Bayern Munich's record-breaking start to the season has earned plaudits, but Didi Hamann sees a potential danger. The German legend believes the team's 'youthful enthusiasm' and excessive running, such as in their 5-1 win over Pafos in midweek, could have 'brutal consequences' later in the season, highlighting a flaw in their otherwise dominant approach.
Glasgow Rangers will play Club Brugge in the play-off round of the Champions League qualifiers with a chance to reach the league phase of the competition.
The Gers booked their place in the play-off round with a 4-2 aggregate win over Viktoria Plzen in the last eight days, which was largely thanks to their 3-0 win at Ibrox last week.
Despite a 2-1 defeat away to the Czechia-based outfit on Tuesday night, Russell Martin will be delighted that his team have navigated two Champions League qualifying ties already.
What the former Southampton boss will not be best pleased with, though, is that one of his star players could be facing a significant period on the sidelines.
Cyriel Dessers hobbled off the pitch with an injury against Viktoria Plzen and Martin confirmed after the game that the forward has suffered a “nasty” injury to his ankle.
It now remains to be seen how long the Nigeria international will be out of action for, as the Scottish giants need to wait on the results of a medical scan.
Why Rangers would need to replace Cyriel Dessers
The Light Blues would need to replace the former Cremonese centre-forward in the summer transfer window if this injury is as ‘nasty’ as Martin suggests, and he is out for a significant period of time.
This is because, as it stands, Danilo is the only fit senior number nine in the squad, with Dessers and Hamza Igamane currently sidelined. That is a concern because the Brazilian forward has a worrying fitness record of his own.
The ex-Feyenoord attacker has missed 53 matches through injury in the last two seasons, per Transfermarkt. This means that Martin cannot rely on him to be available week-in-week-out, as the striker has not proven that he has the durability to be consistently available for the Light Blues over the course of an entire campaign.
Therefore, a potentially long-term injury to Dessers, who scored against Viktoria Plzen in the first leg at Ibrox, would result in the Gers needing to find a new centre-forward to lead the line.
Appearances
35
Goals
18
Big chances missed
21
Duels won per game
2.0
Ground duel success rate
34%
Aerial duel success rate
31%
Duel success rate
33%
As you can see in the table above, the Nigerian forward was not perfect in the Scottish Premiership last term, as he missed 21 ‘big chances’ and lost the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air.
What you cannot dispute with Dessers, though, is that he does score goals. 18 goals in 35 appearances, despite not being very clinical with the chances that came his way, is not a horrendous return for the attacker.
This is why Rangers will need to sign a new striker to ensure that they carry enough of a threat at the top end of the pitch if it turns out that the 30-year-old marksman is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
With this in mind, the Light Blues must react to his ‘nasty’ injury blow by swooping to sign one of their reported transfer targets before the end of the window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Last month, it was reported that Rangers were interested in a deal to bring Girona centre-forward Bojan Miovski back to Scotland, 12 months on from his move to Spain from Aberdeen.
Why Rangers should sign Bojan Miovski
The Light Blues must swoop to sign the striker, who was signed for £7m last summer, as a reaction to the injury to Dessers, as he is a proven Premiership striker who would be the perfect addition for this situation.
Estadio Deportivo reported earlier this week that Miovski is likely to move on from Girona, in order for them to sign another number nine, which suggests that the door is open for the Gers to bring him to Ibrox.
With this in mind, Rangers should move to bring him in to ensure that Martin has a striker whom he can rely on to score goals on a regular basis in the Premiership if Dessers, who scored 18 in the league last term, is not going to be available for the foreseeable future.
Danilo, who also has his aforementioned injury issues, has only scored nine Premiership goals in just over two seasons with the Light Blues, per Sofascore, which does not suggest that he is likely to step up and be the main man for goals for the manager.
Miovski, who has scored against Rangers in the past for Aberdeen, is a striker who would be able to come in and hit the ground running as someone who has already shown that he can score goals on a consistent basis in the Scottish top-flight.
xG
15.60
17.08
xG on target
18.36
17.60
Goals
16
16
Shots on target
36
44
Chances created
27
23
Assists
2
2
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed attacker enjoyed two very impressive seasons in the Premiership during his time with the Dons, scoring 32 goals.
