Chelsea has experienced a very bumpy Club World Campaign to date, as an opening victory against LAFC was then rudely met by a shock 3-1 defeat at the hands of Flamengo.

It was far from the most convincing or eye-catching win against LAFC, but it was a win nonetheless for Enzo Maresca’s men to get up and running in the tournament.

However, from a Blues point of view, any slight grievances that were kept under wraps after the underwhelming victory in Atlanta have now come to the surface, with Maresca worrying already that his current squad might not be cut out for a higher finish than fourth position next time out in the Premier League.

Indeed, a sprinkling of upgrades is now desperately needed all across the pitch, with Robert Sanchez alarmingly conceding three goals to Filipe Luis’ men.

Moreover, Nicolas Jackson would only find himself battling in the Philadelphia heat for a matter of minutes before he was sent off, with it being well known that Chelsea are chasing after the services of Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike this summer.

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Jackson certainly didn’t boost his chances of a long-term Blues future by getting involved in this moment of madness, as the ex-Villarreal man begins to stare the exit door more and more in the face after a challenging few seasons in the English game.

Chelsea are no strangers to high-profile flops taking place in the striker department; however, with Romelu Lukaku failing to ever settle in West London himself over two mostly unmemorable stints.

What went wrong for Lukaku at Chelsea

In total, the Belgian – who was purchased for a mighty £97.5m to begin his second spell – would only go on to score just a slim 15 total goals for Chelsea from 59 games.

There was a lot of notable fanfare surrounding Lukaku on his return to England in 2021, with that mammoth price tag not helping matters whatsoever, on top of his then bumper 64-goal tally for Inter Milan meaning the world was anticipated of him.

Instead, only eight more strikes were added to his already weak Blues back catalogue, with the 6-foot-3 flop also not helping matters on his end when publicly declaring a desire to return back to Inter just a matter of months into his cursed Chelsea stay.

Their patience wore very thin, therefore, with it being a big relief at Stamford Bridge when the long-standing Belgian international moved back to Italy after years of inconsistent form and that infamous interview.

Chelsea's new Lukaku

Lukaku isn’t the only notable striker flop at Stamford Bridge or the last, with recent years seeing the Blues buy Timo Werner and Fernando Torres, among other costly slip-ups.

However, in the case of Jackson, there are certainly some similarities here. The 24-year-old does actually boast seven more strikes than the wasteful Werner at a respectable 30, with the Senegalese attacker only 15 shy of Torres’ total, too.

Incredibly, Jackson has even doubled Lukaku’s slim amount too, despite receiving notable pelters for his off-performances.

He’s not quite tainted his Chelsea stay in a similar fashion just yet – minus his recent dismissal irking Blues fans – but it’s clear that the ex-Villarreal man might be on borrowed time himself and could be put out of his misery shortly, much like Lukaku last summer.

After all, when Jackson entered Stamford Bridge back in the summer of 2023 for £30m, there would have been the same buzz in the air that was around when Lukaku first relocated to West London from Anderlecht.

Indeed, he had just moved to England off the back of bagging a promising 12 La Liga strikes for Villarreal. But, for as much as he has gone on to score that aforementioned tally of 30 goals for the Blues, other numbers away from just this output alone are worrying to read.

Games played

35

30

Goals scored

14

10

Assists

5

5

Big chances missed

24

19

Big chances created

8

6

Looking at the numbers above, Jackson has staggeringly spurned 43 big chances over his two Chelsea seasons, meaning his goal tally could well be even heftier now if he possessed more accuracy.

He could well be more suited to hone his craft where the spotlight isn’t so intensely focused on him, with Chelsea maybe having another Lukaku on their hands in terms of a striker being able to set other European leagues alight, whilst never being able to fully settle in West London, frustratingly.

After all, it has now been reported that Jackson could follow Lukaku’s footsteps very closely by moving out to Italy.

