Arsenal transfer chief Andrea Berta is now targeting a marquee Premier League forward for Mikel Arteta, as his talks for Real Madrid star Rodrygo hit a snag.

Arsenal open talks for Rodrygo in chase for quality new winger

Last week, Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg broke news that Arsenal had opened talks over a move for Rodrygo, with Berta in hot pursuit of a quality new winger who can provide them with even more goals and assists.

Club tell "popular" young forward they want to ship him back to Arsenal

A return to north London for him now beckons.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

May 24, 2025

Rodrygo shot to the “very top” of Berta’s list of transfer targets in that regard, but it is still seen as a pretty difficult deal to pull off for a multitude of reasons.

The 24-year-old, who’s bagged 13 goals and 10 assists in all competitions over 50 total appearances this season, is also on around £202,000-per-week at Real. This would make Rodrygo one of Arsenal’s highest-paid players on a wage bill which is already pretty significant, with the Gunners’ annual payroll already totalling around £170 million.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)	Money on new signings
19/20 – winter	£0
20/21 – summer	£81.5m
20/21 – winter	£900k
21/22 – summer	£156.8m
21/22 – winter	£1.8m
22/23 – summer	£121.5m
22/23 – winter	£59m
23/24 – summer	£208m
23/24 – winter	£0
24/25 – summer	£101.5m
24/25 – winter	£0

If you also factor in his £68 million rumoured price tag, a move for Rodrygo suddenly becomes a costly operation, and Arsenal need to set aside their summer funds carefully as they also target a prolific striker.

Taking all of this into account, it’s actually little surprise that negotiations are now stumbling, as reported by Plettenberg this week.

Arsenal eye Kaoru Mitoma as Rodrygo talks stall

Writing via X, the Sky journalist claims that Brighton star Kaoru Mitoma has now been identified as an alternative to the Real winger, with a move for Rodrygo proving complex as talks stall.

As Arsenal become faced with the very real possibility of having to give up on their “dream signing”, as per Plettenberg, Mitoma could prove to be a tempting option in place of Rodrygo.

The Japan star has scored 11 goals and bagged a further four assists in total throughout 24/25, enjoying yet another productive season at the Amex, but he won’t exactly be much cheaper than Rodrygo.

Reports suggest Mitoma could cost as much as £80 million to prise away from the south coast, with Brighton known to be stern negotiators when it comes to selling their star players.

The 27-year-old won’t be a signing for the ultra-long-term either as he fast approaches his prime, so this is a move which Berta will need to consider very carefully.

Manchester City’s spending spree is only just getting started.

On Monday, the Sky Blues unveiled Rayan Aït-Nouri as their first summer signing, arriving for a reported £31m from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the Algerian international left-back eligible to debut in the Citizens’ Club World Cup opener against Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia next Wednesday.

Meantime, widespread reports suggest that Tijjani Reijnders will arrive from AC Milan for £46.3m, with more signings on the way too, so could a high-profile Man City stalwart be on his way out, possibly to a Premier League rival, to make way for these new recruits?

What Rayan Cherki will bring to Manchester City

David Ornstein of The Athletic reported last week that Manchester City had ‘reached an agreement’ with Olympique Lyonnais over the signing of Rayan Cherki, agreeing to pay around £34m.

Rob Dawson and Julien Laurens of ESPN claimed that Man City were hoping to finalise the deal in time for Cherki to feature during the Club World Cup group stages, with that move having now been confirmed by the club ahead of the deadline.

In terms of what City’s latest arrival will bring to the Etihad, Stuart James and Tom Williams of the Athletic believe that the 21-year-old possesses a mesmeric ‘capacity to enthral’, labelling him ‘precociously talented’ and citing former Lyon manager Fabio Grosso, who asserted that “god has given him incredible qualities”.

Those traits were notably on show during Lyon’s gripping Europa League quarter-final tie with Manchester United earlier this year, with the youngster scoring a last-gasp equaliser in the first leg, prior to also netting a stunning, driven effort from range in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford.

Described as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, the fleet-footed genius looks destined to be a star under Guardiola’s watch over the coming years.

And so, with such a high-quality midfield talent on his way to the Etihad, could a current Man City star be forced out?

The Man City star destined to depart

As noted by Mark Critchley and Ben Burrows of The Athletic, Jack Grealish has been left out of Manchester City’s squad for this summer’s Club World Cup, thereby not set to travel to the United States, suggesting he is highly likely to leave the club this summer.

