Glasgow Rangers have been backed to make a move to sign a new free agent, with a BBC pundit believing he’d be the perfect fit for the Scottish Premiership.
What new players have Rangers signed?
Over the summer, Michael Beale entered the market to secure nine fresh faces, with Danilo, Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers and Jose Cifuentes being purchased, whilst the likes of Jack Butland and Dujon Sterling joined for free.
In terms of outgoings, Glen Kamara, Fashion Sakala and Antonio Colak were the three permanent sales to take place, whilst Ryan Kent and Filip Helander led the departures of squad members that had reached the end of their contracts, as per Transfermarkt.
The Light Blues might already be assessing their options ahead of the January window opening, and one star that they could target is Stefan Johansen, who most recently played his football for Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship.
The Norway international, who is naturally a central midfielder, decided to mutually terminate his contract at the end of last season meaning that he is now a free agent on the market and waiting to be snapped up, and the 32-year-old has been mooted to move to Ibrox.
Are Rangers signing Stefan Johansen?
Speaking to Football League World, BBC pundit Carlton Palmer named Rangers as a potential destination for Johansen, who he believes would easily slot into their style of football, especially having previously been coached by Beale during his time at Loftus Road. He said:
"Stefan Johansen is a very, very good footballer. I think maybe Glasgow Rangers might have a little look at him on a free. He is an experienced midfielder that can play really, really well, and play at a high level. Maybe someone like Glasgow Rangers may look at him on a free. He’s available, has experience, and has worked with the previous manager."
Queens Park Rangers' former midfielder Stefan Johansen.
What could Stefan Johansen bring to Rangers?
Being 32, Rangers will know that Johansen isn’t getting any younger, but with age comes experience and he’s had plenty of that having been dubbed the “ultimate professional” by journalist Josh Bunting, so he could prove to be a fantastic short-term addition for Beale.
The TP Sport Management client is naturally stronger in the offensive aspect of his game having clocked up 19 contributions (13 assists and six goals) in 88 appearances during his time at QPR, whilst whipping 73 crosses into the opposition’s box last season, which was the fourth-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef.
The Hoops’ former left-footed ace is also a versatile operator having been deployed in six different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the midfield and even at centre-forward, so he would be a wonderful option for the boss to have in the building should any unexpected injuries occur in other roles where cover is needed.
Finally, Johansen was the captain of Gareth Ainsworth's side which means he will possess extremely strong leadership qualities, so for all the atrributes that he would add to the boss' ranks, alongside the fact he's available for free, this is a no-brainer of a deal to complete.
Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Joe Rothwell appears to be heading for a quick exit from Ibrox, just months after joining on a permanent deal from Bournemouth in the summer.
The Daily Record reports that Sheffield United are confident that they can get a deal over the line to sign the 30-year-old midfielder when the January transfer window opens.
Chris Wilder’s side are pushing to land the former Leeds and Southampton loanee, who has not featured for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership since October.
The experienced flop has only started five league games, per Sofascore, and has failed to establish himself as a regular in the middle of the park since the new manager came through the door.
Rangers want to sign new central midfielder
Rothwell’s move to Sheffield United, should that go through next month, would create the space in the squad for Danny Rohl to bring in a signing of his own to replace him.
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According to TEAMtalk, Glasgow Rangers are ready to sanction an exit for Rothwell because they have identified a player who could come in as his replacement.
The report claims that the Gers want to sign Tromso central midfielder Jens Hjerto-Dahl to replace the experienced Englishman in the January transfer window.
It adds that the Light Blues have been impressed by his performances this season, having sent scouts to watch him in action, and now they want to add him to their squad.
TEAMtalk reveals that a fee of around £5m will be required to convince Tromso to part ways with the talented youngster, who would come in as a perfect upgrade on Rothwell.
Why Rangers should sign Jens Hjerto-Dahl
Rangers Journal creator and analyst Kai Watson described Hjerto-Dahl as “one of the biggest talents in Norway” and stated that it would be a “huge coup” for the club to bring him to Ibrox in January.
The 20-year-old star’s form in the Eliteserien in the 2025 campaign suggests that he would come in as a big upgrade on what Rothwell has offered in midfield for the Gers so far, and backs up Watson’s claim that he is a big talent.
Hjerto-Dahl was a regular starter for Tromso in the 2024 and 2025 Eliteserien campaigns, despite the fact that he only turned 20 in October, which speaks to how big a talent he is, as his club have viewed him as a key first-team player since he was 17.
