Wolves host already-relegated Norwich in the Premier League this afternoon with Bruno Lage’s men looking to end the season strongly after a run of five games without a win.
The Molineux outfit have been in poor form of late, shipping ten goals in their last three matches having conceded just 29 in the 33 games prior.
But against a side whose fate is already sealed in the Canaries, Wolves have an excellent chance to sign off in front of their home fans with a victory.
But who is available for Lage’s side and how will the Portuguese opt to set his team up?
Injury News
According to Premier Injuries, both Max Kilman and Nelson Semedo have been ruled out for the season with respective issues whilst defender Romain Saiss could also miss the final two games of the campaign.
However, the Moroccan’s absence will be particularly painful for the Wolves faithful. The defender is likely to leave this summer with his contract set to expire next month.
The only other likely absentee is Daniel Podence who is nursing a foot injury.
Wolves Predicted XI
After a thumping 5-1 defeat by Manchester City at Molineux on Wednesday night, Lage could be tempted to make wholesale changes. However, we expect the 46-year-old to make just a few alterations…
The defensive trio keep their place with Saiss still absent whilst Chiquinho also stays in the side after an impressive full Premier League debut on Wednesday despite the heavy defeat and registered two assists in the draw with Chelsea.
Dendoncker, Neves and Moutinho all keep their spots in midfield too whilst there is a change at left-wing-back with Marcal coming in for Rayan Ait-Nouri.
The £33k-per-week 20-year-old, labelled as “immature” by Wolves legend Steve Bull in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, had a poor outing vs Manchester City and has struggled for consistency of late.
As for Marcal, the 33-year-old is set to leave Molineux with his contract expiring next month and therefore deserves the chance to play in front of the Wolves supporters one last time.
Then the second change comes up front as Fabio Silva comes back into the fold in place of Pedro Neto alongside Raul Jimenez.
Although the 19-year-old is yet to score this season, he was crowned as Wolves’ player of the month for April and has shown glimmers of the potential that tempted to the West Midlands club to fork out a club record £35.6m almost two years ago.
This afternoon’s match proves to be a good opportunity for Wolves to sign off at home with a victory whilst also allowing players set to depart the opportunity to say goodbye one last time.
AND in other news: Forget Neto: Lage must now unleash Wolves £26k-p/w “top player” who’s “got everything”
Former Scotland striker Frank McAevnnie has made a claim involving Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch’s future beyond the end of the current campaign.
The lowdown: A tough act to follow
Appointed in February following the departure of Elland Road favourite Marcelo Bielsa, the American was always swimming against the tide somewhat in Yorkshire.
The 48-year-old has taken charge of 11 matches since arriving at the club, picking up three wins and an average points per game ratio of 1.09, better than his predecessor’s 0.88 during the 2021/22 season.
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Despite the slight upturn in fortunes since his arrival, Marsch is still under extreme pressure as Leeds stare down the barrel of relegation, with just one point separating the Whites and 18th-placed Burnley.
The latest: Writing on the wall?
Speaking to Football Insider, former West Ham United and Celtic striker McAvennie claimed that Marsch won’t be at the club next term.
The 62-year-old said: “It’s not looking good, is it? Burnley and Everton look like they have turned a corner and Leeds are getting worse.
“They are pretty much going down in my opinion. The manager has done absolutely nothing. The whole thing about him coming in was that he was meant to stop Leeds conceding loads of goals, that hasn’t happened.
“I don’t think it’s worked out for him and it seems like the fans have turned on him. I don’t expect he will be there next season either way, it hasn’t worked.”
The verdict: Stay of execution needed
Having been handed a late lifeline by Pascal Struijk’s last-gasp equaliser against Brighton over the weekend, the Whites’ survival hopes have been lifted heading into the final week of a testing campaign.
However, regardless of whether or not Leeds preserve their top-flight status, Marsch will surely be granted the opportunity to oversee a rebuild in the summer.
Both Bielsa and the former RB Leipzig boss have had to cope with squads decimated by injuries to key players and more recently suspensions, making the job almost impossible with such a small pool of Premier League-ready players available.
Whilst it would be a bitter pill to swallow should Leeds make an untimely return to the Championship, Marsch wouldn’t wholly be to blame and therefore would be deserving of the chance to bring the Whites straight back, and he certainly must stay in situ should the drop be avoided.
