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Manchester United have joined the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s 22-year-old centre-back Evan N’Dicka.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Sport Bild, via Manchester Evening News, which claimed that the Frenchman has caught the eye of the Red Devils, who are keen on adding a central defender to their ranks this summer.

With N’Dicka’s contract expiring at the end of next season, it is said that Frankfurt will look to cash in on him whilst they still can. It is believed that a fee of €20m (£17.1m) will be enough to prise the starlet from the clutches of the Europa League finalists.

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Maguire’s successor

Featuring in 94% of Frankfurt’s Bundesliga season, the 22-year-old – who has been described by journalist Jacque Talbot as a “towering” presence at 6 foot 4 – has enjoyed a prosperous campaign which has seen him become a mainstay at the heart of the Eintracht defence.

With an average of 12.4 pressures and 2.34 blocks per game, N’Dicka has registered elite numbers in comparison to positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, as per FBRef.

Speaking of positionally similar players, being a natural left-footed centre-back with astonishing numbers in-possession (more on that later), he automatically poses a threat to Harry Maguire’s spot in the starting XI.

With Raphael Varane a natural right footer, Erik ten Hag would surely prefer the partnership of N’Dicka and Varane over N’Dicka and Maguire.

Remember N’Dicka’s match average of 12.4 pressures per game? Maguire registers around half of this total with 6.26 pressure per 90 and also loses out to N’Dicka’s average of 2.34 blocks, with the Englishman registering an average of 1.42 per game.

The best thing about N’Dicka is that he brings solidity at the back whilst driving his team forward in possession. He is fearless, achieving around 6.91 passes under pressure per 90.

With the caveat that he plays as a left-sided centre-back in a back-three, and is given licence to overlap, N’Dicka boasts some serious attacking numbers – having delivered four goals and four assists for Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season – eight goal contributions as a centre-back!

With an average of 0.75 shot-creating actions per 90 and total match average of 1.06 carries into the final third, the 22-year-old is extremely well-rounded, with his defensive participations not faltering to this attacking display. Instead, N’Dicka makes his challenges high-up the pitch, with 0.85 of his 2.05 total tackles coming in the middle third of the pitch.

As a natural left-footed defender with a lot of potential and a fearless nature in possession, Evan N’Dicka could form a formidable French partnership with Varane at the heart of the United defence.

However, with the 22-year-old used to operating in a back-three, he would need time to adapt into a two-man partnership, with his attacking contributions bound to take a hit in the process.

In other news: Man United are now best placed to sign £83m “diamond”, just imagine him & CR7 

Leeds United have been in contact with the representatives of Adama Traore, who is also wanted by Everton, ahead of a possible summer move.

The Lowdown: Traore at Barcelona

Traore, described as ‘undefendable’ by Jurgen Klopp, joined Barcelona on a season-long loan last summer from Wolves.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-2/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The 26-year-old has made just 15 appearances for the Catalan giants however, failing to score and registering four assists.

Barcelona have an option to make a move permanent at the end of the season, but Wolves expect him to return to the Midlands this summer.

The Latest: Leeds contact

TEAMtalk shared a story regarding Traore on Thursday, claiming Leeds are chasing the Spaniard’s signature.

The winger has a long-standing interest from Elland Road chiefs, who have already made contact with Traore’s representatives.

Everton are also keen on the Wolves man, so this update may come as a blow to Leeds’ relegation rivals.

The Verdict: Avoid?

You’d expect that Leeds will need to remain a Premier League side over the coming weeks to have any chance of signing Traore this summer, but it looks as if Victor Orta is looking to put a deal in place regardless.

However, Traore hasn’t exactly hasn’t had the best of seasons in Spain, continuing to struggle in front of goal, so a summer swoop could be another big gamble.

Traore has lacked end product throughout his career, scoring just 20 senior club goals in 256 games. Therefore, if Jesse Marsch guides the Whites to safety, they could be better off looking at a more prolific wide man, especially with Raphinha looking likely to join Barcelona.

In other news: Leeds officials sent abroad as Radz plots move for 56-goal attacker. 

Journalist James Hunter has shared an update on the fitness of Sunderland striker Nathan Broadhead ahead of their upcoming League One play-off tie against Sheffield Wednesday on Friday.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

The 24-year-old limped out of the Black Cats’ final game of the season against Morecambe last weekend after scoring the only goal of the game, which helped his side secure a top-six finish.

