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Sunderland secured their place in the League One play-off final against Wycombe as they beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 on aggregate.

The Black Cats won the first leg 1-0 as Ross Stewart pounced on a defensive mistake to convert one-on-one against the goalkeeper.

Wednesday came out firing at Hillsborough in the second leg and eventually found their equaliser in the tie as Lee Gregory put them ahead on the night. However, Alex Neil’s team dug in deep and sent the away fans into raptures as Patrick Roberts scored the goal to send them to Wembley in the 93rd minute.

Whilst the ex-Manchester City gem will take plaudits because of his tie-winning contribution at the end of the match, Sunderland’s real play-off hero was central defender Bailey Wright.

The Australian enforcer was sublime at the heart of the backline as he put in an almost faultless display full of character and quality.

Roker Report writer Philip West showered the former Bristol City tank with praise, tweeting: “Bailey Wright, what a warrior. Bloodstained shirt, blood trickling down his face, but he was an absolute rock tonight. That’s what playing for this club is about. Heart of a lion.”

These comments illustrate the commitment shown by Wright throughout the game as he put his body on the line for his team. He was throwing himself in the firing line to block shots and made sure that he was the first to react when balls were sent into the penalty box.

As you can see from these statistics, via SofaScore, the defender was superb out of possession. He dominated the opposition as he won the majority of his physical battles, which backs up West’s praise of his performance on Monday night.

On the ball, the Australian completed five of his 11 long pass attempts and had 45 touches throughout the match. Wright spent the bulk of his time defending his own goal rather than being in possession for the Black Cats and, as such, his statistics are not overly impressive on this front.

However, his defending was enough to get the job done for Sunderland, and the fans will surely have enjoyed his passion and commitment at the back. They will want to see their players leaving everything out on the pitch, and that is what the 29-year-old did against Sheffield Wednesday.

AND in other news, Neil can blow SAFC supporters away with £3.4k-p/w gem who was made “in a laboratory”…

Everton have seen a number of their players linked with moves away from Goodison Park following a difficult Premier League campaign this season and now a new update has emerged on a fan favourite.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider sources, there has been a development in Everton’s summer transfer plans with recruitment sources at Goodison Park revealing that the club would be willing to accept offers of at least £50m for Richarlison this summer.

The reports claim that Everton are confident they will be able to attract offers over the aforementioned transfer estimation.

Supporters will be fuming

Supporters of the Toffees will surely be infuriated with the news that the club will potentially cash in on one of their best players and prospects this summer, as he has proven he would be integral next season in helping Everton steady the ship if they were to stay in the Premier League.

Richarlison has been a loyal and consistent servant for Everton in the forward line offering up 51 goals and 13 assists in 148 appearances, with some incredibly important strikes, particularly this season. As a result, he’s kept the Toffees’ chances alive to compete for a place in the Premier League during a tough relegation battle.

Recently, the Brazilian forward has made the difference in his team securing four points with a last-minute equaliser against Leicester City two weeks ago, and a winning goal against Chelsea in front of the home fans on Sunday afternoon that has kept the side in contention to make the great escape from the bottom three.

His impact during his time at the club has ultimately attracted interest from other Premier League clubs, with Manchester United reportedly interested in the goal machine, however, the value he adds to Everton’s attacking threat should be priceless to Frank Lampard, and the manager should do all that he can to keep hold of one of his star players next season.

Ultimately, Everton’s future in top-flight football hangs in the balance with the side now two points deep into the relegation zone with just five games to go and the future of many players, including Richarlison, will likely remain undecided until their fate is sealed over the next few weeks.

AND in other news: Bye-bye DCL: Lampard must finally unleash Everton’s 19 y/o “exciting talent”

While Manchester United came from behind to defeat a stubborn Crystal Palace side last weekend, Ruben Amorim’s side could not follow that up with another victory.

This time, they dropped points at the hands of lowly West Ham. Diogo Dalot scored a rare goal but Soungoutou Magassa scored from a corner late on to rescue a share of the points for Nuno Santo’s men.

Unsurprisingly, the 1-1 result did not go down well with Amorim.

Amorim speaks out following West Ham draw

Amorim made his anger and frustration clear after his team drew with the Hammers on Thursday evening.

“It’s frustrating, it’s angry, that’s it,” he said.

