Liverpool transfer target Robert Lewandowski has submitted a transfer request at current club Bayern Munich ahead of the upcoming summer window.
What’s the story?
As confirmed by Bayern’s director of football Hasan Salihamidzic, via the Liverpool Echo, the Polish striker has lodged a transfer request and intends to depart Bavaria this summer despite still having another year on his contract with the Bundesliga giants.
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Liverpool have recently been claimed to be interested in signing the 33-year-old after previous target Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City was confirmed this week.
With Divock Origi looking likely to depart Anfield whilst Roberto Firmino’s future hangs in the balance, Jurgen Klopp will certainly need depth amongst his strikers and reuniting with Lewandowski after the two worked together at Borussia Dortmund would provide the German would an even more deadly front line.
Liverpool must sign Lewandowski
Although Bayern are holding their cards close to their chest, with president Herbert Hainer stating: “Lewandowski has a contract until June 2023 and will play for us until then,” it seems likely that the Poland international will move on this summer.
It will be incredibly hard for the German juggernaut to keep hold of the striker following the submission of a transfer request, and Liverpool must pounce.
Striker Diogo Jota has had an excellent campaign for the Reds, scoring 21 goals for Liverpool. However, it seems as though the arrival of Luis Diaz, whilst being predominantly a winger, has seen the Portuguese fall down the pecking order slightly.
The 25-year-old started Saturday’s FA Cup final from the bench but was brought on to replace the injured Mohamed Salah and played a total of just 63 minutes across the two legs of Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final tie against Villarreal.
Therefore, extra firepower up front is needed and Lewandowski has a mouthwatering pedigree in front of goal.
Labelled as a “freak of nature” by journalist Sam Tighe and “breathtaking” by Owen Hargreaves, the 33-year-old has scored a whopping 509 goals and registered 135 assists in 675 appearances throughout his club career, with 50 of them coming this season alone.
Moreover, in 374 appearances for Bayern Munich, the Polish forward has found the back of the net on 344 occasions whilst providing 72 assists, averaging 1.11 goal contributions every appearance.
Lewandowski is a serious goal machine and would provide Liverpool with an answer to City’s acquisition of Haaland, something that could propel them towards their second Premier League title.
AND in other news: Liverpool must now brutally sell £85k-p/w dud who’s lost possession every 4.5 minutes
Newcastle United have reportedly made a move to sign Juventus forward Paulo Dybala on a free transfer this summer, according to reports in Italy.
What’s the word?
Speaking to CMIT TV (via Sports Witness) Italian journalist Romeo Agresti revealed that the Magpies are the only club to have made a “concrete offer” for the Argentine ace, despite reported interest from the likes of Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur.
Agresti said of the 28-year-old – who is set to depart the Serie A outfit once his contract expires in June – that: “Where is Dybala going? Inter will not take him off. Inter have asked him to be patient, they must be sure to eliminate certain deadwood to free up the salary,” Agresti said.
“But I also keep the Premier League, he has instructed intermediaries to test the waters. Favourite destination? I say Manchester United. But Dybala has received only one concrete offer, from Newcastle. But it doesn’t look like a club that warms the Argentine.”
This follows on from previous reports that suggested that PIF had made an offer for his services, albeit there are lingering question marks over whether he favours a move to the Premier League.
Supporters buzzing
Although it is still far from a done deal, should Eddie Howe and co be successful in their pursuit of the 32-cap international, it would represent the first real marquee arrival of the club’s new regime.
The likes of Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes did join in January, although the capture of Dybala would seemingly be a more statement addition and a marker of the rapid progression that the club intends to make in the coming years under their ambitious new owners.
The £220k-per-week man – who joined Juventus from Palermo on a £23m deal back in 2015 – has been one of the most coveted players in world football in recent years, having registered 115 goals and 48 assists in 291 appearances during his time in Turin.
This season, in particular, has been particularly eye-catching for the £36m-rated star, as he has netted ten goals and provided a further five assists in 27 league outings, creating 11 big chances and also averaging an impressive 1.4 key passes per game.
Those remarkable statistics have also contributed to the 5 foot 10 marksman recording a staggering 7.47 average match rating so far this term, the highest of any player in Max Allegri’s immensely talented squad.
