Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou was gifted a rare bit of breathing room after Spurs’ statement performance in the Europa League, but there remains the possibility that he won’t be at the helm next season.

Tottenham in Europa League semi-finals after Eintracht Frankfurt win

A penalty from striker Dominic Solanke, who cooly slotted home beyond the Spurs-linked Kaua Santos in Eintracht Frankfurt’s goal, ended up being enough for Postecoglou’s side to edge into the Europa semi-finals after a hard-fought battle.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 17, 2025

Postecoglou earned rare praise after his Lilywhites side put in the dogged, mature display which they’ve sorely lacked all season – shutting Eintracht out with some truly exceptional defending and putting bodies on the line to preserve Tottenham’s slender one-goal advantage.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures	Date
Nottingham Forest (home)	April 21st
Liverpool (away)	April 27th
West Ham (away)	May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)	May 10th
Aston Villa (away)	May 18th

The atmosphere was hostile right from the off, but while the home crowd did their utmost to unnerve Postecoglou’s side in Germany, Spurs kept their cool and booked their place in the next round, where they will face off against unlikely semi-finalists Bodø/Glimt, who knocked out Serie A side Lazio on penalties.

There is a very strong chance that the north Londoners will put Bodø/Glimt’s fairy tale Europa League journey to an end and become European finalists for the first time since 2019, but even that might not be enough to save Postecoglou.

The Tottenham boss has been under mounting pressure after an historic low Premier League season, where they’ve tasted defeat on 17 separate occasions and currently lie 15th in the table.

Reports in the build up to their quarter-final second leg claimed that Postecoglou could be sacked by Tottenham regardless of their Europa League campaign (The Mirror), and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is believed to be among the contenders to replace him.

Tottenham have reached out to the representatives of Glasner to express their interest recently, according to media sources in Germany, but face competition from RB Leipzig for the £4.5 million-per-year Palace boss.

John Wenham makes Oliver Glasner claim after Tottenham contact

Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit John Wenham stated his belief that Glasner would be an “exciting” appointment for Tottenham, above other linked candidates like Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva and Brentford’s Thomas Frank.

“He has an aura about him, the way he charges around on the touchline, I quite like him,” said Wenham.

“He was flying with Palace last season. I know they made a slow start this season, but they lost some key players. However, since then, he has rebuilt well.

“He has led Palace to an FA Cup semi-final, and he is far more exciting than most names that have been linked. Therefore, he is someone I would be happy for Tottenham to appoint. I think with better players he would excel, and I find him more exciting than Marco Silva or Thomas Frank, to be honest.”

The ex-Eintracht boss also guided his former club to Europa League glory in 2022, and is one of the only trophy-winning coaches rumoured to be on Spurs’ managerial shortlist.

His “outstanding record” has also been lauded by Palace chairman Steve Parish, that being said, if Postecoglou ends up winning Tottenham their first piece of silverware since 2008, the club will still have a majorly tough decision to make.

Glasgow Rangers are still on the hunt for a permanent first-team manager. With each day passing, the Ibrox faithful will become more anxious about who it might be.

Pre-season will likely start in late June, which doesn’t give the board much time to find the right candidate for the job.

The takeover by the 49ers Enterprises is showing plenty of progress, but will it be completed by the time preparation begins for the 2025/26 campaign?

That much remains to be seen. There have already been a few names linked with a move to Rangers. José Mourinho was reportedly keen on a move to Glasgow, according to TEAMtalk last month, but his massive wages, plus the fact that a compensation fee would have to be paid to Fenerbahçe, surely rule him out.

Elsewhere, former RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund manager Marco Rose is another potential candidate, especially due to his connections with the Red Bull football group.

Again, his wage demands might prove to be out of reach, although things may change once the 49ers complete their takeover deal. One man who may or may not be returning to the club is Steven Gerrard.

Latest on Steven Gerrard's potential return to Rangers

The Englishman, who led the Light Blues to their last Premiership title in 2021, has been one of the favourites to become the next permanent manager.

On the surface, the move makes perfect sense. He is out of a job, knows what makes Rangers tick and most importantly, knows how to get the better of Celtic domestically.

There are differing claims over whether Gerrard is in the running to make an incredible return to Ibrox, however, with Chris Jack of the Rangers Review outlining: “It is understood that the appointment will be a manager with no previous involvement with Rangers. The new era will be a new beginning.”

