Tottenham Hotspur are “contenders” to sign an “unbelievable” defender who’s now set to cost £50m, reporter Pete O’Rourke has revealed.
Spurs looking to bolster defensive options
Spurs completed the signing of West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus last week, with the Ghanaian arriving for a fee of £55m, while they also remain confident about sealing a deal for Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
That is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who said: “They want to proceed with the deal, they want to sign the player. Nottingham Forest are prepared to fight. So, let’s see what’s going to happen there.
“But, for sure, the Gibbs-White deal now has an issue to be solved between the two clubs. That’s going to be one to watch in the coming days and hours, with Tottenham still hopeful and confident to get the player.”
Should Spurs get a deal for Forest star over the line, they may turn their attentions to bolstering their backline, given that they had the fifth-worst defensive record in the Premier League last season.
Club 24/25
Goals conceded
Southampton
86
Ipswich Town
82
Leicester City
80
Wolverhampton Wanderers
69
Tottenham Hotspur
65
Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke has now dropped an update on one of the centre-back’s Tottenham could target, Burnley’s Maxime Esteve saying: “Everton showed a lot of interest in him as well, now Tottenham are being mentioned as contenders for a signature if he leaves Burnley this summer.
“Spurs did try to sign him in the January window when he was doing so well; Burnley don’t want to lose Esteve, and they’ve put a £50million price tag on his head.
“I don’t think Spurs would go near that level to try and sign Esteve, but Burnley are in a really strong position to negotiate here. He’s under contract until 2029 and they can demand a substantial fee because of his contract – that price tag will probably scare off most clubs.”
"Unbelievable" Esteve could allay Spurs' defensive problems
At this stage, Burnley hold all the cards in the negotiations, but should the French defender push for a move this summer, there are clear signs that he could help allay Spurs’ defensive problems.
Remarkably, the Clarets shipped just 16 goals in the Championship en-route to promotion last season, and the Frenchman played every single game, during which time he managed to impress manager Scott Parker.
Tottenham make contact for "world-class" £47m maestro alongside Gibbs-White
Spurs have made an approach to sign another midfielder, having also come forward for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.
3 ByDominic Lund Jul 13, 2025
Parker said: “First and foremost he’s a great kid and an unbelievable professional. Just his general aura about him and his humility about the boy and his professionalism, just everything about him is a top, top boy and of course you see his quality as well.”
That said, £50m would be a huge fee to pay for a player yet to prove himself at Premier League level, and with Burnley in a strong negotiating position, it would not be a surprise if Tottenham decide to move on to other targets.
يلتقي المنتخب الأرجنتيني مع الإكوادور في مباراة بالتصفيات المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026 والذي تستضيفه الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.
وتأتي مباراة الأرجنتين والإكوادور في إطار مواجهات الجولة الثامنة عشر لتصفيات أمريكا الجنوبية المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.
وضمن منتخب الأرجنتين تأهله بالفعل لكأس العالم 2026، حيث يتصدر مجموعته برصيد 38 نقطة، ومنتخب الإكوادور يحتل المركز الرابع برصيد 26 نقطة، وتضمن أول 6 فرق في الترتيب التأهل للمونديال.
وكان المنتخب الأرجنتيني حقق فوزًا في الجولة الماضية على فنزويلا بثلاثية نظيفة في المباراة الأخيرة للنجم ليونيل ميسي على أرض بلاده. موعد مباراة الأرجنتين والإكوادور
تقام المباراة فجر يوم الأربعاء في تمام الساعة الثانية صباحًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الأرجنتين والإكوادور
تذاع المباراة عبر القناة الرياضية السعودية، SSC HD1.
ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.
FSG’s transfer ethos – getting their work done nice and early – often leaves Liverpool somewhat in the corner of the room while rivals party late into the market, enjoying the thrill of Fabrizio Romano and the rest’s transfer updates.
There are worse problems to have, it must be said. And the real success is found on the field. Liverpool are on the verge of signing Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez, having already added Jeremie Frimpong.
Now, it’s time to sign a centre-forward, for Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota left plenty to be desired as Arne Slot’s focal frontmen last season, actually paling in comparison to Liverpool’s wider forward.
Liverpool’s Forwards in the Premier League (24/25)
Player
Apps (starts)
Goals
Assists
Mohamed Salah
38 (38)
29
18
Luis Diaz
36 (28)
13
7
Cody Gakpo
35 (23)
10
5
Diogo Jota
26 (14)
6
4
Darwin Nunez
30 (8)
5
3
Federico Chiesa
6 (1)
0
0
Data via Sofascore
Luis Diaz was even called into play as a makeshift number nine for much of the campaign, his false-nine-type qualities proving invaluable for the Reds as they marched toward the Premier League title.
