All posts by z3u9t.icu

Arsenal are well and truly back in the Premier League title race.

Mikel Arteta's side have won their last five games in a row and have dramatically improved their goal difference after blowing away West Ham United and Burnley.

While the entire team deserved credit, Martin Odegaard has perhaps stood out the most, with his three assists and one goal suggesting that he could well be back to the form he showed last season.

With how impressive the captain has been of late, Arteta would surely have to have two of him in the team, and as outlandish as that sounds, the Gunners once released a youngster from Hale End at 13 years old who is now similar to the mercurial Norwegian.

Eberechi Eze's journey to Crystal Palace

Yes, you read that right; the Gunners once had a young Eberechi Eze on their books, only he wasn't with the club for very long as he was released at just 13 years old.

The next few years were tough for the Greenwich-born gem as he was released by Fulham, Reading and Millwall before finally finding his footing in West London at Queens Park Rangers.

The dynamic midfielder would make his debut for the Hoops in an FA Cup Third Round tie against Blackburn Rovers in January 2017.

Still, it was not until the 2018/19 campaign that he truly established himself in the first team after spending the first half of the 2017/18 season on loan in League Two with Wycombe Wanderers before coming back to finish the year at Loftus Road.

In the following campaign, Eze would score four goals and provide four assists in 42 appearances for QPR before exploding in 2019/20 and scoring 14 goals and providing eight assists in 46 appearances.

Such a remarkable return from a young player understandably brought with it eyes from the Premier League, and after some negotiations, Crystal Palace signed Eze for £20m.

How Eberechi Eze compares to Martin Odegaard

Now, it's undoubtedly a big shout to compare a very talented midfielder with one who is captaining a team fighting for the league title, but it's one made primarily by the football database FBref.

The comparison is made by grouping positionally similar players in Europe's top five leagues and then ranking them based on how close they are to one another for several key metrics, and in this case, Odegaard is considered to be the seventh most similar player to Eze.

For example, the "silky" Palace gem, as described by former teammate Geoff Cameron, produces 0.55 expected goals and assists per 90 to the Norwegian's 0.48 while also producing 2.95 progressive passes per 90 to his 2.90.

Eze

Odegaard

0.47

0.51

2.95

2.90

0.55

0.48

0.78

0.69

4.50

4.38

This obviously doesn't make them identical players, but there is an undeniable similarity in their underlying statistics, which suggests that they could play similar roles within a team.

So, it would certainly have been beneficial for the Gunners to keep a hold of the talented Englishman as not only has he produced 34 goal involvements in 113 appearances for the Eagles, but he could also act as the perfect backup to their captain.

Oh, and there is also the small fact that the CIES Football Observatory now values him at around €40m, which is about £34m, and that is likely a conservative estimate in today's game.

Arsenal fumbled their own dream homegrown Rice partner for £0

The 21-year-old has been impressing on the continent in recent years.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 19, 2024

Ultimately, football clubs can't predict the future, and maybe Eze, who scored ten Premier League goals last season, did not show enough potential when he was 13, but they may now regret letting him go as it appears as though they fumbled their own homegrown version of their current captain.

Liverpool are reportedly readying an offer to secure the signing of a new winger who's been called a "magician" by his teammates, seeing him as a possible successor to Mohamed Salah.

Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future

Last summer, a huge £150m offer arrived for Salah from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, but the Reds rejected it on the spot, not wanting arguably their most prized player to move on. While Salah hasn't indicated that he will move away this year instead, it seems inevitable that further bids will arrive from Saudi clubs, as they look to turn his head with his contract ticking down.

The Liverpool legend is out of contract at Anfield in the summer of 2025, so it is clear that a huge decision will need to be made at the end of this season, with the 31-year-old either having to sign an extension or leave for an eye-watering amount of money. The idea of him moving on for free next year doesn't even bear thinking about.

Should Salah decide to enjoy a fresh challenge in the summer, it is imperative that the Reds have some stellar potential replacements lined up, and it looks as though that is the case.

Liverpool eyeing Barcelona star Raphinha

According to a report from Spain, Liverpool are keen on signing Barcelona winger Raphinha, looking at him as a successor to Salah, should he move on at the end of the season. There is also interest in his teammate Ansu Fati, who is currently on loan at Brighton.

