Newcastle United are now showing strong interest in signing a Premier League player who Eddie Howe called “magnificent”, according to a report.

Magpies pushing for the Champions League

Newcastle are in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, while also ending their 70-year trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup earlier this season, which should make St. James’ Park an attractive destination for new signings this summer.

Howe’s side have performed very well, but the manager is looking to upgrade his squad in several areas this summer, including in midfield, having now joined the race for Manchester City’s James McAtee, who could be available for a fee of just £26m.

There is also a desire to strengthen in forward areas, with Ademola Lookman on the shortlist, while Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi could be brought in to bolster Howe’s centre-back options, having been keen on the Englishman for quite some time.

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Another area in which Newcastle could look to strengthen is between the sticks, with Nick Pope now arguably in the twilight years of his career at 33-years-old, and they have their eye on an option from within the Premier League.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Newcastle are showing strong interest in signing Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who is in line to leave the Saints after their relegation to the Championship.

Ramsdale will be able to leave for just £25m following his side’s relegation to the second tier, and the goalkeeper is eager to remain in the Premier League, with West Ham United believed to be leading the race for his signature.

Pope’s injury setbacks mean the Magpies are looking to bring in a goalkeeper capable of competing for a starting spot, and the Southampton shot-stopper fits the bill, although the requirement to abide by financial fair play rules could hinder their chances of getting a deal over the line.

Newcastle United’s final Premier League fixtures

Date

Chelsea (h)

May 11th

Arsenal (a)

May 18th

Everton (h)

May 25th

Ramsdale could be "magnificent" signing for Newcastle

The Saints have endured a torrid campaign in the Premier League, collecting just 11 points all season, but it is difficult to be too critical of their goalkeeper, given that he is ranked as the best-performing player in the squad.

Howe has also been left seriously impressed by the Englishman in the past, describing him as “magnificent” during their time working together at AFC Bournemouth.

Not only that, but the 26-year-old caught the eye during his time with Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta singling him out for praise after an impressive performance at Anfield, describing his goalkeeper as “fantastic”.

Pope has been a fantastic servant to Newcastle, but with the Englishman now in the latter stages of his career and out of contract in 2026, a long-term replacement could be required, and there are plenty of signs that Ramsdale may well be a solid option.

Manchester United could now be willing to sell a “very good” player for more than £55m this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

United basking in glory of Lyon victory

The Red Devils produced a stunning turnaround against Lyon on Thursday night, winning 5-4 at Old Trafford to book a place in the Europa League semi-finals, where they will meet Athletic Bilbao.

United were 4-2 down deep into extra-time and on the verge of their season coming to an embarrassing end, only to score three times in the remaining minutes, culminating in Harry Maguire scoring a dramatic winner with a penalty shootout looming.

This is still a Red Devils side that has been painfully lacking in quality this season, however, highlighting the need for a host of new signings to arrive during the summer transfer window. Atalanta midfielder Ederson has been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford, potentially being seen as a replacement for Casemiro in front of the defence.

There is also a shock rumour regarding Scott McTominay returning to United in the summer, following an impressive season at Napoli. It would be a surprise, but Ruben Amorim may feel that he can get the best out of the Scot.

Man Utd want over £55m to sell Rasmus Hojlund this summer

According to a new report from Caught Offside, Manchester United are willing to sell Rasmus Hojlund at the end of the season, demanding over £55m for his signature, with INEOS willing to take a loss on the £72m spent on him.

Serie A trio Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli are all thought to be “considering moving” for the £85,000-a-week striker, who has struggled to reach the required standards throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

At just 22, there would be a risk in United letting Hojlund leave, considering how much time he still has to improve as a player in his career. That said, he looks increasingly lost at Old Trafford, even though Amorim lauded him after his recent goal against Leicester City.

“It’s really important for Rasmus. He’s doing the right things, helping the team, fighting for every ball. He scored a very good goal and I think he deserved it more than anybody. It was a difficult goal with difficult control with his right foot. It’s a shame we stop for the national teams because we have confidence.”

United have to be ruthless this summer, bringing in a proven striker who can take the team up a level, and if that means cashing in on Hojlund, so be it.

Appearances

27

Starts

18

Minutes played

1592

Goals

3

Assists

0

Shots per game

0.9

Key passes per game

0.5

Dribbles per game

0.3

He has been given enough opportunities to prove his worth to Amorim, but unless he enjoys a strong end to the season, it looks increasingly like a transfer that ultimately hasn’t quite worked out.

