All posts by z3u9t.icu

While it could still end in an incredible crescendo of Champions League glory, it wouldn’t be amiss to describe this season as something of a disappointment for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side were terrible in both the FA Cup and League Cup, and are now at risk of losing their grasp on second place in the Premier League.

Moreover, while the team has underwhelmed as a collective, there have been several players who’ve simply not reached the standards set in the last couple of years, such as Martin Odegaard.

So, with this in mind, it’s not all that surprising to read recent reports linking the club to someone who could be an upgrade on the Gunners captain.

Arsenal transfer news

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other midfield stars linked with Arsenal in recent months, such as Frenkie de Jong and Kevin De Bruyne.

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 has been enjoying a stellar campaign with Barcelona and remains on track for a historic treble-winning season with the Catalan club, so while he’d be an exceptional addition to the club, we imagine he’d cost a king’s ransom, even with reports coming out about his contract talks stalling.

In contrast, we now know Kevin de Bruyne will be leaving Manchester City in the summer, so if Arteta can work his magic, he might just be able to convince the mercurial Belgian to join his former title rivals, and with 14 goal involvements in 36 games this season, he’d still be a useful player to have in the squad.

However, knowing the North Londoners might want to make sure they keep the team young and hungry, which could explain the recent links to Brahim Diaz.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have identified the Moroccan international as a ‘top priority’ ahead of the summer and that Arteta really wants the club to sign the player he worked with at Manchester City.

The story claims that Real Madrid are willing to let the player leave for a convincing offer, while stories from earlier this year suggest that they’d be after a fee in the region of €60m, which is about £51m.

It would be a costly deal to get over the line, but one worth pursuing, as he could be a perfect upgrade on Odegaard.

How Diaz compares to Odegaard

So, if Arsenal get their man this summer, and he comes in to play more of a midfield role, he’d be in direct competition with Odegaard for that creative number ten role.

With that said, who comes out on top when we compare them?

From a pure output perspective, it is the “incredible” Real ace, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, who emerges victorious, but only when we look at the minutes-to-goal involvement ratios.

For example, in 49 appearances, totalling 2058 minutes, the Moroccan international has scored six goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.76 games, or far more consequently, every 158.30 minutes.

In contrast, the Norwegian maestro has scored five goals and provided 11 assists in 41 appearances, totalling 3162 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.56 games, but more importantly, every 197.62 minutes.

What about when we take a look under the hood and at their underlying numbers, then? Is it another minor victory for the Champions League winner?

Well, it’s actually a relatively comfortable one for the 25-year-old, as he comes out ahead in most relevant metrics, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, passing accuracy, goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.57

0.37

Non-Penalty G+As

0.42

0.34

Progressive Passes

4.62

10.1

Progressive Passes Received

6.99

6.08

Progressive Carries

2.66

3.46

Shots

1.89

1.82

Shots on Target

1.05

0.55

Passing Accuracy

86.7%

82.9%

Key Passes

1.40

2.41

Shot-Creating Actions

3.57

4.86

Goal-Creating Actions

0.84

0.59

Tackles Won

1.26

0.46

Interceptions

0.28

0.17

Blocks

1.12

0.21

Successful Take-Ons

1.54

0.97

Ultimately, while Odegaard remains a talented player, Diaz has outperformed him in just about every metric this season, and if Arsenal can sign him in the summer, they should.

Same agent as Saka: Arsenal lead race to sign £51m upgrade on Nico Williams

The sensational youngster could flourish at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 6, 2025

Manchester United are now working to seal a deal for a £60m+ star “very soon”, with the “incredible” forward “keen” on a move to Old Trafford, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd stepping up summer transfer plans

Although Rasmus Hojlund bagged a late equaliser, the recent 1-1 draw against AFC Bournemouth once again underlined the need for Ruben Amorim to strengthen his squad considerably this summer, with Daniel Sturridge dubbing the current Man United team the “worst” since he was born.

As we edge closer to the summer window, it is becoming clear Amorim wants to bring in a number of new forwards this summer, with Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta among the targets at striker, alongside the likes of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui.

There have also been widespread suggestions that the Red Devils are progressing towards agreeing a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha, having reportedly submitted a five-year contract offer in recent days.

