Reliable journalist David Ornstein expects Arsenal to sign one of a £125 million duo this summer, with sporting director Andrea Berta and manager Mikel Arteta set for a key transfer decision.

Arsenal to have "at least" £100 million to spend this summer

According to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, Arsenal are set to have “at least” £100 million to spend on new signings when the window reopens, and this is not factoring in potential funds raised through player sales.

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The north Londoners have emerged as favourites.

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Arsenal are already closing in on the signing of Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi (Fabrizio Romano), who is poised to end his spell at boyhood club Real Sociedad by sealing a switch to the Premier League, and £51 million of Berta’s transfer kitty looks set to be splashed on the 26-year-old.

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

The north Londoners also wish to sign a new second-choice keeper, defender, winger and striker over the coming months (GiveMeSport), with Arsenal holding talks over signing Real Madrid star Rodrygo in the last two weeks.

Arsenal could be set for a very busy summer, but one position which supporters are very keen to see addressed is centre-forward.

Arteta’s side struggled to finish teams off throughout 2024/2025, and scored far fewer Premier League goals than usual, ending the campaign with just 69 strikes in the top flight compared to 91 and 88 in the previous two seasons.

Serious injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus undoubtedly contributed, but there is an ongoing argument that a more prolific striker has been the missing piece of Arteta’s jigsaw for quite some time now.

Despite links to other high-profile number nines, like Atlético Madrid star Julian Alvarez, it is reliably reported that RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are Arsenal’s top two striker targets.

There are even suggestions that Berta and Arteta are in disagreement over who they should seriously pursue (Simon Phillips), with “concrete” Arsenal talks held over a move for Sesko and reports in Portugal claiming a move for Gyokeres is also quite advanced.

David Ornstein expects Arsenal to sign Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko

Sesko’s deal includes a £62 million release clause, while Gyokeres will reportedly be allowed to depart Sporting for around £63 million.

Both men have enjoyed prolific campaigns for the respective clubs, with the latter bagging 53 goals in all competitions and the former scoring 21.

Ornstein, speaking on NBC Sports (via GMS), is expecting one of the £125 million duo to make the move to N5 this summer, with Arsenal seemingly set for one of their biggest transfer calls in recent memory.

“They’ve got a decision to make between Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon, both fantastic options and talents,” said Ornstein.

“I do expect one of them to come into the Emirates Stadium this summer.”

With The Friedkin Group looking to make some impressive statements in their first summer at the helm, Everton are reportedly ready to open talks to sign a Premier League-winning attacker.

Everton announce retained list

With the Premier League season concluded and the summer now underway, Everton have announced the list of players they remain in negotiations with in pursuit of fresh deals at the club. The Merseyside club confirmed that they are set to offer new deals to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gana Gueye, whilst negotiations are ongoing with the representatives of both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Michael Keane.

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Announcing the news in a statement on their official website, Everton said: “The club is offering new contracts to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gana Gueye, while we continue to liaise with representatives of Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the current deals of all four players expiring at the end of June.

“As previously confirmed, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Ashley Young, Joao Virginia, Asmir Begovic, Mason Holgate and Neal Maupay will leave Everton when their current contracts expire at the end of this month, with loanees Jack Harrison, Jesper Lindstrøm, Orel Mangala and Armando Broja returning to their parent clubs.”

Calvert-Lewin’s situation is particularly one to watch. Concerns over his Everton future have been rumbling on for some time now and links to the likes of Manchester United have hardly helped speculation. Now, into the final weeks of his current deal, the Toffees are still attempting to secure the forward’s future at the club.

What Calvert-Lewin’s departure would do, however, is clear room for potential arrivals. And that could yet include a Premier League winner for David Moyes this summer. In an impressive move, Friedkin have reportedly set their sights on welcoming a wantaway attacking addition who could revive his career in Merseyside.

Everton ready to open talks to sign Grealish

According to TeamTalk, Everton are now ready to open talks to sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City in a complex deal, having already identified the winger as a transfer target in recent weeks. The deal won’t come cheap, though, even if the Toffees secure the loan deal that they prefer to a permanent deal.

