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After kicking off their summer business with the arrival of Fer Lopez, Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly looking to splash the cash again to sign a South American gem.

What Wolves can expect from Fer Lopez

Arriving for £19m, the pressure will be on Lopez to hit the ground running in the Midlands even if he is still just 21 years old. The winger has all the tools to do exactly that, however, to follow on from an excellent La Liga campaign at Celta Vigo last time out.

According to Sky Sports’ Adam Bate, many Celta Vigo fans have been left in a rage about Lopez’s departure for they know the talent they’ve just lost.

It won’t be the first time that the 21-year-old features in English football, though. At 14 years old, Lopez played a term for Suffolk side Bacton United ’89. It was then that senior coach Ryan Owens got the chance to witness his talent first-hand.

He told Sky Sports: “He was different gravy. Just a completely different level. But he would join us for the shooting sessions and the small-sided games. He would spend the whole training session putting the ball into the top corner of the net and taking the rise out of players.”

Wolves confident they'll win bidding war for "great" £40m league winner

He’s at the centre of a hectic race…

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By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 26, 2025

Now seven years on, Lopez finds himself in the Midlands and looking to take English football by storm once again following the biggest move of his career so far.

The winger hasn’t shied away from talking up the opportunity to play in the Premier League either, telling Wolves’ official website: “It’s an amazing opportunity for my career to play in the Premier League, and I’m very happy.”

Signing young talent seems to be the plan for Wolves this summer too, amid rumours that they’ve now made contact to sign an impressive South American talent.

Wolves make first Breno Bidon approach

According to UOL, as relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves have now made their first approach to sign Breno Bidon from Corinthians this summer and are joined by Arsenal and Brighton in their chase to sign the midfield gem.

Whilst the young Brazilian reportedly has a release clause worth as much as €100m (£85m) in his current contract, Corinthians are willing to accept a major cut-price deal worth just €15m (£13m) to sell Bidon this summer in a huge boost for Wolves.

Bidon would, of course, be the second Brazilian midfielder that Wolves have welcomed in the last year having signed Andre from Fluminense last summer. In two swift moves, Vitor Pereira could have two future Brazilian stars at his disposal as he continues to seek improvements ahead of his first full season at Wolves.

Newcastle United missed out on one of their key targets this summer, Bryan Mbeumo. The Brentford attacker reportedly chose to join Manchester United over the Magpies, as well as Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, although that is a deal that is yet to go through.

So, with the Cameroon star off the table, they turned their attention to another Premier League forward, Anthony Elanga. The Nottingham Forest star had his move to St. James’ Park all but confirmed by Fabrizio Romano with his famous “here we go” tagline. It is a deal that will cost the Magpies £55m.

Even though one winger is essentially through the door, Newcastle are not stopping there. They are targeting another wide player who could be an even better signing than Elanga.

Newcastle’s next winger target

There are certainly not many options for Eddie Howe out wide. Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon did an impressive job last season, but it is no surprise that they are signing Elanga to help reduce the workload.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, to supplement that further, the Magpies could turn to Manchester City and England international winger Jack Grealish. Football Insider says that the North East giants ‘are planning to accelerate their interest’ in the 29-year-old this summer.

However, they will face competition for the former Aston Villa star. Everton, who move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium this season, as well as newly crowned Serie A champions Napoli and clubs in Saudi Arabia, are also interested.

It was reported by Caught Offside at the start of the week that City will ask for £40m to secure Grealish’s services.

Why Grealish would be a good signing

It has obviously not been the season that Grealish may have hoped for in 2024/25. He barely got a look in at the Etihad Stadium and was not included in their squad for the Club World Cup, a competition in which they were eliminated by Al-Hilal.

The Birmingham-born winger played just 32 times for the East Mancunian side across all competitions. That included just 20 Premier League games, and 715 minutes, in which he scored and assisted just two goals.

Yet, let’s not forget the quality that the former Villa star possesses. He played 96 Premier League games for his boyhood club, scoring 15 goals and grabbing 19 assists. That included 18 goal involvements in 26 games during his final top-flight season at the club in 2020/21.

