As he looks to make his mark on his side at long last, Ruben Amorim is now reportedly personally driving Manchester United’s move to sign a Premier League rival who has been compared to Michael Carrick.

Amorim admits Man Utd embarrassment

To say that Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United reign hasn’t gone to plan would be a major understatement. The former Sporting Club boss arrived at a club in chaos. Six months on, however, that same club are lower than they have ever been in the Premier League.

From concerns over their position in the race for European football, the Red Devils have been forced to keep one eye on the dropzone at some stages of the current campaign. And that, more than anything, sums up how far they’ve fallen since Amorim’s arrival in November.

The Manchester United boss hasn’t shied away from criticism, however, admitting his embarrassment over his side’s league position following another defeat at Old Trafford – this time against West Ham United.

Amorim told reporters: “For me the biggest concern is that feeling that ‘it’s OK’, and ‘we cannot change our position so much so it’s OK’. That is the biggest problem in our club in this moment because we are losing the feeling of we are a massive club and it’s the end of the world to lose a game at home. I think that is the biggest concern in our club.

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“How a manager of Manchester United is supposed to feel in that position – embarrassed, and it’s hard to accept. I think everybody has to think seriously about a lot of things here. Everybody is thinking about the final. The final is not an issue in this moment in our club.”

Amorim personally driving Man Utd's Wharton move

Arguably more aware than anyone else about just what the club need this summer, the Portuguese manager has reportedly set his sights on one specific target. According to Caught Offside, Amorim is now personally driving Manchester United’s move to sign Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace.

The Red Devils are reportedly in the strongest position to sign the England international alongside Newcastle United, but any deal will not come cheap amid rumours that Palace will demand in excess of £80m to sell their star man this summer.

Premier League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Adam Wharton

Manuel Ugarte

Minutes

1,318

1,764

Progressive Passes

107

60

Interceptions

20

27

Ball Recoveries

102

122

Despite playing over 300 minutes less than Manuel Ugarte courtesy of his injury problems this season, Wharton has completely outperformed the Manchester United midfielder in possession, whilst almost matching his numbers off the ball.

It should come as no surprise that the Crystal Palace star has earned praise from the likes of Rio Ferdinand, who said on his YouTube channel: “Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton – I’d go and get him. The reason why I’d take him is he’s one that can take the ball and transfer it through the middle of the pitch.

“He’s got a great range of passing. I think he’d be a great addition to the squad, a young English talent as well. He’s like Carrick sometimes, the way he slaps the ball about.”

Whatever happens in the Europa League over the next few weeks, those at Manchester United will be fully aware that they are once again approaching a crucial transfer window in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

In truth, amid what has been the club’s worst-ever Premier League season, the INEOS regime can’t afford another wrong turn this summer, with new boss Ruben Amorim needing to be handed the appropriate tools in order to revive this sleeping giant.

There had been minimal signs of progress upon the Portuguese’s arrival – namely impressive displays away at both the Etihad and Anfield – although results have spiralled in recent months, with the top-flight now merely an unwanted distraction for those at Old Trafford.

The club’s current standing in the bottom half of the table has showcased that major surgery is needed ahead of next term, with the club reportedly already beginning that operation by ramping up their pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha.

That move for the Brazilian sensation certainly won’t be the last move of the summer, if recent reports are anything to go by.

Latest on Man Utd's transfer search

While last summer still appeared to be partly led by then-boss Erik ten Hag, amid the signings of Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui, the common theme of the INEOS era has been youth.

Indeed, the Red Devils managed to edge Real Madrid in the race for Lille teenager, Leny Yoro, while the club have since brought in Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu during the January window.

The Old Trafford side have also dipped into the South American market to land Paraguayan starlet, Diego Leon, ahead of 2025/26, with that a move that could be replicated amid their interest in River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono.

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According to Argentine outlet Soy del Millio, offers have reportedly been lodged for the 17-year-old superstar, with United, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid named as the clubs who have made an approach.

The teenager – who has a €45m (£38m) release clause in his existing deal – would likely represent a signing for the future, however, not least with River insisting that he is set to remain in his homeland until the end of the current league season, which finishes in December.

