O meia-atacante Luan está de volta ao Grêmio. Através das redes sociais, o Tricolor anunciou que o jogador realiza exames médicos nesta quinta-feira nas dependências do clube. Caso não tenha nenhum problema, o jogador assina contrato até dezembro.
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Antes de chegar a sede do Tricolor, Luan terá um reencontro com a torcida, que promete recepcionar o jogador no Aeroporto Salgado Filho, em Porto Alegre (RS), no início da tarde.
+ Próximos jogos do Grêmio: veja calendário, datas, horários e onde assistir às partidas
MAIS PERTO DE CASA ???????????? Após chegar a um acordo com o Grêmio, Luan desembarca em Porto Alegre hoje, às 13h30, para realizar exames médicos nas instalações do Clube. Se aprovado, será encaminhado para os trâmites necessários de assinatura de contrato.
Leia:… pic.twitter.com/H4eoD3E9ka
— Grêmio FBPA (@Gremio) July 27, 2023
A expectativa dentro do clube é alta para que Luan se reencontre com o bom futebol e viva momentos de muita alegria.
Renato Gaúcho
Um dos maiores entusiastas da contratação de Luan é o técnico Renato Gaúcho, que prometeu ajudar o atleta, mas pede a cooperação do meio-campista para atingir o seu objetivo.
Rei da América
Com a camisa do Grêmio, o jogador viveu o auge da sua carreira e foi eleito o melhor da América em 2017, ano que também faturou a Libertadores.
Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer strategy this summer has been nothing short of chaotic, and yet strangely ambitious.
For a club that finished 17th in the Premier League last season but secured Champions League football thanks to their Europa League triumph over Manchester United, the need to strengthen has never been more urgent.
Their early business included the £60m acquisition of Mohamed Kudus from West Ham, an exciting attacking player who provides versatility across the forward line.
But departures and missed opportunities have left significant gaps.
Fan favourite Son Heung-min departed for LAFC after a decade of service in North London, while the club’s most creative midfielder, James Maddison, suffered a devastating ACL injury in pre-season against Newcastle.
Their attempts to fill the void have, so far, been met with frustration.
The latest on Spurs' hunt to find a Maddison replacement
A £60m pursuit of Eberechi Eze collapsed when Arsenal hijacked the deal. A move for Morgan Gibbs-White ran into legal complications.
A €70m (£65m) package for Como star Nico Paz was swiftly rebuffed, with the Argentine making clear his intentions to return to Real Madrid in the near future.
Spurs have even looked at Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, but his £100m price tag puts him out of reach.
All of this has forced Tottenham to look elsewhere.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Their search has now led them towards a player long admired in England, one who has already proved himself in the Premier League, but whose reputation has recently been clouded by off-field controversy.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, Spurs are now weighing up a move for Lucas Paquetá, the Brazilian playmaker currently at West Ham United.
Aston Villa are also monitoring his situation, but Tottenham’s need for a creative spark is arguably more urgent. Different reports suggest he could go for around £40m.
Paquetá has endured a turbulent year, but his quality has never been in question.
Former teammate Declan Rice once described him as “mind-boggling”, while he’s also been described as “one of the best 10s in the world” by one data analyst, a reminder of the immense technical ability he brings.
The central midfielder’s form dipped after he became the subject of a betting breach investigation in August 2023.
He continued to play, scoring West Ham’s only goal in their recent 5-1 defeat to Chelsea, but his confidence and consistency were visibly affected by the allegations.
Now that he has been cleared of all charges in 2025, the expectation is that he can finally put the matter behind him and re-establish himself at the top level.
Assessing Paquetá vs Maddison
For Spurs, the appeal is clear. With Maddison sidelined for the season, there is no natural replacement in the squad capable of offering the same vision and incisive passing.
Paquetá, with his flair and ability to turn games in an instant, represents a player in a similar mould.
He may not have matched Maddison’s output in recent seasons, but the tools are there – and in the right environment, he could thrive.
Tottenham Hotspur'sJamesMaddisonreacts
Paquetá’s numbers at West Ham illustrate both his strengths and his limitations.
At 27, he is approaching the prime of his career. He has 55 caps for Brazil and joined West Ham from Lyon in 2022, making 33 Premier League appearances last season with four goals.
