West Ham United have now made contact over a deal to sign a “world-class” player, who is desperate to move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.
Kudus' West Ham future in major doubt
Mohammed Kudus has been one of West Ham’s key players over the past two seasons, making 65 Premier League appearances, but the winger’s time at the London Stadium could now be coming to an end.
As a result, Graham Potter could be faced with the difficult job of finding a replacement for the Ghanaian this summer, while the manager is also keen on bringing in a new central midfielder, having picked out a range of potential options.
Player
Current club
Potential price tag
Raphael Onyedika
Club Brugge
£25.5m
Harvey Elliott
Liverpool
£40m+
Rocco Reitz
Borussia Monchengladbach
£17m
Reitz has caught the eye after impressing at the U21 European Championships, but a new report has revealed the Irons have now made contact over a deal for a midfielder with a little more experience at the top level.
According to The Boot Room, West Ham have now made contact over a deal for Juventus’ Douglas Luiz, but there could be fierce competition for his signature from a number of their Premier League rivals.
Man United, Everton, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur are also named as potential suitors for Luiz, who is desperate to return to the Premier League after leaving Aston Villa for £42m last summer.
Douglas Luiz.
The Brazilian failed to adapt to life in the Serie A, and believes that returning to the Premier League may increase his chances of going to the 2026 World Cup.
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ByDominic Lund Jul 7, 2025 "World-class" Luiz could be coup for West Ham
The maestro may have struggled to make an impact at Juventus, but he certainly left a lasting impression during his previous stint in the Premier League, being lauded as “world-class” by former teammate John McGinn.
As displayed by a fantastic assist for Ollie Watkins in the Conference League, the Brazil international is a threat on the front foot, while also proving himself to be a fantastic all-round midfielder with his performances in the 2023-24 campaign.
As such, Luiz could be a real coup for Potter, who will be looking to make a push for the European places next season, rather than flirting with relegation again.
Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin confirmed that there will be further changes to the playing squad after the 2-2 draw at Ibrox on Sunday.
The Scottish head coach has revealed that there will be more signings to be added to the group to bolster his team, and that means that there will be players who have to move on as well.
Martin has brought in Lyall Cameron, Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell, Thelo Aasgaard, and Emmanuel Fernandez, but is ‘expecting’ more recruits to arrive at Ibrox in the coming weeks.
It now remains to be seen who will remain at Rangers and who will be allowed to move on from the club, whether that be star players who may earn big moves or those on the fringes who are looking for more game time.
The Scottish Premiership giants have not always made the best decisions on player exits, as they have fumbled the chance to rake in huge profit on stars, such as Ryan Kent.
How Rangers fumbled millions with Ryan Kent
After an initial loan spell at Ibrox, Rangers swooped to sign the English winger from Liverpool for a reported fee of £7.5m in the summer of 2019 to bolster Steven Gerrard’s squad.
The electric left winger certainly proved his worth during his time in Glasgow, as he played a key role in the club’s Premiership title win in the 2020/21 campaign.
Kent ended that season with a return of 13 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which included ten goals and ten assists in the top-flight.
In the summer of 2020, Gerrard revealed that the club had “strongly rejected” an offer from a team for the winger, which was reported to be a £10m bid from Leeds United.
The Daily Mail then reported that Leeds were ‘unsuccessful’ in an attempt to sign the forward for a fee of £15m after his performances during the title-winning campaign for the Light Blues.
Summer 2020
£10m Leeds bid
January 2021
£6.8m
Summer 2021
£15m Leeds bid
December 2021
£14m
June 2022
£15m
March 2022
£9.4m
June 2022
£7.7m
July 2023
£0 (released)
As you can see in the table above, it may have been a mistake by the Gers to turn down that second offer from the English side, as he went on to be released for nothing just two years later.
Former Rangers winger Ryan Kent.
His value continued to plummet before he left Ibrox on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, and they may wish that they had cashed in on him when they had the chance to.
Rangers reject offer for forward
The Light Blues must avoid any similar mistakes with their star players this summer, after Martin confirmed that the club have turned down a bid for one of their forwards
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Cyriel Dessers watched on from the stands as Rangers played against Club Brugge on Sunday, and the manager revealed after the match that the club have officially rejected a bid for the striker already.
