Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has named one of his former teammates as the “worst” signing in the club’s history, branding him “so unprofessional”.
Scholes names former teammate as "worst" Man Utd signing
It would be fair to say that very few of the signings Man United have made since Sir Alex Ferguson retired have worked out, with YouTuber Adam McKola particularly critical of one of Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s additions on The Overlap earlier this month.
McKola said: “I think Jadon Sancho is the worst signing Manchester United have ever made. There’s big competition for it. We spent £80m on Antony who is useless.
“For me Jadon Sancho is the biggest waste of space I’ve ever seen in a United shirt. I think he’s a disgrace and I can’t wait to see the back of him.”
Amorim upgrade: INEOS eyeing "best young coach in the world" for Man Utd
INEOS could be about to land a new manager to replace Ruben Amorim in the coming weeks.
1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 16, 2025
Sancho has been widely reported to rake in £300k-a-week, yet he has never managed to deliver in a United shirt, being shipped out on loan to Chelsea last season, with the west Londoners agreeing to pay a £5m penalty fee to avoid having to sign the winger permanently.
You may expect Scholes to name one of the Red Devils’ current players as their worst signing ever, off the back of finishing 15th in the Premier League last season, but the club legend believes one of his former teammates is at the top of the list. The legendary midfielder said:
Bosnich undoubtedly one of Man Utd's worst signings
Bosnich was signed as a successor to the legendary Peter Schmeichel, but the goalkeeper was unable to make the step-up, making 23 Premier League appearances in the 1999-00 season before being snubbed by Ferguson.
Fabian Barthez was ultimately brought in to replace the Australian, who ended up moving to Chelsea, and the Frenchman fared a lot better, spending three full seasons at Old Trafford and winning two Premier League titles.
While Bosnich was undoubtedly a terrible signing for Man United, it may be a little harsh to suggest he is the worst-ever, considering the goalkeeper arrived on a free transfer from Aston Villa.
Sancho, on the other hand, is widely reported to have cost £73m, which is the fourth-highest fee Man United have ever shelled out on a player, making it even more criminal the 25-year-old mustered up just 12 goals and six assists in 83 matches.
It’s hard to think of a summer which has felt more positive for Chelsea.
Not only are Enzo Maresca’s side Conference League champions, but they are also World Champions after they demolished Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain over a week ago.
Add to that the fact they’ve already completed the seriously exciting signings of Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, and it feels like they could achieve something seriously special in the Premier League next season.
Moreover, the Blues have been heavily linked with the exciting Xavi Simons, although if reports are to be believed, they could now be targeting someone who’d be an even better signing.
Chelsea target Simons upgrade
Even though Chelsea have already been incredibly busy in the transfer window this summer, the club continue to be linked with potentially game-changing acquisitions, such as Simons.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The RB Leipzig gem enjoyed another stellar campaign in Germany last season, but has made it clear he now wants to leave for a fresh challenge, and alongside teams like Arsenal, the Blues have been one of the teams most liked for a move for him.
Based on reports from earlier this week, it looks like the West Londoners would have to pay as much as £95m for the 22-year-old’s services, and while that isn’t a crazy amount, it now looks like they’re eyeing up another young star, someone who’d be an even better signing.
At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which has confirmed that Chelsea are still very interested in Morgan Rogers.
In fact, the report has revealed that the Pensioners are now preparing an offer for the Aston Villa star that would see them offer Benoît Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo, plus a small fee, to try and secure the Englishman’s services.
It might sound like overkill to offer three players plus money, but that might be what is required, considering other reports from this summer claim the Claret and Blue value their young star at up to £100m.
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but Rogers would certainly be worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Simons.
Why Rogers would be a better signing than Simons
While both players are incredibly talented and look like they’re set for brilliant careers at the very highest level, there are a number of reasons why Rogers would be a better signing for Chelsea than Simons, and the first is due to his experience.
While the Dutchman has played plenty of top-flight football across his career to date, he’s never played in the Premier League, and that is a significant disadvantage, as it would likely take him some time to adapt, whereas the Villa ace could potentially slot right into Maresca’s side with no problem at all.