The raw statistics do not scream world-class productivity, but they do reveal a midfielder with a valuable mix of creativity and defensive work.
West Ham – 2023/24
Stat
With Paqueta
Without Paqueta
Matches
19
7
Wins
11
0
Goals Scored Per Match
1.8
0.7
Goals Conceded Per Match
1.5
2.4
Points Per Match
1.9
0.4
Source: Premier League
According to FBref, he ranks in the 74th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 (2.89), the 79th percentile for progressive passes (6.16 per 90), and the 84th percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area (2.18 per 90).
These metrics underline his ability to link play between midfield and attack, progressing the ball into dangerous areas.
Lucas Paqueta looks dejected for West Ham
His defensive contributions are also notable, with 2.51 tackles per 90 (75th percentile) and an impressive 1.91 aerial duels won per 90 (89th percentile), making him more than just a luxury player.
When compared directly to Maddison, however, there are contrasts. The England international has been one of Spurs’ key players since arriving from Leicester in 2023, with 16 goals and 21 assists in 75 games.
Regrettably, his injury record is a concern. He missed 13 games in 2023/24 and 11 last season – but his impact when fit is undeniable.
Statistically, Maddison outperforms Paquetá in almost every attacking metric: 4.73 shot-creating actions per 90 (to Paquetá’s 3.10), 8.16 progressive passes per 90 (Paquetá’s 5.87), and 0.85 shots on target per 90 (Paquetá’s 0.11).
Even his pass completion rate (81.3%) edges the Brazilian’s 77.3%.
This raises a key question: would Spurs be settling for a downgrade? On paper, Paquetá does not replicate Maddison’s efficiency in front of goal or his ability to sustain attacks through consistent ball progression.
West Ham's Lucas Paqueta against Liverpool.
Yet the Brazilian brings different qualities – a more physical presence, stronger defensive contributions, and the versatility to operate across midfield roles. In that regard, he is a big upgrade.
His 227.8 progressive passing distance per 90 minutes is only slightly behind Maddison’s 250.1, suggesting he can still drive the ball forward effectively.
What truly matters is context. At West Ham, Paquetá has often been tasked with working within a rigid system where creativity can be stifled.
In a more attacking, possession-based setup at Tottenham, his ability to combine with Kudus and Richarlison could unlock a new level of performance.
For Spurs, the decision is not about finding a perfect Maddison clone. It is about ensuring they are not left without a creative heartbeat in midfield for an entire season.
Paquetá may be inconsistent, but he remains capable of brilliance.
If Thomas Frank can provide the structure and confidence that he lacked at West Ham, Tottenham could have a player who, like Maddison, is able to decide games single-handedly.
New Dembele: Spurs make move to sign "one of the best playmakers in Europe"
Spurs are looking to finalise one or two big moves before the deadline closes.
Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the best managers football has ever seen, enjoying a successful spell with Aberdeen before his 27-year spell as Manchester United manager.
He dominated English football with the Red Devils, winning 13 Premier League titles as well as lifting the Champions League on two occasions.
The Scot actually grew up a Gers fan and regularly visited Ibrox as a youngster, eventually playing for the club between 1967-1969. Ferguson has never shied away from Rangers ties, sharing stories of his early footballing memories at Ibrox.
“I used to always go to the Broomloan Road end when I was younger. It wasn’t until I got into my teens when I was with my mates that we would go into the Rangers End. I started going to Ibrox when I was around eight-years-old so in 1949. When I was young, it was a case of ‘you’re not going up there on your own’, but you would go to Ibrox irrespective of what your dad said.
“There were great teams around that time. The famous Iron Curtain team; Young, Shaw, McColl, Woodburn, Cox, which felt like it was there forever. You always had Willie Waddell and Willie Thornton playing as well. I grew up in a period where we had strong domination of the country.”
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He would come up against Rangers and Glasgow rivals Celtic on a regular basis during his time as Aberdeen boss and also visited Scotland in the Champions League with a star-studded Man Utd side.
Ferguson and the Red Devils didn’t have much luck on their two visits to Celtic Park, losing 1-0 in 2006 and drawing 1-1 in 2008. However, he fared better back at Ibrox with Man Utd, winning 1-0 on two occasions in 2003 and 2010.
