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da apostebet： Leeds United have registered their interest in signing a £20m+ star who has been called “the best” in his league, as per a new transfer report.

Leeds transfer targets ahead of Premier League return

da bwin： The Whites ended their campaign earlier this month by winning the Championship title on the final day of the season, with Manor Solomon’s injury-time winner against Plymouth Argyle taking Leeds to 100 points.

Daniel Farke and his side don’t have to worry about the playoffs and can instead prepare for a Premier League return, with the 49ers Enterprises looking to splash the cash ahead of the 2025/26 season.

It hasn’t taken long for a number of players to be linked with moves to Elland Road, with Leeds looking to make several signings who have Premier League experience.

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In recent days, Leeds have reportedly been moving to sign Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters, who is out of contract with the Saints in the summer.

West Ham United right-back Vladimir Coufal is another who will be available on a free and is being eyed by the Whites, seen as competition for Jayden Bogle following his brilliant first season as a Leeds player.

Further forward, Man City’s James McAtee is wanted by Leeds, however, plenty of other Premier League sides are keen on the attacking midfielder including clubs who can offer European football.

Something the 49ers could potentially use to their advantage is links with Rangers with a takeover close to being completed at Ibrox. Nicolas Raskin, valued at more than £20m, is one player who was linked with swapping Glasgow for Yorkshire last month, and a new update has emerged.

Leeds register interest in signing Rangers star Raskin

According to reports from TEAMtalk, Leeds have seemingly made an approach by registering their interest in signing Raskin from Rangers.

It is stated ‘that a serious bid could be lodged in the coming weeks’, with Aston Villa also keen on the midfielder, however, Rangers are preparing to offer Raskin a new contract to keep him in Scotland.

Rangers Technical Director Nils Koppen recently hailed the 24-year-old, who can play as a holding or box-to-box midfielder, calling him “the best midfielder in Scotland”.

“With his big warrior’s heart, he has made himself enormously popular with our fan base. After his strong performances in the Old Firm against Celtic and in Europe against Manchester United, Tottenham and Fenerbahce, he is seen by our supporters as the best midfielder in Scotland.”

Raskin’s stats at Rangers

Games

94

Goals

5

Assists

13

Yellow cards

16

Minutes played

6,730

RTBF also praised the midfielder following his debut for Belgium earlier this year. “Nicolas Raskin was fantastic for his debut. If there’s one player who scored points today in the eyes of Rudi Garcia and his staff, it was him… [He] has the ability to play forward and build the game. I can’t see how Rudi Garcia could do without him in the next match.”

Should a move to Elland Road materialise, Raskin could rival Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu, star man Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev for a starting spot in the Premier League.

da luck： Aston Villa are battling Manchester United in the race to sign a teenager who has a release clause worth just £4 million, according to a new report.

Aston Villa's plans for the summer begin to take shape

da dobrowin： Villa are hoping to seal a spot in next season’s Champions League, as the race to finish in the top five in the Premier League gathers pace in the final weeks of the campaign. But whether the Midlands side secure Champions League football or not, it is likely to be a busy summer for Unai Emery and co. as most summers have been since his arrival.

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There is a lot to decide in regards to the futures of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, both of whom are on loan from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively. Meanwhile, rumours have started to begin regarding the future of Morgan Rogers, as he is linked with several high-profile teams in the Premier League.

But Villa’s focus will be on strengthening the team this summer, and one player they appear keen on signing is Kevin de Bruyne. It was reported last week that Villa held internal talks over signing the Belgian this summer.

It’s now been reported by Football Insider that club chiefs are ready to go and sign De Bruyne should Emery want a deal to be done. The midfielder is coming to the end of his contract at Manchester City and therefore can be picked up on a free transfer.

Aston Villa face Man Utd in race to sign £4m teenager

As well as looking at signing an experienced head like De Bruyne, the Villans also have their eye on adding more exciting youth to their team. According to Spanish reports, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are among the teams interested in signing Christian Kofane from Albacete Balompie.

The report states that as well as Villa holding a keen interest in the 18-year-old forward, Manchester United and Newcastle United are also in the race to sign the teenager. It claims that all three clubs have already made contact with Albacete Balompié over signing Kofane, but so has ‘half of Europe’, with teams such as Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Villarreal, Real Betis, Lille and AS Monaco all interested.

