All posts by z3u9t.icu

Arsenal are likely to emerge as the potential beneficiaries of a star international forward when the transfer window reopens in around a week’s time, with Mikel Arteta in need of fresh attacking options after multiple injury blows.

Arsenal tipped to move for new winger after Saka and Sterling injuries

Following their imperious 5-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last weekend, Arteta was dealt some less-than-ideal news regarding two big-name forwards in his squad.

"Extraordinary" player "top" Arsenal target to replace £200k-per-week star

The Gunners are putting plans in motion.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Dec 24, 2024

Bukayo Saka looked a frustrated figure in south London on Saturday, forced off with a hamstring injury in the 24th minute against Palace, and it has since come to light that the 24-year-old is set for “many weeks” on the sidelines.

Ipswich Town (home)

December 27

Brentford (away)

January 1

Brighton (away)

January 4

Tottenham (home)

January 15

Aston Villa (home)

January 18

To make matters even worse for Arteta, summer signing Raheem Sterling will also be out for a lengthy period after sustaining a knee problem, with Arsenal now having to make do with vastly reduced attacking options in the wide area.

“It’s not looking good,” said Arteta in a latest injury update on Saka.

“He’s going to be out for many weeks.”

There are even suggestions that Saka could be out until March with a torn hamstring, which would be a hammer blow for Arsenal, who were also forced to cope without club captain and chief creator Martin Odegaard for months earlier on in the campaign.

In light of this terrible news for the Gunners, who are attempting to keep up with current Premier League title favourites Liverpool at the top of the table, it is believed they could bring forward their plans to sign a new winger.

Saka and Sterling’s injuries are allegedly forcing Arteta to pull a “major U-turn” over bringing in a wide attacker this January, and we saw similar reports when the former injured himself during England’s 2-1 defeat to Greece at Wembley in October.

Football Insider claimed back then that Arsenal may explore a quick January deal for Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo, so this may well be the case once more, given Saka’s injury looks far more serious this time round.

Barcelona’s Dani Olmo is now among the names linked with a January switch to Arsenal, and out-of-favour £203,000-per-week PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani could be floated in Arsenal’s direction as well.

Arsenal "likely" to be offered PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani

That is according to reliable journalist Simon Collings, who writes for Standard Sport that Arsenal are “likely” to be offered Kolo Muani on a loan deal in January.

The 26-year-old was tipped to step into Kylian Mbappe’s shoes at the Parc des Princes, following the latter’s departure to Real Madrid, but Luis Enrique hasn’t called upon him quite as much as most expected.

His lack of consistent opportunities has opened the door to a potential mid-season departure, and Arsenal are one of many clubs who could be handed an opportunity to bring in Kolo Muani on a temporary deal.

Despite not being a regular at PSG, the former Eintracht Frankfurt sensation remains a star for France at international level.

He burst on to the scene for Les Bleus at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring their semi-final opener against Morocco and bagging an assist in the final against Argentina, with manager Didier Deschamps including him in every single squad since then.

Kolo Muani has bagged three goals and an assist over their last five UEFA Nations League games, with Deschamps still highly favouring the forward regardless of his PSG woes.

Chelsea have been one of the form sides in front of goal so far in the 2024/25 Premier League season. According to Sofascore, Enzo Maresca’s side have scored 38 times in the top flight, which just two sides have bettered. They are Liverpool with 45 and Tottenham Hotspur with 41.

Cole Palmer, who has 12 goals to his name, and Nicolas Jackson, who has scored nine times in the top flight, have shouldered much of the goalscoring burden. Certainly, the Senegalese centre-forward has been the only striker who has scored more than two goals in the league for Chelsea.

They are reportedly looking to add another striker to their squad to supplement those goals.

Chelsea target new striker

The player in question here is Brighton and Hove Albion starlet, Evan Ferguson. The Irishman has struggled to find his best form over the past two seasons, with injuries impacting his game time. However, he is still a player with high potential.