Whilst he ‘underperformed’ against his xG in the 2023/24 campaign, his xG on target (the quality of his shots) suggests that it was more down to high-quality goalkeeping than poor finishing.
The Macedonia international, who was described as a “complete number 9” by journalist Josh Bunting, has shown that he can perform well against his xG, given the quality of his shots across both seasons, and score goals at an impressive rate in the division.
That is why, given the recent update on his availability, Rangers should be making a move to formalise their interest in him as a reaction to the injury to Dessers, as he would be a perfect replacement for the Nigeria international.
Worse than Gassama: Martin must axe Rangers dud who lost 83% duels in UCL
Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin must drop this flop who was even worse than Djeidi Gassama.
1 ByDan Emery Aug 13, 2025
It is now down to the board, though, to back Martin with a move for the £7m-rated marksman to truly bolster the team’s attack before the end of the window.
Bayern Munich reportedly launched a shock summer swoop to sign Raheem Sterling but the Chelsea misfit rejected the Bavarians. The Bundesliga champions made their move late in the window, with Vincent Kompany eager to link up with his former Manchester City teammate. But despite Bayern offering the lure of trophies and Champions League nights, Sterling gave them a flat rejection.
The South Africa captain is set to complete ten years in Test cricket and has asserted his desire to keep going
Firdose Moonda04-Dec-2024
Temba Bavuma now has three Test centuries, two as captain•AFP/Getty Images
A decade ago (allow us the leniency of three weeks because it was actually Boxing Day 2014), a young Temba Bavuma made his Test debut at St George’s Park to mark one of the most significant full circle moments in South Africa cricket.Bavuma, who traces his roots back to the Eastern Cape, was the first black African specialist batter for the national men’s team and represented hope and change; the former for a majority population disenfranchised by segregation and the latter for what a team of the future could look like: inclusive, representative, and accessible to all.Now, Bavuma is captain of that same team and their most senior batter. He leads a side that is in the running for their first World Test Championship (WTC) final. Like the narrative that has (perhaps unfairly) followed him from day one, he has come the full circle.Related
Fun and runs aplenty courtesy no-fuss Bavuma
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South Africa and Sri Lanka look to keep their WTC final hopes alive
'Old dog' Paterson ready to show the world his new tricks
So, what’s changed between the Bavuma of 2014 and the Bavuma of 2024?”I’ve got less hair,” he joked at St Georges’ Park on the eve of the second Test against Sri Lanka. “In terms of the way I view the game, I see it a bit differently. When I came here as a 24-year-old, I was naive to a lot of things. Now, ten years later, having gone through the journey, the ups and downs, you appreciate things a lot more. You don’t take things for granted. And you try to find moments and memories in everything that is happening around you.”The Bavuma of 2014 entered a team filled with superstars who had already started retiring and that were about to enter a slide. They beat West Indies in his first outing, but went on to lose heavily in India, which ended a nine-year unbeaten away run, and opened up a period of uncertainty. In every year that Bavuma played, a big name called it a day.The leadership changed hands three times in the first two years from Hashim Amla to AB de Villiers to Faf du Plessis and the champion fast bowlers were battling serious injuries. South Africa slipped down the rankings and were taken less seriously as a Test team while Bavuma himself was considered a bit-part player.Temba Bavuma is airborne as he upper-cuts•Gallo Images/Getty Images
In his first eight years, he scored only one century and though most of his 20 fifties came in trying situations, numbers mattered. As did reputation. Between 2021 and 2024, he missed ten Tests through injury, was made white-ball captain and led the T20 side through two group stage exists at World Cups.Bavuma was also replaced as T20 captain and promoted to the Test leadership. Some of what Bavuma went through would have made a less steadfast cricketer walk away, but the strength of his conviction made him stay and now that he marks a decade as an international, he is glad he did.”I’ve been very grateful for the journey that I’ve been on, everything that has come with it. People always say that in hard times you really get to discover yourself, and I really do think that is true,” he said. “The one thing that hasn’t changed or won’t change is my passion and love for the game. It’s through that I’ve been able to overcome everything that has come my way. And, also there’s an ambition and a fire inside of me of certain things that I want to achieve.”One of those things must be the WTC final, which he spoke about as having put a “bigger value on Test cricket.” Another has to be hundreds. He now has three, two of them as captain. When Bavuma leads the side, he averages 54.22 which speaks to how that has brought out the best in him even as he has worked to balance the roles of skipper and senior batter.”The challenge that I’ve found as captain is separating those two. It’s important that you are able to do so,” he said. I focused a lot more on Temba the captain, to be honest, and everything that comes with it and I haven’t really given the energy and time that Temba the batter requires.”Yet the runs have come and Bavuma puts that down what time away from the game has forced him to do. “Being injured and not being able to be in the middle gave me time to kind of reflect on myself as a batter, what my goals are, how I want to go about doing my business, and obviously putting in the time and effort to do so.”Bavuma’s latest niggle is an elbow problem which kept him out of the matches in Bangladesh. He now bats with significant strapping and has had to put his beloved golf clubs down to prioritise his batting. Those are all things Bavuma is willing to do as he chases his cricketing dreams and despite being ten years in, he has promised there’s more to come.”I feel that I’ve got a couple of more years in me. Mentally, that is; physically, not too sure,” he said. “As long as I’m still enjoying the game, I’m still passionate about the game, I still get joy from seeing other guys perform and become inspired, I’ll still be well and truly on this journey.”
