All posts by z3u9t.icu

As it was last year, Tottenham Hotspur’s campaign has been entirely unpredictable this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side go from looking like world-beaters to looking utterly hopeless, sometimes in the space of just a week.

However, following their emphatic 5-0 Premier League win over Southampton on Sunday, things are starting to look up for the Lilywhites.

Moreover, their free-flowing football could soon be even more dangerous as recent reports have linked the club with an incredible centre-forward who could be an instant upgrade on summer signing Dominic Solanke.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from one Spanish outlet, Tottenham are one of several clubs interested in Inter Milan star Marcus Thuram.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Liverpool, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Arsenal are all keeping an eye on the French centre-forward.

Unfortunately for Daniel Levy and Co, the competition isn’t the only obstacle to getting their man, as the story claims that he’d cost a whopping €85m, which converts to about £70m.

It would be an incredibly costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Thuram’s unreal ability, it is one worth pursuing, especially as he’d be an upgrade on Solanke.

How Thuram compares to Solanke

Now, if Spurs are successful in their pursuit of Thuram next year, it seems incredibly unlikely that he’d join the club and be happy to sit on the bench as a backup option.

Therefore, even though he only arrived in the summer himself, Solanke would be in direct competition with him for a place up top in the starting lineup, but who would come out on top between the two forwards?

Well, based on their pure output, the Inter ace comes out ahead, and by quite some way at that.

For example, in just 20 appearances this season, the “world-class” Frenchman, as dubbed by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schäfer, has scored 12 goals and provided six assists, equating to an incredible average of a goal involvement every 1.11 games.

In contrast, the former Bournemouth star has scored just seven goals and provided four assists in 21 appearances, equating to a decent but significantly less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.90 games.

Unfortunately for the Lilywhites’ new number nine, the one-sided nature of this comparison also extends to the pair’s underlying numbers.

For example, the Inter star comes out on top in the majority of relevant metrics, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, key passes and passes into the penalty area, shots and shots on target and goal and shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.63

0.68

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

1.06

0.55

Progressive Carries

2.05

1.56

Progressive Passes

1.74

2.19

Progressive Passes Received

6.14

4.14

Shots

2.88

2.51

Shots on Target

1.59

1.25

Key Passes

1.36

0.70

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.83

0.47

Live Passes

17.9

13.4

Shot-Creating Actions

3.18

1.96

Goal-Creating Actions

0.68

0.55

Aerial Duels Won

2.12

1.56

Ultimately, Solanke is an undeniably talented striker who could go on to have a brilliant career for Spurs, but from practically every angle, Thuram looks to be a clear upgrade.

Therefore, Levy and Co should do all they can to bring the French international to North London as soon as possible.

Spurs star who was "more skilled than Bale" is now struggling in Greece

The talented international couldn’t live up to expectations at Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 17, 2024

Manchester City reportedly have their sights set on one of La Liga’s most promising young defenders, who they hope can help solve their ongoing crisis at the back.

Manchester City latest news

City’s poor season took yet another downward turn over the weekend as Pep Guardiola’s side were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in the Premier League. The defeat was City’s sixth in their last eight in the top flight, and leaves them seventh in the Premier League table, 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

Team

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Wolves

7

2

1

4

-3

7

Everton

6

1

3

2

-1

6

Leicester

7

1

2

4

-9

5

Man City

8

1

1

6

-7

4

Southampton

7

1

1

5

-12

4

Guardiola conceded after the defeat to Villa that his side, who have been champions for the past four seasons running, are now out of the race for the title.

“When you want to achieve something important, like win the Premier League, arrive in the latter stages of the Champions League, how you have to behave is this one concept: consistency. All this time we were incredibly consistent and now we are not,” said the Spaniard.

City want Valladolid starlet

One of City’s biggest problems in recent months has been their propensity to ship goals – which has in part been caused by injuries to a number of key defenders, including Nathan Ake, John Stones and Ruben Dias. Guardiola’s side have kept just three clean sheets all season in the Premier League, and just one in their last eight games.

They’ve also conceded 25 goals already, which is just one fewer than they conceded in the entirety of their 2021/22 title-winning campaign. Amid the crisis, the club are now reportedly eyeing a move for teenage central defender Juma Bah.

