Rangers now closing in on agreement to sign 6'2 defender; medical scheduled

Following on from signing Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez, Glasgow Rangers are now reportedly closing in on an agreement to sign a 6’2 defender for Russell Martin.

Rangers pushing on after Rothwell and Fernandez

The Rangers overhaul is officially underway following the arrivals of Max Aarons, Fernandez, Lyall Cameron and Rothwell, but even after four fresh faces the 49ers are not done. Martin is seemingly set to be backed with further signings before the Scottish Premiership gets underway as he looks to cause a shock in his first season at Ibrox.

Conor Coady and Jamie Vardy together at Leicester City.

Just who else comes through the door remains the question around Glasgow. Already, the Gers have completed some impressive business but the likes of Conor Coady and David Brooks may still be on their way in what would make it four Premier League signings this summer.

Joining Aarons and Rothwell, Coady and Brooks would round off an excellent few weeks on the transfer front. And Martin has already been full of praise for all of his new arrivals, including Rothwell.

The manager told the club’s official website after the midfielder put pen to paper: “He is a player who we thoroughly enjoyed working with during my time at Southampton.

“His leadership, professionalism and quality were a huge asset. He is joining on the back of two promotions so helps bring a real winning mentality to the group. We are excited for Joe to join up the squad, get to know his teammates, and help make the group stronger.”

Even with Coady and Brooks already on their radar and with Rothwell arriving alongside Aarons, however, reports are now suggesting that Rangers could be about to sign an alternative Premier League defender this summer.

Rangers closing in on Djiga agreement

According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Rangers are now closing in on an agreement to sign Nasser Djiga on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers and hoping that he undergoes a medical in the “coming days”.

After joining Wolves in the January transfer window, the 6’2 defender looks set to arrive at Ibrox in search of much-needed playing time before returning to the Midlands.

At 22 years old, the centre-back is certainly a player full of potential even if he has struggled to show it in full at Wolves. Dubbed “quick” and “aggressive” by former Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs after signing for the club in January, Djiga could now finally show his best form in Scotland.

More career goals than Tavernier: Rangers eyeing 'legendary' Igamane upgrade

With Hamza Igamane seemingly on his way out of Ibrox, should Rangers sign a “living legend” who has scored 244 senior career goals?

By
Ben Gray

Jul 4, 2025

By signing the defender alongside Leicester City’s Coady, Martin would instantly have an upgraded backline to work with at Ibrox.

Arsenal willing to make £77m bid for "superstar" forward alongside Gyokeres

Arsenal are willing to make a £77m bid for a “superstar” forward, who is now keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, according to a report.

Gunners closing in on deal for Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres is clearly determined to seal a move to north London, with widespread reports stating the striker has refused to turn up to Sporting CP training ahead of the new campaign, and Fabrizio Romano has revealed Arsenal is the only club he wants to sign for.

Andrea Berta has held positive talks over a deal for the centre-forward, and there is a belief that a fee is “virtually agreed”, with David Ornstein stating on Sunday evening that Arsenal are in the “final steps in negotiations” with Sporting for the striker.

However, the lack of a top striker was arguably not the only reason Mikel Arteta’s side came up short last season, with the manager also lacking depth in wide areas at times, given that Bukayo Saka spent a lot of time on the treatment table.

As such, Arsenal have set their sights on another forward, and reports from Spain have revealed they would be willing to pay around €90m (£77m) to get a deal for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo over the line, with the player making a move to north London his first choice.

Arsenal have struck gold on "phenomenal" star worth way more than Madueke

The incredible talent is going to be a superstar for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 13, 2025

The Brazilian has attracted interest from some of the Premier League’s top clubs this summer, while Bayern Munich are also keen, but his number one choice would be to move to the Emirates Stadium.

There is also a feeling that playing under Arteta could be a good fit for the 24-year-old, given that he would be likely to receive more game time than at Real Madrid, having only featured sporadically at the Club World Cup.

