Everton are now keen on signing a “quality” World Cup winner on a free transfer, according to a recent Toffees transfer report.
Jarrad Branthwaite signs new Everton contract
This week, Everton announced that defender Jarrad Branthwaite has signed a new long-term contract, which runs until the summer of 2030. The 23-year-old has been with the Toffees since 2020, when he joined the club from Carlisle United.
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After spells on loan at Blackburn Rovers and PSV Eindhoven, Branthwaite has now turned into one of Everton’s key defenders, and that has led to speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United most recently. However, Everton have acted quickly to secure his future, and Branthwaite is “over the moon” at extending his stay with the Premier League side.
Branthwaite told the club’s official website: “I’m over the moon. It’s been something we’ve been talking about since the end of the season, and to get it signed now is something I’m really excited about.
“The trust the club’s put in me and how many games I’ve played over the past two seasons has made it quite an easy decision for me to stay and to keep progressing as a player.
“I know the Club. I feel loved by the players – we’ve got a good group here – and the fans. Over the past few years, I’ve seen the impact the fans have on us as a team and how much it means to them. And, obviously, with the new stadium we’ve got here, the new ownership and the new manager, it’s an exciting project, and it’s something I want to be part of.
“Moving to the new stadium together and having that first game at home is something we’re all looking forward to. We want to go again and push for a good season.”
Everton keen to sign World Cup winner on free transfer
Now that Branthwaite’s future has been resolved, the Toffees are turning their attention to who could be playing alongside him. According to The Daily Mail, relayed by Liverpool World, Everton are interested in signing left-back Nicolas Tagliafico on a free transfer.
Nicolas Tagliafico
The Argentine international, who won the World Cup in 2022, left French side Lyon at the start of this month when his contract expired. Given his situation, David Moyes is interested in adding him to his squad, as he would provide competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko, who is Everton’s only recognised left-back.
Tagliafico, who has been dubbed “quality” in the past, has never played in the Premier League before but has enormous European experience after playing for Lyon and Ajax in most recent seasons.
Apps
102
Goals
9
Assists
10
The report does claim that West Ham and Sevilla are also interested in signing the left-back, but the Toffees may have an edge in this race, as Tagliafico does have the same agency as current Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, which means there is a previous relationship between the agency and the club.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been a busy man over the previous few weeks. Not only has he led the Blues to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, but the Italian has significantly bolstered his first-team squad.
In came striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, before defender Mamadou Sarr joined the club from Strasbourg.
This was only the beginning. Since the start of last week, Maresca has secured a deal to sign forward Joao Pedro for £60m, giving Delap some competition.
Furthermore, Jamie Gittens has made the move to Stamford Bridge from Borussia Dortmund, costing Chelsea £51.5m in the process.
The revolving door at Stamford Bridge means plenty of players will be departing over the coming weeks, but it is evident that Maresca wants to overhaul his attacking options ahead of next season.
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Remarkably, he doesn’t appear to be finished with those three signings.
Despite the arrival of Estevao from Palmeiras, another of the globe’s top talents, Ethan Nwaneri, could make their way to Bridge over the next year.
Why Chelsea are looking at Ethan Nwaneri
The Arsenal sensation might be on the market next summer due to a stall in contract negotiations with the club.
Nwaneri has just one year left on his current deal with the Gunners and a new contract is yet to be agreed. Fabrizio Romano broke the news recently on X regarding Chelsea’s interest, saying:
“Chelsea have been showing interest in Ethan Nwaneri situation, only in case new deal won’t be sealed with Arsenal. Nwaneri & Arsenal, in talks over new deal while player wants game time guaranteed.”
There is no doubt that convincing Nwaneri to swap the Emirates for Stamford Bridge would be a real statement of intent by the Italian, especially considering his superstar potential.
Goals
4
2
Assists
2
0
Big chances created
1
1
Key passes per game
0.6
0.3
Successful dribbles per game
1.4
1
Last season saw the right-winger enjoy a stunning breakthrough. Across 37 matches in all competitions for the Gunners, the teenager scored nine goals and grabbed two assists.
When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the 18-year-old not only ranked in the top 7% for non-penalty goals (0.48) per 90, but also ranked in the top 1% for successful take-ons (3.54) per 90 over the previous 365 days.
