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Arsenal are now ready to make an opening offer for a “fantastic” striker who’s “always a threat”, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

Gunners' search for a striker continues

It appears as though Mikel Arteta may finally be about to bite the bullet and bring in a new striker this summer, with the Gunners being credited with an interest in several different forwards from across Europe, including Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, however, has made the bold claim that any new striker will eventually end up being dropped for Kai Havertz, given how important the German is to Arteta’s style of play.

That prediction follows on from Carragher’s comments back in March, when he suggested that a lack of creativity was the real issue for the north Londoners last season, rather than not having a top striker at their disposal: “The problem they have is not a finishing problem. It’s a creation problem.

“They don’t create enough chances. That’s the biggest problem that they’ve got right now.”

Regardless, Arsenal appear to be continuing their pursuit of a new centre-forward, and Nixon has now revealed they are ready to offer Blackburn Rovers more than £1m for 17-year-old Igor Tyjon.

He's like Van Persie: Arsenal hold secret talks to sign "the new Haaland"

Arsenal could sign a similar striker to Robin van Persie this summer.

By
Matt Dawson

Jun 2, 2025

The Gunners are now prepared to make an opening bid for Tyjon, who is a highly-rated young striker, although he only featured twice for Blackburn in the Championship last season, indicating that he could be some way off Premier League level.

"Fantastic" Tyjon could be a future star

While he is yet to make an impact at first-team level for Blackburn, the teenager has received high praise in the past, with former manager John Eustace saying: “Igor has been a standout young player since I have been at the football club. He had a fantastic pre-season. He’s just played for England in the week. I was delighted to give him his debut today. He has worked, very, very hard.”

“He’s a 16-year-old boy and we have to remember that. He is certainly one for the future.”

Blackburn U21s boss Mike Sheron has also been left impressed by the starlet, adding: “I love his bravery and his positivity. We asked him to play off the left tonight and he’ll receive the ball in any situation.

“He’ll turn, he’ll try to go forward, he’s positive, he looks after it, he’s always reliable in possession and he’s always a threat.”

As such, Tyjon could be a shrewd signing for Arsenal this summer, and he may one day be capable of leading the line, but their primary goal this summer should be to bring in a proven top-level striker, in order to compete for the Premier League title next season.

Looking to get their summer business underway, Everton are now reportedly battling to sign a Premier League winner who would instantly become their highest earner.

Everton set to miss out on Liam Delap to Chelsea

Although the summer transfer window is yet to officially get underway, Everton have already reportedly been handed their first rejection courtesy of Liam Delap. The Toffees presented their project to the Ipswich Town star in an attempt to convince him that a step towards David Moyes’ side would suit this stage of his career rather than an instant jump into the Premier League’s top six. As right as that argument could prove to be, however, it was not enough to convince the talented striker.

Set to turn Everton and Manchester United down as well as others in favour of a move to Chelsea this summer, Delap’s decision will disappoint those in Merseyside who would have seen their frontline transformed.

Moyes even confirmed Everton’s interest in Delap earlier this month, telling reporters when asked about Delap: “He spoke to three or four clubs. He’s given us our opportunity to pitch our case. We’re probably a little bit behind the black ball but hopefully, you never know what happens.”

Now, however, the Toffees must turn to alternative options in pursuit of improving Moyes’ frontline this summer. And whilst names such as Gustavo Hamers have already been mentioned, Everton could first push to sign a Premier League-winning attacking addition when the transfer window swings open.

Everton keen on signing Liverpool "monster" who could rival Branthwaite

Everton are lining up a couple of audacious transfer swoops this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 27, 2025

It would be some statement from the Friedkin Group and one that could instantly ease Everton’s Delap woes.

Everton now looking to sign Jack Grealish from Man City

According to The Boot Room, Everton are now battling AC Milan and a host of other clubs to sign Jack Grealish this summer, with Manchester City willing to allow the attacking midfielder to leave on loan in the coming months. Alongside the Toffees and Milan, Aston Villa, Napoli, Newcastle and West Ham are also keen, as are clubs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The former Aston Villa star has won all there is to win at the Etihad, including three Premier League titles, but may look back on his spell at Manchester City with slight frustration, having never truly hit the heights that his £100m price tag suggested he could. Now, after being left out of Pep Guardiola’s squad on the final day of the Premier League season, an exit seems increasingly likely.

