da aposte e ganhe： With Matheus Cunha possibly heading for the exit door in the summer transfer window, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly made contact over a potential move to sign a replacement.

Wolves transfer news

da bet7： He has single-handedly dragged them away from the bottom three at times this season and still stayed put in the January transfer window, but a big move is awaiting Cunha. Whether it’s the Premier League’s top six or one of Europe’s top clubs outside of English football, the Brazilian looks destined to return to the top for the first time since a disappointing Atletico Madrid spell.

Just how Wolves replace their star man remains to be seen, but they’ll likely have £62.5m to do so if his next potential club decide to trigger his hefty release clause when the summer arrives.

All things considered, it’s looking increasingly likely that those in the Midlands are in for quite the transfer window and one that they must simply get right if they are to avoid a disaster. It’s one that they are already reportedly preparing for too, setting their sights on one potential Cunha replacement.

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According to Calcio Mercato, Wolves have made contact to sign Yuri Alberto from Corinthians this summer. The Brazilian side reportedly value their striker at just €35m (£29m), handing the Molineux club the chance to spend just half of the potential fee that they could receive for Cunha in the coming months.

They’re not alone in the race for Alberto’s signature, however, with Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest also battling to welcome the 23-year-old alongside Fulham and West Ham United. Amid such interest, it’s Wolves who will hope to have new-found spending power to secure Alberto’s arrival and potentially replace star man Cunha.

"Quick" Alberto could replace Cunha

Swapping one Brazilian for another, Alberto could arrive in the Midlands and instantly pick up where Cunha potentially leaves off this summer. Although the 23-year-old has endured a slow start in the current campaign – scoring three times in 10 games – all it takes is one look at Alberto’s numbers in the previous campaign to realise just how clinical he can be.

Scoring 31 goals and assisting another seven in 57 games last season, the Corinthians star is more than ready for a move to a European club. Praised for his “quick reactions and determination” by analyst Ben Mattinson last summer, Alberto righty remains one to watch.

It would be quite the coup for Wolves if they managed to win such a busy race, but it’s crucial that they do welcome a replacement for Cunha if he does depart this summer. Just where they would be without a player of his calibre is not a question they’ll want answering.

da fazobetai： 2025 could be a year of huge change for Rangers at Ibrox.

da mrbet： 13 points adrift Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic and out of the Scottish Cup, following an historic upset at the hands of Queen’s Park, the Gers are staring down the barrel of a trophyless season.

This has led to mass speculation surrounding Philippe Clement’s future as manager, even though Chief Executive Patrick Stewart has reiterated his support for the under-fire boss, but it might not be just the manager on the chopping block, with a mass-squad rebuild forecast too, especially in light of this week’s news.

Rangers' proposed new owners

According to a report by Keith Jackson for the Daily Record, the San Francisco 49ers ownership group has held ‘discussions’ over a ‘multi-million-pound investment’ in Rangers, talks that they believe to be at ‘an advanced stage’.

Two years ago, 49ers Enterprises completed a takeover of Leeds United, paying £170m for 44% of the English club, with Paraag Marathe, who is the current Chairman of the EFL Championship side, overseeing ‘business ventures and major investment opportunities’ and would play a prominent role at Rangers, according to Tim Thornton and Sahil Jaidka of Sky Sports News.

The American investment group plan to ‘invest heavily’ in the Glasgow-based giants, according to Ewan Paton of the Herald, a takeover Matthew Elder of the Scotsman believes would be ‘transformational’.

Very much marooned in second in the Premiership, 13 points below Celtic but 18 points above Aberdeen, Rangers can start planning for next season, which for them will begin early with a Champions League second qualifying round tie on 22 or 23 July.

According to Football Rankings, their potential qualifying opponents include Feyenoord, Fenerbahçe, Lille, AEK Athens and Genk, underlining just how difficult these ties are likely to be, so the new ownership will want to invest heavily in this team and quickly too, so could one of Rangers’ current most-used players be sacrificed?

