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John Terry has revealed his confusion at the fact he does not receive more job offers, while seemingly giving up on his ambition to manage Chelsea. The former England captain has not held a first-team coaching position since working as an assistant at Leicester City in 2023, as offers do not appear to have materialised.

• Terry's bitterness

  Terry enjoyed a world-class playing career in which he captained Chelsea to five Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League and five FA Cups. He retired after a short stint at Aston Villa, having also won 78 caps for England, and then appeared set to head into coaching. In 2018, fresh from hanging up his boots, he was appointed as Villa's assistant head coach, working with manager Dean Smith, but left after three years. Since, he worked with Chelsea in a coaching consultancy role, before returning to Smith's staff at Leicester City. After his time with the Foxes, which came to an end in July of 2023, he has not held a role in first-team football, and he has expressed his confusion at the state of affairs he finds himself in, having seen former international team-mates Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Wayne Rooney all bag managerial roles. 

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  Terry's dream fading

  Quoted by the Daily Mail, Terry revealed his dream is to manage Chelsea, but he accepts that he may well have to admit defeat on that fantasy. 

  He said: "I'm not sure it ever happens, to be honest. It's my one last dream I have at the football club. I've done everything at Chelsea. And for me now, the one thing that is missing is being the manager of the football club. 

  "That's why I went into coaching when I finished playing. My idea and dream was to learn my trade a bit. As a player, you retire after 22 years… Listen, 100 per cent, you learn enough to go into management. 

  "The level I played at and the managers I played under. But it doesn't give you the right you go into management at a certain level. You still have to learn and understand what it takes. 

  "There's a lot more that goes into the coaching side of it. So I went away and learnt my trade, I had some unbelievable times at Villa, I left Villa to be a number one, I thought I was ready. I think I'd be a really good number one, I enjoyed the coaching side of it. 

  "I want people around me that are better coaches than me. Then I could lead the dressing room and the team like I did [as a player]. That's what I did for 22 years at the club. I know I'd be good at it. Will I ever get the chance? I'm not sure, without doing the other bits. But when people tell you you've not got the experience, it's difficult to fathom."

• Not eyeing a Premier League club

  Terry says he is not trying to take a job in the top-flight of English football, and instead says he would be willing to drop into a League One club as he looks to kick-start his managerial career at the age of 44. 

  He added: "When I went into Villa I got great experience under Dean Smith and we got promotion, which was incredible. As an assistant coach in the Premier League and the experience I've had as a player and an individual captain in both Chelsea and England, I thought that would be enough to get me a job.

  "I'm not saying a job in the Premier League or the Championship – but a job at League One level."

  Terry concluded: "I didn't even get a sniff. I had interviews and it was just 'you have no experience'. When I see some people managing today, it baffles me, it really does. 

  "In terms of 'am I frustrated', yes, absolutely, because I have a lot of good attributes to be a really good coach or a really good manager but, unfortunately, that's not happened."

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  What comes next?

  Terry is clearly ready and willing to jump into the dugout but it is unclear if a League One club will be willing to test him out. He will surely be keeping a close eye on managerial movements up and down the Football League, although the Blues job looks a long way off for the former skipper. 

Chelsea and Todd Boehly have splashed the cash in recent years on a number of new players, with the Blues winning the Club World Cup in 2025. Following their triumph in the USA, those at Stamford Bridge once again spent big in the transfer window.

Here at Football FanCast, we’ve taken a look at Chelsea’s most expensive signings in their history, as per Transfermarkt and news reports, with a detailed look at the top 10.

Here's a detailed look at Chelsea's 10 most expensive signings:

10

Joao Pedro

£60m from Brighton

Chelsea’s biggest signing in 2025 was centre-forward Joao Pedro, who was signed in time to link up with the Blues during their Club World Cup campaign.

The Brazilian became an instant hit with his goals in the USA, and he is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2033.

9

Alvaro Morata

£60m from Real Madrid

The oldest arrival in this top 10 is Alvaro Morata, who joined Chelsea in a club-record £60m transfer from Real Madrid back in 2017. The striker’s move to England ultimately didn’t work out, though, with the Spaniard returning to La Liga with Atletico Madrid on loan in 2019 before making that move permanent a year later.

Morata is currently the captain of the Spanish national team and scored 24 goals in 72 games for the Blues.