With that in mind, it might not be a surprise that Chelsea are looking at signing him in January to add to their goal threat. According to a report from Graeme Bailey, the Blues are one of the sides who are ‘keeping tabs on Ferguson’s situation’ as the winter window gets underway.

However, they will face fierce competition from other Premier League sides. Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle United and Fulham are also interested, and West Ham United have reportedly made contact.

The Seagulls are believed to be open to a loan deal which could include an option or obligation to buy the striker at the end of his temporary move.

Why Ferguson would be a good signing

Since bursting onto the scene in the 2022/23 season, it has not been an easy ride for 20-year-old Ferguson. He missed 17 games for club and country last term, a total of 164 days with two separate injuries.

With that being said, his talent is clear to see. In 79 appearances for Brighton so far, he has 17 goals and five assists, coming in 3525 minutes, the equivalent of just 39.1 90 minute games. That averages out to a goal contrition every other 90 minutes, a strong record.

Indeed, his breakout campaign in 2022/23 was impressive. He played 25 times for the Seagull’s first team, scoring ten goals and grabbing four assists. That includes six strikes in 19 Premier League games.

Indeed, he was so good that season that comparisons can be made between the Irishman and one of the best strikers in the Premier League, Erling Haaland. The Norwegian himself was on fire in his debut season in England, scoring 36 goals in just 35 games.

The expectations were different for both going into the 2022/23 campaign. No one really thought Ferguson would become the clinical finisher he did, yet he exploded out of nowhere.

Haaland had all the expectations on him, as the big-money signing with a reputation for scoring goals week in, week out.

The pair can be compared on FBref for their extraordinary campaigns in their first full season of the Premier League.

For example, the Brighton striker had a non-penalty expected goals tally of 0.5npxG per 90 minutes and averaged 1.61 shots on target per game. Haaland is not too far ahead, with 0.75npxG and 1.72 shots on target each game.

Stat (per 90)

Ferguson

Haaland

Goals and assists

0.75

1.43

Non-penalty expected goals

0.5npxG

0.75npxG

Shots on target

1.61

1.72

Goals per shot

0.17

0.25

Shot-creating actions

2.08

2.34

Ferguson is clearly a player rated by his fellow peers. Kylian Mbappe has previously noted his talent, describing him as a “very good striker” before Ireland and France played each other back in 2023. That is high praise indeed from one of the world’s leading attackers.

This could be a smart signing for the Blues on a loan deal. Ferguson could help to supplement the goals scored by Jackson and Palmer, whilst also not having the pressure of being a first-choice striker himself. His talent is there, and perhaps it can be unearthed once more at Stamford Bridge.

7 players Chelsea could sell in January

Who could be off in the winter window as Enzo Maresca tinkers with his squad?

ByBarney Lane Jan 2, 2025

Manchester United have now been offered the chance to sign an “absolute monster” in a swap deal, with the player believed to be keen on the move, according to a report.

Man Utd pursuing a striker

Man United are now pushing to bring in a new striker this month, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen now on their list of targets, and there has recently been a positive update on their pursuit of the Nigerian, as he is said to be determined to move to Old Trafford.

FC Porto’s Samu Omorodion is also under consideration, having sent scouts to watch the striker in action against Boavista, and he is likely to have caught the eye, netting twice in a 4-0 victory to help continue his side’s title charge.

Just a few days ago, it emerged that United could look to make a move for Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic this month, with journalist Enrico Camelio explaining that a deal could be possible, should Joshua Zirkzee be sent in the opposite direction.

INEOS working on transfer for £75m star who wants Man Utd move this month

It would be some coup…

ByBarney Lane Jan 6, 2025

Now, the Red Devils have been handed the opportunity to make that deal a reality, with TEAMtalk reporting that Juventus have now made an official cash-plus-player offer.

There are signs that a deal could have a good chance of coming to fruition, too, as both players have given the green light to moving, with Zirkzee struggling to adapt to life in the Premier League since arriving from Bologna in the summer.

