Injury expert and Sky Sports contributor Ben Dinnery has relayed a concerning update coming out of Wolves ahead of the Premier League run-in.
The lowdown: What’s at stake…
As things stand the Wanderers sit in eighth position in the table with five games remaining starting with the visit of Brighton & Hove Albion to Molineux on Saturday.
Still with a realistic chance of earning European football for next term, Bruno Lage’s side will complete the 2021/22 campaign against title-chasing Liverpool at Anfield having faced Chelsea, Manchester City and Norwich City between now and then.
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However, the Portuguese manager looks set to be without one key figure for the all-important final weeks…
The latest: Kilman out
Taking to Twitter, Dinnery relayed Lage’s answer during the pre-match press conference and cited a report detailing a season-ending injury for Max Kilman.
“Kilman could miss the rest of the season. ‘It will be hard for him to return,’ said Bruno Lage. ‘We have 25 days in front of us, and I don’t believe he will recover. He twisted his ankle, and we need to understand what is the problem.'”
The report from Express & Star explains that the 24-year-old suffered an ankle injury in training that is still being assessed to discover the true severity.
Talismanic midfielder Ruben Neves and winger Daniel Podence also remain sidelined for the meeting in the Midlands.
The verdict: Big miss
Losing Kilman for the remainder of the season is an undoubted blow as Wolves continue their push for Europe.
Prior to the setback central defender had made 34 appearances across all competitions, winning 2.2 aerial duels, 2.6 ground duels and making 1.5 interceptions on average per match in 30 league outings (Sofascore).
Forging an impressive partnership alongside Conor Coady and Romain Saiss for the most part, Kilman had been indexed to a number of top-flight clubs back in February following an impressive breakthrough campaign.
Albeit ill-timed, this injury could perhaps deter suitors and allow Lage to reintegrate the ace back into the ranks in the summer.
In other news, Wolves are reportedly eyeing up a move for an exciting player. Find out who it is here.
Newcastle United enjoyed a fantastic January transfer window as they made a number of key additions to Eddie Howe’s squad.
PIF brought in Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett and Chris Wood and they have all played a part in the club’s revival in the second half of the season.
The Magpies are now 14 points clear of the bottom three and look set for another campaign in the Premier League, with central defender Burn playing a huge role in their recent success.
He joined from Brighton in January and has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 7.01 in the top-flight this season for the Toon and the Seagulls combined.
Forget Dan Burn
Whilst the giant Englishman has been an excellent addition to the team, the Magpies now have the chance to sign a player who will make the fans quickly forget about him.
German outlet Bild recently reported that Newcastle are interested in signing Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka, who is valued at £24m (€28m).
The French tank can be the club’s new defensive leader and be an upgrade on Burn or play alongside him as he has proven his quality in Germany this year.
Frankfurt boss Adi Hutter previously showered the gem with praise, saying: “I honestly have to say that I was surprised by his development. Evan has developed phenomenally. He’s very attentive in the analysis of his own game. He’s very modest and always takes a lot on board.”
The centre-back has also received applause from former Frankfurt player Alexander Schur as he claimed the Frenchman “shows no nerves” and “plays with great authority.”
In the Bundesliga this season, Ndicka has averaged a fantastic SofaScore rating of 7.14. He has made an impressive 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game and won 60% of his duels, showing that he has been putting in consistent performances and dominating opposition attackers throughout the campaign.
Ndicka also ranks higher than Burn for progressive passes, progressive carries, dribbles completed and pass completion per 90 mins over the last 365 days. This means that the Frankfurt man would be an upgrade on the current Toon star in terms of what he offers in possession, whilst his statistics in the Bundesliga in comparison to Burn’s in the Premier League suggest that his all-round displays would also be better.
Therefore, Howe can land a new defensive leader for Newcastle by bringing him to the club this summer. He has shown that he has the quality to be a major player at St. James’ Park and he has the potential to improve further at the age of 22, which means that he would be a sublime signing for now and for the future.
