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After going unbeaten in their last two matches, Leeds United suffered a home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. The Whites were beaten 2-1 by the North London outfit, and despite creating some good opportunities, they couldn’t capitalise and ended up losing at Elland Road for the first time this season.

It was the visitors who took the lead in West Yorkshire, through Frenchman Mathys Tel. The former Bayern Munich prodigy got slightly fortunate with his effort from outside of the area, after a deflection took it over Karl Darlow into the back of the net.

Daniel Farke’s side hit back soon after, with new signing Noah Okafor once again getting on the scoresheet. Quick reactions meant the Swiss attacker could get on the end of a parry from Spurs’ goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who deflected Brenden Aaronson’s effort into his path.

Just before the hour mark, Spurs scored their second through one of their summer signings, Mohammed Kudus. The Ghanaian forward pounced on a loose ball, driving inside and firing a shot goalwards. Again, it took a deflection, leaving Darlow for dead and nestling into the bottom corner.

Kudus’ goal proved to be the difference-maker in a game where a few Leeds players struggled. One of those was Gabriel Gudmundsson.

Gudmundsson’s stats vs. Spurs

It has, generally speaking, been a good start to the season for Gudmundsson. The new Leeds left-back, who is a full international with Sweden, has started every game under Farke so far this season.

Whilst he has been impressive for the most part, as he was against the Lilywhites, Gudmundsson made an error which allowed Kudus the opportunity to score.

He got in a tangle looking to clear the ball, instead letting it bounce awkwardly off his torso and into the path of Kudus.

The stats from Gudmundsson’s efforts against the North London giants don’t cover him in glory. He made one error, which led to a goal, and he only won three out of five tackles. On the ball, he had 46 touches and lost possession 12 times.

Indeed, Graham Smyth, journalist for The Yorkshire Evening Post, gave him a 6/10 for his efforts at Elland Road. He said Gudmundsson had a ‘couple of nice moments’ on and off the ball, but did criticise him for a lack of contact on the ball, which led to Spurs’ winner.

It was certainly a tough day at the office for the left-back, but there was a fellow defender who struggled even more.

The Leeds player who was worse than Gudmundsson

It was certainly not the result Leeds would have wanted at Elland Road, given the fortress they have turned it into under Farke. They had more shots and possession than the visitors on Saturday lunchtime, but a couple of moments meant they didn’t even earn a point.

One of the players who struggled was 26-year-old centre-back Pascal Struijk. The former Ajax youth defender has been crucial for Leeds this season, playing 90 minutes in every Premier League game and skippering the side twice.

Yet, his efforts against Spurs were underwhelming.

There were two “unfortunate” deflections off the Leeds number five for each of the goals, as per The Athletic’s Beren Cross, which took the ball past Darlow to see his side go behind on both occasions.

He received a 5/10 rating for his performances by Smyth. The journalist said Struijk had ‘ropey moments at the back’ and pointed out the fact that he was ‘beaten in the air’ when Spurs struck the woodwork themselves.

The stats reflect how poor the 26-year-old was against the Lilywhites. He had 74 touches and, on the ball, was generally quite good. He completed 94% of his passes. Yet, he only won 40% of his duels and didn’t attempt a tackle.

With summer addition Jaka Bijol knocking on the door for a spot in the starting lineup, perhaps Farke will decide to drop Struijk.

It is certainly disappointing that he struggled, especially in the air, against Spurs, and he certainly could have done more to prevent the goals.

Bijol has been an unused substitute in the Premier League this season, but perhaps this poor performance from Struijk will be enough to convince Farke to rotate the side ahead of the clash with Burnley.

Leeds had the original Gudmundsson & they let him leave for just £1m

Leeds must regret cashing in on this star who was the original Gabriel Gudmundsson at Elland Road.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 2, 2025

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has thrown his support behind his new signing Milos Kerkez after the Hungarian left-back's difficult start to life at the Premier League champions. Kerkez joined the club with high expectations, having excelled at Bournemouth last campaign, and was seen as the natural heir to the ageing Andy Robertson, but things have not quite clicked yet.

• Kerkez struggling under the pressure

  Kerkez was supposed to slot perfectly into the attacking system adopted by Liverpool following Slot’s appointment as the Reds’ boss at the start of last season. The 21-year-old was a menace up and down the left-flank for the Cherries and was one of the most sought-after full-backs in the world in the summer.

