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Off the back of a new manager bounce under Vitor Pereira, Wolverhampton Wanderers are in advanced talks to sign a defensive addition according to former Premier League scout Keith Wyness.

Wolves transfer news

Undoubtedly in need of reinforcements this month, it could be argued that Wolves welcomed their most important signing of the season before the January transfer window could even get underway when they swapped Gary O’Neil for Pereira. Defeating Manchester United and Leicester City before earning a point against Tottenham Hotspur, the new manager has settled straight in to drag the Midlands club out of the bottom three in style.

Pereira’s job is far from complete, however, and reinforcements should still prove to be the key to survival this season with names such as Tim Kleindienst already mentioned in recent reports.

The Borussia Monchengladbach star has reportedly caught the eye of those in the Midlands and could yet arrive to hand Jorgen Strand-Larsen the ultimate attacking partner. That said, it’s not just Pereira’s frontline that Wolves could improve.

According to Wyness, Wolves are in advanced talks to sign Kevin Danso from RC Lens this month. The former Everton scout has even gone as far as to claim that talks are further along than initially reported earlier this week and the 26-year-old is a “red-hot favourite” to join the club.

"Selfless" £45k-p/w Wolves star could also leave alongside Matheus Cunha

This would be a frustrating blow for Vitor Pereira.

2 ByTom Cunningham Jan 2, 2025

Wyness told Football Insider: “Our favourite agent, Mendes, wants to get back involved in Wolves. We could see him help them out in some way. Aside from that, there are lots of rumours about Kevin Danso coming in from Wolves.

“He seems to be the one, and talks are actually a little bit further on than we’ve been led to believe in the media so far. He’s the red-hot favourite to come in, because defence is the area they’ll be looking. Let’s wait and see what else they can do.”

"Rapid" Danso could finally solve Wolves' centre-back crisis

Although it has become clear fairly quickly that it was the right time to part ways with O’Neil, there’s no doubt that the summer transfer window far from helped his side. The former manager was left without adequate cover at centre-back after bidding farewell to Max Kilman and was soon forced to turn towards Mario Lemina out of position as a result. The end, at that stage, looked inevitable.

It’s a mistake that those in the Midlands have seemingly been quick to learn from since hiring Pereira and could yet welcome Danso to finally solve their centre-back crisis. Described as an “excellent progressor” and a defender with “rapid recovery pace”, the Lens man would be a much-needed addition at Molineux.

As the January transfer window progresses, the central defender looks set to be one to watch as Wolves instantly look to back new manager Pereira.

Rangers are looking to strengthen their team in what remains of this transfer window, but they could also be prepared to sell a £27,000-a-week first team player in the process, according to a recent report.

Rangers transfer news

It’s been an up-and-down start to 2025 for the Gers, as they started the year off with an excellent performance and victory over arch-rivals Celtic, but followed that game up by dropping points on the road at Hibernian and Dundee. That has resulted in pressure building on Philippe Clement, but the club are remaining behind their manager for now.

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Rangers are still looking for an heir to club legend Steven Davis, but who could fit the bill one day?

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 13, 2025

Rangers’ CEO Patrick Stewart has come out and backed Clement in public and, in the process, has also revealed that the club wants to sign a new centre-back in this transfer window: “The January window generally isn’t a particularly fruitful window. Most selling clubs do not want to sell their best players. We have no intention of selling the players that are performing on the park at the moment, and why would we expect any other club that’s challenging for trophies to do so.

“All of that said… I think there are a couple of scenarios where it can be really effective. Firstly, where a club has suffered injuries such as we have – particularly a centre-back – it is an opportunity to make a reactive signing. This is a position we’ve been looking at since December, and so we have been active in discussions.”

One defender they have their eye on is Burnley’s Hjalmar Ekdal, as Rangers have made an approach to the centre-back. The Clarets are expected to loan out the player this month, but the Gers are not the only team interested, as Stoke City, QPR and Middlesbrough have also made approaches for Ekdal.

Rangers could now sell frustrating forward this month

While the Gers look to add a new defender to their squad, a departure could occur from Ibrox this month, as Football Insider reports that Rangers could look to sell striker Cyriel Dessers amid interest in his services.

Dessers, who earns £27,000 a week at Ibrox, joined Rangers in July 2023 from Italian side Cremonese. The 30-year-old made a very good impact in his first season in Scotland, as he scored 16 goals in 35 Scottish Premiership games, and he scored two goals in Europe.

