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GOAL sat down with MLS NEXT technical director Luis Robles to discuss the significance of Taka and how it's being implemented

At the 2025 Generation Adidas Cup, MLS NEXT director Luis Robles spoke with academy coaches, technical directors and front office members from all around the world to ask them about what they're doing at the academy level that some might deem "radical." The responses rolled in, with a wide variety of answers.

In Germany, at the U13 and U14 levels, they're going back to 9v9 instead of 11v11 on the pitch – with some leagues not even using goalkeepers. "They're putting two small goals on the side, and the idea is more touches, more creativity, gets a goal," Robles told GOAL.

In Belgium, academies are even going back to small-sided 7v7 matches, while in England, they're going box to box. What Robles picked up, was variation, but there was an extreme emphasis on the development of the U13 and U14 age groups across each country.

That age group has been identified to be the perfect level that is "ripe for tinkering," and as a result, it's given Major League Soccer and MLS NEXT the chance to try something new: "quality of play" rankings via the Taka mathematical formula.

But what is Taka? What are quality of play rankings? What does this mean for the development of youth soccer at the MLS NEXT level, and why does it matter – at all?

Wins, losses, and draws are no longer accounted for at the U13 and U14 MLS NEXT level. Now, instead, players are judged and analyzed individually through positive and negative moments on and off the ball. It's a unique change, and one that Robles believes will create more "professionals," as they develop further at the MLS NEXT level and – eventually – into the professional ranks, whether that be signing as a Homegrown player in MLS or abroad.

"It's another way to reward teams and coaches and players who are looking to implement whatever style they want to play, while also realizing that traditional data may not capture creativity, may not capture the sort of players that we're hoping to develop. And that's, it's players that are dribbling, it's making those passes. It's, it's ones that, over a length of time, if supported, could end up being super influential players," Robles said.

It's a shift away from normality, or tradition, per se – but, it's also a move that could pay dividends if it benefits the growth of the youth game at the U13 and U14 levels over time.

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"We believe each club or team should have its own identity, so we have no preference of a style of play," Vice President of Player Development Fred Lipka said. "We want to celebrate all types of team actions, which can happen everywhere on the field as there is a value in seeing players think and act in synchronization and coordination during the offensive and defensive phases.

"For MLS NEXT, we want to shift the paradigm in player development to focus on the process and progress. That is a goal of quality of play, and why we are partnering with Taka to launch this pilot program," Lipka added.

GOAL looks at Taka and what it means for the future of academy soccer at the U13 and U14 levels in the U.S.

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• What is Taka?

  Taka is a platform for players and coaches that utilizes technology and professional analysts to determine criteria for what makes a soccer move, whether it is on or off the ball, a good play or not. Categorized into five levels, and handed a score out of 100, Taka is a revolutionary practice that has suddenly taken away the concept of wins, losses, and draws at this specific age group.

  Major League Soccer

  The system, which takes video from every MLS NEXT match, provides athletes with personalized highlights and exposure, while – for coaches- streamlines elevated analysis. More than 50,000 athlete profiles exist on the platform, while more than 20,000 matches have been analyzed, providing six million individual highlights. Every player in MLS NEXT at the U13 and U14 levels is analyzed through Taka. The best part? Each academy player has access to the highlights, stats, and analysis – both the positive and negative.

  "What we've identified is, let's give them [U13s and U14s] the entire season to develop," Robles said. "So don't worry about the wins and the losses, don't worry about the standings. Figure out, as a coach, how do you want your team to play?"

  Robles explained what that all

  "It tilts offensive, so we want them to take people on. We're going to score that as if someone's trying to nutmeg," he explained. "We saw this last week in the Premier League – if someone's trying to nutmeg, if the center-back is going to try to nutmeg the forward in the 18-yard-box, that is always going to be scored poorly, right?

  "But if a winger is on the flank and they're taking someone on, we want that, whereas traditional data is going to say: successful dribbles, and if they're one out of 12 you just like, 'well, no, this is why we passed the ball!' Well, no, what if the one out of 12 led to the goal? That's going to be super significant. And that's how we score it."

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• How does it work?

  In order to evaluate quality of play, it is captured by the source, with all footage from MLS NEXT games being taken and reviewed. Taka analysts asses every significant player action, recording where it occurred, while categorizing the skill performed and rating the quality of it. Once the full match has been analyzed through those three criteria points, the Taka model calculates an offensive score, a defensive score and an overall quality of play score for the match. The scores are then adjusted to determine the strength of each opponent in each game, noting where they are excelling, and perhaps, where they are struggling.

