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da dobrowin： A Spanish newspaper has shared the truth behind rumours of a Leeds United contract offer to defender Junior Firpo, having spoken directly to the player’s entourage.

Leeds plan busy summer as multiple approaches made

da realsbet： The Whites don’t have to worry about the Championship play-offs this time around; they can sit back and enjoy what unfolds this weekend, knowing they are back in the Premier League. And given Leeds finished their season a couple of weeks ago, the club have already been putting plans in place for where they want to strengthen their side.

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It’s been reported that Leeds are plotting a double transfer swoop on Newcastle United duo Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff. Wilson’s contract at St James’ Park is set to expire at the end of the campaign, and Longstaff is said to be available for around £12 million, meaning both deals are doable for a team coming up from the second tier.

Meanwhile, BBC and Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards believes James McAtee would be a fantastic signing for the Whites, having been linked in the last few weeks.

But strengthening their defence may be seen as more of a priority, as West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal has emerged as a potential target, with the 49ers making an approach to West Ham already.

Spanish newspaper makes Firpo contract claim

Signing new full backs may be a top priority given the circumstances surrounding Firpo, whose contract expires at the end of June. His future remains a hot topic of conversation, and according to Spanish newspaper Estadio Deportivo, Leeds have made a ‘juicy’ contract offer to keep Firpo at the club.

The newspaper references rumours of an agreement on a four-year deal worth £155,000-a-week – a total cost of over £32m.

The Spanish outlet claim they have spoken directly to Firpo’s camp, and while there is an offer on the table, nothing has been agreed yet.

That is because Firpo has received offers from other clubs, with Serie A side Lazio in the mix. It also goes on to add that Real Betis, who have been linked with a move for Firpo for a while now, must accelerate their plans if they want him to return to Spain.

As well as Lazio and Real Betis being interested in signing Firpo, it was also claimed earlier this month that Barcelona are plotting a move, as his agents may have already spoken to the La Liga winners.

Junior Firpo’s Leeds United stats

Apps

119

Goals

6

Assists

22

The 28-year-old has been at Elland Road since 2021, but in his four seasons at Leeds, it could be argued that the 2024/25 campaign was his best one yet. The left-back scored four goals and registered an impressive 10 assists in 32 Championship games, making him one of the most attacking defenders in the division. Therefore, it is no surprise that Leeds are trying their best to keep hold of a player who could help them a lot in the Premier League.

da premier bet： Whilst Sunderland had to dig deep in order to beat Coventry City over two entertaining playoff matches, Sheffield United enjoyed a fair more straightforward route to the Wembley showpiece.

da bwin： The Championship high-flyers easily got the better of Liam Manning’s Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate, with the Blades barely having to break a sweat to defeat the dazzled Robins.

Chris Wilder’s men won’t be heading into their promotion-or-bust showdown with Sunderland full of arrogance that another simple win will be picked up, however, with Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats far more of a formidable foe for United to try and topple.

The Sunderland players who could hurt Sheffield United

Whilst Bristol City just about managed to sneak into the playoff picture in sixth position, the Wearside outfit have been in and around the top six for some time now, with the Black Cats desperate to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

Wilder’s side will have other ideas obviously, but the Blades will have to be switched on throughout, meaning the likes of Jobe Bellingham and Wilson Isidor will have to be kept quiet all match long.

After all, the Championship side’s top goalscorer for the season would get the ball rolling for his side away at Coventry, with an emphatic finish breaking the first leg deadlock.

Wilder will require the likes of Michael Cooper and Jack Robinson to be as switched on as they were against the Robins, with a well-deserved two clean sheets tallied up.

But, there is also the added test of keeping Bellingham quiet in the forward areas, with the 19-year-old sensation reportedly on the radar of Borussia Dortmund, and for good reason, after picking up four goals and three assists himself in league action.

Le Bris’ men aren’t solely reliant on these two to conjure up a spark, however, with centre-back colossus Daniel Ballard actually proving to be the difference-maker last time out with a last-gasp header.

Thankfully for Wilder, he also possesses a goal-hungry defender in his ranks, similar to Ballar,d who will be keen to leave his mark on the nail-biting contest at Wembley.

Sheffield United's very own Ballard

Amazingly, much like his ex-Arsenal counterpart managed versus Coventry, Anel Ahmedhodzic has previously found himself in the right place at the right time to fire his team into a momentous lead.

Way back in April 2023, United teetered on the edge of a return to the Premier League. The promotion-hungry Blades needed just one more precious victory to get over the line, and after Ahmedhodzic’s flick beat the West Bromwich Albion keeper to give Paul Heckingbottom’s men a 2-0 lead, their joyous return to the big time was finally confirmed.

