All posts by n8rngtd.top

Over recent weeks, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo has been the most likely star to make the move to join Manchester United and further aid Ruben Amorim’s attempts in the final third.

The Cameroonian has starred in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, scoring 20 times in his 38 appearances, undoubtedly being the shining light in the Bees’ side.

Such a record has led to the Red Devils’ keen interest, even making a £60m bid for the attacker, but it was rejected, with the two clubs yet to agree on a fee this window.

They have faced huge competition from Tottenham Hotspur for his signature this summer, but the Bees star has given the Red Devils his word and confirmed that he wants to join Amorim’s side.

However, it appears as though other options are being considered in the forward department, potentially forming an excellent partnership with the Cameroonian at Old Trafford.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Dušan Vlahović is a player who has emerged on their radar over the last couple of weeks, potentially striking an agreement with Juventus that would see Jadon Sancho move in the opposite direction.

Felix Nmecha is another player on their radar, potentially making a bid for his services in the coming weeks in an attempt to land his signature ahead of the 2025/26 season.

However, the hierarchy are also active elsewhere, subsequently preparing a move for AC Milan star Rafael Leao, that’s according to the latest update from CaughtOffside.

The report claims that the Red Devils are preparing a £60m offer for the 26-year-old, who’s registered 12 goals and 11 assists across all competitions this campaign.

It also states that the offer is below the Italian side’s asking price for the Portuguese international, but they would be open to offloading him should they receive an acceptable bid during this window.

Why United’s £60m target could be Amorim’s own version of prime Rashford

Marcus Rashford is a player who has been a superb option for United over the years after making his debut way back in 2016 as a baby-faced teenager.

He’s racked up over 400 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 138 times for his boyhood club, with his best season coming in 2022/23 – notching 30 goals in his 56 outings.

However, he appears to be out of favour under current boss Amorim, subsequently being loaned out to Aston Villa for the second half of the 2024/25 season.

The 27-year-old looks almost certain to depart Old Trafford on a permanent basis this summer, potentially handing the manager the funds to make the changes he requires.

A move could allow Leao to take his place within the first-team setup, being the manager’s next version of the England international, outperforming him in numerous key areas this season compared to his prime a couple of years ago.

The Milan star has previously stated he’s modelled his game on Rashford’s, often liking to cut inside onto his stronger right foot off the left-hand side, developing into a bigger talent in the process.

Leao, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one analyst, has registered a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – demonstrating his clinical edge within the final third.

He’s also produced countless chances, completing more progressive carries and passes per 90, subsequently able to provide the players around him with added opportunities.

The Portuguese star has further dominated, registering more take-ons and winning more aerial battles, handing Amorim an all-round threat within the final third.

£60m for a player of his quality would be a superb piece of business, giving the side the fear factor they’ve often lacked within the final third in recent seasons.

Should he match or better the levels produced by Rashford back in 2022/23, it would be a sensational signing and one that could transform the Amorim era for the better.

Bruno will make him world-class: Man Utd hold talks for "phenomenal" star

Manchester United appear to be making a move in a deal to sign a new talisman.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 28, 2025

Leeds United now face Burnley in a transfer battle to sign a Premier League level defender on a free transfer this summer, according to a new report.

Leeds eyeing more transfers after Nmecha deal

The Whites confirmed their first signing of the summer transfer window on Sunday afternoon, as Lukas Nmecha agreed to join Leeds once his contract at Wolfsburg expires at the end of the month.

The attacking midfielder is a player who is likely to be an important figure in Farke’s team this season, but the club are not resting with just his arrival, as they are already working on more additions.

As reported by Africa Foot, Leeds have made contact with Manchester City over signing Juma Bah on a loan deal. The 19-year-old joined the Blues back in January but spent the rest of the campaign on loan at RC Lens. He now looks set for another temporary move away, with Leeds and Southampton fighting for his signature.

He'd be better than Bijol: £5m defender now wants to sign for Leeds

Leeds United could seal a better transfer than snapping up Jaka Bijol by landing this deal.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 15, 2025

Meanwhile, defender Jaka Bijol has agreed terms over a move to Elland Road this summer and a deal appears to be nearing completion. He is not the only defender on the club’s radar, as a report from Football Insider states that Alex Moreno is also interested in a move to Leeds this summer. The 32-year-old could be available for £5 million, as the Whites are in the market for a new left-back.