Whether that is merely a bargaining tool or not remains to be seen, although if INEOS can strike a deal over the coming months, it would certainly be a welcome one.

Why Man Utd could be set to land Di Maria 2.0

From Juan Seba Veron to Carlos Tevez, the Red Devils have no doubt welcomed some high-profile Argentine talents to Manchester in the 21st Century, with the now-veteran Angel Di Maria perhaps one of the more polarising of the lot.

Signed from Real Madrid on a £59.7m deal back in the summer of 2014, the silky left-footer simply never appeared to settle at the Theatre of Dreams, having sealed a hasty exit to PSG just a year later.

At odds with manager Louis van Gaal, the then-number seven could only show flashes of his quality in the red jersey, including his memorable dink against Leicester City in the early stages of the 2014/15 campaign.

As he has showcased elsewhere, Di Maria – who did chalk up 15 goals and assists in just 32 games for United – is an undoubted superstar, as evidenced by his 121 goal involvements in just 190 games in Madrid, alongside 212 goal involvements in just 295 games in Paris.

In many ways, young Mastantuono looks to be the second coming of his compatriot, not least due to his ability to operate on the flanks or in a central role, while waving his wand of a left foot to devastating effect.

Previously described as a “world-class talent” and “one of the most talented players of his age category in South America” by scout Jacek Kulig, the teen playmaker has four goals and two assists to his name in 13 games in 2025 to date, despite his relative youth.

In total, the in-demand talent boasts 12 goal involvements in just 55 games at senior level, with his form across the last year or so seeing him recognised as statistically similar to Di Maria, among those in their position outside of Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Di Maria vs Mastantuono – last 365 days
Stat (per 90)	Di Maria	Mastantuono
Non-penalty goals	0.16	0.07
Assists	0.21	0.20
Shot-creating actions	5.09	6.00
Progressive passes	8.46	6.26
Progressive carries	3.89	3.26
Successful take-ons	1,56	3.65
Touches in opposition box	5.81	4.82
Progressive passes received	10.59	10.95
Tackles	0.88	2.28
Interceptions	0.42	0.20
Stats via FBref

That likeness is notably evident with regard to their creative streak, with Mastantuono ranking in the top 12% of his positional peers for progressive passes per 90, while the current Benfica star ranks in the top 2% in that regard.

Equally, the pair are also alike with regard to their record for shot-creating actions per 90, with the younger man ranking in the top 4%, while Di Maria ranks in the top 12% for that same metric.

Such likeness should bode well for the career that Mastantuono can have in the game, and while there may be concerns that he might go the same way as his compatriot at Old Trafford, he surely represents an exciting talent for Amorim to be able to nurture.

Of course, United are in need of ready-made figures who can immediately improve the first-team ranks, although looking to the future is also vital amid INEOS’ long-term project.

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Glasgow Rangers are at a crossroads. They have just ended the season without a trophy and are currently without a manager after Barry Ferguson’s interim term ended.

The Light Blues ended the campaign in second place in the Scottish Premiership, drawing 2-2 with Hibernian on the final day, and failed to win either of the domestic cup competitions.

CEO Patrick Stewart is conducting a process to find the next head coach before sporting director Kevin Thelwell arrives, and before the takeover is completed, and is reportedly planning talks with a candidate.

Rangers planning talks with Italian coach

According to RangersReview, former Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti is set to hold further talks with the Light Blues in the coming days.

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Stewart is set to hold talks with the coach about the vacant position at Ibrox, after the Italian tactician waved goodbye to Real Madrid’s supporters after their final game of the season against Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Saturday.

RangersReview adds that the reports elsewhere that Ancelotti was close to becoming the new head coach in Glasgow are premature, and that the state of play is that he will have further discussions with the club before a decision is made.

The Gers, however, must be wary of how much of a gamble this appointment would be ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, as the Italian coach could be Michael Beale 2.0.

Why Ancelotti could be the next Beale

Rangers turned to Beale as their new head coach in November 2022 after they made the decision to part ways with experienced boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

The English tactician had, of course, been the assistant to Steven Gerrard when the Light Blues won the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020/21 campaign, but had only had 22 games of senior managerial experience with QPR in England before his move back to Ibrox.

