All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Glasgow Rangers will be going in search of their first win of the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season when they welcome Hearts to Ibrox on Saturday.

The Light Blues have drawn all four of their games in the division so far, the latest being the 0-0 draw with Celtic last time out, and need to get three points on the board this weekend.

Russell Martin has confirmed, though, that Nicolas Raskin will not play any part of the clash with the Jam Tarts, after he was also left out of the squad to face Celtic before the international break.

The manager explained: “Every player has a duty to earn the trust of his team-mates and coaching staff to help us win football matches. We have to be on the pitch with trust and feeling and clarity and that’s it. I think the most important thing is Nico knows why, the players know why and we all move forward.

“He’s part of the squad in training and he needs to help that and put himself back in the squad to help us win matches. It is resolved he is still here, he is training with the group now, so it’s fine.”

Supporters will surely be hoping that the Belgian talent is back on the pitch for Rangers sooner rather than later, because he has the quality to be an influential figure for the team.

Why Rangers need Nicolas Raskin back on the pitch

The Light Blues need Raskin on the pitch because he is a central midfielder who provides qualities in and out of possession as a box-to-box star.

His attributes on and off the ball mean that he can influence games at both ends of the pitch, by breaking up opposition attacks and by making an impact in the final third.

Defensively, Raskin has shown that he can provide a combative presence in the middle of the park by making tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries on a regular basis, domestically and in Europe.

Appearances

33

12

Tackles per game

2.8

3.7

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

7.4

Ground duel success rate

57%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

55%

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international won the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air in the 2024/25 campaign, whilst making plenty of defensive interventions each game.

These statistics show that he can break up play ahead of the back four to protect the defence and Jack Butland, which is something that is needed right now after 17 goals conceded so far this season.

Raskin’s form in the 2024/25 campaign also shows that he has the quality to provide a big threat in possession as both a scorer and a creator of goals, to go along with his defensive efforts.

The Belgian star delivered five goals and 11 assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and could provide the creativity that Rangers lacked against Celtic, as they failed to create any ‘big chances’.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Whilst these statistics explain why Rangers need Raskin back in the first-team squad for matches, there is another Light Blues outcast who should be moved on by sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

Rabbi Matondo did not complete a move away from Ibrox before the end of the Scottish summer transfer window, but Thelwell must find a way to finally move on from the winger, whether that is now or in the January transfer window at the start of next year.

Why Rangers need to move on from Rabbi Matondo

Raskin and Matondo both reportedly earn £15k-per-week at Rangers, but the club have not been getting equal value out of them on the pitch in recent seasons.

In fact, the Wales international spent the 2024/25 campaign out on loan at Hannover in the 2. Bundesliga because Philippe Clement decided that he was not going to make his first-team squad.

Rangers, who signed the forward from Schalke for a fee of £2.5m in the summer of the 2022, need to finally part ways with the attacker because he has not done enough on the pitch since his move to Ibrox.

Matondo has had his moments for the Gers, including the goal against Celtic in the clip above, but he has only scored eight goals in all competitions for the first-team in the last three years.

As well as struggling for consistency on the pitch, the former Manchester City youngster has also struggled to stay fit throughout his time at Ibrox, and on loan in Germany last term.

25/26

1

3

24/25

1

23

23/24

2

19

22/23

1

20

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old winger has not been reliable enough with his availability in recent seasons, already missing three games at the start of the current campaign.

Matondo, who Kris Boyd claimed has “blistering pace”, cannot be relied upon by Martin because of these consistent injury issues, which is why the manager should not look to reintegrate him into the team.

The Welsh international should, instead, be moved on by Thelwell, whether that is to a club whose window remains open now or to a team in January, because of his performance and injury issues.

Matondo has only scored seven goals in 44 matches in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers in his career, per Transfermarkt, and this shows that he has not been an elite talent for the team even when he has been fit.

