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Manchester United’s midfield depth is becoming a bit of an issue under Ruben Amorim. Whilst he has found his first choice pivot in Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, the Portuguese manager does not seem to trust his squad depth in those deeper areas.

His stubbornness at not playing Kobbie Mainoo is bizarre, given how talented the young Carrington graduate is. It now seems that the England international will leave his boyhood club on loan this winter, with Napoli one potential destination.

As for Manuel Ugarte, he has only played 301 Premier League minutes and seems off the pace for the Premier League, having been described as “not good enough” by Gary Neville, following the Manchester derby defeat.

With that in mind, it might not come as a surprise that United are targeting a new midfielder.

Man Utd’s latest midfield target

Midfield is clearly an area United are looking to improve this winter. They have already been linked with Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace in the last few days, although they will face lots of competition for the Englishman.

Another player the Red Devils could target is Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller.

According to reports in Spain, United are one of the sides ‘interested in acquiring his services’, with the German international one of the top names on their midfield shopping list.

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However, despite having seemingly made an ‘approach’, they will not be alone in the hunt for Stiller’s signature.

United’s competition comes in the form of Real Madrid, with Los Blancos looking to add to their own midfield depth after losing Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the last few seasons.

As for a price, Stiller – who is said to be keen on moving to the Spanish capital – could cost upwards of £53m to tempt Stuttgart into a sale.

How Stiller compares to Adam Wharton

Five-cap Germany international Stiller has shone in the middle of the park for Stuttgart over the last few seasons. Described as a “complete” midfielder by football analyst Ben Mattinson, he oozes class on the ball, controlling play from deeper areas.

This season has been no different for the midfielder, who was born in Munich and has played for Bayern Munich at senior level. Stiller has played 17 times so far this term, chipping in with one goal and assisting five.

Indeed, those assists from deeper areas are a key theme of Stiller’s game. He has 22 assists in 98 games for Stuttgart. This pass against FC Augsburg is an example of how creative he can be, looking to pull the strings from the edge of the final third.

Of course, the German is not the only midfielder United are looking to sign. Wharton is also a name high up on their shopping list, as he is for many clubs.

The Palace midfielder has shone for the Eagles again this season, playing 15 games across all competitions.

His former manager at Blackburn Rovers, Jon Dahl Tomasson, said, “on the ball, he’s Champions League level.”

Indeed, like Stiller, Wharton is a true controller, able to dictate games from deeper areas. Look at the influence he had in midfield against Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final last season.

It might well be the case that United only end up signing one of Stiller or Wharton, given how alike their profiles are. Whilst the former Blackburn star has Premier League experience, it might be the case that Stiller is actually a better signing.

The stats go a long way in supporting this theory, too. So far this season, the German averages more progressive passes, with 7.56 to Wharton’s 5.06 per 90 minutes, and more ball recoveries, with 5.47 compared to 4.68 each game.

Stiller & Wharton key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Stiller

Wharton

Progressive passes

7.56

5.06

Passes into final third

7.44

3.77

Passes into penalty area

2.33

1.04

Progressive carries

2.21

1.17

Ball recoveries

5.47

4.68

Stats from FBref

It is easy to see why bringing Stiller in over Wharton could be a better move for United. Not only does he rank ahead of him in several key metrics, but the former Bayern star is also someone who has more of an impact in the final third and racks up far more assists.

As Mattinson said in a separate post, the 24-year-old is “the perfect player for Amorim’s style of play.” He could certainly be that controller in United’s pivot, with the skills he has in possession, whilst also contributing in attack.

A fee of £53m is not too expensive in the current transfer market. Stiller could be the ideal candidate to add depth to United’s midfield that Amorim trusts.

Related Casemiro 2.0: Man Utd make £79m bid for "one of the best DMs on the planet"

Man Utd’s midfield could be improved grealty with this signing

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Nov 20, 2025

AC Milan are now reportedly plotting a move to sign Niclas Fullkrug from West Ham United after the striker’s agent made a damning admission ahead of the winter window.

The forward has struggled ever since arriving in the Premier League, but whilst he continues to contemplate his future, things have been looking up for West Ham. The Hammers made it back-to-back league wins on Saturday by defeating relegation rivals Burnley 2-1. It followed their 3-1 victory over Newcastle United last weekend and took them level on points with the Clarets.

