da esoccer bet： Ruben Amorim has faced a vast number of challenges during his first few months as Manchester United’s manager, with his tenure yet to go to plan.

da 888： After taking over from Erik ten Hag back in November, the 40-year-old has only won eight games in all competitions with the Red Devils still sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

However, they fell to yet another defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon, after an injury crisis emerged at Old Trafford, leaving Amorim with only one senior option in Victor Lindelof on the bench

.

Amad Diallo is the latest absentee, sustaining an ankle injury ahead of the clash in North London last weekend, with the manager confirming that the Ivorian is set to miss the remainder of the campaign.

Such a setback will contribute to the current problem in attacking areas which has seen the Red Devils struggle massively over the last couple of months.

Man Utd’s attacking problems in 2024/25

Since the start of the season, United have massively struggled in front of goal, scoring just 28 times in their 25 league outings, with only four teams registering fewer – three of which occupy the relegation places.

Marcus Rashford looked at one stage as though he could be the main man under Amorim, scoring three times in his first two outings of his reign, but after a fall-out behind the scenes, he was quickly banished from the side, eventually joining Aston Villa on loan.

Joshua Zirkzee is another player who’s failed to live up to expectations after his own move to the club, scoring just five times in his 37 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions.

He’s subsequently dropped behind Rasmus Hojlund in the pecking order despite the Dane’s own lack of form, notching the same tally as his fellow forward in five fewer games.

The 22-year-old cost a huge £72m from Atalanta back in the summer of 2023, but like Zirkzee, has been unable to match expectations, subsequently being outperformed by one player who was sold a handful of years ago.

The former United ace who’s outscored Hojlund in 2024/25

Ole Gunnar Solskjær starred as a player and manager at Old Trafford, cementing himself as a real legend with the work he did on and off the pitch.

After his retirement, he took the plunge into management, eventually going full circle and taking charge originally temporarily in Manchester, before securing the role on a permanent basis ahead of 2019/20.

The Norwegian would land winger Daniel James in a £15m deal from Championship side Swansea City during the summer of 2019, looking to strengthen the attacking options at his disposal.

The Welsh international would score on his debut at the Theatre of Dreams, adding the seal to a 4-0 win over Chelsea – with the Red Devils looking like a force to be reckoned with.

After such a display, Solskjaer labelled the youngster as “exceptional”, but his first season would be his best at the club, before dropping down the order, limiting him to just 28 appearances over the following 18 months.

Most combined goals & assists in the Championship (2024/25)

Rank

Player

Team

Tally

1.

Joel Piroe

Leeds United

20

2.

Borja Sainz

Norwich City

18

3.

Finn Azaz

Middlesbrough

17

4.

Dan James

Leeds United

16

5.

Emmanuel Latte Lath

Middlesbrough

14

=

Josh Maja

West Brom

14

=

Josh Sargent

Norwich City

14

=

Manor Solomon

Leeds United

14

Stats via FotMob

He would subsequently join Leeds United in a £25m deal in the summer of 2021, banking the club a hefty profit, but potentially living to regret their decision amid his form in the Championship over the last two years.

James registered 13 goals last season as the Whites narrowly missed out on promotion, before already notching 10 goals and six assists this time around, outscoring current forward Hojlund as a result.

Whilst it’s safe to say his time at Old Trafford was a disappointment, the 27-year-old appears to have recaptured his best form, becoming the latest former United player to thrive away from the club.

The jump to the Premier League from the Championship is undoubtedly a big one, but given his consistent form in Yorkshire over the last few campaigns, the decision to allow James may be one they live to regret – having the pace and end quality that has been missing throughout 2024/25.

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da realsbet： Arsenal are now ready to offer Barcelona a substantial fee to sign a noteworthy name in Hansi Flick’s squad, with the Gunners already preparing for next campaign after their faltered Premier League title challenge.

Arsenal title hopes in tatters after 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest

da aviator aposta： Liverpool have now taken a seismic 13-point lead at the top of table, and it would take a miracle for Mikel Arteta to close the gap at this stage with just under 10 games remaining of the 2024/2025 campaign.