“It’s not going backwards. The results are going backwards. We had some moments. That can happen. You were talking about when we had that run that team was really perfect and saying we are not that far from being in the perfect moment. We are really inconsistent. But if you look at the goal, 83 minutes, we have a long ball, we have everything under control and we need to do better.”

Amorim plans to debrief his players on Friday when he has cooled down, rather than hit a giant television in the dressing room like he did after the 3-1 loss to Brighton in January.

The Portuguese mentioned that incident after this latest setback. “In that regard, I’m almost always consistent,” he said. “I had one [outburst] and you know. Brighton last year. I will talk to them tomorrow. I always have the feeling – I think everyone has the feeling – that we need to score more goals. Even with Brighton (in October) we were 3-0 (up) and then suddenly (we conceded twice). We suffer with that, we are inconsistent and we need to improve.”

United return to action against a winless Wolves side next Monday but cannot take things for granted after failing to beat the team 18th at Old Trafford.

For that game, it’s likely that young central defender Ayden Heaven won’t be in the team again

Heaven disappoints in first half cameo

Signed from Arsenal nearly ago, the centre-back has made a promising start to life in United colours but this was perhaps his worst senior performance to date.

The 19-year-old was handed his first Premier League start of the campaign and sadly did not do too much to warrant being given a role in the team.

Heaven’s performance lasted just 45 minutes before Amorim decided to withdraw him at the break.

Despite being so young, it was a performance that took criticism, chiefly from journalist Samuel Luckhurst who took to social media in the first half to say that the Englishman had a “pretty torrid opening 11 minutes” at the back.

Luckhurst said in full: “Pretty torrid opening 11 minutes from Heaven. Got too tight against Wilson, booked and even that back pass did Lammens no favours. Big call pitting him against Wilson.”

The teenager’s numbers did not make for pretty reading either. He failed to make a single tackle, make an interception or win any of his duels. He also completed just six passes and had fewer touches (17) and Senne Lammens.

While Heaven is still young, he clearly has a lot of improving and maturing to do before he’s ready to start regular games at his level.

Bad news for Mainoo: INEOS readying £30m Man Utd offer to sign "monster" CM

There appears to only be one outcome in the future of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United.

1 ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

It’s shaping up to be a sensational season for Arsenal this year.

With nine games played in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side sit atop the Premier League table, six points clear of Manchester City and seven points clear of Liverpool.

Moreover, while the Gunners look impossible to score against at the moment, there is a real sense that the team could still move up a gear or two.

Even then, several Arsenal players are performing at levels fans have not seen before, including one big-money signing who is emulating Jurrien Timber’s rise.

Timber's rise at Arsenal

Arsenal made a number of impressive signings in the summer of 2023, including David Raya, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz.

Chalkboard

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

Yet the player fans probably knew the least amount, due to him not playing in England, was Timber, who moved to the Emirates from Ajax for a fee of around £38m.

Unfortunately, the supporters wouldn’t learn much about their new defender during his first season at the club either, as he suffered an ACL injury in the opening game against Nottingham Forest, which kept him out until the final match of the campaign.

Fortunately, the Dutchman didn’t miss anywhere near as many games last season and, as a result, made an incredible impact on the team, primarily by being solid as a rock on the right-hand side.

However, this year has seen the Utrecht-born monster take yet another step forward in red and white, as, in addition to being an elite lockdown defender, he has also become a genuine attacking threat.

For example, in just nine Premier League games, the 24-year-old has scored two goals and provided two assists.

Moreover, according to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of full-backs in the league this season for non-penalty expected and actual goals, shots on target and through balls, the top 6% for passes into the penalty area, and more, all per 90.

Goals

0.26

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.26

Top 1%

Shots on Target

0.64

Top 1%

Through Balls

1.03

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.51

Top 1%

Passes into Penalty Area

1.79

Top 4%

GCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.13

Top 4%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.90

Top 4%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.13

Top 4%

xG: Expected Goals

0.23

Top 7%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.23

Top 7%

Progressive Passes

6.41

Top 7%

In all, Timber has become an all-action full-back who excels in all facets of the game, and as a result, it’s almost impossible to disagree with analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that he is “one of the best Emirates-era signings.”

Therefore, it’s massively encouraging to see another one of Arteta’s big-money signings start to emulate him in certain ways this season.