Romano has now taken to X to drop an update on Man United’s pursuit of Cunha, stating they are “working” to seal the deal “very soon”, with negotiations now underway over the final details of the contract.

Man Utd set to hold talks with £50m ace who has been contacted by Barca

United are trying to beat Barcelona to the signing of an exciting attacker.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 28, 2025

The Wolves star is “keen” on a move to Old Trafford this summer, but he is unlikely to come cheap, given that he is protected by a £62.5m release clause in his contract.

Reports from elsewhere have stated the Brazilian is set to be brought in to play as a number 10, which means United are still tasked with signing a new striker, and there is no shortage of potential targets.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Crystal Palace

£40m

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting CP

£64m

Mateo Retegui

Atalanta

£50m

Liam Delap

Ipswich Town

£30m

Victor Osimhen

Napoli

£62m

"Incredible" Cunha could help transform Man Utd's attack

United have been particularly poor from an attacking point of view this season, having scored just 39 goals in 34 Premier League games, which suggests they may need to make a number of additions to their frontline this summer.

Joshua Zirkzee and Hojlund have struggled to adapt to life in England, but Cunha has proven himself in the Premier League, playing a major role in steering Wolves clear of relegation trouble by picking up a total of 15 goals and six assists.

The Wolves star has been impressing in the Premier League for quite some time, having previously been lauded as “incredible” by reporter Jacob Steinberg after scoring a hat-trick against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season.

There are some doubts over the signing of Cunha, with suitors said to be put off by his disciplinary record, but Paul Scholes believes he has the “attributes” to fit into Amorim’s style of play, and there are plenty of indications that he could be a success at Old Trafford.

Glasgow Rangers could be set to see their takeover by the 49ers Enterprises go through by the start of the summer transfer window.

It appears as though it is a matter of when and not if the US-based consortium will arrive at Ibrox, hopefully with plenty of financial investment to help bolster the squad.

There will be several major decisions to make ahead of pre-season. Working out who must stay and who should be sold is going to be crucial ahead of the 2025/26 season for Rangers.

Furthermore, choosing the correct manager to lead the club into this new era could be the most important decision the 49ers make.

Barry Ferguson has been the interim manager since Philippe Clement was given his marching orders a few months ago. He went to get the role on a permanent basis after overseeing just four wins from his ten games in charge at the time of writing, conceding 20 goals in the process.

With the end of the season in sight, the rumour mill has begun with regard to who will be the next manager of the Light Blues.

The managers linked with Rangers

The most surprising name linked with a move to manage the club is José Mourinho. He knows full well about the Ibrox atmosphere having seen his Fenerbahçe side defeated on penalties in the Europa League last month, even congratulating the squad in the dressing room after the game.

According to TEAMtalk, Mourinho would reportedly be keen on making the move to Glasgow, although he would need significant backing from the 49ers that they would provide him with funds to strengthen.

The Portuguese boss might not be at the top of his game compared to his previous successes, but he would certainly be box office.

Former Southampton manager Russell Martin is also a name that has been mentioned regarding the vacant managerial role.

The Scot is reportedly keen on taking over from Ferguson this summer and is reportedly waiting to hear from the hierarchy at the club to discuss a potential move.

Of course, Steven Gerrard has been linked with a return to Ibrox after being sacked by Al-Etiffaq in Saudi Arabia.

This news was once again reported by TEAMtalk. Gerrard knows what it takes to win with the club, having led them to their first league title in a decade during the 2020/21 campaign.

His previous two managerial roles ended poorly, however. They say never go back. Should the club make a move for the former Liverpool icon? Or is time to go in a totally new direction under new owners?

Marco Rose is a name that has been mentioned recently amid the talks of a takeover by the 49ers.

Why Marco Rose could be in contention

Rose was recently sacked by Bundesliga side RB Leipzig after two and a half years in charge.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

The 49ers have a strong relationship with Red Bull and with Rose having managed both RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig during his career so far, the connections are there to be made.

Gretar Steinsson, the 49ers Technical Director, has held discussions with managerial targets across Europe ever since the potential takeover was mooted and this could see the club look in a different direction.