  Major League Soccer

  Come the end of the season, the scores are aggregated to provide a final campaign-long score for their attack, defense, and overall quality of play. Teams are then ranked on the MLS NEXT Platform by their overall quality of play scores – a formula that measures more than just wins, losses, goals, and results overall.

  The process, per Robles, takes an analyst roughly 4.5 hours per game to break down. With personnel based in Europe in countries like Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro, analysts are going minute-by-minute through the games to create the data that is then analyzed by Taka.

  The quality of play rankings are updated every Friday throughout the season, so that all persons involved, from players to staff members to onlookers, are all able to view where each team sits in terms of overall score.

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  Why does it matter?

  Far too often, U.S. Soccer has fallen short in the development of professional players. The U.S. is a world leader in talent for the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL WNBA – among countless other professional sports. For soccer, though, the U.S. has never fit into that category – and Robles believes that may stem back to the development these young players receive at crucial ages, like these U13 and U14 levels.

  "What we also want to do is hit more than we miss, and that means that we're going to go to the younger age groups and try to identify players that have potential." Robles said. "Whereas previously, it was just the eye test, but if a scout goes to a game and in 15 minutes… are they really able to know the profile of that player in 15 minutes? Whereas they can now go watch a game, they can take notes and they go back with the notes to Taka, and it's broken down, they can watch more clips than ever before – and that's something that didn't exist before, and that's why this investment is so important."

  As the professional game gets younger and younger, with stars like Lamine Yamal breaking out in Europe at 17-years-old, and domestically – the likes of Philadelphia Union teenager Cavan Sullivan and New York Red Bulls prodigy Julian Hall featuring at the senior level in MLS – it's become increasingly important to hit the mark with this age group.

  "We can now create a database and go back and see what Julian Hall was like at 15. Because the other thing that we discovered is, yes, the players are getting younger, but we're also still missing [or allowing players to slip through the cracks]. And to miss comes with a cost. So players that are 13 years old that come into our academy, that don't get considered at 16 or 17 to become Homegrown – there's a financial burden that comes with that," Robles said.

  "The underlying part is that we want to find more professionals. We want to generate better professionals. And if we're able to do that while addressing all that other. It seems like a massive win for everyone."

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• MLS NEXT
  

  Where does MLS NEXT go from here?

  With the 2025 Generation Adidas Cup wrapped – a tournament that has featured some of the world's best footballers in previous years, like Chelsea FC's Enzo Fernandez – MLS NEXT is nearing the end of its 2024-25 campaign. The MLS NEXT Flex tournament runs from May 9-13, the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs & Showcase runs June 14-22 and the MLS NEXT All-Star Game concludes this year's events in late July.

  With the introduction of Taka, MLS is attempting to both protect and create the next generation of footballers in the American landscape. With an emphasis on creativity, and a rewarding system for the individual, the goal in mind is to give these players a platform to ultimately learn and grow from – while allowing scouts, coaches, family, and fans an opportunity to get a deeper look into what is really valued at the professional level.

  "Where are you tinkering the most? It's with 11, 12 and 13 year olds, because that's pre-formation, and there's such a influence of growth and maturation that you might miss because you're only looking at the time at the fastest kid or the biggest kid, the strongest kid, whereas in four or five years, that may not be the case," Robles added. "And so we have to identify enough within our scouting methods to give this kid another chance or give this kid another look."

And so, it’s finally over. That gloriously fruitful Celtic and Kyogo Furuhashi relationship has come to an end, with the Japanese sensation embarking for pastures new at Ligue 1 outfit, Rennes.

Having been mooted as a potential target for Premier League champions, Manchester City, over the summer, an exit for the former Vissel Kobe striker did appear inevitable at some stage, with his return of 85 goals in 165 games at Parkhead having unsurprisingly not gone unnoticed.

That said, to have allowed the 30-year-old to depart mid-season – and to a struggling French side, no less – is a decision that will continue to come under scrutiny, not least as the Hoops prepare for a Champions League playoff tie against Bayern Munich next week.

The Old Firm giants did at least manage to rake in a £10m fee for a player who had cost them just £4.6m back in the summer of 2021, yet after spending £8m of those funds on Jota’s homecoming – alongside bringing in Jeffrey Schlupp on loan – no further permanent moves were made before the window slammed shut.

Celtic's failed pursuit of a striker

To have allowed the window to come and go without replacing Kyogo is a puzzling move for the Parkhead hierarchy to have made, with club legend Chris Sutton having stated that Brendan Rodgers and co were in need of a “top class centre forward” as the deadline drew closer.

There may be wisdom in avoiding overpaying or rushing into a panic buy, with the summer window not too far away, yet having likely been aware of Kyogo’s desire to depart for months, it is difficult to understand why an adequate successor was not lined up.

