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Mjallby AIF, based in a small fishing village, have achieved an incredible feat as they secured their first-ever Swedish league title with a 2-0 win over Goteborg on Sunday. Mjallby made history with three games to spare as they now lead second-placed Hammarby by 11 points. The club have secured an outstanding 20 wins in 27 league games and have lost just once.

• Leicester-esque achievement from Mjallby

  Mjallby AIF come from a small southern fishing village Hallevik, which has a population of just 1,500. With a 2-0 win over Goteborg on Monday night, the club wrote an unthinkable underdog story as they secured their first-ever Swedish top division title. In the process, they have also secured a berth in the 2026-27 Champions League (second qualifying round) for the first time in their history. Mjallby's achievement is drawing comparisons to what Leicester City achieved in the 2015-16 season when they won the Premier League, beating a 5000-1 odds. Also, it has to be noted that when the Foxes did the unthinkable in England a decade ago, Mjallby were struggling in Sweden's third tier. 

  The current era in Sweden has been mostly dominated by Malmo, who won in eight out of the last 12 editions of the Allsvenskan. However, Mjallby have broken that recent dominance, managing to do so on a budget estimated to be around 15 per cent of Malmo's.

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  How have rivals described Mjallby's historic season?

  Kim Hellberg, head coach of Hammarby, who have been Mjallby's closest rival in the 2025 campaign and are poised to finish as runners-up, spoke highly of the new champions.

  "Mjallby are a really good side," he said. "They’ve been absolutely fantastic, they've exceeded all expectations. It's also a team that has got an exceptional amount out of what they've created. If you look at the underlying numbers, they've been overperforming quite a lot."

• Who are the key figures behind Mjallby's success?

  Firstly, Mjallby's head coach Anders Torstensson has to be named who has played a key role in club's historic success. 59-year-old Torstensson is assisted by Karl Marius Aksum, a tactics guru who has a PHD in 'visual perception in football'. The club have sold several of their youth players and reinvested the money judiciously for fresh signings, strictly based on data-based recruitment. This has resulted in the club signing Gambian attacker Abdoulie Manneh. 

  Another key figure in their dressing is 23-year-old goalkeeper Noel Tornqvist who has had exceptional campaign with the now Swedish champions. Mjallby conceded only 17 goals throughout the season and much of that credit goes to the Swedish custodian. Tornqvist was so good at his job that he attracted interest from Como boss Cesc Fabregas, who signed the goalkeeper in the summer but loaned him back for the remainder of 2025. Tornqvist will soon head to Italy to play in Serie A from January following the conclusion of the Swedish campaign. He has also earned a call up to the national team after Sweden's long-serving No.1 Robin Olsen announced his international retirement.

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  Mjallby's achievement a silver lining amid Sweden national team's crisis

  While Mjallby's historic title win will inspire clubs across the globe, the Sweden national team's performance is at an all-time low. They are on the verge of failing to qualify for the expande 48-strong World Cup after taking just one point from their first four matches. Most recently they lost back-to-back games in the October international break against Switzerland and Kosovo. The losses meant that only a miracle can help them secure a berth in the World Cup next year.

  Sweden took steps to remedy that by sacking head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson. The Dane became Sweden's first-ever foreign coach in February 2024 but his reign lasted less than two years as he was relieved of his duties last Tuesday, a day after Sweden suffered that embarrassing loss against Kosovo.

  Both of Sweden's star forwards, Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, featured in the October clashes but the high profile Premier League pair failed miserably in front of goal. Sweden next face Switzerland and Slovenia in their final two group fixtures in November. If they win those last two matches, they will at least stand a chance to progress to the World Cup play-offs next month. 

Bruno Fernandes has claimed he always wanted to remain at Manchester United over the summer, despite being the target of a number of bids from clubs in the Saudi Pro League. The Red Devils' skipper also dismissed the suggestion that he opted to remain at the club so he would remain in his best shape for the World Cup, insisting both he and the club wanted him to stay in Manchester.

