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AC Milan captain Mike Maignan is still yet to sign a contract extension at the San Siro, giving Chelsea or Man United a chance to sign him for free in 2026.

The France number one is classed as one of the world’s best shot-stoppers, and his availability on a free transfer next year is putting Premier League clubs on red alert.

Chelsea have long been after Maignan and attempted to agree a cut-price deal in the summer window.

Enzo Maresca also personally asked Chelsea’s hierarchy to sign a world-class new goalkeeper to replace Robert Sanchez (Graeme Bailey), with the Blues previously sensing an opportunity to go for Maignan to grant their manager’s wish.

Mike Maignan’s career at AC Milan

Stats

Appearances

168

Bookings

8

Red Cards

1

Goals conceded

172

Clean sheets

63

Minutes played

14,963

via Transfermarkt

However, a major difference in pricing saw Milan refuse to sanction his move to Stamford Bridge, despite the 30-year-old’s eagerness to join them. Chelsea wanted him before their Club World Cup campaign, but snubbed the Rossoneri’s attempts to demand an extortionate fee because of that.

A deal for Maignan ultimately wasn’t revisited before deadline day on September 1, with Max Allegri since captaining the shot-stopper as Milan potentially give him something to think about.

They’re just three points behind Serie A leaders and Italian champions Napoli after three consecutive wins, and if Milan continue in this fashion, who knows, Maignan could be tempted to pen an extension.

In the meantime, though, he is set to leave for free at the end of the season, and reports suggest that Chelsea are ready to offer Maignan a pre-contract in January to end their reliance on Sanchez, who was sent off against Man United last weekend.

Mike Maignan decides whether he wants to join Chelsea or Man United

Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils are also after a reliable keeper, but according to journalist Graeme Bailey, Maignan wants to join Chelsea next year as things stand.

This comes as an almighty boost for the west Londoners, as Maignan is an arguably unmissable opportunity.

Why Chelsea need to sign Mike Maignan

All Premier League title-winning sides have one thing in common — the presence of a truly commanding star between the sticks.

Chelsea acknowledge that Sanchez has displayed improvements lately, but the jury is out on whether he can still be Maresca’s main point of call if they’re truly serious about ending their long wait for a top flight crown.

Maignan, available at zero cost, is set to become Europe’s most available, high-pedigree keeper next year, with the former Lille favourite possessing years of top-level experience and proven ability.

He’s also highly-rated by his peers, like Liverpool’s Alisson, who recently explained why Maignan is one of the best in the world.

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O Botafogo vai precisar ir ao mercado para contratar um novo treinador. Luís Castro aceitou a proposta do Al-Nassr (SAU), time de Cristiano Ronaldo, para comandar o clube saudita. Agora, resta saber se Textor continuará apostando em um português como técnico do Glorioso.

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BRUNO LAGE

O treinador de 47 anos está sem clube desde que deixou o Wolverhampton (ING), na última temporada. Na sua carreira, passou por clubes como Benfica (POR), além de Swansea City (ING) e Sheffield Wednesday (ING). A sua principal campanha foi nos Encarnados, onde conquistou o Campeonato Português de 2018-19.

JORGE JESUS

Ex-técnico do Flamengo, o ‘Mister’ tem 68 anos e está livre no mercado desde que deixou o Fenerbahce (TUR). A sua carreira foi praticamente toda no futebol português, dirigindo clubes como Benfica, Sporting e Braga. Passou também no Al Hilal (SAU). No futebol brasileiro, foi campeão da Libertadores, Brasileiro, Carioca e da Recopa com o Flamengo.

PAULO BENTO

O treinador de 54 anos passou pelo Sporting (POR). Depois comandou a própria seleção portuguesa entre as temporadas de 2010 a 2014, comandando Portugal na Eurocopa de 2012. Depois, chegou ao Brasil para dirigir o Cruzeiro, mas não teve muito sucesso. Sua última experiência foi no comando da seleção da Coréia do Sul, quando disputou a Copa do Mundo de 2022.

CARLOS CARVALHAL

Sem clube, o técnico de 57 anos tem experiência em diversos países. Em Portugal, passou por Benfica, Sporting, Rio Ave e Braga. Também tem experiência na Inglaterra, em clubes como Sheffield Wednesday e Swansea.

