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Arsenal’s season of disappointments has finally come to an end.

While it would be fair to say that they probably exceeded expectations in the Champions League, Mikel Arteta’s side certainly underdelivered in the Premier League.

Now, injuries and suspensions certainly played their part in this, but many of the Gunners’ first-team stars have been seriously underwhelming, including the reigning Player of the Year, Martin Odegaard.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, the Norwegian’s lacklustre form could cost him his place in the team next season, as one of the league’s most exciting midfielders has now been touted for a move to the Emirates.

Arsenal transfer news

With yet another trophyless season under their belt, it seems as if Arsenal are determined to make significant additions to the team this summer, as the last few weeks have seen them linked to a number of seriously talented players, such as Eberechi Eze and Kaoru Mitoma.

Transfer Focus

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

The former has a release clause worth around £68m in his current contract, and while that is a lot of money, he’s certainly worth it, as on top of playing a key role in Crystal Palace’s FA Cup triumph, the Englishman has scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 games this season.

Mitoma could end up costing the Gunners around £80m and has amassed a reasonable enough tally of ten goals and four assists in 36 games.

However, another name has now entered the picture, someone who could end up being the perfect upgrade on Odegaard: Morgan Gibbs-White.

Yes, according to a recent report from former scout Mick Brown via Football Insider, Arsenal are now interested in signing the Nottingham Forest star this summer.

The report claims that Arteta views the Englishman as the ‘perfect option’ to add some added drive and tenacity to the Gunners’ midfield next season, although he could be an expensive addition, with prior stories claiming he could cost around £100m.

It would likely be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gibbs-White’s immense ability, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be the perfect upgrade on Odegaard.

How Gibbs-White compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to say is that even though Gibbs-White is talented and capable enough of playing in several different positions, from right-wing to central midfield, his best and most played position is undoubtedly attacking midfield.

Moreover, the ten position is where he has truly excelled and reached another level for Forest this season, so were he to move to Arsenal in the summer, it seems like a sure bet that he would come in to play as the most attacking player in the midfield.

Therefore, his most significant competition for game time at the Emirates would be Odegaard, so how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes down to their pure output from this season, which is ultimately what matters most and what the Gunners need to focus on, it’s the Tricky Trees star who comes out on top.

For example, in 38 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3142 minutes, the “exceptional” 25-year-old, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, scored seven goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 184.82 minutes.

In contrast, the North Londoners’ captain scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 45 games, totalling 3447 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Norwegian star, the difference is even more stark when we just look at their Premier League record, as his tally of 11 goal involvements in 30 games comes out to an average of one every 2.72 games.

In contrast, the Forest ace’s haul of 17 in 34 appearances comes out to one every other game.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to add more goals and assists to their midfield next season, and while Odegaard may well get back to his best, Gibbs-White has shown that he can do just that.

Therefore, even though it’ll cost a king’s ransom, the North Londoners should do what they can to bring him in.

£45m star who's shades of Patrick Vieira must never play for Arsenal again

The international ace has served Arsenal well, but it’s time to go.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 27, 2025

Celtic have finally confirmed that Kieran Tierney is set to officially join the club at the start of next month after his contract with Arsenal expires.

The Scotland international is returning to Parkhead for a second spell as a player, joining on a free transfer, to start at left-back for Brendan Rodgers next season.

Tierney left the Scottish giants in the summer of 2019 to sign for Arsenal after coming up through the youth ranks in Glasgow before thriving as a young talent.

The experienced defender, as shown in the graphic above, provided a big creative threat from a left-back position for Celtic, with 37 assists in 170, and Celtic are reportedly eyeing a star who could be amazing with the full-back down the left flank.

Celtic in talks to sign new winger

The Scottish Premiership champions are aiming to bolster their options in the left wing position and are eyeing up a star who could play ahead of Tierney next season.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are in talks with Sarpsborg over a deal to sign Norway youth international Sondre Orjasaeter in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops have ‘re-opened talks’ with the Norwegian outfit, having made contact with the Eliteserien side, after they failed to get a deal done for him in January.

It states that the Scottish giants had an offer of £4.6m turned down for the winger at the start of the year, as Sarpsborg want a fee of £7m, but the club have yet to make a new bid for his services as of yet.

Why Celtic should sign Sondre Orjasaeter

Celtic must now ensure that these fresh talks end with an agreement between all parties, because Orjasaeter could be an exciting addition to start on the left wing ahead of Tierney at left-back.