TEAMtalk relay a previous valuation of the Juventus striker from CaughtOffside, which suggests he could be worth €65m (£54m), with United required to pay a fee to bring the combined value of their player and the money to a suitable amount.

Vlahovic is an upgrade on Zirkzee

Members of the Italian media have lauded the Serbian as an “absolute monster”, and for good reason, given that his record in front of goal in the Serie A is very impressive, with his most prolific season coming in 2020-21 for Fiorentina, netting 21 times.

Statistic (per 90)

Joshua Zirkzee

Dusan Vlahovic

Non-penalty goals

0.26

0.61

Assists

0.17

0.12

Shot-creating actions

3.26

2.27

Successful take-ons

1.55

0.44

As shown, the Juventus star has a better eye for goal than the Dutchman, scoring more than double the number of non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, but his all-round game isn’t as strong.

As such, if Ruben Amorim wants a proven goalscorer, who does not offer much else to the team, it is worth considering Juventus’ proposal of a swap deal, but Zirkzee is likely to help the team in different ways. Osimhen should be United’s priority target, given that his all-round game is a lot better than Vlahovic’s, while also averaging more non-penalty goals over the past year.

Although Zirkzee has failed to deliver so far, it seems a little premature to let him leave this winter, especially considering Vlahovic is not the best striker United are currently linked with, meaning there is no pressing need to accept a swap deal.

Tottenham Hotspur are evaluating the possibility of a late January bid to sign a Juventus transfer target, amid reports he could cost under £30 million to bring in this month.

Ange Postecoglou shares January transfer update at Tottenham

Speaking ahead of their trip to Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou shared an update on the state of play in regard to the club’s winter window transfer activity.

Decision made as £60m Tottenham player tells friends he wants to leave

He’s made his feelings clear.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 18, 2025

Tottenham fell short in their pursuit of PSG outcast Randal Kolo Muani, who joined Juventus on a season-long loan deal, with time slowly running out for technical director Johan Lange and chairman Daniel Levy to get extra bodies through the door.

The Lilywhites have suffered serious squad shortages throughout 2024/2025, thanks to repeated injuries and suspensions, and Postecoglou says the north Londoners are working hard on signing quality new players before deadline day.

Everton (away)

January 19

Leicester City (home)

January 26

Brentford (away)

February 2

Man United (home)

February 16

Ipswich Town (home)

February 22

“Club is working hard as it can and that’s all you can ask for,” said Postecoglou on potential January incomings.

“January’s not an easy month but I do know a lot of work is being done behind the scenes to try to get some reinforcements in.”

The 59-year-old also confirmed Spurs’ previous interest in Kolo Muani, before he opted to join Juve, and Postecoglou also said that he’s not entirely fussed about losing that race for the forward’s signature.

“For me? No,” said Postecoglou when asked if missing out on Kolo Muani was a blow.

“We were in… Well, it depends what you mean by in. We’ve been interested and were looking at a number of players. But did we get to the point where we thought he was coming to us? No.

“It is tricky as all clubs are finding. And I guess traditionally it ramps up in that final week so we’re approaching there for all clubs. It’s even trickier in January because one you try to acquire a player, the club wants to replace that player. So there’s all sorts of logistics involved.”

Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies will be returning from injury sooner rather than later, but Tottenham have still been linked with a new centre-back for this window alongside an attacker.

Tottenham weighing up January bid for AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori

According to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori remains a target for Postecoglou’s side after he was linked at the very start of January.

It is believed that Spurs are considering a January bid for Tomori, but face competition from Juve yet again – who’ve tabled an offer to sign the former Chelsea player on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy set at around £21 million.

The Old Lady may fall short, though, as other reports suggest Tomori commands a price tag of around £25 million.

Tottenham are said to be “big fans” of the 27-year-old homegrown centre-back, and they were actually linked with an audacious swap deal for him involving Emerson Royal during Antonio Conte’s days in charge (Calciomercato Web).

