All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Getting a deal over the line in modern-day football can involve more steps than ever, with agent fees, small contract details, and in the case of Arsenal and Declan Rice… a shirt number.Of course, the deal has reportedly been completed, with just the formalities to come, such as the presentation of the midfielder, after his medical – which will happen today (Friday 7 June). But, it remains to be seen whether all of Rice’s demands have been met.At West Ham United, the England international wore the number 41 shirt, which has since become his famous number. There’s just one issue, however, and that’s a certain Arsenal rule which may bring the end to the midfielder’s tradition.

What’s the latest on Declan Rice and Arsenal?

Rice to Arsenal is all but done. Barring a miracle, according to reports, he will be playing at The Emirates next season in a transfer that should significantly improve Mikel Arteta’s side.

There was some early doubt about whether the move would take place, with Manchester City getting involved and reportedly placing a bid worth £90m, before seeing it rejected.

The treble winners dropped out of the race when Arsenal saw their bid of £100m plus £5m in add-ons accepted by the Hammers. And, so, here we are, with Rice set to line up for the Gunners next season.

He has received a lot of praise ahead of the move, too. His new teammate, Emile Smith Rowe told The Sun, via Sportskeeda: “I can’t speak highly enough of him. I remember my first camp, and I was surprised with how good he actually was. He was the best in training. Just his level, intensity, technically, everything he was doing. A real leader and still so young. He was really, really good.”

The North London side are also close to completing a deal to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber this summer. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Dutchman is set to undergo a medical at the club soon as well.

All of a sudden, With Timber, Kai Havertz, and Rice added to the mix, Arteta’s side may do more than just compete for the Premier League title next season.

One thing’s for sure, though, Rice will want to lift any trophy whilst wearing his famous number.

What is the rule that Declan Rice could break at Arsenal?

As of right now, according to Arsenal Youth expert Jeorge Bird on Twitter, the club doesn’t allow players in the first-team to wear numbers over 36.

He said: “Mika Biereth has been given the number 41 shirt. It will be interesting to see if he’s asked to give it up for Rice. Arsenal don’t normally allow first-team players to have numbers over 36 (Iwobi had to give up 45) but they could make an exception for Rice.”

It would certainly be an interesting move from Rice, if he were to instantly break a rule at the club upon making the move. From the club’s perspective, they may simply hope that he isn’t entirely attached to the number, and is happy to move onto something else.

Whichever number he is given, though, we’re sure the midfielder will make it iconic all over again.

Arsenal's transfer frenzy shows few signs of slowing down, as the Gunners are reported to be in the running to sign PSV star Xavi Simons this summer.

Dutch outlet ED reported last week that Arsenal are in talks to sign Simons, but the Dutch youngster has no shortage of potential suitors and journalist Paul Brown believes his development could increase tenfold under the stewardship of club captain Martin Odegaard…

How much would Xavi Simons cost?

Should the Gunners see off competition for the Netherlands phenom, they could have the perfect man in the Norway international to help him settle into his new surroundings at the Emirates Stadium.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the reporter said:

"I do think Odegaard has become a really important, quiet leader at Arsenal.

"He leads by example, but he doesn't need to charge around the pitch shouting at people.

"I do think behind the scenes he is capable of being that kind of mentor figure to anyone who comes into the club under any kind of pressure.

"I do think that that could be an important role for him. If someone like [Simons] was coming in he would be able to take him under his wing and help him along. I do think that could be quite important."

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano previously reported that Paris Saint-Germain have the chance to sign Simons for €6m (£5.1m), but that buy-back clause expires on July 31 and the midfielder will have the final say on his future.

Any other interested clubs face having to pay in excess of €50m (£44m), according to some reports in Spain (via Football365), given Simons' status as one of the best talents in European football.

Where would Xavi Simons fit in at Arsenal?

Ironically, it could be Odegaard that Simons eventually replaces in the Arsenal side. The Norway international is still only 24 himself, but he has been linked with a move away from the Gunners on more than one occasion.

The two players share a lot of similarities, not least the fact that they are both capable of scoring and assisting a large number of goals. Simons scored 19 and assisted eight in Eredivisie last season, while Odegaard scored 15 and set up seven in the Premier League.