MatériaMais Notícias
Desde a lesão de Renato Augusto contra o Liverpool-URU, pela Libertadores, o debate sobre o substituto do camisa 8 voltou a ganhar força no Corinthians, e Matheus Araújo entrou forte na briga pela posição.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansRóger Guedes cita técnicos europeus para defender trabalho de Lázaro no CorinthiansCorinthians16/04/2023CorinthiansLázaro elogia Cantillo, vê Corinthians intenso contra o Cruzeiro e explica mudanças no esquema táticoCorinthians16/04/2023CorinthiansMatheus Araújo agradece Lázaro e festeja primeiro gol pelo Corinthians: ‘Estava batalhando por isso’Corinthians16/04/2023
+Matheus Araújo e Róger Guedes comandam vitória do Corinthians sobre o Cruzeiro no Brasileirão
O garoto da base entrou no final do primeiro tempo, na vaga de Giuliano, e fez o primeiro gol do Timão sobre a Raposa. Ele exaltou a qualidade que Renato traz ao time e valorizou seu momento no clube.
– O Renato é um jogador de ótima qualidade, todo mundo sabe da falta que ele faz. Estou trabalhando muito, me preparando bastante para aproveitar as oportunidades que vem surgindo. Hoje foi mais um dia que aproveitei, mas agora é seguir trabalhando, quarta e domingo tem jogos e precisa estar preparado para esses momentos – disse Matheus na zona mista.
+ Guia Corinthians: onde assistir, análise dos adversários e tudo sobre o Timão na Libertadores
Apesar de ter jogado mais recuado no Sub-20, Matheus citou suas características e se colocou à disposição de Lázaro para jogar mais avançado, como armador.
– Acabei fazendo a função de segundo homem no Sub-20, mas antes, no Sub-17, fazia essa função de meia mais ofensivo. Me adapto bem, sou um meia bastante ofensivo, consigo chegar na área, finalizar, fazer gol. Faço bem essa função – afirmou.
Após anotar seu primeiro gol pelo Corinthians, o Cria do Terrão foi às lágrimas e vibrou muito com o gol, exaltando sua jornada no clube.
+ Veja tabela e todos os confrontos do Brasileirão
– Não sabia o que fazia, se gritava, chorava ou comemorava. Foi um momento muito importante, lutei muito para estar aqui. Foi um momento de alívio – concluiu Matheus Araújo
Agora, o Corinthians voltou suas atenções para a Libertadores. Nesta quarta-feira (19), às 21h30, o Timão recebe o Argentinos Juniors pela segunda rodada da fase de grupos.