Moreover, while the Bundesliga is a great competition in its own right, it is only the fourth-toughest league in world football, whereas the Premier League takes the top spot, and quite comfortably so.
In fact, when we compare their output from the one competition they both played in last season, the Champions League, the difference in their effectiveness is really quite stark.
For example, in 12 appearances in Europe’s top competition, totalling 1025 minutes, the Claret and Blue’s game-changing “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob, scored four goals and provided three assists.
Appearances
12
5
Minutes
1025′
337′
Goals
4
0
Assists
3
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
0
Minutes per Goal Involvement
146.42′
N/A
In other words, the England star managed to average a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 146.42 minutes, which is all the more impressive given that it was his first time playing in it.
In contrast, the former PSV Eindhoven gem made five appearances, totalling 337 minutes and failed to score a single goal or provide a single assist.
Morgan Rogers
Ultimately, Chelsea would do well to sign either Simons or Rogers this summer, but given his experience in the Premier League and his proven ability in Europe, the latter would be the better signing.
Their new Hazard: Chelsea set to hold talks to sign £95m "superstar"
Chelsea could be set to hold talks to sign a Dutch superstar
It seems like Everton are putting a real focus on reshaping their attack ahead of a historic season in 2025/26. The Toffees are set to move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and will be looking to build on the momentum they gathered under David Moyes at the back end of last season.
Thierno Barry will be one of their new attacking players in this new era. It has finally been confirmed that the Frenchman is now a new Everton player, following his £27m move from Villarreal. He replaces Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who left the club on a free transfer.
Thierno Barry celebrates scoring for Villarreal.
However, it appears that the 22-year-old will not be the only attacker to switch to the Hill Dickinson Stadium this summer.
Everton targeting new winger
As well as looking to sign a striker, in the form of Barry, Moyes’ side seems set to sign a new winger this summer. It was reported earlier this week that Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo has emerged as a target, and they reportedly have someone else in their sights.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
A recent report from Turkey suggests that the Toffees are ‘following’ the movements of Benfica winger Kerem Akturkoglu, who is wanted by a couple of teams in the Premier League.
Indeed, the winger, who has strong ties to Galatasaray and would ‘not consider’ playing for any other Turkish team, is wanted by Nottingham Forest, the first English top-flight team to contact Benfica, and newly promoted Sunderland.
If Everton are to win the race for Akturkoglu, they will need to spend £38m, which is Benfica’s asking price.
Why Akturkoglu would be a good signing
The 2024/25 campaign, Akturkoglu’s first as a Benfica player, was an incredibly impressive season. He lit up the Portuguese top flight, and it is not hard to see why Everton are looking to sign him this summer.
Benfica's Kerem Akturkoglu in action with FC Barcelona'sFrenkiedeJong
In 53 appearances for the Portuguese giants, Akturkoglu contributed to 16 goals and 13 assists. That included the very impressive tally of 11 goals and 11 assists in the Liga Portugal, and an assist in the final of the Taca de Portugal, helping his side lift the trophy by beating Sporting.
It is easy to see why football scout Antonio Mango described the Turkey international as a “talented” player, having previously hailed him as “unstoppable” back in Istanbul.
Galatasaray forward Kerem Akturkoglu.
Indeed, it is not just at Benfica that the winger, who can play on the left or right-hand side, has performed so well. He played 179 games for Galatasaray, finding the back of the net 46 times and grabbing 42 assists.
He scored twice in the Champions League for the club, with both of those strikes coming against Manchester United, including this stunning effort. It will surely please Everton that Akturkoglu can be so effective against elite English top-flight sides.
For Barry, seeing a player with the creative nous of Akturkoglu walk through the doors at Everton after him must be a thrilling prospect. The new Toffees striker, who was born in Lyon, was on fire for Villarreal last season, with 11 goals and four assists in 37 games.
He certainly left an impression last term, showing good striker’s instinct in the penalty box, as the goal below shows. Everton have certainly missed that, with just two players bagging ten or more goals in 2024/25.
