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Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou is under mounting pressure as the Tricky Trees consider potential replacements for him just 29 days into the Australian’s tenure, and ruthless owner Evangelos Marinakis has his eyes on a few interesting options.

Nottingham Forest doing due-diligence on new managers after poor Postecoglou start

As is the norm when managers are facing an uncertain future, Forest are believed to be doing their due-diligence on possible replacements for Postecoglou if they do decide to pull the plug.

The former Tottenham boss, who helped to end Spurs’ 17-year wait for a major trophy in May, could be shown his P45 once again at Forest – just under a month after Marinakis appointed the tactician to replace fan favourite Nuno Espírito Santo.

Marinakis personally opted to hire Postecoglou for his attacking style, in a deviation from Nuno’s pragmatic, counter-attacking approach, and is still privately desperate for it to work out (Ben Jacobs).

However, other reports claim that the Greek billionaire is privately furious with Forest’s state of affairs on the pitch right now, with TEAMtalk stating that Postecoglou is “on the verge” of being sacked by Forest after a barren first seven games in charge.

Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at Nottingham Forest so far

Competition

Arsenal 3-0 Forest

Premier League

Swansea 3-2 Forest

Carabao Cup

Burnley 1-1 Forest

Premier League

Real Betis 2-2 Forest

Europa League

Forest 0-1 Sunderland

Premier League

Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland

Europa League

Newcastle 2-0 Forest

Premier League

If Postecoglou is let go in the next 12 days, he will become the shortest-reigning Premier League boss in the competition’s history – breaking Les Reed’s record – who was sacked by Charlton Athletic after just 41 days in 2006.

In terms of who could succeed the 60-year-old, a few intriguing names have been linked already, none more so than Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

Glasner, who just watched his side’s impressive 19-game unbeaten run come to an end thanks to Jack Grealish’s added-time winner for Everton, would undoubtedly be the best candidate.

The Austrian guided Palace to their first ever major trophy earlier this year, defeating Man City 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley, and this booked them a spot in the Europa League — only for Forest to take the Eagles’ place due to a UEFA ruling.

His Selhurst Park contract is due to expire at the end of this season with no signs of a renewal so far, potentially opening the door for Marinakis, with Glasner emerging as a prime candidate to replace Postecoglou at Forest.

Fulham’s Marco Silva is in an identical contract situation, and the Portuguese doesn’t seem too content in West London, having publicly swiped at the club’s lack of transfer activity.

Nottingham Forest really want Marco Silva amid good Marinakis relationship

Silva, who guided Olympiacos to a Greek Super League title in 2016, worked with Marinakis during his time there and the duo still have a good relationship now.

That is according to talkSPORT, who report that Silva is very high on Forest’s wanted list if they decide to push Postecoglou out of the door.

The 48-year-old guided Fulham to a Championship title and subsequent promotion to the Premier League, keeping them there ever since, and the Whites briefly contended for Europe last season only to fall short at the last hurdle.

Silva achieved this despite working with very limited resources, and he appears to be keen on remaining in England after rejecting “several lucrative offers” from Saudi Arabia.

The tactician has also earned praise from elite peers, like Pep Guardiola, who praised his work at Fulham back in 2024.

Glasgow Rangers return to action in the Europa League this evening as they travel away from Ibrox for their second match of the league phase.

The Light Blues were beaten 1-0 last week at Ibrox, in a game that could have ended by a greater margin of defeat, but they did win in their last Scottish Premiership game.

Russell Martin’s side beat Livingston 2-1 away from home in the league on Sunday, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from substitute Max Aarons.

One of the players who should be dropped from the starting line-up that featured on Sunday is attacking midfielder Thelo Aasgaard, who did not do enough to warrant keeping his place.

Why Rangers should drop Thelo Aasgaard

The Norway international was signed on a permanent deal from Luton Town in the summer transfer window to provide an attacking threat from the middle of the park.

So far, though, the 23-year-old whiz has failed to deliver a single goal or assist in seven matches in all competitions, per Sofascore, which shows that he has offered very little at the top end of the pitch.