That said, journalist Mike McGrath has suggested that Gerrard’s name is among the lengthy list of candidates being considered. In any case, with Athletic Club being knocked out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage, the Gers will now enter the Champions League at the second qualifying stage.

Steven Gerrard’s stats in charge of Rangers

Season

Games

Wins

Points per game

2021/22

22

12

1.86

2020/21

56

44

2.52

2019/20

54

36

2.17

2018/19

60

32

1.9

Via Transfermarkt

Those ties begin towards the end of July, indicating how urgent it is to bring a new manager in as soon as possible.

Could Danny Rohl be an ideal fit for the role?

Rangers could turn to Danny Rohl as their new manager

German manager Rohl could be the man that the 49ers are targeting as the new head coach, if recent whispers are to be believed.

It was reported by talkSPORT that the manager has left Sheffield Wednesday just days after the end of the 2024/25 Championship season.

It was believed that he had a release clause of £5m in his contract with the Owls – a figure which surely would have ruled out a move by Rangers – but now it appears as though he is without a club.

Regarding his future, Rohl has always seen himself aiming higher than the English Championship, saying: “I’ve always said that I’m very grateful to Sheffield for the opportunity I’ve been given there. And I’m someone who always wants to develop the club further.

“And to do that, you have to weigh up how far that’s still possible or whether the maximum has perhaps already been reached under the current conditions.”

If Rohl is indeed a free agent ready to be snapped up, then the 49ers could do no worse than take a look at the 35-year-old.

Why Danny Rohl could be more exciting than Steven Gerrard

Gerrard’s spell at Ibrox will live long in the memory of the supporters, especially after ending a barren decade-long wait for a league title. There were difficult times, too, however. The first couple of seasons saw the Gers struggle, especially after Christmas.

After winning the Premiership crown, Gerrard wasn’t backed sufficiently and thus failed to kick on from that moment, allowing Celtic to return to the summit of Scottish football.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows under the former Liverpool captain, and his exit still rankles with a few of the fans, that’s for sure.

In Rohl, what exactly would the Ibrox side be getting? He doesn’t have much experience managing at the highest level. Indeed, his only senior role was the Sheffield Wednesday job, where he took charge for 89 matches across all competitions, winning 34 games.

He tends to utilise a 4-2-3-1 formation, which would work out well with the players he could inherit at Rangers, no doubt about that.

Although his lack of managerial experience will be held against him, Rohl has won plenty as an assistant. Between August 2019 and June 2021, he was second in command to Hansi Flick at Bayern Munich.

Of course, the Bavarian side won the treble during the 2019/20 campaign and Rohl played a key role in this success as arguably the brains behind the trophy-laden season.

He followed Flick to the German national team, spending time as an assistant between August 2021 and September 2023. Germany failed to get out of the group stages at the 2022 World Cup, however.

Dubbed as “unbelievable” and the “best head coach” he played under by Josh Windass, it is clear Rohl has plenty to offer as a manager.

Under difficult circumstances at the Owls, he avoided relegation in 2023/24 and led them to 12th in the most recent season, missing out on a playoff spot by just ten points.

He might not be perfect, but the fact that he offers something fresh could be exactly what the 49ers group are after, instead of going over old ground with regard to Gerrard.

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By moving in a different direction, the Light Blues will look towards entering a new era this summer as they look to finally end years of hurt by challenging Celtic for the domestic title.

Will Rohl be in the dugout come July? Only time will tell.

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Posts ByDan Emery May 8, 2025

Everton picked up their ninth Premier League victory of the season on the road at Fulham as David Moyes’ men fought back to clinch a 3-1 victory.

After Raul Jimenez opened the scoring for Fulham in the first half, it looked as if another grim defeat was going to be put by Everton’s name. However, a fight-back kick-started by Ukrainian full-back Vitaly Mykolenko would get the ball rolling, leading to the Toffees running out as 3-1 winners.

Away from the defender equalising, however, there were a number of star performers from Everton’s perspective in attack which included Beto putting in another lively display up top.

Beto's performance in numbers

Of course, there has been a lot of chatter suggesting that Beto could be on the radar of newly promoted Leeds United this summer.

But, off the back of another impressive showing at Craven Cottage, he could be Everton’s new main focal point in the striker position, away from any move being signed off on for him to exit Merseyside.

Beto would make sure of all three points when racing forward late on, leading to the ex-Udinese attacker curling an effort past Bernd Leno on the 73rd minute mark.