Who, then, to sign? Targets like Hugo Ekitike, Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen would all do a job, but Alexander Isak is the cream of the crop, and sporting director Richard Hughes would rake in the plaudits if he got that one over the line.
The latest on Alexander Isak to Liverpool
It’s pretty clear Liverpool will sign a striker this summer. However, who that player might be is less certain. Liverpool can dream, though, and signing Isak would be an incredible way to cap off a wonderful summer.
As per transfer insider Ben Jacobs for GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are prepared to break the British transfer record to sign Isak this summer, with Newcastle United valuing their striker at over £150m.
The “unstoppable” Isak, hailed by pundit Ally McCoist as “the best out-and-out forward in the league”, was outscored only by Mohamed Salah in the Premier League last season, his 23-goal return illustrating his elite ability.
However, Newcastle’s position on their talisman’s unavailability has been absolute (insofar as any stance can be absolute in the transfer market). Liverpool can dream, and it appears they will try, but don’t hold your breath.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
Luckily, Liverpool are one of the most astute transfer operators, and they’ve already lined up the perfect alternative.
Liverpool line up Isak alternative
As per TEAMtalk, Liverpool have sounded out a potential move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez this summer, and while the La Liga side would be looking for an unrealistic £160m figure, Anfield hold a trump card.
Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez
Indeed, Diego Simeone is interested in bringing Nunez to the Wanda Metropolitano this summer, and previous reports even suggest personal terms have been agreed for around a month. As a result, TEAMtalk suggest that a swap deal is an avenue they are exploring this summer.
This would no doubt be a difficult one to get over the line, but Liverpool’s interest is long-standing and the Argentina forward would be perfect for Slot’s system.
Why Julian Alvarez would be perfect
Alvarez had been tracked by Liverpool during his time at Manchester City, where he scored 36 goals and laid on 19 assists across two trophy-laden campaigns, earning an £81.5m transfer to Atletico Madrid last summer.
His first term in Spain was his finest yet, posting 29 goals and seven assists across 55 matches, blending newfound potency with his robust and dynamic attacking style. Making a direct comment on his exploits in Spain, journalist Roy Nemer even described the player as “the best forward in the world.”
As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of strikers across Europe last year for passes attempted, shot-creating actions and progressive carries, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
Already something of a nomad, the 25-year-old has demonstrated continual development and would now prove the perfect alternative to Isak, who is actually considered by the data-driven site as being one of Alvarez’s most comparable players.
Julian Alvarez – Career Stats by Club/Nation
Club/nation
Apps
Goals
Assists
River Plate
122
54
31
Manchester City
103
36
19
Atletico Madrid
53
29
6
Argentina
44
12
33
Data via Transfermarkt
Liverpool need a new goalscorer to perch at the front of their ship, but they also need a centre-forward who will play with flair and bring the attacking players together.
One of the Merseysiders’ attacking staples is that when the frontline clicks, they perform in concert, effectively unplayable. Isak aligns perfectly in this regard, but Alvarez too could dovetail into Slot’s set-up and provide a higher level of goalscoring threat while using his technical skills and off-the-ball intelligence to open up a new dimension.
Isak’s completeness is echoed by Alvarez, but the roots of the South American’s style are shaped by a natural quality in front of goal. As per Sofascore, he only missed seven big chances in La Liga last season, scoring 17 goals and creating nine big chances too.
And this isn’t a simple anomaly. Across his two campaigns in the Premier League, the 2022 World Cup winner scored 20 goals from 44 starts, only missing 14 big chances.
It’s pretty clear he’d prove an upgrade on Nunez, and while Isak is FSG’s first-choice pick, Alvarez might just be the perfect fallback if ambitious efforts to bring Isak over from St. James’ Park don’t pull through.
The winds of change are blowing at Anfield, all right, but there’s more still to come for the Premier League champions, who are packaging a proven squad with exciting additions who might just solidify Slot’s early success, shaping it into a dynasty.
Huijsen was better: How Spanish media rated Trent's first game post-Liverpool
Trent Alexander-Arnold made his debut for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup.