It had looked at one stage that the Hoops were pushing on in an attempt to revive their interest in former target, Mathis Kvistgaarden, albeit with Brondby holding firm over their desire not to sell the 22-year-old marksman.

The Danish striker has been in red-hot form this season with 14 goals in all competitions, ensuring he could have been a worthy, long-term rival for Adam Idah in the Celtic ranks.

That pursuit was also followed by apparent interest in Sevilla’s Kelechi Iheanacho – whom Rodgers had worked with at Leicester City – although the Nigerian ultimately signed on the dotted line for Middlesbrough, with the Scottish champions left empty-handed.

While Rodgers does have £9.5m man, Idah, to call upon – as well as ex-Shamrock Rovers loanee, Johnny Kenny – the Northern Irishman may need to get creative to find his new Kyogo over the coming months.

The Celtic star who could replace Kyogo

With just six Premiership goals to his name this season – and 11 in all competitions – Idah hasn’t quite picked up where he left off last time around, scoring nine times in just 19 games after initially signing on loan from Norwich City.

His recent brace against Aston Villa in the Champions League has further outlined his potential, but if Rodgers is looking to find a striker in the mould of Kyogo, then perhaps Daizen Maeda is the man.

With Jota able to slot in on the left flank, while Nicolas Kuhn remains on the opposite side, deploying Maeda through the middle may be the perfect solution to fitting all three attackers into the starting lineup.

The 22-cap Japan international has rarely featured in that central berth for Celtic, although – as indicated above – it has worked wonders when he has done so, with ten goal involvements in just 11 outings as the number nine, according to Transfermarkt.

Chalkboard

Equally, the 27-year-old has regularly operated ahead of Kyogo in that role for his country, having been hailed as “an absolute livewire” by pundit Rio Ferdinand at the 2022 World Cup.

Also lauded as a “one-man closing down machine” by Sutton in the past, the relentless forward is the perfect option to lead the press as the spearhead of the attack, mimicking his compatriot in never giving a defender a moment’s peace.

What also gives Maeda an advantage over Idah is just how prolific he has been already this season, having scored 16 times – while registering eight assists – in all competitions.

There may be the issue of why should the former Yokohama man be relocated if he is already thriving, yet with Jota now back in the picture, that new look attack could truly wreak havoc on the rest of the Premiership.

Idah, it must be said, offers a great focal point and physical presence at 6 foot 3, yet if it is a Kyogo replacement Rodgers is after, then Maeda may well be the perfect in-house solution.

Imagine him & Jota: Celtic have made D-Day offer to sign "fantastic" ace

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a deal for the Premier League ace.

2

By
Dan Emery

Feb 3, 2025

Chelsea's owners are planning to get around UEFA's multi-club ownership rules if they and sister club Strasbourg qualify for the Champions League.

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• Chelsea & Strasbourg vying for UCL spots
• UEFA has strict rules against multi-club ownership
• Owners trying to get around that for both sides

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to BBC Sport, if both Chelsea and Strasbourg qualify for next season's Champions League, their owners, BlueCo, will put the latter into a 'blind trust'. This means, for instance, that board members or staff working across both teams will no longer do that, with the trust allowing for the transfer or assignment in a club to an independent third party.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea – who have reportedly been in conversation with UEFA since January about setting up a compliant structure on this matter – currently sit fifth in the Premier League. That could secure them Champions League football next season, but the race for those qualification spots is fierce – something that is also the case for sixth-placed Strasbourg in Ligue 1. The French team are just two points off second-placed Marseille but may need to win both their last two games to make it into Europe's top football competition next term. Aside from that, this shows how these sides' American owners and trying to use their nous to work the rules in their favour.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The BBC added that the two established ways around UEFA's multi-club ownership rules are to either reduce a stake in one of the teams, something Brighton owner Tony Bloom did with his Belgian side Union SG, or to put one of them into a blind trust so an individual can't have control over two outfits.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Strasbourg will hope to boost their Champions League qualification chances when they travel to Angers on Saturday, whereas Chelsea are away to high-flying Newcastle United on Sunday.

Manchester City’s misery continues.

In Tuesday’s heavyweight Champions League clash against Real Madrid, the Sky Blues appeared set for a statement victory over the reigning European champions, leading 2-1 with less than five minutes to play.

Erling Braut Håland the scorer of both, lashing home the opener having been expertly teed-up by Joško Gvardiol, before converting a late penalty to restore their advantage late on.

However, a poor kick out from Ederson led to a los Blancos equaliser before soon after, right at the death, another defensive mix-up led to Jude Bellingham poking him a dramatic last-gasp winner, silencing a shell-shocked Etihad.

As noted by OptaJoe on Twitter, this is the fifth time the Citizens have lost a match this season in which they have led, as many as across the previous four seasons combined.

