All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City are known for their ties to the Middle East, with Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) owning the majority of the club after buying 90 per cent from Thaksin Shinawatra back in 2008.

As one of the biggest wage spenders in the Premier League, the Citizens currently have a whopping annual payroll of £219,845,000, with the average player earning more than £6.6m per season.

With that being said, we at Football FanCast have ranked every Manchester City player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

1

Erling Haaland

£525,000

£27,300,000

2

Bernardo Silva

£300,000

£15,600,000

3

Omar Marmoush

£295,000

£15,340,000

=4

John Stones

£250,000

£13,000,000

=4

Gianluigi Donnarumma

£250,000

£13,000,000

=4

Ruben Dias

£250,000

£13,000,000

7

Tijjani Reijnders

£230,000

£11,960,000

8

Phil Foden

£225,000

£11,700,000

9

Rodri

£220,000

£11,440,000

10

Josko Gvardiol

£200,000

£10,440,000

11

Rayan Cherki

£180,000

£9,360,000

12

Nathan Ake

£160,000

£8,320,000

=13

Mateo Kovacic

£150,000

£7,800,000

=13

Kalvin Phillips

£150,000

£7,800,000

15

Matheus Nunes

£130,000

£6,760,000

16

Rayan Ait-Nouri

£120,000

£6,240,000

17

Stefan Ortega

£90,000

£4,680,000

=18

Nico Gonzalez

£75,000

£3,900,000

=18

Jack Grealish

£75,000

£3,900,000

=20

Jeremy Doku

£50,000

£2,600,000

=20

Oscar Bobb

£50,000

£2,600,000

=20

Abdukodir Khusanov

£50,000

£2,600,000

=20

James Trafford

£50,000

£2,600,000

=20

Savinho

£50,000

£2,600,000

25

Marcus Bettinelli

£35,000

£1,820,000

=26

Rico Lewis

£25,000

£1,300,000

=26

Nico O’Reilly

£25,000

£1,300,000

Here's a detailed look at Man City's top 10 earners… 9 Josko Gvardiol £200,000 per week

Josko Gvardiol is one of 10 City stars who collect £200,000 per week or more, with the Croatia international signing from RB Leipzig in 2023.

Gvardiol has proven his versatility by starring at centre-back and left-back and scored some important goals during his first campaign to help City to a fourth Premier League title in a row.

8 Rodri £220,000 per week

You could argue that defensive midfielder Rodri should be higher up on this list as he is one of, if not, the most influential Man City player. The Spaniard has starred in recent seasons and even scored the winning goal in the club’s historic Champions League final win over Inter Milan.

He missed the majority of the 2024/25 season through injury, though.

7 Phil Foden £225,000 per week

Academy graduate and boyhood Blue, Phil Foden signed his most recent City contract back in 2022 where he picks up a reported £225,000 per week.

The England international has quite the trophy haul at the age of 25 and who knows, he could look to stay at the Etihad for his entire career.

6 Tijjani Reijnders £230,000 per week

Tijani Reijnders caught the eye of Man City after starring for AC Milan, and those at the Etihad made their move in the summer of 2025 in a deal worth an initial £46.3m.

The Dutchman took the number four shirt in Manchester, previously worn by another central midfielder, Kalvin Phillips.

5 Gianluigi Donnarumma £250,000 per week

Replacing Ederson over the summer, Gianluigi Donnarumma arrived at the Etihad after helping Paris Saint-Germain to a historic treble.

Named the best goalkeeper in the world in 2025 by winning the Yashin Trophy, Donnarumma signed a five-year deal and is in line to earn £65m in wages as a Man City player.

4 John Stones £250,000 per week

John Stones is under contract until 2026, where he will hit his 10th anniversary after joining from Everton back in 2016.

The centre-back has won it all with City and has made more than 250 appearances in all competitions during that time.

3 Omar Marmoush £295,000 per week

Omar Marmoush was Man City’s marquee arrival in January 2025, with the free-scoring forward arriving from Eintract Frankfurt.

Since then, the Egyptian star has filled the void left by Julian Alvarez and has already formed a partnership with Erling Haaland in attack.

