Bayer Leverkusen's summer signing Jarell Quansah admits Jurgen Klopp gave him a boost of confidence while also helping him plan for his future.
| Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱 |
Aston Villa only have a limited time to raise funds in their battle to avoid PSR sanctions, with the footballing financial deadline for 2024/2025 looming on June 30.
£120k-a-week Aston Villa outfielder has now opened talks to join elite club
He could leave with Emiliano Martinez.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 21, 2025
Unai Emery’s side can only register a loss of around £15 million for the year just gone, according to a recent report by The Athletic, with Premier League clubs only permitted losses of around £105m over a rolling three-year period.
Villa are forecast to be over this limit as things stand, prompting NSWE to explore the possibility of selling their women’s team in a bid to comply with PSR and swerve breaches.
Emery falling just short of qualifying for the Champions League at the end of 24/25 cost them dearly both on and off the field, and there is every possibility that Villa could look to secure a big-name exit in the next two days to raise funds.
Their marquee sales of Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby to Saudi Arabia have really helped in this regard, but they could require at least one more as the PSR deadline looms.
Atletico Madrid held talks with Lucas Digne over a switch to La Liga recently, according to Football Insider, and the 52-cap Frenchman, with just one year remaining on his £120,000-per-week contract, could be a prime contender for the exit door.
Emiliano Martínez, Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana are other players named as potential candidates to leave, while clubs are expressing a serious interest in Villa sensation Morgan Rogers as well.
The clock is ticking for Villa to agree a significant departure, and they could be handed a chance to make some money off Kosta Nedeljkovic’s talks to join RB Leipzig permanently (Sky Germany).
However, according to journalist Wayne Veysey, Villa have also alerted representatives to their stance over selling star striker Ollie Watkins.
Aston Villa tell agents they're ready to sell Ollie Watkins
Emery’s side rejected a low-ball £40 million bid from Arsenal for Watkins in January, but the Gunners haven’t followed that up with any formal approach so far this summer.
Writing for Football Insider, Veysey states Villa have told “senior agents” that they’re ready to sell Watkins by Monday, but they’re yet to find a buyer for the talismanic forward, who bagged 17 goals and 14 assists in all competitions last term.
The 29-year-old, who’ll turn 30 in December, also became the club’s all-time top Premier League goalscorer at the back end of 24/25, surpassing Gabriel Agbonlahor, but Villa have apparently made it clear they’re willing to do a deal.
Emery may not be a fan of this decision, or supporters for that matter, considering they already let Duran go earlier this year – and it would be an almighty task to replace Watkins’ influence up front.
“He deserves it completely because he is a hard worker,” said Emery about Watkins, after the ex-Brentford star broke Agbonlahor’s Premier League goalscoring record for Villa.
“He is committed with Aston Villa. His courage has been fantastic and to achieve it is very fantastic. I am so, so grateful to have a player like him.”
Matthew Breetzke has been named the replacement
Firdose Moonda28-Nov-2024
Wiaan Mulder gets treatment after taking a knock to his finger – he eventually went off retired hurt•AFP/Getty Images
Wiaan Mulder has been ruled out from the rest of the Sri Lanka series after fracturing his right middle finger while batting in the first innings of the first Test. Matthew Breetzke has been added to the squad as a replacement.Mulder suffered the injury on the first ball of the 27th over, which was the fifth ball he faced. Lahiru Kumara got one to nip back into Mulder and his fingers appeared to jam into the bat handle as he defended. He received treatment on-field in what became a 10-minute over, and faced two more balls before retiring hurt. He kept the first one, a yorker, out and left the last ball of that over before he decided he would not continue. He came out to bat when South Africa lost the ninth wicket – of Temba Bavuma – and faced five more balls to finish on 9 not out. That included a dance down the track to hit Dhananjaya de Silva for six.Mulder was taken for an x-ray at the lunch interval and it confirmed the fracture. Ryan Rickelton was the substitute fielding in his place. Mulder’s absence means South Africa’s plans for a four-seam, one spinner attack have been affected. In Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee, they have three seamers with Keshav Maharaj as the only specialist spinner. Aiden Markram is available to bowl offspin if needed.