AND in other news, Bid planned: Howe must seal NUFC deal for £30m “monster” whose “simplicity is genius”…
One Newcastle United player is now “keen” to stay at St James’ Park and signing a new contract, according to former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown.
Newcastle line up more new deals after Pope extension
Nick Pope recently triggered a contract extension to stay on Tyneside until 2027, revealing in the pre-Benfica press conference this week it was a clause inserted into his original deal in 2023.
Bruno Guimaraes has also been a fantastic servant for the Magpies, adding so much quality and heart to the midfield ever since he joined the club.
Sorting the Brazilian’s future has to be a key area of focus for Newcastle, and a recent update claimed that they have offered him a new five-year deal, in order to ward off interest from the Saudi Pro League.
Bruno isn’t the only player whose future will be looked at, though, with experienced heads Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles out of contract at the end of this season.
Now, a key update has emerged regarding a player who is at the opposite end of his career, with Eddie Howe likely to be buoyed by the news.
Newcastle ace "keen" to sign contract extension
Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League executive Mick Brown spoke on the chances of Tino Livramento signing a new deal at Newcastle, saying he is “keen” to stay put.
“Livramento has earned all the plaudits he gets. He’s worked very hard to become part of that Newcastle team despite the injuries he’s had, he plays wherever he’s needed and has always done a very good job. He’s done the same for England as well and has improved his reputation considerably.
“A lot of that progress has been made since he joined Newcastle, where he clearly has the trust and a good relationship with the manager. Of course, when a player is performing at that sort of level consistently, it’s going to attract interest from other clubs who might want to bring him in.
“But from what I hear, Livramento is happy at Newcastle, and I’d expect if there was a new contract on the table for him, he would be keen to stay. It’s something that would be the best outcome for all parties if they could get him tied down. Not only do Newcastle get to keep a fantastic player, but he can continue and build on the progress he has made there, playing regularly at the top level.”
Livramento is currently 19th on the Newcastle wage list at just £50,000-a-week, but has to be seen as a big part of the club’s future, with the England international proving to be a great option in both full-back positions.
The 22-year-old should only grow as a footballer as the years pass, potentially even becoming a regular starter for the Three Lions, and Theo Walcott once even claimed that he possessed an “aura”.
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If Bruno’s new contract takes precedence for Newcastle, Livramento isn’t too far behind, as they look to avoid him moving elsewhere, which would be a huge blow at this point in his career.
Former Celtic centre-forward Chris Sutton was particularly scathing of the club’s recruitment after they lost 2-0 to Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, the pundit said: “Celtic have massive problems. They have to get to January and still stay in touch. This is a bang average Celtic team and I think Brendan recognises that.
“The signing of Kelechi Iheanacho summed everything up. That was desperation. I’m not saying he’s a bad player but you think back to when Celtic were rotating Giorgos Giakoumakis and Kyogo Furuhashi, that quality, that’s the difference.”
It is hard not to point to the recruitment department when looking for the reason why Celtic have failed to score in six competitive matches already this season.
Celtic needed a striker in the summer, before they sold Adam Idah, and they failed to bring in Kasper Dolberg from Anderlecht, before selling Idah without getting a replacement in. Kelechi Iheanacho then arrived on a free transfer, but they were still down another forward.
Meanwhile, Hearts signed Claudio Braga from Aalesund on top of keeping Lawrence Shankland, and have fired their way to the top of the Premiership table.
What Celtic can learn from the recruitment at Hearts
Tony Bloom invested in Hearts and brought his data expertise with him to bolster their recruitment, and it already looks to have paid off big time for the Jam Tarts.
Braga scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 37 appearances in the second tier of football in Norway in the 2025 and 2024 campaigns for Aalesund, per Sofascore, before his move to Scotland in the summer.
The versatile forward, who can play as a number ten, a second striker, or as a centre-forward, scored two goals against Kilmarnock on Saturday to take his tally to eight goals in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.
Braga’s highlights from their win over Kilmarnock in the clips above show that he can operate in positions all over the pitch, with almost a free role because of Shankland’s presence as the focal point for the team.
