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Chelsea have reportedly agreed terms with Dutch starlet Xavi Simons ahead of a proposed move for the RB Leipzig attacking midfielder.

It would represent another excellent attacking signing by Enzo Maresca, who is clearly leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of glory with the Blues this season.

With Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro already joining this summer, the manager has plenty of strength in depth in the final third.

While Simons would be a sublime signing, aren’t the Blues better off spending money trying to bolster their backline instead?

As such, they are eyeing a move for someone who would do just that.

Latest on Chelsea transfer news

The vast majority of the transfer news recently has been regarding attacking players. As mentioned, Simons is closing in on a move, while Maresca is keen on signing Alejandro Garnacho too.

Transfer Focus

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

Now, according to L’Equipe, Chelsea could be ready to pounce for PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the French side willing to sell him if he doesn’t commit to a new deal.

The Euro 2020 winner has less than a year left to run on his existing contract and the Ligue 1 outfit don’t want a repeat of the Kylian Mbappé debacle that occurred last summer, when the Frenchman departed on a free transfer.

That opens up the possibility that the Blues could see an offer accepted, were they to lodge a bid, with a price tag of around £34m having been touted this summer.

Given the Blues need a solid shot-stopper if they wish to go far in the Champions League and challenge for the domestic title, the Italian is the perfect solution.

Could he even be a better signing than Simons?

Why Chelsea must sign Gianluigi Donnarumma

There is no doubt Simons would bolster the attacking department, but Maresca already boasts a stellar attacking unit, having acquired Delap, Pedro and Gittens already – three players who contributed 38 goals combined in 2024/25.

With teenage sensation Estevao Willian also set to join the mix, the Italian boasts a stellar cast of forward options, led by Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto. It is defensively, however, where Chelsea face bigger problems.

Last term, they conceded 64 goals across 64 matches, while ‘keepers Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen were hardly convincing, the former having made five errors leading to a goal in the top-flight.

Games played

23

Clean sheets

4

Save percentage

68%

Saves made

2.2

Pass accuracy

87%

Errors leading to goals

0

Long ball accuracy

44%

Comparing the Spaniard to Donnarumma, there is clearly a difference in quality. Last season, the Italian not only conceded fewer goals domestically (25 vs 34) than Sanchez, but he also completed a higher percentage of passes (87.3% vs 69.7%).

The PSG ‘keeper also conceded fewer goals per game than Sanchez (1 vs 1.1) and lost possession fewer times (3.3 vs 11.8) during their respective domestic leagues last term.

He was hailed as “sensational” by journalist Joe Prince-Wright during PSG’s clash against Arsenal in the Champions League last campaign and the Italian would give Maresca a massive boost regarding his goalkeeping options.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five divisions, Donnarumma ranks in the top 12% for goals against per 90, signifying just how impressive he has been over the previous 12 months for his club side.

A first Champions League winners medal will surely have given the 25-year-old a confidence boost. Moving to Chelsea would ensure he gains plenty of gametime throughout 2025/26, that’s for sure.

Can he be the missing piece of the jigsaw for Maresca? And more importantly, the former AC Milan ‘keeper would surely be a better signing than Simons, given the club’s need for a stronger backline.

Fabrizio Romano: Chelsea "agree deal" to sign "sensation" with medical held

Enzo Maresca is welcoming another exciting player.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 26, 2025

West Brom are “finalising” a move for a “tremendous” international defender in the summer transfer window, according to a new claim regarding their upcoming business.

Mason eyeing "positive future" at West Brom

Ryan Mason took charge at The Hawthorns earlier this summer, with the former Tottenham midfielder tasked with guiding the Baggies back into the Premier League as soon as possible.

The 34-year-old has certainly spoken well about what he hopes to see West Brom achieve under him, focusing on a “positive future” with plenty of success.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to have been appointed Head Coach of West Bromwich Albion. This is a huge club with a fantastic infrastructure and an incredible fan base and I am excited about what we can achieve together. Having spoken at length to the board and those at the club I am convinced that Albion is the perfect place for me to be and I can’t wait to get started. I will bring with me a huge amount of enthusiasm, dedication and ambition and look forward to a positive future together at such a fantastic club.”

Mason will know that new signings are required in order to aid their Championship promotion push in 2025/26 and have already brought in centre-back Nat Phillips and centre-forward Aune Heggeb. Now, they are closing in on a new international defender.