The Arsenal star emulating Timber

There are plenty of Arsenal players having stellar campaigns so far this season, but someone who’s been a big surprise in the best way possible has been Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italian international joined the club in the summer of 2024, and while he did so with plenty of fanfare, he did not have the best of debut seasons in red and white.

In fact, across the whole campaign, the former Bologna star made just 29 appearances, totalling 1497 minutes, which was almost entirely down to his truly dreadful injury record, which saw him miss 30 games for club and country and spend 175 days on the sidelines.

24/25

175

30

23/24

4

2

22/23

53

15

21/22

73

18

20/21

118

33

19/20

43

5

18/19

291

75

It was so bad, and Myles Lewis-Skelly did such a good job in his place that there were doubts over whether he’d actually be able to hold down a place in the team, or if he would suffer injury after injury before being shipped off, akin to what happened with Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Fortunately, this year has been completely different, and as things stand, he’s already made ten appearances for the first team, totalling 791 minutes, and is yet to miss a single game through injury.

This comeback is one of the similarities he shares with Timber, and the second is that, on top of simply being available, he’s also been absolutely incredible for the team this year, both defensively and especially going forward.

For example, he’s already scored a goal and provided two assists, and his underlying numbers, like the Dutchman’s, are sensational.

According to FBref, the £120k-per-week monster ranks in the top 1% of full-backs in the league for total shots, the top 4% for expected goals, the top 7% for goals plus assists, the top 10% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and more, all per 90.

On top of the incredible numbers, the Rome-born wildcard is also one of the most entertaining players to watch in the league.

Shots Total

2.20

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.13

Top 1%

xG: Expected Goals

0.25

Top 4%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.25

Top 4%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.26

Top 4%

GCA (Shot)

0.13

Top 4%

Goals + Assists

0.39

Top 7%

npxG + xAG

0.31

Top 7%

SCA (Shot)

0.39

Top 7%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.65

Top 7%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.50

Top 7%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.13

Top 10%

Assists

0.26

Top 13%

npxG/Shot

0.11

Top 16%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.39

Top 16%

Goals

0.13

Top 19%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.13

Top 19%

Passes Completed (Medium)

18.78

Top 19%

For example, the freedom given to him by Arteta and his subsequent roaming approach to the game have led him to being described as a “wild horse on the loose” by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean and “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” by journalist James Benge.

Ultimately, while he had a poor start to life at Arsenal, Calafiori has exploded into life this season, and, like Timber, has become one of the most indispensable players in Arteta’s squad.

Not Eze & Gyokeres: Arsenal pair look like the best since Bergkamp & Henry

Aretat has helped to create Arsenal’s best duo since Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 27, 2025

After Liverpool lost for the second time in the space of a few days courtesy of Galatasaray, Jamie Carragher has called for one of Arne Slot’s biggest stars to be dropped.

Slot "disappointed" again by Liverpool

After needing late goals in several of their opening games to salvage victory, something seemed off about the Premier League champions. They looked vulnerable and defeat seemed inevitable. The late goal simply wasn’t always going to arrive. And, as expected, Crystal Palace have since exposed that uncomfortable fact for Slot’s side.

The Eagles stole the late show from the Reds to hand them their first defeat at the weekend and Galatasaray have now followed suit to deal Slot back-to-back defeats for just the second time in his Liverpool career. For many, the decision to award Galatasaray a first-half penalty was contentious, but that shouldn’t have been that for Liverpool, who never truly reacted to going behind.

Having his say on his side’s defeat, Slot told reporters: “Again, disappointed. For me, this was a different performance on and off the ball [than Crystal Palace]. First half, we played quite well and had a big chance to go 1-0 up.

“It is difficult to compare this situation to before. We are sometimes a bit outsmarted in situations like this, and I cannot blame Dominik Szoboszlai for the situation. They make a 20% penalty a 100% penalty, which is very smart from them.”

Liverpool star who's "on par with Salah & VVD" had his worst game under Slot

Liverpool endured a night to forget as they were beaten by Galatasaray in the Champions League.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 1, 2025

It doesn’t get any easier for the Reds, either. They travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and club legend Carragher has already called on one player to be dropped against the Blues.

Carragher calls for Liverpool to drop Wirtz

In a brutal assessment, Carragher called for Liverpool to drop Florian Wirtz “right now” following another disappointing display from the £200,000-a-week German. The former Bayer Leverkusen star is without a goal or assist since the Community Shield and is struggling to get up to speed at Anfield.