It is fair to say that it has been an exciting summer for Sunderland since they beat Sheffield United at Wembley to earn promotion to the Premier League.

The Black Cats have not messed about in the summer transfer window, as they have splashed the cash to improve the options at Regis Le Bris’ disposal.

Possibly the most notable addition of the window so far has been the signing of experienced midfielder Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £13m.

The Switzerland international has played over 200 games in the Premier League, over 100 matches in the Bundesliga, and over 30 times in the Champions League, per Transfermarkt, and the Black Cats are now on the verge of landing a similarly high-profile signing.

Sunderland set to sign Paris Saint-Germain defender

According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Sunderland have reached an agreement to bring Paris Saint-Germain defender Nordi Mukiele to the Stadium of Light.

Transfer Focus

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

The journalist claims that the 27-year-old is now closing in on a move to Wearside with ‘immediate effect’, and notes that he could be reunited with Xhaka after playing alongside him last season.

Fabrizio Romano adds that Mukiele has already said ‘yes’ to a move to Sunderland, which suggests that there may not be many problems with personal terms.

If the Black Cats can get this deal over the line in the coming hours, the club could have an exciting repeat of their Xhaka masterclass on their hands.

Why Mukiele is a Xhaka repeat for Sunderland

The new Sunderland captain arrived to much fanfare as a vastly experienced and well-known name in European football, particularly in England, and Mukiele would be a similar signing.

Although he does not have the same reputation in England, the France international is a well-known name to anyone who has kept up with European football in the past five years or so, as he has starred for RB Leipzig, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayer Leverkusen.

Bundesliga

115

19

Ligue 1

85

4

Champions League

35

5

Ligue 2

34

4

Europa League

7

0

As you can see in the table above, Mukiele has plenty of experience at the top level, with 200 appearances in two of the top five leagues in Europe in his career to date.

Sky Sports contributor Dougie Critchley describes the versatile star, who can play at right-back or centre-back, as a “dominant” defender and a “Champions League level player”, like Xhaka.

These comments and his statistics throughout his career show that Sunderland are on the verge of signing a vastly experienced player who has proven himself on some of the biggest stages in Europe, as was the case when they signed Xhaka from Leverkusen.

Mukiele played 15 times in the Bundesliga for Leverkusen in the 2024/25 campaign and showcased his dominant defensive work by winning 67% of his ground duels and making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game, as per Sofascore.

This suggests that he will be an aggressive, strong, and experienced option for Le Bris to call upon at right-back or centre-back in the Premier League, given his performances in the German top-flight last term.

His experience at the top level and recent displays in the Bundesliga suggest that he will not be phased by what the Premier League will throw at him week-in-week-out, in the same way that the incredibly experienced Xhaka will be a dependable figure in midfield.

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Therefore, this could be another exciting and impressive piece of recruitment work done by the Black Cats in their attempt to build a team that will not look out of their depth in the top-flight.

Manchester United finished 15th in the Premier League last season and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur.

But then INEOS and Ruben Amorim know this, and are acting with the merciless intent of leaders looking to turn a ship around.

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have both been plucked from Premier League rivals, reshaping Amorim’s frontline. And now, Benjamin Sesko has completed the set, signing from RB Leipzig for a £74m fee.

He’s one of the most promising young strikers in the game, but might United still plan to complete further business this month as they target a much-needed resurgence?

Man Utd aren't finished yet

Having added Sesko to their frontline, Man United have now crossed the £200m threshold this summer, but there’s more still to come.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba is right at the top of Amorim’s shortlist as he looks for a new centre-midfielder, though he would likely cost in excess of £100m.

And according to TEAMtalk, INEOS could also push forward with a deal for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who could leave the quadruple-winning side this summer.

Donnarumma, 26, is felt to be a more likely signing at this stage than Baleba, with StrettyNews also claiming that talks with the player’s agent are planned to be held this week.

PSG are willing to let the shot-stopper be sold for €30m (£26m) this month, and given the struggles of Andre Onana at Old Trafford last season, it might not be a half-bad idea to push ahead and get this one done.

