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Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child. He has appeared at Nottingham Crown Court in connection with allegations regarding a category A video that was recovered by police in February 2025. Coote was granted conditional bail at his latest hearing and is due to appear in court again in December.

• Coote spoke in court to confirm name and enter plea

  Coote was officially charged in August following an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police. The allegations being made against him are of the most serious kind when it comes to indecent images of children. The 43-year-old – who hails from Collingham in Nottinghamshire – will be back in court later in the year.

  He had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge at a hearing on September 10 at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. That stance has now been changed, with Coote – who wore a navy suit and black tie – speaking only to confirm his name and enter his plea during a six-minute hearing on October 14.

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  When Coote will be back in court

  He stood in front of Judge Nirmal Shant KC. She informed Coote that she was ordering a pre-sentence report to be carried out before any proceedings begin in that department. Jude Shant told the court: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious matter. Whether this means custody or not will be decided when all the information is before the court, which is why I have ordered a pre-sentence report.”

  After entering his latest plea, Coote is due back in court on December 11, 2025. Judge Shant added in relation to the charge of making an indecent image of a child – which refers to activities such as downloading, sharing or saving photos or videos containing abuse: “You must not go away with the impression that this will not lead to a custodial sentence.”

• PGMOL statement after Coote sacking

  Coote has endured a troubled time of late, with the emergence of a video online that showed him making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp leading to his sacking by the PGMOL in 2024.

  A statement from Professional Game Match Officials Limited read: "Following the conclusion of a thorough investigation into David Coote's conduct, his employment with PGMOL has been terminated today with immediate effect.

  “David Coote's actions were found to be in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable. Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare. David Coote has a right to appeal the decision to terminate his employment.”

  Coote, who also featured in a video showing him apparently snorting a white powder at Euro 2024, came out as gay in January 2025. He told The Sun of his struggles on and off the field: “I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years in particular. I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 21. I didn’t come out to my friends until I was 25.

  “My sexuality isn’t the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I’m not telling an authentic story if I don’t say that I’m gay, and that I’ve had real struggles dealing with hiding that. I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well — a good quality as a referee but a terrible quality as a human being. And that’s led me to a whole course of behaviours.”

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  FA statement after eight-week suspension

  In August, Coote was given an eight-week suspension by the Football Association over the Klopp footage. A statement from the FA read: “David Coote has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to comments that he made about Jurgen Klopp in a video recorded around July 2020 which appeared on social media in November 2024. It's alleged that the referee acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words contrary to FA Rule E3.1. It's further alleged that this constitutes an 'Aggravated Breach,' which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference – whether express or implied – to nationality. No charges have been issued in relation to allegations of gambling misconduct against David Coote, which were also fully investigated.”

Xabi Alonso has provided a positive update on Endrick as the Brazilian striker has return from injury. The teenager was sidelined since September with a hamstring problem and faces fierce competition for minutes at Real Madrid. After missing the Club World Cup and the early season, his comeback offers hope of adding depth to Madrid’s forward line.

• Endrick’s road back after injury setback

  The Brazilian forward has been working his way back after a hamstring injury ruled him out of the Club World Cup and the start of the new season. Despite being fit enough to make the squad for recent matches, Alonso has been cautious with his reintroduction, stressing the importance of finding the right moment for his return.

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  Alonso confident Endrick’s chance will come

  Alonso admitted Endrick has trained well for weeks and confirmed that he could feature imminently. Alonso acknowledged the competition for attacking spots but insisted the 19-year-old will get his chance, describing his return as a matter of timing rather than readiness.

  “He has a chance to be a starter. He’s coming off a slightly longer injury, but he’s been training well for a few weeks now and it’s just a matter of finding the right context in the game for him to come on," said the Spaniard ahead of the match against Villarreal.

  He added: “He has a goal-scoring instinct, a brutal finish. There’s just a lot of competition, but his time will come.”