Beale came as a highly-rated coach, having worked on the training pitch to deliver that title success at Rangers, but ultimately failed to translate his skills over to being the main man, as he lasted less than a year in the job and left in October 2023 with no trophies to show for his efforts.

Davide Ancelotti’s coaching career

Club (role)

First-team manager

Matches

Real Madrid (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

233

Everton (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

67

Napoli (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

73

Bayern Munich (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

60

Real Madrid (Fitness coach)

Carlo Ancelotti

119

PSG (Fitness coach)

Carlo Ancelotti

77

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Ancelotti’s entire career to date has been spent as either a fitness coach or as an assistant manager to his dad, Carlo Ancelotti, at various European clubs.

The Italian coach, who was described as “important” by his father, is in a similar position to the one Beale was in at the time of his move to QPR, a perennial assistant manager and highly-rated coach.

But, as Beale showcased at Rangers and then Sunderland, a good assistant manager and coach does not guarantee that they will be a good head coach or manager.

Therefore, Stewart and the Gers must have full confidence in his ability to lead and manager the club as the main man, because he has yet to prove that he can do it as a head coach in his own right, which is why appointing him would be a big risk and potentially a repeat of Beale.

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With Leeds United looking to solve their biggest problem this summer, one transfer target is now reportedly ready to quit his current Premier League club in favour of a move to Elland Road.

Leeds' goalkeeper problem

After winning the Championship title and sealing automatic promotion to the Premier League, Leeds still have one major problem to address this summer. And that comes courtesy of Ilian Meslier. The shot-stopper is at the centre of Leeds’ greatest weakness and very nearly derailed his side’s promotion until Daniel Farke ruthlessly replaced him with second-choice Karl Darlow.

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However, the current No 2 is far from a permanent solution ahead of the Whites’ return to the Premier League, and the 49ers seem to be well aware of that.

Already, a number of Meslier replacements have been mentioned as the summer transfer window approaches, and Leeds will have to narrow their shortlist down if they are to finally solve their goalkeeper problem.

Two names mentioned have been Caoimhin Kelleher and Djordje Petrovic in recent reports. Both goalkeepers have endured excellent seasons, with Kelleher often called in to replace an injured Alisson Becker at Liverpool as they secured the Premier League title, and Chelsea loanee Petrovic providing some standout numbers on loan at Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

Both would be instant upgrades on Meslier, whose mistakes came around more and more often at Leeds throughout the campaign. They were mistakes that went unpunished eventually, but mistakes that could ultimately cost the Yorkshire side their Premier League place if repeated next season.

After dropping his goalkeeper for Darlow in April, Farke told reporters: “Obviously he was involved in both [Swansea] goals in the last game, and it was a shame because after the penalty save he was on his way to being man of the match.

“So it was clear we had to make a decision. And we had to make it early in the week, because in that position the players need clarity, and Karl [Darlow] needs the time to prepare.”

Leeds receive Sam Johnstone boost

Meanwhile, if it’s not to be Petrovic or Kelleher this summer, then those at Elland Road could reportedly turn towards another Premier League option.

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Sam Johnstone is now ready to quit Wolverhampton Wanderers to join Leeds this summer.

The experienced shot-stopper has often found himself behind Jose Sa in the pecking order in the Midlands and could now leave the club just one summer after arriving. Wolves’ No 2 could quickly become Leeds’ No 1 as a result, with the 49ers already thought to be plotting a move to sign the former West Bromwich Albion man.

Previously praised for a “sensational” save by Gary Lineker, Johnstone will be desperate to regain a starting place away from Wolves this summer and replacing Meslier would hand him the chance to do exactly that.

At 32 years old, however, there may be some concerns around Elland Road over the goalkeeper’s ability to become a long-term solution to their biggest problem ahead of a vital Premier League campaign.

As Aston Villa prepare for a busy summer in the transfer market, how they would love to unearth a forward as prolific as Christian Benteke.

The Belgian striker scored 49 goals in just 101 appearances for the Villans, thereby averaging a goal every 172 minutes, despite the fact they were struggling throughout his time at the club.