West Brom "finalising" move for centre-back

According to journalist Ben Jacobs on X, West Brom are now “finalising” a move for CF Montreal and USA centre-back George Campbell.

“George Campbell is finalising a move from Montreal to West Bromwich Albion. American centre-back left out of Montreal’s draw with Orlando yesterday ahead of formalising the transfer.”

Campbell could be an impressive signing by West Brom, even though some supporters may have reservations because he has never played in Europe before, only representing Montreal, Atalanta United and Atlanta United 2 in his club career.

Granted, that is a fair concern to have, but the 24-year-old is now a one-cap USA international who will hope to feature prominently at his home World Cup next summer, and Gonzalo Pineda has heaped praise on his abilities as a player.

"I can see a center back with tremendous potential. He’s a center back that is physically gifted. His aggression when he presses between the lines was fantastic today, so I was pleased with his performance before he scored the goal. He did a couple tackles on the ground, and we gained a couple important balls in transition that helped us to continue the attacking. I am very happy with his performance."smallRelatedWest Brom plot move to sign "fantastic" free agent Mason thinks will be keyHe played in the Champions League last season.Hopefully, Campbell takes to the English game seamlessly, assuming he does join West Brom, coming straight in as an influential starter who can inspire the Baggies back into the Premier League.

With Nicolas Kuhn already on his way to Como, Celtic are reportedly set to announce the departure of another player in a double departure for Brendan Rodgers.

Como reach agreement to sign Kuhn

After less than two years at the club, Kuhn is reportedly set to swap Celtic for the chance to play for Cesc Fabregas’ rising Como side in Serie A. The Bhoys will receive around £16.5m for the winger’s signature, making an instant profit of £13.5m from their initial deal, but now face the hefty task of finding a replacement for their star man.

Kuhn’s departure should fund some hefty incomings of their own, but replacing him will be an incredibly tough task. Just last season, the German enjoyed his best campaign yet with as many as 21 goals to his name in all competitions to go alongside his 15 assists. Just how Celtic replace 36 goal involvements is the big question.

It’s the type of problem they faced last summer when tasked with replacing Matt O’Riley and that’s when Kuhn stepped up. This time around, however, the Bhoys may need to turn towards the transfer market to solve their problems.

The next Engels: Celtic plot record-breaking move for "complete midfielder"

As Brendan Rodgers seeks to bolster his midfield options, the Hoops have reportedly entered the race to sign another Arne Engels for Celtic.

ByBen Gray Jul 4, 2025

On that front, Rodgers has already welcomed the talented Benjamin Nygren as well as the likes of Kieran Tierney, who has returned from Arsenal, Ross Doohan and Callum Osmand.

Incomings should take centre stage in the coming weeks, but another exit looks set to be on the cards before Celtic get the chance to welcome further fresh faces of their own.

Hannover 96 set to sign Nawrocki

As reported by Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Hannover 96 have reached an agreement to sign Maik Nawrocki in a loan deal with an option to buy from Celtic. Reportedly a “done deal”, the Bhoys are set to announce the defender’s departure.

Whilst Nawrocki has often struggled for game time in Scotland in the last two years, that hasn’t stopped Rodgers from handing his centre-back some words of encouragement.

The Celtic boss told reporters when asked about Nawrocki and Auston Trusty after his side thrashed Aberdeen 5-1 back in May: “It was awkward for Auston in the first half, because he was blinded a wee bit with the sun on that side. But I thought those two were strong. Defended well, goalkeeper was assured, two full-backs, excellent. It was very pleasing.”

A player who never showed his true potential at Celtic Park, Nawrocki now has the chance to take the 2. Bundesliga by storm.

With Andrea Berta now Arsenal’s transfer chief, replacing Edu a few months ago, there is a different feel to the club’s transfer strategy this summer.

In fact, it’s quite a clever one really. Berta isn’t putting all of his eggs in one basket. Instead, he’s advancing a number of deals before concluding which would be the best one to proceed with.

If you believe reports, then the Gunners have held negotiations over deals for both RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s goal machine, Viktor Gyokeres.

The latest on that is the Swede is now ‘dreaming’ of a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Alas, signing a striker isn’t Arsenal’s only priority over the transfer window. They also need a winger.

Arsenal's pursuit of a new winger this summer

This is a busy old time for Berta and if he can remodel Arsenal’s attack successfully, he will become a quick fan favourite in north London.

