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Manchester City are known for their spending power following their 2008 takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group and have won everything under Pep Guardiola.

Jack Grealish is the club’s biggest ever addition at a cost of £100m, whereas star striker Erling Haaland looks a bargain at just over £50m.

Man City's most expensive signings of all time

The Citizens have spent a lot of money over the years.

ByBarney Lane Jan 28, 2025

However, those at the Etihad Stadium have also brought in some big fees for some star players in recent years, with Cole Palmer’s move to Chelsea one that City arguably regret.

Here is a list of Man City’s most expensive departures of all time, with a detailed look at the top 10.

Rank

Player

Fee

Sold to

Year

Julian Alvarez

£64.4m

Atletico Madrid

2024

Raheem Sterling

£47.5m

Chelsea

2022

Ferran Torres

£46.7m

Barcelona

2021

Gabriel Jesus

£45m

Arsenal

2022

Leroy Sane

£44.7m

Bayern Munich

2020

Cole Palmer

£42.5m

Chelsea

2023

Danilo

£34.1m

Juventus

2019

Oleksandr Zinchenko

£30m

Arsenal

2022

Riyad Mahrez

£30m

Al-Hilal

2023

Kelechi Iheanacho

£25m

Leicester

2017

Yan Couto

£25m

Borussia Dortmund

2025

Alvaro Negredo

£23.8m

Valencia

2014

Aymeric Laporte

£23.6m

Al-Nassr

2023

James McAtee

£22m

Nottingham Forest

2025

Joao Cancelo

£21.2m

Al-Hilal

2001

Shaun Wright-Phillips

£21m

Chelsea

2005

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

£20m

Southampton

2024

Mario Balotelli

£19m

AC Milan

2013

James Trafford

£19m

Burnley

2023

Robinho

£18m

AC Milan

2010

10 Kelechi Iheanacho £25m to Leicester, 2017

Eight years before full-back Yan Couto, Man City sold forward Kelechi Iheanacho for a fee of £25m.

The Nigerian scored 21 goals in 64 games at the Etihad, however, in search of regular game time, signed for the Foxes where he would make more than 230 appearances.

He won the FA Cup for Leicester, whereas City were happy with the money after bringing the forward through their academy.

9 Riyad Mahrez £30m to Al-Hilal, 2023

After winning the treble with Man City in 2022/23, winger Riyad Mahrez swapped Manchester for Saudi Arabia.

Mahrez was 32 years of age when Al-Hilal came calling, with City recouping half of the £60m they paid Leicester for the right-winger in 2018.

8 Oleksandr Zinchenko £30m to Arsenal, 2022

Full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko played more than 125 games for Man City after joining in 2016 from FC Ufa.

Zinchenko cost just £1.8m, so would go on to make a huge profit when selling the Ukrainian to Arsenal. It proved to be a wise call, with the left-back struggling to make the same impact at the Emirates.

7 Danilo £34.1m to Juventus, 2019

Brazilian full-back Danilo arrived from Real Madrid in Guardiola’s first season and would make 60 appearances for Man City.

He left for Juventus in 2019 after winning back-to-back Premier League titles, two EFL Cup trophies and an FA Cup, with City making profit in the process.

6 Cole Palmer £42.5m to Chelsea, 2023

A sale that Man City look set to regret for a long time is academy graduate Cole Palmer.

When Man City accepted Chelsea’s £42.5m offer for the attacking midfielder in 2023, it appeared as if it was a wise decision and one that would help with FFP.

However, Palmer has gone from strength to strength at Stamford Bridge and is now seen as one of the best creative attackers in world football.

5 Leroy Sane £44.7m to Bayern, 2020

Arriving at the Etihad in 2016 for an initial £37m, Leroy Sane made a big impact on the wing for Man City, with his lightning speed terrifying full-backs in the Premier League.

The German won two league titles with City and returned to his native country with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich four years later, with the Blues making money on the attacker.

4 Gabriel Jesus £45m to Arsenal, 2022

Like Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus also made the move from Man City to Arsenal in 2022, and the Brazilian cost the Gunners more at £45m.

Jesus scored 95 goals in 236 games for City, winning four Premier League titles. He cost the Blues around £27m, meaning those at the Etihad made a tidy profit despite selling to a rival.

3 Ferran Torres £46.7m to Barcelona, 2021

Ferran Torres’ stay in Manchester was short and sweet, and much of his 18-month stay at the Etihad was during the pandemic and played behind closed doors, so City fans never really got to see the forward up close.