Liverpool faced the incredibly difficult task of replacing Jurgen Klopp in the summer after he decided to step away from Anfield after almost a decade of service.

The German manager announced his departure in January of last year and officially left at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, after winning one Premier League title and one Champions League trophy during his time on Merseyside.

Arne Slot came in from Feyenoord to lead a new era for the Reds and only bolstered the squad with one addition in the summer transfer window, which was the signing of Federico Chiesa on a permanent deal.

The Dutch head coach has done a spectacular job at Anfield, so far, as his team is currently top of the Premier League table and has already qualified for the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

Mo Salah’s return of 19 goals and 13 assists on the right wing and Cody Gakpo’s return of eight goals and three assists on the left flank has helped to fire Liverpool to the top of the table, despite not having a consistent and reliable number nine option.

The Reds have failed to find a striker who can be relied upon to deliver week-in-week-out as a centre-forward in the Premier League since Roberto Firmino’s time at the club.

Why Roberto Firmino was a star for Liverpool

Liverpool signed the Brazil international from Hoffenheim in the summer of 2015, shortly before Klopp’s arrival at Anfield, for a reported fee of £21.3m.

The bulk of his appearances for the Bundesliga side came as either an attacking midfielder or a second striker, but he eventually found his place as a centre-forward for Klopp for the majority of his time at Liverpool.

257 of his 362 appearances for the Reds came as an out-and-out number nine and he was an integral part of the club’s success in the Premier League and the Champions League as part of an exceptional front three alongside Salah and Sadio Mane.

Firmino made the attack tick with his ability to drag centre-backs up the pitch to create space for Salah and Mane to make runs in behind, whilst also using his incredible technical quality and fantastic passing range to provide assists for the wingers.

The 33-year-old ended his career at Anfield with an excellent return of 111 goals and 75 assists in all competitions, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a consistent basis as a centre-forward for the club.

Darwin Nunez, who has scored four goals and provided two assists in 17 Premier League matches this season, does not offer the same level of quality or consistency in the final third at this moment in time.

Slot, however, could unearth his own version of Firmino by dipping into the January transfer window to sign one of the club’s reported targets.

Liverpool eyeing Premier League striker

Football Insider reported last month that Liverpool are interested in Brighton & Hove Albion centre-forward Joao Pedro, as they look at potential targets to bolster their attacking options.

Transfer Focus

The outlet claimed that the Reds are plotting a move for the Brazilian dynamo and that they have been keeping tabs on his performances for the Premier League side, to see how he has developed this season.

It added that the former Watford attacker would be open to moving on from the Seagulls if the chance to join one of the top clubs in the division came around, which Liverpool – sat at the top of the table – certainly are.

Brighton paid £30m to sign the 23-year-old star from Watford in the summer of 2023 and Football Insider stated that they would want at least £60m to consider parting ways with the talented youngster during the January transfer window.

However, the report also revealed that a transfer is more likely to happen in the summer, at the end of the season, due to how tough Brighton are to negotiate with.

Whether Liverpool can wrap up a deal to sign Pedro this month or if they wait until the summer, the Brazilian forward could come in as Slot’s own version of Firmino to bolster the attack.

Why Joao Pedro could be Roberto Firmino 2.0

Aside from the obvious comparison of them both being Brazilian strikers who have played in the Premier League, the Brighton dynamo is also a number nine who has the quality to provide both goals and assists for his side.

The Brazil international showcased his ability as a goalscorer in his debut season with the south coast club, with a return of 20 goals in 40 matches in all competitions.

Pedro, who scored nine goals in 19 starts in the Premier League last term, has flourished as both a scorer and a creator of gals in the current top-flight campaign.

The Brazilian magician left former Spurs defender Michael Dawson amazed with his “De Bruyne-esque” pass to Karou Mitoma against Bournemouth earlier, which was one of the five assists he has registered so far. That was particularly high praise given that Kevin de Bruyne has 173 assists for Manchester City to date.

