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Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared an update involving Arsenal and their plans for the last days of this January window, with manager Mikel Arteta and interim director Jason Ayto still on the hunt for another forward.

Arsenal linked with host of strikers as January search continues

Arteta has previously confirmed that the Premier League title hopefuls are aiming to sign a forward before deadline day on February 3rd, but the clock is ticking.

Club's ex-vice president reveals "official offer" from Arsenal for player

The Gunners are believed to have made a concrete bid.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 28, 2025

Injuries to Gabriel Jesus – who will miss the rest of 2024/2025 after rupturing his ACL – and Bukayo Saka have left Arteta short of options both out wide and at centre-forward, with a lot of pressure currently on Kai Havertz to deliver the goods right now.

Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, Igor Jesus and Matheus Cunha have all been linked with moves to N5 at various points since the January window opened, and another highly-rated striker on Arsenal’s radar is RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.

The 21-year-old rejected a proposal to join Arteta’s side last summer, instead favouring a contract extension with his current club. However, Sesko does have a gentlemen’s agreement that he can leave Leipzig for the right club, either this year or in 2026.

Some reports suggest that Sesko is keen on a move to Arsenal, which could hand the Gunners a boost in the race for his signature, if his departure is indeed possible this month.

That being said, RB Leipzig director Marcel Schafer has also stated that Sesko is unlikely to be going anywhere, attempting to pour cold water over a potential move to the Premier League.

Proven strikers will come at a major premium, and difficult to obtain right at the end of January. However, as per Romano, it is believed that Arsenal could now be contenders for Aston Villa number nine Jhon Duran.

Arsenal make recent contact over signing Jhon Duran

Speaking on his YouTube channel, via GiveMeSport, the reporter claimed that Arsenal have made “recent” contact over signing Duran – despite other reports that the Colombian super-sub could cost as much as £85 million.

“What I’m told is that also Arsenal made a call in the recent weeks to understand the situation of Jhon Duran, because Sesko, at the moment, no green light from Leipzig,” said Romano.

“Also Alexander Isak, the dream target of Arsenal. Super expensive, almost very complicated, impossible, nothing in football, but very complicated. And so in recent weeks, also Arsenal called to understand the situation of Jhon Duran, but no bid, no direct negotiations with Aston Villa.”

The 21-year-old has bagged 12 goals in all competitions so far, which is impressive considering he is behind Ollie Watkins in Unai Emery’s pecking order. That being said, his rumoured £80m-plus valuation is a stark reminder of just how inflated the market is right now, although there are also reports that Villa are about to accept a much lower offer around £59m from Saudi club Al-Nassr.

The January transfer window may be closed, but Chelsea are already believed to be favourites for the signing of a Premier League star this summer.

Chelsea end January window with one major signing

Enzo Maresca did get backed with his desired midfield cover, as Chelsea sealed a late deal to sign Mathis Amougou from Saint-Étienne for around £12 million, but it wasn’t exactly the window of dreams for Stamford Bridge chiefs.

Chelsea tried to sign another £80m Premier League player in record deal

His club issued brutal response to the Blues.

By
Henry Jackson

Feb 4, 2025

Chelsea were widely reported to be chasing a striker, and held rumoured talks over a few noteworthy names.

Mathys Tel was subject to negotiations over a move to Chelsea, while other reliable media sources reported that Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap was attracting serious interest from BlueCo amid Nicolas Jackson’s torrid run of goal-scoring form.

A new centre-back was on their agenda as well, right at the beginning of January, but Chelsea ended up activating their re-call clause for Trevoh Chalobah.

There was serious talk of Chelsea potentially re-signing Marc Guehi in a deal from Crystal Palace, with Maresca’s side said to have internally discussed the possibility of a January move for the star England international before deciding on Chalobah.

Tottenham also made an audacious late £70 million swoop for Guehi, which took everyone by surprise, but the £50,000-per-week defender didn’t go anywhere despite Spurs’ club-record breaking bid, with Palace chairman Steve Parish keen to keep the man he dubbed “sensational”.