The Spaniard did catch the eye in England, so much so that Barcelona were willing to pay £46.7m for his services at the end of 2021.

2 Raheem Sterling £47.5m to Chelsea, 2022

Raheem Sterling spent seven years as a Man City player and won four Premier League titles at the Etihad, going down as a club legend.

The winger cost City just under £50m from Liverpool in 2015, so recouping the majority of that fee when Chelsea came in was seen as a shrewd piece of business.

1 Julian Alvarez £64.4m to Atletico Madrid, 2024

Top of the list as Man City’s most expensive sale of all time is forward Julian Alvarez, who played second fiddle to Haaland for large parts of his Etihad career.

The Argentine did win the World Cup while at City and impressed when given the chance under Guardiola.

However, those at the Etihad couldn’t turn down an initial £64.4m offer from Atletico Madrid, and that could rise to £81.5m with add ons.

Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly battling to complete the signing of “one of the strongest forwards in Europe” in 2026, with his big wages not a problem for either side.

Rooney impressed with Mbeumo at Man Utd

The Red Devils’ start to the season has been flawed, with not all of their new signings hitting the ground running, but Bryan Mbeumo has made an encouraging start to life at Old Trafford.

One player who has been impressed by the Cameroonian’s performances in a United shirt is Wayne Rooney, who admitted as much on The Wayne Rooney Show.

“He looks like the type of character who would be fine with it (going back to his old club). I think he’s been a real positive for Man United this season. I think his energy, his running off the ball, his commitment, he’s scored a couple of goals, he could have had more.

“So I’ve been really happy. I think he’s been, out of all the signings, the most positive one. And he looks like someone who will just take it in his stride. So, yeah, I think he’ll be ok. It’s not always easy when you go back.”

While Mbeumo has been joined by Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko at United this summer, another attacking player is now being mentioned as a transfer target for them.

Man Utd battling Chelsea for soon-to-be free agent

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Manchester United are interested in signing Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, who is on course to become a free agent in 2026.

The Red Devils will reportedly have no issue paying the Serb’s £10m-a-year wages, with Chelsea also keen on acquiring his signature, and Juve could cash in on him in the January transfer window, rather than lose him for nothing.

Vlahovic is an outstanding striker who has proven himself over an extended period, being hailed by his former manager Cesare Prandelli earlier this week.

“Dusan has shown great professionalism. He has endured everything. His goals reflect his inner balance. For me, he is a champion. I’d like to see him score even more – he is one of the strongest forwards in Europe.”

Juventus

150

62

Fiorentina

108

49

Partizan Belgrade

27

3

Serbia

38

15

Vlahovic has all the tools to be a big hit for United, from physicality to expert finishing, but the one question mark against them signing him is whether it would stunt Sesko’s growth at Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old Slovenian is still adjusting to life with the Red Devils, but there needs to be a point where United show faith in a striker and stick with him, having loaned Rasmus Hojlund out to Napoli for the 2025/26 season.

Man Utd thought they had "the next Scholes", but he was sold for just £435k

One former Manchester United talent ultimately failed to reach the hype he arrived with.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 26, 2025

That said, strong depth is never a bad thing, and the club needs to be ruthless, so if Sesko doesn’t enjoy a big first year at Old Trafford, a move for Vlahovic could make perfect sense.

Rangers transfer business so far this summer has been solid under Russell Martin as he embarks on his maiden season in charge of the club.

A couple impressed during the 2-0 win over Greek side Panathinaikos in the Champions League qualifier on Tuesday evening, with winger Djeidi Gassama scoring the crucial second goal with a smart finish.

It was a positive second half display by the Ibrox side, and they now have one foot in the next round of qualifiers.

The likes of Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga, Thelo Aasgaard and Joe Rothwell all look excellent signings for the Light Blues, but Martin wont be stopping there when it comes to adding more players.

Others have been linked with a move to the club of late, with names such as Luuk de Jong, Salvatore Esposito and even Jamie Vardy being touted over potential moves to Glasgow.

Much will depend on the money Martin has at his disposal, as he could be waiting for a few players to depart before eyeing any further move.

Robin Propper has completed his move back to former club FC Twente, which will free up some of the wage bill.

One player who has been linked heavily with a move to Rangers is Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. Signing the player would signify a statement of intent by Martin, no doubt about that.

What Martin has said about Rak-Sakyi deal

The Palace winger is of interest to the club and Martin has stated that he has tried to sign him previously.

“He’s a player I liked at Southampton. We tried to take him there and it didn’t quite happen,” said Martin amid the links to the youngster. “So, he’s a player I like and I think he’s a player the recruitment staff like. But, how far that’s gone, I’m not too sure.”

