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Arsenal could make a late summer bid to sign one £26 million Olympic gold medalist after they finally agree a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino.

Arsenal remain in ongoing talks to sign Mikel Merino

The Gunners have been negotiating with Sociedad over Merino for weeks now, as Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal recruitment team attempt to add a Euro 2024 winner to their ranks ahead of the new Premier League season.

Arsenal hold talks with agents of £60m Brazil striker after 25-goal season

The Gunners are searching for a new forward.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 14, 2024

Merino, who scored eight goals and registered a further five assists across 45 appearances in all competitions last season, has entered the final 12 months of his contract – meaning the Spaniard could be available for much less than his rumoured £55 million release clause.

Fabrizio Romano has stated that Arsenal could do a deal for Merino at around £21 million, with the north Londoners in talks right now to iron out the details and reach a complete agreement. Merino, for his part, wants to make a Premier League move and his Arsenal contract is "100%" agreed already.

Merino doesn't want sign for any other club except Arsenal this summer, so there appears to be little chance of any other side coming in to hijack their deal at this point, and it may only be a matter of time before this gets over the line.

There are some suggestions that Sociedad have rejected Arsenal's opening formal bid for Merino, but surely the two clubs cannot be that far apart considering the Spaniard's potentially cheap final price.

With just over a fortnight of the summer window remaining, sporting director Edu Gaspar and his transfer team could be looking to finalise Merino's arrival as soon as possible, so they can move on to other targets and reinforce other areas of Arteta's squad.

Arsenal could late summer bid for Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia

The north Londoners have been linked with Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia this window, who has interestingly just won an Olympic gold medal with Spain at the games in Paris.

Arsenal apparently want a new backup keeper to replace the exit-bound Aaron Ramsdale, with reports sharing their interest in the likes of Wolves shot-stopper Daniel Bentley over the last month.

However, it is Arsenal's Spanish alternative making headlines this week. As relayed by Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal could make a late summer bid to sign Garcia, once they complete a deal for Merino which looks like the priority right now.

The keeper's contract has a £26 million release clause, which has gone up to that amount after today.

The latest developments regarding the future of Florian Wirtz are set to destroy the ambitions of Manchester City and Real Madrid.

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• Wirtz set to continue at Bayer Leverkusen
• Will be signing a new contract
• Won't be joining either City or Madrid just yet

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Coveted German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz is set to stay put in the Bundesliga for at least another season as Bayer Leverkusen are on the verge of extending the youngster's contract, which runs until 2027, by at least one more year. The report from Kicker will come as a big blow to Manchester City and Real Madrid, along with Bayern Munich, who were devoted in their pursuit of Wirtz for 2025.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wirtz was tipped to make a sensational summer switch at the end of the ongoing season, with Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich among the front-runners for the 21-year-old's signature. Wirtz has been in sensational form for Leverkusen this season, scoring 11 goals across all competitions. His stock has only further grown in comparison to a historic 2023-24 season, in which he was at the forefront of Leverkusen's undefeated Bundesliga triumph and DFB-Pokal trophy win, not to forget their exploits in Europe, where they dramatically lost to Atalanta in the Europa League final.

• LEVERKUSEN'S OFFICIAL STANCE

  Leverkusen, meanwhile, are adamant nothing has been signed just yet.

  "Bayer 04 have had a very trusting and close relationship with Florian Wirtz and his family for years," a club statement to Sky Sport reads.

  "Contractual matters are discussed exclusively between the Bayer 04 management and the Wirtz family. If anything changes in the current contractual situation, Bayer 04 will of course communicate that in agreement with the Wirtz family. We ask for your understanding that we will not comment further on this topic.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Last month, it was reported that Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro and sporting director Simon Rofles were adamant on extending Wirtz's contract beyond 2027, as they do not want to lose the bargaining power in future negotiations with other clubs. Now, per Kicker, Wirtz has already reached an agreement with Leverkusen to remain at the club next season.

  Not just that, but the former Koln prodigy is also set to earn wages in the double figures annually, making him by and far the highest-earning footballer at the club.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has weighed in on Ange Postecoglou's claims that a Premier League manager has a tougher job than the Prime Minister.