Simons scored from 0.19 goals per shot he took last season, as per FBref, compared to 0.16 for Odegaard, while – pretty remarkably – they had an identical pass-completion percentage of 80.3.

While Simons comes out on top in terms of the combined tackles and interceptions managed per 90 (1.90 v 1.21), Odegaard edges things when it comes to successful take-on percentage (57.8 v 49.7).

Signing Odegaard's potential successor while he is still at the club makes perfect sense, though it may well be that Simons – on wages of £26k-per-week at PSV, according to Capology – is paired with the former Real Madrid player should he join.

Once described as "magnificent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, it is little wonder that many of Europe's elite clubs – Arsenal and PSG being just two of them – are eager to sign Simons.

Under the tutelage of Mikel Arteta, and with Odegaard to lean on, Simons will have the opportunity to fulfil his undoubted potential on the Premier League stage.

Whilst pre-season is a time to gain match fitness, and ensure that everything is tactically where it needs to be and at the level required, it is also a time for players to enjoy each other’s company and gel as a team.Of course, players can’t enjoy themselves too much, though we’re sure there are stories from the past of certain individuals doing exactly that on a pre-season tour, but it’s always nice noticing the relaxed mood of a squad before the intensity of a campaign gets underway.From an Arsenal perspective, summers don’t get much better. So far, they’ve welcomed Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, whilst also extending the contract of William Saliba and Bukayo Saka, who all seem more than happy at the North London club.In recent footage of the players getting off the plane, Aaron Ramsdale and Saliba showed the feel-good mood around the Arsenal camp, hilariously imitating a salute to the pilot.

William Saliba and Aaron Ramsdale salute pilot

As you can see from the footage, the duo, in another life, may have made ideal Queen’s guards at Buckingham Palace, with Ramsdale saluting and Saliba standing tall and puffing out his chest.

For good measure, Ramsdale goes in for one salute as the pilot approaches, before adding one more as he walks past. The goalkeeper was certainly keen to get his point across.

As you can see from the footage, the Arsenal squad is certainly relaxed ahead of the season, which starts with the visit of Nottingham Forest on August 12.

First, though, the Gunners must navigate their way through a pre-season of fixtures, which includes games against Manchester United, Barcelona, and AS Monaco, before squaring off against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

What’s the latest Arsenal transfer news?

After welcoming Havertz, Timber and Rice this summer, Arsenal’s transfer window may be done for now when it comes to big-name arrivals. The key from here may well be parting ways with deadwood and selling other assets for good money.

The Gunners have already waved goodbye to Granit Xhaka, and, according to The Athletic, Rob Holding could yet be on the move this summer. Meanwhile, the future of Folarin Balogun remains in question.

The young striker had a standout season on loan at Reims in the last campaign, battling for the Ligue 1 Golden Boot with the likes of Kylian Mbappe. Scoring 21 league goals in total, the American could yet play a role under Mikel Arteta.

Back in the Champions League next season, the Gunners will need as much squad depth as possible to compete on all fronts. The last thing they’ll want to do is go out with a whimper on their return to the European stage.

After competing for the Premier League title last time out, too, Arsenal will undoubtedly want to go one better by securing the silverware in what could be a year to remember in North London.

They’ve certainly made statement signings so far this summer, and with such a relaxed and competitive squad, anything is possible.

In the meantime, fans have been loving Saliba and Ramsdale’s pre-season antics, you can see some of the best Tweets below:

Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet has agreed to re-join Tottenham Hotspur as the north Londoners remain locked in talks with Spain's champions.

Who will Spurs sign?

The former Sevilla star is one of many defensive candidates to shore up Ange Postecoglou's leaky Spurs backline which conceded 63 league goals last season.

Tottenham have already sealed moves for goalkeeper Gugilelmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon this summer – not even counting permanent deals to sign Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro from abroad.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has spent a total of around £117 million on incomings so far, but defence is a glaring achilles heel which needs to be addressed with quality signings.

Postecoglou, speaking to the media recently, admitted that is something Tottenham are attempting to do behind-the-scenes.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said Postecoglou when asked about signing new defenders.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

In terms of which names could join Tottenham, there are a fair few being targeted right now.

Indeed, Spurs' transfer list of possible new defenders includes Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson, Juventus defender Gleison Bremer and Lenglet – who have all been linked with moves to N17 recently.

