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Will Chelsea make a success of this season?

On Thursday, the Blues demolished Djurgårdens in the first leg of their Conference League semi-final, with Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke both on target in Stockholm, before Nicolas Jackson bagged a quick-fire brace.

Thus, supporters are now pretty certain that their team will be in Wrocław for the final later this month, facing either Real Betis or Fiorentina.

Meantime, in the Premier League, Enzo Maresca’s side are currently fourth, desperate to cling onto the final Champions League spot, ahead of Sunday’s heavyweight meeting with recently crowned champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

Even with the Club World Cup on the horizon this summer, Chelsea are expected to be busy in the transfer market, as has very much been the case since Todd Boehly’s takeover, so could they sign a big-money new striker?

The latest on Chelsea's interest in Viktor Gyökeres

According to a report by Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Deutschland, Arsenal are “pushing” to sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres, valued at around £60m by the Portuguese giants, with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Chelsea “all in the race”.

The 26-year-old Swede has scored 95 goals in 98 appearances for Sporting, pretty impressive statistics, with a report by David Ornstein and James McNicholas of The Athletic claiming that Gyökeres is expected to be on the move this summer.

Nevertheless, with a high amount of competition for his signature, should Chelsea focus on other targets?

Chelsea's potential new striker

According to a report from Steve Kay of Football Transfers earlier this week, Chelsea ‘have approached’ Aston Villa, enquiring about the possibility of signing Ollie Watkins this summer, adding that the Blues ‘are willing’ to match the Villans’ £60m valuation.

TEAMtalk notes that Watkins has emerged as Chelsea’s number one target, due to concerns about Victor Osimhen’s wage demands, as well as fears that Gyökeres would choose to go elsewhere.

If Villa miss out on Champions League qualification, they may be forced to sell key assets to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules, hence why Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider believes they’d be looking to cash in on 29-year-old Watkins.

Transfer Focus

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

So, would Watkins be a good signing for Chelsea?

Chelsea's best recent attacking signings

Since Clearlake Capital’s takeover of Chelsea in 2022, they have signed over 40 first-team players, spending in excess of £1bn, many of whom made little impact at Stamford Bridge, some of whom have been swiftly moved on.

Pretty much indisputably, the Blues’ best signing of the Boehly era is Cole Palmer, who, since arriving from Manchester City for £42.5m, has scored 39 goals for the club, named Chelsea’s Player of the Season as well as the PFA Young Player of the Year for 2023/24.

However, let’s analyse the impact made by some of the other members of the forward line.

Pedro Neto

£54m

40

6

7

João Félix

£45m

20

7

2

Omari Kellyman

£19m

Zero

Zero

Zero

Marc Guiu

£5m

13

6

Zero

Jadon Sancho

£25m

36

4

10

Cole Palmer

£42.5m

86

39

25

Nicolas Jackson

£32m

75

29

11

Christopher Nkunku

£50m

56

17

5

Deivid Washington

£17m

3

Zero

Zero

Ângelo

£13m

Zero

Zero

Zero

Diego Moreira

Free

1

Zero

Zero

Mykhailo Mudryk

£89m

73

10

11

Raheem Sterling

£47.5m

81

19

15

Noni Madueke

£28.5

82

20

9

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

£10.3m

21

3

1

David Datro Fofana

£11m

4

Zero

Zero

It would be a major understatement to say that Chelsea have signed a lot of attacking players in the last three seasons, and the table above certainly underlines that Cole Palmer has unquestionably had the biggest impact.

So, why would Watkins be any different?

Well, let’s assess his season statistics to find out.

Goals

15

7th

Goals per 90

0.6

6th

Assists

7

13th

Shots

76

11th

Shots on target

32

8th

Expected goals

14.5

6th

Goal-creating actions

11

31st

Touches in oppo penalty area

153

11

As the table outlines, Watkins is a very well-rounded striker, described by Statman Dave as “clinical”, both a potent goalscorer but also a chance creator too.