Whether it’s been out wide or in midfield, it’s hard to argue with Carragher’s verdict. Something is wrong with this Liverpool side and it’s only natural that the blame goes the way of the £116m midfielder who hasn’t contributed since Wembley.

Slot certainly has a big decision to make. A few, in fact. As the Chelsea game approaches, Liverpool must lay down a marker as Premier League champions.

AC Milan are one of the most historic clubs in Europe. However, they have won just one Serie A title in the last 14 years.

Despite this, the Rossoneri still have a number of stars at the San Siro, and as a result, have an annual payroll of €94.7m, with the average player earning €3.3m a season.

But who earns the most? Every Milan player in the first-team squad has been ranked in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Christopher Nkunku

€178,077

€9,260,000

Adrien Rabiot

€178,077

€9,260,000

Luka Modric

€124,615

€6,480,000

Rafael Leao

€123,269

€6,410,000

Youssouf Fofana

€106,923

€5,560,000

Christian Pulisic

€98,654

€5,130,000

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

€98,654

€5,130,000

Santiago Gimenez

€89,038

€4,630,000

Ardon Jashari

€89,038

€4,630,000

Pervis Estupinan

€89,038

€4,630,000

Samuele Ricci

€89,038

€4,630,000

Fikayo Tomori

€86,346

€4,490,000

Ismael Bennacer

€81,154

€4,220,000

Mike Maignan

€69,038

€3,590,000

Matteo Gabbia

€64,038

€3,330,000

Strahinja Pavlovic

€60,577

€3,150,000

Koni De Winter

€60,577

€3,150,000

Yunus Munsah

€49,231

€2,560,000

Warren Bondo

€36,923

€1,920,000

Zachary Athekame

€35,577

€1,850,000

Pietro Terracciano

€28,462

€1,480,000

Alexis Saelemaekers

€24,615

€1,280,000

Davide Bartesaghi

€21,346

€1,100,000

David Odogu

€17,885

€930,000

Lorenzo Torriani

€7,115

€370,000

Here's a detailed look at AC Milan's top 10 earners… 10 Santiago Gimenez €89,038 per week

Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez joined AC Milan from Feyenoord at the beginning of 2025, penning a deal until 2029.

In the second half of the 2024/25 season, Gimenez scored five Serie A goals in 670 minutes.

9 Ardon Jashari €89,038 per week

Ardon Jashari swapped Club Brugge for AC Milan in a deal worth a total of €39m.

The Switzerland international, who is primarily a holding midfielder, is on €4.63m a season for the next five years.

8 Pervis Estupinan €89,038 per week

After starring in the Premier League for Brighton, left-back Pervis Estupinan headed to the San Siro in a deal that saw the Seagulls receive £17m.

An Ecuador international, Estupinan is the fourth player on €4.63m a season and like Jashari, is under contract until 2030.

7 Ruben Loftus-Cheek €98,654 per week

English midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek joined Milan from Chelsea in 2023.

Loftus-Cheek penned a four-year deal and has already made more than 70 appearances in red and black.

6 Christian Pulisic €98,654 per week

Also picking up €5.13m per season is Christian Pulisic, with the attacker really finding his feet in Italy after a tricky period with Chelsea.

Captain of the United States, Pulisic signed in 2023 and has been a regular ever since. He’s under contract until 2027.

5 Youssouf Fofana €106,923 per week

Midfielder Youssouf Fofana arrived in 2024 from Monaco at a cost of a reported €25m.

The France international was linked with the likes of Manchester United before signing for Milan, penning a four-year deal at the San Siro.

4 Rafael Leao €123,269 per week

Winger Rafael Leao has been attracting plenty of interest after his starring displays in Italy and is the top earner at AC Milan.

The Portugal international was signed for €35m in 2019, and should Milan cash in over the coming years, they could make a healthy profit.

3 Luka Modric €124,615 per week

Luka Modric signed a one-year deal with AC Milan in 2025 after leaving Real Madrid following 13 years at the Bernabeu.

With no transfer fee required, Modric signed a €6.5m deal and turned 40 at the start of the 2025/26 season.

2 Adrien Rabiot €178,077 per week

AC MIlan’s joint-top earner, Adrien Rabiot moved to the club from Marseille in 2025 after a short spell with the French club.

