All posts by n8rngtd.top

Celtic’s dream of winning the domestic treble this season is still alive after they hammered St. Johnstone 5-0 at Hampden Park in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup.

The Hoops already won the League Cup earlier this season, and they are a win away from sealing the Scottish Premiership title, which means that the SFA Cup is the last trophy that they need to clinch to seal the treble.

Brendan Rodgers was unable to win all three domestic competitions in his first season back at Parkhead, as his team lost to Kilmarnock in the early stages of the League Cup in August 2023.

The Hoops are well on course to enjoy a perfect domestic campaign this time, however, after a fantastic performance and result against the Saints on Sunday.

Two goals from Daizen Maeda and strikes from Adam Idah, Jota, and Callum McGregor sealed the win for the Scottish giants, with four of the goals scored in the first half.

Idah was given the nod in the centre-forward position despite enduring a fairly difficult first full season at Parkhead since joining on a permanent deal last summer.

Adam Idah's Celtic struggles this season

The Ireland international scored eight goals in 15 Premiership games and scored a last-minute winner against Rangers in the SFA Cup final during his loan spell in the second half of last season.

His impressive displays during that loan spell led to Celtic making the decision to pay a reported fee of £8.5m to Norwich City to sign him permanently, with add-ons that could take the deal to £9.5m.

It was a huge amount of money to spend on the striker, when you consider that Odsonne Edouard was the most-expensive striker signing in the club’s history at £9m prior to that deal, and he has yet to justify the price tag with his performances this term.

Idah has only started 16 of his 30 appearances in the Premiership this season, scoring eight goals, as Maeda has been preferred ahead of him in the number nine role more often than not since Kyogo Furuhashi’s move to Rennes in January.

The former Canaries marksman had a chance to step up as the first-choice centre-forward after the Japan international moved on from Parkhead at the start of the year, but he has failed to take that opportunity.

As you can see in the table above, Idah has underperformed against his xG by almost three goals and missed a whopping 13 ‘big chances’ in 16 starts in the league.

These statistics show that the £8.5m signing has been wasteful with the chances that have come his way in the Premiership, which is why he has yet to justify the money spent on his services so far.

Kyogo, who cost the club a reported £4.6m from Vissel Kobe, scored 63 goals in 116 Premiership games for the club and Idah is yet to prove that he can deliver that kind of quality or consistency for the Hoops in the final third.

Of course, the Ireland international only turned 24 in February and still has time left ahead of him to develop and improve, but the club may have hoped for more instant success on the pitch for the money that was spent on him.

Idah’s struggles since joining for a deal that could rise to £9.5m may be particularly frustrating when there is a former Celtic forward out there who could have been an upgrade on him, and a perfect replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi.

Celtic sold their perfect Kyogo replacement for £400k

Attacking midfielder Lewis Morgan joined the Hoops from St Mirren at the start of 2018 and went on to score just two goals in 31 first-team appearances for the club.

The versatile attacker also had loan spells with St Mirren and Sunderland during his time with Celtic, before being sold to Inter Miami for a reported fee of £400k at the start of 2020. Before Lionel Messi, they had Lewis Morgan.

He produced seven goals and seven assists in 58 matches for Inter Miami, a respectable return for a player who played in midfield or on the wing, before being sold to New York Red Bulls at the end of 2021.

Since his move to the Big Apple, Morgan has mainly been deployed as a centre-forward in what has been a big positional shift in his career, from being a midfielder by trade to leading the line in the MLS.

His performances for New York Red Bulls in comparison to his form for Inter Miami and Celtic suggests that he should have been playing as a striker earlier on in his career.

Morgan missed 31 matches in the 2023 MLS season, due to a hip injury, but excelled at the top end of the pitch in the 2022 and 2024 campaigns either side of those injury woes.

As you can see in the table above, Morgan scored 28 goals and only missed 11 ‘big chances’ in those two seasons combined, whilst Idah has missed 13 ‘big chances’ and only scored eight goals in the current Premiership this season.

This suggests that the Scottish attacker is more clinical, and more creative with his 20 ‘big chances’ created, than the Irish marksman, and that he could be an upgrade on him in the present day.