Those are impressive numbers, with Elanga putting up similar numbers in the most recent Premier League campaign, to the ones Grealish notched up five seasons ago.

For Forest last season, he managed six goals and 11 assists in 38 top-flight games.

He also scored one of the best solo efforts in the Premier League in recent memory, against his former club, Man United. The Sweden star picked up a loose ball in his own half and carried it all the way into the United penalty area, before slotting home past Andre Onana.

Indeed, ball carrying at such an electric pace is a key part of Elanga’s game. Likewise, Grealish is a specialist carrier, although in a slower and more methodical way. The numbers from 2020/21 via FBref suggest his all-around game was better than Elanga’s now.

For example, Grealish averaged 7.08 progressive carries and 7.78 progressive passes for Villa in that campaign. In comparison, the Forest number 21 averaged 3.67 progressive carries and 2.27 progressive passes last term.

If the Magpies can help Grealish find his best form, like what he showed in the 2020/21 season, they may have made an even better signing than Elanga.

At his best, he can be a “menace”, according to Statman Dave, and Howe will be hoping to unleash that side of his game.

For a Premier League proven, England international, £40m seems like a bargain of a move for the Magpies this summer.

He's more important than Elanga: Newcastle now working to sign £60m PL star

With Anthony Elanga set to join Newcastle for £55m, the Magpies are now chasing an “exceptional” PL star worth £60m, who is a long-term target.

By
Ben Gray

Jul 8, 2025

Arsenal are “very, very” interested in signing another marquee name after they eventually complete deals for both Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres and Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, and they’ve received an indication that he’d be open to joining.

Arsenal hold "genuine" interest in signing £152m forward with Eberechi Eze

The north Londoners are still targeting world-class forwards in separate moves.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 15, 2025

Mosquera will sign for Mikel Arteta’s side after Arsenal finally reached an agreement with Valencia over a total £17 million package, including add-ons, with the 21-year-old set to undergo medical tests at London Colney on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have reached an agreement in principle with Sporting for Gyokeres after what seems like weeks of talks (David Ornstein), and both clubs are said to be ironing out the final details now.

As fans anxiously wait for any updates on the Swede, given their side’s glaring need for a prolific striker, Arsenal are waiting for the “final green-light” to sign-off on one of the summer’s biggest deals.

Credible reports indicate that Arsenal will set their sights on a central playmaker next, and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is right at the top of their agenda after talks with the England international’s representatives.

Arsenal are set to formally approach Palace over signing Eze (talkSPORT), but they could still also sign another winger despite already moving for Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, who’s capable of playing on both the left and as competition for Bukayo Saka on the right (Ben Jacobs).

Arsenal get "positive" response from Rodrygo about joining from Real Madrid

This would apparently hinge on either Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard leaving (Ben Jacobs), but BBC journalist Sami Mokbel has told the podcast ‘Latte Firm’ that Real Madrid star Rodrygo remains a player of serious interest.

According to Mokbel, Arsenal have been given a “positive” response from Rodrygo about potentially joining them, via his representatives, but he stresses this could be a very costly operation – which has the potential to reach £80 million.

“In terms of Rodrygo, Arsenal are very interested, very interested in him,” said Mokbel.

“I think they’ve spoken to the relevant parties connected to the player to see whether he’d be up for it. I think they’ve got a positive feedback, as I understand it, that he would certainly give it serious consideration.

“But what I, being absolutely frank, what I’m hearing is that the finances attached to that deal, not necessarily just the fee, but the fee will be hefty.

“I think you’re looking in excess of £70m, probably closer to £80m to get that deal done. I think the wages, he’s one of the European football elite players, right? So he will be commanding a big, big wage.

“So Arsenal can do it, but I think they need to be creative in how they can accomplish that deal, but also make sure that they’ve got money coming in to ensure that the books are balanced because as we’ve already spoken about, they really had a significant spend.”

The Brazilian racked up 14 goals and 11 assists in 54 appearances last season, but he was scarcely used by new manager Xabi Alonso at the Club World Cup.