Bouchier and Beaumont stepped up after England’s spin experiment worked like a charm in Durham
Valkerie Baynes26-Jun-2024
Maia Bouchier and Tammy Beaumont put up 137 off 106 balls for the opening wicket•Getty Images
Playing all three spinners together at every opportunity was high on England’s wish list heading into the second half of their home summer and, kicking off the first of two white-ball series with New Zealand, it worked a charm.Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn claimed seven wickets between them – Dean the standout with her 4 for 38 – as New Zealand were bowled out for just 156 in the first of three ODIs in Durham on Wednesday.After lacking a ruthless streak during their defeat of Pakistan in both white-ball formats when they visited England last month, addressing that would have been right up there as an objective for the hosts too, and Maia Bouchier and Tammy Beaumont answered the call with a brutal opening partnership of 137 off 106 balls which guided them to a nine-wicket victory with 28.4 overs to spare.Related
Heather Knight: New Zealand ODIs offer chance for World Cup experimentation
Powerplay: Jon Lewis on spinners, stress management and AI
After Brooke Halliday had offered the only true fight from New Zealand with a defiant half-century, Bouchier smashed 67 off 50 balls and Beaumont an unbeaten 76 off 69. They got England to within 20 runs of victory before Halliday claimed the only home wicket to fall, Bouchier spooning Halliday’s eighth delivery straight to Suzie Bates, who took a low catch diving forwards at cover, before Beaumont and Heather Knight took their side over the line.New Zealand’s bowling was even more lacklustre and England’s openers capitalised with sublime placement and relentless power. Both struck boundary after boundary through most areas and each hit a six down the ground. With Sophia Dunkley returning to England’s squad for the three ODIs and five T20Is with New Zealand after losing her place on the corresponding tour earlier this year, where Bouchier was a standout performer, the competition at the top of the order is fierce.Asked recently what he hoped to get out of three ODIs followed by five T20Is against the White Ferns, who had lost at home 1-2 and 1-4 in March and April, Jon Lewis, England’s head coach told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast: “I’m really keen to try and get all three of my spinners in every team that we play. It’s a really, really hard thing to do. They’re world-class spiners, they’re brilliant bowlers so I’m trying as best I can to work out how to balance the side to get those players in.”Charlie Dean ripped through New Zealand’s middle-order•Getty Images
The opportunity presented itself with Kate Cross ruled out by an abdominal injury and Nat Sciver-Brunt unable to bowl her full allocation as she manages a knee problem, leaving Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell to shoulder the seam-bowling workload on a Seat Unique Riverside pitch that was expected to offer some turn.New Zealand won the toss in good batting conditions under clear skies and with a fast outfield, even if the pitch was on the slow side.Filer took a couple of balls to find her length but she struck with her eighth delivery, a gem which jagged back in and rocketed into the top of Suzie Bates’ middle and off stumps in the fourth over of the day to halt a promising start by Bates, who struck three fours on her way to 16 off 12 balls.Georgia Plimmer was run out in freakish style, inadvertently deflecting Melie Kerr’s jab down the pitch with her foot towards midwicket as she set off for a run then continuing to the other end as Bouchier gathered and fired the ball to wicketkeeper Amy Jones with Plimmer short of her ground. That brought Sophie Devine to the crease and Devine’s presence became more crucial when, moments later, Kerr top-edged her attempted slog-sweep off Ecclestone high into the air and ultimately into the hands of a waiting Jones. Plimmer’s 29 ended up being New Zealand’s next-best score behind Halliday on a sorry looking scorecard.Brooke Halliday made 51 off 60 balls•PA Photos/Getty Images
Ecclestone and Jones teamed up again, the former with a beautiful delivery that drifted in then turned away and the latter with the sharpest of catches off Devine’s thick outside edge to leave New Zealand reeling at 75 for 4.When Maddy Green fell lbw to Sciver-Brunt and Izzy Gaze and Hannah Rowe both departed in similar fashion to Dean, the White Ferns slumped to 111 for 7.Dean claimed her third wicket and Jones her third catch when Jess Kerr prodded at one outside off stump and sent a faint edge behind, then Molly Penfold fell cheaply, beaten by a Dean delivery which spun back in to rattle the top of leg stump.Halliday struck the only six of the New Zealand innings, launching a fuller delivery outside off-stump from Dean down the ground, and seven fours, including one behind backward square leg to bring up her half-century before edging Glenn’s next ball high into the air for Heather Knight to pocket a diving catch.Ecclestone closed with 2 for 28 from seven overs while Glenn, Filer and Sciver-Brunt took one each. It was only the second time Dean, Ecclestone and Glenn had played together in an ODI and, given the result, it may well not be the last.
It will be fascinating to see the future of Marcus Rashford this summer, but it does not seem like he will return to Aston Villa.
The Manchester United forward enjoyed a successful loan spell at Villa Park in the second half of last season, but a return to the club on a permanent deal seems unlikely.
