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Back in the Premier League after a long absence, Sunderland have wasted no time in trying to establish themselves as more than just relegation candidates.

In the summer, the club spent £141.5m – the second-highest spend by a promoted side in English football history, behind only Nottingham Forest in 2022.

That money brought in Habib Diarra (Strasbourg), Simon Adingra (Brighton), Chemsdine Talbi (Club Brugge), Noah Sadiki (Union SG), Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen), and Nordi Mukiele (PSG).

Such investment has been rewarded early.

With three wins from their opening fixtures, Sunderland sit fifth in the Premier League, a position even their most optimistic supporters could not have imagined at this stage.

The challenge ahead is sustaining that form, particularly with a trip to Old Trafford looming this weekend.

For all the headline arrivals, though – alongside the headline makers like three-goal hero, Wilson Isidor – it is perhaps the least expected of their summer deals that is proving to be the most significant.

Sunderland's previous £30m sensation

Sunderland fans know better than most the importance of having a goalkeeper who can make the difference at both club and international level.

Their academy produced Jordan Pickford, who emerged from a series of loans to displace Vito Mannone in 2016/17.

That season, Pickford was so impressive that he was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year Award, a rare honour for a keeper.

When Sunderland were relegated at the end of that campaign, Pickford became a prized asset.

Everton swooped with a £30m deal, which remains one of the most lucrative sales in the club’s history.

Since then, Pickford has made 325 appearances for Everton, keeping 91 clean sheets, and has established himself as England’s undisputed No.1 with 78 caps, producing defining moments in penalty shootouts at the World Cup and European Championships.

That legacy of homegrown excellence set the bar high for any future Sunderland keeper.

While most of the focus has been on flashy outfield signings this summer, it is the man between the posts who is beginning to capture the same kind of acclaim Pickford once did.

Sunderland's next £30m star in the making

Signed quietly from NEC Nijmegen for £9m, Robin Roefs has been nothing short of outstanding in his first Premier League season.

The 22-year-old Dutch youth international, with ten U21 caps to his name, has played every minute of Sunderland’s campaign so far – 540 minutes in total – and already has three clean sheets to his name.

Described by Andy Sixsmith as having had an “excellent start” to life at Sunderland – while being dubbed “absolutely awesome” by Kevin Phillips – Roefs has shown maturity beyond his years.

While he was at fault for a goal conceded against Aston Villa – palming a shot into the roof of his own net – his response since then has highlighted his resilience and temperament.

Statistically, he has been elite: a save percentage of 82.5% (99th percentile), a clean sheet rate of 50% (99th percentile), and a cross-stopping percentage of 10% (91st percentile).

A direct comparison with Pickford’s current numbers underlines the scale of his start, with the pair deemed to be statistically similar players, as per FBref.

Matches Played

6

6

Saves

18

11

Clean Sheets

3

2

Penalties Saved

1

1

Last season, Roefs averaged 3.0 saves per 90 minutes, compared to Pickford’s 1.83. His save percentage of 82.6% far outstrips Pickford’s 72.2%, and he has conceded just 0.67 goals per 90 against Pickford’s 1.0.

Even in clean sheet percentage, Roefs comes out on top—50% to 33.3%.

It is no surprise, then, that Roefs has also been likened in style to Barcelona’s Joan Garcia and Arsenal’s David Raya, as per Fbref, both keepers renowned for combining strong shot-stopping with modern distribution.

For Sunderland, having a player of that calibre between the sticks provides a foundation for their survival hopes and long-term ambitions.

Supporters may have expected their big-money forwards or high-profile midfield additions to steal the spotlight, with Isidor certainly flourishing despite the step up, but it is Robin Roefs who has been their standout.

Just as Pickford’s rise once brought Sunderland significant acclaim and financial reward, there is already a sense that Roefs could follow a similar path—both in terms of on-field impact and, in time, market value.

At only 22, Sunderland may already have unearthed their most important signing of the summer.

Not Xhaka: Sunderland's "remarkable" star looks like their best signing

Sunderland sealed the best signing of their summer when landing this remarkable star.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 2, 2025

Leeds United finally scored a goal from open play in the Premier League in their exciting 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers away from home on Saturday.