Now, journalist Dean Jones has shared who is more likely to sign the 24-year-old this summer – Chelsea or Tottenham.

Marc Guehi likely to choose Chelsea move this summer

Jones, speaking on GiveMeSport’s Market Madness podcast, via YouTube, says that Guehi is likely to choose a move to Chelsea this summer if he does leave Selhurst Park.

“I had some scepticism when I first saw they went in for him. I’d heard nothing about it. At Tottenham, I have some reasonable contacts, but it wasn’t something I’d heard before all of this,” Jones said.

“They probably sensed that this was their big chance to go and do it because the likelihood is that Marc Guehi would choose to go to Chelsea, I’ve heard that for a long time now, and that will probably still be the case if Guehi leaves Crustal Palace at the end of the season then that’s where he ends up.”

The homegrown centre-back, with just under 18 months left on his Palace contract, appears set to be one of the most sought-after centre-backs of the summer – which is no surprise given his status as an England regular and one of the top flight’s standout centre-halfs.

Carlo Ancelotti's main men in attack eventually found the net as the deposed champions look to at least finish the season in style

Kylian Mbappe boosted his hopes of finishing as La Liga top scorer and Jude Bellingham sealed victory late on after Real Madrid struggled to break down nine-man Sevilla in Sunday's eventual 2-0 win for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

Sevilla set up defensively, and Madrid never really had any answers to the problems they were posed. The home side even went down to 10 men after just 12 minutes when Loic Bade dragged Mbappe down on a counter-attack, and a lengthy VAR check upheld the decision despite Sevilla protestations. Mbappe had the best chance of the first half, meanwhile, but skewed it wide.

Madrid woke up in the second half, though it helped that Sevilla went down to nine men after a horrific challenge from substitute Isaac Romero that left Aurelien Tchouameni reeling. A Madrid goal always felt as it was coming, and Mbappe provided it with a wonderful arrowed effort from outside the box that flew into the bottom corner. Bellingham added a second after 87 minutes as he walked the ball into an empty net after a clever knock-down from Gonzalo Garcia.

Madrid have already ceded the title to Barcelona, and it showed in their lack of intensity. Still, if point totals matter – they don't really – this was an exercise in picking up a few more.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andriy Lunin (7/10):

  Not much to do all said. Might have gotten away with a half-shout for a penalty after failing to deal with a cross appropriately.

  Federico Valverde (7/10):

  A solid shift at right-back and had a shot cleared off the line.

  Jacobo Ramon (6/10):

  Calm at the back in a rather quiet afternoon.

  Jesus Vallejo (6/10):

  A confusing one from Madrid's forgotten man. Looked a bit shaky at times, but did well to last over an hour.

  Fran Garcia (7/10):

  Full of legs on the wing, and put in a few good tackles, too. Looks Madrid's best left-back, at the moment.

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  Midfield

  Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10):

  A disciplined performance at the base of midfield. Won his tackles and kept the ball moving.

  Luka Modric (5/10):

  Looked old and tired. Rumours that he wants a new contract surfaced this week, and there's not much to suggest Madrid should give him one.

  Jude Bellingham (6/10):

  A really mixed game. Spent a lot of time sulking and flying into tackles before scoring the goal to seal it.

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  Attack

  Arda Guler (7/10):

  Had a couple of shots well denied, and played some clever passes, too. Might be the best long-term option on the right.

  Endrick (6/10):

  Looked dangerous when the game opened up, and was lively on the break, but he's not the man to break down a disciplined opponent.

  Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

  The most apparent threat of the afternoon. Put a couple wide, but you always got the sense that he could win it, and he did.

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  Subs & Manager

  Victor Munoz (6/10):

  Crucial in the build up to Madrid's second.

  Gonzalo Garcia (6/10):

  Assisted Bellingham to mark a nice cameo.