"Superstar" Rodrygo could be exactly what Arsenal need

In order to compete on all fronts next season, Arsenal will need to have strength in depth in attack, and the Madrid forward would be a versatile option for Arteta, given that he is capable of playing on both wings and through the middle.

Real Madrid's Rodrygo

Not only that, but the Brazil international has been a regular source of goals and assists for Madrid over the past few seasons, most notably catching the eye in the Champions League during the 2024-25 campaign.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

La Liga

30

6

6

Champions League

12

5

2

Supercopa

2

2

0

Copa del Rey

5

0

2

Intercontinental Cup

1

1

0

Having also been lauded as a “superstar” by Luka Modric, there is every indication that Rodrygo would be a success at the Emirates Stadium.

Nottingham Forest now "ready" to make £26m bid for "machine" Wolves target

Nottingham Forest are now “ready” to make an offer of around £26m for a “machine”, but there could be fierce competition for his signature, journalist Gianluigi Longari has revealed.

Forest keen on midfielder amid Gibbs-White uncertainty

Morgan Gibbs-White was poised to join Tottenham Hotspur, with Forest’s Premier League rivals triggering the £60m release clause in the attacking midfielder’s contract, but the move is now very much up in the air.

The Tricky Trees have reported Spurs to the Premier League, as they feel an illegal approach was made for Gibbs-White, and the 25-year-old returned to training on Monday, indicating that a move has now stalled.

The England international is set to remain at the City Ground until a resolution can be found, and there will, of course, be hope that the maestro decides to stay put, given that he has performed remarkably well ever since Forest returned to the Premier League.

Season

PL appearances

Goals

Assists

2022-23

35

5

8

2023-24

37

5

10

2024-25

34

7

10

However, Forest appear to be eager to bring in a new central midfielder regardless of whether Gibbs-White leaves this summer, and they are now “ready” to make a new offer of around €30m (£26m) for Palmeiras star Richard Rios.

That is according to Longari on X, who states the Tricky Trees are set to “push” for Rios’ signature, but there could be fierce competition, with Benfica also ready to enter the race, while AS Roma are closely monitoring the situation.

Nottingham Forest register interest in race to sign "special" £25m winger

The Reds are looking to replace Anthony Elanga.

By
Brett Worthington

Jul 15, 2025

Not only that, but Wolverhampton Wanderers are also very keen on the midfielder, having recently submitted a £21m offer of their own, but the Tricky Trees now look ready to hijack the move with a larger bid.

"Machine" Rios ready to test himself in England

Despite predominantly featuring in a defensive midfield role, the Colombian has been a regular source of goals and assists for Palmeiras in all competitions during the 2025 campaign, collecting eight goal contributions in 35 appearances.

Richard Rios at the Club World Cup for Palmeiras against Porto.

Football scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Palmeiras maestro for his ability to drive the ball further up the pitch, describing him as a “ball-carrying machine”, while also providing an overview of his key strengths.

The central midfielder would not be a like-for-like replacement for Gibbs-White, given that the 25-year-old usually features in a deep-lying role, but having impressed in Brazil for quite some time, he could now be ready to test himself in England.

As such, Rios could be a good acquisition for Forest, and Europa League football being on offer at the City Ground should give them the edge over Wolves in the race for his signature.

Arne Engels 2.0: Celtic are in the race to sign a "superstar" for free

Celtic hit the jackpot last summer when they broke their transfer record to sign Belgium international central midfielder Arne Engels from Augsburg for £11m.

The 21-year-old midfield star scored ten goals and provided 13 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions, which shows that he hit the ground running in his first year at the club.

Engels offered a consistent threat from midfield with his ability to score and assist goals for the Hoops, as he did not need any time to adjust to Scottish football.

