All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

This summer is another opportunity for Chelsea to flex their muscles in the transfer market, with the hierarchy able to back Enzo Maresca in his quest at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian took over the role last summer, joining from Leicester City, still having the opportunity to end the season with a Europa Conference League triumph and a place in the Premier League’s top five.

Should they achieve the latter, they will secure a place in the Champions League once again, finally mixing with Europe’s elite after missing out in each of the last two campaigns.

However, if they are to be competitive in such a competition, the hierarchy will need to hand Maresca the funds to invest and land key squad depth in multiple key areas of the pitch.

One area in particular has been subject to huge interest over the last few weeks, with the board looking to back the manager upon the opening of the summer window.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of a new striker this summer

Despite Nicolas Jackson’s double against Djurgarden on Thursday night, Chelsea have been in the market for a new talisman over the last couple of years.

Liam Delap has been the main striker that’s been on their shortlist in recent months, with his £30m relegation release clause potentially allowing the Blues to get themselves a bargain.

However, another name has recently entered the mix in West London, in the form of Ollie Watkins, who looks set to depart Aston Villa in the coming months, according to FootballTransfers.

The report claims that the Blues have already made an approach for the 29-year-old striker, with the hierarchy willing to pay his £60m asking price set by Unai Emery’s side.

It also reports that Maresca is keen on a move to land the England international, needing to act quickly to avoid missing out, with Arsenal once again in the hunt for his signature.

Why Chelsea’s £60m target could be their own Isak

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has been one of the Premier League’s leading talismen in 2024/25, scoring a staggering 22 times in his 31 outings.

The Swede has played a huge role in the Magpies’ ambitions of also finishing within the top five, coming up against the Blues in just over seven days time.

The 25-year-old has been the subject of huge interest from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid over the last few months – with Chelsea even getting themselves positioned in the race.

However, it’s highly unlikely that any side will be able to afford the striker this summer, with Eddie Howe’s side placing a whopping £150m price tag on his shoulders for the upcoming window.

Such a figure could lead to a move for Watkins, with the Englishman being the Blues’ own version of Isak – with FBref labelling him as a similar player to the Swede.

When delving into their respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the 29-year-old has managed to outperform the Magpies star in numerous key areas, showcasing what a superb addition he would be.

Watkins, who’s been labelled “tremendous” by former boss Dean Smith, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has managed a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – showcasing his clinical ability in the final third.

Games played

35

31

Goals & assists

22

28

Shot-on-target accuracy

43%

42%

Pass accuracy

75%

74%

Aerials won

1.8

0.9

Aerial success rate

43%

34%

Fouls won

1.2

0.4

He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst achieving a higher aerial success rate, offering Maresca an all-round option in forward areas.

The Englishman has showcased over the last few years that he’s more than capable of leading the line for a side who are pushing to land a place within the Champions League places.

£60m may seem a hefty fee for a 29-year-old, but such a fee would be worth every penny if he can fire the Blues to immediate success at the Bridge – allowing the likes of Jackson to work off him in the process.

109 touches, 98% passing: Chelsea may have found a bigger star than George

Chelsea now have one foot in the Europa Conference League final after a 4-1 win over Djurgården last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb May 2, 2025

Chelsea are reportedly preparing a bid to sign a new striker target who’s been “surprising” on-lookers with his form this year, as manager Enzo Maresca and Stamford Bridge chiefs begin to make transfer plans for the summer.

Chelsea's rumoured striker targets for the summer window

Nicolas Jackson is still yet to score a single Premier League goal this calendar year, while Christopher Nkunku was left out of the matchday squad entirely for Chelsea’s last game against Fulham.

Chelsea join race to sign £43m forward who scored winner at Stamford Bridge

The Blues have set their sights on a Premier League forward who has “blistering pace”.

ByDominic Lund Apr 22, 2025

Maresca’s shortage of prolific strikers has forced the Italian to get creative in recent weeks, with Pedro Neto even being utilised as a centre-forward in that time. Chelsea’s boss will be very eager to fix this hole in the squad ahead of his second full campaign in charge, and it is believed the west Londoners are eyeing a few top striker targets for next season.