Back in December, Richard Jolly of the Independent outlined how, during his four years at the club, Grealish had gone from ‘one of the most exciting attacking players in world football’ to now a player ‘who is neither exciting nor attacking’.

The table below highlights the England international’s decrease in importance.

Jack Grealish’s season-by-season Manchester City career

Statistics

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Appearances

39

50

36

32

Starts

31

41

26

16

Matches an unused sub

11

5

12

15

Minutes

2,730

3,487

2,114

1,521

Goals

6

5

3

3

Assists

4

11

3

5

England caps

11

9

4

3

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table notes, Grealish was an integral player for Man City during his first two seasons, but the last two he has been nothing more than a peripheral figure.

David O’Brien believes he was “exceptional” during his early years at Man City, but Alex Brotherton of BBC Sport notes that now ‘is the right time to move on’ as he seeks to save his career.

The fact he was an unused substitute in the FA Cup Final, a match they lost 1-0 to Manchester City, is widely considered to be the final nail in the coffin – as too is the arrival of another playmaker in Cherki.

For instance, Cherki racked up 32 goals and assists in all competitions in 2024/25 at Lyon, including 19 goals and assists in league action. Grealish – as noted in the table – was only able to record eight goals and assists, only two of which came in the Premier League. A move away now appears an inevitability.

Indeed, reports in Spain suggest that Newcastle United ‘have set their sights’ on signing him, looking to lodge a bid that would comprise an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy of around £67m.

Ben Jacobs of Talk Sport also claims that both Tottenham and Everton ‘hold a genuine’ interest in signing Grealish too, with Gillian Kasirye of Total Football Analysis documenting how his ‘exceptional ball-carrying ability’ would make him perfect for Spurs.

Thus, Grealish’s Man City exit is likely to be one of the stories of the summer but, regardless of where he ends up, he has surely played his last game in sky blue, with Cherki a readymade, exciting replacement.

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With money to spend following the departure of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund, Sunderland have reportedly joined a hectic race to sign a Premier League rival this summer.

Sunderland commence search to replace Bellingham

Even after earning promotion to the Premier League, Bellingham’s decision was made up when Borussia Dortmund came calling in a deal that is now official. An exit that could reportedly see Sunderland bank as much as €40m (£34m) if add-on bonuses are reached in the coming years, the Black Cats have instantly turned towards the market in pursuit of a replacement.

It’s a search that won’t be easy given just how talented Bellingham is at just 19 years old, but Sunderland must make sure that their young midfielder is replaced by the time that the Premier League campaign gets underway.

On that front, names such as Tommy Doyle have recently threatened to steal the headlines. The 23-year-old is a Manchester City graduate, but completed a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer.

Swapping Manchester for the Midlands hasn’t accelerated his development that many would have hoped, however, and after just three Premier League starts, Doyle could be on the move again.

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Sunderland could be the ideal place to get his career back on track too. The Stadium of Light has become the breeding ground for young talent to thrive in recent years, from Manchester United’s Amad Diallo to, most recently, Bellingham. Now, Doyle desperately needs to follow a similar path if he is to finally realise his potential in the Premier League.

Of course, though, it’s not just young talent that Sunderland have set their sights on this summer. The Black Cats have also gone in search of experience and could yet welcome a Premier League rival for Regis Le Bris.

Sunderland join race to sign £5m Alex Moreno

According to reports in Spain, Sunderland have now joined the race to sign Alex Moreno from Aston Villa this summer. Those in Wearside are reportedly joined by Real Sociedad, Real Betis and fellow promoted side Burnley in a hectic battle to sign the Spanish left-back.

Available for just £5m this summer, Moreno represents an option that could quickly turn into the ultimate bargain, given how he played a part in Nottingham Forest’s unexpected Europa Conference League finish last season. Starting 11 games for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, the 32-year-old proved that he is still more than capable of playing at this level.

Although no longer part of Unai Emery’s plans, the £35,000-a-week defender still made his mark at Aston Villa during the 2022/23 campaign, when he earned the praise of both Ian Wright and Alan Shearer following a frantic draw at West Ham United.

The pair were both left in awe of Moreno’s assist for Ollie Watkins’ goal, with Shearer saying on Match of the Day: “But what a ball in, it’s dreamland for a forward. You are saying ‘go on and get on the end of that’ and Watkins did. It was a great cross and a fantastic header.”

Wright then went on to dub Moreno’s involvement as “brilliant” in the type of quality that Sunderland fans could be enjoying next season if the Black Cats decide to make their move.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are resigned to losing talisman Matheus Cunha this summer as Manchester United close in on a move for the Brazilian.

