All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester United are now moving quickly to finalise deals for a £69m striker and a £22m midfielder, according to a report.

Man Utd now looking to sign new striker

Ruben Amorim has set out to bring in a new striker this summer, given that Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were subjected to widespread criticism last season, and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres is still in the manager’s sights.

Gyokeres had been expected to seal a move to Arsenal, but the deal has now stalled, potentially opening the door for a move to Old Trafford, although Fabrizio Romano believes the centre-forward has little interest in signing for United.

As such, the Red Devils may be forced to move on to alternative options, and they are now stepping up their pursuit of a different striker, alongside Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra, who reportedly reached a verbal agreement over a move to Old Trafford last week.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Man United are now moving quickly to finalise a €25m (£22m) deal for Guerra, alongside a €80m (£69m) deal for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, meaning their total spending would amount to £91m for the duo.

Amorim is said to have personally requested the addition of a new striker and a midfielder to complement his double pivot, with Guerra and Sesko now emerging as serious targets.

Royal Antwerp braced and expecting Man Utd bid to arrive for their star player

United made contact over the weekend…

ByBrett Worthington Jul 22, 2025

Marcus Rashford is now Barcelona-bound, which will free up space in the squad, while the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony could also be moved on if significant offers arrive.

Sesko and Guerra could be statement signings for Man Utd

A number of the Premier League’s top clubs have been linked with Sesko this summer, and for good reason, given that the Slovenian has been lauded as a “monster” by journalist Eduardo Hagn.

The 22-year-old amassed a very respectable 13 goals and five assists in 33 Bundesliga outings last season, and given his age, there is likely to be plenty of room to develop even further.

With Casemiro ageing, it will also be important for Amorim to bring in a new central midfielder this summer, and Guerra could have what it takes to be a success at Old Trafford, having been lauded as an “intelligent” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The Valencia star amassed six goal contributions in La Liga last season, showcasing his attacking talents, while he was one of just six U23 central midfielders to complete 50+ tackles and 50+ take-ons, indicating the Spaniard is a very well-rounded player.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is only a few weeks away from having the chance to make changes to his playing squad for the first time since he joined the club.

The German boss arrived after the summer transfer window, which was spearheaded by Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, which means that he does not have any of his own signings.

Whilst the former Sheffield Wednesday boss will want to make some signings of his own to bolster the squad, Rohl may also want to move some of the current players on in the January transfer window.

The Rangers players who should be let go in January

There are several current first-team duds who should be moved on ahead of the second half of the season because they do not look like key players for the new manager.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Clinton Nsiala, for example, is yet to play a single minute of football in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has only made the matchday squad on four occasions.

With John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Nasser Djiga, and Emmanuel Fernandez ahead of him in the pecking order when fit, an exit in January could be the best move for his career.

Rabbi Matondo, per Transfermarkt, is another player who has not played a single minute of action this season and has not made any matchday squads, which suggests that he may be free to find a new club in January if he is not part of the manager’s plans.

Finally, Kieran Dowell should also be moved on in the winter amid reported interest from English Championship side Hull City, who are looking to sign him on loan.

Why Kieran Dowell should never play a minute under Danny Rohl

The English attacking midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham, played 384 minutes across six appearances in July and August under Martin and failed to score any goals before picking up an injury.

He was even described as “non-existent” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar in the 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in July, as he failed to create a single chance in 75 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore.

Now back fit, having played for the U19s with Dujon Sterling last month, Dowell has not been involved in a single matchday squad for Rohl, per Sofascore, which suggests that he is not in the manager’s thoughts for the first-team.

With Hull said to be interested in signing him, Rangers appear to have the opportunity to move him on from Ibrox on loan for the second half of the season, before his contract expires in the summer, per Transfermarkt.

The Light Blues would, therefore, be allowing him to leave on a free transfer after his loan spell at Hull ends, which would give the Tigers a chance to assess whether or not they want to sign him permanently ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

On top of having that option, Dowell should also not play a single minute for Rohl between now and January because Lyall Cameron would be a better player to bring in if the manager wants to change his attacking midfielder.

