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On a sluggish surface, the Karnataka batsman looks good to add another century to his scores of 99 and 166 not out in the first Duleep Trophy outing

Hemant Brar in Alur30-Aug-2019″Take some rest in between, you have to bowl 75 overs on this pitch,” India Green’s Ishan Porel, sitting on a thick pile of covers outside the fine-leg boundary, shouted to Rahul Chahar.Chahar had bowled only one over up until then, but Porel knew the pitch didn’t have much in it for fast bowlers. Earlier, after bowling the first over of India Red’s innings, Ankit Rajpoot could be heard telling himself, rather sarcastically, that it was going to be fun bowling on that surface.While the second-day pitch during the Duleep Trophy game had hardly anything in it for fast bowlers, batsmen too seemed to be struggling to force the pace. The ball wasn’t coming on, and the overnight rain had meant that even the good shots didn’t fetch their full value because of a sluggish outfield.On a slow day when nothing seemed to be moving, Karun Nair carried on with his good form and took another step forward on the road back to India’s Test side. By the end of the day, his unbeaten 73 had taken India Red to 140 for 2.In response to India Green’s first-innings total of 440, India Red were 12 for no loss in the ninth over when a glute strain forced Abhimanyu Easwaran to retire hurt. In came Nair and it seemed everything had changed magically. The ball started coming on much better, the outfield appeared to have become quicker but only for Nair, who batted as if he was just resuming from his unbeaten 166 in the last game.ALSO READ: ‘Can’t keep throwing away starts’ – Karun Nair digs deep to make it countNair consistently found the boundary with his drives, punches and flicks against the seamers. Against spinners, he used his feet to either go to the pitch of the ball and loft down the ground, or go back and cut square of the wicket. Every shot appeared to come from the middle the bat; the timing was crisp. As a result, he raced to his fifty off just 58 balls with the help of nine fours.For India Red, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja was the only bowler to make an impact. With little help from the pitch, the left-arm spinner varied his pace and length to reap rewards.Priyank Panchal, who had laboured to 31 off 76 balls, went for a booming drive against Jadeja but the ball dipped on him to take the outside edge. Dhruv Shorey at first slip made no mistake.Ankit Kalsi, who had scores of 106 and 64 in the last game, too found it difficult to get going. While trying to cut Jadeja, he ended up edging the ball on to the wicketkeeper’s pads with Shorey keeping his calm to complete a juggling catch off the deflection.But Jadeja too appeared helpless against Nair. The batsman collected 18 runs off the 25 balls he faced from Jadeja, including a lofted shot over mid-off for four. By the time bad light forced stumps, Nair had galloped to 77 off 106, with a second successive century in sight.”He [Nair] likes to use his feet against spinners, so my focus was to vary my length and pace,” Jadeja said after the day’s play. “I prefer when batsmen go for the attack because it gives more opportunities to get them out.”But on Friday, whatever challenges Jadeja threw at Nair, he was up to it. Moreover, with chairman of selectors MSK Prasad in attendance, Nair had added motivation to do well.In the morning, Jadeja’s 37 with the bat and had his 51-run sixth-wicket stand with Akshay Wadkar had helped India Green cross 400. But once Jadeja was out, the incoming batsmen didn’t last long and India Green lost their last five wickets for just 35 runs. Akshay Wakhare was the most successful bowler for India Red, finishing with figures of 5 for 103.”The target was to score at least 550,” Jadeja said. “When Wadker and I were batting, the thinking was to stretch as much as possible. But after I got out, two more wickets fell quickly and that pulled us back.”Jadeja will have a chance to make amends on Saturday, this time with the ball. With India Red still trailing by 300, if he can dismiss Nair and a couple of others early on, India Green might have a foot in the final by the end of the third day.

There are still a couple of months of the season left to play, and following Tuesday night’s sensational result in the Champions League, we aren’t sure many Arsenal fans will be thinking about the transfer window.

However, the club certainly are, and they seem intent on improving the first team to make sure Mikel Arteta’s side have a far more successful Premier League campaign next year.

