Manchester United have now joined the race to sign an “excellent” goalkeeper, who could be brought in as a replacement for Andre Onana this summer, according to a report.
Major concern over Onana's Man Utd performances
Onana was the subject of heavy criticism prior to Man United’s recent Europa League clash against Lyon, with Nemanja Matic launching a scathing attack on the goalkeeper.
Unfortunately, the 29-year-old didn’t exactly manage to silence the critics at the Groupama Stadium, making a late blunder to gift Rayan Cherki an equalising goal, which means there is everything still to play for at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
After the poor display against Lyon, Onana was dropped from the squad for the trip to St. James’ Park, but Altay Bayindir didn’t exactly stake a claim for a regular starting spot, with the Red Devils succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.
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As such, Ruben Amorim is now looking to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, and Man Utd have joined the race for Anders goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, according to a report from The Boot Room.
Fofana’s performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Newcastle, Brentford and Nottingham Forest also making checks in recent weeks.
Angers'YahiaFofanareacts
Previous reports have detailed that the Angers shot-stopper could be available for just £15m this summer, so Amorim may not have to break the bank if he chooses to pursue a deal.
"Excellent" Fofana could be Onana upgrade
It is clear Amorim is losing faith with Onana, and it is little wonder, given that the Cameroonian’s latest blunder could be costly in United’s Europa League campaign, while Bayindir also failed to impress against Newcastle.
Fofana’s performances this season indicate he could be an upgrade for United between the sticks, having been lauded as “excellent” by members of the media after putting in a solid display against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.
Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Ivorian, and believes the £15m fee Angers are set to hold out for “could be a bargain”.
The 24-year-old is yet to prove himself at the highest level, but his performances this season indicate he could be capable of making the step-up to a top club, and his availability for a low fee is an added bonus for United.
This has been a fantastic season for Liverpool and Arne Slot, now inches away from a Premier League title which may be delivered to Anfield’s doorstep as early as this weekend.
While this is unlikely (Liverpool would need to beat Leicester City away and hope that imperilled Ipswich Town earn three points at home against Arsenal), it’s a certainty at this stage that Liverpool will be the word etched into the trophy before the summer.
Sporting director Richard Hughes will no doubt have spent many months adding sheaf upon sheaf to his transfer plans, tasked with stocking Slot’s squad with new parts ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Now that Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s contracts have been taken care of, rumours around who will replace the outgoing Darwin Nunez at number nine have been ramping up, but Liverpool need to strengthen across the park.
Bringing a new central defender carries every bit as much weight as signing a new striker.
Liverpool's pursuit of a centre-back
Liverpool are looking to strengthen across a range of positions this summer, and despite Van Dijk’s much-anticipated renewal, central defence is set to be chief among the list of priorities.
It seems Liverpool have already identified their favourite target, with recent reports claiming Liverpool are leading the tight-packed race to sign Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, who is enjoying an exemplary breakout year in the Premier League.
AFC Bournemouth's DeanHuijsenduring the warm up before the match
Huijsen might be young and largely untested at the highest level, but his specific skill set bespeaks a future role at the very forefront of the European game.
It’s no coincidence that so many of the continent’s top outfits are lining up to make their move.
Real Madrid have registered their interest but Huijsen is expected to snub the La Liga superstars in favour of staying in the Premier League, report Spanish sources.
This is quite the novelty. But it reinforces Liverpool’s position in the driving seat as Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes confer ahead of the transfer window.
Huijsen is a terrific talent with a big future ahead of him, but he would be joining a vastly talented Liverpool backline and there are no assurances that he’d fit right into the starting fold from the get-go.
Not with Slot’s current options so talented, so proven in this title-winning team. Liverpool need more, but they’ve already hit the jackpot on a star worth even more than the Premier League’s most exciting young centre-half.
Liverpool have hit gold on Klopp signing
Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah was fast-tracked to first-team significance last season after Joel Matip suffered a career-ending knee injury in December 2023.
He’s since become a mainstay in the wider squad, and though Slot hasn’t used the 22-year-old all that frequently this term, he’s still played his part and has attracted interest from Newcastle United, who would be willing to do business for a £30m figure – which is lower than Liverpool’s valuation.
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah
Huijsen, with a £50m release clause, is worth more. However, Ibrahima Konate’s value is higher than it’s ever been following his part in Liverpool’s soon-to-be triumph.
Konate has been with Liverpool for four seasons now, joining from RB Leipzig after his £36m release clause was activated. Long regarded for his sinewy physique, formidable defending and sharp technical skills, injuries have always been the France international’s sticking point.