His future will be a major talking point in the build up to deadline day, and a potential move to Arsenal hasn’t yet been ruled out by reliable sources.

Bayern Munich's honorary president Uli Hoeness has appeared confirm that Nicolas Jackson won't join the German champions permanently next summer. Jackson completed his move on deadline day after Bayern agreed a deal with the Blues for the Senegalese striker to join on an initial season-long loan with an obligation to buy next year for £56 million (€64.5m/$76m).

• Bayern chief confirms Jackson unlikely to join Bayern permanently
• Signed for Bayern on loan on deadline day
• Fell out of favour at Chelsea

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jackson, who fell out of favour at Chelsea under Enzo Maresca, was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge throughout the summer. Towards the end of the window, a deal was finally agreed where he would sign for Bayern on a loan deal. The move, however, was on the verge of a collapse as the Blues told Bayern they could not proceed with the transfer after Liam Delap's hamstring injury. The striker and his agent had already reached Munich, but were ordered to return to London. In the end, though, the transfer materialised as the Premier League giants recalled Marc Guiu from his loan spell at Sunderland. 

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While many believed that Jackson's association with Chelsea was over following his switch to Bayern, the German club's honorary president Hoeness has cited one clause in the deal that could prevent the striker's permanent transfer next summer, as it is unlikely to be fulfilled. 

• WHAT HOENESS SAID

  Speaking to , the Bayern chief said: "The player and his agent contribute for €3m, so we pay €13.5m loan fee. There will definitely not be a permanent contract. That only happens if he plays 40 games from the start, it will never happen."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JACKSON?

  For now, Jackson remains focused on impressing Bayern boss Vincent Kompany in a bid to revive his career. The Senegal international could make his debut for Bayern on September 13 as they take on Hamburger SV in a Bundesliga clash.

Liverpool fans got a taste of their new signings in action across the past week, with pre-season friendlies carried out against Preston North End and Stoke City, the latter in a behind-closed-doors setting.

It was that 5-0 romp, however, that highlighted just how incredible a talent Florian Wirtz is, the playmaker all tricks and flicks and winged feet as he dictated play and showcased his astounding technical ability.

Signed from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100m fee which could stretch to a British-record £116m, the German, 22, has added so much talent and dynamism to Arne Slot’s dangerous frontline.

However, with Luis Diaz potentially off to Bayern Munich, Liverpool may need to bring in yet another attacking addition.

The latest on Liverpool's search for forwards

With Hugo Ekitike set to leave Eintracht Frankfurt and sign for Liverpool in a deal worth £79m, sporting director Richard Hughes has solved one of Slot’s biggest problems.

However, Diaz’s suspected sale to Bayern Munich, who are ready to return with a second offer, has opened the gates for a successor to come in.

A host of names have been bandied around, but the most ambitious has got to belong to Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, with transfer insider Graeme Bailey revealing that talks have been held between Liverpool and the player’s camp as they weigh up a marquee move.

Rodrygo, 24, is one of the world’s finest forwards, but he’s no longer all-important at Real Madrid, with Xabi Alonso open to his sale this summer.

In any case, the Brazilian forward won’t come cheap, with figures as high as £87m floating about.

What Rodrygo would bring to Liverpool

In 2024/25, Rodrygo didn’t suffer a poor season by any stretch, but there’s no question he left something to be desired, going 12 La Liga matches without a goal or an assist across the second half of the season.

Blame can in large part be apportioned to his consistent placement out on the right wing. The right-footed Rodrygo’s favoured position is on the left, where his goalscoring ability is best served.

Far more clinical on the left, the Los Blancos superstar bas proven himself to be a versatile asset, however, as the table below rubberstamps.

In this way, he could emulate a former Liverpool great in Sadio Mane, who joined the club from Southampton for £34m in 2015 and went on to become one of the deadliest left-sided forwards of his generation.

Mane, now 33 and playing for Al-Nassr, played across the frontline for Saints, scoring nine goals and providing four assists across 21 matches as a right winger in 2015/16, right before his move to Merseyside.

His propensity for goals off the right was further underscored during his early days for Liverpool.

