All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Real Madrid’s superiority was challenged in the early 2000s as Valencia disrupted La Liga’s natural order, and Galácticos legend Zinedine Zidane has revealed he requested the signing of an England legend to put Madrid back on their perch.

Zidane and Real’s path to the 2001/02 Champions League final was one of the great knockout runs in club football history, beating Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals and arch-rivals Barcelona in the last four, before besting an elite Bayer Leverkusen team led by Michael Ballack in the final.

The French football legend scored perhaps his most famous goal in that final, volleying home Roberto Carlos’ looped cross from the edge of the box to win the match 2-1.

However, that triumph was the start of somewhat of a trophy drought by Madrid’s own lofty standards. They won the La Liga title the following year, but did not win another top flight title until 2007 and had to wait until 2011 before their next cup win, which was the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona accompanied English and Italian sides in dominating Europe’s elite competition, as Real president Florentino Perez adopted a policy of superstar signings to regain their status as Kings of the continent.

Luis Figo

2000

€60m

Barcelona

Zinedine Zidane

2001

€73.5m

Juventus

Ronaldo Nazario

2002

€45m

Inter

David Beckham

2003

€37.5m

Man Utd

Michael Owen

2004

€9m

Liverpool

Robinho

2005

€24m

Santos

Sergio Ramos

2005

€27m

Sevilla

Fabio Cannavaro

2006

€10m

Juventus

Ruud van Nistelrooy

2006

€14m

Man Utd

Kaka

2009

€67m

Milan

Karim Benzema

2009

€30m

Lyon

Cristiano Ronaldo

2009

€94m

Man Utd

Xabi Alonso

2009

€35.5m

Liverpool

Perez made a habit of luring the Premier League’s top talents to the Spanish capital, with Xabi Alonso revealing how Real tempted him: “I was really happy with the team (Liverpool) and my team-mates and felt that we could do great things.

“I was happy on that side but within a club you have to see the big picture and another season would have been too much for me. It was very difficult to take that decision (to leave) but it was probably for the best for me because if I had stayed another season it would have been uncomfortable for me.”

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However, not everyone caved to the temptation, with Zidane revealing he specifically asked Perez to sign Steven Gerrard, only for the Liverpool captain to refuse the move.

Zidane named Gerrard the 'best player in the world'

Indeed, Real Madrid tried to sign Gerrard once in 2005 and again in 2009, potentially making him one of their biggest signings of the Galácticos era, and Zidane claims it was him who pushed Perez to make the move, as he believed the Reds star was the number one player in world football.

Gerrard is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in Premier League history despite never winning a league title with Liverpool, while his best finish on the Ballon d’Or podium was third in 2005, placing behind Ronaldinho and Frank Lampard.

There’s no doubt the Liverpool superstar was let down by his teammates in the quest to add team trophies to his individual accolades, and one has to wonder how his status in the game would be viewed if he had joined Madrid at Zidane’s request.

Newcastle United have now identified their next target after a move for Anthony Elanga is completed, according to an update from Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.

Newcastle agree deal for Elanga

The start of the new Premier League season is edging closer all the time, with Eddie Howe and his players hoping to kick on again in 2025/26, aided by sparkly new signings. Anthony Elanga has been the leading target to come in and make the Magpies even more of an attacking force, arriving as an upgrade on the departed Miguel Almiron, and a deal has now been agreed for aorund £55m.

It also feels like a matter of time until Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford is a Newcastle player, with the young Englishman seen as the perfect long-term replacement for Nick Pope. It would be a shock if he didn’t complete a move in the near future.

A centre-back appears to be near the top of Newcastle’s list of priorities, with interest in Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi refusing to go away, and the likes of Giorgio Scalvini and Leonardo Balerdi also linked with summer moves to St James’ Park.

However, Newcastle’s focus after Elanga will be further up the pitch, with Downie revealing on Tuesday morning what’s coming next.

Newcastle set to target new striker in coming days

Now, according to Downie on X, Newcastle ‘will turn their attention to bringing in a striker’ once they wrap up a deal with Forest.