continua após a publicidade
Cricket South Africa has confirmed it will continue to engage Afghanistan in bilateral fixtures because it does not believe in punishing the men’s team for the Taliban’s actions in their home country.CSA’s statement comes in response to severe criticism including from activist organisation Lawyers for Human Rights, which said that by playing Afghanistan, South Africa were tacitly endorsing a repressive regime and called for CSA to boycott Afghanistan. The Taliban government has not only banned women from playing sport but from most areas of public life which the South African government has expressed grave concern over while not calling for outright sanction. CSA has taken a similar approach.In a statement issued on Thursday, CSA confirmed that although it believes “women’s cricket deserves equal recognition and success,” it would not unilaterally isolate the Afghanistan men’s team for its country’s government policy.Related
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SA reaffirms support for women's cricket ahead of Afghanistan series
“CSA remains mindful that gender equity should never come at the expense of one gender over another,” the statement said. “We recognise that advocating for the advancement of one gender should not undermine the rights of the other. CSA believes there is no justification for subjecting Afghan cricket players – both male and female – to secondary persecution for the actions of the Taliban. We will continue to engage with member countries within the formal structures of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address this matter.”CSA’s stance is also in line with the position of the ICC, which is wary of banning Afghanistan despite their being the only Full Member without a women’s side. ESPNcricinfo understands that among the complexities of forcing the ACB field a women’s team is the risk it could take of retribution from the Taliban, which could include putting those women’s lives at risk.Cricket Australia, on the other hand, has taken the opposite position and on advice from its government has refused to play Afghanistan bilaterally in protest against human rights abuses. CSA does not believe this tactic will be effective and prefers to apply a wide lens on the issue. “Gender advocacy in cricket should never be advanced by meting out punishment on innocent cricket administrators and players for the misdemeanours of a regime that stands to lose nothing from that punishment,” its statement said.South Africa are in a unique position to comment such as this because they were banned from international sport themselves from 1970, as a global response to the Apartheid regime. One of the continued discussion points of their isolation was what it would do to sporting careers. At the time, only white South Africans were allowed to represent South Africa, while people of colour had no hope of a professional sports career. South Africa were readmitted after two decades and questions over racial representation remain part of their reality. When asked whether the banning of their organisation also punished administrators and players, an insider pointed out that while it did, it was not effective in advocating for change. “The apartheid government continued with its atrocious policies despite their athletes being banned from international sport. What truly broke the camel’s back were economic sanctions.”CSA also argues that the situation at the ACB is slightly different as there were steps being taken to have a women’s team prior to the Taliban takeover. “Any measures we consider must take into account the progress made by the Afghanistan Cricket Board in promoting women’s cricket prior to the Taliban’s ban on female participation in sports in August 2021.”In 2020, the ACB pledged contracts to 25 female players, which showed steps towards creating a women’s team were being made. Those players attended a training camp and were due to play against Oman but the games did not take place. Many of them are now in exile in Australia and have called on the ICC to support the creation of a refugee team for them based at the East Asian Cricket office. It is not known if any of the refugee sportswomen are in South Africa.CSA’s statement is also a nod to the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) who, last week, issued an advisory supporting the promotion of women in cricket and called on CSA to use its leverage to highlight rights for Afghan women. Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s ODI captain, echoed SACA’s sentiments and called women’s rights “something that is quite strong within my own values.”South Africa and Afghanistan are currently playing a three-match ODI series in the UAE. Bavuma missed the first match, which South Africa lost by six wickets, with illness. The second and third ODIs are scheduled to be played on Friday and Sunday. This three-match contest was not on the original Future Tours Programme (FTP) and was sought by CSA and the ACB with a view to preparing for next year’s Champions Trophy.