Ibrahima Konate in the Premier League
Season
Apps (starts)
Goals
Assists
Clean Sheets
24/25
26 (25)
1
2
10
23/24
22 (17)
0
0
5
22/23
18 (17)
0
0
7
21/22
11 (11)
0
0
4
Stats via Sofascore
He’s suffered from a bit of fitness bother this term, but Konate has never played more in the Premier League, hailed by analyst Josh Williams as a “monster at covering ground and dealing with one vs one situations.”
This is clear when peering at the data. As per Sofascore, Konate has won 65% of his duels in the top flight this year, keeping ten clean sheets and completing 90% of his passes.
Ibrahima Konate warming up for Liverpool
Huijsen is a great talent, but he’s not yet on the towering 25-year-old’s level. The Spain international, for example, has only won 56% of his Premier League duels, also completing 84% of his passes.
Heading toward his first league title, Konate has been a bona fide success on Merseyside, with Liverpool hitting the jackpot on the talented defender. However, given that he’s about to enter the final year of his contract, FSG will surely be concerned they may lose another member of their backline on a free, with Trent Alexander-Arnold set to join Real Madrid this summer.
Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are both known admirers of the French defender, but Liverpool won’t be letting him leave on the cheap this year, with Spanish sources claiming the Reds would refuse discussions if their €60m (£51m) price tag was not matched.
Given Konate’s just one year away from his deal expiring, this goes to show that Liverpool have got quite the defender in their mix.
There’s no question that Liverpool will hope to retain their monstrous defensive star’s services, especially now that Van Dijk’s future has been sorted and Konate’s fears allayed in that regard.
For now, we wait and see, but whichever way the pendulum swings this summer, Liverpool have hit the jackpot on Konate and will likely do the same on Huijsen, who could join Konate on Merseyside or even take his place in the coming months.
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Manchester City are already lining up a few transfer targets ahead of the summer transfer window opening on June 1.
Florian Wirtz and Morgan Gibbs-White have both been earmarked as potential replacements for the departing Kevin De Bruyne.
That being said, City will have to splash the cash if they wish to land either, as the German is valued at £129m while Nottingham Forest are demanding £100m for their star player.
However, the Citizens are also looking to strengthen at the back.
Man City's search for a defender
Elsewhere, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is also reportedly emerging as a player Pep Guardiola wants to have at his disposal.
He isn’t the only full-back on City’s radar, however, as a current Serie A star could be on the move to England.
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In January, the Etihad side were keeping a close watch on Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso, yet no move materialised back then.
Fast-forward a few months and Guardiola is keen to follow through on this initial interest when the transfer window opens, according to the Sun, who state that City still want to acquire him this summer.
Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti and Marco Brescianini in action with Juventus'AndreaCambiaso
Juventus appears to be closing in on a replacement for the Italian full-back, which could boost City’s pursuit of the player this summer.
A fee of around €60m (£50m) will be demanded by the Old Lady, one that is certainly affordable for the Manchester side.
While Kerkez would be an ideal long-term option at left-back, Cambiaso has much more experienced and has even enjoyed a better season from a statistical point of view than the Hungarian…
Why Andrea Cambiaso would be a better signing than Milos Kerkez
Kerkez has enjoyed a wonderful campaign for the Cherries throughout 2024/25, and it is perhaps no surprise the likes of City and Liverpool are looking to test their resolve with an offer.
Milos Kerkez for Bournemouth.
Since joining from Genoa in 2022, Cambiaso has gone about his business steadily, but offers qualities at both ends of the pitch.
Andrea Cambiaso vs Milos Kerkez this season
Stats (per 90)
Cambiaso
Kerkez
Games
30
29 (29)
Goals
2
2
Assists
1
5
Touches
61.2
59.1
Pass completion
92%
80%
Key passes
1.0
1.0
Dribbles
0.8
0.6
Ball recoveries
3.6
4.5
Tackles + interceptions
1.9
2.6
Clearances
0.6
2.8
Duels (won)
3.1 (52%)
4.1 (53%)
Via Sofascore
There isn’t much between the two City targets, especially regarding attacking metrics, but the Italian does come out on top in a fair few.
Indeed, when assessing data supplied via FBRef, he has registered more shots per 90 (0.63 vs 0.51), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.41 vs 2.26), successful take-ons (25 vs 20) and more goal-creating actions (0.31 vs 0.27) than the Hungarian left-back this season domestically.