  Lucas Vazquez (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Dani Ceballos (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Carlo Ancelotti (6/10):

  Not much to praise or moan about, really. Got the result, even if it wasn't pretty. The best thing they can do now is save face and win out.

Elation turned to deflation as Liverpool conceded a last-gasp goal in the Merseyside Derby on Wednesday evening, James Tarkowski firing beyond Alisson to salvage a point in the final clash between the Reds and Everton at Goodison Park.

However, that was Liverpool’s game in hand, originally slated for December but called off due to Storm Darragh, and so the point gained moved Liverpool seven points clear of second-place Arsenal, who closed the gap to four points on Saturday after beating Leicester City.

Liverpool can restore their commanding lead at the summit of the Premier League with an Anfield victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers this afternoon. On paper, this is a winnable fixture for the hosts, but the Old Gold are only marginally above the drop zone and defeated Aston Villa in their last top-flight outing.

While Liverpool will be confident that they have enough to turn their guests over, Arne Slot does have to contend with a number of injuries.

Liverpool expecting absentees

Wednesday’s frenetic Merseyside clash could call for Slot to make one or two alterations, especially with a quick turnaround needed ahead of the coming midweek trip to Villa Park.

Curtis Jones is ineligible for this one after his part in the post-match ruckus at Goodison, resulting in a second booking from referee Michael Oliver. Slot has been charged, but the ongoing judiciary process means that he’s expected to be in the dugout this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold will be looking to return to the starting line-up after a fitness issue, replacing Conor Bradley.

Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton remain sidelined, though the former isn’t too far away from returning to first-team training.

Should Gakpo be sidelined for this one, Slot will need to find a way to maintain the overall fluency of the thriving frontline. Luckily, Liverpool aren’t exactly bereft of options.

The players who could replace Cody Gakpo

The most obvious pick to replace Gakpo on the left flank is Luis Diaz. After all, the Colombian is a winger, only featuring in a false-nine kind of focal role this season due to Slot’s dissatisfaction with the likes of Darwin Nunez, who has six goals from 33 matches.

Whether Nunez is presented with a starting berth remains to be seen, but the Uruguayan has suffered patchy form throughout the whole of the campaign and Slot seems more at ease unleashing the 25-year-old in the late stages, using his pace and energy to pick leggy defences apart.

Diaz is a player who goes through waves of potent form, but he has demonstrated through multi-goal performances against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League that he can bag from the middle. The Colombian’s game is also more than just that of a goalscorer, with slick movement and intelligent decisions enabling the free-scoring success of the likes of Gakpo and Mohamed Salah.

Slot knows what he’s doing, and if he wishes to keep Diaz at centre-forward, an interesting change might be to unleash Diogo Jota on the left flank with the view toward emulating Gakpo’s prolificness.

While Salah is tearing Europe apart with so many goals and assists, there’s a sense that the 32-year-old talisman is shouldering a heavy burden. Diaz, for example, has gone five Premier League matches without a single goal involvement.

However, Gakpo has been thriving, bagging in seven straight Anfield appearances.

This is why Jota could be so important for the home side, especially with the added incentive to impress against his former outfit, who Liverpool paid £41m for in 2020.

A “deadly” finisher in the final third, as has been said by BBC analyst Raj Chohan, Jota ranks among the top 13% of Premier League forwards in 2024/25 for goals scored (0.71), as per FBref, also among the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90.

This perfectly illustrates the Portugal international’s innate goalscoring sense and his athleticism, deceptively tricky on the ball and endowed with the positional sense that the likes of Salah and Diaz can use to find him with crisp passes or confusing movements, creating space.

One of Jota’s superpowers is his effortless ability to provide across the frontline. He’s capable with both feet and surprisingly adept in the air too. Slot tends to deploy him up front but with 85 goal involvements from 178 matches on the left wing, Jota is hardly untested in that area.

It goes to show that Liverpool have such impressive strength in depth and surely have enough to put this afternoon’s visitors to the sword. Jota, for sure, will be eager to make his mark after missing much action over the past few months due to injury.

