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South Africa have played two games on the tricky New York pitches and know the conditions better than Bangladesh do

Mohammad Isam09-Jun-20241:18

Morkel: Bangladesh won’t get soft overs from South Africa

Match detailsBangladesh vs South Africa
June 10, New York, 10:30am localBig picture – both teams have shaky top ordersSouth Africa have a great opportunity to consolidate their position at the top of Group D when they take on Bangladesh in New York in the T20 World Cup 2024. Many factors favour South Africa. They have never lost to Bangladesh in T20Is. They are familiar with the New York venue, having played both their games here.Bangladesh did play their warm-up game against India in New York, but that was over a week ago. They can trust their bowling attack, but their top-order batting remains suspect – it was the department that failed in their win over Sri Lanka.Related

Hathurusinghe pleased with bowlers for taking 'ownership of the situation'

The next ball, and the next… Miller takes it deep to win the day

Bangladesh 'finally have the legspinner' they have been craving

South Africa, too, haven’t looked a complete side despite back-to-back wins. Their problems are similar.They bowled out Sri Lanka for 77 and restricted Netherlands to 103 for 9 but South Africa’s top order is also searching for runs. Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram have a combined average of 13 (39 runs from six innings) so far. In both their wins, they got to the target fairly comfortably in the end because they were chasing small targets.South Africa’s bowlers, though, have been in great form. Anrich Nortje and Ottneil Baartman, in particular, have been among the wickets, while Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen have complemented them well. Keshav Maharaj has done his bit, too, but spin hasn’t been a big threat in New York so far.Bangladesh’s quicks also came to the party against Sri Lanka. Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman were impressive each time they bowled in that game, while Tanzim Hasan had his moments, and legspinner Rishad Hossain’s 3 for 22 won him the Player-of-the-Match award. He varied his pace subtly but imparted a lot of spin on the ball. Shakib Al Hasan, though, hasn’t performed particularly well with the ball since coming to the USA in mid-May.As for their batting, Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto continue to fall to soft dismissals, but Litton Das’ 36 against Sri Lanka could give him a bit of confidence, while Tanzid Hasan must find runs on the big stage.2:00

Tamim: Bangladesh must make new ball count against SA

Form guideBangladesh WWLLL
South Africa WWLLLIn the spotlight – Towhid Hridoy and Anrich NortjeTowhid Hridoy is quickly enhancing his reputation as a big hitter – his four sixes against Sri Lanka in Dallas proved the difference in a low-scoring game. Hridoy has now struck 42 sixes in his 15 months of international cricket, comfortably the most among Bangladesh’s batters in this period.Anrich Nortje is working his way back into rhythm after a long injury layoff. He was off the boil in IPL 2024 and then went wicketless in two T20Is in the Caribbean. So far in the T20 World Cup, though, he has been on target, rushing batters with high pace and bounce. Nortje has good memories against Bangladesh at the T20 World Cup too, having taken 4 for 10 against them in Sydney in the 2022 edition.Towhid Hridoy adds muscle to the Bangladesh middle order•ICC/Getty ImagesTeam news – teams likely to field unchanged XIsBangladesh are waiting on news of Shoriful Islam’s fitness. If he is fit, he comes into contention. Otherwise they are likely to stick to the XI that beat Sri Lanka.Bangladesh (probable XI): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Litton Das (wk), 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan, 10 Taskin Ahmed 11 Mustafizur RahmanSouth Africa are unlikely to change the combination that has worked so far in New York. They, however, have Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton and Tabraiz Shamsi on the bench, and might be tempted to look in that direction, especially at Rickelton, considering the failures of the top order.South Africa (probable XI): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Ottneil Baartman, 11 Anrich NortjePitch and conditionsFast bowlers are likely to dominate in New York again and we should get low to middling totals. A sunny day has been forecast.Stats that matter South Africa’s 3 for 3 against Netherlands was their lowest score for the loss of three wickets in a T20I Bangladesh’s win over Sri Lanka was their first win against a higher-ranked side at the T20 World Cup since they beat West Indies in 2007, the inaugural T20 World Cup”You look at conditions, you look at a really strong Bangladesh team and it’s going to be a proper challenge for us. We have luckily had the privilege of playing two games now at this venue so hopefully, it can give us even clearer plans. We can develop plans from a batting point of view on how to get to a score of maybe about 140 if we do bat first and hopefully, then our bowlers can do the rest.”
“The wicket hasn’t been easy for batters. It brings both teams equally into the game. South Africa has a decent bowling attack. We are confident of giving a good fight on this surface.”
Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe on whether South Africa hold the advantage having played in New York

Arsenal remain in serious pursuit of a new striker, but talks over a deal for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko are believed to be stalling.