The Portuguese star is free to roam around the pitch and drop deep when needed to get touches of the ball to make things happen for Hearts, as evidenced by his statistics.
Appearances
8
Touches per game
42.8
Goals
5
Big chances missed
4
Key passes per game
1.1
Assists
1
Successful dribbles per game
0.9
As you can see in the table above, Braga takes around 43 touches per game on average and has been directly involved in six goals in eight matches to show that he is making the most of those touches.
Celtic can learn from the recruitment that Hearts have done for multiple reasons. One, that they do not need to splash £10m on a player from a major European league, as Braga was picked up from the second tier in Norway and has outscored every Celtic player in the Premiership.
Two, that the recruitment needs to be well thought through. Hearts knew they had Shankland leading the line, so they signed the Portuguese ace to be the perfect partner for him.
Celtic, meanwhile, signed two left-wingers, despite Daizen Maeda scoring 33 goals as a left-winger last season, and did not sign a right-winger to replace Nicolas Kuhn, whilst they also sold Adam Idah, a target man and physical presence, and signed Iheanacho, who does not have a similar profile to Idah.
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Despite being signed to be the main number nine, Iheanacho has the attributes and the quality to be Brendan Rodgers’ own version of Braga, but the Hoops do not have their own Shankland.
Why Kelechi Iheanacho can be Celtic's own Claudio Braga
For all of the former Manchester City man’s strengths, the Nigeria international is not a target man. He is not going to cause too many problems for opposition defenders with his physicality.
Per Sofascore, Iheanacho has won 1.5 duels per game and won just 38% of his duels in total, whilst Shankland has won 4.4 duels per game and 44% of his total battles on the pitch.
He does not look suited to being the sole number nine for Celtic as a target man, because of his lack of physicality, and that is not his fault, because it is something that the recruitment team should have factored in when they made the signing.
Last season, Michael Carrick utilised Iheanacho as a second striker behind another number nine, which meant that he had the license to drift around the pitch and get involved in the game, instead of being isolated up front.
This means that he has the potential to be Celtic’s own Braga because of his ability to play off another striker. Meanwhile, Maeda is more suited to playing out wide, and has been utilised on the left and right flanks this season, after scoring 33 goals as a left winger last term, per Transfermarkt.
Chances created
1.77
Top 1%
xA
0.17
Top 24%
Pass accuracy
79.5%
Top 12%
Long pass accuracy
100%
Top 1%
Dribble success rate
100%
Top 1%
Touches in the opposition’s box
8.15
Top 12%
As you can see in the table above, Iheanacho has shown great technical ability and link-up play in the Premiership this season, but he has yet to score a goal from open play.
Shankland’s presence and physicality occupy opposition defenders and create space for Braga to ghost into and score, but Celtic do not have a number nine like that who can take the pressure off Iheanacho.
Instead, it currently looks like he has to play the role of Shankland and Braga on his own, which may be why the Hoops have struggled so much in front of goal.
Iheanacho’s position for Middlesbrough and the qualities that he has shown in the Premiership so far suggest that he is more suited to playing like Braga, off another striker, but Rodgers does not have that outlet in the centre-forward position that Hearts do.
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Maeda is a winger, not a target man, so he is not the answer. Therefore, the Hoops need to dip into the market in January to sign a striker who can complement Iheanacho and get the best out of him in the second half of the season, so that he can be as effective as Braga.
As Thomas Tuchel selected his England squad last week, the lack of Manchester United representatives was a familiar sight, with the German coach again overlooking those at Old Trafford.
Mason Mount – part of Tuchel’s Champions League-winning squad at Chelsea – has not featured since the 2022 World Cup quarter-final defeat to France, while Luke Shaw’s most recent outing came in last year’s Euro 2024 showpiece.
Harry Maguire, now 32, has also been gradually phased out, although the biggest disappointment rests with Kobbie Mainoo, amid the 20-year-old’s continued exile at international level.