This certainly proves how effective the youngster is when taking on opposition defenders. Combine it with the fact he is excellent in front of goal and Nwaneri would make for a stunning signing.
Why signing defenders makes more sense for Chelsea
Maresca does have a plethora of options in the final third, however. The likes of Estevao, Pedro Neto, Jamie Gittens, Tyrique George and Cole Palmer could play out wide, while Delap, Nicolas Jackson and Pedro will be used in a central role next season.
In an ideal world, adding Nwaneri to this lineup would make Chelsea contenders for both the Premier League and Champions League, no doubt about that.
Other areas need to be bolstered, however, which indicates that a move for a Serie A defender would turn into a much better signing than the Arsenal teen.
Sarr is the only defensive signing that Maresca has made so far this summer, but the supporters will be hoping he won’t be the last.
Benfica duo Antonio Silva and Tomás Araújo have both been linked with a move to the Blues since the transfer window opened, but both potential moves have gone cold recently.
Now, it looks as though Chelsea are keen on making a move for Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini.
That’s according to Caught Offside who further report that Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on the youngster, so the Blues won’t have it easy trying to lure him to the Premier League.
The report states that Scalvini could cost up to €60m (£51m), but still only 21, this could be a wonderful long-term signing by Maresca.
Transfer Focus
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Given the need for high-quality defenders, Scalvini might just turn out to be a better recruit than Nwaneri.
What Giorgio Scalvini could bring to Chelsea
The Atalanta starlet missed the majority of last season due to suffering a cruciate ligament injury, derailing the fine progress he had made during the 2023/24 campaign.
Hailed as a “top talent” by none other than Fabrizio Romano back in 2022, Scalvini enjoyed what was a breakthrough season in Serie A that term.
Defensively, he ranked in the top 4% for interceptions, in the top 16% for aerials won and in the top 22% for tackles per 90 when compared to his peers.
It was going forward that the young centre-back really stood out among his positional peers, however.
Indeed, not only did he rank in the top 16% for shot-creating actions, but the Atalanta defender also ranked in the top 5% for successful take-ons and in the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 in Serie A.
This proves that Maresca wouldn’t just be getting a solid centre-back who is able to command his backline, but one who can shine while going forward, playing in a way that is “so similar to [Declan] Rice” at Arsenal in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson.
The Italian could certainly add something different to his Chelsea defence by making a move for the 21-year-old this summer, no doubt about that.
He might still be raw, but as the statistics suggest, Scalvini has demonstrated his credentials in one of the toughest leagues on the continent.
Atalanta defenderGiorgio Scalvini.
Signing Nwaneri might inject yet more dynamism into the final third and give the supporters a major jolt, but the more important signing would be that of Scalvini.
“Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles” said Sir Alex Ferguson during his spell at Man United, so prioritising a move for up-and-coming defenders, rather than young attackers, might just turn Maresca’s team into serious challengers for major honours.
After Gittens: Chelsea now want to hijack Newcastle move to sign £52m star
As it is every year, this summer has already been incredibly busy for Chelsea.
It feels like Enzo Maresca’s men were lifting the Conference League trophy only a week ago, but in reality, they’ve already made it to the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup and have made a real splash in the transfer market.
The likes of Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo were already through the door before the team jetted off for the United States, and now Joao Pedro is set to join up with them.
Brighton & Hove Albion'sJoaoPedroapplauds fans after the match
However, the Blues aren’t finished yet, and now it looks like they are set to chase another Premier League star, although this potential deal could be bad news for the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace.
Chelsea to move for Premier League star
After being linked with the club, as well as some others, for several weeks, Pedro was finally officially announced as a Chelsea player yesterday afternoon.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former Seagulls’ star completed his medical with the Blues out in the States, signed a seven-year deal, and reportedly cost the club a cool £60m, which is twice the fee Brighton paid for him only two years ago.
However, while it’s a lot of money, it would be hard to deny that his arrival makes the West Londoners stronger, as he was his former side’s joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League last season.
Yet, it now looks like the Pensioners are set to target another exciting player from the Premier League, someone who could be bad news for the Brazilian: Mohammed Kudus.
Yes, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Chelsea are one of several clubs incredibly interested in the West Ham United star.