"Liverpool are taking a proactive stance regarding the possibility of Mohamed Salah leaving the club after having a significant offer from Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia. In order to ensure a smooth transition in the event of his departure, Liverpool are evaluating two Barcelona options in Raphinha and Ansu Fati.

"The first option that Liverpool is evaluating is that of the Brazilian winger, since his place in the Barcelona squad is not guaranteed. Although the negotiations could be a complex process, the possibility of bringing in Raphinha as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah is on the table, with Liverpool preparing an imminent offer to acquire his services."

Appearances

15

Starts

8

Goals

3

Assists

5

Key passes per game

1.7

Dribbles per game

1.1

Raphinha could be an excellent option for Liverpool, not least because he has proven himself in the Premier League in the past, shining for Leeds United and registering 29 goal contributions (17 goals and 12 assists) in the competition. Leeds teammate Dan James once said of him: "He’s a magician. He’s always been a great player – I played against him at United and he was always great – but he’s improved so much."

Despite not quite finding the stardom he was hoping for when he moved to Catalonia, he has received plenty of praise with Barca too, with members of the media saying his movement is "unstoppable" and "one of his and Barcelona's deadliest weapons".

The 3/10 Liverpool star who was as bad as Alisson & Van Dijk v Arsenal

Jurgen Klopp’s side slumped to an insipid defeat at the Emirates Stadium.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 4, 2024

Replacing Salah is going to be a near-impossible task for Liverpool, considering he is one of the best players in the history of the club, and while him staying remains easily the best option, Raphinha could bring similar attributes if he comes in, in terms of his ability to cut in from the right wing and affect games with his technical brilliance.

After finishing inside the Premier League's top four last season, Newcastle United may have expected to have at least been in the fight for a Champions League place a year later, but that's not been the case. Now, in need of reinforcements, Graeme Bailey has revealed the Magpies' transfer plans before the end of this month.

Newcastle transfer news

It's been a difficult transfer window for Newcastle so far, who have seen the likes of Kieran Tripper, Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson all linked with moves away from St James' Park in an attempt to balance the books.

The Magpies are walking a fine line when it comes to the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, having recorded a reported loss of £155m over the last three seasons. The rules state that clubs can only record a loss of £105m, though investments into the academy, women's team and charity foundation do not count towards the figure – potentially saving PIF.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

With that said, even among the chaos of potential sales, those at St James' Park still reportedly want one particular reinforcement. According to Bailey, Newcastle want to sign a number eight this month. He told Geordie Boot Boys that there are conflicting whispers emerging however, making narrowing down the specific target difficult: "They want a number eight, that’s what we’re hearing. Who that is – not sure. It’s a strange one. Different people are saying different things connected to the club so it’s hard to get a real message out.”

Newcastle, of course, believed they had solved their midfield problem during the summer transfer window when they signed Sandro Tonali from AC Milan, only for the Italian to be hit with a lengthy ban for breaching betting rules shortly after arriving. Left with a void to fill, those in Tyneside have been linked with the likes of Atalanta's Ederson and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, albeit without either of those moves nearing anything close to advanced stages.

Joelinton has given Howe a headache

Before Joelinton's injury, which has potentially ruled him out until the end of the season, Newcastle may have felt comfortable with sticking with their current options for the remainder of the campaign. Now without the Brazilian for a number of months, the Magpies may have no choice but to act, however. Whoever arrives could quickly turn into a replacement for Joelinton too, with Eddie Howe admitting that his future isn't certain.

Howe said via BBC Sport: "He has 18 months left on his contract so it's a possibility he'll be sold in the summer. I'm not a fortune teller but it's a possibility. I hope that's not the case. I want him to stay. I love him as a person and player. But before a player signs a contract he has to be happy with everything and we are not there yet."

Progressive Carrries Per 90 (2.03)

76th percentile

Successful Take-ons Per 90 (1.72)

93rd percentile

Progressive Passes Recieved Per 90 (4.43)

87th percentile

Interceptions Per 90 (1.51)

86th percentile

Ending the January transfer window without welcoming another midfielder and Joelinton suddenly on course to potentially depart would summarise the season that Newcastle have so endured so far. With just under a week to go before the window slams shut, the Magpies must turn things around at St James' Park.

Sheffield Wednesday look to be nearing towards their first signing of the January transfer window already, with the expected arrival of James Beadle on loan from Brighton now almost a certainty to join the Owls according to reports.