Going back to the latter defender, after his 2022/2023 season on loan at Spurs, a return to north London is very much a possibility for the 28-year-old.

According to a report by Spanish news outlet Sport, via Sport Witness, Tottenham and Barcelona "keep talking" over a deal for Lenglet.

The Frenchman has apparently already agreed to re-join the Lilywhites, having reached a compromise on personal terms and a three-year contract.

Barca want €15 million (£12.8m), a figure Spurs are unwilling to pay, meaning the La Liga champions are stalling and waiting for other prospective bidders to come in.

This is described as a "dangerous move" by Sport, and while Marseille are showing a great interest in Lenglet, his ultimate goal is to return to England.

What's been said about Clement Lenglet?

Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris, speaking after his side snapped Lenglet up on a temporary deal last year, claimed the centre-back is a "modern defender" and "high level" player.

"He's a modern defender," said Lloris.

"Comfortable to be able to play from the back. He has a great left foot and can be very strong in one v one and he's strong in the air.

"Even if it's never easy when you arrive in the Premier League and he will have to adapt to the intensity of the games but he is a high level player, with experience."

After just a solitary season in the second tier, newly-promoted Burnley are now preparing for life back in the Premier League with the new campaign looming large, with the Clarets having romped to the Championship title last term at a canter.

That glorious campaign has also set up a return to the top flight for manager, Vincent Kompany, with the 37-year-old having previously won four league titles and a host of other domestic honours during a glittering, 11-year spell at Manchester City.

That lengthy stint at the Etihad saw the towering centre-back ply his trade among a raft of high-profile names, including his compatriot, Kevin De Bruyne, with the experienced playmaker having repeatedly delivered the goods over the years from his attacking midfield berth.

Lauded as "the greatest" midfielder in Premier League history by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, the 32-year-old has scored 96 goals and chipped in with a staggering haul of 152 assists in 356 games for his current side, having been a central figure in the success that Pep Guardiola has enjoyed of late.

With Kompany well aware of his former international colleague's stellar talents, he would no doubt love to be able to find his own De Bruyne-esque talent to slot into his side at Turf Moor, hence why snapping up Genk's Mike Trésor could prove to be an astute move.

What's the latest on Trésor to Burnley?

Recent reports in Belgian have suggested that the Lancashire side remained interested in sealing a move for the highly-rated 24-year-old, with Kompany having previously been linked with a move for his compatriot earlier in the summer.

The 5 foot 8 gem – who is valued at around £6m, according to Football Transfers – has also caught the attention of Brentford amid his fine form in recent times, ensuring Burnley could have a battle on their hands to try and get a deal over the line.

How good is Mike Trésor?

Despite that rival interest from the Bees, the Clarets would be wise to do all they can to try and get Trésor in the door as soon as possible, with the £13k-per-week sensation having dazzled in his native Belgium of late.

Much like De Bruyne – who notably began his career at Genk – the former Willem II maestro is a true master at supplying quality service to his teammates, having registered a mammoth haul of 24 assists in the Pro League last term, while also netting eight goals to boot.

A player with an "exceptional kicking technique" – according to coach Michael Ribeiro – the two-cap international was evidently the real creative hub for his side in 2022/23, having created 22 big chances and averaged 2.8 key passes per game.

That is undoubtedly a similar record to what De Bruyne achieved for City last term, with the one-time Chelsea man scoring seven goals and registering 16 assists in 32 league games, while also creating 31 big chances and averaging 3.1 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

Equally, while Trésor has been hailed for his "wonderful vision" by manager Wouter Vrancken, De Bruyne also possesses that ability to pick out his teammates with relative ease, with Redknapp having stated:

"His football IQ, the way he sees gaps and threads through passes with such pinpoint accuracy, I haven't seen it before."

Although the younger man has typically operated from the flanks in recent times, he also mirrors his Red Devils colleague in being able to thrive in an advanced, playmaking berth, ensuring he could be an adaptable and versatile option for Kompany and co.

Of course, Trésor would have to go a long way to emulate the success of De Bruyne in English football, although the clear comparison between the pair should be reason enough for the Turf Moor hierarchy to push for a move.

To say that David de Gea's Manchester United career ended with a period of poor form would be an understatement. The Spaniard seemed to make mistake after mistake, culminating in the Red Devils' FA Cup final defeat against local rivals Manchester City.