RoI are still trailing Mumbai’s first-innings total of 537 by 248 runs
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2024Abhimanyu Easwaran’s unbeaten 151 took Rest of India (RoI) to 289 for 4 at the end of day three of the Irani Cup in Lucknow. But with Mumbai posting 537 in their first innings, RoI still have a mountain to climb.In the morning, Mumbai could add only one to their overnight 536 for 9. In the third over of the day, Mukesh Kumar knocked out Mohammad Juned Khan’s off stump for his fifth wicket of the innings, leaving Sarfaraz Khan unbeaten on 222.RoI had a somewhat nervy start but with Shardul Thakur unwell, Mumbai were forced to bring spin as early as in the sixth over. Juned provided the breakthrough by having RoI captain Ruturaj Gaikwad caught at second slip. RoI had only 40 runs on the board at that point but Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan stabilised them with an 87-run stand for the second wicket.Sudharsan, though, failed to convert his start and was lbw for 32 off Tanush Kotian after lunch. Devdutt Padikkal didn’t last long either and was caught behind for 16 off the bowling of Mohit Avasthi. It was a similar story for Ishan Kishan. He scored 38 before edging Avasthi to the wicketkeeper.By contrast, Easwaran was looking comfortable. He eased to his hundred off just 117 balls, even though only 38 runs had come in boundaries. He slowed down a bit after his hundred but Dhruv Jurel kept the scoreboard moving with an unbeaten 30 off 41 balls.In the penultimate over of the day, Easwaran brought up his 150, which was followed by Jurel hitting Kotian for a four and a six off successive balls. By stumps, the two had added 61 in an unbroken stand for the fifth wicket.
يتوقع بول ميرسون لاعب أرسنال السابق، عودة محمد صلاح إلى تشكيل ليفربول ضد برينتفورد مساء اليوم السبت على الرغم من تلميحه بأن النادي أخطأ بتمديد عقده.
ويسعى محمد صلاح لاستعادة مكانه في تشكيل المدرب آرني سلوت، حيث يعود ليفربول لاستئناف مبارياته في الدوري الانجليزي الممتاز.
وكان محمد صلاح قد جلس على دكة البدلاء في فوز ليفربول على آينتراخت فرانكفورت بخماسية لهدف واحد في دوري أبطال أوروبا يوم الأربعاء.
ولم يقدم محمد صلاح بداية جيدة لهذا الموسم حيث سجل ثلاث اهداف وصنع ثلاث أهداف خلال 12 مباراة، وابتعد عن التسجيل في آخر خمس مباريات له مع النادي وأكد غضبه وعدم رضاه على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي عن ما يمر به مع ليفربول.
ويعتقد ميرسون أن صلاح سيبدأ أساسياً أمام برينتفورد وقال لموقع “sportskeeda” :”سؤال المليون دولار قبل نهاية الأسبوع، هل سيشارك محمد صلاح؟”.
أقرأ أيضاً.. مبيومو يكشف حقيقة السخرية من محمد صلاح في طريقة احتفاله أمام ليفربول
وأضاف :”لم يبدأ صلاح ضد فرانكفورت، وفاز ليفربول لكن هذه مباراة لا غنى عن الفوز فيها، إذا خسر ليفربول سيبتعد عن آرسنال بسبع نقاط”.
وواصل حول توقيع صلاح لعقد جديد مع ليفربول: “لقد توقعت هذا منذ زمن، أليس كذلك؟ قلت إنه بعد ستة أشهر من توقيع العقد، سنجلس نتساءل، لماذا يمنحونه هذا العقد وهم يعلمون أن مستواه سيتراجع”.
وتابع: “أعرف ما فعله صلاح العام الماضي لكن هذا أصبح ماضياً، انظروا لما فعله فلوريان فيرتز الموسم الماضي، هذا ليس كافياً ليصبح ضمن تشكيل ليفربول الأساسي الآن، أليس كذلك”.
وأكمل ميرسون: “سيتعين على سلوت اتخاذ قرار حاسم هذا الأسبوع، صلاح ليس قريباً من اللاعب الذي اعتادنا عليه خلال السنوات الماضية، لكنه لاعب لا يمكن استبعاده”.