Grealish reportedly earns a hefty £300,000-a-week at Manchester City, which translates into £15.6m-a-year. Whether Everton are both willing to match that salary and can afford to spend such a price will be the big question this summer, especially since Grealish would instantly become their highest earner by some distance.

Everton’s Wage Bill with Jack Grealish

Salary P/W

Jack Grealish

£300,000

Jordan Pickford

£130,000

Idrissa Gueye (*offered new deal)

£120,000

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

£100,000

James Tarkowski

£100,000

Earning over double Everton’s current highest-earner in Pickford, Grealish would simply have to rediscover his very best form to make any deal worthwhile for the Toffees next season.

At his best, the former Aston Villa man has earned some impressive praise, including from Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City boss dubbed Grealish “aggressive” following a pre-season draw with Barcelona last summer, only to limit the Englishman’s game time in the months that followed.

Leeds United will be looking to offload some deadwood ahead of venturing back up to the Premier League.

Indeed, Daniel Farke will know he needs everyone singing off the same hymn sheet to be a success in such a daunting division, meaning personnel such as Illan Meslier and Maximilian Wober could soon be on the chopping block, following Junior Firpo – who headed for Real Betis – out of the exit door.

Patrick Bamford could also be another reserve figure that the German is tempted to part ways with this summer.

But, if the injury-prone 31-year-old was to stay put, he might well be a valuable option for the Whites still, based on his flashes of brilliance in the Premier League previously.

Bamford's previous form in the Premier League

The long-standing Leeds servant did let the entire 24/25 campaign pass him by without scoring a single strike, but he has displayed signs of his class in the big time before.

Bamford has netted all but one of his 24 top-flight strikes donning Leeds white, with the wonderfully taken goal above one of three strikes he managed against Aston Villa to bag a Premier League hat-trick all the way back in 2020.

Of course, it would be extremely bold to expect the 31-year-old to recapture his Premier League best, especially as a goalless season under Farke’s wing is still so fresh.

Yet, he could still be utilised as an impact option off the bench if necessary, with the four goals he bagged the last time he was at the intimidating level, coming about from just 18 starts.

Whilst the veteran still has some credit left in his bank, this other attacker has been stuck on the periphery at Elland Road for some time now without ever looking likely to redeem himself, with a loan exit this summer looking to be nailed on.

The Leeds star who is worse than Bamford

Leeds supporters will always possess a soft spot for Bamford, considering he has two Championship titles under his belt now with the West Yorkshire outfit, away from his favourable output of 60 strikes when at the peak of his powers.

In the curious case of Joe Gelhardt, however, his excellent displays at Elland Road have been even more fleeting than the 31-year-old’s, with the Liverpool-born forward last powering home a strike for the club way back in August of 2023 against Shrewsbury Town. Bamford, on the other hand, last scored in April of 2024 when Farke’s men were hunting down promotion.

24/25

3

0

0

23/24

13

1

0

22/23

19

0

3

21/22

22

2

4

That goal against the Shrews didn’t even come about in league action either, meaning Gelhardt hasn’t actually fired home a meaningful strike in the bread and butter of league football for Leeds since the 21/22 season.

The 23-year-old did amass a promising collection of five goals last season out on loan with Hull City, but Farke will hold zero confidence in Gelhardt being able to transition to Premier League life smoothly. Whereas, with Bamford, he will at least have some crumbs of comfort on his side that he can compete, even if it’s from a bit-part role.

Therefore, instead of killing the 23-year-old’s confidence even more, Leeds will likely loan Gelhardt back out to the Championship, with journalist Graeme Bailey revealing that Wrexham and Birmingham City are interested in the out-of-sorts striker’s services.

The reporter claims that the Premier League side have told the forward that he is free to move on from Elland Road this summer, which has attracted interest from the second tier.

It will be intriguing to see what happens past this next step for Gelhardt, with Jamie Carragher once branding the former England U20 international as a “special” when he was making a name for himself in the senior side while Jamie Redknapp suggested he was “really exciting.”

