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As their search for a striker continues, Newcastle United are now reportedly eyeing a late move to sign a want-away star who outscored Jorgen Strand Larsen last season.

Howe responds to Isak statement

When Newcastle commenced their search for a striker earlier this summer, the last thing they were looking for was the kind that Alexander Isak has become in recent weeks. But that’s the reality that they find themselves in. The Swede has done everything to leave the club, from going on strike to even taking aim at the club on social media, yet he remains a Newcastle player.

Eddie Howe, who has been left to answer several questions every week about the forward, responded to his statement on social media following the PFA awards – telling reporters:

“This has been an unfortunate situation, but there are always two sides to every story. There’s more than even I will know, because there are conversations that have taken place far away from me and my knowledge of them.”

The Newcastle boss went on to admit that there were conversations between himself and Isak towards the end of the season, but reiterated that they will remain private: “Me and Alex had conversations towards the end of last season. I am not going to deny that. But individual conversations are best off remaining private.”

Higher ceiling than Wissa: Newcastle in talks to sign £80m CF this week

Newcastle United are in talks to sign a star who has an even higher ceiling than Wissa.

By
Will Miller

Aug 23, 2025

Away from what is still a developing saga, meanwhile, Newcastle are still searching for a new striker to ease any potential Isak blow or to simply bolster their squad.

Reports recently indicated that their attention has turned towards Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Strand Larsen, but the Midlands club’s £60m+ price tag may yet force the Magpies to once again re-evaluate their options.

Newcastle eyeing late Sorloth move

According to the Daily Mail’s reliable journalist Craig Hope, Newcastle are now eyeing a late swoop to sign Alexander Sorloth, who reportedly wants to leave Atlético Madrid this summer after falling out with Diego Simeone.

The Norway international last featured in the Premier League as a struggling Crystal Palace striker from 2018 to 2020, but has since rebuilt himself into the type of clinical player that Newcastle so desperately need.

Hope revealed when speaking about Newcastle’s transfer targets:

“Alexander Sorloth at Atlético Madrid. Now, he’s available. His goal record is quite incredible when you look at the amount of goals he scored in La Liga for Atlético Madrid.

“He played at St James’ a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely in the mold of his countryman Strand Larsen as well – a big, tall, powerful centre-forward, a record of doing it in the top division. That’s the latest information to me that Sorloth is one of the names being considered.”

League stats 24/25	Sorloth	Strand Larsen
Minutes	1,566	2,587
Goals	20	14
Assists	2	4
Expected Goals	16.8	10.3

An experienced forward at the top level who outscored Strand Larsen last season, Sorloth could finally be the man that solves Newcastle’s striker problem if they make their move this month.

Glasgow Rangers have one foot in the play-off round of Champions League qualifiers after they hammered Viktoria Plzen 3-0 at Ibrox on Tuesday night.

Djeidi Gassama scored two goals, one on either side of a penalty from Cyriel Dessers, to take his tally to four goals in four games since his move to the Light Blues from Sheffield Wednesday.

Another new signing caught the eye, though, as central defender Nasser Djiga produced a dominant and composed performance at the heart of the defence, with our Football FanCast article explaining why he was even better than Gassama and Oliver Antman on the night.

The Wolves loanee made multiple impressive blocks and utilised his pace to mop up in behind when Plzen looked to exploit the space left by the team’s high line.

Rangers have held talks to sign new defender

Russell Martin could find a Djiga repeat to partner the right-footed colossus in defence amid an update on their pursuit of another central defender.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Spanish outlet El Desmarque, as relayed by Sport Witness, Rangers would offer more than £1.7m in an attempt to sign Real Betis defender Nobel Mendy.

The report claims that they will likely offer more than Rayo Vallecano, who are also interested, but they have yet to officially submit a bid to the Spanish side, who are looking for around £3.4m.

It adds that the Light Blues have already held talks with the 20-year-old centre-back to discuss where he would fit in at Ibrox as part of Martin’s plans.