The concern about signing him would be the fact he is 29 years old, but the Englishman is showing no signs of slowing down, so could be the striker Chelsea require to go to the next level.

Better than Jackson: Chelsea want £25m "beast" who's outscoring Osimhen

Chelsea have wasted no time in targeting new forwards to strengthen Enzo Maresca’s side this summer.

ByEthan Lamb May 3, 2025

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta could sign a once-£137 million forward for Mikel Arteta this summer, with talks recently held and a weekend twist boosting the possibility of a potential switch to north London.

Arsenal endure regrettable week after PSG and Bournemouth defeats

Wednesday’s all-important semi-final second leg against PSG in the Champions League will define Arteta’s campaign, but Arsenal haven’t exactly warmed up for it in the desired fashion.

Arsenal stepping up pursuit of £58m striker who's now keen on Emirates move

The Gunners have conducted extensive background work on a forward, who may now be leaning towards a move to north London.

1 ByDominic Lund May 5, 2025

Their narrow first-leg defeat to the Ligue 1 champions last week was followed up by a surprise 2-1 loss at home to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth, with goals from rumoured Arsenal target Dean Huijsen and Brazilian striker Evanilson cancelling out Declan Rice’s early opener.

The hosts had numerous chances to extend their lead and put the game out of sight, but Arteta’s side were ultimately wasteful and allowed Bournemouth to rescue three points in dramatic style.

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

“We started and we did the most difficult one to score the goal,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Bournemouth.

“I think after that we had four or five very open situations to score the second one. We didn’t kill it and after that, on top of that, you defend the box really poorly, the way we’ve done it in the two set-pieces that we have conceded again. So they’re going to punish you and a team like Bournemouth, they’re going to punish you. And after that the game becomes rushed, very chaotic. That’s why they want big spaces. They have more legs than us, especially with sets and plays that were struggling in the final minutes. And we weren’t able to get the result that we wanted, so we’re very disappointed.”

The manager will be hoping for much more inspired finishing against a high-flying PSG side, as Arsenal look to claw back their hopes of winning a first ever Champions League title and ending their season on a high.

Berta, meanwhile, is already preparing for his debut summer window as the club’s head transfer chief.

Arsenal could still sign Leroy Sane after contract twist

The Italian and Arsenal’s recruitment team have been looking at signing Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane, with his contract due to expire this summer as things stand.

The 29-year-old, who was once valued at £137 million during his time at Man City, was thought to be closing in on a new deal at the Allianz Arena, despite Arsenal recently holding talks with Sane in April.

That was according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who has now shared another fresh update on his situation in what could be considered a boost for Arsenal.

Plettenberg writes that Sane’s old team were very close to finalising fresh terms to stay at Bayern, but in a late twist, the winger informed their sporting director, Max Eberl, that he’s now changed representatives.

The German has employed super-agent Pini Zahavi, and Sane informed Eberl of this on Sunday night. This has thrown a spanner in the works, as it is “questionable” that Bayern would agree to any new terms proposed by Zahavi at this stage.

Plettenberg adds that Arsenal are still contending for Sane in the background, so the prospect of a switch to the Emirates remains very much alive.

Since joining the Bavarians, Sane has bagged 61 goals and 54 assists in all competitions, so his quality is in no doubt, but Arsenal won’t be keen on paying his £245,000-per-week wages.

One title-winning manager is reportedly in love with the prospect of a potential move to Tottenham Hotspur, something which chairman Daniel Levy realises, as the under-pressure Ange Postecoglou faces a very uncertain future at the club.

Managers linked with potential vacant Tottenham job

Regardless of Spurs’ campaign in the Europa League, it is reliably believed that Levy could still part company with Postecoglou at the end of the season (Matt Law).

Tottenham eyeing another "top" manager who Guardiola called "innovative"

The Spaniard heaped praise on his work back in 2021.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 24, 2025

Tottenham are just one game away from equalling their highest number of defeats in a single Premier League season, and with a tough trip to Anfield on the horizon, Postecoglou is staring down the barrel of that unwanted record on his resume.

