All posts by z3u9t.icu

Dominic Solanke was again absent from training ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Norway to face Bodo/Glimt.

Solanke last played for Spurs on August 23 against Manchester City and, even though he recently returned to training after a troublesome ankle injury disrupted his pre-season, he was conspicuous by his absence on Monday morning in Enfield.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank played down concerns over Solanke’s fitness on Friday ahead of the visit of Wolves, but with the England forward not able to feature in open training before the club fly to Bodo for Tuesday’s Champions League clash, the squad are short of attacking options.

Paris St Germain loanee Randal Kolo Muani was also absence as he deals with a dead leg, but Ben Davies did take part in the session after a minor knee issue.

Summer recruit Kota Takai also featured after a plantar fascia problem in recent months and Yves Bissouma was back.

Tottenham willing to make £50m+ offer to sign Euro 2024 Golden Boot winner

Spurs are prepared to make a big bid for a new forward.

ByDominic Lund Sep 29, 2025

Bissouma has not played for Tottenham this season after he was dropped from the Super Cup squad for being late on multiple occasions. He then suffered a knee injury in training days later.

Celtic are back from the international break and find themselves preparing for a tough run of fixtures, including the start of their Europa League campaign under Brendan Rodgers.

The Irishman has spoken in frank fashion about the frustration he faced during the summer transfer window, claiming his side ‘weren’t ready’ for their Champions League playoff match against Kairat Almaty after the Parkhead hierarchy failed to push critical deals over the line.

Not Nygren: Rodgers must bench Celtic flop to hand new signing a debut

Brendan Rodgers must drop this Celtic lightweight to unleash one of his new signings.

ByDan Emery Sep 14, 2025

Nevertheless, the Bhoys brought in ten new players by the end of the market period before Kelechi Iheanacho was released from his Sevilla contract to sign as a free agent.

However, the lack of synergy between the Celtic board and Rodgers has been on show for all to see, and one of his lesser-spotted summer signings has now sent an intriguing social media message that may explain his own situation in a little more detail.

Celtic loanee Jahmai Simpson-Pusey sends cryptic Instagram message

Taking to Instagram, Celtic summer signing Jahmai Simpson-Pusey changed his profile picture on the platform to reflect a message that said ‘Delays teach patience, which prepares you for blessings’ after failing to make a first-team appearance since arriving on loan from Manchester City.

Becoming the Hoops’ eighth addition of the window, the 19-year-old has also been left out of the Bhoys’ Europa League squad by Rodgers alongside Callum Osmand, Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, causing some to question why he was acquired in the first place.

For now, Lennoxtown product Dane Murray appears to be ahead of Simpson-Pusey in the pecking order and is usually first in line to come off the bench when Rodgers decides to shuffle his backline around.

Regardless, there is a long season ahead for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions, and there is every chance that the England youth international could have a part to play as his loan club pursue another domestic treble.

What has Brendan Rodgers said about Jahmai Simpson-Pusey?

Shortly after his arrival in Glasgow was confirmed, Rodgers admitted to the press before his side defeated Aberdeen in August that Simpson-Pusey may be some way off featuring regularly due to his lack of a full-intensity pre-season.

He stated via Sky Sports: “He’s a little bit away in fairness to Jahmai. He’s been training with the small group at Manchester City and isn’t quite up to speed yet. You can see his quality straightaway and it’s just going to take a bit of time in terms of his fitness and the intensity.”

Clearly, Simpson-Pusey is a man with plenty of talent, given he claimed the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award last term and also made six appearances in the first-team under Pep Guardiola.

Now, he faces the challenge of nailing down a regular slot in Celtic’s backline, which may require persistence as the Manchester-born man looks to unseat the likes of Liam Scales, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty over the coming months.

Sunderland have now submitted a bid for a proven Premier League player who is capable of scoring “worldies”, according to a new transfer update.

Le Bris outlines Sunderland's pre-season training plan

The Black Cats are getting closer to their Premier League return all the time, with Regis Le Bris working on having his squad as prepared as possible during pre-season.

Sunderland’s manager has been discussing what he wants to see from his players during their trip to Portugal, with focus on the “dynamic” within the team.

