كشف أحمد شوبير الإعلامي بقناة النادي الأهلي، آخر تطورات ملف اختيار مدير فني جديد للقلعة الحمراء، بعد رحيل الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، كما أوضح موقف التجديد لثلاثي الفريق إمام عاشور وأليو ديانج ومصطفى شوبير.
الأهلي كان قد إقال الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو من تدريب الفريق، عقب سلسلة من النتائج السلبية، وآخرها كان الهزيمة على يد بيراميدز في الدوري المصري بثنائية دون رد.
وقال أحمد شوبير في تصريحات عبر قناة “الأهلي”: “بدأت خطوات اختيار المدرب الجديد للنادي الأهلي، سمعنا أنه يوجد حديث مع كونسيساو مدرب بورتو وميلان السابق، والأخير احترم النادي الأهلي، لكن قال إنه يُفضل التدريب في أوروبا في الوقت الحالي”.
طالع أيضا.. جوزيه جوميز يحسم موقفه النهائي من عرض تدريب الأهلي خلفًا لـ ريبيرو
وتابع: “أيضاً توجد أقاويل عن جوميز، وأنا سأقول قصة جوميز، لم يتحدث معه أحد من الأهلي، لكن هناك وكلاء يتواصلون، لكن النادي الأهلي لم يتحدث إطلاقًا مع جوميز”.
وأوضح: “أنا شخصيًا من المحبين والمقتنعين بـ جوميز، لكن لم يحدث أي تواصل معه”.
وأفاد: “جوميز بعد مجهوده مع الفتح في الموسم الماضي، بما يشبه المعجزة، تم تجديد عقده ووضع شرط جزائي مليون دولار، والنادي يريد أن يُجدد عقده، وهو قال لو جاء لي عرض فأنا تحت أمر نادي الفتح، وحصلت على مستحقات العام الماضي، وأحيانًا تتأخر المستحقات قليلًا لكن أحصل عليها”.
وواصل: “ستسمع أسماء كثير في الفترة الحالية، لذلك الأهلي يثقل قدمه من أجل اختيار مدرب جيد، ولا يريدون أن يسقطوا مرة أخرى في نفس الخطأ بعد ريبيرو، ويحاولون تغيير الفكر والمدرسة”.
وأكمل: “الأهلي منح الثقة للجهاز الفني الحالي، وقد يكون هناك جهاز فني جديد حسب المواصفات التي يضعها النادي، والأهلي (مش بيسترخص) في المدربين، فما زال التفاوض جاريًا والأهلي لم يصل لاتفاق حتى هذه اللحظة”.
واستكمل: “وليد صلاح الدين تولى ملف التمديد لـ إمام عاشور، اللاعب يتبقى في عقده سنتان، والأهلي من باب التقدير للاعب والتكريم إنه يزيد عقده من الآن لأنه كان له دور كبير في فوز الأهلي بالبطولات”.
وأتم: “إمام عاشور لديه مطالب مادية وهذا حقه، التفاوض سيستمر وسنرى ماذا سيحدث، والنادي يريد أن يُمدد عقد مصطفى شوبير أيضاً رغم أنه يتبقى في عقده سنتان، وكذلك أليو ديانج”.
Take out Erling Haaland from the equation, and it’s likely most clubs in European football, Arsenal included, would choose to sign Alexander Isak this summer.
The Gunners have had a long-vested interest in the Swede, dating back to before he was even a Newcastle player.
Sadly, after a campaign in which the Toon’s star man bagged 27 goals in 42 games, he looks like he’s staying in the north east.
Asking prices from £150m to £200m have been touted, making this move nigh on impossible for anyone, let alone the Gunners.
Liverpool are reportedly at the table too and if Arne Slot’s men were to prise the forward away from Newcastle, it would be a colossal kick in the teeth for Arsenal.
Still, there are alternatives, and alternatives that share similar traits to the Swedish superstar.
