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Unfortunately for Chelsea, they missed the boat on signing Jamie Gittens before the Club World Cup. The mini transfer window, which took place before the new look competition begins late this week, shut last Tuesday. The West Londoners only brought in Liam Delap and Mamadou Sarr in that initial window.

Gittens was a huge target for the Blues, with Enzo Maresca’s side set to ‘insist again’ according to Fabrizio Romano, who explains ‘the player wants the move’ at some stage this summer. The two parties have already agreed on personal terms ahead of the proposed move.

That deal will not be the only one Chelsea are working on whilst the Club World Cup goes on. There are other targets the club are trying to sign.

Chelsea’s defensive transfer target

Such is the way of modern football, it is a busy period for Chelsea. Just weeks on from their UEFA Conference League success, they will look to win the Club World Cup and also make signings to strengthen their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

One of those players they are trying to bring in is Jorrel Hato. Romano explained over on YouTube, via GiveMeSport, that Chelsea ‘remain interested’ in signing the Dutchman. They have seemingly had contact with Ajax over a potential deal.

However, they are not the only London-based Premier League side who have made contact. North Londoners Arsenal have been ‘calling to be informed’ about Hato’s situation.

Whichever club it is who wins the race will have to spend a reported £43m on the defender, according to Caught Offside.

Why Hato would be a good signing

Should the Blues bring Hato to Stamford Bridge over the summer, he would be joining the club with a high reputation. Described as a “special talent” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, he is a hugely exciting young player.

A versatile defender, the 19-year-old can play as a centre-back, but did primarily feature as a left-back last season for Ajax. He played 50 games across all competitions, showing attacking nous by grabbing six assists and scoring three times along the way.

In a separate post over on X, Mattinson described Hato, who was born in Rotterdam, as an “exceptional athlete”. That is something that certainly stands out when watching him play, as the video below shows. He is incredibly physical, which has helped him at such an early stage of his career, often allowing him to get the better of attackers.

His numbers going forward are impressive, too. Not only did he register six assists last season, but some of the underlying stats on FBref show just how good he can be in advanced areas.

He is certainly progressive, averaging 3.89 passes into the final third per game, which places him in the top 21% of full-backs from the Eredivisie.

Well, perhaps Chelsea fans can get excited about a partnership forming with Hato and Gittens. The Dortmund winger, who is going to the Club World Cup with the Bundesliga side, made some major contributions for his side last term.

In 48 appearances for the German side last season, Gittens managed 12 goals and five assists, featuring as a left-winger in 37 of those games.

One of those goals was a strike away to Real Madrid, in which he became ‘the youngest English player to score’ against Los Blancos, as per TNT Sport.

Just imagine the progression in the final third of Hato combined with the goal threat of Gittens; it could be a match made in heaven for Chelsea. The pair could make each other unplayable, and combine to form a deadly partnership.

On top of his attacking construction, the Blues would be signing a superb young defender. Just as Mattinson pointed out, he is athletic and physical enough to cope with the demands of the Premier League.

For £43m, this could be a bargain for the team on the Blue side of West London. Chelsea would be adding a dynamic young defender who offers lots going forward, and can build an unstoppable partnership with Gittens on that left-hand side.

Better than Garnacho: Chelsea targeting "electric" £49m Gittens alternative

Chelsea are looking to sign a new winger this summer

By
Joe Nuttall

Jun 12, 2025

Rangers manger Russell Martin has provided a new transfer update out of Ibrox, admitting to Sky Sports that he is “excited” with some of the Gers’ targets.

Rangers plan transfers as fixtures are released

Lyall Cameron has become the first addition of the summer in Glasgow after penning a pre-contract agreement earlier in the year.

Leaving Dundee for Rangers, the midfielder is expected to be the first of many through the door in that is the 49ers Enterprises and Martin’s maiden transfer market.

49ers could now sell £50m Rangers stars who Martin wants to keep at Ibrox

It wouldn’t go down well with the new manager.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 18, 2025

Next on the transfer to-do list ahead of the club’s Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos appears to be defensive signings.

Bournemouth right-back Max Aarons and Leicester City centre-back Conor Coady are two firm targets to bolster Martin’s ranks at the back, with approaches made for both.

Meanwhile, turning attention back to the pitch, Rangers have learned their fixture list for the 2025/26 season, with a trip to Motherwell being Martin’s first domestic game in charge of the club.