He currently ranks within the top 2% of Premier League forwards for assists per 90 (0.35) and this illustrates his immense creativity, as he is one of the best in his position at setting up teammates for goals in the league.

Starts

15

xG

3.94

Goals

5

Key passes

17

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, Pedro has been a well-rounded centre-forward for Brighton this season with his ability to score and create goals consistently.

His return of ten direct goal contributions in 15 starts also speaks to his consistency in the final third, which is another reason why he could be Firmino 2.0 for Liverpool if the club can strike a deal for his services.

The Brazil international, who still has time left to develop and improve at the age of 23, has the technical ability, finishing quality, and creativity to be Slot’s own version of the former Reds icon, as well as a terrific teammate for Salah and Gakpo moving forward.

Imagine him & Salah: Liverpool showing big interest in "unpredictable" star

Liverpool are reportedly in the race to sign the Eredivisie forward.

ByDan Emery Jan 28, 2025

Looking to steal the headlines for the first time this summer, Fulham are now reportedly considering a move to sign an attacking reinforcement who Marco Silva already knows well.

Fulham transfer news

For much of this month, the Cottagers have been forced to focus on keeping hold of star men such as Andreas Pereira amid reported interest from Brazilian side Fluminense. Having seemingly fought off that interest, however, Silva’s side could yet welcome their first reinforcement of the transfer window and one who needs no introduction to Craven Cottage.

Whilst any move would be arriving in the dying embers, Fulham should be in no position to panic given how they’ve impressed even without further reinforcements in the last month or so. Sitting as high as ninth and in a shock race to fight for a European place in the Premier League, Silva has created an established side ready to cause plenty of upsets and he could yet get one particular reunion in pursuit of that.

According to Matt Law of The Telegraph, Fulham are now considering a move to re-sign Willian in a shock move folllowing his departure from Olympiacos to become a free at the beginning of the month.

Now 36 years old, the Brazilian has already stolen the headlines in West London on one ocassion in the past, playing a surprise starring role in the 2022/23 capaign despite initial doubts over his ability to still perform in the top flight.

Fulham submit offer to sign 53-cap international defender, talks ongoing

The Cottagers have made a late move for a right-back.

ByDominic Lund Feb 2, 2025

Two years on, he could get the chance to prove those doubters wrong once again and play yet another starring role in Silva’s side. At such an age, however, it must be said that any stint may well be his last in the Premier League.

"Incredible" Willian could complete shock reunion

Even in a cameo role, Willian represents a player full of experience who knows exactly what it takes to push a side into the European places and earn the admiration of those at Craven Cottage. Earning plenty of praise from Silva in his last stint, the Portuguese manager told reporters as relayed by beIN Sports: “He was class. He’s a class player and he has incredible quality.

“He played with a very good intensity and it was probably one of his best games this season so far and I’m really pleased for him because of the quality he has. He did so many things. The way he created on the left was very good.

“The players with the top quality can decide any moment of the game and they make the difference in football. The decisions Willian made came in the right moments and he’s a top-class player. He scored the goal because he believed he had other chances to score and I’m really pleased for him.”

In one last Premier League run, a 36-year-old Willian could bow out in perfect fashion by completing a move back to West London and back to England’s top flight.

West Ham United are apparently already in talks to sell a “quality” player, as he expresses his desire to quit the London Stadium behind closed doors.

Graham Potter looking to "entertain" West Ham supporters

The Graham Potter era is in full swing after Julen Lopetegui’s unceremonious departure, with performances improving overall since the Englishman’s arrival.

Stan Collymore explains why £100m forward could choose to join West Ham

The pundit thinks a London Stadium move is possible.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Feb 12, 2025

West Ham drew at Aston Villa in the Premier League and beat an in-form Fulham side 3-2 at home, with Potter’s side arguably unlucky not to at least share the spoils with Chelsea in their 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge most recently.

