Sunderland have had some of the Premier League’s most iconic strikers down the years, but one man in particular has been praised as one of the best talents of his era.

No one at the Stadium of Light will forget the name Tommy Watson in a hurry regardless of how his move to Brighton pans out, but as the dust settles on a memorable campaign and that stunning late win at Wembley, the Black Cats must now turn their attentions to building a squad capable of surviving football’s toughest task.

Sunderland's promotion season in pictures

Regis Le Bris’ side were the lowest scorers in the Championship’s top six, with 58 goals to their name in 46 games, as Wilson Isidor (13) and Eliezer Mayenda (10) were their only players to score more than five league goals.

And it’s fair to say this is a club who have lived off the backs of great number nines down the years, with the likes of Jermain Defoe, Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn all thriving on Wearside.

Sunderland’s top ten Premier League goalscorers

Goals

1. Kevin Phillips

61

2. Jermain Defoe

34

3. Niall Quinn

29

4. Kenwyne Jones

26

5. Darren Bent

24

6. Steven Fletcher

23

7. Adam Johnson

19

8. Stéphane Sessègnon

17

9. Fabio Borini

14

10. Kieran Richardson

14

Many of the club’s most iconic moments have come from their front men, from Darren Bent’s famous ‘beach ball goal’ against Liverpool to Fabio Borini’s incredible late effort to sink Alan Pardew’s Newcastle.

But while no one comes close to “Super Kev” Phillips from a statistical standpoint, few would argue that Defoe is right up there alongside him as one of the most talented players to ever put on the red and white shirt, and England legend David Platt once revealed he may be even better than that.

Platt: Defoe was as good as Michael Owen and Luis Figo

Speaking about his time as Defoe’s manager in the England Under-21 set-up, Platt, who earned 62 caps for the Three Lions himself, once revealed a 19 year-old Defoe was one of the greatest talents he had ever seen.

Defoe scored 163 Premier League goals in total, placing him inside the division’s top ten and behind only six other Englishmen – Alan Shearer, Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Andrew Cole, Frank Lampard and Robbie Fowler.

While his longest spell in England’s top flight came with Tottenham Hotspur, some of his most iconic moments were produced in a Sunderland shirt, most notably that stunning strike against Newcastle at the Stadium of Light, and fans will also never forget his relationship with Bradley Lowery.

Defoe’s love for the club hasn’t waned either, as the 42 year-old was spotted at Wembley celebrating their promotion, also praising Le Bris for the impactful substitutions of Patrick Roberts and Watson: “We spoke before about the manager not panicking, and the substitution, Patrick Roberts came on and done his thing.”

Related Sunderland lining up centre-back signing who Van Dijk said is "outstanding"

He could be perfect for Regis Le Bris.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Jun 3, 2025

It’s hard to imagine the likes of Isidor and Mayenda will be able to replicate the Englishman’s stunning influence in the North East, but the young Spaniard’s equalising goal against Sheffield United was certainly a good start.

Ahead of a summer full of potential sales, Aston Villa could now lose one of Unai Emery’s most important players to Barcelona amid reports that he’s now ready to leave the club.

Why Aston Villa may need to sell

After the Premier League received a glimpse of their potential troubles when they sold Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr in the January transfer window, Aston Villa could be in for a long summer. Failure to qualify for the Champions League would particularly exacerbate their PSR problems to the stage that they may be left with no choice but to sell once again.

Many have had their say on the potential problems that Aston Villa face this summer and former Villans chief Keith Wyness, who now runs a football consultancy which advises top clubs, has been among those.

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Wyness recently told Football Insider: “The issue with PSR is not surprising. They’ve been sailing close to the wind. It’s only been the cleverness of Monchi and the recruitment team which have got them out of trouble so far.

“They’re going to have to do it again. It may be a player sold that the Villa fans are not happy about. That’s where the value will be. When you look at what Emery has done with squad strengthening, the fans will forgive him and allow him to get the resources to go ahead in the market – and meet PSR.”

Just who heads for the exit door with that said is now the big question. Emery’s squad is one filled with talent, there’s no doubt about that, but whether the Spaniard will help open the door for the likes of Ollie Watkins or Morgan Rogers to leave remains to be seen this summer. Instead, it could be another Aston Villa who heads for a summer exit.

Barcelona plotting move to sign Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona are now targeting a move to sign Emiliano Martinez, who is ready to leave Aston Villa for a ‘bigger club’ when the summer transfer window arrives.