The international break comes at a bad time for the Hammers, with Nuno Espirito Santo now settled into life in London and gradually turning things around. After the break, his side visit Bournemouth in search of a third-consecutive victory which could take them out of the relegation zone.

Nuno says West Ham have a "really good" talent who's "massively impressed" Carrick

The former Hammers midfielder has lavished praise on him too.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 8, 2025

It’s also a game that could see Callum Wilson square off against his former club in search of two goals in two games. Getting the summer arrival fit and firing on all cylinders will be key to West Ham’s survival and potentially key to determining Fullkrug’s future.

AC Milan join Fullkrug race after agent admission

According to Tuttomercatoweb, AC Milan have now joined the race to sign Fullkrug, who has missed the last four Premier League games through injury and scored just three goals during his time at West Ham.

When the forward arrived from Borussia Dortmund, there were question marks about his age, but those questions that were answered by the impressive season that he had just enjoyed in Germany – helping his side reach the Champions League final in 2024.

Any hope that Fullkrug could replicate that form in the Premier League didn’t take long to disappear, however, and now he looks destined to leave.

Speaking on the TOMorrow Business Podcast, Fullkrug’s agent Thorsten Wirth made a damning admission about the forward’s time at West Ham, saying: “Looking back, we have to say the transfer didn’t work out. There’s no point in sugar-coating it.”

Meanwhile, when asked about Fullkrug’s future, he said: “This always has to happen in cooperation with the club, but I believe it can make sense to change something there.”

Although Peter Crouch went as far as calling the forward “excellent” at Euro 2024, it’s fair to say that Fullkrug’s time at West Ham simply hasn’t worked out and he should move on in 2026.

As exciting as Potts: 19-year-old West Ham star has "the world at his feet"

Everton were beaten 3-0 at home to Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday as David Moyes’ striker problems were laid bare once again.

Blunt Everton attack leaves Moyes frustrated

It was a sobering afternoon for David Moyes’ side, who lost in the league for the first time at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, despite having plenty of chances to get back into the game.

Speaking after the match, Moyes said that Everton didn’t deserve to be on the end of a 3-0 defeat, but accepted that improvements are needed in certain areas.

“I don’t think that we deserved to lose 3-0 but if you don’t defend set pieces well enough, then you’re always liable to lose the game. It’s not something that’s been a big problem with us but it was today, whether that was because of the quality Spurs had or whether it was down to how poor we were defending it, then that could be argued.

“Some good things and, obviously, I’m annoyed because we don’t defend our set pieces as poorly as that normally, so we’ll need to try to improve on it. We’ve been pretty good at it. Overall, the play was good enough to earn more than we did today, we’ve just got to try to tighten up and finish off some of the good play and the chances we have.”

Everton’s goal threat has been lacking all season, with another blank coming their way on Sunday, and one attacking player is really struggling at the moment.

Beto criticised as Blues striker without a goal since August

According to Sky Sports reporter Alan Myers for Everton News, Beto was on the receiving end of some criticism from one Everton fan after the Spurs defeat.

He claims he overheard one supporter “describe Beto as that riderless horse in the Grand National that keeps going even though he’s never going to win the race,” in a brutal assessment of the striker.

Myers adds that “maybe that’s a bit harsh, but as I’ve said often his endeavor and hard work cannot be criticised but as a striker, you will be judged on goals and he just isn’t scoring enough of them”, with the 27-year-old labelled “absolutely hopeless” by Toffees podcaster Paul Brown.

Beto arguably needs to be taken out of the firing line at this point, with the striker’s effort levels strong, but his quality simply not there week in, week out.

Alongside Beto: Moyes must drop 4/10 Everton star who lost possession 19x

Everton were humbled on their own patch as Tottenham Hotspur ran out convincing 3-0 winners.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

The Portuguese target man has still only scored once in the Premier League in nine appearances so far this season, but the issue for Moyes is that outside of an inexperienced Thierno Barry, he doesn’t really have anyone else to turn to.