Kofane, who is described as a ‘sensation’ in this update, is under contract until 2031, but this report does state that he has a release clause which is worth €5 million, which is roughly £4.2 million, and this is described as easily affordable for the Premier League teams.

Christian Kofane’s 24/25 La Liga 2 stats

Apps

15

Goals

6

Assists

1

Kofane has gathered more attention in recent weeks, as he’s scored five goals in his last seven games. His arrival at Villa Park would likely see him join up with the club’s academy team, but the Villans must believe that Kofane has the ability to become a star for their first team, and therefore, they may be willing to trigger his release clause, given it is a small amount.

da esport bet： West Bromwich Albion now want to appoint an “outstanding” 3-4-3 coach to replace the sacked Tony Mowbray, according to a recent report.

West Brom sack Tony Mowbray

da poker： The Baggies appointed Mowbray as their new head coach in January, as a replacement for Carlos Corberan, who left to join La Liga side Valencia. Mowbray joined the Midlands side on a two-and-a-half-year deal, and it was his second spell at The Hawthorns after he led the club to the 2007/08 Championship title.

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This was Mowbray’s first job in football since his recent illness that saw him leave Birmingham City. West Brom hoped that his arrival would help them not only remain in the play-off race but also help them get back into the Premier League. However, just five wins in 18 games have seen the Baggies fall way short of the play-offs, and with them six points behind the top six, with two games to go, the West Brom hierarchy have decided a change is needed once again.

West Brom said in a statement: “The club would like to place on record its thanks to Tony and Mark for their efforts – but has made the decision to part company following a series of poor results.

“Tony and Mark will forever be welcome at The Hawthorns, and their contributions to the club winning the 2007-08 Championship title will never be forgotten.”

West Brom want 3-4-3 Spurs coach to replace Mowbray

Former Albion midfielder James Morrison has been placed in interim charge, but going forward, the Baggies are keen to bring in a highly-rated coach to take them forward. According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon, relayed by West Brom News, West Brom have placed Tottenham’s Ryan Mason as their top target to replace Mowbray.

It is stated that Mason, who is a former midfielder for Spurs and has been caretaker manager for the Premier League side on a few occasions, is at the top of the Baggies’ wishlist for new managers. The report goes on to add that West Brom may have to wait to appoint Mason, though, as Spurs’ involvement in the Europa League means he will likely see out the campaign with the London side.

But West Brom could be willing to wait to appoint Mason, whose preferred formation as a coach is 3-4-3. Since retiring from football in 2018, Mason has been working at Spurs in various roles. He worked with the club’s academy for a couple of years before being promoted to the first team as coach, working under managers such as José Mourinho, Antonio Conte, and now Ange Postecoglou.

Ryan Mason’s managerial record

Games

13

Won

6

Drawn

1

Lost

6

Mason has impressed a lot of people while working at Spurs, with Postecoglou labelling the 33-year-old “outstanding” for his work on set-pieces.

Postecoglou said: “Ryan Mason is in charge of set pieces; he’s done an outstanding job all year, and Mile [Jedinak], I thought in defensive set pieces we were brilliant again because they have a threat there.”

da poker： Chelsea have now registered their interest in signing a “monstrous” Premier League star who has been in extremely impressive form this season, according to reliable reporter David Ornstein.

Blues keen to bring in new centre-back

da betcris： The Blues’ form in the second half of the season has taken a significant downward turn, with the 2-1 loss at home to Legia Warsaw the latest setback earlier this week, underlining the need for Enzo Maresca to strengthen his squad this summer.

One area in which the west Londoners are particularly keen to strengthen is centre-back, making contact to discuss a move for Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, with the South Korean now keen to leave the German club this summer.

The 28-year-old is on Maresca’s shortlist, but a different centre-back has emerged as the priority target for the summer, namely AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, and talks over a deal for the 20-year-old have already been held.

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Huijsen’s impressive performances for Bounemouth this season mean he is now in the Blues’ sights, but he is not their only target from the Premier League, according to Ornstein (via Nottingham Forest News).

The reliable reporter has now revealed Chelsea have registered their interest in Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, amid the Brazilian enjoying an incredible season with the Tricky Trees, who continue to push for Europe.

A whole host of potential centre-back targets have been identified, however, with Ornstein naming Huijsen and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite as other options.

