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With James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson and Arnaud Kalimuendo already through the door, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly made contact to sign a defensive addition.

Nottingham Forest closing in on Luiz agreement

The Tricky Trees may have taken time to truly get going this summer, but they’re now in no mood to stop spending as the Premier League campaign gets underway and transfer deadline day approaches. Evangelos Marinakis has welcomed a flurry of arrivals as of late, and Douglas Luiz looks destined to be the next to be welcomed by the Greek owner.

The midfielder will arguably be Forest’s most impressive signing of the summer if he puts pen to paper as expected. The former Aston Villa midfielder has endured a nightmare spell at Juventus, but will be remembered most by Premier League fans for how he helped Unai Emery’s side into the Champions League two seasons ago.

Now set to return to the Premier League to play for Aston Villa’s Midlands rivals, Luiz will have the chance to restore his reputation in a World Cup year. Given how emphatic Forest were on the opening day against Brentford too, the addition of Luiz is only likely to improve a side that is already firing on all cylinders.

More prolific than Wood: Nottingham Forest chasing £25m "physical beast"

As Nottingham Forest seek to add even more attacking firepower, could they sign a “physical beast” worth £25m who outscored Chris Wood last season?

By
Ben Gray

Aug 19, 2025

Even after the Brazilian potentially arrives to make it a fourth signing in the last two weeks at the City Ground, however, Marinakis is reportedly not done there in the transfer window. Reports are now indicating that Forest have launched an opening move to sign a Championship defender.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign Fisher

As reported by Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Nottingham Forest have now made an opening enquiry to sign Kellen Fisher from Norwich City. The 21-year-old has caught the eye of those at the City Ground after breaking into the Canaries’ senior squad last season and since keeping hold of his place under Liam Manning in the current campaign.

Earning plenty of praise from Johanes Hoff Thorup last season, the former Norwich manager explained why Fisher has the ability to play an inverted right-back role as well as in the natural full-back position – telling reporters: “He can do it because he has the technical abilities. He’s a great crossing player, and he’s a great technical player.

“When you have that as one of your skills, then you can cover more and different positions. It’s just praise to him. He’s doing well, and it also creates a little bit more rotation in the team because now he has tried more positions.”

Seemingly doing enough to earn the interest of the Premier League, the young defender could go from Bromley in 2022 all the way to Nottingham Forest in the space of three impressive years.

Arsenal chiefs, led by sporting director Andrea Berta, are still working to back Mikel Arteta in the transfer market before this summer’s deadline on September 1.

Right now, it is reported that the potential Premier League title challengers are prioritising player sales right now after spending over £200 million on Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and headline-grabbing star striker Viktor Gyokeres.

However, the possibility of another incoming hasn’t been definitively ruled out yet. Berta and co remain linked with a high-profile move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who would come in as a goalscoring number 10 to complement club captain Martin Odegaard (Sky Sports), but there is now a danger of Spurs hijacking their proposed deal.

Tottenham have burst into the race for Eze following James Maddison’s long-term injury, with the England international expected to be out for the majority of 2025/2026 after rupturing his ACL in pre-season.

Competition from their north London rivals means Berta will be forced into a decision over bidding for Eze sooner rather than later, but the 27-year-old isn’t their only potential late signing of the summer.

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Reports last week claimed that Arsenal are eyeing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, despite the 20-year-old having only just signed a new contract in May, and the possibility of him joining on a ‘buy-to-loan’ deal has been mooted.

As well as the young Frenchman, versatile Atalanta star Ademola Lookman is beginning to surface as a more regularly-linked possible target.

The Nigerian recently announced that he’s submitted a transfer request as he looks to leave the Gewiss Stadium, and his relationship with the Serie A side now looks completely broken.

“I feel I have no choice but to speak out for what I believe is right, and I feel that enough is enough,” Lookman wrote on social media.

“I can confirm I have now handed in a formal transfer request.”

The 27-year-old was used as a CAM on occasions last term, making further cameos on the left-wing and at centre-forward, but Lookman was utilised in the majority of his appearances as a supporting second striker.

