Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski put on an attacking masterclass as he terrorised Norwich City to secure Champions League football in N17 next season.
The Sweden international bagged two of Spurs’ five goals before he was substituted in the 68th minute but by then, he had long made his mark, allowing Heung-min Son to swoop in and capitalise on a broken Canaries backline.
Indeed, the South Korean sensation also bagged himself a brace, which was enough to see him share the Premier League’s Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah but it was the Juventus loanee who was arguably the clear-cut standout at Carrow Road.
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Earning an 8.9 rating on SofaScore, the 22-year-old dynamo was a constant threat in the final third, not only registering a total of three shots but also managing a whopping five successful dribbles from six attempts, easily bypassing Dimitrios Giannoulis on the right flank.
Kulusevski also provided two key passes, meaning he created a pair of chances for his attacking counterparts, Son and Harry Kane. Furthermore, he amazingly won eight of his nine duels (88%), only further emphasising how he had his way with Dean Smith’s defence.
Elsewhere, the £31.5m-rated marksman also put in one tackle and one interception as he capped off his fine half-season at the club in style.
His contribution took his total tally for Spurs to five goals and eight assists from 20 appearances, averaging a direct contribution once every 97.5 minutes – almost one every game.
It’s no wonder manager Antonio Conte was able to turn things around to guide the north Londoners back into Europe’s top competition.
As The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick wrote in his post-match ratings column, Kulusevski was “decisive again” before going onto praise his selfless nature.
Once lauded as a “monster” by Italian Football expert Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Juventus’ loss has certainly been Tottenham’s gain and we got to witness yet another fine display from the young winger.
Kulusevski absolutely terrorised the Canaries with his attacking exploits as he helped secure a lucrative top-four finish in the Premier League.
AND in other news, Spurs dealt Cristian Romero injury setback…
Leeds United’s time under Andrea Radrizzani has been plagued by mistakes in the transfer market, largely through a lack of spending or rueing that one that got away.
Of course, there have been numerous examples of success stories, namely the likes of Raphinha, Illan Meslier and Patrick Bamford.
But with every Raphinha, there’s a Laurens de Bock, Vurnon Anita or Jay-Rot Grot – a trio of weird signings that made only a total of 51 appearances combined.
Back in 2017, though, the Yorkshire giants missed out on one of Europe’s most frightening strikers and in a time where Leeds have missed last season’s top goalscorer Patrick Bamford and are staring down the barrel of relegation, they must be reeling.
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That man is Erling Haaland, who this week was announced as a Manchester City player.
The defending Premier League champions have signed the Borussia Dortmund forward in a €60m (£51m) deal, activating the 21-year-old’s release clause ahead of the summer transfer window, as per the BBC.
For a little over £50m, that has to be considered an absolute steal considering he’s valued at a whopping £135m by Transfermarkt.
But it could have been a different story for both Leeds and the Norway international.
Speaking on The Athletic’s ‘The Phil Hay Show’, football agent Hayden Evans revealed:
“He was at Molde, around about 17 [years old], and he was ripping it up but also fervently following Leeds United.
“We spoke to Victor [Orta, Leeds’ sporting director] and said, ‘Look, I can bring Erling to Leeds and the rest will be over to you,” before later adding:
“It went quite well, we went back, but the bottom line was that [Molde] wanted around four million pounds. Leeds were not in the stable [financial] position they are in now and he was not going to play, even the talent he was, he was not going to play first-team football at that age.”
After that move fell through, a young Haaland would go on to sign for RB Salzburg for around £7m in August 2018, where he quickly made a name for himself before completing a move to Borussia Dortmund, where he has consistently banged them in.
The Norwegian sensation netted a whopping 29 goals in 27 games in Austria and over the last two-and-a-half seasons for Der BVB, he’s bagged 85 goals in 88 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.
Such form and consistency has seen the 6 foot 4 talisman lauded as “a goal scoring cyborg” by journalist Alex Truica and a “one-man wrecking ball” by Gregor Robertson in The Times.
There’s no doubt that the 21-year-old is one of the most promising and lethal marksmen across the continent and Andrea Radrizzani’s failure to sign him for just £4m will be forever remembered as a catastrophic mistake.