2 Bernardo Silva £300,000 per week

Arguably one of Man City’s most underrated players during this golden era under Guardiola is Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese midfielder’s tireless running and quality on the ball has seen him become a mainstay after arriving from Monaco in 2017.

He is out of contract in 2026.

1 Erling Haaland £525,000 per week

Goal machine Erling Haaland has found the back of the net for fun in a Man City shirt since 2022 after leaving Borussia Dortmund.

The Norway superstar could go on and break plenty more records in a Sky Blue shirt, and his new huge nine-and-a-half-year contract signed in 2025 sees him take home £525,000 per week.

Celtic remain top of the Scottish Premiership table, albeit only just.

On Sunday, the Hoops required a very controversial penalty to beat Kilmarnock 2-1 at Rugby Park; Kelechi Ịheanachọ marking his debut by converting a 96th-minute spot-kick in Ayrshire.

This means Brendan Rodgers’ side remain above Hearts by virtue of goal difference, albeit they’ve scored just eight goals in five Premiership fixtures so far, which has to be a concern ahead of their Europa League opener against Crvena zvezda at Stadion Rajko Mitić in Belgrade next Wednesday.

The departures of Kyōgo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kühn this year explain why the Celts are finding goals hard to come by, so would they actually have been better off keeping hold of a forgotten flop sold for just £500,000 by Ronny Deila?

Celtic's messy striker situation

Having not replaced the aforementioned Kyōgo, who was sold in January, it then came as a massive surprise when, on deadline day, Celtic sold Adam Idah to Swansea City for £7m.

Supporters assumed the club must have a replacement lined up but, well, that just wasn’t the case, seeing multiple low-ball bids rejected by Anderlecht for Kasper Dolberg, who never had any intention of moving to Glasgow, instead re-joining Ajax.

The window closed and Rodgers’ squad featured no senior centre-forward so, in a state of panic, the Celts signed Ịheanachọ, the Nigerian international having become a free agent after his contract had been terminated by Sevilla, showing how far from desperate the Spanish side were to have him around.

Well, considering Ịheanachọ scored zero La Liga goals for los Nervionenses, it is easy to understand why.

So, while the 28-year-old did convert that penalty at Kilmarnock, the jury very much remains out on whether or not he’ll be a success at Parkhead, so would a forgotten ex-Celtic flop actually have been a better option, still banging the goals in at 35?

Forgotten former Celtic striker still prolific

Back in August 2013, another classic late-summer signing, Celtic bought a 23-year-old by the name of Teemu Pukki from Schalke for a reported fee of £3m.

The Finnish international did score during his first two Premiership appearances, on target against Hearts and St Johnstone, but didn’t make much of an impression after that, netting just nine times in 38 outings for the club, loaned out to Brøndby a year later, before joining the Danish club permanently for around £500k, to no outrage or fuss whatsoever.

Well, since he was last seen in Glasgow, Pukki has scored 210 club goals, as well as becoming Finland’s all-time record goalscorer, smashing Jari Litmanen’s record, firing the Eagle-owls to their first-ever major tournament by netting ten times during Euro 2020 qualifying.

He is most well-known for his five seasons at Norwich City, scoring 29 and then 26 times as the Canaries won two separate EFL Championship titles, also bagging a respectable 11 Premier League goals in both 2019/20 and 20221/22.

During his peak at Carrow Road, teammate Marco Stiepermann labelled him a “special” player, adding that he “is much colder in the 18-yard box than Robert Lewandowski”, who the German had previously played alongside at Borussia Dortmund.

After leaving Norfolk, Pukki joined Major League Soccer side Minnesota United, scoring 14 times in 43 outings for the Loons, helping them reach last year’s MLS Western Conference semi-finals, most notably bagging four during a 5-2 victory over LA Galaxy in October 2023.

Since 2009, only ten players have scored 4+ goals in a single MLS match.

Not satisfied with his output in 2024 though, Minnesota allowed him to leave earlier this year, with Pukki thereby returning to his homeland in January, re-joining HJK Helsinki, a move that has certainly revitalised his career.

Pukki has bagged 18 goals in 2025, and counting, netting ten times in the Veikkausliiga, also on target when HJK were dumped out of Conference League qualifying by Bulgarian side Arda Kardzhali on penalties.