Fernandes never wanted to leave Old Trafford

Fernandes was strongly pursued by clubs in Saudi Arabia and lucrative contracts worth a staggering £33m ($45m) per year in wages were floated his way in an attempt to bring the attacking midfielder to the Middle East. Despite the mammoth money involved, the Portuguese international had no interest in making a switch away from Old Trafford, with some suggesting he wanted to be playing at a top level ahead of the World Cup next summer.

had claimed that Fernandes would be open to a move to the Saudi Pro League, MLS or another European league, but only after the tournament in 2026. The report suggested that the midfielder did not want any upheaval before such a major competition and so opted to stay at United for the 2025/26 campaign.

Arguably United’s best and most important player of the last five years, Fernandes could have sought a move away from the side that finished 15th in the Premier League last season. The Portuguese midfielder is still one of the division’s stand out players and would have been well within his rights to look for a club playing Champions League football or one which could have offered him a far heavier pay package.

Despite this, Fernandes has confirmed he had always planned on staying at United and added that the club had always wanted him to continue playing for them. Yet, his outward display of loyalty to the Red Devils was caveated by his confession that he has not closed the door on a move to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere completely.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportUnited skipper leaves exit door ajar

Speaking to the media ahead of Portugal’s World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday night, Fernandes responded to queries around his future. Asked initially whether the World Cup had been on his mind in the summer when considering his future, Fernandes quashed the idea that he was even looking at a potential move away from Old Trafford.

He said, via the : “I didn't close the door on moving to Saudi Arabia because of the World Cup. That was never in my mind. I wanted to stay at Manchester United, and the club wanted me to stay. That's all there is to it.”

Yet, Fernandes was not willing to be drawn into discussions over his future at the club beyond the current season and next summer’s major international tournament. The Red Devils’ captain said that nothing has been discussed with him regarding his future and that thinking about where he could be this time next year was, he said, “an impossible scenario to imagine.”

He added: “I like to enjoy the moment, and the most important thing for me now is representing the national team, because it's a source of enormous pride to be able to play tomorrow [Saturday], and I still don't know if I'll play, let alone if I'll leave Manchester United in a year.

“I'm happy where I am. Otherwise, I wouldn't have stayed, but it's something that doesn't affect me.”

Red Devils plight continues

Whether Fernandes is happy to continue battling in the lower reaches of the Premier League for much longer remains to be seen. Ruben Amorim’s team picked up the new campaign where they left the last and languish in mid-table, thanks to a run of inconsistent form and lacklustre performances.

The Portuguese midfielder has also seen his role change slightly and is now playing deeper as part of the central midfield pairing in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system. Dropping Fernandes down the pitch in order to accommodate new signings Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko has not helped the captain’s form either.

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Getty ImagesWorld Cup qualification beckons for Portugal

It may not have impacted his decision over a transfer, but the World Cup will be in the back of Fernandes’ mind for the rest of the season. 2026 will likely be the final opportunity for a generation of some of the nation’s greatest players, including Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo.

They take on Ireland knowing that victory will put them well on their way to achieving qualification, with another win against Hungary on Tuesday ensuring their place at the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico next June.

The surface for the second Test in Galle appears substantially drier than the track used for the first match, which Australia won by a massive margin

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Feb-2025

Between them, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann (in pic) and Todd Murphy shared 17 wickets in the first Test•AFP via Getty Images

“The wicket was very good last time. I’m hoping it will turn more in this match.”When a Sri Lanka captain says this in Galle on the eve of a Test, there might be a dustbowl in the offing. What is clear is that the surface Sri Lanka and Australia are set to play the second Test on appears substantially drier than the track they played the first match on.Partly, this is down to bright conditions in the lead-up. Where the days before the first Test had been beset by rain, this pitch has more or less baked in ferocious heat since the first match ended, on Saturday.Related