His 20 goals and seven assists in all competitions across 2024/2025 followed on from an historic Europa League final performance against Bayer Leverkusen in 2024, with his stunning hat-trick both winning the trophy for Atalanta and ending Leverkusen’s unbeaten run.

Arsenal make offer to Ademola Lookman with Berta ready to pay £45m

Various Italian sources have reported that Arsenal are prepared to move for Lookman as Serie A giants Inter Milan continue to haggle over price.

Now, according to the newspaper Corriere di Bergamo (via FC Inter News), Arsenal are willing to pay £45 million for Lookman, more than Inter’s, and they’ve made an offer to the player himself.

However, they also report that the former Everton and Leicester City forward has no intention of accepting right now, with Lookman seemingly setting his sights on a move to the San Siro.

The African is “only” interested in Inter, but as this saga over his future drags on, Lookman faces a hefty fine amid his ongoing strike.

It remains to be seen whether Berta and Arteta can turn Lookman’s head and force a U-turn. However, as things stand, Arsenal may need to look elsewhere for alternatives.

“Being dedicated to whatever you do and knowing the secret of your business is what makes you unique,” said Jay-Jay Okocha after Lookman clinched the African Player of the Year award in 2024.

“Lookman is a unique African best Player of the Year, not just [an] African best. Go and verify what I’m saying – many are still testifying about him, and more will do so. His award is a reward for dedication and hard labour.”

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Leeds United have now officially unveiled Sean Longstaff as their fifth summer buy after promotion to the Premier League.

This is the first time this summer that the Whites have actually purchased some experience of the division; however, with Longstaff able to boast a mammoth 171 Premier League appearances for former employers Newcastle United – with ten goals and nine assists tallied up along the way – before Elland Road came calling.

Still, there are more exciting signings potentially on Leeds’ radar than the 27-year-old’s £12m switch to West Yorkshire, as a versatile forward presence is now eyed up.

Leeds ready to hijack deal for £12m star

A far more eye-catching pick-up than Longstaff’s arrival onto the scene would surely come in the form of Rodrigo Muniz entering Daniel Farke’s ranks, with recent reports suggesting that Leeds are continuing to pursue a move for the Fulham attacker who has a healthy 17-goal return in the top-flight.

Moreover, Igor Paxiao is also on the Whites’ agenda from Feyenoord as they try to replicate their Crysencio Summerville magic, but a move might be on the table for Juventus star Timothy Weah, too, if Leeds can hijack Marseille’s advances at the final hour.

Indeed, as per football journalist Mirko Di Natale, via his X account, Leeds and Everton remain in the background for the hunt for Weah, but a hijack could be on the cards owing to no agreement being reached yet between Marseille and the Old Lady.

The interest is still there – and at a reported £12m – this might well go down as one of the standout deals from Leeds’ hectic transfer window, with Weah potentially going on to be a far more exciting buy than the ex-Toon midfielder.

Why Weah would be a more exciting signing than Longstaff

Longstaff does have that added boost of plenty of Premier League experience, but it will be a competition for the 27-year-old to make Farke’s XI from the get-go, when considering the Whites’ already stacked midfield options.

The German already has Ao Tanaka at his disposal centrally, who is fresh from a standout Championship season where he collected seven goal contributions in total, on top of also having the steady presence of Ilia Gruev by his side.

The brand new Leeds purchase will also need time to get up to speed with proceedings, having only made eight starts in league action last season for Eddie Howe’s Magpies as a rotation member of his squad.

Weah did also struggle for consistent first team minutes in Turin last campaign, with 18 starts being handed his way in the hustle and bustle of Serie A, but the “versatile” ace – as he’s been praised in the past by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley – has still managed to shine in spurts across various positions on the pitch for Igor Tudor’s giants across 78 clashes.

RM

32

2

1

RB

11

1

1

RW

10

3

1

LM

6

0

0

CF

3

0

0

LW

3

2

1

LB

1

0

0

Despite such limited opportunities, Weah would manage to chip in with an impressive five strikes last campaign for his Italian employers, with the American even lining up in defence on occasion.

