Irrespective of what happens in the FA Cup final on Saturday, it has been an incredibly disappointing season for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.

The Cityzens are currently scrapping it out to secure a place in the top five to land Champions League football for next season, whilst they have already missed out on the Premier League title.

They were also knocked out of the Champions League in the play-off round and lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round of the League Cup, which illustrates how disappointing this campaign has been for the club.

Despite having Erling Haaland back in the side, City’s struggles continued against already-relegated Southampton, who had 11 points heading into the game, last weekend in a 0-0 draw.

Manchester City did not create a single ‘big chance’ in the game, and one area in which they could look to improve their creativity is in the full-back positions, because Rico Lewis did not create any chances in 76 minutes on the pitch at right-back.

Why Manchester City should replace Rico Lewis

The Cityzens academy graduate is tidy and reliable in possession, having completed 91% of his attempted passes in the Premier League this season, but he does not offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch.

Guardiola cannot look to Lewis to create something out of nothing by bombing down the flank to put a great delivery in, or to come in at the back post to score a goal to change or win a game.

The 20-year-old defender has gone 28 matches without creating a ‘big chance’ in the Premier League this season, which shows that he is not a player who can make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

Lewis has also scored one goal and missed two ‘big chances’ in those 28 outings in the top-flight, which shows that he does not offer much of a goalscoring threat either.

Appearances

28

xG

1.38

Goals

1

Key passes per game

0.3

Big chances created

0

Assists

2

Dribbles completed per game

0.3

Dribble success rate

45%

As you can see in the table above, the England international does not excel when it comes to making things happen in the final third, as he rarely scores, creates, or dribbles from a right or left-back position for the Cityzens.

That is why Manchester City should look to replace him as a regular starter in the upcoming summer transfer window, which is what they may be doing with their reported interest in a defender from Italy.

Manchester City closing in on Serie A defender

According to reports in France, Manchester City are eyeing up a deal to sign Nicolo Savona from Italian giants Juventus ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The reporter claims that the Premier League giants have verbally agreed personal terms with the 22-year-old full-back, as they look to bolster their options at the back this summer.

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

Aouna adds that contract terms have already been discussed between the club and the player, with personal terms now agreed, and that Savona is keen on a move to The Etihad.

However, the journalist does not reveal how much Juventus are set to demand for the defender, or how much City are willing to pay for him to get a deal over the line in the coming weeks or months.

He does state, though, that Flamengo defender Wesley Franca and Newcastle United full-back Tino Livramento, formerly of Chelsea, are also options to come in at right-back for City in the summer transfer window.

This suggests that Savona is just one of a number of targets and that there is no guarantee that they decide to go with him over the others, despite seemingly closing in on a deal to sign the right-back after agreeing personal terms with him.

Why Manchester City should sign Nicolo Savona

The Italian dynamo could be an excellent addition to the squad if they do decide to go ahead with a swoop for his services, though, because he could be a big upgrade on Rico Lewis.

Firstly, Savona has the technical quality and reliability with the ball at his feet to suit playing in a Guardiola team, hence why they are eyeing him up as a target. This is evidenced by his pass completion rate of 91% in the Serie A for Juventus this season.

The 22-year-old star, who can play as a centre-back in a back three or as a right-back or right wing-back in a four or three-back system, rarely gives the ball away with his passes, which is why he could suit a ball-dominant Manchester City side.

However, Savona provides more quality as an attacking threat than Lewis, who is also technically proficient and reliable with the ball, currently does at right-back for Manchester City.

Starts

21

18

xG

1.38

0.45

Goals

1

2

Touches per game

55.7

44.7

Key passes

8

16

Big chances created

0

2

Dribble success rate

45%

55%

As you can see in the table above, the Juventus defender has been more effective as a goalscorer, a creator, and a dribbler at league level this season, despite taking 11 fewer touches per game, in comparison to the English full-back.

These statistics suggest that Savona, dubbed an “interesting” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could improve his output even further as part of a Manchester City team that would allow him to take more touches of the ball, giving him more opportunities to move into the final third to provide quality as a scorer and a creator of goals.

Savona, who stepped into an advanced position to score against Udinese in the clip above, also provided six assists in 41 games for Juventus at U19 level and five assists in 61 matches for their Next Gen side.

Therefore, his form for the Old Lady at youth and senior level suggests that the potential is there for him to arrive at The Etihad as an upgrade on Rico Lewis, who has not offered enough quality on the ball in the Premier League this season.

Pep Guardiola now pushing for Man City to sign Dani Alves-esque 21 y/o

He could be an ideal replacement for a club legend.