AND in other news, Jesse Marsch drops Raphinha injury update ahead of Brighton…
Manchester City have been rather proactive when it comes to signing new players during recent summer and winter transfer windows.
As the Manchester club are looking to secure their fourth Premier League title in five years, it seems as though they have been dealt a blow in regards to one potential transfer deal for the upcoming window.
What’s the news?
In a recent Twitter post, journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano relayed comments from RB Leipzig director, Oliver Mintzlaff, regarding the future of Christopher Nkunku, who has been linked with a move to City.
He said: “We have clearly discussed it internally: we won’t let Nkunku leave this summer, we told him and his agent.”
Romano then added that Leipzig “will also try to extend his contract but talks are still at [the] early stages.”
Guardiola will be fuming
Now that it has been revealed that Leipzig will not be allowing their star figure to leave in the summer, this will surely be bad news for City, thus leaving Pep Guardiola fuming.
Since joining the German club back in 2019 from Paris Saint-Germain, the Frenchman has gone on to make 134 appearances for Leipzig across all competitions.
In those appearances, the 24-year-old has found the net 46 times and delivered 47 assists along the way with a whopping 54 of those involvements coming this term alone. That shows precisely why a team like City would have their eye on adding him to their ranks.
To further highlight how much of an impressive attacking and creative figure he is, no other player in the Bundesliga has racked up more shot-creating actions than Nkunku (129) this season.
He also ranks fourth for shots on target (36) and successful dribbles throughout the current Bundesliga campaign, making him a real handful for defenders and goalkeepers to deal with.
However, with it recently being reported that a deal for Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland is close to being completed, this could take some of the sting away from City fans and Guardiola over potentially missing out on signing Nkunku.
Although should the Manchester club fancy their chances of swaying the hierarchy at Leipzig into selling their French talent, he would certainly be an exciting addition to what is already a rather deadly attacking side if he doesn’t sign a new deal at his current club.
In other news: “Man City will..”: Romano drops behind scenes transfer claim, it’s bad news for Pep
It’s D-Day for Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening, as the Championship outfit take on Scott Parker’s Bournemouth side in what could prove to be a pivotal encounter as to who secures that much craved automatic promotion spot.
With Fulham having already wrapped up the title – and with the bottom three already confirmed – all that is left now is to determine who will make the four play-off spots and who will be joining the Cottagers in the Premier League.
In what is the penultimate game of the campaign for both sides, Forest will be looking to close the three-point gap on their promotion rivals with victory at the Vitality Stadium, as they look to extend their current four-game winning run in the league.
Ahead of that mouthwatering meeting, here’s how the Football FanCast predicts manager Steve Cooper will line his side up…
Barring any late injury concerns, it is likely that the Forest boss will refrain from any significant alterations from the side that thrashed his former club Swansea City at the weekend, although we have predicted there will be one change from that crushing 5-1 victory.
The defensive unit – which has the best record in the division with regards to goals conceded (38) – is set to remain the same, with the back three of Joe Worrall, Scott McKenna and former Cherries’ skipper Steve Cook lining up ahead of ‘keeper Brice Samba.
In midfield, reported Premier League target Djed Spence and former Newcastle United man Jack Colback will retain their places on the right and left flank, respectively, while the solid midfield pairing of Ryan Yates and James Garner are unlikely to be dislodged, with the Manchester United loanee having chipped in with 12 goal contributions this season.
The only tactical tweak then could well come in attack, with 20-year-old prospect Alex Mighten – who has been dubbed “elite” by Gary Brazil – lining up alongside Brennan Johnson and Saturday’s hat-trick hero, Sam Surridge, in place of Philip Zinckernagel.
The Danish playmaker has been labelled “unbelievable” by former teammate Lyle Taylor for his form this term, although after a quiet showing last time out – for which he received just a 6.4 match rating – he should be replaced by the hungry Mighten, who bagged his first league goal of the season against Russell Martin’s men.
IN other news, Forget Zinckernagel: Cooper must unleash Forest “livewire” who’d terrify Bournemouth …
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola could be set for an extended stay in English football, according to the latest reports…
What’s the word?