Indeed, a report from Sky Italia – which has been relayed by Sky Sports – indicates that Jackson might be on the move in the coming weeks or months.

Sky Italia alleges that both Juventus and Napoli are intrigued by the prospect of landing the hit-and-miss 24-year-old at some point this summer, although his wages and transfer fee might well be a problem to cough up.

On the contrary, opposing information coming out of Stamford Bridge itself seems to indicate that Chelsea do want to keep their £100k-per-week hotshot around, even as suitors from Saudi Arabia and the Premier League circle.

If Jackson does up and leave – for as much as he has irritated and irked Chelsea supporters over his hot-and-cold stint to date – he could go on to be a rip-roaring success elsewhere like the much-talked-about Belgian.

After all, it’s not as if Jackson isn’t getting into worthwhile goalscoring positions for Chelsea, with the 24-year-old’s barrage of missed chances coming off the back of him being able to find space.

Lukaku also spurned many a big chance when failing to get going in the Premier League, as seen in his tally of 15 big chances being missed during the 2018/19 season.

Therefore, in an environment that isn’t so intense, Jackson could go on to find his goalscoring groove even more, much like Lukaku has managed when plying his trade in Italy.

24/25

38

14

11

23/24

47

21

4

22/23

37

14

7

Lukaku has certainly lived up to the “world-class” billing thrust his way by England manager Thomas Tuchel playing for Napoli, AS Roma, and Inter Milan since his disastrous Blues goodbye, with 49 goals powered home by the long-standing Belgian international across 122 clashes.

Jackson would hope for similar rich veins of form if he soon swapped West London for either Juventus or Napoli, with the 6-foot-2 striker also praised in a glowing manner to Lukaku in the past, having been heralded as “special” by football analyst Rahman Osman when previously shining at Stamford Bridge.

It would be a sad ending for Jackson if he were to shortly head to a new club, with his reckless red card against Flamengo stealing all the headlines, over his prior goalscoring exploits in West London.

But, as has been shown in Lukaku’s own up-and-down story, a move out to Europe could be his best possible next step if he is to depart.

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Arsenal’s search for a new striker could still go on long into the summer transfer window, with sporting director Andrea Berta currently weighing up their best possible move.

Arsenal assessing Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres deals

As per a helpful update from the BBC, amidst some confusion over who Arsenal’s top striker target actually is, the Gunners are actively working to discover the conditions of deals for both Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP) and Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig).

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Both strikers, fresh off the back of career-best campaigns at their current clubs, have serious credentials.

Sesko, standing at a towering 6 foot 5, boasts a fairly modest goal-record of 21 in all competitions from last season. However, the 22-year-old’s potential for growth, not to mention outstanding physical attributes like his speed and power, make him a very intriguing option for Mikel Arteta.

The Spaniard is known to be a big fan of his, and Arsenal have tried to sign Sesko on multiple occasions since last summer, so they could still make it third-time-lucky this window.

Meanwhile, Gyokeres has just concluded a sublime Primeira Liga campaign, where he guided Sporting to their first domestic double in 20 years whilst scoring an incredible 54 goals in all competitions.

While Arsenal work to discover which deal would be best suited to the club, both centre-forwards are set to be “extremely expensive”, so it is vital that Arteta and Berta get this decision right.

That being said, there are suggestions that Arsenal do have other alternative targets in that position, so it isn’t exactly a straight two-horse race between Sesko and Gyokeres for the Gunners’ striker spot.

Arsenal internally discussing deal for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins – an England international and boyhood Arsenal supporter – was subject to a low-ball bid from north London in the January transfer window.

Arsenal made a £45 million offer for Watkins to test Unai Emery’s resolve, according to The Telegraph, which is nearly half of Villa’s £80 million valuation.

The north Londoners never went back in with a second offer, but a new report from The Athletic suggests that a fresh summer swoop for Watkins isn’t completely off the table, despite work going into Sesko and Gyokeres right now.