Arne Engels

The 21-year-old midfielder also has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve further in the coming years at Celtic, which means that he could get even better and grow in value if he continues to shine on the pitch for Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic eyeing goalscoring midfielder

The Premiership champions are now reportedly looking at another central midfielder who provides a big threat at the top end of the pitch to bolster their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the Daily Star, as relayed by the Daily Record, Rodgers wants to bring former Burnley midfield star Josh Brownhill to Parkhead this summer.

The English whiz has confirmed that he has moved on from Turf Moor, despite their promotion to the Premier League, after his contract expired at the end of last month.

This latest report suggests that Celtic are in the race to snap him up on a free transfer, but they will face competition from Premier League side West Ham United.

It may now be down to Rodgers, who is keen to sign the midfielder, to convince Browning to reject a move to the London Stadium in the coming days.

Why Brownhill may be the next Engels for Celtic

Whilst he would not be a club-record signing or an exciting young talent like Engels was when the Belgian arrived last summer, the former Burnley man could make a similar impact on the pitch in the short term.

Like the former Augsburg dynamo, Brownhill is an attack-minded central midfielder who has the potential to provide the team with plenty of goals and assists.

The 29-year-old ace was once hailed as a potential “superstar” by former boss Lee Johnson, and that is exactly what he could be in Scotland if he carries his Championship form over to the Premiership.

24/25 season

Brownhill (Championship)

Engels (Premiership)

Appearances

42

34

Goals

18

9

Goals per game

0.4

0.3

Big chances created

8

11

Assists

6

6

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.3

0.8

Ground duel success rate

46%

49%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Brownhill scored twice as may league goals as Engels, whilst racking up as many assists, in the 2024/25 campaign.

These statistics suggest that he has the potential to be the first midfielder to score 18 goals since Matt O’Riley managed it in the Premiership in the 2023/24 season, before his £25m move to Brighton.

Brownhill, who also delivered seven goals and eight assists in the 2022/23 Championship season, is a midfielder who looks to be a difference-maker for his side with goals and assists from the middle of the park, which is why he could be an Engels repeat for the Hoops.

The Belgian star hit the ground running to score and assist goals on a regular basis from midfield last term, and the English ace could follow in his footsteps, possibly offering even more of a threat in front of goal, if the club can strike a deal with him.

Better than Balikwisha: Celtic have long-term interest in £7m winger

Celtic have a long-term interest in a forward who would be an even better signing than Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 28, 2025

Kevin De Bruyne & Rasmus Hojlund tipped to fire Napoli to another Serie A title as Paolo Di Canio says champions outperformed Inter, AC Milan & Juventus in transfer market

Former Italy international Paolo Di Canio believes Napoli had the best transfer business this summer as he picks them to be his Serie A favourites.

  • Di Canio believes Napoli will be crowned champions
  • Says they have the best team
  • Lauds their signings this summer 
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The reigning Serie A champions are top of the table with six points, having won both of their opening fixtures. Di Canio believes Napoli's business has been top-notch, and they have everything in place to go all the way to bagging their second-consecutive Scudetto. The former AC Milan forward brings up detailed examples to back up his claims while providing instances where other teams have not been as impressive as their domestic rivals.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Napoli were late in the transfer market but have spent their money on some valued assets who have shown that they can provide a major contribution to the club. Premier League veteran Kevin De Bruyne's signing is one such example; he is a proven asset who has Champions League experience and knows how to handle the pressure of big occasions. The Italian club then went on to sign Rasmus Hojlund, who was also linked to AC Milan late in the transfer window – another who has proven his worth at Atalanta and has Serie A experience, scoring 10 goals and registering four assists in his debut season. 

    Other Serie A clubs, Di Canio says, have not been able to add such immediate firepower to their squads, which could make the difference in the race to the title.

  • WHAT DI CANIO SAID

    In an interview with , Di Canio shares his views on Napoli's transfer business as he picks them to be his favourites for this season.