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• Tottenham host Liverpool
• Slot praises Postecoglou
• Responds to his Prime Minister remarks

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham head coach Postecoglou claimed the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has an easier position than an English top-flight manager following the sackings of Gary O'Neil and Russell Martin at Wolves and Southampton respectively. Ahead of Liverpool's Premier League clash at Spurs this weekend, Slot heaped praise on the Australian and spoke about the "important" decisions both roles have to make.

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  WHAT ARNE SLOT SAID

  He told reporters: "I really have to give them credit because if I look at Tottenham, and I do come from Holland but I did watch a lot of Match of the Day and I think about David Ginola, Paul Gascoigne, Glen Hoddle, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, they've always been a certain brand and identity for me, and Postecoglou gives them that identity back completely."

  Slot added: "I've said so many positive things about Ange and his style so if I say another thing it seems like I am his agent. But I also like how he presents himself in the media. He always finds a different way of saying things, so I heard his remark where he said managers are judged every weekend. I think it is right that people talk about the decisions managers make more than the decisions than a Prime Minister makes, that is definitely true. But it's also true that the decisions a Prime Minister has to make are a bit more important than the ones we have to make."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Premier League managers are under intense pressure to perform and whenever a team's results take a turn for the worse, they are the first to be given the boot. But their roles are a different kind of pressure than running an entire country. Either way, both teams could do with a positive result this weekend; with Liverpool hoping to pull clear at the top and 10th-placed Tottenham seeking to climb up the table.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Tottenham and Liverpool will face off twice in quick succession as after their Premier League clash on Sunday, they take on each other in the Carabao Cup semi-finals in early January.

Newcastle United’s transfer business after potentially signing defender Marc Guehi may still not be over.

The Magpies have been productive in this market but have had to do it in a patient way, as the club makes sure they abide by the financial fair play rules. Eddie Howe’s side will be looking to do as much business as they can between now and the end of the window, while also hoping to continue their good start to the Premier League campaign after beating Southampton last weekend.

He's like De Ligt: Newcastle target move for £26m Guehi alternative

Eddie Howe is desperate to bolster his defence during the current transfer window

By
Ross Kilvington

Aug 20, 2024

Newcastle United and Marc Guehi latest

Newcastle have made five additions to their squad so far in this transfer window, with those signings being a mix of youth and experience. They have added two new goalkeepers to their side, as well as signing Lewis Hall on a permanent basis and bringing in William Osula, who looks to be a promising player.

The Premier League side has turned their attention to signing a central defender now, and they have made Crystal Palace defender Guehi their top target for that position. Newcastle have been serious about their pursuit of the player, as the club has made four bids for the England international.

Their latest offer was said to be around the £65 million mark, but that evaluation is said to have fallen short of what Palace want for the player. However, it now appears as though the Magpies are edging closer to signing Guehi, with Sky Sports reporting that there is “cautious optimism” that a deal can be struck before the weekend.

Newcastle’s latest offer wasn’t said to have been rejected despite falling short of the club's valuation. Instead, talks have continued between the two clubs over the structure of the deal. Palace believes that it would be beneficial to sell Guehi, as he’s only got two years left on his contract. But as well as looking to sign Guehi, Newcastle could follow up on his signing by chasing a midfielder.

Newcastle are set to make a £17m bid for midfielder

According to journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos, Newcastle are set to make an offer for Olympiacos midfielder Santiago Hezze. The update states that the offer is said to be more than €20 million (£17 million) for the 22-year-old.

Hezze has been with the Greek side since August 2023, when he joined the club from Argentinian side Huracan. The midfielder played over 120 games for the Argentine side, scoring nine goals and chipping in with eight assists.

Hezze played 50 times for Olympiacos in his first season at the club, as he was a prominent figure for the club in all competitions. He played the majority of his minutes in the league, but he also played an important role in the club reaching the Europa League and then winning the Europa Conference League.

The versatile midfielder, who can feature in holding, central or attacking roles, has played in the club’s opening game of this season, meaning he has now played 51 times for the Greek side, during which time he has scored one goal and recorded three assists. Hezze is contracted to the club until the summer of 2028, meaning Newcastle will have to make a good enough offer for the club to consider selling him.

