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West Ham United have experienced a nightmare start to life back in the Premier League.

Graham Potter’s job security is already on thin ice at the Hammers a mere two games into the brand new season, having had to watch his hopeless team lose 3-0 away at Sunderland on the opening day, only to then be humiliated back on their patch 5-1 by near London rivals Chelsea.

It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom, however, with West Ham potentially able to restore some of their damaged pride by picking up some last-minute purchases in the transfer window to try and push them out of their malaise.

West Ham keep tabs on £20m star

Potter will look to be busy between now and September’s approaching deadline, knowing this could be make or break for his job in the long run.

Reports from Spain are indicating that the basement club are in talks over landing Barcelona youngster Hector Fort on loan, on top of AS Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa also being on their radar, albeit with Nottingham Forest and Atalanta being placed alongside them in the race for the £15m midfielder.

Away from those named, the forlorn Irons are also in the hunt for an experienced Premier League attacker who could be available for as cheap as £20m.

Indeed, a report from Caught Offside reveals that West Ham are keeping tabs on Raheem Sterling’s developing situation at Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, with Beskitas allegedly in the lead for the 30-year-old’s services, as the Turkish titans plan to send a delegation out to London shortly to seal a deal.

Still, not all hope will be lost, considering Caught Offside also state that the Blues number seven might prefer a London stay over a switch to the Super Lig, with Fulham also keeping an eye on the unfolding situation, alongside Potter and Co.

How Sterling can become the next Antonio

Despite Sterling’s missteps at both Chelsea and Arsenal in recent years, he could be the boost West Ham desire up top, with Potter potentially picking up the Hammers’ next version of Michail Antonio in the process.

The Premier League’s early relegation favourites waved goodbye to a whole host of experienced faces this summer, as the likes of Aaron Cresswell and Lukasz Fabianski departed the London Stadium.

The casualty that looks to have hurt the Hammers instantly is the loss of Antonio, though, with the loyal 35-year-old servant allowed to leave the building on a free transfer this summer.

Off the back of this decision, West Ham have only been able to carve out one big chance during their opening two league defeats, leading to former goalkeeper Robert Green bemoaning the lack of leaders in the dressing room after the sobering Blues loss.

With the Jamaican’s 83-goal tally gone, the Hammers are clearly in dire need of another seasoned head to try and get more out of a limp attack, which is where Sterling could come to the rescue if he can bounce back from disappointing stints elsewhere in London.

It’s clear from the table above that Sterling can be a “world class” star on his day – as he was once lauded by ex-City teammate Frank Lampard – with a mammoth 174 goals up his sleeve playing for some of the Premier League’s elite clubs, with a further 124 assists also catching West Ham’s eye. Incredible, 123 of those goals have come in the top-flight.

The 82-time England international might not lead the line in the same imposing manner as Antonio, but his creativity and efforts down the right wing might just enable the Hammers to get out of some sticky situations and soar up the league, with the likes of Niclas Fullkrug perhaps able to put his shaky start to the campaign behind him, knowing he has the expertise of the 30-year-old by his side.

Further dubbed as “outstanding” by football pundit Paul Merson when showing off flashes of his excellence at Stamford Bridge, Sterling will hope he can show there’s life still in his legs at the London Stadium, much like Antonio did during the 2023/24 season with seven goals next to his name, before his unfortunate Hammers exit.

After all, Sterling’s former Three Lions boss in Gareth Southgate did once herald him as a “fighter”, with a hope he can become a bright spark for West Ham during some testing times, too, leading to a sharp rise up the table imminently.

West Ham submit opening offer to sign "exciting" 6'2 Alvarez replacement

The Hammers have made their first move…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 23, 2025

Chelsea are now in negotiations to sign a “beautiful footballer”, and they have discussed the possibility of sending Christopher Nkunku in the opposite direction, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

Blues looking to offload Jackson and Nkunku

Once again, it has been a summer of heavy spending for the Blues, which means Enzo Maresca has been left with a somewhat bloated squad, and the manager may need to get two of his current forwards off the books.

