Frank must finally drop Richarlison & unleash "incredible" Spurs sensation

Tottenham Hotspur face Doncaster Rovers in the third round of the Carabao Cup tonight, looking to extend their excellent start to life under new boss Thomas Frank.

The Lilywhites have only tasted defeat once in their first six competitive outings across all competitions, with this evening’s clash against the League One side their first in the League Cup for 2025/26.

Such a game will no doubt allow the Dane to rotate his first team squad and hand valuable minutes to players who have struggled to nail down a regular starting role.

It’s crucial that the manager finds the balance between youngsters and senior first-team options, with Grant McCann’s side already dumping out Championship opposition in Middlesbrough earlier this tournament.

Frank may have to make some bold changes to his side, potentially dropping one player who’s already been in tremendous form during the early stages of the campaign.

Why Richarlison should be dropped against Doncaster

Usual number nine Dominic Solanke has been out injured for the opening stages of the season, resulting in Richarlison being given the nod to lead the line by the new manager.

The Brazilian has failed to impress over recent seasons, but Frank’s arrival has given him a new lease of life, already finding the back of the net on three occasions.

Richarlison for Tottenham

He netted twice on the opening day of the season against Burnley, with the latter of his two strikes being named as the club’s Goal of the Month for August.

The 28-year-old also found the back of the net in Saturday’s clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, getting the ball rolling after being 2-0 down within the first half an hour.

The former Everton star has featured for 348 league minutes of the league season, potentially being in need of desperate rest to avoid picking up another injury.

It may appear a controversial decision given his recent form in North London, but he may need to be benched to allow one player to make a rare start for the Lilywhites.

The Spurs player who should make his first start tonight

During the off-season, Spurs made numerous impressive additions that have already strengthened the options at Frank’s disposal for his first year at the helm.

Mohammed Kudus was the most expensive one of the summer additions, costing £55m from local rivals West Ham United – already making an immediate impact in North London.

The Ghanaian has already registered four assists for the club, subsequently becoming the first player since James Maddison to register two assists on his debut for the club.

Players such as Xavi Simons and Joao Palhinha have also arrived during the off-season, subsequently cementing their place as regular starters in the first team squad.

However, the same can’t be said about Mathys Tel, after the French striker joined on a permanent basis from Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window.

Such a move generated huge excitement within the fanbase, but he’s yet to make a huge impact under Frank in the first month of his spell in the Premier League.

Games played

24

Minutes played

1321

Goals scored

3

Assists

1

Yellow cards

3

Red cards

0

Average rating

6.75

The 20-year-old has only made a single appearance in the league, only featuring for a total of 98 minutes in England’s top-flight in the 2025/26 campaign to date.

Such a lack of action could be a surprise given his impressive tally of three goals in his 20 appearances for the Lilywhites last season, with tonight the perfect opportunity to hand the Frenchman a rare start.

Tel, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, has still managed to impress despite his limited action, registering an 81% pass accuracy rate and a 50% dribble success rate.

He’s also won 5.5 duels per 90, whilst winning 1.8 fouls per 90, offering a constant threat to the opposition backline – something which Frank will want to utilise against the League One outfit.

Given his exclusion from the Champions League squad for the 2025/26 campaign, the Carabao Cup could be an excellent chance for Tel to gain valuable first-team minutes.

It’s also a chance for Richarlison to get a needed rest after his number of minutes early on this campaign, potentially giving the Frenchman a chance to stake his claim for a starting role.

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ByEthan Lamb Sep 23, 2025

Crystal Palace make late approach to sign 19-cap defender alongside Canvot

Crystal Palace are ready to embark on an adventure in the Europa Conference League and have now made an approach to bring another talented defender to Selhurst Park with Jaydee Canvot.

Crystal Palace set to sign Toulouse defender Jaydee Canvot

After qualifying for the Europa Conference League, Crystal Palace are set to sign Canvot from Toulouse and only the final documents remain before he will officially be unveiled.

Revealing the news on social media platform X, Fabrizio Romano stated: “Crystal Palace agree deal to sign French centre back Jaydee Canvot after exclusive story revealed last week. CPFC finalising documents exchange with Toulouse. Here we go.”

Jaydee Canvot in action for Toulouse against PSG.