The latest on Arsenal's hunt for new attackers
With moves for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi set for completion in the not-too-distant future, Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta are getting a move on with their summer business.
Still, a new forward continues to elude them amid ongoing talks to sign Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko.
Arsenal have also been looking at wingers, namely Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace’s playmaking sensation, Eberechi Eze.
Well, what if they could find a player with the ability to play on the flanks and through the middle? That fact is certainly true of Ademola Lookman.
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 Caught Offside, the Gunners are now in active negotiations to sign the Nigerian attacker from Italian outfit Atalanta.
After previous spells in England with Charlton, Everton, and Fulham, Lookman has more than proven himself in Italy and appears to be keen on coming back to the Premier League.
Ademola Lookman for Atalanta
While Arsenal will face competition from Liverpool for his signature, the 27-year-old is said to be valued at around €45m to €50m (£38m – £43m) plus add-ons.
How Ademola Lookman could improve Arsenal
Let’s take you back to the year of 2020 for a moment. Football is being played behind closed doors due to the pandemic and Lookman has just missed one of the worst penalty attempts you will ever see.
A panenka looks great when it comes off, but in this instance, it disgraced and embarrassed a young Lookman.
Since then, the attacker has become “one of the best prospects in Europe”, in the words of former Man City defender-turned pundit Nedum Onuoha.
Why? Well, who could forget the Lookman final, a game where Atalanta won the Europa League in 2024 courtesy of the Nigeria international who scored a stunning hat-trick to seal a 3-0 win over Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.
It was genuinely one of the best individual performances you will see on a big stage and he’s not slowed down since that moment.
During the 2023/24 campaign, Lookman scored 17 goals and supplied ten assists in all competitions. In 2024/25, he was even better in front of goal, netting 20 and registering seven assists.
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting players in Serie A, his rate of productivity in the final third is captivating, but the player’s versatility is also an enormous plus point. Capable of playing on the flanks, as a striker or behind the leading no.9, that versatile nature should be a big box tick for Arteta.
Such an ability to play in a plethora of positions has led data-led website FBRef to proclaim that Bukayo Saka is the third-most similar winger in Europe to Lookman, while Isak is the third-most similar striker. Not bad indeed. But, what makes them alike? We’ve crunched the numbers.
Lookman vs Isak & Saka: 2024/25 league
Stat (per 90 mins)
Lookman
Isak
Saka
Goals
0.60
0.75
0.31
Assists
0.20
0.20
0.52
Shots
3.24
3.10
3.44
Key passes
2.44
1.34
3.02
Progressive passes
2.98
2.88
3.65
Shot-creating actions
5.41
3.01
6.09
Succesful take-ons
1.48
1.37
2.14
Progressive carries
5.68
2.71
5.00
Stats via FBRef.
Blessed with pace, fleet-footedness and low centre of gravity, Lookman possesses a very similar style on the flanks to Saka and his ability to dart in behind and run the channels can draw comparisons to Isak.
That’s certainly seen in the numbers, where the former Fulham man combines the best of both players here.
He’s more potent than Saka in front of goal per 90 minutes but he creates a similar number of key passes. He’s also very progressive with his actions, only slightly falling behind Arsenal’s number 7 for progressive passes but actually ranking higher for progressive carries.
Like Isak, he completes a similar number of take-ons and they’re almost equal for shots taken as well.
So, if Arsenal are not willing to break the bank to sign someone like Sesko or Gyokeres this summer, Lookman could be the next best thing.
It’s a rare opportunity to find someone who combines the best attributes of two of the best players in the Premier League.
£100m star & the "new Haaland" sign: Arsenal's dream summer
Andrea Berta is in for a big summer at Arsenal; here’s how it could play out.