As Rohl looks to the future at Ibrox, signing a 20-year-old starlet who has plenty of upside as a replacement for a 30-year-old dud who has failed to make an impact at Rangers makes perfect sense.
Rothwell has not delivered enough quality on the pitch for the Scottish giants this season in the Premiership, which is in stark contrast to Hjerto-Dahl’s form for Tromso this year.
Appearances
30
8
Goals
4
0
Big chances created
5
2
Assists
4
1
Dribbles completed per game
1.3
0.5
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.5
1.9
Duels won per game
5.0
2.0
As you can see in the table above, the Norwegian talent’s form in 2025 suggests that he would come in as a massive upgrade on what Rothwell has provided on the pitch for the Gers so far.
Hjerto-Dahl appears to be capable of offering more in front of goal, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, whilst also being more combative in his duels, tackles, and interceptions to win the ball back for his side.
These statistics suggest that the £5.3m-rated star would significantly improve the squad as a replacement for Rothwell in the short-term, if he can adapt to Scottish football and translate his form from the Eliteserien over to the Premiership.
Hjerto-Dahl, who once scored the beautiful goal in the clip above, is also ten years younger than Rothwell, who is 30, which means that he has far more time left to develop and improve as a player.
The Norwegian star, therefore, would be a perfect upgrade on Rothwell because he has the potential to be an immediate improvement on the Englishman with what he can offer in the second half of the season, whilst also having many more years left to get even better.
Rohl must drop Fernandez & "rotten" Rangers flop who belong in Caixinha era
Danny Rohl should drop this Glasgow Rangers duo who belong in the Pedro Caixinha era after their performances against Ferencvaros.
ByDan Emery 2 days ago
This is why the Gers should push hard to make Hjerto-Dahl one of Rohl’s first signings at Ibrox, after allowing Rothwell to join Sheffield United next month.
Mason Greenwood’s team-mates at Manchester United are reportedly prepared to welcome him back to Old Trafford following a productive loan in Spain.
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Last played for Red Devils in January 2022
Currently spending time in Spain
Permanent transfer has been speculated on
WHAT HAPPENED?
The 22-year-old forward has not played for the Red Devils since January 2022, following his arrest on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour. Those charges were dropped in February 2023.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Greenwood was loaned out to Getafe a few months later, and the one-cap England international has impressed in La Liga. He is said to have attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, with a big-money transfer in the summer of 2024 being touted.
DID YOU KNOW?
United, though, have Greenwood tied to a contract through to 2025 and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, following his acquisition of a 25 per cent stake at Old Trafford, has not ruled out a return to Manchester. It is now being suggested that first-team players would be willing to work with Greenwood again.
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WHAT THE SUN SAID ABOUT GREENWOOD
claims to have been told by a source that: “His team-mates would not be against him returning to Old Trafford. They know all about the background and understand how controversial it would be to have him back. Their decision is a footballing one, pure and simple. United have struggled to score goals this season and they need a player like Mason. They’re watching him score and create goals for Getafe every week.”
Loris Karius played in his first Premier League game in six years as he keeps goal for Newcastle against Arsenal at the Emirates.
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Karius replaces Martin Dubravka in goalOnly his second appearance for Newcastle Eddie Howe has explained stopper's selectionWHAT HAPPENED?
Eddie Howe selected Karius to play in goal due to an illness being suffered by Dubravka. He has not played in the Premier League since May 2018, when he was still playing for Liverpool, and his first appearance for the Magpies came in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United last season.
AdvertisementWHAT HOWE SAID
Howe revealed on Dubravka: "He has not been feeling very well for a couple of days so hopefully he is on the mend."
Asked about Karius' selection, he added: "He has trained every day for a long period of time. He had a slight shoulder injury at the start of the season but since then he has been fine. He has played in games behind closed doors so he is match ready.
"The last game he played of course was the cup final so he is used to big games and at Liverpool he had many big matches so I have no doubt about his temperament and we are relying on his big-game experience."
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Karius has been in the spotlight previously for all the wrong reasons, as he made two vital mistakes in the Champions League final when Liverpool lost 3-1 to Real Madrid. That was his final game for the Reds, and he was subsequently sent on loan to both Besiktas and Union Berlin, before making the move to the Magpies as an experienced back-up to the currently injured Nick Pope and Dubravka.
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If Dubravka's illness does not clear up, Karius will hope to play in Newcastle's next fixture, in the FA Cup against Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday. Their next Premier League game comes against Wolves next weekend.