Previously dubbed “one of the best in the world” by Mauricio Pochettino and “magical” by Dejan Kulusevski, Dybala has also performed superbly in other metrics, ranking in the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 8% for progressive carries among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues, showcasing his talent at building attacks, rather than simply finishing them off.
A link between midfield and attack, the creative playmaker could prove to be a real catalyst for Howe’s men, with it imperative that they fight off the other suitors to secure his signature. Should they do so, it will understandably leave fans in a state of delirium.
IN other news, Eddie Howe can now help NUFC sign “spectacular” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than ASM
A big update has emerged on Newcastle United and their transfer plans for the summer…
What’s the talk?
According to i News, the Magpies are preparing to cash in on a number of first-team players in the upcoming window in order to streamline the squad.
The report claims that Isaac Hayden, Matt Ritchie and Karl Darlow are among those who are up for sale, whilst the club will also listen to offers for Jamaal Lascelles and Miguel Almiron.
First major disaster for PIF
PIF are now heading for their first major disaster since taking over at the club as selling Lascelles would be a mistake this summer.
They must not cash in on the former Nottingham Forest colossus as he is an important member of the squad, both in terms of what he offers on and off the pitch for Eddie Howe.
He is the current club captain and has been in that role since 2016. This shows that he is a strong voice behind the scenes and is respected by his teammates, as he has maintained his position as the leader in the dressing room over the course of a number of seasons.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports’ YouTube channel, winger Ryan Fraser named the skipper as the strongest player in the squad and claimed that he “eats weights” in the gym.
The £55k-per-week gem has shown off his strength in the Premier League for the Magpies this season. He has won an outstanding 73% of his aerial battles in the division as he has been able to dominate opposition forwards in the air.
For context, 6 foot 6 Dan Burn has won 66% of his aerial battles in the top-flight for Brighton and Newcastle. This illustrates just how impressive Lascelles’ success in that part of his game is, given that is four inches shorter than the January signing.
Therefore, selling the centre-back would mean that Howe loses an important voice in the dressing room and an experienced, solid, option on the pitch. Whilst he may not be a starter at the moment, with Fabian Schar and Burn ahead of him, he can still be a useful alternative for the head coach off the bench and continue to use his leadership to help the players behind the scenes.
This is why it would be a major disaster to let him go this summer and PIF must ensure that he remains at St. James’ Park next season.
AND in other news, Insider: PIF “aiming” to make major Newcastle signing that’ll leave supporters elated…
Chris Waugh has claimed that Matt Targett was given a ‘torrid time’ by Luis Diaz as Newcastle United lost 1-0 at home to Liverpool in the Premier League.
The Lowdown: Not to be
It was just not to be for Eddie Howe and his team as Jurgen Klopp’s side took another big leap towards securing the top-flight title at St. James’ Park.
Naby Keita rounded goalkeeper Martin Dubravka in the first half after James Milner appeared to have fouled Fabian Schar, but replays showed that he in fact won the ball.
The Latest: Waugh reacts
Taking to Twitter, The Athletic journalist Waugh claimed that Targett was given a ‘torrid time’ in particular by Diaz.
The Reds winger was a thorn in his side all game, winning eight of his duels in total, while he also recorded five successful dribbles, four shots on goal and two key passes (SofaScore).
The Verdict: Not his best
It was certainly one of those afternoons for Targett, who was not at his best despite an excellent start to life on Tyneside.
The Aston Villa loanee lost out on four of his duels, was dribbled past twice, and failed to record any dribbles, key passes or crosses, giving the ball away 12 times in total (SofaScore).
However, he will not be coming up against players of the quality of Diaz every week, and so should just put this performance behind him and concentrate on the next game.
In other news, find out what big NUFC injury update has now emerged here!
Hoping to get one over on their rivals, Manchester United have now reportedly joined Arsenal in the race to sign Quinten Timber, whose contract is set to expire next summer.
Ruben Amorim’s midfield has been a topic of discussion ever since his arrival. The Portuguese manager revived Casemiro from a player destined to leave to an invaluable part of his side, but that has also come at a cost for Kobbie Mainoo. In an attempt to find balance, the academy graduate has struggled to get into the side.
As things stand, it looks like Casemiro and captain Bruno Fernandes will occupy the two deeper midfield roles in Amorim’s system when everyone is available for United. But there does lie one problem.