Sri Lanka now rely on other results, including a washout, for any hope of qualification. Nepal’s road gets tougher with South Africa up next
Sreshth Shah12-Jun-2024
Sri Lanka and Nepal had to share points from the washout•ICC/Getty Images
Match abandoned without a ball bowled Sri Lanka vs NepalSri Lanka and Nepal came to Lauderhill searching for their first wins, hoping to put their T20 World Cup 2024 on track. However, incessant rain, heavy enough to trigger flash-flood alerts for local residents, left both teams splitting one point apiece. That means Sri Lanka are almost certainly out of Super Eight contention while Nepal’s chances of qualification also take a hit. South Africa, currently Group D toppers, were confirmed a place in the Super Eight.For Sri Lanka to now qualify, they first need the Bangladesh vs Netherlands fixture on June 13 in Kingstown to be a washout, then they need to defeat Netherlands in their last group game on June 16. They also need South Africa to beat Nepal by a big margin on June 14, and then for Nepal to beat Bangladesh by a small margin on June 16.
Nepal could still qualify if they manage big wins against South Africa and Bangladesh in their last two games, and if Netherlands don’t win both their remaining matches.However, the Lauderhill weather now puts upcoming games at the venue under the scanner. The venue is set to host three Group A games – USA vs Ireland on June 14, Canada vs India on June 15 and Ireland vs Pakistan on June 16 with rain forecast through the week.
Leeds United won the Championship title with a whopping 100-point haul in the 2024/25 campaign to earn promotion back up to the Premier League.
Daniel Farke will now be aiming to guide the team clear of relegation, knowing that the last six teams promoted from the second tier have all been relegated at the first time of asking.
The Whites scored 95 goals in their 46 matches in the Championship, and they did so without a natural number ten type magician in the squad, as they had in the past with Pablo Hernandez, and as Farke had in the past with Emiliano Buendia.
Instead, old-school wingers like Manor Solomon and Dan James provided quality in the final third, whilst Brenden Aaronson was the main number ten and ended the season with just two assists in 43 league starts.
Form against the Championship top six
Brenden Aaronson vs
Goals
Assists
Bristol City (A)
0
0
Burnley (H)
0
0
Sunderland (A)
0
0
Sheffield United (H)
0
0
Coventry (H)
0
0
Coventry (A)
0
0
Burnley (A)
0
0
Sunderland (H)
0
0
Sheffield United (A)
0
0
Bristol City (H)
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the USA international did not deliver a single goal contribution in his ten appearances against the other teams in the top six, as he struggled badly against the better teams in the division.
Why Leeds needs to sign their next Pablo Hernandez
Aaronson’s lacklustre form in front of goal, despite being a regular starter in a dominant team, suggests that he will not be good enough to make the step up to the Premier League next season.
That thought is, of course, backed up by the fact that he only managed one goal in 36 games in the top-flight during his first year in England in the 2022/23 campaign, which shows that he has already failed to make the step up to that level.
Therefore, Leeds need to acquire a new number ten option to score and create goals in the Premier League, and they should target a traditional playmaker in the Pablo Hernandez mould to improve their options in the middle of the park.
The Spaniard delivered 36 goals and 41 assists in 175 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit in all competitions, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a regular basis whilst playing on the wing or as an attacking midfielder.
Hernandez was a joy to watch during his time at Elland Road, as shown by some of the fantastic goals in the clips above, and Leeds do not have a similar kind of player in their current squad.
That is why the Whites should make signing their next version of the Spanish maestro a priority between now and the end of the summer transfer window ahead of their return to the Premier League.
Leeds have interest in Championship playmaker
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are ‘believed’ to have a genuine interest in Sheffield United attacking midfielder Gustavo Hamer this summer.
The report claims that the Championship champions are one of the teams eyeing up the Dutch playmaker, although it reveals that he has fallen down the shortlist and is not the number one priority at this moment in time.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds that the Whites were interested in a deal to sign the Blades star in the summer transfer window in 2024, and that they had an offer of £13m turned down by their rivals.
Given that he is not at the top of their wishlist for number tens, it remains to be seen if Leeds will snap the 28-year-old star up before the window slams shut at the start of September.