• Rising competition in Madrid’s crowded attack

  With Gonzalo Garcia shining in the Club World Cup and established names like Kylian Mbappe already leading the line, Endrick faces a tough battle for regular minutes. His patience will be tested, especially as Los Blancos look to balance domestic duties with European commitments. The teenager turned down loan options to fight for his place, showing his determination to prove himself at the Bernabeu.

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  Next challenge looms with Villarreal clash on horizon

  After their heavy 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid, Los Blancos responded with a convincing 5-0 win over Kairat Almaty in the Champions League. Villarreal await in La Liga, and Alonso will hope to integrate Endrick gradually into a squad regaining rhythm. Madrid see his development as a long-term project, with this season viewed as a stepping stone in his growth.

New Zealand will be without seamer Hayley Jensen for the ODIs against Sri Lanka after she picked up an injury while warming up in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield final. She has been replaced by left-arm spinner Fran Jonas, head coach Ben Sawyer said on Monday.”Jensen will be reassessed before the T20I series,” Sawyer said. “Hopefully she can get back in time but it will be up to the physios how she goes. Jonas will fly in tonight and join the team in the morning.”Related

• Athapaththu to leave WPL early to play for Sri Lanka

• Penfold ruled out of Sri Lanka, Australia series

• Bella James ruled out of Sri Lanka ODIs; Down named replacement

Jensen – who was set to make her comeback to the national side after a two-year absence – becomes the second Otago player to be ruled out of the ODIs against Sri Lanka. Bella James also picked up a hamstring injury during the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield competition, and was subsequently replaced in the ODI squad by Lauren Down.New Zealand are also without Sophie Devine – who has “prioritised her well-being” and taken a break from the game – while Amelia Kerr is set to miss the series due to her Women’s Premier League (WPL) commitment with Mumbai Indians. Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair and Molly Penfold were not available for the ODI series either due to injuries. Suzie Bates is the stand-in captain in Devine’s absence.The three-match ODI series kicks off on March 4 in Napier before the teams move to Nelson for the next two encounters on March 7 and 9. New Zealand are trying to snap a three-game losing streak in ODIs while Sri Lanka want to bounce back after losing their last ODI series against Ireland in Belfast 2-1.

Hill Dickinson Stadium is now officially open for business.

On Saturday, Everton’s senior men’s team played at Bramley-Moore Dock for the very first time, although they’re still waiting for their first goal at their new home, beaten 1-0 in a pre-season friendly by Roma.

This brought to an end a rather miserable pre-season for David Moyes’ men, winning just one of seven fixtures, this against EFL League One side Port Vale, scoring just six goals in these matches.

Thus, it is no wonder Moyes is seeking attacking reinforcements ahead of his team’s Premier League opener against Leeds United at Elland Road next Monday night, so could the Toffees sign an exciting young striker?

Everton's need for firepower

With stalwarts Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucouré having both been released following the expiration of their contracts, Everton were always going to need to add attacking threat to their squad, having scored a miserly 42 goals in the Premier League last season.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, the Blues have so far signed striker Thierno Barry from Villarreal and attacking midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea, but more is required.

Thus, they have reached an agreement with Manchester City over the signing of Jack Grealish on a season-long loan, a move that Graham Ruthven of Total Soccer Show believes will be “exciting”.

Meantime, according to a report from Spain, Everton are “interested” in signing striker Franculino Djú, adding that he is valued at around £17m by FC Midtjylland, with Roma and RB Leipzig also considering a move.

Sport Witness add that the 21-year-old’s performances in the Danish Superligaen have ‘attracted interest’ from several of Europe’s top clubs, but could Everton steal a march and bring the youngster to Merseyside?

What Franculino Djú would bring to Everton

Born in Guinea-Bissau, Franculino joined Benfica’s academy at the age of 15, but never made a senior appearance for the Portuguese giants, instead moving to Midtjylland on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout stating that the Danish side hit the “absolute jackpot”.

That’s because, to date, he has scored 40 goals in 79 appearances for the Wolves, thereby averaging a goal every 118 across all competitions.

Ten of these goals have come in European competition, including a hat-trick against Omonia 12 months ago, scoring seven goals in six appearances so far this season, bagging a hat-trick when Sønderjyske visited Herning, also breaking the deadlock during last Thursday’s Europa League qualifying victory over Fredrikstad.