RB Leipzig

2022-25

124

1.85

Borussia Dortmund

2021-22

46

1.85

Borussia Mönchengladbach

2019-21

88

1.61

RB Salzburg

2017-19

114

2.35

Lok Leipzig

2012-13

30

1.2

Via Transfermarkt

Rose worked with Steinsson during his spells in charge of both Salzburg and Leipzig, indicating that there is a prior relationship which could perhaps lead to Rose becoming one of the favourites for the vacant role at Ibrox.

This may just be a coincidence, but given his relationship with the Red Bull Group in recent years, Rose might be getting talked about as a potential new manager in the coming weeks, that’s for sure.

Why Rose could be a great alternative to Gerrard

The Ibrox faithful will forever have a place for Gerrard in their hearts, especially after claiming the Premiership title in 2021.

During his final few months, however, the football wasn’t pretty and the Light Blues were struggling majorly.

Spells at Aston Villa (sacked after less than a year) and Al-Ettifaq (left by mutual consent after 18 months) haven’t exactly done much to further his career after success with the Gers.

The only positive surrounding his potential return is that Gerrard knows the standards expected at Ibrox, meaning he could integrate a lot quicker than, say, Rose or someone else.

The case for Rose is also complicated, although he has managed one of the biggest clubs in Europe – Borussia Dortmund – between 2021 and 2022.

Rangers did defeat his side 4-2 during the knockout stages of the Europa League in the 2021/22 campaign as they set the standards on their way to the final that season.

Prior to that, he claimed two Austrian Bundesliga titles with Salzburg, also going on to win the Austrian Cup but it is his spell with Leipzig which was the longest of his career.

During his debut season, the 48-year-old secured the German Cup, but his Bundesliga placings got worse over his time with the club. Third was secured in 2022/23, before a fourth-place finish last season.

When he was sacked, Leipzig were sitting in sixth place and in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification.

He prefers to use a classic 4-4-2 system, which could be altered in several ways to suit the players at Rangers. Plus, he could be given money to bolster the squad in the transfer market should he join the club.

Scottish scout and analyst Kai Watson has heaped praise on Rose amid his name being mentioned with the job, saying: “I honestly can’t believe there’s snobbery around Marco Rose. Take the Celtic scarf picture out of the equation, claiming that he’s a bad or below average manager is truly a wild statement in my opinion. In profile/stature he’s a level above someone like Gerrard, by a distance.”

Interestingly, Rose has defeated Celtic four times in his managerial career, twice each with Salzburg and Leipzig. Of course, beating them with Rangers is a different challenge altogether, but he knows how to get the better of the Parkhead side.

That could be all the difference.

Rangers must axe £3m flop who has missed more games than Lawrence

Kevin Thelwell has a big job on his hands at Rangers

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 27, 2025

Leeds United are thought to be getting closer to signing a £130,000-a-week star who has actually been compared to another rumoured target in Kalvin Phillips.

Phillips linked with return to Leeds from Man City

The Whites clinched promotion from the Championship to the Premier League on Monday evening, sparking wild scenes at Elland Road hours on from a 6-0 win over Stoke City.

Daniel Farke and the Leeds players watched on from Elland Road as Burnley beat Sheffield United 2-1, a result which sent the Whites and the Clarets up with two games to spare.

On the pitch, attention will now be on winning the title with victories over Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle, however, behind the scenes, preparations are already being made ahead of the transfer market.

A number of players have already been linked with a move to Yorkshire, including former star Phillips, who has found it difficult since leaving Leeds for Manchester City in 2022.

The holding midfielder has struggled to break into Pep Guardiola’s plans, which saw him loaned out to West Ham at the beginning of 2024 before joining Ipswich Town for the current 2024/25 campaign.

However, with the Tractor Boys on course for an immediate return to the Championship, Phillips could be on the search for another new club and is thought to be keen on re-joining Leeds. The 29-year-old is thought to be pushing for a return to Elland Road as he also looks to reignite his career at international level.

A dream first deal after promotion: £15m star wants to sign for Leeds

The player is reportedly keen to secure a permanent move to Leeds United this summer.

ByDan Emery Apr 23, 2025

However, Leeds, Farke and the 49ers have other midfield targets in mind, such as Borussia Monchengladbach ace Julian Weigl. Now, another midfielder has been linked with a move to Yorkshire, and it could be a sea that doesn’t cost Leeds a penny.