49ers must cut their losses on Rangers star

Since arriving at Rangers from Cremonese for £4.5m in July 2023, it’s fair to say Cyriel Dessers has divided opinion, with Graeme MacPhearson of the Scotsman saying he has been ‘both a hero and a villain’.

So, let’s dive straight into it and compare the Nigerian international to Rangers’ other strikers, namely Danilo, who arrived at the same time, and Hamza Igamane, who joined a year later.

Rangers’ current striker comparison

Statistics

Cyriel Dessers

Danilo

Hamza Igamane

Appearances

93

38

31

Minutes

5,534

1,730

1,884

Goals

40

12

13

Minutes per goal

138

144

145

Assists

15

8

3

Goals – xG

-2.6

-0.6

+2.9

Big chances missed

44

15

5

Shot on target %

46.3%

49.4%

39.5%

Shots on target per 90

1.58

2.58

1.62

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table outlines, Dessers has been far from useless for Rangers, averaging a marginally higher minutes-per-goal ratio than Danilo and Igamane, although more underlying statistics emphasise his struggles.

Since the start of last season, he has missed 44 Opta defined big chances, with the £27k-per-week star certainly not the most natural of finishers it must be said.

In this season’s UEFA Europa League, 670 different players have had at least one shot, with Dessers ranking second-bottom for goals – xG, his tally of -3 only usurped by compatriot Victor Osimhen, which isn’t too surprising considering the Galatasaray striker has attempted 25 more shots.

Mark Walker of the National believes Dessers to be a ‘flop’, while former Celtic striker Chris Sutton thinks now is the right time to sell the Nigerian, given that he’s now third-choice.

In January, despite the fact, reportedly, ten different clubs were interested in him, Dessers insists he “never wanted to leave”, adding he believes Rangers can achieve “something special” in the Europa League knockout stages.

However, come the end of the season, Rangers should certainly start listening to these offers for the centre-forward, because his relatively impressive goal-scoring figures will mean interest remains, and his market value won’t have dropped dramatically.

And so, while it remains to be seen if the 49ers would look to make a change in the dugout amid Clement’s precarious future, the incoming investors also need to drastically shake up the playing squad.

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da bet7k： Turning their focus towards the summer transfer window, Manchester United now reportedly want to sign a West Ham United player who has already been the subject of talks from another club.

Man Utd transfer news

da pixbet： The Red Devils, as ever, will be among those to watch this summer. Not for the first time and perhaps not for the last either, they desperately need to rebuild under a new manager with Ruben Amorim currently left to fit square pegs in the round holes of his 3-4-2-1 system.

Handed a squad without extensive wing-back options and central defenders who are stronger in back fours rather than back fives, the former Sporting Club boss requires the exact opposite.

Of course, the 40-year-old was at least handed a solution to his left wing-back problems in the January transfer window when Patrick Dorgu arrived, but his disappointing error leading to Ipswich Town’s opening goal before his sending off last time out highlighted just how far he still has to come.

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The former Lecce man must only be the start of the Red Devils’ reinforcements too. And even as INEOS continue to cut costs around the club, they seem to be well aware of that amid recent rumours.

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United now want to sign Nayef Aguerd from West Ham United despite Real Sociedad’s ongoing talks to sign the defender on a permanent basis following a successful loan spell. The 28-year-old has been identified as a viable option to strengthen Amorim’s backline, which could yet see those at Old Trafford complete a surprise hijack on Sociedad’s summer deal.

Crucially, Aguerd would have little trouble in slotting into a back three having featured at the heart of a similar system under David Moyes in the 2022/23 season, in which he also helped West Ham defeat Manchester United in a 1-0 victory.