The 18-year-old is currently on-loan at La Liga side Real Vallodolid from AIK Freetong in his native Sierra Leone, and has impressed with his assured performances at the heart of the Blanquivioletas’ defence.

The Sun insider Alan Nixon has reported via his exclusive Patreon page that City want to purchase Bah next month, but loan him straight back to Vallodolid so he can continue to play regularly. Nixon claims that City would be willing to pay £12 million for 6 foot 5 defender, who is keen on a move to the Premier League despite there also being interest from Barcelona.

Bah, the first player ever from Sierra Leone to play in the Spanish top flight, has been praised by football analyst Chencho Alonso.

Commenting on Bah after he featured for Vallodolid B versus Langreo earlier this year, Chencho said, per Foot Boom: “He was commanding and pushing forward, showcasing solid defensive concepts in movement and marking adjustments. He is very calm on the ball and plays simply.

“The next day I said he would be called up in September for the first team, and on Saturday he was a starter.”

Manchester United’s first half of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign has certainly been one to forget with the club languishing in the bottom half of the table.

Ruben Amorim has been brought in to try and sort out the mess produced by former boss Erik ten Hag, but as of yet has failed to provide an upgrade on the Dutchman.

He’s only claimed seven points out of a possible 24 in the league, losing each of the last two matches without scoring a single goal.

Such a run has seen United only notch 21 goals in 19 matches, with only four sides in England’s top flight scoring fewer at this stage of the season, highlighting where some of the key issues lie.

However, despite the poor run of form, Amorim hasn’t relied upon Marcus Rashford, leaving him out of the squad for multiple outings before handing him a return to the matchday squad against Newcastle.

Marcus Rashford’s situation under Amorim at United

After scoring three times in the first two games of the 39-year-old’s tenure at Old Trafford, Rashford looked like a player reborn and one that would have a huge part to play in any success under the new management.

However, fast-forward just a month, the 27-year-old has been left out of four of the last five games, before returning to the substitutes’ bench during Monday’s defeat to the Magpies.

Rumours have been swirling over a bust-up with the new manager, but Amorim has maintained his stance that his decision to leave the Englishman out has always been tactical, opting to utilise the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee instead.

Despite his five-game absence, the academy graduate remains the club’s top scorer in the league to date – making the manager’s decision all the more baffling should it be a tactical choice to leave him out consistently.

A January move looks a certainty for Rashford given recent events, a real shame given what he’s achieved with his boyhood club, but it appears that they may be able to sign an upgrade with any funds generated from his potential departure.

Transfer Focus

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

Man Utd could land Rashford & Zirkzee upgrade

In recent weeks the Red Devils have been linked with a move to sign Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, who’s currently out on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray from Napoli.

The 26-year-old has been on fire during the opening months of the season, scoring 12 times in just 15 matches, with three of which coming in the Europa League.

Despite his temporary spell in the Süper Lig, he could be allowed to move once again in January due to a €75m (£62m) clause in his contract, with Old Trafford just one of the potential destinations for the attacker.

As a result of his stellar form, Osimhen has been labelled as a similar player via stats-led website FBref to Manchester City star Erling Haaland – a real compliment given the Norwegian’s goal tally of 49 goals scored during the calendar year of 2024.

When delving into his stats this season, the comparison is understandable, producing numerous similar stats to the City talisman, offering an upgrade on Rashford and Zirkzee should he complete a move away.

Zirkzee’s own future at Old Trafford is up in the air now too having been substituted by Amorim in just the 33rd minute against the Magpies on Monday with his run of just four goals in 27 outings simply not good enough for the Red Devils.

Games played

11

19

15

Goals & assists

12

15

5

Goals per 90

1.07

0.74

0.37

Minutes per goal

83

122

195

Shots taken

6.1

4.1

1.5

Shots on target

2.5

2.1

0.8

Osimhen, who’s previously been dubbed a “monster” by analyst Raj Chohan, may have scored fewer goals than Haaland to date but has notched a significantly better goals per 90 average than the 24-year-old.

The Galatasaray loanee has also achieved a better minutes per-goal ratio, whilst averaging a higher tally of shots on target per 90, highlighting his skill set and the danger he poses within the final third.

