All posts by n8rngtd.top

Tottenham are now exploring a move to sign a new forward for Ange Postecoglou as they try to land a target they have been keen on since the Australian’s arrival in north London, according to a fresh report.

Tottenham transfer latest

Despite a wretched Premier League campaign to date, Tottenham have been quiet so far this winter. As it stands, they have only signed goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky for the first team.

That is something of a shock given their injury crisis and form, which have coincided to leave them 15th in the Premier League following their latest defeat to Leicester City, and while the Lilywhites have been linked with plenty of players they are yet to truly burst into life in the window.

One of those that they are very keen to sign is Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, who has impressed on the south coast even as his side look on course for relegation, a fate which the most pessimistic fans in north London fear that Spurs might share, such is their form.

Tottenham plan late January move for £8m "phenomenon" compared to Mbappe

Spurs are very keen.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 29, 2025

However, any deal in January was always unlikely given Southampton’s predicament, and the same can be said for Angel Gomes, who is another player that Tottenham hold an interest in for the summer when he is due to become a free agent.

Speaking ahead of his side’s Europa League clash with Swedish side Elfsborg, Postecoglou admitted that no deal was close for further reinforcements, but that the club remain on the lookout for opportunities in the final days of the transfer window.

“I’d be disingenuous if I said anything other than fight now there’s nothing imminent but that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunity being explored. Traditionally the last few days of any window tend to be pretty frenetic. I expect us to be involved in that”, he told the media.

Now, such an opportunity may be on the cards as Spurs look to land a long-term target.

Tottenham exploring move for wantaway Bayern gem

That comes in the form of Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel, who is now set to leave the Bavarian giants in the final days of the transfer window in search of more game time.

The Frenchman is very highly rated, with former France U21 coach Thierry Henry dubbing him an “extraordinary” talent after working with him. However, he has failed to feature in any of Bayern’s last three games and has now decided to leave the club before the window slams shut.

Tel still has four and a half years left on his £80,000 a week deal in Bavaria, and as a result a loan is possible as well as a potential permanent deal.

He has plenty of suitors, with Chelsea having pushed to sign him in recent weeks, but a fresh report from The Daily Mail claims that the Blues are not seen as an attractive option due to the number of players already competing for roles in their frontline.

Instead, it is now claimed that Spurs “now registered their interest in Tel” and are “exploring” a move to sign him before Monday alongside north London rivals Arsenal.

Tel has been a long-term target for the Lilywhites, and they asked about the Frenchman back in 2023 when they sold Kane to the German giants, but got no further. Now, in a poetic twist of fate, Kane’s form could help his former side land the Frenchman 18 months on.

Following the shock news that Jhon Duran is set to join Al-Nassr for a hefty fee before the end of the transfer window, Aston Villa have reportedly set their sights on signing a replacement worth £25m.

Aston Villa transfer news

At some stage, the Villans were always going to have to decide between Ollie Watkins and Duran, especially if they wanted to create spending power of their own and avoid profit and sustainability issues. Now, it seems as though they’ve made their choice after reportedly rejecting Arsenal’s £60m bid to sign Watkins at the same time as accepting a €77m (£64m) to sell Duran to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

What Duran’s pending exit will certainly do is hand Aston Villa some room to manoeuvre on the incomings front in the closing days of the window and that could yet see an instant replacement arrive.

Aston Villa now plotting hijack to sign "physical" £25m Disasi alternative

This would certainly ignite their Midlands rivalry…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jan 30, 2025

According to Galatasaray reporter Yakub Cinar, as reported by Haber Sabrikirmizi and relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are now plotting a move to sign Baris Alper Yilmaz, who has already been the subject of West Ham United’s rejected bid worth €30m (£25m) this month.

With added spending power, however, it remains to be seen whether Villa will enter the equation and offer Galatasaray an offer that they can’t refuse before Monday’s deadline. Villa sporting director Monchi is reportedly a big fan of the forward which could yet play a large part in his side’s pursuit either this month or in the summer when searching for a Duran replacement.

"Elusive" Yilmaz would replace Duran's goals

Whilst there’s no denying that Watkins is the undisputed main man in Unai Emery and Villa’s frontline after their decision to sell Duran, they could still do with replacing the latter’s goals from the bench and Yilmaz could do exactly that. The Turkey international impressed at the Euros last summer and has since taken that form into the current Galatasaray campaign.