Yet, even with a potential new starting goalkeeper added to the ranks, Danny Rohl won't stop there and could well look to his native Germany for some left-field January additions to further bolster his team.

When speaking to the Sheffield Star and outlining his approach for the transfer window, the former Bayern Munich assistant coach stated that he could well flex his past connections:

"You are always looking and talking to some people. It's not just our former clubs, it's also about the Bundesliga, the second division."

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

With that in mind, here are three potential signings Rohl and Wednesday could sanction this month to give the South Yorkshire club a brand-new Bavarian feel…

1 Leon Dajaku

The first of three potential transfer targets with this in mind is former Sunderland attacker Leon Dajaku, the versatile German forward adept at playing down the wings or as a second striker which could be useful for Rohl.

Dajaku didn't set the world alight with the Black Cats – contributing towards eight goals from 37 appearances in League One with the sleeping giant at the time – but the current Hajduk Split man could well be up for a return to English football if the Wednesday boss tempts him.

Rohl and Dajaku were together at Bayern for two years between 2019 and 2021, the six-time Germany U19 international even winning himself a first-team start for the Bundesliga giants in this patch of his career.

Scoring three goals and notching up a further two assists for Split this season, it could well be an astute buy for the Owls this month to add Dajaku to their attacking positions.

2 Fiete Arp

Hyped up to be destined for the big-time when breaking through at Bayern, Fiete Arp's career hasn't quite gone to plan after outlandish suggestions that he would eventually take the world by storm as a world-class striker.

The German boy wonder did score a ridiculous 37 goals from 45 appearances playing for Hamburg at U17 level back in 2017, the Bundesliga giants swooping in to sign Arp off the back of his unbelievable goal record at youth level.

Arp never managed to replicate that blistering knack of putting away goals for fun when joining Bayern, with Rohl there every step of the way bearing witness to Arp's progression as coach.

With the now Wednesday boss one for putting his arm around the likes of Bailey Cadamarteri at Hillsborough currently, helping the teenage sensation perform well even with heaps of pressure on his shoulders, the Owls boss could look to do the same with the 24-year-old German attacker even with Arp now matured.

The 6 foot 1 centre-forward has found his prolific streak again in the 2.Bundesliga this season with Holstein Kiel however, scoring five times from ten starts. Could he be a gem under Rohl in the Championship?

3 Remy Vita

The final signing Rohl could make putting his Bundesliga links to good use is Remy Vita, the French defender formerly on the Bayern books. Interestingly, he has even played in South Yorkshire during his career to date.

Vita was on loan at Barnsley during their dreadful 2021/22 relegation campaign down to League One from the Bayern II side, barely sparking into life with the Tykes but showing his pedigree in bursts.

In a rare win over QPR that same season, the diminutive wing-back stood out – winning six of his ten ground duels at Oakwell on the way to the hosts winning 1-0 over the Hoops.

Predominantly playing as a left-back throughout his career, this would be another smart addition to the Owls squad this January with a lack of available options already at the club able to play in that spot with Rohl having to rely on Akin Famewo – who is usually a centre-back – to fill in there on occasion.

Rohl would have to get over the hurdle of landing Vita from his current club Fortuna Sittard, but with Vita familiar to how the German boss operates after spending time at the Allianz Arena together, this could be a move that has legs this month.

Glasgow Rangers have taken off to Spain for a mid-season training camp in the hopes that the sunshine could rejuvenate tired bodies ahead of the second half of the season which begins on 20 January.

Philippe Clement will be under no illusions that winning one trophy is enough as boss of the Ibrox side and, while League Cup success was required, more silverware will be expected.

The Belgian has accumulated plenty of credit in the bank during his first three months in charge and with the January transfer window now in operation, he could bolster his squad adequately.

Several areas of the team need a fresh face or two, none more so than the left back area and there have been a few names already mentioned.

Josh Doig was a player who was linked, yet it appears as though this move may have bypassed the Gers with a recent update on his situation.

Rangers' interest in Josh Doig

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio (via Toro Goal) claimed towards the end of 2023 that the Light Blues were one of the teams battling it out for Hellas Verona left-back Josh Doig this month as he looks set to leave the Serie A club.

Torino, AC Monza and Leeds United are also keen on signing the defender in January as Clement appeared to face stiff competition for the youngster.