Liverpool could finally be crowned champions by defeating Spurs on Merseyside this weekend, so odds are that Arne Slot’s men will throw the kitchen sink at a vulnerable Lilywhites side who’ve also lost four out of their last five top flight matches.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Postecoglou’s saving grace after a dismal domestic campaign lies in Europe, where the Australian has a chance to make history by guiding Spurs to their first piece of major silverware since their League Cup triumph in 2008, under Juande Ramos.

However, with victory in the competition not even a guarantee that Postecoglou keeps his job for next season, attention is beginning to turn to who could replace the former Celtic boss in N17.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner and Brentford’s Thomas Frank have all been linked in the last few weeks, while Fabrizio Romano has reported Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi is liked by Tottenham.

The Mail also claimed earlier this week that Burnley boss Scott Parker has some fans inside Spurs as well, but perhaps the most exciting appointment would be a return for ex-fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine enjoyed a successful spell at the Tottenham helm from 2014-2019, which included an unprecedented run to the Champions League final in 2019, and you can argue the north Londoners haven’t enjoyed consistency akin to Pochettino’s tenure since he departed.

Mauricio Pochettino would "love" to return to Tottenham

Now manager of the USA national team, as they prepare to co-host the 2026 World Cup, journalist Graeme Bailey has reported for The Boot Room that Pochettino hasn’t quite settled into his first international role.

Alternatively, if he were to leave the States, Pochettino would “love” to re-join Tottenham, and Levy is said to be “aware” of this. The 53-year-old would also be Levy’s first choice to replace Postecoglou, given their already-close relationship and communication.

After a string of lacklustre results with the USA, Pochettino is also said to be under pressure, and he is very much in Levy’s thought process as a potential replacement for Postecoglou.

The former Southampton, Chelsea and PSG boss won a Ligue 1 title with the latter, and he appears to currently be one of three trophy-winning managers under consideration by Spurs – the other two being Glasner and Inzaghi.

A “great” Sunderland player is believed to be wanted by rivals Newcastle United ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a worrying new update from The Athletic.

Sunderland preparing for Championship playoff drama

It has been an excellent season for the Black Cats under Regis Le Bris, with a place in the Championship playoffs now mathematically certain, which is a great achievement from this young squad.

That’s despite Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Swansea City, which has to go down as one of the more disappointing results of the campaign, considering their opponents are in 12th place with little to play for.

Sunderland sit fourth in the Championship table and 12 points ahead of Bristol City below them, as well as four points adrift of third-place Sheffield United, who have lost their last three matches.

For that reason, it doesn’t look like the Black Cats’ position will change between now and the end of the season, meaning Le Bris’ side will face a playoff semi-final against whoever ends up finishing fifth.

Scouts love him: Sunderland plotting move to sign experienced 13-goal star

The Black Cats have turned their focus towards the summer transfer window.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 9, 2025

A place in the Premier League next season would improve their chances of keeping hold of key men, and a big update has emerged regarding one such player.

"Great" Sunderland ace being eyed up by Newcastle

According to a report from The Athletic, Newcastle are eyeing highly-rated Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg this summer.

It is also stated that “West Ham scouts have monitored the development” of the £25m-rated teenage star, with the Magpies and Manchester United also “among his admirers”.

Seeing Rigg leave Sunderland for Newcastle doesn’t even bear thinking about for anyone of a Black Cats persuasion, given the rivalry between the two clubs.

Not only that, but the 17-year-old is also arguably the club’s most prized asset, with Jobe Bellingham waxing lyrical over him last month after he and his teammate won a Young Player of the Year award:

“Every day he trains like he wants to get better, with a great ambition and a great desire. So that’s the best thing for me really. The talent kind of comes secondary, which he definitely has, but him as a person, he’s always going to keep improving because of that hunger that he’s got, which for me is like, they’re the players you want to be playing with. So Riggy fully deserves the award, as I’ve said, and he’s just got to keep going because he’s on to big things.”