Away from this moment of magic beating the German, Beto would end the game with a mammoth 11 duels won in total, alongside the lively 6 foot 4 striker also tallying up a further two efforts on goal to try and make his team’s win more comprehensive in West London.

But, whilst the Portuguese forward would ensure Everton collected all three points, there was another teammate in the attacking areas who stole the show and proved why he could go on to be a £100m talent like Manchester City-linked Morgan Gibbs-White.

The Everton ace who's a future £100m star

It was a very positive showing from Everton all over the pitch, with Jordan Pickford having to stay alert in between the sticks by making five saves, away from the likes of Beto remaining clinical in front of goal.

Yet, although he wouldn’t get on the scoresheet himself during the 3-1 win, Carlos Alcaraz would stand out throughout as a dangerous forward presence, with the Argentine winger showing why he’s deemed to be statistically similar to Nottingham Forest star-man Gibbs-White, among those in their position in Europe’s top five leagues, according to FBref.

Minutes played

84

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Accurate passes

16/18 (89%)

Key passes

2

Accurate long balls

4/4

Shots

2

Total duels won

3/7

Much like Gibbs-White, who boasts nine assists next to his name this season, the South American would tee up Beto for the game-clinching moment at Craven Cottage, alongside also showing off his prowess in front of goal when firing two efforts at Leno’s net that just went astray.

Winning three duels too, Alcaraz proved throughout that he could go on to be as lively and as creative as his English counterpart if snapped up permanently by Moyes and Co, having largely impressed in Everton blue since his January loan switch from Flamengo.

Liverpool Echo journalist Chris Beesley would hand out a high 7/10 rating to Alcaraz post-match, subsequently stating that the ex-Southampton man ‘spectacularly’ grew into the contest, leading to a much-deserved win occurring on Everton’s travels.

With one goal and three assists next to his name this season in the Premier League, it will be intriguing to see if the Toffees do land Alcaraz’s signature on a permanent soon, with the same adoration handed out to Gibbs-White at the City Ground now happening with the 22-year-old at his new location, culminating in his name being heartily chanted at the full-time whistle at Craven Cottage.

Whatever does happen in the summer with Alcaraz, Moyes will just hope between now and then that the wins keep being notched up in league action, with a promising new horizon already coming into view at Bramley Moore.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair May 6, 2025

Much of the talk at Manchester United is currently centred on the goalkeeping ranks – amid reports that Andre Onana could be on his way this summer – although Sunday’s defeat to Newcastle United also showcased the Red Devils’ woes in an attacking sense too.

As that 4-1 thrashing highlighted, Ruben Amorim’s side are simply starved of quality at the top end of the pitch, with the visitors looking particularly lifeless following the loss of Joshua Zirkzee to injury, alongside the withdrawal of goalscorer, Alejandro Garnacho.

Substitute Rasmus Hojlund, for instance, has still scored just three Premier League goals this season, while the returning Mason Mount has just one goal and one assist to his name in 36 games for United in total.

Having relied on the talents of Amad Diallo during Amorim’s early tenure – with the Ivorian registering 12 goal involvements in 20 games under the Portuguese coach – the Old Trafford side having looked particularly short of ideas since the 22-year-old’s cruel injury blow.

In all, United have scored just 38 goals in 32 league games this season, while the recent Manchester derby marked the 12th time that they have failed to score in a top-flight fixture in 2024/25.

At least one new forward is then the priority this summer – will Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, be among those to arrive?

Latest on Man Utd's pursuit of Cunha

Tensions are brewing at Molineux regarding the future of their standout Brazilian, with Cunha – who only recently returned from a four-game suspension – having irked the Wolves fanbase following a subsequently deleted Instagram post, in which the 25-year-old stated that he “will follow my dreams, not yours”.

That hint regarding a potential exit has come after the former Atletico Madrid man previously outlined his desire to “take the next step” in his career, with the 14-goal hero signing a new contract back in January which includes a £62.5m release clause.

As reported last week, United could be among the clubs to trigger that clause this summer, with The Athletic outlining that Cunha is among those being considered to play in one of the two number ten berths under Amorim.

The in-demand talent – who is also courting attention from the likes of Newcastle United, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest – notably scored and assisted against United on Boxing Day, having now racked up 39 goal involvements in just 76 Premier League outings to date.