The table below fully documents Pukki’s scoring exploits since joining Celtic.

2013/14

Celtic

9

2014/15

Brøndby

11

2015/16

Brøndby

13

2016/17

Brøndby

29

2017/18

Brøndby

19

2018/19

Norwich

30

2019/20

Norwich

11

2020/21

Norwich

26

2021/22

Norwich

11

2022/23

Norwich

10

2023*

Minnesota

10

2024*

Minnesota

4

2025*

HJK

18

*MLS & Veikkausliiga are summer leagues.

As the table documents, aside from his miserable year in Saint Paul throughout 2024, Pukki has been prolific everywhere he has been since his one-year stint at Parkhead.

His 18 goal haul in 2025 is more than Idah’s tally of 12, while you have to go back to January 2023 to find Ịheanachọ’s 18th goal ago, having not bagged eight in a single campaign since 2020/21.

Thus, Pukki’s short-lived Celtic career proves that players should never be written off and may simply find themselves in the wrong environment at the wrong time.

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Newcastle United’s growing interest in Hugo Ekitike could boil down to any number of reasons, but the minds of Liverpool fans will no doubt be drawn toward the possibility of signing Alexander Isak.

Certainly, it makes little sense for the Magpies to fork out £86m on Eintracht Frankfurt’s covetous centre-forward only for him to contest with Isak for the focal berth. It’s a tussle he’s apt to lose, relegating himself to the backbenches or at least as the second fiddle to Eddie Howe’s offensive instrument.

Of course, there’s the possibility that Ekitike will jockey with the Sweden international for a term or two before taking his place upon an eventual transfer to one of Europe’s true powerhouses. Like Liverpool, perhaps.

But then Arne Slot isn’t going to want to hang about for a new number nine, one who can replace Darwin Nunez. A resolution of some regard will be reached this summer, bringing a striker to Anfield’s pitch.

FSG are proving themselves to be incisive now that they have returned to the pinnacle, champions of the Premier League. Just look at Liverpool’s move for Florian Wirtz.

Why Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz

When Liverpool lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, Slot knew his team needed to replace the creativity of a man who had been described in the past being “like having Kevin de Bruyne playing at right-back” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher.

It would have been negligible to have attempted to sign a cardboard cutout at right-back, so instead, signing a world-class playmaker like Wirtz to nestle into midfield made much more sense. He cost a British record £116m, but it’s likely to be money well spent all the same.

The attacking midfielder, indeed, ranked among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe last season for both shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Looking at his accomplishments in Germany’s top flight, it’s easy to forget that Wirtz is a 22-year-old who has already rebounded from a potentially detrimental ACL injury.

But that brutal setback in 2022 has only fuelled his ascent to the realm of the world-class.

24/25

31 (25)

10

12

23/24

32 (26)

11

11

22/23

17 (11)

1

6

21/22

24 (22)

7

10

20/21

29 (25)

5

5

19/20

7 (3)

1

–

For now, we wait with bated breath for the German international to grace the Premier League and lead Liverpool toward further riches.

Liverpool often strike gold when raiding the Bundesliga, and they appear ready to do so once more before the summer market slams shut, repeating their Wirtz acquisition.

Liverpool in contact to sign new striker

If Liverpool are to replace Nunez this summer, they will want to sign a striker fit for a Premier League title defence. Isak or Ekitike would do the trick, but an alternative pick has also been earmarked in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian striker, 22, has been on Arsenal’s radar for a long time, but the Gunners are pushing ahead with a move for Viktor Gyokeres, thus opening the door for Liverpool to pounce.

That’s according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, anyway, who revealed that Sesko’s agents have been in contact with Liverpool over a potential summer deal, offering his services to the Reds.

It’s unclear, however, whether the Bundesliga outfit will be inclined to budge on their €90m (£78m) valuation – a figure which proved to end Arsenal’s interest.

What Benjamin Sesko would bring to Liverpool

Sesko is a raw talent but one whose ceiling stretches far above the potential of most other forwards. His power and predatory instinct suggest he has what it takes to become a superstar in the Premier League.

