSG from their minds but no one will be forgetting his stunning displays in a hurry.

Once all was said and done, Rice ended the campaign with his best haul of goals and assists in a single season, netting nine times and registering ten assists throughout all competitions.

It was hardly a surprise, therefore, to see him crowned the Fans’ Player of the Season for his efforts.

This summer, they will hope to replicate that deal with Andrea Berta now guiding the transfer ship.

The latest on Arsenal's transfer plans

This has certainly been a busy few weeks for Berta since entering the club but he’s already getting his hands dirty, notably tying Gabriel down to a new contract.

Elsewhere, it’s all about how he can add to the current group with talks reportedly progressing well over a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.

How Arsenal's striker targets compare in 2024/25.

However, as David Ornstein of The Athletic has reported, Arsenal could be in the market for as many as three forwards with a centre forward, a left winger and a right-winger to play second fiddle to Bukayo Saka.

On the left, it could be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo who arrives. Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Gunners have a keen interest in the Brazilian and now they are set to ramp up their interest in the coming week.

Reports from Spain reveal that ‘Arsenal have decided to go all out’ to sign the 24-year-old and are now ‘willing to submit’ a €70m (£59m) bid in order to close a deal.

The coaching staff and Berta are both aligned on the fact that Rodrygo would be the ‘ideal’ profile to bring to north London this summer.

Why Rodrygo would be Arsenal's best signing since Rice

Two years ago, Edu and Arteta came together to seal the biggest transfer in the club’s history.

Transfer Focus

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

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Arsenal fended off competition, largely from title rivals Manchester City, to bring Rice from east to north London in a remarkable deal totalling £105m. It took a while to get across the line, but it’s all been worth it.

Unsurprisingly, Arteta and Co haven’t gone near that fee since with their business in the transfer market leaving plenty to be desired.

Last summer was decent on the surface but it didn’t get Arsenal any closer to winning the league. In fact, they had a poorer season, certainly at domestic level.

David Raya signed permanently last summer and shone, notably sharing the Golden Glove with Mats Selz, but Riccardo Calafiori endured an injury-hit season, and Mikel Merino, bizarrely, didn’t show what he was truly capable of until becoming a makeshift striker.

Arsenal signings since Declan Rice

Player

Price

Signed from

David Raya

£27m

Brentford

Riccardo Calafiori

£42m

Bologna

Mikel Merino

£31.6m

Real Sociedad

Neto

Loan

Bournemouth

Raheem Sterling

Loan

Chelsea

The Spaniard has quickly become a fan favourite after a pretty torrid first few months back in England, but he ended the season with six goals in 12 games as a striker. Not what he was signed for, sure, but he’s coming into his own, even scoring for Spain this weekend.

So, this summer, Arsenal need to make a splash. They need that Rice-esque deal to bring them closer to the Premier League title and Rodrygo could be just that.

Sure, a centre forward is needed, but their output on the left-hand side, notably when Bukayo Saka was out injured, simply wasn’t good enough in 2024/25.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are great players to have in your squad but their end product hasn’t reached dizzy heights yet.

Martinelli did score in the Bernabeu this season but that was just one of ten goals in 51 matches, a goal every 5.1 games. As for Trossard, he also scored ten but did so in 56 matches, meaning the Belgian found the net once every 5.6 games.

In Rodrygo, they would secure an instant upgrade, someone with the capabilities to break games open.

The Madrid star, who is in the shadow of Vini Jr and Kylian Mbappe in Spain, still found a way to score 14 times last season across 51 matches, once every 3.6 games. In 2023/24, he was even better, netting on 17 occasions and the year before that, he scored 19 times. He’s a goalscorer and a better one than Martinelli at that.

Martinelli’s finest campaign in England saw him beat the goalkeeper on 15 occasions back in 2022/23 and while he’s still young, he is actually just a year Rodrygo’s junior.

Described as “one of the best in the world” by his former boss, Carlo Ancelotti, this would be a sublime signing. His impact on this team could certainly be akin to Rice if he finds a way to replace Martinelli and Trossard.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 6, 2025

La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid are said to be targeting another Arsenal star, amid their strong links to William Saliba, coming as new contract talks with the former take a negative turn.