  Liverpool won the chase to bring him to Anfield where, following the drop off in form of Robertson in recent years, he should have made the position his own. However, the pressure of playing for the Reds appears to be taking its toll on the youngster.

  Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison was scathing in his assessment of Kerkez’s performance in Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester United last weekend. Speaking on Match of the Day, he said: “It was probably one of the only Liverpool games that I've watched and thought Van Dijk looked rattled, especially in the first half. It's because he is having to cover Milos Kerkez, who I think right now has to come out of the team. He is struggling and does not look like he can carry that Liverpool shirt at the moment.”

  Despite Morrison’s criticism of Kerkez and the defender’s lack of form, Slot insisted he is happy with his new signing and is likely to keep selecting him in his starting line-up.

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  Slot keeps calm over Kerkez

  Questioned on Kerkez’s position in the team and whether Robertson could seize the starting berth, Slot was diplomatic. “I don’t think that’s a place for me to say this here, because then I have to say something about Robbo as well,” he said in his press conference ahead of Liverpool's meeting with Brentford. “The reason why we brought him in, that I can tell you, is that he is bringing a lot of energy to the game, keeps going up and down.”

  Slot added that Kerkez is doing “very well in defending the one-v-one situations against his wingers”. He described the full-back as “defensively solid” and explained that he also brings “a lot of energy making the overlaps”.

• Liverpool's big signings fall flat

  Kerkez is not the only new signing providing headaches for Slot. Florian Wirtz is the standout disappointment of the major summer transfer moves, not just at Liverpool, but the whole Premier League. The German has been unable to show the magic he once dazzled the Bundesliga with and, given his mammoth transfer fee, will need to turn his performances around pretty quickly.

  Alexander Isak has also failed to hit the ground running in a Liverpool shirt. saga of the summer transfer window saw the Swede move to Anfield following a public falling out with Newcastle, and the striker was meant to fire Liverpool to yet another comfortable Premier League crown.

  Yet, the performances of Hugo Ekitike up front have made it difficult to fit in the two forwards, both preferring to play down the middle of the frontline. The Frenchman has been electric since joining the club, but has been sidelined in favour of Isak even when form suggested he should not have been.

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  Liverpool in a rut?

  Liverpool ended their four-game winless run with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Reds had lost to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea and Manchester United previously and will hope that their win over the German side can also put an end to three defeats on the bounce in the Premier League. They take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday night and will be coming up against a familiar face in goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who they sold to the Bees in the summer. 

With their woeful start in mind, Glasgow Rangers and the 49ers have reportedly turned their focus towards the transfer window and welcoming an impressive goalscorer for Russell Martin in 2026.

Martin praises "proper performance" from Rangers

It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t enough to get the fans back onside, but it was a start for Rangers, who secured their first win of the season in the Scottish Premiership in last-gasp fashion over Livingston. The Gers found themselves level as stoppage time arrived, only for summer signing Max Aarons to become the unexpected hero in the 94th minute and end what has been a disastrous run for Martin.

The travelling fans still took aim at Martin when the full-time whistle sounded and it’s clear that there’s still work to be done to get them back in his favour, but that didn’t stop the manager from praising his side.

The Rangers boss told reporters: “You saw some proper performances from people today. Tav was incredible. He played three different positions in the game. Drove the team forward, scored, and his reaction to the penalty miss was brilliant.”

“I’m really proud of the players. We deserved to win. The first half was the best we played all season, I think. The first half we deserved to win, played brilliantly. Some amazing football. We should have scored more goals for sure.”

Up next is another important game and an opportunity to make it back-to-back wins in a tough trip to SK Sturm Graz. After losing to Genk in their opening Europa League game last time out, Martin’s side must take something from the Austrian side.

In the meantime, as victories finally begin to arrive, the 49ers are reportedly aiming to back their manager with further arrivals in 2026.

Rangers join race to sign Lidberg

As reported by Sports Boom, the 49ers and Rangers have now joined the race to sign Isac Lidberg from Darmstadt 98. The Swede has enjoyed an excellent start to the 2 Bundesliga campaign, scoring seven goals in eight games to sit top of the goalscoring charts.

Now, when 2026 arrives, he could have a decision to make amid interest from Rangers, Burnley, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers. In a hectic race, it’s fair to say that he won’t be short on options when the time comes.

Rangers star was "like the best of Zidane", now he's worse than Barron

This Rangers star who was once compared to Zinedine Zidane is now even worse than Connor Barron.