A few days ago, Rangers made an offer to Palace for the 22-year-old. The proposed deal was for Rak-Sakyi to move to Ibrox on a season-long loan ahead of making the move permanent next summer for a fee worth up to £10m.

This was rejected by the Premier League outfit and it remains to be seen whether Martin will adopt a different strategy or move on to other targets.

Last term, the Englishman spent a spell on loan with Sheffield United in the Championship. He scored seven goals and grabbed two assists for the Blades, but it wasn’t enough to see them secure promotion back to the top flight.

Improving his wide options is something Martin is keen to do before the transfer window shuts. A move for Rak-Sakyi would certainly be an interesting one, especially given how much the club were willing to pay for him permanently.

He is certainly a talented player, yet during his spell with Palace, he has made just ten senior appearances, registering zero goal contributions.

Appearances

43

34

Starts

40

22

Goals

15

7

Minutes per goal

233

248

Big chances created

5

3

Key passes per game

1.3

0.9

Assists

8

2

Should any proposed move cool down in the coming weeks, Martin could perhaps go after an alternative option – Abu Kamara.

Rangers’ search for a new winger

While Gassama may have been signed, bringing another wide player into the squad could prove advantageous for Martin and his team. A few weeks ago, it was reported via Sky Sports that the Gers were weighing up a potential offer to sign Hull City star Kamara.

Due to Hull’s financial issues, any deal for Kamara – who joined his current side for £4m last year – would likely be a cut-price one, which could suggest this is a more likely move to go ahead compared to the Rak-Sakyi one.

Furthermore, he is a year younger than the Palace starlet, and he also played in the Championship last season.

Given Palace’s demands for their young talent, perhaps a move for Kamara is the more feasible option out of the two. If so, Martin could forget all about Rak-Sakyi, as Kamara has all the attributes which could see him shine for the Light Blues this season.

Why Rangers want to sign Abu Kamara

Throughout his embryonic career thus far, Kamara has already racked up 95 senior appearances for Hull, Portsmouth and Norwich, scoring 16 goals and grabbing 15 assists for these clubs.

Despite being a year older, Rak-Sakyi has made the same number of senior appearances, although he has scored 22 goals and grabbed 11 assists in the process.

With the two players starring in the second tier last season, it is important to measure how they performed to see who stood out in a range of statistics.

Indeed, Kamara registered a shots on target percentage of 38.9%, while also recording 74 shot-creating actions, taking 494 touches in the final third, completing 519 carries and delivering 55 crosses into the opposition penalty area.

In comparison, Rak-Sakyi registered a shots on target percentage of 34.8% in the Championship last term, along with generating 71 shot-creating actions, taking 405 touches in the final third, completing 427 carries and delivering 34 crosses into the box.

As you can see, Kamara has better stats across all of these performance metrics compared to the Palace winger.

Kamara even created more big chances in the second tier last season compared to Rak-Sakyi (seven vs three) and missed fewer big chances (five vs six), suggesting that he was the better creator of opportunities.

Former teammate Conor Shaughnessy lavished plenty of praise on Kamara during their spell at Portsmouth, saying that “he will be dangerous on the right wing for them” when referencing his return to Hull City after his loan spell.

There is no doubt Kamara will get better as time goes on and experiencing European football at Ibrox will certainly aid his development.

Rak-Sakyi would be a fine signing, especially given his talent. But for the fee mentioned, it looks as though this deal could drag on throughout the summer.

In Kamara, Martin could sign someone who has demonstrated better stats in the same league as the Palace starlet, and he would be available for a cheaper price.

Watch this space.

Rangers target now up for sale in long-term deal after loan-to-buy offer

The youngster is up for sale…

ByBrett Worthington Jul 25, 2025

An “incredible” midfielder is now “set to join” Leeds United alongside their move for Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on X.

Leeds closing in on two new midfielders

Leeds have been targeting Longstaff for quite some time, and the deal is now finally edging closer to completion, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealing the midfielder is set to undergo a medical ahead of a move.

Daniel Farke will be relieved to finally get a new central midfielder through the door, having missed out on Habib Diarra to Premier League rivals Sunderland, but the manager remains keen on securing the signature of another player.

It was recently revealed the Whites have agreed personal terms with Hoffenheim midfielder Anton Stach, who is valued at £17m by the German club, and there has now been a major new update on their pursuit of the 26-year-old.

In a recent update from Plettenberg on X, it was revealed that “new talks” over a deal for Stach took place on Wednesday, with Leeds stepping up their pursuit of the Hoffenheim star, amid rival interest from Bundesliga side Stuttgart.