Rangers could sign Barisic replacement in Josh Doig

Rangers could sign a dream Borna Barisic replacement in Hibernian starlet Josh Doig.

Indeed, a recent update by the Scottish Sun, Torino have tabled a £3.5m offer plus add-ons, a 10% sell-on clause along with sending midfielder Gvidas Gineitis to Verona on loan and this could be too good for the club to turn down.

This suggests that the Gers have potentially missed out on luring Doig back to Scotland – where he won the Young Player of the Year award in 2021 – and it could be back to the drawing board for Clement.

Ridvan Yilmaz may be close to joining Verona for a fee in the region of £3m according to reports in Italy (via the Sun) and this heightens the need for another left-sided defender.

The 49-year-old could forget all about Doig, however, by focusing his interest on highly rated Dutch defender Gijs Smal, who has been linked with a move to Scotland.

Rangers' interest in Gijs Smal

Reports in the Netherlands over the weekend (via the Scottish Sun) claim that the Gers are monitoring FC Twente left-back Smal as a potential target this month.

The good news is his contract expires this summer, which indicates that he wouldn’t break the bank should he complete a move in January. He could even arrive for nothing in the summer, yet Clement will be looking to bring in another defender sooner rather than later.

Sam Lammers

31

Ronald Waterreus

59

Frank de Boer

15

Fernando Ricksen

223

Bert Konterman

100

Ronald de Boer

111

Michael Mols

128

Arthur Numan

154

Giovanni van Bronckhorst

103

Theo Snelders

6

Peter van Vossen

8

Pieter Huistra

9

The Dutch side will be doing everything they can to keep a hold of the 6-foot gem, however, with their technical director Arnold Bruggink saying: "Of course we would very much like it if Gijs signed a new deal with us. But both parties have to want that. And we have to be realistic about that part of his future sadly."

Celtic have previously shown their interest in the Twente gem, but it looks as though it is the Ibrox side who are currently leading the chase to bring him to Scotland in the near future.

Gijs Smal’s season in numbers

The 26-year-old has missed a large chunk of the campaign due to suffering a calf injury, but he has started Twente’s previous seven matches in the Eredivisie, indicating that he is returning to full fitness.

Despite a lack of game time this term, Smal has still shown his attacking capabilities from a left-back slot, as he currently ranks fifth in the squad for key passes per game (1.5) along with ranking sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.6) and for shots per game (1.6), underling how impressive he has been going forward.

Indeed, the defender has also shone when compared to his positional peers in similar leagues in Europe, as he ranks in the top 6% for assists, shot-creating actions, progressive carries, and total shots per 90, which is further evidence of how good he is at pushing forward down the left-hand side on a regular basis.

Securing a player like this without having to pay a transfer fee would be a wonderful piece of business, but the reality is, Clement may need to shell out something this month in order to sign him.

How Gijs Smal compares to Josh Doig

Kai Watson – the founder of the Rangers Journal – analysed Smal due to his links with the club, and he dubbed the 26-year-old as “much more aggressive on the defensive end” compared to Borna Barisic while also saying he “would provide quality deliveries from the left” and a move is a no-brainer.

When compared to Doig, not only has Smal registered more shots per 90 (1.66 vs 0.61), but he also has a higher pass completion percentage (79.3% vs 73.9), generated more shot-creating actions per 90 (3.93 vs 1.09) and has taken more touches in the final third (134 vs 97), suggesting he is a much better attacking option than the former Hibs starlet.

Defensively, the Dutchman wins more aerial duels per game (0.8 vs 0.5), but Doig holds the upper hand when it comes to tackles (1.5 vs 0.9) and clearances (1.3 vs 0.9) along with losing possession on fewer occasions per game (9.9 vs 11.6) and it is clear from the statistics that while Smal is a much better option going forward, Doig looks more solid from a defensive viewpoint.

Barisic’s game is built on attacking as often as possible and this could be something which Clement wishes his next first-choice left-back to continue to do.

If so, Smal must be the main target as he could generate plenty of chances for his teammates during games and this will only benefit the attack.

It could be a long few weeks for the supporters as they wait to sign more players following the arrival of Fabio Silva late last month and Clement will hopefully avoid the mistakes of his predecessors by making all his January signings before deadline day.

Manchester City are always in the market for up-and-coming talent, and they have started internal discussions regarding a player who is already thriving within the City Football Group.