Moreover, while signing a new striker will undoubtedly be one of the club’s key objectives, there are other areas of the team that need reinforcing.

Recent reports suggest this is an opinion shared by the board, as the latest player touted for a move to the N5 is a winger who’d not only improve the starting lineup but also help the incredible Myles Lewis-Skelly reach another level.

Arsenal transfer news

On top of playing them off the park, reports have come out in recent weeks claiming that Arsenal are keen on signing Real Madrid’s Arda Güler.

Transfer Focus

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

The North Londoners are supposedly keen on paying around €30m for the Turkish prospect, which is about £26m, and considering he’s racked up a tally of ten goal involvements in just 1170 minutes, that might prove to be great value.

Another young talent the club are said to be interested in is German wonderkid, Florian Wirtz.

The Bayer Leverkusen star has scored 15 goals and provided 13 assists in just 39 games this season, but would cost around £112m, making it a transfer that seems rather unlikely, which might not be the case regarding Nico Williams.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Gunners are planning to ‘secure the signing’ of the Spain international this summer.

The report further reveals that the bid for the Athletic Bilbao star is now ‘underway.’

However, to ensure they get their man, the North Londoners will have to stump up enough cash to activate his €60m release clause, which converts to around £52m.

It would be an expensive deal to get over the line, but given Williams’ ability and potential, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he’d help Lewis-Skelly reach another level.

Why Williams would help Lewis-Skelly

So, if Arsenal are able to get their man in the coming weeks, there are two fundamental and intertwined reasons why Williams would be great for Lewis-Skelly, and the first is his output.

Since the start of last season, the Spain international has proven himself to be “one of the best wingers on the market” in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson. He’s been a reliable source of goals and assists for Bilbao, scoring 17 of the former and providing 25 of the latter in just 76 appearances.

That means that despite still being just 22 years old, the Pamplona-born “level-raiser,” as Mattinson dubbed him, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.80 games.

Now, just imagine how a consistent level of output like that from the winger in front of the Hale Ender would improve his own, be that from getting on the end of passes and slotting home the ball himself or playing a perfect ball over the opposite full-back for the winger to get on the end of and finish a move.

Lewis-Skelly has already proven himself a fantastic progresser of the football and the idea of him playing alongside such a dazzling winger on the left is a tantalising one. Ranking in the top 14% of positionally similar players in the top-flight for passes into the final third, Williams would know he’s going to receive plenty of service, and exceptional service at that.

Having such a frightening winger may well also free up extra room for the teenage superstar to operate in. Lewis-Skelly attracts and glides through opponents like a knife through butter as it is but with Williams in tandem, the left side of Arsenal’s attack would be truly menacing.

Ultimately, signing Williams would be good for the whole Arsenal team, but having him start ahead of Lewis-Skelly could help get so much more out of the already incredible teenager.

Arsenal have struck gold on "unplayable" star who's their own Bellingham

The incredible talent looks destined for greatness with Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 9, 2025

Aston Villa have now held internal talks over a move for an “unbelievable” midfielder, who is set to be available on a free transfer this summer, according to a report from Sky Sports.

Villa pursuing attacking midfielder

As we edge closer to the summer transfer window, it is becoming apparent that one position in which Villa are keen to strengthen is attacking midfield, and they are particularly keen on bringing in Rosenborg youngster Sverre Nypan.

Sporting director Monchi was recently spotted in Norway, having held talks with Nypan’s father to discuss the possibility of a move, and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now suggested the deal could be edging closer to completion.

At just 18-years-old, the Rosenborg starlet is likely to be one for the future, and there are now suggestions the Villans could look to bring in an attacking midfielder with a plethora of experience at the top level.

According to a report from Sky Sports, Aston Villa have now held internal discussions over a move for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, who is set to leave the Etihad Stadium upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season.

De Bruyne may be reluctant to leave England due to family reasons, which has alerted a number of Premier League clubs to the Belgian’s availability, while there is also widespread interest from abroad.

Inter Miami, Chicago Fire, NYCFC and D.C. United have submitted enquiries, with Serie A side Como also in the picture to sign the 33-year-old.