Le Bris will know that further signings are needed before the end of the summer transfer window, though, with talks reportedly underway over a move for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka, and now a fresh update has emerged.

Sunderland submit formal offer for Xhaka

According to Bild [via Sport Witness], Sunderland have now “made advances” to sign Xhaka, submitting a bid for the former Arsenal man. While the Swiss is valued at £17m, the offer in question is believed to be “less” than that, as the Black Cats look to get a cut-price deal over the line.

Meanwhile, Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has discussed the 32-year-old’s future: “Granit is a very important player for us, for the team and for the club.

“Our main interest is to keep him. Sure, there is interest in him, we need to speak to the player to know what his ambitions are. But one thing is clear: There would only be a transfer in a win-win situation.We still have a three-year contract with the player and are very happy with him.

“We have big goals for the next few years. That’s why there can only be a transfer if it’s good for all sides. We’ll have to wait and see. But our goal is for Granit to stay with us.“

Xhaka stands out as such a shrewd option for Sunderland this summer, so it is exciting to see progress being made in their pursuit of him.

The Leverkusen stalwart is now a 137-cap Switzerland international, showing how vastly experienced he is, and he has been hailed as a “lovely technician” by Joe Cole, also lauding the ex-Gunners star for his ability to score “worldies” from distance.

Better signing than Henderson: Sunderland open talks to sign £17m "monster"

Sunderland could now win a far better signing than Jordan Henderson by picking up this £17m leader.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 17, 2025

Xhaka knows the Premier League inside out, making 225 appearances in the competition during his Arsenal days, so he could be an invaluable addition to Sunderland’s midfield, combining tactical discipline with an eye for the spectacular.

Glasgow Rangers added yet another signing to their first-team ranks on Wednesday when they confirmed the arrival of central defender Nasser Djiga on loan.

The Burkina Faso international has joined on a season-long loan, and the Gers do not have an option to make it permanent next summer.

He joins Joe Rothwell, Thelo Aasgaard, Emmanuel Fernandez, Max Aarons, and Lyall Cameron in making the switch to Ibrox during the summer transfer window, and there is more to come.

The Light Blues are also closing in on the signing of winger Djeidi Gassama from, having agreed a deal with the English side, but he is not the only wide attacker Rangers are pursuing.

Rangers have bid rejected for English forward

As well as eyeing up a deal to bring the Sheffield Wednesday forward to Ibrox, Russell Martin is also looking to reunite with one of his former players.

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 BBC Sport journalist Nizaar Kinsela, Rangers are interested in a swoop to sign Southampton attacker Samuel Edozie during the summer transfer window.

The reporter claims that the Scottish Premiership giants have had an ‘initial’ offer turned down by the Saints, who were relegated from the Premier League last season.

Kinsela states that the Light Blues have a long-term interest in Edozie, which predates Martin’s appointment, and that more clubs are expected to join the race for his signature.

If Rangers go in with another offer for the 22-year-old winger and manage to strike a deal with the Saints, the club could land a big upgrade on Oscar Cortes.

Why Edozie would be an upgrade on Cortes

The Gers played their first friendly at Ibrox against Club Brugge last weekend and Cortes provided an assist for Mohamed Diomande’s goal in the 2-2 draw.

It remains to be seen if the Colombian winger will be a useful operator when the competitive games roll around, though, as the forward has only produced one goal and one assist in 16 matches in the Premiership in his career at Ibrox to date.

Edozie, meanwhile, produced three goals and two assists in 23 games in the Pro League whilst on loan at Anderlecht in Belgium in the 2024/25 campaign.

The former England U20 international also racked up six goals and three assists in 16 Championship starts under Martin in the 2023/24 season, as Southampton earned promotion to the Premier League.

Appearances

32

10

Goals

6

1

Big chances missed

1

2

Chances created

26

11

Assists

3

1

Dribbles completed per game

1.6

0.4

As you can see in the table above, the English speedster produced more goals, more assists, more dribbles, and created more chances in the second tier for the Rangers boss than Cortes has managed in 18 months in the Premiership with the Gers.

Edozie, who was once hailed as an “exciting” talent by Martin, has already played for the ex-Saints manager, which means that he could hit the ground running at Ibrox as a player who already knows the system and style of play.