The £62.5m release clause has been activated, which means Vitor Pereira will be looking to bolster his attacking options this summer.

Jorgen Strand Larsen has enjoyed a decent debut campaign at Molineux, but further additions will be needed if the club are to push into the top half of the Premier League table next term.

What could the manager do with the services of a prime Raul Jimenez next season?

Why Raul Jimenez was a success at Wolves

The Mexican striker signed for the Old Gold on an initial loan deal for the 2018/19 season, going on to score 17 goals in all competitions for the club.

In the following campaign, he was even better. Jimenez scored 27 goals and grabbed a further ten assists as the club finished seventh in the top flight and reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

This is still the last time a player has scored over 20 goals in a single season for the Molineux side, as the centre-forward suffered a few horrendous injuries that impacted his effectiveness.

Indeed, he would only score another 13 times for the Midlands side before being sold to Fulham for just £5m in the summer of 2023. The player has enjoyed an Indian summer in London, scoring 12 top-flight goals this campaign alone.

Wolves haven’t replaced his goals, despite the antics of Cunha and Larsen this term. Might this change in the summer as Pereira eyes a Serie A striker?

Why Wolves must sign Lazio striker Taty Castellanos

Castellanos has an insatiable eye for a goal that would immediately get the supporters onside, especially as he could have the potential to replicate the feats of Jimenez should he move to England.

Reports in Italy claim that the Old Gold are seeking a move for the Lazio frontman, although a price tag of around £29m has been placed on his head.

The 2024/25 campaign was a prolific one for the Argentinian striker. Not only has he found the back of the net 14 times for the Rome-based club, but he has also added eight assists, proving how effective his all-round game is.

Lauded as “extraordinary” by Lazio manager Marco Baroni in October, Castellanos would be an interesting signing for Pereira this summer.

With Cunha departing, goals will have to come from somewhere. Could the Lazio talisman be their main man next season?

Goals

10

Assists

3

Shots per game

3.6

Goal conversion percentage

10%

Goal frequency (minutes)

222

Big chances created

6

When compared to positional peers in the Italian top flight, the 26-year-old ranks in the top 2% for total shots per 90 (3.84) and in the top 12% for touches in the opposition penalty area (5.69) per 90 this season.

Impressive statistics, but would he be able to carry these performances into the Premier League?

Time will tell, of course, but with the money generated from the sale of Cunha, some must go into signing a new striker.

Csstellanos might just be the ideal signing for Pereira this summer.

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Leeds United now face Burnley in a transfer battle to sign a Premier League level defender on a free transfer this summer, according to a new report.

Leeds eyeing more transfers after Nmecha deal

The Whites confirmed their first signing of the summer transfer window on Sunday afternoon, as Lukas Nmecha agreed to join Leeds once his contract at Wolfsburg expires at the end of the month.

The attacking midfielder is a player who is likely to be an important figure in Farke’s team this season, but the club are not resting with just his arrival, as they are already working on more additions.

As reported by Africa Foot, Leeds have made contact with Manchester City over signing Juma Bah on a loan deal. The 19-year-old joined the Blues back in January but spent the rest of the campaign on loan at RC Lens. He now looks set for another temporary move away, with Leeds and Southampton fighting for his signature.

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Meanwhile, defender Jaka Bijol has agreed terms over a move to Elland Road this summer and a deal appears to be nearing completion. He is not the only defender on the club’s radar, as a report from Football Insider states that Alex Moreno is also interested in a move to Leeds this summer. The 32-year-old could be available for £5 million, as the Whites are in the market for a new left-back.

Leeds face Burnley in Keane battle

The list of potential new defenders to sign doesn’t stop there, as according to the Liverpool Echo, Leeds are among the teams interested in signing Michael Keane from Everton.

Keane, who has been at Goodison Park since July 2017, is out of contract at the end of this month, and while he remains in talks over a new contract, he is looking more likely to leave. That has alerted Leeds, who, along with Burnley and Sheffield United, are keen on swooping in and securing the defender on a free transfer.

The 32-year-old, who has been dubbed “immense” in the past by Harry Redknapp, has fallen down the pecking order at Everton in recent seasons. Keane went from playing 32 games in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season to playing just 12, 9 and 14 times in the last 3 campaigns.

Apps

230

Goals

16

Assists

10

Keane could be a viable option for the Whites to provide more depth behind Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, and there aren’t many free signings on the market who provide such a wealth of top flight experience.