The Whites had only scored one goal, a penalty against Everton, in their opening four matches of the top-flight campaign, which created concerns over the attacking quality within the group.

Daniel Farke’s side hit back at the critics with three goals in the first half at the Molineux, two coming from open play, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach, and Noah Okafor all got themselves on the scoresheet.

Stach’s goal was the pick of the bunch. The summer signing from Hoffenheim’s belting free-kick into the top corner was a beautiful goal, and he followed that up with an assist for Okafor’s strike.

That win does not put all concerns over the quality of the squad to bed, though, firstly because Wolves have lost all five of their matches in the division and appear to be one of the weaker teams in the league.

Secondly, because there are still some players in the team who are yet to reach lift-off in the Premier League, Brenden Aaronson is one of them.

Why Brenden Aaronson needs to step up for Leeds

To his credit, the USA international is a hard-working player who will always put in a shift and leave everything on the pitch with his relentless pressing and desire to win possession back.

Unfortunately, though, Aaronson’s lack of physicality often means that his hard work goes unrewarded at Premier League level, because opposition players are faster and stronger than him.

For example, the USNMT star has not won a single aerial duel in the division so far, across five appearances, per Sofascore, and he has already been dribbled past six times, ranking in the bottom 6% of wingers in the league in that statistic, per FotMob.

Aaronson showed flashes of quality in the Championship last season, scoring nine goals and providing two assists in 46 matches, but he has yet to prove that he is good enough for the Premier League.

His performances when the West Yorkshire outfit were last in the big time do not help the idea that he is not up to scratch at this level, as he was not up to the task in the 2022/23 campaign.

Appearances

36

xG

3.86

Goals

1

xA

2.59

Assists

3

Ground duel success rate

43%

Aerial duel success rate

17%

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson hugely underperformed in front of goal and lost the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air in that season, as Leeds were relegated from the Premier League.

This is why the 24-year-old attacker has to step up in the present day and start to show that he can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis, having failed to provide any goal contributions in five league games so far this term.

The lack of quality provided by Aaronson at the top end of the pitch should enhance the feeling of regret that the club should have for cashing in on a player who has gone on to be even better than the former RB Salzburg star.

Leeds had Polish attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz on their books before they decided to cash in on him in March 2023, for a fee of £874k, per Transfermarkt.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

What the versatile forward has achieved since moving on from Elland Road suggests that the Whites had a mare by allowing him to move on for a fee that was less than £1m.

Why Leeds United should have kept Mateusz Bogusz

Bogusz only played three times for the first-team, starting two of those matches, at Leeds before his move to LAFC in 2023, which means that the midfield star did not get many opportunities to shine in West Yorkshire.

The Poland international’s transfer to the MLS provided him with the chance to play regular football and showcase his quality at the top end of the pitch week-in-week-out, and he grasped that chance with both hands.

Bogusz, who was hailed as a “dangerous” player by reporter Greg Beacham, scored 24 goals and provided 19 assists in 90 matches for LAFC in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he provided goals and assists on a regular basis.

The 24-year-old star, who is the same age as Aaronson, proved that he could produce consistent performances in the final third, mostly playing as an attacking midfielder for the American outfit.

Appearances

36

46

xG

9.20

11.43

Goals

16

9

Big chances created

9

9

xA

6.11

6.05

Assists

8

2

As you can see in the table above, Bogusz’s performances in the MLS during the 2024 season were more impressive, particularly from a goalscoring perspective, than Aaronson’s were in the Championship for Farke’s dominant side.

These statistics suggest that the Whites would have been better off with the Poland international in the number ten position, because he could have offered more quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals at the top end of the pitch.

As well as missing out on a quality player, Leeds also missed out on a bigger payday. Cruz Azul swooped in to sign the attacking midfielder for a fee of £7.4m in January of this year, which is significantly more than the £874k that the Whites raked in for his services in 2023.

