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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Leeds United have been on fire when it comes to sorting out players contracts over the past couple of months.

Liam Cooper, Stuart Dallas, Leif Davis, Kalvin Phillips, Mateusz Klich and now Pablo Hernandez have all signed new deals to remain at Elland Road for the foreseeable future.

However, despite the fact Leeds have been great at getting these deals over the line, they’ve not always gone about it the right way.

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For example, the length of Klich’s contract seems just a touch too long, and the same could be said about Dallas and Cooper as four-year deals for players who may be surplus to requirements if Leeds are promoted is a decision that could ultimately backfire.

However, it seems as if the Yorkshire club have got their latest contract extension spot on.

Indeed, handing a new deal to a 34-year-old can be a bit of a tricky one as footballers at that age are prone to a steep decline in the near future, but Hernandez doesn’t seem to be headed that way.

The Spaniard seems to keep getting better and better with age, registering a career-high 24 goal involvements last term and keeping him at the club until 2022 is the perfect strategy.

Of course, this will keep the Spaniard at the club until he is 37, and by that time he might be past his best, but having a player with that much technical ability at your disposal will never be a bad thing.

Hernandez will still be able to do a stellar job this season and next term, whether that be in the Premier League or the Championship, and while his legs may begin to go at the age of 36, his presence on the training ground may be just as valuable as his performances on the pitch at that point.

He’s worked under some of the greatest manager’s in football such as Unai Emery and Vicente Del Bosque, so he’s got valuable experience to pass onto the younger players at the club and that may be vital in the coming years.

England officially confirmed the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as their new national team head coach and it could be good news for Glasgow Rangers star Jack Butland.

The English colossus did not get a look-in under Gareth Southgate and now has an opportunity to impress a new manager who does not already have his favourites.

Butland, who is currently valued at €3m (£2.5m) by Transfermarkt, has kept a whopping 33 clean sheets in 71 appearances in all competitions for the Gers, including 23 clean sheets in 40 matches in the Scottish Premiership.

The former Crystal Palace and Stoke City ace has been a revelation for the Ibrox giants but one of the players who has helped him to keep so many clean sheets is central defender John Souttar.

How much Rangers paid for John Souttar

In January 2022, former sporting director Ross Wilson reached a pre-contract agreement with the Scotland international to bring him to Glasgow on a free transfer from Hearts at the end of the season.

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?

At the time of his official move to Rangers in the summer, Transfermarkt valued the towering centre-back at just €1.5m (£1.2m) after he had played 162 matches during his time with the Jam Tarts.

He, unfortunately, endured a horrendous debut season with the Light Blues due to a lengthy injury absence. The 28-year-old star suffered an ankle injury in August, a month on from his move to the club, that kept him out for 50 matches for club and country.

That meant that Souttar was limited to just 13 appearances in all competitions for the Gers in the 2022/23 campaign, which was far from ideal as he looked to make a good first impression.

John Souttar's soaring market value

Since that ankle injury, the former Hearts titan has gone from strength to strength at Ibrox and his value has soared as a result of his strong form.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Souttar scored two goals in 41 appearances in all competitions for Rangers and showcased his dominant defending in the Premiership.

The Scottish colossus won 71% of his duels against opposition players across 28 games in the league, helping Butland to keep as many clean sheets as he did.

Appearances

7

Pass accuracy

92%

Clean sheets

5

Ground duel success rate

56%

Aerial duel success rate

61%

As you can see in the table above, Souttar has also enjoyed a strong start to the current campaign by helping the English shot-stopper to keep five clean sheets in seven outings in the top-flight.

His market value has soared as a result of his impressive form over the past 14 months or so, with his current Transfermarkt value sitting at €3.5m (£2.9m) – more than double what his value was at the time of his move to Rangers.

This shows that the Light Blues hit gold when they signed Souttar for nothing in 2022, as his value has soared loads, thanks to his superb performances, and he is now more valuable than England hopeful Jack Butland.