The “dominant” Bosnian – as he’s been labelled in the past by scout Jacek Kulig – will hope he has more dramatic moments like this strike up his sleeve ahead of the Blades’ forthcoming trip to Wembley, but his overall defensive game this season is also in-keeping with Ballard’s imposing presence, away from mirroring his notable eye for goal.

Across 38 games in the Championship this campaign, Ahmedhodzic has been able to pick up a respectable 15 clean sheets, with his total overall donning Blades red and white in the tricky division across two campaigns coming in at a bumper 31.

Ahmedhodzic vs Ballard – Championship career

Stat

Ahmedhodzic

Ballard

Games played

72

84

Goals scored

9

6

Assists

3

1

Clean sheets

31

18

Stats by Sofascore

Ballard lags behind on a lesser 18 when looking at the table above, with his impressive goal tally of six also trumped by the Blades number 15, even from 12 fewer league games.

This will be a fascinating battle to take in when the Championship playoff final rolls around, with one of the two defensive enforcers having to inevitably make do with second-tier life again.

The £14m-rated colossus will be praying he’s the lucky centre-back that returns to the Premier League, but anything can happen when the nerves are ramped up.

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da winzada777： Arsenal will surely sign a new striker for big money this summer, but the question remains, who will it be?

da stake casino： The Gunners have scored just 64 goals in the Premier League this season, down from 91 last year and 88 the season before that, which is a major factor why they will conclude the campaign trophyless.

So, given that they’re unlikely to be unable to land Mikel Arteta’s dream target, are they about to snap-up an “electric” alternative?

Arsenal's search for a new striker

According to a report by Miguel Delaney of the Independent, Arsenal have ‘laid the groundwork’ as they continue to pursue RB Leipzig attacker Benjamin Šeško.

The Gunners attempted to sign the Slovenian international early last summer before the European Championships, but the 21-year-old decided to sign a new contract with Leipzig instead of moving to North London.

Now though, Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Deutschland claims that Šeško has a release clause worth €80m (around £68m), adding that a move ‘is also possible without triggering the clause’.

Transfer Focus

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

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Philipp Hinze, also of Sky Sports Deutschland, reports that Leipzig ‘don’t want to let’ him go but, with die Roten Bullen on course to miss out on Champions League qualification, all the indications are that Šeško will be on the move this summer, so could it be to Arsenal?

Why Benjamin Šeško would be a good signing for Arsenal

Of course, Šeško is not Arteta’s dream striker signing, that is Alexander Isak, with Sami Mokbel of BBC Sport outlining how he is top of the manager’s wishlist, while acknowledging that this move is very unlikely to happen, with Phil McNulty of BBC Sport adding that he cannot see Newcastle selling their ‘best player’ to a direct Premier League rival.

Meantime, speaking on the Arsecast Extra, James McNicholas adds that it is going to be near-impossible for Arsenal to sign the Swede if Newcastle qualify for the Champions League, which they’re very much on course to achieve, thereby meaning they’ll surely have to look elsewhere.

So, should Šeško be the next name on the list?

Well, analyst Ben Mattinson labels the Slovenian “electric”, praising his “two-footed ball-striking” ability, while Lee Scott of Total Football Analysis notes that he ‘possesses the ability to score a wide variety of goals’, which is certainly a useful skill to have, one that many members of Arsenal’s forward line do not.

Meantime, Luis Kircher of Total Football Analysis describes Šeško as an ‘exceptional talent’, while Alex Barker​​​​​​​ of Breaking the Lines believes the ‘hot prospect’ is destined for the top, sighting Matthias Jaissle, his former manager at RB Salzburg, who labelled him “a dream of a player”.

A 6 foot 4 monster of a centre-forward, much like Isak, the Leipzig man is very much a young version of his Newcastle counterpart. So let’s assess how the duo compare this season.

Benjamin Šeško vs Alexander Isak 2024/25 comparison

Statistics

Šeško

Isak

Appearances

43

40

Minutes

3,186

3,144

Goals

21

27

Assists

6

6

Goals – xG

+2.8

+2.2

Shots

121

129

Shots on target %

47.9%

43.4%

Shot-creating actions

56

89

Goals-creating actions

9

14

Big chances missed

18

20

Touches in opposition area per 90

4

7

Touches per 90

26

25

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com, SofaScore and Squawka

As the table outlines, in a near-identical number of minutes this season, Šeško and Isak’s statistics are often very similar, but with a few key differences.

Šeško boasts a slightly better goals – xG figure, while a higher percentage of his shots find the target, missing two-fewer Opta-defined big chances.

