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A second source has now backed the possibility of West Ham United moving to sign a striker who they apparently failed with a summer bid for.

West Ham criticised for signing Fullkrug

Niclas Füllkrug remains out with an Achilles tendon injury that has kept him on the sidelines since early September, and West Ham have been questioned for their decision to bring the crocked Germany international to east London.

West Ham make approach for £12m striker who was offered to David Moyes

The tables have now turned.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2024

The 31-year-old, who is slowly approaching his twilight years, apparently has a bad fitness record overall – with former West Ham scout Mick Brown criticising the club’s decision to strike a £27 million deal for Fullkrug.

“He had a few issues during his time in Germany with his fitness,” he told Football Insider.

“That, I’ve heard, played a part in the reason Dortmund were keen to let him go. So if that was an issue, and it was known in Germany, you’ve got to ask serious questions about why it was overlooked by West Ham.

Leicester City (away)

December 3

Wolves (home)

December 9

Bournemouth (away)

December 16

Brighton (home)

December 21

Southampton (away)

December 26

“Paying almost £30million for a 31-year-old is always risky, but spending that money on a player with fitness issues at that age is a huge problem. Of course, you can never predict that a player might pick up an injury. These things happen.

“But if he’s missing longer than expected because of his fitness, that’s something you should know. West Ham should have known about any issues with his fitness before they signed him.

“Then, you either don’t move forward with the deal or you take steps to help the situation, help him with his fitness and his recovery. If he’s having these types of fitness and recovery issues at 31, it’s not likely to get much better, but they gave him a four-year contract.”

Fullkrug’s absence has left Lopetegui bereft of a prolific striker who can help to solve West Ham’s goalscoring problems, with Michail Antonio and Danny Ings the sole No 9s at their disposal right now.

This has prompted West Ham to explore the January market for a new frontman who can consistently deliver the goods in an attacking sense.

Second source backs West Ham move for Lyon striker Georges Mikautadze

Earlier this week, reports out of Spain shared information that West Ham had reignited their interest in Georges Mikautadze.

Interestingly, Alexis Bernard and le10sport claimed that West Ham made a bid for Mikautadze in the summer, with another move for the Georgia international now gaining more traction ahead of January.

Massimo Pavan, writing in a piece for TuttoJuve, emerges as the second source in these last few days to claim that West Ham are emerging as a potential destination for Mikautadze – who dazzled at Euro 2024 and finished the tournament as the joint-top goalscorer with three.

The former Metz star scored in every group game, and the Irons could look to take advantage of Lyon’s financial situation by snapping him up in the winter.

It is also worth noting that the 24-year-old has 86 career club goals to his name at a pretty young age, and a further 16 for Georgia at international level – taking his overall tally to 102.

Arsenal are now believed to be frontrunners to sign a “very complete” forward from PSG, with Real Madrid and Barcelona also eyeing a move for the player.

Arsenal target new winger as Mikel Arteta eyes Bukayo Saka alternative

Whether it be in January or next summer, there have been recent suggestions that Arsenal are in the market for a new winger, and a potential alternative to star man Bukayo Saka out wide.

Arteta told that club may let Arsenal sign £60m striker on loan in January

The Spaniard has been “alerted” to this opportunity behind-the-scenes.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2024

Saka is an absolutely pivotal player for Mikel Arteta – scoring seven goals and racking up 11 assists already this season – but the England star is by no means invincible when it comes to injury.

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Fulham (away)

December 8

Everton (home)

December 14

Crystal Palace (away)

December 21

The £195,000-per-week forward spent some time on the sidelines earlier this season – after he picked up a leg injury during England’s 2-1 defeat to Greece at Wembley – therefore missing Arsenal’s games against Bournemouth and Shakhtar Donetsk before returning against Liverpool.

While Saka’s absence was only brief, it did bring attention to Arteta’s need for a quality alternative who could step into the 23-year-old’s shoes – or perhaps even contend for a place.

Arsenal are eyeing Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo as one option, according to some reports, while it is also believed that Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has admirers at the Emirates Stadium.

GiveMeSport journalist Dean Jones has also reported that Arsenal are among the potential destinations for Rayan Cherki, who could be available for a cut-price fee of around £25 million, amid Lyon’s financial crisis.

“Potential landing spots at the moment for Cherki include Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal,” said Jones on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast last week.

“I’m sure you’ll have thoughts on others that should be in the mix. But obviously, this becomes more interesting because there’s a lot of talk that Lyon are going to have to cash in on some players in the near future.

“We’ll have to wait to see whether that actually proves to be true, whether they’re actually tempted. But I mean, you see figures around Cherki and there’s like 25 million pounds is talked about, which just seems too good to be true. He’s just different, this player.”