It is clear then why Cunha would represent an attractive addition, even amid his recent disciplinary issues, albeit with there likely to be question marks over how the Red Devils would fund a move, with Amorim outlining that the club will have to sell before they can buy this summer.

The Man Utd flop who could help fund Cunha move

Reports have claimed that there could be more than ten first-team departures at the Theatre of Dreams ahead of next season, with the likes of Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof approaching the end of their contracts, while both Tom Heaton and Jonny Evans could be in line for retirement.

There will also be a desire to cash in on those who aren’t currently making an impact under Amorim, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony all in need of a permanent new home amid their respective loan moves.

In the case of the latter man, the Brazilian is one of those that INEOS certainly need to send packing after three dismal years in Manchester, with the former Ajax starlet having registered just 12 goals and only five assists in 96 games following his £86m arrival.

Antony

96

12

5

17

Amad

57

12

10

22

Jadon Sancho

83

12

6

18

Alejandro Garnacho

135

25

20

45

Dan James

74

9

9

18

Angel Di Maria

34

4

12

16

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

63

13

11

24

Memphis Depay

53

7

6

13

That grim record represents just what a costly mistake the 24-year-old has proven to be, with club legend Gary Neville describing him as “frustrating at times”, having only shown flashes of what he can do.

In truth, you can almost count on one hand the real high points that Antony has enjoyed in a United shirt, be it his crucial late equaliser in the eventual 4-3 win over Liverpool last season, or his long range stunners against both Barcelona and Real Betis in the Europa League in 2022/23.

That record against LaLiga sides perhaps illustrates why he has now found his feet while turning out for Betis in recent months, with the polarising left-footer looking like a man reborn with eight goals and assists in just 15 games for the Seville outfit.

Such performances are a positive in the sense that it should generate a market for Antony this summer, with the club desperately needing to shift their expensive flop off the wage bill, amid his reported salary of £105k-per-week.

That wage appears even more unjustified when considering that he earns more than what his compatriot, Cunha, is collecting at Molineux, with the Old Gold star taking home £90k-per-week, despite his stellar impact at Premier League level.

As Antony has shown in Spain, there does appear to be a player in there somewhere – albeit, just not a Manchester United one.

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ByMatt Dawson Apr 14, 2025

When it comes to the biggest stars of Arsenal’s Emirates era, one name will come to mind for most: Mesut Özil.

The German international joined the Gunners in a shock £42.4m move from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day 2013, in a moment that every fan who was around at the time will still remember as if it was yesterday.

The mercurial midfielder might have left the club under a bit of cloud, but for most of his time in the capital, he was simply superb and managed to rack up a tally of 44 goals and 77 assists in 254 appearances.

So, fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club to another international superstar who could have a similar impact to Ozil in North London.

Arsenal transfer news

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other stars linked with Arsenal who could be game-changing acquisitions, like Viktor Gyokeres and Morgan Rogers.

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The former could reportedly cost around £63m, and it’s not hard to see how he could change the Gunners’ fortunes next year, as in just 50 appearances this season, he’s scored 52 goals and provided 13 assists.

Likewise, with 14 goals and 14 assists in 52 appearances for Aston Villa this season, Rogers looks like he’d be more than worth the £100m price tag reportedly on his head.

However, there is another superstar attacker whose impact on the North Londoners could more closely mirror Ozil’s: Rodrygo.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs, Real Madrid are “willing to let Rodrygo go” this summer, and this has put Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool on alert, with them all regarding this as a real “market opportunity.”

However, just because he’s available to sign doesn’t mean it’ll be a cheap transfer to get over the line, with reports from earlier this week claiming that he could cost £85m.

It’s safe to say this is a deal that may well have legs. Even the Athletic have joined in on the party, suggesting Arteta is a huge fan of the tricky winger.

With all that said, Arsenal should still do all they can to sign Rodrygo this summer, as he’d add so much to their attack and could have a similar impact to Ozil all those years ago.

Rodrygo's similarities to Ozil

Okay, so we aren’t saying that Rodrgyo is even remotely similar to Ozil as a player in his playstyle, but were this deal to go through this summer, then it would be undeniably reminiscent of the German’s 12 years ago.

For example, when the midfield maestro moved to the Emirates in 2013, it was the biggest statement that the Gunners had made in the market for a very long time, and should they secure the Brazilian in the coming months, you’d be able to say the same thing.

Secondly, it would be another case of the North Londoners taking advantage of Real moving on one of their biggest superstars, and at the same age as well, with the World Cup winner being just 24 when he left the Bernabeu.