Mane was one of the best wingers in the Premier League, but in Rodrygo, Liverpool could hit the jackpot on a new star, named as a “world-class” player by his former teammate Luka Modric.

Given that the South American would be playing with a new lease of life in a role catered better to his distinct qualities, it might be worth forking out a significant sum once again on FSG’s part.

Better deal than Ekitike: Liverpool preparing £45m bid for "monster" star

Liverpool are still planning to make several more signings in the summer transfer market.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 21, 2025

The German coach and his players put their mediocre recent displays against minnows behind them with a top-level performance in Belgrade

England finally located their mojo on Tuesday in Belgrade, and Serbia didn't know what had hit them. In case they were wondering, it was five goals, from five different scorers, and the sound they could hear was that of Thomas Tuchel's side finally taking to the skies after several false starts, heading right for the 2026 World Cup, their mission to go all the way in North America back on track.

The Three Lions' performance proved that England are not just a squad of incredibly talented and famous individuals, as you might have been forgiven for thinking after their dour win over Andorra and their previous four outings under Tuchel. They can also be remarkably effective when they work together, as they did for the slick second goal scored by Noni Madueke.

"Teamwork in its purest form" is how Tuchel described the performance, emphasising the achievement of limiting their hosts to zero shots on target and praising the intensity his players showed throughout. The German also had a pointed message to the doubters, both in the fanbase and in the media: "I’m just glad for the players that they could show to the fans and to you guys what they’re capable of."

England will face much tougher teams than Serbia on their path towards their ultimate aim of winning the World Cup next summer, and the manner of this victory, as satisfying as it was, should not lead to talk of Tuchel 'bringing it home' just yet. It was reassuring, though, to see England rise to the occasion and remind everyone, not least themselves, of how good they can be.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the Rajko Mitic Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WINNER: Thomas Tuchel

  Tuchel not only needed to win, he needed a big performance to quieten the volume of dissent against him after four lacklustre victories and a concerning defeat to Senegal in his games in charge thus far. He got both, with England delivering their biggest away win since crushing San Marino 10-0 in 2021 while showing they can play free-flowing football as well as make the most of set-pieces.

  There were many things to be pleased about from the coach's point of view. His side barely let Serbia create any danger, with Jordan Pickford not asked to make any saves all night. They dominated the ball and territory but were seldom ponderous, playing in a direct manner throughout.

  Tuchel also showed his flexibility, dropping players who had underperformed against Andorra such as Marcus Rashford and Myles Lewis-Skelly while rewarding Elliot Anderson with a second consecutive start. It was not exactly the spell-binding performance Spain had produced against Turkey a couple of days earlier, but it was an imposing display and a big stride in the right direction.

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  LOSER: Dragan Stojkovic

  Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic was roundly booed when his name was read out before kick-off, and the crowd's feeling towards him became ever more vociferous as his side were played off their own park. All the talk before about England being intimidated amid the noise and during the walk through the 73-metre, graffiti-soaked tunnel faded into nothing, and if anyone faced hostilities, it was the home side and their manager.

  Stojkovic was one of the best players of his generation but his star has faded as a coach and he is growing ever unpopular, despite leading Serbia to back-to-back major tournaments. Making it three out of three will be much harder after this bruising defeat, as they will almost certainly have to look to the play-offs to book their place in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

  There is another reason why Stojkovic is unpopular right now, too. He is a fervent supporter of the Serbian government, which has faced waves of protests in the last few weeks, and if his side cannot beat Albania in their next game and reclaim second spot in the group, his own regime might be about to topple.

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  WINNER: Noni Madueke

  Madueke had been among the players Tuchel had named and shamed for not taking their chances against Andorra, but he showed the mental resilience you need at international level on Tuesday. The forward has many critics, as was made clear by the furious reaction among Arsenal fans when he signed for the Gunners, and when he kept his place in the starting line-up for this one ahead of Jarrod Bowen, more groans were let out online.

  But Madueke offered the perfect response. The game was barely a few minutes old when he latched on to a pass from Morgan Rogers and nearly won a penalty. He later rolled the ball across the six-yard box for Harry Kane, who somehow missed the target, while when he got a chance of his own, he made sure he didn't waste it. 

