Tottenham Hotspur will look to solve Antonio Conte’s wing-back woes with Joakim Maehle this summer…
What’s the word?
According to the Daily Mail, the north London outfit are lining up a move for Atalanta star, who is viewed as a perfect fit for the Italian head coach and after striking success with Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, sporting director Fabio Paratici could return to the Serie A for another signing.
It remains to be seen how much the 24-year-old would command, though CIES Football Observatory value him at €50m (£45m).
[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]
Dream Conte wing-back
Conte has endured a torrid time with his wide options this campaign.
On the left, injuries have seen both Sergio Reguilon and Ryan Sessegnon struggle to sustain a consistent run in the side, both also lacking in form, whilst on the right, Emerson’s maiden campaign in the Premier League has largely been woeful with Matt Doherty’s season ended by an MCL injury.
The Denmark international first caught the eye of many during Euro 2020 as he impressed at left wing-back on their way to the semi-final, where they were defeated by Harry Kane’s England.
He has delivered nine goals from 25 caps at international level.
Meanwhile, a career average of 0.9 key passes, 0.9 shots and 1.1 dribbles per game, via WhoScored, further highlights his attacking credentials as a marauding wing-back.
Maehle is capable of getting into the final third often but that doesn’t come at any defensive expense, having also averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions throughout his career.
Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has been impressed by his De Rod-Hvide counterpart, once describing him as a “machine” after their 4-1 win over Russia at last summer’s major tournament.
If Conte wants to land an upgrade on the left or right side of the pitch, then they should look no further than the Danish dynamo, who ranks inside the top 10% of all players in his position for progressive passes received (3.67 per 90), thus making him something of a dream option for the Tottenham head coach.
Paratici and co must look to seal Maehle this off-season.
AND in other news, Forget Son: “Sensational” Spurs titan who had 11 clearances stole the show at Anfield…
Dan Kilpatrick has dropped a team news update ahead of the Premier League meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal this evening.
What’s the latest?
In a recent article for the Evening Standard, the Tottenham correspondent revealed that, unless Spurs were to pick up any fresh injuries before tonight’s north London derby, Antonio Conte will likely stick with the same starting XI that secured a valuable point at Anfield last weekend – despite the fact that a number of the Italian’s first-team squad will be suffering from fatigue.
[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]
In his piece, Kilpatrick wrote: “Tottenham are likely to stick with the same starting lineup as they battle Arsenal in a pivotal north London derby tonight. Only an injury between now and the derby would force Conte’s hand, although he will be wary of fatigue after a gruelling 90 minutes against Liverpool and with Sunday’s match against Burnley a 12pm kick-off.
“Steven Bergwijn, Lucas Moura, Davinson Sanchez and Harry Winks can therefore be hopeful of minutes from the bench, although their chances of starting are remote. Sergio Reguilon (groin), Matt Doherty (knee), Japhet Tanganga (knee) and Oliver Skipp (pelvis) are all sidelined for the rest of the campaign. Spurs have no fresh injury concerns, however.”
Supporters will love Kilpatrick’s update
Considering just how important this evening’s clash with Arsenal is in the race to secure a top-four finish this season, the news that Tottenham have no fresh injury concerns, in addition to the suggestion that Conte is likely to stick with the same XI as the Liverpool fixture, is sure to be an update the Spurs faithful will love.
Indeed, despite coming in for criticism from Jurgen Klopp for their apparently defensive display at Anfield, it was actually the visitors who most looked as if they could go on to snatch all three points in Saturday’s meeting, with Tottenham creating one big chance compared to Liverpool’s zero, as well as both sides springing two counter-attacks and hitting the target with three shots.
As such, if Conte can get a similar performance from his side this evening – something that is certainly boosted by the fact the Italian is not having to deal with any fresh injuries – it would undoubtedly provide Spurs’ chances of taking all three points off of their north London rivals with a huge boost – with a win moving Tottenham to within one point of Mikel Arteta’s fourth-placed side with just two games left to play this season.
AND in other news: Spurs now handed a huge double boost ahead of Arsenal, Antonio Conte will be buzzing
Journalist Josh Holland has urged Aston Villa to consider a move for Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma this summer.