Truth be told, United cut ties at the right time to bring in a far more modern shot-stopper in the form of Andre Onana. The former Inter Milan goalkeeper is everything that De Gea is not, with his ability to play from the back particularly impressive – as you can this in this footage.

De Gea, meanwhile, often struggled with his distribution, limiting Erik ten Hag's system from the back.

Despite his clear drop-off, however, Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke still believes that the Spain international is better than Onana in what is a controversial take, to say the least.

Dwight Yorke delivers David de Gea verdict

Speaking to OLBG, via Goal, Yorke went as far as saying that fans will soon be asking for De Gea back. He said: “I've said before that Man United need to be careful what they wish for with losing David de Gea. For all the good De Gea has done for Man United, the way his career ended was really bad. I hope this doesn't come back to haunt Man United now they've bought Andre Onana.

"Be careful what you wish for. De Gea is the Golden Glove winner, a high-profile player who has made mistakes, like the rest of us. De Gea winning the Golden Glove is like winning the Golden Boot and being the top scorer at the club but still getting replaced by the football club. That does not resonate well with me.

“In my opinion, Onana is not as good as De Gea and people need to watch him very carefully. I've seen Onana before, the Premier League is a different kettle of fish with how fast the game is and how often you are pressured.

"Onana tries to be an outfield player rather than a goalkeeper sometimes. I will be watching this guy very closely, and the people who have criticised De Gea and wanted him to leave will probably be the ones who will be calling him to come back. I'm hoping that doesn't happen for Man United’s sake.”

Is Andre Onana better than David de Gea?

It's certainly an interesting take from Yorke, considering how well Onana performed for Inter Milan last season as the Serie A club suffered Champions League final heartbreak at the hands of Manchester City.

Compared to De Gea last season, as per FBref, Onana had a better save percentage, conceded less goals per 90, completed more passes per 90, and stopped more crosses.

So, if De Gea is currently a better goalkeeper than Onana, it is not the stats that Yorke has used to form his opinion, it seems.

We're sure the former Inter man will prove the Manchester United legend wrong throughout the season, whether he admits it, or not.

Indeed, the stats certainly show that United are not getting a worse keeper than De Gea. But rather, they are quite likely instead getting a major upgrade.

Tottenham Hotspur have re-scheduled defender Micky van de Ven's medical as reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano shares a transfer update.

Who will Spurs sign?

After weeks of negotiations, Spurs have finally got their hands on a star centre-back, with Van de Ven set for a move to north London.

The Dutchman looks set to join alongside goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, defender Ashley Phillips, midfielder James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon as Tottenham's fifth summer signing.

Ange Postecoglou previously admitted that his side were chasing a centre-back or two, coming after a campaign which saw Spurs leak a pretty terrible 63 league goals.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said Postecoglou when asked about signing new defenders.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

Alongside Van de Ven, it is claimed that Spurs could move for another star defender, with Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba coming as the top transfer target.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Going back to Van de Ven, reliable reporter Romano says there's been a "change" to the original plan regarding his medical.

Indeed, the 22-year-old was due to fly to London on Saturday to undergo his tests, but he will now fly in today and complete those examinations on Monday instead.

"Tottenham update," said Romano on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Micky van de Ven will fly to London on Sunday with small change to original plan. THFC Medical tests booked on Monday. Deal done and set to be announced early next week."

How good is Micky Van de Ven?

Van de Ven is an elite-level ball-playing defender, with no other Wolfsburg player averaging a higher passing accuracy per 90 than the Netherlands international last season (WhoScored).

He was an indispensable member of Niko Kovac's starting eleven also, having played more Bundesliga minutes than any other Wolfsburg outfielder last term (WhoScored).

The Bundesliga website, praising Van de Ven for his speed and physical attributes, have also called him a "nightmare" for defenders.

They wrote:

"Van de Ven can be a nightmare for attacking players with his immense strength, determination and precision tackling scuppering the most promising of forward moves.

"With incredible pace and passing ability among his many assets, the Netherlands U21 international – who captained his country at the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship – is on course to become a regular for the senior Oranje in the near future."

Meanwhile, Kovac has been effusive in his praise for the exciting centre-half, calling him "really good" whilst hailing his "extraordinary" form.

"Micky is a great boy [and] a really good footballer," said Kovac.

