All posts by n8rngtd.top

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is reportedly in line to make a "superhero" return to action in the north London derby. The Norwegian midfielder has sat out the Gunners' last seven games through injury, having endured a disrupted start to the 2025-26 campaign. He is, however, poised to hand manager Mikel Arteta a timely boost ahead of a home date with Tottenham.

• Odegaard update: Gunners captain missed seven games

  Arsenal are preparing to welcome Spurs to Emirates Stadium on Sunday. It was feared that Odegaard would be forced to sit out that contest with a knee problem, having struggled to find peak form and fitness this season.

  According to , the 26-year-old is now in line to complete a "miraculous recovery" in time to feature against the Gunners’ fiercest rivals. He could make just his eighth appearance of the campaign in that fixture – and his seventh in the Premier League.

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  Arsenal injury news: Who else is missing for the Gunners?

  Arteta will be hoping that is the case as Arsenal are not expected to have star striker Viktor Gyokeres back in contention, with the Sweden international picking up a hamstring complaint against Burnley on November 1 that has kept him out of action for club and country.

  Arsenal are also without Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz at present, while Gabriel Jesus is training again as his recovery from knee ligament damage is stepped up. Commanding centre-half Gabriel Magalhaes is expected to be out for at least a month after suffering a knock while turning out for Brazil.

• Odegaard celebrated Norway reaching 2026 World Cup

  While Odegaard has been restricted to a watching brief of late, he did travel to Oslo during the latest break in domestic duties to watch Norway secure qualification for their first World Cup since 1998 – with Erling Haaland taking his tally of goals in that campaign to 16.

  Odegaard was on the pitch following a 4-1 victory over Estonia to join in with wild celebrations. He posted on social media afterwards: "We’ve been dreaming of moments like this since we were little kids. We have been working so hard. We have failed and failed… But we never gave up. Never lose faith, hope or unity.

  "This group has stood together through the toughest days and moments, and therefore it feels even better to be where we are today. Proud to be a part of this crew. Proud to play for Norway. Proud to be Norwegian. Proud to represent Norway in the World Cup!! Dreams can really come true if you work hard and believe enough.

  "To all the children and young adults out there: We were all once like you.

  "So dream big and work hard, and everything is possible! Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us yesterday and thank you for all the love we have received the past few days! It means more than you know. Let’s enjoy the moment, but we won’t stop here…"

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  Tottenham injury news: Kolo Muani to play in a mask

  On the other side of the north London derby divide, Tottenham are hoping that Randal Kolo Muani will be cleared to play. The French forward has been training while donning a protective mask.

  He damaged his jaw during Spurs’ dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester United, with it initially suggested that he could be sidelined for up to two months. He did not, however, require surgery and is ready if needed.

  Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer Harry Kane famously wore a mask against Arsenal in 2016 – after breaking his nose – and ripped that off when celebrating a stunning goal at White Hart Lane.

  Thomas Frank will be without long-term absentee James Maddison, along with Swedish playmaker Dejan Kulusevski and England international striker Dominic Solanke. Mohammed Kudus did not feature for Ghana during the November break and remains a doubt. Pape Matar Sarr picked up a knock during Senegal’s friendly with Brazil and may be forced to sit out a crunch clash with Premier League leaders Arsenal – who hold a four-point lead at the top of the table through 11 games this season.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has been dealt an injury doubt ahead of their crunch Premier League clash with Man United.

Saturday’s early kick-off promises fireworks as Spurs host the Red Devils in North London.

With the two sides coming in off near-identical records of five wins and three losses from their first 10 league matches, with both also scoring 17 goals, this face-off could prove pivotal in the race for European qualification.

Tottenham’s home form has been a significant concern, with the club sitting 17th in the home standings despite topping the away form table this season. Meanwhile, no other Premier League side has lost more home games than the Lilywhites in 2025.

Frank’s side suffered another N17 setback last weekend, registering a lowly expected goals figure of just 0.1 in their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea – the lowest by any Premier League team this season.

However, their midweek 4-0 thrashing of Copenhagen in the Champions League offered a glimpse of their attacking potential, with defender Micky van de Ven bagging a stunning solo goal which drew comparisons to Son Heung-min’s famous Burnley strike in 2019.

In terms of the recent head-to-heads between Spurs and United, the former reigns supreme.