While the Hammers lie 16th in the table, with plenty of work still to do before they can comfortably remove their names from the candidacy list for relegation, there are positive signs since Potter put pen to paper on his West Ham contract.

Brentford (home)

February 15th

Arsenal (away)

February 22nd

Leicester City (home)

February 27th

Newcastle United (home)

March 10th

Everton (away)

March 15th

One of the former Brighton boss’ top priorities is the introduction of “entertaining” football, as he revealed in an interview with the club’s official website.

“I think if you ask most supporters, they would say they want to be entertained, and I think that’s the case at West Ham with all the Club’s history and tradition. With all of that, and with my experiences, that’s something we’ll be looking to do,” said Potter on his objectives at West Ham.

“Enjoyment is important, and I think if the players are enjoying themselves, that can help transmit enjoyment to the terraces. You have to look like you want to play football, because at the end of the day we’re in a fantastically privileged position. That’s something I’ve believed in through my entire career.

“I think football’s about balance though, and I don’t think you can talk about attacking football if you’re not stable at the back or defensively sound. So, we need to make sure we’re doing that.

“Ultimately, you have to look at the players and think about how you can get the best out of them, and play to their strengths. Nobody’s perfect, so we have to cover each other, work as a team and work as a unit.”

Of course, not all of his current squad will be along for the ride, and that appears to be the case with Argentine midfielder Guido Rodriguez.

Guido Rodriguez expresses his desire to leave West Ham

According to news outlet Orgullo Biri, Rodriguez has expressed his desire to leave West Ham and return to Real Betis – just one season after his free transfer from the La Liga side.

Interestingly, they add that Betis have already started talks to bring the 30-year-old back to Spain, with West Ham setting an asking price of around £2.5 million.

Betis have set their sights on signing Rodriguez to bolster their midfield, and they could hand the South American an opportunity to go back to a more successful ground after what has been a regrettable stay at the east London club.

Lopetegui demoted Rodriguez before his West Ham dismissal, so the player has failed to impress two managers.

Rodriguez has been called a “top quality” player by Terry Gibson, but he hasn’t exactly displayed it on many occasions this season, unfortunately for him.

Shifting their focus towards the January transfer window, West Bromwich Albion are now reportedly racing to sign a 6 foot 5 rising star who’s scored four goals in his last five games.

West Brom transfer news

To say it’s been a chaotic couple of months for West Brom would be an understatement. After finding themselves in a unique run of draws, it was one point too many to keep hold of Carlos Corberan, who swapped the Midlands for Valencia.

A difficult man to replace even amid that run of frustrating draws, the Baggies then turned to a true veteran and a returning icon in Tony Mowbray, who picked up his second win in five games last time out against Sheffield Wednesday.

With Blackburn Rovers up next, those at The Hawthorns will have the chance to move as many as five points clear of their opponents in the race to secure a play-off place, representing just how important tonight’s clash within the Championship’s top six is.

A place in the play-offs and then possibly the Premier League would certainly leave the Baggies in good stead to welcome reinforcements this summer too, including one young forward.

Special West Brom star is becoming Mowbray's answer to Matheus Pereira

Tony Mowbray will hope this West Bromwich Albion star can fire his new side to promotion.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 11, 2025

According to Football Insider, West Brom are now racing to sign Oliver Lynch after sending scouts to watch the 6’5 forward on loan from Luton Town at Hemel Hempstead.

The young striker has scored four goals in five games for the National League South side and doesn’t look like stopping anytime soon. With West Brom and a number of EFL clubs now reportedly interested in his signature, he will undoubtedly be one to watch as his impressive campaign continues on loan from the Hatters.

"Immense" Lynch is one for the future

At just 19 years old, Lynch is doing everything right in front of goal in the National League South and has deservedly earned the praise of Lee Allinson.