Elanga has the potential to be a real favourite at St James’ Park, possessing blistering pace and end product, bagging six goals and 11 assists in the Premier League last season for a Forest side who set up more defensively than the Magpies.

Still only 23 years of age, there is so much more to come from the Sweden international, who has even earned praise from the legendary Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the past.

He will love Elanga: Newcastle in advanced talks to sign a "top striker"

Eddie Howe could be close to signing a new striker for Newcastle.

2 ByRoss Kilvington Jul 8, 2025

A new winger is essential for Newcastle and Elanga fits the bill perfectly, but another number nine to support Isak is perhaps even more important.

The Magpies’ main man has missed games through injury in each of his campaigns with the club, and while his durability certainly improved last season, the presence of four competitions again next term is simply too much for the Swede, with only young talent William Osula available to lighten the load in the current squad.

Hoping to get one over on Chelsea, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive Ligue 1 midfielder in a deal worth £25m this summer.

Nottingham Forest face encouraging Premier League start

It was Nottingham Forest’s stunning start that saw them rise to as high as third in the Premier League last season, before dropping off to finish seventh. And one year on, they could enjoy a similarly fast start with the fixtures officially announced.

The Midlands club will open their campaign against Brentford at the City Ground before travelling to Crystal Palace and playing host to West Ham United to end August. Things don’t get much tougher from there, either. In fact, Arsenal aside, games against Sunderland and Burnley to follow should hand Nuno Espirito Santo’s side at least five very winnable games to get their season off to a flying start.

Those at the City Ground will also have European football to be excited about next season. Just which competition they’ll be in remains an important question, however.

With UEFA still deliberating whether to give Crystal Palace the boot after the Eagles breached multi-club ownership rules, Evangelos Marinakis has reportedly written to the governing body perhaps in the hope of helping to sway a decision which would see Forest move up to the Europa League.

It’s a letter which won’t win the Greek owner many friends in the Premier League, but it could help to ensure that Forest receive an unexpected boost out of the Europa Conference League.

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ByTom Cunningham Jun 18, 2025

Whether it’s the Europa Conference League or Europa League, however, Forest will need some much-needed depth if they are to compete on all fronts. The pending arrival of Brazilian trio Igo Jesus, Cuiabano and Jair Cunha should hand them that in part, but a move to sign one particular Ligue 1 star would provide Nuno with his biggest boost this summer.

Nottingham Forest join Habib Diarra race

According to Caught Offside, Nottingham Forest have now joined the race to sign Habib Diarra from Strasbourg this summer. They’re far from the only club interested in the midfielder though. Joining the Tricky Trees, Chelsea, Eintracht Frankfurt, Everton, Aston Villa and Leeds United are all reportedly eyeing the talented 21-year-old.

The amount of interest in Diarra should come as little shock following the season that he and the rest of his Strasbourg teammates enjoyed to take the club into the top-half of Ligue 1. What has likely also helped increase that interest are the reports that the midfielder could be available for as little as €30m (£25m) in the coming months.

Minutes

2,352

2,728

Goals

4

2

Progressive Passes

116

143

Assists

5

6

Described as a “complete midfielder” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Diarra kept up with Elliot Anderson’s excellent debut season last time out and would instantly offer Forest the quality in depth they need to navigate European football.

What a big summer it is going to be for Leeds United.

Daniel Farke’s side are hoping to defy the odds and avoid relegation in the Premier League, something that has become notoriously more difficult over the past few seasons. In the last couple of campaigns, all six previously promoted sides were relegated.

So, it will have to be an odds-defying campaign for the Whites, who were the team to beat in the second tier last season. They won the Championship, picking up 100 points and losing just four games. Farke will be hoping to count on his players to step up even more in 2025/26.

However, they will be active in the transfer market too. In fact, they are stepping up their hunt for a midfielder to help upgrade their options in the middle of the park.

Leeds' hunt for a midfielder

Farke already has some talented midfielders at his disposal, including Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev. So, to strengthen in that area, and potentially upgrade on the likes of Brenden Aaronson, would be a huge statement of intent.

According to a report from the Yorkshire Evening Post, the Whites have ‘included’ Noah Sadiki on their shortlist to beef up the midfield this summer.