Well, Akturkoglu will certainly bring the creativity to the Toffees side, which can help make Barry unstoppable. The stats on FBref highlight some of those creative talents, with a standout number being his 0.67 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Portugal.
Goals and assists
0.9
95th
Assists
0.4
94th
Expected assists
0.33xA
94th
Key passes
1.84
85th
Shot-creating actions
3.46
74th
Goal-creating actions
0.67
94th
It is stats like those which show Akturkoglu could be the man to help up the goalscoring levels of this Everton side. The 26-year-old could well become Barry’s dream winger, with the way he is able to fashion goalscoring opportunities out of nowhere.
Of course, £38m is a large asking price, but Everton have shown a willingness to invest big money into their attack, and Akturkoglu could be the man to help take that to the next level.
Ndiaye 2.0 for Moyes: £35m star 'would love' to sign for Everton
David Moyes is looking to sign another attacking player this summer at Everton.
Liverpool’s rivals are only going to get stronger after Arne Slot’s dominant debut season in England, guiding his new club toward the Premier League title, and comfortably at that.
But, the Reds have reinforced their defensive flanks with the additions of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, also signing German playmaker Florian Wirtz for a £100m fee, which could rise to a British-record £116m with add-ons.
Florian Wirtz
However, Darwin Nunez has been mooted for a transfer to Napoli after a campaign which left much to be desired, having started only once in the top flight since Boxing Day.
And now, Luis Diaz’s future on Merseyside has been cast into further doubt, despite Liverpool retorting with an emphatic no when Barcelona came calling a month ago.
The latest on Luis Diaz's Liverpool future
Liverpool will be expecting a fresh approach from Barcelona for Diaz, who, aged 28, is entering the next-to-last year of his contract amid concerns over his £55k-per-week contract.
Furthermore, Bayern Munich have been reported by BILD to have agreed personal terms with the versatile forward, and an official bid is expected to follow.
In 2024/25, Diaz enjoyed his most productive season in a Liverpool shirt, scoring 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions.
Jurgen Klopp praised him as an “incredible talent” after his Reds debut in 2022, and Slot’s coaching has raised his game to an even higher level.
Luis Diaz
If Diaz does leave – and it would take a significant figure for FSG to acquiesce to his sale – Liverpool would need to sign a replacement to contest with Cody Gakpo on the left wing. And they appear to have lined up their man.
Liverpool plan hijack for Premier League star
As per The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Liverpool are contemplating a bid for Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, although Arsenal are firm favourites to sign the attacking midfielder.
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
Eze, 27, is of a ‘long-standing interest’ to the Anfield side, and Delaney believes they could act on it if Diaz is sold, as is becoming increasingly likely, should recent developments be anything to go by.
With a £68m release clause in his contract, the Three Lions star certainly wouldn’t come cheap; however, he’s been tracked for a while and might prove the perfect replacement for the noncommittal Diaz.
What Eberechi Eze would bring to Liverpool
Eze isn’t an out-and-out winger; endowed with blistering pace and dynamic physical qualities, he has more often than not been deployed as a mobile number ten, hailed as a “magician” by pundit Micah Richards.
However, with Wirtz already signed and similarly able to shift from wide to central berths with effortless style, Liverpool could score a blinder by reeling the Premier League-proven talent in to contest with the goal-focused Gakpo.
Having scored the winning goal in Palace’s extraordinary FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City in May, Eze certainly has the big-game aura to succeed in Slot’s Liverpool, improving year by year after leaving Queens Park Rangers.
24/25
43 (40)
14
11
23/24
31 (26)
11
6
22/23
40 (30)
10
4
21/22
19 (7)
1
1
20/21
36 (31)
3
6
As per FBref, Eze finished the 2024/25 Premier League campaign ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers for shots taken, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for successful take-ons, and the top 14% for ball recoveries per 90.