Leeds United could be set to lose one of their senior players on a permanent basis next summer, with a fresh report revealing that his loan club are already working to prise him away from the Championship.
Who have Leeds signed recently?
Over the summer, Daniel Farke was busy in the market having secured the services of nine fresh faces, with Joel Piroe, Glen Kamara, Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev joining on a permanent basis, whilst the likes of Djed Spence and Joe Rodon put pen to paper on loan.
In terms of outgoings, Tyler Adams, Rodrigo and Tyler Roberts were the three first-team players to leave for good, alongside stars like Jack Harrison, Luis Sinisterra and Brenden Aaronson who were sent on the road temporarily, but they weren’t the only ones to depart.
Robin Koch also completed a switch away from the second tier to link up with Eintracht Frankfurt until the end of the season, with the 49ers likely wanting to get the centre-back off their wage books following relegation.
However, Germany’s international’s contract is set to expire upon the conclusion of the current term which doesn’t give chiefs much time to cash in should they not want to risk losing him for free, but if the following update is to be believed, he’s already got a potential suitor waiting.
Is Robin Koch leaving Leeds?
According to German outlet SportBILD (via Sport Witness), Eintracht Frankfurt buying Koch on a permanent deal next summer is something that is "already being considered" by the club in the Bundesliga.
Dino Toppmoller's side see "internal transfer profit potential" of €230m (£199m) in their squad and view the defender as part of that. Sporting director Markus Krosche has already heaped public praise on his summer signing and he is therefore "quickly becoming convinced" that he wants to keep him in the building for good.
Leeds United defender Robin Koch.
How much did Leeds buy Robin Koch for?
Back in 2020, Leeds paid a reported £11.3m to sign Koch from SC Freiburg and it’s fair to say that he’s more than been worth that during his 77 senior appearances at the club, so it’s important that the board do everything they can to retain his services by offering him a new deal next year.
The Yorkshire outfit’s 27-year-old is excelling at the Deutsche Bank Park where he’s so far won all five of his tackles made since the start of the season, alongside averaging five clearances per league game, with his similarly commanding performances having previously seen him dubbed a “real leader” by journalist Josh Bunting.
Furthermore, Farke’s £38k-per-week earner is a versatile operator having been deployed in five various positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the backline and even two roles higher up in the midfield.
Should Frankfurt table a respectable permanent offer for Koch in 2024, it will understandably be hard for the hierarchy to turn down because they could use the funds to put towards new signings in the future, but ideally, they need to re-introduce him back into the squad.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has now hailed one of his Gunners teammates for "always" working hard behind-the-scenes.
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Mikel Arteta's men have enjoyed a solid start to the new Premier League season and remain unbeaten following their latest triumph – a 1-0 win away to struggling Everton on Sunday.
Leandro Trossard's strike with just 20 minutes remaining ensures that Arteta and co keep pace with Pep Guardiola's imperious Man City at the top of the table.
Arsenal have tasted victory in four out of their opening five top flight matches, with Fulham being the only side to get a result against them so far. The north Londoners had to dig deep on Merseyside but yet again displayed real grit to come away with all three points.
Arteta, commenting after Arsenal ended their hoodoo of six years without an away win at Everton, praised his side's display.
“Six years without a win here is a long time, so we had to learn some lessons, we had to be better." said Arteta.
"I am delighted for the win but especially the way we won it, the way we played, how dominant we were, the presence that we showed on the pitch. We fully deserved to win the game.
“I think we had many other openings to put the ball in the last line and to put somebody in the box and finalise. Credit to Everton, they defended the box extremely well, and they had some big, big blocks when we opened them up. It’s great to have other ways to score goals, it gives you different resources and be more unpredictable."
In and around the contest, there were question marks as to why goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was dropped in favour of summer signing David Raya.
The 25-year-old hadn't set a foot wrong before their trip up north, with Arteta even having to defend his decision to the media.
It appears the contest for Arsenal's number one spot is now hotting up, but club captain Odegaard has moved to defend Ramsdale.
aaron-ramsdale
Indeed, the Norway international insists he is a player of real quality and is "always" working behind-the-scenes.
"I think he will just keep working hard, like he is always doing," Odegaard said on Ramsdale (via The Standard).
"Today he was there supporting us, cheering for us, helping us. He is a great character and he showed a very good response today by backing the team. It was excellent from him.
"We have two good goalkeepers and big competition. They have different qualities. They are both so good on the ball and in goal as well. So, we are lucky to have two such good goalkeepers and we will see who plays."