Standing at 6 foot 5 but blessed with the high-speed running and ability to use his physicality to a great effect, he’s been hailed as a “monster” in the final third by analyst Ben Mattinson, who continued to remark he’s “raw but has excellent fundamentals”.

With some fine tweaks and Slot-led coaching, he could prove to be one of the very best in the English top flight, something talent scout Jacek Kulig definitely believes is within his grasp, having gone as far as to dub him “the new Haaland”.

It’s clear that this young and rising star could emulate Wirtz in travelling to England from Germany and becoming a superstar. The latter, of course, hasn’t actually kicked a ball in the country yet, but he’s regarded as one of the world’s best all the same.

RB Leipzig

24/25

45

21

RB Leipzig

23/24

42

18

RB Salzburg

22/23

41

18

RB Salzburg

20/21

37

11

RB Salzburg

20/21

1

0

FC Liefering

20/21

29

21

FC Liefering

19/20

15

1

As you can see, Sesko has improved steadily, continually, establishing himself as the kind of striker who can provide a steady source of goals in a top-five European division like the Bundesliga.

And he’s going to be supported and developed with a partnership with Wirtz, for sure. But more to the point, Sesko has the potential to become a superstar of equal proportions, so mobile and dynamic in his play, ranked among the top 11% of centre-forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last season for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Then, of course, Sesko’s goalscoring ability, the way in which he swings his leg and connects with ridiculous power (something Jurgen Klopp would attest to), emphasises that Haaland-esque ability that underscores his world-class potential.

Liverpool would be taking something of a risk by forking out a significant sum for a player who has yet to reach their potential, but Sesko has all the properties of a Liverpool-level forward, leading the line across a period of sustained success.

Given their success in raiding the Bundesliga, Liverpool might just want to take the punt, quickly repeating what promises to be a triumph in bringing Wirtz over from Bayer Leverkusen.

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ByAngus Sinclair Jul 13, 2025

Manchester City have held talks over a deal to sign an “exceptional” £100m star, with personal terms agreed, but he could now join Tottenham Hotspur.

Man City eyeing midfielder amid doubts over Gonzalez's future

Despite only signing Nico Gonzalez last winter, Man City are already thinking about sanctioning the midfielder’s departure this summer, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey saying: “I am told that City would be open to Gonzalez leaving this summer.

“Gonzalez is one to watch, we have been anticipating the likes of Ilkay Gundogan going, maybe even Mateo Kovacic – but Gonzalez could very well be looking at a quick-fire City exit.”

“It has been played down in some quarters, but his name has come up in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, intermediaries are working and have been told to look at it.”

Bailey also suggests that Gundogan and Kovacic’s futures are in doubt, which means Pep Guardiola may need to bring in at least one new midfielder this summer, and progress was made in the pursuit of a Premier League star.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, who stated Man City have agreed personal terms with Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, having been working on a deal behind the scenes.

The attacking midfielder has decided the Etihad Stadium is his preferred destination, but City are yet to reach an agreement with Forest, and it could be difficult to prise the midfielder away from the Tricky Trees.

Since then, it has been revealed that Tottenham Hotspur are also in the race for Gibbs-White, with new Spurs boss Thomas Frank keen on a deal and a £60m move appears to be progressing.

Their own Frimpong: Man City ready to launch £21m bid for "monster" star

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ByKelan Sarson Jul 8, 2025

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are reluctant to lose both Anthony Elanga and Gibbs-White in the same transfer window, and the former is now set to sign for Newcastle United in a £55m deal, but it looks as if it could happen.

Gibbs-White could be "exceptional" signing for Man City

Some previous reports suggested his current employers could hold out for £100m, but there are plenty of signs that he could be a good acquisition for Guardiola or Spurs.

Unlike Gonzalez, who has failed to kick on at the Etihad Stadium, the England international is already Premier League proven, which makes the deal less risky, having performed very well for Forest over the past three seasons.

Season

PL appearances

Goals

Assists

2022-23

35

5

8

2023-24

37

5

10

2024-25

34

7

10

Forest flirted with relegation in their first two seasons back in the Premier League, yet the maestro still managed to record very impressive attacking numbers, which indicates he could kick on considerably in a better side.

