A Sunderland injury claim has emerged ahead of their clash with Sheffield Wednesday over Carl Winchester.
What’s the latest?
Black Cats manager Alex Neil has confirmed that the full-back will not be in contention to face the Owls in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals tonight.
The Scot revealed to the Sunderland Echo that “it’s going to be weeks rather than days” before the 29-year-old comes back from his knock.
He has not been able to recover in time to put himself forward to play in this huge match in the club’s bid to secure a place in the Championship next season.
Supporters will be fuming
Sunderland supporters will surely be fuming with this news, which comes as a big blow to the Black Cats as Winchester has been an important member of the team throughout the campaign.
Former Mackems boss Lee Johnson previously hailed the 29-year-old’s versatility on the pitch, saying: “Winnie is trusted in that position, he is trusted in midfield, in the number ten position, I could even play him centre-half if I needed to. He came in on a free transfer, and I think it has proved to be really good business.”
The Northern Ireland international has largely played at right-back this term but has also been deployed in midfield and at centre-back as part of a back three. This shows that he can play a multitude of roles for the club, and Neil would surely love to have his adaptability in his squad for this match as it would allow him to change systems in-game to suit how the match is going.
He has also showcased his quality across those positions. In League One, he has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.80 in 40 appearances, helping the side to keep 10 clean sheets in that time as he put in reliable displays wherever he was asked to play.
Defensively, he has been excellent for Sunderland. As per SofaScore, he has made three tackles and interceptions and 1.4 clearances per game, whilst winning 53% of his individual duels. He has been able to consistently break up opposition attacks to set the Black Cats on their way going forward, while he has also contributed in attack with three league goals.
Therefore, losing him for ‘weeks’ – suggesting that he will miss the entirety of the play-offs – is a big blow for Sunderland, one which will infuriate fans because of the quality and versatility that will be missed in Winchester’s absence.
AND in other news, Sunderland handed double injury lift ahead of tonight, Neil will be buzzing…
Sky Sports have now shared a major transfer update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of exciting Championship starlet Djed Spence.
The Lowdown: Paratici bids made…
The 21-year-old, currently shining on loan at Nottingham Forest from parent club Middlesbrough, has been at the centre of Spurs’ interest in recent months.
Antonio Conte is reportedly keen to bring in a right-wing-back, and while Spence may well be one more for the future, the Lilywhites have been determined to land him in recent months.
Tottenham chief Fabio Paratici allegedly lodged multiple January bids in an attempt to bring Spence to the Premier League, as per ESPN, with their interest continuing long past winter.
Credible source Jack Rosser of The Evening Standard backs that the north Londoners are set to battle with rivals Arsenal over the homegrown ace’s summer signing.
The Latest: Sky share big update…
Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, taking to Twitter, now claims that Spence has an ‘offer’ from Spurs – but they aren’t the only ones making approaches.
There are as many as five clubs vying for the defender, including Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, but it is believed that Spence has his eye on one move in particular.
Plettenberg explained: “Update Spence: Selling price is €12-15m! It is said that he has got 5 offers. City, Arsenal & Tottenham are among the interested clubs. Djed’s dream is to play for #MUFC one day. He is a fan! Been told there should be still a loose contact with FC Bayern.”
The Verdict: Get it done…
The exciting rising star has been a revelation in England’s second tier and could leave for just £13 million – not to mention his signing would go some way to solving Spurs’ homegrown quota crisis.
Despite his tender age, Spence has proved a ‘massive player’ for Forest over 2021/2022, as claimed by Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff.His WhoScored stats certainly back just how brilliant he has been this season, ranking among Forest’s top-four performers in the Championship going by average match rating.Out of Steve Cooper’s current crop, only forward Keinan Davis has completed more successful take-ons per 90 than Spence domestically (WhoScored) – backing the top talent’s proven attacking threat as an effective RWB.His quality is evident, but given his interesting in moving to Old Trafford and all the fierce competition, it appears Paratici faces a tough task to get the deal done.In other news: Source: Tottenham edge closer to ‘top signing’, he now really wants to join Conte! Find out more here.
