Chelsea are prepared to open talks over re-signing a former “leader”, who one source describes as the perfect player for Enzo Maresca’s dressing room.

Enzo Maresca makes "very important" Conference League claim

The west Londoners take a commanding 4-1 lead into their Conference League semi-final second leg against Djurgardens tonight, and all signs point towards Chelsea easing past Jani Honkavaara’s side as they look to confirm a spot in the final on May 28.

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Maresca has a golden chance to win his first piece of silverware as Chelsea manager during his debut season in charge, and a lot of expectation is riding on him, as they’ve been backed as solid favourites to lift the trophy since the beginning of 2024/2025.

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

While Chelsea have much grander ambitions in the long-term, being knocked out of the Conference League at this stage would arguably be a disaster, and Maresca says winning the competition is “very important” for many reasons.

“Very important, very important for sure, 100 per cent,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s Conference League ambitions.

“For different reasons but the main reason is because we want this club winning trophies. In this moment we are in the Conference so we have to try to win the trophy in the competition that we are.

“So yeah, it’s important personally, but for me, it’s much more important for the club, for the fans. We said many times that it’s the only trophy that Chelsea didn’t win in the past and Chelsea can become the first club in Europe to win all the European competitions so it’s also good for the club.”

It would also end the campaign on a high, even if Chelsea’s race for Champions League qualification is taking centre stage right now.

The club’s ambitions to compete in Europe’s most prestigious competition will also have a knock-on effect when it comes to summer transfers, and it is believed the signing of a new centre-back is a top priority for Chelsea ahead of next term.

Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen and Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi are among Chelsea’s rumoured central defensive targets, but according to Football Transfers, they now have their eyes on a possible reunion with Antonio Rudiger.

Chelsea ready to open talks over bringing back Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger

According to their information, the Blues have made contact with their ex-defender’s camp “in recent days” to be informed on his future at the Bernabeu – as they lay some groundwork over a potential deal.

The Germany international, while generally satisfied with life at Real, has apparently become “increasingly difficult” to deal with, and one source describes his situation as “tense” amid clashes with those in his inner circle.

The reasons for Rudiger’s dissatisfaction are kept vague, but this has apparently alerted Chelsea. Indeed, as well as reaching out to the £238,000-per-week defender’s representatives, it is believed Chelsea are “ready to negotiate” re-signing Rudiger if they get the green-light from him or Real.

The 32-year-old, despite some drama behind-closed-doors, has been described by an FT source as “exactly what the dressing room needs”. Rudiger’s experience could also be vital for Maresca’s very young squad, and he’s already a proven Premier League defender.

“He’s a leader, a warrior, exactly what this Chelsea dressing room needs,” said the source.

“There’s no fear about his personality. If anything, that fire is what we’re missing.”

Heading towards the end of what could yet turn into another season with no silverware, Arsenal have already reportedly set their sights on summer targets and are now willing to table an opening offer to sign a La Liga ace.

Arsenal's alarming form after Bournemouth defeat

Arsenal’s Premier League title ambitions may be officially over, but that doesn’t mean that their chase is over in the battle to secure their Champions League place. Mikel Arteta’s side simply wipe their title tears and go again in the Premier League if they are to avoid the ultimate disaster.

Sat second – three points above Manchester City and four above a Newcastle United side who have a game in hand – there’s still every chance that the Gunners drop to fourth in the coming weeks. It’s also worth noting that, should Nottingham Forest defeat Crystal Palace, Arsenal will only be four points in front of sixth place and dropping out of the Champions League places.

Defeat against Bournemouth was the fourth time that Arteta’s side failed to win in the Premier League in their last five games and alarm bells should finally be ringing over their need to swiftly secure European football and end a season full of frustration.

Arteta had his say after Bournemouth came from behind to shock Arsenal at the Emirates, telling reporters: “We started and we did the most difficult one to score the goal. I think after that we had four or five very open situations to score the second one.

“We didn’t kill it and after that, on top of that, you defend the box really poorly, the way we’ve done it in the two set-pieces that we have conceded again. So they’re going to punish you and a team like Bournemouth, they’re going to punish you. And after that the game becomes rushed, very chaotic.

“That’s why they want big spaces. They have more legs than us, especially with sets and plays that were struggling in the final minutes. And we weren’t able to get the result that we wanted, so we’re very disappointed.”

