Having already said farewell to Kevin De Bruyne at the end of last season, Manchester City are now reportedly at risk of losing another top star amid reports that he has agreed a big-money contract with another club.
James Trafford: Rejoining Man City a "special" moment
Of course, as exit rumours continue to arrive, Manchester City have also been busy on the incomings front. Taking their list of signings up to six for the summer, the Citizens recently welcomed the return of James Trafford after hijacking Newcastle United’s deal to sign the England international for around £27m.
After sealing his return to The Etihad just two years on from leaving for Burnley, Trafford told City’s official website: “Rejoining City is such special and proud moment both for me and my family.
“I always dreamed that one day I would be able to come back to Manchester City. This is the place I call home – it’s a truly special football club with fantastic people who make it such a unique place to work and play.
“I am also so very excited and honoured to have been given the opportunity to work under Pep and with such a world-class group of players. I am still very young and hungry to keep learning and improving – and I know there is no better environment than Manchester City to help make me become the best goalkeeper I can be.
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“I also cannot wait to play in front of the amazing City fans for the first time and will do everything I can to help this great club look to achieve even more success.”
Whilst some may naturally assume that Trafford is arriving to provide backup for Ederson under Pep Guardiola, recent reports suggest that may not be the case.
Ederson agrees £13m-a-year Galatasaray deal
As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Ederson has now agreed a deal to sign for Galatasaray which will see him earn around £13m-a-year. All that is left for the Turkish club to do, based on those reports, is strike a deal with Man City. Whether the Citizens will open the door for their Brazilian to leave remains to be seen, though.
Although Trafford’s arrival would ease any exit blow caused by Ederson, there remain question marks over just how ready Trafford is to step up at The Etihad. It would be just his second season as a starter in the Premier League, having previously been relegated with Burnley, and that could see City suffer as they aim to reclaim their English crown one year after conceding it to champions Liverpool.
Trafford wouldn’t be replacing just any goalkeeper, either. Ederson is one of the best in Premier League history, especially in possession, and has earned the admiration of Guardiola as a result.
West Ham United have now submitted a major enquiry over a deal for a “magic” midfielder, who is keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.
West Ham set sights on midfielder amid Alvarez uncertainty
There is now an expectation that Edson Alvarez will exit the London Stadium this summer, having fallen down the pecking order, and Ajax are thought to be considering a loan move for their former midfielder.
The Mexican was benched for Saturday’s 3-0 defeat against Sunderland, but starters Guido Rodriguez and James Ward-Prowse didn’t exactly fare well at the Stadium of Light, both being withdrawn after the 70-minute mark with the Hammers 2-0 down.
Consequently, Graham Potter may be eager to get at least one new central midfielder through the door prior to the transfer deadline, and the Irons have now joined the race for Bayer Leverkusen’s Aleix Garcia.
Bayer Leverkusen'sAleixGarciacelebrates scoring their fourth goal with Nathan Tella
However, the five-time Spain international is not the only option on the shortlist, with Potter’s side now joining the race for a versatile midfielder, who is able to play in a multitude of positions.
That is according to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), which states West Ham have now submitted a major enquiry over a deal for RB Leipzig’s Eljif Elmas, who has regularly featured in attacking midfield and on both wings throughout his career.
Elmas has predominantly been utilised in a central midfield role, however, and the maestro was particularly impressive during a stint with reigning Serie A champions Napoli, who are also in the race for his signature.
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Despite only arriving at Leipzig for a fee of €24m (£21m) in 2024, the 25-year-old wants to leave the German club this summer, and he would be keen on a move to the Premier League or a return to the Serie A.
"Magic" Elmas could be exciting addition for West Ham
While the North Macedonia international’s move to Leipzig hasn’t worked out, with the Bundesliga side open to sanctioning a departure this summer, there are plenty of signs he could be a solid addition to Potter’s midfield.
The former Napoli man was a key player for the Italian club during their Scudetto-winning 2022-23 campaign, picking up six goals and three assists in 36 outings, with his side going on to lift the title.