Appearances

12

33

Goals

0

9

Conversion rate

0%

17%

Key passes per game

0.7

1.6

Big chances created

3

6

Assists

0

5

The Scottish starlet, as shown in the table above, appears far more likely to make an impact in the Scottish Premiership as an attacking midfielder, after a return of 15 goal contributions last season.

Cameron, however, has been an unused substitute in seven of the last eight games in all competitions, and in all of the last four, per Transfermarkt, which shows how difficult it is to get a place in the team under the German head coach.

Therefore, given how far down the pecking order he is, it is hard to see a situation where Dowell ends up playing any minutes on the pitch for Rangers before he has the chance to join Hull on loan at the start of next month.

This is why the former Norwich City playmaker, who has registered zero goals and one assist in six games this season, should never play for Rohl, and why he should be allowed to leave on loan in January before being released on a free transfer next summer.

Bid already submitted: Rangers could sign a "very pacy" Gassama replacement

Rangers could replace Djeidi Gassama on the wing by signing this reported target in the January window.

ByDan Emery 2 days ago

The left-footed flop has only provided two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, since his move from the Canaries in 2023, which illustrates how little he has contributed as an attacking force on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.

Everton beat Newcastle United at St. James’ Park to finish the 2024/25 Premier League campaign on a high, finishing 13th with 48 points.

Curiously, David Moyes has led the Toffees to their best league finish since 2020/21. We’re a far cry away from the woes of mid-season, when Sean Dyche was sacked with Goodison Park, in its final year, walking a tenuous line between safety and the drop zone.

The improvements have been vast. However, Everton still lack that certain something in attack. Indeed, only the relegated teams finished the term with paltrier goalscoring hauls.

A new striker is needed, and Moyes means to bring one in.

Top target urged to sign for Everton

talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino has urged Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap to sign for Everton this summer, and that’s in spite of interest from Chelsea and Manchester United.

Transfer Focus

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

This follows a revelation from Fabrizio Romano relating to the ongoing transfer saga, with the journalist confirming Everton’s vested interest as they have presented their project to the 22-year-old, willing to meet the striker’s £30m release clause.

Cascarino believes Delap could get “lost in the system” at Chelsea or the Red Devils, whereas serving as Everton’s star man, and under Moyes’ wing at that, could be the right move at this stage of his career.

The talkSPORT pundit noted: “He fits a lot of clubs, but he needs to find the club he thinks is best for him. It’s not just, ‘I’ll go to Man United or Chelsea’. There’s something about me with Moyes… He still needs to work on a lot, so go to a manager who can help him become a better player. You can get lost in the system at Chelsea or Man United. We’ve seen younger players go to these clubs and find it really hard to settle, get into the team, and perform to what is expected of them.”

Why Everton should sign Liam Delap

Described as a “beast” of a number nine by his Ipswich teammate Jens Cajuste, former Manchester City academy star Delap has thrived in his first year in the Premier League.

Having scored 12 goals from 32 starting appearances for Kieran McKenna’s relegated side, he’s proved his worth, proved he has what it takes to succeed for a team competing higher up the table.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s future is uncertain, at the end of his contract, but potentially penning a new deal, while Armando Broja will return to Chelsea after his unsuccessful loan spell.

Beto, at least, has made gains under Moyes’ wing, scoring seven goals from 18 Premier League fixtures since the Scotsman’s arrival, but he’s inconsistent.

It’s pretty clear Delap would be an upgrade, not only more clinical but bearing a physicality and combativeness to align with Moyes’ vision.

Matches (starts)

37 (32)

30 (15)

Goals

12

8

Assists

2

0

Shots (on target)*

1.8 (0.9)

1.6 (0.8)

Big chances missed

10

12

Touches*

22.2

20

Pass completion

62%

59%

Key passes*

0.6

0.4

Dribbles*

1.1

0.6

Duels won*

4.2

5.2

Delap might have produced a pretty shoddy pass completion rate in the Premier League this season, but then so has Beto. If anything, this indicates his ability to thrive in conditions which might settle in the Hill Dickinson Stadium next term.