In other news: Leeds want this powerful 12-goal striker who is ‘ideal’ for the Championship
An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen ahead of the summer transfer window…
What’s the talk?
Calcio Mercato reporter Daniele Longo has revealed that the Magpies are set to swoop for the Nigerian centre-forward.
He Tweeted: “Il #Newcastle pronto a fare una offerta al Napoli per Osimhen.”
This roughly translates to “The Newcastle ready to make an offer to Napoli for Osimhen.”
It has been reported that the Italian club will be looking for a fee in the region of €100m (£85m) but it remains to be seen how much the Toon are willing to offer.
Eddie Howe would love him
The Magpies head coach would love the attacker at Newcastle next season as he has proven his quality throughout the season with Napoli and has the potential to get better.
In the Serie A this season, he has scored 13 goals in 22 starts for the Italian side and averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.18. He has been a consistent performer, and goalscorer, in the division as he has been able to deliver the goods on a regular basis, earning plenty of plaudits along the way.
Former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo previously showered his international teammate with praise, saying:
“He’s the future, he’s going to do so well in football. I love him, he’s down to earth, he’s hard-working, he has a future and he has the mentality of a winner, that’s what I love about him.
“He has that lion’s heart. I love him, I just want him to keep working hard the way he’s doing, he’s going to break so many records in Europe and Nigeria.”
He was also dubbed a “thoroughbred bomber” by Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti and these comments from his manager and teammate highlight how impressive he has been.
Meanwhile, Callum Wilson is Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League with six strikes this term and this illustrates how badly Howe needs a consistent goalscorer to bolster his squad. He would, therefore, love Osimhen as the forward is exactly what he is missing, as proven by his excellent form so far for the Serie A giants this season.
At the age of 23, the Nigerian also has time on his side to continue his development. He can hone his finishing skills and improve his consistency, with the ex-Bournemouth boss potentially getting the chance to play a part in helping him fulfil his potential.
AND in other news, Howe plotting NUFC swoop for £9m-rated “goal machine”, he’s a huge upgrade on Wood…
Adama Traore was living the dream when he secured a loan move back to his first club, Barcelona.
The Wolves winger’s return to Spain acted as a catalyst that kickstarted the rejuvenation of his career and his blazing start to life in Catalonia saw a player who was enjoying his football.
Though that positive start has slowly turned sour and, according to the latest reports, it could get even worse for Adama.
What’s the word?
A report from Spanish outlet, Sport, claims that Adama was “very upset after not even warming up against Mallorca.”
The 26-year-old was seen talking to Xavi’s brother after the game against Los Piratas, with Adama visibly upset at his lack of game time.
Sport state that with his impact on the team’s game gradually falling, the La Masia graduate has been affected on an emotional level.
On the Chalkboard
The narrative around Traore’s journey and his quest to get back to Barcelona has been one that has denoted that of football romanticism.
Though, in this chapter – in fact – in this book, it looks as though it is not meant to be for the Spain international with Malian descent.
Traore, who was described by Jurgen Klopp as “unplayable” has played 38 minutes over the last five La Liga games for Barcelona – not starting even once during that time.
Back at Wolves, Francisco Trincao has disappointed, to the extent where the Old Gold will most likely allow the Portugal international to return back to parent-club Barcelona and reject the chance to buy the 22-year-old.
With Adama most likely returning from his loan spell, Lage will have the opportunity to start over with an ambitious winger determined to prove Xavi wrong.
The £25.2m-rated winger is unique, not just in build, but in the way he moves the ball.
Despite playing half of the season for Wolves before departing for Barcelona, he registered an average of seven successful dribbles per 90, which to this day is still the highest metric amongst the Wolves squad and the Premier League – bettering Trincao’s total average of three per game – and topping the charts above Allan Saint-Maximin’s second highest average of 4.9 dribbles per game.
After the Trincao experiment failed – he has scored just once in the league – Lage should do everything he can to keep Adama at the Molineux next season and look to get the best out of such a direct, attacking threat.
At this point, the physically adept winger just needs to be nurtured and appreciated.
In other news: Wolves could be “in the market” to sign £30m “lion”, he’s a huge upgrade on Jimenez
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has had his say on Tottenham and their managerial situation this week amid the pressure on Thomas Frank.