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There is also the theory that producing pitches that only break up after days three and four offers too substantial an advantage to the side batting first. Sri Lanka want to avoid conceding another score in the realm of 654 for 6 declared, which deflated them in the first Test. They are seeking an advantage and have fallen back to what they tend to rely on in Galle: big turn.”Our strength is spin,” Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva said. “If you look through the history in Galle, a lot of spinners have been among the wickets, and hopefully ours can be effective.”The problem for Sri Lanka is that Australia have learned to thrive in spinning conditions as well. Their bowlers might have had the better bowling conditions in the first Test, but they made the unusual move of strapping three frontline spinners to the plow, and between them, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy shared 17 wickets, dismissing Sri Lanka for 165 and 247.Australia have been outspoken about their having prepared for “extreme” surfaces as well as flatter ones, partly through their week-long training camp in Dubai. Steven Smith revealed ahead of this Test that it was India’s spin-blueprint in Asia that Australia had chosen to emulate, to some extent. Devising bowling strategy around three frontline spinners is not a challenge that many Australia captains have had to contend with, but on the evidence of the first Test, Smith has been relishing it.”Looks a very dry surface and I dare say it will take a reasonable amount of spin,” Smith said. “In these conditions, it’s great to have more than two options of guys who can take wickets and build pressure. If you look at India, who have done it so well, they’ve had R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, and either Kuldeep Yadav or Jayant Yadav or Axar Patel – someone who bowls good spin – with them in their line-up.”In these conditions, it’s tiring for a spinner as well. It’s hot and humid out there, and you can get tired bowling spin as well as pace. If a batter looks comfortable against a bowler, you can take that bowler off and get someone else in. Even if a new bowler takes a wicket early in the spell, you can go back to the other guy, which is what India have done so well for a number of years. I just have a similar philosophy. “Australia’s batting against spin has also improved substantially, particularly since the 2016 tour of Sri Lanka, which they lost 3-0. Smith said many Australia batters’ exposure to big-spinning conditions – even through the T20 leagues in Asia – has helped raise their game.Ramesh Mendis has been recalled, and could slot into Sri Lanka’s XI straightaway•AFP/Getty Images

“Even in one-day tours you can get similar wickets in the nets to what you get out there,” Smith said. “Last time we played in Colombo in one-dayers, the ball was ragging all over the place. For guys that play IPL and things like that, and you can get nets there that can be extreme, you just learn on the go through those experiences. It’s almost been attack before defence and thinking proactively. I thought we did that magnificently in the first Test.”Because of how enormous the winning margin was in the first Test – an innings and 242 runs – Sri Lanka now find themselves having to prove that their own batting in spinning conditions is up to scratch. And that their own bowlers can be penetrative in helpful conditions. Early signs are that this game could be a classic low-scoring Galle shootout.”In the first Test, a lot of our batters got starts but didn’t carry on,” de Silva said. “During the match and afterwards, what we’d talked about was that someone has to make 150 or 200, because then others can bat around him, and we can get to a big score. That’s what Australia did. I’m expecting that will happen for us in this match.”

Leeds United are interested in a move for an “outstanding” £35m player in the summer transfer window, according to a transfer update.

Farke in need of attacking signings for Leeds

The start of the new Premier League season is now less than two weeks away, with the Whites preparing for their return to the top flight after two years away.

Daniel Farke will be pleased with some of Leeds’ summer transfer business, not least midfield additions such as Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff, but he will also know that further attacking signings are important, stressing as much over the weekend.

Everton striker Beto has been linked with a move to Leeds this summer, with the Blues seemingly happy to move him on after completing the signing of Thierno Barry from Villarreal earlier in the window.

Meanwhile, Fulham ace Rodrigo Muniz has also been backed to come in at Elland Read, in what would be a statement of intent signing by the Whites.

He scored eight goals in as many starts in the Premier League last season, including finding the net in a win over eventual champions Liverpool.

Leeds keen on "outstanding" £35m Sara

Now, according to a new report from Caught Offside, Leeds and 49ers Enterprises are one of six clubs who are eyeing Gabriel Sara from Galatasaray this summer.

The £35m-rated midfielder is also being eyed up by the likes of Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Wolves, with the former thought to be the “most advanced” in their efforts to snap him up.

Sara is a top-quality footballer who could be perfect for Leeds, not least because he is capable of taking up both defensive and attacking midfield roles, showcasing his versatility.