The Nigeria international has been among the goals once again this season, but he has been in and out of the side under Clement, starting 11 games in the league so far. The forward has found himself on the bench in recent games, and now Football Insider are reporting that Rangers could “sacrifice” Dessers this month.

Apps

85

Goals

34

Assists

13

It states that the Rangers man is wanted by Italian club Cagliari after his previous success in Italian football. Dessers has become a frustration to Rangers supporters with his performances, and there is now a “real possibility” he is sold before the close of this transfer window. Hamza Igamane is seen as the first-choice striker at Ibrox, and this means Dessers has slipped down the pecking order and therefore could be free to leave.

Aston Villa are reportedly set to sign one club’s ever-present starter next week, and he’ll fly to England in the coming days to seal his Premier League transfer.

Aston Villa "working" on January signings for Unai Emery

As confirmed by manager Unai Emery before his side’s 2-1 win over West Ham United in the FA Cup third round on Friday night, the Midlands club are actively pursuing fresh faces before deadline day on 3rd February.

Aston Villa now willing to pay £17m release clause for La Liga "revelation"

The Villans are not wasting any more time…

1 ByTom Cunningham Jan 11, 2025

Villa are yet to officially get a January deal over the line as things stand, despite reports heavily linking them with a new forward.

It is believed Monchi and NSWE have submitted an improved offer for Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen (Sky Germany), which is still short of the Bundesliga side’s valuation, while other media sources claim Villa are very keen on signing PSG forward Marco Asensio as another option.

Everton (away)

January 15

Aston Villa (away)

January 18

West Ham (home)

January 26

Wolves (away)

February 1

Ipswich Town (home)

February 15

6 players who could join or leave Aston Villa in January

Aston Villa will be aiming to make a few signings and sell some players this January.

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 9, 2025

Their pursuit of an attacker comes amid PSG’s interest in a winter deal for star striker Jhon Duran, who has impressed under Emery with 12 goals in all competitions despite being behind Ollie Watkins in the pecking order and starting just four Premier League games this season.

Emery says that Aston Villa are “working” on imminent incomings, and while they’ve largely been tipped to bring in forward options, there are also suggestions that a new centre-back is on the cards.

Villa are said to be targeting Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingueza, and it could even happen this window (Football Insider). However, a deal could be difficult to pull off, as the La Liga side are expected to demand a hefty fee to let their star centre-back depart in the middle of the 2024/25 campaign.

Emery reportedly wants two quality players in each position at Villa (Pete O’Rourke), but the club’s finances are set to make recruitment tricky before deadline day.

Aston Villa closing in on Kasimpasa defender Yasin Ozcan

In some good news, Villa are thought to be closing in on their first January signing, according to Turkish newspaper A Spor.

Indeed, it is believed Villa have agreed a €8m (£7m) deal for Kasimpasa defender Yasin Ozcan, who is set to make his way to England in the coming days and put pen to paper on a deal next week.

The centre-back could return to the Süper Lig outfit on loan for the rest of 2024/25, or even fully link up with Emery’s squad for this season, depending on developments.

The 18-year-old, who was called up to the Turkey national squad for the first time in November, featuring on the bench against Montenegro, has been a pivotal mainstay for Kasimpasa this season.

Ozcan boasts 17 league starts, and goalkeeper Andreas Gianniotis is the only Kasimpasa player who’s played more Turkish top-flight minutes than the teenager.

Taking his age into account, this is quite impressive, and it appears Villa may be about to secure themselves a real gem.

Manchester United could reportedly be offered a £45m Chelsea player in a swap deal with Alejandro Garnacho, but it’s not Christopher Nkunku.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils still have time to complete some important business in the January transfer window, as Ruben Amorim looks for more quality in his squad for the second half of the season.

Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoume is seen as a reported target for United in the coming days, with the 22-year-old potentially seen as someone who can add more legs in the middle of the park, following the struggles of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen this season.

Right-back could be another position that Amorim sees as important moving forward, whether that be this month or in the January window, and Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi has been linked with a switch to Old Trafford. That would be an eye-catching addition, considering he is widely seen as one of the best in Europe in his role.

Nkunku is another player who has been backed to join the Red Devils in the near future, having struggled for playing time this season at Stamford Bridge. Now, one of his teammates has emerged as an alternative option.