Arsenal plan £51m Chelsea hijack as key target now eyes Barcelona move

Andrea Berta has shifted focus.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025

Sporting director Andrea Berta and the Gunners recruitment team have held negotiations over signing the Slovenia international for weeks, but as of now, Arsenal are not willing to match Leipzig’s demands of £68-£85 million.

Arsenal first opened “concrete” discussions for Sesko near the end of May, but it’s proving to be a very complicated deal. Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs recently reported that the Gunners want to sign him for around £59 million, so Berta appears to be some way off Leipzig’s valuation as things stand.

Attention is now beginning to turn towards alternatives, even if the 22-year-old appears to be at the top of Berta’s wishlist.

Viktor Gyokeres told Arsenal could sign him

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, writing for The Boot Room, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres remains in their thinking, and his agents have been told something crystal clear behind-the-scenes.

Indeed, Gyokeres’ camp are informed that he’s a striker option for Arsenal if Sesko talks end up going nowhere, following the Swede’s exceptional Primeira Liga campaign.

“From what I’m told, there is some push back from Arsenal on saying that Arteta is the one simply banging on the table saying ‘bring me Sesko’,” said Bailey.

“That’s not how a big club operates now, my belief is that Arteta made it clear in terms of what he wants in terms of a striker — he’s voiced his opinion on certain options and he’s generally happy with who Arsenal are targeting.

“So I don’t think it’s intrinsically true that Arteta is just pushing for Sesko. I know for a fact that other players’ camps like Gyokeres’ have been told that Sesko isn’t the only option.

“Whether that’s the truth or not, maybe it’s somewhere in between, but as it stands, Sesko is still the furthest along in terms of a deal being done. We know Arsenal are speaking to Leipzig about a deal and Sesko has made his feelings known to Leipzig — he thought there was an agreement to leave for X amount.

“Sesko is furthest along, but it wouldn’t take an awful lot for Arsenal to divert to Gyokeres, Ekitike or Watkins if they wanted to. But Sesko is the priority.”

Gyokeres spearheaded Sporting to their first domestic double in two decades last season, all while scoring a sensational 54 goals in all competitions. In truth, he’s seen as “underrated” by some considering he’s still yet to secure a big move away, despite free-scoring in Portugal for the last two years.

Sporting president Frederico Varandas has already ruled out the prospect of him leaving for around £60 million, though, so Arsenal may have to invest significantly here as well.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have not only lost Matheus Cunha to Manchester United this summer, but they look set to sell Rayan Ait-Nouri.

Manchester City are reportedly closing in on sealing a deal worth around £36.3m for the left-back and this will leave a gaping hole in the Wolves’ defence.

Vitor Pereira will have money to spend, that’s for certain. The onus now is for him to bring in a suitable replacement for the Algerian star.

Wolves looking to sign Ait-Nouri replacement

With another season in the Premier League to look forward to, it won’t be hard to find a player who can step up to the mark and succeed in England.

Recent reports suggest the club are turning towards Barcelona for a player who could replace Ait-Nouri. How much will he cost, however?

Transfer Focus

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

It was reported last week that the Old Gold were showing plenty of interest in Barcelona defender Gerard Martin.

Now, a new report from Spain has emerged, stating just how much the Catalan side are willing to sell their left-back for this summer.

Barcelona are open to selling Martin for a fee in the region of €12m (£10m), which is certainly a bargain deal for the Molineux outfit. The report further states that Wolves are set to make the player an offer that will significantly improve his salary.

Having come through the club’s famed La Masia academy, Hansi Flick will make a profit on the defender, and given Barcelona’s still precarious financial situation, it is a deal they are willing to consider.

With money not an issue in this regard, Pereira will be hoping to secure his signature as soon as possible.

Why Wolves must sign Gerard Martin to replace Ait-Nouri

Ait-Nouri ended his most productive season at Wolves since joining in 2020. Across 41 matches in all competitions, he scored five goals and grabbed seven assists.