It is believed Arsenal are still internally discussing Watkins as a striker target, and while they face a major obstacle in the form of Villa, they may not run into much trouble when it comes to convincing the player himself.

Back in 2020, Watkins admitted that he dreams of a move to Arsenal one day, and now that he’s 29-years-old, time is running out to make that fantasy a reality.

“That’s the dream, to play for Arsenal one day,” Watkins said.

“But, you know, it’s a long shot.”

The former Brentford star helped to fire Villa to a Europa League spot with 17 goals and 14 assists in all competitions last season.

His Premier League pedigree and experience at the top-level is something which should be carefully considered by Berta, with the only sticking points being his age and potential price tag.

Liverpool plan on defending their newly claimed Premier League title next season, having defied expectations to dominantly dethrone Manchester City after four years, brushing injury-hit Arsenal aside in the race for the top spot.

Few expected Arne Slot’s side to challenge this year, having just been dealt the bitter blow of Jurgen Klopp’s departure, the iconic manager stepping down after nearly nine years at the helm.

Football can be fickle, however, and the detractors will be out in force come autumn, waiting for the Merseysiders to stumble. That’s why FSG have moved incisively to back their head coach and strengthen a number of areas.

Liverpool’s full-back berths have been shored up, even with Trent Alexander-Arnold now playing in Real Madrid’s white jersey, and Florian Wirtz is on the brink of signing for the English giants.

Negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen have dragged on a bit, but all parties expect Wirtz to sign for the Anfield side, and for a British-record £120m fee at that.

And there’s even more still to come.

Liverpool's summer transfer plans

Wirtz is a one-of-a-kind attacking midfielder, regarded by sports media professional Cristian Nyari to be a “truly generational talent.”

However, he alone won’t restore the equilibrium of Liverpool’s frontline. Darwin Nunez is “planning to leave”, as per Fabrizio Romano, and Liverpool are doing due diligence on a number of strikers, the likes of which include Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig. Victor Osimhen’s name has also been mentioned.

Liverpool, furthermore, could lose one of their major attacking cogs, Luis Diaz, who is being courted by Barcelona and Saudi side Al Nassr. Barcelona have already seen an approach rebuffed.

Should Diaz, who is entering the second-to-last year of his contract, leave, Liverpool will need to source a replacement, and they might just have found the man for the job.

Liverpool plotting move for Premier League star

As per TEAMtalk, Liverpool are considering making their move for Newcastle United wide forward Anthony Gordon, who has been valued at £80m.

Transfer Focus

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

The winger is said to be ‘extremely happy’ at St James’ Park, although he would be ‘very keen’ on returning to Merseyside, with Liverpool ‘confident of striking a deal’, despite the lack of ‘club-to-club contact’ with the Magpies as yet.

It feels unlikely Gordon would arrive if Diaz stays put, but this could be a neat replacement for a 28-year-old who appears open to leaving, especially since, for Gordon, it would be a homecoming, having left Liverpool’s academy aged 11.

Liverpool will continue to prepare their offer until Diaz’s future is resolved, but should the Colombian leave, the Magpies ace is the top target.

Why Liverpool should sign Anthony Gordon

Last summer, Liverpool explored an opportunity to sign Gordon after his tremendous 2023/24 campaign for Newcastle, notching 28 goal contributions across all competitions.

However, the Magpies found alternative ways to avoid financial repercussions from the Premier League, and he stayed put.

Now, though, the potential sale of Diaz could see the Reds return, maybe enticing the boyhood Liverpool fan to make the move back to Merseyside and combine with a fellow new recruit in Wirtz, who might just hold the key to a new level of performance on the 24-year-old Gordon’s part.

Diaz can prove a tricky opponent for even the meanest of defences, and in that regard, Gordon could be the perfect replacement, having described himself as being “a nightmare for anyone”.

