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The final day of the Premier League season saw controversy and agony for Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side were on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions League, but ended up falling down to sixth in the table and only reaching the Europa League after a 2-0 loss away to Manchester United.

The controversial moment came with the scoreline at 0-0. Morgan Rogers, a key player for the Villans, stole the ball from Altay Bayindir’s grasp and converted home. However, the referee blew the whistle before the England international scored, meaning VAR could not intervene.

With Villa missing out on Champions League football, you may think that will stop them competing for the big signings this summer with those who did qualify. However, before the window has even opened, that does not seem to be the case.

The latest Villa transfer news

It seems like the Villans will need to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer. Recent reports suggest that Emiliano Martinez will leave the club, with former side Arsenal lining up a move if David Raya leaves North London.

Transfer Focus

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

If that is the case, reports in one Spanish newspaper, via Sport Witness, suggest the Villans have placed a bid for his replacement.

That man is Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who is also wanted by La Liga giants Barcelona, as well as the Gunners and south coast outfit Bournemouth.

There is also interest from Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli, who have just won their fourth Scudetto. If Villa really have made a bid, it would need to be in the region of £21m, which is thought to be his release clause.

Why Garcia would be a good signing

There is perhaps no goalkeeper who is more highly rated in Europe this season than Garcia. The 24-year-old, who was born in Sallent de Llobregat, a small town outside of Barcelona, was named in WhoScored’s La Liga team of the season.

Indeed, that was the sort of impression he left on the rest of European football this term, hence the interest from Villa and co. Garcia kept eight clean sheets in 38 La Liga appearances for Espanyol this season.

According to FBref, there were just six goalkeepers in La Liga who kept more clean sheets than Garcia in 2024/25. Impressively, he made the most saves with 140, and had the fifth highest save rate of 75.5%.

A colossus between the sticks, the 24-year-old was described as a “big game player” by football analyst Ben Mattinson. Garcia certainly stood up for the count against Real Madrid in 2024/25.

At the start of September, he made ten saves in a single game, which he repeated against Real Betis days later. In the return fixture in February, he kept a clean sheet to help his side win 1-0.

If Villa do bring Garcia to the club this summer, they will be hoping he can be as good as Pau Torres has been in that famous Claret and Blue shirt. The Spaniard made the move to Villa Park back in 2023 for £31.5m from LaLiga side Villarreal.

During his two-year stay at Villa Park so far, the defender has made 73 appearances, even managing to chip in with two goals and three assists, although both of those strikes came last season.

Once described as a “fantastic player” by former Man United midfielder Owen Hargreaves, Torres has been excellent for Villa. That is in spite of some injuries which he has been able to bounce back from.

If Villa do bring Garcia to the club this summer, they will surely be hoping he can have as much of an impact in the West Midlands as Torres has so far, following his own switch from Spain.

He certainly brings great pedigree, and will surely be hoping to have a big part to play as they look to win the Europa League next season.

Emery's next Saka: Aston Villa learn asking price for "elusive" star

Aston Villa are in the hunt for a Turkish winger this summer.

By
Ross Kilvington

May 24, 2025

Despite their success since his departure, Aston Villa have never really found a like-for-like replacement for Jack Grealish. His sale was something of a catalyst at Villa Park, helping his boyhood club spend money freely and become a side challenging for European football.

Grealish was sensational in that famous Claret and Blue shirt. In 213 appearances, he scored 32 goals and grabbed 43 assists, playing a huge role in their Premier League survival in his final two seasons.

In terms of the skillset he has, it feels like the West Midlands club never really managed to find someone in the same mould. However, this summer, that could all change with Villa’s latest transfer rumour.

Aston Villa’s latest transfer target

It is never easy to replace a player as influential as Grealish, not only in terms of his ability but also the leadership he provides. With that being said, they have been linked with one Premier League star who could be the player they’re looking for.

Transfer Focus

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

According to a recent report from The Athletic, Villa are one of the many top Premier League sides in the race for Southampton attacker Tyler Dibling. The report explains that Unai Emery’s side have ‘watched’ Dibling, ahead of what will be a busy summer transfer window at Villa Park.

