Juan Soto's free agency continues to command the rest of the market, as teams await the seismic decision from the 26-year-old. According to reports, multiple teams have already submitted offers for Soto after meeting with the outfielder and his agent Scott Boras.
After meeting with teams last week, MLB Network's Jon Morosi confirmed a report from NJ.com's Randy Miller which stated five teams had made offers for Soto's services. Those teams include the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
It could be a while until Soto makes his decision, and it's also possible those teams send improved offers as they look to outbid one another. Other teams could also enter the mix and submit offers of their own. It has been reported that Soto's looming deal could eclipse $700 million. It could also include deferred money similar to the deal Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers in December of 2023.
Last season, Soto enjoyed a career year with the New York Yankees, launching 41 home runs and recording a .989 OPS. It's still possible he re-ups with the organization to remain in the Bronx where he and Aaron Judge could be a dynamic duo for the foreseeable future.
Things are looking rather bleak for West Ham United at the moment.
Yes, Nuno Espírito Santo did oversee a spirited comeback away to Everton in his first Premier League game, but since then, the Hammers have lost two and sit in the relegation zone, three points and a better goal difference from safety.
Worse yet, while the defeat to Arsenal was to be expected, the East Londoners needed to get something from the game against Brentford. Instead, they put in one of their worst performances in a long, long time.
So, to arrest this downturn in form, Nuno has to try something dramatic, such as dropping Lucas Paqueta for an exciting young talent.
Why Lucas Paqueta has to be dropped
Now, the first thing to say is that there is no denying that Paqueta is an incredibly talented footballer and has the ability to be a real game-changer for West Ham.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, it is equally true that the former Lyon star has been underwhelming for quite some time and was utterly ineffective last time out.
For example, in 94 minutes of inaction against Brentford, he produced a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.12, took a single shot, which was off target, took 61 touches, but lost the ball 23 times, misplaced 100% of his crosses and was accurate in just 26 of 41 passes.
Paqueta’s game vs Brentford
Minutes
94′
Expected Goals
0.04
Goals
0
Expected Assists
0.08
Shots on Target
0
Shots Off Target
1
Touches
61
Lost Possession
23
Dribbles (Completed)
1 (0)
Key Passes
0
Crosses (Accurate)
2 (0)
Duels (Won)
20 (7)
All Stats via Sofascore
Such a terrible showing cannot even be blamed on the fact that he was playing as a false nine, either, as he’s been poor for most of the season thus far.
For example, while he has scored three goals this season, the last one was a penalty on deadline day, and since then, he has yet to score another or even provide an assist.
Moreover, while players can go through barren spells and still provide some attacking impetus for their sides, that has not been the case with the Brazilian, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan who has been impressed with his displays.
So with all that said, while there is every chance Paqueta gets back to his mercurial best later in the season, it’s time he was taken out of the team entirely.
There are other options to play up top, like Callum Wilson, and if Nuno really wants to shake things up, he could start a particularly promising prospect in the ten for the game against Leeds United.
The West Ham gem Nuno could start over Paqueta
While it might be something of a gamble, this is the time for Nuno to take risks to try and improve West Ham’s fortunes in the next game, and therefore, he should look to start the incredibly exciting Luis Guilherme in place of Paqueta in attacking midfield.
Now, it might be the case that the young Brazilian is viewed as more of a winger at the moment, but the “complete” and “electric” attacker, as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has played all over the pitch, including as a ten.
For example, from his time in Brazil up until today, the 19-year-old prospect, who, according to Mattinson, has “the world at his feet,” has made appearances at centre-forward, left-wing, right-wing, right midfield and attacking midfield.
Luis Guilherme for West Ham.
Therefore, it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for him to adapt.
More importantly, his skill set could help add some real dynamism to the middle of the park, and according to U23 scout Antonio Mango, the ten position would “suit his profile brilliantly.”
For example, when scouting him, Mattinson highlighted the fact that the teenager is a player who “thrives on transitions” and can “turn past players with ease” thanks to his “elite ball manipulation.”
On top of that, when he does take shots, Mattinson states that they are often of “high calibre.”
Finally, away from direct goal involvements, his impressive agility could make him an absolute nightmare for opposition defenders and defensive midfielders.
Ultimately, starting Guilherme in the ten would be a gamble, but with how poorly Paqueta is playing at the moment, it’s one Nuno should take.
Nuno must bin West Ham dud who's making them one of the slowest teams ever
Nuno must make some bold changes to West Ham United if he’s going to save them from relegation.
