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Nottingham Forest could now be set to emulate the success earned by one of the Premier League's top coaches…

Who are Nottingham Forest signing this summer?

Having already made their move for Chris Wood permanent, as well as securing the shrewd acquisition of Ola Aina on a free transfer, Steve Cooper's squad is shaping up nicely given they have also begun cutting down their bloated squad.

Departures for Jesse Lingard, Jack Colback, Lyle Taylor and a number of loanees mean space is once again freed up for another summer of spending.

One such asset that would fit perfectly into their system is Ian Maatsen, who was noted as a reported target of the Tricky Trees just last week. Despite the £15m fee mentioned to pry him from Chelsea, this would still represent fine value to invest in the future of such an exciting young talent.

He is fresh off the back of a fine campaign on loan at Burnley, ready to tackle the top flight as a marauding wing-back for Cooper.

How good is Ian Maatsen?

Despite being only 21 years old, the Dutchman enjoyed a starring year most recently at Turf Moor, thriving within Vincent Kompany's free-flowing system, and proving to be a key asset in their comfortable Championship promotion.

He would feature 42 times across all competitions, notching ten goal contributions from the defence. For comparison, his four goals in the league would have made him the joint-third-highest scorer at Stamford Bridge last term.

Often beginning games at left-back, it would take little time at all for Maatsen to begin pushing forward, inverting to move into areas where he can truly exert his will on the game.

Such an ability to do so from that particular flank immediately draws parallels with Joao Cancelo, who enjoyed a fine few years doing so at Manchester City, slowly popularising such a role which reached its pinnacle during the 2021/22 season.

The Portugal international would maintain a 7.33 average rating in the league that year, as his eight goal contributions fed into his 1.1 key passes and 2.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

For comparison, Maatsen would record a 7.07 average rating of his own last season in the Championship, also mustering one key pass, 1.4 interceptions and 1.9 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Coventry City goalkeeper Simon Moore sought to praise such an outstanding loan term, noting: "The kid is bright, he’s hugely talented, he wants to learn, and he never gives up."

His desperation to progress the play can be further emphasised through his underlying figures, as when compared to other full-backs across Europe, the Netherlands U21 international ranks in the top 13% for non-penalty goals per 90, the top 6% for progressive passes per 90, and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90, via FBref.

Pep Guardiola can be credited with the popularisation of the inverted full-back, as one of the top coaches to first bring it to prominence on the world stage; his praise aimed towards Cancelo serves to detail exactly what is expected of someone featuring in that position: "Defensively sometimes he needs to be consistent but when he is consistent, his focus is fantastic. He’s a fantastic guy and a football player."

Maatsen perfectly encapsulates these all-around qualities, and with his entire career laid out in front of him, the future looks sparkling for the dynamic attacking threat.

He could underpin Cooper's philosophy, adding that firepower from the left flank to supply Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoyini for another fruitful season.

Aston Villa have European football to look forward to this season after Unai Emery led the club to a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League last term.

Who have Aston Villa signed this summer?

The Villans have reacted to their successful campaign by splashing the cash in the transfer market during the summer window, with three new additions so far.

Spain international Pau Torres was brought in from Villarreal for an initial £33m, £5m short of a club-record fee at the time, before winger Moussa Diaby arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a record-breaking £51.9m.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Belgian central midfielder Youri Tielemans has also been signed on a free transfer after his contract with Leicester City, who were relegated from the top-flight, expired.

That may not be the end of their summer spending spree, though, as they are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona forward Ferran Torres.

How many goals has Ferran Torres scored in his career?

The 23-year-old whiz has scored 40 club career goals and 15 for Spain at senior international level and his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis could make him the dream partner for Diaby this season.

Torres has already proven himself in the Premier League, thanks to a spell with Manchester City, and could hit the ground running as a lethal wing pairing alongside the France international for Villa.

The £165k-per-week dynamo, who was once lauded as "prolific" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, racked up 16 goals and four assists in 43 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side in all competitions before his move to Barcelona in 2022.