First and foremost, Newcastle United have no pressing concerns relating to finances and the ever-ominous profit and sustainability rules in the Premier League.
Furthermore, technical director Ross Wilson is now settled into his chair in the St. James’ Park offices, and have formed a good early relationship with Eddie Howe as they look to tackle key areas of the squad.
Now is the time for action. It’s been a wobbly start to the season after a summer of upheaval, but United are beginning to show green shoots in their bid to cement themselves as Champions League contenders and a multi-trophy-winning outfit.
Defensive positions are being examined, but with Joelinton’s form lacking in stages this season, Howe wants a new midfielder.
The question on everyone’s lips: Will it be Elliot Anderson?
Newcastle chasing elite midfielder
Howe spoke at the start of October about his desire to bring Anderson back home. The 23-year-old was sold to Nottingham Forest in 2024 and he has since become a top-class midfielder. It was not a happy sale for the Magpies, whose hand was forced by PSR.
Now, United want him back. The problem? Manchester City and Manchester United are also keen, and the Tricky Trees have priced their gem in excess of £100m.
This is a superstar in the making. Already, he is ranking favourably against the likes of Sandro Tonali in the Newcastle midfield; the Italian is widely regarded as one of the best in the Premier League.
If Newcastle are fruitless in their bid to sign Anderson, they could do worse than fall back on Scott McTominay, who was named the Serie A MVP last season after leading Napoli to the Scudetto.
As per Chronicle Live, McTominay is reportedly unsettled in Naples and is considering a return to the Premier League. Newcastle would be right there, offering the Scotland star a chance to take his career to the next level.
Valued at £70m, McTominay, 28, will not be short of suitors in 2026, but sources close to the player suggest that he would be open to moving to Tyneside and working under Howe’s stewardship.
What McTominay would offer Newcastle
It’s a testament to McTominay’s meteoric rise in Italy that had Newcastle signed him from Manchester United, it would have been a move met with indifference.
But now, he is revered as a hero for both club and country, 18th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings and regarded as a “true superstar of European and world football”, as said by content creator Adam Joseph.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær, his former boss at Old Trafford, also hailed him as a “physical monster” once, and this is why McTominay could be such an interesting Anderson alternative.
He is capable of show-stopping moments, but the Tartan Army hero also has the athleticism and defensive attributes to dovetail right into Howe’s engine room.
His high duel success bespeaks his tenacity, and his eye for goal makes him an intriguing option to place just ahead of Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, both elegant and combative players with excellent passing ranges, sure to pick out the Napoli star’s surges into the danger area.
Matches (starts)
37 (33)
34 (33)
Goals
2
12
Assists
6
4
Touches*
54.2
43.1
Accurate passes*
28.7 (82%)
22.7 (85%)
Chances created*
1.0
0.8
Dribbles*
1.0
1.1
Ball recoveries*
5.6
4.2
Tackles + interceptions*
2.5
2.0
Duels (won)*
6.5
6.1
Anderson has since raised his level, but McTominay has hardly regressed himself, instrumental in a title-defending Napoli team that trail first-placed AC Milan this season by only a single point.
There is a winning mentality about McTominay that Newcastle need to take their project to the next level, and while the 23-year-old Anderson would be a fantastic addition, this would provide Howe with the instant effect he and his team need.
Newcastle need a new midfielder, and that won’t change. Either of these stars would mark stunning acquisitions.
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It feels like an absolute age since Thomas Tuchel was first announced as the England manager.
Truth be told, it is an age. On October 16th 2024, a year ago now, he was unveiled in front of the press.
England manager Thomas Tuchel watches on.
This has been something entirely different for the German. He’s never managed at international level and since he began the job, he has still only managed eight games. It really is a struggle to gather any momentum or know truly what his Three Lions are capable of until the World Cup kicks off next summer.
Things started off pretty slowly in all honesty. Tuchel’s England laboured to a 2-0 win over Albania in his first game before beating Latvia 3-0.
His second international break at the beginning of the summer was even worse. They secured just a 1-0 victory over Andorra and then lost 3-1 to Senegal.
Fortunately, things have got better since then, putting five past Serbia in September and demolishing Wales 3-0 inside 20 minutes in October’s break.
