da betobet： West Ham United are now in talks over a deal for a “spectacular” midfielder, and they are leading their Premier League rivals in the race for his signature, according to a report.

West Ham set sights on midfielder amid Paqueta uncertainty

da bet nacional： Lucas Paqueta has been one of West Ham’s key players over the past three seasons, picking up 18 goals and 14 assists during his time at the London Stadium, but it now appears as though the attacking midfielder could seek pastures new this summer.

Indeed, Paqueta now wants to leave the Hammers, amid interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Brazil, and the board are willing to cash-in, should they receive an offer in the region of £30m.

As such, Graham Potter’s side have now set their sights on a new attacking midfielder to replace the 27-year-old, with targets being identified from the Belgian Pro League and within the Premier League.

Target

Current club

League goal contributions in 24/25

Harvey Elliott

Liverpool

3

Mario Stroeykens

Anderlecht

10

Not only are the Irons keen on an attacking option, but they have also made progress in their pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach defensive midfielder Rocco Reitz, according to a report from TEAMtalk.

The report states that talks over a deal for Reitz are now underway, with the Monchengladbach ace expected to leave in this window, given that the £17m release clause in his contract is set to become active next summer.

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The German side don’t want to lose the midfielder for such a low fee, and a transfer battle, which may drive up the price, could be on the cards this summer, with the likes of Brighton, Fulham and Inter Milan also keen.

A number of bids are now expected imminently, and the Hammers should be well-placed to win the race for the 23-year-old’s signature, given that they are thought to be ahead of their Premier League rivals.

Reitz could be "spectacular" signing for West Ham

England were ultimately triumphant in the U21 European Championships, defeating Germany 3-2 in the final, but the Monchengladbach gem impressed throughout the tournament, picking up two assists in five matches.

Not only that, but the German has flourished defensively over the past year, placing very highly across a number of key metrics, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Interceptions

2.61 (99th percentile)

Blocks

1.92 (95th percentile)

Clearances

2.90 (96th percentile)

U23 scout Antonio Mango has also been left impressed by the maestro in the past, singling him out for praise after his Germany U21s debut.

As such, Reitz could be a fantastic signing for West Ham this summer, and it is promising news they are leading the race for his signature.

da betcris： Celtic recently confirmed the arrival of Benjamin Nygren on a permanent deal from Danish side Nordsjælland on a permanent deal to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

da betsul： The Sweden international becomes the third signing of the off-season for Brendan Rodgers, following Kieran Tierney and Ross Doohan through the door so far.

Nygren scored 15 goals in 30 Danish Superliga matches in the 2024/25 campaign, and will be looking to bring a goal threat to the flanks for the Hoops next season.

How much Celtic paid to sign Benjamin Nygren

Celtic have taken advantage of the fact that his contract with Nordsjælland was due to expire at the end of December this year, which means that they had to cash in on him now before losing the forward for nothing in January.

Because of that, the Hoops have only paid a reported fee of around £2m to bring the left-footed star to Parkhead, despite his impressive goal return in the Superliga.

This suggests that the club have struck a bargain to sign the 23-year-old talent, who has plenty of years ahead of him to develop and improve, for a fairly modest fee.

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Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

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In fact, Celtic currently have a number of other forwards who are worth even more than the £2m the club have paid to sign Nygren, including Irish striker Adam Idah.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Adam Idah

The Hoops opted to sign the Ireland international on a permanent deal from Norwich City last year, whilst he was valued at just £3m by Transfermarkt, after the forward had spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Parkhead.

Idah enjoyed a solid first full season in Glasgow with the Scottish Premiership champions, delivering 20 goals and one assist in all competitions for Rodgers.

The former Canaries star, whose talent was once described as “incredible” by Rodgers, was not a regular starter, with 19 league starts to his name, but still proved his worth to the team with his contributions on the pitch.