The caveat to all this is that the 28-year-old, who was hailed as one of the team’s most “clinical” players by Jamie Carragher, doesn’t boast the finest of records against the Molineux side. He’s won all seven of fixtures against Wolves but has only scored once, supplying two assists.

However, with 64 Liverpool goals and 21 further assists from just 104 starting appearances since making the move to Merseyside, Jota is an invariably dangerous presence in the final third with the ball-carrying skill and sharp awareness to step into Gakpo’s boots and provide the left side with the assuredness needed to lessen Salah’s load.

Liverpool need to bounce back from the setback at Everton, and with a victory over Wolves, fans will be excited by having stepped one place closer to lifting the Premier League title for the first time under Slot’s wing.

Wouldn’t it be quite something?

Slot has already found Luis Diaz 2.0 in Liverpool's "frightening" 17 y/o

Liverpool believe they have one of Europe’s biggest talents in this forward.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 15, 2025

Real Madrid have held secret meetings to discuss Jude Bellingham's dip in form after a dream debut campaign last season.

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• Bellingham experienced a dip in form
• Real Madrid held secret meetings to determine the reason
• Los Blancos face Real Sociedad on Saturday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bellingham experienced one of the finest maiden seasons in Real Madrid's history as he ended the 2023-24 campaign with 23 goals and 13 assists in 43 matches across all competitions. The English midfielder played a key role in the club winning La Liga, Champions League and Spanish Super Cup titles.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Things, however, have gone downhill for both club and player in the 2024-25 campaign. Los Blancos will end the current season without a trophy, while Bellingham has dropped to a still-creditable 13 goals and 14 assists. According to , the Spanish giants are concerned about the England international's dip in form and have conducted several meetings to uncover the reason behind it.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The club are also investigating the player's activities off the pitch and whether anything is affecting his performances on it. The player has also reportedly received a warning with outgoing manager Carlo Ancelotti speaking with him to determine the non-footballing factors.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ancelotti will manage the Real Madrid side one last time next Saturday before leaving to become Brazil head coach as Los Blancos host Real Sociedad in their final league game of the season.

The Spanish boss will trade one Michele Kang-owned club for another as he joins the French giants

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• Giraldez to leave Spirit
• Set to join OL Lyonnes
• Gonzalez to take over as new Spirit coach

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jonatan Giraldez has left the Washington Spirit to take over as the new head coach of OL Lyonnes, the two clubs confirmed on Monday. The move comes less than a year after the former Barcelona coach took over the Spirit, leading them all the way to the final of the NWSL Playoffs, where they fell to the Orlando Pride. Giraldez, who won the Champions League twice with Barcelona, will now take over another of Europe's superpowers in OL Lyonnes, who have won that competition a record eight times since 2010.

  As for the Spirit, assistant coach Adrian Gonzalez has now been promoted to the club's top role for the second half of the season. Gonalzez, who previously coached RCF Espanyol in Spain, previously served as interim coach in 2024 prior to Girladez's arrival, amassing a 10-4-1 record.

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  WHAT GIRALDEZ SAID

  “I am honored and excited to join OL Lyonnes,” said Giraldez. “The club’s history, ambition, and talented squad represent a fantastic opportunity, and I look forward to building on the club’s successes as it enters a new chapter.”

  He added, “It has been a privilege to lead this incredible group of players, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the Spirit family. I am especially proud to see Adrian step into this role. He’s not only a highly skilled coach but also someone who truly embodies the Spirit’s vision and values. I have full confidence he will thrive and continue driving the team forward.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With the loss of Giraldez, the NWSL loses one of the sport's finest young coaches, with Giraldez building his resume despite being just 33. His arrival in Washington was seen as a major swing from the NWSL club, but he'll depart after less than one full year in charge, having won one trophy: the NWSL Challenge Cup in March.

  Both the Spirit and OL Lyonnes are owned by Michele Kang, who continues to be one of the leading investors in women's soccer globally.