Real Madrid still eyeing William Saliba despite signing Dean Huijsen

Some Gunners supporters may have been optimistic at one stage that Real’s signing of defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth would spell the end of their interest in Saliba, but this is unfortunately far from the truth.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini May 27, 2025

The France international, who’s been a vital presence at the heart of Mikel Arteta’s defence since 2022/2023, having formed an indomitable partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes, will leave the Emirates for nothing in 2027 as things stand.

William Saliba’s best Premier League games for Arsenal this season

Match Rating

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal

8.07

Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal

7.87

Arsenal 2-0 Man United

7.66

Ipswich Town 0-4 Arsenal

7.28

Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich Town

7.26

via WhoScored

Arsenal have opened talks with Saliba over a new contract in an effort to ward off Real, and while some outlets even claim an extension is all but agreed (Football Transfers), this appears to be wide of the mark for now.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Saliba remains a “dream” signing for Real, regardless of their Huijsen deal, and they remain watchful of developments regarding the 24-year-old’s contract situation.

“The dream target has always been William Saliba,” said Romano on his YouTube channel.

“My information is that Real Madrid understood at the beginning of May that Saliba this summer was impossible to reach as a target because, for Arsenal, he is a crucial player and they are discussing a new contract with William Saliba.

“So Real Madrid’s position on Saliba is clear – they will sign Dean Huijsen now, but Saliba remains a dream target for them. Arsenal will have the ball in their court to close the agreement, keep Saliba at the club and extend his contract. Otherwise, if this contract won’t be extended, Real Madrid will be there.”

Real Madrid eye Myles Lewis-Skelly as Arsenal contract talks go sour

In more concerning news for Arteta, it is now believed that Real are also keeping a very watchful eye on breakout star Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Hale End academy graduate made the left-back spot his own this season, putting in some truly exceptional displays which have also resulted in Thomas Tuchel’s nod for the England squad.

The 18-year-old’s form is turning heads at the Bernabeu as a result, with journalist Jonathan Wilson telling The Guardian’s ‘Football Weekly’ that Arsenal’s talks over a contract extension for Lewis-Skelly have been going sour.

“They’ve got to sort out Myles Lewis-Skelly’s contract which expires next summer and I think talks have not been going well from what I hear,” said Wilson.

“Real Madrid are sort of sniffing around there. Imagine Real Madrid wanting a highly-rated Premier League fullback for free. Almost unimaginable, isn’t it?”

Losing the teenage sensation to La Liga, especially on a free, would be a truly dire situation for Arsenal, and it is little surprise Real are considering a Trent Alexander-Arnold-esque deal to bring in one of England’s brightest young defenders at no transfer cost.

Tying down Lewis-Skelly will now be even higher up Andrea Berta’s to-do list, especially considering the newly-found interest from Xabi Alonso’s side.

Manchester City have made an offer for an “insane” £50m star, who has now “said yes” to moving to the Etihad Stadium this summer, according to a report.

Man City looking to overhaul their midfield options

With Kevin De Bruyne’s time at the Etihad Stadium coming to an end, Man City were always going to have to find a replacement for the attacking midfielder this summer, and Fabrizio Romano recently revealed two of the key names on the shortlist.

Despite Ilkay Gundogan closing out the campaign with a stunning bicycle kick against Fulham, there have also been suggestions that City could look to strengthen in a slightly deeper area of midfield this summer too.

Last week, it was revealed the Blues were planning to step up their pursuit of Tijjani Reijnders, who is valued at £50m by AC Milan, and there has now been an update on their pursuit of the central midfielder.

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, Man City have now submitted a “very good proposal” to sign Reijnders, following positive talks with AC Milan, and they are looking to seal the deal in the next few days.

The deal is “almost done” on the player’s side, as he has already “said yes” to moving to the Etihad Stadium this summer, and the final details are currently being clarified, with it looking like the deal could be wrapped up in the very near future.

"Insane" Reijnders could be fantastic signing for Man City

Pep Guardiola’s side are clearly looking to get the deal over the line as soon as possible, with the Club World Cup on the horizon, and it is no wonder they are so keen on the Milan star, considering how he has performed across some key attacking metrics this past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.29 (97th percentile)

Progressive carries

3.0 (96th percentile)

Successful take-ons

1.01 (84th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

3.22 (80th percentile)

In light of his impressive performances for Milan, the Dutchman has also been lauded as “insane” by football scout Ben Mattinson, who believed he was among the best five midfielders in the world at one stage last season.