The Argentine shot-stopper has rebuilt his career at Villa Park over the years and become one of the best in the world in his position – winning the Yashin Trophy twice. Now, however, with Barcelona calling, the 32-year-old could be set to depart.

What certainly shouldn’t be seen as a positive sign over his future for those at Villa Park is just how emotional Martinez looked following his final home game of the season. The former Arsenal man even looked to be waving a tearful goodbye to the fans.

A player who was praised for an “incredible” save by legend Alessandro del Piero in Aston Villa’s 0-0 draw against Juventus earlier this season, Martinez would be an undeniable loss for those in the Midlands.

Liverpool won the 2024/25 Premier League and are now moving to secure their place among Europe’s elite for the coming years, making sweeping changes in the transfer market.

A momentous effort to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz looks to be coming to a pleasing head, but the negotiations are still ongoing. Liverpool’s latest offer totals £113m, but the Bundesliga side are holding out for what would be a British-record £126m fee.

With moves for full-back pairing Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez already wrapped up, the Reds are surely set to continue competing for the biggest prizes in Arne Slot’s system.

However, there’s still something missing and no mistake. Well, while Liverpool have options at centre-forward in Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, neither really cut the mustard last term, and both could be sold.

Liverpool aren’t prioritising the frontman position at the moment, but they are surveying the market and have been linked with a move for Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Liverpool's interest in Viktor Gyokeres

With Arsenal “advancing in negotiations” for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, says Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool could have a free shot at Gyokeres this summer, having opened talks for the forward last month.

The Sweden striker has been breathtaking over his two campaigns in Portugal, scoring 97 goals and providing 28 assists across just 102 matches, winning back-to-back Liga Portugal titles.

Regarded as “the best finisher in the world” by data analyst Spencer Hossman, you can see why Liverpool are keen, for the 27-year-old is levels above Nunez and Jota.

However, recent reports suggest Manchester United may be set to win the race, ready to pay a £60m fee for the goalscorer.

1)

Viktor Gyokeres

33

39

2)

Kylian Mbappe

34

31

3)

Mohamed Salah

38

29

4)

Robert Lewandowski

34

27

5)

Victor Osimhen

30

26

5=

Harry Kane

31

26

Every case is different, but some fans might reserve judgment on this one, for Nunez posted 34 goals from 41 matches in 2021/22, playing for Benfica in Portugal.

The Iberian country is not on the same level as the Premier League, and that’s a fact. If Liverpool were to sign a striker from their own division, one already proven as a world-class option on English shores

Liverpool still in for PL striker

As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are still dreaming of signing Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak this summer, despite The Athletic’s David Ornstein previously declaring there would be “no chance” that the Sweden international leaves after United qualified for the Champions League.

It’s understood that upcoming contract talks will have a significant bearing on Isak’s stance, but if he were to leave this summer, Newcastle would be looking to bank a figure reaching as high as £150m.

Sky Sports’ Keith McDownie has claimed that while Newcastle are hopeful they can retain their talisman this summer, Isak is ambitious and does appear to view a transfer away at some stage.

What Alexander Isak would bring to Liverpool

What would Isak bring to Liverpool? In short, goals, and lots of them.

The 25-year-old has been a revelation at St. James’ Park since signing for a club-record £63m fee in 2022, departing Real Sociedad.

Across his three campaigns on Tyneside, Isak has scored 62 goals and laid on 11 assists across 109 matches, hitting his most confident stride over the past year, scoring 27 times as the Magpies flew back onto Europe’s elite stage, and indeed bagging against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

But it’s not just the numbers, instead the remarkable range of skills that Isak brings to the table. Slot has showed through his maiden year at Anfield that he likes offensive players who operate dynamically, not just firing at goal but creating and linking up with teammates.

He’s a deadly marksman, hailed as a “world-class assassin” by pundit Alan Shearer, but Isak is indeed far more than a simple goalscorer, finishing the chances created by his peers.

Indeed, he’s one of the most complete out there. As per FBref, Isak ranked among the top 16% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.

You can see why he’s so coveted across the continent. Isak is the very definition of world-class, bringing so many dynamic attacking qualities to the table.

His tried-and-tested consistency in the Premier League bespeaks his suitability for Liverpool, and he’s two years younger than Gyokeres besides.

Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson even went as far as to coin Isak “the best striker in the world.” The one-time Newcastle man acknowledged his bias, but in fairness, Isak has showcased his skills to such a level that that claim isn’t without substance.