وختم عن خطورة برينتفورد :”هم بارعين جداً في الكرات الثابتة لذا أتوقع أن يبدأ كل من إيكتيكي وجاكبو المباراة نظراً لطولهما وقدرتهما على تقديم أداء مميز في مثل هذه المواقف، أعتقد أنه سيعتمد على صلاح كمهاجم ثابت وأتمنى أن يكون كل شئ على ما يرام هنا”.
Russell Martin and his Glasgow Rangers players are already hard at work in pre-season as they prepare for their European qualifier later this month.
The new Gers head coach will be looking to progress through to the next round of Champions League qualifiers, and will want the best possible squad available to him at Ibrox.
Max Aarons and Lyall Cameron have already been added to the team during the summer transfer window so far, but the Light Blues will not stop there.
According to Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam, central midfielder Joe Rothwell turned down LaLiga teams to join Scottish Premiership giants on a permanent deal.
The former Bournemouth star has put pen to paper on a three-year contract at Ibrox and could make his debut against Panathinaikos later this month.
What Joe Rothwell could bring to Rangers
Rothwell will bring an experienced head in the middle of the park that Rangers do not currently have. Nicolas Raskin (24), Mohamed Diomande (23), Bailey Rice (18), and Connor Barron (22) currently make up Martin’s midfield ranks.
This means that the 30-year-old maestro, who has played 204 games in the English Championship, could be a mentor to the younger players in the squad, and give valuable advice to the likes of Barron and Rice, as he has been there and done at a good level in the game.
The midfield whiz, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Leeds United, will also offer quality in possession through his impressive passing range.
Rothwell is a metronomic midfielder who likes to constantly get on the ball to progress play for his team with progressive passes and passes into the final third, helping to create chances for his teammates.
Passes completed
63.74
Top 6%
Long passes completed
6.44
Top 2%
xA
0.22
Top 4%
Key passes
2.44
Top 1%
Progressive passes
6.64
Top 8%
Passes into the final third
7.40
Top 2%
As you can see in the table above, the experienced star provided plenty of quality on the ball in the 2024/25 Championship campaign with Leeds, who won the title to secure promotion to the Premier League.
He played in a ball-dominant title-winning side and showcased his ability to consistently progress play and create chances in the middle of the park, which suggests that he could thrive in a ball-dominant Russell Martin team chasing the Premiership title.
Whilst Rothwell, who is also capable of scoring screamers, looks set to be a terrific addition to the squad, Rangers are eyeing another midfielder who could be an even better signing.
Rangers in the race to sign former Liverpool gem
According to Liverpool-focused outlet DaveOCKOP, Rangers are one of a number of teams in the race to sign RB Salzburg central midfielder Bobby Clark in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that Liverpool could be due a sell-on clause fee as a result of the English starlet moving on from the Austrian side this summer, just a year on from his Anfield exit for a fee of £10m.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds that Rangers, Leicester, West Brom, Sunderland, Koln, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hamburg, Birmingham, Leicester, and Southampton are all eyeing up a move for the midfield talent.
DaveOCKOP reveals that the former Newcastle United youth prospect is expected to look for a fresh opportunity to play elsewhere next season, and that there is a concrete chance that he will leave Salzburg.
However, it currently remains to be seen how much of the £10m that was paid for him last summer Rangers would need to pay to secure his services.
Why Rangers should sign Bobby Clark
The Scottish giants should push to win the race for the English midfielder this summer because he could be an even better signing for the club than Rothwell in the long run.
Clark is ten years younger than the signing from Bournemouth, at the age of 20, and this means that he has far more potential, both in terms of development and his viability as a long-term option for Martin in midfield.
If the Gers can land a deal for the Salzburg youngster, he could be a starting option in the middle of the park for the next decade if all goes well, whereas Rothwell is heading into the latter stages of his playing career.
Clark is not the finished article in the present, like Rothwell, though, after he only started seven of his 17 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga last season, but he did show a lot of promise in the OFB Cup, the domestic cup in Austria.
Appearances (starts)
2 (2)
Touches
217
Pass accuracy
85%
Key passes
8
Dribbles completed
12
Dribble success rate
63%
Ball recoveries
22
Duels won
30
As you can see in the table above, the English midfielder thrived as a starter in the cup across two appearances in the competition, creating eight chances and winning a staggering 30 duels.