The wide player’s underwhelming contributions in the final third and his injury problems suggest that the Gers have not got as much out of their £15k-per-week than they have for Raskin, who won the club’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards for the 2024/25 campaign.

Rangers must regret losing the "Mbappe of Scottish football" for nothing

Rangers had a star who was described as the Kylian Mbappe of Scottish football, then lost him for nothing.

ByDan Emery Sep 11, 2025

It is now down to the club, Martin, and Thelwell to find a solution for Matondo in the coming weeks or months, because, to this point, he has been a flop at Ibrox.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are showing serious interest in signing a “fantastic” defender who is now a free agent after leaving a top flight club this summer.

The Midlands side have added two new signings, who are both wingers, to their squad so far this summer, as well as the permanent arrival of striker Jorgen Strand Larsen. But given the hole that has been left by Matheus Cunha’s departure to Manchester United, Wolves are still in the market for more attackers.

Wolves join race for £23m winger with "electric pace", he's open to PL move

The Old Gold have set their sights on a new forward.

ByDominic Lund Jul 28, 2025

Last week it was reported that Wolves are in the race alongside Aston Villa to sign striker Mika Biereth from AS Monaco. The 22-year-old only joined the French side in January but scored 13 goals in just 16 league games, form that has placed him on the radar of a few English teams. Biereth is under contract until 2030, but Monaco are said to be open to letting the player leave should they receive a fee of £40 million.

The Premier League side are also looking to add another winger to their mix, and according to a report from ESPN, Wolves are interested in signing Amine Adli from German side Bayer Leverkusen. The Morocco international has attracted interest from West Ham as well, and the player himself is said to be open to the idea of playing in England. Adli played an important role in Leverkusen’s title-winning 2023/24 campaign, but they are open to letting the player leave for around a fee of £23 million.

Wolves showing interest in "fantastic" free agent

While new attackers may be on Vitor Pereira’s mind, the Premier League side are also scouring the market for a new right-back after losing Nélson Semedo. Now, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, Wolves are interested in signing free agent Vladimir Coufal.

The 32-year-old joined West Ham back in 2020 and spent five years at the club, helping them back into Europe, and he played an important part in their UEFA Conference League success. However, at the end of last season, the Hammers decided against renewing his contract, and now the Czechia international is continuing his search to try and find a new team.

Under David Moyes, Coufal, who has been dubbed “fantastic” by former teammate Ben Johnson, was a regular for the Hammers. But last season, the right-back played just 22 games in the Premier League, with only 11 coming as a starter.

Apps

22

Starts

11

Touches per game

35.0

Interceptions per game

0.4

Tackles per game

1.0

Clearances per game

1.6

Duels won per game (success rate)

3.0 (50%)

The Old Gold do have Matt Doherty, Pedro Lima and Ki-Jana Hoever as their current right-back options, but with a strong possibility that one of them leaves, a free transfer for a player with over 140 games in England’s top flight looks a no brainer.

Manchester United are now keen on signing a “talented” PSG defender who is free to leave the French capital in search of more playing time, according to a new report.

INEOS identify new transfer targets for Man Utd

There are still over 40 days remaining in this transfer window, and given what was reported of what United would like to do this summer, it could be a busy few weeks for the Red Devils as they look to wrap up a deal for Bryan Mbeumo and many more.

Man Utd now in formal talks with Aston Villa to sign "world-class" £40m ace

Man Utd have finally begun official talks.

ByBrett Worthington Jul 16, 2025

The Premier League giants have now made contact with Aston Villa over the signing of Emiliano Martinez, who appears to be a top target when it comes to replacing Andre Onana, but he is not the only deal the club are working on.

Ben Jacobs reported on Tuesday evening that United hold a genuine interest in Pervis Estupiñán and have held talks with the representatives of the defender.

Meanwhile, a new report has revealed that the Red Devils have registered their interest in signing Andre from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Brazilian impressed for the Midlands side last season, and now he is wanted by United as well as Liverpool, who could sign him for just £30 million.