His pace and athleticism are exactly what Liverpool need to keep their left flank firing on all cylinders, and with Wirtz pulling the strings from the middle, it might be the start of a truly special partnership.

Wirtz’s blend of creativity, hard graft and dribbling is enough to raise the game of any forward teammates, including that of Gordon, who perhaps hasn’t reached the same heights on Tyneside across his second full season.

Injury and suspension have come together to prove a hindrance for the Three Lions star across the latter half of the season, but he’s now a Carabao Cup champion and played his part in pulling Newcastle back into the Champions League.

Moreover, there’s enough there to suggest Wirtz could elevate him to the next level. Indeed, former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes has described the German international as being “probably the best midfielder in the world.”

So then, such a player would be perfect to bring Gordon back to life. The Leverkusen sensation, after all, ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Bundesliga last year for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes and progressive carries, and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

The high-level consistency across so many different metrics really does make a conclusive comment on the calibre of player Liverpool could be getting with Wirtz, and if fielded alongside Gordon, Slot could have a duo for the ages, capable of leading the club to another sustained spell of glory, challenging every year for the biggest prizes.

For now, we can only wait for the movements concerning Diaz’s future at Liverpool. But given the proactive start to the summer that sporting director Richard Hughes is overseeing, you wouldn’t bet against levers having been put in place to make a move for Gordon in the coming weeks, bringing him back to Anfield after so many years.

Wirtz will make him world-class: Liverpool now targeting "the new Haaland"

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By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 5, 2025

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo is aiming to use the 2025 summer transfer window to bolster a squad which secured European qualification last term.

Given how well the club performed throughout 2024/25, Forest have a genuine chance of winning the Conference League.

Santo has shown admiration for plenty of potential targets, including Yunus Musah and Lukas Ullrich, but it appears as though one Serie A star has been linked more than most…

Latest on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Timothy Weah

As was widely reported earlier this month, including via transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio, Forest were believed to be interested in signing Timothy Weah this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Juventus appeared to be demanding just £12m for Weah, should they agree to cash in, which looked to be a solid piece of business by the club.

Last season, the American played 43 times for the Serie A giants, scoring six goals and grabbing five assists in the process.

In the top flight, he recorded an impressive goal conversion percentage of 24%, while also creating four big chances and averaging 0.6 key passes per game.

He played across several positions last year, predominantly on the right flank, a position which the Midlands side are keen to bolster.

After stepping up their pursuit of the one-time Celtic loanee, however, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on Friday that Forest had actually walked away from any negotiations, despite the deal being “close”, after carrying out “extensive data analysis”.

As such, the City Ground outfit may need to turn their attention elsewhere, with one Brazilian star seemingly on their radar…

Why Nottingham Forest must sign Pepe

As reported by ESPN earlier this week, four Premier League clubs have opened talks to sign Porto winger Pepe this summer.

Forest have been named as one of those clubs, along with Aston Villa, Fulham and Burnley. The fact that Santo led them to Europe indicates that they could potentially be one of the frontrunners.

Goals

3

Assists

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes per game

1

Successful dribbles per game

0.6

Shots per game

1

A fee of £21m has been set, which is more than affordable for the Midlands side, no doubt about that.

While Weah may be the cheaper option, Pepe is certainly the bigger talent. Last season, the Brazilian dynamo registered an impressive total of 11 goal contributions across all competitions.

When comparing the pair via their domestic stats last term, it becomes clear who enjoyed the more productive campaign. Indeed, Pepe not only recorded more shots per 90 (1.36 vs 1.15), but he also registered more shot-creating actions (2.71 vs 1.98), goal-creating actions (0.36 vs 0.16) and more touches in the opposition penalty area (79 vs 35), showcasing his superiority in these metrics.

South American football expert Tim Vickery lauded the winger when he was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur a couple of seasons ago, saying:

“I certainly remember him as a winger with Gremio, little mosquito kind of winger, who can do either flank.”