The outlet reveals that they have already convinced Mendy to make the move to Glasgow, but it is now down to the two clubs to agree a transfer fee.

Why Rangers should sign Nobel Mendy

The Gers should push to get a deal over the line for the left-footed defender because he could come in as Djiga 2.0 for the Scottish giants this summer.

Djiga only started one game and made five appearances in the Premier League in the second half of last season for Wolves, and Rangers swooped in to offer him a chance to play regular football and shine.

Nasser Djiga

The 22-year-old star already seems to be grasping that opportunity with both hands, which is something that Mendy could also do at Ibrox for the Light Blues.

Mendy, 20, only played five first-team matches for Real Betis in the 2024/25 campaign, including two in LaLiga, two in the Conference League, and one in the Copa del Rey.

Nobel Mendy (LaLiga)	Vs Atletico Madrid	Vs Valencia
Minutes	90	17
Clearances	9	0
Interceptions	3	1
Ball recoveries	6	1
Dribbled past	0x	0x
Duels won	2/2	0/0
Pass accuracy	90%	75%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 6 foot 2 giant showed signs of promise in his two outings in the Spanish top-flight, particularly in his start against Real Madrid.

He ranked within the top 1% of defenders in the league with 3.36 interceptions per 90 and the top 3% with 5.89 ball recoveries per 90, which shows how impressive those defensive contributions were.

Whilst it is impossible to draw meaningful conclusions from that data, as he only started one game, it does show that he has the potential to deliver quality displays at the top level.

As was the case with Djiga in the Premier League with Wolves, Mendy was not given a run of games to prove himself by Real Betis in LaLiga last season. This is where Rangers can step in to offer him a chance to play week-in-week-out and develop as a player at first-team level.

Better than Gassama: Rangers have found new superhero & it's not Antman

Rangers have found their new superhero and it is not Oliver Antman or Djeidi Gassama.

1

By
Dan Emery

Aug 6, 2025

Therefore, the Gers could repeat their Djiga transfer by signing another physically imposing and mobile young centre-back who needs to get some games under his belt to hit his stride.

As a left-footed player, Mendy could also play alongside Djiga at the heart of the Light Blues defence and provide John Souttar with some competition for his place in the side.

تحدث ألكسندر إيزاك مهاجم ليفربول لوسائل الإعلام السويدية بعد بدايته مع الريدز والتي صادفت سوء حظ على مستوى النتائج بالهزيمة في آخر ثلاث مباريات.

ولم يسجل إيزاك سوى هدف واحد مع ليفربول وكان ذلك ضد ساوثهامبتون أحد أندية الدرجة الثانية الإنجليزية، ويتزايد الضغط على اللاعب بعد إضرابه وإجباره نيوكاسل على الرحيل.

ورفض ألكسندر إيزاك التحدث لوسائل الإعلام في السويد عندما تم استدعاؤه لمباريات سبتمبر الدولية، وكان مهاجم ليفربول غير فعال تماماً عند دخوله بديلاً خلال الهزيمة ضد كوسوفو بهدفين نظيفين في تصفيات كأس العالم.

ويتعين على منتخب السويد غداً الجمعة الفوز ضد سويسرا حيث تتقدم سويسرا بخمس نقاط على السويد بعد جولتين من أصل ست جولات ويتأهل الفريق الذي يحصل على المركز الأول فقط لنهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ليفربول إيكو تسلط الضوء على احتفالات صلاح بصعود مصر لكأس العالم

وقال إيزاك في تصريحات نشرتها “one football” من مؤتمره الصحفي لمباراة سويسرا مساء غد الجمعة: “غداً أنا جاهز للعب 90 دقيقة إذا لزم الأمر”.

وأضاف: “لقد مر شهر وحصلت على وقت لعب أطول بكثير، وهدأت الأمور، أشعر الآن بحال أفضل بكثير من المرة السابقة مع السويد”.

وواصل عن ليفربول: “أشعر شعور رائع، هم فريق رائع ومدينة تربطها علاقة جيدة بالجماهير”.