The 26-year-old Galatasaray ace has experience of English football already, having played for Norwich City in the past, being praise by David Wagner during their time working together.

“He is an outstanding player. Not only for us but in this division – no one has a doubt about this. It’s crystal clear. All the goals, (barring) the penalty which was lucky, were top class.”

Sara has never beaten Leeds in his career, failing to achieve victory in four attempts, and he was part of the Norwich team that got thumped 4-0 at Elland Road in the Championship playoffs back in 2023/24.

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That’s not to say that he couldn’t be brilliant for the Whites, however, adding so much quality in the middle of the park and providing stiff competition for Stach, Longstaff and others.

It seems like Newcastle United’s pursuit of Benjamin Sesko has hit yet another stumbling block. The Magpies are looking to sign the striker, and have gone head-to-head with Premier League rivals Manchester United. After already losing out on Bryan Mbeumo to the Red Devils, it seems Sesko is next.

New reports from David Ornstein on Wednesday morning suggest Ruben Amorim’s side are ‘closing in’ on signing the Slovenian forward. That is despite RB Leipzig accepting a bid of £74m up front, plus add-ons, from Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, with the player wanting to move to Manchester instead.

Thus, Newcastle must turn their attention to a new striker. If recent reports are to be believed, they are targeting someone who outscored Sesko last season.

Newcastle’s next striker target

Losing out on signing Sesko is a huge blow for the Magpies. He is yet another target who has rejected them, with Joao Pedro, Matheus Cunha, Mbeumo and Liam Delap some of the attackers who have gone elsewhere.

Transfer Focus

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

However, they will be hoping to win the race for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa. According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the 28-year-old ‘is a top alternative’ for the North Eastern outfit, if and when they miss out on signing Sesko, which seems inevitable at this stage.

However, a move for Wissa is something that could progress quickly for Howe’s side. Wissa’s ‘agent is now speaking’ to Newcastle, suggesting that the move is accelerating.

The Bees could ask for as much as £50m this summer if they are to part ways with another of their star attackers.

Why Wissa would be a good signing

It was a fantastic campaign for Wissa in the 2024/25 season. He was a key player for a Brentford side that was flying high under Thomas Frank, and enjoyed his most successful Premier League campaign.

In 35 Premier League appearances for the DR Congo international, he bagged 19 goals and assisted a further five. That exceeded the number of goals Sesko bagged last term, with the 22-year-old Slovenian star finding the back of the net 13 times in the Bundesliga.

One of the standout things about the “exceptional” Wissa, as Frank once called him, is the improvement year-on-year. His first two Premier League seasons saw him score seven times, before he scored 12 in the 2023/24 campaign and, of course, his 19 strikes last term.

The former FC Lorient star would also arguably be a better signing than another reported target, Nicolas Jackson. St James’ Park has been ‘touted’ as a destination for the Chelsea attacker should he leave this summer. He has been offered to Newcastle, according to talkSPORT, with Man United another possible destination, as are Italian giants AC Milan.

Across all competitions, the Senegal striker failed to outscore Wissa last term. He played 37 games for Chelsea, scoring 13 goals in that time, including ten goals in 30 Premier League appearances.

He started quickly, with nine goals in his first 15 games, but struggled to go on a consistent run of form after that.

However, it is not just the pure goal numbers that suggest Wissa is a better striker than Jackson. The stats on FBref go a long way to backing up the theory, and make for excellent reading in the Brentford striker’s favour.

For example, 28-year-old Wissa averaged 0.59 goals and 0.46 goals per shot on target per 90 minutes. In contrast, Chelsea star Jackson averaged just 0.4 goals and 0.29 goals per shot on target each game.

Goals

0.59

0.4

Goals per shot on target

0.46

0.29

Expected goals

0.57xG

0.5xG

Progressive passes

2.07

1.54

Ball recoveries

2.5

1.94

Of course, the £50m fee needed to sign Wissa is a big investment for the Magpies. However, they were willing to invest a hefty £74m fee into Sesko, and signing someone who is proven in the Premier League seems an excellent piece of business.