A deal for the Forest star will not be cheap, with previous reports revealing the Blues’ Premier League rivals are set to hold out for £80m, which would make the Brazilian their record sale.

"Monstrous" Murillo starring for Forest

Forest are making an unexpected push for Europe this season, and the defender has been among their most consistent performers in the Premier League, averaging a 6.99 WhoScored match rating, the joint-third highest in the squad.

The 22-year-old has been an indispensable member of Nuno’s side, making 31 appearances in the Premier League, and he received high praise from journalist Ryan Taylor for his performance against Liverpool earlier this season.

Not only has the Brazil international impressed defensively, but he also ranks highly on some attacking metrics over the past year, placing in the top 2% of all defenders for successful take-ons per 90.

Statistic

Average per 90

Successful take-ons

0.79 (98th percentile)

Blocks

1.95 (96th percentile)

Clearances

6.79 (94th percentile)

Having proven himself as a top defender in the Premier League, Murillo could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea this summer, and at just 22-years-old, he could be a key figure at the back for many years to come.

da bet vitoria： Aston Villa are now in a three-way race to sign an “incredible” midfielder who is ready to leave his current club this summer, according to a report.

Villa stepping up midfielder pursuit

da casino： As we approach the summer transfer window, Villa seem to be particularly keen on adding a midfielder to their ranks, having submitted an offer for Rosenborg’s Sverre Nypan last week, and Fabrizio Romano has recently dropped a further update.

A deal for Nypan appears to be edging closer, but given that the Norwegian is just 18-years-old, Unai Emery may be keen on bringing in a central midfielder with a little more experience at the top level, and contact has been made over FC Barcelona’s Marc Casado.

Back in October, it was revealed that Emery had personally requested the signing of Athletic Club’s Oihan Sancet, with the manager being left “captivated” by the midfielder’s performances, which indicates the Spaniard is a big fan.

Now, there has been a new update on Aston Villa’s pursuit of Sancet, with a report from Spain revealing they are now in a three-way race for the 24-year-old, alongside Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

The Villans are said to be closely monitoring the Spanish midfielder’s development, and their presence in the Champions League should give them a good chance of winning the race for his signature.

The Pamplona-born maestro is ready to leave Athletic Club this summer, but a deal will not be cheap, with the La Liga side set to hold out for his release clause of €80m (£69m).

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Posts 1 "Incredible" Sancet could be fantastic signing for Villa

The attacking midfielder has previously been lauded as “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he has been one of his side’s top performers in La Liga this season, having averaged a 6.97 match rating.

The Spain international has been particularly impressive in front of goal, having scored 16 goals in all competitions, including 15 in 23 La Liga games, which is a phenomenal record for a midfielder.

As a result, the Athletic star ranks in the top 2% for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, while also ranking very highly on some other key metrics for midfielders.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.64 (98th percentile)

Pass completion %

82.3% (86th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.78 (86th percentile)

Sancet could be a fantastic signing for Aston Villa this summer, and they should be well-placed to compete for his signature, should they manage to qualify for the Champions League once again.

da bwin： Despite positive updates arriving regarding Virgil van Dijk’s Liverpool’s future, the Reds are now reportedly willing to offer as much as £87m to sign one of the world’s best defenders.

Fabrizio Romano provides Van Dijk update

da stake casino： Whilst there’s no doubting the fact that Liverpool have endured a fantastic first season under Arne Slot, recent weeks have handed the Dutchman his most difficult spell in charge yet. First exiting the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on penalties, Liverpool then lost against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at the same time that Trent Alexander-Arnold’s likely departure stole the headlines.

Making matters worse, Slot’s side failed to make it back-to-back victories on their Premier League return, following their win against Everton with a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Fulham. So, although the title is just four wins away, those at Anfield needed the good news that Fabrizio Romano has just provided.

By sealing new deals for both Salah and Van Dijk, Liverpool would instantly avoid what would be a disastrous start to their summer transfer window. Losing Alexander-Arnold will be a major blow, especially for free, but losing all of the big free at the same time without making any profit would be the ultimate nightmare for those at Anfield.

For now, at least, Van Dijk has remained particularly relaxed over his situation – telling reporters after the Fulham game: “There is progress, yeah. Listen, these are internal discussions and we’ll see.

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“I love the club, I love the fans and they were there for us again [at Fulham]. We wanted to reward them, but I ask them to be there again on Sunday and make the stadium an amazing venue like always for us.”