He also created eight big chances, averaged 1.3 key passes and succeeded with 1.7 dribbles in the top flight for the Old Gold, signifying his attacking presence.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25

41

5

7

2023/24

38

3

4

2022/23

27

2

1

2021/22

27

1

6

2020/21

27

1

2

This will be missed, of course, but Martin looks like a ready-made replacement ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Indeed, he might have only started 11 of his 28 La Liga appearances, but the 23-year-old still managed to score once and provide three assists domestically.

Arguably, his finest performance came against Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final second leg last month.

Although Barcelona lost the tie, Martin provided two assists during the game, as well as delivering nine crosses, winning seven duels and creating two big chances for the club. Essentially, it was a very Ait-Nouri-esque display.

This impact on the biggest stage of all should convince Pereira that Martin is the correct replacement for the departing Algerian, no doubt about that.

Football writer Zach Lowy recently stated that while Martin was still “quite raw”, he “has tremendous upside and character” and Wolves could be an ideal place for him to become a starting left-back.

For a fee of just £10m, it is unlikely the club will do much better throughout the transfer window.

Wolves could sign dream Cunha replacement who's "Bruno Fernandes-esque"

Wolves are seeking a replacement for Matheus Cunha this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 8, 2025

Fulham have now submitted an opening bid of £1m for an “outstanding” EFL defender who has a “wonder of a left foot”, according to a report.

Silva set to stay on as Fulham boss

In what will no doubt come as welcome news to Fulham fans, Marco Silva has now made it clear he expects to remain at Craven Cottage beyond the summer, saying: “I am under contract with the club and of course I’ve been in planning with the board (for) next season.

“Everything on track and the plan is there. We have the next two months to prepare for the season as best we can. If I’m under contract with the club and if I’m planning with the club the next season, of course I expect to be here.”

As such, the Cottagers can now continue to plan for the summer transfer window with Silva in mind, despite recent suggestions they could make a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Vitor Pereira or Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl to replace the 47-year-old.

With their manager looking likely to stay, a new transfer target has also now entered the frame for Fulham, with a report from Football League World revealing they have submitted an opening offer of £1m for Peterborough United defender Harley Mills.

The Posh are currently considering the bid for the left-back, who scored a free-kick in the Vertu Cup final last month, which attracted the attention of a whole host of scouts.

Peterborough do not want to sell the 19-year-old, having offered the youngster a new contract in the hopes of retaining his services beyond the summer, but they will be well-aware that a move to the Premier League is likely to be a tempting proposition.

"Outstanding" Mills has a "wonder of a left foot"

Peterborough U18s manager Jamal Campbell-Ryce was full of praise for the starlet upon signing a professional development contract with the Posh, lauding him as “outstanding”, while also adding: “Harley has shown how much he values defending now and has real quality when in possession of the ball and has a wonder of a left foot.”

The Peterborough defender’s ball-striking ability was particularly on show during his side’s 2-0 triumph over League One title winners in the Vertu Cup, scoring a stunning free-kick to open the scoring in the first half.

Fulham are well-stocked at left-back, with Antonee Robinson and Ryan Sessegnon at their disposal, but with the former being linked with a move elsewhere this summer, it could make sense to bring in a new option.

Mills is yet to prove himself above League One level, but the teenager’s performance in the Vertu Cup final indicated he is ready to make the step-up to a higher level, and at a fee of just £1m, the young Englishman would be a low-risk addition for the Cottagers.

A crucial afternoon awaits for Chelsea.

Going into the final day of the Premier League season, the Blues kick off in fifth place, thereby occupying the final Champions League spot, but are far from guaranteed to remain there.

Their hosts, Nottingham Forest, are just a point behind Enzo Maresca’s team, so, defeat at the City Ground would see them slip out of the Champions League places and, assuming Aston Villa avoid defeat at Old Trafford simultaneously, the Blues would end up seventh.

This would mean, if they’re then also beaten by Real Betis in Wednesday’s Conference League Final in Wrocław, they would end up back in next season’s Conference League, which absolutely no Chelsea supporter wants to come to pass.

Given all of that, there is so much for Maresca’s men to play for on the pitch while, off it, plans are already coming together for next season, so could Chelsea land a new striker?

