O Fluminense está próximo de contratar por empréstimo o meia uruguaio Leo Fernández, do Toluca, do México. Segundo o “ge”, o jogador desembarca nesta semana no Rio de Janeiro para realizar exames médicos. Se aprovado, ele será emprestado por uma temporada, com opção de compra.
Leo Fernández é um meia de 24 anos, baixinho e canhoto, considerado uma promessa do futebol uruguaio. Ele é da mesma geração de Federico Valverde, do Real Madrid, e atuou ao lado de Darwin Nuñez, atualmente no Liverpool, no sub-22 da seleção. Revelado no Fênix (URU), o jogador se transferiu para o Tigres, do México, em 2019, por 600 mil dólares (R$ 2,3 milhões na época). Por lá, ganhou a Concachampions, em 2020, e depois foi negociado com o Toluca.
+ Veja a tabela da Libertadores
Conhecido por ser um finalizador, Leo foi um dos destaques nas últimas temporadas. Em 2022, marcou 13 gols e deu 13 assistências na liga nacional e consolidou uma idolatria no clube. Porém, recebeu muitas críticas sem a bola e perdeu espaço com o treinador Nacho Ambriz, tornando-se reserva neste ano. Com contrato até 2026, ele e o clube entenderam que uma mudança de ares pode ser positiva para ambas as partes.
Birmingham City aren’t going to be accused of being dull anytime soon.
Chris Davies and Co. have stormed back into the Championship as big spenders, with £10m solely splashed out on the services of ex-Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi, among signing off on another eight summer buys in total.
However, they aren’t having much luck when it comes to securing the signing of Chuba Akpom, with a potential loan-to-buy deal for the ex-Arsenal striker to move to the Blues now up in the air, owing to a last-gasp advance from Ipswich Town.
It’s even being stated that Akpom prefers a switch to Suffolk over relocating to St. Andrew’s, leaving the Blues back at square one when trying to add in another top-quality striker to the camp.
Middlesbrough's former striker Chuba Akpom.
Birmingham ready to relaunch move for striker
Akpom would be an ideal addition to the newly promoted side’s ranks, considering he can boast an impressive 36 strikes in the Championship, with most of those goals finding the back of the net when he was donning Middlesbrough red.
Chuba Akpom
However, Birmingham’s opening day opponents might well be gifted with that wealth of experience, instead. Yet, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom in Davies’ camp.
An exclusive report by Football League World has revealed that the ambitious second-tier side is now ready to reignite a move for past target Marvin Ducksch to soften this Akpom blow, with a deal falling flat in the first place owing to the German’s injury difficulties.
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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.
With Ducksch on the mend, the potent Werder Bremen marksman is now being viewed as a high-priority target again on Birmingham’s shortlist, with the 31-year-old perhaps going down as an even better signing than the former Boro attacker if everything slots into place smoothly.
Why Ducksch could be a better signing than Akpom
After all, while Akpom is the talk of the town at the moment as the main, swirling rumour, he hasn’t always been a deadly striker across his varied career to date.
Indeed, even Akpom’s highest peak at the Riverside Stadium – where he bagged 28 goals in one season during the 2022/23 campaign – had some lows along the way, too, with only five more strikes coming his way for the Teesside club, before then departing for Ajax.
Aside from those flashes of goal-scoring excellence at Boro, Akpom has regularly struggled to be a clinical goal machine, as seen in him only firing home three goals last season for the Dutch giants in Eredivisie action. Across his 41 games in the Dutch top-flight, too, the 29-year-old has squandered a costly 16 big chances.
On the contrary, Ducksch has continued to age like a fine wine in his comfortable surroundings at Bremen, with double digits hammered home by the lethal number seven across his last five seasons in Germany, before just coming unstuck last campaign with nine goals tallied up.
Games played
459
451
Goals scored
220
140
Assists
110
34
Career hat-tricks scored
2
3
Top goalscorer accolades
2x
1x
Looking at the table above really does reinforce why Birmingham could be winning themselves a steal by bagging Ducksch for just £1.7m – as other reports suggest – with the lofty Dortmund-born star way out in front with his career goals as well, as seen in his stacked haul of 220 strikes from 459 games. Akpom lags behind on a weak 140, on the contrary.