24/25 Premiership

Adam Idah per 90

Percentile rank vs STs

Non-penalty xG

0.71

Top 7%

xG on target

0.86

Top 6%

Goals

0.68

Top 7%

Shots

4.06

Top 12%

Shots on target

1.90

Top 8%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Idah ranked very highly among forwards in the division in a host of key attacking metrics, despite his lack of starts, which shows the kind of quality he can provide when called upon.

His haul of 20 goals in all competitions for Celtic has led to his market value soaring. At the time of writing, the 24-year-old centre-forward is currently valued at £5.5m, which is £2.5m more than it was last summer and £3.5m more than the club have just paid for Nygren.

This shows that the Hoops have hit the jackpot with the Irish marksman because they have signed a young player who is growing in value whilst contributing with plenty of goals on the pitch.

The Scottish giants will now be hoping that he can take that next step to become a regular starter in the number nine position, to add even more goals to his name, and increase his value by millions more.

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da jogodeouro： Celtic have long needed to strengthen their forward line after Kyogo Furuhashi left in January and they are now reportedly closing in on a replacement.

Celtic in the market for quality after opening five additions

da premier bet： Benjamin Nygren, Ross Doohan, Kieran Tierney, Hayato Inamura and Callum Osmand have joined the party under Brendan Rodgers, who has swiftly moved on to other targets in his mission to build on his side’s dominance north of the border.

Dutch central defender Justin de Haas has been profiled by Celtic as a potential upgrade on either Auston Trusty or Liam Scales, while Michel-Ange Balikwisha continues to be a prominent name who could be added on the left flank.

Everyone connected with the Scottish Premiership champions will know how important bringing in a striker is for Rodgers. However, Frank McAvennie believes Adam Idah has everything needed to become a leading man this term.

He stated: “I’m looking for Adam to step up this year. He didn’t have a pre-season last year. I know by playing the game that you are always on the back foot if you don’t have a pre-season.

“He’s young, he’s learning and I think he’s got the capabilities to be a top, top striker. I really do. He’s got everything in his locker. He’s just got to use it.”

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Bojan Miovski has also been mooted as a Celtic striker solution. Undoubtedly, more names will come to the fore, but it is important the Bhoys get the balance right with the likes of Daizen Maeda, Johnny Kenny, Idah and Osmand already contesting for starting places.

Now, Rodgers could be prepared to add to his attacking pack by the end of this week if reports are to be believed.

Celtic could seal deal to sign Shin Yamada this week

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic have moved closer to signing Kawasaki Frontale striker Shin Yamada and could conclude a deal for the industrious forward by the end of the week.

Valued at around £1.5 million, the 25-year-old could be joined by Napoli attacker Giuseppe Ambrosino on a loan deal with an option to buy, albeit the Italy Under-21 international isn’t a conventional number nine.

Shin Yamada in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances – 33 Goals – 6 Assists – 3

Giuseppe Ambrosino in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances – 37 Goals – 5 Assists – 4

Republic of Ireland Under-21 star Kenny could leave Celtic on loan, but Rodgers is said to want the former Shamrock Rovers man to sign an extension before making his next move.

Either way, on the subject of Yamada, he netted 19 J League goals in 2023/24 despite a disappointing campaign this time out, which may have flagged him onto the Bhoys’ radar in their hunt for striking reinforcements.

Former Celtic star Furuhashi is yet to have been replaced, so what better way to do that than by dipping into the Japanese market once again for his successor?

da cassino online： Despite already spending big this summer, Sunderland are now reportedly considering a move to sign a La Liga star who has a release clause worth around £26m.

Sunderland's impressive summer business set to continue

da aposte e ganhe： Not many saw it coming, perhaps not even the most optimistic of fans, but Sunderland have so far enjoyed an excellent transfer window. The Black Cats have welcomed as many as six fresh faces, with the likes of Simon Adingra, Chemsdine Talbi, Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra particularly standing out as ones to watch next season.

The latest to be presented as a Sunderland player, Adingra told the club website after arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion: “It’s a pleasure to be here, and I cannot wait to get started. The Club and the project are really exciting. I spoke with everyone and their interest in me made the decision easy – I wanted to be part of Sunderland’s future.