The lowdown: Villa’s transfer plans
Wholesale alterations are expected at Villa Park this summer as Steven Gerrard attempts to put his stamp on the squad.
According to Football Insider, Arsenal are lining up a new move for Douglas Luiz, and the Brazilian’s departure could make room for at least one new addition.
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-developments/” title=”Aston Villa latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
Having already been heavily linked with a move for Leeds United ace Kalvin Phillips, January target Bissouma could also remain on the radar in the Midlands…
The latest: Villa urged to sign Bissouma
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Holland suggested that the 25-year-old Mali international would be the ‘better fit’ for Gerrard’s side out of those two reported targets.
He outlined: “I think them two players would do a perfect job. I think Bissouma is probably a more likely target, I’d say, just because Kalvin Phillips is Leeds through and through, and I think they’re probably going to stay up now.
“I’d say Phillips is better than Bissouma, but Bissouma, I think, would be a better fit for this Villa side.”
The verdict: Bissouma over Phillips
Both players would be superb additions to the Villa squad, but following an injury-hit 2021/22 campaign for Phillips, perhaps Bissouma is indeed the preferred option right now.
One year younger than the Englishman, the 18-cap Mali ace has been hailed as ‘world class’ by Ray Parlour. He has also outperformed his defensive midfield counterpart when it comes to averages for clearances, tackles and interceptions per game this season, whilst earning a 7.00 rating compared to Phillips’ 6.56 (WhoScored).
Furthermore, Leeds will reportedly demand a fee in the region of £50m for the Englishman, whilst Brighton are seemingly willing to consider bids of £40m for their talismanic midfielder. Therefore, you can see why Holland has named Bissouma as the more likely target for Villa.
In other news, journalist confirms Aston Villa are eyeing Ligue 1 star. Read more here.
Liverpool are interested in signing French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni from AS Monaco to bolster their midfield.
What’s the word?
Journalist Paul Joyce stated in The Times [via Liverpool Echo] that the Anfield management are looking at the 22-year-old despite interest from Real Madrid.
[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]
A move will all depend on the price – with the midfielder’s market value currently at £36m according to Transfermarkt, it could take a lot more than that to prise him away from the Ligue 1 club.
Jurgen Klopp could bolster his midfield with Tchouameni signing
Klopp’s Liverpool side have been superb this season, winning the Carabao Cup and currently in the running for another three trophies in what could be a historic campaign for the Anfield club.
Despite this, the German is constantly seeking to improve his squad, replacing aging stars with young and hungry understudies.
Thiago has been a standout player this season for the Reds, especially in the Premier League, averaging 1.2 key passes per game and completing 89% of his passes.
A team containing him and Tchouameni – who Paul Pogba described as “extraordinary” – would surely excite the Anfield faithful.
The French youngster could even be a better option in Liverpool’s midfield than Naby Keita. Whilst the Guinean has played fewer games than the 22-year-old this season, Tchouameni has a pass completion rate of 87.1% compared to Keita’s 86.5%.
In an attacking sense, the Monaco player has taken more than double the amount of shots that Keita has, with 48 compared to just 20 for the Liverpool man.
Tchouameni has also contributed more heavily in a defensive sense too, making nearly three times as many tackles compared to the Reds ace (91 to 33). These figures show that the Frenchman could be the perfect signing for Liverpool and would likely be an upgrade on some of their options at the moment.
Klopp will have some big decisions to make in the summer transfer window, and a potential swoop for Tchouameni could be among the best of them.
AND in other news: Liverpool can unearth their new Gerrard by plotting bid for “outrageous” £50m gem…
With less than two months to go before the January transfer window opens for business, there is already speculation about what Leeds United are going to do to their squad.
The Whites have picked up 11 points in 11 Premier League matches and sit one point above the relegation zone as a newly-promoted team, which is a respectable, but not ideal, position to be in.
Daniel Farke may want to bolster his squad with more quality in the offensive areas, because the team has only scored 11 goals in their 11 top-flight matches so far this season.
The lack of goals for the Championship champions has not been because of a lack of creativity, though, as they have missed too many high-quality opportunities in the final third.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
2.89
1
-1.89
Jayden Bogle
0.88
0
-0.88
Brenden Aaronson
1.79
1
-0.79
Joel Piroe
0.73
0
-0.73
Pascal Struijk
0.65
0
-0.65
Dan James
0.47
0
-0.47
Jack Harrison
0.41
0
-0.41
As you can see in the table above, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been particularly wasteful with the chances that have been created for him in the Premier League.