Realistically, Sunderland will be aware that they can’t keep hold of Rigg forever, with the midfielder likely to have lofty ambitions, potentially ending up at one of the biggest clubs in the country.

A switch to rivals Newcastle would be controversial, however, with Magpies supporters no doubt reminding Black Cats fans of it for many years to come, should a transfer materialise.

As Alejandro Garnacho is currently finding out, life for a Manchester United academy graduate isn’t always plain sailing. As quickly as a new star can be born, there are those ready to tear them down again.

Just under three years ago, the Argentina international announced himself to the Old Trafford faithful after netting a brace in front of a bumper 60k crowd in the FA Youth Cup win over Nottingham Forest, with supporters itching to see the then-teenager afforded increased game time at senior level.

Despite an initial bumpy ride under Erik ten Hag amid concerns over his attitude, Garnacho swiftly forced his way into the first-team picture with notable goals away at Real Sociedad and Fulham, having ended 2022/23 with nine goals and assists to his name in all.

That was followed by the fleet-footed winger cementing his status as a regular starter last term, with that rise to prominence culminating in him scoring the opener in May’s FA Cup final triumph over rivals Manchester City.

A further nine goals have followed this time around, albeit with the 20-year-old having scored just twice since Ruben Amorim took charge, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst branding him ‘naive’ amid his erratic, profligate display away at Nottingham Forest in midweek.

With speculation still linking Garnacho with an exit, it could be the case that the Spain-born starlet is in need of a way to kickstart his career – much like a certain Jesse Lingard was able to do at West Ham United.

Jesse Lingard's brief career revival

If Garnacho was a teen sensation, then Lingard was anything but, with the Englishman forced to play the waiting game at United amid a string of loan spells in the EFL, prior to making his mark on the first team.

Having been struck down by injury on the opening day of the 2014/15 season, it wasn’t until the following campaign that the promising forward truly made his mark under Louis van Gaal, notably mirroring Garnacho by scoring what proved to be the winner in the 2016 FA Cup final.

That was followed by a prominent role under Jose Mourinho over the next few years, with 2017/18 proving particularly impressive as he chalked up 14 goals and assists in 33 Premier League games for the Red Devils.

Unfortunately for Lingard, that momentum was halted amid Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival, as he ended 2019 without scoring or assisting a single goal in the league, having subsequently been sent on loan to West Ham United in January 2021.

Away from the spotlight at Old Trafford, Lingard was a man reborn for the Hammers under ex-United boss, David Moyes, having gone on to register 13 goal involvements in just 16 games at the London Stadium.

Speaking at the time, teammate Declan Rice tipped his compatriot to stay put permanently in east London, having suggested that Lingard’s arrival had “changed our squad completely”.

Unfortunately for all concerned, a summer move could not be agreed upon – amid reports of the Red Devils demanding a £40m fee – with the long-serving star going on to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer at the end of the following season.

What that scenario showcased is not only the benefits of allowing a player to revive their career with a loan move, but also the need to strike while the iron is hot, with regard to cashing in. The new INEOS regime can’t make the same mistake with Marcus Rashford.

Man Utd's "reborn" star is now emulating Lingard

Academy graduates shining after exiting United has been the theme of the week, with Anthony Elanga stealing the headlines after netting a stunning winner against Amorim’s men on Tuesday night.

Speaking after that 1-0 defeat, Amorim hit back at suggestions that it was a mistake to allow the likes of Elanga – and now Rashford – to depart, having claimed that such players were given a fair “chance” in Manchester.

The Portuguese coach went on to add that a number of players appear to thrive away from the “pressure” of turning out in the red jersey, with Lingard’s loan at West Ham an obvious case in point.

Player

Current club

Market value

Kobbie Mainoo

Manchester United

£46m

Marcus Rashford

Aston Villa

£42m

Alejandro Garnacho

Manchester United

£38m

Scott McTominay

Napoli

£34m

Mason Greenwood

Marseille

£29m

Anthony Elanga

Nottingham Forest

£29m

Dwight McNeil

Everton

£21m

Angel Gomes

Lille

£17m

Andreas Pereira

Fulham

£17m

James Garner

Everton

£17m

As the last week has highlighted, the same situation has occurred with regard to Rashford, with the 27-year-old – who had been exiled by Amorim since December’s Manchester Derby – having scored three times in the space of just a few days on loan at Aston Villa.