In fact, the report claims the West Londoners are looking to make a move to sign the Ghanaian international, who is also a serious target for London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The good news is that the Hammers are likely to accept offers below the player’s £80m release clause, with some reports from last week suggesting a fee in the region of £70m could be enough.
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but Kudus could be an excellent addition to Chelsea’s squad, albeit one that could spell trouble for Pedro.
Why Kudus could be trouble for Pedro
When it really comes down to it, the reason Kudus’ joining Chelsea could be bad news for Pedro is the same reason his arrival could be considered far from ideal for Delap: competition.
As things stand, the Blues now have three out-and-out centre-forwards in the former Brighton man, the former Ipswich Town ace and Nicolas Jackson.
So, when you then also take into consideration the Kudus’ ability to play up top, among other positions, that role starts to look rather crowded.
In fact, it’s not hard to see a world in which the Brazilian has a slow start to life at the Bridge and immediately begins to see himself falling down the pecking order, potentially even behind the former Ajax gem.
We say it’s not hard to imagine, as since moving to England, the “electric” talent as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 13 goals and provided 12 assists in 65 Premier League appearances.
Mohammed Kudus for West Ham
That means he’s averaging a goal involvement every 2.6 league games at West Ham, despite being asked to play all over, from out wide to midfielder and then also up top.
In contrast, the former Watford poacher has scored 22 goals and provided ten assists in 89 Premier League appearances, which actually comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.78 games.
Appearances
65
89
Goals
13
22
Assists
12
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.38
0.35
That’s already a little worrying, but becomes even more so when you consider he has played up top, as a striker in the vast majority of those games.
Ultimately, Chelsea have a talented player in Pedro, but if they also sign Kudus, and he starts to outscore him, the Brazilian’s role in the squad might start to shrink very early on.
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Birmingham City are in the market to bolster their squad in the summer transfer window after they secured an immediate return to the Championship.
Chris Davies’ team racked up 111 points in League One in the 2024/25 campaign, winning the title, and they are now preparing for a season in the second tier.
One player the Blues have been linked with an interest in is Al-Ettifaq winger Demarai Gray, who left the club back in 2016, but he may not be a realistic option for them this summer.
Why Birmingham may not sign Demarai Gray
In a recent report for EFL Analysis, journalist Graeme Bailey explained that the forward is available for a fee of around £6m, but that his wage packet may block a move back to St. Andrew’s.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The reporter said: “His price has come down, but his wages are massive. We’re talking around £200k per week. It’s staggering. So, I don’t know whether he’d be willing to come back to the Championship. Obviously, we know Birmingham are not going to be paying him even a quarter of that.”
This suggests that Birmingham, whose top earner is reportedly Christoph Klarer on £22k-per-week, would not be able to fit him into their wage structure, which is why they may not sign him in the coming weeks.
The Blues should look elsewhere in the market to bolster their options out wide, and they have been linked with an interest in signing Tottenham Hotspur winger Mikey Moore on loan.
Why Birmingham should sign Mikey Moore this summer
Birmingham should swoop to sign the England youth international because he would be an even bigger signing than Gray, due to his potential to explode in the Championship.
Moore, who James Maddison described as “fearless”, has shown plenty of promising signs since he broke into the first-team at Spurs this season, providing one assist in three starts in the Premier League and impressing in the Europa League.
Appearances
5
Starts
3
xG
0.68
Goals
1
Big chances created
1
Assists
1
Pass accuracy
83%
As you can see in the table above, the 17-year-old talent caught the eye with one goal and one assist in three starts in the Europa League for Spurs, as they went on to win the competition.
Moore, who was described as a “future superstar” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has burst into the first-team after impressing at youth level with a return of 19 goals and 13 assists in 24 matches for their U18s.
The teenage sensation provided goals and assists on a regular basis for Tottenham’s academy and has started to show signs of replicating that in their first-team, albeit he has not quite hit the same level yet.
Gray, meanwhile, did not provide a single goal or assist in 24 appearances in the Pro League for Al-Ettifaq in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he would be returning to Birmingham off the back of a poor season.
This means that Moore is a more attractive option for the Blues because they would be signing a highly exciting player who is on the up and showing plenty of promise, rather than a 28-year-old winger, in Gray, who is on the decline and coming off a disappointing year.
