All posts by h79snht.top

West Bromwich Albion might well have ended their topsy-turvy Championship campaign with an entertaining 5-3 win over Luton Town, but there is still lots of work to be done off the pitch this summer to transform the Baggies into serious promotion candidates.

After all, there are a number of faces at the Hawthorns who could leave the West Midlands club next month owing to their contracts expiring, with Semi Ajayi, Grady Diangana and John Swift all set to leave as free agents currently.

Moreover, there is still the tricky task of replacing Tony Mowbray to solve after the 61-year-old’s return to the Baggies dug-out didn’t work out whatsoever, with a new target topping West Brom’s manager list according to reports.

West Brom's new top choice

Obviously, the main talk about who could replace Mowbray has largely centred on Queens Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes, with the Spaniard now even placed on gardening leave at Loftus Road.

But, contrary speculation has now emerged that Cifuentes isn’t reportedly being looked at by the underperformers as a successor for the failed veteran.

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Instead, all the eggs seem to have been placed into the Ryan Mason basket, with journalist Alan Nixon recently revealing that the Tottenham Hotspur coach is wanted for the vacant job post.

There are obstacles in the way, however, with Mason wanting to stick it out at Spurs until the end of the season due to their Europa League adventure, meaning any talks between West Brom and the 33-year-old will have to be put on hold.

Whilst Cifuentes does have Championship experience on his side, it’s clear that Mason is highly rated in the game and could well end up being an inspired appointment himself, away from persisting with the 42-year-old.

Why Mason could be the correct choice

There is a method behind West Brom’s madness here even if Mason has only ever managed Spurs in an interim capacity.

Let’s take the example of Scott Parker – a fellow former midfielder for the North Londoners – who clinched promotion for Burnley just this season, alongside Kieran McKenna also experiencing plenty of EFL success with Ipswich Town when leaving a coaching role behind at Manchester United.

Moreover, the 33-year-old has impressed whenever he’s been handed the temporary reins of the top-flight side in the past, with Ange Postecoglou even previously labelling the Baggies target as “outstanding” for his work behind the scenes.

There were past conversations too suggesting that the young coach might well be handed the Tottenham gig permanently, with his record from the dug-out promising, considering the high-pressure environments he has been regularly chucked into.

Indeed, Mason has managed to collect six Premier League victories from 12 overall clashes in the elite division, with a high 26 goals being scored on Spurs’ end too across all 13 matches he’s taken charge of.

Mason’s overall record as Spurs interim manager

Stat

Mason

Games managed

13

Wins

6

Draws

1

Losses

6

Goals scored

26

Goals conceded

21

Biggest win

4-0 H (Sheffield United H)

Biggest loss

3-1 L (Leeds A)

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Therefore, by managing to show off his promise in the top division, he might well be cut out for a chance at the Hawthorns in the Championship, with Mason perhaps a more exciting proposition than the expected route of Cifuentes.

After all, Cifuentes has struggled for large portions of his Loftus Road stay away from pushing his side away from relegation during this debut season at the helm, with 31 defeats next to his name from 83 QPR contests, away from collecting a lower 29 victories.

A back-to-basics 4-4-2 approach from the 33-year-old could also suit West Brom, with Carlos Corberan often lining his side up in a similar way during his celebrated stint.

Mason might well be the next iteration of Corberan if everything goes to plan, with the now Valencia boss once just a second-in-command figure to the revered Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United.

At the moment, the Spurs coach is just a background face in North London himself, but he could soon blossom into the ideal Mowbray successor.

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Posts 1 ByDan Emery May 3, 2025

Make no mistake about it, this has been an utterly dreadful campaign for Manchester United.

Whether it was Erik ten Hag in the formative months of the season or Ruben Amorim in the latter stages of the term, no one has been able to get a tune out of this downtrodden Premier League giant.

After suffering a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford on Sunday afternoon, it reduced the Red Devils to their 16th league defeat of 2024/25. That’s the first time that’s happened since 1989/90, before the Premier League even existed.

In truth, United were not expected to win this one. Their focus is well and truly on their Europa League semi-final next Thursday, and as a result, Amorim rang the changes.

There was a first start for 17-year-old striker Chido Obi, while 20-year-old Tyler Fredricson started at centre-back and 18-year-old Harry Amass was given a run out at left-wing back.