It is a summer in which he will seemingly leave the Saints. Football Insider confirmed at the start of the week that Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City are also interested in a move for the attacker, meaning Villa will face competition for his signature.

As for a price, the same article suggests the South Coast outfit would want £55m for a transfer to happen.

Why Dibling would be a good signing

Last season for Southampton was a disaster. They finished rock bottom of the Premier League, and just about avoided being the worst Premier League side of all time. However, in such a poor campaign, one shining light was Dibling.

The 19-year-old attacker, who is an England under-21 international, left a real impression in his 33 top-flight appearances. Despite the fact that he only scored two goals and assisted one other, he showcased real skill.

In fact, take a look at one of the two assists he grabbed against Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup last term. The winger showed some excellent ball-carrying skills under pressure to evade the defender, before playing a well-weighted pass to Mateus Fernandes, who fired home.

It is easy to see why Ryan Garry, who coached Dibling at England under-17 level, said he plays with an “X-Factor”. There is a certain swagger about Dibling’s game which is similar, in many ways, to Grealish, suggesting he could be Villa’s replacement for their former number 10.

In fact, former England international Stuart Pierce picked up on the similarities earlier in the season when the Saints played Man United. He described the teenager as a “devotee” of Grealish and compared “his mannerisms and how he carries himself” to the England star.

This is further personified in this video of Grealish playing for England back in 2020. Look at the way he carries the ball and is able to shield it from the oncoming defender.

Comparing that to the earlier clip of Dibling, the similarities are, once again, clear.

Looking at Grealish’s FBref stats from the 2019/20 Premier League season, an iconic campaign for him in a Villa shirt, they are not too dissimilar to Dibling’s this term. For example, the Saints star averaged 2.16 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, compared to 2.03 each game for Grealish.

Dibling seems like he could be the second coming of Grealish at Villa Park. The similarities are endless, and whilst the 19-year-old hasn’t necessarily had the goal and assist output to live up to Grealish yet, he is clearly a huge talent.

£55m is roughly half of what they made for Grealish, and being a carbon copy of one of their most iconic players seems a fair way to theoretically spend the money he brought to the club.

A "magical" Bailey upgrade: £13m star now open to signing for Aston Villa

With Leon Bailey potentially set to leave Aston Villa for Saudi Arabia this month, Unai Emery should insist that they sign a “magical” replacement.

By
Ben Gray

Jun 3, 2025

Celtic are looking to bolster their squad during the summer transfer window in order to bring even more trophies back to Parkhead in the 2025/26 campaign.

The Hoops have already officially confirmed their first signing of the window, with Kieran Tierney due to return to Glasgow after his contract with Arsenal expires at the end of this month.

The Scotland international will join the club on a free transfer to compete for a spot at left-back in Brendan Rodgers’ team next season, whilst Greg Taylor is out of contract this summer and looks to be on his way out of Parkhead.

Tierney will not be the only player to come through the doors before the window slams shut, though, as the Hoops are also reportedly closing in on a new striker.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reports that Fulham centre-forward Callum Osmand has agreed terms to join the Scottish Premiership champions from the Premier League side, and the English team will be due compensation for the 19-year-old attacker.

What Callum Osmand could bring to Celtic

It was reported earlier this week that the teenage attacker is set to be a part of the first-team set-up because Rodgers rates him and wants to provide the youngster with an opportunity to stake a claim for a spot in the squad next season.

That is despite the fact that Osmand has yet to make a single senior appearance in his career to date. He has not been out on loan and has not been selected in the first-team by Marco Silva in Fulham, as he has had Carlos Vinicius, Rodrigo Muniz, and Raul Jimenez ahead of him, three seasoned Premier League number nines.

Rodgers has clearly seen something in the young striker, as he did when Moussa Dembele arrived from the Cottagers in a similar deal back in 2016, and Osmand’s statistics at youth level may explain what the manager has seen in him.

The Wales youth international scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 22 games for the Premier League side’s academy teams during the 2024/25 campaign, and he has been prolific throughout his youth career.

As you can see in the table above, Osmand has been a reliable goalscorer at youth level for Fulham for several years, and now he is set to have an opportunity to showcase his quality at first-team level in Scotland.