Man Utd keen on signing "talented" £25m+ defender

Estupiñán may not be the only defender to arrive at Old Trafford this summer, as according to a report from Spain, Man United are now interested in signing Lucas Beraldo from PSG.

It was previously reported that the defender has handed in a transfer request, as he wants to play regular football, and given the French champions want players who are 100% committed to the club, they have agreed to part ways.

PSG are ready to replace the young defender and United are very keen, as they believe he still has time to develop in a new environment. The 21-year-old joined the Champions League winners back in January 2024 and has gone on to play 62 times for the club in all competitions.

It had previously been reported that PSG would look to get at least €30 million (£25 million) for Beraldo, who has been dubbed “talented” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Beraldo played 25 times in Ligue 1 last season, 22 of which came as a starter, but the defender only appeared in four Champions League games, as the club went on to claim victory. Beraldo did have more of an impact in the Club World Cup this summer, as he played five times and made three starts, but it now appears he could have played his last game for the club.

His potential arrival at Old Trafford would see him come up against Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Lisandro Martínez in a bid to be a regular starter in Ruben Amorim’s back three.

Aston Villa are among a host of clubs to be fined by UEFA this week for breaking financial rules, which was confirmed just a few days after NSWE agreed to sell the women’s team in a bid to comply with PSR.

Frank wants £40m Aston Villa star with Tottenham prepared to make key offer

The new Spurs boss rates him.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 4, 2025

That sale of the women’s side to V Sports “effectively solved the issue” regarding this summer’s PSR trouble (The Athletic), with Villa agreeing a deal right before the footballing financial year deadline on June 30.

However, it didn’t do enough to stave off sanctions from UEFA, who punished Villa for breaking a different set of financial legislations, including the squad cost rule. Unai Emery’s side have reached a settlement with the governing body, accepting a fine of around £17 million over a three-year settlement.

“Breaking: Chelsea, Aston Villa, Barcelona and Lyon are among clubs fined by UEFA’s CFCB First Chamber,” wrote journalist Ben Jacobs on X this week in an extensive update.

“All four did not comply with the football earnings rule which was assessed for the first time in the 2024/25 season. The analysis covered the financial years ending in 2023 and 2024. Clubs have agreed settlements and fines. – Chelsea have agreed to a four-year settlement and a total fine of €80m, of which €20m is unconditional. Villa have agreed to a three-year settlement and a €20m fine, of which €5m is unconditional.

“Barcelona have agreed to a two-year settlement and a €60m fine, of which €15m is unconditional. Olympique Lyonnais have agreed to a four-year settlement and a €50m fine, or which €12.5m is unconditional. The CFCB First Chamber found that Chelsea and Aston Villa also breached the squad cost rule, having reported a squad cost ratio above 80% for 2024. This has resulted in a further €11m fine for Chelsea and a €6m one for Villa. Guaranteed fines are €31m (€20m+€11m) for Chelsea and €11m (€5m+€6m) for Villa.”

Villa consistently find themselves in a battle against spending outside their means, which is distracting them from their quest to become a successful club on the field.

Questions surely need to be asked about whether this creates a bigger gap between Europe’s established elite and the rest of the footballing pyramid, with Emery’s side potentially forced to sell more players over the coming summer, actively weakening themselves, just so they can comply with certain rules.

Aston Villa looking to sell right-back Matty Cash

£100,000-per-week Villa right-back Matty Cash is among those who the club wish to offload in an effort to bring in more funds.

Cash attracted criticism for some of his Villa performances last season, but he was a regular under Emery – playing 38 games in all competitions and starting nearly every match in their run to the Champions League quarter-finals.

As per former Villa scout Mick Brown, speaking to Football Insider, the club are actively looking to sell Cash and potentially bring in a quality replacement – as they believe their Poland international isn’t at the required level.

“Villa are looking to sell Matty Cash this summer,” he said.

“He’s an honest professional, and he’s done well over his time at Villa, but they don’t think he’s good enough for the level they want to play at. They’re still building the side, looking at each position and seeing if they can improve.