Casemiro is 33 years old and can’t go on forever, no matter how much his form has been revived. And with Manuel Ugarte still unable to find his feet at Old Trafford, Man United could do with a long-term solution.
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Rumours centred around Carlos Baleba in the summer as the Red Devils attempted to do exactly that, before the midfielder stayed put at Brighton & Hove Albion, and it’s clearly something that INEOS are looking to address.
It seems as though the Brighton man remains a target, but he’s now not the only one on United’s shortlist. Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, another name on the shortlist, is now reportedly open to an Old Trafford switch, whilst INEOS could yet land an alternative bargain deal to end their problems once and for all.
Man Utd join Quinten Timber race
According to Caught Offside, Man United have now joined the race to sign Timber and could yet jump ahead of Arsenal in pursuit of his signature.
The Gunners already have Quinten’s twin brother, Jurrien, in their ranks but may be forced to watch on as the two siblings do battle rather than unite in the Premier League next year.
There’s little chance that those at Old Trafford will be priced out of a move for the 25-year-old, too, as was the case with Baleba in the summer. The Dutch midfielder is set to become a free agent at the end of his current Feyenoord deal in June — handing Arsenal and Man United the chance to land a bargain deal.
Dubbed “underrated” by U23 scout Antonio Mango last year, Timber is also attracting interest from Borussia Dortmund, who are leading the race for his signature. Both Man United and Arsenal must first fend off competition from the Bundesliga giants before doing battle themselves next summer.
Man Utd hold discussions to sign "unique" teen sensation ahead of Real Madrid
Do Arsenal go into Sunday’s Premier League blockbuster against Manchester City as favourites?
Between November 2017 and April 2023, the Gunners faced the Citizens 16 times, losing 15 of them, their sole victory coming in an FA Cup semi-final behind-closed-doors, en route to lifting the trophy in 2020.
Now though, Mikel Arteta is unbeaten in five meetings with Pep Guardiola, seeking a third successive home win over Man City, something Arsenal last achieved in 2009, following February’s 5-1 humbling of Erling Braut Håland and friends.
If the Gunners are to prevail again on Sunday, thereby asserting themselves as the primary challengers to champions Liverpool, Arteta must be bold and start his young talent “better than Phil Foden”.
Mikel Merino's role in the Arsenal team
Few Arsenal players in recent times have been quite so difficult to figure out as Mikel Merino.
The media-driven narrative following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield last month, in which Merino started alongside Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice, was that Arteta had started three defensive midfielders against Liverpool.
Well, this idea was proven to be total nonsense during the subsequent week, as Merino scored four goals in two games for Spain, heading home a Lamine Yamal corner against Bulgaria in Sofia, before bagging a hat-trick as the European champions demolished Türkiye 6-0 in Konya.
As a result, Merino started the win over Nottingham Forest, Rice given a rest, with Arteta stating that this was because his compatriot was in “a really high emotional state and I want to use that when a player is in that moment”.
He was excellent in the left-eight position, which is probably his best role in this team, before deputising for the injured Martin Ødegaard against Athletic Club Bilbao on Tuesday, looking less comfortable on the opposite side, it has to be said.
Arguably, the 29-year-old’s best performances for Arsenal have come as an emergency striker, starting pretty much every game there from Valentine’s Day onwards last season, scoring seven goals, notably netting against Real Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea and others.
This weekend, if Merino’s name is on the team sheet, it’ll be as a right-sided attacking midfielder once again, given that is continuing to Ødegaard nurse his shoulder injury, but Arteta clearly has an option more suited for this role.
The Arsenal youngster who's been better than Phil Foden
On both Merseyside last month and in the Basque Country in mid-week, the travelling Arsenal supporters were pretty much universally disappointed not to see the name Ethan Nwaneri in the starting line-up.
In the summer, despite some speculation that Chelsea were interested, the teenager signed a new five-year contract with the club, stating “signing this contract means everything to me… I’m so excited for what I can bring… I want to help us win as much as possible”.
This is an obvious show of faith from the club, so it is now time for Arteta to prove he trusts him too.
Last season, Nwaneri scored nine goals across all competitions, eight of which came before his 18th birthday in March, a record only Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney can better in the Premier League-era.
However, this season, he is yet to start a match, an unused substitute in all three away games, albeit he’s seen a significant amount of playing time against both Leeds and Nottingham Forest, introduced during the first half of both due to injuries suffered by Ødegaard.