Formerly of Juventus, the midfielder signed a three-year deal and is in line to earn just shy of €28m in wages.

1 Christopher Nkunku €178,077 per week

Christopher Nkunku is also on €9.26m per season and signed a five-year deal with AC Milan after joining from Chelsea.

Costing around €42m, the French forward has played in Ligue 1, Bundesliga and the Premier League before moving to Serie A.

Fulham have now made an approach to sign a “top striker”, having expressed a “concrete interest” in securing his signature, Sky reporter Sacha Tavolieri has revealed on X.

Cottagers eyeing new striker amid Rodrigo Muniz uncertainty

Rodrigo Muniz’s future at Craven Cottage is in doubt, with the striker attracting interest from Premier League rivals Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur, with Thomas Frank’s side said to have made an offer for the Brazilian.

Losing the 24-year-old could be seen as a real blow for Marco Silva, given that he was a regular starter throughout the 2024-25 campaign, picking up a total of eight goals and one assist in 31 Premier League appearances.

However, the Cottagers should be able to pocket a tidy fee for the forward, should they choose to sanction a departure, given that Spurs’ bid was believed to amount to £32m, which would provide them with adequate funds to sign a top replacement.

Talks held: Fulham now approach agents of "incredible" £34m UCL finalist

The Cottagers have come forward to sign a midfielder…

ByDominic Lund Jul 2, 2025

In a recent update on X, Tavolieri has now revealed that Fulham are assessing potential options to replace Rodrigo, stating they hold a “concrete interest” in signing KRC Genk striker Tolu Arokodare, but there could be competition for his signature.

Alongside Fulham, a number of other Premier League clubs have made approaches for Arokodare, although the Sky Sports reporter appears to indicate Silva’s side are leading the race for his signature, with a move to Craven Cottage deemed the “most concrete possibility”.

A move may hinge upon Muniz leaving the club, however, with the Nigerian viewed as a “serious option” in the event of the former Flamengo man exiting Craven Cottage this summer.

"Top striker" Arokodare could be ideal replacement for Muniz

The Genk striker is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues, but he has maintained a solid goal record throughout his career so far, and the 2024-25 campaign was by far his most prolific to date.

Season

Appearances

Goals

Assists

2021-22

40

13

2

2022-23

34

10

4

2023-24

52

15

3

2024-25

45

23

7

The Nigeria international’s exploits last season suggest that he could now be entering his prime, indicating he could make an instant impact at Craven Cottage, and Genk manager Thorsten Fink clearly holds his star player in very high regard.

Fink said: “Tolu is a top striker. He is fast, strong in the air, left and right-footed, and he scores. What more could you want as a coach? Moreover, he now also carries out his defensive duties, which he didn’t do before.”

With Genk looking to hold out for a fee of £25m, a deal for Arokodare will be affordable, should Fulham decide to cash-in on their Brazilian star this summer, and he has all the tools to be a success in west London.

Manchester United have now held talks with the agent of a “sensational” player, who is among the main contenders for the Ballon d’Or, according to a report.

Man Utd's pulling power called into question

The Europa League loss against Tottenham Hotspur means, of course, that Champions League football has once again eluded Man United, and Roy Keane has suggested his former club no longer have the pulling power to attract top players.

However, Old Trafford clearly remains an attractive destination, even though European football will not be on offer next season, with it recently being revealed that Bryan Mbeumo would still prefer to join United ahead of Tottenham Hotspur.

Man Utd now open talks to sign "world-class" £103k-a-week Barcelona player

He’s won 20 trophies in his career so far.

ByDominic Lund Jun 11, 2025

There have also been suggestions that Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres remains interested in a move, despite the highly sought-after striker attracting the attention of some other top clubs, suggesting the Red Devils clearly still have pulling power.

As such, Man United have now stepped up their pursuit of the highly-regarded Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, making contact with his agent, Enzo Raiola, in order to discuss a potential summer move.

Donnarumma’s PSG contract is set to expire next June, meaning he could be on the move this summer, despite expressing a willingness to remain at the French club, saying: “My priority is to stay at PSG. I don’t think there will be problems in the negotiations.”

Ruben Amorim is keen to bring in an upgrade on Andre Onana, but it could be difficult to tempt the goalkeeper into a move, considering his desire to remain in Paris, and Champions League finalists Inter Milan could provide competition for his signature.