1

By
Dan Emery

Sep 30, 2025

Lidberg’s form is no purple patch, either. The 27-year-old scored 15 goals in all competitions last season and has since taken things up a level to attract impressive interest. As a result, there will be big questions about his future in January and there’s no denying that Rangers could do with his quality.

The Gers have looked blunt going forward ever since the departure of Hamza Igamane, who they have so far failed to replace. By adding Lidberg, they’d be adding a solution to Martin’s attacking problems. To do so, however, they may have to fend off Premier League interest from Burnley.

Como Women's star Alisha Lehmann has revealed how beating former club Juventus with her new side earlier this season has given her a big boost. Lehmann moved to Como in the summer transfer window and enjoyed a swift reunion against her former team-mates earlier this month, emerging victorious in a surprise 1-0 Serie A Femminile win at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora.

• Como pull off shock win over Juventus

  Lehmann waved goodbye to Juventus in August after winning the Serie A title and joined Como Women on a three-year contract. The Swiss star said at the time that joining an independent club was an "important factor" in her decision to make the move and that she shared the club's long-term vision. Lehmann then came up against former club Juventus with Como in just their second league match of the season and helped secure a surprise 1-0 win. Lehmann admitted at the time it had been an "emotional" experience playing against her former team and has now revealed how she benefitted from the game.

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  Lehmann thrilled by victory against former club

  Lehmann told 20 minutes: "Como will continue to grow in the coming years. The victory against my former club, Juve, was incredible and did me a lot of good. I will never say anything bad. I had a good year. I am now a regular starter, and playing is the main reason why we play football. Como also has a really interesting project in women's football."

  The 26-year-old also feels she is now in the "perfect place" and is looking forward to an exciting future with the club. She added: "I feel good in Como. It’s the perfect place for me and, certainly, the most beautiful place I’ve ever lived. I live right on the lake, and it’s absolutely magnificent. I’ve even run into a few celebrities because we go to the same restaurants. But it’s nice here because everyone respects each other so much."

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  Why Lehmann left Juventus for Como

  Lehmann may have tasted success with Juventus last season but she was far from a regular in the XI and her move to Como offers her the chance to establish herself as first choice once again. The Swiss star also told she was keen to stay in Italy as she sees plenty of potential for the women's game to grow. 

  “I came here to play football and hope to earn my place by working hard,” she explained. “I came here to compete and to grow as an athlete. The rest will come if I stay true to that. For me, it’s simple: I want to play as much as possible, help the team, and enjoy football. What I love is that they [Como] take the game seriously, but also create space for players to be themselves.

  “There’s so much potential here. Italy’s performance showed the quality and spirit in the game here, and now people are paying attention. I think the league is ready to take a big step forward. With more visibility, investment, and commitment to the players, Serie A Women can become a real force in Europe. Being part of that journey is something I’m really excited about.”

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• Lehmann 'not happy' on bench for Switzerland

  Lehmann also spoke about her experiences at Euro 2025 as Switzerland hosted the tournament and made it to the quarter-finals before being knocked out against Spain. The Como star says she enjoyed the tournament but is eager for more game time with the national team. She told 20 minutes: “We had a great time during the European Championship. It was a truly incredible experience. When you're a footballer, you always want to play. So I'd be lying if I said I was happy on the bench. Of course, I wasn't. But football is also about supporting your team. And during the tournament, we created a great bond. It was perfect.”

Now that we have some distance from the disappointing loss to Liverpool, there is plenty to be optimistic about for Arsenal this season.

For example, Mikel Arteta was backed in a big way in the summer, with players like Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke.

Moreover, in addition to these new players, Hale End looks to have produced another superstar in the making for the club in the unreal Max Dowman.

The teenager already looks more than comfortable in the senior game and like he has a bright future ahead of him, although there was another academy superstar who was once predicted to do big things and is now worth less than £1m.

Max Dowman's rapid rise

It would be fair to say that, aside from the Champions League run, last season was one of the least enjoyable campaigns Arsenal fans have had for some time, as it felt like everything was going wrong.

Where Are They Now

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However, the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly was a real bright spot, and yet, even as they broke into the first team, there was talk of an even more exciting prospect in the academy – a 14-year-old who was playing well beyond his years.