    "Napoli remain the favourite. Everyone has signed something important, but few have found starters. Among them, Napoli, which I see in pole position. Because when you win, if you keep the technical staff, club, and coach in symbiosis, you always start ahead. Napoli have found this continuity, having only to add targeted players. Perhaps they are the only team that has brought in European players ready to start immediately. Conte stayed precisely because he understood that here he could get what he asked for."

    The former Napoli forward further added: "For example, De Bruyne, even though at his age he will have to adapt to a totally different environment from that of City, is a champion who dominates the game and controls it without chasing the opponent. Then Napoli stepped in immediately after Lukaku's injury, and Hojlund arrived, who was the one you had to sign on the market because the best players had already been signed, and at those prices, nothing else was available. But he's a great signing, he knows Italy, he's young, he's physical."

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    WHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

    Napoli are set to face Fiorentina in the league next before they fly to Manchester to face Manchester City in their Champions League opening fixture on September 19.

Arsenal handed Noni Madueke scare as Mikel Arteta explains why he hooked in-form winger at half-time in Man City draw

Arsenal were dealt a scare during their 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Sunday as Noni Madueke, their most dangerous attacker in the first half, was substituted at the break. Mikel Arteta revealed after the game that the winger, who has impressed in recent weeks while deputising for Bukayo Saka, suffered an injury that prevented him from playing on into the second half.

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    Madueke hooked at half-time despite electric showing

    Madueke troubled City’s defence throughout the first half, forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into a vital save just before the break. However, Arteta made the surprise call to replace him with Saka at half-time, a move that initially puzzled fans at the Emirates. The Arsenal boss later confirmed that Madueke had picked up an issue early on and was unable to carry on.

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    Arteta reveals Madueke's injury-related substitution

    When questioned whether Madueke's substitution was tactical, Arteta explained: “No, he had an issue very early in the match and he wasn't well enough to continue.” The manager will now wait to see if the England international recovers in time for Arsenal's upcoming fixtures.

  • Madueke's strong form at Arsenal

    Madueke has impressed since his summer move to Arsenal from Chelsea, offering directness and creativity from the right wing. His injury scare comes at a delicate moment, with the Gunners balancing Premier League and cup commitments. While Gabriel Martinelli’s late equaliser salvaged a point against Manchester City, Arteta will be hoping his other in-form winger is not sidelined for long.

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  • Madueke in race to be fit for Newcastle clash

    Arsenal travel to Newcastle United for a crucial Premier League clash next weekend after facing Port Vale in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. Madueke’s fitness will be closely monitored, with Saka ready to step back into the side if needed after returning to full fitness.

Jamie Carragher names best Premier League side of all-time without Liverpool stars

Jamie Carragher is one of the best-known Premier League pundits today, and during his playing career, was one of the best top-flight defenders around.

After progressing through Liverpool’s academy, Carragher would spend his entire career at Anfield, making 737 appearances for the Reds between 1996-2013.

Despite never winning the Premier League, the centre-back would lift two FA Cups, two League Cups, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup.

Carragher was once asked to name his best Premier League XI of all-time, however, he was excluded from naming Liverpool players, meaning the likes of Steven Gerrard, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were banned from his team.

20 Best Centre-Backs in Premier League History Ranked

Where does Virgil van Dijk rank?

By
Charlie Smith

May 9, 2025

Jamie Carragher’s best Premier League XI without Liverpool stars

11

Peter Schmeichel

Man Utd, Aston Villa, Man City

Instead of going with Chelsea’s Petr Cech or Arsenal’s David Seaman, Carragher selected Peter Schmeichel.

Arguably the best the Premier League has ever seen in between the sticks, Schmeichel won all five of his English titles at Old Trafford, but did represent Aston Villa and Manchester City later on in his career.

10

Gary Neville

Man Utd

Carragher’s partner in crime as a pundit is Gary Neville, but the two battled it out on the pitch during their playing days.

A Manchester United legend, Neville and Carragher regularly butted heads at Old Trafford or Anfield, however, the Red Devils man is the most successful right-back of all time, winning eight Premier League titles.