Whilst it is an incredibly small sample size, it does show the kind of quality that he could provide if Martin is able to help him take the next step in his development after failing to earn regular starts with Salzburg.
Clark, who was hailed as “exciting” by reporter Lee Ryder, also showed a lot of promise during his time at Liverpool, with one goal and two assists in 14 first-team appearances for the Premier League giants, which earned him a £10m move to Austria.
The 20-year-old gem produced 18 goals and 11 assists in 64 games for Liverpool’s U18 and U21 sides combined, further illustrating the kind of attacking quality he can provide at his best.
As dispensable as Propper: English club submit bid to sign Rangers flop
Rangers have received an offer for a player who should be as dispensable as Robin Propper.
ByDan Emery Jul 2, 2025
Therefore, Clark could be an even better signing than Rothwell because he could be an incredibly exciting midfield talent if Martin can unlock his immense potential as a dynamic, attack-minded, midfielder, who still has many, many, years left ahead of him to develop and improve.
Temba Bavuma admits recent discussions about his place in the side have weighed heavily on him
Firdose Moonda at Newlands04-Feb-2020Temba Bavuma has acknowledged that constantly being viewed through the prism of his skin colour has weighed on him and asked for South Africa’s transformation process to be credited for its positives if it is going to be criticised for failures. Speaking for the first time since his recall to the national team last month, Bavuma said playing in the ODI team made him feel “like a kid with no burden out there” after he dominated the country’s cricket conversation even though he was absent for most of the Test series.”It has been hard,” he said. “It’s not so much the dropping part, all players get dropped, everyone goes through slumps of not scoring well. The awkwardness and uncomfortability from my side is when you are thrown into talks of transformation.”Yes, I am black, that’s my skin. But I play cricket because I love it. I’d like to think the reason I am in the team is because of performances I have put forward in my franchise side, and also for the national team, whenever I have been able to. The discomfort was there, having to navigate myself around all those types of talks. Players get dropped, I am not the last guy to get dropped. That’s something we’ve come to accept.”ALSO READ: De Kock lays down marker after Shamsi lifts SABavuma, who has been a regular in South Africa’s Test team for the last four years, was injured for the opening match against England on Boxing Day. He recovered in time for the New Year’s Test but was left out of the side on form, having only scored one century in his career, in 2016. At the time, Bavuma was told to work his way back through “weight of runs”, under the guidance of new batting consultant Jacques Kallis.”Jacques has been hands-on with most of the batters,” Bavuma said. “He has been very open to sharing his knowledge and his expertise in batting. It’s been a breath of fresh air working with him. Technically, there’s no-one who knows better than him. It’s been wonderful working with him.”At the same time, Bavuma also took the opportunity to reassess his own game. “The time away from the team has given me time to reflect and realign with my goals and to find the strength and courage to keep chugging along and keep enjoying the game,” he said.Within two weeks, he answered the call for runs with a career-best 180 in a first-class fixture for the Lions. That allowed him to force his way into XI for the Test series finale. He was also named in the one-day squad and is expected to be part of the T20 outfit. He remains the only black African batsmen in South Africa’s set-up, which is why his Test snub sparked controversy.On social media, Bavuma found himself caught in a race storm, with some arguing that he was only part of South Africa’s plans because of the existence of the transformation target (the national team is required to field six players of colour, including at least two black Africans, on average over the course of a season) and others believing he was being discriminated against because of his race. He rejected both arguments and called for a fair judgement of the ideology of transformation.Temba Bavuma fell lbw for 98•Gallo Images/Getty Images”The one thing that irks me is when you are seen through the eyes of transformation,” he said. “When you do well, transformation is not spoken about but when you do badly, transformation is thrown at the top of the agenda. I have a serious problem with that. We’ve got to be able to take the good with the bad. If transformation is bad when black African players are not doing well, then when we are doing well, let’s also recognise transformation for what it’s done.”In the Newlands ODI, for example, South Africa could field a team with seven players of colour, of which four (Bavuma, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla and Lungi Ngidi) were black African, and that did not come at the expense of quality. The margin of victory, a healthy seven-wicket win, proves that a representative side and a winning side are not mutually exclusive. Bavuma called the win “massive for the team” and instrumental for himself.”It was just good to be on the field,” he said. “It’s a different format and a different kind of pressure. I felt like I was a kid with no burden out there.”But South Africa had a huge task – to pull off the highest successful chase at Newlands – and Bavuma’s 98 in a 173-run second-wicket stand with Quinton de Kock, who scored 107, took them there. But he knows one performance is not enough to keep him in the picture and is willing to work hard to stay there. “I don’t think I have nailed my spot in the side. This was just my third game and I am just happy to be on the field,” Bavuma said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen after this series or next week. It’s just to enjoy the little moments I have.”