On that evidence, the defeat was not a shock. Still, it did little to help an already dispondent fanbase.

Where it went wrong for Man United at Brentford

While teenager Chido Obi struggled in attack, notably having just 18 touches of the ball, it was not an awful day for United in attack.

Mason Mount – who had not found the net in 400 days – opened the scoring, darting into the penalty area and finishing off a close-range opportunity.

Alejandro Garnacho and Amad also scored late on to save United’s blushes somewhat, but those two goals were too little too late. Still, it showed that there is promise for the future at Old Trafford.

It was at the back where United met their downfall. The tone was set when Brentford found their equaliser on 27 minutes. Amass was absolutely bullied by Michael Kayode who beat the youngster to the ball inside the area and then it cannoned off Luke Shaw for an own goal.

The second goal was equally as comical. Matthijs de Ligt went down injured and United switched off, which allowed Mikkel Damsgaard to find Kevin Schade who didn’t have to do much at the back stick.

For Schade’s second and the hosts’ third, there was very little resistance at the back post either where Fredricson left the Bees forward open at the and he was left with a simple finish.

It was then made all the worse when United failed to apply their offside trap correctly. The ball was slid in between the back line on the edge of the box and then Kayode laid it on a plate for Yoanne Wissa to score, completely unmarked again.

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Clearly, very little in the United backline helped but it was Shaw who was notably bad.

Luke Shaw's performance in numbers

At the peak of his game, Shaw proved himself to be one of the best left-backs not just in the Premier League, but also in Europe.

That was certainly the case at Euro 2020 where as you should all remember, he scored in the final against Italy for England.

Well, since then, it’s been a sad and agonising tale of woe for the left-sided defender who has struggled to stay fit, most notably in the last few seasons.

While Shaw managed over 30 league appearances in 2022/23, he was only seen on 12 occasions in the top-flight last season and only five times in 2024/25 to date.

In truth, this should be his last start in United’s famous colours; he was not good enough.

Luke Shaw vs Brentford

Minutes played

45

Touches

30

Accurate passes

19/24 (79%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Successful dribbles

0

Clearances

2

Tackles

1

Interceptions

0

Duels won

1/3

Stats via Sofascore.

The own goal was bad enough but he had already nearly turned one into his own net in the first three minutes of the game. In the words of Manchester Evening News reporter, Samuel Luckhurst, he simply “wasn’t at it” having also been given the captain’s armband.

Well, it wasn’t a captain’s performance, let’s put it that way. The left-back was handed a 2/10 match rating by the Express and was consequently was hauled off after just 45 minutes.

One can excuse a lack of match fitness and you may well blame that for Shaw’s display in London this weekend, but he’s really not shown very much in his limited outings this season.

During his 45 minutes on the field, he only completed 79% of his passes and won just one of his three duels. Unsurprisingly, his 30 touches were also fewer than goalkeeper Altay Bayindir’s total of 57 touches.

We are so used to seeing Shaw as a flying wing-back and perhaps he should have started there on this occasion given Amass’ own struggles. Yet, this was evidence that he now completely lacks confidence, perhaps not just in his fitness but in his own abilities.

The 29-year-old left the action having been dominated by the Brentford attack. Their clever play and trickery on the edge of the box were simply too much for him to handle.

Don’t be surprised if this is one of, if not the last time, we see him start a game for the club.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb May 2, 2025

Arsenal have entered “pole position” to sign a “sensational” Premier League player for Mikel Arteta, according to a very reliable media source, with Andrea Berta remaining hard at work after sealing an agreement with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal transfer plans following Martin Zubimendi deal

The renowned Fabrizio Romano has already given his famous ‘here we go’ to Zubimendi’s north London move, so barring a last-minute disaster, it appears the Spain international is set to become Berta’s first major signing as Arsenal sporting director.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini May 13, 2025

Arsenal were in negotiations over Zubimendi’s capture for months, but with the 26-year-old now poised to make the Premier League his new home, attention is now turning to who will follow him to N5.

Race for Champions League qualification with 2 games remaining

Points

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

As per a report from GiveMeSport in the aftermath of Berta’s arrival, Arsenal want to back Arteta with the signings of a second-choice keeper, defender, left-winger, right-winger and striker before summer deadline day on September 1.