This means that he could bring a goal threat off the bench for Celtic, as a back-up to the likes of Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda, if he can adapt to senior football.

Meanwhile, though, the Hoops are also eyeing up a deal for another player from England who could be an even more exciting addition for Rodgers.

Celtic in the running to sign Championship wing wizard

Pink Un journalist Connor Southwell has revealed that Celtic are one of a number of clubs in the running to land Blackburn Rovers winger Tyrhys Dolan in the summer transfer window.

In the Pink Un’s Q&A, a Norwich City supporter asked reporters if the English attacker was an option for the Canaries this summer, and was met with an unfortunate response.

Transfer Focus

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

Southwell answered: “One they like. But so does most of the Championship and the big two in Scotland. I think the level of competition around him has made that a very unlikely prospect, if I’m being honest.”

The journalist stated that Liam Manning’s team are unlikely to sign the 23-year-old winger, whose contract at Ewood Park is due to expire at the end of this month, due to the level of interest from elsewhere.

Celtic and Rangers, along with a host of other teams in the English Championship, are in the running to land the winger, and their interest looks set to end Norwich’s chances of signing him.

Why Dolan would be more exciting than Osmand

Whilst Osmand looks set to be an exciting addition to the club due to his academy record, the young Fulham striker is very much an unknown quantity due to his lack of senior experience in football.

Dolan, on the other hand, has played 210 matches for Blackburn by the age of 23. This means that he is an incredibly experienced operator, despite his relatively young age, and that Celtic would know what they are getting from him.

The English wing wizard, who was hailed as “terrific” by journalist Elliott Jackson, has been there and done it at a good level in the Championship in England, which is why he would be an even more exciting signing than Osmand.

Dolan’s performances in the second tier for Blackburn were very promising in the 2024/25 campaign, and suggest that he could make a big impact at the top end of the pitch for the Hoops immediately if they were to sign him this summer.

As you can see in the table above, Dolan racked up 14 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined for Rovers this season, and that is despite them not being one of the top teams in the division.

Blackburn only averaged 49.1% per game in the Championship, compared to Celtic’s 75.1% possession per match in the Premiership. This suggests that the winger would have more chances to showcase his quality in the final third due to the share of the ball that the Hoops have week-in-week-out.

Now, imagine what Dolan could do in a dominant and front-footed team after he has already proven that he can deliver goals and assists in a midtable team in the Championship. That is an exciting thought!

That thought is also why the Blackburn star would be an even more exciting signing than Osmand, who is yet to prove himself at senior level, as he could hit the ground running by making an instant impact in the Premiership next season.

Sinclair 2.0: £4.6m star who "wins games on his own" is Celtic's top target

Celtic are eyeing up a deal for a winger who could be their next Scott Sinclair.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 10, 2025

Club World Cup hopefuls Benfica are set to raid Wolverhampton Wanderers should they be knocked out of the competition earlier than expected, according to a recent report.

2025 Club World Cup gets underway

The FIFA Club World Cup has been given a makeover this year, with 32 teams now qualifying for a competition that will take place every four years, just like the World Cup. Teams such as Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Manchester City have qualified from Europe, with many other teams from across the globe also participating in the USA.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 13, 2025

The competition got underway this weekend as Inter Miami and Al Ahly played out a goalless draw. Since then, Bayern Munich have thrashed Auckland City 10-0 and Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain have beaten Atlético Madrid 4-0.

Representing England in this competition are Chelsea and Man City, who previously won this competition back in 2023. Chelsea get their tournament underway on Monday as they face Los Angeles Football Club, while City have to wait until Wednesday when they play against Wydad Casablanca.

Benfica eyeing Pereira if booted from Club World Cup

Benfica are participating in the competition and are preparing for their opening match against Boca Juniors on Monday. Ahead of that game, The Sun reports that should Benfica flop in the Club World Cup, they will make a move for Wolves’ Vitor Pereira.

Bruno Lage is currently the manager of the Portuguese side, someone Wolves know well, given his time at Molineux. The 49-year-old is under growing pressure following last season’s performances, and should they be knocked out early, club president Rui Costa is ready to move for Pereira.

