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da bet7k： Liverpool have forked out over £200m on new first-team signings this summer, and there’s more still to come from sporting director Richard Hughes, whose task is a significant one.

da esport bet： Last summer, the former Bournemouth technical director came under fire for his supposed hesitance in the transfer market. Liverpool had clawed their way back into the Champions League and had won the Carabao Cup, but Jurgen Klopp had managed his last and signings were needed, were they not?

But Federico Chiesa was the only man added to the ranks, joining from Juventus for a cut-price £12.5m (aside from Giorgi Mamarashvili, who has now completed his £29m move from Valencia after spending the 2024/25 campaign back on loan with the La Liga side).

But Hughes’ long-term plan was vindicated when Arne Slot led Liverpool to the Premier League in his first season, almost nine years after Klopp replaced a bruised Brendan Rodgers.

The Reds finished ten points ahead of second-place Arsenal, and now they are showing their hand; now they are spending. Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez have reshaped the squad – and there’s more still to come.

The latest Liverpool transfer news

Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez remain the most likely Liverpool stars to complete high-profile exits, with the former coveted by Barcelona and Bayern Munich, the latter by the Saudi Pro League.

Liverpool want to sell Nunez, who hasn’t worked out three years on from his big-money move from Benfica. Diaz, however, is set to stay put unless a mammoth bid comes in.

Should the Merseysiders be roped into selling, however, they want to set themselves up. As such, Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon has been earmarked, one year after a saga emerged concerning the Magpies winger and the Reds.

Rodrygo, otherwise, would be the dream, albeit the Brazilian is worth €100m (£85m) and is fixed in Arsenal’s sights.

Who knows which way the wind will blow with those murmurings? However, Nunez is set to leave, and Liverpool had wanted another Newcastle sensation to replace him: Alexander Isak.

However, the Toon closed that door, and Liverpool have instead moved for another, and he wants to join.

Liverpool on the brink of signing

According to Sport BILD, Liverpool are edging closer toward signing Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, though the German club are holding out for €100m (£85m).

Transfer Focus

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

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However, the French forward wants to sign for the Anfield side and has even submitted an official transfer request to manoeuvre the discussions into the closing stages.

Personal terms are all but finalised, no problem there. However, the outfits need to iron out the details, with an official proposal now imminent.

The 23-year-old should sign as Liverpool’s new number nine, and in doing so, may emulate Virgil van Dijk, in a sense.

Why Liverpool are signing Hugo Ekitike

It’s not over till the fat lady sings. A saying that’s well worth remembering in football. Take Van Dijk. Liverpool signed him for £75m in late December 2017 – some Christmas present, that.

But months earlier, Liverpool had been left hot under the collar after Southampton put paid to their advances, ending the building saga in June 2017 after an alleged illegal approach. FSG apologised for “any misunderstanding” and put their bid on hold.

But Van Dijk had caught a whiff of Klopp’s project and was sold. Well, he was several months on, in any case. The Netherlands international handed in a transfer request later in the 2017 summer window and informed Saints he wanted to sign for Liverpool.

The rest is history, with Van Dijk, now 34, one of the most decorated and accomplished defenders of his generation. Ekitike is no doubt eager to take a leaf from the centre-back’s book, having established himself in the Bundesliga, posting 40 goal contributions from 64 matches in a season-and-a-half with Frankfurt.

Make no mistake, we’re not claiming Ekitike will be utilising his 6 feet and 3 inches to protect the box, rocketing up with steely headers and flying this way and that with tough challenges. This, clearly, isn’t Slot’s Van Dijk heir.

But there’s a pattern to the respective deals which highlights FSG’s method, having identified one of Europe’s most exciting up-and-comers and spent the big bucks on reeling him over to Anfield.

Early into his career, Ekitike – described as “unreal” by analyst Ben Mattinson – has demonstrated growth and ability, which has already led to a €35m (£30m) transfer from Reims to Paris Saint-Germain.

Hugo Ekitike – Professional Career by Season (League only)

Season (* loan)

Apps

Goals

Assists

24/25 – Frankfurt

33

15

8

23/24 – Frankfurt*

14

4

2

23/24 – PSG

1

0

0

22/23 – PSG

25

3

4

21/22 – Reims

24

10

4

20/21 – Vejle*

11

3

2

20/21 – Reims

2

0

0

Data via Transfermarkt

Sure, Isak would have been nice. The 25-year-old is, after all, “the best striker in the world”, as analyst Raj Chohan put it last season, but Hughes’ contacts with Newcastle turned up nought. We’d have been looking at something in the £200m ballpark, which is a nonsensical figure.