This was, of course, Dowman, and when you take a look at his statistics from last season, it becomes easier to understand why those in the know, like Jacek Kulig, were going as far as proclaiming him to be the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

For example, in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he put the ball in the back of the net 19 goals and provided five assists for good measure, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Numbers like these forced Arteta and Co to bring the youngster on the pre-season tour this year, and for the first time, fans were able to see why so many are so excited about him, as he came off the bench against Newcastle United and won a penalty in short time.

However, the most significant indication of just how highly the club rate the teenager is the fact he’s now a regular part of the first-team squad, and that not only did he make his Premier League debut against Leeds United, but that the manager felt comfortable subbing him on at Anfield when the team needed a goal.

In all, while it is still so early, the hype around Dowman is starting to feel justified, which unfortunately was never the case with a former Hale Ender who is now plying his trade in Europe.

Arsenal's original Dowman

Every year, there is a new set of exciting academy talents that fans get excited about, but sometimes, there is more than that; there is an expectation, and while Dowman looks like he might fulfil the expectations fans have of him, Charlie Patino was unable to live up to the expectations people had of him.

While it seems a long time ago now, the youngster was expected by many to be the next big thing to emerge from Hale End.

For example, back in October 2021, former Gunners’ wonderkid Jack Wilshere told the press that the youngster was “going to make a name for himself in the future” and that he was “one who everyone at the training ground is talking about.”

As if that wasn’t enough, Arsenal scout Brian Stappleton claimed that Sean O’Connor, the scout who discovered Wilshere, told him Patino was “the best player who has ever walked through the doors at Hale End.”

The hype was only further fueled when the “golden” youngster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, came off the bench to make his competitive debut for the club in a League Cup match against Sunderland in 2021 and scored.

With regular first-team football the next step, Arsenal sent their exciting wonderkid on a number of loan spells, first to Blackpool and then Swansea City.

However, while he did okay during this time, a total tally of seven goals and eight assists in 72 games didn’t suggest he was quite ready to play under Arteta, and so when the player’s camp made it clear he wanted to leave, the Gunners were forced into accepting a low £1m off from Deportivo La Coruna due to the lack of interest from other sides.

Unfortunately, things have not worked out for the 21-year-old, as he’s made just 12 appearances over the last year, in which he’s failed to score or assist a single goal.

Unsurprisingly, this has seen his valuation tank, and according to Transfermarkt, the former next big thing is now worth €600k, which is just £518k.

Ultimately, while there is still plenty of time for Patino to forge a great career for himself, it’s probably safe to say the hype and pressure placed on his shoulders were not justified.

Madueke upgrade: Arsenal gem who left for £0 is now "one of the best in the world"

The superstar would be an excellent rival for Saka at Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 11, 2025

Rafael Leao has detailed the supportive welcome he received from new teammate Luka Modric after his match-winning brace sent AC Milan to the top of Serie A. The Portuguese star, who ended a long goal drought at the San Siro against Fiorentina, is eager to learn from the former Real Madrid icon and propel the Rossoneri forward to make the most out of his career.

• Leao reveals Modric's supportive welcome

  Leao has revealed the supportive welcome he received from Modric, explaining how the midfield icon has already pledged to help him develop after the Portuguese forward's decisive brace secured a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory over Fiorentina at San Siro.

  The arrival of the former Real Madrid and Ballon d'Or winner has evidently had an immediate impact in the Milan dressing room, with Leao expressing his excitement at the prospect of linking up with the Croatian. The forward shared details of their first interaction, highlighting Modric’s proactive approach to mentoring him.

  "When he arrived at Milanello, Modric gave me a hug and told me he wanted to help me," Leao stated. "Playing with these players helps you grow, I'm very happy: he'll give me lots of assists to take Milan forward." The partnership is one that Milan fans will be eager to see flourish as they aim to build on their strong start to the campaign.

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  Match-winning brace ends long San Siro drought

  Leao was the undisputed protagonist in a challenging match against Fiorentina. The visitors, despite their lowly league position, took a shock lead in the 55th minute through Robin Gosens. However, Milan’s star forward dragged his side back into the contest just eight minutes later, equalising with a stunning curling shot from outside the penalty area. The goal marked a significant personal milestone, ending a 512-day wait for a Serie A goal at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, with his last coming against Salernitana in May 2024.

  He completed the turnaround in the 86th minute, calmly converting a penalty to secure all three points. His influence on the game was clear in the statistics; Leao recorded the most touches in the opposition box (six) and completed the second-most dribbles of any player on the pitch.