Arsenal willing to table bid to sign Garcia

Already looking to put this season behind them, those in North London have seemingly set their sights on a new shot-stopper. According to reports in Spain, Arsenal are now willing to table an offer worth €30m (£25m) to sign Joan Garcia this summer.

In what would be one of Andrea Berta’s first acts as sporting director, the Gunners could finally get their man a year on from reportedly agreeing personal terms to secure his arrival from Espanyol before a deal collapsed.

At 24 years old, the Spaniard is likely to arrive as a backup for David Raya before one day replacing the 29-year-old Arsenal goalkeeper. Potentially fending off competition from Bournemouth, the North London giants could kick their summer off with the arrival of Garcia.

Aston Villa could win the race for an “incredible” £100m forward, whose club may now be willing to cash-in this summer, according to a report.

Villa's summer transfer plans

It was a valiant effort against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, with Villa overturning a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 on the night, but the result wasn’t enough for Unai Emery’s side to progress to the Champions League semi-finals.

Having had their first taste of Champions League football in quite some time, however, Villa will be eager to have more special nights in Europe in the future, and they could go even deeper in the competition if they strengthen their squad this summer.

After selling Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr back in January, the Villans are keen on bringing in a new striker, and they are now ready to spend £75m on Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

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Not only are Emery’s side pursuing an out-and-out striker, but they are also keen to bolster their wide options, and they remain in a strong position to complete the permanent signing of Marcus Rashford.

According to a report from GiveMeSport, Aston Villa could also win the race for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, with Pep Guardiola’s side giving indications they could be willing to cash-in on the Englishman this summer.

The 29-year-old joined City in a £100m deal back in August 2021, but he has fallen down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium, which could open the door for a return to Villa Park.

However, there is widespread interest in Grealish’s signature, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also in the picture, while Serie A giants AC Milan headline the interest from abroad.

"Incredible" Grealish may need to leave City

The former Villa man probably has no regrets about joining Man City, given that he played a major role in their treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, but there are signs he may need to leave this summer for the good of his career.

Theo Walcott has particularly scrutinised the impact Guardiola’s coaching methods have had on the “incredible” winger’s ability to express himself on the pitch.

The Birmingham-born forward has amassed just two goal contributions in the Premier League this season, although he has impressed on some other key metrics over the past year, most notably ranking in the top 1% for progressive carries, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic	Average per 90
Progressive carries	8.08 (99th percentile)
Pass completion %	88.1% (99th percentile)
Progressive passes	5.75 (86th percentile)

A move back to Villa Park could be exactly what Grealish needs to reignite his career, and Emery should definitely consider making a move, should he be available for a suitable fee.

After a disappointing season, Manchester City are preparing to spend big in the summer.

Back in January, the Sky Blues spent a reported £180m, that’s more than all other 19 Premier League clubs combined, recruiting five players, namely Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah.

However, it appears as though this certainly won’t preclude the Citizens from spending big in the summer too.

So, does Pep Guardiola have his eye on a “world class” winger who some are labelling a potential Ballon d’Or contender?

Manchester City's first-choice winger target

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City have made Barcelona winger Raphinha their ‘priority target’ this summer, with Guardiola identifying him as their ‘ideal solution’ on the left-wing, while Chelsea and Al-Hilal are also interested.

The Brazilian, who joined Barça from Leeds United for £49m in July 2022, has been absolutely on fire this season, scoring 30 goals and registering 22 assists across all competitions.

In the Champions League specifically, the 28-year-old has equalled Lionel Messi’s tournament record for most goal involvements in a single season, requiring one more against Internazionale, or perhaps in the final itself, to surpass it.

This form has not gone unnoticed, with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling Raphinha a “world-class player”, while Julia Ranney of the Athletic notes that he is amongst the ‘top contenders’ to win the Ballon d’Or, actually currently the bookies’ favourite to do so.

So, he certainly will not come cheap but, given Barça’s ongoing, well-documented financial issues, perhaps a huge offer could tempt them to cash in.

Jack Grealish's Manchester City future

Guardiola is expected to oversee a major squad overhaul this summer; Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker are already confirmed departures, but many more are expected to follow, with Jack Grealish amongst those in the shop window.

This is the England international’s fourth season in Manchester and has been his least productive, as the table below outlines.