But in Ekitike, Liverpool have a rising phenom, the perfect profile. He’s mobile, slippery and intelligent, a fierce and constant pepperer of the goal. His finishing leaves something to be desired, but this can be worked on. FBref record that Isak is one of his most statistically comparable players, after all.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has even called the France talent “the next Mbappe”, with his creativity, pace and dynamism making him more than just a player of French likeness.

Was Van Dijk the finished product when he first alighted in Liverpool? Were the detractors not vocal in their scorn? Liverpool paid over the odds for some half-decent defender, they claimed.

The Reds skipper is now considered one of the finest players of his generation, one of many cases of FSG’s data department coming up trumps.

With Ekitike, they may well strike gold once again.

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da aposte e ganhe： Chelsea are on the verge of finalising an “excellent” player’s exit from Stamford Bridge, according to one media source, and it could be a move which seriously suits all parties.

da bet7： Enzo Maresca has a seriously bloated squad that needs trimming, especially factoring in their recent fine from UEFA for breaking FFP rules.

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The likes of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are taking home six-figure pay packets each week but are currently nowhere near the first team, with Borussia Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl recently confirming the club’s intention to re-sign the latter.

“We will definitely have some more discussions in the next few days about his situation,” said Kehl.

“We will try to keep him because he’s a very good player.

“It’s always easier to loan a player than to buy one, especially within Carney’s [price] range, but let’s see. We are not that far advanced [in talks] at the moment, but I can tell you that we are pretty close to the player, and he loves Dortmund.

“Everything else will be decided between Chelsea and us. That won’t be tomorrow. That won’t be on Tuesday. I think it will take some more days.”

Sterling’s £325,000-per-week wages are proving a serious drain on Chelsea in particular, with Fulham reportedly considering a move for the 30-year-old if they can navigate the finances involved.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

However, journalist Simon Phillips reports that Sterling’s desire to remain in London is making it difficult for BlueCo to sell him.

Alongside the aforementioned names, Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Djordje Petrovic are other players who could leave Chelsea this summer.

Of course, there are those promising young players who simply need to leave the club on a temporary deal to acquire more game time, with a view to a potential first-team slot in future seasons.

One of them, according to Sky Sports Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, is goalkeeper Mike Penders.

Chelsea "close" to agreeing Mike Penders loan deal to Strasbourg

Taking to X this lunchtime, Tavolieri reports that Penders’ loan to sister club Strasbourg from Chelsea is now “close” to being finalised.

The 19-year-old, who Chelsea signed from KRC Genk last summer, remained in the Jupiler Pro League for another season before officially linking up with Maresca this summer.

Penders was also named in Maresca’s Club World Cup squad, securing a spot on the bench for Chelsea’s games against Esperance, Benfica, Palmeiras and Fluminense, but the towering 6 foot 7 shot-stopper now appears close to sealing a temporary exit to further his development.

Some reports have previously claimed that BlueCo hold high hopes for Penders, who they privately liken to ex-Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois, with Malmo’s head academy goalkeeping coach, Matt Pyzdrowski, sharing his main strengths.

“Commanding his area is what he’s best at,” Pyzdrowski said to The Athletic.

“He’s really, really excellent at taking an aggressive position and very comfortable coming and taking high balls into his penalty area, even right up to the edge of the box. His timing is very good, and he loves to catch the ball rather than punch.

“That’s why I call him a mix between Ederson and Courtois, because Ederson has that aggressiveness commanding his box but Courtois has the hands to catch and hold the ball.”

da betobet： Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed the first signing of the Russell Martin era last week when they unveiled Max Aarons as their latest arrival.

da betcris： The right-back has joined on a season-long loan from Bournemouth to bolster the manager’s options at right-back, becoming the second signing of the summer after Lyall Cameron, who agreed to join in January.

Although Martin has never managed him before, the former England U21 international is a player the manager knows well from their time together as players at Norwich City in England.

The boss told the Rangers website: “Max is a player who I have always kept a keen eye on since he was emerging through the youth ranks while I was coming to the end of my time at Norwich as a player. He is a wonderfully talented player who is hungry to develop, improve and help deliver success for his side.”

The English full-back is now looking to kick on and get back to his best on the pitch after a difficult couple of years since moving on from Norwich in 2023.

Why Max Aarons is a risky signing for Rangers

On the one hand, this is a relatively low-risk signing for the Light Blues in the sense that he is only on loan for the season and they do not have an obligation to make it permanent next summer.