Finally, and this is important, the Osasco-born dynamo has the raw talent and ability to go on and be just as influential as Ozil was during his time at the Emirates.

For example, since the start of last season, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has scored 31 goals and provided 19 assists in 102 appearances, totalling 7,067 minutes.

Appearances

52

50

Minutes

3777′

3290′

Goals

18

13

Assists

9

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.51

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

139.88′

143.04′

That means the 24-year-old has maintained an impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.04 games, or every 141.34 minutes across two years of football at the very highest level.

Finally, the “big game player” as Dougie Critchley described him, also knows how to get himself and his team across the finishing line in the biggest competitions, and as such, has won two Champions Leagues, three La Ligas, the Club World Cup, the Copa del Rey and others.

Ultimately, Rodrygo is one of the very best wingers in world football, and if Arsenal can secure his services this summer, he’d be following in Ozil’s footsteps and could go on to be just as influential in North London as the German was.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 15, 2025

Chelsea are now aiming to seal the signing of a key target by the end of this month, according to Fabrizio Romano, and Enzo Maresca’s side are very keen to strike a deal for the player as soon as possible.

Chelsea set for "huge" Premier League clash with Newcastle United

On the field, Chelsea are putting full focus into their race for Champions League qualification, and face a “huge” trip to St James’ Park, where they will take on fellow top-five contenders Newcastle United.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini May 10, 2025

Chelsea will be fully aware of the tough task facing them on Sunday, having already lost at St. James’ in the Carabao Cup this season, but they’ll also go into the contest on a high after beating Premier League champions Liverpool last weekend.

Chelsea’s final Premier League fixtures

Date

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

Maresca’s side have picked up form again, winning their last three league games, with Newcastle coming as a very well-matched opponent. Both sides are level on points and goal difference, but a win up north has the power to all but seal Chelsea’s place in the Champions League draw next season, depending on results elsewhere.

“It’s a big one, it’s a huge one,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s clash with Newcastle.

“United will be a big one, Forest will be a big one. Now we have three more games, all of them are going to be big games. For sure, Sunday is a chance to start in the right way. We are on a good run, in a good mood, and hopefully, we can play a good game and win the game.”

Maintaining their place in the top five and qualifying for the Champions League will also have a knock-on effect when it comes to their summer transfer plans, as already confirmed by Maresca, so a lot is on the line.

Chelsea want to sign Dean Huijsen "by the end of May"

One of their top targets, according to widespread reports, is Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen.

The Spaniard’s £50 million release clause has piqued interest from across England and beyond, with Chelsea reliably believed to have held serious talks with Huijsen’s camp ahead of the summer window, which opens on June 1.

According to Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, Chelsea now want to seal a deal for Huijsen by the end of May, as they seek to finalise an agreement as soon as possible amid the fierce competition for his signature.

“The idea of the three main Premier League clubs involved in this story, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, is to do the deal now as soon as possible,” said Romano.

“Now it means by the end of May, so to close the deal this month.”

The 20-year-old has seriously impressed over his debut campaign in England, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp lavishing praise on Huijsen as an already “complete” defender.

“If you’re creating a footballer, the modern-day centre-back, you’ve got a bit of the influence from the Netherlands, the influence from Spain, where they come out with the ball and all the great defenders they’ve had,” said Redknapp.

“And then you’ve got that Italian mark on it as well, so the journey, the mixture that he’s got, is pretty perfect, and now he’s found himself in the Premier League. The elements are good, everything is right for him. You have to get all the right ingredients to be a top player.

“He’s a complete player, this young man.”

Manchester City have submitted a £55m offer for a “wonderful” midfielder, who has been identified as the heir to Kevin De Bruyne, according to a report.

Man City eyeing replacement for De Bruyne

De Bruyne is set to leave Man City at the end of the season, but rival Premier League clubs clearly seem to believe the Belgian has a lot left to give, with a number of sides recently expressing an interest.

Arsenal are now holding discussions over a shock deal for the 33-year-old, alongside Aston Villa, with club chiefs willing to back Unai Emery if he decides he wants to snap the City midfielder up on a free transfer this summer.

As such, Pep Guardiola will need to bring in a suitable heir, and although it will be a tall order to find any player capable of replicating what De Bruyne has done in a City shirt, a number of targets have now been identified.

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They have been working on a deal since January.

