Harry Kane admitted that Bayern Munich have a "long mountain to climb" to win the Champions League but he believes they can go all the way. The England captain, fresh off a blistering Bundesliga weekend where he netted twice in a 5-0 demolition of Hamburg, insisted that simply making up the numbers in Europe’s elite competition isn’t good enough for the German giants.

Bayern in red hot form

The Bavarians couldn’t have asked for a better warm-up. Vincent Kompany’s side battered Hamburg with ruthless precision, a result that kept their momentum roaring and Kane’s personal tally ticking up to eight goals already this season. But Kane knows fine domestic form means nothing once the Champions League anthem starts. For Bayern, it’s not about participation, it’s about adding a seventh European crown to their collection.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesChelsea next on the hit list

Waiting in the wings are Chelsea, the reigning FIFA Club World Cup holders under Enzo Maresca. The London club arrive in Munich with swagger after their own bright start, and Kane is fully aware of the threat posed by a squad packed with talent, including several of his England team-mates.

Kane ready to give his all

Kane cut a no-nonsense figure when speaking to making Bayern’s ambitions crystal clear: "I think the expectation – and, of course, the hope – is always to win the Champions League. We have a good enough team, a good enough squad to be able to do that but, as we know, it’s difficult playing against the best teams in Europe throughout the whole season."

The forward reflected on Bayern’s recent near misses, including last season’s painful quarter-final exit at the hands of Inter Milan. Missed chances proved costly then, and Kane underlined that turning dominance into goals at the key moments is the only way forward.

"We came close in my first season with Thomas [Tuchel] and now even last season was a disappointing way to go out against Inter Milan," he said. "Over the two legs we felt we done enough but in the moments, we didn’t take [chances], so it’s just about building on that and get one step further than we did last year and hopefully go all the way. It’s down to us. It’s a long mountain climb ahead so it’s just about trying to focus on this next league stage and trying to do the best in that."

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Getty Images SportPressure on Bayern with key men out

If Bayern are to scale the summit, Kane’s shoulders will bear even more weight in the coming weeks. Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies are both sidelined, stripping Kompany of two of his most explosive outlets. That puts extra responsibility on Kane to not only score but also inspire those around him, particularly in matches where the fine margins will decide who stays in and who drops out.

Arsenal are still chasing a deal for Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, as has been the case for weeks, but the Premier League star could be joined by a fairly new summer target.

Arsenal respond as "impressive" player plans to leave against Arteta's wishes

His future remains open…

3

By
Tom Cunningham

Aug 4, 2025

Andrea Berta is pushing ahead with the club’s attempts to land Eze, already holding positive talks with his representatives and confirmation that the England attacker is very keen on donning the red and white again – 14 years after he was released from the academy set up (Fabrizio Romano).

Some media sources believe that Eze’s £60 million release clause, rising to about £68 million with add-ons, expired last Friday at 11:59pm – although other reliable outlets, like Standard Sport, now claim that the clause is actually active until August 15.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)	Money on new signings
19/20 – winter	£0
20/21 – summer	£81.5m
20/21 – winter	£900k
21/22 – summer	£156.8m
21/22 – winter	£1.8m
22/23 – summer	£121.5m
22/23 – winter	£59m
23/24 – summer	£208m
23/24 – winter	£0
24/25 – summer	£101.5m
24/25 – winter	£0
25/26 – summer	£208m

As discrepancies linger over the buyout, Palace are set to demand £30 million-plus up front before letting him negotiate – which could make or break the deal (The Guardian).

Arsenal haven’t made a formal bid yet, either. Right now, Berta and Mikel Arteta are believed to be prioritising outgoings, having spent over £200 million already this summer on Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and star new number nine Viktor Gyokeres.

Eze has apparently held direct talks with both Arteta and Berta, according to talkSPORT, with Arsenal aiming to do business at around the £55 million mark.

The 27-year-old’s eagerness to make the move to north London could be key to striking a deal with Palace, but the Eagles won’t make it easy, and they’ll need to replace the talismanic creator, who bagged eight goals and eight assists in the Premier League alone last season.

While Arsenal continue to express their serious interest in signing Eze before deadline day on September 1, a new target has also emerged in recent days – Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet.