Meantime, Isak comes out on top when it comes to goals, shot-creating actions and pure total shots, while the Swede takes a higher proportion of his touches inside the opposition’s penalty area.

Nevertheless, if Isak is the unascertainable dream target, Šeško’s statistics suggest he would be a more than adequate, youthful alternative, firing Arsenal to the big trophies that they so desperately crave.

​​​​​​​

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da apostaganha： Defensively, West Ham United have struggled in the 2024/25 Premier League season.

da betway： The Hammers, now led by Graham Potter, have one of the worst records in the top flight when it comes to conceding goals. There are only four sides that have shipped more than the East Londoners, with three of those the relegated sides.

As per Understat, West Ham have let in 59 goals this term, averaging 1.68 goals conceded per game. That overall number is actually more than three better than their expected goals against total, which is currently 62.73 xGA.

With that in mind, it might not be too much of a surprise that the Hammers are chasing some defensive reinforcements this summer.

The latest on West Ham's hunt for new defenders

One of the more ambitious defensive signings West Ham could try and make this summer would be to bring David Hancko to the club.

The Slovakian international seems destined to leave Feyenoord in a few weeks time, and Dutch publication Voetbal International report there is interest from Atletico Madrid, Al Nassr and Chelsea, as well as the Hammers.

The left-footed defender can play both left-back and left centre-back, and would add plenty of experience at the heart of the Hammers’ defence. He has made 44 appearances this term, for a Feyenoord side who have conceded just 33 top-flight goals.

Another defensive player who West Ham seem like they could be in for this summer is Kyle Walker-Peters. The Southampton man was part of a relegated side this season, but has been an important player for the South Coast side.

A report from journalist Greame Bailey suggests the Hammers are one of the sides trying to sign Walker-Peters on a free transfer this summer. However, they will face competition from his former club, Tottenham Hotspur and South London side Crystal Palace.

Despite the leaky defence at St Mary’s, there is no denying Walker-Peters’ quality. Former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl once said he is an “unbelievably smart footballer”, and compared him to legendary right-back Phillipp Lahm.

The Hammers will certainly need to raise funds to afford the wages of both of these players. There is one obvious candidate who could leave the club to make room in the wage budget.

The defender West Ham must axe this summer

One player who has had no involvement in a Hammers shirt this season is Kurt Zouma. The Frenchman, who hails from Lyon, is currently out on loan at Saudi Arabian side Al-Orobah and has not played for West Ham at all this season.

In fact, the former Chelsea player has not had too much first-team football for his temporary side Al-Orobah, either. He has only featured 16 times in all competitions, with 15 of those games coming in the Saudi Pro League.

At one stage, the centre-back was viewed as a vital cog in the works at the London Stadium. He joined the club in 2021 for £25m after leaving Chelsea, and was described as the club’s “first choice” signing at by former manager David Moyes at the time of his arrival.

The 30-year-old made just over a century of appearances in the famous claret and blue shirt, specifically reaching 103 games for the club. Zouma even skippered the club on 37 occasions and scored six times, including one goal in a 2-1 win away to Luton Town last term.

The Frenchman was also an important figure in the Hammers’ Conference League triumph back in 2022. As per Sofascore, he played seven games in that competition, averaging 2.8 aerial duels won and 1.9 tackles won per game.

Zouma stats in 2021/22 Conference League

Stat

Per 90

Total

Minutes played

68.1

477

Pass accuracy

85.5%

85.5%

Long balls completed

1.7

9

Tackles and interceptions

1.9

10

Aerial duels won

2.8

15

Stats from Sofascore

Overall, it does seem as though Zouma’s career has petered out at the London Stadium. His contract will expire in a few weeks’ time, and it seems unlikely to be renewed, given his current loan move to Al Orobah.

Not only will that free up money on the wage budget for the Hammers, but they will also be able to reinvest it into new signings that could include Hancko and Walker-Peters.

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da bet nacional： Manchester City’s summer of spending is seemingly set to commence.

da brdice： The Sky Blues were the world’s biggest spenders in January, signing Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah for a reported £180m; that’s more than the other 19 Premier League clubs spent combined.

However, this appears likely to be a mere amuse-bouche ahead of the summer rebuild, so will the Citizens snap up one of the Premier League’s best players?

Manchester City targeting a new full-back

According to a report by journalist Graeme Bailey, Manchester City are interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers full-back Rayan Aït-Nouri, having already made ‘background checks’ regarding the Molineux sensation.

As the report goes on to note, Pep Guardiola has previously suggested that they will look to sign a left-back this summer, stating “obviously, Nico’s helping us, but he’s not a left-back… we’ve found solutions”.