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The Champions League now stands as their only hope of clinching any major silverware this season, but Arsenal must contend for European football’s most prestigious honour without a recognised striker.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Man Utd (away)

March 9th

Chelsea (home)

March 16th

Fulham (home)

April 1st

Everton (away)

April 5th

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Gabriel Jesus could be out injured until 2026, according to some reports, while Kai Havertz is set to miss the rest of this season after surgery on his hamstring. These blows, combined with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli’s absences, have left Arteta very short of attacking options and ultimately derailed the club’s title challenge.

Attention is already turning to the next campaign, and how Arsenal can reinforce their ranks ahead of a potentially more successful chase for their first domestic crown in over two decades.

Reports suggest that Arsenal could even look to bring in two new strikers this summer, with Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko at the centre of their interest.

Meanwhile, with left-back Kieran Tierney likely to join Celtic at the end of this season, and Oleksandr Zinchenko appears out of Arteta’s long-term plans following January links to Borussia Dortmund.

Arsenal are monitoring Club Brugge left-back Maxim De Cuyper as a result, with reports in Italy claiming that they’re set to meet with the Belgium international’s representatives soon.

Thomas Partey and Jorginho are also out of contract at the end of this season, prompting Arsenal’s rumoured attempt to agree a pre-summer deal for Martin Zubimendi.

The Real Sociedad star would be a fantastic stand-in for Partey or Jorginho, but in the event Zubimendi rejects a move to the Premier League, then Arsenal are considering another option in Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.

Arsenal ready to make £62 million bid for Frenkie de Jong

The Boot Room reported last week that his representatives touched base with Arsenal to gauge their interest in the Dutchman, with a Spanish media source now sharing further news on him.

According to the report, Arsenal are prepared to make a £62 million bid for de Jong in the summer window, a fee which could tempt the Catalans into a deal considering the 27-year-old is out of contract in 2026.

Flick personally wants to keep de Jong at the Camp Nou, but Barça are yet to negotiate a renewal with the Netherlands international, which has opened the door for Arsenal.

While he isn’t enjoying his most fruitful campaign this season, de Jong has been lavished with praise for his overall quality, especially by Erik ten Hag, who was notably eager to sign him for Man United.

“Frenkie is an incredible player and for every club in the whole world he will strengthen the squad because he has a unique quality,” said Ten Hag.

“If you can get him in the squad your team will be stronger. In Spain he became even better. He’s a fantastic player, plays out from the back, he always has time, and it was a pleasure to work with him.”

da supremo： Pep Guardiola must be ruthless in the transfer window this summer if he is to take Manchester City back to the top of English football.

da 888casino： The Spaniard splashed millions on four new signings during the winter window – most notably Omar Marmoush – and while they all look promising, it might take a few months for the four to properly gel.

Over the years, he hasn’t been shy about spending money on bringing the best talent to the club, that’s for sure.

Manchester City’s most expensive signings under Guardiola

The former Barcelona manager has signed a host of players for over £60m in his spell as City boss. Ruben Dias cost £62m back in the summer of 2020 and instantly bolstered his defensive options, now captaining the club on regular occasions.

One of the most important signings made by the manager was that of Rodri, who cost £62.8m in 2019. He may have taken a year or two to settle, but now he is definitively the best player in the world, having won the Ballon d’Or a few months ago.

Josko Gvardiol was the second-most expensive signing made by Guardiola, splashing out £77.5m to secure his signature after some impressive showings during the 2022/23 campaign and he’s only gone from strength to strength, scoring ten goals from full-back over the last season and a half.

Only once has the manager spent £100m or more on a player since taking over the club in 2016 and this came three and a half years ago. Jack Grealish emerged as one of the brightest talents in the Premier League, leading to City spending £100m on him in 2021.

The Etihad side became the first English club to spend this amount on a single player, with Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, delighted to sign him, admitting that Grealish was an “incredible talent” upon his arrival.

Despite this lavish fee, the Englishman hasn’t quite lived up to expectations.

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The former Villa talent scored five goals in his first season, winning his first Premier League title in the process. Since then it has been steady progress. That was, until, the last year or so.