Martin explained: “Cyriel, he’s just been injured his ankle. So, he’s here today. We turned down a bid a while ago for him that was nowhere near the valuation for the football club.
Martin added: “So, that [deal is] nowhere near happening. He’ll get on the training ground this week and start enjoying it.”
No price tag or club was mentioned by the manager, but Greek side AEK Athens have been heavily linked with the forward. Journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos claims that they are set to make contact with Rangers once again this week over a deal for the number nine.
Why Rangers should cash in on Cyriel Dessers this summer
Rangers reportedly paid a fee of £4.5m to sign the Nigeria international from Cremonense in the summer of 2023, and the club should cash in on him this summer if any team comes in with an offer of more than that – £5m or more.
They turned down two bids for Ryan Kent, of £10m and £15m, that would have seen the Gers make a significant profit on the initial £7.5m that they paid for him, and they lived to regret that as the forward went on to leave for nothing in 2023.
The Nigerian forward turns 31 in December and his current contract at Ibrox is due to expire in the summer of 2027. That suggests that this summer may be the peak of his value at the club, because he is now heading towards the latter stages of his career and the latter stages of his contract.
This is their last chance to cash in on Dessers at peak value, as he will only have 12 months left on his contract next summer, and that is why they should look to move him on amid interest from AEK Athens.
Appearances
35
35
Goals
16
18
Big chances missed
27
20
Assists
4
2
Ground duel success rate
29%
34%
Aerial duel success rate
40%
31%
As you can see in the table above, the 30-year-old striker has been an unreliable forward in front of goal for the Scottish giants in his two seasons in the Premiership.
Goal returns of 16 and 18 respectively are very solid hauls on paper, but 47 ‘big chances’ missed shows that the striker, who former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness described as “marmite”, has not been dependable enough.
Dessers is an incredibly wasteful finisher and Martin could improve his Rangers team by cashing in on him this summer to then bring in a more efficient marksman to lead the club back to glory.
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Rangers are in talks to sign a star who would be an even better signing than Nasser Djiga.
ByDan Emery Jul 6, 2025
Therefore, the Light Blues must cash in on the forward in the coming weeks to avoid a Ryan Kent repeat and to potentially improve the squad.
Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for a forward this summer and have now made a formal approach to land a striker who models his game after one of the best forwards in the world, according to a report.
Tottenham Hotspur's hunt for attacking reinforcements
Thomas Frank has already tied up deals for Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel since walking through the door in N17. However, you get the impression there is plenty more to come given they will be playing Champions League football next term.
Looking to provide strength in depth across the front four positions, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo are prominent Tottenham targets, while West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus has also been mentioned in dispatches.
With a managerial change coming into play, Daniel Levy has outlined that he has full faith in new boss Frank to deliver success after carrying out a rigorous search for Ange Postecoglou’s successor.
He explained: “Whenever you have a new coach, it’s always a fresh start. [They] always have different ideas but we want to build on the success of winning a trophy last season.
“One of the things that stood out to me with Thomas was that he is clearly highly intelligent, a great communicator, super human being plus all the technical aspects which are obviously important.”
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Boca Juniors striker Miguel Merentiel could also be on Spurs’ radar after an excellent start to the Club World Cup, signalling that eyes and ears will be on all potential markets from the Lilywhites this summer to extract a fair rate of value for money.
Fundamentally, bolstering the offensive areas will give Frank the depth required to progress his side, so it won’t come as any surprise to hear Merentiel isn’t the only South American star the club is seeking to add.
Tottenham launch formal approach for Ian Subiabre
According to reports in his homeland via Sport Witness, Tottenham have launched a formal approach for River Plate’s Ian Subiabre to ascertain details about his current situation.
Chelsea previously had a meeting with his agent, Claudio Caniggia, though they eventually baulked due to his release clause that is mooted to amount to around £22.4 million.
Ian Subiabre at River Plate – how has the youngster fared since breaking through?