During the 2020/21 campaign, Torres produced seven goals, which is more than any Villa player outside of Ollie Watkins (15) managed last term, and two assists in 15 Premier League starts for the Cityzens. This left him within the top 8% of players in his position across the top-flight for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.48).

Since his switch to Spain, the impressive finisher has scored eight goals and created 15 'big chances' for his teammates in 31 LaLiga outings for the Catalan giants, which shows that he can be a reliable scorer and creator for a wide position.

Torres could, therefore, be perfect for Diaby as the new Villa signing is an assist master who could provide the Spaniard with the opportunities he needs in front of goal to be a prolific scorer for Emery.

The former Leverkusen star managed an eye-catching 20 assists and 29 'big chances' created over the last two Bundesliga campaigns combined, whilst he maintained an average of at least 1.8 key passes per match during that time.

Meanwhile, no Villa player produced more than seven assists or 1.2 chances created per outing for the club in the Premier League last season.

This suggests that Diaby will be Emery's outstanding creative threat at the top end of the pitch this term, which is why the French wizard would be pivotal to Torres' potential success at Villa Park.

The former Manchester City man has proven himself to be a consistent scorer when given starts, in England and Spain, and Diaby could, therefore, be the dream player to pair him with to get the best out of his finishing talents.

Champions League finalists Inter Milan are "fighting off" transfer rivals Monaco to secure the signing of Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun.

Who is leaving Arsenal?

Gunners transfer chief Edu Gaspar has done wonders to back Mikel Arteta with a few huge signings, namely Kai Havertz, defender Jurrien Timber and club-record signing Declan Rice for over £200 million.

Brentford goalkeeper David Raya is also on his way to Arsenal, with the club now sealing an alternative to current number one Aaron Ramsdale.

After this serious spending spree, the north Londoners will need to continue balancing their books with more player sales. So far, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Auston Trusty, Pablo Mari, Matt Turner and long-serving midfielder Granit Xhaka come as the most notable departures.

Albert Sami Lokonga, who spent part of last season on loan at Crystal Palace, has also been heavily linked with an exit as league newcomers Burnley attempt to sign him on a temporary deal.

Nicolas Pepe is being chased by Turkish Super Lig sides Besikta and Fenerbache, while Balogun could come as, arguably, Arsenal's most high profile exit of the window.

Balogun enjoyed a prolific spell on loan at Reims last season, which may have significantly raised his stock as some reports suggest Arsenal won't sell for less than £50m.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Inter and Monaco have both been linked with moves for the USA international as they hope to add attacking flair before the window shuts.

CBS journalist Matteo Bonetti, taking to X recently, says Inter are determined to sign Balogun and are "fighting off" Monaco for his services.

Simone Inzaghi's side believe they have a trump card in the race, as they can offer him Champions League football next season.

"Inter are fighting off Monaco to secure the signing of the American striker Folarin Balogun," said Bonetti.

"The big difference being that Inter can offer him Champions League football. The 22 year old exploded last season with Reims in Ligue 1, where he scored 21 league goals."

How good is Folarin Balogun?

Barring his 21 goals in the French top flight last season, Balogun has been praised by Gunners boss Arteta for his quality and attitude behind-the-scenes.

Commenting on the "special" striker's loan spell at Reims last season, it's safe to say Arteta was very impressed with his efforts across the channel.

“I’m so happy for him,” Arteta said.

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career. He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special, that’s why we decided to give him a long-term contract and have faith in him and give him the long period that he needs now, because the loan he is having now is really different to the one he had before at Middlesbrough."

Dean Jones has given an update on Wolverhampton Wanderers midfield pursuit.

The club are looking to strengthen in the middle of the park this summer after losing key players this window.

What is the latest Wolves transfer news?

The side are in chaos before the start of the season.

The club have recently had to make a managerial change, with former coach Julen Lopetegui leaving his post by mutual consent after just nine months at the club. A key factor behind the Spaniard's decision to depart was the clubs failure to secure him the transfer targets that he wanted due to the clubs financial position.