8

Marc Cucurella

£60m from Brighton

Chelsea won the race ahead of Manchester City to sign left-back Marc Cucurella from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022 for just over £60m, with the Spaniard making the left-back role his own at Stamford Bridge.

A former Barcelona youngster, Cucurella impressed in his first year in England with the Seagulls under Graham Potter, and the pair would soon be reunited when the Blues brought in the latter as manager a month later.

7

Mykhailo Mudryk

£62m from Shakhtar Donetsk

Chelsea swooped in ahead of Arsenal to sign winger Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023 for £62m, with the Ukraine international signing a huge eight-and-a-half-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

His Chelsea deal could reach a total of £89m, but having not had much success thus far, Shakhtar look set to miss out on nearly £30m worth of bonuses.

6

Wesley Fofana

£70m from Leicester City

Centre-back Wesley Fofana was brought to Stamford Bridge from Leicester City in 2022, but the Frenchman’s stay with Chelsea so far has been hampered by injury.

However, considering he signed a seven-year deal, the Blues still have plenty of time to get the best out of the Frenchman, who cost the west Londoners a handsome £70m – proving Leicester sure know how to get a decent sum for a promising centre-back.

5

Kai Havertz

£71m from Bayer Leverkusen

Versatile attacker Kai Havertz was brought to England by Chelsea in 2020, joining in a big-money £71m deal from Bayer Leverkusen.

The German went on to score the winning goal for the Blues in the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City before being sold to rivals Arsenal in 2023, with Chelsea bringing in the majority of the fee they spent on the player.

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4

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£71m from Athletic Club

Kepa Arrizabalaga is the most expensive goalkeeper in history, but he only sits 4th in Chelsea’s record signings list, showing the Blues’ spending power in the years that have followed.

Famously remembered in a Chelsea shirt for refusing to be substituted in extra time of an EFL Cup final under Maurizio Sarri, Kepa signed for the Blues back in 2018 from Athletic Club for just over £71m and was allowed to join Arsenal for just £5m in 2025.

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3

Romelu Lukaku

£97.5m from Inter

Striker Romelu Lukaku returned to Chelsea for a second Stamford Bridge stint back in 2021, with the Blues paying Inter what was a club-record fee of £97.5m for the Belgian.

It appeared to be a masterstroke at first, with Lukaku scoring freely back in a Chelsea shirt, but over time, it has proven to be a costly mistake, with the player spending recent years on loan in Italy with Inter and Roma before finally being sold by Chelsea for the second time, this time to Napoli.

2

Enzo Fernandez

£107m from Benfica

Midfielder Enzo Fernandez joined Chelsea in a £107m deal from Benfica in 2023 shortly after winning the World Cup with Argentina.

It was a British record at the time, and although the midfielder is arguably still working to pay off that price tag, he has become a vital member of the team under Enzo Maresca, wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of Reece James.

1

Moises Caicedo

£115m from Brighton

Central midfielder Moises Caicedo only made 53 appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion between 2021 and 2023, but that was enough for Chelsea to spend big on the Ecuador international.

The Blues won the race ahead of Liverpool for Caicedo, who endured a tough start to life at Stamford Bridge before eventually showing his best form. He’s under contract until 2031, so he has plenty of time to become an important Chelsea star.

Lionel Scaloni has shut down speculation linking Roma forward Matias Soule with a potential switch to Italy, calling such talk “impossible”. The Argentina boss made it clear that the 21-year-old remains firmly in his plans for the Albiceleste. Scaloni hailed the youngster’s growth at Roma and described him as Argentina’s “future” ahead of their friendly against Puerto Rico.

• Soule waiting for Argentina debut amid Roma heroics

  The 21-year-old, who has represented Argentina at youth level, has not yet made a senior appearance for the Albiceleste, though he has been included in several provisional squads. His form at Roma since joining from Juventus in the summer of 2024 has only strengthened his case, with the forward emerging as one of Serie A’s standout performers this season.

  His agent, however, recently cast doubt over his international future, hinting he could take advantage of his eligibility for Italy by declaring himself available for Gennaro Gattuso's side due to the wait for his Argentina debut. That notion has no relevance as far as Scaloni is concerned as he said the youngster will get his chance eventually.