Both powerhouse strikers with a venomous shot in their armoury, the £62m clause in his current deal may seem like another huge investment for the club given their recent failures in the transfer market, but it’s evident the quality he possesses, undoubtedly handing Amorim with added firepower.

As for Rashford, the club desperately need to cash in on him in January whilst his stock is at its highest, with the Napoli talent the perfect player to fill any void left at the top end of the pitch.

Forget Zirkzee: £57m Man Utd dud has become even "worse" under Amorim

Manchester United fell to a fourth straight defeat under boss Ruben Amorim last night.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 31, 2024

Another £820,000-a-week worth of Manchester United players could be cleared off the wage bill alongside Marcus Rashford this month, according to a recent report.

Man Utd transfer news

January could be a very busy period for the Red Devils, as Ruben Amorim and INEOS try to make changes to the squad and look to have a much better second half of the season than the first. Rashford’s future at Old Trafford could decide what United are able to do in this transfer window, as his exit would potentially free up funds for INEOS to enter the market.

But as we wait to see what happens to the Englishman, The Daily Star have reported that Amorim is now demanding that United sign Viktor Gyokeres this month. The United boss has told Sir Jim Ratcliffe that he cannot wait until the summer and wants to reunite with the striker this month, as he looks to improve United’s attack. However, this is not an easy deal to complete, as his £80 million release clause may be too much for the Red Devils at this moment in time.

Amorim demanding Ratcliffe signs £80m "Rolls-Royce" for Man Utd this month

He doesn’t want to wait until the summer.

ByTom Cunningham Jan 1, 2025

One player who is a more realistic target for the Premier League side is Nuno Mendes. United are interested in signing the Portugal international, and Mendes is keen on reuniting with Amorim at Old Trafford. PSG want to extend the left-back’s contract, but talks have broken down, and that has opened the door for United to make a move this month, as signing a new left-back is a high priority.

£820,000-a-week Man Utd quartet could leave Old Trafford

Rashford’s departure from Old Trafford is well talked about now, and from large sections of the club, it is expected, but he may not be the only player to leave this month. According to Sky Sports, Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof, Casemiro, and Antony could leave Man United, as they are open to offers.

Eriksen, Casemiro and Antony have been at Old Trafford since the summer of 2022, when they arrived in Erik ten Hag’s first transfer window as the club’s manager. Eriksen and Casemiro featured heavily under the Dutchman, as did Antony in his first season, but towards the end of last season and now under Amorim, all three have fallen down the pecking order.

Lindelof is one of United’s longest-serving players in the current squad, having joined in 2017. The Sweden international has struggled to be a regular in the side for a while now, and with his contract expiring in the summer, just like Eriksen’s, a move in January is an option.

Eriksen

Lindelof

Casemiro

Antony

Apps

89

268

105

94

Goals

7

4

15

12

Assists

16

7

9

5

This report states that United are open to both permanent and loan offers for all four players, as they don’t have a long-term future at Old Trafford. The four of them are on a combined £820,000-a-week wage, and their exits would ease some of the financial burden on the club.

And just like that, Arsenal are well and truly back in the Premier League title race.

Mikel Arteta’s side went into the North London derby last night knowing that any dropped points would effectively end their domestic season and made sure that did not happen.

It might not have been the best display of finishing from the men in red, but the defence and midfield were immaculate and kept Tottenham Hotspurs’ dangermen from doing much of anything, especially the sensationally talented Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swedish international has been incredible this season, and while he was anonymous last night, we imagine the Arsenal faithful would be delighted to have a player like him in their team.

Fortunately, recent reports have touted another Premier League star who’s won comparisons to him this season with a move to the Emirates in what could be a game-changing transfer.

Arsenal target Kulusevski-esque attacker

According to a recent report from French outlet RMC Sports, Arsenal are one of several clubs interested in Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo.

Transfer Focus

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

Alongside the Gunners, it has been revealed that fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Spurs are keen on the attacker and that they could move to sign the Cameroonian before the month is out.

However, the report has also claimed that it will take a ‘big cheque’ to tempt the Bees into selling, something in excess of €50m, which comes out to about £42m. None of the interested parties have made a bid yet but they have been in contact to ‘gather information’ about what it could take to complete a deal.