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Therefore, the Spurs youngster would be a bigger signing for Birmingham because they could have a “future superstar” on their hands, rather than a player whose best days look to be behind him.
Derby County are preparing for another tilt at life in the second-tier following their miraculous escape from relegation under John Eustace and could now make a bold statement on the market, according to a report.
Derby look to avoid repeat scenario of close shave with relegation
Avoiding the drop is never an easy feat to achieve when the chips are down. Still, John Eustace will rightfully be heralded as a miracle worker at Pride Park following his side’s turnaround.
Speaking to Football League World, pundit Don Goodman believes Derby can avoid being drawn into a relegation battle next term now that the foundations are in place to help the Rams thrive.
Derby County manager JohnEustace
He explained: “I look at the 14 games John Eustace took charge of at the end of last season – six wins and three draws, and that’s despite losing the first three games he took charge of.
“If he accrued that points total over the course of last season that would be 69 points, which would’ve actually been enough for a play-off spot for Derby, remarkably.
“He’s outstanding at organising teams and making them hard to play against and hard to beat, so those are ingredients that will see Derby County not be in a relegation battle.”
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Inevitably, Derby will need to pull up some trees on the market to put themselves in a position of relative comfort.
Defensive duo Danny Batth and Dion Sanderson have been linked with moves to Pride Park, but there will be more in the pipeline as Eustace exhausts all avenues to put his mission into place.
Now, the Rams could turn to his former club in an attempt to pull of a statement deal that would definitely enhance their survival prospects, per recent developments.
Derby plotting move for Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis
According to EFL Analysis, Derby are in the mix to sign Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis and Eustace is said to be a big fan of his exploits after working with the 27-year-old at Ewood Park.
Predominantly a defensive midfielder, reports claim it would cost £2 million to prize him away from Lancashire. Meanwhile, Wrexham are also keen to lure him to North Wales.
Lewis Travis in all competitions – 2024/25
Appearances
39
Goals
2
Assists
1
Labelled “fantastic” by David Lowe, Travis is out of contract next summer which may increase pressure on Blackburn to sell their captain this window before his value begins to dwindle on the market.
Intriguingly, he has previously spoken out about his ‘close’ relationship with Eustace, something that may be used as an emotional string to pull on in the event of any negotiations.
Nevertheless, Derby aren’t messing about in their bid to add quality reinforcements and there is no doubt their engine room would drastically improve were Travis to land at Pride Park this summer.
Liverpool are pushing to make a series of sweeping changes to Arne Slot’s squad nice and early, thus allowing themselves to kick their feet up and bask in the sun after winning the Premier League.
It’s been a terrific season for the Reds, whose dominance in the top flight established a commanding lead before Christmas, which was held confidently across the latter half of the year.
Liverpool fans – Anfield
Only after the Premier League was wrapped up did Liverpool ease their trademark intensity – and by quite a bit at that. Only two points were claimed from a possible 12 to see out the season, with the last taste of victory, a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, securing gold with plenty of room to spare.
Slot has been against heavy rotation for the majority of the campaign, but he has dished out the changes over the past month. However, Darwin Nunez was still limited to cameos, last making a league start on Boxing Day.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
The Uruguayan striker is set to leave the club this summer, and rightly so. Everyone wanted it to work out, but he pales in comparison to his predecessors at number nine.
Liverpool's longing for an elite striker
Nunez has the minerals to be a world-class player, but, frankly, he’s failed to bring it all together and must be sold. Such an argument is certainly reinforced when flicking back over some of the contemporary strikers the Merseysiders have been treated to.
Luis Suarez being chief among them, with the Uruguayan, Nunez’s countryman, only surpassed by Mohamed Salah in terms of efficacy and consistency in front of goal at Liverpool, across the past several decades.
However, would it be fair to say Suarez failed to capture the fanbase’s adoration quite to the same level as Fernando Torres in his prime?
It just might. Torres signed as a Liverpool player in 2007, aged 23. The package was worth £20m, and it was widely accepted that Rafael Benitez had scored the Premier League giants a bona fide bargain.
If Liverpool could sign their next version of the Spanish World Cup winner, they may well be laughing all the way toward a successful Premier League title defence.