Moreover, the “extraordinary” 31-year-old – as he’s dubbed by Bremen teammate Mitchell Weiser – would be able to link up with the likes of Jay Stansfield and Demarai Gray to devastating effect, with Ducksch sticking out as a creative machine, when amassing a ridiculous 110 assists, as much as he steals the limelight when finishing off his own chances with ease.
No doubt, Birmingham’s confidence in the transfer market had been slightly dented by the whole Akpom saga.
But, if they were able to pick up Ducksch instead, it would be the perfect way to swiftly brush all this unwanted talk under the carpet.
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Birmingham City could sign a bigger talent than Chuba Akpom by winning the services of this Premier League starlet.
Wolves are “looking” at the signing of an exciting attacking player in the summer transfer window, according to reliable journalist Mike McGrath.
Wolves targeting moves for Premier League pair
With the new Premier League season now on the horizon, Wanderers know the importance of adding to their squad and ensuring they aren’t looking over their shoulders in 2025/26.
Promisingly, Wolves are being linked with new signings all over the pitch, with Chelsea centre-back Axel Disasi emerging as a target at the heart of the defence. Whether Levi Colwill’s ACL injury puts paid to his teammate moving to Molineux remains to be seen, though.
Liverpool attacker Ben Doak is believed to be wanted by a host of Premier League clubs, with the Reds possibly selling him permanently for around £20m this summer, and Wanderers are one of the teams who are reportedly in the mix to snap him up.
The loss of Matheus Cunha to Manchester United was a big blow earlier in the window, with further reinforcements needed to fill the void left by him, and Wolves have now been linked with a player who could be ideal to come in and make a difference in the final third.
Wolves "looking" at 22 y/o attacker
According to McGrath on X, who cites fellow Telegraph journalist John Percy, Wolves are “looking” at Nantes attacker Matthis Abline as a “strong” option this summer.
Abline may not be too well-known to English supporters, given his age and the fact that Nantes aren’t one of France’s biggest clubs, but he is an exciting option nonetheless. The 22-year-old Frenchman has scored 16 goals in 60 appearances for his current club, which a good return for a young player, and his versatility can be a weapon for Vitor Pereira.
The youngster played 27 times as a number nine last season, but also appeared in eight games on the right and a couple of occasions as a left winger, with most of his goals coming through the middle. Scout Jacek Kulig has admired the quality and long-term potential that Abline possesses for some time, saying he has an “gold” in his game back in April 2024.
While it would be unfair for Wolves supporters to expect the Nantes ace to come straight in and be a tailor-made replacement for Cunha, he would still be seen as a key man who could mature into a genuine star over time.
Matthis Abline’s international stats
Caps
Goals
France Under-21s
9
2
France Under-20s
10
5
France Under-19s
11
6
France Under-17s
7
5
France Under-16s
7
4
The fact that he has scored 22 times for France at youth level speaks volumes about his ability, and Wanderers should be viewing him as a fantastic option to bring in.