In mid-May, BBC Sport reported that the winger thinks his boyhood club ‘would be prepared to sell him for £40m to anyone this summer’. Reading between the lines, you certainly get the impression that a permanent deal at Villa Park is off the table for Rashford.
If he does end up going elsewhere, the Villans will need a replacement for the electric England international.
Aston Villa eyeing up Rashford alternative
Replacing a player with the impact and star quality of Rashford will not be easy for Monchi and Co this summer, especially with potential PSR restrictions looming over them.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, it seems as though manager Unai Emery has identified his ideal target.
According to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, the West Midlands club are ‘keeping very close tabs’ on Barcelona attacker Ferran Torres.
He is a player who ‘has been on the radar of several Premier League clubs’ since leaving Manchester City, with ‘Villa seriously interested’ in adding him to their squad.
FC Barcelona'sFerranTorresin action
This is a move driven by manager Emery. It appears that the Villa boss would ‘absolutely love’ for his side to sign the Spain international this summer.
As for a fee, it was reported by a Spanish news outlet in May that he could cost around the £42m mark for any potential transfer to happen.
How Ferran Torres compares to Rashford
If Torres were to make the move to Villa Park this summer, he would add instant quality to their attack and bring Premier League experience, too. Of course, since leaving Man City, he has represented Barcelona, where, last season, he impressed.
FC Barcelona'sFerranTorrescelebrates scoring their second goal
Breaking into a Barca front three that contains Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and, of course, Lamine Yamal, is not easy. Yet, Torres still showed his quality last season, with 19 goals and seven assists in 45 appearances.
In La Liga, he played 27 times, scoring ten times and grabbing six assists. However, perhaps the most notable game of the 2024/25 season from the Spaniard came against his former side, Valencia, in the Copa del Rey. Torres scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 rout at the Estadio Mestalla.
It certainly would not be easy to step in for Rashford if the Spaniard moved to Villa. The 27-year-old only played 17 games for the club, but had an incredible impact in such a short amount of time.
The boyhood Man United star played 940 minutes, the equivalent of 10.4 full 90-minute games. He scored four goals and registered six assists in that time, leaving him with a goal-to-game ratio of 0.96.
Stepping into Rashford’s boots will certainly be a challenge for Torres. However, he already had a taste of the Premier League with Man City. In 28 English top-flight games, he scored nine goals and grabbed three assists.
Many Villa fans will surely be hoping the Spain international is essentially the second coming of Rashford, and the stats on FBref are there to back that up. The pair are statistically similar to each other over the past 365 days.
There are some noticeable stats which best showcase the similarities between the pair. For example, Torres last season averaged 3.09 shot-creating actions each game compared to Rashford’s 3.55 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes.
Torres and Rashford key stats compared
Stat (per 90)
Torres
Rashford
Goals per shot on target
0.45
0.36
Key passes
1.54
1.77
Progressive passes
2.85
2.15
Shot-creating actions
3.09
3.55
Goal-creating actions
0.57
0.25
Take-ons completed
0.89
1.14
Stats from FBref
Stats like that show just how involved in the attack Torres is, which can certainly be said for Rashford, too. In that sense, and the fact that he maintains a similar creative output to the Englishman, suggests he would be a fantastic replacement. He is, as football scout Antonio Mango said, a “special” player.
For around £42m, Torres could be a bargain for the Villa Park side. He is, in many ways, the second coming of Rashford, and should seamlessly be able to step into his shoes. Emery wants to sign him, and the price is fair. This seems like a brilliant deal for Villa.
The next Rogers: Aston Villa pushing hard to sign "explosive" £30m star
Aston Villa could be about to win their next Morgan Rogers if they’re successful in their advances for this rising star.