That said, even on loan, a deal to sign Grealish may not come cheap. If he completed a summer switch to Everton, for example, then he would instantly become their highest earner by some distance at £300,000-a-week.

Earning over double what Pickford earns at Everton, the pressure would certainly be on Grealish to perform. In regards to how difficult a deal could be to complete, meanwhile, things are likely to be made that much easier by the fact that the Manchester City man is represented by the same CAA Stellar agency as Jordan Pickford.

Liverpool are making some shrewd moves in the market as they look to build on winning the Premier League title and could now strike for a world-renowned star with talks having already taken place, per a report.

Jeremie Frimpong set for Liverpool medical

Arne Slot and his squad are still basking in the glory of becoming top-flight champions, but there has already been significant movement on the transfer front at Anfield.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is joining Real Madrid on a free transfer, which has pivoted focus to who could potentially replace the academy graduate’s phenomenal attacking output at right-back.

Reports suggest Jeremie Frimpong is the answer and is set to undergo a Liverpool medical on Monday before he completes his £29.5 million move from Bayer Leverkusen.

Commenting on the Reds’ transfer plans this summer, Slot stated: “So, there’s always an ongoing process and we have to make sure that we are prepared if we can strengthen the squad.

“But it’s difficult to strengthen this squad. There’s a reason why we won the league – because we have so many great players.”

Liverpool now completing detailed work to sign "elite" Huijsen alternative

The Reds have officially missed out on Huijsen.

1

By
Tom Cunningham

May 18, 2025

The Dutchman may have a point. However, it would be naive not to expect Liverpool not to try and capitalise on their status as Premier League champions.

Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez has become a known target at Anfield, giving an inkling towards the type of smart recruitment that is expected to occur at Anfield this summer.

Typically, Liverpool have a distinctive style of adding to their squad that is more in line with squad synchronisation as opposed to star appeal.

However, there can be room for both if the Reds’ latest pursuit under is anything to go by.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot and Florian Wirtz hold discussions

According to The Mirror, Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz has held talks with Liverpool boss Slot to discuss his summer transfer plans as interest begins to mount in the Germany international.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has also touched base to find out more about where he envisages landing and the Citizens are said to be plotting a double swoop for the 22-year-old and Tijjani Reijnders before the Club World Cup.

Labelled “world-class” by Gerhard Struber, Wirtz has registered 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions this season, which may go some way to explaining why his valuation sits at a figure in excess of £100 million.

Becoming one of the most talked about stars in Europe, he has excelled as the foil for the main attacker and could now emerge as a source of creative inspiration for the likes of Mohamed Salah should he move to Anfield.

Having said that, Manchester City’s hunt to replace Kevin De Bruyne could be a roadblock as he deliberates before deciding on his next desitination.

Newcastle United have now joined the race to sign a “very quick” defender who’s among the “world’s best”, according to a report.

Newcastle's summer transfer plans taking shape

Should Newcastle manage to secure Champions League qualification by finishing in the Premier League’s top five, the 2024-25 campaign is likely to go down as a resounding success, having also ended their 70-year trophy drought by lifting the EFL Cup.

However, the PIF have grand plans for the Magpies, and having enjoyed their first taste of success, they are likely to be even more inspired to compete for more major honours, which means some new additions to the squad could be required this summer.

Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo could be a key target in attack, with the right-winger recently being identified as the ideal option to bolster Eddie Howe’s frontline, while the PIF are now racing to sign Girona’s Yangel Herrera to reinforce the midfield.

In-demand player would rather join Newcastle despite offer from Barcelona

The Magpies could land his signature…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

May 4, 2025

A new centre-back has also been of interest for quite some time, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi a long-standing target, and there has now been a new update on the Tynesiders’ pursuit of a defender.

According to a report from The Sun, Newcastle have now joined the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah, who is set to be available on a free transfer this summer, having announced his intention to leave the German club when his contract expires.

Guehi remains the Magpies’ top target, with the Palace captain set to leave Selhurst Park this summer, but Tah has now been identified as an alternative option, with Howe desperate to bring in a new defender this summer.