On the agenda on the flanks is Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, with Arsenal having reportedly held talks to bring the Brazilian to the Emirates.

If a move cannot be done there, they may well turn their attention to Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams again. The Spaniard, who scored in the Euro 2024 final last summer, caught the eye of the Gunners during that tournament but despite the winger’s release clause, did not look at doing a deal.

A year on, they could revisit their interest. That’s according to reports in Spain who claim that while Williams is hoping to stay in Iberia, where Barcelona are very much interested, Bayern Munich and Arsenal are also looking at the 22-year-old.

Williams ‘likes’ the idea of moving to Barca but Bayern and the Gunners are now ‘willing to meet’ his bargain £53m release clause. They are also willing to lodge a high salary offer in a bid to tempt him away from the clutches of the Camp Nou.

Why Williams could be Arsenal's answer to Florian Wirtz

In the opening ten days of the summer transfer window before it shut again due to the Club World Cup, it was all very much about Florian Wirtz.

Why the summer transfer window will close for six days and re-open again

Premier League clubs have recently voted for the transfer window to open early this summer – here’s how it will work and why it’s happening.

ByStephan Georgiou Mar 27, 2025

Liverpool have pulled no punches in their bid to capitalise on a title-winning season and they have done so by breaking a British transfer record.

Wirtz will arrive from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £116.5m. In the words of former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes, he’s “probably the best midfielder in the world,” but that doesn’t mean he can’t shine in other areas.

The German is predominantly a no.10, cut from the same cloth as a Mesut Ozil or Kevin De Bruyne, but he’s also very much capable of featuring from the flanks.

Aged just 22, coincidentally the same age as Williams, the Spaniard could be the Wirtz-like signing that Arsenal really need to kick on themselves.

If there was one area of weakness at Anfield this season, it was the no.10 role. Dominik Szoboszlai is certainly no mug, but his goalscoring ability has been questioned, notably finding the net just six times in the Premier League throughout 2024/25. Well, Arne Slot has already solved that problem; Wirtz bagged ten Bundesliga goals and beat the goalkeeper on 16 occasions in all competitions.

So, Arsenal now need to address their own weakness, and it’s on Williams’ left-hand side.

Bukayo Saka is always going to guarantee you output on the right and whatever you say about Mikel Arteta’s lack of a striker, Kai Havertz was on for a 20-goal season before his injury and Mikel Merino scored six in 12 outings as a centre-forward.

It’s the left flank where the biggest imbalance in quality has arguably been seen. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard scored eight goals apiece in the league this season.

Their biggest issue is consistency and to be fair, you may well argue that with Williams, too. The Spain international bagged 11 in all competitions with only five coming in LaLiga. Judging by that, you may well question where the upgrade is coming from.

The numbers below suggest Williams would certainly be a significant upgrade in some areas. He’s a better and more regular dribbler, while the sheer number of shot-creating actions suggests he could be an enormous threat in the Premier League.

Goals

0.23

0.28

0.31

Assists

0.23

0.25

0.16

Key passes

1.80

1.45

1.57

Progressive passes

3.11

3.57

2.05

Shot-creating actions

5.05

3.29

2.91

Goal-creating actions

0.59

0.28

0.28

Attempted take-ons

8.42

3.04

4.29

Successful take-ons

3.06

1.34

1.30

Progressive carries

5.32

2.83

4.88

Additionally, as he was described by Bilbao’s official channels, Williams is “one of the best wingers in the world”. He famously showcased that for Spain at Euro 2024, thriving in a much better team. He registered two goals and one assist in his six European Championship matches, while during the recent Nations League campaign, the young winger scored two goals in four games, also registering a solitary assist.

This is a player whose output could soar to new heights in a team like Arsenal. He’s already an “electric” talent in the words of content creator, Statman Dave, and given Arteta’s track record of improving young talent, Williams would surely thrive at Arsenal.

Like Wirtz at Anfield, the young Spaniard could solve one of the Gunners’ biggest problems in attack.

Transfer Focus

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

Liverpool have been busy already in the 2025 summer transfer window. It has been a remarkable show of intent from Arne Slot’s team, who, as defending champions, are making a clear step towards strengthening their side to defend the Premier League next season.