  Madueke demonstrated his renowned pace and determination as he sprinted into the box after Rogers' flick-on, but he also showed an ice-cool mentality in front of goal which has been previously lacking.  With his club team-mate Bukayo Saka potentially still injured for the next round of England games against Wales and Albania, Madueke has given himself the best hope possible of keeping his place.

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  WINNER: Declan Rice

  Declan Rice already has his name on a seat on the plane to North America next summer, so he could feel entitled to rest on his laurels and coast a little bit through these qualifiers. He did no such thing on Tuesday, however, leading by example with a truly dominant performance.

  Rice's two assists, for Kane and Marc Guehi, added to his goal against Andorra and meant he had directly contributed to three of England's seven strikes during this camp. Tuchel had spoken of the importance of long balls and long throws before the game and it felt obvious that he had Arsenal in mind.

  Rice's pin-point deliveries have been a key element of the Gunners' growing threat from set plays (no Premier League team has scored more than them in the last two years) and it makes perfect sense for Tuchel to want to replicate that weapon, with the midfielder as his supplier-in-chief.

Setting their sights on a fifth arrival this summer, Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly made an approach to sign an experienced player for Thomas Frank.

Latest on Tottenham incomings

In Spurs’ ideal world, they would have Morgan Gibbs-White at their disposal right now, but Nottingham Forest and Evangelos Marinakis quickly proved to be as stubborn as ever even after the Lilywhites triggered the midfielder’s £60m release clause.

Good news quickly turned into legal news for those in North London when Forest decided to threaten a legal complaint over Spurs’ move.

According to reports, Gibbs-White still wants to complete a move to Spurs this summer, but it remains to be seen whether the Lilywhites do return with a second attempt to sway an already-disgruntled Nottingham Forest.

The same can be said for Yoane Wissa. As things stand, all signs point towards Newcastle being in pole position to sign the forward despite Spurs’ interest.

Given the Magpies’ recent habit of missing out on top targets, though, the door may still be left ajar for Frank to reunite with the impressive Brentford striker.

Frank has, of course, already welcomed both Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus and Kota Takai this summer.

Asked about Kudus’ arrival in particular, who comes as their main blockbuster signing of the window so far, the Spurs boss told reporters: “I think it’s a great signing from the club. It’s top work from Daniel Levy getting a very good player early in pre-season so we can start working with him.”

Tottenham expected to make "official move" for "standout" £35m defender

Spurs are targeting a new centre-back.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 25, 2025

It’s the type of “top work” that Frank will now be hoping to see more of from Levy this summer, which could see Spurs land a top-level midfielder.

Tottenham make Joao Palhinha approach

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have indeed made an approach to sign Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, backing up similar previous reports. However, they have so far only worked on personal terms rather than submitting a proposal to the Bundesliga champions themselves.

Dubbed a “leader” by Fulham boss Marco Silva the last time that he starred in the Premier League, Palhinha could now be on his way back to English football just one year after leaving Craven Cottage.

Whilst things haven’t exactly gone to plan for the Portugal international in Germany, he remains a player with plenty of know-how and one who could rediscover his best form under Frank at Spurs.

That said, it remains to be seen whether Spurs are able to match Palhinha’s staggering £9m-a-year salary at Bayern or whether he is forced to take a pay-cut to secure a summer switch.

Nottingham Forest have now identified an “incredible” Douglas Luiz alternative as their new “top” target, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.

Forest set out to bolster midfield options

Forest have already made a major statement of intent by keeping hold of attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, and Nuno is now keen to bolster his options in the engine room even further, having seemingly identified Juventus’ Luiz as a major target.

The Tricky Trees have already agreed personal terms with the former Aston Villa man, and they are thought to be leading the race for his signature, with sporting director Edu said to be driving the move, but there are some doubts surrounding the deal.

Juventus are reportedly reluctant to sanction a departure until they bring in a replacement, which means Nuno may have to wait until the end of August before he is able to add the Brazilian to his squad, and a different midfielder has now emerged as the first-choice option.