Morgan did not get the chance to showcase his quality as a striker during his time at Parkhead, which is something that the coaches may look back on with regret, as his form since playing that role suggests that he could have been the ideal long-term replacement for Kyogo.

Like the Japanese forward, the right-footed ace does not have a traditional number nine build, standing at 5 foot 10, but he has the mobility, the movement, and the quality on the ball to make things happen, as shown by his form in America with a regular stream of goals when fit.

Celtic have struck gold with "priceless" star who's worth more than Jota

Celtic have hit the jackpot with this star who is now worth more than Jota.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 21, 2025

Therefore, Celtic accidentally binned their perfect replacement for Kyogo for just £400k because they did not see the potential for him to play as a centre-forward, and they now have an £8.5m signing who has yet to prove himself on the pitch in that role.

It’s been a pretty miserable season for Manchester City, given their own sky-high expectations, but it could still end with silverware.

On Sunday, the Citizens reached a third successive FA Cup Final, courtesy of a rather comfortable 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, in which Rico Lewis broke the deadlock after less than 100 seconds, before Joško Gvardiol’s towering header sealed the deal.

After the match, when asked if winning the FA Cup and finishing third would constitute a successful season, Pep Guardiola adamantly exclaimed “nope”, adding “this season has not been good… we are a thousand million points behind Liverpool”.

Guardiola also stated that both he and the club need to make the right decisions to ensure that next season is better, so could the arrival of one of the most sought-after teenagers in world football help reinvigorate and re-energise this team?

Kevin De Bruyne's Manchester City farewell

Since confirming that he will leave Manchester City this summer, Kevin De Bruyne’s performances have been mixed.

First, he scored this sumptuous free-kick against Crystal Palace that sparked a turnaround, with the Citizens 2-0 down at that point, before fighting back to prevail 5-2.

A week later, however, the Belgian’s performance against Everton at Goodison was widely criticised, with Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News stating that he failed to ‘make the decisive breakthrough’ and that his passing actually ‘got worse as the game went on’.

Then, to the surprise of many, De Bruyne was an unused substitute for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley, despite having started the previous four Premier League fixtures.

So, it appears as though Guardiola is phasing out a player he himself described as “one of the best” midfielders to ever grace the Premier League, because do Man City have their eyes set on a 17-year-old De Bruyne replacement?

Pep Guardiola's dream De Bruyne replacement

According to a report from Spain, Manchester City ‘are seriously considering… making a considerable offer’ to sign River Plate attacker Franco Mastantuono.

The report claims that Guardiola is ‘in love’ with this 17-year-old talent, as he ‘would fit perfectly’ into this Man City team, although another prior report from the same source believes Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain also have a ‘firm’ interest.

So who is Mastantuono, and why are so many top European clubs chasing his signature?

Why Man City want to sign Mastantuono

Well, let’s take a look at the teenager’s career statistics to date.

As the table outlines, Mastantuono is still very inexperienced, which isn’t too surprising considering he’s just 17 years old, but he has been earning rave reviews.

As noted by Graham Ruthven in the Soccer Dispatch, Mastantuono wrote his name into River Plate folklore by scoring this stunning free-kick during Sunday’s 2-1 Superclásico victory over Boca Juniors at the Monumental.

Meantime, Guillem Balague believes he will be the next Argentine ‘sensation’, while Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines labels him a ‘skilled artist’, praising his ‘elegance​​​​​​​’ and ‘fearlessness to take on players’.

River Plate board member Stefano Di Carlo​​​​​​​ has confirmed that they intend to keep Mastantuono at the club ‘for the remainder of 2025’, with la Banda set to compete at the Club World Cup this summer, drawn alongside Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey and Inter Milan, possibly hoping impressive performances will increase his value.

However, Fabrizio Romano reports that he has a release clause of €41m (around £35m), suggesting clubs should act fast.

From a Man City perspective, Mattinson​​​​​​​ believes Mastantuono​​​​​​​ has “shades of De Bruyne” given his “elite potential” as a chance creator, showing that the recently dethroned Premier League champions should go all out to secure his signature, even if they would be forced to wait a few months for him to actually arrive.