Tottenham urged to replace Frank after underwhelming start
Frank’s troubled tenure at Tottenham received a dramatic lifeline on Tuesday night as captain Cristian Romero’s shinned overhead kick in added time salvaged a 2-2 draw at Newcastle, ending a run of three consecutive defeats across all competitions.
The Argentine defender twice hauled Spurs back from behind at St James’ Park, first with a lovely diving header at the near post on 78 minutes before his bicycle kick rescued a point that looked unlikely when Anthony Gordon buried a controversial penalty just four minutes from full-time.
Despite the heroics, last night’s result does little to ease the mounting pressure on Frank, with certain sections of supporters still urging the board to make a change.
Tottenham remain 11th in the Premier League table with 19 points, having failed to win any of their last five matches across all competitions, and their performance in the North East wasn’t exactly convincing.
Their creativity problems persisted, with Spurs having just two shots on target that turned out to be both of Romero’s goals.
Reports suggest that the Lewis family, who recently pumped £100 million of capital into the club via ENIC shareholdings, are prepared to back Frank with new attackers in January to solve this glaring issue.
16. Burnley
2
1
3
7
-1
17. Nottingham Forest
2
1
4
7
-5
18. West Ham
2
0
5
6
-9
19. Tottenham
1
2
4
5
-1
20. Wolves
0
1
5
1
10
Tottenham are believed to be eyeing a move for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, amid news of his £65 million release clause which will be active in the early stages of January.
Spurs are also ‘intent’ on trying to sign FC Porto sensation Samu Aghehowa, who’s scored 37 goals since the start of last season and has been compared to former Chelsea star Diego Costa.
Tottenham could prove 'irresistible' to manager who Levy was urged to hire before Frank
He’s on the verge of leaving his current club.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025
However, doubts around Frank’s suitability for the job are ever-present among critics, with ex-Spurs defender Ramon Vega recently claiming that the Dane doesn’t have what it takes to lead the north Londoners.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is believed to be a tactician of interest to Tottenham, but Carragher believes that another Premier League manager would fit in seamlessly.
Jamie Carragher says he's always imagined Marco Silva at Tottenham
Speaking on the latest edition of The Overlap podcast, Carragher suggests that Fulham’s Marco Silva is potentially a match made in heaven.
The Portuguese, who’s out of contract in 2026, has worked wonders on a shoe-string budget after guiding the west Londoners back to Premier League football in 2022.
Fulham even briefly contended for a Champions League place last season, with the Cottagers now six points clear of the drop zone despite spending less than any other English side bar Aston Villa in the summer.
Those who’ve worked with Silva have called him a ‘master’ tactician as well, so you can’t help but wonder if the 48-year-old would do a better job in Frank’s stead.
With little sign of a contract extension, and Silva consistently criticising Fulham’s transfer policy in recent seasons, the door could well open for Spurs here.
Leeds United will not head into the international break on the back of a positive result, but they will head into it off the back of a positive performance against Tottenham Hotspur.
The result did not fall their way, because of deflected goals from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus, but it was a performance that should have left supporters feeling positive heading into the rest of October.
The Whites were incredibly unfortunate to come away from the clash at Elland Road with nothing because they created enough chances to potentially win the game, let alone to get a point.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was guilty of missing a huge opportunity to score in the first-half when he fired high and wide after Noah Okafor won the ball back in the Spurs box.
Possession
57%
43%
Shots
16
9
Shots on target
4
3
Big chances
4
1
xG
1.68
0.43
Passes
478
374
As you can see in the table above, that was one of four ‘big chances’ created by the hosts, and Okafor was the only player who managed to convert one.
That goal from the Switzerland international was ‘created’ by Brenden Aaronson’s shot that was spilled by Guglielmo Vicario, in what was another promising display from the USA international.
How Brenden Aaronson has revived his Leeds career
It is fair to say that there were doubts over whether or not the American attacking midfielder would be a useful player for Daniel Farke in the Premier League heading into the 2025/26 campaign.
As you can see in the graphic above, Aaronson failed to deliver a single goal or assist in ten appearances against the other five teams in the top six in the Championship last season, which shows that he struggled against high-quality opponents.
The 24-year-old lightweight also managed just one goal and three assists in 36 appearances in the Premier League for the Whites in the 2022/23 campaign under Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce, per Sofascore.