Romano: Aston Villa star club are "happy" with could leave for right offer

He’s future at Villa Park isn’t guaranteed.

By
Barney Lane

Apr 22, 2025

"Unbelievable" De Bruyne is a Premier League great

The Belgium international has admitted he was surprised not to be offered a new deal to remain with City, perhaps considering he has still performed well this season, despite a slight drop-off, picking up three goals and seven assists in the Premier League.

The City legend has recorded a remarkable 121 assists and 71 goals in 284 Premier League games, which establishes him as one of the true greats, and he ranks highly across some key attacking metrics over the past year.

While De Bruyne is perhaps not at the level he once was, he is clearly still capable of competing at a high level, and it could be a little early to move to the MLS, so it may be worth Villa making a move, as long as his wage demands are reasonable.

Real Madrid are being repeatedly linked with Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, and a report has now claimed the tactician is already making transfer demands ahead of a switch to the Bernabeu, which could end up scuppering Arsenal.

Arsenal targeting new centre-back for Mikel Arteta

With Riccardo Calafiori preferred at left-back by Mikel Arteta, and some uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of Jakub Kiwior, Arsenal are believed to be in the market for another central defender this summer.

Injury to Arsenal star stops Berta from signing two players in key position

The north Londoners had a potentially ambitious plan.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 1, 2025

Arteta will also be minus Kieran Tierney, who has agreed a pre-contract to join Celtic in July, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is widely expected to be sold by Arsenal this summer after falling down the pecking order.

Myles Lewis-Skelly and Calafiori appear likely to be Arteta’s two first-choice left-backs next season, so if Kiwior does leave the Emirates, Arsenal will have a scarce lack of defensive options behind Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.

This has prompted them to look into a summer deal for highly-rated Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen.

According to the reliable David Ornstein, Arsenal have held talks with Huijsen’s camp already, and are willing to pay the £50 million release clause into his contract.

“They [Arsenal] are among the clubs (with Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham) who have met his representatives, with Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta keen to sign the Spain international,” wrote Ornstein in a Q&A recently.

“Whether or not Arsenal win the race is unclear because it’s still open and I’m not aware of a front-runner between them, Chelsea and Liverpool to date.

“Either way, Huijsen would play a lot of football at Arsenal, and they can now show him many examples of how, under Arteta, players have developed extremely well and become top-level talents. Now, this doesn’t mean he will opt for them; there are pros and cons to each of the suitors, all of whom are ready to pay the release clause.”

It has also been reported by talkSPORT that Huijsen favours a move to Arsenal after these discussions, so this could be a real one to watch, with Bournemouth standing to make a major profit off his £16 million signing last summer.

Xabi Alonso asks Real Madrid to sign Dean Huijsen

While the Gunners are clearly very keen, the same can now be said of Real Madrid’s prospective new manager.

Alonso is Real’s top priority to replace Carlo Ancelotti, according to Fabrizio Romano, and the former Liverpool midfielder is equally keen to swap Leverkusen for La Liga.

The move appears like a very real possibility, with Spanish media sources now reporting that the tactician is already making transfer demands to Real president Florentino Perez and the Whites’ board.

Indeed, it is now believed Alonso has asked Real to consider signing Huijsen, as the 43-year-old holds a real desire to reinforce the club’s central defensive options before his potential first full season in charge.

The former Juventus starlet has started every single Premier League game under Andoni Iraola since early December, becoming a reliable mainstay for the Cherries, which is made all the more impressive by his young age.

In what would be one the most interesting deals in the Premier League this summer, Liverpool could yet be offered the chance to sign a replacement for Andy Robertson in a swap deal for one of Arne Slot’s midfielders.

Liverpool must replace Robertson

It becomes increasingly difficult to criticise a club when they sit on their Premier League throne, but Liverpool – crown or no crown – are not yet the finished product under Slot. Their strengths have made them unstoppable at times, but their weaknesses have ensured that they’re not quite impenetrable and a large part of those weaknesses have come down their left-hand side courtesy of Robertson.