“The manager wants to improve at right-back, and they’ll use money from selling Cash to do it.

“It could be a busy summer at Villa because there are a few players being linked with moves away, but he’s one they’ve been looking to move on for a while.”

The 27-year-old has two years remaining on his contract, so it’ll be difficult to raise a significant fee for him at this point, but Villa have been linked with Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingeuza as a potential replacement.

Players have returned for pre-season training with Glasgow Rangers as Russell Martin prepares his group ahead of the Champions League qualifying clash next month.

The Light Blues have less than a month to prepare for their two-legged tie, as they look to make their way through to the next stage of the qualifiers and bring regular top-class continental football to Ibrox.

Martin has a lot of work to do on the coaching pitch to ensure that the players at Rangers know what their roles are and how they will play his system effectively, but he also has a lot of work to do in the summer transfer window.

For example, Cyriel Dessers could be on his way out of Glasgow before the end of the window amid reported interest from AEK Athens, who have been pushing to sign him, and Feyenoord.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Nigeria international will still be at Ibrox by the time their Champions League qualifiers get underway.

He may not be the only star to move on from the Scottish Premiership giants this summer, though, as Nicolas Raskin has also been linked with an exit.

Why losing Nicolas Raskin would be a blow for Rangers

The Belgium international is attracting plenty of interest after his performances in the 2024/25 season for the Light Blues, as a number of Premier League teams are reportedly keen on signing him.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa, and Leeds United are all reportedly eyeing up the former Standard Liege talent, who is valued at £25m by the Scottish side.

Raskin joining one of those three teams this summer, despite the money that could be involved in a deal, would be a big blow for Martin because of the quality that he would be losing from the XI.

In the 2024/25 season, the Belgian central midfielder was particularly impressive in the Premiership with his displays in the middle of the park for the Gers.

Appearances

33

Touches per game

68.4

Goals

4

Big chances created

9

Assists

10

Pass accuracy

87%

Dribbles completed per game

1.0

Dribble success rate

68%

As you can see in the table above, Raskin carried a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side, which shows that Martin would be losing a quality operator at the top end of the pitch.

However, Rangers could lose another player who would be an even bigger miss than the midfield star because of his attacking contributions for the team this season.

European team hope to sign Rangers star

According to reports on the continent, Ligue 1 side Lille now “hope” to finalise a deal to sign Morocco international Hamza Igamane from Rangers before the end of the summer transfer window.

The reporter claims that talks are ongoing between the two clubs to reach an agreement on a transfer fee, as the French team seemingly close in on the Gers centre-forward.

Transfer Focus

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

Tavolieri adds that the 22-year-old has already agreed personal terms with Lille, with a verbal agreement now in place, and this suggests that the only hurdle left to jump over is the transfer fee.

Igamane is reportedly valued at a fee of around £15m by Rangers and it remains to be seen whether or not the French side will be willing to pay that much money for the versatile attacker.

This latest update from Tavolieri suggests that Lille are confident that they can get a deal done for him, given that they hope to finalise terms over a transfer for the striker, and losing the forward would be an even bigger loss than Raskin for Martin.

Why losing Igamane would be a big blow for Rangers

If Igamane seals a permanent transfer to Lille this summer then the Light Blues would be losing their most efficient finisher and goalscorer ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The Moroccan star enjoyed a terrific first season in Glasgow with the Gers, scoring 16 goals in 46 matches in all competitions for the Scottish giants, and showcased his quality in front of goal.

Dessers ended the Premiership season as the top scorer for Rangers with a haul of 18 goals from 19.4 xG, which shows that he was wasteful in front of goal with the quality of chances that came his way.

Igamane, who only started 23 of his 33 league appearances for the club, provided far more quality as a finisher with the chances that he had in the Premiership for the Gers.