With the 49ers Enterprises looking to make their mark, Rangers are now reportedly set to sign a versatile forward who has become convinced by the Ibrox project ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 49ers' Rangers project

Set to complete their takeover of the Scottish giants, the 49ers will be hoping to turn things around at Rangers and transform the Gers into the dominant champions they once were. As seen at Elland Road and Leeds United already, too, the American owners are perfectly capable of leaving their mark on a club and achieving their goals.

However, with a new manager needed and Celtic’s Scottish Premiership dominance only growing stronger, the extent of the 49ers’ task at Rangers cannot be overstated. And they must get things right this summer.

To that end, a number of names have already been linked with the job at Ibrox. The likes of Rafael Benitez represent the experienced choice, whilst Steven Gerrard would perhaps be the one that splits the most opinions after how he left Rangers for Aston Villa in 2021. Meanwhile, other names such as Danny Rohl and Davide Ancelotti would certainly be intriguing to watch in their own right.

With the Scottish Premiership now concluded for another season too, the Gers may have their answer sooner rather than later over just who steps into the role. The end of the campaign also means the end of Barry Ferguson’s interim role in charge of the club, but he has reiterated his desire to take the permanent role more than once.

The interim boss told reporters in recent weeks: “Everybody’s got an opinion, I don’t care about people’s opinion, I know I can do the job. I know I’ve got a real good staff behind me. I’ve been asked this question two or three weeks in a row, I think it’s clear, it doesn’t scare me one single bit.”

Meanwhile, away from the dugout, it almost goes without saying that a large part of the 49ers’ project will be the recruitment that they go in pursuit of this summer, which looks set to start with a Paris Saint-Germain talent.

Rangers set to sign versatile PSG forward Oumar Camara

According to RMC Sport’s Fabrice Hawkins, Rangers are now set to sign Oumar Camara from PSG this summer, with the versatile young forward convinced by the project in Glasgow. The teenager has captained PSG’s U19 side this season, but is set to secure a surprising move to Scotland in the coming months – likely becoming the first signing of the 49ers era.

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At just 18 years old, whether Camara would make an immediate impact at Ibrox remains to be seen. The winger, who can play on both sides, has enjoyed an impressive season at youth level, scoring nine goals and setting up another four in 25 games in all competitions. After failing to feature for the first team, however, the young Frenchman looks set to leave in pursuit of senior football.

Whether Camara’s reported arrival is a sign of things to come at Rangers will also be interesting to watch, as the 49ers attempt to build their project and turn things around at the Scottish club.

Glasgow Rangers had to watch on as their city rivals were crowned champions of the Scottish Premiership for the fourth time in as many seasons.

The Light Blues, who were held to a 2-2 draw by St Mirren last time out, are a whopping 17 points adrift of first place with more matches left to play, which shows that they have not even made it a close race.

Rangers made the decision to part ways with Philippe Clement earlier this year and brought Barry Ferguson in on an interim basis until the end of the season.

The former Scotland international and ex-Rangers midfielder has only won three of his seven Premiership games in charge of the club to date, which does not suggest that he is the right man to take the job on a permanent basis this summer.

The Light Blues need a manager who can bring success back to Ibrox next season. A manager who can bring a league title back to Ibrox next season.

They need to find a head coach of Brendan Rodgers’ calibre. The Northern Irishman had proven himself to be a good manager in the Premier League before his move to Celtic, where he has been incredibly dominant.

Why Brendan Rodgers has been a big success in Scotland

Prior to his first spell at Parkhead, Rodgers earned promotion from the Championship with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign and finished 11th in his first top-flight season with the Welsh outfit.

That earned him a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2012, and he led the Reds to seventh, second, and sixth-placed finishes in the Premier League in his three full seasons in charge.

Rodgers joined Celtic for the 2016/17 campaign, winning the Premiership title in his two full seasons at the helm, before joining Leicester in early 2019.

The Northern Irishman enjoyed a largely successful time with the Foxes, winning the FA Cup in 2021, before his return to Celtic in the summer of 2023.

22/23

28

19th

21/22

38

8th

20/21

38

5th

19/20

38

5th

18/19

10

9th

Since returning to Parkhead, Rodgers has claimed the Premiership title in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns, and has the chance to win the domestic treble by beating Aberdeen in the SFA Cup final this season.