"What he's showing at the moment is extraordinary.”

As Postecoglou seeks to reinforce his backline, there is little question Van de Ven could prove to be a brilliant capture.

Mark Goldbridge has been reacting to news that Dean Henderson could be set to stay at Manchester United to provide support for Andre Onana, despite previous rumours suggesting he could be set to leave Old Trafford.

Is Dean Henderson leaving Manchester United?

According to The Manchester Evening News, Henderson could now be set to stay at Manchester United following an injury to Tom Heaton that is expected to keep the veteran stopper out for a few weeks.

Henderson had been expected to join Nottingham Forest on a loan deal with an option-to-buy amid discussions between the Tricky Trees and Manchester United, yet his future plans could now be taken out of his hands due to a lack of available options between the sticks.

Kicker via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Matej Kovar, who is another one of Erik Ten Hag's understudies at Old Trafford is expected to join Bayer Leverkusen, as he stated on Twitter X: "Bayer Leverkusen sign Matěj Kovář from Man United on permanent deal. Fee will be €9m, as per Kicker. First part of medical tests will take place today."

Last term, £100k-a-week earner Henderson made 20 appearances on loan at Nottingham Forest and managed to keep six clean sheets in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Last year, Manchester United goalkeeper Henderson famously blasted the Premier League giants after they were believed to have failed to follow through on their promise of allowing him to replace David De Gea as number one stopper at the club after the EURO 2020 Championships.

Cited via talkSPORT, the England international said some time after joining Nottingham Forest on loan: "The conversation I had coming out of the Euros squad was 'you're coming back here to be the No.1. I got COVID, came back, so I should have still been the No.1, but then unfortunately nobody followed through with what they had told me. It was frustrating because I turned down so many good loans last summer for that reason, and they would not let me go. To sit there and waste 12 months, it is criminal really, at my age, I was fuming."

Nottingham Forest have also moved to bring in USA international goalkeeper Matt Turner this window on a four-year contract and it remains to be seen if any knock-on effect will be had with regard to Henderson's potential return to the City Ground as the window drags on, as per BBC Sport.

United in Focus cite that Red Devils boss Ten Hag has signalled that Henderson will not be available to take part in Manchester United's Premier League opener with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday, with the Dutchman stating the following: “All the others (players struggling with injuries), like Henderson and Hojlund, are quite short but it will take a few weeks."

What has Mark Goldbridge said about Dean Henderson?

Speaking on The United Stand YouTube channel, Goldbridge thinks that there is 'no chance' Henderson would be able to upstage first-choice goalkeeper Onana if he is to be kept on at the club.

Goldbridge said: "There's a very big chance that Dean Henderson will have to stay and be the understudy and he has got no chance of being the goalkeeper ahead of Onana unless Onana gets injured and then if Onana comes back, he'll be out anyway. I don't really care if Dean Henderson stays as a backup goalkeeper, because he's a good goalkeeper and as a backup, that'd be absolutely fine, but it's 100% not what he wants to happen and also, it's another player really we needed to sell to bring some money in.

"It's bad news in that sense, it's horrific news for the player, but apparently Tom Heaton's got a bit of an injury so Dean Henderson may well end up staying now."

Henderson may well have to stay put for now and undoubtedly is a more than able deputy for Onana when necessary; however, you can't help but feel that his own career trajectory may suffer if he isn't gaining regular first-team involvement at Manchester United.

The purchase of 19-year-old wonderkid Matheus Franca on a five-year deal from Flamengo for £26m is another clear step in the direction that Crystal Palace wants to go.

Upon the Brazilian’s arrival, Palace Chairman Steve Parish said: "Matheus is a young and exciting player whose impressive early progress we have followed with keen interest, and we are delighted to welcome him to the club.

“Palace have a long history of attacking players with skill, pace, and tenacity, and I am sure Matheus will be another popular addition to the nucleus of this young and entertaining squad, packed full of international talent and potential, that we are building here in south London.”

Parish’s comments are indicative of the club’s transfer strategy, which has been summed up by The Atheltic’s Matt Woosnam as ‘buy players young, develop, sell for a profit at their peak’, which the club intends to implement on a cyclical basis as their model of sustainability.

Following Franca, and on the pretence of this thought process, the Eagles are reportedly chasing Matheus Nascimento.