Vaclav Cerny

9.57

12

+2.43

Hamza Igamane

9.84

12

+2.16

Ianis Hagi

2.41

4

+1.59

Tom Lawrence

2.88

4

+1.12

Nicolas Raskin

3.43

4

+0.57

As you can see in the table above, the Morocco international is the most efficient finisher still at the club, given that Vaclav Cerny’s loan from Wolfsburg has come to an end, after a return of 12 goals from just 9.84 xG.

At the age of 22, Igamane also has plenty of time left to develop and improve even further under Martin’s coaching, if he stays. Whereas Raskin is a bit older and closer to his prime at the age of 24.

Reported fees of £25m for Raskin and £15m for Igamane also suggest that Rangers would not get as much value out of a sale for the striker, in comparison to the midfielder.

Therefore, selling the Moroccan forward would be an even bigger loss for the Gers because they would be getting £10m less for a player who offered more game-changing quality in the final third, and who has more time ahead of him to improve further.

It's bad news for Tavernier: Rangers in advanced talks to sign £75k-p/w ace

With Robin Pröpper and Leon Balogun on their way out of Rangers, are they about to sign a potential new captain to replace James Tavenier?

ByBen Gray Jun 29, 2025

This is why Martin should be hoping that Lille fail to finalise a deal with the club in the coming days and weeks, as Igamane could be a key player for him next season.

Tottenham Hotspur and their recruitment plans under Thomas Frank are evolving by the day, with the Lilywhites currently involved in a transfer saga with La Liga champions Barcelona.

Spurs are expected to utilise the significant financial windfall from their Champions League qualification over the coming months.

Frank holds Tottenham talks over signing £300k-p/w ace who's open to joining

The Spurs boss has been discussing him with Lilywhites hierarchy.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge recently stated that Daniel Levy and the recruitment team want to strengthen in all areas of the squad bar their goalkeeper, so it appears they’re determined to back their new manager ahead of his first full season in charge.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

This apparently includes a new right-back, despite the emergence of previous outcast Djed Spence in a more regular first-team role and Pedro Porro’s place in the squad.

Spence became a fixture under Ange Postecoglou and finished 2024/2025 as one of Tottenham’s breakout stars of the campaign, and there is reason to believe that Frank will be keen to work with the Englishman given Brentford’s attempts to sign him in the past (Alasdair Gold).

While the north Londoners won’t need to adopt a ‘sell to buy’ policy this summer after their qualification for the Champions League (Michael Bridge), reports have suggested that Spence’s evolution could motivate Levy to offload Porro for a decent fee.

As well as this, Porro is attracting rumoured interest from former club Man City, so the Spaniard could well look to end his Spurs stint on a high after winning the Europa League.

If he does end up leaving Spurs, Frank will still need a replacement who can rotate with Spence, and Monaco defender Vanderson could be a very adept choice. A report from UOL earlier this week stated that Tottenham are ready to invest significantly on Vanderson’s signing, but Barcelona’s talks for the 23-year-old proved a major obstacle in their way.

Tottenham "best placed" to sign Vanderson from Monaco

However, as per an update from Spanish newspaper Sport, this is no longer the case.

Barca have decided to cool their interest in Vanderson, due to Eric Garcia’s excellent performances at right-back when Jules Koundé was out injured towards the back end of 2024/2025. This has opened the door for Spurs, who could now have a free run at signing the South American wing-back.

Tottenham are apparently “best placed” to sign Vanderson, and Monaco are convinced that Frank’s side will meet his £30 million asking price.

Despite his fairly young age, the defender boasts top-level European experience and his Ligue 1 performances over the last 12 months have earned him five starts for the Brazil national team.

He also put in an excellent display against Barca in the Champions League early last season, grabbing two assists for Monaco in a 2-1 win against Hansi Flick’s side.

“Every day he wants to be better than the last,” said his former manager, Philippe Clement.

“That can give him a lot of pressure, lots of stress with all of the ambition that he has. We need to manage that more for him. If I left him to it, he would train for 18 hours a day. He is like that. Sometimes we need physical and mental breaks and he is a young player that needs to manage that. He will do it, because he has such a positive frame of mind.”