واختتم حول موقف السويد في مجموعته في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026: “هناك ضغط علينا بسبب تأخر السويد بخمس نقاط عن سويسرا وتوقعات عالية، لكن هذا أمر شائع في كرة القدم، لدينا نفس طموحات الشعب السويدي”.

It’s been a summer to remember for Chelsea so far this year.

Enzo Maresca’s side capped off a great season by winning the revamped Club World Cup, and the board have been incredibly busy in the transfer market.

For example, the likes of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens were all through the door before they lifted the rather extravagant trophy in the US last month.

However, the Blues aren’t done there, as they’ve almost wrapped up the signing of Jorrel Hato and are closing in on another young talent who could be an even more exciting acquisition.

Chelsea close in on exciting talent

As things stand, it looks like the next transfer Chelsea are set to complete this summer is the one for Hato.

Transfer Focus

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

The deal was given the ‘here we go’ treatment by transfers expert Fabrizio Romano yesterday evening, who revealed that the Dutchman has agreed to a “long term deal” at Stamford Bridge, and is set to cost “in excess of €40m,” which is about £35m.

There is no doubt that signing such a highly-rated young defender is exciting and will give Maresca plenty of options at the back, but the Blues aren’t finished there, and now look set to close a deal for another, even more exciting young player.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sports Zone, which claims that Chelsea are very interested in signing Emanuel Emegha.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that the West Londoners are now “closing in on an agreement over personal terms” for a transfer that would take place next summer.

It’s not clear how much the Strasbourg striker would cost the Conference League champions, but Transfermarkt value him at around €25m, which is about £22m.

He might not be a well-known name to Premier League fans, but Emegha looks to be a tremendously promising young striker, and someone who could well be an even more exciting signing than Hato.

Why Emegha would be a more exciting signing than Hato

So, the first thing to say is that we’re are not disputing that Hato is a seriously exciting addition to this Chelsea squad, as at just 19 years old he already has 111 senior club appearances to his name.

However, two things really get fans on their feet in football, and they are goals and players that can make things happen in an attacking sense, which just so happen to be two things Emegha can do.

For example, when it comes to the first, he managed to rack up an impressive tally of 14 goals and three assists in just 27 Ligue 1 appearances, totalling 2307 minutes, last season.

Emegha’s 24/25 in the League
Appearances	27
Minutes	2307
Goals	14
Assists	3
Goal Involvements per Match	0.62
Minutes per Goal Involvement	135.70′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, despite starting the campaign at just 21 years old, the Dutch centre-forward was able to average a goal involvement every 1.58 games, or every 135.70 minutes.

When it comes to the latter point, we can see in his underlying numbers that he is more than just a poacher as well.

According to FBref, he also sits in the top 11% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, for carries into the penalty area per 90.

This suggests that, in addition to finishing chances at a reasonable rate, the “simply phenomenal” gem, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also brilliant at getting the ball into dangerous areas.

Finally, according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, the 22-year-old dynamo is also a “pacy runner” who’s brilliant at getting “in behind” defences, which is always the kind of player who’ll get fans up on their feet.

Ultimately, both Hato and Emegha are seriously promising talents, but given his position and goalscoring ability, it’s hard to deny that the latter would be the more exciting signing.

Better than Garnacho: Chelsea agree personal terms to sign £61m target

Chelsea could seal a better signing than Alejandro Garnacho.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 31, 2025

Leeds United continued their pre-season preparations over the weekend as they held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw in their latest friendly ahead of the Premier League season.

Daniel Farke’s side boasted new signings Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Gabriel Gudmundsson, and Sean Longstaff, whilst the Whites are also set for another new face.

As you can see in the post from Graham Smyth above, Hoffenheim central midfielder Anton Stach is closing in on a permanent move to Elland Road from the Bundesliga outfit.

One player who is not going to be a part of the squad for next season, though, is experienced striker Patrick Bamford, who has been told that he is not in Farke’s plans.

The German head coach has confirmed that he has spoken with the English forward to tell him that he will be training with the U21 team until he can find a new club.

