Zinedine Zidane will become the next France boss, taking over from Didier Deschamps, according to Les Bleus and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
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Leeds United could be in the market for further reinforcements in the attacking areas of the pitch before the summer transfer window officially slams shut.
Lukas Nmecha, who signed on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, is the only attacker to have joined the squad so far, and the Whites are set to miss out on a deal for Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao.
Their pursuit of the Brazilian dynamo suggests that they are in the market to sign a new left winger, after Manor Solomon returned to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season.
The Whites are also looking for a new centre-forward to lead their line in the Premier League, as Football Insider reported earlier this summer that the club have doubts over Joel Piroe’s ability to make the step up.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Leeds are looking to cash in on wantaway forward Mateo Joseph in order to fund a new bid to sign Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz.
The Brazilian striker could bring a proven presence at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League, as he has been there and done it in the division with Fulham.
Muniz has showcased his ability to find the back of the net efficiently in the league in the last two seasons, outperforming his xG in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns for the Cottagers.
|
Rodrigo Muniz (Premier League) |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
26 |
31 |
|
Starts |
18 |
8 |
|
xG |
8.72 |
5.81 |
|
Goals |
9 |
8 |
|
Minutes per goal |
179 |
121 |
|
Big chances created |
2 |
1 |
|
Assists |
1 |
1 |
|
Duel success rate |
39% |
52% |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, the striker has not yet hit double figures for goals in a Premier League season, but he has rarely been a starter for his side.
The 24-year-old star would not need any time to adapt to the league or the country, as he is a proven quantity, and that could appeal to Leeds in their search for a new number nine.
However, Muniz has never scored more than nine goals in a single league season in his career, and there may be doubts over his ability to deliver consistently over the course of an entire campaign.
That may be why the Championship champions are now reportedly looking at an alternative centre-forward option, who could be even better than the Fulham marksman if they can get a deal over the line.
According to RomaPress, Leeds United are one of a number of teams interested in a deal to sign Roma number nine Artem Dovbyk this summer.
The report claims that the Whites and fellow Premier League side West Ham United are both lining up moves to sign the Ukraine international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds that Roma are looking for a fee within the region of £30m in order to part ways with the left-footed centre-forward, although it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds are prepared to spend that much on him.
RomaPress also note that fellow Italian outlet Leggo have reported that Turkish giants Besiktas have made contact with Roma to discuss a potential deal for Dovbyk.
It is now down to the 49ers and Daniel Farke to push to beat the likes of Besiktas and West Ham to his signature this summer, because he would be an even better signing than Muniz.
The 28-year-old attacker is a striker who has the potential to deliver goals at an impressive rate in the Premier League, as a star who has proven his quality in multiple top European leagues.
Dovbyk, who was described as “dominant” in the air by analyst Ben Mattinson, has impressed in both LaLiga and the Serie A since he moved away from Ukraine in the summer of 2023, after scoring 38 goals in 47 games in his last two seasons in the Premier Liga.
The £30m-rated star has hit double figures for goals five times at league level throughout his career, including in each of the last four seasons, whilst Muniz is yet to do it once.
Dovbyk has also scored 24 goals in a league season twice in his career, once in Ukraine and once in Spain, which suggests that he has the potential to be an incredibly prolific figure in front of goal for Leeds if he can adapt to English football.
|
Artem Dovbyk |
23/24 LaLiga (Girona) |
24/25 Serie A (Roma) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
36 |
32 |
|
Starts |
32 |
27 |
|
xG |
24.29 |
12.25 |
|
Goals |
24 |
12 |
|
Minutes per goal |
109 |
203 |
|
Big chances created |
10 |
5 |
|
Assists |
8 |
2 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, the Ukraine international has scored 36 goals in Europe’s top five leagues in the last two seasons, whilst Muniz scored 17 goals for Fulham in the Premier League in that time.
Muniz also managed just three ‘big chances’ created and two assists in the league in that time, which suggests that Dovbyk is also more likely to provide a big threat as a creator, based on his 15 ‘big chances’ created in the last two campaigns.
These statistics suggest that the Roma star has the potential to offer far more to the team than the Fulham centre-forward, as he has delivered more as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the last couple of years.
It would be a bit more of a gamble for Leeds to take, as he has yet to prove himself in the Premier League, but they can be assured by the fact that he has scored goals at an impressive rate in the Spanish and Italian top-flights already.
49ers lining up Leeds swoop for £17m star who's as exciting as Paixao
Leeds United are eyeing up a £17m-rated winger who could be just as exciting as Igor Paixao.