Wolves have moved to replace him with former Bournemouth head coach Gary O'Neil, who has identified Coventry midfielder Gustavo Hamer as a target as he looks to bolster his squad for the upcoming season, but that plan has already been foiled as he's joined Sheffield United.

Wolves haven't had much luck when it's come to transfers this summer, with the club missing out on top target Alex Scott. The midlands side saw two offers rejected for the young Englishman, with the second rebuffed offer being worth £20m. Bournemouth then stepped in and paid the Bristol City asking price of £25m and completed the deal.

The club lost Ruben Neves earlier this window as he made the switch to the Saudi Pro League in a £47m move to Al Hilal, whilst experienced veteran Joao Moutinho departed this summer following the expiry of his contract at Molineux.

Wolves pursuit of Hamer may be short-lived however, with The Telegraph reporting that newly promoted Sheffield United have agreed a deal for the player for £15m. The Dutch midfielder is set to undergo a medical with the Blades soon, so if Wolves want the player they will have to act quickly.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones revealed that the club were seriously looking at Hamer as a target, whilst Manchester City midfielder Tommy Doyle is also a name being considered.

He said: "The centre of the park is somewhere Wolves should be shopping, but there are frustrations around this and is part of why Lopetegui was wondering what he could do with this team. They have shown their liking for Scott, but beyond that, they should also be looking more seriously at Hamer, whom they have been admiring from afar, I am told.

To me, his value in this market seems golden, but maybe it’s still too much to expect from Wolves as they iron out their current problems. There is also some doubt around him being a guaranteed success as they need players that fit into the Premier League seamlessly. Tommy Doyle at Man City has also been mentioned, and I believe it remains the case that they are waiting to see if that can become more active."

What next for Wolves this window?

The club seem to be looking to add Premier League experience to the side.

According to Jones, the club are interested in signing West Ham forward Michael Antonio. The Hammers are reportedly willing to let go of the Jamaican international this summer, but the forward has reservations about making the switch to Molineux due to the uncertainty around the club, and would like a better understanding of the situation before committing to the move.

Previous boss Lopetegui wanted fellow Irons player Aaron Cresswell, and despite his departure, the interest from the Midlands club has remained, with Football Insider reporting that should Wolves up their rejected offer by £1.5m, then West Ham will sanction the move for the defender who has just 12 months remaining on his contract.

West Ham United are set to make an opening bid for Elye Wahi in the near future, and a new report has detailed how much they may have to pay for the Montpellier striker.

Who is Elye Wahi signing for this summer?

Get French Football News have recently revealed that Wahi is one of the most sought-after players in Ligue 1 this summer, with Chelsea recently making an opening offer worth €28m (£24m), which was subsequently knocked back by Montpellier.

The Blues are yet to return with another bid for the forward, and they now risk losing out to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are namechecked as potential suitors, with Portuguese side Benfica also said to be interested.

West Ham have also turned their attentions to the 20-year-old, having found out that Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun would prefer to move abroad, and they have already entered talks to determine his willingness to join, ahead of making a concrete move.

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE

According to a more recent report from L'Equipe, the Hammers are now "concretely positioned" to make an approach for the Montpellier star, and they are expected to submit their opening offer soon.

The report details that Eintracht Frankfurt have already made a bid of €33m (£28m) for the youngster, which was still not enough to tempt his current club into a sale, despite being a £4m increase on Chelsea's previous bid.

The Blues have been to accelerate talks with the Frenchman, meaning West Ham could be in a good position to hijack the deal, if they are willing to stump up a sizeable transfer fee of around £30m.

How many goals has Elye Wahi scored?

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded the starlet as "incredible" as a result of his performances for Montpellier last term, and that praise was very well-earned, given his fantastic record in front of goal in Ligue 1.

The Courcouronnes-born attacker scored 19 goals in 33 league games, during which time he also amassed six assists, almost doubling his goal tally from the prior season, in which he found the back of the net ten times in the French top flight.