At the time of writing (23/09/2025), Bogusz is valued at £6.5m by Transfermarkt after a return of two goals and seven assists in 32 outings for the Mexican side. This means that his value has soared by 644% from the £874k that he was sold for less than three years ago.

It's not Darlow: Leeds star is in danger of becoming their new Meslier

This Leeds United star is in danger of becoming the next Illan Meslier at Elland Road.

ByDan Emery Sep 16, 2025

Therefore, Leeds must regret cashing in on Bogusz for multiple reasons, because he would be an upgrade on one of the club’s current attackers, Aaronson, and because they missed out on millions.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma is facing a very uncertain future under Thomas Frank, following a less-than ideal start to the Dane’s tenure in charge.

Off the field, ex-chairman Daniel Levy has dominated headlines, after the polarising official was pushed to resign from his post after 24 years, with the Lewis family ushering in a new era at Spurs.

ENIC are reportedly planning to pump more cash into the club, and this windfall could be reinvested into their transfer activity in a bid to get Tottenham competing with the Premier League six for major silverware (Sky Sports).

While supporters will be wary of that old saying ‘the grass isn’t always greener’, it is a very intriguing time for the Lilywhites, but it is unlikely Bissouma will be along for the ride long-term.

The Mali international is out of contract next summer and Frank has already penalised the player for persistent lateness to training, which resulted in Bissouma missing out on a place in Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad.

Villarreal (home)

September 16

Bodo/Glimt (away)

September 30

Monaco (away)

October 22

FC Copenhagen (home)

November 4

PSG (away)

November 26

Slavia Prague (home)

December 9

Borussia Dortmund (home)

January 20

Eintracht Frankfurt (away)

January 28

He was also left out of the side which travelled to face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup last month, with Bissouma yet to make a single competitive appearance under Frank.

The transfer windows in Turkey, Mexico, Portugal and Saudi Arabia remain open for the time being, giving Spurs a chance to offload the £100,000-per-week ace even after the UK deadline on September 1.

Tottenham are open to offers for Bissouma, according to Sky’s Michael Bridge, but Fabrizio Romano says things have gone quiet when it comes to a potential exit for the 29-year-old and Frank’s side are not actively pushing to get rid.

Given the hectic fixture schedule awaiting Spurs, perhaps Frank is planning to keep Bissouma around in case of emergency as a squad player in the Premier League, with the ex-Brighton star fighting his way back to full fitness right now after sustaining an injury.

Bissouma held talks to join Galatasaray in the summer and fellow Süper Lig side Fenerbache also held an interest, but according to West Ham insider Claret & Hugh, Tottenham’s east London rivals were offered the chance to sign him too.

Tottenham offered Yves Bissouma to West Ham twice in a swap deal for Lucas Paqueta

C&H report, via an insider at West Ham, that Tottenham floated Bissouma towards the London Stadium on two separate occasions, with Spurs also proposing a straight loan swap deal for Brazil international Lucas Paqueta.

Before they sealed a £52 million deal for Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, Spurs were actively pursuing a playmaker — seeing two very advanced moves for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze fall through in very dramatic fashion.

Paqueta was being targeted by Tottenham as an alternative to the duo, but the former Lyon star ended up staying with Graham Potter.

Spurs’ attempts to agree a swap deal involving Paqueta and Bissouma apparently had “no chance”.

The 28-year-old is now attempting to recapture the form he displayed from his early Hammers days, before Paqueta was embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal which derailed his career.

He would’ve been an intriguing signing for Spurs and only the third player to join them from West Ham in 14 years, after Scott Parker and Mohammed Kudus, but Simons’ sky-high potential has the fanbase very excited ahead of the Dutchman’s imminent debut.

على الرغم من بلوغ لويس سواريز مهاجم إنتر ميامي المخضرم، الثامنة والثلاثين من عمره، إلا أنه ما زال يواصل تحطيم الأرقام القياسية.

وكان لويس سواريز قد ساهم في فوز إنتر ميامي الساحق برباعية نظيفة ضد أتالانتا يونايتد، في الدوري الأمريكي لكرة القدم، على ملعب تشيس.

ونشرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، أن لويس سواريز بالهدف الذي سجله مع إنتر ميامي، قد وصل للهدف رقم 600 في مسيرته الاحترافية، ويعد هذا الرقم فلكيًا، لم يحققه إلا نخبة من أساطير كرة القدم العالمية.

اقرأ أيضاً.. ماسكيرانو يكشف كواليس اتفاقه مع ميسي بعد غيابه عن مباراة الأرجنتين ويتغزل في ألبا

وجاء هدف لويس سواريز في الدقيقة السادسة، عندما استقبل الكرة بإبعاد من خط دفاع المنافس ليسددها بقوة على الطائر في شباك أتالانتا يونايتد.

وكتب سواريز بعد المباراة على صفحته الرسمية على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي حول وصوله لهذا الرقم: “إذا قلت إنني حلمت بذلك فأنا أكذب، لم أتخيل يوماً أن أحقق شيئاً كهذا في مسيرتي”.

وأضاف: “شكراً لجميع الأندية التي لعبت لها، المنتخب وزملائي والمدربين والمسؤولين وعائلتي والجماهير، الجميع جزء من هذا الإنجاز، هناك دائماً صفحة أخرى”.

وجاء توزيع أهداف سواريز الـ600 في مسيرته كالتالي: أحرز 198 هدفًا مع برشلونة و111 مع أياكس امستردام و82 مع ليفربول و69 مع أوروجواي و42 مع إنتر ميامي و34 مع أتلتيكو مدريد و29 مع جريميو و20 مع ناشيونال و15 مع جرونينجن.

Manchester United will face an eye-watering compensation fee if they sack head coach Ruben Amorim inside the first year of his contract. The Portuguese is under mounting pressure to keep his job after a difficult 10 months in charge of the Red Devils, but even if their poor results continue, the Premier League giants may give the 40-year-old more time to shine rather than swinging the axe soon.

• Amorim's potential Man Utd compensation fee

  According to the , United would have to pay Amorim £12 million ($17m) if they sack him before his first anniversary in the job – which is in less than seven weeks. His current terms expire in the summer of 2027.

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• AFP
  

  Amorim under big pressure at Man Utd

  United have endured their worst start to a Premier League season in 33 years after picking up just four points in four games under Amorim's watch. If results don't improve soon, he may be looking for a new job. But the fact that the ex-Sporting CP boss is on a deal worth £6.5m a season and he has this big compensation fee hanging over him, that may keep him in the post for a while yet.

• Boss' pledge to Man Utd may not happen

  In May, Amorim said that he would walk away without compensation if United decided he wasn't the right man to take the club forward. However, the report states that is unlikely to be the case for the former Benfica player.

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• AFP
  

  What next for Amorim and Man Utd?

  Amorim's United, who are languishing in 14th in the Premier League, will hope to bounce back from their 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City last time out when they host fifth-placed Chelsea in the league on Saturday afternoon.

In addition, one demerit point was also added to Siraj and Head’s disciplinary records

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Dec-2024

Mohammed Siraj bowled Travis Head and had a heated exchange with him•Associated Press

Mohammed Siraj has been fined 20% of his match fees while Travis Head has been reprimanded following their altercation during the second Test between Australia and India in Adelaide.In addition, one demerit point was also added to Siraj and Head’s disciplinary records. This was the first offence in the last 24 months for both players.The incident occurred in the 82nd over Australia’s first innings when Siraj bowled Head and gave him an animated send-off by pointing towards the Australia change room. Head retorted verbally before leaving the field, and the on-field umpires also had a word with Siraj.Related

Siraj vs Head: The send-off that turned Adelaide Oval into the Colosseum

Head on Siraj send-off: 'I jokingly said 'well bowled', then he pointed me in the sheds'