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Posts ByDominic Lund May 28, 2025

As such, it is exciting news that a deal for Reijnders is seemingly edging closer to completion, and the Blues will be hoping to seal an agreement before their Club World Cup opener against Wydad Casablanca on June 18th.

Leeds United are said to have made contact with a “ridiculously good” coach with a cup win to his name, according to a new managerial update.

Farke battling to save Leeds job despite promotion

The Whites may have sealed promotion from the Championship to the Premier League this season, but that doesn’t mean Daniel Farke isn’t battling to remain in charge next season.

On the plus side for the German, Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe showed his support earlier this month, saying: “I have ended the speculation. He is my man. I’m really excited about collaborating with Daniel, with Robbie Evans, who we promoted to managing director, with Adam Underwood, who we promoted to sporting director, and together, we are going to build the best squad that we can with every penny that we’re allowed to spend to go and compete in the Premier League.”

Despite this, speculation isn’t going away and Giovanni van Bronckhorst is one of those to have been linked with replacing Farke at Elland Road, having formerly been in charge of the likes of Rangers and Besiktas.

Former Southampton manager Russell Martin has also emerged as a surprise option for Leeds, having been sacked by Saints after a dreadful run of form in the Premier League earlier in the season. Now, a new claim has dropped regarding the situation, with the Whites potentially edging closer to an appointment.

Leeds make contact with "ridiculously good" manager

According to Bold [via MOT Leeds News], Leeds have made contact with Mainz boss Bo Henriksen about becoming the new man in charge at Thorp Arch this summer. The 50-year-old Dane is the subject of serious interest from the Whites, with the talks thought to have taken place in the last few weeks.

Henriksen would be an interesting replacement for Farke, should 49ers Enterprises decide to part ways with the current boss, having won the Danish Cup during his spell in charge of FC Midtjylland in 2021/22. His preference is a 3-4-2-1 formation, ensuring he gets the most out of wing-backs, and he likes an attacking style of play with high pressing, which the Elland Road crowd could enjoy.

He has been hailed as “ridiculously good” by Bundesliga commenter Taisto on X, in terms of how he rescued Mainz from likely relegation last season to launch them into sixth place in the Bundesliga this time around, despite losing three first-team starters.

Ultimately, Leeds have a huge decision to make this summer, in terms of whether to stick with Farke or not. While sacking him would be deemed harsh, especially by those looking in from the outside, if the owners don’t believe he is the right man for the Premier League, they need to be ruthless.

Bo Henriksen’s managerial career

Matches

Points per game

Mainz 05

47

1.64

FC Zurich

55

1.60

FC Midtjylland

55

1.89

AC Horsens

222

1.35

Bronshoj BK

124

1.46

In Henriksen, the Whites have lined up a very competent replacement option, with the Mainz manager taking charge of over 500 games across his career.

After taking their Premier League throne in dominant fashion, Liverpool are now reportedly plotting a summer hijack to sign a Serie A defender that Manchester City have already agreed personal terms with.

Liverpool looking to use Premier League crown in busy summer

Even when Dominic Solanke headed home to hand Tottenham Hotspur the lead at Anfield on Sunday, not many would have believed that the Lilywhites were there to spoil the part and Liverpool swiftly put any potential upset to bed. Eventually smashing Ange Postecoglou’s side 5-1, it was the afternoon that Arne Slot and his side were dreaming of, as Anfield and the red half of Merseyside erupted into a long-awaited title party.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Apr 30, 2025

Captain Virgil van Dijk, who will have the honour of lifting the title on the final day of the season, told reporters after securing yet another trophy to add to his collection: “It has been an amazing Premier League season for us, very consistent, well-deserved winners. The reaction we showed after going 1-0 down today was outstanding.

“Obviously it was a very emotional game. The time goes very slow towards the end, by the way! But I’m glad we got the job done and now we – and I speak about obviously everyone who is Liverpool-connected – can enjoy and celebrate because that’s what you should do as well.”

Now, those at Anfield will be looking to put their status as champions to good use when the summer transfer window arrives. Suddenly, names such as Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are not only linked with England’s most successful club in history but also the current Premier League champions. And that could make all the difference in a transfer battle against Manchester City too.

Liverpool looking to hijack Cambiaso deal

According to Calciomercato, Liverpool are now plotting a move to hijack Man City’s deal to sign Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus this summer, despite reports indicating that the Citizens have already agreed personal terms with the defender.