Arsenal emerge as frontrunners to sign Xavi Simons with Real Madrid and Barcelona

As per reliable journalist David Ornstein of The Athletic, RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons, who is currently on loan in the Bundesliga from PSG, is looking more and more likely to leave the Parc des Princes on a permanent basis.

There is no sign of the Dutchman signing another deal, making his move away more plausible, and it is believed Arsenal are among the “most probable” destinations for Simons as he heads towards the PSG exit door.

Alongside the Gunners, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Real Madrid are all named as fellow frontrunners to sign the “very complete” forward – who could leave for a “minimum” amount of £66 million.

There is a small chance Simons could stay at PSG, but it would depend on whether he is satisfied being more of a benchwarmer under Luis Enrique.

There has been an obscene amount of cash flying to and from Premier League bank accounts over the last few years, with transfer records tumbling all the time, even in a post-pandemic world and the era of PSR.

Four Premier League clubs received record transfer fees in the summer of 2025.

So which players have gone for club-record sums?

Rank

Club

Player

Sold to

Fee

Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho

Barcelona

£142m

Newcastle

Alexander Isak

Liverpool

£125m

Brighton

Moises Caicedo

Chelsea

£115m

West Ham

Declan Rice

Arsenal

£105m

Aston Villa

Jack Grealish

Man City

£100m

Everton

Romelu Lukaku

Man Utd

£90m

Chelsea

Eden Hazard

Real Madrid

£89m

Tottenham

Gareth Bale

Real Madrid

£85.3m

Man City

Julian Alvarez

Atletico Madrid

£81.5m

Man Utd

Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid

£80m

Brentford

Bryan Mbeumo

Man Utd

£71m

Bournemouth

Dominic Solanke

Tottenham

£65m

Wolves

Matheus Cunha

Man Utd

£62.5m

Crystal Palace

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Man Utd

£50m

Fulham

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Al-Hilal

£50m

Nottingham Forest

Brennan Johnson

Tottenham

£45m

Leeds United

Georginio Rutter

Brighton

£40m

Arsenal

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Liverpool

£35m

Sunderland

Jordan Pickford

Everton

£30m

Burnley

James Trafford

Man City

£27m

All 20 Premier League clubs' record signings

From Manchester City to Ipswich Town, here’s a look at each Premier League club’s most expensive signing.

ByBrogan Clasper Sep 4, 2024 Arsenal: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain £35m to Liverpool, 2017

Given the amount of cash Arsenal have splashed in more recent years, it is perhaps a surprise that their record sale dates as far back as this.

However, the Gunners have been perennially poor sellers, particularly under Arsene Wenger, though he received a pretty cool £35m when Liverpool came calling for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017, just months after the midfielder helped Arsenal to the FA Cup.

Considering Oxlade-Chamberlain only shone in brief glimpses at Anfield, Arsenal can put this down as a fine piece of business.

Aston Villa: Jack Grealish £100m to Man City, 2021

After guiding Aston Villa to promotion and then Premier League survival, it had seemed just a matter of time before Jack Grealish would take the next step in his career.

To the Villans’ credit, they kept hold of the Englishman’s services for a further year, but could not say no to champions Manchester City, who came forward with a British-record nine-figure bid in the summer of 2021.

Grealish was part of City’s treble-winning side in 2022/23, while Villa have gone from strength to strength in his absence, and took part in the Champions League alongside Man City in 2024/25. Grealish’s departure may have been bittersweet, but things have worked out pretty well for the Midlands outfit.

Bournemouth: Dominic Solanke £65m to Tottenham, 2024

Bournemouth broke their own transfer record in 2024, but not before receiving the largest sum in the club’s history for one of their players.

Dominic Solanke’s move to Tottenham Hotspur cost the north Londoners £65m – eclipsing the £40m they received from Manchester City for Nathan Ake in 2020.

The Cherries responded to Solanke’s departure by signing Evanilson for just over £40m from FC Porto.

Brentford: Bryan Mbeumo £71m to Manchester United, 2025

Brentford have been pillaged in recent years with Ivan Toney heading to Saudi, Yoane Wissa making his move to Newcastle and Bryan Mbeumo – the biggest of the lot – heading to Manchester United in a colossal £71m deal in the summer of 2025.

Mbeumo was one of the Premier League’s standout players in 2024/25, scoring 20 top-flight goals. That tally of goals richly deserved a move and he duly got one.

Brighton: Moises Caicedo £115m to Chelsea, 2023

Moises Caicedo was subject to interest from Chelsea and Liverpool in the summer of 2023, with the Ecuadorian selecting the Blues as his next destination after Brighton & Hove Albion accepted mammoth bids from both clubs.