He is a big upgrade on Jackson, according to the numbers, both from a goalscoring perspective and off the ball. This could be a fantastic deal for Newcastle.

New Gordon & Isak: Newcastle in talks for "special" £70m Sesko alternative

Newcastle may have to sell Alexander Isak in the transfer market this month.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 6, 2025

This summer has been one to remember for Chelsea.

On the pitch, Enzo Maresca’s side have looked sharp, making their way to the Club World Cup final with ease and then dispatching Paris Saint-Germain in the showpiece event without so much as breaking a sweat.

On top of that, the West Londoners have been active and purposeful in the transfer market, bringing in young, exciting additions to the team, like Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and most recently Jorrel Hato.

The young Dutchman could end up being an excellent addition to the Blues’ squad, although if reports are anything to go by, the club could be closing in on another talent who might end up being an even better signing.

Chelsea target better signing than Hato

Chelsea have been linked with Hato for some time now, with some reports touting the Dutchman for a move to Stamford Bridge as far back as the winter window.

Transfer Focus

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

However, it was over the last couple of weeks that the Conference League champions really stepped up their interest in the young defender, and, ahead of rivals like Arsenal, secured his services for a fee of around £37m.

As things stand, this looks like a brilliant bit of business from the West Londoners, but it looks like they are already working on another, potentially better signing this summer.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s serious interest in Alejandro Garnacho.

The report has revealed that Manchester United are ‘now looking to make around €50-60m’ from the player’s sale, which is between £44m-£53m, and that, as things stand, the Blues have ’emerged as the most serious contender’ for his services.

It would be a lot of money to invest in a player the Red Devils are seemingly intent on selling, but there is serious potential in Garnacho, and there is every chance that he could end up being a better signing than Garnacho this summer.

Why Garnacho would be a better signing than Hato

Okay, so we have to first say that we do really believe that Hato is a brilliant signing for Chelsea, and that he could develop into a massively important defender for them in the coming years.

However, goals win games, exciting players get fans on their feet, and, for our money, Garnacho has the potential to be an even better signing for the club, at least this season anyway.

One of the main reasons the Argentine could be even more important than the Dutchman is that, somewhat surprisingly, it does feel like the West Londoners could do with some reinforcements off the left and in central areas.

For example, after Cole Palmer, Maresca isn’t blessed with an abundance of exciting back-up options to fill in as the ten, and with Noni Madueke gone, and Tyrique George reportedly keen to leave, new signing Jaime Gittens could do with some more competition and back-up on the left flank.

However, away from purely plugging gaps when and where they arise, the Madrid-born attacker could be a great signing because he is a supremely talented player and someone who, with the right coaching and in the right environment, could develop into something quite special.

Appearances

58

Minutes

3568′

Goals

11

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvements

169.90′

For example, despite starting last season as a 20-year-old and playing in a historically poor United side, the “full-back’s nightmare,” as dubbed by former Manchester United winger Febian Brandy, scored 11 goals and provided ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3,568 minutes.

In other words, the young dynamo was able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or more impressively, every 169.90 minutes for a team that looked unable to buy a win for large swathes of the campaign.

Moreover, he is capable of the extraordinary at times, as you only have to look at his 2024 Puskas Award-winning goal against Everton, in which he pulled off one of the best bicycle kicks we’ve ever seen.

Ultimately, there is an element of risk in signing a player who’d fallen out with his coach so publicly, but Garnacho has the raw ability to develop into a superstar, and given Chelsea’s attacking needs, we reckon he could end up being a better signing than Hato this summer.

Manchester United are desperate to restore themselves as a European superpower next season. Too long has it been since the Red Devils stood atop the Premier League pile and were feared across the continent.

But despite the woes of the 2024/25 campaign, Ruben Amorim is determined to piece together a team capable of challenging at the highest level.

Despite the slow start, this can be found through the £62.5m signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha.

Cunha isn’t quite a focal frontman; the Brazil forward is mobile and destructive and will enhance every facet of Man United’s attacking play.

However, the search for forwards doesn’t stop there.