That claim seems to have been backed up by Arsenal insider Connor Harrison who has revealed in the last 24 hours that the Gunners have been speaking to his agent since last summer.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Mbuemo’s immense ability and Arsenal’s need for attacking reinforcements, it’s one well worth pursuing, especially as he’s won comparisons to Kulusevski this season.

How Mbuemo compares to Kulusevski

So then, before we look at some of the other reasons why Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Mbuemo this month, let’s examine this comparison to Kulusevski and where it has come from.

It primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the Premier League this season, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Swede is the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Cameroonian.

We can better understand how this conclusion was reached by looking at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, live passes, goal-creating actions, tackles won and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.46

0.45

Shots

1.67

1.71

Live Passes

31.3

30.5

Goal-Creating Actions

0.48

0.48

Tackles Won

0.81

0.86

Carries

28.1

31.1

However, while comparisons to a player of the Spurs ace’s calibre – who already has 16 goal involvements to his name this season – is certainly encouraging, it’s obviously not the sole reason why Arteta and Co should be signing the Brentford star this month.

One of the other most significant reasons is his own attacking output, as in just 25 appearances this season, the “unplayable” 25-year-old, as dubbed by Bees boss Thomas Frank, has scored 13 goals and provided four assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 1.47 games.

On top of that, the “incredible” former Troyes star, as dubbed by manager Thomas Frank, can play off the right and down the middle, which could see him provide competition for Bukayo Saka – when fit – and Kai Havertz, thus ensuring nobody’s level can drop.

Ultimately, Arsenal are crying out for a forward signing this month, and from how unbelievably well he has played this season, Mbeumo could be the perfect one, and their own Kulusevski to boot.

Arsenal have been trying to sign £51m star "for years" and "will" get him

There’s optimism he’ll make a move to N5.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 16, 2025

Chelsea are now in constant contact over a potential move to sign another forward this month, however, the Blues target is keen to join rivals Arsenal.

Chelsea transfer latest

Chelsea are expected to be one of the Premier League’s busiest sides in the final days of the transfer window, with Enzo Maresca’s side still looking to do plenty of deals both in and out.

Trevoh Chalobah has returned from loan at Crystal Palace to help fill their gap in defence, but that could push Axel Disasi out of the club in the next few days, while Renato Veiga is on the verge of joining Juventus on loan and Ben Chilwell has been expected to leave all winter but is yet to depart.

Further forward, Carney Chukwuemeka is free to leave the club, while Cesare Casadei could also follow him with the Blues believed to be in talks to send the Italian back to Serie A permanently.

Better than Fofana: Chelsea eyeing one of the most talented CBs in Europe

Chelsea can upgrade on the injured Fofana with this “phenomenal” ace

ByConnor Holden Jan 27, 2025

But it is in attack that most speculation has arisen this month. Christopher Nkunku is still seemingly open to an exit and Chelsea have been exploring opportunities to sign a new forward using the Frenchman as a makeweight, with his name mentioned in discussions to sign both Mathys Tel and also Alejandro Garnacho.

In the case of the former, it is reported that Tel is not considering Chelsea as a viable option this month despite not playing a minute in any of Bayern Munich’s last three outings.

Meanwhile, Garnacho could well be linked to Nkunku, with Manchester United interested in the Frenchman should the Argentine move to west London. Now though, the Blues are thought to be making a late move to try and beat Arsenal to one of their attacking targets.

Chelsea in constant contact with striker's agent

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, who claim that Chelsea are “in constant contact” with the agent of RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko and could yet attempt to make a move this week.

Sesko’s future has been widely speculated about this month, but Leipzig boss Marco Rose insisted he plans to keep his striker at the club until at least the summer.

Asked about his plans to keep Sesko, Rose simply responded “Yes, that’s still the case!”. However, the forward, who has been dubbed a “special player” at Leipzig, remains in the headlines amid suggestions that he has a £70m price tag on his head as things stand.

Appearances

18

Goals

8

Assists

2

Minutes per goal contribution

129

He reportedly is keen on a move to Arsenal and has picked the Gunners as his next destination, but TEAMtalk suggest that Chelsea are doing their bit to convince him to move to west London instead, with the club “in constant contact with the agents” of Sesko, and having hosted them at Stamford Bridge recently.

