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One of the best players in the world over the last 12 months has been former Leeds United star Raphinha. The Brazilian has shone for Barcelona, and scored 34 goals and assisted 26 in just 57 games under Hansi Flick last term.

His exceptional performances were certainly seen by people across the world. The culmination of Raphinha’s success last season saw him finish fifth in the Ballon d’Or race, with Lamine Yamal the only Barca player ahead of him.

Injury has slowed his season down in 2025/26, but he has five goals and assists in six La Liga games.

Leeds fans will never forget his contribution in his final season at the club.

Raphinha’s importance during the 2021/22 season

Brazil international Raphinha only spent two campaigns at Elland Road. The first season was behind closed doors due to COVID, but he had already established himself as a fan favourite.

The second campaign was excellent too, and incredibly important.

The Whites avoided relegation by the skin of the teeth on the final day of the 2021/22 season.

It would turn out to be Raphinha’s last appearance for the West Yorkshire side, and he scored a crucial penalty in their 2-1 win away to Brentford, which helped keep them in the Premier League.

It was more than just that spot kick at the Gtech Community Stadium that signified Raphinha’s importance. He bagged 11 goals and assisted three across the season, including a run of seven goal involvements in ten games between October and January.

His pivotal contributions did not go unnoticed by fans and ex-players alike. One man who could not praise Raphinha enough was Noel Whelan, their former striker. He said the Brazilian “gave everything to keep Leeds United in the Premier League,” showing just how much it meant to the club.

In their promotion campaign last season, Leeds had a player vital to their success, although he has rapidly fallen out of favour at Elland Road.

The Leeds star now out of favour

A few players under Daniel Farke this season have fallen down the pecking order after a busy summer transfer window. Illan Meslier and Joel Piroe are two examples of players who were crucial to earning promotion but have had little or no involvement this term.

Well, someone else who fits that category is Japan midfielder Ao Tanaka. He is a player who Farke clearly rates, and called him an “outstanding” player last season. Summer signings have meant he is struggling to get into the team this term, though.

Last season, the 34-cap Japanese international was a key man in the centre of the park for the West Yorkshire side.

He played 43 Championship games, chipping in with five goals and two assists, including a late strike against promotion rivals Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

It was that sort of form which has led to Tanaka being hailed as the club’s best signing since Raphinha. It is easy to see why, too, with the contributions from midfield helping the Whites to return to the Premier League.

After starting the first couple of top-flight games this season, Tanaka picked up an injury and has since been out of the team. Farke has built momentum in the midfield with Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff, meaning Tanaka can’t get into the lineup.

Leeds midfielders – 2025/26

Player

Games played

Mins played (full 90s)

Ethan Ampadu

6

519 (5.7)

Anton Stach

8

680 (7.5)

Sean Longstaff

8

566 (6.2)

Ao Tanaka

6

190 (2.1)

Ilia Gruev

4

193 (2.1)

Stats from Transfermarkt

Perhaps Tanaka is on borrowed time at Elland Road. Once someone so important to the club, he now can’t get a game under Farke, and with the continuity we are seeing in the middle of the park, it is hard to see where his next start comes from.

Given his crucial role last term, the 27-year-old might well decide to consider his future if the situation doesn’t improve.

After showing his importance, just like Raphinha did a few years ago, his career has certainly gone the other way than how things panned out for the Brazilian.

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Posts 2 ByDan Emery Oct 21, 2025

Sunderland still have some time to wait until they face off against arch rivals Newcastle United back in the Premier League.

The middle of December sees Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats clash against Eddie Howe’s Magpies in what promises to be a hotly contested Tyne-Wear Derby, with the last fierce meeting between the two enemies in the top-flight coming all the way back in 2016 in a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park.

The two sides did butt heads in the FA Cup back in 2024, as an Alexander Isak-led Toon comfortably swept aside their Championship hosts 3-0 on the day, but the Wearside outfit is a completely different beast now with Le Bris at the helm, as opposed to their once bruised nature as second-tier regulars.