That same outlet claimed at the time that £300 million could be spent in a serious show of ambition from the Gunners’ side, but this will likely be dependent on player sales and trimming the wage bill to make room in Arteta’s squad.

Zubimendi will cost around £51 million, the value of his release clause, plus additional costs like agent fees, commission structures and wages.

A significant outlay of Arsenal’s budget will be utilised on Zubimendi’s signing, but Berta is already moving on to other targets. Another key potential signing they’re looking at, Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, is set to cost a similar amount.

The “sensational” 20-year-old has made a name for himself as one of Spain’s most exciting defensive prospects after an excellent debut campaign in the Premier League under Andoni Iraola, and his £50 million release clause is likely to be triggered by an illustrious suitor.

The competition for Huijsen’s signature will be fierce, though, with Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and Real Madrid all reportedly contenders.

Arsenal in "pole position" to sign Dean Huijsen

However, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who shared a promising update on the saga, Arsenal are one of the main contenders to sign Huijsen and sit in “pole position” with Liverpool.

This follows from Romano’s update that Huijsen’s Premier League suitors wish to strike a deal for the ex-Juventus starlet by the end of this month, so things could change very quickly in this rapidly-evolving saga.

“The idea of the three main Premier League clubs involved in this story, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, is to do the deal now as soon as possible,” said Romano on his YouTube channel.

“Now it means by the end of May, so to close the deal this month.”

One of the key summer targets for Newcastle United over the next couple of weeks seems to be Liam Delap. The Ipswich Town striker is a player of keen interest to four Premier League clubs, according to TeamTalk, and are ‘holding showdown talks’ in the coming days.

Whilst the Magpies are in contact with Delap via manager Eddie Howe, who is looking to convince him to make the move, they will face competition from top-flight rivals Chelsea, Manchester United and Everton. There are four different projects on the table for Delap, but he would be the same price for each club, given that he has a £30m release clause.

If the North East giants do miss out on the striker, they seem to have a backup option on the cards.

Newcastle chasing Delap alternative

So, it does seem like the Magpies are trying their very best to persuade Delap to make the move to St James’ Park over any of the other clubs interested this summer. However, if that does not work out, their next option could lie in the Premier League, too.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to a report from one Spanish news outlet, Newcastle are firmly in the race for Brighton and Hove Albion star Joao Pedro, with the Tynesiders said to be ‘willing to pay’ a fee of around €70m (£59m) to get their man.

The article suggests that Howe’s side view him as ‘as an opportunity to continue growing’ in attacking areas, although they do face a ‘huge transfer battle’ with newly-crowned champions, Liverpool, for his signature.

It is thought that the player wants to leave the Amex, with both the Reds and Newcastle ready to make a ‘good financial offer’, alongside an ‘attractive sporting project’.

Why Joao Pedro would be a good signing

It has been a strong season for Brighton superstar Pedro. Unfortunately, he could not quite help claw his side back into Europe, meaning they will once again go without continental football after finishing eighth in the top flight.

However, the 23-year-old put in some big contributions across the campaign, playing 27 times in the top flight. In that time, he managed to find the back of the net on ten occasions and also registered six assists.

One of the standout things about Pedro’s 2024/25 campaign was his ability to frequently score against the best sides in the Premier League. The Brazilian managed two goals against Arsenal, a winning goal against Man United and a goal and assist against their cross-city rivals, Manchester City. He also grabbed two assists against Aston Villa.

Of course, with Newcastle looking to compete for higher honours next term, it is surely appealing that he can score against some of the biggest clubs in the top flight. Those are sides the Magpies would have to beat to maybe even challenge for the Premier League.

Should the Magpies sign Pedro ahead of Delap, it could well be a better addition to their squad. Of course, it was a fantastic campaign for the England under-21 star despite Ipswich’s relegation; he is now wanted by clubs across the Premier League.

However, he did not notch up as many goal involvements as Pedro managed in the Blue and White stripes of Brighton. Delap scored 12 times this term, but managed just two assists.

With Pedro grabbing 16 goals and assists, he perhaps offers more with his all-around game than the Ipswich striker.

This is further backed up by the stats on FBref. Not only does Pedro average slightly more goals per game than Delap with 0.46 to 0.42, but he also ranks higher in other key metrics.