There could be stiff competition for the 29-year-old’s signature, however, with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich also keen, in light of his impressive performances for Bayer Leverkusen…

"Very quick" Tah among "world's best" defenders

Leverkusen were unable to retain the Bundesliga title this season, but they did an incredible job to pip Bayern to top spot in the 2023-24 campaign, going the entire season undefeated, and it would be fair to say the German defender impressed Xabi Alonso.

Alonso said: “Jonha is performing at the highest level and I am really happy for him because he deserves all the praise and all the good moments he’s living – that he keeps playing for us and happily for the national team as well. I think he is one of the world’s best defenders.”

Former Germany boss Joachim Low once described the 29-year-old as “very quick”, while he is also very impressive in possession of the ball.

Tah’s availability on a free transfer makes signing him an even more attractive proposition for potential suitors this summer, and it is promising news that Newcastle have now joined the race.

Crystal Palace have now emerged as dark horses to sign a “future Ballon d’Or winner” as a possible replacement for Eberechi Eze this summer, according to a report.

Eze's future at Selhurst Park in doubt

Eze has once again been very impressive in a Palace shirt this season, picking up four goals and eight assists in the Premier League, while he also played a major role in the 3-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Aston Villa, scoring the opening goal in the rout.

As such, the England international is now starting to attract widespread attention from elsewhere, with Premier League rivals Liverpool recently being named as the frontrunners for his signature.

There could be fierce competition for the 26-year-old, however, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur also in the race, and there is a feeling he could be “open” to a move to north London.

Would cost £0: Crystal Palace now open talks to sign versatile 6'4 colossus

The Eagles have made contact over a move for a defender, who is capable of playing in five positions.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 24, 2025

With Eze contracted until 2027, it remains to be seen whether the Eagles are willing to sanction his departure this summer, particularly considering Marc Guehi, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Adam Wharton are also attracting interest.

However, should Palace decide to cash-in, they will need to bring in a replacement, and a report from Caught Offside has now revealed they are now emerging as dark horses to sign Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki.

Cherki is being targeted by a number of Europe’s top clubs, with Lyon prepared to let him leave for a fee of €30m – €35m (£25m – £30m) this summer, which is viewed as a bargain sum by a number of the potential suitors.

With the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham also in the picture, it may be difficult for Oliver Glasner’s side win the race, but the Lyon star is keen on a move to the Premier League this summer.

"Genius" Cherki could be "future Ballon d'Or winner"

French journalist Julien Laurens is a big fan of the young Frenchman previously lauding him as a “genius” after performing a remarkable roulette during Lyon’s 3-1 victory against AS Monaco.

The 21-year-old broke into the Lyon team at a very young age, making a total of 27 appearances in the 2020-21 campaign, but this season has been by far his best to date, picking up 12 goals and 19 assists in all competitions.

Having also been described as a potential “future Ballon d’Or winner”, there is every indication that Cherki could be a real coup for Palace, but it may be incredibly difficult to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in the race for his signature.

Celtic turn their attention away from the Scottish Premiership this weekend as they prepare to take on St. Johnstone in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup on Sunday.

The Hoops are hoping to win the SFA Cup in order to complete a domestic treble for the second time in the last three seasons, after Ange Postecoglou did so in the 2022/23 campaign, as they have already won the League Cup.

Brendan Rodgers is aiming for a perfect domestic campaign despite losing Matt O’Riley to Brighton & Hove Albion last summer and Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes in January.

The Scottish giants sold their Japanese forward to the French side for a reported fee of £10m earlier this year, but they also managed to bring Jota back to Parkhead in return.

Celtic reportedly paid a fee of £8m to sign the Portuguese winger, 18 months on from selling him to Al Ittihad for £25m, which essentially meant that the club received Jota and £2m from Rennes, in a roundabout way, for Kyogo.

There may not be too many complaints about the way that things turned out for the Hoops in that window, because the forward has hit the ground running in his second spell at Parkhead.

Why Jota has been a good signing for Celtic

The former Benfica whiz had big expectations on his shoulders upon his arrival in Glasgow in the January transfer window, due to what he had produced in his two seasons under Ange Postecoglou.