Manchester City look to arrest Premier League slump…

For most sides, losing just once in their last six Premier League wouldn't be deemed as a slump, especially given when the sole defeat came at the hands of Aston Villa, who have put together an almost formidable run of results at Villa Park this term.

Nevertheless, Manchester City aren't like most sides, which is evidenced by the fact Pep Guardiola and his men are attempting to pull off a record-breaking fourth successive title in a row. Four draws, one triumph over Luton Town and a loss in the West Midlands have left the Sky Blues with work to do if they are to retain the league; however, they will hope to take confidence from their Club World Cup success last week.

Man City make "big-money" offer to "very unique" target; he's wowed scouts

City are in pole position to secure his services.

BySean Markus Clifford Dec 24, 2023

Goodison Park awaits Guardiola's side in one of the toughest assignments they could encounter following their trip to Saudi Arabia. Speaking to official club media pre-match, Portugal international Bernardo Silva said his side must improve as they seek the Premier League crown: "First, we have to focus on the games left this month as it is going to be a very tough month with Everton, then Sheffield United and then Huddersfield in the FA Cup.

"Now we are really focused on the domestic competitions – especially the Premier League as we are not in a very good position. We can think about Copenhagen in the Champions League later on as we have some tough, tough games coming up."

Now, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has offered up the latest state of play regarding Manchester City's pursuit of a talented attacker who could arrive in the summer.

Manchester City discuss Savio deal

Taking to social media platform X, Romano has confirmed that on-loan Girona attacker Savio is a player City chiefs are "discussing internally" as they plan for the long-term under Guardiola.

On loan from ESTAC Troyes, the Brazilian wonderkid is operating under the umbrella of two clubs that are already in the City Football Group, creating a potentially complicated scenario that could eventually lead to the 19-year-old moving to Manchester.

Labelled a "brilliant talent" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Savio, also known as Savinho, has registered five goals and five assists in 20 appearances across all competitions this campaign at the time of writing (Savio statistics – Transfermarkt).

Five similar players to Savio (as provided by FBRef)

Player

Club

Takefusa Kubo

Real Sociedad

Rodrigo Riquelme

Atletico Madrid

Viktor Tsyhankov

Shakhtar Donetsk

Jonathan Bamba

Celta Vigo

Julian Brandt

Borussia Dortmund

Harnessing the power of the player network provided by the creation of the CFG, Guardiola could now land himself a star of the future if negotiations go to plan.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to secure a deal to extend Pierluigi Gollini’s stay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite previous reports suggesting that Tottenham will not be looking to make the Atalanta goalkeeper’s loan deal a €15m (£12.5m) permanent switch this summer, Fabio Paratici now would like to extend the stay of the 27-year-old in north London.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

However, the report goes on to state that Torino are also interested in a move for the Italy international this summer, with the Serie A side believed to already be in contact with the shot-stopper regarding a switch to the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium.

Paratici must axe Gollini

Considering just how little Gollini has featured for Tottenham since joining the club last summer, in addition to the widespread reports that Spurs previously had no intention of activating the goalkeeper’s purchase clause, the news that Paratici could now be considering a deal to keep the shot-stopper on is certainly surprising.

Indeed, over his four appearances in the Europa Conference League this season, the £9m-rated stopper did little to convince that he would be a worthwhile signing for Spurs, being unable to keep a clean sheet against the likes of Stade Rennais, NS Mura and Vitesse, in addition to conceding an average of 1.5 goals and making just 1.3 saves – at a success rate of 45% – per game.

These returns saw the £23k-per-week Italian who John Wenham dubbed both “damaging” and “unnecessary” average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.25, ranking him as Conte’s second-worst performer in the competition.

Furthermore, with it being reported that Tottenham are closing in on the signing of West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on a free transfer – an England international who highly impressed during his last campaign in the Premier League – a move to sign Gollini for around £12.5m appears to make even less sense this summer – leading us at Football FanCast to believe that Paratici simply must axe the Atalanta shot-stopper at the end of the current campaign.

AND in other news: Paratici could land Spurs their own KDB with £68m signing, he’d be “unreal” for Conte

With Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United currently staring down the barrel of relegation from the Premier League, whether or not the 48-year-old manager remains at the club in the event of the Whites dropping down to the second tier appears very much up for debate.