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

According to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea have the likes of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké and long-term target Victor Osimhen on their radar.

Sesko is a “very serious” potential signing for Chelsea, following another excellent campaign with Leipzig in the Bundesliga, while Delap is likely to be up for grabs this summer after Ipswich’s relegation to the Championship.

The latter’s contract has a £30 million release clause tied with Ipswich’s relegation, so Delap could be a very astute option after his impressive season in an otherwise struggling team at Portman Road.

However, other elite clubs who are on the look-out for number nines will be fully aware of the 22-year-old’s exit clause too, and Sesko’s, which is rumoured to currently stand at around £62 million.

With Arsenal, Man United and Tottenham also in the market for proven forwards, according to reports, the competition will be fierce, so Chelsea may also have to think outside the box when it comes to solving their striker woes.

Chelsea preparing £43m bid for Como star Assane Diao

According to reports out of Spain, it is now claimed that Chelsea are targeting Como’s new striker, Assane Diao.

The Senegal international only just signed for Cesc Fabregas’ side in January, and has enjoyed a rip-roaring first few months of his Serie A career with eight goals from his last 15 top flight matches.

There is now a belief that Chelsea are preparing a £43m summer bid for Diao after being impressed by his excellent form at Como, with the 19-year-old “surprising” critics after a prolific start.

Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Diao, so he’s clearly turning heads in the Premier League, with journalist Antonio Mango also calling the teenage talent “ridiculous” within his first few weeks as a Como player.

Following a disastrous start to life at Ewood Park, Blackburn Rovers are reportedly already considering sacking Valerien Ismael and could yet hire a former MLS manager in his place.

Ismael already under pressure at Blackburn

Coming in to replace John Eustace, who completed a shock move to Derby County, many would have been hoping for Ismael to pick up where the man he replaced left off. That has proved to be anything but the case, however. Since arriving, the former Watford manager has won once in eight games, which has seen Blackburn fall from play-off hopefuls to mid-table obscurity in the Championship.

Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Norwich City

01/03/2025

Derby County 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

08/03/2025

Stoke City 1-0 Blackburn Rovers

12/03/2025

Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Cardiff City

15/03/2025

Portsmouth 1-0 Blackburn Rovers

29/03/2025

Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Middlesbrough

04/04/2025

Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday

08/04/2025

Luton Town 0-1 Blackburn Rovers

12/04/2025

After finally picking up the first win of his reign last time out, Ismael will be desperate to see his side kick on and finish the season strongly in the remaining four games.

The Blackburn boss told reporters after defeating Luton: “Congrats for the boys. Until the red card it was the gameplan we expected. In the first half we wanted to be really strong as we knew we had to face the challenge with a team who are fighting to survive.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

“They put a lot of balls in the box so you have to defend and show togetherness and we made it perfectly. In the transition we didn’t play well. We wanted to get more in behind but the main focus was to stay strong. That was the first step and the second one was to get behind them and we made it perfectly with the goal we scored.”

Even after that long-awaited victory, however, Blackburn may already be running out of patience and could reportedly turn towards a fresh candidate.

Blackburn considering Wayne Rooney

According to talkSPORT, Blackburn will now consider hiring Wayne Rooney if they decide to sack Ismael in the coming weeks, offering the former MLS manager a much-needed lifeline in the process. The Manchester United legend has endured a nightmare spell in the technical area in recent times, with his stint at Plymouth Argyle the last in a growing list of failed moves.

There’s no doubt that Blackburn would be taking a major risk. As disappointing as Ismael has been, it could be argued that he needs a full summer in charge before those at Ewood Park deliver their full judegment.

Blackburn must act with caution and not fall down the path that Birmingham City once followed by hiring Rooney. The Blues were play-off hopefuls under Eustace, but decided to welcome the Premier League icon nonetheless.

That same campaign they soon sacked their new manager and relegation followed. Blackburn, at all costs, should avoid taking the same risk.

Aston Villa fans far and wide will be travelling to Paris right now ahead of their side’s huge Champions League first leg tie with Paris St. Germain tomorrow evening, confident that their team can pull off a fantastic result in the daunting French capital.

