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With a 100% record to maintain, Liverpool travel to newly-promoted Burnley as the undeniable favourites and a certain Alexander Isak lying in wait to make his debut.

Burnley vs Liverpool team news

If Burnley are anything as resolute as they were against Manchester United before the international break, then a shock may still be on the cards. Alas, there is no denying that the prospect of squaring off against the Premier League champions is a different challenge entirely to the Red Devils these days.

Whilst there’s no guarantee that Scott Parker will field the same side as that cruel late defeat against Man United, injury doubts for Jordan Beyer and Connor Roberts, who may join Zeki Amdouni on the treatment table, could yet force his hand.

The Burnley boss told reporters when asked about the challenge that lies ahead in his pre-match press conference: “For us it comes down to control and courage.

“Control in how we play and react in every moment, and courage to step forward and back ourselves against the champions. We’ll need to be disciplined and composed, keep calm in certain moments. And we’ll need to be brave and believe in each other, which is something this squad has in abundance.”

As for the Premier League champions, the mood in their camp couldn’t be much better. New signing Isak is finally a Liverpool player and could be in contention to receive some minutes this weekend – although Arne Slot has urged fans to be patient as he gets up to speed.

The likes of Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez could also complete their returns from injury, whilst the only fresh concern that the Reds have regards Curtis Jones.

The midfielder’s injury may see Dominik Szoboszlai return to his usual role in the middle of the park rather than right-back, where he thrived against Arsenal. And, in turn, Frimpong or Conor Bradley could get themselves an immediate start after the international break.

Burnley (4-2-3-1): Dubravka; Walker; Ekdal; Esteve; Hartman; Cullen; Ugochukwu; Larsen; Mejbri; Antony; Foster

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Bradley; Van Dijk; Konate; Kerkez; Gravenberch; Szoboszlai; Salah; Wirtz; Gakpo; Ekitike

Burnley vs Liverpool recent results

Of course, the last time that these two sides met came in 2024 when Liverpool eased to a 3-1 victory at Anfield. Then, it was goals from the late Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez that saw the Reds wrap up all three points. This weekend, however, the Reds will need to rely on new stars to get the job done.

Liverpool 3-1 Burnley

Premier League

Burnley 0-2 Liverpool

Premier League

Burnley 0-1 Liverpool

Premier League

Liverpool 2-0 Burnley

Premier League

Burnley 0-3 Liverpool

Premier League

Without a defeat against the Clarets in their last five games, Liverpool last failed to beat Burnley in 2021 when their 68-game unbeaten run at Anfield came to an end in shocking fashion.

Away from head-to-head records, Burnley have endured an inconsistent start to their Premier League campaign – losing at Tottenham Hotspur, defeating Sunderland and then suffering defeat against Man United.

Liverpool, by some contrast, have won all three of their games but needed three late goals to do so. That, even if only small hope, should hand Burnley some encouragement.

Burnley vs Liverpool predictions and odds

As Premier League champions and the only side with a 100% record this season, Liverpool are undoubtedly the favourites against Burnley, with the odds reflecting that. The Reds are priced at 3/10 by the bookies, whilst the odds for Burnley to pick up a shock victory sit at 8/1 and a draw is priced at 9/2.

Liverpool 'lead' race for 'different class' £224,000-a-week Salah successor

The Reds are serious about doing a deal.

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 13, 2025

Although Slot’s side have needed late goals to survive a number of scares this season, their visit to Turf Moor should see the return of their dominance and perhaps even the true arrival of Florian Wirtz.

Prediction: Burnley 1-3 Liverpool

With less than two weeks to go until they get their Premier League campaign underway, Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in pole position to jump ahead of Juventus and sign an attacking star.

Frank pays tribute to "fantastic" Son Heung-min

It’s been a mixed first summer for Thomas Frank in North London. Whilst he hasn’t seen Daniel Levy hand him a major overhaul at Tottenham, he has still welcomed some key reinforcements.

Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha have been the most impressive arrivals on that front, whilst Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel have also turned their loan moves permanent to take Spurs’ list of incomings to four for the summer.

After Heung-min Son announced his decision to depart this summer, though, the Lilywhites must turn back towards the transfer market to replace an irreplaceable Tottenham icon.

The South Korean leaves as one of the greatest Premier League players to ever play for Spurs and an undeniable club legend.

Whilst he didn’t get the chance to enjoy Son’s magic beyond this summer in the early days of his tenure, Frank had nothing but praise for his departing captain – telling reporters: “For me, personally, I would have loved to have worked with this fantastic person and player.

“He is a true Spurs legend in every aspect, one of the greatest players to play in the Premier League. It is never easy to find the perfect timing and me coming in from the side, it makes it a bit easier to end on a high.”

As irreplaceable as his moments to remember are, Spurs must attempt to find the heir to Son’s throne this summer and that has reportedly seen them turn towards a Ligue 1 star.

Tottenham in pole position to sign Kolo Muani over Juventus

According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are now in pole position to sign Randal Kolo Muani ahead of Juventus, who have so far failed to get their deal over the line for the Paris Saint-Germain forward.

The Frenchman spent the second half of last season on loan at the Serie A club and enjoyed a rejuvenated spell. So far, however, talks between those in Turin and PSG have not gone well and are not advancing – leaving the door ajar for Spurs to enter.

After scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances for Juventus, Kolo Muani sent a timely reminder of his quality last season and finally backed up the previous praise of fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappe.

Once sold to PSG for £77m by Eintracht Frankfurt, Kolo Muani is still capable of reaching those levels if Spurs take a gamble this summer.

West Ham United’s pre-season schedule is now underway.

On Saturday, in a behind-closed-doors fixture in Zürich, the Hammers beat Grasshoppers 3-1; Andy Irving, Callum Marshall and Lucas Paquetá the scorers.

Next up for Graham Potter’s team, they’ve travelled stateside for the Premier League Summer Series, facing Manchester United in New Jersey this weekend, before games against Everton in Chicago and then Bournemouth in Atlanta.

With the start of the proper season fast approaching, will the Irons get their hands on a new attacking midfielder?

Latest on West Ham's transfer activity

Fair to say, West Ham supporters were not best pleased about the news that star winger Mohammed Kudus had joined fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur for £55m, the first player to make the controversial move since Scott Parker 14 years ago.

In terms of arrivals, the Hammers have bolstered their full-back options, signing El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague for a reported fee of £19m, while Kyle Walker-Peters has joined from Southampton on a free transfer.

Nevertheless, Kudus’ departure means Potter will be demanding new signings in forward areas, hence why Sébastien Vidal of Weekend Sports is reporting that West Ham “have opened initial talks” to sign Georgiy Sudakov from Shakhtar Donetsk.

They add that the “creative midfielder” is valued at around £30m by the 15-time Ukrainian champions, with the Hammers “looking to accelerate the deal” and finalise the move as soon as possible.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

So, could he soon become the third Ukrainian to represent West Ham United, after current national team head coach Serhii Rebrov and the country’s second-highest goalscorer of all time, Andriy Yarmolenko?

How Georgiy Sudakov would improve West Ham

After spending three years in Metalist Kharkiv’s academy, Sudakov joined Shakhtar Donetsk as a 15-year-old, before making his senior debut in 2020, this coming off the bench during a famous Champions League victory over Real Madrid at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano no less.

Subsequently, the 22-year-old has accumulated 140 appearances for Shakhtar, scoring 35 goals and registering 24 assists, including netting against Barcelona, Young Boys and Stade Brestois in Champions League ties.

Despite being linked with a move away, Sudakov featured in both legs of his team’s Europa League qualifying victory over Ilves earlier this month, starting the first leg, a 6-0 demolition in Ljubljana; it’ll therefore be interesting to see if he’s involved in Thursday night’s second qualifying round match against Beşiktaş in İstanbul.