Why Man Utd want Gianluigi Donnarumma

Under Luis Enrique, PSG dominated European football last season, winning their first Champions League title. Donnarumma played a significant role, with his manager even lauding him as a “titan in goal”.

The Italy international, who has entered the final year of his £212k-per-week contract in Paris, might be an incredible addition to a United team in transition, replacing Onana after the Cameroonian was labelled “useless” by former pro Paul Parker after his error-strewn performances.

It’s for this reason that getting a deal for Donnarumma done might be even more important than signing Sesko was. Though the Slovenia international marks an upgrade on the beleaguered Rasmus Hojlund, who is for sale and linked with a move to AC Milan, the additions of goalscoring wide forwards such as Cunha and Mbeumo add much to Amorim’s attacking line.

And Sesko has much still to learn at number nine. Talented he may be, but the 22-year-old has yet to produce truly clinical results, and the Man United shirt has weighed heavy on many a promising up-and-comer over the past decade.

Benjamin Sesko – German Bundesliga Career
Stats (* per game)	23/24	24/25
Matches (starts)	31 (17)	33 (30)
Goals	14	13
Assists	2	5
Touches*	19.1	30.7
Shots (on target)*	1.5 (0.8)	2.1 (0.9)
Big chances missed	8	10
Pass completion	67%	68%
Big chances created	1	5
Key passes*	0.4	0.6
Dribbles*	0.5	1.2
Duels won*	2.5	4.1
Data via Sofascore

Donnarumma, meanwhile, is already considered to be “beyond world-class”, as is the view of football commentator Matteo Bonetti, having only conceded 156 goals across 161 matches for the Parisians, keeping 56 clean sheets.

The addition of Sesko may yet prove to be a stunning signing for Man United, but the young striker may well take a bit of time to click into gear and rival the Premier League’s finest forwards.

However, given the nature of Onana’s woes between the sticks last season, and Donnarumma’s undeniable quality as one of the world’s finest shot-stoppers, there’s little question that he could be the defining acquisition of a promising summer transfer window.

Ideal Hojlund replacement: "Monster" CF wants to join Man Utd after Sesko

Manchester United could find a dream replacement for Rasmus Hojlund by signing this striker.

1

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Aug 11, 2025

His comments come at a time when there are still doubts over his availability for IPL 2025

Sruthi Ravindranath27-Oct-20249:15

Will CSK retain Dhoni as uncapped player? What about Jadeja and Dube?

MS Dhoni has said he wants to enjoy “whatever last few years of cricket” he can play. While there are still doubts over his availability for IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan said last week he was hopeful that Dhoni will be part of the upcoming season.”I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I’m able to play,” Dhoni said at a promotional event in Goa. “Like how during our childhood we used to go out and play at 4[pm], just enjoying the game. But when you play professional sport it becomes difficult to enjoy the game just like a game. So what I want to do is, there are emotions and commitments, but I want to enjoy the game for the next few years.”October 31 is the deadline by which the ten franchises have to submit their list of retained players to the IPL ahead of the mega auction, and this year Dhoni is eligible to be retained by CSK as an uncapped player. That was made possible after the IPL brought back a rule that had been scrapped in 2021, according to which a player can be considered as uncapped if they have been retired from international cricket for five years.Related

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Dhoni had batted lower down the order throughout IPL 2024, coming out to face only a handful of deliveries. While workload management owing to his knee surgery was one of the reasons for the move, Dhoni also revealed that it was to give game-time to India players who were then in the fray for the T20 World Cup.”My thinking was simple, if others are doing their job well why do I need to come up the order,” Dhoni said. “If you’re talking about last year (season) specifically, the T20 World Cup squad was going to be announced soon. So we have to give people who are fighting for a spot a chance. In our team (CSK) we had a few, [Ravindra] Jadeja was there, Shivam Dube was there so you give them an opportunity to prove themselves to get into the Indian team. There was nothing in it for me, no selection and other things. So I’m good behind [playing down the order] and my team was happy with what I was doing.”Dhoni: ‘Love how teams are playing Tests now’Dhoni admitted he’s a fan of Bazball. He said he “loves” how Test cricket has become more result-oriented when asked if he was a fan of this high-risk, no-fear brand of cricket.”You can give cricket any term that you want to, what we have seen is cricket has evolved,” Dhoni said. “The way people are playing cricket is very different. There was a time when in ODIs something was considered a safe score, now that score is not safe in T20s too.Will Dhoni return for another season?•AFP/Getty Images