Ferguson chooses between Celtic and Rangers for best stadium
Talking in the past in comments shared by Celtic’s official website, Ferguson chose Celtic Park as “the best” atmosphere he has experienced as a manager over Ibrox and other iconic stadiums across Europe.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo was also left stunned by the Parkhead atmosphere, saying during his time at Man Utd:
“The Celtic fans are incredible. It is always great to play there.”
It would be fair to say that, so far, Chelsea have had a great transfer window this summer.
The club have made plenty of money selling the likes of Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, and Djordje Petrovic, while seriously improving the squad with exciting additions like Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, and Jamie Gittens.
Moreover, it looks like the Blues’ owners, BlueCo group, are in the process of securing the services of the promising Julio Enciso.
Crystal Palace's AdamWhartonin action with Ipswich Town's Julio Enciso
However, while the young Paraguayan could be an excellent addition to the squad, the Blues are also closing in on someone who’d be an even better signing.
Chelsea chase better signing than Enciso
Even though they’ve already completed more signings than most teams would in a summer, Chelsea are still on the lookout for more talent, and while someone like Xavi Simons has been consistently touted for a move to the club in recent weeks, Enciso is set to be the latest addition.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
In fact, the Brighton & Hove Albion gem’s move to the West Londoners has already been given the ‘here we go’ treatment, but instead of heading straight to Stamford Bridge, the plan is that he’ll be spending a year in France with Strasbourg.
The 21-year-old is undoubtedly an exciting signing, but it appears that the Pensioners are now moving to complete a move for someone who’d be an even better signing.
At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s intense interest in Alejandro Garnacho.
Moreover, the report has now revealed that the Blues are preparing an offer for the Manchester United ace that’ll be worth around £25m.
It seems likely that the Red Devils will reject such a bid, but given the player’s open desire to make the move, a compromise of some kind feels like the likely outcome.
It could therefore still be something of a complicated and costly transfer for Chelsea, but given Garnacho’s ability and potential, he’d be worth the effort, especially as he’d be a better signing than Enciso.
Why Garnacho would be a better signing than Enciso
Now, it should be said that both players are incredibly talented and look like they have bright futures in the game ahead of them.
However, there are a few reasons why we believe Garnacho would be a better signing for Chelsea than Enciso, and the first is their output last season.
For example, between his spells with the Seagulls and Ipswich Town last season, the Caaguazú-born gem was only able to score three goals and provide four assists in 29 appearances, totalling 1458 minutes.
Appearances
58
29
Minutes
3568′
1458′
Goals
11
3
Assists
10
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.36
0.24
Minutes per Goal Involvements
169.90′
208.28′
That means that he maintained a middling average of a goal involvement every 4.14 games, or every 208.28 minutes, which isn’t terrible, but it’s also not particularly noteworthy.
In contrast, the Madrid-born “superstar” in the making, as dubbed by journalist Liam Canning, was able to score 11 goals and provide ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3568 minutes.
In other words, the Argentine international was able to average a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or 169.90 minutes for a historically terrible United side.
The second reason the “electric” United ace, as dubbed by Statman Dave, would be a better signing is down to his experience.
While both players are still just 21 years old, the Red Devils gem has made 36 more appearances in the Premier League, has played in the Champions League, and has experience of not just playing in finals, but scoring hugely important goals in them that secure his side silverware.
Ultimately, Enciso is an undeniably talented footballer, but he lacks the numbers and extraordinary moments Garnacho has at the same age.
Therefore, we reckon the Argentine international would be the far better signing for the club this summer.
Chelsea receive £250m windfall as Fabrizio Romano confirms another sale
The Blues have been made serious cash this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur are now willing to make a huge offer for an “incredible” £80m forward, who is now “keen” on a move to north London this summer, it has been revealed.
Spurs remain keen on new winger after losing Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min made the extremely difficult decision to leave Tottenham this summer, making the move to LAFC, and the South Korean has gotten off to a fantastic start in the MLS, recently picking up his first assist.
It was arguably the right time to cash-in on Son, given that the Spurs legend is now 33-years-old, and Brennan Johnson has proven he could be up to the task of being the long-term replacement at left-wing, scoring against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.