Seeking to bolster further up the pitch, Crystal Palace could also look to strike a deal for Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson before the window closes after capturing Yeremy Pino from Villarreal.

Coming in to replace Eze, Pino said on their website: “I’m very happy to be here. It is a dream of mine to come to the Premier League, to a historic club like Crystal Palace, and I hope that I can help the team.”

Of course, speculation over Marc Guehi and a proposed move to Liverpool refuses to die down, and it remains to be seen whether anything will advance after the Eagles booked their place in the Conference League league phase after defeating Fredrikstad FK.

Crystal Palace now "enter" to hijack Wolves move for "fabulous" £17m ace

The Eagles are lining up a swoop for a new midfielder.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 28, 2025

AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kiev, KUPS, Strasbourg, Aek Larnaca and Shelbourne await in the competition proper, offering a realistic chance of progression for the South London club as they aim to make inroads continentally.

With that in mind, Crystal Palace have made an approach for a reputable defender who could arrive on loan before the window closes, per recent reports.

Crystal Palace make late approach for Mohammed Salisu

According to Ed Aarons on X, Crystal Palace have made a loan approach to sign AS Monaco defender Mohammed Salisu to bolster their pool of options in defence.

With their pursuit of Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji still ongoing amid interest from Galatasaray and Bayer Leverkusen, it appears that the Eagles have moved the dial towards other players who could enrich their backline.

Labelled “phenomenal” by Danny Murphy, Salisu scored three times in 24 appearances across all competitions last season and won 66 duels in Ligue 1, per Fotmob.

Formerly of Southampton, the 19-cap Ghana international would arrive with Premier League experience under his belt and offers stability should Guehi leave before next Monday’s deadline.

Seemingly part of a moving sequence of events, it will be intriguing to see if their pursuit of Akanji is now abandoned, given Canvot is set to sign on at Selhurst Park.

Everton can forget Soucek by signing future "£100m-plus footballer"

Everton have got themselves up and running over the past couple of matches in the Premier League, having won at their new home against Brighton & Hove Albion before securing a win on the road against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Integral in both victories was new loan recruit Jack Grealish, assisting twice and then twice again. Everton are looking to make real headway under David Moyes’ wing this season, challenging high up the table, away from the relegation dog fight.

A range of exciting signings have been made, Grealish so far proving the cherry on the cake, but Moyes appears keen to land another midfielder before the window slams shut.

Everton still searching for midfielder

Having emerged as a top target at Everton since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche in January, it looks like the pursuit of West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek is going down to the wire.

Tomas Soucek scores for West Ham

However, Graham Potter might want to keep him on the books for depth, and so the Toffees may want to make a lunge for an alternative.

And perhaps that could be Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo. The 20-year-old wants to leave Old Trafford on loan before the deadline, and Everton have been credited with an interest over the past few weeks.

Man United have informed their academy product that he is expected to stay and fight for his place over the coming campaign, but much could change at the eleventh hour of the transfer window.

Newcastle United have also shown interest in signing the Red Devil, but Everton might feel that Mainoo could best foster his clear talent at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Why Everton must sign Mainoo

Mainoo might be out of favour at Man United, but he has been described as a “generational” talent by journalist Andy Dunn and as a future “£100m-plus footballer” by United writer Alex Turk.

Why? He’s already played 74 times for the senior side, scoring seven goals (including a crucial strike in the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City).

Even if Everton only manage to land him on a loan deal, they should consider opting for Mainoo ahead of Soucek, even though the Czech Republic international has a wealth of experience in Moyes’ former Hammers system.

Mainoo struggled last year, but he showcased remarkable quality when breaking onto the scene in 2023/24, and given his strength when carrying the ball forward and technical quality, he could add that physical shine that Moyes covets while adding some flair to the side too.

Matches (starts)

35 (30)

24 (24)

Goals

9

3

Assists

1

1

Touches*

38.2

49.0

Pass completion

75%

87%

Big chances created

1

0

Key passes*

0.4

0.6

Dribbles*

0.2

1.3

Ball recoveries*

1.8

4.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.9

2.9

Duels won*

5.0

5.0 (52%)

He’s less of a goalscoring threat than Soucek, but more active in the duel, more energetic and more fluid with his passing.