Former Leeds striker Patrick Bamford signed for Sheffield United earlier this week, and the Whites need to be looking for their next version of the English forward.
Why Leeds need to find their next Patrick Bamford
The experienced marksman left Elland Road on a free transfer in the summer after he failed to score a single goal in 18 appearances in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.
It is not last season’s Bamford that Leeds need to find a new version of, though. Instead, the 49ers need to find Farke’s own version of Bamford from the 2020/21 campaign under Marcelo Bielsa.
After Leeds were last promoted to the Premier League, in the summer of 2020, the former Chelsea and Middlesbrough attacker played a pivotal role in the club’s survival and eventual top-half finish in their first season back in the big time.
The left-footed centre-forward scored 17 goals, including a hat-trick against Aston Villa in the highlights above, and provided seven assists in 38 appearances in the division in that term.
Since that impressive season from the former England international, no Leeds player has scored more than 13 goals in a single Premier League campaign.
25/26
Noah Okafor
Joe Rodon
Lukas Nmecha
2
22/23
Rodrigo
13
21/22
Raphinha
11
20/21
Patrick Bamford
17
As you can see in the table above, the club’s top three scorers in the current term have all managed just two goals, which speaks to the lack of outstanding goalscorers within the squad.
This illustrates how badly the Whites need to find their next version of 2020/21 Bamford, due to their lack of goalscorers, and they are reportedly interested in a star who could be exactly that.
Leeds chasing move for Eredivisie star
According to LeedsUnitedNews, the Premier League new boys are eyeing up a swoop for AZ Alkmaar centre-forward Troy Parrott in the upcoming January 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 report claims that the Whites are now looking at signing the Ireland international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, as they chase a winter deal for the marksman.
It adds that Leeds had scouts in attendance to watch his performance for the Republic of Ireland against Portugal earlier this week, when he netted twice against Roberto Martinez’s side.
The same outlet has posted an update on Farke’s future at Elland Road, explaining that the 49ers are not ready to pull the plug on him yet, but that they could be forced to make a decision if results do not improve.
With this in mind, Leeds could save themselves from having to remove the German head coach from his role by signing Parrott to save his job in January.
Why Leeds should sign Troy Parrott
The Whites should swoop for the Irish centre-forward because his performances in the Netherlands this season suggest that he has the quality to be Bamford 2.0, which would help to push the club up the table.
Per FotMob, Leeds are 10th in the Premier League for xPTS (15) and have underperformed their xG of 13.2 by 2.2, as they have only scored 11 goals. This suggests that Farke and his coaching staff have not been rewarded for the performances that they have coached, due to poor finishing.
These statistics indicate that it is not the German boss who should be under fire for where the team are in the division, and that signing a clinical striker could change the perception of the job that he is doing in the dugout.
Parrott, as shown in the graphic above, enjoyed an incredibly prolific first season with AZ Alkmaar in the 2024/25 campaign, netting 20 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions.
The former Tottenham Hotspur youngster, once dubbed “phenomenal” by former boss Ryan Lowe, has proven that his form last term was not a flash in the pan, as he has carried his exceptional goalscoring exploits into the current season.
Appearances
7
7
xG
5.56
N/A
Goals
6
7
Minutes per goal
87
59
Conversion rate
25%
N/A
Big chances created
2
3
Assists
0
1
As you can see in the table above, Parrott has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar, on top of the two goals that he scored for Ireland against Portugal.
This means that the striker has already scored an eye-catching 15 goals for club and country in the 2025/26 campaign, whilst no Leeds player has scored more than twice in all competitions.
Parrott, per Sofascore, has scored 37 goals from 30.67 xG in the Eredivisie since the start of the 2023/24 season, which suggests that he is the clinical striker that Leeds are crying out for at the moment.
Therefore, the Ireland international could be the next Bamford to fire the Whites to safety with his prolific goalscoring, whilst saving Farke’s job in the process by making the most of his coaching to improve the results picked up by the team.