Liverpool have been linked with a move for West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen, and journalist Paul Brown has given his insight to whether it will happen or not.
Will Liverpool sign Jarrod Bowen?
The Reds have made a flying start to their season in both the Premier League and the Europa League, only dropping two points in their first six matches in all competitions. New signings have come in and hit the ground running, most notably Dominik Szoboszlai, who has excelled, and things appear to be heading in the right direction under Jurgen Klopp, following a well-documented poor campaign last time around.
In order for Liverpool to keep progressing, however, they must continue to eye up new signings, especially in Mohamed Salah's position, with the 31-year-old not yet definitely staying put next summer, should more interest from Saudi Arabia emerges.
One player who has been seen as a candidate to come in and be the Egyptian King's successor is Bowen, who is enjoying an excellent start to the season, scoring three goals in five league matches.
What's the latest on Jarrod Bowen to Liverpool?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown claimed that while Bowen has "similarities" to Mohamed Salah, it doesn't look likely that he will come in as a potential successor:
"I can see similarities between them in what they do on the pitch. That being said, I don't think Liverpool have pressed particularly hard to try and get Bowen. There doesn't seem to be a groundswell or a movement from the club to try and go for him. I know he's on their list of people that they like. But he seems perfectly happy at West Ham right now and I would expect West Ham to have a good season. So I don't think it's a given that Bowen leaves anytime soon."
Bowen is an increasingly impressive footballer who will be a big threat when West Ham head to Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, giving Reds supporters a chance to see exactly what he could offer them, should a move to Anfield happen eventually. That being said, this update does suggest that it is unlikely to happen any time soon, with the 26-year-old seemingly settled with the Hammers, and Liverpool not necessarily showing strong interest in him.
Bowen is someone who could be a really strong squad player for Klopp's men, having been hailed as "unbelievable" by the German in the past, but he is not at the level required to come in as Salah's replacement, should he leave eventually and not extend his stay at the club.
Liverpool need to be looking at signing a genuine superstar in his place when the sad day does arrive that he needs replacing – Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has been linked with a move and is the calibre of player they would need – but the West Ham man can't offer his relentless level of end product, whether it be goals or assists, or searing pace out wide.
The fact that Bowen's price tag would likely be bloated because he is English is another reason not to move for him, so the Reds should look elsewhere for new attacking options.
Newcastle United's season has not gone off without a hitch, but the quality and potential within Eddie Howe's blooming side is crystal clear, summed up in the recent drubbing of Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
8-0. A record-equalling victory in the top-flight for the Tyneside club (the other match, interestingly, came against the Blades' city rivals Sheffield Wednesday in 1999), Newcastle can delight in the incisiveness and ruthless edge to their efforts, exactly what is needed for a side pushing for Champions League qualification once again.
Indeed, the Magpies defied expectations last season by finishing in fourth place in the Premier League, transferring some fine form from the 2021/22 season – form that ensued from the PIF takeover and Howe's subsequent appointment – and making it something lasting, tangible.
Where once the devout Newcastle faithful hoped for a sustained spot away from the jaws of relegation from the top flight and pushed for a bit more ambition on the transfer front, their stoical support has been duly rewarded with a war chest fit to serve an outfit at the very forefront of the game.
Now within Champions League competition and boasting a squad fit for purpose in Europe's elite club competition, Howe deserves all the plaudits for the work that he has forged at St. James' Park, making good use of supplies and investing in players who would fight for the badge and contribute toward the revival.
Who better to typify this than captain Kieran Trippier, with the veteran right-back joining from the genesis of the creation of this new-look Newcastle side and serving with aplomb, paramount to the rise.
Against Sheffield United, he became the first Magpie to bag a hat-trick of assists since Allan Saint-Maximin against Bournemouth in 2020, but then this is just one – admittedly sensational – performance from a player who has already etched his name into the record books for his role in rebuilding a football club desperate for an escape from obscurity.
How much did Newcastle sign Kieran Trippier for?
In October 2021, Mike Ashley's tyrannical reign of Newcastle came to an end. One month later, Howe was appointed in the managerial role, replacing Steve Bruce.
As the Magpies made merry and the brilliant red of the carpets rolled from St. James' Park, welcoming a new era and a clean slate, glimmering in the Tyneside sunlight after years of hurt, the club still languished at their nadir in the Premier League, but a revitalised strategy and some astute business on the transfer front worked wonders for an outfit targetting a renaissance.