Leeds close to signing Everton star Doucoure for free

According to reports in France, Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure is ‘getting closer to Leeds’. The Toffees star is out of contract at the end of the current campaign and could therefore move to the Whites for free.

Those at Elland Road are keen on the £130,000-a-week midfielder, who recently spoke out about his Everton future. “I can’t talk too much about that but obviously you know it may be my last few months here at the moment. Everything is quiet from the club side. Obviously I love the club, I always said. Let’s see what happens in the next couple of weeks.”

When asked about signing a new deal with Everton, the 32-year-old added: “Why not? To be honest I love this club. I always said I wanted to stay. Obviously my contract is running out but I love the club.”

Kalvin Phillips

Man City

Manuel Ugarte

Man Utd

Joao Gomes

Wolves

Amadou Onana

Aston Villa

Ilia Gruev

Leeds

Interestingly, Doucoure, who can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder, has been compared to Phillips among others by Football Transfers. Now, a cut-price move to Yorkshire could be one to keep an eye on over the coming months.

Can Celtic get back to winning ways?

Last Sunday, the Hoops were beaten by the side bottom of the Scottish Premiership for the first time since November 2005, shockingly defeated 1-0 by struggling St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Considering Rangers also lost a day earlier, Hibs claiming a 2-0 win at Ibrox, it mattered very little, and Celtic could be crowned champions as soon as this weekend.

If Brendan Rodgers’ team beat Kilmarnock on Saturday, and then their fierce rivals are defeated at Pittodrie a day later, a record-equalling 55th top division title will be rubber-stamped.

As the Hoops target victory over Derek McInnes’ Killie, Rodgers must drop his club-record signing and unleash a fit again star instead.

Arne Engels mixed first season at Celtic

Last summer, after selling Matt O’Riley to Brighton for a reported £25m fee, Celtic broke their club record to replace him, with Arne Engels arriving on deadline day from Augsburg at the cost of £11m.

Upon his arrival, Rodgers labeled the Belgian a “young player of real quality”, while Graeme McGarry of the Herland claims the 21-year-old has ‘huge potential’.

To date, Engels has scored ten goals and registered 12 assists across all competitions, with 32 of his 45 appearances coming from the start, underlining that he has been a mainstay.

However, in more recent times, Joe Donnelly of the Glasgow Times notes that Engels has regularly ‘failed to make a significant impact’ in many Celtic matches, scoring only once in his last 12 appearances, hooked after 66 minutes in Perth last Sunday.

Thus, Rodgers must, now, ruthlessly ditch the Belgium international from the starting line-up due to his recent lack of impact at the top end of the pitch, and his dull display last time out.

The Celtic star who should replace Arne Engels

Back in February, Paulo Bernardo suffered an ankle injury during a Scottish Cup tie against Raith Rovers that saw him sidelined for five weeks, heartbreakingly missing out on the two-legged Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Since then, the Portuguese U21 international has seen just 28 minutes of action, coming off the bench during the 3-0 rout of Hearts a fortnight ago, before remaining an unused substitute against St Johnstone last time out.

Bernardo himself said “I can play football again, so I’m really excited”, describing the injury he suffered as “bad” but stating he will do his best and give his all during the remainder of the campaign.

Bernardo initially joined Celtic on loan from Benfica, before making the move permanent for a reported £3.5m fee last summer.

So far, he’s scored just seven goals and registered only seven assists in 70 outings in hoops, but let’s take a deeper dive into his statistics when compared to Engels.

Appearances

37

45

Minutes

1,544

2,800

Goals

3

10

Assists

4

12

Chances created

30

64

Big chances created

5

14

Passing accuracy %

87.95%

84.64%

Through-balls

2

12

Ball recoveries

74

109

Touches per 90

79

72

The table shows that, throughout the season, Engels’ statistics are better, albeit he has played around 1,300 minutes more across all competitions, which certainly skews the data.

Bernardo meantime, boasts a higher pass completion percentage, more ball recoveries per 90 minutes, and registers marginally more touches per game.