Now, his future at Elland Road is arguably on even more unstable ground than Bamford’s, even as Farke begins to eye up some fresh stars up top to help Leeds adjust back to their unnerving new level.

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ByEthan Lamb Jun 13, 2025

It is set to be a busy summer transfer window at Aston Villa, especially throughout the month of June.

The Claret and Blue Army’s 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford against Manchester United on the final day of the season condemned them to sixth place, missing out on Champions League qualification, thereby having to settle for a spot in the Europa League.

This, as outlined by Steve Sutcliffe of BBC Sport, only increases the financial pressure on Aston Villa, who may be forced to sell key assets before 30 June to avoid breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

So, with at least one first-team figure seemingly heading out the exit door, Unai Emery should be pushing hard to sign a “magical” replacement.

The latest on Leon Bailey's future

According to a report by The Telegraph, Leon Bailey is being ‘targeted’ by a number of Saudi Pro League clubs who are hoping to tempt him to move this month.

Rahman Osman of the Sun adds that newly-promoted Neom SC, who have former-Premier League players Saïd Benrahma, Ahmed Hegazi and Mbaye Diagne on their books, have already ‘held initial discussions’ with Bailey, and a £25m move is expected to be finalised this week.

Bailey was not included in Jamaica’s squad for last week’s Unity Cup in West London after, as outlined by Elias Burke of the Athletic, a public falling out with the JFF last year, thereby highly unlikely to feature in the Reggae Boyz’s World Cup qualifiers this week, nor the CONCACAF Gold Cup later this month either.

The winger joined the Villans from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported £25m four years ago, but his role in the team has diminished as the table below outlines.

Bailey season-by-season Villa career
Statistics	21/22	22/23	23/24	24/25
Appearances	18	36	52	38
Starts	7	27	35	25
Minutes	755	2,124	3,197	2,072
Times an unused sub	2	Zero	1	7
Goals	1	5	14	2
Assists	2	4	14	4
All stats from Transfermarkt

As the table highlights, Bailey endured a massive drop-off in form, importance and output from last season to this campaign, underlining the fact now is the right time for Aston Villa to sell, so should they target a replacement who will be rather familiar to supporters?

Aston Villa's dream Bailey replacement

Marco Asensio arrived at Aston Villa on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January and was certainly a roaring success, scoring eight goals in 21 appearances, bagging braces against Club Brugge, Chelsea and Cardiff during victories at Villa Park.

Ali Tweedale of Opta’s the Analyst believes the Spanish international added a ‘sprinkling of stardust’ to Villa’s attack, noting that Emery, who he believes to be a ‘huge fan of his compatriot’, would surely be eager to sign him permanently.

Well, with Spanish publication Sport claiming that he is valued at €15m (£13m) by the newly-crowned champions of Europe, he could head back to Villa with Birmingham Live’s John Townley revealing that Asensio is said to be ‘open to returning to Villa permanently’.

Described as “magical” and a “truly impressive talent” by Juan Pericas, who was his youth team coach at Mallorca, he’d certainly be an expert replacement for the departing Bailey.

Asensio vs Bailey 2024/25 Aston Villa comparison
Statistics	Asensio	Bailey
Appearances	21	38
Minutes	1,119	2,072
Goals	8	2
Assists	1	4
Big chances missed	6	3
Big chances created	2	7
Shots	43	20
Shooting accuracy %	66.45%	44.51%
Passing accuracy %	86.35%	77.04%
Take-on success %	60.31%	46.01%
Touches per 90	44	45
Average Sofascore Rating	7.02	6.77
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, SofaScore and Squawka

As the table outlines, albeit from an admittedly small sample size, Asensio largely outperformed Bailey in claret and blue this season.

The Spaniard scored six more goals, despite playing around 900 fewer minutes, while registering a higher percentage of his shots on target, completed passes and successful take-ons. In short, he’s just a far more dangerous player.

Thus, if Villa are able to sell the Jamaican winger for £25m and sign Asensio for around half that, this would appear to be excellent business.