His ability to play on either wing could also come in handy, giving Santo some added flexibility, especially if injuries start to play their part.

It is clear that the manager wants to bring those to Forest who have proven ability on the biggest stages. Having scored in the Champions League, Copa Libertadores and Europa League, as well as gaining two caps for Brazil, Pepe would be an excellent signing.

Nottingham Forest join race for one of the rising stars of U21 Euros

Anderson already knows all about his quality…

ByTom Cunningham Jun 26, 2025

The Pakistan trio of Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim and Fakhar Zaman will turn out for new franchise Antigua & Barbuda Falcons at CPL 2024. Falcons have also signed Australia offspinner Chris Green and Afghanistan allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai for their debut season.West Indies’ Brandon King and Fabian Allen were also signed, along with 17-year-old batter Jewel Andrew, who played the Under-19 World Cup for West Indies earlier this year.In all, Falcons have signed 12 players so far, which means they will need to sign five more players at the draft in July to round-out their squad.Related

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Other big signings for CPL 2024 so far have included Tim David and Jason Roy (Trinbago Knight Riders), Heinrich Klaasen (St Lucia Kings), and Wanindu Hasaranga and Tristan Stubbs (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots).Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, the new franchise, replaces Jamaica Tallawahs at the CPL. Antigua had previously hosted a CPL franchise named Antigua Hawksbills in the first two CPL seasons, but that was replaced by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2015.The 2024 edition of the CPL will take place from August 28 to October 6 with games taking place in Antigua for the first time in ten years. Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago are the other venues. The National Stadium in Providence, Guyana, will host the final.

Antigua & Barbuda Falcons squad list

Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Amir, Chris Green, Hayden Walsh Jr, Shamar Springer, Kelvin Pitman, Jewel Andrew, Joshua James

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo is aiming to use the 2025 summer transfer window to bolster a squad which secured European qualification last term.

Given how well the club performed throughout 2024/25, Forest have a genuine chance of winning the Conference League.

Santo has shown admiration for plenty of potential targets, including Yunus Musah and Lukas Ullrich, but it appears as though one Serie A star has been linked more than most…

Latest on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Timothy Weah

As was widely reported earlier this month, including via transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio, Forest were believed to be interested in signing Timothy Weah this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

Juventus appeared to be demanding just £12m for Weah, should they agree to cash in, which looked to be a solid piece of business by the club.

Last season, the American played 43 times for the Serie A giants, scoring six goals and grabbing five assists in the process.

In the top flight, he recorded an impressive goal conversion percentage of 24%, while also creating four big chances and averaging 0.6 key passes per game.

He played across several positions last year, predominantly on the right flank, a position which the Midlands side are keen to bolster.

After stepping up their pursuit of the one-time Celtic loanee, however, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on Friday that Forest had actually walked away from any negotiations, despite the deal being “close”, after carrying out “extensive data analysis”.

As such, the City Ground outfit may need to turn their attention elsewhere, with one Brazilian star seemingly on their radar…

Why Nottingham Forest must sign Pepe

As reported by ESPN earlier this week, four Premier League clubs have opened talks to sign Porto winger Pepe this summer.

Forest have been named as one of those clubs, along with Aston Villa, Fulham and Burnley. The fact that Santo led them to Europe indicates that they could potentially be one of the frontrunners.

Pepe’s statistics for Porto (league only)

Goals

3

Assists

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes per game

1

Successful dribbles per game

0.6

Shots per game

1

Via Sofascore

A fee of £21m has been set, which is more than affordable for the Midlands side, no doubt about that.

While Weah may be the cheaper option, Pepe is certainly the bigger talent. Last season, the Brazilian dynamo registered an impressive total of 11 goal contributions across all competitions.