The forward has earned plenty of praise throughout his career and was even backed to thrive in the Premier League if he completes a move by former Turkey international Selcuk Inan, who told reporters as relayed by the Liverpool Echo: “I think Baris Alper Yılmaz can play very comfortably for many teams in the Premier League at the moment. He’s a very special player.

“We worked a lot together. If Barıs Alper improves himself with his final ball, he can easily play for the best clubs in the world such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal. He’s a player with a lot of potential. Hopefully, he will get that chance and represent them.”

The young defender has been compared to Virgil van Dijk, but to get anywhere near that level, he'll have to become Benfica's next star first

Just look at the names that have emerged from Benfica. Even narrowing it down to players from the last few years, there are some of football's biggest names. Enzo Fernandez, Darwin Nunez, and Goncalo Ramos left for colossal transfer fees. So, too, did Ruben Dias, who immediately showed he's one of the best defenders in the world. Go back just a little bit further, and you find Joao Felix and Ederson. Angel Di Maria is a former star, too.

The thing is, though, you have to break through at Benfica before you emerge from Benfica. And that's no easy task. Some of the best prospects in the world arrive in Lisbon with big dreams of someday breaking through.

American defender Josh Wynder is one of those prospects, and he's inching closer to that first-team breakthrough. Since arriving in Portugal, Wynder has generally taken the patient road, working his way up through the club's youth system. The former Louisville City defender recently got a taste of the first-team in a cup game, though, and American fans will be watching on eagerly, hoping that that taste can soon turn into a chance for Wynder to show why he might just be one of the next big prospects to impress with one of the world's best talent developing clubs.

GOAL takes a look at Wynder as he nears a potential leap forward for club and country.

• Connor Cunningham
  

  Where it all began

  It's hard to believe that Wynder is just 20 years old. For those that have followed his career, it seems like he's been around for quite a while.

  After initially signing with hometown Louisville City in 2021, the teenage defender rapidly emerged as one of the brightest prospects in American soccer. In addition to his initial success in the USL, Wynder went on to be a key player for the U.S. on the youth level, captaining the U-19s and emerging as a starter for the 2023 U-20 World CUp team that went all the way to the quarterfinals.

  He also got a taste of the U.S. Men's National Team, earning a call-up in April 2023 for the Continental Clasico against Mexico. He didn't feature, but in many ways, the message was sent by U.S. Soccer: they were watching.

  The federation wasn't alone, either. Benfica were keeping an eye on Wynder, too, and, after a trial with the club, his mind was all but made up.

  "When I first got there [for my trial], I enjoyed it," Wynder told GOAL upon making his move in the summer of 2023. "Then a week into it I called my parents and I was like, 'I could see myself here'. I hadn't made the decision, but I told them that I can see myself here. When I got back to Louisville, I talked it over with my parents, talked with my agent, and then the next step for me was to get my parents over there to see the area and get comfortable, because they're going to be coming overseas visiting me. I think there's a lot of pieces but it all worked out."

  He added: "They develop young players really well, and that suits me perfectly. Also, just the way they play, they're a ball-playing team, which fits my playing style very well, too. It's a good area, where the facilities are, and I think the coaching staff really did a good job when I was on trial. They're communicating with me and giving me a plan, and I think the pieces just kind of put themselves together for me."

Advertisement

• Louisville City
  

  The big break

  Before even arriving at Benfica, Wynder was given a path forward. It would start with the reserves. Before he could think about taking the field in the top flight, he had to adapt and, just as importantly, prove he was ready.

  "They see me starting with the second team," Wynder said in 2023. "Hopefully, I'll integrate well with the team and start playing as soon as possible and doing well. Then, my goal is to get into the first team by the end of the year, at least training with the first team, because I think that should be my aspiration for this year. Hopefully, in the next year, or within two to three years, I'll be with the first team, starting or making appearances, whatever it is, but those are my goals."

  In that sense, Wynder is right on time. Wynder has been a rock for Benfica B in the Portuguese second division, scoring four goals across 30 appearances from the centerback position. That consistency earned him a brief look with the first team.

  On April 9, Wynder made his first-team debut for Benfica, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute in the first leg of the club's cup win over Tirsense. Benfica went on to win 9-0 across the two legs, with Wynder also named to the bench for the second match, although he didn't see the field in another blowout win.

  Wynder's debut was a reward for his play with the club's second team, for sure, but it was also likely a sign of things to come if reports out of Portugal are to be believed.