Major blow for 49ers as £30m+ Leeds target now pushing other clubs to bid

Leeds have a fight on their hands to secure one of their top targets of the summer transfer window.

3 ByBrett Worthington Jul 16, 2025

Stuttgart have also held talks over a deal for the German, but Hoffenheim are yet to strike an agreement with either club, although the feeling is that he is now “set to join Leeds”, which will come as welcome news for Farke.

However, it remains to be seen whether the Premier League side are willing to match the aforementioned asking price of around £17m plus bonuses.

Stach could be "incredible" addition to Farke's squad

The Hoffenheim maestro has received praise from former teammate Dominik Kohr, who lauded him for his “incredible” shooting ability, while he also excels in a number of other key areas, most often catching the eye from a defensive point of view.

The two-time Germany international is particularly impressive at winning back possession, as showcased by the number of interceptions he has averaged per 90 over the past year, while the defensive midfielder’s 6-foot-4 frame means he is also impressive in the air.

Statistic

Average per 90

Interceptions

1.65 (93rd percentile)

Blocks

1.60 (85th percentile)

Clearances

3.65 (99th percentile)

Aerials won

1.83 (88th percentile)

Leeds will need to be defensively solid if they are to stand a chance of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship, and Stach’s displays for Hoffenheim prove he could be a fantastic signing, so it is exciting news that the move has progressed in recent days.

It would be fair to say that the transfer window is shaping up to be one of Arsenal’s most dramatic for some time.

After weeks of little to no noticeable progress on the recruitment front, the Gunners burst into life a couple of weeks ago and have now announced the signing of backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and midfield metronome Martin Zubimendi.

Moreover, the links to Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo refuse to go away, and the club have reportedly been in talks with Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

However, perhaps the most exciting development of all concerns the saga surrounding Viktor Gyokeres, although it also appears that Arsenal are keen to land an international ace with whom the Swede would love to play.

Arsenal moving to sign brilliant Gyokeres partner

Following yet another campaign in which they came close but failed to win a trophy, it was clear that a new centre-forward had to be one of Arsenal’s primary targets 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.

For a long time, it looked like RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko was going to be that forward, but with the German outfit reportedly demanding at least €90m, which is about £78m, the Gunners turned to another of their options: Gyokeres.

It now looks like a deal for the Swedish goal machine is a matter of time, as personal terms have already been agreed, and the Sporting CP star has even agreed to forgo €2m of his salary to help move things along.

As if that wasn’t enough to get excited about, it now looks like the North Londoners are also making progress towards another attacking signing, an international who Gyokeres will surely love playing with: Noni Madueke.

Yes, according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are incredibly interested in the Chelsea ace.

The Italian journalist reaffirms claims that the Gunners have an “agreement” with the Englishman, and that even though there is a difference in valuation between the two clubs, they’re now “set to make the first bid” for him “at any moment.”

In terms of price, it appears that the Blues value the former PSV Eindhoven gem at around £50m.

While it might not be the transfer some fans were hoping for, Madueke has the ability and potential to become something special for Arsenal, and a brilliant teammate for Gyokeres at that.

Why Gyokeres will love playing with Madueke

There are really two reasons why Gyokeres would love playing in a team with Madueke, and the most important is his style of play.

From looking at his heatmap for Sporting last season, and the areas in which he scores his goals, we can see that, at his best, the free-scoring Swede really is the archetypal penalty box poacher.

Therefore, if the Gunners are going to get the most out of him next season, they will need to get the ball to him when he’s in dangerous situations, and there are two ways of doing so in open play: passing it up the pitch and carrying it there.

While Martin Odegaard will be tasked with doing the former, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the Chelsea star is truly world-class at the latter.

Don’t just take our word for it, though, as FBref ranked him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues last season for progressive carries and carries into the penalty area, while also ranking him in the top 7% for total progressive carrying distance, all per 90.

Progressive Carries

6.82

Top 1%

Carries into Penalty Area

4.12

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.04

Top 4%

Touches (Att Pen)

8.15

Top 4%

Non-Penalty xG

0.43

Top 6%

Shots Total

3.54

Top 7%

Progressive Carrying Distance

154.28

Top 7%

Shots on Target

1.33

Top 8%

In other words, the tricky Englishman is a simply outrageous carrying “monster,” as dubbed by personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, and could therefore be a key cog in the machine that feeds the former Coventry star chance after chance.

Moreover, the second reason the Swede could love playing with the “fearless” winger, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is that his output wasn’t too bad at all last season.