Robert Earnshaw has also praised the Leipzig ace for his performances at international level in the past, saying: “He has this magic in him. He has the ability to create something out of nothing. Great movement, intelligent, he understands spacing and time and he can finish.”
Elmas’ attacking prowess, coupled with his versatility, could make him an exciting addition to West Ham’s squad, although the fact the North Macedonian struggled to adapt to life in the Bundesliga will be a concern.
Tottenham Hotspur also have their eyes on other players amid their widely reported negotiations for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze and Man City’s Savinho, with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy looking to back Thomas Frank over this final stretch of the window.
Following the departure of club legend Son Heung-min to LAFC, 10 years after he joined from Bayer Leverkusen, the north Londoners are now in need of a replacement – prompting them to open talks with City over a deal for Savinho.
The player’s agent, Frederico Moraes, told reporter Jorge Nicola earlier this week that Spurs have seen their opening £42 million bid for the rejected out of hand – with Pep Guardiola’s side valuing him closer to the £70 million mark.
Nevertheless, while there is a significant gap in valuation right now, the consensus is that Tottenham will keep pushing for the 21-year-old, as Frank is reliably believed to be a major admirer of Savinho and actively pushing for him.
Then, of course, there’s Eze. The 27-year-old’s 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last term are glossed over only by his historic FA Cup final-winning strike against City at Wembley, gifting Palace supporters their first ever major trophy to shout about.
Tottenham are in formal talks with Palace over a deal for Eze as they look to fill the gaping creative void left by James Maddison, with the Spurs playmaker expected to miss most of 2025/2026 after rupturing his ACL in pre-season.
That being said, Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge is among the reliable media sources to report that Levy does have alternatives in mind if a deal can’t be done, and Spurs also reportedly want to sign another centre-back.
Their transfer plans stretch beyond just Eze and Savinho, with Barcelona star Dani Olmo now thought to be on their radar too.
Tottenham now preparing £60 million for Barcelona's Dani Olmo
According to reports out of Spain, the 27-year-old former RB Leipzig star has found his way on to Tottenham’s target list.
FC Barcelona's DaniOlmocelebrates
It is believed that Tottenham are preparing a £60 million offer for Olmo, but given he plays an identical role to Eze, this could likely be a fallback plan from Levy in case a move for their top target goes nowhere.
In any case, the similarities in age, price and position, not to mention Barca’s need to sell so they can register new players, means a move for Olmo could be seen as a pretty realistic one.
Spurs were, after all, once ready to splash £60m on Morgan Gibbs-White in their bid to sign a new playmaker, so a move for the Spain international surely cannot be ruled out.
Called an “outstanding” player by Julian Nagelsmann, Olmo racked up an impressive 12 goals and seven assists in total across 39 appearances last season for the La Liga champions – including strikes against Inter Milan in the Champions League and a brace in the Catalan derby.
Manchester United are in the market for late deals and could be set to earn some much needed capital to invest into their squad by sanctioning a key departure, according to reports.
Manchester United look for Ruben Amorim turnaround
To put it bluntly, Ruben Amorim hasn’t endured the tenure he would’ve liked at Old Trafford so far and his misfortune was only compounded further courtesy of a disastrous EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town in midweek.
Losing out on penalties, the Red Devils boss has been left under pressure by club chiefs, with reports emerging that Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner could be in the frame to take over at Manchester United if results don’t improve.
Wayne Rooney has been critical of the former Sporting boss and claimed that the defeat at Blundell Park could prove to be a ‘breaking point’ for Amorim, citing his belief that he will find it difficult to turn around the malaise at the club.
He stated on his own show: “There’s a pressure at Manchester United which he will never have felt before. When you’re not winning games it can start to get to you, and it looks like it was a breaking point for him.
“There’s just a little bit too much rotation going on and players getting a little bit lost. When they lose the ball there’s massive gaps and spaces and it’s a carry on from last season. If it carries on like that, then unfortunately I don’t see how it moves forward.”