“Playing in the Premier League has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so to continue doing that is incredible. It’s a big challenge ahead – we’ll be facing top players and strong opponents – but I’m ready for it.”

The talented winger will form part of a new-look Sunderland attack that the Black Cats could see in action for the first time in their pre-season trip to Portugal.

Even as pre-season gets underway, however, those back in Wearside may not be done with their transfer business amid reports that another attacking option could now be in their sights.

Sunderland considering Tsygankov swoop

As reported by Diari de Girona and relayed by Sport Witness, Sunderland are now considering a move to sign Viktor Tsygankov from Girona this summer. The newly-promoted side have received positive scouting reports about the Ukraine international and could now make their move to trigger his €30m (£26m) release clause.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Tsygankov

Adingra

Minutes

1,913

1,097

Goals

2

2

Assists

5

2

Key Passes

33

16

Although the Girona man didn’t enjoy the best output last season, he did outperform Sunderland’s new man in Adingra, which would certainly make things interesting if the Black Cats made their move this summer.

Dubbed “outrageous” at the start of his career by scout Jacek Kulig, a move to the Premier League could be exactly what Tsygankov needs to rediscover his best form in front of goal.

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Meanwhile, as they look to form an underrated frontline, Sunderland could welcome a player who has experienced life in the Champions League. At 27 years old too, Tsygankov should be at the peak of his powers and may well prove to be an instant bargain at just £26m this summer.

da realbet： As rumours continue to emerge about Alexander Isak’s future, Newcastle United have reportedly reached an advanced stage with their deal to welcome an incoming of their own.

Newcastle remaining stubborn on Isak stance

da blaze casino： For the first time this summer, those around St James’ Park have every right to be concerned about Isak’s future. Liverpool have put their cards on the table and are willing to break their club record for a second time this summer to sign the Swede. But Newcastle won’t be swayed that easily. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Magpies’ stance remains that Isak is not for sale this summer.

With Champions League football secured last season and no major PSR concerns to worry about, Newcastle are still in a strong position when it comes to keeping hold of their star man. Whether that changes as the summer goes on remains to be seen, however.

Whilst the line remains that any striker that does arrive this summer will be playing alongside Isak, the names on Newcastle’s shortlist could certainly step up to play the main role if disaster strikes.

On that front, names such as Yoane Wissa particularly stand out. The Brentford forward enjoyed an excellent campaign last time out, scoring 19 Premier League goals, and could yet be on his way to St James’ Park before the end of the summer.

He’s not the only impressive name on Newcastle’s supposed shortlist, though. Reports are now going as far as to suggest that Newcastle have reached an advanced stage in their deal to welcome a Bundesliga star.

Newcastle reach advanced stage in Ekitike deal

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Newcastle are now expected to submit a second bid to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, with their deal now at an advanced stage. The Frenchman could reportedly cost as much as €80m (£69m) in what would see those at St James’ Park break their transfer record previously set by Isak when he arrived for £63m in 2022.

Interestingly, Romano recently claimed that if Liverpool miss out on Isak then they will turn their attention towards Ekitike in a lose-lose situation for Newcastle. Whether the Magpies have simply pushed on with their move to sign the forward, nonetheless, or it’s a clue about Isak’s future remains an unanswered question, though.

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What those in Tyneside are well aware of, however, is the talent that Ekitike has. Described as “dynamic” by German football writer Constantin Eckner, Newcastle could be about to form one of the Premier League’s best strike partnerships in Isak and the Frankfurt star.

da realbet： Liverpool won the Premier League last season. Could they repeat the trick in Arne Slot’s second season?

da bet7： Though underdogs last year, with Jurgen Klopp having stepped down from his post, the Reds’ success under Slot’s wing and the sweeping changes that have been enforced across the past two months of the summer transfer window have changed the lens through which rivals view the Anfield side.

Now, the champions are ready to go again, with Mohamed Salah handed some degree of fresh offensive quality to partner him in the final third. Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike; stand up.

But more may yet be on the horizon.