Howe had the plan, but he needed the tools to rebuild the outfit and was granted a significant pool of expenditure to set his idea into motion, and the moves made in January 2022 proved to catalyse Newcastle's hopes for an illustrious new chapter.
Bruno Guimaraes
£40m
Chris Wood
£25m
Dan Burn
£13m
Kieran Trippier
£12m
Matt Targett
Loan
Some standout names in there that play a big role at the club to this day, but none more so than the cheapest permanent signing of that decisive winter transfer market, with diminutive right-back Trippier embodying everything that Howe has striven to achieve since taking the helm at the Toon.
Trippier, a £12m acquisition, had played the lion's share of his career in his English homeland but was actually signed for Newcastle from Spanish side Atletico Madrid.
The dynamo had made 86 appearances across two-and-a-half seasons in LaLiga, registering 11 assists and playing a key role in winning the 2020/21 LaLiga title – his only major honour to date – and was heralded for his "very important" standing in the squad by Atletico manager Diego Simeone.
Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier.
While there were murmurings from certain segments of rival fanbases that he was moving to Newcastle for a big payday in the later phase of his career, he has quashed such ludicrous claims with a staunch devotion to the rise of this exciting side, and he has arguably been their most important player.
How good is Kieran Trippier?
The 43-cap England international is a distinguished presence down the right flank and a proven force as one of the most creative and influential in his position.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for passes attempted and the top 2% for progressive passes per 90, evidently a playmaker with an "elite output", as praised by Statman Dave on Twitter.
Having now completed 60 matches, scoring three goals and providing 13 assists, the £120k-per-week phenom has been hailed as a "revelation" by talkSPORT's Simon Jordan, and there is no question that the side's ascendancy might not have been quite so profound had he not been signed.
Boasting commanding leadership qualities to blend with his talent and technicality on the pitch, Trippier has been integral and actually earned an impressive average Sofascore rating of 7.61 in the Premier League last term, keeping 14 clean sheets, making 1.9 tackles and two clearances per outing, creating 2.9 key passes per game and succeeding with 60% of his attempted dribbles.
So much so, that perhaps he has had an even greater impact than Bruno Guimaraes, who has recently penned a lucrative new contract with the Tyneside outfit after arriving in the same month as his English peer.
The Brazilian has been a "world-class" addition to Newcastle's squad, as has been said by Dan Burn, and is undoubtedly one of the most technically proficient midfielders in the Premier League.
Having forged 40 displays last term and started every match so far this season, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 20% of midfielders for goals, the top 15% for assists, the top 19% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for progressive passes and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90.
Bruno Guimaraes
He is undoubtedly a starring member of Howe's team, the orchestrator in the middle and the conduit between the thirds, but with Trippier's authority and dynamism, he might not be the man to have made the biggest impact, albeit he has been absolutely sensational.
Trippier is 33-years-old and ostensibly approaching the twilight of his career, but based on the evidence from his dismantling creative display against Sheffield United, he is still every bit the multi-functional phenom Newcastle signed to spearhead a way out of danger at the bottom of the division.
Tottenham and manager Ange Postecoglou have been given a pre-Brighton boost after some injury news out of north London.
Brighton vs Tottenham preview
The Lilywhites will face off against Roberto De Zerbi's side in newly rejuvenated form on Thursday, having picked up three wins from their last three Premier League games.
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The Australian is seriously tempting Tottenham’s transfer target.
ByEmilio Galantini Dec 23, 2023
Victories over Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Everton have brought the good feeling back to N17, coming after they previously went from November 4 to December 10 without a single league win.
Injuries to Micky van de Ven and James Maddison, coupled with suspensions, gave Postecoglou real selection headaches throughout that time – but he now appears to have struck a winning formula.
After their latest win over the Toffees, Postecoglou heaped praise on Spurs for their resilience in particular.
"Obviously the result is very pleasing against a very difficult opponent today in Everton, who have been the form team of the competition for the past few weeks," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's win over Everton (via football.london).
"You can see why today, they worked hard and we kind of got on top of them in the first half, apart from our goals our football was good. We looked really threatening and then after we got 2-0 ahead we just eased back a little bit and I thought that allowed them to get back into the game.
"We just took a bit more time on the ball and some of it was because of them. They kept working hard and in the second half it became something of a transitional game. We had to show some resilience and some strong defending in the box and a couple of outstanding saves from Vic, who was brilliant again today. It had a little bit of everything. A different type of performance from us. I guess the pleasing thing for us is that we got the three points."