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Transfers could be pivotal to a turnaround, and Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher could be set for an Old Trafford move, albeit sales will be necesarry to pulling any further moves off.
If recent reports are to be believed, they could now be set to hasten that process.
Rasmus Hojlund set for Napoli medical
According to Il Mattino, Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund is set to undergo a medical at Napoli in a deal that will see the Red Devils inherit around £37.2 million once his initial loan move goes through.
If the Serie A champions secure qualification to next campaign’s Champions League, the agreement will convert into an obligation to buy, meaning Amorim’s men will receive the full amount quoted.
Across his time at Old Trafford, Hojlund has struck 26 times in 95 appearances in all competitions. Nevertheless, Benjamin Sesko’s arrival has pushed him down the pecking order and an exit has been all but ratified.
Alejandro Garnacho’s move to Chelsea for £40 million will offer Manchester United the chance to make another marquee signing, if they can push negotiations over the line at this late stage, though it remains to be seen when both deals officially go through.
Either way, Amorim is in need of help to bolster his squad and funds generated from Hojlund’s exit will go a long way to achieving that feat.
The summer transfer window officially slammed shut for another year on Monday night, without Celtic adding any number nines to their first-team squad.
Adam Idah was allowed to complete a £6m transfer to EFL Championship side Swansea City on deadline day, but that exit was not followed up by a replacement.
This means that Celtic have sold Kyogo Furuhashi, who scored 85 goals in 165 games for the club, and Idah, who scored 29 goals in 76 matches for the club, in 2025.
Meanwhile, Shin Yamada, who has scored four goals in his last 39 matches in all competitions, is the only first-team striker who has been signed by Celtic this year, in January or the summer.
However, Celtic do still have a chance to bolster their squad because they can dip into the free agent market to find a striker to lead the line for them this season, after they failed to sign one before the end of the window.
Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reports that the club will hold talks with former Manchester City star Kelechi Iheanacho after his contract at Sevilla was ripped up on Monday night, before the deadline.
Why Kelechi Iheanacho could be a good signing
Signing a free agent does not always have to be a bad thing, because plenty of players end up in unfortunate situations and may not have been able to show the best of themselves, leading to them being available at this time of the year.
Kelechi only played 11 matches in all competitions during his time with Sevilla in Spain, scoring three goals, which shows that he did not get too many opportunities to showcase his quality in front of goal.
Kelechi Iheanacho warming up for Leicester City.
He is a player Brendan Rodgers already knows incredibly well from their time together at Leicester City in England, which means that the Hoops boss knows that the striker has the quality to make an impact in front of goal at Parkhead.
Kelechi scored 43 goals in 143 matches with the Northern Irish boss as his manager at the King Power, per Transfermarkt, and has a lot of experience in the Premier League with Leicester and Manchester City.
22/23 (28)
5
5
21/22 (26)
4
5
20/21 (25)
12
2
19/20 (20)
5
5
18/19 (30)
1
3
17/18 (21)
3
3
16/17 (20)
4
3
15/16 (26)
8
1
As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old striker has a decent history of goals and assists in the English top-flight, including a 12-goal haul with Rodgers as his manager in the 2020/21 campaign.
These statistics and his relationship with the Celtic boss suggest that signing him could be a worthwhile gamble to bolster their options up front before they have a chance to reassess the situation in the January window.
Even if Kelechi comes through the door in the coming days on a free transfer, though, it does not mean that the Scottish Premiership champions have achieved what they set out to do.
Sky Sports reported that the Hoops wanted to sign two new strikers on deadline day, as Idah left to join Swansea, which means that they may have to make two free agent signings if they still want another number nine in the building.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
A quick look at the free agent market will tell you that there is another centre-forward available who will be well known to Rodgers, even if he has not managed him before.
Patrick Bamford was released by Leeds United last month after they were promoted to the Premier League, as they went with Joel Piroe, Lukas Nmecha, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin as their frontline forward, and he could be an even better signing than Kelechi.