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  Scaloni praises Soule’s progress and reveals close monitoring

  “Soule called up to the Italy squad? I don’t think it’s possible; he’s been in our sights for some time,” Scaloni said during a press conference. “We see him as the future of the Argentine national team, and he’ll soon get his chances. He’s growing a lot and I’ve been following him for a while. If he continues like this, there won’t be any problems." 

  According to reports in Argentina, Scaloni even called Soule personally to reassure him that he was always part of the national team's plans.

• Agent’s remarks sparked speculation

  The speculation emerged after Soule’s agent publicly questioned Argentina’s selection policy, suggesting that his client could switch his allegiance to Italy. 

  "Argentina has never called him, yet so many young players have made their debuts in recent months. Matias deserves a chance for what he’s doing at a major club like Roma,” the agent said in an interview with . “What if the situation doesn’t resolve itself? He can legally be called up by Italy; anything is possible."

  Soule had previously turned down an approach from former Italy coach Luciano Spalletti, reports say, with the attacker’s dream being to play for Argentina, and Scaloni’s latest remarks suggest it's just a matter of time before he gets his chance.

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  Focus turns to Argentina’s friendlies and World Cup build-up

  With the speculation now settled, attention turns to Argentina’s ongoing preparations for the 2026 World Cup. The reigning champions face Puerto Rico in Miami, Florida after edging Venezuela 1-0 in Miami last week. Superstar Lionel Messi missed that game due to club commitments with Inter Miami, and it remains to be seen whether he will feature in the second friendly.

  Scaloni is expected to rotate his squad, offering opportunities to younger players like Soule in the coming months. The 21-year-old could finally make his senior debut before the end of the year, potentially in the next international window. For Argentina, the goal remains clear, to build a competitive core for their World Cup title defence in North America next summer.

Fabio Capello blasted the lack of courage from both Juventus and AC Milan in a 'boring' affair, a sentiment shared by Juve fans who booed their side off the pitch after a fifth straight draw.

• Did Juventus and AC Milan fail to entertain?

  Capello has delivered a scathing assessment of the goalless draw between his two former clubs Juventus and AC Milan, labelling the Serie A clash as "very boring" and criticising both teams for a lack of courage. Speaking to Radio anch'io Sport via Football Italia, the legendary Italian coach did not hold back after the disappointing stalemate at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

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• What Capello said about the goalless stalemate

  Capello, who enjoyed successful spells managing both clubs, was left unimpressed by the lack of attacking intent and risk-taking from either side. He felt the contest failed to live up to its billing as a heavyweight clash. "Juve-Milan was not a great show," Capello said. "A very boring first half, the two teams didn’t have the courage to take any risks. We saw a little bit more in the second half. From two teams like that, we were expecting more of a spectacle."

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  Missed chances and frustrated fans

  The match was a cagey affair with few clear-cut opportunities, though Milan had the best chances to secure all three points. Christian Pulisic missed from the penalty spot, while Rafael Leao spurned a late opportunity to win the game. The home supporters made their feelings clear at the final whistle, booing their team off the pitch, a reaction Capello endorsed. "They were all rightly booed at the end," he added.

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• League implications for both clubs

  The result was a damaging one for both teams' ambitions. For Juventus, it marked their fifth consecutive draw across all competitions, a concerning run of form that leaves them fifth in the Serie A table. The draw was a missed opportunity for Milan, who failed to reclaim top spot and now sit in third place, two points behind leaders Napoli and Roma, heading into the October international break.

For a team that can boast a 75-time Premier League goalscorer in Ollie Watkins and a £100m-rated Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa have looked rather limp in attack during the infancy of this new season.

Unai Emery’s men are yet to get off the board in terms of goals, and unfortunately, also wins, as Crystal Palace now await the out-of-sorts Villans before the early international break comes into view.

It could well be that the Spaniard has to dip his toes into the hectic transfer market to add some last-minute firepower to his unusually weary attack, with Villa still noted as being in the race for this £60m forward.

Aston Villa remain in race for £60m talent

Emery will certainly be pushed into making some last-ditch additions if more movement occurs out of the door at Villa Park.

Indeed, it has been rumbling away in the background that Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to splash the cash to land the aforementioned Rogers, with Villa perhaps needing this cash boost to make some standout purchases of their own.

Having recently received the prize of being the PFA Young Player of the Year, Rogers exiting the building would be an almighty blow, but Villa do have a high-profile attacking move up their sleeve, as well.