Gibbs-White is clearly held in very high regard by Guardiola, with the City boss lauding him as “exceptional” last season, so it is little wonder that City are pursuing a deal, however, they may miss out to Tottenham.

Journalist Joshua Barrie claims that Glasgow Rangers will make more signings from domestic markets, in Scotland and England, than they did last summer.

There has been some intense reaction to his claim, with some supporters citing signings like Kieran Dowell and Ben Davies, who are now surplus to requirements at Ibrox.

However, it is also worth acknowledging that Rangers have picked up some bargains from England, specifically, in recent years, including Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo.

Rangers set to sign Brighton youngster

The Light Blues could be on the lookout to repeat the blinders they played with both of those players, as they are closing in on a young talent from England this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Football Insider, Rangers have agreed a deal to sign 16-year-old starlet Zebedee Lawson from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

The report claims that the Scottish Premiership giants have beaten several clubs to his signature, and that the winger, who was described as a “sensation” by journalist Pete O’Rourke, was highly-rated at the English club.

That is why Football Insider adds that this is regarded as a ‘major coup’ for the Ibrox side, and potentially for Russell Martin in the future, as they are now set to sign the teenage forward.

Rangers could now be about to repeat the masterclass they played when they snapped up Bassey from then-Premier League side Leicester City in the summer of 2020.

Lawson could be a Bassey repeat for Rangers

The Light Blues hit the jackpot with Bassey because they snapped him up for a fee of just £230k and slowly developed him to become a key first-team player before he made a big-money exit in 2022.

He only made eight Premiership appearances in his first year at Ibrox, as he settled into life as a first-team option, before the defender played 50 times in the 2021/22 campaign after Giovanni van Bronckhorst put his faith in the versatile star, who played at left-back and centre-back.

July 2020

Reported £230k fee

January 2021

£427k

June 2021

£340k

December 2021

£850k

June 2022

£8.5m

July 2022

Reported £22.7m fee

As you can see in the table above, Bassey’s value did not immediately soar, due to a lack of game time, in his first time, but it did fly up when he was a regular in the side, before his £22.7m move to Ajax in 2022.

Lawson, who is only 16, will now be looking to follow in the Nigeria international’s footsteps by ditching a midtable Premier League academy to make the move to Ibrox, as Bassey did in 2020.

The teenage Brighton talent made a breakthrough at U18 level this season with a return of three goals and one assist in 13 matches as a right winger, despite only being 16, which may be why he is so highly-regarded at the AMEX.

This shows that he is making good progress and heading in the right direction, which is why he could be such an exciting signing, and the Gers will be hoping that the forward can continue to progress at Ibrox.

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There is no telling how he will develop in Glasgow, as not every player will soar in value as Bassey did, but Rangers have clearly identified him as a talented prospect, and hopefully he will live up to the hype and end up being a Bassey repeat for the Light Blues in the future.

After already making their first approach for his signature, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly been handed the green light to push on and sign a talented 17-goal striker this summer.

Nottingham Forest plotting South American swoop

If recent rumours are anything to go by then Nottingham Forest’s recruitment team certainly has a soft spot for South American talents. Having already watched the likes of Murillo thrive at the City Ground, Evangelos Marinakis is set to welcome at least three more Brazilian talents this summer amid reports that Forest have agreed a deal to sign Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha and Cuiabano from Botafogo.

Just how much of an instant impact all three players make remains to be seen, but there’s no denying that they are all talented in their own right. That said, the standout remains Jesus.

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The young striker has looked ready for a move into European football for some time and the City Ground could be the perfect environment for his goalscoring prowess to thrive alongside a South American contingent.

Given that all three players are currently at the Club World Cup with Botafogo, the big question for Forest will be whether they can complete their triple swoop in time for them to feature at the start of next season.

The Tricky Trees have just discovered where they’ll be and when in the Premier League season, with the visit of Brentford awaiting on the opening day in August. It’s then that Nuno Espirito Santo could have the aforementioned trio available and potentially one more Brazilian talent at his disposal.

Nottingham Forest receive green light for Romulo move

Having already made their first approach and established contact over a potential deal, those in the Midlands could now take their next step towards another South American star. According to CNN Turk, as relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest have now received the green light to sign Romulo Cardoso by the forward himself, who wants to complete a move to the Premier League.