It is added that “Chelsea are considering a bid for Sesko before the end of the January window” as they look to bolster their frontline, with Liam Delap another forward that they hold an interest in.

A deal seems unlikely though, with Sesko still having four and a half years left to run on his £92,000 a week deal in Leipzig and the German side unlikely to want to lose one of their key men this close to the transfer deadline. For all the same reasons that Arsenal are seemingly unlikely to land the Slovenian this month, Chelsea may have to wait until the summer.

Sheffield United just about managed to get over the line versus Derby County last time out as a gritty 1-0 win at Pride Park was secured.

Chris Wilder would have loved watching the goal that won his side the tight contest, as both of his new signings Tom Cannon and Ben Brereton Diaz linked up well before the Chilean loanee then fired home the winning strike.

Whilst the popular Blades boss will be more than content with what he’s got up top, he will know that the promotion chasers are still lacking a body or two defensively, as United’s hunt for a new centre-back drags onto deadline day.

Sheffield United looking at loan alternative to Jimmy Dunne

As per a new report by football journalist Alan Nixon, the Championship side could now turn their attention away from trying to sign Queens Park Rangers rock Jimmy Dunne this window, with QPR wanting United to cough up £3m to consider parting ways.

Transfer Focus

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

With Dunne’s contract up this approaching June, this does feel like a steep amount of money to fork out, especially when there are now loan targets on the mind of the South Yorkshire outfit.

Indeed, according to Nixon, the Blades are now setting their sights on the loan signature of ex-Arsenal defender Rob Holding as a last-minute acquisition, with the signing giving them some temporary quality in the centre-back department.

Why Holding could be a better signing for Sheffield United

At the peak of his powers, the 29-year-old was a consistent starter at the Emirates Stadium, but United will face competition to land his short-term signature with Frank Lampard’s Coventry City also reportedly keen.

Yet, if needs must, the promotion hopefuls might have to show some fight to land Holding before the window slams shut, with the 6 foot 2 titan an arguable improvement on Dunne if United can get him up to speed quickly.

That will be a big if, unfortunately, with Holding very much a background figure at current employers Crystal Palace as only one first-team appearance has come his way since joining in 2023.

But, when he is launched into games, Holding has proven that he can fill in at a moment’s notice and do an admirable job, notably being given the Arsenal armband on occasion.

In total, the experienced head popped up with five goals across 165 appearances for the Gunners, with Wilder hopeful he can get the forgotten-about defender back to his best if he decides to uproot to Bramall Lane, having taken a shining to goalscoring defenders in the past in the form of John Egan and Jack O’Connell.

Dunne would be able to offer that too, with four goals next to his name this season in league action for Marti Cifuentes’ men, but it would be a risk throwing the £3m target right into the deep-end of a promotion battle with the Hoops often battling against relegation.

Premier League

98

Europa League

28

Championship

26

Champions League

1

Comparatively, Holding’s pedigree in the game – which has even seen him line up for one Champions League tie across a varied career – could mean he’ll relish the high-stakes situation unfolding in South Yorkshire.

Wilder has already begun to work his magic with Brereton Diaz, who was struggling in the Premier League much like Holding before being given a lifeline loan switch.

Therefore, he could be just the manager figure that’s necessary for the “tremendous” – as he was once labelled by Palace chairman Steve Parish – defender to also turn around his dwindling career, with the move looking like a very shrewd one if all goes to plan rather than splashing out £3m.

Worth even more than Cannon: Sheffield United have hit gold on £30k-p/w gem

Sheffield United already have some top talents in the building away from any new signings.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 2, 2025

Leeds United have had a slow January transfer window so far. Daniel Farke’s side have not brought any players in, although there have been some departures from Elland Road. Charlie Crew and Joe Geldhart have left on loan, whilst Sonny Perkins has moved on permanently.

None

Sonny Perkins (Leyton Orient)

Undisc.

Charlie Crew (Doncaster)

Loan

Joe Gelhardt (Hull)

Loan

However, the Whites are still potentially hoping to look for some incomings, with automatic promotion very much still in their hands as the business end of the season draws near. It is not out of the question that a new attacker joins Farke’s side.