ByHenry Jackson May 12, 2025

It is now down to the club to strike a deal with Juventus to bring the Italian talent to England this summer, having already agreed personal terms with the exciting youngster.

While Manchester United celebrated getting to a Europa League final on Thursday evening, it was back to the dread of their domestic campaign on Sunday.

Ruben Amorim has engineered triumph on the continental stage, but it’s safe to say things have been a disaster in the Premier League, now losing 17 times after their 2-0 defeat to West Ham.

In truth, it was a loss that rather summed up their season. Leny Yoro went off injured, errors led to the goals and they ultimately failed to score.

As soon as the Red Devils look to have taken one step forward, they take two back.

The league table paints a remarkable picture of just how bad Amorim’s side have been in 2024/25, with the two Europa League finalists, United and Spurs, sat in 16th and 17th place respectively.

So, where did it all go wrong on this occasion? Well, Manuel Ugarte’s performance certainly didn’t help matters.

Manuel Ugarte's performance in numbers vs West Ham

West Ham haven’t exactly been flying themselves this term, so this match represented a rare opportunity where the Old Trafford outfit could have won a game in the league.

Well, that hope was extinguished 26 minutes into the game when Tomas Soucek found the net. Mohammed Kudus did well on the left to fire the ball across the area and the big Czech midfielder bullied Harry Amass out of the way to find the net from close range.

The way in which they conceded in the second was shocking. Ugarte was robbed dismally of possession in the middle of the pitch by former United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Kudus then strode forward and when his pass deflected back into the path of Wan-Bissaka, his low cross found Jarrod Bowen at the back stick who had a tap-in.

It was a horrible moment for Ugarte whose role in second was described as “shocking” by the Express’ Alex Turk while Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst dished out a 4/10 match rating and suggested that it ‘symbolised this United side: can cope in Europe but not in domestic competition.’

The numbers didn’t make for great reading either as far Ugarte was concerned either. Indeed, the Uruguayan completed 86% of his passes, a respectable tally, but only made one tackle, one interception and committed a single foul. He didn’t do a good job of protecting the backline at all.

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Still, he wasn’t given much help by Kobbie Mainoo ahead of him.

Kobbie Mainoo's performance in numbers

A year ago, Mainoo was enjoying a remarkable breakout year at Old Trafford. He was one of the first names on the teamsheet and would go onto score in the FA Cup final, before being named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships.

Fast forward a year and it’s not been as plain sailing for the 20-year-old who has been in and out of the side towards the back end of the season, playing 90 minutes on Sunday but only featuring for nine minutes of the second leg win last Thursday night.

His performance this weekend demonstrated why he’s struggled to get going. Fielded as a no.10, as opposed to a deeper lying midfielder, the young England international hasn’t particularly enjoyed his best football under Amorim, failing to really fit the system he’s been deployed in.

While he didn’t make a notable error like Ugarte did, it’s safe to say that Mainoo was pretty anonymous during the game. Handed a 4/10 player rating by the aforementioned Luckhurst, he noted that ‘apart from one inviting cross that Hojlund was on his heels for, he never got in the game.’

During the encounter, Mainoo lost six of his nine contested duels and also lost possession of the ball on ten occasions from his 52 touches of the ball.

Mainoo vs West Ham

Minutes played

90

Touches

52

Accurate passes

34/39 (87%)

Shots on target

0

Shots off target

1

Successful dribbles

0/1

Accurate crosses

0/1

Ground duels won

3/6

Aerial duels won

0/3

Possession lost

10x

Interceptions

0

Tackles

2

Stats via Sofascore.

Considering he was playing in an advanced role, you’d expect to see the academy graduate engineering a spark but that was non-existent, failing to have an on-target effort at goal and also not producing a key pass.

While nothing is now riding on United’s league season, these are crucial matches for players in the United squad trying to stake their claim for a place in the starting XI in the Europa League final.

Mainoo certainly failed his audition on Sunday and should be dropped as a result. Amad and Alejandro Garnacho suit these roles a lot more.

Related He'd be unplayable with Amad: Man Utd make £42m talisman their top target

Manchester United have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements for Ruben Amorim’s side.

Posts ByEthan Lamb May 10, 2025

Manchester United now appear to have one foot in the Europa League final after claiming a 3-0 triumph over Athletic Club in the semi-final first leg away from home.

Bruno Fernandes’ double and Casemiro’s header secured the triumph for Ruben Amorim’s side ahead of next week’s return leg at Old Trafford – needing to hold on to secure their place in the final.