"Sensational" Donnarumma emerges as Ballon d'Or contender

With just one year left on his deal, the Italian could be available for just £34m this summer, which could be a bargain fee for a player vying to win the Ballon d’Or, currently ranked fourth in the 2025 Power Rankings.

In recent times, a player from the Champions League winners has often scooped up the prestigious award, and the 26-year-old kept a clean sheet in PSG’s 5-0 demolition of Inter in the final, although Desire Doue was arguably the star of the show.

Not only did the PSG shot-stopper impress in Munich, but he also caught the eye of Joe Prince-Wright in the semi-final against Arsenal, with the reporter suggesting the Italy international was one of the main reasons his side progressed past the Gunners.

Evidently, Donnarumma could be a fantastic signing for Man United, but it seems unlikely that he would be willing to leave the European champions to move to Old Trafford.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have not only lost Matheus Cunha to Manchester United this summer, but they look set to sell Rayan Ait-Nouri.

Manchester City are reportedly closing in on sealing a deal worth around £36.3m for the left-back and this will leave a gaping hole in the Wolves’ defence.

Vitor Pereira will have money to spend, that’s for certain. The onus now is for him to bring in a suitable replacement for the Algerian star.

Wolves looking to sign Ait-Nouri replacement

With another season in the Premier League to look forward to, it won’t be hard to find a player who can step up to the mark and succeed in England.

Recent reports suggest the club are turning towards Barcelona for a player who could replace Ait-Nouri. How much will he cost, however?

Transfer Focus

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

It was reported last week that the Old Gold were showing plenty of interest in Barcelona defender Gerard Martin.

Now, a new report from Spain has emerged, stating just how much the Catalan side are willing to sell their left-back for this summer.

Barcelona are open to selling Martin for a fee in the region of €12m (£10m), which is certainly a bargain deal for the Molineux outfit. The report further states that Wolves are set to make the player an offer that will significantly improve his salary.

Having come through the club’s famed La Masia academy, Hansi Flick will make a profit on the defender, and given Barcelona’s still precarious financial situation, it is a deal they are willing to consider.

With money not an issue in this regard, Pereira will be hoping to secure his signature as soon as possible.

Why Wolves must sign Gerard Martin to replace Ait-Nouri

Ait-Nouri ended his most productive season at Wolves since joining in 2020. Across 41 matches in all competitions, he scored five goals and grabbed seven assists.

He also created eight big chances, averaged 1.3 key passes and succeeded with 1.7 dribbles in the top flight for the Old Gold, signifying his attacking presence.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25

41

5

7

2023/24

38

3

4

2022/23

27

2

1

2021/22

27

1

6

2020/21

27

1

2

This will be missed, of course, but Martin looks like a ready-made replacement ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Indeed, he might have only started 11 of his 28 La Liga appearances, but the 23-year-old still managed to score once and provide three assists domestically.

Arguably, his finest performance came against Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final second leg last month.

Although Barcelona lost the tie, Martin provided two assists during the game, as well as delivering nine crosses, winning seven duels and creating two big chances for the club. Essentially, it was a very Ait-Nouri-esque display.

This impact on the biggest stage of all should convince Pereira that Martin is the correct replacement for the departing Algerian, no doubt about that.

Football writer Zach Lowy recently stated that while Martin was still “quite raw”, he “has tremendous upside and character” and Wolves could be an ideal place for him to become a starting left-back.

For a fee of just £10m, it is unlikely the club will do much better throughout the transfer window.

Wolves could sign dream Cunha replacement who's "Bruno Fernandes-esque"

Wolves are seeking a replacement for Matheus Cunha this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 8, 2025

Brendan Rodgers made a bold decision in the January transfer window when he sanctioned a Celtic exit for centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi.

The Japan international completed a £10m move to Ligue 1 side Rennes midway through the season, and shortly after the Hoops had qualified for the play-off round of the Champions League.

Kyogo, who scored 34 goals in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign, had scored 85 goals in 165 appearances for the Scottish giants before his move to France.

The Japan international had scored 12 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions during the 2024/25 season for Celtic as Rodgers’ first-choice centre-forward more often than not.

However, the Northern Irish head coach opted against a move to sign a direct replacement for him before the end of the January transfer window, instead opting for Daizen Maeda, Adam Idah, and Johnny Kenny as his three striker options.