Whether The Friedkin Group back the manager with a new number nine in January may well determine the success of their season.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has been in prolific form at the start of the season, scoring 21 goals already in the 2025-26 campaign. However, the England captain has also been praised for his efforts to help the team defensively. Bayern team-mate Jonathan Tah has highlighted just how valuable Kane's defensive play is to Bayern and thinks it's an important part of his game.

Kane stars in attack and defence for Bayern

Kane scored his 400th career goal to help Bayern beat Dortmund in Der Klassiker last time out in the Bundesliga and extend their lead at the top of the table. While his goal drew plenty of plaudits, Kane was also lauded for a brilliant tackle he made late on in his own penalty area. 

Bayern legend Lothar Matthaus was particularly impressed by Kane's contribution, writing in his column on Sky: "I don't see a better striker in the world right now. Not just because of his goals, but because of his versatility and the positions he plays. Kane also demonstrates qualities as a passer, dribbler, and tackler. He is simultaneously a goalscorer, playmaker, box-to-box player, and tackler. I've never seen Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe slide in their own penalty area like Kane did in the 88th minute against Dortmund. I also don't see Haaland and Mbappe make passes of 50 meters or more. I haven't seen the chip shots that the FCB star can play from the other two. I think Kane has become even better because he can act as a free spirit. Under Thomas Tuchel, he may not have been given the freedom at Bayern that he now has under Vincent Kompany, or that he takes for himself."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTah blown away by 'so special' Kane

Tah has also hailed Kane's defensive effort and revealed how it has a huge impact on the entire Bayern team. He told reporters ahead of Bayern's clash with Club Brugge in the Champions League: "There's far too little talk about how Harry works defensively. He pushes us all, he carries us along. Harry runs back and defends all the time. You can't teach that to anyone; you have to want to do it – when someone like Harry Kane does it, it pulls everyone along. That's what makes him so special."

Kane jokes about his Bayern role

Kane joked about his role in the team after downing Dortmund. He admitted he played in a variety of positions in Der Klassiker but is happy to do whatever is necessary to help out his team. He told ESPN: "Probably a six, eight and 10. But I enjoy it, I enjoy a different side of my game. I know everyone's used to me being up top and scoring goals but I feel like I can contribute a lot more and today was a prime example. I still managed to obviously get on the scoresheet, which was nice, but ultimately it was more about defending, about tackles, about picking up second balls and then playing the passes in behind, which worked pretty well.

"It was a good performance. I feel like after the international break, the first game back is never easy, a lot of players getting back late Wednesday, late Thursday and you're playing against a good side. For about 50, 60 minutes I thought we dominated, we controlled the game. The first half we probably should have been two- or three-nil up but you give these types of teams a chance and it's difficult. [We've] done well to get the second goal and to concede straight away was annoying but overall we can be really pleased."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Kane?

Kane will be aiming to continue his prolific form on Wednesday in the Champions League against Club Brugge, and manager Vincent Kompany has warned his team not to underestimate the Belgians ahead of the game. He told reporters: "Club Brugge are a hard-working team, which is very much the Belgian way. They have consistently achieved good results in Europe. They are not an easy opponent; they are very dangerous. That is why good preparation is so important."

Bayern will still be favourites for victory and will hope to return home with all three points before they switch focus back to the Bundesliga and a trip to Borussia Monchengladbach. 

RR got off to a strong start in chase thanks to Jaiswal and Suryavanshi but eventually fell to a 10-run loss