9

Vincent Kompany

Man City

Arguably one of Manchester City’s best value for money signings came in 2008 when Vincent Kompany joined for just £6m.

The Belgian played a key role in the Citizens’ recent dominance, captaining City to numerous titles. His leadership and world-class defensive ability was perfect for a number of superstar midfielders and attackers in front of him.

8

John Terry

Chelsea

An iconic centre-back Carragher partnered with on occasions for England was Chelsea star John Terry.

The former Blues and Three Lions captain has gone down as one of the best central defenders the Premier League has ever seen, winning five titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups and a Champions League.

7

Denis Irwin

Man Utd, Wolves

In a selection that might surprise some, Carragher decided to pick Denis Irwin over Ashley Cole at left-back.

A brilliant and arguably underrated full-back, Irwin went under the radar at Old Trafford, winning seven Premier League titles, capable of playing on either side under Sir Alex Ferguson.

6

Patrick Vieira

Arsenal, Man City

Patrick Vieira was a no-nonsense midfielder who could do it all for Arsenal and captained the Gunners under Arsene Wenger.

The Frenchman’s box-to-box nature saw him become one of the most powerful midfielders the Premier League has seen, with Carragher knowing just how hard Vieira was to face.

5

Roy Keane

Nottingham Forest, Man Utd

Now a partner of Carragher’s on The Stick to Football podcast, Roy Keane was a regular rival of Carragher’s during their playing days.

Known best for captaining a hugely successful Manchester United side, Keane’s leadership helped the Red Devils win seven titles in his 12 years at Old Trafford.

4

David Silva

Man City

Finishing off the midfield is David Silva, with the Spaniard lifting four Premier League titles with Manchester City.

Silva’s world-class dribbling ability saw him contribute to more than 200 goals in 436 City games.

David Silva’s Man City stats

Games

436

Goals

77

Assists

136

Trophies

14

3

Thierry Henry

Arsenal

Carragher knows just how good Thierry Henry was during his time in England with Arsenal, with the Frenchman scoring nine goals in 18 games against the Reds and Carragher. Now, the pair work together on CBS Sports alongside Micah Richards.

Henry was a huge part of the Gunners’ ‘Invincible’ side and scored 175 league goals in the Premier League in 258 appearances, lifting the title twice.

2

Alan Shearer

Blackburn, Newcastle

The most prolific goalscorer in Premier League history is Alan Shearer, who won the title with Blackburn Rovers before going on to become Newcastle United’s record scorer over a 10-year period.

Shearer also won the Golden Boot in the 1994-95, 1995-96, and 1996-97 seasons, coming up against Carragher at Anfield in the latter years of his career.

West Ham now launch first approach to sign Barcelona "genius" in £26m deal

After opening day humiliation at the hands of newly-promoted Sunderland, West Ham United have reportedly launched their first approach to sign a Barcelona midfielder.

Potter: West Ham have to "improve" after Sunderland defeat

West Ham know all too well that the Premier League is a slippery slope towards shock relegation when teams get off to a disastrous start and must ensure that their defeat at Sunderland is a turning point in Graham Potter’s reign. Picking up where they left off last season, the Hammers were blunt going forward and vulnerable going the other way in what has been the trend of Potter’s tenure.

Having his say on a disappointing afternoon, Potter told reporters: “In the first half, I thought we were good. I thought we did lots well in terms of quieting the crowd down and creating some opportunities. We could have scored, I thought, but nevertheless, we felt OK.

“We started a bit slow in the second half, and from out of nowhere, a goal goes in and it becomes difficult. It was a game where probably the first goal, especially here with the environment, was going to be challenging for us. But we tried to push.

“But in trying to push, we opened ourselves up. The second goal’s a poor one – a mistake leads to a cheap set-piece, and then we didn’t do the basics well enough in the second phase. We haven’t done the basics well enough – it’s as simple as that, and we have to improve that.”