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has offered up a welcome development for fans of the West Midlands side, with the German journalist revealing that no agreement has yet been struck between Bayern Munich and Chelsea for the services of long-term Villa target Nicolas Jackson.

This means that Premier League sides are still in the mix, including Villa, with it yet to be seen if the striker would prefer move to Bavaria or the Midlands, to link up with his former Villarreal boss in Emery.

The ex-Arsenal manager will be hoping he can work his magic on another top-flight attacking misfit, having briefly breathed life back into Marcus Rashford’s bumpy playing days when he pulled on Villa claret and blue last season.

Why Jackson can be Emery's next Rashford

Rashford desperately needed an escape from the shackles of Manchester United last campaign.

The 27-year-old’s stay at his boyhood club had turned sour, to say the least, but while his working relationship with Ruben Amorim had broken down at Old Trafford, he managed to strike up a healthy connection to Emery on his Villans arrival.

In tow, Rashford – who is now on loan at Barcelona – would tally up an impressive four goals and six assists from just 17 outings at Villa Park.

Jackson will be praying he can be as blistering from the get-go if he makes the move to Villa, with his £60m price tag making a loan switch to the West Midlands look more likely – as opposed to a permanent move – owing to Emery and Co’s worrying PSR predicament.

The often scapegoated 24-year-old has flattered to deceive at points at Stamford Bridge, with a costly 43 big chances spurned across two Premier League seasons, but he has also shown a red-hot streak in spurts that could see him instantly explode into life away from Enzo Maresca’s men, in a similar fashion to Rashford’s reinvigorated displays under Emery’s wing.

After only bagging a mere one goal from his first seven Chelsea matches during his debut season, Jackson would then go on to light up West London with a clinical six strikes from his next eight matches.

His former Yellow Submarine head coach now needs to get this “special” – as he was once labelled by journalist Rahman Osman – side out of the Senegalese attacker more regularly.

The hit-and-miss Blues number 15 could well see his 24-goal tally in the Premier League rise under the Spaniard’s expertise, having already seen the heights Rashford managed to hit during his short stint.

After all, the Manchester-born star has been prone to being streaky himself, even during his United peak, with Erik ten Hag even declaring that Rashford was “unstoppable when he is in the mood”, as seen in him bagging a hefty 17 league goals under the Dutchman during the 2022/23 season, only to then follow that up with a slender seven strikes the next campaign.

Emery will be keeping his fingers crossed that Jackson moves on from his inconsistent form when lining up for Villa, with another stellar loan move perhaps in the making if he goes on to be a dangerous option up top that pushes the top-flight strugglers out of their early-season slump.

Aston Villa send late bid to seal a better signing than Nkunku & Jackson

Aston Villa could win a better signing than both Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson joining with this last-ditch move.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 26, 2025

If Glasgow Rangers are going to topple their arch-nemsis next term, the new owners are going to have a job on their hands to appoint the right successor to Barry Ferguson at Ibrox.

Given their cross city rivals’ recent success, the Light Blues need to find somebody who can come in and install a playing style that will see Rangers win trophies and progress in Europe. That simply hasn’t happened in the last few years.

Steven Gerrard managed to do all those things and more during his three-and-a-half-year reign between 2018 and 2021. Could he be an option this summer for a second stint in Glasgow?

The latest on Steven Gerrard's future

According to the Daily Record over the weekend, Gretar Steinsson from the 49ers and sporting director Kevin Thelwell have reportedly narrowed down the list to the final couple of targets.

A new manager could be announced by the end of next week if all goes to plan and Gerrard could certainly be on this list.

The Englishman led the club to their first Premiership title since 2011 during the 2020/21 campaign, going through the league season undefeated.

Of course, it wasn’t all sunshine under Gerrard. The first two seasons saw plenty of tough defeats and post-Christmas collapses, but he would be a solid option to restore the sinking ship.

However, the 49ers must take a strategic gamble on the next manager. It looked as though Davide Ancelotti was going to get the role, but ultimately, nothing came to pass with the coach set to follow his father, Carlo, to Brazil.

The ideal alternative to Gerrard and Ancelotti

So, who could they go after instead? Well, Italian manager Francesco Farioli announced his decision to leave Ajax after just a single season in the Netherlands.

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It would certainly be a major statement of intent if the 49ers could entice him to Ibrox this summer, that’s for sure.