“You give something a term, it becomes much more interesting because you start talking about it, you start relating to it but at the end of the day what is it? It’s a way to play cricket. Some people want to play aggressive cricket, some people want to play authentic cricket. A lot of that depends on the kind of team you have got – whether they can change the way they play that cricket. What is important is to realise the strength of your team and according to the strength of the team you decide which is the way you want to play cricket but it takes time. It doesn’t happen that overnight you say, ‘let’s start playing like this tomorrow’. You need to give time to individuals because they have played maybe 10-12-15 years of cricket and they have a certain way of playing cricket, so you need to give them that time to change.”Dhoni said there were a few “difficult” days back when he was playing Tests especially when he knew the match was heading towards a draw.”For me, the most difficult time during a Test match was the fifth day of a match which is the last day when you knew that 100% it is going to be a draw,” he said. “I would still need to keep for nearly 2.5 sessions and that was the most tiring part. You see there is no result happening, you are just going through the motions. Yes, bowlers would like to take wickets, batters will try to score runs, [but] there is no result in the game. You think let’s finish this and go, why do I have to be here. So I love the fact there’s change in the way teams are playing Test cricket.”Imagine telling someone who doesn’t know much cricket we play over five days and we start at 9.30 and 4.30 is the scheduled end of play, we play till 5[pm] sometimes, and after five days we don’t get a result. That’s not nice for the game. So I love how there’s more results in today’s world. Even if we are playing only four days of cricket and one day gets washed out, still you get a result – that’s the beauty of Test cricket and that’s how it should stay – you want to get a result after five days and you shouldn’t have a draw.”

Things could have been very different for Tottenham Hotspur right now, had they failed to beat Manchester United in last season’s Europa League final.

But they did, and now, new manager Thomas Frank is piecing together a new Spurs side capable of challenging at the top end of the Premier League and hunting down more silverware.

Frank has already been handed a wily new forward in Mohammed Kudus, with the fleet-footed winger signing from West Ham United for £55m.

The ambition hasn’t stopped there. Tottenham offered a release clause-triggering £60m for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White but have been accused by the Tricky Trees as having made an illegal approach.

Hope remains that a deal will cross the line in the coming weeks, but Frank and Daniel Levy are hoping to complete a few more transfers before the end of summer.

Why Spurs want Morgan Gibbs-White

Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest enjoyed a standout season in 2024/25, qualifying for Europe after spending the previous years battling against the relegation zone.

Across 34 top-flight matches, the 25-year-old scored seven goals and supplied ten assists, but it’s his tenacity and influence, on the ball and without it, that have made him such a coveted name.

Hailed as a “leader” who is “always looking to progress the team” by pundit Glenn Murray, Gibbs-White has what it takes to add a layer to Tottenham’s team that was lacking for large patches last year.

It’s not as if he’s just a pass-focused player, either. The England international averaged 1.3 tackles and 4.5 successful duels per league game, as per Sofascore.

With Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur both potentially leaving this summer, as The Athletic have suggested, Frank may well be searching for yet another centre-midfielder to partner Gibbs-White.

Spurs line up new midfielder

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are interested in signing Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz this summer, with the Brazilian having informed the Old Lady he wishes to return to the Premier League and is keen on a move to Spurs.

West Ham are the side pushing to complete a deal, however, while Forest and Fulham have both been credited with recent enquiries of their own. The competition is fierce.

Luiz, 27, joined Juventus from Aston Villa in a £42m deal one year ago, but he is available for a smaller £34m fee.

What Douglas Luiz would bring to Spurs

It’s been a year to forget for Luiz, who only started three Serie A matches across the entire 2024/25 campaign. However, given that he was previously described as “one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, Spurs could do a lot worse.

Looking at Luiz’s struggles on the Italian scene, it’s clear that he has flattered to deceive. But context is important: Luiz failed to settle in Turin, and his campaign was further impeded by injuries.

Looking at the level he was performing at the year before, with Aston Villa in the Premier League, you can see why Tottenham are interested in completing a deal.