The aforementioned Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him “unstoppable”, adding elsewhere that he has a “big future ahead”.

Farzam Abolhosseini of Tipsbladet asserts that he was the “highest-scoring teenager” across Europe last season, while Joost van der Leij documents how ‘finishing’ is the youngster’s primary asset.

Meantime, writer Tom Maston praises his “impressive strike-rate”, with Jake Entwistle of Scouted adding that he is a ‘well-rounded’ centre-forward, comparing him to the in-demand Alexander Isak, a man who could also be set for a move to Merseyside.

So, let’s analyse his statistics in the Superligaen this season so far.

Djú 2025/26 Danish Superligaen statistics
Statistics	Franculino	Superligaen rank
Goals	6	1st
Goals per 90	2	1st
Goals inside the box	6	1st
Assists	2	2nd
Shots	10	5th
Shots on target	6	3rd
Shots on target %	60%	11th
Goals-per-shot	0.6	2nd
Big chances missed	2	3rd
Big chances created	1	14th
Average SofaScore rating	8.53	1st
Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table documents, Dju has absolutely been on fire at the start of this season, scoring seven times in all competitions already, adding to the 11 Superligaen goals he bagged last season, netting 16 times overall.

If any Evertonians are sceptical, worth noting that, according to Global Football Rankings, Denmark’s top division is the 13th strongest league in the world, just below the EFL Championship and the Eredivisie, so he is performing at a relatively high level.

So, why would he be a better signing than possible future teammate Grealish?

Well, the England international is set to join Everton on loan but an expensive one, with reports noting that this is set to cost the Toffees around £15m in a loan fee and wages, with Grealish currently earning around £300,000-per-week.

Franculino, on the other hand, could prove to be a bargain at just £17m in the long run.

If the Blues are going to get back to where their supporters believe they belong, challenging for European qualification, they’re going to have to work smarter in the transfer market, buying lesser-known players for low fees, before ultimately selling them on at a huge profit.

Franculino certainly fits that profile, with the striker seemingly ticking both boxes, boasting enough quality to improve Everton’s team right now.

Meanwhile, at 21 years old, his value will surely increase exponentially over time, while Grealish only does the former. The experienced England international has barely kicked a ball in recent years and he’s out of form.

Dju, on the other hand, is bang in form.

Just imagine him & Ndiaye: Everton aiming to sign PL star alongside Dibling

As Everton chase Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, David Moyes also wants the Toffees to sign a “magic” Premier League winner who was once worth £100m.

By
Ben Gray

Aug 10, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Cuiabá e RB Bragantino jogaram neste sábado (22), pela segunda rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, e terminaram empatados em 1 a 1, na Arena Pantanal. Mateusinho abriu a contagem para o time do Centro-Oeste, enquanto Thiago Borbas deixou tudo igual para o time de Bragança Paulista.

O resultado trouxe o primeiro ponto para o Cuiabá na competição, já que o time do técnico português Ivo Vieira havia perdido na estreia para o Palmeiras. Já o Braga chegou as quatro unidades pelo fato de já ter batido o Bahia, na primeira rodada.

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>Outros resultados na segunda rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro

BALANÇOU AS REDES, MAS SEM FESTA

Com apenas oito minutos de jogo, a situação do Dourado poderia ter se tornado mais confortável após o cruzamento vindo da esquerda em que Deyverson, de primeira, bateu rasteiro para superar o arqueiro Lucão. Todavia, antes mesmo que o centroavante pudesse comemorar, o assistente marcou impedimento, que foi confirmado pela arbitragem antes mesmo de interferência do Árbitro de Vídeo.

MUITA POSSE, MAS POUCA EFETIVIDADE

A ideia de jogo habitual do Bragantino em controlar a partida, tentando ter por mais tempo a bola nos pés e imprimir volume de jogo, não surtia efeito no sentido de levar perigo ao gol defendido por Walter. Por sua vez, a equipe cuiabana se valia de lances pontuais para ser insinuante, casos da cabeçada de Marlon após cobrança de escanteio e, principalmente, no potente chute do lateral-esquerdo PK que passou perto da trave esquerda adversária.