By
Dan Emery
Jul 30, 2025
Therefore, if it gets to a point where the club have to decide between pursuing Muniz or Dovbyk, they should look to swoop for the Ukraine international to lead the line for Farke next season.
It has been a busy summer for Nottingham Forest so far, although not in the way they, nor their fans, might have expected. Earlier in the window, they lost one of their key attackers, Anthony Elanga. The Swedish star made the move up north to Newcastle for a fee of £55m.
They also came close to losing star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. He was subject to a bid from Tottenham Hotspur, in what was reportedly a £60m deal. He was scheduled to have a medical in North London, but the deal fell through and the England international has since signed a contract extension.
It seems as though the East Midlands side might now look to recruit someone this summer, and have been strongly linked with a former Premier League star.
It has certainly been a hectic few weeks for those at the City Ground, losing one and almost two key attackers. However, it does seem like they are working on signing depth out wide, if recent reports are to be believed.
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 a recent briefing from David Ornstein, Forest are firmly in the race for Ipswich Town and England under-21 international Omari Hutchinson. The Athletic journalist reported on Wednesday that talks are ‘ongoing’ between the two clubs.
Indeed, Forest actually placed a bid for the winger, but their £35m offer was not deemed enough for the Tractor Boys, who rejected the bid.
Ornstein says it would need a ‘higher fee’ for Ipswich to sell one of their key players. Forest are not alone in this race, with Brentford also interested in a deal.
At just 21 years of age, Hutchinson has shown great promise for the Tractor Boys in the Championship and the Premier League. He initially spent time on loan at the club before moving permanently last summer from Chelsea. He is a graduate of their academy, having also represented Arsenal as a youth player.
The versatile attacker has made 82 appearances for the first team at Portman Road, scoring 14 times and grabbing eight assists. His stats from Sofascore in the Championship and Premier League show just how well he has performed.
For example, Hutchinson averaged 1.6 key passes in the second tier and 1.1 in the top flight for Ipswich per 90 minutes.
|
Hutchinson key stats for Ipswich |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
23/24 Championship |
24/25 Premier League |
|
Key passes |
1.6 |
1.1 |
|
Big chances created |
0.3 |
0.2 |
|
Dribbles completed |
2.1 |
1.8 |
|
Passes completed |
24 |
23.1 |
|
Tackles and interceptions |
2.8 |
1.5 |
|
Expected goal involvements |
0.43xGI |
0.18xGI |
|
Stats from Sofascore |
||
Over the summer, the former Chelsea and Arsenal academy star was part of England’s successful under-21 European Championship-winning side.
Hutchinson played in all six of the Three Lions’ matches, assisting once and scoring this well-taken effort in the final against Germany.
When looking at this deal, it may remind Forest fans of a past signing, that of Callum Hudson-Odoi. The pair share a fairly similar career path, with the Forest winger, who has recently swapped to wear the number seven, also coming through the Chelsea academy.
Like Hutchinson, he is a graduate of the esteemed Cobham academy, and also went on loan before securing a permanent move away.
Fans at the City Ground will remember his contributions last season fondly. The 24-year-old, who was born in London, bagged five goals and assisted eight in the Premier League, including a memorable winner in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool.
It is not only the early career paths of each player which is so similar, and suggest Hutchinson could become the second coming of Hudson-Odoi. Their versatility also stands out and is a real feature of their respective games.
The Ipswich star can operate on either flank or as a number 10, which he has done 32 times for the Tractor Boys. As for his potential new teammate, Hudson-Odoi can also play on either wing and has been known to play behind the striker, too, which he did at times last season.
How Forest fans would love for Hutchinson to become the new version of Hudson-Odoi. Both versatile attackers and Cobham graduates, they offer tactical flexibility to Nuno Espirito Santo and quality on the ball.
Described as an “outstanding” player by football scout Antonio Mango, Forest fans would surely love to see Hutchinson line up alongside Hudson-Odoi in Garibaldi Red next season at the City Ground.
The next Wood: Nottingham Forest meet with agent over signing "engine"
Nottingham Forest hoping to rescue another talented figure from his current nightmare…
By
Will Miller
Aug 5, 2025
Reports from English media have already started suggesting that Graham Potter faces an uncertain future at the London Stadium. Indeed, West Ham United have reportedly begun the process of identifying potential replacements, and one of the names on the club's radar is former boss Slaven Bilic, who managed the club between June 2015 and November 2017.