The forward has already missed a significant chunk of the campaign after suffering from a long-term hamstring issue, and his latest problem immediately sparked fears that he could miss out on the two vital legs versus the Owls.

The Latest: Neil’s comments

As quoted by Hunter via a post on Twitter, Alex Neil was ‘cagey’ in his pre-match press conference when asked if Broadhead would be involved in the tie against Darren Moore’s outfit.

He said: “We’ll make a late call on him.”

The Verdict: Star in the making

Sunderland fans will be hoping that their star loanee is declared fit for the Owls contest after being in some seriously impressive form this season, having scored 13 goals in just 25 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The £450k-rated ace, who is currently on loan at the Stadium of Light from Premier League side Everton, was described as a “fantastic” player by his former manager Lee Johnson during his time at the club.

Broadhead clearly has plenty of his prime years ahead of him and you would imagine that the League One club will want to retain his services beyond this season, but for now, their main priority and focus will be doing everything they can to take that one step closer to clinching promotion to the Championship next term.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now plotting a January bid for a “prolific” new striker, who has caught the eye in the Champions League this season.

Wolves looking to sign striker to boost survival chances

Wolves could barely have made a worse start to the Premier League season, having collected just two points from their first 12 matches, and they have now lost their last five games on the spin, failing to score in four of those outings.

Hwang Hee-chan, Tolu Arokodare and Jorgen Strand Larsen have scored just two league goals between them this term, with the latter looking like a shadow of his former self, having netted 14 times in the 2024-25 campaign, in what was a very encouraging debut season at Molineux.

Arokodare has insisted the players still believe they can avoid relegation, saying: “It’s a long season, 12 games have gone, we haven’t get the results we wanted but we can’t hold onto that. We have to focus on the next ones. There is the belief – we cannot lose hope now. We cannot doubt ourselves.”

However, Rob Edwards’ side clearly need some inspiration from somewhere, given that they are already nine points from safety, and they have now joined the race for a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Wolves are now plotting a January bid for Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David, although there could be competition for his signature, with West Ham United and Leeds United also keen.

West Ham are currently leading the race for the striker, who is set to be available for a relatively low fee, with Union Saint-Gilloise willing to listen to offers of around £17.5m, despite the fact he still has four years remaining on his contract.

A January transfer battle is now on the cards, with Edwards’ side looking to sign a physical striker to complement Hwang, and there are signs he could have what it takes to propel the Old Gold to safety…

"Prolific" David could be difference-maker in the relegation battle

Hailed as “prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig, the 24-year-old enjoyed a fantastic 2024-25 campaign, chipping in with a combined 29 goals and assists in all competitions, and he has since gone on to make a solid start to the current season.

Indeed, the Canadian has put in some eye-catching performances this term, most notably in the Champions League, scoring in his side’s 3-1 victory against PSV Eindhoven and recent 1-0 win at Galatasaray.

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Having proven himself at the highest level, David could make all the difference in Wolves’ battle to avoid the drop, and the fact Fosun are planning a January move is a very encouraging sign.

When Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United in 2013, he left behind a squad of Premier League winners. The Red Devils had just beaten rivals Manchester City to the league title, securing Ferguson’s 13th and final time lifting England’s greatest honour. But that trophy only papered over the cracks that would soon appear.

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Choosing his replacement, Ferguson turned towards Everton’s David Moyes. A Scottish manager who was beginning to make a name for himself elsewhere, Moyes likely reminded the legendary Man United boss of himself. On paper, the appointment made plenty of sense and 12 years ago, it was unlike the Red Devils to get things wrong.

Of course, as we now know, over a decade later, that decision sparked the beginning of United’s long downfall which has featured moments that go lower and lower in their history.

Games

51

Wins

26

Draws

10

Losses

15

From a manager that stayed at the club and achieved so much for 26 long years, United gave Moyes just 51 games to make his mark before pulling the plug on his tenure.

At the time, the blame was sent the manager’s way. The assumption was that it simply had to be him. After all, he was the only change at the club, but perhaps that’s where the problem truly lied. Since then, five permanent managers have tried and all five have failed to do what Moyes initially failed to do as United remain sleeping giants.