As you can see in the graphic above, Jota delivered consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in those two Premiership seasons under the Australian head coach, with 21 goals and 21 assists.

This meant that it was a reasonable expectation for Jota to come in and immediately bolster the squad with instant performances on the pitch when he arrived in January, and the forward has met those expectations.

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese starlet has already contributed with seven goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in six Premiership starts this year.

This shows that he has provided the instant impact that was expected of him, and rightly so, given his proven quality at that level, which is why he has been an excellent signing for the Hoops.

It was a terrific opportunity for all parties involved to bring Jota back to a club where he knows he can be a star player, and the forward will hopefully continue to impress in the final third in the months and years to come in Glasgow.

Despite all of this, Celtic are now being linked with an interest in a young talent who could go on to become even better than the Portuguese sensation at Parkhead.

The latest on Celtic's interest in Premier League starlet

According to Football Insider, the Scottish giants are one of a number of clubs chasing a deal to sign Crystal Palace youngster Jesse Derry in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that both Celtic and Rangers are interested in a swoop for the 17-year-old attacker, and that teams across Europe have also made contact with the player about a possible move this summer.

It states that teams have become aware of his potential availability after the England youth international turned down a professional contract to remain at Selhurst Park.

Football Insider adds that PSG, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid have all sent scouts to watch him in action, whilst there are also Premier League teams looking at the teen sensation.

Transfer Focus

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

The outlet reveals that Derry would be open to moving abroad, whether that is to one of those European sides or to Scotland, but it remains to be seen where he will end up next season.

There looks set to be plenty of competition for the 17-year-old talent’s signature this summer, and Celtic must push to win the race for his services, because he could become even better than Jota.

Why Jesse Derry could become even better than Jota

The current Hoops forward came up through the Benfica academy with a return of nine goals and eight assists in 47 matches for the B team, and four goals and eight assists in 17 games in the Youth League.

This shows that the Portuguese dynamo enjoyed an impressive, but not completely outstanding, career at youth level before coming to Scotland to shine under Postecoglou with roughly ten goals and ten assists per season in the Premiership.

Derry, son of former Palace and QPR defender Shaun, has shown incredible promise at youth level for Palace in recent years, to the point where he looks like an even better prospect than Jota did at Benfica.

Per Football Insider, the teenage ace has scored 20 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions for the Eagles at youth level in the current campaign, including nine goals in eight U18 Premier League matches.

As you can see in the clip of one of those 20 goals above, Derry is similar in style to Jota as a left-winger who likes to cut in on his right foot to find the far corner.

The Palace youngster, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has been “tearing things up” at youth level, also scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 17 matches in the 2023/24 campaign.

This means that the England U19 international has scored 31 goals in 44 games for Palace since the start of last season, which is a far superior youth record in comparison to what Jota did with Benfica’s academy before his move to Celtic, whilst playing in the same position.

This, therefore, suggests that the potential is there for Derry, who is reportedly being looked at by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, to become even better than Jota on the left wing by providing an incredible goalscoring threat by cutting in on his right foot.

Celtic must rue losing "exciting" gem who's now playing like a £100m star

Celtic lost the talented young attacker for a fee of just £230k and now he’s being compared to a £100m talent.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 15, 2025

That is why Celtic must push to sign the teenage starlet in the summer because he could be an exceptional long-term addition to the squad, as a winger with the qualities to emerge as a first-team star in the future if he can translate his academy form over to senior football to be even better than Jota.

Arsenal and sporting director Andrea Berta could now sign a forward for half price this summer, after reliable news that they’ve been in “ongoing” direct talks with his representatives.

Arsenal face PSG in Champions League semi-finals after Real Madrid triumph

After Wednesday night’s Champions League triumph, Mikel Arteta’s side became the first club in history to beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on their first two visits, and are the only side to ever achieve this feat both domestically and on the European stage.