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By
Dominic Lund

Jun 1, 2025

Arsenal transfer chief Andrea Berta is personally keen on a high-earning centre-forward, who’d now reportedly jump at the chance to join Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal two-man striker target list with Andrea Berta holding talks

According to recent reports, two players currently stand out as Arsenal’s most desired striker targets – Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

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Going by the on-field and off-field numbers, it is clear to see why this is the case.

Gyokeres, who’s racked up a phenomenal 53 goals in all competitions for Sporting this season, could also depart the Primeira Liga side for a fee of up to £60 million, according to Fabrizio Romano, so he’d be an arguable bargain when factoring in the 26-year-old’s record.

Sporting CP

101

96

28

Coventry City

116

43

17

Brommapojkarna

67

25

9

FC St. Pauli

28

7

4

Swansea City

12

1

0

Brighton

8

1

1

Meanwhile, Sesko’s current release clause stands at £67 million, and the Slovenia international actually bettered his goalscoring tally from last season (18) with 21 goals across all competitions.

While some reports in Portugal earlier this week stated that Arsenal have agreed a £59m fee to sign Gyokeres from Sporting (O Jogo), this claim appears to have jumped the gun, as Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg stated on Friday that Berta is holding serious talks over a move for Sesko.

Arsenal’s pursuit of a top goalscorer remains very much open, as Berta identifies targets who he believes would be best-suited to Arteta.

Interestingly, as per journalist Simon Phillips last week, Arteta would personally prefer Sesko, while Berta is believed to be more of a fan of Gyokeres.

What’s clear, though, is Arsenal’s glaring need for another striker. Arteta has been forced to utilise midfielder Mikel Merino as an emergency striker for most of this calendar year, following injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

While the latter has since returned to action, it is imperative that Arsenal don’t wait any longer to sign a 25-plus-goals-per-season forward, as they look to mount a successful Premier League title challenge.

Dušan Vlahović would "immediately" join Arsenal this summer

According to some reports, there are other centre-forwards on Berta’s shopping list, albeit further down the pecking order when compared to Sesko and Gyokeres.

Journalist Daniele Longo, writing a piece for Calciomercato, shares that Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović is one of them.

The Serbia international is entering the final 12 months of his £359,000-per-week contract at Juve, and with no sign of a renewal, it would appear that the Old Lady must be more inclined to sell him this summer, rather than lose Vlahovic for nothing in 2026.

Longo states that Vlahovic “would immediately pack his bags” and join Arsenal if given the opportunity, and Berta personally wants the ex-Fiorentina star, even if he’s less of a transfer priority.

The “starting” price of any negotiations for Vlahovic comes at around £42 million, which could be seen by some as good value, considering the “machine” has scored at least 14 total goals per season since 2020/21.

If Berta were to seriously pursue him, Arsenal’s major obstacle would undoubtedly be Vlahovic’s extortionate wages.

West Bromwich Albion are now very keen on signing an “incredible” defender who has experience at the very highest level, according to a report.

Mason's arrival marks start of new era at the Hawthorns

West Brom’s 2024-25 campaign ultimately petered out, with Tony Mowbray being dismissed just three months after his arrival, having failed to build on the foundations laid by Carlos Corberan.

However, the appointment of former Tottenham Hotspur coach Ryan Mason marks the start of a new era for the Baggies, with reporter Steve Hermon claiming the board have made a “brave” decision by replacing Mowbray with a manager who has no Championship experience.

At just 33-years-old, Mason is certainly young for a manager, but the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler and Germany boss Julian Naglelsmann have proven that experience isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to being successful.

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Ryan Mason is wasting no time in looking to strengthen his new West Brom team.

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Despite a poor end to the 2024-25 campaign, Albion finished just four points adrift of the Championship play-off places, which suggests Mason may not need to ring the changes this summer, but he will certainly be looking to put his own stamp on the squad.

According to a report from The Athletic, West Brom are now showing strong interest in signing Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, who is attracting the attention of a number of second-tier sides after impressing on loan at Derby County.