Leeds face Burnley in Keane battle

The list of potential new defenders to sign doesn’t stop there, as according to the Liverpool Echo, Leeds are among the teams interested in signing Michael Keane from Everton.

Keane, who has been at Goodison Park since July 2017, is out of contract at the end of this month, and while he remains in talks over a new contract, he is looking more likely to leave. That has alerted Leeds, who, along with Burnley and Sheffield United, are keen on swooping in and securing the defender on a free transfer.

The 32-year-old, who has been dubbed “immense” in the past by Harry Redknapp, has fallen down the pecking order at Everton in recent seasons. Keane went from playing 32 games in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season to playing just 12, 9 and 14 times in the last 3 campaigns.

Keane could be a viable option for the Whites to provide more depth behind Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, and there aren’t many free signings on the market who provide such a wealth of top flight experience.

Burnley are preparing for life back in the Premier League and could now be in the lead to sign a proven international defender, according to a report.

Burnley ready to break cycle of newly-promoted clubs in Premier League

Many newly promoted sides of the past have found it difficult to transition to life in the Premier League after claiming promotion, which is something the Clarets are desperate to change at Turf Moor.

Speaking ahead of their return to top-flight action, Nedum Onuoha believes Burnley should use Brentford as an example of how to survive and grow among the elite of the English pyramid over the next few years.

He explained: “It sounds a bit dull if you are a Burnley fan, but stick with the process. Clubs that manage to maintain their identity, can end up doing well. Brentford, for example. They never really deviated away from the model that they have, and now they’re an established Premier League side.”

Nevertheless, signings are necessary for the EFL Championship runners-up to build a squad that can live up to that feat. CJ Egan-Riley could be set for the exit door, and Burnley are now plotting an ambitious swoop for Liverpool’s Joe Gomez that could total £25 million.

Rennes midfielder Jordan James is also on Scott Parker’s radar. This development may become an ideal trade-off between youth and experience if Josh Brownhill leaves Turf Moor, signalling that there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes in Lancashire.

Burnley now enter race to sign new winger for Parker as talks intensify

Talks are believed to be intensifying over the player in question.

By
Henry Jackson

May 26, 2025

The revolving door of transfer speculation never stops and Burnley are now reportedly in the lead to win the race to sign a talented defender with top-flight experience.

Burnley could win the race to sign Chris Mepham

According to Graeme Bailey in conversation with EFL Analysis, Burnley could trump Sheffield United and Sunderland to sign Chris Mepham, potentially on a free transfer with his contract at Bournemouth set to expire at the end of this month.

The Wales international earns £35,000 per week and spent the campaign on loan at the Black Cats, scoring once in 40 appearances as they also claimed promotion via the playoffs.

Dubbed “superb” by Dan Ballard, Bournemouth also have an option to extend his deal for a further 12 months despite his contract being set to run out, though Bailey anticipates that Burnley could skip to the front of the queue in any case.

He stated: “It could be one of those promoted teams. Do we see Burnley coming in for him? They may have to lose Maxime Esteve, and they’ve lost CJ Egan-Riley already. I wouldn’t rule Burnley out of the running on that one.”

Whether Bournemouth do activate his extension clause or not, the Clarets appear to be well in the race to bring Mepham to Turf Moor and he would be an ideal fit given he has made over 60 Premier League appearances across his career.

Despite signing Jeremie Frimpong and closing in on deals to sign Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez, Liverpool are now reportedly set to hold “more contacts” to sign an £84m striker.

FSG spending early and big for Liverpool

Rightly or wrongly, FSG have often come under criticism at Anfield as clubs elsewhere spend big and leave Liverpool to build their own cheaper alternatives.

Even after Jurgen Klopp turned those cheaper stars into a squad of Premier League and Champions League winners, John Henry still hesitated to splash the cash at the levels that some around the Reds were showing, and that always left Klopp fighting an underdog battle against Pep Guardiola’s Man City side.

This time around, however, something has changed. Liverpool are once again Premier League winners, but FSG aren’t just sitting back and admiring their latest success. Instead, they’ve seemingly handed Michael Edwards a hefty war chest to go and make sure that Arne Slot’s side have everything in place to retain their fresh crown next season.