He’s converting his chances more often than not, and he bears a willingness to get stuck in that has drawn plaudits for the muscular Beto.

Beto’s pace and piledriving movements also add a dimension for Moyes, but Delap is capable of bringing his own brand, maybe even surpassing the Bissau-Guinean’s ball-carrying ability.

As per FBref, Delap ranks among the top 13% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90.

While the Ipswich striker wouldn’t come cheap, there’s a reason why so many Premier League clubs want his signature this summer. This is an opportunity Everton cannot afford to let pass them by, for if he arrives, he will leap right over Beto into the first-choice spot.

Forget Alcaraz: Moyes may have found his new Fellaini in 8/10 Everton star

David Moyes could have his next Marouane Fellaini in this constantly improving Everton star.

ByKelan Sarson May 25, 2025

Going in search of their next Tom Rogic, Celtic now reportedly have concrete interest in signing an attacking addition who’s valued at just £1.5m ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

Next Rogic could be key for Rodgers

During his time at the club, Rogic more than played his part to continue Celtic’s Scottish dominance and ensure that Brendan Rodgers’ first spell ended with a place in the history books. Now, in his second stint in charge, it’s clear just how much of an impact a player in a similar mould would have on the current Celtic side.

Appearances

272

Goals

46

Assists

51

Scottish Premiership titles

7

Scottish Cups

5

Scottish League Cups

5

A player who made his mark going forward in key moments, Rogic’s best work came when working under Rodgers, who was full of praise for the Australian during his time in Scotland.

The Celtic boss told reporters when Rogic returned from a spell on the sidelines in 2017: “He’s back in the squad. The magic man is back – what a player. He’s an amazing player. I think he can grow into one of the top midfield players in Europe.

“You saw him grow in the Champions League. You saw him against Manchester City and just purr at his quality. There was a big disappointment when he got injured because the week building up to it he was amazing. Top players know where there is space and he’s as good as any I’ve seen at finding space.”

Fenerbahce readying move to sign Celtic star who Rodgers called "brilliant"

The Bhoys could suffer a frustrating blow.

ByTom Cunningham May 28, 2025

Eight years on, Rogic is now retired and Rodgers is searching for his next arrivals at Celtic amid reports that the Bhoys have now set their sights on signing a 23-year-old star who has already been compared to the Australian.

Celtic interested in "Rogic-esque" Fallenius

According to Fotboll Direkt in Sweden, Celtic now have a concrete interest in signing Oskar Fallenius from Djurgarden this summer afetr sending scouts to watch him in aciton.

The winger reportedly cost the Swedish club just £1.5m in 2023, but that price is only likely to increase if they decide to sell their emerging star in the coming months.

Celtic’s interest should come as no shock. As detailed by Celtic Down Under’s – a Celtic fan channel in Australia – and X account UnDiluted, Fallenius is a potential “Rogic-esque” fit on the Bhoys’ radar.

The podcaster reiterated that whilst the Swede is not a like-for-like clone of Rogic, he does share some similar traits. The Australian’s greatest strengths came in his close control, powerful striking ability and creative vision. In comparison, Fallenius is similarly physical – standing at 5’11 and reportedly has a reputation for his skill and movement.

With that said and Celtic’s interest reportedly concrete, Fallenius looks set to be one to watch in the coming months.

Since taking the job as Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has made his fair share of dire signings.

The likes of Pablo Mari, Willian, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira are some examples of players who either failed to live up to expectations or were just poor when they played.

However, for all the bad, Arteta has also overseen plenty of sensational signings, with Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and David Raya and perhaps the best of the lot, Declan Rice, joining the club under his stewardship.

The former West Ham United captain has been sensational for the Gunners since his club-record move in the summer of 2023, and now it would probably be fair to say one of the manager’s signings from last summer has proven to be his best since the Englishman.