Nicolas Jackson and Nkunku have been the subjects of widespread interest this summer, with the former now keen on joining Premier League rivals Newcastle United, while Bayern Munich have been named as potential suitors for the French striker.

Of course, Nkunku flourished during his previous stint in the Bundesliga, which led to his move to Stamford Bridge, with the former RB Leipzig man amassing a remarkable 35 goal contributions in 34 league outings during the 2021-22 campaign.

Same agent as Caicedo: Chelsea now eyeing "warrior" who's better than Araujo

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill is set to miss a significant portion of the upcoming season.

ByBen Goodwin Aug 11, 2025

As such, a move back to Germany could appeal to the forward, and a return could now be on the cards, according to Fabrizio Romano, who recently took to X to reveal that Chelsea have discussed swapping Nkunku for RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons.

The same applies to Tyrique George, with the Blues looking to orchestrate a swap deal for the RB Leipzig star, having perhaps been unwilling to match the German club’s reported £67m asking price outright.

In order to make room for the attacking midfielder and Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, the west Londoners are trying to get Jackson and Nkunku off the books, but negotiations over a deal for Simons remain ongoing in the meantime.

Simons keen on move to Stamford Bridge

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed the RB Leipzig attacker is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge this summer, and there are plenty of indications that he would be an excellent addition to Maresca’s squad.

Josh Bunting was left very impressed with the maestro’s performance in his side’s 4-2 victory over Werder Bremen back in January, singling him out for high praise on X.

The 22-year-old chipped in with ten goals and seven assists in 25 Bundesliga outings last season, which is a solid return, with the Dutchman also catching the eye against Spain at international level.

There should be some caution about the potential signing of Simons, given that Nkunku also flourished in the Bundesliga, before failing to kick on in the Premier League, but the Netherlands international clearly has the ability to succeed at Stamford Bridge.

Newcastle United look to have beaten Tottenham to the signing of a talented young gem, having reportedly reached an agreement with him.

The latest on Newcastle's attacking situation

Alexander Isak’s Magpies future has continued to dominate the headlines in recent days, with Liverpool seeing a £110m offer for the Swede rejected on Friday.

Newcastle will now be bracing themselves for a second bid for Isak’s signature from the Premier League champions, but they are unlikely to budge until a replacement is sorted, rather than risking getting themselves into a mess.

That could potentially be RB Leipzig marksman Benjamin Sesko, with one report even claiming that the Magpies have beaten Manchester United to his signature.

Brentford attacker Yoane Wissa is another strong target, while Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson have also been mentioned as options.

At the other end of the pitch, Chelsea centre-back Axel Disasi has been linked with a move to St James’ Park, with a new defender hugely important for Eddie Howe this summer.

Newcastle reach agreement with young English ace

According to NUFC Blog, Newcastle have reached an agreement with West Brom teenager Muawiya Gjhanem, pipping Tottenham and others to his signature in the process. The Magpies have actually beaten several ‘big six’ clubs.

The midfielder will “soon arrive on Tyneside” to complete the transfer, with the Magpies continuing to “bolster their academy ranks” with top young English talent.

Not a lot is understandably known about Ghanem, given his age and vast lack of experience, but signing top emerging talent has to be seen as a priority for Newcastle, allowing them to build into the future.

The 15-year-old predominantly operates as a No.8 in midfield, and he could learn so much from afar if he was at the same club as the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali.

The report states that Ghanem has “been invited to England’s talent ID camps, showing he is very much on the Young Lions’ radar”, and it looks like the only way is up for him currently.

Better than Sesko: Newcastle eyeing £40m striker who's "turning heads"

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be even better than Benjamin Sesko.

ByDan Emery Aug 3, 2025

The fact that Newcastle have seemingly pipped a number of big clubs to the Englishman’s signature speaks volumes about the strides they have made as a club in recent years, with young stars seeing them as an exciting place to move to.

Fair to say, West Ham United supporters are not best pleased with their club’s transfer business so far this summer.

This is mainly due to the fact that star attacker Mohammed Kudus has been sold to fierce London rivals Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £55m, the first player to make that controversial switch since Scott Parker in 2011.