This means that the Gers will not have wasted millions of pounds on a long-term deal if Aarons ends up struggling and failing to make the grade in Glasgow.

On the other hand, it is a risky signing for Martin through the lens of next season, because the way the last two years have gone for the defender suggests that there are no guarantees that he will be a success.

Aarons has missed 17 matches through injury and only played 31 times in all competitions since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, including nine appearances this term.

This shows that Rangers have brought in a full-back who has not played much football in the last two years, whilst suffering through injuries, and his last two successful seasons, with Norwich, came in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns.

Max Aarons’ title-winning form

Championship

18/19

20/21

Starts

41

45

Goals

2

2

Big chances created

6

5

Assists

6

2

Clean sheets

11

17

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.7

1.6

Duel success rate

58%

53%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Aarons showed his quality in and out of possession at right-back for the Canaries in those two title-winning seasons in the Championship, but it has been years since that success.

This is why the 25-year-old gem is a risky signing with next season in mind, despite having the potential to be a key player, given how long it has been since his last successful campaign.

Rangers in talks to sign English defender

Rangers, however, are also eyeing up another defender from England who would arrive with less risk attached and be a better signing for Martin.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to the Daily Record, talks are still ongoing between the Scottish Premiership giants and Championship side Leicester City over a deal for Conor Coady.

The report claims that Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises have invested £20m to bolster the club’s budget for the summer transfer window, yet it remains to be seen how much of that budget will be eaten up by a move for the former England international.

Coady’s current contract at the King Power is due to expire in the summer of 2026, and the ongoing talks suggest that the Foxes will not allow him to leave on a free transfer earlier than expected, which means that the Gers will have to pay a fee for his services.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Ibrox side will be able to reach an agreement with Leicester to bring the centre-back to Glasgow this summer.

Why Conor Coady would be a better signing than Max Aarons

If Rangers can get a deal over the line for Coady in the coming days or weeks then they will land an even better signing than Aarons for the defence.

As aforementioned, it has been several years since the former Norwich starlet enjoyed a successful season on the pitch, as he has been a bit-part player for Bournemouth, and on loan at Valencia, in the last two years.

Coady, however, played 22 times in the Premier League for Leicester last season and helped the Foxes to secure the Championship title in the previous term.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the veteran central defender showcased his impressive quality in possession in a ball-dominant Enzo Maresca side in the second tier in England, which speaks to his suitability for a possession-oriented Martin style of play.

23/24 Championship

Conor Coady per 90

Percentile rank vs CBs

Passes completed

84.99

Top 5%

Pass accuracy

93%

Top 1%

Progressive passes

7.20

Top 1%

Passes into the final third

7.20

Top 2%

xAG

0.05

Top 16%

Progressive passing distance

556 yards

Top 3%

Through balls

0.26

Top 2%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the 32-year-old titan was one of the best centre-backs in the league, if not the best, at progressing the ball through the thirds to build up attacks for his team.

These statistics suggest that Coady, who was lauded as an “immaculate professional” by ex-manager Sean Dyche, would be the perfect fit for Martin’s style of play, as he can ensure that dominating possession does not involve constant sideways and backwards passing, with his progressive play at the back.

These performances were also in the 2023/24 campaign, which means that he has demonstrable success on the pitch in a recent season, unlike Aarons, whilst the centre-back also completed 91% of his passes in the Premier League for the Foxes last season, which suggests that he would not be as risky of a signing.

At the age of 32, Coady would arrive as an experienced and proven performer who could hit the ground running on and off the pitch as a leader for the Light Blues, which is another reason why he could be an even better signing than Aarons.

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The former Wolverhampton Wanderers captain has quality on and off the ball, fits the style of play, has recent success on the pitch, and brings leadership qualities, and all these attributes come together to explain why this could be a good move for the club.

da premier bet： Russell Martin is now leading Glasgow Rangers’ pursuit to bring a “class” £18 million midfielder to Ibrox with Joe Rothwell, according to a recent report.

Rangers chasing multiple Ibrox targets as they close in on Rothwell

da mrbet： The Gers have already added Max Aarons to their squad since the appointment of Martin, but as the Scottish side don’t have long to wait until they return to competitive action, the club are working on multiple transfers to try and get their business done as early as possible.

