The Premier League transfer market continues to be vibrant. Who are the potential new stars?

Why is striker Hugo Ekitike being fought over by Newcastle United and Liverpool?

Newcastle United once dreamed of bringing in talented striker Hugo Ekitike to partner with Alexander Isak. However, that dream was abruptly shattered by Liverpool, which presented Newcastle with a dilemma regarding their striker options.

Liverpool, according to The Athletic, officially bid 80 million euros (Rp 1.51 trillion) for Eintracht Frankfurt's Ekitike on Thursday (July 17, 2025) WIB. Liverpool's move comes just two days after Newcastle's 75 million euro bid was rejected by Frankfurt.

Ekitike is not actually a priority for Liverpool in this summer's transfer window. Their main target is Isak, the star striker from Newcastle. Liverpool is using their interest in Ekitike as a bargaining tool to secure Isak.

According to a report by transfer specialist journalist Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool had prepared a package worth 120 million euros (Rp 2.27 trillion) for Isak. If Isak is allowed to leave by Newcastle, Liverpool will cease their pursuit of Ekitike. The same applies in reverse. Newcastle is presented with a dilemma.

Newcastle is forced to choose between losing Isak or the prospective new striker. They apparently prefer to retain Isak, who has already proven himself in the Premier League. Ekitike, therefore, has to be let go. Newcastle is reluctant to engage in a price war with Liverpool over the 23-year-old forward.

The preferences of Isak and Ekitike also determine the direction of the transfer. Isak, who is still under contract for three more years at Newcastle, is not considering a move. Ekitike is more interested in transferring to Liverpool, which was the best club in England last season.

Why is Hugo Ekitike not actually better than Darwin Nunez?

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has been in the spotlight for his poor goal scoring form. He has scored just 25 goals in the last three seasons, despite averaging 33.7 xG (expected goals). Nunez's goal output has never exceeded this xG figure in any season.

Therefore, it is understandable that Liverpool wants to release him in the summer transfer window of 2025. The player, who was purchased from Benfica for 85 million euros (approximately 1.61 trillion IDR), has run out of time. Liverpool had previously approached Newcastle United star striker Alexander Isak, but was rejected.

An alternative is the talented striker from Eintracht Frankfurt, Hugo Ekitike, who is being pursued by many clubs. The problem is that Ekitike has not yet proven to be a consistent goal scorer. The 23-year-old player did manage to contribute 15 goals in the German League last season. That number of goals is his best achievement.

In the previous season, during his debut with Frankfurt, he only scored four goals. Ekitike often missed opportunities. This is reflected in the xG deficit with a goal tally reaching -6.6. He is far from the projected figure on paper to score at least 21 goals. Furthermore, this deficit value is the worst among all players in the top five European leagues.

However, Ekitike at least offers something fresher and more potential with three years' youth compared to Nunez. He arrives as one of the best striker prospects in Europe today. Like an orange, Nunez has already been squeezed dry, while Ekitike is still fresh.

Why is Manchester United willing to pay such a high price for Bryan Mbeumo?

In the last two decades, Manchester United has been known for being very "generous" in acquiring new players. Several new players, such as Antony, Casemiro, and Rasmus Hojlund, have been purchased at high prices, well above market value. A similar situation could potentially occur in the transfer of Brentford winger, Bryan Mbeumo.

According to The Athletic, Manchester United and Brentford agreed on a transfer fee of £71 million (Rp 1.55 trillion) for Mbeumo on Friday (July 18, 2025) WIB. The payment will be made in four installments.

MU had actually made two offers for Mbeumo, with packages worth £55 million and £62.5 million. However, both were rejected by Brentford. Lacking other player options, MU launched a third offer that could make Mbeumo the sixth most expensive player in the club's history.

The price of Mbeumo has become a topic of debate on social media. Not only is it far above the market price, which is no more than 50 million pounds sterling, but the player also has only one year left on his contract with Brentford. Ideally, MU could maintain control in the negotiations.

The price was directly compared to other wingers, such as Anthony Elanga, Mohammed Kudus, and Noni Madueke. They transferred for no more than 55 million pounds sterling. In fact, their ages are significantly below that of Mbeumo. Meanwhile, Mbeumo will turn 26 years old on August 7.

The factor that makes Mbeumo quite commensurate with his price is his goal contribution last season. The player from Cameroon contributed 20 goals and 7 assists in the English Premier League. Mbeumo's number of goals and assists is only surpassed by Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) and Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).

In last season's MU squad, there was not a single player who could produce double-digit goals. Attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes and winger Amad Diallo were the most prolific, contributing eight goals each. The differentiating figure in the attacking line that is hoped for is Mbeumo.

How was Matheus Cunha's debut with Manchester United?

Manchester United began their preseason journey with a goalless draw against Leeds United. Despite featuring new striker Matheus Cunha, MU's front line has yet to improve. They still appear to be searching for rhythm after the break.

Cunha made his unofficial debut with MU at the Strawberry Arena Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday (19/7/2025) WIB. The striker, purchased for 62.5 million pounds sterling (Rp 1.36 trillion), was fielded as a starting player and played for the first 45 minutes.

As expected, Cunha played as a left attacking midfielder in the 3-4-2-1 formation. He has been familiar with that position since his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Cunha was surrounded by the team's midfielder and captain, Bruno Fernandes, and the teenage forward, Chido Obi-Martin.

Cunha's debut performance wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. He repeatedly showed his quality in the half-spaces, penetrating from the second line. The Brazilian international was more successful than unsuccessful when getting past opponents. His aggressiveness was a bright spot for United.

MU manager Ruben Amorim is quite satisfied with Cunha's performance, even though he did not have much impact in the penalty area. "He has shown what we need, a player who can be aggressive in between the lines. We have seen that (since his time at Wolves)," he said as quoted by the official MU website.

Why is Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's "cool hand" being tested by the presence of Noni Madueke?

Like a drummer from a metal band entering an orchestra, that is the depiction of winger Noni Madueke's arrival at Arsenal. Madueke is known for his explosive playing style full of spontaneity, while Arsenal is accustomed to performing in a structured and very orderly system.

After facing opposition from many Arsenal supporters, Madueke's transfer from Chelsea was officially announced on Friday (18/7/2025) evening WIB. The England national team player was brought to Arsenal with a transfer package potentially worth 52 million pounds sterling (Rp 1.13 trillion).

Madueke has signed a five-year contract with Arsenal, lasting until the summer of 2030. "I am someone who often follows my heart. So far, I feel I have been moving in the right direction. I am very happy to be here," he said about moving to another London team.

The 23-year-old winger is actually not the typical player for Arsenal under Manager Mikel Arteta. "The Gunners" have always relied on a collective system. They are very patient and structured in breaking down the opponent's defense. The players prefer to bypass opponents with passes rather than dribbling.

Madueke is quite different. When there is an opportunity to get past an opponent, he does not hesitate to dribble the ball. His speed and dribbling skills are his greatest assets. He can create chances with his individual ability, single-handedly, from both flanks simultaneously.

Arteta stated that Madueke is one of the most talented wingers in the English League. This is evidenced by the player's impressive statistical record in offensive aspects. Madueke consistently provides sparks when his team is trapped in a deadlock.