  "Jonatan’s commitment to excellence and performance is unmatched. His leadership, tactical acumen, and dedication to player development will propel our club to the next level, both domestically and internationally," Kang said. “We are grateful for his decision to remain part of the Kynisca family. He will play a crucial role in elevating OL Lyonnes to new heights for the players and fans.”

  She added, “Adrian has proven that he is ready for this role. He knows the team and has earned this organization’s trust through his hard work and dedication. I am looking forward to watching what this team can achieve this season and beyond under his leadership.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR THE SPIRIT?

  Through the first 10 games of the NWSL season, the Spirit sit in fourth, having amassed 19 points, five fewer than the league-leading KC Current. Up next are matches against the North Carolina Courage, Portland Thorns, and San Diego Wave before a mid-season break through the month of July.

  Giraldez will coach those final three matches before handing over the reins to Gonzalez for the second half of the season.

Leeds United have conducted phenomenal business over the last couple of years, helping them in their quest to secure promotion from the Championship.

Joel Piroe may have cost a small fortune at £10m in the summer of 2023, but he’s been worth every penny, scoring 29 times in his 85 games since his transfer from Swansea City.

The Dutchman currently sits as the club’s top goalscorer, showcasing his excellent form for Daniel Farke’s side, playing a key role in their success this campaign.

Such form has kept talented youngster Mateo Joseph out of the starting lineup, with Piroe easily the German’s first-choice striker after his recent form, which has seen him net six times in 2025.

He’s been joined in the side by one other player who’s been another phenomenal addition, thriving at the heart of the side and looking to be a bargain, given his cheap transfer fee.

Ao Tanaka’s stats for Leeds in 2024/25

Japanese midfielder Ao Tanaka joined Leeds for just £3.5m in the summer, looking to provide the needed squad depth in the centre of Farke’s squad.

However, he’s exceeded beyond all expectations, becoming a regular in the side, starting every Championship game of the calendar year – showcasing his rise over the last few months.

The 26-year-old has won an average of 1.7 tackles per 90 in the league throughout this season, the joint-most in the squad, with only Jayden Bogle matching his tally.

He’s also managed to win 1.5 interceptions per 90, a figure that is the highest in the Whites’ side, showcasing his crucial ability to regain possession – allowing the likes of Piroe in attacking areas.

Tanaka has also completed 90% of his passes, handing the forwards the ammunition to succeed in the final third, making him the perfect box-to-box midfielder for Farke.

However, despite his importance to the club, he’s still valued lower than one player who’s taken his career to the next level after his move away from Yorkshire.

The former Leeds star who’s worth more than Tanaka

Leeds attackers have often captured the hearts of the fanbase at Elland Road, more than likely being the stars of their success over various time periods.

Mateusz Bogusz could’ve been another player to add his name to the club’s history books, but the Polish star was unable to make a huge impact during his time in Yorkshire.

The attacking midfielder joined the Whites from Ruch Chorzow back in January 2019, originally linking up with the club’s academy setup before having minutes in the first team.

However, he would only feature three times before being sent on various loan spells to Logrones and UD Ibiza but was unable to wriggle his way into Farke’s plans.

As a result, Bogusz would move to MLS side LAFC for a fee in the region of £1m in a deal that would catapult his career into action, potentially leaving the club to rue his departure.

During his two years in America, the Pole featured 90 times, registering 24 times and 18 assists, leading to journalist Greg Beacham dubbing the midfielder as “dangerous”.

The 23-year-old has since moved to Mexican side, Cruz Azul, for a fee in the region of £8m, with his transfer fee higher than Tanaka’s current market value, with the Japanese star valued at £3.3m by Transfermarkt.

Given Bogusz’s rise away from Yorkshire along with his increase in value, the club may have offloaded the talent too prematurely – having the skillset to add to Farke’s side in their hunt for promotion.

However, he remains a case of what could’ve been for the Whites, with the Polish international showcasing what they have missed out on by not handing him the opportunity in the first team.