Furthermore, the Juventus star has registered a higher pass completion percentage (89.5% vs 75.2%) while winning a higher percentage of aerial duels (37.5% vs 35.2%) per 90 than the Bournemouth youngster.
Juventus' Andrea Cambiaso
He was even dubbed “world-class” by European football expert Zach Lowy last season and he could be the ideal fit for Guardiola at City.
Another bonus is his ability to play either on the right or left side of the defence, giving the manager plenty of flexibility when choosing his side. That’s something that the Cherries defender cannot offer. He is solely a left-back.
Kerkez will no doubt go on to have an excellent future in the game, that there is no doubt, but at the current time, Cambiaso could very well be the best signing for the club as they head into a new era next season.
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Looking to continue their transfer strategy of welcoming future stars, Chelsea are now reportedly preparing an offer worth £17m to sign a young South American full-back ahead of the summer.
Chelsea aiming to spoil Liverpool's title party
Level on points with sixth-place Nottingham Forest, Chelsea are playing host to the Premier League champions at the worst possible time. The Reds will enter Stamford Bridge with the pressure eased, celebrations continuing and fresh from the first of four guard of honours. For Chelsea, meanwhile, this is simply a must-win game.
Manager Enzo Maresca is well aware of the importance of victory this Sunday too, having told reporters in his pre-match press conference: “The mood is good and I’ve said for a few weeks now that it’s a matter of how we manage emotions until the end [of the season].
“When we win games, we are happy and when we don’t win, we’re not happy. But it’ll be a race until the end and we need to manage the emotions. In this moment, the main thing is to watch ourselves and be focused on ourselves. This is the main point. For sure, there are more clubs involved [in the top-five race] but for us, it’s important to stay focused on ourselves.”
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With games against Newcastle United, Manchester United and most importantly, Nottingham Forest on the final day awaiting Chelsea, it is set to be a frantic few weeks for the Blues. Maresca has arguably been handed the toughest games of his tenure at the most crucial stage of the campaign.
On the pitch, securing Champions League football would signal quite the sigh of relief. Away from the action, meanwhile, it would allow those at Stamford Bridge to get to work in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea preparing £17m Wesley offer
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are now preparing an offer worth €20m (£17m) to sign Wesley from Flamengo, with talks over a deal set to intensify at the Club World Cup – a competition both sides will be competing in this summer.
As things stand, those negotiations will need to reach a breakthrough regarding the defender’s price-tag, given that Flamengo are reportedly holding out for €35m (£35m), rather than the £17m offer that Chelsea are seemingly preparing.
It should come as no surprise to see Chelsea interested in signing Wesley, given how often they’ve set their sights on South American talent throughout BlueCo’s ownership.
The Blues have already sealed the talented Estevao Willian and could now sign Wesley to go alongside the midfielder. Described as “pacy” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the right-back is certainly one to keep an eye on.
Nottingham Forest are now interested in signing an “excellent” £29 million forward who has scored 14 goals this season, according to a new report.
Forest drop points in race for Champions League spot
It is now no wins in their last three games in all competitions for Forest, as their fight for a Champions League spot has taken a hit. Murillo rescued a point for the Reds on Monday evening after going a goal down thanks to Eberechi Eze’s penalty. The draw leaves Forest in sixth place on 61 points, two behind Chelsea and Newcastle United and one ahead of Aston Villa, who are sitting in seventh place.
Despite the dropped points, Nuno Espirito Santo was pleased with his side’s attitude and defensive performance and believes everyone in the Champions League race will give it their all. As he said, “all the teams in this big fight will give it a go”.
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Nuno told BBC Match of the Day: “Let’s think about the game. It was two halves, and in the first half, we were very good. It was good for us that we achieved the goal so soon after the goal for Crystal Palace. That gave us belief to fight for the game. After last week, a good attitude.
“It’s about finding ourselves again after the past three games. We defended better; it’s so obvious, against a talented opponent in Palace.
“The final games will be nervous, tight games. Everyone is fighting for something, and Selhurst Park is always a tough place to come. All the teams in this big fight will give it a go.”
Nottingham Forest want to sign £29m forward with 14 goals in 24/25
As Nuno and his team remain focused on the race for a Champions League spot, Forest chiefs and the manager are looking towards the summer transfer window. Now, according to La Opinion A Coruna, relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest want to sign winger Yeremay Hernandez from Deportivo La Coruna.