Appearances

39

50

36

30

Minutes

2,730

3,487

2,114

1,449

Goals

6

5

3

3

Minutes per goal

455

697

705

483

Assists

4

11

3

5

Starts

31

41

26

15

% of matches unused

33%

18%

39%

41%

As the table outlines, Grealish has endured a second successive miserable season at the Etihad, a key cog in the machine during the treble-winning campaign, but very much a peripheral figure more recently.

Earlier this season, Grealish went 392 days without a club goal in any competition, ending this barren streak by converting a spot-kick during an 8-0 demolition of Salford, an unused substitute for Manchester City’s last two Premier League matches, as well as nine of the last 15 fixtures he has been available for.

Richard Jolly of the Independent believes Grealish has gone from being ‘one of the most exciting attacking players in world football’ to now a player ‘who is neither exciting nor attacking’, hence why he is widely expected to be moved on this summer.

So, it probably goes without saying that Raphinha would be a major upgrade on the left wing, but let’s lay out the numbers to emphasise this assertion.

Appearances

30

49

Minutes

1,449

3,952

Goals

3

30

Assists

5

23

Goals – xG

+0.1

+5.2

Shots

31

161

Shots on target %

32.3%

39.1%

Take-on success %

37.8%

48.1%

Progressive carries

92

125

Shot-creating actions

65

212

Goals-creating actions

3

32

Touches per 90

38

51

Unsurprisingly, Raphinha – who Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley described as “Europe’s best player in 2024/25” – comes out on top for every single metric we could find when compared to Grealish this season.

Thus, if the Sky Blues were able to lure the Brazilian back to England, it would be a major coup, and could be the statement signing they require to reinstate themselves as title favourites again.

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Celtic wrapped up their fourth title in as many seasons last weekend when they beat Dundee United 5-0 at Tannadice Park in the Scottish Premiership.

An own goal from Ryan Strain put the Hoops 1-0 up early on in the match, before two goals apiece from Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah made sure of the victory.

The Scottish giants now have four matches left to play in the league with little to play for but pride and to extend their points total, as well as using the games to warm up for the SFA Cup final.

Brendan Rodgers’ side are due to face Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the SFA Cup final at the end of this month, knowing that a win would mean that they have completed the domestic treble this season.

It has been a terrific season for the Hoops, who also made it to the play-off round of the Champions League, and some of their signings in the last summer transfer window have contributed to that.

Celtic decided to splash the cash, after Matt O’Riley’s move to Brighton & Hove Albion, with a club-record swoop to sign Arne Engels from Augsburg for a reported fee of £11m.

Why Arne Engels has been a successful signing for Celtic

The Belgian midfielder had only started 13 of his 32 appearances in the Bundesliga for Augsburg in the 2023/24 campaign, which meant that the Hoops were breaking their transfer record to sign a young player who had yet to prove that he could perform consistently as a regular starter.

It was a gamble that has already paid off for the Scottish giants, though, as Engels has enjoyed a terrific debut season at Parkhead, nailing down a place as an influential figure in midfield for Rodgers.

The 21-year-old talent has scored ten goals and provided 12 assists in 48 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops this term, which shows that he has made a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

It is worth adding that eight of those ten goals have come from the penalty spot. Of course, you still have to score from 12 yards, but it does suggest that the midfielder does not carry a huge goal threat from open play.

Starts

22

9

Big chances created

11

3

Key passes per game

1.7

1.8

Assists

5

3

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.8

2.4

Duel success rate

48%

59%

As you can see in the table above, Engels has provided consistent quality as a creator for his teammates with 14 ‘big chances’ created in 31 starts in the Premiership and the Champions League combined, whilst also holding his own in physical duels.

These statistics show that the Belgium international has been a successful signing for Celtic because he has hit the ground running as a star for the Hoops.

However, the Scottish giants could land an even bigger talent than Engels by swooping to sign one of the reported transfer targets ahead of next season.

Celtic's interest in Premiership star

The Scottish Sun recently revealed that Celtic had an offer turned down for Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller in the January transfer window.

It was claimed that the Hoops and Italian side Udinese had bids rejected for the Scotland U21 international, who remained at Fir Park for the second half of this season.

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The outlet added that Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise are lining up a swoop for the Scottish starlet in the upcoming summer transfer window, with a fee of £5m said to be on the cards.

Celtic must, now, press ahead with another attempt to sign the Motherwell sensation when the summer window opens for business, because he has the potential to be an even bigger talent than Engels for the Bhoys.