Bangladesh needed to chase down the target of 116 in 12.1 overs, but didn’t seem to push hard enough considering a place in the semi-finals was at stake
Mohammad Isam25-Jun-20241:53
Tamim: ‘Bangladesh should’ve gone for the chase’
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said his team gave up pushing for a place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals after they lost three wickets in the first three overs of their chase against Afghanistan in Kingstown.After restricting Afghanistan to 115 for 5 in the final Super Eight game, Bangladesh needed to win in 12.1 overs to go ahead of Afghanistan and Australia on net run rate and qualify for the semi-finals from Group 1 along with India.”The plan was to try [to win in 12.1 overs] if we get a good start in the powerplay,” Shanto said after the match. “We thought that if we don’t lose early wickets, we could take the chance [to go for the semi-finals]. When we lost three wickets, we had a different plan. We wanted to see how we could win the game. The middle-order didn’t take good enough decisions, which is why we lost the game today.”Bangladesh slipped to 23 for 3 in 2.5 overs and their subsequent slowdown sparked outrage among their fans, who could not fathom such an approach from a team that had a chance to qualify for the semi-finals.Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza said in a post on Facebook that Bangladesh shouldn’t have thought about merely winning against Afghanistan. “Litton’s intent and the non-strikers’ silence suggests that there was no clear message for the batting unit. Even if there was a message, it changed every one or two overs. It ended up with the decision to try to just win the game.”Today should have been just about winning in 12.1 overs. There was no other way of thinking. Everyone would have understood if they got bowled out for 50. If we had won this game, we would have lost to our conscience. This was not like ten other matches. We could have made history today.”Related
Bangladesh exit T20 World Cup as they entered, timidly
Gulbadin Naib's apparent cramp comes under scrutiny
Afghanistan storm into maiden World Cup semi-finals; Australia knocked out
Rashid: Semi-final is 'massive inspiration for youngsters' back home
Bangladesh were in the hunt at 75 for 5 at the end of the ninth over. Towhid Hridoy had struck Mohammad Nabi for two fours in the eighth over before Litton Das hit Rashid Khan for two more fours in the ninth. Forty-three runs to get in 3.1 overs was tough but not impossible, but then Mahmudullah played out a Noor Ahmad over with five dot balls and just one attacking shot that yielded a boundary. Rashid took two wickets in the 11th over to end Bangladesh’s chances of progressing to the semi-finals.”We wanted to win the match. It was the initial plan,” Shanto said. “When we saw 115 runs on the board, we had a plan to win in 12.1 overs. The batting group made a lot of poor decisions. It is frustrating and disappointing. We wanted to win this game. We had the chance in our grasp. We couldn’t take it.”Litton remained unbeaten on 54, carrying his bat as Bangladesh were bowled out for 105 in the 18th over to confirm Afghanistan’s place in the semi-finals at Australia’s expense.Bangladesh had made another tactical blunder by holding back Hridoy, arguably their best batter in this T20 World Cup, to No 6. Sending in out-of-form batters like Soumya Sarkar over Hridoy was costly but Shanto said the team wanted to have a left-right combination in the middle. “We mixed up the batting order because we wanted to keep left-right combination. There was Litton in one end. They had a lot of variations in their bowling. Everyone was clear, they knew we would do this.”Bangladesh’s net run rate situation need not have been this dire had they shown more urgency in their previous Super Eight game against India. Chasing 197 on a good batting pitch in Antigua, Bangladesh had managed only 146 for 8 in response. Tamim Iqbal, an expert for ESPNcricinfo, and Shakib Al Hasan had criticised the team’s attitude and tactics, dropping Taskin Ahmed to not showing intent in the powerplay.”We gave our 100% against India,” Shanto said after Bangladesh’s loss to Afghanistan. “We picked the extra spinner in Mahedi, who bowled well. We should have scored a few more runs on that wicket [in Antigua]. We didn’t utilise it properly. The scenario would have been different had we batted better [against India].”Shanto signed off by apologising to the Bangladesh fans for letting them down. His last word at the press conference in St Vincent was “sorry”. Bangladesh’s fans, however, deserve more than a perfunctory ‘sorry’ from their captain and the team management.
Manchester United’s need for reinforcements is there for all to see after the club registered a 15th-place finish in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign.
Ruben Amorim was unable to work his magic with the current crop of players at his disposal after taking the reins from Erik ten Hag back in November.
However, this summer presents the 40-year-old with a major opportunity to make the changes he desires to try and push the club back up the standings next time around.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
He’s already completed the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst releasing Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof to help free up funds on the wage bill.
It’s likely that numerous players will also be sacrificed to help try and raise additional money to use in the market, with numerous players already linked with a move from Old Trafford.
The latest on players who could leave United this summer
Over the last couple of days, winger Alejandro Garnacho has been a man in demand after it was confirmed that the Argentine would be allowed to depart the Red Devils this summer.
The 20-year-old registered 11 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, but attitude issues have led to links with fellow Premier League outfits Chelsea and Arsenal, with Bayer Leverkusen also interested.
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho
However, he may not be alone in leaving the club this summer, with Joshua Zirkzee another talent who could be sacrificed, according to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport.
They claim that they are willing to offer the Dutch international in a deal to land Napoli talisman Victor Osimhen this summer, less than 12 months after his £34m move from Serie A side Bologna.
It also confirms that the board have been disappointed by his lack of impact this season, netting just seven times in his 49 appearances across all competitions – an average of one goal every seven games.