Aasgaard did not create a single chance, register any shots on target, or complete any dribbles in 73 minutes on the pitch against Livingston on Sunday, per Sofascore, which is why Martin should ruthlessly ditch him from the XI for tonight’s trip to Sturm Graz.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

For several reasons, including Aasgaard’s disappointing performances and Mohamed Diomande’s suspension, Martin should trial a new 4-4-2 formation by unleashing Youssef Chermiti over the Norwegian talent.

Why Martin should change his Rangers formation

Rangers have lost their last four European matches this season by an aggregate score of 12-2, which shows that what they have been doing on the European stage has not been good enough.

One issue that the Gers have had in their last two games, in particular, is that their centre-forward has looked isolated and too easily marked out of the game. It was an issue for Chermiti against Genk and for Bojan Miovski against Livingston.

Minutes

80

90

Ground duels won

3/9

1/5

Aerial duels won

2/6

1/7

Fouls won

0

1

Shots

0

2

As you can see in the table above, both strikers were dominated on the ground and in the air in those matches, winning one foul and taking two shots in 170 minutes between them.

This is why Martin should switch to a 4-4-2 from the regular 4-3-3 for this clash with Sturm Graz to get Miovski and the summer signing from Everton in the team to occupy the opposition’s defenders, hopefully increasing their chances of winning duels and retaining possession for the away side.

Chermiti, who was described as “powerful” by writer Kai Watson, has not scored a competitive goal since he left Sporting to join Everton in the summer of 2023, which suggests that he is not a striker who is full of confidence at the moment.

Therefore, playing him alongside a more experienced and proven goalscorer like Miovski could make a lot of sense to take some of the pressure off his shoulders, both in terms of duels and mentally.

The Macedonia international proved that he can score goals on a regular basis during his time with Aberdeen, as shown in the graphic above, and playing him alongside another forward could help to get him back to his best.

Rangers have simply not been good enough in Europe this season, as evidenced by their results in their last four games, and that is why Martin should get creative and test out a new formation in this evening’s game.

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Given how poor the performances have been in Europe and how badly their strikers have fared individually, pairing Miovski and Chermiti could be an interesting and effective solution to their problems in and out of possession.

“We waited, waited until we thought it was necessary,” says Ruturaj Gaikwad of the decision

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Apr-20251:59

Should CSK have retired out Conway earlier?

Devon Conway became the second batter to be retired out in IPL 2025, after Tilak Varma in Mumbai Indians’ (MI) chase against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) earlier in the tournament. On Tuesday, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pulled out Conway when he failed to get a move on with the asking rate against Punjab Kings (PBKS) rising. But, in the opinion of Piyush Chawla and Wasim Jaffer, CSK might have waited too long for the decision to have an effect on the result.”Conway is the kind of batter who is more technically strong and he doesn’t try to play that [many shots] in the air. You saw that in the middle overs also, when he was trying to hit a pull shot also, he was rolling his wrists like a proper technical batsman,” Chawla said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “That’s where they missed that point. When Shivam [Dube] was trying to hit those bit shots, Conway didn’t even try that. At one point, I felt he just wanted to take it deep. But if you want to take the game deep, you don’t want your [asking] rate to go out of hand.”Playing his second game of the season, Conway had a 61-run stand with Rachin Ravindra up top in CSK’s chase of PBKS’ 219, and after Ruturaj Gaikwad fell cheaply, added 89 more with Dube. That partnership came off just 51 balls, with Dube scoring at 155.55. But after Dube was gone, and with 69 needed off 25 balls, Conway made nine more runs off six balls. MS Dhoni was in the middle, and Ravindra Jadeja and Vijay Shankar walked out after Conway left, but CSK fell 18 short.Related