They say all that matters is the win, but last night’s performance was hardly convincing from Chelsea.
Enzo Maresca’s side had what should have been an easy draw against League One outfit Lincoln City in the League Cup, but made a meal of things.
The World Champions ended the first half a goal down and failing to register a single shot on target, only for Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte to save them with early goals in the second half.
It was truly a night to forget for Chelsea, and several players need to be dropped for the next match, including one who performed worse than Alejandro Garnacho and Filip Jørgensen.
Chelsea's underperformers vs Lincoln
Unfortunately, there were more than a few starters who only harmed their reputations last night, like Jørgensen.
The Danish goalkeeper was between the sticks in place of the suspended Robert Sanchez, and, if we are being honest, looked more like a League One-level keeper than his opposite number.
The former Villarreal ace was poor in distribution, completing just five of ten long balls, and utterly hopeless when balls were lifted into the area.
On another night, and against better opposition, the Blues could have been down two or three more goals due to his shakiness.
A less stressful but just as disappointing display came from summer signing Garnacho.
It was the former Manchester United ace’s first start for the club, and while he’ll have plenty of opportunities, he didn’t convince any of those who doubted his move to West London.
In his 59 minutes on the pitch, the 21-year-old took just 26 touches, made 16 passes, failed in 100% of his crosses, registered a single shot on target, didn’t even attempt a dribble, lost 100% of his aerial duels and was offside once.
In short, it was an underwhelming showing, and unfortunately for Chelsea, one of their other attackers was just as bad.
The Chelsea ace Maresca has to drop
The bad news for Chelsea is that we really could name several other players who should probably be nowhere near the starting lineup on the weekend, from Enzo Fernandes to Trevoh Chalobah.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, in this instance, the starter in question is another summer signing: Jamie Gittens.
It would be fair to say that the former Borussia Dortmund gem has not had the best start to his career with the Blues, as last night’s game was his fifth appearance of the season, and he has yet to score a goal or provide an assist.
However, it wasn’t just his lack of output that was a problem last night – although that early miss was poor – it was his lack of any real impact on the match.
The formerly “explosive” Reading-born winger, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, was practically anonymous for most of the time he was on the pitch, which is a real concern given the level of opposition.
It might sound overly harsh, but this opinion is one shared by Amos Murphy of the Express, who gave the Englishman a 5/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he ‘lacked quality with almost everything he did’ – talk about scathing.
Unsurprisingly, the 21-year-old’s statistics back up such appraisals, as in 70 minutes he took just 36 touches – 21 fewer than Jørgensen – completed just 25 passes, failed to play a key pass, misplaced 100% of his long balls, failed to have a shot on target, missed a big chance, lost the ball four times and only attempted one cross.
Minutes
70′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Touches
36
Passes Completed
25
Key Passes
0
Crosses
1
Long Balls (Accurate)
1 (0)
Shots on Target
0
Big Chances Missed
1
Lost Possession
4
Ultimately, Chelsea won the game, and that is what matters most, but Maresca will be concerned about the performances of his team, and if he wants a better one against Brighton, Gittens should be on the bench.
Cole Palmer facing several weeks out as journalist details "new" Chelsea injury
The England star was hauled off early in to their defeat at Man United.
An injury on her left shin has ruled out left-arm spinner Upadhyay from the five T20Is and three ODIs
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2025
Radha Yadav last played for India in December 2024•Getty Images
Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav has been named as a like-for-like replacement for Shuchi Upadhyay for India Women’s white-ball tour of England. A left-shin injury has ruled Upadhyay out of the tour.Upadhyay made her ODI debut during the tri-series in Sri Lanka, against South Africa. She received her maiden T20I call-up for the upcoming England tour.The BCCI said the shin injury was diagnosed during the pre-tour camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru.She was the third-highest wicket-taker at the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy held in December last year. She picked up 18 wickets then at an economy rate of 3.48 and an average of 15.44 in nine innings. She was named the Player of the Tournament as her team, Madhya Pradesh, won the trophy.Radha, who has played seven ODIs and 84 T20Is, last featured for India in December 2024, where she picked up four wickets against West Indies. However she was overlooked for the ODI series against them that followed.Before the West Indies series, she was the highest wicket-taker in the one-dayers against New Zealand at home.India will take on England Women in five T20Is, followed by three ODIs, starting June 28.