Why Miller is an even bigger talent than Engels

Firstly, Miller is three years younger than the Belgian midfielder, who plays in the same position as him, and has already established himself as a regular starter in the Premiership.

He has started 48 matches in the Scottish top-flight since the start of last season, which shows that the teenage gem already has plenty of experience in the league despite his age.

This also means that he has even more time left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player in comparison to Engels, as he has established himself as a star at first-team level at a much younger age.

Miller’s performances in the Premiership for Motherwell, including his stunning assist against Celtic last season in the clip below, also suggest that he could offer even more than the Belgian ace in the short-term as well.

The Scottish ace, who has been hailed as “ridiculous” by pundit James McFadden, has the quality to offer a similar level of creativity whilst providing more to the team out of possession.

Appearances

31

28

Big chances created

11

10

Key passes per game

1.7

1.6

Assists

5

6

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.8

3.1

Ball recoveries per game

2.5

6.5

Duel success rate

48%

52%

As you can see in the table above, Miller, despite playing for an inferior side at Premiership level, has only created one fewer ‘big chance’ in three fewer appearances.

The Motherwell dynamo has, however, won the ball back far more frequently for his side and come out on top in a higher percentage of his duels with other midfielders.

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Therefore, Celtic could land an even bigger talent than Engels by signing Miller because he has performed as well as the Hoops star in possession, whilst doing more for his team defensively, and is three years younger than him.

It is now down to the club to get a deal over the line for the teenage starlet, who could develop into a star for the Scottish giants next season and for many seasons to come.

Brighton & Hove Albion are now eyeing a move for a “world-class” goalkeeper to replace Bart Verbruggen this summer, according to a report.

Verbruggen attracting interest after impressive performances

Brighton have enjoyed another solid campaign in the Premier League, with a top-half finish looking increasingly likely, and their goalkeeper has caught the eye with some impressive performances.

Most recently, Verbruggen kept a clean sheet in the Seagulls’ 2-0 triumph at Wolverhampton Wanderers, making two saves from inside the box to keep the Old Gold at bay, which earned him a 7.7 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest of any player.

The Netherlands international has also put in some top displays for his national side, making some impressive saves in his side’s UEFA Nations League clash against Spain back in March.

As such, it is little wonder the Dutchman is now starting to attract attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, with a report from The Sun revealing that Real Madrid are now eyeing a shock deal for the shot-stopper this summer.

In the same report, it is detailed that Brighton are now running the rule over top-class replacements for the 22-year-old, with Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher one of the goalkeepers under consideration, having tracked the Irishman for quite some time.

Reports from elsewhere have revealed the Reds have set an asking price of £40m for Kelleher, so the Seagulls will need to be willing to spend big, should they decide to pursue a move for the goalkeeper.

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ByCharlie Smith Oct 9, 2025 "World-class" Kelleher could be ideal Verbruggen replacement

Of course, Fabian Hurzeler will be hoping to keep hold of Verbruggen beyond the end of the campaign, but it could be difficult to retain the goalkeeper’s services if Real Madrid come calling, and there are signs the Liverpool shot-stopper could be an ideal replacement.

While Alisson has remained Arne Slot’s first-choice option between the sticks, the Irishman has certainly played a role in the Reds’ Premier League title triumph, making 10 appearances while the Brazilian was sidelined due to injury.

During that time, the 26-year-old received very high praise from Andy Robertson, who described his teammate as “world-class”.

Not only that, but the Ireland international ranks highly across some key goalkeeping metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Clean sheet %

50% (99th percentile)

Goals against

1.07 (81st percentile)

Save % (penalty kicks)

100% (98th percentile)

Having proven himself in the Premier League with the champions, Kelleher could be a fantastic replacement for Verbruggen this summer, but Hurzeler will be hoping Madrid cool their interest in his goalkeeper.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is now ready to cash in on a £150,000-a-week player who is happy to leave the club, according to a new report.

Aston Villa face Man Utd in two separate transfer battles

As the Premier League enters the month of May, transfer business is expected to heat up, and at Villa Park, there is an expectation there is going to be a lot of coming and going, as there has been ever since Emery joined the club.

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The transfer window has yet to open, and already the Villans find themselves in two separate battles with Manchester United. The first is for goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who currently plays for Espanyol.