Indeed, even though he endured a tough campaign, Mainoo ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Having watched Grealish hit the ground running as a loanee from Manchester, Everton might want to sign Mainoo in the coming hours, adding some youthful exuberance and plenty of technical quality besides.

Beto upgrade: Everton battling PL rivals to sign “unstoppable” £17m gem

Everton could continue their summer spending spree with another centre-forward addition to replace Beto

ByWill Miller Aug 30, 2025

Crystal Palace now hold strong interest in "gifted" £17m ace, bid planned

Crystal Palace now hold strong interest in signing a “gifted” defender, with a bid currently being planned, according to a report.

Palace looking to bolster defensive options ahead of European campaign

It is still unclear which European competition Palace will be taking part in next season, but they are planning to make one last-ditch attempt to secure a place in the Europa League, and former Everton chief Keith Wyness believes they have a fighting chance.

Wyness said: “The chances are less than 50%, but they’ve got a chance, and I really hope they win. I think they have a case and the Woody Johnson thing can’t have hurt. It does have a bearing on the case because they can say, look, we’ve cleaned up the whole mess with Textor, so please let us go now.”

Johnson, of course, recently bought John Textor’s shares in the club, which Steve Parish will be hoping is enough to win UEFA around, but the situation is complicated, given that the March 1st deadline to change the ownership structure was missed.

"Excellent" £20m forward now open to joining Crystal Palace with talks held

There has been a development in Palace’s pursuit of an attacker…

ByDominic Lund Aug 7, 2025

Regardless of which European competition the Eagles take part in next season, they may need to deepen their squad this summer to cope with the increase in matches, and they have now set their sights on a new target.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Crystal Palace now hold strong interest in signing Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sanchez, but there could be competition for his signature, with a number of other Premier League clubs also in the picture.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have already agreed a deal with Sevilla, while Everton are also named as potential suitors for Juanlu, who is thought to be valued at a fee close to €20m (£17m).

Sevilla's Juanlu Sanchez in action against Atletico Madrid's Conor Gallagher.

The full-back is expected to make the move to England very soon, and Palace will be hoping he is tempted by a move to Selhurst Park, with an opening bid currently being prepared.

"Gifted" Juanlu could be excellent signing for Palace

Oliver Glasner already has one talented right-back at his disposal in the form of Daniel Munoz, with the 29-year-old putting in some very impressive performances in the Premier League last season, collecting ten goal contributions in 37 outings.

However, there are signs the Sevilla defender could be able to push for a starting spot at Palace, given that he is also a real threat on the front foot, amassing four goals and four assists in La Liga in the 2024-25 campaign.

The 21-year-old, who has been described as “gifted” by reporter Jose Manuel Rodriguez, has also impressed across a number of key metrics over the past year, when compared to other full-backs.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.21 (98th percentile)

Assists

0.21 (85th percentile)

Tackles

2.61 (84th percentile)

Blocks

1.41 (80th percentile)

While it is unclear which competition Palace will be playing in next season, they will be hoping that European football of some description being on offer will give them the edge over the likes of Everton and Wolves in the race for Juanlu’s signature.

Com time alternativo, Corinthians empata com o São Caetano na estreia do Paulistão Sub-20

MatériaMais Notícias

Atual vice-campeão do Paulistão Sub-20, o Corinthians estreou na competição com empate por 2 a 2 com o São Caetano, no Anacleto Campanella. O Azulão abriu o placar com Enzo, de pênalti. Kayke e Arthur Sousa viraram o jogo para o clube alvinegro, mas Enzo igualou o placar aos 34 minutos do segundo tempo.

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+ Matheus Araújo e Róger Guedes comandam vitória do Corinthians sobre o Cruzeiro; veja notas

Os times estão no Grupo 12 da competição, que conta com Água Santa, União Suzano, União Mogi e ECUS. As duas melhores equipes de cada grupo avançam ao mata-mata, além dos seis melhores terceiros colocados.

O próximo compromisso da equipe comandada pelo técnico Danilo é no sábado (22), contra o União Mogi, pelo Campeonato Paulista da categoria.