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak enjoyed a wonderful season for the club last year.

The Swede not only scored 27 goals across 42 appearances in all competitions, but he also helped the Magpies end their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy in the process.

Isak opened the scoring in the League Cup final against Liverpool, immortalising himself among the Toon support.

If Eddie Howe wishes to keep his star man in this sort of form, bringing in a quality winger or two this summer will help massively.

Just who have the Magpies got on their wishlist?

Newcastle could see bid for Premier League starlet accepted

Newcastle have been linked with Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish and even Rodrygo from Real Madrid during the first couple of weeks in June.

All three would be statement signings by Howe, no doubt about that, but is there a more attractive option out there?

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Indeed, according to Football Insider, the Magpies now know exactly how much it is going to cost to sign Nottingham Forest wideman Anthony Elanga.

The report states that the club had an offer of £35m rejected last summer, but if Howe comes back in with a £15m increase, this £50m bid would likely be accepted by Forest.

Why Anthony Elanga could make Isak even better

Elanga has shone for the club since making the move from Manchester United two years ago and this form has caught the attention of Howe.

If he does make the move north, Isak will be licking his lips.

Last season, wingers Anthony Gordon, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes registered seven, five and 14 assists respectively across all competitions.

Elanga recorded 12 assists in all competitions last term, with 11 coming in the Premier League alone, more than Gordon and Barnes.

Metric

Elanga

Gordon

Barnes

Murphy

Goals

6

6

9

8

Assists

11

5

4

12

Big chances created

9

6

8

12

Key passes per game

1.3

1.5

0.8

1.2

Successful dribbles per game

0.7

1.1

0.7

1

The Swedish starlet also created nine big chances in the top flight while also making 1.3 key passes and succeeding with 0.7 dribbles per game. These numbers indicate that he could be the dream winger for Isak, providing him with plenty of chances next term.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the Premier League, Elanga ranks in the top 6% for assists (0.4) per 90.

The winger even ranks in the top 2% for shots on target (54.5%) per 90 and in the top 3% for crosses (6.66) per 90, which places him among the best in the division for these metrics. How exactly does he do that?

Well, it certainly helps that he was one of the fastest players in the entire division throughout 2024/25.

The fastest & slowest players in the Premier League (2024/25)

On that evidence, it is no wonder that Statman Dave hailed him as “dangerous” during his first few months as a Forest player, and he has gone from strength to strength ever since.

Linking up with his compatriot at Newcastle ahead of next season could see Howe field a front three of Elanga, Isak and Gordon.

This should be enough to strike fear into most sides in the top flight and, indeed, in the Champions League.

Will the manager shell out £50m for the 23-year-old this summer? Only time will tell.

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After missing out on the treble following defeat against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final, Celtic have reportedly made their first move to sign a 17-year-old wonderkid this summer.

Rodgers reacts to Aberdeen defeat

Taking charge of his 11th final in his career, Brendan Rodgers would have been hoping to see his side secure a domestic treble against Aberdeen to end their season. Their opponents had other ideas, however, and went onto hand the Celtic boss his first defeat in a final at his 11th attempt and caused a major upset.

It’s a human side of the Bhoys that the Scottish Premiership rarely saw throughout the season, but Aberdeen proved that it does exist. With that side of their game exposed too, Celtic will be desperate to double down on their dominance by retaining their crown once again next season.

Rodgers had his say on his side’s Scottish Cup final defeat, telling reporters: “This is a team that’s given me so much with their honesty and quality of their football. There’s been so many times when I’d sat in here and it’s been different. I’ve had 11 finals up here and down in England and this is my first loss.

“You have to accept that. It’s part of sport and part of football. And as long as you can look at it and reflect honestly then we can say we weren’t good enough in our quality. We’ve got no one else to blame.

“Domestically, we set out to win the league, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup and we were one game from doing that. But this shows you how challenging and how hard it is.”

Away from the pitch, meanwhile, the Scottish champions have already shifted their focus towards the summer transfer window and signing a 17-year-old wonderkid for Rodgers.

Celtic make first offer in Milosavljevic race

According to Meridian Sport in Serbia, as relayed by The Daily Record, Celtic submitted their first offer to sign Veljko Milosavljevic and have since had that offer knocked back by Red Star, who are demanding as much as €10m (£8.4m) to sell their wonderkid this summer.

The 17-year-old defender is quite rightly their prized asset and if the Bhoys want to secure his signature, it looks as though they’ll have to pay a hefty fee.