There are still aspects of Wahi's game that need to be improved, as outlined by Montpellier manager Michel de Zakarian:

"He needs to run a lot more, always be moving and be in a position to repeat the efforts. He’s a sprinter, he goes really quickly, but sometimes he’s knackered after 45 minutes. He needs to work a bit better, that’s training every day. If he wants to play in a big club and play with great players, he needs to work hard.

"He can go very far, at a very, very good level. Scoring goals like he does, you need to put them in the back of the net. What he does is good for his age, but I think he can do even better."

However, David Moyes has parted ways with Gianluca Scamacca this summer, and bringing in a young striker with a high ceiling could be a wise move, given that both of his current options, Danny Ings and Michail Antonio, are now in the latter stages of their careers.

Tottenham Hotspur have registered their interest over a potential move for Folarin Balogun from rivals Arsenal, however, a report has shared the other Premier League clubs who are also in the race for the forward.

Are Spurs signing a striker?

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy appear to be on the search for a new forward before the September 1 deadline after cashing in on Harry Kane earlier this month.

Those in north London sold the England international to Bayern Munich in a deal worth around €100 million (£86m) plus an extra €20 million (£17.2m) in possible add-ons.

Postecoglou has Richarlison as the only senior striker available to him, with teenager Alejo Veliz joining earlier in the summer.

A number of attackers have been linked with moves to Spurs, including KAA Gent’s Gift Orban and Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson. Another player who has been linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is Balogun, and an update has emerged.

According to The Daily Mail, Balogun has been deemed surplus to requirements at Arsenal and is valued at £50m by the Gunners. The report claims that Tottenham are a side who have made an enquiry for the attacker, alongside both Chelsea and West Ham.

Balogun has spent time training away from Arsenal’s senior side this summer as the Gunners look to raise some funds late in the window, with Monaco, AC Milan and Inter Milan also keen on the striker’s services.

Who is Folarin Balogun?

Balogun is primarily a centre-forward who can also turn out on either wing if required. The 22-year-old, who has represented the USA at senior international level, appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €30m Transfermarkt valuation, a figure which has rocketed over the past 12 months.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

In total, Balogun, sponsored by Adidas, has made just 10 senior appearances for the Gunners in all competitions and has caught the eye out on loan. The forward spent last season in France with Stade Reims and contributed to an impressive 25 goals in 39 appearances.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has also praised Balogun in the past as a "special" striker and believes he's "really brave".

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career. He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave," said Arteta.

“We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and the other choices he had. He was so convinced. I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special."

It could be a deal to keep an eye on, however, with Arsenal likely to inflate the price of the player to a direct rival, Spurs may well find it difficult to strike a deal for Balogun, meaning they may end up moving on to other targets such as Orban or Johnson.

Crystal Palace are a notoriously sensible and logical club in the transfer market.

In recent times, the signings of Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen, Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, and Cheick Doucoure for modest fees have materialised into fantastic assets.

All have significantly contributed to the preservation of the club’s Premier League status, with the reliability of the team built upon the foundation of the sturdy defensive relationship between Guehi and Andersen.

However, the Eagles are still in the market for squad depth, but the latest target will not fill fans with much confidence…

What’s the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?

According to Football Insider, Arsenal’s Rob Holding is a target for the Eagles, as well as Wolverhampton Wanderers and Real Betis before the transfer window shuts on Friday.

The centre-back has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium, and he has been told he can leave on a permanent transfer.

The Gunners are looking to balance their books and trim the squad, with Holding tipped to make the journey across the English capital to Selhurst Park.

Would Rob Holding be a good signing for Crystal Palace?

Holding has been at Arsenal since 2016 and has consistently failed to nail down regular game time. Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery, and Mikel Arteta have all utilized the Englishman sparingly as he only made more than 15 appearances in a single Premier League season once.

This term, Holding hasn’t made a domestic squad and looks destined for an exit as he is clearly surplus to requirements.