By
Henry Jackson

May 3, 2025

River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono is one player of interest, although, given his age, the 17-year-old Argentine may not be ready to go straight into the side, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz may be more of a ready-made replacement.

Man City are also looking at options from within the Premier League, and according to a report from Spain they have now submitted a €65m (£55m) offer for Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison.

Guardiola is known to be a huge fan of Maddison, and City have now made a concrete approach for his services, with the Englishman viewed as the ideal successor to De Bruyne in attacking midfield.

The 28-year-old is deemed to fit into Guardiola’s style of play perfectly, given his creativity and ability to connect with the attack, while his ability from set-pieces is also outlined as a major strength.

"Wonderful" Maddison impressing at Spurs

It has been an extremely disappointing season for Spurs in the Premier League, but the attacking midfielder has been one of their stand-out players, picking up 12 goals and 11 assists in 45 matches in all competitions.

As such, the former Leicester City man ranks highly across a range of key attacking metrics over the past year, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

Statistic	Average per 90
Assists	0.39 (93rd percentile)
Progressive passes	8.14 (98th percentile)
Shot-creating actions	4.82 (85th percentile)

The England international has also been singled out for high praise by BBC Five Live’s Ben Haines in the past.

Maddison is clearly a quality player, but the Tottenham star is set to turn 29 in November, meaning he is unlikely to be a long-term heir to De Bruyne, and his attacking numbers suggest he is not at the same level as the City legend, so there should be some reservations about the move.

Tottenham Hotspur have seemingly been offered the chance to sign a noteworthy Chelsea player this summer, and he could prove a very useful addition for Ange Postecoglou or his potential replacement next season.

Tottenham transfer plans amid Ange Postecoglou uncertainty

Spurs are on course for their worst ever Premier League season, resulting in uncertainty surrounding Postecoglou’s long-term future, and reports suggest the former Celtic boss could be shown his P45 regardless of their campaign in Europe (The Telegraph).

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ByEmilio Galantini Apr 30, 2025

A succession of managerial candidates have been tipped to potentially succeed Postecoglou, but as technical director Johan Lange and Daniel Levy assess Spurs’ options in that regard, they must also begin preparations for the summer transfer window.

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Tottenham are reportedly in the market for a forward, and have even been linked with a surprise move for West Ham star Jarrod Bowen this week.

Levy is apparently willing to bid around £51 million to sign Bowen for Spurs, even if this may not be anywhere near enough, but the England international isn’t their only rival player to be mentioned as a possible incoming in the last few days.

Christopher Nkunku holds talks to join Tottenham via agents

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to The Boot Room, £195,000-per-week Chelsea winger Christopher Nkunku is actively looking to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

The Frenchman, who’s actually scored 14 goals in all competitions this season, verbally agreed terms over a move to Bayern Munich in January (Florian Plettenberg), and looks set to be one of the many men sold or loaned out by Enzo Maresca’s side when the window reopens.

Bailey writes that, while a move to Europe is more likely, Nkunku’s camp have reached out for talks with Tottenham recently, as the ex-RB Leipzig sensation’s representatives attempt to offer him to a host of clubs.

“I am told that a move to Europe is the most likely option – but his people are touching base with clubs in England,” said Bailey.

“Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham have all been spoken to in the past few months. Chelsea want to recoup as much of their plus £50m outlay, but that looks difficult at this juncture.

“I am told the player is very happy in London, and so would a move to a Arsenal or Tottenham appeal? I believe it would but as it stands those options are not advanced – but Arsenal and Spurs both have an historic interest in the player. Both want a wide forward, so you could see the fit.

“There is interest back in Germany – Bayern Munich like him, a new deal for Leroy Sane doesn’t rule out them making a move but it is not pressing. Former club RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen also admire him.”

The versatile 27-year-old has displayed real quality on occasion since his switch to London, and was a revelation in the Bundesliga. However, this could prove to be a costly operation, especially for a price around £50 million, not to mention his lofty salary.

With Spurs in for a ‘sell to buy’ summer, as per The Telegraph, these factors may well deter Levy.

Liverpool are Premier League champions. Champions of England again for a record-equalling 20th time. Nothing should overshadow that remarkable achievement amid a stunning debut campaign for manager, Arne Slot.

And yet, an unwanted distraction or sub-plot has emerged following the circus surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future, with the England international confirming the news last week that he is set to end his lengthy association with the Anfield side at the climax of the campaign.