However, he’s not the only one. Indeed, they are said to have ‘identified’ Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra ‘as a potential midfield addition’. The Senegal international is a player ‘they believe will be Premier League quality’ ahead of next season.

It would appear that this a move firmly in the works now with Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett further revealing on Tuesday that the Elland Road outfit have lodged a bid of £21m to sign Diarra.

Why Diarra would be a good signing

If Leeds were to sign Diarra this summer, they would be adding a “complete midfielder” to the squad. At least, that is how football analyst Ben Mattinson described the Senegal international, implying he can play all over midfield.

That “Swiss Army Knife” type profile would surely work well in Farke’s midfield, and give him plenty of tactical flexibility. Diarra is both a goalscorer and creator, finding the back of the net four times and registering five assists for Strasbourg last season.

Impressively, the 21-year-old, who is already the Strasbourg captain after coming through their academy, scored on the international stage for Senegal against England one week ago. He showed good intelligence to curve his run behind the Three Lions defence, carrying the ball into the six-yard box and slotting home from a narrow angle.

Diarra could be the perfect upgrade in the Leeds midfield for Aaronson. The USA international has previously struggled in the Premier League.

He has made 36 appearances in the top flight of England, mainly operating as a number 10 and a right-winger, but has just four goals and assists to his name.

Despite scoring nine times and registering two assists in 46 Championship games last season, there have been doubts about Aaronson’s scalability to the top flight. The Whites’ former goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, told Football Insider he is “nowhere near Premier League level”.

So, if they do bring Diarra in as his replacement, the numbers on FBref suggest it’d be a good move. Not only did he average more goals and assists per 90 minutes than Aaronson, with 0.34 compared to 0.28, but his off-the-ball work was better, too. Diarra’s 3.45 ball recoveries each game trumped Aaronson’s tally of 3.09.

Goals and assists

0.34

0.38

Progressive passes

4.44

4.05

Passes into final third

2.45

2.13

Interceptions

0.50

0.20

Ball recoveries

3.45

3.09

If Leeds can agree a deal to sign Diarra somewhere around the £21m mark, it would be a fantastic piece of business. They are signing a leader and an international-class midfielder, capable of playing numerous roles.

As far as an upgrade on Aaronson goes, time will tell, but the stats are there to suggest this is the dream move for the Yorkshire club this summer.

Big Aaronson upgrade: Leeds close to agreeing deal for £30m "magician"

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1 ByDan Emery Jun 17, 2025

Fulham are the club pushing the hardest to sign an “outstanding” midfielder, with Marco Silva set to be backed in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Cottagers set to back Silva amid uncertain future

Having been at Craven Cottage for just under four years, Silva is now among the longest-serving managers in the Premier League, but there is widespread interest in the Portuguese coach, with Juventus becoming the latest club to express an interest.

With Tottenham Hotspur and clubs from the Saudi Pro League also keen on the 47-year-old, it could be difficult for the board to retain his services, but they have now displayed a willingness to back the manager in the summer transfer window.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Silva has been promised money to improve his squad, while also revealing the Cottagers have now set their sights on a new midfielder.

Fulham are said to be the club pushing the hardest to sign Mainz attacking midfielder Nadiem Amiri, who is set to leave the German club this summer, having attracted widespread interest from the Premier League.

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ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025

Amiri has already turned down a move to Leeds United, while Crystal Palace have identified him as a potential target, but the west Londoners appear to be more determined to get a move over the line.

A deal would not break the bank either, with the 28-year-old expected to be allowed to leave for a fee of around £15m, and he could be brought in to replace Tom Cairney, amid interest from Wrexham, while fellow midfielder Harrison Reed is also set to depart.

"Outstanding" Amiri enjoyed impressive 2024-25 campaign

The Mainz star has been particularly impressive going forward as of late, picking up seven goals and five assists in 30 Bundesliga outings, and his displays at club level have led to a return to the German national side.

Upon selecting the central midfielder, manager Julian Nagelsmann said: “Nadiem is having an outstanding season. He’s a very good example of how you can take a step back to push your career forward.”