This flexibility for the cause will be music to Farke’s ears, considering the ex-Norwich City boss loved utilising a similarly fluid body in the form of Archie Gray when he was situated at Elland Road.

Away from his adaptable nature piquing Farke’s interest, Weah would also be capable of pushing Daniel James all the way to a starting spot on the right channel when you weigh up the Welshman’s previous Premier League difficulties – with only 12 goals next to his name in the daunting division – next to the 25-year-old’s more assured presence in Serie A.

This isn’t to say that Longstaff won’t be a valued member of Farke’s squad, with his know-how of the taxing league no doubt coming in handy.

But, the “wonderful” £12m star – as he’s been labelled by ex-boss Brendan Rodgers – might just be a slightly more captivating signing to someone peeking in, when you take into account his malleable nature and his bursts of quality at the very top of Serie A.

Farke's own Joelinton: Leeds made contact over deal to sign £22m "monster"

Leeds United have made contact over a potential deal for a star who could be their own Joelinton.

ByDan Emery Jul 19, 2025

A lot is happening in Bangladesh cricket at the moment, but new head coach Phil Simmons wants the focus to be firmly on the upcoming Test series against South Africa.Things are messy. Simmons took over as Bangladesh’s head coach on Tuesday, replacing Chandika Hathurusinghe, who was sacked earlier this week and has since hit back at the BCB. Shakib Al Hasan, who hasn’t returned to Dhaka because of protests against him (for political reasons), has withdrawn from the Test side.When Simmons attended Bangladesh’s training session at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Saturday, protests for and against Shakib were on. All this, two days out from the first Test.Related

• Bangladesh look to begin post-Shakib era on winning note

• Hyderabad hammering sums up Bangladesh's need for change

• Shakib 'unavailable' for first South Africa Test

• Hathurusinghe sacked for 'assault' on player

“[Keeping distractions away from the players] is a big part of our job over the next few days, to make sure the focus is on the cricket, and not on the outside of cricket,” Simmons said. “We can control how we prepare for Monday, that’s how we are trying to get the team to focus.”The good thing is we have a very important Test match to prepare for. We win the next few Tests, and we are in contention for the [WTC] final. My first port of call is cricket and about getting the squad ready for Monday. The last two days [of training] have been brilliant. We have tried to leave out the confusion that’s around the cricket, and concentrate on preparing for Monday.”Simmons comes in with vast coaching experience, having worked with Zimbabwe, Ireland, West Indies, Afghanistan and PNG as well as several T20 franchises in the last 20 years. He was one of the candidates interviewed for the Bangladesh job in 2017 – to fill the role left vacant by Hathurusinghe – but was not selected.”All these experiences [with other teams] will help me in the next few days to get me ready for Monday,” Simmons said. “Afghanistan helped me with the language barrier sometimes. Ireland helped me with developing young players. It all comes in [handy] at the end of the day. I have to use all those experiences in this assignment.”Conversation with the captain [Najmul Hossain Shanto] has been about his thoughts on players and direction he wants to take the team. It was also about what we do before Monday. It is generally about how we go into the first Test match. As we get to know each other, there will be more discussions about ODIs etc. Now it is about Test cricket, and what we are going to do in these two matches.”Shakib Al Hasan’s fans show their support for the cricketer outside the Shere Bangla Stadium•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Simmons said he took more interest in the role after Bangladesh’s 2-0 Test series win against Pakistan and was particularly impressed by the youngsters in the side.”The interest comes from seeing the quality of the young players. They handled themselves well against Pakistan,” he said. “They didn’t do well in the T20Is against India but they played against the best T20 team in the world, so you have things to take out of there. It all added up to an assignment, which I enjoyed. One, [there are] young players to develop. Two, there’s Tests and ODIs involved. It wasn’t a hard decision [to take the job].”He believes Bangladesh have a good chance to beat South Africa, who haven’t won a Test series in the subcontinent in the last ten years, but was wary of taking them lightly.”It is definitely a good opportunity. Bangladesh are usually very strong at home. So it is a very good opportunity for us to win the Test series,” Simmons said. “South Africa has that [record in the subcontinent] hanging over their head but they are a resilient team. They will work hard to change that.”

