All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Manchester United booked their place in the Europa League final last night, after a 4-1 win at Old Trafford against Athletic Club, building on their triumph from the first leg.

Goals from Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro secured the win for Ruben Amorim’s side, setting up a tie with fellow Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur.

The 7-1 aggregate victory demonstrated the clinical nature posed by the Red Devils, something which they will need to replicate if they are to claim the title at the end of the month.

Should they manage to once again win in Bilbao, it would secure Champions League football for the club, putting a superb end to what’s been a terrible season on the pitch.

Despite the convincing victory, numerous players failed to deliver at the Theatre of Dreams, potentially putting their places in the side at huge risk.

United’s poor performers against Athletic Club

After Diogo Dalot’s injury, Noussair Mazraoui was forced to operate in an unnatural right wing-back role, largely featuring as part of the back three since Amorim’s arrival.

The Moroccan failed to win any of the tackles he entered, whilst losing 100% of the ground duels he contested – with last night’s showing one to forget for the former Bayern Munich star.

He wasn’t alone in failing to impress, with forward Alejandro Garnacho once again falling way below the high levels of performance he’s set for himself at United.

The youngster only managed to complete one of his three attempted dribbles and only registered one effort on goal as he failed to add to his tally in Europe this campaign.

However, despite the showings from the aforementioned duo, one other Red Devils star failed to deliver, potentially becoming a new version of one other former failure at Old Trafford.

The United player who’s becoming the new Amrabat

Midfielder Sofyan Amrabat arrived at United with high hopes of being a success last season, but ultimately failed to deliver during his temporary spell at the club.

The Moroccan, who joined on loan from Fiorentina, featured for a total of 30 times across all competitions, often being utilised as a bench player and brought on late in matches.

However, despite his poor displays, he was useful in terms of seeing out games, managing to regain possession and winning 60% of the tackles he entered at Old Trafford.

Fast forward to the present day, Amorim has found his own version of the 28-year-old in Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte, who failed to impress once again last night.

The former PSG ace has been impressive during his early days at the club, managing to follow in Amrabat’s footsteps of impressing in regaining the ball for the Red Devils.

Last night was no different, winning two tackles and seven duels, managing to break up the play in the heart of the side – undoubtedly contributing to the victory.

However, with the ball at his feet, he struggled to make a huge impact, losing possession 15 times and managing to complete just 67% of the passes he attempted.

Minutes played

62

Touches

48

Passes completed

22/33 (67%)

Possession lost

15x

Tackles won

2

Duels won

7

Dribbles completed

1/2 (50%)

Ugarte also only competed 50% of the dribbles he attempted and was unable to make a single key pass, having little to no impact on the club’s goalscoring antics.

As a result, the midfielder was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – further highlighting how poor he was throughout the triumph.

After such a showing, it’s safe to say the Uruguayan could be on borrowed time within the starting eleven, with other options needing to be considered ahead of the final.

With nothing left to play for in the league, Amorim can use the matches as an opportunity to trial other players in such a role to bolster their ambitions of claiming the trophy in the coming weeks.

Not just Mount: Man Utd's undroppable 8/10 ace now "has to start the final"

Man Utd’s late show helped to rubberstamp their place in the Europa League final

1 ByRobbie Walls May 9, 2025

Glasgow Rangers are still on the hunt for a permanent first-team manager. With each day passing, the Ibrox faithful will become more anxious about who it might be.

Pre-season will likely start in late June, which doesn’t give the board much time to find the right candidate for the job.

The takeover by the 49ers Enterprises is showing plenty of progress, but will it be completed by the time preparation begins for the 2025/26 campaign?

That much remains to be seen. There have already been a few names linked with a move to Rangers. José Mourinho was reportedly keen on a move to Glasgow, according to TEAMtalk last month, but his massive wages, plus the fact that a compensation fee would have to be paid to Fenerbahçe, surely rule him out.

Elsewhere, former RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund manager Marco Rose is another potential candidate, especially due to his connections with the Red Bull football group.

Again, his wage demands might prove to be out of reach, although things may change once the 49ers complete their takeover deal. One man who may or may not be returning to the club is Steven Gerrard.

