All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Manchester City will stop at nothing this summer to build a side which is capable of winning both the Champions League and Premier League once again.

Pep Guardiola will be losing Kevin De Bruyne when the season finishes, but he is already eyeing up a move for Florian Wirtz or Morgan Gibbs-White to replace him.

Elsewhere, several ageing City stars could find their positions in the squad under threat when the transfer window opens as a summer overhaul is needed.

Could the manager turn to Spain in order to further bolster his team?

Man City now want to sign Real Madrid superstar

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid could be willing to sell Rodrygo, but only if the price is right. If a club bids €100m (£85m), then it appears Los Blancos will cash in on the Brazilian, and he isn’t short of admirers.

Indeed, City, Liverpool and PSG are all keen on snapping up the forward this summer in a bid to improve their own squads.

Despite having a contract until 2028, the expected arrival of Xabi Alonso as manager could see Rodrygo moving away from the Spanish capital.

Bringing in a new forward or two could certainly help Guardiola revitalise this area of his team. Omar Marmoush may have only joined in January, but Rodrygo could be an instant upgrade for him.

Why Man City must sign Rodrygo this summer

Since making the move to Spain from Brazil in 2019, the 24-year-old has been a consistent figure for Madrid over the previous six years.

During that time, he has registered 118 goal contributions – 68 goals and 50 assists – across 267 games. His performances have helped the club win two La Liga crowns as well as winning the Champions League in 2022 and 2024.

Goals

5

6

Shots per game

2.1

1.8

Assists

2

5

Big chances created

2

5

Successful dribbles per game

1.5

1.6

Fluid across the front three, Rodrygo is perhaps best on the right flank, but he could also offer plenty on the left or through the middle.

Lauded as “world-class” by Luka Modric, the former Gremio man could be an instant upgrade on Marmoush for Guardiola heading into next season. As indicated above, he has repeatedly delivered the goods at the elite level for a number of years now, while it was just under two years ago that Marmoush was allowed to walk out of Wolfsburg for nothing.

Indeed, in domestic and European competitions this season, Rodrygo has registered more touches in the attacking third (1161 vs 870) than Marmoush, while also registering a higher percentage of successful take-ons (47.2% vs 39.5%) and more carries into the final third (124 vs 82).

The Egyptian might have scored more goals this season, with Rodrygo not hitting the heights of the previous few campaigns. But perhaps a fresh start is required, especially as Madrid have largely underperformed as a whole throughout 2024/25.

By signing the Brazilian star, Guardiola would be bringing in a player who has seen and done it all on the club scene. He would help revive Erling Haaland, especially if operating in a wide position, which could be another bonus for the manager.

Transfer Focus

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

Spending £85m on one target might not be ideal. But for that price, City might have a great chance of claiming back the Premier League title.

Pep's next Yaya Toure: Man City set sights on "incredible" £30m midfielder

Pep Guardiola could soon transform the midfield positions at Manchester City with his next Yaya Toure.

ByKelan Sarson May 9, 2025

Arsenal’s season now rests on 90 minutes in Paris next week.

Mikel Arteta’s side have failed to win the Premier League for a third campaign on the bounce, but as things stand, they still have a genuine chance of overturning Paris Saint-Germain’s one-nil lead at the Parc des Princes and making it to their first Champions League final in 19 years.

However, to do that, they’ll have to play substantially better than they did on Tuesday night, and more specifically, club captain Martin Odegaard will have to step up in a big way following his dismal showing at home.

Appearances

40

Minutes

3072′

Goals

5

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.37

Minutes per Goal Involvement

204.8′

With just 15 goal improvements in 40 appearances, the Norwegian international has been a massive disappointment this season, so it’s excellent news that recent reports have linked the club with a striker who should be able to revive his fortunes next year.

Arsenal's striker search

Ask any Arsenal fan what they desperately need in the summer, and we’d hazard a guess that almost all of them will say a striker. After all, despite being just one place ahead of them in the Premier League, Liverpool have scored 17 more goals this season.

Transfer Focus

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

Fortunately, the board clearly agrees with this sentiment, as there have been a whole host of centre-forwards touted for moves to the Emirates in recent weeks, one of the more recent being Jonathan David.

Thanks to his contract expiring at the end of next month, the Canadian international will be available for nothing in the summer, and as he’s already scored 25 goals and provided 11 assists in 46 games this year, he’d undoubtedly be an incredible addition to Arteta’s squad.