Bumrah had a significant say with three wickets although it was Australia who edged the honours with their top four all passing fifty
Andrew McGlashan26-Dec-20241:51
Manjrekar explains how Konstas took down Bumrah
Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old making his Test debut, lit up the MCG with an audacious display of strokeplay against Jasprit Bumrah which in the process riled Virat Kohli on a compelling Boxing Day at the MCG. The world’s best fast bowler still had a significant say with three wickets although it was Australia who edged the honours with their top four all passing fifty.By stumps, Steven Smith was the key figure in how much further Australia’s first innings would be able to extend as he eyed his second hundred in three innings after Bumrah had sparked a middle-order wobble. Yet it was the opening passage of the Test that could well go down as defining.Within an hour of his first Test innings Konstas, who became his country’s fourth-youngest men’s player, was the most talked-about figure in the game having brazenly taken 32 off two overs from Bumrah. While he was stopped on 60 off 65 balls, he had already written himself a chapter among the most remarkable debuts and more than repaid the selectors’ desire to provide something different at the top of the order after Nathan McSweeney’s struggles.Related
Konstas on taking on Bumrah: 'That's the beauty of being young and a bit naive'
Kohli fined 20% of match fees after heated altercation with Konstas at MCG
Konstas arrives at the Test arena like a supernova
Bumrah still pocketed key top-order scalps of Usman Khawaja, the prolific Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh although it did little to downplay talk India are over-reliant on him. The latter two came as Australia lost 3 for 9 in the final session with Akash Deep then claiming a much-deserved wicket with the second new ball when he removed Alex Carey to end the fourth significant partnership of the innings.Khawaja, Smith and Marnus Labuschagne all brought up half-centuries at more sedate tempos than Konstas. It was the first time since Rawalpindi in 2022 that Australia’s top four had all reached fifty in the same innings. Khawaja and Labuschagne will have been left wondering what could have been but Smith played a vital role in keeping Australia ahead.Sam Konstas celebrates his fifty•Getty Images
But it was all about how the day started. Konstas’ first over in Test cricket was against Bumrah and consisted of four plays and misses. Off his eighth delivery he worked a brace into the leg side to a loud ovation and two deliveries later signaled his intent with an attempt to reverse scoop Bumrah which brought a combination of cheers and gasps.He missed another an over later and with Mohammed Siraj also troubling Khawaja, Australia were 12 without loss after six overs when Konstas unleashed a passage of play that will never be forgotten. Off Bumrah’s fourth over he scooped to fine leg, reverse scooped for six over deep third and was an inch away from repeating it three balls later.He had dispatched the world’s leading bowler for 14 but wasn’t done there. In Bumrah’s sixth over he took him for 18, this time by peppering the boundary with drives including lofting a slower ball over wide long-on. By this point, he had been shoulder-checked by Kohli between overs with Khawaja trying to act as peacemaker with all eyes on how the match referee would adjudicate the confrontation.Not long after, a quickly run two brought up his fifty from 52 balls and he grabbed the Australian emblem on his shirt while pointing to the name on the back. What were you doing as a 19-year-old on Boxing Day? The mind started to wander towards something even more spectacular, but Ravindra Jadeja trapped Konstas lbw in a manner many a more experienced batter has been removed.The tempo then reverted to something more traditional: the stand of 89 between Konstas and Khawaja took 116 balls, the next of 65 between Khawaja and Labuschagne required 150. The afternoon session started with four consecutive maidens from Bumrah and Akash, the latter again bowling without luck. Both batters had edges fall short of slip and another from Khawaja which bisected the cordon took him to just his second fifty of the year.Jasprit Bumrah removed Travis Head for a duck•Getty Images