When comparing the pair via their domestic stats last term, it becomes clear who enjoyed the more productive campaign. Indeed, Pepe not only recorded more shots per 90 (1.36 vs 1.15), but he also registered more shot-creating actions (2.71 vs 1.98), goal-creating actions (0.36 vs 0.16) and more touches in the opposition penalty area (79 vs 35), showcasing his superiority in these metrics.

South American football expert Tim Vickery lauded the winger when he was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur a couple of seasons ago, saying:

“I certainly remember him as a winger with Gremio, little mosquito kind of winger, who can do either flank.”

His ability to play on either wing could also come in handy, giving Santo some added flexibility, especially if injuries start to play their part.

It is clear that the manager wants to bring those to Forest who have proven ability on the biggest stages. Having scored in the Champions League, Copa Libertadores and Europa League, as well as gaining two caps for Brazil, Pepe would be an excellent signing.

Related Nottingham Forest join race for one of the rising stars of U21 Euros

Anderson already knows all about his quality…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 26, 2025

Zampa leads stellar bowling attack to two wins from two in low-scoring encounter

ECB Media28-Jul-2024

Oval Invincibles 113 for 9 (Ferreira 30, Ball 3-24) beat Welsh Fire 103 for 8 (Payne 28, Zampa 3-24) by 10 runsIn a match dominated by the ball, the Oval Invincibles made it two from two, beating the Welsh Fire by 10 runs in an exciting encounter in Cardiff.Although they only posted 113 for 9, the Invincibles’ stellar bowling unit tore through the Fire, with the hosts never looking like chasing down the modest total.Leg-spinners Nathan Sowter (two for 12) and Adam Zampa (three for 24) starred for the defending champions, with the latter picking up his second Meerkat Match Hero award in as many games.Asked to bat by Welsh Fire captain Tom Abell, the Invincibles lost Dawid Malan almost immediately as he flicked David Willey to midwicket. Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye responded well in the powerplay, but the Welsh Fire’s talented seam arsenal stuck to their task. Jacks fell victim to Josh Little, finding the hands of Mason Crane on the long square leg boundary (25 from 15), and Jake Ball and Willey removed Sam Billings and Muyeye respectively to leave the Invincibles struggling at 58 for 4 at the halfway mark.Donovan Ferreira (30 from 23) and Sam Curran (20 from 21) provided some resistance in the face of the Fire onslaught, but the Invincibles never really got going, with wickets continuing to fall at regular intervals, and Ball ending as the pick of the bowlers taking three for 24.Defending 113 was always going to be a tough ask for the Invincibles, and it was made all the more so when Jonny Bairstow was dropped on four by Harrison Ward off the bowling of Saqib Mahmood. Fortunately for Ward, Australian Spencer Johnson cleaned him up a couple of balls later.After Curran bowled Joe Clarke with the first ball of his spell, the Invincibles spinners came to the fore. Zampa continued his good form for the Invincibles, picking up the wickets of Abell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (22 from 33) and Willey, while Sowter removed Glenn Phillips and Luke Wells.Some lusty hitting from David Payne (28 from 15) and Crane took the game to the final few balls, but Curran held his nerve to secure the win.Meerkat Match Hero, Zampa, said: “It was important to start well. We needed some early wickets to get momentum going into the middle overs and the way that Spencer (Johnson) and Saqy (Mahmood) bowled was superb. It was really exciting to watch from mid-off.”Me and Sowts (Sowter) have to play different roles throughout and me bowling more towards the back end with the run rate going up is when I can get into my work.””There wasn’t much pace in the wicket, there was a bit of spin if you gave it some. It was hard to score on it throughout the game.”

Celtic appear to be closing in on an exciting addition to their attacking arsenal as they pursue a deal for FC Nordsjaelland winger Benjamin Nygren.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph recently claimed that the Hoops are close to agreeing a fee to sign the Sweden international from the Danish outfit.

For a fee of around £2m, the 23-year-old attacker could be a very cost-effective and shrewd signing for Brendan Rodgers ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Why £2m is a bargain fee for Benjamin Nygren

The Scottish giants appear set to land a bargain deal for the left-footed winger because his contract with Nordsjaelland is due to expire at the end of December.