Liverpool lining up another signing

Luis Diaz is set to finalise his transfer to Bayern Munich imminently, with the German Bundesliga champions having agreed a £65.5m fee with Liverpool.

Should the deal go through (and it’s certainly set to), Liverpool will need a replacement, especially as Darwin Nunez prepares to start a new chapter in his career this summer too.

Well, according to Sky Sports Switzerland, Liverpool have officially launched their bid for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak this week, having agreed personal terms with the Sweden striker.

Fabrizio Romano previously confirmed that Liverpool would look to advance their bid for Isak, who only wants Anfield, after cashing in on Diaz.

Newcastle might end up reluctantly cashing in, but only if their asking price, in the ballpark of £130m, is met.

Why Liverpool want Alexander Isak

Across three seasons in England with Newcastle, the 25-year-old Isak has established himself as one of the best in the business, with analyst Raj Chohan even hailing him as “the best striker in the world” for his efforts across the 2024/25 campaign.

Isak scored 27 goals across all competitions, but he is so much more than just a goalscorer. As per FBref, he also ranked among the top 16% of forwards across Europe last season for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes and the top 7% for progressive carries per 90.

He’s an incredible striker, but more importantly, he’s a phenomenal player. In this way, the £120k-per-week Isak has what it takes to step up as Liverpool’s new talisman, having already been called a “world-class” player by pundit Alan Shearer.

Despite signing a new two-year deal in April, Salah is now 33 and won’t maintain his current level forever.

At times last season, it felt as if Salah single-handedly dragged Liverpool to the Premier League title, incredibly clinching 57 goal contributions across all competitions.

Isak has that star quality that could see him clutch the proverbial torch and push Liverpool forward through the coming era.

Most Goals + Assists in 24/25 (Europe’s Top 5 League)

Player

Apps

Goals

Assists

G/A Total

Mohamed Salah

38

29

18

47

Harry Kane

31

26

10

36

Kylian Mbappe

34

31

3

34

Omar Marmoush

33

22

12

34

Mateo Retegui

36

25

8

33

Data via Transfermarkt

Though Isak might not be the positional heir to Salah’s throne, given that people are already talking about him, there’s every reason for Merseyside fans to start getting excited, for they have a superstar in their sights.

Having spent three years establishing himself in the English top flight, Newcastle’s focal frontman is now ready to take the next step in his career and join Slot’s squad.

And while fans will be treated to a partnership between Isak and Salah – should the striker indeed sign this summer – for the next two seasons, Slot might end up finding that he’s landed his new version of the Egyptian King in this deadly number nine.

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da supremo： Sunderland have agreed a £13m up-front fee to sign Granit Xhaka, who will sign a three-year contract on Wearside this week.

da 888casino： Xhaka had emerged as the Black Cats’ most high-profile target of the summer transfer window, as they look to make significant and experienced signings before the new Premier League season gets underway.

The Swiss has been strongly linked with a move to Sunderland from Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen, with the 32-year-old already having a huge amount of experience in the English game from his Arsenal days.

Xhaka seemingly likes the idea of being a vital player in the Black Cats’ quest to avoid relegation straight back to the Championship, feeling that his time in a Leverkusen shirt has reached its natural conclusion after winning the Bundesliga title back in 2023/24.

The legendary Switzerland international has dominated the Sunderland-related headlines of late and now two quickfire updates have emerged regarding the situation.

Xhaka set to sign three-year contract

Reports broke on Monday morning that Sunderland have agreed a £15m move for Xhaka, with the veteran midfielder set to join from Leverkusen imminently. However, Keith Downie has shared a further update, revealing plenty of good news for those on Wearside.

Indeed, Xhaka’s contract will be a year longer than first reported, and the initial cost is actually lower than the numbers going around.

This is fantastic news for anyone associated with Sunderland, with Xhaka a statement signing who could take Regis Le Bris’ team up another gear.

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The Black Cats achieved promotion with a young team, with emerging midfielders such as Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg excelling, but more experience is needed in the middle of the park in the Premier League, not to mention a replacement for the former after his move to Borussia Dortmund.

