Not only are Manchester City pushing for a Champions League spot at the end of the season and looking to win the FA Cup, but they are in the final throes of Kevin De Bruyne’s City career.

What an incredible decade it has been for the Belgian in Sky Blue. They have had an incredible amount of success, with De Bruyne at the heart of it all. He has made 414 appearances for the club so far, scoring 106 goals and grabbing an outrageous 176 assists. The peak of the project was in 2022/23, when they won the treble.

Now, City have the unenviable job of replacing the 33-year-old and have already been linked to Morgan Gibbs-White as an option.

The latest on Man City's pursuit of Gibbs-White

It certainly seems as though the Citizens could go all in for Nottingham Forest’s talismanic midfielder, Gibbs-White.

The 25-year-old has been sensational in Garibaldi Red this term, which could earn him a move to the current Premier League champions.

According to the highly reputable David Ornstein, the East Mancunian outfit is one of the players ‘among multiple options’ on City’s list, with players they ‘will consider to replace’ De Bruyne this summer. Another name mentioned was Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz.

It has been an excellent campaign for Gibbs-White in 2024/25, with him and his Forest teammates looking set to qualify for the Champions League.

In total, he has five goals and nine assists in 27 games. City were on the end of one of those assists, a superb cross-field pass to Callum Hudson-Odoi which the winger was able to score from.

At this stage, a price for the England international is unclear. However, he is valued at a price as high as £59m by Football Transfers, and the Citizens could have to pay as much as that if they want to sign him this summer.

Incredibly, Pep Guardiola’s side have a player in a similar position worth even more than Gibbs-White.

Man City's "freak" talent could save them millions on Gibbs-White

In and around the England set-up, the signing of Gibbs-White could certainly be a wise one for City who need to replace De Bruyne and hand the likes of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish more competition.

However, they may already have someone who can fill in behind the striker.

Indeed, it was a busy January transfer window for the Citizens, with Omar Marmoush being one of the headline signings for £59m from Eintracht Frankfurt. The Egyptian, described as a “freak” by football scout Antonio Mango, has hit the ground running at the Etihad Stadium and could be someone who helps to replace the output of the departing De Bruyne.

In just 13 appearances for the East Mancunian outfit so far, Marmoush already has six goals and an assist. That included an unstoppable hat-trick against Newcastle United, with all three goals coming in a span of 15 minutes.

One of the impressive things about the former Eintracht Frankfurt star is his ability to play across the frontline. He has already featured as a left-winger and a number 10, the same position as Gibbs-White plays. In Erling Haaland’s absence due to injury, Marmoush has also slotted in at centre-forward.

It has been a fantastic campaign for the 26-year-old so far with the new City recruit on fire for Eintracht before his move to the Premier League, scoring 20 goals and assisting 14 in just 26 games.

With that being said, it might be no surprise that his underlying numbers on FBref compared to other forwards this season are exceptional.

For example, per 90 minutes, he averages 1.06 goals and assists and 0.86 goal-creating actions, which rank him in the top 3% and 1% of attackers, respectively.

Goals and assists

1.06

97th

Key passes

1.92

97th

Shot-creating actions

4.89

99th

Goal-creating actions

0.86

97th

Take-ons completed

1.97

98th

Marmoush’s talent is undeniable, and he has the numbers to back it up. Thus his value has shot up even from the time he joined City. As per Football Transfers, the attacker is now valued at £75.m.

That is almost £20m more than what City paid for him just weeks ago, and almost £20m more than what Gibbs-Whote is valued at. It is safe to say that the signing of the Egypt star has been a good piece of business from the Citizens, who certainly struck gold on this deal.

Bigger talent than De Bruyne: Man City lead race to sign £87m "superstar"

Manchester City have a huge task in replacing Kevin De Bruyne this summer but have wasted no time in the window.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 8, 2025

In January, Manchester City made a handful of signings who could become the cornerstones of a team entering a new era under Pep Guardiola next season.

With only the FA Cup winnable this season, it has been one of transition for the Spaniard. He did sign a new deal last November, however, indicating that he is looking ahead to a new challenge starting this summer.

The likes of Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez and Abdukodir Khusanov have all proven over the previous few months that they have the required tools to perform for a club like City.

One player who will be departing the Etihad this summer is Kevin De Bruyne, who will end his ten-year association with City when his contract expires.

