All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Ham United have now submitted a £22m offer for an “exciting” player who turned down a move to Manchester United, according to a report.

Hammers set for busy summer transfer window

There are set to be plenty of changes at the London Stadium this summer, with replacements needed for the likes of Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski, Danny Ings and Kurt Zouma, who have all been released following the expiration of their contracts.

It looks like some of the Hammers’ summer transfer business could be funded by another departure, with Mohammed Kudus emerging as a major target for two of their Premier League rivals.

The Hammers have already knocked back a £50m bid from Tottenham for Kudus, but with the north Londoners set to make another approach, it is looking increasingly likely that Graham Potter will need to bring in a new winger this summer.

Following Fabianski’s exit, a new goalkeeper will also be required, and West Ham have now made a €25m (£22m) offer for Parma shot-stopper Zion Suzuki, according to a report from Parma Live.

The Irons will have to submit a higher bid in order to get a deal over the line, however, considering the 22-year-old is happy to remain at Parma and the Italian club want to keep hold of him.

Offer made: West Ham now leading race to sign "powerful" £20m+ defender

The Hammers could be closing in on their first signing of the summer.

1 ByTom Cunningham Jul 6, 2025

Several Premier League clubs have also been named as potential suitors for Suzuki, including Chelsea and Man United, with the goalkeeper once turning down a move to Old Trafford because he didn’t want to be second choice behind Andre Onana.

"Exciting" Suzuki could be ideal signing for West Ham

Football scout Ben Mattinson was left impressed by the Japenese shot-stopper’s performances in the Serie A last season, saying: “Zion Suzuki pulled off a phenomenal save against Roma and he’s rightly making the headlines.

“Despite Parma’s struggles at times this season, Zion Suzuki has stood out for his performances in goal. Remains one of the most exciting young keepers right now.”

The New Jersey-born goalkeeper was a regular starter for the Serie A side throughout the campaign, indicating that he could immediately challenge for Alphonse Areola’s starting spot, and there are signs the Parma man could be an ideal signing for West Ham.

Having averaged 43.59 touches per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 89th percentile, Suzuki is clearly comfortable with his feet, which indicates he could be a good fit in a Potter system.

As such, the Hammers should return with a higher offer, especially given that a long-term replacement for Areola is needed, with the French goalkeeper now 32-years-old.

Sunderland are thought to be in talks to sign a new £17m forward who Regis Le Bris already knows well, according to a new update.

Speakman in Sunderland transfer talks after Le Fee deal

The Black Cats have so far been patient when it comes to new signings, with Enzo Le Fee’s loan move becoming permanent the only incoming piece of business following promotion to the Premier League.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is working behind the scenes on deals, though, and admitted last week he was in three different countries in three days discussing transfers with targets.

By the looks of things, one player on Speakman’s list could now be Sassuolo forward Armand Lauriente, with a new update showing there has been a development.

Sunderland in talks for Sassuolo forward Armand Lauriente

According to reports in Italy relayed by Chronicle Live, Sunderland are thought to have begun talks over a ‘sensational swoop’ to sign Lauriente.

The Sassuolo forward has already worked under Le Bris, scoring one goal in four games under the Sunderland boss during their time at French side Lorient. He can also play anywhere across the front three, so would provide plenty of versatility in the final third, should a deal be struck.

The Black Cats are looking to provide competition to Wilson Isisdor and Eliezer Mayenda and seemingly see Lauriente as the man to do just that, with previous claims suggesting he could cost up to £17m.

The 26-year-old enjoyed a fine campaign in 2024/25, scoring 19 goals and registering six assists in 34 appearances in all competitions, mainly as a left winger.

Dan James

Leeds United

Borja Sainz

Norwich City

Wilfried Gnonto

Leeds United

Sontje Hansen

NEC Nijmegen

Liel Abada

Charlotte FC

As per FBref, Lauriente ranks in the top 1% for goals when compared to attacking midfielders and wingers, the top 2% for shots on target and the top 6% for expected goals.

As can be seen, Lauriente has been likened to a number of wingers playing their trade in England, so a move to the Stadium of Light could be one to keep an eye on.

Arsenal have been told exactly what it will take for Benjamin Sesko to leave RB Leipzig this summer, as his agent speaks out about reports linking his client with a move away from the Red Bull Arena.

