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With the season officially over, Arsenal have what might just be their most important summer in years to contend with.

Mikel Arteta might have helped to utterly transform the team since taking the job in 2019, but with a third Premier League runners-up medal on the bounce this year, there is an undeniable feeling that next season has to see the North Londoners lift a significant honour.

While keeping his key players fit will undoubtedly help the Spaniard with this objective, it’s arguably just as, if not more important, for new Sporting Director Andrea Berta and the board to bring in the right, needle-moving signings over the next few weeks and months.

Fortunately, they may be in the process of doing that, as recent reports have linked the club with one of the most exciting wingers on the continent, someone who’d be a massive Gabriel Martinelli upgrade.

Arsenal's winger search

Before we get to the superstar in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other wide talents who have been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in recent weeks and months, like Nico Williams and Rayan Cherki.

Transfer Focus

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

The former has a release clause that stands at around £50m in his Athletic Bilbao contract, and while that’s a lot of money, it would be more than worth it, as, at just 22 years old, he scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 45 games this season.

Cherki, on the other hand, did even better, racking up a staggering 12 goals and 20 assists in just 44 games, which makes his reported price tag of just £30m feel like a bargain.

However, it would appear that the North Londoners are now keen on another incredible talent from Ligue 1, Bradley Barcola.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several Premier League teams incredibly interested in the Paris Saint-Germain star.

The report has revealed that alongside the Gunners, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have sent scouts to watch the Frenchman.

Moreover, while the story claims that the Parisians have no intention of selling the 22-year-old, sources close to the club say he’s valued at up to €120m, around £101m.

It would be an incredibly costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Barcola’s outrageous ability and potential, Arsenal should go all out to get him, especially as he’d be a mega Martinelli upgrade.

How Barcola compares to Martinelli

The first thing to say is that while Barcola has played off the right before and made a not-insignificant number of appearances up top as well, his most played position, and by quite some way at that, is left-wing.

Therefore, he’d undoubtedly play there for Arsenal, and therefore, his most significant competition for game time would be Martinelli, but how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes to their raw output, it’s hardly a competition at all.

For example, the incredible Frenchman, who’s blessed with “devastating pace,” per U23 scout Antonio Mango, has scored 21 goals and provided 19 assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3643 minutes this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.45 games, or every 91.07 minutes.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 11 has scored ten goals and provided six assists in 51 appearances, totalling 3564 minutes, which comes out to a far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.18 games, or every 222.75 minutes.

What about their underlying numbers, then? Who comes out on top when we take a look under the hood?

Well, considering Barcola has been described as “one of the best left wingers in Europe” by analyst Ben Mattinson, it’s just as one-sided a comparison with the PSG phenom doing better in practically every metric.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.97

0.49

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.99

0.47

Progressive Passes

3.97

2.05

Progressive Carries

5.66

4.88

Shots

3.05

2.16

Shots on Target

1.57

0.94

Passing Accuracy

81.7%

71.4%

Key Passes

2.07

1.57

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.11

1.46

Shot-Creating Actions

4.17

2.91

Goal-Creating Actions

0.83

0.27

Successful Take-Ons

1.40

1.30

Ultimately, while Martinelli remains a useful player and could be an important part of the squad next season, Barcola is evidently the far superior winger in every conceivable way.

Therefore, even if it costs a king’s ransom, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign the incredible Frenchman this summer.

He's like Van Persie: Arsenal hold secret talks to sign "the new Haaland"

Arsenal could sign a similar striker to Robin van Persie this summer.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 2, 2025

A Champions League club are now “pushing hard” to sign a Sunderland star “immediately”, with a bid currently in the works, according to Sky Sports reporter Patrick Berger.

Wembley trip on the horizon for the Black Cats

The Black Cats didn’t exactly finish the Championship campaign in ideal fashion, losing their final five games, but they have managed to turn on the style when it matters, booking their spot at Wembley for the play-off final with a dramatic victory against Coventry City.

However, Regis Le Bris isn’t content with simply reaching the final, with the manager insisting his side must get the job done, saying: “Our focus is now fully on the final. It’s really clear — this is the main objective of the season.

“We have to take the final step. It will be tough, but we must put the work in now to make sure we’re ready.”