Guardiola has taken the club to new levels since he arrived in Manchester in 2016 after spells with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

It could also be argued that the main reason he led the team to such heights was having someone like De Bruyne in his squad to begin with.

The numbers behind De Bruyne's staggering Etihad career

Given what the Belgian has achieved with the club since moving to England from Wolfsburg ahead of the 2015/16 season, the playmaker might be one of the most important players in their history.

Think back to Paul Merson’s verdict on the midfielder in 2015, who said: “I like the signing of Fabian Delph, but I think Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne are pathetically overpriced. They have spent £54.5m on De Bruyne – and he’s a player they don’t really need.”

How wrong was he? At the time of writing, De Bruyne has played 415 matches for City, registering 284 goal contributions – 107 goals and 177 assists – in the process. This is a staggering number for the attacking midfielder, meaning he recorded a goal involvement once every 1.46 matches.

During that time, he helped City win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League in 2023. With City getting closer and closer to glory in the latter competition, De Bruyne took matters into his own hands that season, registering eight goal involvements, creating eight big chances and averaging 2.2 key passes per game as they eventually defeated Inter Milan in the final.

He may not have reached this sort of level over the previous two seasons, as injuries have begun to hamper his involvement. Indeed, the midfielder has missed 48 games since August 2023.

Regardless, the 33-year-old is up there among the pantheon of City greats for his contribution over the previous decade.

The question now for Guardiola is, who comes in to replace him next season? And will the club have to pay a fortune for the privilege? Considering the recent news, they might just have found a perfect heir to the Belgian maestro.

Manchester City's perfect De Bruyne replacement

According to the Mirror, officials from Bayer Leverkusen made a visit to the Etihad last week in order to enquire about the availability of duo James McAtee and Stefan Ortega.

Transfer Focus

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

The German side are keen on landing both players during the summer transfer window. As a result, this may give Guardiola an advantage in their pursuit of Florian Wirtz with it being made known during those meetings that City would like to bring him to England.

He has been valued at around £100m by the club, who would prefer him to leave Germany if a deal was reached to sell him, rather than joining Bayern Munich, who are also keen.

City could use McAtee and Ortega as makeweights regarding any prospective deal and, given his success already on the continent, Wirtz could have the same sort of impact that De Bruyne made.

Wirtz has the same sort of qualities as another City legend – David Silva – and if he manages to make a quick impact upon a move to the Premier League, he has the potential to replicate Silva’s success with the club.

Why Florian Wirtz could be City's next David Silva

If De Bruyne took City to new levels during his career with the club, Silva was arguably the catalyst for their golden era.

The diminutive Spaniard may have taken a few months to properly settle into life in Manchester, but he ended his first season with 19 goal contributions as the club won the FA Cup.

From there on, Silva went from strength to strength. Not only did he have an eye for goal, scoring 77 times for the club, but the midfielder was at his best creating chances for others, as evidenced by his 130 assists in 436 matches for City.

Aided by his small centre of gravity, Silva used this to his advantage, getting into dangerous positions with ease. Wirtz could offer something similar to City should he make the move to England this summer.

Hailed as a “mastermind” by talent scout Jacek Kulig during Leverkusen’s stunning 2023/24 campaign, Wirtz has plenty of qualities that are similar to Silva.

Best in an attacking midfield role, just like the Spaniard, Wirtz has the capability to both score and create in equal measure.

Indeed, since making his Leverkusen debut back during the 2019/20 season, the German international has scored 56 goals and grabbed 63 assists in that time.

His club might not win any silverware this season, but the 21-year-old has still managed to create 15 assists in the Bundesliga, along with averaging 1.9 key passes and succeeding with 2.8 dribbles per game.

The transition from an incredible prospect to a genuine world-class talent is now complete. Like Silva before him, Wirtz can take the next step in his career by moving from the continent to England this summer. Just who knows what he might have achieved at this stage next term.

Man City have a "quality" striker to replace Haaland & it's not Marmoush

With Erling Haaland sidelined for a while, Pep Guardiola must entrust Man City “quality” striker to deputise, and it is not Omar Marmoush.

By
Ben Gray

Apr 14, 2025

Liverpool are preparing a massive bid for a “brilliant” holding midfielder who is loved by Pep Guardiola and has been compared to Manchester United star and Real Madrid legend Casemiro, according to a new report.