He is reportedly valued at a fee of around £18m by Sheffield United, but this latest report by the Yorkshire Evening Post does not reveal if they would be willing to pay that much for the midfielder.
Why Leeds should sign Gustavo Hamer
The Whites should press ahead with a swoop for the Championship star, despite him not being one of their top targets in that position, because he could be their next Pablo Hernandez.
Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer celebrates scoring their first goal
Like the Spaniard, Hamer is a diminutive playmaker who can play out wide or in the middle as a number ten, having played off the left 33 times for Sheffield United this season.
The Dutch star, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss Chris Wilder, has showcased his quality in the Premier League and in the Championship with the Blades in the last two campaigns.
In the 2024/25 campaign, the former Coventry City magician scored nine goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and delivered seven assists in the Championship, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Hamer’s performances for Sheffield United in the Premier League in the previous season, despite their relegation from the division, suggest that the potential is there for him to be a great addition for the Whites.
23/24 Premier League
Gustavo Hamer
Percentile rank vs midfielders
Goals
4
Top 16%
xG
2.98
Top 24%
xA
4.55
Top 12%
Assists
6
Top 10%
Chances created
70
Top 3%
Crosses completed
33
Top 5%
Dribbles completed
28
Top 13%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman ranked highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a midfield position, as he was directly involved in ten goals in the top-flight.
This shows that he does have the ability to make an impact in front of goal in the Premier League. Whereas, as aforementioned, Aaronson flopped in his last season at that level.
Therefore, Hamer could arrive at Elland Road this summer as a long-term successor to Pablo Hernandez in West Yorkshire, as he is a natural playmaker who has shown that he can make a difference in the final third with goals and assists at an impressive rate.
Leeds open talks with agent of "talented" Champions League level star
The 49ers mean business this summer…
1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025
It is now down to the club to decide who their number one target is for the number ten position, but these statistics suggest that the Blades star would be an excellent choice.
Glasgow Rangers and new Ibrox owners 49ers Enterprises have reached an agreement to sell a Gers player without the approval of new manager Russell Martin.
Aarons completes Ibrox medical and set to join Rangers
The Gers have already made midfielder Lyall Cameron the first official signing of the summer at Ibrox, however, the 49ers and Martin are after more before the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos and their Scottish Premiership opener at Motherwell.
Rangers’ first 5 Scottish Premiership fixtures
Date
Motherwell vs Rangers
August 2
Rangers vs Dundee
August 9
St Mirren vs Rangers
August 23
Rangers vs Celtic
August 31
Rangers vs Hearts
September 13
Martin admitted he is “excited” at the players Rangers are targeting and is hoping for a “few” to arrive over the coming weeks.
One of those looks set to be Max Aarons, with the right-back on course to arrive on a straight loan deal from Bournemouth. The defender has even been pictured at Ibrox and has already completed a medical.
With Aarons set to sign, it could be a case of one defender in and one out at Ibrox going off a recent update.
Rangers reach agreement to sell Gers defender Robin Propper
According to reports relayed by Sport Witness, Rangers have reached an agreement in principle to sell Robin Propper for €1.5m (£1.27m) to FC Twente.
A deal is yet to be complete, though, ‘due to the recent changes within the technical staff of Rangers’, meaning Martin has yet to give the green light to an exit.
The report adds that ‘a meeting between Propper and the new head coach is planned soon and will be decisive for the further course of the transfer’.
Concern as Rangers now at risk of losing £20m Ibrox star star on the cheap
This would be a real setback for the Gers.
ByHenry Jackson Jun 24, 2025
FC Twente’s manager, Joseph Oosting, has publicly spoken out over a transfer for Propper, saying “I have been in contact with him via the app. We would like to have Robin. Will he come? That is the question.”
Oosting added to another Dutch outlet: “We have been in contact, I hope he returns. No point of discussion. I assume that it will work out. But in football you can never be sure of such things.”