What that recent news will do is allow the Reds to focus on incomings which could yet reportedly include one of the best defenders that European football has to offer.

Liverpool plotting £87m Araujo deal

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now willing to offer a ‘blockbuster’ deal to sign Ronald Araujo worth as much as €100m (£87m) this summer. The Reds reportedly have concrete interest in the Barcelona defender even with Van Dijk set to stay put and could yet form the ultimate partnership between the impressive duo.

League stats comparison (via FBref)

Ronald Araujo 23/24

Virgil van Dijk 24/25

Starts

21

31

Progressive Passes

101

152

Tackles Won

22

16

Ball Recoveries

102

97

Although Araujo has missed the majority of the current campaign through a hamstring injury, last season’s numbers suggest that he’d form quite the partnership with Van Dijk at the heart of Liverpool’s defence.

Having been dubbed “excellent” by Hansi Flick on his return from injury earlier this season, Araujo is certainly a key man for Barcelona. Whether they still decide to ease their financial problems by cashing in on their defender will certainly be interesting, however.

da casino： Yet again this season, a consistent issue for Manchester United has been injuries, with new boss Ruben Amorim following in Erik ten Hag’s footsteps in having to make do with the limited options at his disposal.

da heads bet： A key setback notably occurred last month, following the close of the transfer window, with an already depleted attacking unit having been hampered even further amid the news that Amad Diallo could be out for the season with an ankle issue.

Thankfully, Amorim has since hinted that the Ivorian could potentially return before the campaign is out, although elsewhere, Lisandro Martinez is facing an extended period on the sidelines, after suffering an ACL blow earlier this year.

That represents the latest setback for the Argentine amid what has been an injury-hit few years at Old Trafford, with the defender having been restricted to just 14 appearances last season under Ten Hag.

Unfortunately for Amorim, while the players themselves will be more disappointed than anyone, far too many of his ranks could be branded with the ‘injury-prone tag’ – a fate that notably befell Champions League-winning midfielder, Owen Hargreaves.

Why Owen Hargreaves fell out with Fergie

‘One of the most disappointing signings of my career’.

Writing in his autobiography in 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson provided that blunt assessment of Hargreaves’ time at United, having also gone on to describe the decision to sign the England international as a ‘disaster’.

The experienced midfielder had actually enjoyed a promising start to life in Manchester after signing from Bayern Munich on a £17m deal in 2007, having ended that debut campaign with 34 appearances to his name, as the Red Devils claimed Premier League and Champions League glory.

Man Utd’s starting XI – 2008 UCL final

GK – Edwin van der Sar

RB – Wes Brown

CB – Rio Ferdinand

CB – Nemanja Vidic

LB – Patric Evra

RM – Owen Hargreaves

CM – Paul Scholes

CM – Michael Carrick

LM – Cristiano Ronaldo

ST – Wayne Rooney

ST – Carlos Tevez

In Europe, in particular, the Canadian-born star notably impressed after playing the full 120 minutes against Chelsea in the Moscow showpiece, having also curled in a crucial free-kick at home to Arsenal in the top-flight a month earlier.

Unfortunately for Hargreaves, that was about as good as it got as he swiftly faded from view over the next few years, eventually joining rivals Manchester City on a free transfer in 2011, having made just 39 appearances in total for the club.

Amid those injury woes, the Three Lions ace-turned-pundit spoke of the ‘break down’ in his relationship with Ferguson, with the pair seemingly holding differing views over his time on the sidelines.

As it is, it’s hard to say that the signing proved a success, with it looking as if that story could be repeating itself with regard to another England international, Mason Mount.

Man Utd star is in danger of becoming Hargreaves 2.0

As Amorim walked in the door back in November, it was telling that one of the few individuals the Portuguese singled out for praise was Mount, having hailed the ex-Chelsea man as a “proper footballer”.

Amid the arrival of a new manager, the Stamford Bridge academy product appeared in desperate need of a fresh start following an injury-hit first year or so under Ten Hag, with his only goal having come away at Brentford last season.

Unfortunately for Mount – who had actually started the first three games of the new campaign in all competitions – the 26-year-old has again been on the periphery in recent months, having only just made his return after being forced off in the early knockings of the Manchester Derby back in December.