Tottenham are unbeaten against tomorrow’s visitors in their last seven meetings across all competitions, winning five and drawing two, including that historic Europa League final win in Bilbao earlier this year.

What’s more, if they beat them again tomorrow, it’ll be the first time they’ve won three league games in a row against United since 1960.

However, the injury situation adds another layer of complexity for Spurs. They currently have the longest absentee list in the Premier League with 10 players sidelined, including Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.

In the aftermath of Tottenham’s 4-0 win over Copenhagen, star winger Mohammed Kudus strongly hinted he could be fit to face United after missing their European clash with a knock, and Frank has now provided an update on the Ghanaian.

Tottenham star Mohammed Kudus a doubt to face Man United this weekend

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Frank explained that Kudus is “touch and go” to face United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — meaning he might not be ready on time depending on developments.

Potentially being without Kudus would undoubtedly be a bitter blow for Frank, considering the £150,000-per-week star has stood out as their star attacker this campaign.

No other Premier League player has averaged more takes-ons per 90 than the African this season, and he’s currently among the division’s top five best-performing players overall, according to WhoScored.

United arrive in north London with genuine momentum and are unbeaten in their last four league matches with three wins and a draw, their joint-best run under Ruben Amorim.

They’ve been particularly potent in attack too, netting two or more goals in their last four outings. Bruno Fernandes has been instrumental, with the 31-year-old now looking to assist in three consecutive away appearances for the first time since November 2020.

It is perhaps the worst time to face United right now, so Frank will be hoping that Kudus can indeed take part after his electrifying start to life at the club.

The New York Yankees may already have a Juan Soto backup plan.

According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the Yankees are hopeful Soto will re-sign with them. But if that doesn't happen, the franchise is already lining up a backup plan.

Feinsand reports Milwaukee Brewers free agent shorstop Willy Adames is drawing interest from the Yankees. Adames is the top free agent infielder available and is coming off a season in which he hit .251 with 32 home runs and 112 RBIs while playing 161 games. The 29-year-old has blasted 87 home runs over the past three seasons.

If they landed Adames, the Yankees could move incumbent shortstop Anthony Volpe to second base, which would fill the hole left by Gleyber Torres, who is also a free agent. The Yankees also have Jazz Chisholm Jr. under contract, but he could play second base, third base or the outfield if needed.

Adames prefers to stay at shortstop, but could always be convinced to move positions for the right contract.

The San Francisco Giants are also reportedly interested in Adames to fill their big need at shortstop.

Aside from the continuous number of injuries they’ve had to deal with, it’s starting to feel like everything is falling into place for Arsenal this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side have pretty much perfected the art of set-pieces, have become near enough impossible to score against, and as a result, are sitting atop the Premier League table.

Moreover, while there is still a level to go for many of the attacking players, many of those who underwhelmed last year are starting to look back to their best.

This includes one of Arteta’s signings, who has even been compared to the iconic Santi Cazorla – and no, it’s not Martin Zubimendi.

Santi Cazorla's Arsenal career

Cazorla joined Arsenal for a fee of just £16m from Spanish outfit Malaga in the summer of 2012, and it did not take him long at all to make an impact at the club.

The mercurial midfielder put in a man-of-the-match performance against Sunderland in what was his debut for the North Londoners, and ended up finishing that first campaign with a tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 49 games.

By the time he left the Gunners in August 2018, he did so with an impressive haul of 29 goals and 45 assists in just 180 appearances, but it wasn’t the output that made him such a firm fan favourite, but the way in which he played the game.

When fit, the 40-year-old magician was seemingly able to do it all, from playing outrageous balls from one side of the pitch to the other, to driving with the ball and beating opposition defenders with ease.

At times, the two-footed wizard was the embodiment of what Wenger wanted his teams to do on the pitch, someone who was capable of winning games with some incredible skill, but doing so while also entertaining the paying fans.

There are really countless examples of the Spaniard doing something remarkable in the famous red and white, but perhaps the most iconic and impactful was his free-kick in the 2014 FA Cup final, which kick-started the club’s comeback.

Had he managed to keep fit, there is no telling what Cazorla could have accomplished at Arsenal, and while the club have not quite had a player like him since, there is someone in the current squad who has been compared to the Emirates icon.