Having arrived from Genk for just £7m in 2012, Benteke was sold to Liverpool for £32.5m three years later, quite the return on investment.

A decade on from his departure, could Villa be about to make a Benteke-esque striker move in this transfer window?

Aston Villa targeting new striker

According to a report by Football Transfers, Monchi has made Brighton & Hove Albion forward João Pedro a ‘high-priority’ target this summer, adding that the Brazilian is valued at around £58m by the Seagulls.

Pedro has not been seen since being sent off at Brentford on 19 April, first serving the customary three-match suspension.

However, despite then being available for Brighton’s final two fixtures of the campaign, Fabian Hürzeler chose not to select him.

This is because, as outlined by Pedro was involved in a ‘training ground altercation’ with teammate Jan Paul van Hecke, merely fueling speculation around his future.

Sam Dean of the Telegraph has previously documented that Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal are all ‘interested’ to Pedro this summer, but could Aston Villa position themselves at the front of the queue by acting swiftly?

Why Pedro would be a better signing than Rashford

Now that his loan spell has come to an end, there was always going to be much speculation about Marcus Rashford’s future.

In 17 appearances for Villa, he looked like a different player, enjoying a ‘career rehabilitation’ in the Midlands as he scored four goals and registered six assists, on target against Brighton and Manchester City in the Premier League, also bagging a brace at Preston North End in the FA Cup.

Nevertheless, Jamie Jackson of the Guardian reports that, even though he is contracted to the club until 2028, Rashford has no future at Manchester United, who value him at £40m, with reports in Spain documenting Barcelona’s long-standing interest.

However, rather than pushing to make Rashford’s deal permanent, would Villa be better served signing Pedro?

Well, let’s attempt to find out.

Goals

0.46

0.38

Assists

0.28

0.19

Key passes

1.39

1.77

Progressive passes

3.61

2.15

Shot-creating actions

3.33

3.54

Successful take-ons

1.34

1.14

Progressive carries

3.06

2.66

As the table outlines, Rashford and Pedro’s statistics this season are remarkably similar.

In around 300 more minutes across all competitions, the Englishman scored one more goal, registered two more assists and accumulated more shot-creating actions per 90.

Nevertheless, Pedro came out on top for carrying metrics across passing and dribbling, suggesting he’s even more of a livewire than Pedro in forward areas.

Presenter Sam Ucko labels the Brazilian a ‘special player”, while Liam Tharme of the Athletic praises his ‘technical prowess’, which enables him to drop deep and be involved in the build-up play.

So, the smarter business decision would be to spend big on the younger Pedro, rather than splurging on a 27-year-old whose best days could be behind them.

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This time last year, Leeds United were full to the brim with nerves as a Championship playoff final awaited the Whites at Wembley.

Thankfully, no such heartache on the biggest stage is plaguing Daniel Farke’s men currently, with any loss to Southampton now a distant memory, considering the second-tier title was wrapped up in style this season by the West Yorkshire giants.

One downside to Leeds winning promotion could come in the form of Harry Gray’s development being hindered, with so much already anticipated of the teenager at Elland Road despite the attacker only being 16 years of age.

Gray's incredible rise at Leeds

Plenty of the hype surrounding Gray does come from his notable namesake, with his brother Archie now on the books of Tottenham Hotspur and a Europa League winner after exploding into life in the senior game with the Whites.

Farke was heavily responsible for the 19-year-old’s sudden rise in the first team, considering he gifted the versatile Spurs number 14 his first senior opportunities at Elland Road, with history now amazingly repeating itself.

Indeed, with Leeds’ promotion virtually wrapped up, the German would start to name the 16-year-old sensation amongst his substitutes, with his first official appearance for his boyhood employers coming against Stoke City last month.

With 11 goals next to his name playing for both the U18s and U21s too, this could well be the early beginnings of a future icon in West Yorkshire. After all, he has already been described as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation” by data analyst Ben Mattinson.

Gray might not be the only rising star that could soon work his way into Farke’s regular first team picture, though, with this fellow Thorp Arch product possessing the potential to be as big a talent as the much-talked-about striker if given time.