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ByDan Emery Oct 17, 2024

Crystal Palace have endured a torrid start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, failing to win any of the first six outings in the league this season.

It comes as a surprise given Oliver Glasner’s excellent form towards the back end of last campaign, but he’s yet to secure a first win, with the Eagles currently occupying a place in the relegation zone.

Their latest outing saw them fall to a 2-1 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park, with Glasner desperately needing to put an end to his side’s recent slump before the next international break in less than seven days time.

He will be relying on two players who caught the eye during large periods of last season, but are yet to replicate their superb from in 2024/25 after a chaotic summer transfer window.

Guehi & Mateta’s stats for Palace in 2024/25

After a transfer window that saw both players linked with a move away from Selhurst Park, Marc Guehi and Jean-Philippe Mateta have struggled to match their form from last season contributing to the club’s recent slump in results.

Defender Guehi was constantly touted with a move to fellow Premier League side Newcastle United, but after four separate bids, he remained a Palace player.

However, this season hasn’t been the best defensively, with Glasner’s side conceding nine times in the opening six matches and only keeping one clean sheet in the process.

As for Mateta, the Frenchman enjoyed his best-ever goalscoring season last time out, registering 19 goals in all competitions for Palace – prompting interest from elsewhere during the off-season.

The 27-year-old was subject to an enquiry from Aston Villa, but like with Guehi, they stood firm and rebuffed any approach made for his services.

He’s already scored twice this season, with both of his efforts coming in the 2-2 draw with newly-promoted Leicester City, but up to now, he’s failed to match the heights he achieved during the previous campaign.

However, the pair have previously demonstrated their talent, but both earn less than another first-team member who’s failed to make an impact on Glasner’s side this season.

The man who earns more than Guehi & Mateta

Midfielder Jeff Schlupp has been a consistent member of Palace’s first team after his move to Selhurst Park back in January 2017 for a reported £12m.

He’s since made 237 appearances for the club, proving to be a valuable player with his versatility in numerous positions, but this season he’s yet to make an impact on the squad.

Schlupp has only featured for 30 minutes in all competitions this season, failing to make a single start, with Glasner evidently preferring other options over the 31-year-old this season.

He earns a reported £60k-per-week at Palace as per Capology, a figure that is higher than both Guehi & Mateta who each earn £50k-per-week despite their excellent performances for the Eagles last campaign.

Jean-Philippe Mateta

£50k-p/w

Marc Guehi

£50k-p/w

Trevoh Chalobah

£50k-p/w

Daniel Munoz

£45k-p/w

Tyrick Mitchell

£40k-p/w

Adam Wharton

£35k-p/w

When combining Schlupp’s transfer fee with his wages during his near eight-year spell in the capital, the 31-year-old has cost the club a total of £33.3m – a huge figure despite his versatility in the first-team.

Given his lack of impact during the early stages of the new season, Glasner may look to offload the midfielder in the January transfer window.

It could allow for added funds whilst also providing the chance to invest in some key areas of the squad to help turn around the early slump in form at Selhurst Park.

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1 ByEmilio Galantini Oct 1, 2024

Manchester United are considered to be one of the teams most interested in signing a prolific striker, according to a recent report. The lack of goals for the Red Devils so far this season has already cost them – only Southampton have less – and it now appears that despite adding Joshua Zirkzee during the summer, they could be looking to sign another striker come 2025.

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ByLuke Randall Sep 4, 2025 Man Utd transfer news

The January transfer window is still a few months away from opening, but already United are being linked with potential players they may look to sign in the New Year or next summer. It emerged earlier this week that Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is on the club’s radar, as they eye more defensive reinforcements.

Meanwhile, as well as looking to sign Guehi, United also have their eye on Fulham defender Antonee Robinson. The Red Devils have been watching the player for some time, and they are now looking to step up their interest in a bid to fend off the competition.