Alagappan Muthu18-May-20250:55

Chawla: The way Wadhera paced his innings was most impressive

The break in the IPL witnessed the departure of two huge pillars of Indian Test cricket. It resumed with a 23-year-old and a 14-year-old taking T20 batting to new heights. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi put on a 76-run opening partnership where 74 runs had come in boundaries. But even with that head start, it was heartbreak for Rajasthan Royals (RR) as they lost by 10 runs. Punjab Kings (PBKS) are now up to 17 points. They were assured of a playoffs spot after Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) later on Sunday evening.Wadhera, the unsung heroPBKS equalled an IPL record for most 200-plus totals in a season (6). They made 219 for 5. That it happened after they lost three wickets in the first 19 balls just added even more sheen to their achievement. The top-scorer Nehal Wadhera (70 off 37) attended a mid-innings interview where he said his captain Shreyas Iyer had told him to keep hitting despite wickets falling and that mentality was the reason why they made the most of beautiful batting conditions in Jaipur.Most of PBKS’ firepower has come from their openers. But on Sunday, both Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya couldn’t get going. That though allowed Wadhera all the time he needed to come into his own. He is a lovely spin-hitter (strike-rate 156, average 84 this IPL). Two of his best shots came off Wanindu Hasaranga on either side of Iyer’s wicket – one where he picked the googly and hit down the ground for six and the next where he picked the leg break and slog swept it for six.Wadhera could’ve been out on 48 had Hasaranga been able to hold onto a tough caught and bowled chance.Shashank Singh scored quickly and creatively•Getty ImagesShashank Singh nails the finisher roleTushar Deshpande went into death overs mode in the 15th itself, using yorkers and bouncers of varying pace to save himself. Akash Madhwal, who was having a rough evening, might have thought he’d bought his team some relief when he dismissed Wadhera with four overs still left. Shashank Singh, at the time, was looking scratchy. He could’ve been dismissed for 11 off 10 if Dhruv Jurel had not misjudged where the boundary line was at long-off while trying to take a catch.Shashank made the most of the life he got and became a menace for an RR attack that had plans to deal with him. The wide yorker was a big part of that, but the finisher one-upped them by moving around in his crease, twice scooping off the wide line to find the fine leg boundary and once taking guard almost two feet outside his crease in order to meet the yorkers on the full. Shashank made 59 off 30 balls.Jaiswal, Suryavanshi, CarnageNobody was ready for how the RR innings began. Jaiswal went 4, dot, 4, 4, 6, 4 in the very first over bowled by Arshdeep Singh. Suryavanshi wasn’t lagging behind. From his place deep in his crease, and with the kind of power that doesn’t really tally with his age, he found leverage to hit bowlers looking for his nose and his toes out of the park. RR were 51 for 0 in three overs. Fifty of those runs in fours and sixes. One run off a wide. The first scoring shot that wasn’t a boundary took 26 balls to arrive. On the back of this unreal partnership, RR put up their highest powerplay total (89 for 1) in IPL history.Harpreet Brar picked off both Rajasthan Royals openers•BCCIHarpreet Brar turns it aroundWith the ball flying to all parts – and regular captain Shreyas Iyer subbed out to manage a finger injury – PBKS turned to Harpreet Brar (4-0-22-3) to see if pace off the ball would work. It did. Brar bowled one in the powerplay, got the benefit of a spread-out field after that, he still had to deal with a left-handed batter for most of his spell, nothing fazed him. Because he was clear with what he wanted to do. If he went full, he was not going to give RR the chance to get under the ball. He offered no room either. If he went short, he bowled it quick and kept the stumps in play to deny the batter time to swing. Riyan Parag found that out when the speed of his hands was no match for the skid of Brar’s arm ball. RR hit 19 boundaries in the powerplay. Brar came on to control the middle overs and they hit only four boundaries between overs 7 and 14.The endRR’s finishers have been under the scanner all season. Shimron Hetmyer has the fifth-lowest strike rate of all batters who have at least 50 runs in the death overs. Jurel has been found out by spin. Here too, he made only 15 off 13 against Brar and Yuzvendra Chahal, but he was able to get on top of the PBKS quicks. He had a season strike rate of 179 against pace coming into this game. He upped it to 211 on Sunday.A tense finish was on the cards, but Arshdeep came back for the 19th over, and nailed his lengths, whether he went yorker, or knuckle-ball into the pitch, and gave away only nine runs. That left RR with 22 runs to get off the last six balls. They managed to do that once in this game. Twice was asking for too much.

Are Everton… fun now?

Last time out, the Toffees beat Wolves 3-2 at Molineux, thanks to goals from Beto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and then Iliman Ndiaye, albeit Jack Grealish was the star of the show, registering two assists.

That’s now three successive victories in league and cup for David Moyes’ men, who will be looking to make that four in a row, achieving this for the first time since December 2023, when Aston Villa visit Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday; the Villans haven’t even scored a goal yet this season.

With Grealish the poster boy, the Blues are playing a brand of free-flowing, attacking football not often associated with Moyes, but just imagine how good this team would be had they not sold an academy prospect for £400k.