"Stylish" Aguerd could become shock Man Utd solution

If Manchester United are to save money whilst handing Amorim the reinforcements that he so desperately needs, then Aguerd could emerge to become a surprise – and cheap – solution. Whilst West Ham are seemingly ready to show the defender the door, he could quickly earn the ultimate Premier League redemption at Old Trafford following an improved spell at Sociedad.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Nayef Aguerd

Harry Maguire

Starts

19

15

Progressive Passes

70

42

Tackles Won

24

13

Ball Recoveries

65

51

On the ball, Aguerd has particularly impressed in La Liga this season – outperforming Harry Maguire, who’s often seen as the defender capable of progressing play at Manchester United.

It’s a trait that former manager Moyes took note of during his time at West Ham, telling reporters: “He’s a really good player, really good on the ball, stylish. He’s got some really good attributes and I think he will big a plus to us.”

Racing against Sociedad, Manchester United must hope that they’re still in a position to lure Aguerd away from West Ham on a permanent basis and out of the clutches of the La Liga side this summer.

da betcris： Newcastle United are just over a week away from the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. Liverpool await.

da mrbet： What should be a joyous occasion has been tainted by a slew of setbacks, casting Eddie Howe’s squad back into a depleted state that makes life difficult indeed given the calibre of opposition.

Still, the sixth-place Magpies are one of the most dangerous teams in Europe on their day. If Newcastle can make it a successful finish to the campaign, it would help immensely going into the 2025/26 campaign.

Newcastle are reportedly ‘excited’ by the upcoming transfer window after battling through PSR concerns, with Howe looking to be backed as he pushes for a return to the Champions League.

Newcastle's transfer plans this summer

Now that Miguel Almiron’s re-signed for Atlanta United in an £8m deal, Newcastle are short on options at right wing.

Jacob Murphy’s form has mitigated the urgency, but Premier League stars such as Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford are allegedly on the shortlist and could be targetted this summer.

With Sven Botman struggling for fitness and Lloyd Kelly leaving on loan in January, a centre-back would also go down a treat, but Newcastle are also eyeing a deal further back.

James Trafford, 22, has been incredible between the sticks for Burnley this season, keeping 24 clean sheets from 34 Championship matches and saving 87% of his shots faced, as per Sofascore.

Is it any wonder the Toon are keen on a deal? TalkSPORT suggest Burnley will want £30m for their goalkeeper, but this would surely be worthwhile as Howe looks to engineer the next phase in Newcastle’s development.

If he’s welcomed, though, someone will need to go…

Howe must cash in on £60k-per-week star

Newcastle might be compliant with PSR-related concerns, but if they wish to invest, sales will be necessary.

If Newcastle strike gold and bring Trafford to St. James’ Park, it makes little sense to keep Nick Pope on the books, an idea Howe subscribes to given United are already stirring up plans for his sale this summer.

As per Football Insider, Newcastle would be willing to let Pope exit for around £15m in the next window, which would be an absolute triumph given he was purchased from Burnley for just £10m.

Pope has been a stalwart shot-stopper during his time at Newcastle, but having been dealt a string of injury blows this season, PIF chiefs are warming to the idea of his sale since he is losing his way between the sticks.

With unavailability and a declining sense of security in shot saving, bagging a rising star of Trafford’s ability makes a lot of sense.

Pope’s Save % in the Premier League (last 5 seasons)

Season

Club

Apps

Clean Sheets

Save %

24/25*

Newcastle

17

3

67.9

23/24

Newcastle

16

5

72.4

22/23

Newcastle

37

14

74.6

21/22

Burnley

36

9

74.5

20/21

Burnley

32

11

77.2

Stats via FBref

Moreover, the 32-year-old (who turns 33 next month) is in the penultimate year of his £60k-per-week contract. With Trafford at the top of the Toon’s wish list, it feels right that he should move on this summer, no longer boasting his one-time unflappability and indeed feeling the effects of Father Time.

There have been several indicators of regression. Recently, loose passing and a lack of authority nearly cost Newcastle in a 4-3 win over Nottingham Forest, while his shot-stopping security has also raised questions – see below against Tottenham Hotspur.