Thus, the Portuguese midfielder definitely deserves a shot against Kilmarnock, building up his match-sharpness ahead of a Scottish Cup semi-final against the side who have just beaten Celtic, namely St Johnstone, at Hampden on Easter Sunday.

Rarely-seen Celtic flop is fast becoming their new James McCarthy

The rarely-seen Celtic flop could end up becoming the new James McCarthy at Parkhead.

ByDan Emery Apr 10, 2025

Daizen Maeda added another two goals to his tally in Celtic’s 3-0 win at Parkhead in their Scottish Premiership clash last weekend.

The Japan international has now racked up 30 goals and nine assists in 43 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops so far this season, as he has proven himself to be a reliable figure in front of goal for Brendan Rodgers.

TEAMtalk recently reported that teams from Italy and Germany, as well as elsewhere across Europe, have taken an interest in the Japanese forward ahead of the summer transfer window.

The outlet did not name any of the interested clubs but did reveal that it would take significantly more than £10m to prise him away from Parkhead, which could result in him being one of the most expensive sales in Celtic’s history if he moves on later this year.

As you can see in the graphic above, an exit for more than £10m would place him among the top ten biggest sales in club history, alongside the likes of Jota, Virgil van Dijk, and Jeremie Frimpong.

Of those ten sales, Celtic may rue not being able to cash in on van Dijk for even more money than the £13m they did get from Southampton for him, given what the centre-back has gone on to achieve.

Virgil van Dijk's soaring market value since leaving Celtic

The Netherlands international joined the club from Groningen in the summer of 2013 and went on to score 15 goals in 115 first-team appearances for the Hoops across two seasons in Glasgow.

Van Dijk’s form at the heart of the Celtic defence earned him a £13m move to Premier League side Southampton in the summer of 2015, and that was a significant profit on the £2.6m that they had paid Groningen for his services.

However, it was the Saints who ended up landing the biggest profit of the Dutchman’s career as they went on to sell him to Liverpool for a reported world-record fee – for a defender – of £75m in January 2018.

This meant that Southampton made a mind-boggling profit of £62m on the central defender, compared to the £10.4m profit that Celtic made on him after two years in Glasgow.

As you can see in the clips above, Van Dijk has gone on to become a terrific defender for Liverpool over the years, racking up 311 appearances in all competitions and winning a Premier League and a Champions League trophy.

Celtic may, now, look back on their deal to sell the Dutch colossus to Southampton and wonder if they could have held out for more money, given the incredible value that he went on to accrue.

Several years after van Dijk’s departure from Parkhead, the Hoops had a centre-back on their hands who was tipped to be the club’s next version of the Liverpool superstar.

Celtic star who was tipped to be the next Virgil van Dijk

The Scottish giants had signed Leo Hjelde from Rosenborg’s academy at U18 level in the summer of 2019 and the young defender came up through the ranks before eventually getting his senior breakthrough on loan at Ross County in the second half of the 2020/21 campaign.

In those five months, the Norwegian central defender, who was born in Nottingham, started ten of his 11 appearances for the club at the age of just 17.

Appearances

11

Starts

10

Interceptions per game

1.8

Tackles per game

1.7

Clearances per game

3.3

Ground duel success rate

51%

Aerial duel success rate

38%

As you can see in the table above, Hjelde got stuck in during his time at Ross County, making plenty of tackles, clearances, and interceptions each match, although – as expected at the age of 17 – he did struggle a bit with his physical duels.

Ross County manager John Hughes saw enough from the Norway youth international to compare him to Virgil van Dijk, adding that he hoped that the defender would go on to be a regular at Parkhead.

He told the Press and Journal: “One hundred percent, Leo is going to be the next Van Dijk. Trust me on that. I would love to see him make his debut for Celtic and become a regular. I would love nothing more to see him running out there.”

These quotes, and his form in the Premiership at such a young age, suggested that Hjelde had a bright future in Glasgow, but that is not how it worked out.

What happened to Leo Hjelde

Instead of getting a chance in the first-team under Ange Postecoglou, who arrived at Celtic in the same summer that the centre-back returned from his loan spell, the defender was sold.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Towards the end of August in the summer transfer window, Hjelde was sold to Premier League side Leeds United for a reported fee of £1m, without making a single first-team appearance for Celtic during his two years at the club.