• What Leao said about the Fiorentina victory

  Reflecting on the match, Leao acknowledged the difficulty of facing a Fiorentina side desperate for points. "We knew this was going to be a tough match," he explained. "Fiorentina are going through a tough time, but they have quality players: the coach told us we couldn't give them any space… That's what we did today, a great team effort, even if the first half was a bit of a strange game. In the end, we got going."

  Having recently returned from an injury that sidelined him for six weeks, Leao dedicated the performance to those who supported him. "I spent a month and a half injured: I dedicate it to my family, to my teammates who helped me and kept me in a great mood when I returned. I'm very happy. We have to continue like this."

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• Modric praises 'amazing' Leao's potential

  The admiration between the two stars is mutual. Modric also spoke highly of Leao's talent and was delighted to see him return to form and fitness. "Rafa is really amazing. I was looking forward to playing with him. Unfortunately, he got injured quickly, but now he's getting back to fitness," Modric said. The veteran midfielder believes the goals will be a major boost for the forward, adding that Leao can still improve and become even more important for the team.

Manchester United have endured yet another topsy-turvy start to the season, but Ruben Amorim is determined to turn things around and remains stubborn in his belief that his cast-iron system will remain the philosophy implemented.

For better or for worse. The Red Devils welcome Chelsea to Old Trafford on Saturday evening as they look to claim a second Premier League win of the season, and it’s crucial that they indeed score some points on the board and climb away from the foot of the division, having so shockingly finished 15th last year.

Having been trounced in the Manchester derby last weekend, Amorim will be feeling rather hot under the collar, aware that more misery might spell the end of his turbulent tenure, less than a year after his appointment.

The Portuguese tactician has been buoyed, however, by Matheus Cunha’s return to fitness, with the Brazilian forward having injured his hamstring before the September international break.

Why Cunha's return is so important

He’s yet to get off the mark for Manchester United this season after joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a bumper £62.5m package this summer, but Cunha, 26, has only played two full 90s in the Premier League so far, forced off after only half an hour with a hamstring injury against Burnley.

Described as having the qualities to be “one of the most transformational United players” by writer Wayne Barton, Cunha is the real deal, proven within the English game and boasting one of the most dynamic attacking skillsets across Europe.

United might have sold Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea – a warm welcome back to the Theatre for him on Saturday – and loaned Marcus Rashford out to Barcelona, but this versatile attacking force, usually out on the left but called into a number nine berth across the opening weeks of the term, has the chance to erase such former stars from the fanbase’s mind with a string of impressive showings.

We’ve already seen what he can do in a red shirt, and having been confirmed fit for this forthcoming fixture, all eyes will be riveted on him when the ball is claimed and space is found in the danger area.

However, he’s not the only one who could make an impact, and Amorim should consider unleashing his new version of Rashford on Enzo Maresca’s Blues.

Amorim's new version of Rashford

Rashford was once a superstar under the Old Trafford lights, but there’s no doubt that he ebbed and he flowed, and that his finest days as a Manchester United man passed some time ago.

But in Amad Diallo, Amorim might be guiding the new version to the fore.

Amad is still only 23, and came into his own as a United first-teamer last term, notching 21 goal involvements across 43 matches in all competitions.

69 games he has played in total for the club, posting 14 goals and 13 assists. Singled out by Sky Sport pundit Jamie Carragher for his “sensational” performances in a poor team last season, he must be unleashed in a role fit for his skillset against Chelsea, who boast an overload of firepower themselves.

Described as a “wizard” of a winger by journalist James Copley, Amad’s fast, furious dribbling style and innate potency have allowed him to cement a place in Amorim’s matchday squad. A strong grasp of the technical side of the attacking game is what he has, that and an eye for the spectacular.

Remind you of anyone? Was it not Thursday evening that Rashford rifled in from range to sink the Magpies around St. James’ Park? It was a bittersweet one to watch for those of a Man United persuasion, but not all that surprising for those aware of exactly what the Three Lions star is capable of.

As per FBref, the Ivorian winger ranks among the top 4% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 16% for shot-creating actions and the top 10% for progressive carries per 90, emphasising his ball-carrying skill, yes, but also the creative spark which could be crucial in serving a forward such as Cunha with ammunition from which to strike on goal.

Amad’s tactical range has been showcased across his years as a professional so far, but if Amorim opts to deploy him alongside Mbeumo in a more advanced berth than the wing-back role he has been placed in three times already this season, his attacking strengths could be maximised, thus providing United with the balance and fluency they need to finally make things tick.