Jack Grealish's Everton renaissance

During his final two seasons at Manchester City, Grealish saw just 1,716 minutes of action in the Premier League, during which time he accumulated a miserly four goals and two assists.

Thus, it was hard to forecast if the England international would be able to rediscover his mojo upon moving to Merseyside, but the early evidence suggests he certainly has.

Having registered two assists against both Brighton and Wolves, Grealish leads the way in the Premier League with four assists; no one else has more than two.

This is, as already mentioned, twice as many assists as he mustered across two league seasons with Man City, so, should he continue this form, he’ll surely force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for games against Wales and Latvia in October.

Grealish is of course only on loan at the Toffees, but they do have a £50m option to buy, which would smash the club’s transfer record which currently stands at £45m.

So, could Everton have saved themselves a potentially enormous outlay by holding onto an academy graduate, rather than selling him for just £400k?

Everton's homegrown talent starring on the international stage

Unless they keep a keen eye on the youth teams, it is possible that Evertonians have never even heard the name Isaac Price before.

He joined the club’s academy at the age of seven, making 64 appearances for the U21s, but featuring just three times for the first team, totalling 45 minutes, debuting against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup, before late substitute cameos against Arsenal and Brighton in the Premier League.

Thus, no one particularly noticed or cared when, still a teenager at the time, he was sold to Standard Liège, the Blues receiving around £400,000 in compensation.

During 18 months in Belgium, Price established himself as a first-team regular, making 64 appearances for les Rouches, his solitary goal for the club coming during a 2-1 victory over Club Brugge at Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

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These performances must’ve caught the eye back home because, back in January, West Bromwich Albion paid £2.5m to bring him to The Hawthorns.

Having been in and out of the side last season, Price began this campaign on fire, bagging the only goal against Blackburn Rovers on the opening weekend, before scoring a brace during a 3-2 victory over Wrexham at the Racecourse the following weekend.

However, it is his displays for Northern Ireland that have propelled the 21-year-old into the limelight.

He opened his international account against Slovenia in Ljubljana soon after leaving Everton before, back in October 2024, netting a hat-trick during a 5-0 Nations League demolition of Bulgaria at Windsor Park.

This makes him only the sixth man to score a treble for the Green and White Army, after Billy McAdams (1960), Johnny Crossan (1965), George Best (1971), Colin Clarke (1991) and David Healy (2006 & 2007).

His international scoring spree has hit new heights this calendar year, on target during friendlies against Switzerland, Sweden and Iceland, before bagging his tenth for his country with a sweetly struck volley during a World Cup qualifier against Germany at RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday night, making it 1-1.

This goal in Köln makes Price the youngest player to reach ten goals for Northern Ireland, joining illustrious company at that milestone. Like Grealish as a youngster, he’s burst onto the scene in quite some style.

David Healy

95

36

Kyle Lafferty

89

20

Billy Gillespie

25

13

Colin Clarke

38

13

Steven Davis

140

13

Joe Bambrick

11

12

Jimmy Quinn

46

12

Iain Dowie

59

12

Gerry Armstrong

63

12

Josh Magennis

82

12

Jimmy McIlroy

55

10

Isaac Price

24

10

Johnny Crossan

24

10

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is certainly a fan, labelling Price a “magnificent…box-to-box midfielder”, while his international manager Michael O’Neill, described him as a “brilliant young player”, highlighting his work-rate and pressing. Positionally, he may well be different to Grealish but the same raw, exciting talent is certainly there.

As a result, according to the CIES Football Observatory, he is now West Brom’s most valuable player, with an estimated transfer value of around £16m.

Thus, even with Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye and the recently signed Tyler Dibling fighting for starting positions in Moyes’ team, Price would surely have improved this Everton squad, had they been able to keep hold of him two years ago.

Imagine him & Grealish: Everton may have Baines 2.0 in 19-year-old starlet

Everton’s next Leighton Baines could be a perfect partner to Jack Grealish down the left flank

ByWill Miller Sep 6, 2025

Jamie Carragher has poked holes in Mikel Arteta's claims that his Arsenal side are not playing with the "handbrake" on. The Gunners rescued a point in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the weekend, a result that saw them slip five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Although Arteta has talked up his team's offensive capabilities, Carragher isn't buying what he's selling.