The 21-year-old starlet, once dubbed an “artist” by Havard Flo, would be a good stylistic fit ahead of the Scottish full-back, as he is a right-footed left-winger who likes to dribble infield to cause havoc in the final third.

This means that Tierney’s overlapping runs down the left, which led to him racking up 37 assists during his first spell, could create space for Orjasaeter to cut in on his favoured foot by dragging opposition full-backs wide and towards the touchline.

This could help both players to thrive because Tierney’s movement down the left could create space for the winger, whilst the Norwegian star’s dribbles infield could draw attention away from the full-backs overlaps to provide him with more chances to send crosses into the box.

As you can see in the table above, Orjasaeter has caught the eye with his performances in the Eliteserien since the start of the 2024 campaign, with six goals and 19 ‘big chances’ created, which shows that he could make an immediate impact in the final third if Celtic get a deal over the line.

No Celtic player managed more than Nicolas Kuhn’s 1.9 dribbles completed per game in the Scottish Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, which illustrates how impressive the £7m-rated star’s dribbling numbers in the Norwegian top-flight are.

Orjasaeter could be an incredibly exciting player for supporters to watch at Parkhead, due to his dribbling skills and his offensive output, and he could help to bring the best out of Tierney’s attacking talents on top of that.

Therefore, Celtic must work hard to agree a fee with Sarpsborg in the coming days and weeks because it could provide Rodgers with an amazing left-hand side of Tierney and Orjasaeter next term and beyond.

Sinclair 2.0: £4.6m star who "wins games on his own" is Celtic's top target

Celtic are eyeing up a deal for a winger who could be their next Scott Sinclair.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 10, 2025

Officially kicking off a new era, Rangers are now reportedly set to secure their first signing of Russell Martin’s tenure, with one of Scotland’s hottest prospects undergoing a medical.

Rangers commence new era

It’s not just the start of a new era in the technical area at Ibrox this summer. It’s also a new chapter for Rangers away from the pitch following the news that the 49ers have officially completed their takeover of the club. A long time coming, the American owners will be well aware of the task at hand and must use this summer to bridge the gap on Old Firm rivals Celtic.

After completing the takeover, Andrew Cavenagh told the official Rangers website: “We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by the Rangers Board, shareholders, staff, and supporters. This club’s history and traditions speak for themselves, but history doesn’t win matches.

“We know that the true way to honour the club’s heritage will be to drive performance. Our focus is simple: elevate performance, deliver results, and bring Rangers back to where it belongs – at the top.”

Since then, the 49ers have completed their first priority by appointing a new manager in Martin. The former Southampton boss arrives in the face of plenty of pressure and will be desperate to prove any doubters wrong at long last.

All pulling in the same direction, it looks as though the 49ers are ready to back their man to take the Gers back to the top of the Scottish Premiership. Whilst recent links have emerged to the likes of Flynn Downes, however, a young Scottish gem looks set to become the first signing of the Martine era at Ibrox.

Rangers set to sign Josh Mulligan

According to Ibrox Noise, Rangers are set to sign Josh Mulligan from Dundee with the midfielder undergoing a medical at the club. The 22-year-old’s arrival seems imminent and he looks destined to take his place in his history as the 49ers’ first signing and the first arrival under Martin. One of Scotland’s hottest prospects, Rangers’ pursuit should come as no surprise.

Described as an “aggressive” wing-back and central midfielder by journalist and football consultant Kai Watson, Mulligan has looked destined for a big move for some time. Now, at 22 years old, he is set to get exactly that courtesy of Rangers.

Martin's own Kamara: Rangers exploring move to sign "ridiculous" £10m star

Rangers have explored a deal for a £10m-rated star who could be Russell Martin’s own Glen Kamara.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 12, 2025

Having started 24 games for Dundee in the Scottish Premiership last season, the right-midfielder is more than ready to step up at Ibrox and represents the direction that the 49ers could take Rangers towards this summer. Starting with Mulligan, the Gers could be in for a hectic transfer window.

Looking to add to their South American contingent, Nottingham Forest have reportedly sent representatives to watch a big-money midfielder at the Club World Cup this summer.

Nottingham Forest's first 5 Premier League fixtures

Preparation for the 2025/26 Premier League season is officially underway. The fixtures have been released, the nerves are already building up and potential points calculated. For Nottingham Forest, the forthcoming campaign represents the chance for them to become an established top-half side and pick up where they left off in an excellent season last time out – starting at home against Brentford.