Sheringham 2.0: West Ham in race to sign Premier League "proven goalscorer"

The vastly experienced goalscorer could be a brilliant signing for West Ham and Graham Potter.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 20, 2025

That defeat may have been the wake-up call that those at the London Stadium needed both on the pitch and in the transfer window, however, with reports now indicating that they’ve made their first move for a Barcelona talent.

West Ham launch first Casado enquiry

As reported by Mundo Deportivo and relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham have now launched their first enquiry to sign Marc Casado from Barcelona. The Spanish giants reportedly value their midfielder at just €30m (£26m), which has sparked a race between the Hammers and Wolverhampton Wanderers to secure a bargain deal this month.

24/25 league stats P90

Marc Casado

Lucas Paqueta

Minutes

1,611

2,380

Key Passes

0.50

1.36

Progressive Passes

5.98

5.87

Ball Recoveries

5.03

5.64

When compared to Lucas Paqueta last season, Casado’s quality becomes clear. Whilst he struggled to match the Brazilian when it came to key passes, the 21-year-old progressed play at an excellent standard, whilst also impressing when recovering possession.

Dubbed a “genius” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Barcelona ace still has plenty of room for improvement and plenty of years ahead of him to realise an ever-increasing potential.

Marc Casado celebrates scoring for Barcelona.

For just £26m, West Ham would be landing an undeniable bargain and a player who would slot straight in as one of Potter’s most effective players this season.

Who can stop Lamine Yamal dominating the Ballon d'Or for the next decade? Predicting the next 10 winners of the Golden Ball

Lamine Yamal won his second consecutive Kopa Trophy on Monday night, while at the same time finishing as runner up in the men's Ballon d'Or vote to Ousmane Dembele. This is not normal, of course. The kid is still only 18, which makes us think that we're witnessing the dawning of a new era of domination by a single player.

Indeed, Yamal's prodigious talent has already provoked predictions that the winger anointed Lionel Messi's heir – even by the man himself – might even surpass the Argentine's historic haul of eight Ballons d'Or.

And that got everyone at GOAL thinking about who might challenge Yamal for the title of the world's best player over the next decade. 

Below, we've tried to predict the next 10 recipients of the trophy based on talent, upcoming tournaments and even a few hypothetical transfers…

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    2026: Kylian Mbappe

    Yamal is being widely tipped to go one better next year and take home the Ballon d'Or for 2026. However, several superstar strikers, including Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have made strong starts to the new season – and all three play for countries with a real shot at World Cup glory next summer.

    Yamal does, too, of course, but we've got a sneaking suspicion that Mbappe will finally lift the Ballon d'Or after winning a second consecutive European Golden Shoe with a resurgent Real Madrid and becoming the World Cup's all-time leading goalscorer.

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    2027: Mohamed Salah

    Despite a decade of sustained excellence, Mohamed Salah has never even made the Ballon d'Or podium, with this year's fourth-placed finish representing his best-ever result in the voting.

    However, we're predicting (hoping) that one of the most under-valued players in world football finally gets his flowers in 2027 at the age of 35, after enjoying a successful final season at Liverpool and winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. 

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    2028: Jude Bellingham or Cole Palmer

    There hasn't been an English winner of the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001 but if football finally goes 'home' at Euro 2028, you can be sure that a member of the triumphant Three Lions squad will claim the prize.

    Kane is likely to be over the hill at that point but both Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer should be in their prime – and we reckon the Ballon d'Or will go to whichever one of those two top talents wins the battle for England's No.10 shirt.

    After all, we know that both are very popular with the voters. Bellingham managed to finish above Fabian Ruiz this year despite an underwhelming, injury-affected campaign, while Palmer ranked eighth despite going missing for half of the 2024-25 campaign!

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    2029: Erling Haaland

    If Erling Haaland had fired Real Madrid to a treble in 2023 rather than Manchester City, would he have won the Ballon d'Or? You'd have to say yes – and that's why we believe the big No.9 will eventually move to the Santiago Bernabeu in order to realise his dream.