Even in matches they are winning and scoring goals, Arteta’s team are struggling to create a high volume of open-play changes, something Nwaneri could surely help to address, so let’s compare him to the current occupant of that midfield position Merino.
Appearances
37
44
Minutes
1,378
2,635
Goals
9
9
Assists
2
5
Goals – xG
+4.1
+2
Shots on target %
46.5%
36.7%
Progressive carries
56
16
Take-ons completed
40
9
Take-on success %
68%
47%
Shot-creating actions per 90
2.65
2.36
Chances created per 90
1.3
0.8
Touches per 90
58.2
47.8
Average Sofascore rating
7.11
7.10
As the table documents, despite playing around half as many minutes, Nwaneri scored as many goals as Merino last season, while all of the Englishman’s underlying statistics are more impressive.
The 18-year-old registered more than three times as many progressive carries, also accumulating more chances created, as well as around ten more touches per game, underlining their stylistic differences.
One of the highlights of Nwaneri’s breakout campaign came during the aforementioned mauling of Manchester City in February, scoring the stunner to complete the 5-1 rout.
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled Nwaneri an “incredible talent”, while former Watford striker Troy Deeney compared him to Jack Wilshere, adding that “he’s been better than Phil Foden”, a player he’ll come directly up against on Sunday.
So, if Arteta is to be bold and take the game to a vulnerable Man City side, one that has already been beaten by Spurs and Brighton this season, Nwaneri has to be unleashed come Sunday afternoon.
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After a catastrophic transfer window, Celtic have been left woefully short in attacking areas.
This summer, Nicolas Kühn and Adam Idah have been sold to Como and Swansea respectively, after scoring 21 and 20 goals last season, while Jota remains sidelined until around Christmas, due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered at Tannadice in April.
Wingers Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Sebastian Tounekti have both arrived from Royal Antwerp and Hammarby while, having failed to sign a striker on deadline day, Kelechi Ịheanachọ joined as a free agent, after his contract with Sevilla had been mutually terminated.
Thus, Celtic supporters are certainly concerned about their side’s lack of attacking firepower, but they still boast a “physical beast”, signed for just £1.5m, now worth more than their number one centre-forward target.
What Kasper Dolberg would've brought to Celtic
With Idah left in limbo ahead of his move to Swansea, completing a medical in South Wales before being forced to wait, Celtic chased a replacement, with Kasper Dolberg their number one, and seemingly only, target.
They had multiple bids rejected by Anderlecht for the 27-year-old and, as it transpired, he never really wanted to move to Glasgow anyway, instead re-joining Ajax for €10m (around £8.6m), six years after departing the Johan Cruijff Arena.
The Danish international has had an up-and-down career, enduring elongated barren periods, while also showing semi-regular glimpses of brilliance.
After underwhelming spells with Nice, Sevilla and Hoffenheim, he got back to his best at Anderlecht, scoring 44 goals in 96 appearances for the Purple and Whites, including five goals to start this season, four of which came in UEFA qualifiers, netting against BK Häcken, Sheriff Tiraspol and AEK Athens.
He also remains a reliable presence for his national team, taking his tally to 12 international goals when Denmark hammered Lithuania 5-0 in Odense in June, most notably on target three times during the knockout phase when de Rød-Hvide reached the semi-finals at Euro 2020.
Global Football Rankings believes the Jupiler Pro League to be the sixth-strongest division in the world, with the Scottish Premiership down in 27th, one place below the Ecuadorian Serie A, so the fact he scored 24 goals last season suggests he would have bagged plenty of goals in Scotland, but do the Celts already boast a more valuable attacker?
Celtic's superstar attacker
The bedrock of Ange Postecoglou’s successful two seasons in charge of Celtic was his exceptional recruitment, especially in the Japanese market.
From the likes of Kyōgo Furuhashi to Reo Hatate, it’s safe to say their Japanese contingent have enjoyed a fabulous time in Paradise. Yet, there’s one who has arguably eclipsed both of them.
Indeed, the £1.5m paid to sign Daizen Maeda from Yokohama F. Marinos very much looks like a bargain now.
Last season was undoubtedly Maeda’s best since arriving in Glasgow, named PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year, with his former coaches labelling him a “machine” and a “physical beast”.