The importance of Sunderland restoring their Premier League status cannot be understated, not least because they could have a battle trying to keep hold of their key players beyond the summer, should they fail to return to the top flight.

In fact, in an update on X, Berger has now revealed that Borussia Dortmund are “pushing hard” to sign Jobe Bellingham “immediately”, with the German club keen to sign the midfielder prior to this summer’s Club World Cup.

An offer is currently being prepared, which Dortmund are planning to submit after Saturday’s play-off final, although they are yet to reach an agreement with Bellingham on personal terms, and they don’t believe they are in pole position for the youngster.

Should the Black Cats be willing to sanction a departure this summer, they would be looking to receive a fee of €25m – €30m (£21m – £25m).

Black Cats could struggle to keep hold of Bellingham even if they go up

It could be a very difficult task for Le Bris’ side to keep hold of the 19-year-old beyond the summer, given that a number of other English clubs are also in the race for his signature, such as Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.

The hope will be that the teenager is tempted to test himself in the Premier League, should Sunderland prevail against Sheffield United, but the opportunity to play in the Champions League could be tempting, with Dortmund recently securing qualification for next season’s competition.

Sunderland now want to sign 26 y/o defender who has just been relegated

He is expected to leave his current club.

ByHenry Jackson May 20, 2025

In truth, news of Dortmund’s increased interest is an unwanted distraction ahead of the play-off final, and full focus must remain on Saturday’s game, which could be pivotal in terms of Sunderland’s future trajectory.

The Championship play-off final has become known as the ‘richest game in football’, and this year’s edition is set to be the most lucrative to date, with the winners set to receive a minimum of £220m in extra income next season.

A week is a long time in football, and Tottenham Hotspur are currently a testament to that.

While the Lilywhites’ domestic campaign has been an utter disaster this year, the fans probably don’t care at the moment, and following their impressive win on Thursday night, they are now in the Europa League final.

However, while the players and supporters can dream and look forward to that game, the board need to continue their preparations for what has to be a massive summer of transfer business.

It seems they are doing just that, as once again, reports have come out linking them to Bournemouth’s star defender Dean Huijsen for £50m, though thanks to an incredible youngster on their books, they may not need to sign the Spaniard at all.

Why Spurs want Huijsen

So, before we get to the player Tottenham could promote instead of splashing the cash on Huijsen, it’s worth taking a moment and looking at why they reportedly want to sign the Bournemouth star in the first place.

One of the most significant reasons will be the seriously impressive speed at which he’s adapted to and come to thrive in English football.

For example, despite only turning 20 in April and this being his first campaign in the country, the Amsterdam-born monster has made 33 first-team appearances for the Cherries, in which he’s scored three goals and provided one assist.

On top of that, the former Juventus gem has also made two appearances for the senior Spanish side and played a significant role in them making it to the Nations League final.

Last but most certainly not least, the highly-sought-after defender also boasts some genuinely impressive underlying numbers, with FBref placing him in the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals plus assists and interceptions, the top 4% for clearances, the top 5% for sho-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.15

Top 3%

Interceptions

1.97

Top 3%

Clearances

7.05

Top 4%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.12

Top 5%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.61

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

1.45

Top 8%

Total Shots

0.73

Top 16%

Progressive Passes

4.67

Top 17%

In short, Huijsen is an exceptionally promising young centre-back, but Spurs might be better off not signing him this summer, as they look to already have a bigger talent on the books, albeit out on loan.

Spurs' bigger talent than Huijsen

While some out there might think we are talking about the promising Ashley Phillips, who just spent the season on loan with Stoke City, they’d be mistaken.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Instead, you’ve got to go just a little further out to Belgium, where Luka Vušković is spending the season on loan with KVC Westerlo alongside fellow Spurs loanee Alfie Devine.

So, why do we think the incredibly exciting young Croatian might be a bigger talent than Huijsen? Well, we’ll break it down into two areas: his defensive abilities and offensive abilities.

Starting with the former then, and despite only turning 18 in February, the 6 foot 6 “monster of a CB,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been incredibly effective at the back for his side this season.