Derby boss John Eustace has confirmed he would like to sign Phillips on a permanent basis, with the defender’s time at Anfield surely coming to an end, having not featured for the Reds in the Premier League since the 2022-23 campaign.

"Incredible" Phillips impressed Klopp during Liverpool spell

Perhaps most memorably, the Bolton-born defender featured regularly for Liverpool during the 2020-21 season, at which point Jürgen Klopp was having to deal with an injury crisis.

Ultimately, the Reds managed to seal qualification for the Champions League despite the injury issues, and Klopp was left impressed by some of the £45k-a-week centre-back’s performances, particularly catching the eye during a 2-1 win against West Ham United.

Speaking after the match, Klopp said: “He’s a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything. He’s not easy on the eye, he’s not Messi but who cares? In the air, he’s a monster! He was incredible.”

Since then, the 28-year-old has arguably gone on to find his level in the Championship, but he has continued to impress in the air, placing in the top 1% for aerials won per 90 over the past year, when compared to other defenders in similar leagues.

Phillips, who has seven Champions League appearances to his name, could be an excellent signing for West Brom this summer, and the hope will be that he is available on a permanent basis, having not been a part of Liverpool’s plans for a number of years.

Celtic have designs on breaking the glass ceiling in the Champions League next term and could now launch a move for a powerful enforcer to help their bid, according to a report.

Celtic's summer window and where they need to strengthen

The Bhoys are currently taking stock before deciding where to prioritise in the market safe in the knowledge that Kieran Tierney and Ross Doohan will arrive on free transfers from Arsenal and Aberdeen, respectively.

While the homecoming of the former will be widely celebrated by supporters, Chris Sutton believes time is ticking for Celtic and indicated three bodies are needed to supplement the reigning Scottish champions’ squad between now and the Champions League qualifiers.

He explained: “In an ideal world you’d have two or three new faces reporting for the first day of pre-season, giving them time to bed in ahead of the new campaign and the crucial Champions League qualifiers.

“The transfer market doesn’t always work that way but they will need to move quickly to bring in at the very least three new players.”

Adding another attacking option appears to be their main priority at the moment, and the notion of a sensational Celtic reunion with Kyogo Furuhashi is alive as he is set to be left out of Rennes’ pre-season plans by Habib Beye.

Celtic braced for lowball £8.5m bid as Spurs could hijack forward deal

The Bhoys are fielding interest for star players…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jun 7, 2025

Peterborough United’s Harley Mills has been approached by the Bhoys and could add some support behind Tierney at left-back, though the two positions mentioned aren’t the only areas Rodgers may look to bolster during the window.

Taking things up a notch, Celtic have now made contact to sign a midfielder who could add some bite in the engine room if recent developments were to escalate.

Celtic make contact to sign Demir Tiknaz

Per A Bola, Celtic have initiated contact over a potential deal for Turkish defensive midfielder Demir Tiknaz, who spent the campaign gone on loan at Rio Ave from parent club Besiktas.

Intriguingly, the Primeira Liga side are expected to trigger a release clause option to sign the Istanbul-born man for £4.2 million. Then, they will aim to double their money with a quickfire sale at around the £8.4 million mark.

Demir Tiknaz at Rio Ave in 2024/25 – why do Celtic want to sign him? (Fotmob)
Tackles won	37
Pass completion	85.9%
Duels won	121
Chances created	16
Aerial duels won	25

Standing at 6 foot 4 he is currently on duty with the Turkish national team and would add some much-needed steel into an engine room made up primarily of technicians.

Callum McGregor isn’t getting any younger and the lack of a deeper like-for-like alternative to the Bhoys’ club captain could now be resolved if negotiations were to accelerate.

Ligue 1 outfit LOSC Lille are also keen on Tiknaz and will provide stiff competition for his signature, though the carrot of Champions League football at Celtic is something worth dangling for intended targets.

Glasgow Rangers have made a formal bid to sign another full-back for manager Russell Martin after an Ibrox deal for Max Aarons.

Rangers sign Aarons on loan as Gers announce deal

After confirming a deal which was agreed earlier in the year to sign midfielder Lyall Cameron, the Gers and 49ers Enterprises have moved efficiently to bring Aarons to Ibrox.