It is now down to Leeds and Bamford to find an ideal solution for him before the end of the summer transfer window, with one year remaining on his contract.

Why Patrick Bamford is not in Daniel Farke's plans

Farke explained his thought process behind his decision on the long-serving Whites number nine, saying: “Patrick is a player who needs right now, at this stage, to be the main man right. He needs the backing, the arm around the shoulder, after difficult years to be there was confidence. And then if Patrick gets this he will score goals.

“He will score on each every level because he’s a top player. But after the last two seasons, I was not willing to say come on you are right now our main man on a permanent level.”

This suggests that the decision has been made with both the club’s and Bamford’s best interests at heart, as it will allow the player to go and pursue a move that would see him play regularly, whilst potentially creating space for Leeds to bring in another forward to improve their team.

24/25 (Championship)

17

0

2.11

0

23/24 (Championship)

33

15

9.52

8

22/23 (Premier League)

28

18

8.61

4

21/22 (Premier League)

9

7

N/A

2

20/21 (Premier League)

38

37

N/A

17

As you can see in the table above, the veteran striker is not the same player he was when he took the Premier League by storm under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2020/21 campaign.

His form in the last three seasons does not suggest that he is likely to make enough of an impact at the top level to be a genuine starting-calibre option, which is why it is the right call to allow him to move on.

Leeds plotting bid for new striker

Leeds, who have already signed Lukas Nmecha, are in the market to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch before the summer transfer window slams shut.

Transfer Focus

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

According to journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, the Championship champions remain interested in a deal to sign Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz.

The reporter claims that the West Yorkshire outfit are hoping to bank some cash from a sale of Mateo Joseph, whom they value at £10m, to fund a new bid to tempt the Cottagers into cashing in on the Brazilian striker.

He states that Celta Vigo, who have money to spend after selling Fer Lopez to Wolves, and Real Betis are both eyeing up a potential swoop for Joseph this summer.

Muniz has reportedly been valued at £50m by Fulham, though, and it remains to be seen how much Leeds will be able to spend on him, even if they bank £10m for the Spanish youngster.

Why Muniz would be a huge upgrade on Bamford

Bamford being moved on because Farke cannot guarantee that he will be the main man in the Premier League makes even more sense when you consider the club’s ongoing pursuit of Muniz.

The Brazilian centre-forward would arrive at Elland Road as a huge upgrade on the former Chelsea and Middlesbrough man, as a star who has showcased his quality in the Premier League in the last two seasons.

As you can see in the graphic above, Muniz is already an experienced forward in the top-flight, with 17 goals to his name for the Cottagers to date.

The 24-year-old marksman, who was hailed as “seriously impressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has performed even better at Premier League level than Bamford has in the Championship in the last two seasons, hence why he would be a huge upgrade for Leeds in the number nine position.

Appearances

57

50

Starts

26

15

xG

14.43

11.63

Goals

17

8

Big chances created

3

1

Assists

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Muniz has scored nine more goals and provided one more assist than the Whites attacker in the last two years, whilst playing at a higher level.

These statistics show that the Brazilian striker is an efficient and clinical centre-forward who can make the most of the chances that are created for him, outperforming his xG by more than two goals.

Whereas Bamford’s finishing let the team down far too often, underperforming his xG by almost four goals in the Championship in that time, which suggests that he may have been a liability in front of goal in the Premier League next season.

This further explains why Farke’s decision to leave the striker out of his squad for the 2025/26 campaign makes a lot of sense, as the club are looking to bring in a forward who would be a huge upgrade on him in the top-flight.

Farke's own Joelinton: Leeds made contact over deal to sign £22m "monster"

Leeds United have made contact over a potential deal for a star who could be their own Joelinton.

ByDan Emery Jul 19, 2025

However, it is now down to Leeds to find Bamford a new club and to secure a deal with Fulham to bring Muniz to West Yorkshire before the end of the window.