Should a £1.27m deal go through, Rangers will be making a slight loss after spending £1.5m on Propper just 12 months ago.
Nitish Kumar Reddy had received his maiden India call-up before being sidelined due to a hernia
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2024
Nitish Kumar Reddy had a consistent IPL 2024 with Sunrisers Hyderabad•BCCI
Nitish Kumar Reddy will have to wait for his international debut after he was sidelined from India’s T20I tour of Zimbabwe due to an injury. Shivam Dube will take his place in the 15-member squad.While the BCCI did not specify the nature of Reddy’s injury, ESPNcricinfo has learned that he has been ruled out due to a hernia.Reddy, a 21-year-old seam bowling allrounder, had earned his maiden India call-up after an impressive IPL 2024 season with Sunrisers Hyderabad. He made 303 runs in the season at a strike rate of 142.92, while also delivering 13.1 overs for three wickets.In just his second innings of the season, he scored 64 off 37 balls against Punjab Kings, which took SRH to 182 and eventually helped them seal a two-run win. Reddy also scored an unbeaten 42-ball 76 against Rajasthan Royals in a group game later in the tournament. With the ball, his three wickets included Rishabh Pant, Tristan Stubbs and Jitesh Sharma.Reddy has been a part of the BCCI’s target group of young players who have been under the NCA’s watch over the past year.Dube is part of the India squad at the T20 World Cup 2024. While his numbers in the tournament so far have been middling: 106 runs in six matches with a strike rate of 107.07 and zero wickets, he had a tremendous IPL 2024. Coming in to bat primarily in the middle overs, he was Chennai Super Kings’ spin-hitter, finishing the season with 396 runs in 14 games, striking at 162.29. He was CSK’s second highest run-scorer behind Ruturaj Gaikwad.India will play Zimbabwe in five T20Is in Harare which get underway on July 6. With the senior players rested, Shubman Gill will lead the squad which features Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Tushar Deshpande, all of whom received maiden India call-ups.India squad for T20I series in ZimbabweᏚhubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande
An exciting transfer update has emerged regarding Liverpool’s quest to build a squad capable of retaining their Premier League crown, courtesy of Fabrizio Romano.
Liverpool closing in on stunning Wirtz move
The Reds appear to be edging closer to completing the most exciting signing of the summer in England, with Florian Wirtz on the verge of joining from Bayer Leverkusen.
He is expected to smash Liverpool’s transfer record, with a move of £116m mooted, in what could be among the club’s most significant signings of the past decade or so.
Wirtz has been voted as the best player in the Bundesliga in each of the past two seasons by his peers, highlighting his brilliance, and Reds supporters will be hoping that he can enjoy the same level of world-class influence that the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson have at Anfield.
Once the German superstar is confirmed as a Liverpool player, it will be time for the Reds to turn their attention to other targets.
Romano: Liverpool "on fire" with Kerkez set to join
Speaking on TikTok late on Sunday evening, Romano confirmed Wirtz will join the club once he finishes his holidays and completes a medical, but he also had news on Bournemouth star Milos Kerkez, revealing the Reds are “on fire”.
At this point, it would be a huge surprise if the Reds didn’t bring in Kerkez this summer, with the Hungarian at the top of their list for a long time now, and it’s not hard to see why.
Milos Kerkez
The Bournemouth man, on just £30,000-a-week on the south coast, already looks like such a polished footballer, despite his tender years, and the energy and competitive edge in his game have echoes of a young Andy Robertson, with former teammate Mat Ryan once heaping praise on him.
“Milos is a great boy. A crazy dude, in a good way. He is always positive and smiling. Hopefully he can develop even further in England and become even more mature. He is aggressive, powerful and has so many qualities. A unique skill set. Bournemouth is going to get stronger because of him. Milos still has a great career ahead of him.”
Liverpool could easily get close to a decade of great service from Kerkez, assuming he avoids serious injury, and regardless of whether Robertson stays or not this summer, the Cherries ace must be considered the Reds’ first-choice left-back.