Moving to Glasgow on a straight loan deal from Bournemouth, Aarons got straight to work with Rangers and said after penning his contract:

Ahead of Rangers’ Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos and Scottish Premiership opener at Motherwell, Martin and the Gers will be looking at more additions, with further defensive signings on the agenda.

Leicester City centre-back Conor Coady is open to a move to Rangers following contact, whereas Liverpool’s Owen Beck is another transfer target. Talks were thought to be opened by Rangers over a move for Beck, and a new update has emerged.

Rangers make bid to sign Owen Beck

According to DaveOCKOP, ‘Rangers have now made their interest formal with a bid for the 22-year-old’.

Liverpool have held talks with Beck over extending his contract and sending him out on loan, whereas Rangers are interested in a permanent deal for the left-back.

Beck spent last season on loan at Blackburn Rovers and won their Young Player of the Season award after making 24 Championship appearances. Prior to his time at Ewood Park, Beck also had loan spells at Famalicao, Bolton Wanderers and Dundee United.

The Welshman was actually described as “spectacular” by scout Jacek Kulig, who also compared him to Andy Robertson when coming through Liverpool’s academy.

Elsewhere, former Liverpool U21 coach Barry Lewtas called Beck a “consistent performer” back in 2022. “I thought Owen was fantastic. The progress he has made over his time at the Academy, but certainly the last couple of years, is a credit to him with the work he puts in [and] how coachable he is because he listens and takes on board the information we give him. He has become a real consistent performer for us and in my opinion he was the standout player against Derby.”

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Now, a move to Glasgow with Rangers could be one to keep an eye on following the update of a formal bid being submitted.

All eyes are on Chelsea’s Club World Cup commitments, although that has not stopped the transfer rumour mill rumbling on in the background, with further deals seemingly set to follow, following the notable capture of Liam Delap last month.

While the Blues appear to have ended their interest in AC Milan goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, the club’s pursuit of Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens continues, despite missing out on the Englishman ahead of the previous transfer deadline.

Prior reports have indicated that the 20-year-old has already agreed on a seven-year contract with the Stamford Bridge side, albeit with a club-to-club agreement still yet to be found, amid reports of a €65m (£55m) asking price.

The former Manchester City youth star does appear to be Enzo Maresca’s leading target right now, although further moves could seemingly lie in store, with talk that a new defensive addition could also enter the building.

Latest on Chelsea's bid for a new defender

For all the speculation surrounding attacking additions, it would appear that the west Londoners are also keen to bolster the backline this summer, having previously been in the mix for new Real Madrid man, Dean Huijsen.

A reunion with a certain Marc Guehi has also been mooted, albeit with the Englishman looking more likely to join Arne Slot’s Liverpool, should he decide to leave Crystal Palace in the coming months.

Centre-back thus looks to be a priority position for Chelsea ahead of the start of the new Premier League season, with reports in Spain suggesting that they are now readying an offer for Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie.

Transfer Focus

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

As per the report, the Blues have ‘launched an ambitious move’ for the 23-year-old defender, having made the versatile left-footer – who can operate at left-back – one of their ‘key targets’.

Despite his €60m (£51m) asking price representing something of an obstacle, the report claims that Chelsea are ‘willing to negotiate’, with the player himself ready to take the next step in his career.

Should that step take him to Stamford Bridge, the 6 foot sensation could look to replicate the success of his compatriot, Moises Caicedo.

Why Chelsea could land their next Caicedo

It’s fair to say that eyebrows were raised when Chelsea forked out a club-record fee of £115m to sign Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2023, with the Blues edging out Liverpool for the midfielder’s signature.

Despite enduring a “tough” first season by his own admission, the 23-year-old has kicked on and then some since, with teammate Cole Palmer hailing him as the side’s “best player” last month.

Also lauded as the Premier League’s ‘best central midfielder’ by pundit and analyst Adrian Clarke, the former Seagulls star is relishing life under Maresca, having notably made the fifth-most tackles in the top-flight last term.