Should the Red Devils reach such a stage, it would be a superb achievement, especially considering the side was on the brink of elimination with a handful of minutes to go against Lyon in the previous round.

It’s the perfect opportunity for the manager to claim his first trophy in the role after taking the reins back in November, potentially securing a place in the Champions League as a result.

Numerous players produced performances to remember in Spain last night, playing a huge role in the success which led them to a three-goal advantage after 90 minutes.

United’s star performers against Athletic Club

As previously mentioned, captain Fernandes managed to get himself on the scoresheet twice, taking his goal tally to 19 goals across all competitions in 2024/25.

However, his underlying stats from the win were just as impressive, making 12 passes into the final third, along with three chances created – enabling other players the opportunity to impress in attacking areas.

Manuel Ugarte was another player who starred in Bilbao last night, registering two assists for Casemiro and Fernandes – offering a presence at both ends of the pitch for Amorim.

He also managed to win 100% of the tackles he entered, along with five recoveries and five ground duels won – highlighting his impressive showing in Spain once more.

However, despite the performances of the aforementioned duo, one other Red Devils talent failed to deliver, putting his position within the side at huge risk with the summer rapidly approaching.

The United dud who’s becoming the new Van de Beek

Midfielder Donny van de Beek joined United in the summer of 2020, looking to be a key player in the side’s ambitions of returning to former glory.

However, the Dutchman, who cost a remarkable £40m, would make just 62 appearances during his four years at Old Trafford, with injuries also preventing him from being a regular.

He would depart the club in the summer of 2024, joining Spanish side Girona for just £500k, seeing the side lose 99% of their investment, highlighting how poor their business has been in recent years.

Amorim may have unearthed another version of the midfielder in the form of Mason Mount, who has massively failed to deliver since his £60m move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023.

Like Van de Beek, injuries have hampered his progress, making just 41 appearances in the last two seasons, but also failing to deliver when fit – as seen in his showing against Athletic Club last night.

He was brought on with 25 minutes remaining, but could only muster a total of 23 touches, completing a tally of just 12 passes – unable to have the desired impact.

Mount also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles or his attempted crosses, losing possession seven times – looking wasteful when having the ball at his feet.

Minutes played

25

Touches

23

Passes completed

12/16 (75%)

Dribbles completed

0/1 (0%)

Crosses completed

0/1 (0%)

Possession lost

7x

Fouls committed

1

The 26-year-old picked up a booking to top off his showing off the bench, before being handed a measly 5/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst – highlighting his lack of impact off the bench.

Throughout this season, Mount has been unable to make an impact, especially since Amorim’s arrival, often being injured but also unable to provide the goods when fit – as seen with his cameo last night.

Given his decline, the club desperately need to sell him this summer, avoiding a repeat of Van de Beek and losing a whole load of money on their investment, with any funds allowing the manager to make the changes he desires.

97% passing: 8/10 Man Utd star is now as undroppable as Bruno & Casemiro

Man Utd romped to a superb 3-0 win on the road on Thursday evening in the Europa League…

ByRobbie Walls May 2, 2025

Liverpool are now stepping up their pursuit of a £84m striker, with FSG considering the addition of a marquee signing this summer.

Reds eyeing striker with Nunez heading for exit

It appears as though Darwin Nunez’s time at Anfield could be coming to an end this summer, having fallen down the pecking order, often being utilised as a substitute rather than being a regular starter in the Premier League.

Nunez is now attracting widespread interest from across the continent, with bids in the region of £50m being made by Serie A side Napoli and Bundesliga team RB Leipzig, which means the Reds could recoup a large portion of the £85m they paid for the Uruguayan.

While the 25-year-old has played a sporadic role for Arne Slot’s side this season, the manager will need to bring in a replacement this summer, should he decide to cash-in, and FSG are now weighing up the addition of a marquee signing.

Better signing than Frimpong: Liverpool ready bid for "world-class" talent

Liverpool are looking to make sweeping changes to Arne Slot’s squad this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 14, 2025

That is according to a report from GiveMeSport which states Liverpool are stepping up their pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, with scouts set to watch the striker in action for the German side this weekend.

A summer deal for Eiktike will not be cheap, with Frankfurt setting an asking price of £84m, which FSG have reservations about paying, so a delegation of scouts will watch the Frenchman against SC Freiburg to assess whether he is worthy of such a hefty price tag.

Should the Reds be impressed by what they see, they could enter negotiations over a deal for the forward over the coming weeks, with the player himself willing to consider a move to the right club.