• Louisville City
  

  How it's going

  It doesn't seem Benfica will be in a position to offer many more minutes this season. Currently second in the Portuguese league, Benfica is level on points with league leaders Sporting CP heading into a clash between the two this weekend. The club will then close the league campaign with a match against Braga before then facing Sporting CP in the cup final on May 25. These are high-stakes games and not the ones to throw a young centerback into.

  Next season, though? That's when things could change.

  According to Portuguese outlet Record, Wynder is expected to be promoted to the first team next season. His performances have reportedly impressed the club's hierarchy, who now believe he's ready for the big step up to the first team.

  It would be huge for Wynder, who would then get a chance to prove himself for a heavy-hitter in a solid league. It could also mean minutes in top competitions, from this summer's Club World Cup right onto next season's Champions League. Benfica seem to believe he's nearly ready for those types of opportunities, and they may be coming soon, even if it likely won't be this season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Biggest strengths

  Listed at over six feet tall, Wynder has no problems with the physical side of the game. He's proven to be dangerous on set pieces with both Benfica B and the U.S. youth teams, which is always a pretty big bonus for a young centerback. His athleticism will help him when he does make the move to first-team soccer and his aerial ability will help earn him trust from coaches.

  His size and athleticism won't be what Benfica is focused on, though. No, the Portuguese giants will also be pleased with his technical development. Wynder always looked comfortable on the ball with Louisville City but, when playing for a team like Benfica, that skillset needs to be taken to a different level.

  The club routinely dominates lesser opponents in the Portuguese league, which means defenders have to be as comfortable passing the ball as they are heading it away. In many ways, Wynder projects to be a modern-day defender, one who can impact the game both with the ball and without it.

Vitor Pereira will firmly believe that his Wolverhampton Wanderers side can beat the Premier League drop, having overseen a big 2-0 win over Aston Villa last time out.

The relegation-threatened Old Gold were full value for that victory come full-time, having restricted Unai Emery’s away side to just one big chance all game.

Whilst Pereira would have pleased with Matheus Cunha picking up another goal to add to this Premier League resume for the season, this dogged display at the back would have impressed him even more.

Already, it seems as if fresh recruit Emmanuel Agbadou has taken to the English game like a duck to water, with the ex-Stade De Reims ace now set to be joined by a new face in the heart of defence.

Wolves' deadline signing of Djiga

Right at the death of the window, Pereira added in another new defensive body in the form of Red Star Belgrade star Nasser Djiga, with the options now available to the Portuguese head coach looking plentiful.

Indeed, in the centre-back spots, the ex-Al Shabab manager has the aforementioned Agbadou that he can rely on who won a startling 18 duels recently against Arsenal, on top of rocks such as Matt Doherty and Toti Gomes who performed in a similarly valiant manner versus Villa.

As can be seen looking at their glowing numbers above, Pereira might well feel inclined to stick with this formidable trio moving forward, with a back-to-basics approach keeping Villa very much at bay.

With the added presence of Djiga to come – who boasts five clean sheets in league action this season playing in Serbia – all of this positivity could unfortunately signal the end of this stalwart’s time at Molineux who hasn’t featured since December.

The Wolves star who needs to be sold

Indeed, Craig Dawson’s playing days at the Old Gold had already started to unravel, with the 34-year-old only making three Premier League appearances during Pereira’s tenure to date.

Only keeping one clean sheet during his 15 league games this season too, with Gary O’Neil once regularly picking the Wolves number 15 when still in charge, it does feel as if the end is in sight now for the top-flight veteran in the West Midlands.

After all, if rumours are to be believed from deadline day, the lowly top-flight outfit were willing to offload Dawson to Leicester City in exchange for former Old Gold star Conor Coady to return, before settling for the acquisition of Djiga.

That won’t exactly fill the £45k-per-week asset with much confidence that he can win back a starting spot under Pereira, therefore, with the Portuguese manager more than vindicated in his decision-making at this moment in time to try something fresh at the back, over reverting back to Dawson’s leaky displays.

Whilst Dawson will lament falling down the pecking order, new Wolves buy Djiga will hope he’s given plenty of opportunities to impress moving forward, having also bravely tallied up 5.5 ball recoveries on average this season playing for Red Star.

Once labelled as “outstanding” when at the top of his game in England by journalist Matt Law, Wolves fans will take no joy in the sad decline of their 61-game servant, but will realise all these fresh arrivals coming in means his Old Gold expiry date is near.