That debut campaign was followed up with 16 goal contributions during the 2022/23 season, as City became the second English side to win the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies.

Since then, however, things haven’t been great for the 29-year-old. A tally of six goal contributions was a poor return last season and this stagnation has crept into his game throughout the current term.

The winger has netted just twice, against PSG and Salford City, while starting only 14 games in all competitions under Guardiola.

Despite this lack of impact on the pitch, Grealish is currently earning a staggering £300k-per-week at City, ranking him joint-third out of everyone at the club.

Only Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland – two of City’s most influential players – are ahead of him, suggesting that Guardiola must move Grealish on this summer.

Grealish’s Premier League stats this season

Goals

0

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.4

Big chances created

2

Total duels won per game

2.8

Shots per game

0.8

Via Sofascore

He was previously linked with a move back to Aston Villa during the winter transfer window, but nothing came of it.

With two years left on his current contract, will the manager cash in this summer? He should do.

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da pixbet： Manchester United’s Europa League Round of 16 tie against Real Sociedad is on a knife edge. The Red Devils drew 1-1 in San Sebastian in the first leg on Thursday night, with a Joshua Zirkzee goal initially giving Ruben Amorim’s side a 1-0 lead in the second half.

da spicy bet： However, the home side struck back from the penalty spot just moments later. United captain Bruno Fernandes was deemed to have handled the ball, and after consulting the VAR monitor, the referee awarded the home side a penalty. Fernandes’ opposite number Mikel Oyazarbal converted.

It was a strong away performance in Europe for United, with Alejandro Garnacho grabbing the all-important assist.

Garnacho’s stats vs. Sociedad

It was a mixed bag of a night for 20-year-old Argentina international, Garnacho. His assist for Zirkzee’s goal was a good one, picking up the ball out on the right-hand side, delaying his pass and then weighting it perfectly for Zirkzee to run on to and fire into the back of the net with a lovely finish.

However, as good as that pass was, the winger struggled to make chances of his own count in key moments. This was something Samuel Luckhurst picked up on in his post-match ratings.

The Manchester Evening News journalist gave Garnacho a 6/10 for his efforts, and described his efforts on goal, which regularly found the side-netting, as ‘infuriating’.

Indeed, the United number 17’s stats on Sofascore suggest the mixed night he had in San Sebastian. He had 22 touches and created two chances, yet had five shots, finding the target with just two of them, and won one out of five duels.

In many ways, the game against Sociedad summed up Garnacho’s season. His goals and assist numbers are impressive, with 15 in 42 games across all competitions, but they have tended to come in clumps rather than consistently throughout the season.

If he does struggle for form towards the end of the season, perhaps Amorim will consider giving a debut to one of Carrington’s most exciting players.

Man Utd's next academy sensation

Garnacho is one of several exciting academy products to break through into the Old Trafford first team in recent years. Others include the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Toby Collyer, and, more recently, Chido Obi.

Perhaps the next in line will be 16-year-old attacker Amir Ibragimov. The England under-16 international has been impressive for the Red Devils academy this season.

In 22 appearances across all competitions, he has seven goals and four assists to his name.

Ibragimov’s record for Man Utd’s academy in 2024/25

Stat

Under-18 PL

FA Youth Cup

UEFA Youth League

Premier League 2

Games

15

4

2

1

Minutes

877

124

76

31

Goals

6

1

0

0

Assists

4

0

0

0

Stats from Transfermarkt

One of the most exciting things about Ibragimov is the fact that he is a genuine goalscorer. Earlier this season, he scored a hat-trick against Red Devils’ arch-rivals Leeds United, showing a big threat in front of goal.

With that in mind, it might be unsurprising that the youngster has been compared to one of the all-time great United players, and the club’s top goalscorer, Wayne Rooney. Journalist Jamie Jackson claimed that the England under-16 international plays the “Rooney role” for the United academy.

If Ibragimov gets anywhere near the levels that Rooney hit whilst in a United shirt, he will have had a successful career. The former United captain played 559 times for the club, scoring 253 times and grabbing 138 assists.