Arteta’s trust in the defender most likely deteriorated at the end of the last season. Following William Saliba’s injury, Holding was shifted into the starting line up as his replacement during an intense title race with the relentless Manchester City.

However, across six games in March and April 2023, in which the former Bolton youngster started, the Gunners failed to keep a clean sheet and ultimately crumbled.

talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor once brutally labelled Holding as a “Championship defender”, whilst the unforgiving enigma that is Roy Keane previously suggested he is “very slow” and was a weak link in the Gunners side.

Although this criticism was probably overly harsh, he failed to instil confidence in the fans or teammates.

From a Palace perspective, it would be extremely hard to justify Holding’s inclusion in a starting XI ahead of either Andersen or Guehi.

Moreover, it seems unlikely that the £40k-per-week dud would be willing to trade Premier League benches, which may point to the fact that Eagles boss Roy Hodgson is willing to offer him a more prominent role.

In the south-east Londoners' last 79 Premier League games, Guehi featured in 76 of those and Andersen in 69 – as their reliability, solidity, and consistency have been the bedrock of the club’s defensive acumen.

The idea of Holding possibly disrupting that relationship is questionable and doesn’t seem like the correct direction to go in.

When assessing Holding’s role at Arsenal, his lack of minutes, and his weak reputation you are unable to definitively say he would improve the Palace team.

As an option for squad depth, Holding is an understandable choice, but that almost goes against the point of signing him, which is why the one-time England manager must steer clear of making a transfer blunder this late in the window.

Arsenal’s start to the Premier League term had been decidedly unconvincing despite where they sit in the table, as narrow victories over Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace either side of a 2-2 draw with Fulham has hardly inspired fans.

However, that was all washed away with their win last weekend, as they dug deep to pull an outstanding win against Manchester United out of the bag with two late strikes.

In a result that could mark a turning point in their early season, Mikel Arteta will hope to use that clash as inspiration to take into their game with Everton in just under two weeks’ time, before their Champions League campaign also gets underway.

However, despite the respite such a victory offered, it was still far from a perfect display, with VAR seemingly salvaging a draw as they chalked off Alejandro Garnacho’s finish that would have surely turned the tie in favour of the visitors.

They need to get back to their old ways, where free-flowing football was a prerequisite for every encounter they were involved in.

Whilst it might seem unlikely, perhaps an injection of youth could offer that creative impetus with which they could recapture their spark, especially given the glaring vacancy of Jurrien Timber that they still need to fill.

How long is Jurrien Timber injured for?

Edu’s summer spending marked an incisive showing from the Brazilian, as he welcomed Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, David Raya and Jurrien Timber way before the Deadline Day.

He acted with speed, and bolstered the key areas where it could be argued that they suffered deficiencies the year prior.

So, to see the Dutchman struck down in just his first league start was a true hammer blow, made even worse by the fact had sustained an ACL injury that will likely see him out for around seven months.

The former Ajax star had shone in his homeland, making a name for himself as one of the best ball-playing defenders in the world. Having just made his big switch to England too, it was a cruel twist of fate to see the 22-year-old now sidelined for so long.

Especially given, when compared to other centre-backs across Europe, he sat in the top 4% for passes attempted per 90, the top 2% for pass completion rate per 90, the top 1% for progressive passes per 90 and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90, via FBref.

However, where there is a negative situation like this it often breeds an opportunity for someone else, with Ben White the star expected to continue to deputise at right-back for the bulk of the campaign.

A solid defender with a history of featuring at centre-back, he has provided balance to Arteta’s system over the last 12 months. The England international's 6.91 average Sofascore rating in the Premier League emphasises this, as a figure upheld by his 1.6 tackles and two clearances per game. Although, it certainly remains a part of their squad that could have been improved, hence their £38m move for Timber.

Despite that, White has been lauded for his services too by Arteta: “I think he is really enjoying it. He finds himself with a bit of freedom and you can see, when he has space, how he likes to attack. I think he is happy there.”