Douglas Luiz – Past Two League Seasons

Stats (* per game)

Prem 23/24

Serie A 24/25

Matches (starts)

35 (35)

19 (3)

Goals

9

0

Assists

5

0

Touches*

70.1

27.3

Pass completion

89%

90%

Big chances created

10

3

Key passes*

1.5

0.8

Dribbles*

0.7

0.6

Ball recoveries*

5.5

1.6

Tackles*

1.7

0.9

Duels (won)*

4.2 (51%)

1.9 (55%)

Data via Sofascore

One thing that’s interesting across both of Luiz’s recent campaigns is that he maintains an impressive crispness on the ball, not dribbling forward unceasingly but picking his moments. This bespeaks his tactical intelligence. Former teammate John McGinn even claimed once that he is a “world-class” player.

A dynamic and well-rounded midfielder, Luiz could be the perfect partner for Gibbs-White in the middle of the park, with the Forest man operating further ahead, maximising his creative qualities while the Brazilian dictates from deep.

Gibbs-White ranked last season in the Premier League among the top 12% of positional peers for goal-creating actions and the top 9% for through balls per 90, as per FBref, so while he has an impressive completeness and bite about him, Frank will no doubt look to maximise this shining part of his skill set.

Luiz could certainly help in this regard, not only adding some tough-tackling quality to the fold but some flair and uniqueness too.

Even though the 27-year-old played a nominal part in Juventus’ season, he still finished the campaign ranked among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for passes attempted and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90.

This goes to show that the players, contrasting but in concert with their emphasis on collecting the ball and enhancing their side’s fluency, could prove a deadly duo indeed, supplying the forwards and working hard to protect the defenders behind them.

Frank’s set-up can be defined by its transitional focus. He said that “adaptability is really important to him”, and in these two midfielders, the Danish tactician would find that he has contrasting parts who could both be fielded alongside each other or indeed act as the foil for the other, stepping in when called upon.

Such a breadth of options is something that Postecoglou lacked last year, and that’s in part down to injuries, but there’s no question that Luiz and Gibbs-White would enhance a Spurs side that is starting to show signs that it can take the next steps toward something special.

If Levy manages to pull off both these exciting midfield signings, it could be exactly what Frank’s system needs to kick on and challenge at the front end of the Premier League next term while pushing to succeed in the Champions League and maybe even win a bit more silverware too.

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Manchester United’s devoted fanbase anticipates further arrivals this summer after Matheus Cunha joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £62.5m deal over a month ago.

Such anticipation is wearing thin, though, with it also being over a month since Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo intimated his desire to join Ruben Amorim’s squad this summer. Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, demonstrating strong interest, were rejected in favour of Old Trafford.

But that one’s still dragging on, albeit with progress expected in the coming days. Of equal concern, though, is the fact that a group of players, omitted from Amorim’s training sessions, all remain on the books, having yet to find new clubs; these are: Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia.

After such an abject 2024/25 campaign, the Premier League giants are looking to return to the fore, but in order to achieve this, they will need to make several more impactful moves to ensure last year’s 15th-place finish fades away.

Man United's transfer plans

While the club’s outgoings indeed form a significant part of Amorim’s summer business, technical director Jason Wilcox will need to add some depth and, more importantly, quality to the ranks.

Bruno Fernandes’ decision to reject the riches of the Saudi Pro League in favour of continuing his talismanic journey at the Theatre of Dreams is such a galvanising factor going forward, but he needs a striker to channel his creativity and more mettle beside him.

With Viktor Gyokeres on the cusp of signing for Arsenal, Amorim will need to look elsewhere if he wants a number nine to replace Rasmus Hojlund.

Well, according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is one to keep an eye on there, with recent contacts having been established.

Central midfield has also been a point of concern for INEOS, especially now that Christian Eriksen has departed at the end of his contract.

Names such as Wilfred Ndidi and Juventus’ Douglas Luiz have been bandied about, but there’s another who might be the perfect man to join the likes of Fernandes in the centre and complete United’s engine room.

Man Utd open talks for new midfielder

As per Caught Offside, Man United have been locked in talks with Bayern Munich for the potential transfer of their tough-tackling midfielder Joao Palhinha, who only joined from Fulham in a £42m deal one year ago.