The Hemel Hempstead boss told reporters afer Lynch scored in a victory against Farnborough Town: “We do our due diligence on players and Lynchy was one I kept my eye on after I’d faced him with Hendon against Dulwich.

“I like him, he’s a handful and I thought he was immense today and him and Joe [Iaciofano] worked tirelessly to give people a moment’s rest. He also scored an unbelievable goal and could have had another one just before half-time as well.”

As for West Brom, they could certainly do with a permanent solution to their striker problem with Adam Armstrong only arriving on loan during the January transfer window. At such a young age, Lynch is exactly the type of rising star that The Hawthorns could enjoy for years to come.

There’s certainly plenty of competition for the forward’s signature, however, which makes promotion to the Premier League all the more important for West Brom this season.

Journalist Ben Jacobs expects Leeds United to make a summer move for a “fantastic” striker, who would be “keen” on a move to Elland Road.

Leeds take huge step towards promotion

Leeds’ promotion hopes were significantly boosted with a 3-1 victory against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane last night, with Junior Firpo, Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe striking late to complete a second-half turnaround against their Yorkshire rivals.

The Whites now sit seven points clear of third-place Burnley as we enter the business end of the season, having hit a rich vein of form at the right time, winning their last five games on the spin in the Championship.

There is still a long way to go, but Daniel Farke’s side are in a strong position to return to the Premier League at the second time of asking, and they have now started to identify potential targets for the summer transfer window.

Pundit reacts after hearing 49ers want star who was "outstanding" vs Leeds

He’s been in encouraging form and Leeds Utd have taken notice.

BySean Markus Clifford Feb 24, 2025

Manor Solomon has played a key role in Leeds’ promotion push, and it has recently been revealed the Tottenham Hotspur man is set to be available for a fee of around £10m – £15m at the end of the season.

Solomon is not the only attacking target the Championship promotion-hopefuls have in mind, however, with Jacobs recently telling GiveMeSport he expects them to make a fresh move for Southampton’s Cameron Archer, who they wanted in January.

“My expectation is, with Southampton likely to go down and Leeds on track to come up, that Leeds will revisit the Cameron Archer deal, and over the course of a long summer, potentially make more progress there.

“Archer is keen on the move. Leeds value the fact that he can play centrally or out wide. And Archer will remain on Leeds’ shortlist heading into the summer.”

Archer was Leeds' top striker target in January

Jacobs also revealed Archer was Leeds’ “number one target” at striker last month, having displayed a keen eye for goal in the Championship in the past, bagging 11 goals and six assists in 20 games for Middlesbrough in the 2022-23 campaign.

The former Boro man has also received praise from ex-Solihull Moors coach James Quinn, who said: “He came in and straightaway I was taken aback by his technical quality. A fantastic finisher with both feet. One of the best I’ve seen.”

That said, the 23-year-old has struggled since making the step-up to the Premier League this season, joining Southampton last summer in a £15m deal.

Since arriving at St. Mary’s, the striker has scored just two Premier League goals in 23 outings, failing to find the back of the net since October.

Of course, it is a tough ask to regularly score goals while playing in such a poor side, but there should be some concern about Archer’s Premier League goal record, given that Leeds will most likely be returning to the top tier next season.

Liverpool have been pretty good when it comes to transfers over the past decade.

Michael Edwards and Jurgen Klopp combined to take Liverpool away from the pit in which it had been stuck for several years – the Luis Suarez-led 2013/14 campaign being an outlier – snapping up the likes of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Sadio Mane for modest fees and turning them into superstars.

Klopp had an eye for potential to be sure, and so when he draped the curtain on his legendary tenure at the end of the 2024/25 season, FSG needed to get it right in finding a replacement.

Well, Arne Slot’s enjoyed quite the debut campaign at Anfield, with Liverpool seemingly cruising to the Premier League title. While the Dutchman inherited a first-class squad, his tactical acumen has been showcased through the improvements made to several stars.