Excluding the Club World Cup, the seven-capped international played 2449 minutes of football across all competitions, in which he scored 11 goals and provided five assists.

That means he averaged a goal involvement every 153.06 minutes, and suggests that in a better team, alongside a more effective striker, he could do much better.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to overhaul their attack this summer, and bringing in Gyokeres and Madueke is a fantastic way to start.

Talks open: Arsenal submit offer to sign "standout" 17 y/o after Zubimendi

The midfielder is the Gunners’ second summer signing.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 7, 2025

The SPFL fixtures are out, meaning Celtic supporters can start looking forward to the new season as Brendan Rodgers’ side go about defending their crown.

The Hoops will begin their Premiership title defence at Parkhead on Sunday 3 August, before a Scottish Cup Final rematch a week later for Rodgers’ Bhoys, seeking revenge following that penalty shootout defeat at Hampden.

With an Old Firm derby at Ibrox on 31 August, as well as a season-defining Champions League play-off, their opponents in that tie will be confirmed on 4 August, there’s plenty for Celtic supporters to look forward to on the park.

Off the pitch, they’re making a splash in the transfer window.

Celtic seeking midfield reinforcements

Before pre-season begins against Glasgow neighbours Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden on Friday week, focus remains on transfers, with Rodgers looking to bolster every area of his squad.

So far, Kieran Tierney has re-joined Celtic, while Ross Doohan has arrived to be the new third-choice goalkeeper, replacing Scott Bain, with Callum Osmand and Benjamin Nygren expected to be through the door soon.

Now, according to a report by Africa Foot, Celtic are interested in signing Moussa Baradji, facing competition from Sunderland, who have been promoted back to the Premier League.

The 24-year-old defensive midfielder currently plays for Yverdon-Sport, who finished bottom of this season’s Swiss Super League, thereby relegated, hence why Baradji is expected to be on the move again this summer, just one year after arriving from Legnago Salus in Serie C.

Baradji is valued at €3m (around £2.5m), described as a versatile midfielder by Drissa Traoré of Africa Foot, who adds that Galatasaray are amongst a number of European heavyweights vying for his signature.

Now though, could he be on his way to Glasgow?

How Baradji could replicate Victor Wanyama's Celtic career

Similar to Baradji, Victor Wanyama was not a known quantity when he joined Celtic from Beerschot in 2011, costing a reported fee of £900k, having made only 54 senior appearances for De Mannekes.

Nevertheless, just two years later, he was sold to Southampton for £12.5m, a Scottish record fee at the time, having impressed during his 91 appearances in hoops, most notably starring during the famous 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League, heading home the night’s opening goal.

That night, according to Ewan Murray of the Guardian, up against Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi and others, the Kenyan was the best player on the pitch, with then-manager Neil Lennon labelling him “world class”.

After three seasons by the South Coast, Wanyama would join Tottenham, a key figure in Mauricio Pochettino’s successful Spurs side.

He was then not quite so impactful at Club de Foot Montréal, spending a large period of his four-year stay in Quebec injured or not contributing much, before returning to Scottish football in March, linking up with Lennon again at Dunfermline Athletic.

So, could Baradji be the new Wanyama? Let’s assess his statistics from this season.

Appearances

27

111th

Minutes

2,104

77th

Goals

4

51st

Shots

45

29th

Fouls

41

13th

Interceptions

24

71st

Tackles

72

12th

Average SofaScore rating

7.14

37th

As the table outlines, Baradji is something of an all-rounder, as Wanyama was, ranking pretty highly when it comes to shots, fouls and tackles, made all the more impressive considering his team finished rock-bottom of the Swiss top-flight.

Wanyama was particularly strong in the tackle, notably ranking as the tenth-best midfielder in the 2014/15 Premier League season for tackles per game (2.9). Thus, there are certainly similarities here.

Patrick Juillar of Sport 365 further describes him as a “box-to-box midfielder” who has just enjoyed an “outstanding” campaign, so if Celtic can secure his services, he could offer a big return on investment.

Celtic have made an approach to beat Premier League club to sign £2.5m ace

He is wanted by a host of teams.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 25, 2025

Celtic are set for a very busy summer in the transfer market.

Kieran Tierney is back, re-joining the club six years after leaving, and supporters cannot wait to see one of their favourite players back in green and white hoops again.

Now, could Brendan Rodgers be about to add further defensive reinforcements?

Celtic targeting a new defender

The Hoops are very active in the market at the moment with a move for Swedish star, Benjamin Nygren, all but confirmed.