The teenager could then represent the perfect successor to the veteran Belgian at the Etihad.

Man City can forget De Bruyne & Gibbs-White by unleashing 17-year-old star

Man City could save a fortune this summer by unleashing academy sensation

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 22, 2025

Arsenal could hijack a Man United deal for one of their “special” transfer targets, according to reports, as his representatives schedule talks with the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta looks ahead to summer after trophyless Arsenal season

With the 2024/2025 season yielding little in the way of honours, after Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League semi-finals by PSG earlier this week, manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta will now be looking ahead to the summer window.

Arsenal hold talks to sign £21m star who prefers Gunners over Man United

Mikel Arteta’s side are more appealing than Old Trafford.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

May 9, 2025

It is set to open in a matter of weeks, specifically from June 1 to June 10, before reopening again from June 16 to September 1.

Luckily for Arteta, much of the groundwork has already been laid in regard to some key transfer targets, with Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi reliably expected to be joining Arsenal (BBC).

Alongside Zubimendi, some media outlets are reporting that Arsenal are making very significant progress on a deal for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, with all parties aligned on the contract package he’d get in north London (Football Transfers).

Unfortunately for the Gunners, news emerged that Wolves star Matheus Cunha, who was widely believed to be a target as well, appears more likely to make the move to Old Trafford instead.

The Brazilian, who has a £62.5 million release clause in his contract, boasts 17 goals and six assists from 33 appearances, and he can also play in a variety of attacking positions.

However, while United are the standout favourites for his signature, Arsenal haven’t entirely lost hope yet.

Matheus Cunha schedules talks over joining Arsenal

That is according to talkSPORT and their reporter, Alex Crook, who claim that Cunha’s representatives have scheduled talks over joining Arsenal, with Newcastle United also keen, as the former Atlético Madrid star keeps his options open.

New sporting director Andrea Berta actually signed Cunha for Atlético during his time at the La Liga club, so perhaps the Italian could still have a say here.

TalkSPORT adds that United are fearful of a potential late hijack, so the Red Devils intend to move quickly as the summer window opens soon.

“He is a special player. He can do things that can make the difference in small details,” said Wolves boss Vitor Pereira about Cunha, summarising why clubs are so keen on the 25-year-old.

“We try his corner because we want the swing inside to explore this. But you can work a lot and in the end nothing happens. With this kind of player, this can happen. I think it is not about work, it is about quality, his individual quality.

“Matheus Cunha is a player, in my opinion, who can reach high standards in this league. I hope not [elsewhere] because we need him.”

Everton have welcomed their new Director of Football, Angus Kinnear, to the club. He’s got a lot to do, with David Moyes expecting to be backed by the Friedkin Group as he improves his squad this summer.

The experienced manager returned in January after 12 years away and guided Everton away from relegation bother and into the tranquillity of the Premier League’s mid-table pack.

But Moyes no doubt has his eyes on loftier ambitions. He’ll want to strengthen with statement signings this summer, one of which may be Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison, who left the Toffees for London in a £60m package back in 2022.

The latest on Richarlison to Everton

It’s all gone a bit quiet, truth be told. But then, the 2024/25 campaign has yet to finish up, and there’s plenty of time for TFG to make their move for the former Toffees star.

Earlier this month, Sky Sports published a report claiming Everton are interested in bringing the Tottenham forward back to Merseyside.

Across four campaigns as a Blues player, the 28-year-old scored 53 goals from 152 matches and was hailed by Carlo Ancelotti as a “modern and complete forward.”

Richarlison’s most consistent seasons all came at Goodison Park, but despite issues down N17, he’s still managed to display a degree of prolificness under Ange Postecoglou’s wing, having fallen by the wayside in his maiden year at the club.

It’s clear he needs a fresh start, and after such interesting performances with Everton, why not bring him back to spearhead this new era? Moyes, for sure, has the gritty leadership style to bring the Brazilian back to his best.