Latest on Steven Gerrard's potential return to Rangers

The Englishman, who led the Light Blues to their last Premiership title in 2021, has been one of the favourites to become the next permanent manager.

On the surface, the move makes perfect sense. He is out of a job, knows what makes Rangers tick and most importantly, knows how to get the better of Celtic domestically.

There are differing claims over whether Gerrard is in the running to make an incredible return to Ibrox, however, with Chris Jack of the Rangers Review outlining: “It is understood that the appointment will be a manager with no previous involvement with Rangers. The new era will be a new beginning.”

That said, journalist Mike McGrath has suggested that Gerrard’s name is among the lengthy list of candidates being considered. In any case, with Athletic Club being knocked out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage, the Gers will now enter the Champions League at the second qualifying stage.

2021/22

22

12

1.86

2020/21

56

44

2.52

2019/20

54

36

2.17

2018/19

60

32

1.9

Via Transfermarkt

Those ties begin towards the end of July, indicating how urgent it is to bring a new manager in as soon as possible.

Could Danny Rohl be an ideal fit for the role?

Rangers could turn to Danny Rohl as their new manager

German manager Rohl could be the man that the 49ers are targeting as the new head coach, if recent whispers are to be believed.

It was reported by talkSPORT that the manager has left Sheffield Wednesday just days after the end of the 2024/25 Championship season.

It was believed that he had a release clause of £5m in his contract with the Owls – a figure which surely would have ruled out a move by Rangers – but now it appears as though he is without a club.

Regarding his future, Rohl has always seen himself aiming higher than the English Championship, saying: “I’ve always said that I’m very grateful to Sheffield for the opportunity I’ve been given there. And I’m someone who always wants to develop the club further.

“And to do that, you have to weigh up how far that’s still possible or whether the maximum has perhaps already been reached under the current conditions.”

If Rohl is indeed a free agent ready to be snapped up, then the 49ers could do no worse than take a look at the 35-year-old.

Why Danny Rohl could be more exciting than Steven Gerrard

Gerrard’s spell at Ibrox will live long in the memory of the supporters, especially after ending a barren decade-long wait for a league title. There were difficult times, too, however. The first couple of seasons saw the Gers struggle, especially after Christmas.

After winning the Premiership crown, Gerrard wasn’t backed sufficiently and thus failed to kick on from that moment, allowing Celtic to return to the summit of Scottish football.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows under the former Liverpool captain, and his exit still rankles with a few of the fans, that’s for sure.

In Rohl, what exactly would the Ibrox side be getting? He doesn’t have much experience managing at the highest level. Indeed, his only senior role was the Sheffield Wednesday job, where he took charge for 89 matches across all competitions, winning 34 games.

He tends to utilise a 4-2-3-1 formation, which would work out well with the players he could inherit at Rangers, no doubt about that.

Although his lack of managerial experience will be held against him, Rohl has won plenty as an assistant. Between August 2019 and June 2021, he was second in command to Hansi Flick at Bayern Munich.

Of course, the Bavarian side won the treble during the 2019/20 campaign and Rohl played a key role in this success as arguably the brains behind the trophy-laden season.

He followed Flick to the German national team, spending time as an assistant between August 2021 and September 2023. Germany failed to get out of the group stages at the 2022 World Cup, however.

Dubbed as “unbelievable” and the “best head coach” he played under by Josh Windass, it is clear Rohl has plenty to offer as a manager.

Under difficult circumstances at the Owls, he avoided relegation in 2023/24 and led them to 12th in the most recent season, missing out on a playoff spot by just ten points.

He might not be perfect, but the fact that he offers something fresh could be exactly what the 49ers group are after, instead of going over old ground with regard to Gerrard.

Manager Focus

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By moving in a different direction, the Light Blues will look towards entering a new era this summer as they look to finally end years of hurt by challenging Celtic for the domestic title.

Will Rohl be in the dugout come July? Only time will tell.

Earns more than Diomande: Rangers flop should never play at Ibrox again

The 49ers must ensure that this Rangers flop who earns more than Mohamed Diomande never plays at Ibrox again.

ByDan Emery May 8, 2025

Aston Villa have now held “exploratory talks” over a move for an “unbelievable” striker with a £64m release clause, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.