Having already registered four assists since joining Unai Emery’s side late in the winter window, the experienced forward broke his duck with a double against Preston North End in the FA Cup, prior to scoring away to Brighton on Wednesday evening.

That latest strike against the Seagulls was vintage Rashford, in truth, with the Villa number nine pouncing on a lofted pass over the top and racing in behind, before duly converting. As journalist Antonio Mango subsequently stated, the Englishman looks “reborn” in claret and blue.

With Amorim’s side having failed to score for the 11th time this season in league action just a day earlier, questions have been asked over the decision to let Rashford move on.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, however, with the Manchester native – who scored just eight times last term – having hardly pulled up any trees for 18 months prior to making this switch, having mirrored Lingard in appearing in desperate need of a fresh start.

With Rashford already outlining his desire for “a new challenge” back in December, this temporary move should mark the end of his Old Trafford association, particularly with Villa able to sign him on a £40m deal this summer.

Amorim and co must avoid a repeat of the Lingard scenario, in which the now-32-year-old was not allowed to fly the nest after his fruitful West Ham loan, having thus returned to bit-part status under Solskjaer.

A revitalised Rashford is a sight that warms the heart, but now is the time for the head to rule – he must go this summer.

Worth more than Elanga: Man Utd have struck gold on £120k-p/w "wizard"

Man Utd have their own attacking sensation to rival Anthony Elanga

ByRobbie Walls Apr 3, 2025

The Premier League has had some of the greatest managers football has ever seen since it’s creation in 1992. From Sir Alex Ferguson to Arsene Wenger and now Pep Guardiola, the best coaches regularly end up in England’s top flight.

Nowadays, managers don’t have as much time to make an impact, making it more important than ever that they get results quickly, regardless of the style.

All 20 Premier League managers' salaries

But who is the best and worst manager in the Premier League this season? Here is a ranked list of all 20 managers in the division right now.

Rank

Manager

Club

1

Pep Guardiola

Man City

2

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal

3

Enzo Maresca

Chelsea

4

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

5

Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace

6

Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth

7

Eddie Howe

Newcastle

8

Regis Le Bris

Sunderland

9

Ruben Amorim

Man United

10

Arne Slot

Liverpool

11

David Moyes

Everton

12

Fabian Hurzeler

Brighton

13

Thomas Frank

Tottenham

14

Marco Silva

Fulham

15

Sean Dyche

Nottingham Forest

16

Nuno Espirito Santo

West Ham

17

Keith Andrews

Brentford

18

Daniel Farke

Leeds

19

Scott Parker

Burnley

20

Rob Edwards

Wolves

21 Rob Edwards Wolves

New Wolves manager Rob Edwards faces a tough task to keep the Old Gold in the Premier League, and his only prior experience of managing in the top flight came with Luton Town.

Edwards failed to keep the Hatters in the division in 2024, losing 24 of his 38 games in charge that season.

20 Scott Parker Burnley

Scott Parker will be looking to buck the trend and keep his newly-promoted Burnley side in the Premier League.

The Clarets boss previously suffered two relegations when in charge of Fulham and averages less than a point per game in the top flight.

19 Daniel Farke Leeds

Another manager who has been relegated from the Premier League on two occasions is Leeds boss Daniel Farke.

He couldn’t keep Norwich City in the top flight, and like Parker, averages less than one point per game in the division.

18 Keith Andrews Brentford

Keith Andrews is in the early stages of his senior managerial career after taking over from Thomas Frank at Brentford.

The Irishman has made a relatively positive start, beating both Liverpool and Man Utd at the Gtech Community Stadium.