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“You expect that change [of gears] to happen at some point of time when you know the batsman is struggling,” Gaikwad said of the decision at the presentation ceremony. “Initially we thought that he was still striking the ball [well]. We waited, waited until we thought it was necessary and then we thought, yes, why not change.””If they wanted to do that, they could have done that at least two-three overs before that also,” Chawla said. “Because if he is not getting those big shots, you want somebody to come in and you want to give that kind of a sighter, at least two to three balls, and then got for it. By the time they retired him out it was too late, I felt.”Jaffer, however, felt that CSK didn’t have a choice at that point because they didn’t expect the big shots to come from Jadeja or Vijay Shankar either.”You could have retired him and you could have retired him a little early. But, again, Jadeja was the only one [left]. I don’t think they would have trusted [Vijay Shankar]… you needed one more batter there who could have done that [score quickly],” Jaffer said. “But, unfortunately, they didn’t have anybody. Even Jadeja for that matter, he has his restrictions [in terms of how fast he can score].”17:35

Bangar: Dhoni not playing for the crowd, he has a clear role at CSK

As it turned out, while Dhoni was quick in scoring 27 in 12 balls with three sixes, Jadeja and Vijay Shankar scored 11 runs in seven balls. But, to be fair to them, by the time they got out, it was perhaps too late to change anything.Stephen Fleming, the CSK coach, agreed that the innings had “lost some momentum” in the middle overs, but was pleased that they had crossed 200 for the first time this season.”We had an innings of substance at the top [from Conway]. In the IPL, you need your top three/four to get a majority of the runs. We haven’t been doing that,” Fleming said. “It was pleasing that we got off to a more solid start. We weren’t able to just maintain a high momentum through the middle, partly good bowling and maybe we were trying to push too hard. It’s something we will review.”But it’s not a bad chase. About three hits away. But we just lost a bit of momentum through the middle.”

Glasgow Rangers made their way through to the play-off round of Champions League qualifiers with a 4-2 win over Viktoria Plzen on aggregate.

The Light Blues traveled away from Ibrox to play the second leg in Czechia on Tuesday night and lost 2-1, but it did not matter in the end thanks to their 3-0 win in Glasgow last week.

Russell Martin will not be happy with the nature of his team’s performance in this match, despite it not mattering overall in the tie, because there were several players who did not play to the best of their ability.

Djeidi Gassama made a lightning fast start to life at Ibrox with four goals in his first five matches, but it is fair to say that this was a step down from what supporters have already gotten used to from the winger.

Djeidi Gassama's performance against Viktoria Plzen

The overall team performance did not help the French forward, it must be said, but the former Sheffield Wednesday man failed to make a positive impact on the match.

In 87 minutes on the pitch, Gassama did not register a single shot on target or create any chances for his teammates, which shows that he offered very little, if anything, in the final third.

However, the 21-year-old talent did win four of his nine duels and completed two of his three attempted dribbles, as per Sofascore. He competed and tried to put himself around for the team, albeit it was coupled with ineffective play in the important part of the pitch.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Whilst Gassama was not at his bes in the final third in a fairly disappointing display, Mohamed Diomande was even worse than him in the middle of the park.

Why Russell Martin must drop Mohamed Diomande

Looking past the League Cup clash with Alloa at the weekend, Martin must ruthlessly drop the Ivorian midfielder from the side to face Club Brugge next Tuesday in the play-off round.

Diomande, who was handed a 4/10 player rating – lower than Gassama’s 5/10 – by IbroxNews, struggled with the physicality and intensity of the match in the middle of the park.

Viktoria Plzen’s players found it far too easy to get the better of him, which helped the home side to assert their dominance on the game, by winning five of their six duels against him, per Sofascore.

Minutes

68

Pass accuracy

90%

Ground duels won

1/5

Aerial duels won

0/1

Tackles + interceptions

1

Dribbled past

2x

As you can see in the table above, Diomande lost 83% of his duels across his 68 minutes on the park, and was dribbled past more times than he made defensive interventions.

These statistics show that he was a lightweight out of possession in midfield, whilst Lyall Cameron won three of his five duels and Nicolas Raskin won four of his seven battles, and that is why he was even worse than Gassama, who at least put himself about for the team and showed his strength on and off the ball.