Arteta hits back at 'handbrake off' criticism

After Arsenal's stalemate with City at the weekend, pundit Gary Neville took aim at Arteta's tactics, which yielded just three shots on target from a dominant 67 per cent possession.

The ex-Manchester United defender said on his self-titled podcast: "Does [Arteta] know how to get the players over the line throughout the season? Did the players know how to get over the line? That's the doubt I've got about Arsenal, and it isn't going to go away until someone proves me wrong. I like watching them play, but they've got to take the handbrake off."

In response, Arsenal manager Arteta said, "How can you be so dominant against such a team if you have the handbrake on? Dominance and handbrake are two different words. Look at the players we have, starting with the most attacking 'keeper in the league by far. When I watched the game back and saw the stats, I was surprised. Because it was impossible for somebody to predict such dominance from Arsenal throughout 96 minutes. It never happened in 17 years of Pep Guardiola as a manager."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesCarragher lays into Arteta

Following the victory, Carragher said Arsenal "wasted" 45 minutes after not really laying a glove on City; plus, they had to rely on a stoppage-time equaliser from Gabriel Martinelli to get something from the game. Now, he is suggesting that Arteta's response doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

He said on the podcast: "[Arteta] started with the goalkeeper, saying 'we've got the most attacking goalkeeper in the league'. Then he mentioned something about his full-backs and I thought 'that's not right', because his full-backs are centre-backs. I played in a back four under Gerard Houllier; it was four centre-backs. That's not far away from what Arsenal have got.

"He then mentions [Martin] Zubimendi, okay, a creative player in the No. 6. He then talked about a wide player playing centre forward last season. He was almost trying to argue against it, but wasn't really making that much sense.

"I can understand him defending himself and not listening to the pundits but I thought I hope he's not doubling down on what he's said there to his coaching staff and players. Because what he was actually saying, I'm not quite sure stacked up in proving they are a really offensive team. The team is there in front of you."

Pressure on Arsenal to deliver Premier League title

Few would argue that Arteta has not improved Arsenal during six years in charge, but they have spent around £1 billion ($1.33bn) on players since they last won a trophy – an FA Cup in 2020. Some believe he is copying Jose Mourinho's pragmatic blueprint to grind out wins rather than taking it to the opposition. After a hat-trick of Premier League runner-up finishes, the Spaniard is under pressure to end thissilverware drought and win the English top-flight for the first time since 2004. But with Liverpool flying high in the league, Arsenal cannot afford too many more slip-ups. 

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GettyArsenal risk falling away in title race

Arsenal sit second in the Premier League, behind Arne Slot's defending champions, and next up, they are preparing to face a foe that has bested them more often than not on their own patch.

Newcastle United lie in wait on Sunday at St James' Park, a ground the Gunners have not had much joy at in recent years. In fact, the Magpies have won four on the bounce in all competitions at home when facing the north London team, something Arteta will want to put right this weekend.

After that, they host Olympiacos in their second game of the league phase in the Champions League on Wednesday, before entertaining London neighbours West Ham on October 4. If Arsenal fail to win these next two league games, Liverpool could be out of sight before too long.

A “terrific” Premier League player sees Newcastle United as his preferred destination this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim from The Athletic.

Howe discusses Isak's Newcastle future

The future of Alexander Isak has been the summer’s main talking point at St James’ Park, with the Swede pushing for a move to Liverpool ahead of the new season.

Isak has been made to train away from his Newcastle teammates by Eddie Howe, with the manager no doubt not wanting an unhappy player around, and he spoke about the saga over the weekend.

“I think everything is in play. I’ve said many times he is contracted to us. He is our player. The club make the decision on his future. I don’t know what that will be. Of course I have a preferred outcome. I want the best and the strongest squad possible, but I also want players that really want to play for this football club.”

Regardless of what happens with Isak, more signings are needed for Newcastle before the summer transfer window reaches its conclusion, and they have been boosted by the news that one individual would like to play for the club.

Aston Villa star Ramsey keen on Newcastle move

According to a new update from The Athletic, Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey sees Newcastle as his “preferred destination” this summer.