Ultimately, both Isak and Gyokeres would improve Slot’s Liverpool system if they were added into the ranks, but if fans were quizzed on their ideal option to don the striker’s shirt, Isak would win overwhelmingly.

After such a prolific and robust campaign for Eddie Howe’s side, Isak has proven himself one of the best of his generation, especially since his athleticism appears to have taken a leap forward, avoiding any impactful injury that plagued him through previous seasons at Newcastle and in Spain.

Liverpool are dreaming of completing this staggering signing, and if they play their cards right, the pieces might just fall into place.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 7, 2025

As much as a collective team effort is obviously at fault for Manchester United horribly underperforming this season just gone, their woes in attack certainly stick out as a major point of concern.

Rasmus Hojlund would only manage to bag a dire four goals in Premier League action for Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils, whilst another scapegoated striker in Joshua Zirkzee also blew hot and cold throughout the campaign when tallying up just three strikes himself.

Therefore, one summer priority must surely be to bring in a fresh sharpshooter, with Ipswich Town menace Liam Delap once on United’s ever-expanding shopping list subsequently.

Unfortunately for the 15th-placed underachievers, Delap has seemingly chosen Chelsea as his next onward destination over Old Trafford, leaving Amorim’s men to hunt elsewhere.

Man Utd make approach for Premier League striker

Staggeringly, United could get over the rejection of Delap by poaching one of Chelsea’s main strikers.

Indeed, a new report from Football Transfers suggests that United have made an approach for hit-and-miss Blues attacker Nicolas Jackson, with Red Devils technical director Jason Wilcox allegedly playing a big part in wanting to bring the ex-Villarreal man to Old Trafford due to his desire for an athletic centre-forward.

It is also stated further into the report that Chelsea are reluctant to negotiate a sale, but if Delap were to come in and make that starting spot his own, the £55m-rated striker might be potentially more swayed to move to the Theatre of Dreams.

If everything were to click into place for the inconsistent 23-year-old in his new potential location too, he could go down as an upgrade on the much-talked-about former Manchester City ace.

Why Jackson could be an upgrade on Delap

After all, Delap might well be the talk of the town at the moment by bagging 12 league strikes last season, but he’s only ever experienced that one solitary Premier League campaign across his fledgling career.

On the contrary, Jackson has been around for one season longer in the demanding English game, and despite missing a colossal 19 big chances during an up-and-down 2024/25, the Senegalese striker found himself only two shy of the 22-year-old’s total for the Tractor Boys with ten league goals.

Games played

35

30

Goals scored

14

10

Assists

5

5

Shots*

2.3

2.5

Shots on target*

1.4

1.2

Goal conversion %

18%

13%

Big chances missed

24

19

On top of that, the Blues’ number 15 also showed off his sometimes red-hot form in front of goal during his debut season, with a mightily impressive 17 goals and six assists coming his way across all competitions, away from his 13 strikes in Premier League action alone, just bettering Delap’s output.

It will just rest on whether Jackson can become even more clinical donning United red, but he would surely be chomping at the bit to prove any Stamford Bridge doubters wrong if a move is signed off on.

Of course, there is also surely a worry on Chelsea’s end that Delap’s heroics for Ipswich are just a lightning in a bottle moment, with the bright lights of a new West London environment perhaps working against the potent Tractor Boys number 19.

United will just be praying the “unbelievable” attacker, as he’s been labelled glowingly in the past by pundit Peter Crouch, can hit his stride making the switch up North, making their failed attempts to land the £30m target less painful in the process.

If he manages to come out of his bumpy stint at Stamford Bridge stronger for it, he could be just what United are searching forward to head into a hopeful, new era under Amorim.

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ByEthan Lamb May 30, 2025

Aston Villa are in a position where they may need to sell players to meet the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules and there is plenty of contention surrounding their situation from fans, pundits and journalists alike.

Aston Villa's PSR situation and who may leave the club this summer

In short, Aston Villa are one of the Premier League’s most at-risk clubs with PSR heading towards the deadline on June 30th. Per The Athletic’s projection, they can only lose £15 million in 2024/25 to remain within regulatory boundaries.

Unai Emery’s men have recorded a pre-tax loss of £206.2 million in the last two years, which is the highest deficit across the top-flight in that time and leaves the Birmingham-based outfit in danger of punishment.