A little closer to home, the Gunners have once again been linked with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins in recent weeks.

The Englishman was the subject of a failed £45m bid from the North Londoners in the winter window, and while it’s unclear just how much he’d cost in the summer, it’s clear that with 29 goal involvements in 50 games this season, he’d be a brilliant signing.

However, to really propel the club to the title next year and get the likes of Odegaard firing again, Arteta and Co need to sign a goalscoring machine, which is where Viktor Gyokeres comes in.

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, as relayed by GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal remain incredibly keen on bringing the Swedish international to N5 this summer.

A potential price tag is not mentioned in the story, but other reports from this week claim that the striker could be available for up to £70m.

It’s certainly a lot to spend on one player, but given his immense ability and the effect he could have on the likes of Odegaard, it’s a transfer worth doing for Arsenal.

How Gyokeres would revive Odegaard

While there might be several small reasons here and there why Gyokeres would be able to get more out of Odegaard, like his application in training sessions and his attitude during games, his raw output is what matters more than anything.

After all, it doesn’t matter how hard he works if he can’t finish the chances the Norwegian creates for him.

Fortunately, when it comes to being a pure out-and-out goalscorer, it’s hard to think of anyone better than the former Coventry City star in Europe at the moment.

Appearances

48

Minutes

3858′

Goals

52

Assists

12

Goal Involvements per Match

1.33

Minutes per Goal Involvement

60.28′

For example, in 48 appearances for Sporting CP, totalling 3858 minutes, the 6 foot 2 “powerhouse,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored a simply staggering 52 goals and provided 12 assists for good measure.

In other words, the 26-capped monster is currently averaging 1.33 goal involvements every game, or one every 60.28 minutes, which is undoubtedly a world-class rate of return.

Just imagine a striker as unrelentingly efficient as that in front of the Gunners’ captain – he’d almost instantly see his assist tally skyrocket.

Moreover, if opposition defenders had to spend more time worrying about the North Londoners’ new monstrous forward as well as Bukayo Saka off the right, there would be more room for the former Real Madrid prospect to operate in, and as a result, his own goal tally would likely increase as well.

Ultimately, while it’s a lot of money, Arsenal should be doing all they can to bring Gyokeres to the Emirates this summer, as not only could he fire them to the title next year, but he could be just the man to get Odegaard back to his mercurial best as well.

He's becoming their new Ozil: Arteta must axe "frustrating" Arsenal ace

The impressive Arsenal star has fallen off a cliff this season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes May 1, 2025

Manchester United have a huge opportunity to transform their fortunes over the summer, with Ruben Amorim able to conduct an overhaul of his first-team squad.

The 40-year-old desperately needs to be backed by the hierarchy if he is to be successful at Old Trafford, recruiting the right players to fit his 3-4-2-1 system.

During January, he completed a deal for Patrick Dorgu, moving in a £30m deal from Lecce and already cementing his place as a regular starter at left wing-back.

If the side are to stand any chance of a return to a top-four battle in the Premier League next campaign, their business this summer is pivotal, needing to land the right players in key areas.

Given the lowly league standing in 2024/25, signings are needed in various areas, including one department that has failed to deliver throughout the last couple of months.

The latest on Man Utd’s hunt for a new striker

Benjamin Sesko was a target for United last summer, but could reemerge on their shortlist as Amorim looks to land his new talisman at Old Trafford.

David Ornstein confirmed in recent days that he was their number one choice 12 months ago, and could yet again return to such a position ahead of the upcoming window.

However, Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap is another name who’s emerged as a huge target, with his £30m release clause potentially offering a cheaper alternative.

Despite the interest in the aforementioned duo, Aston Villa talisman Ollie Watkins has been the latest attacker touted with a transfer to join the Red Devils in the coming months.

According to FootballTransfers, the hierarchy have already entered preliminary talks with the representatives of the England international, who was subject to a £50m offer from Arsenal back in January.

The £50m star who’d be the perfect Rashford replacement

Ever since Amorim’s appointment back in November, academy graduate Marcus Rashford has struggled to feature, with the manager axing him from his plans due to his attitude problems.

Such a situation led to the England international joining Unai Emery’s side on loan for the remainder of the campaign, somewhat recapturing his best form in the West Midlands.