The report states that the Magpies “made an approach for the former England youth international in January 2024”, with Howe described as a “big fan” of his. While West Ham are also keen on signing the 24-year-old valued at £40m, “Newcastle’s project and the chance to work under Howe are thought to carry the greatest appeal” to him.

This is a big positive for Newcastle, should their interest in Ramsey be as strong as it was last year, with the Villa ace a hugely talented footballer.

Granted, he arguably hasn’t quite kicked on as much as some predicted, but Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has hailed his ability, having managed him when he was at Villa Park.

“He’s not following in anyone’s footsteps. Jacob Ramsey is Jacob Ramsey. He will be a terrific player. It won’t be long before the whole country is watching him I’m sure. He is right up there, let me tell you.”

He'd replicate Isak: Newcastle make enquiry to sign "complete" £80m striker

With Alexander Isak still hoping to force a move to Liverpool, could Newcastle target a “complete” striker valued at £80m who’d replicate the Swede?

By
Ben Gray

Aug 12, 2025

Ramsey only started half of Villa’s 38 Premier League games last season, and he could feel that a new challenge is needed at this point in his career, seeing Newcastle as the ideal next step.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin has admitted that Hamza Igamane was unable to come on against St Mirren after informing the manager that he was unfit to play.

Speaking after the game, the Gers boss said: “I turned around to him at 60 minutes and Hamza told me he’s injured. I have to trust him, but we’ll see.”

“The issue is that the window is still open and there are people with one eye out and one eye in We had a bid this week for Hamza that we rejected. There are too many people uncertain and we have to make sure we have people that want to be here. I’m calm about it.”

Igamane was called to come off the bench in the second half, with the Gers 1-0 down to St Mirren, but declined the call, citing injury, and these comments from Martin do not suggest that an injury was the only factor at play.

The “we’ll see” and the talk of rejecting a bid for the striker, as well as players who are “uncertain” about their future seems to suggest that a possible move away from Ibrox may have influenced the decision.

Hopefully, that was not the case, and it was purely an injury concern and only that, but the window is still open for another week and the possibility that Igamane moves on from the club remains a real one.

Why losing Hamza Igamane would be a blow for Rangers

Cashing in on the Morocco international before the end of the summer transfer window would be a blow for the Light Blues because he is an exciting young talent who has the quality to deliver at the top end of the pitch.

The 22-year-old star enjoyed a terrific first season in Glasgow after his move to Ibrox last summer, scoring 16 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, per Transfermarkt.

His output in the Scottish Premiership, in particular, was impressive. The Moroccan star showed that he can be a clinical finisher whilst also providing a creative presence in the centre-forward position, or out wide on the left.

Appearances

33

Starts

23

xG

9.02

Goals

12

Chances created

37

xA

4.85

Assists

1

As you can see in the table above, Igamane outperformed his xG by around three goals and was let down by his teammates in front of goal, as they failed to make the most of the high-quality chances that he created for them.

An xA tally of 4.85 suggests that he should have had way more than one assist in the top-flight, and shows that he has the creativity and quality to open up opposition defences fairly regularly.

Losing Igamane would be a big blow, therefore, for Martin because of his quality in the final third, but the Gers are reportedly keen on a star who could allow the club to sanction an exit before the deadline.

Rangers eyeing move for LaLiga forward

According to the Daily Mail, Glasgow Rangers are lining up a move to bring Girona centre-forward Bojan Miovski to Ibrox before the end of the window.

The report claims that the Macedonia international is out of favour at Girona, 12 months on from his transfer from Aberdeen for a fee of £6.8m, and could be on his way out of the Spanish side in the coming days.

Transfer Focus

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It adds that Martin is a known admirer of the striker, who he wanted to sign during his time at Swansea and Southampton in Wales and England, and would like to snap him up to bolster his attack at Ibrox.

The Daily Mail reveals that the player and Girona would prefer a permanent deal to allow him to leave, but that Rangers cannot afford a permanent move for the star who cost around £7m last year.

It is said that, therefore, a loan deal for Miovski may be the route the Gers look to go down, and that the player could be tempted by the prospect of a return to Scotland.

Why this could be the end for Hamza Igamane at Rangers

Rangers have played with systems that either have one striker or none in all of their competitive matches so far, something which has been a theme for Martin throughout his career.