The report states that there is a good chance Hernandez leaves the Spanish side at the end of this season, despite the fact he has just signed a new contract that runs until the summer of 2030. The winger was a wanted player in the January transfer window but stayed at Deportivo, where they inserted a release clause worth €35 million, which is roughly £29 million.
As well as Forest now showing an interest in a deal this summer, AFC Bournemouth and Brentford are also keen on striking an agreement. Teams from Italy, Germany and France are also keen on signing Hernandez, who has been dubbed “excellent” by Ben Mattinson in the past.
Yeremay Hernandez’s Deportivo La Coruna stats
Apps
94
Goals
22
Assists
10
However, all the teams are not going to have it easy signing the 22-year-old, as they will need to bring a lot of money and the skill to persuade Deportivo to sell one of their brightest players.
It is unclear at this stage if Forest, as well as Bournemouth and Brentford, are willing to pay Hernandez’s release clause. The Spanish U21 international has been in fine form this season, as he’s netted 14 goals in 35 La Liga 2 games.
Manchester United are now closing in on their first signing of the summer as they have agreed personal terms with Wolves star Matheus Cunha, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Man Utd stepping up transfer plans as they lodge multiple bids
This summer is expected to be a busy time for the Red Devils as they look to address what has been a very poor campaign and give Ruben Amorim the ingredients to become a success at Old Trafford. The summer transfer window isn’t even open yet, but United have already started to make moves in the transfer market.
A report from Spain has claimed that Man United have submitted a £55 million bid to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford – Mbeumo is seen as a player who can improve United’s attacking options, and the hope from Old Trafford is that the offer is enough to tempt Brentford into selling one of their star players.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
As well as making an offer for Mbuemo, reports have claimed United have also lodged a staggering £113 million bid to try and sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig this summer.
The Dutch international is expected to leave the Bundesliga side, and United hope he will ease the creative burden on Bruno Fernandes. It is claimed that United are desperate to bring Simons to Old Trafford, and his signing would be a huge statement from INEOS in terms of them backing Amorim in the transfer market.
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Man Utd closing in on £62.5m Cunha deal after agreeing personal terms
Mbuemo and Simons appear to be top targets for the Red Devils, but they are not going to be the first signing the Premier League side make this summer. That is because, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Man United are close to signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Romano reports that United are close to signing Cunha, as the Wolves star has now accepted the project on offer at Old Trafford and has agreed personal terms with the Red Devils, which means the deal is now almost completed. Romano adds that just the final details need to be sorted between all parties ‘and then, here we go’.
United have moved very quickly to sign Cunha, who has been dubbed “sensational” by pundit Micah Richards. The Brazilian international has a release clause worth £62.5 million, and the Red Devils are expected to trigger that to reach an agreement.
It was claimed last week that Arsenal had reopened talks to sign Cunha from Wolves, perhaps prompting INEOS to act fast with their move for the versatile forward, who has scored 15 goals in the Premier League this season.
Matheus Cunha’s 24/25 Premier League stats
Apps
31
Goals
15
xG
8.04
Shots per game
3.2
Shots on target per game
1.3
Chance conversion
15%
Assists
6
Big chances created
13
Cunha’s arrival at Old Trafford will likely see him deployed as one of United’s number 10s in Amorim’s system. But his versatility means the Brazilian can also operate as a number nine, which Amorim may be more inclined to do, given the struggles of Rasmus Hojlund.
Manchester United have held talks over a swap deal to sign a “generational” Premier League forward, with Jadon Sancho potentially being sent in the opposite direction, according to a report.
Sancho's future remains up in the air
Last week, it was revealed that Sancho was in discussions over a permanent move to Chelsea, having put in some improved performances towards the back end of the campaign, most notably scoring in the UEFA Conference League final.
Fabrizio Romano has since revealed the winger will not be making a move to west London, meaning the Blues had to pay Man United a £5m penalty clause. However, that does not mean he will remain at Old Trafford beyond the summer.
With Sancho’s future very much up in the air, the Red Devils are now exploring different ways to get him off the books, and secret talks have even been held over a swap deal for West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus.
That is according to a report from United in Focus, which reveals Kudus was ready to make the move to Old Trafford, with his West Ham career coming to an end, but the deal currently remains on hold.
That is because the Ghanaian is not Ruben Amorim’s number one priority, having set out to sign Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, who recently made it clear he wants to join United this summer, despite interest from Arsenal.
As such, while the West Ham star is expected to move on this summer, he may not join the Red Devils, with the move further complicated by the fact Graham Potter’s side are reluctant to sign Sancho.