Celtic could be in the market for a replacement for Kyogo in the summer, though, and Rodgers could be on the lookout for his next Odsonne Edouard.

How Celtic hit the jackpot with Odsonne Edouard

The Scottish giants initially signed the French marksman on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017, at the start of the current Celtic manager’s second season in charge.

Edouard enjoyed a fairly impressive debut campaign in Glasgow with a return of 11 goals and four assists in 29 appearances in all competitions, including nine goals in 22 outings in the Scottish Premiership.

His form for the Hoops in that season convinced the board to smash the club’s transfer record with a reported £9m swoop for his services in the summer of 2018 to bolster Rodgers’ options at the top end of the pitch.

The Premiership champions were willing to splash the cash to ensure that Edouard remained at Parkhead after his impressive debut campaign, and it turned out to be a terrific decision as they hit the jackpot with the French star.

Edouard scored 22 goals and provided eight assists in 52 appearances in his first season as a permanent Hoops number nine, and followed that up with a stunning return of 29 goals and 17 assists in 47 outings in the next campaign.

Celtic hit the jackpot with the former PSG star because they smashed their transfer record in the hope that he would progress and develop as a player, which is exactly what happened with his rising goal tallies each year.

As you can see in the graphic above, Edouard ended his Celtic career with two Golden Boots and four league titles in four seasons, before signing for Premier League side Crystal Palace in a transfer that could rise to £18.5m.

This shows that the Hoops hit the jackpot with the striker in more ways than one, as they landed a terrific player on the pitch and ended up making a significant profit on him, and they could repeat that masterclass with their interest in a new forward this summer.

Celtic considering club-record swoop for striker

According to the Daily Mail, Celtic are one of a number of teams eyeing up a move to sign Brondby centre-forward Mathias Kvistgaarden in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that they are facing plenty of competition for the attacker’s signature, as West Ham United and Eintracht Frankfurt are also interested in a swoop for the Danish marksman.

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It states that Celtic enquired about a deal for the 23-year-old star in January, as he is a long-term target for the club, and that they are now weighing up a move to sign him this summer.

The Daily Mail’s report adds that any teams wanting to sign Kvistgaarden this summer would need to shell out a fee in excess of £12m, which would break the £11m transfer record set by Arne Engels’ move from Augsburg last year.

It claims that Celtic would have ‘no issue’ with smashing their transfer record to sign the striker, which illustrates the kind of money that Rodgers will have to spend in the coming months.

Whilst the Hoops are now weighing up this club-record move for the Brondby star, is Kvistgaarden worth splashing the cash on ahead of next season?

Why Celtic should sign Mathias Kvistgaarden

The Premiership champions should smash their transfer record to sign the Danish attacker, as he could be Edouard 2.0 at Parkhead, a centre-forward worth breaking the bank for.

As aforementioned, Celtic hit gold with the French striker because they were willing to pay big money to bring the talented attacker to Parkhead on a permanent basis, and they got back the quality that they paid for.

That could also be the case with Kvistgaarden because he is coming off the back of an impressive season in Denmark with Brondby, which has attracted interest from teams in the Bundesliga and the Premier League, as well as Scotland.

The former Denmark U21 international ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of 23 goals and seven assists in 39 appearances in all competitions, which shows that he provided a huge threat in the final third on a regular basis.

Appearances

29

FotMob rating

7.29

xG

13.99

Goals

17

Chances created

19

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, Kvistgaarden was particularly lethal in the Superliga with 17 goals from just 13.99 xG, which speaks to his efficiency in front of goal as he can outperform his expected return.

Meanwhile, no Celtic player managed more than 16 goals in the Premiership. Adam Idah (14.77) and Daizen Maeda (14.95) both had a higher xG than the Danish sensation, but only managed 13 and 16 goals respectively, which suggests that the £12m+ striker could come in as an upgrade on what Rodgers currently has at his disposal.

Denmark boss Brian Riemer recently described the attacker as a “tormentor for the opponents’ defences”, and that is backed up by his impressive form for Brondby this season with a constant stream of goals across all competitions.

He could be a tormentor in Scotland in the 2025/26 campaign as a lethal and consistent goalscorer for the Scottish giants, which is why he could be Edouard 2.0 as a club-record signing with the potential to make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch for many seasons to come.

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