Having also already won 29 international caps, starting all three of Ukraine’s fixtures at Euro 2024, Sudakov has earned plenty of high praise.

Andy Jones of the Athletic labels him one of the ‘most exciting prospects’ and ‘brightest young talents’ in Eastern Europe, adding that he is a ‘versatile midfielder’ who operates best as a number ten, given that he is ‘technically gifted’ and poses ‘creative threat’.

Meantime, Shakhtar Donetsk sporting director Serhiy Palkin stated back in April that his star man “will definitely move to a top European club this summer”, with aforementioned national team manager Rebrov asserting that he has “a bright future”.

On top of this, analyst Ben Mattinson describes him as “exciting” and “unpredictable”, tipping him to replace Florian Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen. The 22-year-old German has just joined Liverpool for £116m, a Premier League record fee, so let’s assess how the duo compare.

Appearances

8

9

Minutes

702

764

Goals

2

6

Assists

1

1

All statistics below are on a per-90 basis:

Shots

1.3

2.6

Shots on target %

40%

63.64%

Chances created

1.5

3.0

Passes

46.3

52.4

Pass completion %

83.1%

88.29%

Forward passes

11.2

9.8

Take-on success %

66.67%

46.15%

Touches

62.2

75

Of course, Wirtz does come out on top for the vast majority of statistics included, but this shouldn’t be too surprising, given that he is the one making a record-breaking move to the Premier League champions.

The caveat for the table above is of course the fact that Sudakov was playing for a Shakhtar Donetsk side who finished 27th in the gigantic Champions League table, winning only two matches, while Bayer Leverkusen ended up sixth with five victories to their name.

Nevertheless, Sudakov does have the edge when it comes to forward passes and take-on success %, and his numbers are pretty comparable to those of Wirtz across the board, especially in terms of chances created.

Thus, it is clear that the Ukrainian international is a player of vast potential and one West Ham should do everything in their power to get their hands on, before an even bigger European juggernaut comes calling.

Bowen 2.0: West Ham plotting offer for £6m star who “has got everything"

West Ham United could be about to land their second coming of Jarrod Bowen by making an offer for this £6m attacker.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 22, 2025

Leeds United have already made several moves in an attempt to bolster their playing squad ahead of their return to the Premier League next season.

The summer transfer window has been open for many weeks now, and the Championship champions have added Jaka Bijol, Lukas Nmecha, and Sebastiaan Bornauw to the group.

The Whites reportedly agreed a fee of around £5m with Wolfsburg to bring Bornauw to Elland Road as their most recent addition to the squad, to bolster their centre-back ranks.

Daniel Farke now has a plethora of central defensive options to choose from, including Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Ethan Ampadu, Bijol, and Bornauw, although he recently lost one when Max Wober completed a loan move to Werder Bremen.

The German head coach will be hoping that he now has enough quality in that position to form the core of a strong defensive unit that will lead the team to Premier League survival.

It does remain to be seen, though, exactly what sort of role Bornauw will play for Leeds next term, having been signed after Bijol, with Rodon and Struijk also already at the club.

Why Sebastiaan Bornauw may not be a starter for Leeds

The competition that he has ahead of him in the centre-back position suggests that the Belgian central defender has been brought in to provide depth at the back.

That is not to say that it is impossible for him to emerge as a starting calibre-option for Farke if his performances are good enough, but it currently looks like Rodon and Struijk, who were regular starters in the Championship, and Bijol, who has been signed for £15m, are ahead of him in the pecking order.

Another reason why Bornauw may be viewed as a back-up option by Farke initially is because of his lengthy career injury history in Germany.

During his time with Koln and Wolfsburg, the Belgium international has missed a lot of matches through injury in his career, which is a slight concern.