As per The Sun, the serial-winning coach has ‘agreed in principle’ a deal with the club to stay at the Etihad beyond his current contract, with his existing deal having been set to expire next summer.
There had been speculation that the 51-year-old – who replaced Manuel Pellegrini in the dugout in 2016 – could walk away when that contract comes to an end, although this latest revelation would seemingly quash such rumours, with the former Barcelona boss set to agree to a two-year extension, with the option of an extra 12 months.
The report also suggests that the £370k-per-week man committing his future to the club could also be key in ensuring the arrival of Borussia Dortmund starlet Erling Haaland this summer, with the Norwegian having been heavily linked with a switch to the Premier League powerhouse.
Rivals will be terrified
The timing of this news is intriguing in the sense that it was only a matter of days ago that title contenders Liverpool confirmed long-serving manager Jurgen Klopp had agreed to a two-year extension himself, with Guardiola seemingly keen to keep the relentless tussle between the two managerial heavyweights running beyond next season.
The two elite sides are currently going toe-to-toe at the summit of the table and could also meet in what would be an enthralling Champions League final showdown, with both sides having run out winners in their respective semi-final, first-leg ties.
To have two sides of such quality – led by two such impressive figures – battling it out both in Europe and domestically is a fantastic advert for the Premier League, with it looking likely that this intense rivalry will continue over the coming years.
As for their rivals, however, these contract extensions will have come as something of a body blow, particularly for struggling outfit Manchester United, with club legend Gary Neville previously admitting that the Red Devils may have to wait for both Klopp and Guardiola to depart before they can even contemplate ending their title drought.
In recent times, however, even the Merseysiders have struggled to keep pace with a rampant City side, with the current league leaders having claimed three of the last four league titles, notably becoming the first side to break the 1o0-point barrier during the 2017/18 campaign.
Dubbed a “genius” by Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, Guardiola has been instrumental in maintaining his side’s consistent pursuit of silverware, while he has also proven pivotal in re-shaping the English game with his tactical acumen and managerial approach, having had a “massive influence” on clubs up and down the country, according to Brighton manager Graham Potter.
Despite reports that he could well be in line for the Brazil national team job following the Qatar World Cup this winter, it looks as if the City boss is here to stay – something that will be a point of concern for the chasing pack.
In other news, Man City eyeing £45m-rated “Portuguese Mbappe”, he’s the dream Jesus replacement – opinion
Swansea City have now held talks with Vitor Matos as a replacement for Alan Sheehan, with Kim Hellberg now being targeted by a different Championship club.
Hellberg travelled to London to hold talks with Swansea last week, but there has been a twist, with the 37-year-old now of interest to Middlesbrough, following Rob Edwards’ departure to Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month.
As such, the Jacks may need to move on to alternative options to replace Sheehan, who was dismissed from his post last week, with his side making a poor start to the campaign, currently sitting in 18th place after taking just 17 points from their opening 15 Championship games.
Michael Carrick has been named as a potential target, with the Welsh club’s hierarchy said to be big fans of the former Boro boss, but a different, more left-field option is also of interest…
Swansea hold talks with Vitor Matos now 'leading contender'
As reported by the BBC, Swansea have held talks with several managers since parting ways with Sheehan, including Maritimo manager Matos, courtesy of the job he has done in the Portuguese second tier. TalkSPORT add that the young coach is now the ‘new leading contender’.
At just 37-years-old, the Maritimo boss is relatively inexperienced, having only started his current role back in June, but he does have experience working under Jurgen Klopp, working as an elite development coach at Liverpool from 2019 – 2024.
During that time, the former Liverpool coach received high praise from ex-Reds assistant Pepijn Lijnders, who is now at Man City: “He is a talented coach, a very intelligent coach.
“Having one really intelligent, talented coach for young players, he can inspire eight or nine of them – it’s really important to have the right people in front of them – he connects, he influences the boys on the pitch and trains with them.”
Much like Klopp, the Portuguese manager favours a forward-thinking style of play, with an attacking 4-3-3 formation his preferred system, and he has made a solid start to life at Maritimo since arriving in the summer.
Games
11
Wins
6
Draws
2
Losses
3
Points per game
1.82
That said, it would be a risk to appoint Matos, given his lack of experience, with the aforementioned BBC report also making it clear that Russell Martin is open to a return to Swansea, after leaving Rangers earlier this season.