However, with Son leaving, and James Maddison set to miss the majority of the campaign due to an ACL injury, Thomas Frank is light on options in attacking areas, and remains keen on adding another winger to his squad.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Savinho’s agents are trying to get a move to north London over the line, and there has now been a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of the Manchester City winger.
According to a report from Spain, Spurs are now willing to make a new offer for the Brazilian, having already had a £60m bid knocked back, and there is a feeling that a deal could be possible.
Frank identifies third £60m top Tottenham target with Eze and Savinho
The Spurs boss personally wants him.
ByEmilio Galantini Aug 17, 2025
While City are keen to keep hold of the winger, they could be tempted to cash-in if an ‘irresistible’ offer arrives, with Pep Guardiola’s side valuing the 21-year-old at the £70m – £80m mark.
Fabrizio Romano has also revealed the youngster is “keen” on a move to north London, with talks still ongoing.
"Incredible" Savinho could be ideal Son heir
It is little wonder Man City are hesitant to sell the young winger, given that he is held in very high regard by Guardiola, who waxed lyrical about the forward after impressing against Leicester City last season.
The City boss said: “He’s a guy who can play on both sides, today he finally scored a goal. He has an incredible ability and quality he’s proven in that period.”
The Brazil international is also fantastic at dribbling and providing assists, indicating that he could be the ideal option to replace Son at left-wing.
Statistic
Average per 90 (past year)
Progressive carries
6.61 (97th percentile)
Successful take-ons
2.69 (94th percentile)
Assists
0.35 (88th percentile)
The only thing that Savinho needs to improve is his end product, having averaged just 0.08 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, despite an xG of 0.25 per 90, and if the starlet is able to rectify that aspect of his game, he could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham.
Leeds United are looking to bolster the ranks ahead of their return to the Premier League and have designs on signing a full-back known for his ability to get forward, according to reports.
Leeds United look to build on triple signing spree
Elland Road will be a cauldron of noise in the top flight this season, and supporters will be delighted at Jaka Bijol, Lukas Nmecha and Sebastiaan Bornauw making their way into the club to work under Daniel Farke.
However, it does feel like there is a lot more to come in the way of transfer activity, with Leeds likely to need a sequence of additions with pedigree to establish themselves as a Premier League outfit.
After his contribution last season, Paul Robinson believes Leeds should pull out all the stops to land Manor Solomon permanently after he went back to Tottenham Hotspur with no deal agreed to see the former Fulham man remain in Yorkshire.
He stated: “I expect Thomas Frank will take a look at him in pre-season; I don’t think Leeds will go straight back in and do a deal for him.
“From a Leeds point of view, I’d like to think they could because he’s proven he can do it at Premier League level and was excellent last year. To take him out of the Leeds team will be a big miss, so I think they will do all they can to bring him in.”
Better signing than Diarra: Leeds lead race to sign "outstanding" £18m star
Leeds United could soon purchase this outstanding £18m star in a deal that might be better than securing Habib Diarra.
By
Kelan Sarson
Jul 4, 2025
In light of their off-field problems, Leeds could look to sign goalkeeper Lucas Perri from financially troubled Lyon. Away from their search for a new number one, the Whites are now in the hunt to complete a slightly more complicated deal, per reports.
Leeds United eye quickfire Nuno Tavares transfer
According to Calciomercato, Leeds are keen on signing Lazio full-back Nuno Tavares and are said to be monitoring his situation with the window ongoing alongside West Ham United.
Intriguingly, the Portugal international has only just signed permanently at the Serie A giants from Arsenal. However, Maurizio Sarri would be willing to sell him for a fee between £17.2 million and £21.5 million.
Nuno Tavares – why do Leeds United want to sign the full-back? (FBRef)
Shot-creating actions
74
Goal-creating actions
14
Progressive passes per 90 mins
5.90
Progressive carries per 90 mins
5.08
Successful take-ons per 90 mins
2.68
Backing up his encouraging offensive statistics, Tavares, previously been labelled “excellent” by Claudio Letito, registered nine assists in 30 appearances across all competitions last term, making him an ideal candidate to replace Junior Firpo at Elland Road.