Man Utd linked with £45m Chelsea ace

According to a fresh update from Give Me Sport, Manchester United could be offered Chelsea attacker Joao Felix in a swap deal involving Garnacho, having joined the Blues for £45m last summer.

He and Nkunku are both seen as “serious avenues” for the Red Devils to consider going down, and they are happy to sell Garnacho to a rival club with the Argentine more likely to leave than stay.

Felix would feel like a risky signing for United, in many ways, seeing as he has struggled to reach his potential since winning the prestigious European Golden Boy award back in 2019.

At that point, so much was expected of the Portuguese, in terms of becoming one of the best players on the planet, but instead, he has become a nomadic figure who has struggled to nail down a club.

That said, if Amorim believes that he can get the best out of Felix, he needs to be trusted. United would have a very gifted footballer on their hands, with Alvaro Morata lauding him during their time together at Atletico Madrid, saying:

Man Utd now plotting cheap deal to sign "amazing" versatile midfield gem

He’s on their radar…

ByTom Cunningham Jan 26, 2025

“The truth is that Joao has a special talent, that last pass. Although also Correa, Lemar, Marcos, Koke… the people behind put up great balls and we have to keep working and run into space.”

Atletico Madrid

141

34

18

Barcelona

44

10

6

Benfica

43

20

11

Chelsea

40

11

2

There would be a risk element in United signing Felix, given his patchy form in recent times, but there is a wonderful footballer there who is waiting to explode if everything comes together, and he scored at Old Trafford for Chelsea last season.

Sheffield Wednesday are now on the verge of completing the signing of a “really significant” player, according to a big update from reliable journalist Alex Miller.

Latest Sheffield Wednesday news

The Owls have got themselves in a promotion battle this season, having overcome relegation from the Championship last time around. Danny Rohl’s side sit 10th in the table, as they prepare to host struggling Luton Town on Saturday afternoon.

Rohl will know the importance of Wednesday making some late signings in the current transfer window, with his squad still arguably lacking the depth to finish in the top six come May. Stuart Armstrong has been strongly linked with a move to Hillsborough, with the 32-year-old currently at Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Scotland international could be a strong addition for the Owls, bringing a huge amount of quality and experience in the middle of the park. He has made 149 appearances in the Premier League, which is impressive, not to mention winning 51 caps for his country.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Town right-back Harry Clarke was considered an option for Wednesday on loan, only for local rivals Sheffield United to snap him up until the end of the season instead. It remains to be seen if another target is eyed up in his position in the coming days.

Sheffield Wednesday set to sign Armstrong

According to The Star‘s Miller on X, Sheffield Wednesday are now set to sign Armstrong, with a deal agreed and a medical completed:

“Barring any nasty late hiccups, fully expecting Stuart Armstrong to become a Sheffield Wednesday player. Played yesterday, flight from Spain this morning, medical undertaken this afternoon. Some detail inc likely weekend eligibility in here.”

This is a great piece of business by Wednesday, with Armstrong possessing the experience needed in the second half of the campaign, especially as it would help afford compatriot Barry Bannan more of a breather, keeping him fresh.

The Scot will provide box-to-box energy, even though he is also advancing in years now, and Brendan Rodgers hailed him during their time together at Celtic, saying:

“He’s a really significant player for us. It’s great to see. His goals have just come from giving him a framework — it’s all down to him. Being a goalscorer is just about giving them confidence. You saw when Stuart played against Inverness at right-back, he should have had a hat-trick. If I put him at centre-half, he would probably score. He’s just that type of player. He’s got an in-built brain for getting in the box and getting goals.”

It feels as though the move is now imminent, and while Armstrong is unlikely to play any part against Luton this weekend, he will hopefully be thrown into the squad after that, looking to be an instant hit. He also already knows Rohl, who worked with Armstrong at Southampton when an assistant to Ralph Hasenhuttl at St Mary’s.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

Rohl could see him as a player who can take his team up another gear, as they look to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2000.

Internal talks over signing a “special” number 10 have been held at Leeds United ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a recent report.

Leeds news and updates

There is still a lot of football to be played between now and the end of the season, but with the Whites looking on course to seal a return to the Premier League, plans behind the scenes will be starting to take shape as they prepare for the likelihood of top-flight football next season.