That includes shot-creating actions, where the Brazilian averages 3.32 per game compared to the Ipswich star’s 2.15.

Pedro and Delap key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Pedro

Delap

Goals

0.46

0.42

Key passes

1.39

0.73

Shot-creating actions

3.32

2.15

Goal-creating actions

0.42

0.24

Progressive carries

3.06

2.12

Stats from FBref

If Newcastle win the race to sign Pedro, he seems like a far better addition to the club than Delap, for his all-around package. Whilst he can regularly find the back of the net, he also creates chances and brings others into play, which could be deadly given the strength of their attack.

As Dougie Critchley said, he is a “special” footballer, and could be perhaps exactly what Newcastle need to take their attack to the next level.

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Posts 2 BySean Markus Clifford May 26, 2025

An “incredible” £60m player wants to join Manchester United ahead of rival suitors Arsenal this summer, with talks over a deal now set to be opened, according to reporter David Ornstein.

Man Utd eyeing new forward despite Cunha and Bruno boosts

Man United endured a torrid 2024-25 campaign, finishing 15th in the Premier League, but Bruno Fernandes was one of their shining lights, regularly providing goals and assists in all competitions.

Bruno Fernandes 24/25

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

36

8

11

Europa League

17

7

4

EFL Cup

3

2

1

FA Cup

3

2

2

Despite Fernandes’ impressive performances throughout the season, there have been some suggestions that United should cash-in on the attacking midfielder this summer, with Paul Scholes saying: “They are talking about £100m for him, Man United cannot say no to that. I know he has been brilliant and carried the team on his back, but where does he actually play, what is his position?”

However, it now appears as though the Portugal international could be staying put, with Fabrizio Romano taking to X to provide a new update on his future.

Fernandes may be set to remain at Old Trafford, but the Red Devils still remain keen on bringing in additional attacking firepower this summer, winning the race to sign Brazil forward Matheus Cunha despite interest from Arsenal, who of course have the bonus of being able to offer Champions League football.

And Ornstein has now revealed they’re not finished there, as Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo “wants to join Man Utd” this summer. Mbeumo has also attracted interest from Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, but he would prefer to join United if a deal can be agreed, with talks now set to be opened.

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Posts 1 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 3, 2025 "Incredible" Mbeumo could take Man Utd's attack to next level

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been left impressed by the forward in recent times, lauding him as “incredible”, and it is clear to see why, with the Cameroonian reaching the 20-goal mark in the Premier League, while also providing eight assists.

In the past, United have perhaps made the mistake of taking risks on players unproven in England, with Rasmus Hojlund failing to deliver after arriving from Atalanta, so it makes sense to pursue a new forward with a track record of success in the Premier League.

A deal for the France-born forward will not be cheap, with reports from elsewhere revealing Brentford could look to hold out for £60m, but his recent exploits for Brentford indicate he could be a fantastic addition to a Man United squad in desperate need of a reliable goalscorer.

Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee netted just 17 goals between them in all competitions last season, a figure Mbeumo eclipsed by himself, despite not playing in Europe.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has a reputation for doing work on numerous transfer targets before eventually formalising that interest, and the Italian currently has many different avenues he’s exploring right now.

Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, as confirmed by the reliable David Ornstein and others, despite the player’s cryptic comments recently, is closing in on a move to Arsenal with all details of the deal agreed.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jun 14, 2025

Arsenal regard the 26-year-old’s capture as “done and signed”, with Real Madrid posing no threat after all following their decision to back off in the race for Zubimendi, coming as fantastic news for Mikel Arteta.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is also poised to join Arsenal as David Raya’s understudy, and now that the Spanish duo appear on their way to N5, attention is turning to Berta’s pursuit of a winger and striker.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Arsenal talks remain ongoing for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko, while some reports claim the north Londoners are preparing another offer for Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, after their opening bid was rejected (Mais Futebol).

Berta has apparently been working to discover the conditions of deals for both Sesko and Gyokeres before deciding which deal would suit Arsenal best (BBC), so it is little surprise we’re seeing leaks of serious Arsenal talks for the strikers.

Arsenal are also chasing a new winger, and £170,000-per-week Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams remains on their agenda.

Arsenal approach Nico Williams with Berta ready to pay release clause

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, despite reports to the contrary, the 22-year-old’s release clause is actually £53 million.