The shot-stopper has impressed in La Liga, and he is now wanted by both Premier League teams, as they have their eyes on strengthening their goalkeeper department. Villa are looking to win the race for Garcia by acting fast, and they are willing to trigger his release clause, which stands at £21 million. United are not out of the race though, as they have made contact with the player’s representatives over a deal to come to Old Trafford.

The second battle Villa face against United is signing teenager Christian Kofane from Albacete Balompié. The 18-year-old is wanted by Villa, United and Newcastle United, as well as many other top teams across Europe. His recent form in front of goal has put him further in the spotlight, and once again, he is a player who has a release clause, but this time a low one, as he would cost as little as £4.2 million.

Emery ready to wave goodbye to Emi Martinez

Winning the race to sign Garcia may be more significant for the Villans, as according to TBR Football, Emery now wants to sell goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who is ready to leave the Premier League club.

The report states that Saudi Pro League clubs are ready to make a move for Martinez, who won the World Cup with Argentina back in 2022. It goes on to add that Villa are interested in doing business over a possible sale, despite the fact that he is still under contract until 2029. Meanwhile, Martinez is also interested in a move away from Villa Park, after joining the club in September 2020.

The 32-year-old, who earns a weekly wage of £150,000 at Villa Park, has become one of the strongest keepers in the Premier League as well as European football. But the fact that Villa have shown an interest in Garcia could mean they see now as the ideal time for the club to cash in and bring in a younger replacement.

Emi Martinez’s 24/25 Premier League stats
Apps	33
Clean Sheets	5
Goals conceded	45
Goals conceded per game	1.4
Saves made	87
Penalty saves	1/2
Saves per game	2.6 (66%)
Errors leading to a shot	5
Errors leading to a goal	1

This season has been a slight struggle for Villa and Martinez in terms of keeping out the goals, as they have conceded 45 goals so far in the league with Martinez in goal, and the Argentine has kept just five clean sheets, which is lower than the nine he kept last season.

Ipswich Town have now finally been put out of their Premier League misery with Saturday’s disappointing 3-0 defeat at Newcastle United officially confirming their inevitable relegation.

Kieran McKenna’s side have managed to raise some smiles among their fanbase recently with a draw on the road at Chelsea one memorable result across April, alongside a 2-1 win away at Andoni Iraola’s tough AFC Bournemouth outfit, but back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and the Magpies proved to be the fatal body blow.

Ipswich’s task on Tyneside to try and pick up an unexpected win was made ever more difficult by Ben Johnson’s dismissal deep into the first half, with the number 18 letting his side down massively on the big occasion.

Johnson's performance in numbers

Unfortunately, this will have soured Johnson’s reputation amongst the Suffolk masses, considering he had been in the good books after scoring and assisting in that aforementioned 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

But, at St James’ Park, the ex-West Ham United man lost his cool, with two quickfire bookings – the second being a petulant drag back of Alexander Isak’s shirt – resulting in the 25-year-old despondently trudging off the pitch.

Soon after, the exciting striker he fouled would fire the Magpies into the lead from the penalty spot, with the result only pointing in one direction from then on in.

When he was still on the St James’ Park turf, Johnson would throw himself about admirably with four duels won, but that positive number meant very little after the red card was brandished.

Still, he wasn’t the sole underperformer from the away side’s perspective, with one of Johnson’s teammates enduring an equally frustrating afternoon as Ipswich’s Premier League fate was sealed.

Ipswich dud was as bad as Johnson

Ipswich were hanging on for dear life throughout the first half, with the direct aftermath of Johnson’s dismissal even seeing Luke Woolfenden clear a Newcastle effort off the line.

McKenna would have been praying that his team could hold out until the half-time interval to regroup, but Julio Enciso would rashly tangle with an advancing Jacob Murphy in the box during first-half added-on time to his manager’s dismay, leading to a spot-kick being given.

Away from this incident, Enciso struggled throughout his choppy 71-minute spell against Howe’s men, with the Brighton and Hove Albion loanee only able to register one effort at Nick Pope’s net.

Moreover, the 21-year-old attacker only amassed one successful dribble from five attempted, on top of only completing a meagre eight accurate passes from his unmemorable 31 touches of the ball.

Minutes played

71

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

31

Accurate passes

8/12 (67%)

Possession lost

15x

Shots

1

Successful dribbles

1/5

Total duels won

4/17

Stats by Sofascore

The lacklustre numbers don’t stop there, with Enciso, unlike Johnson, timid when asserting himself into duels versus the Toon, leading to a bumper 13 duels being lost by the Paraguayan.