While there will be a lack of niceties exchanged at the Stadium of Light in December, Sunderland will know that there are some strong performers already in their camp who will be ready for any intense battles ahead, with the likes of Noah Sadiki not fazed whatsoever by the intensity of the top-flight so far.

Sadiki's early promise at Sunderland

With new signings such as Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, and Omar Alderete receiving a lot of the early praise this season, and rightly so, Sadiki has arguably slipped under the radar as another mightily impressive summer pick-up.

Indeed, the former Royale Union Saint-Gilloise battler might just be 20 years of age, but he looks cut out for the grind of the English top-flight already, having been an ever-present part of Le Bris’ starting lineups across Sunderland’s seven Premier League clashes so far.

He has made one of those starting central spots his own with his energy and quality clear for all to see, with his running statistics on the opening day against West Ham United seeing him cover a ridiculous 11.5km across the 90 minutes.

With an assured 85% pass accuracy also averaged per Premier League game so far, it could be argued that Sadiki is actually Sunderland’s own unique take on Newcastle warrior Bruno Guimaraes, with the 20-year-old just needing to add goals and assists to his Black Cats repertoire to be on the road to rivalling his South American counterpart.

At the moment, he has zero goals or assists next to his name.

This could come soon, though, with Sadiki actually helping himself to four goal contributions last season during his swansong Belgian Pro League season.

But, with six ground duels won effortlessly at the City Ground before his side’s 2-0 slip-up at Manchester United, it might well be that Sadiki excels more as a tireless anchor for the Sunderland cause, as opposed to marauding forward on occasion and hammering home sweet efforts, like Guimaraes.

Instead, one of Sadiki’s equally lively teammates could have more of a compelling argument to hand on why he’s Sunderland’s very own version of the Magpies captain, having been in and around the intense environment of the top-flight for far longer than the promising number 27.

Why Sunderland's "genius" is their own Guimaraes

When Guimaraes arrived on Tyneside in January 2022, Sunderland’s main rivals were used to middle-of-the-road finishes in the Premier League. Now, with the Brazilian as a key cog in Howe’s machine, Champions League football is regularly served up.

Of course, Sunderland won’t be expecting to be in Europe’s elite competition anytime soon, but it’s abundantly clear from how the Black Cats have started this season that Granit Xhaka is already a transformative presence – much like Guimaraes once was at St James’ Park – who can help the Wearside outfit to a high-up finish right after promotion.

Much like the number 39 chips in time after time with crucial goals and assists, the former Arsenal warrior has more than played his role in Sunderland collecting early wins in their immediate bid to beat the drop, with the last three goals Le Bris’ men have scored in the tough division coming about from Xhaka popping up with an assist.

This, clearly, sets him apart from Sadiki, who can spray a lovely pass here or there, but hasn’t quite grasped the same level of incision as the Basel-born midfielder.

But, much like his Toon foe, Xhaka is also definitely well-versed in what it takes to be a physical presence when needed, having even been branded a “monster” by Arsenal-based writer Connor Humm when still at the Emirates, off the back of the 33-year-old winning 130 duels during his final top-flight campaign in North London.

Games played

7

7

Goals

2

0

Assists

0

3

Touches*

59.7

72.9

Accurate passes*

35.7 (83%)

46.4 (84%)

Big chances created

0

4

Ball recoveries*

5.8

5.1

Total duels won*

6.7

6.4

This side of his well-varied game has been on full display donning Sunderland red and white, too, with Xhaka not a million miles off Guimaraes’ “world-class” nature, as he was once glowingly labelled by scout Jacek Kulig for never letting his standards slip on Tyneside.

On Wearside, Xhaka has also been a rock early into this competitive season, with 6.4 duels won on average, putting him on the same lofty pedestal as his counterpart, who was once touted to leave Howe and Co. behind for a staggering £100m.

Considering Sunderland landed their midfield veteran for just £17m, this is extremely impressive to see.

With 17 goals also coming his way in the Premier League when situated at Arsenal, it could be that Xhaka elevates his game even more in the weeks to come and becomes the constant Sunderland needs to push up the division, much like Guimaraes has been their every step of the way for Howe’s men as they turned into a Champions League-level outfit.