Liverpool expecting big summer

Despite enjoying a superb first season under Dutch head coach Arne Slot, Liverpool and FSG are not planning to rest on their laurels and are expected to be very busy in the upcoming summer transfer window – especially with a number of players set to leave Anfield.

The most high-profile of the imminent departures is, of course, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who looks likely to join Real Madrid as a free agent at the conclusion of the campaign.

His reported move to the Santiago Bernabeu has split opinion among fans – some feeling the Englishman is deserting his boyhood club, others wishing him luck as he embarks on a new chapter after playing a crucial role in Liverpool’s return to Europe’s elite.

Elsewhere, midfielder Wataru Endo could move on, while Portuguese forward Diogo Jota could also leave, having struggled with persistent injuries and been unable to put together a consistent run of games.

On the incoming front, several names are already being floated.

Liverpool want world's "best player" in £77m deal who'd be Slot’s own Mane

Liverpool are planning to strengthen Arne Slot’s frontline in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 25, 2025

They include Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, West Ham United’s Mohamed Kudus, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak – who is believed to be Liverpool’s top target after a stellar season in which he scored over 25 goals, helped the Magpies lift the EFL Cup, and pushed them to the brink of Champions League qualification.

Liverpool preparing £50m+ Adam Wharton bid

Another player reportedly on Liverpool’s radar is Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.

The Englishman, who has already drawn comparisons to Manchester United star and Real Madrid legend Casemiro, has been superb since joining Palace from Blackburn Rovers in February 2024. His all-action performances in the middle of the park have caught the attention of clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid, and recently earned him a place in the England squad.

According to a new report from The Sun, Liverpool are preparing a £50 million-plus bid for Wharton this summer in an effort to beat out the competition and lure him to Merseyside from Selhurst Park.

The newspaper claims that while Palace have enjoyed an excellent season, reaching the FA Cup final, the lure of Champions League football could prove too strong for Wharton to resist, and that “he may take the chance” to move to Anfield.

Wharton’s performances have earned widespread praise, including from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Speaking ahead of City’s 5-2 win over Palace last month, Pep described the 20-year-old as “an excellent holding midfielder.”

“The impact has been really good, coming from the Championship to the Premier League. Brilliant left foot, a really good player,” Guardiola said.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has now dropped some early team news ahead of Bodo/Glimt, and he has hinted that a key player may not be available.

Europa League or bust for Ange

It was always going to be a daunting task travelling to Anfield to take on a Liverpool side that needed just one point to clinch the Premier League title, but it was yet another dismal performance from Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, suffering a crushing 5-1 defeat.

Courtesy of a third defeat on the spin, Spurs are 16th in the table with just four games left to play, but it appears as though Postecoglou’s job could be safe for the time being, given that his side are in a strong position to win the Europa League.

The Lilywhites picked up a rare clean sheet against Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of the quarter-final, advancing to the final four after a 1-0 victory in Germany, and on paper they have a kind route to the final in Bilbao.

Tottenham serious contenders to sign Premier League star at £50m+ discount

Tottenham are among the main suitors for a winger, whose club are now willing to let him leave this summer.

ByDominic Lund Apr 27, 2025

Postecoglou’s side are set to face Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final, with the Eliteserien champions becoming the first Norwegian side ever to reach the semi-finals of a European competition after defeating Lazio over two legs in dramatic fashion.

The Norwegian side defeated the Italians on penalties at the Stadio Olimpico, progressing to the semi-finals despite losing 3-1 on the night, so they will be confident they are capable of causing Tottenham problems.

As such, Postecoglou will be hoping to have Son Heung-min available for the crucial match, but the manager has now hinted the forward may not be available for the first leg, saying: “It’ll be touch and go for Thursday. He’ll try hard. If [he’s not ready] for the first game we think he’ll be ready for the second game.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Bodo/Glimt (h)

May 1st

West Ham United (a)

May 4th

Bodo/Glimt (a)

May 8th

Crystal Palace (h)

May 11th

Aston Villa (a)

May 18th

"Incredible" Son would be big miss for Spurs

Tottenham may have seriously underperformed in the Premier League this season, but Son has continued to catch the eye with some of his performances, picking up seven goals and ten assists in 28 appearances.