Despite becoming the shortest-serving manager in the Gers’ history, Martin could be a solid appointment for the Swans, given his experience in the Championship, most impressively guiding Southampton to promotion with a play-off final victory against Leeds United in the 2023-24 campaign.
Russell Martin open to replacing Alan Sheehan as Swansea City boss Manager who called Swansea City fans "fantastic" open to replacing Sheehan
Manchester United have endured a torrid few years on and off the pitch, leading to discontent shown by the fanbase amid their lack of tangible success.
From managerial changes to board protests and record-low Premier League finishes, it really has been a continuous period for the supporters to forget about.
Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try and transform the club, but so far to no avail, as seen by the 15th-placed league finish in the 2024/25 campaign.
The 40-year-old had the summer transfer window to try and transform the fortunes on the pitch, but so far he’s been unable to do so, only winning one of the first four outings to date.
£200m spent and yet another Manchester Derby defeat could spell the end for the manager, especially if recent reports around his future in the role are to be believed.
The latest on Ruben Amorim’s future at Man Utd
Despite his 20th defeat since taking the reins last November, it’s been reported in recent days that INEOS may not be looking to part ways with Amorim in the near future.
Many people on the board see the 40-year-old as the man to lead the club forward, but there’s no denying concerns have been raised given the dismal form under his guidance.
Contrary to recent reports, a report from Miguel Delaney states that the Red Devils are huge admirers of Andoni Iraola and could see him as a potential replacement in the months ahead.
The journalist claims that the hierarchy have been impressed by his work at Bournemouth in recent months, with the 43-year-old seen as an ideal candidate to take the reins.
However, Delaney’s report also states that rivals Manchester City are also keen on the Spaniard, who could move to the Etihad to replace Guardiola, should he depart the Citizens.
Why Iraola would be a huge upgrade on Amorim for Man Utd
Amorim’s record of just 18 wins in his 48 outings in charge of United is nothing short of shocking and has fallen way below the standards demanded from the fanbase.
His 3-4-2-1 system was something to be excited about upon his appointment 10 months ago, but now it appears to be a real sticking point of his tenure at Old Trafford.
He’s spoken about his reluctance to switch away from his preferred system, with his stubbornness potentially adding to the case to sack him from his current post.
The 40-year-old has failed to have the desired impact on England’s top-flight, but the same can’t be said for Iraola during his own spell at the Vitality Stadium.
The Spaniard has won 38 of his 92 games in charge of the Cherries, securing the club’s best-ever Premier League finish in the 2024/25 campaign. As a result, it’s arguably no surprise to see him described as the “best young coach in the world” by many, including Sky Sports pundit Sam Tighe.
It’s unclear how much a deal for the 43-year-old will cost, and if he would want a move to Old Trafford, but when comparing his stats to those of Amorim – it’s clear he would be an upgrade.
Iraola, who’s been labelled “incredible” by Sky Sports’ Nick Wright, has achieved a higher win percentage to date, whilst also achieving a better point-per-game record in England’s top-flight.
Games managed
80
31
Wins
31
8
Draws
20
7
Losses
29
16
Points per game
1.4
1
Win percentage
39%
25%
Goals per 90
1.5
1.1
Goals conceded per 90
1.5
1.6
His side have also scored more goals and conceded fewer per 90, showcasing his ability to get the best out of his sides at both ends of the pitch.
Such success if further highlighted in the higher league finish throughout 2024/25, undoubtedly conducting a better job in the role despite the Cherries having a much smaller stature.
There’s no disputing that Iraola has done a phenomenal job on the South Coast, massively outperforming expectations over the last few seasons – especially on a shoestring budget in comparison to the Red Devils.
If he’s able to achieve such success with limited funds, the prospect of him working under INEOS at Old Trafford would be one to get excited about – potentially able to be the perfect replacement for Amorim.
Amorim wanted his own Donnarumma & Haaland but Man Utd got Altay & Sesko instead
It’s been yet another poor start to a Premier League season for Manchester United.
With each passing season, or even each passing game, what it means to be Manchester United appears to be drifting away.