CA = Cricket Australia contract | R = Rookie contract
WomenAlisha Bates, Paris Bowdler, Zoe Cooke, Grace Dignam, Holly Ferling, Angie Genford, Amy Hunter, Carly Leeson, Grace Lyons, Katie Mack, Shivani Mehta, Chelsea Moscript, Anesu Mushangwe, Olivia Porter, Gabrielle Sutcliffe, Annie WikmanIn Zoe Cooke (Queensland), Anesu Mushangwe (South Australia), Shivani Mehta, Chelsea Moscript
Out Kayla Burton, Rebecca Carter, Chloe Rafferty, Jannatul Sumona
MenCharlie Anderson (R), Sean Abbott (CA), Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins (CA), Joel Davies (R), Oliver Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hackney, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Josh Hazlewood (CA), Moises Henriques, Ryan Hicks (R), Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon (CA), Nic Maddinson, Blake Nikitaras, Jack Nisbet, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Will Salzmann (R), Tanveer Sangha, Lachlan Shaw (R), Steven Smith (CA), Mitchell Starc (CA), Chris Tremain, Adam Zampa (CA).In Nic Maddinson (Victoria), Josh Philippe (WA), Sam Konstas
Out Baxter Holt (WA), Blake MacDonald, Ross Pawson, Jason Sangha (South Australia), David WarnerWomenJade Allen, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Hannah Darlington, Sienna Eve, Ashleigh Gardner (CA), Alyssa Healy (CA), Ebony Hoskin, Elsa Hunter, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Lauren Kua, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield (CA), Claire Moore, Kate Pelle, Tahlia WilsonIn Sienne Eve, Elsa Hunter, Lauren Kua, Kate Pelle
Out Georgia Adams, Saskia Horley, Isa Malgioglio
MenLachlan Aitken (R), Xavier Bartlett (CA), Max Bryant, Hugo Burdon, Jack Clayton, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja (CA), Marnus Labuschagne (CA), Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Jimmy Pierson, Matthew Renshaw, Jem Ryan (R), Gurinder Sandhu, Jack Sinfield, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker (R), Connor Sully, Mitch Swepson, Bryce Street, Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Whitney (R), Jack WildermuthIn Angus Lovell, Lachlan Hearne, Callum Vidler, Lachlan Aitken, Jem Ryan, Tom Straker
Out Joe Burns, James Bazley, Blake Edwards, Aryan Jain, Matthew Kuhnemann (Tasmania), Will Prestwidge (Tasmania)Women Lily Bassingthwaighte, Bonnie Berry, Lucinda Burke, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris (CA), Nicola Hancock, Laura Harris, Kira Holmes, Jess Jonassen (CA),Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia Voll, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mikayla WrigleyIn Mikayla Wrigley, Lucinda Bourke, Lily Bassingthwaite, Lauren Winfield-Hill
Out Zoe Cooke (ACT), Mikayla Hinkley (WA), Ellie Johnston, Ruth Johnston (Tasmania)
MenWes Agar, Kyle Brazell (R), Jordan Buckingham, Aidan Cahill (R), Alex Carey (CA contract), Harry Conway, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Travis Head (CA), Henry Hunt, Spencer Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Harry Matthias (R), Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Conor McInerney, Nathan McSweeney, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Campbell Thompson (R), Henry ThorntonIn Mackenzie Harvey (Victoria), Conor McInerney, Jason Sangha (NSW), Campbell Thompson
Out Jake Carder, David Grant, Isaac Higgins, Kelvin SmithWomenHollie Armitage, Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown (CA), Emma de Broughe, Josie Dooley, Emmerson Filsell, Paris Hall, Eleanor Larosa, Tahlia McGrath (CA), Courtney Neale, Annie O’Neil, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Kate Peterson, Megan Schutt (CA), Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Ella WilsonIn Hollie Armitage, Emmerson Filsell
Out Anesu Mushangwe (ACT), Sam BettsMatt Kuhnemann has moved to Tasmania in the search for more red-ball cricket•BCCI
MenGabe Bell, Iain Carlisle, Nick Davis (R), Jake Doran, Kieran Elliot, Jarrod Freeman, Bradley Hope, Caleb Jewell, Matt Kuhnemann, Raf MacMillan (R), Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Aidan O’Connor (R), Mitch Owen, Will Prestwidge, Nivethan Radhakrishnan (R), Jordan Silk, Billy Stanlake, Charlie Wakim, Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster, Macalister WrightIn Matt Kuhnemann (Queensland), Will Prestwidge (Queensland), Kieran Elliot, Raf Macmillan
Out Sam Rainbird, Matthew Wade, Paddy DooleyWomenNicola Carey, Julia Cavanough, Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham (CA), Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Emma Manix-Geeves, Tabatha Saville, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Lauren Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman, Elyse Villani, Callie WilsonIn Ruth Johnston (Queensland)
Outs Sasha Moloney (Victoria), Clare Scott