Appearances
16
Goals
1
Assists
0
Mainly used as a substitute, Spurs haven’t been deterred and could look to make an offer that includes a future sell-on percentage for the Argentina Under-20 international, who has scored three times in six matches at that youth rank.
Describing Julian Alvarez as a player he models his game on, it remains to be seen whether his release clause will be met or if a transfer fee would be structured via alternative means.
River may entertain bids after the Club World Cup and haven’t ruled out a departure in this case, meaning Spurs could well add another talented youngster to the ranks.
Manchester United are ready to make a bid for a “world-class” star, who is now expected to cost €80m (£68m), according to a report.
Man Utd set to spend big despite missing out on Champions League
Man United’s loss against Tottenham Hotspur was disappointing on a number of levels, with suffering a defeat in a European final always tough to take, while the result meant they also missed out on qualification to next season’s Champions League.
Despite missing out on Champions League football, however, the Red Devils have displayed a willingness to splash the cash this summer, and Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth has now explained how they plan to fund their summer transfer business.
Sky Sports: Man Utd also eyeing £60m Mbeumo alternative who Amorim loves
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Sheth said: “A lot of people are saying – how can they afford Cunha, who’s already at the club? Mbeumo, who’s going to cost the thick end of £60m as well, and Viktor Gyokeres, who’s going to cost over £60m as well?
“Well, I don’t think Manchester United, despite all their much-publicised financial issues, are going into a transfer window with £0 to spend.
“They will have a certain budget, which we understand to be covered by Cunha and Mbeumo, and then maybe they will have to make sales.”
The interest in Viktor Gyokeres has been stepped up in recent days, with United making an initial approach for the Sporting CP striker, but there has now been a new update which suggests he could be even more expensive than they anticipated.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
According to a report from Portugal (via Sport Witness), Man United are now ready to make an offer for Gyokeres, but Sporting are set to hold out for a fee of €80m (£68m), which has left the centre-forward ‘furious’.
Sporting increasing their asking price has unsettled the forward, given that a fee of €60m -€75m (£51m – £64m) had previously been touted, and he has now removed references to the club from his social media accounts.
"World-class" Gyokeres deserves summer move
Having led Sporting to Liga Portugal and Taca de Portugal glory, the Sweden international has earned the chance to prove himself at one of Europe’s top clubs, and it is understandable that he is angry the club could now price him out of a move.
That said, it is also clear to see why the Portuguese side are reluctant to sanction a departure for a fee that does not reflect the 27-year-old’s value, having performed remarkably well across some key attacking metrics over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Non-penalty goals
0.87 (99th percentile)
Assists
0.22 (91st percentile)
Progressive carries
4.27 (99th percentile)
Successful take-ons
1.93 (98th percentile)
Lauded as “world-class” by one analyst, Gyokeres has shown he is more than ready to test himself in the Premier League, and it is exciting news that Man United are now ready to make an offer, although it remains to be seen if they can afford to stump up £68m.
With the season finally coming to a close, Tottenham Hotspur have a monumental summer ahead of them.
For example, alongside potentially replacing Ange Postecoglou, Daniel Levy and Co must go big in the transfer window to ensure the team don’t endure another Premier League campaign like this one.
On top of making sure they keep their own stars like Cristian Romero, the North Londoners need to bring in new ones to help them climb up the table and make a good account of themselves in the Champions League.
Fortunately, reports have recently linked the club to an attacker who could help them do just that, an attacker who’d be a massive upgrade on Son Heung-min.
Tottenham transfer news
Before we get to the star in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other brilliant players who have been linked with a move to Spurs in recent weeks, like Leroy Sané and Xavi Simons.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former’s contract with Bayern Munich expires at the end of this month and would therefore be a free signing, which could end up being an incredible deal, as in just 2377 minutes of football across 45 appearances this season, the German international scored 13 goals and provided six assists.
Simons, on the other hand, would cost the club around £67m, but even then, it would be hard to argue that’s not a fair fee, as the Flying Dutchman managed to score 11 goals and provide eight assists in 33 appearances this season.
Yet, there is another, even more impressive winger being linked with Tottenham: Bradley Barcola.
Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs are among several Premier League clubs who are incredibly interested in the Paris Saint-Germain phenomenon.