Farioli left after failing to win the Eredivisie for Ajax, despite leading by nine points with seven games left.

It was a dismal collapse, no doubt about that, but any hopes of the club looking to go close again next season with Farioli at the helm have been dashed as the manager announced he was leaving Amsterdam.

“Francesco also played a key role in enhancing the high-performance culture at Ajax, for which we are extremely grateful,” said director Alex Kroes. He was also dubbed “unique” by journalist Lars Jesse following the news.

The 36-year-old tends to utilise an attacking 4-3-3 system, which could be a good fit for several players at Rangers.

Across his 54 matches in charge of the Dutch side, Farioli’s side scored 115 goals – 2.1 per game – while he accumulated 2.09 points per game.

One of the most overlooked aspects was just how well the Italian improved their defence. In the 2023/24 campaign, Ajax conceded a staggering 61 goals.

This season, they conceded only 32, having the best defensive record in the top flight. It wasn’t enough to seal the title, however.

For someone aged just 36, the boss has managed 167 games across his four club sides. It would be a risk, but the way he approaches the game with an impressive attacking philosophy, plus a resolute defence, could transform the fortunes of Rangers.

While the last player to come from Dutch football in Gio van Bronckhorst ultimately ended up being given the boot, his immediate success, winning the Europa League, proves that the adaptation period from the Netherlands might not be too challenging.

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Rangers have earmarked a Premier League defender as a potential new signing.

By
Ross Kilvington

May 18, 2025

Glasgow Rangers must make the right call when it comes to choosing Ibrox’s next manager. No ifs, no buts, no maybes.

With their Old Firm rivals recently securing their fourth Premiership title in a row, Rangers have won only two domestic honours in the last four seasons. This is simply not good enough for the Light Blues.

While an experienced manager is top of the priority list, might a left-field name stand a chance of securing the vacant role?

Rangers search for a new manager

Names such as Russell Martin, Gary O’Neil and Rob Edwards have been linked of late. Indeed, even Steven Gerrard has been touted for a return to Ibrox ahead of the 2025/26 season.

According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Davide Ancelotti had emerged as a candidate to take over the role at Rangers in recent days.

He looked to be in line to take over at Como if Cesc Fàbregas departed but things have now changed in the last 24 hours or so.

Son of Carlo, Ancelotti has never managed at senior level, but he has been an assistant to his father at clubs such as Real Madrid, Napoli, Bayern Munich and PSG. Well, he’s now set to break up that link.

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Reports emerged from Spain on Monday evening suggesting that he is, in fact, ‘set to become Rangers manager’ where he will be joined by fellow Real Madrid first-team coach, Francesco Mauri, as his No.2.

The news comes after it was confirmed that his father would be leaving Madrid behind at the end of the month as he becomes the new head coach of Brazil.

Why Ancelotti would be Gerrard 2.0 for Rangers

When Gerrard was appointed in the summer of 2018, his only previous role was taking charge of Liverpool U18s.

During his time as a coach at Anfield, the legendary midfielder won 18 of his 32 games while leading the U18s and U19s and thus, placing him in control of a club with the prestige of Rangers was a gamble. That gamble didn’t work out too badly at all.

Indeed, Gerrard’s first two seasons in charge saw the Light Blues defeat Celtic three times, including a first victory at Parkhead in nine years, as well as mounting a title challenge.

2020/21 would become his Annus mirabilis. Not only did the Ibrox side win the Premiership title, but they also did it undefeated.

Following the end of that season, the club needed investment in the playing squad in order to prove that the league title success wasn’t a fluke.

For Gerrard, he didn’t receive the backing required and eventually left in November 2021. The board took a risk on the inexperienced manager, and it eventually paid dividends.

Could they do something similar this summer? Ancelotti would certainly be left-field but has the name, although that shouldn’t count for too much, and the vital experience of having worked under one of the greatest managers of all time.

So, why’s he so highly thought of? Well, a sports science graduate, he clearly values the fitness of players but he’s particularly astute tactically too.

His main role at Madrid has been to offer different tactical perspectives to his father, which has seen his role grow incredibly important in the Spanish capital.

Not just content at being a second voice, according to the BBC, Davide also oversees training, takes charge of set-pieces and devises patterns of play.