No longer a winning machine, the soul of the club has also been somewhat lost of late, amid the relentless redundancies that have been rolled out by the INEOS regime – all to help fund another collection of expensive player incomings.
On the pitch, Ruben Amorim’s persistence with his 3-4-2-1 system appears at odds with the great teams of the past, having slipped so far from the gung-ho, edge-of-your-seat style which was synonymous with Sir Alex Ferguson – and those before him.
A microcosm of the modern game, United’s most damning act has been the repeated selling of the family silver, with academy graduates the major victims in recent years.
Only last summer, the Red Devils shipped Scott McTominay off to Napoli amid the desire to bring in Manuel Ugarte in his place. One of that duo is now a Ballon d’Or nominee…
As for this summer, Alejandro Garnacho has been allowed to join the Chelsea circus, while fellow FA Cup final hero Kobbie Mainoo has been tipped to follow him out the exit door, amid his lack of regular game time.
A player whom Gary Neville suggested the club should be “building [the team] around”, Mainoo simply can’t be allowed to leave. Instead, a new addition is needed to help revive him.
Latest on Man Utd's midfield search
“Now I’m a Baleba…”
Brighton & Hove Albion's CarlosBalebain action with Everton's Idrissa Gueye
The songs had already been written; scarves were no doubt being sold. Alas, unless a drastic change occurs, United won’t be forking out the required £100m plus fee for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, despite identifying the Cameroonian as a leading target.
With the Seagulls holding firm on their desire to keep hold of their 21-year-old sensation, Amorim’s search for an athletic number eight will have to shift its focus, with the centre of the park in particular need of reinforcement, amid the continued reliance on an ageing Casemiro.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
With that in mind, Caught Offside have reported that United are showing an interest in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder, Conor Gallagher, with the England international seemingly in line for a return to the Premier League.
As per the report, the 25-year-old is available heading into the final days of the window, with the LaLiga outfit slapping a £45m asking price on his head. That would ensure that an offer in that region would likely be accepted.
Unsurprisingly, Amorim and co aren’t alone in their interest, as Tottenham Hotspur are said to be the club who are ‘leading the race’ right now. The Lilywhites are even said to be ready to make a bid.
Why Conor Gallagher could be perfect for Mainoo
The key crux of the issue right now for young Mainoo is that Amorim has outlined that he views the 20-year-old as a competitor, rather than a partner, for Bruno Fernandes in central midfield, thus ensuring his route to game time is severely blocked.
That said, United’s chief creator may well still be better suited to a number ten berth, thus perhaps opening the door for Mainoo to nail down the number eight role instead, having previously thrived in a deeper position during his breakout 2023/24 season.
While last term was a tale of injuries and frustration, it’s easy to forget just what a revelation the Englishman was the year prior, having kicked things off with a Man of the Match display on his first Premier League start at Everton in November 2023.
A meteoric rise over the next few months saw the then-teenager net that Wembley winner, prior to starting every knockout game during England’s surge to the Euro 2024 final – having even started the showpiece defeat to Spain.
A “generational” talent, in the view of teammate Rasmus Hojlund, Mainoo possesses that unerring ability to simply breeze past opponents, with his poise and power having even led Anthony Elanga to describe him as having “similar attributes to Paul Pogba”.
Marcus Rashford
£42m
Scott McTominay
£42m
Kobbie Mainoo
£42m
Alejandro Garnacho
£38m
Anthony Elanga
£36m
Mason Greenwood
£34m
Alvaro Carreras
£30m
Dwight McNeil
£21m
Dean Henderson
£17m
Angel Gomes
£17m
Pogba’s time at United is enough for a 10,000-word piece on its own, but where the Frenchman truly shone was on the international stage, partnering a certain N’Golo Kante as Les Bleus claimed World Cup glory in 2018.
Like the mercurial Pogba, Mainoo is in need of that athletic workhorse alongside him – particularly so in this 3-4-2-1 system.
Enter, Gallagher.
Previously described as being like “Kante with goals” by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino – having also been likened to his ex-Chelsea colleague by Thomas Tuchel – the Atleti star would represent the perfect foil for Mainoo in the engine room.