Now even tipped to make a return to the U21 set-up, the midfielder has gone from playing a starring role in last summer’s knockout stage run, to now representing something of an afterthought for the Three Lions.
With the likes of Elliot Anderson continuing to flourish in his absence, Mainoo’s hopes of featuring at next year’s World Cup are getting slimmer by the day, having no doubt been held back by his limited role under Ruben Amorim in Manchester.
Cast aside at club level, and a forgotten figure for his country, Mainoo faces a fight on both fronts to change his fortunes.
Mainoo’s diminishing role under Amorim
It was just over two years ago that the Stockport native announced himself with a Man of the Match display on his first Premier League start away at Goodison, having finally been thrust into the side after an injury-hit start to the 2023/24 campaign.
The golden boy of Erik ten Hag – who had made a beeline for him earlier that year as United celebrated the Carabao Cup trophy – Mainoo rounded off his breakthrough season with that FA Cup final winner, having also enjoyed notable highs against both Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The sky seemed the limit heading into 2024/25, although injury – and the change in the dugout – brought the youngster crashing back down to earth, with his diminishing status outlined by his desperately brief cameo as United chased a winner in the Europa League showpiece.
After a summer of transfer talk and speculation, including Mainoo’s apparent desire to leave on loan late in the window, his situation has, unfortunately, seen little change, with Amorim seemingly unwilling to deploy the promising midfielder as a partner to Bruno Fernandes in the centre of the park.
Yet to start in the Premier League, the £25k-per-week starlet did play the full 90 minutes against Grimsby Town, having seen Manuel Ugarte hooked instead at the break as the visitors sought out a comeback.
That outing aside, he has totalled just 124 minutes of league action, having failed to even make it off the bench against both Arsenal and Fulham back in August.
A man now on the periphery, a January exit again looks to be being touted – at least he’s not alone in that regard…
Man Utd star is also getting the Mainoo treatment
Not only was the manner of the Grimsby defeat simply embarrassing for Amorim’s side, but it has also had a knock-on effect with regard to squad rotation, with the Portuguese coach now having little need to shuffle his pack – not least with European involvement also not a factor this season.
That early Carabao Cup exit seemingly played a part in forcing Rasmus Hojlund’s exit, with the Dane – as per The Athletic – having been told after that game that he would no longer be needed. Off to Naples you go…
With Benjamin Sesko in the door – and with the likes of Matheus Cunha, Joshua Zirkzee and Chido Obi already in the building – it was deemed that United already had the sufficient depth.
Having now scored two in two heading into the international break, amid a slow start to life in Manchester, Sesko has solidified his place as Amorim’s leading number nine, even playing the full 90 against Sunderland last time out.
Fitness-permitting, the Slovenian will start week in, week out, leaving the aforementioned Zirkzee resigned to a watching brief.
The Dutchman – signed from Bologna on a £36.5m deal last summer – was an unused substitute in that 2-0 win over the Black Cats, having yet to start a game in all competitions so far.
While he did replace Cunha in the early knockings of the win over Burnley, the one-time Bayern Munich man has featured for just 82 minutes in total in 2025/26, while making just three league appearances.
Despite recovering from the audible jeers that met his early withdrawal against Newcastle back in December – having notably scored against both Real Sociedad and Lyon in the Europa League since then – the 24-year-old is falling into Mainoo territory, with a clear role in the side seemingly unclear.
A self-described ‘nine and a half’, Zirkzee has typically featured in a number ten berth under Amorim, although the addition of Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo – alongside the manager’s preference for Mount – has seen him slide down the pecking order.
Arsenal
–
Fulham
–
Grimsby
8
Burnley
59
Man City
10
Chelsea
–
Brentford
5
Sunderland
–
Total
82
Not the orthodox number nine that Amorim is looking for, in contrast to Sesko, it is hard to see where the fleet-footed talent will get minutes, even despite his “insane” quality, as per analyst Ben Mattinson.
Like Mainoo, the forgotten man reportedly wishes to leave in the New Year amid the search for game time, having thus far scored just seven goals in 53 games for the Red Devils since arriving last summer.