This news comes at a time when Wolves have already seen big-name players such as Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri leave to join Manchester United and Manchester City, and now their manager could be on the way out.

Pereira arrived at Molineux in December 2024, taking charge of 25 matches, and in that time oversaw an excellent turnaround which saw Wolves go from destined for relegation to a comfortable finish at the end of the season.

The Portuguese has won 10 of his 22 Premier League matches in charge, which led to pundit and former Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer heaping huge praise on Pereira, stating what he has done has been “incredible”.

“He really has done an incredible job, the whole atmosphere on the pitch and off the pitch.

“He’s given everyone belief and confidence, made them more solid at the back. All over the park, they’re better, so he’s done a great job.”

Molineux chiefs are reportedly scrambling to tie the manager down and ward off any interest from Benfica, but fans may have a new team to root for in the revised Club World Cup given the impact it could have in the West Midlands.

It’s set to be a busy summer transfer window at Newcastle United.

Ahead of the Toon Army’s Champions League return, Eddie Howe will want to bolster his squad, to avoid the mass injury crisis he endured during the Magpies’ last continental campaign two seasons ago.

James Trafford is poised to arrive from Burnley for £40m, thereby seemingly taking over from Nick Pope as the number one goalkeeper, but could Newcastle be about to make some attacking additions too?

Newcastle targeting a new right-winger

As reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Newcastle have had a £45m bid rejected by Nottingham Forest for winger Anthony Elanga.

Meantime, speaking on the Totally Football Show, Daniel Storey outlines how Newcastle actually bid £5m more for the Swedish international last summer, who has since enjoyed a “really good season”, and that owner Evangelos Marinakis “will have absolutely none of that”, believing that the “proven, young” winger is worth closer to £60m.

So, with this deal seemingly unlikely to come to fruition, Steve Kay of Football Transfers claims that the Magpies are ready to submit a bid worth £50m to West Ham for winger Mohammed Kudus.

They add that Howe has identified the Ghanaian as a ‘key target’ amidst his ‘uncertain future’ in East London.

Meantime, Jacob Steinberg and Will Unwin of the Guardian note that Kudus’ contract contains an £85m release clause, although he could be available for closer to £60m, given the Hammers’ ongoing concerns surrounding Profitability & Sustainability rules, with Tottenham also looking to do a deal with their fierce rivals.

Transfer Focus

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

So, could Kudus swap the East End for the North East?

Why Mohammed Kudus would be a success at Newcastle

Since joining West Ham from Ajax for a reported fee of £37m two summers ago, Kudus has scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists in 80 appearances for the Irons.

His performances have come in for widespread praise, with host Dan Woffenden labelling him “electric”, while Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines describes him as an “explosive, skilful player”, adding that he possesses a “great burst of acceleration”, while his direct dribbling means he has the potential to become a “world-class winger”.

Adam Scully of Total Football Analysis agrees, asserting that Kudus’ primary attribute is ‘undoubtedly his dribbling ability’, impressed by his ‘sumptuous talents and low centre of gravity’.

Well, statistics from the Premier League since the Ghanaian’s arrival certainly back up these observations.

As the table outlines, since arriving in the Premier League, Kudus has topped the charts for attempted take-ons both seasons, while only Jérémy Doku, Eberechi Eze and Matheus Cunha have also featured in the top ten both times.

This goal against Freiburg in the Europa League is rather reminiscent of former Newcastle United hero Hatem Ben Arfa.

During his time on Tyneside, the Frenchman scored 14 goals in 86 appearances, but his occasional flashes of brilliance made him, as noted by Louise Taylor of the Guardian, ‘the sort of footballer fans adore’, praising his ‘exquisite touch… superior vision, perfect balance and elusive movement’.

Meantime, Jean-Baptiste Caillet of Opta’s the Analyst asserted that he was ‘France’s best dribbler since Zinédine Zidane’, while Peter McVitie of Goal will always remember his ‘dazzling firepower’ and ‘awesome displays of skill’.

All of Ben Arfa’s talent was never made more abundantly clear than during this goal against Bolton Wanderers in April 2012.