24/25

4

18

23/24

1

2

21/22

1

2

20/21

1

13

19/20

1

2

18/19

3

19

16/17

1

12

However, as you can see in the table above, Bornauw missed 18 games through injury, with four separate issues, in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he has a recent track record of being consistently unavailable.

This does not suggest that Bornauw is the sort of player who Farke can reasonably rely on to be available to start week-in-week-out in the Premier League, which is why he may not be viewed as a starter, at least at this moment in time.

Leeds, however, are now reportedly interested in signing another defender who would come in as an even better signing than the former Wolfsburg man, as he could be a starter for the Premier League new boys.

Leeds closing in on new defender

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are close to securing a deal to sign Lille left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson to bolster their squad.

The report claims that the Whites are closing in on a swoop for the Sweden international, as they look to make him their fourth signing of the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It adds that talks are continuing over a potential move for the 26-year-old full-back, but it remains to be seen how much money it will take to strike an agreement with Lille, as he is valued at around £6m by Transfermarkt.

The Yorkshire Evening Post also reveals that Gudmundsson could fly to England on Sunday to finalise a switch to West Yorkshire if all goes well in negotiations, possibly to complete a medical and agree personal terms.

This latest update suggests that the Whites could have their fourth signing in the building in short order, and he could be an even better signing than their third one.

Why Gudmundsson could be a better signing than Bornauw

Leeds could secure an even better signing than Bornauw by getting a deal over the line to bring Gudmundsson to Elland Road in the coming days, because he has the potential to be a regular starter in the defence.

Whilst the Belgian colossus may be a back-up option initially, for the aforementioned reasons, the Swedish star would arrive as the only senior left-back at the club.

Junior Firpo has already moved on from West Yorkshire and Sam Byram’s future remains a mystery, as his deal expired at the end of last month, which means that Farke does not have any senior options in that position.

Gudmundsson, who started 20 matches in Ligue 1 for Lille last season, would be in pole position to be the starting left-back for Leeds next term, because there are currently no players in the building who could challenge him for that role.

This means that the left-footed whiz could join the club as an immediate starting-calibre option for Farke, whilst Bornauw may begin the season as a back-up centre-back initially.

Pass accuracy

82%

Top 31%

Progressive passes*

4.59

Top 34%

Progressive carries*

3.58

Top 5%

Successful take-ons*

1.01

Top 30%

Non-penalty goals*

0.10

Top 20%

Crosses into penalty area

0.50

Top 36%

As you can see in the table above, Gudmundsson showcased a lot of quality in possession for Lille in his appearances in the French top-flight last season, ranking highly as a progressive left-back, who can get his team up the pitch with both passes and carries.

These statistics suggest that the left-footed star, who was described as a “fun” player and a “risk-taker” by reporter Joe Donnohue, could suit Farke’s ball-dominant style of play, as he is comfortable in possession and has shown he can consistently progress play down the left whilst playing in a major European league.

Overall, Gudmundsson appears to have the quality to step in as an immediate starter for Leeds, as a direct replacement for Firpo, which suggests that he will come in as a key operator in the Premier League next season.

Farke's new Rutter: Leeds now showing strong interest in £11m star

Leeds United are still in need of attacking reinforcements, ahead of their Premier League return

1 ByRobbie Walls Jul 6, 2025

Bornauw, however, may have to settle for a back-up role, at least at first, and that is why the Lille star would come in as an even better signing for the club in the here and now.

Arsenal are poised to revamp their squad in many areas this summer, as manager Mikel Arteta looks to end their 20-year-long-plus wait for a Premier League title.

Arsenal "set to sign" another player, it means "sensational" ace will leave

Mikel Arteta’s side have been very busy in the last week.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 27, 2025

The Gunners are already set to sign both midfielder Martin Zubimendi and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, with the former signing his paperwork as a new Arsenal player last week and the latter completing a medical in the last few days (Sky Sports).

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Joining Zubimendi and Kepa will be Denmark international midfielder Christian Norgaard. Brentford’s captain has been handed the green-light to join Arsenal, after Keith Andrews’ side and the north Londoners agreed an initial £10 million transfer, which could rise to £5 million if performance-related add-ons are met (Sky Sports).