With Xhaka now wearing the armband with pride, it will be fascinating to see where both Sunderland and Newcastle are in the league standings come their showdown on the 13th of December, with the Black Cats very much fancying their chances of Tyne-Wear glory if their “genius” – as he was recently labelled by Sky Sports’ Don Goodman – puts in another game-changing display.

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ByKelan Sarson Oct 7, 2025

Still helping his former side out, Luis Suarez has now reportedly told one Barcelona player to move to Liverpool in 2026, handing Michael Edwards a major boost.

Liverpool's 2026 transfer plan

After spending over £400m in the summer transfer window, Liverpool may take more of a back seat in 2026 but that does not mean there won’t be any incomings at all. The Reds still need to add a centre-back to their ranks after missing out on Marc Guehi on deadline day and if it’s not the Crystal Palace captain that arrives, then they’ll have to turn their focus towards other options.

It’s highly possible that those at Anfield still have plenty to spend too, given the money that they generated from player sales in the summer. Manager Arne Slot was quick to remind reporters about those sales earlier this season.

On the transfer front, rumours are already beginning to emerge ahead of 2026. Guehi is, of course, the biggest name to watch in the next year with Liverpool likely still leading the chasing pack in pursuit of his signature. The big question will be whether they wait to secure a free deal or attempt a cut-price January deal.

As things stand, the England international would be replacing Ibrahima Konate next summer by completing an Anfield switch. The Frenchman is yet to sign a new Liverpool deal and could yet join Trent Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid as a free agent.

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Replacing a player of Konate’s calibre would be no easy task, however, and Guehi’s not the only name on Liverpool’s shortlist of defenders as a result.

Suarez tells Araujo to join Liverpool

Amid rumours that the Reds are ready to submit an offer to sign the Barcelona man, reports in Spain have now claimed that Suarez has told Ronald Araujo to join Liverpool in 2026. A fellow Uruguayan, Araujo has been advised to join the forward’s former club and potentially become the replacement for Konate in doing so.

It’s not often that a player as talented as Araujo is available, but the reports have been circling around his Barcelona future ever since he lost his starting place under Hansi Flick. Leaving the door ajar for Liverpool to swoop in, the Reds should take full advantage.

That said, despite often overlooking the South American, Flick made it clear in January that he wants to keep Araujo, telling reporters: “I want him in my team because he’s one of the best defenders.

“We’re all professionals. He’s come back from a serious injury. We’ve taken great care of him over the last month, and now he’s back. He’s strong and ready to play, and he’s an option for the team. He’s very professional, and that’s what I want from him.”

Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders of his generation. The Dutchman has won it all in English football and he has often done so without even breaking a sweat. But that doesn’t mean that he’s breezed through his time at Liverpool without squaring off against some incredibly difficult opponents.

The Premier League took a breath of anticipation when Erling Haaland and Van Dijk found themselves one-on-one at Anfield not so long ago in a battle that ended with the Norwegian’s wayward shot. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has never even scored against the towering Liverpool captain and many others have ended afternoons to forget in his ruthless grasp.

Endless players have endured their toughest games against Van Dijk and that includes Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, who is now on loan at Barcelona. The England international name-dropped his former Premier League rival when asked about the most difficult defender he’s faced.

Whilst so many have struggled to leave their mark against Van Dijk, however, the same can’t be said for Lionel Messi. When an immovable object met an unstoppable force, Van Dijk may have come away with a shock victory courtesy of Liverpool’s dramatic Champions League comeback, but Messi still had his moment at the Nou Camp – scoring twice.

The fact that one of this generation’s greatest defenders could not keep Messi quiet sums up just how other-wordly the Argentine icon is, more than it sums up Van Dijk’s own shortcomings on a difficult evening. But the Dutchman, to his credit, was not fooled twice by Messi’s magic and sent him crashing out of the Champions League in historic fashion in the second leg.

That Nou Camp thrashing courtesy of Messi will be one that Van Dijk remembers even to this day, but it wasn’t enough to make the Barcelona legend his toughest opponent. Instead, the central defender dropped an unexpected name.