After all, Unai Emery’s Villans head into this clash against their manager’s former employers having won their last seven games in all competitions, meaning the likes of Morgan Rogers and Co will dive headfirst into the contest at the Parc Des Princes without fear.

Still, the rosey recent form Villa are able to boast doesn’t mean summer additions won’t be lined up, with a recent report suggesting that Emery and Co could now land a new defensive titan for £50m.

Aston Villa lining up move for £50m defender

As per a recent report from Football Insider, the Birmingham-based giants could soon plot an ambitious deal for Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande.

Transfer Focus

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

Football Insider further reveals that £50m would be enough for the Portuguese side to consider parting ways with their star defender, with the Villans willing to splash that extortionate amount of cash on Diomande to get a statement deal over the line.

After all, the “monster” centre-back – as he’s been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – is very much an in-demand figure, with fellow Premier League sides Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur all reportedly keen alongside Emery’s outfit.

Winning Diomande’s services would be yet another indicator that Villa are progressing as a force to be reckoned with, therefore, with a hope on the end of the West Midlands side that the 21-year-old could be their very own William Saliba, having seen how imperious the Frenchman has become for the Gunners.

How Diomande could be Emery's own Saliba

Saliba would enter into the English game with a lot of similar hype attached to his name, costing the Gunners – then managed by Emery – £27m back in 2019, before actually making his debut under Mikel Arteta in 2022.

He has more than lived up to all the wild praise that has come his way, with Saliba near faultless with the ball at his feet this season in the Premier League by averaging a 94% pass accuracy per match, alongside showing off his multi-faceted game by bravely winning 4.6 duels on average.

Further capable of popping up with a crucial header – seen in Saliba’s growing goal count of seven in North London – Villa will pray that forking out £50m for Diomande pays off and they do end up winning their very own version of the French powerhouse.

Both players have notable similarities when assessing their numbers in the Champions League this season, via FBref, with Diomande equally a cool and calm customer on the ball like his Arsenal counterpart, who is also unafraid to launch himself into full-throttle challenges if needed.

Attempted passes

60.04

61.00

Pass completion %

93.2%

93.0%

Progressive passes

2.16

3.14

Progressive carries

0.36

0.14

Successful take-ons

0.48

0.14

Tackles

1.08

1.86

Interceptions

0.96

1.00

Blocks

1.20

0.86

Clearances

3.60

3.71

Aerials won

1.68

1.43

As can be seen looking at the table above, the in-demand Diomande is a very similar style defender to Saliba, with both players in question unerring when it comes to their quality of passing, but both also have a mean streak present.

Indeed, the 21-year-old Villa target even betters the Arsenal stalwart when it comes to some of their defensive basics, with Emery hopeful that the “aggressive” colossus – as he’s been lauded by football talent scout Antonio Mango in the past – can then cut it in the demanding Premier League.

Villa have already seen both Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio boldly enter through the door recently, so a jaw-dropping deal for Diomande to join isn’t out of the realms of possibility, especially as Emery and Co go about strengthening more to bolster their reputation as one of the Premier League’s top sides.

Aston Villa now join 6-team tussle to sign "bulldozing" teenage sensation

He’s a man in demand…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 6, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared an update on Declan Rice and his condition heading into their crucial Premier League clash at Aston Villa this weekend.

Arsenal travel to Aston Villa as Arteta sweats over key men

Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime with Arteta sweating over the availability of multiple key players following Wednesday night’s hard-fought victory over Brentford.

Gabriel Magalhaes remains sidelined with a thigh problem that has kept him out of recent fixtures, while William Saliba continues battling what Arteta described as a “very bizarre” injury that forced him to miss the last two matches.

The Arsenal manager suggested Saliba’s absence would only last “a matter of days,” raising hopes he could return for this crucial early kickoff against Unai Emery’s resurgent side.

Cristhian Mosquera’s situation, though, presents greater concern.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

The summer signing landed awkwardly on his ankle after an aerial duel against Brentford and couldn’t continue past halftime, requiring further assessment this week.