“He has this capacity. Physically he is a really special player. He is very intelligent and very gifted, and he has a lot of courage to play this game. If you tell him to play in midfield, he will. And he will give his best.”

However, in Timber the thought process was clearly to add more creativity to that backline, securing a viable counterpart to Oleksandr Zinchenko on the opposite flank.

So, in an effort to emulate the success earned with the former Manchester City star, who saw his career start as an attacking midfielder, perhaps Arteta could seek to transform one of his malleable young midfielders into the perfect inverted full-back.

Fortunately for him, there already seems to be one brewing in Hale End's James Sweet.

Who is James Sweet?

Billed via Arsenal’s official website as “an indefatigable midfielder with exceptional technical quality”, the fact that James Sweet has already been shining at right-back will likely have Arteta keenly interested.

With all of his career having been geared towards creating chances for others, this new position of his lets him now do so from deep, allowing his defensive credentials to shine too whilst other attacking players can come into the side.

Players of his ilk are the ultimate facilitators, with his role even lauded by academy expert Jeorge Bird: “James Sweet has progressed really well. He looks a major threat down the right with his dangerous crosses.”

The 19-year-old Welshman would be more than capable of stepping up to fulfil Timber’s role with a bit more first-team experience, thus adding that touch of technical class from the right flank that their head coach is likely seeking.

After all, his performances in the EFL Trophy last term offered just a glimpse into the well-rounded asset he has been for the U21s. He maintained an 87% pass accuracy alongside an 80% dribble success rate, whilst also posting three tackles and 1.5 clearances per game too, via Sofascore.

Then, as if to emphasise his growing creativity, his sole performance in this season’s iteration of the competition was a standout one with two key passes recorded.

This has fed into his stellar Premier League 2 showings too, with one goal and one assist in their opening three games. It truly has been an outstanding start to the season for the young defender, who is certainly knocking on the door after years of steadily progressing through the youth setup.

Perhaps, should Arteta hand Sweet that show of faith he needs, the creative full-back could shatter all expectations by growing into the perfect defender to fill a hole during the painful absence of Timber.

Cameroon, or the Indomitable Lions, are one of Africa's most successful national sides and have always brought a brilliant entertainment factor to the World Cup over the years.

Whether it's their five African Cup of Nations titles or that brilliant performance against the then-world champions Argentina in the 1990 World Cup, Cameroon are one of world football's greatest sides.

With that in mind, we here at Football FanCast have created a list of the country's ten greatest footballers.

10

Rigobert Song

Uncle to former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alex Song, Rigobert Song, kicks off our list. Song is an interesting name on this list as despite being immensely successful with Cameroon, making 137 appearances for the side, his club career was ultimately a little disappointing.

He started his career in 1994 at French side Metz, later moving to Liverpool in 1999, where, despite winning the UEFA Cup with the club, he failed to deliver and moved to West Ham after just a single season. Afterwards, he would spend time at FC Koln, Lens, Galatasaray, and Trabzonspor.

It was in Turkey where he would find most of his domestic success, winning two league titles and two Turkish cups.

However, he would shine for the national team, playing a vital role in both AFCON wins in 2000 and 2002. In fact, he remains fundamental to the national side as manager, a position he has held since 2022.

Under his stewardship, the team successfully completed their qualifying campaign for the Qatar World Cup.

9

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

Now, the case for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is pretty much the exact opposite of Song's, where he has failed to win a trophy with the national team, he has more than made up for with his domestic success.

However, that's not to downplay his contribution to the Lions, as he has made 76 senior appearances for the side and scored 20 goals in the process, it's just that his club triumphs are the real reason he's on this list.

In total the Bayern Munich forward has won three German titles, one Club World Cup, one German Super Cup, two French titles, one French Cup, and one French League Cup. And he's almost certain to win more with how dominant Bayern look this year.

8

François Omam-Biyik

Francois Oman-Biyik is responsible for one of Cameroon's greatest-ever moments in international football, scoring the goal to give them that 1-0 win over Argentina, who were reigning world champions at the time.