In their striker ranks, the Gers currently have Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, and Igamane at their disposal. This suggests that they would not be looking to add another centre-forward to the group unless they thought that one of them would move on.

Given what happened against St Mirren, what Martin said, and the interest in his services, Igamane could be the player who waves bye-bye to Ibrox before the window slams shut in order to open up the space for Miovski to join.

Losing the Moroccan sensation, as aforementioned, would be a blow to the Gers when taken in isolation, given what he achieved on the pitch in his first year at the club.

The signing of Miovski, a proven performer in the Premiership, would soften that blow because he could come in and hit the ground running as a huge goalscoring threat for Martin.

xG

15.60

17.08

xG on target

18.36

17.60

Goals

16

16

Shots on target

36

44

Chances created

27

23

Assists

2

2

As you can see in the table above, Miovski was a clinical finisher – taking into account the xG on target versus xG – for Aberdeen on his road to scoring 32 goals in two Premiership seasons.

The left-footed star, who was described as a “complete number 9” by journalist Josh Bunting, only started 12 times in LaLiga for Girona last season, scoring twice, and did not really get a chance to build any rhythm or momentum in his performances.

Miovski is a proven performer in the Premiership, though, and his output for Aberdeen in two of the last three seasons suggests that he has the quality to hit the ground running as a lethal goalscorer for Rangers.

As well as Aarons: Martin must drop Rangers lightweight who lost 100% duels

Russell Martin must drop this Rangers lightweight as well as Max Aarons.

ByDan Emery Aug 24, 2025

This is why the club’s interest in the Girona outcast may suggest, along with Sunday’s events, that Igamane could be on his way out of Ibrox before the window shuts, and Miovski could be a dream replacement for him.

Manchester City are now readying a £147 million bid to sign a “special” star who is rated highly by Pep Guardiola, according to a recent report.

Man City chasing two goalkeepers as Ederson’s future is in doubt

The Blues have already been very active in this transfer window, with Sverre Nypan being their latest capture. But things could soon be about to heat up even more at the Etihad, as focus switches to the goalkeeper department and the future of Ederson.

Bye bye: £330k-per-week stars want out of Man City to join the same club

Both are legendary figures at the Etihad.

1

By
Henry Jackson

Jul 18, 2025

The Brazilian was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia even before the summer transfer window opened, but talk of that move has now gone quiet. But that doesn’t mean the goalkeeper is not going to leave City, as it’s emerged that Ederson wants to leave the Etihad to join Galatasaray this summer.

The Turkish giants are looking to sign Ederson and İlkay Gündoğan from the Premier League side, meaning the Blues are in the market for a new goalkeeper.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, City have already contacted Burnley about signing James Trafford. The Blues have a buyback price of £40 million, but they are trying to negotiate with the Clarets about lowering that fee.

As well as Trafford, City are willing to make a £52 million bid to sign Andriy Lunin from Real Madrid. The 26-year-old is said to be open to the idea of joining City, as he continues to be behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order. However, Real Madrid continue to see Lunin as a key part of their team, and they don’t want to lose the Ukraine star without a fight.

Man City plot £147m bid for Cole Palmer

As the Premier League side chase a new goalkeeper, according to a report from Spain, Man City are now set to submit a 170 million euros (£147 million) bid to sign Cole Palmer from Chelsea.

The Blues sold Palmer to Chelsea back in 2023 for a fee of £40 million, but now they are keen to reunite with the player, who Pep Guardiola admires and has praised for his “special quality” in front of goal.

Pep is said to be pushing City to bring Palmer back to the Etihad, and that is why the Premier League side are willing to spend nearly three times the amount they sold him for to get a deal done.

City are aware Palmer can make a huge difference to their attack, as the England international did at the Club World Cup this summer, but Chelsea do hold all the cards in this potential transfer tussle, as Palmer is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2033.

Cole Palmer’s Chelsea stats
Apps	97
Goals	43
Assists	29

However, Palmer is represented by the agency CAA Base Limited, the same agency that looks after City defender Rico Lewis, and the Blues may see this as a good opportunity for them to use their contacts to tempt Palmer back to Manchester.