The Dominican Republic international has left following the expiration of his deal in Yorkshire, leaving Farke with the challenge of securing a successor who can replicate his output at both ends of the field.
Tavares looks to have all the pre-requisites needed to take on the challenge, though it remains to be seen if Leeds can push a deal over the line amid rival interest.
It’s been an unsettling summer for Aston Villa supporters far and wide as they feared their successful Premier League side was in danger of being completely dismantled.
To comply with PSR rules, a whole load of sales might have had to be signed off on, as Emiliano Martinez continues to be linked with a switch to Premier League rivals Manchester United or Chelsea to give Villa a healthy £45m injection of cash.
Emi Martinez
However, a new breaking development seems to indicate that Villa will be able to get around these stringent PSR rules after all by selling their women’s team, with such a loophole allowing for any PSR anxiety to be forgotten about.
With this dire situation now presumably fixed at the final hour, Unai Emery’s men could push on in the transfer market to land a couple of statement deals, as a few faces here and there begin to be steadily linked with a switch to Villa Park.
Aston Villa's transfer situation
Understandably, most of the conversation involving Villa this off-season has involved the likes of Ollie Watkins being lined up for major moves away, with all the worry surrounding PSR getting to the Villans.
Now, however, the mood will be more relaxed, with Villa ready to explore several new targets. Already, they have been unsuccessful in landing Jesus Rodriguez from Real Betis though, as a deal heartbreakingly collapsed.
Still, that won’t have completely knocked them, with Lucas Chevalier one name reportedly on their shopping list if Martinez does still exit the West Midlands outfit.
On top of that, a fresh name in the form of Gabriel Sara has now begun to be linked with a move to England, with a report from Turkish outlet Hurriyet, via Sport Witness, indicating that a £17m bid has been put forward to Galatasaray by Villa for their creative Brazilian.
This has since been knocked back with Galatasaray wanting at least £34m for their midfield star, who is also a wanted man by Manchester City, Manchester United, and Leeds United.
Villa will hope they come out on top to land his coveted signature, with the ex-Norwich City ace already a hit in England when on the books of the Canaries, meaning he might well be Villa’s next Youri Tielemans if he were to join the building soon.
How Sara could be Villa's next Tielemans
After all, Tielemans used to be on the books of Leicester City before advancing his game even more when donning Villa claret and blue.
By the end of the entertaining 2024/25 campaign for Villa, Tielemans was arguably the club’s player of the season having tallied up 15 goals and assists in all competitions, with five of those goal contributions coming about on the grandest stage of them all in the Champions League.
Youri Tielemans
The 77-time Belgium international would also amass a hefty 54 goal contributions during his entire Foxes stay, with Villa now feeling smug with themselves that they won Tieleman’s services on a free transfer basis in the summer of 2023.
Whilst Sara would cost a lavish £34m to obtain, he might well come in and become as instrumental to Villa’s midfield as Tielemans now is, having picked up ten assists and two goals last season for his current Turkish employers, away from already being well-versed in the high demands of the English game when situated in Norfolk.
Games played
96
Goals scored
21
Assists
17
Norwich POTS
1x
Championship POTM
1x
Championship TOTY
1x
Whilst the Brazilian would never guide Norwich up to the Premier League during his celebrated stay, he certainly still left an impression on the Carrow Road masses with classy display after classy display, as seen in his bumper total of 54 combined goals and assists from 96 contests, which is eerily the exact same amount Tielemans tallied up at the King Power Stadium.
He has since tasted success in a top division in Turkey too, with U23 scout Antonio Mango even going out of his way to herald the midfield ace as “incredible.”
With nine Europa League games under his belt last season too, he could be a worthwhile buy for Villa for this alone as they enter into the competition next campaign, with a hope in the air also that he’s their next favourite from the middle of the park like Tielemans.
Aston Villa tell agents they're ready to sell Emery favourite in next 2 days
They’ve informed intermediaries of their intentions.