Liverpool's most-improved players under Slot

Where could we start if not with Ryan Gravenberch? The breezy midfielder, Klopp’s final first-team signing, drifted through his first term on Merseyside but has come alive in Slot’s system, essential as the nucleus of the engine room.

Reporter Ian McKennedy has said ‘his impact has been immense’ after efforts to sign Martin Zubimendi fell flat last summer. But he certainly hasn’t been the only one.

His compatriot, Cody Gakpo, might have been overshadowed up front by Ballon d’Or-chasing Salah, but he’s still been reborn in a streamlined role, matching last season’s goal tally of 16 having played around 1,000 fewer minutes. Slot stopped Gakpo’s bounce-around positional deployment and instead unleashed him on the left flank.

Centre-forward

27

12

3

Left winger

12

3

3

Right winger

7

1

0

Central midfield

7

0

0

Then, of course, there’s been Dominik Szoboszlai, a player who ebbed and flowed last year but has really come alive in 2025, bringing matchless energy and a fast-improving eye for goal, with five of his seven goals for Slot bagged since December.

There are many more, all meeting new standards and charging the multi-front title bids. It’s no surprise such players’ stocks have risen, but there’s another, somewhat more peripheral member of the senior squad whose value has shot up remarkably since Slot’s advent.

He’s got much more to prove, but he’s starting to come into his own.

The Liverpool player whose value has risen 580%

Liverpool may not have tasted true transfer investment with Slot at the helm yet, but his man-management skills suggest that he has dovetailed right into the way of things. Richard Hughes and co are bound to bring players in who will be elevated by his managerial expertise.

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?

However, this is true internally too. Take Jarell Quansah, for example, a player who might have had a rocky start to the season but is beginning to reach the remarkable level achieved last year, his first term within top-flight football.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig described the 22-year-old as an “absolute monster” for his efforts under Klopp, and indeed, he thrived, even displacing Ibrahima Konate throughout the final months of the season, starting ten of the final 15 Premier League games.

There is clearly a view within Liverpool’s hierarchy that Quansah has the potential to become a real star over the coming years, for he signed a long-term contract with the club back in October after his exemplary breakout year.

Quansah might not have got off to the best start under Slot’s wing, withdrawn at half-time in Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Ipswich Town and not tasting top-flight football again until December, but he’s made positive progress over the past few months.

Against Wolves last month, for example, his second-half cameo was crucial in helping the under-par Reds scrape over the line and add three more points to the haul.

Last season’s efforts delineate his quality: as per FBref, Quansah ranked among the top 3% of centre-backs in the Premier League last term for goals scored, the top 4% for passes attempted, the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 11% for aerial duels won per 90.

Impressively, Konate was noted by FBref as one of the talent’s most statistically comparable players too.

Furthermore, the England U21 international won a whopping 64% of his duels in the top flight last season, as per Sofascore. For a first-time up-and-comer, this is quite the feat. Konate won 66%.

There’s so much to be excited about, not least as Slot has acknowledged the centre-half’s resilience in bouncing back over the past few months after “a bit of a hard time” during the early knockings of the campaign. Indeed, the gaffer hailed him last month for being “back to being the same Jarell.”

And when he’s already rising steadily from a financial standpoint, it’s rather daunting to imagine just how good he could become with sustained development in Slot’s system.

As per Football Transfers, Quansah was only valued at about £2.5m when Slot replaced Klopp in the Liverpool dugout last summer, but there’s since been a steep upswing, with his updated February market value touted at £17m, which equates to a 580%

In actuality, it doesn’t seem probable FSG would allow their talented young defender to leave for such a modest sum, not least since he’s penned a new long-term contract worth £30k per week.

Virgil van Dijk is out of a deal at the end of the season, and though Liverpool are pushing to retain their captain’s services for the next few years, Quansah is viewed as a potential internal successor in the long run.

He’s got the quality, athleticism and commitment, and now just needs to springboard to the next level and blossom even further toward the fore.

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