According to FOTmob, he sits in the top 7.8% of centre-backs in the league for aerial duels won, ball recoveries and blocks and the top 22.2% for overall duels won – which is undeniably outstanding for someone so young.

Then, when it comes to his attacking prowess, he’s in a league of his own.

For example, the “crazy” talent, as dubbed by Mattinson, has managed to score seven goals and provide three assists in 34 games this season, which for a centre-back is incredible, and works out to a goal involvement every 3.4 games.

Appearances

34

Goals

7

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Ultimately, while it’s impossible to be certain until he plays in England, it does appear that Spurs have already signed a bigger talent than Huijsen in Vušković.

Forget Porro: 9/10 star with 96% passing is looking like Spurs' best player

It was a sensational performance from the Spurs star.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes May 9, 2025

Despite the new owners not being situated at Ibrox just yet, Rangers’ summer rebuild starts now.

After their bitter rivals were crowned Premiership champions for the 13th time in just 14 seasons on Saturday, those from across the city have plenty of work to do over the summer to bridge that gap.

The 17-point chasm that exists at the top of the table is despite the fact Rangers have won both Old Firm derbies in 2025, 3-0 winners at Ibrox in January and 3-2 victors at Parkhead in March, with the latest Glasgow derby coming up on Sunday.

Off the field, the Light Blues could soon have new owners, Paraag Marathe of 49ers Enterprises seemingly set to complete his 51% takeover imminently, with big summer signings promised, including the potential arrival of a “special” youngster from within the SPFL, finally filling the void vacated by the club’s best striker of the modern-era; Alfredo Morelos.

Alfredo Morelos' Rangers career

Back in 2017, two days before his 21st birthday, Morelos joined Rangers from Veikkausliiga champions HJK Helsinki for a reported fee of £1.5m, and what a bargain this would prove to be.

Nicknamed el Búfalo, the Colombian striker was a key figure as the Light Blues went from a laughingstock to Premiership title winners under Steven Gerrard, as outlined by the table below.

Appearances

269

Goals

124

Assists

57

European goals

29

Goals vs Celtic

3

League titles

1

Scottish Cups

1

Red cards

8

As the table suggests, Morelos especially excelled in UEFA competition, breaking Ally McCoist’s all-time club-record for most goals scored in Europe, six of his 29 coming in 2021/22, as the Gers made it all the way to the Europa League Final.

Many supporters would argue the Colombian has never been properly replaced, but could that be about to change?

Rangers' interest in the SPFL's most in-demand striker

According to a report by The Chronicle, Rangers are ‘tracking’ Heart of Midlothian striker James Wilson, with both Celtic and Newcastle United reportedly interested too.

Matthew Lindsay of the Herald describes Wilson as a ‘gifted young striker’, claiming that Hearts fear losing him for an ‘absolute pittance’, valued at around £1m.

So who is he, and why is he in such demand?

Well, let’s take a look at his statistics to help answer this question.

Age

18

Age of debut

16

Appearances

31

Minutes

1,549

Goals

6

Assists

2

Despite only making his debut as recently as January 2024 against The Spartans, Wilson has established himself as a regular in the Hearts first team.

Indeed, he’s already scored in an Edinburgh derby at Easter Road in October before opening his European account at Tynecastle against Petrocub Hîncești in the Conference League a couple of months later.

The teenager was also sent off for a high-tackle on Dundee United’s Luca Stephenson last month, which is a very Morelos thing to do isn’t it?

In a more positive development, back in March, Wilson was handed his senior international debut by Steve Clarke against Greece during a UEFA Nations League tie at Hampden, becoming Scotland’s youngest-ever male player, breaking John Lambie’s record that had stood for a staggering 138 years.

Teammate for club and country Craig Gordon described Wilson as a “great talent” and “pretty special”, believing “he’s going to go really far”, while Hearts left-back James Penrice praised the teenager’s “brilliant season”, adding “I’m very impressed with him”.

So, it’s easy to understand why he is in such high demand.

Thus, if Rangers are able to get their hands on Wilson, could he replicate Morelos’ time at Ibrox?

Like the great Colombian, he’d be arriving as a youngster for not very much money, but potentially making a huge impact by scoring a high number of goals.