Ange Postecoglou has revealed "the club is working hard" as Tottenham's pursuit of Randal Kolo Muani intensifies with PSG open to a January deal.

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• PSG ready to offload Kolo Muani
• Spurs are in touch over forward
• Postecoglou hinted at incoming transfers

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With key players sidelined due to injuries, suspensions, and illness, the team has been operating under significant pressure. Spurs recently secured the signing of goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague and are now focused on addressing their attacking needs. Postecoglou hinted at the possibility of additional arrivals, particularly in the forward line, to alleviate the burden on players like Solanke.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Among Tottenham's primary targets is Kolo Muani, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in a £74 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 but has struggled for consistent playing time this season, making him a potential candidate for a January transfer or loan move. It has been reported that Fabio Paratici, Spurs’ former managing director of football, had attempted to sign Kolo Muani before his move to PSG and now his availability presents a renewed opportunity for the north London club to bring him to the Premier League.

• WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

  When asked directly about the Kolo Muani rumours, Postecoglou remained cautious.

  "Look, we are still trying to help the squad and help the players," he said. "We are still down significant numbers. We will have roughly 10 first team players missing tomorrow. That’s not easy so we are still looking to try to help the playing group. The club is working hard in a number of areas."

  When asked if he was referring to new signings or players returning from injury, Postecoglou added: "Both. It's hopefully what we can do but I wouldn't suggest tomorrow.

  "Not a centre-forward but I think we need some help in the front half if we can get it. Obviously Wilson [Odobert] is still a fair way off, Richy's [Richarlison] coming back but we've got to be really careful with him, we've got to try to keep him back. Again, it's got to be the right fit. Is that going to happen this window? I'm not sure but we know that all being well, in seven days, Richy's back and he'll definitely help Dom for sure.

  "[Solanke] has been brilliant for us. Hopefully in the very near future we get some help for him and then I think we’ll see him go to another level."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KOLO MUANI?

  Kolo Muani faces a crucial decision about his career in the coming weeks. Reports suggest that the French forward is unlikely to remain at PSG beyond this season, with a loan move in January being a strong possibility if a permanent transfer does not materialise.

Celtic enjoyed a busy end to the summer transfer window last week with three new additions to their first-team squad on deadline day on Friday.

The Hoops dipped into the market to snap up Arne Engels, Luke McCowan, and Auston Trusty from Augsburg, Dundee, and Sheffield United respectively on permanent deals, in an attempt to bolster Brendan Rodgers' options across the park.

Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, Alex Valle, Kasper Schmeichel, and Viljami Sinisalo had already been added to the group prior to deadline day, with all bar Valle coming in as permanent signings.

The Scottish giants showed their ambition in the summer transfer window by smashing their club-record on Engels, who they have reportedly paid £11m for, eclipsing the £9m spent on Odsonne Edouard from PSG in 2018.

Celtic and Rodgers will now hope that their investment pays off in the coming months and years, with the Belgian whiz performing on the pitch and raising his own value to potentially be sold on for a big profit in the future.

The Scottish Premiership champions invested that money after they lost central midfielder Matt O'Riley to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, in a deal that cemented a masterclass by the club.

Celtic's Matt O'Riley masterclass

At the start of 2022, former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou swooped to sign the Danish talent from English League One side MK Dons for a reported fee of £1.5m.

The young midfielder, who had started his career with Fulham, had racked up ten goals and eight assists in 54 appearances for the third tier outfit.

O'Riley hit the ground running in Scotland, with a return of four goals and two assists in his first 16 Scottish Premiership outings, and managed three goals and 12 assists in his first full league season in the 2022/23 campaign.

The superb maestro then enjoyed his best year in a Celtic jersey in what turned out to be his final season with the club under Brendan Rodgers last term.

As you can see in the table above, O'Riley was the biggest attacking threat in the entire squad in the 2023/24 campaign, when it came to both scoring and creating goals.

The central midfielder ranked first in virtually every key direct attacking statistics in the Premiership, with 31 goal contributions in the top-flight to help the team to another league title.

His sublime form in Scotland attracted interest from down south and Brighton eventually secured a £25m deal to sign the Denmark international last month.