An exciting transfer update has emerged regarding Liverpool’s quest to build a squad capable of retaining their Premier League crown, courtesy of Fabrizio Romano.

Liverpool closing in on stunning Wirtz move

The Reds appear to be edging closer to completing the most exciting signing of the summer in England, with Florian Wirtz on the verge of joining from Bayer Leverkusen.

He is expected to smash Liverpool’s transfer record, with a move of £116m mooted, in what could be among the club’s most significant signings of the past decade or so.

Wirtz has been voted as the best player in the Bundesliga in each of the past two seasons by his peers, highlighting his brilliance, and Reds supporters will be hoping that he can enjoy the same level of world-class influence that the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson have at Anfield.

Once the German superstar is confirmed as a Liverpool player, it will be time for the Reds to turn their attention to other targets.

Romano: Liverpool "on fire" with Kerkez set to join

Speaking on TikTok late on Sunday evening, Romano confirmed Wirtz will join the club once he finishes his holidays and completes a medical, but he also had news on Bournemouth star Milos Kerkez, revealing the Reds are “on fire”.

At this point, it would be a huge surprise if the Reds didn’t bring in Kerkez this summer, with the Hungarian at the top of their list for a long time now, and it’s not hard to see why.

The Bournemouth man, on just £30,000-a-week on the south coast, already looks like such a polished footballer, despite his tender years, and the energy and competitive edge in his game have echoes of a young Andy Robertson, with former teammate Mat Ryan once heaping praise on him.

“Milos is a great boy. A crazy dude, in a good way. He is always positive and smiling. Hopefully he can develop even further in England and become even more mature. He is aggressive, powerful and has so many qualities. A unique skill set. Bournemouth is going to get stronger because of him. Milos still has a great career ahead of him.”

Liverpool could easily get close to a decade of great service from Kerkez, assuming he avoids serious injury, and regardless of whether Robertson stays or not this summer, the Cherries ace must be considered the Reds’ first-choice left-back.

When it comes to transfers, Arsenal are set to be one of the more active Premier League sides over the coming months, with Mikel Arteta even admitting that the club will undergo a “big” window of recruitment.

Arsenal laying groundwork for key summer signings

A lot of groundwork has already been laid on Arsenal’s summer deals by sporting director Andrea Berta, not to mention his boardroom predecessors Edu and Jason Ayto.

Arsenal back off with Liverpool now favourites to sign "dream" striker

Arne Slot’s side are in pole position right now.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 6, 2025

Predating Berta’s arrival at the Emirates, Arsenal entered advanced talks to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad as far back as January, and the Gunners are now hoping to finalise the Spain international’s capture despite very mixed messages.

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

Members of the media are convinced that Arsenal are set to sign Zubimendi, while Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay and the player himself have publicly tried to pour cold water over an imminent move to N5.

Arsenal will be mindful that the 26-year-old publicly rejected a move to Liverpool at the last minute in 2024, and supporters will also be erring on the side of caution when it comes to celebrating Zubimendi’s capture, at least until he’s pictured hoisting the red shirt aloft.

In any case, they’ve worked extensively on his transfer, not to mention a potential move for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenia international is one of Arsenal’s top striker targets alongside Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP, but as things stand, it appears Berta is prioritising a deal for the former.

Fabrizio Romano shared news on Friday that Arsenal are advancing for Sesko, but cautions fans that it still isn’t on the verge of being done just yet.

With critics eager to see Berta sign a much-needed striker this summer, Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has shared another update on their pursuit of Sesko.

Benjamin Sesko keen to join Arsenal with talks ongoing

According to the reliable reporter, Sesko is keen to join Arsenal, and the north Londoners are currently in very positive talks with his representatives.

Arteta’s side are moving forward with conviction when it comes to agreeing personal terms, but Berta will also have to dig deep into the Arsenal coffers to get this one over line.

Called an “underrated” striker by members of the press, Sesko bagged 21 goals in all competitions last season, which is a fairly modest return, but the club’s repeated attempts to sign him in the last 12 months show what a big fan Arteta must be of the player.