Why United’s £105k-p/w star could be the next McTominay
Scottish international Scott McTominay left United last summer in a switch to join Napoli for just £25m, bringing his 22-year spell at Old Trafford to a disappointing end.
He registered over 250 appearances for the Red Devils, but was offloaded to raise funds for the rebuild under former boss Ten Hag – similar to the situation which Amorim faces this summer.
However, his switch across Europe has been a blessing in disguise, registering 13 goals and four assists, subsequently playing a pivotal role in Antonio Conte’s side’s ability to claim the league title in 2024/25.
Such form and achievements saw the 28-year-old named the Serie A’s Most Valuable Player for last campaign – further indicating how much of an error the club made in allowing him to depart Old Trafford.
However, the hierarchy must bear such a transfer in mind this summer with Zirkzee, potentially seeing another repeat of McTominay’s success unfold right in front of their very eyes.
Zirkzee, Dalot, De Ligt
The 24-year-old has certainly failed to live up to the hype, as seen by his measly goalscoring tally, but his underlying figures prove there is a player in there, needing to be given more time to thrive in England.
Zirkzee, who earns £105k-per-week in Manchester, has registered 39% of his efforts on target, with an xG of 4.83 – meaning he’s been unlucky not to score more than he has throughout his debut year in the Premier League.
Joshua Zirkzee’s stats for United in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
32
Goals scored
3
Shot on target accuracy
39%
Expected goals (xG)
4.83
Successful dribbles
1.9
Aerials won
1.5
Shots taken
1.8
Stats via FotMob
He’s also completed 1.9 successful dribbles per 90, whilst also winning 1.5 aerial battles per 90 – having the all-round skillset to hand Amorim with an impressive option in 2025/26.
The former Bayern Munich star has also operated in the number 10 role at times this season, having the versatility to thrive in numerous positions, something which could be crucial given the options already moving to Old Trafford in the near future.
It would be a harsh decision to allow the forward to depart the club this window, needing to hand him another 12 months at least to demonstrate the talent he possesses.
Given the success of former United players in Italy, it would be no surprise to see Zirkzee follow in McTominay’s footsteps should he depart, with their loss potentially being someone else’s gain next campaign.
Amorim's answer to Cherki: Man Utd to make huge bid for "phenomenal" star
Manchester United could be about to land a star who could be their Rayan Cherki.
After losing Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly set their sights on signing an impressive Championship forward this summer.
Cunha officially joins Man Utd
In one of the earliest, though perhaps least surprising moves of the summer, Cunha has now officially swapped Wolves for Manchester United. In truth, as soon as the Brazilian’s £63m release clause came to light, his exit seemed inevitable. For Wolves, it’s now more important than ever that they spend the money well and replace their talisman in seamless fashion. That, however, is easier said than done.
Matheus Cunha at Wolves
Record (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances
92
Goals
33
Assists
15
Cunha’s record speaks for itself. The former Atletico Madrid man particularly found his best form throughout the 2024/25 campaign and replacing his impact will undoubtedly be Wolves’ toughest task this summer.
Whilst it’s easy to assume the worst, Wolves already experienced a glimpse of life without Cunha throughout the season when he was missing through injury and suspension. It was then that Vitor Pereira’s side proved that they’re more than just the Brazilian, securing three of their six impressive consecutive wins to send a statement in the battle to secure their Premier League status.
With that top-flight status secured and £63m to spare, Wolves should ensure that life without Cunha remains blissful rather than the nightmare many have envisaged in the past.
To that end, who could arrive remains to be seen. Stars such as Harvey Elliott have already threatened to steal the headlines in recent weeks and signing a Premier League champion would certainly do no harm.
Harvey Elliott celebrates for Liverpool
Whether the former Fulham gem is capable of producing the same output as Cunha is the big question, though. Instead, Wolves could push on to sign a proven goalscorer in the coming months.
Wolves "monitoring" Ivanovic
According to South London football reporter Richard Cawley, Wolves are now “monitoring” Mihailo Ivanovic following his excellent debut season at Millwall. The Serbian striker scored 12 goals in his first Championship campaign and only looks set to get better at just 20 years old.
Given how he starred in his first season, Millwall may naturally be reluctant to let their forward leave so soon after he initially arrived. But the Premier League call is certainly a difficult one to turn down.
Millwall manager Alex Neil has been among those full of praise for Ivanovic in recent months, telling reporters in April: “Any 20-year-old that leads the line in the Championship and can get nearly [10 goals], and he’ll get double figures before the end of the season.
“If you do that, that’s an unbelievable season and it won’t be surprising me if people start talking about him. I’ve already seen something the other day talking about the top 10 young talents in Europe – he’s one of them.”