The Leeds youngster who could be as impressive as Gray

It isn’t the biggest shock in the world to see the Leeds conveyor belt continuing to churn out more and more top-drawer youngsters with the likes of Kalvin Phillips once beginning his journey with the Whites.

Sam Chambers could be the next prodigy to rise the ranks and make an impression; therefore, with the exciting 17-year-old also gaining his first meaningful senior opportunities this season when given a cameo late last year versus Plymouth Argyle in the league, alongside an FA Cup chance against Millwall in 2025.

These rare slices of senior action would follow on from Chambers thumping home this effort in pre-season action for Farke’s men, with the promising Scotman really catching the eye at a youth level for the Whites for his versatility all across the attacking positions.

Indeed, his ability to maraud down the wings or play as a number 10 has even seen his ever-improving game be compared to that of Jack Grealish and Tyler Dibling by SCOUTED editor Llew Davies, who stated that Chambers “breaks open games, beats presses, creates positive attacking situations. He’s a little bit like Grealish, Emile Smith Rowe and Dibling.”

AM

20

2

3

CM

5

1

0

CF

4

1

1

LM

3

0

0

RW

1

0

0

LW

1

0

0

RM

1

0

0

Chambers will aim to follow in both Grealish’s and Dibling’s footsteps, therefore, as the electric duo were both raw gems themselves once upon a time at Aston Villa and Southampton before their big breaks.

If he can go on to live up to these lofty comparisons, he could even be a bigger talent than Gray, with the future looking very bright at Elland Road as Premier League football returns, alongside yet another generation of stars coming through that look extremely encouraging.

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Battling Premier League rivals on and off the pitch, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly joined the race to sign a 12-goal star who will be available for as little as £30m this summer.

Nottingham Forest's summer plans

They may still be battling to secure their Champions League place in a race which could yet end in defeat, but nothing can take away from Nottingham Forest’s excellent season. With or without a place in the top five, it’s been one to remember for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, who are likely to find themselves playing in some form of European football next season.

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All of a sudden, a move to the City Ground is a seriously attractive one. It’s not one that will leave players scrapping to keep the club in the Premier League. Instead, the chance to join the current Forest side is arguably one of the most exciting prospects in English football, given how they’ve cut through teams with pace and the rapid counter-attacking football that the Premier League has desperately lacked in recent times.

With that said, it’s no surprise that owner Evangelos Marinakis has already set his sights on the summer transfer window. Already, names such as Baris Alper Yilmaz and Yeremay Hernandez have been mentioned as potential targets in recent weeks, with Forest’s transfer plan becoming clearer by the day.

As the Midlands club look to repeat their success next season, it looks as though welcoming additional attacking support behind and around Chris Wood will be among Forest’s priorities.

The 33-year-old won’t be at the peak of his powers forever and after the City Ground got a glimpse of what life will be like without his goals in recent games, signing a striker should sit top of Espirito Santo’s wishlist.

Nottingham Forest join Liam Delap race

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Marinakis has now registered Nottingham Forest’s interest in signing Liam Delap, joining the race to sign the Ipswich Town star who has a release clause worth just £30m after the Tractor Boys suffered Premier League relegation.

One of the most sought-after stars ahead of the summer transfer window, Forest would do well to win the race for Delap’s signature against the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

With 12 goals to his name in all competitions this season, Delap earned the praise of football talent scout Jacek Kulig in April, who described the forward’s campaign as “superb”.

At just 22 years old, there’s every chance that the former Manchester City man is only just getting started. Wood, meanwhile, is coming towards the end of his career – making the arrival of a younger, in-form forward something that would be timed to perfection at the City Ground this summer.

Delap undoubtedly deserves to be playing Premier League football. Whether that’s for Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Man Utd or another club remains to be seen, however.

West Ham United are now closely monitoring an “intelligent” £84m striker, who is also in the sights of Premier League rivals Arsenal and Aston Villa, according to a report.

Hammers set sights on new striker

Niclas Fullkrug may have won over some West Ham fans with his extremely honest reflection on the team’s performance in the 1-1 draw against Southampton last month, which left manager Graham Potter not best pleased.