Fair to say, Kudus and Ben Arfa – both left-footers who can operately centrally or on the flanks – share similar characteristics. Both could be described as precocious talents, who are occasionally unstoppable but often lack consistency.

Thus, if Elanga proves unattainable, Newcastle should do all they can to snap up Kudus, given that the Ghanaian would get Geordie supporters off their seats, if nothing else!

He'll take Isak to new levels: Newcastle set to launch bid for £60m star

Newcastle are hoping to make an attacking signing after missing out on Joao Pedro.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 1, 2025

Paul Gascoigne is one of the geatest players in Glasgow Rangers history and undoubtedbly one of the most entertaining footballers of all time.

‘Gazza’ joined the Gers from Lazio in 1995 and won the lot in his debut campaign at Ibrox, lifting the Premiership title and the Scottish Cup while being crowned the SFWA Player of the Year and PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

Perhaps his finest moment in a Blue shirt came against Aberdeen in that 1995-96 campaign, as a hat-trick at Ibrox which included a stunning solo goal sealed the league title.

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Rangers have had plenty of legendary players turn out for them over the years.

By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 29, 2024

The following year is remembered for Gascoigne’s masterclass in the Scottish League Cup final against Hearts, as he scored twice in a 4-3 victory, and Ally McCoist recalls an argument with the match-winner that day: “The half-time whistle goes and we’re up the tunnel and we’re still at it the two of us, we’re in the dressing room and we’re still at it, so Walter Smith comes in and says: ‘Right, everybody shut up and calm down’.

“But Gascoigne is still raging and I can see Walter getting angrier and angrier. I’ve known Walter long enough by this point to just keep my mouth shut, but Gascoigne keeps going.

“Eventually Walter picks him up by the scruff of the neck and hangs him up on the peg where you put your coats and he says: ‘Paul, I will not tell you again to shut up!’”

He continued: “Eventually when it calmed down Gazza got up, went out of the dressing room and straight into the director’s room – in his gear by the way! – and had a whiskey.

“He threw it down his neck, came back into the dressing room, sat down, Walter did his team talk, he walked out for the second half and he scored two goals. He was unbelievable.”

McCoist and Gascoigne played with some incredible names during that era – perhaps no surprise given they won nine straight league titles – from Richard Gough to Brian Laudrup, and Gazza has revealed it was the Dane who blew teammates away in training.

Gascoigne: Laudrup was 'one of the best players in the world'

Speaking about his greatest teammates, Gascoigne named EURO 1992 winner Laudrup as a ‘match-winner’ who was ‘virtually untouchable’ both in games and on the training ground.

Laudrup won three titles in four seasons at Glasgow, while both he and his brother are widely regarded as two of Denmark’s greatest ever players.

Even in a team stacked full of big names, his elegance, quick feet and creativity stood out like a sore thumb.

Leicester City may be on the hunt for a new manager, but that doesn’t mean they have put a pause on recruiting players with pre-season now underway.

Leicester City's hunt for a new manager

Ruud van Nistelrooy was relieved of his duties at Leicester City nine weeks after their relegation from the Premier League, which has put the cat among the pigeons regarding who his successor will be at the King Power Stadium.

Chris Wilder and Sean Dyche have been mentioned in connection with the role, though the chaotic nature of events at the Foxes hasn’t impressed former player Matt Piper.

He stated: “Flip-flopping around from different managers, different journeymen, just reeks of what we’ve all been pointing fingers at the club for. It all seems a little bit unprofessional, not well planned out and scraping the barrel. No candidates really on that list that you’re really excited about or I’m certainly not anyway.”

Certainly, there is an understandable level of dissatisfaction from supporters heading into this season and questions are there to be asked about the process that led to Van Nistelrooy’s future being decided so late on in the grand scheme of things.

Nevertheless, recruitment must go on in the East Midlands, and Leicester could pounce for free agent Jack Kingdon if enough of their budget is put aside to thrash out a deal.

Retaining key stars or assets for the future will also be important. However, 16-year-old Louis Page has rejected a professional contract at the Foxes, which will need to be looked at.

Either way, there may finally be some positivity for Leicester fans to get their teeth into amid reports involving their pursuit of a high-profile England international.