A pressing “monster” – as per Tom Dutton – the £45m man notably ranked in the top 4% of Champions League midfielders for interceptions per 90 last season, as per FBref, having been a relentless presence in Diego Simeone’s setup.
Also ranking in the top 1% for passes between 15 and 30 yards, the one-time Crystal Palace loanee plays a simple but effective game, ensuring he could win back possession, before picking out the likes of Mainoo ahead of him.
That’s not to say he’s simply the archetypal ‘piano carrier’, however, with Gallagher also offering a real threat in his own right in attack, having registered six goals and assists in LaLiga last term. His pass accuracy rate of 87%, as per Sofascore, is also nothing to be sniffed at.
There might be more technically proficient players on the market, but few boast such impressive physical traits, with the Cobham graduate perhaps representing the athletic solution that Amorim has been searching for all summer.
If a deal can be struck in the dying embers, it could well be just what is needed to get the best out of Mainoo again. Should Amorim fail to revive United’s golden boy, on his head be it…
Great news for Mainoo: Amorim's "magician" is now open to leaving Man Utd
Manchester United might lose one of their most important players before the transfer window closes.
Manchester United may have signed off with victory at home to Aston Villa on the Premier League’s final day, although much of the talk is still centred around the fallout of Wednesday’s Europa League final disappointment.
From Luke Shaw’s depressingly downbeat post-match interview, to Bruno Fernandes’ admission that he could be sold, there was certainly plenty to unpack, not least regarding the future of Alejandro Garnacho.
Speaking after his late introduction as a substitute in the showpiece, the Argentine outlined his frustration at having started on the bench in place of Mason Mount, with Ruben Amorim adding fuel to the fire by pointing out the “big opportunity” that Garnacho had missed in the semi-final second-leg against Athletic Club.
After fighting his way back in Amorim’s plans, following his imposed exile – alongside Marcus Rashford – from the Manchester Derby back in December, that seemingly strained relationship appears to have finally cracked.
The latest on Garnacho's future at Man Utd
And so, Wednesday may well have been the last time Garnacho will be seen in a United shirt, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein breaking the news on Saturday that the 20-year-old has been told he can leave the club this summer. The youngster was then left out of Sunday’s clash with Villa.
That bombshell story follows reports in January that had linked the former Atletico Madrid starlet with a move to rivals Chelsea, with Scott McTominay’s Napoli also said to have made a bid during the winter window.
Despite ending the campaign with 21 goals and assists to his name in all competitions – a record bettered only by Fernandes among Amorim’s squad – an exit again looks to be on the cards ahead of next season.
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho
Recent reports have indicated that United are keen to rake in around £60m-£70m for a player whom they reportedly signed for just £420k back in the summer of 2020, with last year’s FA Cup final goalscorer potentially a casualty of the club’s need to comply with PSR regulations.
If Amorim and INEOS deem that sale to be the best course of action, then so be it. Although, as The Telegraph’s James Ducker has suggested, the club must certainly be sure that they are able to bring in an actual upgrade to replace him.
Man Utd's search to replace Garnacho
After the days of scouring the Netherlands for new additions during Erik ten Hag’s ill-fated tenure, there does look to be a change in tact under the new regime, with the Old Trafford hierarchy hoping to raid the Premier League for ready-made solutions.
Erik ten Hag
Indeed, recent weeks have seen United linked with players like Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, while Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap also appears high on the agenda.
First and foremost, however, the end to the season could bring about a speedy move for Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, with reports indicating that the Red Devils are now closing in on a deal for the Brazilian.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The suggestion from journalist Ben Jacobs is that United are now set to hold talks with Wolves over the 25-year-old’s this week as they look to trigger his £62.5m release clause.
Jacobs further reveals that personal terms have been agreed for a five-year contract.
Why Cunha will be perfect for Amorim
While United may have been undone by a soft, scrappy goal in Bilbao, that narrow 1-0 defeat highlighted the club’s particular woes at the other end of the pitch, having drawn a blank for the 16th time this season.
Aside from Rasmus Hojlund’s header, which was acrobatically cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven, the Red Devils had little to shout about in the showpiece, with Amorim’s attacking unit looking distinctly underpar.