Indeed, this question was posed to the American in a recent press conference, with the former RB Leipzig head coach appearing to suggest that he was not brought into the club by Victor Orta to simply oversee the remaining fixtures of the season, but rather to build a project at Elland Road.

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Regarding his future in LS11 beyond the end of the current campaign, Marsch said: “I am so focused on what we are doing right here, right now. My vision was not 12 games. It’s over years. The first step is staying in the Premier League. The club deserves it and the club has earned it. But we have to earn it in the moment right now.”

However, despite the 48-year-old’s rather optimistic outlook, the fact remains that, should Leeds find themselves playing Championship football next season – an outcome which, following the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday, is now a 65% probability – he will have failed in what will undoubtedly the primary objective given to him by Orta and Andrea Radrizzani back in March.

In a recent article for The Athletic, Phil Hay suggested that securing survival for the Whites is the only real way the American can back up his positive outlook concerning his future, with the journalist writing:

“He is nine games in and you cannot tell at this stage if you are seeing all of the coach or the man, which creates confusion over whether to be convinced or perplexed by some of what he is saying. Gandhi won’t get Leeds United out of trouble and neither will Mother Theresa. Marsch, on the other hand, can. It is an essential first step in proving he can walk the walk.”

Indeed, despite Leeds’ brief upturn in form following Marsch’s arrival at the club, results in recent weeks, as well as individual player performances – have been well below par, rendering Sunday’s meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion a must-win game if the Whites are to remain a Premier League side heading into 2022/23.

However, aside from deciding the club’s immediate future, the visit of the Seagulls could also determine whether or not Marsch will fulfil his prophecy of spending a number of years at Elland Road – as a defeat against Graham Potter’s outfit will force both Orta and Radrizzani into making a decision as to whether the 48-year-old is the man who they want to lead the Whites into a campaign in the second-tier of English football.

And, in the event of relegation, while it is true that a number of the current playing staff – including the likes of Rodrigo and Mateusz Klich – should be moved on this summer, we at Football FanCast also believe it would be wise to axe the £80k-per-week American, as the 48-year-old once again appears to be “out of his depth.”

AND in other news: Forget James: “Completely anonymous” dud should’ve just played his last game for Leeds

Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin has now directly held talks over an Ibrox deal for a “fearless” forward, according to a report.

Rangers vying to sign forward to boost title push

Barry Ferguson believes the Gers will be real Scottish Premiership title contenders next season, although they may still have to make a number of additions to the squad if they are to close the gap on Celtic.

When the former manager was asked who he thinks will win the league, he said: “I have to go with Rangers. At some stage, it has got to change. Russell coming in as the new manager. Got a certain type of way that he wants to play.

“I still think he is going to add another three or four players. There is no doubt in my mind about that. I think one or two of them will certainly be the experienced ones. We keep looking back at the one he brought in, Rothwell, who I think is going to be a brilliant signing. You can tell that he is a proper football player.”

Rangers: "Fearless" gem wants to move to Ibrox with Gers in negotiations

The Gers have been handed a major boost.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 28, 2025

With Vaclav Cerny not returning to Ibrox, it may be particularly important for Martin to bring in a new forward, and the manager is now directly involved in the Light Blues’ pursuit of a Premier League forward.

According to a report from The Boot Room, the Rangers boss has now personally held talks with Tottenham Hotspur over Mikey Moore, in order to convince them to let the 17-year-old move to Ibrox this summer.

Moore has attracted widespread interest from the Championship, but the Scottish Premiership is now looking like his most likely destination, with a loan move to the Gers very much on the cards.

The youngster is said to be open to a move to the 55-time Scottish champions, and Tottenham have liked what they have heard from Rangers, meaning a move is looking increasingly likely.

"Fearless" Moore could kick on at Ibrox

The £5k-a-week forward is yet to establish himself as a first-team regular at Spurs, given his age, but there are plenty of signs that he could be capable of making a real impact at Ibrox.

Tottenham’s James Maddison has singled the starlet out for high praise in the past, saying: “[He has] that young, fearless mentality and you never want to take that away from him. He’s a young kid, a brilliant lad, a lovely boy. He takes in information, and he’s got bags of ability.”

Not only that, but the young forward has been prolific at youth level, amassing 32 goal contributions in 24 games for Spurs U18s, which led to former manager Ange Postecoglou giving him a run in the first team.

As such, Moore may now be ready to be a consistent starter at Rangers, so it is exciting news they are in the driving seat for his signature.