There’s no denying his legend status at Anfield. The Scot is now a two-time Premier League winner as well as a Champions League winner and every domestic trophy that English football has to offer. From a left-back relegated with Hull City, Robertson has won it all in Liverpool colours and will have his place among the best in his position in the club’s history books.

Agent already working on exit as Simeone handpicks £140k-p/w Liverpool star

He looks destined to leave this summer…

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 30, 2025

That said, those days may well be exactly that – history. For the first time in his Liverpool career, Robertson has truly struggled to act as the reliable servant he has so often been and the Reds should act ruthlessly as a result this summer.

Whether the 31-year-old agrees with that sentiment is another question, however. When asked about the potential of competition arriving this summer, Robertson told reporters earlier this season: “I think we’ve been linked with pretty much every left-back in the world.

“That comes with playing with one of the greatest clubs in the world. I look back on these eight years I’ve had here as the starting left-back at that club and I feel a lot of pride. Your time comes and I don’t think it’s my time yet, but even if we do bring someone in, then so be it. I’ll always back myself.”

Liverpool could be offered surprise Antonee Robinson swap

One left-back who has been linked with a move to Anfield is Antonee Robinson and the Reds could yet receive quite the opportunity to land his signature. According to The Boot Room, Liverpool could be offered the chance to sign Robinson in a swap deal with Harvey Elliott. Fulham have reportedly spoken about re-signing their academy graduate, who Jurgen Klopp once dubbed “brilliant”, and Liverpool’s interest in their left-back has come up in the same conversations.

The American has enjoyed an excellent season, with 10 assists to his name in the Premier League, and could now earn the biggest move of his career as a result this summer.

The numbers paint quite the picture and it’s far from a pretty one for Robertson, who has been outperformed by Robinson in the current campaign. As the numbers show, it wouldn’t be absurd to suggest that the American has been the best in his position in the Premier League this season.

16th in the Premier League table. A 17th top-flight loss of the season. As manager Ruben Amorim put it, Manchester United are now “losing the feeling of [being] a massive club”.

Those explosive words came amid a noteworthy post-match press conference from the Portuguese coach, following United’s dour 2-0 defeat to a struggling West Ham United side at Old Trafford.

While attention is now focused on next week’s Europa League final, the ex-Sporting CP boss appears furious with the manner in which his side are throwing in the towel domestically, having seemingly demanded a club-wide reaction to the team’s current malaise.

The only saving grace from this wretched league run is that Amorim has been afforded the time to figure out just who he wants to have onboard for next term, with work seemingly already underway in the background, ahead of the looming summer window.

Indeed, by all accounts, the Red Devils could be close to wrapping up a first deal, in the form of Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha.

The latest on Cunha's move to Man Utd

While much of United’s summer business may depend on securing Champions League qualification, via Europa League glory, Amorim has already stated that no player who “only wants” the Champions League will be moving to Manchester – as he outlined in relation to reports surrounding Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Thankfully, as far as the 40-year-old is concerned, it would appear that Cunha is willing to move to the Theatre of Dreams regardless of what happens next week, with talks for the Brazilian forward already said to be advanced.

Indeed, reports last week even claimed that personal terms had been agreed with the 26-year-old, with the former Atletico Madrid man in line to depart Molineux in the coming months, provided any suitor matches his £62.5m release clause.

While there is rival interest from the likes of Arsenal, the suggestion remains that United are the side who are leading the race at present, with Cunha deemed to be the perfect fit for one of Amorim’s number ten berths.

A player with that Eric Cantona-esque edge to his game, the fiery forward has backed up his temperamental displays with a string of standout performances this season, having chalked up 15 goals and six assists in the Premier League to date.

The in-form marksman has been a real star of 2024/25, albeit while having actually been outperformed by a figure of United’s recent past, across all competitions…

The Man Utd "disappointment" who's outperforming Cunha

United supporters are wise enough not to be getting too carried away over the prospect of Cunha joining the club this summer, having seen far too many marquee moves go south in recent years.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

As club legend Gary Neville stated, Bruno Fernandes is the “only” player in the last decade to have lived up to expectations, after arriving at Old Trafford, with the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era having been littered with high-profile transfer mistakes – not least under former CEO, Ed Woodward’s watch.