Having lost a top talent in Cunha, if Wolves managed to sign one of the top 10 young talents in Europe – as Neil believes Ivanovic is – then that should be seen as excellent business.
Manchester United restored some sense of pride on the final day of the Premier League season with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen, who scored from the spot, both got on the scoresheet to secure three points for the Red Devils after their disappointment in Bilbao.
Ruben Amorim delivered his speech to the supporters inside the ground after the full-time whistle and stated that Manchester United can overcome any situation and that they will strive to bring success back to the club next term.
United ended the 2024/25 campaign with no trophies added to the cabinet, and they will be without European football next season, which could also be seen as a potential positive to ease their schedule and allow them to focus on domestic success.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
In order to get the club competing at the top of the table again, though, Amorim will need to be backed by the board to improve his squad, as the current players have simply not delivered enough on the pitch.
One player who should be replaced, as a regular starter at the very least, is centre-forward Rasmus Hojlund, who has not done enough to suggest that he can be relied on.
Why Manchester United need to replace Rasmus Hojlund
The Danish marksman arrived from Atalanta in the summer of 2023 in a deal that was reported to be worth up to £72m, which immediately put high expectations on the striker.
Rasmus Hojlund
However, Hojlund had only scored nine goals in the Serie A during the 2022/23 campaign and arrived at Old Trafford as a young striker with the potential to improve, rather than a ready-made star who was likely to hit the ground running.
Unfortunately, the 22-year-old attacker has not kicked on in the way that the club would have hoped for when they decided to splash a significant amount of money on his services two years ago.
Rasmus Hojlund (Premier League)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
30
32
xG
7.64
5.24
Goals
10
4
Minutes per goal
217
506
Big chances created
0
4
Assists
2
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Hojlund had a fairly decent first year in the Premier League with a return of ten goals in 30 games, but he has regressed throughout his United career to date, scoring just four times in the league this season.
A return of four league goals and zero assists in 32 appearances is simply not good enough. Not good enough for the Red Devils, and not good enough for a striker who was signed for £72m two years ago.
Rasmus Hojlund
This is why Amorim must look to replace Hojlund as a starter, either with a player in the squad or by dipping into the summer transfer window. However, one player who may not come in to replace him is reported target Viktor Gyokeres.
Why Man Utd may not sign Viktor Gyokeres
Despite working with the United boss at Sporting, the Sweden international may not be a realistic target for the Premier League giants this summer after they failed to secure European football.
Prior to the Europa League final, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano suggested that moves for Victor Osimhen and Gyokeres could be taken off the table by a failure to land a Champions League place due to financial limitations.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The reporter said: “He loves Gyokeres and Gyokeres loves Amorim, for sure. But for Man Utd we say it for [Victor] Osimhen and for Gyokeres too – it depends on the budget, how much they can invest, how much they can spend and what happens with European football.”
Sporting’s star number nine has been linked with Liverpool and Arsenal, who will both be in the Champions League next season, which could make it incredibly difficult for United to outbid them or convince the striker to pick a move to Old Trafford over playing European football.
Failing to sign Gyokeres would be a shame, given that the 26-year-old star has scored 96 goals and provided 28 assists in 101 matches for Sporting, but Amorim could forget about Hojlund and the former Coventry City ace by unleashing Kobbie Mainoo in a new role.
The new role Kobbie Mainoo should play for Man Utd
Whilst this may sound like a crazy idea at face value, playing a central midfielder up front as an alternative to signing a striker with 96 goals in 101 games, it is a tactical move that could make sense for United in the short-term.
Teams have been successful in the past without having a natural number nine who scored 20-plus goals. Roberto Firmino, for example, only scored more than 12 Premier League goals in one of his seasons at Liverpool, and they won the title and the Champions League during his time there.
The Brazil international was so effective for Jurgen Klopp because he brought technical quality and ingenuity in a false nine role, which was perfectly complemented by having two inside forwards, in Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, who could deliver goals on a regular basis.
Mainoo, who was described as a “generational talent” by Hojlund, is a technically excellent footballer who can offer similar qualities to Firmino in that role, and United are reportedly closing in on Matheus Cunha, who would be perfect to play alongside the England international as part of a Klopp’s Liverpool-esque front three.
24/25 Premier League
Matheus Cunha
Kobbie Mainoo
Appearances
33
25
Starts
29
19
xG
8.63
0.77
Goals
15
0
Big chances created
13
4
Assists
6
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Wolves star has the goalscoring and creative quality to be a terrific addition as one of the number ten options behind the striker, which could make him the Salah or Mane to Mainoo’s Firmino.