Nottingham Forest now on verge of signing £10m defender after making offer

The Tricky Trees are close to sealing an agreement for a full-back, a report has revealed.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 5, 2025

That is according to an update from Plettenberg on X, who states RB Salzburg midfielder and captain Mads Bidstrup has now been identified as Nottingham Forest’s new “top” target.

Bidstrup remains contracted until 2028, which puts Salzburg in a strong negotiating position, and the Austrian club are thought to be holding out for around £17m, potentially making the central midfielder a relatively low-cost addition to Nuno’s squad.

Luiz, on the other hand, could set the Tricky Trees back £35m, but the ex-Villa star is already very experienced at Premier League level, having made 175 appearances in the competition.

Bidstrup could be "incredible" Luiz alternative

Indeed, the Juventus ace was very impressive during his previous stint in England, particularly impressing from an attacking point of view during his final two seasons at Villa Park.

However, it would be a gamble for Forest to solely focus on signing the 27-year-old, given that he could very easily choose to go to a different club at the end of August, and there are signs the RB Salzburg midfielder could be a solid alternative.

Former RB Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund has spoken very highly of the 24-year-old in the past, saying: “Mads has an incredible mentality and suits our playing style in Salzburg perfectly with his way of playing. He is very versatile too and can be used anywhere in midfield.

The Dane has been a regular starter for Salzburg ever since arriving at the club, making 30 league appearances last season, and he clearly has leadership abilities too, having already taken on the role of captain.

That said, there may be some concerns over the fact that Bidstrup is yet to prove himself in a major European league, having only really starred in Denmark and Austria, and Luiz is vastly more experienced at the top level, which could make the Juventus ace the better option.

Real Madrid’s appeal against Dean Huijsen’s red card against Real Sociedad has been rejected, with the 20-year-old defender handed a one-match ban. The decision leaves Xabi Alonso short of defensive options as Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold are both sidelined. Madrid will now turn to the Appeals Committee in a last-ditch effort to clear Huijsen for Saturday’s clash with Espanyol.

• Huijsen banned after appeal rejected

  According to a report by Huijsen will miss Real Madrid’s next La Liga match after the Spanish Football Federation’s Competition Committee upheld his red card from Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Sociedad. The Spain international was dismissed for pulling down Mikel Oyarzabal in the 32nd minute, with referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruling the foul denied a clear goalscoring chance. Madrid’s initial appeal was dismissed on Wednesday.

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  Madrid frustration over refereeing call

  The club had argued that Oyarzabal was still around 40 metres from goal and that Eder Militao was close to covering the attack, making the dismissal excessive. Their complaint was further fuelled by the CTA’s post-match review on ‘Review Time,’ which suggested a yellow card would have been a more appropriate sanction. Despite that analysis, the disciplinary body stood by the referee’s original interpretation.

• Madrid to take appeal higher

  Madrid have reportedly confirmed they will escalate the case to the Appeals Committee in an attempt to overturn the ban before Saturday. If unsuccessful, Huijsen will miss the Espanyol clash, adding to Alonso’s mounting selection problems. The disciplinary decision comes amid growing tensions between Madrid and Spain’s refereeing body.

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  Alonso’s defensive crisis deepens

  The ruling leaves Alonso in a difficult position ahead of Saturday’s game against Espanyol. Antonio Rudiger is sidelined with a muscle injury while Trent Alexander-Arnold limped off during the Champions League win over Marseille. Without Huijsen, Madrid may have to turn to fringe players like David Alaba or Rafa Marín to partner Eder Militao at the back.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin will not be pleased with the way his team have started the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season.

The Light Blues failed to win both of their opening matches in the division, drawing 1-1 with Motherwell on the opening day before drawing 1-1 with Dundee at Ibrox.

There is still plenty of time left in the summer transfer window for the Scottish giants to do more work to ensure that their team is ready to compete for trophies this season, though.

Whilst there will be a focus on incoming additions to excite the supporters and improve the current starting line-up, a new report suggests that Martin could be losing a player from his playing squad.