In that sense, he’s a proper coach, perhaps a bit like Michael Beale. He’s the brains on the training ground. While tactically he might be more efficient than Gerrard, the lack of experience is certainly very similar here.

For further insight, the words of former Dundee United coach, Tam Courts, certainly help after he worked with the Italian during a coaching course. He previously praised the 35-year-old, saying: “He’s very humble but he has a lot of decisiveness too. He’s a man of character and has a bit of steel about him.

“I totally understand why he’s a guy Rangers would be considering, especially in terms of player attraction and retention. He’s a big name. Players would want to come, not just to play for Rangers, but for him as well.”

A glowing appraisal of his abilities, no doubt about that and if new reports are anything to go by, a move to Glasgow looks imminent.

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By
Ross Kilvington

May 12, 2025

Will Manchester City qualify for next season’s Champions League?

Last Sunday, the Sky Blues reached a third successive FA Cup final, courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Wembley, in which Rico Lewis and then Joško Gvardiol were the scorers.

Back in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s team have enjoyed three successive victories, now seeking to win four in a row for the first time since the first four matches of this season.

Victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night would propel the Sky Blues up to third, but this won’t be easy, considering Wolves travel to the Etihad following six successive victories, achieving this in the top division for the first time since 1970.

If Guardiola is going to end Wolves’ winning streak, he should make a change to his forward line with Jack Grealish likely to come out of the side.

Jack Grealish's Manchester City decline

When Grealish arrived at Manchester City for £100m, at the time breaking the British transfer record, few would’ve forecast that, four years later, he’d merely be a peripheral figure.

The 29-year-old has started just 16 matches across all competitions this season, going a whopping 392 days without a club goal, starting only once in the Premier League since Christmas, hence why his name was a surprise inclusion against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The table below illustrates the England international’s decline.

As the table outlines, since Grealish’s best season, the treble-winning campaign of 2022/23, he’s been little more than a bit part player, no longer a regular starter and not a regular contributor when it comes to goals and assists.

Jeremy Cross and Oli Gamp of the Daily Mirror believe it is very likely that Grealish will depart this summer, making it pointless Guardiola picking him for Man City’s four remaining league fixtures, so here’s who he should unleash against Wolves instead.

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The Man City forward yet to fulfil his potential

Jérémy Doku joined Manchester City two summers ago from Stade Rennais, costing a reported £55.5m, with Director of Football Txiki Begiristain describing him as a “very exciting young player” who has the potential to “develop into a world-class attacking talent”.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labeled him an “explosive winger” with “superb dribbling skills” who “plays with a natural flair”.

Well, so far, we’ve only seen this in glimpses, with the Belgian scoring only six goals both this season and last, the most recent of which came during the 6-0 demolition of Ipswich all the way back in January.

Nevertheless, Doku does rank more favourably when it comes to other metrics, as outlined by the table below.

As the table highlights, despite his relative lack of minutes, Doku has accumulated the most progressive carries and successful take-ons of any player in the Premier League.

Meantime, only Mohammed Kudus of West Ham has attempted more take-ons, while only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has registered more carries into the opposition penalty area.

Still only 22-years-old, Doku has the potential to be the future of this team, while the same cannot be said of Grealish.

Thus, given that Vítor Pereira is likely to set Wolves up in a low defensive block on Friday night, their back three quickly retreating and becoming a back five, Doku’s one-vs-one dribbling ability could be invaluable as Man City seek to break them down.

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By
Ben Gray

Apr 29, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces the prospect of losing a player he “loves” this summer, with the Gunners star holding exit talks despite the club’s wish for him to remain at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal players who could leave this summer

A host of players appear set to depart N5 this summer, but some won’t be major losses for Arteta.

£16m player now keen to join Arteta after holding talks with Arsenal

He fancies a switch to the Emirates.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 24, 2025

Left-back Kieran Tierney has been handed opportunities this season, partly due to Arsenal’s shortage of options at points, after looking as if he’d already played his final games for the north Londoners in 2023.

This time last year, nobody expected that Arteta would hand the 27-year-old a total of 17 appearances in all competitions, including a very rare Premier League start against Brentford, but these will be among his last outings for the Gunners.

Tierney is set to join Celtic this summer after agreeing a pre-contract in the January transfer window, and will make a return to his former club in July.

The defender could be joined by a host of his teammates in vacating Arsenal, including out-of-favour left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has struggled for consistent minutes throughout 2024/2025.