How Arsenal's summer signings are getting on

So, it would be fair to say that overall, the campaign has been a mixed one for the signings made last summer, so before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over how the others have fared, starting with the worst of the lot: Raheem Sterling.

The Kingston-born star joined the club on a season-long loan deal on transfer deadline day, and while he told the fans they would “see the best” of him, the complete opposite has been true so far.

For example, in 24 appearances, the former Manchester City monster has scored just a single goal, which came against League One Bolton Wanderers, and provided five assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every four games.

Appearances

13

6

1

4

Minutes

352′

297′

80′

270′

Goals

0

0

0

1

Assists

2

2

0

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.15

0.33

0.00

0.50

Minutes per Goal Involvement

176′

148.5′

N/A

135′

It’s been a more positive year for fellow summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, who joined the club from Bologna for around £42m, as when he’s played, he’s looked good and has an impressive tally – for a defender – of three goals and two assists in 26 appearances so far.

However, there has been one significant problem, which is his fitness.

So far, the Roma-born international has missed a whopping 24 games for club and country thanks to three knee injuries, one muscle injury and one calf injury, allowing Myles Lewis-Skelly to come in and make the left-back position his own.

Aside from David Raya, who initially joined the club on loan in 2023, and Neto, who barely played, there was one more senior signing made in the summer, a signing that might be Arteta’s best since Rice.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Arsenal's best signing since Rice

So, with all the other signings from last summer covered above, it should be no surprise that Mikel Merino is the addition in question.

The Spanish international joined Arsenal for around £31.6m in late August after what felt like a particularly protracted transfer saga, but things did not start out well.

In cosmically poor luck, the European champion fractured his shoulder in his first training session with the club and remained out of action until the Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain on the first of October.

Unfortunately, his luck didn’t improve much over the coming months as he struggled to assert himself in the team and, as a result, found himself constantly in and out of the starting lineup, which understandably made it hard for him to establish any sort of rhythm or consistency.

However, things took a turn for the unexpected in February, as injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus left the Gunners without a recognized number nine, so after a rather paltry first 70 minutes of goalless action away to Leicester City, the Spaniard was thrown on to lead the line.

Somehow, even though he had admitted to never playing there before, the former Real Sociedad ace looked right at home, scoring a brilliant header and then slotting home another to secure the North Londoners all three points.

Since then, the 28-year-old “mentality monster,” as dubbed by podcaster Matt Kendala, has scored another four goals to add to his two assists, and following his exceptional strike against Real Madrid, it’s hard to imagine that the club are still officially without a fit centre-forward in the team.

The Pamplona-born game-changer has been hearing his song sung by the fans more and more in recent weeks, and if he keeps on producing in the way he is, Kendala’s claim that he’s “approaching cult status” will undoubtedly be proven correct.

Ultimately, while he’s not on the same level as the Englishman, it would be hard to deny that, thanks to his performances of late, Merino is unquestionably Arteta’s best signing since Rice in 2023.

He's like Saka & Yamal: Arsenal in talks to sign "world-class" £39m star

The incredible winger would bring so much experience and quality to Arsenal’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 15, 2025

Arsenal drew against Everton on Saturday to end the fleeting hopes of beating Liverpool to the Premier League title; the Reds will move 16 points clear at the summit should they beat Fulham at Craven Cottage.

However, Mikel Arteta’s side are still likely to finish second for the third season running, with attention now turned toward Tuesday evening’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.

Hosting Los Blancos – who lost at home to Valencia on Saturday – before travelling to Spain one week later, Arteta rested a host of his stars, but there was one man who played from the outset at Goodison Park who will hope to reprise their berth in midweek.

Indeed, Leandro Trossard opened the scoring with a cool finish, latching onto Raheem Sterling’s pass.

Leandro Trossard's performance vs Everton

Trossard has ebbed and flowed somewhat this season, but he came up with the goods on Merseyside, ending a nine-game barren run in the Premier League with his strike past Jordan Pickford.