Reporter Adam Clery even suggested several weeks ago the England international “looks absolutely petrified” when diving – a by-product of his injury issues – and that this is “fatal” for a goalkeeper.

Trafford would be the perfect fit to jockey with Martin Dubravka for the top spot, having been hailed for his “sensational” exploits this season by Burnley podcaster Natalie Bromley.

Bringing Trafford in would create a neat kind of continuity, for Pope too came from Turf Moor. His ship has run its course, and Howe will want to make the requisite transfer adjustments this summer to take his Tyneside crew to the next level.

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da gbg bet： Chelsea are now front-runners in the race to sign a “sensational” midfielder, who could be available for a relatively low fee in the summer, according to a report.

Blues finalise two summer transfer deals

da bet nacional： The Blues have managed to get some major transfer business done and dusted very early, having now agreed deals to sign two youngsters, with Sporting CP’s Geovany Quenda becoming the first player to agree a move to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Fellow Sporting CP player Dario Essugo is also now set to move to west London, with a deal recently being agreed, as Enzo Maresca’s side continue to scour the market for exciting young players.

Despite striking an agreement to sign Essugo, however, Chelsea still remain keen on bringing in more options in midfield, and a report from Football Insider has revealed they are now the front-runners in the race to sign Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham, alongside Borussia Dortmund.

The Sunderland star has now emerged as the Blues’ top target, having played a major role for the Black Cats in their push for promotion to the Premier League this season.

Bellingham could command a fee of over £20m this summer, at which point a number of clubs could pursue a deal, with fellow Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace also being named as potential suitors.

Sunderland are willing to listen to offers for the midfielder, should they fail to achieve their goal of promotion to the top flight, although the player himself is yet to make any decisions about his future.

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While the 19-year-old hasn’t had the same rapid rise to the top as his brother Jude, he has been impressing in a Sunderland shirt for quite some time, having previously been lauded as “sensational” by journalist Josh Bunting.

The former Birmingham City man has been a key player for the Black Cats this season, registering four goals and three assists in the Championship, although he has often been utilised in a deeper role, where he has showcased his defensive acumen over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Aerials won

1.78 (90th percentile)

Clearances

2.32 (89th percentile)

Non-penalty goals

0.12 (84th percentile)

Although he is still only a teenager, the youngster has built up a great deal of first-team experience, making 107 appearances at senior level, and he is showing signs he could be ready to forge a similar path to his brother by signing for one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

da bwin： The winter transfer window was nothing short of disastrous for Arsenal this year.

da luck： Mikel Arteta’s side were still in both domestic cups and just about within touching distance of Liverpool atop the Premier League when it was opened, yet the board opted not to sign a single player despite the attack being decimated.

The Gunners are now out of both cups, miles off the Reds in the league, and could still be without two of their regular front three when they face Real Madrid in the Champions League next month.

The only transfer-related positive to come out of January was the surprise news that the North Londoners were seen as the most likely to sign Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi come the summer.

However, recent reports have linked Arsenal with a potential upgrade on the Spaniard, a player that incoming Sporting Director Andrea Berta has reportedly tried to sign before.

Arsenal targeting Zubimendi upgrade under Berta

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are planning for a big summer of transfer activity and have identified Newcastle United star Bruno Guimarães as one of their key targets.

Transfer Focus

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

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In fact, the report has revealed that the desire to chase the Brazilian international stems primarily from incoming Sporting Director Andrea Berta, who is ‘in love’ with him and tried to sign him three times while at Atlético Madrid. The fact the Italian would like to bring him to the Emirates has already been brought up in talks with the player’s circle.

The good news for the North Londoners is that the story claims a failure to qualify for the Champions League this season will see the asking price for the midfield monster drop to just £60m.

It could be a complicated and still relatively costly transfer to get over the line, but given Guimarães immense ability, one well worth pursuing, even if that means skipping out on Zubimendi.