One worrying aspect of the game, especially as Tottenham prepare for a tough away trip to Brighton, was star defender Cristian Romero being hauled off with hamstring tightness.
radu-dragusin-cristian-romero-tottenham-opinion
This brought up some concerns that the Argentine could miss Spurs' trip to the south coast, but they've now been alleviated by journalist Dom Smith of The Evening Standard.
Romero in line to face Brighton
Indeed, Romero is expected to be fit for Spurs against Brighton and is line to feature, which will come as a big boost for Postecoglou who is looking to make it a fourth win in four games. The 25-year-old has been an important player for Postecoglou's top four-chasing Londoners, starting every Premier League game he's been available.
Tottenham defender Cristian Romero.
Romero and van de Ven formed an imperious centre-back partnership at the beginning of the campaign, and his return from suspension has been a vital part of Spurs' recent up tick in form. News of him most likely being available will surely lift the Lilywhites in their pursuit of a solid end to 2023.
It would be fair to say that Manchester United’s lacklustre summer took a turn for the worse on Tuesday afternoon.
While the Old Trafford faithful have been crying out for the club to go out and sign some players, fierce rivals Liverpool have been doing precisely that, and now it looks like they are on the hunt for Alexander Isak.
In fact, according to some reporters, they are now preparing a £130m offer for the Newcastle United star, despite already spending around £116m on Florian Wirtz earlier in the window.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
However, there might still be some good news for United fans, as reports suggest they are looking to bring in someone who could be their answer to the Swede before next week.
Manchester United's underwhelming summer
While it certainly doesn’t feel like it at the moment, the summer transfer window actually started in a rather positive fashion for United.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
After recovering from their Europa League final defeat, the club went out and activated Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause.
With the Brazilian being Premier League-proven and amassing an impressive haul of 23 goal involvements in 36 games last season, it is undoubtedly a great signing; however, the problem is that the club haven’t made another since.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' MatheusCunhareacts
Fortunately, that might be about to change. At least that is according to a recent report from the Manchester Evening News, which has revealed that United are closing in on Bryan Mbeumo.
In fact, in some much-needed good news, the report claims that the Red Devils are working hard to bring the Brentford man in before they begin their pre-season next week.
The club have already seen two offers rejected, with the latest being around £60m, but according to stories from earlier this week, they’ll need to pay £65m to get this deal over the line.
It’s certainly a lot of money to spend on one player, but given Mbeumo’s ability, it would be worth it, and it could be United’s own Isak-type addition.
Why Mbeumo could be United's Isak
Now, the first thing we’ll say is that, no, we don’t think Mbeumo is as good a player as Isak, but that doesn’t take away from the fact he’s still brilliant, and that isn’t really what we’re trying to say either.
Instead, we’re arguing that the Cameroonian international could have the same sort of impact on United in an attacking sense that the Newcastle ace could have for Liverpool.
That might sound absurd to some, but it’s really not, especially considering the difference a seriously dangerous Premier League goalscorer could have on this Red Devils side is far greater due to their current position, and the Brentford man is most certainly a dangerous goalscorer.
For example, in 38 league appearances last season, totalling 3417 minutes, the Bees’ “mini-Salah,” as dubbed by pundit Jason Cundy, scored 20 goals and provided eight assists.
That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.35 games, or one every 122.03 minutes.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
That would have made him comfortably the top scorer and most productive player in Ruben Amorim’s squad last season, ahead of Bruno Fernandes with eight goals and 11 assists in 36 games.
More impressively, however, it wasn’t too far off Isak’s tally.
Appearances
38
34
Minutes
3417′
2774′
Goals
20
23
Assists
8
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.73
0.85
Minutes per Goal Involvement
122.03′
95.65′
In a far better team, the Swedish striker scored 23 goals and provided six assists in 34 league appearances, totalling 2774 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.17 games, or every 95.65 minutes.
Finally, with the “phenomenal” Bees gem, as dubbed by one analyst, being able to play off the right or up top, he’d have even more opportunities to influence proceedings at the Theatre of Dreams next season.
Ultimately, Mbeumo is not as good a player as Isak, and nobody would suggest otherwise, but he is still an incredible attacker, and there is every chance that he could be as game-changing for United as the Swede might be for Liverpool.
Amorim's own Pogba: Man Utd leading race to sign "sensational" £42m star
Manchester United could be about to make a move to land a key target in their plans for the 2025/26 campaign.