Chelsea eye £40m Netherlands star who Arsenal have targeted since he was 16

The Gunners are very long-term admirers.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 17, 2025

Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli sealed a 2-1 win at Real and booked Arsenal’s place in the Champions League semi-finals, where they will face Ligue 1 champions PSG in a blockbuster two-legged tie after they knocked out Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

It was a statement quarter-final victory over Carlo Ancelotti’s which shocked the whole of Europe, beating the Spanish heavyweights 5-1 on aggregate, with club-record signing Declan Rice putting in two world-class performances over the two legs.

Supporters have been given real belief their side can go on and win the competition, and if they do, this season could be viewed as a major success from Arsenal’s perspective, despite missing out on the Premier League title to Liverpool.

“It’s been quite different before because it was impossible to be in any round because the club wasn’t in the Champions League for seven years,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s evolution since he took charge.

“So, that shows you the turnaround, and a lot of great decisions that the club has made and the contribution a lot of people have made to be where we are. It’s a team that you can feel today how hungry, how determined and ambitious that is to go. We’re going for more, for sure.

“The biggest pride is when I look at them and I talk to them, how convinced they feel and that’s been part of our job and of the coaches, and that’s why it’s a joy to work with them.”

Arsenal given 50 per cent discount for Bayern winger Kingsley Coman

Off the field, Berta is already preparing to back Arteta by signing star upgrades for the squad this summer.

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg and other sources, £280,000-per-week Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman is emerging as a serious target.

Plettenberg reported recently that Arsenal are in “ongoing” and “direct” talks with Coman’s representatives over a summer move, with fellow reliable journalist Ben Jacobs now sharing an update of his own for TEAMtalk.

The reporter states Bayern could let Coman leave for a half-price fee of £30 million, with his initial value of £60 million dropping “significantly” since last summer. The France international’s contract expires in 2027, so Vincent Kompany’s side have precious little time to make any cash off his sale.

£30m would still come as a profit for Bayern, considering they only signed him for £18 million from Juventus in 2017, so this could be a win-win for both parties.

Called a “complete” forward by those who’ve worked with him, Coman would leave Bayern as a legend, having racked up 330 appearances for the club in total with 69 goals and 69 assists to show for his efforts.

Tottenham Hotspur are now racing to sign a “sensational” striker who idolises Harry Kane, having recently conducted a scouting mission, according to a report.

Tottenham's striker search continues after Saints win

Tottenham returned to winning ways against Southampton yesterday afternoon, picking up a 3-1 victory, and Ange Postecoglou will be pleased with the fact striker Mathys Tel managed to get on the scoresheet for the first time in the Premier League.

Tel is expected to sign for Spurs on a permanent basis this summer, which could leave Postecoglou relatively well-stocked in the striker department, with Dominic Solanke and Richarlison also available.

However, given that there is doubt over Richarlison’s future, the Lilywhites may look to bring in another forward this summer, and a number of potential targets have been identified.

Development: Tottenham now making moves to sign "monster" striker for £0

Spurs are interested in signing a forward, who they are willing to offer a place in the starting XI.

2

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 6, 2025

Lille’s Jonathan David could be an attractive option, given that the Canadian will be available on a free transfer, while Tottenham also hold an interest in Ipswich Town marksman Liam Delap.

There has now been a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of Delap, with a report from The Boot Room revealing Spurs sent a scout to watch the striker in action against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.

The scout is likely to be impressed by what he saw, too, given that the Ipswich star scored his side’s only goal of the game, although they ultimately succumbed to a 2-1 defeat in the relegation six-pointer.

Liverpool and Newcastle United officials were also in attendance to watch the forward, so there will be no shortage of his interest this summer, at which point he could be available for a fee of £50m.

"Sensational" Delap could be ideal Harry Kane heir

Understandably, Tottenham have found it difficult to replace Harry Kane since his move to Bayern Munich, with Dominic Solanke struggling with injuries this season, meaning he has just seven Premier League goals to his name.

Delap, on the other hand, has scored 12 goals for the Tractor Boys, which is no mean feat, given that he is playing for a side almost certain to be relegated from the top flight.

It is still early days for the Ipswich striker, but Danny Murphy has suggested he could be capable of being Kane’s successor for England.

Not only that, but the 22-year-old has received high praise from members of the media, being lauded as “sensational” earlier in the campaign, and he has previously admitted he idolises Kane.