17 Nuno Espirito Santo West Ham

Nuno Espirito Santo has had some brilliant moments in the Premier League, taking both Wolves and Nottingham Forest into the Europa League.

However, the Portuguese boss has also had a failed stint at Tottenham and is now struggling to get the best out of his West Ham squad.

16 Sean Dyche Nottingham Forest

Back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, Sean Dyche has plenty of experience in the top flight following previous stints with Burnley and Everton.

He did a solid job at both, even taking the Clarets into the Europa League back in 2018. His football may not be the most attractive, but Dyche gets the job done more often than not and will be looking to do just that with Nottingham Forest.

15 Marco Silva Fulham

An experienced Premier League manager after stints with Hull City, Watford and Everton, Marco Silva has enjoyed the majority of his success in England with Fulham.

He’s managed more games at Craven Cottage than what he did with the three aforementioned clubs combined, helping make Fulham an established top flight side.

14 Thomas Frank Tottenham

After doing a brilliant job at Brentford where he took the Bees to the Premier League and comfortably kept them in the top flight, Thomas Frank took the leap to join Tottenham in 2025.

Results early on were positive for the Dane, who has continued his flexible and adaptable approach in north London, but the Lilywhites’ home form is major cause for concern.

13 Fabian Hurzeler Brighton

The youngest ever permanent manager in Premier League history, Brighton’s move for Fabian Hurzeler has paid off so far.

The German’s possession-based style and attacking philosophy has seen the Seagulls record some impressive wins at the Amex Stadium, and he could be the one to take the club back into European competition.

12

Manchester City are now willing to make a £70m January bid for an “absolutely incredible” Real Madrid star, with Pep Guardiola personally a fan.

Man City looking to boost title push by signing new forward

Man City have bounced back from their 2-1 loss at Newcastle United by winning their last two Premier League games on the spin, but they haven’t made easy work of it, scraping past Leeds United 3-2 courtesy of a late Phil Foden winner.

City then travelled to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham and raced into a 5-1 lead, but they only just managed to get over the line, with the hosts fighting back to 5-4, which will be a worrying sign for Guardiola.

Conceding six goals in the last two matches, against two of the weaker sides in the Premier League, suggests the Blues could do with strengthening their defence in January, and a new right-back is of interest, with Newcastle’s Tino Livramento being identified as a target.

However, Guardiola is also eager to upgrade his attacking options, with a report from Spain revealing Real Madrid star Rodrygo is one of the Man City manager’s top targets for the January transfer window.

City are determined to make a move for the Brazilian, with it being revealed they are willing to make a €80m (£70m) offer for his services, and Guardiola believes the forward would be a perfect fit in his system.

The 24-year-old’s agents have been working to secure their client a move away from the Spanish club this winter, offering him to a number of top Premier League clubs, but the Blues are making the most decisive moves to get a deal done.

"Absolutely incredible" Rodrygo may need fresh start

The Brazil international has been a fantastic servant to Real Madrid, with journalist Bence Bocsak praising him for the impact he’s made in the Champions League.

However, the former Santos man, who is regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, may be in need of a fresh start, given that he has now gone 31 games without a goal for the La Liga side, which is the worst streak ever for a Real Madrid attacker.

That’s not to say the Osasco-born forward wouldn’t make an impact at the Etihad Stadium, however, as he has previously shown a keen eye for goal, chipping in with 68 goals and 53 assists in 286 matches for the Spanish side.

Man City now favourites to sign "incredible" £88m star, Pep's captivated by him

City have taken the lead in the race for a Premier League star, with Pep Guardiola a big fan.

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2025

£70m would be a huge fee to pay for a player in such poor form though, and Man City should test the waters with a lower offer to begin with.

Nottingham Forest have begun to see an excellent upturn in their form since Sean Dyche took over the club. He’s won three from his first six games, including Saturday’s exceptional 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield. It has certainly been a positive start to his tenure.

Indeed, there have been some excellent individual performances since the Englishman became the Forest manager. Morgan Gibbs-White has been one of the standouts, with three goals in his last three Premier League games. The likes of Nicolo Savona and Igor Jesus have also been in impressive form.