The latest on Man Utd's search for forwards

Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo remains INEOS’s focus in the summer transfer window, but it’s been revealed that Rasmus Hojlund might not be quite so close to leaving as had previously been expected.

If Hojlund is to stay put, United’s need for an out-and-out frontman will be lessened. But more depth is needed all the same, and could arrive in the form of a Premier League star desperate for a resurgence to match.

Well, according to Spanish reports, United have settled their focus on Chelsea outcast Christopher Nkunku, having entered negotiations with the Blues for the transfer of the versatile forward, who has been valued at £35m.

With Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony all touted for exits in the coming weeks, this might be a shrewd signing for a player who hasn’t enjoyed their finest form at Stamford Bridge but is undoubtedly talented enough to succeed under Amorim’s wing.

Why Man Utd want Christopher Nkunku

Nkunku’s stint at Chelsea has not gone to plan. Having signed for the Blues from RB Leipzig for £52m in June 2023, the Les Bleus star has only started 11 matches in the Premier League, with injuries and issues finding fluency hampering him.

Given that he would be arriving from a Premier League rival and, indeed, considering the type of player he is, Nkunku might even prove to be Amorim’s next version of Cunha, only a month after reeling the Wolves sensation over to Old Trafford.

Journalist Zach Lowy had remarked that the Frenchman was “unstoppable” during his time with RB Leipzig, and while his time at Stamford Bridge has left plenty to be desired, we can see from the player’s skill set his underlying dynamic ability, which remains intact.

Nkunku vs Cunha (past 365 days)
Stats (per 90)	Nkunku	Cunha
Goals	0.29	0.52
Assists	0.20	0.21
Touches	43.78	54.10
Pass completion	89.5%	71.6%
Progressive passes	2.44	4.99
Shot-creating actions	3.32	4.57
Progressive carries	1.66	3.88
Successful take-ons	0.98	2.11
Ball recoveries	2.83	4.33
Tackles + interceptions	1.86	1.91
Data via FBref

While Cunha clearly outstrips Nkunku, there’s enough on show through the data to illustrate his roundedness. All that’s still required is a return to the goalscoring form that saw 58 goals and 29 assists harvested across his final two campaigns with Leipzig.

He was, and still could be, one of the best in the Premier League, endowed with the wide scope Cunha so remarkably possesses.

Indeed, just take a look at Nkunku’s Bundesliga highlight reel to understand the level of a forward who may yet realise his potential in the Premier League.

Cunha has been singled out for his “absolutely sensational” intelligence and technical quality by pundit Micah Richards in the past, and while his arrival will elevate Amorim’s outfit, adding some further depth and electricity by the way of Nkunku could freshen up the ranks just enough to finally turn the page.

Man Utd open talks to sign Weghorst 2.0 who was "like Cristiano Ronaldo"

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By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 7, 2025

West Bromwich Albion’s action-packed summer has been full of change so far.

Obviously, the first notable change occurred in the dug-out when Ryan Mason was finally unveiled as Tony Mowbray’s late successor, but more alterations have taken place since.

Centre-back titan Semi Ajayi has exited the Hawthorns for Hull City, on top of Grady Diangana reportedly looking as though he’s heading to Valencia in Spain.

Mason could instantly soften the blow of Ajayi departing the West Midlands by securing the signature of Nat Phillips, with reports now suggesting that the Liverpool colossus will move to West Brom permanently this summer.

Unfortunately, this is unlikely to be the only major loss Mason will have to stomach as the enthralling transfer window chugs along, with rumours already coming back to the surface that first-team star Tom Fellows might also be off.

Fellows' future at West Brom

It did feel as if it was going to be inevitable that any interest in Fellows would be reignited, with the England U21 international very firmly back on the radar of David Moyes’ Everton, as per a report by TEAMtalk last week.

The exciting attacker is just fresh off a breakout Championship season that saw him collect a jaw-dropping 14 assists in league action, on top of also powering home four strikes for his failed playoff-chasing outfit.