Arsenal offered 21-goal striker who's a "priority signing" for Tottenham

The north London clubs could go head-to-head.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 19, 2025

Sesko has just finished a career-best Bundesliga campaign, bagging 21 goals in all competitions, but he couldn’t quite guide Leipzig to a European spot – with the Germans missing out on a place in the Conference League, Europa League and Champions League.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

It is the first time Leipzig haven’t qualified for Europe since their top-flight arrival in 2016, and this will surely get Sesko thinking about his immediate future as Arsenal reportedly circle to offer him a route out.

The Slovenia international is a top target for Gunners manager Mikel Arteta, who’s been chasing his signature for 12 months.

Arsenal had a proposal rejected for Sesko last summer, who instead put pen to paper on a contract extension to remain at Leipzig and further his development, with the north Londoners also having an attempt rebuffed in January (Ben Jacobs).

They’re now trying to make it ‘third-time-lucky’ with another move for Sesko, and “concrete talks” have been taking place since late May (Florian Plettenberg). However, as things stand, Sky Germany are reporting that Arsenal are unwilling to match Leipzig’s financial demands for the centre-forward.

With plenty of work still to do, the 22-year-old’s own representative, Elvis Basanovic, has now provided an update on his client’s future in an interview with GiveMeSport this week.

Arsenal told key transfer condition by Benjamin Sesko's agent

Speaking to GMS, Basanovic has revealed the key condition for Sesko to depart Leipzig before summer deadline day on September 1.

The agent claims he’ll only leave Leipzig for a “special” new destination, refusing to clarify whether Arsenal fall into this category. When asked if the plan for Sesko is to find a new club, Basanovic said: “Well, his numbers at his age compared to some strikers with already great careers at his age are confirming my words.

“He will move from RB Leipzig only when we recognise a special club, a special project with a special coach.”

More worryingly for Arteta, the intermediary even suggested that Sesko could stay at Leipzig for years if they deem it the right call.

“It can be next week, or next year, or in 3 years,” Basanovic continued.

“Even if there may be – or will be – a strong desire of the player to move to a certain club, we will never force or blackmail RB Leipzig. I believe this is not the right way, because the way you actually exit from the club shows your values. Values that you are bringing into a new club.

“I can understand in very big transfers, there are a lot of different interests, but no matter what, I believe in the football world ‘there’ should be more respect. So that’s why we do things in the right way, or we don’t do them. It’s very simple, even maybe in the media it looks very complicated.”

After losing Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly set their sights on signing an impressive Championship forward this summer.

Cunha officially joins Man Utd

In one of the earliest, though perhaps least surprising moves of the summer, Cunha has now officially swapped Wolves for Manchester United. In truth, as soon as the Brazilian’s £63m release clause came to light, his exit seemed inevitable. For Wolves, it’s now more important than ever that they spend the money well and replace their talisman in seamless fashion. That, however, is easier said than done.

Appearances

92

Goals

33

Assists

15

Cunha’s record speaks for itself. The former Atletico Madrid man particularly found his best form throughout the 2024/25 campaign and replacing his impact will undoubtedly be Wolves’ toughest task this summer.

Whilst it’s easy to assume the worst, Wolves already experienced a glimpse of life without Cunha throughout the season when he was missing through injury and suspension. It was then that Vitor Pereira’s side proved that they’re more than just the Brazilian, securing three of their six impressive consecutive wins to send a statement in the battle to secure their Premier League status.

With that top-flight status secured and £63m to spare, Wolves should ensure that life without Cunha remains blissful rather than the nightmare many have envisaged in the past.

To that end, who could arrive remains to be seen. Stars such as Harvey Elliott have already threatened to steal the headlines in recent weeks and signing a Premier League champion would certainly do no harm.

Whether the former Fulham gem is capable of producing the same output as Cunha is the big question, though. Instead, Wolves could push on to sign a proven goalscorer in the coming months.

Wolves "monitoring" Ivanovic

According to South London football reporter Richard Cawley, Wolves are now “monitoring” Mihailo Ivanovic following his excellent debut season at Millwall. The Serbian striker scored 12 goals in his first Championship campaign and only looks set to get better at just 20 years old.