The 27-year-old has registered three goals and five assists in his 15 outings to date, opening the door to a potential £40m permanent move to Villa Park this summer.

If he’s not in the 40-year-old’s plans ahead of 2025/26, it would be a great deal to offload him for such a fee, potentially landing Watkins as a potential replacement.

When comparing his stats to Rashford’s during the current season, he’s managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, showcasing why he’s the perfect player to fill the void.

Games played

32

23

Goals scored

14

5

Shot-on-target accuracy

44%

41%

Shots on target per 90

1.3

0.8

Pass accuracy

74%

73%

Aerials won

43%

30%

Fouls won

1.2

0.6

Watkins, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has massively outscored the loanee, whilst also notching a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – highlighting his clinical nature in the final third.

He’s also completed more of his attempted passes this campaign, whilst coming out on top in more of the aerial battles he’s contested – offering the all-round centre-forward presence Amorim’s been lacking.

In recent months at Villa Park, Emery has opted to utilise Rashford over the 29-year-old, potentially opening the door away for the former Brentford talisman.

Such a decision could lead to a permanent switch for the United academy graduate, with a move in the opposite direction a dream for the Red Devils, given his stats from this season.

A new striker is desperately needed before the start of 2025/26, with Watkins’ experience in England’s top-flight vital to any success endured in the manager’s first full season at the helm.

Saved by Maguire: Man Utd must axe star who lost the ball every 4.8 touches

Harry Maguire proved to be Man Utd’s unlikely hero in Thursday’s crazy game at Old Trafford

ByRobbie Walls Apr 18, 2025

It would be fair to say that this season has been one of Tottenham Hotspur’s worst for a very long time.

The North Londoners look just as defensively fragile as they did last year, but as Thursday night showed, they no longer possess the attacking dynamism that was the foundation of Ange Postecoglou’s system.

It was a truly dire display from practically the entire team, apart from maybe Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr when he came on in the second half.

It was also yet another bad day at the office for Son Heung-min, and while he remains captain of the club and an icon of the Premier League, Postecoglou has to take him out of the lineup for today’s game, and start someone who could help the club into a new era.

Why Son should be dropped

So, the first thing we should say is that Son has been one of the best wingers in the Premier League since he joined the North Londoners almost a decade ago, and even today, he has amassed a great tally of 23 goal involvements in 41 games this season.

However, as most Spurs fans will almost certainly attest to, the South Korean’s output has helped to mask the fact that he simply cannot impact games in the way he used to, be that running at defenders or making perfectly timed runs in behind.

Unfortunately, as we’ll all be one day, the Chuncheon-born ace is just another victim of the passage of time; as in the summer, he is set to turn 33, and while that might not be old in the normal world, for a footballer and specifically a winger, it certainly is.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

For example, according to research carried out by The Athletic a few years ago, the age at which a wide player hits their peak is 26, and worse yet, the age at which their ability to take on and beat defenders dramatically declines is 30.

This is something you can see with the Bayer Leverkusen ace when you watch him play, and it is backed up by the data, as, according to FBref, he sits in the bottom 45% of attacking midfielders and wingers for successful take-ons in the Premier League this season and then against Chelsea, he didn’t even attempt a dribble.

In all, Son certainly still has a role to play for Spurs over the next few years, but he should become more of a squad player, someone who starts the less important games or comes off the bench when the team need a goal, and in his place, Postecoglou should start a winger the team should be building around.

The Spurs gem who should start in place of Son

So, there are a few possibilities for who should start off the left this afternoon, from loanee Mathys Tel to summer signing Wilson Odobert, but for our money, it’s time Mikey Moore was given another chance.

The Hotspur Way phenom has been in and out of the first team this season, in part down to illness, and while he hasn’t necessarily blown people away, his performances have demonstrated that he has an enormous amount of talent.

However, those who follow junior football would have already been well aware of that fact, as in just 34 appearances for Tottenham’s various youth sides, the “future superstar,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 21 goals and provided 15 assists.

Games

24

5

5

Goals

19

2

0

Assists

13

2

0

Goal Involvements per match

1.33

0.80

0.00

That means the youngster is averaging 1.05 goal involvements every game in the academy, making the decision to hand him more first-team game time earlier this season a no-brainer.

With that said, he has still managed to rack up three goal involvements in 632 senior minutes this season.