Villa set to bolster their attacking options

The summer transfer window is edging ever closer, and it is becoming apparent that Villa are keen to bolster their forward options, with a new attacking midfielder clearly of particular interest.

Rosenborg’s Sverre Nypan is the main subject of the Villans’ desires, with sporting director Monchi recently travelling to Norway for talks over a deal, while they have also joined the race for Athletic Bilbao star Oihan Sacet, as Unai Emery is a big fan.

Not only is signing a new attacking midfielder on the agenda, but there may also be a desire to bring in a new striker, given that Emery is yet to replace Jhon Duran, who moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr near the end of the January transfer window.

He could be Tielemans 2.0: Aston Villa ready move for £50m "wizard"

Aston Villa are already thinking ahead to next season

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 21, 2025

Aston Villa are now stepping up their pursuit of a striker, having made contact over deals for multiple targets, including Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, submitting an enquiry over the possibility of signing the Italian forward earlier this month.

There has now been a new update on Villa’s striker pursuit from Solhekol, who took to X to say: “Four Premier League clubs, as well as Manchester United, want to sign Matheus Cunha this summer. Arsenal and Aston Villa are among the clubs who have held exploratory talks about signing him this year. Saudi Pro League clubs are now willing to trigger his £64m release clause.”

Emery’s side are making moves to sign Cunha, but there is a feeling that Manchester United could be best-placed to win the race for his signature, as the Brazilian is not put off by their current league position and “loves” the club.

"Unbelievable" Cunha could be top signing for Villa

Marcus Rashford has been given the nod at striker in recent weeks, bagging from the penalty spot in the 2-1 defeat at Manchester City last time out, but there is no guarantee the Manchester United loanee remains at Villa Park beyond the summer.

As such, Emery may be tasked with bringing in a new striker, and the Wolves star could be a top signing, having displayed his goalscoring abilities by netting 14 Premier League goals this season.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

28

14

4

FA Cup

2

2

0

Given the level of the Brazil international’s performances, he was lauded as “unbelievable” by teammate Mario Lemina earlier this season, and at 25-years-old he is at the right age to be a long-term success at Villa Park.

There may be a temptation to keep hold of Rashford this summer, but with Barcelona now interested in the England international, it could be difficult for Aston Villa to orchestrate a deal, and Cunha could be a fantastic alternative option.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has plenty of work to do in the window, though there are still question marks remaining over one of his most recognisable stars heading into the summer.

Celtic's summer transfer plans begin to accelerate

Plenty of movement is expected in both directions at Parkhead once the off-season comes around as the Bhoys look to build for next campaign’s Champions League qualifiers.

Currently, Celtic are a point off being crowned Scottish Premiership champions and still have a domestic treble in their sights, which, in turn, is bound to raise the stock of several assets who are already well-regarded in the football world.

Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Nicolas Kuhn are among those who may attract interest from elsewhere this summer, making it a priority for Brendan Rodgers to do his due diligence on potential replacements.

According to reports, Slovan Bratislava star David Strelec is a target at Parkhead and may be available for an overall package of £5.9 million, alleviating some of the strain on Celtic’s slim forward line.

Furthermore, Mathias Kvistgaarden is a long-term Hoops pursuit, even if his £13.5 million valuation could discourage the Parkhead hierarchy from pushing forward in their bid to sign the Denmark Under-21 international.

The next Liel Abada: Celtic plotting exciting move for £3m star

Celtic are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be Liel Abada 2.0 fo the club.

1 ByDan Emery Apr 14, 2025

Either way, there is an acknowledgment that a refresh will be needed to maintain hunger for silverware over the next few years. Several Celtic stars may consider their options this summer; it is just the nature of a squad cycle’s lifespan in Glasgow’s east end.

Nevertheless, there could now be a twist involving one of Rodgers’ disciples who has seemed destined to leave the club for a few months, per reports.

Celtic star Greg Taylor could u-turn and extend his contract

In recent times, Greg Taylor has become a prime candidate to leave Celtic as even with weeks until the end of the season, no news of a contract extension has emerged regarding the Scotland international and he is now set to become a free agent this summer.