This is why Rangers should go back in with a second offer to sign the former Manchester City academy star, who has only missed 19 games through injury in his career, compared to Cortes’ 39 matches missed just last season.

Therefore, the Southampton youngster could come in as a big upgrade on Cortes, as he is clearly available more often and provides more quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the left or right flank.

Personal terms agreed: Rangers set to sign their next Ryan Kent at Ibrox

Rangers are reportedly set to complete a deal to sign their new Ryan Kent at Ibrox.

ByDan Emery Jul 9, 2025

The start of Glasgow Rangers’ season is now fast approaching with the Gers’ first pre-season fixture taking place a week on Saturday, with the start of European qualifying coming up as soon as 22 July.

That’s all before the new Rangers manager, Russell Martin, will commence his Scottish Premiership campaign on Saturday 2 August.

Ahead of that busy fixture list, the Light Blues have been busy off the field overhauling their squad, so could they secure a “phenomenal” new signing in the process?

Rangers' busy transfer activity

On Wednesday, Max Aarons put pen to paper, joining Rangers on a season-long loan from Bournemouth.

He is the club’s second signing of the summer, after Lyall Cameron, but many more are forecast in the coming days and weeks.

Indeed, according to a report by EFL analysis, new manager Martin is targeting a move to bring in goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who he signed for Southampton just 12 months ago, for a reported fee of £25m.

Bailey adds that, due to the fact he is earning £120,000-per-week, the Saints are willing to sanction a loan ‘with an option to buy’ for Ramsdale this summer; Wolves and Leeds United also ‘interested’,

A fee could prove prohibitive for Rangers, given that their record-signing of the post-liquidation era is the £7.5m spent on Ryan Kent in 2019.

Nevertheless, with Southampton looking to offload, thereby open to a loan move, could the England international end up in Glasgow?

Why Aaron Ramsdale would be a game-changing signing for Rangers

Max Aarons has arrived at Rangers to much excitement, and rightly so.

The 24-year-old did just endure a pretty miserable campaign, barely featuring for Bournemouth, thereby spending the second half of the season on loan at Valencia, albeit he then made only five appearances for los Murciélagos, totalling a miserly 208 minutes.

Nevertheless, the youngster is still a player of great potential, almost joining Tottenham for £15m as a teenager, with Tom Quartly of Breaking the Lines asserting that he offers ‘fluidity in both attacking and defensive phases’ from full-back.

Aarons’ arrival does bring into question the future of Rangers’ two existing right-backs, namely captain and long-serving stalwart James Tavernier, as well as the promising Dujon Sterling, as this was not an area of obvious need.

The same, however, cannot be said about goalkeeper, with the potential arrival of Ramsdale addressing a pressing issue.

After arriving two years ago, for so long, Jack Butland was Rangers’ undisputed number one, starting 102 of his first 111 matches at the club, before being dropped by interim manager Barry Ferguson, following a sequence of high-profile errors, hence why deputy Liam Kelly got the nod for the Europa League quarter-final tie against Athletic Club.

Even though the Scotland international shot-stopper dramatically saved Álex Berenguer’s late penalty in the first leg at Ibrox, the table below emphasises that neither Kelly nor Butland are perhaps what Martin is looking for.

Goals against per 90

1.11

3rd

1

2nd

Save %

65.5%

17th

67.9%

11th

Clean sheet %

37.5%

5th

40%

4th

So, would Ramsdale be a major upgrade?

Well, former Arsenal goalkeeper asserted that Ramsdale’s performances for the Gunners as “phenomenal”, while manager Mikel Arteta described him as “exceptional”, following a man of the match performance during a 2-2 draw at Anfield two seasons ago.

So, let’s take a deeper look at his statistics in the Premier League.

Saves

120 (2nd)

94 (10th)

Save %

67.6% (15th)

70.6% (11th)

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

-0.08 (17th)

-0.05 (12th)

% of crosses stopped

5.5% (16th)

5.8% (16th)

Short passes attempted

1,026 (9th)

956 (8th)

The table includes last season, when Ramsdale was plying his trade for a historically terrible Southampton team, hence why only Mark Flekken made more saves than he did, as well as his final campaign as Arsenal’s number one, this 2022/23.