MenAustin Anlezark (R), Liam Blackford, Scott Boland (CA), Dylan Brasher, Josh Brown, Ashley Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Harry Dixon (R), Sam Elliott, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Jai Lemire (R), Reiley Mark (R), Glenn Maxwell (CA), Cameron McClure, Jono Merlo, Todd Murphy (CA), Fergus O’Neill, Mitch Perry, Will Pucovski (TBC), Tom Rogers, Matt Short, Tyler Pearson (R), Peter Siddle, Will Sutherland, Douglas WarrenIn Josh Brown
Out Travis Dean, Matt Fotia, Nic Maddinson (NSW), Tom O’Donnell, Wil ParkerWomenSophie Day, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Poppy Gardner, Kim Garth (CA), Hasrat Gill, Ella Hayward, Olivia Henry, Milly Illingworth, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Sophie Molineux (CA), Sasha Moloney, Jasmine Nevins, Ellyse Perry (CA), Georgia Prestwidge, Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland (CA), Tayla Vlaeminck (CA), Georgia Wareham (CA)In Hasrat Gill, Sasha Moloney (Tasmania)
Out Rhiann O’Donnell, Samantha Bates
MenCameron Bancroft, Mahli Beardman (R), Hilton Cartwright, Cooper Connolly, Brody Couch, Keaton Critchell, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Cameron Green (CA), Sam Greer (R) Jayden Goodwin, Aaron Hardie (CA), Liam Haskett, Baxter Holt, Josh Inglis (CA), Bryce Jackson, Matthew Kelly, Mitchell Marsh (CA), Lance Morris (CA), Hamish McKenzie, Joel Paris, Corey Rocchiccioli, D’Arcy Short, Charlie Stobo, Ashton Turner, Josh Vernon (R), Corey Wasley (R), Sam Whiteman, Teague WyllieIn Keaton Critchell, Brody Couch (Victoria), Baxter Holt (NSW), Corey Wasley
Out Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Josh Philippe (NSW), Marcus Stoinis, AJ TyeWomenChloe Ainsworth, Charis Bekker, Zoe Britcliffe, Mathilda Carmichael, Piepa Cleary, Maddy Darke, Bhavi Devchand, Amy Edgar, Lisa Griffith, Mikayla Hinkley, Alana King (CA), Shay Manolini, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney (CA), Taneale Peschel, Chloe PiparoIn Bhavi Devchand, Mikayla Hinkley (Queensland), Shay Manolini
Out Ashley Day, Georgia Wyllie, Poppy Stockwell
Chelsea’s activity within the transfer market has been there for all to see over the last couple of seasons, spending over £1.3b since the takeover in May 2022.
The Blues have wasted no time in already bolstering Enzo Maresca’s side this summer, landing Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr to provide depth in key areas of the pitch.
After securing Champions League football and winning the Conference League, the club are heading in the right direction, needing to build on the impressive work conducted in 2024/25.
If they want to go to the latter stages and Europe and mount a serious push for the Premier League, quality and depth are desperately needed, as seen by the business already conducted in recent weeks.
However, such moves don’t appear to be slowing down, with the manager and board already working hard to land more additions when the window reopens on the 16th of June.
The latest on Chelsea’s hunt for new additions this summer
Jamie Gittens has been the name on the lips of all Chelsea fans over the last couple of weeks, with the Blues having two separate bids rejected for the Borussia Dortmund star.
Maresca desperately wanted to sign the 20-year-old winger ahead of the Club World Cup, but no doubt will return after the competition to secure a deal for the Englishman.
However, he could be joined at Stamford Bridge by Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, after the England player emerged on their shortlist, according to Football Insider.
They claim that the Blues have been monitoring a deal for the 25-year-old in recent weeks, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side demanding a fee in the region of £100m for his signature.
It also states that he wants to play Champions League football next season, something he could do in West London after Maresca’s side beat the Reds 1-0 at the City Ground on the final day.
Why Gibbs-White could be Maresca’s own Wirtz
Over recent weeks, Florian Wirtz has been a name almost every English football fan has become familiar with after Liverpool’s attempts to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star.
The German attacking midfielder has caught the eye in recent times, registering 30 combined goals and assists across all competitions, making him one of the hottest prospects in European football.
It’s been reported that he’s agreed a €150m (£127m) deal with Arne Slot’s side to move to Anfield this summer, massively increasing their chances of retaining their Premier League title.
However, Maresca could land his own version of the superstar this window by pursuing a move to sign Gibbs-White, with the Forest sensation having the tools to thrive at the Bridge.
When comparing his stats with those of the German international this season, he’s managed to outperform in numerous key areas – showcasing how much of an impressive addition he would be for the Blues.
Gibbs-White, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one journalist, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has managed to register more goals per shot on target – showcasing his excellent ability in front of goal.