This is backed up by the BBC’s Sami Mokbel, who says that Arsenal could bring in the 20-year-old this window.

According to TEAMtalk, their interest is now developing.

Jeremy Jacquet wants to join Arsenal after "early" talks

As per the outlet, Jacquet is now very enthusiastic about joining Arsenal, and “early talks” have been held over a move which could set the Gunners back around £25 million – as the Ligue 1 side demand a premium for their exciting talent.

TT write that the France Under-21 international has been a “standout” performer across the channel, and Arsenal have extensively scouted Jacquet who’s become a top target for Arteta’s side.

Despite already signing Mosquera, who plays a similar role, Arteta is keen to add more depth defensively – which may even suggest that Jakub Kiwior’s future is uncertain amid rumoured interest from Europe.

“Jacquet is one of the best defensive prospects in France,” said football writer Phil Costa on X.

“Quite leggy, very agile, mobile and defends well in wide areas. Feels more White than Saliba (physically). He looked very promising on the ball at Clermont last season; took a lot of responsibility in their build-up.”

Jacquet only recently signed a new deal at Rennes, committing him to the club until 2029, so his side are in a very strong position to hold out for their desired £25m.

Celtic are now “ramping up their pursuit” of a “really impressive” player this summer, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph has claimed.

Celtic "lack ambition" in transfer market

Time is running out for the Hoops to make more signings, and while they are again primed to win the Scottish Premiership title this season, new additions are still needed in the new week or so.

Brendan Rodgers hasn’t been overly happy with this summer at Parkhead, and now Celtic podcaster Paul John Dyke has echoed the thoughts of the manager in an interview with Sky Sports News.

“Brendan Rodgers is the only spokesperson at Celtic at the moment, I think he’s becoming frustrated answering the same questions every day when it comes to recruitment. Why can’t we get the deals over the line? This is a big issue. As fans, I think we’re balanced.

“I think they look at it and say, well, some players will be hedging their bets to see if Celtic get into the Champions League proper and I totally understand that, but Celtic need to be decisive in the transfer market. I think that we lack ambition. I don’t think that the boardroom has the same ambition as Brendan Rodgers and certainly the same ambition as a lot of the fans.”

It would be a surprise if Celtic failed to conduct any more incoming transfer business before the end of August, with a new transfer claim now emerging.

Celtic increase efforts to sign young attacker

According to an update from Joseph on X, Celtic have now held “fresh talks” over the signing of £5m-rated Go Ahead Eagles attacking midfielder Jakob Breum.

Breum could be just what the Hoops are looking for this summer, with the 21-year-old seen as not only a key figure from the off, but also a young player who is capable of reaching further heights in the coming years.

He has been capped for Denmark across four different youth levels, making a total of 21 caps for his country, while content creator Antonio Mango has described him as “really impressive”, also mentioning his versatility.

Denmark Under-21s

6

0

Denmark Under-19s

9

7

Denmark Under-18s

2

2

Denmark Under-17s

4

0

While £5m is far from cheap for Celtic, Breum has the long-term potential to make that look like a bargain over time, and Rodgers’ mood will likely improve if the club strike a deal for the youngster.

No Manchester United fan could’ve envisaged the mammoth spending that has taken place this summer, especially after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments back in March.

The 72-year-old stated in an interview that the club wouldn’t spend crazy fees on players in the window, putting the blame on the previous recruitment regime at Old Trafford.

However, he’s overseen a shopping spree that has seen the Red Devils already splash £130m in new additions, that’s before the pending £74m deal to sign striker Benjamin Sesko.

The 22-year-old is set to join Ruben Amorim’s side after flying to Manchester to complete his medical, with a formal announcement all that’s left before he can be considered a Red Devil.

Despite their heavy spending already during the off-season, it could be set to continue, with various other players being considered by the staff behind the scenes.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Despite the previous moves made in the window, Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra still remains as a key target for United this summer, potentially bolstering the depth in the middle of the park.

It’s been reported that the 22-year-old is extremely keen on a move to join Amorim’s side this summer, leading to a £25m price tag being mooted by his current employers.

However, he’s not the only player currently in their sights between now and the end of the window, with Como star Nico Paz a player they’re keen on, according to CaughtOffside.