As far as starts go, the Tricky Trees could have been handed far tougher. Their trip to Crystal Palace may yet have an extra bit of tension if Evangelos Marinakis is successful in his attempt to take their Europa League spot should the Eagles be kicked out of Europe this summer.

Meanwhile, Forest’s early trip to Arsenal should give Nuno Espirito Santo the chance to gauge where his side are at in the battle for European football and whether they’ll find themselves causing the same shocks as last season.

With the fixtures now in place, the task for those at the City Ground will be to build a squad ready to enjoy the best possible start. On that front, it already looks as though Botafogo trio Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha and Cuiabano will arrive in the coming weeks, whilst rumours continue to arise over a potential move for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.

Adding to their South American contingent seems to be the priority, however, after club chiefs were sent to watch an £85m midfielder at the Club World Cup this summer.

Nottingham Forest join Richard Rios race

According to GiveMeSport, Nottingham Forest have now joined the race to sign Richard Rios from Palmeiras this summer. The Midlands club reportedly sent representatives to watch the Colombian midfielder in action at the Club World Cup as he starred to help his side to an opening game 0-0 draw against Porto.

A deal to sign the talented South American won’t come cheap, though, amid reports that Rios has a release clause worth as much as £85m in his current contract at Palmeiras. Whether Forest are willing to or are even able to pay such a price is the big question and competition from the likes of Manchester United certainly won’t help their pursuit.

Praised for his “relentless work-rate” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Rios will be one to watch this summer at both the Club World Cup and potentially beyond if he completes a move to the Premier League.

It has been the summer of red thus far and one which has seen Liverpool break the British-record transfer fee to sign Florian Wirtz. But FSG are not done there, with reports now suggesting they’ve got three more “concrete options”.

Liverpool in advanced talks to sign Marc Guehi

Having already signed a left-back in the form of Milos Kerkez and a right-back to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in Jeremie Frimpong, Liverpool now look destined to welcome a third defensive reinforcement. This time, a centre-back is on their wishlist and Marc Guehi sits at the very top of that.

The Crystal Palace star has just one year remaining on his current deal and the Reds are looking to take full advantage to land a cut-price deal in comparison to his £70m valuation just one year ago.

Whilst their interest came as a surprise initially, Jarell Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen alongside the fact that Ibrahima Konate is into the final year of his current contract makes Guehi the perfect option for Arne Slot.

In one swoop, Slot could have Guehi, Virgil van Dijk, Konate and Joe Gomez to choose from in what would represent the best depth in that role in the Premier League, perhaps even European football.

Salah & Wirtz will love him: Liverpool pushing to sign "unstoppable" CF

Liverpool want to sign a world-class central striker this summer.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 1, 2025

However, even if the England international is top of Liverpool’s list of priorities, he is not the only name on their wishlist despite how much they’ve already spent. Reports are now suggesting that the Premier League champions have three more “concrete options” in mind.

Isak among "concrete options" for Liverpool

As reported by Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Alexander Isak, Victor Osimhen and Hugo Ekitike are “three concrete options” for Liverpool this summer after sporting director Richard Hughes completed checks on all of the forwards.

None of those stars will come cheap, however, which suggests that Liverpool could be ready to spend big once again. Just how much their hefty budget stretches will be the big question. Isak, for example, is reportedly unlikely to leave Newcastle United for anything less than £150m, whilst Ekitike has been priced at £85m and Osimhen at £64m, totalling the three out just shy of £300m.

If those at Anfield are able to splash out again then it is a case of simply taking their pick. Whether it’s Ekitike, Osimhen or Isak, all three would be instant upgrades on Darwin Nunez and all three would complete what is becoming a frightening squad for others to match around the Premier League.

Setting their sights on their seventh arrival of the summer, Rangers have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a talented young winger for Russell Martin.

Rangers open pre-season with Club Brugge draw

It’s been all change at Ibrox so far this summer. New owners have arrived in the form of the 49ers and a new manager soon followed in the form of Martin. Since then, to no surprise, several much-needed fresh faces have also made their way to Glasgow as the Gers look to turn things around after last season’s failure.

First through the door were Oscar Cortes, who completed a permanent move following his loan spell, and young Scottish talent Lyall Cameron. But those two were just the start for Rangers. Since then, they’ve welcomed four others, with Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Max Aarons and Thelo Aasgaard all putting pen to paper on Ibrox deals.