Big money sales such as Jhon Duran leaving for Al Nassr and Leon Bailey’s anticipated move to Saudi Arabian outfit Neom SC have left hope that the Villans can evade any form of penalty.

However, they are teetering on the brink and their failure to qualify for Champions League football ended up being a massive setback, especially when Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio’s expensive loan deals formed part of their bid to secure a place despite already treading water in their efforts to balance the books.

There have been suggestions that Aston Villa could sell stakes in their women’s team to make ends meet, an option that remains active following a failed bill to cancel that practice after Chelsea flipped £90 million in losses to a £128 million profit in 2024.

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Losing a maximum of £105 million over three rolling years is the limit for Premier League clubs in order to comply. Still, not everyone is happy at the rules that their clubs have to abide by to evade sanctions.

Journalist fumes at Aston Villa PSR latest

Taking to social media platform X, iNews correspondent Mark Douglas vented his frustration at Aston Villa’s need to sell and made the point that Newcastle United have suffered a similar fate in their efforts to progress as a club.

Admittedly, PSR has become a controversial topic among football fans for a number of reasons, with some feeling that the traditional ‘Big Six’ clubs are protected more than others due to the ease in making ‘pure profit’ sales or by filing via subsidiaries of their PLC’s entity.

Regulation is critical to promote fairness, though there are clear elements in the current system that leave a lot to be desired. Aston Villa find themselves in a frustrating situation and will need to meticulously ensure they don’t fall foul of the authorities.

Others will argue their wage to revenue ratio is a problem, brought on by decisions such as paying £227,500 of Marcus Rashford’s salary weekly during his stay. Either way, the rise of PSR over the last few years has become a contentious issue and continues to limit the progression of those attempting to challenge the traditional order.

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs have been informed that they could sign a high-earning star for below £30 million this summer, with chairman Daniel Levy expected to seek out good-value deals amid the looming threat of a ‘sell to buy’ summer.

Ange Postecoglou preparing for crunch Europa League final

While Spurs face off against Aston Villa in the Premier League this afternoon, all eyes are instead on their looming Europa League final against Man United next week.

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ByEmilio Galantini May 15, 2025

The less said about Spurs’ dismal domestic campaign, the better – following a season of record-breaking lows where Ange Postecoglou’s side surpassed the club’s record for most Premier League losses in a single season (20).

Instead, the Europa League represents a major potential saving grace at the end of what could be Postecoglou’s final term in charge.

Son Heung-min

7.05

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.88

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

David Ornstein is among the media sources to report that Postecoglou is highly likely to leave Tottenham, even if they win the European final in Bilbao on May 21, but sealing the Lilywhites’ first piece of major silverware in 17 years would be a more-than-ideal send-off.

Victory against Man United would also work wonders in terms of attracting Spurs’ top transfer targets, as a place in the Champions League group draw for next season would undoubtedly come as a major pull, even after their struggles domestically.

One of the key items of their agenda, in terms of recruitment, is signing a new striker. Richarlison is expected to be up for sale at Tottenham this summer, and in the event Brazil’s number nine departs N17, Spurs or any new manager would need a replacement for him.

Tottenham are believed to be among the contenders for Ipswich striker Liam Delap, who could leave for just £30 million, thanks to a release clause tied in with their relegation from the Premier League.

Levy is also keen on re-negotiating cheaper terms for Mathys Tel’s permanent deal, according to reports in Germany this week, but it is unclear what the 20-year-old’s long-term role would be in the squad right now.

Tottenham informed they could sign Dusan Vlahovic for under £30 million

Now, as per GiveMeSport, Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic is another centre-forward who could be made available for an affordable transfer fee.

The Serbia international, rumoured to be on around £320,000-per-week in Turin, hasn’t exactly lived up to his “superstar” reputation during the second half of 2024/2025 – scoring just two Serie A goals this calendar year.

With his contract expiring next summer, and no extension in sight, GMS now report Tottenham have been made aware that Vlahovic could be sold this summer.

It is also claimed that, while Juve ideally want around £35 million, the Old Lady may even green-light his sale for just £20 million – largely due to his sub-par form lately and the fact he’s about to enter the final 12 months of his deal.

This could be a major opportunity for Levy, who’s been linked with a move for Vlahovic in past seasons.

The 25-year-old scored 21 Serie A goals during his best season at Fiorentina, and 16 top-flight goals for Juve just last season, so Vlahovic can be a devastating player when at his very best. The trick for Spurs’ potential new manager next season is getting it out of him.