Pep Guardiola’s team have reached the Champions League quarter-finals, at least, in each of the last seven seasons but, ahead of next Wednesday’s trip to the Bernabéu, that streak appears unlikely to continue.

So, as Man City’s struggles go on, attention has turned to the players Guardiola has allowed to leave the club in recent seasons, with one in particular outperforming any of Man City’s current midfielders.

Phil Foden's continued struggles

Just last season, Phil Foden picked up both the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year awards, with teammate Rodri claiming “he has the ability to be the best English player in history”.

Now though, as noted by James Ducker of the Telegraph, his goals and assist numbers have “fallen off dramatically”, beginning the night on the bench against Real Madrid on Tuesday, albeit he was introduced on the half-hour mark, winning the late penalty when Dani Ceballos clattered into him.

So, let’s compare Foden’s statistics this season to the previous three campaigns.

As the table outlines, Foden’s metrics this season so far are almost universally lower than the previous three campaigns, with his goals and assists per 90 both significantly down, as are his shots on target and take-on success percentages, underlining his lack of confidence.

Earlier this season, Foden stated he was suffering from “burnout” as well as nursing “a few niggles” following his exertions for club and country, and he is currently being outperformed by another Man City academy graduate who would certainly be an asset to the Sky Blues right now, had they not let him go.

The Man City academy star how thriving in the Premier League

Alex Brotherton of BBC Sport posits if it’s possible for a 22-year-old to be described as a “journeyman”?

Well, if anyone fits that description at such a young age, it is Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.

That’s because, after spending the majority of his youth career at West Bromwich Albion, Rogers has been on the books of Manchester City, Lincoln City, Bournemouth, Blackpool and Middlesbrough, before being bought from Boro by Aston Villa for a reported £15m little over a year ago.

His performances in Claret and Blue have earned rave reviews, with Ryan Benson of Opta’s the Analyst labelling him a “rising star” while, as noted by Toby Cudworth of 90 Minutes, he became the first player in Champions League history to score twice in the opening five minutes of a match in January, thanks to a quick-fire double against Celtic.

On Monday’s Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Max Rushden stated that the way Rogers plays is quite “Lampardian”, adding that he might actually be a “more rounded player” than Frank Lampard ever was, while Jonathan Wilson also praised the Villa midfielder, calling him an “incredible talent”.

Rogers’ winner against Tottenham in the FA Cup on Sunday took his tally to 11 for the season, one more than Foden’s ten goals, with Haaland the only current Man City player who has bagged more goals to date.

The midfielder spent four seasons on the Sky Blues’ books between 2019 and 2023, appearing 37 times at youth level but never featuring in a senior matchday squad, before being sold to Boro for just £1.5m. Considering he’s now rated at £67m by CIES Football Observatory, it’s safe to say this could prove to be the biggest mistake the club have made in recent times.

Man City have struck gold on special star who's worth more than Bellingham

Jude Bellingham came up clutch but Manchester City still have the most valuable player in Europe.

By
Matt Dawson

Feb 12, 2025

The 15-year-old had a standout performance in his first senior start

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• Cavan Sullivan earns first Union start
• Plays 120 Minutes in U.S. Open Cup thriller
• Philadelphia Union defeat Indy Eleven 1-1 (5-4) in penalties

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. men's national team prodigy Cavan Sullivan, 15, earned his first senior start with the Philadelphia Union senior team Wednesday evening in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as they defeated USL Championship side Indy Eleven 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw across regulation and extra-time.

  Sullivan has a lucrative deal in place to join Manchester City when he turns 18, though he remains under contract with the Philadelphia Union until then.

  During the 2025 MLS season, Sullivan has been named to the bench for every game so far, making three appearances off the bench to total 45 minutes. At the MLS NEXT Pro level, Sullivan has two goals and one assist.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wednesday evening, across 120 minutes played, Sullivan completed 30 of 40 attempted passes while taking six total shots throughout the game. Three of the six landed on target, while two attempts were blocked. He registered 59 total touches on the ball, with four of them coming in the opposition box.

  Defensively, he recorded two tackles on the ball while making five recoveries and winning four of eight ground duels.

  The Union's lone regulation goal came from longtime veteran and former U.S. international Alejandro Bedoya, while from the spot, they scored all five attempts. Sullivan did not take a penalty.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Sullivan is reportedly set to train with Manchester City this summer in some capacity, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SULLIVAN?

  The 15-year-old and the Union have advanced to the next round of the competition, where they will host USL Championship side Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Subaru Park.

Everton displayed their powers of recovery when they dug deep to find a late goal in the Merseyside derby, James Tarkowski lashing beyond Alisson Becker in the final frame of injury time.