With that in mind, it would be some move from the Reds to beat Man City to Cambiaso’s signature at this stage. Stranger things have happened in the Premier League, however, and as Trent Alexander-Arnold edges closer and closer to Real Madrid, the versatile Cambiaso could emerge as an ideal option.

The Juventus star can play both left and right-back, allowing Slot to add competition for the struggling Andy Robertson as well as welcome a key replacement for Alexander-Arnold should Liverpool make their move.

Praised for his “elite passing ability” by analyst Ben Mattinson at the start of the season, Cambiaso would have little trouble replacing Liverpool’s right-back.

There is just a month left of the season, and as such, transfer rumours have started swirling around clubs in the Premier League, although for Tottenham Hotspur, those rumours concern the manager’s position.

Ange Postecoglou might be two games away from a Europa League final, but as things stand, he’s overseen 18 league defeats and has a real chance of leading the North Londoners to a 17th-place finish.

So it’s not surprising that the last week or so has seen a number of top coaches in England and abroad linked with taking over his job in the summer.

One of the most prominent candidates at the moment seems to be Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, although based on recent reports, the club might have just identified an even better option.

Tottenham's manager search

Before we get to the manager in question, it is worth looking at some of the other potential candidates who have been linked with the jobs over the last week or so, such as Marco Silva.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

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The Fulham boss has done an incredible job in West London since being appointed in 2021, leading the Cottagers to promotion and turning them into a solid mid-table side who have beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United this season.

Another impressive coach linked with the job in recent days has been Brentford’s Thomas Frank.

According to the Telegraph’s Matt Law, Lilywhites technical director Johan Lange is a big fan of the 51-year-old, and it’s not hard to see why, as, like Silva, he’s led his side up to the top-flight and turned them into a solid team that can give anyone a game, despite losing star striker Ivan Toney in the summer.

However, another name has also popped up as a potential replacement for Postecoglou, a manager who could also be a better option than Iraola: Roberto De Zerbi.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss is a ‘name that some at Tottenham appreciate.’

Known for being something of a passionate character, it could be the perfect match to get Spurs firing again in the summer and a better hire than the Bournemouth man.

How De Zerbi compares to Iraola

So, if Spurs are looking at De Zerbi and Iraola as potential replacements for Postecoglou, how do they compare to one another?

Well, from a basic stylistic point, both managers prefer to use a 4-2-3-1 formation when possible, which may be ideal for the North Londoners, as that could see the backline receive more protection and allow James Maddison or Dejan Kulusevski to flourish as the most attacking midfielder with pacey widemen on either side and Dominic Solanke leading the line.

Moreover, while the Italian likes to play a high line, he prefers to play two holding midfielders, per the football analyst, which could help stop said line from being exploited as often as it has under Ange.

With that said, how do the manager’s recent records look when compared?

Well, during his time with Brighton, the “genius” tactician, as dubbed by analyst Statman Dave, won 38 games, drew 20 and lost 31, which resulted in him averaging 1.51 points per game, whereas the Cherries boss has won 33 games, drawn 19 and lost 30 on the south coast, resulting in an average of 1.44 points per game.

De Zerbi vs Iraola in England

Manager

De Zerbi

Iraola

Games (All Comps)

89

82

Wins

38

33

Draws

20

19

Losses

31

30

Points per Game

1.51

1.44

All Stats via Sofascore

However, something to consider is that on top of securing the Seagulls European football in the 22/23 season, the Brescia-born boss is now managing one of the two biggest clubs in France, Olympique de Marseille.

He’s averaging 1.81 points per game on the French Riviera, so, unlike the former Rayo Vallecano man, he knows what it is like to take charge of a massive institution and all the intense pressure and scrutiny that comes with it.

Ultimately, De Zerbi and Iraola would almost certainly improve the football and results at Spurs next season, but the former has the experience of leading a ‘big club’, which might just make him the better candidate for the North Londoners.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 24, 2025

Two very exciting words have been shared in a report regarding the 49ers’ plans for the next Rangers manager.

Rangers rescue draw at Aberdeen to deny Celtic title

The Gers made several changes to their starting XI on Sunday, as interim manager Barry Ferguson prioritises the Europa League, with a huge second-leg clash away at Athletic Bilbao on Thursday and the tie evenly poised at 0-0.