The Arsenal star compared to Cazorla

Now, the first player many of you might think of here is Zubimendi. After all, he is a Spanish midfielder with a great range of passing and the ability to use both feet when needed.

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However, in this instance, the comparison to the former Arsenal star comes from another former Gunners’ great, Kevin Campbell, and concerns Leandro Trossard.

Yes, when speaking back in 2023, Campbell was full of praise for the Belgian, saying that while “they don’t play in the same spot”, he could “see the comparison because he has such quick feet like Santi did.”

He went on to compare the way in which the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem is also able to “see things quickly and Santi saw things quickly.”

Another similarity the 30-year-old shares with the Spaniard, aside from wearing the number 19, is his impressive ability to use both feet without much trouble at all.

You can see this during games, and then on top of that, his former coach at Genk once told Sky Sports that the dynamic left-winger is indeed “right-footed and left-footed.”

Finally, while there are still plenty of other differences between the pair, one more key point of overlap is the Maasmechelen-born gem’s ability to make something happen, generally by finishing a chance most would consider too difficult.

After all, that is why Arteta has referred to him as a “little magician” and Ian Wright made the bold claim that he’s the Gunners’ “best finisher.”

Ultimately, Trossard is not the same player Cazorla was at Arsenal, but from his two-footedness to his technical class and ability to make things happen, he certainly shares a great deal in common with the Spaniard.

Arteta must boldly bench Saka & unleash Arsenal's "phenomenal" talent

Mikel Arteta must be bold ahead of Arsenal’s League Cup clash and drop Saka.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 29, 2025

Jude Bellingham inherited the No.5 shirt when joining Real Madrid and continues to look every inch the natural successor to Zinedine Zidane in that iconic jersey. World Cup-winning Frenchman Zidane once starred as a ‘Galactico’ for Los Blancos, and Bellingham is doing likewise. The England international delivered a couple of outrageous tricks during Real’s goalless draw with Rayo Vallecano.

• Blank for Los Blancos: Real frustrated by Vallecano

  That result has done Xabi Alonso’s side few favours, with two dropped points on the road allowing Clasico rivals Barcelona to close within three in the ongoing battle for La Liga title honours. Real continue to lead the way for now, but the chasing pack are bunching up behind them.

  Bellingham did his best against Vallecano to ensure that Los Blancos found an attacking spark. When it comes to posting a blank in the goal-getting department, the finger of blame cannot be pointed squarely in his direction, with the 22-year-old midfielder once again showcasing his creativity.

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• Watch Bellingham deliver Zidane-esque tricks

• Bellingham leaves Real's rivals chasing shadows

  At one point, Bellingham collected possession in the middle of the park. His first touch appeared to have got away from him, but his second calmly scooped the ball over an onrushing opponent, onto his head and away into space. Zidane was once famed for a similar move that saw him glide beyond rivals.

  Another eye-catching moment for Bellingham saw him drift wide on the left flank. He stood up a Vallecano star, moved the ball from one foot to the other, and disappeared down the line. The only thing lacking was a final delivery that allowed the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior to find the target.

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  New role: Bellingham playing deeper for Madrid this season

  Alonso had suggested when taking the reins at Santiago Bernabeu that he would be looking to drop Bellingham deeper in his plans, with the Englishman no longer required to operate as a No.10. He is, however, very much capable of filling that role when required.

  He spoke of his pride at taking the No.5 shirt when heading to the Spanish capital – having seen Zidane previously win La Liga and Champions League titles in it – with the exploits of an all-time great being emulated. Bellingham has registered three goals for Real since returning from summer shoulder surgery and is back in the England squad ahead of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

Leeds United will re-enter the Premier League relieved that they won’t have to sell a load of their stars like last summer.

Indeed, there was a mass exodus away from West Yorkshire after the Whites’ heartbreaking playoff final defeat in the Championship, resulting in Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter all upping and leaving for the luxuries of a new top-flight team.

These notable departures thankfully didn’t derail Daniel Farke’s men on their way to lifting the second-tier title. Still, Leeds could be about to finally land an exciting Rutter replacement this summer.

After all, since the Frenchman’s farewell, Leeds have had to make do with some lacklustre performers in the number ten role.