Cost £7m, now worth more than Solomon: Leeds struck gold on "top-class" ace

Leeds United have completed some phenomenal business in the market over the last couple of years.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 13, 2025

This week Daniel Farke stated that discussions over new contracts for the soon-to-be free agents have yet to begin. Sam Byram, Junior Firpo, and Josuha Guilavogui’s contracts are all set to expire at the end of the season, and Farke revealed that talks will be held at the right time.

Meanwhile, ahead of the summer transfer window, it has been reported that Manor Solomon could be available for a permanent transfer. The winger is currently on loan at Elland Road from Tottenham Hotspur, and it’s been claimed that he would be allowed to leave on a permanent basis in the summer if an opportunity is presented.

Solomon has made a big impact since joining Leeds, being a key player in their attack, as he was crowned the club’s player of the month in January.

Leeds hold internal talks over move to sign £25m ace

Solomon is not the only player the Whites have their eyes on ahead of the summer, as according to TEAMtalk, Leeds have held internal talks over a move to sign James McAtee from Manchester City if they are promoted to the Premier League.

The report states that the Championship outfit will prioritise signing a new number 10 in the summer, with interest remaining in Emi Buendia, who was a target during January but ended up joining Bayer Leverkusen instead. As well as Buendia, Leeds also hold interest in Eduard Spertsyan, Gustavo Hamer and McAtee, who could be available for a loan move next season.

Before this campaign, McAtee enjoyed two rather successful loan spells at Sheffield United, and instead of going on loan again, Man City decided to keep him at the Etihad this season. However, the midfielder has only played 16 times for the Blues, struggling to make an impact in the starting XI.

The 22-year-old has failed to start in the Premier League or Champions League, with the majority of his game time coming in the FA Cup.

Apps

40

Goals

4

Assists

3

Given his lack of game time this season, City could decide to let McAtee leave on loan in the summer, or they could even decide to cash in, but it would cost Leeds and any other interested team £25 million to secure his services that way. Despite not playing regularly, McAtee has been labelled “special” by Pep Guardiola this season.

“I’m so happy for him; he’s a special player,” Guardiola said of McAtee after his hat-trick against Salford City.

This season has been nothing short of a roller coaster for Arsenal fans.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been inconsistent on the pitch and incredibly unlucky with injuries off of it.

However, the last seven days might just have been the start of a good period for the side, with Mikel Merino stepping up in the absence of a recognised number nine on Saturday and then the former manager doing his successor a favour by taking two points off Liverpool on Wednesday.

With that said, the Gunners have a tough test against Graham Potter’s West Ham to get past this afternoon if they are to keep up the pressure on Arne Slot’s Reds, and to ensure they do, Arteta must unleash one of his new stars who’s been compared to the Hammers’ Mohammed Kudus.​​​​​​

Arsenal's record against West Ham

Since their first meeting back in January 1909, when they were under the name Woolwich Arsenal, the Gunners have played West Ham 152 times across all competitions, winning 74, drawing 41 and losing 37.

However, while their overall record against the Hammers is pretty excellent, the North Londoners’ form against the Hammers over their last four encounters has been decidedly more mixed, with two wins, two losses and a draw.

Moreover, while their last two games against the East Londoners, which have both been away, have resulted in hefty wins for Arteta’s men, their last game at the Emirates was something of a disaster.

It was in late December 2023, and despite taking 30 shots to their six, having 74% of the possession and amassing an expected goals figure of 2.77 to their 1.42, the title challengers came away 2-0 losers, and it could have been even worse had David Raya not saved Saïd Benrahma’s 96th minute penalty.

So, it should be an exciting game this afternoon, and one of the players Arsenal have to be most aware of is undoubtedly Mohammed Kudus.

Still, the good news is Arteta already has his answer to the attacker, although he has to make sure he starts him.

Arsenal's answer to Kudus

The unfortunate truth of the matter is that, thanks to the mountain of attacking injuries Arsenal have at the moment, there really aren’t many options for Arteta to choose from for the right wing, meaning it’s likely to be another start for the incredible Ethan Nwaneri, who also happens to be the team’s answer to Kudus.

Now, there are a number of reasons why this is the case, but perhaps the most significant is that he’s been likened to the Hammers star by FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Ghanaian is the second most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Englishman.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, passes into the penalty area, blocks, ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.33

0.38

Shots on Target

3.07

2.99

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.95

1.09

Blocks

1.19

1.14

Ball Recoveries

4.52

4.89

On top of their statistical similarities, both players have shown themselves to be positionally versatile, as while the young Hale Ender is currently thriving off the right, he’s also able to play in midfield, attacking midfield, and even up-top, akin to the Irons ace.