Delap is in line to succeed Kane at international level, and his performances for Ipswich indicate he could be a suitable replacement for the England captain at Tottenham.

Leeds United return to action in the Premier League this weekend after the international break with a clash against Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday.

The Whites have lost their last two matches in the top-flight, conceding six goals in the process, and their most recent outing was a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the break.

Whilst this shows that there needs to be improvement on the defensive side of the game, Daniel Farke also needs to find a way to get more out of his players at the top end of the pitch.

The Championship champions have only scored 11 goals in their 11 Premier League games so far this season, with several members of the squad underperforming in front of goal.

As you can see in the table above, too many of the team’s top attackers have underperformed against their xG in the top-flight, which shows that Farke does not have many reliable finishers.

With the January transfer window around five weeks away from opening for business, the Whites may already be starting to think about what they could do to improve their attack.

Why Leeds need to sign a winger in January

The West Yorkshire-based outfit need to go out and sign another wide option in the January window to bolster their options on the flank, because they have not had enough productivity in those positions this season.

As aforementioned, the Whites have only scored 11 times in 11 Premier League games, which shows that goalscoring is a clear area for improvement, and their lack of goals from wide players has been one of the causes of that particular struggle.

As you can see in the table above, Noah Okafor is the only winger in the squad who has scored more than one league goal for the club this season, despite December being just over a week away.

The Switzerland international, who scored goals against Wolves and Spurs, has been the only wide attacker who has carried a fairly consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

Farke will surely be frustrated with the lack of output from the majority of his wide options, which is why the club need to go out and splash the cash on a new option in those two positions at the turn of the year.

Leeds backed to sign Premier League forward

On that very topic, a former scout has backed the Premier League strugglers to sign one of their former players when the January transfer window opens for business.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has suggested that a move to Elland Road could be on the cards for Manor Solomon if Spurs decide to recall him from his loan spell with Villarreal.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking to MOTLeedsNews, King said: “If he (Solomon) isn’t going to stay at Villarreal, then I could certainly see him being sold in January. He definitely won’t get a game for Tottenham, there’s three or four people in front of him in his position.

“He did well at Leeds; he was a key part of their team that got promoted. I would have thought he’d be a very good option for Leeds. They haven’t exactly set the Premier League alight, and it looks as though they need more options.”

If Solomon, who has only started one LaLiga match with Villarreal, does get recalled in January, Leeds should pursue a deal to bring the forward back to West Yorkshire.

Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon

The Whites should push to land another deal for the Israel international because he could arrive at Elland Road in the winter window as a huge upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

As aforementioned, the USA international has produced one goal and one assist in the Premier League so far this season, as the first-choice right wing option, due to the change in formation that took away his favoured number ten role.

Solomon, meanwhile, has one goal and one assist in LaLiga, despite playing just four matches, and delivered three assists in his one appearance in the Copa del Rey, per Sofascore.

On top of providing more quality for Villarreal than Aaronson has for Leeds in all competitions this season, the right-footed winger also outperformed the American in the Championship last season.

The former Fulham attacker, of course, spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road from Spurs and caught the eye with his consistent performances at the top end of the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee offered significantly more to the team at the top end of the pitch than Aaronson did in the second tier last term, with more goals from less xG and more than twice as many ‘big chances’ created.

Solomon, who was hailed by former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn for being an “unplayable” star who is “like tackling smoke” for defenders, has proven that he can excel in front of goal in a Farke team, even more so than the USA international.

The Villarreal forward also has experience in the Premier League, with Fulham and Spurs, which means that it would not be a culture shock for him to be thrown into the division in the second half of the campaign.

Raphinha repeat: 49ers keen on signing "generational" £79m star for Leeds

Leeds United are lining up a January swoop for a star who could be as exciting a signing as Raphinha once was.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 18, 2025

Therefore, Leeds should explore the possibility of a reunion with Solomon because he could be an ideal signing to upgrade on Aaronson on the wing in the January window.