There is no doubt that Ibragimov is an exciting talent. Maybe a first-team debut will come too soon for him this season, but United fans could surely expect to see Ibragimov make his full debut sooner rather than later.

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da cassino online： Liverpool could allow an “outstanding” player to leave the club in the summer transfer window, with Real Madrid circling for his £50m signature.

Liverpool fail to turn up in EFL Cup final against Newcastle

da bet7： After the disappointment of Champions League elimination last week, the Reds lost 2-1 to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final on Sunday afternoon.

Arne Slot’s side produced a flat performance throughout at Wembley, with too many players looking jaded, so Liverpool could have few qualms about the eventual result. For the boss, it was a failed opportunity to win silverware at his maiden attempt in his first season at Anfield.

It’s now a case of the Reds knuckling down and getting the job done in the Premier League title race, and thankfully, a 16-day break before their next game could be a blessing in disguise. That is still the main aim for the season, and always has been.

The defeat to Newcastle highlighted the need for additions to Liverpool’s squad when the summer window rolls around, though, with a new centre forward vital and fresh legs needed in defence, too. Now, a key current player who started against Newcastle has been linked with a move away.

"Outstanding" Liverpool ace linked with exit as Real Madrid circle

According to a report from Spain, Liverpool may entertain offers of £50m for Ibrahima Konate at the end of the season, with Real Madrid interested in snapping him up.

It is claimed that the Frenchman’s “contractual situation, in addition to potential negotiation deadlock, has set a scenario where the club would not frown upon his departure if a suitable offer arises.”

Selling Konate could ultimately be the wrong decision by Liverpool, considering he is an important starter who could lead the defence once Virgil van Dijk has eventually moved on. The Dutchman hasn’t yet signed a new deal, though, so there is no guarantee that he will still be at Anfield beyond June.

The 25-year-old is such an imposing centre-back when he is fit and firing, with Van Dijk hailing his quality after the 1-0 win at Wolves earlier this season:

“He is a fantastic player who still can be better. As you saw, he is important with the goal, he is defensively solid, a bit unlucky with the goal we conceded, but obviously the qualities he has are outstanding in my opinion. He is learning, growing, getting better and looking after himself much better in order to be ready every three days as that’s what asked.”

The only issue with Konate is injuries, but he has already started 22 Premier League games this season – the most for Liverpool in the competition in any campaign for the club – which suggests he has hopefully overcome that problem.

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If Van Dijk stays and Konate goes, it wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster for the Reds, assuming a top-quality replacement came in, but keeping hold of him is still the preferred outcome.

da imperador bet： Brendan Rodgers returned to Celtic in the summer of 2023 to replace Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou, who decided to join Tottenham Hotspur.

da brdice： The Northern Irish head coach, who enjoyed an almost-three-year spell at Parkhead between 2016 and 2019, came in off the back of Postecoglou winning a domestic treble in Glasgow.

Rodgers could not quite replicate that in his first season, winning the Scottish Premiership and the SFA Cup, but he is currently on course to land the domestic treble in his second campaign.

The Celtic board have backed the former Leicester City and Liverpool manager in the four transfer windows that he has had to date in his second spell, as they have not been afraid to splash the cash on new recruits to bolster the squad.

Not all of their recruits in the summer of 2023, in Rodgers’ first window, worked out, though, and Hyun-jun Yang was one player who seemed destined to become a flop at Parkhead.

How much Celtic paid for Hyun-jun Yang

Sky Sports reported that the Scottish giants splashed out a fee of £2m to sign the South Korea U22 international from Gangwon ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, in an attempt to bolster the manager’s options in the wide areas.

The young forward had scored nine goals and provided five assists in 71 first-team matches for Gangwon in his career, which immediately suggested that Celtic were not signing the finished article.

That proved to be the case in his debut season in Glasgow. Yang ended the 2023/24 campaign with a return of just one goal and three assists in 31 appearances in all competitions.

The young winger failed to provide any sort of consistent threat at the top end of the pitch, as either a scorer or a creator of goals, in the major competitions for the Hoops.