It could well be time for McKenna to axe the out-of-sorts South American despite previously notching up an impressive four goal contributions donning Ipswich blue, knowing full well the 21-year-old will just return back to the comforts of the Seagulls shortly when his Portman Road deal expires.

Conor Chaplin was given a brief run-out in his place against Newcastle and is more likely to stick it out with the Tractor Boys when EFL football is served back up, with McKenna and Co bruised by relegation but already hopeful of an immediate return when their Premier League adventure ends next month.

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17 defeats. That’s the dismal record Manchester United have been on the receiving end of this season.

Despite that, they could still qualify for the Champions League. It’s funny how football all works out, isn’t it?

Just days ago, the Red Devils were celebrating their place in the Europa League final, but things just continue to go from bad to worse on the domestic scene.

Last weekend, they were on the end of a 4-3 defeat at Brentford and despite that win over Bilbao in midweek, they could not carry any momentum in this weekend’s events.

West Ham were the visitors to old Trafford on this occasion and they came away with a 2-0 win, Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen scoring.

United didn’t get on the scoresheet but they really should have. They may have scored seven across their two semi-final legs but in the Premier League, it’s all been rather laboured in the final third.

Why Man United’s attack is struggling

This was never going to be an overnight fix for Ruben Amorim upon replacing Erik ten Hag but not even the former Sporting coach would have expected things to be quite this challenging.

One of the biggest reasons for their lack of potency hasn’t just been the finishing ability of Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund but it could be argued that there’s a lack of creativity and the squad doesn’t possess the right players to get the most out of Amorim’s system.

Patrick Dorgu was signed in January as a wing-back but the manager will need to strengthen significantly in those areas over the summer.

Dorgu

With Amad also injured for the last few months, it’s meant that United have had to rely solely on Bruno Fernandes to carve out goalscoring opportunities. The captain has had a wonderful campaign, registering 38 goal involvements in all competitions, but even his threat has waned in the last several weeks, failing to score a Premier League goal in his last six matches.

So, with Fernandes faltering, they’ve not really had an answer elsewhere. That was all too apparent against West Ham on Sunday.

Yes, the squad may have been fatigued, but it’s evident that, first and foremost, Fernandes doesn’t thrive as well in a deeper position and secondly, that Kobbie Mainoo does not suit this system, playing in one of the central no.10 positions.

He doesn’t score many goals at the best of times and even a re-energised Mason Mount couldn’t expose the Hammers this weekend.

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Hojlund too has struggled, largely due to a lack of service. Truth be told, he should have found the net against Graham Potter’s men, only emphasising the problems Amorim faces in their forward line.

How Hojlund is now becoming Man United’s new Martial

Let’s cast our minds back to the summer of 2015. It’s September and Anthony Martial has just become the most expensive teenager of all time, trading the principality of Monaco for a move to the north west of England in a deal worth £36m.

At the time, he was being billed as one of France’s next great football players. In fact, Martial was rated so highly that one part of the terms in his move involved a Ballon d’Or clause which would see Monaco receive another payment should the forward be named the world’s best player.

Well, it’s safe to say he never even came close to living up to that hype. Martial spent nine years at Old Trafford in a stint where he failed to live up to the immense promise many expected of him.

Across 317 appearances in United red, he did actually score 90 goals which is a pretty impressive record by all accounts.

15 of those came in his debut campaign and there was there was even the 23-goal season of 2019/20 to shout about. However, from that moment onwards, he only bagged another 20 in United colours before departing in 2024. He’s now at AEK Athens in Greece.

There are certain similarities between Hojlund and Martial here. Signed for an enormous fee as a young forward, a ridiculous £72m to be exact, the Dane had a promising first season and could still come good.

He netted 16 goals in his first season at the club, one more than Martial’s opening year, but it does feel as though Hojlund’s United career will also go down as a story of unfulfilled promise.

The simple fact is that despite boasting some impressive attributes, namely a powerful running style and the ability to gallop down the channels, he’s an incredibly frustrating player all the same.

There has certainly been a lack of service for the former Atalanta striker this season but even when given chances, he’s fluffed his lines. That was certainly the case against West Ham on Sunday.

Hojlund vs West Ham

Minutes played

90

Touches

31

Accurate passes

9/15 (60%)

Shots on target

2

Shots off target

4

Expected goals (xG)

1.31

Successful dribbles

0/2

Big chances missed

2

Ground duels won

1/6

Aerial duels won

3/8

Possession lost

13x

Stats via Sofascore.