Edwards has wasted no time before putting that war chest to good use, either. Frimpong’s Liverpool move is already signed, sealed and official, whilst his former Bayer Leverkusen teammate Wirtz is the subject of a club-record move. And if that’s not impressive enough, the Reds are also pushing to sign Bournemouth left-back Kerkez.

There’s still an entire summer transfer window to come even after those three potential arrive and Liverpool may not be done there. Slot still needs to solve his striker problem amid Darwin Nunez’s continued Anfield struggles and could yet welcome an impressive Bundesliga talent in yet another big-money Liverpool deal.

Liverpool to hold "more contacts" to sign £84m Ekitike

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are set to hold “more contacts” to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal worth as much as £84m over the coming days. The Frenchman has enjoyed an excellent season in the Bundesliga and could now be part of a sensational summer of spending at Anfield.

Salah 2.0: Liverpool pursuing £59m star who has a "left foot made of gold"

Liverpool may yet enter the transfer market for a right-sided forward this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 30, 2025

Romano told his YouTube channel, relayed by Rousing the Kop: “Chelsea remain informed on the situation, also Liverpool. Liverpool are also attentive to the situation of Hugo Ekitike. So, these two clubs have already made some contacts to be informed on the situation.

“The idea for Hugo Ekitike is to have more contacts in the next days with Chelsea and also Liverpool. Liverpool are very busy in this moment, it’s not Ekitike joining tomorrow morning, but with Darwin Nunez expected to leave, Ekitike is a player appreciated.”

Whilst there may be some concerns about how he has underperformed his expected goals, football talent scout Jacek Kulig was right when describing Ekitike’s season as “superb”, and now he could be on his way to Anfield.

And just like that, Arsenal’s season has come to an underwhelming end.

Mikel Arteta’s side might have made it to their first Champions League semi-final since the 08/09 campaign, but on the domestic front, it’s been a disappointing year.

An astounding 14 draws in the Premier League ensured they finished a distant second to Liverpool, and were it not for a brilliant strike from Martin Odegaard late on yesterday afternoon, it would’ve been 15 draws.

With that said, it’s not been a good season for the Gunners’ captain either, although based on the star recently liked with the club, 25/26 could be a whole lot better.

Arsenal transfer news

With the rumour mill now in full swing, Arsenal have been linked with a host of incredibly talented footballers in recent weeks, such as Rafael Leao and Ademola Lookman.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could cost an eye-watering £145m this summer, but as he’s racked up a brilliant haul of 12 goals and 13 assists in 50 appearances for a lacklustre AC Milan side this season, he may just be worth it.

Lookman, on the other hand, could cost a far more reasonable fee of around £55m, and as he’s managed to find the back of the net 20 times in 40 games and provided seven assists for good measure, he may be too good of a deal to pass up on.

However, to really help Odegaard get back to his incredible best, Arteta and Co need to improve the club’s striker options, which is where Benjamin Sesko comes in.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal remain incredibly interested in the RB Leipzig striker ahead of the summer window.

In fact, Plettenberg has revealed that the Gunners’ new Sporting Director, Andrea Berta, has been in “direct contact” with his opposite number at the German club and that the club “have to sell Sesko in order to generate income.”

The report does not mention a potential price, but according to stories from earlier this month, the Slovenian’s release clause may now stand at about £75m due to his impressive performances this season.

It would be a costly transfer to get over the line, but given Sesko’s ability today and future potential, it is one well worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a dream for Odegaard.

Why Sesko would be perfect for Odegaard

Despite finishing second in the league, not a single Arsenal player hit double figures for goals in the competition, so it’s abundantly clear that a more prolific centre-forward could be the difference between a fourth runners-up medal and finally getting over the line next season.

This is where Sesko could come in, make a massive difference to the team’s fortunes, and, specifically, help Odegaard get back to his very best.

For example, in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes, this season, the Slovenian “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 21 goals and provided six assists.

That converts to an average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.

In contrast, Kai Havertz scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 36 appearances, totalling 2809 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 140.45 minutes.

Moreover, according to Understat, the Leipzig star’s 13 Bundesliga goals have come from an expected goals figure of just 10.84 this season, whereas the German’s nine league goals have come from an expected goals figure of 11.83.

So, just imagine how many more assists the Gunners’ Norwegian maestro would be able to rack up with a far more clinical striker in front of him.