It’s curious that the nifty forward manages to maintain a degree of prolificness no matter where he is positioned across the frontline, and that’s something Amorim has clearly latched onto.

Rashford, too, could play in different berths, and though each prefers a different foot, there is much the same about their shared directness and natural goalscoring sense.

In November 2024, with United at a low ebb, only Rashford and Amad were in the positive in regard to xG totals, as per Statman Dave.

Given that that trend has continued into the current campaign, with no Premier League side having created a higher xG total than 14th-placed Man United, someone of Amad’s clinical calibre must now stand up and turn things around for Amorim and the club.

It's not Hojlund: Man Utd let "incredible" Sesko upgrade go for just £16m

Manchester United may now be regretting letting go of one former star who’s better than Benjamin Sesko.

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 18, 2025

Preparing to spend this time around following a year long frustration courtesy of PSR constraints, Newcastle United are now reportedly ready to launch their move for a top defensive target.

All focus on Brighton for Newcastle

With four games remaining in the Premier League, Newcastle need no reminding about just how important each game will be. They have their fate in their own hands and could yet finish as high as second to cap off an excellent campaign. Whether it’s second or fifth, however, Eddie Howe and the rest of those at St James’ Park will care most about sealing Champions League football.

With the European race only set to heat up, Howe recently told reporters upon his return from suffering Pneumonia: “It will go down to the wire. The important thing today was that we bounced back from last week. We have been very consistent, and now we have four huge games.”

The first of those “four huge games” will see the Magpies travel to The Amex where they will square off against a Brighton & Hove Albion side who have won just once in their last five games. Newcastle will still be well aware of the quality that the Seagulls possess though, given that they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Fabian Hurzeler’s side in March.

PIF join tug-of-war to sign "special" midfielder who thrashed Newcastle 4-0

He’s a wanted man…

By
Tom Cunningham

May 1, 2025

Fail to slip-up and Champions League football will be well within Newcastle’s reach and it’s then that they may just turn towards the summer transfer window and a long-awaited defensive addition.

Newcastle ready to launch Schlotterbeck move

According to TeamTalk, Newcastle are now ready to launch a summer move to sign Nico Schlotterbeck from Borussia Dortmund after ending a year-long scouting mission. The central defender is currently sidelined with a torn meniscus which will see him miss up to six months of action, but that is yet to deter the Magpies, who will assess his return date before potentially making their move.

When fit and firing this season, Schlotterbeck was one of few standouts in a disappointing campaign for Dortmund and having watched on for as long as a year, Newcastle should feel satisfied that the defender would hand Howe an instant upgrade.

What instantly stands out when looking at this season’s numbers is just how well Schlotterbeck progresses play – completing over double the amount of progressive passes that Fabian Schar and Dan Burn have managed per 90.

The 25-year-old’s quality is clear and is something that former Newcastle defender Dietmar Hamann noted when Schlotterbeck came up against the Magpies last season. The German said: “He is a great player, very good in tackling and strong in heading.

“He’s probably one of the best centre-backs in terms of ball-playing skills, not just in Germany, but in all of Europe. I really hope he can finally take the next step now.”

As it has been for a number of years, Chelsea’s famous Cobham academy is a conveyor belt for elite talent. The 2010s was perhaps the best era to date for their academy.

They produced currency Premier League stars such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ola Aina and Mason Mount, whilst Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori are all plying their trade at AC Milan.

Their current crop of academy talent might end up being better. One of the most highly-rated players in the academy is defender Josh Acheampong, who was one of ten academy stars to make his senior debut in 2024.

Another Cobham graduate who is establishing himself in the Chelsea team under Enzo Maresca is Tyrique George, who has made a big impression so far.

George's Chelsea career so far

It has been a real whirlwind few months for 19-year-old George, who has become an established member of Maresca’s squad after making his debut last August in the Conference League qualifiers.

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He has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks in particular. The London-born winger now has 20 games under his belt for the West London giants, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists, an impressive return so far.

His first strike for the Blues was in the Conference League quarter-final against Legia Warsaw, and he bagged his first goal in the Premier League last weekend too against Fulham. It was a superb finish, unleashing a first-time strike into the bottom left corner after Antonee Robinson’s miscued clearance fell at his feet.

Blues boss Maresca was complimentary of the attacker after his goal against the Cottagers last time out.