Glasgow Rangers are at a crossroads. They have just ended the season without a trophy and are currently without a manager after Barry Ferguson’s interim term ended.

The Light Blues ended the campaign in second place in the Scottish Premiership, drawing 2-2 with Hibernian on the final day, and failed to win either of the domestic cup competitions.

CEO Patrick Stewart is conducting a process to find the next head coach before sporting director Kevin Thelwell arrives, and before the takeover is completed, and is reportedly planning talks with a candidate.

Rangers planning talks with Italian coach

According to RangersReview, former Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti is set to hold further talks with the Light Blues in the coming days.

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Stewart is set to hold talks with the coach about the vacant position at Ibrox, after the Italian tactician waved goodbye to Real Madrid’s supporters after their final game of the season against Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Saturday.

RangersReview adds that the reports elsewhere that Ancelotti was close to becoming the new head coach in Glasgow are premature, and that the state of play is that he will have further discussions with the club before a decision is made.

The Gers, however, must be wary of how much of a gamble this appointment would be ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, as the Italian coach could be Michael Beale 2.0.

Why Ancelotti could be the next Beale

Rangers turned to Beale as their new head coach in November 2022 after they made the decision to part ways with experienced boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

The English tactician had, of course, been the assistant to Steven Gerrard when the Light Blues won the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020/21 campaign, but had only had 22 games of senior managerial experience with QPR in England before his move back to Ibrox.

Beale came as a highly-rated coach, having worked on the training pitch to deliver that title success at Rangers, but ultimately failed to translate his skills over to being the main man, as he lasted less than a year in the job and left in October 2023 with no trophies to show for his efforts.

Davide Ancelotti’s coaching career
Club (role)	First-team manager	Matches
Real Madrid (Assistant manager)	Carlo Ancelotti	233
Everton (Assistant manager)	Carlo Ancelotti	67
Napoli (Assistant manager)	Carlo Ancelotti	73
Bayern Munich (Assistant manager)	Carlo Ancelotti	60
Real Madrid (Fitness coach)	Carlo Ancelotti	119
PSG (Fitness coach)	Carlo Ancelotti	77
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Ancelotti’s entire career to date has been spent as either a fitness coach or as an assistant manager to his dad, Carlo Ancelotti, at various European clubs.

The Italian coach, who was described as “important” by his father, is in a similar position to the one Beale was in at the time of his move to QPR, a perennial assistant manager and highly-rated coach.

But, as Beale showcased at Rangers and then Sunderland, a good assistant manager and coach does not guarantee that they will be a good head coach or manager.

Therefore, Stewart and the Gers must have full confidence in his ability to lead and manager the club as the main man, because he has yet to prove that he can do it as a head coach in his own right, which is why appointing him would be a big risk and potentially a repeat of Beale.

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Rangers could turn to the Premier League for their first signing this summer.

By
Ross Kilvington

May 25, 2025

Liverpool are in the final stages of wrapping up a deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, having already signed the Werkself’s electric right flanker Jeremie Frimpong after meeting his £29.5m release clause.

Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez should follow, with the two Premier League clubs engaged in advanced discussions for the Hungarian’s transfer this summer.

While bringing in a new centre-forward is also on the agenda, Liverpool may have to contend with one or two reluctant sales, most notably of which concerns Luis Diaz.

The latest on Luis Diaz

Diaz has been a key component of Liverpool’s Premier League triumph this season, scoring 17 goals and providing eight assists for the Reds across all competitions.

However, aged 28 and entering the penultimate year, it would make sense to cash in if a handsome offer were presented to FSG. With Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League’s Al Nassr both keen, this is something bound to be on sporting director Richard Hughes’ mind.

With a bid worth around €85m (£72m) being pieced together by Al Nassr, Liverpool could take the money and invest in a new star, especially with a world-class player in Wirtz already heading to Merseyside.

Especially when there’s a rising talent who’s been linked with a move to Liverpool in recent months who might just be the perfect long-term investment.

Liverpool could sign Wirtz-esque Diaz replacement

While Cody Gakpo has nailed down the left-sided forward spot at Liverpool, Diaz’s departure would require a direct replacement being brought in, even if Liverpool secured a new centre-forward too.

That’s why FSG should consider increasing their interest in Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens, who has enjoyed a promising emergence in Bundesliga.