Regardless of those results, England were always going to be one of the favourites in America next summer. But, the age-old question, who will be on the plane?
We asked AI to put together what they think Tuchel’s 26-man squad will look like and here was the outcome…
1 The goalkeepers
There are no prizes for guessing who AI reckons will be Tuchel’s no.1 next summer. That honour goes to Jordan Pickford who has cemented himself as one of his country’s finest goalkeepers in recent years.
The Everton man has been to every major tournament (4) since the World Cup in 2018 and according to AI, will be joined by Newcastle duo Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope. Ramsdale hasn’t appeared in any of Tuchel’s squad lists yet so will need to find a way to play some football before the tournament kicks off next summer.
At the moment, he is behind Pope in the pecking order but there’s no doubting that he’s a fine ‘keeper, someone who was seen as the future no.1 when at Arsenal.
Full list of goalkeepers: Pickford, Ramsdale & Pope.
2 The defenders
AI anticipates that Tuchel will take four out-and-out centre-backs to the USA next year with John Stones set to partner Marc Guehi at the back, just as they did during Euro 2024.
While denied his move to Liverpool during the summer, Guehi has begun the season in fine form at Crystal Palace and really does look like England’s standout defender.
AI also thinks that AC Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori could be on the plane, set to earn his first minutes for his country since 2023. Note there is no place for Dan Burn who has been a regular in Tuchel’s first few England camps.
Levi Colwill is currently out with an ACL problem but is expected to be back for the latter stages of the season, potentially giving him the opportunity to make the squad.
At full-back, England are blessed with options. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tino Livramento and Reece James have been picked on the right-hand side. James offers strong versatility and could be fielded at centre-back if required.
At left-back, there are places on the plane for Manchester City’s Rico Lewis and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly. The England boss recently hinted that Lewis-Skelly would need to start playing more to earn his place in America.
Full list of defenders: Guehi, Stones, Tomori, Colwill, Alexander-Arnold, Livramento, James, Lewis-Skelly, Lewis.
3 The midfielders
To the joy of most supporters around the country, AI thinks that Jordan Henderson will miss out on this occasion. The Brentford midfielder has been recalled to the fray under Tuchel but despite his experience and leadership, could actually miss out.
There is also no place for Elliot Anderson who has impressed so much since earning his first England caps during the September international break. Perhaps he is going to pay the price for Nottingham Forest’s poor run of form.
Regulars such as Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze are included while there is a place for Jude Bellingham who was left out of the camp in October, allegedly due to fitness concerns and a lack of minutes for Real Madrid.
They are joined by some wildcard options in the form of Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton who gets in ahead of Anderson to fill the no.6 spot.
Kobbie Mainoo also makes the cut. Has Ruben Amorim been sacked? It’s likely if the youngster is playing enough minutes to be in the reckoning. The last name is arguably the biggest surprise of the lot with Everton’s James Garner on the plane. To his credit, he has started the season well under David Moyes, registering a goal and an assist in his first seven outings.
Full list of midfielders: Rice, Bellingham, Gallagher, Mainoo, Eze, Wharton, Jones, Garner.
4 The forwards
To the surprise of nobody, Harry Kane is the first name on the squad list. The England skipper is one of the best in the world after taking his game to a new level in 2025/26, putting his name firmly in the conversation to win the Ballon d’Or. Why? Well, in his first ten games of the ongoing campaign, he had scored a mind-boggling 18 goals.
Euro 2016
4
0
World Cup 2018
6
6
Euro 2020
7
4
World Cup 2022
5
2
Euro 2024
7
3
Joining him will be Ollie Watkins, who netted against the Welsh in October and Marcus Rashford who has rediscovered himself at Barcelona this season.
Further options include Bukayo Saka, Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon.
Remarkably, there is no place for Chelsea star Cole Palmer. Currently injured at the moment, will he still be feeling the effects of that come next summer? There’s no room for Man City superstar Phil Foden either.
Full list of forwards: Kane, Watkins, Rashford, Saka, Gordon, Bowen.