In terms of arrivals, El Hadji Malick Diouf has joined from Slavia Prague for £19m, with Kyle Walker-Peters coming in on a free transfer from Southampton, both bolstering full-back options.

Nevertheless, even before Kudus’ departure, Graham Potter’s team lacked goals, thereby meaning additions will need to be made, so are the Irons closing in on a signing?

West Ham's search for a number nine

As the table below outlines, trying to be a productive goal-scoring centre-forward at West Ham United has proved to be something of an enigma.

Danny Ings

2023

£15m

69

5

Niclas Füllkrug

2024

£27m

20

3

Evan Ferguson

2025

Loan

8

Zero

Gianluca Scamacca

2022

£30.5m

27

8

Sébastien Haller

2019

£45m

54

14

Albian Ajeti

2019

£8m

12

Zero

Javier Hernández

2018

£16m

63

17

Lucas Pérez

2018

£4m

19

6

Andy Carroll

2012

£15m

142

34

Jordan Hugill

2018

£10m

3

Zero

Diafra Sakho

2016

£10m

71

24

Emmanuel Emenike

2016

Loan

16

2

Enner Valencia

2014

£12m

68

10

Michail Antonio

2015

£7m

323

83

As the table outlines, aside from Michail Antonio, over the last decade or so, West Ham have signed umpteen strikers, none of whom have been a success to any sort of degree, paying huge fees for Gianluca Scamacca, Sébastien Haller and Niclas Füllkrug in particular in recent summers.

As they aim to be a bit more shrewd in the transfer market, Jack Rosser of The Sun is reporting that West Ham have made an approach to sign Callum Wilson, who is a free agent after leaving Newcastle,

Rosser states that the Hammers are “in talks” over potential move, while revealing that the striker has “long had admirers” at the club.

Transfer Focus

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

Wilson, now 33 years old, played just 458 minutes last season due to a back and then hamstring injury, with the Irons looking for a deal that would be “weighted towards appearances/goals”.

Despite this, West Ham aren’t the only club interested in the veteran centre-forward, with Mark Critchley and Laurie Whitwell of the Athletic reporting that Manchester United have been ‘offered the chance’ to snap him up too, but could Wilson soon be on his way to East London?

How Callum Wilson would improve West Ham

Despite the presence of Alexander Isak, Eddie Howe described Wilson’s importance to Newcastle as “incredible”, adding that his goal-scoring record while on Tyneside was “excellent”.

This was no more so the case than against West Ham, so signing him would first and foremost prevent the veteran from adding to his remarkable scoring spree against the Irons.

West Ham United

16

12

Everton

12

8

Burnley

12

7

Huddersfield Town

6

7

Brighton

14

6

Southampton

14

6

Wilson averages a goal against West Ham every 88.5 minutes, on target against them at four different venues: the Boleyn Ground, Dean Court, London Stadium and St James’ Park.

Lorihanna Balabanova of Total Football Analysis praises his ‘position and intelligence’ in the penalty area in front of goal, while the aforementioned Howe believes that his “goal-scoring ability” has always been his “biggest strength”.

Meantime, Chris Waugh of the Athletic is impressed by his ‘aggression and tactical nous’, believing his ‘experience and scoring acumen’ at Premier League level is invaluable.

Should he join West Ham, this could only benefit Jarrod Bowen, as it would allow the Hammers captain to exclusively be deployed on the right-wing, which is his best position, with Roshane Thomas of The Athletic documenting how, even when he is deployed as the lone centre-forward, Bowen tends to drift wide.

In 2023/24, for example, the Englishman scored 11 goals and registered six assists from just 20 games as a right-winger, while recording ‘just’ nine goals and four assists in 22 games as a striker, as per Transfermarkt. The need to have him deployed in his best role is certainly evident.

Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian adds that West Ham ‘have already wasted a lot of money’ in an attempt to ‘satisfy an obsession’ which is searching for the perfect centre-forward, something that has proved largely elusive.