The German maestro had been uninvolved with his national side since 2020, but fought hard to regain his place, saying: “After I received a call from Julian Nagelsmann on Tuesday, I was in tears. It was my dream for so long to be able to play for the national team again. I worked hard, trying to improve every day”

Not only does Amiri have international experience, but he also has 10 Champions League appearances to his name, which could stand him in good stead to be a success at Craven Cottage, and a fee of £15m seems like a bargain for a player of his quality.

Chelsea have now identified one of the Premier League’s best defenders as a top target for the summer transfer window, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Chelsea set out to sign new centre-back

The summer transfer window is edging ever closer, and it has become apparent that the Blues are looking to upgrade their defence, with several potential targets being identified at centre-back.

Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite is one of the options from within the Premier League, with the west Londoners looking at taking the Englishman to Stamford Bridge this summer, while they have also set their sights on Benfica’s Tomas Araujo.

The interest in Araujo came about after missing out on AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, who has now agreed to join Real Madrid after a stellar debut campaign with the Cherries, with internal talks also being held over a move for versatile Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Jarrad Branthwaite

Everton

£100m

Tomas Araujo

Benfica

£46m

Jorrel Hato

Ajax

£42m

However, in a recent interview with Football Insider, Brown has now revealed that a different centre-back could well be Chelsea’s first-choice centre-back signing for the summer, transfer window, namely Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.

Brown said: “There’s been a clear improvement and he’s now one of the best in the country, starts for England and has led his team to winning the FA Cup.

“I know Chelsea have been looking at him as one of their top targets at centre-back. Obviously, he came through their academy so they know him well. They’re not the only ones interested, though, so they might have to move quickly.”

Guehi could be excellent signing for Chelsea

Crystal Palace winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City was one of the major shocks of the season, and Guehi played an instrumental role in the Eagles’ success, helping his side pick up clean sheets in the final three rounds of the competition.

Indeed, the last goal Palace conceded in the FA Cup was against Millwall in the round of 16, with their captain playing a particularly important part in their semi-final triumph against Aston Villa by making a number of key defensive contributions to keep Unai Emery’s side at bay.

Statistic

Number completed

Clearances

6

Interceptions

1

Tackles

1

Duels won

4

In what will come as good news for Chelsea, there are signs that Palace’s asking price for the centre-back may also have dropped, as a £60m fee could now be enough, despite knocking back a £70m bid from Tottenham Hotspur back in January.

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Not only that, but Enzo Maresca has also admitted he is a fan of Guehi in the past, so Chelsea should undoubtedly look to get a deal for the England international done this summer.

Manchester United fell to a 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, in what was their 18th defeat in what has been a Premier League season to forget.

Marc Cucurella’s second-half header from Reece James’ cross was enough to secure all three points for the hosts, subsequently bolstering their Champions League ambitions.

Harry Maguire thought he had put Ruben Amorim’s men ahead early on, but his fine finish was ruled out after being adjudged to have been in a slight offside position.

The defeat isn’t the end of the world for the Red Devils, with full focus on next week’s Europa League final, coming through the meeting with no new injury concerns.

However, the manager will likely be disappointed by the performances of multiple first-team starters in West London, putting their starting roles at risk for the European final.

Man Utd’s poor performers against Chelsea

Defender Luke Shaw has been injured for the majority of the campaign, but boss Amorim handed him a start from the off, looking to stake his claim for a place in his plans next season.

However, the 29-year-old struggled to make a positive impact at the Bridge, failing to win a single tackle, whilst losing possession four times – ultimately looking like a shadow of his former self.

He wasn’t alone in failing to impress, with striker Rasmus Hojlund once again unable to deliver the goods in attacking areas, registering a measly tally of just 26 touches during his 90-minute display.

He also lost possession a staggering 13 times, losing every ground duel he entered and failed to register an effort on goal – with Amorim desperately needing to offload the Danish international this summer.

The pair ultimately weren’t at a level good enough to hand the manager a reason to start the Europa League final, with another player needing to be dropped for the crunch clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

5/10 Man United dud must be axed for Europa League final

The Europa League final hands United a chance to end what has been a dismal campaign on a high, securing another trophy and a place in the Champions League for 2025/26.