Siraj: It's a lie that Head said 'well bowled' to me

According to the ICC statement, Siraj was found to have breached article 2.5 of the ICC code of conduct which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon dismissal.” Head, meanwhile, was found to have breached article 2.13 of ICC’s code of conduct which relates to the “abuse of a player, player support personnel, umpire or match referee during an international match.”The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Richard Kettleborough and fourth umpire Phillip Gillespie.Head, who scored 140 off 141 and was a key reason behind Australia’s emphatic ten-wicket win inside three days, later said he had jokingly said “well bowled” to Siraj, following which the bowler “pointed me in the sheds and I had my reaction as well.”Siraj, however, later claimed that it was Head who had “abused” him first and that it was a lie that he had said “well bowled”.”It was a great battle going on [with Head] and he batted really well,” Siraj told before the third day’s play. “When you get hit for a six on a good ball, it fires you up differently. And when I bowled him, I just celebrated and he abused me and you saw that on TV too. What he said in the press conference wasn’t right, it’s a lie that he said ‘well bowled’ to me.”The duo were later seen having a quiet word when Siraj came out to bat during India’s second innings with Head stationed at short leg.Both Siraj and Head admitted to their respective offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Ranjan Madugalle and there was no need for a formal hearing.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to make progress on the transfer front and have a talented midfielder lined up who could provide some tactical flexibility at Molineux, per a report.

Wolves planning to improve on last season in the Premier League

Vitor Pereira became a saviour in the West Midlands and deserves major credit for his role in turning around the fortunes of the Old Gold in the Premier League last season.

Nevertheless, Wolves star Marshall Munetsi has set out for his side to improve their position in the top-flight this time around by building up momentum rather than dragging themselves into an early survival fight.

He stated: “I’m looking forward to starting pre-season with the team and coming into the season with zero points for everyone as well because you want to start on a high. This is also the mentality that you want to integrate into the team and to also remind each other that we don’t want to be in a position that we were last year in December.

“We want to have a good pre-season, be prepared and make sure that we win maximum games, especially in the beginning, because it always matters when you get towards the end of the season, because then it becomes much more difficult to win games.”

Fer Lopez and Jorgen Strand Larsen arriving permanently will help their bid, while Wolves are keen on Hellas Verona full-back Jackson Tchatchoua to help strengthen their right-hand side if circumstances align.

Wolves ready to step up interest and make move for "elegant" £12m colossus

The Old Gold are racing their Premier League rivals to the signature of a defender.

ByDominic Lund Jul 3, 2025

Conor Gallagher could make a surprise return to English football with the Old Gold amid Atletico Madrid’s openness to offloading the former Chelsea man, and it appears he isn’t the only midfielder who could pitch up at Molineux this summer.

Wolves battling to sign Lens midfielder Neil El Aynaoui

According to Foot Mercato, Wolves are fighting to sign Lens midfielder Neil El Aynaoui, who is also subject of a £17.2 million offer from Serie A giants Roma despite his current employers looking to tie him down for another season.

Sunderland, Leeds United, AC Milan and Juventus also exist in the hunt for his signature, and he is keen to leave the French top-flight this summer for a new challenge in another division.

Five similar players to Neil El Aynaoui – (FBRef)

Hugo Larsson

Eintracht Frankfurt

Anton Stach

Hoffenheim

Rocco Reitz

Borussia Monchengladbach

Christian Norgaard

Brentford/Arsenal

Amadou Haidara

RB Leipzig

Capable of playing in a holding, central or attacking midfield role, the former Morocco Under-23 international registered eight goals and one assist in 26 matches last campaign under Will Still. El Aynaoui also created 22 chances in Ligue 1 last campaign, illustrating his capacity to turn provider for teammates on a regular basis.

Wolves have made a habit of pulling off intelligent signings over recent years and the Lens midfielder appears to be a chip off the old block in that respect, so it will be intriguing to see if they can pull off a deal.