Leicester City keen to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

According to Haber Turk, Leicester City are keen on bringing Besiktas midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to the King Power and his current employers are happy to offload him this summer.

The Turkish giants could move to terminate his contract, leaving the former Liverpool man free to leave for nothing, though Premier League newcomers Burnley are also in hot pursuit of the 31-year-old.

Leicester City may now approach 4-4-1-1 boss who has coached 322 PL matches

Ruud van Nistelrooy could find himself ousted at the King Power Stadium.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jun 5, 2025

Earning 35 caps for England in his pomp, Oxlade-Chamberlain scored once in 20 appearances for Besiktas last term, struggling to break into their side regularly due to a string of injury issues.

It remains to be seen whether he would be willing to drop to the Championship, but his affordability will definitely appeal to those in the corridors of power at the Foxes.

Once labelled “brilliant” by Paul Merson, Oxlade-Chamberlain still has more to give at a high level. Nevertheless, his wage demands will need to be factored in should Leicester press ahead in negotiations, as he currently earns £69,000-a-week with Besiktas.

For the first time this transfer window, the transfer activity in through the door at Birmingham City seems to have slowed down.

After all, in the space of just a week recently, Birmingham had managed to welcome in the likes of Demarai Gray, Tommy Doyle, Kyogo Furuhashi, and many other star names to the camp, with some calm perhaps now needed to balance the books appropriately.

Still, when it comes to Chris Davies and Co., there might well be another sublime addition just waiting around the corner at any moment, with Birmingham not giving up all hope just yet that they can resign this midfield ace very soon, among other targets being chased after.

Birmingham still pursuing move for EFL ace

Reports do seem to suggest that the Blues will have to move on some bodies to be able to finance some more high-profile captures, especially if they want to be successful in landing Hwang Hee-Chan up top.

It was recently revealed that Birmingham had their eye on the Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker, but the £14m fee required to win his services – on top of his potential steep wage costs – has rendered this a deal that will be difficult to get over the line right now.

There are more unwelcome obstacles in Birmingham’s way with other targets, too, with Kieran Dowell, who was expected to be surplus to requirements on his return to Rangers, now being utilised in pre-season under a fresh set of managerial ideas from Russell Martin.

A recent updated report from Birmingham Live does suggest that a permanent move could still be on the cards, with Davies once stating it would be “something we will have to look into” over arranging for the £16k-per-week star to come back to St. Andrew’s for good.

Whilst this has gone cold for the moment, Birmingham do have plenty of time on their hands to try and work out a deal, with Dowell perhaps a dream teammate for Kyogo to bounce off of as he grows accustomed to leading the line in the Championship.

Why Dowell could be a dream for Kyogo

Whilst the Japanese ace has proven himself to be a reliable goal machine in Scotland – as seen in his ridiculous tally of 85 strikes leading the line with venom for Celtic – he has never tested himself before in the challenging terrain of the EFL’s elite league.

Therefore, he could well be daunted by the prospect of having to be the Blues’ leading man here, particularly as he’s coming into Davies’ camp off the back of a barren spell in France with Rennes and the fact that he’s been purchased for a fee around the excessive £10m mark.

Those nerves would surely be quelled knowing he has the likes of such a reliable Championship playmaker in the form of Dowell by his side, with the second-tier veteran notching up a hefty 26 goals and 12 assists across his last 123 outings in the division. On top of that, 25 big chances have also been created, which will be music to the ears of a poacher-like forward in Kyogo.

At the height of his goalscoring powers at Celtic during the 2022/23 season, which saw him net a blistering 27 Scottish Premiership strikes, the potent 30-year-old would only need to average a mere 13.3 touches per league game to cause said widespread damage, meaning he should become even more prolific if he latches onto plenty of Dowell’s defence-splitting passes to come.

Whilst they used to be divided across enemy lines in Glasgow, both Dowell and Kyogo might well form a dream partnership in the West Midlands very soon, with Davies even going as far as to describe the 27-year-old as “high quality” last campaign when he popped up with four assists from just 17 League One starts.