So, could Aït-Nouri be that solution, valued at £40m by Wolves, according to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider?

Well, the Algerian international has certainly caught the eye, with Dougie Critchley of Sky Sports noting that he has “been one of the Premier League’s best players” in recent months, while David O’Brien praises his “creative” qualities.

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But would he be a good fit at Man City, and would his potential arrival be reminiscent of the signing of another sky blue stalwart?

Why Ait-Nouri could be the next Kyle Walker

Kyle Walker joined Manchester City from Tottenham back in 2017 for a reported £53m, a world-record fee for a defender at the time.

Fair to say, this proved to be a good investment, as the table below outlines.

Kyle Walker’s Manchester City career in numbers

Statistics

Walker

Appearances

319

Starts

286

Appearances in goal

1

Minutes

25,716

Goals

6

Assists

23

Premier League titles

6

Champions Leagues

1

FA Cups

2

EFL Cups

4

Total major honours

17

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

When Walker departed for AC Milan in January, Ali Tweedale of Opta’s the Analyst stated that the Englishman is the Premier League’s ‘best-ever right-back’, while Michael Cox of the Athletic adds that Man City would not have enjoyed nearly as much success as they have in recent times without being ‘reliant on his recovery pace’ which, now that he’s 34, ‘has faded’.

So, could Aït-Nouri have a similar impact at the Etihad? Well, let’s assess his statistics this season to help answer that question.

Rayan Aït-Nouri Premier League statistics 2024/25

Statistics

Aït-Nouri

PL rank

Starts

34

16th

Minutes

2,865

36th

Goals

4

74th

Assists

7

18th

Pass completion %

83.9%

86th

Key passes

36

52nd

Crosses

86

40th

Shot-creating actions

78

51st

Goal-creating actions

12

28th

Progressive carries

79

41st

Attempted take-ons

116

12th

Take-on success% (min 100 attempted)

48.3%

5th

Tackles

82

13th

Tackles won

52

11th

Interceptions

24

72nd

Ball recoveries

133

48th

Touches

1944

36th

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table outlines, Aït-Nouri is a very well-rounded full-back, ranking highly when it comes to both attacking and defensive metrics, but also dribbling, with only 11 players having attempted more take-ons, an impressively high figure for a full-back.

The Algerian is also always available, missing just one Premier League match all season, and this was due to a suspension, which would be a very useful asset, considering the defensive injury crisis Man City have endured throughout the season.

Moe Adikwu of Breaking the Lines believes Aït-Nouri possesses ‘enormous potential’, while also noting ‘there is still a lot of room for improvement’, but Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis highlights that he ‘is known for his attacking prowess’, so would therefore thrive in a team higher up the table.

It appears pretty likely that Aït-Nouri will wave goodbye to Wolves this summer, so do Man City lead the race to land his signature? If a deal is to be agreed, he could represent a left-sided version of Walker at full-back.

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da bet7k： Ange Postecoglou declared in August that he always wins a trophy in his second season.

da bet7： Well, despite the fact his team are 15th in the Premier League table, he’s still on course to deliver on his manifesto.

On Thursday night, Tottenham Hotspur reached the Europa League semi-finals, with Dominic Solanke’s spot-kick enough to oust Eintracht Frankfurt at Waldstadion.

Spurs will now face Bodø/Glimt in the semi-finals, they have become the first-ever Norwegian club to reach the last four of any UEFA competition, with the Lilywhites thereby firm favourites to reach the final in Bilbao.

If Tottenham are going to end their 17-year wait for silverware, aiming to capture the UEFA Cup for the first time since 1984, one player in particular will be key, given that he’s reminiscent of a Spurs star of yesteryear.

How good Mousa Dembélé was at Tottenham

When one thinks of Tottenham at their peak under Mauricio Pochettino, the players who immediately spring to mind might be Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Dele Alli, Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld or Jan Vertonghen.

However, no Spurs supporter will overlook or ever forget Mousa Dembélé’s importance to that side.

Back in the summer of 2012, the Belgian joined Tottenham from Fulham for a reported fee of £15m, going on to make 249 appearances for Spurs, before departing for Guangzhou City in the Chinese Super League in January 2019.

During his time at the club, Tottenham went from being a mid-table Premier League outfit to regular top four finishers and Champions League Finalists, and the pivotal role Dembélé played in this transformation cannot be forgotten.

Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic described him as the ‘lynchpin of Pochettino’s’ team, praising his ‘ball-carrying skills’ and ‘ability to evade pressure’.

Meantime, Bart Vlietstra of the Guardian believes that, in his prime, Dembélé was ‘the best midfielder in the world’, while his former teammate Kyle Walker would agree, stating that he was “probably the best player I have ever seen play football”.