How Guimarães compares to Zubimendi

In an ideal world, Arsenal would be able to sign both midfielders this summer, but with the attack needing some serious investment, we can see a world in which it’s one or the other.

In that case, it would probably be a wise choice for Berta and Co to come down on the side of Guimarães, as while he and Zubimendi can both play in either the eight or six roles, he is the more dangerous of the pair in an attacking sense.

Moreover, with someone like Declan Rice on the team who can also play both roles to a high level, we’d argue that the ability to help out in attacks is more important, considering the defensive solidity of Arteta’s side.

For example, in just 36 appearances this term, the “world-class” midfielder, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored three goals and provided eight assists, equating to a goal involvement on average every 3.27 games.

In contrast, the San Sebastian-born ace has scored one goal and provided two assists in 36 appearances, equating to a goal involvement every 12 games.

Guimarães vs Zubimendi

Statistics per 90

Guimarães

Zubimendi

Progressive Passes

7.32

6.15

Progressive Carries

1.45

1.21

Shots

1.15

0.59

Key Passes

1.38

0.54

Passes into the Final Third

5.06

4.98

Shot-Creating Actions

3.38

1.51

Goal-Creating Actions

0.52

0.21

Tackles

2.12

2.34

Interceptions

0.93

1.34

Successful Take-Ons

0.97

0.63

Ball Recoveries

5.06

4.44

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

The one-sided nature of this comparison only continues when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

For example, per FBref, the Toon star comes out on top in most relevant metrics, including but not limited to, actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots and shots on target, ball recoveries, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while both players would be fine additions to this Arsenal squad, Guimarães would undoubtedly be the better signing and one that would kick-start Berta’s tenure in a big way.

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da pinnacle： Manchester United are now closely monitoring an “unbelievable” top flight forward who could cost as little as £42 million, according to a new report.

Man Utd eye new forwards as Zirkzee and Hojlund struggles continue

da 888： The Red Devils are expected to enter the transfer market for several key positions this summer, but none more important than a new striker. Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg reported last week that United have a number of centre-forward targets across Europe they are looking at, as Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee struggle in front of goal.

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One player who has emerged on their list ahead of the summer is AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, with Africa Foot reporting that the Premier League giants have made signing the versatile winger one of their priorities. United have allegedly already held talks with the Cherries over a potential deal at the end of the campaign.

It appears as though those talks have gone well, as the report adds that United are ready to make a bid worth £33.5 million to sign Semenyo. The 25-year-old has had a very productive season for Bournemouth, scoring seven goals and registering four assists in 28 league games, and his ability to play out wide will also be an added bonus to Ruben Amorim.

Amorim also working on move for Semenyo's Bournemouth teammate

But Semenyo is not the only Bournemouth attacker on United’s radar, as according to Caught Offside, Man United have added Justin Kluivert to their transfer wishlist as an alternative option for the centre-forward position or wide role.

The report states that the Red Devils have been keeping a close eye on the Bournemouth attacker for a while now, as the Dutchman has been very impressive this season. United are not alone in their pursuit of Kluivert, as Newcastle, Liverpool and Tottenham are also interested in a potential deal, but it is claimed that Amorim has ‘already started working’ on his forward moves.

The Cherries are believed to be looking to get around €50-55 million (£42-46 million) for Kluivert, who was lauded as “unbelievable” by members of the press last month.

Kluivert, for his part, is said to be open to leaving Bournemouth if he receives an offer from a big Premier League team, and his suitors think his price tag is ‘reasonable’.

Justin Kluivert’s 24/25 Premier League stats

Apps

28

Starts

24

Goals

12

xG

9.62

Shots per game

2.0

Conversion rate

21%

Assists

6

xAG

3.19

Big chances created

6

Kluivert’s potential arrival at Old Trafford could see him be the replacement for Marcus Rashford, who is out on loan at Aston Villa currently and looks likely to leave United as they weigh up the idea of cashing in on him, which will help them bring in new players during the summer.