It isn’t just defence that United are looking to improve, as they are also looking to improve their midfield and have an interest in Adam Wharton of Palace. Christian Eriksen is coming to the end of his contract at Old Trafford, and United are looking to replace the Dane with a younger, more athletic player. The transfer stories don’t stop there for United, as they now are among the sides being credited with an interest in a striker who continues to shine in Europe.

Man Utd considered one of the most interested teams in £63m star

According to Bild journalist Sten Hornig speaking to Tutto Juve, relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester United are keeping a close eye on RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. As well as the Red Devils being interested, Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester City are also keen on the forward.

Sesko was linked with a move away during the summer transfer window, with it being claimed that the Gunners made an important offer for the player, but he decided to remain in Germany and sign a new contract until 2029.

The striker, who has a market value of 75 million euros, which is roughly £63 million, has enjoyed a strong start to the season, which includes him netting a brace in Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League. Ahead of that game, Hornig was asked about the chances of Sesko playing in Serie A, and the Bild journalist believes the Premier League could be where his future lies, as he praises his “extremely high development potential”.

Apps

49

Goals

22

Assists

5

Hornig said on Sesko’s future: “Given his age and still extremely high development potential, Šeško would probably help almost every team in Europe. However, I doubt that his path will take him to Italy next summer.

“In addition to the market value of over €75m, which is probably difficult to reach for an Italian club, the biggest difficulties will come from Premier League clubs that want to get serious next summer. I’m referring to Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal, who are among the teams that continue to monitor him the most.”

Everton's Dele Alli has an "uphill task trying to get into a Sean Dyche team" this season, as the former England international has yet to do anything in Merseyside that "suggests he deserves much of a chance in the team", claims journalist Paul Brown.

Everton transfer news – what's the latest on Dele Alli?

To say Dele's time at Everton has been a disaster would be an understatement.

Everton's-Dele-Alli

The idea behind the transfer, if a little bit hopeful, was at least solid. Had it worked out, the former Spurs man would have had a platform to rediscover his form and the Toffees, for their part, would have a player that, at times in his career, has shown near enough world-class talent.

Ultimately though, it hasn't worked, and now Dyche and Co appear stuck with a player that looks like he doesn't want to be there and is still on a hefty £100,000-a-week for another year.

The former Burnley boss did speak positively about Dele in April this year, however, saying:

"I just got a sense that he wants to be back playing football and playing well."

While that may be true, the club have a serious decision about whether they will persist with the 27-year-old as a clause in his contract stipulates that Everton must pay Tottenham Hotspur an additional £10m should he reach 20 appearances. He is currently on 13.

What has Paul Brown said about Dele Alli's potential return to Everton?

Brown was blunt in his assessment of Alli's chances of saving his career whilst at Everton, explaining that he has shown the Toffees no reason to expect a resurgence in form from the former Spurs man.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "Nothing that he's done in an Everton shirt since he's been there suggests that he deserves much of a chance in the team. If he comes back and he's suddenly on fire in training. Great, you know, I'm sure Dyche will look at that and make a decision.

"But I just think that the cold hard financials of it are that it just isn't really isn't in Everton's interest to be playing Dele Alli. He hasn't really given them any calls at the moment to get him in there. So I think he's got an uphill task trying to get into a Sean Dyche team."

How good was Dele Alli at his best?

It has been a dramatic fall from grace for the former MK Dons man, with last year's loan spell to Besiktas being perhaps the lowest point in his career thus far.

It starkly contrasts his first few Premier League seasons for Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham. The 2015/16 season saw him truly burst onto the scene, starting 28 games for the North London side, scoring ten goals and providing another nine assists. It was around this time the Argentinian hailed him as "quality" and a player with "fantastic potential."

It was the year after, however, when he somehow found another level and threatened to become the best player in the league at certain points. It was this campaign when he scored a ridiculous 18 league goals and produced another seven assists.