How Postecoglou would love to have Dembélé at his peak patrolling and controlling his midfield, something Spurs have severely lacked throughout this season, but is one current Spurs star showcasing some of the same qualities?

The current Spurs star who could be replicating Dembélé

Earlier this season, it would’ve been inarguable Dejan Kuluševski was Tottenham’s most dangerous attacker, scoring in five successive matches just before Christmas, on target against Chelsea, Rangers, Southampton, Manchester United and Liverpool during this sequence.

However, more recently, the Swede has spent a few weeks on the sidelines due to a foot injury suffered against Manchester City in February, before making his return at Molineux last Sunday.

This is a major boost for Postecoglou, ahead of the aforementioned Europa League semi-final against Bodø/Glimt, and the table below illustrates why.

Tottenham’s most productive attackers under Postecoglou

Players

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Son Heung-min

79

28

22

Brennan Johnson

78

21

18

Dejan Kuluševski

83

18

13

Richarlison

47

16

5

James Maddison

73

15

20

Dominic Solanke

38*

12

8

*joined in summer 2024

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table outlines, since the start of last season, only Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson have been involved in more Spurs goals than Kuluševski.

However, his similarities to fellow left-footer Dembélé come stylistically.

Jay Harris and Anantaajith Raghuraman of the Athletic praise the 24-year-old’s ‘impressive running power’ as well as his ‘durability’ and ‘defensive work’ rate while, according to FBref.com, only nine players have recorded more progressive carries in the Premier League this season.

Ben McAleer of the Guardian adds that Kuluševski is ‘absolutely vital’ for this Tottenham team, asserting that he has been their ‘most consistent player’ of the Ange-era.

Following Tottenham’s 4-0 demolition of Manchester City in November, speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage, Gary Neville labelled Kuluševski as “brilliant” and a “serious player”, adding that he uses his “strength and running power” to “subtley beat players” with ease.

So, while there are stylistic similarities to Dembélé and Kuluševski, the biggest overlap between the duo could be the fact they go under-the-radar a bit as Spurs’ pivotal unsung heroes.

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da betano casino： After a career full of incredible teammates – from Paul Gascoigne all the way to Terry Butcher – Ally McCoist has now revealed the two Rangers players that he feels went under the radar during his time at the club.

Ally McCoist's legendary Rangers career

da bet7： A clinical striker who became a champion in Scotland as many as 10 times with Rangers, McCoist is an undeniable Ibrox legend who saw it all during his time at the club as both a manager and a player.

Of course, it must be said that his time as a player compared to his time in the dugout both came with incredibly different experiences and challenges. As a player, the Scot was part of a winning Rangers side who often took their place at the top of Scottish football – a contrast to Celtic’s current dominance under Brendan Rodgers.

As a manager, however, McCoist was left to pick up the pieces at a crumbling club as they went into administration and down from the Scottish Premiership. Stepping up nonetheless, the former Rangers man played a vital part in helping to drag the Gers back up the divisions in Scotland.

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Whilst many will be naturally quick to praise the likes of Gascoigne, Butcher or players of Brian Laudrup’s calibre for their success alongside McCoist, the man himself named two teammates who went under the radar during their time at Rangers.

McCoist names most "underrated" teammates

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, McCoist revealed two players who didn’t get enough of the spotlight: “I’ll give you two actually who were underrated. I was very lucky, I played with some brilliant players. Big Goughy (Richard Gough), Cooper, Gascoigne, Laudrup, Gordon, Terry Butcher, Ray Wilkins, guys like that. Fantastic players, absolutely fantastic players.

“Probably two underrated ones would be Stuart McCall and Ian Ferguson. Stuart was a brilliant midfielder, as was Ian.

“Stuart was just so underrated as a football player. The first thing that struck you about Stuart was his energy and his willingness to run about and work hard and I think in many ways that masked his ability in some people’s opinions, because he was a far better football player perhaps than the way he played.

“What caught your eye when he played was his work rate and his closing down, getting the ball back, but far cleverer with the ball and a better player than a lot of people imagined.

“And Ian Ferguson was the exact same. Those two guys could’ve played in any team at any level. Fergie came from St. Mirren as a younger man and Graeme (Souness) and Walter (Smith) turned him into a very mature, level-headed midfield player who was aggressive and had one of the hardest shots out of any players I ever played with.”

“The one thing about Fergie that helped was that he was a Rangers boy growing up so he absolutely loved every minute of putting on that blue jersey. Probably two I’d value as high as any are Stuart McCall and Ian Ferguson.”

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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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 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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