Kris Boyd 2.0: Rangers lining up move for "pretty special" SPFL talent

Rangers are eyeing up a young striker who could be the club’s new Kris Boyd.

ByDan Emery Apr 30, 2025

Glasgow Rangers have appointed Kevin Thelwell as their new sporting director heading into the 2025/26 season and beyond.

Formerly of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton, the Englishman brings with him a wealth of experience to Ibrox.

He faces a tough job at the Light Blues, especially with the club about to finish trophyless for the second time in three seasons.

His main job will be to identify players who can improve the first-team squad. However, he must also move on those who aren’t contributing much anymore.

Tom Lawrence is earning decent money for a minimal contribution. Will he move on this summer?

Tom Lawrence must leave Rangers in the summer

The Welshman joined on a free transfer in the summer of 2022, and on the surface, it looked like a solid enough signing.

He managed only nine games before missing the rest of the season through injury, and this would be a common theme during his time at Ibrox.

Overall, the midfielder has missed over 60 matches due to injury issues sustained across his three seasons at the club.

Earning £22k-per-week for his troubles, Thelwell must move Lawrence on when the window opens and use this money more wisely.

2024/25

25

6

2

2023/24

32

3

3

2022/23

9

3

2

There is another player, who is currently out on loan until the end of the season, who has spent more time on the sidelines than Lawrence.

Rabbi Matondo cost the Gers £3m three years ago, but it’s fair to say that he hasn’t quite lived up to this transfer fee.

Rabbi Matondo has spent more time on the sidelines than on the pitch

Like Lawrence, Matondo has been severely injury-prone since arriving in Glasgow. Indeed, he has missed 69 matches for the club in that time.

There have been a few moments of genius, notably his curling effort against Celtic in April 2024 or his excellent goal against PSV Eindhoven in August 2023. But overall, Matondo hasn’t performed how many expected.

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd hailed the winger for having “blistering pace” after scoring his first goal against PSV, but this is arguably the only real trait going for him, given his lack of impact at the club throughout his time in Glasgow.

Eight goals and 11 assists registered across 67 matches isn’t bad, but it certainly isn’t worthwhile enough to keep him for the 2025/26 season because he has failed to deliver consistent quality as either a scorer or a creator of goals.

He joined German side Hannover 96 on a six-month loan deal towards the end of the winter transfer window and has scored once in ten appearances.

With just one more year left on his current contract, Thelwell will be hoping Hannover exercise their option to buy the winger for a reported fee of £2m, which would help the club’s finances.

Bringing the former Everton director in this early will allow him to survey the situation at Ibrox before the transfer window opens.

If he can get off to a decent start regarding potential signings and departures, the 51-year-old will bank some credit.

Moving on both Lawrence and Matondo should be top of his list of priorities, given how much time they have spent on the sidelines rather than contributing to any success on the pitch at Ibrox.

Rangers have hit gold on "impressive" gem who is worth more than Mulligan

Rangers signed a player under Clement who is worth more than Josh Mulligan.

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 26, 2025

Rangers have now been in touch to sign a versatile attacking target who is wanted by the likes of Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

Rangers out of Europa League after defeat to Athletic Club

The Gers’ hopes of lifting the Europa League came to an end on Thursday night, with Barry Ferguson’s side losing 2-0 to Athletic Club in Bilbao.

Heading into the second leg at a stalemate, Rangers were second best overall but could still have had a penalty in the first half after a pull on Cyriel Dessers.

However, Athletic Club were awarded their second penalty of the tie shortly before half-time which was converted by Oihan Sanchet, with star winger Nico Williams doubling the scoreline late on.

Talking after the defeat, Ferguson was asked about his Rangers future, to which he said: “Where this leaves me now is I’m going to finish the season as strongly as possible. I’ve not sat down and talked about it – but it needs to get sorted soon because as a club we need to do a lot of work.

“The club needs to get back challenging. I just want my club to get back to where it should be, whether it’s me or someone else.”

Attention off the pitch will now be on the 49ers Enterprises’ takeover being completed, a new manager being appointed and several incoming and departures in the transfer market ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Rangers make contact to sign in-demand attacker

In recent days, Rangers and the 49ers have been linked with a move for Crystal Palace youngster Jesse Derry, with the 17-year-old rejecting an offer of professional terms at Selhurst Park.