With all that said, another reason Arteta must start the “unplayable” teenager, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, is exactly that: he’s becoming the sort of player defenders do not want to play against.

For example, despite playing just 790 minutes of first-team football across 24 appearances, the Enfield-born phenom has scored seven goals and provided one assist, which comes out to an unreal average of a goal involvement every three games, or every 98.75 minutes.

Ultimately, Arsenal must win this game to keep the pressure on Liverpool, and for them to stand the best chance of doing so, the manager needs to keep Nwaneri in the starting lineup.

He's like Xhaka: Arteta must rue not signing Arsenal's loan "genius"

The former Arsenal man is having a stellar campaign this year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 20, 2025

Will Wolverhampton Wanderers beat the drop?

On Sunday, Vítor Pereira’s team put in a spirited display, but got nothing to show for their efforts, narrowly beaten 2-1 by run-away league-leaders Liverpool, after Matheus Cunha’s second-half strike set up a very nervy finish at Anfield.

Wolves have therefore lost five of their last six Premier League matches, victory over Midlands rivals Aston Villa earlier this month keeping them outside the relegation zone, two points clear of both Ipswich and Leicester.

Not so long ago, the Old Gold secured back-to-back seventh-place finishes, also reaching the Europa League quarter-finals, but even more recently than those glory days, they had a young Portuguese midfielder in their squad, who is now starring in the Champions League.

Wolves' best Premier League midfielders

When Wolves were at their best, qualifying for Europe and regularly beating the Premier League’s big boys, their midfield duo was at the heart of all their success.

Rúben Neves joined for a reported £15.8m in 2017, an EFL Championship record fee, making 253 appearances in old gold before departing for Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League champions paying a reported £47m.

Even more remarkable than seeing Neves in the Championship was the sight of João Moutinho in a Wolves shirt.

That’s because, it’s not often a player who’s won three Primeira Liga trophies, the Ligue 1 title with Monaco, the Europa League and the Euros, and would later become Portugal’s second-most capped player of all-time, joins a newly-promoted club.

Nevertheless, Moutinho would go onto make 212 appearances for Wolves, with John Percy of the Telegraph describing him as a ‘key figure’ in the success Nuno Espírito Santo’s side enjoyed, while then club captain Conor Coady stated “he’s special, and we’re very lucky to have him here”.

Meantime, Tim Spires of the Athletic believed Moutinho to be ‘underrated’ given his importance to the team, ‘playing metronomically efficient passes, setting the tempo and creating chances’, adding ‘Wolves fans adored him from day one’.

Former Welsh international Dave Edwards, who made 307 appearances for Wolves, described the Portuguese star as the “best player [to] play for Wolves in my lifetime”.

So, while the contributions of Neves and Moutinho will never be forgotten in the Black Country, another Portuguese central midfielder is now starring at the highest level, but one Wolves supporters may have forgotten ever played for them.

Wolves' forgotten Portuguese midfield maestro

If you don’t remember Vitinha’s spell at Wolves, it’s unlikely that you are the only one.

He arrived on a season-long loan from Porto in September 2020, making 22 appearances for the club, scoring one goal, this an absolute rocket in the FA Cup against National League North side Chorley.

Wolves did have a £17m option to buy, which they did not take up at the end of the season, a decision Steve Madeley of the Athletic described as a massive ‘missed opportunity’.

That’s because, after returning to Porto for a season, Paris Saint-Germain paid his release clause of €40m (£33m) a year later, and the now 25-year-old has been earning rave reviews for his performances with les Rouge-et-Bleu.

Following PSG’s Champions League victory over Brest last mid-week, manager Luis Enrique said that Vitinha “embodies the perfect midfielder”, describing him as “unique”, adding “he is vital for us in his pivot role”.

Meanwhile, after May’s Coupe de France Final victory over Lyon, Enrique also stated “Vitinha was undoubtedly our player of the season… all of our players here are good, but Vitinha is exceptional”, with Zach Lowy of PSG talk adding that his rise ‘has been nothing short of spectacular.’