This shows that he has been a huge success on the other side of Glasgow, and that may be down to, in part, because he arrived at Celtic off the back of several seasons of impressive performances as a manager in the Premier League.

Kevin Thelwell is set to join Rangers as their new sporting director this summer, after his contract with Everton expires, and he reportedly has a former Premier League manager in mind for the job.

Thelwell tells Rangers who would be a good appointment

According to Football Insider, Thelwell has told the 49ers, who are part of an ongoing takeover at Ibrox, that former Everton and Burnley head coach Sean Dyche would be a fantastic appointment for the club.

The report claims that Ferguson is not expected to be given the job on a permanent basis, after his interim spell comes to an end, and this means that the club will be in the market for a new head coach.

Football Insider reports that Thelwell is a big fan of Dyche, with whom he worked at Goodison Park, and he believes that the English boss has the mentality and character to thrive at Ibrox.

The outlet adds that the sporting director also believes that the manager’s direct, physical, style of play would go down well with the supporters in Glasgow.

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However, Football Insider does not reveal whether or not Dyche, who was relieved of his duties by Everton in January, would be open to a move to Ibrox this summer.

If the 53-year-old tactician is interested in joining the Light Blues, the 49ers could land their own version of Brendan Rodgers by bringing him to the club.

Why Rangers should appoint Sean Dyche

The experienced boss would arrive with similar credentials to the ones that Rodgers first arrived at Celtic with, as he has tasted promotion from the Championship and seasons of midtable finishes in the Premier League.

Dyche has shown that he can get a team to win matches regularly to earn promotion, finishing second and first in the 2013/14 and 2015/16 Championship seasons respectively, but he can also set up a side to be resolute and tough to break down, to avoid relegation from the top-flight.

24/25

19

16th

23/24

37

15th

22/23

18

17th

21/22

30

18th

20/21

38

17th

19/20

38

10th

18/19

38

15th

17/18

38

7th

16/17

38

16th

14/15

38

19th

As you can see in the table above, Dyche has only been relegated from the Premier League in one of his full seasons in the top-flight, although he did leave Burnley on the edge of relegation with eight games left in the 2021/22 campaign.

The former Toffees head coach, therefore, knows how to create a good team spirit and a gritty mentality because he has led so many sides to safety throughout his time in the English top-flight.

His mixture of experience coaching title-chasing teams and sides that wanted to avoid the drop suggests that he could be a great fit for Rangers, because he can use the former experience to compete for the title in the Premiership and the latter experience to produce hard-working, gritty, displays in big European matches.

Therefore, Dyche, who was dubbed “unbelievable” by Kieran Trippier, could follow in Rodgers’ footsteps as a proven Premier League coach who could arrive in Scotland to win major trophies in Glasgow, but this time at Rangers to end Celtic’s dominance in Scottish football.

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It is now down to Thelwell and the club to see if the former Burnley stalwart would be willing to take on the role, and if he is the best option available out of all of their targets.

Manchester United just about managed to salvage a share of the points away at AFC Bournemouth on Sunday as Rasmus Hojlund broke free of his wretched luck in front of goal in the Premier League to rescue a 1-1 draw.

The Cherries were hanging onto their 1-0 slim lead after Evanilson saw red on the 70th minute mark and must have thought United’s wastefulness in attack was going to be their saving grace, only for the usually misfiring Dane to level the game right at the death.

Whilst the 22-year-old was the unlikely hero come the full-time whistle, a draw might still be deemed as an unsatisfactory result based on the away side’s lack of composure up top ,robbing them of a much-needed victory.

Man United's wasteful attackers vs Bournemouth

In total, Ruben Amorim’s men would notch up a hefty 25 shots on the Cherries’ goal, with Hojlund’s effort amazingly the only one that ended up beating the consistently switched-on Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Away from accumulating a stunning seven key passes to try and set up his teammates for opportunities, Bruno Fernandes will feel irked that he didn’t manage to beat Kepa like his Danish teammate, with three efforts unfortunately passing him by on the South Coast.

Likewise, Hojlund will feel somewhat annoyed that he couldn’t pick up a whole host of strikes, with the goal-shy number 9 failing to get involved in the contest for large portions of the 90 minutes, leading to his only effort on the day being the golden one that trickled in.

But, there was a far worse culprit than both of these attackers when it came to squandering chances against Andoni Iraola’s open hosts, with Amorim now clamouring for Wolverhampton Wanderers superstar Matheus Cunha’s signature even more so off the back of this underperformer lacking a clinical edge.