Arguably the “biggest disappointment” in that period, as per Neville, was the capture of Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid on a £59m deal, with the Argentine sensation joining just a matter of months on from his Man of the Match display in the 2014 Champions League final.

As the player himself later admitted, however, he never wanted to make the move to Manchester in the first place, having also described then-boss Louis van Gaal as the “worst boss I ever had”, following the dour nature of his time at the club.

There were flashes of quality, namely the playmaker’s delightful dink against Leicester City, although such moments were few and far between, with the mercurial left-footer swiftly departing for Paris Saint-Germain after just a solitary season, as Woodward and co cashed in for around £44.3m.

The now-veteran playmaker – who did rack up 15 goal involvements in 34 games for United – went on to register 212 goals and assists in Paris, prior to joining Juventus and then current side Benfica in recent years.

Back at the club where he made his name between 2007 and 2010, before moving to Madrid, the 37-year-old remains a central figure for the Lisbon outfit, amid their battle for the title.

Having re-signed in 2023, Di Maria has particularly impressed in the current campaign, after chalking up 15 goals and nine assists across 38 games in all competitions.

That return of 24 goal contributions actually places the ageing star ahead of that man Cunha, with the wantaway Wolves star registering 23 goal contributions for the Old Gold in 2024/25.

In truth, that return highlights the quality that United saw only too briefly during Di Maria’s time in Manchester, with the hope now that Cunha doesn’t follow suit, should he make his own statement switch in the near future.

Amorim’s side no doubt need a maverick, expressive talent like Cunha, although as Van Gaal found with Di Maria, the question remains as to how that individual asset will shine as part of the collective.

As Di Maria swiftly found out, no player is bigger than the club…

Man Utd willing to pay £38m for star who scored at Old Trafford this season

He could be exactly what Ruben Amorim is looking for.

By
Henry Jackson

May 12, 2025

A £70m Premier League forward is now “very open” to signing for Arsenal in the summer transfer window, according to reliable reporter Ben Jacobs.

Gunners set sights on new forwards

After another trophyless campaign, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has made it clear that he thinks the Gunners will need to bring in a new striker this summer, with Mikel Arteta being left “woefully short up top” at times this season.

Neville also added: “I’ve been arguing this all season, it’s ridiculous that they’ve left Mikel Arteta – or Mikel Arteta’s left himself – so short. They’ve spent £750m and signed one striker.”

In fairness, Arteta has been unlucky with injuries, which have hindered his side’s Premier League title push, with both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus suffering season-ending setbacks, leaving Mikel Merino as the only real option at centre-forward.

Approach made: Arsenal in contact over "incredible" £84m Brazilian striker

The Gunners have made a move to sign a striker, who they are now seriously considering as a summer signing.

By
Dominic Lund

May 18, 2025

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have also spent time on the sidelines, which underlined the lack of depth at Arteta’s disposal in attacking areas, and there has now been a suggestion the manager could look to sign a winger alongside a striker this summer.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Jacobs has now stated that AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo would be keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, should the Cherries choose to cash-in on the winger.

The reporter said: “I’m also told that if Semenyo is to leave, he would be very open to Arsenal and London. I believe he grew up as an Arsenal fan, even as a kid. But they are not as advanced or set on making a move yet.”

A deal could be on the expensive side, however, withn reports suggesting Bournemouth may look to hold out for a fee of £70m, amid rival interest from Manchester United.

Semenyo could be "sensational" signing for Arsenal

It is no surprise there is growing interest in the Bournemouth star, considering the level of his performances in the Premier League, having frequently shown his ability to take-on opposition defences and get shots off on goal.

The Ghanaian is among esteemed company on those attacking metrics, while he also received from journalist Thierry Nyann, who lauded his compatriot as “sensational” after scoring against Southampton earlier this season, adding to a solid goal record.