In Xhaka, Sunderland could have the perfect man to come in, with the ex-Arsenal player winning an incredible 137 caps for Switzerland and being hailed by former Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso for his “big heart”, always giving his all for the cause and playing with plenty of passion.

Granit Xhaka’s international career

Caps

Goals

Switzerland

137

14

Switzerland Under-21s

5

0

Switzerland Under-19s

10

3

Switzerland Under-18s

3

2

Switzerland Under-17s

13

1

It’s now a case of the final parts of the transfer being sorted, before Xhaka joins up with his new teammates, hopefully making a huge impression from the off.

da esport bet： Will Aston Villa soon make their maiden first-team signing of the summer?

da stake casino： So far, teenager Yasin Özcan has arrived from Kasımpaşa for a reported fee of around £5.8m, albeit he was immediately loaned out to Anderlecht, while veteran goalkeeper Marco Bizot and 19-year-old winger Zépiqueno Redmond have both joined on free transfers.

Thus, right now, ahead of their Premier League opener against Newcastle United, Unai Emery will not have any high-profile new signings to showcase, but could that be about to change?

Aston Villa transfer news latest

Speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Dan Bardell notes that Aston Villa have so far been unable to spend money in this summer window due to their lack of PSR headroom, but forecasts that they will be active and “opportunistic” in the coming weeks, having to date kept their powder dry.

This was exactly the strategy that saw the Claret and Blue Army land both Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio on loan in January, but the pair will need replacing, with the Englishman having joined Barcelona, while it appears unlikely that the Spaniard will return to Villa Park either.

Thus, as they target attacking reinforcements, with Alan Nixon revealing on his Patreon that Aston Villa had joined the race to sign Evann Guessand, and were willing to outbid Crystal Palace, who have long been viewed as the front-runners to secure the Ivorian’s signature.

That has since been followed up by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who revealed that the Midlands has reached a “verbal agreement” with Nice, having lodged a bid of around €30m (£26m), plus add-ons.

That comes after it was previously noted that the forward was valued at around £22m by the Ligue 1 outfit.

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So, Guessand looks set to become just the second player from Côte d’Ivoire to call Villa Park home. Jonathan Kodjia is the first, and so far only, in case you were wondering!

What Evann Guessand would bring to Aston Villa

Guessand, who is still only 24 years old, joined Nice at the age of 15, but only became an outstanding figure in les Aiglons’ first-team as recently as last season.

He spent time out on loan at Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland and then Nantes in Ligue 1, scoring five goals for la Maison Jaune, most notably bagging a stoppage-time winner against Olympiacos in the Europa League, sparking wild scenes of celebration at Stade de la Beaujoire.

He has returned to Nice for the last two seasons, very much a key figure for his boyhood club, scoring six goals in Ligue 1 in 2023/24, before bagging 12 during the most recent campaign, firing Franck Haise’s side to a top four finish and possible Champions League qualification; they face Benfica in the first leg of a qualifier this week.

The table below emphasises Guessand’s impressive form in Ligue 1 last season.

Evann Guessand Ligue 1 statistics 2024/25

Statistics

Guessand

Ligue 1 rank

Goals

12

10th

Assists

8

6th

Shots

27

10th

Goals – xG

+2.8

9th

Shot-creating actions

91

23rd

Goal-creating actions

17

8th

Attempted take-ons

103

15th

Progressive carries

87

19th

Average SofaScore rating

7.23

7th*

*among forwards only.

Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore

The table outlines that Guessand is an all-round attacker, ranked highly when it comes to both goals and assists, but also chances created and dribbling, overperforming his expected goals figure by almost three, underlining his clinical edge.

Alex Barker of The Athletic is certainly a fan, labelling him a “real physical handful” as well as being an “agile” forward who is capable of creating “high-quality chances” too, concluding that his ability to do it all makes him “Bruno Fernandes-esque”.

Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis agrees, noting that he is a ‘good dribbler’, which is surprising given that he is 6 ft 2 in (188 cm).