Worth more than Munetsi: Wolves have hit the jackpot on "high-energy" star

Wolves would make great profit if they sold this player

By
Joe Nuttall

Feb 4, 2025

The Blaugrana came from 2-0 down to be on the verge of a famous victory, only to concede twice in devastating fashion and lose in extra-time

Barcelona were beaten 4-3 by Inter on Tuesday in an exhilarating Champions League semi-final that ended with the Italian side winning 7-6 on aggregate despite Hansi Flick's side being seconds away from securing a spot in the final.

The hosts raced into a two-goal lead via strikes from Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu, before Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo drew Barca level shortly after the break.

Raphinha then seemed to have booked his side's place in the final with an 87th-minute strike, only for Francesco Acerbi to equalise in added time. Davide Frattesi then struck in the first half of extra-time to settle this epic tie.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the San Siro…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Wojciech Szczesny (5/10):

  Not at fault for any of the goals and was otherwise not called into action too much.

  Eric Garcia (6/10):

  Neither of Inter's opening two goals came from his flank and he scored with a lovely volley to get his side back into the tie, though he did miss another fine chance to draw them level in normal time.

  Pau Cubarsi (4/10):

  Committed the foul for the Inter penalty when Martinez got his body between him and the ball.

  Inigo Martinez (4/10):

  Struggled up against Thuram when the pair raced into the space left behind Barca's defence.

  Gerard Martin (7/10):

  Had a tough first half against Dumfries but produced two excellent assists to get his side back level, and could have had another when Garcia forced a fine save from Sommer.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Frenkie de Jong (5/10):

  Struggled against Inter's athleticism and speed in the first half, but warmed up as the game wore on.

  Pedri (7/10):

  Had the best day of all of Barcelona's midfield and was increasingly influential, exhibiting some superb touches.

  Dani Olmo (5/10):

  Had a bad first half, summed up by being caught on the ball for Inter's opener, but made up for it in the second by powering home a header to make it 2-2.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (7/10):

  Saw plenty of the ball and produced some lovely moments of skill to turn the tide in the second half, with his change of pace a particular feature.

  Ferran Torres (5/10):

  A quiet evening for the forward, who generally occupied Inter's backline while the others grew in prominence.

  Raphinha (6/10):

  Also struggled to make an impact as Barca funnelled the ball to Yamal on the right as often as possible. So close to then becoming the hero with a late goal to make it 3-2 before Inter's dramatic equaliser.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Subs & Manager

  Ronald Araujo (4/10):

  Could not get tight enough to Acerbi to stop him equalising and was skinned by Thuram in the build-up to Inter's fourth.

  Fermin Lopez (5/10):

  Was not too involved in extra-time.

  Robert Lewandowski (5/10):

  Hardly touched the ball as Barca went in search of an equaliser in extra-time, but did miss a headed chance with a rare opening.

  Hector Fort (5/10)

  Struggled to make an impact off the bench as his side ran out of steam.

  Gavi (5/10)

  Quiet as Barcelona couldn't recapture their second-half dominance in extra-time.

  Pau Victor (5/10)

  Also unable to help his side force more drama.

  Hansi Flick (5/10):

  Inspired a big second half from his side after they started the game badly, but ultimately defensive vulnerabilities let them down when they should have won.

Turning their attention towards the summer, Manchester City have now reportedly joined the race to sign a bargain World Cup winner who could replace Kevin de Bruyne.

Man City transfer news

The Blues weren’t afraid to splash the cash during the January transfer window, welcoming as many as five fresh faces in Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Juma Bah and Nico Gonzalez. And they’ll likely approach without fear once again in the summer transfer window as they look to rebuild a side which has been a shadow of its historic best.

Even with victory in their grasp against Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League tie, it was Ederson’s turn to endure an out-of-character moment by sending his pass straight back towards the La Liga giants, who instantly profited to level things up before Jude Bellingham netted a late winner. Within the space of 12 minutes, City had gone from leading to taking a 3-2 defeat to the Bernabeu.

With plenty of work to do, Pep Guardiola and those above him at The Etihad look destined to endure a busy summer transfer window which could yet end in the arrival of a World Cup winner.

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are now entering the race to sign Paulo Dybala, who has a release clause as cheap as €12m (£10m) this summer. The Argentine attacking midfielder, at that price, would be an undeniable bargain and could yet see the Cityzens replace De Bruyne in intelligent fashion.

Man City may have their new Brahim Díaz in Pep's "special" talent

After Brahim Díaz came back to haunt Man City during Real Madrid’s victory at the Etihad, do the Sky Blues already have the next Díaz in their squad?

1

By
Ben Gray

Feb 15, 2025

As things stand, the Belgian is set to bow out as a free agent at The Etihad at the end of the season, bringing to an end an iconic tenure at the Manchester club. Leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the park, Dybala could quickly emerge to ease any of Manchester City’s concerns.