Nevertheless, Sport’s information is that Arsenal are ready to pay the £53 million for Williams, and are making “real moves” by knocking on his door. Berta is also ready to offer the Spain international a marquee salary, but there is an err of caution, as Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are prepared to do exactly the same.

Intriguingly, Williams’ ideal plan is to remain in Spain and join Barcelona. His agent, Felix Tainta, even held crucial talks with Barca sporting director Deco this week to explore a potential move to the Camp Nou.

However, while the Catalans were keen on Williams last summer, Sport suggests he won’t have much luck this time around, given Barca’s priority attacking signing is actually Liverpool star Luis Diaz.

Arsenal’s willingness to meet both Bilbao’s release clause and pay Williams a large salary could open the door for Arteta’s side to tempt the exciting wide player with a move to the Premier League instead, and former Chelsea boss José Mourinho’s plaudits suggest he could be worth the effort.

“Nico is unique, he is wonderful,” Mourinho said. “During the European Championship, people were talking a lot about Lamine Yamal, who is obviously another wonderful kid, but I personally prefer Nico.”

Liverpool won hearts and minds with their Premier League title victory and could now be on the verge of ratifying one of the summer’s most exciting deals.

Liverpool make an instant impact in the summer window

The dust has started to settle on Liverpool claiming a second top-flight title of the modern era. Still, there have already been significant developments at Anfield in the early part of the summer window.

Jeremie Frimpong arrived to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold on Merseyside, and that only appears to be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to potential movement in both directions.

Finance expert Kieran Maguire has confirmed that Liverpool have £250 million to spend if they so wish without any threat of FFP involvement, which has paved the way for some exciting deals to occur over the next few months.

“Liverpool are in an excellent financial position. They didn’t spend very much in the 24-25 season, and they have the benefits of Champions League football next season. If they spent £250m, that would not be a problem.”

Liverpool transfer targets in pictures

Arne Slot made minimal changes last summer, but he has now identified Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon as a top target at Anfield, even if he will cost around £80 million to lure from the North East.

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Posts ByStephan Georgiou Mar 27, 2025

Finding themselves in the perfect position to kick on, Liverpool will be aware that their rivals are also tooling up with some intriguing signings, setting the scene for a brilliant Premier League title fight next term.

Now, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the Reds are on the verge of completing a landmark deal ahead of the new campaign coming into focus.

Romano: Liverpool agree deal to sign Florian Wirtz

Taking to social media platform X, Romano revealed that Liverpool have now agreed a deal in principle to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and he will now head to England for his medical.

With personal terms and other formalities already agreed, it is understood that the Germany international will join for a fee of around £127 million, inclusive of add-ons.

Compared to Lionel Messi by Gerhard Struber, Wirtz registered 16 goals and 15 assists across 46 appearances in all competitions last term, and Reds journalist Paul Gorst said he will be a “statement signing”.

Notably, he earns around £73,300 at Bayer Leverkusen, a figure that will be expected to increase exponentially once his switch to Anfield is officially confirmed.

Weeks of overwhelming speculation surrounding Wirtz have become the early story of the window. Nevertheless, he now appears set to link up with Slot in a deal that will reverberate around the world.

There was also call-ups for opener Ishma Tanjim and left-arm spinner Sabikun Nahar