A technical talent, but perhaps without the physical attributes that Amorim requires – much like Mainoo – the eye-catching forward already appears to be heading in the same direction as his struggling teammate.
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Newcastle United know two things: they are set to continue their wonderful journey with Alexander Isak fronting Eddie Howe’s project; Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike will not join them, and instead is set for Liverpool.
It’s a funny one to dissect. On one hand, United have likely missed out on another top target in the final third; Ekitike is a young striker with vast potential, talent scout Jacek Kulig even claiming he “could definitely reach world-class striker levels.”
However, if Liverpool reach their quarry, they are effectively eliminated from any future chase concerning Isak.
The Sweden striker is world-class, but Newcastle still need to sign a number nine with Callum Wilson having left Tyneside at the end of his contract.
Newcastle want new striker
With Ekitike seemingly off the cards, Newcastle have set their sights on Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, who scored 20 goals in 2024/25.
Wissa, 28, is valued at £50m and has been confirmed as Howe’s new top target by The Athletic’s David Ornstein. However, with Bryan Mbeumo set to sign for Manchester United, the Magpies might want to find an alternative.
And they have done so. According to Sport BILD, Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez has been lined up by the PIF bosses in a shocking twist. The 25-year-old is expected to leave Jürgen Klopp’s squad this summer, with Saudi Arabian interest being heavy, and the striker is valued in the region of £65m.
Fabrizio Romano has since chimed in to note that Newcastle have not engaged in any talks concerning Nunez, although he didn’t shut the door on a potential move.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
It might not be the most popular track Newcastle could head down, but there’s meaning in the madness. Nunez’s prime years are ostensibly ahead of him, and he’s younger and more malleable than Wissa.
Howe, more to the point, is one of the sharpest tactical minds out there.
Why Newcastle are considering Darwin Nunez
Make no mistake, this would be quite the peculiar finish to a transfer saga with more twists than a high-octane thriller novel. Certainly, few would see this one coming.
However, Nunez is a maverick, one of the most talented strikers in the Premier League, if not one of the most consistent. Noted for his “chaotic” energy by The Athletic’s Christopher Hamill, the Uruguayan has spent three years on English shores, and he’s been something of a mixed bag.
Missed chances have been a common theme, with 55 such chances squandered in spite of his modest 25-goal return, as per Sofascore, in the Premier League, but he’s also posted a decent return of 66 goal contributions across 143 appearances in a Liverpool shirt, including just 76 starting roles.
Say what you want, but 40 goals and 26 assists marks not a decent haul across 76 starts. The ingredients for success are there.
Liverpool'sDarwinNunezreacts
It’s worth noting that Nunez’s finishing improved somewhat last season too. He missed eight big chances in the Premier League last term, converting five strikes.
This, at the very least, illustrates a slight upturn in his shooting, something Howe would be sure to work on with him.
And, of course, St. James’ Park has suffered the bitter taste of how effective Nunez can be when on his A-game.
Howe might provide the helping hand Nunez needs to escape from a sorry situation at Anfield, with Newcastle offering the perfect recourse to lift him back up and into the sphere which he has demonstrated is within his grasp.
Nunez’s pace, power and dynamism certainly suggest that he could be United’s own version of Ekitike, and one who might come back to sting the Reds at that. Howe’s flowing, transitional system could offer the conditions Nunez needs to thrive.
Last season was one of individual strife for the striker, but he showed much promise in 2023/24, under Jurgen Klopp’s wing. Across 54 matches, he scored 18 goals and supplied 15 assists for his teammates.
Goals scored
0.53
0.48
Assists
0.28
0.35
Shots taken
4.00
4.70
Shot-creating actions
3.55
3.47
Touches (att pen)
6.88
8.44
Progressive passes
1.86
2.37
Progressive carries
3.27
2.55
Successful take-ons
1.83
0.66
Ball recoveries
3.06
3.32
Tackles + interceptions
0.81
1.10
As you can see, Nunez could more than hold his own in terms of output and performance, if you were to collate the data from the respective campaigns.