CWI will be initiating a “comprehensive recruitment process to select the next CEO”

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2024

Johnny Grave had taken up the position of CWI chief in February 2017•Randy Brooks/AFP/Getty Images

Johnny Grave’s role as chief executive officer of Cricket West Indies (CWI) is set to end in October 2024. Grave had taken up the position in February 2017, before which he served as commercial director at the Professional Cricketers’ Association [PCA] in England for nine years.”It has been an absolute privilege to have been CEO of CWI since February 2017,” Grave said in a CWI press release. “Having just hosted a successful T20 World Cup and delivered significant surpluses for CWI for the third consecutive year, I do feel it is the right time for me and my family to seek a new challenge.”I have received tremendous support from so many people since becoming CEO and I’d like to thank everyone, especially the staff and the players, particularly during the difficult pandemic, for their trust in me and their commitment to West Indies cricket. I have put everything into this role, and now is the right time for someone new with fresh energy to lead the organisation and continue this important work and build on the strong foundations that are now in place.”Related

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India, Australia and England boards should do more for Test cricket – Johnny Grave

Grave had assumed the position vacated by Michael Muirhead. During his time at the helm, he oversaw three World Cups hosted in the West Indies: the 2018 women’s T20 World Cup, the 2022 Under-19 World Cup and the 2024 men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted with the USA. He was also the T20 World Cup CEO for the event in June this year.Grave had also earlier this year sounded a warning to the ICC that its revenue-share model was “completely broken” and urged the board of India, Australia and England to work with the ICC to change the economics of Test cricket.”Johnny’s efforts, particularly through challenging times such as the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as successfully hosting three World Cups including have made a lasting impact on CWI,” Kishore Shallow, CWI President said. “Appreciably, the organisation has taken many positive strides during his tenure. A standout achievement is the acquisition and full ownership of the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), which is now our headquarters and home to our Men’s and Women’s Academies.”The CWI release also further stated the board will be initiating a “comprehensive recruitment process to select the next CEO.””The organisation is dedicated to ensuring a thorough and transparent selection process,” the release stated. “Details regarding the recruitment process will be announced shortly and will be published across various media platforms to keep stakeholders informed.”

From Canada’s point of view, Aaron Johnson’s 44-ball 52 and Dilon Heyliger’s 2 for 18 were impressive efforts

Ashish Pant11-Jun-20241:03

Mumtaz: Amir was brilliant and relentless

There was finally something at the T20 World Cup for Pakistan to be happy about as they produced a strong all-round show to record their first win of tournament, beating Canada by seven wickets in New York.The win was set up by the fast bowlers, who combined to pick up six wickets to restrict Canada for 106 for 7 in their 20 overs despite an Aaron Johnson 44-ball 52 – that score was quick by the standards at the New York venue, and Canada’s total was not insignificant at all.In reply, Pakistan stumbled in the powerplay.They had brought in Saim Ayub in place of Iftikhar Ahmed, and Ayub walked out to open with Mohammad Rizwan, thus splitting the Rizwan-Babar Azam partnership up top. The decision did not pay dividends, though, as Ayub fell for 6 off 12 balls.But Babar and Rizwan brought their experience into play, adding a 63-run stand off 62 balls for the second wicket. Babar fell with victory in sight, but Rizwan stayed put, crafting an unbeaten run-a-ball 53 to give Pakistan victory 15 balls to spare.1:24