Starting in the centre-forward spot, the Belgian will hope to keep his starting role against Carlo Ancelotti’s intimidating outfit, with one football analyst noting that his ability to shoot from multiple areas with both feet makes him “unstoppable.”

Playing the talismanic role well, Trossard got off three shots, hitting the target twice, while also seeing plenty of action with 46 touches and completing 90% of his passes, as per Sofascore.

Maintaining fluency will be important against a Real Madrid side who are susceptible defensively. To be sure, with Bukayo Saka and maybe Gabriel Martinelli installed on either attacking flank, supplied by Martin Odegaard behind, Arsenal have enough firepower to do some damage.

While Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined, there is, of course, another man whose skills have been called upon in the final third recently.

He put in an industrious display against Everton and will be looking to start against Madrid.

The Arsenal star reaching "cult status"

While Arteta will be working closely with new sporting director Andrea Berta to make improvements in the transfer market this summer, some of Edu’s signings from last year have come up trumps at times this season.

Mikel Merino is chief among them.

The Spaniard, who joined from Real Sociedad for a £32m fee in August 2024, scored five goals from eight games as a makeshift centre-forward to combat the club’s injury woes.

But he returned to the middle of the park against Everton, something that added more mettle and crunch to Arteta’s engine room. Given that Trossard scored, too, it feels like it was a good move from the Gunners gaffer.

Indeed, Merino’s duelling success is truly a thing to behold. Standing at 6 foot 2 and expertly using his frame, he is one of football’s foremost aerial experts.

Praised for covering multiple areas of the field by The Daily Mail, who also heralded his efforts in the duel, Merino blended his fighting spirit with a willingness to drive the play forward, as evidenced by the data below.

Trossard might have got the goal, but Merino offered a lot more in regard to his overall performance. Everton, let’s not forget, are a different beast with Moyes back at the helm, and having such steel in the middle of the park was always going to be imperative.

Touches

48

Passes completed

26/31 (84%)

Touches in att. pen

4

Possession won

6x

Successful take-ons

1

Tackles

3

Duels won

14/17

Arsenal podcaster Matt Kendala even remarked before the game that Merino is “approaching cult status” with his recent performances, a “mentality monster” who has been “emptying the tank for the team.”

His combativeness and attacking instinct make for a dynamic and dangerous player, and you wouldn’t put it past him to nick an all-important goal across the two-legged Champions League tie coming right up.

Better than Nico Williams: Arsenal lead race to sign "Bergkamp-esque" star

The incredible international would make Arsenal a far scarier proposition.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 3, 2025

Ipswich Town appear to have their eyes on an “exciting” EFL star who “scores and creates goals”, according to one Sky Sports pundit.

Ipswich Town transfer rumours with McKenna’s side in relegation zone

The Tractor Boys’ return to the Premier League looks like it may only last one season, with Kieran McKenna’s side nine points adrift of safety with nine games remaining.

A defeat at Portman Road last time out was coupled with Wolves’ win at Southampton and has left Ipswich with plenty of work to do in the final months of the season.

Best signing since Davis: Ipswich struck gold with "wrecking ball" star

Leif Davis has been one of Ipswich’s finest signings during the Kieran McKenna era.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 20, 2025

Should Ipswich suffer relegation, there could be a number of exits, including star striker Liam Delap, with several top-flight giants eyeing a move for the impressive forward, including Man Utd and Chelsea.

Hearts striker and captain Lawrence Shankland, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has seemingly been identified as a possible replacement for Delap at Portman Road.

Loanee Kalvin Phillips is also unlikely to make his move permanent, and his replacement could be 6ft 6 midfielder Kalidou Sidibe, who currently plies his trade with French side En Avant Guingamp.

Towards the end of 2024, Ipswich were also linked with Peterborough United star Kwame Poku, alongside Southampton, Championship side Burnley and Scottish giants Rangers.