Arsenal are making an effort to restructure and revitalize their squad ahead of an all-important 2025/2026 campaign, with Mikel Arteta under some pressure to deliver a trophy after five years without major silverware, discounting the Community Shield.

Mikel Arteta set for a vital season with Arsenal silverware expected

Arteta delivered the FA Cup at the end of his first campaign in charge, but since then, Arsenal have had precious little to shout about despite some very close calls.

Fabrizio Romano says "deal is agreed" for "perfect" player to join Arsenal

Everything is in place for a move to be finalised.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 10, 2025

Arsenal registered an incredible 89 points during the 2023/2024 season, which would have been enough to win the Premier League title in many of the previous campaigns, but Man City’s imperiousness ultimately thwarted Arteta.

It was a similar story during the 22/23 campaign, but Arsenal were miles off this year’s eventual title winners Liverpool, having missed out on the domestic crown by a seismic 10 points.

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

The Gunners have also failed to deliver in all other domestic and European cup competitions since 2020, with Arteta now facing a vital next season where he simply must deliver glory to the Emirates after many years of building an elite-level squad.

“There’s no doubt next season the pressure will be on Arteta massively in terms of winning something and winning something big,” said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.

“If they don’t do that, the Arsenal board will have a massive issue, because they won’t want to change the manager, but there will be lots of people saying ‘five or six years without a trophy’ and they will be looking at how many managers can make that next step.

“The problem with changing Mikel Arteta is that Arsenal could easily become what Chelsea are now, a team finishing second year in, year out, to a team not getting into the Champions League.

“That’s the big conundrum Arsenal will have in 12 months if they go close again but don’t get over the line. It feels like next season has to be the season.”

Trimming the deadwood and making room for vital new additions is imperative, and they’ve now managed to get previous highly-rated youngster Marquinhos off the books for good.

Arsenal confirm Marquinhos has joined Cruzeiro permanently

The 22-year-old Brazilian, according to Arteta, was actually a “very popular” player behind-the-scenes at London Colney, but he could never quite cement himself as a part of the manager’s long-term plans on the field.

Marquinhos has been on loan at Brazilian side Cruzeiro since January, which included an obligation to buy based on certain conditions, and that now appears to have been triggered.

Arsenal announced on Monday that Marquinhos has joined Cruzeiro on a permanent deal, bringing an end to his three-year stay at N5, which initially brought so much promise, only for the forward to be deemed surplus.

“He’s very popular, with no English, just with his smile and attitude,” said Arteta about Marquinhos in 2022.

“He has earned the respect and admiration of everybody here.”

Marquinhos’ move to Cruzeiro was initially under threat, according to some reports in South America, but he’s now officially set to start a new chapter back in his homeland.

Birmingham City fans won’t want to get too carried away, but there is a feeling in the air at St. Andrew’s that the Blues could really shake up proceedings on their re-entry to the Championship.

After all, last season proved that Chris Davies’ men were just too big of a fish for the small League One pond, amassing a ridiculous 111 points.

Therefore, the hope will be that the reigning League One champions jump back up to the second-tier with a fearlessness present, which could well result in a back-to-back promotion story taking place.

Of course, the initial aim will just be to return and consolidate, but new signings aplenty would certainly boost their wildest dreams, with an exciting midfield talent now on their radar.

Birmingham battling to sign £2m star

As per a report from Football Insider, Birmingham are set to battle it out for the services of Reading star Charlie Savage this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

The report names Wrexham, Blackburn Rovers, and Portsmouth as keen onlookers also eyeing up the two-time Wales senior international alongside Davies’ side, with the Royals valuing Savage at around the £2m mark amidst this frenzied interest.

This would be a gutting loss for Reading, with the ex-Manchester United academy prodigy really coming into his own in League One.