Arteta admitted Mosquera’s ankle issue represents the most complex problem facing his medical staff, describing it as “more complicated” than the other defensive doubts ahead of Saturday’s encounter.

Leandro Trossard also remains doubtful after missing midweek with an unspecified muscular complaint.

Arsenal to "directly contact" £88m forward about joining after talks with his reps

Arteta apparently wants to sign him in January.

ByEmilio Galantini 7 days ago

Like Saliba, the Belgian winger should return within days according to Arteta’s latest briefing, though his participation against Villa hangs in the balance until today’s final training session provides clearer answers.

Kai Havertz will miss out completely as he continues his recovery from a knee problem, with no return anticipated for weeks.

The German’s absence could force Arsenal to continue relying on Mikel Merino in an unfamiliar striking role, as Viktor Gyokeres steadily works his way back to full fitness after his own recent injury.

Merino has surprisingly flourished with 21 goals this calendar year for club and country, becoming Arsenal’s unlikely top scorer in the process.

Mikel Arteta shares Declan Rice injury twist out of Arsenal

The greatest concern, however, surrounds Rice after he limped off late against Brentford with a calf problem.

Interestingly, the midfielder confirmed to Sky Sports that he was fine and ready to go against Villa, as pointed out by Fabrizio Romano.

However, there has now been a twist to the tale.

When asked about the £240,000-per-week star’s condition, Arteta explained that Rice is in fact a doubt to play against Villa.

Much like Saliba and Trossard, the player will be subject to a late fitness test.

This contradicts what Rice told Sky, with Arteta seemingly taking a cautious approach when it comes to his star midfielder.

The former West Ham captain has become Arsenal’s most indispensable player this season, anchoring their midfield with relentless energy and robustness that nobody else in Arteta’s squad can replicate.

His ability to break up opposition attacks, control possession and cover defensive gaps has proven crucial to Arsenal’s title challenge, making him one of the first names on the team sheet every week.

Not having Rice available for one of their toughest games of the festive period would be an almighty blow, with Arteta hoping he can in fact take part in the Midlands.

Eddie Howe has finally got the better of Pep Guardiola now in a Premier League environment.

At the 19th time of asking, Howe managed to get one over on the highly successful Manchester City manager, as Newcastle United romped back into top-flight action with a 2-1 win at St James’ Park.

Newcastle were good value for the win, too, as Harvey Barnes chipped in with a double to steer the Toon to another memorable victory on their own patch.

How Harvey Barnes downed Manchester City

The former Leicester City winger is now up to six goals for the season in all competitions, despite his appearance against Guardiola’s men only being his fifth Premier League start of the campaign.

With a brace under his belt, though, he’s surely a shoo-in for more starts as the congested winter fixture schedule hits. Journalist Henry Winter simply described his display as “clinical” when powering two quickfire efforts past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Barnes would manage to put away those two efforts confidently, with just four shots registered in total. But, away from stylishly getting the better of the new City number one with his opener, the 27-year-old also managed to win three duels and attempt three mazy dribbles as a constant livewire.

The only worry will be whether Barnes can stay fit to keep up this electric form, with three Premier League goals now next to his name from limited starts. Across the last three seasons on Tyneside, he has missed a concerning 38 games via injury.

Thankfully, though, Newcastle have a rising star in their ranks who could go on to be a bigger talent than the Toon winger.

Newcastle's 18-year-old Barnes replacement

Howe has shown frequently throughout his time as Newcastle boss to date that he is willing to chuck a starlet into the first team picture if they’re deemed ready for the challenge of senior action.

Indeed, Lewis Miley first made his senior debut under Howe when he was just 17 years of age, while another budding homegrown prodigy in Sean Neave, occupied a space on the bench against City, all while still being a wide-eyed 18-year-old prospect.

Could Seung Soo-Park be the next to bridge the gap between the U21s and the first team?

The future certainly looks bright for the South Korean attacker, who excelled for Suwon Bluewings back in his native Korea at just 17 years of age, becoming the youngest ever player in the history of Korean league football.