Tottenham are set to be very active in this final stretch of the window, and we can expect talks for attacking targets to intensify quickly after they were robbed of a deal for Eberechi Eze by north London rivals Arsenal.
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The Lilywhites thought they were closing in on Eze, then Arsenal moved, and everything changed.
Spurs were deep in talks with Crystal Palace, seemingly on the brink of agreeing a deal for their star number 10.
However, Arsenal reignited their long-standing interest almost immediately after losing Kai Havertz to injury – seizing the initiative and agreeing a deal worth £60 million upfront, plus £7.5 million in add-ons.
Despite Tottenham agreeing both personal terms and a deal in principle with Palace, the final decision rested with Eze, and he chose a move to the Emirates.
The 27-year-old grew up a Gunners fan, trained in their academy as a youth, and Mikel Arteta’s side needed fresh attacking flair amid Havertz’s fresh knee problem. Arsenal have been targeting Eze all summer, but Havertz inadvertently pushed them into action whilst breaking Spurs’ hearts in the process.
Now Spurs are left scrambling for different options to plug the creative voids left in their squad – made worse by Son Heung-min’s departure and James Maddison’s long-term ACL injury.
In just a few hours, the tag-team of Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta snatched the deal from under Daniel Levy’s nose. From nearly finalized by Tottenham to firmly Arsenal’s – this one will sting in N17 for some time.
Levy and Thomas Frank will be desperate to put the saga behind them whilst making a serious statement of intent, and they’ve been linked with a few intriguing attacking options in the aftermath of their botched Eze deal.
Tottenham are still trying to loosen Man City’s grip on Savinho, but another option is still there in the form of Real Madrid star Rodrygo.
According to Defensa Central, the Brazilian is not in Xabi Alonso’s plans, and his pool of suitors is running thin.
As things stand, Spurs are the most realistic destination for him, and their eagerness to offload him has resulted in Bernabeu chiefs softening their stance when it comes to his £86 million price tag.
So much so, in fact, that Real are now prepared to green-light an initial loan for Rodrygo, something that is enticing Tottenham as Levy maintains an interest in the 24-year-old.
As per Defensa, this means that Tottenham “could be close” to reaching an agreement for Rodrygo, as they’re also ready to cover the player’s entire £208,000-per-week salary.
The only roadblock is apparently whether Levy will agree to include a buy-option/obligation, as Florentino Perez would ideally like his price tag paid in full, but could be forced to wait until 2026.
Rodrygo, for his part, has decided to leave Real in pursuit of more game time, and while not explicitly stated, the prospect of a Premier League move could well tempt him.
Called a “superstar” by Luka Modrić, Rodrygo bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions for Los Blancos last term.
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Roberto De Zerbi didn’t hold back after Marseille ended a 14-year Ligue 1 drought at home against Paris Saint-Germain. A 1-0 win sealed by Nayef Aguerd sparked emotional scenes, with De Zerbi admitting that beating the champions was one of his main reasons for taking the job. The triumph comes days after a setback in Europe and reignites OM’s belief in their project.
There might be a lot of negative noise circling around Tyneside, but it’s important to remember that the transfer window is just over one week away from closing, and Newcastle United are quietly piecing together a squad capable of challenging at the forefront once again.
Eddie Howe will likely have cast his team’s minds back to last summer, which culminated in frustrations after bids for Premier League stars Marc Guehi and Anthony Elanga proved fruitless.
Nonetheless, the Magpies flew last year, finishing fifth and thus re-entering the Champions League, also winning the Carabao Cup after beating Liverpool at Wembley.
But there’s no question that it’s been difficult, and that welcoming a few more talented players to the fold is paramount if United are to thrive this season.
The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has revealed that Newcastle have narrowed their centre-forward search down to a few select profiles, with Alexander Isak still AWOL and desperate to sign for Liverpool before the transfer deadline.
Yoane Wissa remains the primary target, but Brentford are hardly rolling over, fighting to keep their talisman on the books.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen is on the radar, as is Atletico Madrid’s wantaway striker Alexander Sorloth.
While there is confidence that this conundrum will be wrinkled out in short time, there’s no question that it has had a potentially detrimental effect on Howe’s seasonal preparations.
And at the end of the day, it is Howe and it is the squad and it is the fanbase that has been rocked by this unsavoury saga.
Newcastle, in spite of it all, have signed well this summer, and could complete a positive window if they get a forward over the line.
However, there might be room for a defensive signing too, with sights set on a Premier League star.