It’s remarkable how the Toffees rise to the occasion when pitted against noisy neighbours Liverpool, losing just one of their past eight meetings at Goodison Park.

But under David Moyes, Everton have quickly shaped into a team capable of beating many opponents, with their recent draw actually ending a three-match winning run in the Premier League.

Crystal Palace are up next, waiting at Selhurst Park. The 16th-place Toffees will sit level on points with Oliver Glasner’s side should they win, but it won’t be easy, not least because the Everton medical room gets more and more packed.

Everton missing key players

Abdoulaye Doucoure will serve a one-match suspension after his involvement in the post-match ruckus against Liverpool, who also saw Curtis Jones and head coach Arne Slot dismissed.

He joins an existing list of absentees that is anything but short: Nathan Patterson, Orel Mangala, Seamus Coleman, Dwight McNeil, Youssef Chermiti, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Armando Broja are all out.

The major concern, of course, is that star attacker Iliman Ndiaye is set for a spell on the sidelines after jarring his knee in the first half. Moyes has confirmed that the former Marseille man has suffered a “medial knee ligament injury”.

While Jack Harrison performed well in his stead on the left flank, the loanee has yet to score or assist a single goal this season, the same as Jesper Lindstrom on the right.

Everton might need to look for offensive support from elsewhere, and wouldn’t it be the perfect time to inculcate Charly Alcaraz into the starting line-up?

Everton's answer to Eberechi Eze

Everton brought Alcaraz in from Brazilian club Flamengo last month, tying him down to a loan move with an obligatory buy clause worth about £13m.

He’s a combative and animated midfield presence, capable across a range of roles but at his best when playing off the centre-forward. With Doucoure sidelined, it feels like number ten has his name on it in south London.

Such an electric and dangerous skill set will be needed to overcome Palace’s own midfield maestro: Eberechi Eze.

The England international is one of the silkiest and most dynamic players in the Premier League, ranking among the top 4% of positional peers in the division this term for shots taken, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

With Ndiaye sidelined, Everton will need another flashy star to step up and drive forward play. That could be Alcaraz, who himself ranked among the top 2% of positional peers in the Brasileiro Serie A 2024 campaign for shots, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.

Some might feel that the loss of Ndiaye puts the writing on the wall for a Blues side that has suffered so much misfortune in recent years, but something feels different with Moyes back in the dugout.

Everton are playing with purpose – and maybe, even, gusto.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp described Ndiaye as a forward capable of “dynamite” moments, and he’s indeed been integral over the past several weeks, netting in all three of Everton’s wins with their new manager in the dugout.

Alcaraz is effectively dovetailing into a squad plying with unbridled joy, readying themselves for an abiding partnership with one of the most revered figures on the blue patch of Merseyside.

It’s worth noting that he’s only featured two times for his new English outfit, but has made an impression in both contests. Against Bournemouth in the FA Cup, Alcaraz was a bright spark off the bench, neat in possession and hungry to win the ball off opponents.

His cameo against Liverpool saw him complete his one attempted dribble, win both ground duels and make a tackle, as per Sofascore, instrumental in piling on the pressure and sparking a late-stage comeback that sent Goodison into a frenzy of euphoric madness.

Alcaraz, moreover, played 19 games in the English top flight with Southampton, scoring four goals and supplying two assists for a team that was tail-spinning out of control and into the second tier back in 2022/23.

This potency could be realised with Everton now that Doucoure and Ndiaye are set to miss out later on today. This may feel like it’s to the detriment of Everton’s overall fluency, but it does present Alcaraz with a glorious opportunity to come up trumps and prove to Moyes that he deserves to play a big part over the coming months.

Everton have clearly got a top talent on their hands; when he moved to Italy on loan with Juventus last year, a buy option was inserted into the deal that totalled £40m. This makes a firm comment on his high-ceilinged future, albeit it was a move that failed to reach that permanent point.

Hailed as “one of the biggest talents” to have come from Argentina in recent years by scout Jacek Kulig, Alcaraz is gearing up to play a big role in Moyes’ Everton squad, with the glut of recent injuries set to fast-track him into a prominent role.

Ndiaye upgrade: Everton wanted £67m Liverpool star but Rafa refused

He’s one of the Premier League’s best forwards.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 14, 2025

With the campaign almost wrapped up, GOAL runs down the new arrivals who have made the biggest impact in the English top flight

Premier League clubs invested over £2 billion ($2.7bn) in new players across the two transfer windows of the 2024-25 campaign as England once again proved to be the No.1 destination for the top talents on the continent. However, many of those teams have not seen their marquee signings live up to their hefty price tags and sterling reputations.