Former New Zealand captain Tim Southee will be at the centre of a selection debate ahead of the first Test against India as the visitors ponder the balance of their attack for Bengaluru and weigh up whether to play three quicks.Southee stood down from the captaincy after the 2-0 defeat in Sri Lanka last month and there’s a chance he loses his place in the XI straightaway after a lean run in format where he has taken eight wickets at 73.12 this year.Related
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He is working to discover the “snap” in his bowling action but though be boasts a handy record in India with 20 wickets at 28.70, including his career-best 7 for 64 in Bengaluru 12 years ago, his place will likely be under scrutiny whichever way New Zealand structure their bowling attack.If they opt for just two quicks Matt Henry has a strong case to partner Will O’Rourke who was impressive in Sri Lanka, while if they played three the choice would then be between Southee’s experience or the extra pace of Ben Sears who made a mark on his debut against Australia in March.Head coach Gary Stead said that the discussions between him and Southee after the Sri Lanka series would remain private but acknowledged they were “delicate” and did concede that without Southee as captain it allowed greater flexibility in selection.Matt Henry will be in the mix to return to the side•AFP/Getty Images
“Like all Test tours and series we have reviews at the end of it and Tim and I had a conversation around it, then he made the decision to stand down,” Stead said. “He thought it was in the best interests of the team. I supported his decision around that.”It allows different players to be considered in roles and as a selector and coach you are always trying to put what you think is the very best team out there. With Tim as captain, he was the guy who was starting for us and leading that team and think we were always looking at the options that were best for the team going forward.”An additional factor with the balance of New Zealand’s attack is the impact on the lower-order batting. Mitchell Santner batted No. 8 against Sri Lanka while Michael Bracewell would be another spin-bowling option, but Bengaluru turns out to help fast bowlers, and three quicks were selected, then either Henry or Southee would need to take on the role of chipping in with some runs down the order.”They’ve both scored fifties so that’s always the balance that possibly in New Zealand you think about more, especially if it’s going to be real seamer-friendly,” Stead said. “Think here the first thing you want to do is make sure you’ve got the bowlers you think can take 20 wickets.”Southee is working with bowling coach Jacob Oram on trying to rediscover his wicket-taking form and has been studying video from successful periods in a career which has so far brought 382 Test wickets, leaving him on the brink of becoming just the second New Zealand bowler to 400.”From my conversations with Tim he recognised he hasn’t been at his best but there’s certainly no desire to not get back there,” Stead said. “He’s working hard in the background, he’s doing everything he can and trying to rediscover what that little thing he feels is missing is.”There’s a couple of little technical points Tim’s working on. He’s working with [Jacob] Oram around them. We’ve looked back at quite a bit of video from previous years and times he’s played in India and had success. It’s just trying to rediscover that and find a little bit, I guess you could call it snap back into his action.”Stead added that Will Young was likely to bat No. 3 in the first Test in the absence of Kane Williamson who is recovering from a groin strain. There remains hope that Williamson will be available for the second Test with a call likely to be made during the first few days of the Bengaluru game.India will be without Mohammed Shami but Stead noted the depth of talent India were able to call on. “If they have an injury it doesn’t seem to effect them like other teams. There’s someone else who can come in who is equally adept,” he said. “They have the mass of numbers they can call but they are also very skilful and are an experienced team with a lot of Test caps. They play a brand of cricket that makes it very difficult for you over here but that’s the challenge that’s ahead of us.”
After watching on as the last six promoted sides suffered instant relegation, Sunderland have entered this transfer window ready to put an end to that trend and are now reportedly set to welcome yet another impressive signing.
Sunderland continuing summer overhaul
To say the Black Cats are ensuring that they’re Premier League-ready would be an understatement. Those in Wearside have shown no hesitation when it comes to spending this summer, breaking their club record to sign Habib Diarra and following that up by welcoming Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Enzo Le Fee on a permanent deal and Chemsdine Talbi.
After becoming the latest to arrive, Talbi told Sunderland’s official website: “I’m really excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity to play for this Club. I made the decision because it’s a great project with a talented, exciting team full of young players – and that really motivated me.
“The Premier League is the biggest and best league in the world, so I’m looking forward to getting started. I know the fans will get behind me from the start, and I can’t wait to see them at the stadium.”
Those at the Stadium of Light have every reason to be excited by the winger’s arrival after he scored seven goals and created another five in all competitions at Club Brugge last season. At just 20 years old, the new arrival is a player full of potential and one who could realise that potential in full under Regis Le Bris.
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Sunderland could land a club-record move if they sign this £39m star.
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Even after Talbi, however, Sunderland are still not done in the transfer window. Reports have now emerged that the Black Cats have agreed a deal to sign yet another reinforcement and arguably one of their most impressive yet.
Sunderland agree £18m deal to sign Simon Adingra
According to Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign Simon Adingra from Brighton & Hove Albion with a Thursday medical set to be completed for the winger to finalise a move worth an initial €21m (£18m).