Diomande was the weak link in the middle of the park next to his midfield partners, which is why Martin must consider ruthlessly ditching him from the XI when Club Brugge come to Ibrox, as Joe Rothwell is waiting in the wings to take his place next to Cameron and Raskin.

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It is now down to Martin to be ruthless with his decision-making by dropping the left-footed flop from the starting line-up for such a huge match against the Belgian outfit.

We are only one week into the new Premier League season, and alarm bells are already going off at West Ham United.

Graham Potter travelled to the North East to take on newly-promoted Sunderland for their season opener, but instead of banking three points, they were played off the park, shipped three goals and returned to East London empty-handed.

It was the sort of performance that should scare the board into action and lead to some more arrivals before the transfer window slams shut in two weeks.

Fortunately, the club do seem intent on making more signings, and have now been linked with someone who’d be an upgrade on another target: Mateus Fernandes.

West Ham target Fernandes upgrade

While West Ham have made a few reasonable additions to the squad this summer in Kyle Walker-Peters, El Hajdu Malick Diouf and Mads Hermansen, they’ve not done enough, which might explain their interest in Fernandes.

Transfer Focus

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

It was reported that the club had made a £30m offer for the Southampton star last week, but it was quickly rejected, only for the Saints to demand in excess of £50m for the 21-year-old talent.

Fortunately, it looks like the Hammers are now targeting another midfielder who’d likely be more affordable and could even be an upgrade on the Portuguese gem.

At least that is according to a recent report from Marco Conterio, who has claimed that West Ham are one of several teams interested in Eljif Elmas.

More than that, the journalist has revealed that the Irons have already made “an important inquiry” about the RB Leipzig ace, who has already turned down an offer from Süper Lig outfit Besiktas.

A potential price is not mentioned in the report, but as Leipzig paid €25m – £22m – for the midfielder in January 2024 and then loaned him out this January, we don’t imagine he’d cost much more than what they paid.

If so, West Ham could get their hands on a cheaper upgrade to Fernandes.

How Elmas compares to Fernandes

One of the advantages some might argue Fernandes has over Elmas is his Premier League experience, and while that is certainly a fair point, it fails to take into account the fact that the Macedonian international has far more experience playing in other top-five leagues.

For example, despite still being just 25 years old, he has made 156 appearances in Serie A and 16 in the Bundesliga, and then on top of that, he has also played 25 games in the Champions League and 21 in the Europa League.

Another area where the former Napoli ace excels is output. In just 19 appearances last season, totalling 1115 minutes, he scored four goals and provided five assists, averaging a goal involvement every 3.8 games or every 223 minutes.

For his efforts, the former Sporting CP gem was able to score three goals and provide six assists in 44 appearances, totalling 3409 minutes last season, which comes out to a slightly less impressive average of a goal involvement every 4.88 games, or 378.77 minutes.

Finally, we can really see how much more of a complete player the Skopje-born dynamo is when we take a look under the hood and compare their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.34

0.18

Progressive Carries

3.56

2.45

Progressive Passes

3.05

4.51

Progressive Passes Received

5.08

3.37

Shots

1.77

1.32

Shots on Target

0.76

0.43

Passing Accuracy

80.4%

80.1%

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.36

0.86

Shot-Creating Actions

2.54

2.48

Goal-Creating Actions

0.25

0.21

Tackles

1.10

2.76

Blocks

0.85

1.32

For example, the goalscoring “jewel,” as he was dubbed by his agent George Gardi, comes out ahead in almost every metric, including things like non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shot and goal-creating actions, passing accuracy, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

In other words, the Macedonian game-changer is a far more dangerous player than the Portuguese ace and could end up having a significant impact on Potter’s squad this season.

Therefore, while it might be complicated, West Ham should do all they can to sign Elmas over Fernandes this season.

West Ham step up move for £20m-plus attacker who gave Wan-Bissaka nightmares

He’s a man in demand.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 16, 2025

With a deal already edging closer to signing Jorrel Hato from Ajax, Chelsea have also now reportedly made their first contact to sign a fresh attacking reinforcement.