Their report claims that the Red Devils are plotting a move for the Argentine youngster, after he registered six goals and eight assists in Serie A throughout 2024/25.

It also states that Chelsea are also interested in a deal to land the 20-year-old this window, but any move could prove to be an expensive one, with his current employers demanding £60m for his signature.

Why United’s latest target would be their next Amad

Amad Diallo is a player who has had to bide his time at United, often being a backup option or even an outcast under the management of former boss Erik ten Hag.

The Ivorian has spent multiple years on loan at Rangers and Sunderland, before returning to the fold last year, but he had to wait until Amorim took the reins before having an impact on the first team.

He mainly operated in a wing-back role, managing to achieve a total of eight goals and six assists across all competitions, with his performance against Southampton undoubtedly his best of the season.

The 23-year-old scored a hat-trick during the 3-2 win, securing all three points for the Red Devils, before an ankle injury put a halt to his impressive spell within the first team.

He’s certainly one of the players to watch in the club’s hunt for success throughout 2025/26, potentially being joined by Paz, who could follow in the attacker’s footsteps.

The Argentine would replicate his move from Italy, whilst also having a wand of a left foot that could provide an added level of creativity to the club’s front line in the years ahead.

Paz, who’s been credited with having “immense potential” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has produced countless impressive underlying stats which could make him a hit with the supporters.

He notched 5.5 progressive passes per 90, with 3.9 of which were into the final third, offering another creative dimension – just like Amad has over the last couple of months.

The 20-year-old also completed 51% of the take-ons he attempted, at a total of 2.3 per 90, which ranks him within the top 6% of all players in Serie A in 2024/25.

Games played

35

Goals & assists

14

Pass accuracy

81%

Progressive passes

5.5

Progressive carries

2.6

Successful take-ons

2.3

Take-ons completed

51%

Passes into final third

3.9

Tackles won

1.7

Blocks made

1.6

Out of possession, the talented star also impressed, winning 1.7 tackles per 90 whilst also making 1.6 blocks per 90 – having the tools to be the perfect box-to-box option in Amorim’s side.

Whilst he may be yet another big-money addition to the squad, it would be a signing that would set the club up for immediate and long-term success, given the levels he’s produced and the potential he holds, given his tender age.

Should he follow in the footsteps of Amad at Old Trafford, it would be a superb piece of business and one that could massively aid the Red Devils’ chances of success.

Perfect for Cunha: PL "monster" is now keen to join Man Utd after Sesko

Manchester United have wasted no time in making moves in the market after landing Benjamin Sesko.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 8, 2025

Manchester United will want to address their goalkeeping situation before the window is closed at Old Trafford and could now be set to focus all their efforts on a talented stopper from the continent, according to a report.

Bayindir's error vs Arsenal leaves Man Utd searching for answers

Truthfully, there wasn’t much to separate Manchester United and Arsenal in their Premier League opening clash, apart from the level of goalkeeping performances on display.

Unfortunately for the Red Devils’, Arsenal’s prevalence at set-pieces earned the points for the visitors, who received a helping hand from Altay Bayindir’s failure to steer away Declan Rice’s delivery before Riccardo Calafiori pounced from close range.

Speaking on the BBC’s Football Daily podcast, David James believes the Turkish international shouldn’t have got involved with William Saliba in the lead-up to the only goal of the encounter.

He explained: “There were two issues with the goal. The first was Bayindir getting involved with William Saliba before the corner-kick was taken. Saliba ran across the front and I actually think it was a foul on Mason Mount because Saliba nearly dragged his shirt off to get in front of Bayindir.

“But by getting involved with Saliba, everyone has now got arms on each other and Bayindir is in no position to do anything decent from where he is.”

On the same day, reports emerged that Man Utd are plotting a surprise reunion with David De Gea. Meanwhile, Gianluigi Donnarumma has been considered by the Red Devils amid speculation surrounding the future of Andre Onana.

Nevertheless, there could now be another solution to their woes between the sticks as INEOS prepare to focus their attention on finalising a deal for a rising star.

Manchester United look to finalise Senne Lammens move

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United chiefs are convinced they’ll win the race to sign Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens despite interest from Inter Milan in securing his signature.