The 25-year-old has scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season, and his ability to play out wide or as a number 10 is ideal for Amorim, as he looks to add more versatility to his squad.

da marjack bet： Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk has been vital to their success over the last few years, cementing himself as one of the best defenders in world football.

da betway： The Dutchman, who’s out of contract at the end of the season, has won five major honours during his time at Anfield, including a Premier League and Champions League triumph.

The 33-year-old will go down in club history for his showings in Merseyside, making over 300 appearances for the first team, with many hoping he can add to his tally next season – but the hierarchy will need to sort his contract scenario out as soon as possible.

Whilst the £75m forked out for his signature back in January 2018 may have appeared to be a mammoth sum, he’s been worth every penny, catapulting the Reds to their various levels of success.

His big-money move is one of the biggest deals in the club’s history, but they could be about to land a move just as impressive in the summer, massively strengthening Arne Slot’s first-team squad in the process.

Liverpool preparing £115m bid for Premier League star

According to one Spanish outlet, Liverpool are preparing a £115m bid to land Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak this summer, but face huge interest from elsewhere.

Arsenal and Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in recent times, with the Magpies massively reluctant to offload their key man this summer.

The Swede has thrived this campaign, notching 24 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions, including in the Carabao Cup final against Slot’s side – denying him his first trophy since taking the reins.

The report states that Eddie Howe’s side do not want to sell their star man this window, but understand the Reds’ interest is serious, with the 25-year-old potentially able to leave should they fail to achieve Champions League qualification.

Whilst it would be a club-record transfer, matching the English record in the process, a move for Isak would massively improve the current attacking department, making Slot’s side an even bigger threat in 2025/26.

How Isak compares to Liverpool’s current striker options

Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota have often shared the responsibility of leading the line for Liverpool in 2024/25, but have often struggled during key moments.

The Portuguese striker may have notched the winning goal in the Merseyside derby last week, but has failed to deliver on a consistent basis, only scoring nine goals across his 31 appearances in all competitions.

As for Nunez, he’s also been a disappointment this campaign, evidently not being the man to take the Reds to the next level under the guidance of the Dutchman.

His tally of seven goals in his 42 appearances throughout this season, works out to just one in every 4.5 outings – a record simply not good enough if the club are to continue their dominance in the Premier League.

Such form could see Slot turn to Isak in the summer window, with the 25-year-old massively outperforming the aforementioned pair this year – highlighting the elite-level talent he possesses.

The Swede, who’s been labelled “the best striker in the world” by one analyst, has massively outscored the pair, offering another dimension to the club’s forward line.

He’s also managed to complete more take-ons and also completed more passes he’s attempted, offering an all-round number nine, something which the Reds have desperately lacked in recent years.

How Isak compares to Jota & Nunez in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Isak

Jota

Nunez

Games played

26

20

25

Goals & assists

25

9

7

Shot-on-target accuracy

46%

30%

39%

Pass accuracy

74%

70%

71%

Shot-creating actions

3.3

3

2.2

Take-on success

49%

39%

38%

Progressive passes

2.8

2.6

2

Stats via FBref

Whilst the touted fee would be a mammoth investment from the hierarchy, it would be a deal that would be worth every penny – taking the side to new heights under Slot.

Although competition will be high for his signature this summer, the club’s current league standing and European qualification could give them the edge in the race – making him the biggest deal since Van Dijk and arguably the most important for their ambitions of reaching the next level.

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da casino： Tottenham Hotspur picked up a much-needed win on the weekend, just their 11th in the Premier League, but it’s done little to boost morale.

da pixbet： This season has been an unmitigated disaster for the North Londoners, as while there is still a chance they could win the Europa League, they look destined to finish in the bottom half of the league table, with more losses than wins.