That transfer cemented a masterclass by Celtic as they turned a £1.5m signing from the third tier of English football into a £25m player for a Premier League club, which is the perfect example of their player development model working to full effect.

It was a Scottish, and Celtic, transfer record fee of £25m but that does not mean that it was the most valuable sale in the history of the club, as transfer fees have inflated over the years.

One player who was sold for more than O'Riley, if you account for that inflation, was prolific centre-forward Pierre van Hooijdonk, who the Bhoys also played a blinder with.

How much Celtic paid for Pierre van Hooijdonk

The Scottish giants swooped to sign the number nine from Dutch side NAC Breda for a reported fee of £1.2m in January 1995 by manager Tommy Burns.

Van Hooijdonk was snapped up by Celtic after his impressive run of form in his home country, with a return of 44 goals in 71 appearances in all competitions for NAC.

The Netherlands international had plundered an eye-catching ten goals in 16 outings in the Dutch top-flight during the first half of the 1994/95 campaign, which convinced the Hoops to sign him for £1.2m.

That came after van Hooijdonk had fired in 29 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions for NAC during the 1993/94 season, including 25 goals in 31 league matches.

The sensational forward then enjoyed a terrific spell with Celtic in Scotland, scoring 52 goals in 84 matches in all competitions, and earned a mega money move away from Parkhead.

How much Celtic sold van Hooijdonk for in today's money

Per Totally Money, Premier League side Nottingham Forest swooped in to sign the Netherlands international from Celtic for a fee of £5.4m in 1997.

Transfer fees in football have significantly inflated over the subsequent years and, as per Totally Money's algorithm, that £5.4m would be worth a staggering £39.4m in today's money.

That is more than £14m more than Brighton have spent on Matt O'Riley this summer and suggests that van Hooijdonk's move to Forest was more valuable, relative to the time the transfer was completed, than the Danish star's switch to England was for Celtic this year.

This shows that Celtic and Burns hit gold when they dipped into the Dutch market to sign the prolific striker from NAC Breda, as they made a significant profit on the attacker, who would have been a Scottish record sale in 2024, and enjoyed his talents on the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, van Hooijdonk had a relatively slow start to his career at Celtic before firing in 40 goals in a season-and-a-half in the Premiership in the 1995/96 and 1996/97 campaigns.

The Dutchman then only scored seven goals in 29 Premier League matches for Forest, with a 29-goal season in the second tier sandwiched between two top-flight terms, before moving back to Holland with Vitesse.

Van Hooijdonk bounced around a few clubs, signing for Benfica, Feyenoord (twice), NAC Breda, and Fenerbahce after his spell with Vitesse, and ended his career with an impressive haul of 241 goals.

Forget Edouard: Celtic must unleash teen starlet with 1.25 goals per game

The Hoops youngster has been in incredible form for the club’s B team this season.

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By
Dan Emery

Sep 4, 2024

Overall, Celtic hit the jackpot with the fantastic striker as they benefitted from his services both on and off the pitch, for footballing and financial reasons.

West Ham United have asked one rival Premier League club about signing a £15 million player, who is also wanted by Unai Emery's Aston Villa.

Deadline day signing possible at West Ham

As we enter transfer deadline day, with the clock ticking towards this summer's cut-off, we could still see plenty of business conducted at the London Stadium before 11pm.

West Ham pushing to seal last-minute signing who'd make Bowen unplayable

This would be the perfect way to end the window for the Irons…

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 30, 2024

It has been an extremely successful and busy window for the Hammers, who have backed new manager Julen Lopetegui with a serious spending spree.

Centre-back Max Kilman, winger Crysencio Summerville, centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo, forward Niclas Fullkrug, Brazilian starlet Luis Guillherme, right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, midfielder Guido Rodriguez, youngster Mohamadou Kante and back-up goalkeeper Wes Foderingham have all joined West Ham, with technical director Tim Steidten leading a £122 million transfer charge.

A succession of players have also departed West Ham, including the likes of Said Benrahma and Angelo Ogbonna, who have all been regulars at West Ham over the years and under ex-head coach David Moyes.