The likes of Aarons and Fernandez featured as Rangers opened their pre-season with a 2-2 draw against Belgian side Club Brugge and there are still some debuts to come in the next few weeks.

Following his first game in charge, Martin told reporters: “It was very good opposition. It will really help prepare us to get better and we will learn a lot from today.

“It was nice to walk out at Ibrox with the team. I got a great reception which I’m incredibly grateful for when I walked out for the warm-up. The first half, we started okay then conceded a goal.

“What was interesting, and we’ll learn a lot, is that the habits we’re trying to instill changed a little bit and the team didn’t quite look how we wanted it to, and they managed to gain a bit of momentum again.”

As pre-season continues and fresh faces enter the Ibrox turf, however, Rangers reportedly still have unfinished business in the transfer window and may yet welcome another attacking reinforcement.

Rangers make first approach to sign Ballo

As reported by Florian Plettenberg, Rangers have now made their first approach to sign Thierno Ballo from Austrian side Wolfsberger AC this summer. The impressive 23-year-old has also attracted interest from Ajax and Mainz 05 to form a busy race to secure his signature as he looks to move on ahead of next season.

The Chelsea academy graduate left the Blues in 2022 for Wolfsberger AC on a free transfer. He was praised for his “great” form for both club and country by scout Jacek Kulig back in March, and he could now bring that form to the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers line up bid for 26 y/o Vardy alternative and Celtic transfer target

He has scored four times against the Gers in the past.

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By
Henry Jackson

Jul 9, 2025

After scoring 13 goals in all competitions last season too, there’s every chance that the Austrian would be capable of replacing Hamza Igamane if the Rangers star did complete a departure this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur now face stiff competition from a rival Premier League side in the race for a “playmaker”, according to a report, with Thomas Frank looking to reinforce his squad in a few key areas ahead of his first full season in charge.

Tottenham may hijack Nottingham Forest bid for "unbelievable" £50m forward

Spurs are in the race for a major Nottingham Forest target…

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 13, 2025

Spurs have made a splash in the summer market already with their £55 million deal for winger Mohammed Kudus, which ended a 14-year unofficial transfer embargo between West Ham and their London rivals.

Kudus has been pictured in Lilywhites training as the club prepare for their first pre-season game of the summer against Reading this weekend, with the Ghanaian joining Mathys Tel and Kota Takai as Daniel Levy’s first three official signings of the summer.

In an ideal world, Kudus would’ve been joined at Hotspur Way by Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White, who was expected to undergo a medical last Friday before a £60 million switch from the City Ground.

However, in a very unexpected turn of events, the Englishman’s transfer is being significantly delayed, with Forest taking legal action over what they believe was an illegal approach from Tottenham for their star attacker, as first reported by Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett.

That being said, some confidence remains that Gibbs-White will eventually seal a move to Spurs (Alasdair Gold), so their potential £115 million double-swoop for the 25-year-old and Kudus is still alive.

Forest are complaining to the Premier League, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side raising concerns over how Spurs became aware of ‘confidential details’ in his contract (Standard Sport).

Interestingly, Forest are “adamant” that Gibbs-White is not for sale (Sky Sports), but Spurs are still hopeful of doing the deal.

As Spurs wait for the green-light to sign-off on Gibbs-White’s transfer, they do have their eyes on other transfer targets, with Levy reportedly after a holding midfielder and a number six as well (TBR Football).

Journalist Graeme Bailey reported last week that Tottenham have held talks with £138,000-per-week Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz’s representatives, and the Old Lady will allow him to leave Turin this summer after a lacklustre debut campaign in Serie A.

Everton threaten to hijack alleged Tottenham talks with Douglas Luiz

Now, according to Calciomercato, Spurs may not have a free run at signing the Brazilian, with Everton threatening a move of their own.

The Italian news outlet states that Everton are ready to bid for Luiz after his alleged talks with Tottenham, and the Toffees have initiated club-to-club discussions as they attempt to back manager David Moyes for his first full season back on Merseyside.

Juve want around £35 million to part company with Luiz, and will not entertain any form of loan, as Igor Tudor’s side seek to sell him immediately and reinvest that money in their own summer recruitment drive.

Aston Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, tipped him to kickstart his career at Juve earlier this year, but it appears the South American could seal a quick-fire return to England instead.

“He’s playing less than we all expected, but we’re talking about a strong player,” said Monchi about Luiz to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“There are guys who arrive and impose themselves, others who need time. Patience is needed, but Douglas’ qualities are beyond discussion. He will become important for Juve.