This also confirms that Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan will not stick to its original schedule
Danyal Rasool13-May-2025
PSL 2025 will end a week after it was originally scheduled to•PCB
PSL 2025 will resume on May 17, with the final on May 25. The announcement confirms the league will end a week after it was originally scheduled to.The four remaining group games will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground, with the playoffs and final in Lahore. Aside from one afternoon game in Rawalpindi – between Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators on 18 May, all fixtures take place at night, with evening games starting at 7:30pm local time.”HBL PSL X picks up from where it left off,” he wrote in the post,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on X (formerly Twitter). “6 teams, 0 fear. Get ready for 8 thrilling matches starting 17th May, leading up to the Grand Final on 25th May. Best of luck to all the teams!”The league, which was postponed due to increasing cross-border tensions with India, has eight games left and the PCB, as well as several franchises, have been eager to conclude the season as early as possible.Related
The replacement's diary: Why I said yes to the PSL
PSL 2025 FAQs – what the six teams need to do in the final stretch
Hesson named as Pakistan's white-ball head coach
BCB in 'active discussions' with PCB over upcoming Pakistan tour
The PSL held meetings with the franchises on Monday to discuss specific dates and venues. The most pressing issue is the availability of overseas players, with ESPNcricinfo understanding a significant number are unlikely to return. The asymmetry of player availability may also impact squads, with some franchises more confident about overseas players rejoining than others. To mitigate that, PCB has also considered a replacement draft to make up the numbers.This also confirms that Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan will not stick to its original schedule. The final of the PSL takes place on the day Bangladesh were to play their first T20I against Pakistan, in Faisalabad. BCB has said it is in “active and ongoing discussions” about the tour.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are already pressing ahead in their efforts for the January transfer window and could now have an avenue to landing a key target, according to a report.
Wolves look for stability after rocky Premier League start
Undoubtedly, Wolves have work to do under Vitor Pereira if they want to avoid being dragged into a scrap this campaign after a poor run of early-season results.
Three straight Premier League losses against Manchester City, Bournemouth and Everton have left the Old Gold rooted to the bottom of the table, albeit executive chairman Jeff Shi is confident that stability will come in the form of results sooner rather than later.
“Wolves need stability now – we need a coach to stay here and help us for a long time. Every coach needs time and the jigsaw to be made. We should give the coach enough time and the players he needs to prepare for the season.
“I feel the more important thing to define this season is the squad and the coach, the chemistry and the unity. If you have that foundation, you will have a strong season. If you don’t, maybe you have a doubt. Before Vitor came the team chemistry had some problems. This year that issue is gone. We have a strong team spirit and a very committed team structure.”
Tolu Arokodare’s late arrival from Genk has offered a much-needed forward option to work with alongside the likes of Jorgen Strand Larsen. However, missing out on Josh Brownhill despite talks with the former Burnley midfielder was an unfortunate turn of events.
Late on, Wolves also failed with a £30 million bid to sign Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, but they may be about to complete a return swoop for another one of their targets during the summer window.
Wolves target Christos Mandas could be sold in January
According to Corriere dello Sport, Wolves target Christos Mandas is likely to be sold by Lazio in January after losing his spot as their number one goalkeeper to Ivan Provedel. During the window, the Old Gold submitted a bid worth over £17 millon for the Greece international, who kept six clean sheets in 20 appearances last term.
Wolves' most expensive signings of all time
Football FanCast takes a detailed look at Wolves’ 10 most expensive signings of all time.
ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025
Unhappy to become a deputy for the entirety of the campaign, Mandas is waiting for his chance, though may be forced into considering other options if Provedel remains in front of him for the foreseeable future.
Lazio are open to selling the 23-year-old for significant financial gain, opening up an opportunity for Wolves to pitch a vision of Premier League football to the Serie A star.
Maintaining a 74.3% save percentage in the Italian top-flight across 2024/25, it remains to be seen if Pereira can tempt the talented goalkeeper to the West Midlands once the January window opens.
After a recent flurry of transfers, Nottingham Forest could welcome another late arrival amid reports that they’ve submitted an opening offer to sign an attacker from Paris Saint-Germain.
Nottingham Forest eyeing last-minute moves
Whilst the headlines have centred around Nuno Espirito Santo’s fallout with Evangelos Marinakis as of late, Nottingham Forest have been enjoying quite the transfer window. After a quiet start, a recent flurry has seen them welcome Nicolo Savona, James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson, Dan Ndoye, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Douglas Luiz with more potentially on the way.
It’s been the summer of the Brazilian’s at the City Ground, with Cuiabano and John Victor reportedly set to join former Botafogo teammates Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus in the Midlands before the deadline. Add Luiz into that and Forest’s South American contingent is up to five arrivals in recent months.