Chelsea closing in on Hato

As ever, Chelsea have welcomed several fresh faces this summer. As Enzo Maresca gears up for his second season in charge, he now has the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens at his disposal in what remains a squad filled to the brim with quality in depth.

The Blues haven’t quite wrapped up their summer business just yet, however. After showing the door to Noni Madueke, who joined London rivals Arsenal, and Saudi-bound Joao Felix, those at Stamford Bridge still have money to spend and have turned towards Hato as a result.

The 19-year-old left-back now looks destined to become the latest young talent to arrive in West London, as Chelsea continue to build one of the youngest squads in the Premier League.

Hato’s tender age is unlikely to stand in the way of first-team opportunities, though. The Dutchman already has plenty of experience on that front and even graced the Europa League for Ajax last season.

One of many to have praised Hato, Statman Dave recently told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Big Transfer Talk: “When you look at his stats over the season, we are starting to see a player who is very composed and creative. He could potentially go on a similar path to Trent Alexander-Arnold – that is the player I would liken him to in Europe.”

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Alas, it’s not just their backline that Chelsea still want to improve. The Blues have also reportedly made their first move to sign a Serie A star.

Chelsea make first approach to sign Weah

According to SpazioJ, Chelsea have made their first approach to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus, only for the American to turn down a summer switch to Stamford Bridge.

It’s not the first time that the winger has turned down the chance to join a Premier League club, either. Earlier this summer, reports emerged that he had handed Nottingham Forest the same answer that he has now given Chelsea and Tottenham. Just where his future now lies as a result is the big question.

Juventus are still willing to sell Weah for around €20m (£17m) ahead of next season, but it remains to be seen whether the likes of Chelsea come calling with a second attempt to convince the 25-year-old.

After scoring six goals and providing five assists in all competitions last season, former Juventus boss Thiago Motta took the chance to praise Weah – telling reporters: “I see him very well, the first thing for a full-back is to defend, be aggressive, win duels, and he is winning a lot of them. He is aggressive, he can still improve, I am very happy with what I see, and on top of that, he also manages to score goals.”

Nottingham Forest are set to hold talks with the agents of an “amazing” player this week, in order to try and hash out a deal, according to a report.

Forest looking to achieve "big things" next season

Forest continued their preparations for the new Premier League campaign with a 0-0 draw against Fiorentina on Tuesday evening, and Nikola Milenkovic was happy with the team’s performance.

Milenkovic said: “We played against a very good team, from Serie A, and drew so we can continue to bring our condition and be ready for the first game.”

The defender also added that new signings Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus have the ability to help the Tricky Trees have a successful 2025-26 campaign, saying: “They need also to adapt, it’s a change in the type of game from where they came,”

“I think they’re two very big players who can give us a big hand this season and help us to achieve big things.”

Nuno has strengthened his attack, following the departure of Anthony Elanga, while Jair Cunha has been brought in to bolster the backline, but the manager is yet to make any new additions to his midfield.

However, earlier this week, it was revealed that Nottingham Forest are leading the race for Juventus’ Douglas Luiz, with Edu driving the deal, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of the midfielder.

According to a report from Italy (via The Daily Mail), Forest are set to hold talks with Luiz’s agents this week, in order to try and hash out a deal.

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Nuno’s side have the ‘priority’ in the race for the central midfielder’s signature, despite interest from rival Premier League clubs and a Saudi Pro League side.

The plan is to sign the Juventus maestro on an initial loan deal, which would include an obligation to buy for a fee of around £26m, although previous reports suggest the Italian club are keen to hold out for £35m.

Luiz could be "amazing" signing for Forest

Forest will once again be looking to challenge for a European spot next season, meaning it will be important for Nuno to bring in players with experience of doing exactly that, and the Brazilian was a real difference-maker for Aston Villa in the 2023-24 season.