Leeds have "standout" teen who could end Aaronson's career & it's not Gray
Leeds United have a promising young attacking midfielder who could end Brenden Aaronson’s career at the club.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers praised the impact of Kelechi Iheanacho after the half-time substitute netted in a 1-1 draw against Red Star Belgrade.
The post deadline-day signing replaced Daizen Maeda at half-time after the Japan international struggled in the centre-forward role in Serbia.
Celtic had failed to make any chances from open play by half-time but they immediately improved, forcing three saves before Iheanacho took an excellent touch in the box and stroked the ball into the top corner in the 55th minute.
Rodgers hails Celtic forward Iheanacho
On the performance of Maeda, who was denied a summer move because of the club’s failure to source an adequate replacement, Rodgers told BT Sport: “He wasn’t at his best, or nowhere near it. However, he’s a good guy and sometimes that happens in the game.
“I could have made a couple of changes at half-time. I wanted to make that one certainly to give us that greater reference at the top of the pitch.
Celtic could not build on the opening goal and Marko Arnautovic scrambled the ball home from a corner 10 minutes later. But they held firm from some aerial pressure and Rodgers was pleased with the point against a side who, like Celtic, also suffered a shock Champions League play-off defeat after competing in Europe’s elite competition last season.
“This is a good point for this squad of players and for us coming here,” he said. “You come here, to a team that’s obviously won all of their domestic games, seven out of seven, coming to Belgrade is always a tough game.
Worse than Maeda: Rodgers must drop Celtic star who lost the ball 13x
Celtic endured a night of mixed fortunes away in Belgrade on Wednesday evening…
ByRobbie Walls Sep 25, 2025
“We had opportunities in the second half in particular. But we showed great resilience and showed moments of quality. Kels’ goal was absolutely outstanding and we had other moments in the second half. I still want us to be a little bit more proactive in the game. But overall, it was a nice first step for us in the competition.”
Birmingham City has seen their positive start to the brand-new Championship season unravel somewhat in recent games.
Indeed, the Blues raced out of the blocks very quickly after promotion with two wins and a draw, kickstarting their season on an unbeaten footing.
However, since an unexpected EFL Cup exit at the hands of Port Vale, the usually confident side have lost their way, as seen in the unfamiliar feeling of back-to-back defeats greeting Chris Davies recently.
Birmingham now find themselves all the way down in 11th position in the early league standings off the back of these two losses, with Davies praying he can get a tune out of his underperformers again very shortly, with Kyogo Furuhashi and Jay Stansfield – in particular – looking uncharacteristically rusty.
Birmingham's woes in attack this season
Birmingham are no longer the feared team in the division, having once bagged a weighty 86 goals on the way to lifting the League One title on a resounding 111 points.
Now, they find themselves in a middle-of-the-road position in the league above, with their recent attacking performances leaving a lot to be desired, arguably.
Frustratingly, since being in the right place at the right time to convert a golden opportunity back in August, summer arrival Kyogo, has regularly fired blanks.
Indeed, his lacklustre showing against Leicester City at the end of the month saw him make no accurate passes, while also struggling to catch out Jakub Stolarczyk with a goal-bound effort.
Having cost a reported £10m to bring to St. Andrew’s this summer, there will be a lot of worries already in the air that the former Celtic attacker isn’t cut out for the intense pressures of the EFL, and he will be viewed, down the line, as a costly mishap.
It’s not just new signings who have failed to settle up top, however, with Birmingham’s usually dependable number 28 in Stansfield also misplacing his shooting boots.
His last three outings in the cup and league have seen goals pass him by, with just 69 touches coming his way across those clashes, as the ex-Fulham youngster recedes into his shell.
Davies does have Marvin Ducksch as an alternative option in this department, but he will surely be resentful of Birmingham’s decision in the summer to part ways with this EFL-experienced marksman, who is now outperforming both Kyogo and Stansfield.
Kyogo & Stansfield being outperformed by ex-Blue
An unfortunate consequence of promotion glory is the rash decision-making that follows, as certain individuals are cast aside for flashier purchases who they hope will star in the league above.
In all fairness, there was plenty of logic behind Birmingham’s decision to part ways with electric goal machine Alfie May this summer, considering the hard-working veteran has never fired home a goal in the challenging Championship across his lower-league career to date.