Hopefully, the signing of his international colleague – who is the same age as Caicedo – can prove just as successful, with Hincapie having been noted as an “Ecuadorian football legend in the making” in his own right, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Despite being “in the shadow” of the likes of Florian Wirtz at Leverkusen, the £51m man is a “top quality” talent undoubtedly, in the words of Kulig, with it no surprise that he has caught the eye of the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.

Where he particularly excels is in possession, as evidenced by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries per 90, while also ranking in the top 16% for progressive passes, as per FBref.

For comparison, the man he could potentially replace in that left-sided centre-back – Levi Colwill – ranks in just the bottom 33% for progressive carries, as well as in just the top 38% for progressive passes.

Games (starts)

32 (28)

Goals

2

Assists

2

Big chances created

4

Key passes*

0.5

Pass accuracy*

89%

Tackles*

1.6

Interceptions*

1.0

Balls recovered*

3.3

Total duels won*

62%

In a similar manner to Colwill, however, what does set Hincapie apart is how flexible he is at operating as a full-back or more centrally, with Caicedo sharing that versatility having featured as a deep-lying midfielder, or even as an inverted right-back under Maresca to date.

A further benefit is also the wealth of experience that Hincapie has earned thus far despite his relative youth, having made 189 club career appearances at senior level, alongside 46 caps for his country. For comparison, Caicedo has made 193 senior club appearances, alongside 55 caps at international level.

While unlike the latter man and his time at Brighton, the Leverkusen star is yet to be tested in the Premier League, all the signs point to him being a natural fit in Maresca’s side – much like Caicedo has been over the last 12 months or so.

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Leeds United have been boosted by the news that a “special” transfer target could be allowed to leave his current club, amid their continued interest in him.

Leeds linked with "one of the best" midfielders in the world

The Whites continue to be linked with key signings ahead of their return to the Premier League after their Championship title win, with Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz an audacious target for Daniel Farke’s side, potentially coming in on a loan-to-buy basis.

He has genuine pedigree as a Brazil international and former Premier League player, with Sky Italia perhaps exaggerating a bit when he signed for Juve: “Douglas Luiz in that role is one of the best in the world ever – Signing Douglas Luiz is a global coup!”

Roma teenager Lovro Golic has also been mentioned as a summer target for Leeds, perhaps being seen as more of a long-term investment. While the 19-year-old centre-back is yet to make an appearance at senior level for the Serie A giants, he has featured 83 times across three youth teams.

Meanwhile, the Whites have reportedly submitted an offer for Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz, which could be an excellent piece of business, considering he has already proven himself in the top flight.

Leeds interested in 2x Premier League champion

According to The Boot Room, Leeds are among the clubs “interested” in signing Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez ahead of next season, with Crystal Palace and West Ham also thought to be in the mix.

While the Reds are “happy” to keep hold of the 28-year-old, the report also states that they would be willing to cash in if the player seeks more playing time. He has shown no signs of unhappiness yet, posting a social media statement celebrating his ten years at the club this week, but would need a starting role elsewhere to force his way into the England set-up for next year’s World Cup.

Gomez could be a perfect summer signing for Leeds, possessing a wealth of experience that has seen him win two Premier League titles with Liverpool. The £85,000-a-week Englishman has often had to accept a squad role, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate preferred, so from a Whites perspective, the hope is that he wants to be a regular somewhere else.

Gomez is a strong central defender with pace to burn, even after some serious injuries down the years, and Arne Slot hailed his attitude last season: “Last season he played many, many, many games – I think you could call him a starter that season – and in some other seasons maybe he was more of the second choice in every other position in the last line.

“For him to keep doing this probably tells you a lot about his mentality but also what he does on a daily basis in training sessions and at home to stay as fit as he is, because he’s incredibly fit and ready to perform. That is more special than people think it is, that’s definitely true.”

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Ultimately, the decision rests with Gomez, who may simply end up deciding to stay at Liverpool, but it appears as though Leeds have a chance of getting him, and Farke should view him as a top option.