And Richarlison isn’t the only former player on the Scottish coach’s radar…

Everton could sign another former star

With many out-of-contract Everton players about to move away for new pastures, Moyes is bound to target signings across numerous areas.

Defence is one such priority position, especially with Michael Keane slated to depart and James Tarkowski sidelined after tearing his hamstring.

And, according to a report from GIVEMESPORT earlier this month, Manchester City’s John Stones could be the player the Merseysiders go for to instill experience and improve passing and ball retention.

Stones, 30, is one of the most decorated Englishmen of his generation, notably lifting five league titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League, and has been hailed for his “world-class” talent by Three Lions teammate Ezri Konsa, but injuries have limited him to a bit-part role for Pep Guardiola’s side in recent seasons.

Everton paid just £3m to Barnsley to sign a teenage Stones back in 2013, and he would go on to feature 95 times for the club before leaving for City for a mammoth £47.5m fee.

He might not be quite at his peak anymore, but the £250k-per-week talent is not ready to hang up his Premier League boots and could be a brilliant addition to Moyes’ outfit, ranking among the top 1% of defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goal involvements, the top 2% for pass completion, the top 4% for shot-creating actions and the top 11% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Given the player’s pedigree and proven talent, there’s no reason why he can’t go on to be Everton’s most exciting signing in a very long time, perhaps not even since Richarlison left Watford after a breakout term of much promise and devoted several of his best years to the Liverpool-based outfit.

Regarded by some as the catalyst in City’s treble-winning season of 2022/23, Stones has something left to give English football, and his unique approach to the game could give Everton the extra dimension they need to make real progress over the coming year as a high-profile and highly exciting addition.

Now worth even less than Harrison: TFG must sell struggling Everton flop

Everton are readying themselves for a summer of change.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

May 17, 2025

Celtic are looking to retain their Scottish Premiership title next term and could look to bring in a talented competitor for Kieran Tierney at left-back, according to a report.

Kieran Tierney's Celtic return kicks off busy summer of transfer activity

Brendan Rodgers could be a busy man at Celtic this summer in the transfer window. Tierney’s homecoming at Parkhead should officially be announced any minute as fans wait for confirmation of his return to Glasgow’s east end.

Joining on a free transfer from Arsenal, the Scotland international comes back to his boyhood club on a mission after winning eight trophies during his first spell and establishing himself as a modern-day icon.

Bowing out with a goal in his final appearance for the Gunners at Southampton, Tierney is expected to be joined by Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan at Celtic.

The Lennoxtown academy graduate came through at the same time as Tierney and will report back to Parkhead once his contract at Aberdeen expires.

Speculation over Rodgers’ future as he enters the final year of his deal has become a talking point in the off-season. Regardless, former scout Mick Brown expects Celtic to spend big this summer following their Scottish Cup final defeat last weekend.

Edouard 2.0: Celtic weighing up record-breaking move for £12m+ "tormentor"

Celtic are reportedly interested in making a club-record move for a striker who could be Odsonne Edouard 2.0.

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By
Dan Emery

May 30, 2025

He stated: “There’s been some talk about the manager’s future as well, and I’m sure he expects to be backed. The board have to show that they’re behind him and they share his ambitions.

“So I think they’ll be prepared to spend big this summer, it’s something they have to do because otherwise they risk that gap closing.”

Tapping into that theme, Celtic are now reportedly eyeing a swoop for a competitor to Tierney who could arrive to strengthen the ranks at left-back.

Celtic enter race to sign Peterborough United left-back Harley Mills

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic have entered the race to sign Peterborough United full-back Harley Mills as they seek depth to supplement Tierney’s arrival.

The 19-year-old started the campaign at Enfield Town on loan, but returned to his parent club and scored in their famous 2-0 victory over Birmingham City in the Vertu Trophy final at Wembley Stadium earlier this year.

Combining his outings at both clubs, Mills made 25 appearances across all competitions this term and has previously been labelled “outstanding” by Jamal Campbell-Ryce.

Fulham have been interested in the youngster and Peterborough are said to be mulling over a £1 million offer made for his services, though Celtic may now hope to swat aside rival suitors to land their man.