Nacho Estrella Domínguez-Mompell of Fichajes notes that he has quickly become one of the ‘cornerstones’ of this PSG team. Tim Spiers and Peter Rutzler of the Athletic described him as a ‘starring.. midfield maestro’, while noting that he ‘was considered someone who could be as good as Moutinho once he developed physically.’

While he did not stay long enough to live up to that Moutinho comparison, let’s see how Vitinha compares to Wolves’ most-used central midfielder João Gomes so far this season.

Statistics

Vitinha

João Gomes

Appearances

32

26

Minutes

2,325

2,191

Goals

5

3

Attempted passes

2,243

1,006

Pass completion %

92.7%

84.8%

Progress passes

194

113

Shot-creating actions

77

39

Touches

2,420

1,247

Tackles

34

73

% of dribblers tackled

54.3%

37.8%

Interceptions

23

23

Ball recoveries

133

119

As the table outlines, in a comparable number of minutes, Vitinha has massively outperformed Gomes this term, particularly when it comes to in-possession statistics, with the Brazilian, in fairness to him, having racked up more than twice as many tackles and the same number of interceptions.

This all shows that, unquestionably, Vitinha would improve Wolves’ team right now, and that they were wrong not to take up the option to buy when they had the chance, even if, had he stayed at Molineux, he may not have fulfilled his current potential.

Wolves' £16m flop is now outperforming Larsen & Ait-Nouri after leaving

This major Wolverhampton Wanderers flop has now found his shooting boots.

1 ByKelan Sarson Feb 18, 2025

Manchester United have been given a big opportunity to sign a “world-class” striker, as his price tag is set to drop by around £38m in the summer, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd in need of a striker

It would be fair to say very few players have impressed in a Man United shirt this season, considering Ruben Amorim’s side have picked up just 30 points in 26 Premier League games, and their strikers are no exception, having consistently struggled to find the back of the net.

Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund have scored a combined five goals in the Premier League this term, with neither striker netting in 2025, so it is clear that Amorim will need to upgrade his forward line when summer comes around.

Several top strikers have been linked with moves to Old Trafford, and there is a belief United could trigger Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause if Alejandro Garnacho leaves, following interest from Napoli and Chelsea in January.

Man Utd "hopeful" about signing "astonishing" £50m forward; talks advancing

The Red Devils are now negotiating a summer move for an exciting young forward.

ByDominic Lund Feb 25, 2025

Now, Romano has dropped an update on the Red Devils’ pursuit of Victor Osimhen, with the transfer expert revealing United will have a big opportunity to sign the forward for a cut-price fee this summer.

Osimhen has a €120m (£100m) release clause in his current contract, but if Napoli are unable to get him off the books before the end of June, it will fall to €75m – €80m (£62m – £66m), meaning a £38m price drop could be on the cards.

Romano states that nothing is concrete or advanced between United and the Nigerian, contrary to some reports from elsewhere, as he is focussed on winning the league with Galatasaray, but meetings to discuss his future are set to continue in April or May.

Osimhen's insane goal record

It is clear to see why a number of top clubs are interested in the 26-year-old, given his exceptional goal record across spells with Charleroi, Lille, Napoli and Galatasaray.

Season

Apps (all comps)

Goals

2018-19

36

20

2019-20

38

18

2020-21

30

10

2021-22

32

18

2022-23

39

31

2023-24

32

17

2024-25

26

20

The Nigeria international has hit the ground running since moving to Turkey, with his side in a strong position to win the league title, and he has been lauded as “world-class” by football writer Matt Barlow, while also receiving praise from analyst Statman Dave.

United can’t afford to pass up the opportunity to sign Osimhen for a reduced fee, given their struggles in front of goal this season, so they should go all out to sign the prolific striker this summer, should he still remain keen on the move.

As Rasmus Hojlund trotted off to ironic cheers at Old Trafford on Sunday evening, it could be said that the moment showed the Dane’s number is, quite literally, up at Manchester United.

The 22-year-old was withdrawn on the hour mark against Fulham having once again failed to fire in front of goal, with his brutal drought now stretching back to 12 December, when the former Atalanta ace netted a brace against Viktoria Plzen.

With that double coming amid a five-goal haul in the Europa League so far this term, there will be a glimmer of hope that Thursday’s return to the competition can provide some welcome solace for United’s number nine, amid this lengthy barren run.