The first league game at Ibrox will be against Dundee on Saturday August 9, whereas the first Old Firm clash against rivals Celtic is scheduled to take place on Sunday August 31 at Ibrox.

Martin “excited" as he shares Rangers transfer update to Sky Sports

Talking to Sky Sports following the Scottish Premiership fixture release, Martin was asked about the chances of any pending signings and revealed he is expected to “a few” to arrive before the first leg against Panathinaikos on July 22.

Martin was also quizzed on the future of striker Cyriel Dessers amid links of a move away from Ibrox, to which he said:

“The updates will come as and when they are actually real. At the minute, I’m expecting him to return on Monday and I’m looking forward to working with him.”

It looks as if there could be some real movement in the weeks to come, and it’ll be interesting to see if the likes of Aarons and Coady are the players Martin is excited about and if they arrive in time to take on the Greek side.

Leeds United are reportedly close to completing their third signing of the summer transfer window with the addition of central defender Sebastiaan Bornauw from Wolfsburg.

The Belgian colossus was due for his medical at Thorp Arch on Monday and is now set to add more depth to a defensive unit that already includes Pascal Struijk, Max Wober, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, and recent signing Jaka Bijol.

Daniel Farke looks set to have plenty of options to choose from at the heart of his defence next season in the Premier League, and he is also looking to add more quality at the other end of the pitch.

Leeds pushing to sign new striker

Bornauw will be the second centre-back added to the squad, after Bijol, and the Whites are now in the market to make further attacking reinforcements.

Rodrigo Muniz appears to be one number nine target who is off the table for the club, though, as Fulham reportedly see him as not for sale amid interest from the West Yorkshire outfit.

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 the print edition of Corriere Dello Sport (30/06/2025), as relayed by MOTLeedsNews, Leeds United are pushing to sign Lecce centre-forward Nikola Krstovic in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the club’s interest in the Montenegro international has forced the Serie A clubs to start pursuing striker targets of their own to replace the forward, which speaks to the level of interest shown by the Championship champions.

It now remains to be seen whether or not Leeds will be able to get a deal for the £21m-rated number nine over the line in the coming weeks.

Nikola Krstovic could be the next Chris Wood for Leeds

If the Whites can secure the 25-year-old striker’s signature, then they could find their next version of Chris Wood, who scored 44 goals in 88 matches during his time at Elland Road in the Championship.

After leaving Leeds to sign for Burnley, Wood proved himself to be a dependable Premier League goalscorer, with a return of 89 goals in 263 games for the Clarets, Nottingham Forest, and Newcastle United combined. That is a return of between 12 and 13 goals per 38 appearances.

In Krstovic, Leeds could find a physical and mobile centre-forward, like Wood, who can also consistently deliver that level of quality in front of goal in the top-flight.

The 25-year-old star ended the 2024/25 campaign with a haul of 11 goals in 37 Serie A outings for Lecce, which shows that he can score goals at a respectable rate in a major European league.

As well as being a striker who has the potential to add a goal threat to Farke’s squad in the Premier League next season, Krstovic is also similar to Wood in the sense that he provides a physical presence in the number nine role.

As you can see in the table above, the Lecce star offered even more physicality to his team in the Serie A than the New Zealand international did for Forest in the Premier League, winning a higher percentage of his duels on the deck and in the air.

Krstovic, who was hailed as “integral” by former boss Roberto D’Aversa, stands at 6 foot 1 and, clearly, has the attributes to compete with physical centre-backs at the top level.

A Bijol repeat: Leeds make one of the "best in the world" a priority target

Leeds United could soon seal another fantastic defensive deal by landing this cut-price star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 30, 2025

Therefore, Farke could land his own version of Wood by landing a deal for the Serie A marksman, who could provide goals, assists, and physicality in the Premier League next term.

Chelsea are on the verge of finalising an “excellent” player’s exit from Stamford Bridge, according to one media source, and it could be a move which seriously suits all parties.

Enzo Maresca has a seriously bloated squad that needs trimming, especially factoring in their recent fine from UEFA for breaking FFP rules.

£52m Chelsea star could now join Barcelona, he's "no longer" unsellable

The La Liga champions have cast their eyes towards Stamford Bridge.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 10, 2025

The likes of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are taking home six-figure pay packets each week but are currently nowhere near the first team, with Borussia Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl recently confirming the club’s intention to re-sign the latter.

“We will definitely have some more discussions in the next few days about his situation,” said Kehl.

“We will try to keep him because he’s a very good player.