GRANDE CHANCE, MAS…

Depois do intervalo, assim como aconteceu na etapa inicial, o Dourado parecia estar muito próximo de abrir a contagem quando o árbitro Caio Max Augusto Vieira viu toque de mão de Lucas Evangelista dentro da grande área, marcando a penalidade. Entretanto, desta vez, o VAR entrou em ação e a revisão no monitor levou a arbitragem a desistir da marcação de penalidade.

REDE BALANÇANDO DOS DOIS LADOS…

Depois de se frustrar por duas vezes na chance de fazer o primeiro gol da partida, o Cuiabá usou bem a bola parada e conseguiu abrir a contagem. Em batida de falta executada por Cepellini, Marllon desviou e Mateusinho foi quem cabeceou com firmeza para superar Lucão. Placar aberto pelos donos da casa na Arena Pantanal.

O tento bem que melhorou a produção ofensiva nos minutos seguintes em que Mateusinho e Deyvseron tiveram chances de deixar a dianteira dos anfitriões mais confortável. Entretanto, foi o Massa Bruta quem chegou ao tento da igualdade. O passe de Eduardo Santos encontrou Tihago Borbas entrando em velocidade. Ele bateu por baixo de Walter para empatar.

…E PLACAR IGUALADO

O fim de jogo se tornou mais agitado do que a partida de poucas oportunidades mais claras de gol poderia insinuar. Inclusive, com Wellington Silva chegando a marcar depois de bom cruzamento feito por Jonathan Cafú. Contudo, novamente o assistente frustrou os planos do Cuiabá ao marcar impedimento, sacramentando que o placar da Arena Pantanal terminasse em 1 a 1.

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FICHA TÉCNICA DA PARTIDA
​CUIABÁ 1 x 1 BRAGANTINO – SEGUNDA RODADA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

Local: Arena Pantanal, em Cuiabá (MT)
Data e hora: 22/04/2023 – 18h30 (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Caio Max Augusto Vieira (RN)
Assistentes: Ivan Carlos Bohn e Rafael Trombeta (ambos PR)
VAR: Pablo Ramon Gonçalves Pinheiro (PR)
Cartões amarelos: Ceppelini, Denilson, Marllon (CUI);Henry Mosquera, Juninho Capixaba, Thiago Borbas (BRA)
Cartões vermelhos: –

Gols: Mateusinho, aos 22’/2°T (1-0) e Thiago Borbas, aos 39’/2°T (2-0)

CUIABÁ (Técnico: Ivo Vieira)

Walter; Mateusinho, Marllon, Allyson e PK; Raniele (Fernando Sobral, aos 30’/2°T), Denilson (Ronald Lopes, aos 16’/2°T) e Ceppelini; Iury Castilho (Jonathan Cafu, aos 30’/2°T), Deyverson (Wellington Silva, aos 41’/2°T) e Emerson Negueba (Isidro Pitta, aos 41’/2°T).

BRAGANTINO (Técnico: Pedro Caixinha)

Lucão; Aderlan, Eduardo Santos, Natan e Juninho Capixaba; Matheus Fernandes (Thiago Borbas, aos 23’/2°T), Lucas Evangelista (Sorriso, aos 30’/2°T) e Gustavinho (Eric Ramires, no intervalo); Henry Mosquera (Laquintana, no intervalo), Eduardo Sasha e Helinho (Jadsom Silva, aos 30’/2°T).

أكد الإعلامي أحمد شوبير، أن نادي الزمالك فاجأ الجميع ببدايته القوية هذا الموسم، رغم التوقعات التي استبعدته من المنافسة على البطولات والدوري، مشيرًا إلى إعجابه الشديد بمدافع الأبيض الجديد.

ومن المقرر أن يتواجه الزمالك مع الجونة اليوم الثلاثاء، في إطار الجولة الثامنة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، إذ تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الثلاثاء: “الزمالك للأمانة لم يكن أحد يتوقع بدايته، دعوني أوضح أنني أتحدث هنا عن الجانب الفني فقط، وبعد ذلك يمكن أن أتطرق إلى الجوانب الأخرى”.