Now, there are a few reasons for this dramatic collapse in form from Ange Postecoglou’s men, but perhaps the most significant has been the near-endless stream of defensive injuries they’ve had to deal with.

For example, neither Micky van de Ven nor Cristian Romero has made even 20 appearances this year, and now it looks like they may lose the latter for good in the summer. Still, they might also already have the perfect replacement in a youngster out on loan.

Romero's unsure future

Romero moved to Spurs on a loan deal with an option to buy back in the summer of 2021 and, since then, has become an essential part of the squad and first team.

In all, the World Cup winner has made 117 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals, providing one assist, and becoming one of the co-vice captains under Postecoglou’s tenure.

However, this rapid rise and impressive form for the team – alongside his international exploits – has seen other major teams from the continent take notice.

For example, earlier this year, it was widely reported that Real Madrid were keen on signing the former Juventus ace in the summer, while more reports from the last few weeks have revealed that Atlético Madrid are now just as interested.

In fact, just last week, it was reported that Diego Simeone had personally contacted the player and that, due to a mutual interest in making the transfer happen, he might be able to leave N17 for around £67m.

There is no doubt that losing a defender of Romero’s calibre would be a blow for Spurs, but it might not all be doom and gloom, as the club might already have the perfect replacement in an exceptionally exciting youngster.

The Spurs youngster who could replace Romero

So, if Romero does leave in the summer, the board will likely replace him with the fee he earns them, but there might already be a perfect replacement in the squad by then: Luka Vušković.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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Yes, he might not be a name that everyone is familiar with yet, but based on his performances this season and the way those in the know speak about him, he most certainly will be.

The North Londoners signed the Croatian wonderkid in September 2023, but being just 16 at the time, post-Brexit rules around registering foreign players under 18 mean he cannot officially join the team until this summer.

So, with him unable to move to England this season, the “freak talent,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, joined Belgian outfit KVC Waterloo last July, and to say he’s enjoying a good season would be an understatement.

Despite only turning 18 in February, he has made 29 first-team appearances so far, in which he’s helped to keep five clean sheets. More impressive than that, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists.

This level of output for such a young defender suggests he’d be able to at least match the attacking threat Romero has, and with him already being 6 foot 4, there is no way he’d be bullied by opposition players.

Vušković’s 24/25

Player

Vušković

Appearances

29

Clean Sheets

5

Goals

7

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.31

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Finally, he’s no slouch when it comes to the defensive side of the game either, with FOTmob revealing that he wins 6.09 duels and 4.05 aerial duels per 90 while also making 5.74 recoveries.

For comparison, Romero wins 5.46 duels and just 2.45 aerial duels per 90 while also making slightly fewer recoveries at 5.39 per 90.

Ultimately, we are not saying that Vušković will be able to immediately replicate what Romero can do next season.

However, he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting defensive prospects around, and with the right coaching, he could reach that level sooner than people expect, which would soften the Argentine’s departure.

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da spicy bet： Liverpool moved 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 win over West Ham United in front of their home support at Anfield on Sunday.

da realbet： The Reds went into the break with a 1-0 lead against the Hammers thanks to a tap-in from Luis Diaz after Mohamed Salah brilliantly teed up his fellow winger with a delicious outside-of-the-boot cross.

An own goal from Andy Robertson, however, made it 1-1 in the second half, before Virgil van Dijk scored the winning goal from a corner in the 89th minute.

Arne Slot’s side are now right on the edge of winning the Premier League title, which will only be the second time the club have won the division, with six matches left to play.

It was almost, though, a disappointing performance and result for the Merseyside giants as they needed that late goal to avoid a draw with the Hammers after Robertson’s own goal.

How Andy Robertson almost cost Liverpool

The Scotland international started the match on the bench after Kostas Tsimikas was selected ahead of him from the start by Slot in the left-back position.

Liverpool’s Greek defender put in a fairly average shift, winning three of his six duels and being dribbled past twice, but did not make any significant errors before being substituted in the 60th minute.