Before Moyes arrived, however, things could have been so different. Ferguson reportedly approached a manager who soon became a Premier League winner, only to be turned down.

Why Jurgen Klopp turned Ferguson and Man Utd down

As revealed by the former Liverpool manager himself, Ferguson approached Jurgen Klopp before Man Utd hired Moyes, only for the German to turn down the chance to move to Old Trafford as he was already planning for the 2013/14 season at Borussia Dortmund.

It was then just two years later that he was approached with a similar offer from Liverpool, who secured his arrival and went from sleeping giants into a club firmly back at the top of English football. Whilst United continued to struggle, the Reds and Klopp won the Premier League, Champions League and everything in between.

No one knows for sure whether Klopp would have done better than Moyes, Jose Mourinho and others, but evidence from his Liverpool spell gives us a fairly solid indication of how things could have been so different for the Red Devils.

Arsenal managed to offload out-of-favour midfielder Fabio Vieira by the skin of their teeth at the end of the summer transfer window.

The Portuguese was once tipped for a big future by manager Mikel Arteta, after former sporting director Edu orchestrated a £34 million deal to sign Vieira from FC Porto in 2022.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£5m

Martin Zubimendi

£60m

Christian Norgaard

£15m

Noni Madueke

£52m

Cristhian Mosquera

£13m

Viktor Gyokeres

£55m

Eberechi Eze

£67.5m

Piero Hincapie

Loan

However, while the 25-year-old came to north London with plenty of promise, things didn’t quite go to plan.

Vieira failed to play his way into Arteta’s plans, making 19 of his 22 Premier League appearances off the bench during his debut campaign, even if he did impress at times with a goal and two assists in eight Europa League starts that year.

His game time was even more limited in 2023/2024, thanks partly to groin surgery. Vieira started just two top flight matches all season, and it soon became apparent that the playmaker wasn’t at Arsenal’s required level for their quest to become English champions.

Vieira was sent back on loan to Porto in 2024/2025, where he managed to impress in parts with eight goal contributions in 26 league appearances.

However, it was nowhere near the kind of form which originally prompted Arsenal to splash the cash on him, with the player’s best season to date still that exceptional 21/22 season in the Primeira Liga.

Vieira racked up six goals and 14 assists in the top flight alone that year, and he’s now been given another chance to rediscover that level of quality on another loan spell at newly-promoted Hamburg in the Bundesliga.

In a last-minute summer deal, Arsenal managed to agree a loan exit with Hamburg for Vieira, and the versatile creative ace once very similar to club captain Martin Odegaard is now in danger of becoming a real waste of club funds.

Vieira’s Arsenal contract expires in 2027, but luckily for the Gunners, sporting director Andrea Berta made sure there was a way to make some money back off him in 2026.

Arsenal could be set for record-breaking Fabio Vieira windfall after news

According to German news outlet BILD, Hamburg’s deal for Vieira includes an option to buy worth £17 million, and if activated, it would break a record.

Indeed, Vieira could become Hamburg’s most expensive signing in history, but the caveat is that Merlin Polzin’s side might not have to pay their £346,000 loan fee if he becomes a regular starter for them.

In any case, Arsenal could still recuperate half of the transfer fee they paid for Vieira, but it depends on Hamburg making a big decision. The deadline for Polzin and co to take up his £17 million buy option is the middle of May in 2026, right after the end of the Bundesliga season, and Arsenal will be hoping he can impress in the meantime.

As the summer transfer window rumbles on, one thing that is clear is that Manchester United are on the hunt for a new goalkeeper to replace Andre Onana. And whilst Emiliano Martinez’s name has been mentioned aplenty, INEOS have now reportedly contacted an alternative option.

Monaco interested in Andre Onana

As Manchester United look to replace their struggling shot-stopper, it could be AS Monaco who hand Onana a much-needed lifeline this summer. The Ligue 1 club are reportedly interested in signing the former Inter Milan man and, in doing so, freeing up room for those at Old Trafford to sign a new No.1 this summer.

An exit for Onana is something that should suit all parties. The Cameroon international was supposed to bring forth a new era in between the sticks when he arrived to replace David de Gea in 2023. He was billed as the ultimate modern-day goalkeeper and even arrived fresh from a Champions League final with Inter Milan, albeit one he lost against Manchester City.