The Portugal international, 30, is no longer in Vincent Kompany’s plans, so United might be able to secure this former Premier League star for a cut-price fee, with a €35m (£30m) figure touted.

Having made initial enquiries earlier in the summer Jason Wilcox and Co have maintained communications with the Bundesliga champions and are well placed to beat off competition from Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham and West Ham United.

Why Man Utd want Joao Palhinha

Palhinha is a seasoned midfielder with 68 Premier League appearances to his name. Many players have more, of course, but the former Fulham star was hailed as a “defensive monster” by data analyst Marcus Bring for his efforts while at Craven Cottage.

His tenacious approach is exactly what United need to complete their midfield, especially with Casemiro, 33, edging closer to the twilight years of his career.

And given that Palhinha has proven himself in England’s top flight before, he could be the right signing to bring in, so Fernandes can continue to thrive in the centre of the park, having dropped deeper than before at times last season.

That wasn’t to the skipper’s detriment: he scored eight goals and supplied seven assists across 20 outings when in a deeper-lying capacity last term, and with a range of attacking additions anticipated, this could become the new norm for the 30-year-old.

Manuel Ugarte is a part of Amorim’s squad, but his up-and-down maiden year in England calls for competition to ease his burden. Palhinha can perform this role, instilling the controlled combativeness to free up Bruno’s creative flair.

And it’s not like the United superstar wouldn’t return the favour, for he has made quite the name for himself in England for the completeness of his performances, having averaged 2.3 tackles and 4.8 successful duels per top-flight match last term, as per Sofascore.

However, imagine the added emphasis that could be placed on the true core of his skill set, his playmaking, if a reliable six in Palhinha was placed next to him, utterly relentless in winning the ball back, as we saw across his two Premier League campaigns.

Premier League 23/24 – Most Tackles

#

Player

Club

Tackles

1.

Joao Palhinha

Fulham

152

2.

Joao Gomes

Wolves

128

3.

Vinicius Souza

Sheffield Utd

125

4.

Emerson Palmieri

West Ham

106

5.

Tyrick Mitchell

Crystal Palace

105

Data via FBref

Palhinha’s 148 tackles across the 2022/23 also saw him take the top spot with that one, and there’s truly a sense that United would hit the jackpot by bringing him back to English football.

His big-money move to Bayern hasn’t gone to plan, only starting six Bundesliga fixtures over the past year, but an unfortunate muscular tear sustained in November disrupted his fluency, playing into the struggles.

Ultimately, Palhinha would be a credit to Amorim’s system, bringing a new kind of energy to the middle of the park while instilling a sense of experience alongside his compatriot Fernandes.

Whether Man United manage to win the race remains to be seen, but Palhinha would be open to the move and Bayern are looking to sell. When the protracted pursuit of Mbeumo is wrapped up, perhaps we’ll see this one swiftly enter the closing stages.

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Still chasing potential incomings despite their PSR concerns, Aston Villa have now reportedly opened talks to sign an experienced winger who scored against Manchester United last season.

In just three days, Aston Villa will face the PSR deadline in the hope that they’ve done enough to avoid any sanctions. Whether that means player sales or even the sale of their women’s team is the big question. Already, names who could be sacrificed include young gem Louie Barry who Villa are reportedly ready to sell this week to meet PSR requirements.

Meanwhile, fresh reports have suggested that Villa could also follow Chelsea in selling their women’s team for over £100m this summer. The sale would take advantage of a PSR loophole and could save their transfer window.

Once Monday’s deadline has passed, Aston Villa should finally know where they stand on the transfer front and that could see them spring into action to get their business underway.

If they are in a position to spend, then they could do so to welcome the likes of Lucas Chevalier. The Villans have reportedly opened talks to sign the LOSC Lille goalkeeper and have tabled an offer worth £40m.

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Their pursuit of the Frenchman comes amid rumours that Emiliano Martinez could leave the club this summer. Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that the World Cup winner now wants to join Premier League rivals Manchester United.

It’s not just in the defensive third that Aston Villa could make changes, though. A fresh name who knows all about scoring against Premier League opposition is now threatening to steal the headlines.