Given how he starred in his first season, Millwall may naturally be reluctant to let their forward leave so soon after he initially arrived. But the Premier League call is certainly a difficult one to turn down.

Millwall manager Alex Neil has been among those full of praise for Ivanovic in recent months, telling reporters in April: “Any 20-year-old that leads the line in the Championship and can get nearly [10 goals], and he’ll get double figures before the end of the season.

“If you do that, that’s an unbelievable season and it won’t be surprising me if people start talking about him. I’ve already seen something the other day talking about the top 10 young talents in Europe – he’s one of them.”

Having lost a top talent in Cunha, if Wolves managed to sign one of the top 10 young talents in Europe – as Neil believes Ivanovic is – then that should be seen as excellent business.

Glasgow Rangers supporters still do not know who the club’s next head coach is going to be, as Ibrox chiefs continue to run the rule over a number of candidates.

It has been reported by the Daily Mail that Andrew Cavenagh is set for face-to-face talks, alongside Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart at Rangers, with managers, including Davide Ancelotti and Russell Martin.

The same report, though, added that Steven Gerrard, who won the Scottish Premiership with the Gers in the 2020/21 campaign, is still in the running for the job.

Part of what made the English manager’s team at Ibrox so successful was that they were able to successfully recruit domestic talent, including central midfielder Glen Kamara.

Why Glen Kamara was a key signing for Steven Gerrard

The Finland international, who came through the Arsenal academy, made his big breakthrough in senior football with Dundee in the Premiership, playing 64 games in 18 months at Dens Park.

Rangers swooped to sign him for £50k in the January window of 2019, as his deal was due to expire that summer, and it was a move that was later described as the “steal of the century” by Scott Arfield.

His 64 appearances for Dundee meant that Gerrard was bringing in a proven Premiership performer who could hit the ground running in the Premiership as an impact signing, rather than needing time as either a young player or as someone who was not used to Scottish football.

Kamara went on to play 193 games for Rangers, scoring nine goals and providing 11 assists, before being sold to Leeds United for £5m in 2023.

He was a key signing for Gerrard, though, because his ability to hit the ground running allowed him to be a star from the get-go, and he went on to play a significant role in the title-winning side, starting 28 of the 38 league games and completing 91% of his attempted passes.

Rangers, and potentially Gerrard if he gets the job for a second time, could repeat that masterclass by swooping for another Dundee star this summer.

Rangers have held talks to sign Dundee star

According to Daily Record reporter Scott Burns, Rangers have held talks over a deal to sign Dundee right wing-back Josh Mulligan, who is out of contract, in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues have explored a move to land the 22-year-old ace, although they face competition from Charlton Athletic, but have put talks on hold for now until their managerial pursuit comes to an end.

Whilst talks are on hold for the defender, who was dubbed a future Scotland international by Kai Watson, the club should look to pursue this further as soon as possible because he could be Glen Kamara 2.0.

Why Josh Mulligan could be Glen Kamara 2.0

The versatile Scottish ace, who can play as a wing-back or as a central midfielder, as outlined by Watson, could be a repeat of the masterclass that Gerrard played with Kamara because he is a proven Premiership performer with time ahead of him to develop and improve.

Mulligan, who was described as a “Rolls-Royce” and as a “powerful” player by Simon Ferry, is only 22 but has already racked up 122 appearances for Dundee, 63 of which have come in the Premiership.

Appearances

34

Big chances created

9

Assists

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

Duels won per game

5.2

Error led to shot

0

Error led to goal

0

As you can see in the table above, the young defender offered solid defensive work, with zero errors that directly led to shots or goals, whilst also providing a creative outlet down the right flank.

These statistics show that Mulligan is a solid and reliable Premiership performer, despite his young age, in both his work in and out of possession, as he can step in to make vital tackles and interceptions without making many mistakes, and has an impact in the final third.

This means that the Ranger transfer target could follow in Kamara’s footsteps as a proven Premiership star coming to Ibrox directly from Dundee to hit the ground running in Glasgow.

Mulligan could make an instant impact on the pitch for the next manager, given his performances for Dundee in the division this season, and that is why he could be an excellent, and bargain on a free transfer, addition to the squad.

Ryan Kent 2.0: Rangers in strong position to sign "outstanding" star

Rangers are in a strong position to sign a star who could be their next Ryan Kent.