Still, unwanted records like that are meant to be broken, and with May fresh off a promotion-winning return of 16 goals and eight assists in the third tier, Birmingham might well have been better placed to persevere with their experienced 32-year-old and see what he could do if given a chance up a league.
Birmingham’s loss has ended up being Huddersfield Town’s gain, though, with the brand-new Terriers number 26 now outperforming both Kyogo and Stansfield, situated back in League One, as he prepares to be yet another driving force for a side attempting to push back into the EFL’s elite division.
Games played
6
Games started
4
Mins per game
64 mins
Goals scored
2
Assists
2
Shots per game
2.4
Big chances missed
2
When looking at the table above, in league action for Lee Grant’s men this season, May boasts one more goal involvement than both the Englishman and the Japan international, with those four goals and assists coming about despite making just four starts.
His ability to be a “wonderful” option from off the bench – as he was once labelled by ex-boss Nathan Jones – would certainly boost Birmingham right now, with Davies no doubt now growing impatient with the wasteful displays of both Stansfield and Kyogo.
Of course, there’s no guarantee May would come back into the fold and be an instant success in such a daunting division.
But, there are certainly worse shouts out there, as Davies now tries to get his team firing again to ensure they don’t slide down the competitive league even more.
"Strange" – Reaction as Birmingham linked with signing 29 y/o free agent
The transfer window might have only officially opened a few days ago, but Premier League clubs are moving fast, and Arsenal need to keep up.
For example, while the signing of Martin Zubimendi feels imminent, Liverpool have already picked up Jeremie Frimpong and look set to land Florian Wirtz at some point.
Even Manchester United, who endured one of their worst seasons ever, are making moves, with Matheus Cunha already secured and Bryan Mbeumo making it clear he wants to join them.
Brentford's BryanMbeumocelebrates after the match
The Brentford star has previously been linked with the Gunners, but while missing out on him is far from ideal, recent reports suggest the North Londoners are progressing with another attacker who’d be their answer to the Cameroonian.
Arsenal transfer news
Arsenal might not have secured any offensive signings just yet, but it feels more like a matter of when and not if, as over the last few weeks, the club have been linked with more than their fair share of exciting options, like Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro.
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 could cost around £68m this summer, and while that might be a lot to pay for a 22-year-old, he has proven himself to be a reliable attacking outlet, scoring 21 goals and providing six assists in 45 games this season.
On the other hand, Pedro might cost up to a staggering £70m, and while he’s undoubtedly a talented player, we aren’t entirely sure his haul of ten goals and seven assists this season quite justifies that price tag.
Brighton & Hove Albion's Joao Pedro tackles Brentford's Bryan Mbuemo.
Fortunately, another free-scoring phenom is high on the Gunners’ shortlist this summer: Viktor Gyokeres.
According to a recent report from Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, Arsenal are among several teams incredibly interested in the Sporting CP star.
The report claims that the Gunners, Manchester United and Napoli are among the frontrunners to land the Swedish international but to do so, they’ll have to pay up to €70m, which is around £59m.
It could be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but Gyokeres would certainly be worth pushing the boat out for, especially as he could be the North Londoners’ answer to Mbeumo.
Why Gyokeres could be Arsenal's answer to Mbeumo
Now, while Mbeumo is primarily a winger and Gyokeres is an out-and-out striker, there are several similarities between the pair that could make the latter Arsenal’s answer to United signing the former.
Firstly, both players honed their craft in the EFL, with the Cameroon international joining Brentford from Troyes in the summer of 2019 at just 19 years old and making 86 appearances in the Championship, in which he scored 23 goals and provided 18 assists.
Likewise, following a couple of middling loans, the Sporting star joined Coventry City on a short-term deal in January 2021 and then on a permanent deal that summer.
During his two-and-a-half seasons with the Sky Blues, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace made 110 second-tier appearances, in which he scored 41 goals and provided 15 assists, which was enough to earn him his move to Portugal.
This brings us to the second reason he’d be the North Londoners’ answer to the Red Devils’ question, which is that, like the Bees ace, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, would be their own game-changing attacking signing.