At this stage, Arsenal may as well just go all in and finally acquire the 22-year-old’s signature.

Last summer, Arsenal needed to sign a new centre-forward. Benjamin Sesko was in their crosshairs but he ultimately ended up signing a new contract with current employers, RB Leipzig.

In the end, the Gunners went without. The only signing to bolster the forward line was Raheem Sterling.

The Chelsea loanee promised we’d see the best of him. That did not happen.

In January, Mikel Arteta was crying out for a striker again but it wasn’t forthcoming. What happened next? Kai Havertz sustained a nasty hamstring injury during a warm-weather training camp in Dubai.

Arsenal’s Premier League form suffered drastically and it ultimately tripped them up in Paris when they exited the Champions League at the semi-final stages.

So, a year on from when a new centre-forward first should have arrived, Arteta and Co are back at square one, chasing Sesko again.

Arsenal moving closer to signing a new centre forward

When you end the campaign with Mikel Merino up top, you know something has gone drastically wrong.

In all fairness, Merino was fine. Fine being the key word. He wasn’t exceptional, he wasn’t the spearhead you need to win a Premier League or continental title but he did score six goals in 12 outings as a striker.

That’s not bad at all, but it’s not the 54-goal tally Viktor Gyokeres scored. It’s not the 27 goals Alexander Isak scored. It’s not the 21 goals Sesko scored either.

All three of those players would be excellent signings, but it’s Sesko who looks the most likely to arrive at the moment.

Transfer Focus

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

That’s according to German publication BILD, via Sport Witness. They report on Wednesday that a deal is beginning to move on the player side.

Indeed, BILD states that Arsenal have ‘reached an agreement’ on personal terms between them and the striker.

While that doesn’t mean anything is wrapped up with Leipzig, the report does note that Arsenal have signalled to the Bundesliga club that they are set to made a bid that will not fall below their expectations financially.

It’s likely to take an offer between £68m-£85m to convince them to sell.

How Sesko could replicate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at Arsenal

It’s safe to say that since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left Arsenal behind, Arteta has lacked a real potent centre-forward.

That’s not to say it was a mistake to let him go. After all, the Gabonese striker departed in controversial circumstances, stripped of the captaincy (video below) and then flying out to Barcelona on a trip that wasn’t sanctioned by the club.

Despite his flaws, Aubameyang was a mighty fine player for the club and was a key reason behind Arteta’s only trophy as a manager so far, the FA Cup in 2019/20.

Given Arsenal’s recent progress, it’s remarkable that they’re currently in the middle of a five-year trophy drought, but it’s perhaps no coincidence that they’re yet to win any major honours since Auba departed.

His record with the Gunners was exceptional, scoring 92 goals in 163 outings, most notably winning the Premier League Golden Boot in 2018/19.

He was one of the meanest forwards in the whole of English football during his time at the Emirates Stadium and even deservedly found his way into the PFA Team of the Year for 2019/20.

Aubameyang was relentless, netting 31 goals in 51 games throughout 2018/19 and then the following term, he bagged 29 in 44 matches.

Well, if Sesko did arrive then he’d certainly have a lot to live up to but there are similarities in the way they play the game.

Described as “the new Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Slovenian possesses a tall frame, standing at 6 foot 5. In contrast, the former Arsenal forward stands at 6 foot 2.

There is a slight difference there but what their height allows is for a longer and more powerful stride pattern. They can burst beyond the last line of the defence and surge towards goal in a similarly explosive fashion.

Rather than relying on intricate build-up play, they’re also very clever with their movement and rely on their instinctive finishing ability. In essence, they’re both mighty fine poachers. More often than not, they’re always in the right place at the right time.

Shots

2.50

2.61

Shot on target %

43.9%

44%

Average shot distance

17.5 yards

15.5 yards

Expected goals (xG)

0.38

0.42

Shot-creating actions

1.93

1.98

Touches

34.1

35.4

Carries

16.8

20.9

Completed passes

15.7

17.6

Key passes

0.72

0.75

Pass completion %

67.6%

67.3%

Comparing one of Aubameyang’s best seasons at Arsenal with Sesko’s latest campaign, we can see see alike the pair are.