India’s emphasis on fitness and fielding will all be put to test on Sunday with their campaign on the line

Shashank Kishore12-Oct-2024The shiny floor gleaming with vitrified tiling at Sharjah’s press conference area caused a brief stir as Harmanpreet Kaur walked in with a slight limp. But when you saw her wearing spikes that needed her to be on her toes, it all made sense.Harmanpreet’s opening act was a prelude to Sunday. India need to be on their toes too; a slip-up and New Zealand will be waiting to close in on a semi-final berth, fully knowing what their margins should be against Pakistan on Monday.It’s not ideal, because no matter what India do against Australia, there’s going to be a niggling net run-rate equation they can’t control. This is something Harmanpreet acknowledged at her pre-match press conference.”Lot of things we have to keep in mind and play,” Harmanpreet said ahead of India’s training. “Definitely going there you need a strong mindset, but at the same time we just want to play freely and enjoy our game, because end of the day when you’re enjoying, you can always get the results.”I know it’s an important game, just need to keep yourself in the present and see what is required for the team and playing accordingly, I think that’s more important.”Related

• What do New Zealand need to qualify for the semi-finals?

• October 13 at the T20 World Cup: Injury concerns for Australia ahead of blockbuster game vs India

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In the lead-up, India have afforded themselves a luxury no other team has had: the opportunity to train two straight days at the main venue, in this case Sharjah. With matches scheduled everyday, the main venues have been off bounds, with training restricted to the ICC Academy, comprising three floodlit grounds for teams to train and match simulate.Within minutes of Saturday’s afternoon game between New Zealand and Sri Lanka finishing, India were up and away, briskly going through their warm-up with a session of foot volley before diving straight into a range-hitting session besides the main square.Along with four net bowlers, there were several ‘net fielders’ stationed at different arcs around the boundary to retrieve balls back as Shafali Verma enjoyed a long bash, alternating with Smriti Mandhana in 10-minute intervals. Shafali regularly deposited balls onto the roof of the pavilion block, while Mandhana’s focus was on the ‘feel’ of timing, only occasionally lofting the ball.A low-arm slinger, delivering from an unusual angle, a tall six-foot something who only kept hitting the deck and a fully-fit-and-firing Pooja Vastrakar, going full tilt, in what was a sure-shot sign of her having recovered from a hamstring niggle, went hard at Mandhana.After her net, seemingly wanting some extra attention, she walked across to have a long chat with Amol Muzumdar, the head coach, before gearing up for another hit with Muzumdar chucking short balls from different angles with Mandhana seemingly trying to quickly get into position and pull in front of square. Then she went through a similar pattern of driving on the up to length balls angling away.Between Mandhana’s long stint on the sidelines, Harmanpreet’s unwavering focus was on hitting straight and long, by stepping out to spin, a variety of bowling she’ll face plenty of on Sunday with Australia having Ash Gardner, Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham all likely to be unleashed.The extra attention to detail was in trying to step out to prevent the ball from hitting the rough patches that had been naturally created from players at short cover/short midwicket scuffing up the area while fielding in the previous game.Harmanpreet – “It’s an important game, just need to keep yourself in the present and see what is required for the team”•ICC via Getty ImagesAfter Harmanpreet, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma dug in. Richa was let loose to simply swing to the hills, and she connected more often than not, while Deepti went through an entire range of sweep shots to deliveries spinning in and away from her.Much of the focus was on the batters in the main net, even as the bowlers separately went through their drills under Aavishkar Salvi’s watch. S Asha, the legspinner, and Shreyanka Patil challenged Shafali’s big-hitting with some degree of success, while the main seamers simply went through light spot drills before retreating into self-preservation mode.Quietly on the side, Radha Yadav, who is yet to get a game but has pulled off one of the catches of the tournament while substituting for Harmanpreet, went through elaborate bowling drills and target practice. It’s perhaps a sign India are looking at playing an extra bowling option in place of S Sajana, who has barely had any role to play in the two games she has featured in.Before training, Harmanpreet alluded to how the surfaces have felt a lot better than it seemed on TV, based on their first session on Friday. Saturday merely reaffirmed that notion, Harmanpreet and India wouldn’t mind Sunday to be any different, for it’ll be a test of their batting might against an opponent who’ve most often had the better of them in a knockout scenario.The hours at training, mental conditioning sessions in the backroom and their emphasis on fitness and fielding will all be put to test with India’s campaign on the line.