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The next arrival at Ibrox is Joe Rothwell, who has joined Rangers on a permanent basis after both the Scottish side and AFC Bournemouth agreed a transfer fee. The 30-year-old has worked with Martin before at Southampton in the 2023/24 season, and his relationship with the now Rangers boss seems to have swung him to favour a move to Scotland, as he also had offers from teams in La Liga.

As well as moving for Rothwell, the Gers are also looking to sign not one but two more new midfielders. Current Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin is being linked with a move away, as several Premier League teams are interested in a potential deal.

Therefore, Rangers are looking at players who could replace him, and according to The Scottish Sun, the Gers are chasing a permanent deal for Metinho and are ready to ramp up their efforts to get a deal completed.

Martin leading Rangers move to sign £18m midfielder with Rothwell

As well as Metinho, according to TEAMtalk, Rangers are in talks with Southampton over a deal to sign Flynn Downes.

The report states that Martin is keen to reunite with the player once again after signing him in the summer of 2023 from West Ham United in a deal that was worth £18 million for Southampton, and before that, Martin worked with Downes during his time as Swansea City manager. It doesn’t state what type of deal Rangers are looking to do, as the midfielder is still under contract at St Mary’s until the summer of 2028.

The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed “class” by Dan Woffenden, has been a regular in the Southampton team in the two seasons at the club. In their promotion-winning campaign, Downes played 33 times in the regular season, as well as a further three games in the play-offs. Last season, Downes started 25 of the 27 Premier League games he featured in.

Flynn Downes’ Southampton stats

Apps

66

Goals

3

Assists

3

During his time at Swansea, Martin labelled Downes “incredible” and a player who does the “dirty work perfectly well”. Martin said: “Flynn was incredible; it’s difficult to single people out, but he does the dirty work perfectly well. He enables other people to do their roles brilliantly; he knows exactly what his role in the team is.”

da bet7k： It feels like the transfer all Liverpool fans are waiting to hear about is the club’s reported move for Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.

da bet esporte： The Premier League champions are yet to officially confirm that they have agreed a deal to sign the Germany international, but they are reportedly close to doing so.

The latest on Florian Wirtz to Liverpool

According to Fabrizio Romano, Wirtz is set to travel to England for his medical tests after he returns from his summer holiday, although it remains unclear as to exactly when that will be.

The reporter claims that Leverkusen and Liverpool have ‘sealed’ all documents for the transfer of the German midfield maestro, and that it is now a case of waiting for him to complete his medical tests before they can announce the deal.

This comes after Romano reported earlier this month that Arne Slot’s side have agreed a mammoth deal worth up to £127m, including add-ons, for the 22-year-old star.

Wirtz, who delivered 16 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for Leverkusen during the 2024/25 campaign, is set to become the club’s most-expensive signing of all time, eclipsing the £85m that they paid Benfica for Darwin Nunez in 2022.

The German midfielder may not be the only Liverpool signing this summer who breaks that record set by the Uruguay international’s arrival at Anfield, though, as the club are eyeing up another expensive attacker after Wirtz.

Liverpool eyeing move for £100m Premier League star

According to reports, as relayed by GOAL, FSG are not stopping with the Leverkusen star as the Premier League champions are considering a swoop to sign Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Liverpool are weighing up a move for the England international to bolster their options out wide, and that it could take a huge fee of £100m to snap him up from St. James’ Park.

Gordon, who spent time in Liverpool’s academy before eventually making his breakthrough at Everton, is being eyed up by the Reds because of uncertainty over the futures of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz.

24/25 Premier League

Anthony Gordon

Luis Diaz

Darwin Nunez

Age

24

28

25

Appearances

34

36

30

Goals

6

13

5

Big chances created

6

8

3

Assists

5

5

2

Dribbles completed per game

1.1

1.5

0.3

Stats via Sofascore

The report adds that Nunez is ‘certain’ to move on from Anfield, amid interest from Saudi Arabia, whilst Diaz is willing to explore his options, as Barcelona are interested in signing him.

Liverpool held talks with Newcastle in the summer of 2024 to discuss a deal for Gordon, but failed to get a deal over the line, and it looks as though they could hope that it is second time lucky this summer.

The 24-year-old star, who former teammate Charlie Cresswell claimed has “electric” pace, is a proven Premier League performer, with 150 appearances in the division to date, and could hit the ground running at Anfield as a new signing this summer.

Gordon’s ‘electric’ pace combined with Wirtz’s impressive creativity and passing quality could result in an exciting new-look attack for Slot in the 2025/26 campaign and beyond, if the club can get both of these deals over the line this summer.