Whilst the United star’s haul of zero goals and four ‘big chances’ created may not immediately catch the eye, he did create those chances in just 19 starts whilst mainly playing as a central midfielder, and the star showcased his composure and quality in the box against Lyon int the Europa League.
Mainoo scored three goals from just 0.89 xG in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, which suggests that he does have the potential to finish chances efficiently, and he would have more opportunities to find the back of the net whilst playing as a false nine.
Therefore, United could forget about Hojlund and Gyokeres by unleashing the academy graduate in a new role next season, utilising his technical quality and intelligence to combine with the goalscoring quality that Cunha and Bruno Fernandes can provide behind him.
Man Utd agree personal terms to sign "amazing" Garnacho replacement
With Man Utd’s season at an end, all eyes turn toward the summer window and the future of Alejandro Garnacho
2 ByRobbie Walls May 26, 2025
This could be a cost-effective, short-term, solution to Amorim’s Hojlund problem, due to the financial blow of missing out on Europe, and save the club from having to spend money on a less-than-ideal striker alternative to their big targets, which could set them up to go big on a new number nine next year if they work their way back into European football.
Manchester United haven’t been shy of spending money over recent years, as seen by their window back in the summer of 2022 under former boss Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman was in charge and spent upwards of £200m in his first window to try and transform the fortunes of the side after numerous years of failure at Old Trafford.
Players such as Casemiro, Lisandro Martínez and Antony all arrived to join the Red Devils, arguably costing too much given their lack of impact since arriving.
The latter is currently spending the rest of the campaign out on loan at Real Betis, registering just one goal for the Red Devils up until January, leading to his subsequent temporary stint elsewhere.
Ruben Amorim will likely have funds available at his disposal this summer to improve their Premier League standing, needing to avoid a repeat of such a window.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer
With just a couple of weeks remaining until the summer window opens, United will have a huge task to try and right the wrongs of this season and build a competitive squad ahead of 2025/26.
Various players in different positions have all been targeted already, with the likes of Liam Delap, Ederson and Matheus Cunha just three names mentioned with a switch to Manchester.
However, another name has entered the mix, in the form of Monaco’s right-back Vanderson, that’s according to GIVEMESPORT’s latest update on the transfer front.
It confirms that the Red Devils are considering a move for the Brazilian this summer, with the Ligue 1 outfit demanding a fee in the region of £30m to offload the 23-year-old.
It also confirms that options are being considered across all areas of the pitch, with Amorim tempted to land a new right wing-back to help fit his 3-4-2-1 system in which he’s implemented since taking the reins.
Why United’s £30m target could be their own Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong has been a name massively mentioned across England in recent weeks, appearing to be edging ever closer to a switch to the Premier League.
Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong
It’s been reported that the Dutch international has approved a move to join fellow top-flight outfit Liverpool this summer, with Arne Slot’s side needing to trigger his £29.5m release clause.
The Bayer Leverkusen star would be the direct replacement for the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold, handing the Red Devils’ rivals another impressive option.
However, United will be hoping to close the gap to the Merseyside outfit next campaign, with Vanderson offering Amorim’s men their own version of the full-back.
When comparing their respective figures from the ongoing campaign, the Brazilian has managed to match or better him in numerous key areas – showcasing how much of a superb addition he would be at Old Trafford.
The right-back, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Antonio Mango, has registered more progressive passes and completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted – highlighting the impressive nature he possesses with the ball at his feet.
He’s also won more tackles per 90 and made more interceptions per 90 – handing Amorim an excellent option at both ends of the pitch, something which is perfect for a wing-back in his system.
How Vanderson compares to Frimpong in 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)
Vanderson
Frimpong
Games played
28
33
Goals & assists
4
10
Progressive passes
4.5
2
Pass accuracy
78%
76%
Passes into final third
3.3
1.1
Shot-creating actions
2.6
2.5
Tackles won
2.1
0.9
Interceptions made
1.8
0.3
Take-on success
50%
29%
Aerials won
46%
33%
Stats via FBref
His talents don’t stop there, registering more shot-creating actions and winning more aerials than Frimpong – having the tools to be an excellent option should the club pursue a move for his signature.
£30m for Vanderson appears to be a superb price for a star who could easily slot into life in the Premier League, handing Amorim his own version of the soon-to-be Liverpool talent.
If United are to return to their former glory in the coming months, shrewd additions are needed to progress, with the Brazilian having all the tools to be a success at Old Trafford.
He'd make Bruno unplayable: Man Utd enter talks for "unbelievable" star
Manchester United could be about to land a star who could make Bruno Fernandes unplayable.