India were largely keeping the scoreboard under control but were not overly threatening, only for Khawaja to toe-end a pull against the first ball of Bumrah’s third spell to midwicket which left the bowler a little embarrassed to celebrate.Labuschagne was still not quite at his fluent best, but was looking as good as he had all series with some delicate glides to third off Jadeja and the types of drives to suggest better days lie ahead for Australia’s No. 3. There was a shift in gears after tea with Labuschagne and Smith adding 41 in the first six overs of the final session against the older ball, although there remained enough assistance from the surface to challenge the batters as another luckless spell from Akash showed.However, the door was opened for India by offspinner Washington Sundar, who had been brought into the side in place of Shubman Gill, when Labuschagne picked out mid-off with a skimming drive the ball after a drinks break. Labuschagne threw his head back as Kohli took the catch, knowing the chance of a first Test century since last July had gone begging.Rohit Sharma sensed a moment and immediately brought back Bumrah and against his third delivery Travis Head shouldered arms to one that clipped his off stump. A batter who has caused India nightmares with his attacking strokeplay departed not offering a shot. In Bumrah’s next over Mitchell Marsh, having slotted away one thumping cover drive, edged an expansive pull to continue what has been a lean series after the summer of his life in 2023-24.As the ground rose for the hats-off commemoration of Shane Warne at 3.50pm (to match Warne’s Test cap number), Smith had slotted consecutive boundaries off Jadeja when Australia looked to be taking control but now his presence was vital in ensuring the innings didn’t lose its way. He and Carey added 53 before Akash produced a terrific delivery from round the wicket. Smith remained firm and walked off to warm applause from those who remained of an 87,242 crowd but it was nothing compared to the ovations earlier in the day.
da stake casino： Turning their focus towards the Club World Cup, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a South American star this summer.
Who Wolves could sign next after Lopez
da supremo： Wolves still have money to burn after welcoming Fer Lopez and could yet do so to make an emphatic statement ahead of Vitor Pereira’s first full season in the charge. The sales of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha may have dealt the Midlands club a frustrating double blow, but they have also provided those at Molineux with the funds to pursue names such as Harvey Elliott.
£85m release clause: Wolves make first approach to sign South American gem
The Midlands club could sign the midfielder in a cut-price deal.
ByTom Cunningham Jun 26, 2025
The Liverpool youngster seems to be edging closer to the exit door at Anfield and recent reports revealed that it is Wolves who are confident of getting a deal done to secure his signature. Priced at £40m, Pereira could yet welcome a player who just dragged England into the U21 Euros final with a fantastic winning goal to add to his first effort.
His price tag may seem steep on paper, but Elliott would be worth every penny on the pitch. At just 22 years old, the Liverpool gem is already a two-time Premier League winner and has also won both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup during his time in Merseyside. What makes those achievements even more special is the fact that he is yet to reach the peak of his powers.
Wolves have an opportunity to sign an underrated youngster this summer and must do everything to secure his signature. It’s then that Elliott could also be joined by a Club World Cup star as the focus remains on welcoming exciting young talents in the Midlands this summer.
Wolves make first Wallace Yan approach
As reported by Globo Esporte and relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves have now made their first approach to sign Wallace Yan from Flamengo. The 20-year-old forward has a release clause to join European clubs worth €40m (£34m) and could yet swap South America for the Midlands as a result this summer.
The young forward has already enjoyed the feeling of scoring against English opposition too, having netted Flamengo’s third goal in a shock 3-1 victory over Chelsea at the Club World Cup.
A player who was described as “selfless” by analyst Ben Mattinson in April, Yan is full of potential and joining following former Fluminense midfielder Andre to Wolves could be the perfect way to reach that potential.
The deal won’t come cheap, but the Brazilian proved that has the quality to match Premier League opposition when he squared off against Chelsea. Now, Wolves would be wise to make their move.
Manchester United have only made one senior first-team addition to Ruben Amorim’s squad since the 2024/25 campaign came to a close against Aston Villa.
The Red Devils swooped to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers attacking midfielder Matheus Cunha for a reported fee of £62.5m at the start of June to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
In the 2024/25 campaign, the Brazil international racked up 15 goals and six assists in the Premier League for Wolves, which shows that he is a proven performer in the division.