Still a teenager, Milosavljevic is already making his mark on senior football. For Red Star this season, he has started eight games in the Super Liga Srbije, whilst also making the bench for his side’s Champions League games against PSV Eindhoven and BSC Young Boys.

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Whilst he wouldn’t necessarily be granted the same opportunities from the off at Celtic, he could eventually grow into a key part of Rodgers’ side. As impressive as the teenager has been, it’s a positive that his best work is still a long way away.

Signing such impressive young players represents how Celtic could maintain their Scottish dominance and more this summer, starting with Red Star wonderkid Milosavljevic in the forthcoming transfer window.

Rangers are set to be very busy in the transfer market in the next few weeks.

Ever since Russell Martin was unveiled as the new manager last week, the Ibrox side have been linked with umpteen new signings and rightly so, considering their squad requires a major overhaul this summer.

So, could the Gers’ land an attacker labelled “unplayable” in a move reminiscent of a recent fans’ favourite?

Rangers' interest in a new midfielder

According to a report by Joshua Barrie of the Rangers review, Rangers are ‘interested’ in signing Kwame Poku this summer.

The 23-year-old is a free agent having left Peterborough United, with there unsurprisingly plenty of competition for his signature, including from newly-promoted Championship side, Birmingham City.

Poku began his senior career in non-league, representing Cray Wanderers and Worthing, earning a move to Colchester before joining Peterborough in 2021, making 147 appearances for Posh, most notably winning back-to-back EFL Trophies at Wembley.

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Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony believes he will “be a Premier League star in the future”, estimating that he’ll one day “cost £30 million”, so could Rangers tempt him north of Hadrian’s Wall on a Bosman?

Joe Aribo's Rangers career

Six years ago, in an eerily similar deal, Joe Aribo arrived at Rangers as a free agent, a reported £300,000 in compensation was paid, from Charlton Athletic, who were also in EFL League One at the time.

Aribo would go on to make 149 appearances for the Light Blues, scoring 26 goals and registering 25 assists, most famously breaking the deadlock in the Europa League Final against Eintracht Frankfurt at Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.

A few days later, the Nigerian international helped Rangers win the Scottish Cup at Hampden, but this would prove to be his last outing in a blue jersey, sold to Southampton for £6m in the summer of 2022.

So, could Poku have a similar impact to that of Aribo? Let’s compare the duo to find out.

Appearances

31

39

Minutes

2,364

3,413

Goals

12

10

Assists

11

5

As the table outlines, Poku’s statistics this season were actually more impressive than those of Aribo from his final season at Charlton, despite the fact the former sat out three months of the campaign following hamstring surgery in December.

Writer Kai Watson labels the Ghanian international a “strong ball carrier” who is excellent at “cutting in on his left and getting a shot away”, concluding that he would be a “bargain” on a free transfer. Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson, meanwhile, asserts that he can be “unplayable” at times.

Meanwhile, Oliver Walton of Football League World described him as ‘one of the most in-form players in English football’ earlier this season, while Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis outlines how he boasts the best ‘attacking numbers’ across the entirety of the EFL, praising his ‘excellent finishing’.

So, let’s assess that assertion.

Minutes

2,058

223rd

Goals

12

11th

Goals per 90

0.52

7th

Assists

8

5th

Assists per 90

0.35

1st

Shots per 90

2.71

12th

Goals per shot

0.19

18th

Big chances created

9

28th

Successful dribbles per 90

1.9

2nd

As the table highlights, Poku had an exceptional season at Peterborough, ranked first for assists per 90 and second for successful dribbles per 90 as well, on top of his generally impressive attacking statistics across the board.

Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis also believes his best position is as an attacking midfielder, albeit he can be deployed out-wide, noting that his ‘biggest strength’ is his ability to progress the ball through midfield.

Meanwhile, Fintan O’Reilly of Total Football Analysis labels him a ‘thrilling playmaker’ who is ‘great in tight spaces’ and a ‘very intelligent passer’, destined to go to the very top, so Rangers should do everything in their power to make this deal come to fruition.

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly identifying targets for incoming new manager Thomas Frank already, with the Dane also having his own input on their summer recruitment plans as he prepares for his debut season in the Lilywhites dugout.

Thomas Frank already identifying transfer targets at Spurs

According to Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media sources, Frank is closing in on the Spurs job and an agreement has been reached for him to replace Ange Postecoglou – just days after the Australian was given his marching orders.

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Romano has given his renowned ‘here we go’ to the appointment and there is an expectation that Frank could even be confirmed as Tottenham’s new manager in the next few days (BBC), with the 51-year-old poised to swap Brentford for north London.