That said, if recent displays are anything to go by, the £64m signing – who has netted just two Premier League goals all season – looks increasingly devoid of confidence, having been somewhat surpassed by the lively Chido Obi in recent outings.

Stat (*per game)

23/24

24/25

Games (starts)

30 (25)

22 (16)

Goals

10

2

Mins per goal

217

676

Big chances missed

13

3

Assists

2

0

Big chances created

0

3

Key passes*

0.9

0.5

Pass accuracy*

77%

79%

Touches*

22.8

17.7

Total duels won*

38%

29%

Aerial duels won*

27%

21%

Possession lost*

6.6x

6.2x

Fortunately for Hojlund – albeit perhaps frustratingly for Ruben Amorim – the Red Devils’ 17-year-old sensation will be absent for the trip to face Real Sociedad, leaving the Portuguese tactician with a real headache as to how to configure his attacking unit…

Why Chido Obi can't play in the Europa League

As club legend Andy Cole – speaking to Rio Ferdinand – stated following the weekend clash, the word to describe Obi is certainly “raw”. That said, having been thrown in at the deep end in recent weeks, the former Arsenal teenager certainly hasn’t sunk.

Indeed, after witnessing Hojlund – who had just nine touches in total on Sunday – toil against the Cottagers, the young substitute was far more effective when leading the line, having notably been denied following a brilliant save from Bernd Leno at the angle.

Currently the leading scorer in the FA Youth Cup with seven goals in just three outings, despite missing Friday’s quarter-final triumph over the Gunners, the Danish youth international has proven himself to be something of a “goal machine” in the academy ranks, as per analyst Ben Mattinson, with it unlikely to be long before that duck is broken at first-team level.

Sadly, however, the summer arrival will have to watch on when United take to the field in San Sebastian, with the club having opted not to include him in the updated Europa League squad last month. Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu – both of whom were signed in January – were added to the ‘A’ list, along with 17-year-old, Jack Fletcher.

With Obi also ineligible for a place on the ‘B’ list, a spot usually reserved for academy talents, having not spent at least two years in United’s youth ranks, he will be unable to feature at all for the remainder of the competition.

In a sense, that may be a blessing in disguise in order to allow the teen striker to be eased in gradually, yet with Hojlund so off the boil of late, it does leave the attacking ranks looking even more depleted.

Perhaps, Amorim may need to consider a wildcard solution…

How Man Utd can replace Hojlund without Chido Obi

The obvious answer would be to allow Hojlund yet another chance to impress from the start, with the 6 foot 4 centre-forward having netted ten goals in Europe since arriving from Italy.

Perhaps, however, introducing the £85k-per-week man off the bench would be a better option, with Joshua Zirkzee deployed in that central role instead, despite featuring in more of a number ten berth in recent weeks.

As Amorim himself has admitted, Zirkzee is not an out-and-out striker, yet with Obi out of the picture, it is a case of needs must, with the Dutchman – who expertly turned and teed up Alejandro Garnacho late in the day at the weekend – possessing the hold-up ability needed to lead the line.

With Zirkzee moving into a more central role as the focal point of the attack, it could then see the aforementioned Garnacho reinstated in the starting lineup behind him, with the Argentine winger having been introduced off the bench against the Cottagers.

Quite why the 20-year-old – who had been something of a talking point after heading straight down the tunnel against Ipswich Town – was not handed a start against Marco Silva’s side has not been determined, albeit with Amorim revealing prior to Sunday’s clash that the youngster had also been carrying a knock.

Either way, United’s number 17 – who scored his first goal for the club away against Sociedad in November 2022 – simply has to start this time around, having been a real outlet following his entrance at the weekend.

Not only did the one-time Atletico Madrid asset tee up Diogo Dalot in the build-up to Bruno Fernandes’ equaliser, but he also regularly got in behind the visiting backline, having come close to winning the game just before extra-time after racing onto Zirkzee’s lofted pass, only to see his tame effort comfortably saved by Leno.

Talk was rife in January that a move to Chelsea was on the cards for Garnacho, but thankfully for Amorim, the dynamic “game-changer” – as hailed by journalist Samuel Luckhurst – remains at Old Trafford, with United needing the academy graduate to step up to the mark in the absence of the stricken Amad.

The combination of Zirkzee’s interplay and Garnacho’s direct nature could certainly cause problems for the Basque side on Thursday evening, with the time having come to finally oust the struggling Hojlund.

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