And they might just be in the race for such a player.
Liverpool moving to sign new Torres
According to Spanish outlet Marca, Liverpool are firmly in the race for Atletico Madrid centre-forward Julian Alvarez, who left Manchester City to play under Diego Simeone in an £82m deal last summer.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Liverpool have reportedly ‘sounded out a move’, but Arsenal and Barcelona are also interested, with the Gunners understood to have the lead in the race at this stage.
Los Colchoneros don’t want to sell their talisman, of course, but they would entertain offers that exceed what they paid to City one year ago. He supposedly has a £126m release clause, but this might prove a tad steep.
Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez
Why Alvarez could be Slot's own Torres
Liverpool would do anything to have a striker in the same vein as Torres back in the mix, and Alvarez truly could be that man.
This season, the “ridiculous” forward – as he’s been called by Statman Dave – has been a revelation for Atletico Madrid, scoring 29 goals and adding six assists across all competitions, including a seven-goal haul from ten matches in the Champions League.
This newfound level of potency marks progress from his days under Pep Guardiola’s wing, perhaps because he has been upgraded to a berth of greater importance.
River Plate
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54
31
Manchester City
103
36
19
Atletico Madrid
53
29
6
Argentina
44
12
33
Journalist Roy Nemer even made the bold statement that Alvarez has been “the best forward in the world” this season, with his 29-goal return in Simeone’s Atletico team making a convincing comment on his qualities and indeed capacity to reach even higher in another system.
Slot’s system? Just imagine. Alvarez is sharpening his developing prolific sense at the front of Liverpool’s team, backed up by the likes of Salah and Florian Wirtz, with Bayer Leverkusen receiving an official proposal from the Anfield side on Monday.
There’s a real chance that Slot’s creative capacity would know no bounds with such players threading passes in toward a mobile and dynamic focal point such as Alvarez.
As per FBref, the Argentina star ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues this season for all of shot-creating actions, passes attempted and progressive carries, as well as the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons made per 90.
All told, he’s the “complete player”, as described by Marca editor Matias Wodner. And in a way, this suggests he could become Liverpool’s new version of El Nino, especially given that Liverpool would be reeling him in from Atletico Madrid.
When Torres arrived at Liverpool, his prowess was undeniable, but there was clearly room for improvement. This was perfectly enforced. Before leaving contentiously for Chelsea, the iconic striker scored 81 goals and added 19 assists across just 142 fixtures in a Liverpool shirt.
His pace, sharp movements and lethal finishing led one Steven Gerrard to describe him as the “best striker in the world” back in 2009, with something in the Anfield air eliciting the finest form of the Spain star’s career, vindicated upon a high-profile move to Stamford Bridge which stocked Torres’ trophy cabinet but failed to yield the same prolific results.
If Alvarez were to make the move to Merseyside this summer, though, you could envisage a long-term future in Slot’s squad to be sure.
Julian Alvarez for Atletico Madrid.
The 25-year-old has already won the Premier League twice, posting 31 goal involvements across his two campaigns despite only starting 44 matches in total.
He’s the real deal, and with rumours surfacing that Atletico are interested in talking to Liverpool about the potential signing of Nunez, this might be one to keep a close eye on.
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Liverpool are moving quickly to make new signings for Arne Slot’s side.
Sunderland supporters have been seriously put through the wringer by their side in recent memory, with League One football even on the menu back in 2019.
But, all that agony and woe surrounding the Black Cats has been finally lifted courtesy of Regis Le Bris’ heroics from the dug-out, as the Frenchman proudly brings Premier League football action back to the Stadium of Light.
The hope will be that Sunderland’s emotional 2-1 win over Sheffield United will keep Jobe Bellingham around for a little while longer, amidst interest from elite sides such as Borussia Dortmund.
But if that is to be Bellingham’s swansong moment, he delivered yet another classy display for his top-flight-bound side from the middle of the park, alongside a whole host of other standout performers.
Sunderland's best performers vs the Blades
Before looking at the other heroes in Le Bris’ camp, Bellingham stood out once again as a key part of the young and promising Sunderland side.
The in-demand number seven would only misplace six of his 55 passes when offering the Black Cats calm through the middle on such a tense stage, whilst also winning six duels to display more grit and fight than an underperforming Sydie Peck for the Blades.