How about Diaz? The South American player was more prolific, ranked among the top 4% of positional peers for goals scored per 90, but also the top 18% for shot-creating actions, the top 17% for successful take-ons, and the top 47% for ball recoveries per 90.
Diaz, then, was a tad more reserved in his athletic output. Oh, he has the pace and power and the energy levels, but there’s no denying Eze yields more responsibility in making things happen in the final third, and this could be utilised superbly by Slot at Liverpool.
The vibrant midfielder’s duties as an Eagle have seen him become something greater than his natural ability. He has taken his root qualities and nurtured a growth which has blended all that natural aptitude with a tenacious mentality and a will to see his name scrawled across the headlines.
Described as a “superstar” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the England talent is stepping into his prime, and he proved as such last season. He proved he has the tools to perfectly replace a player such as Diaz. After all, he notched 25 goal contributions across the campaign, as many as his Liverpool counterpart.
But Eze isn’t just a prolific threat, and he’s not all creativity either. Sofascore have recorded that the fleet-footed talent averaged 4.6 ground duels and 1.1 tackles per top-flight fixture, also keeping it crisp with an 82% pass completion rate.
Eze has never demonstrated he can hit the kind of goalscoring numbers Diaz did at Liverpool last year, but then the Colombian has been settled into a fluent and imperious outfit, one of the finest on the continent.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
And is such pedantry truly an accurate representation of the respective forwards? Eze, after all, bagged 14 goals across the recent campaign, finishing only three behind the Reds star.
In any case, both are fantastic players, and if Diaz does leave for Germany or Spain, Liverpool could do a lot worse than signing a Premier League sensation in Eze. Saying that, could the Premier League champions do any better?
Slot's own Zubimendi: Liverpool submit bid to sign "incredible" £35m star
Liverpool could sign a new centre-midfielder this summer.
Wrexham are reportedly interested in completing the signing of a “brilliant” England international defender this summer, as they eye some massive pieces of business.
Wrexham linked with some huge signings
Phil Parkinson’s side are preparing for life in the Championship next season, following a third promotion in a row that saw them get out of League One automatically, in an incredible achievement by the club.
Financially, Wrexham appear to be in a healthy position, which is why they are being linked with some exciting players, with a shock move for Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy mooted. While that may not happen, it is a sign of the ambition of co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
A new striker appears to be high up on their list of summer options, with former Liverpool ace Danny Ings and Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt also both mentioned as choices. Speaking of the Reds, young left-back Owen Beck is believed to be a target, too, with Milos Kerkez’s arrival at Anfield possibly paving the way for him to leave Merseyside.
Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan’s future at Hillsborough is up in the air currently, especially with the club failing to pay players’ wages on time, and the Scot has been mentioned as an eye-catching target for Wrexham who could add so much quality in the middle of the park, even during the autumn of his career.
Wrexham eyeing move for £80k-p/w Premier League defender
Now, according to a fresh claim from Sports Boom, Wrexham want to sign Everton centre-back Michael Keane this summer, with the England international out of contract at the end of this month.
The Welsh outfit are “hoping to entice the experienced centre-back to join their ambitious push for promotion”, although the fact that he may want to remain in the Premier League acts as a potential stumbling block. It is added that Keane ‘could be tempted by a move to Wrexham given the club’s ambition to win promotion straight into the Premier League’.
Everton defender Michael Keane
The £80,000-a-week Keane would be an audacious addition for Wrexham, in a signing that many supporters could only dream of a few years ago.
Granted, he is now 32 years of age and arguably not quite at his peak, but he is a hugely experienced footballer who has now racked up 253 appearances in the Premier League, not to mention winning 12 caps for England.
Keane has been described as “absolutely brilliant” by presenter Jeff Stelling, while David Moyes heaped praise on him last season, saying:
“Michael Keane, who has had some difficult times, played so well today and was immense for the goal off the corner. He’s a great boy and showed his professionalism as we’ve had injuries to (Jake) O’Brien and (James) Tarkowski and we looked different at the back.”