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Posts ByBen Gray Apr 13, 2025

The various changes affected Rangers deeply, as they found themselves 2-0 down and a man down at half-time. But goals from Hamza Igamane and Ianis Hagi claimed a point for the Gers and put a hold on Celtic’s title celebrations, albeit for just a short time.

Despite the fact there wasn’t much on the game for Rangers, Ferguson was happy with his side’s comeback and the fact they got a point: “After going down to 10 men and 2-0 down, you’ve got to be pretty happy with coming back into the game and getting a point. [Character] is one thing I’ve tried to drill into them. They’ll dig deep for me. They never give in. They kept going until the end. But we don’t help ourselves.”

Barry Ferguson’s managerial record at Rangers

Games

9

Won

4

Drawn

2

Lost

3

Points per game

1.56

The match on Sunday saw Rangers and Ferguson go up against Jimmy Thelin, who has emerged on Rangers’ radar in recent weeks, but the inconsistent form Aberdeen have shown has now likely ruled him out of the running.

Update shared about the 49ers plans for the next Rangers manager

Thelin being ruled out of the race comes in a report from Football Insider, who also interestingly state that the 49ers are planning on appointing a “big name” to become the new Rangers manager.

Rangers chiefs are planning to cover all areas and look further afield than just Scotland, as they want someone to come in and lead the club forward for years to come. The report doesn’t state who Rangers are actually considering appointing, but several names have been linked to the post in recent weeks, with Ferguson also not out of the running – his best chance of securing the job is of course to win the Europa League.

Since Philippe Clement was sacked by the Gers, several “big names” have been linked – former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was the first name in the ring, while former Gers boss Steven Gerrard has been mentioned with a sensational return to the club. A recent report has also claimed that the 49ers want to use their Red Bull links and hire Marco Rose, who has just left RB Leipzig.

But a big-name manager doesn’t come much bigger than José Mourinho, who before Fenerbahçe’s clash with the Gers last month, claimed that he would be open to managing Rangers one day.

“People can say that the Scottish league is a league of two teams, but it’s a league of passion. It’s a league of passion. And for me, passion in football is everything. And Celtic and Rangers, they are big clubs with big fanbases, with big emotions, big responsibilities, and big expectations. Why not?”

The 2024/25 season has been a phenomenal one for Arne Slot during his debut campaign in charge of Liverpool, taking over from Jürgen Klopp seamlessly.

The Dutchman looks set to claim the Premier League title at the first attempt, currently only losing twice in his 31 league outings – boasting an 11-point cushion over second-placed Arsenal.

He will undoubtedly be disappointed that they’ve been unable to add the Carabao Cup to the list of trophies secured this year, after losing 2-1 to Newcastle United in the final at Wembley.

However, his first season at Anfield has certainly given supporters reasons to be positive about the 46-year-old’s tenure on Merseyside, with 2025/26 an opportunity to build on the success achieved in recent months.

Any chance of further trophies in the coming years may have received a boost after the news that emerged out of the club over the last couple of days.

Mohamed Salah’s contract situation at Liverpool

Over the last few months, news regarding Mohamed Salah’s contract situation has been quiet, with many fearing the worst over his future at Liverpool.

His contract is set to expire at the end of the season, but it appears that he’s set to continue his journey at Anfield if the latest update from David Ornstein is to be believed.

The journalist confirmed that there’s been a breakthrough in talks, with the Egyptian set to sign a new contract until the summer of 2027 – taking his spell on Merseyside to a decade after joining in 2017.

His tally of 54 combined goals and assists in just 45 appearances this season is evidence of how crucial he’s been to Slot’s plans in 2024/25, undoubtedly the key to any further success next time around.

Whilst such news is certainly a huge positive for the fanbase, it could spell bad news for one other first-team member who may need to depart the side to gain regular minutes elsewhere.

The player who may be sold after Salah’s contract extension

Liverpool’s talent in the first-team is there for all to see, especially considering their record of just seven defeats across all competitions throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Every player has played their part, whether that be like Salah in starring in the majority of outings, or Wataru Endo, who is usually the go-to man to come off the bench to see out a victory.

However, the limited opportunities for some players could see them depart the Reds in the near future to further their career and reach the potential they arrived at Anfield with.

Attacker Harvey Elliott joined the club back in 2019 from Fulham after paying a £4.3m compensation fee, with the hope he can progress and be a star for years to come.

Fast-forward six years since his move, the 22-year-old has racked up over 100 senior appearances at Anfield, but the majority of which have been off the substitutes bench.