A boyhood hero and academy graduate, the 26-year-old – now set to enter his prime years – has decided to take on the next chapter of his career at Real Madrid, amid the expectation that he will join the LaLiga giants on a free transfer this summer.

That seemingly inevitable news was met with an understandably mixed reaction from the home crowd during the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, with Alexander-Arnold the subject of a fair few boos and jeers as he entered the fray late on.

On the evidence of that cameo, it looks as if the right-back’s stunning Merseyside journey is set to end on a sour note. Perhaps, the time may have come to take him out of the firing line for the remaining games of the season.

Trent's cameo in numbers vs Arsenal

There was life after the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane – there will be life after Trent at Anfield.

With Conor Bradley lying in wait to take on that right-back berth, the succession plan is in place for Slot and co, with the runaway champions deserving to end 2024/25 on a high, rather than being overshadowed by talk over their departing star.

The defender with the most assists to his name in Premier League history, the rampaging full-back is an undoubtedly “world-class player”, as per former boss Jurgen Klopp, but – as Sunday showcased – he isn’t irreplaceable.

Indeed, despite a largely positive cameo, in which he enjoyed an 86% pass accuracy rate and won 100% of his total duels, Alexander-Arnold was perhaps culpable for the away side’s equaliser, having failed to track goalscorer Mikel Merino.

That may appear a harsh assessment, although the Liverpool man was level with the Spaniard as Martin Odegaard struck from range, although it was the Euro 2024 winner who reacted far quicker to pounce on the rebound and head home.

Minutes played

23

Touches

20

Pass accuracy

86%

Key passes

0

Long balls completed

1/3

Total duels won

1/1

Interceptions

1

Tackles

1

Possession lost

3

Such a moment perhaps epitomised the ongoing debate surrounding Alexander-Arnold’s defensive prowess, with now the time to hand the reins to young Bradley permanently for the remaining two games.

Trent has been a centre-piece of success on Merseyside in recent times, but now he belongs to the past. The same could also be said of club-record signing, Darwin Nunez.

The Liverpool star who Slot now needs to replace

Despite the lack of a recognised centre-forward alternative to Nunez, it would appear that Slot has gone out of his way to find an alternative solution this season, rather than deploying the £85m man through the middle.

Indeed, the Uruguayan “madman” – as described by club legend Jamie Carragher – has started just eight league games all season under the new regime, with rumours rife that he will be on his way this summer.

Signed by Klopp in the summer of 2022, Nunez looked set to be Liverpool’s equivalent to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, not least after getting the better of the Norwegian after scoring in the Community Shield at the start of that first campaign.

Unfortunately for the now-25-year-old, he has since scored just 40 goals in 141 games in all competitions. In that same time frame, Haaland has netted 120 times from 139 outings for the Citizens.

The forgotten figure is now looking more like Rasmus Hojlund than Haaland, in truth, having actually been outscored by Manchester United’s struggling striker in 2024/25. Hojlund boasts ten goals across all fronts, while Nunez, by contrast, has netted just seven times under Slot’s watch.

For a player with his hefty price tag, that return simply isn’t good enough, with Sunday’s brief cameo having again laid bare his woes, after losing the ball on six occasions from just 11 touches.

Again described as ‘peripheral’ following his arrival from the bench, as per the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle, the misfiring marksman isn’t even providing the chaos these days, with time having come for a permanent upgrade and replacement to be acquired this summer.

And so, while the case of Trent may point to a player whom Liverpool are begrudgingly being forced to lose, for Nunez, this is a man for whom Slot surely can’t wait to be rid of.

With his future looking set to lie elsewhere this summer, perhaps we have now seen the list of the former Benfica man in the red jersey.

Fewer touches than Alisson: Slot must axe 5/10 Liverpool dud after Arsenal

Arne Slot must drop this Liverpool dud who was worse than Conor Bradley against Arsenal.

3 ByDan Emery May 11, 2025

Manchester United are closing in on their first signing of the upcoming summer transfer window, as Matheus Cunha is set to join on a permanent deal.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Brazil international is poised to arrive at Old Trafford for a fee of £62.5m to bolster Ruben Amorim’s options at the top end of the pitch.

Cunha is set to arrive as a proven Premier League star after his impressive performances for the Old Gold in the 2024/25 campaign, with a return of 15 goals and 13 ‘big chances’ created in the top-flight to steer them clear of relegation trouble.