Why Celtic should sign Patrick Bamford
Rodgers will have managed against Bamford in the Premier League and will know what he is about, which could make him another sensible short-term addition on a free transfer to ensure that the club get two strikers in the building before the clash with Kilmarnock.
Like Kelechi, the 31-year-old marksman has excelled in the English top-flight in the past. In the 2020/21 campaign, when Kelechi scored 12 goals, the former Leeds man plundered an eye-catching haul of 17 goals and was hailed as “exceptional” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp for his performances that term.
This shows that the former England international’s peak may be higher than the Nigeria international’s, because he scored five more goals at Premier League level that season than Kelechi did in any season in his career.
In recent history, both players failed to showcase their qualities with limited game time in the 2024/25 campaign, but they both featured for their sides in the 2023/24 Championship season, for Leeds and Leicester respectively, and Bamford came out on top.
Appearances
33
23
xG
9.52
6.30
Goals
8
5
Shots on target per game
0.7
0.5
Assists
1
1
Ground duel success rate
40%
38%
Aerial duel success rate
39%
17%
As you can see in the table above, Bamford scored more goals, offering a greater threat in front of goal, and was more impressive in his physical duels, particularly in the air.
These statistics suggest that Celtic may not get much in the way of hold-up or physical play from Kelechi, given his horrendous aerial duel success rate, and that could cause problems in European matches when the Hoops need their number nine to relieve pressure in big matches.
This means that Bamford, who won two Championship titles during his time at Elland Road, could be more effective as an outlet for Celtic in big games, domestically and in Europe, whilst also having the potential to offer a greater goal threat.
Therefore, bringing the English striker in as well as Kelechi could make a lot of sense for the Scottish giants, as it would give Rodgers the two number nine signings he wanted and offer the team different options in the centre-forward position.
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Bamford’s statistics also suggest that he would simply be a better signing striker for the team than Kelechi as the main man up front, which is another reason why the club should swoop for him.
Liverpool are reportedly “confident” of signing Marc Guehi on a free transfer next summer, and FSG also want to snap up an £87m-rated star.
Liverpool preparing for trip to Burnley
The international break seems to have lasted a lifetime, but the Reds aren’t too far away from their return to Premier League action this weekend.
Arne Slot’s champions make the trip to Burnley on Sunday afternoon, looking to continue their 100% winning start to the season, and while the Clarets are a newly-promoted team with far less quality than Liverpool, Turf Moor can be a tricky place to visit.
Slot has some key decisions to make with his personnel, not least with Alexander Isak, as he weighs up whether to start the Reds’ new record signing or use him from the substitutes’ bench.
Meanwhile, both Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley could be in the mix to start at right-back, but Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb form in that role may mean that he keeps his place, having flourished in a role that is relatively alien to him.
Liverpool linked with double transfer swoop
According to a new update from Caught Offside, Liverpool and FSG are “confident” of completing the signing of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi next summer, with the 25-year-old out of contract at the end of this season. This is despite rumours of Real Madrid showing an interest in the centre-back.
He showcased his quality once again on Tuesday evening, scoring in England’s 5-0 win away to Serbia and producing an immaculate all-round performance.
Elsewhere, Guehi’s former Palace teammate Michael Olise is also a rumoured target for Liverpool, with the £87m-rated Bayern Munich winger being looked at as a potential long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.
If Liverpool were able to sign both Guehi and Olise at the end of the current campaign, it would feel like another huge step in the right direction.
Appearances
34
Starts
28
Minutes played
2348
Goals
12
Assists
15
Key passes per game
2.7
Shots per game
2.5
Dribbles per game
2.1
It is common knowledge that Guehi had all but sealed a move to Anfield on deadline day, only for Palace to pull the plug, but it is vital that their interest in him remains strong, with England manager Thomas Tuchel lauding him earlier this week.