Despite approving a £111m transfer to the Reds, Chelsea decided to go one further by structuring a deal that could yet rise to £115m.

It was reported that £15m of that total is in appearance-related add-ons.

Todd Boehly's worst transfers at Chelsea… so far

There are plenty to choose from, but who has been Boehly’s biggest mistake at Stamford Bridge?

2 ByStephan Georgiou Aug 23, 2024 Burnley: James Trafford £27m to Manchester City, 2025

James Trafford enjoyed a remarkable campaign with the Clarets during their promotion-winning season in 2024/25.

The goalkeeper kept a whopping 29 clean sheets. Quickly becoming one of the best English stoppers around, Man City paid a £27m fee to bring him back to the club where he grew up.

Sadly for Trafford, he was quickly displaced when the Citizens brought in Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Chelsea: Eden Hazard £89m to Real Madrid, 2019

Chelsea have had a history of receiving handsome transfer sums for players in recent years, and while Eden Hazard is undoubtedly one of their better stars within the last decade or so, the £89m they received upfront from Real Madrid turned out to be a terrific steal.

The deal to send the Belgian to the Santiago Bernabeu – which came off the back of Hazard guiding Chelsea to Europa League glory – could have reached over £150m. However, given the Blues legend only featured 76 times in an injury-ridden four-year spell in Madrid before retiring, we highly doubt many of the add-ons were ever activated.

Still, it is comfortably the highest fee Chelsea have received – it is most closely rivalled by Kai Havertz’s move to Arsenal for £65m.

Ranking Eden Hazard's 10 best career performances & moments

The former Chelsea and Belgium star enjoyed a fabulous career before retiring at the age of 32.

ByFreddie Taylor Oct 13, 2023 Crystal Palace: Aaron Wan-Bissaka £50m to Man Utd, 2019

Manchester United’s spending spree in 2019 features multiple times in this list as they parted with nearly £150m that summer alone. A decent chunk of that went on bringing in Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace for £50m.

The six years that have followed have not been too rosy for the club nor the player, with the Red Devils making a significant loss on the full-back when selling him to West Ham United ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Eagles have often been resolute when it comes to high-profile interest in their players, and recently had their resolve tested once more in 2024 as Newcastle threatened to eclipse the sum received for Wan-Bissaka while seeking to add Marc Guehi to their squad.

Everton: Romelu Lukaku £90m to Man Utd, 2017

It has all been downhill for Everton since selling Romelu Lukaku in 2017, when he linked up with Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

However, Everton did manage to secure a princely sum for the striker, with United paying the Toffees an initial £75m in a deal that included a further £15m in add-ons.

It is unclear how much of these were activated, but Everton have struggled on and off the pitch since, finishing in the top half just once since the turn of the decade and remaining out of Europe since the year of the Belgian’s departure – all while being under scrutiny for their finances amid a number of transfer flops.

Fulham: Aleksandar Mitrovic £50m to Al-Hilal, 2023

Fulham were one of the many victims of the Saudi Pro League’s raid on European-based footballers. Their riches were too much for Aleksandar Mitrovic to ignore in the summer of 2023 – and they nearly took manager Marco Silva along with them.

However, Fulham have remained a solid top-flight club after comfortably surviving in their first season back with Mitrovic in 2022/23.

They have invested the reported £50m fee paid by Saudi champions Al-Hilal for the Serbian’s services wisely, with Rodrigo Muniz among those to shine at Craven Cottage.

Leeds United are reportedly eyeing a move for an “unbelievable” Premier League player in the January transfer window, as he looks to boost his World Cup chances.

Aaronson hails impressive "mentality" at Leeds

The Whites continue to battle well in the Premier League this season, with last Friday’s 2-1 win at home to West Ham leaving them 15th in the table at the end of the weekend.

One player who is enjoying his football at Leeds is Brenden Aaronson, with the American hailing the mentality on show under Daniel Farke after scoring against the Hammers, and lauding the competition for places.

“It was huge for us today to keep the mentality. I think that was the message all week. Late minutes in the game, stay on top of it and get the result which we needed today to hold the 2-1 win. Defensively, we were good today. We handed a lot of crossing situations from them. West Ham is a team that has a ton of quality so it was definitely a difficult game. I am just proud of the group.

“I think we have this next-man-up mentality where I think everybody is ready to play and everybody is winning their chance. I think the biggest thing for me is getting in the box and the ball bounces your way but that is all about positioning and reacting. I am really happy with the goal and I am happy with the group and the atmosphere.”

But Leeds will know that there is still a huge amount of work to do this season, in terms of avoiding relegation back to the Championship, and new signings in January wouldn’t go amiss.