Postecoglou brought Cameron Carter-Vickers, who remains a key first-team figure to date, in on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and signed Carl Starfelt on a permanent deal from Rubin Kazan, which made Hjelde’s task of breaking into the senior side all the more difficult.

Unfortunately, though, the 21-year-old defender has not had much more luck elsewhere in his career. He only played eight first-team matches for Leeds before his permanent move to Sunderland in January 2024.

Appearances

12

10

Starts

11

2

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

0.9

Clearances per game

2.6

1.2

Ground duel success rate

51%

43%

Aerial duel success rate

57%

63%

As you can see in the table above, Hjelde seemed to hit the ground running as a regular starter in the second half of last season, only to lose his place in the side in the current campaign.

The 21-year-old, who can play at centre-back or left-back, has been an unused substitute for 25 Championship games under Regis Le Bris, which suggests that he has not done enough to impress the manager to earn more minutes on the pitch.

At his young age, there is still plenty of time left for Hjelde to turn his career around, whether that is at Sunderland or elsewhere, to deliver on the early promise he showed to earn a comparison to Van Dijk at the age of 17.

However, at this moment in time, Postecoglou’s decision to allow the promising young centre-back to move on from Celtic for £1m appears to have been a fair decision, as the Norwegian youngster is yet to prove the Australian manager wrong by fulfilling his potential.

Celtic ace left for £600k, now he's similar to a future Ballon d'Or winner

The player Celtic lost for just £600k is now similar to a star who has been tipped to win the Ballon d’Or.

ByDan Emery Apr 1, 2025

Manchester United’s midfield pivot has been something that Ruben Amorim has seemingly found a formula he likes. The Portuguese manager has caused lots of debate with his infamous 3-4-2-1, with the wing-backs being one thing to spark such conversation.

However, the makeup of his pivot has been interesting to see, too. This season, it seems as though the former Sporting boss has landed on captain Bruno Fernandes and the experienced Casemiro as his ideal duo in midfield.

It is a new role for Fernandes, who has played most of his career as a number ten.

As for Casemiro, he has done well this season. Yet, against Crystal Palace at the weekend, he looked exposed at times.

Why Casemiro can struggle in the pivot

Brazil legend Casemiro has certainly adapted well to playing in Amorim’s system.

Not too long ago, he was told to “leave the football before the football leaves you” by Jamie Carragher. Now, he is a regular starter for United at almost 34 years of age.

Indeed, Amorim has put a lot of trust in the former Real Madrid star this season. He’s played in 12 Premier League games, missing one due to a suspension.

Since the middle of September, he’s started every game in the league he’s been available for, and has even scored three times.

However, there are struggles that the United number 18 can experience in midfield.

Physically, Casemiro is a little behind the eight ball at times and can get exposed, often being left in the dust and opposition midfielders coasting past him.

Coming up against the Eagles last Sunday, it was an issue in the first half for the 82-cap Brazil international. As Goal journalist Calum Preston Kelly pointed out, he “struggled to prevent Palace dictating play in the first half.”

The energetic duo of Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada found it all too easy and were able to breeze past him countless times, having looked “haunted” up against the Englishman, in particular.

Perhaps this is an issue Amorim would like to nip in the bud before long. It might well make a change of personnel in the pivot to have a true impact.

United’s ready-made Casemiro alternative

There are options if Amorim wants to switch things up in midfield.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Mason Mount briefly played next to Bruno Fernandes away to Fulham at the start of the season, and Manuel Ugarte is another player who could slot into the side.

Yet, the obvious answer is Kobbie Mainoo. Amorim continues to ignore his obvious talent, despite being called a “future £100m+ footballer” by Alex Turk and starting in the final of Euro 2024 just 18 months ago.

It has been a tough campaign for the Stockport-born midfielder. He’s only played nine times in the Premier League, and is yet to start a game.

He’s featured for just 171 minutes, averaging 20 per game that he has played in.

Let’s not forget, though, the skill Mainoo possesses. He is a master in small spaces, able to break the press with his carrying ability and drive forward.

He’s also intelligent off the ball and is a strong dueller. Those were all on show on his Premier League debut against Everton, where he had 61 touches and won five duels.