The £190k-per-week forward has impressed throughout the Postecoglou era, with his manager previously lauding him as “incredible”, and he could be a big miss if he is unavailable for the crucial encounter against Bodo/Glimt.

That said, Spurs should have more than enough to progress past the Norwegians regardless, given the disparity between the Premier League and the Eliteserien.

There have been suggestions that Postecoglou is set to face the sack regardless of whether Tottenham win the Europa League, but if they come up short in the semi-final, it would surely be the end of the road for the Australian.

Manchester United are down to the bare bones in attacking areas for the rest of the 2024/25 campaign. Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho are the only natural attacking players left for Ruben Amorim to select from this term, not counting the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount, who can play as number 10s.

Joshua Zirkzee picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend against Newcastle United and could miss the rest of the season. Meanwhile, winger Amad has now been out for some time with an ankle injury.

This will surely bear weight in the transfer window, with United needing to add reinforcements in attack to avoid situations where they are thin on the ground in terms of depth. In fact, they have been linked with one player who could do just that.

Latest on Man Utd's search for a forward

If there is one player who is wanted by a multitude of Premier League clubs during the 2025 summer transfer window, it is Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap. Well, United are certainly one of the sides interested in signing him this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

In fact, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Red Devils have had ‘a major breakthrough’ in their pursuit of the England under-21 star. Their sources suggest United’s ‘package is far more solid’ than any other side in pursuit, with the Old Trafford outfit having moved ahead in the race.

The main competitor to Amorim’s side for Delap’s signature is reportedly Chelsea, as well as their North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

Whichever side wins the race for Delap, they would have to pay just £30m due to a relegation release clause in his contract at Portman Road.

Why Delap would be a good signing

Despite the Tractor Boys’ struggles in the Premier League this term, it has been a season to remember for the former Manchester City academy star Delap. Football statistician Statman Dave believes he is “going straight to the very top”, and there is certainly evidence of that this term.

The 22-year-old has 12 goals and two assists in 31 top-flight appearances this term. That is even more impressive when you consider Kieran McKenna’s side have scored just 33 times in the top flight, with Delap’s 12 an impressive 36% of their goals.

Another thing to note about the England under-21 striker is his ability to score against some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League. This season, he scored twice at home in a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa and also has goals against Spurs and Chelsea.

Should the Red Devils bring Delap to the club this summer, he could prove to be the perfect upgrade on Marcus Rashford. The England international is currently on loan at Aston Villa, where he has an impressive three goals and six assists in 15 games, including this exceptional assist against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Villans boss Unai Emery said it “depends on the circumstances” as to whether he will stay at the club from United. Delap – who has been dubbed a “monster” by teammate Alex Palmer – has enjoyed a more successful campaign in the Premier League than the deadly attacker, who has just five goals and four assists for United and Villa.

So, from a goals and assists point of view, the Ipswich star would arguably improve United’s squad, although Rashford offers lots outside of goal involvements. However, Delap is outscoring Hojlund this term, who has just three top-flight goals.

Not only that, his underlying numbers are better across the board than the United number nine. For example, as per Squawka, he averages 1.2 shots on target and has a 24.49% conversion rate per 90 minutes, compared to Hojlund’s 0.6 shots on target and 17.65% conversion rate each game.

Shots on target

1.2

0.6

Goals

0.5

0.2

Conversion rate

24.49%

17.65%

Chances created

0.8

0.8

Take-ons completed

1.5

0.4

Aerial duels won

2.1

1.2

A deal to sign Delap seems like a perfect move for United. Not only is he cost-efficient, but he is proven in the Premier League and is outperforming some of their biggest stars, including Rashford, when it comes to goals and assists.

This seems like a dream market opportunity for Amorim’s side, who can elevate the squad and make them even more deadly in front of goal.

He's another Fernandes: INEOS readying Man Utd offer for £51m "magician"

Man Utd could be targeting a perfect successor to Bruno Fernandes this summer

ByRobbie Walls Apr 15, 2025

Sheffield United’s place in the Championship Play-Offs was confirmed on Easter Monday after their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor.

The Blades and Sunderland are the two teams confirmed to be in the four-team post-season tournament to compete for a place in the Premier League next season.