While the England international’s statistics don’t all leap off the page, it is clear that he is certainly a Premier League-level goalkeeper and a very good one at that, one that should not be playing for the team at the bottom of the division, that’s for sure.

His passing numbers are also impressive, which would very much fit into Martin’s style that prioritises control through possession.

Thus, if Rangers are able to lure him north of the border, this would be a massive coup, especially considering the trials and tribulations endured by Butland and Kelly last season.

Big Propper upgrade: Rangers open talks to sign 2nd defender after Coady

Rangers are looking to bring a couple of defenders to Ibrox amid the news that Robin Propper could depart.

Jun 26, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to back new manager Thomas Frank in the summer transfer market, as the Lilywhites scour for more new forward options after sealing a £30 million permanent deal for Mathys Tel.

Tottenham hold talks to sign £65m star, but his club prefer he joins Chelsea

Spurs are set for a transfer tussle with their London rivals.

6 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 20, 2025

Tel showcased flashes of his ability during his initial loan, which has now been made permanent for £15 million less than the originally agreed £45 million buy-option with Bayern Munich, and Frank has expressed his serious excitement over this move by chairman Daniel Levy.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“Very, very excited about Mathys signing with a permanent deal,” said Frank.

“I think he’s a very talented player that can play across the front four positions. He’s a goalscorer that we can develop even further to be more consistent in his all-round game but also to more consistently land in the right positions in the box. So I’m looking forward to it.”

The Frenchman will help to replace Timo Werner, who’s returned to parent club RB Leipzig after a lacklustre one-and-a-half-year temporary stint in N17, but Spurs may soon find themselves needing another wide player.

Son Heung-min’s exit from Tottenham is seen as a real possibility this summer, with the 32-year-old about to enter the final 12 months of his contract. Levy just has this window to make any significant cash back off his sale, and he’s apparently placed a £50 million price tag on his head, according to reports in Asia.

Frank’s need for a potential Son replacement has prompted links to a few intriguing targets this week, including Man City’s Jack Grealish, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus and Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo.

The latter bagged 20 goals in all competitions under Frank last season, and Tottenham are believed to have held initial talks over signing Mbeumo, even if Man United have been tipped as his preferred destination (Sky Sports).

Fabrizio Romano also claims that Tottenham began internal conversations over a move for the Cameroonian as soon as Frank signed his Spurs contract, so he appears to be a serious option if United cannot meet Brentford’s valuation.

Good chance that Bryan Mbeumo chooses to join Tottenham

According to journalist Duncan Castles on The Transfers Podcast this week, there is a “good chance” that Mbeumo chooses to join Tottenham, contrary to reports of his United preference, but Levy needs to meet his £70 million asking price.

“The indication from Manchester United was Mbeumo had chosen to move there and verbally told them that his preference was to move there,” Castles said.

“But I’m not hearing exactly the same on that. I think there is a good chance that Mbeumo, should Tottenham get to the price that Brentford are asking, that he might choose Spurs ahead of Manchester United.

“There are a couple of obvious reasons for that. One is that it allows him to stay in London, and secondly, it allows him to carry on playing for Thomas Frank, who has joined Tottenham as the replacement for Ange Postecoglou.”

The versatile African would be a quality heir to Son on the right-hand side, and he’s adept at playing as a centre-forward too, meaning both Mbeumo and new signing Tel could help to ease the goalscoring burden on club-record signing Dominic Solanke.

With their summer business officially underway courtesy of Antonio Cordero, Newcastle United and Eddie Howe are now reportedly ready to make their first approach to sign a big-money Premier League winner.

Newcastle confirm Antonio Cordero arrival

Starting as they mean to go on, Newcastle confirmed Cordero’s arrival from Malaga last week. The young Spaniard is set to officially arrive on 1 July when his current contract expires and he becomes free to complete his move to Tyneside.

After putting pen to paper, the young winger told the club website: “It’s truly an honour to be here, truly a pleasure. I am a person who likes to aspire high. Why not come to one of the best places in the world to do it. It’s a big step, and that’s one of the reasons I’m here. I’m happy to do it and have a great desire to get going already.”