Bellingham wasn’t the only star who managed to show up for the big occasion, however, as Daniel Ballard put in another imperious display defensively when winning his own sizeable duels count of 11, whilst Eliezer Mayenda also shone when levelling the proceedings as a pacey option up top.
But, the main talking point afterwards was Tommy Watson’s last-minute winner, with the homegrown Wearside product capitalising on a lax pass by Kieffer Moore to fire home a stunning effort to seal Sunderland’s progression back up to the big time.
That was one hell of a parting gift from the 19-year-old hotshot, who is set to join Brighton and Hove Albion this summer for £10m.
Indeed, Watson is perhaps the club’s next Jordan Henderson as he goes on to potentially affirm himself as a Premier League regular with the Seagulls.
Why Watson could be Sunderland's next Henderson
Amazingly, Henderson was only one year older than Watson when his big move to Liverpool occurred.
He never looked back after waving goodbye to his boyhood club either, leading to the now Ajax man going on to make 492 appearances for the Reds, alongside winning 83 England caps.
Therefore, Watson will be aiming to follow in Henderson’s footsteps as an equally talented and promising starlet through the middle – albeit one who unfortunately does their best work away from the Stadium of Light.
After all, from only 24 first-team games to date, the 19-year-old is up to three strikes with the best left till last when breaking Blades hearts. To add context, Henderson would only power home two more efforts himself donning Sunderland red and white, even from 55 more outings.
U18s
40
18
7
U21s
31
13
11
First team
24
3
0
The attacker’s blistering numbers for the Black Cats at both an U18 and U21 level also show off a prodigy ready for the bright lights of the Premier League, albeit now without his hometown side.
Still, everyone associated with Sunderland will be overjoyed that it was one of their own that got them back up to the promised land regardless of his next onward route, with Roker Report writer Andy Tomlinson handing out an 8/10 post-match rating to Watson subsequently.
There will be a concern that Watson is only getting started and will be taken to new heights on the South Coast, much like Henderson managed at Anfield.
But, whatever does happen across Watson’s lengthy career to come, he will always have this moment of magic on his resume that took his boyhood employers back up to the Premier League.
Jobe Bellingham holds positive talks to leave Sunderland before play-off final
Chelsea look certain to enjoy a busy summer transfer window, especially if Enzo Maresca can guide them to the Champions League next season.
While the squad is filled with quality in several areas, a lack of depth, plus a shortage of a truly world-class centre-forward has impacted the Blues at times this term.
The Stamford Bridge side have scored 63 times in the Premier League this term, a tally bettered by the likes of Brentford (ninth) and equalled by Tottenham Hotspur (17th) throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
Chelsea manager EnzoMarescacelebrates after the match
As such, adding goals to his side will be Maresca’s main priority once the summer transfer window opens in just a couple of weeks.
Chelsea have been linked with their fair share of targets, no doubt about that, but how much will the manager be willing to spend to bolster his first-team squad?
Chelsea’s search for a new striker
One name that is on the list is Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap. Following his club’s relegation from the top flight back into the Championship, his release clause drops down to £30m, which makes him an attractive prospect.
Newcastle United and Manchester United are also keen, but is the talented Englishman a player who could spearhead a potential title challenge? That much remains to be seen.
Another target, and one with a higher ceiling than Delap, is Benjamin Sesko. Chelsea have been routinely linked with a move for the RB Leipzig frontman following his exploits on the continent.
Sesko
Elsewhere, Victor Osimhen remains a target, although he could be an expensive signing should he make the move to London in the summer.
Finally, Alexander Isak is a player who has also been mentioned with regard to a move to the capital. The Newcastle striker is arguably one of the finest players in the top flight, and signing him would signal a major statement of intent.
Isak is approaching the peak years of his career. But if the Blues wish to sign a striker who is just like the Swede, but a few years younger, then they could turn to the Bundesliga.
Chelsea eyeing move for Bundesliga striker
It appears as though Maresca will stop at nothing in order to bring in someone who has a track record for scoring goals.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to French news outlet RMC Sport, it is claimed that several clubs have made contact with Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike with regard to a potential move.