It was, instead, Robertson who made a significant error in his 30 minutes on the pitch in the second half, when he bundled the ball into his own net from a cross from the left flank.

The Scottish full-back and Virgil van Dijk appeared to get in the way of each other as they both went to clear the cross, which led to it hitting the ex-Hull City man and rolling past Alisson into the bottom corner.

Vs West Ham

Andy Robertson

Minutes

30

Clearances

0

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Dribbles completed

0/1

Duels won

1/2

Pass accuracy

55%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Robertson had a rough 30 minutes on the pitch after replacing Tsimikas in the second half, completing just 55% of his attempted passes to go along with his own goal.

It was, therefore, a disappointing cameo by the long-serving defender, who has yet to register a goal or an assist in the Premier League this season, and he has not done his chances of coming back into the starting line-up next time out any favours.

Robertson was not the only poor performer of the afternoon for the Reds, however, as centre-forward Diogo Jota also produced a lacklustre display from the start.

Why Diogo Jota must be dropped

Slot selected the Portugal international to play as the team’s number nine ahead of Cody Gakpo, Diaz, or Federico Chiesa, and the forward let him down.

The Dutch manager must, now, ruthlessly ditch the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star from the team for Liverpool’s next match after he failed to provide a quality performance against the Hammers.

Jota earned a player rating of 6/10 from the Express, who noted his ‘little impact’ on the match, which summed up his uneventful afternoon at Anfield.

It was a poor display from the striker because there was nothing of note worth mentioning from his showing, which is not what you want from your leading centre-forward.

Vs West Ham

Diogo Jota

Minutes

60

Shots

0

Dribbles completed

0/1

Pass accuracy

67%

Key passes

1

xA

0.01

Big chances created

0

Duels won

0/3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Jota did not take a single shot on goal in 60 minutes and only created one chance, which had an xA value of 0.01, whilst he also lost 100% of his duels.

This shows that he offered very little in the final third, as either a scorer or a creator, and that led to him being withdrawn from the match at 1-0 with 30 minutes still left to play.

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The Portuguese dud produced this performance off the back of missing one ‘big chance’ and completing 25% (2/8) of his attempted passes in 67 minutes in the defeat to Fulham in the previous match.

His last two outings as a starter in the centre-forward position suggest that it is time for Slot to ruthlessly ditch him from the team to unleash another player in that role, whilst they also suggest that Liverpool should be in the market for a striker this summer.

Why Liverpool need to sign a striker this summer

The Reds need to go out and land a new number nine when the summer transfer window opens for business because they do not currently have a reliable option in that position.

Slot has a number of players who can play in that role but his best two finishers out of the lot – Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo – are wingers by trade, rather than natural centre-forwards, as you can see in the table below.

Liverpool’s striker options

24/25 Premier League

xG

Goals

xG differential

Luis Diaz

10.60

11

+0.40

Diogo Jota

8.26

6

-2.25

Cody Gakpo

6.35

8

+1.65

Darwin Nunez

5.30

5

-0.30

Federico Chiesa

0.46

0

-0.46

Stats via WhoScored

Diaz and Gakpo are the only two options on the list that have outperformed their xG in the Premier League this season for Liverpool, whilst Jota has underperformed his xG by the most.

It was recently reported that the Reds are interested in a deal to sign Alexander Isak from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, and he would be a huge upgrade on what the club currently have at their disposal.

The Swedish star scored 21 goals from 20.29 xG in 30 appearances in the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign, to go along with two assists.

So far this term, the former Real Sociedad dynamo has scored 20 goals from 16.28 xG in 27 appearances in the top-flight, which speaks to his consistency and his ruthlessness in front of goal for the Magpies.

With this in mind, Liverpool must pursue a deal for a new striker, whether that is Isak or a similar talent, to give themselves a reliable and consistent number nine in the 2024/25 campaign, allowing them to permanently move on from Jota as a starter.

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