Furthermore, as he’s still just 21 years old, there is no telling how much more effective the Radeče-born poacher could be in three or four years.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to sign a new striker this summer, and while he won’t come cheap, Sesko looks like someone who could lead the line for years to come and help get Odegaard back to his mercurial best.

Talks held: Chelsea now "really pushing" to sign £67m striker before Arsenal get to him

The Blues are giving Mikel Arteta serious competition.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 26, 2025

A £90,000-a-week player has told Manchester United that he will join the club this summer no matter what happens in the Europa League final, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Amorim: Winning the Europa League will not solve United's problems

The Red Devils have a chance to bring some joy and achievement to their supporters on Wednesday after what has been a terrible campaign, as they face Tottenham in the Europa League final. Not only does this represent a chance for United to play European football next season, but it will also be Ruben Amorim’s first trophy as United boss, not even 12 months into his United career.

Man Utd now lead Man City in race to sign "world-class" £50m+ midfielder

United have now moved ahead in the race to sign a new midfielder this summer.

1

By
Brett Worthington

May 21, 2025

It is a very important game for United for multiple reasons, but Amorim believes winning the Europa League will not solve all of the club’s problems: “It’s strange because you have some coaches here that lose some games, and they are sacked… it’s hard to explain.

“I think people see what we are trying to do. I think that people see that sometimes I’m thinking more about the club than myself.

“People understand, especially the board, that we have a lot of issues that, in the context, is really hard. There are a lot of things we need to change.

“They way we do everything during the week at Carrington, the recruitment, the academy. It is hard to point to one thing, and it will not be solved by winning the cup.”

Cunha tells Man Utd he'd join regardless of Europa League outcome

As the Red Devils prepare for the Europa League final, they have already received a transfer boost regardless of the outcome. According to Fabrizio Romano, Matheus Cunha will join Man United whether qualify for the Champions League or not.

The Brazil international wants the move to Old Trafford, and the deal is expected to be confirmed fairly soon.

On Monday, Romano reported that Cunha had agreed to the project on offer at United and had also nearly finalised personal terms. It’s also been reported by Sky Sports that Cunha, who earns £90,000 a week at Molineux, is set to join the Red Devils once the Premier League ends this weekend, with United expected to trigger Cunha’s £62.5 million release clause.

Cunha’s arrival at Old Trafford is a big boost for Amorim heading into next season, as the Brazilian will no doubt improve United’s attacking options, and he appears to be the perfect player to fit into Amorim’s system, given his versatility in the forward line.

Liverpool have plenty of summer targets in their sights, but they are also aware that departures at Anfield will be needed to supplement incomings.

Liverpool looking to scale upwards in summer window

The Reds have enjoyed a mercurial season under Arne Slot and have been head and shoulders in front of their competitors for the Premier League title.

Nevertheless, the upcoming window is a test of FSG’s long-term ambitions at Anfield. The market sphere is becoming more crowded than ever, and several of their rivals will relish the opportunity to strengthen ahead of next campaign.

Thwarting any optimism that their crown can be deposed is the priority for Liverpool, who now have Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong at the top of their list to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Continuing that theme, the Reds are also monitoring Monaco right-back Vanderson following his exploits in Ligue 1 this term, signifying that they have several contingencies to fill the void that will be left by the academy graduate.

Nevertheless, Alexander-Arnold won’t be the only one to leave Merseyside behind in the coming months. Luis Diaz is being targeted by Saudi Pro League clubs and may fetch £68 million to invest back into potential reinforcements.

Fabrizio Romano reveals what he's heard about Liverpool signing De Bruyne

Could a shock move to Anfield materialise this summer?

By
Henry Jackson

May 9, 2025

Some may think changing things while they are playing out nicely is a strange phenomenon, but there can be no room for sentiment in the hunt for silverware. Ultimately, Liverpool want to be in a position to dominate English football for years to come, so it makes sense to be proactive on all fronts should the right opportunies to conduct business present themselves.

Tapping into that school of thought, Slot may have a decision to make following recent developments involving one of his high-profile stars.

Liverpool receive two offers for Darwin Nunez

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool have received offers for striker Darwin Nunez from RB Leipzig and Napoli following his disappointing campaign at Anfield. The Uruguay international is the subject of bids of around £50.7 million, which has plunged his future at the Reds into doubt due to a lack of consistency since joining from Benfica in 2022 for £71.8 million.