Harvey Elliott’s Premier League stats for Liverpool

Season

Games

Starts

Goals

Assists

2019/20

2

0

0

0

2021/22

6

4

0

0

2022/23

32

18

1

2

2023/24

34

11

3

6

2024/25

12

0

0

1

Total:

86

33

4

9

Stats via FotMob

Elliott, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by journalist David Lynch, has failed to start a single league game in 2024/25, unable to dislodge Salah from his starting role in his natural right-wing position.

Despite his lack of action, he’s been touted with a move to fellow top-flight outfit Newcastle United, with Slot placing a £50m price tag on the talented youngster.

Given his lack of minutes, coupled with the Egyptian’s new deal at Anfield, the club could look to cash in on Elliott’s services – banking themselves a hefty profit on a fringe player.

There’s no doubt that the manager will want to strengthen his side during the summer, with any sale of the former Fulham ace massively aiding their hunt for reinforcements in the window.

It would be a risk to cash in on a player who has bags of time to develop further, but his lack of action is evidence that Slot doesn’t see him as a key player in his plans, potentially needing regular action to further his progress and allow the side to reach the next level in 2025/26.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Apr 10, 2025

The big debate at Leeds United currently concerns the number one position at Elland Road amid questions over Illan Meslier’s suitability for the team this season.

Daniel Farke has already confirmed that Karl Darlow will be between the sticks when the Whites face off against Luton Town in the Championship this weekend, which will be a huge chance for the former Newcastle United man to nail down a place in the side.

The West Yorkshire outfit are currently competing for promotion to the Premier League – sat in second place as it stands – and the Wales international now has an opportunity to play a key role in an ascension to the top-flight.

Darlow has yet to make a Championship appearance for Leeds this season, but has kept two clean sheets in three Nations League matches for Wales, and it remains to be seen if he can be an upgrade on the French stopper.

Meslier’s form for the Whites throughout the 2024/25 campaign has been a concern, though, and it seems like the right call for Farke to take him out of the firing line this weekend.

Why Leeds are right to drop Illan Meslier

The former Lorient goalkeeper was in the spotlight once again when Leeds were held to a 2-2 draw by Swansea last weekend after he fumbled a cross to allow Harry Darling to score and let a shot from Zan Vipotnik squirm under him at the near post – undoing the good work he did to save a penalty.

He has started all 39 of the club’s matches in the Championship so far this term and that clash with the Swans was far from the first time that he has let the side down.

The left-footed dud has conceded 2.73 more goals than expected, based on the xG of the shots against his goal, which suggests that the Frenchman has been well below average as a shot-stopper.

Meslier has also made three errors that have directly led to goals for the opposition this season, the most famous of which may well be the one against Sunderland in the last minute at the Stadium of Light.

All of this suggests that Farke is right to finally take the 25-year-old liability out of the starting line-up because he has underperformed as a shot-stopper and made too many errors to gift goals to the opposition.

Meslier’s poor form this season has also caused some supporters to look back at former goalkeepers who have been let go during the French flop’s time at Elland Road, including Italian stopper Elia Caprile.

Leeds United's error with Elia Caprile

The young goalkeeper spent two-and-a-half years with the club’s academy, keeping five clean sheets in 19 U21 matches, and was sent out on loan to the third tier of Italian football in the 2021/22 campaign.

Caprile kept 12 clean sheets in 36 Serie C matches in that season, whilst Meslier had started all 38 of the club’s Premier League games under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch combined.

At that point, it did not seem realistic that the Italian would overtake the Frenchman because he had just played third tier football, whilst the Leeds number one was playing week-in-week-out in the top-flight.

That led to Victor Orta and Marsch sanctioning a deal to send Caprile to Serie B side Bari on a permanent deal, which turned out to be an error on the club’s part as he went on to join Napoli one year later.

Elia Caprile (Serie A)

23/24 (Empoli)

24/25 (Cagliari)

Appearances

23

15

Goals conceded per game

1.2

0.9

Save success rate

75%

77%

Goals prevented

+0.96

+5.84

Saves made

80

43

Error led to goal

1

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, he has spent the last two seasons on loan at Empoli and Cagliari in the Serie A and caught the eye with his impressive shot-stopping skills.

This suggests that Leeds messed up with Caprile, because he is currently outperforming Meslier whilst playing in a major league, but it was difficult for the club to predict that rise after he had played in the third tier in Italy.