Everton
230
16
10
Burnley
108
7
5
Leicester City
27
3
0
Blackburn Rovers
13
3
0
Derby County
8
0
0
Manchester United
5
0
0
There are few negatives to Wrexham signing Keane, and while it will be hard to pull off, getting a deal over the line would feel like a major statement of intent.
With Andrea Berta now Arsenal’s transfer chief, replacing Edu a few months ago, there is a different feel to the club’s transfer strategy this summer.
In fact, it’s quite a clever one really. Berta isn’t putting all of his eggs in one basket. Instead, he’s advancing a number of deals before concluding which would be the best one to proceed with.
If you believe reports, then the Gunners have held negotiations over deals for both RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s goal machine, Viktor Gyokeres.
The latest on that is the Swede is now ‘dreaming’ of a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer.
Alas, signing a striker isn’t Arsenal’s only priority over the transfer window. They also need a winger.
Arsenal's pursuit of a new winger this summer
This is a busy old time for Berta and if he can remodel Arsenal’s attack successfully, he will become a quick fan favourite in north London.
On the agenda on the flanks is Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, with Arsenal having reportedly held talks to bring the Brazilian to the Emirates.
If a move cannot be done there, they may well turn their attention to Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams again. The Spaniard, who scored in the Euro 2024 final last summer, caught the eye of the Gunners during that tournament but despite the winger’s release clause, did not look at doing a deal.
A year on, they could revisit their interest. That’s according to reports in Spain who claim that while Williams is hoping to stay in Iberia, where Barcelona are very much interested, Bayern Munich and Arsenal are also looking at the 22-year-old.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal
Williams ‘likes’ the idea of moving to Barca but Bayern and the Gunners are now ‘willing to meet’ his bargain £53m release clause. They are also willing to lodge a high salary offer in a bid to tempt him away from the clutches of the Camp Nou.
Why Williams could be Arsenal's answer to Florian Wirtz
In the opening ten days of the summer transfer window before it shut again due to the Club World Cup, it was all very much about Florian Wirtz.
Why the summer transfer window will close for six days and re-open again
Premier League clubs have recently voted for the transfer window to open early this summer – here’s how it will work and why it’s happening.
ByStephan Georgiou Mar 27, 2025
Liverpool have pulled no punches in their bid to capitalise on a title-winning season and they have done so by breaking a British transfer record.
Wirtz will arrive from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £116.5m. In the words of former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes, he’s “probably the best midfielder in the world,” but that doesn’t mean he can’t shine in other areas.
Florian Wirtz
The German is predominantly a no.10, cut from the same cloth as a Mesut Ozil or Kevin De Bruyne, but he’s also very much capable of featuring from the flanks.
Aged just 22, coincidentally the same age as Williams, the Spaniard could be the Wirtz-like signing that Arsenal really need to kick on themselves.
If there was one area of weakness at Anfield this season, it was the no.10 role. Dominik Szoboszlai is certainly no mug, but his goalscoring ability has been questioned, notably finding the net just six times in the Premier League throughout 2024/25. Well, Arne Slot has already solved that problem; Wirtz bagged ten Bundesliga goals and beat the goalkeeper on 16 occasions in all competitions.
So, Arsenal now need to address their own weakness, and it’s on Williams’ left-hand side.
Bukayo Saka is always going to guarantee you output on the right and whatever you say about Mikel Arteta’s lack of a striker, Kai Havertz was on for a 20-goal season before his injury and Mikel Merino scored six in 12 outings as a centre-forward.
It’s the left flank where the biggest imbalance in quality has arguably been seen. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard scored eight goals apiece in the league this season.
Their biggest issue is consistency and to be fair, you may well argue that with Williams, too. The Spain international bagged 11 in all competitions with only five coming in LaLiga. Judging by that, you may well question where the upgrade is coming from.
Spain star Nico Williams
The numbers below suggest Williams would certainly be a significant upgrade in some areas. He’s a better and more regular dribbler, while the sheer number of shot-creating actions suggests he could be an enormous threat in the Premier League.