They took a near identical number of touches and completed a near identical rate of successful passes per 90 minutes, suggesting their actions in the build-up are very similar.

Likewise, they come out very closely for key passes and shot-creating actions, underlining how often they make something happen in the final third of the pitch.

Aged just 22, Sesko clearly has a lot of development left to do but if Arteta could extract that in north London, the Spaniard may well have the next Aubameyang on his hands, just without the excess baggage. That doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

He's shades of Nwaneri: Berta holds talks to sign £40m star for Arsenal

Arsenal are looking at signing one of Europe’s best young prospects this summer.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 18, 2025

Arsenal are reportedly set to kickstart a significant squad overhaul over the course of this summer transfer window, as Mikel Arteta attempts to build a Premier League-winning team after missing out on this year’s crown to Liverpool.

Andrea Berta set for busy summer at Arsenal

La Liga expert and respected journalist Guillem Balague has already shared what supporters can expect from new sporting director Andrea Berta, with the Italian already hard at work to back Arteta in the transfer market.

£50m star could now reject Arsenal move and sign new deal after talks

He also snubbed an exit last summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 4, 2025

Berta has held extensive talks over a move for Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, and met with RB Leipzig director Marcel Schafer in London to discuss the prospect of a deal for Benjamin Sesko, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.

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

Arsenal are working to discover the conditions of deals for Sesko and Gyokeres before deciding which striker to prioritise, according to the BBC, but Berta is believed to have other key items on his agenda this summer as well.

While Martin Zubimendi’s signing is proving more complicated than first thought, with the Spain international now denying he’s set for an imminent Arsenal move, it is also rumoured that the Gunners are actively pursuing a new wide player.

“He’s been described to me by one of the decision makers, one of the ones that decided to bring him in, that he’s experienced, he’s a hard worker, and he’s very brave,” said Balague about Berta to TNT Sports.

“But basically, he’s going to have to be creative as well. Arsenal are not here with the intention of spending £200 or £300 million. They just want to be creative with what they’ve got and what they bring in.

“They’re going to have to create three or four players that go straight into the line-up. I would say a left winger, centre-forward and holding midfielder. Mikel Arteta said it’s the biggest transfer window for a long while and having Berta next to him as a partnership will definitely help.”

Jorginho set for Flamengo medical after leaving Arsenal

A new centre midfielder, which could still be Zubimendi, is especially vital considering Jorginho is leaving the Emirates, with Arsenal announcing his departure today via their retained list.

The Italy international has agreed a pre-contract deal to join Brazilian side Flamengo, and has been in talks to terminate his Arsenal contract earlier than June 30 so he can feature for his new team at the Club World Cup.

That is apparently done and dusted, with GE Globo reporting that Jorginho is set for a medical on Friday ahead of signing a three-year contract at Flamengo.

With the 33-year-old leaving, it makes the arrival of Zubimendi and a potential contract extension for Thomas Partey all the more important, otherwise Arteta risks being left very short in that area.

“I know him a lot, so for me it is nice to play with him, he knows me well,” said Kai Havertz about Jorginho in 2024.

“It makes life easy for me, he is a world-class player.”

Manchester United are still yet to determine their fate ahead of next season, but may now have a surprise proposal to consider at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim, per reports.

Man Utd's transfer business hinges on Europa League outcome

Nerves are slowly starting to kick in as the Red Devils prepare for their two-legged Europa League semi-final against Athletic Club, a competition that remains their only viable route to Champions League qualification.

Ruben Amorim wasn’t dealt the best hand at Old Trafford after replacing Erik ten Hag and will be given an extended grace period to piece together a squad of his own making. Still, Manchester United have hardly been convincing on Premier League duty.

Ultimately, the importance of the Portuguese boss bringing Europa League silverware back to English shores cannot be understated, especially considering the finances involved.

As a reward for such an achievement, Manchester United could launch a significant bid to sign Southampton’s Tyler Dibling to offer a new dimension between midfield and attack.