وتابع: “البعض كان يرى أن الزمالك هذا الموسم بعيد عن المنافسة، في ظل امتلاك الأهلي قائمة قوية جدًا، وكذلك بيراميدز الذي يمتلك قائمة مميزة أيضًا، وبالتالي كان الاعتقاد أن الزمالك سيكون الأبعد عن المنافسة، ولن تكون له فرصة في الفوز بالدوري أو البطولات، لكن الحقيقة أن الزمالك عمل وبصمته ظهرت بوضوح”.

وواصل: “من الممكن أن تراهن على لاعب وتتوقع أن يصبح أفضل لاعب في العالم ولا يحقق أي شيء، وفي المقابل قد تتعاقد مع لاعبين لم يكن لهم اهتمام كبير ويظهرون بمستوى مميز، مثل محمد إسماعيل، هذا اللاعب يعجبني جدًا، لا أعلم لماذا، ولكن رجولته في الملعب وإصراره لافتان للنظر، وهو يقدم أداءً جيدًا للغاية وناجح، ولم يكن أحد يتوقع له هذا المستوى”.

طالع أيضًا | عبد الله السعيد يختار لاعب الزمالك “خليفته” بعد الاعتزال.. وموقفه من العودة لمنتخب مصر

وأضاف: “كذلك اللاعب خوان بيزيرا، عندما تعاقد معه الزمالك، كثيرون انتقدوا اختيار الأجانب، لكن اتضح أنه لاعب كرة جيد، مزعج وموهوب، صحيح أن مستواه يتفاوت من مباراة لأخرى، لكنه حتى الآن يقدم حالة خاصة مع الزمالك بشكل جيد، ورغم أنه موقوف حاليًا، إلا أن هناك لاعبين آخرين متاحين، يمكنهم المشاركة وتقديم الإضافة”.

وأردف: “لا أعلم إن كان شيكوبانزا سيلعب رغم وجوده في القائمة أم لا، وأيضًا عمر جابر لا يُعرف هل سيشارك أم لا، لقد وصلنا إلى مرحلة لم يعد بالإمكان توقع تشكيل الزمالك بسهولة، وهذه حالة موجودة داخل الفريق، ودائمًا ما أؤكد أن ذلك يعود إلى منظومة كرة القدم داخل نادي الزمالك، التي تحاول قدر المستطاع أن تقدم أفضل ما لديها”.

واستكمل: “الزمالك يتصدر جدول الدوري برصيد 16 نقطة من 7 مباريات، فاز في 5 مواجهات، تعادل في مباراة وخسر أخرى، سجل 11 هدفًا واستقبلت شباكه 3 أهداف فقط، أعتقد أن الزمالك يُعد من أقوى خطوط الدفاع في الدوري، إلى جانب سيراميكا وغزل المحلة، حيث استقبل كل منهم 3 أهداف فقط، وكذلك البنك الأهلي”.

وواصل: “فرص الزمالك تبدو أكبر، لكن فريق الجونة ليس سهلًا أيضًا، مع مدربه أحمد مصطفى بيبو، خاض الفريق 6 مباريات، فاز في مباراة واحدة فقط، لكنه تعادل في 4 مباريات وخسر مباراة واحدة، سجل 4 أهداف واستقبل 4 أهداف، وجمع 7 نقاط. صحيح أن إمكانياتهم قليلة بعض الشيء، لكنهم فريق صعب المراس”.

واختتم: “كما قلت سابقًا عن مباراة الأهلي وحرس الحدود، نظريًا المباراة كانت تميل لصالح الأهلي، والأمر نفسه ينطبق على مواجهة الزمالك والجونة، نظريًا المباراة أقرب للزمالك، لكن لا تأمن مكر وغدر كرة القدم”.

Manchester United have plenty of work to do in the window, but could now be ready to sell one of their most recognised stars to offer Ruben Amorim extra funds to bolster his squad.