Danny Murphy has revealed why he thinks Leeds United “will” get relegated, despite the victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, and named Daniel Farke’s “biggest problem”.
Leeds four clear of the drop after impressive start
Undoubtedly, Leeds’ number one goal this season will be to avoid relegation from the Premier League, and they have certainly made an impressive start to the season, collecting seven points from their opening five games.
Consequently, the Whites are now four points clear of the drop at this early stage of the season, after picking up what could be a vital result come May, defeating a struggling Wolves side 3-1 at Molineux.
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The Peacocks’ summer signings were responsible for turning the game on its head, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin cancelling out Ladislav Krejci’s opening goal, before Anton Stach and Noah Okafor got in on the act to secure all three points.
Although Farke’s side have made a solid start to the campaign, Murphy has since claimed he still believes they will get relegated, saying: “I still think Leeds and Burnley will go.
“I think the biggest problem for Burnley and Leeds is firepower. I agree with what we talked about earlier. I think all the newly promoted sides doing well is great for the Premier League.
“I’d like to see them all stay up, actually. But I don’t think it’ll be the case. Burnley struggled in front of goal. Leeds had only scored one, and that was a penalty, until Wolves kept giving them goals the other day. I like Leeds. Calvert-Lewin is a handful; that’s a great goal he got.”
Leeds' summer signings could lead them to safety
After making a poor start to life at Leeds, missing four big chances in the EFL Cup defeat against Sheffield Wednesday, Calvert-Lewin got off the mark against Wolves, and the 28-year-old’s top-flight experience could be key to their survival.
The former Everton man is vastly experienced in the Premier League, scoring 58 goals in the competition, and BBC Leeds’ Adam Pope was left very impressed with his all-round performance against Wolves, saying: “His attitude and confidence said ‘even if I don’t score, I’ll be fine’. His performance was fantastic from everywhere and having players like that in your team who know the Premier League makes such a difference.
“It’s not just the fact he scored, it was his overall play. His hang-time, winning headers, winning free-kicks.”
The Englishman is not the only new signing that has caught the eye in the early stages of the season either, with Stach receiving an 8.4 SofaScore rating against Wolves, the highest figure of any player.
It is understandable that Murphy thinks the Whites will go down, given that none of the promoted teams have managed to stay up across the past two seasons, but Farke has clearly recruited well in the summer transfer window, and Leeds have a fighting chance.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has weighed in on the performances of one Arsenal player who’s looked transformed so far this season.
Mikel Arteta’s side are finally back in action this weekend now that the often-dreaded international break is done and dusted, with the Premier League title hopefuls set to take on Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest in Saturday’s early kick off.
Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus will all miss the clash with long-term injuries, but Christian Norgaard and Ben White could return to the fold after they were both spotted in first-team training this week.
Meanwhile, Arteta has been boosted by the imminent return of star defender William Saliba, with the Spaniard confirming that he is actually in contention to play against Forest despite being forced off against Liverpool with an ankle problem.
Nothing but three points will do for Arsenal after their pre-international break defeat at Anfield, and it supporters will be keen to see how winger Noni Madueke continues his fine start to life at the Emirates Stadium.
Signing from Chelsea this summer in a deal potentially rising to £52 million, the England winger has hit the ground running at both club and international level – scoring his first Three Lions goal after an excellent solo run in their 5-0 win over Serbia.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
£5m
Martin Zubimendi
£60m
Christian Norgaard
£15m
Noni Madueke
£52m
Cristhian Mosquera
£13m
Viktor Gyokeres
£55m
Eberechi Eze
£67.5m
Piero Hincapie
Loan
Madueke was arguably Arsenal’s best player against Liverpool too, with the player’s private individual coach, Isaksson-Hurst, saying Arteta has a “very direct” and “very dangerous” asset at his disposal.
Neville has also been very impressed with Madueke, as he explained on an episode of the Stick to Football podcast.
Gary Neville heaps praise on Noni Madueke at Arsenal
The former Man United defender said that Madueke has looked completely transformed since joining Arsenal, telling his fellow podcast guests that the ex-PSV Eindhoven forward has carried himself completely differently when compared to his Stamford Bridge days.