+ Guia Corinthians: onde assistir, análise dos adversários e tudo sobre o Timão na Libertadores

Sem o goleiro Kauê, o meia Biro e o atacante Giovane, que estão com a Seleção Brasileira Sub-20, o Corinthians entrou em campo com diversos reservas: Felipe Longo; Vitinho, André, Cressi e João Vinicius; Thomas Argentino, Thomas Lisboa, Kayke, Higor, Wesley e Arthur Sousa.

Depois de um primeiro tempo morno, o São Caetano abriu o placar após pênalti cometido por Vinícius Cressi. Enzo converteu a cobrança e colocou o time da casa em vantagem.

+ Veja tabela e a situação do grupo do Timão na Libertadores

Porém, o Timão esboçou reação e chegou ao empate com Kayke. Higor cruzou para o meia, que estava bem posicionado e carimbou para o fundo das redes. Aos 11 minutos da etapa final, Arthur Sousa recebeu ótimo lançamento de Caipira e colocou o Alvinegro em vantagem.

O Corinthians não conseguiu sacramentar a vitória, e Enzo aproveitou vacilo da defesa corintiana e empatou novamente a partida, aos 34 minutos do segundo tempo.

continua após a publicidade

VÍDEO: Torcida do Santos invade setor gremista e gera briga em Caxias

MatériaMais Notícias

Não só o Santos perdeu para o Grêmio na noite deste domingo, pelo Brasileirão, como a torcida santista também perdeu a cabeça com atitudes grotescas ao invadir o setor gremista no estádio Alfredo Jaconi provocando briga nas arquibancadas em Caxias do Sul. Assista no vídeo acima.

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Bigger talent than Pedro: Chelsea in contact to sign "the new Haaland"

Chelsea are the champions of the world.

On Sunday, in an outcome simply no one saw coming, the Blues demolished Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the Club World Cup Final.

The game was all over by half-time, with Cole Palmer scoring two near-identical goals just eight minutes apart at MetLife Stadium, before João Pedro rubber-stamped the victory with an impudent dink over Gianluigi Donnarumma on the cusp of the interval.

So, a statement success stateside this summer for Enzo Maresca’s side but, in less than five weeks’ time, the Blues will begin their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, and you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll be busy in the transfer market between now and then.

Chelsea's search for a centre-forward

Already this summer, Chelsea have spent big on not one but two strikers.

Transfer Focus

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

First, Liam Delap arrived from Ipswich for a reported fee of £30m, with the Englishman scoring his first goal for the club against Espérance Sportive de Tunis during the group stages of the tournament.

However, by the end, he had been usurped in the pecking order by João Pedro, arriving from Brighton for £60m, on target twice against his former club Fluminense in the Club World Cup semi-finals, not a bad way to mark your full-debut, before netting in the final too.

Now though, according to a report by TBR Football, Chelsea are ‘in contact’ with the representatives of Benjamin Šeško, who is looking to move to the Premier League this summer, while Liverpool, Newcastle United and Manchester United are all mentioned as being interested too.

How Benjamin Šeško would improve Chelsea

Earlier this summer, the Slovenian’s most likely destination appeared to be Arsenal, but the Gunners are now ‘in the process of completing a deal’ to sign Viktor Gyökeres instead, as reported by David Ornstein and Mario Cortegana of The Athletic.

So, could Šeško, who is valued at around £78m, still end up in London, only now wearing blue and donning a Champions of the World patch on his chest?

Well, still only 22 years old, Šeško’s performances for Leipzig have certainly caught the eye.

Writer Andreas Andersen labels him “clinical”, praising his “incredible athleticism” and asserting he possesses “everything to become world-class”.

Meantime, Brandon Liss of Total Football Analysis believes that he is an ‘exciting young talent’ who boasts exceptional ‘pace and physicality’, while he’s also been labelled as “the new Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Now though, the question remains. Is he a bigger talent than Pedro? Let’s find out.

Appearances

31

27

Minutes

1,528

1,953

Goals

14

10

Assists

2

6

Shots

1.9

1.6

Shots on target %

62%

60.61%

Non-penalty goals

0.5

0.3

Chances created

0.7

1.3

Take-on success %

54.93%

38.16%

Touches

38.1

48.8

As the table outlines, Šeško is much more of a clinical finisher and a natural goal-scorer than Pedro, scoring more goals and mustering more shots, a higher proportion of which find the target.