5/10 Man Utd could soon be replaced by Cunha

Whilst United’s wastefulness reared its ugly head once more during the 1-1 draw, Cunha showed off his spellbinding ability in attack again for Wolves at the weekend, with the ex-Atletico Madrid ace picking up a goal and two assists in his side’s convincing 3-0 takedown of Leicester City.

With it reported that the Brazilian could be on his way to Old Trafford, Fernandes would likely not be sacrificed for Cunha to take up a first-team spot.

As a result, his comrade in the attacking positions in Alejandro Garnacho could be the casualty, with his showing against Bournemouth leaving a lot to be desired.

As is outlined above, Garnacho is now up to a dire 14 big chances missed this season, with his game in the forward areas against Iraola’s men screaming of an attacker low on confidence when the heat is ramped up.

The South American forward ended the game having been handed a low 5/10 rating post-match by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst and it was unsurprising to see why.

He fired a mammoth eight shots at the Cherries net without ever beating Kepa, meaning his goal count for the season in the Premier League is stuck at a paltry five. Furthermore, he won just four of his seven duels and gave away the ball 13 times, once every 3.7 touches.

Garnacho’s PL numbers (24/25) vs Cunha’s
Stat	Garnacho	Cunha
Games played	33	29
Goals scored	5	15
Assists	1	6
Expected goals (xG)	7.02 xG	7.86 xG
Goalscoring frequency	411 mins	156 mins
Big chances missed	14	2
Big chances created	3	12
Stats by Sofascore

Whereas, moving back to Molineux, Cunha finds himself on a mightily impressive 21 goal contributions for the campaign from 29 clashes, with Amorim well aware that the Brazilian’s arrival onto the scene would see Garnacho instantly drop out of the XI.

It remains to be seen whether United can win their desired man away from rampant speculation, but if they are successful in their pursuit, he could be one piece of the jigsaw that enables Amorim’s Red Devils to recapture their former glories.

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A “world-class” player has now announced he’s set to leave his club this summer, which follows reports that he’s held talks over a move to Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou makes trophy claim ahead of Europa League final

Next week, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has a golden chance to make good on his early-season suggestion that he “always” wins silverware during his second season in charge.

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This quote, while arguably taken out of context, was quickly picked up by the media and used to take aim at Postecoglou on more than one occasion. Following a season of record-breaking lows in the Premier League, where they’ve tasted defeat on 20 separate occasions, the Australian could now make that statement a reality.

The Lilywhites play Man United in a crunch Europa League final which could rescue their season. Spurs have an opportunity to both end their trophy drought and qualify for the Champions League in just 90 minutes of football, so the pressure is well and truly on Postecoglou’s squad.

Son Heung-min

7.05

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.88

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall are all set to miss their clash in Bilbao through injury, with Tottenham facing an uphill battle akin to the majority of their 2024/2025 campaign.

Postecoglou, though, appears determined to end Spurs’ long wait for a winners’ medal and isn’t lost on the significance of May 21.

“For me personally, well you know great, it’s another trophy I can reminisce in my old age about, but more importantly what it means for the club,” said Postecoglou on the Europa League final.

“I’ve always said it’s the significance of what it does to people that really impacts you. A lot of the success I’ve had has been stuff that’s pretty significant. It’s been at clubs where Yokohama hadn’t won a Championship for 14 years, Australia had never won a continental championship, Brisbane had never won one, South Melbourne – my first job – hadn’t won in seven years, Celtic had been one year but trust me that’s a long time in Scotland.

“When you look at the historical backdrop of this club and what it’s been through in the last 20-odd years, I feel like it could be a turning point in terms of the way the club is perceived, but also more how it perceives itself, which I think is the biggest thing.”

Jonathan David confirms Lille exit after rumoured talks with Tottenham

Off the field, chairman Daniel Levy appears set for a ‘sell to buy’ summer as things stand, meaning the free agent market could be very useful to him as Spurs look to reinforce the squad for next term.

One of 2025’s most coveted Bosman deals comes in the form of free-scoring Lille star Jonathan David.

The Canada international has bagged over a century of goals for Lille since joining them five years ago, with Tottenham among the clubs to have spoken to David’s representatives about a potential free transfer.