Meanwhile, in what is likely to be one of his final acts as sporting director, Paul Mitchell welcomed Cordero to the club, saying: “Antonio is an exciting talent. We’re delighted to bring him to Newcastle United amidst interest in Spain and across Europe. He has lots of potential, and the next phase of his development will be for the club to select a loan move that will challenge him and build on his experiences.”

Following an impressive start to the summer, it seems as though the Magpies are only just getting started. Recent reports have indicated that they’ve already made an enquiry to sign Nottingham Forest star Anthony Elanga and Brighton’s Joao Pedro as they look to make up for missing out on Bryan Mbeumo.

Attacking reinforcements seem to be top of their wishlist too, with Howe now reportedly ready to make his first approach to sign a Premier League winner this summer.

Howe and Newcastle ready to make Grealish approach

According to The Sun, Howe is now ready to personally make an approach to sign Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City as he looks to help the England international revive his career courtesy of Newcastle.

The midfielder was dropped by Pep Guardiola on the final day of the season and reports have since revealed that he could miss out on a place in Manchester City’s Club World Cup squad as the exit door swings open.

The next move is key for Grealish with the World Cup coming up next summer and Thomas Tuchel recently making it clear that he needs to be back playing every week if he is to work his way back into the England squad.

£50m star so close to joining Newcastle his club are lining up replacement

The Magpies are reportedly closing in on a statement signing…

1 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 8, 2025

The Three Lions boss told reporters: “He is never shy of pressure. It’s the opposite. He grows in big matches but he’s a player who needs minutes and minutes and minutes and simply does not get them for a very long time. That’s basically everything. Nothing has changed.”

With that said, if any side can offer the former Aston Villa star that and cover his hefty £16m-a-year salary, it may well be Newcastle this summer.

Manchester United’s front line has massively disappointed throughout the 2024/25 campaign, being one of the main reasons for their dismal Premier League finish.

The Red Devils finished in 15th place, just three places above the relegation zone, finishing the season with two times fewer points than eventual champions Liverpool.

Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo finished as the top scorers for Ruben Amorim’s side, both notching just eight goals, with no player managing to reach double figures in the league.

Strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were both massively out of form throughout the entire year, only scoring seven goals in the Premier League between them.

As a result, the hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements in such a department, with numerous names already mentioned with a summer switch to Old Trafford.

The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer

With the transfer window set to open over the next couple of weeks, United have already begun work to land new stars to help Amorim’s quest of being a success in charge of the club.

Viktor Gyokeres, Hugo Ekitiké and Benjamin Sesko have all been touted with a summer switch to join the Red Devils, but as of yet, no progress has yet been made on such deals.

However, work has been conducted on a deal to sign Napoli forward Victor Osimhen over recent days, that’s according to Italian journalist Valter De Maggio.

He claimed on radio station Kiss Kiss Napoli, that the Red Devils hierarchy have met up with the Serie A side and negotiated a potential deal for the Nigerian international.

The journalist also confirmed that Antonio Conte’s side would want £40m plus current striker Hojlund in the other direction for the 26-year-old, who’s scored 36 times in 40 appearances on loan at Galatasaray this season.

Why United’s latest target would be a better signing than Delap

Over the last couple of weeks, striker Liam Delap has been widely touted with a move to join United this summer after his £30m relegation release clause became active.

The 22-year-old scored 12 goals for relegated Ipswich Town, undoubtedly being their shining light in a dismal campaign, leading to his subsequent links to join the Red Devils.

However, despite the interest, it appears as though Amorim’s side are set to miss out on a deal for his services, with Chelsea taking the lead in the race for his signature in recent days.

It’s been reported that United’s lack of European football has handed the Blues the advantage, leading to the potential interest in a deal for Osimhen as a result.

However, when comparing the pair’s respective stats from the recent season, the Nigerian has managed to better him in various key areas – undoubtedly being a better addition than Delap.

The Napoli star, who’s been labelled “the best striker on the market” by Statman Dave, has massively outscored the Englishman and registered a higher shot on target rate – highlighting his clinical edge in the final third.

He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted and achieved a higher take-on success rate, handing Amorim an all round option in the final third – something he’s greatly missed.