Tottenham Hotspur are now keen on signing a £100k-a-week striker who’s scored 57 Premier League goals, having identified him as their ideal target, according to a report.
Spurs set to pursue new striker this summer
Dominic Solanke returned to the scoresheet on Sunday afternoon, with the Englishman ending his seven-game drought in the Premier League, but Liverpool ultimately came out on top in a dominant performance at Anfield, securing the title with a 5-1 victory.
While Solanke may have found the back of the net against Liverpool, he hasn’t exactly been prolific in the Premier League this season, netting eight goals, and it is now looking increasingly likely that Spurs will attempt to bring in a new striker this summer.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are in a good position to win the race for Feyenoord striker Zepiqueno Redmond, while they are also looking to sign Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel on a permanent basis, and they will have the opportunity to do so for a fee of £43m.
Tottenham serious contenders to sign Premier League star at £50m+ discount
Tottenham are among the main suitors for a winger, whose club are now willing to let him leave this summer.
ByDominic Lund Apr 27, 2025
According to a report from Spain, however, Tottenham are also keen to sign a striker who has a plethora of Premier League experience, having identified Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the ideal option to bolster their frontline.
Spurs are closely monitoring Calvert-Lewin’s situation at Goodison Park, with the striker’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, which means he will be available on a free transfer.
The Englishman’s availability without a transfer fee is attractive to Spurs, who are looking to bolster their attacking options without spending a significant sum of money, and his refusal to sign a new deal up to this point suggests he is likely to be available this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming fixtures
Date
Bodo/Glimt (h)
May 1st
West Ham United (a)
May 4th
Bodo/Glimt (a)
May 8th
Crystal Palace (h)
May 11th
Aston Villa (a)
May 18th
"Outstanding" Calvert-Lewin could be solid rotation option
The Everton marksman has proven himself in the Premier League over a number of years, scoring 57 goals in the competition during his time with the Toffees, while also receiving high praise from The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland, who lauded him as “outstanding”.
As such, the 28-year-old could be a decent rotation option for Spurs, and his availability on a free transfer is an added bonus, but there are doubts over whether the 11-time England international is capable of taking Ange’s attack to the next level.
Everton's DominicCalvert-Lewincelebrates scoring their first goal
Injuries have been a real problem for the £100k-a-week striker throughout his career, and they have continued to hold him back this season, missing the last 12 games due to a hamstring issue.
The last time Calvert-Lewin was on the scoresheet was against Tottenham back in January, bagging a goal and an assist in his side’s 3-2 victory, but constant injury problems mean the Sheffield-born forward can’t be relied upon as a consistent source of goals.
Newcastle United are striding ahead in Eddie Howe’s mission to secure Champions League football and may elbow one of their Premier League competitors aside to bring in a talented star once the window opens, per reports.
Newcastle United look to make summer transfer statement
With their pursuit of a top-five finish in the Premier League gathering momentum, there is no surprise that the Magpies have one eye on potential reinforcements ahead of the summer.
Alexander Isak is set to attract much speculation over his future in the North East, leading Newcastle to pursue Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis despite further interest from Chelsea in the Greece international.
Vangelis Pavlidis for Benfica.
Following the theme of prospective striking additions, Moise Kean is another target at St James’ Park after contact was made with Fiorentina regarding whether the Italy international would be within their reach.
Given the former Everton star has a release clause of £45 million, all signs point to an affordable deal should circumstances align. Even if Isak stays, Callum Wilson’s impending departure on a free transfer has made room for another centre-forward to enter the fold.
Eddie Howe is recovering from a recent illness. Nevertheless, his group will be desperate to book a slot in the Champions League to reinforce the 47-year-old’s excellent performance in the dugout this season.
Newcastle to swoop for £100k-p/w ace as priority Callum Wilson replacement
Newcastle are ready for some exciting changes this summer.