Nevertheless, journalist Mark Guidi has made clear that Taylor could yet stay at the Bhoys, claiming that the gap between player and club in negotiations over a new deal isn’t ‘insurmountable’ despite suggestions to the contrary.

Greg Taylor’s successful spell at Celtic

Appearances

210

Goals

9

Assists

33

Trophies

10

Guidi stated on Go Radio: “Maybe having seen the reception he got from the Celtic supporters on Saturday, he’s clearly a very popular member of the squad.

“He’s a good guy around the dressing room, good guy around the training ground. He got his family, his young family, involved on Saturday.

“Maybe he’ll just think, do you know what? If Celtic can come up with a bit, by all accounts, they are a good bit apart in terms of what he’s been offered and what he’s looking for. It’s a good bit, by all accounts, but it’s not insurmountable.”

Kieran Tierney has been quietly announced ahead of the summer. Nevertheless, his frequent injury problems over recent years mean a reliable competitor in his position will be needed to handle another congested fixture schedule.

Taylor won’t have designs on playing second fiddle, but competition for your role is the nature of the beast at Celtic. Following months of speculation, could an unexpected stay still be on the cards?

Aston Villa have now made an offer to sign a “generational talent”, and they have moved ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester City in the race for his signature, according to a report.

Aston Villa gearing up for Paris Saint-Germain clash

Villa are hitting a rich vein of form at the perfect stage of the season, with a 2-1 victory against Nottingham Forest last time out boosting their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League considerably.

However, tonight’s game could be the Villans’ toughest of the season so far, as they are faced with the daunting task of travelling to Paris Saint-Germain for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Aston Villa’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Paris Saint-Germain (a)

April 9th

Southampton (a)

April 12th

Paris Saint-Germain (h)

April 15th

Newcastle United (h)

April 19th

Manchester City (a)

April 22nd

These kinds of nights are what fans have dreamed about for decades, and Unai Emery will no doubt be fully focused on the task at hand, but the manager has also been stepping up his summer transfer plans as of late.

A new centre-back is of particular interest, and £50m will be enough to seal a deal for Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande, while Emery has also personally requested the signing of Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero.

Defence is not the only area in which Aston Villa are looking to strengthen, however, with a report from GiveMeSport stating they have now made an offer to sign Rosenborg midfielder Sverre Nypan.

Arsenal have also made an approach for the 18-year-old, with signing for the Gunners or the Villans deemed to be more likely than a move to Manchester City, despite interest from Pep Guardiola’s side.

There is also fresh competition for Nypan’s signature from Borussia Dortmund, with the transfer battle now hotting up, and there is a feeling any deal could amount to a fee of around £12.5m.

"Generational talent" Nypan could have "huge future ahead"

The teenager has already established himself as an important player for Rosenborg, displaying his attacking prowess by amassing 14 goals and 11 assists in 62 appearances for the Norwegian club.

Not only that, but the starlet has been hailed as a “generational talent” by a Norwegian scout, while football talent scout Jacek Kulig believes he has a “huge future ahead”.

The Norwegian midfielder’s performances for Rosenborg indicate he could soon be ready to make the step up to the Premier League, so it is exciting news that Aston Villa have now made an opening bid.

Aston Villa want to sign £67m star who Man Utd are preparing an offer for

Aston Villa face a Premier League fight to sign a new goalkeeper this summer.

1 ByBrett Worthington Apr 7, 2025

However, it may be difficult to win the race for Nypan’s signature, given the interest from Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal, with the Gunners now in a very strong position to reach the Champions League semi-final after a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid yesterday.

Chelsea have built a squad full of brilliant players over the last few years, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella all being genuinely world-class.

However, it would also be fair to say that, so far, their summer signings have not exactly hit the ground running.

In particular, Jamie Gittens has failed to live up to the expectations people had of him after his impressive campaign with Borussia Dortmund last year, during which he recorded 17 goal involvements.

So, it’s not a surprise to see reports linking Chelsea with an exceptionally exciting winger who could end up being a significant upgrade on the Englishman.

Chelsea target Gittens upgrade

With the transfer window less than a month away from reopening, Chelsea have once again been linked with a plethora of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, while there has been plenty of talk about Emmanuel Emegha, the Blues have also been linked with his free-scoring teammate, Joaquín Panichelli.