Van Dijk names "annoying" Giroud as toughest opponent

Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, Van Dijk named Olivier Giroud as his toughest opponent despite having squared off against the likes of Messi, Ronaldo and Haaland.

The Liverpool captain looked back on the Frenchman’s knack for a goal against the Reds before labeling him an “annoying” striker to play against.

Although Messi seems the obvious choice, the fact that Giroud has scored three goals in five games against Van Dijk throughout his career makes him a worthy candidate for his toughest opponent.

Manchester United made a splash in the summer transfer window and now have one of Europe’s brightest talents in their eyeline despite attention from the likes of Liverpool.

Manchester United look to the future under Ruben Amorim

From the sounds of things, the Red Devils are planning for the long-term under Ruben Amorim as the Portuguese boss looks to take forward a squad that has been streamlined in both age and in terms of personnel.

Undoubtedly, his start to the Premier League season has been mixed, coupled with a shock EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town, but there have been some flickers of his style of play starting to gel after a bruising 2024/25 campaign.

Having to make some difficult calls at Old Trafford, Amorim’s decision to offload Andre Onana on loan to Trabzonspor has led to a change of the guard between the sticks, with Senne Lammens the man to challenge Altay Bayindir for the number one jersey.

Speaking about the decision to sign Lammens from Royal Antwerp, the former Sporting boss outlined that ‘potential’ was the main motivation behind his capture, something that appears to have also manifested itself in the additions of Benjamin Sesko and Diego Leon.

Amorim said: “We are really pleased, he is a goalkeeper with a lot of potential. We are in the moment that the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience, but we also have to look at the present with a focus on the future so it is a bit of both. He will be ready.”

With further signings set to be on the agenda in January, Manuel Ugarte may be someone who makes way at Manchester United, potentially paving the way for an exciting replacement from the continent.

Man Utd looking to beat Liverpool to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are looking to beat Liverpool to sign Lille central midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who will be able to leave the Ligue 1 outfit when he turns 18 years of age.

AC Milan are believed to be heavily interested in the France international. Meanwhile, the Red Devils alongside Arsenal and other keen suitors have taken in his performances this term, and INEOS have made it clear they don’t plan to back down in the race for his signature.

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Making a mark at senior level, Bouaddi has notched three assists in 57 appearances for his current employers, though he is able to move to clubs inside the European Union regardless of age, which may allow AC Milan to steal a march on their Premier League competitors.

Renowned for his technical ability in the engine room, the 17-year-old is set to be offered a new contract by Lille, though Manchester United will hope the lure of playing at Old Trafford is too much to refuse compared to other potential avenues.

Chelsea have now received a response after submitting a £43m offer for a defender who’s “as good as Van Dijk and Saliba”, according to a report.

Blues looking to strengthen at centre-back

Although his side were unable to pick up all three points against Crystal Palace on Sunday, Enzo Maresca will be pleased that his side managed to keep a clean sheet, with the centre-back partnership of Josh Acheampong and Trevoh Chalobah holding firm.

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The duo made a combined 17 defensive actions to keep Palace at bay, with both players also showcasing their ability in possession of the ball, averaging pass-completion rates of over 90%.

However, there may be some doubts over whether the Blues’ defence is good enough to mount a serious Premier League title challenge, with Acheampong still only 19-years-old, while Chalobah remains relatively inexperienced at the top level.

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With Levi Colwill also sidelined for the foreseeable future due to an ACL injury, it would make sense to get another centre-back through the door, and an offer has been made for a Serie A defender.

That is according to a report from Gazzetta, which states Chelsea have tabled a €50m (£43m) bid for Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, which was ‘politely declined’ by the Italian.

The Blues are not the only Premier League club to have expressed an interest in Bastoni, with Newcastle United also coming forward over a potential deal, but the defender remains focused on Inter’s upcoming campaign.

That said, another approach from one of the interested English clubs isn’t ruled out, suggesting that a deal could still be possible later in the window.

Bastoni could be on Van Dijk and Saliba's level

The 26-year-old is held in very high regard by presenter and analyst Nieve Petruzziello, who claimed he was “as good as Van Dijk and Saliba” last season.