The outlet claim he only has eyes for a move to Old Trafford and they will now look to put a ‘decisive plan’ in action to land the goalkeeper. Albeit, Onana’s failure to secure a move elsewhere has impacted their overall pursuit of a new number one.

Related His best display for Man Utd: £60m star is as undroppable as Mbeumo & Cunha

Manchester United suffered defeat in their first game of the new season.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 17, 2025

Overall, the Belgian star has kept 12 clean sheets in 64 appearances for Royal Antwerp, leading to a call-up to his senior national team back in March for their UEFA Nations League playoff matches against Ukraine.

Manchester United have kept in touch with his entourage all summer and have him on a shortlist alongside Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez. Now, it appears Lammens is top priority as the Red Devils consider a late move to bolster their goalkeeping department.

Labelled “elite” by Ben Mattinson, Fotmob show the 23-year-old has retained a 73.3% save percentage this season, which may pique the interest of supporters as they cross their fingers for a new number one at Old Trafford.

But Bjorn Fortuin warns against counting chickens “too early” after setbacks of the last two seasons

Firdose Moonda25-Jan-2025

Bjorn Fortuin has played five years of T20 franchise cricket for teams based in Paarl•SA20

Paarl Royals have become the first team to qualify for the SA20 2025 playoffs with an 11-run win over Pretoria Capitals by “just doing the simple things well”, according to local hero Bjorn Fortuin. The left-arm spinner, who is from the Boland, has played all his franchise T20 cricket for teams based at this venue, and understands the secret to success is being able to slow things down.”We’ve played here quite a bit now, so I’ve sort of tailored a lot of my game plan towards playing in conditions like this,” Fortuin had said after Royals’ win over Joburg Super Kings earlier this week. “I wouldn’t quite call it subcontinent conditions, but it definitely lends itself towards that type of game plan.”Keeping things simple is a big part of doing well here. In the past, we’ve had quite explosive players. Sometimes they come off, sometimes they don’t. This season, there’s been a lot more consistency, and playing well at home contributes to that.”Related

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The Boland, 50 kms inland from Cape Town, is hot and dry in peak summer, and the surfaces get more difficult for run-scoring as the season grows long. Saturday’s pitch, which was slow and low, was a perfect example of that. Fortuin has spent his early domestic career here and has played five years of T20 franchise cricket for teams based in Paarl: two years with Paarl Rocks in the now-defunct Mzansi Super League, and three in the SA20. He has adapted his game for exactly these conditions, particularly with the new ball.Fortuin is often used in the powerplay to put the pressure on upfront and usually also make a few crucial incisions. Across the three seasons of SA20, Fortuin’s economy rate of 6.08 in the powerplay is the best among bowlers who have delivered at least 15 overs in that phase. His 20 wickets in the same period is the joint most with Marco Jansen. It includes the likes of Quinton de Kock, Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton (all twice); Devon Conway, Faf du Plessis, Kyle Mayers and Kusal Mendis; and on Saturday, the destructive Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz.In another country, Fortuin’s record and reputation might see him walk straight into the national squad. But the presence of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi means he plays infrequently for South Africa, and has also missed out on the Champions Trophy squad. Fortuin said the snub is “not something I can comment on right now” as he focuses on SA20 success, where Royals have set the pace, particularly with their spinners.This season, Fortuin has been joined by offspinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Joe Root, and left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage. Between them, they are dominating every bowling stat in the competition so far. Mujeeb is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament, while Wellalage and Fortuin have the two lowest economy rates. Root has bowled 16 overs thus far – perhaps more than he expected to – and on Saturday, Royals added legspinner Nqaba Peter in the first all-spin attack in a T20 in South Africa.This season at Paarl Royals, Bjorn Fortuin has been joined by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Joe Root and Dunith Wellalage•SA 20