Manchester United look to sell before they can buy

Supporters of the Red Devils will be impressed by their ability to bring in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo despite missing out on funds generated by qualifying for European competition, albeit an outlay exceeding £130 million came out of the Old Trafford coffers to secure both deals.

In simple terms, Manchester United will now need to generate money through player sales to continue restructuring their squad with quality arrivals. Marcus Rashford and his £300,000 per week wages have been moved on to Barcelona, which is a start.

The Catalan giants have an option to make his move permanent next summer. Financially, that would be a major weight off of INEOS in their bid to generate capital, but the Carrington graduate isn’t the only one who will walk through the exit door.

Alejandro Garnacho could be sold to Chelsea by Manchester United for £40 million, with a reduced rate being offered to the Club World Cup champions as the Premier League giants try to push through a sale for another wantaway star.

Clearing the decks, Casemiro is another who could exit Old Trafford amid interest from Saudi Arabia. The 33-year-old has shown that he is still a proven presence at the top level, though his £350,000 per week wages are a drain on resources.

Related Man Utd make contact to sign "decisive" £43m forward with 22 G/A in 24/25

The Red Devils have set their sights on a new target, and they have now made an approach over a potential deal.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 24, 2025

Squad culls require tough decisions to be made and aren’t easy to perfect. Still, those choices need to be taken for the greater good, and Manchester United could now have a chance to offload another high earner.

Manchester United could sell Luke Shaw

According to The Sun, Manchester United will listen to offers for Luke Shaw amid serious interest from Saudi Pro League clubs in the England international.

The 30-year-old has two years left on his deal at Old Trafford and feels he could be at the end of the road at Old Trafford, where he has enjoyed a mix of success and injury problems over the last 11 years.

Luke Shaw’s time at Manchester United

Appearances

287

Goals

4

Assists

29

Trophies won

UEFA Europa League x1

FA Cup x1

EFL Cup x2

FA Community Shield x1

Should he decide to move on, Manchester United would likely be open to negotiating an exit without too many complications. However, he is a popular presence in the dressing room and is admired by Amorim, despite his £150,000-per-week wages accounting for a significant portion of their expenditure.

Patrick Dorgu is set to assume the role of first-choice left wing-back this term, leaving Shaw with a difficult decision to make on his future that could also impact the Red Devils’ scope to recruit more new additions.

More ambitious than ever before under FSG in the transfer market, Liverpool may now offer a play-plus-cash deal to sign yet another key target for Arne Slot.

Jurgen Klopp delivers "insane" Wirtz verdict

Slot has been given the keys to the kingdom so far this summer with his Premier League medal acting as his right of passage. Jeremie Frimpong became the first to arrive to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold before the Reds then took things to an entirely new level by signing Florian Wirtz. Since then, Milos Kerkez has also arrived alongside third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

It’s the type of spending spree that Jurgen Klopp only saw once during his time at Anfield when Liverpool signed Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho in the space of six months before winning both the Champions League and Premier League.

Related He's like Salah & Isak: Liverpool join the race to sign £43m "superstar"

Liverpool may need to enforce further change up top this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 30, 2025

The German, having seen the impact of top signings at the club in the past – albeit not without the sacrifice of Philippe Coutinho – recently had his say on Wirtz’s big-money arrival.

Klopp told reporters: “There’s no question about it, it’s an insane sum. One that a player at Liverpool is aware of if things don’t go well for two or three games.

“We all agree that we’re talking about a great player here. I know I once said that I’m out if we pay 100 million euros for a player. But the world is changing. That’s just the way the market is.

“He’s an outstanding player who can give any club something great. Whether he’ll make the reigning English champions even better remains to be seen.”

Even after spending that “insane sum”, however, those at Anfield may not be done with their spending. Reports are now suggesting that Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes could even decide to offer a swap deal to land one particular target.

Liverpool "could" offer swap deal to sign Guehi

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool “could” offer a player-plus-cash deal to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace this summer. The England international has found himself on the Reds’ radar following reports that Jarell Quansah is set to join Bayer Leverkusen and amid concerns that Ibrahima Konate could leave following the end of his current deal next summer.