Chris Wilder’s side have lost four of their last five matches and have to find a way to rediscover their form ahead of the play-offs, to avoid their season ending in complete disappointment, which could include putting faith in Tom Cannon.

Why Sheffield United should keep starting Tom Cannon

The Ireland international, who joined from Leicester City in the January transfer window, scored his first goal for the club with a thumping finish in the 2-1 defeat to Burnley.

It was his first goal in 13 matches for the club in the Championship, after a return of nine goals during the first half of the campaign on loan at Stoke, and is hopefully a sign of things to come.

Cannon, who scored four goals in one game earlier this season, has scored 20 goals in 68 matches at Championship level, and should be given the nod over Tyrese Campbell.

The English striker has scored ten goals in 32 league games this term, but is currently on a run of zero goals and zero assists in his last five outings, whilst Cannon has hit form with a goal against Burnley.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Instead of unleashing Campbell in an attempt to turn the form around to win the Play-Offs, Wilder should bring Jesurun Rak-Sakyi off the bench to be a difference-maker.

Why Jesurun Rak-Sakyi should start for Sheffield United

The Crystal Palace loanee came off the bench in the defeat to Burnley and should, now, be brought into the starting line-up to replace Ben Brereton Diaz.

Sheffield United will need to be ruthless and effective at the top end of the pitch in their Play-Off outings if they want to earn promotion to the Premier League, which is why Rak-Sayki should be given the nod.

The 22-year-old star, once dubbed “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, could come in to provide more quality than Brereton Diaz in the final third, based on their form in the division this term.

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi has been more effective as a finisher and racked up more than three times as much xA, despite only starting nine more games.

Brereton Diaz, who completed 56% of his passes and lost 100% of his duels against Burnley, does not carry as much of a threat from a wide position, which is why he should be dropped from the side in favour of the English winger.

Sheffield Utd must rue losing star who's now worth more than Hamer

This former Sheffield United star is now worth even more than Gustavo Hamer.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 18, 2025

This change could, then, improve Sheffield United’s chances of winning the Play-Offs in the post-season, because they would have a more effective forward on the pitch by swapping Brereton Diaz for Rak-Sakyi.

Chelsea are set for a huge end to the 2024/25 season. They are within touching distance of a European final, currently leading Swedish side Djurgarden 4-1 on aggregate. Given the tie is at Stamford Bridge, they go into it as strong favourites.

On top of that, Enzo Maresca’s side are pushing for a top-five finish in the Premier League. Sunday’s 3-1 thrashing of newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool was a huge win in that sense.

Then, of course, the Blues are participants in the Club World Cup, where they will face Mexican side Club Leon in their first group game.

With the transfer window opening earlier to accommodate that tournament, the West Londoners could be looking to add to their squad in the coming weeks.

Chelsea target Premier League attacker

There are no lack of options for Maresca in wide areas. So, it might be a surprise that the Blues are looking to add new wingers to their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

Yet, rumours linking them to Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho do not seem to go away.

Now, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Chelsea are thought to be ‘plotting a new move to sign’ the 20-year-old. The Red Devils are ‘open to letting him leave’ this summer, given they need to raise transfer funds of their own.

However, the Argentina international will not come cheap for Chelsea. According to a recent report from The Daily Star, United are likely to ask for a fee as high as £65m from the West Londoners.

Given the Blues have already tried, and failed, to sign Garnacho last January, it seems like they could well meet that demand.

How Garnacho compares to Noni Madueke

It has been a fairly bleak campaign in 2024/25 for United. However, Garnacho has definitely been a bright spark at times. Despite a lull in form around Christmas, he has really picked up again in recent weeks.

This term, the young attacker has managed 11 goals and ten assists across all competitions in 54 appearances. He has scored six times and provided two in the Premier League, having played 34 games in the top flight.

Impressively, there are only seven players under the age of 21 with ten or more goals and ten or more assists this season. That list includes Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Garnacho. His most recent strike came against Brentford, a sublime long-range effort in a 4-3 loss.

Perhaps Garnacho can have a similar impact at Stamford Bridge as Noni Madueke has made this term. The former PSV Eindhoven star has also been in electric form this term, and has managed to chalk up 11 goals and five assists in all competitions.

Former Bues player Jason Cundy was full of praise for Madueke recently, after his goal against Djurgarden in the 4-1 Conference League thrashing.