The move is so advanced, in fact, that reports are already flooding in regard to Frank identifying his preferred summer transfer targets for Spurs.

GiveMeSport reported earlier this week that Frank has recommended Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze to Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy as a possible signing, in the event they cannot beat Man United in the race for Bryan Mbeumo.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

This comes amid reports that they’re after a new left-winger after the departure of Timo Werner, with Spurs said to be eyeing Man City star Jack Grealish, who is almost certain to depart Eastlands this summer (talkSPORT).

The arrival of a new forward in that area would also raise questions about the future of Mathys Tel.

The Frenchman arrived at N17 on loan in January, and the deal includes an option to buy for around £45 million. However, it is believed that Spurs would want to whittle down that fee if they do opt to keep Tel, following a mixed first six months at the club.

Tottenham to open talks over cut-price Mathys Tel deal

According to TEAMtalk this week, that is most certainly the plan, and Tottenham are set to open talks over a reduced-price move for Tel in the coming weeks.

They also state Frank has personally told Spurs chiefs that the 20-year-old’s permanent arrival would sufficiently reinforce his attacking options ahead of a 2025/2026 campaign where they’ll be competing in the Champions League.

Frank apparently believes Tel is a perfect fit for his high-pressing system, and is a major fan of the winger’s work rate among other desirable traits, like his versatility.

Taking this into account, Frank has requested that the club keep Tel right where he is, which could end up being the right call considering his glowing reputation among Bayern Munich circles.

Ex-Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann once tipped Tel to bag ’40 goals a season’ at some point in his career, while Bayern back-up keeper, Sven Ulreich, called him a ‘role model’ for younger players.

“Mathys is a fine guy, is inquisitive, willing to learn, down-to-earth and works a lot on himself,” Ulreich said.

“He is a role model for all the young players who come here. He comes up and does his job. We’ve had other examples that didn’t handle it that way.”

Although their focus has been on finding a new manager, Rangers are now reportedly seriously interested in signing a European talent who they’ve already scouted ahead of the summer transfer window.

Rangers' manager shortlist

Before anything, the Gers must finally find a permanent replacement for Philippe Clement, having decided against handing Barry Ferguson the job following a brief interim spell at the end of the season. To that end, a number of candidates have unsurprisingly already emerged in the race to land the vaccant position at Ibrox.

Names such as Steven Gerrard and Davide Ancelotti have stolen the most headlines, but that hasn’t stopped the likes of Russell Martin from receiving links to the job in recent weeks. The former Southampton manager has been out of a job since being shown the door at St Mary’s and is now an outside candidate to arrive in Scotland as well as being linked with the Leicester City job.

Plenty have had their say on just who should arrive, including Rangers legend Ally McCoist. He told reporters when quizzed on Gerrard’s next move: “It’s absolutely vital that his next job is the right one, It didn’t quite work out at Villa or in Saudi Arabia. It’s similar to Frank Lampard—his move to Coventry has been crucial in getting his managerial career back on track. Steven’s in that same position. His next step needs to be spot on.”

Whether a return to Rangers is a move that would be “spot on” for Gerrard is a question that those in Scotland may just get an answer to in the coming weeks, as the 49ers ramp up their managerial hunt.

Same agent as Gerrard: Rangers want cheap deal to sign £1m int'l defender

He could arrive with the potential new manager.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 28, 2025

As soon as they find their next manager, of course, Rangers must turn their attention towards the summer transfer market and that’s when they could make their move to sign an attacking addition who they’ve already scouted.

Rangers seriously interested in Djurgarden winger Fallenius

According to Fotboll Direkt in Sweden, the 49ers are now seriously interested in signing Oskar Fallenius after Rangers completed their scouting mission on the 23-year-old Djurgarden winger. The Swede could be part of a much-needed list of arrivals as those at Ibrox look to turn their side back into true title contenders and bridge the gap on Celtic in the process.

A player who has featured on the European stage and scored in the Europa Conference League, Fallenius has seemingly done enough to earn the attention of Rangers ahead of the summer transfer window.

If the 49ers are looking to improve the Gers whilst maintaining their budget, then the arrival of a player who could be on the verge of bursting into his best form should be the way forward. And Fallenius would fall into that category.

The Scottish giants arguably got it all wrong last summer, but with new owners on the way they have the chance to start fresh and close the gap on Celtic for the first time since 2021. Whether that results in Fallenius’ arrival will certainly be interesting to see.