Like Hargreaves, the playmaker arrived at Old Trafford with a strong reputation, having notably started in the 2021 Champions League final and Euro 2020 final, while providing 68 goals and assists in 195 games for the Blues.

Like his compatriot also, Mount looked like a worthwhile signing – even with the £55m price tag – due to his versatility, having operated on the flanks, in a number ten berth or in a deeper number eight role. Hargreaves, for instance, could feature at ‘right-back, wide right or central midfield’, as Ferguson noted.

Sadly, the £250k-per-week asset has so far made just 38 appearances for United – one fewer than Hargreaves – while contributing only one goal and one assist, with pundit Emmanuel Petit perhaps harshly criticising him for his “very fragile mentally”.

A return to the bench did occur for Mount against Leicester City last time out, however, with Amorim again highlighting the impact he could make when fit and firing:

As a player who notably reached double figures for goals and assists in the league while playing in Thomas Tuchel’s 3-4-3 system back in 2021/22, it is easy to see why Amorim has so much faith in the midfielder, but time is running out for Mount to finally make his mark.

After two almost wasted years at Old Trafford, the £55m man is in danger of heading the way of Hargreaves as a marquee signing who has simply failed to deliver.

United’s number seven simply needs to stay fit and start producing, or his future could soon lie elsewhere…

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da bet nacional： Chelsea are beginning to lay groundwork over signing a “dream” target for manager Enzo Maresca, with new contact made ahead of the summer window.

Chelsea making transfer plans ahead of Club World Cup

da heads bet： This summer, the Premier League has announced that there will be two separate transfer windows.

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To allow both Chelsea and Man City to sign players before the Club World Cup, the first of these transfer windows will open from June 1st and will remain active until June 10th, with Maresca’s side expected to bring in fresh faces during that time.

Chelsea’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Tottenham (home)

April 3rd

Brentford (away)

April 6th

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Journalist Simon Phillips previously reported that Chelsea have actively worked on a deal for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, who they could hope to sign before the CWC takes place, but the Englishman isn’t their only forward target in that regard.

The Blues are also rumoured to be after a new winger, and their supposed “dream” target is Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams.

The Spain international, who racked up 19 assists in all competitions at Bilbao last season, also played a major role in his country’s Euro 2024 triumph, and he currently stands out as one of Europe’s most exciting young stars.

Williams’ contract contains a £49 million release clause, meaning he is very much obtainable. However, the player is on good wages at Bilbao, rumoured to be around £200,000 per week, and the main obstacle will lie in convincing the player.

“Nico Williams is the dream wing target for top clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern and let’s see what happens with Barcelona,” said Fabrizio Romano to GiveMeSport recently.

“More than 1 year ago, Chelsea wanted Nico Williams. For sure, they will add one more winger in the summer window. You have to convince Nico, that’s the main factor for these clubs.”

Chelsea make "fresh contact" to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao

According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea haven’t given up hope of landing the 22-year-old, and it is believed they’ve made an approach ahead of the first transfer window in early June.

Chelsea have apparently held “fresh contact” over signing Williams, and are considering a “blockbuster” move for the highly-rated gem, even if they face stiff competition from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Their race for Champions League qualification will be crucial in the race for Williams, as the forward has set his sights on playing in Europe’s biggest competitions. He is considered a top target on their agenda, as Romano previously reported, but there is still work to do for them to convince him to swap Bilbao for England.

This season, Williams boasts nine goals and seven assists from 37 appearances in all competitions, as well as being one of La Liga’s most lethal dribblers when it comes to successful take-ons per 90 (WhoScored).

He’d be a truly excellent replacement for Mykhailo Mudryk, who’s serving a ban due to his failed drugs test, or Noni Madueke, who’s attracting interest from Aston Villa.

da bet7： Chelsea have sealed another outgoing from Stamford Bridge, and it takes BlueCo’s transfer income from this summer to nearly £160 million.

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da pinup bet： Enzo Maresca’s side reached a settlement with UEFA recently after breaching the governing body’s FFP rules, but in terms of the Premier League’s separate PSR laws, the west Londoners are in excellent stead.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

After taking home around £87.5 million worth of prize money from their triumph at the Club World Cup, Chelsea have the added benefit of Champions League revenue next season, with the Blues apparently poised to earn a minimum £80 million just from qualifying, according to football finance expert Stefan Borson.