Hyun-jun Yang (23/24)

Premiership

Champions League

Appearances (starts)

24 (10)

4 (2)

Goals

1

0

Big chances created

5

0

Assists

3

0

Dribbles completed per game

1.3

1.0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Yang offered very little in the final third for Rodgers in either the Premiership or the Champions League last season.

His struggles in his debut campaign in Scottish football may have led some to wonder what the future would hold for him at Parkhead, particularly with the likes of Nicolas Kuhn, Daizen Maeda, James Forrest, and Luis Palma at the club last summer.

Chalkboard

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

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However, Yang remained in Glasgow during last summer’s transfer window to stay and fight for his place in the squad, and has developed into a valuable squad player for Rodgers.

Hyun-jun Yang's Celtic improvement

The 22-year-old winger is only three appearances, with more than a month of the season left to play, away from equalling his matches played from last season, with 28 in the current campaign.

Yang has already beaten his tally of goal contributions from the 2023/24 campaign (four) with a return of five goals and six assists in those 28 outings in all competitions.

This shows that the South Korea international has developed and improved during his time in Glasgow, by adding more goals and assists to his game – despite playing fewer games so far.

Journalist Anthony Joseph described him as a “raw” player with “real potential” recently, suggesting that he could be the latest player to be improved by Rodgers.

At the age of 22, Yang still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop further and emerge as a key first-team regular for the Hoops in the future. His current improvement suggests that the winger is on the right track and that Celtic may have hit the jackpot by landing him for £2m in 2023.

However, his impressive form for the Scottish giants this season, and the improvement in training that has led to it, may have just ended another forward’s career at Parkhead.

Luis Palma's Celtic career may be over

Luis Palma was also signed to bolster the club’s options out wide in the summer of 2023, when he arrived from Greek side Aris for a reported fee of £3.5m – £1.5m more than Yang was bought for in the same window.

The Honduras international, actually, enjoyed a fairly impressive debut season in Scottish football. He ended the 2023/24 campaign with a return of ten goals and ten assists in 36 outings in all competitions.

However, six of those goals and nine of those assists came in the first half of the season, before his form tailed off towards the end of the campaign.

Palma, then, struggled to get game time in the first half of this season, with 267 minutes across 12 outings in all competitions, as he fell out of favour whilst Yang stepped up as a brilliant squad option.

Luis Palma (Premiership)

23/24

24/25

Appearances (starts)

28 (18)

8 (1)

Goals

7

0

Big chances created

14

1

Assists

9

0

Key passes per game

2.4

1.5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Honduras international’s form dropped off a cliff heading into the 2024/25 campaign, whereas, Yang’s output in the final third improved.

That left Rodgers with a decision to make on Palma, who was described as being too “wasteful” by John Hartson, and the Hoops boss opted to part ways with the winger.

Olympiacos signed him on loan in the January transfer window, with an option to make it permanent in the summer, and it was recently reported that they are interested in activating the €4m (£3.4m) option, which would spell the end of his career at Parkhead.

Therefore, Yang’s improved performances have, essentially, ended Palma’s time in Glasgow because he has stepped up to provide excellent competition for the likes of Maeda, Jota, and Kuhn, whilst the Honduran flop failed to provide a reliable option on the flank.

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Now, Yang has the chance to kick on and become a star for the Hoops, and Palma has the opportunity to start anew with a permanent return to Greece this summer.

da leao： West Ham United being in the hunt for a striker this summer is no secret and sporting director Mark Noble is continuing to spearhead talks over the potential arrival of an exciting talent, per a report.

West Ham United's desperate hunt for a striker

da fazobetai： Unfortunately, Michael Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug’s bad luck with injuries has left the Hammers short in attack this campaign, leading the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and even Lucas Paqueta to feature as auxiliary strikers.

Danny Ings has featured from the bench at times while Evan Ferguson has offered further support, but nobody has really grasped the nettle for West Ham in their time of need.

Graham Potter will be grateful that his side have done enough to stave off Premier League relegation barring an unmitigated disaster. Nevertheless, the need for a new spearhead in the forward line couldn’t be any more abundant at the London Stadium.