Mohammad Isam23-Jun-2024

Rumana Ahmed last played for Bangladesh more than a year ago•ACC

Bangladesh have brought back the experienced pair of Rumana Ahmed and Jahanara Alam after more than a year out of the squad for the Women’s Asia Cup starting next month.Though allrounder Rumana and seamer Jahanara have played 134 and 130 internationals, respectively, the Bangladesh selectors seemed to have moved on from them to build a relatively younger side. But it appears losing back-to-back T20I series to Australia (3-0) and India (5-0) recently has forced them into a rethink.Jahanara was the top wicket-taker in this season’s Dhaka Premier Division Women’s Cricket League (DPDWCL), with 25 wickets in nine matches, while legspinner Rumana took 17 wickets.”Rumana and Jahanara were out of the team for 12 months. We have to keep in mind that there is very little training facilities for our female cricketers, so it is to their credit that they held on to their fitness,” women’s chief selector Sajjad Ahmed said. “They performed very well in the Premier League. It is a good news for us that we can get their experience in our squad, which allows us to have a balanced squad.”There were also call-ups for opener Ishma Tanjim and left-arm spinner Sabikun Nahar, who are highly rated by the selectors.”Ishma Tanjim is a free-flowing opening batter. She plays some great shots,” Sajjad said. “She is technically very sound. She had a nearly 100 strike rate [in the DPDWCL], second-highest behind Dilara Akter. She made runs in some good matches, which prompted me to pick her. Sabikun Nahar is a left-arm spinner who can partner Nahida [Akter]. I feel her pace, variation and accuracy will release pressure on Nahida.”Bangladesh left out Habiba Islam, Fahima Khatun, Sobhana Mostary and Fariha Trisna from the team that played against India in May. Sajjad said that he is hopeful that this squad can get Bangladesh to the Asia Cup semi-finals.”I think we have a great prospect in the Asia Cup this year,” he said. “We open the tournament against Sri Lanka. If we win that game, we have a great chance of playing in the semi-final.”Bangladesh take on Sri Lanka on July 20, followed by matches against Thailand and Malaysia on July 22 and 24, respectively.Bangladesh squadNigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Dilara Akter, Rumana Ahmed, Ritu Moni, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Rubya Haider, Shorna Akter, Ishma Tanjim, Sabikun Nahar and Shorifa Khatun

It is no secret that Leeds United will be in the market to sign new players in the summer transfer window ahead of the Premier League next season.

Fabrizio Romano gave the Championship champions a ‘here we go!’ on Saturday when he confirmed that Jaka Bijol has signed his contract to join the club from Udinese.

The Whites are set to pay a fee in the region of £19m to sign the central defender from the Italian side to bolster their options at the heart of the defence.

Bijol started 34 matches in the Serie A for Udinese in the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he is set to arrive at Elland Road with plenty of experience in one of Europe’s major leagues.

The Slovenia international will now be due to compete with the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Max Wober, Joe Rodon, and Pascal Struijk for a place in the starting XI next season.

What Jaka Bijol could bring to Leeds

Bijol is a strong defender in the prime years of his career, at the age of 26, and could provide Daniel Farke with an aerially dominant option at the heart of the defence.

The Slovenian colossus was particularly impressive in the air for Udinese in the Serie A, using his height and frame to tussle with opposition strikers to win key defensive duels.

24/25 Serie A

Jaka Bijol per 90

Percentile rank vs CBs

Aerial duels won

3.31

Top 6%

Aerial duel success rate

67.7%

Top 17%

Interceptions

1.15

Top 41%

Clearances

5.53

Top 14%

Passes blocked

0.61

Top 42%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, he ranked very highly among central defenders in the Italian top-flight when it came to competing for headers at the back.

His 68% aerial duel success rate was higher than Struijk (62%) and Rodon (60%) managed in the Championship for the Whites, which suggests that he would improve the Leeds defence from an aerial perspective.

Leeds did, however, have the best xGA (29.6) record in the second tier this season, which suggests that their defence was not a major cause for concern, albeit they have still opted to strengthen in that area of the pitch.

Instead, a bigger issue for the Whites to resolve, on paper at least, is finding a new number one goalkeeper, after Illan Meslier was left on the bench for the final seven games of the 2024/25 season.

Farke needs to find a replacement for the French goalkeeper to start between the sticks in the Premier League next term, and the door is seemingly open for them to sign one from a relegated side.

Door open for Leeds to sign Southampton star

Southampton owner Dragan Solak has opened the door to Aaron Ramsdale moving on from Elland Road before the end of the summer transfer window, after the Saints were relegated from the Premier League.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, as relayed by LeedsLive, Solak said: “We unfortunately are not sure that Ramsdale is going to stay, even though he loves the club. He’s a great young man, everybody loves him, but he wants to get his place in the national team and it’s not easy to get there in the Championship.”

Transfer Focus

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

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LeedsLive reports that signing a new goalkeeper is one of the priorities on the club’s transfer agenda, as they go in search of a number one for next season.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that the West Yorkshire outfit have eyed up Ramsdale as a potential target to arrive at Elland Road as Farke’s new shot-stopper.

Solak’s comments show that the door is open for the £25m England international to sign for Leeds, and it is now down to the club to pursue a deal that could be even more important than the one to sign Bijol.