    Despite strong competition from Mbappe (moved back onto to the wing to accommodate Haaland up front and take the place of the Saudi Arabia-bound Vinicius Junior on the left), the Norwegian No.9 will win a first Ballon d'Or thanks to the most prolific season of his career – and the support of the Madrid media machine. 

Best signing since Rice: Big-money target "in favour" of moving to Arsenal

Since taking the job over five years ago, Mikel Arteta has got plenty of things right at Arsenal.

He’s turned a club that was spiralling down the Premier League table into perennial challengers, and while he hasn’t quite got the team over the final hurdle yet, there is every chance he does this season.

Alongside the change in tactics and philosophy, something else he has generally got right is transfers, with the likes of David Raya, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Magalhães and Jurrien Timber all key members of the first team.

However, when it comes to the very best addition made under Arteta’s stewardship, it’s hard to look past Declan Rice, who has been a midfield monster from his very first game.

So, fans should be very excited about reports linking Arsenal to a player who could just be the club’s best signing since Rice.

Arsenal target best signing since Rice

In all, it’s been a good summer for Arsenal so far this year, as they won three of their five pre-season games and have already made six additions to the first team squad.

Transfer Focus

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

The two stand-outs are undoubtedly Viktor Gyokeres, who could finally be the striker the fanbase has been crying out for, and Martin Zubimendi, who has looked sublime at the base of midfield so far.

Yet, instead of resting on their laurels, the club appear keen to complete at least one more addition to the team before the window slams shut next month.

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka,Arsenal's Cristhian Mosquera,Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi,Arsenal's Noni Madueke,Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri andArsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly line up

At least that is according to a recent report from David Ornstein, who on the latest episode of the Sports Agents confirmed that Arsenal are still interested in Eberechi Eze.

The respected journalist revealed that while signing the Englishman has become less of a pressing concern following Ethan Nwaneri’s new deal, the Gunners are still in the conversation for the Palace ace, and that he himself is “in favour” of a move to the Emirates.

It remains to be seen how much the 27-year-old will ultimately cost as his release clause of £68m is reportedly set to expire tomorrow.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated deal to get over the line, but given Eze’s immense ability and experience, he’d be worth it and quite possibly Arsenal’s best signing since Rice.

Why Eze would be Arsenal's best signing since Rice

Since completing his £105m move to Arsenal in the summer of 2023, Rice has been almost faultless in red and white.

He was sensational in both the six and eight roles in his first season, and then took another step forward, primarily in the left eight last year.

He made 52 appearances across all competitions, in which he racked up a brilliant haul of nine goals and ten assists, and seemed to play a part in everything that well – like those free-kicks against Real Madrid.

So, while the likes of Kai Havertz, Raya and Timber have all been important players since joining the club, it would be hard to claim any have been as transformational as the former West Ham United captain.

Likewise, while the club have made some positive additions this summer, we think Eze would be the best since his compatriot, and the reason why is a simple one: he is Premier League-proven and makes things happen.

For example, in his 43 appearances for the Eagles last season, totalling just 3303 minutes, the 27-year-old “superstar,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists.

In other words, the Greenwich-born dynamo managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes, for a team that finished in mid-table.

Eze in 24/25

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

On top of that, the former QPR gem scored in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of the FA Cup, showing that he has what it takes to step up in the biggest and most pressurised moments.

Finally, while some might make the argument that Gyokeres will be the best signing since the former Irons ace, as he scored far more than the Palace star did, it’s important to remember that he did so in a league ranked as only the eighth toughest in the world, behind the Championship and Belgian top-flight.

Ultimately, while Arsenal have made plenty of good signings over the last few years, they could make their best since Rice if they can get their hands on Eze.

Arsenal can forget Eze by signing "one of the best LW's in Europe" for £87m

Arsenal would be wise to move on from Eze and sign this Champions League winner instead…

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 14, 2025

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