Yet, the question still remains. Will Espirito Santo still be in charge to lead the summer arrivals? As things stand, Marinakis has insisted that will be the case and that a meeting to clear the air this weekend was scheduled, but how that meeting has gone may provide the final answer to that question.
Cuiabano in action for Botafogo.
The Greek owner told reporters earlier this week: “Everything is solid. We all want Nottingham to succeed. We are here in the good days but we are even closer in the difficult days, so personally I don’t see a problem.”
After deciding to keep a united front away from the pitch, Nottingham Forest could yet hand their manager his biggest addition yet to round off an excellent summer.
Nottingham Forest submit Lee Kang-in offer
As reported by L’Equipe, Nottingham Forest submitted an opening offer to sign Lee Kang-in from Paris Saint-Germain. The Midlands club reportedly offered a package worth as much as €60m (£52m) to sign the talented winger, with €30m (£26m) coming in add-ons, but have already seen that rejected by PSG.
Medical booked: Nottingham Forest agree deal to sign "phenomenal" Brazilian
The Midlands club are closing in on another arrival.
ByTom Cunningham Aug 30, 2025
Amid competition from Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue – just to name a few – the move could also make sense for Lee this season. At 24 years old, he needs to be playing a prominent part and Espirito Santo may well be able to offer him exactly that.
After getting a taste of facing English opposition when he scored a stunning strike against Tottenham Hotspur in PSG’s comeback Super Cup win too, the winger should face no trouble adjusting to the Premier League.
Described as a “complete player” by Luis Enrique, there’s little doubt that Lee would be another impressive addition by Forest as the deadline approaches.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has revealed that he is sweating on the fitness of Ao Tanaka after the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal at The Emirates on Saturday.
Speaking after the game, the German head coach explained: “After a tackle in the first half, he had problems with his MCL.
“He kept going and I hope it’s not too bad. I hope the assessment is not too bad. There are a few concerns that it would be an injury but it’s normally positive that he could play further on. But we will have to assess him and we will see how long it takes to get him fit and back to full fitness.”
Farke says that he hopes that it is not a bad injury for Tanaka, and that feeling may be compounded by a similar injury to club captain Ethan Ampadu last week.
The Wales international is due to be out until after the international break, at least, with an MCL injury that was sustained against Everton on the opening day.
That injury to the skipper allowed Ilia Gruev to test himself at Premier League level against the Gunners on Saturday, but he was unable to impress with his showing in midfield.
Why Ilia Gruev may not be the answer for Leeds
Speaking ahead of the clash with Arsenal, Farke revealed that Sean Longstaff is more suited to playing as a number eight instead of as a replacement for Ampadu in the number six role, which is why Gruev was then selected against Arsenal.
Unfortunately, though, the Bulgaria international failed to show the defensive strength and quality that was needed to protect the back four, in what turned out to be a hammering by Mikel Arteta’s side.
The left-footed maestro only started 20 times in the Championship last season, per Sofascore, and won 52% of his duels in the second tier as Leeds largely dominated games with the ball.
Gruev’s lack of physicality meant that there was always going to be a question mark over his head going into the Premier League season, and his performances in the first two games have not changed that.
Minutes
13
90
Pass accuracy
80%
92%
Key passes
0
0
Tackles
0
1
Interceptions
0
1
Duels won
0/1
1/3
As you can see in the table above, the former Werder Bremen star has only won one of his four duels in 103 minutes of action in the top-flight to date.
His lack of physicality was on display in the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal as he only won one duel in 90 minutes against a side that was constantly attacking his half of the pitch, which shows that he was not offering enough protection in front of the back four.
The Championship champions are now reportedly keen on bringing in another option in that area of the pitch who could come in as an upgrade on Gruev.
Leeds eyeing move for Bundesliga midfielder
According to Monday’s edition of Bild, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds United are one of the teams in the race to sign Borussia Monchengladbach defensive midfielder Julian Weigl.
The report claims that the Premier League side and Al-Shabab FC are both contenders to land a deal for the Germany international before the end of the summer transfer window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states that the Bundesliga outfit are set to allow him to move on before the deadline after the player requested to be allowed to explore a move elsewhere.
Sport Witness relay quotes from Gladbach director Roland Virkus explaining the situation: “The important thing was: He asked us to release him for talks. We are also in talks. That’s the way it is. That doesn’t mean he won’t return to the squad if they fail. That’s open. It was important for Julian to be able to hold talks with the clubs.”