Semenyo has been a stand-out player for Bournemouth this season, and it is clear that Arsenal need to bring in additional attacking depth in the summer, so it is promising news that he would be keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Regis Le Bris has now joined an exclusive club when it comes to Sunderland managers who have triumphantly secured Premier League football for the Black Cats.

The last successful boss to guide the Wearside outfit up to the big time was Roy Keane all the way back in 2007, with Sunderland managing to consolidate themselves as a top-flight worthy club from that point onwards until their demise ten years later.

The former Lorient head coach will be desperate to return the Black Cats to their former glories as a Premier League staple, therefore, but he will have to likely stomach Jobe Bellingham’s departure if he is to excel in the elite division.

The latest on Bellingham's future at Sunderland

Breaking down at the close of the dramatic playoff final, Bellingham must have realised that this unbelievable day out at Wembley could be the final ever time he dons Sunderland colours.

The teenage sensation could well be foolish not to move on whilst he’s a hot commodity, seen in new reports that he is in Germany for talks with Bundesliga titans Eintracht Frankfurt over a potential summer switch.

Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are also keen on the Sunderland starlet, according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, with his promising return of four goals and three assists this season clearly catching many an eye.

This isn’t the only crushing development with Tommy Watson – who scored the crucial winner at Wembley to down Sheffield United – also leaving the Stadium of Light behind soon to join Brighton and Hove Albion for £10m.

Yet, all this bad news coming through doesn’t have to completely demoralise the newly promoted team, considering the Black Cats have an impressive reputation for homegrown youngsters coming good.

This could be the case once more when potentially bumping up a promising 20-year-old prodigy who might well be a savvy Bellingham replacement if all goes to plan.

The Sunderland "diamond" who could replace Jobe

Of course, nobody will be expecting a youngster coming into a harsh Premier League environment to be an instant, rip-roaring success.

But, much like the patience that was exercised with Bellingham when he first broke through, the same should be applied to young midfielder Harrison Jones if he’s deemed worthy now of being handed over the baton by the Frankfurt-linked star.

After all, Jones has already been launched into the senior side six times during his fledgling career to date, with his gleaming numbers for both the U18s and U21s showing off his keen eye for a goal and assist much like Bellingham.

In the Premier League 2 alone this campaign, the Sunderland-born star has picked up five assists and three strikes, with his ability to shine both as a central option or down the wings making him very comparable to the soon-to-be departing Watson, away from any lofty comparisons to the in-demand number seven.

Of course, Bellingham can also slot into the side down the flanks if needed, with a real hope in the air on Wearside that the homegrown “diamond” – as he has been lauded previously by youth coach John Hewitson – can have a formative season to come to try dress up the wounds of any major exits.

There will have to be a sense of realism over Jones hitting the ground running, though, as the Premier League is a testing beast, but if he can show glimpses of quality and learn off the likes of Enzo Le Fee, he could have a very bright future at his hometown club.

Forget Jobe: Sunderland may have their next Jordan Henderson in 8/10 star

Sunderland are finally back in the Premier League after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 25, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in a good place under the shrewd leadership of Vitor Pereira.

With another Premier League campaign to look forward to, the onus is on the manager to take the Old Gold back into the top half of the table.

This task will be made much more difficult by the fact he will be without the services of both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri next term.

Ait-Nouri looks set to join Manchester City, with Wolves pocketing a fee of around £33.7m in the process.

Cunha, on the other hand, will be much more difficult to replace…

Why Wolves will struggle to replace Matheus Cunha

The Brazilian has joined Manchester United, who paid his £62.5m release clause, thus ending his two-and-a-half-year stint in the Midlands.

Last season, he finished with 23 goal contributions – 17 goals and six assists – across 36 matches for the Molineux outfit.

In the Premier League, he also ranked first among the squad for goals and assists (21), shots on target per match (1.3), big chances created (13) and key passes per game (1.8).

Replacing someone recording those sorts of numbers isn’t exactly going to be easy for Pereira, that’s for sure.

He does, however, have funds to spend ahead of next season. If he wishes to sign a player who can replicate these types of attacking figures, then the club may have to spend big.