The 23-year-old is still yet to grab his first goal or assist under Arteta, but Forest’s trip to north London represents a prime opportunity to do so as the visitors begin to find their feet under a brand-new manager.
One of West Bromwich Albion’s top performers in the 2024/25 campaign was experienced central midfielder Alex Mowatt, who caught the eye in the middle of the park.
The 30-year-old maestro started 39 games in the Championship and contributed with seven goals, five ‘big chances’ created, and two assists for the Baggies.
Mowatt is a great example of the kind of proven quality that you can get by signing experienced Championship performers, as they signed him off the back of spells with Leeds United and Barnsley.
West Brom could, now, repeat that trick by signing another central midfielder who is well-versed in the second tier of English football, if a fresh report is to be believed.
West Brom eyeing swoop for Championship star
According to a TEAMtalk reporter, West Bromwich Albion are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Sheffield Wednesday star Barry Bannan, as Ryan Mason looks to improve his squad.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The journalist claims that fellow Championship teams Stoke City and Wrexham, who have been promoted from League One, are also eyeing up the Scottish maestro to bolster their own midfield set-ups.
Bannan’s contract with the Owls is due to expire at the end of this month, which means that the veteran midfielder is set to be available on a free transfer.
West Brom are seemingly in the race to land him on a free transfer, alongside Stoke and Wrexham, and they could repeat their Mowatt masterclass by winning this race.
Why West Brom should sign Barry Bannan
Bannan would arrive at The Hawthorns as one of the most experienced players in the division, with 374 appearances in the second tier in his career to date.
The 35-year-old star, who was hailed as an “incredible” character by teammate Josh Windass, has been there and done it in the Championship, which means that he could hit the ground running in the Midlands, as Mowatt did.
Bannan is also a midfielder who can provide similar qualities to Mowatt at the top end of the pitch, as he has the ability to offer goals and assists from the middle of the park.
The Scottish veteran ended the 2024/25 campaign with a haul of four goals and five assists in the Championship, having managed 28 assists in the previous three seasons combined.
Non-penalty goals
0.10
Top 33%
Expected Assisted Goals
0.17
Top 15%
Assists
0.13
Top 26%
Shot-creating actions
3.87
Top 9%
Passes made
58.17
Top 16%
Progressive passes
8.43
Top 1%
As you can see in the table above, Bannan ranked very highly among his positional peers in the division in a host of key possession and attacking-based metrics, particularly when it came to creating chances for his teammates.
These statistics show that the Sheffield Wednesday ace still has plenty to offer at the age of 35, as he can make things happen with the ball at his feet as a passer.
Therefore, Bannan could be a shrewd addition to the squad on a short-term contract, possibly for one season, as an experienced player who can hit the ground running.
His experience in the Championship suggests that he would almost be guaranteed to be a smart signing for the Baggies, who would know exactly what are getting from him, as was the case when they signed Mowatt from Barnsley.
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Birmingham City won the League One title with a staggering 111 points in the 2024/25 season and are now preparing for a campaign in the Championship.
The Blues are already being linked with plenty of players, including Reading’s Charlie Savage, Swansea City’s Harry Darling, and Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper James Beadle.
Chris Davies is also looking to bolster his attacking options ahead of a season in the second tier, as Birmingham have been linked with a loan move for Aston Villa winger Louie Barry.
The English dynamo scored 15 goals in League One on loan at Stockport County in the 2024/25 campaign, but is unproven above the third tier, and the club are reportedly eyeing a star who would be an even better signing this summer.
Birmingham enquire about move for £8m star
Whilst Barry may be an exciting signing on loan because of his impressive performances in League One, with 15 goals, he has yet to prove himself in the Championship and would be a risky addition.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Birmingham have made an enquiry over a deal to bring Demarai Gray back to the club in the summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that the Jamaica international is exploring the possibility of a return to England ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and that Sunderland are another English side with an interest in the winger.
Jacobs’ GIVEMESPORT article adds that Al-Ettifaq, his current team, would be willing to cash in on him for a fee of £8m this summer, as they are willing to accept that he would like to return to England.