Exploring rumoured names, Lille’s Jonathan David is said to be high on West Ham’s wishlist amid his availability on a free transfer. Arsenal and Barcelona are also in the mix for his signature, though the former Chelsea boss is looking to push through a deal.

Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha is another on the Hammers’ radar and there are murmurs that more than one attacker could join the Potter revolution in light of their frustrations in front of goal.

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Only five teams have scored less than the Irons in the 2024/25 top-flight, signifying that assets for now and the future are necessary to evade their recent profligacy in years to come.

Noble will already feel he is being put through his paces to try and identify potential reinforcements, and he may be about to strike lucky in pursuit of a talented young forward.

West Ham continue talks to sign Celtic forward Daniel Cummings

Per Claret and Hugh, West Ham remain in talks to sign Celtic forward Daniel Cummings, who is out of contract at the end of the season. The Irons initially tryied to prize him away from the Glasgow giants in January and are still trying to do so.

Noble is said to be a central feature in discussions and the Hammers are aware that the Scotland youth international wants guarantees that he will be there or thereabouts in the first-team picture next season.

Daniel Cummings’ tally for Celtic first-team and Celtic B – 2024/25

Appearances

33

Goals

29

Assists

0

Dubbed “sensational” by Celtic B professional player pathway manager Darren O’Dea, he is someone who the Bhoys have tried and failed to tie down for several months despite his appearance in their Champions League defeat away to Aston Villa during the league phase.

The Hoops have their eye on Dundee United’s Owen Stirton as a potential replacement, indicating they are at the point of setting contingency plans in place should the young talent depart for cross-border compensation.

West Ham are in pole position to take advantage of his availability, but talks are yet to reach a conclusion, meaning there is still work to be done on that front.

da betsul： Sheffield United now find themselves in pole position to land an instant promotion back to the promised lands of Premier League with the Blades two points clear of a faltering Leeds United at the summit of the Championship.

da bet7： Of course, nothing is set in stone until the 46-game marathon is over and done with, but Chris Wilder’s men will be quietly confident of their chances after a recent 3-1 victory over playoff-chasing Coventry City.

On top of that, Wilder also has the know-how as a manager to guide his team over the line, having clinched two promotions already in the Bramall Lane hot seat over two distinguished spells.

But, not everything is potentially rosy on the horizon with the step back up to the Premier League meaning alterations will have to be made.

Unfortunately, top-flight football might not be on the menu for everyone next season with an £88k-per-week quartet potentially not looking at much game time. Here are four players who could be given the boot if promotion is sealed.

1 Jack Robinson

Whilst Jack Robinson has been a mainstay of Wilder’s XI so far this season – with 28 Championship appearances under his belt – the Blades boss could opt for a fresher body in the centre-back department if top-flight football returns to South Yorkshire.

After all, it was heavily reported during the January transfer window that United were chasing Queens Park Rangers enforcer Jimmy Dunne, among other targets, meaning these options could be explored again very soon.

Moreover, the 31-year-old might still hold visible scars from the last time his side fell from the tricky division, resulting in the ex-Liverpool centre-back tallying up just one clean sheet from a miserable 35 outings.

2 Sydie Peck

Whilst Robinson is undoubtedly an experienced head in Wilder’s camp, homegrown product Sydie Peck is very much on the opposite end of the spectrum, with the rising midfielder only 20 years of age.

Therefore, it would be unreasonable to expect Peck to be able to acclimatise to the bright lights of the Premier League instantly, with his 35 league clashes and counting this season bumped up by injury troubles centrally.

The academy prodigy won’t be axed completely next season, but it would be fair to assume Peck might take more of a background role as tougher and more physical opponents wait in the wings.

3 Rhian Brewster

Rhian Brewster is another face who might have to become used to taking a back seat more often, with the former Anfield wonderkid looking out of his depth previously in the Premier League.

Indeed, the hot-and-cold attacker has actually never bagged a top-flight strike from 40 appearances, which will worry Wilder and Co tremendously.