Moreover, he doesn’t need to score or assist to have an impact, as his most impressive performance came against AZ Alkmaar earlier in the campaign, when he was exciting and dangerous enough for teammate James Maddison to describe him as “fearless” and compare him to Neymar Jr.

It’s this track record and the potential he possesses that should see him start ahead of Son today, as, unlike the South Korean, he is the future of this Tottenham team, and the sooner he is a regular starter, the sooner the club can start to build around him and progress.

Their own Yamal: Spurs begin work to sign a "future Ballon d'Or winner"

The exciting talent could be a game-changer for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 2, 2025

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland was full of praise for one Everton star, who played a pivotal part in Thierno Barry’s first goal for the club against Nottingham Forest.

Everton ease past Nottingham Forest

After battling to beat Bournemouth in midweek, Everton had the chance to move up to fifth in the Premier League with victory over Nottingham Forest and David Moyes’ side duly obliged. The Toffees had the perfect afternoon against former manager Sean Dyche, with Barry capping off a fine afternoon with his first goal since arriving for £27m in the summer.

It’s been some time coming for the summer signing, who has smashed the woodwork, had VAR intervene and everything in between before finally getting the chance to wheel away in celebration at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

It’s Moyes who should take plenty of credit. After all, it is the veteran manager who decided to stick with his goal-less forward, only to reap the rewards 90 minutes later.

Everton now ready to compete in race to sign "physical" La Liga star in £35m deal

The Toffees are seeking a defensive reinforcement.

ByTom Cunningham 7 days ago

Aside from the forward’s first goal for the club, it was a fine display from the Toffees all round. The hosts wasted no time before getting going, with Nikola Milenkovic’s own goal handing them the lead as early as the second minute.

It was then Everton’s to lose and Barry’s effort just before the break all but put them out of sight, before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a third in the 81st minute.

For all their goalscorers, however, it was another player who received the praise of Boyland for the role he played in Everton’s second goal before the break. The Athletic reporter dubbed Iliman Ndiaye “brilliant” in the build-up as the Frenchman continued his role as the Toffees’ talisman.

Boyland heaps praise on "brilliant" Ndiaye

Boyland watched on as Everton struck Nottingham Forest on the counter on the brink of half-time, praising Ndiaye as “brilliant” when he raced past the halfway line before finding goalscorer Barry.

Barry will steal the headlines, but Ndiaye deserves plenty of credit. He has been Everton’s main man since arriving last season and has more than played his part to take Moyes’ side into the top five, for the time being at least.

By the time that the final whistle sounded against Forest, the winger had one assist to his name and had even completed 13 defensive contributions – summing up his impact at both ends.

If those at the Hill Dickinson Stadium are to secure a shock European place this season, then Ndiaye’s role will be more important than ever.

Everton launch enquiry to sign "superb" £40m South American forward for Moyes

In the almost six years since he took the job, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly reshape Arsenal.

He’s pulled a team out of midtable mediocrity and turned them into serious contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.

Now, part of this transformation is down to his philosophy and tactics, but also to the sensational players he has promoted and signed.

In fact, one of his signings is now undoubtedly one of the world’s best players and arguably Arsenal’s best since the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

Vieira and Henry's Arsenal legacies

Arsenal signed Vieira from AC Milan in the summer of 1996, after a season in which he sat on the bench watching the Italian giants win the Scudetto.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, he certainly wasn’t a bit-part player in North London; he ended his first campaign having made 31 Premier League appearances, and as the years went by, he only became more and more important to the Gunners.

For example, following Tony Adams’ retirement in May 2002, Arsène Wenger made the all-action midfielder the club’s new captain, and in the eyes of many, he is one of the best to ever wear the armband.

By the time the Dakar-born monster left the club for Inter Milan in 2006, he had made 405 appearances, in which he scored 32 goals, provided 47 assists, won three titles, four FA Cups and led the North Londoners on their legendary invincible campaign.

Now, for most clubs, the iconic midfielder would probably be considered their greatest ever player, but for the Gunners, there is only one man who can hold that title: Henry.

The legendary forward joined the North Londoners from Juventus in the summer of 1999, and while it sounds absurd today, he didn’t have the best of starts.

He failed to score a single goal across his first eight appearances for the club and later revealed in an interview that he had to “be re-taught everything about the art of striking” during that period.