Whilst Adingra struggled to keep hold of a starting place under Fabian Hurzeler last season – starting just 12 Premier League games – he remains a player full of potential at just 23 years old. For just £19m, Sunderland have arguably landed an absolute bargain.
After drawing with Liverpool in 2023, former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi sung the praises of Adingra alongside his Brighton teammate Carlos Baleba, saying: “We played with a lot of very young players. I have to congratulate my club because they found another two great players – Adingra and [Carlos] Baleba.”
So, although his momentum was halted by Hurzeler last season, Adingra now has the perfect opportunity to get back on track and hand Sunderland a quick, tricky new winger.
Right, Andrea Berta, what have you got for us? Arsenal fans will hope that once the transfer window ends, a striker has signed on the dotted line.
There aren’t many dead certainties in football or sport in general, but the addition of a new centre-forward would undoubtedly boost Mikel Arteta’s hopes of winning silverware next season.
Truth be told, the record of the club’s strikers was not awful in 2024/25. Kai Havertz was on for a 20-goal season if he didn’t sustain a hamstring injury over the winter and Mikel Merino, for all the discussion surrounding him, had a terrific end to the campaign.
The Spaniard notably scored against Real Madrid and once all was said and done, finished the season with six goals in 12 games as a striker. It wasn’t a flash in the pan either as he netted for Spain during the recent set of international fixtures.
That said, they cannot rely on those two again heading into 2025/26.
Arsenal's hunt for a new striker
So, what’s the latest? Well, talks were opened to sign RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko a few weeks ago and it’s reported that Arsenal are indeed still pushing to sign the Slovenian powerhouse this summer.
Sky German’s Florian Plettenburg revealed last week that there remains a ‘positive’ feeling around the deal, but there is no agreement in place yet. A sticking point continues to be the price tag with Leipzig looking for something between £68m and £85m.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
As a result, Arsenal are continuing to do work on Viktor Gyokeres, with the Swede now very much keen on signing for the Gunners amid interest from Manchester United. The latest on that deal is that the Sporting striker is reportedly now ‘dreaming’ of heading to the Emirates Stadium this summer.
But, what if there was a better option than both? Well, that player would well be out there over the forthcoming months.
Indeed, according to one GOAL transfer correspondent, Arsenal are one of the teams to have held talks over signing Napoli’s Victor Osimhen this summer.
The Nigerian is attracting plenty of interest with Galatasaray, Juventus, PSG, Chelsea, Manchester United, Milan and Real Madrid said to have had contact with the forward.
Galatasaray's VictorOsimhenreacts
Osimhen was valued at over £100m last summer but Napoli struggled to find a suitor and as a result, he spent the campaign on loan at Galatasaray.
Now, his value has fallen to around £63m which would be a more attractive price than Sesko’s valuation, in particular.
But, who would be the better signing?
How Osimhen compares to Sesko and Gyokeres
Sesko is very much a raw talent. While he bagged 21 goals in all competitions throughout 2024/25, only 13 of those came in Bundesliga action. For someone who could cost over £80m, you could argue that Arsenal may well end up overpaying here.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskocelebrates their second goal scored by Lukas Klostermann
However, you cannot argue with his skill set. He’s tall, he’s quick, he’s physical and he’s already been described as the “new Erling Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig.
As for Gyokeres, well, you’re probably going to get goals. There are not very many players on the planet capable of scoring at the rate he’s been scoring at over the last few years.
Since trading Coventry for Lisbon, the Sweden international has been on fire at Sporting. He scored 54 goals in 52 games this season, adding to the 43 in 50 he netted throughout 2023/24. He’s a rampant goal machine, that is evident. However, there is a lingering question: can he do it in a top five league? There are some doubters.
Osimhen, on the other hand, has proven over a number of years now that he can perform at the highest level of the game. He’s a ready-made option and there’s a reason most of the top clubs in Europe are looking at him.
Like Gyokeres, Osimhen was playing in a lower quality league this season – the top-flight of Turkey – but he was incredibly destructive. The 26-year-old scored 26 goals in 30 league matches and added another 11 in as many games in cup competitions.