The report reveals that Birmingham have made contact to enquire about a deal, but states that it remains to be seen whether or not he would be willing to drop down to the Championship instead of exploring a Premier League move.
Why Birmingham should sign Demarai Gray
Davies should work hard to convince the 28-year-old wizard to make the move to St. Andrew’s this summer because he would be an even better signing than Barry, due to his pedigree at the top level.
Birmingham will have ambitions of eventually making their way back to the Premier League and the Al-Ettifaq star is vastly experienced at that level, with 200 appearances under his belt.
Gray, who was described as “electric” by journalist Scott Saunders during his time at Everton, produced nine goals and five assists in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 Premier League seasons combined for the Toffees.
This shows that he can make a decent impact at the top end of the pitch in the top-flight, whilst Barry has yet to score or assist a goal in either of the top two divisions in his career to date.
Premier League
200
19
14
Championship
72
8
3
Saudi Pro League
47
4
4
Bundesliga
10
1
2
As you can see in the table above, Gray has plenty of experience in the top two leagues in England as well as 57 matches in the Pro League and the Bundesliga.
The £8m-rated star would, therefore, arrive as a high-profile addition for the Blues and one that would align with a long-term ambition to return to the Premier League, as he has proven that he has the quality to play at an even higher level than the Championship.
Gray could realistically follow the club on a journey from the second tier to the top-flight and be a useful player at both levels, given what he has already achieved in his career.
Whereas, there is no guarantee that Barry can make the step up to the Championship, as he is yet to prove it, let alone the Premier League, which is why it would be a bigger risk to sign the Aston Villa youngster.
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With this in mind, Gray would be a better signing for the Blues with the long-term goal of reaching the Premier League because of his experience and quality, as well as it being a permanent move rather than a loan, as Barry would be.
Arsenal have reportedly sealed their first sale of the summer transfer window already, with Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta waving goodbye to one “high level” player who’s completed a move to Europe.
Arsenal players who are poised to leave this summer
A fair few high-profile members of Arteta’s squad are currently bound for the N5 exit door.
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Kieran Tierney’s pending move to Celtic will be a welcome return to Parkhead for the Scotland international, who gets to work under Brendan Rodgers six years after their pair parted company in 2019.
1
Kai Havertz
£280,000
£14,560,000
2
Gabriel Jesus
£265,000
£13,780,000
=3
Declan Rice
£240,000
£12,480,000
=3
Martin Odegaard
£240,000
£12,480,000
5
Thomas Partey
£200,000
£10,400,000
6
Bukayo Saka
£195,000
£10,140,000
7
William Saliba
£190,000
£9,880,000
via Capology
Meanwhile, it is reliably believed that Jorginho is set to join Flamengo once his £110,000-per-week Arsenal contract expires, but the Brazilian side are also exploring a deal to bring him in early, so he can take part in the Club World Cup next month (The Athletic).
Uncertainty continues to surround Thomas Partey’s long-term future with no fresh terms currently agreed as things stand, despite widely reported talks, but Arteta is adamant that he wants the Ghana international to stay.
“Yes,” said Arteta when asked if he wants Partey to extend his contract.
“I think consistency-wise it’s been his best season. The way he’s played, performed, his availability, has been exceptional and he’s a really important player for us.”
The writing appears on the wall for Albert Sambi Lokonga in terms of an exit, with the Belgian spending 2024/2025 on loan at Sevilla. The same can also be said for left-back Nuno Tavares, who’s impressed on a loan-to-buy deal at Lazio.
Nuno Tavares seals exit from Arsenal to Lazio
The Portuguese, despite some injury woes over the second half of the campaign, has racked up nine assists in all competitions and won over the Serie A side’s supporters with some impressive displays.
Nuno Tavares for Lazio.
According to Il Messaggero, via Sport Witness, this form has been enough to convince Lazio to keep him there permanently.
The newspaper claims Lazio have paid £4 million to sign Tavares from Arsenal indefinitely, and the 25-year-old will complete his move to Europe after a regrettable four-year stint at the Emirates where he never quite established himself.