Arsenal are also in advanced talks over a deal for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, so new sporting director Andrea Berta’s extensive work behind-the-scenes appears to be paying dividends after this plethora of updates from the last week.

Norgaard’s signing wasn’t initially expected, but news surrounding £200,000-per-week midfielder Thomas Partey and his imminent departure seems to have pushed Berta into sourcing an immediate replacement for the Ghanaian.

The 32-year-old enjoyed his best campaign to date at Arsenal last season, making over 50 appearances whilst putting his past injury worries firmly behind him, and that prompted the club to open talks over a contract extension.

However, those discussions ultimately failed to reach a positive outcome, and Partey is now “set to leave” the Emirates after his contract expires on June 30.

Now, the question is: what’s next for the ex-Atletico Madrid stalwart?

Fenerbahce chief travelling to UK for talks with Thomas Partey

According to Turkiye Gazetesi, as translated by Sport Witness, Fenerbahce sporting director Devin Ozek is flying to the UK for talks with Partey.

Ozek is also set to speak with exit-bound Leicester City midfielder Wilfried Ndidi about a potential move to the Turkish Super Lig, but it is believed that Jose Mourinho “especially” wants Partey, as the ‘special one’ looks to build a team capable of challenging Galatasaray.

Ndidi remains contracted at the King Power until 2027, but Partey’s soon-to-be free agent status has gifted Fenerbahce a golden opportunity to reinforce Mourinho’s midfield with proven experience and quality, at zero transfer cost.

The terms on offer from Fenerbahce are yet to be detailed, but it will be interesting to see if they can tempt Partey with an equal or similar wage to his current earnings at Arsenal, which are set to dry up in the next few days.

As exit rumours continue to surround Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa have reportedly opened talks to sign one of Monchi’s top targets who could be an instant upgrade on the Argentine shot-stopper.

Atletico Madrid & Man Utd targeting Martinez

Aston Villa have been stuck between a rock and a hard place this summer with that rock being PSR rules. Whilst in an ideal world they keep hold of Martinez this summer and continue to enjoy the World Cup winner’s talents, his sale would go a long way towards easing their PSR concerns.

The goalkeeper isn’t exactly short on interest, either. Manchester United and Atletico Madrid are both reportedly chasing Martinez’s signature this summer as Aston Villa continue to deliberate over a potential sale.

Of course, the worst-case scenario for Villa this summer would be Martinez joining a direct rival in Manchester United, but they may have little choice in the matter amid reports that he would now prefer a switch to Old Trafford if he is to depart.

It creates a tough choice for Villa once again. Either sell a 32-year-old player who has become a leader under Unai Emery or cash in for the sake of their off-pitch troubles and welcome a fresh option. Aston Villa must pick their poison this summer and hope that the remedy is an unexpected upgrade between the sticks.

Aston Villa in talks to sign "incredible" ex-Championship star in £17m deal

He could finally get his Premier League chance.

1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 25, 2025

To that end, it seems as though those in the Midlands are at least preparing for the worst case and have reportedly opened talks to sign what would be an excellent replacement for Martinez.

Aston Villa open talks to sign Chevalier

As reported by TeamTalk, Aston Villa have now opened talks to sign Lucas Chevalier from LOSC Lille this summer and are converging on a deal for the Frenchman’s signature. With a formal offer now the next step in any negotiation too, Monchi has reportedly already mooted a £40m bid to the Ligue 1 club in pursuit of their goalkeeper.

Starts

34

37

Clean Sheets

11

8

Saves per 90

2.68

2.70

Save Percentage

74.4%

69%

At 23 years old, Chevalier enjoyed an impressive campaign as part of a Lille side that defeated Real Madrid in the Champions League table phase and reached the last 16 of Europe’s elite competition.