Well, as a free agent, Wilson certainly wouldn’t prove expensive and would surely score goals, given his track record, with the added bonus of getting the best out of West Ham’s star player, Bowen.

He'd finally replace Rice: £75k-p/w "monster" is now on West Ham's "radar"

West Ham United will be looking to finally replace Declan Rice by signing this first-class midfielder.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 23, 2025

Everton manager David Moyes finally completed a deal to bring Thierno Barry to the club from Villarreal.

A fee of £27m was spent to sign the Frenchman, but given his eye for goal in La Liga last term, it could turn into a bargain.

Next up for Moyes is adding another midfielder or two to his squad in the coming weeks. John McGinn has been heavily linked with a move to Merseyside.

He isn’t the only midfield option that Everton have been linked with, however, as Moyes also has his eyes on two former Premier League stars.

Everton’s search for a midfielder

According to Paul Joyce of The Times, Everton are showing interest in bringing Douglas Luiz back to 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.

He has been discussed internally at Everton, alongside McGinn, while Moyes could be set to target an ambitious move for Joao Palhinha – with the Portuguese also named as one of those under consideration.

The Bayern Munich midfielder hasn’t settled in Bavaria, which could open the door for Moyes to make a swoop this summer.

This experience abroad will have enhanced Palhinha’s skills, no doubt about that. The question is, could he be a better signing than McGinn for the Toffees?

Why Everton must sign Joao Palhinha

McGinn would be a fine signing, for that there is no doubt. Across 203 Premier League appearances, the Scot has scored 17 goals and grabbed 25 assists for Villa.

He will turn 31 in October, however, and while McGinn certainly has a few years left at the very top of the game, Moyes would be best to make a move for Palhinha, who offers more from a defensive point of view.

The Toffees conceded 53 goals last season across 42 matches. Not the worst return, but there is room for improvement.

When compared to his positional peers during his final Premier League campaign for Fulham in 2023/24, Palhinha ranked in the top 1% for tackles (5.07) per 90, while also ranking in the top 8% for interceptions (1.53) and in the top 10% for blocks (1.9) that season.

He may have only started six Bundesliga games for Bayern last term, but the Portuguese midfielder still won 58% of his total duels contested, while losing possession just 3.4 times per match.

Accurate passes

33.2

Tackles

4.6

Interceptions

1.4

Total duels won

7.6

Possession lost

9.1

Balls recovered

5.9

Hailed by journalist Dom Smith as “world-class” in November 2023, it was always going to be difficult for Fulham to keep one of their star men.

After just a single season in Germany, it appears as though Palhinha could be available this summer.

McGinn would offer plenty in the final third, but with Barry arriving, plus at least another couple more attacking players, Moyes must add some solidity to the midfield, especially after losing Abdoulaye Doucoure.

As such, signing a player such as Palhinha could turn into a stroke of genius by the manager given his previous success in the English top flight.

The dream squad Everton can build: £88m quintet & "beast" sign after Barry

A look at how Everton’s dream squad could shape up next season

1 ByJoe Nuttall Jul 10, 2025

Much will depend on the fee, but if it is within the club’s price range, Palhinha could be a fantastic signing, turning out to be even better than McGinn.

Moyes' own Palmer: Everton enter race for "special" £35m McAtee alternative

Everton are making sweeping changes in the summer transfer market.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 11, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now “pushing to sign” a £70m “beast” who is “very open to a move to Spurs” this summer, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.

Richarlison and Son Heung-min's futures up in the air

Despite an impressive 2023-24 campaign, it would be fair to say that Richarlison hasn’t exactly set the world alight since making the move from Everton, and the Brazilian once again struggled to make an impact last season after struggling with injuries.

Richarlison at Spurs

PL appearances

Goals

Assists

2022-23

27

1

4

2023-24

28

11

4

2024-25

15

4

1

As such, Tottenham have now made the decision to transfer list the striker, amid interest from Galatasaray and Saudi Arabia, with talks over a potential exit being held over the course of the past month.