“He looks absolutely fine and impressive on the field. He has had a good couple of weeks behind him on the performance side. He has continued like that in camp and he handles it [the transfer situation] with respect and with a brilliant attitude.”
As for the £87m-rated Olise, he feels like a perfect Salah replacement once the Egyptian’s world-class quality has waned, possessing his ability to cut inside from the right flank and wreak havoc.
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The Reds have positioned themselves nicely to land his signature.
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If Liverpool could sign both, and Palace youngster Adam Wharton, it would be another great summer transfer window, making this one to watch.
With the January transfer window in mind, Everton have already reportedly launched their first enquiry to sign an Arsenal star for David Moyes.
Moyes "hugely disappointed" by Wolves defeat
After losing the Merseyside derby against Liverpool last weekend in a performance that arguably warranted more, Everton entered their Carabao Cup clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers in search of victory. Once again, however, that victory did not arrive and it’s now three games without a win in all competitions for the Toffees.
With West Ham United up next, Moyes will play host to his struggling former club in hope of compiling their misery rather than handing them a glimmer of hope.
After a strong start to their season initially, the Toffees have no reason to panic, either. Their transfer business has looked particularly impressive, with Jack Grealish winning the Premier League’s Player of the Month in August and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also impressing.
Those at Hill Dickinson will be looking to continue their trend of impressive arrivals when the January transfer window opens, too. It’s then that they could even reportedly make a move to sign an Arsenal star.
Everton launch first Gabriel Jesus approach
As reported by Caught Offside, Everton have launched their first enquiry to sign Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal. The Brazilian forward is reportedly considering his immediate future in an attempt to work his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup plans.
Currently out with an ACL injury until at least October, Jesus is likely to face a tough task when breaking into Mikel Arteta’s strongest Arsenal side with Viktor Gyokeres starting well and Kai Havertz to return. That does, however, leave the door ajar for Everton or others to make their move when January arrives.
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Reporting the news, Mark Brus told Caught Offside: “Gabriel Jesus is open to leaving in January. He feels he can still get himself onto Carlo Ancelotti’s radar for the 2026 World Cup, but he needs to play.
“He’s tempted by a move back to Brazil, but there’s Premier League interest too – West Ham and Everton have made enquiries. Nothing more than that yet.”
That said, the deal is likely to be a complicated one to pull off in January thanks to the Brazilian’s hefty salary. Jesus reportedly earns around £265,000-a-week at Arsenal, which would instantly make him Everton’s highest earner above Grealish, Jordan Pickford and others.
After a slow start out of the blocks this season, everything seemed to click into place for Leeds United away at Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out in the Premier League.
Obviously, the 3-1 win will have to be taken with a slight pinch of salt – considering Vitor Pereira’s Old Gold have now lost all five of their opening league clashes – but it was still a breakneck performance from Daniel Farke’s men, especially in that blistering first 45 minutes.
Staggeringly, before their trip to the West Midlands, Farke and Co. had only fired home one goal in league action all season. Those same nerves weren’t present at all at Molineux, however, as three strikes were put away by the visitors in quick succession.
Even more pleasing for Farke would be the nature of those goalscorers, with all three heroes on the day being brand-new recruits who can now kick on even more in West Yorkshire.
Leeds' standout new recruits
While there were grumbles among the Elland Road contingent when activity was sparse on transfer deadline day, there does need to be some recognition that Leeds have made a couple of standout purchases here and there.
Farke will be desperately hoping that Dominic Calvert-Lewin now finds himself deep in a purple patch of goalscoring form after heading home the equaliser at Molineux, with the ex-Everton marksman going down as an astute purchase if so on a free transfer.
Calvert-Lewin might well have steered Leeds back onto the initial road to recovery, but it was the combined efforts of both Anton Stach and Noah Okafor that would stylishly secure the three points.
Indeed, Stach would show no hesitation on the big stage when hammering home a sublime free-kick for 2-1, with the £20m purchase looking a Premier League-calibre talent already.