ByDan Emery May 28, 2025

Leeds United are making a move for an “incredible” striker, who knows he would be guaranteed to play every week under Daniel Farke next season, according to a report.

Leeds eyeing new signings with top-level experience

Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton all suffered relegation in their first season back in the Premier League last season, underlining the need for Leeds to bring in proven players, and they have now set their sights on several options with top-level experience.

Amid doubts over Illan Meslier, Bayern Munich goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, who is “proven” in the Champions League, has emerged as an option between the sticks, while recent Premier League title winner Kostas Tsimikas may replace Junior Firpo at left-back.

Ipswich being relegated, despite Liam Delap’s form, goes to show that having a top striker is not always enough to avoid the drop, but Farke will be under no illusions about the need to sign a proven goalscorer, and the Whites are now stepping up their pursuit of a new striker.

Leeds now keen on signing "brilliant" Liverpool-born player with 3 England caps

The Whites are now interested in signing a Premier League player, who is set to be available on a free transfer this summer.

3 ByDominic Lund May 27, 2025

According to a report from The Sun, Leeds have made a move for Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson, who has been widely linked with a move away from St. James’ Park upon the expiration of his £46k-a-week contract this summer.

Since arriving at Newcastle from AFC Bournemouth in a £20m deal, Wilson has maintained a solid goal record for the Magpies, but there is now growing interest from rival Premier League clubs, with Everton boss David Moyes thought to be keen to snap him up.

Despite the interest from the Toffees, the Championship title-winners are hopeful they can win the race for the striker, ‘as he would be guaranteed to play every week under Farke.’

"Incredible" Wilson could reignite career at Leeds

Almost any striker in world football would find it difficult to displace Alexander Isak in the starting XI, which is one of the reasons why the Englishman has found game time hard to come by in recent times, alongside various injury issues.

However, should the former Bournemouth man be able to put his injury problems behind him, there are plenty of signs he could play a major role in helping Leeds avoid the drop next season.

Prior to the 2024-25 campaign, the 33-year-old, called “incredible” by Eddie Howe, was a consistent source of goals for both Bournemouth and Newcastle, regularly finding the back of the net in the Premier League.

Season

Appearances

PL Goals

2019-20

35

8

2020-21

26

12

2021-22

18

8

2022-23

31

18

2023-24

20

9

However, there will, understandably, be concerns about Wilson’s age and injury record, with the forward sidelined for over half of Newcastle’s games throughout the 2024/25 campaign, so he will only be a worthwhile addition for Leeds if he is able to improve his fitness, making this one to keep an eye on.

Arsenal chiefs are facing a renewed Real Madrid threat after Los Blancos swooped in to win the race for Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen, with the La Liga giants posing some worry for Gunners transfer chief Andrea Berta and his deal to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal reach Zubimendi agreement as Huijsen nears Real Madrid move

Earlier this week, it was reliably reported that Arsenal reached an agreement to sign Zubimendi, with Fabrizio Romano even dropping the ‘here we go’ on his switch to the Emirates Stadium.

Berta favourite decides he wants to join Arsenal after £7m salary offer

He has his heart set on a north London switch.

1 ByEmilio Galantini May 15, 2025

The Spain international’s signature is believed to be all-but officially sealed, with Berta seemingly wrapping up his first signing as Arsenal’s new sporting director.

Arsenal are poised to lose Jorginho, who’s agreed to join Brazilian side Flamengo after his contract expires, while talks remain ongoing over Thomas Partey’s contract with no guarantee they will shake hands on a renewed deal.

The arrival of Zubimendi is crucial to Mikel Arteta with Arsenal in danger of being left quite short in midfield, and it would come as welcome news after they missed out on a deal for top defensive target Huijsen.

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

As per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal were in pole position with Chelsea to strike a deal for the 20-year-old, but Real Madrid then got involved. The 15-time European champions swooped in to tempt him towards his homeland, and they’re currently putting the finishing touches on a move which will see Huijsen depart Bournemouth for the Bernabeu.

“Real Madrid are in direct meeting with Dean Huijsen’s camp to complete the agreement on the contract,” said Romano on X.

“The agreement on £50m release clause with Bournemouth has been sealed on Wednesday, as reported. Matter of contract details with Huijsen’s camp, then, here we go.”