Goals
0.23
0.28
0.31
Assists
0.23
0.25
0.16
Key passes
1.80
1.45
1.57
Progressive passes
3.11
3.57
2.05
Shot-creating actions
5.05
3.29
2.91
Goal-creating actions
0.59
0.28
0.28
Attempted take-ons
8.42
3.04
4.29
Successful take-ons
3.06
1.34
1.30
Progressive carries
5.32
2.83
4.88
Additionally, as he was described by Bilbao’s official channels, Williams is “one of the best wingers in the world”. He famously showcased that for Spain at Euro 2024, thriving in a much better team. He registered two goals and one assist in his six European Championship matches, while during the recent Nations League campaign, the young winger scored two goals in four games, also registering a solitary assist.
This is a player whose output could soar to new heights in a team like Arsenal. He’s already an “electric” talent in the words of content creator, Statman Dave, and given Arteta’s track record of improving young talent, Williams would surely thrive at Arsenal.
Like Wirtz at Anfield, the young Spaniard could solve one of the Gunners’ biggest problems in attack.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
With Jobe Bellingham set to join Borussia Dortmund, Sunderland have instantly reportedly turned their attention towards the transfer market and an impressive Ligue 1 forward.
Borussia Dortmund set to sign Jobe Bellingham
Despite earning promotion to the Premier League, Sunderland have lost Bellingham to Dortmund this summer. The midfielder will follow in his older brother’s footsteps by swapping English football for the chance to play for the Bundesliga giants. It’s a path that led Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid and one that his younger sibling will hope to take with similar success.
As for Sunderland, whilst they’ll be frustrated to lose such a talented young player ahead of their Premier League return, they’ll at least have money to spend following his departure.
Bidding farewell to the 19-year-old in a deal which could eventually rise to as much as €40m (£34m), the Black Cats could instantly put that transfer fee to good use and set Regis Le Bris’ side up for first-time survival next season.
On that front, the rumours as to who could arrive have already been circling. Recent reports have mentioned names such as Tommy Doyle, who could replace Bellingham, and former Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga.
Millwall'sJaphetTangangain action with Portsmouth's Isaac Hayden
The latter would be a particularly impressive arrival. Following his Championship revival at Millwall, Tanganga is ready to step back into the Premier League and could yet do so courtesy of the Black Cats. It’s there that he could be joined by a talented Ligue 1 forward too.
Sunderland in direct contact to sign Matthis Abline
According to Sky Sports’ Sacha Tavolieri, Sunderland are now in direct contact to sign Matthis Abline after they ‘sounded out his entourage’, rivalling Marseille for the Nantes forward this summer in a deal worth €20m (£17m).
The Ligue 1 forward enjoyed an impressive campaign in France, scoring 11 goals in all competitions in a Nantes side that only escaped a place in the relegation play-off place by three points. Now, after a standout season for his side, the Abline could yet be on his way to the Premier League.
Minutes
2,768
3,174
Goals
9
13
Assists
2
2
Expected Goals
8.5
15.2
Of course, Abline wouldn’t be the first French striker to arrive at the Stadium of Light. It wasn’t so long ago that Wilson Isidor was arriving and he has thrived ever since – scoring 13 Championship goals last season.
Sunderland now plotting 8-figure move for hugely in-demand Asian talent
He could become a star at the Stadium of Light.
ByHenry Jackson Jun 9, 2025
The Nantes forward, once dubbed a “top talent”, could be even better than the Sunderland star, however. After outperforming his expected goals last season, whilst Isidor underperformed significantly, Abline has the potential to only increase his numbers with better chance creation around him. And at 22 years old, he may just be getting started.
Everton are believed to be willing to pay £16.8m to complete the signing of a midfielder who possesses “enormous qualities” this summer.
Everton pushing to sign £30m Liam Delap
The Blues have been linked with various potential new signings of late, but Liam Delap is a name who has stood out as a particularly exciting option, as they look to bolster their attack ahead of next season.
It has been claimed that David Moyes has even held face-to-face talks with the Ipswich Town striker, who looks almost certain to leave Portman Road in the summer transfer window, following relegation from the Premier League to the Championship.