Okafor also justified his high £18m price-tag with the game-clinching strike on the stroke of half-time, with both the Swiss international and his German teammate hopeful they can continue putting in top-quality displays together to ensure survival is clinched.
The new midfield pairing also boasts hefty salaries – with the duo earning £72.5k-per-week and £45k-per-week respectively – but there is one high earner who rakes in even more who will now be worried about his long-term security in the first-team.
The Leeds star who earns more than Okafor & Stach
It isn’t the most shocking development that both Okafor and Stach can perform at the highest level of English football; however, considering both players in question have shone in the Bundesliga, the Serie A, and the Austrian Bundesliga previously, to name but a few of their past European destinations.
In stark contrast, Daniel James has never quite looked at ease in the Premier League, and with injury difficulties already getting the better of him so far this season, the 27-year-old could soon find it hard to nail down a first-team spot.
This isn’t to say that James hasn’t produced some moments of unbelievable magic at Leeds, with this spectacular effort last season seeing the Whites collect a promotion-boosting 3-1 victory.
But, it’s very clear when looking at the table below, that the hit-and-miss Welshman is a far more of an electric attacking threat in the EFL than he is when making the daunting step up to the Premier League.
Games played
110
109
Goals scored
12
29
Assists
13
25
In the EFL’s elite league to date, James has managed to collect a weighty 54 goal contributions from 109 overall clashes, with the spotlight often beamed down on him as Leeds’ main man down the right channel.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been as devastating in the Premier League as a full-throttle option, with just nine of his 25 goal contributions in the unforgiving division coming in West Yorkshire.
His regular hiccups in the top-flight even saw TalkSPORT’s outspoken Simon Jordan label him as a “fundamental disappointment” in 2022, with those words still ringing true when you consider the one-time Manchester United attacker has also collected zero goals or assists this season when fit.
When further realising James also pockets a steep £75k-per-week pay packet, which is more than both Okafor and Stach earn, it’s clear that Leeds are handing out an unnecessarily excessive salary.
With his current contract in play until 2029, it’s unlikely that Farke will part ways with James anytime soon.
But, with Okafor proving that the new guard at the German’s disposal are instantly Premier League ready, don’t expect the Welshman to instantly jump back into his first-team plans.
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Eyeing some revenge on Liverpool after the Alexander Isak saga in the summer, Newcastle United now reportedly want to beat the Reds to one impressive defender in 2026.
Newcastle transfer targets heading into January window
Newcastle have some unfinished business in the transfer market. They were forced to rush through late business in the summer after facing several rejections from their top targets and then losing Isak. In the end, they had to settle for Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, having initially targeted the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Joao Pedro.
So far, however, it seems as though they saved their best option for last. Woltemade has been a revelation. The German has scored three goals in four Premier League games and is proven to be worth every penny that Newcastle paid out to make him their record signing.
Aside from Woltemade, though, there’s work to be done in Eddie Howe’s side. Only Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored less goals than the Magpies, with their new signing scoring half of their six Premier League goals. That’s something that they simply must solve.
The return of Wissa and his long-awaited debut next month should go a long way, but when AFCON arrives, Newcastle are likely to be without their summer arrival once again. And that’s when PIF could turn back towards the transfer market.
Rumours have already suggested that their interest in Alexander Sorloth could be reignited this winter, as he seeks a starting place away from Atletico Madrid. The former Crystal Palace forward is certainly the type of player that would turn a blunt attack sharp in January.
Meanwhile, away from what should be their top priority, the Magpies have also reportedly set their sights on some Liverpool revenge.
Newcastle now eyeing Lukeba move
As reported by Caught Offside, PIF and Newcastle have now set their sights on signing Castello Lukeba from RB Leipzig. The impressive central defender is already wanted by Liverpool, but the Magpies could finally take some revenge on those at Anfield by stealing a player they may see as a replacement for Ibrahima Konate.
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What should also be music to Newcastle’s ears is Lukeba’s fresh discount. Although the Frenchman has a release clause worth as much as €90m (£78m), reports are now suggesting that Leipzig would accept closer to €60m (£52m) to sell their defender in the summer.