Kurt Zouma could be on the way to Saudi Arabia as well, while West Ham are believed to be attempting to offload the likes of Danny Ings, Nayef Aguerd, James Ward-Prowse and Maxwel Cornet, which could be crucial to further incomings on deadline day (Graeme Bailey).

West Ham have been chasing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Carlos Soler for a large portion of the window, and they could still potentially move for him late on, but it could well hinge on who Steidten can offload.

Meanwhile, it is believed that West Ham have their eyes on a potential Soler alternative in exit-bound Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.

West Ham ask Tottenham about signing Giovani Lo Celso

As per journalist Charlie Gordon, taking to X, West Ham have asked Tottenham about signing Lo Celso this week, even if La Liga side Real Betis are the overwhelming favourites to sign the Argentine on deadline day.

Emery and Aston Villa are also still in the frame for Lo Celso, who could cost as much as £15 million to prise away from N17.

These players arrived mid-season with no time to bed in, but proved to be transformational acquisitions for their clubs

January is often described as the grimmest month of the year but it can also be a time of renewal, a moment to make a fresh start. And for football clubs, the opening of the January transfer window is an opportunity for clubs to breathe new life into their disappointing campaigns and invest for the future.

Flailing Premier League champions Manchester City are expected to be active as they try to salvage their disastrous season, while Manchester United should use the window to begin their cultural reset by selling Marcus Rashford. Arsenal, meanwhile, can use the window to bolster their injury-ravaged squad and boost their chances of catching runaway leaders Liverpool.

Managers often complain that the winter window offers little value compared to the summer, when the bulk of business is done. And yet some of the most shrewd transfer moves have been made in the first month of the year. Here, GOAL breaks down the best January transfer window signings in Premier League history…

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  10Seamus Coleman (Sligo Rovers to Everton, £60,000)

  In terms of value for money, you could make the case that Coleman is the best signing in Premier League history. After receiving a tip off, David Moyes plucked the full-back from League of Ireland side Sligo Rovers in January 2009 for £60,000 ($76,000). And no, we haven't missed out a zero or two.

  Coleman could not have an instant impact as he had to undergo surgery on an infected blister on his toe almost immediately after joining Everton, and he later joined Blackpool on loan for half a season. But he has remained a Toffee since August 2010, playing under 11 managers.

  He has made 426 appearances for Everton while contributing to 56 goals, breaking down to £140 per appearance and little more than £1,000 per goal or assist. He has also been one of their most consistent performers as well as their most loyal and passionate, resisting no small amount of big moves to stay with the club, which he has captained since 2019, and is still going strong aged 36.

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  9Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal, £56m)

  It was always expected that Aubameyang would end up at Real Madrid when he left Borussia Dortmund, but Arsenal were the willing beneficiaries when he left the German side in January 2018. He was the Gunners' record signing at the time, but quickly set about repaying the fee with a stunning 10 goals in 13 Premier League games.

  He kept it up in the next two seasons, scoring 60 times in all competitions and almost single-handedly firing Arsenal to win the FA Cup in 2020, netting twice both against Manchester City in the semi-final and Chelsea in the final.

  Things started to go wrong, however, after he signed a lucrative new contract, and just 16 months later he saw that deal torn up after falling foul of Mikel Arteta's disciplinary regime. He joined Barcelona for free then had a miserable time at Chelsea, but has revitalised a stalling career with Marseille.

  Despite the ugly end to his time at the Emirates Stadium, he still goes down as one of the most impactful January signings.

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  8Gary Cahill (Bolton Wanderers to Chelsea, £7m)

  Cahill left relegation-fighting Bolton for Chelsea in January 2012, but he first must have thought he had swapped one crisis club for another when Andre Villas-Boas was sacked less than two months after he had arrived. Cahill, however, started to shine under successor Roberto Di Matteo and came into his own in the Champions League. He helped Chelsea pull off a dramatic comeback win over Napoli, knock out Barcelona at Camp Nou – after John Terry had been sent off – and then see off Bayern Munich in their own stadium to win the trophy for the first time.

  Cahill was no one-season wonder, though, and he was crucial to Chelsea's league title successes under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. He won a total of eight trophies with the Blues and was named in the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions. Not bad at all for £7m.