Deal for "generational" Kudus could break the bank
Mbeumo appears to be United’s priority target, but should they switch their focus to the 24-year-old, a deal could be on the expensive side, as the forward has a £75m release clause in his contract with the Irons.
As such, it does not seem likely that Amorim’s side will sign the Ghana international this summer, with West Ham uninterested in Sancho, but he could be a fantastic signing if they do manage to facilitate a deal.
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The Accra-born attacker has been described as a “generational talent” by journalist Gary Al-Smith, and he has impressed in the Premier League in the past, picking up eight goals and nine assists in the 2023-24 campaign.
That said, Mbeumo has been far more prolific than Kudus in recent times, reaching the 20-goal mark this season, so it is clear to see why the Cameroonian is the preferred option for Man United.
The summer transfer window is here, and Tottenham Hotspur need to get moving.
The North Londoners may have broken their title drought in the Europa League, but it cannot be forgotten just how diabolically poor they were in the Premier League.
So, to ensure things improve next season, Daniel Levy and Co need to provide Ange Postecoglou – or whoever takes his job – with the right players.
Fortunately, recent reports have linked the Lilywhites with someone who’d be the ideal replacement, Son Heung-min, who may be on the way out.
Tottenham transfer news
Back in January of this year, Tottenham announced that they had extended Son’s contract for another year, and while it looked like he’d fulfil that extra season, things have changed.
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On Tuesday afternoon, Sam Wallace of the Telegraph revealed that the North Londoners captain, who has been at the club since 2015, could be ‘another high-profile departure this summer.’
He explains that, with interest from the Saudi Pro League, there is a real chance for the club to fetch a decent fee for the South Korean ace and that, following the club’s victory in Bilbao, he’d be going on a high and as an undisputed legend.
While selling the 32-year-old might not be a popular idea with all fans, it might explain the club’s interest in Antoine Semenyo.
Yes, according to a recent report from transfers expert Dean Jones, Spurs are one of several clubs in the picture for the Bournemouth star this summer.
Jones does not mention how much the international might cost, but a story from earlier this week that also linked Manchester United with the 25-year-old claimed that the Cherries might demand around £60m for their dynamic attacker.
It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Semenyo’s ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a great replacement for Son.
Why Spurs should sign Semenyo
While it would represent a significant investment, there are a few reasons why Spurs should be going out to sign Semenmyo this summer, starting with his output this season.
Antoine Semenyo for Bournemouth.
Despite playing for a midtable side, the Ghanaian international managed to rack up a pretty impressive haul of 13 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances, totalling 3562 minutes.
In other words, the former Bristol City gem averaged a goal involvement every 2.1 games, or 178.1 minutes this season.
Semenyo’s 24/25
Appearances
42
Minutes
3562′
Goals
13
Assists
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.47
Minutes per Goal Involvement
178.1′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
On top of that, the Chelsea-born “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, is incredibly versatile, and while he would be an excellent replacement for Son on the left, he’s ambipedal and just as comfortable playing off the right and even up top, which would give whoever is in the dugout next season, more tactical options.
Finally, the dynamic attacker, who Mattinson claims “is tailor-made for a big team”, has some impressive underlying numbers to his name, numbers which show he also puts a real shift in when it comes to his defensive duties.
According to FBref, he sits in the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for blocks, the top 4% for passes blocked, the top 5% for total shots, the top 8% for aerial duels won, the top 10% for shot-creating actions from take-ons and shots, the top 12% for successful take-ons percentage and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, while it is a lot of money, Spurs would be wise to sign Semenyo this summer as he would not only add some real quality to the squad in his own right, but he’d also be an ideal replacement for Son.
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Russell Martin is the 20th permanent manager in Rangers’ 153-year history, but he’s got plenty of work to do if he’s going to be a success at Ibrox.
Last season, the Gers finished second in the Premiership, a whopping 17 points adrift of the champions, and ended the campaign trophyless, most notably dumped out of the Scottish Cup having suffered their first-ever home defeat against lower-league opposition in the competition.
So, if the Light Blues are going to be ready for the start of Champions League qualifying next month, Martin is going to want to be very busy in the transfer market, so could he be reunited with a player for the third time?
Rangers targeting a new centre-back
According to a report by EFL Analysis, Rangers remain interested in signing centre-back Harry Darling, labelling this potential move to Glasgow a ‘very intriguing prospect’, with Norwich City also pursuing the defender.
The 25-year-old is a free agent, having left Swansea City, and has twice played for Martin before, first at Milton Keynes, before the new Rangers manager signed Darling three years ago when he was in charge of the Swans.