Leeds eye January move for "unbelievable" Barkley

According to The Leeds Press, Leeds and Farke are keen on signing Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley on loan in the January window.

The 31-year-old is seen as “an option amongst several other players” midway through the season, with Farke “keen to add a creative midfielder to his squad in January”. The player himself is “keen for more game time”, with a move to Elland Road giving him an “outside chance of a place in the England World Cup squad” next summer.

Barkley could be a shrewd creative loan option for Leeds in attacking midfield, scoring 37 Premier League goals in his career and being lauded by former Luton Town teammate Andros Townsend, who even once compared him to the legendary Diego Maradona.

Farke has found a new Dallas-type player in “unbelievable” Leeds star

Daniel Farke has now stumbled upon Leeds United’s next Stuart Dallas-type figure in this unbelievable star.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

Barkley has a point to prove and a big World Cup aim with England, which would only be a good thing for Leeds, and if the loan move didn’t work out, he would simply return to Villa at the end of the season.

Former England star Stuart Pearce has pinpointed Tottenham Hotspur’s “weakness” after spotting what Cristian Romero did against Manchester United in a “horrific” display.

The Argentina international could only watch on with the rest of Spurs’ backline when Amad Diallo’s floated cross found the head of Bryan Mbeumo, who made no mistake. It summed up a frustrating first-half for Thomas Frank’s side, who were once again blunt going forward. Any progress made in 4-0 mauling of Copenhagen seemed to disappear on the Premier League stage.

Frank must never start £130k-per-week Spurs duo together ever again

Tottenham ended up drawing a frenetic Premier League clash against Manchester United this weekend.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 9, 2025

Unlike against Chelsea last weekend, however, Spurs fought back against Man United and substitute Mathys Tel soon had them level. Setting up a grandstand finish in the 84th minute, the young forward wheeled away in celebration before Richarlison thought he had stolen all three points seven minutes later.

In a familiar sight, the Brazilian ripped his shirt off in belief that he had headed home a dramatic winner, only for Man United’s Matthijs de Ligt to have the final say by scoring a last-gasp equaliser. From a dull first-half, North London was treated to a frantic, entertaining affair.

Whilst complaints have been made about Spurs’ attack in recent weeks, it was their defence that was found wanting this time around as they continued a run of just one win in their last four games.

Frank spoke about the dramatic draw, telling reporters: Thomas: “I saw this game as one game ahead of us, to try to do everything we could to try to win it. That was the aim. I spoke before the game about it’s clear they have improved this season.

“They look, how can you say, more in sync together, especially going forward they look like a big threat. That’s why I actually think, I know we conceded two goals, but if you said to me before the game you concede five shots, I would take that. So we’re all happy.”

The Dane chose to take the positives, but ex-England star Pearce wasn’t so kind and shared exactly where he thinks Spurs’ “weakness” is coming from after the draw.

Pearce pinpoints Tottenham "weakness" in "horrific" Romero display

Speaking on talkSPORT, Pearce told Tottenham that Romero is their biggest “weakness” after a performance against Man United that he described as “horrific”. The former England man was particularly unhappy that the Spurs defender lost possession in midfield before failing to make a recovery run on Saturday afternoon.

With Arsenal up next in the North London derby, Romero must get back to his best and help Spurs end a recent run which has featured just one win in their last four games in all competitions.

Frank things two Tottenham stars are "expendable" with January exit on the cards

Arsenal suffered a third consecutive defeat on Sunday as they crashed out of the FA Cup at the third-round stage at the hands of Premier League rivals Liverpool. The Gunners have scored just one goal in that sequence of losses and failed to find the net against the Reds despite firing off 18 shots and creating four big chances (SofaScore). An own goal from Jakub Kiwior and a strike from Luis Diaz punished them at the other end late on.

Arsenal are fourth in the Premier League table but only three teams in the top half – West Ham (33), Manchester United (22) and Chelsea (34) – have scored fewer goals than their 37. They're currently averaging 1.85 goals per game, putting them on course for around 70 at the end of the season, a reduction of 18 from last year.

Even though we've now passed the halfway point of the campaign, no Arsenal player has reached double figures in all competitions, with Bukayo Saka leading the way on nine, and primary centre-forward Gabriel Jesus level with Martin Odegaard on seven (BBC Sport). It's no surprise, then, that Mikel Arteta is considering entering the market for a new striker, with Ivan Toney emerging as a possible target.

Toney the no. 1 option for Arsenal

Writing immediately after Arsenal's elimination from the FA Cup, ESPN's James Olley reported that the Gunners are under "increasing pressure" to bring in a new number nine this month. Toney is Arteta's top target, but the price tag is presenting a problem.