"Phenomenon" Dybala would be surprising option

If De Bruyne really is to bow out of Manchester City at 33 years old, then Dybala would be a surprising option for the Citizens to turn to. At 31 years old, the Argentine wouldn’t solve Guardiola’s problem for long and instead add another ageing midfielder to a side full of stars at the back end of their peaks.

Even if Dybala is yet to show signs of following in the footsteps of the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, who has struggled this season, City wouldn’t have the chance to enjoy the peak of his powers for long enough to make any deal worthwhile this summer. Instead, they should set their sights on rising stars such as Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.

The AS Roma man could still have a decision to make this summer, however, and could yet bow out as a hero at his own club in the coming months. Once described as a “phenomenon” by Roma legend Francesco Totti, Dybala certainly has plenty of fans in Italy.

UEFA have reportedly ruled that host nations, including England, will have to qualify for the 2028 European Championship.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Euro 2028 will be hosted by England, Scotland, Wales & Ireland
• However, all four nations will go through the qualifying stage
• 32 nations will qualify for the main event

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a significant departure from long-standing tradition, UEFA has confirmed that host nations for the 2028 European Championship will not receive automatic entry into the tournament. England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland, who are set to jointly host the event, will all be required to compete in the qualification process in order to secure their places at the finals.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  UEFA has introduced a revised qualification process for the 2028 edition to accommodate the unique host arrangement. A total of 24 teams will participate in the final tournament. The pathway to qualification begins with traditional group stages, where 12 group winners and eight of the highest-ranking second-placed teams will qualify directly. That accounts for 20 of the 24 available spots. The remaining four slots will be filled through a combination of host nation backup allocations and a play-off round that includes Nations League group winners and non-qualified runners-up.

  In recognition of the challenge posed to host nations without the benefit of automatic qualification, UEFA has reserved up to two places for the best-performing hosts who do not qualify through their groups. These nations will be ranked based on their performance in the qualifiers, and the top two among them, if necessary, will be awarded spots in the final tournament. However, if fewer than two of the host nations fail to qualify outright, the leftover spots will be reallocated via an elaborate play-off format that considers results from the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The structure of the play-offs is fluid, depending on how many host nation slots are required. If two host nations need spots, eight teams will battle it out in two single-elimination paths—each path featuring one semi-final and one final, all played over a single leg.

  If only one host requires a place, then 12 teams will enter three separate brackets to fight for the remaining three tournament slots. Should none of the host nations need the reserved places, all four remaining positions will be determined through home-and-away play-offs involving eight teams.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  The full qualification draw and schedule for Euro 2028 is expected to be revealed in the autumn of 2025. Until then, all four co-hosting nations will be placed into different qualifying groups to ensure fairness and avoid direct competition between the hosts during the qualifying campaign.

West Ham United breezed past Leicester City to make it back-to-back Premier League wins under Graham Potter, jumping back above David Moyes’ Everton into 15th.

It’s been a turbulent season for the Hammers, who struggled to get going under Julen Lopetegui, but the gradual gains under former Chelsea and Brighton boss Potter have come to fruition in recent days, playing with resilience and purpose to win at the Emirates and indeed brushing the Foxes aside at the London Stadium.

Tomas Soucek scored on his birthday to set the tone, with Jarrod Bowen forcing an own goal from Jannik Vestergaard before the interval. It was controlled and dominant, and Leicester never really looked like troubling Alphonse Areola.

How West Ham beat Leicester

Ultimately, this was a routine victory for West Ham, who dominated the ball (finishing with 58% possession) and fashioned the brighter chances.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side actually fired more shots at goal than the Irons (eight vs ten), but Sofascore record that they failed to create a single big chance and forced just one save. Moreover, West Ham enjoyed a large stretch of the opening half without having to do any defending at all, killing the game off in that timeframe.

Potter will be delighted with the commitment shown by his players, Soucek, for example, winning six duels and completing his one attempted dribble in a powerful central performance.

However, he and Bowen were outshone by ageing star Aaron Cresswell, who may have turned 35 in December but is playing like a man reborn under new management.

West Ham's new undroppable star

Cresswell had been on the periphery for most of the campaign under Lopetegui but he’s enjoying quite the resurgence following the managerial switch, having now started five of West Ham’s past six Premier League outings, keeping successive clean sheets.