Farke changing the system from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 cast further doubt over Aaronson’s potential involvement this season, as he played as a number ten in last term’s promotion-winning side.
However, the former RB Salzburg star has found a home for himself on the right wing in the 4-3-3 system, starting four Premier League matches so far, and has shown signs of promise on the pitch.
Appearances
7
Starts
4
Big chances created
3
xA
0.81
Assists
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.2
Ground duel success rate
53%
As you can see in the table above, Aaronson is unfortunate not to have an assist to his name in the division, as he has created three ‘big chances’ in four starts so far.
The Leeds winger has also provided quality out of possession with his impressive work rate on the flank, winning 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and the majority of his physical battles on the deck.
His work rate off the ball and the creativity that he has shown with the ball at his feet has helped him to revive his Premier League career with the Whites this season.
Aaronson is not the only player who appears to have revived his career at Elland Road, though, as another star has emerged as a surprise key player for Farke.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
An injury to summer signing Lucas Perri has provided Karl Darlow with a run of matches to prove himself in the Premier League, and he has shown that he can be relied upon to be the team’s number one.
How Karl Darlow has revived his Leeds career
The Wales international joined the Whites from Newcastle United on a permanent deal in the summer of 2023 to be the back-up to Illan Meslier in the Championship.
Darlow started one match in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, because Meslier was suspended, and started the 2024/25 campaign as the second-choice once again.
However, the Frenchman’s poor form between the sticks meant that the Welshman was eventually given an opportunity to shine. He kept four clean sheets and prevented 0.74 goals, per Sofascore, in seven outings in the second tier as Leeds earned promotion to the Premier League.
The Whites then swooped to sign Perri from Lyon for £15.6m in the summer transfer window to be their new number one, which suggested that they did not believe that Darlow could make the step up. Unfortunately, Leeds United’s new signing endured a difficult start to life at Elland Road, conceding 1.99 more goals than expected in his first three appearances, per Sofascore, before picking up an injury.
That injury has provided the Wales international with a chance to prove himself and he has grasped it with both gloves, impressing in several matches in the Premier League.
Darlow, who was hailed as “superb” by reporter Graham Smyth, was even nominated for save of the month for September with his terrific acrobatic stop to prevent Kevin from opening the scoring for Fulham.
During the 3-1 win over Wolves, Smyth claimed that the goalkeeper was doing his best Superman impression, as he “brilliantly” tipped a shot over the bar.
Appearances
3
4
Sofascore rating
6.07
6.90
Save success rate
38%
67%
Saves made
3
12
Goals prevented
-2.0
-1.9
Long pass accuracy
33%
40%
As you can see in the table above, Darlow has outperformed Perri in his outings in the Premier League this season, both as an out-and-out shot-stopper as well as with his distribution out from the back.
-1.9 goals prevented may not jump out as an impressive statistic for the Welshman, but it is worth noting that he ended the Spurs game with -1.40 goals prevented, which was harsh given that Pascal Struijk deflected both goals past the goalkeeper.
His overall statistics, though, show that he has been more effective than Perri between the sticks for Leeds, which is why Farke should keep him in the XI even when the Frenchman is back and available for selection.
Leeds eyeing Chris Wood return in January deal as Nottingham Forest future in doubt
The Whites are looking to complete a deal for an experienced forward.
BySean Markus Clifford Oct 4, 2025
Therefore, Darlow has revived his career at Elland Road by stepping up and taking his chance when it came his way, delivering quality performances in the Premier League, and, hopefully, there is more to come from the 34-year-old.
It wasn’t a vintage performance from Arsenal last night, but they did what they needed to do against Port Vale and are through to the Fourth Round of the League Cup.
With that said, while much of the team underwhelmed against the League One side, Myles Lewis-Skelly was one of those who didn’t.
For example, he got the faintest of touches on the ball that led to Eberechi Eze’s goal, and then, across the 94 minutes, completed 76 of 78 passes, was successful in 100% of his dribbles, and won 100% of his duels.
It was the sort of showing that should remind fans and pundits alike just how special a talent the Hale Ender really is.
Moreover, it’s a testament to him that he’s already an established first-teamer, as Arsenal had a young prospect who some could say was the original Lewis-Skelly a few years ago, and he eventually left the club for nothing.