He is deep in a purple patch of form at the moment, with four strikes and three assists accumulated in second-tier action.

However, it would be an almighty risk on the end of the newly-promoted side to solely put their trust in Brewster to come up trumps, especially if his inconsistencies rear their ugly head again.

4 Kieffer Moore

Lastly, another attacker that might find his minutes are limited in the top-flight is Kieffer Moore, with the Welshman a regular in the Bramall Lane treatment room.

Snapping up the ex-Cardiff City marksman on a free transfer last summer would have been deemed smart business, considering the seasoned attacker has a hefty 59 strikes next to his name in the Championship.

Moore’s numbers this season

Stat

Moore

Games played

22

Goals scored

5

Games missed through injury

17

Days missed through injury

82

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Five of those have come in his new surroundings, but his recurring injury problems will have irked Wilder, leading to figures such as Tyrese Campbell and Tom Cannon presumably gaining more starts in the top-flight away from the often injury-hit striker.

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da dobrowin： Liverpool are on the verge of a historic Premier League title and with Jurgen Klopp gone, that is quite the sentence.

da prosport bet： When the German announced his departure, it caused mass panic among the Anfield faithful. The Reds were fearing a seismic drop-off, potentially years away from challenging for a league again.

However, Arne Slot has – to excuse the pun – slotted right in and made Anfield cheer his name almost as loudly as Klopp’s.

Liverpool may have exited the Champions League and lost the Carabao Cup final but that will not matter when they lift the Premier League aloft in six weeks or so.

So, it’s time to capitalise on this triumph. With Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah potentially set to exit, they will need to strengthen.

Liverpool summer transfer plans

Alexander-Arnold will be boarding a plane to Madrid imminently, so signing a new right-back must be a priority. Reports suggest Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong is an option.

They will also need a new forward. Darwin Nunez is regularly linked with the exit door and just cannot build up any consistency in front of goal, scoring a dismal seven goals across 40 outings in all competitions this term.

That would explain links to strikers such as Newcastle’s Alexander Isak but the Toon’s reluctance to sell means it’s unlikely he’ll be going anywhere soon.

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So, how about Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez? The Argentine only left Manchester City last summer but reports in Spain suggest he could be on the move again.

One publication on the continent is reporting that Liverpool are now willing to lodge a truly ridiculous €170m (£142m) bid to bring him to Anfield this summer.

It’s indicated that a deal could be done if Salah leaves with Slot and Co very much on the lookout for alternatives in the worst-case scenario.

If a deal was done at that price, it would make it one of the biggest moves in the history of the sport and the biggest in Premier League history.

How Julian Alvarez compares to Alexander Isak

So, Isak is clearly the number one target for a lot of clubs this summer and it’s hardly a surprise given his haul of 23 goals in 33 outings. There aren’t many better strikers out there.

However, since leaving City, Alvarez has also been on fire and in the words of Argentine journalist Roy Nemer, the World Cup winner has been the “best forward in the world” this season.

Do the numbers support that? Well, he’s found the net on 23 occasions, the same number as Isak, although he has played 12 more games.

Isak is an out and out centre-forward and although Alvarez can do that job tremendously, he can also play in a number 10 role, making him rather similar to Bobby Firmino.

Firmino wasn’t a direct striker either, notably deployed as a false 9 by Klopp on plenty of occasions. As a result, the Brazilian used his selfless creativity to pick out runners in behind. Alvarez could be used in a similar manner.

Alvarez vs Isak in 2024/25

Stat (per 90 mins)

Alvarez

Isak

Goals

0.54

0.83

Progressive carries

2.92

2.81

Successful take-ons

1.17

1.54

Carries into final 3rd

1.71

1.58

Progressive passes

2.83

2.68

Key passes

1.22

1.54

Shot-creating actions

3.37

3.29

Stats via FBRef.

Analysing the numbers above, it’s clear that Newcastle’s Swedish sensation is more prolific but in other areas they are pretty closely matched, demonstrating a similar level of creativity and carrying this season.