Leeds can finally axe Aaronson by starting "superb" star out of position

Daniel Farke could hand one Leeds United a new role at Elland Road over the coming weeks.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Feb 27, 2025

In recent weeks, Graham Potter has found a variety of ways to put points on the board in the Premier League, beating Arsenal 1-0 in one fashion, followed by a 2-0 victory against Leicester in a completely different fashion.

The English coach was unable to make it three wins from three, as his side fell short in a 1-0 loss to Newcastle at The London Stadium, despite having 51% of the ball and levelling the Magpies’ shot tally of nine.

Many West Ham fans are hopeful of the future under Potter and sporting director, Mark Noble, has stated he and the new Hammers boss have a “great relationship”.

Noble is certainly still a valuable asset to the club and his career on the field was pretty special…

What made Mark Noble such an icon at West Ham

Despite starting off in the Arsenal academy system, Noble eventually moved to the West Ham academy, becoming the youngest player to ever appear in their reserve team, aged just 15.

In his 18 years of senior football, Noble made a staggering 550 appearances for the Hammers. In that time he scored 62 goals – barely ever missing from the penalty spot – and provided 58 assists across 42,332 minutes played.

Former boss David Moyes was a huge admirer of Noble, hailing the midfielder as a “great example” for younger players, playing at the top level for such a long period of time and conducting himself in the right way.

Although he never wont a major trophy at Upton Park and beyond, he is remembered as a legend after retiring at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. That led to Declan Rice taking over as club captain.

However, since Rice also left in the 2023 summer window, the Hammers needed a new leader to step up.

Thankfully, it looks as though they’ve found one, and he may just be a tiny bit better than Noble too…

West Ham have struck gold with their "real leader"

Rice was the poster boy of West Ham, until he wasn’t. Having lifted the Conference League, the midfielder craved further trophies and so, in controversial circumstances, left the London Stadium behind, joining Arsenal for £105m.

Where was the next star going to come from? Well, it’s come in the form of the man who scored the winner in that Conference League final, Jarrod Bowen.

West Ham signed Bowen from Hull City in the January 2020 transfer window, for a fee of around £18m with an additional £7m of potential add-ons. Since then, he’s soared to new heights, now reportedly valued at around £100m by the Hammers.

A different profile of player to Noble, of course, but he has already surpassed the midfielder’s statistics in claret and blue. Since joining the club, Bowen has made 228 appearances, scoring 68 goals, providing 43 assists and featuring for 18,012 minutes played.

The winger has been an important fixture for the Irons this season, playing a variety of roles, often having to fill in as a make-shift centre-forward due to the injury troubles of Michail Antonio and summer signing, Niclas Füllkrug.

When comparing Bowen’s first full season at West Ham (2020/21) with his season so far (2024/25), you can see the vast improvement the England star has made across the board.

He’s providing higher output (despite lower assist numbers), having more of an effect in build-up with his progressive metrics and improving in all of his creative metrics such as key passes, shot-creating actions and successful take-ons.

Michael Brown was full of praise for the England international speaking on Football Focus, labelling the West Ham man a “real leader” back in 2023 and at the start of the 2024/25 campaign, Bowen went on to be named club captain, succeeding Kurt Zouma.

With the forward now 28-years-old, already in the England set-up and West Ham’s skipper, the possibility of the forward staying in East London for his entire career cannot be discounted, especially when considering his father-in-law is quite possibly the Hammers biggest fan.

A serious talent: West Ham may regret losing its biggest star since Rice

West Ham could regret losing “serious talent” who would’ve been their biggest star since Rice

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By
Connor Holden

Feb 23, 2025

Thomas Muller’s future remains undecided as talks with LAFC hit a standstill and MLS rules prevent other clubs from negotiating with him.