Ipswich Town told they can sign “exciting” EFL star if relegated

Now, talking to Football League World, Sky Sports co-commentator and pundit Don Goodman has labelled Ipswich target Poku as an “exciting” potential signing in the Championship, appearing to urge the Tractor Boys to make a move if they’re relegated.

“Well, Peterborough have finally found their mojo, haven’t they? They’ve just put a seven-game unbeaten run together, far and away their best run of the season. It took way too long.

“Kwame Poku, 10 goals and six assists this season from just 20 games, 19 starts, is very impressive. It’s on the back of 11 goals and seven assists last season.

“He’s been on my radar for a couple of seasons now, along with Ephron Mason-Clarke, who is now doing really, really well at Coventry.

“If you’re Burnley, Southampton or Ipswich, it’s obviously going to depend on which players stay and which players leave. That’s assuming Southampton and Ipswich will be in the Championship, Burnley will hope to be in the Premier League.

“So whether he’s ready for the Premier League just yet is a debate to be had, but certainly if I was a Championship club and I needed an exciting, ball-carrying winger that both scores and creates goals, he would be on my radar.”

Games

139

Goals

28

Assists

28

Minutes played

9,828

It could well be one to keep an eye on, and with Ipswich at this stage likely to come straight back down, someone like Poku could help in the final third as they aim to bounce back up.

Mikel Arteta opted to play what was effectively a b side for Arsenal’s Champions League second-leg game against PSV Eindhoven and got the sort of result and performance you’d expect from such a decision.

The Gunners were already 7-1 up on aggregate going into the match and all but through the quarter-finals, so it would be hard to describe the display as all that surprising.

The 2-2 scoreline was probably just about a fair enough reflection of the encounter, as both sides had chances to claim victory.

Moreover, while some squad players made a good account of themselves, like Raheem Sterling, others probably played themselves out of the lineup for Sunday.

Sterling's performance vs PSV

It’s no secret that this season has been something of a disaster for Sterling, and so going into last night, it was potentially the last chance he’d had to show Arteta that he still has something about him, and while the circumstances made it a bit of a nothing match, that’s what he did.

For what felt like the first time in months, if not the entire campaign, the Chelsea loanee looked full of life, and even though it didn’t pay off every time, he was trying to make things happen whenever he got the ball.

The Kingston-born star provided the assists for both goals and could have scored two of his own thanks to a well-timed run in the first half that left him one-on-one with the keeper and then a determined drive late in the second half that saw his close-range effort saved by the keeper once again.

The 30-year-old left an impression on GOAL’s Sean Walsh, who awarded him an 8/10 at full-time, writing that he worked ‘extremely hard’ for his two assists.

On top of the praise from the press, the experienced dynamo’s statistics also make for great reading, as in 94 minutes of action he amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.80, provided two assists, took two shots on target, played three key passes, created one big chance, took 47 touches and made one interception.

Minutes

94′

Expected Goals

0.57

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.23

Assists

2

Shots on Target

2

Touches

47

Key Passes

3

Big Chances Created

1

Interceptions

1

Overall, while Sterling almost certainly won’t feature in the lineup at the weekend, that won’t be because of his display last night, which might not be the case for one of his teammates.

The Arsenal starter who's played themselves out the team

Unfortunately, while the game wasn’t all that bad, and the result was ultimately meaningless, a few starters likely played themselves out of contention to start on the weekend.

One of those players was Jorginho, who had an uncharacteristically poor night in the middle of the park for the hosts.

The Italian ace was entirely ineffective in attack and utterly hopeless when it came to the more important defensive side of his game, switching off and losing his runner for Ivan Perišić’s goal and then losing the ball entirely for Couhaib Driouech’s impressive lob.

Unsurprisingly, Sean Walsh was equally unimpressed with the former Chelsea man, awarding him just a 3/10 on the night, a rating more than validated by his statistics.

In 94 minutes of football, the 33-year-old amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.04, completed just 86% of his passes, made no key passes, failed to take a single shot, failed 100% of his dribbles, lost 100% of his ground duels, lost the ball 11 times, committed one foul and made one mistake that led directly to a goal.