Labelled “wonderful” by Jurgen Klopp, Nunez has registered seven goals and seven assists in 44 appearances this campaign, though Diogo Jota has sometimes been preferred to spearhead Slot’s attack. Finding himself at a crossroads, the Artigas-born man could be the one to make way as Liverpool hunt for an elite striker to build on their title success.

Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak has been mooted as a Reds target. Still, big-money sales are likely to be critical in any successful pursuit of the Sweden international. Nunez doesn’t appear to be front and centre of Liverpool’s plans, making a departure an easy decision for all parties should a deal be agreed upon.

Will Celtic spend big this summer?

A year ago, the Hoops broke their transfer record to bring in Arne Engels for £11m, but that was not all, also paying £9.5m to make Adam Idah’s loan move from Norwich permanent, with notable fees paid to sign Auston Trusty, Paulo Bernardo permanently and Luke McCowan too.

Nevertheless, Brendan Rodgers will want to improve his squad further in the upcoming transfer window, so does he have a “quality” new winger in his sights?

The latest on Jota's injury

As reported by Ewan Paton of the Herald, Rodgers confirmed in his Friday pre-Glasgow derby press conference that Jota will be sidelined for up to nine months, after suffering a knee injury against Dundee United on Saturday.

Just five minutes before the injury occurred, the Portuguese winger had helped the Hoops take the lead at Tannadice, it ultimately went down as a Ryan Strain own goal, but that will sadly be his final contribution for a while.

Jota had only rejoined Celtic as recently as January for £8m from Stade Rennais, making 16 appearances and scoring five goals, but now faces a long period on the sidelines.

Transfer Focus

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

Given this injury blow, the Celts could be forced to enter the transfer market to recruit a new winger, so has Rodgers identified his top target?

Celtic's winger target to replace Jota

As was reported back in early April, Celtic are believed to be eyeing a move to sign Million Manhoef of EFL Championship outfit Stoke City.

The Dutch youth international joined the Potters in January last year from Vitesse Arnhem, costing a reported £3m, although a potential exit could lie in store this summer.

With that in mind, let’s assess his statistics.

Then Stoke manager Steven Schumacher praised Manhoef’s ability to run “towards goal, take people on, get shots away”, believing the 23-year-old will only continue to get better.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him “quality and versatile”, while Dean Jones of Give Me Sport notes that Manhoef is “the sort of player that will get fans out of their seats.”

The youngster has certainly earned plenty of praise, hence why journalist Graeme Bailey reports that he is now valued at £10m, so let’s assess how he ranks amongst his EFL Championship counterparts this season.

As the table underlines, Manhoef is certainly a high-quality and high-quantity dribbler, ranking in the top ten for both attempted take-ons and carries into the opposition penalty area, despite limited touches and the fact he plays for a struggling Stoke side.

Worth noting that a whopping 758 outfield players have featured in England’s second-tier this season, making Manhoef’s high rankings all the more noteworthy.

The 23-year-old also ranks 17th when it comes to shots-per-90, which is pretty impressive, although his shots on target figure of just 35.6% means there is still room for development.

Nevertheless, with Stoke’s season having now finished, Celtic should start negotiations now, before anyone else becomes interested in securing Manhoef’s signature, given that it certainly appears as though he would be an excellent new recruit. He could be the perfect man to fill Jota’s void on the flanks.

Only played 66 minutes: Celtic can fix Jota blow by unleashing young star

With Jota set to be sidelined for an extended period of time, Brendan Rodgers should give Celtic’s “absolutely brilliant” youngster an opportunity.

By
Ben Gray

May 2, 2025

Last night might have been a real reprieve for Tottenham Hotspur, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that this season has been a difficult one for the fans.

Ange Postecoglou’s side crashed out of both domestic cups and have lost 17 games in the Premier League.

While injuries have undoubtedly played their part, it would also be fair to say that the team have simply not performed to the required level.

So, it’s not surprising to see Daniel Levy and Co working to find new recruits ahead of the summer, with recent reports touting a standout striker for a move to the club, someone who could be a dream upgrade on Dominic Solanke.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other attacking stars that Tottenham are reportedly interested in, such as Tyler Dibling.