Recently-appointed Norwich boss Liam Manning, who replaced Martin at MK, described Darling as “outstanding”, adding that he is more than “capable” of playing at a high level, so could he turn down the Canaries and reunite with Martin once more?
How Harry Darling compares to Robin Pröpper
According to reports in the Netherlands, Robin Pröpper is set to re-join FC Twente this summer, with the Eredivisie side willing to pay around half of the £2.5m they received for the centre-back a mere 12 months ago.
The Dutchman made 43 appearances during his first, and potentially only, season at Rangers, scoring during victories over both Celtic and Dundee United, but more notably getting sent off just 13 minutes into the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club.
Pröpper himself admitted that “maybe I underestimated” the level of competition one faces in the Scottish Premiership, with his performances often widely criticised, including by Aaron Nijjar of Football Insider, who noted that his ‘struggles continued’ following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in December.
Meantime, Ewan Paton of the Rangers Review believes that Scottish football is ‘too quick and physical for his capabilities’, suggesting that supporters would be pleased to see the back of him.
But, would Darling be an upgrade? Let’s assess the pair’s respective statistics to answer that question.
Darling vs Pröpper 2024/25 comparison
Statistics
Darling
Pröpper
Appearances
39
43
Minutes
3,337
3,210
% of dribblers tackled
56.5%
55.6%
Tackles per 90
0.8
1.2
Interceptions per 90
0.6
0.9
Clearances per 90
5
3.8
Ball recoveries
152
36
% of aerial duels won
64.2%
54%
% of ground duels won
66%
53.25%
Average Sofascore Rating
7.23
6.69
Stats via Transfermarkt, FBref, Sofascore
As the table outlines, pretty much across the board, Darling comes out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics included.
Worth considering that also, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the 11th strongest division in the world, with the Scottish Premiership down in 43rd, albeit 11 of Pröpper’s outings did come in either Champions League qualifying or the Europa League.
Writer Kai Watson believes that Darling would be ‘perfect’ for Martin’s system, labelling him ‘very comfortable on the ball and a brilliant passer’, underlining that this deal is a no-brainer for Rangers, especially considering he’s a free agent.
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Liverpool are in a ruthless mood this summer and after welcoming Florian Wirtz for a British-record fee, Richard Hughes is reportedly set for talks to sell one of Arne Slot’s star and has already contacted his potential replacement.
Liverpool not done after record Wirtz deal
Unlike in the past, Liverpool are not just sitting back and admiring their silverware. They’re gunning for more. Jeremie Frimpong arrived first to replace Trent Alexander-Anrold, but the biggest headlines were still to come as Wirtz followed his former Bayer Leverkusen teammate to Anfield in a British-record £116m deal.
The German is ready to take the Premier League by storm too, telling Liverpool’s official media channels: “I’m really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League.
“I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it’s perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I’m really looking forward to playing my first game.”
Florian Wirtz for Germany
Even after Wirtz, however, Liverpool are not done there. It has been a summer full of business for Richard Hughes, who is making up for lost time following a quiet debut year in Merseyside. Up next looks set to be Milos Kerkez, whilst reported talks to sell one star man could lead to another big-money incoming.
Liverpool set to hold talks to sell Nunez
According to Fabrizio Romano, reporting on Saturday afternoon, Liverpool are set to hold talks with Napoli next week over the sale of Darwin Nunez. The Italian club reportedly see the forward as their dream target and are now looking to learn more about the details of a potential move.
The sale of the struggling forward could be good news for those in Merseyside, who have reportedly already contacted Hugo Ekitike over a deal to replace Nunez this summer.
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The Reds are making more moves on the market.
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By
Sean Markus Clifford
Jun 21, 2025
When speaking about the Frenchman, Romano recently told the Market Madness Podcast: “Well, I think for Ekitike this could be a possibility to go to Liverpool, because there were calls from Chelsea two weeks ago. Man United, in recent days, also made contact with the agents to understand the situation.
“But for Liverpool, this is also a possibility. Liverpool also spoke to the agents. Also, Liverpool considered Ekitike an interesting opportunity. And so that’s the name I would keep in their shortlist.”
League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Hugo Ekitike
Darwin Nunez
Minutes
2,563
1,133
Goals
15
5
Assists
8
2
Expected Goals
21.6
5.8
As the numbers show, Liverpool would once again be landing an instant upgrade this summer to continue what is likely to go down as their best-ever transfer window, even if the Frenchman could cost £85m.