On top of that, the West Londoners have also been one of several sides linked with Nottingham Forest’s imposing Murillo.

However, while both players would improve Maresca’s squad, because of where they play, neither could be described as an upgrade on Gittens, unlike Yan Diamonde.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a handful of top teams interested in signing the Ivorian winger.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Blues’ board are convinced about the 19-year-old wonderkid and see him fitting into the team perfectly.

However, on top of having to get ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, the Pensionsers would also have to stump up a lot of money to secure the player.

According to the report, RB Leipzig would want up to €100m to sell their star asset, which is about £87m, but even so, Diomande looks like a player Chelsea should go all out for, especially as he’d be a significant Gittens upgrade.

How Diomande compares Gittens

Now, while Diomande is someone who can play on both flanks and has actually spent a little more time on the right recently, he is seen as a left-sided player.

Therefore, were he to join Chelsea next month, one of his main rivals for game time would be Gittens, but who is the better player?

Well, when it comes to raw output, which is fundamentally the most crucial metric of all, it’s not even close.

For example, in 15 first-team appearances this season, totalling just 951 minutes, the Ivorian star has scored seven goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 86.45 minutes, which is a rate of return that lends credence to journalist Bence Bocsák’s claim that he is a “generational talent.”

Appearances

15

18

Minutes

951′

830′

Goals

7

1

Assists

4

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.73

0.27

Minutes per Goal Involvement

86.45

138.33′

In stark contrast, the Englishman has scored a single goal and provided five assists in 18 appearances this season, totalling 830 minutes.

That comes out to a pretty underwhelming average of a goal involvement every three games, or every 138.33 minutes.

Moreover, a caveat about the Reading-born ace’s age cannot be made, as the Leipzig star is just 19 and already running games in attack.

On top of having the better output, the Abidjan-born superstar in the making also has some brilliant underlying numbers to his name.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Finally, while the competition is less fierce, it is impressive that the Ivorian monster has already won four senior caps for his country, compared to none for the Englishman.

Ultimately, Gittens may well come good, but at the same time, Diomande is massively outperforming him and looks like someone Chelsea should break the bank on.

Fewer touches than Sanchez & 70% duels lost: Chelsea flop must be dropped

It was another night to forget for Chelsea, especially for one starter who Enzo Maresca must now drop.

ByJack Salveson Holmes 2 days ago

Sean Dyche has now personally requested the signing of a “fantastic” Istanbul Basaksehir defender Jerome Opoku at Nottingham Forest, and his current club may be tempted to cash-in.

Reinforcements may be needed in the January transfer window, given that Forest are looking like they could be involved in a relegation battle this season, although there has been an uptick in results since Dyche arrived just under a month ago.

The 54-year-old has made a solid start in the Premier League, collecting four points from his opening three games in charge and signing off before the international break with a 3-1 win against fellow strugglers Leeds United, which could be an important result come May.

The former Everton boss has experience in relegation battles, having managed to guide the Toffees to safety in the 2022-23 campaign, while also stabilising Burnley in the Premier League, so Evangelos Marinakis should have full trust in his manager as we approach the January transfer window.

Sean Dyche requests signing of Jerome Opoku

Given Dyche’s impressive start, Marinakis may be willing to back him this winter, and the Nottingham Forest boss has now personally requested the signing of Istanbul Basaksehir defender Opoku, according to a report from Africa Foot (via Sport Witness).

The 27-year-old has attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs as of late, with Everton making an offer in January, while Fulham are also in the race, so the Tricky Trees may have to fend off competition from elsewhere to secure his signature.

Such is the level of interest in the centre-back, he could become ‘one of the hottest topics’ of the upcoming window, and the Turkish club may be tempted to cash-in, given that his current contract is set to expire in 2027.

The Basaksehir defender hasn’t played in England since a spell at Plymouth Argyle in the 2020-21 campaign, at which point he received plaudits from manager Ryan Lowe, who described the 6 foot 5 colossus as “fantastic”.

Since then, the Ghana international has gone on to establish himself as an important player for Basaksehir, making 14 appearances in all competitions this season and helping his side keep clean sheets in three of their last four matches.