Greg Taylor appears set to leave Parkhead under freedom of contract and no indication has come forth regarding Jeffrey Schlupp returning after his loan spell, which has opened up a space for Mills to potentially join Celtic and rival Tierney if they can push a deal over the line.

Nottingham Forest “want to do a deal” for an “amazing” Liverpool player, with the Reds now “willing” to sanction a departure this summer, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Forest set for Europa Conference League campaign

After spending large parts of the season in the top five, Forest will no doubt be disappointed to have missed out on the Champions League, but the 2024-25 campaign still has to go down as a success for Nuno’s side.

The Tricky Trees have sealed a return to Europe for the first time since 1996, and West Ham United’s victory in the 2023 Europa Conference League final suggests Nuno’s men will also be able to be competitive in the competition next season.

However, a European campaign comes with a more congested fixture list, which means it will be important for Nuno to improve his squad depth in the summer transfer window, and there is a desire to bring in a new defender.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign "gifted" star dubbed the 'new Modric'

He could replace Morgan Gibbs-White.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 23, 2025

Indeed, according to Brown, in an interview with Football Insider, Nottingham Forest are now interested in signing Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah this summer.

The former scout said: “Nottingham Forest are one of the sides interested in Quansah. Whether it’s a permanent move or a loan, they want to do a deal.

“From what I hear, Liverpool and the manager would be willing to let him go on loan, and a loan spell is exactly what he needs.

“At Forest, he’d have to step up and be counted, which would be good for his game. They want to strengthen their squad to prepare for competing in Europe, and he’s on their radar.“

Forest move could be ideal for "amazing" Quansah

The 22-year-old played a role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season, making 25 appearances in all competitions, but he predominantly deputised for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, finding it extremely difficult to dislodge the centre-back duo.

As the Warrington-born defender is now at an age where he needs to be playing regular football, it could make sense to leave the Reds this summer, and a move to the City Ground would allow him to continue playing in Europe for a big club.

There are signs the Englishman may have a lot to offer Forest too, having been lauded by teammate Alexis Mac Allister, who said: “He was amazing. The job he did with Virg [Virgil van Dijk] is so important for the team because it gives us that calmness that we need to play football. “Even on the ball he was amazing. Very happy and very glad for him.”

Having also received an endorsement from Arne Slot, Liverpool may be unwilling to cash-in on Quansah for good this summer, but a move is not completely ruled out, with a £50m fee touted.

When Bukayo Saka was ruled out following a nasty hamstring injury towards the back end of 2024, there was collective anguish amongst Arsenal supporters.

Saka is their star boy, a beaming ray of light in an otherwise struggling front line. Struggle, they most certainly did after his injury.

While it allowed Ethan Nwaneri a stage in which to consistently shine, their options on the left-hand side didn’t always deliver.

In 2022/23 Gabriel Martinelli scored as many as 15 goals. In 2023/24, Leandro Trossard found the net on 17 occasions. Yet, the season of 2024/25 was not as kind to the Brazilian and the Belgian, even if the former did score against Real Madrid.

Indeed, across 51 games and 56 games respectively, the pair of wingers only scored ten goals each. It’s safe to say this needed to be better with Saka out and the lack of a recognised centre forward.

So, it is unsurprising to learn that Mikel Arteta wants to strengthen his options on the flank this summer.

How Arsenal could strengthen out wide this summer

One of Arsenal’s priority targets this window appears to be Real Madrid winger Rodrygo with the Brazilian attracting serious interest from Andrea Berta and Co.

New reports over the weekend suggest that everyone at the club is aligned on the fact that the 24-year-old is the ‘ideal profile’ for Arsenal and as a result, they could launch a £59m bid in the coming weeks.

If a move fell through, then the Gunners do have other irons in the fire. One of them could be AC Milan winger Rafael Leao.

That’s according to Caught Offside, who, amid interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester United, suggest that Arsenal and Chelsea are also interested in signing the Portuguese winger 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.

Berta’s interest is not said to be serious yet but competition for a player valued at around £84m is evidently fierce. Chelsea have reportedly already held talks over a possible swoop.