Amorim will have the opportunity to land his first title after his appointment at Old Trafford back in November, potentially being a key step in his tenure at the club.

However, if they are to win such a meeting against fellow Premier League opposition, they will need to be at the top of their game – something which they haven’t been for many months.

The manager will likely have numerous selection headaches ahead of the meeting in Bilbao, but Noussair Mazraoui should be one player who’s not included in the starting eleven after his display against Chelsea.

The Moroccan international operated in a right-wing-back role against Maresca’s men and struggled to have the desired impact at both ends of the pitch. While he’s often demonstrated he’s one of Erik ten Hag’s best signings this term, notably ranking second in the club’s Player of the Season rankings, his form has fallen off, perhaps due to fatigue.

He featured for the entirety of the contest on Friday, only completing 77% of the passes he attempted, whilst being unable to complete any dribbles and unable to aid players in the final third.

However, out of possession, he was just as poor, often being unable to prevent winger Noni Madueke from gliding past him into attacking areas.

Minutes played

90

Touches

68

Passes completed

33/43 (77%)

Dribbles completed

0

Aerial duels won

2/4 (50%)

Possession lost

13x

Crosses completed

0

Mazraoui only made one block, and won just 50% of the aerial duels he entered, struggling to match the high standards he set for himself in the early stages of the season.

As a result of his showing, the full-back was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by GOAL journalist Richard Martin – highlighting his lack of impact during the defeat.

It’s evident that he’s not the player to operate at wing-back, undoubtedly being more comfortable in a centre-back role, with the manager needing to drop him for the final next week.

Such a showing will hand the manager a decision to make in wide areas, but unfortunately for the former Bayern Munich ace, it was an evening to forget and one that could put his place in the side at risk.

Man Utd's own Frimpong: INEOS plotting move to sign "phenomenal" £30m star

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ByEthan Lamb May 16, 2025

Arsenal’s number one priority this summer is clear: sign a striker.

On Saturday morning, Fabrizio Romano reported that the Gunners are close to signing Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, expected to trigger his £51m release clause.

However, this is likely to be just the start of Mikel Arteta’s summer spending, with a new centre-forward top of the agenda, after Arsenal were dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain at the semi-final stage on Wednesday, despite accumulating an xG figure of 5.11 across the two legs, scoring just once.

So, could they secure a “huge talent” who might just be their best striker since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?

Arsenal's interest in a new striker

As reported earlier this week, Arsenal are believed to have made an offer for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap over the possibility of a summer move.

Following the Tractor Boys’ relegation, it was reported by Jacob Steinberg, Nick Ames and Jamie Jackson of the Guardian that Delap now has a £30m release clause, which represents a bargain, given that Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes he is a “huge talent”.

As a result, Arsenal are certainly not the only club interested, with Wayne Veysey of Football Insider noting that Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Chelsea are also courting the striker, while Danny Rust and Dean Jones of Give Me Sport claim that Tottenham have also ‘set their sights’ on signing him.

Nevertheless, on course for a third successive top two finish, and in serious need of a new centre-forward, Arsenal could be the most attractive proposition presented to Delap, so could he be the striker they’ve been searching for since a certain high-profile departure.

Why Delap could emulate Aubameyang

Aubameyang joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of £55m in January 2018, still, to this day, the fourth-highest fee the club have ever paid, behind only Kai Havertz, Nicolas Pépé and Declan Rice.

The Gabonese international certainly made an instant impact in North London, scoring just 37 minutes into his debut against Everton, netting 92 times in just 163 appearances for the club in total, leaving him right up there in terms of modern Arsenal greats.

Thierry Henry

228

Ian Wright

185

Robin van Persie

132

Dennis Bergkamp

120

Alan Smith

113

Theo Walcott

108

Olivier Giroud

105

Paul Merson

99

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

92

Aubameyang’s finest moment came in the 2020 FA Cup, scoring twice to defeat Manchester City in the semi-finals, before bagging another brace against Chelsea in the final in a 2-1 victory, securing the club’s most recent major silverware.