It begs the question, could Dele get even close to these numbers again in the right environment? It could be a possibility, but with the performances he's put in over the last few years, Everton might well be better off just cutting ties at this point.

Chelsea are readying themselves to "push again this week" for midfielder Moises Caicedo and are in "direct conversations" with Brighton & Hove Albion over a potential deal, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Caicedo joining Chelsea?

Stamford Bridge has been a chaotic place in recent weeks. As players scramble over one another to find the exit door, new boss Mauricio Pochettino still doesn't know what his squad will look like next season.

One thing the Argentine is sure of is that he would like Caicedo to join him, with Chelsea ramping up their interest in the young Ecuador midfielder.

The 21-year-old has consistently shone at Brighton since he broke into the starting lineup and will be imminently granted his wish to leave the club this transfer window.

Caicedo is Chelsea's number one target, but there is still the issue of ironing out the financial details with Brighton before a move can be finalised.

According to Romano, there is nothing concrete yet between the club despite Caicedo and Chelsea being close on personal terms, but the Blues are continually pushing for the South American.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano stated: "For Chelsea it is an important week in terms of contacts for Moises Caicedo because, guys, it's also not easy as a journalist to tell you about this deal because it's a particular deal with the two clubs.

"Chelsea and Brighton are in direct contact, as I explained to you many times, and this is why it is not easy to see in the media many reports about this story for Caicedo. It's not a daily bid, a daily proposal from Chelsea to Brighton and an answer from Brighton to Chelsea. It's a daily exchange between the two clubs, so it's a direct conversation."

He continued: "I can guarantee to you that the conversations are ongoing. Chelsea will push again this week. So, it's not easy to speak about terms of the deal because it's an available conversation, not an official conversation, but for sure this is still ongoing and this week they will work again on the deal – Chelsea and Brighton for Moises Caicedo.

"And the player is still hoping and pushing to join Chelsea because he has an agreement almost done as we know very well with Chelsea on the personal terms. So, the player is not a problem, the player said yes, and now it's on the clubs."

Romano adds that Pochettino hopes to bring Caicedo in as soon as possible, with the Blues heading on their tour of the United States in mid-July. Ironically, they face Brighton on said tour on July 22, but it remains to be seen for which side Caicedo may feature.

Caicedo made 37 Premier League appearances for Brighton last term and helped the Seagulls to a sixth-placed finish and European qualification for the first time in the club's history. Meanwhile, Chelsea slumped to an embarrassing 12th-placed finish, only ten points above relegated Leicester City.

What is Caicedo worth?

The major stumbling block between Chelsea and Brighton at present has been the Seagulls' incredibly high valuation of Caicedo.

Despite having only made 45 Premier League appearances in total, Brighton have slapped a hefty £100m price tag on Caicedo. Chelsea are not keen on paying that much for a player who is relatively experienced, especially given they forked out £106.8m for Enzo Fernandez in January.

The Blues are hoping to compromise, suggesting around £80m, but Roberto de Zerbi's side are holding firm on their appraisal.

Since Todd Boehly's arrival as Chelsea's new owner, the club have spent approximately £500m across two transfer windows and their spending shows no signs of slowing down having signed Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson for a combined £83m.

Admittedly, they have brought in £188m through player sales so far, with more to come, but Caicedo may still eat up a large chunk of any remaining budget.

Burnley are closing in on the signing of Borussia Dortmund teenager Soumaila Coulibaly, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest Burnley transfer news?

The Clarets and Vincent Kompany haven’t wasted any time in preparations for the new Premier League season, with some players even reporting back for pre-season at the beginning of the month – before the Champions League final.

In the transfer market, the club have also been making swift moves, with defenders Jordan Beyer and Dara O’Shea joining on permanent deals from Borussia Monchengladbach and West Brom respectively.

Meanwhile, an offer has been made to sign Anderlecht defender Noah Sadiki, whereas Burnley are also preparing a new offer to sign Millwall star Zian Flemming.