However, if we analyse more historical data, Alvarez is usually the more creative of the duo, supplying 1.66 key passes per 90 to Isak’s 1.22 per 90 since 2022. There’s that Firmino-esque attribute shining through once more.

We know that Slot likes a multi-faceted and versatile forward so perhaps there is sense in chasing the Argentine instead. Aged 25, he’s yet to even reach his prime either.

This would be an exceptional signing for the Reds.

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da 888casino： Chelsea are clearly looking to repair all the poor business they’ve done in prior windows, aiming to sell high-earners that don’t justify their wages and players who don’t suit the current direction they are trying to take the club.

da bet7： With Enzo Maresca looking to play a possession-based style, wanting to control matches, pin teams back and take the ascendancy, certain players are more suited than others.

Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling are two players who are out of the project but will return from their respective loans in the summer.

This will leave the Blues attempting to find new clubs for both of them, getting rid of their high wages in the process.

What the future holds for Sterling & Chilwell

Having barely kicked a ball under Maresca, Chilwell moved to Crystal Palace on loan in the January transfer window, but he sadly hasn’t made much of an impact so far, playing in just seven games across 243 minutes.

So, what’s next for the left-back? Well, it seems unlikely that Palace will snap him up permanently, meaning that the Blues will need to find alternative ways of ditching his sizeable £200k a week salary, a total that makes him the club’s third-highest earner.

As for Sterling, a permanent move across London is also unlikely. He moved to Arsenal in the summer on transfer deadline day, promising that Gunners supporters would “see the best of me” but it just hasn’t happened for him in red.

Indeed, the winger has made 24 appearances for the Gunners, scoring one goal, providing five assists and totaling 999 minutes played. He even missed a penalty in the Champions League, a moment that summed up his time at the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea’s highest earner, taking home £325k-per-week, he will need to find a new club with a luxury of wingers at Maresca’s disposal.

Speaking of which, he’s not the only one who should be on his way out of the Bridge in the summer.

Chelsea's next Sterling needs to go

In the blue of Chelsea, Sterling played 81 games but it’s unlikely he’ll add to that tally having scored on just 19 occasions in that time frame.

A player with a fine reputation, he’s quite frankly been shocking over the last few years. Now, Chelsea may have found the next Sterling.

That player happens to be the much-maligned Christopher Nkunku. Signed from RB Leipzig in 2023 for a fee of around £52m, it hasn’t been a great time for the Frenchman in London.

It’s perhaps a surprise, particularly considering the France international netted 23 goals and provided nine assists in 36 appearances for the German club in the 2022/23 campaign.

However, since arriving at Chelsea, Nkunku has made 53 appearances, scoring 17 goals and providing five assists in 2,372 minutes played.

Whilst his goal-scoring record isn’t too bad, it is important to factor in that many of his starts have come in cup competitions, starting upfront in the UEFA Conference League this season, and often playing in the early stages of the EFL and FA Cup.

Nkunku (24/25) vs Sterling (23/24) comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

Nkunku

Sterling

Goals

0.61

0.33

Assists

0.23

0.26

xG

0.47

0.30

xAG

0.20

0.20

Progressive Carries

1.67

5.45

Progressive Passes

2.45

3.55

Shots Total

2.68

2.29

Key Passes

1.27

1.36

Shot-Creating Actions

3.24

3.86

Successful Take-Ons

0.98

2.05

Stats taken from FBref

When comparing the underlying metrics of Nkunku this season and Sterling last season, you can see both players had some decent numbers in certain areas, both still scoring goals, contributing to the build up and creating for their teammates.

However, it is their work rate that continues to disappoint, both being brandished as lazy by many a fan during their time at the club.

He’s also attracted criticism from the media, ex-Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley labeled Nkunku a “total waste of money” when speaking on ESPN. The forward has had plenty of chances this season, especially in the absence of Chelsea stars such as Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer, but he has failed to show anything worthy of earning himself a starting spot.

With Nkunku on high wages and still a fairly highly regarded player despite his poor form, it would be a wise move for the Blues to cash in on the attacker this summer, getting some money back on their investment and allowing Nkunku to perhaps join another club he fits slightly better.

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