Chelsea's search for a new striker

According to a report by Cahê Mota of Brazilian outlet Globo, Chelsea have made a €60m (around £51m) offer to sign Brighton & Hove Albion forward João Pedro, adding that the Blues are attempting to ‘speed up negotiations’, hoping to have the star in place ahead of the Club World Cup.

Well, the 23-year-old appears likely to be on the move at some point this summer because, as documented by Steve Sutcliffe of BBC Sport, Pedro will not be involved when the Seagulls face Spurs on Sunday, have also not been in the matchday squad to take on Liverpool last Monday either, following a ‘training ground altercation’ with teammate Jan Paul van Hecke.

Despite this, the Brazilian is still a sought-after striker, with presenter Sam Ucko labelling him a ‘special player’ who is destined to go to ‘the very top’, so could he be on his way to Stamford Bridge?

Chelsea's search for their next great striker

As noted by Richard Jolly of Four Four Two, Chelsea have had their fair share of striker flops through the years; the names Andriy Shevchenko, Chris Sutton, Adrian Mutu, Mateja Kežman, and many others immediately spring to mind.

In fact, one could argue that Chelsea have not had a clinical centre-forward since the days of Diego Costa.

After arriving from Atlético Madrid in the summer of 2014 for a reported £32m, the Spanish international scored 59 goals in 120 appearances for the Blues, winning two Premier League titles and the EFL Cup, also named in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of his first campaign in England.

The table below outlines all the Blues’ highest-scoring centre-forwards in the last decade.

2014/15

Diego Costa

20

21

2015/16

Diego Costa

12

16

2016/17

Diego Costa

20

22

2017/18

Álvaro Morata

11

15

2018/19

Olivier Giroud

2

13

2019/20

Tammy Abraham

15

18

2020/21

Tammy Abraham

6

12

2021/22

Romelu Lukaku

8

15

2022/23

Kai Havertz

7

9

2023/24

Nicolas Jackson

14

17

2024/25

Nicolas Jackson

10

12

As the table outlines, no Chelsea centre-forward has reached 20 goals across all competitions since Costa’s departure, while noting that Eden Hazard in 2018/19 as well as Cole Palmer last season did reach this milestone, albeit, of course, neither of those are strikers.

So, could João Pedro change this fact?

Well, let’s look at his statistics this season to help answer this question.

Minutes

1,948

170th

Goals

10

19th

Goals per 90

0.46

17th

Assists

6

26th

Goals + assists per 90

0.74

9th

Shots per 90

1.94

59th

Goals – xG

+1.1

65th

Shot-creating actions

72

72nd

Goal-creating actions

9

63rd

As the table outlines, despite limited minutes, Pedro has managed ten Premier League goals this season, thereby ranking very highly for goals-per-90 in particular.

This is on top of the 20 goals he managed last season, six of which came in the Europa League, a very impressive return during his debut campaign with the Seagulls and would have been the highest by any Chelsea striker since Costa left.

Adrian Clarke of the Premier League praises the Brazilian’s ‘versatility’ as well as his quick movement and ability to ‘dribble past players with ease’, while Liam Tharme of the Athletic underlines how his ‘technical prowess’ allows him to drop deep and get involved in the build-up play.

Meantime, Shay Hicks of Talent Football Scout asserts that Pedro ‘would thrive with higher-quality teammates’, so could he be on his way to Chelsea, possibly becoming the striker they’ve spent nigh on a decade searching for?

A younger Isak: Chelsea make contact for "one of the best STs out there"

Chelsea are looking to sign a striker or two this summer

ByRoss Kilvington May 23, 2025

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola isn’t used to going entire seasons without a trophy.

Indeed, the 2024/25 campaign was just the second in his career without a single major trophy being won, and he needs to change things this summer.

The summer transfer window could be the most important in the club’s recent history. Kevin De Bruyne is departing, while several other players could be sold.

In terms of incomings, Florian Wirtz and Morgan Gibbs-White have both been routinely linked over the previous few weeks, but the latest on that is that Wirtz will not be heading to the Etihad.

Recent news has seen AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders linked with a move too.

Why Man City must sign Tijjani Reijnders

With De Bruyne leaving and several midfielders aged 30 or over, Guardiola looks set to bring in someone younger during the summer.

Reijnders fits the bill, especially as he is coming to the peak of his powers. The Dutchman has enjoyed a sublime campaign with Milan throughout 2024/25.