Appearances

33

Goals

17

Asssists

10

At 23 years old, Romulo has already made his mark on European football with as many as 17 goals and 10 assists in just 33 appearances in Turkey last season. Now, he could be set to complete the biggest move of his career.

Nottingham Forest join race for £85m star who’s starred at Club World Cup

He’s a man in demand…

ByTom Cunningham Jun 18, 2025

The striker spot is certainly up for grabs at Nottingham Forest too. As impressive as Chris Wood has been – scoring 20 Premier League goals last season – there’s no denying that he’ll be past the peak of his powers sooner rather than later at 33 years old. And that’s why Romelo’s arrival would prove to be so important this summer.

Preparing for life in the Championship, Wrexham are now reportedly pushing to seal a bargain deal to sign a Premier League veteran who’s scored over 70 goals in England’s top flight.

Reynolds: Wrexham ready to be "aggressive"

After a third-straight promotion created history, anything is possible for Wrexham. The Hollywood show has become better by the season, but now the Welsh club are in need of their best characters yet as they aim to cause further shocks in the Championship.

Up into England’s second tier and just one step away from the Premier League, whilst owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be in dreamland, they won’t want to stop here.

Reynolds and McElhenney now lead race to sign 22 y/o MLS ace for Wrexham

The Welsh club are preparing for life in the Championship.

ByTom Cunningham May 28, 2025

Speaking on the RobRyanRed fan podcast recently, Reynolds claimed that Wrexham are ready to be “aggressive” in the market this summer, saying: “We’re coming to win. I can’t give you a dollar figure, but I can tell you that we are going to be as aggressive as we can possibly be while being mindful of sustainability. We have a stadium to revamp, but will still maintain its character and culture.”

On that front, there have already been several rumours as to who could arrive at Wrexham this summer with Tom Cairney among those rumours. The experienced Fulham midfielder has been offered a new contract at Craven Cottage, but it remains to be seen whether he decides to put pen to paper or join up with Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham side this summer.

The Premier League midfielder isn’t the only name on The Red Dragons’ radar though. Rangers’ Tom Lawrence has also been the subject of reported interest in recent months, whilst another top-flight veteran could also arrive.

Escaping the Championship will be Wrexham’s toughest challenge yet but if the reports are anything to go by, Reynolds and McElhenney are once again ready to back the Welsh side.

Wrexham pushing to sign Danny Ings

According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Wrexham are now pushing to sign Danny Ings, who is set to become a free agent at the end of his West Ham United contract this month.

It’s reported that talks have already been held with the player’s representatives ahead of a summer switch.

The veteran striker has played for the likes of Liverpool, Southampton and Aston Villa, but could now be on his way to Wrexham at 32 years old.

Appearances

240

Goals

72

Assists

24

Whilst many will be quick to point out his injury record, there’s no denying that Ings knows exactly how to find the back of the net at the top level. If Wrexham not only secure his signature but also keep him fit, then the former Liverpool man could spearhead their biggest shock yet.

Ings has earned plenty of praise during his time in the Premier League, including from former Aston Villa boss and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard who described the striker as “selfless” during his time at Villa Park.

In what could be one of his last moves in English football, Wrexham should roll out the red carpet for Ings this summer and welcome an experienced, talented goalscorer.

It’s fair to say that Arsenal love shopping in the Premier League. It’s been a solid reason for their improvement over the last several years.

The theory is that if you poach players already comfortable in England’s top-flight, then they shouldn’t need much of an adaptation period.

That’s certainly been true for a number of players Mikel Arteta has signed. Think Gabriel Jesus who scored five goals in his first eight games for the club. Think Golden Glove winner David Raya, £50m signing Ben White and to some extent Kai Havertz, who has become a key player.

The biggest success story, of course, has been club-record signing Declan Rice.

Signed for £105m, he’s made his price tag look like a bargain, dazzling on the biggest club stage of them all against Real Madrid and PSG.

So, could Arsenal look set to replicate that triumph in 2025?

Arsenal could sign another big-money Premier League star

Much of the talk this summer has surrounded who the Gunners could add to their forward line.