This means that the Danish outfit have to cash in now, for a reduced fee, because they would otherwise risk losing him for nothing in the January transfer window at the start of next year.

It also looks to be a bargain because of the quality that he could provide at the top end of the pitch, after the flanker scored 15 goals in 30 league matches this season.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The £2m fee also means that Nygren is set to be worth less than the majority of the Celtic squad, including centre-back Liam Scales, who the club have hit gold on.

Celtic have hit the jackpot on Liam Scales

The Hoops swooped to sign the Ireland international from Shamrock Rovers in the summer of 2021 for a reported fee of £500k, which has turned out to be a bargain fee for the defender.

Scales has scored six goals in 97 appearances for the Scottish giants in all competitions to date, and has been a regular starter at the back under Rodgers in the past two seasons.

The left-footed titan even made the PFA Team of the Year, alongside defensive partner Cameron Carter-Vickers, at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, thanks to his impressive showings in the Scottish Premiership.

Scales’ emergence as a regular starter, and excellent performer, for the Hoops in the last two seasons has caused his market value to soar way beyond the £500k they initially paid for him, and beyond the fee they are set to pay for Nygren.

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old defender’s value is now at a whopping £3.4m, which is significantly more than the £500k they invested in him four years ago.

It also means that Scales, who was dubbed “underrated” by Neil Lennon, is worth £1.4m more than a winger who scored 15 league goals this season, Nygren, which is still impressive in spite of the forward’s contractual situation.

His market value shows that Celtic hit the jackpot by snapping him up from Shamrock Rovers for a modest fee, as he has developed into a regular starter and a very valuable asset who could make the club a healthy profit in the future if they decide to cash in on him.

As exciting as Nygren: £7m star is now a target for Celtic this summer

Celtic are eyeing up another forward alongside the signing of Benjamin Nygren.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 17, 2025

Hopefully, Scales will continue to be a dependable figure at the back for the Scottish giants next season, which could lead to his value soaring even higher.

Andrew Strauss has called for James Anderson to receive a knighthood as the England legend prepares for his 188th and final Test cap at Lord’s this week.As Test cricket’s most productive pace bowler with 700 career dismissals at 26.52, and England’s most capped cricketer, “Sir Jimmy” seems a foregone conclusion.Strauss is one of a number within English cricket to be recently awarded knighthoods, having received the honour in 2019 from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to charity, sport and cricket (his longtime opening partner Alastair Cook is also a Sir). Having captained Anderson for 42 Tests, and also worked above the 41-year-old as the ECB’s director of men’s cricket, Strauss has had a box seat to Anderson’s brilliance. He can also speak to his longevity, having retired from Test cricket 12 years ago, despite making his debut a year after Anderson in 2004.Related

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• James Anderson 'at peace' with retirement despite bowling 'as well as ever'