Chelsea are certainly in the hunt, although they face some stiff competition from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of the transfer window.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Due to his strong performances that have led Frankfurt to third place in the Bundesliga, thus securing Champions League qualification, Ekitike is now valued at €100m (£85m), which represents a massive change of fortunes from just 18 months ago.
Back then, he was struggling to make inroads at PSG. Now he is one of the most desirable forwards in Europe.
He has proven his worth in a top-five league. Would a move to Chelsea help him continue his development?
Why Chelsea must sign Hugo Ekitike this summer
Nicolas Jackson has endured a campaign to forget, scoring just 12 goals all season. Marc Guiu is the only other senior centre-forward in the first-team squad and while he netted six goals and showed a lot of promise prior to injury, he isn’t at the level to lead the club’s attack consistently.
Making a move for Ekitike, therefore, is of the utmost importance to Maresca over the next few weeks, that’s for sure.
Analyst Ben Mattinson delivered some high praise on the Frenchman in March this year, saying: “A move in the summer seems inevitable and rightly so, Ekitiké is one of the best strikers out there ready to explode.”
You might say he has already exploded. Throughout the 2024/25 season, Ekitike has scored 22 goals and registered 12 assists in all competitions for Frankfurt.
He ranked sixth in the top flight for goals and assists (23) for the club, while also ranking third for shots per game (3.5) and fifth for big chances missed (16). This last stat is something that will get better with age, as his abilities in the penalty area should improve over the coming years.
Given how well he has performed in the Bundesliga, especially compared to players such as Harry Kane, Ekitike is finally looking like he will fulfil his potential.
The sky is certainly the limit. If he made the move to London, Ekitike could become Maresca’s own version of Isak, especially considering the pair of strikers share similar sorts of qualities.
Why Ekitike could be a younger version of Alexander Isak
According to WhoScored, both Isak and Ekitike like to dribble, while they can count key passes and dribbling as their main strengths. As per FBref, the Newcastle centre-forward is the fifth-most comparable player to the French sensation, across Europe’s top five leagues.
The pair have also registered similar statistics across a range of attacking metrics domestically this season, including goals and assists (23 vs 29), shots on target per 90 (1.55 vs 1.32), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.55 vs 3.07), touches in the opposition penalty area (196 vs 186) and successful take-ons (52 vs 42) for their respective teams.
Metric
Isak
Ekitike
Goals
23
15
Assists
6
8
Shots per game
2.9
3.5
Big chances missed
18
16
Goal conversion percentage
24%
13%
Key passes per game
1.6
1.3
It is evident that the two are extremely similar not only in their playing style but also in their attacking output in 2024/25.
Like Isak, the Frankfurt striker has an insatiable eye for scoring at every possible opportunity. That’s not to say he is selfish, however, as the youngster can also create opportunities for his teammates with ease, evidenced by his 12 assists across the whole season.
Hugo Ekitike for Frankfurt.
He might cost the club around £85m, but as someone who has the potential to get better and better as time goes on, it may turn out to be a wise investment.
Of course, securing a place in the Champions League is imperative. If so, one of the continent’s most in-demand strikers could be on their way to London.
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While it’s impossible to deny that for large parts of this season, Arsenal haven’t performed to the standards they’ve set in previous years, they have also been quite unlucky regarding injuries.
Specifically, in late December, Mikel Arteta lost his best player and talisman to a severe hamstring injury that kept him out of the side for almost four months: Bukayo Saka.
The best way to demonstrate what a difference having the Hale Ender in the side could have made in that period is to look at his outrageous output, as despite missing so much football this season, he’s still managed to score 11 goals and provided 14 assists in 33 games, at an average of a goal involvement every 1.32 games.
So, with the Englishman unquestionably being the Gunners’ most important player, it would make sense to sign players who would make great teammates for him, which, based on recent reports, seems to be the opinion of Andrea Berta and Co.
Arsenal transfer news
Before we get to the player in question, it is worth looking at some of the other stars Arsenal are looking at who could help Saka reach that next level by improving the left-hand side, such as Jamie Gittens and Raphinha.
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The former has recently popped up as a target for the Gunners and could be available for around £51m, which for a youngster who’s scored at the Bernabeu and has racked up a haul of 17 goal involvements this season and could prove a worthwhile investment.