The Italy international is also extremely comfortable in possession of the ball, as showcased by his passing and dribbling ability, which has regularly been on display over the course of the past year.

The Inter star’s passing ability, coupled with the fact he is used to playing in a back three, could make him an ideal addition to Maresca’s squad, given that the Chelsea boss often implements a three-at-the-back system.

As such, it is disappointing the Blues’ opening offer was rejected, but a move later in the window has not been ruled out, and it could be worth submitting an improved bid for the centre-back.

Heather Knight, England’s captain, has conceded the umpires made the correct call in taking the players off the field for rain with just five balls of the second T20I remaining, even though that denied her the chance to hunt down the 18 runs still needed to keep her side in with a chance of a squared Ashes series.Knight was going strong on 43 not out from 19 balls, having just struck Annabel Sutherland’s first ball of the final over for four, when umpires Ben Treloar and Eloise Sheridan decided the rain in Canberra – which had already caused a 20-minute mid-innings delay – was too heavy to ignore. She was visibly furious as she left the field, but later admitted her reaction was pure “frustration” at being denied the chance to “do something special”.”It was right decision by the umpires,” Knight said. “I was really in the zone to try and win us that game, and obviously frustrated that we were going off, but it wasn’t at the umpires at all. It was pretty wet, even when we were running it felt pretty slippy and it was quite hard to attack those twos. So yeah, it was the right decision, 100%.”The match was called off minutes later to confirm England’s defeat by six runs on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern, and hand the Australians an unassailable 10-0 lead in the Ashes points table, with the third T20I to come in Adelaide on Saturday, followed by next week’s one-off Test at the MCG.”It was brilliant game of cricket,” Knight said, after England had finished on 168 for 4 in reply to Australia’s 185 for 5. “I felt like I could get us over the line. I felt really set, and I had some really good boundary options on a very good cricket wicket. It was an awesome crowd and they deserved a finish, and you could hear the frustration from the fans that that we were going off, and the game wasn’t able to reach its conclusion.”Related

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Despite being England’s fifth consecutive defeat of a dispiriting campaign, Knight said she was proud that her team had showed a “bit of mongrel” in what she identified as their best batting performance of the tour. With Danni Wyatt-Hodge leading the way with 52 from 40 balls, England had been ahead of the DLS rate until a break in play at 69 for 1 allowed Australia to regroup and claim two key wickets in a middle-overs squeeze.”As a batting group, we’ve been disappointed that we haven’t showed off our best cricket, and I think tonight was certainly our best,” Knight said. “We knew it was going to be tough and a lot had to go our way, but I’m really proud of the way we fought in the run-chase. We showed some brilliant skill level, brilliant intent, brilliant fighting spirit, led by Danni in particular, to try and get us over the line.”The “mongrel” comment itself stemmed from a pre-match pep-talk from Courtney Winfield-Hill, England’s assistant coach, and on the face of it, seemed to mark a departure from the team’s familiar mantra of “inspire and entertain”, a notion that has sounded increasingly hollow with each new loss on this tour. Knight, however, insisted that the team’s recognition of their status as role models remained integral to their ethos, even though she acknowledged that professional cricket is ultimately a results business.”It’s still a mantra that is really important to this team,” she said. “We’re always at our best when we’re trying to take the game on and enjoy it, but obviously, there’s more to cricket than that, and we know that it’s not as simple as just saying we want to entertain. We also want to win at the end of the day.”We haven’t done that this trip, and there’s a lot of players frustrated and hurting that we haven’t done that. We all really care about playing for England, and representing a team that’s really special.”Despite the improved performance, and her own contribution with the bat, Knight acknowledged that the confirmation of England’s Ashes loss would heighten the scrutiny on her position as captain after nine years at the helm.”I guess in any leadership position, you always feel the responsibility when the teams aren’t performing well and we haven’t performed as well as we want to, across the board,” she said. “It’s certainly frustrating, but that’s not really a question for now. I’m just focused on what we need to do to try and win the next game, and try and turn things around. Whatever happens at the end of the tour, that’ll be a conversation for later.”