Recently, they have earmarked a player currently starring in Ligue 1 as a potential replacement for the Brazilian.

Wolves' perfect Cunha replacement

Pereira will be able to count on Jorgen Strand Larsen for the upcoming season, but more firepower is required, that’s for sure.

Sky Sports recently claimed that Wolves have made Nice striker Evann Guessand a priority target this summer, with the Midlands club looking at making a bid of around £25m to tempt Nice to part with one of their prized assets in the coming weeks.

The Ivorian enjoyed his breakthrough season with the club last term. Across 33 Ligue 1 appearances, the striker scored 12 goals and grabbed nine assists. This works out as a goal involvement every 1.5 matches.

Popular football magazine SCOUTED dubbed Guessand as “dangerous” and “versatile” a few weeks ago in the aftermath of his excellent season for Nice, while The Athletic’s Alex Barker has noted his “Bruno Fernandes-esque drive to unpredictably create high-quality chances”

As he showcased last season, the in-demand talent does boast a real creative spark, having created 12 ‘big chances’ in total, as per Sofascore. For context, that is not far off what Manchester United skipper, Fernandes, recorded in the Premier League (16).

Indeed, he also ranks in the top 4% among his peers in Europe’s top five leagues for both successful take-ons (1.83) and progressive carries (2.98) per 90 over the previous 365 days, further showcasing his wide array of talents.

This versatility of playing as a striker or on the left flank will certainly help Pereira get over losing Cunha.

If he does sign for just £25m, then there is no doubt that the 23-year-old could potentially generate a massive profit for Wolves in the near future.

They must act swiftly to get this deal done as soon as possible.

Wolves' most expensive signings of all time

Football FanCast takes a detailed look at Wolves’ 10 most expensive signings of all time.

By
Charlie Smith

Sep 5, 2025

Preparing to spend big once again this summer, INEOS are now preparing to offer £13m-a-year in contract negotiations with one of their summer targets in the hope of luring him to Manchester United.

INEOS spending big despite financial cuts

Across the last 12 months, a lot has been made about Manchester United’s financial situation. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reiterated that any job cuts or attempt to lower the Red Devils’ budget off the pitch have been necessary for the club to maintain itself. And after Manchester United missed out on Champions League qualification by losing against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, more staff were informed about their redundancy.

Man Utd want Premier League target man to play up front with Mbeumo and Cunha

The Red Devils have already signed Cunha and submitted a bid for Mbeumo.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 6, 2025

It was always difficult to guess just how Manchester United would spend this summer. The redundancies and lack of Champions League football, or European football at all for that matter, suggested that they would need to sell big before they even consider spending.

Yet, in one of the earliest deals of the window, INEOS have already spent big to trigger Matheus Cunha’s £63m release clause and reports have since arrived which give a glimpse as to how the Manchester club have already spent such an impressive fee.

As The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell revealed, Manchester United’s revenue is up and their wage bill is down from what it was, with Ratcliffe’s ruthless redundancies contributing to that.

It means that, even after Cunha, those at Old Trafford still have room to spend and have already set their sights on their next target to do exactly that in the coming weeks.

INEOS preparing stunning £13m-a-year Mbeumo offer

According to The Mirror, INEOS are now preparing to offer Bryan Mbeumo a contract worth £13m-a-year to join Manchester United this summer in what would be five times more than the £50,000-a-week he currently earns at Brentford.

What’s more, Ratcliffe and co. are also reportedly preparing to table a £60m offer to convince Brentford to sell their star man this summer – taking their spend to £123m in the space of just a few weeks.

Mbeumo only wants Manchester United, who are set to offer him a staggering £250,000-a-week to complete a summer switch. Whether the forward is worth such a price is the big question and one that many will disagree on.

Whilst some may disagree with Manchester United’s reported decision, the stats don’t lie. The Brentford forward hit the 20-goal mark last season and that alone should be enough to put him amongst the Red Devils’ highest earners.

Dubbed “incredible” by Brentford boss Thomas Frank last season, Mbeumo looks destined to become Manchester United’s second big-money signing of the summer.