According to Brazilian journalists Andre Hernan and Bruno Andrade, Palmeiras are in the process of finalising a deal to sign Jefte from the Light Blues this summer, in what will be a permanent move for the defender.

After just one year at Ibrox after moving from Fluminense, the 21-year-old talent appears to be on his way out of Glasgow to return to his home country.

Why selling Jefte will be a blow for Rangers

Losing the left-footed ace will be a blow to Rangers in the short-term because he is the only senior left-footed left-back who has been utilised by Martin so far this season.

Ridvan Yilmaz has not made a single matchday squad in the 2025/26 campaign, and it was recently reported that he has reached an agreement with Besiktas over a return to Turkey. This means that Jefte’s proposed move to Palmeiras would leave Martin without a left-footed left-back in his side, which would result in Max Aarons going back to that position, a role in which he looked incredibly uncomfortable against Panathinaikos and Motherwell.

Whilst Jefte is not the finished article or the perfect left-back for Rangers, the 21-year-old gem does offer balance to the team as a naturally left-footed player in that position, which cannot be said for the right-footed Aarons.

As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian defender did not have a completely awful first season at Ibrox in the Premiership, starting 30 of their 38 games and winning the majority of his physical duels on the deck and in the air.

However, Jefte had issues that are not easy to track on a stats sheet. Too often, the full-back would not be aware of the player over his shoulder and would get caught sleeping at the back post for goals.

The Palmeiras target also did not have his best game against Dundee in the Premiership last weekend. He only completed one of his five attempted crosses and was tackled in four of his five attempted dribbles, per Sofascore, which shows that the left-back struggled both technically and with his decision-making.

Putting all of this together, it is a blow for the Light Blues to lose their first-choice left-back in the short-term, but it also provides them with an opportunity to improve their team by swooping for a new option in that area of the pitch.

Transfer Focus

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

Rangers and Celtic were both recently linked with an interest in Monaco full-back Kassoum Ouattara, who is currently valued at a fee of around £13m by the French side.

It was claimed that a permanent deal, which would be a club record for both clubs, is unlikely and that the Glasgow giants may look down the loan route for the 20-year-old dynamo, if possible.

Why Rangers should sign Kassoum Ouattara

The Gers should push to beat Celtic to Ouattara’s signature before the end of the summer transfer window with a move for him this month, because he could be a fantastic addition to the squad as a replacement for Jefte.

Should the Brazilian’s move to Palmeiras go through as reported, Rangers will need to find a left-footed left-back who can provide enough quality on the pitch to improve Martin’s team, and the Monaco youngster appears to fit the bill.

The young defender only started five of his 12 appearances in the French top-flight during the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, but showcased his quality in those limited outings for Monaco.

Ouattara also played in Ligue 2 with Amiens in the 2023/24 campaign and caught the eye with 3.3 tackles and interceptions and 6.1 ball recoveries per game, which shows that he can offer a strong defensive presence at left-back when needed.

However, his performances in Ligue 1 for Monaco in the most recent season showed what he is best at: attacking. The £13m-rated full-back was an effective attacking force down the left flank with his ability to create chances for his teammates on a regular basis in the final third.

As you can see in the table above, Ouattara’s attacking output was even more impressive than Jefte’s was in the Premiership in a Rangers side that ultimately finished second in the division.

These statistics show that the French starlet has outstanding potential as an attack-minded left-back, as he created almost three times as much xA per 90 in comparison to the Brazilian.

Analyst and writer Kai Watson described Ouattara as a “very offensive” full-back and these statistics certainly back up that claim, as he is an exceptional passer and crosser on the evidence of his form in one of Europe’s major leagues last term.

The task for him, though, is to prove that he can do it over the course of an entire season. A move to Ibrox would provide him with a platform to do exactly that, with a vacant spot at left-back if Jefte moves on, and in a team that will be competing for the title this term.

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By
Dan Emery

Aug 13, 2025

Therefore, the Light Blues should be making a move to sign Ouattara from Monaco this summer because he could come in as a dream replacement for Jefte as an attack-minded full-back for Martin.