To top things off, it looks as if the club are about to break their transfer record to sign Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford following his loan spell with Bolton Wanderers.

Reports have claimed that the 20-year-old, who is currently away with England’s U21s at the European Championships, is close to a £19m move to Turf Moor, and it appears as if Coulibaly is also on the way to Lancashire.

Romano took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share an update on Burnley and Coulibaly. He revealed that the player is on course to join on a season-long loan which will then become permanent in a transfer worth around €15m (£12.9m).

“Understand Burnley are now closing in on Soumaila Coulibaly deal — it’s gonna be loan from Borussia Dortmund with mandatory buy clause.

“Understand value of the deal is gonna be around €15m total fee. Here we go soon.”

Who is Soumaila Coulibaly?

Coulibaly is just 19 years of age and is primarily a left-footed centre-back who has two caps for France at U20 level.

The defender made the move to Dortmund from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer back in 2021 and has been making the majority of his appearances for the reserve side. Coulibaly has turned out twice for Dortmund at senior level and currently holds a €1m Transfermarkt valuation.

Recently, Coulibaly has been compared to Bayern Munich centre-back Dayot Upamecano, with the media saying:

“At 6'3" Coulibaly has an imposing build, but while the teenager will undoubtedly fill out to add muscle to his wiry frame, he also has the footballing ability to make him the complete package, just like Bayern Munich man-mountain and France international, Dayot Upamecano.”

Coulibaly also appears to be catching the eye of Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic, who said:

"He trains with us regularly. He's been getting better and better and finding consistency in the third tier."

Should he complete a move to Turf Moor as expected, Coulibaly may rival the likes of Beyer, Hjalmar Ekdal, Ameen Al-Dakhil and O’Shea for a starting spot in Kompany’s side.

He could well be viewed as a future star, though, so securing his services could turn out to be an extremely shrewd move in the long run, and by the looks of things, it may be just a matter of time until a transfer is announced.

Celtic were rocked by the departure of manager Ange Postecoglou earlier this month as the 57-year-old coach joined Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

However, they reacted quickly and appointed Brendan Rodgers as his successor, with the Northern Irish tactician returning to Parkhead for a second spell in Scotland.

The 50-year-old boss won seven trophies in less than three years during his first stint in the dugout at Paradise and enjoyed a largely excellent time with Leicester City in England after moving on from the Hoops.

He won the Community Shield and the FA Cup with the Foxes and worked with some terrific players at the King Power; including the likes of Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, Harvey Barnes.

Rodgers could now uncover his next version of the latter at Celtic after the Daily Record recently reported that the club are scouting Gwangju winger Ji-sung Eom.

What is Ji-sung Eom's style of play?

The 21-year-old dynamo has the quality to be a regular goal threat from out wide, without being much of an exceptional creator for others.

During the 2022 campaign, Eom averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.13 – higher than Kyogo Furuhashi and Liel Abada managed for Celtic in 2022/23 – across 28 K League 2 outings and contributed with nine goals and one assists as a left winger – a strike every 3.1 matches on average.

Barnes, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.67 across 34 Premier League games for Leicester and chipped in with 13 goals and one assist for Rodgers, followed by Dean Smith, which works out as a goal every 2.6 clashes on average.

Both players struggled to be regular contributors for their teammates as Barnes (0.6) and Eom (0.7) failed to create at least one chance per match, which would not place either of them in the top ten creators for the Hoops last term.

Meanwhile, Jota was the only Celtic winger with a better strike rate than the South Korean U22 international's return in 2022 as the Portuguese wizard scored once every three Scottish Premiership appearances on average (11 in 33).

Eom, who was once described as "underrated" by scout Ali Can Kutlu, could come in as one of the most dangerous attackers, in terms of the goal threat that the young ace could provide, in the squad next term.

The exciting hotshot, who would arrive with room to grow and develop at the age of 21, could be Rodgers' own version of Barnes by lining up on the left flank as a goalscoring winger to complement the likes of Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi in the final third.