Games played

29

37

Goals & assists

30

14

Shot-on-target accuracy

46%

43%

Shots on target per game

3.4

1

Pass accuracy

68%

61%

Take-on success

60%

46%

Aerials won

64%

42%

Osimhen’s dominance doesn’t end there, winning more aerials, with his ability in the air offering the club a needed focal point, which they desperately need to take them back to their former glory.

The reported deal, which could see Hojlund move back to Serie A, may prove to be a blessing in disguise for United, moving on a player who’s simply not at the level required for the Premier League.

It may be disappointing to miss out on Delap given the bargain price he’s available for, but the Nigerian has demonstrated that he’s a better option, handing the club the elite-level attacker they need to right the wrongs of 2024/25.

Forget Garnacho: Man Utd must sell flop who's worth even more than Cunha

Man Utd could find a different solution to selling Alejandro Garnacho…

ByRobbie Walls May 29, 2025

Leeds United are looking to sign a “fantastic” defender as a replacement for Junior Firpo this summer, with the left-back potentially leaving the Whites, according to a report.

Firpo's time at Elland Road may be coming to an end

Firpo played an important role in Leeds’ promotion from the Championship last season, with the Dominician Republic international picking up four goals and ten assists in 32 league appearances.

However, it now looks as though the left-back’s time at Elland Road could be coming to an end, with the 28-year-old’s contract set to expire this summer, and he has been attracting interest from the likes of Lazio and soon-to-be Premier League rivals Everton.

Last week, there were reports that Daniel Farke’s side have submitted a contract offer to extend the defender’s stay in Yorkshire, but a more recent update indicates that Firpo is set to depart, with the Whites now identifying a Premier League defender as a potential replacement.

Leeds considering swoop for "incredible" striker who'd be their new Wood

Leeds are reportedly considering a move for a star who could be Daniel Farke’s own Chris Wood.

ByDan Emery May 21, 2025

According to a report from Football Insider, Leeds are now looking to sign Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas, who would go straight into Farke’s starting XI, with the Reds likely to accept a bid of around £12m – £15m for the left-back in the summer.

With Arne Slot’s side making moves to sign AFC Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, they won’t stand in Tsimikas’ way if a suitable offer is received, potentially opening the door for a move to Elland Road.

Transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke also offered a further update on Firpo’s future, saying: “Leeds are going to be in the market for a new left-back in this summer’s window with Junior Firpo likely to leave… [Tsimikas] could come straight into that team and improve them.”

Tsimikas could be "fantastic" Firpo replacement

The Greek defender didn’t exactly play a major role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph, making 18 appearances throughout the campaign, but he has impressed for the Reds in the past, having once been dubbed “fantastic” by journalist Ian Doyle.

With Leeds looking to avoid relegation from the top flight next season, it could be important to bring in players with top-level experience, and the 29-year-old fits the bill, receiving the Man of the Match award against RB Leipzig in the Champions League last October.

The Liverpool ace is also strong at winning back possession, ranking in the 95th percentile for interceptions per 90, and the 79th percentile for tackles, when compared to other full-backs over the past year.

Of course, it would be a shame to see Firpo leave, given the role the defender played in Leeds’ promotion last season, but there are plenty of signs that Tsimikas could be a solid replacement, and a fee of £15m wouldn’t break the bank.

Bournemouth have announced Dean Huijsen will join Real Madrid at the end of the season after the Spanish giants activated the sought-after centre-back’s £50m release clause. Liverpool, as well as other Premier League behemoths, have been beaten.

That’s the end of that one, then. Los Blancos really are the scourge of Liverpool’s side. At another point of the backline, Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed that he will leave his boyhood club at the end of the season, with the Santiago Bernabeu the all-but-confirmed destination for the ball-playing superstar.

Arne Slot has done an incredible thing this year, dominantly winning the league title after Jurgen Klopp stepped down last summer, especially since Federico Chiesa has been the only first-team addition, and he hasn’t even started in the top flight.

Liverpool may face more bother from Madrid in several other transfer sagas, but more on that later. For now, let’s familiarise ourselves with the vice-captain’s slated replacement, Jeremie Frimpong.