He scored 33 goals across all competitions, thereby joining illustrious company. As the table outlines, not since Henrik Larsson has a Celtic player scored 30+ goals in back-to-back seasons and, well, Maeda potentially wanted to prevent himself from changing that fact.
Daizen Maeda
2024/25
33
Kyōgo
2022/23
34
Dembélé
2016/17
32
Griffiths
2015/16
40
Commons
2013/14
32
Hooper
2012/13
31
McDonald
2007/08
31
Hartson
2004/05
30
Larsson
2003/04
41
Larsson
2002/03
44
Larsson
2001/02
34
Larsson
2002/03
53
Larsson
1998/99
38
The 27-year-old is currently away on international duty with Japan, coming off the bench as the Samurai Blue drew 0-0 with Mexico in Oakland on Saturday night, set to see more action against the United States in Columbus on Tuesday.
While away, he confirmed in an interview with Gekisaka that he asked to leave Celtic this summer, stating: “I had an offer and had consistently communicated to my club that I wanted to take the next step in my career. However, Celtic ultimately couldn’t secure the necessary reinforcements and told me they couldn’t let me go”.
Given all the other upheaval at Celtic this summer, as well as the lack of incoming activity, losing Maeda on top of all that would’ve been unthinkable, but it is far from ideal that he is publicly stating his disappointment at not moving on, looking to increase his importance in Hajime Moriyasu’s squad ahead of the World Cup.
Should he depart at some point, the Hoops would make a huge return on investment, given that Football Transfers estimates his value to be around £12m, just above Dolberg’s value of £11m.
For now, Maeda remains in Glasgow, and will be front and centre as the Celts target a fifth successive Premiership title, also looking to make a deep run in the Europa League, commencing the league phase against Crvena zvezda in Belgrade later this month.
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It was an interminable weight for that trophy-winning feeling, if you’re one of a Tottenham Hotspur persuasion, but Ange Postecoglou’s side wiped the slate clean when defeating Manchester United in the Europa League final earlier in May.
Currently, it’s all a little uncertain. Postecoglou’s manager is in an imperilled position, with Daniel Levy’s judgement soon to become clear on that front.
Who could dispute Tottenham’s woes on Premier League soil, with so much going wrong for Ange’s 17th-placed side? It’s clear that action must be taken over the next few months to ensure success on the continent doesn’t turn out to be a mere flash in the pan.
Sergio Reguilon, Fraser Forster and Alfie Whiteman will all leave imminently, when their contracts expire, and Timo Werner’s two-year loan spell in London is over.
There’s much to consider. Let’s have a look at the major states of play.
The latest on Spurs' transfer targets
With European hero Cristian Romero being linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, Tottenham may need to sign a centre-back this summer.
The windfall from qualifying for the Champions League is huge, and Tottenham are in a good position to strengthen. If Romero stays, focus will be pinned on midfield and the wide forward positions.
Balancing out the club’s attacking quality is important, especially as Heung-min Son, 32, is expected to play fewer minutes across the 2025/25 campaign.
Furthermore, Dejan Kulusevski is currently sidelined after undergoing surgery on his right patella, and will be out for several months at the least. This, of course, means the Sweden star’s pre-season preparations will be disrupted.
Heung-min Son for Tottenham
Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze would be a brilliant signing, with rumours of a bid being prepared, but he has a £68m release clause inserted in his contract, and Levy may well want to turn his attention to another England international to help the Lilywhites make gains over the coming years.
Spurs discuss statement signing
According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham chairman Levy has held an internal meeting as the club draw up concrete plans for the looming market.
Eze and Manchester City star Jack Grealish have both been discussed, though Grealish might be the more feasible option from a financial standpoint.
Manchester City's JackGrealishduring the warm up before the match
Though the £300k-per-week Citizen would represent a tough deal to complete, Levy is committed to capitalising on the jubilation of winning a trophy down N17, and the 29-year-old, valued at an affordable £43m, might just fit the bill.
What Jack Grealish would bring to Spurs
Grealish might have been ostracised by Pep Guardiola as he prepares to bow out from life at the Etihad Stadium, but he’s still one of the most talented Englishmen in the game, hailed by pundit Rio Ferdinand for being “almost unplayable” when on his A-game.