This stream of cash flow doesn’t even take into account the players they’ve already sold this summer, with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic, Mathis Amougou and João Félix all bringing in well north of £100 million.

According to recent reports, a plethora of Chelsea fringe players are also nominees for the exit door – including Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, Tosin Adarabioyo, Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Alfie Gilchrist and Nicolas Jackson.

Fulham are reportedly close to agreeing terms with Sterling over a potential £20 million move to Craven Cottage (TEAMtalk), which would add yet more funds to the Stamford Bridge coffers, and it is believed that RB Leipzig are after Chukwuemeka as the Bundesliga side negotiate letting Xavi Simons go the other way.

It appears more and more exits are firmly on the cards, but Chelsea can now officially add another player to their growing list of departures.

Ishe Samuels-Smith leaves Chelsea for Strasbourg

The Blues have agreed a deal worth around £6.5 million to sell defender Ishe Samuels-Smith to sister club Strasbourg, with the transfer announced by Chelsea this afternoon.

The 19-year-old agreed terms on a five-year deal at the Ligue 1 side before travelling to Austria for his medical (Football Insider), as Chelsea strike yet another summer window agreement with their sister club.

BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella also shared news, in a big boost for Maresca’s side, that Chelsea’s funds raised through player sales now totals around £158 million after his departure.

Samuels-Smith leaves Chelsea two years after signing from Everton, without making a single senior appearance in that time, but he’s at least contributed to the club’s healthy financial standing away from the grass.

da bwin： Arsenal finally ended their long search for a prolific number nine with the signing of Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, and Mikel Arteta is silently hoping the Swede can replicate his heroics from Portugal.

da supremo： Over two sensational campaigns for Sporting CP, Gyokeres scored 97 goals in 102 appearances — firing Rui Borges’ side to a domestic double last season and motivating sporting director Andrea Berta to splash a potential £64 million on him.

Arsenal’s confirmed summer signings

Price tag

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£5m

Martin Zubimendi

£60m

Christian Norgaard

£15m

Noni Madueke

£52m

Cristhian Mosquera

£13m

Viktor Gyokeres

£55m

Eberechi Eze

£67.5m

Piero Hincapie

Loan

The Gunners agreed to pay a guaranteed £55 million, plus a further £9 million in potential add-ons for the 27-year-old, and you can make a serious case that this comes as a bargain fee.

Gyokeres’ proven goalscoring consistency in one of Europe’s top five leagues, not to mention the fact he’s currently in the prime of his career, emphasise how Berta potentially secured one of the signings of the summer.

The former Coventry City and Swansea City star also has some experience in England already, with Berta reportedly persuading Arsenal to move for Gyokeres over fellow long-time striker target Benjamin Sesko (The Athletic).

Arsenal made proposals for Sesko in the summer of 2024 and in January this year, making multiple attempts to sign the Slovenian, but Berta’s arrival prompted the north Londoners to shift focus towards Gyokeres instead.

Thus far, despite barely having a sniff against tough opposition in Man United and Liverpool, Gyokeres did net a Premier League brace during Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Leeds United, with the player still arguably finding his feet in Europe’s toughest, most competitive division.

That being said, some critics already have doubts, like Rio Ferdinand, with the pundit telling his YouTube channel that he’s yet to be convinced by Gyokeres after his performance at Anfield just prior to the international break.

Now, ex-Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy has explained his own doubts about the centre-forward in an interview with The Metro.

Gael Clichy explains why Arsenal could regret signing Viktor Gyokeres

The Frenchman says that Gyokeres lacks the link-up play to help Arsenal, insisting that now-Liverpool star Alexander Isak was far more suited to Arteta’s system.

Football is often very reactionary at the best of times, and perhaps Gyokeres has come in for some unfair criticism since his arrival from Sporting due to the heavy expectations on his shoulders.

Arsenal are desperate to end their two-decade-long wait for a Premier League title, with Gyokeres widely seen as one of the potentially game-changing signings to help them do just that.

Arteta’s side take on Nottingham Forest in the early kick-off on Saturday following the return from internationals, and Gyokeres can take advantage of the visitors settling under new manager Ange Postecoglou.

A convincing display against Forest in a must-win game will do wonders to restore faith in Gyokeres, with Postecoglou’s brand of open, high-pressing football potentially playing right into the number nine’s hands.