In the process of amassing just 31 touches and only completing 60% of his passes, he wasted two glorious chances which rather typified his season.

To his credit, Hojlund busted a gut to get on the end of the first one, but after Amad had played his teammate in, the 20-year-old could only stick the shot straight at the on-rushing Alphonse Areola. The second opportunity was even more glaring.

About three or four yards out, the net was gaping and ready for Hojlund to find the net, only for Areola to race across his line and keep out the shot. It was a remarkable save but it certainly looked easier to score than it did to miss.

The £85k-per-week forward was handed a low 4/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst as a result, who himself lamented that late effort that Areola denied.

While there are some pretty obvious differences between Hojlund and Martial, notably that the latter did go through a prolific spell, their stories of being signed for a colossal sum of money at a young age bear similarities.

Amorim and Co will just hope he can find more consistency than the Frenchman ever did on English shores.

Related Amorim must axe 4/10 Man Utd star who was as bad as Ugarte vs West Ham

Manchester United suffered a 17th defeat of the Premier League season.

Posts 1 ByMatt Dawson May 11, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta are now clashing over the Gunners’ top target for a key area of the squad, with both men wanting different players.

Arsenal tipped for crucial transfer decision this summer

The north Londoners lost out on a place in the Champions League final to PSG, despite battering 15-time European champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, and fell miles behind Liverpool in this year’s Premier League title race.

Arsenal in advanced talks to sign "exciting" 24 year-old after Zubimendi

The Gunners are seen as favourites.

ByEmilio Galantini May 15, 2025

Injuries and a lack of potency in the final third took their toll on an Arsenal side, with Arteta’s men drawing more games than any other Premier League side in the top 12 so far (14), which highlights their serious issue when it comes to finishing teams off.

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

Only Liverpool, Aston Villa and Chelsea have created more big chances than Arsenal this season, as per official stats from the Premier League, but their shortage of wins in comparison to Arne Slot’s side in particular strongly indicates a struggle to fully capitalise on these opportunities.

As such, critics have pinpointed the absence of a prolific number nine as the main cause of this.

Mikel Merino has been forced to deputise as an emergency striker for much of the campaign, following Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz’s serious long-term injuries, with Berta prioritising the signing of a centre-forward for Arsenal this summer to help provide more potency in the final third.

“Arsenal have got a bit of a problem,” said former Premier League scout Mick Brown to Football Insider recently.

“Arteta has to decide what type of centre-forward it is that he wants to lead the line. And it’s a huge decision for him because it’s one they have to get right. If you’re a team that, for the majority of the time, has the ball and you’re playing in the opponents’ half, you’re playing in a congested area.

“So are they looking for somebody who has a bit of physical presence who can bully defenders, get on the end of crosses and you can bounce things off him? Or do they want a clever, ball-playing type who will drop in to link play with the likes of Odegaard?

“The names that are being spoken about seem to be a bit all over the place – they have to make a decision about the type of forward they want.”

Arteta and Berta in Arsenal disagreement over signing Sesko or Gyokeres

According to reports from Portugal this week, specifically A Bola, Arsenal are making significant progress on a move for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, who’s bagged 52 goals over another prolific campaign in the Primeira Liga.

Meanwhile, as per other media sources, RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko remains in the picture as a target following his own career-best season in the Bundesliga.

The prolific duo are both expected to depart their clubs for under £70 million, with Sesko’s release clause currently standing at around £62 million and “machine” Gyokeres commanding a price tag of £63 million.

Either would be a stellar option, going by their excellent campaigns abroad, but there appears to be an ongoing debate over who Arsenal should try and sign behind-the-scenes at N5.

According to journalist Simon Phillips, writing via his Substack, Arteta and Berta are in an Arsenal disagreement over whether they should sign Sesko or Gyokeres.

Arteta personally wants the former at Arsenal next season, while Berta actually prefers they go for the latter.

“Mikel Arteta wants Sesko at Arsenal, but Andrea Berta prefers them to go for Viktor Gyokeres,” wrote Phillips.

“So there is a disagreement there at the moment.”

With both men heavily linked, this is a very intriguing aspect of Arsenal’s search for a new forward, as it appears Berta and Arteta have different ideas on how to improve the squad.