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da realsbet： Leeds United have now been hit with a worrying development as a key player is unhappy with the way contract talks are progressing, according to a recent report.

49ers chasing multiple transfer deals for Leeds

da gbg bet： As with any team that is promoted to the Premier League, the Whites are expected to be in for a busy summer as they look to form a squad that is capable of doing what other promoted teams haven’t done in recent years, and that is staying in the Premier League. Daniel Farke and co. have managed to put together a very competitive Leeds team, but stepping up another level means the German will want more quality and depth.

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The Yorkshire side appear keen to strengthen the spine of their team, as it’s been reported that Leeds are chasing a deal to sign goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, who is seen as a replacement and upgrade on Illan Meslier. As well as looking to sign Fofana, the Whites are also interested in signing his teammate Himad Abdelli, who also plays for French side Angers. Abdelli is an attacking midfielder, and his potential arrival would bolster Farke’s creativity and midfield depth.

The Championship title winners also have targets to strengthen their defence and forward line, with the 49ers lining up a move to sign Dara O’Shea from Ipswich Town.

Meanwhile, Leeds have made contact with striker Rodrigo Muniz over a possible move to Elland Road. The Fulham and Brazil forward is very much a wanted man this summer, and now the Whites have added him to their list of attacking options.

Daniel James contract update

But while the Whites look at bringing in new players, they are also hoping to keep hold of some of their best talents this summer. According to Alan Nixon, relayed by The Leeds Press, Leeds are struggling to reach a contract agreement with winger Daniel James.

That is because the Whites have offered the Welsh international a two-year deal, but James is looking for a longer contract offer, as he feels his performances over the last couple of seasons have earned him the right to a long-term deal.

James, who is one of Leeds’ biggest earners on a weekly wage of £50,000, has been at Elland Road since August 2021, joining from Manchester United. After his season on loan at Fulham, James has taken his game to the next level, scoring 25 goals in the last two Championship seasons combined.

Daniel James’ Leeds stats

Apps

123

Goals

29

Assists

22

Back in March, James put Farke’s management style as the reason why his form has been so impressive, perhaps showing why he is willing to commit his future to the club but on the right terms.

He told BBC Radio Leeds: “When he first come in, he put his arm around me and said what he wanted from me. We had a good relationship from the start, and it’s one I’ve tried to continue with.

“The way he sets up the team suits me down to the ground, and that’s where I get the benefits from.”

da 888casino： After announcing the return of Kieran Tierney on a free transfer, Celtic and Brendan Rodgers are now reportedly plotting another bargain move to sign an impressive playmaker.

Celtic seal first major summer signing

da wazamba： Six years on from swapping Glasgow for North London and Arsenal, Tierney is officially a Celtic player for the second time. The Scotland left-back initially got off to an excellent start in the Premier League, but injuries soon struck and eventually controlled the narrative of what was ultimately a frustrating six-year period at The Emirates. Now back where he burst onto the scene, however, Tierney will be desperate to put those problems behind him.

After putting pen to paper to officially seal his return, Tierney told Celtic’s media channels: “Everybody’s known for a few months and just to be here with the Celtic strip on again just feels amazing.

“I spoke with the manager, and obviously I had worked with the gaffer before and I’ve always kept in touch with him. He’s one of the best so I’m so lucky and grateful that he’s given me the chance to come back again.

“He never had to convince me much but it’s just a huge bonus that he’s the manager because I loved working with him. He knows how to get the best out of me, and I just loved my time under him.

“He’s a great person that I’ve always kept in touch with, John Kennedy as well, who is also someone I’ve kept in touch with and who I still meet regularly when I’m back, and Cal and Jamesy, who I’ve been close with now since I was 17.”

Even after Tierney, though, Celtic could just be getting started with their summer business, having also reportedly set their sights on an impressive 16-goal playmaker.

Rodgers personally plotting Nygren move

As reported by The Scottish Sun, Brendan Rodgers is now personally plotting a Celtic move to sign Benjamin Nygren from Nordsjaelland this summer. The winger has just six months left on his current deal and is not set to put pen to paper on fresh terms, meaning a departure from the Danish club is likely in the coming months.

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Celtic could land their target for a bargain price as a result of his contract situation too. Reports suggest that Nygren could leave Nordsjaelland for just £2m this summer in what would be an excellent deal for a player who scored 16 goals in the 2024/25 campaign.

After already signing Tierney on a free, signing a player who has been praised for an “incredible” season by a Danish scout for just £2m would represent another piece of excellent business from Celtic this summer.