Manchester United have, however, missed out on a deal to another proven Premier League star, as Tottenham Hotspur have snapped up Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United.
The Red Devils reportedly made contact with the Hammers to enquire about a potential deal for the Ghana international in June, but their top-flight rivals have stolen a march on them to win the race for his signature.
Whilst Kudus is an exciting player who has a lot of potential, it is also worth acknowledging that the 24-year-old star would have been a risky signing.
Why Mohammed Kudus would have been a risky signing for Man Utd
Spurs have reportedly paid a fee of £55m to sign the former Ajax starlet from West Ham this summer, and it is a fee that comes with a lot of risk based on his form in the 2024/25 campaign.
Kudus hit the ground running in England in the 2023/24 season, ending the term with a haul of 15 goals and seven assists in all competitions, but failed to kick on in his second year.
The left-footed attacking midfielder, who can play anywhere across the frontline, ended last season with a return of five goals and four assists in 32 matches in all competitions for the Hammers, a steep decline from what he produced in his debut campaign with the club.
His form in the Premier League in his second year, in comparison to his first, is concerning and shows that there is no guarantee that Spurs have signed a player who can deliver consistent quality.
Appearances
33
32
xG
5.16
6.90
Goals
8
5
Big chances missed
4
7
Big chances created
5
4
Key passes per game
0.8
1.0
Assists
6
3
As you can see in the table above, Kudus underperformed in front of goal as a finisher last term and rarely created high-quality opportunities for his teammates.
This is why it would have been a very risky signing for Manchester United to commit £55m to this summer, despite the fact that he has shown a lot of quality moments in the league, as shown in the clips below.
Meanwhile, the club are pursuing another left-footed Premier League star who would be an even better signing than Kudus for Amorim’s side this summer.
Man Utd confident of signing Premier League star
According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester United are continuing to pursue a deal to bring Brentford sensation Bryan Mbeumo to the club before the end of the window.
The report claims that the latest bid submitted to the Bees is worth in excess of £60m, including add-ons, but there is no agreement between the two sides at this point, with two offers having been turned down already.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It does state, however, that the Red Devils are confident that they will be able to complete a deal to sign the Cameroon international to bolster their squad.
The Manchester Evening News also reveals that a move could become complicated if Yoane Wissa leaves Brentford first, amid interest from Spurs and Nottingham Forest.
United will want to avoid a situation where Wissa leaves the Bees and the asking price for Mbeumo soars because they do not want to lose their top two scorers in the same window.
Why Man Utd should sign Bryan Mbeumo
The club should push to get this deal done as quickly as possible because the Cameroon international would be an even better signing than Tottenham’s move for Kudus.
Mbeumo’s form in the Premier League last season suggests that he would arrive at Old Trafford with far less risk attached to him, as he is an in-form star who is at the peak of his career.
The 25-year-old sensation ended the campaign with an outstanding haul of 20 goals and seven assists in the top-flight for Brentford on the right flank, as he showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis.
Mbeumo has produced at least eight goals and at least six assists in all six of his seasons at Brentford to date, whilst Kudus only managed five goals and four assists for the Hammers last term, which speaks to his consistency in the final third.
Appearances
38
65
xG
12.26
12.06
Goals
20
13
Big chances created
17
9
xA
14.89
6.37
Assists
7
9
As you can see in the table above, the Bees star scored more goals and created more than twice as much xA for his team last season than Kudus managed in both of his campaigns with West Ham combined.
The £60m+ star, who was once hailed as “unplayable” by Thomas Frank, is a winger who has shown that he can consistently deliver quality in front of goal in the Premier League, which is why he could be such an impressive signing for the Red Devils.
Unlike Kudus, Mbeumo is coming off the back of an electric season in the top-flight and could bring almost guaranteed quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals, given his consistency over the last six years with his club.
It is now down to the club to ensure that they can strike a deal with Brentford to bring the winger to Old Trafford before long, as he would arrive at United as an even better signing than Kudus would have been.
Amorim's own Haaland: Man Utd make "world-class" £60m CF their top target
Manchester United appear to be making moves for a new forward in the transfer market.
2 ByEthan Lamb Jul 11, 2025