It’s been an interesting summer for Arsenal so far.

On the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s side have left a lot to be desired with wins over AC Milan and Newcastle United, but losses against Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal.

However, off the pitch, it would be fair to say that Andrea Berta and his team have exceeded expectations so far with smart depth additions and a couple of big-money deals for Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi.

Moreover, the North Londoners look primed to do more business, with both Eberechi Eze and Ademola Lookman touted for moves to the Emirates.

Why Arsenal want to sign Eze & Lookman

As things stand, Arsenal continue to be linked with both Eze and Lookman, with the former having a release clause worth £68m in his current contract that’ll expire in a week, and the latter reportedly being available for a fee of around £43m.

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While it seems unlikely that the Gunners would sign both internationals, it’s easy to see why they are interested in them.

For example, despite playing in a mid-table team at best, the Englishman managed to rack up a brilliant haul of 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes, last season.

That means the 27-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

On top of that, he also scored in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final of the FA Cup, leading the Eagles to the first major trophy in their existence.

On the other hand, the Nigerian star has been a lean, mean goalscoring machine for several years now.

For example, since moving to the Bergamo outfit in August 2022, the “world-class” attacker, as dubbed by the BBC’s John Bennett, has scored 52 goals and provided 25 assists in 118 appearances, totalling 7538 minutes.

In other words, the former RB Leipzig star has averaged a goal involvement every 1.53 games or every 97.89 minutes over the last three seasons, which is a level of output that could fire the Gunners to glory next year.

In all, it’s easy to see why Arteta and Co would want to splash the cash on one of these stars, although whoever they decide on will have to smash all expectations to see their valuation even approach that of another Arsenal star.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Eze & Lookman

While they’re yet to win anything with them, Arsenal are a club blessed with an abundance of incredibly talented stars in their squad, although it’s still really quite easy to pinpoint their most important player: Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon has developed from an exciting academy graduate into a fully-fledged superstar and the poster boy of Arteta’s project over the last few years, and his valuation reflects that.

Transfermarkt, for example, now prices the 23-year-old game-changer at a staggering €150m, which converts to about £130m, or at least £19m more than Lookman and Eze combined.

While some might question such a valuation, we reckon it’s pretty spot-on, and the first reason why is down to his output.

For example, despite missing almost four months of action with a hamstring injury last season, the Gunners’ “future legend,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, was still able to rack up a sensational haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances, totalling just 2619 minutes.

Appearances

37

43

40

Minutes

2619′

3303′

2871′

Goals

12

14

20

Assists

14

11

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

0.58

0.67

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73′

132.12′

106.33

Not only did that make him the most effective player in the North Londoners’ squad, but the dynamic winger maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.42 games, or 100.73 minutes, which is not only world-class, but better than Eze and Lookman.

On top of that, the Ealing-born monster has also established himself as an essential member of the national team, earning 44 senior caps, in which he’s produced 20 goal involvements, and winning back-to-back Player of the Year awards.

Ultimately, while Lookman and Eze are brilliant players who’d make excellent signings for Arsenal, we don’t think their valuations will ever be able to reach Saka’s.

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Newcastle United are believed to be “gathering information” regarding a special young player, as they look to beat other top clubs to his signature this summer.

Isak set for showdown talks with Newcastle

The Magpies’ summer has been rocked by Alexander Isak wanting to leave the club, with the Swede strongly linked with a move to Premier League champions Liverpool. While no bid has been tabled for the 25-year-old yet, it looks as though one could be imminent this week, should the Newcastle star tell the owners that he wants to depart in face-to-face talks.

Should Isak move on from the Magpies this summer, it would be bitterly disappointing for anyone associated with the club, but they could at least receive a British record transfer fee for his services.

If that happens, an elite striker needs to come in as a direct replacement for the Sweden international, but also other top players across several areas of the pitch.

Newcastle "gathering information" on Italian defender

According to Corriere dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are “gathering information” on Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni, seeing him as a top-quality prospect to bring in this summer.