In total, Šeško scored 21 times across all competitions last season, including four in the Champions League, while the most Pedro has ever enjoyed in a single campaign is 20, reaching that tally for Brighton in 2023/24.

So, despite having already signed Delap and Pedro, while Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu remain on their books, you wouldn’t put it past Chelsea to splurge their Club World Cup winners on Šeško, would you?

As good as Palmer: Chelsea may have found their new Drogba at the CWC

Chelsea were brilliant as they thrashed PSG to win the Club World Cup.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 14, 2025

Better than Buonanotte: Leeds weighing up swoop for "magical" £20m star

Leeds United are in the market to make further additions to their first-team squad to bolster their options across the park ahead of their Premier League campaign.

The Whites made their first signing of the off-season earlier this month when they completed a free transfer for Germany international Lukas Nmecha, who will officially join when his contract with Wolfsburg expires at the end of this month.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 26-year-old centre-forward has scored five goals in 24 appearances for Wolfsburg in all competitions, including three goals in 19 Bundesliga games this season.

The new Whites striker could be competing with Joel Piroe, Patrick Bamford, and Mateo Joseph for a place in the starting XI, along with any other number nines the club opt to bring in.

Nmecha is not going to be the only player signed by the Championship champions before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

Leeds have been linked with plenty of different attacking players, from the domestic market and abroad, and Brighton & Hove Albion playmaker Facundo Buonanotte is one name that has been mentioned as a target.

Why Leeds may want to sign Buonanotte

It was reported earlier this month that Leeds were confident of closing a £30m deal to sign the attacking midfielder, but there has not been an update on that situation since the initial report.

Buonanotte spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Leicester City in the Premier League and caught the eye with some promising performances, despite their relegation back down to the Championship.

Appearances

31

36

Starts

14

28

xG

3.93

3.86

Goals

5

1

Big chances created

7

5

Assists

2

3

As you can see in the table above, he was more impressive than Brenden Aaronson was in his season in the Premier League with Leeds, which suggests that he could provide an upgrade on what Daniel Farke currently has in the number ten position.

That came after the left-footed magician scored three goals and provided one assist in 27 appearances in the division in the previous season, which shows that he improved during his time at the King Power Stadium.

Leeds may, therefore, want to sign the 20-year-old starlet because he has already showcased his qualities, as both a scorer and a creator in the Premier League, and could improve Farke’s options in the middle of the park.

However, the Whites are now reportedly eyeing up another couple of attacking midfield options, and one of them, in particular, could be even better than Buonanotte.

Leeds weighing up moves for attacking midfielders

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds are keen on signing one of Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendia in the summer transfer window.

Speaking to Leeds United News, Bailey said: “What we’re seeing in the no.10 role is that Leeds are able to be picky. There’s no need to jump in with both feet on a Hamer or a Buendia.

Transfer Focus

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

“They are weighing up options but I firmly believe Leeds will sign a no.10 and I also believe the front-runners are those two. It will be one of those and we know Farke likes both of them.”

The Whites are weighing up whether to go for Buendia or Hamer to bolster their options in the attacking midfield position, and CaughtOffside recently reported that the former is valued at £20m by Aston Villa.

With all of this information in mind, Farke should push for the West Yorkshire outfit to snap up the Villans outcast because he would be an even better option than Buonanotte.

Why Leeds should sign Emiliano Buendia

Buendia is a proven Premier League performer who is experienced but also has plenty of years left ahead of him to give the Whites many years of quality performances.

The 28-year-old playmaker has produced ten goals and 15 assists, and created 25 ‘big chances’, in 121 appearances in the English top-flight for Norwich City and Aston Villa combined, which shows that he knows how to provide goals and assists at that level.

He has also played 121 times for Farke during their time together at Norwich, playing every game for the Canaries with him in charge, and delivered 24 goals and 41 assists.

His best season in a Yellows shirt came in the 2020/21 Championship campaign under the German head coach, as he racked up 15 goals and 16 assists, along with 18 ‘big chances’ created in the second tier.

The Argentina international, who was once lauded as “magical” by analyst Liam Henshaw, knows how to play in Farke’s system, with his style of play, and has shown that he can be incredibly effective at the top end of the pitch.