In fact, the story has claimed that the Lilywhites, Arsenal and Manchester City have already sent scouts to watch the French international.
However, it could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, as while PSG do not want to sell the 22-year-old, they do value him at up to €120m, which is about £101m.
Paris St Germain's BradleyBarcolareacts
With that said, given Barcola’s immense ability and potential, this may be a deal worth breaking the bank on, especially as he’d be the perfect Son upgrade.
How Barcola compares to Son
While Barcola can and has played in other positions in the past, it’s abundantly clear that his preferred and best role is leftwing.
Therefore, depending on what else happens in the summer transfer window, one of his main competitors for game time at Spurs next season, were he to sign for them, would be Son Heung-min.
With that said, who comes out on top when we compare them? Well, from a raw output perspective, it’s a rather one-sided affair.
For example, the incredible Lyon-born ace, who’s “one of the best LW’s in Europe,” according to analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 21 goals and provided 19 assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3643 minutes this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.45 games, or every 91.07 minutes.
In contrast, the North Londoners captain scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists in 46 appearances, totalling 3189 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every other game, or one every 138.65 minutes.
Okay, what about their underlying numbers from this season? Which attacker comes out on top when we take a look under the hood?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s the “devastating” star, as he was described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, who once again emerges victorious here, and by quite some margin at that.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.97
0.59
Non-Penalty Goals + Assists
0.99
0.64
Progressive Passes
3.97
4.74
Progressive Carries
5.66
4.10
Shots
3.05
2.35
Shots on Target
1.57
1.02
Passing Accuracy
81.7%
78.9%
Key Passes
2.07
2.14
Shot-Creating Actions
4.17
4.99
Goal-Creating Actions
0.83
0.64
Successful Take-Ons
1.40
1.24
For example, while there are a few metrics in which the South Korean superstar is able to hold his own and actually come out ahead, it’s the UCL winner who does far better in the vast majority of relevant areas.
Ultimately, while Son has been an incredible player for Spurs for so long, Barcola is simply the better winger in practically every way, and therefore, Levy and Co should be doing all they can to sign him this summer.
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Just days after losing the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen, Celtic could reportedly suffer another blow in the form of an outgoing star amid interest from a European club.
Celtic suffer shock Aberdeen defeat
After taking the lead in the 39th minute through Alfie Dorrington’s own goal, it looked as though Celtic were set to secure the domestic treble that they had been desperately craving. Aberdeen didn’t give up that easily, however, and the story of own goals soon continued. This time, it was Kasper Schmeichel at the heart of the scene, with his mistake allowing the ball to find the back of his own net in the final nine minutes.
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From there, it was the underdogs with the momentum and the underdogs who eventually came out on top on penalties. Following a shock defeat, Callum McGregor revealed that his penalty miss in the shootout was the worst moment of his career.
The Celtic captain told reporters: “The worst. The worst moment I’ve ever had in football. It’s a real sore one. I’ll just need to go away and try and get over it and come back next year and be stronger.
Callum McGregor
“We didn’t do enough in the game to deserve it and then when you get to penalties it’s a bit of a lottery. The last few times we’ve come out on the right side of it and today we didn’t. It’s a real sore way to finish the season. Up until this point it’s been an amazing season. We just didn’t do enough to cap it off.”
Despite a dominant Scottish Premiership title win, Celtic will now have all eyes on making further improvements this summer. Whilst incomings will be a priority, however, their success may not come without the consequences of losing some key players in the coming months.
Fenerbahce readying move to sign Celtic star Maeda
Having already lost Kyogo Furuhashi in January, the Scottish giants could now be about to lose another key man. According to Takvim, as relayed by Sport Witness, Fenerbahce chief Mario Branco is now readying a summer move to sign Daizen Maeda. The Japanese winger has enjoyed another excellent season at Celtic Park and could now follow in the footsteps of Kyogo by departing.
Appearances
51
Goals
33
Assists
12
With 45 goal involvements in just 51 games, it’s no shock that Maeda has found himself at the centre of Brendan Rodgers’ praise. The Celtic boss told reporters earlier in the campaign: “If you are a young player coming through and want to give your honesty to the game, work, intensity and everything.