Touches

61

Pass accuracy

83%

Passes completed

38/46

Ground duels won

3/5

Aerial duels won

2/3

Ball recoveries

3

Dribbles completed

2/3

The skills Mainoo could bring to United’s pivot would surely only benefit Amorim’s side. He is more physically up to speed than Casemiro and is less likely to get outrun.

On top of that, he brings different qualities on the ball which could add a new dynamic to midfield.

Plus, he still has an eye for goal like his fellow midfielder.

Mainoo has seven goals in a United shirt, with the most important one coming in the 2023/24 FA Cup final, which turned out to be the winner against Manchester City.

Mainoo has to get his chance in the United midfield soon enough. Their number 37 simply must be playing football every week, to continue on the path he was on just one year ago.

Don’t forget, he was trusted to start England’s biggest game in years.

With Casemiro’s occasional struggles out of possession, the starlet could be the Red Devils’ answer to their issues in midfield.

Bruno upgrade: Man Utd make £70m bid for "most complete player in football"

Manchester United could acquire a perfect upgrade in the midfield department in 2026…

ByRobbie Walls Dec 3, 2025

Arsenal are poised to hold talks with a marquee forward about joining Mikel Arteta’s side as the Gunners plan to be active in the January window, according to a new report.

Arsenal squad depth attracts praise after busy summer

Arsenal’s current campaign is increasingly defined by their excellent squad depth, arguably the best in the Premier League.

Despite consistent injuries in key areas, Arteta’s side have shown an ability not just to cope, but to thrive.

The summer’s heavy investment in new faces is already paying dividends, with Arsenal five points clear at the top of the table and on an unprecedented 18-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

Arsenal sealed a 2–0 win over Brentford on Wednesday, tightening their grip on the title race.

The routine win came courtesy of an early header from makeshift number nine Mikel Merino, who scored his 21st goal this calendar year, and a late strike from Bukayo Saka — despite Arteta enforcing an array of personnel changes.

What stands out is how Arsenal have seamlessly filled the gaps when injuries arise.

Arteta noted this week that this is one of the club’s “worst” injury spells in recent memory — and yet, the squad’s backup options have all stepped up to do their jobs.

Key defenders and attackers are still sidelined, and further absences could stretch the squad.

Gabriel Magalhaes is still weeks away from returning, and Arteta is waiting to discover the true extent of Cristhian Mosquera’s injury after he was hauled off against Brentford.

Kai Havertz also won’t be back for weeks after suffering a setback in his recovery from a knee problem.

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That being said, Arsenal look better equipped than ever before to handle a long, demanding season — and, crucially, to maintain their push towards a first league title in 22 years.

Arsenal to 'directly contact' Juventus star Kenan Yildiz about joining

Despite their plethora of options right now, a report from Turkish Football now claims that Berta and Arteta are planning for the January window, and one man attracting their serious attention is Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

The Serie A rising star is currently Juve’s top performer, bagging four goals and three assists in the Italian top flight already this season after finishing last campaign as their standout attacker as well (WhoScored).

The 20-year-old is a wanted man in the Premier League, with Fabrizio Romano stating that Chelsea are big fans of Yildiz.

However, a lot of reports centre around Arsenal’s interest.

Corriere dello Sport stated earlier this week that Arsenal have held ‘new’ talks with Yildiz’s entourage, and this is backed up by Turkish Football.

The Gunners have already made their interest known to the player’s agents, but it is now believed that Arsenal will also ‘directly contact’ Yildiz about joining them after speaking to his representatives.

Yildiz’s ability to perform on the wing or almost anywhere across the front line — combined with his recent performances for club and country — make him an attractive target, with Juve still unwilling to meet his contract demands.

The impetus for the approach appears twofold.

On one hand, Yildiz’s contract renewal talks at Juventus have stalled, opening the door for Berta. On the other, Arsenal’s management seems determined to boost attacking depth — even after a major summer recruitment drive — perhaps aiming to add more youthful creativity and unpredictability to their forward line.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are also out of contract in under two years, and Yildiz would be a stellar option to replace them.

The Old Lady are poised to demand an eye-watering fee, though, reportedly around £88 million for their prized asset who ex-Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri called a ‘special talent’.