So, who’s the Hoops’ next target?

Well, according to a report by Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports, Celtic “are in talks” with J League club Albirex Niigata over the possibility of signing Hayato Inamura.

He describes the 23-year-old as a “left-footed centre-back” who is also capable of playing at left-back.

Inamure came through Japan’s college system, representing Maebashi Ikuei High School and then Toyo University, before joining Albirex Niigata a year ago, making 33 appearances to date for the side currently in the J League relegation zone.

So, could he become the latest Japanese player to call Parkhead home?

How Inamura could replicate Celtic's Japanese heroes

As the table below outlines, Celtic have a rich tradition when it comes to Japanese players, many of whom have enjoyed massive success.

Shunsuke Nakamura

2005-09

159

Kōki Mizuno

2008-09

12

Tomoki Iwata

2022-24

42

Yūki Kobayashi

2023

7

Yosuke Ideguchi

2022

6

Kyōgo Furuhashi

2021-2025

165

Reo Hatate

2022-present

142

Daizen Maeda

2022-present

158

Of course, the vast majority of the Japanese players Celtic have had were signed by Ange Postecoglou, but this tradition goes back to Shunsuke Nakamura in the mid-2000s, who certainly made a huge impact, described by Tom Hancock of Four Four Two Magazine as one of the best free-kick takers of all time.

In the more modern era, few Celtic players of any nationality have been as impressive as Reo Hatate, making 142 appearances in hoops to date, scoring 27 goals and providing 28 assists, winning eight major trophies.

Manager Rodgers described the midfielder as “top class”, adding that he has been “absolutely brilliant” since the boss re-joined the club in 2023.

Meantime, Martin Crawford of Breaking the Lines labelled him the ‘best player in Scotland’, describing Hatate as a ‘complete, elegant talent’.

Signed for just £1.4m, these performances have seen the midfielder’s valuation skyrocket, with Transfermarkt estimating he is worth around £10m, hence why the Celts’ actually rejecting a £10m bid for Hatate from a Ligue 1 club last summer, according to The National.

While no fee is currently known for Inamura, the club would surely hope he could make a similar impact in Glasgow, which would result in a similar exponential increase in value.

Analyst and scout Will Glavin describes Inamura as “tactically intelligent…composed and comfortable building from the back”, praising his defensive discipline and “positional awareness”, concluding that this deal is a “smart, low-risk investment”. That’s certainly true of the deal to bring Hatate to the club all those years ago under Postecoglou. It was low-risk and he’ll undoubtedly pay the club back when he leaves.

Stephen McGowan of the Herald outlines how he will provide competition for Auston Trusty and Liam Scales, seeking to start as the left-sided centre-half, while also able to cover at left-back when Tierney requires a breather.

So, this once again appears to be a sensible signing from Celtic and, even though Inamura is very inexperienced, this does not mean he cannot be the club’s latest Japanese superstar.

Their new Liel Abada: Celtic on the verge of signing "fearless" star

Celtic are reportedly set to complete their first signing of the summer, so here’s why their “fearless” new winger could be a Liel Abada repeat?

Jun 15, 2025

Celtic will be going in search of the domestic treble in the 2025/26 campaign after they failed to secure all three Scottish trophies in the last two seasons.

Brendan Rodgers returned to Parkhead in the summer of 2023 and has won two domestic trophies in each of his first two terms back in Glasgow so far.

The Northern Irish head coach won the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup in his second season, before losing to Aberdeen on penalties in the final of the SFA Cup.

Celtic also got through to the play-off stage of the Champions League, losing to Bayern Munich over two legs, and they may target more progress on the European stage.

The Hoops will need to be active in the summer transfer window in order to bolster their squad to kick on next season, and they already have one deal over the line.

Kieran Tierney will officially re-sign for the Premiership champions at the start of July after his contract with Premier League side Arsenal expires at the end of this month.

Why Kieran Tierney is an exciting signing

The Scotland international is an exciting addition for Rodgers and Celtic this summer because he is a proven performer who could come in and hit the ground running next term.

Tierney came up through the youth ranks at Paradise and made his breakthrough at first-team level with the Hoops before his big-money move to the Gunners back in 2019.

As you can see in the graphic above, the Scottish defender won five Premiership titles with the club and made the best part of 200 appearances before moving down south.

Six years on from his Parkhead exit, Tierney is now set to return to Glasgow and will provide Rodgers with a reliable option at left-back when fit and available, because he has been there and done it in the league and with Celtic, which is why this is an exciting deal.