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are set to sell centre-back Axel Disasi before the end of the transfer window, and a growing number of suitors – including Newcastle – are attentive.
Priced at £30m by the Blues, the France international is also on the radar of Napoli and several Ligue 1 clubs, with Wolverhampton Wanderers having held initial discussions over a possible transfer.
Though Newcastle eased their defensive worries with the signing of Malick Thiaw, there remains a desire to continue to strengthen with European football on the cards once again, and the versatile Disasi could be a shrewd addition.
In August 2023, the now 27-year-old Disasi joined Chelsea from AS Monaco in a £39m package, and he has since played 61 times for the Londoners, scoring five goals and winning a Conference League gold medal last season.
Naturally a central defender, Disasi was deployed as a right-back for much of last season, and his aptitude in the moonlit role showed, for he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for aerial battles won per 90 (data via FBref).
Described as a “monster” of a defender by journalist Rahman Osman, Disasi was a part of the staggering influx of signings upon Todd Boehly’s takeover of the west London club.
However he’s struggled after a promising start, and spent the latter half of last season out on loan with Aston Villa.
If Newcastle were to succeed in signing Disasi before the end of the month, they might find that such astute business marks their own version of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi being added to the ranks, with the England international one of the Toon’s top targets in recent years.
Newcastle failed with four bids for the 25-year-old last summer, the last of which totalled a whopping £65m. Now, Guehi looks like he’s headed for Liverpool, but Disasi could ease the blow somewhat, having also found himself cast out of Stamford Bridge, first on loan and then permanently.
This is what happened to Guehi, who left Chelsea in 2021 after graduating from their Cobham youth academy, signing for Crystal Palace in an £18m deal after a successful loan spell with Swansea City in the Championship.
Like Disasi, Guehi is confident on the ball and dynamic from an athletic standpoint. As you can see below, he was instrumental in the Eagles’ success last season, joining his French positional peer in winning a major trophy too.
|
Premier League 24/25 – Marc Guehi |
|
|---|---|
|
Stats (* per game) |
# |
|
Matches (starts) |
34 (34) |
|
Goals |
3 |
|
Assists |
2 |
|
Touches* |
64.9 |
|
Pass completion |
84% |
|
Big chances |
5 |
|
Key passes* |
0.5 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
4.3 |
|
Dribbles* |
0.4 |
|
Tackles + interceptions* |
2.6 |
|
Clearances* |
4.6 |
|
Duels (won)* |
4.9 (59%) |
|
Errors made |
2 |
|
Data via Sofascore |
|
Guehi is, of course, held in a higher regard, but Disasi might just need a change of scenery and a new home at St. James’ Park to rediscover the form out in his homeland that convinced Chelsea to pay the big bucks to bring him over the Channel.
Given that Jamal Lascelles missed the entirety of last season due to injury and Emil Krafth only clawed back from a lengthy stay in the infirmary in February, existing only on the fringe of Howe’s plans thereafter, it would seem that adding Disasi to the mix could help Newcastle toward their goals.
Disasi would be a welcome addition, potentially adding that extra bit of quality that Howe’s side will need if they are to make further progress after such success last year.
Higher ceiling than Wissa: Newcastle in talks to sign £80m CF this week
Newcastle United are in talks to sign a star who has an even higher ceiling than Wissa.
By
Will Miller
Aug 23, 2025
Ruben Amorim has made light of the deep criticism he has received in recent weeks amid Manchester United's dismal start to the season by insisting it is nothing like what he used to face back in Portugal. Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher all took a swipe at the United boss in the aftermath of the 3-1 defeat at Brentford but he insists he takes it all in his stride.
Sunderland’s return to the Premier League has been one of the most compelling stories of the summer. After sealing promotion via the play-offs with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United at Wembley, the Black Cats have wasted little time trying to prove they belong at the top level.
Backed by ambitious ownership and a clear recruitment strategy, the club have already invested more than £135m in new players, signalling their intent to establish themselves in the division.
The Stadium of Light has welcomed a string of high-profile arrivals, each carefully selected to elevate both quality and depth across the squad.
Granit Xhaka was lured from Bayer Leverkusen to anchor the midfield, while Brighton’s Simon Adingra and Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra have injected dynamism into the attack.
Club Brugge talent Chemsdine Talbi provides further promise for the future, and Nordi Mukiele, a £12m purchase from Paris Saint-Germain, adds defensive versatility following his loan spell at Leverkusen.
The excitement was palpable when Sunderland began their campaign with a commanding 3-0 win in front of a packed-out home crowd.