Whatever Wenger taught him in those few months must have been pretty special, as he’d end his first season in red and white with a tally of 26 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.

By the time the Les Ulis-born superstar left the club for Barcelona in 2007, he had chalked up a frankly astounding tally of 226 goals and 104 assists in 370 appearances and won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups.

He returned for a brief spell in the 11/12 season, scoring twice in seven appearances.

Overall, when it comes to Arsenal legends, few players can match up with Henry and Vieira, but one of Arteta’s best signings is undoubtedly on his way.

Arsenal's future legend

The good news for Arsenal fans is that the squad is full of players who could go on to become club legends, but when it comes to someone performing at a world-class level, it’s hard to ignore Declan Rice.

The £105m man has been incredible for the club since his move in 2023, but towards the end of last season, and especially this year, it feels like he has taken another step forward.

Whether it’s hunting opposition players to steal the ball from them, marauding up the pitch with it at his feet or creating chance after chance with his outrageous set-piece delivery, the Englishman is operating at a truly unbelievable level.

In fact, he’s playing so well and has become so important in everything the Gunners do that it’s become increasingly hard to disagree with Thomas Frank’s assertion that he is among “the best in the world.”

That might sound hyperbolic to some, but it really, truly is not, and for those still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers.

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

Corner Kicks

3.15

Top 4%

Assists

0.27

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

2.75

Top 5%

Crosses

4.92

Top 5%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.22

Top 6%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.22

Top 7%

Shots from Free Kicks

0.18

Top 7%

Key Passes

1.92

Top 8%

Switches

0.69

Top 9%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals plus assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and crosses, the top 8% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Moreover, something else that will help him reach the levels of Henry and Vieira is his mentality.

The England international is clearly someone who gives everything in every performance, and while he hasn’t got the armband, he is also undeniably a leader and will be a big reason for the Gunners winning anything this season.

Ultimately, while he needs those medals to get the respect he deserves, Rice is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and will become an Arsenal legend.

He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Sunderland have a habit of finding gems in the transfer market and could now look to sign another Moroccan star following their summer capture of Chemsdine Talbi.

The Black Cats have been the surprise package of the Premier League campaign, and the example they have set is up there with the best newly-promoted sides to enter the top-flight.

Regis Le Bris has been a breath of fresh air against the elite in English football, and his side maintained their unbeaten home record in some style on Saturday evening, claiming a dramatic last-gasp draw against Arsenal courtesy of Brian Brobbey.

Sparking scenes of jubilation at the Stadium of Light, the Frenchman’s post-match interview paid tribute to his players and supporters as they battled until the end against one of Europe’s in-form clubs.

He told Match of the Day: “The lads worked hard to the end. They believed it was possible to change the dynamic. It was a tough game, as we expected. They are probably one of the best teams in Europe. We struggled, but we still believed it was possible to score one more goal. Our fans helped a lot. We showed before that it was possible, so now we have this faith, this belief that until the final whistle, anything is possible.”

Admittedly, it would be difficult to imagine a better start for Sunderland in their long-awaited return to the Premier League. Granit Xhaka’s leadership in midfield has offered an excellent base to build from, while figures such as Dan Ballard, Wilson Isidor and Enzo Le Fee have led the charge.

Whether from the start or off the bench, the Black Cats have a healthy balance to their squad and will be keen to bolster the ranks in January, something that could see them enter an untapped market for a player who retains considerable potential.

Sunderland bid for Moroccan talent Hossam Essadak

According to AfricaFoot, Sunderland have submitted an official offer for Union Touarga Sport midfielder Hossam Essadak after his leading role in Morocco claiming glory at the recent Under-20 World Cup in Chile.

Leading his side all the way to the final and collecting the trophy from Gianni Infantino, the 20-year-old is also wanted by Scottish Premiership champions Celtic, and there could be scope for a transfer battle between two of British football’s notable clubs for his services.

Should he opt for Sunderland, Essadak may follow similar footsteps to those of compatriot Chemsdine Talbi, albeit he would likely be viewed as one for the future in the North East.

Amid growing speculation over the prodigious star, scouts from both the Black Cats and Celtic are set to watch him in action before the January window.

Either way, Essadak has two attractive options to pick from after a run of four goals and four assists in 35 appearances for Union Touarga Sport. Wydad Casablanca and RS Berkane have also expressed their interest, but he is likely to be sold to a European counterpart.