The latest on Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool

Just as Alexander-Arnold will join Xabi Alonso and Huijsen in a new Real Madrid project, so too will Bayer Leverkusen’s Frimpong make the move to Merseyside this summer.

As per Fabrizio Romano, sporting director Richard Hughes is simply putting the finishing touches on the transfer before an official announcement is made. Such issues pertain to the pay structure of the €35m (£30m) release clause.

For it to collapse now would be a shock. Some fans might reserve judgement on the fleet-footed right-sider, whose speed and attacking quality cannot be questioned but whose defensive security is more contested, but Frimpong, 24, is a shrewd and exciting signing for the club.

Under Alonso’s wing at Leverkusen, the Netherlands international has hit 59 direct contributions from 131 appearances, so it’s no surprise the wing-back has been called a “monster in the final third” by United Stand presenter Beth Tucker.

He’s exactly what Slot needs at right-back, a contrasting profile to Conor Bradley, who will add depth and dynamism to Liverpool’s ranks. Now, FSG are ready to turn to their next top target.

Liverpool turn to new top target

Liverpool want a striker and have also registered their interest in playmaker Florian Wirtz, but according to Caught Offside, FSG have made Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez their top target now that Frimpong is on the cusp of signing.

It adds that the Reds have already held talks with the Cherries over a possible move for the Hungary international, who has been transfer-listed for a price of £45m, with the south coast side making it clear he can leave.

Arsenal, Chelsea and, of course, Real Madrid, have all been named as suitors, but Liverpool have put in the groundwork and made it clear that the 21-year-old is their first-choice pick to strengthen the left flank of Slot’s backline.

What Milos Kerkez would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool might not be signing Huijsen, but they will hope that their persistent efforts over the past several months will hold sway in closing a deal for Kerkez.

Signing the powerful and mobile defender would mean that one of Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas would need to leave, more likely the latter, but maybe it’s the right time for change.

After all, Kerkez has been described as a “machine” of a player by Sky Sports’ Izzy Christensen, who continued to say the “frightening thing is he’s not even reached his peak yet.”

As per Sofascore, Kerkez has scored two goals and laid on five assists for his teammates in the Premier League this season, starting all 36 of the Cherries’ fixtures.

Moreover, he’s kept it crisp with an 80% pass success rate, winning 60% of his ground duels and averaging 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game.

With such an athletic and energetic style, willing to drive forward into dangerous positions and provide creative support to the forwards, Kerkez could be the perfect upgrade on the 31-year-old Robertson, joining Frimpong in an elite new wide duo that could prove the perfect way to continue the Scotland captain and Trent’s legacy.

In 2022, former West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic described the pair as “the best full-backs in modern football,” with their overlapping quality, their playmaking and completeness, supercharging Klopp’s high-octane system.

Transfer Focus

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It’s hard to imagine there will ever be another pair of full-backs quite like them, with Liverpool’s midfield long characterised by a selfless industriousness that promotes creative success from out wide.

1

Trent Alexander-Arnold

64

2

Andy Robertson

60

3

Leighton Baines

53

4

Graeme Le Saux

44

5

Kieran Trippier

38

With Frimpong’s pace and potency combining with the tireless work rate of Kerkez, there’s no telling how fluid and interchangeable Liverpool’s approach could become next year as they look to defend their Premier League title.

While it would be foolish to expect them to reach the same extraordinary creative heights as their predecessors, the rising stars are talented attacking talents unto themselves, and like Robertson and Alexander-Arnold, they bring different tactical takes to the table.

Kerkez, for example, could channel the spirit of Alexander-Arnold through his distribution, ranking among the top 12% of Premier League full-backs for successful crosses into the penalty area per 90 this term, as per FBref, whereas Frimpong’s desire to burst into the final third himself can be observed through

With Mohamed Salah holding off and playing him through a chink in an opponent’s armour, this could be a masterful combination for Slot to work on this summer.

Liverpool aren’t resting on their laurels this summer. Slot is determined to make sufficient reinforcements after clinching the Premier League title in his first season in charge.

And rightly so. Arsenal, Manchester City and the rest are all going to be desperate to recolour the ribbons next term, but with signings like Frimpong and Kerkez and forward-focused additions still yet to come, there’s plenty to be excited about for those of an Anfield persuasion.

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