Jeremie Frimpong has already joined the club, and a deal for Florian Wirtz cannot be more than a few days away now. Fabrizio Romano gave the move his famous “here we go” confirmation, citing the price of the move as £128m including add-ons.

With that much money spent on the German star, you might think there is not enough money left for the Reds to spend.

However, a recent report implies they could splash the cash even more.

Liverpool's next big signing earmarked

If Liverpool were to spend big after signing Wirtz, it would be a huge statement to the rest of the Premier League, and arguably make them favourites to retain their crown. There certainly seems to be money left for another marquee addition.

That player could be Alexander Isak of Newcastle United.

Transfer Focus

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

At least, that is according to a recent report from Lewis Steele, the Daily Mail’s Merseyside-based reporter. The journalist explained that a move for Isak could materialise and that he ‘wouldn’t completely rule it out’ this summer.

However, unsurprisingly, this is not a deal that would come cheap for the newly-crowned Premier League champions. Steele explained that ‘Newcastle don’t want to sell him for cheap’, before naming a ‘ballpark figure’ starting at around £130m and reaching as much as £140m.

That makes any move extremely unlikely but TEAMtalk do reveal that the Swede is Liverpool’s number one striker target this summer.

How Wirtz could improve Alexander Isak

There is a very strong case to be made that 25-year-old is the best number nine in the Premier League. He was sensational last season for Eddie Howe’s side, helping claw them into a Champions League spot.

Last season for the Magpies, Isak played 34 Premier League games, scoring 23 goals and registering six assists. No striker managed to find the back of the net more often, and Mohamed Salah, Isak’s teammate if he moves to Anfield, was the only player to bag more.

Of course, Liverpool know all too well the dangers that Isak has to offer, having been on the receiving end of his goal threat plenty.

In six matches against the Reds in his career, the Sweden international has scored four goals and grabbed an assist. One of those strikes came in the Carabao Cup final in 2025.

The Anfield faithful could be in dreamland if they get to see Wirtz and Isak link up next season. The Bayer Leverkusen star has been in sensational form in 2024/25, with 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 games for the German side.

The crucial thing there is the assist number. At just 22 years of age, Wirtz is already a player who creates an obscene number of goals for his side. However, if you combine him with a player as good as Isak, who is a natural killer in front of goal, he may only get better.

The assist below is an excellent example of how the two new potential Liverpool recruits can combine.

With Wirtz receiving the ball out on the left, he is able to beat the defender and play a perfectly weighted pass to Patrick Schick, who scores.

Now, imagine the passage of play takes place in Liverpool colours at Anfield, with Wirtz’s pass going to Isak, and it is not hard to see why the pair could become unstoppable. The deadly striker could turn his potential new teammate into an even better creative force in the final third.

Isak’s stats from the Premier League last term via FBRef are exceptional, too. The Sweden international ranks highly for most metrics, including goals per shot on target, which was 0.46 each game, showing just how efficient he is with his shooting.

Goals and assists

0.95

97th

Expected goals

0.66xG

94th

Shots on target

1.34

83rd

Goals per shot on target

0.46

88th

Goal-creating actions

0.46

88th

There is no doubt that £140m is a huge investment for Liverpool, on top of the money they already spent on Wirtz. However, Isak is an “elite” striker, as Statman Dave said, and he could make this Liverpool side virtually unbeatable.

If this is a deal they get over the line, it would be a huge statement of intent, and a signing that could make Wirtz even better, too.

He'd be incredible with Wirtz: Liverpool make approach to sign £43m winger

Liverpool will need to replace Luis Diaz if he is sold this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 17, 2025

A “skilful” Leeds United player’s time at Elland Road could come to an end this summer, with “interested parties” emerging to snap him up.

Farke future in doubt ahead of busy summer at Leeds

The Whites are still basking in the glory of sealing promotion from the Championship to the Premier League earlier this week after their 6-0 win at home to Stoke City, followed by Burnley beating Sheffield United at Turf Moor.

It’s now a case of trying to be crowned champions ahead of the Clarets in the final two matches of the season, amid ongoing doubts over Daniel Farke’s future, despite the excellent job he is doing. In fact, Sean Dyche has already emerged as a possible replacement, should the German be relieved of his duties.

In terms of potential summer signings for Leeds, West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek has been linked with a move to the club, with the Czech reportedly open to the idea of sealing a switch to Elland Road.