How Leao compares to Rodrygo

From a goal threat alone, Rodrygo would be a better signing here. After all, in 2022/23, he scored as many as 19 goals, proving he knows what it takes to break down a defence.

Leao, on the other hand, has also been a consistent scorer of goals but is yet to truly explode, so to speak. Coincidentally, the best season of his career also came in 2022/23, where he beat the goalkeeper on 16 occasions.

Since then, the Milan forward’s form has been a little inconsistent, scoring 12 goals and supplying 13 assists this season, but his profile is truly scary, so much so that he reminds some of the great Thierry Henry.

Indeed, back in 2022, Milan coach Stefano Pioli said: “Leao reminds me a lot of the early Thierry Henry, who started wide then came inside.”

Possessing long strides and the ability to beat any defender in world football, Leao so often scampers down the left before cutting onto his favoured right foot and making something happen, just as Henry did when he first came to Arsenal.

It’s that sort of profile that makes him the dream alternative to Rodrygo.

If we compare their numbers from the most successful seasons of their career to date to the end of the 2024/25 campaign, you do get a flavour for just how similar their playstyles are.

• Rodrygo
  

  Birthname

  Rodrygo

  Birthdate

  January 9, 2001

  Birthplace

  Osasco, SP, Brazil

  Height

  174

  Weight

  69

  Profession

  Athlete

  Pros & Cons

  • Strong dribbler
  • Regular trophy winner
  • Creativity
  • Consistency
  • Aerial duels
  • Physicality

• Rafael Leão
  

  Birthname

  Rafael Leão

  Birthdate

  June 10, 1999

  Birthplace

  Almada, Portugal

  Height

  189

  Weight

  79

  Profession

  Athlete

  Pros & Cons

  • Dribbling
  • Key passes
  • Trickery
  • Pace
  • Defensive contribution

As far as dribbling and creating opportunities go, there’s not much between them, with Rodrygo coming out slightly on top for progressive carries but Leao the better for progressive passes.

What does separate them, however, is that Henry-like style.

Standing at 5 foot 9, Rodrygo is the more diminutive of the two players and would be more of an Alexis Sanchez type. Leao, on the other hand, is 6 foot 2. Now, we all know Arteta loves someone of a taller build and thus, the Portugal international feels like a dream profile here.

That extra strength and pace is just what Arsenal need on the left flank.

Not just Sesko: Arsenal in talks to sign £84m star who's like Nico Williams

Arsenal are looking to sign new forwards in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 8, 2025

Glasgow Rangers are set to confirm their first signing of the Russell Martin era as they close in on a deal to sign right-back Max Aarons from Bournemouth.

Fabrizio Romano reports that all of the documents have been signed to complete a season-long loan move for the former England U21 international, who is set to bolster the club’s defensive options.

Aarons is no stranger to the new Rangers boss because he came through the Norwich academy when the former Scotland international was the club captain at Carrow Road.

Speaking on the Talk Norwich City podcast in May, the 25-year-old defender explained why he thought Martin would become a manager in the future when they trained together.

Aarons said: “When he came and trained with us he had an aura. I always knew he would go on to be a manager. I think players who played with him always knew that as well.

“I knew we had to be on it when he was training with us and giving 110 per cent because if not Russ would tell you and I loved that.”

What Max Aarons could bring to Rangers

It is fair to say that Rangers are not signing Aarons at the apex of his career, as he has had a difficult time of things since leaving Norwich to sign for Bournemouth in 2023.

After missing just two games through injury in his entire time in Norfolk, the full-back suffered two injuries that kept him out for 15 matches combined in his first year at the Vitality, which heavily disrupted his progress with the Cherries.

The right-footed whiz only played 23 games in the Premier League in his first 18 months with Bournemouth, before being loaned out to Valencia, where he played five times, in the second half of the 2024/25 season.

However, if Rangers can get Aarons back to his best, then they could have a reliable defender who can also provide quality in possession, based on his impressive displays for Norwich when they won the Championship title in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns.

As you can see in the table above, the former Canaries star, who was named in the PFA Team of the Year on both occasions, offered a threat at the top end of the pitch whilst also helping his team to keep plenty of clean sheets.