Meantime, Mohamed Fathall of Breaking the Lines states that he thrives when able to ‘support a central striker’, adding that he is ‘constantly looking to take on defenders’, using his ‘intelligent movement’ to get into goal-scoring positions.

Well, this makes him the ideal strike partner for Ollie Watkins who, as documented by Ahmed Walid of The Athletic, only truly started scoring goals with impressive regularity at Aston Villa after Emery had coached him to remain within the width of the penalty area.

Watkins has reached double figures for goals in each of his five Premier League campaigns, although such consistency could be maintained if fed by the Fernandes-esque talents of Guessand, considering he created 12 ‘big chances’ in Ligue 1 last term, as per Sofascore.

For context, Manchester United’s skipper was only just ahead with 16 ‘big chances’ created in the Premier League.

With Villa’s number 11 thus able to pounce on regular, quality service, Guessand and Watkins could form a deadly attacking partnership, as Villa target a top five finish and Europa League glory in the season ahead.

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da bet7： The Thomas Frank era got off to an agonising start as Tottenham Hotspur fell short against Paris Saint-Germain on penalties, but there was much to admire from a spirited and, for the most part, organised north London outfit.

da dobrowin： There was a lot to like, but Spurs fell short against the continent’s finest outfit, who clambered back from a two-goal deficit in the late stages. Lots to like, but work to be done, with the need for an attacking midfielder accentuated by the loss.

James Maddison’s injury is a tough one to take. Certainly, the Three Lions playmaker has been left stricken given the promising nature of Tottenham’s season ahead, with the World Cup then on the horizon across the pond.

Looking at the situation through a pragmatic lens, Spurs’ need for an attacking midfielder has been heightened. Dejan Kulusevski is still recovering from a patella injury, and the controversial failed bid for Morgan Gibbs-White preceded Maddison’s return to the infirmary.

With Heung-min Son having completed a £20m transfer to LAFC in the United States, signing Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze feels like something of a no-brainer, with that deal in the works. Well, insofar as Tottenham must remain apace with Arsenal in the battle.

But though Frank’s side showed great promise against PSG on Wednesday night, it’s clear that the club are calling out for more than just the arrival of a Maddison replacement, with a deal for Manchester City’s Savinho being chased too.

The latest on Savinho to Spurs

With Son gone and Eze operating frequently from the middle, thrusting forward with electric strides, completing a deal for Savinho feels important.

The Brazilian, 21, joined Pep Guardiola’s side from French club Troyes for around £31m last summer, and he registered 13 assists across 48 matches last term, albeit only scoring three times.

But there’s a lot to like, and Tottenham have opened talks for the rising talent as City pursue a deal for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.

Savinho’s lack of bite in the final third is equalised by his snappy physicality and natural creativity. The goals will come, especially if he heads down N17 to work under Frank’s tutelage.

Savinho, who can play across both flanks, would be a fantastic addition, but with Man City holding out for a £67m fee, Daniel Levy and his coterie appear to have earmarked an exciting alternative.

Spurs have made bid for new winger

As per Spanish sources, Tottenham have seen an offer rejected for Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, worth somewhere in the region of €40m (equating to £34m).

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

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The sought-after Japan international believes Sociedad’s ambitions do not match his own, with Spurs hoping to entice him over to London, offering the promise of Champions League.

Daniel Levy will be keenly aware of rival English interest: Bournemouth, Everton, and West Ham have all placed bids of their own, and AC Milan are now emerging as suitors too.

With such thick competition for Spurs’ Savinho alternative, Kubo’s outfit want his €60m (£51m) release clause paid in full.

What Takefusa Kubo would bring to Spurs

Savinho has proven that he has what it takes to impress in the Premier League, with Manchester City expert Steven McInerney remarking that he’s “on the precipice of being a world-class footballer.”

However, £67m is a tall order for a young winger who only scored one league goal for one of the most dangerous attacking outfits in the world last season, and Kubo could be an exciting alternative who might even prove the better pick.

A high-speed and nimble winger, Kubo is typically housed on the right flank, though like Savinho, his dynamism lends itself to roles across the frontline.