In the offensive positions, it looks as though RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres are the two prime candidates, but rumours linking Arteta and Co with Ollie Watkins are not going away either.

How Arsenal's striker targets compare in 2024/25.

Arsenal lodged a bid for Watkins last January that was quickly rejected and just a few months later, they could turn their attention towards Villa again.

This time it may not be Watkins on the agenda either, with the Independent’s Simon Collings revealing this weekend that ‘Arsenal are admirers of Morgan Rogers.’

Transfer Focus

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

The report notes that the north Londoners are tracking a number of players but Rogers is someone that the recruitment team particularly like.

There are set to be some sizable obstacles in the way with previous reports suggesting Chelsea are interested in the Villa playmaker and that he could also cost in the region of £100m.

Why Rogers could replicate Rice at Arsenal

When you spend over £100m on a footballer, you expect immediate success. Sadly, that isn’t always the case.

Just look at Jack Grealish at Manchester City. A previous £100m buy, he’s not even among City’s travelling party for the upcoming Club World Cup.

For Rice, however, he’s only taken his game to the next level. Some players combust under the pressure of such a high price tag but the former West Ham star has only thrived.

Those remarkable free-kicks against Real Madrid will live long in the memory, with Rio Ferdinand suggesting that the England international has now “put himself in another bracket” of midfielders, having “run the show” in both legs against the Spanish giants.

Rice has been simply sublime in Arsenal colours and heads into next season off the back of a career-best seasonal haul of nine goals and ten assists in all competitions.

2021/22

50

5

4

2022/23

50

5

4

2023/24

51

7

10

2024/25

51

9

10

Well, in Rogers, another possible £100m + Premier League star, they could be confident of sealing an equally good signing.

Aged just 22, the England international swapped Middlesbrough for the Midlands in January 2024 and 18 months down the line, he is now an “unstoppable” forward player in the words of Jamie Carragher.

An attacking midfielder by trade, Rogers cemented himself as one of the finest young players in the country throughout 2024/25, notably scoring a Champions League hat-trick against Celtic, on the way to collecting 14 goals and 15 assists across all competitions.

To put those numbers into context, the Villa star scored one fewer than Havertz (15) and registered the same number of assists as Bukayo Saka. On that evidence, he’s pretty damn special.

It’s rare you find a player you’re so confident will do well after investing in, but like Rice, Rogers would surely be that man.

Akin to Arsenal’s midfield maestro, the Villa sensation turns up in the big moments too. He scored against PSG in the Champions League quarter-finals, netted against Manchester City and also registered four assists in the last seven league games as Unai Emery’s men hunted down a successive year in Europe’s elite competition.

While they ultimately missed out on the final day, that lack of Champions League football may well actually help the Gunners if they decide to ramp up their interest.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 7, 2025

Manchester United have a huge summer ahead of them to right the wrongs of the 2024/25 campaign, which has seen the club register their worst ever Premier League points tally.

The Red Devils ended the season on just 42 points, sitting in a measly 15th place, with Ruben Amorim needing an overhaul of the squad this summer if he’s to be a success at Old Trafford.

He had the opportunity to end the year on a high in the Europa League final, but his side suffered a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur – topping off the dismal campaign for the club.

However, work already appears to be underway for new additions, with Matheus Cunha edging closer to completing his £62.5m switch from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Brazilian certainly won’t be the last addition to join the club during the off-season, potentially being joined in the North West by multiple other talents in the coming months.

The latest on United’s pursuit of new additions this summer

In recent weeks, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been linked with a move to join United, linking back up with Amorim after the pair spent time together at Sporting CP.

However, updates have since emerged which have stated that a move for the Swede may now be off the table this summer, with fellow English side Arsenal also in the race for his signature.

It would likely be disappointing for the supporters if he were to move elsewhere, but it has allowed for other deals to advance, including that of Liam Delap, according to ESPN.

The report states that the Red Devils have agreed personal terms with the Ipswich Town striker ahead of a £30m deal after the Tractor Boys suffered relegation to the Championship.

It also claims that United are trying to move the deal quickly to avoid missing out on the 22-year-old given fellow interest from the likes of Chelsea and Everton over the last few days.