Why Leeds should sign Aaron Ramsdale

As aforementioned, Leeds enjoyed a strong defensive record in the Championship this season and were not in desperate need of a player like Bijol, as much as he could improve Farke’s options at centre-back.

Whereas, the Whites are in desperate need of a new number one to replace Meslier next season because the French dud is, simply, not good enough for the top-flight.

The left-footed flop was dropped by Farke after he made three errors that directly led to goals for the opposition and had a goals prevented of -2.73 in 39 appearances in the Championship.

Post-shot xG minus goals conceded

Season

Illan Meslier

24/25 (Championship)

-0.4

23/24 (Championship)

-3.1

22/23 (Premier League)

-12.4

21/22 (Premier League)

-16.2

20/21 (Premier League)

-3.4

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Meslier was also a liability as a shot-stopper in his three seasons in the Premier League with the Whites in the past, as he let in significantly more goals than he should have, based on the post-shot xG of the shots against his goal.

Ramsdale, however, prevented 0.14 goals in 30 outings in the Premier League and did not make a single error that led to a goal, which shows that he outperformed Meslier whilst playing at a higher level.

The 27-year-old stopper, who was once hailed as “magnificent” by reporter Charles Watts, has 183 appearances in the Premier League in his career to date, which suggests that he could hit the ground running at Elland Road as a player who already knows the division well.

His statistics in the top-flight for the Saints also suggest that he would be a huge upgrade on Meslier, given his more impressive showings as a goalkeeper at a higher level.

That means that he would solve a huge problem for Leeds, given the Frenchman’s dismal performances in recent years, and provide Farke with the goalkeeper that he desperately needs.

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Therefore, he would be an even more important signing for Leeds than Bijol because finding a quality goalkeeper is a more pressing matter than replacing Rodon and Struijk, who impressed as a pairing in the Championship.

Leeds United are ready to splash the cash this summer as they prepare for life in the Premier League and could now exceed other suitors in the hunt for a talented striker, according to a report.

Leeds United miss out on Habib Diarra

Transfer stories are never as cut and dry as they seem in media reports, but Sunderland will be the ones to pick up Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra after agreeing a package worth £30 million plus add-ons to sign the Senegal international.

Intriguingly, Leeds United had held interest in Diarra previously before confirmation of his move to the North East. Nevertheless, the Elland Road faithful will take comfort from the fact that Jaka Bijol can operate in a deep-lying midfield role if needed.

Moving on, Leeds could look to add Dominic Calvert-Lewin to their forward line, and supporters will be keeping an eagle eye on his next move after the England international confirmed that he would be leaving the Merseyside club under freedom of contract.

Posting on social media, the Whites’ target confirmed he is now seeking a new opportunity to shine, as he stated: “This choice to move on was not simply about me-it was a decision my family and I spent a long time considering together.

“We believe it’s the right moment to seek a new challenge and continue growing, but that doesn’t lessen the bond I’ll always have with Everton.”

Leeds United’s first five Premier League fixtures

Everton (H)

Elland Road

Arsenal (A)

Emirates Stadium

Newcastle (H)

Elland Road

Fulham (A)

Craven Cottage

Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)

Molineux

Fundamentally, bringing in some level of proven pedigree will be the difference between Leeds staying up or being relegated back to the second-tier at the first attempt, and they may be well on their way to that if reports are to be believed.

Leeds United ready to make Gonzalo Garcia proposal

According to reports in Spain, Leeds are willing to make a £17 million offer for Real Madrid hotshot Gonzalo Garcia following his breakout at the Club World Cup in the United States.

Sunderland are also willing to offer the former Spain Under-19 international a route to the Premier League. However, the Whites are willing to put up a significantly higher amount of money upfront, while AS Roma and Real Oviedo are also attentive to his situation.

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Labelled a “classic number nine” by Xabi Alonso, Garcia registered 28 goals and six assists in 46 appearances across all competitions last season, combining his exploits at first-team level and with the Los Blancos’ second string.

Despite the Whites being keen to secure his signature, Real Madrid are set to insert a buyback clause worth £25.6 million in order to have some form of say in his future.

Garcia is rising star and could be a unique market opportunity for someone to take up. Now, Leeds need to convince him that Elland Road is best for his development.