Aston Villa hold talks to sign Pepe

As reported by ESPN Brazil, Aston Villa have now held talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto this summer. The 28-year-old winger has already got his name on the scoresheet at the Club World Cup – netting in a 4-4 draw with Al-Ahly and could now be on the move for over €15m (£12m+) in the coming months.

At the peak of his powers, Pepe proved that he has the quality to perform against Premier League sides when he scored in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Manchester United in the Europa League’s table phase last season.

Just one of the six goals that he managed alongside his four assists in all competitions last season, Pepe would offer Unai Emery some much-needed attacking depth following the end of Marco Asensio’s and Marcus Rashford’s loan spells.

As the Spaniard looks to enjoy more success in the Europa League next season, having that depth will be more important than ever for Aston Villa.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has a few intriguing players on his extensive shortlist of targets for the north Londoners, and one of them is now believed to be a marquee Premier League star.

Arsenal pursuit of new winger suggests dressing room shake-up

Bukayo Saka’s three-month lay-off midway through 2024/2025, combined with Leandro Trossard’s contract expiring in 2026, has reportedly prompted Berta to enter the market for a quality new wide player.

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New names are being linked regularly, with £86 million Juventus star Kenan Yildiz among the wingers attracting interest from Arsenal, according to reports in Turkey.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

While there’s no outright plan to sell Gabriel Martinelli, a recent piece from The Athletic suggested that Berta and Mikel Arteta would entertain substantial offers, with the Brazilian valued at around £50 million.

Given Arsenal already have an abundance of proven wide-players, including the emergence of highly-rated starlet Ethan Nwaneri, ex-Gunners defender Mikael Silvestre is convinced the club’s interest in signing another winger could indicate a dressing room shake-up.

“I’d be wary of bringing in too many wingers like Nico Williams through the door,” Silvestre told Esports Insider.

“You need to give Ethan Nwaneri some game time; they have Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli already.

“I don’t see why they’d want to bring another winger unless one of those players wants to leave or if the club are planning to break the bank on a world-class wide player. It would surprise me if the club spent heavily on a striker and a winger in the same window.”

Given the high-profile names eyed by Berta, it is very reasonable to assume that Arsenal could indeed splash the cash on a world-class winger.

Andrea Berta identifies Morgan Rogers as a top Arsenal target

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, writing in a piece for the broadcast giant, claims Aston Villa sensation Morgan Rogers is on the club’s agenda – alongside the heavily-linked Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich) and Athletic Bilbao’s Williams.

The Englishman is fresh off the back of an excellent campaign under Unai Emery, racking up 14 goals and 15 assists in all competitions after becoming a very important player for Villa.

Rogers finished 2024/2025 as Villa’s second-best performer in the Premier League by average match rating per 90, according to WhoScored, all while completing more successful take-ons than all of his teammates.

His rise to the top has even prompted NSWE to slap a £100 million valuation on the 22-year-old’s head to deter suitors, but according to Sky’s Thomas, Berta has identified Rogers as one of his top Arsenal targets for the wide area regardless.

There is little denying that, if Arsenal were to formalise their interest in Rogers, they’d be looking to bring down his mammoth reported price tag. However, the former Middlesbrough man could certainly be worth that effort.

“I think he’s going to be a player,” said pundit Tony Cascarino.

“He really looks, there’s something about, he reminds me a little bit of Jamal Musiala. He’s that guy that picks up the ball, and he’ll just make runs, and he’ll create problems for others. He’s got a lot about him.”

When Liverpool beat West Ham United, responding after losing against Fulham one week earlier, it felt like a corner had been turned. Perhaps that defeat at Craven Cottage was the final twist in the overtures of a certain Premier League triumph.

The ribbons will turn red this season. Later this afternoon, Liverpool have the chance to win the top-flight title against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, should they return to winning ways on the road and second-placed Arsenal fall at Ipswich Town earlier in the day.

Though Mikel Arteta’s attention is almost solely focused on the continental stage, this feels improbable, if not out of the question. In any case, it’s a matter of when, not if, Arne Slot will join an exclusive list of managers to lift the Premier League trophy on their first attempt.