Lewis-Skelly's incredible rise at Arsenal
It’s almost hard to believe, but at this point last year, Lewis-Skelly had played just a minute of senior competitive football for Arsenal when he came off the bench against Manchester City in the league.
Impressively, though, and perhaps as an indication of his willingness to get stuck in, the teenager actually received a yellow card early on in that game before he’d even made his debut for telling his teammates to stay down from the sidelines.
His first start for the club came a year ago tonight, however, as Arteta put him in from the start against Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup, and it didn’t take long for him to play a brilliant ball into Raheem Sterling, which led to an Ethan Nwaneri goal.
Over the next few months, the young Englishman would become more and more critical to the team, as persistent injuries to Riccardo Calafiori gave him the time to cement the left-back position as his own.
In fact, the teenager was so impressive in red and white that he was handed his first senior England cap in March of this year, when he made his debut against Albania and scored his first international goal.
The “fearless” academy star, as dubbed by Declan Rice, ended up making 39 first-team appearances last season and already has four under his belt this year, looking like he could really be going to the World Cup in the summer.
In all, Arsenal have an incredible talent on their hands in Lewis-Skelly, and he looks destined to reach the top of the game, unlike another young defensive prospect they had who eventually left for nothing.
Arsenal's original Lewis-Skelly
As with every major club, Arsenal has had numerous promising young academy talents who have struggled to make the transition to the first team.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.
Unfortunately, that was what happened in the case of the very talented Reuell Walters.
Before joining the Gunners academy set-up in 2020, the 20-year-old ace spent 18 months without a team following a failed move to Manchester United after he left Tottenham Hotspur.
However, that time out of junior football seemingly made no difference to his ability when he did make it to Hale End.
For example, across the almost four years he spent with the Gunners, the Lambeth-born gem made 55 appearances for the U21S, 20 for the U18S and five for the UEFA Youth League squads.
Moreover, he was very highly rated by those in the know, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “ball-carrying monster” who “loves to drive up the pitch with conviction, brushing off challengers and shielding the ball with his body.”
U21
55
U18
20
UEFA YL
5
Total
80
Mattinson then goes on to claim the youngster’s “passing ability is technically secure” and that he “looks to play long balls over the top of the opponent’s defence to switch play.”
In other words, he was seen as a young full-back who was tough on the ball, could carry it with ease and still had a killer pass in his locker, which sounds a lot like Lewis-Skelly.
However, even though he was an unused substitute on a number of occasions, it was clear that the young Englishman wanted more first-team football. As a result, he turned down a new contract and instead joined Luton Town for free in July 2024.
Since then, he’s made 20 appearances for the Hatters, and while that might not sound like much, he is still young and missed 15 games through injury last season.
Ultimately, it’s now clear that Walters was never going to hit the levels of Arsenal’s recent Hale End stars, but given his age and the skills he has, there is every chance he can still have a great career in the game.
Liverpool have put paid to any notion of second-season syndrome under Arne Slot’s wing by attacking the transfer market with vicious intent.
The Reds surpassed expectations by winning the Premier League last term, and they did without a proper focal frontman. Sure, Luis Diaz filled in nicely as a false nine, but Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota both flattered to deceive, and the former is at risk of being sold.
Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota converse on the bench
If and when that happens, Liverpool will need to sign a new centre-forward, and though Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak appears to be off the market after securing a route back into the Champions League.
A whole host of names have been linked with a move to Anfield, and one of the most recent belongs to Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, having reportedly made contact with the Swedish goalscorer in May.
Manchester United currently lead the race, and maybe that hints the 27-year-old might not be the best option on the market for the Merseysiders.
Still, Liverpool desperately need a new number nine.
Why Liverpool need a striker
Last season, Mohamed Salah led Liverpool to the Premier League title. Football is a team sport, and the sum of a brilliant team is greater than its individual parts, but the Egyptian King proved an exception to that rule.
Across 52 matches in all competitions, Salah scored 34 goals and supplied his teammates with 23 assists. He leapt his way into the upper level of the all-time Premier League scoring charts, now fifth with 186 goals, one strike behind Andy Cole and two ahead of the retired Sergio Aguero.
His talismanic campaign, making good on a promise, has crowned him a two-time English league winner, picking up the sweeping gamut of individual accolades too.