Delap has enjoyed a hugely impressive season, despite the demise of his own team, scoring 12 goals in 32 starts in the league, which is three more than any Everton player managed in the competition, with Iliman Ndiaye leading the way with nine strikes.
The 22-year-old stands out as a brilliant option for the Blues with a £30m release clause, considering he is a young striker who should only mature as the years pass, and he should be looked at as the leading choice to come in and lead the line at the club’s new Bramley Moore Dock stadium this summer.
Everton also ready to pay £16.8m for new midfielder
According to a new update from Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Everton are ready to pay £16.8m to sign Lille midfielder Ngal’ayel Mukau this summer, having sent scouts to watch him in action in recent weeks.
He is actually valued at £12.6m by the Ligue 1 club, but the Blues are willing to bid higher to get their man, seeing him as another strong option alongside Delap.
Mukau may not be as well-known to Everton fans as Delap, due to him not playing in the Premier League, but he is an exciting young player in his own right.
The 20-year-old has scored twice in six Champions League starts this season, as well as averaging 1.5 tackles per game across 22 matches in Ligue 1 in 2024/25. Meanwhile, Lille head coach Bruno Genesio hasn’t held back in his praise of him, saying:
Everton keen on stunning signing of "special" Liverpool ace in shock move
This piece of business would create shockwaves.
ByHenry Jackson May 24, 2025
“He’s an aggressive player, with a big volume of play, capable of recovering balls from the opponent’s feet. He’s also a forward-thinking player, who can get forward from the first touch and find verticality.”
Lille president Olivier Letang has also described him as a “very likeable lad” with “enormous qualities”, adding that “he burst onto the scene” and “we know his potential and his state of mind.”
Everton could do with fresh blood in the middle of the park, considering Abdoulaye Doucoure is leaving and Idrissa Gueye is now well into his 30s, and Mukau could be a great choice to add into Moyes’ squad.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s future is still up in the air, but that won’t prevent Everton from signing a new striker this summer.
After an impressive start to life at the helm, David Moyes is looking for ways to take the Toffees to the next level. It’s like he never left.
Backed by The Friedkin Group, Moyes means business. However, his efforts to sign Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap appear to have been thwarted, the English striker opting to sign for Chelsea.
He’s not the only talented forward on the market, though, and Everton may yet secure a thrilling addition.
Everton could sign Delap alternative
As reported earlier this week by German outlet BILD, Everton are among the clubs to have registered their interest in Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade this month, though the DFB-Pokal champions are hoping to tie the 23-year-old down to a new deal.
Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are among the other contenders, so it won’t be easy for The Toffees, but Moyes will hope to convince the German that he would be making a prudent move by joining the ranks at Bramley Moore.
Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade
Stuttgart have placed a loose valuation on their towering talisman, but they could be seeking as much as €50m (£42m), should the competition remain thick over the coming weeks.
Why Everton should sign Nick Woltemade
With Delap a no-go, Everton would strike gold in signing Woltemade, with his distinctive, rounded style of play leading data-driven site FBref to record Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak as one of his most comparable players, among those in his postition across Europe’s top five leagues.
Everton manager DavidMoyesbefore the match
Woltemade scored 17 goals across 33 matches in all competitions this season, including every round of Stuttgart’s triumphant DFB-Pokal campaign, and has been hailed for his “sensational” finishing ability by reporter Bruno Alemany.
That 17-goal return surpasses Delap’s, the Ipswich man bagging 12 from 37 matches in the Premier League, but it’s his complete skill set which suggests Moyes should do everything he can to complete a deal.
Harking back to FBref, Woltemade is recorded to have ranked among the top 3% of centre-forwards across Europe’s top-five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for passes attempted, the top 13% for progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.
He’s the full package, all 6 foot 6 of him. It’s definitely a peculiar profile, with Woltemade a clinical finisher, progressive passer and creative outlet, with neat footwork and clever movements.
This does bear a similarity to Isak, who has been hailed as “the complete striker” by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer.