Liverpool are prepared to splash the cash to bring in Nicolo Barella it seems, with Italian journalist Marco Barzaghi, via Caught Offside, reporting that the Reds could offer up to £77m to bring the player in this summer.

Has Nicolo Barella been good this season?

The midfielder has been with Inter for four seasons now and has been able to help them to a Serie A title and a Champions League final along the way. This year, they almost conquered Europe but their league campaign led to only a third place finish.

The 26-year-old was once more an important part of the side and featured in 35 Serie A outings for the club over the course of the 2022/23 campaign. Even though he plays in the middle of the field, he was also able to chip in with six goals and six assists – his second-best goal contribution rate over the course of his career with 12.

A look at his FBRef scouting report also proves that the player is one of the best in his position in Europe. When you look at how he compares to others in midfield across the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues, there is a lot to like about Barella. He has a 0.22 non-penalty goal rate per 90, which puts him in the top eight percent in that category, and he also has 3.65 shot-creating actions per 90 too (88th percentile).

It means that not only is he hitting the net a lot more often than other midfielders he is excellent at creating goalscoring opportunities too, both for himself and his teammates.

Are Liverpool signing Barella?

Now, according to a report from Marco Barzaghi, via Caught Offside, the Italian may have earned himself a big money move to England.

That is because Liverpool are could be willing to stump up a lot of cash to bring him to the Premier League. It's believed that the side are preparing to offer a huge amount of £77m to lure him to Anfield and whilst there is no official bid on the table yet, FSG are finally willing to spend big.

Barella is certainly an exciting asset to have in any team, with football journalist Josh Bunting stating that the midfielder is a "difference maker" and can play "beautiful" football with a "winner's mentality" to boot.

He has a lot of positive attributes then and could bring that to a Liverpool midfield in desperate need of rejuvenation. Even if the fee is relatively steep, it could be a price worth paying for the Italy star.

Everton midfielder Amadou Onana isn't going to 'look to drive' a potential exit from the club this summer despite speculation over his future, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Amadou Onana?

According to The Daily Mail, Everton are under pressure to sell Onana this summer as financial problems threaten to derail Sean Dyche's plans to rebuild his side ahead of next term.

The report states that Everton are in need of another major sale alongside Anthony Gordon's £45 million exit to Newcastle United in January to balance the books, as they are in 'special measures' with the Premier League due to hemorrhaging a loss of over £370 million over the last three years.

Football Insider claim that Onana could be sold for up to £60 million in the off-season to generate transfer funds in light of their financial restrictions.

Manchester United are keen on the £100k-a-week ace; however, he also has interest from other clubs in the English top-flight in his services.

As per The Sun, they reported earlier this year that Onana is a target for Chelsea and they previously held an attraction towards him in the January transfer window.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that any prospective Onana exit this summer will be driven by the club and their desire to recoup transfer funds rather than by the player himself.

Jones told FFC: "If they are under pressure to sell him, it won't come from him. I think that that's quite important to point out; he's not going to look to drive anything here, even though he's been one of their best players no doubt."

Would losing Amadou Onana be a blow for Everton?

Losing Onana would be a sizable blow for Everton this summer. However, the unfortunate reality of their financial situation means that they may have to sell one or two star men to get out of hot water with the Premier League.

In 2022/23, Onana made 35 appearances in all competitions for Everton, registering one goal and two assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also takes into account that the Belgium international was strong in the tackle across the campaign, successfully winning 2.2 challenges per match in the English top flight.

As per FBRef, Onana has also excelled in comparison to his positional peers in Europe's top five divisions in the art of aerial duels won, having averaged around 2.17 per game across the last 365 days, putting him in the seventh percentile for this metric.

Everton will be desperate to keep hold of Onana despite interest in his services, though the decision may be taken out of his hands as the club look to balance the books at Goodison Park.