Now, according to TBR Football, Rangers have made their first move to sign Derry by making contact. It is claimed that both Aston Villa and Manchester City have held talks to sign the forward, whereas Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Porto, Juventus, Monaco, PSG and RB Leipzig have all made some contact.

Games

38

Goals

20

Assists

6

Yellow cards

7

Minutes played

2,578

Rangers are named as another club who have made an approach for Derry alongside rivals Celtic. Derry, who has been likened to Jack Grealish due to his hairstyle and low socks, is described as an attacker who can play on either wing, in an attacking midfield role or even as a striker, so should he move to Glasgow would provide plenty of versatility.

Rangers: Attacking 4-3-3 manager wanted at Ibrox is now "ready" for return

He’s been linked with a move to Glasgow.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 17, 2025

A move away from Crystal Palace looks likely given the number of clubs who have made an approach for Derry’s services, and who knows, Rangers could have a chance if they can offer a quicker pathway into first-team football than some of the other huge clubs who are keen.

The final nail in Ipswich Town’s Premier League coffin could well have been handed to them on Saturday, as Vitor Pereira’s Wolverhampton Wanderers recovered well on the road to beat Kieran McKenna’s hosts 2-1.

Ipswich did race into a slim one-goal lead in the first half courtesy of Liam Delap, but it was to no avail as the Old Gold eventually clinched a dramatic three points, meaning the gap between the Tractor Boys in 18th and Wolves in 17th spot is at a sizeable nine points.

Therefore, McKenna will likely be preparing for Ipswich to drop back down to the Championship very soon, with a hope that Omari Hutchinson will stick it out in Suffolk if a bruising relegation is confirmed.

Hutchinson's heroics at Ipswich

After all, Hutchinson’s finest form donning Tractor Boys blue came about when Ipswich last found themselves in the entertaining EFL.

The ex-Chelsea man would fire home a hefty ten goals and pick up an impressive six assists during Ipswich’s promotion-winning exploits back in the 2023/24 season, leading to McKenna and Co landing Hutchinson for a bumper £20m.

He has since acclimatised to the demands of the top-flight well – even if an instant return to the Championship is on the cards for his employers – with this breakaway effort against Chelsea in December one of five goal contributions he’s managed from 27 league clashes.

If Hutchinson does stay put, he will hope he can wriggle free of any injury concerns that have made this season somewhat stop-start for him, with the 21-year-old missing from his side’s last crushing loss to Wolves.

But, regardless of what does occur with the Ipswich number 20 moving forward, McKenna will know he has his next Hutchinson in the making in this entertaining ace who has previously taken the Championship by storm.

McKenna's next Hutchinson in the making

Everyone associated with the Portman Road strugglers will hope when relegation is inevitably confirmed, all the building blocks are put in place for Ipswich to mount an instant return to the top-flight.

Already possessing a top talent for the division in Jaden Philogene-Bidace will make this mission easier to accomplish, with the ex-Hull City star twisting and turning second tier defences for fun when Ipswich were hunting down automatic promotion last time around.

Games played

44

32

Goals scored

10

12

Assists

5

6

Shots*

1.5

3.6

Big chances missed

4

6

Big chances created

7

7

As can be seen glancing at the table above, Philogene tore the second tier to shreds playing as a fast-paced loanee for the Tigers, with the 23-year-old actually bettering Hutchinson’s blistering numbers in the process by picking up three more goal contributions from 12 less encounters.

Therefore, McKenna will have full faith in Philogene to dust himself down and get back to his rampaging best if second tier football returns on the menu, with one audacious effort for Hull last season leading to him be recognised by FIFA as a Puskas award nominee.

Dubbed a “special” talent by his then-Hull boss in Liam Rosenior, McKenna will further hope he can be as impactful as Hutchinson by delivering the goods to see promotion be instantly achieved.

Philogene could perhaps be capable of even more on the books of Ipswich, considering the Tigers finished just outside the playoffs in seventh position despite their dazzling attacker’s heroics.

Whatever does transpire this summer, the Tractor Boys won’t want to dwell on matters for too long, with everything in place for a finish near the Championship summit if stars such as Philogene can be as exciting as Hutchinson proved to be.