O’Brien: ‘Ultra-aggressive’ Johnson perfectly suited for this surface

Johnson smashes, Amir strikesBabar won another crucial toss and had no hesitation in fielding first.He would have hoped for “first-over Shaheen Afridi” to do his magic. But instead, it was first-over Aaron Johnson setting the stage alight. He flicked the first ball of the innings, a shin-high full toss, through mid-on for four, before pumping Afridi straight down the ground for four more next ball.This was the first time the first two balls in a men’s T20 World Cup match had been hit for boundaries. The third ball would also have gone for a straight four if not for the sluggish outfield.Johnson then smashed Naseem Shah over backward point with Pakistan looking off the boil.Mohammad Amir was the only one who got his length spot on from the get-go and he was duly rewarded. Navneet Dhaliwal picked him for a four through point first ball but Amir exacted revenge by sending a searing in-dipper that flattened Dhaliwal’s middle stump.Afridi and Naseem, too found their lengths soon. And though Johnson continued to play his shots, there were plenty of plays and misses. And Afridi changed his bowling end and had Pargat Singh edging to first slip as Canada reached 30 for 2 after six overs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Pakistan quicks take controlThe most crucial moment of the Canada innings came in the seventh over, when Nicholas Kirton, their best batter so far in this competition, was run out by a direct throw from Imad Wasim from the covers.Johnson stayed put, but Canada kept losing wickets at the other end after that.Haris Rauf struck twice in three balls when he removed Shreyas Movva to claim his 100th T20I wicket and then had Ravinderpal Singh caught at slip – Canada, after their bright start, had slipped to 55 for 5 after ten overs.Johnson deposited Wasim twice over the ropes in two overs, the second hit fetching him his sixth T20I fifty off 39 balls. But he failed to carry on, falling for 52, his stumps rattled by Naseem.Canada failed to inject any momentum into their innings after that, as Pakistan only conceded 29 runs in their last five overs, which included two fours and a six. In all, Canada faced 76 dot balls, the most in an innings at the men’s T20 World Cup.1:15

Do Pakistan need to improve their batting approach?

Another powerplay struggle for PakistanESPNcricinfo’s forecaster gave Pakistan a 93% of winning the game at the halfway stage. But the pitches in New York have often disrupted calculations.Kaleem Sana gave away five wides in the first over, but apart from that, Canada were really tight with their lines. Ayub tried his shots before edging Dilon Heyliger behind. Babar, at No. 3, then had a tense moment when an appeal for a caught behind down leg was sent upstairs. But replays suggested the ball had gone off his pad.The only four off the bat in the powerplay was struck by Rizwan in the sixth over. In comparison, Canada had hit five fours in their first six overs.According to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, 31 of the 36 deliveries from Canada in the powerplay were on a length or short of a length. And the Pakistan batters struggled to deal with them.1:35

Mumtaz on Kirsten’s comments: ‘High time someone from the inside spoke’

Pakistan get the ‘W’Junaid Siddiqui and Saad Bin Zafar had the Ireland batters in a spin in Canada’s previous game, but Babar and Rizwan weren’t having any of it.Rizwan first swept Saad’s full delivery through deep-backward square-leg, before Babar walloped Junaid for a six straight down the ground. The two added 31 runs between overs six and ten, and put the chase right back on track.They kept the scoreboard ticking over before Babar fell edging Heyliger behind the stumps. Babar walked off in disgust. But Rizwan ensured he stayed till the end. He reached his 29th T20I fifty off 52 balls. It was the slowest by a Pakistan batter in the format but such were the conditions, and the win was more important.Usman Khan hit the winning runs as Pakistan reached home in 17.3 overs. The win did not lift their NRR above that of USA, but it wasn’t a bad start in trying to turn the qualification race in their favour somewhat after back-to-back losses.

Chelsea are involved in the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA this summer, looking to become the inaugural winners of the new-look competition.

The Blues took advantage of the first summer transfer window by signing striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, with Todd Boehly activating the forward’s £30m release clause.

Delap has been included in Enzo Maresca’s Club World Cup squad, as are fellow summer signings goalkeeper Mike Penders, centre-back Mamadou Sarr and midfielder Dario Essugo.

However, there is still plenty of time for Chelsea to make more signings, with the second market not closing until September 1.

Related Chelsea's most expensive signings of all time

Todd Boehly has spent big in recent years.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025

With more arrivals on the cards at Stamford Bridge, Grok, the AI tool on X, has predicted five more signings Chelsea could make this summer.

AI predicts 5 players Chelsea will sign this summer 1 Victor Osimhen Napoli (£60m)

Starting with another striker after Delap, Chelsea continue to be linked with a move for Victor Osimhen.

After spending last season on loan at Galatasaray, Osimhen has returned to Napoli but could be on the way out this summer.