Arsenal risk Dean Huijsen repeat after Martin Zubimendi update

After Real eventually beat Arsenal to Huijsen’s signature, despite the north Londoners having reportedly made a “formal” offer of their own (Cadena SER), it is now believed that Florentino Perez could still spoil their swoop for Zubimendi as well.

As per a report from Diario AS, Arsenal’s signing of Zubimendi is already “arranged”, but nothing has been signed in terms of contract or legislation, meaning Real are still able to come in and hijack Berta’s deal.

The Spanish newspaper suggests this is highly possible and a “sharp turn” in the situation cannot be ruled out, as per sources “close” to the talks, with Zubimendi agreeing a move to Liverpool last year and changing his mind at the last second.

Until the “world-class” 26-year-old puts pen to paper, there is every chance Real decide to move with a counter-offer to rival Arsenal, and AS describe the race for Zubimendi as remaining “open”, contrary to previous claims.

Arteta will be hoping Real stay out of this one, as their need for a midfielder of Zubimendi’s cannot be understated following Jorginho’s imminent exit and uncertainty surrounding Partey.

Celtic ran out in front of their own supporters at Parkhead for the first time since they won the Scottish Premiership title when they faced Hibernian on Saturday.

The Hoops clinched the league title with a 5-0 win over Dundee United away from home at the end of last month, before they travelled across Glasgow to play out a 1-1 draw with their rivals last weekend.

It did, however, look as though Hibs were going to spoil the party when they took the lead at Celtic Park thanks to an opening goal from Martin Boyle in the 25th minute.

The Premiership champions, though, bounced back and led before the break after goals from Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah turned the game around, before Reo Hatate added a third in the second 45.

Cameron Carter-Vickers, who has suffered with hamstring injuries this season, was given the weekend off by Brendan Rodgers, in order to manage his minutes in the final few weeks of the season.

That opened up a position at the heart of the defence and the Northern Irish head coach opted to go with Auston Trusty next to Liam Scales.

Scales and Trusty's performances for Celtic this season

The Hoops reportedly paid a fee of £5m to sign Trusty from English side Sheffield United in the summer transfer window last year to bolster their left-sided centre-back options.

The USA international and Scales have competed for the starting berth next to Carter-Vickers at centre-back, but they have also had to play alongside each other at times when the former Spurs man has been unavailable, like on Saturday.

Although Celtic won the match comfortably in the end, Trusty, who lost 100% of his ground duels, had a moment to forget when his poor attempted clearance dropped straight to Boyle to find the back of the net.

Unfortunately, errors have been too common for the former Arsenal defender in the Premiership this season since his £5m move to Parkhead, particularly in comparison to Scales and Carter-Vickers.

Appearances

29

25

21

Error led to shot

1

1

4

Error led to goal

0

0

1

Penalties committed

0

1

0

Dribbled past

3x

5x

11x

As you can see in the table above, Trusty has made more errors that have led to shots, more errors that have led to goals, and been dribbled past more times, despite playing fewer matches than the other two centre-backs.

This also shows that Scales, who was unlucky to give a penalty away at Ross County, has been more reliable than the American dud in the Premiership.

This is despite the former Aberdeen loanee being worth just £3m, as per Transfermarkt, which is £2m less than the fee the club paid Sheffield United for the other left-footed defender.

The Ireland international has not made as many errors as the former Premier League flop and that may be why Rodgers has preferred him over Trusty alongside Carter-Vickers in recent weeks.

However, the Celtic boss did still opt to select Trusty on the right side of the defence over Maik Nawrocki, a naturally right-footed player, and the Hoops must ruthlessly ditch the Polish centre-back this summer as a result of his lack of minutes on the pitch this season.

Why Celtic should cash in on Maik Nawrocki

The 24-year-old defender, whose Transfermarkt value is just £1.7m, was an unused substitute once again against Hibernian, as he failed to add to his paltry two appearances in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign.

When questioned about Nawrocki’s lack of game time in March, Rodgers explained that it was because he prefers to have left-footed players on the left. He said: “I do always prefer where I can a left-footed centre-half on that side, in all honesty, because that allows you to get through the pitch quicker and have more speed playing forward.”