One goal and three assists came his way from 28 appearances for Suwon, with Barnes reduced to playing all the way down in League One at around the same age with Milton Keynes Dons, out on loan from then parent side Leicester City.

Park has even been described as a “similar [player] to Mbappe” by Asian football expert John Duerden for his frightening speed when bombing forward, which was seen in the summer when Park was handed opportunities in pre-season, with three dribbles successfully completed up against Espanyol.

With two duels won against Tottenham Hotspur in another pre-season test, it might not be the wildest suggestion in the world to state that Park could be gifted some senior minutes in the bread and butter of the Premier League soon, with the Korean sensation hailed for showing a “maturity beyond his years” by academy coach Steven Harper when first joining.

Gordon

13

4 + 1

Elanga

18

0 + 1

Barnes

18

6 + 2

Of course, the ex-Suwon winger does have both Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga in his way, too, down the left-hand side, but if he can manage to live up to all his early hype, he should be able to surpass those in front of him down the line.

Indeed, Elanga is yet to get up and running with zero goals for the season. Moreover, Barnes is also prone to a hit-and-miss performance in Newcastle black and white, having only managed five goals during the entire 2023/24 season.

For the time being, Howe will rely on Barnes, who is thankfully in a purple patch right now.

Yet, in the long term, don’t discount Park leapfrogging the Englishman, with a stunning Mbappe-style talent potentially on Howe’s hands.

9/10 Newcastle duo look even more important than Bruno G & Tonali

These two players stood out in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Man City

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 23, 2025

If Rangers are going to reestablish themselves as both Scottish football’s dominant side but also a force in Europe once again, their recruitment simply must improve.

Sporting director Kevin Thelwell gave an interview to the club’s official TV channel this week, his position very much under the microscope from supporters following a very underwhelming transfer window.

Summer signings such as Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Jayden Meghoma, Thelo Aasgaard and others have either made little impact or not impressed so far.

Rangers supporters won’t like this, but they’re going to have to replicate Celtic’s largely successful player trading model, with the side from across the city regularly selling players on for a sizable profit, something the Gers rarely do.

In fairness to them, the Light Blues did manage this with Hamza Igamane who departed this summer, so could an “exciting” new recruit be the next one to follow?

Hamza Igamane's impact at Rangers

When Igamane arrived at Rangers, he was a complete unknown quantity, signing from Botola club AS FAR in his native Morocco for £1.7m.

Well, the young striker certainly impressed during his one season in Govan, scoring 16 goals across all competitions, of which four came in the Europa League, while also bagging a hat-trick against Hibernian at Easter Road back in January.

He will though be most fondly remembered for this thunderous strike at Parkhead in March, snatching a 3-2 Old Firm victory over Celtic during Barry Ferguson’s interim tenure, awarded the club’s goal of the season.

Igamane though did not plan on sticking around in Glasgow, sold to Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille for a reported fee of £10.4m in August, which may prove to be an absolute bargain as far as les Dogues are concerned.

He scored twice on his Ligue 1 debut against Lorient at Stade du Moustoir, netting seven times for Lille to date overall, including three in the Europa League, featuring a brace against PAOK last month.

Meantime, Igamane scored his first two senior goals for Morocco in September, on target during World Cup qualifiers against Niger and Zambia, set to be a key figure in Walid Regragui’s squad for both the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil next month and then the World Cup in the summer.

Consequently, Rangers supporters may actually feel as though they let the striker go on the cheap, albeit there was nothing the club could do once his release clause was met.

So, who could be the Light Blues’ next bargain signing to depart for a huge profit, after exponentially improving his value and reputation at Ibrox?

Rangers' next Hamza Igamane

As already noted, many of Rangers’ summer signings have not impressed, hence why Russell Martin was sacked after just 17 games in charge, while, despite improvements under Danny Röhl, they remain fourth in the Scottish Premiership and rock-bottom of the Europa League standings, still yet to pick up a point.

However, almost inarguably, the best-performing of all their summer recruits has been Djeidi Gassama.