That would be a bargain deal for a player of both his quality and potential. At just 22 years old, Lukeba has earned praise from across the Bundesliga and from the likes of analyst Ben Mattinson, who praised his “unique” profile.
In an ageing backline, Lukeba would provide Newcastle with the perfect partner for Malick Thiaw in a duo that would dominate St James’ Park for years to come.
Chelsea hasn’t always been viewed as the perfect environment for youngsters to thrive in.
Indeed, both Jamal Musiala and Declan Rice spring to mind as notable examples here, with both world-class players once part of the Blues academy set-up as wide-eyed starlets, before having to make an unbelievable name for themselves away from the stifling nature of Cobham.
Thankfully, this negative image the Premier League giants once had attached to them seems to be changing in real time, with Estevao arguably a Musiala-style talent in the making for Enzo Maresca right now.
Estevao's blistering form since moving to Chelsea
It had been a long time coming for the Brazilian to announce himself in West London.
Indeed, way back in the summer of 2024, Chelsea unveiled that they had forked out an initial £29m to land the hotly-tipped 18-year-old, with suggestions even coming from scout Jacek Kulig – despite Estevao still being just a teenager at Palmeiras – that he was a “world-class” prospect.
Kulig’s comments don’t look so far-fetched now, with Estevao going to become the youngest Brazilian to ever score a winning goal in the Premier League when he was in the right place, at the right time, to break Liverpool hearts, just before the international break.
He hasn’t downed tools over the break, either, with a quickfire brace against South Korea, handing his nation a comprehensive 5-0 win.
Having averaged just 44 minutes of Premier League action this season from four starts, the 18-year-old ace will surely be hunting for more consistent moments in the Blues senior mix moving forward.
He looks every bit a phenomenal player in the making and more top-drawer performances are likely to make him a guaranteed starter for Maresca, even when Cole Palmer returns.
Estevao isn’t the only rising gem Chelsea has smartly acquired, though.
Indeed, Geovany Quenda is set to be the next hyped up youngster to move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2026, having amazingly scored in the Champions League this campaign for Sporting at just 18 years of age.
Yet, Quenda and Estevao must watch out. Chelsea’s pool of young attackers extends beyond them.
Chelsea have another "future Ballon d'Or winner"
Quenda will be hopeful that he can instantly make waves in the Chelsea first-team, like his South American counterpart, considering he already has four goals and 12 assists next to his name in the senior mix in Portugal.
But, there is another youngster being spoken about with great regularity and that’s breakout striker Dastan Satpaev.
While Quenda will likely be a name that rings a bell to the average football supporter, the five-time Kazakhstan international’s insane journey with Kairat Almaty might not be so well known.
But, with a ridiculous 45 strikes across all age groups at the Premier Liga side – who are even in the Champions League this season – Chelsea swooped in to capture him in February, with Satpaev set to remain in his native country until he turns 18.
Games played
74
Age
17
Goals scored
45
Assists
18
Champions League appearances
9
Maresca and Co will just be praying that Satpaev can keep up this electric form for the time he remains in Kazakhstan, with Estevao going on to bag a whopping 12 goals for Palmeiras earlier this year, before coming over to England looking calm ahead of the pressures of attempting to cut it in the Premier League.
Much like Estevao, who has been tipped to reach dizzy heights already with his world-class shouts, Satpaev has also been boldly declared as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by one analyst, off the back of his frightening record for Kairat.
Of course, the Premier League is a different beast altogether from what the teenager is currently used to.
But, his soon-to-be teammate at Chelsea is yet to look fazed by the challenge ahead of him after maturing more at his boyhood club, with Satpaev desperate to follow in his esteemed footsteps when he takes that next scary leap.
Chelsea may sell Disasi to make room for "monstrous" £80m star who Maresca loves
The Blues have set their sights on a new centre-back, which means Axel Disasi could be axed.