However, the German has hardly set the world alight himself during his first season at the London Stadium, netting just three Premier League goals, and with the striker now 32-years-old, it could be a shrewd move to bring in a replacement this summer.

Celtic’s Daizen Maeda is one potential option, with the Hammers currently preparing a substantial offer for the versatile Japanese forward, while Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap also remain of interest.

Delap could be an ambitious target, given the level of interest in the Englishman, and the same applies to Botafogo striker Igor Jesus, with a report from Spain now revealing that West Ham are now racing their Premier League rivals for the Brazilian’s signature.

Arsenal and Aston Villa are also keen on Jesus, who the Hammers have been closely monitoring, with the Gunners thought to be seriously considering a move, which could pose a major problem for Potter’s side.

The 24-year-old is also protected by a €100m (£84m) release clause, although the Brazilian club should be willing to sanction his departure for a lower price.

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May 18, 2025 "Intelligent" Jesus impressing for Botafogo

Brazilian pundit Walter Casagrande has been impressed by some of the Brazil international’s performances since returning to his home country after a spell with Dubai-based side Shabab Al-Alhi, lauding him as “very intelligent” in September last year.

The forward played an important role in Botafogo’s 2024 league title triumph, picking up five goals and three assists and receiving some very high praise for his displays.

Jesus could now be ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, and at 24-years-old he is at the right age to be a long-term success at the London Stadium, but the serious interest from Arsenal could be a major issue for West Ham.

West Ham United will be hoping for a better campaign next term and have now moved to the brink of completing their first deal in the summer window, according to Fabrizio Romano.

West Ham United look for significant improvement

In the end, finishing 14th in the Premier League wasn’t the worst outcome for the Hammers, but there is a wider acknowledgment that results need to improve under Graham Potter at the London Stadium.

A late flurry of positive results against Manchester United and Ipswich Town was enough to put a little bit of shine on a poor period for the club. However, there needs to be far more in the way of consistency to meet standards.

Expectedly, the Hammers will look to the transfer market to improve the general quality of their squad and contact has been made to bring Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis to the London Stadium.

Igor Jesus is also on the radar of the Irons due to his form at Botafogo, though Arsenal and Aston Villa provide high-profile competition in the race to sign the Brazil international.

Striking reinforcements appear to be on their agenda. Still, veteran Michail Antonio is someone Potter wants to keep around after the ‘unique situation’ he encountered earlier this year.

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Giving some behind-the-scenes insight on the Jamaica international’s future, he said: “As I’ve said before, it’s a unique situation because of what he’s had to deal with. I think the club are trying their best to accommodate that and to understand that.”

While Antonio’s situation hangs in the balance, West Ham are now well down the road in their quest to sign a talented up-and-coming forward.

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Out of contract in Glasgow, the Scotland Under-19 international has registered 29 goals in 37 appearances this season and made his first-team debut against Aston Villa in January.

Labelled “excellent” by Darren O’Dea, the 19-year-old’s exit from the Scottish champions has been on the cards for quite some time and West Ham previously tried to land Cummings in January, proving unsuccessful in their efforts.

It remains to be seen whether he will occupy a first-team berth at the London Stadium. Regardless, his arrival could be a smart capture in the long run due to his track record of scoring goals with regularity in the Lowland League.

Full-backs in today’s game are a crucial position of the pitch, with modern-day managers wanting to see them effect the game in attack, while also being solid defensively.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been one of the best right-backs the Premier League has seen, but he has now left Liverpool for Real Madrid. But where does he rank in regards to best right-backs in Premier League history?

Ranking factors Appearances Longevity Titles Goals Clean sheets What others have said about them 20 best right-backs in Premier League history: in pictures 20 Dan Petrescu Sheffield Wednesday, Chelsea, Bradford, Southampton

Starting the countdown is Romanian icon Dan Petrescu, who was an attacking full-back best known for his time at Chelsea.

Petrescu cost the Blues a then-club-record £2.3m from Sheffield Wednesday back in 1995, but he starred at Stamford Bridge across a five-year spell before also featuring for Bradford and Southampton in the top flight, contributing to more than 50 league goals along the way.