With his side in excellent form, Dyche could well turn to the transfer market as he looks to add more quality to the Forest squad.

The latest on Nottingham Forest's transfer plans

It seems like the East Midlands side are looking to add depth in midfield. Reports in the past few days suggest they are plotting a move for talented Belgian midfielder Nathan De Cat, although the likes of Bayern Munich are challengers for the 17-year-old’s signature.

Transfer Focus

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

However, if that move does not materialise, Forest are also considering Everton midfielder and former loanee James Garner.

According to a report from Football Insider, the club are “looking at him” and could make a move, with his contract up in 18 months.

However, this will not be an easy deal to do. There are a host of Premier League clubs interested in the former Manchester United man, with Newcastle United, Aston Villa and West Ham United all keeping tabs.

As for the price, he could cost upwards of £20m, according to a report in mid-November.

Why Garner would be a good signing for Forest

24-year-old Garner has been pivotal for the Toffees this season. He has excelled as a full-back and in the middle of the park, with Everton gaffer David Moyes relying on that versatility several times this season.

Indeed, Garner has played 11 times in the Premier League, operating in different areas of the pitch. He’s played three games as a left-back, scoring a thunderbolt in one of those, seven times in the heart of the midfield, and once at right-back.

Of course, a move to Forest would see Garner return to the club. He played a historic part during his first stint, a loan from Man United.

He played 69 times in Garribaldi Red, scoring and assisting 18 times, and helping Forest return to the Premier League. Statman Dave described him as a “special” player during his time at the club.

If Garner was to make a move back to the City Ground, and Dyche utilised him in midfield, he might well form a strong partnership with Gibbs-White. Unsurprisingly, the England international is a key player under Forest’s new boss.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder has been in excellent form under Dyche, with the third of his three goals in the top flight coming last weekend at Anfield. However, he has been a consistent performer in Garibaldi Red his whole time at the club.

He’s recently brought up his 50th goal contribution for the club, and has 22 goals and 31 assists in 135 games. Gibbs-White excels as a number 10, but there are times when he needs to play deeper to help Forest out defensively.

The signing of Garner, however, could change that. The Everton man is someone who could play with Gibbs-White in midfield and take some of the defensive responsibility off the Forest number 10. His defensive numbers are impressive, averaging four tackles and interceptions per game this season, for example.

Defensive 3rd tackles won

1.36

Top 11%

Interceptions

1.45

Top 11%

Clearances

2.73

​​​​​​​Top 9%

Blocks

1.64

Top 19%

This sort of defensive nous could make Gibbs-White unplayable for Dyche’s side. With a player like Garner behind him, and Elliot Anderson of course, it might mean he is less shackled defensively, thus being able to be more effective going forward.

This midfield dynamic could hugely benefit Forest, and make them a more potent team in attack. In this market, £20m is a nominal fee for a player who knows the club and can benefit the side.

Not Zinchenko: Dyche could now drop “incredible” Nottingham Forest star

Sean Dyche could ditch this Nottingham Forest star alongside Oleksandr Zinchenko for his Premier League return.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 26, 2025

Despite a few poor results, this season is starting to shape up nicely for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are currently second in the Premier League and have the chance to cut the gap to Arsenal to just three points when they play them on Sunday.

However, for the West Londoners to have any chance of beating the high-flying Gunners, they’ll need to have their shooting boots on, and Liam Delap will have to show why the club signed him in the summer.

However, Chelsea might already be having second thoughts about the Englishman, as reports are linking them to another exciting young striker, someone with shades of Didier Drogba in their game.

Chelsea target Delap upgrade

Given Chelsea’s propensity to spend big in the transfer window, it’s not been much of a surprise to see reports already linking them with a host of talented players ahead of the January window.

Transfer Focus

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For example, Athletic Bilbao’s incredibly exciting Nico Williams has been touted for a £62m move to Stamford Bridge, and Nottingham Forest’s Murillo has also been heavily linked.