But it’s difficult to delineate the specifics, for the circumstances differ. However, Ekitike has not yet plied his trade in the Premier League, and Nunez could offer Newcastle something dynamic and similar to complement Isak, who is surely set to stay now.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
And Ekitike, in any case, is hardly the finished product himself. The 23-year-old scored 12 goals and laid on 12 assists last season, but his finishing and accuracy leave something to be desired even so.
Drawing on FBref’s data again, the Frenchman totalled 0.66 per 90’s worth of xG (expected goals) across all competitions last season, though he scored at a rate of 0.51.
This highlights the improvements needed. His finishing requires sharpening, and the intensity and roughness of the English game may yet foil him in his endeavours.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
It’s a left-field one, for sure, but the Magpies could do worse, and Nunez has shown the makings of a special striker in England before.
He would also arrive to serve as Isak’s understudy, to challenge him and complement him. The Liverpool star, in this sense, wouldn’t have to worry about the weight of succeeding the Swede from the off, but rather, to learn from him and help him.
Transfer Focus
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Whether Howe opts for the more clinical and secure name in Wissa remains to be seen, but signing Liverpool’s wantaway striker could complete a sense of circularity about this gripping transfer saga, and one which may just see Howe come up trumps.
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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
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.
Arsenal have earmarked the potential signing of a highly-rated forward as an absolute “dream” scenario for Mikel Arteta, with the Gunners extremely keen to secure his signature after hearing bad news about a key target.
Andrea Berta's promising start as Arsenal sporting director
Andrea Berta has made a promising start to life at N5 already, with the Italian sporting director sealing Martin Zubimendi’s signing from Real Sociedad for around £55 million in total (Fabrizio Romano).
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The 53-year-old has also finalised Kepa Arrizabalaga’s £5 million arrival from Chelsea, with the Spaniard swapping Stamford Bridge for north London in what is a very astute move by Berta to secure a capable David Raya alternative.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
This has now been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, too, with all documents “sealed” for Kepa who becomes Arsenal’s second unofficial signing after Zubimendi.
Arteta’s engine room and goalkeeping options have been bolstered with proven quality, but according to Romano again, £205,000-per-week Real Madrid forward Rodrygo is another man high on Berta’s agenda.
The Brazil international commands a price tag of around £77 million, as well as high wages, so he could be a pricey deal to pull off, but Romano is adamant that Arsenal have placed him at the top of their shortlist of wide targets.
Arsenal "dream" of signing Rodrygo for Mikel Arteta
Speaking on his personal YouTube channel, the respected journalist says that Arsenal “dream” of signing Rodrygo, especially that Nico Williams appears far more likely to join Barcelona.
Williams was a key target for Arsenal, and Berta even held talks with the Spaniard’s representatives in one of his “first acts” as sporting director, as per The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, but his move to London is now deemed “impossible”.
“Arsenal love Rodrygo. When I say Arsenal, it’s about the management, it’s about the coach, it’s about Mikel Arteta,” said Romano.
“They consider Rodrygo as a fantastic player, a dream target as a winger, also because they feel Nico Williams is impossible to reach this summer. Rodrygo, he remains a strong name, for sure, on the list at Arsenal.”
The 24-year-old has racked up 14 goals and 11 assists for Real in all competitions throughout 2024/2025, including the Club World Cup, with Rodrygo’s elite-level experience coming as a major positive, despite barely hitting his prime yet.
The challenges behind any move for Rodrygo are both the finances involved and convincing him to leave world football’s most appealing destination so he can start completely fresh in the Premier League, but Arsenal’s serious interest is crystal clear.
Sunderland are looking to bolster their squad with new signings during the summer transfer window in an attempt to avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League.
Regis Le Bris’ side won promotion via the play-offs from the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign, and go up to the top-flight knowing that they need to add more quality to the squad.