However, there is also cause for concern with the 28-year-old star’s arrival this summer, because he has consistently suffered with injury problems throughout his career.

24/25

1

160

18

23/24

3

103

21

22/23

0

0

0

21/22

2

116

17

20/21

4

87

19

19/20

1

97

19

18/19

5

140

27

17/18

1

23

5

16/17

1

86

16

As you can see in the table above, the experienced ace has only missed fewer than 16 matches through injury in a season twice in the last nine campaigns for Celtic and Arsenal combined, which suggests that he is not likely to be available week-in-week out for the Hoops next term.

This means that the Scottish giants could need to bring in another left-back to play when the Bhoys academy graduate is unavailable, and the club have been linked with an interest in a teenage defender who could be an even more exciting signing than Tierney.

Celtic's interest in teenage full-back

At the end of last month, Sponichi Soccer, as relayed by The National, reported that Celtic are one of a number of teams interested in a deal to sign Djurgardens left-back Keita Kosugi in the summer transfer window.

The outlet claimed that Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Italian side Atalanta are also eyeing up a swoop for the 19-year-old defender, as they look to bolster the depth in their respective squads.

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It did not reveal, however, how much money it would take to convince the Swedish side to part ways with their impressive Japanese left-back this summer, so it remains to be seen how much the Hoops would have to pay for his services.

The interest from PSG and Atalanta does show, though, that Celtic could find it difficult to get a deal done for the defender because they would have to convince him to turn down the chance to play in one of Europe’s major leagues.

It is now down to the club to press ahead with a swoop for the Djurgardens star, because he could be an even more exciting signing than Tierney this summer.

Why Kosugi would be more exciting than Tierney for Celtic

Whilst the Scotland international is a proven Premiership performer who could come in to make an instant impact as a known quantity for Celtic, he represents the past more than he does the future.

Tierney, although he still has some years ahead of him at the age of 28, has shown that he cannot be consistently available due to his constant injury problems, which means that the club may not be able to rely on him moving forward as a go-to option every week.

Kosugi, meanwhile, is 19 and has the majority of his career ahead of him and could go on to be Celtic’s first-choice left-back for many, many, years to come.

He has also yet to suffer a significant injury in his career, with no injury absences listed on Transfermarkt, which suggests that the youngster is more likely to be available week-in-week-out in comparison to Tierney.

Kosugi, who was dubbed “impressive” by video scout Elijah Michiels, also showcased his quality in the Conference League for the Swedish club in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown in the clips above.

Appearances

12

11

Goals

0

2

Key passes per game

1.3

0.9

Big chances created

1

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.2

3.2

Clearances per game

3.5

3.5

Duel success rate

50%

53%

The 19-year-old defender, as shown in the statistics above, is a full-back who has shown that he can combine offensive output with defensive strength, particularly in Europe.

Kosugi, who was described as a “standout” in the Conference League by Jacek Kulig, can provide goals and creativity whilst also making plenty of tackles, interceptions, and clearances each match.

Meanwhile, Tierney averaged 0.7 tackles and interceptions per game and created two ‘big chances’ in 13 appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal this season.

Overall, Kosugi could be a more exciting signing than the Scottish defender because of his potential to play week-in-week-out, coupled with his age profile and his superior performances in comparison to Tierney during the 2024/25 campaign.

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That is why the board must push to win the race for the 19-year-old starlet’s signature ahead of PSG and Atalanta, as difficult as that may seem, this summer.

Chelsea are continuing to work on their summer recruitment plans, even after the pre-Club World Cup transfer deadline passed at 7pm on Tuesday, with manager Enzo Maresca still able to add new players to his squad midway through the tournament.

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It was thought that the mini-summer window, which opened from June 1 to June 10, would be Chelsea’s only opportunity to strengthen ahead of their CWC campaign.

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It was, after all, why the window was introduced in the first place – to hand competing teams a chance to register new players after long and gruelling 2024/2025 campaigns.

However, as per Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol in the last few days, Chelsea and other sides taking part in the tournament will also have a unique registration period to benefit from midway through the CWC.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

From June 27 to July 3, just after the group stages finish, teams will be given the chance to add new players to their CWC roster – which allows Chelsea to introduce new signings who could take part in the knockout phase – if they indeed make it that far.

Chelsea missed out on deals for both AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens before the pre-CWC window deadline, with the west Londoners walking away from the former after refusing to meet Milan’s asking price.

Chelsea made three last-minute bids for Gittens as well, but none of them could satisfy Dortmund, who kept demanding more and more money for the English sensation.