Transfer Focus

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

The Southampton gem could be available for around £35m in the coming months, and while that might seem like a lot for someone who is still just 19 years old, it’s because a lot is expected of him in the coming years, with the Saints’ academy manager Andy Goldie dubbing him a “world-class talent.”

A more developed star Spurs are also keen to sign in the summer is Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who could be available for a fee of about £70m.

Now, while that is an enormous sum of money, it might well be worth it, as even though he’s playing for an upper mid-table side in the Cherries, the Ghana international has still been able to amass a total of ten goals and six assists in 36 appearances this term.

However, when it comes to potentially replacing Solanke, the North Londoners will want someone even more prolific, which is where Jonathan Burkardt comes in.

According to journalist Christian Falk’s Daily Briefing via Caught Offside, Spurs are one of several sides interested in the Mainz striker.

Alongside the North Londoners, Falk has revealed that Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion have all scouted the German international.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Burkardt’s goalscoring ability, it is worth pursuing, especially as he could be a dream Solanke upgrade.

How Burkardt compares to Solanke

So, if Spurs are to get their man this summer and bring Burkardt to North London, his main competition for game time would be Solanke, but who would come out on top?

Well, when it comes down to their raw output, which is what matters most for a striker, it’s the German international who comes out ahead, and by quite some way at that.

For example, in just 24 league appearances, totalling 1679 minutes, he’s scored 15 goals and provided three assists, equating to a goal involvement every 1.38 games or every 93.27 minutes.

In contrast, the former Cherries star has scored just seven goals and provided three assists in 23 league appearances, totalling 2033 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.3 games, or every 203.3 minutes.

What about their underlying numbers, then? Is it just as one-sided a comparison when we take a look under the hood? Unfortunately, for the Lilywhites’ record signing, it most certainly is.

For example, in almost every metric, the Darmstadt-born ace, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed “one of the best strikers in the Bundesliga”, comes out on top, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, key passes and passes into the penalty area, shots and shots on target, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Solanke is a good striker, but he hasn’t been prolific this term and from output to underlying numbers, Burkardt looks to be the better player, so Levy and Co should do all they can to sign him this summer.

100% dribbles, 9 duels won: Spurs' 9/10 titan is as undroppable as Solanke

The Spurs star reminded everyone how good he really is last night.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 18, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now made contact over a deal for a midfielder who is expected to cost around £40m this summer, according to a report.

Forest set to strengthen in multiple areas

Despite losing their last two Premier League games, Forest are well-positioned to qualify for next season’s Champions League, given that they remain three points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea with just six games left to play.

The race is likely to go right down to the wire, but it is looking very likely the Tricky Trees will be playing European football of some description next season, which means Nuno may need to strengthen his squad in the summer transfer window.

Targets have been identified in multiple areas, having recently joined the race for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, but a new striker appears to be of particular interest, with Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson among the options.

Nottingham Forest plot hijack for "elusive" £30m forward who West Ham want

The Tricky Trees have set their sights on a winger, who looks set to leave his club in the summer transfer window.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 15, 2025

There have also been suggestions Forest could look to bring in a new central midfielder, and they are believed to be very keen on AC Milan’s Yunus Musah, but the American is not their only target.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest have now made contact over Chelsea’s Andrey Santos, submitting an enquiry to discuss a potential summer deal, but there could be fierce competition for his signature.

Eight Premier League clubs have expressed an interest in Santos, who is valued at around £40m by the Blues, while there is also set to be competition from several unnamed European sides, which could make it very difficult to get a deal over the line.

Not only that, but the 20-year-old isn’t particularly keen on a move to the City Ground, given that his game time was very limited during his loan spell with the Tricky Trees last season.

Santos impressing on loan at Strasbourg

The Brazilian may have found game time hard to come by at Forest last season, but he has been seriously impressive on loan at Strasbourg, picking up nine goals and four assists in 27 Ligue 1 appearances this term.

Not only has the maestro impressed going forward, but he ranks highly on some key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, indicating he is a well-rounded midfielder.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also been left seriously impressed by the Rio de Janeiro-born starlet in the past, lauding him as a “one-man war machine in midfield” after starring for Brazil U20 against Peru.

Santos has proven he deserves another chance in the Premier League, but it seems pretty unlikely the youngster would be willing to move back to the City Ground, given that his previous spell didn’t go to plan.