The ultimate modern-day goalkeeper is not what Manchester United got, however. Onana’s struggles in possession quickly became apparent and what made matters worse were his endless mistakes on the shot-stopping front to sum up a debut season to forget. And since then, things haven’t got much better.

Now, United are on the hunt for an upgrade and that hunt has taken them towards the Midlands. According to recent reports, Emiliano Martinez is keen on completing a move to Old Trafford this summer, whilst Premier League rivals Aston Villa could have no choice but to sell the World Cup winner amid PSR concerns.

The Argentina international isn’t the only name on the list, though, with fresh reports now suggesting that INEOS have made their first move to sign a younger alternative.

Man Utd make contact to sign Carnesecchi

According to Caught Offside, INEOS have now made contact with Marco Carnesecchi over a summer move to Manchester United. The Atalanta goalkeeper has impressed in Italy and has now caught the attention of those at Old Trafford, but it’s not a deal that will come cheap, with reports indicating that it will take a lucrative offer for Atalanta to sell their No.1 in the coming months.

Starts

34

34

37

Clean Sheets

13

9

8

Saves per 90

2.85

2.59

2.7

Save Percentage

75.2%

68.9%

69%

When compared with Martinez and Onana, it is Carnesecchi who stands out. The Atalanta man kept more clean sheets, made more saves per 90 and maintained a better save percentage than both of his counterparts. The more that he is looked at in detail, the more Man United should be tempted to make that lucrative offer.

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Dubbed a “young De Gea” for his shot-stopping by analyst DanieIscouting, Manchester United would be landing an impressive solution to their goalkeeper problems by signing Carnesecchi this summer.

Ready to go again? Newcastle United supporters have to wait for several interminable months until their team will be competing competitively once again.

But when Eddie Howe does lead his team back out onto the field, he will be doing so having ended the club’s 70-year wait for major domestic silverware after deservedly beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

Moreover, the Magpies’ efforts across the Premier League campaign led to the euphoria of final-day success in the top flight, sealing a fifth-place spot and unlocking the doorway back into the Champions League.

Newcastle did it all having endured a miserable 2024 summer transfer window, also starting the campaign off on weak footing. Now, PIF are in a better position for compliance with PSR, and signings are to be expected.

While incomings are expected, one or two may need to go. Chiefly, Anthony Gordon could be at risk, with Liverpool interested and United listing him at £80m.

Let’s have a look at how the Magpies boss might pull it all together.

1 GK – James Trafford

Nick Pope has been a fantastic servant for Newcastle, but a conclave has been held to determine whether a new face is needed between the sticks, and James Trafford has been deemed the right fit.

Reports claim Newcastle have prepared a £20m offer for the Burnley shot-stopper, whose manager Scott Parker has hailed him for his “world-class” ability.

2 RB – Tino Livramento

Manchester City’s bid for Tino Livramento has hit a standstill, and let’s hope it stays that way, for the robust and dynamic full-back is shaping into one of the best in the business.

As journalist Zach Lowy put it: “Livramento isn’t just one of the best right backs in England, but one of the best left backs too.”

3 CB – Marc Guehi

Last summer, Newcastle failed with not one, not two, not three, but four bids for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi.

Now, the Toon are back in for the Three Lions star, who won the FA Cup in May and is just one year away from free agency.

The Eagles know they are fast running out of time to cash in on their £50m-rated superstar.

4 CB – Sven Botman

Sven Botman has endured another injury-wrecked campaign, but he’ll be hoping to build up his fitness across the off-season and form a rock-solid partnership with Guehi over the coming years.

However, with Dan Burn and Fabian Schar still in the mix, Howe could certainly have a wealth of talented defensive options to choose from.

5 LB – Lewis Hall

Sidelined since March following ankle surgery, Lewis Hall proved one of Newcastle’s biggest success stories last season, producing performances of age-belying completeness to solidify himself as one of the best young players in the Premier League.

A shining endorsement of United’s recruitment set-up.

6 DM – Bruno Guimaraes

Newcastle could stake their case to having the finest midfield in the Premier League, and Bruno Guimaraes has been the linchpin.

The complete package and then some, signing the Brazilian general from Lyon for £40m was one of PIF’s first moves back in January 2022.

1.