Those performances for Norwich came in a ball-dominant team that won the league title both times, which shows that he can thrive as a full-back in a side that competes at the very top of the league, as Rangers will do next term.

As shown in the clip above, Aarons excels at linking up with teammates to maraud down the flank in transition, helping his team to get up the pitch quickly and effectively to create chances in the final third.

The English whiz struck up an exceptional partnership with Emiliano Buendia on the right flank, as they played at right-back and right-wing week-in-week-out in both of those title-winning seasons for Norwich.

Buendia was a natural number ten who was utilised as a right-winger by Daniel Farke, with the license to drift infield into central areas to create space for Aarons to bomb on and make runs into the final third.

That partnership clearly helped the full-back to flourish, given his form for Norwich in those seasons, and that is why Martin can make the defender explode again by signing Tyrhys Dolan, who is a reported Rangers target this summer.

Why Tyrhys Dolan is perfect for Max Aarons

The Light Blues should sign the Blackburn Rovers forward before the end of the summer transfer window because he could be the perfect signing alongside Aarons.

Dolan could also be a bargain signing for the Scottish Premiership giants because his contract at Ewood Park is due to expire at the end of this month, which means that he is set to be available on a free transfer.

It is his quality and versatility on the pitch that Rangers should be most interested in, though, as the wing wizard, who created seven ‘big chances’ for his teammates in the 2024/25 campaign, has the potential to be a Buendia-esque figure ahead of Aarons on the right flank.

Dolan, who was once lauded as “outstanding” by former boss John Eustace, is a versatile attacker who can comfortably play out wide on the right or in a central position.

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old whiz has predominantly played as a right winger, but has plenty of experience as a striker and as a number ten.

This suggests that he would be perfectly suited to playing a similar role to the one that Buendia played ahead of Aarons at Norwich, as he can start out wide on the right and drift inside to create space for the full-back on the overlap.

Interestingly, Adam Armstrong played a similar tactical role for Martin in the 2023/24 campaign in the Championship, as he started on the right wing before coming infield to play as a striker.

This particular position for Dolan, who scored seven goals and provided six assists this season, would be slightly different, coming into a number ten area instead of playing as a number nine, to make sure that Aarons can thrive as an overlapping full-back.

Joe Aribo repeat: Rangers star agrees terms to leave Ibrox for £30k-a-week

Rangers could repeat their Joe Aribo masterclass as one of their stars looks set to move on from Ibrox.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 19, 2025

Therefore, Dolan could be the perfect signing for the Light Blues to help Aarons explode next season, because of the goals and assists he can provide as well as the positional flexibility to play a unique tactical role.

Crystal Palace have submitted a bid worth £8.5 million to sign a 21-year-old rising star who wants to move to Selhurst Park, according to a recent report.

Crystal Palace chasing two new midfielders for Glasner

While the Eagles continue to wait for clarification on whether they will be playing in the Europa League or not next season, people behind the scenes are working hard on potential transfers, as Oliver Glasner and co. plan to improve many areas of the team regardless of how many fronts they are asked to compete on.

Crystal Palace make approach to bring in £20m midfielder along with Diomande

Crystal Palace already have their eyes on their next transfer target amid talks with Diomande.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 23, 2025

Midfield appears to be the priority for the South Londoners at this moment in time, as they work on not just one but two new midfield signings. Last week, it was reported by Alan Nixon, via TBR Football, that Palace had made an approach to RC Lens over signing Andy Diouf.

Despite potentially having European football, Palace are aware they could lose Adam Wharton in this transfer window and therefore want to have a replacement ready. It would cost the Premier League side just £20 million to get a deal wrapped up.

As Palace weigh where to go next with a deal for Diouf, reports also claim the Eagles have made contact with Brighton & Hove Albion player Igor Julio over a potential move to Selhurst Park. The South Londoners are not the only Premier League team chasing a deal, as Wolverhampton Wanderers are also interested in signing the midfielder, but he is said to be prioritising a move out of England at this moment in time.