Therefore, it’s not a shock to see the Toffees chasing him, with Mason desperate to keep hold of him as he aims to guide the Baggies to promotion, especially as Josh Maja – who linked up with Fellows to devastating effect last season – edges closer to being back from injury.

But, Fellows might well feel he’s ready for the step-up to the Premier League now, as a reported price-tag of £10m begins to be circulated.

Whilst bolstering their centre-back numbers was a top priority in the wake of Ajayi upping and leaving, adding in more dynamic, creative attackers will be seen as more paramount if Fellows does exit.

West Brom's ideal Fellow replacement

According to a report by the Express and Star, West Brom could soon swoop in for AFC Bournemouth ace David Brooks on a loan basis, with Mason and Co just one of several Championship clubs keeping close tabs on the Welshman’s situation at the Cherries.

Transfer Focus

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

He might well come in, therefore, and be a necessary short-term option for the Baggies to get over their homegrown product’s departure.

Indeed, the 27-year-old’s last electric loan spell away from Bournemouth down in the EFL resulted in Southampton clinching promotion at the close of the 2023/24 season.

Fellows might well even attempt to follow in Brooks’ footsteps if a Premier League switch soon opens up for him, with the 27-year-old – away from firing home two strikes for the Saints during that campaign – first getting to grips with the senior game in the Championship with Sheffield United.

Rising through the ranks with the Blades, he scored three goals and supplied eight assists in South Yorkshire.

As a result, a bumper £11.5m to the South Coast occurred, and whilst he does have a healthy 11 goals and six assists next to his name too in the luxuries of the Premier League, it’s his productive numbers in the second tier overall that will be solely catching Mason’s eye.

23/24

17

2

5

21/22

7

1

0

20/21

32

5

6

17/18

30

3

5

In total, Brooks has a sterling collection of 11 goals and 16 assists at the challenging level, with that assist haul particularly eye-catching as West Brom aim to effectively replace Fellows’ creative flair.

Hailed as “sublime” by Eddie Howe during his early Bournemouth days, this is a signing that will be seen as a statement to the rest of the Championship.

Throw Phillips into the mix and West Brom might well be deemed as serious promotion candidates, irrespective of high-profile exits souring the mood.

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Manchester United have made ‘first formal contact’ over a move to sign a star who wants to move to Old Trafford rather than Barcelona.

Man Utd looking to upgrade on Hojlund and Onana

It is shaping up to be a frantic few months in the transfer window for the Red Devils, with a major squad overhaul potentially on the cards ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge.

A plethora of players such as Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho have returned from loan spells and could be moved on permanently, whereas Matheus Cunha became United’s first summer signing.

More attacking additions are on the cards, with a replacement for Rasmus Hojlund being mentioned. The Denmark international has struggled for goals at Old Trafford and has been linked with a return to Serie A.

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In fact, Amorim has reportedly made it clear that Hojlund doesn’t feature in his long-term Man Utd plans, with the club looking to sell the forward on a permanent basis, although an initial loan offer which includes an obligation to buy may also be considered.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are just two strikers who United have spoken about to solve their number nine issues.

Meanwhile, someone who has been heavily linked to replace Andre Onana is World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez.

Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now, there have been recent claims that the Aston Villa star wants to make the move to Old Trafford over the coming months. Now, a promising development has emerged regarding Man Utd and Martinez.

Man Utd make first contact for Emiliano Martinez

According to reports abroad, relayed by Sport Witness, Man Utd have now made ‘first formal contact’ to sign Martinez from Aston Villa.

It is reported that the Red Devils have approached Martinez’s agent over a deal as they want to make him first choice at Old Trafford over Onana.

They back up reports that Martinez is keen to stay in England despite interest from Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Galatasaray, who have also been in touch. However, with Martinez willing to snub a move to Spain and Turkey, it is added that this ‘further paves the way’ for Martinez to join United.

On £150,000-a-week at Villa Park which works out at £7.8m per season, Martinez’s last trip to Old Trafford was extremely eventful.

The Argentine received a red card on the final day of the 24/25 season as Villa failed to to qualify for the Champions League, and despite no European football being on offer at Old Trafford for now, he seems to be keen on a move to Manchester.