If the Villans have the option to solve their PSR problems by selling Martinez and signing Chevalier to replace him then it is a move they should prioritise this summer. The Lille star is too good to miss out on if they’re on the hunt for a new No.1.

Described as “excellent” by scout Jacek Kulig, Villa would be signing one of the best young goalkeepers around if they managed to lure Chevalier to the Midlands this summer.

Birmingham City stole most of the headlines in League One last season by sealing a title success on a gigantic 111 points, but Wrexham also gained plenty of airtime themselves when clinching yet another promotion.

This was the Red Dragons’ third promotion success in a row, unbelievably, with Phil Parkinson the manager who has amazingly steered the Welsh giants back into the spotlight away from non-league obscurity, to now being one division below the Premier League.

Wrexham will know that their next step up to the Championship will be their most difficult jump to navigate so far, with plenty of new signings ready to enter the building to ensure the next step-up isn’t so difficult, which includes this exciting striker target potentially joining Parkinson’s ranks.

Wrexham now interested in former PL ace

As per an exclusive report from football journalist Graeme Bailey, Wrexham are now in the race to land Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt this summer.

Unfortunately, they aren’t just a lone suitor having a peek at the two-time Premier League goalscorer, with Chris Davies’ Birmingham also keen on landing a loan deal for the explosive centre-forward, as Leeds look to get rid temporarily after sealing their own dramatic promotion.

Whilst the 23-year-old has found himself stuck on the periphery at Elland Road as of late, he still has plenty of plus points next to his name that will intrigue Parkinson and Co.

He could even be viewed as a better signing for Wrexham to make than the newly promoted side going after an injury-prone Danny Ings, with the soon-to-be free agent forward more known now for his lengthy absences away from the first-team, than his clinical finishing ability.

24/25

17

1

2

23/24

30

1

1

22/23

22

3

2

Why Gelhardt would be a better signing than Ings

Indeed, the table above makes for some pretty grim reading on the ex-Liverpool striker’s end, with Ings only managing five goals for West Ham over his last three unmemorable seasons.

Whereas, in Gelhardt’s defence – despite tumbling down the pecking order in West Yorkshire as of late – he has still proven he can cut it in the Championship when handed a chance to impress out on loan at Hull City last season.

This spectacular effort back in January would get the ball rolling for Gelhardt in his fresh location, with the ex-Hull number 30 going on to bag another four strikes in league action, away from just this wild shot looping over Paul Nardi’s head.

This will instantly put Wrexham at ease about whether the 23-year-old is well-suited to the demands of the Championship after barren patches of form at Leeds. On the contrary, Ings last played at the demanding level all the way back in 2014, with a concern brewing that he just doesn’t have the legs required to kick back into gear in the EFL.

Games played

22

Goals scored

5

Assists

0

Big chances missed

1

Big chances created

5

Total duels won*

5.2

To Wrexham’s relief, Gelhardt showed he has plenty left in his tank at Hull last season, with a bite present in his game too when winning 5.2 duels on average per Championship clash, away from also creating five big chances on top of his goal tally of five.

The newly promoted side have also been there and done that when it comes to veterans leading the line, as seen in Steven Fletcher being on their books last campaign, with the loan capture of the 23-year-old “wrecking ball” – as he was once labelled by Jamie Redknapp for his aggressive approach – signalling a newer approach centred on the future.

While Ings’ name might be more instantly recognisable, his best years seem to be behind him now.

When it comes to Gelhardt, however, plenty more could still be in the offing.

Big Rathbone upgrade: Wrexham still in race to sign "outstanding" PL star

Wrexham could be about to land a big upgrade on Oliver Rathbone by signing this Championship-experienced ace.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 12, 2025

Celtic find themselves in the hunt for more forward options this summer and have received a shot in the arm regarding their pursuit of a 25-goal striker, according to a report.

Celtic looking to sign a striker this summer

Kyogo Furuhashi departed Celtic in January and there was plenty of contention surrounding the club’s decision not to replace the Japanese marksman despite a last-gasp bid to land Danny Ings from West Ham United.