"Phenomenal" Ekitike could be Nunez upgrade

The move to Paris Saint-Germain early in the 22-year-old’s career may not have worked out, but he has certainly managed to prove his worth to Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season, picking up 22 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

Football scout Ben Mattinson has been particularly impressed by the Frankfurt star’s performances, taking to X to lavish him with praise earlier this season.

There are also clear signs the Reims-born forward could be an upgrade on Nunez, having outperformed the Uruguay international across a number of key attacking metrics over the past year.

Statistic per 90

Hugo Ekitike

Darwin Nunez

Non-penalty goals

0.51

0.35

Assists

0.27

0.17

Successful take-ons

1.95

0.69

That said, Liverpool are right to have concerns about forking out £84m, given that Ekitike is yet to prove himself over a sustained period of time, and they should look to get a deal done for a lower price if possible.

Newcastle United are enjoying some special times under Eddie Howe and they could now beat elite competition to land an in-demand player this summer, per a report.

Newcastle United look to enjoy productive summer

The Magpies are firmly in contention for a Champions League slot and will hope to rubber-stamp a place in Europe’s premier competition to boost their scope for recruiting talent this summer.

Eddie Howe has done a tremendous job in the North East and will play in the Europa Conference League at a minimum after their EFL Cup victory over Liverpool. Still, there is plenty of work to do on Tyneside.

Heading into the window, Newcastle could launch a move to sign Bryan Mbeumo following his sensational form at Brentford, even if his £60 million price-tag means they have to take stock before fully committing to the pursuit.

On the same token, the Magpies are hopeful they can beat Real Madrid to Albacete’s Christian Kofane after making contact over a potential £4 million deal that could see the Spanish champions ousted.

Heart of Midlothian striker James Wilson is another Newcastle target, following a similar trend to Kofane in the sense that they would likely be brought in as developmental players as opposed to first-team starters.

Newcastle ready to launch move to sign lead target after year-long mission

The Magpies are ready to attack the transfer market…

By
Tom Cunningham

May 2, 2025

Clearly, there is space for both types of profile to exist at St James’ Park, with PIF’s ambition likely to attract some of the world’s best talent alongside untapped potential from lesser-known markets.

Footballing excellence can exist in all types of climates, and Newcastle are now reportedly looking to edge Barcelona to the signing of a talented youngster from the continent of Africa.

Ryder: Newcastle look to sign wonderkid Aboubacar Maiga

According to Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder, Newcastle United want to sign Academie Africa Foot wonderkid Aboubacar Maiga, who has been likened to global superstar Lionel Messi in his homeland of Mali.

Despite Barcelona’s offer of a pre-contract agreement for the 16-year-old, he dreams of starring in England one day and thus would prefer a move to Tyneside, though he has also been linked with Manchester City and Chelsea.

Newcastle United’s remaining fixtures in 2024/25
Brighton & Hove Albion (A)	Amex Stadium
Chelsea (H)	St James’ Park
Arsenal (A)	Emirates Stadium
Everton (H)	St James’ Park

The attacking midfielder is also the captain of Mali’s Under-16 side and could now have a shot at life at one of the world’s elite clubs should the Magpies manage to force a deal over the line.

Admittedly, it is difficult to judge the pull of clubs as a direct comparison when it comes to youth stars, but if Newcastle were able to beat Barcelona to his signature, it would say a lot about PIF’s ambitious project in the North East.

Securing developing talent is crucial to any club with aspirations of establishing themselves as a dominant force and can also save millions down the line. Now, supporters will wait patiently to see how this one plays out, with the prospect of Newcastle shoving Barcelona to one side alive and kicking.

Managers coming and going is very much a part of life in football, and with the managerial merry-go-round in full swing, the number of dugout changes in the 2024/25 season grew right up to the end of the campaign.

Premier League bosses like Russell Martin and Sean Dyche could not avoid the dreaded axe, while the Championship saw the likes of Wayne Rooney given their marching orders after dismal campaigns from the dugout.

Firings were rife throughout the rest of the EFL too, as clubs scrambled to avoid failure by making drastic changes.

We have the full list of dismissals here, with nearly 50 managers leaving their posts during the season.