Straight after the final, Aubameyang was rewarded with a new three-year contract but, by 6 December 2021, he had played his final game for the club, seeing this same contract terminated to allow him to join Barcelona as a free agent, following a high-profile falling out with Arteta.

So, could Delap be the Aubameyang replacement three and a half years in the making?

Well, let’s compare Delap’s exploits for Ipswich this season with Aubameyang’s best campaign at Arsenal.

Appearances

34

36

Minutes

2,515

2,732

Goals

12

22

Assists

2

5

Shots

64

89

Shots on target %

43.8%

38.2%

Goals – xG

+2.3

-0.5

Goals inside the area

11

20

Goals outside the area

1

2

Big chances missed

10

23

Shot-creating actions

62

60

Goal-creating actions

7

11

Touches in opposition area

101

149

Touches per 90

24

35

As the table outlines, when it comes to certain metrics in particular, Delap and Aubameyang are very similar.

Both scored more than 90% of their goals inside the box, while the numbers also underline that both are low-touch, high-shot strikers, with neither touching the ball frequently, but both registering more than two shots per game, which is particularly impressive for Delap, considering how poor Ipswich have been this season.

The Englishman actually outperformed Aubameyang when it comes to shots on target %, goals – xG as well as shot-creating actions, while the former Arsenal man actually missed 23 Opta-defined big chances, the most of any player in the division in 2018/19.

Transfer Focus

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

So, in a significantly stronger side, everything suggests Delap could be the lethal finisher that Arsenal desperately require to take them to the next level.

Best deal since Timber: Arsenal closing in on £25m star after Zubimendi

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ByBen Gray May 10, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s dismal Premier League campaign continued with a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers away from home on Sunday.

Vitor Pereira’s side have been battling relegation throughout the season and moved to within two points of Spurs with their impressive victory at the weekend.

As you can see in the highlights above, the goals were largely down to poor defensive work from several Tottenham players, rather than them being cut open by quality play.

There is no hiding from the fact that Ange Postecoglou’s side have not been good enough defensively this season, as they have conceded 49 goals in 32 matches – more than any other traditional top-six side in the Premier League.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

As you can see in the graphic above, though, it was one of Tottenham’s attacking players – Dominic Solanke – who was one of the worst-rated performers against Wolves on Sunday.

The England international joined the club from Bournemouth for a reported fee of £55m, with a further £10m in potential add-ons, and has endured a frustrating first season in North London.

Why Dominic Solanke has been a flop for Spurs

For the money that was spent on him last year, Tottenham should expect instant quality from the 27-year-old marksman in his first year at the club.

Solanke arrived as an experienced player, aged 26 at the time of his move, with plenty of Premier League football under his belt for Bournemouth, which meant that he did not have to adjust to the league or the country in order to perform for Spurs.

Despite that, the English dud has failed to deliver goals on a consistent basis for Postecoglou, with a return of just 11 goals in 37 matches in all competitions.

The former Bournemouth star has averaged less than a goal every three games on average, which speaks to his lack of ruthlessness in the final third, and that has also been the case in the Premier League.

Starts

23

xG

9.92

Goals

7

Big chances missed

11

Minutes per goal

290

Assists

3

Duel success rate

39%

As you can see in the table above, Solanke has only scored seven goals in 23 Premier League outings for Spurs this term, underperforming his xG by roughly three goals.

A goal every 290 minutes and a negative xG differential for a £65m-rated, prime-aged, centre-forward is simply not good enough, which may be why the club are now reportedly looking to bolster their attack ahead of next season.

Spurs willing to spend big on Premier League star

According to a report from Spain, Spurs are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Matheus Cunha in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The outlet claims that there are six Premier League teams showing an interest in the Brazil international, who scored against Tottenham in the 4-2 win for his side on Sunday.

Transfer Focus

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

It reveals that Aston Villa, Spurs, Newcastle United, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest are all eyeing up a swoop for the ex-Atletico Madrid star.

The report states that the Premier League sides are willing to spend big on the Brazilian dynamo, as they are prepared to pay £75m to land the impressive attacker ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

It does not, however, claim whether or not Wolves would be willing to part ways with him for £75m, or whether or not Cunha would be interested in joining Tottenham, or any of the other teams that are reportedly interested in him.