With fresh talks set to take place this week, Guehi remains one to watch as Liverpool aim to solve a potential centre-back problem in bargain fashion.

With just one year remaining on his current contract, Crystal Palace are reportedly demanding just £45m to sell their star defender this summer. Liverpool, however, are still looking for that valuation to drop before making their move to sign Guehi as Edwards and Hughes continue their ruthless streak.

Described as “great” by England teammate John Stones at the Euros last summer, Guehi’s first move back to a top English club since leaving Chelsea has been a long time coming, but now he could be on his way to the home of the Premier League champions.

The season may have only come to an end a few weeks ago, but silly season is in full effect, and it looks set to be a big one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side ended up finishing second in the Premier League for the third campaign on the bounce this year, and that failure to become champions appears to have motivated the club to get busy in the market.

For example, after much confusion over a supposed hijack from Real Madrid, David Ornstein reaffirmed Martin Zubimendi’s imminent move to North London, and after missing out on Joan Garcia, Andrea Berta and Co appear to have secured the services of Kepa Arrizabalaga for just £5m – which is undeniably great business for a second choice goalkeeper.

However, what most Arsenal fans want more than anything else this summer is a new striker, and the most likely candidate at the moment is Benjamin Sesko, although if he does join the club, he’ll have a valuation substantially lower than one of his competitors for game time.

Why Arsenal want Sesko

So, based on reports from the last few weeks, it appears that the price Arsenal will have to pay for Sesko will be around £67m.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The question is, then, is he worth such an outlay? Yes, yes, he is.

The first reason why is that, as he’s only just turned 22 years old, there is still so much room for him to further develop, and under Arteta’s tutelage, there is no reason he couldn’t get better and better.

Secondly, the former Salzburg gem is the perfect combination of physical and technical attributes for a modern striker.

For example, he’s 6 foot 5 and able to hit speeds of 35.69 km/h while also being great with the ball at his feet, with FBref placing him in the top 8% of forwards in the Bundesliga for percentage of successful take-ons and the top 11% for outright successful take-ons, all per 90.

Finally, on top of that, the Radeče-born poacher is already producing a decent number of goal involvements, scoring 21 goals and providing six assists in 45 games across all competitions this season.

In all, Sesko looks like he’ll be more than worth the fee being reported, and yet even then, his valuation is far lower than that of one of his potential new teammates at Arsenal.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Sesko

While they are yet to get over the line in any competition, this Arsenal team is stacked with brilliant players, from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka to William Saliba and Martin Odegaard.

However, in this case, the player worth millions more than Sesko is someone who can sometimes divide opinion among fans and pundits alike: Kai Havertz.

Yes, whatever you may think of the German international, he was valued at an astounding €130m by the CIES Football Observatory earlier this year, which converts to around £110m, or about £43m more than the reported price of Sesko.

Appearances

36

45

Goals

15

21

Assists

5

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.55

0.60

Now, that might seem a little unfair on the Slovenian ace, especially as he has a marginally better average of 0.60 goal involvements per game to Havertz’s 0.55, but in defence of the Gunners’ ace, he is playing in statistically the toughest league in world football and did miss most of the second half of the season through injury.

Moreover, when we take a look under the hood and at their respective underlying numbers from this season, we see that the former Chelsea ace comes out on top.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.57

0.40

Progressive Passes

2.93

1.74

Progressive Passes Received

5.43

5.34

Progressive Carries

1.68

1.78

Shots

2.54

2.50

Shots on Target

1.01

1.10

Passing Accuracy

78.4%

67.6%

Key Passes

0.82

0.72

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.43

0.34

Passes into the Final Third

1.30

0.95

Shot-Creating Actions

2.02

1.93

Goal-Creating Actions

0.14

0.34

For example, the “magnificent” dynamo, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, does far better in most relevant metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, shot-creating actions, passing accuracy, key passes and more, all per 90.

Finally, it’s also worth noting that the Aachen-born international has spent some time in midfield and will likely play many more games there next season should the Leipzig star arrive.