However, Carter-Vickers was unavailable against Hibernian and the manager still opted for Trusty on the right side, despite him being a naturally left-footed player who has the same problems that Nawrocki has playing out on his weaker side.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

This suggests that the former Legia Warsaw star’s lack of game time goes beyond Rodgers’ concerns about which side of the centre-back pairing he plays, as he was unwilling to give him minutes against Hibernian with no other right-footed centre-backs available and the title already wrapped up.

The most frustrating part of this for Nawrocki, however, may be that this has come after his impressive performances in the Premiership in his two outings in March.

All the way back in January of last year, Nawrocki told reporters that he was prepared for his moment to shine in a Celtic shirt, and that moment eventually came in March of this year when Trusty and Scales were injured and he was named in the XI against Rangers and Hearts.

Minutes

90

90

Clearances

7

9

Blocks

0

3

Tackles + interceptions

5

1

Duels won

7/10

8/9

Dribbled past

0x

0x

Pass accuracy

93%

98%

Error led to shot/goal

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the Polish star took his chances to impress with dominant and reliable defensive displays in those two matches, which led to pundit Chris Sutton hailing him as “fantastic”.

However, Nawrocki has been an unused substitute for four matches, missed out on the matchday squad twice, and not played a single minute of football since the win and clean sheet against Hearts.

As aforementioned, his Transfermarkt value now stands at just £1.7m. This means that he is worth less than Scales (£3m) and Trusty (bought for £5m), whilst also being the least used centre-back option, with just two league outings.

Therefore, Celtic must brutally axe the 24-year-old outcast from the squad in the upcoming summer transfer window because he is a depreciating asset who is not getting enough minutes on the pitch.

Celtic could sign £11m star who'd be their best striker since Edouard

Celtic could land their best striker signing since Odsonne Edouard by signing this star.

ByDan Emery May 8, 2025

Rodgers has shown that he is not ready to trust Nawrocki ahead of Scales or Trusty and it is now down to the board to find a team that is willing to snap him up so they can recoup some money for his services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

There might still be a chance for Arsenal to end the season with a bang in the Champions League, but that hasn’t stopped the onslaught of transfer rumours in recent weeks.

With the Gunners’ need for attacking reinforcements impossible to ignore, it would be fair to say that Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as one of the most significant links.

It’s not hard to see why the club would be interested in signing the Swedish international, as so far this season, he’s scored a simply sensational 52 goals and provided 12 assists in 48 appearances for Sporting CP.

However, if recent reports are to be believed, another striker from the continent has emerged as a target, a striker who may well be a better signing than Gyokeres.

Arsenal's search for a new striker

A number of strikers, such as Ollie Watkins, have been linked to Arsenal in recent weeks.

The Aston Villa ace was a surprise target for the club towards the end of the winter window and is supposedly available again this summer.

The former Brentford ace may be on the older side of players the club likes to target, but with 16 goals and 13 assists in 50 appearances this term, he’d undoubtedly make the team more dangerous.

Transfer Focus

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

At the other end of the age range, the club continue to be linked with Benjamin Sesko.

The 21-year-old Slovenian international is reportedly available for close to £58m and has bagged 20 goals and provided six assists in 42 appearances this year.

That said, it could be argued that he still lacks enough experience to make it at a club like Arsenal, which couldn’t be said about Jonathan David.

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Gunners are one of several teams interested in the Canadian international.

Alongside the North Londoners, the report has revealed that Liverpool, Newcastle United and West Ham United are all keen on the striker, who’ll be available for free at the end of the season.

However, Inter Milan appear to be leading the race for his signature as things stand.

It’ll likely be a complicated deal to get done, but given his ability, it’d be more than worth fighting for, especially as he could be a better signing than Gyokeres.

Why David would be a better signing than Gyokeres

So, the first thing to say is that if you were to base this solely off their goal tally, then Gyokeres appears to be the better signing.

However, what is incredibly important to remember here is that while his output is out of this world, the Swede is playing in the Portuguese league, which is ranked as the seventh best in Europe, while Ligue 1, where David plays, is in the top five.

Moreover, while the former Coventry City was in the Championship just a couple of years ago, the Canadian ace was still with LOSC Lille and still tearing it up.