However, without the £85.8 million prize pot on offer for winning the Europa League and subsequently qualifying for the Champions League, there may be limited scope for big-money deals to take place.

6 players Manchester United should sign this summer

United are in need of a revamp in the summer.

2

By
Barney Lane

Feb 4, 2025

Taking PSR regulations into account, selling one or two star assets could be a scenario the Red Devils will have to consider to ensure their books remain in check.

Manchester United could sell Rasmus Hojlund to kickstart a chain of movement in both directions, though he is unlikely to be the only one at risk of being let go to breathe new life into the club.

Now, Amorim may have another proposal to consider once the summer window opens for business, per recent developments.

Andre Onana in major talks to leave Man Utd for Saudi Arabia

According to Foot Mercato, Saudi club Neom SC have started major discussions over a move for Andre Onana and the Cameroon international is open to leaving Old Trafford for a new challenge in the Gulf region.

Earning over £6 million a year at Old Trafford, the former Inter Milan stopper is said to be ‘unsettled’ in his current surroundings, which isn’t a major surprise when taking into account his patchy form this term.

Andre Onana’s patchy Man Utd form this season – Premier League (26/04/25)
Save percentage	67.7%
Goals conceded	42
Clean sheets	9
Penalty saves	1
Pass accuracy	70.2%
High claims	21

In turn, Manchester United are close to signing Freddie Woodman on a free transfer from Preston North End to populate their goalkeeping pool of talent.

Admittedly, the former England Under-21 international is likely to be brought in to strengthen their homegrown quota, but it may be a sign of changes to come between the sticks as Amorim searches for added security.

Onana is evidently a talented stopper and has enjoyed plenty of highs alongside the lows he has experienced at Old Trafford. Still, it feels like a clean break could be best for all parties.

Nottingham Forest are now eyeing a surprise move for an “incredible” Premier League forward, who could be brought in instead of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha, according to a report.

Cunha race heating up

As we approach the summer transfer window, it is becoming clear that Cunha will be one of the most sought-after strikers, with a number of Premier League clubs vying to sign the Wolves forward, who has scored 16 goals this season.

Arsenal have recently held exploratory talks over a move for the Brazilian, while there is also interest from Newcastle United and Forest, having been in talks over a potential £62.5m deal for quite some time.

However, it appears as though Manchester United could end up winning the race for the 25-year-old, with a report revealing Ruben Amorim’s side are now on the verge of getting a deal done, having recently held positive talks.

Nottingham Forest could now hijack Dortmund move to sign new £7m "machine"

The Tricky Trees are interested in signing a left-back, but they will have to move quickly to secure his services.

ByDominic Lund Apr 23, 2025

As such, the Tricky Trees may be forced to move on to alternative targets, of which there is no shortage, with the likes of Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin being shortlisted.

However, a new target has now entered the picture, with a report from GiveMeSport revealing Nottingham Forest are now eyeing a surprise move for Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, given that Cunha would rather move to Old Trafford.

Forest will find it difficult to win the race for the Brazil international, which means Mbeumo could be brought in instead, and there is a feeling the Cameroonian could be perfect for Nuno’s counter-attacking style of play.

A move would not be cheap, with the Bees set to hold out for £50m for their talisman, but Nuno’s side are confident the forward could be tempted by a move to the City Ground, given that European football is expected to be on offer next season.

"Incredible" Mbeumo outscoring Cunha

Not only is the Cameroon international likely to be cheaper than Cunha, but he has also been outscoring the Wolves star in the Premier League this season, netting 18 goals, the fifth-highest number in the division.

Reporter Dom Smith lauded the Brentford star as “incredible” earlier this season, while he was also described as “unplayable” by manager Thomas Frank after playing a key role in his side’s 4-2 victory over Newcastle United in December.

With Nuno implementing a counter-attacking style this season, it is crucial the manager brings in players who fit his system this summer, and former Manchester United man Danny Higginbotham thinks the France-born forward fits the bill.

Mbeumo could be a fantastic signing for Forest this summer, so it is exciting news that he has now been identified as a target.