Matches (starts)
34 (34)
28 (17)
Goals
23
12
Assists
6
2
Shots (on target)*
2.9 (1.4)
1.8 (0.9)
Big chances missed
18
11
Accurate passes*
14.9 (77%)
12.3 (72%)
Big chances created
11
8
Key passes*
1.1
1.3
Dribbles*
1.2
1.1
Duels won*
2.8
4.4
The Sweden striker scored 27 goals from 42 appearances this season, but he also dazzled with his silky running and nimble shimmies from left to right, left to right.
He’s of course operating at a higher level than Woltemade, but the template is there and Everton could offer the grounded pathway to achieve his goals.
VfB Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade in action with Bayern Munich's JoaoPalhinhaand Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae
The problem, as ever, is that Woltemade is a talented striker with a good track record, and thus bagging him will be no easy feat. But if Everton can sign such a unique profile, physical and imposing and technical and dynamic, it could revolutionise the club’s frontline.
With similarities to Newcastle’s Isak, throwing the kitchen sink at a deal is surely a no-brainer.
Moyes' own Richarlison: Everton to make huge offer for "sensational" CF
Everton could be about to land a star who could follow in Richarlison’s footsteps on Merseyside.
Already thinking about summer reinforcements, the 49ers are now reportedly plotting a fresh Rangers move to sign a relegated Premier League defender at a bargain price.
With the Scottish Premiership season coming to an end, Rangers’ search for a new manager is only likely to heat up. It’s one that the 49ers desperately need to get right after showing plenty of patience in their decision ahead of an all-important summer transfer window.
Just who arrives with that said is the big question. So far, the biggest names mentioned have been Steven Gerrard and Rafael Benitez., whilst Davide Ancelotti – the son of Carlo Ancelotti – has also threatened to steal the headlines as of late.
While he would have been an exciting appointment however, the young coach has decided he will not step into senior management just yet and will instead continue as his father’s assistant when the latter takes up his post as the Brazil national team boss.
Davide Ancelotti set to follow Carlo to Brazil in huge blow for Rangers
The young coach will not make the move to Ibrox this summer.
ByHenry Jackson May 16, 2025
Meanwhile, if those at Ibrox are looking for the manager who’s most eager for the job then interim boss Barry Ferguson may find himself at the front of the queue this summer. He told reporters when quizzed on whether he’s keen to take the job a few weeks ago: “Everybody’s got an opinion, I don’t care about people’s opinion, I know I can do the job.
“I know I’ve got a real good staff behind me. I’ve been asked this question two or three weeks in a row, I think it’s clear, it doesn’t scare me one single bit. I know there’s a hell of a lot of work to be done, everybody knows that. And that’s a challenge that I would meet head on. And I know I would change it.”
As candidates continue to battle it out for the 49ers’ attention, it’s only set to get busier at Ibrox, with the summer transfer window now fast approaching. On that front, it could also be a big few months for the Gers as they attempt to bridge the gap on Scottish champions and Old Firm rivals Celtic.
Rangers plotting Burgess move
According to Rangers Review, the 49ers are now plotting a bargain Rangers move to sign Cameron Burgess from Ipswich Town this summer. The Premier League defender is set to become a free agent at the end of his contract at Portman Road next month, allowing those at Ibrox to come swooping in to land a free deal.
Whilst the current campaign ended in disaster for Burgess and his teammates, with relegation confirmed for Kieran McKenna’s side, the defender looks set to receive a fresh start, no matter what in the coming months.
Ipswich boss McKenna has been full of praise for Burgess since his debut for the club, with his comments back then shedding light on the type of personality the Ibrox faithful would be getting: “I spoke on Tuesday night about Cam Burgess; how he’s conducted himself and applied himself over the last couple of months that I’ve been here. He’s been excellent so I’m happy for him that he’s going to get his opportunity to play on Saturday and then obviously in some more games going forward.”
With a decision to make, the Ipswich defender could now be on his way to the Scottish Premiership and Rangers when his current deal comes to an end at Portman Road.