He shouldn't be remembered for just that moment, however, as he also helped the country win only their second AFCON title in 1988 and is currently the team's fifth-highest goalscorer.

On the domestic scene, he only came away with one trophy, a League Cup for French side Lens, but he certainly deserves a spot on this list for his contributions to the national side.

7

Joseph-Antoine Bell

The first goalkeeper on our list – and not the last – is the legendary Joesph-Antoine Bell, sometimes known as Jojo Bell.

Bell, much like everyone on this list, had a remarkable career. He spent the first decade of his career playing in Cameroon, the Ivory Coast and Egypt before securing a brilliant move to French giants Marseille, a club he would make over 100 appearances for.

The second decade of his career saw him remain in France, playing for Toulon, Bordeaux, and Saint-Etienne before he finally hung up his gloves in 1994 at age 30.

Despite the International Federation of Football History & Statistics naming Bell the African Goalkeeper of the Century for the 1900s, he often played second fiddle to his rival Thomas N'Kono.

He ended his career with two African Cups and an Egyptian Premier League to his name, failing to win a domestic trophy in Europe.

6

Patrick Mboma

Patrick Mboma is a player with a long list of clubs he represented in his playing days, ten to be exact – including three loan spells. He started his career with Paris Saint-Germain in 1992 before spending three years on loan at Chateauroux and Metz. Interestingly, he would then head to Japan to spend a season with Gamba Osaka before returning to Europe and spending a couple of years in Italy and England.

Mboma was clearly ahead of his time, as he opted to join Saudi side Al-Ittihad in 2002 – yes, Karim Benzema's current side – before heading back to Japan to retire in 2005. Through all of this travel, he would remain a near constant in the Cameroon national team between 1995-2004, making 57 appearances and scoring a seriously impressive 33 goals.

In terms of trophies, he ended his career with two French League Cups, one French Cup, one Italian Cup, an Olympic Gold Medal, two AFCON titles and one African Football of the Year award.

5

Thomas N’Kono

The second goalkeeper to make it onto the list, and just like his long-term rival Jojo Bell, he was one of the best to ever do it. His club career spanned three decades and saw him play in his home country, Spain for Espanol, and Bolivia.

He won 66 caps for the national team, playing in two world cups, 1982 and 1990, and making it into the squad for a third in 1994.

While he failed to win anything during his time in Europe, N'Kono still ended his career with several trophies and personal awards. He won the African Champions League in 1978 and 1980, African Player of the Year in 1982, the African Cup in 1984 and the Bolivian Championship in 1996 and 1997.

The IFFHS might've picked Bell over N'Kono, but for our money, the Espanol legend just about edges it against his old rival.

4

Lauren

A name loved in Islington and Portsmouth, Lauren was one of the Premier League's best defenders in the 2000s, spending seven years at Arsenal before moving to Portsmouth for two years in 2007.

His time in North London coincided with one of Arsenal's most decorated periods in recent memory. He won two league titles with the Gunners and was an ever-present figure in their invincible backline.

The former Mallorca man also picked up three FA Cups under Arsene Wenger before adding an unlikely fourth with Pompey under the guidance of Harry Redknapp.

Interestingly, it's his relationship with the Indomitable Lions that is a little bit more complicated.

Despite his glowing club career, Lauren would only represent Cameroon 25 times at senior level, retiring from international football in 2002 at just age 25. That said, his 25 caps coincided with the country's golden generation, and so he retired from the side with an Olympic gold medal and two AFCON titles under his belt.

3

Roger Milla

Kicking off the medal positions is none other than the instantly iconic Roger Milla. He was dubbed 'King of the Corner Flag' for his instantly recognisable dancing celebration from the 1990 World Cup.

While his celebration has continued to live on in the collective consciousness of football fans everywhere, we can't forget just how brilliant a footballer he was.

He began his career in 1967 with Cameroonian side Eclair de Douala, eventually making his way to Europe in 1977 to join French side Valenciennes. He spent the next 12 years in France, playing for massive sides like Monaco, Saint-Etienne and Montpellier.