The Nigeria international’s entourage were working on a Stamford Bridge transfer, and Grok say a £60m transfer would see Osimhen ‘provide a focal point in attack, complementing Delap and Nicolas Jackson’.

2 Jamie Gittens Borussia Dortmund (£55m)

A player who Chelsea wanted to sign before the Club World Cup, Jamie Gittens could still make the move to London in the second summer transfer window, and Grok can see a move materialising.

The Blues had a £42m bid rejected for the English winger, and Grok say they’ll need to get to £55m for a transfer to happen.

Grok say ‘Gittens would bring pace, creativity, and goal-scoring ability to the flanks, fitting Maresca’s attacking system’.

3 Jarrad Branthwaite Everton (£50m)

Despite signing Sarr, more central defenders could also be on the to-do list at Stamford Bridge to rival the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill.

Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite has been catching Chelsea’s eye, and there have been rumours of the Blues weighing up an offer later in the window.

A figure of at least £50m has been mooted by AI, however, stories elsewhere suggest the England international could cost more at £75m.

4 Alejandro Garnacho Man Utd (£40m)

After coming close to a deal in January, Man Utd winger Alejandro Garnacho is set to depart Old Trafford and has told his agents he is interested in a move to Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine wants to remain in the Premier League, which should give the Blues an advantage, with Grok believing a deal could be worth £40m.

Garnacho can play on the left or right-hand side, so could be a replacement for Jadon Sancho, who returned to the Red Devils following his Chelsea loan.

5 Marc Guehi Crystal Palace (£50m)

It might not be all new faces this summer, though, with Marc Guehi linked with a return to Stamford Bridge, four years on after leaving for Crystal Palace.

Marc Guehi games played

Appearances

Crystal Palace

155

Swansea City

59

Chelsea

2

England

23

The England international has been going from strength to strength at Selhurst Park but now has just a year left on his current contract, resulting in rumours of an exit this summer.

Claims in May said that Guehi was tempted to move back to Chelsea and that the Blues were confident of a deal. Now, with Champions League football on offer, that confidence could have grown.

David Moyes is keen to make a series of rousing signings at Everton as he leads his squad toward a new home at Bramley-Moore.

Having succeeded in guiding Everton away from the relegation rabble and indeed settle into a 14th-placed Premier League spot with just three fixtures left before the summer, the Scottish manager has struck a tuneful chord with the Merseysiders once again, 12 years after relinquishing his seat in the dugout to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

The 62-year-old reunited with his former protégé, Wayne Rooney, at the Theatre of Dreams, and while things went awry, he’d love to have such a player in his current Toffees brood.

He may not be a forward, but Everton do appear to have set their sights on a Premier League legend ahead of the market.

Everton chasing Premier League legend

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, John Stones’ future at Manchester City is “far from certain,” and Everton are keen on bringing their former prospect back onto Merseyside.

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He told the publication: “If he [Stones] does indeed hit the open market, I believe that Everton would be open to the prospect. Stones is settled in the North West so it could be an option. But we have to see the plans new City sporting director Hugo Viana puts into practice, but the defence is a major area they want to work on.”

Stones left Goodison Park to join Pep Guardiola’s fledgling project in a £47.5m move back in August 2016, and he’s since become one of the most decorated Englishmen of his generation.

Though the dynamic defender has offers from the Saudi Pro League, he may feel he has more to offer European football, and Everton’s new chapter could entice him to retrace his once-walked path.

Why Everton should sign John Stones

Like Rooney did eight years ago, Stones could return from a successful career in Manchester to make an impact at his former Merseyside outfit as he approaches the later stage of his career.

Crucially, Stones still has enough quality to help Everton climb toward the upper levels of the Premier League, maybe even knocking on the door of European competition.

Stones went on to play 95 times for Everton before City came calling. He was described by Three Lions teammate Ezri Konsa as being “world-class” last year but always carried the seeds of such ability at Everton.