It is said that Weigl is available for a fee of around £5m, amid interest from Leeds and Al-Shabab, and it is now down to the 49ers to get a deal done for the German star.
Why Leeds should sign Julian Weigl
Off the back of the injuries to Ampadu and Tanaka, securing a cut-price deal to sign Weigl from Gladbach as an upgrade on Gruev in the number six position could be a shrewd move by the club.
The 29-year-old star is a natural number six who could slot into that role at the base of the midfield when Ampadu is unavailable, or off the bench when needed.
Speaking about Weigl’s style of play, defender Marc Bartra once said: “He is very similar to Busquets. He dictates play from midfield and helps us a lot when we lose the ball, it looks like he always has everything under control. He really reminds me of Busquets a lot, even if there is obviously still some distance between the two of them.”
As someone who played alongside Busquets at Barcelona and Weigl at Borussia Dortmund, Barta is possibly the best-placed person to make such a connection, and it speaks to the profile of player that Leeds would be signing.
Sergio Busquets for Spain
The German ace could be Farke’s own Busquets at the base of the midfield as an upgrade on Gruev who can offer more to the team out of possession in what is set to be a scrap to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Tackles + interceptions
3.16
Top 37%
Clearances
2.69
Top 20%
Shots blocked
0.84
Top 2%
Percentage of dribblers tackled
60.9%
Top 13%
Blocks
1.69
Top 28%
Challenges lost
0.56
Top 13%
Aerial duel success rate
67.2%
Top 2%
As you can see in the table above, Weigl ranked highly among his positional peers in the Bundesliga last season in a host of defensive metrics, including his success rate in duels on the deck and in the air.
These statistics show that he can be a dominant defensive force against opposition players at the top level, whilst Gruev was not outstanding physically in the Championship and has struggled with the physicality of the Premier League so far.
Weigl, who started 33 games in the Bundesliga last season, per Sofascore, is an experienced campaigner who has played for Farke in the past and has proven himself in one of Europe’s major leagues.
This is why he could come in as a fantastic bargain signing for £5m as an upgrade on Gruev due to the defensive and physical qualities that he can bring to the number six position as a Busquets-esque figure.
Gnonto upgrade: Leeds ready to pay £30m to sign "menacing" new star
Leeds United are reportedly willing to splash the cash to sign an upgrade on Wilfried Gnonto.
2 ByDan Emery Aug 25, 2025
This is why Farke should be pushing the club to get this deal done before the deadline because he could be an experienced alternative to Ampadu at the base of the midfield, as a strong and dependable option who can be relied upon as a defensive force.
Ivan Toney has shockingly claimed that the Saudi Pro League is "on par" with the Premier League and insisted that Al-Ahli would compete for a top four finish if they competed in the English top flight. Toney left the Premier League last summer when joining Al-Ahli from Brentford. The English forward has already won two titles in his first year in the Middle East.
Toney compared SPL to Premier LeagueWon two titles with Al-Ahli alreadyTalks up strength of Saudi footballFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Saudi Pro League's biggest star, Cristiano Ronaldo, has repeatedly claimed that the competition should be considered among the top five leagues in the world. He even aimed a dig at his eternal rival, Lionel Messi, by saying that the Saudi league is already better than Major League Soccer in the United States and France's Ligue 1.
AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT TONEY SAID
Former Brentford star Toney has now gone one step further than Ronaldo, claiming that the Saudi Pro League is "on par" with the Premier League. Speaking to , the England international said: "Ronaldo has been around the world and probably knows a lot more than me, as I have only played in the Premier League, the Championship and Leagues One and Two. For me, [the Pro League] is on a par with the Premier League. If [Al-Ahli] were in the Premier League, we’d give it a good go and we’d be close to the top four. It is a quality league and people should not turn their noses up. We saw Al-Hilal play against Man City [at the Club World Cup] and beat them."
AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Toney enjoyed a successful first season in Saudi Arabia as he scored 23 league goals in 30 appearances, two short of Ronaldo's tally. Pairing up with the likes of Roberto Firmino – who left Al-Ahli this summer – and Riyad Mahrez in the attack, Toney also helped the club win the AFC Champions League title last season. At the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Al-Ahli lifted the Saudi Super Cup.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR AL-AHLI?
Toney and Al-Ahli will be back in action this Friday as the Saudi giants take on Al-Ettifaq in a league clash.
Leeds United could be in the market for further reinforcements in the attacking areas of the pitch before the summer transfer window officially slams shut.