England coach says team must block out outside noise and focus on two crucial points
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2024Matthew Mott, England’s head coach, says he hopes that Josh Hazlewood was joking about the prospect of Australia manipulating an early exit for the T20 World Cup defending champions, but admits his team can do little else but focus on victory against Oman on Thursday and hope the ongoing debate about run-rate calculations ends up falling in their favour.England were a distant second-best to Australia in their meeting in Barbados last week, and having endured a washed-out opening fixture against Scotland – who have since won two from two – they are no longer in control of their destiny in Group B, a situation which echoes their tame and early exit from the 50-over World Cup in India before Christmas.Even England’s own back-to-back victories over Oman and Namibia may not be sufficient to overturn their sizeable NRR deficit to the Scots – a point which Hazlewood highlighted when he suggested that Australia could be tempted to “knock it around and drag it out” when they themselves face Scotland in Group B’s final match in Antigua on Sunday.Such a tactic would echo Steve Waugh’s infamous go-slow against West Indies at the 1999 World Cup – when the target for elimination on that occasion had been New Zealand – but it would come with the risk of a two-match ban for their current captain, Mitchell Marsh, if Australia were deemed by the umpires to have contravened Article 2.11 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which pertains to the “inappropriate strategic or tactical” manipulation of matches.But Mott, who coached Hazlewood during his time at New South Wales, played down the comments as an example of his “tongue-in-cheek” sense of humour.”I think I know Josh pretty well and I know his integrity,” Mott said. “He has got a very good sense of humour and I am hoping it was very much tongue-in-cheek. I actually don’t think it is ever going to play out. Having grown up in Australia, and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore. I am very much hoping it was an offhand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”Either way, the potential for a run-rate rumpus is the sort of distraction that England could do without, given their lack of fluency in the tournament to date. Even before the Scotland match was abandoned, they had been notably off the pace with the ball in conceding 90 wicketless runs in ten overs, and the pressure to perform to the standard expected of defending champions is ramping up again, especially in light of their grim display in their 50-over defence last year.Related
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England aim to revive rocky title defence against Oman
“Regardless of any outside noise about qualification, run-rates, all that sort of stuff, essentially, we’ve got to win this game and we’ve spoken a lot about that,” Mott said. “We’ve played good T20 cricket for a while now. It didn’t quite come off against Australia last game but I think we’ve got our structure in place, we’re really confident. Those who saw us train yesterday, you can see a buoyant group, up and about, that’s ready for the challenge ahead.”To offset any run-rate shenanigans, England need to beat Oman and Namibia by a combined margin of 117 runs (or the equivalent when chasing), thereby hauling their net run-rate above Scotland’s, so that only a surprise defeat of Australia can prevent them from progressing. But first things first, England must defeat a team that Scotland themselves saw off with 41 balls to spare in a pointedly fast finish in Antigua on Sunday.”We’re treating this game with Oman in isolation,” Mott said. “They’ve got our full attention. If we get into a position where we’re in a dominant position and can push hard, we will. If we have to scrap and fight and get the two points, we will as well. So, we’ll just keep an open mind, as we always will.”But essentially, we want to play that brand of cricket. I think we had glimpses of it the other day. I thought we started well with the bat, but to get a full performance in is really important. Get that on-field confidence. I think we’re really close, but obviously it’s been a bit of a disjointed tournament so far.”
Manchester City are headed to the Club World Cup and expect to bring in a proven Premier League operator to strengthen their ranks before the tournament commences, according to David Ornstein.
Manchester City close to landing double midfield deal
With Kevin De Bruyne moving on to a new challenge elsewhere, Manchester City have wasted no time in finding a replacement for the Belgian icon and look set to wrap up a double deal in midfield before they jet out to the United States.
Pep Guardiola is closing in on AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders and Lyon star Rayan Cherki. The latter is set to arrive for a fee of £34 million after Florian Wirtz opted to move from Bayer Leverkusen to reigning champions Liverpool.
Olympique Lyonnais' RayanCherkiin action with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's Kevin Akpoguma
In the case of Reijnders, the final details of a transfer worth £50 million involving the Netherlands international are being ironed out before he officially links up with his new teammates at the Etihad Stadium.
Legendary defensive midfielder Rodri is also back after injury, creating a new-look engine room to take the Premier League by storm next term as the Citizens aim to reclaim the title.
Cementing what he wants his midfield to look like after a period of instability, Guardiola is also set to offer Rodri a new Manchester City contract to stave off interest from heavyweights Real Madrid – that could be worth £300,000 per week.