The defender-turned-pundit explained that, as a defender, you know that “when he goes past you, he stays past you”, suggesting he is hard to keep quiet.

Interestingly, there can be statistical comparisons drawn, courtesy of FBref, between United’s number 17, Garnacho, and Chelsea man Madueke.

For example, Garnacho averages 0.21 goals per shot on target and 1.47 key passes per 90 minutes. In comparison, Madueke averages 0.23 goals per shot on target and 1.49 key passes each game.

Goals per shot on target

0.21

0.23

Key passes

1.47

1.49

Shot-creating actions

3.4

3.77

Progressive carries

5.84

7.06

Ball recoveries

4.54

3.58

There are certainly similarities between Garnacho and Madueke, and they could both play together, given they favour opposite flanks. If the Argentine star can have anyhwere close to the impact the English winger has made at Stamford Bridge, it will have been a successful signing.

Although £65m is a steep fee, Garnacho is a “special talent” according to football statistician Statman Dave, and Chelsea might not want to miss out on this market opportunity.

He could be the new Robben: Chelsea plan big offer for "deadly" £51m star

Chelsea are looking to strenghten in attack

ByJoe Nuttall May 6, 2025

Whenever Manchester City have lifted the Premier League title aloft during Pep Guardiola’s glittering reign to date, these major title wins have always been won on the basis of a stern defence, alongside possessing some top-notch attackers.

Indeed, City’s sizeable points haul of 98 come the end of the 2018/19 season saw just 23 goals given up. On the contrary, when fast forwarding to today’s choppy campaign, the usually stern champions have leaked a far higher 43 with three fixtures still left to play.

This could culminate in Guardiola changing up his defensive options soon to prepare for next season, with a fresh goalkeeper one target that’s surely on his mind.

Man City's pursuit of a new goalkeeper

The Spaniard has already been tinkering with his defensive set-up away from the potential of more new signings entering through the door, with faces such as Nico O’Reilly becoming a regular in the back four as an attack-focused full-back.

But, he won’t be done there when it comes to freshening up his XI, with goalkeeper targets such as Porto shot-stopper Diogo Costa reportedly on the agenda.

A move for Costa hasn’t got off the ground by all accounts, leaving City looking for other stoppers who could do a job over the expected departee of Ederson, with Paris St Germain star Gianluigi Donnarumma now listed as one of their main targets in between the sticks.

Indeed, reports from Italy suggest that Guardiola and Co are keen admirers of the 6 foot 5 ‘keeper who is just fresh off helping Luis Enrique’s men reach a Champions League final at the expense of Arsenal.

He could well be locking horns with the Gunners again very soon if a move to the Etihad comes to fruition, with City hopeful that a new presence in goal can work wonders, much like Vincent Kompany managed in defence over many celebrated years after joining way back in 2008.

Why Donnarumma could be the best defensive buy since Kompany

Obviously, it goes without saying that the Belgian centre-back is royalty in the light blue contingent of Manchester, with the now-retired defender a stalwart of many a successful City side even before Guardiola’s inspired arrival.

In total, the 89-time Belgium international would notch up a colossal 360 appearances for the Citizens, with a mammoth 167 wins also coming his way in the Premier League from 265 clashes.

A classy performer that was just designed for the big occasion, as is seen in his wonder goal versus Leicester City clinching his fourth and final top-flight success – Kompany also offered some much-needed defensive solidity in spades, with a bumper 94 clean sheets tallied up in Premier League action.

Donnarumma will hope he can walk into the building and be as transformative for City’s fortunes, with Ederson only keeping a weak ten clean sheets this campaign from 34 overall contests.

Donnarumma’s career numbers

Club/country

Games

Goals conceded

Clean sheets

PSG

152

151

50

AC Milan

251

265

88

Italy

72

63

29

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Whereas, the Italy captain – away from his heroics against Mikel Arteta’s men – has managed to pick up one more clean sheet than his City counterpart lining up for PSG, adding to his ever-growing career clean sheet total of 167 subsequently.

Once heralded as “world class” when starring for his nation by commentator Matteo Bonetti, Donnarumma’s addition to the ranks could also help City reclaim their authority as serial trophy winners, with the 26-year-old currently six trophies deep into his stay in the French capital, away from terrorising England during Italy’s 2021 Euro success.