In the end, Daizen Maeda moved into a central position and Adam Idah earned more seniority through the middle, leaving inexperienced forward Johnny Kenny to plug the gaps on the odd occasion.

Ending the campaign on a respectable tally of 20 goals, Celtic striker Idah is confident he can handle the scoring burden associated with being the leading number nine at Parkhead.

He stated on international duty: “The pressure is a lot and you are expected to deliver. I think with my experience now, you have to put that behind you. You know what you are good at.

“If you don’t score for a couple of games, it is not helpful to listen to an ex-player. I am not really concerned with what he thinks – I am there to do my bit.”

Celtic table bid to sign a star who'd unlock Yang's "world-class" potential

Celtic are reportedly interested in a move to sign a star who could be a dream for Hyun-jun Yang.

ByDan Emery Jun 3, 2025

Without question, Celtic will sign a striker this summer. They face more fixture congestion than most clubs around Europe due to their regular juggling act between domestic and European football.

Now, they may have received a boost regarding their pursuit of a reported target to help fill the Furuhashi-shaped void under Brendan Rodgers if recent developments are to be taken into account.

Celtic target Youssef El-Kachati rejects Hannover 96 move

According to Kicker, Celtic target Youssef El Kachati has rejected a move to Hannover 96 as his contract at Telstar moves closer to expiring, with a decision on his next club expected very soon.

The Moroccan striker was previously thought to have found a verbal agreement over a move to Germany with their sporting director Marcus Mann, but he is now said to prefer a switch to a side that will feature in European competition next season.

Youssef El Kachati in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

45

Goals

25

Assists

9

Austria Wien have also been mentioned in the race for his signature. Celtic have been watching El Kachati over several months and will have been aware of his exploits that saw Telstar promoted to the Eredivisie for the first time in almost half a century.

It is anticipated that a decision on his future could come sooner rather than later. At this point, top-flight football with the prospect of testing himself on the continent is a better career option than the German second-tier.

Celtic need to bolster their frontline to handle the strain of another jam-packed campaign of action and El Kachati could be a financially advantageous signing that would provide competition centrally and out wide.

Chelsea are “really pushing” to sign a powerhouse striker ahead of their Premier League rivals Arsenal, with both sides holding negotiations and laying groundwork over a deal as we fast approach the summer window.

Chelsea gifted striker boost after vital win over Nottingham Forest

Enzo Maresca’s debut season as Chelsea manager, regardless of the debate prior to Sunday’s kick-off, can now surely be deemed a success after their all-important 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday.

Chelsea make "formal" bid to sign £84m Liverpool target in "ambitious move"

They’ve apparently submitted an offer.

1 ByEmilio Galantini May 24, 2025

Levi Colwill’s second-half goal was enough to confirm Chelsea’s spot in the Premier League top-five and subsequent Champions League qualification for next season, gifting BlueCo an almighty boost when it comes to their summer recruitment strategy in the process.

Rank

Team

Points

GD

3

Man City

71

+28

4

Chelsea

69

+21

5

Newcastle

66

+21

6

Aston Villa

66

+7

7

Nottingham Forest

65

+12

Maresca himself confirmed that qualifying for the Champions League would have a profound effect on their plans for the looming transfer window, and reliable reports in the build up to Sunday echoed this theme.

While Chelsea are reported to be prioritising the addition of a new striker, centre-back and winger, it is believed they could also go for a versatile attacking player, goalkeeper, full-back and second centre-back, depending on player sales and their European status (Simon Phillips).

Supporters are very eager to see Chelsea bring in a prolific number nine in particular, and the Blues’ fourth-placed finish is now set to boost their hopes of signing a 25-plus goals-per-season striker who can deliver the goods up front.

“I’m not thinking about next summer, to be honest,” said a coy Maresca after Chelsea’s win over Forest, in his post-match press conference.