Minutes

94′

Expected Goals

0.00

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.04

Assists

0

Shots

0

Passing Accuracy

48/56 (86%)

Key Passes

0

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Lost Possession

11

Fouls

1

Errors Leading to a Goal

1

Ultimately, while Sterling put in arguably his best performance in an Arsenal shirt last night, Jorginho put in one of his worst in some time, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t start a game again for a while.

Berta's new Griezmann: Arsenal favourites to sign £62m Premier League star

Andrea Berta has found his dream first target as Arsenal’s new sporting director.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 12, 2025

Manchester United and Leicester City face off in the FA Cup this Friday evening, with the Red Devils’ quest to retain the famous domestic trophy continuing at Old Trafford.

United, who defeated Manchester City in the final last year, come up against former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was actually in interim charge at Old Trafford earlier this season.

FA Cup 2024/25: Cup final details, results, TV picks & more

Find all the latest and key FA Cup info here ahead of the weekend’s final between Crystal Palace and Manchester City.

1 ByRoss Kilvington May 12, 2025

Both clubs have struggled in the Premier League this season, making the FA Cup a welcome distraction and a real chance to save their campaign with silverware.

Man Utd v Leicester City team news Man Utd

The Red Devils were without Jonny Evans, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw last time out, and none of the trio look likely to feature at Old Trafford on Friday. A first appearance for January signing Patrick Dorgu could be one to keep an eye on, though.

United were also handed a new serious injury concern to Lisandro Martinez, who was stretched off against Crystal Palace and looks set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Leicester City

Long-term absentees at Leicester City are Issahaku Fatawu, Ricardo Pereira, Nathaniel Opoku and Wilfred Ndidi, however, Ndidi has been back in training and van Nistelrooy has confirmed the Nigerian will return to the squad against Man Utd.

When asked about any more injuries, van Nistelrooy said: “There are two or three with light injuries who will be assessed.”

Where to watch Man Utd v Leicester City on TV

For viewers in the UK, the game will be shown live on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player on Friday 7 February with kick-off at 8pm (GMT).

In the USA, the match will be streamed on ESPN+, and in Canada, live on TV with channel Sportsnet.

Man Utd v Leicester City referee and is there VAR?

Interestingly, the FA has decided this season that VAR will only be introduced from the fifth round of the FA Cup onwards, meaning fans won’t have to worry about it on Friday evening.

The man whose decision will be final is referee Michael Salisbury. He will be assisted by Matthew Wilkes and Steven Meredith, with Thomas Bramall as the fourth official.

Salisbury has taken charge of four games for both clubs, and as can be seen, the Red Devils enjoy having the 40-year-old as the man in the middle with a 100% win ratio.

Games

4

4

Record

4W, 0D, 0L

1W, 0D, 3L

Cards received

3 Yellow, 0 Red

12 Yellow, 0 Red

Cards to opponents

6 Yellow, 0 Red

7 Yellow, 0 Red

Penalties for/against

1/0

0/0

Man Utd v Leicester City form Man Utd

Ruben Amorim’s side have struggled for consistency at Old Trafford, highlighted by recent Premier League defeats at Old Trafford to Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace.

The Red Devils began 2025 in positive fashion with a draw at Liverpool and an FA Cup triumph at Arsenal, as well as qualifying for the last 16 of the Europa League.

Date

Opponent

Competition

Result

Sun 2nd Feb

Crystal Palace (h)

Premier League

L 0-2

Thu 30th Jan

FCSB (a)

Europa League

W 0-2

Sun 26th Jan

Fulham (a)

Premier League

W 0-1

Thu 23rd Jan

Rangers (h)

Europa League

W 2-1

Sun 19th Jan

Brighton (h)

Premier League

L 1-3

Leicester City

Things haven’t exactly gone to plan for van Nistelrooy at the King Power Stadium so far, with the Foxes coming into the cup encounter off the back of a heavy 4-0 defeat to Everton.