A bigger blunder by Leeds was their decision to allow Joel Robles to leave on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, as he could have been a dream replacement for the French dud.

Why Joel Robles was the perfect Illan Meslier replacement

The experienced Spaniard played four times in the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign under Sam Allardyce, who dropped Meslier, before the club released him that summer.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

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That has turned out to be an even bigger mistake than the decision to move Caprile on because the former Wigan Athletic man was a veteran presence between the sticks with top-flight experience, whilst the Italian was an inexperienced and young prospect who had yet to prove himself when the Whites let him leave.

Meslier had just conceded a staggering 12.4 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG against him in the Premier League, which meant that he was heading into the Championship in poor form.

The 25-year-old dud has now gone on to concede 7.22 more goals than expected and made four errors that have directly led to goals in the second tier since the start of last term, which shows that he has continued to be a liability between the sticks.

Robles, who was hailed as an “incredible” teacher by Marc Roca, should have been kept as an experienced pair of hands to step in for Meslier once it was clear that his poor form had followed him to the Championship, as he has gone on to prove his quality in Portugal with Estoril.

24/25 season

Meslier (Championship)

Robles (Liga Portugal)

Appearances

39

24

Saves made

65

77

Saves from inside the box

35

57

Save success rate

71%

68%

Goals prevented

-2.73

+6.84

Error led to goal

3

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Spanish titan currently plays for Estoril and has significantly outperformed Meslier whilst playing in a top division.

Robles has consistently bailed his team out, almost preventing seven goals, and these statistics suggest that Leeds would have conceded far fewer goals if they had a goalkeeper of his shot-stopping ability between the sticks instead of their current number one.

Therefore, Leeds already let a perfect upgrade on Meslier leave for £0 when they released the former Wigan and Everton man on a free transfer back in the summer of 2023.

The 34-year-old colossus is proving that age is just a number as he continues to shine in a top European league for Estoril, whilst his former teammate continues to struggle in the Championship.

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Leeds could have more points on the board right now if they had a reliable shot-stopper who could consistently prevent goals, like Robles, as they may not have dropped points against Sunderland or Swansea away – for example – without Meslier’s errors.

On high alert in pursuit of the next generation of stars, Arsenal reportedly had scouts in place as a 17-year-old sensation smashed a Champions League record in midweek.

Gary Neville outlines key Arsenal title difference

Could this be Arsenal’s year at long last? Forever the bridesmaid and not the bride in recent years, Mikel Arteta looks likelier than ever to find himself walking down the aisle in May. The Gunners have been untouchable in recent weeks, having built on their impenetrable defensive record and set piece excellence to take the Premier League’s top spot.

With that top spot has, of course, come plenty of praise from the likes of Gary Neville. The former Manchester United right-back and Sky Sports pundit showered Arteta’s side with praise earlier this week, outlining the key difference between the Gunners and title challengers Liverpool.

Playing host to Crystal Palace this weekend, the champions-elect have the perfect opportunity to prove Neville right and keep hold of their Premier League lead.

Given how they dispatched of Atletico Madrid in midweek, the expectation at The Emirates will be three points in comfortable fashion this Sunday even if Crystal Palace have proved to be giant-killers as of late.

It’s not just on the pitch that Arsenal are looking for success, either. Sporting director Andrea Berta is already looking to build on a solid first summer at the helm by welcoming further reinforcements in 2026. His scouts were reportedly in attendance as a teenage sensation smashed a Champions League record in midweek.

Arsenal battling to sign Lennart Karl

As reported by Caught Offside, Arsenal scouts were spotted watching Lennart Karl on Wednesday as he became Bayern Munich’s youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer at 17-years-old and 242 days. Scoring from range in sensational fashion, the teenager broke the record previously set by Jamal Musiala.

With Berta battling the likes of Chelsea to sign what looks to be a future star, Arsenal could make a huge statement by securing his signature in 2026. Whether Bayern will allow anyone to even get close to their talented star remains to be seen, however.

Karl’s moment in the headlines has been coming since the summer, when he broke into Vincent Kompany’s first-team for the first time. Since then, it has been one step after another for the 17-year-old, before he tiptoed into shooting range against Club Brugge.

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The vision is clear for Arsenal, who could land one young winger to match their own rising star in Max Dowman. In one move, Berta may well secure the future of Arteta’s attack when the summer transfer window swings open.