All 20 Premier League managers' salaries (lowest to highest)

How much each Premier League gaffer earns.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 21, 2025

#

Manager

Club left

Date

Time in charge

Ryan Lowe

Preston

12th August

2 years, 249 days

Neil Critchley

Blackpool

21st August

1 year, 90 days

Paul Simpson

Carlisle

31st August

2 years, 189 days

Steven Schumacher

Stoke

16th September

272 days

Erol Bulut

Cardiff

22nd September

1 year, 111 days

Mark Robinson

Burton Albion

23rd October

141 days

Mark Kennedy

Swindon

25th October

149 days

Erik ten Hag

Man Utd

28th October

2 years, 158 days

Paul Hurst

Shrewsbury

3rd November

284 days

Mark Robins

Coventry

7th November

7 years, 246 days

Steve Cooper

Leicester

24th November

157 days

Tim Walter

Hull

27th November

180 days

Jon Brady

Northampton

5th December

3 years, 299 days

Neil Harris

Millwall

10th December

293 days

Gary O’Neil

Wolves

15th December

1 year, 128 days

Des Buckingham

Oxford

15th December

1 year, 29 days

Russell Martin

Southampton

15th December

1 year, 177 days

Matt Taylor

Bristol Rovers

16th December

1 year, 15 days

Charlie Adam

Fleetwood

22nd December

357 days

Narcis Pelach

Stoke

27th December

100 days

Wayne Rooney

Plymouth

31st December

220 days

Mark Bonner

Gillingham

5th January

243 days

Julen Lopetegui

West Ham

8th January

230 days

Rob Edwards

Luton

9th January

2 years, 53 days

Sean Dyche

Everton

9th January

1 year, 345 days

Stephen Clemence

Barrow

19th January

233 days

Ian Evatt

Bolton

22nd January

4 years, 205 days

Mike Williamson

Carlisle

3rd February

137 days

Paul Warne

Derby

7th February

2 years, 138 days

Garry Monk

Cambridge

16th February

349 days

Luke Williams

Swansea

17th February

1 year, 43 days

Nigel Adkins

Tranmere

25th February

1 year, 115 days

Shaun Maloney

Wigan

2nd March

2 years, 33 days

Scott Lindsey

MK Dons

2nd March

158 days

Michael Duff

Huddersfield

9th March

299 days

Darrell Clarke

Barnsley

12th March

293 days

Rob Elliot

Crawley

19th March

169 days

Steve Evans

Rotherham

30th March

347 days

Ivan Juric

Southampton

7th April

105 days

Omer Riza

Cardiff

19th April

209 days

Tony Mowbray

West Brom

21st April

93 days

Johannes Hoff Thorup

Norwich

22nd April

327 days

Nelson Jardim

Newport

24th April

282 days

Inigo Calderon

Bristol Rovers

4th May

129 days

Tom Cleverley

Watford

6th May

1 year, 12 days

1 Ryan Lowe (Preston North End) Left: 12th August

Championship side Preston North End parted ways with head coach Ryan Lowe after just one league game this season.

Following the Lilywhites’ 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United, Lowe asked to leave the club, telling Preston’s board he wanted “a change”. The defeat to the Blades was Preston’s sixth on the bounce, with Lowe’s side having lost their final five games of the previous season – a run of form that saw them fade out of the play-off race.

2 Neil Critchley (Blackpool) Sacked: 21st August

Blackpool sacked manager Neil Critchley after they began their 2024/25 League One campaign with back-to-back defeats against Crawley Town and Stockport County.

The 45-year-old had previously guided Blackpool to the Championship by way of the play-offs in 2021, and returned to Bloomfield Road in May 2023 after spells with Aston Villa and QPR. However, he was unable to recapture the magic of two years prior, with the Seasiders finishing the 2023/24 campaign in eighth.

3 Paul Simpson (Carlisle United) Sacked: 31st August

Paul Simpson was let go by Carlisle United following a 2-1 defeat to Tranmere Rovers back in August. The defeat was their third from four league matches this season, having been relegated to League Two under Simpson’s tenure last year.

“Everyone at the club would like to thank Paul and his staff for their efforts,” Carlisle said in a statement.

4 Steven Schumacher (Stoke City) Sacked: 16th September

Stoke City sacked Steven Schumacher after the Potters lost three of their first five games of the campaign. The final straw came by way of a 1-0 loss to Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.

Schumacher’s tenure as Stoke boss lasted just nine months in total, with the 40-year-old having left Plymouth Argyle to take the job in December 2023.

Two days after sacking Schumacher, Stoke appointed Norwich City coach Narcis Pelach as their new manager on a three-year contract.

5 Erol Bulut (Cardiff City) Sacked: 22nd September

Cardiff City were rock bottom of the Championship when they fired head coach Erol Bulut in mid-September.

The Bluebirds had picked up just one point from six games and scored one goal – their worst start to a season in 94 years. Bulut’s final game was a 2-0 home defeat against Leeds United. He has since been replaced by Omer Riza, who remains in interim charge heading into December.