He would retire with two African Cups, two French Cups and as a two-time winner of the African Football of the Year Award.

2

Geremi

Coming in at number two is the great Geremi Sorele Njitap Fotso, more commonly known as just Geremi. The versatile star was a key player for two supremely successful sides in the 2000s, Real Madrid and Chelsea.

He would make 76 appearances for Madrid between 1999 and 2003, scoring two goals, providing nine assists and, most importantly, winning two Champions Leagues and a league title. For Chelsea, he would make 109 appearances, winning two league titles, two League Cups, an FA Cup and a Community Shield.

Geremi's contributions to Cameroon's national team were also invaluable, making 119 senior appearances, winning two AFCON titles and an Olympic gold in 2000.

1

Samuel Eto’o

Well, come on, who else could possibly claim the top spot if it wasn't the generational talent that is Samuel Eto'o? Not only does the former Barcelona man stand out as the greatest footballer to ever come out of Cameroon, but he also has a genuine shout to being one of the greatest African footballers of all time.

His outstanding club career spanned over twenty years, starting in 1997 with Real Madrid and coming to an end in 2019 with Qatari side Qatar SC. Across those two decades, the Douala-born forward made 728 professional appearances, scored 364 goals, and provided 118 assists.

He ended his career with four Champions League trophies to his name, one with Real, two with Barça and one with Inter Milan. He also picked up eight domestic cups and four league titles and was named African Footballer of the Year on four occasions.

Eto'o wasn't a player who hid away on the international stage either, helping Cameroon claim two Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2000 and 2002 and an Olympic medal in 2000. In all, he made 118 senior appearances for his nation and scored 56 goals. And if all of that wasn't enough, he became the President of the country's Football Federation in 2021, seemingly intent on further serving his nation.

Every one of the names on this list are footballing greats, but very few can match up to Samuel Eto'o, Cameroonian or otherwise.

And there you have it, Cameroon's top ten footballers of all time.

Liverpool could look to sign more players once the January transfer window arrives, and a new claim suggests they are "pushing" to snap up one highly-rated new defender.

Do Liverpool need more new signings?

The Reds ended up having one of the most significant summers of the Jurgen Klopp era, even though they didn't necessarily make a huge number of signings in various areas of the pitch.

Instead, the midfield alone underwent massive changes, with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all moving on. Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch came in, giving Liverpool a fresh new look in the middle of the park.

The Reds could arguably have done with a new centre-back as well, however, and preferably someone who is capable of playing both there and at left-back, with Klopp's new system almost seeing a back-three develop when Trent Alexander-Arnold drifts into midfield in possession.

With Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all a little on the injury-prone side, and Virgil van Dijk now 32 years of age, it does feel risky to make do with that quartet in defence for the remainder of the season.

Will Liverpool sign Goncalo Inacio in January?

Speaking to Empire of the Kop, journalist Steve Kay claimed that Liverpool could look to sign Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio in January, having tracked him during the summer transfer window:

"I’m certainly getting a feel from the people I’m talking to that this is one they’re pushing for. Talks have taken place since the end of the transfer window – I’ve been told they have continued. So they’re definitely pushing.

"There was never that when you see Klopp in press conferences… you never got that feel."

Inacio really could be the perfect option to join Liverpool and bolster their defensive options in January, having already blossomed into such an influential player for Sporting, despite still only being 22.

The Portuguese sensation has made 126 appearances for his current club, chipping in with 11 goals in that time, and he combines quality on the ball with defensive dominance off it. He has completed 87% of his passes in the Primeira Liga so far this season, as well as averaging 2.3 clearances per game.

Inacio has been lauded as a "complete" player by footballer talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he also scored twice for Portugal in their 9-0 win over Luxembourg earlier this week, showing that he is also now a key performer at international level.

The youngster could be seen as Van Dijk's long-term replacement in that left-sided centre-back role, and an immediate upgrade on Matip and Gomez, enhancing the squad depth at Klopp's disposal in the process.