David, branded a “world-class” player by ex-Canada boss Iain Hume, is set to be a man in demand, and he’s now confirmed an imminent Ligue 1 departure.

Making a statement on social media, David announced that he’ll be leaving Lille when his contract expires on June 30.

“I wanted to tell you myself that after so many years at the club, it’s time to say goodbye,” said the striker, via LW.

“I’ve had five wonderful seasons here. I know that it hasn’t always been easy but I hope that with my goals and celebrations, that I’ve managed to bring you some joy. Notably the Ligue 1 title and the Trophee des Champions and I think that with these two trophies together, we have brought a lot of pleasure and joy.”

The 25-year-old is a big-game player as well as a prolific marksman in France. This season, David boasts Champions League strikes against the likes of Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Juventus, showcasing how he can cut it against Europe’s most elite opposition.

In truth, it is curious why he hasn’t sealed a move until now, and there’s no doubt he’d be a stellar capture for Spurs on a free.

Derby County and Blackburn Rovers have been embroiled in an intriguing backstory this campaign, centred around John Eustace, who could now have a say in a transfer saga involving both clubs.

Derby County look to build on surviving relegation

Despite fighting for large parts of the campaign in the relegation zone, Derby secured their Championship status by the skin of their teeth after playing out an anticlimactic 0-0 draw with Stoke City on the final day. Working a minor miracle at Pride Park, John Eustace managed to guide the Rams to safety after they were previously seven points adrift of survival, losing only one of their final six league matches.

Controversially, the 45-year-old arrived at Derby from Blackburn Rovers, which was a surprise turn of events at the time due to the vast distance between both clubs in the English second-tier standings. Nevertheless, his decision proved to be worthwhile even in the face of doubters, something Eustace was quick to point out once the Rams confirmed they would be staying in the Championship.

Derby County’s great escape under John Eustace

19. Derby County

50

20. Preston North End

50

21. Hull City

49

22. Luton Town (R)

49

23. Plymouth Argyle (R)

46

24. Cardiff City (R)

44

Leaving some frosty relations at his former club, Blackburn missed out on a playoff berth by two points, creating more intrigue between both sides as they go head-to-head again next season. Crossing paths once again, Eustace’s Derby are now fighting his old side for the signature of a talented midfielder from League One, per reports.

Derby County and Blackburn Rovers fight to sign Ethan Erhahon

According to EFL Analysis, Derby and Blackburn both want to sign Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon, who is attracting interest from a clutch of other clubs in the second and third tier of English football.

Plymouth Argyle, Millwall, Preston North End and Oxford United are also in the hunt for the Scotland Under-21 cap, who could fetch the Imps a seven-figure fee if he were to be sold.

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Labelled “brilliant” by Michael Skubala for his dominant nature in the middle of the park, Erhahon has won no fewer than 139 duels in League One this season as Lincoln secured a comfortable mid-table finish. Formerly of St Mirren, the 24-year-old is known for his abilities in both boxes, making him an ideal fit for a move up to the Championship if the correct opportunity presents itself.

Now, it remains to be seen who will win the battle for his signature. Derby and Blackburn have become foes on the pitch. Could they also continue that relationship away from the field of play?

Tottenham Hotspur sunk to another defeat, their 20th of the season, in the Premier League when they were beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace on Sunday.

A double from Eberechi Eze, who scored just before and just after the half-time break, put Spurs to the sword, and it could have been even more if not for eight saves from Antonin Kinsky between the sticks.

The Czech star was given a rare run-out in goal as he is not eligible to play in the Europa League, but the shot-stopper was not the only player who was given a rare chance to impress, as Ben Davies also came in at centre-back.

Why Ben Davies should not start the Europa League final

The Wales international came in to start in the left-sided centre-back position against Palace, after he was an unused substitute in both legs of the semi-final clash with Bodo/Glimt.

Davies won seven of his 13 duels against the Eagles, just over half, and put in a decent, but unimpressive, display at the heart of the defence. He certainly did not do enough to suggest that the manager should keep him in the team for the Europa League final after the clash with Aston Villa next weekend.

24/25 Europa League	Ben Davies	Micky van de Ven
Appearances	8	7
Tackles + interceptions per game	1.3	2.0
Duels won per game	2.9	4.5
Ground duel success rate	50%	54%
Aerial duel success rate	50%	86%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Micky van de Ven has been far more defensively dominant than him in Europe, which is why the Dutchman should be in line to start against Manchester United.