Roy Keane lauded the former Aston Villa man as “amazing” during that campaign, with the Rio de Janeiro-born maestro collecting 14 goal contributions in the Premier League, while he is also a very impressive dribbler of the ball.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Successful take-ons

1.40 (95th percentile)

Progressive carries

2.15 (86th percentile)

Passes attempted

71.27 (91st percentile)

Shot-creating actions

3.98 (93rd percentile)

Luiz has failed to establish himself as a regular starter for Juventus since moving to Italy, making just 19 Serie A appearances last season, but his previous exploits in England suggest he could be a fantastic signing for Forest.

The new Premier League season inches ever closer, although Manchester United’s search for a new striker is still dragging on.

Speaking in Friday’s press conference, manager Ruben Amorim hinted that he could even trial Matheus Cunha or Bryan Mbeumo in a number nine role, having suggested that the two new arrivals “can play as a striker”.

Of course, the pair – who scored 35 league goals between them in 2024 – can lead the line if needed, but it would not be the ideal solution. United can no longer tolerate a ‘square pegs in round holes’ policy.

Yes, a dearth of funds – and an inability to move on the likes of Rasmus Hojlund – could well force Amorim’s hand, although the Portuguese coach should not have to resort to plugging the gap with an unorthodox option. A proper striker is in order.

So far this summer, United’s top-flight rivals have already strengthened their own ranks in that department. Indeed, Chelsea have acquired Liam Delap and Joao Pedro. Arsenal have snapped up Viktor Gyokeres. Liverpool – fresh from signing Hugo Ekitike – could even land the cream of the crop, Alexander Isak.

The Old Trafford side now need to join the party…

Leading targets emerge in Man United striker search

As already stated, the Red Devils aren’t exactly armed with a transfer war chest, with recent reports outlining that deals for the likes of Isak – and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko – are likely to prove too expensive at present.

In the case of Sesko, The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell outlined that United have been interested in the Slovenian “for years”, and have stayed in regular contact, albeit with the 22-year-old seemingly being lined up to replace Isak at Newcastle United.

According to reports in Spain, the £70m-rated marksman remains on INEOS’ five-man striker shortlist, with Crystal Palace talisman Jean-Philippe Mateta also noted as one of those ‘leading targets’.

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The 28-year-old – who has reportedly been valued at around £40m-£50m – is deemed to be among the more ‘accessible’ of the club’s targets, having previously been linked with a move to Old Trafford earlier this summer.

While Mateta might not be a glamour acquisition amid a summer of high-profile centre-forward signings, he could represent the perfect alternative to a player like Sesko.

How Mateta compares to Benjamin Sesko

It does appear the case that United have repeatedly missed the boat with regard to Sesko, having reportedly turned down the chance to sign him for just £2.5m back in 2019, while also losing out as the 6 foot 4 sensation joined Leipzig in 2022.

An exciting, high-potential striker who has scored 27 Bundesliga goals across the last two seasons, it is easy to see why the former Red Bull Salzburg man is generating such interest, with any side likely to reap the rewards of bringing him into the fold.

Mateta, at six years his senior, might be more of a short-term fix than a marquee, long-term solution, although on the evidence of his recent Palace heroics, he would be worth the investment.

Also a towering, physical focal point of a striker, like Sesko, at 6 foot 4, the Frenchman is actually deemed to be a statistically and stylistically similar striker to the Leipzig starlet, among those in their position across Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Like Sesko, Mateta has been a solidly consistent performer over the last two campaigns, in particular, having scored 30 league goals combined at Selhurst Park in that time.

Like the Slovenian international too, Oliver Glasner’s main man previously made his mark in German football, prior to moving to south London, having scored 27 times in 71 games for Mainz.

On the statistical front, as evidenced below, the pair do share a real likeness, having boasted a similar scoring rate, while also enjoying a similar record with regard to progressive carries and progressive passes, alongside touches in the attacking penalty area.

Goals

0.48

0.49

Goals + Assists

0.54

0.68

Progressive passes

1.53

1.78

Progressive carries

1.77

1.74

Shot-creating actions

2.21

1.93

Shots on target

0.99

1.10

Pass accuracy

65.1%

67.6%

Touches in opposition box

3.20

3.45

Aerial duels won

2.14

2.65

The beauty of both men is that they are true strikers through and through, operating as an orthodox, almost old-fashioned attacking figurehead.

Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Mateta has only once played as a winger, with the rest of his career outings coming through the middle. Sesko, meanwhile, has only made five recorded appearances outside of operating as the main man in attack.

While there may be intrigue over deploying a more fluid attack, involving a figure like Cunha or Mbeumo as the spearhead, recent years have outlined the need for United to go back to basics with the addition of a proper poacher.

Sesko would, undoubtedly, be an exciting addition, although – as hailed by journalist Rory Smith – Mateta is an “extraordinary” talent in his own right, having been playing “like original Ronaldo” for the Eagles.

He could be just what Amorim is in need of.

Better than Sesko: Man Utd in talks to sign "one of the best STs in Europe"

Manchester United could be about to forget about Benjamin Sesko with another move elsewhere.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 25, 2025

Everton have made contact with another Premier League club over the signing of a £25m-rated youngster, according to a new transfer update.

Everton targeting attacking reinforcements

A new era is on the horizon for the Blues, with life at their new Bramley Moore Dock stadium beginning next month, hopefully heralding the beginning of a more positive period in the club’s great history.

New signings are vital if David Moyes’ Everton side are to kick on in 2025/26, however, and plenty of players are being linked with moves, including Ipswich Town winger Omari Hutchinson. It is claimed that he would love the chance to remain in the Premier League, following his relegation to the Championship back in May.

The Blues are also believed to have held talks with Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz over a summer switch to Merseyside, which could be a fantastic piece of business. The Brazilian was a huge hit at Aston Villa, so Moyes doesn’t have to worry about him adjusting to the pace and power of the Premier League.

It is clear that extra attacking quality is needed at Everton, especially following the departure of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and now a hugely talented young player has been revealed as a target.

Everton make contact for McAtee signing

According to a new report from The i Paper, there “has been dialogue” between Everton and Manchester City over a summer move for James McAtee.

The Englishman is valued at £25m and Moyes is said to be a “big admirer”, with the attacking midfielder fresh off the back of European Championship glory with England’s Under-21s.

This feels like it could be a perfect move for everyone concerned, allowing McAtee to be a regular starter away from City, and getting him off their wage bill in the process.

The 22-year-old is too talented to be warming the substitutes’ bench most weeks, and he showed his quality at the aforementioned recent Euros, scoring once and helping Lee Carsley’s side go all the way in the tournament.

Meanwhile, former Sheffeld United striker Carl Asaba has even compared him to Arsenal star Martin Odegaard, saying: “He’s a bonus player in that he plays midfield and you have an extra number in there but then he can just attack. He’s like Odegaard. You play him in midfield so he’s defending for you, he’s another body for them to try and navigate away from but he likes the ball 30 yards out because he can go past you like you’re not there.”

There are few negatives to Everton signing McAtee, with his price tag far from extortionate, and the fact that Moyes rates him highly can also only be a good thing.

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The City youngster would add much-needed guile in the No.10 role, scoring and creating at will, and he could grow into an elite footballer as the years pass.

Manchester United’s season ended in disappointing fashion when they were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the Europa League in Bilbao last month.

That result means that the Red Devils will not be playing European football in the 2025/26 campaign, as they missed out on the chance to qualify for the Champions League.

This has already had an impact on their summer transfer business, as Chelsea agreed a deal to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town ahead of them. Fabrizio Romano claimed that Champions League football was key to the Blues winning the race for the England U21 international.

The 22-year-old marksman plundered 12 goals in 37 appearances in the Premier League for the Tractor Boys in the 2024/25 campaign, and will now link up with Enzo Maresca and his squad.

However, despite failing to qualify for any European competition and missing out on the signing of Delap, Manchester United have already confirmed that Matheus Cunha has joined the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a permanent deal.

What Matheus Cunha could bring to Manchester United

The Brazil international appears to be an ideal fit for Ruben Amorim’s system on paper, because he played as one of two attacking midfielders behind a striker in a similar formation at Wolves.