“Today is a day that we have to be happy because we brought this club where this club has to be in the most important European competition. And we did today and this is the most important day for them. Now from tomorrow we start to prepare for Wednesday final, and then we have days to see for next season.”

Chelsea now "really pushing" to sign RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko

According to journalist Simon Phillips, while Maresca refuses to get drawn in on the club’s transfer activity behind-the-scenes, they’re in fact making a serious move for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko.

Chelsea have Sesko on their list of striker targets, as previously claimed, but they’re now believed to be competing with Arsenal for the 6 foot 5 Slovenia international’s signature after his 21-goal season at Leipzig.

His contract includes a £67 million release clause, and Chelsea are now seriously pressing to sign Sesko after holding talks and laying the groundwork for his signature.

“The new info I have is that Arsenal are now really pushing for Benjamin Sesko as well as Chelsea,” wrote Phillips.

“Both clubs have held talks and laid down some groundwork to sign him. Arsenal also really like Viktor Gyokeres, but there’s a split internally there as to which striker they want to push for.”

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg believes Arsenal’s talks for Sesko are “concrete” as well, so Chelsea do face stiff competition from Mikel Arteta’s side. Interestingly, both sides made a proposal for the 21-year-old last summer, which he rejected in favour of signing an extension at Leipzig (Fabrizio Romano).

However, the Premier League duo haven’t appeared to have thrown the towel in when it comes to tempting Sesko with a move to England, and it will be very intriguing to see how this one develops.

Chelsea are badly in need of a centre-forward, with Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku scoring just two top-flight goals between them this calendar year.

Looking to find their Kevin de Bruyne replacement, Manchester City have now reportedly made their first enquiry to sign an in-demand star who’s available for a bargain price this summer.

Man City's frustrating Saints stalemate

With Southampton rock bottom of the Premier League by some distance and already relegated, Manchester City and a returning Erling Haaland looked likelier than ever to put on the ultimate goals show on Saturday. But that proved to be anything but the case.

What the travelling fans got instead was a frustrating stalemate as Southampton secured a point against the odds to move beyond Derby County’s points record – much to the relief of those around St Mary’s. Man City defender Ruben Dias failed to hide that frustration in his post-match press conference too, choosing to criticise Southampton’s defensive approach.

The stalemate will do the confidence of Pep Guardiola’s side no favours as they enter the FA Cup final against an in-form Crystal Palace side, who will do more than just try to play against the Citizens.

Meanwhile, as Wembley awaits, so does De Bruyne’s fast-approaching farewell. Likely to be an emotional goodbye, the Belgian has just three games remaining of a Manchester City career which has seen him win everything there is to win at the club.

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Manchester City are closing in on a star who could be a big upgrade on Rico Lewis.

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Just how those at the Etihad replace their star man remains to be seen. Names such as Florian Wirtz have already threatened to steal the headlines, but he could yet choose Bayern Munich over the Premier League. He’s not the only target, however, with one Ligue 1 talent now emerging as a serious option.

Man City make contact to sign Cherki

According to Le Parisien, as relayed by Get French Football News, Manchester City have now made their first enquiry to sign Rayan Cherki from Lyon this summer. The attacking midfielder has impressed many throughout the current campaign and will reportedly be allowed to leave Lyon for just €22.5m (£19m) in the coming months.

The Frenchman may already have some fans of his talent at the Etihad after he embarrassed Andre Onana in Lyon’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie. Even though Lyon eventually crashed out in dramatic fashion against the Red Devils, it was often the Cherki show across both legs.

Onana’s mistake allowed Cherki to follow up with a chipped effort to equalise late on for his side ahead of what turned out to be a frantic and heartbreaking second leg.

Nonetheless, even without a Europa League semi-final, the 21-year-old has found himself at the centre of praise from the likes of football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who described Cherki’s campaign as “amazing” back in April. Now, after impressing, he could be on his way to Manchester City this summer.