Opoku is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues, meaning it would be a risk for Nottingham Forest to make a move, but Dyche knows what it takes to avoid relegation from the top flight, so if the manager wants to make the Basaksehir star his first signing, Marinakis should back him.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign midfielder Dyche called "terrific"

Leeds United reportedly have no plans to part ways with head coach Daniel Farke after the club’s 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest last time out in the Premier League.

Sky Sports recently claimed that there is ‘growing discontent among supporters’ over the German manager’s position at Elland Road, but the Whites are not planning to fire him.

The West Yorkshire outfit are sat on 11 points from 11 matches and are one point above the relegation zone, which means that they are currently on course to achieve their goal of survival.

However, the Whites play Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea in three of their next four matches and may find themselves in the bottom three heading into the festive period.

Aston Villa

Elland Road

Manchester City

The Etihad

Chelsea

Elland Road

Liverpool

Elland Road

Brentford

GTech Community Stadium

Crystal Palace

Elland Road

Sunderland

Stadium of Light

Whilst one reaction to a bad run of form in that tough run of fixtures could be to remove the manager, another could be to back him with the right tools in the January window.

Adding more attacking quality to the squad should be one of the board’s priorities, because Leeds have not had enough of that in the Premier League so far this season.

Leeds United's biggest xG underperformers

The Championship champions have underperformed their xG of 12.7, scoring just 11 goals, per FBref, which shows that Farke’s players have let him down in front of goal in the top-flight.

Ultimately, the German boss cannot score the goals for them. If his coaching is creating high-quality chances on a consistent basis, as the xG suggests that it is, then it should be the players who are looked at if they are not taking those chances.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, five of the seven players who have underperformed their xG the most in the squad this season have not scored a single goal, including attackers like Joel Piroe, Jack Harrison, and Dan James.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s significant underperformance in front of goal is possibly the most frustrating, as he was signed from Everton in the summer as an experienced Premier League operator.

The £100k-per-week centre-forward, whose only goal for the club so far came against Wolves in September, has scored one goal and missed ten ‘big chances’ in ten appearances in all competitions for the Whites, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the former England international has been incredibly wasteful in the final third, which is why it would have pleased Farke to see Lukas Nmecha score with a clinical finish against Forest before the start of the break.

Calvert-Lewin’s underperformance is a cause for concern and may be why the Whites are reportedly looking at another striker to potentially add to their squad.

Leeds keeping tabs on star with club-record price tag

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds United are showing an interest in FC Midtjylland centre-forward Franculino ahead of the January transfer window.

Bailey told LeedsUnitedNews: “He’s (Franculino) got a lot of teams looking at him. West Ham like him a lot, they looked at him in the summer. Midtjylland have put a £40m price tag on him.

Transfer Focus

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

“Teams will possibly try to soften that by putting in lesser offers. He’s got an awful lot of interest; I’m told over 20 clubs across Europe like him. Leeds have looked at him, he’s on their radar, they’ve watched him.”

A £40m move for Franculino would be a club-record fee for the Whites, as it would eclipse the £35.5m deal they agreed to pay Hoffenheim for Georgino Rutter in January 2023.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the 49ers are prepared to break the club’s record transfer fee to bolster Farke’s squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Why Leeds United should sign Franculino in January

The Whites should break the bank to sign the Guinea-Bissau international in the January transfer window because he could come in as a big upgrade on Calvert-Lewin in the centre-forward position.

Since his move from Benfica in 2023, the left-footed marksman has racked up an eye-catching 52 goals and 13 assists in 99 appearances in all competitions for Midtjylland, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has averaged a goal more than every other game for the Danish side.

Three of those 52 goals have come in his four appearances in the Europa League so far this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he can deliver quality in front of goal at a respectable level.

Whilst there may be question marks over how the Danish Superliga translates to the English Premier League, there is no denying that his form for Midtjylland is incredibly eye-catching.

Appearances

9

14

Goals

1

14

Minutes per goal

615

76

Conversion rate

6%

38%

Big chances missed

6

7

Big chances created

1

3

Assists

0

3

As you can see in the table above, the Guinea-Bissau international has averaged a goal every 76 minutes, with a goal every game, in the Danish top-flight, whilst Calvert-Lewin has only managed a goal every 615 minutes.