Arsenal will sell Zinchenko this summer in the event a suitable offer arrives, while veteran midfielder Jorginho is currently set to depart on a Bosman deal when his contract expires past June 30th.

Jorginho has an offer from Flamengo, according to Fabrizio Romano, so a return to Brazil is on the cards for him during these twilight years of his impressive career.

While Arsenal appear ready to let the Italy international leave, they’re not prepared to lose fellow midfielder Thomas Partey, who has impressed in his arguably best season to date.

Thomas Partey still talking to other clubs over Arsenal exit

The Ghana international has made more appearances this term than in any of his previous campaigns, putting his past issues with injuries behind him and proving a very useful member of Arteta’s starting eleven.

Partey helped to dominate Real Madrid in the last round of the Champions League whilst also filling in at right-back this term, to great effect, and his impressive displays have prompted the club to open talks over an extension.

While Partey will have to take a cut to his £200,000-per-week wages to remain at Arsenal, according to ESPN, there is a real eagerness to extend his stay beyond 24/25. However, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, in a piece for The Boot Room, the 31-year-old is still keeping his options open.

Partey and his camp are actively in talks with other clubs as well, something which Arsenal are fully aware of, with the African putting contingency plans in place if an agreement can’t be reached over his stay.

Bailey adds that Partey is a player who “Arteta loves”, following on from the Spaniard’s public statement that the midfielder is a “massive” player for them.

Everton have been incredibly strong defensively this campaign, both under Sean Dyche and David Moyes since his arrival. However, the other end of the pitch hasn’t been as free-flowing, scoring just 34 goals so far this season from a total xG of 40.29 (4th lowest in the Premier League).

The Toffees netted just 40 goals last campaign, scoring just 34 the season prior, which shows this goal-scoring issue isn’t a new one.

Whilst Beto has done a good job since Moyes took over, scoring six Premier League goals, much of the attacking burden has fallen upon summer signing, Iliman Ndiaye, who has netted nine times this campaign in 32 appearances.

Therefore, Everton could be forced to look into attacking reinforcements next season, in order to strengthen Moyes’ squad and give him the best possible chance of bringing the Toffees back towards mid-table, with the potential to even aim for the top half in their first season at Bramley Moore.

Everton eyeing outrageous star

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Everton are planning on signing a striker in the summer transfer window and their hunt is ‘well underway’ with Monaco forward, Mika Biereth, one of the names on their shortlist.

This comes as the Toffees could be set to lose both Dominic Calvert-Lewin (contract expiry) and Armando Broja (loan) this summer.

The 22-year-old has played in England previously, coming through the Fulham academy system and finding his way to Arsenal, making 26 appearances for the Gunners U21 side, netting 12 goals and providing five assists there.

Biereth has made 16 appearances for the French outfit this season, scoring 12 goals, providing three assists, and totaling 1,186 minutes played, which means that he is currently outscoring Beto. This comes after joining the club in January, previously netting a further 14 goals for Sturm Graz in Austria this campaign.

Why Biereth could be Everton's own Haaland

According to the ‘similar players’ tool on FBref, Biereth is compared to Manchester City talisman, Erling Haaland, despite being different types of strikers.

Haaland relies more on his physical attributes, bullying defenders inside the box to carve out his goal-scoring chances. Whereas Biereth has a mixture of natural height (6ft,2) and clever movement, not possessing the same brute strength as Haaland.

When comparing the underlying metrics of both Haaland and Biereth alongside Beto, you can see the level of clinical finishing the 22-year-old would bring to Everton, overperforming his xG, having the best goals/shot conversion ratio, and also providing for his teammates with assists/shot-creating actions.

Biereth has been labeled “outrageous” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, after scoring his third hat trick in seven games for Monaco back in February. The goal-scoring prowess of the ex-Arsenal gem at such a young age is clearly catching the eye, with acrobatic and clever finishes inside the box reminiscent of Haaland, mixed with poachers’ goals to ensure that the tally keeps ticking upwards.

Keeping Beto around as a brilliant outlet option, especially given his upturn in form under Moyes, but also adding Biereth as a younger option with brilliant goal-scoring instincts and high potential could be a great balance for Everton next season in their striker department.

Their next Tarkowski: Everton make contact to sign £120k-per-week defender

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By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 25, 2025