6 Mark Robinson (Burton Albion) Sacked: 23rd October

Mark Robinson was relieved of his duties at Burton Albion following a run of seven successive defeats in all competitions.

“We feel we have reached a point where a change is necessary to improve the team’s results,” sporting director Bendik Hareide said at the time.

Robinson, 58, is the third Burton manager in three seasons to have been given the axe before Christmas, following in the footsteps of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dino Maamria.

7 Mark Kennedy (Swindon Town) Sacked: 25th October

Swindon Town sacked head coach Mark Kennedy after less than five months in charge following a 2-1 defeat at Salford. Kennedy won just 3 of his 15 games in charge of the Robins, who were 22nd in League Two at the time of his departure.

Just hours after Kennedy’s sacking, Swindon appointed former Bristol Rovers, QPR and Blackpool manager Ian Holloway as their new head coach.

8 Erik ten Hag (Manchester United) Sacked: 28th October

By far and away the most high-profile sacking of the season, Erik ten Hag was let go by Manchester United following a disastrous start to the season. The Dutchman’s final game was a 2-1 defeat to West Ham United, which left the Red Devils 14th in the Premier League with just three wins from their opening nine games.

Though he guided United to two trophies during his two-and-a-half-year spell at Old Trafford, Ten Hag has been dubbed the club’s worst-ever manager. Ruben Amorim has since stepped in as his replacement.

9 Paul Hurst (Shrewsbury Town) Sacked: 3rd November

Shrewsbury Town parted ways with head coach Paul Hurst after a run of just 1 win in 12 games in all competitions, leaving them second from bottom in League One. Assistant boss Chris Doig was also let go.

Hurst and Doig were in their second spell at the club, having previously led the Shrews to the League One play-off final in 2018.

“Everyone at the football club is hugely disappointed their second spell hasn’t worked out and we find ourselves in our current position,” Shrewsbury said in a statement.

10 Mark Robins (Coventry City) Sacked: 7th November

Coventry City fired boss Mark Robins after a run of just 4 wins in 14 Championship games this season. Robins, 54, had been in charge of the Sky Blues for 2,803 days, making him the English Football League’s longest-serving manager at the time.

Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard has been appointed as Robins’ successor on a two-and-a-half-year deal, replacing interim boss Rhys Carr.

The 8 longest-serving managers in the Premier League & EFL

A rare sight in football…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 8, 2024

It has been a long and rather dismal campaign for Arsenal this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side have once again failed to claim the Premier League title, although instead of just losing out to Manchester City, they have fallen miles short of Arne Slot’s Liverpool.

Going into the final game of the season, the North Londoners are 12 points off the Reds and, perhaps even more worryingly, have scored 18 fewer goals.

This evident weakness in the Gunners’ attack is something the board are clearly aiming to deal with in the summer, as reports have linked them to a whole host of incredibly talented players, including Nico Williams.

However, even with his lofty price tag, one of Arsenal’s own stars is worth millions more.

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Arsenal have been credited with an intense interest in Williams for the best part of a year now, and according to reports from earlier this month, he remains a ‘top priority’ ahead of the summer transfer window.

The story confirms that the North Londoners will need to activate the release clause in his contract to bring him to the club, which stands at a cool £48m.

With that said, then, what is it about the young winger that has made him such a firm target for the Premier League runners-up?

First and foremost, he’s a direct left-winger who can both score and create goals with relative ease.

For example, in 37 appearances for the Athletic Bilbao last season, the Pamplona-born dynamo scored eight goals and provided 18 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.42 games.

He’s not been quite as sensationally effective this season, but he’s still been a useful outlet, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in 44 games, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.44 games.

On top of his raw output, he has also shown an ability to deal with the biggest games.

He opened the scoring for Spain in their European Championships Final triumph against England last summer and also provided an assist in the final of last season’s Copa de Rey, which Bilbao won.

In all, it would be fair to say that Williams more than justifies the price tag Arsenal would have to pay for him, although if he does join the club, he’d have to hit the ground running to see his valuation match that of one of his new teammates.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Williams

To tell the truth, there are actually several players who are worth more than Williams in the Arsenal squad, but in this case, we are talking about one of the club’s breakout stars from this season: Ethan Nwaneri.

Yes, even though this year has been the teenager’s first proper taste of regular first-team football, he’s been so impressive that his valuation has skyrocketed.

For example, Football Transfers now value the 18-year-old at a whopping €74.3, which is about £63m, or around £15m more than the fee the Gunners have to pay to sign Williams.