This means that he could slot straight in as one of the number tens in the Portuguese head coach’s 3-4-2-1 system, with the hope that he can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

The 26-year-old’s form for Wolves in the last two Premier League seasons suggests that the potential is there for him to make an instant impact at Old Trafford with his ability to score and create goals.

Matheus Cunha (Premier League)	23/24	24/25
Appearances	32	33
xG	9.49	8.63
Goals	12	15
Big chances created	7	13
Key passes per game	0.9	1.8
Assists	7	6
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Cunha delivered 27 goals and 13 assists in 65 appearances across those two campaigns, whilst no Manchester United player scored more than eight goals in the Premier League this term.

This suggests that he could immediately be Amorim’s biggest goal threat at the top end of the pitch, due to the current lack of quality in the final third for United.

Cunha, however, only scored six goals and provided six assists in 40 LaLiga outings for Atletico Madrid earlier in his career, so there may still be a question mark over his suitability for a side that is looking to challenge at the top end of the table.

Whilst there is still some doubt over whether or not he can become a star for United in the same way he was for Wolves, the Red Devils could land an even bigger signing than Cunha amid interest in a Champions League winner.

Man Utd eyeing deal for PSG star

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The report claims that Inter, Juventus, Manchester United, and Manchester City are all eyeing up a move for the shot-stopper, who kept a clean sheet in the Champions League final on Saturday.

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It states that the Italy international’s current contract in Paris is due to expire in the summer of 2026, with contract talks at a standstill, and this has left the door open to a potential move away from the club ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

CaughtOffside adds that Juventus and Inter are the two most serious contenders to land the 26-year-old goalkeeper this summer, as they hope that a move back to Italy would be tempting for him.

The report claims, however, that Manchester United are also monitoring his situation with PSG because Amorim is unconvinced by Andre Onana could swoop for the PSG star as a replacement for the Cameroon international.

If the Red Devils can get a deal over the line for Donnarumma ahead of the likes of Inter and Juventus, the Italian colossus could be an even bigger signing than Cunha.

Why Donnarumma would be a bigger signing than Cunha for Man Utd

Unlike Cunha, the PSG superstar has proven himself at the very top level as a regular for both PSG and Italy, winning four Ligue 1 titles, one Champions League, and the European Championship with his country.

The former Milan star has been there and done it in the biggest competitions and leagues, whereas Cunha – as aforementioned – is yet to prove himself at that level.

GOAL recently posted an updated power ranking for the 2025 Ballon d’Or and placed Donnarumma in 12th place, as one of the contenders for the prestigious award, thanks to his impressive performances for PSG.

Cunha, as he has not showcased his quality on the same stages, did not rank in their top 20, which speaks to the gulf in quality between the two players.

Donnarumma would also come in as a significant upgrade on Onana between the sticks and provide United with a solid goalkeeper who could be relied upon week-in-week-out.

24/25 season	Donnarumma (Champions League)	Onana (Europa League)
Appearances	15	13
Save percentage	72%	63%
Goals prevented	1.69	-1.54
Clean sheets	6	2
Error led to shot	0	0
Error led to goal	1	2
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Italian international was significantly better as a shot-stopper in Europe this season, whilst also making fewer errors that led to goals.

The PSG star also went through the Ligue 1 campaign, playing 24 matches, without making a single error that led to a shot or a goal, whilst Onana made four errors leading to shots or goals in 34 Premier League games.

These statistics suggest that Donnarumma would be a huge upgrade on the current United number one, both as a shot-stopper and as a reliable presence in goal, which is another reason why he would be an even more important signing than Cunha.

Instead of worrying about whether or not their goalkeeper is going to make a mistake, the Red Devils defenders could be assured by the Italy international behind them, leading to greater defensive displays and fewer errors at the back.

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It is now down to the club to win the race to sign the Champions League winner and Ballon d’Or contender this summer, as he could be a transformational signing due to the quality and pedigree that the goalkeeper would bring to the team.