Why does this matter? We were going to discuss Liverpool’s interest in a new striker, after all. Well, Liverpool’s main man turns 33 in just a few days, and though he’s extended his record-breaking contract by two years, he cannot be expected to heave the bulk of his attacking peers in the same way.
Liverpool need someone more reliable than Nunez, who only scored seven goals last term. The likes of Gyokeres have been touted, sure, but Liverpool might have found an even better option.
Liverpool hold talks for new striker
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are still interested in Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Hugo Ekitike, despite Chelsea making all the noise in recent weeks.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
In fact, the reporter claims Liverpool have “held concrete talks with the player’s camp”, perhaps just awaiting clarity on the futures of their expendable forwards.
The major sticking point is that Frankfurt want €100m (£84m) for their rising star, but given that he’s yet to fully grow into his skin, this perhaps skates beyond the line of plausibility.
Why Liverpool should sign Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike only scored four goals across 33 senior outings for Paris Saint-Germain, thus choosing to make his name away from the bloated Parisian superpower.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
He hasn’t looked back. After finishing the 2023/24 campaign in good form, Ekitike stepped into his first full term on strong footing, wrapping things up with 22 goals and 12 assists across 48 fixtures.
Once hailed as “the next Mbappe” by journalist Graeme Bailey, it’s easy to see why he’s held in such high regard, fostering a keen-edged offensive style and marrying it with his rounded underlying qualities.
Sporting’s Gyokeres might be among the hottest commodities on the market, but Liverpool’s data-driven system would be sure to reveal Ekitike as the more desirable pick.
Matches (starts)
33 (31)
Goals
15
Assists
7
Shots (on target)*
3.5 (1.5)
Big chances missed
16
Pass completion
76%
Big chances created
12
Key passes*
1.3
Dribbles*
1.6
Duels won*
4.2
The key thing is he’s finding his feet in front of goal and boasts a combative and creative underlying skill set. For sure, Gyokeres has proven to be a more clinical goalscorer in Portugal, but Ekitike’s multi-faceted game suggests his ceiling his higher, having already been hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as “one of the best centre-forwards out there.”
Further to that point, Nunez was as prolific as they come for Benfica before Liverpool paid the big bucks to bring him over to England, scoring 34 goals across 41 games in 2021/22.
Ekitike, however, bespeaks completeness through his data. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 10% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last year for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive carries and successful take-ons and the top 19% for ball recoveries per 90.
Athletic and dynamic, the archetype for greatness is right there, especially when considering he’s five years Gyokeres’ junior too.
Eintracht Frankfurt's HugoEkitikecelebrates
Journalist Bence Bocsak recently discussed Anfield’s interest in the “unique talent”, going on to say, “For the right price, Ekitike would be the perfect forward at Liverpool under Arne Slot.”
Finances will, of course, hold sway in the decision-making, and Liverpool (like Chelsea) aren’t likely to fork out something in the ballpark of £84m for a raw centre-forward, his potential untapped.
Ekitike truly is the perfect profile to unify Liverpool’s frontline over the coming years. Would Gyokeres bring a consistent supply of goals? Yes, he would. But is he the perfect man for the job?
In Ekitike, Slot can fashion a superstar, and that’s the Liverpool way.
Worst sale since Mane: "World-class" Liverpool star now in talks to leave
Liverpool may be set to lose one or two of their first-team regulars this summer.
Chelsea are showcasing real ambition in the transfer market after qualifying for the Champions League next season, with the Blues looking back to manager Enzo Maresca after a successful debut campaign in the dugout.
Chelsea seal Liam Delap deal with more signings identified
On Wednesday, Chelsea officially announced the arrival of striker Liam Delap, who joins in a £30 million deal from Ipswich Town.
Chelsea hold new talks to sign "fantastic" £40m defender who's keen to join
The west Londoners want to get him in before the Club World Cup.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 5, 2025
Delap, who scored 12 league goals for the Tractor Boys last season, but couldn’t save them from relegation, will wear the number nine shirt and becomes eligible to take part in the Club World Cup later this month.
Ipswich Town 2-0 Chelsea
8.08
Bournemouth 1-2 Ipswich Town
8.05
Ipswich Town 2-2 Aston Villa
8.04
Ipswich Town 1-2 Southampton
7.83
Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town
7.55
via WhoScored
Chelsea can register players in time for FIFA’s competition due to a unique mini-transfer window, which is open until June 10, with Maresca having four more days to reinforce his squad ahead of the tournament.