“It’s always easier to loan a player than to buy one, especially within Carney’s [price] range, but let’s see. We are not that far advanced [in talks] at the moment, but I can tell you that we are pretty close to the player, and he loves Dortmund.

“Everything else will be decided between Chelsea and us. That won’t be tomorrow. That won’t be on Tuesday. I think it will take some more days.”

Sterling’s £325,000-per-week wages are proving a serious drain on Chelsea in particular, with Fulham reportedly considering a move for the 30-year-old if they can navigate the finances involved.

However, journalist Simon Phillips reports that Sterling’s desire to remain in London is making it difficult for BlueCo to sell him.

Alongside the aforementioned names, Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Djordje Petrovic are other players who could leave Chelsea this summer.

Of course, there are those promising young players who simply need to leave the club on a temporary deal to acquire more game time, with a view to a potential first-team slot in future seasons.

One of them, according to Sky Sports Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, is goalkeeper Mike Penders.

Chelsea "close" to agreeing Mike Penders loan deal to Strasbourg

Taking to X this lunchtime, Tavolieri reports that Penders’ loan to sister club Strasbourg from Chelsea is now “close” to being finalised.

The 19-year-old, who Chelsea signed from KRC Genk last summer, remained in the Jupiler Pro League for another season before officially linking up with Maresca this summer.

Penders was also named in Maresca’s Club World Cup squad, securing a spot on the bench for Chelsea’s games against Esperance, Benfica, Palmeiras and Fluminense, but the towering 6 foot 7 shot-stopper now appears close to sealing a temporary exit to further his development.

Some reports have previously claimed that BlueCo hold high hopes for Penders, who they privately liken to ex-Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois, with Malmo’s head academy goalkeeping coach, Matt Pyzdrowski, sharing his main strengths.

“Commanding his area is what he’s best at,” Pyzdrowski said to The Athletic.

“He’s really, really excellent at taking an aggressive position and very comfortable coming and taking high balls into his penalty area, even right up to the edge of the box. His timing is very good, and he loves to catch the ball rather than punch.

“That’s why I call him a mix between Ederson and Courtois, because Ederson has that aggressiveness commanding his box but Courtois has the hands to catch and hold the ball.”

Manchester United have now opened talks with the agent of a “real leader”, who would be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, according to a report.

Amorim needs to hit the ground running next season

Despite admitting it was always going to be “tough” to join Man United mid-way through the 2024-25 campaign, former Man United man Ashley Young believes Ruben Amorim needs to make a fast start to the 2024-25 campaign.

However, Amorim has a very particular style, meaning new personnel will be needed if his side are to kick on next season, and there has been a strong desire to bring in a new forward, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo emerging as a major target.

The Red Devils are hoping to get a deal for Mbeumo over the line as soon as possible, and having reportedly now struck an agreement, they can perhaps afford to turn their attentions towards strengthening other areas of the squad.

With Casemiro now 33-years-old, Amorim is looking to bring in a long-term replacement for the Brazilian, and an approach has been made for Richard Rios, while another midfielder has also emerged as a potential target.

According to a report from L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Man United have now opened talks with the agent of Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso, in order to assess whether he would be willing to make a move to Old Trafford this summer.

Tolisso is said to be keen on the move, which could make it easier for United to orchestrate a deal, although he is unwilling to force an exit.

"Real leader" Tolisso could be exactly what United need

Roy Keane has been critical of the lack of leaders at Man United for quite some time, with the former midfielder saying: “You need characters, you need leaders, I keep repeating myself every week on here. That’s what you need from a group of players.”

As a result, it would make sense to bring in players with more of a presence in the dressing room this summer, and the Lyon star could fit the bill in that regard, having been described as a “real leader” by Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca.

Not only that, but the £90k-a-week maestro is clearly a very well-rounded midfielder, having performed very well across some key attacking and defensive statistics over the past year.

Tolisso could be a solid signing for Man United this summer, but there may be some slight concerns about his age, with the central midfielder set to turn 31 before the new Premier League season gets underway.

Three River Plate players were sent off during their fiery clash against Real Madrid U-18 side in a quarter-final clash at the Youth Club World Cup. The Argentine club ended the game with eight players on the pitch as three of their youth stars were given their marching orders for violent challenges. Madrid won the clash 2-0 and qualified for the last-four as a result.