Leeds in the race to sign Championship star

Farke won’t feel too confident in relying on Brenden Aaronson to come good in the Premier League, considering the American attacker has struggled at the daunting level before, scoring one goal and registering only three assists during the doomed 2022/23 campaign.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Therefore, it’s no shock to see Leeds be linked with this entertaining number ten, with The Irish Sun now reporting that the newly promoted side have joined the intense race to snap up Middlesbrough ace Finn Azaz.

AFC Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are also named as interested onlookers, meaning Leeds’ quest to win the Irishman’s services could be tough.

But, if Farke and Co. are serious about improving their already electric attacking output ahead of Premier League football returning to Elland Road, winning the £20m-rated midfielder’s services will be deemed a top priority, particularly if he is capable of being the figure to finally fill Rutter’s void.

Why Azaz can finally replace Rutter

It might well be bizarre to say that Leeds still feel a need to replace Rutter, considering the Whites stormed to the second-tier title with 95 goals bagged.

But, whilst Aaronson would chip in with a respectable tally of nine strikes and two assists on the way to promotion being resoundingly won, the 24-year-old blows far too hot and cold compared to the regular brilliance of the ex-Whites number 24.

Rutter, despite promotion falling to the wayside towards the close of the disappointing 2023/24 season, would still manage to collect a mammoth eight goals and 16 assists in league action.

Staggeringly, Azaz would only find himself one short of eclipsing this hefty total this campaign just gone for Michael Carrick’s own failed promotion hopefuls.

Azaz’s ability to drive forward and carve teams open from the number ten spot for Boro is eerily similar to the much-loved 23-year-old during his Elland Road prime.

The hope will just be that the 6-foot-1 star can make the transition to the Premier League look smooth, but having never been given a fair opportunity at his former employers Aston Villa, he will be chomping at the bit to succeed if he’s given the call by Farke’s men.

Looking at the table above, the similarities just keep stacking up, with Farke more prepared to take a risk on his potential new £20m buy in the knowledge that Rutter moved up and acclimatised to his new surroundings swimmingly, with eight goal contributions next to his name from 28 Premier League appearances in 2024/25.

The Boro star is the “whole package” – as he’s been labelled by his current boss Carrick – and could well feel he’s now outgrown the Championship. Indeed, a sparkling 11 goals and ten assists also came his way in league action during the 2023/24 campaign, alongside nearly matching Rutter at the Riverside Stadium recently.

Therefore, ahead of their Premier League voyage taking off, taking a risk on EFL superstar Azaz to come good might well see the West Yorkshire titans win themselves Rutter 2.0.

Orta wanted him: Leeds eyeing move for "very prolific" Piroe upgrade

Leeds United are eyeing a Joel Piroe upgrade who was previously wanted by Victor Orta.

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By
Dan Emery

May 29, 2025

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and BlueCo are expected to sell their “best player” of 2025, in what would be quite a surprising move given his form.

Chelsea players who could leave Stamford Bridge this summer

A host of stars are widely tipped to leave the club this summer, so there is plenty of work to do in that regard, as many don’t appear to have a long-term future under Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea "ready to negotiate" re-signing £238k-a-week "leader", contact made

The west Londoners are exploring a “shock” move.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 8, 2025

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alfie Gilchrist, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, João Félix, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi are all contenders to leave Chelsea, with the loanees seemingly out of Maresca’s plans.

Chelsea will need to find another new home for each of the aforementioned players this summer, with AC Milan already deciding they won’t pursue a permanent deal for Felix, while Arsenal are also set to allow Sterling to return to west London.

Chelsea will be very keen to find buyers as soon as possible, as they seek to gauge control of their wage bill and stay in line with Financial Fair Play/PSR.

Another key decision awaiting BlueCo is the future of defender Trevoh Chalobah, who has seriously impressed since returning from a loan spell at Crystal Palace.

The Cobham academy graduate was frozen out of Maresca’s pre-season tour and allowed to make a temporary move to Selhurst Park, only for Chelsea to activate a re-call clause in the deal and bring him back amid their centre-back shortage.

Since then, Chalobah has enjoyed a fantastic run in the first-team, starting each of their last six Premier League games. Chelsea have won four out of their last six, drawing the other two, and they’ve conceded just five goals in that time.

It is no coincidence that this run of form has coincided with the 25-year-old’s presence in Maresca’s backline, but it is believed by some that Chalobah could be used in potential Chelsea swap deals for other centre-backs.