Moving to Tottenham might just give him a new lease of life. Grealish joined Man City from Aston Villa for a British-record £100m fee in August 2021 after a talismanic career with his boyhood club, since going on to win the treble and much more under Pep Guardiola’s wing.
Aston Villa winger Jack Grealish.
Across 157 matches, Grealish has scored 17 goals and supplied 23 assists, though he only started seven matches in the Premier League this term and surely needs to leave Manchester.
Tottenham need some more attacking impetus in midfield. Kulusevski has been the standout this season, posting ten goals and 11 assists from 50 matches. The 25-year-old has been praised by The Athletic for being ‘the linchpin of Postecoglou’s team.’
But Grealish could enhance the fluency, promote ball-carrying and -playing principles that the club’s Australian coach relies upon.
As per FBref, the English star ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers this season for pass completion and progressive carries, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 8% for shot-creating actions per 90.
Such metrics have drawn him against Kulusevski as one of the Tottenham man’s most statistically similar players, suggesting he could dovetail right into the Londoners’ system.
There’s no denying, though, that Grealish has lost some of the original silk from his Villa days, when he was described as a “magician” by former Three Lions star Ashley Cole. Looking at his metrics from his final Premier League campaign in the Midlands against Kulusevski’s from this season, you see that Postecoglou could sign himself a new ‘linchpin’ to add depth and dynamism to the ranks.
Matches (starts)
26 (24)
32 (27)
Goals
6
7
Assists
10
4
Touches*
60.8
44.5
Accurate passes*
31.9 (83%)
20.0 (81%)
Big chances created
14
9
Key passes*
3.2
2.1
Dribbles*
2.5
1.2
Tackles + interceptions*
1.7
1.8
Duels won*
8.9
4.1
Whether we will ever again see this one-time version of Grealish, who was indeed unplayable at times as he bamboozled defenders and picked out teammates with stylish, pinpoint passes, remains to be seen, but there’s no question Ange employs a freer, more expansive style than Guardiola, who revolutionised the way possession-based football is conducted but perhaps limits players like Grealish, pidgeonholing them into set roles.
Postecoglou could almost let Grealish run autonomously, take the leash off. Given that he likes to play between central attacking midfield and in a role on the left flank, there’s a good chance he’d be a fantastic stylistic fit too, easing Son’s burden as rumours of Richarlison’s summer sale persist.
There would, of course, be an element of risk to this transfer, and Levy would not facilitate a move without reducing Grealish’s staggering £300k-per-week salary, but it could be a somewhat shrewd deal for a player who has fallen from their perch as one of the country’s finest.
But he could yet bounce back, joining a Tottenham project that perhaps is only just getting going.
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Birmingham City haven’t always enjoyed Championship life in recent memory, with the Blues last finishing inside the top half of the notoriously difficult division way back in 2016.
Since then, it’s always been a drab finish served up by Birmingham in the lower reaches of the EFL’s elite league, with their ongoing downward trajectory seeing a painful relegation finally occur at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Now, however, the sleeping giants seem to be back on the rise after clinching the League One title with ease, with the Tom Wagner-backed Blues ready to spend big again this summer to try and take the second tier by storm.
How Birmingham could sign their answer to Vardy
With Phil Neumann’s signature already wrapped up from Hannover 96 improving Birmingham at the back, the newly promoted side’s focus could now switch to enhancing their already potent attack.
Peterborough United sensation Kwame Poku has been linked with a move on a free transfer, which would more than boost the ambitious Championship club in this department, having registered 21 goal involvements this season.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, there’s one statement signing in the offing that could really take Chris Davies’ men to the next level.
Amazingly, reports at the back end of last month suggested that Davies and Co may well attempt to lure former striker Che Adams back to St. Andrew’s this summer, with the former Blues centre-forward currently enjoying life out in Italy with Serie A titans Torino.
Torino'sCheAdams
But, the allure of coming back to the Championship and being the club’s top dog could be very tempting for the goal-hungry 28-year-old.
How Adams can be Birmingham's own Vardy
If a statement reunion does get over the line, Birmingham might be about to win their very own version of Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy.
Why? Well, in the words of the Daily Mail’s Mark Wilson, ‘Adams is Scotland’s answer to Jamie Vardy’, having traded non-league football for Premier League riches, like his former Fleetwood Town counterpart.