Consequently, one of Thomas Frank’s main tasks this summer could be to bring in a replacement, and a £32m offer has now been submitted for Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz, who is also attracting attention from newly-promoted Leeds United.

There has also been speculation surrounding Son Heung-min’s future, with the captain at one stage said to have been close to an exit, and Spurs are now looking at bringing in a long-term replacement for the South Korean.

According to an update from Plettenberg on X, Tottenham are now “pushing to sign” West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus, who is “very open to a move to Spurs” this summer.

Negotiations are currently ongoing with West Ham, as Spurs “really want” to get a deal over the line, but there could be competition from clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

However, Kudus has aspirations of playing at the highest level in Europe, indicating the Lilywhites could be well-placed to win the race for his signature, with Champions League football set to be on offer at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season.

"Beast" Kudus could be exciting signing for Spurs

A deal for the Ghanaian is likely to be on the expensive side, with reports suggesting the Hammers could hold out for £70m, but there are plenty of signs that he could be an exciting addition to Frank’s squad.

The 24-year-old is a particularly impressive dribbler of the ball, placing in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons over the past year, when compared to other wingers, while he has also displayed an ability to create chances and score goals.

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

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

1 ByTom Cunningham Jul 6, 2025

Indeed, the West Ham star regularly contributed with goals and assists during his first season in England, picking up 17 goal contributions in the Premier League, while finding the back of the net five times in the Europa League.

Described as a “beast” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Kudus could take his career to the next level at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but there may be some reservations about shelling out £70m, given that he didn’t manage to kick on at West Ham last season.

Derby County have submitted a bid worth more than £5 million to sign a “great” player who wants to join the Rams, according to a recent report.

Derby re-sign Andi Weimann on a free transfer

The Rams have decided to bring back Andi Weimann to Pride Park for what will be his second spell at the football club. The forward joined the club at the start of the 2011/12 season and stayed until the summer of 2015, during which he scored 24 goals in all competitions.

He's spoken to Eustace: Derby now in talks to sign "wonderful" new winger

The Rams are looking to land their second signing of the summer.

2 ByTom Cunningham Jun 30, 2025

The versatile forward has now returned to Derby, as John Eustace reunites with the player after signing him for Blackburn Rovers last summer. The 33-year-old has signed a one-year deal with the Rams, and he’s told the club’s official website that he is “delighted to get the deal over the line”, and one of the reasons he decided to return was because of “the gaffer”.

Weimann said: “I’m happy to be back. I’m delighted to get it over the line now, and I am ready to crack on. I signed 10 years ago, and I left seven years ago. I had some good times, definitely, and I enjoyed my time here. Obviously, there were some disappointments because we lost in the play-offs twice, so maybe I’ve got a little bit to point to prove here.

“There are a couple of factors, to be honest. One is the gaffer. I loved working with him last year. I’ve obviously known him for a long time; I played with him at Watford when I was 19. Last year was the first time I worked with him [as a Head Coach]. I loved it and working with his staff as well. I enjoyed working with them. As someone around the training ground or the squad and everyone else involved, it’s brilliant. It was a big part of my coming here again and wanting to work with him for a bit longer.

“[My role is] similar to last season; I’m one of the more experienced players now. I’m nearly 34, so I’ve been around a long time, and I feel he likes what I can bring on the pitch but just as much off the pitch. I’d like to say I’m a good lad around the place; I think he liked that last year.”

Derby make £5m+ bid to sign "great" player for Eustace

Despite already wrapping up deals for Weimann and Carlton Morris, according to The Athletic, Derby have now submitted a bid to sign Patrick Agyemang from MLS side Charlotte FC.

The report states that the offer is worth $8 million, which is roughly £5.8 million, and while that has yet to be accepted by the MLS side, Agyemang has already been given the go-ahead to join the Championship side this summer.

The 24-year-old, who has been dubbed “great” by USA teammate Tyler Adams, joined Charlotte FC in 2022, and in the 2024 season, the versatile forward scored 10 goals in 31 MLS games. Agyemang was on course to beat that tally in the 2025 season, as he’s already scored six goals in 16 games.