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  7Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid to Newcastle, £12m)

  Many people questioned Trippier's motives when he left La Liga champions Atletico in January 2022 to join struggling Newcastle just weeks after the club's Saudi takeover. And he had a nightmare debut as Cambridge United knocked his new side out of the FA Cup.

  Trippier, however, has proved to be a transformative figure for Newcastle, an inspirational leader who continued to travel with the team to matches in his first season even after sustaining a serious ankle injury.

  Once recovered, he spearheaded Newcastle's charge to the Carabao Cup final and to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. He has contributed to 25 goals for the Magpies, outstanding numbers for a defender, while his experience and defensive qualities have helped sustain Eddie Howe's side's rise to become one of the top teams in the league again after decades in the wilderness.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side have emerged as genuine contenders for European competition – and could yet force themselves into the title race

Back in 2015-16, only the most wildly optimistic of Leicester City fans could have predicted that the Premier League title would be making its way to the King Power Stadium – with odds of 5,000-1 famously bucked as 'Match of the Day' host Gary Lineker ended a truly remarkable campaign presenting in his pants.

As the ex-England international prepares to vacate the MOTD hot-seat, one of his final acts may be to confirm another notable achievement by a team from the East Midlands.

There is still too much football to be played for Nottingham Forest to be considered genuine contenders for the top-flight crown in 2025, but stranger things have happened. And as the legendary Brian Clough – a man who knew a thing or two about upsetting the establishment – once said: “I hope anybody’s not stupid enough to write us off.”

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  Pretenders or contenders?

  Table-topping Liverpool are next up at the City Ground, with only six points separating the two sides before a ball is kicked on Tuesday – although the men from Merseyside do boast a game in hand over those occupying the banks of the Trent.

  Forest have already shown that they have a formula to frustrate their fellow Reds, with a stunning victory secured courtesy of Callum Hudson-Odoi back in September allowing them to live rent free in the head of Arne Slot ever since – as the Dutchman is still irked by the solitary blot of his otherwise impressive Premier League copybook.

  Even a historic double over adversaries that they once locked horns with on a regular basis in the late 1970s and early 80s would not necessarily turn Forest from pretenders into contenders, but it would undoubtedly aid their bid to secure a top-four finish. From where Forest have been in the not too distant past, hitting that target would represent a miraculous reversal in fortune – with European qualification of any kind difficult to imagine a matter of months ago.

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  Block out the noise

  How have Forest found themselves in this position? Blocking out the noise generated from afar while never being afraid to make plenty themselves has been crucial to a cause that has seen the Reds embrace and revel in the ‘Rebel City’ mentality that local folk hero Robin Hood once forged.

  Dissenting voices that emerged in 2022 on the back of Steve Cooper masterminding promotion and bringing a 23-year Premier League exile to a close were ignored as they never bothered to explore why a paper-thin squad that lacked big-time experience and had been leaning heavily on loan stars felt the need to make 30-plus additions. A deaf ear was also turned to those quick to jump aboard the FFP bandwagon in 2023-24 as Forest were stung with a four-point penalty for breaches of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). In back-to-back campaigns, the Reds defied the doubters to beat the drop and make ‘Waka Waka’ the soundtrack to two survival parties.

  Finishes of 16th and 17th may not have looked like building blocks to the untrained eye, but that is precisely what they were. Club owner Evangelos Marinakis has never been the type to settle for mediocrity and will forever put money where his mouth is. The larger-than-life Greek shipping magnate has been as integral to Forest’s meteoric rise as Cooper, Nuno Espirito Santo, Morgan Gibbs-White or Chris Wood, with his wholehearted commitment casting fellow Premier League chairmen – those who shall remain nameless – in an unfortunate light.

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  Shrewd investment

  For all of the questions that were asked of Forest’s recruitment model on the back of their play-off final win over Huddersfield Town at Wembley, they have arguably become the poster boys for how a step up into the Premier League should be navigated. Their initial business may have appeared haphazard to some, but there was method to the supposed madness that was born more out of necessity than reckless folly. Marinakis made the funds available and was never going to be told to put his chequebook away.