The Whites are also said to be keen on signing Ipswich Town striker George Hirst, who has struggled for playing time in the Premier League this season, starting only three matches in the competition. For that reason, a fresh challenge may appeal, especially as the Tractor Boys are almost certainly heading back to the Championship.

"Skilful" Leeds player wanted by "interested parties"

According to Blick [via Sport Witness], Isaac Schmidt could leave Leeds at the end of the season, potentially not being seen as an important player upon the Whites’ return to the Premier League. The need to strengthen will make it hard for him to earn regular minutes and there are claimed to be “numerous interested parties” in the 25-year-old.

This summer does feel like the right time for Leeds and Schmidt to part ways, even though the two-cap Switzerland international did feature in the aforementioned thumping of Stoke, playing for 13 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

He hasn’t started once in the Championship all season, instead coming on 12 times and playing just 71 minutes in total in the competition, so it’s hard to see his situation changing when the Whites are playing at an even higher level next season.

Appearances

12

Starts

0

Minutes played

71

Goals

0

Assists

0

Tackles per game

0.4

Clearances per game

0.3

Interceptions per game

0.3

Aerial duel wins per game

0.1

Schmidt’s move to Leeds simply hasn’t worked out to date, having arrived from St. Gallen later year, even though Siwzrterland manager Murat Yakin has spoken positively about him, saying: “I really liked Isaac! He was skillful, he won all his duels and he was good offensively.”

For Leeds, it’s now a case of the Whites nailing their summer transfer business, hopefully aided by plenty of funds being made available by 49ers Enterprises.

Leeds could axe Farke by hiring "the most underrated manager in the PL"

Leeds United could be set to make a huge decision over the future of Daniel Farke this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 24, 2025

A big decision needs to be made regarding Farke’s future, too, either retaining his services or hiring a replacement who has enough time to bring in the right players.

Leeds United are interested in signing an in-demand French striker who is also wanted by Scottish giants Celtic.

Leeds transfer rumours following promotion to the Premier League

The Whites and Daniel Farke are preparing for life back in the Premier League following a successful Championship campaign.

Promotion was secured for Leeds over the Easter weekend which resulted in a party at Elland Road on Monday evening. Farke’s side secured wins over Oxford United and Stoke City, whereas Sheffield United fell to defeat against Burnley to guarantee a top two finish for the Whites and the Clarets.

Talking after sealing promotion to the Premier League, captain Ethan Ampadu said: “It’s amazing. If you look at the scenes here, as it was after the final whistle, just pure excitement. Within ourselves we’ve got another target, so we can enjoy this now, but we’ve got another target we want to achieve. But right now, it’s very good.”

Centre-back Joe Rodon added: “For me it hasn’t sunk in yet. I don’t think it will until the end of the season, but I’m just delighted for everyone involved with the club, the fans and what it means to them. It’s what everyone has worked for all season and I’m buzzing.”

With top flight football back in Yorkshire for the 2025/26 season, the 49ers Enterprises may look to splash the cash on several new signings, and a new centre-forward is thought to be on the wishlist.

Player

Fee

Joe Rodon

£10m

Jayden Bogle

£5m

Ao Tanaka

£2.95m

Manor Solomon

Loan

Largie Ramazani

£9.3m

Joe Rothwell

Loan

Isaac Schmidt

£2.5m

Josuha Guilavogui

Free

Alex Cairns

Undisclosed

There are doubts at Leeds over Joel Piroe’s ability in the top flight, despite the striker scoring four goals in the first half against Stoke on Monday. There are also concerns over Patrick Bamford.

There have been some forwards linked with moves to Elland Road recently, including AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham. However, a new up-and-coming young forward appears to be on the Leeds radar, going off a recent update.

Leeds keen on French forward Moussa Soumano

According to Africa Foot, Leeds are one of several sides keen on Ajaccio forward Moussa Soumano. Aged just 19, Soumano is also wanted by Celtic and Leicester City, whereas Brentford have already made an offer worth €3m (£2.5m) to sign the attacker.

49ers not messing: Leeds swoop for "unique" £1.5m Premier League striker

The Whites have set their sights on a forward who is currently plying his trade in the Premier League.

1 ByDominic Lund Apr 24, 2025

Also capable of playing on the wing if required, Soumano has scored five goals and provided two assists in 66 appearances for his current employers. Not exactly a prolific record, however, the 6ft French attacker has been hailed as a promising talent and is ‘considered one of the great hopes of Corsican football’ in Africa Foot’s report.