Some have flopped spectacularly, while others are yet to prove they can deliver consistently. Joao Felix and Jadon Sancho both fall into the first camp at Chelsea, Manchester United's Dutch duo Joshua Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt sit firmly in the second, and the less said about Federico Chiesa's first year at Liverpool after his summer move from Juventus, the better.

But it's not only the super clubs who have made costly missteps. Niclas Fullkrug and Eddie Nketiah have been major disappointments at West Ham and Crystal Palace, respectively, with plenty of others having offered very little to the collective cause.

There have also been a host of disastrous loan deals, including Kalvin Phillips to Ipswich Town and Raheem Sterling to Arsenal, but the top-flight recruitment over the last 12 months hasn't been bad. A few of the big-money additions are now established stars at their new homes, and this has been one of the best years for shrewd business in the recent history of the English top flight.

Real value has been found in unexpected places; a refreshing change in an era that has typically seen the richest clubs dominate. With all that in mind, GOAL has ranked the top 10 signings of the season…

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  10Omar Marmoush (Manchester City) – £59m

  Omar Marmoush is the only January signing to earn a spot on this list, which is testament to how quickly the Egyptian striker has settled into his new surroundings at Etihad Stadium. The 26-year-old has successfully transferred his prolific form in the first half of the season at Eintracht Frankfurt to Manchester City, scoring seven goals in his first 15 Premier League appearances, including a stunning hat-trick in a 4-0 rout of Newcastle.

  In the long term, Marmoush will be City's replacement for Julian Alvarez given his ability to play in multiple attacking positions and penchant for exploiting the half-spaces, but he's proven he can lead the line effectively, too, in the injury-enforced absence of Erling Haaland. It also bodes well that Marmoush has performed at such a high level despite City suffering a serious drop-off as a collective, which has been noted by Pep Guardiola.

  "He arrived in the middle of the season and in a moment when we are not good," the City boss said in April. "Sometimes when you come when everything is fluid and everything is fine it’s easy to adapt. But coming when the team is not playing good, that is a big credit." It's safe to say we can expect great things from Marmoush next season – just don't mention the FA Cup final!

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  9Evanilson (Bournemouth) – £40m

  Bournemouth broke their transfer record to sign Evanilson after seeing Dominic Solanke depart for Tottenham, and the former Porto striker has since done a fine job of filling the England international's boots. The Brazilian has scored a respectable 10 league goals for the Cherries to date, but that number would surely have been higher had he not been sidelined with a broken foot for the first two months of 2025.

  Evanilson has been in superb form since returning to full fitness, netting five times in nine starts, including Bournemouth's late winner at Arsenal. Andoni Iraola has pulled off yet another impressive recruitment win with Evanlison, who is a fine finisher and target man capable of spearheading the Cherries' attack for years to come.

  "He is a top-class striker. He knows where the back of the net is and is going to get goals," former West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker told Football Daily' podcast after watching Evanilson shine at the Emirates. "Great movement in the box, a great natural finisher and old-school striker. He's just gone from strength to strength since coming to Bournemouth."

  Evanilson is certainly one of the main reasons Bournemouth have a chance of cracking the Premier League's top 10, and he will surely now have one eye on a Brazil call-up for the 2026 World Cup.

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  8Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace) – £13m

  Ismaila Sarr didn't exactly light up the Premier League when he was at Watford, but it was clear that the Senegal international had plenty of potential. He started to unlock it at Marseille last season, which convinced Crystal Palace to lure the electrifying forward back to England, and he's since slotted seamlessly into Oliver Glasner's attack-minded set-up.

  Sitting in behind Eagles No.9 Jean-Philippe Mateta, Sarr has linked up to great effect with Eberechi Eze, racking up 13 goal contributions in the top flight. Palace have looked more dangerous than ever thanks to Sarr's late runs into the box, and his ability to dribble through defences at rapid speed has been vital in the transition.

  Sarr's end product has improved dramatically, as further evidenced by the fact that no other Palace player has created more big chances this term. It seems that Sarr has found his spiritual home, and if he can keep improving at this rate, Glasner's side should be setting their sights on fighting for a European berth in 2025-26.

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  7Jorgen Strand Larsen (Wolves) – loan

  The 2023-24 season was a forgettable one for Celta Vigo, who finished 13th in La Liga for the second time on the bounce, but Jorgen Strand Larsen was the one real bright spark. Wolves bought into Norwegian's talent after seeing him plunder 13 goals in the Spanish top flight, and he's since managed to equal that total in the Premier League with two games still to go.

  Matheus Cunha has taken most of the credit for keeping Wolves above the drop zone, but Strand Larsen has only scored two fewer league goals than the Brazilian, and his hold-up play has been exceptional at times. He works as hard as anyone in the team off the ball, too, much to the delight of his manager Vitor Pereira.