The 20-year-old has been hailed as a “very good finisher” by former Yellow Wall boss Nuri Sahin, also noted for being “incredible one-on-one”, and though he’s young, there’s enough there to suggest he could be the perfect Diaz heir.

He’s still got levels to scale, but Gittens has made an impressive start to life on the major stage, with his silky approach even leading data-driven site FBref to liken him to Wirtz.

Jamie Gittens – Bor. Dortmund Stats by Season (all comps)
Season	Apps (starts)	Goals	Assists
24/25	48 (34)	12	5
23/24	34 (18)	2	8
22/23	20 (5)	3	1
21/22	4 (1)	0	0
Data via Transfermarkt

Ranked among the top 15% of Bundesliga attacking midfielders and wingers in 2024/25 for goals scored, and the top 1% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, you can see he’s got some of the ball-carrying similarities of Wirtz, though Gittens is more of an out-and-out winger.

Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley even pronounced him “England’s best left-winger in 2024/25” earlier in the campaign, which is lofty praise indeed, given the calibre of competition he’s against.

Thomas Tuchel’s recently selected summer Three Lions squad perhaps doesn’t reflect that, but then Gittens is still in the fledgling phase of a promising career, having laid the foundations for something special.

As per Sofascore, Gittens averaged 4.9 successful duels per top-flight fixture this year too, showcasing a tenacious side to his game that could bear dividends in the Premier League.

The same could be said for Wirtz, who marries his absurd technical level with a combative underbelly. Given that the German has been profiled by FSG’s analysts and targeted in a club-record deal, Gittens might just fit the bill.

While he won’t be at the top of Liverpool’s shopping list, this could be a shrewd move to keep the champions firing on all cylinders over the coming years.

Just another Nunez: Liverpool add "outrageous" £67m forward to shortlist

Liverpool have turned their attention to a new target as they seek out a centre-forward.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 31, 2025

There’s a lot going on down Anfield Road this summer, and there’s more yet to come for Liverpool’s Arne Slot as the Premier League-winning manager pieces together a squad capable of sustaining title charges across so many years.

Few predicted Liverpool would be crowned champions after Jurgen Klopp stepped down from his post, but the Merseysiders proved a cut above their rivals to win the title at a canter. However, now is the time for investment, having spent nominally in last summer’s market.

Whether the Reds manage to offload Darwin Nunez and bring in a flashy new striker remains to be seen, but there’s little question that Jeremie Frimpong, who has already signed, and Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, who are on the verge, will improve the Merseysiders and then some.

It’s all going swimmingly, but Liverpool will be frustrated by their failure to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, the centre-back instead signing for Real Madrid last month in a £50m deal.

Why Liverpool wanted Dean Huijsen

Analyst Ben Mattinson remarked last season that Huijsen was “the most in-demand centre-back in the world”, and after such an impressive breakout campaign with Bournemouth, it’s clear to see why.

The archetypal modern centre-half, Huijsen, only 20 years old, can do it all, defending with steely tenacity and spraying balls forward with the artful elegance of a midfield maestro.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 7% of Premier League positional peers last term for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 4% for interceptions and blocks per 90.

With Virgil van Dijk approaching the autumn of his illustrious Liverpool career, the left-sided Huijsen would have been the perfect fit, but instead Liverpool will have to turn their attention elsewhere.

The Spain international is off the cards, then, but FSG may yet authorise a move for an up-and-coming defensive star.

Liverpool enter race for new CB

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Liverpool have joined Chelsea in the race for Benfica centre-back Tomas Araujo, who has an €80m (£68m) release clause in his contract.

The 23-year-old might be higher on Chelsea’s list at the moment, but that’s not to say Liverpool won’t accelerate their plans in the coming weeks, once other areas of the field have been dealt with.

It’s worth noting that Benfica do not want to sell their prized defender, but if Liverpool are serious, they may be able to tempt the player to push for an exit before the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

What Tomas Araujo would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool wouldn’t have just made themselves known as suitors for Huijsen because many of their divisional rivals had registered interest; the Reds’ data-driven approach would have seen the Dutch-born talent profiled extensively.

He is indeed off the cards, but Liverpool could sign a similar player in Araujo, who has been hailed for his “magnificent” rise to prominence in Portugal by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Having graduated from Benfica’s academy and having completed a season-long loan with Gil Vicente in 2022/23, Araujo has now completed 68 senior matches with the Eagles, winning the Taça da Liga last season (effectively the Portuguese version of the League Cup).