Appearances
52
42
Minutes
4248′
3577′
Goals
54
20
Assists
13
9
Goal Involvements per Match
1.28
0.69
Minutes per Goal Involvement
63.40′
123.34′
For example, there can be no doubt that Reuben Amorim’s side will be more dangerous next season with a player who racked up 29 goal involvements this season.
In the Gunners’ case, the addition of a striker who managed to score 54 goals and provide 13 assists in 52 games this season could be utterly transformational and turn them from an almost side to one who could win it all next year.
Ultimately, while they aren’t exactly the same sort of player, there is no doubt that signing Gyorkeres would be the perfect response from Arsenal to United signing Mbeumo.
Their answer to Wirtz: Arsenal moving to sign "terrifyingly good" £85m star
The international superstar would be an incredible addition to Arsenal’s squad.
After watching on as Liverpool seemingly jumped ahead of them in the race to sign Florian Wirtz, Bayern Munich have reportedly turned their focus towards payback in the form of recruiting one particular Anfield star this summer.
Liverpool submit first Wirtz offer
Whilst it was Manchester City and Bayern who found themselves battling for Wirtz’s signature, it has been Liverpool who have grabbed hold of the headlines. Sending shockwaves through Europe, the Reds have stolen a march on their rivals and are reportedly set to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star in what could quite easily be the deal of the summer in all regards.
Having already lifted the Premier League in their first season under Arne Slot, it’s clear that those at Anfield mean business after deciding against splashing the cash last summer.
Alongside Wirtz, rumours have also indicated that Liverpool are pushing to sign the midfielder’s Leverkusen teammate, Jeremie Frimpong, to replace the Real Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez.
Liverpool’s interest in Wirtz is a fairly open secret already and Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes had his say on the potential move earlier this week, telling reporters: “There is concrete interest from Liverpool, but there’s no more to say right now. Florian is our player.”
Ornstein: Liverpool set to make even more signings after £150m+ triple move
The Reds seem to have plenty of tricks up their sleeve…
1 BySean Markus Clifford May 26, 2025
Meanwhile, on Bayern Munich’s end, they’ve been left with no choice but to turn their attention elsewhere. And that could yet deal the Premier League champions a frustrating blow amid rumours that the German giants have set their sights on signing an Anfield star who Slot loves.
Bayern make contact to sign Cody Gakpo
According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich have now made contact to sign Cody Gakpo. Club chief Max Eberl is reportedly a fan of the Dutchman and has now added him to a list of left-wing options which already includes Rafael Leao and Brighton’s Karou Mitoma.
What’s more, given that they’re set to welcome Wirtz this summer, Liverpool and FSG are open to selling Gakpo if the right offer arrives. Whether Slot would approve such an exit is the big question. Gakpo has been a man transformed under his countryman, scoring 18 goals in all competitions and claiming a spot in Liverpool’s front three as a result.
Liverpool's Cody Gakpo wins the Premier League
Slot hasn’t hesitated to praise the former PSV man, either. He told reporters when asked about his winger earlier in the season: “In the second half of last season Cody scored a lot of goals so he’s been a good player for Liverpool for a long time now. He continues doing that and that’s a good thing. For me, he is a regular starter.”
Also dubbed “excellent” by former Liverpool and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole back in October, Gakpo is not someone that Liverpool should be keen to lose in the coming months.
This is going to be a big summer for Liverpool. Bigger, perhaps, than any stretch of off-season at Anfield since Phil Coutinho was sold to Barcelona for an exorbitant fee and Alisson and Virgil van Dijk were brought in as replacements.
FSG have a bit of a reputation for being frugal in the transfer market, but Liverpool are hardly averse to strengthening and know that they have chinks to cover if they are to successfully defend their Premier League title next season, challenge for the Champions League too.
But with Trent Alexander-Arnold off to Real Madrid, Andy Robertson declining, Darwin Nunez set to be sold after a disappointing three terms, Ibrahima Konate’s contract situation uncertain, and Ryan Gravenberch lacking competition at number six, it’s understandable that Arne Slot should demand investment.
That exhausting list isn’t actually exhaustive, though. Liverpool are always attentive to opportunities, and what’s bigger than Florian Wirtz’s desire to leave Bayer Leverkusen in search of a new challenge?
Liverpool's pursuit of Florian Wirtz
Former Leverkusen star Patrick Helmes remarked at the start of the season that Wirtz is “probably the best midfielder in the world.” He may well be right.