Their tactics caught Pretoria Capitals by surprise and helped Royals achieve the second-lowest successful defense in SA20 history.”Looking at their team, we were trying to find the seamers when we saw the line-up,” Rilee Rossouw, Capitals’ captain, said. “It’s definitely something different. It’s something that we are not so accustomed to, especially here in South Africa. Credit also has to go to their bowlers and how they went about their business.”That statement might apply to the tournament as a whole. Royals have only lost one game so far – to their neighbours MI Cape Town – and have won all four at home. This is the third successive season that Royals have made it to the knockout stage, but have yet to make a final. And they will be wary of dropping form at the business end, as they have done in the past.In 2023, they won five of their first eight matches, and then lost two of the last three. Last year, after only losing only one of their first six matches, they finished on a five-match losing streak, including defeat in the knockouts.”So we won’t count our chickens too early,” Fortuin said. “The past two seasons, we’ve had good starts and then sort of fallen away towards the back end. So we’ll take it game by game.”Coach Trevor Penney on Lungi Ngidi: “He was out [with a groin injury] for eight weeks. So he’s on a programme where he’s almost back now”•Sportzpics

The real test will be how they adapt to conditions up country, where three of the four playoffs – including the final – will be played, and the spinners will have less of an impact. Royals have Lungi Ngidi and Kwena Maphaka in their line-up, but neither have played the last two matches (and word from the team camp is that there are no niggles). There are also the likes of Andile Phehlukwayo, Codi Yusuf, Dayyan Galiem and Keith Dudgeon. They will have confidence from beating Capitals at SuperSport Park, and completing the highest successful chase of the SA20 earlier this season, and will travel to Johannesburg next week before the playoffs.There, Royals coach Trevor Penney expects his seam attack, and specifically Ngidi, who has not played for the last three matches, to step up.”We’ve got the balance. We’ve got the seamers that are ready to jump in,” Penney said. “With Lungi, we know big fast bowlers like him, they sometimes needed a couple of weeks to get back into that full flow and the rhythm. It’s a tough thing for fast bowlers. He was out [with a groin injury] for like eight weeks. So he’s on a programme where he’s almost back now. So we played him in the first few games so he could get some game time. And I’m sure when we go to the Highveld, he’s going to be straight back in.”Before that, Royals will sign off from Paarl with a match against Durban’s Super Giants on Monday in a goodbye to a crowd that has ridden the wave of their winning streak.”They’re very passionate. The nice thing is that they’re actually quite knowledgeable as well, so they appreciate small bits of cricket here and there,” Fortuin said. “You certainly hear it when you’re not doing well, which is a bit of extra motivation as well. The vibe here is incredible. And in the future, I do hope that we can play games here at the back end of the tournament. It would be quite cool to eventually have a home final if something like that happens.”With a capacity of 10,000, Boland Park is the smallest of the SA20 venues, and has yet to host a playoff game.

Tottenham Hotspur made it two Premier League wins from two under Thomas Frank this afternoon, with a tremendous victory over Manchester City at the Etihad.

The Lilywhites claimed a superb 2-0 win away from home, making it five goals scored and back-to-back clean sheets during the early stages of the Dane’s tenure.

Such a performance repeated the feat from the 2024/25 campaign, winning against Pep Guardiola’s side away from home for the second successive season.

The result is one thing, but Frank will be delighted with his players – evidently executed the game plan perfectly with their counter-attacking and pressing play forcing the Citizens into various mistakes.

Numerous players stood out during the triumph, with the new boss seemingly making an immediate impact in the role and finding a settled side in North London.

How Spurs’ 2-0 win over Man City unfolded

Brennan Johnson opened the scoring for Spurs at the Etihad, making it two goals in as many Premier League outings after finding the net against Burnley seven days ago.

The goal epitomised the direct nature of the Lilywhites against Guardiola’s men, with a ball down the channel leading to a squared pass across the box – before the Welshman put Frank’s men ahead.

Such a goal was originally flagged as offside, but after a VAR check, the visitors burst into a one-goal lead in the 35th minute – just as the side did at the Etihad last season.

However, there was no doubt about the second effort, with Pape Sarr closing down an under-hit pass from James Trafford – forcing the opposition into a mistake, before Joao Palhinha pounced on the loose ball to fire the side into a two-goal lead.

The Portuguese international was making his first league start for the Lilywhites and has certainly staked his claim for a regular place in the side after such a showing.

He’s not alone in that department though, with one other starter deserving of an extended run in the starting eleven after his own performance against the Citizens.

The 9/10 Spurs star who now looks undroppable

It may be early days in the new manager’s spell at Spurs, but he’s already demonstrated he’s able to get the best out of the current crop of players – as seen by the 100% win record in England’s top-flight.