Now, this might all sound rather absurd to some of you, but there are some reasons for this, chief among them being the fact that the often “unplayable” gem, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, has already scored nine goals and provided two assists in 36 appearances, totalling 1303 minutes this season.

In other words, the Hale Ender is currently averaging a goal involvement every 3.27 games, or more importantly, every 118.45 minutes, which is undeniably brilliant.

Moreover, given how he’s adapted to senior football so seemingly, there is no telling what his ceiling may be.

With that said, how does he stack up with the Bilbao gem when we compare their underlying numbers from this season?

Non-Penalty G+As

0.66

0.47

Progressive Passes

3.30

3.19

Progressive Carries

4.84

5.31

Goals per Shot

0.18

0.10

Goals per Shot on Target

0.50

0.26

Passing Accuracy

80.2%

70.7%

Key Passes

1.32

1.83

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.43

1.31

Passes into the Final Third

1.76

1.08

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.66

0.38

Shot-Creating Actions

2.41

5.12

Successful Take-Ons

3.52

2.96

Well, it might surprise some people to find out that overall, it’s the youngster who comes out on top, as in the majority of relevant metrics, he does better.

The metrics include, but are not limited to, non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, goals per shot and shot on target, passes into the penalty area and final third, crosses into the penalty area, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Williams this summer, as he looks like he could add some much-needed dynamism to their left-hand side.

Still, in Nwaneri, the club already have another young talent who could further establish himself in the first-team next season.

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Liverpool have made a shock offer for a £400k-a-week star who is now keen to play in Europe next season, according to Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

Reds' summer transfer plans taking shape

After two quiet transfer windows since replacing Jürgen Klopp in the dugout, Arne Slot will be tasked with strengthening his squad in a number of key areas this summer, and FSG are prepared to back their manager with significant financial backing.

A new striker could be required, with Darwin Nunez’s future in doubt, and the aforementioned report names Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as a potential option, alongside RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and prolific Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold recently confirming his decision to leave his boyhood club this summer, the Reds have also ramped up their pursuit of a new right-back, and David Ornstein believes Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong is keen on a move to Anfield.

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Having perhaps overrelied on Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, there have also been suggestions that Slot could look to bring in a new midfielder this summer, and there is serious interest in Stuttgart maestro Angelo Stiller.

However, a surprise move for a Premier League attacking midfielder could also be on the cards, according to Di Marzio, with the Sky Sports journalist recently stating Liverpool have now made a shock offer for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.

De Bruyne is set to leave Man City on a free transfer this summer, with Pep Guardiola’s side taking the decision not to extend his contract, but the Belgian wants to remain in Europe, despite widespread links to the MLS.

Napoli are making a concrete attempt to sign the 33-year-old, so there could also be competition for his signature from some of Europe’s top clubs.

"World-class" De Bruyne likened to Gerrard

In truth, the Man City legend moving to Anfield doesn’t seem particularly realistic, given that he was in direct competition with the Reds for a number of years, during which time he impressed Klopp, who described the maestro as “world-class”.

Wayne Rooney has also likened the Belgium international to Steven Gerrard in the past, saying: “De Bruyne reminds me a bit of Steven Gerrard. He drifts out to that right-hand side and plays some brilliant balls whipped in, like Stevie used to. What I like most is he takes chances, he takes risks, he doesn’t go for the easy ball – he plays the hard pass.”

The £400k-a-week star is evidently in the twilight years of his career, given City’s willingness to sanction a departure, but he has still impressed in the Premier League at times this season, while also catching the eye in the FA Cup.

Competition	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Premier League	25	4	7
FA Cup	3	2	1

As such, De Bruyne could still be a difference-maker for a top club, but a move to Anfield would be extremely controversial.

In a double blow for those in the Midlands, Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has now reportedly set his sights on signing both Emiliano Martinez and another Aston Villa ace this summer.

Simeone driving Atletico Madrid's Martinez move

Amid profit and sustainability (PSR) concerns, Aston Villa have looked likely to sell at least one star man for some time. For the last few months, however, it’s been a question of who.

Morgan Rogers, following an excellent season, has found himself among the headlines and on Chelsea’s reported radar but his importance at Villa Park may be too much to let go. Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins has also been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in a transfer that would strengthen a Champions League rival.

In truth, Unai Emery should be desperate to keep hold of both stars and take Villa’s summer sales down a different route. That’s where Martinez could surprisingly come in. The 32-year-old appeared to be waving a tearful goodbye to Villa Park in his side’s final home game of the season last Friday and Emery failed to rule out a summer exit for the goalkeeper.