Brentford are reluctant to sell Toney midway through the season and have thus placed an £80m valuation on his head in the hope of warding off interest. As such, it looks unlikely that Arsenal will be landing their primary candidate this month, with such an outlay impossible while abiding by Financial Fair Play regulations.

Toney gamble not worthwhile

This may not be the worst news for Arsenal, because a move for Toney could be slightly problematic. Yes, he was prolific last season – only Erling Haaland (36) and Harry Kane (30) scored more goals in the Premier League – but signing him would be a gamble.

He's due to return for an eight-month ban for breaching gambling rules when Brentford take on Nottingham Forest later this month (Sky Sports), and Arsenal simply don't know what kind of shape he'll be in. For the kind of money being talked about, the Gunners would expect an immediate impact, and Toney may not be able to provide that in the midst of a title race.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Last year, we saw Arsenal priced out of two targets in January, with Brighton rejecting multiple bids for Moises Caicedo, the last of which was worth £70m (Football London), and Chelsea tabling a better £86m offer for Shakhtar's Mykhailo Mudryk (The Athletic).

Arsenal responded by signing Jorginho from their London rivals and Leandro Trossard from the Seagulls for a fraction of the price – a combined £30.5m (Transfermarkt). Perhaps this year we'll see a repeat, where Arteta moves away from the prohibitively expensive Toney to an alternative who offers much better value for money both in the short and long-term.

One thing Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have tried to do since taking over Chelsea is lower their wage bill, bringing in younger talents before they hit their prime, and making their pay structure more incentive-based, to reward the top performers.

The club’s current highest earner is the club captain, Reece James, who is earning £250k-per-week, coming through the academy ranks, and being valued as one of the Blues’ best players when he is fit. However, people could argue he isn’t currently justifying that wage, as he is often out with injury issues.

Reece James

£250,000

Ben Chilwell

£200,000

Wesley Fofana

£200,000

Christopher Nkunku

£195,000

Enzo Fernández

£180,000

Marc Cucurella

£175,000

Raheem Sterling

£162,500

Pedro Neto

£160,000

Moises Caicedo

£150,000

Cole Palmer

£130,000

One name that stands out in Chelsea’s top ten earners, is Raheem Sterling. Despite being out on loan with Arsenal this season, he still ranks as the seventh highest earner at the club, and next season, when he returns, he would be back to the top earner, on a whopping £325k-per-week.

Raheem Sterling's time at Chelsea

When Chelsea signed Sterling for £47.5m from Manchester City back in 2022, Boehly said Sterling was a “world-class” talent, who was also a “serial winner” and he couldn’t wait to have him playing at Stamford Bridge.

But things didn’t turn out that way, as the winger struggled to live up to the expectations set for him, not providing the same output as he did at City, and not providing enough overall quality elsewhere to make up for that lack of goals and assists.

In his 81 appearances for the club, the Englishman has scored 19 goals and provided 12 assists, totalling 5,326 minutes. This output wasn’t enough to justify his mega salary and Enzo Maresca made it clear in pre-season that other wingers would be ahead of Sterling in the pecking order, leading to his loan move to Arsenal this summer.

However, The Blues will still have an expensive problem to deal with next summer, a £64.4m problem to be exact combining his £47.5 purchase fee and £16.9m-per year-wages, as they look to offload the 29-year-old on a permanent basis.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

How Chelsea's wingers compare to Sterling

The two wide players for Chelsea with the most appearances so far this term are Noni Madueke and summer signing, Pedro Neto.

The former has made 16 appearances, scoring six goals and providing two assists, whilst Neto has also made 16 appearances, scoring three times and providing three assists.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Sterling

Neto

Madueke

Goals

0.33

0.33

0.38

Assists

0.26

0.16

0.30

xG

0.30

0.07

0.43

xAG

0.20

0.36

0.23

Progressive Carries

5.45

5.68

6.60

Progressive Passes

3.55

1.14

3.98

Shots Total

2.29

2.03

4.09

Key Passes

1.36

2.27

1.36

Passes into Pen Area

1.59

1.36

2.23

Shot-Creating Actions

3.86

3.98

3.50

Successful Take-Ons

2.05

2.05

1.94

Madueke has thrived this season, ranking highest in seven of the 11 metrics measured above, providing the most progressive actions, the highest shot volume, and the most output per 90 (goals + assists).

Neto, on the other hand, whilst he hasn’t added the same level of output as Madueke, has added a new creative level to this Chelsea side, producing the most xAG (expected assisted goals), playing the most key passes per 90, and generating the most shot-creating actions per 90.