Juve may not find a club willing to shell out that much on Yildiz, but what’s crystal clear is that English sides are taking note of his exploits.

A matter of days after Kevin Thelwell was relieved of his duties as Rangers’ sporting director, a former Premier League winger has revealed exactly why he rejected a move to Ibrox.

Cavenagh reveals reasoning behind Thelwell's Rangers exit

Thelwell’s exit looked on the cards as soon as he appointed Russell Martin. The sporting director instantly failed to win the fans over after a disastrous summer of decisions and has now paid the price alongside chief executive Patrick Stewart.

Revealing the news, chairman Andrew Cavenagh said: “Paraag and I have analysed the club’s needs, and as we reflect on what the club needs today, and where Kevin and Patrick are, we think we need something different.

“Our focus the first part of this season, the first part of our ownership period, has been on the sporting side and that’s where all of our attention went to for obvious reasons.

“With Danny coming in, he has started to improve the on-pitch performance, and that has created the space to allow Paraag and I to look at other parts of the club with new eyes and assess what we need going forward.”

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It’s a major decision from the 49ers, who have seen Rangers get back on track on the pitch since Danny Rohl’s arrival. The German has won all four of his Scottish Premiership games, but his side still sit nine points behind shock leaders Hearts to highlight the damage done by Martin’s time at the club.

Thelwell’s downfall can be pinpointed to his decision to hire Martin, but also his transfer decisions, including times when he missed out on top targets like Carlos Forbs.

Carlos Forbs reveals "one conversation" before Rangers rejection

Speaking to Belgian newspaper Het Belang van Limburg, Forbs revealed why he rejected Rangers and Thelwell in favour of a move to Club Brugge in the summer.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee had quite the decision to make in the summer and Thelwell just couldn’t lure him to Rangers in what was a sign of things to come.

Since then, the now-former sporting director failed to get deals over the line to hire the likes of Steven Gerrard, before finally turning to Rohl. From appointing Martin, to missing out on Forbs and then Gerrard, the clock was always ticking on Thelwell’s time in Scotland.

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Manchester United are now eyeing Hertha Berlin’s Kennet Eichhorn, with it being revealed the midfielder has an affordable release clause, but there could be rival interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.

Gary Neville has suggested that Ruben Amorim may need to upgrade the spine of his team, given that his current options are arguably in the latter stages of their career, saying: “You’ve got the midfield, Casemiro and Bruno have got massive experience.

“Up front, they haven’t got the experience. But to me, that spine of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Maguire and De Ligt is ageing, but should be doing a lot better at holding it all together than they do.”

Casemiro has been proving age is just a number with some of his recent performances, which has led to United contacting his agent about a new contract, but with the Brazilian set to turn 34 in just over three months time, Amorim may need to start thinking about a long-term replacement.

Carlos Baleba was named as the Red Devils’ dream target earlier this week, with Elliot Anderson also of interest, despite Nottingham Forest’s huge asking price, but they have now joined the hectic race for another up-and-coming prospect…

Man Utd eyeing Hertha Berlin's Kennet Eichhorn

According to an update from Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on X, Man United are now eyeing Hertha Berlin maestro Eichhorn, who recently broke the record to become the youngest player in the history of the 2. Bundesliga.

Lauded as an “exceptional talent” by Plettenberg, the 16-year-old is already a regular starter for the German second tier side, which has led to interest from some of Europe’s top clubs, including RB Leipzig, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

The teenager has an affordable release clause of just €10m – €12m (£9m – £11m) included in his contract with the German club, and there are plenty of indications he could be a fantastic long-term addition to Amorim’s squad.

Becoming a first-team regular at just 16 is an achievement in and of itself, with the youngster making ten appearances all competitions this season, and he has put in some impressive performances, given his age, in order to keep his place in the side.

Last month, the Hertha starlet showcased his all-round attributes in a 2-1 win against Munster, creating one big chance, while also making a combined four interceptions and tackles to keep the opposition at bay.

Eichhorn is certainly one for the future, but it is also paramount Man United bring in a midfielder capable of immediately slotting into the starting XI in January, given that Casemiro’s contract is set to expire in the summer, and Kobbie Mainoo’s future is still in major doubt…

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