He performed well on various loan spells, with ex-Marseille boss Igor Tudor calling him a “high level” player during his temporary stint in Ligue 1. Arteta also had initial high hopes for him when Edu signed Tavares from Benfica in 2021.
“One of the biggest qualities he has is that he is not fazed at all when is playing,” said Arteta about Tavares. “He was not fazed to make a debut like he did, the risks that he takes, the actions that he puts in place.
“Plus what you can see, his physicality, he is naturally a very gifted athlete. He can run and he can change speed and direction, and technically he is very gifted. But, for me, the most important thing is that he is a defender and he needs to defend first, and then he can provide the rest of his qualities.”
While the dream for many Arsenal fans this summer will be to see Alexander Isak arrive in a big-money deal, the fact of the matter is that he feels pretty untouchable.
A reported £150m asking price has been slapped on his head and despite Mikel Arteta’s need to strengthen in attack, it’s unlikely you’ll see the Gunners fork out that amount of money, particularly considering they need fresh faces in other areas of the pitch too.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
It perhaps explains why they’re currently working on a deal to sign Viktor Gyokeres, then. Reports in recent days suggest that they are in talks and an agreement may well be close.
But, if that move doesn’t come to fruition, attention could be turned to Benjamin Sesko and one other alternative.
Arsenal could sign £59m Sesko upgrade
Last summer, it looked as though Arsenal were going to sign Slovenian centre-forward, Sesko.
The striker had a release clause at RB Leipzig and despite interest from the north Londoners, he penned a new contract in Germany and decided to stay another year.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskocelebrates
Well, a year on, Arsenal are still interested in the 21-year-old, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein noting earlier in the week that they have done a lot of work to potentially sign the player.
The player still has a release clause with certain conditions, meaning it could see Arsenal pay in the region of £67m.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
If they are seeking a cheaper alternative, then they need to look no further than Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy.
England’s elite clubs have all been presented with the opportunity to sign the striker this summer as according to German publication, BILD, the player has a release clause of £59m, which can only be triggered by a certain set of teams.
Those clubs are Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Barcelona.
It’s a strange situation but due to the nature of the release clause, if any of the sides above submitted a bid of £59m, Dortmund would have no choice but to accept.
How Guirassy compares to Sesko
Sesko, described as “the new Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig is clearly one of the most promising and exciting young strikers in the game right now.
In the Bundesliga, he’s scored 13 goals in 33 matches and registered a further eight across other competitions. It’s a solid tally considering his age, but Arsenal want to win now. Thus, signing Guirassy for a cheaper fee may well be the answer.
After all, when it comes to finding the net, he’s certainly more prolific. Aptly described as a “goal monster” by journalist Michael Adjei, also playing in Germany’s top-flight, Guirassy scored 21 in 30 league outings this season.
In all competitions, the 29-year-old has found the net on 34 occasions in 45 fixtures. While he was a menace domestically, it was in the Champions League where he racked up some astonishing numbers.
Guirassy most notably scored a hat-trick in the quarter-finals against Barcelona, which were three of 13 goals he scored in 14 European ties this season. He’s a man for the big occasion and being in his prime, he’s ready to help Arsenal now. Unlike Sesko, he’s not a project striker.
So, where else does he beat the Slovenian? We’ve crunched the numbers.
Goals
0.73
0.49
Assists
0.14
0.19
Shots
2.98
2.50
Pass success %
73%
68%
Key passes
0.87
0.72
Progressive passes
1.52
1.74
Successful take-ons
0.38
1.48
Aerial duels won
3.77
2.65
Analysing certain metrics, it’s no surprise to see that Guirassy is more dangerous in front of the goal considering he takes more shots. He’s also involved in the build-up play, registering more key passes every 90 minutes.
Sesko is certainly the more progressive and quicker of the two, certainly judging by the number of take-ons he achieves, but what’s crucial for the way Arteta uses his centre-forwards is that Guirassy trumps the Leipzig sensation for aerial duels won.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskobefore taking a penalty
We’ve got two different profiles here, but at the end of the day, goals win you games of football and that’s what the Gunners have missed most this season.
The Dortmund star may well be 29 but he’s in his prime, he’s in the form of his life, and for £59m, you won’t find many better options.
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