• Real Madrid U-18 beat River Plate
• Three players sent off in fiery clash
• Madrid youth side reached Youth Club World Cup semi-final

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gonzalo Pereyra was the first River Plate star to see the red card for kicking Ruben López in the face in the 35th minute, following an aerial challenge. Cirilo Pereyra was then shown his second yellow card of the match in the second half, before Emiliano Quevado was sent off in the 79th minute for a rough challenge on Yeremaiah Ramos, according to .

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Spanish side won the game 2-0 courtesy of goals from Mateo Garrido and Bryan Bugarin. The win at Cordoba helped them to reach the last-four stage, where they join Barcelona, Palmeiras and Racing Club. 

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 16th edition of the Youth Club World Cup is being hosted in Spain this year, with 12 clubs from Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and Italy competing against each other. 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  The senior Real Madrid side will be back in action after the international break on September 13 as they face Real Sociedad in La Liga.

After dropping out of the race to sign Hugo Ekitike, Newcastle United and Eddie Howe have now reportedly turned their focus towards an alternative option who’s more clinical than the Frenchman.

Newcastle's current striker shortlist

Whilst Ekitike did sit top of their striker shortlist before Liverpool entered the race and left them reeling, Newcastle still have a number of options that they could turn towards. The striker market is wide open. Even after watching Joao Pedro join Chelsea and Liverpool take the lead in the race for Ekitike, the likes of Victor Osimhen and Yoane Wissa remain on the market.

That said, even Howe couldn’t hide his frustration about how the transfer window has gone so far on Tyneside, telling reporters: “It was a difficult summer (to switch off) with everything going on behind the scenes.”

“Obviously losing Paul (Mitchell) and all of the dynamics changing within (the club). The Sporting Director role is such a pivotal role at the club, so there was a lot (of work) to pick up.

“There has been a lot of work, transfer wise, for very little incoming action, although we are delighted to get Anthony Elanga in, who has done very well in training so far. But a lot more work (is needed) behind the scenes in preparation for the new season.”

£50m England international now "very" open to joining Newcastle this summer

He’s got the same agent as Dan Burn…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 18, 2025

Howe’s verdict suggests that Newcastle’s work is far from over this summer. After missing out on Ekitike, all involved at St James’ Park will be desperate to ensure that their next pursuit goes off without a hitch – be it for Wissa or, as some reports have suggested is possible, Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez.

At this stage, the most ideal scenario for Newcastle is welcoming a striker who is even better than Ekitike and that’s exactly what one Bundesliga alternative would offer them.

Howe personally plotting Sesko move

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Howe is now personally plotting a move to sign Benjamin Sesko for Newcastle, having previously instructed St James’ Park chiefs to take a look at the Serbian.

The Magpies would once again have to spend big to secure his signature, with Leipzig reportedly demanding around €90m (£78m) to sell their star striker, but Sesko could prove to be worth every penny.

Ekitike may have outscored Sesko last season, but it was the latter who proved to be the more clinical finisher – outperfoming his XG by three goals whilst the Frankfurt star underperformed significantly. That would suggest that, in a side offering him more chances, Sesko’s numbers would soar.

It should come as no surprise that the talented forward has earned previous praise from the likes of former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell, who said: “Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Chelsea chiefs need to orchestrate more player exit deals before deadline day on September 1, and there are a plethora of squad members who could be sold.

Chelsea in "fast" advancing talks for £192k-a-week star, deal "very close"

Enzo Maresca means business this summer.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 24, 2025

Enzo Maresca faces the prospect of being unable to register new signings in his Champions League squad next season if Chelsea don’t balance their books by trimming the squad.

This is due to a settlement with UEFA after they were fined for breaking FFP rules (Kaveh Solhekol), even if they’re in good financial stead right now when it comes to the Premier League’s separate PSR laws.

Chelsea banked a seismic £87.5 million for winning the Club World Cup and have made around £100 million in player sales already, following the departures of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic and Mathis Amougou.

However, pressure from UEFA lingers, and a host of unwanted players remain on the Chelsea books with just weeks to go before deadline day.

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, João Félix and Alfie Gilchrist have all been linked with the exit door this window, with progress now being made on shipping out a couple of them.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Felix is in talks over a return to boyhood club Benfica, while RB Leipzig have opened negotiations for Chukwuemeka as Chelsea try to sign their playmaker, Xavi Simons, in a separate deal (Florian Plettenberg).

According to journalist Simon Phillips, striker Nicolas Jackson is another realistic, high-profile sacrifice, as the Senegalese makes a push to leave behind-the-scenes.

Nicolas Jackson tells agents to seal Chelsea exit this summer

As per the reporter, via his Substack, Jackson has instructed his agents to find him a new club.