Bruno Guimaraes

154

1=

Fabian Schar

154

3.

Dan Burn

149

4.

Jacob Murphy

137

5.

Sean Longstaff

134

No Newcastle player has featured more regularly than Guimaraes under Howe’s wing.

7 CM – Sandro Tonali

One of Newcastle’s best players across the 2024/25 campaign – if not the best – Sandro Tonali’s redemption arc has been a thing to behold, such an elegant and intelligent part of United’s build-up play, of their backline protection.

The decision to place the Italy international in the deep-lying midfield role in lieu of Guimaraes last autumn kicked off the free-winning run of results, creating a foundation for glory further down the line.

8 CM – Joelinton

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Newcastle need to make a series of signings this summer, but the centre of the park is one area where moves should be catered toward depth, rather than high-profile investment, with Joelinton’s brutish energy adding the perfect counterpoint to Tonali’s class and Guimaraes’ all-influencing ability.

9 RW – Anthony Elanga

Nottingham Forest signed Anthony Elanga from Manchester United in 2023 and he hasn’t looked back, with his performances across 2023/24 leading Newcastle to launch a swiftly rejected £50m bid on transfer deadline day last summer.

While Bryan Mbeumo has opted to join the chaos at Old Trafford this summer, Newcastle can still bag themselves a high-level winger in the 23-year-old Elanga, hailed for his “special” qualities by Nuno Espirito Santo.

24/25 – Forest

38

6

11

23/24 – Forest

36

5

9

22/23 – Man Utd

16

0

1

21/22 – Man Utd

21

2

2

20/21 – Man Utd

2

1

0

Making the move to the City Ground proved a career-defining move for the Sweden star in the best sense, and now he must take the next bold step in his development, with the Magpies lurking.

10 LW – Joao Pedro

If Newcastle sell Gordon, they will bank up to £80m. Redirecting that toward a dynamic forward, such as Joao Pedro, would be a sure-fire way to keep the club firing on all cylinders.

According to The Telegraph, the Tynesiders have identified Pedro – who could fetch £59m – as the perfect man to join the club after missing out on Mbeumo.

He’s scored 30 goals and added ten assists across 70 appearances for the Seagulls, and at 23, is only going to get better and better.

Tottenham Hotspur’s pull in the transfer market, not to mention the finances available for crucial signings, have undoubtedly been boosted by their spot in the Champions League for next season, with chairman Daniel Levy and the Lilywhites recruitment team set for a very intriguing summer window.

Ange Postecoglou vows better Premier League finish for Spurs

Spurs confirmed their place in Europe’s most prestigious competition by reigning triumphant in the Europa League final last week, an historic night for both the club and under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou.

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Domestically, Spurs finished one place outside the relegation zone in 17th, breaking their all-time record for most Premier League defeats in a single campaign, and this has resulted in a major dilemma for Levy when it comes to deciding Postecoglou’s long-term future.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Their Europa League triumph represents a significant milestone for the north Londoners, who ended their 17-year wait for silverware and secured their first European trophy since 1984, with Postecoglou highly suggesting that he wants to stay at Tottenham during their trophy parade last week.

The final call on that won’t rest with the Australian, though, who also vowed to put Spurs in a much stronger position domestically if he’s given the chance next term.

“From my perspective, I made decisions that I felt were giving us the best chance of achieving the goal we needed to achieve this year and that has affected our league form,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s 4-1 loss to Brighton on the final day.

“If people don’t want to take that into account, then there is nothing I can say to explain it any better than that.

“I came to the club and we had finished eighth. I didn’t take over a club that had finished second. They had no European football to speak of. Lost the one player who probably guarantees you European football. That was my starting point. At the end of two years, I’ve got the club a trophy it has been crying out for, Champions League football, we finished fifth last year. Either people are saying ‘last year it was a huge anomaly for us to finish fifth or this is what we deliver right.’

“I have got no doubt next year we will be in a much stronger position, challenging for the top places.”

If Postecoglou does stay for 2025/2026, there is little denying he needs to be backed in the transfer market with Tottenham’s newly-found Champions League riches this summer.

Pundit convinced Angel Gomes wants to join Tottenham

Injuries left Postecoglou hamstrung at various points over the course of 24/25, emphasising the need for Spurs to strengthen across the board.