Obviously, Adams hasn't quite reached the dizzy heights of Vardy's glory days yet, with the Foxes legend managing to lift a Premier League title across the course of his 199-goal spell at the King Power Stadium.
But, in a similar fashion to the 26-time England international, the 28-year-old Adams has never looked back since being given his first opportunities to impress in the EFL.
Indeed, the former Ilkeston youngster first settled into life as a goalscoring menace in the Championship and beyond on the books of the Blues.
Premier League
144 goals
25 goals
Championship
38 goals
49 goals
League One
0 goals
11 goals
FA Cup
7 goals
3 goals
EFL Cup
8 goals
11 goals
Sourced by Transfermarkt
The table above really reinforces how much of a clinical finisher the Scotland international has been over the years, up and down the relentless divisions, with Adams amazingly boasting more career goals in the Championship than Vardy, even if he has had struggles in the Premier League.
Therefore, bringing the Torino attacker back to Birmingham next season could work wonders for Davies’ men, especially as they aim to consolidate themselves as a second-tier outfit again.
Much like Vardy too, it seems as if Adams is gradually just getting the better the more his varied career chugs along, with the 28-year-old actually firing home ten goals for Torino this season so far, which is one more strike than Vardy’s own total leading the line for Leicester.
Moreover, the last time he was regularly performing at Birmingham’s level, the “fantastic” striker – as he has been previously lauded by ex-boss Ralph Hassenhuttl – managed to fire home a blistering tally of 15 league strikes for Southampton.
Former Birmingham striker Che Adams.
Therefore, Davies will be hopeful that Adams can just pick up from where he last left off if he does seal a return.
Birmingham would really show they mean business back in the Championship by winning Adams’ signature, with second-tier defences no doubt scared stiff by the prospect of the 28-year-old causing chaos again.
Birmingham can make Stansfield better by signing "outstanding" EFL star
Birmingham City would look immediately more confident in attack in the Championship if they signed this outstanding forward.
Arsenal are now willing to spend big to win the race for a “world-class” striker, who manager Mikel Arteta is a fan of, according to a report.
Season-defining PSG clash on the horizon for Arsenal
The Gunners have fallen short in their pursuit of the Premier League title, and there is now a growing possibility that they won’t even finish in second place, after suffering a 2-1 defeat at home against AFC Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side still have an outside chance of having a season for the history books, should they be able to overturn the one-goal deficit and beat Paris Saint-Germain to progress to the Champions League final on Wednesday night.
It will be a tall order for the north Londoners, however, and there is a feeling that a new striker may be required if they are to have a more successful 2025-26 campaign, having identified a number of potential targets.
Arsenal and Berta eye move for £68m star if Saliba is sold to Real Madrid
Real Madrid are interested in the Arsenal defender.
2 ByTom Cunningham May 4, 2025
One player on the shortlist is Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, with Arteta’s side believed to be very keen on the Serbian, and there has now been a new update on their transfer pursuit.
According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now willing to make a significant bid to win the race for Vlahovic, who could be allowed to leave Juventus for a fee of around €50m – €60m (£43m – £51m) this summer, a fee the Gunners can ‘easily afford’.
Dusan Vlahovic in action with Genoa'sKoniDeWinter
Arteta is a fan of the striker, with the Spaniard of the belief he could have the quality to help his side compete for major honours, and the fact that Juventus are open to a sale means it may not be too difficult to get a deal done.
The Serie A side are set to listen to offers for the forward, who currently earns a whopping £364k-per-week, which indicates wage demands could be a potential stumbling block.
Why "world-class" Vlahovic may not be the answer
It is clear that Arsenal are planning to bring in an out-and-out striker this summer, and there are some signs that Vlahovic could be a quality addition, having been lauded as “world-class” by journalist Siavoush Fallahi, courtesy of his performances in Italy.
However, the Belgrade-born striker hasn’t exactly set the world alight this season, netting just nine goals in 26 Serie A outings, failing to score in his last six matches.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Serie A
26
9
4
Champions League
9
4
1
Italian Cup
2
1
0
While an asking price of £51m is reasonable, the fact the 25-year-old’s wage demands could be high is another issue, and Arsenal may be better off making a move for a striker who has been in much better form this season.
Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres is an interesting option, having scored a remarkable 52 goals in 49 games this term, although there may be concern about the fact he is unproven in a major league, so there is no easy solution to Arsenal’s striker search.