The Dane’s men restricted the hosts to minimal chances in dangerous areas, something that’s no mean feat – after they scored four times at Wolves on the opening day.

Defensively, the likes of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven managed to impress, preventing the potent Erling Haaland from pulling off a single effort on target.

However, the solidity at the back allowed for turnovers and counter-attacks to be created, which saw Richarlison impress once more at the top end of the pitch.

The Brazilian started in the number nine role, but ran the opposition ragged, often running the channels – which saw him register the assist for Johnson’s opener.

Along with his assist, his underlying stats also highlight the quality he provided, despite being unable to add to his two-goal haul from last weekend.

He made just 29 touches during his 78-minute outing, but many of which were as a result of the Brazilian providing the out ball to play off in their direct play.

Minutes played

78

Touches

29

Touches in opposition box

8

Shots taken

3

Fouls won

2

Duels won

6

Assists registered

1

Tackles won

100%

The 28-year-old also registered three efforts on goal, notching eight touches in the opposition box – the most of any player on the pitch between both teams.

Richarlison’s excellent showing saw him also win two fouls, whilst coming out on top in six of the duels he entered – topping off his workmanlike performance at the Etihad.

As a result of his showing, he was handed a 9/10 match rating by Football Insider’s Ben Palmer – putting the icing on the cake on what was a superb outing for the former Everton star.

After such a performance, Frank simply can’t drop the Brazilian, with his arrival evidently handing the forward a new lease of life in his own career in North London.

If he can continue his impressive start to 2025/26, he can certainly nail down the number nine position as his own – potentially playing a huge part in any success this campaign.

Forget Eze: Spurs preparing move for "unstoppable" star who's like Rodrygo

Tottenham Hotspur have moved on to other targets after missing out on Eberechi Eze’s signature.

1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 23, 2025

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After a pretty miserable couple of weeks in which West Ham United lost games against Sunderland, Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers, there is finally reason to be optimistic about this season.

Yes, after weeks of stories about offers being made and rejected, Graham Potter has finally been handed his new midfield star in Mateus Fernandes.

The former Southampton ace cost the club in excess of £40m, but considering how well he played in his first Premier League season last year, that’s not bad value at all.

Moreover, if reports are to be believed, the Hammers are now keen to add another signing to the squad, someone Fernandes would love to play with.

West Ham target perfect teammate for Fernandes

While things aren’t looking great on the pitch at the moment, West Ham’s summer is starting to look like a decent one, at least from an incomings perspective.

Transfer Focus

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

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For example, in addition to Fernandes, the club have signed the likes of Kyle Walker-Peters, El Hadji Malick Diouf, and Soungoutou Magassa, who is should be announced before the team play Nottingham Forest tomorrow afternoon.

Moreover, the East Londoners appear keen to make further additions to the squad and are eyeing a move for someone who’d be a brilliant teammate for Fernandes.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who has claimed West Ham are interested in Quinten Timber.

The German journalist has revealed that the Hammers are now “exploring” a deal to sign the Netherlands international, who Feyenoord value at £25m, per reports from earlier this summer.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given his quality, Timber would be more than worth it, especially as he’d be a great teammate for Fernandes.

Why Timber would be a great teammate for Fernandes

So, the first, and arguably one of the most important reasons Fernandes will love playing with Timber is his surprisingly decent level of output.

We say surprisingly decent for the simple fact that the Dutchman is primarily a central midfielder, but as his numbers from last season show, he is more than capable of producing goals and assists.

For example, in his 26 appearances last season, totalling 2054 minutes, the “extraordinary” midfielder, as dubbed by Mikel Arteta, scored six goals and provided one assist, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.71 games, or every 293.42 minutes.

Timber’s 24/25

Appearances

26

Minutes

2054′

Goals

6

Assists

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.26

Minutes per Goal Involvement

293.42′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

While those aren’t ground-breaking numbers, it will be reassuring for the Hammers’ new Portuguese manager to know that the responsibility of producing goal involvements won’t fall solely on his shoulders.

The next reason the Dutchman would be such a brilliant teammate for the Irons’ new ace is his experience and leadership.