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• LAFC deal not finalized
• Chicago Fire previously rejected
• Bayern pressing for resolution

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Muller's proposed move to MLS has reportedly stalled, with talks between the Bayern Munich veteran and Californian club LAFC still not finalised, according to . Muller intends to continue his career in the United States, but he has apparently turned down advances from Chicago Fire and another unidentified MLS club because MLS rules forbid players from jointly negotiating with multiple teams.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 35-year-old is contracted with Bayern Munich until July 2025 and will leave the club after the Club World Cup. The forward appeared in 30 Bundesliga games during the 2024-25 season, scoring once and assisting four times. The unique single-entity structure of MLS necessitates league approval and requires clubs to coordinate negotiations, which has contributed to the delay, though his next destination is likely to be disclosed next month.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The MLS transfer rules forbid open negotiations with more than one team at a time, a condition that directly affects Muller's capacity to look into other possible destinations in the league. With talks with LAFC going on, Muller's rejection of Chicago Fire resulted from this rule.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MULLER?

  Muller will now be seen in action in the Club World Cup, where he will don the Bayern Munich jersey as a player for one last time. His next destination is likely to come after that, as Bayern reportedly prefer an agreement with LAFC and are willing to assist in closing the deal. If negotiations fall short, though, other MLS teams could re-enter the contest once LAFC is formally out.

In a season that has felt like a real slog at times, last night was a moment of triumph for the Tottenham Hotspur faithful.

Ange Postecoglou’s side went into the second leg of their Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar a goal down and in real danger of not making the quarter-finals.

Fortunately, the team stepped up in a big way and, aside from a brief spell in the second half, were the far better side and could have easily put a couple more past the visitors.

There were stand-out displays across the Lilywhites’ starting lineup, and while Son Heung-min had a game to remember, it was one of the manager’s signings that showed, when in full flow, he could be the club’s best player.

Son's dazzling display

It would be fair to say that, despite still being able to produce goal involvements on a pretty regular basis, this season has not been a particularly great one for Son.

It feels as if time is finally catching up with the 32-year-old winger, and in a lot of his appearances this term, he’s struggled to take on and beat opposing defenders, but not last night.

Instead, the South Korean superstar was a constant threat and barely allowed the Dutch side to breathe, as if he wasn’t taking them on himself with a mazy run, he was setting up his teammates with brilliant passes.

Football.london’s Alasdair Gold was equally impressed with the veteran winger, awarding him an 8/10 match rating on the night and praising him for putting in a true ‘captain’s performance’.

Unsurprisingly, the former Bayer Leverkusen ace’s statistics more than justify the praise, as in 94 minutes of action he amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of 0.47, provided one assist, took a shot on target, took 86 touches and played two key passes.

It was the sort of display that should remind people of just how good Son can be, although one of his teammates put in a similar performance and could now be described as the team’s best player.

Spurs' best player

There were a few other notable players from last night’s victory, including Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke, but we don’t think any of them have a real claim at being Spurs’ best player just yet.

Instead, and this may be controversial to some, we reckon James Maddison put in the sort of performance that should remind fans he could be their most technically gifted and impressive player.

The former Leicester City star is undoubtedly guilty of fading away in some games and across seasons as well, but when he’s on it, as he was yesterday, the Englishman is a simply sublime footballer.

For example, against AZ, he was practically unstoppable, was here, there, and everywhere, and then, thanks to a clever pass from Son, got his rewards with a goal in the second half.

Gold was just as impressed with the 28-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by Statman Dave, awarding him a 9/10 on the night and writing that it was ‘one of his best performances of the season.’

It might sound like hyperbole, but his statistics suggest otherwise, as in 77 minutes of action, he amassed an expected goal plus assists figure of 0.52, scored a goal, took 77 touches, completed 94% of his passes, played two key passes, took one shot on target, won two fouls and even made an interception.

On top of playing incredibly well against AZ, the Coventry-born star has also been more productive than he has perhaps gotten credit for this season, racking up a tally of 11 goals and seven assists in just 37 appearances.

Ultimately, yesterday was a brilliant day for Spurs, and while Son rolled back the years with his performance, we reckon Maddison put on a display that should have him in the conversation of the club’s best players.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 13, 2025