He might well have only scratched the surface of what he’s capable of at St. Andrew’s with his promising loan stint, with the Championship more his bread and butter, as Birmingham aim to potentially bring him back to take their new division by storm.

He'd be Kyogo 2.0: Birmingham looking at incredible deal to sign £14m star

Birmingham City could seal another ambitious deal very soon.

3

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 15, 2025

Arsenal and Tottenham are both monitoring highly-rated Swindon Town goalkeeper Anton Robinson, a 6ft 5in shot-stopper born in 2008. The teenager, already making waves in England’s lower leagues, has attracted interest from the north London giants, who are preparing to battle for his signature as he emerges as one of the brightest young talents in the country.

• Arsenal & Spurs monitoring  goalkeeper Anton Robinson
• Robinson, 6ft 5in, already made EFL Trophy bench appearance
• The teenager seen as rare talent with potential to reach elite level

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Robinson, who only turned 16 this year, has impressed scouts with his commanding presence and maturity. He recently featured on the bench for Swindon's senior team in an EFL Trophy clash, underlining his rapid progression. Both Spurs and Arsenal are keeping close tabs on his development as per TeamTalk.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Born in 2008, Robinson already measures a towering 6ft 5in and has been praised for his command of the penalty area. His early exposure to first-team football has only strengthened his reputation. Scouts believe he could develop into one of the most promising goalkeepers of his generation.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Obviously, at the moment, both North London sides have a lot of quality in the goalkeeping department. Arsenal currently have David Raya as their main goalkeeper with Kepa Arrizabalaga as backup. As for Tottenham, they boast a strong starter in Guglielmo Vicario, and have Antonin Kinsky as his deputy. 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ROBINSON?

  Swindon will likely face pressure to keep hold of their prized prospect as Arsenal and Spurs weigh up moves. A decision may hinge on Robinson’s pathway to regular first-team minutes. For now, both clubs will continue tracking his progress closely.

Nottingham Forest are now preparing to make a new bid for a “special” attacking midfielder, having already submitted one offer for his services.

Forest eyeing attacking midfielder despite Gibbs-White's new deal

Possibly Forest’s most important piece of business in the transfer window to date was securing Morgan Gibbs-White’s future at the City Ground, although talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan was left a little bemused by Evangelos Marinakis’ behaviour in the subsequent interview.

Jordan said: “The fact that he stood there and intimidated the hell out of the player, I think actually controlled the narrative.

“Marinakis is a strong character, like him or loathe him. Some of the things I think I’m quite impressed with him, other things I’m not so impressed with him about. He means what he says, and he’s a strong character.”

Marinakis was clearly determined to keep hold of Gibbs-White, but with the Tricky Trees set to embark on a Europa League campaign next season, Nuno may need a deeper squad, and another attacking midfielder is of interest.

In an update on X, BBC reporter James Lewer has now revealed that Nottingham Forest are discussing making an improved bid for Manchester City’s James McAtee, having submitted an offer of around £25m for the attacker, which was knocked back by their Premier League rivals.

However, Man City may still be open to a sale this summer, should Forest be willing to increase their offer, with a fee of £35m being touted amid links to Tottenham Hotspur, while West Ham United and Everton have also been named as potential suitors.

Alongside Ndoye: Nottingham Forest starting talks to sign £65k-p/w winger

The Tricky Trees are set to open discussions over a deal for a forward.

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 29, 2025

"Special" McAtee could excel at the City Ground

The 22-year-old has found it difficult to force his way into Pep Guardiola’s star-studded starting XI, but he has impressed at international level as of late, picking up one goal and two assists en-route to England U21s’ recent European Championships triumph.

The Salford-born midfielder was captain of the young Three Lions side, displaying his leadership abilities, while he has also received praise from Guardiola in the past, with the City boss describing the Englishman as a “special” player.

Despite not getting much of a look-in at City, the maestro already has a great deal of senior experience from his time with Sheffield United, picking up 14 goals and eight assists for the Blades across campaigns in both the Championship and the Premier League.

Given that game time at City has been so limited, however, making just 15 Premier League appearances last term, it is evident that McAtee needs to move on this summer, and there are clear signs he could excel at the City Ground.