The Spaniard told reporters: “We will see. Of course, it is the last match here [this season], and I don’t know. We will see about the team, the players, but of course, they are responding on the field.”

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Sparking several rumours, Simeone now personally wants Atletico Madrid to sign Martinez if Jan Oblak leaves the Spanish club this summer. The La Liga giants aren’t alone in the race for the Argentine’s signature, either, with Manchester United also reportedly eyeing the chance to solve their Andre Onana problem using the Aston Villa shot-stopper.

If it is to be Atletico Madrid though, then Aston Villa could lose two players to the Spaniards in the same summer amid reports that Simeone is also a fan of another one of Emery’s men.

Atletico Madrid eyeing Barrenechea

According to Caught Offside, Simeone also wants to sign Enzo Barrenechea alongside Martinez from Aston Villa this summer. The midfielder has spent the campaign on loan at Valencia, impressing many away from the Midlands, and could now seal a permanent move away from the club just one year on from his arrival.

Despite being described as a “destroyer” by U23 scout Antonio Mango whilst on loan at Valencia this season, Emery has reportedly given Aston Villa the green light to sell Barrenechea this summer.

For all his potential, it would be an understandable sale as Aston Villa look to navigate their PSR problems. Selling a player who has thrived on loan, but one who may still struggle to break into Emery’s best side, should be the way forward for the Villans if they want to avoid any financial troubles this summer.

This season has been a long one for Arsenal fans.

Instead of finally getting over the line in the Premier League, they were out of the title race months ago, and in the domestic cups, they were even worse.

Granted, the North Londoners have had to deal with a mountain of injuries, but even then, when fit, most of the attackers in the squad have been subpar at best.

Perhaps the worst of the lot, and one of the worst signings made in the team’s recent history, was Raheem Sterling, and if recent reports are to be believed, the board has been in contact with a player who could prove to be just as disastrous a signing this summer.

Arsenal could sign Premier League winger

Before we get to the worrying links in question, it is worth looking at some of the more exciting transfer rumours for players like Benjamin Sesko and Rayan Cherki.

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The former enjoyed another fine season with RB Leipzig this year, racking up a tally of 21 goals and six assists in 45 games, and could be available for just £75m.

On the other hand, the Lyon star could be available for even less at £30m and has enjoyed an even better campaign with the French giants, racking up a sensational haul of 12 goals and 20 assists in 44 games.

However, while both of these players would undoubtedly add something positive to the Gunners squad, we aren’t sure we can say the same about Alejandro Garnacho.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal have been in contact with the player’s representatives.

Now, even though it has been widely reported that the Argentine winger has been told to find himself a new club this summer, Manchester United still want a sizable fee for the winger, a fee of around £51m per Bailey.

While Garnacho is a talented young footballer, we can’t see him as a good fit for Arsenal in any way whatsoever, and with the money required to bring him to North London, this could be another Sterling-esque disaster.

Why Garnacho could be another Sterling for Arsenal

Even if we were to completely disregard the transfer fee required to sign Garnacho this summer – we shouldn’t – there would still be a plethora of reasons why bringing him to the club would be a bad idea.

Despite being labelled as a “superstar,” by football creator Liam Canning, much like Sterling this season, he’d almost certainly struggle to make an impact and establish himself in the starting lineup.

For example, while his tally of 11 goals and ten assists certainly looks good at a glance, things become a lot less impressive when we dive into those numbers.

Of those 21 goal involvements, only eight came in the league, while six came in the League Cup and another five in the Europa League, and worse yet, his only goal against a fellow ‘big six’ side was against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

On top of his underwhelming output, the last week or so has shown that, at his worst, the supposedly “special talent”, as dubbed by football statistician Statman Dave, can be a serious problem in the dressing room.

Garnacho’s 24/25

Competiotn

Games

Goals

Assists

G/A per Game

Premier League

36

6

2

0.22

Europa League

15

1

4

0.33

FA Cup

3

0

1

0.33

League Cup

3

3

3

2.00

Community Shield

1

1

0

1.00

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Following the Red Devils defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League Final, the 20-year-old doubled down on his brother’s comments about him not starting.

If there is one thing we know about Arteta, it’s that he does not like troublemakers.

Finally, the Madrid-born ace also has some worrying underlying numbers, with FBref placing him in the bottom 21% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for expected assists, the bottom 12% for goals per shot and the bottom 8% for goals per shot on target, all per 90.

Ultimately, Garnacho may well develop into a brilliant winger, but as things stand, his attitude, output and the money required to make it happen all point towards this being a terrible idea and a transfer that could end up being even more disastrous than Sterling’s last summer.

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