It’s not been a year to remember for West Ham United supporters, and there are few signs of encouragement so far this summer.

The Hammers finished 14th in the Premier League last season, sacking Julen Lopetegui in January, having picked up 1.15 points-per-game under the Spaniard, before this actually dropped to 1.11 points-per-game following Graham Potter’s appointment.

As they look to improve ahead of next season, star attacker Mohammed Kudus has been sold to fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur, while full-backs Kyle Walker-Peters and El Hadji Malick Diouf have arrived.

Now though, with another one of the Hammers’ most high-profile players potentially on his way out, should they replace him with an “exquisite” talent?

West Ham target Lucas Paquetá's replacement

On Friday, it was reported by Martyn Ziegler and Matt Lawton of the Times that Lucas Paquetá is ‘set to be cleared’ of spot-fixing.

As documented by Mario Cortegana and Roshane Thomas of the Athletic, the Brazilian was alleged to have intentionally collected yellow cards in four Premier League matches, thereby ‘affecting or profiting from the betting market’, which, if found guilty, would have seen him handed a lifetime ban by the FA, but this will now not come to pass.

These allegations scuppered Paquetá’s proposed move to Manchester City two years ago, but it is now forecast that the Brazilian will push for a transfer this summer, reportedly valued at around £80m by West Ham.

Should he depart, the Hammers would need to sign a replacement, hence why journalist Ben Jacobs is reporting that they are interested in signing Fábio Vieira from Arsenal, adding the Irons are ‘planning to add multiple midfielders’ to their squad.

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Vieira was not included in the Gunners’ squad that is currently in Hong Kong, but that’s due to his exploits at the Club World Cup, starting all three of Porto’s fixtures in the United States last month, providing an assist during their bonkers 4-4 draw with Al Ahly.

So, could he become the latest player to go directly from Arsenal to West Ham, following in the footsteps of Jack Wilshere, Manuel Almunia, Jérémie Aliadière, Marouane Chamakh, Carl Jenkinson, John Hartson, Freddie Ljungberg, Lucas Pérez, Davor Šuker, Nigel Winterburn, Ian Wright, and many others? We could go on!

What Fábio Vieira would bring to West Ham

Vieira joined Arsenal from Porto three summers ago for a reported fee of £34m, and has shown glimpses of why they paid that money, but has never produced on a consistent basis.

The table below illustrates Vieira’s statistics for the Gunners, as well as what he produced last season, having been loaned back to Porto.

Appearances

33

16

42

Starts

14

3

30

Minutes

1,415

561

2,698

Goals

2

1

5

Assists

6

4

6

As the table notes, Vieira never managed to establish himself as a first-choice figure in the Arsenal team, starting just three times during his most recent campaign with the club, his only goal an 88th-minute penalty during a 5-0 demolition of Sheffield United.

Despite this, his talent is obvious, with presenter Adam Keys impressed by his “incredibly clean ball-striking” ability, labelling him “exquisite”, while Lorihanna Balabanova of Total Football Analysis outlines how he is at his best as a ‘creative attacking midfielder’ who likes to ‘occupy the right half-space’.

Well, similarly, Karim Shahine of Total Football analysis notes that Paquetá thrives as a ‘right-sided half-space’ number ten, praising his ‘creativity’ and ‘tactical flexibility’.

Based on that, it would appear as though Vieira would be the ideal replacement for his fellow left footer, so let’s take a look at how the duo compared last season.

Minutes

2,533

2,239

Goals

5

5

Assists

0

6

Big chances created

4

11

Shots

39

59

Shots on target %

7.7%

30.5%

Shot-creating actions

82

116

Goal-creating actions

6

16

Progressive carries

26

32

Progressive passes

155

154

Take-on success %

44.7%

41.2%

Touches per 90

64

56

Average SofaScore rating

6.92

7.29

As the table outlines, in 300 fewer minutes, Vieira’s statistics were, almost across the board, more impressive than Paquetá’s, notably when it came to chances created, shooting and dribbling.

Of course, the caveat is that he was doing so at a lower level, with the Primeira Liga ranked by Global Football Rankings as the seventh-strongest league in the world.

Nevertheless, Vieira is certainly available this summer, no longer in Mikel Arteta’s plans, so the Gunners may well sanction another loan deal, making his signing a low-risk, high-upside move for West Ham.

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