Who do Crystal Palace want to sign?

According to reports, Palace and Nottingham Forest are interested in signing the Botafogo striker in a £15m deal.

The forward previously stalled on a move and was spotted with Palace officials, but Forest are said to be ‘leading the race’ as their owner Evangelos Marinakis is planning to loan him straight to Olympiacos, as he also owns the Greek side.

What are Matheus Nascimento's strengths?

The 6-foot marksman has been at Botafogo since the age of 11, and he swiftly established himself as one of the most promising prospects within the club’s academy, having scored over 150 goals.

Tiano Gomes, general manager of Botafogo's academy labelled the player as a "high-potential athlete" and an "asset."

As a result, Nascimento signed his first professional contract in June 2020, and in September of that year, he made his professional senior debut aged just 16 years and 6 months.

In total, the South American, who has been described as “incredible” by scout Jacek Kulig, has accumulated 80 appearances for Botafogo, scoring 11 times.

His signing would be yet another exciting addition to Palace, whose attack is taking shape following Wilfried Zaha’s inevitable departure.

Due to a lack of options, Nascimento could find instantly involved in the first-team outlay, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard not exactly the most prolific strikers.

Suspect depth and unproductive senior players, could see Franca awarded with a regular role in his first season in English football.

Kulig feels that the playmaker is “one of the most exciting teenagers in Brazil” and his potency could be hugely beneficial for Palace. In 59 appearances for Flamengo, he notched 19 goals and those in his homeland as he is destined for unadulterated greatness.

Fabio Matias, his former coach, is leading this change of thought and said: “He has many important aspects to his game. In addition to technical and tactical ability, he has a very good understanding of the game. That makes him stand out because he interprets spaces well.”

With the confirmation of Olise’s commitment to the south London outfit on a four-year deal, the timeless brilliance of Eberechi Eze, and the glimmering potential of Franca, Nascimento could join this eye-catching wave of excitement to form an exciting new combination in attack.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson this summer, but it will only be possible on one condition.

How much does Brennan Johnson earn?

The Welshman, who has the same agent as Reece James, has become one of the first names on the team sheet at the City Ground, playing a huge role in Forest getting back into the Premier League, and continuing to shine in the top flight.

Last season, the £30,000-a-week-earning Johnson scored eight goals and registered three assists in the league, helping his side pull away from the relegation battle in the process. He is going to be a vital player for them again in 2023/24, so it is clear that they are desperate to keep hold of him for as long as possible.

Chelsea are on the lookout for more attacking signings this summer, and having missed out on Crystal Palace star Michael Olise, alternatives are now being looked at.

While more of a central attacker than a wide player, it appears as though Johnson has been identified as a possible addition at Stamford Bridge before the current transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Will Chelsea sign Brennan Johnson?

According to The Daily Mail, Johnson has emerged as a summer target Chelsea, alongside Jeremy Doku, but a move will only be able to happen if they match the Reds' £50m valuation of him:

"Chelsea are in the running to sign Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson this summer. The Blues have been keen to bolster their attacking depth throughout the transfer window and were close to sealing a move for Michael Olise – before the Crystal Palace winger signed a four-year contract extension on Thursday.

"Chelsea's interest in Johnson, however, has been longstanding and the Forest star has been on their radar prior to their move for Olise falling through. However, any move for the Wales international will depend on Chelsea meeting Forest's £50m valuation for the 22-year-old."

Johnson is an excellent footballer who has shown his class for Forest over an extending period now, scoring 29 goals in 106 appearances, not to mention netting twice in 19 caps for Wales and being hailed as "fantastic" by Forest manager Steve Cooper.

For all his quality, though, it could be argued that the 22-year-old isn't quite what Chelsea are looking for this summer, with proper wide options more pressing. While he can drift into those areas, his best football is arguably played down the middle, and he doesn't possess natural width like Olise, for example.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

The step up from Forest to Chelsea is also huge, so there would be question marks over whether Johnson was at the level required to take the Blues to that next step, with the Wales man an excellent option for Forest, but someone who could ultimately look out of his depth for one of the so-called 'big six'.

At 22, it is worth stressing that he remains a very young player with a high ceiling, however, so if Mauricio Pochettino has faith in him being an ideal option before the window ends, he should be trusted in bringing in the right players.