He described the winger as “a talent” and said he is “doing well” in the first team at Stamford Bridge.

It has been a dream start to life as a professional footballer and he could well become the next great Cobham star. However, there is a player in the Chelsea academy who might end up rivalling him for a place in the first team soon.

Chelsea's next exciting academy star

As good as George has been this season, perhaps Jimmy-Jay Morgan will leapfrog him in the first team at some stage.

A centre-forward by trade, the youngster is currently out on loan with League 2 side Gillingham, who are towards the lower end of the table but surely safe from relegation.

It has not been the easiest time of things for Morgan on loan at the Southern outfit. Adapting to senior football for the first time can be a challenge, and he has two goals in 14 appearances for the club so far.

However, despite the lack of goals during his time with the Gills so far, he has some strong underlying numbers, as per Sofascore. For example, Morgan averages 2.3 shots and completes 1.1 dribbles per game.

19-year-old Morgan is clearly a talented forward, as he has shown as a Gillingham player. However, his numbers from his time playing for Chelsea’s U21 side further showcase just how dangerous he can be.

Overall, Morgan’s record for the most senior side of the Cobham academy is impressive. In 34 appearances so far, he has found the back of the net 16 times and has also managed to grab three assists.

Football scout Antonio Mango described Morgan as a player who is “too good for his age”, while Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth has suggested he’s “going to be a hell of a player when he’s older”. Although the weight of goals isn’t necessarily there, his experience playing senior football will have surely taught him plenty.

George has shown there is still a pathway from Cobham into the first team at Stamford Bridge, and perhaps next season, with Nicolas Jackson underperforming and Christopher Nkunku likely on his way out, Morgan can be the man to break into the squad.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 22, 2025

Will Celtic secure a sixth treble in just nine seasons?

On Easter Sunday, the Celts swatted aside St Johnstone 5-0 at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, with Callum McGregor breaking the deadlock and Daizen Maeda bagging a brace, while Adam Idah and Jota were also on target.

Thus, the Hoops will now face Aberdeen in the final on 24 May, also looking to secure a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title before then, requiring just a point against Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday to become champions again.

While Brendan Rodgers’ team continue to dominate on the park, does he have his eye on a new winger in the transfer market?

Celtic seeking to sign a new winger

As reported by Alan Nixon of the Scottish Sun earlier this month, Celtic are ‘eyeing’ a move to sign Stoke City winger Million Manhoef.

The 22-year-old only joined the Potters as recently as January 2024 from Dutch side Vitesse for a reported fee of £3m, but journalist Graeme Bailey believes he is now valued at £10m by Stoke.

So, would this be a good move, and could Manhoef emulate those among Rodgers’ current attacking options?

Why Celtic could be targeting the next Kuhn

Earlier this season, as outlined by Michael Shearer of Breaking the Lines, Nicolas Kühn was ‘poised to become Celtic’s next great attacking player’, starring in the Champions League and unquestionably the best player in Scotland.

However, in more recent times, the German has not been impressing quite so much, as shown in the table below.

As the table outlines, Kühn’s form has fallen off a cliff since New Year’s Day, in fact, he’s scored just two goals in 19 outings since bagging a brace against St Mirren on 4 January.

Rodgers stated that Kühn has appeared in the “most games he’s ever played” in a campaign, attributing his drop in form to fatigue, while Robbie Hanratty of the National adds that Kühn hasn’t looked the same since suffering a ‘suspected broken nose’ against Rangers in early January.

Kühn arrived from Rapid Wien for a reported fee of £3m in January last year, now worth £25m, well, according to his agent anyway, with Celtic hoping Manhoef – who is also a diminutive, left-footed right-winger – would experience a similar leap in valuation should he move to Glasgow, so let’s assess how the duo compare.

As the table outlines, Kühn does rank higher than Manhoef for the majority of statistics included, albeit this’ll be largely skewed by his performances during the first half of the season.

Also worth considering that, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the 11th strongest league in the world, with the Scottish Premiership ranked 42nd.

Manhoef, to give him credit, does compare favourably, hence why Jacek Kulig from Football Talent Scout labelled him “quality and versatile”, while Dean Jones told Give Me Sport that the Dutchman is “the sort of player that will get fans off their seats.”

Thus, this would appear to be a good deal for Celtic, and they could open negotiations very soon, considering Stoke City’s season will conclude on 3 May.

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By
Ben Gray

Apr 19, 2025