Soumano could be one to keep an eye on, with Leeds potentially looking to bring in some talented teenagers alongside some big names, just like they did with Crysencio Summerville and Mateo Joseph when they were last in the top flight.

Chelsea are now going all out to sign a “stunning” winger, and they may be willing to trigger the £42m release clause in his contract, according to a report.

Blues keen to strengthen in attack

Nicolas Jackson made a flying start to the campaign, but the 23-year-old is still without a Premier League goal in 2025, having now failed to score in his last 11 matches, most recently drawing a blank in the 2-2 draw against Ipswich Town.

The Blues’ disappointing draw against Ipswich may have significantly dented their Champions League aspirations, while also underlining the need for Enzo Maresca to strengthen his squad this summer, and new forwards are of particular interest.

Ipswich star Liam Delap is one of the main targets at striker, with the west Londoners recently opening talks over a deal for the Englishman, while they could also consider a move for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, who is currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur.

Sky Sports: Tottenham looking to sign £38m star who wants to leave Bayern

Tottenham are in the race for a winger, who has now made it clear he wants to leave his club.

ByDominic Lund Apr 13, 2025

Not only is signing a new striker on the agenda, but there may also be a need to bring in a new winger, given that Noni Madueke has widely been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.

According to a report from Spain, a new target has now entered the frame, with Chelsea going all out to sign Real Betis winger Jesus Rodriguez, who has a £42m release clause included in his contract with the Spanish side.

The Blues are yet to make an official bid, but they are considering stumping up the release clause to ensure they win the race for Rodriguez’s signature, amid interest from other unnamed clubs.

Betis hope to keep hold of the winger for at least one more season, but they are powerless to prevent his departure, should any of the interested parties be willing to fork out the release clause.

"Stunning" Rodriguez enjoying breakthrough season

The ongoing campaign has been a real breakthrough season for the 19-year-old, having made 24 appearances in all competitions, picking up two goals and two assists in the process.

The teenager has certainly managed to impress the Spanish media with his performances, having been lauded as “stunning” by journalist Alvaro Borrego, who adds the youngster will soon be part of the Spain national team set-up.

The Spaniard’s performances over the past year indicate he is a well-rounded winger, who is effective on the front foot, but also willing to pitch in defensively.

Statistic

Average per 90

Interceptions

0.64 (83rd percentile)

Successful take-ons

2.78 (90th percentile)

Progressive carries

4.59 (77th percentile)

Blocks

1.39 (94th percentile)

That said, while Rodriguez is showing very promising signs at such a young age, his attacking numbers are yet to justify a £42m outlay, and Chelsea should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season.

For everything he has got wrong at Tottenham Hotspur, Ange Postecoglou has made plenty of brilliant signings.

For example, the likes of Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke and James Maddison all improve the starting lineup when fit, while Kevin Danso and Antonín Kinský look like more than adequate deputies.

Moreover, the Australian has also signed some sensationally talented youngsters like Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, who will surely be key members of the team for years to come.

However, not every signing has been perfect, and it would be fair to say that during his time at the club, Timo Werner has not been good enough, but in good news, another of the team’s youngsters will be the perfect replacement next season, and no, we aren’t talking about Mikey Moore.

Timo Werner's Spurs nightmare

Okay, calling Werner’s time in N17 a nightmare is likely overdoing it, but we don’t think we are all that far off if you look at his performance and impact since last January and consider the fact he’s making £165k-per-week.

At the end of last season, the former Chelsea flop had racked up a reasonable enough tally of five goal involvements in 14 games, and while that’s really not too bad, it certainly wasn’t good enough to warrant the club re-signing him for another season.

Unfortunately, Postecoglou’s gamble has not worked out in the slightest this year, as, despite being given more of a role, the Stuttgart-born forward has fared even worse.

Appearances

14

27

Goals

2

1

Assists

3

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.35

0.14

For example, in 27 appearances across all competitions, the 29-year-old has scored just a single goal and provided three assists, which means he’s averaged a goal involvement every 6.75 games – talk about ineffective.

On top of lacking to contribute to the attack, the RB Leipzig loanee has also missed 11 games through injury, and while that is not his fault, it is a downside when he’s only at the club for a short spell, and based on reports from earlier in the season, it’s a spell that won’t be extended again.