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz
Wirtz, certainly, is one of the most exciting and entertaining playmakers in the business, having played an instrumental role in Xabi Alonso’s invincible domestic double last year and now finishing the current campaign with 31 goal involvements to his name.
Though he typically operates from a number ten berth, the Germany international is proven across a whole range of attacking positions, with his seasonal Bundesliga heatmap, sourced via Sofascore, denoting a left-leaning preference.
Attacking midfield
169
48
57
Left winger
21
4
5
Right winger
17
8
5
Centre-forward
15
7
7
Central midfield
5
0
3
While Bayern Munich have the lead in the race for the attacking midfielder, Liverpool and Manchester City are both hot on his trail, as per The Athletic.
Who knows where he’ll end up, but given Die Werkself are looking to claim some £101m for his sale, Liverpool have lined up alternatives.
Liverpool eyeing marquee deal
Liverpool will lose Alexander-Arnold this summer, and, yes, it would be a shock if he didn’t sign for Real Madrid. However, Rodrygo may travel in the opposite direction, having been left disgruntled by his role at Los Blancos this year.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are plotting to make their move for the Brazilian forward, who would cost FSG something in the region of £85m.
Arsenal are also named as suitors, but it’s said that Mikel Arteta’s side are deterred by Real Madrid’s financial demands, thus leaving the door open for Liverpool to make their move as the Gunners not wanting to pay the fee could give them an advantage in the race to sign him.
Scout Mick Brown is quoted as saying that the Reds are not happy with their current forward options and that they could make a move for the Brazilian if he becomes available this summer.
Why Rodrygo would be perfect for Liverpool
Only a few months ago, in March, Jude Bellingham claimed Rodrygo is “the most gifted player in the squad.”
There’s been something selfless about the versatile winger’s time at the Santiago Bernabeu, for he has never quite reached the reputation of his frontal peers yet has been one of the most important players under Carlo Ancelotti’s wing.
Across 267 appearances for Real, Rodrygo has notched 118 goal contributions, a very good return when considering he arrived at the club an 18-year-old in 2019, leaving his Brazilian homeland, leaving Santos.
It might not have been the best of seasons for the South American, but he’s still showcased his skills wonderfully. As per Sofascore, the £202k-per-week talent has still hit six goals and five assists from just 22 La Liga starts, averaging 1.6 dribbles and key passes per game while winning 56% of his ground duels.
Real Madrid rarely sell players they don’t want to, but Rodrygo’s situation is a little more complex: with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior both nailed down in their left and central berths, Liverpool’s target has been ferried off to the right, where he’s at his most ineffective.
Despite Rodrygo’s frustrations this season, deployed in his favoured left-sided position only 12 times (though scoring six goals and supplying six assists), he has played 50 games and still stands firm against Wirtz. He’s even been described as a “magician” by Statman Dave.
In balmier conditions, angled toward breeding positivity for the wideman, there’s no telling how far he could climb. Slot has something of a knack for getting the best out of bothered stars, and Rodrygo could be next, having been praised for being a “more mature player” than compatriot Vini by former Brazil boss Tite.
A man for the big moments, you’d be surprised if Rodrygo didn’t have a say in Liverpool’s efforts on the continental front going forward, should Slot win the race for his services.
It’s not just his clutch moments, though, with an underlying surety in his actions illustrating his world-class quality. As per FBref, the 24-year-old ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and for carries into the final third and the top 12% for passes attempted.
Rodrygo is fleet-footed, but he’s also inventive and crisp on the ball. Eager to get on it, his vicious blend of deadliness and dynamism suggests he would be a tailor-made addition to Slot’s project, especially if the Dutch coach is willing to unleash him from the left flank, as the player wishes but rarely receives in the Spanish capital.
Ultimately, either Rodrygo or Wirtz would have a significant impact on a flourishing Liverpool side. Wirtz might feel like the most favourable pick, but the £85m-rated star’s stunning career has merely lulled this year, and if Slot were to pick him back up from the Madrid wayside, he might just take his team to the next level.
A better signing than Wirtz: Liverpool ramp up move for "the next Mbappe"
Liverpool’s primary goal this summer remains signing a new centre-forward.