Century stand between second-wicket pair puts Essex on front foot before rain arrives

ECB Reporters Network26-Sep-2024An unbeaten century second-wicket stand between Dean Elgar and Tom Westley before the rains came brought champions Surrey back down to earth after their week-long celebrations.Surrey completed their third successive Vitality County Championship win in their last game against Durham but were on the back foot during the 28-and-a-half overs possible until persistent heavy rain drove the players off the pitch nine minutes before lunch. By that time, Essex, who won the toss, had reached 116 for 1 with Elgar and Westley hitting an under-strength Surrey attack to all corners of Chelmsford in a stand worth 112 in 26 overs.Westley had started circumspectly but accelerated the more the partnership became entrenched. He had 11 boundaries in his 52 from 78 balls. Elgar, who passed 1000 runs for the season during his 54 from 88 balls, had started brightly before handing the initiative to his captain.Play started promptly but only after groundstaff had started pumping 4500 litres of water off the playing area from 6.30am. The operation started all over again just as they were settling in for their lunch break with play called off for the day at 2.30pm.Under heavy clouds but with some sunshine interspersed, Essex got off to a disastrous start with Robin Das lasting just six balls before he hung his bat out to Tom Lawes and helped settle whatever nerves Josh Blake might have had behind the stumps. Blake, who posted an unbeaten century at Chelmsford in the Metro Bank Cup earlier in the summer, was one of three first-class debutants for Surrey, batsman Ollie Sykes and spinner Yousef Majid completing the triumvirate.Elgar dominated the first fifty of the stand with Westley contributing just 13 to that point. The South African took three boundaries off Kemar Roach early on, two of them driven crisply through the covers. His seventh four, flicked to fine leg off Dan Lawrence, took him to four figures in his first year at Essex; a single off James Taylor carried him past fifty for the ninth time this season.Westley, who passed 1000 runs for the first time in his career last season, accelerated as the clouds turned threatening and the rain approached. He reached his sixth fifty-plus score of the year – as well as passing 700 runs – shortly after the pair’s century stand had been marked.Westley’s half-century took 76 balls, two fewer than Elgar’s, with three of his 11 fours coming in a frenetic six-ball spell against Taylor and Lawrence that was followed two balls later by four leg byes. The best of some well-placed shots from the one-time England batter was a sharp pull backward of square off Taylor

Some of Arsenal’s business in the transfer market has been questioned over the last couple of days, especially considering the big money spent by some of their rivals.

Christian Norgaard and Noni Madueke are the latest names in the mix, with the Dane already moving to the Emirates whilst the latter appears to be moving closer to a switch across the capital.

The Gunners agreed a £52m deal with Chelsea for the Englishman’s signature, in a move which is expected to see the 23-year-old be a backup to Bukayo Saka.

Such dealings are expected to just be squad additions, with various other key areas of Mikel Arteta’s side in desperate need of investment over the coming weeks.

Various targets have been on their radar in recent times, but it appears as though they could be edging closer to landing a star who could make the difference in their Premier League title charge.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new additions this summer

The attacking third has been the area of most attention this window, with Eberechi Eze one player who could still move to the club given his £68m release clause.

Real Madrid star Rodrygo remains a key option, with the Brazilian expected to be allowed to depart the LaLiga outfit this window, which could aid the Gunners’ quest for his signature.

Transfer Focus

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

However, work has been done for additions elsewhere, with Sporting CP forward Viktor Gyokeres now at long last set to become an Arsenal player.

The news was reported by a number of sources on Sunday evening, firstly by The Athletic’s David Ornstein who revealed that an agreement in principle has been reached for the Swede to move from the Portuguese side to the Emirates Stadium.

It’s revealed that a deal worth €63.5m guaranteed + €10m in add-ons has now been agreed.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has shared that a “very good phone call with Mikel Arteta” has left the deal “on the verge” of being completed, with Gunners insider Hand of Arsenal revealing that a medical has now been planned.

Why Arsenal’s latest target could be Arteta’s answer to Salah

Mohamed Salah is a player who has caused countless problems to numerous backlines within the Premier League, with every side wishing they had a talent of his quality.

The Egyptian has registered 186 goals in England’s top-flight, with his tally of 29 in his 38 outings last campaign firing Arne Slot’s outfit to the title and losing just four matches.

He’s scored 11 times in his 18 outings against the Gunners, including the equaliser in the 2-2 draw between the sides in North London back in October last year.

His two-year contract extension will see him continue to offer a constant threat to Arteta’s side once again in the near future, but the Gunners could land their answer to the forward this window.

Gyokeres could be just that man, offering the club the clinical and consistent presence in front of goal that they have desperately been lacking over recent seasons.