The Mauritania-born French youth international arrived from Sheffield Wednesday for just £2.2m, available at a cut-price given that now-ousted owner Dejphon Chansiri was running the EFL Championship club into the ground at the time, which looks like being a complete bargain, with the table below documenting the winger’s importance.

Minutes

1,733

4th

Goals

6

1st

Assists

2

4th

Shots per 90

2.3

1st

Key passes per 90

0.9

4th

Successful dribbles per 90

1.8

1st

Indeed, only Jack Butland, John Souttar and captain James Tavernier have played more minutes than Gassama so far this season and rightly so.

The Frenchman ranks first when it comes to goals, shots per 90 and successful dribbles per 90, with five of his six goals to date coming in European competition, on target home and away against Panathinaikos, at the double when Viktoria Plzeň visited Glasgow, while also on target in defeat at Sturm Graz.

Upon his arrival, then-manager Martin labelled Gassama an “exciting player who will get supporters on the edge of their seats”, while the winger expressed his delight in being reunited with manager Röhl, who’d also been his boss at Hillsborough, describing the German as “like a father to me”.

Earlier in the campaign, when Rangers’ form was diabolical, former right-back Alan Hutton asserted that Gassama had been their “shining light”, now only likely to get better under Röhl, the coach who kick-started his rise at Sheffield Wednesday.

Well, according to Football Transfers, Gassama’s estimated market value has already increased to around £4.5m, more than double what Rangers paid to sign him.

Scoring goals in Europe will certainly attract interest, proving that the attacker can perform at a higher level than just the Scottish Premiership.

Thus, still only 22 years old, Gassama appears destined to become Rangers’ next Igamane-like sale, while, for now, Röhl has to build a cohesive team to get the best out of his star forward.

Not Chermiti or Miovski: £4.5m flop is one of Rangers' worst ever signings

Rangers recruitment has been poor for many years, so which “insane talent” not Youssef Chermiti nor Bojan Miovski is one of the club’s worst signings.

ByBen Gray Nov 13, 2025

Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz was substituted against Manchester City after another torrid performance from both the Germany international and his teammates.

Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th game as a manager with a convincing win over an old rival as Manchester City overpowered Liverpool 3-0 on Sunday. Typically Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet, opening the scoring for a dominant City side at the Etihad Stadium with his 99th Premier League goal after missing an earlier penalty.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk had an equaliser controversially disallowed, but the champions were second best for much of a sodden afternoon and fell further behind to a deflected Nico Gonzalez strike before the break.

The outstanding Jeremy Doku, who tormented Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, added a sublime third on his 100th appearance for the club. Victory lifted City back up to second in the table and within four points of leaders Arsenal, and condemned Liverpool to yet more soul-searching.

Arne Slot’s side had emerged from a recent slump with impressive back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, but the defeat was their fifth in six league games and left them eight points adrift of the Gunners. During the game, City fans made a point of criticising one particular Liverpool player as he was withdrawn from the match.

Liverpool signing Wirtz was a "waste of money"

Though they would spend more on Alexander Isak just weeks later, Liverpool broke the British transfer record when they signed Florian Wirtz for £116 million in the summer. Much has since been said about the German, who has struggled to swiftly adapt to English football.

Across all competitions, not including the Community Shield, Wirtz has racked up no goals and two assists in 14 games, hardly the return expected by a player who commanded such a transfer fee. Due to his form, questions have been asked about Wirtz’s position in the first team.

Against Man City, Wirtz’s Premier League struggles continued. The German was replaced by Federico Chiesa in the 83rd minute and as per Adam Bate of Sky Sports, was serenaded by the home support.

Minutes Played

83′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Key Passes

0

Shots on Target

0

Total Shots (Shots Blocked)

2 (2)

Accurate Passes in Opposition Half

11/16 (69%)

(All stats are from SofaScore)

Given the money spent across the summer, there is little excuse for Liverpool’s form throughout the 2025/26 season. Wirtz, however, similar to fellow new arrival Isak, has yet to showcase anything that represents the fee that was paid for him. The German midfielder is still, of course, in the infancy of his Liverpool career, but it is apparent that he needs to quickly find a vein of form on Merseyside.

Liverpool want another Newcastle star after Isak