The former Atletico Madrid star has shown that he can score goals at an impressive rate, whilst also creating high-quality chances for his teammates, and could hit the ground running in Manchester next term.

He also played as one of two number tens behind a central striker for Wolves, which means that he will be a perfect fit for Amorim’s attacking set-up.

United are also in the market for a new centre-forward to play ahead of Cunha, but it does not look like there is going to be a reunion between Amorim and Viktor Gyokeres.

The latest on Viktor Gyokeres to Man Utd

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, a deal for the Sweden international is ‘almost off the table’ for Manchester United in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The journalist claims that the former Coventry City star is not eyeing up a move to Old Trafford, but it is unclear if that has anything to do with the fact that the Red Devils will not be playing European football next season.

Amorim signed Gyokeres for Sporting in the summer of 2023, from the Sky Blues, and the impressive marksman scored 66 goals in 68 appearances in all competitions under the Portuguese head coach.

The news that the 26-year-old superstar is looking unlikely to return to England to sign for United this summer may come as a blow to supporters who may have been excited by the prospect.

Viktor Gyokeres (Liga Portugal)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

33

33

xG

22.71

30.95

Goals

29

39

Minutes per goal

101

72

Conversion rate

25%

29%

Big chances created

11

11

Assists

10

7

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Gyokeres has been incredibly prolific during his time in Portugal, mostly under Amorim, with 68 goals in 66 league matches for Sporting.

However, the Manchester United head coach could find his next version of the striker if the latest update on their pursuit of a Premier League forward pans out.

Man Utd expected to sign English striker

According to The Telegraph, Manchester United are ‘widely expected’ to win the race to sign Ipswich Town centre-forward Liam Delap in the summer transfer window, and he could arrive as their second signing after Cunha.

The report claims that the Red Devils are likely to sign the England U21 international from the Tractor Boys after they were relegated from the Premier League, one year on from his move to Suffolk from Manchester City.

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It reveals that Nottingham Forest are also interested in signing the former Hull City loanee ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but it is expected that the young marksman will opt for a move to Old Trafford instead.

Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this month that the striker has a release clause in his Ipswich Town contract that will allow clubs to sign him for just £30m this summer, which could make him a bargain addition for United.

If Delap, as expected, ends up joining Manchester United before the end of the summer transfer window, Amorim could mould him into his new version of Gyokeres.

Why Liam Delap could be the next Viktor Gyokeres

The obvious goalscoring quality aside, one of the Swedish star’s best attributes is his physicality in the number nine position, with his running power and his raw strength to hold off opposition players.

Manager Slaven Bilic once hailed his physical qualities, saying: “He (Gyokeres) is a very strong striker, a player who can not only keep and hold the ball but he can hurt you. He can run into the channels and he’s strong.”

Delap, dubbed a “monster” by teammate Alex Palmer, is cut from the same cloth as Gyokeres as a physical, hard-working, centre-forward who does not give opposition defenders an easy afternoon.

Pundit Paul Robinson praised his physicality earlier this season, saying: “He (Delap) is a pest. He is a nuisance. He is always there on the shoulders of the centre-backs. He is making runs in the channels. He is always available. When it looks like he isn’t going to win the ball, he puts his body in between the player and the ball, somehow managing to win a free-kick or something for his team.”

The clip above illustrates the kind of raw power and pace Delap can provide in the number nine role for Manchester United, but the next step for him is to prove that he can score enough goals to fire a team to a title.

He has shown promise in that respect after an excellent year with the Tractor Boys, in spite of their relegation back down to the Championship.

24/25 Premier League

Liam Delap

Rasmus Hojlund

Appearances

37

32

xG

9.34

5.24

Goals

12

4

Conversion rate

18%

13%

Big chances created

3

4

Assists

2

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international would already come in as a big upgrade on Hojlund as a goalscorer at Premier League level, after an impressive haul of 12 goals in his debut season in the top-flight.

Manchester United are set to sign an incredibly gifted creative talent in Cunha, who could provide Delap with the chances he needs to improve his output from 12 to closer to the likes of Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland, if he can remain consistent as an effective finisher.

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INEOS must terribly regret letting this player leave Old Trafford.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 25, 2025

That could, then, complete his transformation into becoming an elite Premier League centre-forward and Amorim’s next Gyokeres, as a clinical and physical centre-forward with plenty of time ahead of him to develop even further.