“No cheating, no nothing – even away at St Mirren, the penalty we got last week he tried to stay on his feet – he’s so honest to the game. Natural isn’t it? He’s been absolutely brilliant.”
As Rangers look to rebuild on the other side of Glasgow this summer, Maeda is not a player that Celtic will want to be losing. After watching Kyogo depart, the Japanese winger is more important than ever for the Bhoys.
The 2024/25 season has seen a number of clubs break long-standing trophy droughts. February saw Newcastle United end decades of waiting for a major trophy as they took home the EFL Cup at the expense of would-be Premier League champions Liverpool.
Their 2-1 win over the Reds brought an end to the longest trophy drought of any 2024/25 Premier League club, with the Toon’s previous triumph coming in 1969 when they won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the predecessor to the UEFA Cup and Europa League.
Three months later, Crystal Palace created history by securing their first major trophy in the FA Cup final after a 1-0 victory over Manchester City, who failed to win any major silverware in a season for the first time since 2016/17.
They join Premier League champions Liverpool as cup winners, with the Reds now having won a major trophy in five of the last seven seasons.
Meanwhile, Tottenham finally ended their wait for major silverware as they lifted the Europa League in May 2025, defeating Manchester United for their first trophy in 17 years.
Rank
Club
Last trophy
Year
Trophy drought
Southampton
FA Cup
1976
Wolves
League Cup
1980
Ipswich
UEFA Cup
1981
Nottingham Forest
League Cup
1990
Everton
FA Cup
1995
Aston Villa
League Cup
1996
Arsenal
FA Cup
2020
Leicester
FA Cup
2021
Chelsea
Club World Cup
2022
West Ham
Conference League
2023
Man City
Premier League
2024
Man Utd
FA Cup
2024
Newcastle
League Cup
2025
Liverpool
Premier League
2025
Crystal Palace
FA Cup
2025
Tottenham
Europa League
2025
Here, we take a deeper look at the longest trophy droughts among 2024/25 Premier League clubs. To qualify for this list, they must have won at least one major trophy, so no room for Community Shields or Intertoto Cups here.
16 Tottenham Hotspur 2024/25 Europa League winners
You can’t say we weren’t warned. Ange Postecoglou ALWAYS wins in his second season at a club – even Tottenham.
However, if their league form was anything to go by – Spurs went into their 2024/25 Europa League final in 17th place – you’d have thought there was no chance of the Lilywhites going all the way in Europe.
But after 17 years and several false dawns – particularly after the 2019 Champions League final defeat under Mauricio Pochettino – the Australian boss finally delivered a trophy to Spurs. Their long trophy drought is no more.
15 Crystal Palace 2024/25 FA Cup winners
Crystal Palace's EberechiEzecelebrates with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
Crystal Palace headed into the 2025 FA Cup final looking to win a major piece of silverware for the first time. It was their third FA Cup final since their first in 1990, and after successive defeats to Manchester United at the showpiece event, it was neighbours Manchester City who stood in their way this time around.
Despite being heavy underdogs, a brave, accomplished performance from Oliver Glasner’s side saw Eberechi Eze’s first-half strike prove to be the difference, with City culpable of fluffing huge chances, including a missed penalty from Omar Marmoush.
The result means Palace can join most of their Premier League rivals as trophy winners, and go for more glory next season in the 2025/26 Europa League.
14 Liverpool 2024/25 Premier League winners
While they haven’t officially got their hands on the trophy, Liverpool were confirmed as the new kings of England in April 2025 following a dominant campaign they never looked like slipping up in.
The previous few years have been incredibly kind to the Anfield faithful, winning a raft of honours under the leadership of Jürgen Klopp. A sixth European Cup was won in 2019 before the Reds finally ended a 30-year league title drought by claiming the Premier League.
Many felt Slot would have a difficult time of things during his maiden campaign on Merseyside, but the Dutchman has ushered the club into a new era easier than many anticipated.
13 Newcastle United 2024/25 EFL Cup winners
Newcastle United'sAlexanderIsak
Eddie Howe truly earned his hero status on Tyneside by ending almost 60 years of hurt with victory in the 2025 EFL Cup final against Liverpool.
Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak handed glory to the Toon at Wembley, securing European football and potentially setting up a new era of challenging at the top end of the Premier League once again.
Now a force to be reckoned with, it would be a huge surprise if they take another 56 years to win another trophy.
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ByStephan Georgiou Feb 8, 2024 12 Manchester United 1 year (last trophy: 2023/24 FA Cup)
Manchester United may be going through their toughest period since Sir Alex Ferguson’s time in charge, but it hasn’t diminished their ability to win trophies.
The Premier League title has eluded the Red Devils since 2013, but the club have managed to win two League Cups, two FA Cups and a Europa League crown in the previous 11 years – but their defeat in the most recent Europa League final left them trophyless in 2024/25.
11 Manchester City 1 year (last trophy: 2023/24 Premier League)
Until their takeover by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, Manchester City had not won a major trophy since winning the League Cup during the 1975/76 season.
However, since 2008, the Etihad outfit have claimed eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, six League Cups and a coveted Champions League title in 2023 as part of a historic treble.
Pep Guardiola has transformed the side into a winning machine, and despite enduring a poor season by their high standards, City will always be in the hunt for silverware.
However, their 2024/25 campaign came to a disastrous conclusion when they failed to take home any major trophy, with defeat in the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace rather summing up their season.
It marks their first trophyless campaign since Guardiola’s first in 2016/17, when they finished third and only made the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Nobody expects their ‘drought’ to last long, though it does leave the team in an incredibly unfamiliar position.
10 West Ham United 2 years (last trophy: 2023 Conference League)
Due to West Ham United winning the Conference League in 2023, their ‘drought’ is only a single year. David Moyes had led his club to the semi-finals of the Europa League a year prior, but they went one step further in Europe’s third-tier competition.
Can Graham Potter lead them back onto the continental stage? Only time will tell.
9 Chelsea 3 years (last trophy: 2021 Club World Cup)
Chelsea’s two-year trophy drought must feel like a lifetime for the supporters, especially due to the problems they have endured on the pitch since the start of the 2022/23 season.
Their last trophy came in February 2022, with the Blues taking part in a pandemic-delayed edition of the Club World Cup following their 2021 Champions League triumph.
Chelsea are now on their fourth permanent manager since August 2022, but signs do look positive that Enzo Maresca will eventually get the club back in the winner’s circle.
Much will depend on whether he is given the time required to build his team into one that can return to the Champions League. If so, the Stamford Bridge side could prove to be challengers at the top once again.
8 Leicester City 4 years (last trophy: 2021 FA Cup)
Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League title triumph in 2016 was their first major trophy since winning the League Cup in 2000.
Indeed, with the money involved in the game these days, the likelihood of a club like the Foxes claiming the Premier League title is as unrealistic as ever.
Five years after this triumph, the club won the FA Cup courtesy of a 1-0 win over Chelsea, winning the competition for the first time in their history after losing four finals on the spin.
7 Arsenal 5 years (last trophy: 2020 FA Cup)
For all that Mikel Arteta has done since taking over Arsenal at the end of 2019, the FA Cup won in August 2020 remains his only trophy.
The Gunners have made strides in the top flight, finishing second in the previous two seasons – the first time they have managed back-to-back top-two finishes for 20 years.
Liverpool ran away with the title this season, but the club appear to be on the right trajectory having qualified for the Champions League once again and been one match away from the final in 2024/25.
Leeds United are currently preparing for a huge summer transfer window as they look ahead to trying to avoid instant relegation from the Premier League.
The Whites won the Championship title, with a staggering 100 points, with their win over Plymouth Argyle on the final day, and now have a top-flight season to look forward to.
Daniel Farke and his staff must recruit players who they feel can bolster the squad to improve their chances of survival, and the West Yorkshire outfit are reportedly looking to bring a former star back to Elland Road.
Leeds considering move for Premier League midfielder
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds United are “considering” a deal to sign Manchester City defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The reporter claims that the England international would be “ready” to return to West Yorkshire ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, having left the club to join the Cityzens in the summer of 2022.