Their greater pull could also help them to land Europe’s most coveted free agents, like England international midfielder Angel Gomes, who is set to leave Lille when his contract expires on June 30.

Tottenham have been tipped as one of the favourites to sign Gomes on a free this summer, with pundit John Wenham telling Tottenham News that he’s convinced the 24-year-old would jump at the chance to join Postecoglou’s side.

“Tottenham are going to be playing in the Champions League next season,” Wenham said.

“Therefore, when it comes to the pecking order of options Gomes has, I’m sure that Tottenham would be near the top of the list if they were to make an offer.

“I’m sure Gomes wants to come to Tottenham and live in London and play Champions League football with the current Europa League holders. As a result, I’m sure a decision will be made on that soon.”

The former Man United gem has impressed in Ligue 1 since his switch there in 2020, so much so that he was awarded his first call-ups to the Three Lions squad late last year.

He could be an astute option to reinforce Tottenham’s midfield, which was left desperately short at points last season and crippled their chances of success.

Over the last couple of days, Liverpool have appeared to make huge progress in the transfer window, looking to land a replacement for the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The Englishman is set to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the campaign, with Jeremie Frimpong emerging as Arne Slot’s number one target to replace him.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Reds are in talks to land the Dutch international, who currently has a £29.5m release clause in his deal with Bayer Leverkusen.

It’s also been reported that he’s keen on a switch to Anfield in the coming months, with the hierarchy working tirelessly to provide the manager with the tools he needs to build on his Premier League triumph.

However, he’s not the only player on their radar, with groundwork being laid for another signing who could prove to be a more exciting addition than the right-back.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new additions

Even though the summer transfer window is yet to open, Liverpool have already wasted no time in making moves for multiple players in multiple areas of the pitch.

The likes of Murillo, Rodrygo and Tomas Araujo have all appeared on their list in recent weeks, as Slot looks to provide added depth to his squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

However, the aforementioned trio aren’t the only ones on their radar, with Lyon star Rayan Cherki attracting huge interest from the Reds, according to French outlet Le Parisien.

Their report claims that Slot’s men have made an enquiry to land the 21-year-old who’s registered a staggering 12 goals and 19 assists across all competitions in 2024/25.

It also states that he could be available this summer for as little as £19m, with the Ligue 1 outfit prepared to let him depart during the off-season due to their financial issues.

Why Cherki would be a more exciting signing than Frimpong

There’s no denying that Liverpool’s current squad is full of talent across various areas, playing a massive role in their title success during Slot’s first campaign at the helm.

The Dutchman has only made one first-team addition this season in the form of Federico Chiesa, with the Italian only featuring for a total of 41 league minutes, highlighting the impressive squad he took over upon taking the reins.

However, if they are to sustain such levels of success, additions will be needed this summer, with Frimpong and Cherki just the two latest names thrown into the mix.

Whilst the Leverkusen star would fill a huge void given Trent’s pending departure, a move for the French youngster would inject added life and creativity into an already potent front line.

The attacker, who’s been labelled “world-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, has excelled this season, enjoying the best year of his professional career – with his figures backing up his success.

His tally of 18 combined goals and assists in Ligue 1 to date is the fifth-highest of a player who doesn’t play for PSG, showcasing how impressive he’s been for Lyon.

His underlying stats are just as impressive, averaging 3.2 chances created per 90, along with 2.1 successful dribbles, with his subsequent tallies allowing the likes of Mohamed Salah to build on their own impressive season in 2024/25.

Ousmane Dembélé

28

21

6

27

Bradley Barcola

33

14

10

24

Mason Greenwood

33

19

4

23

Jonathan David

31

16

5

21

Arnaud Kalimunedo

32

17

3

20

Gaetan Perrin

33

10

10

20

Rayan Cherki

29

8

10

18

He’s also averaged 6.4 touches in the opposition box per game, as well as 1.9 shots per 90 – having the ability to find the back of the net on his own should he need to.

Cherki’s flair and creativity make him a joy to watch, with his reported £19m fee a bargain for a 21-year-old who could explode into life in the Premier League over the next few years.

Despite the interest from elsewhere, the Reds should be working tirelessly this summer to complete a deal for Cherki, with the youngster having the tools to thrive in Slot’s system and bolster their chances of retaining their title next year.

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