  Not every deal has been a success – which is always the case in congested transfer markets – but for every Jesse Lingard or Jonjo Shelvey there has been a Murillo or Anthony Elanga to restore the balance. The challenge now, of course, is keeping an exciting squad intact.

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  Combined value

  While others have been splashing out billions to stand still, Forest have invested shrewdly in a bid to ensure that they could walk before breaking into a trot. The cornerstones of a defensive unit that has been earning plenty of plaudits (Matz Sels, Ola Aina, Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic) cost a little over £30 million ($37m) between them – just under half of one Wesley Fofana.

  Their combined value would now likely extend into nine figures, with Brazilian centre-half Murillo already said to be registering on prominent radars in England and Spain. Rejuvenated wing wizards Hudson-Odoi and Elanga are also seeing their respective stocks soar after walking away from apparent comfort zones at Chelsea and Manchester United, respectively.

  Gibbs-White is a senior England international, Elliot Anderson is a playmaker of considerable promise, Ryan Yates has Garibaldi blood running through his veins and will tackle brick walls in the name of Nottingham Forest – annoying as many rival fans as possible as he goes – while Kiwi frontman Wood is enjoying the brightest of Indian summers at 33 years of age.

Goals were up significantly for Chelsea in the Premier League last season, having netted a measly 38 goals in the 2022/23 term – averaging just one goal per game – and scoring 63 in the 2023/24 campaign.

However, Chelsea are still yet to have a striker hit 15+ Premier League goals since 2019/20, when academy graduate Tammy Abraham scored 15 goals in a Premier League season, having been trusted to lead the line by Frank Lampard.

Nicolas Jackson was solid if unspectacular after arriving from Villarreal, making 44 appearances for the Blues in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists. It’s fair to say he turned out to be a better option than the costly transfer of Romelu Lukaku…

Romelu Lukaku's first spell at Chelsea

Lukaku was one of the strikers tasked with filling the boots of Didier Drogba, having two spells at the club, and even being compared to the Chelsea legend on multiple occasions, including once by Alan Pardew, who called Lukaku a “full number nine” who could “emulate” what Drogba has done.

Lukaku first joined Chelsea back in 2011, the Blues signing him for around £20m from Belgian side, Anderlecht. The young Belgian was given substitute minutes in his first year, before getting a loan move to West Brom in 2012/13, where he really began to bare his teeth.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

The Belgian made 38 appearances for West Brom, scoring 17 goals, providing four assists, and totaling 2,252 minutes played. The following season, Lukaku missed a penalty for Mourinho’s Chelsea in the Super Cup final, before making a move to Everton on loan to continue his progression.

Lukaku again showed his ability to score regularly in the Premier League, scoring 15 goals in 31 appearances, also providing seven assists.

The following campaign, Chelsea decided to cash in on the red-hot striker, selling him to Everton on a permanent deal for around £28m.

Lukaku's second spell at Chelsea

Having spent many years away from Stamford Bridge, playing for Everton, Manchester United, and then Inter Milan, Chelsea decided in 2021 that the missing piece for Thomas Tuchel’s Champions League-winning side was the Belgian forward, who had just netted 30 goals for Inter in 2020/21.

This saw the Londoners break their club record transfer fee, acquiring the striker for a colossal price tag of £97.5m. The Belgian got off to a great start, scoring against Arsenal in their 2-0 victory at the Emirates, putting in a dominant display and bullying the Gunners’ defence.

However, in an interview, Lukaku spoke publicly about his disappointment at Chelsea, having just joined a few months prior, saying he was “not happy” with Tuchel’s system and use of him, before mentioning a return to Inter Milan.

This became the catalyst for the hulking attacker’s demise at the club, with the German boss unhappy with the comments from the Belgian, and Chelsea fans now turning against him.

This saw the now 31-year-old return to Inter on loan in the 2022/23 season, as many deemed his Chelsea career already over.

After multiple loan moves, Lukaku was finally sold this summer by Todd Boehly, joining Napoli for £30m, and eventually shutting the book on one of Chelsea’s worst transfers of all time.

Lukaku arrived instead: Tuchel wanted Chelsea to sign star now worth £152m

It’s safe to say the club made a huge error in not securing a move for the talent.

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 18, 2024