There has been a distinct lack of goals from City’s central midfield options this term. Matheus Nunes is the highest scorer with four, but the Milan sensation will be able to add an attacking threat to Guardiola’s side.

Indeed, the 26-year-old has scored 15 times and provided five assists for the Serie A side.

Furthermore, when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the midfielder ranks in the top 3% for both non-penalty goals (0.29) and progressive carries (3.11) per 90, along with ranking in the top 16% for touches in the attacking penalty area.

This suggests the Dutchman loves bursting forward into dangerous positions regularly and could give City some much-needed dynamism in the heart of the pitch.

What a move for Reijnders would mean for City

If he does sign, it could be curtains for Ilkay Gundogan.

Gundogan played a key role for City during his first spell at the club, winning everything that was on offer.

A single-year sabbatical in Barcelona didn’t go as planned for the former Borussia Dortmund star, and he returned to the Etihad last summer.

Hailed as “exceptional” by Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, upon his arrival, he failed to replicate the feats of his first spell back in Manchester.

Across 48 matches, the 34-year-old recorded just seven goal contributions in all competitions for the club, a far cry from the 18 he registered two seasons ago.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25

48

2

5

2022/23

51

11

7

2021/22

43

10

6

2020/21

46

17

5

2019/20

50

5

4

2018/19

50

6

8

2017/18

49

6

7

2016/17

16

5

2

Of course, age catches up with us all, but the midfielder simply failed to offer much for Guardiola throughout the campaign, especially in the Premier League.

Not only did he create just three big chances across 31 league games, but the Turkish-born star failed to score a single goal, won less than 50% of his total duels and made only 0.8 tackles per game.

If City capture the signing of Reijnders in the next few weeks, it will surely mean the end of Gundogan’s second stint in England.

They say never go back. In Gundogan’s case, perhaps he should have remained in Barcelona.

Viana now moving to sign £59m Crystal Palace star who destroyed Man City

He’s been in sensational form as of late.

ByTom Cunningham May 18, 2025

Looking to continue their transfer strategy of welcoming future stars, Chelsea are now reportedly preparing an offer worth £17m to sign a young South American full-back ahead of the summer.

Chelsea aiming to spoil Liverpool's title party

Level on points with sixth-place Nottingham Forest, Chelsea are playing host to the Premier League champions at the worst possible time. The Reds will enter Stamford Bridge with the pressure eased, celebrations continuing and fresh from the first of four guard of honours. For Chelsea, meanwhile, this is simply a must-win game.

Manager Enzo Maresca is well aware of the importance of victory this Sunday too, having told reporters in his pre-match press conference: “The mood is good and I’ve said for a few weeks now that it’s a matter of how we manage emotions until the end [of the season].

“When we win games, we are happy and when we don’t win, we’re not happy. But it’ll be a race until the end and we need to manage the emotions. In this moment, the main thing is to watch ourselves and be focused on ourselves. This is the main point. For sure, there are more clubs involved [in the top-five race] but for us, it’s important to stay focused on ourselves.”

Approach made: Chelsea now ready to splash out £60m to sign "amazing" star

He almost joined Arsenal in January…

ByTom Cunningham May 3, 2025

With games against Newcastle United, Manchester United and most importantly, Nottingham Forest on the final day awaiting Chelsea, it is set to be a frantic few weeks for the Blues. Maresca has arguably been handed the toughest games of his tenure at the most crucial stage of the campaign.

On the pitch, securing Champions League football would signal quite the sigh of relief. Away from the action, meanwhile, it would allow those at Stamford Bridge to get to work in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea preparing £17m Wesley offer

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are now preparing an offer worth €20m (£17m) to sign Wesley from Flamengo, with talks over a deal set to intensify at the Club World Cup – a competition both sides will be competing in this summer.

As things stand, those negotiations will need to reach a breakthrough regarding the defender’s price-tag, given that Flamengo are reportedly holding out for €35m (£35m), rather than the £17m offer that Chelsea are seemingly preparing.

It should come as no surprise to see Chelsea interested in signing Wesley, given how often they’ve set their sights on South American talent throughout BlueCo’s ownership.

The Blues have already sealed the talented Estevao Willian and could now sign Wesley to go alongside the midfielder. Described as “pacy” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the right-back is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Leeds United are now eyeing a shock move to appoint an attacking 4-3-3 manager who has been called “successful”, according to a recent report.