Lauded further by Enrique as “one of the best goalkeepers in the world”, City would really show they mean business if they landed the alert ‘keeper.

Just remember the trophy-winning difference Alisson made at Liverpool; Donnarumma could be their equivalent in the present day, boosting Pep’s defence just as Kompany did all those years ago.

Related The next Sane: Man City looking at signing "special" £33m winger for Pep

Pep Guardiola might be about to land his next iteration of Leroy Sane with this Manchester City buy.

Posts ByKelan Sarson May 7, 2025

Manchester City have not set the Premier League alight by their lofty standards this season, but there are still some positive green shoots beginning to appear.

Indeed, the likes of Nico O’Reilly and Omar Marmoush have settled in swimmingly to first-team life in Manchester, with the exciting academy product a first-team regular now, alongside his entertaining Egyptian teammate who already has six Premier League goals to his name.

That’s the case despite the City number seven only being on the books of Pep Guardiola’s men since January, meaning there will plenty of optimism in the air that deals happening this coming transfer window can be equally as impactful.

How Man City could replace De Bruyne in the transfer window

The main area of the pitch that could do with some reinforcements is the number ten spot with Kevin De Bruyne edging ever closer to exiting the Etihad the more the season ticks away.

This has led City down the path of pursuing some statement buys with both names such as Florian Wirtz and Morgan Gibbs-White on their agenda to try and adequately replace the constant heroics of De Bruyne.

But, Guardiola’s titans could plug the gap left behind by their iconic Belgian by snapping up Sporting winger Francisco Trincao instead, despite the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man’s main preference to line up down the flanks.

The Portuguese was linked with a move to the Etihad earlier this week but it won’t be an easy deal to get over the line.

That’s because top four rivals Newcastle United and Arsenal are also after the wide forward, while city rivals Manchester United have a vested interest too.

Transfer Focus

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Why Trincao could replace De Bruyne's creativity

If Trincao were to relocate back to the Premier League, he would have a burning desire to prove any naysayers wrong after a turbulent stint at Molineux.

After all, the 25-year-old attacker – who was once hailed as “special” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – has proven himself to be an assist king ever since returning to his native Portugal, which could lead to De Bruyne’s sad exit being quickly forgotten about.

The on-fire Sporting number 17 was more cold than hot donning a Wolves strip, with Trincao only capable of picking up a mere three goals and one assist from 30 appearances for the Old Gold, before then retreating to a more comfortable environment in Lisbon.

Now, he is front and centre of Sporting’s devastating attacking arsenal alongside goal machine Viktor Gyokeres, with this season alone seeing the reinvigorated forward pick up a substantial 18 assists from 51 total contests.

His career total of 53 assists – away from this season’s count – is some way off eclipsing De Bruyne’s unbelievable 177 tally at the Etihad, but the powers that be at City will just pray he can be as classy as the departing 33-year-old when cutting defences open if he joins, having also once been openly praised as “really exciting” by Wolves technical director Scott Sellars.

RW

171

27

36

LW

53

11

6

SS

24

7

3

RM

11

0

1

CF

8

3

1

LM

6

1

2

AM

1

0

0

To further back up Trincao as a likely heir to De Bruyne’s playmaking throne, the Portuguese superstar has also shown across his career to date that he can shine in multiple different positions.

Of course, the assist-heavy Belgian is most commonly known as lining up as a number ten for Guardiola’s giants, but he has lined up in eight different positions during his lengthy stay at the club, including as a main striker in recent times, a role Trincao can fulfil too.

Therefore, this is yet another box that Trincao ticks if he’s going to be the next ace up Guardiola’s sleeve, similar to De Bruyne’s high standards.

Adding in a player of the 25-year-old’s creative calibre can only be a positive for those at City, with a further low price-tag next to his name of just £34m making this potential summer move a must to complete.

Their answer to Wirtz: Man City preparing bid for "world-class" £85m star

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ByKelan Sarson May 8, 2025

It’s been coming. Liverpool have enjoyed the most incredible of campaigns, FSG hitting the jackpot with their appointment of Arne Slot, but in keeping with the yearly routine, the season has produced a bitter pill for the fanbase to swallow.

Last year, it was a tired Jurgen Klopp’s decision to step down after nearly nine illustrious years at the helm. 12 months earlier, Liverpool waved goodbye to Bobby Firmino, with the core of Anfield’s midfield all departing too.