Man City now in contact for £29m DM who is Switzerland's "greatest talent"
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ByDominic Lund May 28, 2025
Pressing on in their hunt for reinforcements, City are now closing in on another addition elsewhere on the pitch to equip themselves ahead of their Club World Cup endeavours.
Man City expect to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers
Taking to social media platform X, reputable journalist Ornstein has reported all parties involved – from both clubs to the player’s camp – ‘expect’ a deal to be done that would see Rayan Ait-Nouri arrive at the Etihad Stadium from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
There is still work to be done before a final agreement can be reached, but they appear to be in pole position to land their main left-back target relatively quickly.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' RayanAit-Nouriin action
Labelled “incredible” by Gary O’Neil, Ait-Nouri has registered five goals and seven assists in 41 appearances across all competition for Wolves this campaign.
Creating 24 chances on Premier League duty this term, the Algeria international provided a regular threat in forward areas for the Old Gold as they managed to secure their top-flight status.
Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake have both shouldered the left-back burden at Manchester City, though bringing in a natural in that position could gift Guardiola the added bonus of being able to move one of them to a central role once all paperwork is completed.
Deemed to be worth around £51 million on the market, signing Ait-Nouri appears to be a shrewd addition by the Citizens ahead of the new campaign.
Aston Villa remain in the fight to secure a place in the Champions League for the 2025/26 campaign after their 1-0 win over Fulham last time out.
Youri Tielemans scored the only goal of the game to propel the Villans up to seventh in the Premier League, only three points behind Chelsea in fifth place.
Despite not yet knowing which European competition they will be competing in next season, Unai Emery and Monchi are already reportedly looking at players to bolster the squad, including one star from Scottish football.
Aston Villa eyeing raid on Scottish giants
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are one of the clubs lining up a move to sign Rangers central midfielder Nicolas Raskin in the summer transfer window.
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The report claims that the Villans and Leeds United are both interested in a swoop for the Belgium international, and it reveals that Emery views him as a player who would fit in well as part of his high-pressing midfield set-up.
TEAMtalk, who previously claimed that the Gers value him at £20m, adds that Rangers do not want to cash in on the former Standard Liege star, though, and it could be a fight for Villa to land a deal for him.
Nicolas Raskin
Monchi must, now, stump up the £20m required to acquire Raskin’s services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign because he could come in as an upgrade on Boubacar Kamara in the middle of the park.
What Nicolas Raskin would bring to Aston Villa
As the TEAMtalk report outlines, the Belgian star would fit the high-pressing system put in place by Emery because he is an energetic midfield player who likes to get around the park in and out of possession.
Raskin is an all-action star who can contribute with goals and assists at the top end of the pitch, whilst also making tackles and interceptions on a regular basis to cut out opposition attacks.
The 24-year-old star, once dubbed “unbelievable” by Kris Boyd, has delivered consistently brilliant performances for Rangers in the Premiership this season, and could arrive at Villa as an even better option than Kamara.
24/25 season
Kamara (Premier League)
Raskin (Premiership)
Appearances
23
30
Goals
0
2
Assists
0
7
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.8
3.6
Dribbled past per game
1.1x
0.8x
Ground duel success rate
54%
58%
Aerial duel success rate
43%
57%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Raskin has offered more to his team both in and out of possession than the Frenchman has for the Villans in the Premier League, albeit at a different level in Scotland.
The Belgian star did, however, average a staggering 5.0 tackles and interceptions and 7.4 ball recoveries per match across 12 appearances in the Europa League. This shows that he has the tenacity, the energy, and the defensive awareness to suit a high-pressing game.
Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans
Whereas, Kamara only averaged 2.5 tackles and interceptions and 4.0 ball recoveries per match in four Conference League games last season, and 3.0 tackles and interceptions and 4.6 ball recoveries per game in ten Champions League outings this term.
This shows that Raskin has outperformed him, certainly from a defensive perspective, on the European stage, which suggests that he does have the quality to translate his form from Scottish football over to the Premier League.
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Therefore, Monchi could land an even better midfielder than Kamara by splashing £20m on the Rangers star for Emery, because of his ability to make an impact in the final third whilst also being more effective out of possession to thwart opposition attacks.