Chelsea expected to sell Trevoh Chalobah despite stellar form

Now, The Telegraph’s Matt Law has provided an update on his future, and it appears the Englishman could still part company despite his excellent form.

Speaking on the London is Blue podcast, relayed by The Chelsea Chronicle, Law stated that Chelsea are expected to sell Chalobah this summer, and it is a case of Groundhog Day for Maresca’s “best player” of 2025.

“I suspect that they will try and sell him because I think that’s what the whole bringing him back was about,” said Law.

“I know that they are obviously interested in bringing in one defender. I don’t think it will be two defenders, so I think it will be one defender rather than two unless there are a lot more sales than planned, but I do fear that Trev will be on the up for sale list again. No one can be surprised because it’s the same thing that happens every year.

“I mean, it’s literally, it’s like Groundhog Day with Trev. He becomes the best player of the second half of the season, then they try and sell him.”

Already planning ahead to the summer transfer window, Everton have reportedly added a Player of the Year winner to their shortlist, which includes three other midfield targets.

Everton's midfield plans explained

With Abdoulaye Doucoure on course to depart as a free agent at the end of the current campaign, the Toffees have reportedly set their sights on a number of potential replacements. The Frenchman has enjoyed an impressive campaign and finding someone who will have the same influence on David Moyes’ side will no doubt prove to be a difficult, but crucial task.

As things stand, names such as Wilfred Ndidi, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Sunderland captain Dan Neil have all been mentioned as targets, with The Friedkin Group willing to shop in the Championship market this summer.

Dewsbury-Hall, out of those three options, is the most interesting name on that list of targets. The former Leicester City star has struggled to break into Enzo Maresca’s Premier League side at Chelsea and has often found himself relegated to Europa Conference League responsibilities. Now, a year on from arriving at Stamford Bridge, he looks destined to depart.

Meanwhile, Ndidi would likely be the cheapest option of the lot, given that he reportedly has a relegation release clause worth just £9m at Leicester City. For a player with such invaluable experience, a price tag below the £10m mark should be considered an undeniable steal.

A massive Beto upgrade: Everton enter talks to sign "phenomenal" star

Everton are making moves to land a new striker for David Moyes ahead of the summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 1, 2025

Whether Everton decide to push on and land Dewsbury-Hall, Neil or Ndidi this summer remains to be seen, however. Instead, Friedkin could turn towards a player who has just picked up a Player of the Year award.

Everton add Gustavo Hamer to shortlist

According to TeamTalk, Everton have now added Gustavo Hamer to their midfield shortlist, which now reportedly sits at four names ahead of the summer transfer window. The Sheffield United star enjoyed a standout season even as the Blades missed out on automatic promotion in the Championship and could yet find himself on the move as a result.

Earning plenty of praise after picking up the Player of the Season award, Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder told reporters when asked about Hamer’s quality: “When Gus speaks, everybody listens. And rightly so, there should have been interest in him in the summer, because of how outstanding he was in an incredibly disappointing campaign for us. He cleaned up in the Player of the Year awards, so there was always going to be interest in him.”

With nine goals and seven assists in all competitions, the midfield star will be looking to perform one or two more moments of magic to seal promotion through the play-offs for Sheffield United, before potentially earning the big move that he deserves this summer.

Liverpool are willing to make an offer of £51m for a Premier League player in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer update.

Liverpool basking in glory of title win and planning for more

On Sunday afternoon, numerous generations of Reds supporters were treated to a day that they had dreamed of for their entire lives, as Arne Slot’s men won the Premier League title. Having been robbed of the opportunity to celebrate inside Anfield when Liverpool were champions back in 2020, the fans more than made up for it after the 5-1 win over Tottenham, with scenes of incredible joy on show.

The Reds have been relentless all season long, never slowing up while the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal have toiled, and their march to the title has ended up being a procession, getting the job done with four matches to spare when many thought the race would go down to the wire.

It’s now a case of Slot and his Liverpool players basking in the glory of this famous success, having gone level with Manchester United on 20 league titles, before going again next season, aided by bringing in a number of top players in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool willing to offer £51m for Jarrod Bowen

According to a fresh claim from Caught Offside, Liverpool are prepared to offer as much as £51m to sign West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen this summer. Tottenham are also interested in snapping up the 28-year-old, but the report does state that the Hammers “unlikely to entertain” the idea of allowing arguably their best player to leave the club.