Crystal Palace submit £8.5m striker bid

Despite the excellent form of Jean-Philippe Mateta last season, the Eagles are in the market for a new striker as well as new midfielders. According to Africa Foot, Crystal Palace have made a 10 million euros (£8.5m) bid to sign Oumar Diakité from Stade de Reims.

The report states that given Stade de Reims’ relegation to Ligue 2, Diakite is among the players attracting interest across Europe. But Palace are the ones who have made a concrete move to sign the young striker, and the Eagles are in a good position to complete a transfer, as Diakite is keen on the move to Selhurst Park.

As well as making a bid, Palace have also offered the player a five-year contract and are ready to pay him 3.5 million euros a year, which is roughly £2.9 million. The concern Palace do face is that Stade de Reims are not rushing to sell the player and are waiting for more ‘miraculous’ offers to arrive.

Palace’s interest in the 21-year-old is not new, as back in November it was reported that the Premier League side had identified Diakite as a long-term replacement for Mateta. The Ivory Coast international has shown in the last couple of seasons he knows where the back of the net is, but the hope will be for him to learn under the French star, not replace him.

Tottenham Hotspur will be expected to be fighting for Europe once again next season, with Thomas Frank the man who’s been tasked with taking the side back up the table.

The Dane was appointed as the Lilywhites’ new boss last month after owner Daniel Levy decided to fork out £10m to prise him out of his contract at Brentford.

He’s showcased in the Premier League that he’s capable of overachieving, helping the Bees register a top-half finish despite losing top scorer Ivan Toney last summer.

He will likely have much bigger funds to spend after taking the reins in North London, needing to make the changes he desires if he is to be a success in the role.

Frank has already wasted no time in identifying key options to help him in his quest at the club, already edging ever closer to landing his first signing since replacing Ange Postecoglou.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Mohammed Kudus has been a player of huge interest in recent weeks and a deal for the West Ham United star was officially confirmed by the club on Thursday evening.

£55m appears to be the golden number between the two clubs, with the Ghanaian now arriving as Frank’s first addition this summer.

However, other moves have also been made in recent days, with Morgan Gibbs-White set to put pen to paper after the Lilywhites activated his £60m release clause at Nottingham Forest.

Another Premier League star could be inbound too, with Yoane Wissa potentially following Frank to Spurs, according to BBC Sport.

They claim that talks have been held over a deal to land the Congolese international striker, who managed to score 19 times in his 35 league appearances last campaign.

The report also states that the player himself is extremely keen on a move to link up with his former boss, but they are demanding a fee in the region of £50m to part ways with the 28-year-old this summer.

Why Spurs’ £50m target would be the dream CF for Kudus

Soon-to-be Spurs star Kudus is a player who will undoubtedly bring excitement to the fanbase in North London, given his spell in England with West Ham.

The 24-year-old has registered 19 goals over the last two years since his move from Ajax, often catching the eye with his mazy runs and incredible solo efforts.

He’s often scored numerous times after dribbling past the opposition effortlessly, but arguably his best strike was his bicycle kick against Manchester City in the 2023/24 campaign.

His pending move to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium would be a big-money one, no doubt, but one that would be worth every penny if he can replicate his form from the London Stadium.

Kudus could also link up with Wissa if he also completes a move, with the pair having the prospect of helping the Lilywhites rise up the Premier League table in 2025/26.

The Brentford star, who’s been labelled “remarkable” by journalist Zach Lowy, managed to score four goals with his head last campaign, something which could fall perfectly into the Ghanaian’s hands given his cross success rate of 26% last season.

Wissa also managed to register 1.3 shots on target per 90, able to link up with the £55m addition next season, especially considering his tally of 1.2 chances created per 90.

The Congolese star has further impressed by winning 46% of the aerials he’s entered, a superb record considering he’s not the tallest of players, standing at just 5”9.

Whilst it may be an expensive addition at around £50m this summer, it’s evident that Wissa would be a phenomenal addition given his previous spell in England’s top-flight.

The prospect of the Brentford talent linking up with Kudus in North London is one for the fanbase to get excited about, with the club potentially possessing two of the division’s leading talents going into 2025/26.

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