Their highest league goalscorer last season was Kai Havertz, who only registered nine goals, with no player managing to achieve double figures in England’s top-flight.

The Swede could be about to change that, given his record for Sporting in the 2024/25 campaign, managing to find the net on 54 occasions in his 52 outings across all competitions.

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting CP

33

39

Kylian Mbappé

Real Madrid

34

31

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

38

29

Robert Lewandowski

Barcelona

34

27

Harry Kane

Bayern Munich

31

26

Victor Osimhen

Galatsaray

30

26

Mateo Retegui

Atalanta

36

25

Gyokeres, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one analyst, has managed to register 2.2 shots on target per 90, getting 52% of his efforts on target – with such a record handing Arteta the quality he craves in front of goal.

Doubts have been raised about his all-round ability, but he’s showcased his all-round ability, creating 2.1 chances per 90, whilst winning 51% of the aerials he’s contested – subsequently offering that focal point the side need this summer.

£70m may appear to be a massive sum of money for an unproven talent, but his goalscoring record in recent seasons is certainly worth taking a risk on, with the positives outweighing the negatives.

If he can move to England and have a similar impact to Salah, he would be a sensational addition and one that could transform the club’s ambitions of ending their title drought.

Instant Norgaard upgrade: Arsenal make contact for "spectacular" £43m star

Following the signings of both Christian Nørgaard and Martín Zubimendi, Arsenal are now targeting a midfielder who is at a “spectacular level”.

ByBen Gray Jul 12, 2025

After sealing the appointment of Thomas Frank to replace Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur are now set to tackle the transfer market in preparation for an all-important campaign where they’ll be back in the Champions League.

Tottenham agree deal with Thomas Frank to become new manager

Earlier today, respected journalist Fabrizio Romano gave his famous ‘here we go’ to Frank joining Spurs, with the Lilywhites triggering his £10 million release clause and agreeing terms on the Dane’s contract.

Tottenham: Frank already urging Levy to sign "immense" £100k-a-week talent

The Dane is now set to replace Ange Postecoglou.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 10, 2025

The 51-year-old’s move to Spurs comes just five days after chairman Daniel Levy’s decision to sack Postecoglou was announced, despite the Australian ending their 17-year wait for a major trophy and guiding them back to Champions League football.

Tottenham cited their woeful domestic form last season as the main reason behind Postecoglou’s dimissal, regardless of certain squad members like James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Pedro Porro publicly speaking out in his defence and wanting the 59-year-old to continue.

Taking this into account, Frank could now be set to inherit an awkward atmosphere, and the Premier League-proven boss has an intriguing task on his hands to carry on the club’s momentum after their Europa League triumph in Bilbao.

Following their well-documented injury crisis last term, it is also imperative for Levy to back Frank in the summer transfer market.

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge recently claimed that Tottenham want to ideally strengthen all areas bar their goalkeeper, and Frank has reportedly already recommended Spurs move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze in particular (GiveMeSport).

A new wide-attacker is on the agenda, especially on the left, with out-of-favour winger Timo Werner returning to parent club RB Leipzig, despite Postecoglou initially holding high hopes for the German and calling him a “quality player”.

Tottenham hold "genuine" Jack Grealish interest

According to reliable transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, writing in a column for talkSPORT, Tottenham are targeting £300,000-per-week Man City forward Jack Grealish as an option to replace Werner on that side.

Jacobs reports that Tottenham hold a “genuine interest” in signing Grealish, but they face competition from Everton, AC Milan, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah.

His sky-high salary is a major stumbling block for any suitor, meaning a permanent sale is made all the more challenging given City value their man at around £50 million.

Realistically, a loan deal where City pay a fair percentage of Grealish’s wages is perhaps the most likely avenue for Spurs to explore a potential deal here.

Grealish would be competing with Mathys Tel for a regular starting berth on that side, with Jacobs also reporting that the Frenchman is expected to remain in north London.

The England international wants regular game time to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans in time for the World Cup next year, and Tottenham could be an ideal landing spot in that regard.