“He’s a playmaker and every ball that comes out of his feet has a meaning: last year he played 90% of the games with us. He was decisive.”

Conor Bradley is looking forward to playing against his new Liverpool team-mate Florian Wirtz, as Northern Ireland are all set to clash against four-time world champions Germany in a 2026 World Cup qualifying game. Bradley spoke highly of Wirtz, while also claiming that he wants to make the German sensation's night difficult with a solid defensive display.

• Bradley looking forward to facing Wirtz
• Wants to make Liverpool team-mate's night difficult
• Germany face Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifying game 

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bradley is yet to play alongside Wirtz at Liverpool, as he only returned to action from a hamstring injury in the club's Premier League clash against Newcastle United last month and replaced the German attacking midfielder in the second half. Now, with the international break on, the duo are set to compete against each other in Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Germany on Sunday.

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• WHAT BRADLEY SAID

  Ahead of facing his Reds colleague, the full-back said: "Florian's a top player. There's a reason we bought him for the money we did. He's obviously had a brilliant few years at Leverkusen, and now he's come to us, and I think he started the season really well. He's really good with the ball, he's really creative, and he's not scared to take a few risks with the ball as well. He's a top player and I know it's going to be a difficult night for me, but hopefully I can make it a difficult night for him too."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wirtz, who completed a £116 million ($156m) move to Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, has featured in Arne Slot's starting lineup in all of their first three Premier League clashes. There was concern over his fitness during the Arsenal game, as the Germany international was replaced by Wataru Endo just a minute before the regulation time ended; however, Slot later clarified that there were no serious injury concerns. 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The reigning Premier League champions will take on Burnley in their next Premier League game after the international break on September 14.

Paris Saint-Germain have been accused of manipulation as ex-international Christophe Dugarry slammed the club's reaction to Ousmane Dembele's injury.

• PSG furious at FFF after injuries to Dembele and Doue
• Dugarry sides with France boss Didier Deschamps
• Ex-French international blames PSG for the duo's injuries

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former France forward and 1998 World Cup winner Dugarry has come to his ex-captain, and current national team boss, Didier Deschamps' defence amid the feud between PSG and the French Football Federation (FFF). PSG have expressed their disappointment after the injuries to their players Dembele and Desire Doue, throwing the blame on Deschamps and his coaching staff. On the contrary, Dugarry believes it was PSG who didn't manage the duo's minutes wisely.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  France's 2-0 win over Ukraine came at a heavy cost, as Dembele suffered a hamstring injury just 30 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute, while Doue sustained a calf issue. The Ballon d'Or frontrunner is expected to miss six weeks, while Doue will be out of action for around four weeks. 

  Per journalist Fabrice Hawkins, PSG were absolutely furious over the injuries to Dembele and Doue, which the Champions League holders referred to as "serious and avoidable." The Ligue 1 giants have accused the French setup of ignoring their warnings about the winger's medical condition, according to In a pre-match press conference over the weekend, Deschamps addressed the situation and tried to calm the chaos brewing behind the scenes.

• WHAT CHRISTOPHE DUGARRY SAID

  Speaking on with former player Jerome Rothen, Dugarry said: "I'm 100% behind the Federation and behind Didier Deschamps.

  "We've known that Dembele has been fragile for several years. Now he's injured, it's just bad luck. If PSG can explain to me and make me believe that Ousmane Dembele never played for Paris when he had too much muscular work, I don't believe it for a single second.

  "The manipulation PSG is trying to implement is scandalous; it's disrespectful to the national team and Didier Deschamps. PSG is solely responsible for Dembele's work overload. 

  "I understand PSG's disappointment, but the national team is above all else. The coach chooses the players no matter what. [PSG] already have their noses in the LFP (governing body that overlooks French leagues), they also want to have it in the FFF and decide what will happen at the Federation? When I see President Nasser [Al-Khelaifi] alongside Gianni Infantino, explaining to us that the Club World Cup is a good thing…"

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FRANCE?

  France will hope to make it two wins out of two during the ongoing international break as they prepare to host Iceland at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

Liverpool have played the long game recruitment-wise, and boy, does it look to be paying off now.

12 months ago, rival supporters were no doubt sneering at the Reds’ lack of transfer activity, with the Anfield side – who had seen the great Jurgen Klopp replaced by Arne Slot – expected to implode with only Federico Chiesa brought in to bolster the ranks.