Ipswich may have found the Premier League's new Alexander-Arnold

The incredible talent is one of Ipswich’s most important players.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 6, 2025

Mikel Arteta and newly-appointed sporting director Andrea Berta have been handed a summer striker boost, as one marquee forward is prioritising a move to Arsenal when it comes to preferred destinations.

Andrea Berta's striker targets for Arsenal this summer

Berta’s official arrival at the Emirates Stadium has brought plenty of excitement with it, especially now Arteta has admitted that Arsenal are set for a “big” first transfer window led by the ex-Atletico Madrid chief

Leroy Sane set for imminent Arsenal transfer decision after "concrete talks"

The German is set to leave on a free as things stand.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 2, 2025

One of many items on Berta’s agenda is reportedly the acquisition of a prolific new striker, following long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, who won’t be returning to the field before next season.

Everton (away)

April 5th

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

TBD

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

A goal-scoring vocal point up front has long been viewed as the missing piece of Arteta’s jigsaw, and it is believed that Berta will seek to finally acquire one during his debut summer window at the club.

While Fabrizio Romano expects Berta to make an important offer for Alexander Isak, the Swede’s reported £150 million price tag may be too big of a hurdle for Arsenal to jump over, and Newcastle United are unlikely to be kind in negotiations.

More realistic targets, and ones of similar quality, come in the form of RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Arsenal wanted to sign Sesko last year, making a proposal to the Slovenia international which was ultimately turned down (Fabrizio Romano). However, reports this year suggest Berta could move for Sesko and make a second Arsenal attempt for his signature.

Meanwhile, David Ornstein has reported that Arsenal are growing increasingly interested in Gyokeres as another option, with the Sweden international enjoying yet another prolific campaign in the Primeira Liga.

Gyokeres has racked up a sensational 42 goals in 42 appearances over all competitions, including 11 extra assists, leaving little wonder he’s turning Arsenal’s head.

Viktor Gyokeres really wants to join Arsenal from Sporting CP

The 26-year-old, understandably, is also wanted by his former boss Ruben Amorim at Man United, while other elite European clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern Munich are in the mix.

That is according to Portuguese news outlet A Bola, who also write that Gyokeres has Arsenal at the “top of his preferences” in what could be seen as a major boost for Arteta and Berta.

The former Coventry star has an £84 million release clause, and while the bidding will start at around £58 million, A Bola claim he’s likely to leave for a value closer to his release clause – as Sporting are anticipating an auction for his services.

Even a fee in and around the clause would arguably be worth the punt, as Gyokeres’ exceptional goalscoring record really does speak for itself, not to mention plaudits from past teammates like Jake Bidwell, who called him “unstoppable”.

“The way he plays as well, with his aggression, the two (qualities) go hand in hand with how well he has done,” said Bidwell to the MEN.

“He all of a sudden realised how quick and strong he was and had the confidence to use it, and mixed with the aggression, it’s made him pretty unstoppable.”

After setting a soft deadline of December 5, former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has reportedly emerged as one of the final candidates to buy Sheffield Wednesday.

The Owls have not rushed into anything since entering administration and will be well aware that they must ensure that their next owner can make the guarantees that Dejphon Chansiri could not, financially speaking.

A number of candidates have shown proof of funds worth around £50m, but it has also been reported that a consortium from the Middle East has dropped out of contention due to the cost of completing a takeover. It is expected that, whilst the reserve price could be £30m, the actual cost of buying Sheffield Wednesday could rise to £100m over the next three years when considering a number of investments around the club.

Meanwhile, on the pitch, the Owls have the smaller matter of the Steel City derby to play against Sheffield United this weekend. They square off against the Blades looking to drag their rivals down with them in the Championship’s dropzone.

Previewing the crucial clash, Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen admitted that he expects to face an “organised side” in a tough challenge for his side this weekend.

With a soft deadline of 5 December for their takeover, victory over Sheffield United would certainly be a fine way to start what is a crucial two-week period.