Daniel Farke’s Leeds future cast into doubt following promotion

After being one of the strongest teams in the Championship, the Whites confirmed their place in next season’s Premier League by winning promotion last week. Leeds bounced back from play-off disappointment last season and now have not only sealed promotion but could also win the Championship title.

"Skilful" 25 y/o Leeds ace could leave amid interest from various "parties"

He played in the Whites’ 6-0 win over Stoke City.

1 ByHenry Jackson Apr 26, 2025

However, that might not be enough for Daniel Farke to keep his job, as it’s been claimed by the Daily Mail that the 49ers could be ready to sack Farke and bring in a replacement. It is reported that the hierarchy could be tempted to move on from Farke, and while a decision hasn’t been made yet, they have a list of names who could replace the German.

The 49ers believe that Farke may not be the man who can lead Leeds in the Premier League, given his record in that division when he was at Norwich City. José Mourinho has been talked about making a return to England and taking over at Elland Road, but that may be considered very ambitious by the newly promoted side.

Leeds eyeing shock move for Russell Martin

There is now a new name that is in the frame who could possibly replace Farke at Elland Road. According to Give Me Sport, Leeds are showing an interest in appointing Russell Martin as their new manager.

The report states that the Whites are considering a move to appoint the Scotsman as their next boss. The Championship side have sounded Martin out about returning to the dugout and what his vision is for the future which is part of the club’s plan to look at who they could appoint as their manager if they decide to move on from Farke.

However, Leeds are not the only team chasing Martin, as surprisingly, Southampton are contemplating bringing Martin back to St Mary’s. The Saints sacked the 39-year-old earlier this season, but he still has admirers at the club, and discussions have been had about trying to bring him back as they prepare for life back in the second tier.

A positive for Leeds, it’s claimed that Martin is unlikely to head back to Southampton after his recent sacking.

Martin

Farke

Games

16

49

Won

1

6

Drawn

2

8

Lost

13

35

Points

5

26

Points per game

0.31

0.53

A move for Martin, who likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 formation, by Leeds may come as a considerable shock to their supporters, especially when you consider that Martin has a worse Premier League record than Farke and both have been managers who have struggled in the top flight.

Despite Martin’s struggles in the Premier League and lack of wins, he is a manager who has been lauded as a “successful” coach, whose teams are a “joy to watch”, according to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

Martin may well be open to the idea of taking over at Leeds, given the size of the club and the fact they are a Premier League team, so it could be one to watch.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has plenty of work to do in the window, though there are still question marks remaining over one of his most recognisable stars heading into the summer.

Celtic's summer transfer plans begin to accelerate

Plenty of movement is expected in both directions at Parkhead once the off-season comes around as the Bhoys look to build for next campaign’s Champions League qualifiers.

Currently, Celtic are a point off being crowned Scottish Premiership champions and still have a domestic treble in their sights, which, in turn, is bound to raise the stock of several assets who are already well-regarded in the football world.

Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Nicolas Kuhn are among those who may attract interest from elsewhere this summer, making it a priority for Brendan Rodgers to do his due diligence on potential replacements.

According to reports, Slovan Bratislava star David Strelec is a target at Parkhead and may be available for an overall package of £5.9 million, alleviating some of the strain on Celtic’s slim forward line.

Furthermore, Mathias Kvistgaarden is a long-term Hoops pursuit, even if his £13.5 million valuation could discourage the Parkhead hierarchy from pushing forward in their bid to sign the Denmark Under-21 international.

The next Liel Abada: Celtic plotting exciting move for £3m star

Celtic are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be Liel Abada 2.0 fo the club.

1 ByDan Emery Apr 14, 2025

Either way, there is an acknowledgment that a refresh will be needed to maintain hunger for silverware over the next few years. Several Celtic stars may consider their options this summer; it is just the nature of a squad cycle’s lifespan in Glasgow’s east end.

Nevertheless, there could now be a twist involving one of Rodgers’ disciples who has seemed destined to leave the club for a few months, per reports.

Celtic star Greg Taylor could u-turn and extend his contract

In recent times, Greg Taylor has become a prime candidate to leave Celtic as even with weeks until the end of the season, no news of a contract extension has emerged regarding the Scotland international and he is now set to become a free agent this summer.