Chelsea have been much better off this campaign without Sterling in the side, and therefore the challenge will come next summer as they look to offload the 29-year-old on such high wages, which could prove to be the biggest stumbling block. Either way, they must find a way to lose him permanently.

Chelsea have found their answer to Salah and it's not Cole Palmer

Chelsea may have found their very own Mo Salah.

ByConnor Holden Dec 5, 2024

Leeds United are currently competing to return to the Premier League at the second time of asking after they were relegated from the top-flight at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Whites spent three years at the top table of English football before succumbing to relegation under Sam Allardyce, who came in towards the end of the season after both Javi Gracia and Jesse Marsch were relieved of their duties in 2023.

Many members of staff, including management, and players contributed to that failure in the 2022/23 campaign, and sporting director Victor Orta has to take some of the blame.

Georginio Rutter

January

£34m

Brenden Aaronson

Summer

£27m

Luis Sinisterra

Summer

£21m

Tyler Adams

Summer

£14m

Rasmus Kristensen

Summer

£11m

As you can see in the table above, the Spanish chief was given plenty of money to splash on new signings throughout that season, spending around £107m on his top five most expensive additions.

Leeds made 12 signings in total across the summer and January transfer windows that season, for combined fees that totalled roughly £137m – per Transfermarkt.

Orta’s biggest mistake in the transfer market that season, however, was actually his failure to land one of his targets – Coventry City’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Victor Orta's Viktor Gyokeres howler

The sporting director, who now works for Sevilla in Spain, recently confirmed that he had the opportunity to push through a deal to sign the Sweden international during his time at Leeds.

Speaking to Portuguese outlet Record, Orta said: “When I was at Leeds United I didn’t want to give €14m for him (Gyokeres). Cases like that of Gyokeres are the good surprises that football gives us, those things that we cannot measure.”

TEAMtalk added, whilst relaying the quotes, that the chance to sign the centre-forward for £11.6m came in the January transfer window, which was the same month in which the Spaniard spent £34m on Georginio Rutter.

Gyokeres scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions for the Sky Blues that season, and had already scored 12 Championship goals by the time the January transfer window opened for business.

The then-24-year-old was in-form in the second tier, and proving his quality in English football, and would have cost a relatively small amount of money, in comparison to how much Rutter cost.

Gyokeres then joined Portuguese side Sporting on a permanent deal at the end of that season and has been an incredible addition for the Liga Portugal outfit.

The 26-year-old star has scored 66 goals and provided 19 assists in 68 appearances in all competitions so far, including 23 goals in 18 games this term, which has led to him being valued at £63m amid interest from Manchester United.

Orta, however, made an even bigger mistake than his error with Gyokeres when he failed to secure a deal to sign Erling Haaland as a teenager.

Leeds United's chance to sign Haaland

The Leeds United sporting director was contacted by the Norwegian youngster’s agent to faciliate a possible move to Elland Road in the summer of 2017, as the forward – born in Leeds – was a supporter of the club.

Haaland was playing for Molde in his home country and went back to West Yorkshire, his place of birth, to view the training facilities and speak with Orta about the possibility of a transfer to the Whites.

It was claimed that Leeds even made a shirt with the forward’s name on the back for him to hold up and keep hold of as part of his trip to Thorp Arch.

Thomas Christiansen impressed the teenager and his agent during the trip and it appeared as though a transfer was in the pipeline, with both parties wanting to get a deal done.

However, Leeds still had to agree a fee with Molde and that is where the move broke down. The Norwegian side were demanding a fee of £4m for the striker and Orta, due to the club’s financial position, was not willing to gamble that much money on such a young player.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

Haaland went on to sign for Salzburg 18 months later, scoring 29 goals in 27 games, before his move to Borussia Dortmund in January 2020, for a fee of around £18.8m.

Erling Haaland's emergence as a world-class striker

During his time in Germany, which was his first experience of a major European league, the young sensation racked up a staggering 86 goals and 23 assists in 89 games for Dortmund in all competitions.

Haaland scored 62 goals in 67 matches in the Bundesliga and that was enough to attract attention from Premier League giants Manchester City, who swooped for his signature in the summer of 2022.

The Cityzens reportedly paid a fee of £51.2m and, it is fair to say, that has turned out to be a bargain, given what he has achieved in his time with the English side so far.

As you can tell from the title of the video of some of his best goals for City above, Haaland has already reached a century of goals for Pep Guardiola, in just over two years.

The 24-year-old attacker has scored 105 goals and provided 14 assists in 114 appearances in all competitions for the Premier League side, helping them to win two league titles, an FA Cup, and a Champions League in that time.