Leeds target new attacker

Mike McGrath of The Telegraph reported on deadline day that Leeds are currently ‘in the box seat’ if Southampton striker Cameron Archer departs the club before the transfer window slams shut at 11pm.

They are thought to have ‘serious interest’ in bringing the striker in, although it is not clear if that will be a loan or permanent move. Burnley and Sunderland are also interested but a move to Elland Road for Archer seems like it is the most likely.

Why Archer would be a good signing

23-year-old Archer has got a pedigree in front of goal, although it has been a tough campaign so far in 2024/25. He has managed just two Premier League goals in a struggling Southampton side. Across all competitions, he has five goals in 25 games.

However, if there is one thing the former England under-21 international will bring to Elland Road, it is Championship experience. Archer has had two previous loan spells in the second tier, at Preston North End and Middlesbrough.

In 40 games in the Championship, he scored 18 times and grabbed seven assists. Impressively, that includes scoring two and assisting two for Boro in a 5-1 win over Norwich in the 2022/23 campaign. There is a reason football analyst Ben Mattinson described him as a “clinical” striker.

One player who Archer could form a deadly partnership with at Elland Road is Daniel James. The Welsh international has been in scintillating form this season for the Whites, scoring eight goals and registering six assists in 24 second tier games.

Most recently, James shone in Leeds’ 7-0 thrashing of Cardiff City at Elland Road. The former Manchester United star grabbed two assists, scored and won a penalty, as well as creating three chances for the Championship leaders, as per Sofascore. It was an utterly dominant performance.

James could surely only make Archer an ever more deadly player in the Championship with the league leaders. The Englishman has a natural goalscoring ability, and James is a chance-creating machine, as the game against Cardiff showed, and the fact he has six assists this term.

Those two things will mesh together very nicely for Leeds. Having another natural goalscorer up front, combining with someone who can score and assist regularly and effectively, will be a huge asset for Farke’s side.

Whether this is a loan or permanent deal is somewhat irrelevant given that, in the short term Leeds’ goal is promotion. Archer could be the perfect player to help spur them on and return to the top flight.

He's better than Archer: Leeds chasing late move for "exquisite" star

Leeds reportedly have an interest in Southampton centre-forward Cameron Archer.

ByDan Emery Feb 2, 2025

With Chelsea’s heavy spending under Todd Boehly after his takeover back in 2022, it was always unlikely that every signing would be a success, with numerous of the American’s additions not going as he would’ve planned.

Raheem Sterling was one of his first big-money signings, moving in a £45m deal from Manchester City back in the summer of 2022 with expectations of transforming the club’s forward line.

However, the move for the experienced England international has been nothing short of a disaster, scoring just 19 times in 81 appearances, becoming the club’s highest-paid player at one stage.

Robert Sanchez is just another addition who’s failed to reach the levels expected after his move from Brighton, proving to be a constant source of errors as seen against Manchester City a couple of weeks ago.

The same can’t be said for one player who’s massively caught the eye in the Premier League for the Blues, looking to be worth every penny of the fee splashed out for his signature.

Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea since joining

After looking as though he was set for a loan move to Burnley, Chelsea decided to fork out £40m for the signature of Manchester City winger Cole Palmer in the summer of 2023.

Not many people would’ve known what to expect from the youngster, but it’s safe to say he’s exceeded beyond the wildest imagination of any supporter – being the go-to man for action in front of goal over the last two seasons.

The 22-year-old registered 25 goals and 15 assists during his debut season in West London, the most of any player, helping secure the club a place in the Europa Conference League.

This season, the talented star has continued his trend of being the star man in attacking areas under Enzo Maresca, notching 14 goals and six assists in his 27 appearances – helping the club challenge for a Champions League spot.

Despite his superb form since his move, he still earns a whole heap less than one player who pockets a small fortune whilst providing little to no positive impact for the Blues.

The player who earns more than Palmer at Chelsea

After joining the club for a reported £71.6m in the summer of 2018, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga arrived with high expectations of being a star for Chelsea after costing a world-record sum for a player in his position.

In total, he’s made 163 appearances for the club since his arrival, before joining Real Madrid on loan last summer for the 2023/24 campaign – before linking up with Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side on loan for the entirety of this season.