1 BySean Markus Clifford Apr 11, 2025
The former Bournemouth boss has ended their 56-year trophy drought and looks on course to secure another tilt for the Geordies at Europe’s top table, which is bound to attract prospective recruits in the next few months.
Now, news has come to light revealing that Newcastle are in talks to sign a versatile star as they aim to beat one of their Premier League rivals to his signature.
Newcastle open talks to sign Marseille forward Luis Henrique
According to TBR, Newcastle have opened talks to sign Marseille forward Luis Henrique, who is also a target for Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United ahead of the summer window.
The Magpies view the Brazilian as a winger, as opposed to their divisional rivals’ opinion that a deeper role on the right-hand side would suit best. This campaign, he has registered nine goals and eight assists across 31 matches encompassing all competitions.
Luis Henrique’s key statistics in Ligue 1 – 2024/25
Chances created
48
Successful dribbles
45
Shots
27
Shots on target
13
Successful crosses
26
Duels won
67
Dubbed “fantastic” by Roberto De Zerbi, the 23-year-old is also attracting interest from Nottingham Forest, creating a potential battle for his services that could go the distance in months to come.
Capable of featuring on either flank or even as a foil for the central attacker, his versatility would likely appeal to any side set to be involved in European competition.
Depth is the watchword for teams such as Newcastle moving forward to avoid injury concerns. Either way, the onus is now on chiefs behind the scenes to accelerate talks surrounding the potential transfer.
Sheffield United are going to need a huge end to the season, as well as a bit of help from other teams, to secure automatic promotion from the Championship.
The Blades are currently five points adrift of Burnley, who they still have to play, and Leeds United with just four matches left to play before the end of the campaign.
Chris Wilder’s side have lost their last three Championship games and scored just one goal in that time, which must be particularly frustrating after they splashed the cash on a new centre-forward in the January transfer window.
How much Sheffield United paid for Tom Cannon
The Athletic reported that Sheffield United agreed a fee of £10m to sign Tom Cannon from Leicester City earlier this year to bolster their attacking options.
They made that move off the back of his return of nine goals in 22 Championship matches on loan at Stoke City in the first half of the season.
Unfortunately, though, Cannon has failed to hit the ground running at Bramall Lane and has not been the boost to their promotion chances that supporters may have hoped that he would be at the time of his big-money move.
The 22-year-old attacker has failed to score in 12 league matches for the Blades to date, registering just one assist in that time, and it is fair to say that the striker has flopped due to his complete lack of goals.
£10m was a big outlay for a centre-forward at Championship level, which is why more should be expected from him, and this is illustrated by the fact that United once sold Che Adams, who is now miles better than Cannon, for just £2m.
Why Che Adams is miles better than Tom Cannon
The Blades sold Adams to Birmingham for a reported fee of £2m in the summer of 2016 after he had scored 15 goals in 55 first-team matches for the club.
After scoring 38 goals in 123 games for the Blues, the English-born centre-forward signed for Southampton for a fee of £15m in the summer of 2019.
Following several seasons in the Premier League with the Saints, Adams went back down to the Championship last season and thrived in the second tier, before his move to Torino in the Serie A last summer.
Che Adams
23/24 Championship (Southampton)
24/25 Serie A (Torino)
Starts
25
25
xG
13.79
6.27
Goals
16
8
Conversion rate
20%
17%
Big chances created
7
5
Assists
4
3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Scotland international was prolific for Southampton last season and has carried his impressive finishing over to Italy, outperforming his xG by almost two goals in the Serie A.
These statistics show that Adams is a clinical forward who is reliable in front of goal in one of Europe’s major leagues, whilst Cannon is currently goalless in 12 games for Sheffield United.
The Torino frontman is, therefore, currently significantly more effective than the Blades number nine, as he is thriving in a top European league, whilst the Ireland international cannot score in the Championship.
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Sheffield United once sold the attacker for a fee of just £2m and it currently remains to be seen if their £10m signing will ever reach the heights that the Scottish dynamo has hit in his career.