A new manager normally calls for a mass overhaul, but instead, the Dutchman merely tweaked and tinkered, ultimately steering an already talented squad to Premier League glory at the very first attempt.

A quiet 2024 window now looks to have paid even greater dividends for the imperious champions, with £187m already dished out on five signings this summer, while further high-profile deals could lie in store for the financially secure outfit.

Recent reports have indicated that Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi is expected to be on his way to Anfield, while Newcastle United man Alexander Isak remains the dream target for those on Merseyside.

Whether that ‘dream’ becomes a reality is anyone’s guess, however, with alternatives to the Swede still under consideration.

Latest on Liverpool's transfer dealings

They say to strengthen while on top, and that appears to be exactly what Richard Hughes and co are plotting, with reports outlining that a £120m move could be in the offing for that man Isak.

The Magpies are adamant that the former Real Sociedad striker won’t be sold, however, hence why Liverpool are keeping their options open, with speculation even hinting at controversial interest in Manchester United outcast, Marcus Rashford.

That admiration for the Englishman is unlikely to go any further, however, with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike the man being lined up in case Isak can’t be prised from St James’ Park.

Transfer Focus

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

As revealed by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Reds made contact with the Bundesliga side regarding a potential move for the 23-year-old, amid that parallel interest in Isak.

That has been followed by further reports in France, which suggest that Ekitike has even agreed personal terms with the club, after signing off on a six-year contract with the Merseyside outfit.

The suggestion is that he only wants to join Slot’s side, despite the rival pursuit from Newcastle.

A price tag of around €80m (£70m) has been mooted. Watch this space.

Why Ekitike could have shades of Coutinho

It is no secret that Isak is the man that Liverpool want, with there likely to be a sense of Ekitike being left to feel like second choice, should a deal for the former France U21 international be pursued instead.

A move for the Frankfurt man may well be more with one eye on the future, however, with there no immediate rush to propel him into the starting lineup at Anfield, not least with Slot already boasting a title-winning forward line.

Fresh off the back of scoring 22 goals in all competitions last season, Ekitike could be slowly integrated into the team in 2025/26, before truly exploding in years to come. Already looking like “one of the best strikers out there”, as per analyst Ben Mattinson, there is no telling the heights that he could reach.

In many ways then, such a deal could evoke memories of the purchase of a young Philippe Coutinho back in January 2013, with Liverpool forking out £8.5m to sign the then 20-year-old from Inter Milan, ahead of rival interest from Southampton.

Like Ekitike – who only scored four goals in 33 games during a difficult stint at Paris Saint-Germain – Coutinho hadn’t exactly flourished during his time in Italy, making just 47 appearances and scoring only five times in total at the San Siro.

It was a loan switch to Espanyol in January 2012 that appeared to reinvigorate the Vasco de Gama youth product, as he scored five times in just 16 games in Spain. Ekitike, meanwhile, joined Frankfurt on an initial loan 18 months ago, scoring four times in just 14 league games at the tail-end of 2023/24.

Like Coutinho, Ekitike appears to have flourished away from the bright lights of an elite club like PSG, although that’s not to suggest he can’t thrive second time around by joining another European giant in Liverpool.

What particularly stands out regarding the “world-class” talent – as per scout Jacek Kulig – is the creative ability that goes along with his ball-striking prowess, having registered eight assists and created 12 ‘big chances’ in the Bundesliga last time out, as per Sofascore. For comparison, only Mohamed Salah provided more league assists (18) back at Anfield.

That blend of creativity and quality in front of goal was also evident during Coutinho’s fruitful stint for the Reds, having scored 54 goals and registered 44 assists in 201 games, prior to his £142m exit to Barcelona.

Where the pair – who can both operate centrally or in that left channel – are also alike is in their ball-carrying prowess, with Ekitike ranking in the top 4% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

For Coutinho, his final season in the Premier League for Liverpool saw him rank in the top 1% and the top 4% of midfielders for those same two metrics, respectively, having possessed that gift for breezing past an opponent with ease.

Having been an exciting young prospect initially under Brendan Rodgers, the Brazilian playmaker ultimately emerged as a central figure for the club over the next few years, with the chance there for Ekitike – alongside Florian Wirtz – to enjoy a similar progression when Salah’s impact ultimately begins to wane.

A better signing than Ekitike: Liverpool in talks to land £50m PL striker

Liverpool are considering their options amid links to both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike.

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By
Matt Dawson

Jul 16, 2025