Apps

72

Goals

22

Assists

5

The USA international is out of contract at the end of 2025, so Derby will be hoping that fee is enough for them to get a deal over the line and add Agyemang to their long list of exciting attackers ahead of the new season kicking off.

As Manchester United aim to clear some deadwood out of Ruben Amorim’s squad, Inter could reportedly provide a helping hand after submitting an enquiry to sign two Old Trafford attackers.

Man Utd exit door set to swing open

Whilst much of the focus so far this summer has been on the incomings that the Red Devils have made or could go on to make, there’s no denying that they’ve got plenty of work to do on the exit front. Before pre-season gets underway, there are several stars who should be shown the door if INEOS are to make room for the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Emiliano Martinez.

Among those is, of course, Rasmus Hojlund. The young forward struggled yet again last season – scoring just four Premier League goals – and is likely to leave Manchester United this summer as a result even if he does want to fight for his place.

It’s a return to Italian football which looks the most likely escape route for Hojlund in the coming months. Reports have already linked the forward to Serie A champions Napoli in a move that saw Scott McTominay rise to unexpected stardom, whilst previous headlines suggested that Inter are closing in on his signature.

His departure would certainly suit all parties. For Manchester United, although they wouldn’t be making back their stunning £72m fee that they initially paid out, they would be clearing an unwanted player from their wage bill. For Hojlund, meanwhile, it would be a much-needed fresh start.

Inter could yet do more than one deal with the Red Devils, however, amid rumours that they’re also interested in another unwanted star this summer.

Inter submit Rashford enquiry

According to Manchester Evening News, Inter have now submitted an enquiry to sign Marcus Rashford on loan. Like Hojlund, the England international is likely to leave the Red Devils this summer following a mid-season fall-out with Ruben Amorim and subsequent loan spell to Aston Villa.

Better signing than Ekitike: Man Utd submit bid for "world-class" £60m star

Manchester United could finally get their man after making a huge bid in recent days.

5 ByEthan Lamb Jun 21, 2025

It was at Aston Villa that Rashford began to rediscover his best form, though, and even earned the praise of manager Unai Emery. The Spaniard told reporters following Rashford’s impressive display against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League: “He is feeling better and he played a fantastic match. We are very happy. If he is happy, we are happy.”

Appearances

17

Goals

4

Assists

6

Whether Aston Villa, themselves, come back in for Rashford is another question that will be asked as the summer goes on. He certainly enjoyed success under Emery, but as their PSR issues continue, they simply may not be able to afford his £14m-a-year salary.

That could leave just Inter to swoop in and land a potential loan deal to welcome another Premier League player to the Serie A this summer.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is desperate to bolster his attacking options this summer, and Hugo Ekitike is a major target.

The Blues face competition from Manchester United, however, as the Red Devils have entered the race for the young Frenchman.

This could put Maresca on high alert, and he will do everything he can to try to lure the Eintracht Frankfurt striker to Stamford Bridge.

He isn’t the only transfer target to emerge from the Bundesliga, as news has emerged about their potential interest in a current RB Leipzig starlet.

Chelsea could target Bundesliga sensation

If a move for Ekitike does go through, Maresca will be keen on linking up with players who will be able to provide him with plenty of chances in the final third.

Of course, Cole Palmer will be ideal for him, but how about having a talent like Xavi Simons available?

Writer Bobby Vincent stated during a Q and A for football.london could perhaps be a target.

“As for Xavi Simons, I’ve heard his name mentioned a couple of times this summer as a potential option but nothing absolutely concrete yet,” said Vincent.

“He is someone who has cropped up in the past as well, so there is definite interest there.”

The Dutchman is still only 22 years of age and would make an ideal long-term option for Maresca, especially as he could work wonders with Ekitike.

Why Chelsea must sign Xavi Simons

Last season in the Premier League, Palmer created 24 big chances. Next on the list were Enzo Fernández with 13 and Pedro Neto with 11. These were the only players with over ten big chances created.

By signing Simons, Maresca would be getting a player who will be able to generate plenty of opportunities for Ekitike, who scored 22 goals in all competitions for Frankfurt this season.