Non-penalty goals

0.38

Top 7%

Assists

0.41

Top 2%

xAG

0.36

Top 1%

npxG + xAG

0.65

Top 1%

Shot-creating actions

6.46

Top 1%

Progressive passes

7.82

Top 1%

Passes into the final third

5.81

Top 1%

Passes into the penalty area

2.17

Top 1%

As you can see in the table above, Buendia was hugely influential in possession in virtually every way possible, in scoring goals, creating chances, assisting goals, progressing play with passes, getting the ball into the final third, and getting the ball into the penalty area.

This suggests that he could be a far more effective option for Leeds in the final third than Buonanotte, who has failed to deliver more than six goals or three assists in a single season in his career to date.

Buendia, who scored two goals and created two ‘big chances’ in 11 Bundesliga appearances on loan at Bayer Leverkusen this season, could hit the ground running as an attacking midfielder who knows the Premier League and Farke.

Whereas, Buonanotte has not worked with the Leeds head coach in the past and could need time to adapt to the system and way of working, which is why the Villa attacker could be a much better option for the Whites as they look to start strong in their bid to avoid relegation.

A better signing than Muniz: Leeds prepare move for "clinical" £17m star

Leeds United appear to making moves for other strikers other than Rodrigo Muniz.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 20, 2025

A dream Jota replacement: Celtic eyeing new winger who has the "X-factor"

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.

Transfer Focus

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

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.

Oskar Fallenius for Djurgarden.

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.

Oskar Fallenius celebrates for Djurgarden.

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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Better than Kvistgaarden: Celtic could sign 23-goal "sensation"

Celtic could find a better striker than Mathias Kvistgaarden by signing this star.

1 ByDan Emery May 29, 2025

Man Utd now planning summer offer for "unplayable" £65m Premier League star

Manchester United are believed to be planning an offer to sign an “unplayable” Premier League player in a potential £65m deal this summer, according to a fresh update.

Man Utd defeat highlights need for signings

The Red Devils were beaten 4-3 away to Brentford on Sunday afternoon, as their hugely disappointing league campaign continues, amid their continued search for Europa League glory later this week.

The loss leaves Ruben Amorim’s side still sitting in 15th place in the table, having lost 16 of their matches in the league in 2024/25, highlighting how important it is for new signings in the summer transfer window.

Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo has been linked with a move to United at the end of the season, following an impressive season for the Cherries that has seen him score nine times in the league, also bagging five assists in the competition.

Meanwhile, Lyon youngster Rayan Cherki has been mentioned as a target for the Red Devils, with the 21-year-old thought to be open about the idea of moving to Old Trafford if he is made the leading man in Amorim’s attack.

Man Utd planning offer for £65m Brentford star

According to a new update from Caught Offside, Manchester United are planning to make an offer for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, looking to snap him up in the summer window. The Bees could be looking for as much as £65m for the Cameroonian, with Tottenham, Arsenal and Newcastle United also interested in him.

Brentford's BryanMbeumocelebrates after the match

Mbeumo has arguably been one of the Premier League’s most dangerous attacking players throughout this season, scoring 18 goals, which is only fewer than Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, Erling Haaland and Chris Wood.

Meanwhile, his importance isn’t lost on Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who heaped praise on him earlier in the season: “Bryan Mbeumo today was unplayable. The way he holds the ball up and links play, like today to Kevin Schade [for the fourth goal] was very impressive.”

Admittedly, Mbeumo takes up the same right-sided attacking role that Amad Diallo likes to play in, so there is a risk of blocking his path, but strong competition is needed all over the pitch.

The 25-year-old is in the perfect place to come in and be a star man from the off at Old Trafford, having already shown that he can take the Premier League by storm, bagging 68 goal contributions (40 goals and 28 assists) in 133 appearances since joining the Bees.

With the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund all arguably feeling like flawed attacking options currently, it is essential that a couple of genuinely top-level players arrive in that area this summer.

As bad as Shaw: Amorim must axe Man Utd dud after 4/10 Brentford display

Ruben Amorim must ring the changes for Manchester United’s next game.

By
Matt Dawson

May 5, 2025

In Mbeumo, United could have a fantastic option who could be a key man for the next five or six years, producing relentless end product and making Amorim’s men a far greater force.

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