• James Anderson: England's reluctant retiree faces up to his end-game

When asked if Anderson was worthy of being knighted too, Strauss was unequivocal: “Very much so! I think any fast bowler that plays 188 Test matches deserves a knighthood, I’ll put it that way.”Strauss had previously tried and failed to park Anderson and Stuart Broad, who retired at the end of last summer. Off the back of a disastrous 2021-22 Ashes campaign, Strauss, in his guise as interim director of cricket following the departure of Ashley Giles, dropped the pair for a tour of the West Indies.Their absence was short-lived as Ben Stokes restored Anderson and Broad for the home summer with his first act as Test captain. Two years on, Stokes, along with head coach Brendon McCullum and men’s managing director Rob Key, have finally pulled the plug on Anderson.”Jimmy’s still bowling well, as we saw from his performances at Lancashire [for whom he took 7 for 35 last week] but there’s a ticking clock there for the next Ashes, isn’t there?” Strauss said. “I think 18 games until the next Ashes. And at some stage you’ve got to juggle the needs for the future with the needs for the present. So I can understand why they’ve chosen this as the right time to do that.”One thing we know for sure is that to win in Australia, or to win any test match or any Test series, it all comes down to the quality and variety of your bowling attack. And so, to me, the next Ashes is too far away for Jimmy.”People have written him off many times, including probably myself, but that does feel too far down the road. And so at some stage you have got to start planning for that.”I think it’s a tremendous thing that he has the opportunity here this week to feel the love, I suppose, and to get the appreciation he deserves from the cricketing public for those 21 years. It’s going to be a very emotional and poignant Test match and, of course, the boots that need to be filled are immense. But I can understand why this is the right time.”Strauss will be present for Anderson’s farewell with Lord’s set to turn red on day two to support the Ruth Strauss Foundation’s #RedForRuth campaign.It will be the sixth year of the initiative, aiming to raise funds and awareness for the charity set-up in memory of Strauss’ late wife, which supports families facing the death of a parent from cancer, and funds more collaboration and research into non-smoking lung cancers.”Most of what I’ve done in my career, achievement-wise, has been about me but this isn’t,” Strauss said. “This is about a need that we can help fill and I feel very proud we are carrying out Ruth’s wishes to a certain degree. But our work is only just beginning, really.”We would struggle to do what we do without this ‘Red for Ruth’ Test match and we are incredibly grateful to the ECB, to Lord’s and to the cricket community for continuing to support us.”

Leeds United now hold an advantage in the race for a £17m midfielder, who Red Bull will know “all about”, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed.

Leeds eyeing midfielder after missing out on Diarra

After being promoted from the Championship alongside Sunderland, it is no surprise that Leeds have identified similar targets to the Black Cats, and they will be extremely disappointed to have lost out to the play-off final winners in the race for two midfielders.

Habib Diarra had been on the Whites’ shortlist prior to the 21-year-old’s move to the Stadium of Light, and they now appear to have missed out on a deal for Noah Sadiki, with the Union Saint-Gilloise maestro set to complete a move to Wearside.

As such, Daniel Farke’s side will now be forced to move on to different options in the middle of the park, and Bailey has dropped a more promising update on their pursuit of Hoffenheim midfielder Anton Stach.

The transfer expert told Leeds United News that the Whites’ Red Bull connection should give them the edge over their Premier League rivals in the race for the German’s signature, given their minority owners’ involvement in the Bundesliga.

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Bailey said: “He’s on the list I’m told. Hoffenheim are not keen for him to go. Leeds aren’t the only ones interested from what I’m told. A very good player and obviously through Red Bull, Leeds are well-versed on him.

“They’re ahead of many other Premier League teams when it comes to German-based talent. So, it’s not a surprise, you know, it’s not going to be a huge surprise. If there’s a good one, Leeds know all about it.”

"Underrated" Stach could be better signing than Sadiki

Leeds will be frustrated that Sunderland were able to pip them to Sadiki’s signature, but there are signs that Stach could be a better signing than the Belgian-born midfielder.

Firstly, the two-time Germany international is more experienced in a top league, having made 122 Bundesliga appearances, while Sadiki remains unproven outside Belgium.

Not only that, but the “underrated” Hoffenheim star excels defensively, outperforming the new Sunderland signing across a number of key metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Anton Stach

Noah Sadiki

Interceptions

1.65 (93rd percentile)

1.08 (55th percentile)

Blocks

1.60 (85th percentile)

1.34 (64th percentile)

Clearances

3.65 (99th percentile)

1.34 (38th percentile)

Aerials won

1.83 (88th percentile)

0.30 (8th percentile)

Stach should be available for a fee of around £17m, which seems a reasonable fee, given the level of his performances for Hoffenheim, and it could be a blessing in disguise that Leeds missed out on Sadiki and Diarra.