Sunderland managerRegisLeBrisapplauds fans after the match
It was recently reported that the Black Cats are in talks with Dynamo Kyiv to secure a deal for Ukraine international centre-forward Vladyslav Vanat to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
The 23-year-old striker scored 17 goals in 28 league games for Dynamo Kyiv this season, along with one goal in the Europa League, and could be an exciting addition in the final third.
However, Sunderland will also have to look at ways to improve the team at the other end of the pitch, as they will be in a relegation battle that will see their defence constantly tested by high-quality sides.
With this in mind, the club should be looking to secure an upgrade on current first-choice Anthony Patterson, who may not be ready for the Premier League.
Why Anthony Patterson may not be Premier League ready
The 25-year-old stopper has been Sunderland’s first-choice since he broke through as the number one in the 2021/22 campaign, and started 45 games in the Championship this term.
However, Patterson’s performances in the second tier for Le Bris do not suggest that he is likely to make the step up to the Premier League to be a reliable figure between the sticks.
The Black Cats academy graduate let too many errors, like the one in the clip above, creep into his game, and he will be punished even more at a higher level, given the step up in the quality of attackers.
Appearances
42
Save percentage
69%
Goals prevented
-1.75
Error led to shot
2
Error led to goal
1
Percentage of crosses claimed
4.2%
As you can see in the table above, Patterson conceded 1.75 more goals than expected based on the xG of the shots that he faced, which meant that he underperformed as a shot-stopper overall as he let in more than the average goalkeeper would have been expected to.
He also ranked within the bottom 35% of goalkeepers in the Championship by only claiming 4.2% of the crosses into his box, as well as ranking in the bottom 11% for defensive actions outside of his box per 90 (0.64).
These statistics suggest that Patterson is unlikely to be a key player for the Black Cats in the Premier League, as he underperformed as a shot-stopper, a cross-claimer, and a sweeper-keeper at a lower level in the second tier.
Sunderland in talks to sign Ligue 1 star
Supporters should, therefore, be pleased to read that the club are reportedly eyeing up a deal to sign an upgrade on the English goalkeeper this summer.
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 Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland have made an approach to sign OGC Nice shot-stopper Marcin Bulka to bolster their ranks between the sticks.
The reporter claims that the Black Cats are now in talks with the Ligue 1 side to secure his signature as part of their “ambitious” approach to the market.
OGC Nice's MarcinBulkaand Youssouf Ndayishimiye celebrate after the match
Romano adds that multiple other teams have approached Nice with an interest in the Poland international, which suggests that there will be plenty of competition for his services throughout the summer transfer window.
There is no mention, however, of how much money the French side are set to demand for the former Chelsea goalkeeper, or how much Sunderland are prepared to pay for him.
Why Marcin Bulka is an upgrade for Sunderland
The Black Cats could improve their team by winning the race for Bulka’s signature before the end of the summer transfer window, based on his performances for Nice in Ligue 1 during the 2024/25 campaign.
He started 34 games in the French top-flight and caught the eye with his impressive shot-stopping skills, saving 75% of the shots on his goal and preventing 2.74 goals.
That came after the former PSG goalkeeper, who was hailed as “sensational” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, prevented 2.00 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games for Nice during the previous campaign, which shows that he has consistently outperformed as a shot-stopper over the past two seasons.
Bulka, as you can see in the clips above, is capable of producing some stunning saves to keep the ball out of the net, and has proven himself in one of Europe’s major leagues over multiple seasons.
His performances as an all-round goalkeeper in the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he would arrive at the Stadium of Light as a significant upgrade on what Le Bris currently has between the sticks.
Save percentage
75.8%
70.3%
Saves made per 90
3.53
2.14
Penalty save percentage
33.3%
20%
Crosses stopped per 90
1.15
0.55
Percentage of crosses claimed
8.3%
4.2%
Defensive actions outside the box per 90
0.97
0.64
As you can see in the table above, Bulka outperformed Patterson as a shot-stopper, a cross-claimer, and as a sweeper-keeper this season, whilst playing at a higher level in the top tier in France, compared to the Championship.
These statistics suggest that the Polish colossus, who has been Nice’s number one for the past two campaigns, has the quality to arrive on Wearside as an immediate upgrade on the current Sunderland number one.
Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
He has proven his quality in a top European league and could, therefore, hit the ground running as a reliable and quality goalkeeper who can stop shots and crosses with impressive regularity, particularly compared to Patterson.
This is why the Black Cats must do their best to win the race for Bulka’s signature, now that they are in official talks with Nice to agree a deal for the 25-year-old star, who would improve their chances of avoiding the drop from the Premier League next term.
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Liverpool have found out their fate for their title defence in 2025/26. The Premier League fixtures were confirmed on Tuesday morning, with Arne Slot hoping to lead his team to the title for the second year in a row.
With Florian Wirtz set to join soon, and the experience of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk in the squad, they have an exciting side. Indeed, those players and their teammates will begin the title defence on Friday, 15th August, at home to Bournemouth. Their first away trip will see them travel to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United.
It has already been a busy summer at Anfield, and things will now only ramp up with the announcement of the fixtures.
Liverpool's latest transfer target
Liverpool’s 2025 summer window has started quickly. They already have Jeremie Frimpong in the door, and seem set to add Wirtz and Milos Kerkez from the Cherries, sooner rather than later. Then, the attention can turn to their next reported target.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The highly reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed on YouTube, via Caught Offside, that the Reds hold “concrete interest” in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike. Romano explained that Reds ‘are involved in the story’ for the Frenchman this summer.
However, the deal can’t progress yet, because Liverpool ‘are waiting to find a solution for Darwin Nunez’, who will leave the club this summer.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Once that transfer has gone through, a move for Ekitike might speed up. The Mirror recently quoted his price at £60m, so it is safe to assume the Merseysiders will need to pay somewhere in that region.
Why Ekitike could help Salah break more records
At just 22 years of age, Frankfurt superstar Ekitike has garnered himself a fantastic reputation, having shone in the 2025/25 campaign. Football scout Antonio Mango once called him a “gem” of a footballer while journalist Graeme Bailey has outlined how some think he could be “the next Mbappe”. It is easy to see why.
Hugo Ekitike for Frankfurt.
The Frenchman, who came through the Reims academy, where he was born, managed to score 22 goals and grab 12 assists across all competitions last season.
He played 48 games and was a really important part of a Frankfurt side that finished third and qualified for the Champions League.
Indeed, Ekitike comes with a great pedigree in Europe, too. Of his 34 goals and assists last term, seven came in the Europa League, which included a goal away to eventual winners, and Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.
If the Reds are able to get this deal over the line, Ekitike could become the perfect player alongside Salah. The Liverpool legend was sensational yet again last season, winning the Golden Boot with his 29 goals and picking up 18 assists, too.
With 87 assists to his name in the Premier League and no signs of slowing down, there is a realistic chance that the man lovingly dubbed the “Egyptian King” by the Anfield faithful could climb higher up the list of all-time most assists in the English top flight.
Ryan Giggs currently tops it with 162 assists, so Salah has some way to go, but matching his assist total from 2024/25 next season will see him climb to fourth and go far ahead of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
Ekitike could be the perfect player to help get him there. His underlying stats on FBref from last season are those of a true goalscorer, with 0.53 goals per 90 minutes ranking him in the top 19% of Bundesliga forwards.
The Frenchman is a complete centre-forward, and wouldn’t just help boost Salah’s assist numbers. He is a chance creator too, averaging 1.55 key passes each game, which places him in the top 12% of Bundesliga forwards. With Salah’s eye for goal, they could form a deadly duo.
Goals
0.53
81st
Goals and assists
0.81
88th
Expected goals
0.76xG
95th
Key passes
1.55
88th
Shot-creating actions
3.55
84th
There is no doubt that Liverpool’s investment this summer has been huge, but in many ways, it has to be in order to compete for the Premier League title again. Perhaps, for just £60m, Ekitike could be the missing piece in their side.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
It will be fascinating to see how this move develops, but one thing is for sure: the Frenchman could form a superb partnership with an all-time legend of the Premier League.
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