Having taken a staggering 137 touches for West Ham, Cresswell – who also completed 100% of his dribbles – was the creative centrepiece for his side, dictating from deep and channelling the flow that Leicester failed to get to grips with.

His tactical role under Potter allows him to fizz crisp crosses in from deep, and for a team of United’s physicality, this is a dangerous weapon and was applied effectively to spark Soucek’s goal, snuffing out Leicester’s bright start.

With such a fierce and complete presence on the left side of Potter’s three-man backline, you could even say that Cresswell is currently undroppable in this squad, bringing a ball-playing quality that his peers – including the likes of Jean-Clair Todibo – are unable to match right now.

Claret & Hugh issued a glowing endorsement of the stalwart’s performance, handing Cresswell an 8/10 match rating and praising his defensive efforts, rescuing Max Kilman when the evergreen Jamie Vardy sought to pounce and playing the ball that led to Soucek’s opener.

Potter has a sharp tactical mind and will only continue to inculcate his teachings onto this talented West Ham squad. With veterans like Cresswell playing with a new lease of life, there’s hope for the months – and maybe years – ahead.

A serious talent: West Ham may regret losing its biggest star since Rice

West Ham could regret losing “serious talent” who would’ve been their biggest star since Rice

1

By
Connor Holden

Feb 23, 2025

Kylian Mbappe has reportedly been offered the iconic No.10 shirt at Real Madrid, as he follows in the footsteps of Luis Figo and Mesut Ozil.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ballon d'Or winner Modric leaving as a free agent
• Mbappe starred in No.9 during debut campaign
• Offered chance to take on different squad number

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The World Cup winner inherited No.9 at Santiago Bernabeu when becoming another ‘Galactico’ in the Spanish capital during the summer of 2024. He took that jersey from fellow Frenchman Karim Benzema – who had departed Madrid a year earlier.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mbappe was asked to lead the line for the Blancos, as he was shifted inside from his favoured position on the left flank. Vinicius Junior fills that role for Real, while also donning their No.7 shirt – the number that Mbappe wore with distinction at Paris Saint-Germain.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mbappe’s debut campaign in Spain saw him register 43 goals across all competitions, helping him to the Liga Golden Boot and European Golden Shoe. He missed out on major honours while picking up UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup crowns.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  TELL ME MORE

  It is now being claimed that he could have a new look for 2025-26. According to , Mbappe has been given the chance to take Real’s No.10 shirt following the departure of Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric.

Manchester United are closely monitoring an “unbelievable” star who’s a strong Ballon d’Or contender, and they have the means to make a tempting offer in the summer, according to a new report.

Ratcliffe opens up on United's financial issues

In a recent interview with Gary Neville, Sir Jim Ratcliffe went into detail about the extent of Man United’s financial issues, stating the club would have run out of money if radical action hadn’t been taken to cut costs.

Ratcliffe also confirmed United will still be required to shell out money on previous signings this summer, including Jadon Sancho and Antony, who have been shipped out on loan after failing to adapt to life at Old Trafford.

As such, you would perhaps expect a quiet summer on the transfer front, but a new report from Caught Offside has suggested Man United have the capability of making a huge offer for Barcelona star Raphinha.

The Red Devils are closely following the forward, who has put in some fantastic performances this season, and there is a feeling they could be able to tempt Barca into a sale, given the poor financial situation at the Camp Nou.

Liverpool are also deemed to be capable of making a tempting offer for the Brazilian, while there is further interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, so there could be plenty of competition for his signature in the summer.

Man Utd could now move for "outstanding" £84m striker instead of Osimhen

The Red Devils have identified a potential alternative to the Nigerian.

By
Dominic Lund

Mar 11, 2025

"Unbelievable" Raphinha vying for the Ballon d'Or

It is little wonder Man United could be interested in a summer move for the left-winger, given that he has recently been identified as a strong contender to win the Ballon d’Or by Barcelona manager Hansi Flick.

Thierry Henry has also tipped the former Leeds United man as one of the favourites to win the award, in the wake of yet another impressive performance in the Champions League.

Remarkably, the Brazilian star is now on 46 goal contributions in all competitions this season, adding to his total last night by picking up two goals and an assist against Benfica to help his side progress to the Champions League quarter-final.

Having also been lauded as “unbelievable” this season, there is no doubt the 28-year-old, who was most recently valued at £67m, would be a top addition to Ruben Amorim’s squad.

However, it seems very unlikely Raphinha would be willing to make the move to Old Trafford, with Man United in their current state, and the £67m valuation may well have risen in recent times, which could make him unattainable.