One man who did at least inject a sense of urgency in the first half was Amad Diallo, with the twinkle-toed Ivorian notably flashing an effort across the box early on, having largely looked like United’s only outlet down that right flank.
Amad
While the 22-year-old was ultimately unable to drag United over the line, he has no doubt enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign in 2024/25, having rounded things off with 20 goal involvements in total, following his header against the Villans.
As Amorim suggested back in December, Amad is the “kind of player that we need in the team”, with the same seemingly true of Cunha. Indeed, the pair are noted as statistically similar players among those in their position in the Premier League this season, as per FBref.
Goals
0.35
0.54
Assists
0.30
0.22
G + A
0.65
0.75
Shot-creating actions
4.63
4.55
Successful take-ons
47.1
44.8
Progressive passes
2.84
5.02
Progressive carries
5.22
3.87
Tackles
1.79
1.29
Interceptions
0.55
0.61
That likeness between the two forwards – both of whom have typically operated as the number ten in a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation – is notably seen in their dribbling prowess, with the two men boasting a similar record with regard to successful take-ons per 90.
Equally, as indicated above, both Cunha and Amad boast an impressive average with regard to providing a goal and assist per 90, while also enjoying a similar return with regard to shot-creating actions per 90. In essence, there is a high chance of an opportunity being created in the final third when they get on the ball.
Matheus Cunha
With the left-footed Amad posing a real threat down the right flank, the right-footed Wolves star could then offer the same spark on the opposite side, having showcased his credentials with 42 goals and assists in just 82 Premier League games for the Old Gold.
As Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley suggested, the £90k-per-week maverick would be “an amazing signing for a club in United’s position”, with such a deal potentially the catalyst for brighter things in Manchester next season.
Of course, losing a talent like Garnacho would be a blow, although if the Amad-like incoming can replicate what he has shown at Molineux, then such a sale might well swiftly be forgotten.
He'd make Cunha unplayable: Man Utd leading race for "incredible" £30m CF
Ruben Amorim needs to make impactful signings this summer to get Man United back on track.
Derby County are now keen on signing a 100+ career goal forward this summer, with John Eustace personally driving the move, according to a report.
Derby's summer transfer plans taking shape
It was always going to be tough to avoid relegation from the Championship in Derby’s first season back in the second tier, but having just about got the job done, Eustace will be looking to bring in signings capable of helping his side push up the table next season.
The Rams have set out to raid some of their Championship rivals next summer, having submitted a bid for Hull City right-back Cody Drameh, although they did not receive the response they would’ve been hoping for, with the proposal being knocked back.
Drameh is not the only defender in Eustace’s sights, however, with enquiries also being made over centre-back Ricardo Santos, who is available on a free transfer upon leaving Bolton Wanderers.
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The Championship outfit are clearly keen to bolster their options at the back, despite maintaining a decent defensive record throughout the 2024-25 campaign, given their league position, shipping just 56 goals across the campaign.
However, there is also an eagerness to strengthen their attacking options, with a report from Derbyshire Live revealing Derby are now keen on a move for Andi Weimann, who previously spent three years at Pride Park from 2015 to 2018.
Blackburn Rovers' AndreasWeimann
Eustace is personally pushing for the Rams to bring back Weimann, who will be available on a free transfer, should the forward fail to agree a new contract to extend his stay with current employers Blackburn Rovers.
"Incredible" Weimann could be tempted by Derby move
The 33-year-old clearly has a strong relationship with Eustace, with the 45-year-old also signing him for Blackburn last summer, and he received high praise from his manager last season, who said: “It doesn’t matter how old he is (or) how young he is when you have a player of that quality.
“Everyone can see the impact he has had on and off the pitch. We are very fortunate that he decided to sign here.”
Former Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson is also an admirer of the Austrian, describing his desire and work ethic as “incredible”, and he has a plethora of experience at Championship level, which could be very useful for Derby.
The Blackburn forward has spent the majority of his career in the second tier, scoring 74 times in the competition, and after picking up seven goals last term, he now has over 100 career goals to his name.
As such, Weimann could be a fantastic signing for Derby, who will be hoping his existing relationship with Eustace will be helpful in convincing the attacker to move to Pride Park.