Franculino, who was described as “simply unstoppable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has offered significantly more to his team this season than Calvert-Lewin has in the final third, as both a goalscorer and a creator.

The 21-year-old star’s all-time statistics for Midtjylland also suggest that it is not a flash in the pan, as he has a terrific overall record, and that is why he could be an exciting addition to Farke’s squad to solve their finishing problems.

Calvert-Lewin’s form for Leeds since his move from Everton has not been good enough, as evidenced by his xG underperformance, and Franculino appears to be a player who could come in and be the clinical finisher that the Whites lack, which is why he may be worth paying a club-record fee for.

Leeds have a Gelhardt upgrade out on loan who's 'similar to Summerville'

Leeds United might need to recall at least one of their loan stars…

ByRobbie Walls Nov 14, 2025

A statistic has cropped up online in recent weeks regarding Liverpool’s running in the Premier League this season – or lack thereof.

While Liverpool have adopted a cooler approach since Arne Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the dugout over a year ago, it is inexcusable that the Reds are being outworked so often this term, emphasising a haggardness that is shaping this frustrating campaign.

Mohamed Salah’s work rate has been questioned this season, accentuated by the 33-year-old’s startling drop-off in front of goal, but he is only one part of a malfunctioning system, and it’s clear that something needs to change.

Slot has the tools to make it an internal fix, but with the January transfer window fast approaching, rumours have emerged concerning Liverpool’s desire to sign a robust new wide forward.

Liverpool's search for a new winger

With Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz both leaving something to be desired down the left channel this season, Liverpool may be interested in signing a more Luis Diaz-esque forward this winter.

This likely wasn’t pre-planned in the FSG offices, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and there’s no question that the Merseysiders are missing the Colombian’s energy and electric presence.

Salah is ageing, and so it’s understandable that he should lack his one-time athleticism. However, that does not alter the problem at hand for Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes.

Salah has always been conservative with his energy, though, and Liverpool actually need a profile tuned more toward that of Sadio Mane.

Well, they may have found their man, with Caught Offside revealing that Antoine Semenyo is right at the top of FSG’s shortlist. However, Liverpool will find thick competition in the shape of Manchester United, who are ready to pip their arch-rivals to the Ghanaian’s signature.

Semenyo, 26, would cost at least £65m to prise away from Bournemouth, though it’s felt that a more accurate figure falls toward the £80m ballpark.

Why Liverpool want to sign Semenyo

With six goals and three assists to his name in the Premier League this season, Semenyo has been one of the most in-form players around, his efforts leading content creator Liam Canning to praise his “world-class” technical ability.

Fast and furious and two-footed, this is a maverick of a forward who has sharpened his skills in the Premier League across the past several years and is now ready for a role at a team like Liverpool, with Semenyo actually described as “the closest you’ll find to peak Mane right now” by Reds analyst Josh Williams.

Indeed, Semenyo is really showing himself to be a superstar, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for goals scored and the top 9% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

Such metrics show why he could be such a Mane-esque player for Liverpool, and looking at how he’s doing this term when such statistics are collated against the Senegalese’s final year under Klopp’s wing in the Premier League, you begin to see why Liverpool – and Man United – are so keen.

Matches (starts)

34 (32)

11 (11)

Goals

16

6

Assists

2

3

Shots (on target)*

2.9 (1.1)

2.1 (1.3)

Big chances missed

13

5

Accurate passes

23.6 (77%)

19.8 (77%)

Chances created*

1.3

1.0

Succ. dribbles*

1.4 (61%)

1.9 (46%)

Tackles*

1.0

1.6

Duels won*

4.7

6.5

Liverpool have missed Mane ever since selling him to Bayern Munich in 2022, and with Salah now getting on, Semenyo could provide the injection of energy and positivity that the club so clearly need.

The Anfield side might have won their opening-day clash against the Cherries, but Semenyo set his own tone with a stunning two-goal performance, causing Slot’s backline any number of issues throughout the evening.

Diaz was a fine player for Liverpool, but Mane was a cut above. There is a player profile that Liverpool dearly miss, and if they pull off a deal for Semenyo, they will sign a star with a similar skillset who could restore Liverpool’s equilibrium.

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