Now, the good news is that when he leaves, the club will already have an up-and-coming talent who could step into his role as a squad player, and it’s not Moore.

Spurs' perfect Werner replacement

So, when we are talking about the perfect replacement for Werner next season, we are talking about a winger who will play the odd game here and there but ultimately act very much as the third or fourth choice, which is why we don’t consider this to be Moore.

The Hotspur Way gem has already shown in flashes this season that he’s going to be good enough to genuinely challenge the likes of Wilson Odobert and Son Heunng-min for more regular football next season.

So, where does that leave us? Even if they are not going to be playing loads and loads of football next year, Postecoglou and Co are still going to want their Werner replacement to be good enough to make an impact when called upon, and for our money, the perfect candidate for that is Yang Min-hyeok.

The South Korean winger joined the club from Gangwon FC last summer but remained with the K League side until the new year, as their seasons run from February to November.

Moreover, despite being so young, he was a seriously important player for them.

Appearances

38

Goals

12

Assists

6

Goal Involvements *

0.47

He managed to rack up an impressive tally of 12 goals and six assists in just 38 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.11 games.

When he arrived in England, the North Londoners made the wise decision to send the “underrated” teenager, per analyst Joel Kim, out on a short-term loan to Queens Park Rangers, where he has since provided one assist in eight appearances, four of which have been starts.

On top of being capable of scoring and assisting goals, the Gwangju-born phenom is blessed with “power and pace”, according to Kim, which makes him sound like the perfect player to bring off the bench toward the end of games.

Finally, while some might consider loaning him out again next season, there is a strong argument that with him still being quite young, a campaign in which he’s in the first team and making substitute appearances in the Premier League might be just as beneficial for his development.

Ultimately, Spurs will need someone to fill in for the departing Werner next season, and while he’s unproven in the top-flight, Yang Min-hyeok seems like the perfect candidate.

Imagine him & Gray: Spurs are brewing "Dembele-esque" star in teen gem

The Spurs prospect could be a real star in the future.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 28, 2025

Looking to add to the likes of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly made contact in pursuit of signing another two rising stars for Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham transfer news

Spurs’ struggles have been clear for all to see all season. Whilst they’ve suffered injury after injury to leave Postecoglou with no choice but to field makeshift backlines and blunt attacking trios, there’s an argument to be made that the Australian hasn’t helped himself at times.

Remaining stubborn over his tactics, the Lilywhites have been exposed over and over again, including in a recent 1-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Those in North London shouldn’t be too quick to put all of the blame on their manager, however, given how little squad depth he has been handed over the last year or so. It’s a problem that simply must be solved when the summer transfer window swings open and one which could once again be helped by the arrival of future stars.

Tottenham plotting move to sign "wonderful" ex-Real Madrid gem scouts love

He’s a rising star…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 28, 2025

According to The Boot Room, Tottenham have now made contact in the race to sign both Christos Mouzakitis and Charlampos Kostoulas in a double swoop from Olympiacos this summer.

Facing competition from North London rivals Arsenal as well as Nottingham Forest and Chelsea, Spurs should be desperate to get one over on their Premier League counterparts and land two impressive talents in the process.

Starting with Mouzakitis, the Lilywhites would be getting an 18-year-old midfielder who’s already an established regular starter for what is a massive club in Greece. He’s made 16 Super League 1 appearances for Olympiacos this season, scoring once and assisting once for the senior team.

Meanwhile, by adding Kostoulas, Spurs would be signing a striker who already knows exactly where the back of the net is. At just 17 years old, the Olympiacos star has scored 11 goals in all competitions – including six league goals for the first-team.

"Robust" Kostoulas has key versatility

Having already taken Greek football by storm, 17-year-old Kostoulas could find himself attempting to steal similar headlines in the Premier League sooner rather than later. Given that Spurs has been the land of opportunity amid their squad depth problems in the last year or so too, a move to North London would be no bad thing for the young forward.

Crucially, if those opportunities to impress were to arrive at Spurs, Kostoulas would also offer Postecoglou some key versatility in return. As highlighted by analyst Ben Mattinson when praising the teenager’s “robust” ball-carrying ability, Kostoulas has developed into an attacking midfielder in recent months, but is still capable of moving into the lone striker role.

With plenty of competition for both his and Mouzakitis’ signature in the coming months, the impressive young striker looks set to have quite the decision to make this summer.