Now, Trent Alexander-Arnold has decided to leave Liverpool at the end of his contract this summer, and while it hasn’t been set in stone, he will sign for Real Madrid on a free transfer.

Why Alexander-Arnold is leaving Liverpool

Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool journey has been synonymous with the club’s ascension under Klopp’s wing. The German gaffer birthed Trent onto the senior stage, handing him his debut across every competition for the Reds.

He’s won it all, but the 26-year-old’s decision to leave Liverpool and the peak of their (and his) powers is something that many fans aren’t going to be able to accept.

Premier League

257

18

67

Champions League

60

2

13

FA Cup

13

1

3

Carabao Cup

10

0

6

Europa League

5

0

2

Club World Cup

2

0

1

CL Qualifying

2

0

1

Community Shield

2

1

0

UEFA Super Cup

1

0

0

FSG did everything in their power to keep him on the books, reportedly offered him a healthy upgrade on his £180k-per-week contract, showcased an ambitious plan led by Slot, whose tactical grasp Trent has been dazzled by.

In the end, he just wanted to leave.

We could pick at it all day but the truth is that Alexander-Arnold feels he has given two decades of his life to his football club and won the lot. He believes that this is the right time for a change, and Real Madrid usually get what they want.

Sky Sports have even suggested that playing in Los Blancos white is something of a lifelong ambition for the England international, whose sights have likely been set on a move for a few years now, in one way or another.

Sporting director Richard Hughes will take his time in working with Slot and deciding on the best route forward at right-back. For now, though, he is looking to sign another defender nice and swiftly.

Liverpool lining up new defender

The Premier League champions are gearing up for a big summer, and the perfect way to put Alexander-Arnold’s decision in the background would be to win the race for Dean Huijsen.

Bournemouth’s star centre-back has been one of the breakthrough stars of the season, thriving on the South Coast. He has a £50m release clause in his contract and is being pursued by all of England’s heaviest hitters.

Certain reports have suggested Chelsea have the edge but according to Fabrizio Romano, the race is very much on, and Liverpool are in need of a new up-and-coming defensive star.

Why Dean Huijsen could be a bigger talent than Trent

Huijsen hasn’t been in the Premier League for long, but he’s already being head-hunted by the best of the best and this is all down to his performances on the pitch.

How Juventus must regret their decision to sell the 20-year-old to Bournemouth in a £15m deal last summer, for he has featured prominently in a Cherries side chasing Europe, with journalist Henry Winter even noting that he “shackled [Alexander] Isak on ground and in the air” back in January.

Sofascore record that Huijsen has won 61% of his aerial battles in the Premier League this season, also averaging 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game, so it’s clear he’s able to produce the goods against the best of the best with consistency. One analyst has already declared that he’s going to be “world-class” in the coming years.

His latest showstopping game, a 2-1 win over Arsenal away from home, highlighted many of the qualities that have piqued the interest of so many clubs, notably scoring the equalising goal.

It was a statement display, not just the architect of the Emirates fall through his headed goal, but an all-round display that negated much of the Gunners’ attacking play.

A big-game player, dynamic as they come, Huijsen is already demonstrating an ability that could see him slot right into Liverpool’s starting line-up, fostering his talents over the coming years to eventually become an even bigger star than Alexander-Arnold.

With some suggesting that he has everything he needs to become “the ultimate modern-day centre back,” Huijsen could actually rise to an even higher level than Alexander-Arnold, should he make the move to Liverpool.

That’s not actually to detract from the Three Lions star’s skill set: Trent is a one-of-a-kind player, with a celestial range of passing that has been so important across a sustained period of success at Anfield.

But Huijsen, too, is showing himself to be a unique player. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 7% of defenders in the Premier League this season for goal contributions, the top 16% for progressive passes, the top 13% for progressive carries, the top 6% for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for blocks and clearances per 90.

It’s not difficult to see why Liverpool (and all the rest) have a vested interest in securing his services as he steps toward footballing maturity.

Surpassing Alexander-Arnold’s legacy would take quite an effort from a young Spaniard like Huijsen (born in the Netherlands), but the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have already arrived as foreigners and established themselves as heroes for the ages.

Huijsen could repeat the trick, outstripping Alexander-Arnold in doing so.

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