Liverpool, Tottenham and Inter Milan are also said to be in the mix to sign the 18-year-old, and he is keen on the idea of playing in the Champions League, although the press in Italy believe he will reject the likes of Liverpool in favour of a move to Inter.

Given his age, Leoni wouldn’t arrive at Newcastle as an immediate starter, but the strides he has already made in his career suggests it may not be long until that is the case.

The Italian made 14 starts in Serie A last season, showing that he is already capable of looking at home in one of Europe’s top five leagues, and scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a “complete” player.

Newcastle have to be targeting younger centre-back moving forward, with the current ranks both ageing and injury-prone, and Leoni looks like a perfect option to come in.

Giovanni Leoni’s 2024/25 Serie A stats

Total

Appearances

17

Starts

14

Minutes played

1204

Clearances per game

3.6

Aerial duel wins per game

1.0

Interceptions per game

0.9

Pass completion rate

88.7%

Goals

1

Assists

0

He could arrive as a squad player to begin with, learning from more senior colleagues, before maturing into a key starter for Eddie Howe, becoming a genuinely top-class defender if he reaches his potential.

This summer feels like it’s going to be a massive one for Tottenham Hotspur.

Thomas Frank has stepped into the spotlight following Ange Postecoglou’s sacking, and on top of having a good go in the Champions League, he’ll be tasked with overseeing a dramatic improvement in the team’s Premier League form.

The good news is that Daniel Levy and Co appear intent on properly backing the Danish coach, and have already made the impressive signing of Mohammed Kudus.

Moreover, the club seem determined to bring in Morgan Gibbs-White, although they’re also linked with another Premier League ace who’d have an even greater impact on the team.

Tottenham target Premier League goalscorer

It would be fair to say that when news first broke of Spurs’ pursuit to sign Gibbs-White, it was something of a surprise.

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After all, they had just signed Kudus, and fans aren’t used to the club going so big in the market.

However, despite supposedly activating his £60m release clause, the deal is currently at a standstill, with the Tricky Trees alleging foul play.

It does feel more like a matter of when and not if the Englishman joins the Lilywhites, but they’re also linked with another Premier League ace who could have an even bigger impact next season: Yoane Wissa.

Yes, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke on the latest episode of Football Insider’s Inside Track Podcast, Spurs are still very much interested in the Brentford star.

It could be a challenging deal to get done, though, as O’Rourke claims that should Bryan Mbuemo move to Manchester United, the Bees will look to block any bids for the prolific striker.

However, prior reports suggest that an offer of around £50m could tempt the West Londoners into selling, and with the player supposedly keen on a move to N17, that could be the magic number.

It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get done, but Wissa who is one “the best strikers in the Premier League” in the words of Sky Sports Lyall Thomas, would be well worth pursuing.

Why Wissa would have a bigger impact at Spurs than Gibbs-White

Now, the first thing to say is that both players would be incredible additions to this Spurs team.

However, we believe Wissa will have a bigger impact than Gibbs-White, at least next season, primarily due to the competition for places and their respective output.

As things stand, Frank already has two seriously talented attacking midfielders to choose from in his squad.

Dejan Kulusevski racked up ten goals and 11 assists in 50 appearances last season, and James Maddison was even more effective, racking up 12 goals and 11 assists in 45 games.

So, even though Gibbs-White would be making the team stronger, he might struggle to get ahead of the Englishman and Swede, especially as 17 goal involvements in 38 games isn’t quite as good a return.

In contrast, the only player likely to compete with the “unbelievable” Brentford star, as dubbed by former manager Thomas Frank, on a regular basis next season is Dominic Solanke, and when we compare their output, it’s the Congolese ace who emerges victorious.

For example, he racked up a tally of 20 goals and five assists in 39 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.56 games.

Appearances

39

45

Minutes

3079′

3393′

Goals

20

16

Assists

5

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.64

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

123.16′

141.37′

Solanke, on the other hand, scored 16 goals and provided eight assists in 45 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.87 games.

Ultimately, thanks to his significantly better level of output and the clearer path to regular game time, Wissa could well end up having a bigger impact at Spurs than Gibbs-White next season.

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ByEthan Lamb Jul 14, 2025