Managers Who Won Premier League in 1st Season
Season	Manager	Club
2004/05	Jose Mourinho	Chelsea
2009/10	Carlo Ancelotti	Chelsea
2013/14	Manuel Pellegrini	Man City
2016/17	Antonio Conte	Chelsea
Sourced via GIVEMESPORT

Leicester might be doomed but they still have quality in attack and will look to capitalise on any Liverpool complacency.

Liverpool team news

Trent Alexander-Arnold is back in first-team training after his ankle injury suffered against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield last month.

However, Conor Bradley looks set to reprise his role at right-back, with the under-fire Andy Robertson pushing for a recall after his cameo last week, skewing into his own net off the bench following a mix-up with the skipper.

Joe Gomez remains absent due to an ankle injury, but Darwin Nunez could feature after missing out on Merseyside one week ago.

Nunez might be destined for departure this summer, but his return does boost a Liverpool frontline looking to return to its best.

That’s not to say the Reds have been poor in attack lately, but Mohamed Salah hasn’t scored in five games, Diogo Jota and Nunez are out of sorts and Cody Gakpo hasn’t got going again since recovering from injury.

How Slot can respark Liverpool's frontline

Liverpool looked somewhat back to normal last weekend as they secured victory over West Ham, all but sealing the already overwhelming odds in the title race following Arsenal’s draw at Brentford.

Salah, after renewing his contract, produced a stunning trivela assist for Luis Diaz, the one man in Slot’s attack who is very much on form right now.

However, the Egyptian, 32, will be desperate to return his name to the scoresheet as he looks to build on his haul of 32 goals across all competitions

For whatever reason, it’s not quite clicking for Salah in front of goal. But it will again. With Trent not fit enough to start from the outset, Slot might be inclined to unleash Harvey Elliott in midfield, perhaps replacing Dominik Szoboszlai.

Liverpool enjoy the Hungarian’s tireless running but a more fixed creative point could be the perfect solvent of unfluent play in and around the final third.

Having featured prominently under Jurgen Klopp last year during Liverpool’s injury-hit spell, Elliott has played a reduced part since the spinning of the managerial wheel, yet to even start in the Premier League this year. Still he’s got six goal involvements across the different competitions.

And it’s not as if he hasn’t demonstrated his capacities when given a shot. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for all of goals, assists and shot-creating actions, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 5% for progressive carries per 90.

This perfectly illustrates his ball-playing game and skill in driving into dangerous positions, but most importantly, it underlines his ability to maximise his output when reaching such junctures, something Salah will be eyeing hungrily.

Harvey Elliott in the Premier League (LFC)
Season	Apps (starts)	Goals	Assists
24/25	12 (0)	0	1
23/24	34 (11)	3	6
22/23	32 (18)	1	2
21/22	6 (4)	0	0
20/21*	0 (0)	0	0
19/20	2 (0)	0	0
*Spent season on loan at Blackburn
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see, Elliott’s playing a bit part for the first time since his debut campaign, having only featured six times in 2021/22 but starting on four of those occasions before suffering a season-ending injury at Elland Road.

Elliott, described as a “special talent” by Sky Sports’ Neil Mellor, hasn’t played all that much this season, but he has showcased his vast playmaking skills on numerous occasions. For example, Liverpool might have been abject in their Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle United, but subs combined to score a late consolation, the young midfielder expertly playing Federico Chiesa through.

Ultimately, claiming that Liverpool are out of sorts simply isn’t true, having won five of their past six Premier League matches, but fans have been frustrated by the lack of spark in the centre at times this term and Elliott surely deserves a starting berth having been limited to full appearances in the cup competitions.

He’s come up trumps on several occasions, notably scoring the winner in the first leg against PSG, but now the £40k-per-week talent needs a chance to show he can pull strings in the Premier League and bring Salah back into goalscoring form.

Salah doesn’t dribble as much as he used to but he’s hardly averse to an electric burst, and with Elliott’s crisp timing, it could be the perfect tonic for his recent struggles to break the net.

Elliott has acknowledged Salah for “teaching him” over the past several years at Liverpool, and now he has the chance to repay his tutor on what could be a momentous day for the Merseysiders.

Leicester won’t want to repeat some of their dismal displays of late, but if Elliott gets into a creative flow and connects with Salah, the Foxes simply won’t have a say in the matter.

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