However, reality struck in their second fixture – a 2-0 defeat away to Burnley at Turf Moor.
With Brentford next up at the Stadium of Light, head coach Régis Le Bris and his recruitment team are determined to finalise what they see as the “final piece of their defensive jigsaw” before the transfer window closes.
That final piece is expected to strengthen Sunderland’s backline, particularly in central defence where the club want a reliable partner for Mukiele.
Reports this week suggest Sunderland have identified their man, and negotiations are already well underway.
According to Sky Sports News reporter Keith Downie, Sunderland have submitted an increased offer to Bologna for Colombian international Jhon Lucumí. The player is said to be “open to the move”.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The bid, believed to be worth £24m, reflects the Black Cats’ determination to land the 27-year-old, who has just one year remaining on his contract in Italy.
A recently expired release clause means Bologna are now free to negotiate openly, though Sunderland remain confident given the player’s openness to a Premier League move.
Lucumí has built a strong reputation in Serie A since joining Bologna from Belgian side Genk in 2022. Last season, he featured 44 times across all competitions for Bologna, including seven appearances in the Champions League – experience that would add further resilience to Sunderland’s back line.
For Sunderland, the move would underline the club’s ambition and their belief that strengthening defensively is key to building on their successful play-off campaign.
The potential partnership between Mukiele and Lucumí represents an intriguing blend of attributes.
Sunderland’s recruitment has shown a clear preference for complementary skillsets, and the statistical comparison between the two defenders highlights exactly why the club view Lucumí as the missing piece.
According to FBref, Lucumí’s passing stands out. His 91.1% pass completion rate last season far exceeds Mukiele’s 80.4%, reflecting his calmness under pressure and suitability for building from the back.
He also averages more progressive passes per 90 minutes (3.72 compared with Mukiele’s 3.60), suggesting he can drive play forward rather than simply passing sideways.
Perhaps most significantly, the Sunderland target’s long passing numbers are a major asset: he completed 7.14 long passes per 90, more than three times Mukiele’s 2.20, allowing Sunderland to stretch opponents and transition quickly.
In terms of defensive distribution, Lucumí also boasts a greater progressive passing distance (376.4 per 90) compared to Mukiele’s 254.4.
Defensively, the contrast is more balanced. Mukiele edges Lucumí in tackles per 90 (2.00 vs. 1.83) and in dribblers tackled (1.20 vs. 1.00), reflecting his aggression and ability to operate one-versus-one, particularly when stationed at right-back.
However, Lucumí marginally leads in blocks (1.10 vs. 1.00) and matches Mukiele almost identically in defensive-third tackles (0.79 vs. 0.80) and aerial duels won (1.55 vs. 1.60).
Together, these profiles suggest a partnership: Mukiele the front-foot enforcer, Lucumí the composed sweeper with elite distribution.
This balance could be transformative for Sunderland’s backline. In their promotion campaign, defensive lapses often placed undue pressure on the midfield and goalkeeper.
The step-up to the Premier League only magnifies those weaknesses, meaning recruitment at centre-back was always going to be decisive.
With Mukiele able to shuffle wide if needed, and Lucumí offering authority in the centre, Sunderland would gain tactical flexibility – an asset that could prove invaluable against both possession-heavy and counter-attacking opponents.
The move also makes sense financially. The defender’s current market value of £20m, as per Transfermarkt, is close to Sunderland’s £24m offer, meaning the club are not grossly overpaying despite Bologna’s leverage.
At 27, he is entering his peak years, offering immediate impact alongside resale potential should he excel in England.
His international pedigree further strengthens his profile, particularly for a squad already enriched with leaders like Xhaka and ambitious young talents such as Diarra and Talbi.
With just days remaining in the window, Sunderland’s pursuit of the centre-back reflects a club not content with short-term survival.
They want to consolidate their status as a competitive Premier League side.
By securing the Colombian, they would be adding a defender whose style could unlock the best of Mukiele and provide the foundations for a more balanced, resilient season.
Better signing than Disasi: £24m titan is now pushing to join Sunderland
Sunderland would pick up a better buy than landing Axel Disasi by signing this star.
By
Kelan Sarson
Aug 27, 2025
Gareth Southgate has reportedly laid out his demands for a "four-year rebuild" at Manchester United, with the ex-England boss continuing to see a return to management at Old Trafford speculated on. That is because current Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim finds himself falling under ever-increasing pressure, with more change in the dugout being mooted less than a year after reins were handed to the highly-rated Portuguese tactician.