Davies is not the only player from Sunday’s starting XI who should be ditched from the team after the Aston Villa game, though, as Djed Spence must also be binned for the final.

Why Djed Spence should not start the Europa League final

The English defender lined up at left-back against Palace and did not cover himself in glory for either of the goals with his positioning on that side of the pitch, whilst he also gave the ball away 12 times and only completed 76% of his attempted passes.

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Football.london handed him a player rating of just 3/10 and wrote that he was ‘all over the place’ and that Palace took ‘advantage’ of his poor positional play throughout the match, despite winning eight of his ten duels.

It is not the first time that his positioning has been questioned. When playing in his more natural right-back berth, Football FanCast suggested that he should have been dropped after the 5-1 defeat to Liverpool because he was allowed his market to get in behind on at least three occasions, once leading to a goal, on that day.

Ange Postecoglou, therefore, should not select Spence at left-back for the Europa League final because his unreliable positioning could cost them big time against the Red Devils.

Spurs will not want to gift chances away, as they did against Liverpool and Palace, with Spence at full-back because his positioning lets the United wingers in too many times down the flanks, which is why he should be dropped.

Destiny Udogie, meanwhile, has averaged 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and won 66% of his duels in the Europa League, whilst also offering a naturally left-footed option to progress the ball in possession down that side.

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2

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It is now down to Postecoglou to take Spence out of the XI, whether that is for Villa next week or after the clash with the Villans, in order to play Udogie at left-back in the Europa League final.

Consistency is key. No doubt, maintaining a decent baseline across the campaign is something that Arne Slot will have demanded of his Liverpool side at the start of the season, but the squad have surpassed expectations.

Despite only adding Federico Chiesa to the squad last summer and opting against investment in January, the Reds won the Premier League after beating Tottenham Hotspur two weeks ago.

Levelling with Manchester United, given that it was Anfield’s 20th top-flight title, has been the icing on the cake.

Focus has now been turned toward making improvements this summer. With Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to sign for Real Madrid and left-back in need of attention, sporting director Richard Hughes has certainly got his work cut out.

However, his most important job is surely sourcing a replacement for Darwin Nunez.

Why Darwin Nunez needs to go

Nunez has been given ample opportunity to prove himself on Merseyside, but sadly, he’s now completed three seasons as a Liverpool player and each term has been a disappointment.

Liverpool’s club-record signing at £85m, the 25-year-old has scored 40 goals across 146 outings for the club, providing 26 assists for his teammates.

However, he’s regressed since Jurgen Klopp left at the end of last season, with his chequered exploits under the German’s wing now something more colourless, at odds with Slot’s meticulous, cool-headed system.

At the end of the day, he’s failed to score in 38 of his 44 matches across all competitions this season, which is terrible for a high-cost striker tasked with providing goals for a team competing at the very height of European football.

Mohamed Salah

49

33

23

Cody Gakpo

46

17

6

Luis Diaz

47

16

8

Diogo Jota

35

9

4

Darwin Nunez

44

7

7

Federico Chiesa

13

2

2

It’s hardly surprising that Liverpool want a new centre-forward to ease Mohamed Salah’s goalscoring load. Fabrizio Romano has actually said that the plan is for the Uruguayan to be offloaded.

Of course, Liverpool will need to bring in an able replacement.

Liverpool lining up new striker

While Alexander Isak is the dream, Newcastle are confident they will be playing Champions League football next year, thus meaning their £150m valuation will stand strong against the waves of suitors. Liverpool would be forgiven for ceding defeat in that one, along with the rest.

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Well, according to Spanish reports, the champions have turned their attention to Julian Alvarez, with FSG hatching a plan to sign Atletico Madrid’s star forward this summer.

While Alvarez only joined the La Liga side from Manchester City for an £81m fee last year, Liverpool view the Argentine as the perfect profile to front Slot’s system and are lining up a move.

The report concludes by suggesting that the Reds have ‘not officially ruled out a move yet’ for the striker.

It goes without saying that facilitating a deal will be no easy task, although Atletico’s interest in Nunez could see Hughes and co play an interesting bargaining chip to sweeten a prospective deal for both parties.

Why Julian Alvarez is perfect for Slot

Off the bat, Alvarez would be a good signing for Liverpool given his experience in English football, accomplished as one of Pep Guardiola’s trophy-winning stars at Manchester City.