Appearances

48

40

47

46

Goals

19

26

26

25

Assists

0

4

9

11

Goal Involvements*

0.39

0.75

0.74

0.78

For example, since the start of the 21/22 campaign, the 61-capped goal machine, whom journalist Tony Marinaro dubbed “one of the best strikers in the world,” has scored 96 goals and provided 24 assists in just 181 club appearances.

That means that across four seasons of top-flight football in a top-five league, the New York-born star has averaged a goal involvement every 1.50 games – talk about consistency.

Finally, on top of having a more extensive track record, the 25-year-old would make far more sense from a financial perspective, as a lack of transfer fee would free up so much money to be spent elsewhere, either on wingers, midfielders or even another defender.

Ultimately, either Gyokeres or David would be a good signing for Arsenal this summer, but from experience to cost, the Canadian international would be a better one.

He's like Saka & Salah: Arsenal plan talks to sign £55m Ballon d'Or nominee

The free-scoring international could be just what Arsenal need.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 28, 2025

Leeds United fans would have entered Elland Road on Monday full of both nerves and excitement, knowing that one more win and Sheffield United failing to win in a showdown with Burnley in the Championship would clinch promotion.

Well, the Whites certainly kept to their end of the bargain in West Yorkshire with Daniel Farke’s hosts hammering a petrified Stoke City side 6-0 in front of their jubilant home masses and after the Blades later went on to lose against the Clarets, promotion to the Premier League was sealed in spectacular fashion at the second time of asking.

Joel Piroe – who has had his fair share of critics in recent weeks for his wasteful showings – staggeringly chipped in with four of the strikes, with the Dutchman a man possessed in front of goal as he became their promotion hero.

Piroe's remarkable performance vs Stoke City

Heading into this big clash against Mark Robins’ visitors earlier today, Piroe was deep in a barren patch of form, with nine Championship clashes passing him by without finding the net.

He more than made up for these lacklustre showings on Monday, however, as the deadly 25-year-old sucker-punched Stoke with two goals inside the first ten minutes.

Constantly in the right place at the right time to tap home, Piroe would go on to secure a memorable hat-trick inside a bonkers 20 minutes after his early brace, before further managing to fire home his fourth of the remarkable day four minutes before the half-time interval.

Now up to a league-high 19 strikes for the season in the second tier, the ex-Swansea City man will be hoping he can be equally as clinical for the Whites if Premier League football returns to Elland Road, with this whirlwind win pulling them ever closer back to the promised land.

But, whilst Piroe obviously delivered a display of the highest order, he wasn’t the only Whites performer against the Potters who was near faultless…

Performance in Numbers

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10/10 Leeds star was as good as Piroe

Nobody in Leeds white exactly let the team down in all fairness, with every single player picked by Farke singing off the same hymn sheet to secure a huge three points.

While the attack were en song at Elland Road, the two full-backs were in fine fettle too, evoking memories of Ian Harte in his prime, charging forward to contribute in the final third with Junior Firpo finding the net and Jayden Bogle running the Stoke defence ragged.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

63

Accurate passes

28/42 (67%)

Shots

2

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

3/3

Interceptions

2

Tackles

4

Total duels won

10/12

He has had a fine season in West Yorkshire to date after dramatically leaving Sheffield United behind for Leeds last summer.

The gung-ho full-back would get in on the act when assisting Piroe’s second of the day, taking Bogle’s assist count for the season all the way up to a weighty four, on top of his stunning six strikes, while he also hit the post in the build-up to Piroe’s fourth.

Bogle would constantly maraud forward and leave Stoke shirts in the dust – seen in his 100% dribble completion rate – leading to Leeds reporter Graham Smyth to remark that the expansive 24-year-old “absolutely mullered” the Potters across a breathtaking first half.

But, the ex-Blades defender also looked strong defensively when infrequently called into action, with four tackles and ten duels won to preserve Leeds’ likely clean sheet.

Unsurprisingly, the aforementioned Smyth dished out a flawless 10/10 rating to Bogle post-match too, waxing lyrical further that he “tortured” Robins’ visitors who just had no answer to the home side’s persistent waves of attacks.

Come the full-time whistle, Leeds simply looked top-flight bound after brushing aside Stoke with ease, with both Bogle and Piroe ready for the challenge of Premier League football.

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