It follows the trend of Osimhen scoring a bucket load of goals wherever he goes. It was at Lille where the “monster” forward, as he’s been described by analyst Ben Mattinson, first became something of a household name.
2020/21
10
5
2021/22
18
18
2022/23
31
22
2023/24
17
43
2024/25
37
54
The Nigeria international scored 18 in 38 for Les Dogues and in a Napoli shirt, has 76 in 133 outings, an average of 19 per season.
For some, it might be crucial to learn that 65 of those goals have come in Serie A, where he notably led Napoli to the title in 2022/23, becoming a cult hero in the process.
An immense physical presence, the aforementioned Mattinson has also labelled him as a “beast in the air”, highlighting his ability to “hold up play”.
In contrast, that’s an area where Gyokeres perhaps struggles more with Mattinson indicating that the Swede has a “heavy first touch” and “doesn’t anticipate contact or shield the ball well.” Those are red flags in his eyes and as a result, it does indicate that Osimhen could be the better option.
He’s an animal in front of goal, has clever movement like Gyokeres and can offer something else in the build-up play too. That final factor could well be decisive for Arteta who enjoys a forward who isn’t just a one-trick pony.
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David Ornstein has shared an update on the prospect of Tottenham Hotspur parting company with manager Ange Postecoglou after their historic Europa League final win in Bilbao, as chairman Daniel Levy is suddenly handed a much tougher decision to make.
Tottenham seal first European trophy since 1984 after win over Man United
Brennan Johnson’s scrappy opener proved decisive on an unforgettable night in Bilbao for Postecoglou, who silenced many critics by fulfilling his bold early-season promise of always winning trophies in his second year.
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Ange Postecoglou’s side now have a big summer to plan for.
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Much was made of that statement throughout 2024/2025, but it will now go down as one of the most memorable quotes in recent football history.
By making good on his pledge, the 59-year-old also guided Spurs to their first European trophy since 1984 and first piece of silverware at all since 2008, with the Lilywhites also set to play Champions League football next season.
Guglielmo Vicario
7.7
Yves Bissouma
7.6
Cristian Romero
7.4
Bruno Fernandes
7.4
Destiny Udogie
7.2
via WhoScored
Tottenham are set for a huge financial windfall from winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League, which should have a very positive effect on the club’s recruitment drive for top targets, who’ll also be more tempted by their advances, given Spurs’ status.
However, despite Postecoglou ending the club’s 17-year trophy drought, the jury is still out on whether he’ll be at the helm next season.
Reports in the build-up to Wednesday night indicated that Postecoglou could leave Tottenham regardless of their potential Europa League triumph, but the emotion of a season-saving 90 minutes and one of the club’s best nights in recent memory has resulted in this decision being easier said than done.
Tottenham have identified Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, among others, as possible replacements for Postecoglou, and the process of finding a successor to the ex-Celtic boss has reportedly been underway for a while.
David Ornstein shares Ange Postecoglou sack update
Speaking on the Sky Sports Paper Talks show in the aftermath of Spurs’ win over Man United, Ornstein shared an update on the possibility of Tottenham sacking Postecoglou.
Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecogloulooks on
The reliable journalist claims they’re still likely to part ways after a dismal domestic campaign, where Spurs broke their record for most Premier League defeats in a single campaign, so there may not be room for any sentimentality.
“The clear direction of travel as far as the Tottenham hierarchy are concerned goes is to make a change this summer, and it will be fascinating to see if they follow through with that,” said Ornstein.
“I think it is most likely they will from an outside perspective, but they have a bit more food for thought now.
“I think if they look at the evidence, and that isn’t just results but performances and injuries, then there is enormous room or improvement. They feel there is a strong squad there. They have invested heavily and it needs more work, they need good fortune with injuries, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there was still a change there.
“And I don’t think it would surprise Ange Postecoglou given some of his comments that have hinted towards a change coming. He seems to be at peace with that. Whatever happens now, his legacy is preserved as a history-maker for Tottenham, but there are important conversations that need to take place, and it would be an about turn if they were to stick with him because the feeling was that they would make a change this summer.”