Games

215

Goals

23

Assists

33

Clean sheets

42

19 Antonio Valencia Wigan, Man Utd

Starting out as a winger when he moved to England with Wigan, Antonio Valencia was slowly moved back to an attacking right-back role under Sir Alex Ferguson.

He still had that attacking output and was called a player who “has got everything” by Ferguson, with the Ecuadorian winning two league titles at Old Trafford.

Games

325

Goals

24

Assists

46

Clean sheets

105

Titles

2

18 John O’Shea Man Utd, Sunderland

Versatile defender John O’Shea would turn out as a right-back on numerous occasions for Man Utd and was also used as a centre-back and left-back during his career.

The Irishman, called a “great professional” who “never complains” by Sir Alex Ferguson, was a reliable performer and made more than 250 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils before going on to spend seven years with Sunderland.

Games

445

Goals

13

Assists

13

Clean sheets

115

Titles

5

17 Wes Brown Man Utd, Sunderland

Continuing the trend of right-backs to have played for Man Utd and Sunderland is Wes Brown, who won five Premier League titles with the Red Devils between 1997-2011.

Like O’Shea, Brown was used in a variety of defensive roles during his career and could excel at right-back. Sir Alex Ferguson, who knew his stuff, was also a big fan, calling Brown “the best natural defender in the country” back in 2009.

Games

308

Goals

4

Assists

9

Clean sheets

98

Titles

5

16 Seamus Coleman Everton

Arguably the best value-for-money signing in Premier League history, Seamus Coleman has been crucial for Everton since joining from Sligo Rovers in 2009.

Costing just £60,000, the Irishman has gone on to make more than 350 league appearances for the Toffees, coming in for praise from Frank Lampard who called Coleman “amazing”.

His longevity has been brilliant, and in his prime, Coleman has also been a real threat in the final third, contributing to 46 top flight goals.

Games

371

Goals

22

Assists

24

Clean sheets

96

15 Paulo Ferreira Chelsea

One of Jose Mourinho’s first signings at Chelsea back in 2004, Paulo Ferreira would enjoy a successful spell at Stamford Bridge, winning three Premier League titles.

The Portuguese defender sometimes went under the radar but played 29 times in the 2004/05 season which saw the Blues concede just 15 times in the league campaign.

Games

141

Assists

4

Clean sheets

56

Titles

3

14 Kieran Trippier Burnley, Tottenham, Newcastle

After coming through the Man City academy, Kieran Trippier made a name for himself in the Premier League with Burnley before spells with Tottenham and Newcastle.

A set-piece specialist from right-back, Trippier was dubbed as the perfect modern-day full-back by defensive icon Roberto Carlos and has scored and created numerous goals in the top flight.

Games

210

Goals

6

Assists

38

Clean sheets

52

13 Joao Cancelo Man City

Another brilliant attacking full-back, Joao Cancelo’s stay in the Premier League was relatively short, but he made a big impact at Man City under Pep Guardiola with his eye for a pass.

He won three titles in four seasons at the Etihad and was named in the PFA Team of the Year twice, while also being dubbed one of the best right-backs in the world by Nigel de Jong.

Games

98

Goals

5

Assists

11

Clean sheets

41

Titles

3

12 Gary Kelly Leeds

A one-club man with Leeds United, Irishman Gary Kelly was one of the best right-backs in the early years of the Premier League and made more than 300 top-flight appearances for the Whites.

Twice named in the PFA Team of the Year, Kelly was defensively sound but would also get forward when he could, averaging an assist every 10 appearances at Elland Road.

Games

325

Goals

2

Assists

31

Clean sheets

103

11 Stephen Carr Tottenham, Newcastle, Birmingham

Another old-school right-back, Stephen Carr made an appearance in 15 separate Premier League campaigns but will best be remembered for his time at Tottenham, where he was included in the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions.

Although he never got near to winning the title, Carr was extremely reliable and was a right-back who “had everything” according to Irish teammate Kenny Cunningham.

Games

377

Goals

8

Assists

17

Clean sheets

83