Nevertheless, journalist Mark Guidi has made clear that Taylor could yet stay at the Bhoys, claiming that the gap between player and club in negotiations over a new deal isn’t ‘insurmountable’ despite suggestions to the contrary.

Greg Taylor’s successful spell at Celtic

Appearances

210

Goals

9

Assists

33

Trophies

10

Guidi stated on Go Radio: “Maybe having seen the reception he got from the Celtic supporters on Saturday, he’s clearly a very popular member of the squad.

“He’s a good guy around the dressing room, good guy around the training ground. He got his family, his young family, involved on Saturday.

“Maybe he’ll just think, do you know what? If Celtic can come up with a bit, by all accounts, they are a good bit apart in terms of what he’s been offered and what he’s looking for. It’s a good bit, by all accounts, but it’s not insurmountable.”

Kieran Tierney has been quietly announced ahead of the summer. Nevertheless, his frequent injury problems over recent years mean a reliable competitor in his position will be needed to handle another congested fixture schedule.

Taylor won’t have designs on playing second fiddle, but competition for your role is the nature of the beast at Celtic. Following months of speculation, could an unexpected stay still be on the cards?

While the mood around Arsenal’s domestic campaign has turned from disappointment to apathy, it shouldn’t be forgotten just how stop-start this season has been for the North Londoners.

For example, on top of losing their captain for a couple of months and their only two centre-forwards, the Gunners had to make do without their best player for almost four months.

Expecting Mikel Arteta’s squad to be at their best without Bukayo Saka would be like asking Liverpool to be at their best without Mohammed Salah or Manchester City to do the same without Erling Haaland.

In fact, it wouldn’t be hyperbole to place the Englishman among the very best wingers in the world now, so fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club with another international wideman who’s won comparisons not just with Saka but also fellow wonderkid Lamine Yamal.

Arsenal transfer news

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other star wingers linked with a move to Arsenal this summer, such as Nico Williams.

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The Spaniard’s representatives have supposedly already held talks with Andrea Berta and, with a release clause worth around £52m, this feels like a move that could happen, and as he’s amassed an impressive tally of 17 goal involvements in 41 games this term, perhaps one that should.

An even more expensive winger touted for a move to the Emirates earlier this month was Rafael Leo, who looks like he may finally leave AC Milan at the end of the season.

However, while the Portuguese superstar has racked up a brilliant tally of 22 goal involvements in 44 games this season, he could cost up to £86m, which might make a move for him prohibitively expensive, which may not be the case for Kingsley Coman.

Yes, according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal have maintained their interest in the French winger.

Plettenberg has revealed that the Gunners are “in ongoing communication” with the player’s management and that it now looks all but certain that he’ll be leaving Bayern Munich in the summer.

However, Saudi Arabia “is a very appealing option” for the former Paris Saint Germain ace, and according to reports from last week, he could cost up to £39m, which may be seen as a steep amount considering his game time this season.

With that said, Coman is an undeniably talented player and one who has won comparisons to both Saka and Yamal, so should this transfer happen, he’d undoubtedly improve the quality of Arsenal’s squad.

How Coman compares to Saka & Yamal

So, before getting into some of the other benefits of signing Coman this summer, it’s worth first examining these comparisons to Saka and Yamal and where they come from.

Well, in this instance, they stem from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the seventh most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Frenchman and the Spaniard is the ninth.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the trio rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals, shots on target, goals per shot on target, tackles won, expected assists and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.32

0.29

0.29

Shots on Target

1.29

1.19

1.16

Goals per Shot on Target

0.27

0.28

0.20

Expected Assists

0.34

0.39

0.34

Tackles Won

0.85

0.86

0.89

Moreover, like the two Barcelona and Arsenal stars, the Bayern ace also broke onto the scene when incredibly young, making his competitive debut for Paris Saint-Germain at just 16 years old before winning titles in Italy with Juventus and Germany with FC Hollywood.

It’s this experience, which is almost an expectation, to win which could be incredibly beneficial to have in Arteta’s squad from next season, as for all the talent currently there, none are proven winners in the same way as the “world-class” Frenchman, as dubbed by former manager Julian Nagelsmann, is.

Ultimately, while he might not be a guaranteed starter like Saka is, Coman would undoubtedly bring an immense level of experience and quality to Arsenal’s squad were he to join this summer, and therefore, he’s someone Arteta and Co should be looking to bring in.

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