July 2022

£51.2m (reported fee)

November 2022

£142m

June 2023

£150m

November 2024

£167m

As you can see in the table above, his value has soared throughout his time with Manchester City and currently stands at a staggering £167m – over £100m more than Gyokeres’ current value.

This suggests that Orta deciding not to sign the striker for £4m in the summer of 2017 was an even bigger blunder than his decision not to sign Gyokeres for £11.6m in January of last year, as Haaland has been incredibly prolific in England and proven himself to be a world-class striker – given his valuation and goalscoring record.

Bad news for Solomon: Leeds urged to sign "high-level" star

Leeds United have been linked with an interest in the out-of-contract forward.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2024

Chelsea have stared down the barrel of desperation since everything changed a few years ago, but last season’s football saw a new sense of optimism take root at Stamford Bridge.

At the time, Mauricio Pochettino’s departure was met with questions and concern, but the club have a vision and Enzo Maresca is proving to guide Chelsea back to a position of strength among Europe’s elite.

Sunday’s hard-fought draw against rivals Arsenal in the Premier League saw the Blues move into third place, sitting atop a congested pile that stretches one measly point down to ninth, but sees Liverpool and Manchester City start to shift away in a budding title showdown.

Competing for that ultimate prize might be a step too far for Chelsea, but the squad have so much more to give and are demonstrating quality of the first class. Transfer strategy has been focused, and new forwards like Pedro Neto are proving their worth.

Pedro Neto steps up

Arsenal had claimed the lead through Gabriel Martinelli’s second-half strike, meeting a fizzed delivery of Martin Odegaard, whose return was a blow for the hosts in a tight encounter.

The setback stoked the fire in Stamford Bridge’s belly, however, and saw Chelsea up the ante and deservedly restore parity through Neto’s stunning strike.

A real roof raiser. It’s a shame that the hosts were unable to follow up with a winner to take them within touching distance of second-placed City, but significant steps are being taken and transfer arrivals are proving to be on the money.

Neto, one of the Premier League’s most talented wingers, had endured several frustrating years at Wolverhampton Wanderers, so clearly of the top drawer when taking to the field but being pulled back by the cold steel coils of injury, limited to infrequent starting berths, limited success.

2023/24

20 (18)

2

9

2022/23

18 (13)

0

1

2021/22

13 (5)

1

1

2020/21

31 (30)

5

6

2019/20

29 (9)

3

3

No such misfortune so far as a Blue. Neto has only started five of Chelsea’s 11 top-flight fixtures so far but he rewarded Maresca’s faith with his splendid strike on Sunday, swiping Arsenal of their bragging rights.

It’s pleasing to see some of Chelsea’s forwards start to step up in the absence of Cole Palmer, who was on the field for the full 90 minutes but not with the aura of his usual self.

Chelsea’s all-conquering attacking midfielder is the star of the show, his person no doubt pasted to the walls of many young Blues fans across west London, but he’s not infallible, and flattered to deceive against the Gunners.

Chalkboard

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

Cole Palmer's performance vs Arsenal

Palmer has been incredible across his Chelsea career so far and has been Maresca’s talisman this season, so elegantly shifting between assault force and architect.

Chelsea have plenty to work on; this is a side blessed with immense talent but yet to channel it pointedly, like a precocious teenager lacking experience and maturity. But the possibilities are boundless, sprawled across a sweeping expanse that has prompted Maresca to state: “For the next five to ten years we want to dominate.”

It’s a future that really could be realised. The west Londoners will be driven toward the limelight across countless contests by their 22-year-old superstar, but he does need to find the next gear in the matches of the greatest significance.

Gary Neville, live on Sky Sports, had hailed Palmer for one “absolutely sensational” movement, almost otherworldly when collecting and dropping his shoulder, deft touch, sharp swivel. He’s the real deal, carrying the quality within that suggests he might cement himself in Chelsea lore for time immemorial.

But even Frank Lampard suffered a howler every now and again. Palmer has indeed been sensational since Todd Boehly signed Manchester City’s prospect in a deal worth £42.5m, almost single-handedly supercharging the club’s incipient resurgence last term, posting 25 goals and 15 assists.

Neville’s arch-rival, Jamie Carragher, hailed the England international as “the best player in the Premier League” last month, but he didn’t bring it all together against resilient Arsenal, not quite nullified but placated.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

50

Shots (on target)

4 (1)

Accurate passes

23/30 (77%)

Key passes

1

Crosses (completed)

4 (0)

Possession lost

18x

Dribbles (completed)

4 (1)

Total duels (won)

9 (3)

As you can see not his finest hour (and a half). Palmer was unable to get himself in the scoresheet and only made one key pass all afternoon, despite ceding possession 18 times across his 50 touches in total.