  The Wolves boss said in April: “My striker must be a fighter. Must be someone who is the first one to start defending and, of course, the responsibility is not only to score goals. He [Strand Larsen] has this spirit and this character, he’s a player that I like the profile of.”

  It has been reported that the Molineux club can make Strand Larsen's loan move permanent for £23m ($31m) this summer, which will surely be a priority for Pereira, especially as Cunha continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United.

With the summer transfer window approaching, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly set their sights on a defensive addition who’s been back to his best form this season.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Those in the City Ground boardroom will be keen for the summer transfer window to arrive perhaps just to put their potential Champions League status to the test. As things stand, Forest still sit as high as third in the Premier League and on course to seal the shock of the season by qualifying for Europe’s elite competition. And that should open several new doors for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

A number of potential additions have already threatened to steal the headlines on that front too, from Bright Osayi-Samuel all the way to Inter Milan’s Davide Frattesi, and it looks as though the Reds are ready to be bold when the summer arrives.

Of course, the aim should be to maintain their surprise Champions League place and welcome reinforcements in search of a permanent top four place. Whether that comes through signing the likes of Frattesi remains to be seen, however. Instead, before anything, those in the Midlands could turn towards a defensive addition.

According to TeamTalk, Nottingham Forest are now plotting an opening bid to sign Hugo Bueno from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but face competition from Championship promotion contenders Leeds United.

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The left-back has enjoyed a much-improved campaign on loan at Feyenoord, attracting plenty of interest as a result and the admiration of those higher up at the City Ground. Now, Wolves could cash in as Nottingham Forest look to benefit from signing another rival star.

If those in the Midlands cast their minds back, it wasn’t so long ago that they were welcoming Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolves and if Bueno completes a similar move before enjoying a similar rise then Forest are in for quite the treat this summer.

"Exciting" Bueno could earn Premier League redemption

In a race to become Wolves’ main man down the left-hand side, it was ultimately Rayan Ait-Nouri who came out on top as Bueno was forced to seek a starting spot out on loan. Just one season later, whilst no one is doubting Ait-Nouri’s own ability, Bueno has gone on to steal headlines of his own and could come back to haunt his parent club next season.

Whether Wolves sell to Nottingham Forest once again will certainly be interesting to see, especially given that they’d be selling a player who Matt Hobbs has had plenty of praise for.

The Wolves sporting director told the club’s official website when asked about Ait-Nouri and Bueno in 2023: “It’s interesting because we are blessed in that area of the pitch. We’ve got two young, exciting left-backs/left wing-backs, who are slightly different, but both have huge talent, so it’s a nice little battle between them.

“Hugo played a lot last year, Rayan has started this season exceptionally well and has kept his shirt through his performance. It’s good for them that they’re competing against each other, they’re really close as well, so it’s a healthy competition, and we will see the benefits of that from both of their performances.”

Juventus have made an approach to sign out-of-favour Real Madrid forward Endrick on loan until the end of the 2025-26 season.

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• Juventus keen on Endrick move
• Brazilian's struggled for game time
• Negotiations with Serie A side underway

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As per Fichajes, Juventus are interested in bringing the Brazilian wonderkid to Turin. Real Madrid are looking into options for the out-of-favour attacker to get him more minutes and experience in one of Europe's top-five leagues. Talks are underway between Juve and Madrid in what would be a loan deal that would seemingly suit both of them.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo ahead of him in the pecking order, Endrick seemingly needs to exit the Bernabeu to ensure he plays more regularly to aid his development. Juventus, meanwhile, are working on rebuilding their front line and see the young Brazilian as an important piece in the puzzle. What's more, the Serie A side secured Champions League football in the final game of the 2024-25 season, which would likely to appeal to Endrick as he looks to test himself in Europe's premier club competition.

• TELL ME MORE

  It’s been a largely forgettable season for both Los Blancos and Endrick. The Brazilian wonderkid showed flashes of brilliance early on, but largely spent the campaign watching from the sidelines. His standout moment came in the Copa del Rey, where he netted five goals in six appearances. Despite that, however, the former Palmeiras star was handed just 847 minutes of action by Carlo Ancelotti, with the majority as a substitute.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  Los Blancos are pushing hard to solve their midfield woes with reports suggesting that Nico Paz's buy-back clause will soon be triggered by the Liga giants. Stuttgart's Angelo Stiller is also reportedly on the club's radar, with it likely to be a busy summer of incomings and outgoings at the Bernabeu. Madrid's match commitments for this season aren't over yet, either, with their first game in the Club World Cup coming on June 18 against Al-Hilal.