An astute deal for Stones wouldn’t come without its caveats. Stones might be one of the most accomplished defenders of modern times, but he’s been reduced to a bit-part role in Pep Guardiola’s team over the past several years, with incessent injury blows limiting him to just 18 top-flight starts across the past two seasons.

John Stones – Man City Career by Season (PL)

Season*

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

24/25

11 (6)

2

0

23/24

16 (12)

1

0

22/23

23 (21)

2

2

21/22

14 (12)

1

0

20/21

22 (22)

4

0

19/20

16 (12)

0

0

18/19

24 (20)

0

0

17/18

18 (16)

0

0

16/17

27 (23)

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

However, the 30-year-old is one of the most gifted defenders kicking a ball today and would add a dimension to Moyes’ unit. If Everton retain Jarrad Branthwaite’s services this summer, a continued partnership of him and James Tarkowski would reduce the weight of Stones’ responsibility.

Thrusting him into the Bramley Moore project with the expectation of week-in, week-out starts would surely see him sink like a… stone, but as with Rooney, if he’s managed correctly, it would prove to be a boost that could result in the collection of several invaluable points come season’s end.

Rooney was, of course, brought onto the professional scene by Moyes. The versatile forward posted 59 goal contributions across 116 matches under the manager.

After scoring that goal against Arsenal in his breakout campaign, the teenager was clearly destined for greatness, and after achieving that at Old Trafford, Rooney returned to his boyhood club in the twilight of his career and scored ten goals during the 2017/18 term before moving over the pond.

Stones could repeat that feat. He’s still a brilliant performer when fit and Moyes has demonstrated through the right-back placement of Jake O’Brien that he’s willing to field his stars in unconventional roles, something Stones would surely relish given his multi-facetedness.

With the £80k-per-week Michael Keane among those nearing the end of their contract this summer, making a shrewd move for an experienced head in Stones, with the perfect mentality too, could prove a huge success as Moyes looks to really get his vision up and running.

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Newcastle United are in the race to sign a “magnificent” Premier League player this summer, with it emerging he is now set to leave his club, according to a report.

Newcastle's summer transfer plans

The main transfer saga Newcastle are involved in at the moment centers around the future of talisman Alexander Isak, who is attracting widespread interest from some of England’s biggest clubs, with Liverpool and Arsenal set to make summer proposals.

The Magpies are determined to keep hold of Isak, but should they be forced to sanction a departure, there are some fantastic potential replacements in mind, having recently made an approach for Lille striker Jonathan David.

Striker is not the only position in which Eddie Howe may strengthen this summer, however, with a move for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke being plotted, and there is a feeling the Blues may be willing to cash-in on the England international this summer.

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There have also been suggestions Newcastle could pursue a new goalkeeper to provide competition for Nick Pope between the sticks, with Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens on the shortlist, alongside a Premier League shot-stopper.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, the EFL Cup winners have Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on the radar for a potential summer transfer swoop, with the Englishman set to leave in the summer, given his side’s impending relegation.

Ramsdale has no desire to play in the Championship, meaning he is set to depart at the end of the season, and there is a relegation release clause in his contract, which could make him an attractive option for a number of Premier League clubs.

AFC Bournemouth and Championship promotion-hopefuls Leeds United are also interested in the goalkeeper, who cost the Saints £25m last summer.

"Magnificent" Ramsdale has experience playing under Howe

The report makes it clear that James Trafford remains Newcastle’s top target, but the Southampton goalkeeper may also be a solid choice, particularly considering his experience playing under Howe.

During his time with Bournemouth, the 6 foot 2 colossus was lauded as “magnificent” by the Newcastle manager, and he has been one of the only bright sparks in a Saints side which has vastly disappointed this season.

SofaScore ranks the five-time England international as Southampton’s best-performing player in the Premier League, and he also impressed at times during his spell with Arsenal, before ultimately being replaced by David Raya.

Ramsdale could be a solid signing for Newcastle this summer, but it is clear to see why Trafford remains the priority target, with the Burnley goalkeeper shipping just 11 goals all season in the Championship, playing a major role in the Clarets’ promotion push.