Bailey’s report on The Boot Room adds that a permanent deal would be difficult for the Whites to do, because the midfielder has three years left on his contract at The Etihad, and that they are currently eyeing up a loan move for their former academy graduate.
Ipswich Town'sKalvinPhillipslooks dejected after the match
Phillips has spent the current season on loan with Ipswich Town, who have already been relegated from the Premier League, but his previous form for Leeds in the top-flight suggests that he could star alongside Ao Tanaka at Elland Road.
Why Kalvin Phillips could thrive with Ao Tanaka
The Japanese midfielder enjoyed a fantastic season in the Championship with the Whites and showed potential to make the step up to the Premier League, with his passing and defensive qualities.
Tanaka ended the 2024/25 campaign with a pass completion rate of 90% and a duel success rate of 55% across 43 appearances, which shows that he was efficient in and out of possession in the middle of the park.
Leeds will need their midfielders to be reliable on the ball and strong off it in the top-flight, as they will be battling against relegation, and that is also why Tanaka could thrive alongside a physical operator like Phillips, who was once dubbed “exceptional” by U23 scout Antonio Mango.
Appearances
29
43
Pass accuracy
85%
90%
Tackles per game
2.6
2.2
Interceptions per game
1.6
1.3
Duels won per game
5.3
4.5
Duel success rate
52%
55%
As you can see in the table above, the English maestro’s defensive form for Marcelo Bielsa in the Premier League during the 2020/21 campaign was even more impressive than the current Leeds star’s in the second tier this term.
This suggests that the potential is there for them to be a robust midfield pairing who can provide protection in front of the back four, whilst also being reliable with their passing into the front players, which could be needed as they battle it out for vital points.
Of course, there are question marks over whether or not Phillips can get back to that level, having struggled of late in loans with Ipswich and West Ham, losing 57% of his duels in the top-flight for the former and 52% of his battles for the latter.
Perhaps a return to familiar surroundings at Elland Road, where he has been successful at the top level in the past, could help him to return to form.
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Signing him on loan, therefore, could be a worthwhile gamble and one that could pay off for Leeds and Farke as it could result in him and Tanaka forming an impressive midfield partnership.
Graham Potter will be looking forward to the 2025/26 season, where he will be able to put his own spin on this West Ham United squad. However, Julen Lopetegui took charge in the summer, having his say on quite a big spend ahead of the current Premier League season.
The Hammers spent €144.40m (£123.7m) in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, bringing eight new players to the club on a permanent basis, whilst also making two loan signings. This comes after significant spending in the 2023/24 season too, with an outlay of €144.56m (£124m).
Maximilian Kilman
£40.7m
Crysencio Summerville
£25.1m
Niclas Füllkrug
£23.1m
Luis Guilherme
£19.7m
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
£15m
Guido Rodriguez
£0
Wes Foderingham
£0
Mohamadou Kante
?
The reason West Ham were able to spend important funds for two years straight was much down to their record sale, Declan Rice, joining Arsenal in the 2023/24 summer window for a fee of around £105m.
Declan Rice going from strength to strength
Rice made his breakthrough at West Ham, signing his first senior contract with the club in 2015, receiving his first senior call-up in 2017 and making his Premier League debut from the bench in the 2016/17 season against Burnley during a 2-1 win.
The England international made 245 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 15 goals, providing 13 assists and totalling 20,580 minutes played. Rice went on to become the club captain, leading his side to UEFA Conference League glory in the 2022/23 season, securing his legend status at the club.
But the 26-year-old has taken it to another level in recent weeks, being awarded back-to-back man of the match awards against Real Madrid in the Champions League, scoring two unbelievable free-kicks and helping Arsenal to secure their spot in the semi-final of the competition.
West Ham fans will be dreaming of the next wonderkid to come through at the club, having seen the success that Rice enjoyed with them. Whilst he isn’t through their own academy, they could well have their next wonderkid already on the books.
West Ham's next wonderkid
West Ham made a significant investment during the 2024/25 summer window, spending £25.5m on a 18-year-old Brazilian from Palmeiras, with Luis Guilherme becoming Lopetegui’s first signing at the club.