He’s also managed to match him for passes completed, with the Forest star registering more passes into the final third per 90, handing the attackers ahead of him the chance to thrive in the final third.
Games played
34
31
Goals & assists
15
22
Goals per shot on target
0.4
0.2
Pass accuracy
78%
78%
Passes into final third
4.1
3.6
Aerials won
42%
20%
Tackles won
1.4
1.2
Key passes made
2.6
2.1
The Englishman’s talents don’t stop there, winning more aerials and more tackles, handing Maresca another excellent option without possession in West London.
While £100m may appear a ludicrous figure for the 25-year-old, he has the talents to take his game to the next level, especially if he’s operating around elite-level stars.
Given how he’s managed to outperform Wirtz in some key areas, it would be a superb signing and one that could catapult the club into a Premier League title battle in 2025/26.
A bigger talent than Gittens: Chelsea still looking at "special" £50m star
Chelsea are looking for new attackers this summer
ByJoe Nuttall Jun 11, 2025
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’.
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.
While it’s impossible to deny that for large parts of this season, Arsenal haven’t performed to the standards they’ve set in previous years, they have also been quite unlucky regarding injuries.
Specifically, in late December, Mikel Arteta lost his best player and talisman to a severe hamstring injury that kept him out of the side for almost four months: Bukayo Saka.
The best way to demonstrate what a difference having the Hale Ender in the side could have made in that period is to look at his outrageous output, as despite missing so much football this season, he’s still managed to score 11 goals and provided 14 assists in 33 games, at an average of a goal involvement every 1.32 games.
So, with the Englishman unquestionably being the Gunners’ most important player, it would make sense to sign players who would make great teammates for him, which, based on recent reports, seems to be the opinion of Andrea Berta and Co.
Arsenal transfer news
Before we get to the player in question, it is worth looking at some of the other stars Arsenal are looking at who could help Saka reach that next level by improving the left-hand side, such as Jamie Gittens and Raphinha.
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The former has recently popped up as a target for the Gunners and could be available for around £51m, which for a youngster who’s scored at the Bernabeu and has racked up a haul of 17 goal involvements this season and could prove a worthwhile investment.
Likewise, while the reported price tag of £77m for the Barcelona star is indeed steep, he would undoubtedly be worth it, as in just 52 games this season, he has managed to rack up an unreal haul of 57 goal involvements.
Yet, what would likely help Saka more than anything else is signing a new striker, which is where Liam Delap enters the fray.
According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal are now incredibly interested in the Ipswich Town striker, with Andrea Berta particularly keen.
Furthermore, it’s moved beyond just an interest, with the report revealing that the club have now made an offer for the Englishman, who has a £30m release clause in his deal following the confirmation of the Tractor Boys’ relegation.
He might not be the biggest of names, but given how well he’s performed this season and his potential, Delap is someone worth signing, especially as he’d be a dream for Saka.
Why Delap would be a dream for Saka
Now, there are a few reasons why Delap would be a dream signing for Saka this summer, but they ultimately boil down to his ability in front of goal, as the Arsenal winger would surely thrive with a more clinical striker to his left.
We feel comfortable calling the Englishman more clinical than the Gunners’ current options up top, as it’s a statement more than backed up by the numbers.
For example, Understat has worked out that his 12 league goals this season have come from an expected goals figure of just 11.85, which, in other words, means he’s actually outperforming his underlying numbers.
Delap
11.85
12
Havertz
11.76
9
Jesus
3.38
3
In contrast, prior to his injury, Kai Havertz scored his nine league goals from an expected goals figure of 11.76, and Gabriel Jesus scored his three goals from an expected figure of 3.38.
On top of being better at putting away his chances, of which he’d be provided plenty from the Hale Ender, the 22-year-old marksman is more than capable of creating his own chances.
For example, FBref places the “complete” forward, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, in the top 8% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 9% for shot-creating actions from successful take-ons, the top 10 % for carries into the final third and more, all per 90.
So not only would he help boost the Arsenal ace’s assist tally, but the attacking “monster” – in the words of Ipswich podcast Mark Heath – would almost certainly boost his goal output as well.
Ultimately, from price to goals and his ability to get the ball into dangerous areas, Delap seems like an ideal signing for Arsenal and, just as importantly, someone who’d be a sensational teammate for Saka.
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