Mike Ashley now a serious contender to buy Sheffield Wednesday

As reported by the i Paper, Ashley is now among the serious candidates to buy Sheffield Wednesday ahead of their December 5 deadline. The Owls are expected to narrow their search down to three or four options by the time that it’s time for offers to arrive and the former Newcastle United chief could yet be among those.

Whilst some will be quick to point out Ashley’s flaws from his time at St James’ Park, he could arguably be what Sheffield Wednesday need at present. He was unambitious at Newcastle when it came to signings, which left fans frustrated, but in terms of finances he was safe.

Sheffield Wednesday now targeting two more Man Utd academy stars in Amass repeat

Amass has been a great success.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 13, 2025

The 61-year-old cleared the Magpies’ debt with an interest-free loan and may well steady the ship at Sheffield Wednesday. Whether he’d ensure that they become an established Championship side again after what seems to be inevitable relegation is another question, however.

There’s no denying that Ashley didn’t exactly jump at the chance to invest in the squad during his time at Newcastle, as they suffered relegation from the Premier League twice.

Latest Sheffield Wednesday takeover news

Unlike some of their rivals, Arsenal have not had too much trouble integrating their summer signings so far this season.

The standout addition has probably been Martin Zubimendi, but despite the criticism he received a few weeks ago, Viktor Gyokeres isn’t too far behind.

After all, before his recent injury, the Swedish international had scored six goals in 14 appearances, which makes him the club’s joint top scorer.

With that said, Arsenal still appear to be looking for someone who could one day replace him, and who better than someone compared to both Erling Haaland and Jean-Philippe Mateta?

Arsenal target Haaland & Mateta hybrid

While Gyokeres is having a decent season with Arsenal so far, he is being outscored by both Haaland and Mateta.

Transfer Focus

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

The former, for example, has already amassed a frankly ridiculous tally of 19 goals and one assist in 15 appearances for Manchester City, while the latter has a tally of eight goals and nine assists in 19 games for Crystal Palace.

With numbers like these, it’s easy to see why Arsenal would be interested in signing a young striker who has been compared to both international superstars.

According to a recent report from Spain, the young striker in question is Etta Eyong.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are more than just interested in the Levante gem, and have now decided to activate the youngster’s £40m release clause.

The story claims that, should everything go as planned, an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

It’s a lot of money to spend on a young player, but Eyong could be the ideal heir to Gyokeres, especially as he’s won comparisons to both Haaland and Mateta.

How Eyong compares to Haaland & Mateta

The first thing to note is that, given he only turned 22 last month, Eyong is still a work in progress.

However, even in his short career, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to score, and that is just one of the qualities he shares with Haaland and Mateta.

For example, in 30 appearances for Villarreal B last season, the Cameroon international scored 19 goals and provided six assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.15 games.

Then this season, upon taking the step-up to La Liga, the exciting forward has racked up a tally of five goals and one assist in nine appearances for Levante.

Moreover, one of those goals came against Real Madrid – and he nabbed one against Arsenal in pre-season – so he cannot be accused of simply being a flat-track bully.

However, while his output is hugely encouraging, the comparisons to Haaland and Mateta primarily come from elsewhere, from FBref.

They have compared the 22-year-old to every forward across Europe’s top five leagues and have determined that the Frenchman is the most similar, and the Norwegian is the eighth.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.63

0.63

Progressive Carries

0.73

0.56

Progressive Passes Received

4.04

4.39

Shot-Creating Actions

1.74

1.50

Live Passes

12.8

12.7

You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the Cameroonian has ranked closely to the two internationals.

In the Palace star’s case, these metrics included non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shot-creating actions, live passes, and more, all per 90.

Goals per Shot

0.22

0.32

Goals per Shot on Target

0.46

0.54

Expected Assists

0.07

0.09

Shot-Creating Actions

1.74

1.72

In the case of the City monster, the underlying numbers included metrics such as shot-creating actions, expected assists, and most interestingly, goals per shot and goals per shot on target, all per 90 minutes.

These last two statistics are particularly encouraging, as they suggest that when the “incredible” Levante star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is in a dangerous situation, he is almost as clinical as the Norwegian goal machine.

Ultimately, it is still early in Eyong’s career, but as things stand, he looks to be an excellent young striker and someone who could be the perfect Gyokeres heir for Arsenal.

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