It might be a tired cliché, but this summer looks set to be Arsenal’s most important in years.

After failing to win the Premier League at the third time of asking and coming painfully close to the final of the Champions League this season, Mikel Arteta’s side have to deliver one or the other next year.

To help them do that, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta and Co have to deliver the goods in this summer’s transfer window by signing ready-made stars to help them win now.

However, while the focus has to be on those who can make an immediate impact, there is always room to pick up a few future stars, and based on recent reports, Arsenal may be about to sign someone who could be their own Rayan Cherki a few years down the line.

Arsenal transfer news

It was just over a month ago that Arsenal were linked with a £30m move for Cherki, and it’s not hard to see why some fans would love him to make his way to the Emirates.

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For example, in 44 appearances for Lyon this season, totalling 3097 minutes, the young Frenchman scored 12 goals and provided 20 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.37 games, or every 96.78 minutes.

However, the stories touting him for a move to N5 soon dried up, and now it looks like Manchester City are going to be the ones who sign the 21-year-old, with transfers expert Fabrizio Romano confirming yesterday morning that the club had agreed personal terms with the player.

While missing out on the Lyon star isn’t ideal, the good news is that Arteta and Co might soon have their own incredibly exciting youngster on the books in Konstantinos Karetsas.

Yes, according to a recent report from Greece, Arsenal are incredibly interested in signing the Genk gem.

In fact, in something of a surprise, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are ‘very close to an agreement’ for the player, which will see them pay the Belgian outfit around €45m, which is about £38m, and leave him on loan with the team for next season.

It’s undoubtedly a lot of money to pay for someone so young, but based on his ability and potential, it may well be worth it, especially as he could be the club’s own version of Cherki a few years from now.

Why Karetsas could be Arsenal's Cherki

So, the first thing to say, and it’s an important qualifier, is that Karetsas is not at the same level as Cherki at the moment, and fans should not expect him to be.

After all, the Greek prospect is four years the Frenchman’s junior and, as a result, is much further behind in his development.

However, with some key similarities between the pair, it’s not hard to see a world in which the 17-year-old follows his development and eventually becomes a truly top-level player.

The first of these similarities is where they play, as while the Lyon ace has just about spent more time off the right this season, his most played position across his career has been in attacking midfield.

Likewise, the incredibly exciting Genk gem is primarily an attacking midfielder but has made a few appearances out wide, and according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, his “1v1 ability and 2 footedness will make him deadly on the wings.”

That description of the youngster sounds an awful lot like the City-bound star, who has more than proven his own 1v1 ability and is unquestionably brilliant with both feet.

Furthermore, on top of his dribbling, Mattinson highlights the Genk-born talent’s ability on the ball, describing him as someone capable of playing “defence splitting passes” and saying that he should not be given any “space anywhere near the box on either side as he’ll hit the corners.”

In short, Mattinson’s description of the youngster as someone who “has it all” doesn’t feel too wide of the mark, and his underlying numbers from this season further back up that assessment.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the next 14 competitions for carries, total carrying distance and fouls drawn, the top 3% for key passes, crosses and shot-creating actions from dead-balls, the top 5% for expected assists and shot-creating actions, the top 6% for take-ons attempted and more, all per 90.

Karetsas’ Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Carries

48.80

Top 1%

Total Carrying Distance

327.41

Top 1%

Fouls Drawn

3.41

Top 1%

Carries into Final Third

3.80

Top 2%

Key Passes

3.18

Top 3%

Crosses

7.37

Top 3%

SCA (Dead-ball Passes)

1.47

Top 3%

Progressive Carrying Distance

148.03

Top 4%

Expected Assists

0.31

Top 5%

Shot-Creating Actions

5.66

Top 5%

Touches

65.09

Top 6%

Take-Ons Attempted

5.74

Top 6%

All Stats via FBref

Ultimately, while it’s a lot of money to spend on someone so young, it might end up being an incredible bit of business a few years from now, as, just like Cherki, Karetsas looks like he has everything a number ten or winger would need to succeed at the very highest level.

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