Football.london’s Bobby Vincent shared the opinion that he had endured an uncharacteristically poor showing, branding the Three Lions star with a 5/10 match rating and commenting on his ‘very quiet’ effort, marshalled as he was by Thomas Partey.

It was an off day, but the mercurial talent will rest easy in the comfort of his skill set, aware that better, more impactful displays abound in front of him.

The best thing about Palmer is he’s always looking to make things happen, be it lancing through defensive lines and striking true into the net or ripping opponents to shreds with speech-stifling passes, cleaving blocks and allowing the electric-paced Neto, for example, to slot through, into the third.

It might have been Palmer’s worst performance in a Chelsea shirt, but does that not simply speak to the magnitude of the nascent greatness that the Londoners have equipped themselves with?

The third-placed Blues will march on, with Palmer at the vanguard.

Chelsea v Arsenal: The top 7 goalscorers in Premier League matches

Some iconic names are at the top.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 7, 2024

It’s no secret that Chelsea haven’t been afraid to splash the cash since the arrival of owner Todd Boehly back in May 2022 – spending over £1.2bn on new signings in the process.

The money spent has allowed for a complete overhaul of the first-team squad, handing boss Enzo Maresca all the tools to be a success during his debut season at the helm in West London.

Various big-money attackers have arrived at Stamford Bridge over the last couple of years, with the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Pedro Neto up there with the biggest fees spent on players during the American’s reign as owner.

The Ukrainian cost the club a whopping £88.5m, with Neto setting Boehly back around £54m after his surprise summer transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, neither have yet been able to reach the level of one star who captured the hearts of the fanbase during his own time as a player with the Blues.

Eden Hazard’s time at Chelsea

Belgian winger Eden Hazard arrived at Chelsea back in the summer of 2012 as an unknown quantity to many, but quickly introduced himself to the Blues faithful, rapidly becoming a fan favourite.

He quickly caught the eye with his direct dribbling ability, breezing past many opposition players – with his eye for goal also notable during his seven years at the Bridge.

Hazard registered a total of 110 goals within his 352 appearances for the Blues, winning six major trophies during his time in England, which includes two separate Europa League triumphs in 2013 and 2019.

The one goal that could sum up his talent during his time with the Blues is his solo effort against London rivals Arsenal, picking the ball up just inside the opponent’s half before shrugging off multiple players before dinking the ‘keeper and slotting the ball home.

He would subsequently leave the club back in the summer of 2019, joining Real Madrid in a £150m deal – a move that would see his career rapidly decline with injuries plaguing his time in Spain.

However, it will never tarnish his legacy as a Chelsea player, undoubtedly going down as one of the very best players in their recent history – with no player more able to turn a game on its head like Hazard did.

Arguably, the club have struggled to replace him five years on from his departure, but they could be handed an opportunity to finally end their hunt in January with a move for one talent.

Transfer Focus

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

The player who could be Chelsea’s next Hazard

According to reporter Graeme Bailey, Chelsea have sent scouts to keep a close eye on Lyon winger Rayan Cherki over a potential move to Stamford Bridge.

However, they aren’t alone in their pursuit of the French talent, with fellow Premier League side Newcastle United also firmly in the race for his signature.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the 2024/25 campaign, registering two goals and three assists in his first nine outings in all competitions.

Cherki has previously been compared to Hazard, with French football expert Jonathan Johnson previously saying:

Such a comparison may seem far-fetched, but when delving into his stats from the Europa League so far this season, it’s clear he possesses serious talent which could see the Blues land another version of the Belgian.

In his three European outings this season, he’s averaged a staggering nine progressive passes per 90, along with five successful take-ons – with both figures ranking him within the top 1% of players in the competition. Hazard was one of the finest dribblers in the Premier League so the comparison begins to make sense here.

Games played

3

Goals & assists

3

Progressive passes

9

Progressive carries

6.2

Successful take-ons

5

Key passes completed

5.8

Through balls

2.5

Take-on success

71%

The “world-class” Cherki, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has also averaged 5.8 key passes and 2.5 through balls per 90, showcasing his ability to find teammates in attacking areas, potentially benefitting the likes of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson.

Whilst it’s unknown how much any potential deal would set Maresca’s side back in January, it’s evident that he would be a superb addition that would bring added firepower in attacking areas.

His comparison to former fan-favourite Hazard would see him bring huge excitement to Stamford Bridge in the club’s hunt to return to a Champions League finish this season.

Boehly must permanently axe Chelsea flop who earns even more than Palmer

Chelsea need to sell a player who’s earning even more than Cole Palmer.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 5, 2024