It is unclear whether Chelsea will maintain their pursuit of Gittens in time for the CWC unique registration period starting on June 27, but they could perhaps turn to Eintracht Frankfurt sensation Hugo Ekitike instead.

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There are reports that Chelsea believe Ekitike could eventually rival Newcastle United star Alexander Isak, which is how highly they rate the Frenchman after his exceptional 22-goal campaign.

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Chelsea are maintaining talks for Ekitike, despite failing to sign him in time for the CWC, so he’s still very much “one to watch”.

“Chelsea and Ekitike remain in talks for the summer transfer window – but Liverpool are still in the race,” said Plettenberg.

“One to watch in the coming weeks.”

The 22-year-old is very highly-rated, with ex-Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder even calling him a blend of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, so Ekitike could well be worth the punt – but not for his ridiculously high price tag of around £84 million.

“I think he’s a mix between Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappé. I sincerely think so,” said Sneijder.

“He has the grace of Neymar, but also the movements of Mbappé. To suddenly accelerate, that’s something that Mbappé also has. And he’s only 22 years old. There’s really a lot of potential in this boy.”

It was unquestionably a successful season for Celtic, even if one that ultimately ended in disappointment.

On Saturday, the Hoops were beaten on penalties by Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final, with both captain Callum McGregor and then Alistair Johnston seeing their attempts from 12 yards saved by Dons keeper Dimitar Mitov in the shootout.

This is Brendan Rodgers’ first-ever defeat at Hampden and the first time the Celts’ have lost a cup final since being beaten by Kilmarnock in the League Cup Final of 2012, winning all 15 subsequently, prior to the weekend of course.

Nevertheless, the Bhoys claimed a fourth consecutive Premiership title, captured the League Cup and reached the Champions League knockout phase, so there is still plenty for supporters to be positive about.

Now, can they secure the services of a highly-rated young winger?

Celtic chasing a new wide-forward

As reported by Ola Gustavsson of Fotboll Direkt, a Swedish-based outlet, Celtic are ‘interested’ in signing Oskar Fallenius, while fierce rivals Rangers are also noted as having scouted the 23-year-old.

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Fallenius’ senior breakthrough came at Brommapojkarna, earning him a move to Brøndby, but he made little impact at the Danish Superligaen giants, scoring just two goals in 13 appearances, an unused substitute on 22 occasions, also hampered by a ligament injury.

This saw him return to his native Sweden, joining Djurgårdens for just two million kronor, around £155k, for whom he has certainly impressed, with Freddie Arnesson of TuttoSvenskan labelling his performances “incredible”, helping the club reach the Conference League semi-finals.

So, could he be on the move again, this time to Glasgow’s East End?

How Oskar Fallenius compares to Jota

Celtic are certainly in the market for multiple new forwards this summer, following Jota’s anterior cruciate ligament rupture suffered against Dundee United at Tannadice in April, with Rodgers confirming he will be sidelined for “six to nine months”.

With Kyōgo Furuhashi having been sold to Stade Rennais in January, and Luis Palma expected to depart permanently this summer, the Hoops are a bit short of attacking options.

Right now, Daizen Maeda, Adam Idah, Nicolas Kühn, Yang Hyun-jun and youngster Johnny Kenny are their only players vying for the front three positions.

Thus, fair to say, Rodgers will want more firepower than that at his disposal, especially with a crucial Champions League play-off to come towards the end of August.

Since returning to the club in January, prior to his injury, Jota had been in decent goalscoring form.

He was on target off the bench a mere 25 minutes into his second debut against Motherwell at Fir Park, bagging five goals and two assists in just 16 appearances overall.

So, how does he compare to his potential replacement Fallenius?

Appearances

16

13

Minutes

783

789

Goals

5

1

Assists

2

3

Big chances missed

1

2

Big chances created

3

0

Shots on target

9

8

Shooting accuracy %

64%

62%

Passing Accuracy %

82%

75%

Take-on Success %

35.71%

36.36%

Touches per 90

62

41

Average Sofascore rating

7.17

6.92

As the table outlines, in a near identical number of minutes, Jota and Fallenius’ statistics are broadly similar.

The Portuguese winger has the edge when it comes to goals, as well as shooting and passing accuracy and touches per 90, but the young Swede registered one more assist and a marginally higher take-on success percentage.

Djurgårdens manager Jani Honkavaara believes Fallenius possess ‘the X-factor’, with Marcus Christenson of the Guardian labelling him one of the Blue Stripes’ key attacking players.

Thus, the 23-year-old is clearly a forward with lots of potential, making him an excellent low-cost option for Celtic this summer.

​​​​​​​

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