Should Spurs hand Postecoglou his P45 after their triumph in Spain? Have your say in the comments.
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.
Derby County managerJohnEustaceand Jerry Yates
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?
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.
Bruno Fernandes
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.
Rasmus Hojlund
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.
Enzo Maresca has plenty of dynamic midfield options in his Chelsea squad. Of course, he has two of the most expensive Premier League footballers ever, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, the former of whom is sometimes tasked with playing in more advanced roles.
The Italian coach can also call upon the likes of Romeo Lavia in the middle of the park, although the talented youngster has struggled with injury this term.
Summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is another option the Blues have in midfield, but he has started just one league game since moving to Stamford Bridge, and captain Reece James, a right-back by trade, has also featured in midfield.
Chelsea captain Reece James
However, that is seemingly not enough depth for Maresca’s liking, given Chelsea are linked with another midfielder ahead of the summer transfer window.
Latest on Chelsea's search for a midfielder
It is no secret that one of the best academies at producing midfield talent is Barcelona’s La Masia academy. The famous trio Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets are all graduates, and a modern-day example is Pedri.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, reports from Spain suggest that Chelsea, and owner Todd Boehly, have ‘set their sights’ on signing Marc Casado, who has impressed for the La Liga giants.
The West Londoners reportedly see the 21-year-old ‘as a strategic addition to strengthen their midfield both now and in the future’ and are willing to ‘submit’ an offer to secure his signature.
FC Barcelona's MarcCasadocelebrates scoring their second goal with teammates
However, Maresca’s side are reportedly not alone in their hunt for Casado’s signature. London rivals Arsenal are also interested in a deal and view the Spaniard as the ‘ideal option’ to add to their midfield quality. Casado could cost the Premier League giants upwards of £33m this summer.
Why Chelsea could be targeting their next Fabregas
Given that he is a La Masia graduate who has featured prominently for Barca this term, there is no doubt that Casado will be a quality player for Chelsea’s midfield. Naturally, he oozes technical quality on the ball.
The youngster has played 41 times for his boyhood club so far across his career, making his debut in the 2022/23 campaign. However, under Hansi Flick this term, Casado has really made an impact.
The young midfielder has played 36 times across competitions this term under the German boss. In that time, he has grabbed six assists and managed to get on the scoresheet once in the recent 4-0 win over Real Sociedad.
Many of Casado’s appearances this term have come from defensive midfield, which suggests he has the progressive skills and ball-winning ability to play a deeper role.
The 21-year-old was described as a “midfield general” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
In fact, his statistics via FBref from La Liga games this term show just how good he is on the ball. For example, the midfielder averages 5.98 progressive passes per game, which ranks him in the top 18% of Spanish top-flight midfielders.
He makes, on average, 3.69 tackles and interceptions per game, placing him in the top 22% of midfielders in La Liga.
Passes completed
68.21
95th
Passes into final third
7.71
94th
Progressive passes
5.98
82nd
Tackles
3.69
78th
Ball recoveries
5.03
60th
Should Chelsea sign the Barca prodigy, it would be reminiscent of the reported £30m deal to sign Cesc Fabregas from the La Liga giants back in 2014.
Described as a ‘major coup’ for the Blues by The Guardian at the time, the Blues swooped in to sign the former Arsenal midfielder after the Gunners decided against their buyback clause.
Indeed, what a signing the 2010 World Cup winner proved to be for the West Londoners. Described as a “maestro” by former boss Jose Mourinho, he played 198 games for the club, scoring 22 times and grabbing 57 assists.
Fabregas’ quality was on a whole other level during his time in the Premier League. His 111 assists for both Arsenal and Chelsea, of which 41 came for the Blues, are bettered by only two players in the competition’s history – Ryan Giggs (162) and Kevin De Bruyne (118).
If Casado could have anywhere near that level of impact at Stamford Bridge, it would be a hugely successful signing for Boehly and co. He would certainly elevate the technical quality of Chelsea’s midfield, and would hope to help them win titles, just as Fabregas did all those years ago.
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