Ultimately, Sesko would be a fantastic signing, and it looks like he has the raw materials to be truly special, but Arsenal fans shouldn’t forget that they’ve already got a brilliant attacker in Havertz.

He's like Mbappe: Arsenal submit offer to sign £68m "powerhouse"

The prolific international would be a sensational and game-changing signing for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 11, 2025

All the hope and positivity that was building ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain has all but vanished now.

The defeat to the French Champions has condemned Mikel Arteta’s side to another disappointing end to a season which promised so much back in August.

With all that said, while plenty of players have stagnated or taken a step back for the Gunners this year, some haven’t, such as Declan Rice.

The Englishman has somehow become even more important for the club this season, and he could get better still next year as recent reports have linked Arsenal with an international who’d be a dream teammate.

Arsenal's midfield search

So, before we get to the player in question, it is worth looking at some of the other midfielders Arsenal have been linked to in recent months, like Frenkie De Jong and Kevin de Bruyne.

Transfer Focus

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

The former’s contract negotiations with Barcelona are reportedly not going particularly well at the moment, so there may be a chance for the Gunners to turn the Dutchman’s head, and given his leadership qualities and the fact he’s capable of playing in the eight or six, it would certainly be worth a try.

Now, signing the latter would undoubtedly be a surprise, but the Belgian has been linked with the North Londoners since it was announced he would leave City at the end of the season, and while he’s on the older side, he’d still be a brilliant short-term option, as this season alone he’s racked up 14 goal involvements in 36 games.

However, to get more out of Rice next season, the club might need someone to play slightly further back, like Martin Zubimendi.

The Spanish international is still very much in the picture for Arsenal, and now Miguel Delaney has revealed in a recent report that the deal to sign him is “wrapped up.”

Reports from earlier this year revealed that the impressive midfielder has a release clause worth around £51m, which will almost certainly have to be paid upfront.

It’s not going to be a cheap deal, but given Zubimendi’s ability and experience, it’s one that will be worth doing, especially as he could help make Rice even better.

Why Zubimendi would make Rice even better

When Arsenal signed Rice for a club-record £105m in the summer of 2023, there was a general expectation from fans and pundits alike that he’d come in and be the club’s new number six for the foreseeable future.

After all, he spent the majority of his time at West Ham United playing in front of the defence and excelling there.

However, while he has made many appearances in that position since moving to the Emirates, his role has evolved, and now, when everyone is fit, he plays as the left-eight.

This new position has allowed the Englishman to have far more of an impact in the attacking phases of play, and with eight goals and ten assists this season alone, it would be fair to say it’s a change that’s more than worked out.

So then, why would Zubimendi help him reach yet another level?

Well, simply put, while the “world-class” Spaniard, as dubbed by former teammate Kieran Tierney, can also play in both roles, he specialises at the base of the midfield, and given his age and relatively clean injury record, he’d be able to completely take over that role in the team.

In turn, this would free the former Hammers captain to become even more attacking next year and increase the number of explosive, lung-busting runs fans have become more accustomed to in recent years.

Furthermore, the Real Sociedad star’s presence there should provide more reassurance to the Gunners’ number 41, as his underlying defensive numbers are pretty impressive.

For example, according to FBref, he sits in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for shots blocked and clearances, the top 7% for percentage of aerial duels won, the top 11% for percentage of dribblers challenged, the top 14% for aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

Zubimendi’s record
Team	Sociedad	Spain
Appearances	323	17
Minutes	21215′	984′
Goals	10	1
Assists	9	0
Major Trophies	1	1
All Stats via Transfermarkt

On top of that, he’s already vastly experienced, having made 232 appearances for La Real and 15 for Spain, who he helped beat England in last year’s European Championship final.

Ultimately, while it’s not the most exciting signing, Zubimendi looks like he’ll be able to slot in and compliment this Arsenal team perfectly and help Rice become even more unplayable.

Kai Havertz upgrade: Arsenal send scouts for "unpredictable" goal machine

The free-scoring forward could be just what Arsenal need.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 9, 2025