However, as talented as these two internationals are, neither can be compared to Drogba, nor would they be a threat to Delap’s place in the team, unlike Robinio Vaz.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are one of a few teams interested in the exciting French talent.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Blues have already established contact with Marseille over a possible move that could cost as much as €30m, about £26m.

However, sides like Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Napoli are also said to be interested in the youngster.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Vaz’s ability and potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Delap and has shades of Drogba in his game.

How Vaz compares to Delap and Drogba

Okay, so before looking at how Vaz compares to Delap, let’s examine the shades of Drogba in his game and this potential move.

The first and most significant would be that, so long as this transfer happens, the youngster would be following in the legendary striker’s footsteps, who moved from Marseille to Chelsea in 2004.

Another trait he appears to share with the iconic centre-forward is that he’s more than a goalscorer.

While he certainly can put the ball in the back of the net, the teenage sensation is also someone who can create chances for his teammates through, in the words of respected analyst Ben Mattinson, an ability to “hold up the ball.”

With all that said, how does his output stack up to that of Delap’s this season?

Appearances

14

7

Minutes

331′

294′

Goals

4

0

Assists

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.42

N/A

Minutes per Goal Involvement

55.16′

N/A

Well, despite still being just 18 years old, the “lethal” number nine, as one analyst dubbed him, has scored four goals and provided two assists in 14 appearances, totalling just 331 minutes this season.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.33 games, or far more crucially, one every 55.16 minutes.

In contrast, the West Londoners’ summer signing has failed to score a single goal or provide a single assist in seven appearances across all competitions, totalling 294 minutes.

Granted, he has been out injured, but the Englishman has almost played as many minutes as the youngster and arguably for a far better team.

UltimatelyUltimately, it’s still early in his career, but as one analyst puts it, Vaz looks like he’s “going straight to the top,” and therefore Chelsea should sign him, even if it’s bad news for Delap.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 24, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now targeting Brendan Rodgers as a replacement for Vitor Pereira, amid boardroom doubts about the Portuguese manager, who has made a very poor start to the campaign.

Indeed, Pereira is arguably fortunate to still be in a job, given that West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have already made changes, with the Old Gold sitting bottom of the Premier League, having failed to win any of their opening nine games.

Wolves have amassed just two points, which means they are currently six points adrift of safety, and the most recent result is likely to be particularly concerning, suffering a 3-2 defeat at home against newly-promoted Burnley.

Pereiera had to be dragged away from an altercation with the fans after the full-time whistle, before going on to urge the supporters to stick with the team in his post-match interview, saying: “We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible,”

“If we win two or three games in a row, things will change.”

The 57-year-old appears to be safe for the meantime, with the board not taking any drastic action after the Burnley defeat, but the club’s hierarchy are starting to have doubts about their manager…

Wolves targeting Rodgers to replace Pereira

According to a report from The Boot Room, Rodgers has now emerged as a target for Wolves, with the 52-year-old now available after resigning from his position as Celtic manager earlier this week.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “Wolves, as it stands, are sticking with Vitor Pereira, but I understand the club’s hierarchy is split. Some wanted Pereira out after their weekend defeat to Burnley, so they are one to watch.”

As such, the former FC Porto manager may get a few more games to save his job, but if results don’t improve, the Northern Irishman could be brought in to replace him, having decided moving back to England is his “number one priority”.

After such a poor start to the season, the Old Gold may need a special manager to guide them to safety, and the ex-Celtic boss, who has managed 34 Champions League games, could fit the bill.

Gabriel Agbonlahor once lauded the former Leicester City boss for the work he did at the King Power Stadium, describing him as a “world-class” manager.

During his time with the Foxes, Rodgers, who often utilises a 4-3-3 formation, secured two fifth-place finishes and won the FA Cup, showcasing that he is capable of punching above his weight with a smaller club.

Despite signing a new three-year contract last month, there is only so long Wolves can stick with Pereira if results don’t improve dramatically, and the former Leicester manager could be the ideal replacement.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 18, 2025