Lukas Nmecha, who signed on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, is the only attacker to have joined the squad so far, and the Whites are set to miss out on a deal for Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao.
Their pursuit of the Brazilian dynamo suggests that they are in the market to sign a new left winger, after Manor Solomon returned to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season.
The Whites are also looking for a new centre-forward to lead their line in the Premier League, as Football Insider reported earlier this summer that the club have doubts over Joel Piroe’s ability to make the step up.
Joel Piroe
Earlier this month, it was reported that Leeds are looking to cash in on wantaway forward Mateo Joseph in order to fund a new bid to sign Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz.
What Rodrigo Muniz could bring to Leeds
The Brazilian striker could bring a proven presence at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League, as he has been there and done it in the division with Fulham.
Muniz has showcased his ability to find the back of the net efficiently in the league in the last two seasons, outperforming his xG in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns for the Cottagers.
Appearances
26
31
Starts
18
8
xG
8.72
5.81
Goals
9
8
Minutes per goal
179
121
Big chances created
2
1
Assists
1
1
Duel success rate
39%
52%
As you can see in the table above, the striker has not yet hit double figures for goals in a Premier League season, but he has rarely been a starter for his side.
The 24-year-old star would not need any time to adapt to the league or the country, as he is a proven quantity, and that could appeal to Leeds in their search for a new number nine.
However, Muniz has never scored more than nine goals in a single league season in his career, and there may be doubts over his ability to deliver consistently over the course of an entire campaign.
That may be why the Championship champions are now reportedly looking at an alternative centre-forward option, who could be even better than the Fulham marksman if they can get a deal over the line.
Leeds eyeing move for Serie A forward
According to RomaPress, Leeds United are one of a number of teams interested in a deal to sign Roma number nine Artem Dovbyk this summer.
The report claims that the Whites and fellow Premier League side West Ham United are both lining up moves to sign the Ukraine international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds that Roma are looking for a fee within the region of £30m in order to part ways with the left-footed centre-forward, although it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds are prepared to spend that much on him.
RomaPress also note that fellow Italian outlet Leggo have reported that Turkish giants Besiktas have made contact with Roma to discuss a potential deal for Dovbyk.
AS Roma's ArtemDovbyklooks dejected after Lazio's Alessio Romagnoli scores their first goal
It is now down to the 49ers and Daniel Farke to push to beat the likes of Besiktas and West Ham to his signature this summer, because he would be an even better signing than Muniz.
Why Leeds should sign Artem Dovbyk
The 28-year-old attacker is a striker who has the potential to deliver goals at an impressive rate in the Premier League, as a star who has proven his quality in multiple top European leagues.
Dovbyk, who was described as “dominant” in the air by analyst Ben Mattinson, has impressed in both LaLiga and the Serie A since he moved away from Ukraine in the summer of 2023, after scoring 38 goals in 47 games in his last two seasons in the Premier Liga.
The £30m-rated star has hit double figures for goals five times at league level throughout his career, including in each of the last four seasons, whilst Muniz is yet to do it once.
Dovbyk has also scored 24 goals in a league season twice in his career, once in Ukraine and once in Spain, which suggests that he has the potential to be an incredibly prolific figure in front of goal for Leeds if he can adapt to English football.
Appearances
36
32
Starts
32
27
xG
24.29
12.25
Goals
24
12
Minutes per goal
109
203
Big chances created
10
5
Assists
8
2
As you can see in the table above, the Ukraine international has scored 36 goals in Europe’s top five leagues in the last two seasons, whilst Muniz scored 17 goals for Fulham in the Premier League in that time.
Muniz also managed just three ‘big chances’ created and two assists in the league in that time, which suggests that Dovbyk is also more likely to provide a big threat as a creator, based on his 15 ‘big chances’ created in the last two campaigns.
These statistics suggest that the Roma star has the potential to offer far more to the team than the Fulham centre-forward, as he has delivered more as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the last couple of years.
It would be a bit more of a gamble for Leeds to take, as he has yet to prove himself in the Premier League, but they can be assured by the fact that he has scored goals at an impressive rate in the Spanish and Italian top-flights already.
49ers lining up Leeds swoop for £17m star who's as exciting as Paixao
Leeds United are eyeing up a £17m-rated winger who could be just as exciting as Igor Paixao.
ByDan Emery Jul 30, 2025
Therefore, if it gets to a point where the club have to decide between pursuing Muniz or Dovbyk, they should look to swoop for the Ukraine international to lead the line for Farke next season.