BlueCo want one or two more new arrivals through the door before their CWC campaign kicks off, and Stamford Bridge chiefs have a number of plates spinning.
Journalist Simon Phillips claims Chelsea held fresh talks over a deal for Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato recently, with personal terms not seen as an issue considering the defender’s desire to join Maresca’s side.
Meanwhile, links continue to surround Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike, who could be their second striker signing after Delap.
As well as in attack and defence, Chelsea haven’t given up on signing AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan, who’s about to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the San Siro.
AC Milan's MikeMaignanreacts
The France international, who captained Milan last season, is valued at around £25 million by the Rossoneri, despite his contract situation. Right now, Chelsea appear unwilling to go that far, but there is a major willingness from the 29-year-old himself to make the move happen.
Mike Maignan tells AC Milan he wants to join Chelsea
According to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, backing up other reports, Maignan has informed Milan that he wants to join Chelsea.
Convincing him is no issue, with the clubs now having to find common ground when it comes to his asking price. Maresca’s side only want to pay around £10 million for the keeper as things stand (The Mail), so there are plenty of negotiations still to be had if a deal is still possible.
France's Kylian Mbappe, Jules Kounde andMikeMaignanduring the national anthems before the match
This comes after another report from the reliable Fabrizio Romano, who told GiveMeSport that Maresca has personally approved Maignan’s potential switch to west London.
With Chelsea’s manager and the keeper wanting this deal done, they’re simply waiting for club-to-club talks to reach a positive resolution.
Maignan, described as a “world-class” shot-stopper, has plenty of top-level experience – which is something lacking in Chelsea’s overall squad – and is widely regarded as one of Serie A’s top keepers.
The Aston Villa hierarchy have now identified a “world-class” £40 million shot-stopper to replace Emi Martinez in goal this summer, according to a recent report.
Emi Martinez looks set to leave Aston Villa
The Villans gave their chances of playing Champions League football next season a real boost over the weekend, as they beat Tottenham Hotspur while Newcastle faltered at Arsenal.
They head into the final game of the season knowing they need maximum points to stand a chance of a top five finish. Securing Champions League football will help the Midlands side when it comes to the summer transfer window, as not only will more funds become available, but they will also be able to attract top level stars.
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However, it appears as though it doesn’t matter where Villa finishes this season; goalkeeper Emi Martinez will be leaving the club this summer. It was reported at the beginning of this month that Unai Emery is ready to sell Martinez, as the player is ready to leave the Premier League. The report went on to add that teams from the Saudi Pro League are ready to make the Argentina goalkeeper a huge offer to leave Villa Park.
Over the last 72 hours, Martinez’s departure from Villa has intensified, as he appeared to wave to the Aston Villa fans during their lap of honour following their final game at Villa Park this season. It has since been reported that both Manchester United and Barcelona are looking to sign the 32-year-old this summer.
Aston Villa chiefs identify £40m Liverpool star to replace Martinez
So as Martinez’s future at Villa Park is up in the air, Villa are scouring the market for potential replacements, and according to a report from Spain, Aston Villa are interested in signing Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool.
Liverpool's CaoimhinKelleher
The report states that Villa are already looking at a future without Martinez in their goal, as they waste no time in trying to find a potential replacement. It is claimed that Kelleher has emerged as a target for Villa because of his impressive performances for Liverpool when given an opportunity, and despite him being second choice at Anfield, Villa see Kelleher as someone with potential and character.
However, they are not alone in showing interest in the Republic of Ireland international, as Premier League teams such as AFC Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Newcastle United are also interested.
The report does go on to add that Villa are also interested in signing Joan Garcia from La Liga side Espanyol, and he would be considered a cheaper option, as Liverpool have set a price tag of £40 million on Kelleher heading into this summer.
Apps
67
Goals conceded
79
Clean sheets
24
The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed “world-class” by teammate Andy Robertson, has been at Liverpool since 2015 but has only played 25 times in the Premier League, as he’s struggled to get ahead of Alisson and become the club’s number one. Kelleher is under contract until 2026, so Liverpool may be tempted to sell this summer before he leaves for nothing in 12 months.