The highlight of 2025 was certainly the 2-1 win at Tottenham which took them out of the relegation zone, however, they are now back in the bottom three and in real danger of an immediate return to the Championship.

Date

Opponent

Competition

Result

Sat 1st Feb

Everton (a)

Premier League

L 4-0

Sun 26th Jan

Tottenham (a)

Premier League

W 1-2

Sat 18th Jan

Fulham (h)

Premier League

L 0-2

Wed 15th Jan

Crystal Palace (h)

Premier League

L 0-2

Sat 11th Jan

QPR (h)

FA Cup

W 6-2

Man Utd v Leicester City head-to-head

This will be just the fourth time these two sides have faced off against each other in the FA Cup. The first two meetings were back in 1963 and 1976, both won by the Red Devils.

The last FA Cup clash was in 2021 at the quarter-final stages, where Leicester ran out 3-1 winners thanks to two goals from Kelechi Iheanacho and one from Youri Tielemans. Overall, though, Manchester United have more wins against Leicester throughout history.

Man Utd wins

72

Draws

31

Leicester City wins

36

Everton have yet to get going in the transfer window, with only Carlos Alcaraz joining the club.

He was on loan last season, and therefore, he isn’t exactly a brand-new signing, but David Moyes and TFG will be working tirelessly behind the scenes to bolster his squad ahead of the first season at their new stadium.

While the Toffees face an away trip to Elland Road to face Leeds in their match, the opening game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium will take place a week later when Moyes’ men face Brighton.

Between now and then, supporters will no doubt be longing for some new additions.

Everton ready to hijack move for Ligue 1 star

With Alcaraz through the door, it’s looking likely that Everton will make another signing in the shape of Fulham defender Kenny Tete, with the BBC reporting that talks are in progress.

A right-back by trade, Moyes could also be in the market to sign a left-back from Ligue 1.

Transfer Focus

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Indeed, according to Leeds Live, the recently promoted club are keen on signing defender Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille this summer.

However, the report goes on to state that Everton are ready to hijack the move for the Swedish defender, who has just one year left on his current contract.

As such, Moyes could perhaps land a bargain should he convince the left-back to swap Lille for a move to Merseyside, rather than Leeds.

Adding some depth to the squad is a priority, which means a swoop for £6m-rated Gudmundsson could be ideal.

Given the fact that he would be moving from Ligue 1, the Swede could turn into Iliman Ndiaye 2.0.

How Gudmundsson could replicate Ndiaye at Everton

Ndiaye moved from Ligue 1 side Marseille last summer, going on to become one of the club’s key players last term.

Indeed, the winger netted 11 goals across all competitions for the Toffees, helping the club preserve their Premier League status for yet another season.

Goals

9

Assists

0

Big chances created

3

Key passes per game

0.5

Shots per game

1.1

Successful dribbles per game

2.1

The Senegal international also ranked in the top 9% for successful 1.96 take-ons (2.52) per 90 when compared to his peers in Europe’s top five leagues, showcasing why Leeds writer Joe Donnohue has described him as a “fun” player who’s also a “risk-taker”. He’s also competent defensively, however, ranking in the top 11% for tackles per 90 (1.96) over the previous 365 days.

It proves that talent can be found at a reasonable price in France, so might Gudmundsson be the next player to move across the channel?

The 26-year-old would be a great signing. He made 45 appearances for Lille last term, which included nine in the Champions League.

An attacking full-back, he was notably impressive in the competition. When compared to his peers, the Swede not only ranked in the top 19% for progressive carries (2.96), but he also ranked in the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.66) last term.

Those are strong metrics, particularly considering the sheer quality of opposition he played against, with Lille coming up against Real Madrid, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid, defeating the two Spanish sides in the process.

Defensively, the 26-year-old won 54% of his total duels in Ligue 1 last season, along with being dribbled past on just 0.4 occasions per game, showing his strength in one-on-one battles.

Ndiaye made a wonderful impact after moving from the French top flight. If Moyes signs Gudmundsson this summer, the Swede has all the qualities to follow in his footsteps.

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