“Jackson became frustrated and unhappy at Chelsea last season initially due to the abuse and what he felt was over criticism from some of the fan base,” wrote Phillips.

“Jackson is concerned about his game time and would ideally want to move on from the club this summer.

“It is true that he would also be content to stay if there are no chances to leave, but it is his preference to leave the club, and as our man Danny Windsor has reported on his new platform The Blues Feed, Jackson has his agents working on moves to get him out of Chelsea this summer by offering him around to clubs.

“He is keen on a move to Manchester United but so far it’s only been agent talks and United have not yet indicated that they will make a move to sign him. They are interested though but have other targets ahead of him for now.

“Jackson knows that Chelsea have a high valuation on his head, and he is not exactly actively asking to leave. But his preference is to move on.”

The former Villarreal star bagged 13 goals and six assists in all competitions last term, with pundit Joe Cole even calling him one of Chelsea’s “most important” players.

However, Jackson is now set to compete with both Joao Pedro and Liam Delap for a place in Maresca’s starting line-up, and he didn’t exactly have the best end to 2024/2025.

The 24-year-old scored just one Premier League goal after the turn of 2025, and despite getting on the scoresheet in their Conference League final win over Real Betis, Jackson was sent off at the Club World Cup – playing just 30 minutes of the competition thereafter.

It could be time for a new chapter, and Man United seem like the ideal landing spot with their big-name status, not to mention Ruben Amorim’s glaring need for a striker.

However, the price for Jackson is a minimum £80 million (Sky Sports), so it remains to be seen whether the Red Devils will pay it.

Tottenham sent scouts to watch Monaco play Auxerre in Ligue 1 this weekend, as they continue to run the rule over attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche. The club were linked with a summer swoop to sign the 23-year-old and appear to be keeping a watching brief on the young forward. During the summer, Spurs signed Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.

• Spurs scout Monaco star

  Per TBR Football, Spurs sent scouts to watch Monaco and were interested in the progress of Akliouche specifically, along with Vanderson and Lamine Camara. Akliouche was linked with a summer move to north London but the club signed Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig instead. 

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  Watching brief continues

  Manager Thomas Frank appears to maintain an interest in the versatile young ace, who can play on either flank, in the 10 or up front. He has enjoyed a sterling start to the season, scoring two goals in four games. 

• Interest in providing depth

  While Akliouche would be a headline signing, Spurs are also monitoring Vanderson as potential full-back depth, with Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, and Destiny Udogie currently the specialist full-backs in the squad; Archie Gray has also covered at right-back but is naturally a midfielder. Camara, meanwhile, operates primarily as a midfielder.

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  Spurs looking to build on strong start

  Spurs have enjoyed a fine start to Frank's reign, winning the first three of their four Premier League games. They face Villarreal in their first Champions League fixture on Tuesday after winning the Europa League last season, before a Premier League trip to Brighton. 

West Ham are reportedly eyeing a deal to appoint Gary O'Neil amid Graham Potter's disastrous start to the season as the Hammers consider an emotional return for their former midfielder. The pressure cooker at West Ham has finally hit full steam. A humiliating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham has left Graham Potter’s reign dangling by a thread, and the board are now seriously weighing up a change in the dugout.

• West Ham crisis hits boiling point

  Potter, once hailed as a progressive choice to steer the club into a brighter future, has overseen a start that’s been nothing short of catastrophic. Four defeats in five, fourteen goals leaked in that stretch, and a fanbase rapidly losing patience, the situation at the London Stadium is becoming untenable.

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  O'Neil emerges as a favourite

  According to O'Neil is among the favourites to replace Potter. The 42-year-old has carved out a reputation in Premier League circles as a manager who thrives in chaos, capable of getting the best from squads written off by others. His rescue acts at Bournemouth and Wolves turned heads across the top flight, and his name now tops West Ham’s shortlist.

• Little financial headache

  What makes O’Neil an even stronger contender is his availability. With no club currently attached to him, the Hammers wouldn’t need to fork out a penny in compensation, a major advantage given the financial and contractual headaches that often come with mid-season appointments.

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• A man who knows the Claret & Blue

  For West Ham supporters, O’Neil’s story comes with an emotional twist. The former midfielder wore the claret and blue between 2011 and 2013, grafting in the middle of the park during a period of transition for the club. Those two and a half years left a mark, and the thought of one of their own returning to guide the team resonates strongly with sections of the fanbase.