Despite still being just 24 years old, the former Ajax prospect has made 105 appearances for Feyenoord and 33 for Utrecht, and has won five senior caps for the Netherlands.

Moreover, he’s also the captain of De Stadionclub, so, in addition to knowing he can contribute with goals and assists, the former Saints gem will be able to rely on the “superb” midfielder, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, for guidance and leadership.

Ultimately, Timber would be an excellent signing on his own, but by playing him alongside Fernandes, West Ham could maximise the potential of both.

Related Their new Rice: West Ham now exploring move for £17m star after Magassa

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 28, 2025

Leeds United’s Championship hoodoo is finally over.

After slipping up in the second-tier playoff final to Southampton at the close of the 2023/24 season, the Whites had to dust themselves down and go again, and they did just that, with 100 points successfully accumulated last campaign as the Championship title came to Elland Road.

The best possible start to life back in the big time has also just greeted Daniel Farke’s men, with new recruit Lukas Nmecha the difference maker from the penalty spot to hand Leeds a narrow 1-0 win over Everton.

There will be no resting on their laurels, however, as the Premier League newcomers look to add even more exciting signings while the busy transfer window remains open.

Leeds lead race for £43m sensation

After all, the dust has barely settled on that Monday night success, and yet Leeds are very near to completing signing number nine of a full-on summer.

As reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, via X, Leeds are set to announce the signing of AC Milan winger Noah Okafor for a fee around the £18m ballpark.

This capture really should boost a Leeds attack that did manage to register 21 shots on goal against the Toffees, only to be thankfully bailed out by Nmecha’s calm approach from the penalty spot.

A new striker addition could also be on the cards in the form of FC Nantes ace Matthis Albine, with Caught Offside revealing that Leeds are among the frontrunners for the Frenchman’s services, having already held talks with the 22-year-old, who is also keen on moving to West Yorkshire.

Despite stealing a vast majority of headlines after the Everton game, Nmecha could well find he’s been upgraded on if the €50m (£43m) striker does seal a switch to England shortly, on top of Joel Piroe also feeling less secure about his first-team minutes moving forward.

How Abline compares to Piroe & Nmecha

It might well feel cut-throat to insinuate that Piroe and Nmecha will fade into the background if Abline were to arrive at Elland Road imminently.

Indeed, the German has just got Leeds up and running in the unforgiving terrain of the Premier League, while his Dutch counterpart collected the Championship golden boot accolade last campaign when firing home a clinical 19 strikes.

However, both do display some worrying deficiencies in their attacking games that could hold them back from being the lethal heroes Leeds need to help survival be reached, compared to their new French target, who scored stunning strikes like this last season in Ligue 1 with ease.

Despite powering home those 19 strikes, Piroe would still manage to squander 13 big chances in the Championship – as per Sofascore – which could prove to be costly in a fight against the drop. He’s already shown signs of rust at the intimidating level, too, with an unmemorable 27 touches of the ball registered against Everton, before being taken off by Farke.

Moreover, Nmecha is just fresh off a season that was riddled with injuries at Wolfsburg, culminating in just three efforts being powered home when he was fit enough to line up for 19 Bundesliga clashes.

Away from Piroe and Nmecha displaying many downsides, however, Abline will be raring for the challenge of the Premier League if a pricey move gets off the ground before September’s deadline, having fired home a career-best total across the 2024/25 campaign for Nantes.

Games

34

Goals

9

Big chances missed

6

Assists

2

Big chances created

6

Key passes*

0.8

Last campaign saw Abline fire home a large chunk of his overall 16 goals for Nantes, with 11 strikes tallied up as Luis Castro’s men survived comfortably in the French top-flight in 13th spot.

The “unstoppable” forward – as he has been hailed by journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos – could well grow into even more of a lethal attacker performing for the relegation-threatened Whites, therefore, knowing now what it takes to be a dependable hero in a battle against relegation.

Throwing Abline into the mix would give Farke plenty of options in attack, with the “instinctive” finisher – as he has also been lauded by analyst Ben Mattinson – no doubt craving the tag of being Leeds’ main man week in week out, at the expense of both Piroe and Nmecha.

Based on all the evidence noted, he will certainly have a persuasive case on his side to be the Whites’ starter up top.

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