Spurs must, now, push to convince the forward to join them this summer because he could come in as the huge upgrade that they need on Solanke at the top end of the pitch.

Why Cunha would be a huge upgrade on Solanke

The £75m-rated star would improve Tottenham’s team based on his form for Wolves, who are currently below Spurs in the table, in the Premier League this season.

Cunha has scored 14 goals from 7.27 xG in the top-flight for the Old Gold, which means that he has scored twice as many goals as Solanke despite having fewer high-quality xG chances to find the back of the net.

This shows that he is a ruthless finisher who does not need many high-quality opportunities to score goals at Premier League level, which is not the case with the ex-Bournemouth forward.

As you can see from the goal above, which was described as “Bergkamp-esque” by pundit Ashley Williams, the Brazilian magician has immense quality in the final third and the capacity to score amazing goals.

These statistics, and the nature of his goals for Wolves, suggest that he would be an upgrade on Solanke as a goal threat, by offering a clinical presence in front of goal, rather than being as wasteful as the English flop has been.

Starts

23

24

xG

9.92

7.27

Goals

7

14

Big chances created

6

12

xA

1.15

4.58

Key passes per game

0.6

1.7

Assists

3

4

As you can see in the table above, Cunha has significantly outperformed the £65m Spurs signing, who has failed to offer consistent quality as either a scorer or a creator of goals in the top-flight this term.

These statistics suggest that the Wolves sensation would also provide more creativity at the top end of the pitch, given that he has created twice as many ‘big chances’ and more than three times as much xA for his teammates in just one more start.

Therefore, £75m – only £10m more than the deal agreed for Solanke – could be a bargain deal for Spurs if they manage to win the race for his signature in the summer transfer window, because he has the potential to offer twice as much in front of goal, as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

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Cunha would arrive as a Premier League proven star, with room to grow still at the age of 25, and Daniel Levy must, now, push to get this deal done to bolster Postecoglou’s squad for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

Manchester United have now identified a new top target to replace Andre Onana this summer, amid concerns over the goalkeeper’s performances this season, according to a report.

Man Utd star dropped after Lyon disaster

Onana had a point to prove heading into Man United’s Europa League clash against Lyon, having received heavy criticism from Nemanja Matic before the match, but the Cameroonian put in a very disappointing performance.

After making a major blunder, which allowed Rayan Cherki to bag a late equaliser, the goalkeeper received a 5.9 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any player on the pitch, and he was subsequently dropped for the 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.

Given that Altay Bayindir also failed to impress at St. James’ Park, Ruben Amorim has a selection dilemma heading into the second leg against Lyon on Thursday night, which is perhaps his side’s most crucial game of the season so far.

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However, Amorim’s lack of faith in his goalkeepers means it is now looking increasingly likely a new option will be brought in between the sticks this summer, and a new top target has now been identified.

According to a report from Spain, FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa is the leading candidate to replace Onana, with Old Trafford chiefs now ramping up their pursuit of a new goalkeeper.

Costa’s impressive performances for club and country mean he has now been pinpointed as the Red Devils’ number one choice, most notably putting in some top displays for national side Portugal at Euro 2024.

The Portugal international is protected by a €75m (£64m) release clause, and Porto are unwilling to sanction his departure for a lower fee, so United will need to spend big to get a deal over the line this summer.

"Superman" Costa could be upgrade on Onana

The Porto shot-stopper put in some top displays at Euro 2024, while he has also impressed in a Porto shirt for quite some time, having been lauded as a “superman” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig after catching the eye in the Champions League.

Perhaps crucially, the 25-year-old appears to be competent in possession of the ball, given that he ranks in the 93rd percentile for touches per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Not only that, but the Porto academy graduate is particularly adept at saving penalties, recently denying Christian Eriksen from the spot in Portugal’s UEFA Nations League clash against Denmark.

At 25-years-old, Costa may be about to enter his prime years, and his performances for both club and country indicate he could be a real upgrade on Onana, who is running out of time to save his Man United career.