The 25-year-old has hit 55 goal contributions across 103 appearances for City, notably winning the treble in 2022/23. However, he’s gone up a gear since moving to Spain.

Indeed, Alvarez has scored 27 goals and added five more assists across 51 fixtures in his debut season for Atletico Madrid, with his exploits leading journalist Roy Nemer to pronounce him “the best centre-forward in the world” for the 2024/25 season.

That praise alone differentiates him far enough from Nunez’s toils to suggest that Liverpool would be wise to make their move, but there’s more to it than that.

His ever-improving prolific sense is great, but FSG’s technicians tend to look beneath the surface when profiling a potential target, and the dynamic attacker ticks a lot of boxes.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90.

He’s good with his feet, both in collecting and calmly distributing the ball in tight spaces or indeed navigating away from danger in such enclosed areas, nimbly darting past opponents before finding room to strike on goal.

Nunez does bear a likeness to the Atletico man; electric-paced and multi-faceted, it’s clear to see why Klopp thought he saw something special when plucking a young Nunez from his clinical career at Benfica, but his temperament and decision-making have ultimately let him down.

Conversely, Alvarez is always attentive to the situation he is in, making the right decisions and putting the right weight on his passes, hitting the ball sweetly when shooting himself. One Real Madrid reporter even conceded recently that the £116k-per-week talent is “such an intelligent football player.”

Nunez’s poor finishing and questionable decision in the build-up have ultimately alienated him from a position of pedigree in Slot’s squad. Since Boxing Day, the international has only started once in the Premier League, which makes a pretty damning indictment on how he is viewed by his head coach.

He will depart with Anfield’s gratitude and appreciation following the part he has played in recent years, stabilising the ship after an initial team-wide slump, winning the Carabao Cup last year and indeed contributing toward sealing the Premier League title this year.

But Slot is not prepared to watch his flourishing project stagnate, and will happily enforce Nunez’s sale if it means a player of Alvarez’s ilk could be brought in.

It might make all the difference.

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Liverpool are going to be busy shoppers in the transfer market this summer.

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According to Sky Sports, Celtic could move to sign a 24-year-old winger who “wins games on his own” alongside their interest in centre-forward target Mathias Kvistgaarden.

Celtic expected to go back in for Brondby striker Kvistgaarden

There has already been plenty of talk about Celtic’s summer transfer business ahead of the 2025/26 campaign after another successful Scottish Premiership triumph.

Brendan Rodgers’ side ended up comfortably beating Rangers to the league title, but over the coming months, there could be plenty of incomings and outgoings at Parkhead.

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One summer signing already sealed is Kieran Tierney’s return to Glasgow, penning a pre-contract agreement from Arsenal when his contract expires.

There has also been plenty of speculation about a new centre-forward, with Kvistgaarden a long-term target at Celtic Park. Talking about his future, Kvistgaarden recently hinted that he is “ready” for the next challenge of this career with a move away from Brondby.

“I think I’m ready. I’ve made my mark at Brondby and in the Superliga, so I’m ready to take the next step. I don’t think that’s the goal for me – to remain and play with Brondby next season. I can say that without it being wrong.”

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph has stated that Celtic are ‘expected’ to go back in with a move for Kvistgaarden this summer, ‘with the Swedish club sticking to their £10m-plus price tag’. However, it isn’t just Kvistgaarden who the Hoops have their eye on in the final third.

Celtic could sign 24 y/o Antwerp winger Balikwisha

According to Joseph for Sky Sports, another potential summer singing is Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

The 24-year-old has impressed the Hoops’ recruitment team and, as a result, Celtic could make a move for Balikwisha ahead of the 25/26 campaign.

Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter is another of interest to the club, although at this stage, Celtic have a plethora of wide men on the books. Jota, Daizen Maeda, Hyun-jun Yang, James Forrest, Nicolas Kuhn, Luis Palma and Marco Tilio are all under contract, however, they are open to offers for Palma and Tilio.

Balikwisha’s stats at Antwerp

Games

139

Goals

28

Assists

17

Red cards

1

Minutes played

9,909

Trophies won

3

Should Balikwisha arrive in Scotland, he will provide Rodgers with an option on the left, right and as a second striker, with the Belgian attacker someone who has been called a player “who can win games on his own”.

After signing for Antwerp from Standard Liege in 2021, Balikwisha has been a regular but has struggled with injuries in 24/25, something that Celtic may be wary about, should they go on to evaulate a transfer.