Likewise, while the reported price tag of £77m for the Barcelona star is indeed steep, he would undoubtedly be worth it, as in just 52 games this season, he has managed to rack up an unreal haul of 57 goal involvements.
Yet, what would likely help Saka more than anything else is signing a new striker, which is where Liam Delap enters the fray.
According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal are now incredibly interested in the Ipswich Town striker, with Andrea Berta particularly keen.
Furthermore, it’s moved beyond just an interest, with the report revealing that the club have now made an offer for the Englishman, who has a £30m release clause in his deal following the confirmation of the Tractor Boys’ relegation.
He might not be the biggest of names, but given how well he’s performed this season and his potential, Delap is someone worth signing, especially as he’d be a dream for Saka.
Why Delap would be a dream for Saka
Now, there are a few reasons why Delap would be a dream signing for Saka this summer, but they ultimately boil down to his ability in front of goal, as the Arsenal winger would surely thrive with a more clinical striker to his left.
We feel comfortable calling the Englishman more clinical than the Gunners’ current options up top, as it’s a statement more than backed up by the numbers.
For example, Understat has worked out that his 12 league goals this season have come from an expected goals figure of just 11.85, which, in other words, means he’s actually outperforming his underlying numbers.
Delap
11.85
12
Havertz
11.76
9
Jesus
3.38
3
In contrast, prior to his injury, Kai Havertz scored his nine league goals from an expected goals figure of 11.76, and Gabriel Jesus scored his three goals from an expected figure of 3.38.
On top of being better at putting away his chances, of which he’d be provided plenty from the Hale Ender, the 22-year-old marksman is more than capable of creating his own chances.
For example, FBref places the “complete” forward, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, in the top 8% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 9% for shot-creating actions from successful take-ons, the top 10 % for carries into the final third and more, all per 90.
So not only would he help boost the Arsenal ace’s assist tally, but the attacking “monster” – in the words of Ipswich podcast Mark Heath – would almost certainly boost his goal output as well.
Ultimately, from price to goals and his ability to get the ball into dangerous areas, Delap seems like an ideal signing for Arsenal and, just as importantly, someone who’d be a sensational teammate for Saka.
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Nottingham Forest have now made contact over a deal for a midfielder who is expected to cost around £40m this summer, according to a report.
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Despite losing their last two Premier League games, Forest are well-positioned to qualify for next season’s Champions League, given that they remain three points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea with just six games left to play.
The race is likely to go right down to the wire, but it is looking very likely the Tricky Trees will be playing European football of some description next season, which means Nuno may need to strengthen his squad in the summer transfer window.
Targets have been identified in multiple areas, having recently joined the race for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, but a new striker appears to be of particular interest, with Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson among the options.
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There have also been suggestions Forest could look to bring in a new central midfielder, and they are believed to be very keen on AC Milan’s Yunus Musah, but the American is not their only target.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest have now made contact over Chelsea’s Andrey Santos, submitting an enquiry to discuss a potential summer deal, but there could be fierce competition for his signature.
RC Strasbourg'sAndreySantosin action
Eight Premier League clubs have expressed an interest in Santos, who is valued at around £40m by the Blues, while there is also set to be competition from several unnamed European sides, which could make it very difficult to get a deal over the line.
Not only that, but the 20-year-old isn’t particularly keen on a move to the City Ground, given that his game time was very limited during his loan spell with the Tricky Trees last season.
Santos impressing on loan at Strasbourg
The Brazilian may have found game time hard to come by at Forest last season, but he has been seriously impressive on loan at Strasbourg, picking up nine goals and four assists in 27 Ligue 1 appearances this term.
Not only has the maestro impressed going forward, but he ranks highly on some key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, indicating he is a well-rounded midfielder.
Statistic
Average per 90
Non-penalty goals
0.32 (98th percentile)
Tackles
3.33 (96th percentile)
Clearances
2.06 (81st percentile)
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also been left seriously impressed by the Rio de Janeiro-born starlet in the past, lauding him as a “one-man war machine in midfield” after starring for Brazil U20 against Peru.
Santos has proven he deserves another chance in the Premier League, but it seems pretty unlikely the youngster would be willing to move back to the City Ground, given that his previous spell didn’t go to plan.