But, the prospect of a Championship move will surely turn Savage’s head, with Birmingham perhaps winning their next Jordan James in the process if the 22-year-old decides to call St. Andrew’s his new home shortly.

How Savage possesses shades of James

Birmingham would love to uncover their next version of James in Savage, considering the current Reading midfielder’s fellow compatriot would up and leave the Blues prematurely after just three seasons in the senior game with his boyhood employers.

He would shine with ten goals and two assists coming his way from 105 games to warrant a move away, and whilst Birmingham have responded to the setback of James leaving terrifically with the captures of Tomoki Iwata and Seung Ho-Paik in the middle of the park, Savage could well be the 20-year-old’s amazing second coming all the same.

Indeed, the Royals’ number eight has shown across his stay in Berkshire to date that he can hammer home a stunning effort much like James in his Blues prime, with Savage now up to 12 goals and 15 assists from 96 total games for Reading.

Described as an “exceptional” player by youth coach Matthew Jones, he also possesses a similar bite and energy strutting his stuff in League One, weighed up next to James’ swansong Championship season with Birmingham.

The numbers below tell the story perfectly.

Games played

45

40

Goals scored

5

8

Assists

9

0

Touches*

47.8

27.8

Accurate passes*

27.0 (80%)

14.0 (77%)

Key passes*

1.3

0.5

Big chances missed

2

2

Big chances created

5

3

Ball recoveries*

3.7

2.6

He could even go on to be better than James when making the step-up, with Savage trumping his Rennes counterpart in almost every aspect of their midfield games, albeit when he was performing at a level below the 20-year-old.

It could well be deemed a risk on Davies and Co’s end to fork out £2m for Savage, therefore, with the ex-Red Devils starlet yet to experience life in the Championship across his emergent career.

But, James was once in this boat himself and excelled with flying colours, with a hope that Savage flourishes in a similar vein at St. Andrew’s if he joins the ambitious club.

Birmingham could make "outstanding" signing who'd be even better than Poku

Birmingham City can land a better attacking signing than chasing after Kwame Poku by securing this star.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 3, 2025

Burnley will be playing Premier League football once again next season after they finished second in the Championship to secure promotion back to the big time.

The Clarets finished on a staggering 100 points in the second tier, somehow only finishing second to Leeds United, and are now preparing to build a squad that can avoid an instant relegation from the top-flight.

Scott Parker will need to make some big and tough decisions on players who will leave Turf Moore, and ones who will come in, and one star whose future is uncertain at the moment is Ashley Barnes.

Why Ashley Barnes could be released this summer

The veteran striker signed for the club from Norwich City in the January transfer window and put pen to paper on a deal until the end of the season, which means that his current contract is due to expire at the end of next month.

Speaking ahead of the final game of the season, Parker was asked if a decision had been made on the striker: “Not at the moment, no.

Transfer Focus

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

“We’ve not really discussed in great detail next year or certainly how it would look in terms of players’ contracts. We’ve got one game left and that’s been the main focus.

“But Ashley Barnes has been incredible since he’s come in and there’s an opportunity for him at the weekend as well, depending on the decision I make.”

In the weeks since those comments, there has still not been any official confirmation of his release or a new contract, but his limited impact on the pitch could mean that they look elsewhere ahead of a Premier League season.

Barnes ended the campaign with one goal in 21 appearances, including two starts, in the Championship, and the Clarets have been linked with a striker who could be the next version of the veteran forward, George Hirst.

Why George Hirst could be the next Ashley Barnes

Burnley and Leeds are both reportedly interested in signing the Ipswich Town centre-forward after their relegation from the Premier League has already been confirmed, and he could be Barnes 2.0

Barnes joined the Clarets from Brighton at the age of 25, having come up through the lower leagues in League One and the Championship, and went on to score 42 goals in 200 Premier League games for the club.

Like the Burnley icon, Hirst has worked his way up the EFL. He played in League One for Portsmouth and Ipswich and the Championship with Blackburn Rovers and the Tractor Boys, before his first taste of regular top-flight football at the age of 25/26 this season.