And his desire to leave Real Sociedad bespeaks his ambition. Despite maintaining a steady creative presence for the Basque side last year, he was let down by his teammates, finishing 11th in the league and creating only 42.5 xG (expected goals), via FBref.

In spite of this, Kubo, who has been described as a “special talent” by journalist John Bunting, enjoyed a promising individual campaign.

League Stats 24/25 – Kubo vs Savinho

Stats (*per game)

Kubo

Savinho

Matches (starts)

36 (27)

29 (21)

Goals

5

1

Assists

0

8

Shots (on target)

1.2 (0.4)

1.9 (0.7)

Big chances missed

2

6

Accurate passes

18.4 (77%)

23.0 (87%)

Big chances created

9

11

Key passes*

1.3

1.6

Dribbles*

2.1

1.8

Tackles + interceptions*

1.4

1.0

Duels (won)*

5.3

3.6

Data via Sofascore

Like Savinho, Kubo hasn’t established himself as a free-scoring wide forward yet, but there’s no question that he’s the more clinical of the two.

The Japanese’s flaw in the final third is that he doesn’t work himself into space with enough regularity, instead hugging the touchline and creating for his teammates.

Savinho does this too, of course, and it’s worth drawing attention to the fact that Kubo failed to register even one assist in La Liga last year. However, his underlying playmaking numbers suggest that he has what it takes to enrich Tottenham’s attacking fluency and build-up play.

Ultimately, Frank’s proven record with wingers, taking talented players and fashioning them into stars, suggests that both Savinho and Kubo could go from strength to strength under his leadership.

But, in all likelihood, Tottenham can only sign one. And if that is indeed the case, Kubo has the skill set and the hunger to prove himself at the highest level, having only featured eight times in the Champions League and having yet to reach the potential that was recognised from an early age.

Spurs’ initial offer suggests their interest is genuine, and if Man City stand unwavering on their £67m valuation, he is the winger to go for.

da betano casino： With James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson and Arnaud Kalimuendo already through the door, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly made contact to sign a defensive addition.

Nottingham Forest closing in on Luiz agreement

da betcris： The Tricky Trees may have taken time to truly get going this summer, but they’re now in no mood to stop spending as the Premier League campaign gets underway and transfer deadline day approaches. Evangelos Marinakis has welcomed a flurry of arrivals as of late, and Douglas Luiz looks destined to be the next to be welcomed by the Greek owner.

The midfielder will arguably be Forest’s most impressive signing of the summer if he puts pen to paper as expected. The former Aston Villa midfielder has endured a nightmare spell at Juventus, but will be remembered most by Premier League fans for how he helped Unai Emery’s side into the Champions League two seasons ago.

Now set to return to the Premier League to play for Aston Villa’s Midlands rivals, Luiz will have the chance to restore his reputation in a World Cup year. Given how emphatic Forest were on the opening day against Brentford too, the addition of Luiz is only likely to improve a side that is already firing on all cylinders.

Even after the Brazilian potentially arrives to make it a fourth signing in the last two weeks at the City Ground, however, Marinakis is reportedly not done there in the transfer window. Reports are now indicating that Forest have launched an opening move to sign a Championship defender.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign Fisher

As reported by Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Nottingham Forest have now made an opening enquiry to sign Kellen Fisher from Norwich City. The 21-year-old has caught the eye of those at the City Ground after breaking into the Canaries’ senior squad last season and since keeping hold of his place under Liam Manning in the current campaign.

Earning plenty of praise from Johanes Hoff Thorup last season, the former Norwich manager explained why Fisher has the ability to play an inverted right-back role as well as in the natural full-back position – telling reporters: “He can do it because he has the technical abilities. He’s a great crossing player, and he’s a great technical player.

“When you have that as one of your skills, then you can cover more and different positions. It’s just praise to him. He’s doing well, and it also creates a little bit more rotation in the team because now he has tried more positions.”

Seemingly doing enough to earn the interest of the Premier League, the young defender could go from Bromley in 2022 all the way to Nottingham Forest in the space of three impressive years.