He’s made 17 appearances for the Cherries in their unexpected push for a European spot, keeping five clean sheets – averaging 3.7 saves per 90 down on the South Coast in 2024/25.

However, the 30-year-old still remains a Blues player after only leaving on a temporary basis, having 18 months left on his current deal as things stand.

Despite his impressive form away from the club, Maresca should look to permanently sell the Spaniard in the summer, especially when taking his extortionate earnings into account.

According to Capology, Kepa earns a mammoth £150k-per-week, which sees him take home £7.8m a year – earning a whopping £39m in wages alone during his time at the club, not including loan spells away from the club.

1

Reece James

£250,000

£13,000,000

=2

Wesley Fofana

£200,000

£10,400,000

=2

Ben Chilwell

£200,000

£10,400,000

4

Christopher Nkunku

£195,000

£10,140,000

5

Enzo Fernández

£180,000

£9,360,000

6

Marc Cucurella

£175,000

£9,100,000

7

Pedro Neto

£160,000

£8,320,000

8

Moises Caicedo

£150,000

£7,800,000

=8

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£150,000

£7,800,000

9

Cole Palmer

£130,000

£6,760,000

When coupled with his hefty transfer fee, he’s cost the club a staggering £111m, a huge waste of money given his lack of impact, with his last impression undoubtedly being his penalty shootout antics which have seen him refuse to be substituted whilst also missing a crucial spot-kick.

Kepa, who’s previously been dubbed “shocking” by one social media star, also earns more than current first-team star Palmer, who only earns £130k-per-week despite his impressive form, with the goalkeeper currently earning £20k-per-week more.

Given the amount spent on the shot-stopper, there’s no denying that the club need to part ways with him this summer, as he heads into the final year of his contract.

Undoubtedly, the goalkeeping situation is still an issue for Maresca, but Kepa simply isn’t the answer, needing to offload him to raise funds and invest in a new number one ahead of 2025/26.

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Turning their attention towards the summer transfer window, Brighton & Hove Albion are now reportedly keen on signing a key defensive addition ahead of rivals Crystal Palace.

Brighton transfer news

The Seagulls are once again back on track under Fabian Hurzeler after a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Nottingham Forest sparked doubts over his Brighton future for the first time. Now three games without defeat following two victories in two games against Chelsea and a comfortable 4-0 thrashing of struggling Southampton, those at The Amex will have their sights set on the European places once again.

Crucially, after shipping seven at Forest, Brighton have conceded just once in their last three games in all competitions – keeping clean sheets against both Chelsea and Southampton last time out.

There will, of course, still be some concerns over the nature of that Forest defeat but such a thrashing represents a blip rather than a growing trend under Hurzeler at this stage. And it’s a blip which The Amex are unlikely to see again if the Seagulls welcome one particular summer target.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Brighton are now keen to sign Rav van den Berg ahead of arch-rivals Crystal Palace this summer. The Middlesbrough defender has impressed once again in the Championship this season even as Michael Carrick’s side continue to slip away from their play-off ambitions.

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Brighton, meanwhile, could certainly do with a long-term replacement for Lewis Dunk which Van den Berg would instantly provide. At just 20 years old, the Dutchman would become the future of Hurzeler’s backline alongside January arrival Eiran Cashin. Dealing Palace a transfer blow also wouldn’t go amiss in Sussex this summer, either.

"Terrific" Van den Berg could replace Dunk

As important as Dunk is, there’s no escaping from the fact that he’s 33 years old and gradually moving past the peak of his powers as a result. It’s something that Brighton will not want to be underprepared for given just how difficult it will be to replace their captain, making Van den Berg’s arrival all the more crucial this summer.

The 20-year-old has often found himself at the centre of praise throughout his time at Middlesbrough, including from Carrick. The Boro boss told reporters last season: “He’s a terrific individual, really grounded and humble, terrific character and great attitude. He has a real calming influence but quite sure of himself in a really good way.

“I think he told me he’d played right-back once before before Betis when Tommy got injured in pre-season. And he’s never played left-back in his life and ended up playing there against Sheffield Wednesday. He just has the ability to do that, he’s a really good footballer, he’s clever, sharp, hungry, he has a great attitude.”

A season on, Van den Berg has continued to impress and could yet have earned himself a move to the Premier League this summer as a result.