Things have turned around on the blue half of Merseyside – with plenty more changes on the horizon for resurgent Everton.

Bramley Moore awaits at the dawn of the 2025/26 season, the dawn of a new era, and it was only a few months ago those of a Toffees persuasion feared the new beginning would come not in the Premier League but England’s second tier.

But Sean Dyche is now gone, and in place, David Moyes takes the seat, pursued by new owners The Friedkin Group as the first port of call.

Even the most glass-half-empty Everton fans must now feel a page has been turned – and for the better. Leeds United’s chief executive, Angus Kinnear, has also been poached, and he will replace Kevin Thelwell at the end of the season when his contract expires.

TFG are enacting an overhaul and a much-needed one at that. One of Kinnear’s opening gambits will surely be to replenish Everton’s frontline – let’s take a look at how he might do it.

Everton's shift at centre-forward

Moyes orchestrated Everton’s mid-season revival, unleashing the beleaguered players and urging them toward better form, new-found confidence. After such vapid football, the Merseysiders are now riding a seven-match unbeaten streak.

Beto has been the attacking focal point throughout this run. With Iliman Ndiaye and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both injured, the 27-year-old has been reborn in England, hitting five goals from seven league appearances since the Scottish manager’s arrival.

With Calvert-Lewin back in the infirmary once more and heading toward the end of his contract, it’s increasingly likely he will be allowed to search for pastures new after 269 (currently) appearances in an Everton shirt.

With a paltry three-goal haul to his name, Calvert-Lewin has missed 13 big chances in the Premier League this year, whereas his Bissau-Guinean counterpart has only squandered seven big chances, having converted six strikes in total.

Calvert-Lewin has played a long span of his career at Goodison Park, but this feels like a natural end to his career, with the new era calling for something new to partner Beto.

Beto has outperformed his positional peer considerably, but if Calvert-Lewin does indeed leave, Kinnear and Moyes will need to make the right move to replace him.

Everton make contact for Calvert-Lewin replacement

Armando Broja is on loan from Chelsea and has a clause in the agreement that could see Everton purchase him for a fee in the region of £30m at the end of the season. With injuries laying waste to his campaign, this doesn’t seem likely.

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

Especially with Everton’s interest piqued by another graduate from Chelsea’s Cobham talent factory: Tammy Abraham.

According to Caught Offside, TFG have already begun talks for the transfer of the rangy striker through his agents, though Newcastle United and West Ham United are thought to have the strongest interest right now.

Abraham has struggled to perform on loan at AC Milan this season but he’s a dynamic and proven goalscorer who could be the perfect foil for the revivified Beto.

What Tammy Abraham would bring to Bramley Moore

Aged 27, Abraham is a seasoned Premier League striker, with 89 appearances and 31 goal involvements to his name. Curious that it’s nearly been four years since he played in his homeland.

A Champions League winner with Chelsea, Abraham left for Roma in 2021 for a £34m fee, joining Jose Mourinho’s cause and going on to forge the most incredible campaign for himself.

Indeed, in 2021/22, Abraham was instrumental in I Giallorossi’s Conference League-winning campaign, scoring 27 goals across 53 appearances in all competitions. He hailed Mourinho for turning him into a “monster” and a more aggressive player.

Abraham’s former coach, Stephen Elliott, has described him as a “goal machine” in the past, and in the pleasant conditions at Everton right now, he could find the stability he needs, back in England, to prosper.

Though Abraham has scored eight times for Milan this term, only starting 13 matches across all competitions and adding four assists too.

The England international’s tactical efforts have actually seen Calvert-Lewin listed as one of his most comparable players by FBref, but this shouldn’t be regarded as a negative. Fans know just how brilliant the tall number nine can be when he’s fit, having been described as a “monster” himself by talent scout Jacek Kulig when in his heyday under Carlo Ancelotti.

At 6 foot 3, he’d be an able replacement, with creative and defensive qualities that suggest he would be perfect in Moyes’ system. Abraham ranks among the top 27% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 23% for aerial battles won and the top 9% for tackles per 90, illustrating his prowess across such areas.

Bringing Abraham over from Serie A could see Moyes get his own version of Beto, a forward he had signed himself. After plying such good and hard work with the powerful star, it could be a bold transfer to ensure Everton kickstart this new age, and rise toward the upper echelons of the Premier League hierarchy.

He may well be hungering for a place back in the English first division, and though he has suffered his share of injury problems over the past several years and struggled to nail down a regular starting berth across two Italian outfits, Abraham is still producing goals, invariably dangerous.

Conversely, DCL has indeed only netted three all season. They might share traits, but this would freshen up the ranks. It might even see Moyes repeat Thelwell’s trick in bringing Beto over from Italy to the Premier League.

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