Limited to just 20 appearances across all competitions in 2023/24, having returned from his promising loan spell, Araujo has now become a mainstay in Benfica’s first team, going from strength to strength to attract the attention of Liverpool.

And when collating his data from the 2024/25 campaign with Huijsen’s, you begin to see that Liverpool could actually strike gold in signing this second choice, for he matches up with the Spaniard nicely indeed.

Matches (starts)

32 (26)

28 (28)

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

2

Touches*

63.9

66.9

Pass completion

84%

86%

Key passes*

0.5

0.4

Dribbles*

0.1

0.6

Ball recoveries*

3.3

5.4

Tackles + interceptions*

2.7

3.4

Clearances*

6.1

1.5

Duels (won)*

3.6 (56%)

5.1 (60%)

Matching Huijsen across ball-playing metrics, Araujo has also proved himself to be more accurate in the duel and more active across tackling and intercepting areas, albeit making far fewer clearances than his fellow Iberian.

Curiously, Araujo also recovered more balls, which speaks highly of his athleticism and energy, covering ground. This would be especially important in the Premier League, which is played at a higher pace than the Liga Portugal.

And furthermore, Araujo is also a capable right-back, playing out wide when the situation demands it. The fruits of this can be found in his 0.6 dribbles per game, also maintaining a crispness in his passing while creating openings for his teammates in a similar vein as Huijsen.

He might not have the goalscoring advantage on Real Madrid’s new recruit, who already is an expert at using his rangy frame in the box, but then he has shown on occasion an ability to find the back of the net with a leaping effort.

A balanced defender who has proven his ability to shake things up on the biggest stage, Araujo is the real deal. Across the 2024/25 Champions League season, he ranked among the top 17% of central defenders for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for tackles per 90 (FBref).

Given Liverpool’s pressing need for more depth and quality in the rearguard, especially with Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain and Jarell Quansah linked with a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, Araujo could be the perfect fit.

The Benfica star’s ball-playing and -carrying strengths indicate a style which Huijsen has performed so well in the Premier League, so now it’s up to FSG to steal ahead of Chelsea in the transfer tussle.

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Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Arsenal and their plans to sign a new striker, amid their widely reported talks for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.

Arsenal hold talks over signing Benjamin Sesko

Near the end of May, it became evident through reliable media sources that Sesko had emerged as Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta’s prime striker target.

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Arsenal entered “concrete” negotiations with Leipzig over a deal for the Slovenia international, who’s fresh off the back of a productive campaign where he scored 21 goals and six assists in all competitions.

Since then, talks have been ongoing and advancing cautiously (Fabrizio Romano), with reliable journalist Ben Jacobs sharing that the major sticking point in this potential transfer is Leipzig’s financial demands.

According to his information, Arsenal want to strike a deal for Sesko at around £60 million, whereas Leipzig want to sell for nearer £70 million.

“They have discussed whether or not there is flexibility beneath the variable release clause, set at the moment around €80 million,” said Jacobs on The Football Terrace last week.

“That’s why that one’s taking time, because Arsenal want to do Sesko for €70 million, or within that ballpark.”

Sesko is also attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, even if his priority is to stay in Europe (The Telegraph), but so far, no middle ground appears to have been found on the final price, despite some reports that the 22-year-old has already agreed personal terms.

If they cannot reach an agreement with Leipzig over Sesko, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres apparently remains on their radar as an alternative.

Viktor Gyokeres on Arsenal list if Benjamin Sesko talks fail

That is according to Romano, who reports in his GiveMeSport newsletter that Gyokeres is on Arsenal’s target list in case talks for Sesko fall through.

“It’s an open race for Gyokeres,” said Romano.

“He remains on Arsenal list in case Sesko deal doesn’t happen, Man United have called his agents again over the weekend.”

The “underrated” and “exciting” 26-year-old bagged an incredible 54 goals and 13 assists last season, spearheading Sporting to their first domestic double win in 20 years, but it is worth noting that he might not be much cheaper than Sesko.

Sporting president Frederico Varandas poured cold water over reports that Gyokeres and the club have an agreement that he can leave for £59 million this summer, telling the Portuguese press that he will indeed cost more.

“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.

“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”

While this comes as a statement which Arsenal need to be aware of, Varandas does guarantee that Gyokeres will leave for less than his £84 million release clause.

“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” said Varandas.

“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now. For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old, and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m euros or 90m euros.”