The £150,000-a-week Bowen is undoubtedly an excellent footballer, scoring three times against Liverpool in the past and famously scoring the winning goal in West Ham’s UEFA Europa Conference League win over Fiorentina back in 2023.

The England international is a Hammers legend for that reason, with former Reds midfielder Joe Cole confirming as much, paying him special praise in the process.

“All those boys from Prague [the UEFA Conference League winning team] are club legends. But Jarrod’s got this ability to put his name next to anyone at West Ham. He’s such a talented lad and a humble boy. And you just can’t help but want him to do well.”

For all of Bowen’s qualities, however, he does turn 29 later this year and will cost Liverpool a lot of money, so it would be wise for them to focus on a younger attacking wide option instead.

Gakpo may have just hinted that Trent could still stay at Liverpool

Is Alexander-Arnold staying at Liverpool or leaving Anfield behind?

By
Matt Dawson

Apr 27, 2025

If he did join the Reds, he could be a strong addition for a few years, but ultimately, it wouldn’t be the shrewdest business decision.

This summer is crucial for Ruben Amorim in his quest to return Manchester United to glory, with the upcoming window handing him his first opportunity to overhaul the squad.

The 40-year-old took the reins from Erik ten Hag back in November, but the January transfer window was no way near long enough to make the wholesale changes needed.

The showing against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday night is evidence that he has an excellent spine of the side to build on, but is still in desperate need of investment to catapult the Red Devils up the Premier League table.

It remains to be seen how much money Amorim will have at his disposal given Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting operation, but it’s pivotal that the manager is given the funds to make his mark.

With the window just a couple of months away, rumours have already started circling, with numerous players already on the club’s radar ahead of 2025/26.

The latest on Man Utd’s hunt for a new striker

Over the last couple of days, it has emerged that United have made Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap their number one target to become their new talisman at Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed a superb first season in England’s top flight, finding the net 12 times in his 31 appearances for the relegation-threatened outfit.

However, should the Tractor Boys drop back into the Championship come the end of the season, the forward could be available for just £30m – putting Amorim and the hierarchy on red alert.

Despite the interest in Delap, the likes of Matheus Cunha and Viktor Gyokeres continue to be touted with a move to the North West, also joined by Victor Osimhen if one report is to be believed.

According to Turkish journalist Ali Naci Kucuk, the Red Devils have already made an offer to the Nigerian’s representatives of around €20m a season (£660k-per-week) to prise him away from Napoli.

Why United’s latest transfer target would be an upgrade on Hojlund

Danish forward Rasmus Hojlund arrived with huge expectations at United after the hierarchy forked out £72m for his services back in the summer of 2023.

However, his time at the club has been nothing but successful, only scoring 24 times in his 87 appearances to date, with only eight of his efforts coming in 2024/25.

He’s often shared the centre-forward role with Joshua Zirkzee this campaign, failing to nail down the starting position constantly – understandably so given his run of 21 games without a goal earlier in the season.

Such a lack of form has led to the recent rumours over a new forward arriving this summer, with Osimhen the latest player to be thrown into the mix ahead of the opening of the window.

The Nigerian, who’s currently spending the season on loan at Galatasaray, looks almost certain to leave his parent side, Napoli, in the coming months, with United desperately needing to pounce and complete a deal for his services.

When comparing his figures with Hojlund from 2024/25, the 26-year-old has massively outperformed the current Red Devils talent, with his signing taking the attacking department to the next over.

Osimhen, who’s been labelled “sensational” by commentator Matteo Bonetti, has hugely outscored the Dane, whilst also notching a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – demonstrating the clinical edge he possesses in attacking areas.

He’s also managed to complete more of his attempted take-ons, whilst also winning more of the aerial battles he’s entered – offering the all-round presence the club have desperately craved.

Whilst the touted weekly wage offered for Osimhen’s services may seem ludicrous, his stats prove that he’s way above the levels of the options currently at Amorim’s disposal.

If the former Sporting CP boss is to mastermind a revival over the summer, he needs to attract elite-level talents to transform the side, with the Nigerian certainly needing to be at the top of his shortlist.

Ugarte upgrade: Man Utd in advanced talks for "out of this world" £52m ace

Man Utd are looking to strengthen in midfield

By
Joe Nuttall

Apr 17, 2025