Appearances

25

23

Minutes per game

24

35

Goals

3

1

Assists

1

0

Ground duel success rate

33%

34%

Aerial duel success rate

59%

44%

As you can see in the table above, Hirst’s form for Ipswich this season in the Premier League has been more impressive than Barnes’ last outing in the top-flight with the Clarets in the 2021/22 campaign.

These statistics also show that the striker, who was described as “unique” by Kieran McKenna, has the physical attributes to be a Barnes-esque figure for Burnley, particularly with his strength in the air to win flick ons and compete with opposition defenders.

Parker has struck gold on Burnley star who's worth more than Brownhill

Burnley will hope this star can settle into Premier League life well after an impressive debut season at Turf Moor.

ByKelan Sarson May 23, 2025

Hirst, who has scored three goals from 2.13 xG, has the potential to combine physical and technical attributes to be an effective centre-forward at Premier League level if he can kick on with regular minutes, as he only averaged 24 minutes a game behind Liam Delap.

That is why Parker could unearth Burnley’s next Ashley Barnes by signing the experienced striker, who has done the hard work in the lower leagues and could now be given a chance to really show his quality at the top level.

Turning their attention away from title celebrations and towards the summer transfer market, Liverpool are now reportedly preparing a medical for one target who they believe will sign for the club within a matter of days.

Salah reacts to Alexander-Arnold boos

Whilst the focus throughout this week has been on further celebrations within a Liverpool squad who have seemingly not stopped partying since confirming their Premier League title victory, it was only a week ago that Trent Alexander-Arnold was at the centre of headlines for all the wrong reasons.

After coming off the bench for the first time since confirming his Liverpool exit, the scouse-born right-back was met by a chorus of boos with every touch of the ball in a moment that has since caused plenty of debate.

Everyone has seemingly had their say on the controversial moment, including Mohamed Salah, who chose to defend his teammate in a recent interview with Gary Neville.

The Liverpool forward said: “I think somehow the fans were being harsh with him. I think he didn’t deserve it at the time, he deserved the fans to treat him the best way possible because he gave it all to the fans.”

“We shouldn’t act this way with anyone who always appreciates the people, who came here even for six months. Imagine someone who gives you his all for 20 years. It’s shouldn’t be like this. I hope that will change next game, against Brighton or in the last game of the season, because he deserves the farewell.”

He plays a lot like Wirtz: Liverpool plot huge move to sign £85m "magician"

Liverpool are ready to throw the kitchen sink at a marquee attacking signing this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 17, 2025

Away from the headlines, though, Liverpool still have a right-back to replace and whilst the debate has continued, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have reportedly seemingly made a move to do exactly that.

Liverpool preparing medical for Frimpong

With Alexander-Arnold on his way out, those at Anfield have instantly shifted their focus towards a fresh option down their right-hand side. According to GiveMeSport, Liverpool are now preparing a medical for Jeremie Frimpong and believe that they’ll have their deal wrapped up to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star in a matter of days.

The Reds have moved rapidly since the Alexander-Arnold news and are reportedly set to trigger Frimpong’s bargain €35m (£29m) release clause to get their deal over the line. Whilst the Dutchman is a different type of player to Liverpool’s academy graduate, he would arguably offer a larger output down Arne Slot’s right-hand side based on this season’s impressive numbers.

Starts

25

28

Goals

5

3

Assists

5

6

Ball Recoveries

84

130

Frimpong is certainly a player who’s rated highly at Leverkusen too, with Real Madrid-bound manager Xabi Alonso telling reporters last season: “Since I got here for the first time, since the first day, Jeremie has been a key player for us and for myself.

“He’s a great guy. His personality… he brings a lot of joy to the locker room. So you need to keep him having this joy. But as well as become more mature.”

Clocked as the fastest player in the Champions League this season by PFF, the Netherlands star will certainly strike fear into opponents when overlapping Salah down the right flank.