Why United’s latest target would be unplayable alongside Mbeumo

Despite the recent activity in the market, United’s transfer business doesn’t appear to be slowing down, after making advances in a deal to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.

Over the last few days, it’s been reported that the club have held talks with the Cameroonian international, with the Bees demanding a fee in the region of £50m this summer.

The 25-year-old has registered 20 goals and seven assists in his 38 league outings this season, being one of five players to reach such a figure in 2024/25.

Whilst such a deal would likely be another huge investment, it’s one that would massively bolster the options at Amorim’s disposal – potentially moving the side in the right direction next campaign.

Alongside his goal tally, Mbeumo has registered a tally of 1.8 chances created per 90, along with 1.4 successful dribbles per 90 – handing Delap the tools to succeed within the final third.

The talisman, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has that all-round presence at the top end of the pitch that the side have been missing over the last few months.

He’s scored 12 goals this season, whilst registering 1.1 shots on target per 90, offering a clinical edge that could drastically improve the current goalscoring tallies at the club.

Arnaud Kalimuendo

Stade Rennais

33

17

Hugo Ekitiké

Eintracht Frankfurt

33

15

Emanuel Emegha

Strasbourg

27

14

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

33

13

Mika Biereth

Monaco

16

13

Liam Delap

Ipswich Town

37

12

Thierno Barry

Villarreal

35

11

Joao Pedro

Brighton

27

10

The former Manchester City star has also completed 1.4 dribbles per 90, along with two aerials won per 90 – handing the side the focal point to play off in attacking areas.

He loves to play on the shoulder of the defender, able to make key runs in behind, something that could see him link up with Mbeumo given his own tally of chances created.

Whilst Delap may not be the supporters’ first choice this summer, he would provide a young and talented option that is only going to develop further in the years ahead.

The prospect of the pair combining at Old Trafford is certainly an exciting one, with the pair able to work together under Amorim’s guidance to try and bring the glory days back for the club.

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ByDan Emery May 26, 2025

Looking to celebrate their FA Cup final victory in style this summer, Crystal Palace have now reportedly set their sights on signing a relegated midfielder who will be worth £30m in the coming months.

Crystal Palace set for Europa League campaign

Of course, Palace’s FA Cup win wasn’t just a significant moment for the end of their trophy drought, it also secured their place in the Europa League. The South London club will be going on what they hope to be a lengthy European tour next season and one which could yet be full of shocks. As Oliver Glasner’s side proved at Wembley, they’re more than capable of upsetting the odds.

As the celebrations continued, Glasner shared the pride that he has in his side, telling reporters: “I can’t really believe it. If you play this game ten times, we win it once and that happened today.

“We scored the first time we were in their half and then we defended with every single phase of the body and a great goalkeeper, a great mentality and togetherness. I’m really proud of the team and the staff – congratulations, all the credit goes to them.”

With silverware secured, meanwhile, those in South London look set to turn their attention towards the summer transfer window. With European football to offer, it could be argued that Palace are in their strongest-ever position to attract top players, which could yet see them enjoy quite the summer of recruitment.

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ByBrett Worthington May 19, 2025

Already, names such as Nadiem Amiri have threatened to steal the headlines on the recruitment front. The Mainz 05 midfielder could leave the Bundesliga club this summer and become one of potentially a few fresh faces at Crystal Palace.

The focus certainly seems the midfield for the Eagles too, who have also been linked with signing a relegated star in the coming months.

Crystal Palace battling to sign Fernandes

According to Alan Nixon on his Patreon, Crystal Palace are now battling to sign Mateus Fernandes from Southampton this summer, with the Saints set to demand around £30m to sell their midfield star. The 20-year-old only arrived at St Mary’s last summer, but already looks likely to leave after Southampton suffered instant relegation back down to the Championship.

It remains to be seen just where his next destination is, but he certainly has some interesting potential suitors. Alongside Crystal Palace, both Leeds United and Aston Villa are reportedly jostling to sign the relegated star.

A player who analyst Ben Mattinson described as “super complete” during his time at Sporting Club, Fernandes still has plenty of potential to unlock. His time at Southampton will be looked back on with plenty of frustration from all parties, but he was often the standout. Now, Palace could help prove just how talented the midfielder is.