However, the youngster has struggled for involvement in England this year, being given minimal chances to prove himself.
Goals + Assists
0.00
0.44
0.00
xG
0.11
0.20
0.07
xAG
0.19
0.50
0.07
Progressive Carries
5.47
6.00
2.14
Progressive Passes
4.53
4.00
2.14
Shots Total
2.11
2.22
1.43
Key Passes
1.88
5.00
2.14
Passes into Pen Area
2.34
2.00
2.14
Successful Take-Ons
3.44
3.50
2.86
When comparing Guilherme’s underlying metrics from his breakthrough season at Palmeiras, just 16-years-old, with his second season in Brazil and his first season at West Ham so far, you can see his numbers have slightly regressed, which could be attributed to fewer minutes and a tougher league.
Marcos Watts from Transfermarkt stated Guilherme would become a “top player” if he continued to develop along the same path. Whilst this seems to have stunted slightly at West Ham this season, only managing 118 minutes in his 11 appearances so far, the talent is still clearly there.
Luis Guilherme for West Ham.
West Ham have some extremely talented wide players and attacking midfielders currently ahead of the “electric” Brazilian – as described by analyst Ben Mattinson – in the pecking order, but if he continues to work hard, there is no reason Guilherme can’t break through and start earning his minutes, going on to reach his true potential at the club.
It may not be long before he proves himself to be the Hammers’ next young sensation after Rice.
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Enzo Maresca attracting criticism at Chelsea
Having led the club to just five wins from their last 16 Premier League games, it’s been a tough time for manager Enzo Maresca as of late, and this run of form has attracted criticism.
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While Maresca is believed to retain the backing of Chelsea’s board for now (The Mail), sections of supporters are starting to question the Italian’s leadership, with boos ringing around Stamford Bridge after their 2-1 defeat to Polish minnows Legia Warsaw in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.
Chelsea are in the Conference League semi-finals regardless, and remain firmly in contention to qualify for next season’s Champions League, but the manner of their recent performances are drawing some concern.
Speaking in a post-match press conference after their loss to Legia on Thursday, Maresca suggested he is fully aware of the dissatisfaction right now.
“No, for sure in terms of setback, for sure it’s a setback tonight for us, no doubt, first of all because we lost the game,” said Maresca.
Fulham (away)
April 20th
Everton (home)
April 26th
Liverpool (home)
May 4th
Newcastle (away)
May 10th
Man United (home)
May 18th
“But I said yesterday, I think probably the other clubs, as you said, in this moment they can feel more confidence around them, not only Aston Villa, Newcastle, all the clubs around us, but this is football and can change very quickly, so it depends a lot on us. As I said, Sunday for us is one of the finals, and winning that game can give us a final boost to reach our target.
“So in this moment, you win games, you see yourself and you are very happy. If you don’t win, no-one is thinking that you can finish in the right way, but for me it’s just how we manage the emotion.”
Despite an electric start to the campaign, when many viewed Chelsea as potential title contenders, Maresca’s side remain very much a work in progress.
They’ll need their star players to step up and take a leading role during this transition phase, but one of them already is.
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Club-record signing Enzo Fernandez is well and truly justifying his price tag right now, becoming an indisputable member of Maresca’s team with some outstanding performances throughout 2024/2025.
Maresca has entrusted the captain’s armband to him this term, with former Chelsea midfielder John Obi-Mikel praising Fernandez and stating he’s “becoming” a true leader at Cobham.
Some members of the media have even called the Argentine’s contribution “underrated”, but his quality isn’t lost on international teammate Alvarez, who is desperate for Atlético to strike a deal for the midfielder this summer.
That is according to reports out of Spain, which state that Alvarez has privately urged Atlético to sign Fernandez from Chelsea, amid claims the west Londoners will demand a minimum of £69 million to let him go.
However, it is believed that even this figure is beyond Atletico’s capabilities right now, so a transfer is unlikely, even if Maresca’s side entertained the notion of parting company.
After a tough start to life in west London, the player has now fully found his feet, with Fernandez even attracting praise from Lionel Messi during his time at Chelsea.