Indeed, across 25 domestic matches last season, the youngster created 12 big chances, while also averaging two key passes per game and recording seven assists for Leipzig, which speaks to the kind of quality that he could provide the French striker with in front of goal.

Metric

Bundesliga

Champions League

Goals

10

0

Assists

7

0

Big chances created

12

4

Key passes per game

2

1.4

Successful dribbles per game

1.3

1.4

Via Sofascore

It is no wonder he has been hailed as a “fantastic talent” in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig. Now, Simons is finally delivering on his massive potential.

While Leipzig may have underwhelmed in the Champions League last season, Simons, who has been hailed as a “pocket rocket” by analyst Raj Chohan, shone from an individual perspective.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the tournament, the 22-year-old ranked in the top 2% for shot-creating actions (5.91) and total shots per 90 (2.69) while also ranking in the top 9% for successful take-ons (1.88) and in the top 12% for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.49) per 90.

This set of statistics proves that Simons is among one of the finest attacking midfielders on the continent when it comes to creating chances, which is why he would be a dream signing alongside Ekitike as they could link up in the final third with the Dutchman creating chances for the striker to tuck away.

It could be a dream duo for the club next season, and if the club go far in the Club World Cup, there will be money to spend.

Chelsea can sign a bigger talent than Ekitike with move for £65m "maverick"

Chelsea could have the chance to reignite a move for a former target

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 14, 2025

Aston Villa are set for a busy summer after missing out on Champions League football, but they may now be in position to strike for a talented winger from the continent.

Aston Villa run rule over Rashford and Asensio alternatives

Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio were both instrumental signings from Unai Emery in January, though landing either on a permanent basis may prove difficult after having to settle for a place in the Europa League next term.

Admittedly, Emiliano Martinez departing to ease pressure on Aston Villa’s PSR situation could create some room for manouvre on that front if he leaves before the June 30th deadline.

Talks have been held to sign Asensio and both parties feel a return to Villa Park for the Spain international makes sense, though it remains to be seen if the financial realities of such a scenario stand the test of time.

In the meantime, seeking out alternatives appears to be a smart move from Aston Villa, who have placed Tyler Dibling high on their radar and watched him several times in a campaign where he became a shining light at Southampton.

Similarities have been cited between the Saints’ playmaker and Villans target Jack Grealish amid news that Emery is interested in bringing the Three Lions international back to his former stomping ground.

Aston Villa’s top five scorers in 2024/25 – should they add to their forward line?

Ollie Watkins

17

Morgan Rogers

14

Jhon Duran

12

Marco Asensio

8

Youri Tielemans

5

Such a move would be bound to provoke a mix of excitement and trepidation in equal measure. However, plenty of other names will begin to circulate in connection with Aston Villa as the window begins to heat up.

Like clockwork, Emery’s men are now interested in yet another wide-man and have reportedly started to make advances on that front.

Aston Villa register interest in Real Betis star Jesus Rodriguez

According to Spanish reports, Aston Villa are circling for Real Betis winger Jesus Rodriguez and have moved to register their interest, therefore making contact with the Europa Conference League finalists regarding his situation.

The outlet relay that RB Leipzig have submitted an offer mooted to be in the region of £16.8 million for his services. However, it is noted that he has a release clause of £29.4 million, which is possibly a more realistic price-tag. Manchester United and Liverpool have also been mentioned as suitors.

Aston Villa now ready to offer major deal to sign £50m Mozambique winger

He could replace Marcus Rashford.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 4, 2025

Monchi and company don’t want to miss a market opportunity like Rodriguez, and the Spain Under-21 international’s running style has been likened to Gareth Bale’s unique presence, giving an inkling of what fans could expect if he does end up at Villa Park.

This campaign, the Seville-born talent has registered five goals and four assists in 44 appearances and is very much one for the future at 19-years-old.

With Aston Villa set for changes this summer, Rodriguez could provide some youthful exuberance on either flank as Emery looks to challenge the elite and make strides in Europe.